Thursday, May 31, 2012

Class Council

At Reunion, a bunch of us talked about forming a Class Council to get some things done.  Won't you join us?

What is a Class Council?

A Class Council is a group of classmates who agree to work together to get things done.  What we get done, how we organize, and when we do what we do is all up to us.

Who can join?


Any member of the class can join.

What are we going to do?


That is up to us.  As a broad outline, there are three goals I personally have in mind:

  • Connecting the class through events, class trips and social media
  • Fostering a sense of service through class projects and support of the passions of classmates
  • Helping classmates find ways to give back to Yale through AYA programs like the Yale Alumni Service Corp, STAY, and supporting individual programs and initiatives at the University
How do I get involved?

Sign up and dial in.  If you're interested in participating, please fill out the form below.  We will have an organizational conference call on Tuesday, June 12 at 5:00 PM Eastern.  The dial-in information will be e-mailed to those who sign up.





Monday, May 28, 2012

KEEGAN: The Opposite of Loneliness | Cross Campus | Yale Daily News

As we celebrated at our Reunion this weekend, one of Yale’s recently graduated seniors lost her life in a car accident.  On the eve of graduation, she wrote an article that is quite moving.  Take a moment to read it by clicking on the link below.  Marina Keegan’s article discusses the kind of adult she dreamed of being.  We have been blessed with the years that Marina will never see.  Please read her words and think of how lucky we are, as a class, to be able to cherish the bonds we formed at Yale:
We don’t have a word for the opposite of loneliness, but if we did, I could say that’s what I want in life. What I’m grateful and thankful to have found at Yale, and what I’m scared of losing when we wake up tomorrow and leave this place.
It’s not quite love and it’s not quite community; it’s just this feeling that there are people, an abundance of people, who are in this together. Who are on your team. When the check is paid and you stay at the table. When it’s four a.m. and no one goes to bed. That night with the guitar. That night we can’t remember. That time we did, we went, we saw, we laughed, we felt. The hats.
Yale is full of tiny circles we pull around ourselves. A cappella groups, sports teams, houses, societies, clubs. These tiny groups that make us feel loved and safe and part of something even on our loneliest nights when we stumble home to our computers — partner-less, tired, awake. We won’t have those next year. We won’t live on the same block as all our friends. We won’t have a bunch of group-texts.
This scares me. More than finding the right job or city or spouse – I’m scared of losing this web we’re in. This elusive, indefinable, opposite of loneliness. This feeling I feel right now.
* * *
We don’t have a word for the opposite of loneliness, but if we did, I’d say that’s how I feel at Yale. How I feel right now. Here. With all of you. In love, impressed, humbled, scared. And we don’t have to lose that.
KEEGAN: The Opposite of Loneliness | Cross Campus | Yale Daily News

Sunday, May 27, 2012

Class History

Unfortunately, the acoustics in Commons last night weren't ideal, and some have asked me to post my comments so they could read them.  Here they are:


Class History

Yale Class of 1987

25th Reunion

Twenty-five years ago, Dante Centouri and I stood before you at Class Day to give the Class History -- a poignant yet humorous look back at our four years together.  I have been asked to update the class history for this, our 25th Reunion.  A daunting task, but here goes.

As I stand here tonight, much has changed.

Back then,

  • We had computer labs and typewriters
  • We had telephones that actually plugged into the wall.
  • We had hair.
But, as we gather tonight, we realize that much is the same.

  • The architecture of Morse and Stiles is still an acquired taste.
  • Science Hill still seems like it is very far away.
  • At every party, everyone gets a little more attractive as the night wears on.   

It's working already . . . you are already a much better looking bunch than the people I had lunch with.

As I prepared the class history for tonight, I struggled with how to summarize the lives of our 1,287 classmates over the last 25 years.  We have certainly done a lot.

Many of us have chosen life partners, it seems.  As a group, we appear to have won the mating version of the lottery.  Based on the spouses, partners and significant others I have met, I must say to our class: we are either a very persuasive group or we have an uncanny ability to find people with bad eye sight and poor judgment.  Either way: very well done.

And, in all seriousness, for some of our classmates getting married at all is an important personal and societal accomplishment.  From pink triangles in the 80s, to marriage for some of our LGBT classmates today, we have come a very long way, and we have the leadership of many here tonight to thank for that.

One more word while I am mentioning our spouses -- and really no history of our class would be complete without me making one thing absolutely clear.  For all of you here with a husband, wife, or partner who is in the Yale Class of 1987, please know this:  this was the most studious class Yale has ever seen.  We did not drink, smoke, or engage in frivolity of any kind.  Saturday nights were library nights.  And, sex.  Never crossed our minds.  Not once.  Ever.  We were saving ourselves for you.  Really.

Glad that is cleared up.

