3. Brian Farfel Rose

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.

Dallas, Texas · Arts and Sciences

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

The last twenty years have gone by at a frenetic pace. I'm grateful to God for granting me a life which is better than anything I deserve.

I've spent the years in the investment industry, returning to my native Texas to join a private firm after stints with hedge funds in London and Chicago. I spend most of my spare time with my amazing wife and our four awesome kids, ages 11, 10, 7 and 3— maybe there is a future Cornellian among them!

Giving back is important to me, so I serve on the board a few local nonprofits. And I love academia, which I get to support as executive-in-residence for a unit of the SMU business school, where I taught in the past as a faculty adjunct. The Big Red is forever in my veins—I'm the community service chairman for the Dallas Cornell Alumni Chapter.

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

In my junior year of undergrad, I had the privilege of taking a finance class at the Johnson school, which was taught by Professor Kent Womack. It was a great introduction to the business world, but more importantly the beginning of an amazing dialogue with an amazing teacher. Professor Womack was my mentor through all the early years of my career—to the extent I have made good decisions, it is to his credit and not my own.

· What advice would you give to a student starting at Cornell this year?

Have a good time, but put the books first.

If you could change anything about your Cornell experience, what would it be?
Those Ithaca winters were tough on a boy from Texas—I sure could have used some global warming back then!

7. Jake Karam

Toronto, Ontario, Canada · Arts and Sciences

jkaram@6thavenue.ca

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

I am currently living in Toronto with my wife and enjoying being settled in Canada.  After Cornell, I spent a number of years in New York and earned my MBA from the Johnson School.  About 10 years ago, I started an online poker company focusing on the Eastern European market that required me living in some pretty interesting places in Europe.  Subsequently, a group of us bought a manufacturing company outside Toronto where I spend my time these days stressing over waterproofing products.  Socially, I couldn't ask for a better environment so I consider myself pretty lucky.

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

I find that there is a big difference between Canadians and Americans and their approach to entrepreneurship and risk. The people and the environment at Cornell helped shape my attitude towards taking bigger chances and thinking more creatively than I would have normally.

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

Playing hockey had the biggest impact on my experience at Cornell but getting into Sphinx Head the spring of my junior year was one of my most memorable moments.  I found that whole experience to be very rewarding because it was outside of what I was comfortable with at the time.

What random or surprising encounters with Cornell or Cornellians have you experienced since you left?
I was living in Malta and I was invited to this magazine launch party at a massive outdoor club. The people at the party were excited about a DJ who was being flown in to play that night and in walks this kid who couldn't have been more than 20 years old. We ended up have a drink together it turns out he came to Malta straight from Cornell.  It is amazing how small a world it can be.

22. Dave McKew

San Francisco, California · Arts and Sciences

dave.mckew@gmail.com
Twitter: twitter.com/backawayslowly
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dave.mckew

Tell us about what you're doing with your life.
I'm the operations manager at a small software/web development company, but my passion, ever since my Cornell SKITS-O-PHRENICS days, has been writing, performing, directing, and producing stage comedy.  In the last decade, as part of a sketch comedy duo with Colin Benoit '98 (and on my own) I've done hundreds of performances in San Francisco and at comedy festivals all over North America, and even had a short film air on Comedy Central. Colin and I also created a two-man play where the two of us played all 27 roles in the show.  But the greatest accomplishment of my life came in 2011-2012 when, via nutrition and exercise, I lost 112 pounds in 365 days.  I've been pretty good at keeping my life interesting, I suppose!

What was your favorite class at Cornell, or the one you found the most useful?
Psyschology of Visual Communications with James Maas and 16mm Filmmaking with Marilyn Rivchin.  Maas' seminar was basically a photography class about designing effective pictures. Rivchin's class was whatever you made of it—I used it to learn storytelling.  Both classes taught me a lot about patience and connecting to an audience.

What extracurricular activity or hobby from your time at Cornell was the most meaningful?
No question that it was my three years as a charter member of the Cornell SKITS-O-PHRENICS, the now 22-year-old sketch comedy troupe!  It was during this time that I found my passion and realized that I was, first and foremost, a story-teller.  I learned a lot about teamwork, self-expression, group dynamics, compromise, and censorship... plus the really important stuff like how to eat a stick of butter on stage and where to get the best cheap plus-size dresses in Ithaca.

