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Saudi Arabia Travel Insurance Requirements

Last updated: 04/01/2024

Do You Need Travel Insurance to Visit Saudi Arabia?

Travelers heading to Saudi Arabia must apply for a Tourist Visa in order to enter the country. Part of the application process involves securing mandatory health coverage that lasts for the duration of your stay.

The health insurance policy, which was approved by the Saudi Council of Health Insurance, covers medical emergencies up to SAR 100,000, roughly $27,000. The policy may cover expenses such as hospital bills, diagnostic services, and medications.

While this coverage is mandatory, we strongly recommend obtaining additional protection for your Saudi Arabia trip that includes further medical coverage, as well as protection from cancellations, delays, terrorism, baggage delays, and more.

How Does Saudi Arabian Travel Insurance?

According to Visit Saudi , the cost of a tourist eVisa, which includes the mandatory health insurance policy, will cost SAR 535. This equates to roughly $142.

For further protection, many travelers heading to Saudi Arabia opt to purchase additional coverage through a third party travel insurance provider. The cost of a comprehensive travel insurance policy is determined by a wide-range of factors, including your total insured trip costs, the length of your trip, your age, and the extent of your coverage.

On average, Squaremouth customers that travel to Saudi Arabia typically spend between $350-$400 on a comprehensive travel insurance plan, with an average trip cost of around $6.500.

What Should Your Saudi Arabia Travel Insurance Include?

When traveling to Saudi Arabia, it’s important to have comprehensive travel insurance coverage to protect yourself against unexpected events. Here are some key components your Saudi Arabia travel insurance should include:

• Emergency Medical : For most international trips, we recommend at least $50,000 in medical coverage. Since Saudi Arabia’s required plan doesn’t meet this limit, we recommend additional protection.
• Medical Evacuation : Your insurance should cover the cost of emergency medical evacuations to a suitable medical facility. We recommend at least $100,000 in Medical Evacuation Coverage.
• Trip Cancellation : This coverage protects you financially if you need to cancel your trip due to unforeseen circumstances such as illness, injury, death of a family member, and natural disasters.
• Baggage & Personal Item Loss : Make sure your insurance policy includes coverage for loss, theft, or damage to your luggage and personal belongings during your trip.
• Delay Coverage: Reimbursement for expenses incurred due to travel delays , missed connections , or trip disruptions caused by factors such as flight cancellations, severe weather, or transportation strikes.
• Emergency Assistance Services : All travel insurance providers on Squaremouth offer 24/7 emergency assistance services to support you before and during your trip.
• Terrorism Coverage : Given the geopolitical situation in some regions, it’s advisable to check if your insurance includes coverage for acts of terrorism, civil unrest, or political instability.

Before purchasing a policy, carefully review the terms, conditions, and exclusions. Consider your individual needs and the nature of your trip to ensure that the selected policy provides adequate coverage for your specific circumstances. It’s advisable to compare policies from different providers to find the one that best meets your requirements.

Other Saudi Arabia Entry Requirements

Entry requirements for US citizens traveling to Saudi Arabia typically included:

• Visa: US citizens traveling to Saudi Arabia usually need a visa. This could be obtained through the Saudi embassy or consulate before traveling or through the Saudi eVisa system. The eVisa system allows eligible travelers to apply for a visa online.
• Passport: US citizens must have a passport valid for at least six months beyond the date of entry into Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia Travel Tips & General Information

Safety in saudi arabia.

Saudi Arabia is generally considered safe for travelers, including tourists and expatriates. The country has a low crime rate compared to many other countries, and violent crime targeting foreigners is rare.

Saudi Arabia has faced terrorism threats and incidents in the past, although the government has taken significant measures to combat terrorism and enhance security within the country. When in Saudi Arabia, it’s important to remain vigilant and stay informed about local security situations.

Travelers concerned about terrorism should consider travel insurance that includes Trip Cancellation coverage for terrorist events. This coverage provides reimbursement if a terrorist attack forces you to cancel your plans or end your trip early.

Food & Water in Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia generally maintains high food and water safety standards, particularly in urban areas and established establishments. Saudi Arabian cuisine features a variety of dishes, including grilled meats, rice, bread, and traditional Middle Eastern specialties.

Water supplies in urban areas are generally safe for drinking and cooking, but it’s generally recommended to stick to water bottles when traveling abroad. Bottled water is widely available throughout Saudi Arabia and is generally considered safe for consumption.

Saudi Arabia Weather & Natural Disaster Concerns

Saudi Arabia has a predominantly desert climate characterized by high temperatures and low humidity, with variations depending on the region. Travelers should be prepared for hot conditions and take appropriate precautions, such as staying hydrated and wearing sun protection, especially if traveling during the summer.

Saudi Arabia is relatively spared from natural disasters compared to some other regions, but it is not entirely immune. Sandstorms and flash flooding have been known to occur in the region. To protect against severe weather events, many travel insurance providers offer Hurricane & Weather benefits within their top plans.

FAQs Among U.S. Citizens Visiting Saudi Arabia

What are the best things to do in saudi arabia.

Saudi Arabia offers a rich tapestry of cultural, historical, and natural attractions for visitors to explore. Here are some of the best things to do in the country:

• Visit Mecca and Medina: For Muslims, pilgrimage to the holy cities of Mecca and Medina is a profound spiritual experience. Non-Muslims are generally not permitted to enter Mecca but can visit Medina, where they can explore significant sites such as the Prophet’s Mosque and the burial place of Prophet Muhammad.
• Explore Riyadh: Saudi Arabia’s capital city, Riyadh, offers a blend of modernity and tradition. Visitors can explore historic sites like Al-Masmak Fortress and Diriyah, the birthplace of the Saudi state, as well as modern attractions like the Kingdom Centre Tower and the National Museum.
• Discover Historical Sites: Saudi Arabia is home to numerous historical and archaeological sites, including the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Al-Hijr (Madain Saleh), an ancient Nabatean city similar to Jordan’s Petra. Other notable sites include the Al-Ula archaeological site, the ancient city of Tayma, and the rock art at Jubbah and Shuwaymis.
• Experience the Edge of the World: Located near Riyadh, the Edge of the World (Jebel Fihrayn) offers breathtaking views of towering cliffs and vast desert landscapes. It’s a popular spot for outdoor activities such as hiking, camping, and photography.
• Explore the Red Sea Coast: Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea coast is renowned for its stunning coral reefs, pristine beaches, and crystal-clear waters. Visitors can enjoy snorkeling, scuba diving, boat tours, and other water-based activities in destinations like Jeddah, Al-Lith, and Yanbu.
• Experience Desert Adventures: The vast Arabian Desert offers opportunities for desert adventures such as camel trekking, dune bashing, and camping under the stars. Popular desert destinations include the Empty Quarter (Rub’ al Khali), the largest continuous sand desert in the world.

What Currency is Used in Saudi Arabia?

The official currency of Saudi Arabia is the Saudi Riyal ( SAR ), abbreviated as ر.س or SAR . It is divided into 100 halalas. The Riyal is widely used for everyday transactions throughout the country.

As for credit cards, major credit cards such as Visa, Mastercard, and American Express, are accepted at many hotels, restaurants, shops, and other establishments, especially in urban areas like Riyadh, Jeddah, and Dammam. However, it’s always a good idea to carry some cash, especially when traveling to more remote areas or smaller establishments where credit card acceptance may be limited.

What Should I Wear When I Visit Saudi Arabia?

In Saudi Arabia, clothing choices are influenced by cultural norms, Islamic principles, and the country’s conservative customs. It’s important to dress modestly and respectfully,

Western-style clothing such as pants and t-shirts are generally acceptable for men, however casual clothing should be avoided if possible. Women should dress modestly, covering the body from the shoulders to the ankles. Loose-fitting, long-sleeved tops and ankle-length skirts or pants are appropriate.

Helpful Resources

• U.S. Embassy for Saudi Arabia
• Tawakkana Information

Available Topic Experts for Media:

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Top Travel Insurances For Saudi Arabia You Should Know in 2024

Byron Mühlberg

Monito's Managing Editor, Byron has spent several years writing extensively about financial- and migration-related topics.

Links on this page, including products and brands featured on ‘Sponsored’ content, may earn us an affiliate commission. This does not affect the opinions and recommendations of our editors.

Saudi Arabia is best known among visitors for being home to the Islamic holy cities of Mecca (to which the Hajj pilgrimage is made) and Medina, as well as stunning deserts and mountain landscapes. Although travelling to Saudi Arabia can be an accessible holiday destination for many people, and although healthcare costs in the country aren't outrageously expensive, it's still a very good idea to arrive there with travel insurance anway, as you'll want the highest-quality healthcare you can find.

Luckily, online global insurances (known as 'insurtechs') specialize in cost-savvy travel insurance to Saudi Arabia and other countries worldwide. Our list below explores the four services we believe provide the best deals for young travellers, adventurers, everyday holidaymakers looking for comprehensive but affordable coverage, and longer-term expats.

Saudi Arabia Insurance Profile

Here are a few of the many factors influencing the scope and cost of travel insurances for Saudi Arabia:

Best Travel Insurances for Saudi Arabia

• 01. Do I need travel insurance for Saudi Arabia? scroll down
• 02. Best medical coverage: VisitorsCoverage scroll down
• 03. Best trip insurance: Insured Nomads scroll down
• 04. Best mix for youth and digitial nomads: SafetyWing scroll down
• 05. FAQ about travel insurance to Saudi Arabia scroll down

Heading to Saudi Arabia soon? Don't forget to check the following list before you travel:

• 💳 Eager to dodge high FX fees? See our picks for the best travel cards in 2024.
• 🛂 Need a visa? Let iVisa take care of it for you.
• ✈ Looking for flights? Compare on Skyscanner !
• 💬 Want to learn the local language? Babbel and italki are two excellent apps to think about.
• 💻 Want a VPN? ExpressVPN is the market leader for anonymous and secure browsing.

Is Travel Insurance Mandatory in Saudi Arabia?

No, there's currently no legal requirement to take out travel insurance for travel to or through Saudi Arabia.

However, regardless of whether or not it's legally required, it's always a good idea to take our health insurance before you travel — whether to Saudi Arabia or anywhere else. For what's usually an affordable cost , taking out travel insurance will mitigate most or all of the risk of financial damage if you run into any unexpected troubles during your trip abroad. Take a look at the top five reasons to get travel insurance to learn more.

With that said, here are the top three travel insurances for Saudi Arabia:

VisitorsCoverage: Best Medical Coverage

Among the internet's best-known insurance platforms,  VisitorsCoverage  is a pioneering Silicon Valley insurtech company that offers comprehensive medical coverage for travellers going abroad to Saudi Arabia, no matter whether you're planning to journey to Mecca for the Hajj or snap a sunset panorama at the Edge of the World.

VisitorsCoverage lets you choose between various plans tailored to meet the specific needs of your trip to Saudi Arabia, including coverage for medical emergencies, trip cancellations, and travel disruptions. With its easy online purchase process and 24/7 live chat support, VisitorsCoverage is a reliable and convenient option if you want good value and peace of mind while travelling abroad.

• Coverage 9.0
• Quality of Service 9.0
• Pricing 7.6
• Credibility 9.5

VisitorsCoverage offers a large variety of policies, and depending on your needs and preferences, you'll need to compare and explore their full catalogue of plans for yourself. However, we've chosen a few highlights for their travel insurance for Saudi Arabia:

• Policy Names: Varies
• Medical Coverage: Very good. Includes coverage for doctor and hospital visits, pre-existing conditions, repatriation, mental health-related conditions, and many others.
• Trip Coverage: Excellent - but only available for US residents.
• Customer Support: FAQ, live chat and phone support
• Pricing Range: USD 25 to USD 150 /traveller /month
• Insurance Underwriter: Lloyd's, Petersen, and others
• Best For: Value for money and overall medical coverage

Insured Nomads: Best Trip Coverage

Insured Nomads is another very good travel insurance option for Saudi Arabia, especially if you're adventurous or frequently on the go and are looking for solid trip insurance with some coverage for medical incidents too. With Insured Nomads, you can choose the level of protection that best suits your needs and enjoy a wide range of benefits, including 24/7 assistance, coverage for risky activities and adventure sports, and the ability to add or remove coverage as needed. In addition, Insured Nomads has a reputation for providing fast and efficient claims service, making it an excellent choice if you want peace of mind while exploring the world.

• Coverage 7.8
• Quality of Service 8.5
• Pricing 7.4
• Credibility 8.8

Insured Nomads offers three travel insurance policies depending on your needs and preferences. We go through them below:

• Policy Names: World Explorer, World Explorer Multi, World Explorer Guardian
• Medical Coverage: Good. Includes coverage for doctor and hospital visits, pre-existing conditions, repatriation, and many others.
• Trip Coverage: Good. Includes coverage for trip cancellation and interruption, lost or stolen luggage (with limits), adventure and sports activities, and many others.
• Customer Support: FAQ, live chat, phone support
• Pricing Range: USD 80 to USD 420 /traveller /month
• Insurance Underwriter: David Shield Insurance Company Ltd.
• Best For: Adventure seekers wanting comprehensive trip insurance

SafetyWing: Best Combination For Youth

SafetyWing is a good insurance option for younger travellers or digital nomads in Saudi Arabia because it offers flexible but comprehensive coverage at a famously affordable price. With SafetyWing, you can enjoy peace of mind knowing you're covered for unexpected medical expenses, trip cancellations, lost or stolen luggage, and more. In addition, SafetyWing's user-friendly website lets you manage your policy, file a claim, and access 24/7 assistance from anywhere in the world, and, unlike VisitorsCoverage, you can even purchase a policy retroactively (e.g. during a holiday)!

• Coverage 7.0
• Quality of Service 8.0
• Pricing 6.3
• Credibility 7.3

SafetyWing offers two travel insurance policies depending on your needs and preferences, which we've highlighted below:

• Policy Names: Nomad Insurance, Remote Health
• Medical Coverage: Decent. Includes coverage for doctor and hospital visits, repatriation, and many others.
• Trip Coverage: Decent. Includes attractive coverage for lost or stolen belongings, adventure and sports activities, transport cancellation, and many others.
• Pricing Range: USD 45 to USD 160 /traveller /month
• Insurance Underwriter: Tokyo Marine HCC
• Best For: Digital nomads, youth, long-term travellers

How Do They Compare?

Interested to see how VisitorsCoverage, SafetyWing, and Insured Nomads compare as travel insurances to Saudi Arabia? Take a look at the side-by-side chart below:

Data correct as of 4/1/2024

FAQ About Travel Insurance to Saudi Arabia

Travel insurance typically covers trip cancellation, trip interruption, lost or stolen luggage, travel delay, and emergency evacuation. Some travel insurance packages also cover medical-related incidents too. However, remember that the exact coverage depends on the insurance policy.

No, you'll not be required to take out travel insurance for Saudi Arabia. However, we strongly encourage you to do so anyway, because the cost of healthcare in Saudi Arabia can be high, and taking out travel insurance will mitigate some or all of the risk of covering those costs yourself if you need medical attention during your stay.

Yes, medical travel insurance is almost always worth it, and we recommend taking out travel insurance whenever visiting a foreign country. Taking out travel insurance will mitigate some or all of the risk of covering those costs yourself in case you need medical attention during your stay. In general, we recommend VisitorsCoverage to travellers worldwide because it offers excellent value for money and well-rounded travel and medical benefits in its large catalogue of plans.

Health insurance doesn't cover normal holiday expenses, such as coverage for missed flights and hotels, but in case you run into medical trouble while abroad, it may cover some or all of your doctor or hospital expenses while overseas. However, not all health insurance providers and plans offer coverage to customers while abroad, and that's why it's generally best to take out travel insurance whenever you travel.

Although there's overlap, health and travel insurance are not exactly the same. Health insurance covers some or all of the cost of medical expenses (e.g. emergency treatment, doctor's visits, etc.) while travel insurance covers non-medical costs that are commonly associated with travelling (e.g. coverage for missed flights, stolen or lost personal belongings, etc.).

The cost of travel insurance depends on several factors, such as the length of the trip, the destination, the age of the traveller, and the level of coverage desired. On average, travel insurance can cost anywhere between 3% and 10% of the total cost of the trip.

A single-trip travel insurance policy covers a specific trip, while an annual one covers multiple trips taken within a one-year period. An annual policy may be more cost-effective for frequent travellers.

Yes, you can sometimes purchase travel insurance after starting your trip, but it is best to buy it before the trip begins to ensure maximum coverage. If you do need to buy insurance after you've started your trip, we recommend VisitorsCoverage , which offers a wide catalogue of online trip and medical insurance policies, most of which can be booked with immediate effect. Check out our guide to buying travel insurance late to learn more.

Yes, you can most certainly purchase travel insurance for a trip that has already been booked, although we recommend purchasing insurance as soon as possible aftwerwards to ensure all coverage is in place before your journey begins. Check out our guide to buying travel insurance late to learn more.

See Our Other Travel Insurance Guides

Looking for Travel Insurance to Another Country?

See our recommendations for travel insurance to other countries worldwide:

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Saudi Arabia Travel Insurance and Safety Advice

Prior to departure, you should also check on any restrictions related to COVID-19, such as vaccine or testing requirements. With proper preparation and consideration, visiting Saudi Arabia will be an exciting adventure!

Healthcare in Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia is home to 380 government hospitals and 160 private hospitals . City hospitals meet the highest standards, with up-to-date equipment and many English-speaking staff members. There are also healthcare centers throughout the country, though complex cases might have to be transferred to an urban hospital to receive the best care.

If you intend to stay in Saudi Arabia for an extended period of time, take note of the hospital closest to your work or home, so you know where to go during an emergency. You can also access medical care in an emergency by calling 997.

Emergency Numbers in Saudi Arabia

Health insurance for saudi arabia.

If you intend to purchase travel insurance for Saudi Arabia, consider a policy that covers healthcare or sign up for International Health Insurance that will meet any needs while you’re overseas. Without health insurance in Saudi Arabia, you’ll likely be expected to pay via cash or credit card for any medical care you receive.

Expats are required to have private health insurance in Saudi Arabia. Private employers have been legally required to provide insurance for employees and their families since 2014, but freelancers will need to arrange for a healthcare policy on their own.

Saudi nationals receive free healthcare. Those making religious pilgrimages in Saudi Arabia, such as the annual Hajj, also receive medical care at no cost.

Recommend Travel Insurance Plans for Visitors to Saudi Arabia

GeoBlue Voyager Plan

• For U.S. citizens up to age 95
• Includes pregnancy coverage, baggage loss, trip interruption & more
• 24/7/365 service and assistance

• Emergency medical, evacuation, repatriation benefits
• Choose between the basic and more extensive coverage
• Meets Schengen visa insurance requirements
• 24/7 worldwide travel and emergency medical assistance

How to Manage Medical Prescriptions

If you take any kind of prescription or over-the-counter medication, make sure it’s legal to bring it into Saudi Arabia before your trip. There are strict rules about what can be carried into the country, with limitations on medications such as painkillers, some ADHD medicines, and sleeping pills.

If you’ve verified that it’s legal to take your medicine into Saudi Arabia, keep it in its original packaging while you’re traveling. It’s also best to have a copy of your prescription with you. However, your overseas prescription will not be accepted if you need a refill during your visit. You’ll have to see a local healthcare provider who is licensed by the Saudi Commission for Health Specialities to obtain a new prescription.

Also Read: Checklist for Traveling With Prescription Medications Overseas

Staying Healthy in Saudi Arabia

Before traveling, it’s a good idea to get up-to-date on vaccinations such as MMR and your annual flu shot. Additional recommended vaccines for travel to Saudi Arabia include tetanus, polio, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, diphtheria, and typhoid. Experts recommend a rabies vaccination if you plan on staying in more rural and remote areas or if you’ll be in close contact with animals.

You may encounter diseases such as trachoma, cholera, dengue, and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) during your stay in Saudi Arabia. Camels can transmit MERS, so avoid any contact with these animals to protect yourself. This includes consumption of camel products; don’t drink raw camel milk or eat undercooked camel meat. You can also increase your chances of staying healthy in general by following common-sense hygiene practices such as frequently washing your hands.

Sandstorms frequently take place in Saudi Arabia. Such storms can impair breathing and activate allergies. Minimize your risks by staying indoors or wearing a mask during a storm.

It can get extremely hot in Saudi Arabia, with the average high temperature in the summer climbing to 100+ degrees Fahrenheit. Remember to stay hydrated and try to limit your time outdoors in the heat.

Crime and Terrorism

Saudi Arabia has a low crime rate, but that does not mean it is free of crime. You should take the usual precautions when traveling: keep your valuables out of sight and remain aware of your surroundings. Theft is a common occurrence in crowded areas. If you need to call the police, the emergency number is 999.

In Saudi Arabia, the sentence for crimes such as murder or burglary can be death . The death penalty can also be used in cases of drug trafficking. Rape is another potential capital offense, but in reality, victims of sexual assault in Saudi Arabia risk punishment for reporting their attacks.

Having two passports is not legal in Saudi Arabia. If you’re a dual national, leave one passport at home, or it could be confiscated.

Due to ongoing conflict, it’s recommended you avoid travel within 50 miles of Saudi Arabia’s border with Yemen. Terrorist attacks are possible throughout Saudi Arabia. Past attacks have taken place at sites popular among Westerners.

Culture and Customs in Saudi Arabia

While traveling to Saudi Arabia, make sure to respect its culture and customs. Actions that would be perfectly acceptable in your home country may be met with disapproval, or even police action, in Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia is the birthplace of Islam and contains two of the religion’s holiest cities: Mecca and Medina. Religious pilgrimages dominate Saudi Arabia’s tourism industry; between 2 and 3 million followers go on Hajj to Mecca every year. Non-Muslims are not permitted to visit Mecca. Criticism of Islam or Muslim religious figures is strictly forbidden in Saudi Arabia, as is the public practice of a non-Islamic religion or the display of non-Islamic religious items. You risk arrest and/or deportation for engaging in these acts. The country also forbids pornography. During the holy month of Ramadan, when observant Muslims are fasting during the day, you cannot eat, drink, or smoke in public.

In the past, Saudi restaurants were segregated by sex, with separate entrances and eating sections. Today public areas have fewer such barriers. Though some restaurants still maintain separate eating areas, there are coffee shops that serve men and women side by side. Wherever you’re visiting, only take pictures or record videos with permission.

Antisemitism

Antisemitic books and news articles exist throughout Saudi Arabia. If you were born in Israel, or if your passport indicates you’ve visited Israel, you can be denied entry to the country.

Tips for Women Visiting Saudi Arabia

Women are no longer required to wear an abaya, a flowing garment that covers the entire body, while in public. Covered hair is also not required, and Saudi women can be seen with uncovered hair in cities. However, though laws have changed and the religious police have been reined in, female travelers may feel more comfortable with abayas and covered hair in some situations. Consider bringing a scarf to cover your head if necessary. It’s easy to purchase an abaya during your stay if you decide you’d like to wear one.

Whether or not you choose to wear an abaya, conservative clothing is still expected while visiting Saudi Arabia. This means you should cover your knees and shoulders, and no article of clothing should fit tightly. In addition, don’t wear anything with images or words that could be considered obscene.

Travel to Saudi Arabia for LGBTQ+ Visitors

Saudi Arabia has outlawed same-sex relationships. You could face fines, jail time, or death for engaging in a same-sex relationship, or even being seen as supporting such relations. Being trans is also illegal in Saudi Arabia. If authorities learn you are a trans man or trans woman, your safety and freedom could be at risk.

Enjoying Saudi Arabia as an Expat

Saudi Arabia remains a popular destination for visitors and expats alike. For expats who are teaching English, it’s a good idea to investigate your potential employer before signing a contract. Once you’re in the country, you’ll have little recourse in the face of issues such as nonpayment of salary. Anyone who plans to work in Saudi Arabia, be it as an English teacher or in another realm, should get the proper visa before entering the country. Once you’re in Saudi Arabia, remember to respect the laws and culture, and you should have a successful trip!

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Saudi Arabia

Entry requirements.

This advice reflects the UK government’s understanding of current rules for people travelling on a full ‘British citizen’ passport from the UK for the most common types of travel. 

The authorities in Saudi Arabia set and enforce entry rules. If you’re not sure how these requirements apply to you, contact the Saudi Embassy in the UK . 

COVID-19 rules 

There are no COVID-19 testing or vaccination requirements for travellers entering Saudi Arabia.

Passport validity requirements 

Your passport must have an ‘expiry date’ at least 6 months after the date you arrive. 

Check with your travel provider that your passport and other travel documents meet requirements. Renew your passport if you need to.  

You will be denied entry if you do not have a valid travel document or try to use a passport that has been reported lost or stolen. 

Previous travel to Israel 

You may not be allowed to enter Saudi Arabia if your passport shows that you have travelled to, or were born, in Israel. 

Visa requirements 

You must get an e-visa or an electronic visa waiver (EVW) either before you travel or on arrival at any of Saudi Arabia’s international airports. The type of e-visa or EVW you choose depends on your reason for travelling and how long you want to stay.

If you overstay your visa, you could face large fines, detention and deportation. You could be banned from returning to Saudi Arabia.  

Applying for an e-visa 

You can apply for an e-visa if you are a tourist. You must get an e-visa to perform Umrah. 

E-visas are: 

• valid for 365 days from the date of issue 
• for visits of up to 90 days 
• for multiple entries  

Apply online or on arrival at any of Saudi Arabia’s international airports.  

You will need a separate visa for Hajj. See Pilgrimage . 

Applying for an electronic visa waiver (EVW) 

You can apply for an electronic visa waiver (EVW) if you’re travelling for: 

• medical treatment 
• Umrah (outside of Hajj Season)

An EVW allows you to enter Saudi Arabia once and stay for up to 6 months.  

Apply online for an EVW at least 48 hours before your flights, or up to 90 days in advance. You will need to give your flight details.

Travelling overland  

Your visa may only allow you to enter Saudi Arabia by air. If you plan to travel to Saudi Arabia by the Bahrain causeway, check your visa before travelling. Ask your travel agent or the Saudi Embassy if you need help. 

Travelling through Saudi Arabia 

If you’re transferring through Saudi Arabia, you may need a transit visa if: 

• you will pass through immigration control 
• you will leave Saudi Arabia on a separate ticket to the one you arrive on 
• the connecting time between your flights is more than 12 hours 

Check with your airline or travel agency if you require a transit visa.

Exit, re-entry and final exit permits 

If you live in Saudi Arabia, you must get an exit or re-entry permit from your sponsor to leave and re-enter the country. If you leave Saudi Arabia on a final exit permit, you must apply for a new visa to return to the country.  

Wives and children of Saudi nationals 

If you’re a woman married to a Saudi national, you must get a re-entry or final exit permit from your husband to leave Saudi Arabia. This also applies to children of Saudi nationals.

Flight restrictions around Hajj 

If you plan to travel around the time of the Hajj pilgrimage, check with your airline for any flight restrictions. 

The Saudi authorities have stopped visitors who are not performing Hajj from flying to Jeddah, Madinah and Taif. You may need a Hajj visa to board flights to these places during Hajj.  

You will still be able to enter Saudi Arabia through other airports.

Vaccination requirements  

At least 8 weeks before your trip, check the vaccinations and certificates you need in TravelHealthPro’s Saudi Arabia guide . 

Depending on your circumstances, these may include: 

• a yellow fever vaccination certificate  
• meningococcal quadrivalent vaccine

Customs rules 

There are strict rules about goods you can take into or out of Saudi Arabia. You must declare anything that may be prohibited or subject to tax or duty. 

It is illegal to import: 

• pork and pork products 
• pornographic material 
• distillery equipment 
• re-treaded or used tyres  
• used clothing except for personal use  

certain sculptures such as religious symbols     Other items may be examined, including: 

• personal videos 
• electronic devices  

You may need to special approval to bring: 

• agricultural seeds 
• live animals 
• religious books (except for personal use) 
• chemicals and harmful materials 
• some pharmaceutical products 
• wireless equipment  
• radio-controlled model airplanes 
• archaeological artefacts 

Using technical equipment 

You may need a licence for: 

• satellite phones 
• listening or recording devices 
• radio transmitters 
• powerful cameras or binoculars 

If you need information on customs rules, contact the Saudi Embassy . 

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Travel Insurance for the Middle East

From the grand pyramids of Egypt to the busy markets of Marrakech, the Middle East offers a thrilling adventure where history mixes with today's hustle and bustle. But with the ever-changing landscapes and unique challenges of this vibrant region, having travel insurance is a must.

Whether you're staying ahead of medical events or making sure you've got help if your plans go sideways, having travel insurance can make a huge difference. This guide is your map, showing you everything you need to know about travel insurance for the Middle East!  

Discover our travel insurance for Middle East.

Israel Travel Insurance | Saudi Arabia Travel Insurance  |  South Middle East Insurance | Turkey Travel Insurance | Egypt Travel Insurance  |  India Travel Insurance  |

• What should your Travel insurance cover for a trip to Middle East? 
• How Does Travel Insurance for Middle East Work?
• Do I need Travel Insurance for Middle East? 
• How Much Does Travel Insurance Cost for Middle East?

Our Suggested AXA Travel Protection Plan

What types of medical coverage does axa travel protection plans offer.

• Are There Any COVID-19 Restrictions for Travelers to Middle East?
• Traveling with pre-existing Medical Conditions? 

What should your travel insurance cover for a trip to the Middle East?

At a minimum, your travel insurance should cover trip cancellation, trip interruption and emergency medical expenses. When it comes to international travel, the US Department of State outlines key components that should be included in your travel insurance coverage. AXA Travel Protection plans are designed with these minimum recommended coverages in mind.

• Medical Coverage   – The top priority is making sure your health is in order. With AXA Travel Protection, you can have access to quality healthcare during your trip overseas in the event of unexpected medical emergencies.  
• Trip Cancellation & Interruptions  – Assistance against unexpected trip disruptions can dampen the mood, AXA Travel Protection offers coverage against unforeseen events. 
• Emergency Evacuations and Repatriation   – In situations where transportation is dire, AXA Travel Protection offers provisions for emergency evacuation and repatriation. 
• Coverage for Personal Belongings  – AXA offers coverage for your belongings with assistance against lost or delayed baggage. 
• Optional Cancel for Any Reason  – For added flexibility, AXA offers optional Cancel for Any Reason coverage, allowing you to cancel your trip for non-traditional reasons.  Exclusive to Platinum Plan holders. 

In just a few seconds, you can get a free quote and purchase the best travel insurance for Middle East.

GET YOUR FREE QUOTE

How Does Travel Insurance for the Middle East Work?

Imagine you're on a guided tour through the ancient city of Petra in Jordan, marveling at the intricately carved rock-cut architecture. Suddenly, political unrest erupts in the region, leading to road closures and travel advisories. With AXA Travel Protection, you can receive assistance for trip interruptions and emergency evacuations.

Here are more ways travelers can benefit from an AXA Travel Protection Plan:

Medical Benefits: 

• Emergency Medical Expenses: Should you fall ill or have an accident during your trip, your policy may offer coverage for medical expenses, including hospital stays and doctor's fees. 
• Emergency Evacuation & Repatriation: In case of a serious medical emergency, your policy may include provisions for evacuation to the nearest appropriate medical facility or repatriation. 
• Non-Emergency Evacuation & Repatriation : In non-medical crises (e.g., political unrest), your policy may cover evacuation or repatriation, subject to policy terms. 

Pre-Departure Travel Benefits: 

• Trip Cancellation: You may be eligible for reimbursement if you cancel your trip due to a sudden illness or injury. 
• COVID-19 Travel Insurance: Coverage is available for trip cancellation and medical expenses related to COVID-19, subject to policy terms and conditions. 
• Trip Delay: If your flight faces delays due to unforeseen circumstances, you may have coverage for additional expenses such as meals and accommodations. 

Post-Departure Travel Benefits

• Trip Interruption: In case of an unexpected event, you could be eligible for reimbursement for the unused portion of your trip.
• Missed Connection: If you miss a connecting flight due to delays or cancellations, this coverage may help with expenses like rebooking fees and accommodations.

Baggage Benefits: 

• Luggage Delay: If the airline delays your checked baggage, your policy might offer reimbursement for essential items like clothing and toiletries. 
• Lost or Stolen Luggage: In the unfortunate event of permanent loss or theft of your luggage, your policy may offer reimbursement for its value, assisting you in replacing your belongings. 

Additional Optional Travel Benefits 

• Rental Car (Collision Damage Waiver) : Exclusive to Gold & Platinum plan policy holders, this optional benefit gives travelers extra coverage on their rental car against damage and theft. 
• Cancel for Any Reason: Exclusive to Platinum plan policy holders; this optional benefit gives travelers more flexibility to cancel their trip for any reason outside of their standard policy. 
• Loss Skier Days : Exclusive to Platinum plan policy holders, this optional benefit offers reimbursement to mitigate some costs associated with pre-paid ski tickets that you or your traveling companion cannot use due to specified slope closures. 
• Loss Golf Days : Exclusive to Platinum plan policy holders, this optional benefit offers reimbursement to mitigate the expenses linked to prepaid golf arrangements that you or your travel companion are unable to utilize due to specified golf closures.​​​​​ ​​

Do I Need Travel Insurance for the Middle East?

Travel insurance is not typically required for visiting the Middle East. However, it is strongly recommended due to various factors unique to the region. The Middle East can present certain risks such as political instability, civil unrest, and occasional natural disasters.

Here are more reasons why having travel insurance is recommended for trips to the Middle East:

• Emergency Medical Expenses: The Middle East may present unique health risks due to the extreme temperatures, unfamiliar cuisines, and potential for infectious diseases. Having coverage for emergency medical expenses allows travelers to access quality healthcare in case of illness or injury during their trip, without worrying about piling expenses.
• Lost Baggage: Airlines sometimes mishandle baggage, and the last thing you want is to be without your essentials in an unfamiliar place. Travel insurance offers to cover the cost of replacing necessary items, allowing you to continue on.
• Emergency Evacuation & Repatriation: Political instability and occasional civil unrest in certain parts of the Middle East can pose safety concerns for travelers. Coverage for emergency evacuation and repatriation offers essential support for safely transporting travelers to the nearest appropriate medical facility or evacuating them from potentially dangerous situations.

How Much Does Travel Insurance Cost for the Middle East?

In general, travel insurance costs about 3 – 10% of your total prepaid and non-refundable trip expenses. The cost of travel insurance depends on two factors for AXA Travel Protection plans:

Total Trip cost: The total amount of non-prepaid and non-refundable costs you have already paid for your upcoming trip. This includes prepaid excursions, plane tickets, cruise costs, etc.

Age: Like any other travel insurance type, the correlation is rooted in increased health risks associated with older individuals. It's important to note that this doesn't make travel insurance unattainable for older individuals.

With AXA Travel Protection, travelers to the United Kingdom will be offered three tiers of insurance: Silver,   Gold  and  Platinum . Each offer varying levels of coverage to cater to individual's preferences and travel needs.  

AXA presents travelers with three travel plans – the Silver Plan ,  Gold Plan , and  Platinum Plan , each offering different levels of coverage to suit individual needs. Given that Philippine hospitals often do not accept U.S. health insurance or Medicare, we genuinely recommend travelers to consider purchasing any of these plans, particularly for the crucial coverage they offer for emergency accident and sickness medical expenses.

The Platinum Plan is your go-to choice if you're looking for extra coverage for the Philippine experience. Cancel for Any Reason" offers greater flexibility for those unexpected twists in your travel plans and the "Rental Car (Collision Damage Waiver)" offers assistance when you're out exploring Middle East's stunning landscapes in a rental car.  

AXA covers three types of medical expenses:

• Emergency medical
• Emergency evacuation & repatriation
• Non-medical emergency evacuation & repatriation

Emergency medical: Covers unforeseen situations like fractures, burns, sudden illnesses, and allergic reactions.

Emergency evacuation and repatriation: Covers your immediate transportation home in the event of an accidental injury or illness.

Non-medical emergency evacuation and repatriation: Offers assistance for evacuating a destination promptly due to events unrelated to health issues. These events may include occurrences like natural disasters or civil unrest.  

Are There Any COVID-19 Restrictions for Travelers to the Middle East?

COVID-19 restrictions for travelers in the Middle East differ by country and situation. While many countries have eased restrictions, some still have rules in place. For instance, as of May 2024, Iran needs proof of vaccination, and Saudi Arabia requires insurance covering COVID-19 treatment costs. Before traveling, it's vital for visitors to check and stay informed about the specific COVID-19 guidelines and entry requirements for the Middle Eastern country they're visiting.  

