Class Notes, September/October 2001

Thursday November 01, 2001 Category: Archives Permanent Link

For those of you who were unable to attend Reunion weekend, you missed out on 1) a Cornell baseball cap, 2) the understated charm of Dickson’s communal restrooms, 3) copious amounts of Crystal Light and Rogan’s pizza, and 4) a chance to brag about that time in ‘95 when you were, like, so trashed. But don’t despair, I wrote a few Reunion highlights down during the endless road trip back to New York City ; there’s nothing like extreme discomfort to inspire creativity and bickering among old friends. (By the way, thanks to my traveling companions for joining me in all of those spirited sing-alongs at the Dairy Queen!)

If you did attend the Reunion festivities, I hope you had a great time. Let me know about your experiences and I will put them in the Class Notes if space permits, but direct your compliments and concerns to Class President Katrina James and 5th Reunion Chair Matthew Heberger.

Although I missed the Finger Lakes Winery tours, the Class of ‘96 BBQ, and the Cornell Chorus and Glee Club Concert on Friday, I arrived in time for the All-Alumni tent party on the Arts Quad. After steadying my nerves with a cold Crystal Light, I ran into Lisa DeBenedictis, Audrey Kleinsmith, and Saif Rathore. Lisa, who was waiting for Stephanie Sanok to recover from her flight from Brussels , Belgium to Ithaca , starts medical school in Ohio in the fall. Earlier this year, Lisa wrote to report that she had visited another Reunion attendee, Marisa Cardona, in Indianapolis . “Mari works for United Airlines and attends graduate school.”

Courtney Rubin caught up with Gian Fabbri, Nicholas Goldin, JD ‘99, and Joshua Friedman, JD ‘99, in the All-Alumni tent before embarking on a 7:30 a.m. Reunion Run the next morning. Sheryl Magzamen must also be a morning person because she was there, too. Gian and wife Karen (Fadden) celebrated their first anniversary in April. Karen reports that her husband “has crossed into enemy territory (Harvard), where he’ll get a master’s degree in environmental engineering.” Karen has “left the business world to pursue a creative career as a screenwriter/actor.” She also says that Rob ‘95, ME C ‘96, and Holly Lebowitz Rossi have moved into a new home in Arlington , MA .

Despite the pleas of ‘96ers like Marie Rodriguez Quirch and Marion Vetter, the All-Alumni tent deejays proceeded to party like it was 1979. After Vivian’s requests were met with varying degrees of scorn, she wrote “play something from the last ten years” on the song list. Alas, her request was denied, leaving the possibility of a Spin Doctors medley unrealized. On Saturday night, fearless ‘96ers like Erin Linehan, Lindsay Swain, James Mallios, Albert Nguyen, Amy Carpenter Buckler and Marisa Cardona fared better on the dance floor. Inspired by a perplexing mix of music (AC/DC, Dead or Alive, Rick James, ABBA, the Commodores), one classmate practiced moves straight out of Breakin’ 2: Electric Boogaloo.

But I’m getting ahead of myself … on Saturday morning, breakfast was served at RPCC (which will always be RPU to me). The recently remodeled interior reminds me a little bit of Hackers. How many big screen TVs and video games do these kids really need? After breakfast I visited Willard Straight Hall and the Cornell Campus Store, which has also been remodeled. Many classmates devoted the early afternoon to visiting the Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art, canoeing, bowling, wine-touring, or stopping by fraternities or sororities for receptions. At the Cornell Daily Sun reception, Liam O’Mahony, Courtney Rubin, Brendan Sobie, and Joshua Holbreich leafed through copies of the newspaper from 1995 and 1996. Erica L. Siegel, MPA ‘97, stopped by on her way to the Cornell-in-Washington reunion reception across the hall. Liam came all the way from Seattle where he works as a PR liaison for the Sonics and Storm. During the summer, he does publicity for the women’s team.

At the Class of ‘96 reception at Biotech, the Hangovers performed “Brown-Eyed Girl” while Michael Merritt, Diana Fox, Stephanie Chisholm, Katrina James, Jennifer Lagnado, MAT ‘97, Marilyn Bashoff, Catherine Rowbotham, Katie Butler, Sandra Fried, Ted Rieper, ME I ‘97, Grace Lee, Hunter R. Rawlings III, Andrea Foster, and many others socialized. Andrea flew in from San Diego , CA , where she works in hospitality technology sales. She is currently serving as the Class Director for the Hotel school Class of 1996. She keeps in touch with Justine Harrison, Joshua Babbitt, MS I ‘97, Stephanie Britt Griffin, and Danielle Piscitelli Robillard. Justine Harrison wrote in last May to report that Las Vegas is growing on her: “After one year here, I’m settling in and really enjoying the city (Elvis impersonators notwithstanding).” She created and is leading a new division at the wireless telecom development company where she works.

A Class of ‘96 photo and “Latin Fiesta Dinner” followed the reception on the Biotech Lawn. Reunion Chair Matthew Heberger thanked everyone who helped him plan the Reunion events. After dinner, the All-Alumni tents opened and Cornelliana Night began in Bailey Hall, but some ‘96ers, like Kathryn Rubenstein, preferred to hang out in Collegetown. Another Reunion attendee, Aileen Gariepy, sent in news about her December 2000 wedding. She married Brian Housel “with the support of Sabrina Falquier, Becca Kornfeld, and Amanda Ripley. Lisa Green was snowed in in DC.” Aileen is starting her residency in obstetrics and gynecology at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia .

If your name did not appear in this brief run-down of Reunion weekend, write me a note and let me know. I was probably stockpiling bottles of Crystal Light and didn’t see you. And please keep the news coming to

— Allie Cahill, Class Correspondent