As I look around, I see that our classmates have made up for lost time.  Look at all of these kids.  It's so funny.  I see some of them and I know immediately who their Yale parent is.  And when I do, I have to ask myself one simple question:  were we ever that young?

Now, of course I know the answer.  I have seen the pictures.  So have you.  And, as I look at those pictures, I wonder how many of us had the same reaction I did:  we were hot.  No, really.  Young, thin, unwrinkled.  We didn't need spanks.  We didn't need reading glasses.  We didn't drive a minivan.  Hot.

So much youth wasted at the library.  I should have gone to more parties. 

So, anyway, what did the Class of 87 -- this learned, studious and hot group -- do when they went into the wide world?   And, how did our outcomes stack up to our dreams?

From the well worn paths to investment banks, law schools and medical schools, to the less typical and more adventurous paths others chose, we all ultimately settled into our own personal niches.  The two biggest groups of classmates are lawyers and doctors.  However, most chose other careers.  One interesting statistic -- our class has more people who say that they are writers than admit that they are bankers.  Even our class' musicians and actors outnumber the bankers.  Now, that might be a sign of the times -- either the bankers are out of work or now financiers are simply doing it on the down low.        

The numbers don't tell the tale, though.  We have actually done some amazing things:

We have:

            -- Written books
            -- Made movies
            -- Launched companies
            -- Defended unpopular clients
            -- Righted wrongs
            -- Cured diseases
            -- Traveled to war torn countries to build new nations and heal the sick
            -- Served as elected and government officials
            -- Served as judges
            -- Served as diplomats
            -- Spied
            -- Made art
            -- Made music
            -- Made love
            -- Made war
            -- Made people laugh
            -- Produced theater
            -- Sang
            -- Played
            -- Appeared on TV
            -- Researched
            -- Taught
            -- Preached
            -- Experimented
            -- Invented
            -- Protested
            -- Professed
            -- Solved problems
            -- Built bridges
            -- Championed causes
            -- Made a difference
           
It is really inspiring to hear about all of your personal successes, how the Class of 1987 has made a mark professionally and personally throughout the world.  The stories are amazing, and humbling.

But, times have not always been easy for our class.  Some in our class have survived cancer and other serious illness.  Some have lost jobs and faced other serious personal struggles.  As Class Secretary over the last five years, I have heard some of these private and personal stories first hand.  As inspired and humbled as I have been by the personal successes of our class, I stand in awe of our classmates who have faced perilous personal challenges with grace, strength, and the enduring support of their friends from Yale.

Perhaps the one struggle we have all shared is the struggle to define for ourselves what it means to become a Yale alum. Remember the 100th playing of the Game, when we walked through the alumni tailgates? Remember laughing at how ridiculous some of the alumni looked and acted? That's us now. The thought makes me want to burn all of my tweed jackets and whale pants. 

I would note, though, that as a class we have been remarkably active as alumni. We have chaired the AYA and its development counter part. We launched Feb Club Emeritus, the Yale volunteer-led activity with the most worldwide participants. We have received more alumni leadership awards than any other class. And, we even have a Yale Medal recipient. 

We've wondered why we have such an active class. It could be that we are the class with the highest percentage of classmates who got in off of the waiting list. That's apochryphal, but let's go with it. 

I like to think that our place as leaders in the alumni community and beyond is the result of our class being an historical bridge between generations and world views. We came to Yale with typewriters and left with computers. We experienced economic dislocation months after graduating when the market crashed but also benefited from the innovations and expansion of the 90s. And, while we had easy-to-use cameras, they were not yet digital, so the photographic record of our time here is thankfully limited.

Our unique place in history has allowed us to understand the Greatest Generation, who raised us, the baby boomers who preceded us and the Gen Xers who followed us. 

And, it has allowed us to smile knowingly when our children ask us the most profound of existential questions: 

  • What was the deal with leg warmers, shoulder pads, parachute pants, and white sports coats?
  • How did you get anywhere without GPS?
  • How did you "friend" people if your facebook was actually a book -- a real book?
At the end of the day, the Class History really is not about a list of accomplishments and achievements, it is more about how our four years together impacted us.  How the shared Yale experience we joked about 25 years ago at Class Day has shaped our lives.  And it most definitely has shaped our lives -- not just through the classes we took, the things we learned, and the majors we declared but through the friends we made:

  • The friends who have cheered us on,
  • the friends who have counseled and consoled us,
  • the friends who have inspired us,
  • the friends who have challenged us and set us straight,
  • the friends we laugh with,
  • the friends we came back to New Haven to see. 
After our Fifth Reunion, I was sitting in the Morse court yard with Dante.  I asked him what he thought of the Reunion.  Tim, he said, some people really got their shit together, some people really lost their shit, but pretty much, everyone has the same shit. 

Profound words.  From a man with blue hair.  But, true.

What the history of our class over the last 25 years has taught me is something I should have realized the first day Freshman Year. 