What random or surprising encounters with Cornell or Cornellians have you experienced since you left?
My Cornell nickname was "Madonna Dave."  Twice in the last decade, I've bumped into old classmates from freshman year who happened to ask me what I was up to WHILE I WAS HEADING TO A MADONNA CONCERT (via train/plane) and I had to sheepishly admit it.  "Some things never change," they said!  I swear, it's not the only thing I do, but I have seen 17 Madonna concerts. Another small world story: I did a show in SF a few months ago with a woman who, like me, lived in 227 Risley - many years after I did!

27. Leigh Ellen Baca

Manassas, Virginia · Arts and Sciences

Name at Cornell
Leigh Ellen Alford

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/leighellen.baca

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

I have been an at-home mother for the past 5 years. My husband, Michael, and I have been married for 15 years and are raising two wonderful children. My son is 5 and my daughter has just turned 3. I also serve as a Deacon and as chair of the mission ministry team at my church in Manassas. Before kids, I tried on several careers. I studied oceanography in graduate school, worked in poultry feed research, and was an assistant research scientist at a pharmaceutical company before I left science in favor of fostering family connections.

What was your favorite class at Cornell, or the one you found the most useful?
There were many which inspired my life's journey, but I think Functional Morphology with Dr. McLearn was my absolute favorite. We dissected almost everything in the animal kingdom (OK - maybe not everything), and it really cemented my love of life sciences. Functional Morphology was my "OH - This totally makes sense!" class. It was a bouncing off point that led me deeper into ecology and marine sciences. In addition to the academic challenges, the course fostered teamwork and collaborative learning, which are skills that have served me well since leaving CU.

What is your favorite memory of your time at Cornell?
My favorite memory of Cornell is from the blizzard of 1993. I lived in Balch and most of my friends lived in Cascadilla. A 'search team' of a couple friends made it up to North Campus to trapse back across campus with me so we could all go half crazy in the snow together.

And the meals! So many fun times were shared in the dining halls from Freshman year until we graduated.

What advice would you give to a student starting at Cornell this year?
My advice to anyone starting Cornell, or any university, is to stick it out. Everyone struggles with the changes in the first semester, and it is far too easy to give up and go home. My parents were wise enough to have me stay beyond my "please bring me home" panic. By the end of my freshman year, I couldn't imagine anyplace else. And be sure to enjoy the beauty of Ithaca! There is so much to do and see beyond the campus.

29. Michelle Knudsen

Brooklyn, New York · Arts and Sciences

Name at Cornell
Michelle (Mikki) Knudsen

michelle.knudsen@gmail.com
Twitter: www.twitter.com/michelleknudsen
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michelleknudsen.author

Tell us about what you're doing with your life.
I'm the author of more than 40 books for children and teenagers, including the New York Times best-selling picture book LIBRARY LION. My newest book (September 2014) is the young adult novel EVIL LIBRARIAN—a funny, creepy, paranormal, musical-theater-horror-romance adventure, about which Kirkus said, “The spirit of Buffy is alive and kicking in this bloody debut for teens ... snappily narrated, tightly plotted and generally just right.” I also do some freelance editing and teach occasional writing classes.

What was your favorite class at Cornell, or the one you found the most useful?
I have very fond memories of many of my English seminars, especially the smaller ones that involved strange and interesting books I never would have come across on  my own. I learned a lot from both the essays and the class discussions. The English program in general was wonderful, and helped prepare me for my work as an editor and writer and for going on to get my MFA several years later.

What advice would you give to a student starting at Cornell this year?
Take advantage of as much of what Cornell has to offer as you can! It can be a little daunting at the start, but the more involved you are with both your classes and your extracurriculars, the more people you'll connect with and the more supported and fulfilled you'll feel throughout your Cornell experience. Also, invest in a really good pair of winter boots. I *still* have the boots I bought the summer before my freshman year (in 1991!) and they made walking across those icy bridges in the winter a lot less scary. :)

What extracurricular activity or hobby from your time at Cornell was the most meaningful?
Definitely all the student-run and community theater! My closest friends from Cornell were (and still are) those I met doing shows with Risley, Gateway, and the Cornell Savoyards.

