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eAutumn 2013 News and views for the Colgate community

Ocean Reveries

Feel-Good Food

Saramaccan Serenade

1News and views for the Colgate community

22 OceanReveries SeafarerLeahFeldman’14,anIshmaelamongus,reflects

28 Feel-GoodFood Fromsweettreatsto“superfood,”youngalumniare creatingtheirowndefinitionsofediblegoodness

34 SaramaccanSerenade LifeintheSurinamejunglethroughtheeyesofPeace CorpsvolunteerJohnWilliams’10

3 MessagefromPresidentJeffreyHerbst

4 Letters

6 Work&Play

12 Tableau:“Marriage—theultimatematuritygauge?”

13 Project13

14 LifeoftheMind

16 Arts&Culture

18 Go’gate

20 New,Noted&Quoted

40 TheBigPicture

42 StayConnected

44 ClassNews 69Marriages&Unions 70Births&Adoptions 70InMemoriam

72 Salmagundi:40/45-AcrosspuzzlebyKyleDolan’06, Slicescontestwinner

Onthecover:Upandat’em!Inarugby“lineout,”whentheballgoesoutofbounds,theteamwhogetsthe“throw-in”triestocatchtheballorswatittotheirwaitingteammates.Establishedin1967andcompetingintheNYSRugbyConference,Colgate’srugbyclubmadethenationalchampionships“Sweet16”andquarterfi-nalsin2012and2013.PhotobyAndrewDaddioLeft:TheclockoutsideCurtisHallisafavoritemeeting-upspotforstudents.WhenyoufinishreadingthisissueoftheScene,tellus(orshareaphoto!)whereeveryonemetupinyourdayatfacebook.com/colgateuniversity.PhotobyTommyBrown’79

DEPARTMENTS

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SeafarerLeahFeldman’14(“OceanReveries,”pg.22)spentlastspringsemesterwiththeWilliams-MysticSea-portMaritimeStudiesProgram.TheEnglishmajorhasinternedataninternationalliteraryagency,anartgallery,andaneyewearcom-pany.Offhoursfromschool,she’sabaristaattheBargeCanalCoffeeCompanyandadmitsapenchantforwatchingNew GirlandHow I Met Your Mother.

AftertwoyearsasaPeaceCorpsvolunteerinSuriname,JohnH.Williams’10(“Saramac-canSerenade,”pg.34)hassettledinadecid-edlychillierpartoftheworld—teachingmathattheNationalSportsAcademyinLakePlacid,N.Y.TheformerinternationalrelationsmajorandeconomicsminoronceworkedonacheesefarmintheFrenchAlpsandisknowntowhistlewhileheworks.

LauraD’Angelo’14,oneofourawesomeinternsthissummer,lovesbak-ing(“anytreatinvolvingcoconut”),tennis,anduncoveringhiddengemsinupstateNewYork,fromicecreamshopstoscenicbyways.TheclassicsmajorfromWoodbridge,Conn.,isaMaroon-Newscopyedi-torandhasworkedwithColgate’sConsumerBankruptcyLawProjectandtheVolunteerIncomeTaxAssistanceprogram.She’spursuingcareeropportunitiesinbusinessandlaw.

Ourothersummerinternextraordinaire,KellyannHayes’16,playstrumpetintheuniversityorchestraandpepband,andswitchestobaritonehornforthewindensemble.Herothertalentsincludemakingapplecinnamonpan-cakesandtheabilitytolickherownelbow.ALongIslandnative,she’sanadmissiontourguideandplanstomajorinEnglishandsociology.

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Contributors

scene online

VolumeXLIIINumber1TheSceneispublishedbyColgateUniversityfourtimesayear—inautumn,winter,spring,andsummer.TheSceneiscirculatedwithoutchargetoalumni,parents,friends,andstudents.

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Contributors:DanielDeVries,AdmissionMarketingManager;MattFaulkner,AssistantDirectorofAthleticCommunications;MattHames,ManagerofMediaCommunications;DavidHerringshaw,OnlineCommunityManager;JasonKammerdiener’10,WebContentSpecialist;KarenLuciani,ArtDirector;KatherineMutz,GraphicDesigner;TimothyO’Keeffe,DirectorofWebContent;JohnPainter,DirectorofAthleticCommunications;MarkWalden,SeniorAdvancementWriter

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Having never been out of the country, I found Nigeria to be chaotic, corrupt, exciting (if violent), and full of possibilities, with a diversity of people, sights, and smells that were a long way from Peekskill, N.Y., where I grew up. The summer of 1982 was a crucial time in Nigeria. After the oil boom brought on by the fall of the Shah, the fledgling democracy thought of itself as an emerging superpower. But within a year, the oil market would collapse, the democracy would be overthrown, and Nigeria would enter a long period of decline. One of my first lessons was to distrust any analysis beginning with “if current trends continue.” My time there led to my longtime interest in expanding the role of study abroad so that other students could draw similar lessons. In graduate school at Yale, I conducted my dissertation fieldwork in Zimbabwe, living there for 18 months. In the mid- to late-1980s, a debate raged over whether Zimbabwe could become an industrializing country before neighboring South Africa transitioned away from apartheid. No one could imagine that their leader, Robert Mugabe, would subsequently adopt economic policies that would destroy much of Zimbabwe’s wealth. After visiting several times in the early 1990s, I could not bring myself to go back until 2009; the country had become a pathetic shell. Perhaps two million had fled, and the life chances of those who had stayed had been severely compro-mised. How destructive leaders can be when they have to choose between their country’s future and their own political survival! I was living with my family as a Fulbright Scholar in Cape Town, South Africa, in 1992–93 when, to the surprise of almost everyone (including my-self), Nelson Mandela and F.W. de Klerk negotiated a peaceful transition to non-racial rule. When Chris Hani, the charismatic leader of the South African

Alumni often ask me how I came to devote my scholarly career to African

politics. It started with a rare opportunity: two months doing independent research in Lagos, Nigeria, the

summer after my junior year at Princeton. Communist Party, was assassinated on April 10, 1993, the Western media reported that South Africa was burning and that the transition was threat-ened, but the real story was Mandela and de Klerk’s joint management of the crisis and, despite nationwide revulsion at Hani’s murder, how little violence there was. The more you know about a situation, the less likely news reports appear accurate. I’ve continued to travel widely in Africa, and have focused my writings on the politics of economic and political reform, boundaries, military in-tervention, terrorism, and natural resources. The last few years have been particularly interesting. Most of Africa has begun to expand again, with the continent averaging annual growth of approximately five percent — pow-ered by important economic reforms, relatively high commodity prices, the cell phone revolution, and the discovery of significant hydrocarbon reserves in several countries. And, although the Western narrative about Africa (to the extent one ex-ists) is still about how “we can help them,” talk in many African capitals is of investment, of new markets in China, and solving fundamental infrastruc-ture problems, especially regarding electricity. Indeed, at the general meeting of the African Development Bank in Marrakesh, Morocco, last May, I did not hear one mention of aid, but venture capitalists were there in droves looking for new investments. Stories about Africa usually reference wars, economic decline, coups, epi-demics, and misrule. However, building states is a difficult and ugly business. We should remember that the cataclysmic American Civil War happened 85 years after the Declaration of Independence — a span longer than any de-colonized African country has actually been independent. Many of my most

interesting discussions with students revolve around understanding the inevitability of violence and instabil-ity in young countries, while refusing to excuse the extraordinary damage done to millions of people through war and economic decline. In our latest book, Africa’s Third Liberation: The New Search for Prosper-ity and Jobs, longtime colleague Greg Mills (head of the Brenthurst Foun-dation in Johannesburg) and I argue that Africa’s first liberation was the overthrow of the colonialists, and the second was the displacement of the liberators who often led their coun-tries into tyranny and decline. The time is ripe for the third liberation: the overthrow of the statist economic systems developed by those colonial-ists and enhanced by their successors. That is a tremendous challenge, but it has been a great privilege to see many African countries ask the fundamental questions about states and markets that have animated so much of our own national history.

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Message from President Jeffrey Herbst

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Letters

The Scene welcomes letters. We reserve the right to decide whether a letter is acceptable for publication and to edit for accuracy, clarity, and length. Letters deemed potentially libelous or that malign a person or group will not be published. Letters should not exceed 250 words. You can reach us by mail, or e-mail [email protected]. Please include your full name, class year if applicable, address, phone number, and/or e-mail address. If we receive many letters on a given topic, we will print a representative sample of the opinions expressed.

On “Orderly and Humane”It was good to see three articles fea-tured in the spring issue, one by a Colgate professor, one by an alumna, and one by a current student (now graduated). All three stretched their readers’ horizons. May we have more such articles in future Scenes. Thank you for granting Professor R.M. Douglas the space to write the detailed and powerful overview of his book and the interview that followed. Many thanks to Professor Douglas for researching and writing Orderly and Humane: The Expulsion of the Ger-mans After the Second World War. Like many others, I had known virtually nothing about the forced emigration, and I knew I had to read the book. With 374 pages of text, 65 pages of notes, and 26 pages of bibli-ography, it is an encyclopedia of facts and interpretation. It is harrow-ing to read about the suffering and death of so many thousands of people, and sad beyond tears to realize that the forced deportations were official Allied policy. Those who have studied the Holocaust will find many parallels with that unspeakable crime against humanity. Professor Douglas is careful to point out the differences, and he is right to do so, but the similarities are depressing in the extreme. Who should read Orderly and Hu-mane? I confess there were times that I was tempted to stop, but I thought of John Erskine’s essay “The Moral Obligation to Be Intelligent” (1921, reprinted 1969), and realized I could not turn away. This is surely one of the most important books published in the new millennium. I hope the Colgate com-munity has found, or will find, ways to explore this heroic achievement.

J. Allan Pryor ’69Greenwich, Conn.

On “Chemical Healing”scott Kraly’s pIece on “Chemical heal-ing” (summer 2012) was excellent. My pediatrician/second generation Freud-ian grandfather had done pioneering work with Ritalin for hyperactive kids and my brother ran the essential drugs program at the World Health Organization for nine years, so I have been well attuned to the benefits — and limitations — of drug interven-tion. That makes me a demanding patient at times for my physicians! You’ve delivered a practical and educational piece for all generations, but especially the 65-and-over folks who may be at risk of overmedica-tion. A major concern of my brother’s has been the compromising of the scientific database by the huge com-mercial efforts of the drug companies. One anecdote: before his passing, Tom Pickering, a hypertension researcher at Columbia University, and I served on a “stress” panel together in Dallas, about the time the U.S. government issued new hypertension guidelines. I asked him what he thought. His response was that we’d just turned 40 (or maybe 50) million healthy Ameri-cans into hypertensives, of course to be treated by drug medication. Your article and useful guidelines offer a valuable public service. Thank you!

James Campbell Quick ’68Arlington, Texas

Remembering Heaney’s reachthe gushIng obItuarIes [in the major media] for Seamus Heaney H’94 who died on August 30, 2013, overlooked his unique relationship with Colgate. Before Heaney became a rock star of modern poetry (including the 1995 Nobel Prize for literature and a visit-ing professor at Harvard), he was a frequent lecturer at Colgate. I was very fortunate to be a member of Bruce Berlind’s London study program dur-ing the spring of 1975. Bruce required us to read an archaeology book called The Bog People, by P.V. Glob, before a special guest lecturer arrived. Next week, Seamus Heaney rolled into our poorly heated conference room in the back of St. Bride’s Church on Fleet Street (“the spiritual home of the me-dia”). Bruce said very little by way of introduction, and we were enthralled as Heaney read lines like “For beauty, say an ash-fork staked in peat” from his volume Wintering Out. There were other guest lecturers during the semester who attested to Bruce’s incredible contacts. I will be forever haunted by Ted Hughes read-ing from Crow: “Man could not be man nor God God.” Terrifying stuff. Nobody could, or dared to, say a word. Bruce Berlind’s teaching and his amazing relationships in the poetry world are among my greatest memo-ries of Colgate. And they remind me that back in the day Colgate was punching way above its weight.

Brian Carroll ’76Ossining, N.Y.

ReactionstoletteraboutClintonIn my undergraduate days, I wrote a number of letters to the editor of the Maroon and the News, some of which, upon rereading today, make me cringe with their extravagant language. I had a similar reaction to reading the letter from my fraternity brother Harry Mariani ’59 promising dire consequences if Hillary Clinton were allowed to appear on campus (Letters, summer 2013). Leaving aside the question of what actual value the insights of a former

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Going Places

Chemical Healing

The Photo Hunter


Picturethis:stunningColgateUniversityphotography,justaclickaway

Visit our galleries at colgate.photoshelter.com to order customized photographic prints in a variety of sizes. Bring home images you’ve seen in the Colgate Scene and other university publications as well as scenic views from around one of America’s most beautiful campuses.

Reed Strathdee Lewis ’96 I have ticket #1 from that show

Jennifer C. Lena ’96 I still have the ticket (not #1, apparently...)!

Jenn Moore ’95 I still have the poster!

Jared Putnam ’95 Great show. Don’t remember who convinced Phish to provide the soundboard TAPES to the library, but they were there.

One of Michael Hamad’s set list schematics of a Phish show.

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First Lady, U.S. senator, and secretary of state might have, it seems to me to be antithetical to the mission of an educational institution to claim that any person’s political stances render him or her unfit to be heard and ques-tioned. A sad feature of the contemporary public discourse is that legitimate po-litical disagreements are often framed in irrational and apocalyptic terms.

David H. Alvord ’80Oneida, N.Y.

I feel that Mr. Mariani’s letter is a clas-sic example of an ad hominem attack unsupported by any facts. (As an aside, I wish to thank Jerome Balmuth for the fact that I know this.) Mr. Mari-ani simply states that Mrs. Clinton has no integrity, and does not expand at all upon his belief as to why this is the case. Furthermore, I feel that it reflects badly on Colgate that we are willing to give this individual a public mouthpiece in our major publication for alumni. I do not understand the animus evident behind Mr. Mariani’s opinion. We have a very complex political sys-tem that Winston Churchill, probably rightly, estimated as the least of all evils. I don’t recommend in any pro-fession for one to go out of one’s way to upset others, but certainly in the case of national politics, if you haven’t upset anyone, you are probably doing something wrong.

Alexander Wilson ’99Denver, Colo.

Quoterevealsracism?I was genuInely puzzled by the letter from Kris DiLorenzo (summer 2013). I do remember the Amos ’n Andy program, but unless I am missing something (and then with all due apologies), I am not sure I follow why a reference to a phrase from a pro-gram from another era — albeit one with caricatures that all well-meaning persons reject — would cause such consternation, dismay, and even more on the part of Ms. DiLorenzo.

To be honest, I was not able to find my prior issue of the Scene, so I could not read the quoted phrase in context, but looking at it again, “tempest sho do fidget” didn’t strike me as overtly racist, or at least not the extent that one would say that the “sentence speaks loud and clear of continuing racism at the university” and that the editorial staff needs “some serious consciousness-raising” with a “huge apology” required. Would the same apply to referring to “hi, ho Silver,” coming as it does from another program of the era that some say portrayed Indians in a poor light? And what about an appropriate quotation from an anti-Semite, such as a Wagner opera or something writ-ten by Ezra Pound? Hopefully none of us condones rac-ism or any vestiges of it, but that does not mean that any turn of phrase that may still be appropriate if used in a non-racist or bigoted fashion has to be thrown out with the dirty bathwater.

Howard M. Liebman ’74Brussels, Belgium

Sopunnywecouldn’tresistI have a frIend who likes puns and he sent me this: Yesterday, the driver of a huge trac-tor trailer lost control of his rig as he was entering the Herkimer tollbooth of the New York State Thruway. He plowed right into the booth and smashed it to pieces. He climbed down from his truck and looked at the wreckage, unsure what to do. But, within minutes a truck pulled up with a crew of workers. The men picked up all the broken pieces of the tollbooth, spread some creamy white substance on them, and began fitting the pieces together. In less than an hour, they had the entire tollbooth reconstructed, as good as new. “Astonishing!” the truck driver said to the crew chief. “Tell me, what was the white stuff you used to put the pieces together?” The crew chief said, “Oh, that was … tollgate booth paste.”

Don Fenner ’51Springfield Center, N.Y.

Whatthey’resayingonline

Huffington Post/Politics9/16/2013 In response to “The Real Stakes in Syria” by David McCabe, professor of philosophy:

Leah Garabedian ’01: Prof. McCabe is an amazing mind who immensely impacted me as a student. I am thrilled to read his thoughts on the philosophical underpinnings of a po-tential Syrian strike. (Please post more frequently, Professor! Best to you.)

Mountainlake.org9/17/23 In response to “Colgate Univer-sity Team Visits Adirondacks to Study Earthworms”:

Barbara Richardson: I had no idea all the worms in the Northeast are likely intruders. Thanks for this education!

FacebookSeptember 9/Colgate UniversityAnyone recall the 1993 Phish show at Colgate? If so, convince Michael Hamad ’94 to make a Phish Map [set list schematic] of that show.

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A “SoThisIsColgate”:TheLinkstaffusherstheClassof2017intothechapelforanentertainingpresentationonColgate’shistoryandtraditions.PhotobyAndrewDaddio

B SoakinginthescenerybyTaylorLakeatthefirst-year barbecue.PhotobyAshleeEve’14

C FunatFanFair,whichfeaturedcontestslikeinflatableSumowrestling,music,andanintroductiontotheathleticsteams.PhotobyAshleeEve’14

D Rah,Rah,Raiders.Impendingrainscouldn’tdampentheCol-gatespiritofthehugecrowdforhomecoming—someevenbravedcampingonWhitnallField,renamedRaiderParkfortheweekend.PhotobyMadelineHorner’15

E A“Case”forthebenefitsofstudyinginabeautifulsetting—thelibrary’sHieberCafé.PhotobyAndrewDaddio

F FromtheTeaClubtotheDisasterResponseTeam,studentclubsattheActivitiesFairshowcasedtheoptionsforin-volvement.PhotobyDuyTrinh’14

G U.S.Rep.RichardHanna(R-Barneveld)visitedcampustodis-cussissuesincludingnatural-gasfracking,politicalgridlock,andthefederalbudgetsequester.PhotobyAndrewDaddio

H ArecliningBuddha(Burma,circa16thcentury)inChapelHouse.PhotobyGabrielaBezerra’13

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Colgate helps expand Chenango Nursery SchoolOn September 23, a new wing of the Chenango Nursery School opened in a ceremony that included toddlers, parents, village representatives, and Colgate University administrators, led by President Jeffrey Herbst. To meet the growing need for high-quality child care in the village of Hamilton, including for families of Colgate employees, the university entered a mutually beneficial partner-ship with Chenango Nursery School, agreeing to invest in upgrades and expanding the facility. At the end of the ceremony, it was announced that the new wing of the building was dedicated to Denise Dinski, director of the school, which has gone from a room in St. Thomas Church to its larger location on West Kendrick Avenue.

Colgate Reads sparks community discussionFrom Lawrence Hall to Hamilton Central School to a high school in New Jersey, the distinctive black-and-white cover of George Saunders’s Tenth of December seemed to be everywhere

this summer — the visual cue to the inaugural Colgate Reads program. Colgate Reads is simple: read a story, discuss the story. Approximately 2,150 people joined in to read the title story of Saunders’s new collection, breaking the goal of 2,013 participants. A visit to the program’s online forum, where participants could discuss the story and pose questions, proves that its purpose was achieved. Students, professors, alumni, staff members, townspeople, and friends all chimed in with insights, from the symbolism of colors, to the age dynamics between characters, to the influence of Saunders’s Buddhist beliefs. In a particularly lively thread about the characters in the story (posed by Professor Jennifer Brice), Raveen Bhar-vani ’85 commented on Saunders’s portrayal of truly human characters. “A lesser writer,” he wrote, “would have wrapped things up for both of the characters in much simpler ways, but life is not simple.” Discussion of Tenth of December also showed up in surprising venues. A full-fledged debate formed on the Class of 2017 Facebook page, where

the newest members of the Colgate community offered their opinions and struggles with Saunders’s thought-provoking stories (their pre–first-year summer reading assignment). Discussing topics like how Saunders’s satire compares with Twain’s, the students brought thinking fit for the classroom to popular social media. The initiative even stretched as far as Demarest, N.J., when Bridget Ryan ’05, a teacher at The Academy of the Holy Angels, asked 15 students in her AP English literature class to partici-pate in Colgate Reads, which served as a springboard for class discussion. “The forum was an excellent opportu-nity for me to introduce my students to the kind of thoughtful discussion that I want them to have throughout the year,” Ryan said. “It was a great way to begin a year in which we focus on reading and discussing literature from multiple perspectives. In terms of my own participation,” she added, “the forum helped me think about the story in [new] ways.” The founders of the program, professors Jane Pinchin and Jenni-fer Brice, were particularly excited about the response from all over the community. “We met our goal, but, as exciting, we met it with a range of readers,” Pinchin said. “We had hoped for this expansiveness.” Brice and Pinchin continue the leg-acy of the late Professor Fred Busch by co-teaching the Living Writers course that he founded, a class that studies contemporary fiction and brings the authors to campus. A few years ago, they expanded the program with Liv-ing Writers Online for parents, alumni, and friends, before starting Colgate Reads in 2013. “We are excited by the writers we bring,” Brice said. “By their quality. By the linking of the visit of writers and the reading of their work. A wonderful venture.”— Kellyann Hayes ’16

In June, parts of central New York were washed out when heavy rains caused major flooding and devastation. This photo shows how Seven Oaks looked more like Taylor Lake, with 10 inches of water. There were also six displaced bridges, four eroded culverts, and two fallen willow trees.