The Yale College Class of 1987 is the most intellectually diverse, alive and engaged group of people I have ever known.  It was a true gift to be part of this group 25 years ago, and it is a gift today.  Our lives, our families' lives, are better because we are part of this group -- not in terms of money or prestige -- but in terms of the intellectual vibrancy our classmates bring into our lives.

So, tonight, before we go to the party, I would like to leave you with two personal challenges:

First, let's make the most of tonight.  Look around the room.  Find someone you didn't know at Yale and make a new friend.  Reconnect with someone you knew but haven't seen in 25 years.  And, make a plan for staying connected.  Let's leave the party tonight more connected than we were before.

Second, we are about to write the next five years of our class history.   Let's make a mark. Together.  For Yale.  For our local communities and For the world.

Let's start a Class Council that can act as a clearinghouse of ideas and initiatives.  Let's work together to solve some of the problems we, as a class, might be uniquely positioned to solve.  And, let's learn about and support each other's passions.   We have such a talented group of people who have already done so much.  Imagine how much more full the next five years of our lives will be if we live them with a common purpose.

Thank you.

Now, I think it is time for a song and then a party.

Class Dinner Video

Due to some technical difficulties, the Class Dinner Video got jammed up.  Here it is, in all of its glory.


That was a great party

Thanks so much to everyone for making last night such a great night!

People are still rolling in

People are still coming to Reunion. We are all enjoying a great program.

Saturday, May 26, 2012

Enjoying morning at yale.

The program today is great. I am with the kids at a lecture about the human body. Really fun.

The sun is coming out and the day will e great. Hope to see everyone at lunch!

That was a great night.

We had do much fun last night. Looking forward to a full Saturday program.

Friday, May 25, 2012

The party is just starting.

If you are thinking of joining us, you should. It's a great party.

A panel in the econony

Michael Barr organized a great panel on the economy. The crowd was really engaged.

Getting things ready

Here is a picture of the preparations. Big tent for a big crowd. Can't wait to see everyone.

Pizza under the tent

Had a nice crew of people in last night. We all had fun hanging out. One enterprising group even got some Sally's pizza, which was a great treat.

Thursday, May 24, 2012

People Are Rolling In

Here at the tent. It is spacious. Groups of people are getting dinner and then meeting back for drinks.

We have had some walk ins. Everyone is welcome!

Classmates are on their way to Reunion. Are you?

Hope to see everyone there.

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

1069 -- That's Our Target

The Yale Class of 1983 is a spirited class, so spirited that they once set the record for attendance at the 25th Reunion.  Their record, 1068, is in jeopardy.  We are getting close.

So, here's the deal -- we will give a prize to the classmate who is #1069 at our Reunion.  It could happen. 

Didn't regsiter?  We have a spot for you.  Waited for the last minute to decide to come?  Fine with us, we've got room.  Please come -- for a lunch, or a dinner, but please come. 

We'd love to set the record, but we'd love even more just to see you!

Attendance -- We are closing in on the record

The numbers are in . . . we have already exceeded our projected attendance and are now closing in on the record for the 25th Reunion with the best attendance.  We are setting up more chairs -- so, please spread the word.  Should be a great party!

Follow Reunion on Twitter

You can follow reunion on twitter by following @YaleCollege1987.  Please post pictures and updates using the #yale87 hashtag.

A Panel About Our Lives

"The Long and Winding Road"

Friday, May 25, 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm

Linsly-Chittenden Hall - 63 High Street
Room: 101
It's a good bet no one's life has turned out exactly as they'd imagined when they graduated from Yale. Or if it has, it's most likely involved some interesting twists and turns along the way. Come listen to your classmates talk about the unexpected paths their personal and professional lives have taken over the last 25 years in a panel moderated by David Kramer.

Peter May has gone from the hills of Vermont to the shores of Lebanon, living and lawyering in the heart of the Arab Spring.

From twelve hour days to school lunch trays: how one dissatisfied lawyer quit her job and found her passion. Bettina Elias will talk about starting over at 40, becoming an "accidental activist," and tangling with the beef industry over the dreaded "pink slime."

Journalist, screenwriter, book publisher and—several decades later than planned—novelist. Bronwen Hruska will read from her forthcoming book, Accelerated, which only sort of fictionally examines how one's life can turn out not at all as planned.

From a bad dream one night in college to becoming a Yahoo, from a NYC taxi ride to writing about Garbage Trucks, author and speaker David Pollay talks about how he has helped people find happiness.

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Saturday Class Dinner

We have a fabulous dinner planned in Commons for Saturday night.

Stuart Benjamin will be masters of ceremonies.  The dinner will include a short program:

  • Announcement of Class Gift (prepare to be amazed)
  • Announcement of new Class Officers
  • Moment of Silence to Remember Lost Classmates
  • Recognition of Volunteer Contributions to Yale and the Class
  • Class History
  • Bright College Years
And then, off to the party!