31. Andrea Forgacs

Montreal, Canada · Arts and Sciences

andreaforgacs@gmail.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/andrea.forgacs.75

Tell us about what you're doing with your life.
I've been living in Montreal, Canada for the past three years with

my husband, son (9), and daughter (6) and now a third one on the way, due March 1! My husband and I met in Cambodia during a backpacking trip after I finished grad school. He's French, and before Montreal, we spent almost 10 years in France. That's where I got into the travel industry, working for a travel management company in Paris and then for a hotel chain in London. Here in Montreal, I am a marketing strategist for a loyalty marketing company that has its roots in the travel sector.

What is your favorite memory of your time at Cornell?
Junior and senior year, I lived in an off-campus house with nine amazing women, whom I still count among my closest friends today. The list of experiences we shared (and continue to share) goes on and on, and they're definitely among my fondest memories of my time at Cornell. Other favorite moments include working in the Browsing Library and sneaking into Okenshield's, locking myself up in the stacks to write my papers, after-hours at a certain fraternity, the summer I spent in Ithaca and of course, the gorgeous gorges.

What random or surprising encounters with Cornell or Cornellians have you experienced since you left?
When I was living in Paris, my advisor, David Grossvogel came to spend a semester there. Together with the local Cornell Club, I got to host him for a dinner at my house... nearly 10 years after we parted ways. Not only was I honored to welcome him into my home, I also met a great group of fellow alumni, some of whom I'm still in touch with.

What does being a Cornell alumnus mean to you?
It's hard to articulate this one... I am incredibly proud of being part of the Cornell family and still feel very connected to the School. Part of the reason for this is that my Cornell crew are among my best friends in the world, even after all these years. I've returned to Ithaca many times since graduation, and even took a family vacation there one summer when I was still living in Europe (is it ever too early to start the college visits?). Not-so-secretly, I hope at least one, if not all of my children end up studying at Cornell!

32. Denys T. Lau

Washington, DC · Arts and Sciences

Tell us about what you're doing with your life.
I am Deputy Director of the Division of Health Care Statistics at the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics, the Nation's principal health statistics agency. I have an adjunct associate professor appointment at the University of Illinois-Chicago (UIC), College of Pharmacy, where I was full-time associate professor before joining the CDC.   I am on the editorial board of the American Journal of Public Health, the official peer-review publication of the American Public Health Association. A former NIH-funded investigator, I published over 50 peer-reviewed publications and research reports examining quality and safety of health services use in older adults. I have a Ph.D. from Johns Hopkins University, Bloomberg School of Public Health, and a B.A. with distinction from Cornell University. I completed a Pfizer post-doctoral fellowship at the University of Michigan, Schools of Medicine and Public Health, and finished a certificate program in management at Northwestern University, Kellogg School of Management.  

What is your favorite memory of your time at Cornell?
My favorite memories at Cornell were when I was living at the Holland International Living Center (ILC) then in north campus Low-Rise 8.  This was the premier residential college for students from all over world and those interested in learning about world cultural, political, economic and social issues. We celebrated our microcosm of diversity through potlucks, theme parties, outings, and just hanging out with each other in community lounges. After all these years, I remain in close contact with many fellow ILC'ers who are now living all over the world; well Facebook also helps.  

How has your time at Cornell influenced you since you graduated?
During the first semester of my junior year, I did the Cornell-in-Washington program, which solidified my decision to choose public health as my career. Under the guidance of Dr. Steven Jackson, the former Associate Director, I conducted a study evaluating the DC Needle Exchange Program, a groundbreaking initiative aimed to curb HIV transmission among injection drug users. I also interned at the U.S. Conference on Mayors where I helped track the legislation of President Clinton's health care reform bill and studied its relevance to local municipalities.  The highlight for me was meeting Hillary Clinton and Donna Shalala at congressional hearings.

If you could change anything about your Cornell experience, what would it be?
I wish I explored more what Ithaca had to offer when I was a student.  A recent report from The American Institute of Economic Research - published in the Business Insider - has ranked Ithaca the #1 college town in the U.S. based on the academic environment, quality of life, and professional opportunity.  I loved hanging out in Collegetown, the Commons, its numerous gorges, Collegetown, Moosewood, and Stella, just to name a few of my favorite things about Ithaca.