Traveling with preexisting Medical Conditions?

Traveling with preexisting medical conditions can complicate your plans, but with AXA Travel Protection, we're here to support you during your trip. Gold Plan , and  Platinum Plans offer coverage for preexisting medical conditions. The Platinum plan, in particular, is our highest-offered choice for travelers who want our highest coverage limits and optional add-ons,

What does this mean for you? If you've got a medical condition that's been hanging around, you can qualify for coverage under our Gold and Platinum plan with a preexisting medical condition, so long as it’s within 14 days of placing your initial trip deposit and in our 60 day look back period. We're here to make sure you travel with ease, no matter your health situation.  

1.Can you buy travel insurance after booking a flight?

You can buy travel insurance even after your flight is booked.  

2.When should I buy Travel Insurance to the Middle East?

It's advisable to purchase travel insurance for your trip as soon as you have made your initial trip deposit (prepaid and non-refundable trip costs.) AXA Travel Protection offers coverage as soon as you purchase your protection plan. We can give coverage against unforeseen events before you leave for your trip. Additionally, our policies offer coverage for preexisting medical conditions and Cancel for Any Reason if you purchase your protection within 14-days of making your initial trip deposit.  

3.Do Americans need travel insurance in the Middle East?

Travel insurance is not required for most Middle Eastern countries, but Americans planning to visit Qatar and Saudi Arabia are required to obtain international health insurance.

4.What is needed to visit the Middle East from the USA?

Visas are typically required for entry into most Middle Eastern countries, including Saudi Arabia and Jordan. Additionally, some destinations may have vaccination requirements depending on your travel plans and itinerary. For instance, Saudi Arabia mandates meningitis vaccines for travelers participating in events like the Hajj or Umrah.

5.What happens if a tourist gets sick in the Middle East?

If you become sick in the Middle East, travelers with AXA Travel protection can contact the AXA Assistance hotline 855-327-1442. Contact information is typically provided within the travel insurance documentation. Please read through your policy details and information.  

Disclosure: Always read the terms and conditions to understand what is covered and what is not covered by your travel insurance policy. This will help you make an informed decision that best suits your travel needs.  

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Going to Saudi Arabia?

Before buying insurance for your holiday to Saudi Arabia, take into account these things:

• The cost of your trip or holiday – Unforeseen events sometimes mean you have to cancel your holiday; it’s reassuring to know you may be able get your money back
• The activities you’re likely to be doing – If you’re planning anything really extreme, we can offer you extra cover if needed
• The cost of your baggage
• Also, don’t forget to check the  latest travel advice for Saudi Arabia from the FCDO

Travel Insurance for Hajj and Umrah

Travelling to Mecca to make the annual pilgrimage? Or more specifically Hajj or Umrah? At InsureandGo we offer a great range of  travel insurance  for trips to Saudi Arabia.

Our policies are designed to cover you throughout Saudi Arabia (subject to FCDO travel advice), so you can make the pilgrimage knowing that you’ll be insured all the way.

Our Coronavirus Travel Insurance is rated Superior by a leading UK Consumer Champion. All of our policies will cover you if you catch Coronavirus.

*Discount excludes any premium generated to cover medical conditions or optional extras & is automatically applied. This offer cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer. Discount tiers of 5% for premiums between £0-49, 10% for £50-249, & 20% for £250+ apply. Offer ends at 23:59 on 02/09/24. T&Cs apply.

• Unlimited emergency medical expenses available on Black level policies.
• InsureandGo’s Gold achieved a Which? Best Buy.

Security Alert May 17, 2024

Worldwide caution, update may 10, 2024, information for u.s. citizens in the middle east.

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Saudi Arabia

Travel Advisory January 24, 2024

Saudi arabia - level 3: reconsider travel.

Updated after periodic review to provide information on the risk of arrest due to social media use and the importation of prohibited items.

Reconsider travel to Saudi Arabia due to  the threat of missile and drone attacks.   Exercise increased caution in Saudi Arabia due to  terrorism, the risk of arrest based on social media activity, and importation of prohibited items.  Some areas have increased risk.  Read the entire Travel Advisory.

Do not travel to the following locations due to the threat of  missile and drone attacks  and  terrorism :

• Within 50 miles of the Saudi-Yemen border, as well as the cities of Abha, Jizan, Najran, and Khamis Mushayt;
• Abha airport;
• Qatif in the Eastern Province and its suburbs, including Awamiyah.

Country Summary : U.S. government personnel under Chief of Mission responsibility must adhere to the above travel restrictions.  As such, the U.S. government has limited ability to provide emergency services to U.S. citizens in these locations.

Missile and drone attacks perpetrated by Iran and Iran-supported militant groups have occurred as recently as September 2023.  The Islamic Republic of Iran has in the past supplied Yemen-based Houthis and regional proxy groups with weapons to conduct destructive and sometimes lethal attacks using drones, missiles, and rockets against a variety of Saudi sites, including critical infrastructure, civilian airports, military bases, and energy facilities throughout the country, as well as vessels in Red Sea shipping lanes.  Past attacks were aimed at targets throughout Saudi Arabia including Riyadh, Jeddah, Dhahran, Jizan, Khamis Mushayt, the civilian airport in Abha, Al Kharj, military installations in the south, as well as oil and gas facilities.

Debris from intercepted drones and missiles has also represented a significant risk to civilian areas and populations in the recent past.  Militant groups have threatened to conduct attacks against locations in Saudi Arabia.  U.S. citizens living and working near military bases and critical civilian infrastructure, particularly near the border with Yemen, are at heightened risk if missile, drone, or rocket attacks reoccur.

Terrorism continues to be a concern in Saudi Arabia.  Attacks can occur with little or no warning.  Past attacks have targeted tourist locations, large gatherings, transportation hubs, markets/shopping malls, and local government facilities.  Terrorists are also known to time attacks around major holidays and/or in response to military operations.  Terrorists have targeted both Saudi and international interests, mosques and other religious sites (both Sunni and Shia), and places frequented by U.S. citizens.

Be advised that social media commentary – including past comments – which Saudi authorities may deem critical, offensive, or disruptive to public order, could lead to arrest .  This may include posting, re-posting, or liking comments about Saudi institutions, policies, and public life.  U.S. citizens have been convicted for social media activity under Saudi laws concerning cybercrime, terrorism, and disrupting public order.  Punishment for social media activity has included prison sentences of up to 45 years in some cases.  Saudi courts do not necessarily consider the timeframe of the posts or the location from which they were made to be material to these cases.

The importation of drugs (including marijuana), drug paraphernalia, alcohol, weapons, pork, or any materials that could be considered pornographic or suggestive, is prohibited.   Penalties for drug possession, consumption, and trafficking are severe by U.S. standards.  An extensive list of banned items is available on our Saudi Arabia country information page .

Due to risks to civil aviation operating within the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman region, including Saudi Arabia, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued an advisory Notice to Air Missions (NOTAM).  For more information U.S. citizens should consult the  Federal Aviation Administration’s Prohibitions, Restrictions and Notices .

Read the  country information page  for additional information on travel to Saudi Arabia.

If you decide to travel to Saudi Arabia:

• Visit our website for information on  travel to high-risk areas .
• Stay alert in large crowds and/or locations frequented by foreign nationals.
• Obtain comprehensive medical insurance that includes medical evacuation.
• Review local laws and conditions before traveling, including our Saudi Arabia country information on arrest notification and the Department of State’s general information on arrests of U.S. citizens abroad .
• Enroll in the  Smart Traveler Enrollment Program  ( STEP ) to receive Alerts and make it easier to locate you in an emergency.
• Follow the Department of State on  Facebook  and  Twitter .
• Follow the U.S. Embassy in Saudi Arabia on  Facebook  and  Twitter .
• Review the  Country Security Report   for Saudi Arabia.
• Visit the CDC page for the latest  Travel Health Information  related to your travel.
• Prepare a contingency plan for emergency situations. Review the  Traveler’s Checklist .

Yemen Border, Abha airport, and Qatif in the Eastern Province and its suburbs, including Awamiyah – Level 4: Do Not Travel

Militants in Yemen have attacked Saudi border towns and other sites in Saudi Arabia with armed drones, missiles, and rockets .  Civilians that are near the border with Yemen are especially at risk.   Terrorist groups continue plotting possible attacks in Saudi Arabia, including in Qatif.

The U.S. government has limited ability to provide emergency services to U.S. citizens within 50 miles of the Saudi-Yemen border as U.S. government personnel and their families are restricted from travel to this area.

Visit our website for information on  travel to high-risk areas

Embassy Messages

View Alerts and Messages Archive

Quick Facts

A valid passport is required for U.S. citizens to enter or exit the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. A minimum of six months’ validity beyond the date of travel is recommended.

One page required for entry stamp.

Required for certain visa classes

More than 16,000 USD must be declared. Customs details are here .

Embassies and Consulates

The normal work week in Saudi Arabia is Sunday through Thursday.

U.S. Embassy Riyadh Abdullah Ibn Hudhafah As Sahmi Street Roundbaout no. 9, Diplomatic Quarter Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Telephone: (966) (11) 488-3800 Emergency Telephone: (966) (11) 488-3800 Fax: (966) (11) 488-7670 [email protected]

U.S. Consulate General Jeddah Al Safa Street, Al Muhammadiyah District, near the new American School building. Jeddah, Saudi Arabia Telephone: (966) (12) 220-5000 Fax: (966) (12) 220-5093 [email protected]

U.S. Consulate General Dhahran Off King Saud bin Abdulaziz Road, at the corner of Salaheddin al Ayoubi Street and Prince Fahd bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz Street, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia Telephone:   (966) (13) 839-5700 Emergency Telephone:   (966) (13) 839-5700 Fax:   (966) (13) 330-6816 [email protected]

Destination Description

Learn about the U.S. relationship to countries around the world.

Entry, Exit and Visa Requirements

See the  Embassy of Saudi Arabia’s website  for visa information.

COVID-19 Requirements: There are no COVID-related entry requirements for U.S. citizens.

For residency permit-holders (iqama), an exit/reentry permit is required to leave Saudi Arabia as well as six month’s validity on your passport to request an exit/reentry permit.

• Saudi law requires that residency permit-holders carry their residency card (iqama) at all times while in the Kingdom. Failure to do so could result in a fine of 3,000 Saudi riyals and a jail sentence of six weeks.
• Females and minors may require a male guardian’s permission to leave the country, including U.S. citizens or dual-nationals.
• You must exit Saudi Arabia using the passport for the nationality corresponding to the one on which you entered Saudi Arabia.

Saudi law requires all Saudi citizens to enter and depart the country with a Saudi travel document. If you enter the country on a Saudi laissez-passer (temporary travel document), you may encounter difficulty leaving the Kingdom.

Saudi embassies do not have the authority to adjudicate citizenship claims or issue passports, but they may issue a laissez-passer for presumed Saudi citizens for whom citizenship has not been adjudicated, such as children of a Saudi parent or parents who were married outside of Saudi Arabia. Once admitted to Saudi Arabia on a laissez-passer, the traveler must obtain a Saudi passport before leaving the country. Saudi nationality is not conferred quickly or easily, and the processing time for a Saudi passport in these cases has often been six months or years in some cases. Obtaining a U.S. passport will not help, as you will not be able to leave Saudi Arabia without an exit visa which will not be granted if you entered as a Saudi citizen.

The Department strongly recommends that U.S. citizens enter Saudi Arabia on a U.S. passport and Saudi visa, and not a laissez-passer.

Length of Stay:  Bearers of tourist visas are generally admitted for a 90-day stay and may not remain in the Kingdom more than 180 days in a twelve month period. Carefully check your visa validity and length of stay granted, and clarify any questions on permitted length of stay with Saudi immigration officials on arrival. Dates are calculated in accordance with the Hijri calendar, which differs from the Gregorian calendar.

If you overstay your visa, you could face significant fines, detention, and/or deportation, and a ban from returning to Saudi Arabia.

The U.S. Embassy is unable to intercede, reduce fines, or prevent incarceration if you violate Saudi law.

Travel Bans:  When placed under a travel ban, you cannot exit the country, even if you are a U.S. citizen or a dual U.S.-Saudi citizen. Travel bans are rigidly enforced and can take months or even years to resolve. Only Saudi Arabian authorities and sponsors can remove travel bans.

The government may issue travel bans on people who are/have:

• charged with criminal offenses;
• under investigation;
• involved in financial or labor disputes;
• failed to report to work according to the terms of the contract (absconded);
• unpaid debts or who have passed bad checks.

The list above is not exhaustive. Private Saudi citizens may also initiate travel bans against foreign citizens for various reasons.

Residency Permits:  If you are seeking residency in Saudi Arabia, make sure you have all required legal documents authenticated before arriving. Neither the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh nor the U.S. Consulates General in Jeddah or Dhahran can provide this service.

You should have all U.S. issued documents authenticated by the  Department of State Office of Authentications  (202-485-8000) and attested by the  Embassy of Saudi Arabia  in Washington D.C.

Work Visas: If you plan on working in Saudi Arabia, you must obtain a work visa before you arrive. Foreigners working in Saudi Arabia are subject to the country’s sponsorship system, which concedes substantial legal authority over the worker to the employer. This can include the ability to prevent the employee from leaving the country. American citizens considering working in Saudi Arabia should carefully review the information about employment in the “Local Laws and Special Circumstances” section below.

If the visitor or business visa has been annotated “not permitted to work,” you are not allowed to legally work in Saudi Arabia. You risk substantial financial penalties, detention, deportation, and a ban from returning to Saudi Arabia if you work without legal permission. Additionally, without a work visa, there would be no legal grounds to pursue a case against an employer should a dispute arise.

HIV/AIDS:  To obtain work and residence permits, you are required to obtain a medical report or physical examination confirming that you are free from contagious diseases, including HIV/AIDS and hepatitis. If you test positive for HIV/AIDS or hepatitis, you will not be allowed to work in the Kingdom. Saudi Arabia has not imposed HIV/AIDS or hepatitis travel restrictions on other categories of travelers. Please inquire directly with the  Embassy of Saudi Arabia  before you travel.

Vaccinations:  Visitors to Saudi Arabia should check vaccination requirements on the  Saudi Ministry of Health website.

Yemen Travel:  The Department strongly advises U.S. citizens against travel to Yemen due to the ongoing conflict in that country. See our  Yemen Travel Advisory  for further information. A visa is required to enter Saudi Arabia, and Saudi authorities generally do not permit foreign citizens to enter Saudi Arabia using land border crossings from Yemen. The Embassy and Consulates General cannot provide assistance to U.S. citizens seeking to cross the Yemeni-Saudi border.

Safety and Security

The Department of State advises you to exercise increased caution when traveling to Saudi Arabia due to terrorism and the threat of missile and drone attacks on civilian targets. See the Travel Advisory for Saudi Arabia here .

Do not travel:

• Within 50 miles of the border with Yemen due to terrorism and armed conflict.

Terrorist groups continue plotting possible attacks in Saudi Arabia. Terrorists may attack with little or no warning, targeting tourist locations, transportation hubs, markets/shopping malls, and local government facilities. Terrorists have targeted both Saudi and Western government interests, mosques and other religious sites (both Sunni and Shia), and places frequented by U.S. citizens and other Westerners.

Houthis operating in Yemen have fired long-range missiles into Saudi Arabia, specifically targeting populated areas and civilian infrastructure; they have publicly stated their intent to continue doing so. Missile attacks have targeted major cities such as Riyadh and Jeddah, Riyadh’s international airport, Saudi Aramco facilities, and vessels in Red Sea shipping lanes. Rebel groups are also in possession of unmanned aerial systems (UASs or drones) which they have used to target civilian infrastructure and military facilities in Saudi Arabia. U.S. citizens living and working on or near such installations, particularly in areas near the border with Yemen, are at heightened risk of missile and drone attack.

On October 11, 2018 the Saudi General Authority for Civil Aviation issued a Notice to Airmen about threats to civil aviation and airports in Saudi Arabia posed by missiles and UASs launched from Yemen. For more information, U.S. citizens should consult the U.S. Government’s Defense Internet NOTAM Service (Type “OEJD” in the search field, then click “View NOTAMs,” then scroll down to W0438/18 and click to view).

The U.S. government has limited ability to provide emergency services to U.S. citizens in the following locations as U.S. government personnel and their families are restricted from travel to:

• Within 50 miles of the Saudi-Yemen border, including the cities of Jizan and Najran;
• Qatif in the Eastern province and its suburbs, including Awamiyah.

You can find additional details relating to safety and security in our Travel Advisory and Alerts and the website of the U.S. Mission in Saudi Arabia .

Crime: Crime in Saudi Arabia has increased over recent years but remains at levels far below most major metropolitan areas in the United States.

• You should be aware of your surroundings, keep valuables out of sight and secure, and travel with a companion, if possible.
• Some Saudi citizens who perceive that a foreigner is not observing conservative standards of conduct or dress have been known to harass, pursue, or assault that person.
• Even when released from detention, witnesses to criminal incidents may be prohibited from leaving the country until investigation of the incident is complete.

See the websites of the Department of State  and the  FBI for information on scams.

Victims of Crime: If you or someone you know becomes the victim of a crime, you should contact the local police at “999” and contact the Embassy in Riyadh or one of the Consulates in Jeddah or Dhahran.Remember that local authorities are responsible for investigating and prosecuting the crime.

See the Department of State’s webpage on help for U.S. victims of crime overseas .

The Department can:

• help you identify appropriate medical care;
• assist you in reporting a crime to the police;
• contact relatives or friends with your written consent;
• explain the local criminal justice process in general terms;
• provide a list of local attorneys;
• provide information on victim’s compensation programs in the U.S. ;
• provide an emergency loan for repatriation to the United States and/or limited medical support in cases of destitution;
• help you find accommodation and arrange flights home;
• replace a stolen or lost passport.

Domestic Violence: If you are the victim of any form of physical violence, including domestic violence, you should contact the Saudi police by calling “999”.  In addition, victims of domestic violence can contact the Saudi National Domestic Violence Hotline by dialing “1919.” The Saudi Ministry of Labor and Social Development runs a network of shelters for women and children. Contacting the domestic violence hotline (“1919”) is the only way to access these shelters. The Saudi National Family Safety Program also runs a Child Help Line “116111” and can assist children in accessing Saudi social services.

When reporting domestic violence, it is imperative to get a case reference number as all Saudi social and legal assistance is tied to this case number. It is also a good idea to document any injuries and obtain a copy of any medical reports. U.S. citizens should be advised that filing a police report or utilizing any Saudi victims’ assistance services may result in the Saudi authorities informing your sponsor or guardian.

U.S. citizen victims of domestic violence may contact the Embassy or Consulates for assistance.

Tourism:  The tourism industry is unevenly regulated, and safety inspections for equipment and facilities do not commonly occur. Hazardous areas/activities are not always identified with appropriate signage, and staff may not be trained or certified either by the host government or by recognized authorities in the field. In the event of an injury, appropriate medical treatment is typically available only in/near major cities. First responders are generally unable to access areas outside of major cities and to provide urgent medical treatment. U.S. citizens are encouraged to purchase medical evacuation insurance. See our webpage for more information on insurance providers for overseas coverage .

Local Laws & Special Circumstances

Dual Citizenship: Saudi Arabia generally does not recognize dual nationality. Saudi law requires Saudi citizens to obtain official permission from the government before obtaining a second nationality. At times, Saudi authorities have confiscated the passports of U.S. citizens applying for Saudi citizenship. This does not constitute loss of U.S. citizenship. If this happens to you or someone you know, report the incident to the U.S. Embassy.

Arrest Notification: If you are arrested or detained, ask police or prison officials to notify the U.S. Embassy or consulate immediately. Be aware that Saudi Arabia generally restricts consular notification of the arrest of foreigners to the Embassy of the country that issued the travel document used to enter the Kingdom. If you enter Saudi Arabia with a Saudi travel document, or with the passport of a country other than the United States, it will be extremely difficult for the U.S. Embassy to provide consular services if you are subsequently detained. Persons detained in Saudi Arabia may be held without charges for lengthy periods and denied access to counsel; dual citizens may not have consular assistance. See the Embassy’s webpage for further information.

Drones: The importation of drones for commercial or personal use is prohibited without prior approval from the General Authority for Civil Aviation (GACA). A customs clearance certificate authorizing importation can be obtained as part of the GACA approval process. Visit GACA’s website for further information.

Criminal Penalties: While in Saudi Arabia, you are subject to local laws. If you violate Saudi laws, even unknowingly, you may be expelled; arrested; imprisoned; held without trial for lengthy periods of time; interrogated without counsel; subject to corporal punishments, including lashings; or executed.

Penalties for the import, manufacture, possession, and consumption of alcohol or illegal drugs in Saudi Arabia are severe. Convicted offenders can expect long jail sentences, heavy fines, public floggings, and deportation. The penalty for drug trafficking is death. Furthermore, some laws are prosecutable in the United States regardless of local law. For examples, see our webpage on crimes against minors abroad and the Department of Justice website .

There are substantial limitations on freedom of speech and political expression in Saudi Arabia. For additional information see the Department of State’s Human Rights Report for Saudi Arabia .

Faith-Related Travel Issues: Islam is the official religion of the country and is present in all aspects of life in Saudi Arabia. See our Hajj and Umrah Fact Sheet .

• Saudi authorities do not permit criticism of Islam or Muslim religious figures, including on social media.
• The government prohibits the public practice of religions other than Islam. Non-Muslims suspected of violating these restrictions have been jailed and/or deported. Church services in private homes have been raided, and participants have been jailed and/or deported.
• Muslims who do not adhere to the strict interpretation of Islam prevalent in much of Saudi Arabia may encounter societal discrimination and constraints on public worship.
• Public display of non-Islamic religious articles, such as crosses and Bibles, is not permitted.
• Non-Muslims are forbidden to travel to Mecca and parts of Medina, the cities where two of Islam’s holiest mosques are located.
• See the Department of State’s International Religious Freedom Report .

LGBTI Travelers: Same-sex sexual relations, even when consensual, are criminalized in Saudi Arabia. Violations of Saudi laws governing perceived expressions of, or support for, same-sex sexual relations, including on social media, may be subject to severe punishment. Potential penalties include fines, jail time, or death. See our LGBTI Travel Information page and section 6 of the Department of State's Human Rights report for further details.

Travelers Who Require Accessibility Assistance: Individuals with disabilities may find accessibility and accommodation very different from what is generally found in the United States. Saudi law does not prohibit discrimination against people with disabilities, and there is no legislation requiring public accessibility. Newer commercial and government buildings, however, often include such access. According to the Ministry of Labor and Social Development, there are numerous government-sponsored centers for people with disabilities. Note that Saudi Arabia has limited infrastructure to care for those with mental disabilities.

Students: See the Department’s Students Abroad page and FBI travel tips .

Women Residents and Travelers: Married women, including non-Saudis, require their husband's permission to depart the country, while unmarried women and children require the permission of their father or male guardian.

Minor children must have their father’s permission in order to leave the Kingdom. Children visiting their fathers in Saudi Arabia, even when there is a custody agreement, can be prevented from leaving unless the father consents. This is true even if the child is an American citizen. The U.S. Embassy and Consulates cannot obtain exit visas for the departure of minor children without their father/guardian's permission.

If a foreigner and a Saudi living in Saudi Arabia divorce, Saudi courts rarely grant permission for the foreign parent to leave the country with the children born during the marriage, even if he or she has been granted physical custody.

Foreign mothers of Saudi children, who are divorced or widowed, may apply for a permanent residency permit(iqama) without the need for a sponsor. To do so, they must prove maternity and that they were legally married to the Saudi father.

Also see the Department’s travel tips for Women Travelers .

Employment: The Arabic text of a contract governs employment and business arrangements under Saudi law. Verbal assurances or side letters are not binding under Saudi law. In the event of any contract dispute, Saudi authorities refer to the written contract.

• Sponsors have wide latitude and responsibilities for employees and family members under their sponsorship, including obtaining residence permits for the employee and for any family members.
• All residents should be issued a Saudi residence permit (iqama) and are legally required to carry it at all times.
• The U.S. Embassy and Consulates General in Saudi Arabia cannot sponsor private U.S. citizens for Saudi visas.
• Sponsors have been known to demand that residents working in Saudi Arabia surrender their passports while in the Kingdom. Such practices are illegal and should be reported to the Ministry of Labor and Social Development .
• Since the Saudi sponsor controls the issuance of exit permits, U.S. citizens may be prevented by the sponsor from leaving Saudi Arabia in the event of a labor or business dispute, which could take months or years to resolve.
• To change employers within the Kingdom, Saudi Arabia requires the written permission of the original sponsoring employer.
• The U.S. Embassy and U.S. Consulates General cannot assist in labor or business disputes, nor can they provide translation or legal services.
• U.S. consular officers can provide lists of local attorneys to help U.S. citizens settle business disputes, but ultimate responsibility for the resolution of disputes through the Saudi legal system, and payment for those services, lies with the parties involved. For additional information on Saudi labor law, please refer to the Ministry of Labor and Social Development’s webpage .
• Saudi customs authorities enforce strict regulations concerning the importation of such banned items as alcohol, weapons, and any item that is held to be contrary to the tenets of Islam (such as pork, anything considered pornographic under strict Islamic principles, and religious materials).
• Imported and domestic audiovisual media and reading matter are censored.
• Christmas and other holiday decorations, fashion magazines, and "suggestive" videos may be confiscated and the owner subject to penalties and fines.
• Electronic devices may be subject to inspection upon entry or exit. Please see the Department’s Customs Information page as well as the Saudi Customs webpage.

Importing Animals: The Saudi Ministry of Agriculture must approve all pets imported into Saudi Arabia.

• Cats and dogs entering Saudi Arabia require a Veterinary Health Certificate and a dated letter from the veterinary practitioner addressed to his/her sponsor to obtain the necessary approval from the Ministry of Agriculture.
• Both documents must be authenticated by the Department of Agriculture Veterinary Service Office and the State Department's Authentications Office and attested by the Embassy of Saudi Arabia .
• The certificate must indicate that the animal was examined and is free from disease and confirm that rabies and other vaccines are current. Information on the name, breed, sex, color, and age of the animal must also be stated.
• Please see additional information on taking a pet overseas .

Teaching English in Saudi Arabia: In recent years, increasing numbers of American language teachers have experienced contractual and other problems. Some teachers have complained about arbitrary dismissals, difficult living conditions, salary arrears, unwanted reassignments, restrictions on their movement, and inability to leave the country. Prospective teachers in Saudi Arabia should vet their potential employer and carefully review their employment offer as well as the detailed information found in the Embassy’s Guide to Teaching English in Saudi Arabia . Additionally, prospective teachers should also take care to make sure that they obtain the appropriate work visa prior to coming to Saudi Arabia. The Embassy cannot help you if you violate Saudi labor law.

Standards of Conduct and Religious Police: Norms for public behavior in Saudi Arabia are extremely conservative. Both the uniformed police and the religious police, referred to colloquially as the mutawwa or al-hay’a, are charged with enforcing these standards.

• Mutawwa are required to carry special identification and usually are accompanied by uniformed police.
• While a 2016 government decree withdrew the authority of the mutawwa to make arrests independently of regular police forces, visitors should be prudent in their interactions with mutawwa.
• An individual must, if requested, present his/her residence permit (iqama) or other identification to the mutawwa or the police.
• U.S. citizens who are involved in an incident with the mutawwa should report the incident to the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh or the U.S. Consulates General in Jeddah or Dhahran.

In most areas of Saudi Arabia, and particularly in Riyadh and the central part of the Kingdom, women wear a full-length covering known as an abaya. Most women in conservative areas also cover their hair with a hijab for modesty, and many also cover their faces with a niqab.

Tourists are expected to dress modestly in public, avoiding tight fitting clothing or clothes with profane language or images; women are not required to wear abayas or cover their hair but are expected to cover their shoulders and knees, and men should not go without a shirt. Women who choose not to conform to Saudi Arabia’s dress code face a risk of confrontation by mutawwa, negative or hostile comments by Saudi citizens, and possible detention Guidelines on public decorum for tourists are available at the Saudi government’s official tourism website, www.visitsaudi.com. Many areas of life in Saudi Arabia are segregated by sex to ensure that unrelated men and women have no possibility of mingling (a punishable crime) by unmarried men and women. Less frequently, members of the mutawwa try to enforce this by asking for proof that a couple is married or related. Men and women detained for socializing with individuals who are not relatives may be charged with moral crimes such as khulwa (mixing with unrelated members of the opposite sex). Less frequently, some restaurants may refuse to serve women who are not accompanied by a close male relative In addition, a few restaurants or cafes do not have a "family section" in which women are permitted to eat. Men not accompanied by a close female family member are not allowed to enter family sections and cannot use services (such as registers at supermarkets) designated as “family.” These restrictions are not always clearly posted.

While there are now movie theaters, musical concerts, and artistic performances in Saudi Arabia, the country remains socially conservative. Social media postings which contravene cultural standards can have legal and/or criminal consequences.

Photography: The Saudi government does not permit photography of governmental facilities, such as military bases and government buildings, nor military, security, or police personnel. The Saudi government is also sensitive to photographs that may be perceived as portraying the country in an unfavorable light. This policy can include photos of mosques, impoverished areas, the local population, and traditional souks (markets). You should not take anyone’s picture without clear consent, and never take a picture of a woman or a place where women congregate. Be aware of local sensitivities whenever you are taking pictures in public. U.S. citizens have been routinely detained for violating these policies. The U.S. Embassy and Consulates General are unable to intervene if you violate Saudi law.

The Hajj and Umrah: Please review the Department of State’s Hajj and Umrah Fact Sheet for useful information on traveling to perform the Hajj or Umrah.

COVID-19 Testing:  COVID-19 testing is available to U.S. citizens throughout Saudi Arabia at public and private facilities. Private hospitals and clinics charge a fee for COVID-19 testing.  Cost, delivery method, and timing of results varies. Some facilities can electronically deliver results within 24 hours or less.  

COVID-19 Vaccines:  The COVID-19 vaccine is available for U.S. citizens to receive in Saudi Arabia. For more information, please see the Ministry of Health’s website.

Visit the FDA's website to learn more about FDA-approved vaccines in the United States.

Medical care varies greatly in quality, and high-profile cases of medical malpractice and errors have occurred. Consult your regular physician if you are considering serious medical treatment in Saudi Arabia.

The U.S. Embassy and U.S. Consulates General do not pay medical bills.  Be aware that U.S. Medicare does not apply overseas.

Medical Insurance: Make sure your health insurance plan provides coverage overseas. Most care providers in Saudi Arabia accept cash or credit card payments.  See the Department’s webpage for more  information on insurance providers for overseas coverage . Supplemental insurance to cover medical evacuation is strongly recommended. If you are covered by Saudi insurance, be sure to read the fine print: local insurance can have exclusions that are unusual in the United States. For example, some local policies may not supply coverage for accidents that occur while engaging in adventure sports, such as riding quad vehicles in the desert, that are a common past-time for expatriates.

If traveling with prescription medication, check with the  government of Saudi Arabia  to ensure the medication is legal in Saudi Arabia. Always carry your prescription medication in original packaging, along with your doctor’s prescription. 

Please note:

• Saudi Arabia has a dry climate with extreme heat several months of the year – travelers should stay hydrated.
• Air pollution is a significant concern in many parts of Saudi Arabia including Riyadh, Al Jubail, Jeddah, and Dammam.
• Many infectious diseases, such as measles, typhoid, dengue, and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), are present in Saudi Arabia.

Be up-to-date on all  vaccinations  recommended by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

For further health information, go to:

• World Health Organization (WHO)
• U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention   (CDC)
• Saudi Ministry of Health

Medical care varies greatly in quality, and high profile cases of medical malpractice and errors have occurred. Consult your regular physician if you are considering serious medical treatment in Saudi Arabia.

We do not pay medical bills.  Be aware that U.S. Medicare does not apply overseas.

Medical Insurance: Make sure your health insurance plan provides coverage overseas. Most care providers overseas only accept cash payments.  See our webpage for more  information on insurance providers for overseas coverage . We strongly recommend supplemental insurance to cover medical evacuation. If you are covered by Saudi insurance, be sure to read the fine print: local insurance can have exclusions that are unusual in the United States. For example, some local policies may not supply coverage for accidents that occur while engaging in adventure sports, such as riding quad vehicles in the desert, that are a common past-time for expats.

Always carry your prescription medication in original packaging, along with your doctor’s prescription.

If traveling with prescription medication, check with the  government of Saudi Arabia  to ensure the medication is legal in Saudi Arabia. Always carry your prescription medication in original packaging, along with your doctor’s prescription.

For health-related information on the Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV), formerly called “novel coronavirus,” visit the  CDC’s MERS-CoV webpage .

Be up-to-date on all  vaccinations   recommended by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

• World Health Organization
• U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention  (CDC)

Travel and Transportation

Road Conditions and Safety: Driving in Saudi Arabia can be hazardous due to speeding and aggressive driving, lax enforcement of traffic regulations, and a high volume of traffic.

Beginning on June 24, 2018, women have been able to obtain a driver’s license and can legally drive in Saudi Arabia. With a valid visitor visa and U.S. or international driver’s license, visitors may drive a rental car. However, outside the major cities of Riyadh, Dhahran and Jeddah, visitors—especially women—may experience difficulty renting a car. Female residents with independent sponsorships and U.S. or international driver’s licenses also may obtain a Saudi driver’s license, necessary to drive vehicles other than rental cars. Foreign women residing in Saudi Arabia who are listed as dependents on their Saudi residency permit (“iqama”) may experience difficulties in obtaining Saudi driver’s licenses. To drive vehicles other than rental cars, a Saudi driver’s license, appropriate car registration, and auto insurance are required. Police may detain you if you cannot produce these documents.

See the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Interior website for further information.

Traffic Laws :

• Temporary visitors may drive using their valid U.S. or international driver's license for up to 90 days.
• Foreigners resident in Saudi Arabia who wish to drive must obtain a local driver's license from the Department of Traffic Police.
• In the event of a traffic accident, U.S. citizens should dial “993” to report the accident. You must remain on the scene until the traffic police arrive. Failure to do so can result in a criminal offense.
• Additionally, U.S. citizens should contact Najm, a private company contracted by the traffic police to complete the accident report (+966 9200 00560).
• In the event of a traffic accident resulting in personal injury, everyone involved (if not seriously injured) is likely be taken to the local police station.
• All drivers, regardless of fault, can be held in custody for several days until responsibility is determined and any reparations paid.
• Use of front seat belts (driver and passenger) is required by law.
• U.S. citizens involved in a serious accident resulting in injury or death should immediately contact their sponsors and the U.S. Embassy or nearest U.S. Consulate.
• Residents should update their personal details through one of the methods available here to receive SMS notifications once a traffic ticket is issued.
• Delay in payment of any ticket might result in doubling of the ticket amount.
• Travelers will need to pay any fines issued through this system before leaving the country.

Public Transportation:

• U.S. Government employees are prohibited from using taxis in Saudi Arabia with the exception of Uber Black in Riyadh, Kareem First in Jeddah, and Majestic taxi service in Dhahran. If you must use a taxi, only use established companies, such as those offering cabs with meters. Taxis and lift services are available throughout major cities, and you should arrange a pickup by telephone or via smartphone app when possible.
• Avoid sitting in the front seat of a taxi, do not travel to unfamiliar areas, and do not enter taxis with unknown passengers.

Please refer to the Department’s Road Safety page for more information. Also, it is recommended that you visit the website of the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Interior .

Aviation Safety Oversight: The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has assessed the Government of Saudi Arabia's Civil Aviation Authority as being in compliance with International Civil Aviation Organization aviation safety standards for oversight of Saudi Arabia's air carrier operations. Further information may be found on the FAA safety assessment page .

Information for Mariners:

Mariners should also review U.S. maritime alerts and advisories on the Maritime Security Communications with Industry Web Portal .

For additional travel information

• Enroll in the  Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP)  to receive security messages and make it easier to locate you in an emergency.
• Call us in Washington, D.C. at 1-888-407-4747 (toll-free in the United States and Canada) or 1-202-501-4444 (from all other countries) from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., Eastern Standard Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays).
• See the  State Department’s travel website  for the  Worldwide Caution  and  Travel Advisories .
• Follow us on  Twitter  and  Facebook .
• See  traveling safely abroad  for useful travel tips.