Parking


WHERE CAN I PARK?
If staying on campus or visiting for the day, AYA recommends parking in Yale's Pierson-Sage Garage and using the Reunion Shuttle to get around campus. Click here for directions to Pierson-Sage and a map of campus. Parking on the street is subject to meters, ticketing and towing; public lots and garages are usually not open 24 hours a day; and Yale lots have either limited or no access.  For those at hotels, you may park at the hotel (for a nominal fee), and use the Reunion Shuttle to get to events.
HOW DOES THE REUNION SHUTTLE WORK?
For arrivals, the Shuttle picks up regularly at the train station and Pierson-Sage Garage. The Shuttle also serves Tweed-New Haven airport for Sunday departures only. Connecticut Limo drops off and picks up on central campus for reunions. For transportation around campus, staff in headquarters and at the hotels can provide details.

Great Program

In case you didn't notice the FANTASTIC sessions we will be having JUST FOR OUR CLASS, here's a small sampling ....

‘87’s Own Walking Tour of Yale (with Mike Morand)

Yale, the Endowment and the Economy (with David Swenson)

From Yale to the Pros (with Chris Dudley, Bob Kudelski, Adam Snow, Bill Zito, and David Todd)

Choosing the Right College for your kids (with Jeff Brenzel, Yale College Dean of Admissions)

Do Books Still Matter (Bruce Feiler,Chang-Rae Lee, Claire Messud, Jane Mendelsohn and Amor Towles)

.... and this is just the beginning.

Register now, before Wednesday at 5, before the on-line registration closes .... we can't wait to see you!

Monday, May 21, 2012

On-line Reigstration Deadline -- Wednesday, 5:00 Eastern

We know that procrastination was an integral part of our college experience.  Based on the flood of registrations today, it would appear that people are reliving that part of their bright college years.

Well, the deadline for registering on-line is fast approaching.  At 5:00 Eastern on Wednesday, our on-line registration will be closed.  That will allow AYA a day to make the final arrangements necessary for a great weekend!

So, don't ask for a Dean's note, don't seek another extension, just register. 

See you in a few days!

Sunday, May 20, 2012

Bright College Years

We've asked the Yale Glee Club alums in our class to lead us in Bright College Years to wrap up our Saturday night dinner.

Here is a performance of Bright College Years so you can practice before Saturday night!


We are ready for Reunion. Are you?


Here is your reunion check list:

  • Registered?  You can show up at the last moment without registering, but we would ask that you do if you know you are coming.  It makes planning much easier.  Click here to register.
  • Have you packed sunscreen?  We aren't counting our chickens quite yet, but we are encouraged about the weather.  Click here for more information.
  • Planned your weekend?  You can click here to see the full program.
  • Packed your clothes?  Click here for some fashion suggestions.
  • Sign up for golf?  Click here for the details.
  • Ordered Reunion apparel?  Click here for details.


Saturday, May 19, 2012

Reunion: Register Now vs. Just Show Up

Some of us are still trying to figure out our exact schedule for next weekend and have yet to register.  A common refrain we hear is "One kid has a baseball game, another has dancing, a third has to go somewhere -- so, we'll make it but we are just figuring out when" or something like it.  We completely understand.  Some of you might just show up.

Although it is fine to just show up -- and we hope you do, if that works best for you -- it would be terrific if you could register for those meals you are sure you will attend.  This helps us plan food, chairs, etc.  You can always change your registration.  (You can register by clicking here.)

So, if you know you will be at reunion for a little while, we ask that you register now and then change your registration if need be.

Looking forward to seeing you next weekend!

Some more music selections . . .

Adrian Jones kindly suggested an additional list of songs we might be listening to next weekend:


Tears for Fears:
Everybody Wants to Rule the World
Shout

Talking Heads:
Once in a Lifetime
This Must be the Place
Psychokiller
Take me to the River

Tom Tom Club:
Genius of Love
The Man With the 4 Way Hips

Elvis Costello:
Everyday I Write the Book
Beyond Belief
Almost Blue

Roxy Music:
Avalon
To Turn You On
Love is the Drug

David Bowie:
Let's Dance
China Girl

Chakha Khan:
Ain’t Nobody

B52’s:
Love Shack

Sheila E:
The Glamorous Life

The Time:
Jungle Love
777-9311
What Time is It?

George Michael:
Faith
I Want Your Sex

Squeeze:
Pulling Mussels From a Shell
Tempted

Falco:
Rock Me Amadeus

Pet Shop Boys:
West End Girls

Simply Red:
Holding Back the Years

Rickie Lee Jones:
Chuckee’s in Love

Bananarama:
Venus

Janet Jackson:
When I Think of You

Phil Collins:
Sussudio
In the Air Tonight

Dire Straits:
Money For Nothin’
Sultans of Swing
Walk of Life
Romeo and Juliet

Eurythmics:
Sweet Dreams
Who’s That Girl
Here Comes the Rain Again
Would I Lie to You?

