Thankful for Big Red Cures for COVID Blues

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Thanksgiving is next week and COVID has us feeling a bit less in the spirit of the holiday as we all keep adjusting to this new, strange normal.  But there are some things out there for which we can be thankful.

Cornell has completed the in-person semester as planned and to much national praise for its handling of the virus.  Our alma mater has made us proud with its students, faculty and administration all working together.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The University has organized and shares many “experiences”–Big Red cures for the COVID blues!

Cornell, virtually, welcomed us all back with StayHomecoming 2020.  It featured a COVID discussion with Dr. Anthony Fauci ’66 and Kate Snow ’91 and current Cornell students, President Pollack’s State of the University, a discussion on Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s ’54 influence on the world, and other fun digital events.  Relive them here.

American Studies lecturer/unofficial Cornell historian Corey Earle ’07 invites us to enjoy his webinars and lectures.  Watch here and sign up for alerts.

Announcements from Cornell about future events are arriving in your inbox fast and furiously–don’t hit delete.  They contain information and links to sign up for interesting discussions and webinars like these and the ones above.

Especially in this season, reach out through call and virtual meetings to your old friends from your days on the hill or the new ones you’ve made at reunions or other events.  Keep your Cornell connections strong.  And look for a post-Thanksgiving email about a Cornell Global on-line party with a special Class of ’74 get together on December 12th.

I hope you and your loved ones are all well and finding a way to celebrate Thanksgiving and the holiday season.

Happy Thanksgiving and please be well!

Class Scholar Wendi Gonzalez ’21–Her Cornell Journey

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Even as it seems that the world has stood still, our Class Scholar Wendi Gonzalez is in her final year in the College of Art, Architecture & Planning.  We first met Wendi in September of 2016 as a newly minted Cornell Freshman from High Point, North Carolina.
Through her photos and letters to us we’ve gotten to watch her Cornell journey.  After her first semester she wrote to us about her new friends, new foods she’d eaten, terrifying Slope sledding and sleeping through two early classes–the quintessential Freshman experience.  After her third semester she shared that her hardest professor probably got the best work out of her.  She joined NOMAS (National Organization of Minority Architecture Students) and helped them fund raise to get Cornell students to a competition in Chicago, where last year they won second place.  Read about that here.  Spring ’19 with the Cornell in Rome program brought places to life that Wendi had only ever read about and she was able to share that with us in person at our 45th Reunion.

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Despite COVID, she spent this past summer in Reno, Nevada interning at one of Tesla’s operation centers.  Her work included helping to design manufacturing facilities for Tesla.

Wendi recently caught up with classmates Kristen Rupert and John Foote. They shared her thoughtful message to our class and her photos.  You can read her message here.
Ever gracious, Wendi has let us see her life and work at Cornell and always conveys gratitude to our class.  As our Class of ’74 Scholar she makes us incredibly proud.  This scholarship, started over 30 years ago by our classmates Bob and Joan Saltsman Oelschlager, is supported by members of our class.  If you’d like to help support it, click here and designate “Class of 1974 Scholarship.”
Enjoy Wendi’s story and successes!

President Corson’s Reflections from June 1974 Still Relevant Today

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When we sent our “Graduation Reminiscences” email to classmates in late May, including a cover photo of the 1974 graduation issue of The Cornell Daily Sun, we heard from a number of you asking about getting a copy of Cornell President Dale Corson’s graduation speech.  Cornell’s historic documents, including graduation speeches, are kept in the University Archives which are part of the Cornell libraries.   And although all Ithaca campus libraries have been closed to the public since March because of COVID-19, the University Archivist was recently able to go back into Olin Library and access a copy of President Corson’s address.

This typed commencement speech, which Corson gave at Barton Hall on June 3, 1974, includes quotes from notable authors, alumni and academics, as well as some humor.  And although most of us were likely sitting in Barton Hall on that warm June day, we probably have very little recollection of what President Corson shared.  Fortunately, we now have another chance to “hear” what Dale Corson said. In re-reading this speech 46 years later, you can’t help but be impressed with its resonance and relevance to today’s unsettled times.

Take a few minutes to read the speech—I believe you will be rewarded by the perspective it affords us all, as Cornellians and citizens of the world.