34. Leslie Nicholson

Toronto, Canada · Arts and Sciences

Name at Cornell
Leslie Davis

davisles@rogers.com

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

I live in Toronto with my husband and three daughters.  We moved here ten years ago from New York , and now I cannot imagine living anywhere else.  Canadians often ask me how I manage the winters when they find out I am originally from Atlanta and I tell them that four years in Ithaca more than prepared me for this!

 After my third child was born, I chose to step down from full time work in financial services, and accepted the opportunity to become a partner in a small giftware company, Signature Keepsakes.  The majority of our customers are brides and grooms.  Most of the brides are lovely, but our customer service department could tell you stories about some real life Bridezillas out there!  In my free time, I ski with my family, jog with friends, and volunteer as a board member of a children's charity.

What was your favorite class at Cornell, or the one you found the most useful?
The class that I enjoyed the most at Cornell was Close Relationships Across the Lifespan (Professor Cindy Hazan, Human Ecology).  Professor Hazan's teachings and research still resonate as my relationships mature with Cornell friends, with my husband and children, and with my parents.  The most useful classes turned out to be French.  Who knew that I would move to Canada and my kids would learn French from age five?  My seven year old is already correcting my pronunciation!

What is your favorite memory of your time at Cornell?
Of my many memorable Cornell experiences, ones that stand out are Fun in the Sun on the Arts Quad each fall, spending the summer at Cornell in '93, semester abroad in Paris, and of course wines class.  A rite of passage for Cornell students, it felt like a long, long wait before I was able to take wines in the spring of my senior year.

What advice would you give to a student starting at Cornell this year?
Since stepping onto campus freshman year, I have been in awe of the intelligence and drive of our Cornell classmates.  I would want to tell the incoming class of students that they will be surrounded by the most impressive group of people they may ever meet, and to let themselves be inspired by those who surround them.

40. Niles Donegan

Lyme, New Hampshire · Arts and Sciences

Niles.Donegan@Dartmouth.edu

Tell us about what you're doing with your life.
I’m a microbiologist who works on Staphylococcus aureus virulence at Dartmouth.  I earned my Ph.D. at Dartmouth, and stayed to be a research associate, as well as start a biotech called Saureus, which is developing an assay for rapid diagnosis of infectious diseases.  Outside lab, I live just north of Hanover with my wife Rachel and daughter Maeve in a classical New England town called Lyme.  We walk with Maeve to school every day, and at night Maeve and I sing Cornell's “Evening Song” as one of her bedtime songs.  She doesn’t understand “’Tis an echo from the walls...”, but maybe one day she’ll find out for herself.  My wife works at a science museum, where she’s been introducing the modern tinkering and maker ethic to kids and grownups.  We're both enthusiastic about the maker movement and science, which I’m sure means social doom for Maeve when she grows up.

What was your favorite class at Cornell, or the one you found the most useful?
"Ancient Art in Context” absolutely demanded critical thinking and skepticism. After studying Egyptian tombs and pottery, we were set loose on “Chariots of the Gods” and other flim-flammery.  While it wasn’t a seminar with Sagan, it was my first experience at Cornell on how to think critically.
A year of Orgo (Chem359-360-301) was the most useful, as professors Carpenter, Frechet, and Wilcox treated us as young scientists, and hated pre-meds.  We had great assignments, like doing espionage to reverse-engineer perfume scents. By the end, I had a rhythmic feel for how electrons moved in a reaction (a feeling long gone).

What is your favorite memory of your time at Cornell?
I remember that my roommate Jon and I figured out how to get tons of free stuff in the mail by collecting dining hall UPCs.   Kellogg’s would send a Lego kit FREE for just one UPC, so every day we would grab dozens of UPCs.  The EcoHouse mailroom was not pleased when 600 envelopes arrived.  We donated most, but kept 100 minifigs for Lego flashmobs.  We then expanded UPC acquisitions for 1000 liters of RC-Cola, tested Orgo chemicals on Gak and Wacky-Wall-Walkers, and made a small ball pit from free soccer balls.  Unsurprisingly, Kellogg’s started charging for promotions soon after.