Rick James:
Give it to Me Baby
Mary Jane

Friday, May 18, 2012

Not to jinx it, but . . . .

Check out the weather report for next weekend by clicking here.

Not promising, but it is promising . . .

See you next weekend!

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Reunion -- Have you registered?

The Reunion registrations are rolling in at a really great clip . . . we are on pace to have really tremendous attendance.  Have you registered?  If you haven't, there is still plenty of time to do so.  Just click here.



The Music of Our Youth

We are getting everything set for Reunion -- the music will be decidedly '80s focused.  Here are some of the songs people have suggested.  What would you like to hear?


Little Red Corvette – Prince
1999 – Prince
Kiss – Prince
Let’s Go Crazy – Prince
Burning Down the House – Talking Heads
And She Was – Talking Heads
Good Lovin’ – the Young Rascals version
What I Like About You -- Romantics
Mystery Dance – Elvis Costello
Save it for Later – English Beat
Tears of a Clown – English Beat
Tenderness – General Public
Radio Free Europe – R.E.M.
Harborcoat – R.E.M.
Train in Vain – the Clash
Should I Stay or Should I Go – the Clash
Rock the Casbah – the Clash
Roam – B-52s
Rock Lobster – B-52s
Push It – Salt N Pepa
Dancing with Myself – Billy Idol
Mony, Mony – Billy Idol
Into the Groove -- Madonna
Open Your Heart – Madonna
Material Girl -- Madonna
Blister in the Sun – Violent Femmes
Add it up – Violent Femmes
Goody Two Shoes – Adam Ant
(Free) Nelson Mandela – The Special A.K.A.
I Want Candy – Bow Wow Wow
We Got the Beat – GoGos
Our Lips Are Sealed -- GoGos
I Wanna Be Sedated – Ramones
Always Something There to Remind Me – Naked Eyes
Boys Don’t Cry – The Cure
Friday I’m in Love – The Cure
Modern Love – Bowie
Under Pressure – Queen and David Bowie
Whip It – Devo
Bang the Drum All Day – Todd Rungren
Don’t You Want Me – Human League
Walk Like an Egyptian – The Bangles
Don’t Go – Yaz
Situation -- Yaz
Melt with You – Modern English
Word Up! -- Cameo
Sexual Healing – Marvin Gaye
Super Freak – Rick James
You Spin Me Around – Dead or Alive
Turning Japanese – The Vapors
Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now) – C&C Music Factory
It Takes Two – Rob Base and E Z Rock
Funky Cole Medina – Tone Loc
Wild Thing – Tone Loc
Billy Jean – Michael Jackson
P.Y.T. – Michael Jackson
I Want You Back – Jackson 5
ABC – Jackson 5
Hey Micky – Toni Basil
Call Me – Blondie
It’s Raining Men – The Weather Girls
Walk and Don’t Look Back – Peter Tosh and Mick Jagger
You Can Get it if you Really Want – Jimmy Cliff
The Harder They Come – Jimmy Cliff
Girls Just Wanna Have Fun – Cyndi Lauper
Let it Whip – Dazz Band
No Parking on the Dance Floor – Midnight Star
Sweet Dreams -- Eurythmics
Come on Eileen – Dexy’s Midnight Runners
YMCA – Village People
I Will Survive – Gloria Gaynor
Respect – Aretha Franklin
Feel For You – Chakha Khan

Monday, May 14, 2012

Attendance Update

We have had a huge surge in attendance . . . if we can keep up this pace, we might even set a record.  Call your friends, call your roommates and get them to come to reunion.

As for the college with the best attendance, the race is tightening up.  Here are the lastest figures:

CC  12%
SM  11%
BR   9%
DC   9%
MC  9%
PC   8%
JE    8%
TD   8%
BK  7%
ES   7%
TC   6%
SY   5%

See you next week!

Sunday, May 13, 2012

More pictures

And, the pictures keep rolling in . . . check out some of the latest:





Saturday, May 12, 2012

Pictures from Morse Common Room

Did you ever wonder happened to the Morse photographs hanging in the commons room with the class of 87 photos made from freshman photos from 1983?


Thanks to one of our classmates, who saved them, here they are:






To quote Catherine Slusar:  Great hair!

Friday, May 11, 2012

Surge in Attendance

We have had a big surge in attendance this week . . . people are solidifying their plans and registering in droves.  We've heard about friends coordinating with each other so their kids can hang out together.  We've heard about people making plans to visit old haunts together.  And, we've heard about people getting really excited to come to Reunion.

Hope to see you there!

