65th Birthday Reunion news and more
We had a great 65th Birthday Reunion celebration in Ithaca earlier this month, with more than 50 classmates and guests attending class dinners over a spectacular weekend. We came from as far away as Texas, California, Colorado and Michigan—and as close as Ithaca. Special thanks to classmates Bob Baldini, who made all the final arrangements and ensured everything ran smoothly, and Perry Jacobs, who conceived of and promoted th Birthday Reunion. Take a peek at the class photo below, from class VP Bill Howard, and plan now to attend our 45thReunion June 9-12, 2019!
Reunion weekend 2017 featured a number of highlights including a talk by Bill Nye ’77—The Science Guy—back for his own Reunion. The sold-out crowd in Bailey Hall heard an entertaining and enlightening presentation by Nye on “How Cornellians Will Save the World.” Nye shared his experiences at Cornell as a mechanical engineering student, his early work at Boeing, and his relationship with Carl Sagan, who inspired Nye to become a science educator. Watch Bill Nye’s Cornell talk on video here.
New Cornell President Martha Pollack shared her insights on her first seven weeks on campus in a one-on-one Reunion interview on the Bailey Hall stage. President Pollack talked about why she decided to interview for the Cornell president’s job, how a professor at her undergraduate college (Dartmouth!) changed the course of her life, why free speech is critical on today’s college campuses, and how her husband and four cats are adjusting to life in Ithaca. Check out Martha’s interview here.
In her Cornell Commencement address last month, Martha Pollack talked about a Notable Class of ’74 member named Daniel Fried. Daniel recently retired from a forty-year diplomatic career with the US Foreign Service after serving as US Ambassador to Poland and Special Assistant to Presidents Clinton and George W. Bush, with a focus on Eastern Europe. Martha directed our grads to consider Daniel’s retirement speech in which he said, “I learned never to underestimate the possibility of change, that values have power, and that time and patience can pay off.” For the full text of Ambassador Fried’s remarks, click here.
Finally, looking for some intellectual stimulation this summer in one of the most beautiful places in the world? Consider returning to campus to take a Cornell Adult University course. Week-long classes are offered in July. Choose among classes in history, politics, wines, kayaking, golf, archaeology, cooking, hip hop and more. Visit the CAU website.
Happy Summer!