President Corson’s speech is posted on our class website—you can read it here.

Happy reading and please be well!

School Bells are Ringing (Maybe)

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It’s that time of year when school bells are ringing*. This year, however, will be unlike any in our memory for students in grades K-12 through college. In-person, on-line, hybrid, staggered, and socially distanced are just some of the strategies being employed around the country.

The Cornell administration, after a very deliberative process, made the decision in early July to re-open the University for in-person study for all students, but with a complex set of rules and procedures designed to keep students, faculty and staff safe. Interestingly, this plan is significantly different from the path chosen by our Ivy compatriots which are either going all on-line or bringing back to campus only some students.

In early August, Cornell had to make an adjustment in its plan in response to a travel advisory issued by New York State. This advisory requires any person entering New York from a “hot -spot” state (currently 35 states are considered hot-spots) to quarantine in the State for 14 days. The University announced that if students were able to quarantine, great; otherwise, Cornell encouraged these “hot-spot” students to stay home. Further, the University announced that all classes would be offered in one of two formats: online or hybrid (i.e., in-person and on-line).

Students who are able are expected to begin returning to campus this week [week of Aug 17th]. Also, every student (whether they are on campus or not) is required to sign a Behavioral Compact that sets forth the expectations for student behavior in order to minimize transmission of COVID-19.

While most of the Cornell community agrees that the University’s plan is bold and “science-driven”, there is a general acknowledgement it is a high wire act with many possible outcomes, both good and bad. To understand the differing views about the reopening, check out both Cornell President Martha Pollack’s recent interview with the Ithaca Voice and a letter to the Cornell Provost written by the chair of the Cornell Assembly.

Forty-seven years ago, as we were planning on returning to campus for the last time as undergrads, the big issue was a shortage of dorm rooms resulting in students bunking in residence hall lounges and double rooms turned into triples and quads. While inconvenient and uncomfortable, it sounds almost quaint next to what our young Cornellians will be facing when they return to the Hill.  Keep your fingers crossed.

Stay safe and healthy,

*The title of Carole King’s 1962 classic  School Bells are Ringing –the world was simpler then.

Summertime Feelings

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It’s Summertime!  While the livin’ might not be as easy as last year, things have opened up and the weather is allowing us a bit more freedom.  Enjoy these long days!

Cornell hosted a virtual reunion earlier this month, with more than 10,000 alumni participants.  Highlights included a panel on leading through a pandemic, a dialogue among alumni and staff about racial injustice, a tribute to Cornell’s late President Frank Rhodes, an interview with Kansas Congresswoman Sharice Davids, Cornell Law JD ’10, who is the first LGBTQ Native American elected to Congress, and Cornelliana night featuring 2000 alums singing the Alma Mater.  For more on Reunion, and links to recorded sessions, visit.

The Cornell community is awaiting a decision from President Pollack (expected in early July) about re-opening plans for the fall.  New York State is expected to issue guidance to colleges and universities and Cornell will incorporate those recommendations into its final re-start plan.  More and up to date information can be found here.

Although the campus remains closed for now, you can participate virtually in Cornell summer activities.  Take a tour of the Cornell Dairy Bar, explore the Waterfalls of Fall Creek or watch birds through the Lab of Ornithology’s live web cams.  Stroll the Botanic Gardens and empower yourself by Managing Your Wellbeing.  And,  CAU (Cornell Adult University) is virtual and free this summer–check out this summer’s offerings.

Cornell’s fiscal year ends on June 30th.  You can make a gift to the university here.  And if you have not yet renewed or paid your Class of ’74 dues, you can do that online here.  Although you are forever a member of our [notable] class, we need and value your dues to support class communications, activities and Cornell Alumni Magazine.

Enjoy your summer, stay connected and please be well!

Rain, Rain Go Away—Oh Who Cares About a Little Rain

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Just one year ago my biggest concern as one of our 45th Reunion chairs was rain.  How trivial that seems now!  Who would care about a rainy reunion or a less than sunny  graduation ceremony?  And who wouldn’t be thrilled to be getting drenched at a ball game right now?  Life has changed and so have our points of view.