Thursday, May 10, 2012

YaleNews | Yale University Commencement 2012

 

Yale will celebrate its 311th graduation on May 21 following a weekend that will include speeches, prize presentations, senior class antics and the awarding of honorary degrees, among other activities.
By clicking below, you will find links to the Yale Broadcast & Media Center’s coverage of the Baccalaureate Address, Senior Class Day ceremony and University Commencement — as well as to videos, stories, and photos about the event.

YaleNews | Yale University Commencement 2012

Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Reading the Class History from Class Day

Tonight, I read the Class History from Class Day.  Favorite joke:

"[Freshman Year] we settled into classes, got into the scheme of things, and before we knew it, it was the end fo the football season and the 100th playing of . . . .The Game!

And the one thing we learned there is that if there's one group of people more obnoxious and stupid than freshen, it's alumni."

Soho Press Pushes Forward Under Hruska

Here is the latest on our Classmate Bronwyn Hruska:

Soho Press, an independent publisher with a full-time staff of nine, is made up of a band of fiercely loyal book lovers. The press was taken over by publisher Bronwen Hruska in 2010. Juliet Grames, Soho’s senior editor, said, about working with her: “For our first 25 years we were a quality literary house that got great reviews, but which people hadn’t heard of. You absolutely can’t say that anymore.” Pointing to Soho’s increasing numbers, Grames added, “Our revenue has ballooned since [Hruska] started—our books are sold in channels we never imagined before. Her tenure here has seen more bestsellers than the rest of Soho’s history put together.”

Soho Press Pushes Forward Under Hruska

New Classmate Panel -- Our Lives



"Bumps and bruises, lots of hard work, with good gobs of joy thrown in to keep us going."  That's how a Yale '87 student recently described the intervening 25 years.   Come listen to classmates talk about their personal journeys, fulfilling passions, and interesting life twists.  Yalies may be a lot of things but they are never boring.  

This is a class participation event.  We are looking for classmates to speak for 5 minutes each about ups, downs, twists and turns in their life's journey.  

"Shy scholar at 18, fierce political activist at 47?   2-sport athlete at Yale, theoretical physicist 25 years later?   We are looking for Yale '87 alums with interesting life stories to participate on the "Classmates Panel" at reunion.   Tell your story replete with twists and turns (in 5-10 minutes....).

Would you like to participate?  Please submit a couple of sentences of what you would like to talk about to Yale87classpanel@gmail.com

Tuesday, May 8, 2012

Reunion Update

We have a little over two weeks to go until Reunion!  Attendance is gaining speed -- thanks in large measure to Captain Calhoun, John Pleasants, who is making a strong case for Reunion MVP with his creative e-mail blasts to encourage classmates to register.

Here are the links you need:

To register, please click here.

To see which college has the highest percentage of registrations, please click here.

To see our whole reunion program, please click here.

To see a list of people who have registered, click here.

To read our message about what reunion is really about, please click here.

To watch the embarrassing PSAs we made to promote reunion, click:
  • Here for Do's and Don'ts
  • Here for Remembering Names
  • Here for Looking Good
  • Here for Cheesy Photo Montage set to music
Click here for a list of the top 100 songs of 1987.

Click here for a list of the top movies of 1987.

Click here for a list of top news stories of 1987.

Click below for some of the most popular videos from 1987:


We could really use some pictures!

Here is one from (I think) Junior Year:




Where are your pictures from college?

Class Couples

How many classmate couples do we have in our class?  Here are the ones I can think of:

1)  Tim & Lisa
2)  Nina & Adrian
3)  Katie & James
4)  Cathy & Mike
5)  Jordy & Becky
6)  Andy & Betsy
7)  Michael & Aimee

Can you fill in the last names?

Any others?

Class Council

Are you excited about coming back for Reunion?  Are you looking for a way to get involved in the Class and at Yale?  If you are, please join us for a short organization meeting to launch a Class Council. 

What is a Class Council?  It is whatever we want to make it.  Many classes use this as a simple way to organize class trips, class social events and connecting classmates.  Some of the things we would like to discuss:
-- A class-sponsored service trip;
-- Class trips to locations where classmates might be able to share their interests and passions;
-- Class get-togethers between now and our next Reunion.

If you are interested, please come by at Reunion.  We are having an organizational meeting at 4:00 on Saturday.  If you can't make it to Reunion (or the meeting), no problem.  Just let me know you're interested, and I will get you on the list.

Reunion Schedule -- Updated

FRIDAY, May 25

 
2pm      Remade, rebuilt, renewed: a walking tour of Yale >>> now & tomorrow

             With Michael Morand

 
A quarter century on, Yale & New Haven have been renewed and rebuilt. Our classmate Michael Morand has been in the thick of campus and community renaissance as Yale's associate vice president for New Haven affairs and now as the University's deputy chief communications officer. He'll lead us on a tour of old Yale now renewed, new Yale inconceivable in 1987, and the rebuilt fabric of New Haven, focused on the residential colleges, Broadway, the dramatic transformation of Yale & the Dixwell neighborhood, Ingalls Rink, the new residential college site, Science Hill & Hillhouse Avenue, and the new SOM.

