Meet our New Christopher Reeve Scholar–Ashley Alexander

In early November I enjoyed the best Cornell Performing Arts experience of my life: the premiere of Orlando’s Gift, written and directed by Cornell professor, David Feldshuh.  It’s an amazing script and was brilliantly acted.  The choreography, set and costumes added a great deal to the story.  I owe this memorable experience to our current Christopher Reeve ’74 scholar*, Ashley Alexander ’25, whom I recently met at a reception hosted by classmates John Foote and Kristen Rupert.  Wow!  You’ll read in her bio that Ashley is entrenched in theatre activities at Cornell.

 

My name is Ashley Alexander. I am a senior at Cornell University double majoring in Government and Performing Arts. I bring both talent and dedication to my studies and extracurriculars in the College of Arts and Sciences. I was born and raised in New York City. My parents were both born in Guyana, making me a proud first-generation college student. At Cornell, I have contributed to both on-stage and backstage roles in productions such as “Desdemona”, “Family Copali”, and “Orlando’s Gift”. Known for my kindness and hard work, I am a familiar face at the Schwartz Center for Performing Arts, where I not only take my classes but also hold a student job and spend countless hours in rehearsals.

My ambitions post-graduation include securing an internship at a production company, television studio, or courthouse while continuing to audition for film and theater roles. My ultimate dream would be to one day perform on Broadway or star in a major television show. In my day to day life as a student at Cornell, I find moments of joy by shopping at the Cornell Store and studying with my peers at Olin Library.

 

*The Christopher Reeve ’74 scholarship was started in 2005 by several of our classmates working with the College of Arts and Sciences.  Recently, the newly appointed Dean of the College, Peter John Loewen, told a group of visiting alumni that support for College scholarships is a top priority; my ears immediately perked up, knowing that some of our classmates continue to support this scholarship in memory of Chris.  If you would like to contribute to this scholarship click here.

Closing the Books on our 50th Reunion

As promised, here are the last four links to those wonderful RED talks from our Reunion.  Even if you were there you could only go to one and they were all so good!  So we wanted to share as much as we can so everyone can see the talents and passions of our classmates.  Can’t wait for the 55th!  These final four, all Cornell professors, have shared their research and passions with so many students at our alma mater.

Don’t Breathe the Air! Indoor Air Can Be 100 times More Polluted Than Outdoor Air presenter Cornell Professor Emeritus Joe Laquatra ’74 has been conducting research on indoor environmental air quality since 1986 and is focused on improvements that can result in healthier indoor environments.

Rebels: Jews and the Roman Empire presenter Barry Strauss ’74, a best-selling author, historian and Cornell Professor, talked about Jewish rebellions against the Roman Empire in ancient times and how they still shape our world today, 2000 years later.

The Love Bug: What Fruit Flies Tell Us About the Molecules of Life and Love presenter Mariana Wolfner ’74, Cornell Professor of genetics, developmental biology, and evolutionary biology in CALS, talked about how fruit flies reveal the genes and proteins essential for fertility in insects such as mosquitoes that transmit the Dengue and Zika viruses.

Hits & Flops from a Tree Fruit Entomologist’s Playlist: The Journey of a Bug Guy presenter Cornell Professor Emeritus Art Agnello ’74 describes himself (not necessarily in this order) as a tree fruit extension entomologist, amateur trumpeter, home winemaker, and travel buff.

Our 50th Reunion was right in the middle of the Cornell campaign To Do the Greatest Good.  We just got the final numbers and wow did our Class step up!  Raising almost $58 million from 779 donors and 96 Tower Club gifts, our class set a new 50th Reunion donor record and exceeded all our fundraising goals.  Our last minute challenge to get 774 donors was successful and our Class gifted $10,000 to our Class of 1974 Scholarship.  Many thanks to our Chairs, Andrea Glanz, Jim Irish and David Miller and all of you who gave–we sure did our greatest good!  (Class of 1974 Donor Honor Roll)

As we close the book on our 50th, don’t forget to make (or edit) your page in our Class of ’74 Memory Book.  The DEADLINE IS OCTOBER 15th.

If you are back on campus for Homecoming join our Class of ’74 Pre-Game event.