What random or surprising encounters with Cornell or Cornellians have you experienced since you left?
Once, I was sitting with my family outside a country store in Woodstock, Vermont, when I heard the notes of "Annie Lisle" quietly in the distance.  My wife had no idea why my head snapped around, and I eventually found some gentlemen singing near the town green.  They were Sherwoods, and most were at the (infamous) Fall Tonic XII of our freshman year, where the Hangovers realized that champagne and velvet curtains just don’t mix.  The Sherwoods graciously covered my terrible signing voice in another round of the Alma Mater, and I returned elated back to my family.

45. Patricia Grant

Arlington, Virginia · Arts and Sciences

Name at Cornell
Patricia Louison

pjl1@cornell.edu
Twitter: @eddrisin

Tell us about what you're doing with your life.
I'm living life to the fullest, personally and professionally.  Since graduating, I have worked in higher education and enjoyed being at five institutions of various types.  For the last four years, I have worked at Georgetown's McDonough School of Business as the Senior Assistant Dean of Undergraduate Programs. In addition to my work, I enjoy working on other projects and community service.

What is your favorite memory of your time at Cornell?
How can I choose just one memory?  For sure, I vividly remember the first time I went to The Plantations.  I thought I was on vacation instead of campus.  It reminded me how awesome and unique the experience was to be a student at Cornell!  It almost made me forget about prelims.

What advice would you give to a student starting at Cornell this year?
I would tell a new Cornell student to break the mold.  Before attending Cornell, I didn't know how to swim and had never been bowling.  Similarly, it is important to meet as many people as you can and take some wacky classes you didn't go to Cornell to take.  You only have four years and it goes by faster than you can imagine. So why not get out there and expand your horizons in all areas of student life- personal, academic, and professional.

What are you most looking forward to at Reunion 2015?
I can't wait to see everyone I knew and have met since Cornell, as well as make new friends from our class.  I tend to think we are the coolest of the 90's classes.  In June 2015, we will remind everyone else why.

48. Monique Carrero-Tagle

Valhalla, New York · Arts and Sciences

Name at Cornell
Monique Carrero

mcarrero@aol.com

Tell us about what you're doing with your life.
I am currently married to a fellow alum, Juan Tagle.  We'll be married 15 years this September and  have two children: Alejandro (age 7) and Sofia (age 5).  We live in Westchester County, in the hamlet of Valhalla.

Professionally, I am Project Director for a research center at NYU that conducts psychosocial research on issues related to health, aging, and the community.  I've worked with the same research team for over 15 years, moving from several research-based institutions to another as a team but have been at NYU for approximately 3 years.

I'm looking forward to being able to travel more in the near future and can't wait to see many of my fellow alums at reunion in 2015.  

What is your favorite memory of your time at Cornell?
My all time favorite memory of my time at Cornell goes back to Slope Day of my Sophmore year.  Aside from the drinking, I always remember Slope Day as the day when everyone finally let loose and just had a great time hanging out on the slope with friends and feeling like you were finally free.  We usually had great weather (which seemed rare back in the day) and it was just a fun time.  Slope Day of Sophmore year was most memorable for me because that was the year my husband and I connected.

What advice would you give to a student starting at Cornell this year?
I would tell that student that to a certain extent, your first year is the most important year so make it count.  It's really important to have a strong first semester because it's hard to bounce back.  Having a good GPA and scoring a great summer internship will set the tone for the remainder of your time at Cornell and make things easier in the long run.  Of course, it's always nice to have a good work - life balance, so it's OK to have a little fun along with way.  That's how friendships are built.  

What are you most looking forward to at Reunion 2015?
Cornell has such a beautiful campus and I love to go up and visit Ithaca.  Heading back for reunion always gives me the opportunity to reminisce about our college days with the friends who I created those memories with.  It's a great excuse for all of us to get together and I most look forward to seeing all of them.

49. Harry Surden

Boulder, Colorado · Arts and Sciences

hsurden@colorado.edu
Twitter: @HarrySurden

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

I am a law professor at the University of Colorado Law School.  Prior to studying law, I was a software engineer for several years.  My current teaching and research focuses on the intersection of technology and law.

After stints living in New York City and the San Francisco Bay Area, I now live in Boulder, Colorado with my wife and daughter.