Review information about International Parental Child Abduction in Saudi Arabia . For additional IPCA-related information, please see the International Child Abduction Prevention and Return Act ( ICAPRA ) report.

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Travel Insurance for Saudi Arabia

Travel insurance saudi arabia.

If you are planning an international vacation to somewhere uncommon yet beautiful, Saudi Arabia could be the perfect place to visit! The country boasts of amazing locales, a rich heritage, and delicious cuisines. Saudi Arabia is the birthplace of Islam and is frequented by visitors from all around the globe throughout the year. From the majestic Red Sea coral reefs to the Tai’s Mountain resorts and Nabatean tombs’, you will be overwhelmed with things to do and places to visit in Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia has been a top favourite for travellers keen on experiencing different cultures and religions while vacationing. And the country has its own treasures. You can pay a visit to Riyadh, the geographic and cultural hub and the capital of Saudi Arabia, to experience the ultimate mix of modern and ancient. From residential suburbs to high-rises, you will also get the perfect traditional appeal of the historic Qasr Al-Hokm here.

Intrigued already? Well, before you start jotting down an itinerary for your Saudi Arabia trip, you should also think about protecting your trip financially. And the best way to do that is by opting for a travel insurance plan. While on an international trip, you may fall prey to several trip-related adversities. You can fall ill or meet with an accident for which you may need immediate hospitalisation. And in such cases, a travel medical insurance Saudi Arabia plan can keep your pockets safe.

Also, if you end up losing your luggage, passport, or other essential documents on the trip. Or, if your hotel bookings or flights get cancelled, with a timely travel insurance claim, you will get the compensated amount on your account. So, while searching for cheap travel insurance in Saudi Arabia policy, you may find the perfect match with Tata AIG. Our international travel insurance plans start at as low as just ₹45.5 per day*.

With Tata AIG, you can experience an absolutely easy and hassle-free policy purchase, renewal, and claiming process online. Also, if you are planning a trip with your family, you can opt for a family travel insurance plan for your Saudi Arabian trip.

Saudi Arab Consulate in Kolkata

What is saudi arabia famous for, major benefits of buying a travel insurance for saudi arabia plan.

A trip to Saudi Arabia could be intriguing and exciting for anybody! However, if you are travelling for the first time, you need to guard your pockets against emergencies. As mentioned above, accidents may happen anytime, and you may even fall sick. Also, several other mishaps may take place during the trip. Hence, to keep your financial woes at bay during such tough times, you should have a robust Saudi travel insurance policy in place!

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• Local journey assistance
• Flight hijack cover
• Coverage for loss or delay of luggage
• Cover against personal liabilities
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• Cover against medical emergencies due to Accident & Sickness, including the treatment of Covid-19 during the trip, if hospitalised
• With Tata AIG, you can buy the best travel insurance Saudi Arabia in a hassle-free and fast way
• Affordable travel insurance plan for Saudi Arabia from India starting at just ₹45.5 per day*
• Automatic extension of your travel insurance Saudi Arabia online plan for up to 60 days or date of discharge, whichever is lesser in the event of hospitalisation close to the expiry date of the insurance plan
• Automatic 7-day extension of your travel insurance Saudi Arabia plan due to the cancellation or delay of your flight back to India

Travel Insurance from India to Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia has opened its borders for tourists from all over the world. It now welcomes visitors beyond just the Muslim pilgrims who visit for their annual haj. Hence, foreign tourists have been delighted to tour around the country in order to experience the best of its ancient ruins as well as the most exciting modern structures in the country.

However, in order to experience a worry-free trip to Saudi Arabia, you need to secure your trip financially. This is advisable because you will never know what situations will arise during your trip to make you anxious and worried amidst unknown faces. Hence, with travel insurance for Saudi Arabia policy, you can at least have the needed financial support.

Travel insurance from India to Saudi Arabia will offer you the right kind of financial assistance in a different nation. Even though the locals in Saudi Arabia are helpful, you will not know where to go in case of an accident. But with the best travel insurance Saudi Arabia policy, you can keep all your worries at bay! Our international travel insurance will offer coverage against all kinds of medical exigencies and treatment costs in Saudi Arabia. Also, if you end up losing your luggage or passport, your valid travel insurance for Saudi Arabia will reimburse you for the same.

At Tata AIG, you can buy cheap travel insurance Saudi Arabia plans to cover a wide range of accidental adversities that may arise during your trip to this beautiful. Hence, if your tickets are booked, it could be just the right time to apply for a Tata AIG travel insurance policy online.

Why Do You Need a Travel Insurance Saudi Arabia Plan from India?

When planning for your first-ever trip to Saudi Arabia, you should plan thoroughly! There shouldn’t be any stone unturned and you should plan everything thoroughly. This is important because while vacationing in a different nation, no amount of research is ever enough! So, in order to ensure that you have the most memorable trip, you need to be prepared well beforehand.

But even when you may think that everything related to the trip has been taken care of, a sudden accidental emergency or illness may happen to you or your co-traveller while touring anytime. Also, keeping in mind the susceptibility of our health conditions due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, it’s always better to be safe than sorry! So, prepare yourself properly to travel well, and only then you will be able to come back with nothing but a bag full of memories.

However, when buying travel insurance online, it’s also important to look at all the options to find the best match. At Tata AIG’s official website, you can go through the different international insurance plan quotes and then choose the one that’s affordable and comes with wide coverage options. Your chosen travel insurance policy should have the necessary medical assistance, trip cancellation/extension coverage, luggage loss coverage, passport loss coverage , repatriation coverage, etc.

With Tata AIG’s travel insurance for Saudi Arabia policy, you can get all the features mentioned above and more. Our international travel insurance will offer you a substantial amount of financial shield during your international trip to Saudi Arabia.

Benefits offered by the Tata AIG travel insurance for Saudi Arabia plan

With Tata AIG’s travel insurance for Saudi Arabia from India plan, you can benefit from different travel insurance policy coverage options. Some of which are listed below:

1. Baggage Cover - If during your trip to Saudi Arabia, you end up losing your luggage in transit or if it gets delayed at any of the airports, the Tata AIG baggage coverage will provide financial assistance for the same. This coverage option is included with our travel insurance for Saudi Arabia policy, and with this, you can opt for full reimbursement for the cost of every single item in your checked-in luggage upto the limit stated in the policy document.

2. Journey Cover - With Tata AIG’s travel insurance from India to Saudi Arabia, you will get absolute coverage for your trip. It will include financial protection against the loss of your passport , the flight delay or cancellation, cancellation of your hotel bookings, etc.

3. Medical Cover - The Tata AIG travel insurance for Saudi Arabia plan is designed perfectly to provide you with the essential monetary coverage during any kind of illness or any sudden accident during the trip that requires hospitalisation.

If you fall sick or meet with an accident in the country that requires you to get hospitalised, our medical coverage will have you financially covered. Keeping in mind the current pandemic scenario, you can also get coverage against any Covid-19 related medical emergencies in a foreign land.

1. Miscellaneous Benefits

• Travel insurance for Saudi Arabia plans start at an affordable rate of just ₹45.5 per day*.
• Travel insurance policy purchasing can be done online through the Tata AIG website with no additional requirements of a thorough medical check-up.
• There is complete ease of paying the travel insurance policy premiums in Indian National Rupees and receiving the travel insurance Saudi Arabia plan coverage in Saudi Arabia.

To get the best travel insurance for Saudi Arabia, always compare travel insurance plans online with our online travel insurance premium calculator .

Saudi Arabia Visa and Entry Information

Visa Information for Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia expects every single visitor to have a valid visa in hand in order to enter the Kingdom. You can apply for a visa for the country from your nearest Saudi Arabian Embassy or Consulate. The country also offers the ease of applying for a visa online for the residents of 49 nations, including India. Hence, you need to choose the right visa depending upon the purpose of your visit.

Here is a list of the Saudi Arabian visas for the Indian travellers

1. Tourist Visa – This one is meant for the tourists travelling to the country for leisure.

2. Business Visa – If you wish to travel to Saudi Arabia for business purposes, you need to get this visa approved by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

3. Religious Visa – Muslims from all over the world need to apply for this visa through the website of the Ministry of Hajj.

4. Work Permit/Residence Visa – If you intend to stay in Saudi Arabia for more than three months, you will need to have a valid Iqama; a residential permit.

Process of Application for a Saudi Arabian Visa

In order to apply for a Saudi Arabian visa, you need to fill in the application form on the website of MoFA. After submitting the form, you will have to take out a printout of the form and submit the same to your nearest Consulate or Embassy along with a few necessary documents. Here’re the documents that you will need to apply for a visa for your Saudi Arabian trip –

• Passport/visa size photographs of the applicants'
• Copy of the first and last page of your valid passport
• Dully filled application form
• Return flight tickets

Entry Information of Saudi Arabia from India

All visitors from India to Saudi Arabia needs to have the following documents in place –

• Proof of vaccination
• Accommodation proof
• A valid Indian passport with a validity of at least 6 months
• Proof of sufficient amount in the bank account for sustaining throughout the trip
• A valid Saudi Arabian Visa issued by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia Visa Application Centres in India

Saudi Arabia Trip: Safety and Precautionary Measures to Be Undertaken

Once you are in Saudi Arabia, you should always obey the local safety protocols for avoiding any unnecessary incidents. Some of the general safety measures are listed below -

• The country is safe and has very low crime rates. However, you need to be aware of pickpocketing and mugging by staying vigilant in crowded places.
• Always keep your passport and other mandated documents safe and with you.
• Try to avoid visiting the border areas with Iraq and Yemen if you are worried about terrorist attacks during the trip.
• Do not unnecessarily participate in any demonstrations.
• If you find yourself amid any large local gatherings or protests, quickly take shelter in a safe place nearby.
• Keep following the local news and adjust your travel itinerary accordingly.
• Respect the local laws and regulations posed by the Saudi Arabian government and authorities.
• Do not be a part of any unlawful activities or violate the dignity of public places.
• The locals follow the Wahhabism branch of Islam. Try to be respectful towards them.
• Carry a decent amount of cash along with you, as credit cards are mostly not accepted in the local markets.
• Do not travel to any remote places without proper knowledge about the same. Take help from local authorities always.
• Always use official and legal means of transport.
• Learn some common Arabic words as English isn’t a commonly spoken language there.
• Be mindful of your visa validity in Saudi Arabia and ensure that you do not overstay in the country without a valid visa.
• Protect your luggage, passport, and other belongings, especially in crowded spaces and tourist spots.

Opt for the best travel insurance for Saudi Arabia policy to have maximum financial support during your journey.

Covid-19 Specific Safety Gidelines

• Cover your nose and mouth with a mask, especially in public places and while using public transport.
• Always maintain social distancing.
• Cooperate with the local Saudi Arabian government and designated authorities, and follow the applicable Covid-19 guidelines.
• Monitor yourself for any Covid-19 symptoms. Self-isolate and get tested in case you develop any of the symptoms.

If you have the right travel insurance for Saudi Arabia policy with yourself, you will not have to worry about the financial altercations that may arise if you end up contracting the Covid-19 virus during your trip to and from the country.

The Indian Embassy in Saudi Arabia

Major international airports in saudi arabia.

• King Khalid International Airport, Riyadh
• King Fahad International Airport, Dammam
• King Abdul-Aziz International Airport, Jeddah
• Prince Mohammad bin Abdul-Aziz International Airport, Madinah

A Few Most Exciting Things to Do in Saudi Arabia

When you are in Saudi Arabia, you would be overwhelmed with choices to explore. From amazing local souks to places to worship and lip-smacking food, you will be spoilt for choices. Here are a few things that you shouldn’t miss out on while on your first-ever trip to Saudi Arabia –

• Grab a bite of the delicious Saudi Arabian Shawarma and we are sure you will not be able to have just one bite of it! Shawarma is one of the most popular food items in the country and quite rightfully so! In India, you haven’t even tasted 1% of what a real Saudi Arabian shawarma is.
• Do not forget to visit Al-Ula. It is one of the popular tourist destinations in Saudi Arabia. It was once the centre of trade and commerce in the country. Today, this famous archaeological spot has numerous remnants for visitors that are thousands of years old.
• If you are fond of exciting nightlife, you can pay a visit to one of the several dance bars and discos. You can enjoy non-stop live music in almost each one of them. Riyadh often organises different concerts and musical evenings where you can spend an entire evening enjoying pop, jazz, and all other sorts of music.
• Your trip to Saudi Arabia will not be complete without taking a trip to the National Heritage, which is a very popular Saudi Arabian Museum in Riyadh. This beautiful museum boasts eight different kinds of exhibition halls that are based on thrilling themes like the Man and Universe, the Pre-Islamic Era, and the enigmatic Arabian Kingdom.

Best Time to Visit Saudi Arabia

The best time to visit Saudi Arabia is during the months of November to February. During these months, the weather in Saudi Arabia remains pleasant and the outside temperature is average, which makes it perfect to tour around. You should avoid planning your trip to Saudi Arabia in the summer months between April and October. During this time the weather is hot and humid.

All the information mentioned above is well-researched and sourced from reliable sources. Since this information is subject to change, it is advisable to check the latest travel guidelines and other location-specific information before planning a trip to any location.

*Subject to change based on the nature and extent of the coverage.

Disclaimer / TnC

Your policy is subjected to terms and conditions & inclusions and exclusions mentioned in your policy wording. Please go through the documents carefully.

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1. how to buy travel insurance for saudi arabia plan.

If you wish to opt for travel insurance for Saudi Arabia policy with Tata AIG, you can directly visit our website and select the international travel insurance under the products section. Fill in the required personal information, select the right coverage options you wish to have in your travel insurance policy, and make the payment online. If you want, you can also add some additional covers to your travel insurance policy for Saudi Arabia with us, including the following.

• Medical coverage
• Baggage coverage
• Journey coverage

Once you have opted for the necessary coverage options on your travel insurance for Saudi Arabia plan, you can pay through your desired payment option online and complete the purchase process of the insurance policy. Upon verification, we will send the policy to your registered email ID.

2. Is it mandatory to buy travel insurance for Saudi Arabia plan to visit the country?

No, it is not mandatory to have travel insurance for Saudi Arabia for your trip to this country. However, it is strongly recommended for you to have one as it will keep your finances safe during any trip-related mishaps. Also, if you are looking for affordable plans, do check the price of your travel insurance Saudi Arabia plan with our Travel Insurance Premium Calculator online.

3. What is not included in a travel insurance Saudi Arabia plan?

Certain things will not be included in your international travel insurance policy for Saudi Arabia. For instance, if you lose your passport or if it is detained or confiscated by the police or any other official authorities, or if you lose your belongings due to a threat to national security like riots, it won’t be covered by your plan. Also, any other non-medical expenses that you incur will not be covered under the plan. Moreover, if you incur any medical condition while travelling against the advice of your doctor or due to a pre-existing disease-related emergency, it will not be covered.

4. Do I need to buy a separate plan for my family member/spouse?

No. You can go for a family insurance plan where you will have to pay one single premium amount and you can get coverage for the whole family.

5. If there is a change in my travel dates to Saudi Arabia, can I make the changes to the travel dates mentioned in the policy?

Yes, you can change the travel dates mentioned in the policy before the commencement of your travel insurance plan, which is the same as your date of travel.

6. When will my travel insurance Saudi Arabia from Tata AIG end?

The end date of your travel insurance policy will be mentioned on your policy document. For single trip policies, the travel insurance ends as soon as your trip ends and you return to your city of residence. For multi-trip policies, you can check the dates on your policy document.

7. If I immigrate to Saudi Arabia, do I need a travel insurance plan for the same?

No. A travel insurance plan will not cover you if you are immigrating to Saudi Arabia. Your travel insurance Saudi Arabia plan from Tata AIG will only cover your expenses if you are going there for leisure, studies, or work.

Other Destinations

Insurance is the subject matter of the solicitation. For more details on benefits, exclusions, limitations, terms and conditions, please read sales brochure / policy wording carefully before concluding a sale. Trade logo displayed above belongs to TATA Sons Private Limited and AIG and used by TATA AIG General Insurance Company Limited under License. 2008, TATA AIG General Insurance Company Limited, all rights reserved. Registered Office : Peninsula Business Park, Tower A, 15th Floor, G.K.Marg, Lower Parel, Mumbai - 400 013, Maharashtra, India. CIN: U85110MH2000PLC128425. IRDA of India Regn. No. 108. Toll Free Number : 1800 266 7780 / 1800 22 9966 (only for senior citizen policy holders). Email Id – [email protected] . Category of Certificate of Registration: General Insurance.

2008, Tata AIG General Insurance Company Limited, all rights reserved. Registered Office : Peninsula Business Park, Tower A, 15th Floor, G.K.Marg, Lower Parel, Mumbai - 400 013, Maharashtra, India. CINNumber : U85110MH2000PLC128425. Registered with IRDA of India Regn. No. 108. Insurance is the subject matter of the solicitation. For more details on benefits, exclusions, limitations, terms and conditions, please read sales brochure / policy wording carefully before concluding a sale. Trade logo displayed above belongs to Tata Sons Private Limited and AIG and used by TATA AIG General Insurance Company Limited under License. Toll Free Number : 1800 266 7780 / 1800 22 9966 (only for senior citizen policy holders). Email Id – [email protected] .

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The Saudi Central Bank (SAMA) announced a possibility of adding benefits of COVID-19 risk coverage insurance to existing - non-beneficial - health insurance policies to insured visitors, for the remainder of these documents, through concluding an agreement with the insurance company issuing the policy.

In a statement, SAMA explained that this step complements its announcement dated 20/09/1442 AH, 02/05/2021 AD of adding of COVID-19 risk coverage for the health insurance for non-Saudi citizens from outside the Kingdom (tourism, visitors and Umrah visitors). It also comes in the interests of the health and safety of Saudi citizens and residents alike, and to facilitate access to the necessary health care system.

In the case of any complications, the insurer can visit the Central Bank's website (SAMA Cares) www.samacares.sa or dial the toll-free number 8001256666.

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Saudi Arabia introduces mandatory health insurance for domestic workers

The regulation has been in effect since July 1

Riyadh: The Saudi Council of Health Insurance (CHI) and the Insurance Authority (IA) have started enforcing a new policy that mandates compulsory insurance coverage for employers with more than four domestic workers. This new regulation has been in effect since July 1.

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According to the Saudi Press Agency , general requirements for applying for benefits and coverage under this policy include submitting a medical disclosure form, obtaining approval from the health insurance company, and insuring all affiliated workers.

This initiative aims to achieve several goals:

• Comprehensive healthcare: All beneficiaries will have access to necessary medical services.
• Sustainable healthcare system: The program promotes a stable healthcare infrastructure.
• Thriving health insurance market: Increased demand for insurance will stimulate the industry.
• New healthcare services: The program may encourage development of new medical services.
• Job growth: The demand for healthcare professionals is expected to rise.

This initiative aims to ensure comprehensive health coverage for all beneficiaries, promote sustainability in health care, stimulate the health insurance market, provide new services, and increase employment opportunities in both medical and non-medical specialties.

Iman Al-Tariqi, the official spokesperson for the Council of Health Insurance, explained that the domestic workers' insurance policy covers primary care, public health, emergency cases, hospitalisation without a deductible, treatment in emergency cases, unlimited clinic visits, vaccinations, and examinations.

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• Class Notes

The Latest News from Your Classmates

July / August 2024

CHECK OUT GROUP NOTES!

Scroll down to read Group Notes, which comprises alumni news about members of Cornell groups—including campus activities, alumni organizations, and more—across generations. Want to see your group represented in future sections? Email us for information!

I now present to you the final installment of my essay, originally written for and published by my fraternity, Alpha Delta Phi, and featured in the last three Class Notes sections. Thank you for reading along, and I encourage you to write in with your own memories of our time shared on the Hill!

Alpha Delt affected my post-college life in another unexpected way. Senior year was find-a-job time, and many companies came on campus to interview seniors and to make job offers. Dow, DuPont, Standard Oil of New Jersey (of Ohio, of Indiana, etc.), Gulf Oil, and many others visited Olin Hall to interview Chem Es, and I was fortunate enough to get an offer from practically everyone I signed up for interviews with. Then, sometime in this year, an Alpha Delt graduate visited the house. His name was Joseph Pursglove ’30 , and he had been active the year our old house burned down. He had played a part in building our present chapter house. You see, his family owned Pursglove Coal Company in West Virginia; hence, he had been able to help. He learned I was a graduating Chem E and explained to me that Pursglove Coal had been acquired by Pittsburgh Consolidation Coal Company, which had a goal of becoming the technology leader in the coal industry and which had formed an R&D division that was going to develop a process to make gasoline from coal. Would I come to work for them?

I had worked two summers for Standard Oil of Ohio, who hoped I would come back. Although I had several very good other offers, I was intrigued by the chance to “get in on the ground floor” with a company not already loaded with chemical engineers. This was an opportunity to develop a promising new technology and to work for a fellow Alpha Delt, since Mr. Pursglove was their VP of research and development. I accepted his offer and moved to Library, PA (outside of Pittsburgh), in June 1948.

Two and a half years later, we had successfully pilot-planted our process to make gasoline from coal; we ran the economics and discovered it would cost 30 cents per gallon to make, while at that time you could buy gas retail at the pump for 19 cents per gallon. Our R&D partner, Standard Oil Development, heaved a sigh of relief that coal was not going to replace crude oil as the source of gasoline and terminated the program. The process was, however, used years later by South Africa when the world was embargoing their imports of gasoline in protest against apartheid.

Bob Engelbert ’49 and Ned Turner ’48 were at my side when I married Peg Wilharm Tuttle ’48 and we stayed in touch for many decades. Ray Tuttle ’48

Working in Pittsburgh after college, Peg Wilharm Tuttle and I got back to Alpha Delta Phi as house-party chaperones with great enjoyment. Later, due to moves farther away to central Illinois, Florida, Chicago, and California, and with a family that grew to three children, we were seldom able to get back to Cornell. Then we moved to Weston, MA. Our children graduated from high school, and the opportunity for a second generation of Cornellians/Alpha Delts appeared in the form of my youngest, John Tuttle ’81 . He was vice president of his senior class and a member of its state champion tennis team, and he had good enough grades to be accepted at almost all the schools he applied to. He also was determined to achieve admission on his own. He was suspicious that having a father as alumnus would play a role in being accepted at Cornell and, therefore, made Brown his first choice. Brown was the only one that did not invite him on campus, so he agreed to visit Cornell when I convinced him that being son of an alumnus would not play much of a role, and I certainly would not push it.

The engineering campus proved pretty impressive, so I took him down to see Alpha Delta Phi. It was summer break, and unfortunately the house was in terrible shape: trashy, dirty, and very unappealing. As we left, John said, “Do I have to join Alpha Delt?” I said, “No, but give it a chance when they rush you, because you’ll see a great house then.” He did and did. I was traveling overseas so much in those days that I don’t even remember if I made it to his initiation. He switched for a year or so to the University of Colorado but returned to Cornell and Alpha Delta Phi and lived in the top-floor suite, where he made lifelong friends. He graduated from Cornell, went back out west to Colorado School of Mines and the University of Colorado, where he got his PhD.

John and I made it back for several of my Reunions, including my 60th and 65th, and his presence and the visits to Alpha Delt made the trips very worthwhile. He has been much more active than I ever was, holding office in both the local alumni chapter and in the national leadership of the fraternity.

The fraternity offered us opportunities for leadership, encouraged charity and athletics, and gave exposure to brothers with a wide variety of backgrounds and interests. Some become lifelong friends— Bob Engelbert ’49 and Ned Turner were at my side when I married Peg and we stayed in touch for many decades. I know John has continued a lifelong friendship with his roommate as well. ❖ Ray Tuttle ( email Ray ) | Alumni Directory .

We hope this column finds you well, wherever you are. Please take a moment to fill out the online news form to let us know what you’ve been up to. What are your plans for the summer? Who from the Hill do you still keep in touch with? Did attending Cornell change the trajectory of your life in any way? We’d love to hear from you. ❖ Class of 1949 ( email c/o Alexandra Bond ’12 ) | Alumni Directory .

In the last several columns I have written on the general theme of gender equity, with emphasis on how our female classmates overcame restrictive folkways and prejudices to obtain graduate degrees and to go on to successful careers in law, academia, healthcare, and other professions. In those columns I featured brief life stories of a select few of our accomplished female classmates.

For this column I brought up the question of the rates at which gender equity has gradually advanced in various occupational fields. For example, which occupations opened first, and which have been among the last? I found that this could be a PhD dissertation topic. So the best I can do is to reflect on the extent to which gender equity is being achieved.

I looked up some current information about our dear alma mater. Total undergraduate enrollment is now about 16,000, of which 54% percent are female and 11% international. 53% identify as persons of color. 47% receive financial aid averaging $49,000. Graduate enrollment is about 10,000, of which 47% are female.

Marjorie Leigh Hart (New York, NY) of our class council sent me an unusual magazine titled Olin Hall News , named after the campus home of the Smith School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering. Marjorie and Billie Carter Nelson of the Class of ’49 are featured as female pioneers in the field of chemical engineering. I thought Marjorie might be the first graduate in the field, but Billie preceded her by one year. All of which relates to the welcome fact that the College of Engineering, with an undergraduate enrollment of 3,000, and graduate enrollment of 1,300, has achieved gender parity and also reached an amazing high of 65% females in the entering PhD class! Seven of the 11 schools in the College of Engineering are led by women. The college grants 50% of its degrees to women, compared to 22% of all other schools of engineering.

Marjorie Leigh Hart ’50 was the only female chemical engineering graduate in our class.

Like Marjorie, Billie was the only female chemical engineering graduate in her class. On graduation day she married Earl Nelson ’49 , a fellow chemical engineering student. Both were immediately hired, Earl in the development and research department of Atlantic Petroleum and Billie in DuPont’s experimental station. Billie’s father was English and her Chinese mother had high expectations of her. She enjoyed high school chemistry and physics, and her teachers encouraged her to apply to Cornell. At age 16, there were no commercial airline flights from her home in Hawaii and she traveled to the mainland on a cargo steamer. A friend of her dad met her in San Francisco and got her safely on a train, which—with connections and layovers—took two weeks to get to Ithaca.

Interestingly, when she left employment to raise four children, she left the field of chemical engineering and subsequently went to the University of Delaware for a PhD in psychology. Thereafter, she helped high school and college students, women in particular, plan and execute plans for future education in fields of their choice with emphasis on science-related careers.

Our classmate Marjorie spent her entire post-Cornell time working in the field of chemical engineering, and I consider her a Cornell chemical engineering pioneer and will add a bit to what I reported on her in the March/April 2024 column. Upon arrival at Cornell, because the College of Engineering was committed to WWII veterans, she was admitted to the College of Arts and Sciences. To enroll in engineering, she “had to prove herself!” On a fateful day in December, she met with Fred H. “Dusty” Rhodes , PhD 1914 , then director of the now Smith School. “So you want to be an engineer?” he asked. “Do you drink beer?” “No,” said Marjorie, “but I can learn.” And on that basis, Marjorie was admitted. Subsequent to graduation, Marjorie had a stellar career in management and corporate development and investment roles in several chemical companies. She fondly recalls her time working in Japan. “The Japanese included me in everything—even trips to male-dominated bars. It was a good thing I learned to drink beer at Cornell!” At Zinck’s, perhaps? Marjorie’s remarkable accomplishments deserve recognition.

While Billie and Marjorie were probably the first females in chemical engineering, they were not the first to graduate from the College of Engineering. That honor goes to the remarkable Kate Gleason , Class of 1888 . Kate acquired an outstanding reputation as an industrialist, banker, inventor, and land developer. She was succeeded by female engineering graduates in 1905, 1921, and 1924. ❖ Paul Joslin ( email Paul ) | 13731 Hickman Rd., #4207, Urbandale, IA 50323 | tel., (515) 278-0960 | Alumni Directory .

Happy summer, Class of ’51! We hope this column finds you content and well, wherever you are. Please take a moment to fill out the online news form to let us know what you’ve been up to. What are your plans for the summer? Who from the Hill do you still keep in touch with? Did attending Cornell change the trajectory of your life in any way? We’d love to hear from you. ❖ Class of 1951 ( email c/o Alexandra Bond ’12 ) | Alumni Directory .

Lewis Ward-Baker writes from Rochester, NY: “I keep singing—most recently in a large chorus that performed with a fine student orchestra (Eastman School of Music), and I warble in a church choir and a vocal quartet, ‘Voices of the Spirit.’ Here is a motto I’ve coined to live by: ‘Seek beauty … and be kind.’ My four children, seven grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren continue to enrich my life. Though it took until I was in my 60s, I finally found a glorious life partner, my wife, Pat. It’s a good life.”

Patricia Dexter Clark writes from Concord, MA: “I worked for Cornell until my husband retired. Then we traveled during the ’80s. In ’07 we moved to Concord to a retirement home, Newbury Court. Since then, I helped with projects and enjoyed entertainment, music, trips, speakers, art, etc.” She derives the most satisfaction from her family of three children and their children and what they do in their lives.

Rik Clark writes from Osterville on Cape Cod: “Transferring to Cornell as a junior in 1950 broadened my interest in academics. I attended all seven undergraduate colleges in two years. Establishing and staffing the Cornell Northeast Regional Office from 1969 to 1984 further increased my fondness and respect for Cornell.” Good health and staying active and involved brings the most satisfaction. He is grateful to enjoy small boat cruises, golf, family, and friends, but as the aging process continues, losing family and friends is difficult.

I keep singing—most recently in a large chorus that performed with a fine student orchestra, and I warble in a church choir and a vocal quartet. Lewis Ward-Baker ’52

Carolyn “Cappy” Heyl Innes writes from Dallas, PA: “I do count my blessings for good health. Bibbi Antrim Hartshorn and Jane Kiely Davis and I keep in touch from afar. Our traveling days are over, but great memories of our ’52 days and our yearly road trips with Gene Powers Johnson make us smile. We were lucky!”

Jim Ling writes from Fort Collins, CO: “I finally retired as chairman of the local sewer board after 18 years. I also retired from volunteering for recognizing veterans in a local hospice.”

Diane Sargent writes from Gloucester, MA. She is writing a memoir and enjoying life and learning and making the most of each day. Being with family and friends brings her the most satisfaction.

I, Tom Cashel , thank these classmates for their notes. I hope that all the class enjoys the summer months and takes advantage of the opportunity to reflect on our good fortune to be able to witness it. ❖ Thomas Cashel, LLB ’56 ( email Tom ) | Alumni Directory .

Our class treasurer John Nixon reports that last year (July 2022 to June 2023) we contributed an incredible $5,613,169 to Cornell, donated by 148 classmates including 24 Tower Club members. Our generosity was recognized with several awards, including the Class of 1947 Cayuga Society Bowl and the Class of 1958 Bowl. The impact of these gifts, which set a new donor record for any 70th Reunion in Cornell history, has continued to leave a mark on campus. Thank you!

The Class of ’53 Library Endowment Fund currently has a book value of $70,836 and a market value of $99,196 with a projected $3,654 payout for 2024. Our Container Garden Fund has a book value of $26,088, a market value of $36,295, and an anticipated fiscal year payout of $1,336. To see the campus at its springtime best, go to the Botanic Gardens website ; its natural beauty may be even grander than the pictures in your memory.

’53 class president Bill Gratz recently traveled to Baltimore for this year’s Cornell Alumni Leadership Conference (CALC). He reports that there were some interesting presentations about freedom of speech, diversity, equity, and inclusion, antisemitism, and Islamophobia. Since his return from that weekend, Bill has had an opportunity to attend a meeting of the Cornell Club of Fairfield, CT, for a presentation by Corey Earle ’07 . He urges all class members who are reading this to go hear Corey speak if you have the opportunity. “Corey highlighted many items from our daily lives that connect us with Cornell,” he reports. “It was really thought-provoking.”

Our class set a new donor record for any 70th Reunion in Cornell history. Caroline Mulford Owens ’53

Do you recall a news item from New Mexico in 1990 that named ’53 classmate Linda Mitchell Davis New Mexico’s Cattleman of the Year? A remarkable honor, as that recognition was usually reserved for men. However, Linda grew up on ranches in northeast New Mexico, riding a horse from the time she was a toddler. In her senior year she left Cornell to marry Les and join him in operating the historic CS Ranch. Les, who died in 2001, called her “the best cowboy in the state.” The last time I spoke with Linda was at our 65th Reunion, and at that time she had organized a driving group whose focus was on emergency driving (including an ambulance) to the nearest hospital many hours away. Linda passed away on February 18.

Do you find Zoom as useful as I do? It was especially helpful during the pandemic and continues to keep me in touch with my two little great-grandchildren, ages 2 and 3 and growing up fast. Their mom, my granddaughter Anna Plattner ’12 , has become an expert on forest farming (at Wild Hudson Valley), leaving limited time to visit great-grandma five hours away. Let us know how you use Zoom or Facetime in your life. ❖ Caroline Mulford Owens ( email Caroline ) | Bob Neff , JD ’56 ( email Bob ) | John Nixon ( email John ) | Alumni Directory .

As I was composing this column in April, I received word that a Cornell friend of mine died. Forgive me while I feel sad and remember what our friendship has meant over these many years. Charles “Chuck” Juran ’53 and I developed our friendship during our activities at Willard Straight. In my senior year I worked with Chuck, who was president of the board of managers of the Straight. Though an engineer, he had broad interests. We kept in touch over the years. With our spouses we visited each other’s homes and traveled together to Alaska. Chuck exemplifies the Cornellians who have played a significant role in my life since 1950. I am sure you too have favorite friends from the Hill who have meant a great deal to you. It’s time to tell those folks we cherish them.

I look forward with much anticipation to our 70th Reunion. Often we don’t think about the huge amount of planning devoted to making it run smoothly. Both Cornell and the classes work diligently to create a memorable weekend. As a reminder of that, our class president, Chick Trayford , MBA ’60, traveled from his home in Delaware to Ithaca for Reunion 2023. He went to observe how the Class of 1953 planned for their 70th and to gain ideas for ours in 2024. Which he did.

But then, on July 11, Chick was taken to the emergency room in Dover and stayed there for eight days. He writes, “After a bone marrow biopsy, they diagnosed acute promyelocytic leukemia but were not capable of treating it there. I was transferred to Newark, DE, for an additional 27 days. I continued treatment as an outpatient (80+ chemo infusions and many pills) until February 29, 2024. They have given me a clean bill of health and doubt I will have a recurrence.” Chick cautions, “The only reason I’m still alive is that I was proactive.” He urges us to do the same. And, happily, he plans on joining us in Ithaca this June!

I received an email from George Hein . “I’m a ’54 classmate writing in for the first time. As I get older, like many of us, the life we have lived before becomes more interesting as the life we have left begins to shrink. After majoring in chemistry and graduating, I went on to graduate school at the University of Michigan and post-doc study at CalTech and then was an academic chemist at Boston University and Harvard Medical School for about 10 years. In the ’60s I was politically active opposing the Vietnam War and left my career to join other scientists and teachers in developing science education materials at the Education Development Center in the Boston area. (Philip Morrison was one of our guiding advisors.) Still later I settled at Lesley University, where I started their doctoral programs and had a third career as an evaluator of education programs, many of which were in museums.

I’m a ’54 classmate writing in for the first time. George Hein ’54

“In 1954, I married Hilde Stern ’53 . We had three children. After divorce 20 years later, I lived alone for 10 years and then married Emily Romney (Radcliffe ’57), a singer and classical voice teacher. We live in Cambridge in a lovely house that is beginning to be a bit much for us with the many stairs and the generous collection of furniture from both families.

“If I remember correctly, I had a classmate named Ruth Carpenter from Binghamton, NY, who went to Cornell. Could this be you?” How about that for a surprise and welcome connection?! George and I have had a wonderful phone conversation to catch up a bit on all these intervening years.

Searching for more news, I contacted Corey Earle ’07 , the University’s longtime (if unofficial) historian. Corey is a visiting lecturer in American studies and teaches “The First American University” on the Hill, which is affectionately known as “Storytime with Corey.” The course is now a Big Red institution on par with the Hotel School’s Introduction to Wines. It draws more than 400 students each spring—filling its lecture hall to capacity and generating a long waiting list. This is in addition to his full-time job as a principal gifts associate in Alumni Affairs and Development.

He responded at once! He sent me wonderful sources of material from the Cornell Daily Sun . Here are a few headlines from the issue as we graduated in 1954: “University to Confer 1,725 Degrees at 86th Commencement Exercises.” “52 Seniors to Receive ‘Honors,’ 31 to Graduate with Distinction.” “Senior Week Activities Include Picnic, Partying.” “’54 Councils Begin Planning Class Functions.” “Class of 1954 Bids Farewell.” And this topic, relevant in 2024, “Education and the Prospect for Democracy.”