And don’t forget about the selected screenings of Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story–even the trailer is a tear jerker!  Consider getting together with Cornellians in your area for this.

Be well and stay tuned for my final email as our Class President.

50th Reunion…Almost Finished

Our 50th Reunion in Ithaca earlier this month was a grand success!  Thanks to all of you who’ve sent photos, shared stories, passed along anecdotes, made suggestions, and sent notes of appreciation.  It really was special!

As the sun sets on our reunion year, we have just one more request to help us finish out our 50th Reunion year on a high note.  We are only 36 donors shy of our goal of having 774 classmates make a gift to Cornell.  There are only six days left until the June 30 deadline.

Will you help us reach our goal by making a gift today in any amount, to any part of Cornell that’s important to you?  It’s easy—just click here before June 30, 2024.

 Please consider a gift of $19.74.  Or $50.  Or any other amount.  Thank you in advance for your support!  And if you have already given–thank you!

Sincerely,

Shelley Cosgrove DeFord

Your almost-but-not-quite-finished Class President

scdeford@gmail.com

On campus, final exams are in full swing and high temperatures are in the 70’s.

Remember those last few weeks of the school year in Ithaca when the weather got warm, the sun came out, and we rejoiced at the opportunity to be outside?!?  Happy memories.

Speaking of the semester’s end, our Class of 1974 Scholarship awardee Summer Parker-Hall ’25 just finished her Junior year.  Summer is working at Cornell Reunion in June and will spend some time at our class headquarters.  She is looking forward to playing her final season of women’s basketball under new coach Emily Garner, who came to Cornell from Trinity College in March.  Read more about Summer’s basketball success here.

Our Class of 1974 Scholarship was established in 1999 (at our 25th Reunion) by classmates Bob and Joan Saltsman Oelschlager ‘74 and the fund has grown through gifts made by more than 100 classmates.  Seven undergraduates have benefited from the scholarship.  New gifts to this scholarship are appreciated; any gift made in our Reunion year will help the class unlock an additional $10,000 for our Scholarship Fund.  Make a gift now to support our Class of 1974 Scholarship Fund.

And in other fundraising news, this week is Hillel Global Giving Week.  To make a gift to Cornell Hillel–which will also give you Reunion credit and help us achieve our 50th Reunion goals—click here.

Our class is getting closer to reaching our ambitious 50th Reunion Fundraising goal of 774 donors.  As of today we have 640 donor classmates—83% of the goal.  We need another 134 classmates to meet our goal.  If you’ve not yet made a gift to Cornell in this fiscal year (since July 1, 2023), please make a gift of any amount, to any part of Cornell—and join the Class of ’74 Donor Honor Roll.

Our 50th Reunion attendance numbers are very strong and growing daily, with over 500 people registered.  You don’t want to miss this special weekend—register now!

Finally, be sure to complete your page in our Memory Book.

We look forward to seeing you in June in Ithaca!

With 50 Days Until Reunion–We Have a Challenge

Counting down–it’s just 50 days before our 50th!

Reunion registration is open and going strong, leading us (we hope) to a record-breaking turnout.  If you haven’t registered yet, you can do so here and still get early bird pricing.

We have a very full program scheduled for our class this Reunion.  You won’t want to miss the Campus Climate discussion with Rabbi Ari Weiss, Executive Director of Cornell Hillel, at our headquarters Friday morning, or our classmates’ RED Talks at headquarters on Saturday morning.

Our Class of ’74 Memory Book is filling up with fun memories and updates.  Don’t be left out!  Create your page before Reunion. Whether or not you are attending Reunion, your Memory Book page will help you reconnect with other classmates.

AND with just 50 days to go, we have an exciting challenge–The Touchdown Challenge.

Touchdown, the Cornell bear, WANTS YOU to help our Class of ’74 break the all-time Cornell University record for 50th Reunion Giving Participation.  Our goal is to have 774 classmates make a gift to ANY Cornell area for ANY amount.  We have 50 days until Reunion and we need almost 200 additional classmates to donate to achieve our goal.

 Touchdown also WANTS YOU to know that your new gift (assuming you have not made a gift since July 1, 2023) will help us unlock an additional $10,000 donation to our Class of 1974 Scholarship Fund.  As soon as we hit our donor goal, that $10,000 will be deposited in our Scholarship Fund.

