8. Stephanie Geller

Several of the alums featured between now and reunion were degree marshals for their respective colleges during our commencement ceremony in May 1995, an honor awarded to the two students in each college with the highest GPA.

Baltimore, Maryland · Architecture, Art, and Planning

Name at Cornell
Stephanie Lessans

stephaniegeller@hotmail.com


Tell us about what you're doing with your life.

I live in Baltimore with my husband, Jeff, and my two sons, Henry (age 12) and Ira (age 9).  Although I’ve changed jobs several times since graduating from Cornell and obtaining my MSW several years later, my professional goal to help revitalize our nation’s distressed urban areas has not changed.  I’m particularly passionate about catalyzing out-of-the-box, community wealth-building models such as worker-owned cooperatives to create quality, empowering job opportunities in low-income areas.  Outside of work, I love reading, games, and spending quality time with my friends and family.  I also love hiking, especially around waterfalls (which definitely has roots in my years at Cornell).

What is your favorite memory of your time at Cornell?

My favorite times were those spent with dear friends—first, hanging out on the 3rd floor of U-Hall 3 and then at “The Brick,” a dilapidated house on Eddy Street, where we spent many nights playing hearts, laughing, and just relaxing together!  I spent too much time at Uris Library, but even when I think back to those long days and nights of studying, my memories are quite happy ones—sitting next to good friends (we spent so much time in one area that we deemed certain desks to be ours) and taking breaks to enjoy stir-fries and cookies at the Straight.

·  How has your time at Cornell influenced you since you graduated?

As an Urban & Regional Studies major at Cornell, I learned about the interconnected nature of the systems, institutions, policies, attitudes, and many other factors shaping our communities and oftentimes resulting in severe urban challenges.  My classes helped me develop a “macro-lens”—an ability to recognize the interrelated forces that have left so many of our nation’s neighborhoods facing severe disinvestment and stress.  As someone now working to revitalize some of Baltimore’s poorest areas, this lens has helped me better understand the complex challenges facing this city and formulate the type of systemic-level solutions necessary to affect positive, sustainable change.  

What are you most looking forward to at Reunion 2015?
First, I am so excited to re-connect with my friends.  Our four years together at Cornell helped us become so close—I know that even though it has been so many years since we’ve seen each other, we will jump right back in where we left off—laughing, sharing, and catching up!  I also am looking forward to sharing one of my favorite places in the world—Cornell—with my sons, who are now 9 and 12.  They had a blast at the last reunion, and now that they are 5 years older, I know will get even more out of the experience.

11. Jason Ardizzone-West

Yonkers, New York · Architecture, Art, and Planning

jason@ardizzonewest.com


Tell us about what you're doing with your life.

After graduating from Cornell with a Bachelor of Architecture degree, I worked as an architect for years, got married to an amazing woman, then took some time off to be a full time dad to our two children. When it was time to enter the professional world again, I decided to pursue theatrical set design, which had always been my real passion. I went back to school, got my MFA in set design from New York University, and am now happily working as a freelance set designer. I’m currently juggling: teaching set design at NYU Tisch, designing two shows at Juilliard, designing the set for the national tour of “Bullets Over Broadway.” designing Cornell’s sesquicentennial weekend celebration events, renovating my basement, and getting ready for movie night with my family. In other words, life is good!

What was your favorite class at Cornell, or the one you found the most useful?

I loved so many of my classes at Cornell—honestly, there is not one that stands out by itself, but I definitely loved every single year of “archi-torture studio,” as well as the few classes I took outside the College of Architecture, Art & Planning - particularly the Intro to Native American Studies class.

·  What extracurricular activity or hobby from your time at Cornell was the most meaningful?

I had so many great extracurricular experiences at Cornell, working in the scene shop at the Performing Arts Center, living in Risley and making theater there, rock-climbing, working for Cornell Productions… but I think my favorite extracurricular activity was working with the Cornell Concert Commission loading-in concerts and working security, and running spot light, etc. I met so many people who shared a love of live performance, but who came from so many different backgrounds and colleges.

If you could change anything about your Cornell experience, what would it be?
I don’t have many regrets in my life (or my Cornell experience), but if I had it all to do over again I would have participated in the Cornell in Rome program. I still haven’t been to Italy!

12. Nancy Gedeon

Denver, Colorado · Architecture, Art and Planning

neg2@cornell.edu

Tell us about what you're doing with your life.

I live in Denver, Colorado, with my boyfriend, and work in local government as a demographic analyst.

What is your favorite memory of your time at Cornell?