My keen appreciation to Corey for researching material relating to the Class of 1954. We are extremely fortunate to have him scheduled to speak to us at our Friday dinner during Reunion. Ever since his guiding us on a bus tour of campus in 2014, we have recognized what a special person, with deep knowledge of Cornell, Corey is. Now everyone understands that. ❖ Ruth Carpenter Bailey ( email Ruth ) | Bill Waters , MBA ’55 ( email Bill ) | Class website | Alumni Directory .

Dave Sheffield , MRP ’61, writes, “Join in the ’55 Zoom Connection on the first Tuesday of each month at 4 p.m. hosted by our class president, Bill Doerler , to reminisce and ‘chew the fat’ in preparation for our 70th Reunion in 2025. I’m still ‘going’ after retiring from architectural practice eight years ago, but starting to wind down most church, community, and Cornell boards and committees. Allison (Hopkins) ’56 and I are fortunate to have Laurie Sheffield ’84 and Stephen Sheffield ’88 nearby, although the grandchildren (two each) are spreading out. We’re approaching our 58th year in our Wellesley, MA, house. It’s just the right size for the two of us.”

Arnold “Arne” Foss shares that these days, he greatly enjoys his grandkids and a good nap. When asked if attending Cornell changed the trajectory of his life, he replied, “Yes, it allowed me become a jet pilot and then a doctor.” At age 90, Roy Allen , MS ’63, is feeling good being able to do what he wants to do, which includes traveling. “By the end of this year, I will have been to 100+ countries!”

Cornell is where I had the privilege of receiving a great education and meeting my best friend, Jerry Jakes ’53 . Emilyn Larkin Jakes ’55

Peter Eschweiler , MRP ’57, writes, “After living 60 years in nearby Pleasantville, NY, Pauline ‘Mickie’ (Symonds) ’53 and I moved to a retirement community in 2020 in Briarcliff Manor, NY. I keep busy in my role as secretary to the community’s independent living resident council. Our grandson Michael Rivlin ’13 is the fifth generation Cornellian in our family following my grandfather, my dad, two uncles, Mickie and me, and our daughter, Susan Eschwiler ’78 (Michael’s mom!).” Mickie died in 2021, and Peter notes that he gets great satisfaction these days from remembering her and walking each morning.

Since the loss of her husband, Jerry Jakes ’53 , in March, Emilyn Larkin Jakes says, “I’ve been trying to adjust to waves of missing him. I spent the last one and a half years taking care of Jerry while he was on a journey of illness. Prior to that, we enjoyed a wonderful retirement with our children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Cornell is where I had the privilege of receiving a great education and meeting my best friend, Jerry.”

Robert Leader gets great satisfaction “from the success of our children, 17 grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren. I successfully completed lung cancer treatment and continue to work on legal matters about 20 hours per week.” William Boyle , MBA ’56, enjoys maintaining friendships and reading. When asked about his time on the Hill, he wrote, “Cornell provided an opportunity for intellectual development, personal relationship expansion, and personal confidence-building that has served me well throughout my life!” ❖ Class of 1955 ( email c/o Alexandra Bond ’12 ) | Alumni Directory .

Elizabeth Jennings Rutledge finds satisfaction these days from, she says, “spending valuable time with my husband, Dick ’55 , travel, studying every subject of interest—even on my iPhone!—spending time with friends, fresh air, gardening, and bird watching. I am very involved as a private investor.” She also enjoys “many happy birthday celebrations, including for two sons and one daughter, three grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren, and all their pets.” Elizabeth fondly recalls living in Clara Dickson Hall, a happy sorority life, and meeting Dick on the Hill. After graduation, the pair moved to Hawaii. “We witnessed Hawaii become a state while living on Oahu. I was teaching Hawaiian children to read while Dick served as an officer in the Navy.”

Orlando Turco still greatly enjoys following the Cornell wrestling team. Jack Wootton is still auctioning for charities. When asked if Cornell changed the trajectory of his life, he replied “Absolutely!” and particularly noted that ROTC prepared him for his 53-year career in the Army.

John Long , MS ’57, writes, “I’m enjoying life and retirement from farming with my wife, Loretta; we have been married for 62 years. I continue writing up memories of all our years together.” Joe Henninger , MBA ’58, writes, “Unfortunately, I lost my wife, Suzanne (DeRosay) ’57 , on March 4, 2024. We met at Cornell, were married in Ithaca, and were married for 65 years.”

We witnessed Hawaii become a state while living on Oahu. Elizabeth Jennings Rutledge ’56

Leo Convery is involved with Rotary Club and does wood carving. He writes that Cornell “gave me the smarts and ability to have a successful work life and now a great retirement.” Lewis Klotz shares that he gets the most satisfaction these days from “living past 92!”

Michael Cornman writes, “I retired at year-end from the practice of IP law but am still licensed to do pro bono. I have moved onto the campus of SUNY Purchase, into an apartment of a new intergenerational learning community where classes are readily audited and students mentored. It has been likened to being on a cruise ship, without the waves. All the residents are seniors intent on continuing to learn (albeit without the burdens of exams and term papers). Plenty of Cornellians in the new community. Not quite the good old days on the Hill back in the ’50s, but it is an exciting new chapter.” ❖ Class of 1956 ( email c/o Alexandra Bond ’12 ) | Alumni Directory .

When Bob Martin sent his news, he noted one particularly strong memory of his time on campus. He recalled freezing in Beebe Lake trying to get his fraternity’s “submarine” to work in the Spring Weekend boat race. He did not mention if his efforts were successful. He said he does enjoy living in fascinating Sedona, AZ, even while taking multiple cruises each year plus traveling throughout the country visiting his growing family. At last count, he had eight grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren. Bob was with us at our 65th Reunion, where he was seen continuing his longtime connections with his Alpha Chi Rho brothers/classmates.

Thinking about Spring Weekend and Fall Weekend festivities left me wondering how the Cornell in loco parentis policy for Cornell women allowed us to stay overnight in the fraternity houses. The women had very strict sign-in/sign-out times with housing curfews, probably to keep us safe and innocent during our undergraduate years. Yet, we packed up our ball gowns and changes of clothing for these two party weekends each year. Where did the fraternity brothers go while we slept in their beds and used their restrooms? House Mothers might have been on the premises, as well as married graduate student couples, serving as chaperones.

Recently I was told the men moved to lower floors in the houses or apartments with friends, and slept on couches, on cots, or in sleeping bags. Or, being so young, maybe they did not sleep at all. Does anyone else remember the champagne cocktail parties, live jazz bands, and Big Band galas in Barton Hall, which had been transformed by YASNY (the student decorating group)? We may have been the Silent Generation, but our “Gracious Living” era at Cornell will never be duplicated.

Bob Martin ’57 recalled freezing in Beebe Lake trying to get his fraternity’s ‘submarine’ to work in the Spring Weekend boat race.

Classmates continue to move and downsize. Colin Campbell and wife Nancy have left the environs of Colonial Williamsburg and moved to Bluffton, SC. After Cornell, Colin earned a law degree at Columbia University. He worked briefly at the American Stock Exchange before moving to Wesleyan University in administration. He was selected as the 13th president of Wesleyan in 1970. His next career move, in 1988, took him to Virginia, where he became the president of the Rockefeller Brothers Fund and the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. Some of you might have attended a class pre-Reunion gathering held at Colonial Williamsburg, facilitated by Colin. He is now chairman emeritus of the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. In honor of Colin and Nancy, groundbreaking of the Colin G. and Nancy N. Campbell Archaeology Center at Colonial Williamsburg was held on April 21, 2023. Currently under construction, when completed the Campbell Archaeology Center will encompass 35,000 square feet of collections, research, and educational space.

Bob Watts sent word about his change of residence. Linda, his wife of 63 years, passed away soon after our 2022 Reunion. Bob found himself living alone in their warm but empty home in Portsmouth, RI. Linda was a great “Navy wife” as Bob continued in his 30-year career in the U.S. Navy. Bob had 12 different duty assignments, mostly on the East Coast, but had an over-five-year residence in Belgium when he was assigned to the staff of the Supreme Allied Commander Europe. Their daughter was born there and still lives there, as do two granddaughters and a great-granddaughter. After Bob’s retirement as a captain from the Navy, he became involved in our class activities, along the way serving as class president and webmaster. His search for a more suitable living situation led him to Essex Meadows, a senior living community in Essex, CT. It was “all hands on deck” as his three children and several grandchildren helped sift through the many years of memorabilia. The recent move took him closer to his oldest son’s home and that of his grandson with the added bonus of two great-grandchildren. Bob is finding a warm, caring environment in Essex Meadows with peers with interesting life stories. He has a kitchen in his apartment, yet he enjoys the camaraderie of mealtime with others. He dubs the conversations as lively, yet not contentious.

After John Wolberg graduated from Cornell with a BME, he went on to earn a PhD in nuclear engineering in 1962 from MIT. He and wife Laurie (Holbreich) ’58 moved to Haifa, where he joined the faculty of Technion-Israel Institute of Technology. With the intention of staying for only two years, John’s career continued at Technion and he was promoted to full professor in 1979. He is considered an expert in financial data modeling, has done research and consulting for leading financial institutions, and has worked with some of the pioneers of computerized trading. Author of six related books, the most popular is Expert Trading Systems: Modeling Financial Markets with Kernel Regression. Now professor emeritus, he has pursued an interest in art which began at Cornell. He started painting after a sabbatical in the 1980s. Forty of his paintings are featured in the book John Wolberg: Engineer as Artist. ❖ Connie Santagato Hosterman ( email Connie ) | Alumni Directory .

We have a few brief reports from class officers and others as we await input from you all via the News and Dues letter for 2024. Class president Meyer Gross represented us all at the annual CALC/CACO meeting in February in Baltimore. He reports getting good tips in “class officering” from many staff members and also connecting with fellow engineers from the Engineering Alumni Association. Meyer, an active member on the CEAA board, hoped that some would be attending its meeting on campus in April when they celebrated the 150th anniversary of Mechanical Engineering on the Hill.

Good news comes from Alan Goldman on the American Platform Tennis Association mixed-ages finals. Alan and his son, James, came close to winning their match, “losing to a better pair,” Alan says, “as my son was the best player of them all, and I played my best as the oldest player.” They will try again next year. Alan wrote on other family successes: “I’ve been fortunate to have both well-educated and very nice grandchildren. My sons and spouses have done great jobs in raising them and are currently living in Illinois and Abu Dhabi (yes, we did get to AD about a year ago, a great trip).”

We’re saddened to report that the class lost a truly stalwart member in March, Marilyn Zeltner Teel , after her 26 years of battling Parkinson’s disease while somehow maintaining an infectiously hearty outlook on life and her family. She was surrounded by them all: husband Larry ’57 , BME ’60, daughter Kathleen ’87 and her husband, Dan Wagner ’87 , and their three grown sons, and Marilyn’s son, David, and his family. Marilyn was an avid Cornell supporter active in local CU Rochester activities, a teacher of children for many years, a fine piano student, an active horticulturist at home with Larry doing the hard work, and an active Kappa Delta with close ties to her sisters. Those who knew her—many of whom were present for her memorial service in Victor—will miss her greatly.

Ray ’57 and Audrey Wildner Sears ’58 greatly enjoyed the eclipse at the Montshire Museum of Science in Norwich, VT. The museum’s telescopes were well attended.

Dale Reis Johnson and husband Dick ’57 , BEE ’59, report “slowing down a little, but still traveling to visit grandsons Spencer, at George Fox University near Portland, OR, and Luke ’27 , a Cornell frosh. Both boys play baseball for their schools.” The Johnsons recently had lunch with Dick’s Phi Kappa Sigma brother John Bodenmann and his wife, Tracy, who were visiting from Wisconsin. “John’s company embroiders things, including all the Boy Scout patches.” Dale and Dick still play bridge and attend Learning In Retirement courses, along with their occasional traveling.

Ray ’57 and Audrey Wildner Sears are pleased to have one of their grandsons, Chester, entering Cornell’s Graduate School in Agriculture and Life Sciences to pursue more study in genetics, after working in CALS in recent years. The Searses greatly enjoyed the April sun’s near-total eclipse at the Montshire Museum of Science in Norwich, VT (across the river from Dartmouth College), where they are active members. The museum’s telescopes were well attended and marvelous to use for many children and adults of the community as that locally rare event occurred.

That’s it for now; your co-correspondents will look for news from you soon. ❖ Dick Haggard ( email Dick ) | Barbara Avery, MA ’59 ( email Barbara ) | Alumni Directory .

Pearl Woody Karrer reports that her fourth poetry collection, Like Silencing the Wind , has been published by, and is available from, Finishing Line Press. The book threads themes of conflict and war through poems that affirm our shared humanity. They cross barriers of time and continents, beginning with Rodin’s nude bronze of a helmet maker’s wife and ending in Afghanistan. In addition to writing poetry, Pearl teaches piano and exhibits art in juried shows. After many years of editing, she has retired from the California Quarterly .

Wayne Scoville remarried in 2012. “Between us, Julie, and I have seven kids, 19 grands, and nine great-grands. Hard to remember all their names, let alone birthdays!” Wayne and Julie live in Jackson, MS, but continue to spend part of each summer at their place on Lake George, which Wayne has owned since 1963 and has long referred to as “the money pit.” Fortunately, the kids and grands use it and provide some sweat equity.

Len Rubin ’s big project of the spring was redoing the kitchen in his NYC apartment. “This time, I may wind up actually liking it!” Len continues to keep up his subscriptions to Carnegie Hall and several Off-Broadway theater series. “I recommend the Off-Broadway theater scene to everyone. The plays and casts are more interesting, it is a lot less expensive, and the audiences are much better behaved.” Len is thinking of retiring from his psychiatry practice later this year, though his assistant suggests they should try telehealth for a while and see how it goes.

Volunteer extraordinaire: For the past 45 years, Joan “Jo” Ellis Jones has been the manager for senior citizens’ congregate or Commission on Aging’s congregate meals in Ithaca, MI. And for 30 years she has served as the director to the city’s Senior Activity Building, where the nutrition program has long been located. In addition, for 30 years she has volunteered to serve on the task force that created the senior building. She continues to work on expanding opportunities for seniors, last year helping to raise the funds to build pickleball courts next to the building. Jo’s now-deceased husband, Fred “Shape” Jones ’57 , BChemE ’59, also contributed to development of the senior building and served as the first president of its board of directors.

Alan Schechter ’59 was recently designated the Christian B. Anfinsen Distinguished Investigator at the NIH.

After 47 years in their home in Bethesda, MD, Ira Wolpert and his wife moved about two miles away, to a senior facility. “We find it easy living, with no worries about taking out the trash, changing light bulbs, or dealing with repairs and maintenance.” A retired lawyer, Ira continues to work for Senior Corps of Retired Executives, a volunteer organization that offers free counseling and mentoring to folks who wish to start or build existing businesses in the greater D.C. area.

“My wife and I have four grandchildren who are benefitting from higher education at institutions geographically dispersed, from the University of Pittsburgh to Stanford,” writes Alan Schechter . Alan was recently designated the Christian B. Anfinsen Distinguished Investigator at the NIH in Bethesda, MD, where he has conducted basic and clinical research since 1965. His current studies, with a moderate number of colleagues, is focused on sickle cell anemia, nitric oxide, and related topics. In addition, he has helped develop the NIH history program, and tries to contribute to larger questions of biomedical history.

“A Season to Remember”: Harry Petchesky spent the winter following and writing about Cornell basketball. Overall, the men’s team went 22-8, losing only one at-home game. Following each game, Harry sent game summaries to about 35 alumni, friends, and present and previous athletic directors. “It was fun to do, and when lots of people responded appreciatively, I had the reports bound and sent copies to Jon Jaques ’10 , the new coach and a great guy, for distribution to the players, coaches, and managers.”

“After years of attending Reunions, I’m afraid we’ll miss this one,” writes Dave Portman . He and his wife, Stephanie, moved in 2022 to Moorings Park Grande Lake, a continuing care retirement community in Naples, FL. “It’s still under construction but it’s beautiful and just what we needed at this stage of our lives. We’re very happy here and staying as active as possible with bridge, water aerobics, exercise classes, and a busy social schedule. Stephanie and I would love to hear from any classmates who are or plan to be in Naples.”

By the time you read this, our 65th Reunion will be a memory, with attendees sharing details of their experiences during three activity-filled days “far above Cayuga’s waters.” There will be lots to talk about, write in diaries, post on Facebook. Photos taken won’t need to sit in an album until our 70th but will have been instantly shared via texts and emails. All this will have been possible thanks to months of hard work by Brenda Canniff’s team in the Alumni Affairs office and by a group of classmates led by Reunion chair Jerry Schultz . Jerry hosted Zoom sessions, during which Reunion finances, meal menus, wine lists, souvenirs, speakers, a memorial service, and many other matters were discussed regularly with Ron Demer , Harry Petchesky, Barbara Hirsch Kaplan , and other class officers. Bill Kingston deserves special credit for his astute fiscal analysis of our class finances and expenditures. Thanks, too, to classmates, such as Ron, who spent hours tracking down classmates and encouraging them to attend the Reunion. These folks are the best! ❖ Jenny Tesar ( email Jenny ) | Alumni Directory .

Reflecting on the various changes in his life, Bob Schnur writes from Verona, WI, that he feels quite satisfied because he is retired but is also teaching tax law at the University of Wisconsin. Yet he deeply regrets that his long-term partner, Betty, passed away about two years ago. Bob has had some serious health problems but now seems to have recovered and will be resuming his teaching. John Smith , who lives with his wife, Julie, in Far Hills, NJ, and was formerly a tax lawyer, says gratefully, “I had a heart attack that slowed me way down in late 2022, but I am gradually gaining strength and now have much pleasure working in my large vegetable garden, though I am also still toiling as a landscape architect and have interesting jobs. Perhaps retirement will come when I am 90 years old; we will see.”

Meanwhile, David Berkley , PhD ’66, reports from Metuchen, NJ, where he lives with his spouse, Marlene Unterberger, that what brings him the most satisfaction is quiet day-to-day living with his children. “I have triplets, Marlene has two, I have three grandchildren, and Marlene has 9. We also travel to Israel, where Marlene’s daughter and grandkids live.” Asked whether Cornell has changed the trajectory of his life, David answered, “Of course—the entire experience, and whoever gave me a taste of management. Most of my career was spent in technical management of R&D.”

I took a splendid cruise around South America last year and visited Singapore. Johanna Dwyer ’60

From High Falls, NY, Janis Mitchelhill Leas says that she experiences great satisfaction with her family, friends, music, reading, and gardening. However, she admits, “I’m rather self-indulgent; I downsized my home in 2018 but am still in Ulster County. No more horses or dogs or at-home young people. My seven grandchildren are scattered in New York, Ohio, and Massachusetts. One is just starting in the military and the last one is graduating from Cornell and beginning in the Army in order to fulfill his ROTC commitment in June.”

Sharon Lasky Mishkin reports that as of June 15, 2024, she has a new address in Arcata, CA. Sharon’s late husband was a law school attorney and she says, “I’m going to spend the next two or three years in Arcata with my daughter and her husband. Then I expect to return to Indianapolis. I also will feel satisfaction from gardening and Torah study.” Johanna Dwyer , still living in Jamaica Plain, MA, is pleasantly satisfied these days by “friends, family, good books, concerts, and cruises when possible. I still do a little work part time on nutrition-related topics. I’m also taking a number of trips to foreign countries when health permits; I took a splendid cruise around South America last year and visited Singapore. I’m pleased to admit that going to Cornell changed my life: I made lasting friendships and had a career I enjoyed. I also met many people unlike myself whom I very much enjoyed and continue to do so.” ❖ Judy Bryant Wittenberg ( email Judy ) | Alumni Directory .

It’s a beautiful spring day in Atlanta to write our class column. Our next on-campus Reunion is two years away, but the first messages are emerging. One, we have two outstanding Reunion chairs in Rosanna Romanelli Frank and Pat Laux Richards . Second, we will be staying at the Statler Hotel, finally. I will leave further communications in the hands of our Reunion chairs. Our mailbag of Class Notes is nearly exhausted. Don’t forget to send us your news!

Ruth Bohrer Bramson sent an informative update. “Having retired as CEO of the Girl Scouts, my husband, Shelly, and I have been spending a great deal of time at our home in Ogunquit, ME. I spent a difficult year fighting lung cancer at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, and just got word that my scan shows no evidence of disease. So I am happy to report that I am now a healthy wife, mother, and grandmother. I have nine grandchildren and all of my children are pursuing exciting professional careers. My fondest memories of Cornell are living in my sorority house, Delta Tau, and cruising the quarters in the freezing weather.”

I’m teaching at a small university in St. Paul—back in a classroom after ‘vowing’ I’d never be back in one after graduation. Mike Hoffman ’61

After more than a few years, we heard from Mike Hoffman , coxswain on our great varsity crew. “Hello all! Haven’t contributed in a while, but at Susan Williams Stevens and Doug Fuss ’s invite, here’s some Hoffman trivia: Still living in Minneapolis (Minnetonka, officially); I have four sons ranging in age from 57 to 30. Beth is a medical safety director at Medtronic, and I continue to run my ‘business coaching’ practice with independent contractors and small business professionals. I periodically remain in touch with my crew gang and ZBT bros: Lory Aaron , Nat Weisler , Wally Buch , Joel Rosenberg ’60 , BCE ’62, Donny Spero , and Larry Bortles . Life is good. I’m keeping our Peloton busy, doing some traveling to our boys and family, and teaching in the marketing department of the business school for a small university in St. Paul. Imagine—back in a classroom after ‘vowing’ I’d never be back in one after graduation. And so it goes. I continue to treasure my time on the Hill and the wonderful, important, and enduring friendships I was lucky enough to make. Wishing all of us continued health and staying sharp! Cheers.”

On a personal note, Sue and I have been seven months in our new independent living community in Atlanta. We are at the end of the beginning but no further. The move has turned out to be more monumental than anticipated. The physical move itself was daunting, but then we needed to adjust to a new lifestyle, a new city, and traffic! Happily, the hard part is behind us, and we now see our daughter and granddaughters regularly.

Finally, remember Susan and Doug. Please keep your news flowing and send in lots of class notes. Your classmates want to hear from you. ❖ Doug Fuss ( email Doug ) | Susan Williams Stevens ( email Susan ) | Alumni Directory .

This column is being written in April, which, as we all know, is tax month. In the absence of personal entries from classmates, I thought it fitting to write about another set of figures: classmate and class-based giving.

In this, the 62nd year of the Class of 1962, generous donations and consistent giving have resulted in an excess of $315,474,379 (as of 2/7/2024) in gifts to the University. Included in this figure is the nearly $40,000,000 the class raised for our 60th Reunion—a historic milestone for the University because it was the highest amount ever given by a 60th Reunion class! This is not the first giving record our class has set. Indeed, in 1987 we were dubbed “The Class” by then-Cornell President Frank Rhodes for our 25th Reunion gifts of $5.5 million, which represented a new Cornell and national record for the most money ever raised by a single class!

Amazingly, there’s still more. We have burnished our record for generosity with our class-based donations as well. The Class of 1962 Fund for Photography at the Johnson Museum of Art ($150,935) now holds a collection of 37 outstanding historic and contemporary fine art images by distinguished and acclaimed photographers, including Edward Steichen, Lotte Jacobi, Andreas Feininger, Bruce Davidson, and Gordon Parks. And how about the Frank and Rosa Rhodes Class of 1962 Tradition Fellowship and the Class of 1962 baseball field scoreboard? Two of many other fantastic Class Gift Fund projects.

The Class of 1962 Fund for Photography at the Johnson Museum of Art now holds a collection of 37 outstanding historic and contemporary fine art images. Judy Prenske Rich ’62

While we’re on the subject, our current Tradition Scholar knows quite a lot about giving—in this case, giving of oneself, which seems to be second nature to Bronx, NY, native Abbie Jobe ’26 , who is majoring in agriculture science in CALS. Abbie used her 2022–23 award this winter to cover the costs of a service trip to The Gambia, where she was a volunteer employing Montessori practices to educate Gambian students in the community of Foni, located in the rural region upcountry. Once back at Cornell, she began taking environmental engineering courses in hopes of switching her major to that area. A project team member of Cornell Engineers in Action, this summer she will be traveling to the Kingdom of Eswatini (formerly Swaziland) to build a bridge in the rural community. The plan is to help individuals in the community have better access to resources that are located on the other side of a floodplain. On behalf of all of us, WOW!

Please send along news and updates (photos, too) of what’s happening with you and your family. Don’t let the Class of 1962 disappear from these pages before its time. Check out our class website for timelier information and send your entries to me! ❖ Judy Prenske Rich ( email Judy ) | Alumni Directory .

Greetings from your class president, Paula Trested Laholt : “As you may know, we had our 60th Reunion last June. To keep you all informed I would like to present our newly elected class officers for the next four years. They are: vice president, Judy Kross ; secretary, Retta Presby Weaver ; treasurer, Vivian Grilli DeSanto ; Reunion chair, Nancy Cooke McAfee ; membership chair, Harvey Rothschild ; and nominations chair, Jim Billings , MBA ’64. And please remember our class correspondent, Nancy Bierds Icke , who would love to hear news from you about all your comings and goings. In addition to our officers, we have a class council of 10 members whose involvement in class affairs determines our class decisions and activities. If anyone is interested in participating, please contact me. You will be receiving a letter announcing our dues for the coming year. Dues are now $20. We would like as many as possible to reach our class goal.”

As you know, Ed Butler , MS ’65, has been working hard on our mental health video project since before our 60th Reunion last year. The fund has remained open and our class donated an extra $4,000 on Giving Day in March. Video number one was used in August 2023 for incoming freshmen. Videos two and three are ready to film. There is talk about using videos for graduate students as well. Donations are still welcome at any time.

Harvey Rothschild keeps in touch with classmate Cliff Argue , ME ’66, and his wife, Theo, who live in Mercer Island, WA. Cliff wrote, “We hope to go to California to visit our daughter Christina and her family. We are still trying to decide what the best housing arrangement is for us going forward. Our 3,200-square-foot house is too much for the two of us.”

My wife and I have rented a small duplex in Horizon Villages off Triphammer Road so that we will have a second home in Ithaca. Jim Byrnes ’63, MBA ’64

After our class council Zoom meeting on March 20, Jim Byrnes , MBA ’64, sent a newsy email: “I did attend the council meeting a couple of weeks ago but could not say anything because I was in my car and the phone hookup was not working properly even though I could hear everything. I was actually driving from Albany to Ithaca and got caught in a late winter blizzard just before the meeting started—so I felt lucky to get into the meeting and it seemed miraculous that I kept the connection all the way through the hill country from Bainbridge to Dryden!

“Terry (Connecticut College ’68) and I have rented a small duplex in Horizon Villages off Triphammer Road so that we will have a second home in Ithaca. We have been in Vero Beach, FL, for several years but, having lived in Ithaca for 30 years, found that we do miss Ithaca and look forward to spending more time there. I have been enjoying Cornell sports. Men’s basketball, the hockey teams, and wrestling have all done well on the national scene—as has lacrosse. The ESPN+ service is well worth it. Last night I watched Cornell come from way behind to beat number-four Syracuse in double overtime—great entertainment for us alumni!”

Please send news—I am always in need of more for the column. ❖ Nancy Bierds Icke ( email Nancy ) | 12350 E. Roger Rd., Tucson, AZ 85749 | Alumni Directory .

Welcome to our traditional post-Reunion column, which was written before Reunion weekend. We hope to have Reunion recollections to report upon in the September/October column! But in the meantime, we’d like to feature a classmate we only once mentioned here, some 40 years ago, who has since gotten reams of headlines and stories elsewhere: Joseph Bruchac . If you don’t remember him, it could be because, while Joseph matriculated with our class in the autumn of 1960, he graduated with the Class of ’65.

Joseph is renowned for giving much to literature and society. A Google search results thusly: “Bruchac is a writer and storyteller who published more than 120 books. Much of his work explores Abenaki identity and Native storytelling. He began publishing in 1971 and has collaborated on eight books with his son, Jim.”

Joseph is proud of his Native American heritage; much that he has written elaborates on native cultures in general. He notes that his own heritage is also both English and Slovak, yet he identifies mostly with his Abenaki heritage, which traces back to colonial times and is still located in the northern-most New England states and southeastern Canada. But he’s also written extensively about myriad other Native American cultures from coast to coast. Some of his notable works include the novel Dawn Land (1993) and its sequel, Long River (1995), both of which feature a young Abenaki man of the pre-colonial period, before European contact. The sheer scope of his work has not gone formally unnoticed: in 1999, he received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Native Writers’ Circle of the Americas. He lives in Greenfield, NY, a picturesque rural enclave comprising five different hamlets.

Joseph Bruchac ’64 is renowned for giving much to literature and society.

Our class focus has been on ensuring that our annually bestowed JFK Award will quite literally outlive us all. Class president Ken Kupchak , JD ’71, put it this way: “As previously reported, we have determined that our JFK Award for Public Service will be our enduring class legacy. In preparation for the eventual sunsetting of our class, we have transitioned the direction of the JFK Award to a self-perpetuating board controlled by our JFK awardees. Awardee Katie Dealy ’00 is the JFK board chair and our Cindy Wolloch is our class liaison to the board. Cindy and Katie are planning a great 60th Reunion panel of several pairs of JFK awardees and our classmates to share the award’s special place in Cornell’s public service.”

I am confident this panel was a success that ensured our class’s status for decades to come. I sincerely hope you were able to attend our 60th Reunion and had a great time. As for your news, just please keep it coming! Update me by email, regular mail, our class website , or our class Facebook page . ❖ Bev Johns Lamont ( email Bev ) | 720 Chestnut St., Deerfield, IL 60015 | Alumni Directory .

Loren Meyer Stephens (Los Angeles, CA) reports that her ghostwriting companies, Write Wisdom and Bright Star Memoirs, released two memoirs in February: We’re Live in 5: My Extraordinary Life in Television by Jeff Margolis with Loren Stephens, and Adieu: A Memoir of Holocaust Survival by Alfred J. Lakritz. Loren has published a personal essay, The Meyer Trilogy , which “spills the beans” on members of her father’s family. Loren and husband Dana spent 10 days in Scandinavia enjoying the fabulous food, countries, and people. She was in New York for the March meeting of the National Commission of the Anti-Defamation League, on which she sits.

Loren is proud that her son Josh (Princeton ’97 and Harvard Kennedy School) is working part time with her. He is a journalist and runs a business helping students worldwide to apply to U.S., Canadian, and British schools of higher education. Her favorite memories of college days: “Sneaking off to Greenwich Village to see French movies and wander around the city. Driving around the campus in the wintertime with the top down. Having my first apartment with Phyllis Weiss Haserot , MRP ’67, Judy Hayman Pass , and Marilyn Jacobson Friedland , where I started cooking.”

John Marks (Amsterdam, Netherlands) is a best-selling author and has a new book scheduled to come out on August 17 from Columbia University Press titled From Vision to Action: Remaking the World Through Social Entrepreneurship . To note one of many laudatory comments on this work, from former U.S. Ambassador Frank Ricciardone: “This book tells the inspiring story of an extraordinarily successful social activist who used the precepts of social entrepreneurship to deal with highly charged conflicts around the world.”

John is the founder and managing director of Confluence International; a visiting scholar in Peacebuilding and Social Entrepreneurship at Leiden University; and the founder and former president of Search for Common Ground, the world’s largest peace-building nonprofit organization, which was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2018. John is co-author of the New York Times bestseller The CIA and the Cult of Intelligence and the award-winning Search for the “Manchurian Candidate.” John also founded Common Ground Productions and has produced TV series promoting nonviolent coexistence in 25 countries.

John Marks ’65 is founder of Search for Common Ground, the world’s largest peace-building nonprofit organization, which was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2018.

Class president Jamil Sopher , ME ’66, and numerous other class officers attended the annual meeting of the Cornell Alumni Leadership Conference in Baltimore in February. The class delegation included Joan Hens Johnson , Laureen Stanton Knutsen (treasurer), Bill Vanneman (secretary), Barbara Press Turner , and Grace Hershberg Morgenstein . Alumni class counselors Lauren Coffey and Kate Freyer joined them. On February 22, Jamil, Joan, and Laureen and husband Ragnar dined at the Petit Louis, a French bistro. On February 23, another nice dinner was enjoyed at La Tavola, an Italian restaurant, by Jamil, Joan, Laureen, Grace, Barbara, Bill, and Lauren, with Class of 1964 delegates (including Stan Morgenstein , Grace’s husband). Joan and others also enjoyed a visit to the Walters Art Museum while in Baltimore.

We are particularly saddened to learn of the passing of classmate Bob Baker , a Vietnam War veteran and an entrepreneur who distinguished himself as a member of the Cornell football team, especially at the halfback position, in the years 1962–64. Bob was one of the greatest all-purpose runners in team history. In 1964, he led the entire nation in kickoff returns with a 35.1-yard average on 11 returns for 386 yards, thereby duplicating the feat of star quarterback Gary Wood ’64 , who did it in 1963. Also in 1964, Bob led the team in rushing with a 5.2-yard average for 543 yards. He was an AP All-America pick and first team all-Ivy pick, and was selected to the ECAC All-East team. He left with school records for highest average gain per kickoff return in a game (52.7 yards), season (35.1), and career (27.7). He was always a welcome presence at Reunions and other group events. We will miss him.

Stephen Appell pursued his Cornell basketball passion with a second trip to New Haven, this time on March 1, to see the women’s team give a decent battle to Yale, though they succumbed 79-72. On March 15–16, he attended the Ivy tournaments at Columbia, viewing all the women’s games; on March 16 he was at Columbia with son Brad to see the men’s team give a spirited effort against Yale, the ultimate men’s champion. Steve got to see some of his favorite women players who came to watch that game, including team high-scorer Kaya Ingram ’24 , Vivienne Knee ’26 , and Clarke Jackson ’27 , as well as some favorite past men players, including Garry Munson ’66 . On March 19 he got to watch the Cornell men play for the first time ever in the National Invitation Tournament, against Ohio State. They lost 88-83 after leading with a minute to go. Steve is convinced that a couple of bad officiating decisions near the end of the game turned the tide. The team finished 22-8, and the University has since announced that Jon Jaques ’10 has been named the new head coach to replace the departing Brian Earl. Steve has known Jon ever since his playing days on the Sweet Sixteen team of 2010 and is thrilled at his appointment.

Please remember that our 60th Reunion class gift involves support for the development of a Well-Being Program under the auspices of the Skorton Center, for the promotion of mental health throughout the Cornell community. Our class gift Reunion committee, headed by Jeff Kass , has worked in collaboration with Skorton Center Director Julie Edwards, a pilot project has proved successful, and many classmates have contributed financially to the Class of 1965 Mental Health Fund. The program is training and engaging coaches who are experienced, sensitive members of the Cornell community and who are proving to be a great help to Cornell students and staff. We look forward to continued support from our classmates.

Please keep the news coming to us. People love to hear about your doings, via our column. ❖ Joan Hens Johnson ( email Joan ) | Stephen Appell ( email Stephen ) | Alumni Directory .

Martha Goell Lubell recently phoned me, just to chat. We went to high school together and have continued our friendship. Years ago, at a Reunion, we sat on the front steps of Donlon one night, waiting for her teenage boys to return from an adventure on campus. On our call, Martha told me that one of her sons just had another son; she now has three grandsons, but no granddaughters. She also told me how she had met her husband. Soon after graduation, she had a new job, at the New York Times , and had to work nights. Her first night there, she walked into the newsroom, and the first person she saw was a guy; they now have been married for decades!

In a similar theme, I ( Pete Salinger , MBA ’68) met my wife, Ruth (Dritch) ’67 , one afternoon during intersession in my sophomore year and her freshman year at Cornell. We liked each other immediately, and then never dated anyone else.

Carolyn Rider Chase wrote: “I’m still trying to get my head around my 80th birthday coming around in May. We continue much the same—playing with trains (Jack), gardening, doing photography, and trying to keep up an 1880s house. This winter we skied several times—a first since Jack’s 2016 strokes and 2018 esophagectomy. We’re looking forward to spending the month of June in Florida with our daughter.”