What was your favorite class at Cornell, or the one you found the most useful?
I took a few philosophy classes, and those seem to have made a big impression on me. I particularly remember courses in the philosophy of science and the philosophy of the mind fondly.  I also enjoyed Psychology 101 in my freshman year.  Finally, I really appreciated an undergraduate class entitled "The Nature, Functions, and Limits of the Law" at the law school.  That influenced my decision to attend law school and ultimately become a law professor.

What advice would you give to a student starting at Cornell this year?
I would advise an incoming student to take a wide range of classes in a broad array of substantive areas.   It is hard to know what subject areas are going to be of interest, or what topics are going to turn out to be useful later in life. I would also suggest studying abroad.

Finally, I would recommend that students take some time to appreciate the experience of being in college.   It is a comparatively short and rare moment in life to be able to devote one’s time to learning, self-improvement, and fun.  

How has your time at Cornell influenced you since you graduated?
My time at Cornell certainly influenced my career path.   I am currently a professor living in a beautiful university town that is similar, in many respects, to Ithaca.  As a student at Cornell, I truly enjoyed my classes and the setting of a beautiful college campus with a vibrant intellectual atmosphere.   This positive experience influenced my decision to become an academic.

I also studied abroad in France in my junior year and this experience gave me the confidence to subsequently live abroad on two other occasions (in Argentina and Australia) later in life.

50. Joshua Maloney

Richland, Washington · Arts and Sciences

joshua@maloneywine.com

Tell us about what you're doing with your life.
I started working as a winemaker in the Finger Lakes shortly after graduation. A couple years later my wife Lisa and I moved to California where I worked in Napa and then Monterey for a number of years. In 2005 I took a winemaking job in Washington (state) and we had two lovely daughters, Fiona and Daphne. While I continue to make wine for others as well as work as a consulting winemaker, this year I am launching a label under my own name—it's very limited production and focuses exclusively on single vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon. If anyone wants to learn more about the wines, please visit maloneywine.com.

What was your favorite class at Cornell, or the one you found the most useful?
The obvious answer is "Introduction to Wines," not only because it was a really fun course and a fairly popular one (looking through the other entries on this site), but also because it is directly responsible for setting me on my current path.

Either that or my Freshman writing seminars, because they teached me to write gooder.

If you could change anything about your Cornell experience, what would it be?
I wish I had done more. At the time I remember lots of hard work as well as lots of fun, but now when I think about the time and opportunities I had to learn about and experience new things and it seems like an enormous luxury that I didn't truly appreciate.

What advice would you give to a student starting at Cornell this year?
Did you know that you can earn a degree in Enology from Cornell? That wasn't an option in 1995. So here's my advice—get that degree and I'll hire you when you graduate and/or offer you a harvest internship.

53. Jennifer Keene

New York, New York · Arts and Sciences

jlk5@cornell.edu
Twitter: @JenniferKeene
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jennifer.keene

Tell us about what you're doing with your life.
I live in New York City, where I work in sports marketing with clients that have included Tim Duncan, Ray Allen, Chris Paul, Emmitt Smith, and Stephen Curry. I also develop book projects as a literary agent.

This summer I am taking a trip to Kenya - part volunteer work, part vacation. Can't wait!

What was your favorite class at Cornell, or the one you found the most useful?
I loved my Spanish language classes. Instructor Susana Sainz worked so hard on my accent. When I speak Spanish now, my accent fools people to the extent that I have to ask them to slow down. My Spanish vocabulary now is only about seventy five words.

Which Cornell classmates do you keep in touch with?
Tons! Facebook makes it so much easier and I'm so grateful for that. 

I could mention a lot of friends but Joanne Rotondi, Geraldine Zikely, Cherylanne (Muraski) Skolnicki and Christine Grund will always hold a special place in my heart.

If you could change anything about your Cornell experience, what would it be?
I might have changed majors. Spanish and literature classes were my favorite but I worried about what I’d do with either of those degrees so I stuck with psychology. That said, my experiences studying toward a psych degree have come in handy too.

I realize now that a degree is only one part of career preparation and that one shouldn’t feel limited.

54. Andrea Berloff & Drew Filus

Los Angeles, California · Arts and Sciences

Twitter: @andreaberloff and @drewfilus

Tell us about what you're doing with your life.
We are both writers. We've been married nearly 10 years and we have an 8-year-old son and a 5-year-old daughter.