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Views from the hillWhich member of the faculty or staff would you like to have dinner with and why?

“PresidentHerbst.I’msuretherearealotofthingsthatgoonbehindthescenesaboutwhathedoesatColgatethatI’mnotex-actlyfamiliarwith,anditwouldbeinterestingtolearnwhathisideasandplansareforColgate’sfuture.”— Josh Riefler ’14, economics and geology major from Buffalo, N.Y.

“It’dbegreattogoouttodinnerwithPattiandKathy,whoworkatthelibrarycafé,becausethey’repeopleyouseeeverydayandtheyknowyournameandyourcoffeeorder,andIwanttoknowtheirlifestories.”— Kate Maffei ’14, Spanish and education-al studies major from Fairfield, Conn.

“PhilandtheexecutivechefatFrankDiningHall.Philmakesmyomeletswithlove,andwhenIsayloveImeantomato,onions,andbacon.Heneverforgetsmyorder!Andtheexecutivechefisalwaysopentosuggestions.Thewaythedininghallhastransformedthisyear,Icansaythattheyaredoingagreatjob!”— Aiden Davis ’16, women’s studies major from Monroe, N.C.

responded “yes.” To which Ferrazzi countered, “It is more difficult.” He explained that society today uses technology in a transactional way, wherein individuals do not go into depth with their relationships; rather, they spread them out more superficially. He also encouraged students, faculty, and staff alike to build deeper relationships, especially with those who are going to help them reachtheir end goal, whether professionally or personally. “Your future will be re-lationally defined,” said Ferrazzi.“Build relationships with people who are going to enable you to be successful.” The Center for Career Services and the Dean of the College office are organizing small groups to read Fer-razzi’s book Who’s Got Your Back and discuss how to apply his relationship strategy to life and career exploration. — Natalie Sportelli ’15

Broad Street residence goes solarThings are really heating up at the Creative Arts House (100 Broad Street): 12 solar panels will provide the major-ity of the student residence’s energy. Currently, the other 16 residences on Broad Street are solely heated with fuel oil No. 2 — an expensive and relatively dirty source of energy that produces car-bon emissions. The solar panels, on the other hand, will reduce Colgate’s carbon footprint by capturing the sun’s energy to generate hot water for daily activities such as taking showers and washing dishes. With state rebates and fuel cost savings of nearly $2,600 a year, the project is expected to have a 10-year return on investment, according to John Pumilio, director of sustainability. “The cost of fuel oil is rising

and unpredictable, so if it jumps to $3.50 a gallon, all of a sudden the project has a much quicker payback,” Pumilio said. “Renewable energy proj-ects make us more resilient. There’s not as much risk as to whether the sun is going to come up tomorrow.” Although Hamilton is not the sunniest of places, Pat Leamy, project manager in the Facilities Department, explained that direct sunlight is not completely necessary to heat the water year-round. “Ten years ago, not having as much sun used to be a major issue. The technology has improved quite a bit,” said Leamy. “The collectors are more efficient now. Most of the technology came from NASA.” For the cold and overcast January mornings when students are shower-ing, the building might rely on fossil fuel for most of the heating. However, when taking into account the heat intensity in the warmer months, Pumilio estimated that about half of the house’s fuel oil consumption can be eliminated. Solar thermal energy is one of 27 projects in Colgate’s 2011 Sustainabil-ity and Climate Action Plan, which also includes energy-saving initia-tives in buildings, minimizing landfill

Relationship building at its bestHomecoming weekend keynote speaker Keith Ferrazzi presented a simple message: establish deeper relationships. The New York Times bestselling author and CEO of Ferrazzi Greenlight — a consulting firm designed to help people collaborate more effectively — focused on the idea of generosity when building more meaningful rela-tionships with others. “The first thing [you need to do] is to get into your own head and decide before you walk into that room that you’re going to like them,” Ferrazzi said. He spoke about how finding com-mon ground and connecting through shared values, respect, and trust can build a strong foundation for any new relationship. “Sociologically, is it easier to build relationships today?” Ferrazzi asked. After the crowd mulled it over, many

Twelve solar panels were recently attached to this framework on the side of 100 Broad Street (Creative Arts House).

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3upgradedstationsintheMindfulhealthychoiceprogramatFrankDiningHall

13differentcountriesrepresentedatMagellan’sstationeveryweek

600+mealsperdayservedfromTheWildMushroomveganandvegetarianstation

13hoursadayservingomeletsattheFly-ingStarDinerstation

0addedsaltinallentréesservedundertheMindfulprogram

600caloriesorlessineachentrée

15chefsprepareandcookmealsdaily

3,200serveddaily

25+entréeoptionsofferedpermealtime

1984yearthatFrankbeganoperating

Limitlesscombinationswith149flavorsinthenewsodamachine

—AminatOlayinkaAgaba’14

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ThevillagegreenwasaseaofblanketsandlawnchairsonehotJulynightaspeoplesettleddowntowatchaperformancebySymphoria.Theensemble—aneworchestracreatedaftertheSyracuseSymphonyfolded—performedmusicfrompopularshowssuchasLes Misérables,Wicked,andPhantom of the Operaforadelightedcrowd. Beforehand,theEarlvilleOperaHousehostedaninstrumentpettingzoowhereSymphoriamusicians

showcasedtheirstring,wind,andpercussioninstruments.Childrenandparentsalikegainedabetterunderstandingoftheinstru-mentsbeforetheperfor-mancebybeingabletotouchandevenplaysomeofthem. OnAugust3,thingsgotphysicaloutonthegreenas

younggirlsandboysdonningheavyglovespracticedtheirpunches.AsapartofthefifthannualHamiltonInternationalFilmFesti-val,filmmakerJillMorleystagedaboxingclinicforyoungstersonthedayofthescreeningofherfilmFight Like a Girl. Morleytaughtsomeofthebasicsofthesportandtoldan-ecdotesofherboxingcareer,beforeposingforphotoswiththekidsandherrecentlywontournamentbelt. “It’sgreattogetthelittlegirlsoutthere,”MorleytoldRadioFreeHamilton.“Itgetsthemoutoftheirshells,andgivesthemawaytoexpressthemselvesinawaywomenaren’tnormallyallowed.” OnAugust9,hundredsofskateboarders,bicyclists,inlineboarders,andstreetlugerscareeneddownnear-byMunnsville’swindingEastHillRoadduringGravityFest.Lastheldintheareain2008,theeventreturnedbiggerthanever,withthousandscomingtowatch.Hur-tlingdownthefreshlypavedroadlinedwithhaystacksandeagerspectators,racerscamefromasfarawayasEuropetocompeteintheadrenaline-pumpingevent.—KellyannHayes’16

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waste, and encouraging the use of locally grown food in dining facilities. After implementing several energy-saving projects and investing in carbon offsets, Pumilio estimates that the university has already reduced its overall carbon footprint to about 5,000 tons, a considerable reduction from the campus’s baseline of 17,000 in 2009. According to Pumilio, Colgate has one of the lowest campus carbon

footprints in the country and is in a very good position to achieve carbon neutrality by 2019.— Laura D’Angelo ’14

Chinese students experience the liberal arts at ColgatePersonal tour of the New York Stock Exchange? Check. Daily treks up the hill three times a day from 110 Broad Street? Check. Lectures by some of Colgate’s most accomplished profes-

sors? Check. This summer, 29 students visiting from China’s Xiamen Univer-sity enjoyed a sampling of the Colgate experience. The three-week exchange program, the brainchild of President Jeffrey Herbst and economics professor Cheryl Long, was started in an effort to foster a closer relationship between Colgate and Xiamen and introduce Chinese students to a liberal arts education. “The liberal arts approach to higher education isn’t well known in China because all universities in China have a more research-oriented approach,” Long said. Intended to be different from other exchange programs that only focus on English language instruc-tion and sightseeing, the Colgate program combined classroom-based discussions in English with a series of lectures that helped the Chinese students better understand American society. Topics ranged from economics and the financial system to history, so-ciology, and foreign relations between the United States and China. Having attended and taught at both Chinese and American universi-ties, Long encouraged the Xiamen students to engage in more dialogue with the professors. The in-class

President Jeffrey Herbst welcomed visiting students from Xiamen University by giving them his busi-ness card during a luncheon at Merrill House.

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Get to know: Patti VanVoorhis

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discussions between teachers and students and the small class size took many of them by surprise. Lee Liu, a 20-year-old studying economics at Xiamen, was excited about having the opportunity to com-municate more with his teachers. “In China, each class is like a lecture and the students obey what the books teach, and then you remember it and do your homework. But in America, students and teachers communicate about their topic and people can have different opinions. It’s a good way to develop creative thinking.” Outside of class, the students took trips to Niagara Falls, Cooperstown, New York City, and Washington, D.C. Because many were economics ma-jors, they were given personal tours by Duncan Niederauer ’81, CEO and director of NYSE Euronext, and Rob Jones ’72, senior advisor at Morgan Stanley. In Washington, the students were welcomed by Alan Frumin ’68, P’07, U.S. Senate parliamentarianemeritus. Coming from Xiamen — which has roughly 38,000 students and is located in a major city in southeast China — the village of Hamilton was a bit of a culture shock, but the stu-dents said they took a liking to the close-knit community. The summer exchange program was the first step in the memorandum signed by Herbst and Xiamen Presi-dent Zhu Chongshi to pursue faculty visits, joint workshops, conferences, and more exchange programs, includ-ing Colgate students visiting Xiamen.— Laura D’Angelo ’14

Celebrating Sukkot with a sukkah To celebrate the eight-day Jewish holiday of Sukkot, one of three harvest festivals celebrated in Judaism, a suk-kah took center stage on the Quad in September. Located directly in front of the chapel, the sukkah was impossible to miss. Constructed by the Blue Dia-mond Society (Colgate’s Jewish male philanthropic organization), the hut with brown tarp walls and a straw ceiling stood out among the elegant stone buildings lining the Quad. “The sukkah is supposed to be a very temporary structure,” explained Rabbi Dena Bodian. “Sukkot com-memorates that forty-year journey when the Israelites were nomadic and traveled across the desert.” Stepping into the rustic hut, the inside was actually quite homey. Col-orful paper chains adorned the tarp walls, tables were set up with autum-nal centerpieces, and squash gourds hung from the ceiling. Members of the Colgate Jewish Union (CJU) decorated and planned meal-centered events to take place in the sukkah. “In theory, really observant Jews have sukkahs in their yards,” CJU member Dana Laxer ’15 explained. “When I was a kid, [we] would decorate the [temple] sukkah on the closest Sunday to Sukkot. I made those paper chains probably 140 times as a child. “It’s a very different kind of holi-day,” she added. “It’s [being outside] and it’s community bonding, which are different from just sitting in ser-vices. It’s a nice way to mix it up.”— Hannah O’Malley ’17

Students celebrate Sukkot, the Jewish harvest festival, in a sukkah on the Quad.

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Every morning, I head to Hieber Café for an energy boost. However, instead of relying on coffee, I look to the other side of the counter in the hopes that Patti, the lead cashier, is working that day. I’ll know she’s there when I see my medium coffee waiting with the vanilla soymilk close by (I tend to be a creature of habit). To be honest, I don’t even like coffee that much; instead, I relish my conversations with Patti, which meander from interesting anec-dotes, to daily musings, to her proffers of advice for the future. To many students, Patti is much more than an employee at the café. She is a friend — with an unbelievable ability to remember names and coffee preferences — who has inspired me with her incredible life story. — Laura D’Angelo ’14

Unlikemany22-year-oldstoday,PattiVanVoorhisseemedtohaveallofherbiglifedeci-sionsworkedoutbyherearly20s.EngagedtomarryherhighschoolsweetheartandworkingfulltimeasasecretaryinabankinKingston,N.Y.,shewasexcitedtoembarkontheprocessofadoptingachild.ButeverythingchangedwhenVanVoorhisunderwentroutinemedicalteststhatwererequiredfortheadoptionprocess.ThedoctorsdiscoveredthatshehadStageIVHodgkin’slymphomainherlung.“Theygavemelessthansixweekstolive,withtreatment,”VanVoorhisrecalled.“Fortunately,theywerewrong.”Afterdefyingallodds—andeightadoptedchildrenlater—VanVoorhisnowcreditstheadoptionprocesswithsavingherlife. Theirfirstchild,GaryRebecca,wasbornpremature,deaf,andhadcerebralpalsyinallofherextremities.WhilemostpeoplewouldconsidercaringforachildlikeGaryRebeccatobeenoughofacommitment,VanVoorhisandherhusbanddecidedthattheywouldkeepadopt-ingchildrenofvaryingneeds. “Westartedourownmulti-racial,multi-abilityfamily,”shesaid.“WehavefourAfrican-Americanchildren,twoAsianAmericans,oneSyrian,andoneEuropeanmix.”Thechildren’scomplicationsrangefromfetalalcoholsyndrometopartialblindnesstoTARsyndrome,araregeneticdisordercharacterizedbytheabsenceoftheradiusboneintheforearm. Caringforherchildrenbecameafull-timejob,soVanVoorhishashadtochangeherworkscheduleaccordingly.Withatypicaldayinvolvingtripstospeechtherapy,occupationaltherapy,andplatelettransfusions,there’sneverbeenadull(orsedentary)momentintheVanVoorhishousehold. Inadditiontoprovidingherkidswiththenecessarytreatments,she’sbalanceduncon-ditionallovewithteachingthemimportantlifelessons,likebecomingasself-sufficientaspossible.Forexample,theirsonColby,whohasnoarmsorlegs,usedtocallhisolderbroth-erstohelphimupanddownthestairs.“Ieventuallysaid,‘Theywon’tdothatforyouforever,’”VanVoorhisrecalled.“Then,oneday,hejustboundedupanddownthestairs.Nowhe’soneofthemostconfidentguysyou’llmeet.” Withhalfofherchildrennoweithermarried,incollege,orlivingontheirown,VanVoor-hishas“adopted”hundreds,perhapsthousands,ofnewColgatestudents,takingcaretomemorizeeachone’snameandcoffeeorder.Ifyou’reluckyenoughtocatchherinbetweencoffeerushes,youmayevenbeabletoseethephotoalbumfromherson’srecentweddingorengageinpleasantsmalltalk,sprinkledwithinsightfulguidance. Hermostimportantadvice?“Whenyou’reyoung,youthinkyou’llliveforever,”shesaid.“At22,whenIthoughtImightonlyhavesixweekstolive,itputthingsinperspective.Lifeisvaluable.It’saboutthepeople’slivesyoutouchalongtheway.Ihope,ifanything,that’swhatmykidslearn—tomakeadifferencesomehowandknowthatallwehaveiseachother.”


Marriage – the ultimate maturity gauge?By Kristin Koch ’05

I never had any hesitation that Andy was the one for me or that we would spend the rest of our lives together. After six years in a monogamous re-lationship — including two cross-country moves, economic upheaval and layoffs, career changes, and a six-month stint living with his parents (no easy feat) — it felt like we’d already made our relationship official. But, like most women who are single well into their 20s, I felt pressured by girlfriends who insisted, “Everyone wants to get married” and, “You’re just saying you don’t care because you haven’t been proposed to yet.” As most of my friends plodded their way to the altar, Andy and I enjoyed years of blissful cohabitation without ever worrying about if and when we’d tie the knot. Over the years, we attended weddings by the dozen. Eventually, he and I were one of the last unmarried pairs standing. Still, I wasn’t compelled to demand a ring. We were content. Certainly, people in our lives thought there had to be some-thing wrong with our relationship, but we didn’t care what anyone thought. Even during my years as an editor at a major wedding maga-zine, my bridal instincts failed to kick in. Sure, I felt the twinge of “something miss-ing” every time a new co-worker announced her engagement and was met with loads of fanfare, but that didn’t change how I felt deep inside: Andy and I didn’t need a piece of paper to affirm our com-mitment. It wasn’t until my 30th birthday approached that I began to feel the first real impulse to get hitched. My career was thriving, but still, I sensed a barrier. It soon became apparent that my unmarried status was preventing me from being taken seriously as an adult and a professional. I was trapped in relationship purgatory. Don’t get me wrong: it’s not like I was blatantly ostracized. I wasn’t sent to the kiddie table or anything. But my colleagues weren’t that much more subtle. Questions like “When’s he going to pop the question?” or the classic, “Why aren’t you married yet?” insinuated that something must be wrong with me if my boyfriend hadn’t proposed after all this time. If I dared to

express my ambivalence about weddings and marriage, I was often met with disbelief. And not just from colleagues, but from friends, too. Then it happened — Andy and I decided to get engaged. And what was a personal decision between two people became a signal that they were right all along: Every woman does want to be a bride. Some people were self-righteous: “See, I told you that you wanted to get married,” they would say, as if they had possessed insight into my deepest desires. Others simply expressed relief. I fit in. I was normal. My stock rose as soon as I exchanged my scarlet ‘S’ for a sapphire engage-ment ring. The same people who once made me feel pathetic suddenly ad-mired me. It was like the door to an exclusive club had opened up to me. And membership had its privileges. Suddenly, I had celebrity status among colleagues, friends — even bosses. I was the most popular girl at any cocktail party, work event, or meeting, and it wasn’t just because they were vying for a wedding invite; I was celebrated just as much by acquaintances. Overnight, the older women in the office treated me like an equal instead of a kid. We shared stories about our partners, workout classes, the diets we were considering, vacation spots, and restaurants. Even in meetings, my opinions and ideas were given more credence, as if the rock on my finger had raised my IQ. Previously, my boss was always hesitant to take me seriously in a management role. Now, I was more qualified to make assessments and changes to strategies and processes. And it wasn’t just higher-ups and colleagues who started treating me more like a peer. I felt far more connected to my friends, both married and engaged, than I had in years. Wives and fiancées of Andy’s friends who had once seemed to merely endure me suddenly wanted to be friends. Overnight, both sets of parents gained a newfound respect for me. When, pre-engagement, I had mentioned my desire to start up a freelance business, I got an earful (in stereo). Post-engagement, when I brought it up again (and then actually did it), no one questioned my decision. Gone were the insinua-tions that I was being impetuous and irresponsible. The decision seemed unanimous: I was far more likable, interesting, and respectable now that I was engaged. I’ll be the first to admit, that’s what I was going for. I still didn’t care about the wedding or even the ring (though I love it). Andy and I were already com-mitted. I just wanted the title; the status change. If a piece of paper would afford me the ability to be a real player in my career and a respected adult, I figured, why not? Had I known how quickly a rock on my finger would have made my life easier, I might have popped the question to Andy a long time ago. Although we haven’t walked down the aisle just yet, I’ve come to think of getting married as more akin to college or high school graduation than a ro-mantic gesture or the real-life fairytale we’re led to believe it will be. It’s a rite of passage that marks a person’s transition into adulthood. And although we may leave the nest and support ourselves long before we marry these days, whether we like it or not, society still sees marriage as the ultimate maturity gauge — for better or for worse. What’s surprised me most is how different I feel since becoming engaged. As ironic as it sounds, I do feel more legit having had a ring on my fingerfor a while now. For the first time in my life, I don’t feel like I’m pretendingto be an adult. Getting engaged has made me feel more like an adult thananything else in my life has — far more than a director title, a mortgage approval, or parenthood (hey, a puppy counts, right?). So, did I sell out? You be the judge. But I will suggest that if Andy and I are happy, and everyone else in our lives is relieved/justified/delighted/fill-in-the-blank-here, then you might say: all’s well that ends well.