Michael Rauchway wrote from Saint Pete Beach, FL, that his grandson Theodore will be entering Cornell in the fall as a member of the Class of ’28. In addition to his grandfather, he joins his father, Jonathan ’94 , and uncle Eric ’91 as a Cornellian.

We took an amazing trip this past October to Morocco with five other couples who are good friends. Hilda Lichtenstein Levine ’66

Hilda Lichtenstein Levine wrote from Naples, FL: “Marty and I are enjoying retirement in two wonderful places: winters in Naples, FL, and summers in Lenox, MA, in the Berkshires. We took an amazing trip this past October to Morocco with five other couples who are good friends. We also spend time with Michael ’63 , ME ’65, and Joan Simonson Ury ’65 and Marilyn and Mike Ratner ’63 in both locations. Our daughter Jill Levine Bradford ’94 and her husband, Dan, currently live in Sudbury, MA. Their son, Adam, graduates from USC this May, and their daughter, Jessica, will graduate from Northwestern next June.”

A note from Mary Jansen Everett and Alice Katz Berglas : “As ever, the Cornellians class column deadline pushes us to think two months down the road. As we write, the Cornell Class of 2024 is taking its final finals, finishing senior projects, excited and yet conflicted about leaving what has become their home, their Hill. By the time you read this, the Cornell Class of 2028 will be packing suitcases, hugging high school best friends, anticipating and yet anxious, about to begin their own Cornell climb up the Hill. And we, the Cornell Class of 1966, will begin the first steps planning our big 60th Reunion year and weekend. Our Hill, their Hill, shared by Cornellians since the first Cornell commencement in 1869. Join us this coming Cornell year and all our alumni years ongoing. (Yes, send your dues and news !) Mark your calendars NOW for our return to our Hill—it’s the big Cornell 60th. And we will fill our Hill with us, June 4–7, 2026!”

Stay in touch. Everyone wants to know what you’ve been up to (they really DO!). ❖ Pete Salinger , MBA ’68 ( email Pete ) | Susan Rockford Bittker ( email Susan ) | Alumni Directory .

Joan Klein Cohen (Stockbridge, MA) shares: “Happy to announce my second novel, The Deepfake , was published April 2, 2024 (and received a starred review from Kirkus ). Husband Bruce ’65 , ME ’67, and I still love living in the Berkshires, where Bruce is a volunteer assistant lacrosse coach at Williams.” Joan’s favorite Cornell memory: “Sitting in the stacks of the A.D. White Reading Room, staring out at the view, contemplating profound philosophical questions I still don’t know the answer to.”

Julia Bentley-Macdonald writes: “My husband, Jerry Macdonald, passed away on March 7, 2024. I am moving to Longview, a senior residence near Ithaca College, this June. Last year, I received the Volunteer of the Year Award from Lifelong—a senior community center. I plan to continue my activities at both Longview and Lifelong.”

Thanks to Stan Davis ’69 for this report: “The unique strategies of Ralph “Russ” Morin , to retain and attract business talent during and after the pandemic, were recently touted in the New Hampshire Business Review . Russ continues to operate his Attleboro, MA-based catering and events business. Also continuing aggressive growth initiatives, he has recently added a restaurant group and a business consulting arm.”

John Lyncheski (Naples, FL) has “officially cut ties (fully retired) from Dentons Cohen & Grigsby. I was one of the founding partners in 1982 of the Pittsburgh-based firm. We grew to approximately 150 lawyers and recently partnered with Dentons, the nation’s largest global law firm. I spent the last seven years as of counsel, based out of our Naples office. My focus was on management side labor and employment law with clients in the healthcare field. One of the newer principals in our firm is Reeve “Ting” Vanneman ’s daughter, Julie.

Stu Ockman ’67 has now had 13 puzzles accepted by Times crossword editor Will Shortz.

“A proud veteran of the U.S. Navy JAG Corps, I’m married to my high school sweetheart, Kathy, who probably spent as many weekends at Cornell as I did. We have three children and seven grandchildren, several of whom have joined us in Naples. I’ve stayed connected as a member of our class council and have reconnected with Sigma Nu contemporaries, including Tom Charlton , MBA ’69, Fred Nesbitt ’69 , and Bill Manser . I ‘Facebook’ with George McWeeney , MBA ’69, and Dick Gilkeson . I do my best to follow Big Red sports. Unfortunately, I’m hampered by some mobility limitations, but, overall, life is good. Go Big Red.”

During a Zoom meeting with Cornell engineering classmates, Stu Ockman revealed that he has a lifelong love of crossword puzzles. “Perhaps my earliest memory of solving a real crossword puzzle (not the Highlights for Children version) was a contest run by the Philadelphia Inquirer when I was in sixth grade. I had fun solving it (and think I found the correct answer) but needed a version without erasures to enter the contest; I was too shy to ask our next-door neighbor for their copy of the paper. Imagine my surprise a few days later when the Inquirer announced that there were no winners.”

After graduating with a BS degree, Stu then received an MS in construction management from Stanford and an MBA from the University of Pennsylvania Wharton School, continuing to solve puzzles while working as a licensed professional engineer in California for Day & Zimmermann Inc. When Adam Perl told him that he had submitted a puzzle to the New York Times , Stu took his passion for crossword puzzles up a notch. He has now had 13 puzzles accepted by Times crossword editor Will Shortz. Stu created a puzzle for the Civil and Environmental Engineering Update for alumni to solve, which can be found here . He maintains his engineering practice at Ockman & Borden Associates, which he founded in 1981. ❖ Richard Hoffman ( email Richard ) | 2925 28th St. NW, Washington, DC 20008 | Alumni Directory .

I have some news to share with our classmates this summer! For future columns we need more news and updates, so please let us know where you are and what you are doing, or share with us your reflections on your years at Cornell!

Susan Mascette Brandt writes that “through serendipity” she has reconnected with Jane Wallace Vanneman . They were corridor-mates freshman year in Dickson VI (a.k.a. “the Wine Cellar”) but had not seen or spoken to each other since around 1965! She reports that this reconnection has been “just wonderful” and is continuing on Zoom.

Jim Ponsoldt and his wife, Susan, continue to live in Athens, GA. Jim enjoys helping his son, James Ponsoldt, a well-known and acclaimed writer, director, and producer, with scripts for his son’s two recent TV series, “Shrinking” and “Daisy Jones & the Six.” Jim, a lawyer, was on the faculty of the University of Georgia School of Law beginning in 1978 and retired from the full-time faculty as the Joseph Henry Lumpkin Professor of Law in 2008, where he specialized in the areas of antitrust, corporations, criminal procedure, and communications law. He is the author of numerous articles as well as letters to the editors of the New York Times , the Atlanta Journal-Constitution , and local publications on a variety of legal and social policy issues. He and Susan enjoy spending time with and taking photos of their three grandkids.

Jerry Kreider , MArch ’71, and his wife, Kathleen, live in Narberth, PA, outside Philadelphia. He recently received the 2024 Patrick Monaghan Good Neighbor Award for his “unwavering commitment” to Habitat for Humanity’s mission of building and repairing homes in Philadelphia. He continues to contribute to the group’s strategic fundraising initiatives.

Jerry Kreider ’68 , MArch ’71, received the 2024 Patrick Monaghan Good Neighbor Award for his ‘unwavering commitment’ to Habitat for Humanity’s mission.

Sharon Lawner Weinberg , PhD ’71, published two books in 2024, a second edition of Statistics Using R : An Integrative Approach and a third edition of Statistics Using Stata: An Integrative Approach, both by Cambridge University Press . She is professor emerita of applied statistics and psychology, having recently retired from NYU after being on the faculty for 52 years and having served as a vice provost of the university for seven of those years.

Richard Schuler writes, “I’m still practicing civil trial law at a firm I founded in West Palm Beach, FL, 46 years ago, Schuler, Weisser, Zoeller, Overbeck & Baxter. I still love the practice and living in Jupiter, FL, with my wife, Angela. Angela is originally from Brazil, and we attended the 21st annual family reunion there in March, then went on to Chile to explore that country—I recommend it highly. We’re leaving in a few weeks to go to Eastern Europe, Austria, Germany, and the Netherlands. Trying to exercise and keep these bones from getting too creaky and have been swept up in the pickleball mania along with my wife—although she beats me at that and still runs four miles a day!”

David Radin , former editor-in-chief of the Cornell Daily Sun during our days on the Hill, recently published a book, A Temporary Affair . His book is a collection of 31 talks given at Sunday morning sittings at the Ithaca Zen Center by Yoshin David Radin, founder of and abbot at the Ithaca Zen Center for the past 40 years. The talks were given at a time when David’s health was severely compromised by end-stage renal failure. Happily, in February 2019, he received a kidney transplant from a member of the Ithaca Zen Center, to whom the book is dedicated.

I look forward to receiving more news and updates from all of you! Please email me about you and your family with news you want to share with our classmates. ❖ Steve Weinberg, MBA ’70, JD ’71 ( email Steve ) | Alumni Directory .

This column is being written at the beginning of April, just about the time that registration information for Reunion 2024 is being made public. News of how our 55th Reunion fared on June 6–9 will be covered in a later column, but I plan to be there as it will mark the end of my term as Class of ’69 co-president. I am hoping for a good turnout. Catching up with friends in person is best—but here is some news received from other classmates that you may know, who may or may not be attending our 55th.

John Reilly (Arts) has retired in Erie, PA, after a 45-year career as a colon/rectal surgeon. He and his wife, Bette, have found great enjoyment in activities in support of the Erie Philharmonic. In addition to penning reminiscences of his days in surgical training at Bellevue Hospital in NYC, he relaxes at the piano, serves on local boards, and, as expected in retirement, travels to link up with family and friends. John keeps in close touch with his Sigma Nu buddies, the faithful custodians of shared memories of rites of passage: Bob “Bubba” Smith (Arts), Frank Pagano (Arts), and Marc Grabelsky (Ag), as well as with several fraternity brothers from that era who still look for any occasion to raise a glass at the Chapter Lodge on Willard Way. Finally, for over 40 years, John has treated several generations of family to the unique experience of Cornell’s Adult University, accompanied by the bliss of summer on the Hill. He looks forward to attending future courses, on and off campus, hoping to run into precious friends for encounters that summon up a special time—a time that, although now so long ago, “seems like only yesterday!”

Ann Sullivan (Arts), now retired, doesn’t have to travel to attend our Reunion, as she and her husband, Nick Salvatore (also retired, from the ILR School), are living in Ithaca. Ann writes that her days are filled with volunteer work and enjoying family in a wonderful place to live. Her daughter, Nora Salvatore ’01 , JD ’06, settled in Ithaca, too!

For over 40 years, John Reilly ’69 has treated several generations of family to the unique experience of Cornell’s Adult University, accompanied by the bliss of summer on the Hill.

Ron Gidron (Engr), MBA ’71, on the other hand, has a long way to go if he wants to attend a Reunion, as he and his wife, Lourdes Sanchez, are retired and living in Madrid, Spain. In December 2023, they invited all of their children and six grandchildren to join them in NYC, and reported it was great to rediscover that unique place with all of them. Ron has two grandsons and a nephew now living in the U.S., either studying or working. What he enjoys now (having closed his company last year) is composing music, writing a family history book dating to 2000 BC (!!), and teaching math, Hebrew, and music online to several young family members. They have been traveling mostly around Spain by using the state-owned Paradores Nacionales, which provides unique lodging in mostly historic buildings converted to hotels. Asked about his favorite memory of Cornell, Ron lists a number of them: professors Hans Bethe, Robert Moog , PhD ’65 , and Carl Sagan, discovering electronic music, designing the first computers, musical history classes as electives in the College of Arts and Sciences, the unique landscape of the Cornell campus and the Finger Lakes region, Willard Straight Hall and Uris Library, harsh winters, Collegetown, and downtown cinemas.

Another classmate living abroad is Kent Nadbornik (Hotel). He and his wife, Nina, call Helsinki, Finland, home. Turning 80 in February 2024 was a milestone for Kent, who enjoys walking outdoors and keeping track of his 11 grandchildren. Among his favorite memories of Cornell are serving as a banquet waiter in the Statler in 1965, food facilities engineering, and the design of Alcatraz food facilities.

Submitted by acting class correspondent and retiring class co-president: ❖ Greg Baum ( email Greg ) | Class website | Alumni Directory .

The writing and submission of this column has turned into a miracle. Originally there was not to be one, as there was no material. However, a miracle of some last-minute submissions and an allowance to submit after the deadline has allowed the continuation of a 1970 class column without a break since I volunteered to write one some years ago. Somehow this takes me back to the creation of papers, lab reports, and such as a student—a last-minute reprieve. So be it!

My focus on Cornell recently has been preparing for my 45th Johnson Reunion, along with the ever-interesting Continuous Reunion Club, now less than a month away. Be aware that our class 55th Reunion is now just a year away. If you have any thoughts or ideas, and wish to be involved or to volunteer, contact Sally Anne Levine , JD ’73, our class president. Find her contact info (and others’) through the Alumni Directory . Hope to see many of you there.

Nick Cooper (Draper, UT) responded positively and proudly to my request about those who might have stayed in engineering. “I got into engineering right out of school and continue to work as a consultant in the water field. I’m currently a senior project manager at AECOM, where I am also design manager for water and wastewater treatment projects.

My work has taken me around the world, to the Middle East, Southeast Asia, the U.K., and South America. Nick Cooper ’70

“My work has taken me around the world, to the Middle East, Southeast Asia, the U.K., and South America. My wife of 46 years, Deb, has been very patient while I travel. My employment for three consulting firms has meant that we’ve relocated as well. Utah is our seventh and last state. These days, I’m only commuting one or two weeks a month to California from our home in Draper, UT (a few miles south of Salt Lake City). Although I work full time, this feels like semi-retirement. I enjoy what I do and spend much time guiding clients and junior engineers on how to manage people and projects.

“I’ve been back to Ithaca a few times, including lectures to graduate civil engineering students on ‘Your Career Path.’ As an engineer, the thing that was the most beneficial to me is having gone to Cornell and started engineering before we had computers. I try to teach younger engineers to build the database of their mind—that is the most important value they have for clients.”

Merry Bloch Jones (Philadelphia, PA) responds as follows: “I’m living in Philadelphia, still writing suspense novels, just beginning my 22nd book, 15th spine-rattler. (Find them all on my website .) I also spend time rowing on the Schuylkill River and chasing grandkids (a new one coming this year!). Hoping to visit Cornell sometime soon to see all the changes.”

As always, you may contact me directly (see below) or you may use the University’s online news form . ❖ John Cecilia, MBA ’79 ( email John ) | Alumni Directory .

As I am putting the final touches on this column, it is the day of the “Great American Total Eclipse,” and I wonder how many of us shared this extraordinary cosmic phenomenon, as we have so many significant events during the past 74–75 years. If you experienced an eclipse adventure, please tell us about it.

Did you know that Naomi Guttman-Bass left her science profession behind for a career in the arts in Israel? After completing her BA degree at Cornell, Naomi continued to pursue her interest in science and biology, earning a PhD from MIT. Following years of scientific research both at Yale University and at the University of Jerusalem, she left academia to pursue a career in video production. She has been producing documentaries and short films ever since (for more than 25 years). Have you seen her latest documentary, UnReined , which tells the story of a young horseback rider who held the Israeli high jump record for 20 years? The film illustrates how a shared love for horses developed into a collaboration between Israelis and Palestinians. You can view UnReined here .

A group of 23 Psi Upsilon alums from the classes of 1970–73 gathered with a few members of SAE for a small reunion in Ithaca in late November 2023. Classmates Robert Bloch , Tom Brereton (and his wife, Amy), Eddie Kosteva , MBA ’73, Warren Baker (and his wife, Donna), Leo Reinsmith , ME ’72 (and his wife, Laurie (Bettan) ’72 ), and Gary Cokins joined in the festivities. Robert wrote on our class Facebook site that the passing of classmate Barry Cermak earlier in 2023 “made us realize that we should get together before more of us were unable.” Highlights of the weekend included a Friday evening dinner, a football game against Brown University, a Saturday barbeque, a visit to the former Psi U fraternity house (now a grad student dorm), side trips to Taughannock Falls and other points of interest, time on campus, and, most of all, sharing old memories and wallowing in nostalgia.

The Cornell Alumni Leadership Conference (CALC) is Cornell’s annual signature volunteer event, where Cornellians come together for a weekend full of discovery and inspiration. This year’s CALC was held in Baltimore, MD. To begin the weekend with some Big Red spirit, the Class of 1971 held a dinner at Café Gia on Friday evening, February 24. Dale Cohen , Mitchell Weisberg , Naomi Katz Mintz , Susan Deitz Milmoe , Martha Coultrap (and her husband, Harvey Bagg), Laurie Berke-Weiss (and her husband, Brian Berke), David Beale , and Barbara Brem Noveau (and her husband, Donald ’70 ), together with Sally Anne Levine ’70 , JD ’73, and Kate Freyer from Alumni Affairs and Development shared a delightful meal, reminisced, brainstormed additional ideas for our class history project, and began planning for our next Reunion.

In early March, Linda Germaine-Miller and Leslie Jennis Obus organized a lovely lunch in NYC for Martha Coultrap, Gilda Klein Linden , Laurie Berke-Weiss, Dale Cohen, and me. It was wonderful to spend time with friends we have known for over 50 years, to catch up on our current lives, and to reminisce about our time in Ithaca and days gone by. We all enjoyed the afternoon so much we are planning another in May!

Naomi Guttman-Bass ’71 left her science profession behind for a career in the arts in Israel.

Barbara Gelsky Popka and her husband, Ed ’70 , were married shortly before our graduation on March 27, 1971, but celebrated their anniversary last April (albeit two years late because of COVID) with a great party attended by friends and family. Ed and Barbara spend most of the year in Hilton Head, SC, and summer in Deep Creek Lake, MD. The Popkas have two children and four grandchildren (“the highlight of our lives”) living in the Atlanta and Baltimore areas, so they visit both places fairly frequently. The Popkas love to travel. In the past year they have visited Vietnam and Cambodia, toured Eastern Europe, cruised through the British Isles, and vacationed for a month in Hawaii. On schedule next: a cruise around South America and a 10-day trip to Cuba in May. Barbara’s fondest Cornell memories are her 9 p.m. “Straight breaks.” She would love to hear from other Cornellians and her contact information can be found in the Alumni Directory .

Marcia Wities Orange is immersed in Big Red this season. In April, she attended an excellent local presentation by Corey Earle ’07 , Cornell’s “unofficial historian,” titled “Cornell is Everywhere: How Our Everyday Lives are Shaped by Cornell.” Marcia noted, “It still amazes me when I am one of the oldest alums there, but after 50-plus years, logic says it really shouldn’t.” This summer, Marcia is looking forward to Cornell’s Adult University on campus and may also attend Reunion with the Continuous Reunion Club. Marcia is also attending the Cornell Theater Weekend in late April—totaling four Cornell events in four months!

Gail Sussman Marcus reports she has had a stable, happy, and lucky life. Gail has been living in Larchmont, NY, for 40 years. Since 1980, Gail has been teaching history at the Brearley School in Manhattan and continues to find joy and energy in the classroom and engaging with her students. She and her husband of more than 50 years, Marty, who has recently retired from his position as a judge in the Bronx Supreme Court, enjoy spending time with their two grown children, their children’s spouses, and four growing grandchildren.

Down in Lower Manhattan, Richard Warshauer leads an annual historical walking tour, “The Great Crashes of Wall Street.” He sent us a wonderful photo from his last one featuring Richard and his Cornell flatmate and lifelong friend James Wanderstock . Richard, who founded the tour after the stock market crash of 1987 says, “If we’ve learned anything from history, it is that history repeats itself.” Any history buffs, classmates intrigued by the financial markets, or people looking to spend a few interesting and enjoyable hours in Manhattan, contact Richard (who can also be found in the Alumni Directory ) for information about his next tour.

Have you participated in our class history project yet? Dale Cohen, Martha Coultrap, Irmgard Dick , MAT ’72 (known in Cornell years as “Victoria Elmer”), Kathy Ellison Lindeman , Naomi Katz Mintz, Arthur Lasko , Mike Licitra , Molly Mead , Arthur Mintz , Sharon Schatz , Jim Schiffman , and Mitch Weisberg joined the monthly conversation last March. Participants discussed our junior and senior years with an emphasis on Cornell traditions. The wide-ranging conversation touched on the Vietnam War, sex, drugs, and rock and roll, dogs roaming on campus , campus movies, the teach-in at Barton Hall, taking manual notes in class, slide rules, the 18-year-old legal drinking age, activist David Burak ’67 , MFA ’80, and Jeff Dowd (the son of Cornell Economics professor Douglas Dowd), who was the Coen brothers’ inspiration for the Dude character in The Big Lebowski . “Tumultuous” was Jim Schiffman’s description of our time on the Hill.

Does Cornell continue to have an impact on your life? Please write and tell us how—we always look forward to hearing from you! Cara Nash Iason ( email Cara ) | Elisabeth Kaplan Boas ( email Elisabeth ) | Alumni Directory .

Richard Joslyn , PhD ’77, retired in 2020, after a 44-year career as a political science professor and academic administrator at Temple University, which included teaching at, and being the dean of, the university’s campus in Tokyo. He writes, “When I locked my office door on Friday, March 13, 2020, to finish out the semester virtually, I had no idea I would not be able to return for two years to clean it out. Unfortunately, the COVID experience has taught me the extent to which many of my fellow citizens have little regard for the health and safety of others. Could we endure the kinds of sacrifices and deprivations our parents and grandparents did during the WWII years, in support of a greater good? I have my doubts.

“I retained my sanity during the abrupt change to an isolated COVID-induced protective bubble by co-authoring a book about the history of Temple’s campus in Japan (1980–present), published by Temple University Press. It is available on Amazon. The story includes villains and heroes, periods of rapid growth and sharp decline, and complicated relationships with several Japanese partners fighting for respect and fair treatment by the government of Japan and enduring the Japanese economic crash, tsunami, and nuclear meltdowns. But today the campus has over 2,000 matriculated undergraduates from around the world and plans to open an additional campus in Kyoto.”

Peter Fortunato ’s memoir, Desert Wind: My Life in Qatar , came out in March 2023. It recounts his experiences teaching in the pre-medical department of Weill Cornell Medicine in Qatar from 2005–09. He writes, “This was a crucial time for the country as it emerged on the world stage, and important for me both professionally and personally. This is one of the only books in English to detail the expat experience of interacting with Qatari natives.”

These days, Peter is writing, painting, and doing community service in Ithaca. “Although I left classroom teaching in 2013, I’m as busy as can be with projects. My wife of 51 years, the poet Mary Gilliland ’73 , MAT ’80, has had three collections of her poetry published in the past two years and is riding a wave of success!” When asked about his time on the Hill, Peter fondly recalls his friendships with his roommates “and all that we went through together, 1968–72. We still keep in touch often!”

Peter Fortunato ’72 ’s memoir recounts his experiences teaching in the pre-medical department of Weill Cornell Medicine in Qatar.

Artist and writer Sarah Sutro shares, “My second book of poetry, Natural Wonders , comes out on August 9, 2024, with Finishing Line Press. The poems, deeply entwined with nature, offer the reader an experience of intense immersion in, and balance with, the Earth. A kind of rallying to care for Earth’s house and our ultimate survival, they stress the necessity to repeat these daily excursions and the urgency to keep on cultivating, walking, praising, looking ahead—ultimately conversing with the Earth every day to protect and appreciate her. Natural Wonders celebrates coming home to a sense of place in the natural world, with occasional ominous reverberations from the world stage. For the month of September, I will be in a two-person show, ‘Out of Time: Memory Portraits,’ at the Third Eye Gallery in Hoosic Falls, NY.”

A previous finalist for the Robert Frost poetry award, Sarah has published poetry in the U.S., Europe, and Asia. Previous works include her chapbook Études (Finishing Line Press, 2016), and her book of essays COLORS: Passages through Art, Asia and Nature (Blue Asia Press, 2011). Her writings have been included in journals, newspapers, and anthologies, and she has been a writer and reviewer for American Arts Quarterly and Berkshire Fine Arts . In addition to her Cornell degree, Sarah also holds degrees from Yale at Norfolk and University of the Arts, London, and for many years she taught college courses in art and interdisciplinary studies in the Boston area. Her paintings can be seen at her website .

Margo Rogers Lesser writes, “This news is prompted by the note from Elias Savada ,” who shared in the May/June Class Notes column that he and his wife, Andrea, are “still waiting for grandkids.” Shares Margo: “We had given up on becoming grandparents, but in February 2023 our daughter and son-in-law (married almost eight years at that time) had a beautiful little girl, who has given us incredible joy. And as I write this, our son and daughter-in-law (married 10 years) are on the verge of ‘giving us’ a second grandbaby. Amazingly enough (and luckily for us), they all live within an hour of our primary residence. Don’t give up, Elias!”

Margo adds, “I’m basically retired but still work regularly to keep my co-authored treatise, Michigan Corporation Law & Practice, updated. For many years, I did volunteer work with the local child abuse and neglect charitable and advocacy organization, which I still support philanthropically. My husband (Princeton ’72), an ophthalmologist, specialized in glaucoma and cataract surgery, retired at the beginning of 2020, and pursued relocating our primary residence from a big house in Birmingham, MI, to a condo in Bloomfield Hills—a crazy process during the pandemic. But despite the difficulty of downsizing and moving at that time, I admit that life is easier in a good condo community.

“Attending Cornell definitely changed the trajectory of my life! When I was growing up, my understanding/assumptions about what women could do—beyond wife, mother, household manager, and hostess—were limited to secretary, stewardess, teacher, and other school worker. While in junior high and high school, I discovered a facility in languages and allowed myself to think about a future in diplomacy, or at least as an interpreter at the U.N. That was why I chose Cornell—because of the strength of the language program. I gradually shifted into government and history, and ended up going to law school, where I thrived.” ❖ Frank Dawson ( email Frank ) | Alex Barna ( email Alex ) | Wes Schulz , ME ’73 ( email Wes ) | Susan Farber Straus ( email Susan ) | Alumni Directory .

Wayne Merkelson , JD ’75, and spouse Nancy Roistacher ’72 are two of this year’s five Frank H.T. Rhodes Exemplary Alumni Service Award recipients. This award recognizes alumni who have demonstrated extraordinary service to Cornell through long-term volunteer activities. Congratulations to these two outstanding alumni who continue to give countless hours to Cornell. Wayne and Nancy write, “We are honored even to be thought about for such an honor, and we hope to remain involved and keep giving back as long as we are able to do so.” Wayne currently serves our class as Cornell Fund co-chair with Susan Murphy , PhD ’94, as well as nominations chair. My non-Cornell spouse and I enjoyed a delightful brunch with Wayne and Nancy in Cincinnati last October while they were on one of their trips to visit state capitals. It was Wayne who contacted me over 25 years ago, encouraging me to volunteer for our class, and it has been a very fulfilling experience.

Congratulations to Paul Cashman upon his election to Cornell’s Board of Trustees. Paul is a 2020 recipient of the Rhodes Exemplary Alumni Service Award, immediate past president, and current web community manager for our class. As grandparent to two cats, I really appreciate Paul’s love of cats, which he has combined with his interest in software, “through mentoring student teams developing an app for the Cornell Feline Health Center (CFHC), being a technical mentor at Cornell Animal Health Hackathons, and developing an AI system with the CFHC to support their national citizen-science project to perform a health census of the U.S. feral cat population.”

Mary Gilliland , MAT ’80, senior lecturer emeritus, CAS Knight Institute for Writing, has a new book of poetry published this year titled Ember Days . Its poems “feature soldiers under duress, models transformed to artists, descendants of forced immigrants, survivors of hurricanes, and witnesses for peace—stepping up to our world’s disasters, leveling with its possibilities, and interrogating faith, justice, militarism, madness, and the perception and affection of intimate relationships.” Mary’s previous book The Devil’s Fools (2022) won the Codhill Press Pauline Uchmanowicz Poetry Award. Her other award-winning poetry collection is The Ruined Walled Castle Garden (2020). She is the recipient of a Council on the Arts Faculty Grant from Cornell, where she created and taught seminars such as “Ecosystems & Ego Systems” and “America Dreaming.”

I’m developing an AI system with the Cornell Feline Health Center to support their project to perform a health census of the U.S. feral cat population. Paul Cashman ’73

Natalie Tyler , spouse of classmate David Riede , who lives just up the interstate from me in Columbus, OH, writes that she “remains introverted, small-talk adverse, and terminally shy.” Natalie’s best Cornell memories include “listening to classmates who were brilliant.” She thanks a sampling of the many who helped her “appreciate the arts from many directions, how to think and write critically, how politics work, and how to ask questions.” They include William Cowdery , PhD ’89, Jeff and Robin Marantz Henig , Mitch Weiss , Louise Eisenbrey Wakefield , Diana Straight , Margot Murtaugh , Louise Shelley ’72 , Mona Deutsch Miller , Jeff Newman , and Gary Borgida ’70 . Natalie gets the most satisfaction these days from listening to opera, rereading Anthony Trollope, and poetry.

Michael Van Valkenburgh is the creative director of Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates Inc. (MVVA), a landscape architecture firm he founded in 1982. He had a new book published earlier this year regarding one of MVVA’s iconic parks, titled Brooklyn Bridge Park . This book is “MVVA’s 23-year story of transforming 85 acres of Brooklyn waterfront into parkland that reconnects New Yorkers to the East River. It examines MVVA’s process of designing a park that went from a remote possibility to an essential part of the city around it.” Michael, thank you for your persistence and creativity.

Send news to: ❖ Pam Meyers ( email Pam ) | Phyllis Haight Grummon ( email Phyllis ) | Dave Ross ( email Dave ) | Alumni Directory .

The teeny-tiniest of columns this time, as we hope everyone has been saving up news to share at our 50th Reunion! The almost-empty class mailbox was cheered to hear from Raymond Seraydarian , ME ’76, who has recently moved to the Mission Hills neighborhood of San Diego. His favorite memory from his time at Cornell is the Christmas program of “Lessons and Carols” held in Sage Chapel.

Ronald Pies also wrote to alert us that he has just published a book, titled The Anatomy of Gratitude , which is a survey of this important quality in six of the world’s great spiritual traditions. “I try to practice cultivating gratitude every day, with some days admittedly more difficult than others!” Ron has recently retired from the practice of psychiatry.

With gratitude to you all for whatever news you are willing to share. ❖ Molly Miller Ettenger ( email Molly ) | Jim Schoonmaker ( email Jim ) | Alumni Directory .

We have lots of news on how our classmates celebrated their 70th birthdays! Did we ever think that was going to be a number in our lives? Paula Amols celebrated hers with a trip to Iceland, where she got a glimpse of the Northern Lights! The highlight was a helicopter ride over the volcanic southwestern region of the country. “One volcano had erupted two days earlier,” she writes. “The mix of lava fields with beautiful views of snow-covered volcanoes was stunning.” While an adventurist on trying foods, she did avoid the fermented shark and the boiled sheep’s head. Upon her return home, she had a larger family celebration, which included her brother, who turned 75. Paula has a side hustle: she owns microshares in racehorses! One is on the Kentucky Derby trail! She devotes her time at her local SPCA. She also assists in another organization to help people age in place by providing social activities and helpful services.

Kathryn Gabinet-Kroo drove from Montreal with her family all the way to Cleveland, joining up for a family reunion to celebrate her birthday. In all, there were 12 adults, six kids, and plenty of great stories that were salted with food and drink. Frank Goodwin and his wife went south—way south, to Antarctica—for his 70th. They camped in a tent on Kerr Point. Walter Krepcio shares his birthday news from Augusta, GA. He lives about a mile from Augusta National Golf Club. “For my 70th I appeared as a guest co-DJ on a doowop radio program on Wesleyan University WESU-FM in Middletown, CT. I’m into ’50s music—I always listened to Rockin’ Remnants on Saturday nights on WVBR when I was a student.” After that gig, the family went on a Seabourn three-week cruise to a lot of Caribbean islands. “What a blast,” he says, adding that he hopes to go on many more cruises! Roberta Moran writes that her 70th birthday was spent signing up for social security. Ken Englander did not want any kind of big party, and that worked out well. It happened that five people in his family have birthdays around the same time, so his granddaughter made custom cakes for each of them. He notes, “The best part was on my 70th, we all enjoyed watching our hometown Kansas City Chiefs win the Super Bowl! That is a pretty cool memory of the day.”

In other news, Beverly Spivey-Rivers writes from North Carolina that her favorite Cornell memory is running up the Hill from freshman dorms to get to the Hot Truck! She is an ordained Baptist minister and continues to serve in this calling. Greatest source of satisfaction for her? Spending time with family and friends and serving in her ministry. William Martin takes great satisfaction in restoring his 1800s barns and more. He continues to serve as an officer for two different charitable organizations. His fondest memories at Cornell include living with the guys at Cayuga Lodge and the camaraderie from that. He took pride in taking some hard and NOT required electives like organic chemistry and physics and loved working at Bob’s Hot Truck! Suzy Nagin Klass has retired from social work and is now a certified end-of-life doula, working primarily in Manhattan. She centers her work on supporting the emotional and spiritual needs of the dying person, along with providing support to the person’s family members and caregivers.

Elisabeth Rittner Needleman lives in Watertown, MA. Her favorite memories of Cornell? The library, the sense of independence, the beautiful natural surroundings, and reading poetry with friends.

Lynn Rosenbluth Saltz and husband Rick ’73 , MBA ’74, celebrated the marriage of their daughter, Marcy ’06 to Andrew Ogulnik on September 30, in Greenwich Village in New York. About a third of the guests were Cornellians. Both Lynn and Rich are happily retired and are “just doing what they want to do.”

Paula Amols ’75 celebrated her 70th birthday with a trip to Iceland, where she got a glimpse of the Northern Lights!

Jan Carr (New York City) wrote to us about her new children’s book, Pet-a-Palooza , which is the third book in her chapter-book series of Buddy and Bea. The books were inspired by Jan’s experience as a teacher and by her academic studies at Cornell in human development and family studies. “These books are for ages 5–8—you will laugh out loud as you read these to youngsters,” she says. Jan still keeps in touch with Ellen Cohen , her freshman roommate in Mary Donlon Hall. Randomly paired by the university as roommates, they are still very close. She also sees Rudy Perkins , Martha Simon , and Michael Miller ’74 .

Peter Kaestner holds the world record for viewing the most bird species—and in February 2024, he achieved his personal goal of viewing 10,000 species when he spotted an orange-tufted spiderhunter!

By the time this column goes to print, college basketball won’t even be in your rear-view mirror! Nonetheless, I joined the ILR Alumni Association of Northern New Jersey for a Princeton/Cornell game back in March. Jordan Berman ’95 was the host of the pre-game festivities at Princeton. Jordan is founder and CEO of OFC, a video production company that centers itself on creative communications. The pre-game was a lot of fun. Cornell lost—but our daughter, who is at Princeton for her PhD, was happy.

I myself just learned that I have been awarded a Fulbright scholarship to teach and conduct research at the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid in Madrid, Spain, for either the fall 2024 or the spring 2025 semester. Husband Joel and I have become grandparents again—two little boys now.

Please take a few minutes to send us highlights of your life after Cornell, college friends you’ve seen, and memorable moments on campus, and we’ll share the news in our upcoming columns. ❖ Karen DeMarco Boroff ( email Karen ) | Mitch Frank ( email Mitch ) | Joan Pease ( email Joan ) | Deb Gellman , MBA ’82 ( email Deb ) | Alumni Directory .

We received a letter from a senior principal process engineer from 24M Technologies, who was writing to praise “an amazing engineer,” our very own Ray Zagars , ME ’77. “Ray is a special human being; he is both an extremely qualified engineer and an amazing people person. No doubt Ray’s success can be attributed to the foundation Cornell provided. He has been a driving force in the success of 24M Technologies for over 10 years now. 24M grew out of a lab at MIT to produce semi-solid lithium-ion batteries; because of Ray’s knowledge and training, the company is changing the way the world stores energy. I am selfishly saddened that Ray has made the decision to retire at the end of this month.” Congratulations on your retirement and your successful career, Ray!

Thad Rutkowski has a new book , Safe Colors , a novel of short fictions. This autobiographical novel tells the story of a biracial boy whose struggles to fit in run from childhood to middle age. The book is filled with incidents revolving around the search for identity. A press release says that Thad perfectly captures the loneliness and isolation of a nowhere man lost in a nowhere land, searching for that elusive “somewhere” in which he can finally be someone.

