June 2007
Cornell eNews, a quarterly update for alumni and friends of
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OUTSTANDING GRADS
Among our nearly 300 new alumni are Emily Barwick and Jessica LaSusa, who graduated with perfect 4.0 GPAs; young trustee Cory King, president of Phi Alpha Delta pre-law fraternity and vice president of CASA, who is spending the summer in London on a finance internship; and Senior Award recipient Erik Jensen, president of Phi Sigma Tau and the Greek Council, and an editor for the The Cornellian and The Royal Purple, who will pursue a master’s degree in higher education administration.
LAUNCH PAD FOR LIBRARIANS
Look for a Cornellian at a library near you someday soon, as a number of graduates seek advanced degrees in library and information science. The latest class includes Danielle Ziegler ’07 (University of Wisconsin-Madison), Alyssa Naley ’07 and Kelly Bartolotta ’07 (both University of Texas-Austin). Others are Rebecca Canovan ’06 (UW-Madison), Sarah Sander Slack ’06 (University of Iowa), Anna Walter ’05 (Indiana University grad), Keri Weston ’04 (University of South Carolina grad), and Kim Smith ’04 (UW grad).
FAMILY AFFAIR
At the reception for seniors and their parents June 1, Les and Katrina Garner hosted a family with extensive Cornell connections. Melissa Carter ’07 (holding son Connor Jacob Kobler) and her grandmother, Marion Schrader St. Clair ’47, were joined by Melissa’s father, Phil Carter, and uncle, John St. Clair Jr. (back right). Her great-great-grandmother, Ivanona Bryson, was the first Cornellian in the family.
SCHOLARSHIP FUND HONORS FATHER
The daughters of Paul Clayton ’35, a mathematics and physics major who became assistant chief engineer at Ford Motor Co., have committed $400,000 to endow a scholarship fund for students who show an interest in volunteerism and working toward the common good. The Paul M. Clayton Endowed Scholarship Fund will provide annual awards of approximately $6,000 each to four students who qualify for financial assistance.
SUMMER CAMPUS IMPROVEMENTS
A nearly $1.3 million project is under way at the Richard and Norma Small Multi-Sport Center to increase the size of the wrestling room and the Meyer Strength Training Facility and to improve the indoor track surface. King Chapel, marking its 125th year in June, received new limestone steps to its main entrance and will receive repairs to the pipe organ; a new cupola was placed on the northwest steeple in April. And Cornell’s newest residence hall, Clock Tower Hall, is due for a mid-August opening.
CORNELL FELLOWS HONORED IN MAY
The 2007 spring semester Cornell Fellows completed work at an array of organizations, including the office of U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin in Washington, D.C., Chicago’s Newberry Library, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, the Cedar Rapids Symphony Orchestra, Rockwell Collins, and the Fifteen in 5 initiatives in Cedar Rapids. These ambitious students were recognized at a campus reception in May.
RELAY REELS IN MORE THAN $52,000
The 5th Annual Relay for Life at Cornell raised more than $52,000 for the American Cancer Society, far exceeding the $40,000 goal for the event and topping the previous high total of $34,000.
NEW DIRECTOR OF COLLEGE ADVANCEMENT
Mary Rettig, who was Cornell’s registrar for two academic years (1993-95), has returned to the Hilltop as director of college advancement. Most recently she was with the University of Iowa Foundation, as director of development working primarily with the College of Nursing and College of Pharmacy.
HURDLER KLOBUCAR BECOMES ALL-AMERICAN
James Klobucar placed sixth in the 110-meter hurdles at the NCAA Division III national track and field championships to become an All-American.
BURKE RESIGNS AS TENNIS COACH
Fred Burke ’70, who led Cornell to 28 consecutive winning seasons and four conference championships, resigned in May as women’s tennis coach. Under Burke, Cornell claimed three Midwest Conference championships and the 2001 Iowa Conference title. Five times a Cornell player was named Iowa Conference Most Valuable Performer and three times Burke was named Coach of the Year.
ATHLETES RECOGNIZED FOR ACHIEVEMENTS
Seniors ruled at the year-end athletics recognition event. Individual honors went to tennis player Emily Loewen, football player Adam Eichhorn, multisport athlete Jill Hopper, runner Ben Tiemstra, volleyball player Jessica Johnson, and basketball player Anna Skaggs, who each closed out their athletic careers this year.
WRESTLING'S DUROE TO COACH AT PAN AM GAMES
Wrestling Coach Mike Duroe has been named one of the coaches for the U.S. team for the XV Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The wrestling competition is July 24-28. The Pan Am Games are expected to draw more than 5,000 athletes from 42 countries.
MAT CHAMPS' 60TH YEAR
It’s a David and Goliath story that never gets old. In 1947 the Cornell wrestling team won the all-division NCAA national championship—the smallest college to capture the title (enrollment: 650), ending Oklahoma State’s seven-year reign. Ten members of the championship team were on hand for a recognition event at the National Wrestling Hall of Fame 2007 Honors Weekend this month.
FROM A BULLDOG TO A BOBCAT
Athletic Hall of Fame member Rob Ash ’73 pulls up his Iowa roots and heads west to become football coach at Montana State University, after 18 seasons at Drake University.
MAKE TIME FOR CORNELL
June 30—the end of Cornell’s fiscal year—is upon us. There is still time to show your support and make a difference for Cornell. Your gift to the Annual Fund will touch every area on campus and provide essential scholarship dollars. So please support Cornell students and faculty by making your gift today. Whether $25 or $2,500, every gift counts in so many ways. Can we count on you?
Give every year. Make a difference every day.
COE VS. CORNELL: WHO WILL COME OUT ON TOP?
Attention classes of 1997-2006: We are entering the final days of the Coe-Cornell Young Alumni Challenge, and only a few points separate the Rams and the Kohawks. The challenge ends June 30! This competition measures participation, not the amount given. So every gift, regardless of size, moves us closer to victory and supports Cornell students. Time is running out. It’s coming down to the wire. GO RAMS!
SENIOR CHALLENGE RAISES RECORD AMOUNT
Graduating seniors raised a record $54,674 for the class gift, a contribution to the Annual Fund. The 2007 Senior Challenge drew commitments totaling $41,845, more than doubling the amount pledged by the Class of 2006, which previously held the record. Matching gifts added $12,829: Peter Wilch ’94, vice president for alumni and college advancement, and Melanie Wilch ’92 pledged a dollar-for-dollar match up to $10,000; President Les and Katrina Garner pledged $20.07 per student who participated.
ALUMNI DIRECTOR RETIRING, CORNELL HIRING
Alumni Director Ruth Keefe Miller ’66 plans to retire at the end of 2007 and Cornell has begun a national search to fill the position. The new alumni director will start in the fall so that training can happen while Miller is still in place. The alumni director plans, administers, and implements all alumni events and activities.
ALUMNI EVENTS
Alumni will celebrate summer together at several events around the country, including Denver, Chicago, and the always popular Cornell Young Alumni (C’YA) Happy Hours in 13 cities Aug. 17-18.
CELEBRATE CORNELL
Cornell is hosting a special "Celebrate Cornell" event as part of the Saturday Homecoming dinner on Oct. 13, 2007. This multimedia evening picks up where we left off at the sesquicentennial celebration, unveiling a plan to position Cornell for the next generation of students—and beyond. We invite all Cornellians to return for Homecoming 2007 to celebrate Cornell and be part of the plans for the campus, the curriculum, and the commitment to scholarships for all deserving students who want to become Cornellians.