WriterandbloggerKristinKoch,whospecializesinfashion,beauty,lifestyle,weddings,andtravel,isaformereditoratGlamour, Vanity Fair,andBuzzMedia.HeressayoriginallyappearedontheHuffingtonPost’sWeddingspage.

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Alumni, parents, and friends have been celebrating the Year of ’13 by finding Colgate’s lucky number wherever they go. Visit bit.ly/project-13.

#project13


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SyllabusReligion331:TheProblemofEvilClariceMartin,JeanPickerProfessorofPhilosophyandReligionTTh1:20–2:35p.m.,320LawrenceHall

Coursedescription:Theissuesposedbythe“problemofevil”havevexedphiloso-phers,theologians,andthecuriousforcenturies,whilefuelingatheisticobjec-tionstotheveryexistenceofGod.ThiscourseexaminesWesternresponsestotheproblemofevil,includingperspectivesonthecauses,functions,andeffectsofhumansufferingandevilwithindiscretecommunities.Particularattentionisgiventothechallengesevilposestofaith,rea-son,andpracticefromtheEnlightenmentperiodthroughmodernity.

Onthereadinglist:Deconstructing Theodicy: Why Job Has Nothing to Say to the Puzzle of Suffering,DavidB.BurrellAmidst Mass Atrocity and The Rubble of Theology: Searching for a Viable Theodicy,PeterAdmirandThe Social Psychology of Good and Evil, ArthurG.Miller,ed.Evil in Modern Thought: An Alternative History of Philosophy,SusanNeiman

Courseformat:PartITheorizingEvil:Religious PerspectivesPartIITheorizingEvil:Philosophical PerspectivesPartIIITheCulturalProductionofEvil: Social-ScientificPerspectivesPartIVTheQuestforViableTheodicies

Theprofessorsays:“Itakemystudentsthrougharigorousinterdisciplinaryanalysisoftheproblemofevil,withasustainedandspiritedinterrogationofprimaryandsecondarysourcesfromantiquitytothepresent.Weconcludewithafascinatinganalysisofstrategichumanresponsestopersonalandmassatrocity,andhumansufferingandevil.”

Zebrafish research has exciting implications for human cell regenerationStudents working with biology profes-sor Jason Meyers have been looking for the answer to why stem cells in certain parts of zebrafish, the same fish you might find at a local aquari-um shop, regenerate when their sen-sory cells are damaged. Because similar human cells do not regenerate, and their loss leads to permanent deaf-ness, this work could help scientists understand how they might some day be able to promote regeneration in humans. Humans and zebrafish share many biological traits, making the freshwater fish a common model for research on finding cures for diseases and developmental defects. A study of the lateral line sensory system in zebrafish by Meyers, Jeffery Head ’12, Leah Gacioch ’08, and Mat-thew Pennisi ’09, showed that one particular signaling pathway was able to stimulate the related stem cells to divide too many times. The result was sensory organs that were much larger than normal, and had an excessive number of sensory cells. It suggests that this pathway is a critical regula-tor of stem cell divisions and may be one of the gatekeepers that maintains appropriate cell numbers. “By learning more about what trig-gers the fish cells to divide, we may learn about strategies for stimulat-ing regeneration of our cells,” Meyers explained. The group published their findings in Developmental Dynamics in July. Work by Meyers, Jessica Planamen-to ’12, Pierson Ebrom ’10, and Neil Krulewitz ’12 explored the role that an enzyme called sulfatase 1 had on the development of zebrafish. Their article appeared in Developmental Biology in June. Current students have begun

follow-up work on both articles with Meyers. He recently received a grant from the National Organization of Hearing Research to expand the lateral line work.— Omar Aquije

NSF grant will give students access to high-level instrumentation A major National Science Foundation (NSF) grant will allow for interdis-ciplinary cooperation between the Department of Psychology and the Neuroscience Program as well as provide students access to equipment usually not found in undergraduate research facilities. Professors Bruce Hansen, Arnold Ho, Spencer Kelly, Carrie Keating, and Doug Johnson jointly applied for an NSF Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) grant to obtain a state-of-the-art electroencephalography (EEG) system for use in psychology and neurosci-ence. The EEG system, which consists of electrodes that are placed on a per-son’s scalp, records brain waves. The system will integrate existing lines of behavioral research with neurosci-ence research measuring neuroelec-tric brain activation. “Having a shared EEG system will provide a common tool connecting a diverse range of department members and will facilitate both intradisci-plinary and interdisciplinary work among researchers at Colgate who may not otherwise collaborate,” said Hansen, who spearheaded the grant proposal.

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Students manipulate an older model of the electroencephalography (EEG) system.


Hansen, associate professor of psychology, said this integrated approach will allow professors to directly engage students with equip-ment and laboratory techniques that unite psychology and neuroscience into one field of study. He believes that this method will, in turn, foster nontraditional research connections that should spark fresh insights and create new areas of study. “Students in our labs will actually be using the EEG system, as opposed to only observing the system when in use,” he added. Ho, an assistant professor of psy-chology, is interested in connecting patterns of brain activity to behavioral tendencies. One of his main areas of research concerns the psychology of inequality and prejudice — how we categorize and perceive individuals belonging to multiple groups, such as biracial individuals. “The EEG system will enable me to explore the neural underpinnings of such patterns of categorization,” he said, “and promises to reveal why we may exhibit biases in our perception.”— Natalie Sportelli ’15

Professor Soja recognized for fossil reef researchGeology professor Connie Soja has led field expeditions to Alaska’s North Pacific coast, the Australian outback, and Mongolia’s Gobi Desert. Her work has yielded new insights into novel ecologic relationships in ancient reefs and how past environmental trans-formations help predict global change in reef communities today. In recogni-tion of her work, Soja, a member of the Denison University Class of 1979, was recently honored with an alumni citation, the highest honor bestowed upon graduates and friends by her alma mater. Soja’s global research on fossil reefs has been supported by the National Science Foundation, National Acade-my of Sciences, American Association for the Advancement of Science, and the Keck Geology Consortium. In the Ural Mountains and Siberia, she and her American and Russian colleagues established the first-ever documented links between the geology of Russia and southeastern Alaska. With Colgate students, she has published research on dinosaur eggs and the conditions that favored their preservation in the fossil record. She is completing a book titled The Last Good Buy: Evolution in the New Age

of Extinction to focus attention on endangered species around the world. Soja teaches courses on evolution; paleontology; Darwin (with field trips in the United Kingdom); a seminar on ocean reefs that includes a field course in the Bahamas or Australia’s Great Barrier Reef; and a first-year seminar on “The Sixth Extinction,” or modern biodiversity crisis. She offers science education workshops on biomimicry to high school teachers and on dino-saurs to elementary school teachers and their students. She also has direct-ed Colgate’s study abroad programs in England, Wales, and Australia and has conducted research with nearly 50 students from Colgate and other schools. Soja’s findings have appeared in dozens of publications and shared in many professional conference talks.

From cartoons to crystallography Approximately 150 students con-ducted summer research on campus, spanning a wide range of disciplines. Here’s a sampling: There are about 3.3 million users of the burgeoning online currency Bitcoin — about half of what Bitcoin has reported, according to computer science major Mike McConville ’16. While all of Bitcoin’s data is public, McConville said, it isn’t shared in a for-mat that is readable to humans, and it also masks the identity of users. Work-ing with computer science professor Vijay Ramachandran, McConville developed an algorithm to determine the actual number of Bitcoin users, translating the code and weeding out multiple accounts. “The total market

cap is more than $1 billion, spurred largely by speculation and illicit activ-ity,” he explained. Three neuroscience majors were able to demonstrate reversal learning in crayfish — something they say has never been done before. Jodi Forward ’15, Clara Slight ’15, and Alyssa Devine ’15 gathered their test subjects from Payne Creek on campus. After training the crayfish to exit a simple maze in one direction, the students then took the same creatures and taught them to go in the opposite direction. “We found they were successfully able to do so,” explained Forward. History major Caitlin Sackrison ’15 studied 19th-century French political

cartoons that she found in the Colgate archives. Advised by Professor Jill Har-sin, Sackrison translated, identified, and analyzed more than 75 cartoons. “In 1871, shortly after the Second Empire in France fell and the Com-mune took over, the common women of Paris (the pétroleuses) were blamed for the burning of France. Thus, I was interested in how women were il-lustrated in the cartoons,” explained Sackrison. “I not only learned more French, but I also learned more about specific characters during the Second Empire.” Emily Rundlet ’14, a biochemistry major, used robots to help determine the 3-D structure of different enzy-matic proteins using X-ray crystal-lography. “This research will provide a foundation of information on these proteins that will allow for further investigation into their hypothesized industrial applications,” she explained. Working with Professor Roger Rowlett, Rundlet tested a slew of different solu-tions to grow crystals with improved quality. She was able to create a computer model of one particular pro-tein using Colgate’s dual-beam X-ray diffractometer and computational lab. “The instrumentation and resources available for protein research of this caliber are unmatched for a school of its size,” she said. “Because we are one of the only undergraduate institutions in the country with this type of X-ray diffractometer, the work I have done at Colgate is comparable to graduate-level research.”

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Caitlin Sackrison ’15 studied 19th-century French political cartoons like this one from the Colgate archives over the summer.

Geology professor Connie Soja has received her alma mater’s highest honor.


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A candid look at creative processPenny Lane — a seasoned storyteller, nonfiction filmmaker, assistant pro-fessor of art and art history at Colgate, and … self-proclaimed thief? In a thought-provoking and honest lecture about her role as a visual artist, Lane discussed the complexities of being a filmmaker who appropriates others’ images exclusively to create her own nonfiction narratives. “Everything [in my work] in a sense is stolen and reflects my lack of interest in creating images. I’m much more interested in finding things than making things, which leads me to my work in nonfiction,” she explained in a lecture in Golden Auditorium in September. After showing three of her most popular works — How to Make an Autobiography, an excerpt from Our Nixon, and The Voyagers — Lane revealed specific moments in the films where her storytelling needs took precedence over an accurate or factual representation. According to Lane, the most chal-lenging aspect of creating nonfiction films is striking a balance between telling a compelling story and not dis-torting reality. In her award-winning documentary Our Nixon — which recently premiered on CNN and at Colgate — Lane appropriated

as a story to your viewer. It’s a really intense process,” she explained. Named one of Filmmaker maga-zine’s “25 New Faces of Independent Film,” Lane is currently working on a new project and had some of her work showcased in an exhibition at Colgate’s Clifford Gallery this fall.— Laura D’Angelo ’14

Thirteen Strings, Stormy WeatherThis September, a new musical ensemble featuring 13 virtuoso string musicians debuted at Colgate with a special concert in Memorial Cha-pel. Under the direction of Professor Marietta Cheng, the Thunder and Lightning Orchestra delighted the au-dience with a memorable rendition of Tchaikovsky’s Serenade for Strings, Op. 48, and Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, featur-ing acclaimed violin soloist Kristin Lee. Cheng said she chose the Four Seasons as a historical baroque-period piece: the small ensemble is similar in size to ensembles that would have played it in Vivaldi’s time. The Four Seasons also inspired the orchestra’s name: four sonnets, each describing a different season repre-senting one movement, accompany the piece. “Thunder and Lightning” represents the storm that breaks out in “Summer.” The idea for a new orchestra emerged while brainstorming ideas with the Colgate Arts Council to bring more arts programming to Colgate. “We want exceptional, interdisciplin-ary events,” said Cheng. “We were trying to come up with ideas that will celebrate the arts at Colgate.” Further, given that the ensemble was created in 2013, she was inspired to follow Colgate’s age-old numerical tradition, by forming a group with 13 players. The ensemble features alumni of the Juilliard School of Music, includ-ing the soloist, Kristin Lee, from New York City and the upstate area.

archived home movies filmed by three of Nixon’s closest aides during his presidency. Lane said she used artistic license to construct sentences — it took her three days to create an eight-word sentence by adviser John Ehrlichman — that better fit the story she was telling through the compiled footage. “I feel like if I did some of these things as a paper in a college class, I’d be called in front of the academic in-tegrity board. And I’m wondering why we don’t have anything like that in the world of visual arts. I’m intrigued by the idea that in art and film, we should have better standards of how we explain these ‘distortions’ to our viewers,” she said. Lane entertained the idea of providing her audience with an annotated guide to every edit and manipulation after her next film, but understands that it could poten-tially backfire because many other documentary filmmakers are not as transparent about their edits. Ultimately, Lane has shown a keen ability to put seemingly unrelated images, sounds, and words together to form cohesive and relatable films. “When you’re telling a nonfiction story, you have to take a whole bunch of messy material from the world and shape it into something that reads

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A film still from Profes-sor Penny Lane’s Our Nixon shows the former president in his iconic pose.


Preview

ColgateUniversityTheaterPresents:A Mouthful of BirdsByCarylChurchillandDavidLanAdrianGiurgea,directorBrehmerTheater,CharlesA.Dana ArtsCenterShowtimes: Nov.6–9,2013,8–10p.m. Nov.10,2p.m.

Followingtheunpredictablestoriesofsevenseeminglynormalcharac-ters,A Mouthful of Birds isaparablefocusingonthethemesofviolence,escape,andself-discovery.Eachstoryistoldinthecontextofanintroduc-tion,an“undefendedday”—whenthecharacterispossessedbyaspirit,love,violence,oranaddiction—andanaftermath. BasedonEuripides’ancientGreektragedyBacchae,theintri-catelydesignedplayweavesscenesofPentheus,thekingofThebes,withchoreographeddances,revealingthehumantendencytoactirrationally.

For more information on arts events, visit www.colgate.edu/arts

awards for piano, he worked withoff-Broadway productions, and taught musical theater at Syracuse University, the University of Oklaho-ma, and the University of the Arts. He currently teaches at the Westmin-ster College of the Arts at Rider Uni-versity, and directed productions of My Way, Kiss Me, Kate, and The Bikinis this year alone. Their reconnection happened when, while attending one of Sophie’s ballet practices at Gretna five years ago, McNamee overheard a conversa-tion about the next summer stock production. When she heard that

someone named Louis Goldberg was part of the directing staff, “I never expected that this would be the same person I went to school with years ago, but I decided to look into one of the rehearsals down the hall, just in case,” she recalled. Sure enough, it was her old classmate, and they have stayed in touch over the years. “It’s amazing how everything is coming around full circle,” McNamee said. “I remember being so awed and proud of Louis as a 20-year-old, so it was sweet to see him with my daugh-ter just as she is embarking on her career in stage entertainment.” McNamee’s first involvement with the Gretna, as an assistant stage manager during the summer before her junior year, came about through the recommendation of Atlee Sproul, Colgate’s theater director at the time. Over the years, McNamee has also encountered other Colgate alumni who have been involved at the Gretna: former fellow Swinging ’Gates members. For McNamee, the experience has not only been a reminder of

how fortunate she was to meet such talented people at Colgate, but it has also taught her to truly appreciate these reconnections. “They conjure up emotions that help you to keep young at heart!”— Aminat Olayinka Agaba ’14

Elegy honors Donald BerryA new work of chamber music honors the life of Donald Berry, who taught philosophy and religion at Colgate from 1957 to 1994 and died last January. The Fenimore String Quartet, whose cellist is Berry’s daughter Ruth, premiered Elegy for String Quartet at the Artworks Concert Series in the Star Theatre in Cherry Valley, N.Y., in July. The quartet commissioned the piece from composer David L. Post, to honor, as the score’s inscription reads, “a man whose love of spirit, educa-tion, and music was incomparable.” Post, whose Fourth String Quartet was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize, is a consultant and contributing music editor for Dover Publications as well as a practicing clinical psychologist. Ruth Berry is an active chamber musician performing throughout central New York and beyond. Last October, she and two fellow musicians with Colgate ties — cellist Benjamin Whittenburg ’76 and Michael Cleve-land (violin instructor and concert-master of the university orchestra) — traveled with the Glimmerglass Opera to Oman as guests of the Royal Opera House and Sultanate, to perform in its production of The Music Man. Berry played with the Colgate or-chestra while in high school, and she and Whittenburg both studied cello with Cathy McLelland, spouse of long-time geology professor Jim McLelland. Performing the elegy in tribute to her father was remarkable on many levels, said Berry. “Learning/rehears-ing the piece, the ritual of performing it as if going through the organized content of a religious service, and the shared experience for people who had traveled to the performances specifi-cally because they knew my father— each was a stage in acceptance and understanding of his death, and of life.”

Picking up on the interdisciplinary theme, Professor Jeff Foy proposed a psychology study in conjunction with the performance. Foy wanted to study the “Vivaldi Effect” — that listening to the “Spring” movement of the Four Seasons increases alertness, reducing reaction time to stimuli — as shown in a previous scientific study in the United Kingdom. Working with two students, Duy Trinh ’14 and Joe Cohen ’15, Foy recorded reaction times and cogni-tive functions of volunteers as they performed tasks — such as hitting the spacebar on a keyboard every time a green square flashed and solving short word problems. They studied the differences between the results when subjects performed the tasks while listening to the music, and in silence. The team announced their findings at the Thunder and Lightning debut: although it is a charming piece and a pleasure to listen to, they were un-able to detect the Vivaldi Effect here at Colgate. “True, our findings weren’t consis-tent with the original study, but ours was small,” said Foy. “It is possible there is an effect and we just didn’t find it, or perhaps the original paper’s findings are anomalous. Based on our findings, all we can really conclude is that it is too early to conclude any-thing.” So, Foy’s not ready to call the study a total washout.— Kellyann Hayes ’16

There’s no place like homeIt was like Dorothy awakening from her dream and finding herself back in Kansas for Mary Jane McNamee ’87 when her daughter Sophie got a part in a local summer stock production of The Wizard of Oz. Sophie played a munchkin and a jitterbug on the stage where McNa-mee had interned during college, at the Gretna Theatre in Mt. Gretna, Pa. What’s more, McNamee’s college friend and musical theater compatriot Louis Goldberg ’85 was directing the music. Goldberg had directed McNamee in Company at Colgate back in 1984; she described him as “humble” and “extremely talented.” Today sporting an accomplished career, Goldberg has more than 300 musical theater pro-ductions across the United States and Europe under his belt. After winning a number of local and international

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Rowing alumni medaled at world championshipsTwo former Raiders — Lauren Schmet-terling ’10 and Bryan Pape ’08 — won medals at the World Rowing Cham-pionships in Chungju, South Korea, in August. Schmetterling received a gold medal as part of the U.S. women’s eight crew that had previously set a world record in July at the World Row-ing Cup III in Lucerne, Switzerland. There, crossing in a time of 5 minutes and 54.16 seconds, the American squad broke the previous mark by one-hundredth of a second. It was the first international competition with

Team U.S.A. for Schmetterling, who was a team captain at Colgate. Meanwhile, Pape helped the U.S. men’s lightweight eight crew score the bronze in South Korea, finish-ing behind Italy and Australia. The Simsbury, Conn., native not only lettered four years for the Raiders, but also served as an assistant coach at Colgate during 2009 and 2010.

Senior plays for Canada at World University GamesBasketball player Murphy Burnatow-ski ’14 returned to campus this fall after experiencing something most college athletes don’t get to do: competing in

the World University Games in Russia. The Waterloo, Ontario, native went through rigorous tests, tryouts, and practices to secure a spot on the Cana-dian Developmental Men’s National Team. His hard work paid off when he made the cut as one of 12 players representing Canada at the 27th an-nual event. Burnatowski and his teammates started the tournament on fire with six-straight wins, including a 94-85 win over the United States. The un-defeated run came to an end against the host squad, Russia, but Burna-towski competed for the bronze medal against Serbia. With many profession-al players, the Serbians were a tough opponent, yet the game was tight until the final minutes when Serbia pulled away for the win. “Although we didn’t come away with a medal, we were very proud of what we accomplished this sum-mer,” Burnatowski said in his blog. “Having a record of 15-2 is nothing to be ashamed of. We truly believe that if we were able to make a few more plays in those two losses, we could have been at the top of the podium. Playing for your country really brings a group of people together.” Burnatowski has returned to Colgate for his senior campaign after leading with 17.4 points per game, compiling 557 points throughout the course of his first year with the Raid-ers (he transferred to Colgate his ju-nior year). He posted 28 double-figure games, in 12 of which he scored 20 or more points, with three of them being double-doubles. The All-Patriot League Second Team selection also recorded a career-high 35 points against Army last January.