What was your favorite class at Cornell, or the one you found the most useful?
Andrea's favorite was David Feldshuh's directing class. "He taught me things that I still use today as a screenwriter." Drew's favorite class was directing with Marilyn Rivchin. "I met my future wife and learned a heck of a lot about filmmaking."

Which Cornell classmates do you keep in touch with?
Almost too many to list. We are in touch with many friends on a daily basis. Cornell gave us some of the most profound relationships we have today. From doctors to artists to filmmakers to professors, the breadth of fields that our friends have entered has made for long-lasting, interesting, and diverse relationships.

If you could change anything about your Cornell experience, what would it be?
We both wish that we had allowed ourselves to live in the moment more. Andrea, "I wish I had taken more classes outside my major." Drew, "I wished I had allowed myself to relax and explore more."

55. Jeff and Julie Speiser

Celebration, Florida · Arts and Sciences

Names at Cornell
Jeff Speiser and Julie Allen

jeffspeiser@gmail.com
juliespeiser@aol.com

Twitter: @jeffspeiser

Facebook: 
https://www.facebook.com/jeffspeiser
https://www.facebook.com/julie.speiser

Tell us about what you're doing with your life.
We're living in Celebration, FL which is just a few minutes away from Walt Disney World, with our son Connor (13) and daughter Willow (10). It's definitely a change of pace from our past residences in Leonia, NJ and Ann Arbor, MI. 

Julie is working as a training specialist for Disney Cruise Line, where she trains the cast members in the call center, so if you ever call to book a cruise, ask if they know Julie!

Jeff is a marketing and design consultant for Disney's Global Creativity division and Disney Institute, where he helps come up with marketing ideas for Disney Parks around the world.

What was your favorite class at Cornell, or the one you found the most useful?
Jeff: 
Visual Anthropology with Professor Robert Ascher. The conversations that we had in that class were very informal (we sat on tree stumps in the middle of his office), but were some of the best discussions that I've ever had. I loved the informal nature of the class while still getting a lot done. It was also a unique way to learn about people of different cultures.

Julie: 
I remember taking a Children's Literature class and loving every moment of it. It had nothing to do with my major, but I loved reading all the original Grimm's fairytales, discovering how scary and gruesome the original Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty tales truly were! For years I taught theater and creative writing to where the kids would write their own "fairytale" and then I would direct their performance. My final project in that class was a presentation on the original Bambi story and how Walt Disney "Disney-fied it." Strange how I ended up working for his company years later!

What is your favorite memory of your time at Cornell?
Jeff:
Julie and I got married at the A.D. White house, so I'd have to say our wedding reception there.

Julie: 
I remember participating in many theater performances at the Center for Performing Arts and having rehearsals until 11:00 pm. Before trecking across the campus to my dorm in Risley Hall, we would call my boyfriend (now husband) Jeff and ask him to order a pizza from Rogans—1 medium pizza and 2 free Pepsis for $5.95 (273-6006). It was the best snack after a long rehearsal and before starting to study. Couldn't beat the price either!

What random or surprising encounters with Cornell or Cornellians have you experienced since you left?
Jeff: 
Working at Disney, you see people from all over the world every day. I'v been in Walt Disney World and have seen guests wearing a Cornell shirt or a cast member with Cornell on their name tag (if they're doing an internship) and it starts a conversation. Just this past week I met a young woman working in my building who was doing an internship in marketing.

Julie:
My family went to see The Lion King when it came to Orlando. As we were sitting in the audience before the show, I noticed an insert about a switch for one of the actors for the performance. It said that Tony Freeman would be playing Timon that day. Turns out it was the same Tony Freeman that I had worked with as his TA while he was a Guest Artist in Residence at Cornell! It was incredible after the show to express to him how he inspired me to become a teacher and we even got a backstage tour!

57. Manabu Oka

Tokyo, Japan · Arts and Sciences

wanchyo@yahoo.co.jp
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/manabu.oka.3


Tell us about what you're doing with your life.
I returned to Tokyo after graduation to join IBM. I moved to AT&T in 2000, and since 2010, I have been the president of AT&T Japan providing IT solutions to large enterprises operating in Japan.

I am married with a 12 year old son who just started Junior High School.

After a looong rest, I returned to the tennis court and also started to pick up golf since 5-6 years ago, really to have fun but also to stay fit! I then started running a bit, and I just made my full marathon debut at the Tokyo Marathon 2014.

