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Essay on Diwali 2023: Long and Short Paragraphs and 10 Lines on Deepavali

Diwali essay in english: happy diwali check here essay on diwali, short paragraph on diwali, easy diwali essay in english 10 lines for kids, diwali essay in english 300 words, long diwali essay in english and eco-friendly diwali essay in english for diwali 2023. download all the essays in pdf format for free..

How do you start a Diwali essay?

One of the best ways to start your Diwali essay is with a short and sweet Diwali wish for the reader.

Then, introduce how diwali is celebrated.

Talk about the history of diwali and its signifiance.

Essay on Diwali 2023

In this article, school students and college youngsters will find easy, short and simple essay on Diwali in English. These Diwali essays are suitable for grades 5th to 10th, 11th, 12th and beyond school as well. Download all the essays in PDF format for free from the link given at the end.

Diwali Essay in English 10 lines

Line 1: Diwali, is also known as 'Deepavali' or the 'Festival of Lights’.

Line 2: It also marks the beginning of New Year for many cultures in India.

Line 3: It signifies the return of Lord Rama to Ayodhya after defeating Ravana, symbolising the victory of good over evil and light over darkness. 

Line 4: People light diyas - earthen oil lamps and adorn their homes with colourful rangolis. 

Line 5: On Diwali, people clean their homes and decorate with flowers and colourful rangoli.

Line 6: Neighbours and families exchange gifts and sweets amongst each other .

Line 7: Goddess Lakshmi and Lord Ganesha are worshipped.

Line 8: Diwali is a five-day long festival. 

Line 9: Choti Diwali is celebrated one day before Diwali.

Line 10: Diwali is a symbol of good over evil and promotes unity and brotherhood.

Short Essay on Diwali in 200 Words

Diwali, also known as Deepavali, is a beloved and widely celebrated festival in India, symbolising the victory of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance. Spanning five days, it begins with Dhanteras when homes are cleaned, new clothes and utensils are bought. The second day, Naraka Chaturdashi or Choti Diwali, marks Lord Krishna's victory over Narakasura with oil lamps. The main day, Diwali, worships Goddess Lakshmi for wealth and prosperity, lighting homes with oil lamps, rangoli, and fireworks. Govardhan Puja and Bhai Dooj follow, honoring Lord Krishna and sibling bonds.

Gift exchanges and traditional sweets like ladoos, barfis, and jalebis are integral to Diwali, symbolizing love, respect, and stronger bonds. Hindus celebrate Rama's return after defeating Ravana, Jains mark Mahavira's nirvana, and Sikhs commemorate Guru Hargobind Ji's release on Bandi Chhor Divas.

Environmental concerns have led to eco-friendly celebrations, emphasizing diyas and natural decorations to reduce the carbon footprint.

Essay on Diwali in 300 Words

Diwali, also known as Deepawali, is a significant and joyful Hindu festival celebrated with great fervor. Falling typically in the months of October or November, Diwali holds immense cultural and religious importance as it commemorates the return of Lord Rama to Ayodhya after his heroic victory over the demon king Ravana, symbolising the eternal triumph of good over evil.

During Diwali, homes go through an amazing change. They are made super-clean and look beautiful with colorful decorations. People put lots of lights, pretty flowers, and beautiful designs made of coloured powder outside their homes. It's a time when people love to give and receive gifts. They also wear new and fancy clothes, which makes everything feel even more festive and happy.

The main day of Diwali involves heartfelt prayers and rituals dedicated to Goddess Lakshmi and Lord Ganesha, the divine patrons of wealth, prosperity, and wisdom. Devotees seek their blessings for a life filled with abundance and enlightenment.

Clay diyas, radiant with an array of colors, are lit in every corner of households, symbolizing the victory of light and hope over darkness and despair. Traditionally, firecrackers were used to drive away evil spirits; however, growing concerns about their environmental impact and health effects have led to more eco-conscious celebrations.

Essay on Diwali Festival in 400 Words

Diwali, or Deepavali, is an auspicious and cherished festival celebrated with great fervor and enthusiasm across India. It is a festival that signifies the triumph of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance. Typically spanning five days, Diwali is a time when families come together to engage in various customs, rituals, and traditions that have deep cultural significance.

Diwali usually falls in October or November. The festivities commence with Dhanteras, the first day, when people engage in thorough cleaning and adorn their homes. This day is also marked by the purchase of new clothes and utensils. The second day, known as Naraka Chaturdashi or Choti Diwali, is observed by lighting oil lamps to commemorate Lord Krishna's victory over the demon Narakasura. The third day, which is the main Diwali day, is dedicated to the worship of Goddess Lakshmi, the deity of wealth and prosperity. Homes are adorned with oil lamps, vibrant rangoli designs, and fireworks light up the night sky to celebrate the triumph of light. This day symbolizes the removal of spiritual darkness and the ushering in of prosperity and good fortune.

The fourth day of Diwali is Govardhan Puja, commemorating Lord Krishna's lifting of the Govardhan Hill to shield villagers from a rainstorm caused by Lord Indra. The fifth and final day is Bhai Dooj, a day dedicated to honoring the bond between brothers and sisters.

Diwali holds religious significance for various communities. Hindus celebrate it as the return of Lord Rama after vanquishing the demon king Ravana. Jains view it as the day Lord Mahavira attained nirvana, and Sikhs commemorate it as Bandi Chhor Divas, signifying Guru Hargobind Ji's release from imprisonment.

Long Essay on Diwali Celebration

Diwali is one of the most significant and widely celebrated festivals in India. It holds immense cultural, religious, and social importance, bringing people from all walks of life together in a spirit of joy and unity. This festival signifies the victory of light over darkness, good over evil and knowledge over ignorance.

Diwali typically falls in October or November. The preparations for Diwali begin weeks in advance, with families eagerly awaiting this grand festival. Homes are thoroughly cleaned and decorated and new clothes and utensils are purchased. This practice not only prepares the physical surroundings but also symbolises the inner purification of individuals and their homes.

The five-day celebration commences with Dhanteras, the first day. On this day, people worship Lord Dhanvantari, the Hindu god of medicine, and Ayurveda. It is also considered auspicious to purchase gold and silver on Dhanteras, as it is believed to bring good luck and prosperity.

The second day, Naraka Chaturdashi, is celebrated to commemorate the victory of Lord Krishna over the demon Narakasura. People wake up early and take an oil bath to purify themselves. They then light oil lamps and candles all around their homes and offices.

The third day is the main Diwali day, also known as Lakshmi Puja. This day is dedicated to the worship of Goddess Lakshmi, the Hindu goddess of wealth and prosperity. Families come together to perform special prayers and pujas to seek blessings for a prosperous year ahead. Homes are adorned with oil lamps, colorful rangoli designs, and flowers. In the evening, people burst firecrackers to celebrate the victory of good over evil.

The fourth day of Diwali is known as Govardhan Puja or Padwa. On this day, people worship Lord Krishna for lifting the Govardhan Hill to protect the villagers from Lord Indra's wrath. People also visit their relatives and friends and exchange gifts and sweets.

The fifth and final day of Diwali is Bhai Dooj, also known as Yama Dwitiya. This day is dedicated to celebrating the bond between brothers and sisters. Sisters prepare special dishes for their brothers and apply a tilak (vermilion mark) on their foreheads. Brothers, in return, give gifts to their sisters.

Long Essay on Diwali, Pollution Free and Eco-friendly Deepavali in 600 Words

Deepawali, also known as Diwali, is one of the most popular and auspicious festivals celebrated in India. Also known as the festival of lights, it marks the victory of good over evil, knowledge over ignorance, and hope over despair. Diwali is celebrated on the darkest night of the Hindu lunar month Kartika, which usually falls in October or November.

The word Diwali is derived from the Sanskrit word Deepavali, which means "a row of lamps." The festival is celebrated by lighting diyas (oil lamps) and candles all around the house and office. This symbolizes the victory of light over darkness and the triumph of good over evil. Diwali is a significant festival for Hindus all over the world. It is a time to celebrate the victory of good over evil, knowledge over ignorance, and hope over despair. The festival also marks the beginning of the new Hindu year.

Diwali is also celebrated to commemorate the return of Lord Rama to Ayodhya after defeating the demon king Ravana. Rama was exiled from Ayodhya for 14 years, and his return was marked with great joy and celebration. The people of Ayodhya lit diyas and decorated their homes to welcome him back. Another reason why Diwali is celebrated is to honor Lakshmi, the Hindu goddess of wealth and prosperity. People perform Lakshmi Puja on Diwali night to seek her blessings for wealth and good fortune.

Diwali is a time for families and friends to come together and celebrate. People clean and decorate their homes, buy new clothes, and prepare delicious food. On Diwali night, people gather to light diyas, perform Lakshmi Puja, and exchange gifts. Diwali is also a time for families and friends to come together and celebrate. It is a time to forgive and forget, and to start fresh. The festival is also a time to give and receive, and to spread joy and happiness. Diwali is also a time for giving back to the community. People donate to charities and help those in need. The festival is a reminder to be grateful for our blessings and to share them with others.

Diwali is celebrated with great enthusiasm and joy all over India. People start preparing for the festival weeks in advance. They clean their homes, decorate them with lights and rangolis, and buy new clothes. On Diwali night, people light diyas and candles all around their homes and offices. They also perform Lakshmi Puja to seek her blessings for wealth and good fortune. After the puja, people exchange gifts with their family and friends. People prepare delicious food and sweets, and share them with their loved ones.

In recent years, there has been a growing awareness about the environmental impact of Diwali celebrations. People are now more conscious about using eco-friendly ways to celebrate the festival.

Eco-friendly Diwali, also known as "Green Diwali," is an environmentally conscious approach to celebrating the festival of lights. It involves minimising the harmful environmental impacts associated with traditional Diwali practices. People choose to use eco-friendly alternatives, such as clay diyas (oil lamps) instead of electric lights, to reduce electricity consumption. Additionally, eco-friendly fireworks, which produce fewer pollutants and noise, are gaining popularity. Rangoli designs made from natural materials and organic, biodegradable decorations contribute to a cleaner and more sustainable celebration. Eco-friendly Diwali aims to preserve the environment, reduce air and noise pollution, and promote a more responsible and harmonious way of celebrating this cherished festival.

Paragraphs on Diwali

Diwali celebrations, five days of diwali, what are the five days of diwali 2023.

Day 1: Dhanteras, Friday, November 10, 2023

Day 2: Naraka Chaturdashi or Choti Diwali, Saturday, November 11, 2023 

Day 3: Diwali and Lakshmi Pooja, Sunday, November 12, 2023

Day 4: Govardhan pooja, Monday, November 13, 2023

Diwali 2023 Wishes in English

1. "May the festival of lights fill your life with happiness and prosperity. Wishing you a sparkling and joyous Diwali!"

2. "Happy Diwali! May your life be illuminated with the divine blessings of Lord Rama."

3. "Wishing you a Diwali filled with love, laughter, and all things bright and beautiful. Have a wonderful celebration!"

4. "Wishing you a safe and prosperous Diwali! Let the brightness of Diyas light up your world with success and happiness."

Why Do We Celebrate Diwali?

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• How do we celebrate Diwali 10 lines? + On Diwali, people light diyas - earthen oil lamps and adorn their homes with colourful rangolis. We clean our homes and decorate it with flowers. Neighbours and families exchange gifts and sweets amongst each other as a symbol of good will, well being and best regards. Goddess Lakshmi and Lord Ganesha are worshipped on this day.
• When are diwali holidays in 2023? + Diwali 2023 is on Sunday November 12, 2023. However, the 1st day of Diwali is Dhanteras on Friday, November 10, 2023. Day 2 is Naraka Chaturdasi (Chotti Diwali) on Saturday, November 11, 2023. Day 3 is the Lakshmi Puja or Diwali on Sunday, November 12, 2023. Day 4 is Govardhan Puja on Tuesday, November 14, 2023. Lastly, Day 5 is Bhai Dooj on Wednesday, November 15, 2023.
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Diwali Essay in English 150 Words, 200 Words, 250 Words, 300 Words, 400 Words and 500 Words

Diwali Essay in English

Diwali Essay in English is one of the most important essay topics for students as this festival is celebrated across the country. On the occasion of Diwali students are asked to write essay on Diwali, so to help students, here we have written 6 sets of Diwali Essay in English 150 Words, 200 Words, 250 Words, 300 Words, 400 Words and 500 Words . Lets see these sets of Diwali Essay in English.

Diwali Essay in English 150 Words

Diwali, also known as Deepavali, is the Festival of Lights celebrated with great enthusiasm and fervor in India and by Indian communities worldwide. It symbolizes the victory of light over darkness and good over evil.

Homes are cleaned, and colorful rangoli designs adorn doorsteps. Oil lamps, known as diyas, are lit to welcome prosperity and happiness. Families exchange gifts and sweets, strengthening bonds.

The religious significance of Diwali varies across regions. In North India, it marks Lord Rama's return to Ayodhya after defeating Ravana. In South India, it's dedicated to Goddess Lakshmi.

Fireworks light up the night sky, creating a mesmerizing spectacle. Diwali transcends religious boundaries, fostering unity and diversity.

Diwali Essay in English 200 Words

Diwali, also known as Deepavali, is one of India's most significant festivals. Celebrated with immense zeal and fervor, it signifies the victory of light over darkness and good over evil.

Preparations for Diwali begin weeks in advance. Homes are thoroughly cleaned, and decorative rangoli designs are created at entrances. Oil lamps, candles, and fairy lights adorn homes, creating a magical ambiance.

The festival's religious significance varies across regions. In North India, Diwali commemorates Lord Rama's return to Ayodhya after defeating Ravana. In South India, it is dedicated to Goddess Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and prosperity.

Diwali is a time for families to come together, exchange gifts, and share delicious sweets and meals. Fireworks and firecrackers light up the night sky, symbolizing the triumph of light over darkness.

Beyond its religious significance, Diwali fosters unity and diversity. People of various faiths and backgrounds come together to celebrate, promoting harmony and goodwill.

Diwali Essay in English 250 Words

Diwali, also known as Deepavali, is one of India's most celebrated festivals, and its significance extends beyond religious boundaries. This Festival of Lights symbolizes the victory of light over darkness and good over evil.

The preparations for Diwali begin well in advance. Homes are cleaned and decorated with colorful rangoli designs and traditional oil lamps called diyas. People buy new clothes and exchange gifts as a gesture of love and goodwill.

The religious significance of Diwali varies across regions. In North India, it marks Lord Rama's return to Ayodhya after defeating Ravana, and people lit lamps to welcome him. In South India, it's dedicated to Goddess Lakshmi, the deity of wealth and prosperity.

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The heart of Diwali lies in the exchange of gifts, sweets, and greetings among family and friends. Traditional dishes are prepared, adding to the festive spirit.

One of the most awaited aspects of Diwali is the spectacular display of fireworks and firecrackers that light up the night sky. This tradition adds to the festival's vibrancy and joy.

Diwali transcends religious boundaries, bringing people of diverse faiths and backgrounds together. It's a time for cultural performances, dances, music, and social gatherings, promoting unity and harmony.

In conclusion, Diwali is not just a festival; it's a celebration of light, love, and togetherness. It spreads happiness, fosters goodwill, and serves as a reminder that goodness will always triumph over darkness.

Diwali Essay in English 300 Words

Diwali, also known as Deepavali, is one of the most significant and popular festivals in India. It is celebrated with great fervor and enthusiasm, signifying the victory of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance.

Diwali typically spans five days of celebrations. The preparations begin well in advance as people clean their homes, decorate them with lamps, candles, and rangoli (decorative designs made with colored powders), and shop for new clothes and gifts. This festival is a time for families to come together, strengthen bonds, and share joy.

The religious significance of Diwali varies across regions and communities. In North India, it commemorates Lord Rama's return to Ayodhya after defeating the demon king Ravana, and people light lamps to welcome him. In South India, it is dedicated to Goddess Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and prosperity, with prayers for her blessings. Some regions celebrate Lord Krishna's victory over the demon Narakasura.

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The heart of Diwali celebrations lies in the exchange of gifts, sweets, and greetings. Families prepare delicious traditional dishes and sweets, making it a gastronomic delight. The bursting of fireworks and firecrackers fills the night sky with dazzling displays of light and color, creating a magical ambiance.

Diwali transcends religious boundaries and brings people of different faiths and backgrounds together. It is a time for cultural performances, dances, music, and social gatherings, promoting unity and harmony.

In addition to its religious and cultural significance, Diwali carries a profound message of hope and optimism. It reminds us that even in the darkest times, the light of goodness and knowledge will ultimately prevail. Diwali serves as a reminder to strive for righteousness, kindness, and the eradication of ignorance from our lives.

In conclusion, Diwali is more than just a festival; it is a celebration of life, love, and unity. It spreads happiness and positivity, making it one of the most cherished festivals in India and among Indians worldwide.

Diwali Essay in English 400 Words

Diwali, also known as Deepavali, is one of the most prominent and eagerly anticipated festivals in India. Celebrated with immense zeal and enthusiasm, it is a festival that transcends religious and regional boundaries, bringing people of all backgrounds together. Diwali is known as the "Festival of Lights" because it symbolizes the victory of light over darkness and good over evil.

The preparations for Diwali typically start well in advance. People clean and decorate their homes, making them look bright and inviting. The use of colorful rangoli designs at doorsteps and the illumination of oil lamps, or diyas, is a common practice. These rituals are not just about aesthetics; they hold deep symbolic value. The diyas signify the triumph of light and knowledge over ignorance and darkness.

The religious significance of Diwali varies across India. In North India, it marks the return of Lord Rama to Ayodhya after his victory over the demon king Ravana. The people of Ayodhya lit lamps to welcome their beloved prince back home. In South India, Diwali is dedicated to the worship of Goddess Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and prosperity. Her blessings are sought for a prosperous year ahead. In other regions, it commemorates Lord Krishna's victory over the demon Narakasura.

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One of the central aspects of Diwali is the exchange of gifts, sweets, and greetings among family and friends. It's a time when people express their love and affection through thoughtful gestures. Elaborate feasts are prepared, showcasing the diverse and delectable cuisines of India.

A highlight of Diwali is the mesmerizing display of fireworks and firecrackers that light up the night sky. The colorful explosions and crackling sounds create an enchanting atmosphere, symbolizing the triumph of good over evil and the dispelling of darkness.

Beyond its religious and cultural aspects, Diwali is a festival of unity and diversity. It brings people of various faiths and backgrounds together, fostering harmony and goodwill. The celebrations often include cultural performances, dances, music, and social gatherings, making it a time for joyous merriment.

In conclusion, Diwali is not just a festival; it's a celebration of life, love, and the indomitable spirit of humanity. It serves as a reminder that no matter how dark the times may seem, light will always prevail. Diwali spreads happiness, strengthens bonds, and encourages us to strive for goodness and righteousness in our lives. It is a beautiful expression of India's rich cultural heritage and a testament to the enduring power of hope and positivity.

Diwali Essay in English 500 Words

Diwali, also known as Deepavali, is one of the most celebrated and revered festivals in India. It is a festival that transcends religious and cultural boundaries, bringing people from various backgrounds together to celebrate the triumph of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance. In this essay, we will explore the significance of Diwali, its history, customs, and the joyous celebrations that accompany it.

Significance of Diwali

Diwali holds profound spiritual and cultural significance in India and among the Indian diaspora worldwide. It is celebrated to honor different deities and commemorate various legends, depending on regional variations. However, the central theme remains the same – the triumph of light over darkness.

Lord Rama's Return: One of the most popular legends associated with Diwali is the return of Lord Rama to Ayodhya after defeating the demon king Ravana. The people of Ayodhya lit oil lamps to welcome him and celebrate his victory, symbolizing the victory of good over evil.

Goddess Lakshmi: In some regions, Diwali is dedicated to Goddess Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and prosperity. It is believed that she visits homes on this day, bringing good fortune to those who have kept their houses clean and well-lit.

Lord Krishna: For some, Diwali marks the victory of Lord Krishna over the demon Narakasura. His triumph is celebrated with fireworks and the lighting of lamps.

Jain Tradition: Jains commemorate Diwali as the day Lord Mahavira attained nirvana (liberation). It is a time for self-reflection and seeking spiritual enlightenment.

Diwali Customs and Traditions

Diwali preparations begin weeks in advance, and the festival lasts for five days, with each day having its own significance and rituals.

Cleaning and Decorating: People clean their homes and decorate them with colorful rangoli (decorative designs made with colored powders), diyas (oil lamps), and candles. This is done to welcome the deities and to create a festive atmosphere.

Dhanteras: The first day of Diwali is known as Dhanteras, during which people buy gold or silver items and utensils as a sign of prosperity.

Choti Diwali (Narak Chaturdashi): On the second day, people light lamps and celebrate the victory of Lord Krishna over Narakasura. Fireworks are a common sight on this day.

Main Diwali: The third day is the main Diwali celebration when families come together to perform puja (worship) and exchange gifts. Delicious sweets and traditional dishes are prepared for this occasion.

Govardhan Puja: In some regions, the fourth day is dedicated to the worship of Govardhan Hill, associated with Lord Krishna's lifting of the hill to protect villagers from a rainstorm sent by Lord Indra.

Bhai Dooj: The fifth day, Bhai Dooj, celebrates the bond between brothers and sisters. Sisters pray for their brothers' long and healthy lives, and brothers give gifts in return.

Joyous Celebrations of Diwali

The atmosphere during Diwali is filled with joy, warmth, and unity. Families and friends come together to celebrate, exchange gifts, and share delicious meals. Fireworks light up the night sky, creating a breathtaking spectacle. The sound of firecrackers and the glow of lamps and candles create a mesmerizing ambiance.

Diwali also extends beyond religious boundaries, as people of different faiths join in the celebrations. It is a time for social gatherings, cultural performances, and spreading love and goodwill.