Alumni hockey headlinesAndy McDonald ’00, who played more than 680 National Hockey League games for the Anaheim Ducks and St. Louis Blues, has decided to retire, citing ongoing post-concussion con-cerns. During his NHL career, which began with the Ducks in 2000–2001, McDonald suffered at least five con-cussions. “The last few years, too much of the focus became worrying about the next hit,” McDonald said in an inter-view with True Hockey. “I’m fortunate to get out now. I know I could play two or three more years, and I love the game of hockey, but healthwise I know I shouldn’t be playing.”

Colgate’s foray into the world of FBS (Football Bowl Subdivision) football got off to a flying start in Colorado Springs, Colo., against Air Force. The Raid-ers scored early, but then not often enough, and dropped a 38-13 decision to Air Force of the Mountain West Conference before 32,095 people in the season opener for both teams.

Bryan Pape ’08 (second from left) rowed with the U.S. men’s light-weight eight crew.

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McDonald, who played four sea-sons for Colgate, was a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award in 2000, with 58 points on 25 goals and 33 assists. After graduating from Colgate, the Strathroy, Ontario, native was signed as a free agent and spent more than six seasons with the Ducks, start-ing with 16 games in 2000–2001. He went on to record 282 points for the Ducks, including a career-high 85 in 2005–2006. He had 78 points on 27 goals and 51 assists during the regular season in 2006–2007, and made a name for himself during Anaheim’s run to the Stanley Cup in 2007. Mc-Donald had 10 goals and four assists for 14 points during that postseason. According to many, McDonald had a huge impact on Anaheim’s champion-ship season. In other news, Steve Spott ’90 made a big splash over the July Fourth weekend, landing the new head-coaching job for the AHL’s Toronto Marlies, the affiliate of the Maple Leafs. Spott joined them after 12 years with the Kitchener Rangers of the On-tario Hockey League, where he spent time as both the general manager and head coach. Over the winter, he was also at the helm of Team Canada at the 2013 World Junior Championships. Lastly, Jesse Winchester ’08 is back in the NHL after spending last year overseas in Finland. He signed a one-year, two-way contract with the Florida Panthers. Winchester, who has appeared in 233 NHL games, has 52 points, all with the Ottawa Senators. Also, Thomas Larkin ’13 signed with the Columbus Blue Jackets, and Joey Mormina ’05 is back in central New York playing for the Syracuse Crunch.

Canales coaches top French swimmer at WorldsThis past summer, Fernando J. Cana-les, the Mark S. Randall Head Coach of swimming, was the personal coach of three-time Olympic medalist Yannick Agnel of France during the World Championships in Barcelona, Spain. Agnel burst onto the scene world-wide last year during the London Olympics, winning two gold medals, including the 200-meter freestyle, in which he broke the French record with a time of 1:43.14. The Frenchman decided he needed a new training environment in order to get ready for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, so he joined Team USA Head Coach Bob Bowman at the world-famous North Baltimore Aquatic Club. Bowman and Canales go back to their days together at the University of Michi-gan; Canales worked with Bowman, who was the head coach from 2004 to 2008 and is best known for coaching record-breaking Olympian Michael Phelps. Bowman entrusted Canales to coach Agnel during the World Cham-pionships. Canales helped Agnel win the gold in both the 200-meter freestyle (which made him the first Frenchman to ever win that event at both the Olympics and at the Worlds) and in a come-from-behind victory in the 4 x 100 meter relay.

The General debutsA special documentary that premieredat the Hamilton International Film Festival in August celebrated a home-town coach and team that experi-enced an unforgettable season. The

General, about Coach Terry Slater and the 1990 Colgate hockey season, was produced by his sons, Grant ’91 and Todd, and screened at the Hamilton Movie Theater. The brothers, who founded the festival five years ago, got the idea for the film from a previous festival participant. Kenny MacBain had made a documentary about the Hamilton boys’ soccer team in 2010, and became a partner on the new project. The General tells the story of how the Raider hockey team, then filled with walk-ons, transfers, and rookies, came together under their exceptional coach to compete in the 1990 national championship. “We spent a lot of time talking through the film and what would make people want to watch even if they weren’t hockey fans or from Hamilton,” said Todd Slater. The project was “very personal since it involved our dad and close family friends,” Todd said. He added that there were also more stories at work during that magical season. “The film shows how our father related to a team and to a community. We wanted the story to be more than just about winning or losing a hockey game. The message that holds true to us is how a community, when faced with a chal-lenge, can come together to accom-plish something great.” Terry Slater came to Colgate from the World Hockey Association, where he coached the Los Angeles Sharks and Cincinnati Stingers. He spent 10 seasons at Colgate, and although his coaching style was unorthodox, it caught on quickly with his players and

the community. He died unexpectedly in 1991. The making of the film became a stroll down memory lane for the brothers. “We have watched the film and all the interviews so many times, we can now recite the lines by Karl Clauss ’90 or Joel Gardner ’90 before they even appear on screen,” Todd said. “The process allowed us to con-nect with old friends and people who are special to our family.” Many players from the 1990 team came to Hamilton for the debut of the film, which featured many of them talking about the experience. Todd said he couldn’t think of a better place to debut the film than Hamilton. “This is the town we grew up in, and it will always hold a special place in our hearts. We created the fes-tival as a way to give back to the area, and it could not have been a more perfect time to showcase a movie about our father, Colgate, the people of Hamilton, and an incredible story.”

Watch Raiders athletics onlineColgate’s athletics video content is now free online via the Patriot League Network. Visit http://new.livestream.com/PatriotLeagueNetwork/colgate to access:

• on-demand video content

• live streaming of events and interviews, feature stories, and highlight packages throughout the year

Also, visit the new GoColgateRaiders.com. We’ve brought back the Student-Athlete of the Week and introduced improved video and social media access.

Coach Terry Slater, circa 1990

Olympic medalist Yannick Agnel and his coach, Fernando Canales, Colgate’s Mark S. Randall Head Coach of swimming

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filmInformation is provided by publishers, authors, and artists.

Bitter MelonElvis Alves ’02(Mahaicony Books)

In his debut poetrycollection, Elvis Alves uses bitter melon as a meta-phor for life’s expe-riences. Beyond ruminating about the bitterness of life, he seeks to locate the truth in the adage “Life is what you make of it.” He plays with the notion that different relationships (with oneself, God, nature, and other human beings) are at the core of what it means to take ownership of life. Alves’s innova-tive explorations of diverse African diasporic experiences soar across continents while grounding readers in the sensory world he creates. Seam-lessly interweaving the personal and sociopolitical, Bitter Melon challenges readers to see the world in new ways. Read a profile of Alves on pg. 64.

Half the RoadKate Bertine ’97(False Flat Films and Bertine Enterprises LLC)

Kate Bertine’s documentary film Half the Road: The Passion, Pitfalls & Power of Women’s Professional Cycling focuses on both her love of the sport and the pressing issues of inequality that modern-day female riders face in a male-dominated sport. With footage from some of the world’s best Union Cycliste Internationale races to interviews with Olympians, world champions, rookies, coaches, managers, and more, Half the Road offers unique insight into the drive, dedication, and passion it takes for a female cyclist to thrive. The film also follows Bertine’s quest to make the 2012 Olympics during her first year of racing professionally for Team Cola-vita. She is currently in her sixth year of road cycling and is a three-timenational champion of St. Kitts and Nevis.

Vegetable Juicing for EveryoneHelen Saul Case ’00 and Andrew W. Saul, PhD(Basic Health Publications, Inc.)

In Helen Saul Case’s newest nutrition book, she and her father explore the health benefits of juicing at home. Many commercially available juices have been treated and packaged for days, if not weeks, months, or even years. This book helps readers save money on store-bought brands while providing the healthiest — and fresh-est — juicing methods. With anec-dotes, medical evidence, and recipes, Vegetable Juicing for Everyone: How to Get Your Family Healthier and Hap-pier, Faster! is for anyone interested in nutrition and how juicing can help readers lose weight, eliminate gastro-intestinal problems, banish fatigue, prevent infection, cure psoriasis, lower cholesterol, and even fight cancer.

Too-Tall Foyle Finds His Game Adonal Foyle ’98(AFE, LLC)

Featuring vibrant illustrations, Too-Tall Foyle Finds His Game is a children’s book series based on the life experi-ences of retired NBA player Adonal Foyle. We see a young boy who grows up on a tiny island in the Caribbean and overcomes various hardships while struggling to find a sport that fits his abilities. After discovering basketball, he learns important life lessons during his quest for an educa-tion and NBA career. Foyle grew up in the small nation of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, where he picked up a bas-ketball at the age of 15. After playing for Colgate, he was the eighth overall NBA draft pick in 1997 and played for a decade with the Golden State Warriors and three years with the Orlando Magic.

An Extraordinary Theory of ObjectsStephanie LaCava ’04(Harper)

As an awkward, curious girl growing up in a foreign country, Stephanie

LaCava f0und sol-ace and security in strange and beauti-ful objects. When her father’s myste-rious job transports her family to the Parisian suburb of Le Vesinet, the young American embarked on a life of discovery. In An Extraordinary Theory of Objects: A Memoir of an Outsider in Paris, LaCava offers a haunting and moving collection of original narratives that reveal an expatriate’s coming-of-age in Paris, told through the lens of curious objects. She finds a way to cope with loneliness, sadness, and disappointment by using creativ-ity to find beauty in the uncertainty of the future.

Hunting Old Sammie (The Terrorist Next Door)John Lauricella ’83(Irving Place Editions)

John Lauricella’s novel takes place in Ithaca, N.Y., where Armand Terranova monitors America’s wars abroad even as he hides from them — a practice he shares unknowingly with his neighbor, Luke Robideau, who has stocked a sniper’s nest in anticipation of fighting terrorists head-on. Luke and Armand haven’t exchanged a word and distrust each other on sight. Luke’s cats and dogs roam freely, fouling Armand’s lawn and patio. Stalking the animals with a BB gun, Armand believes his neighbor is a threat: an unmarried, ill-kempt big man who lives with his elderly mother. To Luke, Armand is an immigrant peasant lucky at Luke’s expense. When small-animal excrement begins to fly across the property line, their mutual antagonism escalates into a confrontation only one man can win.

The Environmental Advantages of CitiesWilliam Meyer(The MIT Press)

Conventional wisdom holds that urbanization and environmental qual-ity are necessarily at odds. Cities are seen as sites of ecological disruption

BITTERMELON

poems by

ELVIS ALVES

ELVIS ALVES was born in Guyana and raised in New York City. He is a graduate of Colgate University and Princeton Theological Seminary.


In the mediaIn the media

“Therewasaritualstopforcheeseburg-ersatGilligan’sinSherburneonthewayup,abeeratanewbrewpubcalledGoodNatureBrewinginHamilton…Wehadapost-commencementlunchatYeOldeLandmarkTaverninnearbyBouckville,whichwaswherewehaddinedthefirsttimeAnnahadvisitedColgate(youtrytobringeverythingfullcircle).”

— Steve Reddicliffe, father of Anna Reddicliffe ’13, in a New York Times article about his triplets graduating from different colleges

“Christiansmustfocusonhowbusinessaffectspeople,especiallytheworkers.‘Arepeopleabletoliveouttheirown

agencybymakingacontributionintheworkplace?’isaquestion

Christiansshouldask.Doemployeeshavemeaningfulwork,orjustrepetitive,low-paid,mind-numbingwork?”

— Douglas A. Hicks, provost and dean of the faculty, reflecting on the business practices of Christian companies in a New York Times article

“ComparedtothestatusandroleofwomenintheIslamicsocietiesalongtheMediterraneancoast,Arabia…womeninWesternSaharaenjoysignificantadvantages.”

— Jacob Mundy, assistant professor of peace and conflict studies, in a Seattle Times article about the independence of Muslim women

“AsIwatchedthetrailer,Ithought,‘Thisisfor16-year-olds.AllofthisisaboutgearingthistowardhighschoolandcollegestudentswhomaynothaveanynotionofwhoFitzgeraldwasorwhatthebookactuallywas.’”

— Mary Simonson, assistant professor of film and media studies and women’s studies, weighed in on CNN about the latest film adaptation of The Great Gatsby

“Sinceyoucan’treallyviolateGod’splanforyou,lifeextensionisalrightbecauseit’spartofGod’swill.”

— Aisha Musa, assistant professor of religion and Middle Eastern studies and Islamic civilization, in an article about “radical life extension” in the Atlantic

— consuming a dis-proportionate share of natural resourc-es, producing high levels of pollution, and concentrating harmful emissions. Cities appear to be particularly vulner-able to natural disasters, to be inherently at risk of outbreaks of infectious diseases, and even to offer dysfunctional and un-natural settings for human life. In his book, William Meyer, a professor of geology and environmental studies at Colgate, tests these widely held beliefs against the evidence — and comes to a different conclusion.

3.11: Disaster and Changein JapanRichard J. Samuels ’73(Cornell University Press)

Richard Samuels of-fers the first broad, scholarly assess-ment of the govern-mental and societal impact in Japan from the March 2011 earthquake (the most powerful to have hit there in recorded history), which produced a devastating tsunami that in turn caused an unprecedented multireac-tor meltdown at the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant. The events occurred after two decades of social and economic malaise — as well as considerable political and administra-tive dysfunction at both the national and local levels — and resulted in national soul searching. In the wake of the tragedy, political reformers saw cause for hope and an opportunity for Japan to remake itself. Samuels ex-plores the post-earthquake response in three key sectors: nationalsecurity, energy policy, and local governance. He is Ford International Professor of political science and director of the Center for International Studies at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Contesting Constructed Indian-nessMichael Taylor(Lexington Books)

Native American sports team mascots represent a contemporary problem

for modern Native American people. In his most recent book, Michael Tay-lor argues that the ideas embedded in the mascots are as old as the ideas constructed about the Indians, going back to first contact between the peoples of the Western and Eastern hemispheres during colonialism and other conquests. Taylor, an assistant professor of anthropology and Native American studies at Colgate, also looks at how the notions of “playing Indian” and “going Native” are precipitated from these historic contexts. In the contemporary sense of Native Ameri-cans, popular culture ideas suggest dressing Native Americans in feathers and buckskin in order to satisfy ste-reotypical expectations of Indian-ness.

Also of note:In the chapbook History’s Trail (Finish-ing Line Press), poet Fran Markover MA’73 presents the poet on her journey as she finesses different roles — as daughter, granddaughter, sister, neighbor, and citizen of the world.

Footnotes:Catherine Bagwell and Rebecca Shiner, both professors of psychol-ogy at Colgate, were recognized on Guilford Press’s list of the top five new books in developmental psychol-ogy. The Handbook of Temperament, edited by Shiner and Marcel Zentner, examines the current knowledge on temperament and its role in develop-ment and relationships. In Friendships in Childhood and Adolescence, Bagwell and Michelle E. Schmidt explore the significance of friendship for social, emotional, and cognitive develop-ment from early childhood through adolescence.

David Pinault, who was a professor of philosophy and religion and leader of the Egypt Study Group at Colgate from 1988 to 1993, recently published an Egypt-themed novel titled Museum of Seraphs in Torment: An Egypto-logical Fantasy Thriller. He is now a professor of religious studies at Santa Clara University.


New York Harbor is daunting at night. Those who have sailed

these waters will tell you of an effect unique to this place that renders the lights of buildings and cars on shore and the lights of boats in the water nearly indistinguishable, glistening

and sliding past one another across the inky nighttime

river in shimmering chaos. It’s a beautiful image, undoubtedly,

but one less-than-meditative for the amateur nighttime yachtsman — or

woman. The explosions begin, booming one after another, and apprehension mushrooms into hyper-vigilance in the blink of a

wide, fully dilated eye.

22 scene:Autumn2013


and I am at the helm of a 42-foot Beneteau sailboat, chartered for the evening by a family of five intent on securing the best seats in the house for the Macy’s Independence Day Fireworks Spec-tacular. Every year, fireworks are set off from anchored barges just south of Wall Street over the Hudson River. The family chartered Gemini, a double-sailed helm ship with a steering wheel and galley, through the yachting company I work for, which is run out of the 79th Street Boat Basin off of Riverside Park in Manhattan. It is my job to provide my customers with a calm, pleasurable sailing trip, filling their drinks and plating their food, while keeping them out of danger. I alone am responsible for the navigation and safety of the vessel. This is not my first day of my sum-mer job — it is, however, my first outing at night. Hundreds of sailing and motor vessels of all sizes crowd the Hudson River Channel in a maze of shiny, expensive, unscratched hulls. Despite my unease, I am lucky to be on the water for the Fourth — luckier still to be getting paid for it. I can’t help but compare this watery outing to others of my past — some spent keeled over the leeward rail of a tall ship, retching miserably into stormy seas, and some spent frustrated but focused on hopes of racing glory. Other experiences were simple and pure; true testaments to the inextricable connection between water and meditation that Herman Melville spoke of in the first pages of Moby-Dick, the quintessential novel of man and the sea. Ishmael ponders the people of the insular island of “Manhattoes,” drawn instinctively and obsessively to the water’s edge, fixed in “ocean reveries.” In this moment in July 2013, am I not among them? Am I not one of Melville’s “landsmen; of week days pent up in lath and plaster — tied to counters, nailed to benches, clinched to desks,” and drawn to the water obsessively? With Melville’s words ringing in my ears, I navigate the Gemini as close as I can to the 34th Street boundary in time for the fireworks display. When the father kisses his young son’s forehead, I wish, if briefly, for the company of my own family. A night off might have been nice for this Independence Day. Yet, I feel the thrill and magic I have always felt aboard a boat of any size. I am sweating, clenching my jaw, hauling lines, and clearing dishes, but the scene before me is breathtakingly beautiful. I feel at home. I’ve met the water in many guises — first as an inexperienced sailor, drawn to it by the lure of racing prowess, pirate lore, and adventure.

It’s the Fourth of July,



Why, a child of the urban and less-than-maritime metropolitan borough of Brooklyn, N.Y., have I felt so entirely at home at sea, far away from the bright lights, honking cars, and hot dog vendors? It begins with my parents; more specifically, my mother, who grew up sailing on the south shore of Long Island and taught sailing in the Caribbean in her 20s. She enrolled my younger brother and me in a sailing camp as soon as we were old enough, 9 and 7 years old, respectively, and we would go on to sail competitively through high school. The magic of the art of sail swept me away, betrothing me to the salty life of the seadog. The yacht club where I learned to sail was among the smallest in the region, and not well equipped. Our sailing camp — like its half-stoned sailing instructors in between semesters at college — had little direction and even less motivation toward competitive distinction. We learned on a small fleet of decrepit Optimists, 8-foot bathtub hulls with tiny, sprit-rigged sails, whose booms were the perfect height for conking children on the side of the head whenever the boat was turned. The older kids moved on to slightly larger, double-sailed boats in equally poor condition and with just as much head-conking potential. Windless days were spent watching inappropriate movies and listening to our sailing instructors scream fervently at reruns of The Price Is Right while we played cards on the musty carpeted floor. We loved every second of it. I returned to the camp every summer

for 10 years. My parents, desperate for more scholastic — or at least less-

explicit — summers for their

children, tried unsuccessfully to interest us in scouting camps, summer college programs, or art classes. They kept this up for years, always to be met with the same defiant insistence of another summer at sailing camp. The tiny bay I sailed on seemed vast and limitless. Controlling my own boat was intoxicating and addicting. The kids I learned alongside were different and unusual, especially so when released from the binds of the school day, where activity meant kickball if we were lucky, choir practice if we were not. Something about my mother’s half-hearted surren-der to the dirty, scummy world of sailing made it just dangerous enough to be alluring, but safe enough to know I would win a smile at the recounting of my sail-ing adventures each night after dinner. I was a pirate by day, a suburban pre-teen by night. I came home exhausted and sunburned and happy. Meanwhile, as I entered the tumultuous years of adolescence, I spent the time in between sailing summers searching hopelessly for academic direction. Extracurricular interests appeared and faded as each school year went by. When I began high school, I still felt at ease only when the turmoil of my disillusion was met by the turmoil of the wintery sea. During science class, I would daydream about the starting line at a racecourse. During gym class, I never felt as integrated into the competition as I did during the

Broadening Horizons

Although I’m most attached to sailing, I’ve always loved windsurfing, swimming, rowing, and kayaking, and nearly every watery experience. My memories of time in the water, on the water, even near the water are among my clearest and most prominent. It’s made me feel both impossibly small when looking out into seemingly boundless open ocean and prematurely sage when coaching beginner sailors on the water for the first time.