Abdullah Sami Paksoy , ME ’77, writes that daughter Elif lives in Northern Italy; son Mustafa, in San Francisco, has been married to Anabel for almost eight years now and they have two boys, Zeki, born in 2021, named after his father-in-law, and Aydin, born in 2023. Abdullah and wife Halime are busy in their home in Adana, Turkey. Last August, they celebrated their 40th anniversary with family in Sardinia and recently visited Mexico City for the first time. He writes that they shuttle back and forth and love spending time with family. Their two kids plus two grandchildren are their pride and joy. He also loves building toys for his grandchildren.

Paul Stander ’76 is happy to say that he survived both the Drake Passage and the polar plunge!

In January 2024, Paul Stander and his daughter—and a contingent of some 50 Cornellians—traveled to Argentina and Antarctica with Cornell Alumni Travel for the trip of a lifetime. Paul is happy to say that he survived both the Drake Passage and the polar plunge! It was a fantastic experience! Paul continues to work as the chief of geriatrics at V.A. Phoenix Health Care System, as well as the Hospice of the Valley in Phoenix, and is vice chair of the board of trustees for Vitalant Inc. This is the second-largest blood banking company in the country. He asks that you donate blood if you can, as it is very much needed. Paul still manages to enjoy a workout, playing golf, and playing bridge. A lot has changed in the 40 years since he last played as a freshman at Cornell, but he is slowly getting it together.

Donna Tesiero is pleased to announce the recent publication of her book , A Revolutionary Woman: Elizabeth Freeman and the Abolition of Slavery in the North (McFarland & Company). According to the publisher, “Elizabeth Freeman was an enslaved widow and mother living in Massachusetts at the end of the American Revolution. Hearing the words of the new Massachusetts state constitution, which declared liberty and equality for all, she sought the help of a young lawyer named Theodore Sedgwick, later Speaker of the House and one of America’s leading Federalist politicians. The lawsuit that she and Sedgwick pursued would bring freedom to her and her daughter, as well as thousands of other enslaved people.” Donna adds, “My daughter and her husband, Tony, are expecting their second child in July; she’ll be joining older sister Sofia, age 2.”

Thank you for sending us your news! It is appreciated by all. ❖ Lisa Diamant ( email Lisa ) | Pat Relf Hanavan ( email Pat ) | Alumni Directory .

In the absence of any news from our classmates, I will take the Correspondent’s Prerogative (if that is a thing) of writing about what I have been doing over the past several decades.

Since the late 1980s, I have been caring for patients with heart failure, which, as the name implies, is the inability of the heart to provide blood, oxygen, and nutrients to the rest of the body. Among the miracles of modern medicine are the medications that take the stress off the failing heart, improving survival and quality of life. Many people who I saw earlier in my career—and who would have died—can now, as a result of modern medicine, return to normal lives and have their hearts recover. Unfortunately, there are some patients who, despite modern medicine, do not improve, and for those patients (who have what we call advanced heart failure) the options are either heart transplantation, mechanical circulatory support, or ventricular assist devices, which are pumps that help the heart pump.

One question is whether the future of advanced heart failure is biological (heart transplantation and other potential therapies) or mechanical (mechanical circulatory support). Both have been successful in improving survival and quality of life. Newer advances such as gene therapy or xenotransplant (transplants from pigs) on the biological side or newer, smaller, more durable ventricular assist devices on the mechanical side make this a rapidly evolving field. The good news is that patients with heart failure have many medical options that can improve their heart function, survival, and quality of life. For those who don’t derive benefit from medications, there are biological and mechanical options that can improve survival and quality of life. Stay tuned.

Hope you enjoyed the science lesson (there will be no credit; you audited it). Here’s to continued travel and adventures with family and friends in 2024. Please stay safe, be careful, and, as always, follow the science. Best wishes.

Please keep all of your news and views coming in! ❖ Howie Eisen ( email Howie ) | Mary Flynn ( email Mary ) | Alumni Directory .

A very short update this time around. Don’t be shy, classmates—tell us what you’re up to these days!

Thanks to the generosity of our classmate Roger Strauch and his brother Hans Strauch ’80 , the College of Architecture, Art, and Planning continues to increase the accessibility of academic careers to emerging scholars and practitioners in those disciplines. The college recently announced the establishment of a new endowed Strauch Early Career Fellow, an annual appointment funded by the brothers. Through gifts totaling $1M on behalf of the Mosse Foundation, the brothers have championed the college’s efforts to create more robust pathways to academic careers.

“We focus our philanthropic endeavors on supporting progressive leaders and institutions that develop opportunities for talented people and dedicated professionals to respond to daunting societal challenges,” said the Strauches. “We are inspired by Dean J. Meejin Yoon’s leadership and her focus on identifying, attracting, and supporting talented, early-career educators who contribute fresh ideas and perspectives. We share her confidence that this endowed fund will lead to impactful and effective approaches to how society designs and builds environments that dramatically improve how we live and work more economically, peacefully, and comfortably—both individually and collectively.”

In retirement, Bob Annear works for a company that gives support to the Navajo Nation in the Four Corners area of the Southwest. With many poverty-related diseases and issues in the Nation, his organization provides much-needed revenue and jobs. Living in Boulder, CO, Bob enjoys the long winter ski seasons. He also gets satisfaction from coaching lacrosse at a local high school and, he says, “watching my son grow into a productive member of the community.”

Mick Rogers writes that he and his wife, Pam Marrone , are approaching retirement at different speeds. While Mick is winding down his work guiding Master of Social Work graduate students from Smith College in the San Francisco Bay Area, peer-reviewing clinical social work articles, and providing ethics consultations to members of California’s clinical society, Pam has started up a new company—the Invasive Species Corporation. This is the fourth company that Pam has established in Davis, CA. She serves as executive chair and co-founder.

That’s all I’ve got for now. Keep up with Cornell news at the Cornellians website , submit an online news form , or send an email to either of your class correspondents: ❖ Ilene Shub Lefland ( email Ilene ) | Cindy Fuller , PhD ’92 ( email Cindy ) | Alumni Directory .

Sunny Hallanan resides in Belgium, where she continues to be the country’s only Episcopal priest. For the last 12 years, she has led one parish and three missions there, and also travels quarterly to a new mission church in Tbilisi, Georgia (the country, not the state!). Sunny lives on the edge of the Waterloo battlefield, where she enjoys running. She says she can’t understand why more people don’t visit Belgium, which she calls a “hidden gem.” Sunny is proud of her daughter, a Chicago firefighter, and son, a dairy farmer for the University of Pennsylvania. She has two grandsons.

Updating his recent report, Bill Gallagher says that he was offered a contract extension for the 2024–25 school year to continue teaching at CEVRO Institute in downtown Prague. Bill calls his experience teaching abroad after 40 years in the business world “a brave new world,” adding, “I’ve been enjoying it immensely, and to do it overseas in a different cultural environment is a wonderful experience.” Bill’s favorite Cornell memories include: Lynah Rink, Louie’s Lunch, Willard Straight, the Quad, the Haunt, the Rongo on Fridays, Green Dragon coffee shop (“a welcome respite from the cold walk up the Hill”), and being “soaked and chilled to the bone” playing rugby on Upper Alumni Field.

Charlie Howland of Lower Merion Township, PA, says he frequently asks friends and colleagues, “How does one know when to retire?” As for himself, he reports: “Technically I retired from the EPA in 2018, after a 28-year career as an enforcement attorney, focused on cleanups of contaminated land. But I did so to jump into a second career, as a partner at an international-focused law firm based in New York, heading its environmental group.” Over the past several years, Charlie has spent “serious chunks of time” in India, Kazakhstan, Norway, Panama, Spain, and Uzbekistan,” both for clients, as a Fulbright Specialist teaching environmental and energy law, and for fun with his family. He believes that his time at Cornell, with professors LaFeber, Polenberg, Weiss, Moore, and others, helped prepare him for international work, especially during this time. He’s observed that the U.S. appears quite a bit different from abroad than it does from within. Charlie said he keeps up with all things Cornell primarily through regular visits with his cousin and his wife, both of whom are Cornell English professors. His son, Baird ’18 , BA ’17, is pursuing a PhD in communications at the Annenberg School at Penn. And his daughter, Carolina (Elon ’14, Stern MBA ’23), is a director at IBM, focused on cybersecurity and sustainability offerings. Wife Beth Saslow continues seeing young children as part of her psychology practice at Cooper Hospital in Camden, NJ. At the time of this writing, Charlie was hoping to attend our 45th Reunion.

After retiring in late 2017, Lloyd Herman has been spending his days biking, sailing and kayaking when the weather permits, and doing yoga and reading on inclement days. He says he is particularly satisfied by “sunrise in a kayak on a warm, calm summer day.” Lloyd says he recommends retirement for everyone, “early and often.” Lloyd and wife Julie Lim’s son got married (to a Cornellian!) in 2019, but they are “still waiting for the next generation.” He believes Cornell changed the trajectory of his life, stating, “I doubt I would have made it to law school without Cornell for an undergraduate school.”

Brad and Mary Maxon Grainger , MPS ’87, had two “epic experiences” this past spring. Their first adventure was a tour of four ice hockey rinks in a span of three weeks. First up was Lynah Rink, where they witnessed the Cornell men’s hockey team defeat Harvard (twice) to advance to the ECAC playoffs. Next, they journeyed to Lake Placid, where they saw Cornell beat their opponents at the Herb Brooks Arena, becoming ECAC champions. In Springfield, MA, they saw Cornell advance to the NCAA “elite eight,” and, several days later, at the Adirondack Bank Center, they watched Canada vs. Finland in international women’s hockey, featuring three Cornell women’s hockey alumnae. Brad and Mary’s second experience involved traveling back to Lake Placid to experience the solar eclipse totality on April 8. “Fortunately, the skies were quite favorable, and we were very glad to be there and to help Mary’s brother Bob Maxon ’87 broadcast it live on NBC Connecticut.”

Sunny Hallanan ’79 resides in Belgium, where she continues to be the country’s only Episcopal priest.

At the time of her April submission for this column, Margie Wang was anticipating catching up with Wendy Schaenen , MD ’83, Laura Hitt McCann , Laura Dorfman , and other Tri-Delta sisters at Reunion. She and her husband, Bill, are relishing their new role as grandparents as daughter Marlene Wang ’11 and son-in-law Tom Hudson ’11 welcomed their first child, Amelie, in June 2023. Additionally, son Alexander Wang ’14 was scheduled to complete his MBA at NYU Stern with a class trip to the Cannes Film Festival in May.

In April, Nancy Sverdlik reunited with ILR classmates Howie Lavin , Brian Linder , Jedd Mendelson , John Scelfo , MBA ’80, and Janet Goldin Rubin over dinner in NYC. The following day, she, along with Howie, Jedd, and John, attended the ILR Groat and Alpern Awards ceremony, held at NYC’s Pierre Hotel. The award (which John Scelfo received in 2011), is named for Jerry Alpern ’49 , MBA ’50, father-in-law of classmate Ricky Fisch , MBA ’80.

Jeff Berg , ME ’80, MBA ’81, relays that he and his wife, Debra Paget, celebrated their 40th anniversary with an “amazing bucket-list five-week ocean cruise in Southeast Asia” during March and April 2024. They visited Indonesia (Bali and Java), Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, and Hong Kong. In all, they took in nine countries, including the flight connections they made through Doha and Seoul.

Speaking of big trips, my husband, Jeff Riback ’75 , and I ( Danna Levy ) journeyed to Australia and New Zealand for the month of January. It was our farthest and longest journey to date, and despite any pre-travel anxiety over the distance and length of the trip, we settled in quickly and thoroughly enjoyed our time in Sydney, Melbourne, Hobart (Tasmania), and Auckland. Highly recommended! In other news, I have decided to make this Class Notes column my last. I’ve enjoyed reporting all your “news that was fit to print” during these past five years, and writing our class newsletter for the five years prior. Thanks to all the classmates who provided me with material for this column, and to those of you who contacted me offline to say “hi” or to relay comments, mostly about my Major League Baseball stadium odyssey (which I hope to complete this summer!). Sending best wishes to all!

Please submit future updates on your travels, jobs, retirements, and other personal and family news via the Share Your News form, the online news form , or emails sent directly to the continuing class correspondents, Linda Moses and Cynthia Ahlgren Shea . ❖ Danna Levy ( email Danna ) | Linda Moses ( email Linda ) | Cynthia Ahlgren Shea ( email Cynthia ) | Alumni Directory .

Since we did not receive news submissions for this column, I am sharing my firsthand experiences and welcome your input and dialogue as we approach our 45th Reunion next summer. We look forward to reconnecting through pre-Reunion events and on campus, celebrating our time at Cornell and investing in the success of the current students and the University.

I visited campus twice during the spring months: in early May to attend the Cornell Hillel Board of Trustees retreat, and in early June to attend the Class of 1979 45th Reunion with friends from the class. I served as trustee and co-chair of the Campus Climate Committee for the Cornell Hillel Board of Trustees during the 2023–24 academic year.

Campus was filled with the usual activities, excitement, and energy in early May, as classes came to an end and students were busy with finishing papers and preparing for exams. Along with my fellow trustees, I had the opportunity to spend time with students and Hillel staff, enjoy a boat tour of Cayuga Lake, experience Shabbat services and dinner at 104West!, and attend a dessert reception and board meeting at the North Campus house where Hillel hosted events during the 2023–24 academic year. During this campus visit, the encampment was parked on a corner of the Arts Quad with tents and signs and a small number of students wearing masks and milling around behind a tarp wall.

While students pursued their campus academic and extracurricular activities, they experienced the spring semester of 2024 overshadowed by the horrible terrorist attacks in Israel on October 7, 2023, the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, and campus controversies involving protests.

In early June, campus was filled with proud and excited alumni of all ages wearing red, marveling at the new residential and academic buildings, and warmly embracing classmates they had not seen for many years. The Class of 1979 stayed in one of the new North Campus dorms, Hu Shih Hall (our class Reunion destination next year), evoking memories of freshman year hanging out in the dorm lounge and making friends. West Campus U-Hall dorm living does not compare with the sparkling newness and modernity of Hu Shih Hall, with rooms and bathrooms organized by pods, cooling temperature control, spacious well-lit hallways, and a courtyard for outdoor gatherings.

I visited campus twice during the spring months. Leona Barsky ’80, MS ’81

Cornell Reunion provided a captivating and timely smorgasbord of educational, social, and cultural opportunities, with programs about: global domestic resilience; artificial intelligence; robots and space; synthetic biology; Toni Morrison , MA ’55 ; entrepreneurship and women C-suite officers; campus climate; and antisemitism, Islamophobia, and racism and the 1935 Nuremberg Laws. There was also a Hillel reception at the new building site, a tour of the Human Ecology Fashion + Textile Collection and the NanoScale Facility, welcome cocktail receptions and breakfasts at the colleges, an enjoyable Q&A session with Andrew Ross Sorkin ’99 for the Olin Lecture in Bailey Hall, the final Reunion address from President Martha Pollack on Saturday morning, and Cornell music shows, including the Savage Club, the Glee Club, Redstock, and Cornelliana Night.

There was time to dance in the tent parties, reminisce at fraternities and sororities, canoe on and walk around Beebe Lake, hike Cascadilla Gorge, take a tour of the Botanic Garden or the Lab of Ornithology and Sapsucker Woods, try rappelling at Schoellkopf Stadium, and, of course, enjoy Cornell ice cream at the ice cream socials and the Dairy Bar. The library offered three sessions for a popular genealogy research seminar referencing the complimentary genealogy guidance posted on the library website.

Classmates enthusiastically participated in the Class of 1979 Reunion activities to reconnect with friends from this class and learn practical tips for planning our upcoming 45th Reunion on June 5–8, 2025, including Mollie Pulver and Todd Wolleman (Reunion co-chairs), Nancy MacIntyre Hollinshead , Beth Anderson , and Nate Weiss . We encourage you to share your news, participate in Class of 1980 social media and pre-Reunion events, and volunteer for Reunion.

Our 45th Reunion will be memorable and a wonderful way to enjoy spending time on campus with your friends after missing our 40th Reunion weekend due to the COVID-19 pandemic. ❖ Leona Barsky, MS ’81 ( email Leona ) | Dik Saalfeld ( email Dik ) | Chas Horvath, ME ’81 ( email Chas ) | David Durfee ( email David ) | Alumni Directory .

I am happy to report that my family and I are doing well. My daughter, Ella, will be attending University of Florida this fall. We are super excited to be a “Gator family.” (We love the Big Red, but we will also love our new school!) My son, Brayden, will be transferring from Boca Raton Community High School to Dreyfoos School of the Arts, where his specialty will be theater tech! He absolutely loves the behind-the-scenes of building the scenery and directing. I am also delighted that two of the prospective students that I met with in the fall will be attending Cornell! I’m still hard at work raising funds for Hadassah Hospital in Jerusalem, Israel.

Karen Levine Whitman is now planning the annual June Class of ’81 dinner in NYC around the NYU Hospitality Investment Conference dinner. Guests always include Kenny Blatt , Karen, Dan Miller , Erik Nylen , Joe Ziskin , Russ Urban , Mike DeNicola ’80 , Rob Mandelbaum , Rachel Lipschutz, and others.

Down the road from me in Boca Raton, Kenny Blatt tells us that daughter Maya ’27 is a rising sophomore Hotelie and loved her first year. Also in Florida are Mike and Tanis MacKay Bell , who are living in Plantation and Gainesville. Tanis grew up in Williamsville, NY, and freshman year on the Hill she lived in U-Hall 3. She was involved with the Noyes Center programming board, Willard Straight dining, the pre-vet society, and ski club, and she was an orientation counselor. When she wasn’t in class, Tanis was at the apartment on 614 Stewart Ave. with Theresa Wrobel , Jaquelyn Fitch Fleckenstein , Jennifer Read Campbell , Mary Ellen Plubell Miller ’82 , Nancy McDonald Cousins , James Hahn , and Mike Bell. Her favorite memories are with Mike, her partner and best friend, “walking and walking and walking” on the gorge trails, the suspension bridge, and around Beebe Lake—plus working for Willard Straight dining with so many wonderful friends and eating dinner together like a big family every night in Okenshields, parties at the Straight, dancing at Nite Court, the Pancake House, playing volleyball and broom hockey, hockey games and sleeping out for season tickets, and the “mug club” at the pub.

Mike is now retired, so they are enjoying trips to spend time with their four kids and grandson, who are sprinkled across the country. Tanis is volunteering as a vet tech weekly at the Humane Society and the South Florida Wildlife Center and they are fostering kittens, baby squirrels, and baby possums. They purchased a second home up in Gainesville, so as to be able to spend more time with their grandson! They have been resuming their road trips, “which allow us to reconnect with our Cornell friends, and we now have a teardrop trailer to pull along with us!” Their plan ended up quite different than expected, starting with settling in South Florida; the plan was just to be there for Mike’s residency. Tanis was a stay-at-home mom to their four kids, and she then became a full-time volunteer in the public school system for 22 years (which had not been on her radar). She has enjoyed being able to focus on working with animals since the kids all finished school. She feels so fortunate to have a happy and fulfilling life.

Claudia Bloom tells us she met up with John Hoffman for drinks at the Beekman Hotel in New York City. John had been nominated for his documentary short film, The Barber of Little Rock , as the co-director. They caught up and toasted the excitement of his new film!

Lori Balton ’81 is a location scout for Netflix, Disney, Paramount, Warner Bros., Sony, and Amazon.

In North Carolina, David Boraks had retired in January from WFAE, the Charlotte NPR station. So far, he is “failing” at retirement. He’s taken on multiple freelance projects, including two podcasts, occasional work for two public radio stations in North Carolina, and some magazine writing. But he does have time for some travel, including a recent road trip with a friend to see the eclipse in northern New Hampshire and to visit the Maine coast. And he and his wife, Shelley Rigger, have a trip planned to England in June. He’s not ready to sit still!

Also in the South, we meet up with Susan Lee , who is the owner/instructor at Body & Brain Yoga Tai Chi in Raleigh. Her first year at Cornell, she lived in Balch Hall. She was involved with CAAA, SCA, and the Cornell Orchestra. She joined the U.S. Air Force in 1984 as a communications/computer officer, then became a government IT contractor working for the Department of Defense and the Department of Homeland Security in 1996. She became a Body & Brain Yoga Tai Chi instructor in 2012 and opened her own Body & Brain center in 2015. She survived the pandemic as a small business owner and continues to provide holistic fitness for body, mind, and spirit.

Annie Laase Bailey is retired and living in Santa Fe, NM. Willie and Annie have been together for more than 40 years. Annie spent her career working for a global healthcare company in executive management, with the last 10 years in Europe (France and Switzerland). She achieved her goal of retiring at age 50 and returned to the U.S. to enjoy more time with family. They also own a small farm in Northern Wisconsin. They have a daughter, Jazz, and two grandchildren, as well as two lively Australian shepherds. Annie shares that she had no particular expectations of life after Cornell, “it just happened one day at a time, unfolding as a wondrous adventure.”

Dawn Lee , ME ’82, is living in Longmont, CO. She lived her freshman year in Sperry Hall. Her areas of expertise are business, computer science, and math. And continuing to Las Vegas, David Barringer is camping, hiking, skiing, and fine dining. He grew up in Utica, NY. When he wasn’t in class, you could find him at the Hot Truck, running, or playing tennis.

Further west is Lori Balton , a location scout for Netflix, Disney, Paramount, Warner Bros., Sony, and Amazon living in Venice, CA. She grew up in New Hyde Park, NY. Her areas of expertise are visual arts, painting, science, journalism, photography, video making, research, writing, and editing. She remembers being in the library, watching a movie at one of the Cornell Cinema venues, and dancing at the Rongovian Embassy. Cornell Cinema offered her such invaluable exposure to films from around the world—it was truly a critical part of her education, as was living in the Shire Coop on Oak Avenue with an incredible, eclectic group of people who she gratefully continues to call friends. She is married to Chuck Sharp.

Ron Komsa is retired and living in Ellicott City, MD. He told us he lived freshman year in U-Hall 2. He was an RA in Dickson, was in APO, and worked some on-campus jobs (with cows, calves, and sheep!). So many fond and wonderful memories. The people he met, friends made, and experiences had (both academic and non-academic!) are “all valuable to me and I will cherish them for the rest of my life.” He especially remembers U-Hall/old West Campus living, RAing, Dickson Living Learning Unit and the incredible residents there, the nutrition barn, the waterfront dancing, falling in and out of love, the homestead (and its guests), weekends at the state parks, breakfasts, and much more! Life never goes the way you would think it should/could, but each step of life has a purpose and meaning and keeps him smiling and hoping for more!

I hope you are all doing well! Please reach out and let me know your news. I would love to share it with our classmates. Stay well! ❖ Betsy Silverfine ( email Betsy ) | Alumni Directory .

Congratulations to Dianne Renwick , a dear friend from U-Hall 3, who was sworn in officially in January as Presiding Justice of the NYS Supreme Court, Appellate Division, First Department. New York State Governor Kathy Hochul, who named Dianne as Presiding Justice last June, addressed the attendees in a historic investiture ceremony; Dianne is the first African American woman appointed to this role in the court’s 129-year history.

Linda Harris Crovella wrote from Arlington, VA, that she changed jobs in fall 2022 and is now an administrative law judge with the Federal Maritime Commission. She says, “It is a new area of law for me, and I love it! My retirement is now postponed indefinitely.” Linda loves to travel with and see her children in Seattle, Burbank, and Boston. She adds, “My most important news is that my oldest son, Ben ’07 , and his wife, Cassie Rotman, just had their first baby, a boy who was impatient and arrived seven weeks early, in February 2024. I was able to fly to Boston the day he was born, and I am happy to report that being a grandma is as wonderful as everyone has reported! Jackson is an overachiever, already having met all his special care nursery milestones early, and he is now home with Mom and Dad. He could be the third generation Cornellian in our family!” As for her favorite Cornell memory, Linda answered, “Seeing Bruce Springsteen my first year, but frankly, all the concerts I saw during those four years were fantastic! There are a few I did not see that I wish I had, but all in all, I can’t complain! The Pretenders at Slope Day was the cherry on top!”

Jonathan Welsh and his partner, Ken West, were creative collaborators on the Cornell Fashion + Textile Collection exhibition “Let the Grain do the Work,” curated by Catherine Kueffer Blumenkamp , MPS ’15 . Showcasing designs draped from rectangular cuts of cloth, the exhibition highlighted zero-waste and couture techniques and the collaboration of architecture and fashion. Jonathan wrote, “Several pieces on display are from our private collection.”

Our online memory book is now closed for new entries, but you can still see photos and read about many of our classmates there. Some of the most recent news is from Robyn Allen-McKinnon , who wrote, “Since graduation, I have resided in New York, Virginia, Indiana, Illinois, and Pennsylvania. I have worked in the pharmaceutical industry for over 30 years in roles in finance, project management, market access, pricing, and business analytics. I am currently employed at Organon, a Merck ‘spin-off,’ in Pennsylvania. I have been married for more than 30 years and have two sons, who recently graduated from college. And I enjoy vacationing in the Caribbean and tropical locations. Finally, I have worked with nonprofit organizations—including my sorority (Delta Sigma Theta)—trying to make a difference!”

Gail Soltan Payne ’82 met her husband, Don ’83 , at Cornell. Their first date was dinner at the Nines and then a Hangovers concert.

Susan Drange wrote, “Since graduation, I have spent most of my life in California, working and raising a family. For the first 20 years I was working in corporate training, HR, and communication roles at SoCalGas, Disneyland, and Hughes, as well as having my own consulting business. For the second half of my career, I switched over to higher education and got a PhD from UCLA at age 54! I have held leadership roles in faculty development and diversity at UCLA, Columbia, and Stanford. I am looking forward to retiring near the beach in Ventura County. If you are visiting Southern California, I’d be happy to connect.”

Gail Soltan Payne met her husband, Don ’83 , at Cornell; he was a member of the Glee Club. She wrote that their first date was dinner at the Nines and then a Hangovers concert. Gail added, “We’ve traveled a lot, including bicycle touring in France twice. Don and I just purchased a camper van for exploring the country. We have two wonderful adult kids. Our daughter, Hannah, is a neuroscientist post-doc at Columbia, and our son, Dylan, worked in data analytics at YipitData in NYC, and now lives in Park City, UT. I love to travel and am a fan of dogs, hiking, good music, and films.”

Patti Morrissey writes from Alexandria, VA, where she is CEO and founder at Global Foresight Strategies. She added, “I went from being a psych major at Cornell to two MAs in international relations. I’ve been in the D.C. area since 1985 and my career has been in international/national security. I go to every Cornell Reunion and I’m still close with my gymnastics teammates and quite a few of my sorority sisters.” Patti added several photos including one with her two daughters at Octoberfest in Munich in 2018.

Michitaka Yamaguchi shared, “After a long career in architecture, first as a designer then a project manager and marketer, and finally a construction manager, I left architecture to pursue my passion as a visual artist.” He added, “My husband, Len, and I currently live in Harlem and are loving it.”

Many others added newsy pages to our memory book— Everette Phillips , Pauline Kurtides Sheehan , Susan Ng Hill , and Adam Shapiro , to name a few, with photos too! ❖ Nina Kondo ( email Nina ) | Doug Skalka ( email Doug ) | Mark Fernau ( email Mark ) | Alumni Directory .

Chuck Ruebling and I caught up by phone a few days ago. A fellow New Jersey resident, he and his wife, Donna, live in Morristown, where Chuck is the assistant headmaster at Delbarton School. Lacrosse coaching and camps continue to be a large part of their family life when they are not spending time at their seaside home in Ocean Grove, NJ. Chuck told me his Cornell group of friends still meets regularly for fine dining and libations (i.e., pub crawls) in various cities—2023 was in Asbury Park, and this year, in March, they did it again in Boston. The group included Mike Vernick , ME ’84, Steve and Christine Bisagni Wyman , Dave Fetterolf and Erica Waterman ’82 , Dave and Lori Krinsky , Chuck and Donna, and Beth DiRusso , BS ’85, and husband Mark.

That’s all for now! ❖ Nancy Korn Freeman ( email Nancy ) | Alyssa Bickler ( email Alyssa ) | Jon Felice ( email Jon ) | Stewart Glickman ( email Stewart ) | Alumni Directory .

When I wrote this column, we had only a couple more weeks until we saw each other at Reunion 2024! Our new correspondent will take the helm from there.

Here is some news to catch you up. Our class president, John Toohey-Morales , was recently featured in a Cornellians article , which I have excerpted and paraphrased here. John is best known as the longtime chief meteorologist for Miami’s NBC station, WTVJ Channel 6. John’s value as a trusted expert became especially apparent in 1992 when Hurricane Andrew struck Florida, Louisiana, and the Bahamas. His on-camera meteorology career began in 1991 in Miami, where he appeared on Univision, Telemundo, and finally, NBC. As his profile rose, it prompted other U.S. stations serving Latino audiences to recruit their own Spanish-speaking degreed meteorologists—broadening the job market and inspiring the next generation to follow in his footsteps.

On the Big Red front, he sits on the external advisory board of the Cornell Atkinson Center for Sustainability; in 2023, he won a four-year term as an alumni-elected trustee. In January 2024, John was inducted as an honorary member of the American Meteorological Society—and at the ceremony, he gave a prominent shout-out to his alma mater. “Cornell showed me what it takes to be successful: hard work, resilience, and perseverance,” he said at the event. Now semi-retired, John still appears on Channel 6 regularly from June to November—as the station’s hurricane specialist, guiding viewers through the region’s often dangerous storms. John has certainly done the Class of ’84 proud, and we wish him well as he ends his term as our class president.

In January 2024, John Toohey-Morales ’84 was inducted as an honorary member of the American Meteorological Society.

Diane Garber is the founder of WillPOWER Your Day , which creates healthy, delicious, and nutritious plant-based snacks. An avid animal lover, Diane has embraced a completely plant-based lifestyle and is more creative in the kitchen and happier than ever. From WillPOWER Your Day’s website: “Evidence-based research continues to show that plant-based nutrition promotes superior health and can minimize several diseases. Diane uses somewhat unconventional cooking methods to create truly sensational, mouth-watering snacks that provide healthy protein and hefty fiber with no added oil, salt, or sugar.”

And now I bid you all farewell! It has truly been an honor to help keep the class aware of the “happenings” these last five years. As of this writing, I can’t wait to see everyone in Ithaca in June! Far above Cayuga’s waters. Send your class news: ❖ José Nieves ( email José ) | Alumni Directory .

Greetings, Class of ’85! Please take a moment to fill out the online news form to let your classmates know what you’ve been up to. What have you been doing for work? What brings you the greatest satisfaction these days? How has your life changed—or not changed—lately? We’d love to hear from you!

If you have sent in your news recently, please look for it in the next column. ❖ Joyce Zelkowitz Cornett ( email Joyce ) | Alumni Directory .

The art and science worlds collided last April, when not one but two Cornellians were featured in a public conversation about art and science. Classmate Enrique Martínez Celaya and the Nobel Prize-winning chemist Roald Hoffmann (a Frank H.T. Rhodes Professor Emeritus) held a conversation at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, which was moderated by the award-winning journalist Krista Tippett.

Coinciding with this event in New York, Enrique opened a solo exhibition at the Hispanic Society Museum & Library called “The Word-Shimmering Sea.” A public reception followed. This exhibition is the inaugural project in the Hispanic Society’s main courtyard following the recent renovation of their historic Upper Manhattan space. Congrats to Enrique!

Classmate and beloved Cornell men’s hockey coach Mike Schafer was recently featured in a Cornellians story . Since taking the helm in 1995, he has carved out a stellar record: going into the most recent past season (2023–24), he had 520 wins, 282 losses, and 105 ties. Mike shares his thoughts on the game of hockey, the players, Cornellians’ love of the sport, and aspects of coaching. Interestingly, he believes that growing up in a large family taught him many of the skills necessary for coaching!

Enrique Martínez Celaya ’86 opened a solo exhibition at the Hispanic Society Museum & Library called ‘The Word-Shimmering Sea.’

James Chen is currently living in Northern California but is gearing up for retirement in Las Vegas. He recently reflected on his time on the Hill after dropping son Zachary ’26 off: “Going back to Cornell to drop off my son brought back many memories of prelims, parties, problem sets, Cascadilla Hall, Rulloff’s, the Nines, Upson Hall’s computer lab, basketball, football, and hockey games, poker/bridge nights, and, of course, winter storms. In fact, there was a snowstorm in January 2024 when I last dropped him off. It’s been too many years since I’ve seen some classmates, and I hope to see them at our 40th.”

Speaking of retirement, my husband, Michael Wagner , and I recently had a fun get-together in California with fellow Cornellian Jon Grunzweig ’85 . (Side note, Michael and Jon also share the same high school in Ohio, and Jon’s wife, Tina, and I attended the same California high school.) We both have “retirement homes” on the Palos Verdes Peninsula and had fun connecting and planning future West Coast Cornell get-togethers.

Please let us know what you all are up to so we can share your news. ❖ Lori Spydell Wagner ( email Lori ) | Michael Wagner ( email Michael ) | Toby Goldsmith ( email Toby ) | Alumni Directory .

Vishaan Chakrabarti ’s forthcoming book, The Architecture of Urbanity: Designing for Nature, Culture, and Joy will be out September 24, 2024. The book discusses how the right design of our communities can create a more equitable, sustainable, and joyous future for us all. It also presents works by a global array of practicing architects that demonstrate how innovative design can dramatically improve life in big cities and small settlements around the world.

Vishaan is an architect, author, public thought leader, and founder of Practice for Architecture and Urbanism, a firm that focuses on building ecological, equitable, and joyous communities. He is also the author of A Country of Cities: A Manifesto for an Urban America .

Debra Howard Stern is happy to announce that on March 26, 2024, she successfully defended her dissertation (without the need for revisions!) titled “Forty Acres and a School: How Black Charter School Founders Can Disrupt the Impact of Segregation on Black Children” to earn her EdD in education policy and leadership at American University in Washington, DC. “My dissertation focused on exploring how Black charter school founders are actively working to disrupt systemic racism and create affirming inclusive learning environments for marginalized students in the face of persistent segregation and inequity in K–1 education. I continue as the executive director for the Amani Public Charter School, a public charter middle school in Mount Vernon that I founded 13 years ago.” Bravo!

Edward Herrmann is an archaeologist at Indiana University in the Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences. Ed recently stepped down from being the executive director of the university’s Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology in order to continue his fieldwork in the Midwest and the Olduvai Gorge in Tanzania.

This past spring, Charles ’86 and Adrienne McVicker Reing , Howard Greenstein ’88 , and Kenneth Szydlow ’88 biked 178 miles around the Netherlands as part of a mini AEPi reunion. They biked through massive tulip fields, past numerous windmills, and over more canals and water crossings than could be counted. Adrienne said that “going for the full Dutch experience, pedaling through high winds, rain, and hail most days, was a tad unexpected, but worth it for this adventure.”

Going for the full Dutch experience, pedaling through high winds, rain, and hail most days, was a tad unexpected, but worth it for this adventure. Adrienne McVicker Reing ’87

James Sturz has been touring the country in support of his new book, Underjungle , and seeing classmates and other alumni at the events. Steven Rosenblatt and Amy Underberg Applebaum ’86 attended the September 2023 event at the Cornell Club of New York. Also in September, Jim saw Gligor Tashkovich , MBA ’91, and Eric Messinger ’83 at Pan Aqua Diving in NYC.

In October, Jim’s book tour took him to Ocean Plant in San Francisco, where he caught up with Natan Goore , Bart Schachter , and Michael Moore , ME ’88. Jim then headed to Los Angeles, where, at North Figueroa Bookshop, he saw Hugh O’Gorman and Steve Meagher . In March, Jim was a panelist at the Virginia Festival of the Book in Charlottesville, VA. He stayed with Pamela Mandell Freedman and saw Gregory DiMeglio and Jimin Han ’88 . Jim said, “Promoting a book means seeing friends, wherever they are!”

In early April, Charles Muller came back to campus to watch the men’s lacrosse team take on Brown and to cheer on Steve Long ’s son Mikey ’25 . A contingent of Class of 1987ers attended the game including Charlie’s wife, Deborah (Kranz) , Martin and Nicolle Clessuras McCormick , Christian Modesti and wife Lisa, Frank Kelly ’86 and wife Gayle, and Greg Ripich ’86 and wife Kelly. Charlie wrote, “It was great to turn back the clock, spend time at the Fall Creek House, and have dinner at the Souvlaki House, where our Chi Psi composites still hang on the wall.” Charlie and Debbie recently moved to St. Petersburg, FL, and are enjoying being empty nesters and watching their sons make their way in the world.