Diwali, the Festival of Lights, is a beautiful celebration of light, love, and togetherness. It reminds us of the eternal truth that goodness will always triumph over darkness. This festival is not only a time for religious observance but also an occasion to strengthen bonds, share happiness, and embrace the diversity that makes India a truly remarkable nation. As the lamps flicker and the fireworks light up the night sky, Diwali continues to shine as a beacon of hope, joy, and unity for people around the world.

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Essay on Diwali

Here we have shared the Essay on Diwali or Deepawali in detail so you can use it in your exam or assignment of 150, 300, 500, or 1000 words.

You can use this Essay on Diwali in any assignment or project whether you are in school child (class 10th or 12th), a college student, or preparing for answer writing in competitive exams. 

Topics covered in this article.

Essay on Diwali in 150 words

• Essay on Diwali in 250-300 words
• Essay on Diwali in 500-1000 words

Diwali, the festival of lights, is a widely celebrated Hindu festival in India. It symbolizes the victory of light over darkness and good over evil. During Diwali, homes are adorned with lights, rangolis, and decorations. Families come together, exchange gifts, and enjoy delicious sweets and snacks. Fireworks illuminate the night sky, adding to the festive atmosphere.

Diwali holds deep spiritual significance, commemorating Lord Rama’s return to Ayodhya after defeating the demon king Ravana. It also marks the beginning of a new year for many communities. Beyond its cultural and religious importance, Diwali promotes unity, joy, and compassion. It encourages people to spread happiness and love, transcending differences.

In conclusion, Diwali is a festival that brings people together, celebrates the triumph of good over evil, and spreads light and joy. It is a time to appreciate the blessings in our lives and to share happiness with others.

Essay on Diwali in 250-350 words

Diwali, also known as Deepavali, is one of the most significant festivals celebrated in India. It holds immense cultural, religious, and social importance for people of the Hindu faith. The festival spans over five days and signifies the victory of light over darkness and good over evil.

Diwali is a time of immense joy and enthusiasm. The preparations begin weeks in advance as people clean and decorate their homes. Colorful rangolis, Diyas (earthen lamps), and decorative lights adorn every corner, creating a mesmerizing ambiance. The air is filled with excitement and anticipation as families come together to celebrate.

The festival is deeply rooted in mythology. It commemorates Lord Rama’s return to Ayodhya after 14 years of exile and his victory over the demon king Ravana. The lighting of lamps and the bursting of fireworks symbolize the triumph of light and righteousness. Goddess Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and prosperity, is also worshipped during Diwali. People offer prayers and seek her blessings for a prosperous year ahead.

Diwali is not only a religious festival but also a time for social bonding and celebration. Families and friends exchange gifts, sweets, and heartfelt wishes. The festival brings people from diverse backgrounds together, fostering unity and harmony. It is a time to forgive past grievances, mend broken relationships, and spread love and joy.

However, in recent years, there has been a growing awareness about the environmental impact of Diwali celebrations. The excessive use of firecrackers contributes to air and noise pollution, harming both humans and the environment. Many people are now opting for eco-friendly celebrations by using less harmful alternatives like decorative lights and celebrating with eco-friendly fireworks.

In conclusion, Diwali is a vibrant and joyful festival that celebrates the triumph of good over evil. It brings families and communities together, spreading happiness, love, and prosperity. While celebrating, it is essential to be mindful of the environmental impact and embrace eco-friendly practices. Diwali is not just a festival of lights; it is a celebration of life, positivity, and the enduring spirit of goodness.

Essay on Diwali in 500 words

Title: Diwali – The Festival of Lights and Spiritual Significance

Introduction

Diwali, also known as Deepavali, is one of the most prominent and widely celebrated festivals in India. It holds immense cultural, religious, and social significance for people of the Hindu faith. The festival spans over five days and signifies the victory of light over darkness and good over evil. This essay explores the various aspects of Diwali, including its historical, religious, and social significance.

Historical and Religious Significance

Diwali finds its roots in ancient Indian mythology and legends. The most well-known story associated with Diwali is the return of Lord Rama, along with his wife Sita and brother Lakshmana, to the kingdom of Ayodhya after 14 years of exile. Their return symbolizes the triumph of righteousness over evil. Lord Rama’s victory over the demon king Ravana is celebrated with great fervor during Diwali.

The lighting of lamps and bursting of fireworks during Diwali signify the removal of darkness and the spreading of light and positivity. The tradition of lighting Diyas (earthen lamps) and illuminating homes and streets represents the victory of good over evil and the triumph of knowledge over ignorance. It is believed that these lights guide Goddess Lakshmi, the deity of wealth and prosperity, into people’s homes.

Social Significance

Diwali is not only a religious festival but also a time for social bonding, family gatherings, and community celebrations. Families come together to clean and decorate their homes, exchange gifts, and share festive meals. The festival brings people from diverse backgrounds together, fostering unity, love, and harmony.

During Diwali, people visit their relatives and friends, exchanging sweets, dry fruits, and gifts as a token of love and affection. It is also a time to forgive past grievances and mend broken relationships, as the festival promotes the spirit of forgiveness, reconciliation, and compassion.

Cultural Celebrations

Diwali celebrations go beyond religious rituals. The festival is marked by colorful rangoli designs, vibrant decorations, and intricate patterns created with colored powders, flowers, and Diyas. Fireworks light up the night sky, filling the air with joy and excitement.

The festival also showcases the rich cultural heritage of India. Traditional dances, music, and performances are organized to entertain and engage the community. Diwali melas (fairs) are held, featuring various cultural activities, folk dances, and food stalls. These events provide an opportunity for people to come together, celebrate, and appreciate the diverse cultural tapestry of India.

Environmental Concerns

While Diwali is a time of celebration and joy, it is essential to address the environmental concerns associated with the festival. The excessive use of firecrackers contributes to air and noise pollution, which poses health hazards and disturbs the ecosystem. It is crucial for individuals and communities to adopt eco-friendly practices, such as minimizing the use of fireworks and opting for environmentally friendly alternatives like decorative lights and lamps.

Diwali, the festival of lights, holds immense cultural, religious, and social significance in India. It is a time of joy, togetherness, and the triumph of good over evil. Diwali celebrations embody the values of unity, love, forgiveness, and the spirit of giving. However, it is equally important to celebrate the festival in an environmentally responsible manner. By embracing eco-friendly practices, we can ensure that the essence of Diwali, as a festival of light and hope, is preserved for future generations to enjoy.

Essay on Diwali in 1000 words

Title: Diwali – A Celebration of Light, Joy, and Cultural Significance

Introduction:

Diwali, also known as Deepavali, is one of the most widely celebrated festivals in India and holds immense cultural, religious, and social significance. The festival stretches over five days, and each day has its own significance and rituals. Diwali is a time of vibrant celebrations, where people come together to illuminate their homes with lamps, exchange gifts, indulge in delicious sweets, and participate in various cultural activities. This essay explores the historical origins, religious significance, cultural traditions, social impact, and environmental considerations associated with Diwali.

I. Historical Origins of Diwali

The roots of Diwali can be traced back to ancient Indian mythology and various historical events. One of the most popular legends associated with Diwali is the story of Lord Rama’s return to Ayodhya after defeating the demon king Ravana. The people of Ayodhya celebrated Rama’s homecoming after 14 years of exile by lighting lamps, signifying the triumph of good over evil. Diwali also commemorates the victory of Lord Krishna over the demon Narakasura, symbolizing the triumph of righteousness and the eradication of darkness.

II. Religious Significance of Diwali

Diwali holds deep religious significance for Hindus, Jains, and Sikhs. For Hindus, it is a time to worship Goddess Lakshmi, the deity of wealth and prosperity. Devotees clean their homes and create intricate rangoli designs to invite the goddess into their households. Diwali is also associated with the worship of Lord Ganesha, the remover of obstacles, and the offering of prayers to seek divine blessings.

In Jainism, Diwali marks the spiritual enlightenment and liberation of Lord Mahavira, the 24th and last Tirthankara. Jains celebrate Diwali by offering prayers, visiting temples, and engaging in acts of charity and compassion.

For Sikhs, Diwali holds historical significance as it commemorates the release of Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji, the sixth Sikh Guru, and 52 other kings from imprisonment in the Gwalior Fort. This event represents the victory of truth and freedom.

III. Cultural Traditions and Celebrations

Diwali is not only a religious festival but also a time for cultural celebrations and festivities. The preparations for Diwali begin weeks in advance, as people clean their homes and decorate them with colorful rangoli designs, bright lights, and flowers. The lighting of diyas (earthen lamps) and candles is a significant aspect of Diwali, symbolizing the triumph of light over darkness.

During Diwali, families come together to perform puja (worship) rituals, exchange gifts, and share special meals. Traditional sweets and snacks, such as ladoos and gujiyas, are prepared and distributed among relatives, friends, and neighbors. The exchange of gifts signifies love, respect, and the strengthening of relationships.

Cultural performances, such as traditional dances like Garba and Bharatanatyam, music concerts, and plays, are organized during Diwali. These cultural activities showcase the rich heritage of Indian art and provide a platform for artists to display their talent.

IV. Social Impact and Community Bonding

Diwali serves as a unifying force, bringing people from different communities, religions, and backgrounds together. It is a time when families and friends come together to celebrate and bond. Diwali encourages individuals to visit their loved ones, exchange greetings, and share the joy of the festival.

The spirit of giving and sharing is strongly emphasized during Diwali. Many people extend acts of kindness by donating to charities, distributing food to the underprivileged, and supporting those in need. This collective effort to help others promotes empathy, compassion, and social cohesion.

Diwali also fosters a sense of unity and harmony among communities. People of different religions and cultures join in the celebrations, participating in events and exchanging cultural experiences. The festival acts as a platform for cultural exchange, fostering understanding and appreciation for diversity.

V. Environmental Considerations

In recent years, there has been growing concern about the environmental impact of Diwali celebrations. The excessive use of firecrackers during Diwali contributes to air and noise pollution, causing harm to human health and the environment. Additionally, the disposal of firework waste poses a significant challenge.

To address these concerns, there has been a shift towards eco-friendly Diwali celebrations. Many individuals and communities now opt for alternative ways to celebrate, such as using decorative lights, eco-friendly fireworks, and organic materials for rangoli designs. Awareness campaigns promote the use of environmentally friendly practices, encouraging people to celebrate Diwali in a responsible manner.

Conclusion:

Diwali is a festival that encapsulates the essence of Indian culture, spirituality, and social values. It is a time when people come together to celebrate light, joy, and prosperity. Diwali’s historical origins, religious significance, cultural traditions, and social impact make it an integral part of Indian society.

As we celebrate Diwali, it is crucial to remain mindful of the environmental impact and embrace sustainable practices. By promoting eco-friendly celebrations and minimizing pollution, we can ensure that the essence of Diwali, as a festival of light and togetherness, is preserved for future generations to enjoy. Diwali serves as a reminder of the triumph of good over evil, the importance of unity, and the power of love and compassion in our lives.

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Diwali Essay In English: Diwali 2023 Short and Long Essay Ideas For Students

Updated Nov 12, 2023, 07:00 IST

Diwali 2023 Short and Long Essay Ideas For Students

• Importance of Diwal
• The origin of Diwali
• Festival of Lights
• What are the five days of Diwali
• Your experience of Diwali

Diwali Essay in English: Short Essay in 200 words

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• Diwali 2023: The Festival of Lights, Laughter, and Love

Hey there, young explorers! Have you ever heard of a festival that's all about lights, sweets, and celebrating with family and friends? Well, that's exactly what Diwali is! So, let's embark on a colorful journey to learn more about Diwali in 2023 - the most sparkling, twinkling, and "sweetest” festival of all!

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Diwali with Paper Crafts

What is Diwali?

Diwali, also known as Deepavali, is one of the most important festivals in India. It's the Festival of Lights, and people celebrate it with immense joy and enthusiasm. Imagine the night sky illuminated by thousands of twinkling candles and colorful lights - that's Diwali for you!

When is Diwali 2023?

Diwali doesn't have a fixed date; it's like the cool kid who changes schools every year. But don't worry! In 2023, Diwali will be celebrated on Sunday, November 12th - Tuesday 14th November. It usually falls between October and November, so keep an eye on your calendar.

The Story Behind Diwali

Now, let's dial back to the origin of the story. Diwali has a fascinating tale that makes it even more exciting! It's the celebration of the return of Lord Rama, his wife Sita, and his loyal brother Lakshmana from their 14-year exile. People lit oil lamps, or diyas, to guide them home. Isn't that sweet?

Picture this: a kingdom shrouded in darkness, ruled by a fierce demon king named Ravana. But there's a glimmer of hope - Lord Rama, a prince who's not just a skilled archer but also a symbol of truth and virtue. Lord Rama was exiled for 14 long years, along with his devoted wife Sita and his loyal brother Lakshmana.

Their journey through the forests was filled with adventures and challenges. They encountered mystical creatures, and brave allies, and faced countless trials. But through it all, Lord Rama remained steadfast in his righteousness, upholding the values of honor and duty.

The turning point in this epic tale came when Sita was kidnapped by the demon king, Ravana, who lured her away from the protective circle drawn by Lakshmana. A mighty battle ensued, and Lord Rama, with the help of an army of monkeys and an epic bridge (yes, you heard that right, a bridge built by monkeys!), defeated Ravana and rescued Sita.

Now, here's where the magic of Diwali comes in. After their long and challenging exile, Lord Rama, Sita, and Lakshmana finally returned to their kingdom, Ayodhya. The people of Ayodhya were overjoyed at the news of their return and wanted to celebrate this triumphant homecoming grandly.

To honor the return of their beloved prince and to light up his path, the people of Ayodhya lit oil lamps, or diyas, all around the kingdom. These lamps not only illuminated the city but also symbolised the victory of light over darkness, truth over falsehood, and 

good over evil. The entire kingdom glowed with a warm, welcoming light.

How to Celebrate Diwali?

The Light Show: Diwali is all about spreading light and happiness. Families decorate their homes with oil lamps, candles, and colorful lights. It's like a giant, sparkly Christmas tree, but with a lot more colors.

Sweets Galore: Diwali is a sweet tooth's dream come true. Families exchange sweets and goodies, and there's even a friendly competition to see who can make the tastiest treats. Yum!

Firecrackers: While it's fun to watch fireworks light up the sky, it's important to remember that not everyone enjoys them. Some people, animals, and our environment can get a bit spooked. So, let's be mindful and enjoy the dazzling lights without the loud noises.

Diwali Puja: Families gather to perform special prayers and ceremonies during Diwali. It's a time for reflection and gratitude.

5 days of Diwali Puja Timings

Bright Facts about Diwali

Did you know that Diwali isn't just celebrated in India? It's also a holiday in countries like Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Fiji! It's like Diwali has a passport to travel the world.

Rangoli is an artistic way to decorate homes during Diwali. People make colorful patterns on the ground using things like colored rice, sand, or flower petals. It's like creating a giant, beautiful painting on your doorstep!

Some say that Diwali is a bit like New Year's Eve for many businesses in India. They start fresh accounting books and seek blessings for a prosperous year ahead.

Diwali isn't just about cleaning and decorating homes; it's also a time to tidy up your life by forgiving and forgetting past mistakes. It's like hitting the 'refresh' button on your computer but for your heart!

Diwali is like a kaleidoscope of colors, lights, sweets, and happiness. It's a time to celebrate with family, friends, and even Mother Earth. Remember to be safe, have fun, and make sweet memories. Happy Diwali, young explorers, and keep spreading the light of love and laughter, just like this beautiful festival does! V wish you a very Happy Diwali!

FAQs on Diwali 2023: The Festival of Lights, Laughter, and Love

1. What is the Diwali 2023 date?

The Diwali date is 12th November 2023.

2. At what time do you do Diwali pooja?

During the Pradosh period, which is usually between 5:40 PM and 7:36 PM.

3. What is the most fun thing about the Diwali festival?

Lighting up diyas, spending time with family and friends, and enjoying delicious food.

4. What are the 5 days of Diwali festival in 2023?

Dhanteras, Naraka Chaturdashi, Diwali, Govardhan Puja, and Bhai Dooj

5. Whose festival is Diwali?

Diwali is primarily celebrated by Hindus, but it is also celebrated by Jains, Sikhs, and some Buddhists.

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Diwali 2023: Long And Short Essay Ideas On Diwali In English For Students

As diwali 2023, is just around the corner and educational institutions host diwali essay writing and speech competitions to foster students' growth in knowledge and boost their self-assurance in effective self-expression..

Diwali essay ideas: India is a country of festivals, and many types of festivals keep us busy throughout the year. Diwali or Deepawali is one such important and auspicious festival. Not just in India the cherished festival is also celebrated around the world by Indians. It is a festival of lights, celebrated with immense enthusiasm and fervor by millions of people from various cultural backgrounds.

Diwali, also known as Deepawali, is a Hindu festival that represents the triumph of goodness over evil, often referred to as the "Festival of Lights." It's not only celebrated by Hindus but also by followers of Jainism, Sikhism, and Buddhism with great enthusiasm. Diwali falls on the 15th day of the Kartik month, which is known as Amavasya, according to the traditional calendar. In 2023, Diwali the festival of light will be celebrated on Sunday, November 12, 2023 .

As Diwali 2023, is just around the corner and educational institutions host Diwali speech and essay writing competitions to foster students' growth in knowledge and boost their self-assurance in effective self-expression. So if you are looking for long and short Diwali essay ideas in English, then just check it. Here we have listed some Diwali essay samples, that you can use for your Diwali school project. Take a Look:

Long essay on Diwali in English

Diwali is one of the most important and widely celebrated festivals in India. Also known as the Festival of Lights, Diwali is celebrated across the country with great enthusiasm and excitement. It is a five-day festival that usually falls in October or November, depending on the lunar calendar. Take a look at Diwali's origin, traditions, customs, and significance.

The Origins of Diwali

Diwali has a deep-rooted history that dates back thousands of years. It is celebrated to honor different legends and deities, making it a multifaceted and culturally diverse festival.

Diwali Significance

One of the most prominent legends associated with Diwali is the victory of Lord Rama over the demon king Ravana. According to the epic Ramayana, Lord Rama, accompanied by his wife Sita and brother Lakshmana, returned to his kingdom of Ayodhya after defeating Ravana. The people of Ayodhya lit rows of lamps to welcome their beloved prince, signifying the triumph of light over darkness, good over evil.

Worshiped the Goddess of Wealth

For some, Diwali is dedicated to the worship of Goddess Lakshmi, the deity of wealth and prosperity. People clean and decorate their homes to invite her blessings. The illumination of lamps and candles signifies the hope of a brighter future filled with prosperity and abundance.

The Festival of Lights

The name "Diwali" itself means a row of lamps, and light is the central theme of the festival. People light oil lamps, candles, and colourful lanterns, adorning their homes, streets, and public spaces. This illumination symbolises the victory of righteousness and the dispelling of darkness.

Rangoli: A Burst of Colors

Rangoli is an integral part of Diwali decorations. These intricate and colourful patterns are created on the ground, typically near the entrance of homes. It is believed that Rangoli invites positive energies and wards off negative ones. Women skillfully design these patterns using colored powders, rice, flower petals, or even colored sand.

Traditions and Customs

Diwali is a festival marked by numerous traditions and customs that are passed down through generations. These rituals add a sense of depth and meaning to the celebrations. Here are some key aspects of Diwali tradition and culture:

- The lighting of Lamps and Fireworks

- Puja (Prayers) and Worship

- Exchange of Gifts and Sweets

- Traditional Attire

- Family Gatherings and Festive Feasts

- Diwali Fairs and Cultural Performances

- Charity and Philanthropy

Exchanging Gifts

One of the most beloved customs during Diwali is the exchange of gifts. Families and friends exchange presents as a token of love and appreciation. It's a time for expressing gratitude and reinforcing the bonds of relationships.

Feasting and Sweets

Delicious sweets and savory dishes are prepared in every household during Diwali. From the mouthwatering gulab jamun to the fragrant biryani, the Diwali menu is a feast for the senses. Families gather to share meals and create lasting memories.

Bursting Firecrackers

Fireworks and firecrackers are a hallmark of Diwali celebrations. The night sky is illuminated with a spectacular display of colors and sounds. However, it's important to note that there is a growing awareness about the environmental impact of fireworks, and many people are opting for eco-friendly alternatives.

Diwali Celebration Around the World

Diwali's charm extends far beyond the borders of India. It has found a place in the hearts of people from various cultures around the world. In countries like the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada, Diwali is celebrated with great enthusiasm, showcasing India's rich cultural diversity.

What are the 5 days of Diwali in 2023?

Short essay on Diwali in English

Diwali, also known as Deepavali, is one of the most widely celebrated festivals in India. It is a time of joy, lights, and togetherness for people of various religions and communities. Diwali usually falls in October or November, and its significance varies across different regions in India.

The central theme of Diwali is the triumph of light over darkness and good over evil. People celebrate this festival by lighting oil lamps and decorating their homes with colorful rangoli designs and bright lanterns. These lights not only add to the festive atmosphere but also symbolize the victory of knowledge and wisdom over ignorance.

One of the highlights of Diwali is the exchange of gifts and sweets among family and friends. It's a time when people come together to strengthen their bonds and spread love and happiness. Delicious sweets, such as ladoos and jalebis, are an essential part of the celebration, making the festival even sweeter.

Diwali is also a time for prayers and worship. Many people visit temples and offer prayers to seek blessings for a prosperous and harmonious life. The bursting of fireworks is another tradition associated with Diwali. Although it adds excitement and color to the celebration, it's essential to celebrate responsibly to protect the environment and ensure the safety of all.

The significance of Diwali varies across different regions in India. In the north, it marks the return of Lord Rama, the hero of the epic Ramayana, to his kingdom after defeating the demon king Ravana. In the south, it commemorates the victory of Lord Krishna over the demon Narakasura. In the eastern part of the country, it is celebrated as the worship of the goddess Kali. In the western state of Gujarat, people celebrate Diwali with the festival of lights, music, and dance called Navratri.