A Watery Start

early morning rigging of a mid-summer regatta. After school, no matter the time of year, I would head as soon as I could down to the bay shore near my house, or, if I was lucky enough to find a ride, take the 30-minute drive down to the blustery oceanfront. Then the summer would return and I would feel whole again, comforted and welcomed by the sailing community.

24 scene:Autumn2013 Sailing lessons on Manhasset Bay, Long Island Sound (Photo by Leah Feldman ’14)


Looking back, I have done most of my growing and matur-ing on the water. Where better to learn trust and security than with your father at the breakers of an ocean beach on the east end of Long Island? Where better to learn ambition and sportsmanship than on the starting line of a 90-boat regatta? Where better to learn camaraderie and perseverance than aboard a pitching tall ship, held fast to the deck by your sea-sick shipmates, comforting you between their own merciless waves of nausea? Weaving in between yachts and state-issued barges at night in New York Harbor will teach you resolve and responsibility, quickly, as I would come to learn this summer. When it was time to begin conversations about college, I floundered. I had no idea what I wanted to study or where I wanted to go. Books and literature had always been comfortable for me, while math and science usually led to panic attacks, and so I decided on an English degree. Colgate University turned out to be everything I had imagined college would be — new friends and academic engagement beyond any-thing I had experienced in high school. In my usual indecisive way, however, I found myself motivated by a familiar wanderlust, visiting friends at neighbor-ing colleges nearly every weekend. Here on campus, I explored nearly every club and department and found little that really stuck. The sailing club, however, of-fered me a chance to get back on the water — even if fresh water, not salt — once again. Then, following what I knew I loved, I took a core course, The Caribbean, with Professor Kezia Page, whom I adored and immediately

elected as my academic adviser. The concept of studying litera-ture that included things that I had always loved — a deep and expansive relationship with all that the ocean has to offer— completely fascinated me. I took more Caribbean-focused courses, and was pleasantly surprised to find them, and the literature we read, both varied and deeply valued in the curriculum — something I did not expect from a school in the northeastern snow belt. This led to oceanography and environmental studies courses, both of which I found compelling and challenging. My interest in worlds outside of upstate New York soon led me to pursue off-campus study. I spent my junior-year fall semester on Colgate’s London English Study Group, where in reading The Tempest and Twelfth Night, Shakespeare’s words about water caught my attention. I also visited my aunt’s coastal home in Margate. The small boating town had buoys lining the streets, sandy cafés, and the smell of salt in the air. I immediately felt at home. Alongside my classes, I worked part time for a small international publishing company and literary agency, where I read submitted manuscripts and edited accepted work, mostly histori-cal and science

Broadening Horizons

fiction. I felt enormously

lucky to be in-volved. Recognizing

my own bias, I found myself gravitating toward stories taking place on or around the ocean, or focused on characters with strong urges toward travel and seafaring. More than being homesick for America, I was homesick for the sea.

So, after London, I spent a semester

right on the sea.

Furling the topsail on the Corwith Cramer – Feldman, third from left (Courtesy of the Williams-Mystic Maritime Studies Program)


I had discovered Williams- Mystic, the interdisciplinary maritime studies program of Williams College and Mystic Seaport in Connecti-cut. We spent the first 10 days aboard the tall ship Corwith Cramer, passing through the tumultuous Florida Straits; a seasick and sleepless few days for many of us on board. The ship operated under a traditional watch system. All 22 students on board would be on watch for at least four hours of every 14. Fighting our nausea, we kept an eye on the sails, charted our course through the Caribbean Sea, and learned ship terminology, celestial navigation, and knot tying. In morning classes, we learned maritime laws and practices, as well as the scientific relevance of the research we were conducting on maritime physics, marine ecology, and weather systems. We ate, slept, sailed, and learned in our watch groups of six or so, each led by a ship’s mate who showed us the ropes (pun intended). My lessons came not only from lectures by the ship’s engineer and captain, but also an oncoming storm system, or the strength needed to grasp the yards while clambering around the rigging, setting sails, and tightening hal-yards 40 feet above the deck. The demanding lifestyle on the water brought us closer together and taught us all the true value of endurance and perseverance. I disembarked the Corwith Cramer feeling confident in my ability at sea, and knowing that I had truly found my academic direction. Back on shore, we spent the rest of the semester studying maritime literature, history, policy, and science. We explored the seaport, and at the Mystic Seaport Museum of the Sea we learned 19th-century shipbuilding and rigging techniques. Three times a week, I would show up at the museum’s working shipyard before class, just to help move lines and rig the museum’s old whaling ship.

When my Literature of the Sea professor with

Williams-Mystic, Richard King, invited me

to work as his research assistant for part of the

summer, I got to continue my fixation with the water in

an academic capacity. Although it pained me to leave my charter boat job at the 79th Street Boat Basin for a month in Mystic, as soon as I arrived, I knew I had done the right thing. I spent my morn-ings researching maritime poets and poetry, and classifying works of maritime fiction and nonfiction by American authors for “Searchable Sea Literature,” the program’s Internet database. I was given the op-portunity to interview one of those authors, Richard Dey, whose collection Selected Bequia Poems, about a small windward island in the Grenadines, is one of my personal favorites. Our interview led to the addition of his biography to the database and allowed me to con-nect to a living author in a way I never had before. I knew that I could not spend my summer in Mystic without volunteering at the seaport’s Henry DuPont Preservation Shipyard, where the old whaling ship, the Charles W. Morgan (the museum’s pride and joy, and the country’s oldest surviving whaling ship), was undergoing the final months of a major long-term restoration. So, in the afternoons, I would head down to the shipyard. Built in New Bedford, Mass. (the one-time whaling capital of the world), the Morgan operated during the 19th and early 20th centuries. In the peak of the whale- hunting years, the animals’ blubber was harvested for oil, the main source of heat and light at the time. After near-destruction during World War II, the Morgan was brought to Mystic Seaport and

later declared a National Historic Landmark. Restoration after years of damage due to

weathering had been in progress in some form since the early 1960s, but a large donation

had recently hastened its completion, in time for the 172nd anniversary of its

initial launch, by mid-July 2013. I was drawn to the opportunity

not only by the proximity to the water, but also the intrinsic

Corwith Cramer (Courtesy of the Williams-Mystic Maritime Studies Program)

connection to maritime history. A decidedly unglamorous venture

into the world of volunteerism, my

job consisted mainly of painting tar onto yards of unfinished rigging and coiling lines thicker than my arm into giant, dusty barrels. At the end, however, I got to watch a true relic of maritime history be returned to the water, lowered ceremoniously into the Mystic River Estuary, fitted with vestiges of my handi-work along its rigging and deck. And I had the honor of working along-side men and women who have been engaged in the project for more than 40 years, who know and love the ship more than their own homes. (The ship is now an exhibit at the Mystic Seaport Museum.) I was proud of the work I had done, but the feeling that emanated

Maritime Lessons

Mystic Summer

The Quest

from all involved was more than dignity in our work — it was an unshakable sense of community. I wasn’t paid to help rig the Morgan; I showed up every day to be sur-rounded by boats and people who loved them like I did. The Morgan is a living example of the timeless fascination human beings have with the water and all things maritime. Its de-tail and beauty reflect the connection to the waters of the 1800s; its stature reflects the dedication to maritime culture still prevalent today — a dedication I have felt my whole life. As I clambered around the ship’s decks and holdings, I could hear echoes of Ish-mael’s life aboard the Pequod, see shadows of Captain Ahab, Starbuck, and Stubb, and feel the remnants of cold, dark nights in pursuit of the great, white whale. Maritime-minded or not, this was many an English major’s dream come true.

Back on New York Har-

bor, the fireworks have ended and Jackson, the family’s 4-year-old son, has fallen asleep. It’s time to return the boat to the dock (hopefully without waking him). The boat basin is within sight, and the lights of the 79th Street Boat Basin Cafe twinkle, reassuringly now, in the nighttime skyline. My navigation and deck lights are on, allowing others to see me, but aid-ing me none in spotting boats in my vicinity.

26 scene:Autumn2013


As I turn the boat back around toward uptown Manhattan in a tight leeward (away from the wind) spin known as a jibe, I narrowly miss the anchor line of a massive police boat patrolling the 34th Street line across the river. But all is well. We reach the slip with a light thud against the protective fenders, and I skip over the lifelines to secure Gemini’s lines to the cleats. Without the pressure of responsibility for the first time all night, I am relieved, but no part of me is hesitant to get back out on the water to return the boat to its mooring after the family says good night and departs. This is the thrill that I love. Being on the water is tense and unpredictable, and never boring. My quest of safe return for that family was a quest undergone by sailors long before me. Safe return may not have meant dodging barges and fishing boats for sailors in Melville’s time, but the relief of a boat reaching its dock is uni-versal. While working on the Morgan, I was afford-ed the luxury of power tools and sunscreen, but I got at least a glimpse of what refitting in the 1800s must have been like. This is what I like most. I can connect in some small way to the history of this culture — I can feel what people have been feeling at sea for centuries. This is

what sailors live for. This is what fills bookshelves with maritime literature and keeps children running back to the sea during summers. My

Fourth of July was spent with a family of perfect strangers, and yet I felt a part of a community and connection

that I wouldn’t have traded for anything.

The Charles W. Morgan, under restoration (Courtesy of Mystic Seaport)

FRAV

A

Wake-up callFrava’sstorybeginsatColgate.Itwasspring2010finalsweek,andlikeeveryotherstudentcrammingforexams,EvanBerman’10neededhiscaffeinefix.Itwastoohottodrinkcoffee,though,andhe’dneverenjoyedthebittertaste.Energydrinkswereoffthetablebecause

Bermandidn’twantacarbonatedbeverageinthemorning.Plus,“Ididn’tlikethehealthconsequencesassociatedwithingredientsIcouldn’tpronounce,”hesaid.Bermanhadhis“ahamoment”whilesippingjuiceonemorning.HethenbuiltonitduringabrainstormingsessionwithclassmateGeoffKaras’10andChloeGoldman(aCornellstudentwhowasKaras’sgirlfriend)asthetriostudiedintheCoop.Inthefrisson,fruitmetjava.Andfruit+java=Frava. But,Bermanhadn’tsetouttobecomeanentrepreneurand,ashisparentsweretellinghim,heneededto“getajob”aftergraduation.SotheideaforthedrinkwasputontheshelfastheeconomicsmajorsecuredanaccountingpositionwithDeloitteandTouche.However,workinginfinancewasn’tquenchingBerman’sthirst;hestillwantedtopursuehisbeveragebrainstorm.Throughnetworking,hearrangedameetingwithabottlingplantowner,wholikedthedrinkconceptenoughtointroduceBermantoascientistatArizonaIcedTea.ThescientistagreedtostarttestingconcoctionsifBermanputdownaretainerfee.BermanhadsomesavingsfromsellingsunglassesatNewYorkCitystreetfairsontheweekendsincollege,soheinvested$5,000togetthingsflowing.KarasandGoldmanwerealsoinitialinvestorsandco-founders. TheFravaformularequiredsomefinessing.“Thefirsttime,itwassobad,”jokedBerman,whotestedthevariousformulaswithasmallgroupoffriendsandfamily.Hetoldthescientistwhathedidlike—“whichwasn’tmuch”—aswellaswhathedisliked.Iterationafteritera-tionfinallyledtoadrinkthattickledBerman’stastebuds.Focusgroupsfinalizedtheprocess. Theendproductcomesinfourflavors,contains40percentfruitjuice,andisboostedwithnaturalcaffeinefromgreencoffeebeans.Thenaturalcaffeineishealthierandlesslikelytocausecrashesthanitssyn-theticcounterpartthatisusedinotherenergydrinks.One8-ounceservingofFravacontains100milligramsofcaffeine,whichisroughlyequivalenttoageneric

ByAletaMayne

eel-goodf d.Itcanbedefinedindifferentways,dependingon

thecreatorandtheconsumer.Wetalkedtosix

youngalumniwhohavecreatedtheirowndefinitionsof

feel-goodfood,whetherit’sworkoutfuelorgourmetsweet

treatsmadefromfreshingredients.Theseentrepreneurs

havefilledusupwiththeirstories,advice,andevenwhat’s

intheirrefrigerators(lotsofcondiments,itturnsout!).

Althougheachinnovatorhadanappetitetomake

foodwithsimpleingredients,nonehadpreviousexperience

runningafoodbusiness.

Severalare“ultralightstart-ups,”foundedwithvery

littleout-of-pocketcapitalandgrowingfromwhatthe

businessgeneratesonitsown.Mostuselocallysourced

ingredients.Somearepickinguponcurrenttrends,like

foodtrucksorgoinggluten-free.Allofthemhavetaken

whatseemedlikeacrazyideaandfoundatasteofsuccess.



BERMAN’s Business advice:“Youhavetobewillingtogetkickedinthestomach,punchedintheface,andgetbackup.”

In BERMAN’s refrigerator:“AtonofFrava,abunchofBudLights,andsomehardliquorinthefreezer.Iorderineverynight,sothere’ssomeleft-overThaifoodandpizza.”

brewedcupofcoffee.Becausegreencoffeebeansareunroasted,thedrinktasteslikefruitjuicebuthasthekickofjava. Pouringouthisremainingsunglass-venturesavings,Bermanhiredabrandagencyandcreatedawebsite.HethenfoundaninvestmentpartnerinHowieWeinsteinofHuntersPointInvestors,whoprovidedthecapitalandlogisticstohelplaunchFravainJanuary2013.“ThenextthingIknew,Ihadquitmyjob,”Bermanrecalled. FravasoonattractedtheattentionofDrinkKing(runbytheformerCEOofSnapple),whichnowdistributesthedrinkinNewYorkCity’sfiveboroughsandNewJersey.Atpresstime,BermanwasfinalizingadealwithalargeMidwestdistributor. Employingsevenfull-timers,severaltemps,andanumberofinterns(includingabunchofColgatestudents),Fravaisallaboutkeepingthecompanybrandyoung,fun,andslightlyirreverent—takeits“FYourLife”and“GiveanF”charitycampaigns,forexample.AlexPortin’12,oneofBerman’sfirsthires,leadsthemarketingefforts.He’sdevelopedstrategicpartnerships

thatgetFravainthehandsofteensand20-somethings

ateventslikeskateboardingcompetitionsandglow-in-the-darkdanceparties,aswellastheoldercrowdatthePGATour

andcharityfunctions.PortinandBermanhavealsogotten

attentionbyusingguerillamarketingcampaigns.LastJuly,armedwithmegaphones,SuperSoakers,andsamples,theFravateamtargetedtrendyNewYorkerswaitinginlinefor“cronuts,”amuch-hypeddonut-croissantcrossbreed.ThestuntlandedFravainaWall Street Journal article. ThedrinkalsocaughttheattentionofafatiguedForbesreporterwhoreviewedthejavajuicewhenhehappeneduponasample:“Iftherewereaspectrum

of‘MostPainlessWaysToQuicklyandEfficientlyGetYourCaffeineFix,’Fravawouldbea

categoryleader.” WhenBermanputsdownhissquirt

gun,heacknowledgesthatunderneaththefunisseriousrisk.“Theconse-

quencesarereal.Ifyoumakeamistake,itcostsatremendous

amountofmoney.Itcouldcostjobs.Itcouldcosttheactualsuccessofthebusiness,”hesaid.But,Bermanistakingitallinstrideanddrinkingintheexperience.

From seedling company to overnight successPeopleusedtoonlyassociate“chia”withterracottafigurineslikeGarfieldsportingagreenAfro.Butrecently,chiaseedshavesproutedupasasuperfoodinthehealthfoodhemisphereandgainedastrongfollowing.LeadingthetribeareacoupleofColgatealumni. “Chiaseedsarethefastest-growingcategoryinthewhole-foodworldrightnow,”saidShaneEmmett’00,CEOofHealthWarrior,whichsellstheseedslooselyinbagsandindifferentvarietiesofitsChia

Bars.Emmett’sclaimisnoexaggeration:hiscompanyalonegrew650percentlastyear,havingsoldmillionsofbars. ThetinyseedscomefromtheSalvia hispanicaplant,amemberofthemintfamilythatisnativetoMexicoandGuatemala.ABC Newscalled2013“theyearofthechiaamongthehealthconscious”—the1-millimeterpowerhousesareloadedwithomega-3fattyacids,fiber,andprotein,aswellasaportionoftherecommendeddailyintakeforcalcium,phosphorus,andmanganese.Theycanhelpwithweightloss,reducebloodpressure,improvehearthealth,andcombatdiabetes. AlthoughonebranchstartedintheATOhouseatColgate,HealthWarrior’srootstraceallthewaybacktoAztecwarriors,whoatechiaforenduranceinbattleandhuntingexpeditions.Liketheirances-tors,todaytheTarahumaraIndians—toutedasthegreatestlong-distancerunnersintheworld—arealsopoweredbychia,asChristopherMcDougallwroteaboutinhis2009bestsellerBorn to Run. Emmetthadreadthebookwhenitwasfirstpublished.In2010,hegotacallaboutitfromhisfraternitybrotherDanGluck’00who,withhisco-workerNickMorris,haddevouredthebookandsoughtouttheseeds.“Atthetime,nobodyhadheardofchia,”Gluckrecalled.“Wewouldgoto[healthfoodstores]askingforchiaseedsandtheemployeeslookedatuslikewewerecrazy.”So,thetwofit-nessbuffsandformercollegeathletesfoundthemonline,startedputtingthemonalmosteverythingthatwentintotheirmouths,andno-ticedadifferenceintheirworkouts.Theotherdifferencetheynoticed,however,wasinthe

L to r: Evan Berman ’10, Alex Portin ’12, and Connor Feuille ’12

HEA

LTH

WAR

RIO

R

producttheyweregetting.Becausetheseedsweresuchararity,theywouldcomeinclearplasticbagswithapersonalthankyounote.“Theseedshadtwigsanddirtinwiththem,”Glucksaid.“Itwaskindofgross.” Recognizingabusinessopportunity,GluckknewhewantedtobringEmmettonboard.NotonlyhadtheybeentossingaroundbusinessideassinceroomingtogetherinATO,butEmmettwasfullyimmersedintheagriculture,healthfood,andreal-foodmovementsthroughhisgardenbusinessUnitedStatesofFood. “Theremightbeareallybigopportunityhere,”Emmettthought.“Thereareallthesechangesinthefoodworld.There’sthediabesity(diabetesandobesity)crisisononeside,andthenallthesepeopleworkingoutlikecrazyand[gettinginto]thereal-foodmovement.” EmmettsignedonasCEO,andherunsthecom-panyfromtheirRichmond,Va.,office.Afterworkingwithhimtodevisethestrategicdirectionandgoals,GluckandMorris—whokepttheirfull-timejobsataNewYorkCityhedgefund—entrustedEmmettwiththeday-to-dayoperations.Theyarestillthelargestownersofthecompanyaswellasadvisoryandboardmembers. HealthWarriorgotitsfirstbigbreakwhen,withouttheirknowledge,aJanuary2012Wall Street JournalarticlementionedthatNFLplayerRayRicewasendorsingtheseeds. “Allofasudden,wewerethenumbertwosellingitemonallofAmazon,”Emmettrecalled.Theysold

outoftheirinventorywithinacoupleofdays.Thatinitselfwasalearningexperience:topreventfuturesupplychokes,theyestablishedpartnershipswithsupplierswhogrowchiaindiversifiedlocations—whichalsohelpsthemavoidweather-relatedcropissues.Eversince,HealthWarriorhasbeenonarun.Theirproductsareontheshelvesofmorethan1,300stores,includingWholeFoodsnationwide,REI,Wegmans,andStop&Shop. InadditiontothefiveemployeesattheRich-mondoffice,thecompanyhasthreeinNewYorkCity,includingShane’sbrother,CaseyEmmett’08,whoisoneofthesalesmanagers.Liketheirproduct,theHealthWarriorheadquartersissomethingoutoftheordinary. “Wheneverwehiresomeone,theyhavetobuildtheirowndesk,becausewethinkthat’sagoodmeta-phorforlifeinastart-up,”Emmettexplained.Andbecausetheyconsiderthemselvesalifestylebrand,kettlebellsandapull-upbarareonhandforworkoutbreaks;employeesarealsoencouragedtoridetheirbikestowork. Althoughhe’stight-lippedaboutwhatHealthWarrioriscultivatingfor2014,Emmettwaswillingtosharethat“We’remakingsomethingthat’snotreallybeenthoughtofbefore,andit’sgenuinelyhealthyanddelicious.” We’recurioustoseethepossibilitiesontheroadaheadforthistribeofwarriors.