 
Meet on Broadway outside the Apple Store near the Yale Bookstore.

 
2pm    Science Panel

           How Does The Mind Work?

 
Join four members of the class of 1987--a psychiatrist, a psychologist, a philosopher, and a science writer--for a thought-provoking exploration of human nature. We will talk about new scientific research that sheds light on how the brain gives rise to who we are, and how this research sheds light on addiction and other disorders.
  • Tamar Gendler, professor of philosophy at Yale University
  • Marc Potenza, professor of psychiatry at Yale University and Director, Yale Program for Research on Impulsivity and Impulse Control Disorders
  •  James Gross, professor of psychology at Stanford University
  • Carl Zimmer, science writer

 
Linsley-Chittenden (63 High St), Room 102

3pm    Giving Back – Yalies Who Walk the Walk

Wayne Pacelle and James Esseks discuss the life long commitment to making a difference in the world through non-profit organizations. They will look at how non-profits influence our lives, as well the challenges that non-profits face today.
  • Wayne Pacelle - President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS)
  •  James Esseks - Director of the ACLU's Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender and AIDS Project

 Linsley-Chittenden (63 High St), Room 101

 3pm    The Financial Crisis and the Economy

 
 Join our classmate Michael Barr and a panel of leading Yale faculty to discuss the financial crisis, financial reform, and the current state and prospects for the U.S. economy. Learn what it was like to enter government as the country’s economy was falling off a cliff, and to work on reforming the financial system going forward. Hear what the key problems were leading up to the financial crisis, and a debate over whether the Dodd-Frank Act took the right steps to reform the system. Discuss the current state of the economy, the U.S. fiscal position, the ongoing crisis in Europe, and what the economic future might look like for ourselves and for our children.

 
  • Michael S. Barr, Jonathan Edwards ’87 & Law ‘92. Barr, a Professor of Law at the University of Michigan Law School, served as Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for Financial Institutions, 2009-2010, and was a key architect of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. Barr is the author, most recently, of No Slack: The Financial Lives of Low-Income Americans (Brookings Press 2012).
  • Jonathan R. Macey, Law ‘82. Macey is the Sam Harris Professor of Corporate Law, Corporate Finance, and Securities Law, Yale Law School, and author of leading treatises and casebooks on corporate law and banking law, including Macey on Corporation Laws and Banking Law and Regulation.
  • Andrew Metrick, MA ’89. Metrick is Deputy Dean for Faculty Development & Michael H. Jordan Professor of Finance & Management, Yale School of Management. Metrick served on the Council of Economic Advisers, 2009-2010, and is a leading scholar on financial stability, including his seminal work on “repo” markets. His most recent book is Venture Capital and the Finance of Innovation.

 Loria Center - 200 York St., Room: 250

 
 3pm   Going Green: Building a Sustainable University

 
 This reunion panel will explore Yale’s groundbreaking on-campus sustainability initiatives, Yale’s work with the City of New Haven to create a resilient and sustainable city and Yale’s connection to collaborative efforts crafting sustainable cities nationwide.

  
Panelists:
  • Julie Newman, Director, Yale Office of Sustainability
  • Mark Bomford, Director, Yale Sustainable Food Project
  • Colleen Murphy-Dunning, Executive Director, Urban Resources Initiative (Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies)
  • Morgan Grove (’87)(Research Scientist, US Forest Service)
  •  Charlie Lord (’87)(C-Quest Capital, LLC)

 Linsley-Chittenden (63 High St), Room102

 
 3pm    Yale Scavenger Hunt

 
 Do you think you know Yale?

 
Join us on Friday of reunion weekend outside Reunion registration at 3:00 to join in our very own Yale 87 scavenger hunt. Everyone will get a list of things to go to collect around campus -- a Dean's note, a picture with President Levin, and so on. Different points are assigned to each item. Bring your items back in 90 minutes and we will tally the points.

  
Work in pairs, work in teams, bring your friends, bring your family. This will be a great way to test your memory or to introduce your alma mater to the people in your life.

 
Meet under the tent

  
SATURDAY, May 26

  
2pm   Yale, the Endowment & the Economy

  
Another Class of 1987 Exclusive! Please join Yale's Chief Investment Officer, David Swensen, as he discusses the economy, Yale's endowment and the investment strategies that have made him one of the most successful portfolio managers around.