Rain storms lead to rainbows, and the “rainout” of this year’s Reunion has led to an innovative Cornell 2020 Virtual Reunion  ,with a myriad of crazy and fun activities planned. Even though it’s not our Reunion year, we can still be part of the celebration.  And don’t miss these hidden gems you can download.

Or, relive the fun of our 45th Reunion on a rain-less, beautiful Ithaca weekend through these links to the  Class Slide Show and the Weekend Photos –all with many thanks to Bill Howard.  (Password is notable.)

 

 

Last week Kristen Rupert shared a photo of her copy of the Cornell Daily Sun’s issue from our graduation.  I reread my copy this weekend and it included a thoughtful piece about our four years by classmate Joel Rudin, “Coming Together, Leaving Apart.”  Classmate Bill Howard reviewed our four years of athletic highs and lows as well.  I tied to find an archived copy of that issue with no luck but many issues are archived and the search was fun.  Check it out here.

Here’s to clearer skies ahead.

Please be well!

Graduation Reminiscences from June 1974

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Many of us are attending virtual graduations this spring, celebrating high school and college students who are achieving a significant milestone in a less-than-traditional way.  What better time to reflect on our own Class of 1974 graduation and the job market into which we entered in summer 1974?

As you can see from the front page of the 1974 graduation issue of The Cornell Daily Sun, our class had 2,475 graduates on Monday, June 3, 1974.  In keeping with longstanding Cornell tradition, our commencement had no guest speaker or honorary degrees.  Cornell President Dale Corson delivered our commencement address—all Cornell presidents have done the same.  The topic of President Corson’s  address was Morality.  Does anyone remember that talk?!?

We gathered on the Arts Quad on that long-ago spring day and paraded past the Olin Library steps where faculty and administrators were gathered.  We marched up to Barton Hall for the graduation ceremony.  It was quite warm inside Barton and the crowd was in the thousands.  We were the last class to graduate in Barton Hall—since 1975, all Cornell graduation ceremonies have been held outdoors, rain or shine, in Schoellkopf Stadium

The Sun of May 31, 1974 reflects on the job market into which we graduated.  “Most of those who will graduate plan to continue their schooling, but many say they hope to start their careers. Among the more unusual jobs taken by seniors in this year’s class include a ranch hand in Wyoming, a zookeeper in Utica, and a co-manager of a Southern tobacco farm.  The jobs range from the banal to the extraordinary and include bank teller, toolmaker, engineer, computer programmer, researcher, teacher, salesperson, and employment in laboratories, farming, the military and the Peace Corps.”  The article also notes that Engineering grads have plenty of jobs to choose from and demand is booming.  The Cornell Career Center assistant director said he was optimistic about liberal arts graduates being persistent and ultimately finding jobs.

Here’s to celebrating all graduates—from 2020 and from 1974!

Bringing Spring Semester to a Close

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This was Cornell’s last week of classes, all of which have been online since early April.   I teach a graduate level course in infrastructure policy in Cornell’s College of Human Ecology and speaking as someone who has never taught online, the last two months have been a real eye opener. I have come to realize what an enormous privilege it is to be a student at a residential college with constant in-person interaction with fellow students and faculty.  This is what all of us in the Class of 1974 experienced as undergrads.  Now, Cornell students, like students all over the world, have been deprived of this extraordinary opportunity because of the pandemic.

Kristen and I have been hunkered down at our home in Boston since mid-March, but we made a trip to Ithaca this week. Walking around campus as the first signs of spring are showing (it has been a late spring here, with snow (!?!) a few days ago) one feels the absence of the essential energy that makes the Hill the vibrant, stimulating place we all remember.  Whether that energy, in the form of 20,000 students, returns this Fall is now under intensive study by the University. Does Cornell bring back all students, some students, or no students in person?  We should know the answer by late June.

In the meantime, Cornellians’ creativity and passions are finding outlets that remind us why our Alma Mater is special.  Watch and listen to:

  • The Cornell Alma Mater performed virtually by members of the CU Wind Symphony (check out the students’ majors at the end—Any Person, Any Study….)
  • Cornell Chimes End-of-Year Concert earlier this week featuring two students working the chimes’ hand and foot pedals atop McGraw Tower and sending music across campus as dusk settles (check out the campus views).

Stay safe and healthy,