Top: Dan Gluck ’00Bottom: Shane Emmett ’00 and wife Julie

“We’re making something that’s not really been thought of before.”

Emmett’s business advice:“Dotherightthing.Thatsoundssimplistic,buttherearealotofhardchoicestomakeintermsofhowyoudealwithbusinesspartnersandinvestors.Therearetimesthatmightlooklikeagrayarea,butifyoustepback,there’susuallyarightdecisionandawrongdecision.Beinghonestandalwaysmakingthatrightdecisionwillbenefityouinthelongrun,evenifitfeelslikeyouhavetotakesomelumpsintheshortterm.”

In Emmett’s refrigerator: “It’schock-fullofChia3.0prototypes,Greekyogurt,almondmilk,RickBaylessMexicansauces,champagne,corntortillas,hugeamountsoflettuce,andalotofbabycarrots.”

Gluck’s business advice: “TwokeyingredientsthatIlivebyarepassionandhardwork.Mydadtoldmeifyoudowhatyoulove,itwon’tfeellikework.Hewasspot-on.Myhighschoolyearbookquotewasfromfootballcoachleg-endVinceLombardi:‘Thedifferencebetweenasuccessfulpersonandothersisnotinlackofstrength,notfromalackofknowledge,butratherinalackofwill.’Thisquotemeanssomuchtome.Theworldisacompetitiveplaceandthereisalwayssomeoneouttherewhohaslessthanyoubutwantswhatyouhave.Oncesomeonegetscompla-cent,theylosetheiredge.”

In Gluck’s refrigerator:“MyfiancéeandIdon’teattoomuchathome.Butwekeepthefridgestockedwithfreshfruitandvegetables.Mikatypicallyroastsvegetablesshebuysatthefarmers’marketduringtheweekandwewillsnackonthose.Otherstaplesincludehotsauces,mus-tards,jams,freshjuice(tomakeourdailychiafrescas),hummus,andyogurt.”

Pop Nation peddles 85 fanciful flavors, including Blackberry Mojito, Kaffir Lime and Avocado, and Banana Puddin’.



Inkeepingwiththegoalofusinglocallysourcedingredients,Stewart—whohandlesthepurchasing—hasestablishedcloserelationshipswithseveralBayAreafarmers.Onedaylastyear,thePopNationcrewevenpickedtheirownstrawberries(200poundsinaboutanhour)forStrawberries’nCreamwithBasilpopswhenEatwellFarmwasshort-staffed. WorkinginasharedkitchenwasbeneficialtoPopNationinitsinfancybecauseithelpedthebusinessnewbiestobesurroundedbyotherfoodcompanies.ButasPopNationgrew,sodidtheirneeds.So,lastMarch,theylaunchedaKickstartermicrofinancingcampaigntoraise$50,000fortheirowncommercialkitchenandequipment.Thefundscamethrough,allowingforexpansion.Nowthey’repushingoutbetween5,000to6,000popsaweek,throughdirectdistributiontoabout20storeslocally,andatcor-poratecateringeventsandweddings.Atpresstime,PopNationwasintheprocessofpartneringwithDairyDelivery,alocaldistributorservicingmorethan400storesfromSacramentotoMonterey,andthecompanywasintalkswithWholeFoodsandothergrocerychains. Alloftheirfrozentreatsaregluten-freeandvegan,whichcomesasasurprisetocustomershookedontheircreamySeaSaltedDarkChocolatepops,forexample.They’reupto85gourmetflavorsandcounting.

“Thinkingofnewflavorshasbecomeanobses-sion,”Stewartsaid.“Duringfruitseason,meals,dessert,andevendrinks,wethink,‘OK,howdoweturnthisintoapopflavor?’”Herhusband,CameronPittelkow’05,“hasprobablytastedthousandsofrenditionsofdifferentpops,”shesaid. Whenaskedifanyflavorshavebeenaflop,Stew-artanswered:“Gazpacho.Ithoughtitwastasty,butmybrothertoldmeitwaslikefrozensaladdressing.I’mstillconvinceditcanwork.”

Stewart’s business advice:“Beflexibleandopentohearingotherpeople’sadvice.Also,trytotakeastepbackattimesandask:Aretherethingsweneedtochange,andifso,what?”

In Stewart’s refrigerator:“I’vebeenonvacation,soit’sprettyempty.I’vegothomemadebeetpickles,kale,alotofyogurt,andeggs.Myhusbandbrewshisownbeer,sooneshelfisfilledwithbeer.AndI’mabigcondimentfan,soIthinkthemajorityofthestuffinthereisprobablyhotsauce.”

A healthy cultureAdareissuedbyhiscousintookHamiltonColwell’01frombehindatrader’sdesktorunningaGreekyogurtcompany. HiscousinAbbyhaddietaryrestrictionsduringherpregnancyduetogestationaldiabetes,andshewantedColwelltousehis

skillstomakeherahealthieryogurt(astapleinherdiet).Asastudent,Colwellhadresearchedthesciencebehindfoodprocessingandhadmanagedrestaurantsinhissummersoff.Heacceptedherchallenge. “Ihadabasicunderstandingofhowtomakeyogurt,butIconsultedanumberofprofessionalsandwentonlinetolearnasmuchaboutitaspossible,”hesaid.TakinghisnewfoundknowledgetothekitcheninhisManhattanapartment,Colwellworkedwithasimpleyogurtcultureandusedadoubleboiler,heatingpad,candythermometer,andabeachtoweltoserveasanincubator.Hepassedtheresultsouttohisco-workersatJPMorgan.“Theytoldmeitwassomeofthebestyogurtthey’deverhad,”herecalled. ButAbbywasn’tonlyinterestedinthetaste:shewantedayogurtthatcombinedprebioticsandprobiotics,whicharebeneficialtothedigestivesystem.ColwellenlistedthehelpofaregistereddieticianandconsultedscientistsatCornell’sSchoolofAgricultureandLifeSciences.TheresultisaprobioticGreekyogurtthatisGMO-freeandmadefrom100percentgrass-fedcow’smilk.Thereareawhopping50billionprobioticspercup—morethan50timesthenumberineachcompetitor’scup. TheSUNYMorrisvilleDairyBarnwaswheretheyogurtgotitsstart(theyhaveaprogramtohelpemergingbrands),andlaterColwellfoundadairyprocessorincentralPennsylvaniatoproduceitonamassscale.

HedecidedtocallhisproductMaiayogurtaftertheGreekgoddessofspringandrebirth.Therearenowsixflavorsandthey’reexperimenting

with16others,withplanstoreleasetwointhefallandsixin2014.“Everythingfromapeachtoamangoguanabana,”hesaid. AsMaiahasgrownfromits2010launchwhenColwellwasrunningthecompanyoutofhisparents’basementtonowgracingtheshelvesofmajorgrocerystoresinNewEngland,headmittedthatit’sbeen“aprettysteeplearningcurve”attimes.“Thehardestpartismakingenoughproduct,”hesaid,addingthatthebiggeststoreswillsell1,000cupsofMaiayogurtaday.

Pop sensationSarahStewart’04wentfromdevelopingbooksforinternationalchildrenintheirmothertonguetocreatingafrozenchildhoodtreatforthetongue.PopNation,herBayAreagourmetfrozenpopbusiness,raisesthebarabovethestandardcherryandgrape.FlavorslikeBlueberryLemonade,SpringtimeStraw-berryPie,andPB&Fluffappealtothechildatheart,whileotherslikeBrandyPoachedPear,VietCafé,andHibiscusMintwithGrapes

makeforasophisticateddessertonastick. StewarthadbeenworkingforRoomtoRead—anonprofitorganizationthatpublisheschildren’sbooksin23languagestoimproveliteracyinAsiaandAfrica—whenshedecidedin2011thatitwastimeforsomethingfresh. “I’dalwayswantedtoworkinfood,”explainedStewart,whoseloveofcookingstirredinheratayoungagewhilespendingtimeinhermom’skitchen.Openingafoodcartseemedlikethesimplestwaytogetstarted.Whenannouncingherplanataparty,StewartlearnedthatherfriendsAnneandMarkMcGintyhadthesameidea,sotheypartneredup.

Meanwhile,Stewart’sbrother,Tim,wasdrivingacrosscountryinsearchofaCaliforniaadventure.Havingwatchedtheirdad,BobStewart’73,workcohesivelywiththeirgrandfatheranduncle,SarahwaseagertobringTimonboard.TimhadbeenacheesemakerinVermontandalsocreditstheirmotherforhisfascinationwithfood. Thefoursomedecidedtoproducefrozengour-metpops—fortheirversatilityandbecausetheywantedtotakeadvantageofCalifornia’sagriculturalrichnessbyusinglocallysourcedproduce. Unbeknownsttotheirfriends,dinnerpartiesservedasblindtastetests.“Weweretryingtogetreactionswithoutpeopleknowingthatwewereconsideringgoingintobusiness,”Stewartsaid.Thefeedbackwasoverwhelminglypositive,sotheysetupshopinasharedkitchenandstartedpeddlingtheirpopsatfarmer’smarketsandfrompushcartsonthestreetsofSanFrancisco.

POP

NAT

ION

One day last year, the Pop Nation crew even picked their own strawberries (200 pounds in about an hour)

FOR STRAWberries ’n cream with basil pops.

Sarah Stewart ’04 and husband Cameron Pittelkow ’05

MAI

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Sara

hPe

et(2

)

WatchSarahStewart’04talkaboutlaunchingPopNationduringColgate’sEntrepreneurWeekendlastspringathttp://bit.ly/GzK9lX

OneofColwell’sworstweekswascausedbyapaucityofpineapple.Hewasn’tabletosellthatflavorwhilehewaitedfora2-toncargocontainerofpineappletocrosstheoceanfromHawaii.“Whenyou’retalkingaboutadynamiccategorylikeyogurt,whichismuchdifferentthananythingelseinthefoodbusiness,thegrocerystoresdon’twanttowaitforproducts,”Colwellexplained.“It’saverydemandingenvironment.” WithmoreandmorekindsofGreekyogurtappearingongroceryshelveseveryday,ColwellhasbeenbuildingtheMaiaculturebypersonallyputtingitinthehandsofconsumers.Atleastonceaweek,he’llmakeanappearanceatgrocerystorestogiveoutsamplesandcoupons. “It’sbeenalongjourney,”Colwellsaid.“Nothingcanprepareyoutogrowaproductinanexplodingcategory.”Despitethechallenges,it’sallworthwhilewhenColwellreadsthemessagesthatarriveinhisinboxandmailboxdaily,fromfanspraisinghisyogurtforleadingtoweightloss,feelinghealthier,andjustsimplycravingthetaste.“Onewomane-mailedmethismorningsayingthatshebuystwentycupsofvanillabeanaweek.Readingthat,Ihadasmileeartoear.”

Colwell’s business advice:“Alwaysensurethatyouhavesufficientcapital,especiallywhenyou’relookingtogrowquicker.Cashismoreimportantthanyourmother.(Ilovemymother,butwithoutsufficientcashinafoodstart-up,oralltheluckintheworld,itistoughtowin.)”

IN Colwell’s refrigerator:“Aweek’sworthofMaiayogurt!Yes,I’mserious.Alongwithsomeveg-etables,milk,leftovers,andacoupleofbeers.”

Puff daddy“Sothisiswhatcloudstastelike,”ishowoneYelpreviewerdescribedPacificPuffs,aSanFrancisco–basedcreampufferyfoundedbyRhysCarvolth’07andhisbrotherTrent.Fromclassicsugartococonutcreamtofruitwhip,theirbaked-fresh-dailypuffsaremakingmouthshappy.

Rememberwhencupcakeswerealltherage?TheCarvolthbrotherswereinspiredbythattrend,seeingitasanopportunitytoleave

theircubiclesinthefinancialdistrictandcapitalizeontheirmother’scherishedcreampuffrecipe.WhentheytoldMamaCarvolth,though,shejokedthatthetwoofthemhadnevercookedsomuchasagrilledcheesesandwich.Evenso,sheagreedtoworkwiththemtohelpperfecttheirpuffs.Andalthoughthe

andfiguredthatRhyscouldputinhistwo-weeknotice.Andfortunately,“eversince,we’vehadsteadygrowth,”hesaid. Soon,theyhoppedonanothertrendintheculi-naryworld:“We’dsavedquiteabitofmoney,butnotenoughtoopenawholeotherlocation,”Rhysrecalled,“butwedidhaveenoughtostartafoodtruck.”Thatwasabouttwoyearsago,andthePuffTruck“tookoff.”Infact,runningintodoublebookings,theyimmediatelyrealizedtheyneededasecondone. OneoftheirstrategiclocationsforthefoodtrucksisfeedingthehungrymassesatSiliconVal-leyfirmslikeFacebook,Apple,andGoogle.So,theCarvolthbrothersdecidedtopuffuptheirofferingsandusethepastryasthebasisforasandwich(think

crossaintwich).PacificPuffs’“savory”menuincludessimple

sandwicheswithagourmettwist,liketheBLTwith

applewoodsmokedbacon,butterlettuce,heirloomtomato,and

roastedgarlicaioli. Thesuccessofthetrucksgavethemthedrivetoopenasecondshop,whichisa

caféthatoffersboththeirsweet

andsavorymenuitems.Theysellanywherefrom

800toseveralthousandcreampuffsaday,depend-ingoncateringandtruckschedules.Alloftheiringredientsarelocallysourced,startingwithadairycompanyinSantaRosa(wheretheygrewup),toGoldenGateMeats. Forthefirsttwoyears,itwasRhysandTrentexclusivelyworkingthekitchen,butthegrowthofPacificPuffshasenabledthemtogetsomehelp.Theynowhavethreepart-timechefsandarehiringmore.Thebrothersare“stillheavilyinvolvedintheproduction,”saidRhys.“We’retheresevendaysaweek,baking.” ThedaytheScenecaughtupwithRhys,hewasinhisownkitchen,preparingforabigfamilydinnerinhonorofhismom’sbirthdayparty.Andfordessert?Creampuffs,ofcourse.

Carvolth’s business advice:“Goforit.There’sneverabettertimethanrightnow,especiallyforyoungentrepreneurswhodon’thavethepressuresofamortgageorafamily.”

In Carvolth’s refrigerator: “Fordinner,Iammakingoneofmyfavoritedishes,chickenbalsamico.

So,Ihaveabouttenchickenbreastsmarinatinginbalsamic.AndthenIhavefreshpestoforpasta.

Also,Ihavesomecantaloupe,asixpackofMendocinoRedTailAle,abottleof

proseccoforcelebratingtonight,somecucumbers,strawberries,eggs,bread,milk,lettuce.AndIhavebasicallytheworld’slargestcondimentcollection.”

Hamilton Colwell '01, after a long night of production at the plant

basicrecipeisthesameastheoneforwhichshe’dbeenpraisedatpartiesandspecialoccasions,ittooksomecreativitytoquickentheprocessformassproduction. Afterdevelopingabusinessplan,thebrothersopenedupalittleshoponUnionStreet.OntheiropeningdayinJuly2009,the200puffstheyhadbakedthatmorningdisappearedby2p.m.Theylockedtheirdoorsandpostedahand-written“SoldOut”sign.Theycontinuedtomakealimitedamountwhiletheygainedanunderstandingoftheiringredi-entcosts.“Anditcreatedalittlebuzzthatweweresellingouteveryday,soitwasamarketingtacticaswell,”Rhyssaid. Atfirst,RhyskepthisjobatDowJones.Hewouldawakenat4a.m.,helpTrentbakethecreampuffs,headtohis9-to-5whileTrentworkedattheshop,andthenreturntoUnionStreetuntil8p.m.closingtime. “Wedidn’ttakeasalarytostart,”Rhysexplained.“Wewantedtobeverycautiousbecausewehonestlydidn’thaveanyideawhatweweredoingandknewweweretakingabigrisk.”Aftersixmonths,thebrothersanalyzedtheirprofits

PAC

IFIC

PU

FFS

HearHamiltonColwell’01discusstheimportanceofColgate’sThoughtIntoActionentrepreneurprogram,forwhichheisamentor:http://bit.ly/18pJmxA

Rhys Carvolth ’07 (left) and his brother Trent



The hoppy coupleCarrieBlackmore’08isthequeenofMadi-sonCountyhops,andsheevenhasacrowntoproveit.Well,technically,it’sastrawhat,andherreignendedinSeptember,butit’sfairtosaythatsheandherhusband,MattWhalen,areputtingforthanobleeffortwithGoodNatureBrewinginHamilton. BlackmoremetWhalenatherfirstjoboutofcollege,attheNorthCountrySchool,adayandboardingschoolinLakePlacid,N.Y.ShewasahistoryandGermanmajorwhowashiredto

managethegardensandteachgarden-basededucationalprogramming;hewasatrainedchefworkingasassistantkitchenmanager.ThecouplereturnedtotheHamiltonareawhenherfa-ther,JohnBlackmore’68,wasattheendofa10-yearbattlewithaterminalillness.Theyinitiallythoughtthemovewouldbetemporary,butthensettleddowninthesummerof2010. “Wehadtocomeupwithawaytostay,”Black-moreexplained.So,theysetouttotranslatetheirexperiencewithfarm-to-tableeatingintofarm-to-glassdrinkingbystartingtheirownmicrobrewery. AlthoughMadisonCountywasonceoneofthelargestproducersofthecountry’shops,diseaseandProhibitionendedlarge-scalefarmingofthecropinthe1900s.BlackmoreandWhalenjoinedthebandof

brewers,farmers,andagricultureadvocatesworkingtobringbackthelostindustry.Whalenhadbeenhome-brewingforanumberofyears,sohestarteddevelopingrecipesusinghopsgrownbyFoothillFarmsinnearbyMunnsville.TheythenfoundafarminCanastotawheretheycouldbuybarley. Theysetouttocreatetheirbusinessplaninthefallof2010,consultingwithlocalbusinessdevelop-mentagenciesanddoing“alotofhomework”togaintheknow-howtheyneeded.Now,Blackmoreisthebusinessbrains,whileWhalenisthebrewmaster. EventhoughBlackmorefocusesonthemarket-ing,bookkeeping,andinnerworkings,shestilllivesandbreathesbeer.Sheissurprisedthatshenevergetssickofsuds,althoughearlymorningtastingscanbehardtoswallow. “Alotoflargebrewerieshaveequipmentthatwilldothekindsofteststhatwe’reusingoursensestodo,”Blackmoreexplained.Theycheckforoffflavors,clarity(“becausewedon’tfilter,timeisourfilter,”shesaid),andcarbonation.“Everymorning,wehaveourlittletastingpanel,andthat’ssometimeschallengingifIhaven’teatenbreakfastyetorI’mstilldrinkingmycoffee.”

GoodNature’saward-winningales(theyofferabout10ontap,plusbottles)changeseasonally.Thehandcraftedbeersaremadewithlocalingredients,areunfiltered,andcontainnoartificialadditives.Shewouldn’tgoasfarastosaythattheirbeerisahealthfood,butBlackmorepointedoutthatseveralingredi-entsintheirbrewsaregoodforyou:“Hopsarereallygreatforpreservingbonedensity,andtherearealotofnutrients,minerals,andvitamins—ahugeamountofBvitamins,especiallyinunfilteredbeer.Wedon’t

useanyofthenastystuff,sowhenyoustripitdown,it’sgrains,herbs,andwater.” FromtheFingerLakestotheCapitalDistrict,bars,restaurants,andspecialtybeerstoresacrossNewYorkaresellingGoodNaturebrews.Andthissummer,BlackmoreandWhalenopenedupatast-ingroomonBroadStreetinHamilton,keepingtheiroriginallocationsolelyforbrewing.AgrantfromColgate’snewEntrepreneursofNYFundmadethatexpansionmucheasier. Althoughtheyhadconsideredexpandingtheirofferingstotapas(especiallygivenWhalen’schef-pertise),theydidn’twanttocompetewiththelocalrestaurantsthatservetheirbeer.So,instead,theyhaveamenuboardwithdeliveryoptionsrangingfromtheRoyalIndiaGrill,toLaIguana(Mexican),totheHamiltonInn.“Thisisasmallcommunitywithalimitednumberofcustomers,”Blackmoreexplained.“Collaboratingwithotherbusinessesandhighlightingwhattheydo,that’sawin-winforeverybody.”GoodNaturealsosupportslocalartistsbyfeaturinglivemusicnights. ThatfocusonthecommunityhasearnedBlackmoreandWhalenmuchrespect.Andit’snot

They set out to translate their experience with farm-to-table eating into farm-to-glass drinking.