I had the luxury of taking one class during a three-week summer session after freshman year.  The weather was gorgeous and the small class size was refreshing after all the large lecture classes of the previous semesters.  It was like a vacation and it’s when my fondness for Ithaca developed.

·  What was your favorite class at Cornell, or the one you found the most useful?

The question should be which class was least useful.  All my classes were interesting and useful, from my very first urban and regional studies class, The American City, to Introduction to Modern Dance, where I realized my love for dance.

How has your time at Cornell influenced you since you graduated?
Cornell made me a better person.  I may not have had the best time while I was there, but I always knew I would appreciate it in the long run.  Cornell opened my mind, surrounded me with amazing people, and made me humble.

68. Shawn Morris

New York, New York · Architecture, Art, and Planning

Every few weeks, Cornell '95 Faces features a profile of one of our class officers. This week, meet the Treasurer.


Name at Cornell
Shawn Hecht

shawnmorrisnyc@gmail.com

Tell us about what you're doing with your life.
I'm a master juggler!  I’m a mother of a toddler, wife, and project manager at an large international bank. I love living in Soho NYC, travelling the world, and hanging out with my four nieces and two nephews.

What are your duties as class officer and what have you enjoyed about the job?
I am currently the Treasurer for the Class of '95. For those who know me, not to worry, everything is on a spreadsheet.  I'm in charge of keeping the Class's finances in order, ensuring we increase the treasury, and helping to spend some of it on reunion and/or other Class activities. This is my third officer position; I was VP as well as Class President.  My commitment to our class keeps me involved and connected with Cornell.

What does being a Cornell alumnus mean to you?
I am so proud to be a Cornell alumnae. My father, brother, and a sister-in-law all went to Cornell and I have already started teaching my son, nieces, and nephews to say "Go Big Red."

What extracurricular activity or hobby from your time at Cornell was the most meaningful?
I was very involved in the Greek system and my junior-senior years I was Panhellenic President. Regularly speaking in front of hundreds of students and members of the administration plus organizing events for 1,200 women was great training for project management at a big bank. Plus a lot of fun.  And most importantly, I made long lasting friendships with women inside and outside of my sorority.  During my annual Oscar Party, I usually have three sororities and at least ten “sisters” represented.

What are you most looking forward to at Reunion 2015?
I can't wait to connect with friends from the Hill I don't get to see very often. A lot of us waited a while to have families so I'm excited to see pictures (or meet!) the next generation of Cornellians. 

79. Brett Blumenthal

Boston (Cambridge), Massachusetts

· Architecture, Art, and Planning

moque19@gmail.com

Tell us about what you're doing with your life.

Professionally, I'm an author within the lifestyle design and wellness genre. My books have included best sellers 52 Small Changes: One Year to a Happier, Healthier You; A Whole New You: How to Ignite Change for Your Best Life; and Get Real and Stop Dieting. My next book is currently under negotiation and will likely be released in January of 2016.

Additionally, I'm an artist and focus on multimedia illustrations and watercolors. My work can be found at http://www.tinytoesdesign.com and Etsy.

Prior to my current careers in writing and art, I practiced architecture for over five years and was a management consultant for close to seven years. I also went back to Cornell to get my MBA.

My most recent "project" was giving birth to our beautiful son earlier this year, a project I'm most proud of!

What advice would you give to a student starting at Cornell this year?
While at Cornell, I struggled to find what it was I really wanted to do. It took me a long time to realize that I needed to be true to myself, my talents, and my passions. For years, I tried to fit into a typical corporate setting because I thought that was what I should do. I lived "unauthentically" to who I really was. As a result, the advice I'd give new students is to really explore all that Cornell has to offer and not get caught up in what they think they "should" take or "should" do.

What extracurricular activity or hobby from your time at Cornell was the most meaningful?
I discovered my passion for wellness by taking aerobics classes at Helen Newman Hall as a freshman. I absolutely adored one instructor and was inspired to become an instructor myself. Within a year, I was teaching classes at Helen Newman, too. My favorite class to teach was "Double Step" which was extremely popular among students, attracting upwards of 70 students per class. It was such a blast! All 70 of us in complete synch, dancing and exercising to some of the best music out there. It was a total rush!

If you could change anything about your Cornell experience, what would it be?
I started as an engineering student and transferred to architecture. I had a chance to go to Rome for a semester and I opted not to. If I had it all to do over again, I most certainly would have taken advantage of that opportunity. Travel is a very important part of my life and seeing the world is something I want to impart to my son. I'm sure, had I gone to Rome for a semester, I would have had amazing experiences that would have helped shape my life in a truly positive way.