Diwali is a beautiful and joyful festival that brings people together to celebrate the victory of light over darkness and good over evil. It's a time of spreading happiness, love, and togetherness. The simple acts of lighting lamps, sharing sweets, and exchanging gifts make this festival a truly special and memorable occasion for people of all ages and backgrounds.

Diwali essay in 150 words in English

Diwali, also known as the Festival of Lights, is a popular and joyful Hindu festival celebrated in India and by Indian communities worldwide. It usually falls in October or November and lasts for five days. Diwali marks the victory of light over darkness and good over evil.

During Diwali, people light oil lamps and decorate their homes with colorful rangoli designs and beautiful flowers. They burst fireworks and share sweets and gifts with family and friends. Cleaning and renovating homes are also common practices before Diwali to welcome the goddess of wealth, Lakshmi.

This festival brings people together, strengthens relationships, and spreads happiness. It's a time for delicious feasts and for worshipping various deities, depending on regional customs. Diwali is not only a religious event but also a cultural celebration that unites people in the spirit of joy and togetherness.

Diwali is a vibrant and significant festival that brings light, love, and prosperity into our lives.

Diwali essay in 200 words in English

Diwali, also known as the Festival of Lights, is one of the most popular and widely celebrated festivals in India. It usually falls in October or November and lasts for five days. This festival is a time for families and friends to come together and celebrate with great enthusiasm.

During Diwali, people decorate their homes with oil lamps, candles, and colorful rangoli designs to symbolize the victory of light over darkness and good over evil. It is believed that Lord Rama, along with his wife Sita and brother Lakshmana, returned to Ayodhya after defeating the demon king Ravana. To welcome them, the people of Ayodhya lit oil lamps, which is why lighting lamps is an essential part of Diwali celebrations.

Another important aspect of Diwali is the exchange of gifts and sweets. People visit each other's homes, offer sweets, and exchange gifts as a gesture of love and friendship. Firecrackers are also a significant part of the celebration, as they symbolize the joy of the people living on Earth, making the gods aware of their happiness.

Diwali is a festival of joy, togetherness, and the triumph of good over evil. It brings people closer and spreads happiness in the air. It is a time for reflection, prayer, and celebration.

Diwali essay in 250 words

Diwali, also known as the Festival of Lights, is one of the most celebrated festivals in India. It usually falls in October or November and lasts for five days. It's a time when people come together to celebrate the victory of light over darkness and good over evil.

During Diwali, people clean and decorate their homes with colorful rangoli designs and light oil lamps, called diyas, to symbolize the triumph of light over darkness. Firecrackers are also a big part of the celebrations, as they are believed to ward off evil spirits.

Families and friends gather to exchange gifts and sweets. It's a time for delicious feasts with a variety of traditional Indian dishes. Many people also worship the goddess Lakshmi, who is believed to bring wealth and prosperity.

Diwali is a time for reflection and renewal. People seek forgiveness and resolve to start afresh. It's also a time for unity and togetherness, as it brings people of different backgrounds and communities together to celebrate.

Overall, Diwali is a vibrant and joyful festival that spreads happiness and positivity. It's a time to strengthen relationships, share joy, and light up our lives. Whether you celebrate it for religious or cultural reasons, Diwali is a time for everyone to come together and enjoy the beautiful festival of lights.

Diwali essay in 300 words in English

Diwali, also known as the "Festival of Lights," is one of the most popular and widely celebrated festivals in India. It usually falls in October or November and lasts for five days. Diwali is a time of joy, happiness, and togetherness for people of all ages and backgrounds.

One of the main reasons Diwali is so eagerly awaited is the tradition of lighting oil lamps and decorating homes with colorful rangoli designs. These lamps, or diyas, symbolize the victory of light over darkness and good over evil. People clean their homes and buy new clothes to welcome the festival, making it a time of renewal and positivity.

Another essential part of Diwali is the exchange of gifts and sweets. Families and friends exchange presents as a gesture of love and goodwill. Sweets are shared to celebrate the sweetness of life. Delicious dishes are prepared, and everyone comes together to enjoy a grand feast.

Fireworks are a significant attraction during Diwali. People burst firecrackers, creating a dazzling display of colors and lights in the night sky. It's a symbol of the victory of light and happiness over darkness and sorrow.

In addition to the joy and festivities, Diwali holds religious significance for Hindus, Jains, and Sikhs. For Hindus, it marks the return of Lord Rama after defeating the demon king Ravana. Jains celebrate Diwali as the day Lord Mahavira attained nirvana, while Sikhs commemorate the release of Guru Hargobind Ji from imprisonment.

Overall, Diwali is a time of love, togetherness, and celebrating the triumph of good over evil and light over darkness. It brings people from various backgrounds together to enjoy the colorful traditions, delicious food, and the sheer joy of the festival of lights. Diwali is a time when people can forget their worries and focus on spreading happiness and positivity.

Diwali essay in 10 lines

1. Diwali, also known as the Festival of Lights, is a popular Hindu festival celebrated with great enthusiasm.

2. It usually falls in October or November.

3. People light oil lamps and candles to symbolize the victory of light over darkness and good over evil.

4. Families come together, exchange gifts, and share delicious sweets.

5. Fireworks light up the night sky, creating a festive atmosphere.

6. Diwali is a time for cleaning and decorating homes.

7. It's a time to seek blessings from deities and pray for a prosperous year ahead.

8. Diwali is a time of joy and togetherness, where people of all ages participate in the celebrations.

9. It promotes unity and harmony among communities.

10. It's a special time to enjoy the festive spirit and create beautiful memories with loved ones.

Diwali 2023 FAQs

Q: When is Diwali in 2023?

A: Diwali 2023 will be celebrated on Sunday, November 12, 2023.

Q: How long is Diwali celebrated?

A: Diwali is celebrated for five days, each with its own special significance. The five days of Diwali are:

- Dhanteras

- Naraka Chaturdashi

- Lakshmi Puja (main day of Diwali)

- Govardhan Puja

- Bhai Dooj

Q: What is the significance of Diwali?

A: Diwali is a festival that celebrates the victory of good over evil, light over darkness, and knowledge over ignorance. It is also a time to celebrate the beginning of a new Hindu year.

Q: How is Diwali celebrated?

A: Diwali is celebrated by lighting diyas (clay oil lamps), decorating homes with flowers and rangolis (colorful floor designs), exchanging gifts, and eating sweets. People also worship Goddess Lakshmi, the Hindu goddess of wealth and prosperity, on the main day of Diwali.

Q: What are some safety tips for Diwali?

A: Diwali is a time of celebration and joy, but it is important to be safe. Here are some safety tips for Diwali:

- Be careful when lighting diyas and candles. Make sure to keep them away from flammable materials.

- Supervise children when they are using fireworks.

- Wear earplugs to protect your hearing from the noise of fireworks.

- If you have any respiratory problems, wear a mask to protect yourself from the smoke from fireworks.

Q: What are some popular Diwali gifts?

A: Popular Diwali gifts include sweets, dry fruits, nuts, clothes, jewelry, and home décor items. It is also customary to exchange gifts of money on Diwali.

Q: Is Diwali a public holiday in India?

A: Yes, Diwali is a public holiday in India. All government offices and schools are closed on this day.

Diwali is a time for celebration, joy, and togetherness. It is a time to celebrate the victory of good over evil and to spread the message of love, peace, and prosperity.

Note: Dates/timings may be subject to change; details mentioned here are as per the information available.

Bhupinder Singh is a Principal Executive in Content Management. He writes about historic events, art and culture for SEO. His interests include Artificial intelligence tools like Chatgpt, midjourney, and generative AI, along with an avid passion for cricket. In his free time, you will find him discussing MS Dhoni-Sachin Tendulkar and IPL.

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🪔Essay on Diwali in English: Samples 150, 250, & 500 Words  

• Updated on  
• Apr 30, 2024

Diwali is one of the biggest festivals of India which is celebrated with great fervour. The festival is also known as Deepavali, a beautiful Indian festival that is a symbol of good over evil. The word ‘Diwali’ has been derived from the Sanskrit word ‘Deepavali’ which means row of lights. Therefore, during Diwali, people decorate their homes with lights, candles and diyas to showcase how lights have the power to erase the darkness from the world.

According to Hindu mythology , Diwali marks the return of Lord Rama from the exile of 14 years. According to the Hindu Calendar, Diwali is celebrated in the month of Kartika. If you are a student and struggling to write an essay on Diwali in English, then this blog will help you greatly.

Keep on reading further to get ideas to write a good essay!

Master the art of essay writing with our blog on How to Write an Essay in English .

Table of Contents

• 1 Essay on Diwali in 150 Words
• 2 Essay on Diwali in 250 Words 
• 3.1 When is Diwali Celebrated in India?
• 3.2 5 Days of Diwali Celebration
• 3.3 How is Diwali Celebrated in India?
• 4 Short Essay on Diwali in English

Diwali is the most important Hindu festival that is celebrated with great enthusiasm in India. This festival symbolises an important life learning that goodness will always overpower evil instincts. Weeks before Diwali, preparations for it get underway. To begin the preparations, people start cleaning up one’s home and workspace. After this people decorate their homes and offices with lights, lamps, flowers, and other ornamental elements.

As part of the festivities, people purchase new Diwali outfits , house furnishings, and presents for their loved ones. Around this season, the markets are overrun with a wide array of gifts and delicacies. Furthermore, Diwali presents an opportunity to strengthen ties with loved ones.

Also Read: Holi Essay: Free Sample Essays 100 To 500 Words In English

Essay on Diwali in 150 Words

Diwali, also known as the Festival of Lights, is one of the most celebrated and significant festivals in India . It symbolizes the victory of light over darkness and good over evil. The festival typically lasts for five days and is marked by the lighting of oil lamps, or diyas, and colourful decorations in homes and streets.

People clean and decorate their houses, exchange gifts, and prepare special sweets. The highlight of this festival is the bursting of fireworks, which fills the night sky with vibrant colours. Families also worship deities, with Goddess Lakshmi , the goddess of wealth, being a central figure during the celebrations.

Beyond the festivities, Diwali holds cultural, religious, and social importance. It fosters a sense of unity and togetherness, as families come together to celebrate. Additionally, the festival carries deep spiritual significance for different communities, including Hindus, Jains, and Sikhs, each marking it for various reasons.

The festival of lights brings prosperity to the lives of people and the nation.

Also Read: Speech on Republic Day for Class 12th

Essay on Diwali in 250 Words 

Diwali is the most popular celebration in India which is regarded as the “festival of lights” and represents the spiritual message of the power of light over darkness and knowledge over ignorance. The holiday of Diwali is mostly associated with Hinduism, although it is also joyfully observed by Sikhs and Jains. This festival’s spiritual importance represents the triumph of good over evil and light over darkness. Lakshmi, the goddess of riches, and Ganesha, the god of wisdom, are honoured at this celebration. Throughout the nation, its religious significance differs depending on the location. It is commemorated somewhere to honour Rama, Sita, and Lakshmana coming home after a lengthy 14-year exile (according to the Hindu epic Ramayana).

Some people commemorate it in remembrance of the Pandavas’ return to their realm following 12 years of exile and 1 year of Agyatavas, as described in the Hindu epic Mahabharata. It is also thought to have begun when Goddess Lakshmi was born following the gods and demons’ churning of the seas. The western and some northern regions of India celebrate Diwali to mark the beginning of a new Hindu year. 

Five days are devoted to celebrating Diwali. These five days are Dhanteras, Naraka Chaturdashi, Lakshmi Pooja, Govardhan Pooja, and Bhai Dooj. Diwali is a festival where people worship Saraswati, Lakshmi, and Lord Ganesha. On this day, worshipping the goddess Lakshmi is thought to bring success and wealth. People lit candles and diyas after evening puja to spread light. Cleaning homes, stores, and workplaces begin many days before Diwali.

Also Read: Top 10+ Trending Diwali Dress Ideas for 2023!

Diwali Essay in 500 Words 

Throughout the year people wait for the beautiful festival of Diwali. Regarded as one of the biggest festivals for Hindus, Diwali also known as Deepavali, symbolises the victory of good over evil. According to the famous Hindu epic Ramayana, Lord Rama along with his wife and brother – Sita and Laxman,  came back to Ayodhya after completing the exile of 14 years. 

When is Diwali Celebrated in India?

According to the Hindu calendar, Diwali occurs on the Amavasya, or new moon, of the Kartik month, 20 days after the Dussehra celebration . In the Hindu religion, this is one of the most fortunate periods. People wait till this time of year to launch a new company, move into a new home, or buy a large asset like a car, store, jewellery, etc. This event is celebrated due to many mythical tales. People from various parts of India celebrate it for various reasons. But it is usually a massive celebration everywhere.

This beautiful festival is celebrated on a large scale as people start engaging in the festivities weeks before the festival. Some of the common things that are part of Diwali festivities include cleaning and decorating homes and workspaces, buying new clothes, gifts, etc. 

5 Days of Diwali Celebration

Diwali is considered a festival of five days as  Dhanteras is observed on the first day of the festival, followed by Naraka Chaturdasi on the second, Diwali on the third, Diwali Padva (Govardhan Puja) on the fourth, and Bhai Dooj on the fifth. On the day of the event, many nations declare it a public holiday.

How is Diwali Celebrated in India?

People worship on Diwali to get wealth and prosperity in their lives, people worship the gods Ganesha and Lakshmi. On the day of Diwali, they perform puja with numerous rites. Following puja, people give gifts to their neighbours, relatives, friends, coworkers, etc. One of the primary customs of the Diwali holiday is gift exchange. To deepen their bonds, people pay visits to their coworkers, neighbours, relatives, and friends and give them gifts. 

In addition to the lights and joyous surprises and gifts, Diwali is a time for introspection and making the necessary changes for the next year. To celebrate Diwali, people from all ages, religions, and castes gather together. People embrace one another and mix enthusiastically during this moment.

In essence, Diwali sheds light on who we truly are. The Diwali lights also signify a time for eradicating all of our evil intentions and ideas and leaning forward for a more profound, inward illumination. The Diwali festival represents the rebirth of the soul. During Diwali, one is inspired to make changes to become a healthy and moral individual who is more spiritual and productive at work.

Also Read: Essay on Eid ul Fitr in 400 Words

Short Essay on Diwali in English

Diwali is a popular festival of Hindus which is regarded as the festival of light. It is celebrated in the Hindu month of Kartik and comes 20 days after Dussehra. Diwali marked the return of Lord Rama, Sita and Laxman back to Ayodhya after completing the exile of 14 years. Diwali festivities include cleaning and decorating homes and workspaces, exchanging gifts and eating mouth-watering sweets and food. 

Diwali is an important festival for Hindus as according to the famous epic Ramayana, Lord Rama came back to Ayodhya after completing 14 years of exile and defeating Ravana. This beautiful festival of lights symbolizes that goodness will always prevail over evil. 

The five days of Diwali are Dhanteras , Naraka Chaturdasi, Laxmi Puja , Govardhan Puja , and Bhai Dooj . 

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Diwali Essay in English 10 Lines, 100, 250 & 1000 Words

• Exam Updates
• November 2, 2023

Diwali Essay : Explore the vibrant festival of Diwali in this illuminating essay. Delve into the cultural significance, traditions, and celebrations that mark this auspicious occasion by this Diwali Essay. Learn about the deep-rooted symbolism behind the festival of lights and its various regional variations in India and across the world.

This article offers a comprehensive overview of Diwali, its historical and religious context, and its contemporary significance in the lives of millions. Whether you’re interested in the spiritual aspects of Diwali or the joyous festivities that accompany it, this essay provides valuable insights into one of India’s most celebrated and cherished festivals.

10 Diwali Essay Titles & Headings Ideas

Discover the vibrant and diverse facets of Diwali, the Festival of Lights, in these engaging essay titles. Explore its cultural significance, traditions, spiritual essence, and the unity it fosters among diverse communities. These titles promise to illuminate the beauty and richness of Diwali, offering a deeper understanding of this cherished celebration.

• “Diwali: Festival of Lights and Unity”
• “Celebrating Diwali: Triumph of Light over Darkness”
• “The Significance of Diwali: Culture, Tradition, and Joy”
• “Diwali: India’s Festival of Prosperity and Renewal”
• “Deepavali: A Festival Illuminating Hearts and Homes”
• “Diwali: Sparkling Lights, Sweet Delights, and Family Togetherness”
• “The Spiritual Essence of Diwali: A Festival of Inner Light”
• “Rangoli and Fireworks: The Artistry of Diwali Celebrations”
• “Diwali Traditions: From Lakshmi Puja to Diyas and Sweets”
• “Diwali’s Global Appeal: The Festival That Unites Cultures”

About Diwali in 10 Lines

Diwali, also known as Deepavali, is one of the most celebrated and significant festivals in India. It’s a festival of lights that signifies the victory of light over darkness and good over evil. Here are 10 key points about Diwali:

• Date and Timing: Diwali typically falls in October or November, depending on the Hindu lunar calendar. It spans five days, with the main day celebrated on the third day.
• Religious Significance: Diwali holds immense religious significance for Hindus, Jains, and Sikhs. It marks various legends and mythological events.
• Festival of Lights: Homes, streets, and public places are adorned with colorful lamps, candles, and decorative lights, creating a mesmerizing sight.
• Lakshmi Puja: Goddess Lakshmi, the symbol of wealth and prosperity, is worshipped during Diwali. Devotees seek her blessings for a prosperous year ahead.
• Fireworks: Fireworks and firecrackers light up the night sky, adding to the festive atmosphere. They are believed to ward off evil spirits.
• Sweets and Treats: Families exchange sweets and savory dishes, symbolizing the sharing of joy and love among loved ones and neighbors.
• Rangoli Art: Elaborate and vibrant rangoli designs made with colored powders, rice, or flower petals adorn entrances, inviting positivity.
• Gifts and Giving: Diwali is a time for exchanging gifts and expressing gratitude to friends and family. It strengthens social bonds.
• Diwali Cards and Greetings: People send Diwali cards and greetings to convey their warm wishes and blessings to loved ones.
• Cultural Diversity: While predominantly a Hindu festival, Diwali is celebrated by people of various religions and cultures, showcasing India’s diversity and unity in celebrating the triumph of light and goodness.

Also Read: Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav Essay in English

Short Essay on Diwali in 100 Words

Here is a short essay about Diwali – The Festival of Lights:

Diwali, also known as Deepavali, is a significant Indian festival celebrated with great enthusiasm and fervor. It marks the victory of light over darkness and good over evil. During Diwali, homes are illuminated with lamps and candles, creating a mesmerizing display of lights. Families come together, exchange gifts, and share sweets and delicious dishes. Goddess Lakshmi is worshipped for prosperity, and firecrackers light up the night sky. Rangoli designs adorn entrances, and Diwali cards convey warm wishes. This festival showcases India’s cultural diversity as people of various backgrounds come together to celebrate the triumph of light, happiness, and togetherness.

Diwali Essay in 250 Words in English

Diwali, also known as Deepavali, is one of the most celebrated festivals in India. It holds significant cultural and religious importance for Hindus, Jains, Sikhs, and some Buddhists. Diwali typically falls in October or November, depending on the Hindu lunar calendar, and spans five days, with the main day celebrated on the third day.

The festival of Diwali is often referred to as the “Festival of Lights” as it symbolizes the victory of light over darkness and good over evil. The celebration begins with the cleaning and decorating of homes and workplaces. People adorn their homes with oil lamps, candles, and decorative lights, creating a mesmerizing and radiant atmosphere.

One of the central rituals of Diwali is the worship of Goddess Lakshmi, the Hindu deity of wealth and prosperity. Families perform elaborate puja (prayer) ceremonies to seek her blessings for a prosperous year ahead. It is also a time for expressing gratitude to one’s family, friends, and neighbors. People exchange gifts and sweets, symbolizing the sharing of joy and love.

Fireworks and firecrackers are an integral part of Diwali celebrations. They light up the night sky, adding to the festive atmosphere. Fireworks are believed to ward off evil spirits and are also a way to celebrate the victory of light over darkness.

Rangoli, intricate and colorful patterns made with colored powders, rice, or flower petals, adorn the entrances of homes. These designs are considered a symbol of welcoming and inviting positivity into the household.

Diwali also showcases India’s cultural diversity, as it is celebrated by people of various religions and cultures. It transcends boundaries and unites people in celebrating the triumph of light, goodness, and unity.

In conclusion, Diwali is a joyous and spiritually significant festival that brings families and communities together. It is a time to celebrate the victory of light over darkness, good over evil, and to reaffirm the values of love, sharing, and prosperity. Diwali’s radiant display of lights and colorful traditions make it one of the most captivating and cherished festivals in India.

Write an Essay on Diwali Festival

Introduction.

Diwali, also known as Deepavali, is one of the most celebrated festivals in India and among Hindus worldwide. This festival of lights holds deep cultural and religious significance, symbolizing the triumph of light over darkness and good over evil. Spanning five days, Diwali is a time of joy, unity, and spiritual reflection.

• Cultural and Religious Significance: Diwali is a festival that transcends religious boundaries. While it is primarily a Hindu festival, it is also celebrated by Jains, Sikhs, and some Buddhists. The common theme across all these traditions is the victory of light and righteousness.
• Preparations and Decorations: The festivities begin with thorough cleaning and decorating of homes. People illuminate their houses with oil lamps, candles, and decorative lights. This not only brightens the surroundings but also signifies the inner light within each individual.
• Goddess Lakshmi Puja: Central to Diwali is the worship of Goddess Lakshmi, the deity of wealth and prosperity. Families gather for puja (prayer) ceremonies seeking her blessings for financial well-being and success.
• Exchange of Gifts and Sweets: Diwali is a time for expressing love and gratitude towards family and friends. People exchange gifts and sweets as tokens of affection and goodwill, strengthening social bonds.
• Fireworks and Firecrackers: Diwali is known for its spectacular fireworks displays. Firecrackers light up the night sky, creating a breathtaking spectacle and symbolizing the defeat of darkness and evil forces.
• Rangoli and Decorative Art: Elaborate rangoli designs, made with colored powders, rice, or flower petals, adorn the entrances of homes. These intricate patterns are a symbol of welcoming and inviting positivity.
• Unity in Diversity: Diwali beautifully showcases India’s cultural diversity. People from different backgrounds and religions come together to celebrate this festival, emphasizing the unity in diversity that is characteristic of India.

