Supporting Class of ’74 Scholarships on Giving Day
By now, I am sure you know that today is Cornell’s Giving Day. You have likely received a number of emails from different Cornell causes that you care about. As a proud member of the Class of 1974, you may know that our class supports not just one, but two scholarships—our Class Scholarship and the Christopher Reeve Scholarship.
The Class of 1974 Scholarship was started in 1999 by classmates Bob and Joan Saltsman Oelschlager in celebration of our 25th Reunion. The fund has grown over the years through gifts from hundreds of classmates. The student recipients, selected by Cornell, receive this scholarship throughout their undergraduate years. Our class has supported seven students since 1999. Our current Class of 1974 Scholar is Summer Parker-Hall ’25. Summer, who grew up in Chicago, is a senior and a starting forward on the Cornell women’s basketball team.
Some classmates have gotten to know Summer by attending her games. She was one of our fabulous Reunion clerks for our 50th. She is a Communication major in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and her dream is to work in sports marketing and business operations. Her Cornell experiences, both academic and athletic, have set her up for success and she is very grateful to the Class of ’74. Look out world—here comes Summer! Check out some recent press about Summer and a fun mic’d up training session (if you get a sign up/log in message ignore it)–she’s fun and a leader! She’s pictured here with classmates John Foote, Kristen Rupert and Bill Walker after the recent game at Harvard.
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 more than a dozen extraordinary and talented students. Classmate Mary Berens recently caught up with our current Reeve Scholar Ashley Alexander ’25. Ashley, also a senior, is from New York and is a double major in Government and Performance and Media Arts. Her entire family is proudly planning to attend her graduation. She is the first in her family to graduate from college and the first from her charter school in Queens to graduate from an Ivy. Ashley would love to stay in Ithaca and work in theater after graduation. She, too, is thankful for her scholarship. Here is a recent photo of Mary and Ashley.
You can read more about all our past ’74 and Reeve Scholars on our Give Back page on the class website.
On this Cornell Giving Day, I hope that you will consider a donation to one or both of these class supported scholarships or to any Cornell cause that grabs your heart. Below are quick links to help you:
The Christopher Reeve Scholarship
Thanks you for doing your greatest good and please be well!