If you are not yet among our 50th Reunion donors, get your name on the donor list by clicking here.  Your gift will be counted as part of the Class of 1974 totals helping us reach our 774-donor goal.  Not sure if you’ve made a gift for our 50th Reunion?  Send an email to one of us. 

We are looking forward to seeing you at Reunion and in the Memory Book.

And thank you in advance for doing your greatest good!

Help Us Eclipse Cornell’s 50th Reunion Records

Our 50th Reunion is only two months away, but there’s still time for the Class of ’74 to make Cornell history.

Total eclipse of the Sun. The moon covers the sun in a solar eclipse.

For decades, the Class of ‘74 has blazed a path across the stratosphere of Cornell Reunion records.  And we’re close to doing it again!  So as the solar eclipse approaches, we’re asking you to help us eclipse the greatest reunion record of all: the most money ever raised by a 50th Reunion class.

We’re only $8 million away from breaking the record.  To do so, we need to raise the additional funds before June 30th.  Impossible you say?  Not for the Notable Class of ‘74.

Here’s how we can break the record:

First, we need participation from those of you who haven’t yet made a gift.  The more donors we have, the more money we will raise.  Make a Gift.

Next, we need a little luck.  We’ll need a few of you to surprise us by making the largest gift you’ve ever made to Cornell.  We’ll also need those of you who’ve given generously in the past but haven’t yet made your 2024 gift to be generous again.  A great way to maximize your giving is to make a three-year pledge of at least $5,000 per year.  If you do that, Cornell will count the full value of your three-year pledge toward our 50th Reunion Campaign.  Jordan Martin Clark (jam597@cornell.edu) (607 254-6188) is the person to contact at Cornell to make a three-year pledge.

Finally, if you’ve included Cornell in your estate plan by way of a will, trust, IRA, or annuity, but haven’t yet told Cornell, please do so before June 30th.  If you do, Cornell will count 60% of the current value of your planned bequest toward our class’s 50th Reunion Campaign total.

There are three important things to keep in mind about three-year pledges and planned gifts.  Cornell does not request documentation so your estate planning documents will remain private.  Cornell does not hold you to your pledge or future bequest because it understands that your financial situation or your plans may change over time.  Lastly, Cornell can help ensure you have set up your gift in a way that accomplishes your charitable goals.  Amy Jacobson (aj433@cornell.edu) (607 254-5829) is the person to contact to let Cornell know the university is in your estate plan.

If we do all this—and our history says we can—we will break 50th Reunion records with:

  • 774 Donors(gifts of any size)
  • 140 Cornell Giving Partners(gifts of $1,000 to $10,000)
  • 74 Tower Club Donors(gifts of $10,000 or more)
  • Most Dollars Raised

 

Thanks in advance for supporting Cornell and for helping the Class of ‘74 eclipse Cornell’s 50th Reunion records!

Springtime News and Giving Day

Spring has arrived at Cornell!  So that means it will probably snow during finals week.

This past weekend, on campus, featured the 40th Spring Runway Show presenting the undergraduate designers in the Cornell Fashion Collective.  With the Academy Awards coming up on Sunday, Cornell Historian Corey Earle ’07 shares a fun story about the many Cornellians in Oppenheimer.  And in more Hollywood news, a new documentary about our classmate Christopher Reeve, Super/Man:  The Christopher Reeve Storymade its debut at Sundance to great acclaim.  Cornell always makes us proud!

The big news for our class continues to be our upcoming 50th Reunion in June.  The excitement is mounting and palpable, with so many classmates planning to return to campus, some for the first time since graduation.  As I read through the many fond memories our classmates share in our Class of ’74 Memory Book, the sense of the collective pride and gratitude for our Cornell experience is profound.

Next Thursday, March 14th, is Cornell’s Giving Day: a day for being grateful for these Cornell experiences and for giving back.  We hope you will join ’74 classmates by doing the greatest good that feels right for you.

Did you know that our [Notable] Class of 1974 supports two scholarships?