In conclusion, Diwali is a festival that goes beyond the mere celebration of lights. It represents the victory of righteousness over evil, the importance of inner light, and the spirit of unity among diverse communities. The exchange of gifts and sweets, the dazzling fireworks, and the colorful decorations all contribute to the joyous atmosphere of Diwali. This festival serves as a reminder of the values of love, sharing, and prosperity and continues to be a cherished and vibrant celebration in India and around the world.

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Essay on Diwali in English for Student

Diwali is a festival of light. It is also known as Deepawali. Diwali is the most important hindu festival in India. It is celebrated for 5 days. It marks the victory of light over darkness and good over evil. Diwali is generally celebrated on the second fortnight of the lunar month which generally falls on Mid October or November.

This year, Diwali will be celebrated on 12 November 2023. It gives us the learning of “ Lead me from darkness to ligh t”. Diwali symbolize the victory of Ram over the Ravana.

Essay on Diwali In English

Essay On Diwali

Diwali is the festival of Light. It is the largest festival for Hindus and Sikh community and is celebrated in every part of India. Diwali is usually celebrated on second fortnight of the lunar month which generally falls on Mid October or November. In 2023, Diwali will be celebrated on 12th November 2023.

There are 4 others festivals associated with it. It gives the learning of “ victory over devil ” and “ Lead me from darkness to ligh t”. Diwali is an hindi word which means “row of lamps”.

Ancient Story Of Diwali

The exact origin of Diwali is not well known instead there are some ancient stories associated with it. One popular story is associated with Diwali is the return of Ram in Ayodhya after killing Ravana. On that special day, People of Ayodhya celebrated Lord Ram’s return in Ayodhya after defeating the Devil Rvana with candles, lamps and flowers. From that day, in the memory of Ram’s return in Ayodhya, It is started celebrated as Diwali.

How Diwali is Celebrated

Diwali is one of the largest festival in the Hindu calendar. It is celebrated for continuous 5 days as there are 5 other festivals associated with 4 other festivals. This festival is known as the festival of Light. Ma Lakshmi and Kuber are mainly worshiped as They are known as the god of Economics.

People started preparing for this festival since 1 month ago. Those who are living outside the city or home starts planning to return home 1 month ago as there are too much crowd in transportation during Diwali. People used to color their homes with vibrant color. Girls started preparing for the gharaunda which is a small house made by kids girl to worship on Diwali.

Diwali is a time of joy and unity. People of all ages, from children to the elderly, participate in the festivities. The sight of homes and streets illuminated with lamps and decorations is enchanting. Families come together to celebrate, exchange gifts, and share meals. It’s a time of renewal and reflection, with an emphasis on the triumph of good over evil and the pursuit of inner light and knowledge.

On the day of Diwali, people wear new and vibrant clothes and send greetings to relatives and loved once. On this day, people decorate their homes with beautiful lights and lamps. Ma Lakshmi and Lord Kuber are worshiped in Home. Childs and people used to burn crackers in the night. Some people used to playcards and Gambling which is bad. Overall this festival gives us the opportunity to make the memory of whole year with the family and loved once.

All 5 festival of Diwali Name and Date in 2023

Diwali is a longest festival of 5 days. It gives people opportunity to spent some family time with family and mark the memory. Below are the list of festivals associated with Diwali with date in 2023.

Dhanteras – First Day of Diwali

Dhanteras is the first festival of Diwali. It is celebrated on the 13th day of the dark fortnight (Krishna Paksha) of the Hindu month of Ashwin, which usually falls in October or November. The word “Dhanteras” is derived from two Sanskrit words: “Dhan,” which means wealth, and “Teras,” which means the thirteenth day. This day is also known as “Dhantrayodashi.”

Dhanteras has a greater importance for Hindus, and it is primarily associated with the worship of Goddess Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and prosperity. It is believed that on this day, Goddess Lakshmi emerged from the the cosmic ocean (Samudra Manthan) along with other divine beings, and she is welcomed into homes to bless them with wealth and prosperity.

Customs and Traditions of Dhanteras

Dhanteras is an special day to buy precious metals such as gold and silver, as it is believed that acquiring such assets on this day will bring good fortune and prosperity. In some regions, it is auspicious to buy new utensils on Dhanteras. This tradition is originated in the belief that acquiring new kitchen utensils will ensure an abundance of food and nourishment in the household.

Chhoti Diwali – 2nd Day Of Diwali

Chhoti Diwali is known as Narak Chaturdashi or Kali Chaudas, is the second day of the five-day Diwali festival. It falls on the 14th day of the dark fortnight (Krishna Paksha) of the Hindu month of Ashwin, occurring in October or November. Chhoti Diwali is celebrated with various customs and rituals and holds its own significance within the Diwali festival.

Chhoti Diwali is associated with several mythological stories. One of the most famous stories is the victory of Lord Krishna over the demon Narakasura. According to Hindu mythology, Narakasura was a powerful and evil demon who had imprisoned thousands of women and held immense power. Lord Krishna defeated Narakasura, and restored peace and justice. This day symbolizes the triumph of good over evil and the victory of light over darkness.

Diwali – Main Festival

Diwali is an important hindu festival. It’s called the “Festival of Lights” because people light oil lamps and candles to celebrate. Families clean their homes, decorate with colorful designs (called rangoli), and pray to Goddess Lakshmi for good luck. They exchange gifts and eat delicious sweets. Diwali lasts for five days, with each day having its own special meaning and customs. It’s a time for happiness, unity, and hope, and it marks the victory of light over darkness and good over evil. People also burst fireworks, but some use eco-friendly ones to protect the environment.

Govardhan Puja

Govardhan Puja is also known as Annakut, is a Hindu festival celebrated the day after Diwali. It honors Lord Krishna’s feat of lifting the Govardhan Hill to protect his people from torrential rain sent by Lord Indra. On this day, devotees create a small hill made of food offerings, symbolizing the Govardhan Hill, and offer prayers to Lord Krishna. Temples and homes prepare a wide variety of vegetarian dishes and sweets. It represents gratitude for nature and the importance of protecting the environment.

Bhaiya Dooj – Last Day Of Diwali

Bhaiya Dooj is also known as Bhai Dooj or Bhau-Beej, is a Hindu festival that celebrates the special bond between brothers and sisters. It falls on the fifth day of Diwali, generally two days after Diwali. The festival’s name is a combination of “Bhaiya,” which means brother, and “Dooj,” which means the second day after the new moon.

On this day, sisters perform aarti (a ceremonial prayer) for their brothers, apply a “tilak” (a mark) on their foreheads, and offer them sweets. In return, brothers give gifts and blessings to their sisters as a symbol of their love and protection. Bhaiya Dooj is a day to strengthen the sibling bond, express gratitude, and wish each other well. It holds a special place in the hearts of brothers and sisters.

Importance Of Diwali

Diwali is known as the festival of light. It marks the victory of Truth over lie and it has some important importance in Hindu and Sikh community. It symbolize the victory of light over darkness and god over evil. The festival brings families and communities together, strengthening bonds and fostering unity. The lighting of lamps and candles symbolizes the illumination of one’s life with knowledge. Diwali also promotes the spirit of giving, sharing, and spreading joy, making it a much-anticipated and cherished festival.

Effect of Diwali on environment

Diwali is known for vibrant colour and firecrackers. It is advised not to burn too much firecrackers as it pollutes our environment. Also from the safety concern, Firecrackers are very harmful for child and kids. Firecrackers are made of various hazardous chemicals which is harmful for human lives. Some environmental activists request us to use eco friendly crackers to reduce the Air and Noise population. In some incident, Childs burnt their hand due cracking the crackers. Also sometimes it hurted the innocent animals. So we should keep in mind about the way of using the firecrackers too.

Noise and pollutants are produced as a result of cracker explosions. It poses a very high risk since it has the potential to inflict severe burns on youngsters. The act of bursting crackers causes visual impairment, aggravates eye irritation, and brings the air quality index down, all of which contribute to the high number of accidents that result from the activity.  Diwali must be observed in a manner that is both secure and kind to the natural world.  We can still enjoy the festival by following various traditions and rituals.

Learning from Diwali

Diwali gives us various life lessons. It teaches us the victory of truth over lie and light over darkness. Diwali is celebrated to make the whole in a year moment. It teaches us spiritual awareness and unity in community. Some of important learning that Diwali teaches us are mentioned below.

• Cultural Awareness : Diwali is an opportunity to learn about Indian culture and traditions. You can feel this festival, its customs, and the regional variations in how it’s celebrated.
• Religious Significance : For those interested in Hinduism, Jainism, or Sikhism, Diwali provides a chance to learn about the religious importance of the festival, including the mythological stories associated with it.
• Art and Creativity : Diwali involves various art forms, such as creating rangoli designs, making diyas (lamps), and decorating homes. It tells us to make our life vibrant and coloured like rangoli and arts.
• Cooking and Cuisine : Diwali is known for sweets and tasty dishes. You can learn to cook traditional Diwali recipes and explore the diverse culinary traditions associated with the festival.
• Environmental Awareness : As Diwali’s environmental impact is a concern, you can learn about eco-friendly ways to celebrate, such as using LED lights, reducing firecracker use, and cleaning up after celebrations.
• Family and Community Values : Diwali is a time when families come together, and communities celebrate as one. You can learn about the importance of togetherness, sharing, and spreading joy with loved ones and neighbors.

Diwali Summary

Diwali known as the Festival of Light. It teaches us the victory of truth over lie, light over darkness and lord over devil. It is an important hindu festival celebrated during mid October and November. People clean their homes and decorate them with colorful rangoli patterns, flowers, and lamps.

These decorations symbolize the welcoming of the goddess of wealth, Lakshmi, and the triumph of positivity in our lives. Families gather to pray, visit temples, and perform special ceremonies, seeking blessings for prosperity and well-being.

One of the most awaited traditions is the exchange of gifts and sweets with family and friends, showing love and affection. Delicious traditional sweets like ladoos and jalebis are prepared and shared.

Fireworks are also a part of the celebration, although there’s a growing awareness of the need for eco-friendly celebrations. During continuous five days of celebration, Diwali gives us various life lessons of cultural and spiritual awareness. Diwali festival gives us the life long memory that we spent together.

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Essay on Diwali Festival in English

Diwali is the festival of lights, joy etc. Today we have covered a great essay on the Diwali festival. Read the complete article about the essay on Diwali in English language.

Table of Contents

Essay On Diwali Festival

Diwali, a festival of light is the most popular festival in India which symbolizes the spiritual “victory of good over evil, light over darkness, and knowledge over ignorance”. This year Diwali 2023 is going to be celebrated from 12th November 2023, Sunday. Diwali is an important religious festival originating all across India. Most people think of Diwali as a Hindu festival, but it is also celebrated by Sikhs and Jains with the same enthusiasm and happiness. In India, people celebrate the story of King Rama’s return to Ayodhya after defeating Ravana. People celebrate Diwali by lighting rows of clay lamps, Lakshmi puja, firecrackers festivities, and distributing sweets.

What is Diwali?

A “festival of lights,” Diwali (also known as Divali or Deepavali) honours the blessings of victory, freedom, enlightenment, and the triumph of light over darkness and good over evil. The word “row of lights” (Sanksrit Deepavali) is where the name originates. Diwali celebrants burn a large number of candles and clay lamps, or diyas, and scatter them throughout their homes and along the streets to illuminate the gloomy night.

The main Diwali celebration takes place on the third day of a five-day festival throughout the majority of India. Only the main day is often observed in other locations where Diwali is observed.

Diwali: Who Celebrates This Festival?

In India, people of all religions, including Hindus, Jains, Sikhs, some Muslims, and Buddhists, celebrate Diwali. Diwali is observed by a large number of people who have South Asian ancestry in other regions of the world.

While Diwali is a religious festival, it has also developed into a secular national holiday that is widely observed throughout India, similar to how Christmas has grown to be observed by both Christians and non-Christians in the United States.

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Why Do We Celebrate Diwali?

The Hindu calendar’s first day of the new year in India is observed on Diwali. The fourteen-year exile of Lord Ram is commemorated on this holiday. He also overcame Ravana, the ten-headed king who had kidnapped his wife, Sita, at this time. In the Ramayana, an old epic about Ram, Sita, and morality, other significant characters include Hanuman (the Monkey God) and Laxman (Ram’s younger brother).

It stands for the triumph of good over evil, hope over despair, and light over darkness. Hindus decorate their homes with lighting, colourful mandalas made of coloured powder, and lamps or candles for the entryway. It also goes by the name “festival of lights” for this reason. All material possessions, including jewellery, offices, and automobiles, are worshipped at this time to express appreciation to the Lord.

Diwali: Festival Of Bonding And Joy

Regardless of how it is observed, Diwali or Deepavali is a national holiday that celebrates joy, happiness, and brotherhood. Families gather to celebrate one another’s health during this time. The lighting of oil lamps, candles, and decorative lights adorns houses, streets, and public spaces, creating a mesmerizing and joyous atmosphere. Families come together to perform puja (prayer rituals) seeking the blessings of deities, and delicious sweets and festive meals are prepared.

Even though the festival’s structure and style of celebration have changed, it will be encouraging to see youth initiatives use this day to integrate all communities further and invite everyone to take part in the celebrations. When other groups observe their own festivals, the same must be reciprocated. India will then be able to really claim the spirit of inclusivity and secularism.

Cultural Celebrations: Diwali Across India

Different regions in India have their distinct ways of celebrating Diwali. In North India, people illuminate their homes with diyas (oil lamps) and burst firecrackers, creating a vibrant atmosphere. Whereas in south India, it is a time for family gatherings, special sweets, and colourful Kolam (also known as rangolis) designs adorning the entrance of homes. The festival is a unifying factor, bridging cultural diversities.

Significance & Importance Of Diwali

A magnificent atmosphere filled with kindness and purity is created by all the lights and diyas, which drive away evil and cast shadows of darkness, as well as by everyone’s prayers and affection for one another. Everyone’s hearts are infused with a sense of purity and a joyful, compassionate spirit during the Diwali celebration.

Diwali is a time to reflect on one’s life and previous deeds and make the necessary changes for the upcoming year in addition to the lights, gambling, and fun-filled surprises and gifts. People of all ages, religions, and castes come together to celebrate Diwali. A simple smile and a kind, accepting heart can soften even the toughest hearts. During this time, individuals embrace one another and mix joyfully.

Diwali most essentially shines a light on our inner selves. The lights of Diwali also denote a time for destroying all our negative ambitions and thoughts and for a deeper, more introspective illumination. The festival of Diwali symbolises the rebirth of the soul. A joyful and rejuvenated mentality during Diwali inspires one to make adjustments as a healthy, moral person who will be more productive at work and who will also be spiritually developed.

Diwali: Customs & Traditions

Diwali is observed by a large number of people globally. Thus, customs vary, but there are some commonalities, such as candle lighting and family gatherings. Since the primary Diwali celebration occurs on the new Moon’s day when the sky is the darkest and a significant portion of the celebration centres on the light. In the home, streets, places of worship, and even floating down lakes and rivers, candles, clay lamps, and oil lanterns are lit. On the night of Diwali, fireworks are also lit off, with some believing this wards off evil spirits. The meal can be rather lavish, with a table covered in speciality foods and desserts.

Environmental Concerns: Diwali and Eco-Friendly Celebrations

In recent years, there has been growing awareness about the environmental impact of Diwali celebrations, especially due to the use of firecrackers. Many communities are now promoting eco-friendly Diwali by encouraging the use of noiseless and pollution-free fireworks or opting for completely green celebrations to protect the environment.

Social Significance: Diwali and Charity

Diwali is not about personal celebrations but also about sharing joy with others. Diwali emphasizes the spirit of giving and charity. Many people donate to the less fortunate, distributing sweets, and gifts to orphanages and old age homes, reinforcing the importance of compassion and generosity.

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How many diyas are lit during this holiday?

This event also referred to as the "festival of lights," is observed by lighting diyas and candles. Hindu tradition dictates that during Diwali, a total of 13 diyas are lit in various locations across our homes.

What makes the Diwali festival unique?

This five-day celebration of lights, celebrated by more than a billion people of all faiths, features prayer, feasts, fireworks, and, for some, a new year.

What makes Diwali known as the Festival of Lights?

Since diyas were lighted on the day that Lord Rama arrived back in Ayodhya, Diwali has come to be regarded as the festival of lights.

How many days does Diwali last?

A five-day religious festival is called Diwali.

We purchase new clothing for Diwali, but why?

Wearing new clothes on Diwali is customary since the holiday marks the start of a new year and the burial of all the unpleasant memories of the past. Wearing new clothing is merely a symbolic act to mark these events.

Why people celebrate Diwali?

The legend from the Ramayana, a Hindu epic, is the most well-known. After spending 14 years in exile, Rama, Sita, and Lakshmana are said to have returned to Ayodhya on the day of Diwali.

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Diwali 2023 Essay Ideas: Deepawali Short Essay Samples For School Students

Diwali 2023 Essay Ideas: Diwali, also known as Deepawali, falls on Sunday, November 12, this year. Candidates can check some tips on how to write an essay on Diwali in English, which can serve as a helpful guide.

• By Ritesh Kumar
• Updated: Mon, 06 Nov 2023 05:31 PM (IST)
• Source: JND
• Google News

Diwali 2023 Essay: Diwali, a significant and widely celebrated festival in India, holds great religious and cultural importance. It is crucial for students to understand and appreciate the significance of this festival. We have provided some tips on how to write an essay on Diwali in English, which can serve as a helpful guide. Students are advised to utilise the provided information and add their insights to create a meaningful composition.

Diwali, also known as Deepawali, falls on Sunday, November 12, this year. This festival is a tribute to Lord Rama, who returned to Ayodhya after a 14-year exile. To welcome Rama and commemorate his victory, the residents of Ayodhya lit earthen lamps or diyas. Over time, Diwali has become a symbol of the triumph of light over darkness. The festival spans five days and includes Dhanteras, Naraka Chaturdashi, Lakshmi Pooja, Govardhan Pooja, and Bhai Dooj.

Diwali 2023 Essay Sample

Diwali, a joyous festival, conjures images of fireworks, vibrant artwork, delectable sweets, and an abundance of dry fruits, along with the worship of gods. Families come together to celebrate this auspicious occasion, which falls a day before Bhai Dooj 2023. Diwali is celebrated throughout the world, spreading happiness and fostering. This festive event is especially cherished by children who eagerly burst their favorite firecrackers and indulge in their preferred treats.

Traditionally, Diwali is celebrated annually in the months of October or November, precisely 20 days following the conclusion of Dussehra. It holds profound spiritual significance, symbolising the victory of good over evil. People diligently follow various customs during this celebration, including decorating their homes with candles and diyas, as well as offering prayers to Lord Ganesha and Goddess Lakshmi.

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Diwali is celebrated with the tradition of lighting diyas, which are placed in rows along the edges of temples and houses. People create rangoli designs, crafted from flower petals, colored rice, and sand, to decorate the floors of homes. Doors and windows are left open for the blessings of wealth and success of Goddess Lakshmi. This ritual is followed by the exchange of gifts and well-wishing, as people extend their heartfelt wishes for happiness and prosperity to one another and those around them.

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Essay on Diwali in English for Student (150, 200, 300, 400 Words)

Diwali, often called the "F estival of Lights ," is a widely celebrated and cherished festival in India. In this essay, we will explore the significance and traditions of Diwali in simple and easy-to-understand language.

Diwali is a prominent and much-awaited occasion, and people often search for " Diwali essay in English " to learn more about it. The festival represents the victory of light over darkness and good over evil. It is a time for joy, togetherness, and spreading love and positivity. Diwali typically lasts for five days, and each day holds a special meaning and ritual.

The highlight of Diwali is the lighting of oil lamps and candles, which adorn homes, streets, and public spaces, creating a mesmerizing, illuminated atmosphere. People exchange gifts , share sweets, and wear new clothes. Children eagerly look forward to Diwali for the treats they receive. As we delve deeper into this essay, we will learn about the stories, legends, and customs associated with Diwali, which make it a remarkable and culturally rich celebration in India. So, let's embark on this journey to discover the magic and significance of Diwali.

Diwali Essay In English 150 Words ( For Classes 4 And 5 Students)

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Diwali Essay in English for Students

Diwali is one of the most popular festivals celebrated on the 15th of the Kartik month as per the lunar (HINDU) calendar. It is a festival of lights, candles, diyas, and lamps. On this day, everyone renovates their house with paintings and decorates with lights, candles, diyas, and door lamps to be illuminated and remove the darkness from everyone’s life. They cook many food dishes, sweets, and prasad to offer to the Gods. They worship Goddess Laxmi Ji and God Ganesha Ji for getting their blessings. 

According to the Hindu rituals and as mentioned in the great epic Ramayana, Diwali is a festival that celebrates the return of Lord Ram to his home Ayodhya after fourteen years of exile ‘Vanvas’ with her wife Sita. Brother Lakshman, along with his great devotee Hanuman after defeating the ten-headed great demon Ravana, the king of the Lanka. The festival of Diwali is celebrated to signify the victory of good over evil powers. The illumination of lights gives a message of victory of light over the darkness. This festival is celebrated after twenty-one days of the festival Vijayadashami when Lord Ram killed ten-headed Ravana, hence called Vijaya-dashmi or Dussehra.