 
  Yale Center for British Art – 1080 Chapel, Auditorium

 
2pm       What a Strange Trip It’s Been: From Yale to the Pros

 
 Follow the journey of 4 classmates who went from Yale to professional sports:

  
  • Chris Dudley – 16 year NBA Career with the Cleveland Cavaliers, New Jersey Nets, Portland Trailblazers and Phoenix Suns
  • Bob Kudelski - 11 year NHL career with the LA Kings, Ottawa Senators and Florida Panthers
  • Adam Snow - long time professional polo player who was one of a select group of American players to achieve the elite 10 goal ranking, two-time winner of the Knox Award as the MVP of the U.S. Open Championship (2002 and in 2009).
  • Bill Zito- Professional Sports Agent representing NHL players for almost 20 years with clients including NHL Stanley Cup MVP and record-setting goalie Tim Thomas of the Boston Bruins.  
Moderated by David Todd- Sports Radio Personality and Sports Blogger

   Yale University Art Gallery – 1111 Chapel, McNeil Lecture Hall

2pm    Choosing the Right College for Your Child

 
 A Class of 1987 Exclusive! Join Yale Dean of Admissions Jeff Brenzel as he walks us through the modern maze of college selection and application. Dean Brenzel will not only discuss Yale admissions, he will focus on how to choose the college that is best for your child.

 
  Loria Center – 200 York St., Room 351

 
  3pm      DO BOOKS STILL MATTER? 
Reading and Writing in the Digital Age

 
The Class of ‘87 has an uncommonly high number of successful authors. We’ve gathered a number of them for a lively discussion on why they write; what they wished they learned at Yale about creating compelling characters, writing believable sex scenes, and dealing with Hollywood; and how reading and writing are being affected by Twitter, Kindle, and iPad. Complete with recommendations for out-of-the-box summer reading! 
 


  
  • Bruce Feiler (moderator) – Author of ten books, including the best-sellers Walking the Bible, Abraham, America’s Prophet, and The Council of Dads; and the writer-presenter of several PBS series. Bruce lives in Brooklyn with his wife and twin daughters.
 
 
  • Chang-Rae Lee – Author of Native Speaker (winner of the PEN/Hemingway Award), A Gesture Life, Aloft, and The Surrendered, which was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. Chang-Rae is a professor of creative writing at Princeton, where he lives with his wife and children.


  • Claire Messud – Award winning author of When the World Was Steady, The Last Life, and the best-selling The Emperor’s Children, which was long-listed for the Booker Prize. Claire lives in Cambridge, MA, with her husband and children. 

  • 
Jane Mendelsohn – Author of three novels including the best-selling I Was Amelia Earhart, which was short-listed for the Orange Prize, and American Music. Jane lives in Manhattan with her husband and children. 


  • Amor Towles – Investment professional and author of the best-selling novel The Rules of Civility. Amor lives in Manhattan with his wife and children. 
Loria Center – 200 York Street, Room 351

  
3pm    Life in the White House

  
Please join three of our classmates as they discuss what life is like working in the White House during the Clinton, George W. Bush and Obama presidencies. Our panelists are:
  •  Vinca LaFleur: speech writer for President Clinton and currently a partner at West Wing Writers in DC.
  •  Brett Kavanaugh: Senior Associate Counsel and Assistant to the President and Staff Secretary to President George W. Bush. Currently, Brett is a US Circuit Court Judge in Washington, DC.
  •  Jay Carney: Press Secretary to President Obama.  

 
Yale University Art Gallery – 1111 Chapel St., McNeil Lecture Hall

 
  
4-4:15 Class Council Organizing Meeting

  
Come hear about our plans to build a working Class Council to organize class social events, class service projects and class educational travel adventures.

  
 Dwight Hall Conference Room (upstairs)

 

Reunion Attendance Update

Here is the latest on attendance.  We are on track to having a fabulous turn out.  Really tremendous.  And, it is not too late to register.  So, please sign up soon.

Here is where we are with attendance by residential college:

CC 14%
SM 12%
MC 9%
BR 8%
DC 8%
ES 8%
PC 8%
JE 8%
BK 7%
TD 7%
TC 6%
SY 5%

So, while Calhoun is still in the lead, other colleges are closing the gap!  And, JE has made a huge surge.  What is going on with Saybrook?  We need you to sign up!

Tuesday, May 1, 2012

Reunion Program Highlight -- Scavenger Hunt

Yale Scavenger Hunt

Do you think you know Yale?

Join us on Friday of reunion weekend outside Reunion registration at 3:00 to join in our very own Yale 87 scavenger hunt. Everyone will get a list of things to go to collect around campus -- a Dean's note, a picture with President Levin, and so on. Different points are assigned to each item. Bring your items back in 90 minutes and we will tally the points.

Work in pairs, work in teams, bring your friends, bring your family. This will be a great way to test your memory or to introduce your alma mater to the people in your life.

Friday, May 25, 3:00 pm - 4:30 pm

Facebook Status of the Day

I am working late and I am grumpy.  So, I went on Facebook to see if there is any Reunion-related chatter.  Then, I saw the status update of classmate Paul Doiron.  It is awesome.  When I grow up, I would like to be like Paul.  His status update:

Rough day at work. Went fishing. Caught some trout. Felt better.