What was your favorite class at Cornell, or the one you found the most useful?
While I took many useful courses, I feel a bit ashamed to say that the Wine course has left me with good knowledge that I can make use of in real life, even today!

How has your time at Cornell influenced you since you graduated?
I have been attending alumni events in Tokyo for the last few year, and the depth and diversity of talent of the Cornell Alumni network is simply amazing!

If you could change anything about your Cornell experience, what would it be?
I would have explored the campus and its surroundings in my free time, even just waking around and taking some photos. I also would have taken more time to think about my career and life aspirations. (which may have prompted myself to move to the School of Hotel Administration).

64. Stephen Friedfeld

Boston, Massachusetts · Arts and

Sciences

stephen@acceptu.com

Tell us about what you're doing with your life.
I received a Ph.D. in engineering from Rice University and then returned to Cornell from 2000 to 2004 as an assistant dean of admissions and academic advising. I became the associate dean of graduate affairs in the engineering school at Princeton University from 2004 to 2010.

I co-founded AcceptU (www.AcceptU.com) in 2010. AcceptU is a college, grad school, and MBA admissions counseling group. We have 30 former admissions officers who work virtually (Skype, phone, email) with prospective applicants. I attended Teachers College at Columbia University, where I received an MA in higher education in 2013.

In personal news, I got engaged late last year! We have a bulldog named Zoe (who is very sweet) and a miniature dachshund named Killer (who is not).

What was your favorite class at Cornell, or the one you found the most useful?
I loved my Freshman Writing Seminar called Medieval Aspects of Culture: From the Madonna to Madonna. I learned so much about writing, critical thinking and analysis. I am always writing or editing or teaching writing. (I also liked Quantum Physical Chemistry—admittedly less useful than writing, but still an excellent class.)

What advice would you give to a student starting at Cornell this year?
I would advise a new CU student to stay in Ithaca for at least one summer. I never lived in Ithaca during the summers as a student but spent four great summers there when I was working in Arts & Sciences. I would also advise students *not* to stay during winter break.

If you could change anything about your Cornell experience, what would it be?
I regret that I did not study abroad. It was considered fairly difficult for a chemistry (or any science major) to study abroad because of the sequential courses, but I still wish I had done so. I also took three P.E. classes (instead of the required two), but wish I had taken more—they were fun and easy.

70. Marisol Barrero

Cincinnati, Ohio · Arts and Sciences

marisolb51@gmail.com

Tell us about what you're doing with your life.
I am lead ergonomist for Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, where I am responsible for developing standards, tools, and systems through which Toyota creates ergonomic processes in North American manufacturing operations. I often travel to plants across the US, Canada, and Mexico, as well as to Japan. Prior to the seven years I have spent with Toyota, I worked in ergonomics consulting for five years. I work in Northern Kentucky, but live across the Ohio river in Cincinnati, Ohio. I have been married to Jack for almost ten years and have two little boys. Julian is two and Marco is four. There is little spare time, but when there is, I love to exercise, cook, and find the next great bottle of wine. 

What was your favorite class at Cornell, or the one you found the most useful?
Wines and Cooking were extremely useful courses that I use in everyday life. The one that defined my career path, however, was DEA 150 (Intro to Human-Environmental Relations) with Gary Evans. I took it senior year and wished that I had taken it sooner as I was so fascinated with ergonomics, product design, and the physical environment. I actually went back to Cornell in 1998 for a Masters in DEA, concentrating in ergonomics, and I have been in the field ever since.

What is your favorite memory of your time at Cornell?
So many…freshman year football games, walks to and from my North Campus low rise from Collegetown, the BIG snow storm sophomore year when they shut down classes, living with my 11 awesome housemates in one big house senior year and the wine and cheese party we had there in the fall, senior year Spring Break trip to Jamaica, and all Slope Days. Most of all, walking through the campus super tired and stressed at times but still marveling in the beauty of the campus and the architecture.

What are you most looking forward to at Reunion 2015?
I hope Hot Truck will be around—there's a WGC out there with my name on it. I also can't wait to show my kids the beautiful area where mommy spent seven years for undergrad and grad, and begin to explain why "Ithaca is Gorges"!