The festival ‘Diwali’ is also known as Deepawali. It is also called the festival of lights. It is one of the most auspicious festivals for Hindus, and people from different communities across the world also celebrate this great festival by burning fireworks and crackers. It is celebrated with all enthusiasm and with a kind heart. On this auspicious festival, Goddess Lakshmi is worshiped by the Hindus, bringing prosperity, wealth, and success. On this day, everyone wears new clothes and exchanges new gifts with their family, neighbors, and relatives. 

It is a festival of fun, prosperity, and happiness. Everyone cleans their house offices and decorates them with various colorful lights and lamps. It is a five-day festival celebrated as Dhanteras, Naraka Chaturdashi, Lakshmi Poojan, Govardhan Puja, and Bhai Dooj. It is considered the most significant festival for Indians (Hindus), so they start their preparation one month before the festival date.

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Paragraph on Diwali – Long and Short Paragraphs on Diwali

Table of Contents

Diwali, known as the festival of lights, stands out as the most cherished Hindu celebration worldwide. This splendid event is marked with significant fanfare and is observed by Hindus across various nations including Fiji, Guyana, India, Malaysia, Mauritius, Myanmar, Nepal, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago. It’s notably a public holiday in Nepal and typically falls in October or November each year.

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To assist students, we have crafted a series of short paragraphs on the Diwali festival, which are especially useful for those tasked with writing a Diwali essay in English . These paragraphs are composed in simple language to suit different word limits based on students’ needs. Often, teachers organize paragraph writing competitions to evaluate students’ understanding and expression about Diwali, enhancing their skills and knowledge on this luminous festival.

Short and Long Paragraphs on Diwali in English

We have provided below short and long paragraphs on Diwali essay in English for your knowledge and information.

After reading these Diwali paragraphs you will know everything about the Festival of Diwali and will be able to answer the questions like – when and why is Diwali celebrated; how is Diwali celebrated; significance of Diwali; how to celebrate a safe and eco friendly Diwali; how people of different community celebrate Diwali etc.

5 Days of Diwali 2023

Diwali Date and Muhrat 2023

These paragraphs will be extremely useful for you while taking part in debate, essay writing or speech giving competition on Diwali.

Diwali Paragraph 1

Diwali is a Hindu festival celebrated every year as a festival of lights. It is very significant festival for the people of Hindu religion. Everyone becomes very happy on the occurrence of this festival and celebrates with lots of preparations. Diwali is a five days long festival begins from Dhanteras and ends at Bhai dooj. It falls every year on fifteenth day of the Kartik month.

People start cleaning their houses few days before the main date of Diwali such as white washing, dusting, painting, etc. Houses get decorated using real or artificial flowers and other decorative materials. Everywhere looks very dazzling because of the lighting small earthen lamps and electric bulbs. It is considered that Goddess Lakshmi makes a visit to each houses in the night of Diwali that’s why everyone lights their houses to welcome the Goddess. In return, Goddess gives her blessings to her devotees for healthy and prosperous life. At this day, everyone performs puja of Goddess Lakshmi and God Ganesha and then distributes gifts and sweets to their friends, neighbors and relatives.

Diwali Paragraph 2

Diwali is one of the most favorite festival of everyone. It is a most enjoyable, sacred and loveliest festival in the Hindu religion. It is celebrated every year all through the country as well as abroad (by the Indian people) with great joy and enthusiasm. Everyone (especially kids) waits for this festival with much keen. This festival is celebrated from the ancient time to mark the happy return of lord Rama with his wife and brother to his Kingdom (Ayodhya) after long fourteen years of exile.

It is a five days long festival of lights and festivities, falls every year twenty days after Dussehra. It make us feel the advent of winter season. It brings lots of charms and delight in our life. Diwali is also known as Deepawali because we make a row or collection of many lamps out the home. People start festival preparations few days before the main date such as cleaning of houses, white washing of buildings, decorations, buy toys, gifts, flowers and other necessary things for festival. At this day people become very happy and distribute gifts to each other.

Diwali Paragraph 3

Diwali is an important festival for the people of Hindu religion. Everyone waits for this festival with eager in order to get lots of fun and pleasure while lighting candles and clay diyas in the night. We should be conscious of celebrating this festival without any harm to the public as well as environment. We should know that the crackers we burn on diwali is very disadvantageous to the health of people and environment. High pitch sound making crackers are enough to disturb human mind and balance of atmosphere. Some fire-rockets go very high in the sky which create the fear of fire if used in the residential colonies.

So, we should celebrate safe and happy diwali without crackers and other harmful materials in order to keep ourselves healthy and natural cycle in balance. It is the festival of lights and cleanliness, not the festival of firecrackers. It is the festival to worship Goddess Laxmi, not the festival to make anyone sorrow through the fire-rockets.

Diwali Paragraph 4

Diwali is everyone’s favorite festival. It is well known as the festival of lights and celebrated in all the parts of our country. It is also celebrated in the abroad by the Indian people with great enthusiasm. Few days before the festival, people start cleaning, whitewashing and decorating their houses and shops. In the night of Diwali, people lit lots of clay lamps or candles all around the houses and offices. Everywhere (villages, towns and cities) looks dazzling because of earthen lamps, candles and electric bulbs. Kids of the houses becomes very happy by wearing new clothes and distributing gifts among their friends, neighbors and relatives. In the night, all the family members worship (of Goddess Laxmi and God Ganesha) together and take blessings of the elders of the family.

Diwali Paragraph 5

Diwali festival is celebrated every year in the honor of Goddess Lakshmi. There are various myths for celebrating this festival. Diwali is celebrated by the Hindu people with honor and devotion. Variety of sweet dishes and other delicious dishes are prepared in the houses. In the evening at 6 pm we decorate our houses with candles, earthen lamps, electric bulbs, flowers to welcome the Goddess Lakshmi. Everyone gets prepared in the night after 8 pm for the worship of Goddess Lakshmi and God Ganesha.

We pray to the Goddess by offering flowers, sweet and agarbati to get blessings for prosperous and happy life. All the family members, friends and relatives get together at one place to add more joy to this festival.

Diwali night becomes full of crackers, noise and smoke however it is not safe for our health and natural environment. It creates toxic substances which gets intermingled into the fresh air and make environment polluted. We should take a pledge this Diwali to celebrate our further Diwali festival in safe and secure manner.

Diwali Paragraph 6

Diwali festival is popularly known as Deepavali in some parts of the country. It is also a festival of cleanliness and lights because we do cleanliness some days before the festival date and lit lamps in huge number in the night of Diwali. We get very excited for new dresses and delicious foods on this festival.

There are various historical significance of celebrating this festival such as birth of Goddess Lakshmi from the churning ocean, returning of Lord Rama to his kingdom after axile, achievement of moksha or nirvana by Mahavira, victory of goodness over evil demon Narakasura, homecoming of Pandavas after exile, Marwari New Year, and other stories.

It is a five days long festival celebrated with great enthusiasm and lots of preparations. We take blessings from the elder family members by touching their feet as it is our culture and tradition. We enjoy a lot in the night after worship as we burst crackers and fireworks and eat sweets and delicious dinner. At this occasion, many people start their business and new work.

Also Check: Essay on Diwali

Diwali Paragraph 7

Diwali is the festival of lights falls every year in the month of October or November. And, according to the Hindu calendar, it falls in the month of Ashwin. Diwali is also known as Deepawali in some regions of the country because we lit row of diyas or candle in the night of festival.

People decorate their house, office, and street with the earthen lamps, diyas or electric lights on the day of Diwali. It is a five days long festival start from Dhanteras and ends on Bhaiduj. There becomes huge rush in the market from few weeks before the main date of festival because people start buying clothes, jewellery, silver or gold coins, decorative things, electric bulbs, firecrackers, things related to food items, idols of Ganesha and Lakshmi, etc.

Diwali Paragraph 8

Diwali is a most popular festival in India, celebrated every year by the people of Hindu religion with great enthusiasm. The significance of celebrating this festival is to celebrate the returning of Lord Ram, Sita and Lakshman to Ayodhya after 14 years of exile as well as birth of Goddess Lakshmi from the churning ocean. We worship goddess Lakshmi and God Ganesha to get prosperous and wealthy life and wisdom.

On the night of Diwali, we lit diays for whole night to welcome the goddess and get blessings for whole year. All the family members get together at one place, do worship and pray to goddess. We clean, white wash and decorate our house to make it more beautiful and dazzling. In the night after puja, we get involved in lighting the lamps and fire crackers. Whole environment becomes full of high pitch noise and smokes of the firecrackers.

Diwali Paragraph 9

Diwali is a festival of lights, cleaning, worship, and gathering of family members and relatives. We share gifts and meet each other on the day of diwali. At this day, on one keeps bad feelings to anyone and meet everyone. This festival has many religious and mythological significance behind celebrating it. It falls every year in the month of October or early November and indicates the start of winter season. It is celebrated by the Hindu people all over India and abroad.

It marks the victory of goodness over badness means victory of good power over evil power. We greet each other a very happy diwali with gift packs and sweets. It is also celebrated by the people of Jain religion because on the same day, Mahavira had achieved moksha or nirvana in the 527 BCE. Arya Samajists celebrate Diwali as a Death Anniversary of the Swami Dayanand Saraswati. This festival keeps everyone close that’s why called as festival of love, brotherhood and friendship.

Diwali Paragraph 10

Diwali is a Hindu festival, popularly known as festival of lights. It is celebrated to symbolize the victory of goodness over evil power. It is the day when Lord Ram returned to his kingdom after many years of exile. In the happiness of his returning, the people of Ayodhya lighted the lamps everywhere. We buy new clothes, gifts and sweets to distribute among our neighbors, relatives, friends and family members. We also distribute gifts and sweets among poor people of the colony. Our parents buy fire crackers for us which we enjoy in the night after puja.

On the day of diwali Marwari people celebrate their new year however, a day after the Diwali Gujrati people celebrate their new year. I enjoy whole day of Diwali with my friends by playing the harmonium and other music instruments. In the late evening after puja, we take blessings from the elder family members by touching their feet.

Diwali Paragraph 11

Diwali festival is very important festival for the people of Hindu religion. It is the most favorite occasion being celebrated from the ancient time for many reasons. It is celebrated by the Jain people as Lord Mahavira attained Nirvana. It is a special day for the people of Arya Samaj as Maharshi Dayananda achieved his nirvana. It is also a special day for the Gujrati and Marwari people as they celebrate their new year. Sikh people celebrate Diwali as their Red-Letter when they get together and get blessings of their Gurus. The Golden Temple of Amritsar was also established on the day of Diwali in 1577.

Diwali festival has its own religious, cultural, and spiritual significance for Hindus. It brings people close to each other by removing all the problems between them. We honestly follow the culture of touching feet of elders in the family and get blessings for bright future.

Diwali Paragraph 12

Diwali or Deepawali is a festival when we lit lots of earthen lamps or electric bulbs. It is generally celebrated to commemorate the returning of Lord Rama to his kingdom after defeating the demon king Ravan. However, there are some other legends behind celebrating this festival. Diwali festival celebration gives us message of victory of good over evil. We decorate our whole house, town, village and city with the clay diyas, electric bulbs, flowers and other decorative things to welcome the Goddess Lakshmi.

Diwali is a five days long festival, each day named as Dhanteras, Naraka Chaturdashi (or Chhoti Diwali), Lakshmi Puja (or Main Diwali), Bali Pratipada (or Govardhan Puja), and Yama Dwitiya (or Bhaiduj). There is a tradition of buying new things on the day of Dhanteras and distributing gifts and sweets on the day of Diwali. We really enjoy this festival every year and eagerly wait for next year.

Paragraph on Diwali for Students – Paragraph 13

When and why diwali is celebrated.

Diwali is a Hindu festival of India celebrated on the darkest night (Amavasya) of the lunar month Kartik (According to the Hindu calendar); which usually falls in the ending October or the starting November month according to the Gregorian calendar.

Diwali or Deepawali (Sanskrit :meaning a row of deepa or lighted earthen pots) is celebrated symbolic of the victorious return of Lord Rama to his homeland Ayodhya; after an exile that lasted for 14 years and resulted in a victory of Rama over Ravana in a fierce battle fought in Lanka.

It took Rama 20 days after killing Ravana (celebrated as Dussehra) to reach Ayodhya along with Sita and Lakshman; traversing a distance of nearly 3000 kilometers.

Rama’s younger brother Bharata had also vowed to end his life if Rama didn’t return from exile. The return of Rama; therefore, brought tremendous joy for the people of Ayodhya which they celebrated welcoming him by lighting up the whole Ayodhya with earthen pots (diyas) along his path. It is this victorious return of Rama that Hindus celebrate on Kartik Amavasya each year.

In India Diwali is celebrated as a five day festival; beginning with Dhanteras, followed by Narak Chaturdashi (Choti Diwali), Lakshmi Pooja (Main Diwali), Govardhan Pooja and Bhaiduj. Each day of Diwali celebration has religious significance and a mythological story associated with it.

Pollution on Diwali

Though Deepawali is meant to be a festival of lights; unfortunately, today it has also turned into an environmental and as well as a social concern. The incessant production, sale and use of fire crackers during the festival are at the apex of the problem.

Sadly, today the noise has dominated the true essence of the festival of lights, leaving behind smoke and pollution; not to mention the fire accidents and potential injury that the crackers could cause. The burst of a cracker releases harmful gases like Oxides and Di-Oxides of Sulphur and Nitrogen apart from causing noise pollution.

So thick had been the smoke after Diwali celebration in Delhi NCR region that the Supreme Court had to intervene and temporarily ban the sale and use of crackers in NCR with effect from 9 th October 2016, which has been extended further till this year.

The Indian Firecracker Industry

We celebrate Diwali by bursting crackers, rejoicing in the different sounds and lights they emit; either totally unaware of the repercussion or acting insane. But the truth is always not pleasing, and the truth is that the Indian firecracker industry employs thousands of young children illegally; working in pathetic, dangerous and life threatening conditions which could hardly be imagined sitting inside our cozy homes.

The least we can do to help those under privileged children is to say No to crackers! When the demand dies the supply and production will die automatically; ending to the misery of such children. Take a pledge this Diwali not only to celebrate but also to make a difference-‘Change your thought and save lives.’

Firecrackers are Harmful

If you think rationally it will not take long to conclude that firecrackers are a nuisance. Apart from causing environmental pollution they also pose a serious threat to health and property. Bursting of crackers or burning different types of lightning sticks releases harmful gases like Nitrogen Dioxide and Sulphur Dioxide; which could cause serious respiratory problems like asthma and other lung diseases. Not to say the harm it does to people already suffering from such diseases.

Firecrackers are a menace for the animals too. Animals are very sensitive to the variations in sound and are disturbed by loud sudden burst; often resulting in behavioral changes. There had been documented incidents of birds leaving their abode in night, scared from the light and sound; and eventually dying on colliding with buildings, trees and other objects.

Celebrate an Eco-Friendly Diwali

Diwali is a festival of joy, its foundation could not be based on the suffering and sorrow of others and harm to the environment. This Diwali take a pledge to not buy or use crackers, avoid using decorative lights, plastic decorative items, artificial colorants and plastic gift wrappers.

Also avoid using conventional greeting cards for the occasion; rather go green by sending E-Greetings or generating a Facebook post.

Enlighten your house with earthen pots, diyas and use natural fresh flowers for decoration. Remember that it is a festival of light not sound! It symbolizes the return of a much loved King to his kingdom and it is not right way to welcome king with noise and pollution.

Paragraph on Diwali FAQ’s

What is diwali for students.

For students, Diwali is a festive holiday known as the Festival of Lights. It symbolizes the victory of light over darkness or good over evil and is celebrated with lights, fireworks, sweets, and gifts. Educational institutions often host cultural programs and craft activities related to Diwali.

Why is Diwali important?

Diwali is important because it represents the triumph of light over darkness, knowledge over ignorance, and good over evil. It's a time for renewal, celebration with family and friends, and a look towards the future with hope and positivity.

What is Diwali short notes for kids?

Diwali, or the Festival of Lights, is a time when people light lamps, set off fireworks, and eat sweets. It celebrates the victory of good over evil and the lifting of spiritual darkness. Families clean their homes, exchange gifts, and pray for prosperity.

What is Diwali in kids' words?

Diwali is a big festival when we light up our houses with lamps and candles. We make colorful designs, play with fireworks, eat lots of tasty food, and get new clothes. It's a happy time with family and friends.

How is Diwali for kids?

For kids, Diwali is exciting and festive. They participate in lighting lamps, bursting crackers, and enjoying special meals. Children often receive gifts and are involved in family and community celebrations, making it a joyous time.

How to write 10 lines about Diwali?

When writing about Diwali, discuss its designation as the Festival of Lights, its representation of good over evil, traditional activities (lighting lamps, fireworks), cultural aspects (prayers, special food, family gatherings), and its joyful celebration with festive decorations and events.

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Essay on Diwali for School Students and Children

500+ words essay on diwali.

First of all, understand that India is the land of festivals. However, none of the festivals comes close to Diwali. It is certainly one of the biggest festivals in India. It is probably the brightest festival in the world. People of different religions celebrate Diwali. Most noteworthy, the festival signifies the victory of light over darkness. This also means the triumph of good over evil and knowledge over ignorance. It is known as the festival of lights. Consequently, there are bright lights all over the whole country during Diwali. In this essay on Diwali, we will see the religious and spiritual significance of Diwali.

The Religious Significance of Diwali

The religious significance of this festival has differences. It varies from one region to another in India. There is an association of many deities, cultures, and traditions with Diwali. The reason for these differences is probably local harvest festivals. Hence, there was a fusion of these harvest festivals into one pan-Hindu festival.

According to the Ramayana, Diwali is the day of the return of Rama. This day Lord Rama returned to Ayodhya along with his wife Sita. This return was made after Rama defeated demon King Ravana. Furthermore, Rama’s brother Lakshmana and Hanuman also came back to Ayodhya victorious.

There is another popular tradition for the reason of Diwali. Here Lord Vishnu as an incarnation of Krishna killed Narakasura. Narakasura was certainly a demon. Above all, this victory brought the release of 16000 captive girls.

Furthermore, this victory shows the triumph of good over evil. This is due to Lord Krishna being good and Narakasura being evil.

Association of Diwali to Goddess Lakshmi is the belief of many Hindus. Lakshmi is the wife of Lord Vishnu. She also happens to be the Goddess of wealth and prosperity.

According to a legend, Diwali is the night of Lakshmi wedding. This night she chose and wed Vishnu. Eastern India Hindus associate Diwali with Goddess Durga or kali. Some Hindus believe Diwali to be the start of a new year.

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The Spiritual Significance of Diwali

First of all, many people try to forgive people during Diwali. It is certainly an occasion where people forget disputes. Therefore, friendships and relationships get stronger during Diwali. People remove all feelings of hatred from their hearts.

This light festival brings peace to people. It brings the light of peace to the heart. Diwali certainly brings spiritual calmness to people. Sharing joy and happiness is another spiritual benefit of Diwali. People visit each other’s houses during this festival of lights. They do happy communication, eat good meals, and enjoy fireworks.

Finally, to sum it up, Diwali is a great joyful occasion in India. One cannot imagine the delightful contribution of this glorious festival. It is certainly one of the greatest festivals in the world.

FAQs on Diwali

Q.1 Why there is are differences in the religious significance of Diwali?

A.1 There certainly are differences in the religious significance of Diwali. This is due to the local harvest festivals. These festivals certainly came together to form one pan-Hindu festival.

Q.2 Tell how Diwali brings prosperity?

A.2 Diwali brings prosperity as Hindu merchants open new account books on Diwali. Furthermore, they also pray for success and prosperity.

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How To Write An Essay On Diwali For Lower Primary Classes

Key Points to Remember When Writing Diwali Essay for Classes 1, 2 and 3

10 lines on diwali for classes 1, 2 & 3, short essay on diwali, long paragraph on diwali, what will your child learn from the essay on diwali.

Diwali is celebrated throughout the country with much enthusiasm. It is a time when children get a few days off from school, as do their parents from work. Indulging in celebrations, enjoying delicious festive feasts, and reveling in the family’s culture and traditions is something children cherish. Children love to recount all these memories of these times when asked to write an essay on Diwali. 

The assignment requires children of classes 1, 2 and 3 to write about the festival from their perspective. It may be a bit challenging for younger kids. Let us guide them with a few samples to make this assignment easy for students of lower primary classes:

When your child starts writing an essay on Diwali, they need to remember some key points. Let us guide your child stepwise on how to write an essay on Diwali for children:

• Let your child form ideas in their mind and decide what they want to write on the topic.
• Ask your child to jot down the ideas on paper and create an outline ensuring they cover all the points.
• Next, help your child form easily readable, short, and simple sentences from the outline.
• Guide your child not to get too descriptive about any single idea, and stick to the word count.
• Direct your child to write with the flow, making them enjoy writing the composition.
• Your child can write about the significance of Diwali, how they celebrate the festival and how they feel about it.

Diwali is a grand festival in India, celebrated across the country. Children enjoy the festivities at home, and will enjoy reminiscing the joyful memories through this essay. For little children just beginning to learn how to express their feelings in words, this essay in 10 simple lines will serve as guidance to write on their own:

• Diwali is a festival that is widely celebrated in India.
• This festival is celebrated by Indians living all over the globe.
• Diwali is called the Festival of Lights.
• We clean our homes thoroughly before this festival.
• On the day of the festival, we light diyas and pray.
• We decorate our homes with colourful rangolis, marigold garlands, and many lights.
• We make delicious sweets and other dishes on this day.
•  My parents always get me new clothes to wear for the festival.
• We gift sweets to family and friends on Diwali.
• To make sure everyone is happy on these festive days, my family distributes sweets and other gifts among the poor.