GO

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EWIN

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rew

Dad

dio somethingthey’retakinglightly.Reflectingonher

crowningatthe2012MadisonCountyHopsFest,Blackmoresaid:“Wewereuptherewithsomeimpressivepeoplewho’vedoneimportantthingsforhopsgrowing,agriculture,andsmallbusiness[inthecounty].Tobehonoredwasprettycool,especiallygiventhatwehadn’tbeendoingitforthatlong.[Thecommunity]embracedusrightaway.”

Blackmore’s business advice:“Ispentalotoftimesecond-guessingmyself,atleastearlyon.I’velearnedthatgutinstinctisfairlyreliable.”

In Blackmore’s refrigerator:“Athome,alotofBelgianbeer(wejustgotbackfromtheBelgiumComestoCooperstownbeerfestival)…andwejustgotourCSAsharefromSmitty’sMarketFarm

inMorrisville.Butthat’sprettymuchit,besidesalotofcondiments.Atthebrewery,we’vegotpartofapig.Allofourgraingoestolocalfarmers,sosometimes

they’llbarterwithus.Onefarmerjustsoldusanentirepigthatwasraisedexclusivelyonpastureandourbrewer’sgrains—anditisdelicious.”

STILL HUNGRY?

VisitColgate.edu/feelgoodrecipestofindtantalizingrecipesfromtheseentrepreneurs,includingFrocktails(Fravacocktails),yogurtstrawberrycheesecakesquares,andchicorymochaporter–braisedshortribs.

And

rew

Dad

dio

Top: Carrie Blackmore ’08Far left: Blackmore and husband Matt Whalen


Surroundedbyimpenetrablewallsoftropicalrainforest,perchedinthesternofmydug-outcanoe,Ipaddleleisurelydownriveroneearlymorning.Ligorio,aremoteSaramac-

canvillageinSuriname’sinterior,peeksthroughthetreesatthenextbendintheriver.AsIapproachthewoodenstaircasewhereItieoffmycanoe,Icomeuponthreeheavy,half-nakedwomen.Theyarebentoveratthewaist,scrubbingthetracesofopenfiresfromtheirpotstotherhythmicchatterofvillagegossip.Astheysubtlycovertheirexposedbreastsbypullinguptheirpangis(sarongs),Ibecomeawareofmypresence.Iamforeigninanativeculture,strangetoallthingsfamiliar.Andyet,Ifeelwelcome. “Johnnie, I weki no?”thethreewomenshelvetheirdiscourseandsinginunison.(Didyouwake?) “Mi weki oooo,”Ireplytunefully.(Iwoke.) Everymorning,Saramaccansrolloutoftheirham-mocksandgreeteachpersonwithwhomtheycrosspaths—adultorchild,neighbororstranger—withthesewords.Theirbellowingvoicesechothroughoutthevillageandacrossthechestnut-brownriver,butnotmuchfarther.Aforgottenpeopleinarelativelyunknowncountry,theirstoryremainsmuffledbythedense,untouchedrainforestthatcovers80percentofthesmallformerDutchcolonyonSouthAmerica’swildnortherncoast.

LocatedbetweenGuyanaandFrenchGuinea,Suriname,acountrythesizeofFlorida,wastradedbytheEnglishtotheDutchforapieceoflandcalledNewAmsterdam(laterknownasNewYorkCity)in1667.Today,Suriname’spopulationisacompositeofraces,hometomorethan15languagesbutonly500,000people.Themajorityliveonthenortherncoastinoraroundthecapital,Paramaribo,thecoun-try’sonlymajorcity.ButnottheSaramaccans. TheSaramaccansaredescendantsofAfricanslaveswhowerebroughttoSurinameinthe18thcenturytoworkonDutchsugarplantationsandescapedtoitsvastinterior.TheirAfricanrootsareasmuchaliveastherainforestthatsurroundsthem.Theyappointtheirvillageleaders,practicepolygamy,wearvibrantcolors,andcarryheavyloadsontheirheads.Womenwearhangisas(scarves)aroundtheirwaiststodisplaytheirrelationshipstatus;washtheirdishesandclothesintheriver;tiebabiestotheirbacks;andcultivaterice,cassava,andvegetablesonplotsofclearedlandinthejungle.Menwearbandjakotos(shouldercloths)andkamisas(loincloths)sewnbytheirwives,buildwoodenboatsandhousesbyhand,andprovidefortheirfamiliesbyhuntingandfishing. Iwrotemyselfintotheirstorybycommittingtwoyearsofmylifetointernationalgrassrootsdevel-

opmentasaPeaceCorpsvolunteerbeginninginMay2011.IlandedinLigorio,ademandingtwo-dayjourneyfromParamaribobycar,motorizeddugoutcanoe,andfoot,thatJuly.Withelectricityonlyfrom7to11p.m.andnorunningwater,myhomewasa

Saramaccan SerenadeStory and photos by John Williams ’10



woodenshackonthegroundsofaprimaryschool,nestledbetweenthejungle,theGaanLio(BigRiver),andatraditionalareaofworship. IlearnedtospeakSaramaccanandhowtobuildadugoutcanoe,atefoodsofwhichIwillneverknowthenames,workedwithmachetes,fishedforpiranha,andplayedsoccer.Meanwhile,aspartofSUR-17,theseventeenthPeaceCorpsgroup(and,sadly,thelast,duetobudgetaryreasons)toserveinSurinamesince1995,Itriedmybesttoservethepeople,workingwithcommunityleadersandlocalorga-nizationstopromotebusiness,health,andyouthdevelopmentprojects. Everyday,mylifeinLigoriobeganwithgreetingaftergreeting.FortheSaramaccans,thegesturedemonstratesrespectandexudescompassion.AsJuliaAlinkie,headofthewomen’sorganizationinLigorio,toldme,“A de a di gwenti fuu kaa. Bifo moni, u bi abi fanoudu fuu seei.”(It’swhatwearealreadyusedto.Beforemoney,weneededourselves.)Inaculturewheretheeldersstillrememberwhencur-rencyhadnotyetreachedtheirlands,theSaramac-cansareaccustomedtocommittingtimeandefforttothecommunity’smostvaluableresource—itspeople—creatingafriendly,welcomingenvironmentandastrongsenseofcommunity.Anditallbeginswithasimplehello. Therearetwogreetings,oneinthemorningandoneintheafternoon/evening.Here’sanexampleofthemorningconversation:

A:“I weki no?”(Didyouwake?)

B:“Mi weki ooo”(Iwoke.)

A:“Unfa I weki?”(Howdidyouwake?)

B:“Mi weki tanga. Unfa I seei weki?”(Iwokestrongly.Howdidyouwake?)

A:“Mi weki bunbun.”(Iwokewell.)

B:“So.”(OK)

A:“So. Mi nango a lio.”(OK,Iamgoingtotheriver.)

WhileittookmelongertounderstandandadjusttosomeaspectsofSaramaccancultureandcustoms,Iimmediatelytooktoglidingaroundthevillagegreetingeverypersoninsight,forIamadis-cipleoftheColgateHello.ButbylivinginLigorio,Icametoappreciateevenmoredeeplythemagnitudeofthatsmall,easyhumangesture. Attimes,isolatedbyculturalandlinguisticbar-riers,Ifeltforeigntothebone,misunderstood,andcompletelyalone.Butitwasonthosedays,whileIfantasizedaboutpackingupandleaving,thatan-otherSaramaccanwouldpassbyandgreetmewithacheerfulfervor,unawareofmytroubles.Onceagain,Ifeltacknowledgedandwanted,andmydreamsofabandoningmypostwouldwashawaydownriver. IwroteaboutthesharedColgate-Saramaccanvalueofgreetingonmyblog,It’sAlwaysSunnyinSuriname,whichIhadcreatedsothatIcouldsharemyPeaceCorpsexperienceswithfamily,friends,andotherinterestedreaders.WhatfollowsareexcerptsandadaptationsofsomeofmyfavoritemomentsandmusingsaboutmylifeinSuriname.

First ImpressionsJune 28, 2011Stepping out of the motorized dugout boat and onto the rocks of Ligorio’s riverbank for the first time, I had arrived in the village where I would spend the next two years of my life, excitement cascading from my heart. As part of my Pre-Service Training (our first 11 weeks in Suriname, known as PST in Peace Corps’ acronymic lingo), I was here on a four-day site visit to test the waters in Ligorio. I saw the wooden hut where I would be living and met the Saramaccans with whom I hoped to become friends. My fantasy of living in the jungle was coming true. Ligorio is amazing! A Christian village with a church and primary school, it’s located in the Langu region, which consists of eight villages. The entire area is incredibly beautiful and inaccessible. My first distinct memory here is that I had brought my camping pack, water filter, hammock, and enough canned tuna and peanut butter to live on for four days. But, I had waited until after dark to think about cooking. There was no electricity in my hut. I did not know a single person. I could barely string two sentences together in Saramaccan. And I had no cooking utensils. I realized that I would have to rely on the compassion of others to cook my first

meal. Reluctantly, I grabbed a can of beans in one hand and a package of ramen noodles in the other, turned on my headlight, and set off from my house. Walking toward the first hut I could see, I ap-proached a family sitting in the shadows around a well-lit cooking hut whose light spilled out across the pathway. Surprise silenced their conversation as I, a strange white man with shaggy hair and hairy legs and arms, approached them in the dark. I tried my best to articulate to the three elderly women and one silent girl that I would be living with them for the next two years. And then, speaking at the level of a 4-year-old and the rate of a sloth, I popped the question: “Ma abi soni u boi. Mi sa boi no?” (I don’t have things to cook. Can I cook?) As I lifted my hands to reveal the provisions, the women understood my intentions and handed me a pot, but raised quizzical eyebrows as I dumped the ramen into the boiling water and then poured the beans in as well. They shamelessly stared at me, commenting about my behavior. But I was not bothered, for I was feeling so accomplished to have achieved my goal of cooking and eating a meal. Having watched me slurp down my soup with a huge smile as if I had not eaten in days, they found it hysterical, and, I must admit, so did I.

The Colgate HelloMarch 20, 2012There are several unspoken rules about the Saramaccan greeting. One is that if you are walking by someone sitting at their house, it is your responsibility to initiate the conversation. Because my house is a bit far from the path, some people pass by without greeting me, which, given the distance from my house to the path, is totally acceptable. One day, I was in the mood to cause a little trouble, and Maureen, a 24-year-old friend and Saramaccan mother, passed by without greeting me. I cleared my throat and called out “Ohhh, Maureeeeennn. Ya ke fan ku mi tide no?” (Do you not want to talk to me today?) She paused, aware that I had caught her on her silent passage. Slowly rotating her head with her shoulders locked in place to maintain balance of the massive pile of clothes and dishes on top of her head, she faced me to reveal a sly grin. She knew something that I didn’t, and I was about to hear it. “Umeni pasi I bi go ko a ganda sondo fan ku mi tide?” (How many Omelia turns over a round of cassava bread — a main staple of the Saramaccan diet.

times did you come and go to the center of the vil-lage without talking to me today?) She was right. Earlier that day, I walked back and forth several times to talk to my counterpart about a pressing need. I had probably passed by her house three or four times without greeting her. To my de-fense, her house is blocked by trees and I didn’t see her resting in the shade of her thatched roof hut. But those are only excuses. As the passerby, it was my responsibility to initiate the conversation. Her silent passage by my house was simply a form of retaliation. “Tuu tuu, ya leti” (True, true. You are right.), I called out, admitting defeat with a smile on my face. Mau-reen, chuckling, continued walking to the river.

Never Had I EverSept. 26, 2012 1. Washed all of my laundry and dishes by hand, in a river, every single day

2. Helped build a thatched roof hut

3. Been so comfortable talking to half-naked elderly women and completely naked children

4. Gone 10 months without a hot shower

5. Been told I am getting fat as if it was a good thing

6. Learned to speak a Creole language or attempted the many genres of Saramaccan dance

7. Come face to face with a wild jaguar

8. Imagined that kids living in the rainforest would own Blackberry cell phones before I did

9. Helped dig a grave

10. Cut parasites out of my own feet using a knife

11. Lived in a wooden hut frequented by tarantulas (and once, a venomous bushmaster snake)

12. Caught a piranha, prepared it, and then eaten it

13. Slept for weeks at a time in a hammock

14. Been so terrified of ants

Beans Beans, the Musical FruitNov. 5, 2012It’s Always Sunny in Suriname has been lacking a classic awkward moment; however, it comes with a warning! For those who do not find humor in flatu-lence, you are advised to stop reading this post. For those who do, let’s let it rip: I recently wrote a post titled “The Jungle Cook-book” alluding to the drastic change in my diet over the past year and a half. In America, my diet doesn’t revolve around a four-meal schedule, and I don’t resort to beans as my main source of protein. I left

out one important detail: these dietary adjustments have been problematic at times. Let’s go back to Pre-Service Training, which prepared us for our service, linguistically and cultur-ally. Every morning, we woke up to four hours of language training. I dove in head first. I listened. I asked questions. I studied note cards. And I tried to speak with the teachers as much as possible, no matter how repetitive the conversations — for, how was I to “save the world” without being able to speak Saramaccan? After lunch, it was back to the training room for three more hours of project-related and cultural lessons. As our trainers led us through discussions dissecting each norm and value, they chiseled com-mandments into our heads, but my intuition cringed — the advice we were being fed was so black and white. Integrating into a community started to feel more like a test for which we had to prepare the answers than something to experience. I must say that, overall, I valued the lessons. They shaped the attitude with which I would approach adapting to a new culture — as a learner. According to my job description, I was meant to be a “business adviser,” but to become a teacher, I first needed to succeed as a student. However, some of the conversations were comi-cal. One piece of advice was, “Never fart in front of a Saramaccan. They find it rude and disrespectful.” I recall keeping my sarcastic response to myself as I engraved a mental note. The conversation contin-ued, but I began to philosophize to myself that my perception of passing gas changes with the circum-stances. Yes, in a formal or work setting, cutting the cheese is inappropriate and inconsiderate. In a social setting, it’s embarrassing (unless you successfully rip and run, or better yet, are brave enough to rip and remain — using a dose of reverse psychology). But in a casual setting with my closest companions, I often laugh and applaud friendly fires. So, never? That’s a strong word. Would someone studying American culture say the same thing? Fast forward three months. I was loving the adventure of my new life in Ligorio, enthu-siastically struggling through all the adjust-ments, and excited by all my prospering relationships. When not at my house or the river, I was wandering through the village, trying to learn the language better and getting to know my community members. One day, I was in the middle of my village tour when I came upon three ladies in their 60s, one busy at the fire cooking (Agou-tumai) and the other

two lounging in the shade of a thatched roof hut (Clementina and Bakamai). I greeted them politely and sat down on a wooden board under the shade of a nearby tree. Quickly, the conversation turned down its all-too-familiar route: the women jok-ingly boasted about the sexual skills of Saramaccan women and repeatedly asked me of my interest in “taking a Saramaccan woman.” Once they tired of the topic, we sat quietly, the women chuckling to themselves, savoring their newly acquired ability to harass a young American male. BRRRRRRAAAAAAPPPP. I froze in embarrassment, iced over by my strict cultural warning. I had no idea how to react. I waited until I could no longer bear the silence after the storm. “Piimiisi ee,” I apologized quietly, hoping the women would let the issue breeze over. Bakamai, knowing I was feeling guilty, seized the opportunity to further tease me. “John, what made that noise?” Responses raced through my head. “Someone made some music,” I replied. “Woooooloo,” the women erupted in fierce laugh-ter. Several seconds rolled by before Bakamai, eager to feed the fire, asked, “Who made the music?” Facing the warm flow of their affection, I thawed from my arctic state of awkwardness, realizing one mistake need not mortify me. “I made the music,” I admitted, accepting responsibility for my blunder. “Agoutumai, did you hear that? John made some music for us,” Bakamai repeated. Having too much fun, she couldn’t stop egging me on. “John, what type of music did you make?” My Saramaccan vocabulary had not yet inherited the word “fart,” so I answered to the best of my abili-ties. “Butt music,” I replied. They could barely stay in their seats. In fact, Bakamai rolled off her wooden bench onto her knees on the ground. Her eyes rolled up, meeting mine in elated agony. “Oh my god, I can’t take it anymore!” Agoutumai, who was bent over cooking, stag-gered away from the fire, gasping for air, her face

Metsan, Omelia’s son. People started calling him my “shadow.”



full of delighted wrinkles. Clementina swayed and clapped, wailing jubilantly. I couldn’t resist joining in the laughter, enjoying the irony of the situation. Here I was, sitting with three Saramaccan women in the Surinamese rainforest, having the time of our lives over something I was advised never to do. As I walked home, my thoughts returned to my cultural training lessons, but I came to my own conclusion: I became closer with each of those ladies through my farting fiasco. A few days later, I went to the river to wash my dishes. It was early, and for whatever reason, I was not talkative. I steered clear of a woman washing dishes nearby, greeting her without taking note of who she was. I settled into the mindless scrubbing, treasuring the rare morning hours of utter silence. The mist was dancing its way downriver before tak-ing flight into the day’s heat. And then, the stunning sound of payback, pollut-ing the pristine environment. Smiling, I turned my head, ready to tease the culprit, as the three women had previously done to me, when my eyes met a familiar sight of elated agony. “WOOOOOOLLOOOOO!” I howled, my cry echoing down the river. Bakamai’s whole body was begging me to retaliate. Fully prepared, I asked, “Bakamai, what was that?” “Someone made some music,” she said. “Who made it?” “Me!” “What type of music did you make?” “Butt music!”

Taking Care of Business!March 22, 2013There was nothing we could do. And I hated it. The weather was delaying my primary project. We had already agreed: I would raise the money to purchase the rice mill, and the community would donate all of the transportation, material, and labor costs needed to build a shelter for it. I had received the money, generously donated by my friends

and family, and was excited to begin work-ing. I called the village together for a meeting and they were ecstatic to hear that we reached our fundraising goal — no small sum of money for the Saramaccans. At the meeting, an elderly man named Philippe respectfully interrupted to say how much these altruistic gestures mean to him, especially because the donors were Americans who have never met Saramaccans but were still willing to help them improve their lives. It was one of the

most powerful moments of my Peace Corps service. I was overwhelmed with pride. The community had also promised to send men to help transport the mill from Atjoni to Ligorio, a trip that includes two portages, and to provide room and board for the manufacturers, who would travel to Ligorio to give technical training on how to install and maintain the mill. But that didn’t change anything; we were in the middle of an intense dry season, and the river was too low for the community to uphold their part of the bargain. For months and months, we had to wait for the rain to fall and the river to rise. Thanks to the personal responsibility of a select few, in particular Frank Majokko, the village-nom-inated manager of the rice milling business, the project gained momentum in the meantime. Frank organized women to dig sand, a task that can only take place while the river level is low, and carry it to the shelter (the sand is required to mix with cement to make the floor). While the river limited our ability to bring heavy supplies, such as bags of cement and zinc roofing, out to Ligorio, Frank agreed to begin meeting with me daily so that I could give him business lessons. We discussed defining a mission, setting goals and objectives, designing action plans, bookkeeping, pricing, and marketing. I loved those informal meetings because it gave me an opportunity to teach. Frank’s desire to help his community is simple and genuine, pouring through his enthusiastic eyes and cheerful smile. The conver-sations we had were open, free to discuss anything that came to mind, and together, we discovered what it would take to properly run a business. We would give each other “bauxite” (the Saramaccan version of a fist bump) as we came up with new ideas. I can’t tell you how many times we would walk away from those meetings with huge smiles plastered on our faces, both of us having learned something new and excited by the prospect of a suc-cessful business. Even more importantly, we were becoming good friends who could trust each other.