Hotelie alumnae Amy Benigno Fothergill , Janet Pulliam Smith , Jennifer Scanlan , Jennifer Gonsalves-Cotter , Michelle Russo , Cheryl Van Steeden Schneider , and Jennifer Miles Coulter ’86 got together in Austin, TX, because they realized that meeting up once every five years at Reunion is just not enough! During the weekend they did yoga, danced the two step, sampled margaritas, took a boat tour, and did a lot of laughing. According to Amy, “The highlight was a very fierce ‘Chopped’ competition in which three teams of two showed off their skills. Chaos ensued (especially with all of the dishes!), but in the end a delicious meal was enjoyed by all. The weekend was a real testament to the special friendships made more than 35 years ago.”

Amit Batabyal has two jobs at the Rochester Institute of Technology in Rochester, NY. He is the Arthur J. Gosnell Professor of Economics in the College of Liberal Arts and the interim head of the Department of Sustainability. He says, “Doing both jobs keeps me on my toes!” ❖ Liz Brown, JD ’90 ( email Liz ) | Whitney Weinstein Goodman ( email Whitney ) | Alumni Directory .

Happy summer, fellow ’88s! Hope you are all enjoying the summer sunshine, wherever you may be—on the beach, in the mountains, or hanging out in your own backyard.

Save the date: November 30, 2024 is the next Frozen Apple Hockey game at Madison Square Garden in NYC. Catch the Cornell men’s hockey team in action at this world-famous arena.

Now onto our Class Notes: Chad Snee has lived in Troy, OH, since 1999 and has been married for 31 years. He has three daughters (ages 26, 22, and 19). In his own words, Chad says, “I am very blessed.” From the West Coast, Aileen Cleary Cohen checks in from Palo Alto, CA.

In other class news, Misha Gonz-Cirkl was invited to speak at the Give Back for Students conference for students nationwide who are trying to figure out their college plans and future career moves. In her talk she emphasized “how education and constantly checking in with myself has helped me take a risk when a dream presented itself.” She told the students to “stay curious, imagine your place, create a plan, pave your own path, and run your race at your own pace!” Great advice, Misha! After Cornell, she worked on Wall Street in NYC. Then she earned her MBA abroad before becoming an actor, writer, and director.

News Flash: Karis North has recently been named to the Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly Top Women of Law list for 2023. She was honored at an event on November 1, 2023 to celebrate her accomplishments as a female lawyer who is both a pioneer, educator, trailblazer, and role model for her peers. She currently serves as the president of the Massachusetts Municipal Lawyers Association. Congratulations, Karis!

Lauren Camp ’88 has written a collection of poetry based on her experiences as the astronomer in residence at the Grand Canyon Conservancy.

Sharon Berlin , another female lawyer in our class and a graduate of the School of Industrial and Labor Relations, joined the law firm of Keane & Beane PC. She will be located in their new Long Island office in Melville, NY. Sharon will represent both private and public sector management in labor and employment law matters. She also serves as the general counsel to several school districts, private schools, and other educational groups.

Now let’s focus on the arts: Lauren Camp , New Mexico poet laureate, has just written another book, titled In Old Sky . It is a collection of poetry, based on her experiences as the fourth astronomer in residence at the Grand Canyon Conservancy in Arizona. The book includes color photos from her study of the natural darkness of Grand Canyon National Park and the wonders beyond this breathtaking landscape. Lauren has written seven other books.

Don’t forget to join our Cornell Class of ’88 Facebook Group —it is a great way to stay in touch with your fellow classmates as well as get the latest news on upcoming class and university events.

That’s all for now. Please keep sending your news to me. I love hearing from our classmates, both near and far. ❖ Pamela Darer Anderson ( email Pam ) | Alumni Directory .

Hi, classmates, family, and friends of the Class of ’89! You’re reading this after our 35th Reunion, but before our Reunion reports have been published—stay tuned for that news in a later column (and I sure hope you had a blast if you attended!).

Speaking of Reunions, our classmate George “Skip” Winters traveled to Vermont last October to attend his University of Vermont Medical School 30th Reunion and shared this update (mea culpa for the delay): “In 2015 I moved to Grand Junction, CO, where I am a private practice gastroenterologist. My oldest son, Ross, is a sophomore at the Citadel and plays lacrosse there. My youngest, Duncan, went to high school in Scotland and is a two-time world-champion bagpiper. He is now a freshman at Carnegie Mellon in the College of Engineering.”

Before Reunion, one of my most recent opportunities to catch up with classmates was through holiday cards. My kids and I, over the years, have always enjoyed the annual card from Paul Schulte and his family—yes, because we want to hear what my U-Hall 2 freshman-year friend Paul and his wife, Krista, and daughter Ali have been up to, but also because the cards often feature a photo and/or amusing news of their big orange cat. This year, however, the photo was not of a domestic kitty but a spectacular leopard, along with news of their adventure in Tanzania. They visited four wildlife parks—logging more than 50 animal species—and also enjoyed five beach days in Zanzibar, while celebrating Paul and Krista’s 30th anniversary and Ali’s completion of grad school. Congratulations on those milestones, Schulte family!

I enjoyed some special travels of my own earlier this year, visiting Tokyo and Kyoto via a wonderful tour with Boston-based Marathon Tours & Travel. My first trip to Asia was spurred by my longtime goal to finish the six World Marathon Majors; I ran my first, London, in 2004 and have since completed Boston (many times, as it’s my “hometown” major here in New England), New York (three times), Berlin, and Chicago. The Tokyo Marathon, and indeed the whole vacation, was an amazing experience and I was grateful to be able to get there. Next up (fingers crossed): the Sydney (Australia) Marathon in September. (Always a new goal: no sooner had I checked off the six majors than Sydney is close to being added as a seventh, with Cape Town expected to be eighth.) I’ll take any excuse to run through beautiful new-to-me parts of the world, but one of these days I am going to slow down to take a non-running trip, maybe one of the Cornell-sponsored ones that I get glimpses of in my mailbox.

Another one of our classmates gets to take the trip of a lifetime this summer: Brian Krabak is going to Paris for the Olympics! He’ll be serving as physician for the U.S. swim team at the Games. Brian was not among those arriving at Cornell dreading the swim test ; he credits his parents with making sure he knew how to swim and says, though he didn’t compete at Cornell, swimming became an important part of his fitness regimen and he’s since enjoyed masters swimming and competed in triathlons. His professional journey has gone from being an electrical engineering major at Cornell to med school at SUNY Buffalo, an internship at Johns Hopkins-Sinai Hospital, a residency at New England Medical Center-Tufts University, and a sports medicine fellowship at the Mayo Clinic. Currently, he’s a board-certified sports medicine physician within UW Medicine and a clinical professor in rehabilitation medicine, orthopedics, and sports medicine at the University of Washington School of Medicine and Seattle Children’s Hospital.

Brian Krabak ’89 will be serving as physician for the U.S. swim team at the Olympics.

Brian expects long workdays with the intense training camps leading up to the Games, and at the Games themselves, but certainly will savor the experience: “It’s a dream come true to contribute to the health and well-being of our athletes, enabling them to excel and achieve their athletic aspirations on such a grand stage. I’m filled with immense fulfillment and gratitude for this opportunity, and I intend to cherish every moment of my time at the Paris Olympics, eagerly awaiting the playing of our national anthem. Additionally, I’m excited to collaborate with medical professionals from around the world, uniting our efforts to prioritize athlete health and safety during this prestigious event.” Santé , Brian!

Here’s some closer-to-home news: Congratulations to Jill Ruderman Sandford and family! Jill wrote in recently from Rye, NY: “I am excited to share that my son, Tom Sandford , a third-generation Cornellian, will be graduating from Arts & Sciences with the Class of 2024 .” Melinda Fellner also shared legacy news: “I am bursting with pride at my three sons who are all Big Red men now— Harry Bramwit ’22 (Arts & Sciences), Miles Bramwit ’25 (Arts & Sciences), and the newest addition, Simon Bramwit ’28 (Arts & Sciences). Go Big Red!” Melinda is currently the chair of the tax department of Carter Ledyard and Milburn in NYC as well as a proud mom.

Big kudos also to our classmate Jason Karszes , MS ’91, of Stanley, NY, who was presented with the Friend of NEDPA Award at the 2024 Northeast Dairy Management Conference in March. The award recognizes an extraordinary industry partner whose work has positively impacted New York’s dairy industry. Jason works as a farm business management specialist for Pro-Dairy, a nationally recognized extension and applied research leader serving dairy farms. He was praised by colleagues for the collaborative environment he’s fostered and for his selfless dedication to helping dairy farmers; he in turn highlighted his appreciation for his staff and for the challenges and growth he experiences through his work with the farmers. You can read more here .

It’s always a joy to receive updates from classmates who are excelling in their fields, nurturing and mentoring others, pursuing their passions, challenging themselves, and reflecting on their time at our alma mater. Thanks to those of you who shared your news. We’d love to hear from more classmates! Simply fill out an online news form or e-mail one of us. ❖ Anne Czaplinski Treadwell ( email Anne ) | Lauren Kidder McGarry ( email Lauren ) | Stephanie Bloom Avidon ( email Stephanie ) | Kris Borovicka Gerig ( email Kris ) | Alumni Directory .

Greetings, classmates! By the time you read this column, summer will be in full swing. Hopefully you are enjoying sun, relaxation, time with family and friends, and maybe a getaway to somewhere special.

We hope you are also starting to think about traveling to Ithaca for our class’s upcoming 35th Reunion next June, now less than a year away! And, a reminder that we are still seeking volunteers: if you would like to help with Reunion planning, with building our affinity groups and class connections through social media, or with fundraising and encouraging contributions to our class, please send an email with your area of interest to cornellclass90@gmail.com .

Our classmates continue to live Cornell’s current campaign, applying their education “to do the greatest good.” Marla Spindel , who lives in McLean, VA, with her husband and 17-year-old daughter, is a perfect example. Marla, who attended law school at George Washington University, “always wanted to do something to help people.” After taking on pro bono cases while working at D.C. law firms, Marla decided to leave law firm life but kept her pro bono cases, in which she served as guardian ad litem for children in the foster care system. The pro bono organization she was engaged with then connected her with two other attorneys doing similar work, and together the three attorneys founded the D.C. Volunteer Lawyers Project to focus on representing the interests of children in court as guardians ad litem and representing victims of domestic violence. The D.C. Volunteer Lawyers Project has grown tremendously since its founding in 2008 and now recruits, trains, and supports hundreds of dedicated volunteer lawyers in the D.C. area who provide pro bono legal services to victims of domestic violence, at-risk children, and vulnerable immigrants.

Today, Marla not only continues to serve on the project’s advisory board but also is executive director of DC KinCare Alliance , a charitable legal organization she co-founded in 2017 to provide legal and related assistance to low-income grandparents and other “kin caregivers” who take on responsibility for raising children whose parents are unable to do so, due to such circumstances as incarceration, homelessness, mental illness, and substance abuse. As Marla recognized, the grandparents and other kin who step up in these emergency situations face huge challenges, including financial hardship; the need to juggle work with unanticipated childcare responsibilities; and a lack of knowledge of how to navigate the system. DC KinCare Alliance helps caregivers file for custody or adoption of children in court, to then obtain legal documents such as birth certificates and social security cards on behalf of the children, and to apply for government benefits and secure healthcare coverage for them. Marla enjoys the work not only because she can help individual families, but also because she seeks to bring about systemic changes to laws and policies, including engaging in litigation to redress discrimination and advocating before Congress and government agencies for changes to laws and policies that better support kinship family needs and reduce barriers to recognition of these families. Marla, you are truly using your education to do good for so many families!

Brian Vinci ’90 , ME ’94, PhD ’03, has worked at the Conservation Fund for more than 25 years, where he currently serves as director of the Freshwater Institute.

Brian Vinci , ME ’94, PhD ’03, is also using his Cornell education to do the greatest good. Brian was fortunate to stay in Ithaca well beyond 1990, earning from Cornell both a Master of Engineering and then a PhD in biological and environmental engineering. He lives in Williamsport, MD, with his wife, Jonna, and has worked at the Conservation Fund for more than 25 years, where he currently serves as director of the Freshwater Institute. He is responsible for the management and administration of the institute’s day-to-day operations, including program delivery, communications, fundraising, and development, and leads a group of 20 scientists and technicians who conduct applied research in sustainable aquaculture production systems. “Our mission at the institute is to advance sustainable aquaculture practices that create a robust U.S. aquaculture industry, reduce dependence on seafood imports, and ensure high-quality, safe, and nutritious seafood for all. We are dedicated to developing solutions that minimize environmental impact, address climate change challenges, and meet the evolving demands of consumers. The best part of my career has been the people that I have met and known, both at the Freshwater Institute and in the seafood industry. I am fortunate to have traveled all over the globe and met truly wonderful people in the past 25 years.” This past October, Brian was quoted in the New York Times concerning the benefits of land-based salmon farming, which offers a more climate-stable alternative to traditional ocean-based salmon aquaculture and will help meet U.S. demand for salmon. “Land-based technology is already viable. We are 25 to 30 years away from replacing 50–70% of our imported farmed salmon with domestically raised fish.”

Lastly, Lauren Berkow , who lives in Alachua, FL, and works at the University of Florida College of Medicine as the chief of the division of neuroanesthesiology, recently published her second medical book , titled Emergency Anesthesia Procedures. The book is intended as a resource for both residents in training and for use by practicing physicians. The book provides checklists and step-by-step guidance that can be used in real time to respond to anesthesia emergencies involving pediatric and adult patients. Congratulations, Lauren! She also shared the news that her older daughter, “who graduated from Florida State University in May, got accepted into the Master of Public Health program at University of Florida!” Lauren’s younger daughter is an undergraduate at Florida State University.

Please write in with news of how you are using your Cornell degree “to do the greatest good,” or of how you are spending your summer. Enjoy! ❖ Nancy Solomon Weiss ( email Nancy ) | Allan Rousselle ( email Allan ) | Rose Tanasugarn ( email Rose ) | Class Facebook page | Alumni Directory .

Greetings, Class of ’91! This is Evelyn Achuck Yue , reporting from the Bay Area in Northern California. My 16-year-old twins, James and Allison, hit a huge milestone and received their driver’s licenses just in time for me to fly to Las Vegas to compete in a golden ticket pickleball tournament. This summer, we hope to visit Cornell and other schools on the East Coast as we begin the college visit tours.

Now, reporting on news from some of our classmates. Therese Duane writes, “My husband, Jeffrey Tessier , and I have been raising our four children, two of whom are now at Texas A&M and the other two at Nolan Catholic High School. Jeffrey is clinical chief of infectious diseases at UT Southwestern. I left academic surgery and am now doing locums and medical mission trips for the last year, trying to serve a higher purpose.”

Michelle Dortignac sent an update: “I came to New York City to be an artist and forged my unconventional career path from there. I started as a modern dancer/choreographer, then went to teaching yoga, then became an aerial acrobatics performer, then created a combination class of aerial acrobatics mixed with yoga, called aerial yoga. As aerial yoga started to become popular and competition started popping up everywhere, I developed my own method, Unnata, which now has a worldwide presence. Even after 30 years since college graduation, I found my life path but am still a ‘work in progress.’ Last year, I relocated to Pennsylvania after having lived in Brooklyn, NY, since my Cornell graduation.”

Doantrang Du  shares, “I am the program director of the Rutgers/Monmouth Medical Center Internal Medicine Residency Program located in New Jersey and the co-director of the Cystic Fibrosis Center at Monmouth Medical Center. I am responsible for training young physicians and medical students. I am married and have two children. My son graduated from Brown and is currently working as a software engineer out in Silicon Valley and my daughter is a freshman at Cornell.”

I developed my own method of aerial yoga, Unnata, which now has a worldwide presence. Michelle Dortignac ’91

Susan Halebsky Dimock sent in a quick greeting: “I run Loyola University Chicago’s D.C. semester program and have an 11th grader. I am no longer on my local school board. This summer, I hope to see Maryanne DePresco when I take my son to camp in Vermont.”

Todd DeMonte sent an update that he and his wife live in Sun Prairie, WI, and will celebrate their 30th wedding anniversary this year. They have three happy children: Thomas, 24, Emma, 23, and Julia, 22. Todd spends his spare time as a volunteer wrestling coach at a local high school. He is the principal member of TD1 LLC, where he identifies and leads the development and acquisition of innovative product concepts and solutions across multiple markets, increasing vitality and driving long-term value creation. Todd earned a BS in mechanical engineering from Cornell and an MBA from Tulane University. He has been awarded 31 U.S. patents with several more pending.

Rebecca Brown writes, “I moved to Vero Beach, FL, from Austin, TX, once I became an empty nester in 2023. After pursuing various careers from finance to technology to fitness, I am currently a real estate investor in Vero Beach and the surrounding areas. My son is studying engineering at UCF in Orlando and following his dream to work in the theme park industry. I now spend my free time playing tennis and running on the beach with my two rescue pit bulls.”

Thanks to those who sent in updates for this month. If you haven’t been in touch in a while, we encourage you to reach out and let us know what you have been up to! We would love to hear from all of you! You can send updates by using the online news form or feel free to contact one of us directly: ❖ Evelyn Achuck Yue ( email Evelyn ) | Susie Curtis Schneider ( email Susie ) | Ruby Wang Pizzini ( email Ruby ) | Wendy Milks Coburn ( email Wendy ) | Joe Marraccino ( email Joe ) | Alumni Directory .

I, Wilma Ann Thomas Anderson , am so excited to be on the other side of my doctoral journey. My dissertation is published and I graduated with my doctorate in education leadership, management, and policy from Seton Hall University! Woohoo! That’s it. Mic drop. Well, of course that’s not all of it and the mic won’t stay dropped; there is always something brewing with me. I am still singing near and far, soon launching my first book, and always up to all good. I have been actively involved with the Cornell Black Alumni Association for the last six years as the VP for student relations, and I am looking forward to continuing to serve the organization, alumni, students, and Cornell in any way possible, as best as I can.

The singing group I founded, Baraka Kwa Wimbo, is still singing strong on campus and turns 33 years old in September 2024. It has been great meeting many of the alumnae over the years. Hats off to every young woman who has lent her voice and spirit to this ministry.

Lifelong learning continues: I recently earned a certificate in plant-based nutrition through eCornell and the T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutrition Studies, and a certificate in user experience (UX) design from Georgia Institute of Technology. I am working on an associate’s degree level course in UX research. Hey, I love tech, and learning is FUN! Now what about your other 1992 classmates? Well …

Chimene Liburd Brown shares that she never would have imagined working for the government as the chief medical officer for Medicaid. Politics, policy, and payment is a new space, but knowing she can make a difference in healthcare, where it is most needed, is rewarding. She is board certified in lifestyle medicine, which complements her internal medicine certification. Chimene’s newest crafting hobby is Tunisian crochet. She also enjoys making metal jewelry, photography, and so many other creative projects. Chimene is also an empty nester enjoying the freedom—two college degrees and one to go!

Jeanne Rosen Goldberg reported, “My youngest daughter, Gabrielle, just got accepted and confirmed that she will be attending Cornell in the fall in the engineering program. We just visited the school for accepted students’ day, and it was really fun to see both how the school and Collegetown have changed and also stayed the same in many ways. Most of our favorite hangouts are no longer there! So come August, my husband and I will become empty nesters, with all three of our daughters in college for the next two years. It will just be us and our two dogs, Finn and Teddy! I am looking forward to hopefully traveling a bit more if possible.

“I am a regional director of operations at Beth Israel Lahey Health Primary Care in Massachusetts. I have been in this particular role for the last seven years. It has been a challenging time working through COVID and in primary care in general, but it is very rewarding work and I enjoy helping patients get the care they need. Cornell definitely helped me get into my graduate program at NYU, and then my first work position. This led to the trajectory of my career and how I ended up in the Boston area, where I met my husband and have lived ever since—so I would say that Cornell greatly impacted my life.”

Stacey Rappaport has been named a finalist for the Women in Business Law Awards for Insurance & Reinsurance Lawyer of the Year. She was recently appointed to Fordham Law School’s Dean’s Planning Council and to the Advisory Board of the Partnership Accelerator Program at the Equality Action Center at UC Law San Francisco. Here is the press release for more info.

The 1990 caving expedition in Puerto Rico with Cornell Outdoor Education is hands down my favorite experience! David Contiguglia ’92

David Contiguglia says, “I am continuing a 100-year tradition of the Contiguglia family practicing law in Cayuga County, NY, which was started by my grandfather, Anthony Contiguglia, in 1924, and continued by my father, Louis Contiguglia , JD ’56 , and his twin brother, Hon. Robert Contiguglia , JD ’56 . I’m enjoying the continued connection with my community. I maintain my own law practice in Auburn, NY. My niece Emma Contiguglia ’23 graduated from Cornell last spring. My niece Courtney Contiguglia ’25 is completing her junior year.”

The activities keeping David joyfully busy are gardening, cooking, and attending Cornell men’s ice hockey games at Lynah Rink! Go Big Red. What’s his favorite memory of his time at Cornell? “Attending Dragon Day with my brother, Carl ’89 , MBA ’90, while I was still a high school senior. The 1990 caving expedition in Puerto Rico with Cornell Outdoor Education is hands down my favorite experience!” Dave exclaims. “Does anyone have pictures?” If so, let us know and 1992 Class Notes will make the connection.

Jeff Parnapy , MAT ’97, beams, “My daughter, Erin, graduated from SUNY Potsdam in January 2024. My son, Andy, is a junior at Alfred University studying biochemistry. I am proud to be the FFA advisor at Byron-Bergen Central Schools. My agricultural mechanics team won first place at the state level and will be competing at the National FFA convention in October! I am also a high school agriculture teacher in my 32nd year of teaching and am also serving as the president of the New York Association of Agricultural Educators.” To the question, “Did attending Cornell change the trajectory of your life?” Jeff answered, “Yes! Dr. Arthur Berkey and Dr. Daryle Foster ’72 , PhD ’85, in the education department were key in getting me certified as a high school agriculture teacher.”

Paul Lacava , MD ’96, wrote in about a recent adventure. “Three college roommates decided to get together for an epic trip from April 18–22, 2024. Traveling in from New Jersey, David Wrone and Gene Cutler met me at the San Francisco airport, and we embarked on a six-hour drive to the great Sequoia National Park. We stayed at Wuksachi Lodge and hiked the trails along the Round Meadow and the Big Trees trails, in awe of the towering great sequoias. General Sherman was a highlight of the trip, standing at 275 feet tall.

“We next drove to Death Valley National Park, camping overnight in tents. The clear night sky enabled us to see Jupiter, multiple satellites, and the Milky Way. In Death Valley, we hiked at Zabriskie Point with its borax deposits and the Golden Canyon Trail. At 282 feet below sea level, Badwater Basin was our next stop, where we visited the salt flats of the ancient seabed. The vibrant colors of the red hematite and green chlorite revealed a palette of color in the geological rock formations along our way. In terms of local flora, Joshua trees and wildflower super blooms were additional noteworthy sightings. Our trip was great fun for three good friends who made plans for another trip very soon. More to come.”

And more to come from the rest of the Class of 1992! Now don’t be shy. We all need to hear good things, regularly. Class Notes is one way to make this happen. Just let us know you are out there and share at least one good thing about your time at Cornell and about your life now. Rest assured, we only share the information you want us to share. What happens in 1992 Class Notes, stays in 1992 Class Notes. Well … kinda … it’s on the Internet, but you know what I mean! We can’t wait to hear from you! ❖ Wilma Ann Thomas Anderson ( email Wilma Ann ) | Jean Kintisch ( email Jean ) | Sarah Ballow Clauss ( email Sarah ) | Alumni Directory .

Maisie Ganzler has written a book ! You Can’t Market Manure at Lunchtime: And Other Lessons from the Food Industry for Creating a More Sustainable Company (Harvard Business Review Press) was published in April, in time for Earth Day. This is a how-to guide for anyone, regardless of industry or company size, who wants to build an authentic brand based on sustainability.

In addition to five lessons drawn from her experience, the book includes 12 Q&As with a who’s who of sustainability pioneers from much-admired companies such as Whole Foods Markets, Chipotle, Stonyfield Organic, Clif Bar, Ben & Jerry’s, and others. It’s an easy read full of stories and practical advice. Maisie is the former chief strategy and brand officer at Bon Appétit Management Company, where she is now a strategic advisor. ❖  Theresa Flores  ( email Theresa ) |  Melissa Hart Moss, JD ’97  ( email Melissa ) |  Mia Blackler  ( email Mia ) |  Alumni Directory .

This month’s update starts with some hardcore travel. Sean Alexander , MBA ’01, wrote, “I had the opportunity to sail over 1,500 miles from Ushuaia to Antarctica and back on a fiberglass Kaufman 48 with four other crew members. Scott Crawford ’95 , my shift mate, played hockey for Cornell in the early ’90s! We experienced hurricane-level winds along with massive swells crossing the Drake Passage while encountering whales, dolphins, and thousands of penguins!”

Thanks to the April 8 solar eclipse, some of us didn’t have to go all the way to Antarctica for adventure! During the 2017 eclipse, Kirstyn Cassavechia Smith felt left out of the festivities due to her blindness. This time, she and the South East Area Coalition in Rochester, NY, hosted an eclipse party for the visually impaired, featuring a light-sensitive device that helps the blind “hear” an eclipse via musical tones. Kirstyn appeared on CNN to demonstrate this fascinating LightSound device.

Sital Kalantry wrote, “ Eduardo Peñalver and I have a fun update—our son will be starting Cornell this coming fall. Eduardo is now president of Seattle University and I am a professor of law and associate dean.” Closer to the Hill, Jaclyn Schnurr was named dean of faculty for the Office of Academic and Student Affairs at Wells College.

Paris-based Jason Gardner recently published We the Spirits , a photography book about the traditional Carnival celebration. “For more than 15 years, throughout 15 countries, I have visually documented the ritual and festival of Carnival, focusing on traditional, folkloric, and community celebrations, ones with few outside visitors. The book includes Carnivals photographed in Austria, Bulgaria, France, Germany, Greece, Guinea-Bissau, Italy, North Macedonia, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Trinidad and Tobago, and the U.S.” ❖ Dika Lam ( email Dika ) | Dineen Pashoukos Wasylik ( email Dineen ) | Jennifer Rabin Marchant ( email Jennifer ) | Alumni Directory .

It’s springtime in D.C. as I write this column. The cherry blossoms on the National Mall peaked early this year, but there are still plenty in my neighborhood and I am grateful for the sunny, 75-degree day we are having, as I know it won’t be long before the heat and humidity of summer kick in (which will certainly have happened by the time you read this).

Also in the D.C. area is Michael Stroud , who shared that 2023 was an eventful year for his family, in particular his daughter, Quinn ’27 , who began her Cornell career in CALS and is studying biology. Quinn is also proudly serving in the U.S. Armed Forces Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC). Michael says his favorite moment was moving Quinn into her dorm early for her to participate in ROTC; it was also his proudest and scariest moment, watching as she set out on her own journey. Michael himself recently transitioned his legal practice to the law firm of Ice Miller LLP in the firm’s Washington, DC, and Baltimore, MD, offices. Michael focuses on government relations and lobbying related to congressional funding, transportation, infrastructure, technology, and taxes. He is also helping advise political candidates on federal and state campaign finance and election law as well as import-export control and compliance for restricted technology.

Another child of a classmate about to become a Cornellian is Noah Greenberg, son of Joshua Greenberg . Josh shared on social media what a thrill it was to join his son for the newly admitted students’ weekend at Cornell in April. Writes Josh, “We are so proud of Noah and look forward to watching his Cornell experience. Grandpa George Greenberg ’65 would be very happy to see him at Cornell too!” And Stephanie Lessans Geller ’s second son, Ira, will not only be a classmate of Noah’s, but will also be joining his older brother Henry ’25 on campus in the fall. Brian Hyett recently reached out to me on social media and shared that he is a gastroenterologist living in the Portsmouth, NH, area.

Josh Greenberg ’95 shared what a thrill it was to join his son for the newly admitted students’ weekend at Cornell in April.

Lastly, exciting news from Texas, where the Family Houston board of directors announced in January the appointment of its new CEO and president, our classmate Ken Sheirr , who previously served as chief marketing officer of the Houston Rockets. Since 1904, Family Houston has been serving Houstonians providing programs for veterans, adults and children in need of affordable mental healthcare, and families struggling to achieve financial stability. And for 120 years, Family Houston has been by Houston’s side through wider-spread adversities like natural disasters, multiple epidemics, and wartime.

“We are confident that Ken will lead Family Houston with a strong vision that connects broadly across our community,” said the board chair. “We recognize that thousands of Houstonians are counting on us, and we are excited by what is possible with Ken’s strategic thinking, marketing acumen, and talent for consensus-building.”

As the Rockets’ CMO for 15 years, Ken oversaw all areas of the team’s brand, philanthropy, customer experience, and digital, retail, and event operations, and led all revenue-driving marketing efforts. He was also instrumental in the opening of Toyota Center, strategic planning for inaugural sponsorship deals, and overseeing third-party facility operations. He created the Rockets Give Back community relations initiative, designed to serve Houston’s underserved youth, military, and first responders and provide disaster relief, while simultaneously creating a focused philanthropic identity for the team, comprehensive corporate partnerships, and opportunities for staff involvement and leadership. Previously, he served on the Ronald McDonald House board and chaired the marketing committee. A current Anti-Defamation League board member, he chaired the education committee for five years and sits on the strategic development committee. Ken and his wife, Gretchen, have 16-year-old twins.

Stay connected and safe, classmates. ❖ Alison Torrillo French ( email Alison ) | Class website | Class Facebook page | Class Instagram page | Alumni Directory .

This year, I finally had the opportunity to attend the Cornell Alumni Leadership Conference (CALC) as a class rep, and it exceeded all my expectations. Held February 23–25 in the Baltimore area, the event drew more than 400 engaged alumni volunteer leaders from across Cornell’s global network.

For me, it was an incredibly valuable experience full of learning, sharing, and focusing on leadership development to enhance the student experience along with networking to meet new friends. The weekend’s programming featured insightful presentations and breakout sessions providing direct updates from the university administration.

Some of the frank discussions addressed head-on the challenges institutions like Cornell have faced in recent years—from the COVID-19 pandemic and social isolation to social unrest and complex issues like the Israel/Gaza conflict. Fred Van Sickle (vice president for Alumni Affairs and Development) and Michelle Vaeth ’98 (associate vice president for Alumni Affairs) spoke about the nuances of supporting student voices while ensuring safe spaces for learning.

Despite such obstacles, the resilient Cornell spirit was on full display. I was inspired by the rich dialogue with fellow alumni as we exchanged perspectives on striving “to do the greatest good” in our respective fields and communities.

A personal highlight was reconnecting with familiar faces like Lauren Myers ’97 , Patty Louison Grant ’95 , and Nicole Innis ’97 . Even more special was finally meeting my fellow class volunteer leaders in person, including Stephanie Cockerl , Jenn Lagnado-Papp , MAT ’97, Lee Hendelman , MBA ’03, and Katrina James , as well as many other people. Our class is truly fortunate to have such a committed group keeping us connected to Cornell and each other. I remain grateful to Stephanie for recruiting me to join this group.

The weekend left me beaming with Cornell pride and an even stronger commitment to supporting the school that paved the way for my career success. As the academic year winds down, I was reminded of the importance of making Annual Fund and class dues contributions to uphold Cornell’s excellence. You can learn more here .

Attending my first CALC in Baltimore was an energizing and unifying experience. I’m already looking forward to the next one! ❖ Marjorie Polycarpe Jean-Paul ( email Marjorie ) | Catherine Oh Bonita ( email Catherine ) | Janine Abrams Rethy ( email Janine ) | Alumni Directory .

Kristin Maloney MacDonald writes, “For the last 10 years or so I have been working with composer Robert Maggio and librettist Justin Warner on a musical adaptation of Far From the Tree , an extraordinary book by Andrew Solomon. This year we’re delighted to announce that we won the 2024 Richard Rodgers Musical Theater Award from the Academy of Arts and Letters, which will subsidize a Studio Production in the New York area. See this article for more information.”

Lindsay Rich Cavner is celebrating 20 years of owning her company, Stepping Stones Pediatric Therapy, in Phoenix, AZ. “My team of 30 therapists delivers life-changing pediatric therapy to children and families in their homes. My agency is honored to be recognized for quality therapeutic services throughout the entire State of Arizona.” Lindsay shares that she loves spending time with her daughter, husband, cat, and dog, and gets great satisfaction from “changing lives for the better of children born with disabilities. Being an early intervention occupational therapist is rewarding and brings meaning to my life.”

About her time on the Hill, Lindsay fondly recalls being with the fifth-floor Cascadilla group on Slope Day 1997, “listening to the great student bands and relaxing on outdoor couches with friends after finals were over. Also singing with my a cappella group After Eight at arch sings, at witching hour concerts, and in Bailey Hall.” ❖ Sarah Deardorff Carter ( email Sarah ) | Erica Broennle Nelson ( email Erica ) | Alumni Directory .

I deeply regret to inform you about the passing of a member of our class, Jocelyn Chabot Mozak . After graduating cum laude with a bachelor’s in electrical engineering, Jocelyn earned her master’s in electrical engineering at Stanford University on scholarship. She married her college sweetheart, Chris , and together they raised two young men, both of whom Jocelyn was extremely proud of, as they represent her greatest success in life. She worked at Intel, started her own web design agency, and became a sought-after public speaker. Jocelyn is remembered for her big heart, quick wit, and ability to put people at ease because of her empathy and humanity. In addition, I will personally remember her for the kindness and compassion she had shown me when my mother passed away during junior year. Sincerest condolences to her family from her CU family.

Please share your latest news with me via email or the online news form . Thank you and take care. ❖ Uthica Jinvit Utano ( email Uthica ) | Alumni Directory .

Greetings, Class of ’99! Please take a moment to fill out the online news form to let your classmates know what you’ve been up to! What have you been doing for work? What brings you the greatest satisfaction these days? How has your life changed—or not changed—lately? We’d love to hear from you!

If you have sent in your news recently, please look for it in the next column! ❖ Class of 1999 ( email c/o Alexandra Bond ’12 ) | Alumni Directory .

I hope that all is well, wherever you are, whenever you read this note. I would love to see you all in person, but as we have just this brief message, I will say that not a day goes by where my mind does not wander to my time on the Hill and the people I met.

I have never met Mickey Rapkin , but from the article recently featured in Cornellians , I am sure I would have enjoyed a little quality coffee time with him in my favorite campus coffee shop, eating chocolate-covered espresso beans.

Mickey recently wrote and directed a poignant short film that wrestles with making the Holocaust relevant to younger generations. If you have not seen this 15-minute short, titled The Anne Frank Gift Shop , take the time to view the trailer on YouTube. Rapkin uses a blend of dark humor and satire to stir the conversation around the sensitive topic. I suggest you watch the movie, if possible.

That’s all for now. I’d love to know what you are up to, out there in the great, wide world. Drop me a line through the online news form . Take care. ❖ Denise Williams ( email Denise ) | Alumni Directory .

Summertime is flying by and the return to school for the younger set is getting closer. I remember those days well. Wanting to make the most of every day of summer vacation freedom while nerves built for the return to classes and homework. The excitement must be even more palpable for the students preparing for their freshman year at Cornell. What an exciting time—moving into a dorm, meeting roommates, roaming around campus with a pack of new friends, and class selection. Those were the days.

I was recently in Pittsburgh for a work trip and found some time to see a close friend (that I met freshman year), Thomas Kavanaugh ’00 . We caught up on our families—his 10-year-old twin boys were deep in their soccer season. And his spouse, Megan (Cunningham) , was enjoying her job. As usual, we re-hashed some funny college stories and ran through our list of Cornell friends who we had seen or heard from recently.

Thomas had recently decided to go for a walk through the nearby Carnegie Mellon campus and coincidentally ran into our friend Jay Rosen . Jay was on a college tour in Pennsylvania with his oldest son, who will be applying to schools this fall. It’s scary to think, but taking our children on college tours is going to become more and more common in the next few years (if it isn’t already). Jay was doing well and told Thomas about his time working for the Red Sea development company in the Middle East and preparing to run in the senior division of the Maccabiah Games.