Below is a small essay on Diwali. This essay is composed in simple language that will be easy for your child to understand:

Diwali is one of the biggest festivals celebrated in India. Indians living abroad also celebrate it with enthusiasm across the globe. People come together with their friends and relatives on this festival to engage in celebrations. Diwali is called the Festival of Lights. On this day, we light diyas all around our house. My sister and I love making colourful rangoli, and my parents decorate the house with fresh marigold garlands. Some of my friends enjoy firecrackers, but I do not burst them. I like to celebrate a clean and green Diwali. We even thoroughly clean our house to prepare for the festival. We wear new dresses and eat lots of sweets and other delicious dishes. My favourite is gajar ka halwa that my father makes on Diwali every year.

Diwali celebrates the victory of good over evil, of light over darkness. We try to spread some goodness and light up others’ lives by distributing sweets and gifts among the poor.

As children progress through their lower primary classes, they are expected to write longer essays on the given topic. For this, they will have to learn a few more facts and details about the festival and explain its significance in an elaborate composition. Here is a sample to help them recount their experiences on their own:

Diwali is known as the Festival of Lights. It is also called Deepawali, which means a string of earthen lamps. Diwali is celebrated to mark the day Lord Ram returned to Ayodhya after 14 years of exile, after defeating Ravana. The people of Ayodhya were very happy and lighted diyas all over the town to welcome them back home. Since then, Diwali has been celebrated with the same spirit. It marks the victory of good over evil and light over darkness. Diwali is observed on the new moon night. It is celebrated twenty days after the festival of Dussera, which was the day Lord Ram defeated Ravana. 

My family always starts the preparation of Diwali with a thorough cleaning of our home. We clean every nook and corner to bring prosperity and positivity to the house. 

On the day of the festival, we light diyas and candles around the house. I love making colourful rangoli designs every year. My parents bring beautiful marigold garlands too, to decorate the house. We all wear new dresses on the day of Diwali and indulge in an elaborate feast prepared at home. We enjoy eating delicious sweets and other delicacies. My favourite is the gajar ka halwa that my father makes every year on this special day.

Every house in the neighbourhood looks beautiful with string lights, lanterns and lots of diyas. Some children in the neighbourhood also enjoy firecrackers, but I avoid bursting them because they cause pollution, make loud noises and are not safe. I like to celebrate a clean and green Diwali.

On the day of the festival, we perform puja at home in the evening. We offer prayers to Goddess Lakshmi and seek blessings from our elders. During the Lakshmi puja, I pray to the goddess to bless every home with wealth and prosperity. Every year on Diwali, my parents distribute diyas, oil, and wicks among poor people. We also offer them sweets and other gifts. My mother says that like a diya lights up a space, we should also light up someone’s life. I love spreading joy and light among more and more people. 

Children love celebrating festivals with their family and close ones. Writing on this topic will encourage them to express their feelings in words and improve their writing and communication skills, along with their vocabulary and grammar.

Children will enjoy taking pride in their culture and traditions and sharing their unique experiences with the rest of the class. Children will learn the importance of various festivals that they celebrate and urge them to think about the history and mythology behind these celebrations.

These sample essays will help your child with their assignment to write a wonderful essay in English for classes 1, 2 and 3. 

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An Essay On Diwali

Diwali is one of the most popular festivals of Hindus which is celebrated with great fervour and delight. Children have a great time when they are asked to write an essay on Diwali as they get an opportunity to share their joyful experiences about the festival. Youngsters usually love this festival as it brings a lot of happiness and delightful moments for everyone. They get to meet their family, friends and relatives and share greetings and gifts with their loved ones.

Download “An Essay On Diwali” PDF for Free

An essay on Diwali in English helps children to express their views and convey their feelings about the essence of the auspicious festival. Your children can check the essay on Diwali festival given below and try writing a few lines on this topic to express or share their personal experiences about the holy festival.

Here’s a short essay on Diwali for young learners to refer to while drafting an essay on their own:

“Diwali, also known as ‘Deepavali’ (a row of lamps), is one of the most fervently celebrated festivals of India. Diwali is often called the ‘Festival of Lights’, and is celebrated by lighting lamps, and bursting crackers and fireworks. It is a festival which commemorates the victorious return of Lord Rama to Ayodhya after saving his wife Sita from the demon king Ravana. This religious festival represents the triumph of good over evil and light over darkness.

People all over India celebrate Diwali by lighting earthen oil lamps and decorating their houses with lights of different colours and sizes. All these lights transform streets across India into a mesmerising sight to behold. Kids celebrate the occasion by bursting crackers and different fireworks like sparklers, rockets, flower pots, fountains, peony fireworks, etc.

Diwali falls on the 20th day after the festival of Dussehra, usually in October or November every year. Families and friends visit each other, exchange gifts, and share delicious food to celebrate the occasion. Goddess Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, is also worshipped on the occasion.

In recent years, the use of crackers and fireworks has come down dramatically as it contributes to air pollution and noise pollution, especially in cities where you hear a cracker bursting every other second. There are also safety issues concerning the use of fireworks, especially by children. So let us celebrate this festival of lights with more care and responsibility.”

We hope the above essay for Diwali festival English proves beneficial for young learners who wish to compose an essay on this topic. We have made a modest attempt from our end to justify the essence of the auspicious Diwali festival in the essay given above. Kids can pick some ideas from this sample essay on Diwali and draft a few lines and learn how to frame sentences and enhance their English writing skills simultaneously.

For more such engrossing essay topics , you can check our Kids Learning page and make learning a fun experience for your little one.

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Diwali 2023: Why do we celebrate Deepavali? Know history, lesser-known facts and significance about Festival of Lights

Diwali 2023 all you need to know: learn why we celebrate diwali, its history and significance, and some lesser-known facts about the festival of light inside..

Diwali 2023: The auspicious Hindu festival of Diwali falls on November 12. Also known as Deepavali, the Festival Of Lights is marked with pomp across the country. It symbolises the spiritual 'victory of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance'. The festival is marked according to the lunisolar Hindu calendar and falls between mid-October and mid-November on the 15th day of Kartik month - the darkest night of the year. The festivities are spread across five days, beginning with Dhanteras and ending with Bhai Dooj. As we gear up to celebrate the festival, know why we celebrate it, its history and significance, and some lesser-known facts.

(Also Read | Happy Chhoti Diwali 2023: Wishes, images, messages, quotes, SMS, WhatsApp, Facebook Status for Naraka Chaturdashi )

Why do we celebrate diwali.

Diwali marks Lord Rama's return to Ayodhya with Maa Sita and Lord Lakshman after spending 14 years in exile and defeating the King of Lanka, Ravana. Hindus celebrate Diwali for various reasons. The festival celebrates the country's cultural heritage and is observed all over the country. Even Indians outside the country mark the festival, making it a unifying celebration. It is also that time of the year when families come together. Diwali also marks the victory of good over evil and light over darkness. During this time, people worship Gods and Goddesses like Lord Ganesha and Goddess Lakshmi, which helps them immerse themselves in traditions and awakens them spiritually.

Meanwhile, Deepavali is also an auspicious time for Hindus, bringing them luck and prosperity. Thus, it marks new beginnings for them - as they start new ventures, businesses and their financial year. It also boosts a sense of community as people decorate their homes with diyas, candles and colourful lights, eat delicious sweets, exchange gifts, follow rituals passed down by generations, perform Lakshmi Puja, and perform charity.

Diwali 2023 history and significance:

According to legends, Lord Rama, the Prince of Ayodhya, returned home (Ayodhya) from vanvas (exile) after 14 years and defeated Ravana - the King of Lanka - on the auspicious occasion of Diwali - accompanied by Mata Sita and Lakshman. People of Ayodhya celebrated his return by lighting the streets and every home of Ayodhya with rows of lamps and diyas. The tradition has continued to date and is celebrated as the Festival of Lights.

Diwali signifies the victory of light over darkness, good over evil and knowledge over ignorance. It marks the eradication of dark shadows, negativity and doubts from our lives. The festival promotes the message of illuminating our cores with clarity and positivity. On this day, people celebrate and worship for prosperity by praying to Goddess Lakshmi and Lord Ganesh, exchanging gifts with loved ones, and performing charity.

Diwali 2023 lesser-known facts:

Here are some facts you didn't know about the Festival of Lights --

1) Diwali falls on a no-moon night - It is celebrated in the month of Kartik on Amavasya (moonless night), according to the Hindu calendar.

2) The foundation of the Golden Temple was laid on Diwali.

3) The festival is marked with different names across the country and outside its borders. In Nepal, it is marked as Tihar ir Swanti. In Malaysia, it is called Hari Diwali. In Thailand, people observe Diwali as Lam Kriyongh and light lamps on bana leaves.

4) Apart from India, the city of Leicester, in the United Kingdom, holds the largest Diwali celebrations. Every year, tens of thousands of people gather in the streets to enjoy a night of light, music, and dancing.

5) In Bengal, people worship Maa Kali - the destroyer of all evil forces - on Diwali. In Nepal, people worship Lord Krishna and celebrate his victory over the wicked king Narakaasura.

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Diwali 2023: The festival of lights, explained through rituals

The core idea behind Diwali is the triumph of good over evil, reflected in its rituals like diyas and rangoli.

Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists and Jains worldwide are celebrating Diwali this year on November 12. The festivities that run for five days are characterised by bright lights, burning incense and sumptuous meals — especially sweets. Families otherwise separated by distance or discord come together.

Here is what to know about some of the rituals practised during Diwali:

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The word Diwali comes from the Sanskrit roots “deepa” (lights) and “avali” (row). The word, in turn, translates to row of lights. The festival is characterised by different lighting decorations such as fireworks and candles.

The decorations most closely associated with the festival are earthen oil lamps called diyas.

The significance of diyas is rooted in the Hindu legend of Ramayana. This is the story of Prince Rama , whose wife Sita was abducted. When Rama and Sita returned to their kingdom, Ayodhya, people welcomed them with diyas.

This legend is not the only one behind Diwali. Other religious and regional communities associate different mythologies with it. What unites them is the fundamental idea that Diwali celebrates the victory of good over evil, which is what diyas symbolise.

“People try to enlighten the dark places, not only in their homes but their souls,” Manpreet Arora, senior assistant professor at Central University of Himachal Pradesh, India, told Al Jazeera.

Cleaning and shopping

Arora wrote about the pivotal role women play in Hindu festivals in the memory of her late mother during one Diwali season. She reminisced about Diwali back in her childhood, when she would enthusiastically help her mother prepare the house for festivities.

Days before Diwali, people start cleaning their houses. “Somebody is getting new curtains, somebody is getting their house painted,” Arora added. People ensure their houses are clean and pristine in preparation for welcoming the goddess Lakshmi into the homes.

On Dhanteras, the first of the five days of festivities — it fell on November 10 this year — markets are bustling. Arora said that on Dhanteras, people’s purchases range from small items such as diyas to luxury products. However, silver jewellery and utensils are particularly sought after on this day. A silver coin is believed to bring “good luck and fortune,” she said.

Lakshmi pooja

The date of Diwali is actually the third day of festivities, which falls on the new moon. On the evening of this day, lamps are lit and Goddess Lakshmi is worshipped.

Noise is typically created using drums and firecrackers to drive away Alakshmi, Lakshmi’s negative shadow opposite. However, fireworks have in recent years raised concerns about rising air pollution .

Arora said that the government is urging people not to use firecrackers, which is leading people to practise “green Diwali” to minimise pollution, Arora said. Green Diwali also entails “promoting local handmade diyas by artisans rather than shopping from big businesses online”.

Different patterns are drawn on floors and surfaces with materials like coloured sand, rice flour or powdered limestone. This art form is called rangoli and is also practised to welcome Lakshmi.

While some rangoli patterns are geometric designs, different rangoli motifs hold different meanings such as:

• The lotus flower with six petals is a common motif as it is associated with Lakshmi and it also signifies wealth and fertility. Lotuses grow in the mud to bloom as vibrant flowers, reinforcing the theme of light over darkness.
• Owls are associated with auspiciousness in Bengal where they are believed to be Lakshmi’s vehicle, which makes them an important motif of alpana, which is the rangoli practised in Bengal, created during Lakshmi pooja.
• Footprints, also called paglya point towards the home to invoke Lakshmi. Footprints pointing in the opposite direction are considered to be inauspicious and are associated with Alakshmi.

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How is Diwali celebrated?

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What is Diwali?

Diwali, also spelled Divali, is one of the major religious festivals in Hinduism, Jainism, and Sikhism. The name is derived from the Sanskrit term dipavali , meaning “row of lights.” The festival generally symbolizes the victory of light over darkness.

Which religions celebrate Diwali?

Diwali is one of the major religious festivals in Hinduism, Jainism, and Sikhism. Although not a primary festival of Buddhism, Diwali is celebrated by some Buddhists as a commemoration of the day when Emperor Ashoka converted to Buddhism in the 3rd century BCE.

Do Sikhs celebrate Diwali?

Since the 18th century, Diwali has been celebrated in Sikhism as the time of Guru Hargobind’s return to Amritsar from captivity in Gwalior, an echo of Lord Rama’s return to Ayodhya. Residents of Amritsar lit lamps throughout the city to celebrate the occasion.

Do Jains celebrate Diwali?

Diwali is an important festival in Jainism. For the Jain community, the festival commemorates the enlightenment and liberation (moksha) of Mahavira , the most recent of the Jain Tirthankaras, from the cycle of life and death (samsara). The lighting of the lamps celebrates the light of Mahavira’s holy knowledge.

Observances of Diwali differ depending on region and tradition. Among Hindus the most widespread custom is the lighting of diyas (small earthenware lamps filled with oil) on the night of the new moon to invite the presence of Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth. Diwali is generally a time for visiting, exchanging gifts, wearing new clothes, feasting, feeding the poor, and setting off fireworks (though such displays have been restricted to limit noise and other environmental pollution).

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Diwali , one of the major religious festivals in Hinduism , Jainism , and Sikhism , lasting for five days from the 13th day of the dark half of the lunar month Ashvina to the second day of the light half of the lunar month Karttika. (The corresponding dates in the Gregorian calendar usually fall in late October and November.) The name is derived from the Sanskrit term dipavali , meaning “row of lights.” The festival generally symbolizes the victory of light over darkness.

Observances of Diwali differ depending on region and tradition. Among Hindus the most widespread custom is the lighting of diya s (small earthenware lamps filled with oil) on the night of the new moon to invite the presence of Lakshmi , the goddess of wealth. In Bengal the goddess Kali is worshipped. In North India the festival also celebrates the royal homecoming of Rama (along with Sita , Lakshmana, and Hanuman ) to the city of Ayodhya after defeating Ravana , the 10-headed king of the demons, thus connecting the festival with the holiday of Dussehra . In South India the festival marks Krishna ’s defeat of the demon Narakasura. Some celebrate Diwali as a commemoration of the marriage of Lakshmi and Vishnu , while others observe it as the birthday of Lakshmi.

During the festival, diya s are lit and placed in rows along the parapets of temples and houses and set adrift on rivers and streams. Homes are decorated, and floors inside and out are covered with rangoli s, consisting of elaborate designs made of colored rice, sand, or flower petals. The doors and windows of houses are kept open in the hope that Lakshmi will find her way inside and bless the residents with wealth and success.

The names and events of the individual days of Diwali are as follows:

The first day, known as Dhanteras, is dedicated to cleaning homes and purchasing small items of gold. Lakshmi is the focus of worship on that day. The second day, called Naraka Chaturdashi or Choti Diwali, commemorates Krishna’s destruction of Narakasura; prayers are also offered for the souls of ancestors. On the third day, Lakshmi Puja, families seek blessings from Lakshmi to ensure their prosperity; light diya s, candles, and fireworks; and visit temples. It is the main day of the Diwali festival. The fourth day, known as Govardhan Puja, Balipratipada, or Annakut, commemorating Krishna’s feat of lifting up a mountain, Govardhan Hill, to protect the local cowherds in defiance of Indra , the king of the gods, who had sent a torrential rain upon them. It is also the first day of Karttika and the start of the new year in the Vikrama (Hindu) calendar . Merchants perform religious ceremonies and open new account books. The fifth day, called Bhai Dooj, Bhai Tika, or Bhai Bij, celebrates the bond between brothers and sisters. On that day sisters pray for the success and well-being of their brothers, similar to the holiday Raksha Bandhan .

Diwali is generally a time for visiting, exchanging gifts, wearing new clothes, feasting, feeding the poor, and setting off fireworks (though such displays have been restricted to limit noise and other environmental pollution). Gambling, especially in the form of card games, is encouraged as a way of ensuring good luck in the coming year and in remembrance of the games of dice played by Shiva and Parvati on Mount Kailasa or similar contests between Radha and Krishna. Ritually, in honor of Lakshmi, the female player always wins.

Diwali is also an important festival in Jainism . For the Jain community , the festival commemorates the enlightenment and liberation ( moksha ) of Mahavira , the most recent of the Jain Tirthankaras , from the cycle of life and death ( samsara ). The lighting of the lamps celebrates the light of Mahavira’s holy knowledge.

Since the 18th century, Diwali has been celebrated in Sikhism as the time of Guru Hargobind ’s return to Amritsar from captivity in Gwalior —an echo of Rama’s return to Ayodhya. Residents of Amritsar light lamps throughout the city to celebrate the occasion.

Although not a primary festival of Buddhism , Diwali is celebrated by some Buddhists as a commemoration of the day when Emperor Ashoka converted to Buddhism in the 3rd century bce . It is observed by the Vajrayana Buddhist minority among the Newar people of Nepal . They celebrate by lighting lamps, decorating temples and monasteries, and worshipping the Buddha .

• Class Notes

The Latest News from Your Classmates

Find out what your fellow alums are up to—new jobs, marriages, and more—in the September / October 2024 Class Notes!

The Continuous Reunion Club column appears below!

Check out the CRC column —and columns from other Cornell groups—in the Group Notes. Want to see your group represented in future sections? Email us for information!

No news from you all, so you’ll have to tolerate what’s mulling about in my aging, addled mind: Iowa’s many rural towns and their small-town newspapers.

My interest in this arises from my early life. For my first 21 years I lived on a small subsistence farm. After Cornell and marriage, for the next 17 years I lived in the nearby rural village of Elba, NY, population 700, where I was the science teacher in the K-12 school. While living there I earned a doctoral degree at the University of Rochester. Preferring to maintain some connection to rural life, I moved about 1,000 miles west to Des Moines, IA, for a faculty position at Drake University. For a love of Iowa, I stayed for 57 years. In my waning years I now consider more highly my travels in all Iowa’s counties and county seats than my travels in all U.S. states, all the provinces of Canada, half the states of Mexico, and world travel in 32 other countries on five continents.

Iowa is a state of small, county-seat cities, and villages serving the social and business needs of their areas. Some small, rural towns are holding on with their weekly newspapers. In south-central Iowa is the village of Afton, population 1,000, which, against the national trend of dying newspapers, still has its 119-year-old, 60-cent, weekly Afton Star Enterprise. The Afton paper also serves the communities around it, providing each with local news that, in some mysterious way, serves to enrich and bind each community together.

For a love of Iowa, I stayed for 57 years. Paul Joslin ’50

I regularly read the Afton newspaper, which I receive from a friend and former resident of Afton. It’s a six-page publication and includes a variety of local news and three regular columns. Of great interest to me is a regular, 450-word column by a local retired farmer and gifted writer and illustrator who has the enviable ability to write entertainingly about what otherwise would be trivial events. His name is Rick Friday and fittingly his column is called “It’s Friday.”

I quote (paraphrasing a bit) from a recent column of his titled “Folks Tales,” which triggered similarities to my Depression-era upbringing, and perhaps yours as well: “During a child’s upbringing, parents use a variety of folktale strategies that are simply not true. My mom claimed she had eyes in the back of her head. When I broke my arm, the doc never asked if I was wearing clean underwear. My nose never grew after I told a fib. A watermelon seed I swallowed didn’t grow in my stomach. I handled a lot of toads and never got warts. And the moon is not made of cheese. I didn’t need glasses because I sat too close to the TV. A passing car never cut my hand off when I put it out the car window. It always hurt when they said it wouldn’t.” ❖ Paul Joslin ( email Paul ) | 13731 Hickman Rd., #4207, Urbandale, IA 50323 | tel., (515) 278-0960 | Alumni Directory .

“At 95, I’m aging—but rather gracefully,” writes Calvin Gage , who is also “inching toward the 66th anniversary with my wife, Marge. A year ago, we moved to a life care community, Lake Forest Place in Lake Forest, IL. We settled into an apartment where Marge is developing a beautiful patio garden. Among the 400+ residents, I’ve discovered a few with Cornell connections. One was a grad student whose dissertation was about Cornell’s first president, Andrew Dickson White. This chap went on to become president of Lake Forest College. Another resident’s daughter graduated from the Hotel School and, we’re told, had a very successful career in that business. There are other Cornellians here that I have yet to meet.”

Calvin adds, “In this community, where all of us are in our 80s, 90s, and, yes, 100s, it is refreshing to observe the vitality all around me. Yes, there are walkers and rollators and canes and electric scooters—and some can no longer stand tall—but mentally they are with it. That is very satisfying.” ❖ Class of 1951 ( email c/o Alexandra Bond ’12 ) | Alumni Directory .

Carol Singer Greenhaus writes from Rye, NY, that seeing her three daughters, six grandchildren, and nine great-grandchildren gives her the most satisfaction these days—and, as her father used to say, “not a lemon in the bunch.” She feels that Cornell made her travel more interesting and made her interest in geology grow. “Like a kid, I collect rocks.”

Eli Manchester writes from Westwood, MA, that he and his wife are living in Fox Hill Village, a wonderful retirement community. He enjoys watching Cornell athletics on ESPN. He is lucky that his daughters and family live close by so that they see them often. His younger daughter graduated from Cornell Law School. He feels that his five years in Cornell engineering was a wonderful preparation for his professional life.

Harriette Scannell Morgan writes from Adamstown, MD, that waking up gives her the most satisfaction these days. Cornell changed the trajectory of her life; she met her husband, Monte , there and they had 61 years of marriage and two sons. Over the years they lived in the U.S., Canada, South America, and Europe, traveled to all the states, and were huge volunteers.