FINALLY! After four months, the rain began to fall. I jumped at the opportunity to remind the commu-nity that the time had arrived to fulfill their promise. After receiving some money from the women’s or-ganization of Ligorio, Frank dug into his own pocket to cover the rest of the costs, traveled to Paramaribo, and bought the supplies needed to build the shelter. After transporting the supplies to Ligorio, Frank worked in the jungle, where he cut all of the wood by hand and then carried it to the village with the help of some boys. Frank and I spent three days building the house. and we are now ready to transport the rice mill out to Ligorio!

A Special Moment for Momma WilliamsMarch 19, 2013During my parents’ first visit to Ligorio, my mother took a particular liking to a boy named August after he jumped up on a table, took her hands, and started shaking his hips and knees like Elvis Presley. My mom, who at any moment’s notice is willing to partake in some fun, joined in, pretending she was dancing with Jacoby Jones on Dancing With The Stars. I could almost guarantee that moment with August was the highlight of her first visit to Ligorio. After they returned to the States, she continually asked me about August and how he was doing. Well, last week (one year later), my parents visited a second time. We walked over to the rice mill shelter. I wanted to show them the progress we had made on my primary project. My mom and I eventually split off from the group to organize an activity at the school. As we were headed toward the school, we saw some of the chil-dren walking back to their homes. Suddenly, August popped out from around the corner and I shouted, “August! Look! Someone came to see you!” August turned to see my mom from about 30 yards away and, without a second’s hesitation, began sprinting to her with his arms and eyes wide open, his Cars backpack bobbing up and down behind him. My mom dropped to her knees, spreading her arms in welcoming anticipation. August jumped into her arms as she lifted him into the air, twirling in circles while calling out “doooooooooooo” — a noise made by Saramaccans when embracing a loved one. I rushed to ready my camera and was able to capture this special moment.

After doing a spicy dance at her brother’s wedding celebration, Nelda (right) got an appre-ciative embrace from two other guests.


Get Your White Rice Here!May 17, 2013 Some men and boys from Ligorio traveled to Atjoni to help transport the rice mill and its engine back to our village. Counterclockwise, from top:

Pulling the boat up Tapawata, the first of two rapids around which we have to portage our supplies.

Portaging the rice mill around Gaandam, rapid number two. This rapid is much larger, requiring us to take the machines out of the boat and walk them around by land.

Frank and I installed and cemented the rice mill and its engine to the ground. Then: in the top… and out the bottom, the final product: WHITE RICE!

And finally, one happy customer!


The Peace Corps Changed My LifeAugust 28, 2013Now that I am back in the United States, reconnect-ing with my friends and family and adjusting to the realities of American life, many people ask me with fascination and respect, “So what exactly did you do down there?” It’s a good question. Many Americans do not have a real understanding of the mission un-dertaken by the 8,073 current Peace Corps volunteers serving in 76 countries around the world. To answer them, I reflect back on my service, an incredible, personal, exhausting, challenging, breath-taking, life-changing, and maddening ride through life in the Surinamese rainforest. The most accurate response (which I rarely provide) is that I gained far more than I ever sacrificed. While discovering a special corner of the world different from our own and establishing close relationships with people who ap-proach life from a different point of view, I came to understand the differences and similarities between life in the Surinam-ese rainforest and the United States. Learning about the customs and values to which Saramaccans adhere, especially those that greatly diverge from their counterparts in America, provoked me to examine my own actions and values, and even my mission in life. Who do I want to be? What do I need to confess? How have I deceived myself and others? Where have my actions diverged from my values? How do I want to be perceived? What changes will I commit to making in my actions, attitude, and per-ceptions? To which meaningful cause do I want to commit my professional career? These are the essential questions that I contemplated. First and foremost, I made a confession to myself and my family, coming clean on who I am, why I did the things I did — things I am proud of, and things I am not — and where I intend to go next. Only after that did I realize that I had never really thought about what I wanted my purpose in life to be. And if I did, I had never written it down. So I started there, as if creating a personal con-stitution. While still in Ligorio, I wrote: “My mission in life is to live with integrity and character and to enthuse positive change in myself and in my communities around the world.” Writing this down helped me to set my moral compass, defining my values and goals as a person — the son, brother, and friend that I am, as well as the husband, father, and leader that I want to be some day. Looking back, my Peace Corps experience has permeated every nook and cranny of my life. It has changed the lens through which I view the world and my role in it. It changed what I care about, and how I think about language and culture and money. It changed how I approach my relationship with myself and with others, how I approach every individual I meet, and how I empathize with people — outsiders, in particular.

It changed how I will, one day, raise my children and what values I will try to teach them. It taught me what I am capable of, alone and in a group, and refreshed my aspiration to reach my fullest poten-tial. It gave me a new group of close friends both throughout the United States and in the Surinamese rainforest, the inspiration to become a teacher, and an undying love of mangos. Why, and how, did my Peace Corps experience inspire such monumental change in me? Life in Ligorio is simpler, more elemental. While financially, Saramaccans live below the poverty line, to me, their lives are rich. They are tied to the outdoors. They live and take care of the basics, and they don’t do much else. They do it all with a skillful understanding of themselves, their community, culture, and environment, surrounded daily by their

family members. And their lifestyle is contagious. Since coming home, it’s been a struggle to in-corporate those priorities and that simplicity in my life here. I crave that life, but our culture makes it difficult. We have developed beyond that, perhaps to our detriment. Furthermore, I’d learned that people are people, no matter where in the world. We can do our best to study all the generalities and tendencies of a group, but in the end, people carry their own perspectives and personalities to every issue. There are people who make you laugh, and some who drive you in-sane. There are hard workers and freeloaders. There are people who follow the rules and those who break them. Some children are academically driven, some athletically, some artistically, and others socially. Some people are happy; others, unhappy. When we look at people we don’t know, and speak of “foreigners” or “tribes” or “clans,” we per-ceive them as different. But regardless of divergences in culture and values, we all have the same basic hu-man needs, desires, concerns, and emotions — and those similarities outweigh our differences. On the day I was scheduled to depart from Ligorio, I was hit by the most difficult challenge I’d

met as a Peace Corps volunteer, humbling all of the obstacles I had faced in the past: saying goodbye for the last time to the Saramaccans who had treated me as if I was one of their own. Not a bone in my body wanted to leave. As the plane climbed over the green canopy of pristine rainforest and I waved to the crowd that had gathered at the jungle airstrip to see me off, I real-ized that my Peace Corps experience had redefined for me what it means to be a man. In Ligorio, I had learned what type of man I wanted to be, and had started down that path. When I try to measure what kind of Peace Corps volunteer I was — what kind of success I had in Ligo-rio — it comes down to two things: the relationships I built with the people, and my commitment to their community. In other words, what kind of man I was.

To me, the essence of what it means to be a man emanates from the heart. It was about my capacity to love and to be loved. The questions I now ask myself are all about relationships. “What kind of village member was I? What kind of neighbor? What kind of role model? What kind of teacher? What kind of friend? Who did I love, and who did I allow to love me?” At the end of my service, I wanted to leave a legacy, to know that I made a difference. And all of that depended on the effort that I was willing to commit to Ligorio and its people, my belief in my responsibility to give back, and the chal-lenge to identify my unique cause in life. I surfaced from this deep introspection with a greater understanding of myself and committed to work hard to align my actions with my values. I can’t say that I gave it 110 percent every day. Some days, I napped in my

hammock and read a book for the entire day. I made mistakes. I aggravated people, and people aggravat-ed me. But that was the amazing rollercoaster of my life in Ligorio and of life in general. In the end, I can look myself in the mirror and congratulate myself on a life well lived in Ligorio, but that’s between me and me.

Colgate’sPeaceCorpslegacyColgate consistently ranks as a top producer of Peace Corps volunteers. Since 1961, 336 Colgate alumni have served. Currently, 12 are serving in Benin, Gambia, Guatemala, Mozambique, Nicaragua, Peru, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Tonga, working in agriculture, education, environment, health, and community economic development. Back from his service in Suriname, John Williams is now teaching algebra, pre-calculus, and calculus at the National Sports Academy in Lake Placid, N.Y., and serving as an assistant coach for the Boy’s Varsity Ice Hockey team.

Read more on his blog at itsalwayssunnyinsuriname.wordpress.com.

Philip taught me how to make wawai, small mats used to fan fires.


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Alumni programs, volunteer opportunities, career networking, and more

TheOfficeofAlumniRelationsispleasedtooffermanywaysforalumnitostayintouchwitheachother,andwithColgate!E-mailmewithques-tionsorconcernsattmansfield@colgate.edu.—TimMansfield,directorofalumnirelations

Questions?Contactalumnirelations:[email protected].

AlumnidirectorytakesanevolutionaryleapColgatehasjustputthe“go”into“Go,’gate.”Nowavailableinauser-friendlyapplicationforiPhoneandAndroiddevices,Colgate’smobilealumnidirectorycanbefoundintheiTunesstoreandonGooglePlay. InformationalreadystoredinColgate’sweb-basedonlinedirec-torydrivestheapp’snewfeatures,includingtheNearbyfunction,whichletsyoufindclassmatesandfriendsbasedontheirpreferredaddresses.“WhenalumnifromNewYorktraveltoSanFranciscoorAustinandwanttoreachouttoothersinthearea,theywon’thavetobootupalaptoptodothatsearchanymore,”saidTimMansfield,associateVPandalumnirelationsdirector.“Thisisapowerfultoolintermsofprofessionalnetwork-ingandmentoring,aswellassocialengagement.” YoucanpairtheapplicationwithyourLinkedInaccount,allowingyoutodisplayyouremploymentprofile,viewLinkedInprofilesofotheralumniuserswhohavepairedaccounts,andseesharedconnections. TheappalsooffersaccesstoColgate’snewsblog,Facebookpage,Twitterfeed,andYouTubechannel. “We’recommittedtoinformationsecurity,”Mansfieldemphasized,“sothereareafewinitialstepsthatuserswillhavetotaketosetuptheirac-counts.Butwebelieveit’swellworththeeffort.” Whenyoufirstlaunchtheapp,you’llbepromptedtoprovideane-mailaddressandcreateapassword.Thee-mailaddressmustmatchtheaddresswhereyoureceivemessagesfromColgate—ifitdoesn’t,contactalumnirelationsatalumni@colgate.eduor315-228-7439forsupport. Althoughtheappcanremembertheuser’spasswordforupto30daysonceanaccountisestablished,itwilldemandafour-digitPINeverytimeitlaunches.“Thisisanaddedlayerofprotectionincaseauser’sphoneislostorstolen,”saidMattHames,Colgate’ssocialmediamanager.“Ofcourse,werecommendthateveryphonehasitsownpasscodeaswell,butthat’suptotheuser.” ThemobiledirectoryisthelateststepinanevolutionarycyclethatbegandecadesagowithaprinteddirectoryofColgatealumni.Now,inanageofportability,theuniversity

isrespondingtodemandsfromgradswhowanttoconnectwithclassmatesathomeandontheroad. Asalways,alumnihavecompletecontroloverwhatisdisplayedontheirprofiles—whetherontheexistingdirectoryatcolgate.edu/alumnioronthenewmobileversion.(Youcanquicklyandeasilyupdateyourdirec-toryinformationbysubmittingnewdetailstothealumnioffice.) Tofindoutmore,visitcolgate.edu/mobiledirectory.

NewnetworksofferalumniprofessionalconnectionsDoyouworkinthenonprofitsector…orwishyoudid?Maybeyou’reinfinanceandwanttomoveup—ormoveout,toacareerinhealthandwellness.Eitherway,Colgatewillhaveyoucoveredwhenitrollsoutaseriesofnewprofessionalnetworksinthemonthsahead. “Professionalnetworksbringpeopletogetherbasedonthecareerstheyarein—orthecareerstowhichtheyaspire,”explainedMikeSciola,as-sociateVPandcareercenterdirector. “Thedrivingspiritbehindthenewnetworks,”saidVPandalumnirela-tionsdirectorTimMansfield,“istogivealumniaboostontheirprofes-sionaljourneysandanavenueforhigh-impactengagementwiththeiruniversity,aswellastohelpcurrentstudentswithcareerplanning.”ThesenetworkswillshowtheworldthatColgatepeopletakecareofeachother—membersofourcommunity

demonstrateanunsurpassedcommit-menttoeachother,andtheirloyaltyhelpstodriveColgate’smission,henoted. ThemodelwasdevelopedwiththehelpofsuccessfulpilotprogramsliketheColgateEntertainmentGroupandtheRealEstateCouncil.Networksindigitalmediaandtechnology,finance,thecommongood,healthandwell-ness,andentrepreneurshipareindevelopment;moresectorsareunderconsideration. TheFinanceNetworkhelditskickoffluncheononSeptember19,andtheEntrepreneurNetworkwillholdaninauguraltrade-showlaunchonNovember4.Others,liketheCom-monGoodNetwork,willlaunchinearlyspring. Asmallnumberofvolunteerswillmanagethenetworkswithsupportfromthealumnirelationsandcareerservicesoffices.ThegroupswillalsoconsultperiodicallywiththeAlumniCouncil’scareerservicescommittee. Watchyourinboxandcolgate.edu/networksfordetails.

Successful pilot programs like the Colgate Entertainment Group will serve as a model for new networks.

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Let’splayball!SanFrancisco-areaalumnipiledintoAT&TParkonJuly9towatchtheGiantsplaytheNewYorkMets.Theeveningbeganwithapre-gamegatheringatPete’sTavern,andthefirstpitchflewat7p.m.Fivehoursand26minuteslater—16innings,ladiesandgentlemen—theMetshandedthehometeama4–3defeat.Buttheoutcomewasasuccessfor70Colgategradsinattendance,includingcurrentstudentsaswellasvisitingNewYorkerAlexWillick’08.

DecemberinJulyThisyear’sWomenatColgatebooktour,ledbylongtimeEnglishprofessorMargaretMaurer,focusedonTenth of December byGeorgeSaunders.Thecollectionofshortstoriesgener-atedplentyofspiritedconversationinPhiladelphia,Boston,Washington,D.C.,andNewYorkCity.Someofthe115participantsembracedtheshort-storyformatandtheambiguitythatcomeswithanarrativesnapshotratherthanafullportrait.Otherswishedformoretimetoengagethecharactersandplots.Wordcount

Alumni Clubs and Groups

aside,Saunders’sthemesdrewstrong,visceralreactions. Across-sectionoftheColgatecommunitytookpart.Veteranalum-naebroughttheirundergraduates;currentstudentsandrecentgradu-atesbroughttheirmothers.Thegen-erationvariationaddeddepthtothediscussionandshowedthebreadthofMaurer’sappeal.“EventhoughIwasanEnglishmajor,Isomehowmissedtak-inganyofProfessorMaurer’sclasses,”saidSaraPearl’80,P’13.“Betterlatethannever!” TheTenth of DecemberreemergedontheninthofSeptember,whenSaundersappearedoncampusasthefirstauthorinthe2013LivingWritersseries.(Seethearchivedwebcastatlivestream.com/colgateuniversity.)Thevolumewasthisyear’spre–first-yearsummerreadingassignment,anditservedastherallyingpointforColgateReads,anonlineinitiativethatencouragedcommunitymemberstoreadanddiscussthetitlestorylatelastsummer.

ClubLeadersAspecialwelcometonewleadersAdamWeber’06([email protected])oftheCapitalDistrictclubandAmyPalmer-Ellis’95([email protected])oftheCluboftheBerkshires.

FourhundredalumniandparentsswoopedintoColoradoSprings,Colo.,forColgateFootball’sseasonkickoffvs.theU.S.AirForceAcademyonAugust31.Inadditiontotheactiononthefield,thespectatorsenjoyedapre-gametailgatefeast,tunesfromtheVintageColgateThir-teen,andremarksfromCoachDickBiddle,AthleticDirectorVickyChun’91,MA’94,andPresidentJeffreyHerbst. Picturedabove(ltor),JennaWebb’02,KateHollerbush’09,Bryan“theflagguy”VanderPloeg,andChun,showingofftheirColgatespirit.

TimesSquaretakeover: On Colgate Day in September, alumni and students showed their maroon pride on the set of Good Morning America.

Friday, December 13, marks the final Colgate Day in the Year of ’13. Alumni clubs around the country will be celebrat-ing, and the university will host a special day of programming. Don’t miss a moment — you’ll have to wait 100 years for another chance to show your Colgate spirit on 12/13/13. Visit colgate.edu/events to find out about get-togethers in your area; keep an eye on colgate.edu and an ear on WRCUfm.com for updates from Hamilton.

Interested in learning about club events in your neck of the woods? Visit www.colgate.edu/alumnievents.

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Sendingfirst-yearsoffinstyleTheymightliveinChicago,butHamiltonistheirkindoftown.Colgate’sChicagosend-offparty,hostedbyWendyFreyerandGregBeihl’81,P’13’15onJuly14,drewdozensofalumni,parents,andcurrentstudentstoadecked-outbackyardintheWindyCitysuburbs.MembersoftheClassof2017spentthehourseatingameal,askingquestions,andshar-ingtheColgatespirit.TheyheardfromtheirhostandfromtrusteeMarkNozette’71,whopointedoutthattheChicagoareawouldhave31representativesoncam-pusthisfall—doublingitscountfromlastyear.Theeventwasjustoneof27differentsend-offs

heldacrossAmericathissum-mer.Forafulllistofvenues,visitcolgate.edu/sendoffs.


salm

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Across 1 Crooner Crosby 5 Word before case or master 10 Sugar amt. 13 ___ Gay (WWII plane) 15 Like 13 16 Greek exclamation 17 The Chronicles of Narnia lion 18 Somethingtoflyunder? 19 Prof.’s helpers 20 Man’s name meaning “gift of

God” 22 Colgate has 52 (that’s 13 x 4!) 24 Popular Halloween costume 25 Goldman ___ 27 Dame’s lead-in 28 Shop sign 30 Get ready to play at Seven Oaks 32 Piece of academic regalia 33 Copy 35 The Professor was a passenger

on it 37 One remembered on Memorial

Day: Abbr.

39 Atlantic City casino, with “the” 40 With 45-Across, group founded

in 1974 45 See 40-Across 49 ___ music (idle talk) 50 Wagner work 52 Where Whiffenpoofs hail from 53 Soprano Fleming 55 ___ of Two Cities 57 Emeritus: Abbr. 58 Daniel ___, Reagan-era world

leader 60 “Aha!” 62 Gorilla, e.g. 63 Donut coating 65 Entertain 66 Old salt 67 Fairy tale baddies 68 Willem of “Spider-Man” 69 Animal warning 70 John, Paul, or George, but not

Ringo 71 Pol Paul and others

40/45-AcrossNote: This puzzle’s grid provides a visual hint to 40/45-Across.

Down 1 Say “boom-chicka-

boom-chicka...,” maybe 2 Fit 3 Curfew warning 4 “I’m ___ to report...” 5 Makes tidy, with “up” 6 Makes a mess of 7 First ___ 8 Cleric in a mosque 9 Showed again 10 Girl’s question in a

classicfilm 11 Small singer 12 Didn’t fail 14 “No ifs, ___, or buts” 21 “Mangia!” 23 “Federalist Papers” co-author 26 End of Descartes’

famous formula 29 Person who’s popular

byconvention? 31 Casinofloor 34 Mark on a ballot 36 Hound 38 In the past 40 Himalayan guides 41 Upstate New York has

many long ones 42 Craft brewery product,

for short 43 Web surfer 44 Most somber 46 Bistro dessert 47 “Kyrie ___” (hymn) 48 Parlor pieces 49 Some Slavs 51 Part of 42-Down 54 Somefrozenwaffles 56 “Good grief!” 59 Microscopic critter 61 Five-star Bradley 64 Mr. Onassis

See page 61 for the solution.

PuzzlebyKyleDolan’06

Slices Contest Winner

InourlatestSlicescontest(summer2013),weaskedreaderstoidentifythisColgatetradition. TedVaill’62correctlyansweredthatthisphotofromthe1963Sal-magundishowstheannualfreshman-sophomoretug-of-warcompetitionbyTaylorLake.Vaillrecalled:“Thatyear,manymorefroshthansophsshowedup,andmostofthesophs,includ-ingme,werefromthePhiKappaTauhousenearby.DuringtheTugofWar,with20ofusononesideandover100froshontheother,onagivensignal,wedroppedtheropeandranforthehouse.Mostofusmadeit,exceptfortheunknownsophinthepicture.”

News and views for the Colgate community

Above:Whenthroughthyvalley,fairChenango…AerialphotobyAndrewDaddioBackcover:CrispautumnskyoverWestHallPhotobyAndrewDaddio

13OakDriveHamilton,NY13346-1398

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