It was great to see Courtney Pearson Esposito when she recently visited us last week while she was in New York. My wife, Christobel Lorie Gutow , and Courtney don’t have the chance to see each other often, but they always have a great time getting together and catching up. Courtney lives in Dallas with her husband, Bryan . They have two teenage daughters who keep busy with dance and cheer in addition to their schoolwork. I was very impressed to learn that Courtney started an indoor and outdoor seasonal floral arrangement business called Bee Contained. What started out as a hobby and passion for floral decorations has grown into a full-fledged business with hundreds of clients in the Dallas area. Check out her Instagram ( @beecontained ) and be sure to reach out to Courtney if you’re in Dallas.

Erica Chatfield Roberts ’01 recently completed running marathons on all seven continents!

Christopher Fan  is an assistant professor at the University of California, Irvine, in the departments of English, Asian American studies, and East Asian studies. He is also a cofounder and senior editor of  Hyphen   Magazine . He’s the author of a recently published book,  Asian American Fiction After 1965: Transnational Fantasies of Economic Mobility . Christopher says it “examines how Asian American fiction maps the immigrant narrative of intergenerational conflict onto the ‘two cultures’ conflict between the arts and sciences.” The book offers a new way of understanding contemporary Asian American fiction through the lens of the class and race formations that shaped its authors, both in the U.S. and in Northeast Asia.

Another classmate, Jennifer Ng Chow , is an Agatha, Anthony, Lefty, and Lilian Jackson Braun Memorial Award-nominated author. Her newest series is the Magical Fortune Cookie mysteries, and the first book in the series is Ill-Fated Fortune , published by St. Martin’s Press. Jennifer describes the novel as a whodunit mystery about a young fortune cookie chef who becomes the main suspect when one customer’s ill-fated fortune results in his murder. Jennifer is an active member of Crime Writers of Color and Mystery Writers of America. Connect with her online and sign up for her newsletter at her website .

Erica Chatfield Roberts recently completed running marathons on all seven continents! She completed the feat in South America with a Patagonia marathon in Chile in October 2023. Before that, she completed a Bhutan marathon in May, and in prior years ran Athens, Sydney, Marrakesh, and Antarctica marathons, along with several in North America. Retired from marathoning, Erica is looking forward to continued adventures around the world.

Don’t forget to get in touch with your local Cornell alumni group to see if they’re planning a student send-off this summer! Those are great opportunities to answer questions from anxious parents (if not the kids themselves) and network with fellow alums. To share news and get back in touch with classmates, please email either of us, visit our website , like the Class of 2001 Facebook page , join our Class of 2001 Classmates Facebook group , and/or follow us on X ( @Cornell2001 ). ❖ James Gutow ( email James ) | Nicole Neroulias Gupte ( email Nicole ) | Alumni Directory .

Thalia Goldstein writes, “I’m excited to announce the publication of my first book, Why Theatre Education Matters: Understanding Its Cognitive, Social, and Emotional Benefits , published by Teachers College Press. This book answers the question: ‘What, psychologically, is an acting class?’ Based on a nationally representative, systematic study of acting classes for high school students, the book connects the activities and teaching strategies of acting to relevant developmental psychology findings and the skills adolescents need as they navigate their worlds.”

Thalia adds, “This book comes out almost 25 years after I took English 301, ‘Mind and Memory,’ with Professor Diane Ackerman , MFA ’73 , PhD ’79 . This course introduced interdisciplinarity to me, and the idea that you can study both a topic and the act of creativity and learning within that topic. That course was structured as the study of creativity across domains and was paired with the student’s own creative practice—for me, theater and dance. Since then, my research and academic career has been focused on the interdisciplinary study of psychology and theater, and I now teach a similar course as a professor at George Mason University, ‘Psychology of Creativity and Innovation.’ I can only hope to change the trajectory of a student’s life the way Professor Ackerman and this course changed mine!” ❖ Class of 2002 ( email c/o Alexandra Bond ’12 ) | Alumni Directory .

This month, we heard from Clement Chow , associate professor of human genetics at the University of Utah School of Medicine, whose lab uses “the common fruit fly to model rare diseases and find new drugs for kids with rare diseases.” Clement says, “The most exciting aspect of this work is the prospect of directly applying our lab work to helping people live full and healthy lives. Working with the families and patients and getting to know the people and lives that these diseases affect is very fulfilling.”

Let us know what you’re up to. Until next time: ❖ Candace Lee Chow , PhD ’14 ( email Candace ) | Jon Schoenberg , ME ’03 , PhD ’11 ( email Jon ) | Alumni Directory .

Keith Hermanstyne writes, “This June, I will be participating in AIDS/LifeCycle 2024! While this means I will unfortunately miss Reunion, I am happy that I will be biking more than 500 miles from the San Francisco Bay Area to Los Angeles. The money I raise for this event supports important HIV/STI treatment and prevention services for people who are most vulnerable. If you would like to learn more, you can check out this link .”

Jigyasa Chander ’00 , BA ’04, reports that she has a new toddler, Anant Mitva, and she gets great satisfaction from watching him grow and from her work in nonprofit administration. ❖ Jessi Petrosino ( email Jessi ) | Alumni Directory .

Hi, Class of 2005! We hope you are all having a nice 2024. As we start to prepare for our 20th Reunion in 2025, we’d love to know if we have the correct contact info for our classmates. If you have any updates, please use this link .

Yasmin Fahr published her third cookbook, Cook Simply, Live Fully , in April with HarperCollins. She’s also a regular contributor to New York Times Cooking and is currently spending half the year in Menorca, Spain. She invites people to say hi online @yasminfahr!

Anpao Duta Flying Earth was recently appointed to the board of directors at the education innovation nonprofit the Aurora Institute. He is currently the executive director of the NACA Inspired Schools Network. ❖ Jessica Rosenthal Chod ( email Jessica ) | Hilary Johnson King ( email Hilary ) | Alumni Directory .

Hello, Class of 2006! Spring has finally sprung as I write this column, and with it comes a sense of rejuvenation and renewal. Amidst your endeavors both professional and personal, we’re pleased to share the latest class news with you.

Joe Fassler has published his debut novel , The Sky Was Ours , through Penguin Books. The story begins in Ithaca and follows a young woman’s journey into the wilds of Upstate New York, where she stumbles on a charismatic recluse working on an impossible project in his countryside barn. “The novel draws deeply on my time at Cornell,” says Joe, where he studied English and creative writing and was “immersed in the landscape that surrounds Ithaca.” Joe’s writing on climate and technology has appeared in outlets like the New York Times , the Atlantic , the Guardian , and Wired . Publishers Weekly called The Sky Was Ours a “stunning debut.” What an incredible accomplishment, Joe!

Jessica DiMenna Watson is excited to share that she got married in September 2023, and now she and her husband are expecting their first child together. Congrats, Jessica!

Whether you’re embarking on exciting new projects, heading to new destinations, cultivating newfound passions, or cherishing moments and milestones with loved ones, please keep the updates coming and share with the class! We’d love to hear about your favorite memories at Cornell and what you’ve been up to lately. ❖ Kirk Greenspan, MBA ’22 ( email Kirk ) | Alumni Directory .

Hello, Class of 2007! I was recently in Puerto Rico for spring break with my family, and there happened to be a lot of Cornell students there as well! I felt extremely old, but was happy to see the new crew of Cornellians. As a little update from me: I’m working with local candidates for my borough council election and have joined the Core Campaign Team as head of events. Gearing up for a busy election season!

Hello from Shane Dunn ! He writes: “As you may know, I have the immense privilege of serving as president of the nonprofit board of directors of GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders (GLAD) in Boston, one of the country’s most effective, durable, and tenacious civil rights organizations. For more than 45 years, GLAD has paved the way for some of the most monumental and important legal victories in New England and across the country—from marriage equality to protecting those living with HIV to ensuring the transgender community can live, thrive, and serve.

“Social movements are not one-day or one-year affairs. For us to achieve true lived equality for the LGBTQ+ community, those of us with other forms of visible and invisible privilege must get involved and stay engaged, even when we think we have succeeded. I wake up every day with deep humility and gratitude to serve and support GLAD.”

Thanks, Shane, for the update and all your hard work! Is anyone else in the nonprofit space? What are you working on?

Looking forward to sharing more exciting stories with everyone! Have more updates to share? Please feel free to reach out to me or submit online! ❖ Samantha Feibush Wolf ( email Samantha ) | Alumni Directory .

Happy summer, Class of ’08! Please take a moment to fill out the online news form to let your classmates know what you’ve been up to! What have you been doing for work? What brings you the greatest satisfaction these days? How has your life changed—or not changed—lately? We’d love to hear from you!

If you have sent in your news recently, please look for it in the next column! ❖ Class of 2008 ( email c/o Alexandra Bond ’12 ) | Alumni Directory .

Kirsten Stoner Cummiskey , ME ’10, writes, “Since last Reunion, I got married to Ryan , ME ’10, and we had a baby girl this spring. I love spending time with my newborn daughter, husband, and doggo.” In her work, Kirsten has been developing and leading research on a subretinal delivery device for gene and cell therapies. When asked if attending Cornell changed the trajectory of her life, she replied, “Yes! I would never have met my husband otherwise.”

Katie Engelhart is a journalist, documentary producer, and contributing writer at the New York Times Magazine , based in Toronto and New York. She’s also a Fellow at New America and mostly reports on ethics and medicine. Her most recent article , which won a Pulitzer, is about a legal fight involving dementia. It asks: when does a person with dementia lose the ability, and then perhaps the right, to decide for herself?

Katie writes, “My story What Happened in Room 10? won a George Polk Award for Magazine Reporting in 2021. It is the product of a months-long investigation into the first COVID outbreak in an American nursing home—and, more broadly, the rise of the for-profit nursing home industry in America. The article also won the John Bartlow Martin Award for Public Interest Magazine Journalism and the MOLLY Prize for Investigative Journalism, and was a finalist for the National Magazine Award in Feature Writing. Previously, I worked as a documentary film correspondent and on-air producer at NBC News. I made short documentaries from across the U.S. and abroad.” ❖ Jason Georges ( email Jason ) | Alumni Directory .

We welcome spring with the announcement of new Cornell babies! Ordessia Charran and her husband, Anthony Torres, welcomed a baby girl in August 2022 and are expecting another girl this summer. Since leaving New York City in 2020, Ordessia has been working as a pulmonary and critical care medicine physician at Kingman Regional Medical Center in Arizona. The family splits their time between Arizona and Nevada. She is enjoying spending time with her daughter and looks forward to bringing her family to visit the East Coast again.

Sarah Khatibzadeh , BS ’09, DVM ’14, and Gordon Briggs ’09 , BS ’08, ME ’09, celebrated the birth of their first child, Athena Melanie, in 2023. They are thrilled and look forward to taking Athena on her first trip to campus, including stops at Alice Cook House, where they met on Halloween night in 2007, and Sage Chapel, where they tied the knot in May 2014.

Samantha Stout spent the last 10 years studying paintings with X-ray spectroscopy in Italy. She met her husband there and together they founded a freelance business. They moved back to the U.S. in March 2023 and Samantha now works as a metrology engineer at the MEMS (Micro Electro-Mechanical Systems) foundry Atomica in Santa Barbara, CA. Her Big Red ties run deep, and she still loves keeping up with the research advances coming from the materials science department at Cornell.

Please write and share your news! We would love to celebrate with you. ❖ Michelle Sun ( email Michelle ) | Alumni Directory .

John Nitti ’s book, Sharing the Road , was published last year. “There are plenty of bits about Cornell in it,” he writes. From the publisher: “Ten years after his 36-year-old uncle, a Brooklyn firefighter, is killed on 9/11, Cornell senior John Nitti prepares for a journey and challenge of a lifetime after graduation with his roommates―one of the longest bicycle rides in the history of the U.S. As the 10,000-mile, 35-state ride across the country and back approaches, however, his friends drop out, making it a solo venture. The odds are against him. For one, he’s not a cyclist. He’s never biked more than nine miles in a day, and he needs to learn how to change a flat tire. He’s never camped before, except in his backyard as a kid.

“As Nitti faces self-doubt and a fear of being alone, the challenges of the road prove immense: gale-force headwinds in Texas, freezing temperatures in New Mexico, 25 flat tires, encounters with wildlife and police, crashes in Alabama and Pennsylvania, and more; but he receives unexpected help from strangers―just about every day. On a trip full of unique experiences, from riding up and down the Rockies twice to ‘showering’ in farm sprinklers and rivers, to working on a farm in Ohio, he learns to appreciate changes in himself as he bikes through the forests, mountains, plains, cities, and deserts of the U.S., on everything from dirt roads to interstates, trying to make it back home to New York.”

Virginia Tyrone Yozwiak shares, “ Adam , ME ’11, and I welcomed our third child, Andrew David (a.k.a. A.D. Yozwiak)!” And Carolyn Sedgwick-Ludwin writes, “My husband, Brian, and I were indeed laboring on Labor Day weekend—we welcomed our son Andy to the world! He is a delight. He’ll be making his first trek to Ithaca this summer. Andy loves the water, so we’re especially looking forward to introducing him to Ithaca’s many waterfalls and natural areas.”

My husband and I were indeed laboring on Labor Day weekend—we welcomed our son Andy to the world! Carolyn Sedgwick-Ludwin ’11

Michael Breitstein has been promoted to partner at CoVenture Management, a privately held alternative asset management firm focused on direct credit opportunities and credit-oriented investments in early and later-stage companies. He has more than 10 years of special situations credit experience.

Sami Fishbein Sage has co-written a book , Democracy in Retrograde: How to Make Changes Big and Small in Our Country and in Our Lives , which is “a combo of self-help and political manifesto that is perfect for anyone who wants to save our democracy but doesn’t know where to start.” According to the publisher, “In today’s political climate, it’s hard not to get discouraged. Isolated, doom scrolling, lacking a sense of purpose or community … it’s easy to become overwhelmed by the dire state of American democracy and do nothing, because why try when the odds are never in our favor? [The co-authors] want to reframe civic engagement as a form of self-care: an assertion of one’s values and self-respect. This book is not just about voting, but about claiming your singular place in your country and community.

“Using real stories of regular citizens who have made a difference, Democracy in Retrograde is a choose-your-own-adventure map to civic engagement that’s tailored to your values, skills, passions, resources, and time. Whether you have only a few hours to spare or are ready to make a lifetime commitment, [the authors] show you how to make changes, big and small, that matter.” Sami is a cofounder and chief creative officer of Betches Media and she hosts the award-winning daily news podcast, Morning Announcements . ❖ Class of 2011 ( email c/o Alexandra Bond ’12 ) | Alumni Directory .

Olivia Prout Plunkett and her husband, Dan, are pleased to share that their son, Orin, was born on January 23, 2024. His big brother, Ellis, is very happy with his new promotion and they all look forward to getting back to Ithaca this year! ❖ Peggy Ramin ( email Peggy ) | Alumni Directory .

After a short break, we are back with more news. As usual, our classmates are continuing to impress as they take business and entrepreneurship into their own pioneering hands.

First up is Brynne Vernon , who is a member of the board of the nonprofit organization Sunday, which supports entrepreneurs and small businesses in low-income and underserved communities by providing zero-interest microloans. Its mission is to accelerate entrepreneurship, dismantle poverty, and reinvent micro-finance through ethical and transparent lending practices. Most of the entrepreneurs Sunday supports are women. By removing undue interest, Sunday empowers women to start and/or grow their business with inclusive and equitable access to capital. As loans are repaid, the capital is lent out once again, helping more business owners and multiplying impact over time. Sunday has lent directly to entrepreneurs in over 130 countries and is funded entirely by donations. More information can be found here .

Amanda Quain will be releasing her third book, Dashed , on July 16, 2024. Dashed is a contemporary young adult update of the classic Sense and Sensibility and tells the story of Margaret Dashwood. When Margaret’s sister Marianne—newly single and the world’s biggest romantic who has seemingly forgotten that love nearly tore their family apart five years earlier—crashes a cruise vacation with their other sister, Elinor, the vacation Margaret planned is seemingly ruined. The only solution? Find Marianne a love interest, at least until they reach land. The plan, however, quickly goes awry as Margaret finds her own love interest on board and the boat faces a storm. Will Margaret follow the plan of finding her sister love or will she follow her own heart?

Amanda Quain ’13 will be releasing her third book, a contemporary young adult update of the classic Sense and Sensibility .

Lei Liu started law school at the University of New Hampshire Franklin Pierce School of Law in August 2023 in Concord, NH. Lei visited Ithaca in November 2023 and was able to reconnect with his former German studies professor, Grit Matthias. Lei remembers his years at Cornell fondly, including relaxing on Libe Slope and watching the sunset, studying late at night at Uris and Olin libraries, enjoying snowball fights on the Arts Quad, and making friendships that continue today.

We’ve reported many times on Kamillah Knight , MPA ’15, MBA ’22, and her impressive achievements, but I would be remiss not to mention a future Cornellian now in our midst. After marrying Stephan Spilkowitz ’10 , Kamillah welcomed baby Koah in September 2023 and they are already planning for Koah to become a member of the Cornell Class of 2045!

As always, if you have news to share, please email me! ❖ Rachael Schuman Fassler ( email Rachael ) | Alumni Directory .

Hello, Class of 2014! Earlier this year in March, Spencer Whale made his Broadway debut as an assistant director for the show Lempicka , about Polish painter Tamara de Lempicka.

Classmates Delia Hughes , MBA ’20, and Lindsay Simon recently won a Stacy’s Rise Project grant, which awarded their company, Tazzy Candy, $25,000 and mentorship from PepsiCo and Frito-Lay. They were one of 15 female-founded companies to win, alongside two others with Cornellian founders. Tazzy Candy sells hard candy with only six ingredients and low sugar content.

Please reach out if you have any news to share! ❖ Samantha Lapehn Young ( email Samantha ) | Alumni Directory .

Some exciting news from our class! First, Sadie Garside married husband Brandon on June 15 in Chatham, MA, on Cape Cod.

Also, Christine Gutchess and her mother have written a cookbook of their favorite recipes, focusing on simple, easy dishes that are sure to please a crowd. The book is called Homebody , inspired by summers spent near Cornell on Skaneateles Lake. After graduating from Cornell, Christine went to the Culinary Institute of America and spent time in Washington, DC, as a private chef.

Congratulations, Sadie and Christine! ❖ Caroline Flax ( email Caroline ) | Mateo Acebedo ( email Mateo ) | Alumni Directory .

2016 & 2017

Happy summer! We don’t have any news to share from these classes, so if you are reading this please take a moment to fill out the online news form to let us know what you’ve been up to! What have you been doing for work? What brings you the greatest satisfaction these days? How has your life changed—or not changed—lately? We’d love to hear from you! ❖ Classes of 2016 & 2017 ( email c/o Alexandra Bond ’12 ) | Alumni Directory .

Austin Beck , BS ’17, and his brother, fellow Cornellian Tyler Beck ’14 , run their family’s Upstate New York dairy farm, which was recently featured in a new TV series. Streaming for free on the Roku Channel, “ Dairy Diaries ” follows former “Saturday Night Live” star Vanessa Bayer around the brothers’ operation as she spends a week learning what it takes to produce milk, from cow to glass.

Sponsored by the dairy industry and shot over the course of a week in November 2023, the show comprises five episodes that are roughly 10 minutes each. In choosing a location for filming, the producers considered more than 80 hopefuls. “When we applied, we thought, ‘There are so many farms, there’s no way they would choose us,’” Tyler recalls. “But eventually, we had a 50-person production team from Hollywood on our farm—and some of them had never even seen a cow.”

Said Austin, “We did the show because it’s important for us to do our part to bridge the gap between consumers and farmers.” He hopes “Dairy Diaries” will counter some of the negative PR generated by activists who oppose the milk-production industry. “Other generations didn’t always prioritize telling their story—but we wanted to have the opportunity to educate and give people a different perspective.”

You can read more about their adventures in this recent Cornellians story ! ❖ Class of 2018 ( email c/o Alexandra Bond ’12 ) | Alumni Directory .

We hope many of you reconnected on the Hill at Reunion last month! If you did, please take a moment to send us a note—via the online news form or email—to tell us about the weekend! Who did you see? How was it to come back to East Hill as an alum? What changes to campus caught your eye? We’d love to hear from you! ❖ Class of 2019 ( email c/o Alexandra Bond ’12 ) | Alumni Directory .

Sara Tayara was recently selected to receive the John Mack ABANA Fellowship, which offers an educational stipend of $15,000 and professional mentorship opportunities to MBA students with an interest in the Middle East and North Africa region. Sara was one of five Fellows selected from 100 applicants in the fellowship’s inaugural year. In the fall, she will attend the Stanford Graduate School of Business.

At Cornell, she earned dual degrees in information science and urban planning, with a minor in business. Currently, Sara is a manager at EY MENA, in their digital and emerging technology practice, where she leads teams in designing and developing digital products for various sectors, most notably smart cities. Based in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, she is actively involved in expanding the company’s digital design practice across the region, as well as mentoring young professionals in the product space.

Julia DeNey was recently featured in a Cornellians story for her work designing apparel for people who have autism and other conditions. Her company’s offerings include a sweatshirt with a flip-down eye mask and weighted vinyl material around the ears that can block 10–30 decibels of high-frequency sound, and a “compression” shirt whose adjustable lining can be tightened around the wearer, replicating the feeling of a hug.

Amanda Madenberg writes, “I met my fiancé, Josh Londin ’21 , on campus in 2017. Seven years later, he proposed at the top of the Slope.” Congratulations! ❖ Class of 2020 ( email c/o Alexandra Bond ’12 ) | Alumni Directory .

Amanda Hernandez  was recently featured in  a  Cornellians  story  for her work as the coach of the Cornell Dance Team. A medical student at the University of Michigan, Amanda has coached the squad remotely for the past three seasons—and this year they made it to the finals of the U.S.’s largest collegiate dance competition, which was held in Walt Disney World’s ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, FL, in January. Of the team, she said, “The growth we have had is unbelievable for such a short period of time.”

Their advancement to the finals (where they finished eighth overall) marked the best showing by any Ivy League school in the competition’s history—thanks in large part to Amanda’s efforts. The team’s advancement is a bit bittersweet for Amanda, since, she says, it will soon be time for the squad to have an in-person, professional coach. “I want the team to live on forever and just keep getting better and better,” she says. “I’ll always be the dancers’ number-one fan.” ❖ Class of 2021 ( email c/o Alexandra Bond ’12 ) | Alumni Directory .

Summer greetings, Class of ’22! If you are reading this, please take a moment to send in an online news form . What have you been doing since graduation? What are your plans for the summer? Sends us your news, big or small—we can’t wait to hear from you! ❖ Class of 2022 ( email c/o Alexandra Bond ’12 ) | Alumni Directory .

Lorlei Boyd , who was featured in our May/June Class Notes column, has since penned a personal essay for Cornellians titled “We Need Anthropologists Everywhere—Especially in AI.” In it, she wrote, “One year ago, I entered the job market with a humanities degree. This was never the plan—until my senior year, I thought for sure I was en route to my PhD. Humanities were for academia, right? I was hungry to join the workforce, only I didn’t know how.

“I wish the world were kinder to non-STEM majors. I had internalized self-doubt—a conviction that corporate America belonged to the engineers, that humanistic and research skills were inferior. Now I lead applied AI software development at Gray Decision Intelligence , a provider of academic program evaluation software to higher education institutions. The truth is that these skills transfer.

“What’s the catch? The humanities don’t teach you the technical details—rather, they give you a toolbox. Your skillset offers an aggressive competency to research anything and everything and distill that dizzying volume of information into a thoughtful final product.

“What you know going into a project almost doesn’t matter. When you’re trained in the humanities, your job is to think through incommensurable problems. What’s more complex than human nature? My point is that the humanities prepared me for a biztech career in STEM—not something I would’ve anticipated a few years ago.

“At the end of the day, this is not to say STEM majors are worth any less. Rather, I hope to lift up my fellow humanities majors. You, too, are incredibly skilled and will bring unique gifts to your workplace. Trust your education.” ❖ Class of 2023 ( email c/o Alexandra Bond ’12 ) | Alumni Directory .

Arts and Sciences

Malve Brueggemann Burns , MA ’67 , PhD ’71 , published a historical novel , Stone Mother , in September 2023. The novel highlights the strange period in post-WWII Germany when an entire nation would not—and could not—speak of the horror it had wrought. The novel’s heroine, Marie, grows up in a castle, a thousand-year-old “stone mother,” in the late 1940s in Germany. Kirkus called it “an evocative novel about inherited pain and redemption.” Malve has given book presentations at independent bookstores and libraries, including at Georgetown Neighborhood Library.

Jason Clay , MA ’76 , PhD ’79 , is an expert on food sustainability and the senior vice president at World Wildlife Fund (WWF)—where he oversees the Markets Institute, a think tank that works with startups focused on how to make food production more climate friendly. He is currently working on creating “Codex Planetarius,” a set of minimum environmental standards to produce globally traded food. The project will propose standards to reduce the six to eight key environmental impacts of producing food exports and to ensure that they don’t undermine renewable natural resources for present and future generations. He also authors “ Rethink Food ,” a weekly newsletter that offers readers insight and experiences gained over the course of his more-than-40-year career on the front lines of global food sustainability. Before joining WWF in 1999, Jason ran a family farm, taught at Harvard and Yale, worked in the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and spent more than 25 years working with human rights and environmental organizations.

Cheryl Walsh , MA ’91 , published her debut novel , Unequal Temperament , with American Buffalo Books in September 2023. As the book’s blurb notes: “From her early aspirations of being a concert pianist to her current job as a meteorologist, Morgan has found that life—much like forecasting weather patterns and tuning harpsichords—is far from an exact science. When her father dies unexpectedly, Morgan pushes away her husband, and the growing chasm threatens their marriage. Through the lens of art, music, and meteorology, Unequal Temperament examines how we navigate the storms of our lives.”

Hanna Hasl-Kelchner , MBA ’78 , wrote a book , Seeking Fairness at Work: Cracking the New Code of Greater Employee Engagement, Retention & Satisfaction . It helps executives, managers, and business owners examine the unwritten rules at work—rules that, when broken, keep employees from doing their best work and companies from reaching their full potential. Hanna uses real-life stories to reveal the fundamental unfairness and hidden conflicts that slowly crush trust and employee engagement. The book also tackles managers’ misconceptions and concerns and includes a five-step framework to dramatically elevate both the employee experience and business results.

On May 17, an episode of “Let’s Make a Deal” featured our very own Sanford “Sandy” Argabrite , MBA ’85 ! Sandy performed a magic trick for the host, Wayne Brady, and in the end, he went home with $5,000. Sandy has been practicing magic tricks for the past 20 years and has performed in Los Angeles, Hawaii, and Toronto. And this isn’t his first time on a game show—in 2019, Sandy was on the “Best Ever Trivia Show.”

Brian Hittle , MBA ’03 , is now writing Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan book series. In 1984, Tom Clancy published The Hunt for Red October , a novel that reimagined thrillers and invented the military thriller genre. (Clancy died in 2013.) Now, for the 40th anniversary of that book, Brian and his friend, both Navy veterans, are writing the sequel, Act of Defiance . Brian was a former submarine officer, who himself used to do the type of missions seen in the movie adaptation. He writes under the pen name Brian Andrews.

Rachel Eng Tomadakis , MBA ’19 , was hired as a senior asset manager at Synergy, a real estate development firm in Boston. Rachel’s career has spanned over 15 years in commercial real estate asset management. Most recently she was the vice president of asset management at Marcus Partners and the director and asset manager for the RMR Group. “I am honored to be a part of Synergy’s high-caliber team,” said Rachel. “I look forward to elevating the team and contributing to Synergy’s ongoing success in this dynamic real estate environment.”

Onyinye Akujuo , MBA ’22 , shares that, on March 20, 2024, she gave birth to Adaora Johnson, who can sometimes be seen sporting her very own striped Cornell outfit. Congratulations!

Yusuf Kappaya , MBA ’23 , and his wife, Issra, also shared that they welcomed their baby boy, Ilyas Haroon Abdullah-Kappaya, to the world recently. “Cornell Class of 2046!” said Yusuf.

Computing and Information Science

Daniela Rus , MS ’90 , PhD ’92 , was featured in the Boston Globe ’s third annual list of the most influential people in the New England technology sector. Daniela is a roboticist and computer scientist, director of the MIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, and the Andrew and Erna Viterbi Professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Gregory Parks , JD ’08 , a professor of law at Wake Forest University, edited a recently published volume on collegiate Greek-letter organizations. The book , The Law of Fraternities and Sororities , offers an overview of the legal landscape of the critical issues that collegiate Greek-letter fraternities and sororities should understand and integrate into their day-to-day work. The first section explores the range of issues that deal with processes, standards, rules, and practices that fraternities and sororities must follow. The second discusses risk and liability issues like hazing and sexual assault. The third covers constitutional issues like freedom of speech, and the final section examines broader issues of antitrust and consumer protection.

Welcome to our newest offering: Group Notes! Like Class Notes, these columns are written by alumni, but they comprise news about members of Cornell groups—including campus activities, alumni organizations, and more—across generations. If you would like to see your group represented here, email us for more information!

Cornell Daily Sun

Hello fellow Sunnies, and welcome back to Group Notes! I’m Vee Cipperman ’23 , a former Sun editor-in-chief, who also worked as a graduate operations fellow for the Sun this past spring. The semester brought many exciting events with our alumni, both in and outside the media industry.

Throughout the semester, student Sunnies saw where their work could take them through the “Meet a Journalist” series. Eric Lichtblau ’87 , a celebrated journalist with the New York Times and other major publications, led a workshop on investigative journalism. Adam Thompson ’97 , a bureau chief in the Life & Work group at the Wall Street Journal , taught students about writing engaging sports stories. Melanie Lefkowitz ’95 , editor-in-chief of the Cornell Chronicle , joined us for an engaging conversation about pursuing a journalism career and covering higher education.

On April 19, the Cornell Daily Sun Alumni Association hosted its annual New York City reunion. The student editorial board traveled downstate to meet alumni and share Sun stories. On April 20, the board enjoyed an exclusive tour of the New York Times office, hosted by Times managing editor Marc Lacey ’87 . This event followed the Washington, DC, reunion, hosted on March 22.

On April 13, the Sun held our second annual business workshop in Ithaca. We invited alumni working in management, tech, and multimedia journalism for a day of panels and networking with students. This event is modeled after our journalism workshop, which has taken place at the Sun office every October for the past decade; it gives alumni from other industries a chance to reconnect and share their knowledge with students.

Throughout the semester, student Sunnies saw where their work could take them through the ‘Meet a Journalist’ series.

Rebecca Shoval ’08 planned the first business workshop last year, and I took over for this year’s gathering. We hosted a number of impressive speakers. Alex Berg ’09 , an award-winning documentarian and broadcast journalist, teamed up with Leah Stacy, editor-in-chief of CITY Magazine in Rochester, for a panel on producing multimedia content. Google app developer Jordan Epstein ’18 and Roku marketing VP Dan Robbins ’13 spoke about using analytics and data tools in journalism.

Several members of the Sun senior board joined us for the event, including incoming chair Scott Jaschik ’85 . We shared panels, meals, and vibrant discussions on the Sun ’s future.

As always, the Sun welcomed its new editorial board in early March. Editor-in-chief Gabriel Levin ’26 leads the editorial side of the paper, and director of business and operations Sheila Yu ’26 leads the financial side. This spring, the 142nd board launched ambitious projects and set new goals to rejuvenate the Sun ; they still have many months to drive the paper, and we can’t wait to see what they’ll accomplish.

As always, the spring semester brought new ideas, productive meetings, and alumni reconnections at the Sun . Look forward to more in the future! If you’re interested in submitting an update for a future Cornellians column or want to know more, please reach out to me. Enjoy a summer of rest and sunshine! ❖ Vee Cipperman ’23 ( email Vee ) | Alumni Directory .

University Chorus & Glee Club

For my encore, I almost titled this column “The Sounds of Silence,” as I had received very little news by my deadline. Fortunately, a little plug on social media resulted in some fantastic updates to share.

Paul Sheppard , MS ’84 , wrote in from Tucson, AZ, to share that his singing club, Under Video Surveillance, which is composed of various small ensembles, put on a recital of sacred music on May 11 in the old church of Tumacácori, AZ. The event was recorded, and a playlist of the songs is in production—stay tuned! Paul made me smile when, at the time of this writing, he shared that the group planned to end the recital with the Biebl “Ave Maria.”

Town and Country Players in Bucks County, PA, brought in an update about Chorus accompanist extraordinaire Sue den Outer ’94 , who is the music director for their upcoming performance of 9 to 5 . This is Sue’s second year with T&C, her first show being Guys and Dolls . One of Sue’s favorite theatrical experiences was Little Women , “because of the connection to a childhood favorite novel, the beautiful score, and the people who became dear friends,” and her favorite woman character in theater is Elphaba (from Wicked ), because she is “strong-willed, grounded (well not always, but you know what I mean), and passionate.” What would Sue tell her younger self? “You do not need to do all of the shows!”

Speaking of doing all the shows, I received some super exciting news from Kristin Maloney ’97 , which I am sharing in her own words: “For the last 10 years or so I have been working with composer Robert Maggio and librettist Justin Warner on a musical adaptation of Far From the Tree , the extraordinary book by Andrew Solomon. This year we won the prestigious Richard Rodgers Musical Theater Award from the Academy of Arts and Letters, which will subsidize a Studio Production in the New York area. We have been working with director Michael Greif ( Rent, If/Then, Next to Normal, Dear Evan Hansen ), and we are really looking forward to further developing this show under his direction. It is a super thrilling shot of adrenaline, much needed after the years of listlessness wrought by the COVID theater shutdowns.”

A dozen Glee Club alumni performed at a celebration at the Cornell Tech campus to honor the life and memory of Chuck Feeney ’56 .

Lastly, Jacques Boubli ’88 sent in a lovely update from a lakeside Airbnb about half a mile north of the Hangar Theatre and Allan H. Treman State Marine Park, where he and his wife, Elyse, drove to from Katonah, NY, to celebrate Passover with their children, Sophia ’26 and Jeremy (a freshman at Binghamton). Jacques shared a special story that explains why Passover is such a deeply personal holiday to his family, as his father, Elie Boubli , MS ’54 , left Egypt and took the maiden voyage of the Andrea Doria to save his life and make a better one in the U.S. “Of all places,” Jacques writes, “he started it at Cornell, majoring in electrical engineering and minoring in ILR.”

A few days before making the trip to Ithaca, Jacques attended the Groat-Alpern Awards celebration at the Pierre in NYC, where classmates Lauren Ezrol Klein ’88 and James Miller ’88 were honored. The next day, a dozen Glee Club alumni performed at a celebration at the Cornell Tech campus on Roosevelt Island to honor the life and memory of Chuck Feeney ’56 . Writes Jacques, “It was a deeply moving tribute to the extraordinarily generous Feeney, Cornell’s largest donor ever. Our group included Andrew Guo ’19 , Phil Batson ’70 , PhD ’76, Bart Codd ’88 , Pete Klosterman ’70 , Chris Umeki ’19 , Eric Saidel ’97 , Don Peck , JD ’86 , Steve Tremaroli ’76 , Terence Goff ’96 , Joe Cleverdon ’98 , BS ’15, and my dearest friend, TP Enders ’90 , ME ’96, who expertly organized and coordinated our participation.”

Professionally, Jacques is a partner at the Portfolio Strategy Group, a $2B Registered Investment Advisor in White Plains, NY, where he has been for 10 years and previously served as chief compliance officer. His career journey has not been a straight line, however, and he says he is often asked about his transition from arts management to wealth management. Jacques shared that he served as the Glee Club’s music librarian, assistant manager, general manager, and tour manager from 1984–88, which led to a 20-year career in the performing arts, which included running violinist Isaac Stern’s family office and serving as production manager for Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. Armed with an MBA from NYU/Stern and as a certified financial planner, he entered financial services in 2008, “so don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t time the markets!” Jacques also shared, “I often reflect on my experiences with the Glee Club. Nothing meant more to me at Cornell. It helped me find my friends, my calling, and myself. The camaraderie, brotherhood, and responsibility were transformative and continue to provide me with joy.”

Your updates are music to my ears—please keep them coming! Until we meet again. ❖ Alison Torrillo French ’95 ( email Alison ) | Alumni Directory .

Top image: Photo by Adam Murtland / Cornell University

Published July 1, 2024

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