Bernard Patten writes from Athens, GA, that attending Cornell set the stage for his academic life and how to pursue it. Great satisfaction comes from “research and writing a revisionary kind of ecology, a three-volume work called Holoecology . My subject is a systems ecology topic I have been pursuing since I arrived in UGA Ecology in 1968.” He also has established a flagship quartet, TSS Adirondika Pro Musica. He has two grandsons that his daughter is raising in Atlanta.

Marion Lotz Rutan writes from Haines City, FL, that she has celebrated the 70th anniversary of her wedding with her husband. She enjoys Zoom calls with family and books available through the Library of Congress.

Ann Coffeen Turner writes from Keene, NH, that she enjoys tutoring and reading, having published her teaching materials on the Internet (Teachers Pay Teachers). ❖ Thomas Cashel, LLB ’56 ( email Tom ) | Alumni Directory .

William Ash , PhD ’60, reports that he and his late wife, Gertrude (Kehm) , were lucky to raise four responsible children to adulthood “without any problems whatsoever. They love the USA!” With two grandsons and two great-grandsons, “the family grows into the future with pride, but with hopes that the world will allow them to reach their potential.” William has been writing short monthly newsletter articles for the Cape Lookout Sail and Power Squadron in Trent Woods, NC. “I’ve now written close to 300 articles, each 1–2 pages, with the purpose of making our boating waters safe.”

Virginia “Jinny” Jackson Browning is pleased to still be healthy in mind and body at age 92. Her favorite activities at home in Kentucky are reading and spending time with her children, grandchildren, and 12 great-grandchildren. “The numbers of great-grandchildren are increasing!” she reports.

Dottie Clark Free writes that she enjoys the volunteer activities at the retirement home where she lives in Palo Alto. Her family continues to grow. “In 1966 I married four people: a widower with three children. We now number 18.” Did attending Cornell change the trajectory of her life? “Tremendously! It gave me more confidence and broadened my outlook.”

Cornelius Jones (Monrovia, CA) shares that his wife of 67 years, Ruth, died in 2020. In studying the Jones family’s ancestry, Cornelius has learned that they were some of the first settlers of Staten Island, NY. Early in his career, Cornelius drastically changed his professional life from being a farm agent in New York to being a missionary with the American Baptist Foreign Mission Society.

Herb Neuman is thoroughly enjoying his first great-grandchildren—boy and girl twins. He is still working in real estate development in New York, Maryland, and Florida, training young members of the family firm as they take on responsibilities. In 2023 Herb was co-winner of the Tanner Prize in recognition of being active in the new Hillel building project at Cornell and engaged in strengthening the Jewish Studies Program.

I’ve now written close to 300 articles, each 1–2 pages, with the purpose of making our boating waters safe. William Ash ’53, PhD ’60

Bertram Pitt writes that, although he no longer sees patients, he continues to be active in clinical research. Recent papers relate to heart failure, hypertension, and renal (kidney) disease. “Currently I am working on therapies to reduce dementia in patients with hypertension,” he reports. On the calendar is a trip to Australia from his home in Ann Arbor, MI.

Louis Pradt and his wife, Sandra, still live in the Wisconsin house they moved into 51 years ago. “I like to fill it with music: playing, hearing, and seeing.” Louis spends time dealing with family affairs and gets a lot of satisfaction from the children in the family. He was disappointed to miss our 70th Reunion and sends his greetings to Cornell friends.

Alan Raynor and wife Mary enjoy life in Port Charlotte, FL. He especially likes having time to pursue special interests and is even finding time to write a movie.

Susan Finn Smith , with her husband, Donald (Iowa State), lives a busy life at a retirement community in Middleton, WI. “We have many activities and events,” she says, “but especially enjoy connecting with friends or family, reading, writing essays, streaming movies, going to concerts, and reading the New York Times or Washington Post .” Their son lives nearby and visits often, but their two daughters live and work far away, she reports. “Our second great-grandchild arrived earlier this year.” Susan transferred to Cornell from Iowa State as a junior and completed her BS degree at Cornell. “I grew to love Upstate New York,” she recalls. “I also made Eastern friends and came to love classical music and writing.”

Joyce Wisbaum Underberg , BS ’52, reports that she is still able to keep up with the news “and with the few friends I have left!” In her professional life, Joyce served as director of government affairs for Schlegel Corporation at its headquarters in Rochester, NY, and she remains active in a few organizations that welcome “old war horses” as board members. “I’m very content,” reports Joyce, “with all four children gainfully employed and in happy relationships that have produced nine grandchildren. Life is good—I’m lucky!” Joyce credits Cornell with helping her mature from a somewhat sheltered teenager to an adult “who is still trying to push the envelope for change that I think matters!” Keep us posted on your progress, Joyce.

Lois Crane Williams , MEd ’60, continues to write about local and family history. She lives in assisted living at a retirement complex in Lancaster County, VA, and says, “Marrying a Cornell engineer (the late Peter Williams ) was one of the really good events in my life!” ❖ Caroline Mulford Owens ( email Caroline ) | Bob Neff , JD ’56 ( email Bob ) | John Nixon ( email John ) | Alumni Directory .

Reunion 2024! What a terrific weekend it was! A bit cool and cloudy, but warm spirits throughout the campus. Eight thousand Cornellians returned to the Hill. More than 400 events, programs, and concerts were offered. We were busy. Time flew by. And now we cherish wonderful memories of a glorious weekend.

Dave , PhD ’60, and Mary Gentry Call , as Reunion co-chairs, planned with consideration of our age and limitations. We were cared for with Statler accommodations, good meals, transportation, and time to visit with old friends and also to rest. A special note: at Saturday dinner, held at Kendal where a few of our class including the Calls live, we were delighted that Mary was able to join us. A big thank you to Mary and Dave, who held steady and made it happen for us in spite of their significant health challenges.

Chick Trayford , MBA ’60, our class president, was kept at home because of physical limitations resulting from his treatment in recent months. However, he worked tirelessly to encourage classmates to return for Reunion. The results of his efforts are reported below.

Here are a few highlights of the schedule. Thursday: excitement as we arrived at the registration area; dinner at the Statler; the traditional and wonderful Savage Club’s Reunion Show. Friday: “Democratic Resilience Globally” presentation by the Class of 1979 and the Brooks School of Public Policy (retired ambassador Dwight Bush ’79 shared that, to foster a global worldview, he and his wife give each child one plane ticket a year to anywhere outside of the U.S.); lunch at Moakley House on the golf course; Olin Lecture at Bailey Hall with Andrew Ross Sorkin ’99 , award-winning journalist and author, CNBC “Squawk Box” co-anchor, and co-creator of Showtime series “Billions”; Statler dinner with the Sherwoods (men’s singing) and Corey Earle ’07 discussing “Then and Now”; Cornell University Chorus and Glee Club at Bailey.

Saturday: State of the University Address by President Martha Pollack; Al Eckhardt took a few of us to visit the Merrill Family Sailing Center, where he, a lifelong competitive sailor and skipper of the winning 1954 crew, proudly showed us the new facility and the Class of 1954 FJ22 sailboat he gave to Cornell (a story new to me: as teenagers, for several summers Al and Chick raced sailboats on Long Island Sound. In August 1950, they wished one another well and said goodbye. Soon after, completely by surprise, they found each other on the Cornell campus!); reception and dinner at Kendal; Cornelliana Night with much Big Red spirit and the old songs we love to sing. Sunday: Packing and hugs and good wishes to all.

Here are the officers who will tend to class business: president, Chick Trayford; VP and treasurer, Dave Call; Annual Fund representative, Warren “Breck” Breckenridge ; nominations chair, Al Eckhardt; webmaster, Jan Jakes Kunz ; co-correspondents, Ruth Carpenter Bailey and Bill Waters , MBA ’55.

We cherish wonderful memories of a glorious [Reunion] weekend. Ruth Carpenter Bailey ’54

And here are the results of the work they and others performed on behalf of the class: The Class of 1954 now holds the record for attendance at a 70th Reunion! The University has confirmed that we had 29 classmates in Ithaca! Last year the Class of 1953 had 11; the previous record was 26. We had a total of 55 people including spouses, children, and guests. Dollars raised for Cornell by our class totaled $14.2 million! (“A huge number,” says Cornell, but not the record, which is $17.0 million, held by the Class of 1948.) We thank all who gave to enable us to reach this amount.

Random thoughts: Corey Earle presented a delightful program with photos about Cornell history and changes on campus. We are fortunate to have him as the informal historian of the University. I recommend that you listen to him on Zoom whenever you have the chance. President Pollack gave her final Reunion speech. I swelled with pride to hear of the enormous breadth and depth of Cornell’s impact around the globe. A new book, Beyond Borders: Exploring the History of Cornell’s Global Dimensions , now available and co-edited by Corey, tells in some detail about this important work. Interestingly her talk was interrupted by protestors. Security was prepared: they were given a few minutes to shout and disrupt on behalf of Gaza; the audience drowned them out; then quietly and professionally the security people calmly ushered them out of Bailey. On a happy note, the Cornell Band, not in uniform, played enthusiastically as we entered and departed from Bailey on a couple of occasions. A fun addition.

The University holds a Service of Remembrance and Thanksgiving. I must confess I was taken aback when I saw the length of the list of classmates who have died. One we lost very early was Fred Wood . Jane Barber Wood Smith came this year with their daughter, Barbara Wood ’82 . To the staff of Alumni Affairs, Jane wrote, “Thank you so much for your part in making our 70th Reunion such a joyous and comfortable occasion. I am just so happy and grateful to have been there to renew with old friends and see the old campus surviving amidst the new.

“It was especially poignant for my daughter and me to retrace some family memories from 1963 when she was 3, we lived on Wait Avenue, and her father, my first husband, Fred, worked as acting Episcopal chaplain at CURW. He was later class correspondent and he and I were to be Reunion chairs in ’69; by then he was battling leukemia and died in 1970 when he was chaplain and associate professor at Vassar College.

“Barbara and I were able to track down the chandelier in the Founders Room at Anabel Taylor that was contributed upon request by my father-in-law Frederic Wood 1924 (a former Cornell trustee), along with the plaque indicating that it was in memory of his son. Since no one in the family had ever seen this, we took pictures and emailed and phoned my sister-in-law Meredith Wood Einaudi ’61 in Palo Alto, CA. She was delighted.”

Those of us who attended Reunion were grateful to be there. We remembered those unable to be there. I hope reading these comments gives you a bit of the flavor of a happy weekend. ❖ Ruth Carpenter Bailey ( email Ruth ) | Bill Waters , MBA ’55 ( email Bill ) | Class website | Alumni Directory .

Richard Shriver was honored by the Connecticut River Conservancy with the Bud Foster Award. CRC gives this award each year to someone who has shown outstanding devotion, service, and accomplishment in the Connecticut River watershed. Bud Foster was the first executive director of what is now the CRC. As its website notes, “In those pre-Clean Water Act days when CRC was first established, the challenge facing our rivers was significant. That meant the dedication of those looking to make a difference was also extraordinary. This award shines a light on those who work hard for the benefit of our rivers.”

In its announcement, CRC noted Dick’s contributions: “Dick has been supportive of the Connecticut River Conservancy at every turn. He has been an early morning boat captain for the Unified Water Study, has published articles about restoration stories with great depth and detail, has hosted murmuration bird paddles for local community members, and offered his home as a celebratory reception place. He has been a convener, connector, and friend who brings others together with open arms to unite our efforts for greater collective impact. Thanks to Dick’s leadership, $1 million was recently granted by the Endeavor Foundation to support conservation priorities throughout the watershed. All this in a relatively short time, after a successful career. Dick is an impressive example of how much one person can accomplish when inspired and committed. And now his efforts inspire more of us to appreciate and steward this amazing resource.”

Samuel “Skip” Salus derives great satisfaction from “being able to move around without pain.” He spends his days reading, playing bocce, attending lectures or events, and keeping in touch with old friends. Sadly, Skip shares, “I lost my wife to a strange disease.” He adds that he enjoys “seeing my sons in their jobs competing successfully. I have 13 grandchildren and five are in college—one just graduated and one is at Ithaca College.”

Ruth McDevitt Carrozza (York, PA) greatly enjoys keeping in contact with her far-flung family in Florida, California, New Jersey, New Hampshire, and Maine, and camping with her daughter and son-in-law. She’s also enjoying her new friends in her community and participating in community activities such as crafts and bus trips. “I celebrated my 90th birthday with a great family party on April 1. We are waiting for my fourth great-grandchild.” When asked if Cornell changed the trajectory of her life, she wrote, “Although I was a landscape design student, I was able to become a science teacher because of my science classes at Cornell.”

Although I was a landscape design student, I was able to become a science teacher because of my science classes at Cornell. Ruth McDevitt Carrozza ’55

Hans Duerr writes from his new home in Orchard Park, NY, where he moved to be closer to his sons after his life partner, Jeanne, died in 2020. He is happy to be alive and healthy. George Morson derives great satisfaction from family, his health, volunteering, and tennis. He happily reports that his grandson is a pilot.

Dick Kurtz , BS ’58, appreciates his “good health, happy wife, and family. I enjoy seeing the growth of our 4-year-old identical male quadruplet great-grandchildren—and supporting their parents.” Dick participates in his church choir, plays bridge, volunteers in church affairs, walks the dog, and travels in the U.S. He notes that the University “supported my love of Latin American friends, travels, and countries.”

Shirley Sanford Dudley writes, “I studied psychology at Cornell and became (after an advanced degree) a counselor, registrar, and assistant dean in a seminary. I loved, loved, loved working with students. They have been some of my best friends for life. Also, as a minister’s wife, the variety of students at Cornell enabled me to open up to a wider group of people of all sorts in the cities where we lived.” Now, Shirley is occupied with leadership roles in her senior center, choirs there and at church, 10-minute plays, letter writing, exercising, walking, and reading good books.

These days, Kenneth Sanderson greatly enjoys meeting new people, volunteering at polling places and as an usher at theaters, gardening, and attending plays. “2024 has been the worst year of my life,” he shares. “My wife, Barbara, died, and my brother Don died. I’m glad that I got to bring Barb to visit Cornell once.” When asked if Cornell changed the trajectory of his life, he wrote, “Absolutely. It gave me a goal for life: always excel! And it provided the professors and classmates that served as role models. I only attended Cornell for two years for a BS degree, but I have always felt that I was part of a family. Cornellians opened many doors for me throughout my career.”

Stay tuned for more news from our classmates in the next column! ❖ Class of 1955 ( email c/o Alexandra Bond ’12 ) | Alumni Directory .

Diana Motycka Day has been participating in church activities as a deacon, gardening around her home, and socializing with her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. “I met Bob Day the first day of freshman year at orientation! We fell in love, but Bob’s national scholarship kept him studying too much so I dated Tom Herbert ’54 , MBA ’55, and married him! That marriage ended. Bob and I both went to our 45th Reunion in 2001 and decided immediately to get married right away in 2002. That was an idyllic marriage for 15 years, until Bob died.”

Virginia Seelig Lenz has five grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. She is a tour docent at Poplar Forest, Thomas Jefferson’s retreat home, and a facilitator for a book club at her local library.

Gail Berkson Malloy-Brown is retired from teaching at Adelphi University but still working part time as a psychotherapist. She notes that she’s still recovering from Dick Brown ’48 ’s death four years ago. “Cornell sent me on a ‘trip’ from hospital nurse to public health nurse to teacher and academic administrator of nursing, to psychoanalyst and psychotherapist in private practice, and from BS to MA to PhD.”

Pat Brodie gets the greatest satisfaction in life from spending time with her children and grandchildren. Now retired, she’s writing a memoir. “I’m living in Brookhaven in Lexington, MA, now. Everyone here is over 65. It reminds me of living in the dorm at Cornell.”

I’m living in Brookhaven in Lexington, MA, now. Everyone here is over 65. It reminds me of living in the dorm at Cornell. Pat Brodie ’56

Robert Ridgley writes, “I’m still happily married to Marilyn (Hester) ’57 after 66 years! We just welcomed our first great-grandchild!” Robert retired as CEO of Northwest Natural Gas and continues with numerous activities for the community of Portland, OR, including the Cornell Club. “Economics and history studies at Cornell led me to Harvard Law School, 23 years of legal practice, and then a second career in management of a public utility.”

Carol Skidmore Cuddeback writes, “My 90th birthday party had 53 relatives attending! Great occasion for our large family! I was surprised! Wish my dear husband could have been there.”

Theodora Litner Weihe enjoys “being able to dance and play golf with my younger friends, being able to eat out when I don’t feel like cooking, and being able to drive! I love having a loving husband in good health. We go to grandchildren’s graduations when we can, but otherwise aren’t traveling much. Attending Cornell allowed me to feel confident in many new settings—socially and professionally.”

There will be more news from classmates in our next Class Notes column! ❖ Class of 1956 ( email c/o Alexandra Bond ’12 ) | Alumni Directory .

Those hills of Cornell drew me back again for the 2024 Reunion. The founders of the Continuous Reunion Club declared that attending Reunions only every five years just isn’t enough. I joined CRC in 2000, so I have enjoyed the Reunions every year since then except for the two years of the pandemic.

This year I was able to meet Nan Krauthamer Goldberg and Judy Richter Levy , LLB ’59, for dinner at the Statler’s Taverna Banfi fine dining restaurant. Judy arrived from Manhattan to enjoy her Law School Reunion. She and one other female classmate double registered our senior year. Judy announced that she is about to retire from her practice of personal injury law, which she pursued for at least 50 years with her late husband. She had an interesting and rewarding career helping victims receive compensation due to other people’s negligence. She may occasionally assist her daughter, also an attorney, with her cases. Judy has been our class’s go-to person in NYC to arrange luncheons and dinners whenever Cornell events took place there. Many classmates who enjoy the Cornell hockey games in Madison Square Garden have attended those dinners.

Nan is one who was fortunate to remain in the Ithaca area as three weeks after graduation she and Stan ’55 were married. Stan was a retailer in an Ithaca home improvement business that later grew and diversified, and he became a real estate developer. Nan and Stan had four children in the next 10 years, which kept Nan busy using skills learned in her child development classes. Nan later had her own business, Learning Foundation of Ithaca. Over the years, Nan has helped hundreds of high school students in test preparation and goal-setting. To this day she continues to help local students and also Rotary exchange students. Her family now includes 11 grandchildren, four of whom are Cornellians. Although Stan passed away in 2015, Nan continues to live in their fine modern home on the west shore of Cayuga Lake, across the road from Taughannock Falls State Park.

Naturally, our dinner conversation included news about many of our distaff side classmates. We especially recalled the recent passing of two very active women, Sue DeRosay Henninger and Vanne Shelley Cowie . Both served as leaders during our undergrad years and since we became alumni. Sue was our president early in our alumni days. Vanne’s decorations in Balch Hall for our 40th Reunion are still memorable. Sue was a patroness of the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology, while Vanne was a patroness of the Cornell Botanic Gardens (formerly the Cornell Plantations).

Judy Richter Levy ’57 , LLB ’59, is about to retire from her practice of personal injury law, which she pursued for at least 50 years with her late husband.

Their spouses, Joe Henninger ’56 , MBA ’58, and former trustee Bob Cowie ’55 , MBA ’57, survive them. Both couples were recipients of the prestigious Frank H.T. Rhodes Exemplary Alumni Service Award. Vanne and Bob were honored in 2003 and Sue and Joe were honored in 2009. (And, both couples were members of the Continuous Reunion Club!) Our other honored recipients of the Frank H.T. Rhodes Award are: Art Gensler , 1998; Tony Cashen , MBA ’58, 2001; Steve Weiss , 2008; Steve Laden , 2009; and Bob Staley , MBA ’59, with his wife, Elizabeth (Chapman) ’60 , 2012.

Our class is recognized as having a great number of our alumni involved in Cornell and class activities. In our class leadership and Reunion committees alone, we approach 100 individuals. Could any other class even come close to that? There is a pattern prevalent in the classes of the 1950s. Many male students had plans to continue their education in professions such as medicine, law, advanced business degrees, and further academic studies. Not so for the women. Only about 10 of us ’57 women went right into law or medical schools. In fact, we were not encouraged to continue our education. A corridor-mate, a ’56 co-ed, went to a vet school for an interview. She was told outright that she would not be admitted because she would be “taking the place of a man.”

Graduation found many of us married or soon to be married, then becoming mothers, homemakers, and community volunteers. Only later did some pursue advanced degrees. Barbara “Bobbie” Redden Leamer is a perfect example. She and Dick ’56 were married in the Anabel Taylor chapel the day before our graduation. Defying all who bet against it, she, as our women’s class council president, along with her counterpart, Jim Drennan , MD ’61, was in place the next morning to lead us to our Barton Hall graduation ceremony. Bobbie and Dick were quickly on their way to Jackson, MI, for Dick’s job with Mobil Oil. Dick’s entire career was with Mobil Oil and entailed move after move, 11 of them by our 25th Reunion.

With their three children born in ’59, ’61, and ’63, Bobbie became a Girl Scout leader, a library volunteer, a PTA leader, a Sunday School teacher, and involved with various newcomer groups, sports booster clubs, and many, many more. Her interest in library work led her to earn a master’s in library and information sciences in 1979 from the University of North Texas. Their last move was to Fairfax, VA, in 1989, where they remain. She continues to volunteer at public libraries in the Fairfax area and in Saranac Lake, NY, where they have a summer home. Their family has expanded to include nine grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. ❖ Connie Santagato Hosterman ( email Connie ) | Alumni Directory .

Albert Caines , the only vector control specialist and entomologist in Oswego County, NY, and the area, collected over one million mosquitos in his work. He lives in Phoenix, NY, and enjoys fishing, watching high school sports, Cornell football and lacrosse, two great-grandchildren, and dining out with his girlfriend.