The Christopher Reeve ’74 Scholarship goes to a Theatre Arts student, in memory of our classmate Chris Reeve.  Begun in 2006 by several classmates, the Christopher Reeve Scholarship  has played a big part in the lives of a half a dozen or so extraordinary and talented students.  The current Reeve Scholar is Angel Katthi ’24.  For her senior thesis, Angel produced and directed Peerless, a dark and comedic take on Shakespeare’s Macbeth.  Read the Sun’s review here.

The Class of 1974 Scholarship was started in 1999 by classmates Bob and Joan Saltsman Oelschlager in celebration of our 25th Reunion.  The recipients, selected by Cornell, generally receive this scholarship throughout their undergraduate years.  Our class has supported 7 students since 1999.  Our current Class of 1974 Scholar is Summer Parker-Hall ’25.  Summer, who grew up in Chicago, is a junior in the College of Agriculture & Life Sciences and a starting forward and leading scorer on the Cornell Women’s Basketball team.

Both scholarships continue to be funded by many ’74 classmates as part of their annual giving.  Please join our class officers this Giving Day and make a contribution to one or both of these scholarships.  Or, just give to any area of Cornell that you choose through the Giving Day link.  Your gift of any amount will count toward our lofty Reunion goal of getting 774 donors.  Note: you CANNOT actually make a gift through these links until Giving Day on March 14th.

Thank you in advance for doing your greatest good!

See you in June!

Tax-Smart Giving Strategies: How to make a 50th reunion gift that can help Cornell–and you

Our 50th Reunion Campaign Chairs Andrea Glanz and Jim Irish hosted a webinar on tax-smart giving on Thursday, November 30th.  Amy Jacobsen and Rebecca Page Johnson from the Cornell Gift Planning Team gave a presentation on ways that classmates can give in tax-smart ways.  Jim, Andrea and our Fund representative Jordan Martin Clark moderated the talk and hosted questions.  You can watch the webinar here.

Giving Thanks and Giving Smart

As Thanksgiving and our 50th Reunion approach, I hope you are reflecting gratefully about your time at Cornell and how it has contributed to your life.

Our 50th Reunion Campaign Chairs, Andrea Glanz and Jim Irish, are hosting a webinar for our class about tax-smart giving strategies that can help both you and Cornell.  This webinar will be held on Thursday, November 30th, at 1:00 pm ET.  You should have received an invitation with a registration link last week but you can also register here.  The webinar will be recorded for those who can’t make it.

Two members of Cornell’s Gift Planning Team will join Andrea and Jim to discuss strategies you can implement now before the calendar year ends, as well as longer term strategies, to make a high-impact gift in honor of our 50th Reunion.

I hope you and your family have a wonderful Thanksgiving and I hope to see you in Ithaca in June!

Be well!

Cornell Giving Day–Supporting ’74 Scholarships

Next Thursday, March 16th, is Cornell’s Giving Day: a day for being grateful for your Cornell experiences and for giving back.  We hope you will join ’74 classmates by doing the greatest good that feels good for you.

 

 

 

 

Did you know that our[Notable] Class of 1974 supports two scholarships?

The Christopher Reeve Scholarship goes to a Theatre Arts student, in memory of our classmate Chris Reeve.  Begun in 2006 by several classmates, the Christopher Reeve Scholarship  has played a big part in the lives of a dozen or so extraordinary and talented students. For Giving Day this year, our class has selected the Reeve Scholarship as the fundraising cause we are promoting.

The Class of 1974 Scholarship was started in 1999 by classmates Joan and Bob Oelschlager in celebration of our 25th Reunion.  The recipients, selected by Cornell, generally receive this scholarship throughout their undergraduate years.  Our class has supported 7 students since 1999.  Our current Class of 1974 Scholar is Summer Parker-Hall ’25.  Summer, who grew up in Chicago, is a sophomore in the College of Agriculture & Life Sciences and a starting forward on the Cornell Women’s Basketball team.

Both scholarships continue to be funded by many ’74 classmates as part of their annual giving.  Please join our class officers this Giving Day and make a contribution to one or both of these scholarships.  Or, just give to any area of Cornell that you choose through the Giving Day link.  The giving links are listed below.  Note: you cannot actually make a gift through these links until March 16.

Giving Day
The Christopher Reeve Scholarship

The Class of 1974 Scholarship

Thank you, in advance, for doing your greatest good!