Debbie Fanto Czegledy , who majored in fine arts, had a wonderful career at the United Nations, using her arts skills. Her role in the last 12 of her 20 years at the U.N. was as head of the department that informed people about the work of the agency that gave grants to women in developing countries, through booklets, exhibits, events, and speeches. She also traveled to European countries to fundraise and to developing countries to encourage project recipients. After she retired, she became a professional portrait artist. Now living in Plandome, NY, on Long Island, she still enjoys painting and participates in a French conversation group, many church activities, swimming, and entertaining in her garden with her many friends.

Dean Danzer worked as a chemical engineer for 38 years at Monsanto, then traveled all over the world after retiring. He suffers from amyloidosis and is confined to a wheelchair. He lives in St. Louis, MO, with his wife, Virginia, who graduated in 1961 from Washington University. She is still in good health and is able to drive. He enjoys reading, investing, church activities, and spending time with his family.

Gerald Freedman started out as a mechanical engineer but took multiple other courses, including one on how the body works with Prof. Singer in home economics, which changed his life. He then went to medical school and retired as a radiologist. He lives in Hillsboro Beach, FL, with his wife, Karen, who is a joy! His health is stable, but he has pain in multiple joints. He enjoys sculpting clay, watching TV, reading magazines, spending time with friends, and talking on his cell phone with his kids, who are doing great!

Albert Caines ’58 , the only vector control specialist and entomologist in Oswego County, NY, and the area, collected over one million mosquitos in his work.

Arthur Horowitz says Cornell provided him with the opportunity to learn, limited only by his lack of brain power! He practiced as an ob/gyn until 21 years ago, and since then has helped his wife in her fine art business. They live in Hopkins, MN, and travel a lot—2 million miles to 100+ destinations. Their three children graduated from Barnard, Cornell, and Wesleyan in the 1980s and have since provided them with seven grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren. Arthur’s greatest satisfaction is waking up in the morning!

Susan Swanson Hueber says Cornell pressed her “curiosity button”! She lives in Ridgecrest, CA, and is a widow, which means she has no more horses to care for. She finds satisfaction in getting up every morning, learning (by non-digital means), enjoying music and art, cooking for fun and friends, activities with her dog, and friends and family. She also volunteers at a small local natural history museum.

Almeda “A.C.” Church Riley says Cornell changed her life by providing two good marriages to Cornell graduates, Bill Dake ’57 (1959–84) and John Riley ’55 (1995–2021). In between, A.C. gave 10 years of public service to her community. She lives in Woodlawn Commons, an independent living community in Saratoga Springs, NY, and is on its residents’ association board. She is a member of the United Methodist Church and the League of Women Voters, regularly plays bridge and mahjongg, plans to play frequent golf this summer, and enjoys spending time with her children and their families.

Audrey Wildner Sears says Cornell changed the trajectory of her life when she met Ray ’57 , her spouse of 66 years, and set off on an adventure! She derives great satisfaction from still being active in her community in Grantham, NH. She enjoys volunteering at Montshire Museum of Science in Norwich, VT.

Cynthia Rau Sears is very excited because she recently became a great-grandmother to Nolan Michael! She and husband Raymond, who live in Wayne, NJ, find it hard to believe! ❖ Barbara Avery, MA ’59 ( email Barbara ) | Dick Haggard ( email Dick ) | Alumni Directory .

“ Oh, I want to go back to the old days … Hard to believe we are celebrating our 65th Reunion,” says Marty Lehman . “The event triggers a flood of memories—long bus/train rides from my home in Portsmouth, OH, to Ithaca, lifetime friendships with my brothers from Tau Delta Phi, late nights spent in the architectural drafting rooms ( Work like a jerk till your eyes ache like hell! ), the unforgettable Beaux Arts Ball on the top floor of White Hall, George Healy’s brilliant lectures in British lit, Kingston Trio for Spring Weekend, trudging through the snow on the Quad on Dragon Day, custodial residence at the Heller House on Eddy Street with my architecture classmate Bill Woods , early morning ‘bridge’ parties (milk punch for breakfast) overlooking Beebe Lake, graduation party in the ‘secret garden’ behind the Heller House … Always returning to my old Cornell .”

“Great Reunion!” says Carole Kenyon . Says Phyllis Corwin Rogers , “The best part of Reunion is the trip down memory lane.” Says Harry Petchesky , “Like most of our classmates, I came for the camaraderie and the programs offered by Cornell, all of which got high marks from their attendees.” Says Judy Brotman Cochran , “This was another of the Class of ’59s wonderful Reunions and why many of us keep coming back.” Particularly heartwarming were the rousing cheers given to retiring President Martha Pollack after her State of the University Address, and the performance by the Cornell Alumni Chorus and Glee Club at Cornelliana Night.

Memories of people, places, and events: “Climbing the stairs to Rockefeller Hall and sitting in the auditorium for a physics demonstration reminded me of Professor Herbert Newhall , PhD ’42 ’s introductory physics course in 1955; it was as invigorating now as it was then,” said Phil Yarnell . At our Saturday evening dinner, Corey Earle ’07 gave a fabulous talk contrasting Cornell in the late 1950s with the Cornell of today. Gerry Schultz followed Corey’s presentation with a slideshow featuring Hans Bethe, Phillip Morrison, Dexter Perkins, Michell Sienko ’43 , and other professors who inspired us during our days on the Hill. Svein Arber spoke eloquently about Clinton Rossiter ’39 and Milton Konvitz , PhD ’33 . Sadder remembrances were expressed at Anabel Taylor Hall on Friday morning, when Ron Demer , Bill Kingston , Ellie Applewhaite , and Bill Day read the names of 181 classmates who had passed away since our 2019 Reunion. Ron notes that our class began with 2,262 people, including those who earned degrees and those who did not; 720 have died, which is 32% of those who initially started.

Sixty-eight ’59ers were at Reunion, many accompanied by spouses and friends. Among us was Marsha Gratz Perry , attending her very first Reunion (hooray!). In contrast, Reuners such as Ellie Applewhaite and Harry Petchesky have attended every Reunion, beginning with our 5th back in 1964. One classmate unable to attend but still represented was George Ladas , whose charming book, The Amazing Adventures of Karnival Kat and Eight Musical Mice , was featured at the Cornell Store’s book signing on Saturday morning. Another attendee-in-spirit was Carl Leubsdorf , whose article about becoming a political columnist, “I Really Owe It All to The Sun,” appeared in the Reunion edition of the Cornell Daily Sun .

At least one of us was seen dancin’ to the beat at the evening tent parties. But let’s admit it: most of us had ‘retired’ by that hour. Jenny Tesar ’59

Some statistics: Our class was among those given special recognition at Cornelliana Night, for raising a record amount of money during a 65th Reunion year: $49,797,404. Over 8,000 people registered for Reunion, representing 47 states, the District of Columbia, and 23 countries. More than 450 events were on the schedule: tours, exhibits, lectures, workshops, open houses, receptions, and even canoeing on Beebe Lake. Two ’59ers shared a mid-afternoon snack of BBQ with electricians setting up events on the Arts Quad. And at least one of us was seen dancin’ to the beat at the evening tent parties. But let’s admit it: most of us had “retired” by that hour.

A new-for-’59ers event: Reunion kicked off on Thursday afternoon with the Spirit of ’31: Passing It Forward ceremony, during which the three oldest Reuning classes, celebrating their 75th, 70th, and 65th reunions, presented the Class of 2019, attending their first Reunion, with their official class banner. Events receiving ’59ers’ acclaim included a guided tour of the Mann Library exhibit “Introducing Vladimir Nabokov, Lepidopterist.” We all remember Nabokov’s teaching and his worldwide fame as a writer, but this exhibit illustrated his lifelong involvement (beginning at age 5!) with questions of butterfly evolution and diversity. FYI: The University’s Insect Collection has over seven million insect specimens, including hundreds of butterflies collected by Nabokov.

At the reception celebrating women in engineering—where it was noted that women now comprise nearly 50% of Cornell’s engineering students— Al Newhouse had a good discussion with a female manager from Shell Oil about the impact of EVs on our electric grid. Professor Ross Brann’s talk, “Antisemitism, Islamophobia, and Racism Revisited,” received high marks from Stefanie Lipsit Tashkovich , MEd ’64 (“wonderful”) and Carole Parnes . Carole also commended the presenters at the annual Liberty Hyde Bailey Lecture, this year on synthetic biology and the transdisciplinary, team-based approach being used to solve complex medical, agricultural, and other problems.

The old, the new: All ’59ers and their guests received coupons for a two-dip ice cream cone or cup at the Dairy Bar (Itha-Kahlua Fudge—yum!). A bus full of classmates took a bus tour of the campus with the informative, witty tour guide pointing out new buildings, places being renovated and expanded, the relocation of the baseball field, etc. A stop at the Botanic Gardens (formerly Cornell Plantations) provided a brief respite from the day’s hustle and bustle. On another day, several of us were given a bird’s-eye view of the construction of Cornell Bowers CIS, named after the late Ann Schmeltz Bowers , the college’s primary donor. ❖ Jenny Tesar ( email Jenny ) | Alumni Directory .

Elaine Moody Pardoe has sadly reported from Columbia, MD, “My husband, David, died on March 28. We had a wonderful 62 years of marriage, which are giving me cherished memories to help me through this difficult time. I now live in a retirement community, where I have compatible fellow residents who have experienced the same heartbreak. Dave and I considered moving here one of the wisest decisions ever made. We have three children, who are my greatest source of comfort; we share undying love for their father.”

John Ramsey , who lives in Perry, IA, with his spouse, Lois Lee Huck, says, “I’m happily retired from my ichthyology career at the University of Puerto Rico, Auburn University, and Iowa State. My wife and I enjoy the amenities of our retirement community.”

Merrill Burr Hille reports from Seattle, WA, that she still enjoys hiking and the pleasures of her four grandchildren, who are ages 4–26. Cornell influenced her life, says Merrill. She enjoyed doing research in the Department of Chemistry, which got her to graduate school and eventually to her professorship in biology at the University of Washington; there she managed to publish significant cell biology manuscripts in 2002.

Raoul Andrews-Sudre sent word from Pompano Beach, FL, that he is “playing golf and cooking for my friends. I also give lectures on energy medicines and consult on spa design and management. I continue to travel the world and visit my daughter and grandchildren in Paris.”

Bradford Brown lives comfortably with his wife, Mable, in Johnston, RI. Asked what brings him the most satisfaction, Bradford says, “Our family, including my children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. I’ve been writing memoirs on topics like anti-racism.”

Meantime, Donald Dewey , BA ’65, is still in New Rochelle, NY, where he says he is comfortable with his wife, Sandy. “I also find satisfaction watching the Boston Celtics and not working.” Queried on whether Cornell changed the trajectory of his life, Don drolly says, “I think so; my daughter Elizabeth Dewey Efe ’98 , MBA ’06, also attended Cornell.” Send your news to ❖ Judy Bryant Wittenberg ( email Judy ) | Alumni Directory .

Read the news from your classmates here! Dorcas McDonald founded and is the executive director of the Learning for Living Institute in Boulder, CO. She appreciates Cornell for getting her started to find what she wanted to do.

Longtime tennis photographer Ed Goldman is a new member of the Eastern Tennis Hall of Fame. He has photographed the U.S. Open since 1976. Congratulations, Ed!

Stan Marks is still working and judging in Arizona. A nice Q&A article with his photo appeared in the Town of Paradise Valley Independent , describing his volunteer work for the Paradise Valley, AZ, court.

From Yonkers, NY, Marco Minasso has one grandchild at Cornell. Of his days on the Hill, he recalls, “I felt a part of a large family discovering new ideas every day.”

Mike Polansky writes, “Since retirement doesn’t really work for me, I started a new career as a reporter for a string of local newspapers, Massapequa Post and others, where I cover local board and chamber meetings with matters relating to Massapequa, NY.”

David Marks , MS ’64, is “living in the country with deer and turkeys in the backyard. A big change from Cambridge, MA, but we enjoyed both. After 43 years at MIT as a professor of civil engineering, we are taking it easy in the country. My daughter and granddaughters went to Cornell. Cornell took me as a small-town rural kid and showed me the world.”

Joel Blatt writes, “I’m still teaching European history at the Stamford campus of the University of Connecticut. I was inspired to teach history by Edward Fox and Walter LaFeber.”

I was inspired to teach history by Edward Fox and Walter LaFeber. Joel Blatt ’61

From James Belden , DVM ’64, in Florida: “After 31 years practicing equine sports medicine on the racetrack and another 28 years with sport horses, we have semi-retired to a new farm in Williston, FL. Our focus presently is special-case equine rehabilitation, and we are enjoying the peaceful lifestyle being away from mainstream competition. We continue to show reining horses but only on a regional basis. The new farm affords us more opportunity to visit the grandchildren and great-grandchildren. The tempo of life in North Florida is relaxed compared to South Florida.”

In sad news, Alan Schmitt ’s son wrote that his father died in December 2023 at age 83, and Stephen Wilson ’s son informed us of Stephen’s death and indicated that he wishes to continue carrying on his father’s Cornell support.

Before his death in March, classmate Gary Busch sent in a lengthy news form. He wrote, “I have closed our two African cargo lines and ended the charter of our planes. I have closed my shipping line and sold the last two vessels. I have sold my house in London and down-sized twice to a small apartment. I sold my house in Venice, Italy, and closed my shared apartment in Vanino, Russia. I still have my country house in Somerset. I have largely stopped traveling on a regular basis and sold my car. I continue my daily news blog and my occasional political consulting. All in all, I am leading a normal life after all these years, now surrounded by children and grandchildren. I look forward to a less exciting schedule and hope to settle into a more placid period of gradual decline.” These classmates will be missed. ❖ Susan Williams Stevens ( email Susan ) | Doug Fuss ( email Doug ) | Alumni Directory .

Cornellians is thrilled to share news from Anne Kaczmarczyk Evans , who graduated from the Nursing School in NYC in 1962. (Though the school has been closed for 45 years, Cornell formerly combined three years of education, hospital training, and hands-on experience at NewYork–Presbyterian Hospital and Weill Cornell Medicine—as the institutions are now known—on top of two years of prior academic study, granting a bachelor’s degree in nursing.)

These days, Anne spends her time dancing, sitting on the beach enjoying the sun and water, attending church services, and volunteering at the local historical office and local Medicare office. She writes, “I spent a delightful lunch in NYC with two classmates in March at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.” When asked if attending Cornell changed the trajectory of her life, Anne said, “I earned a professional degree, which lead to a lifetime of work.”

Thanks for writing, Anne! Cornellians is always happy to receive news from Nursing school alumni and celebrate their distinct Big Red experience. They’re welcome to fill out an online news form or write directly to Alexandra Bond ( email Alex ).

Here’s the news that’s come over the transom since our last column. If you’ve missed this one, you can atone by sending news for the next one.

From Ewing, NJ, Patricia Carlin White , MEd ’63, writes that now that she has retired from teaching high school home economics (“culinary arts”), she is keeping busy as a textile artist making handwoven clothing and with traveling—most recently to Japan and to Lisbon a few times a year to visit her son and his family.

After 30 years working with Penn State student counselors, Betty Lefkowitz Moore is enjoying retirement by being with friends, volunteering at the library, providing medical assistance for those without funding, serving as director of the Jewish Community Center, and being a great-grandmom.

Linda Zucchelli Martinelli of Rexford, NY, proudly reports that her two grandsons at Cornell are both on the Dean’s List!

Beverley Mochel Wilson lives in Lawrence, KS, where she volunteers four days a week recording and live broadcasting for sight-impaired individuals. “We are the second largest service in the country with 250 volunteers and 1,000 listeners!”

Author Jack Foley lives in Oakland, CA, where he is a prolific writer, poet, and critic. Since 1988, he has presented poetry on the Berkeley, CA, radio station KPFA. In 2021, Academica Press published The Light of Evening: A Brief Life of Jack Foley , and the companion volume, A Backward Glance O’er Travel’d Roads . Last year’s output included Creative Death (Igneus Press), Bridget (Stoneybrook Editions), and, coming up, Ekphrazz (Igneus Press) and Collisions (Academica Press).

Bob Simpson , a retired automotive engineer for the Chrysler Corporation now living in Fenton, MI, keeps himself busy completing projects and/or repairing or fixing things. David Harrald writes that he is enjoying retirement in Sun Lakes, AZ.

From Veneta, OR, John Abele sends word that these days, in addition to enjoying the company of his family, he gets the most satisfaction from watching Fox programs and “supporting the Conservatives.” Liz Belsky Stiel writes that she and husband Lester ’60 are settled in La Jolla, CA, where they “plan to continue to age in place.”

From La Conversion, Switzerland, Jacqueline Browne Bugnion ’62 writes that in retirement she has been financing an agricultural school.

Originally from St. Paul, MN, Jean Kitts Cadwallader serves on several boards in Homer, NY, where she set up home after graduation with her late husband, William , DVM ’62 , a Cornell veterinarian, and raised her family, which now includes 10 grandchildren, three great-grandchildren, and two more “in the oven.”

From La Conversion, Switzerland, where she has lived for almost six decades, Jacqueline Browne Bugnion writes that in retirement she has been financing an agricultural school that is linked to the “Great Green Wall,” a major reforestation project in Burkina Faso whose purpose is to promote peace, restore 100 million hectares of land, sequester 250 million tons of carbon, and create 10 million jobs. The project is providing food and water security, habitats for wild plants and animals, and a reason for residents to stay in a region beset by drought and poverty.

After 30 years of part-time teaching as an anatomy and physiology instructor at Frederick Community College, Betty Kopsco Bennett , now retired in Middletown, MD, keeps busy with family, church, and volunteer work.

In retirement, Ray Hutch , a Penfield, NY, resident, serves on several boards including the YMCA, Rochester Area Community Foundation, Lollypop Farm (Humane Society), United Way, and Synergy IT Solutions, the company he founded.

Abbie Jobe ’26 , a CALS agricultural engineering major, is the Class of 1962 Rhodes Tradition Fellow (2022–24). Abbie reports that, thanks to this award, she was able to take advantage of some great experiences this past school year. She was selected to join the SMART (Student Multidisciplinary Applied Research Teams) Program on the E&E Green Farms at Cornell with which she was able to travel to Rwanda in January to help a female seed processor and distributor build a website from HTML. This past summer she traveled to the Kingdom of Eswatini (formerly known as Swaziland), where she spent five weeks as a project manager for Cornell Engineers in Action, helping her team of six engineers build a water distribution system for the Matutini primary school.

Want to know what’s happening at Cornell every day? Read the Cornell Daily Sun online via this link . You can also sign up on the site for a free daily newsletter.

Check out our class website for timelier information. Please send along news and updates (photos, too, which we can display on our class website) about what’s happening with you and your family. Send your entries to: ❖ Judy Prenske Rich ( email Judy ) | Alumni Directory .

The exciting news from the Class of 1963 is that our president, Paula Trested Laholt , was honored with the William “Bill” Vanneman ’31 Outstanding Class Leader Award. From the announcement: “This prestigious award is given to class officers who have provided long-term exemplary service to their class, in honor of Bill’s 75 years of superlative service. Paula has been indispensable to her Class of 1963 for decades, first volunteering for her 25th Reunion. She is the current class president and a member of the class council. Paula was recognized during Reunion on Saturday, June 8, as part of Cornelliana Night in Bailey Hall.” Lauren Coffey, director of Class Programs wrote: “Having worked closely with Paula, I can say that she is so deserving of this award and embodies the spirit of Bill Vanneman ’31 . I’m so thrilled for Paula, as I’m sure you will all be as well!” Our class is very proud of Paula and grateful to her for always saying yes and jumping in to help out when necessary through the years. Congratulations, Paula!

A fun story in Cornellians in June was about physical education memories, and a comment from classmate Nancy Cooke McAfee was highlighted: “I almost didn’t graduate because I could not pass golf. I was inept—the teacher finally said, ‘OK, I will pass you, but please, don’t ever come back!’ P.S.: I never picked up another golf club!” Check out the story and add your own memories to the comment section!

Whin , ME ’68, and Joan Melville still live in Pittsford, NY. Whin writes: “I am busy volunteering for my fraternity and church and traveling. We have 11 grandkids from the ages of 23 months to 21 years. Cornell gave me good analytical skills and good background from Milton Konvitz , PhD ’33 . He taught development of American ideals, good economics, and business law—all so valuable in my career.”

David and Trisha Sheaff are enjoying family, traveling, and volunteering when they can. They are enjoying life in Harpswell, ME. When asked if Cornell changed the trajectory of his life, David said: “Absolutely! My years at Cornell opened many doors and friendships.”

Judy Branton Wilkins writes from Penn Valley, CA, “My husband, Paul, passed away in June 2022. My son Brian got married for the first time at 48 to Kristina (from Lithuania), who had two boys, and they now have a daughter. I keep busy with book clubs, genealogy, and mahjongg.” Did attending Cornell change the trajectory of her life? “Yes. I entered as a music major and left with a double major in music and economics. I thought I would forever be a piano teacher, but I was an economist with HUD and a production coordinator of housing. Then, with the birth of our first child, I became a piano teacher including advanced pupils. I feel in both areas I have made a contribution. More importantly, Cornell gave me an inquisitive mind and a lifelong love of learning.”

Our president, Paula Trested Laholt ’63 , was honored with the William ‘Bill’ Vanneman ’31 Outstanding Class Leader Award.

John Herslow writes that he and his wife, Janis, are “enjoying family and owning new property in Springtown, PA. Gardening and taking winter cruises keeps us busy.” He admits that Cornell taught him to learn to compete.

Sandra Hackman Barkan is “busy with her children and two grandsons, travel, grassroots political activity, and reading. My husband, Joel Barkan , passed away in 2014. I met him the first week of freshman year; we got married just before the beginning of our senior year. He was supported by faculty to become an Africanist (he was a political scientist). I graduated with a degree in French and ended up an Africanist with a PhD in comparative literature. That and African literature were key to my research and teaching.”

Bob and Shoshana Agnew are living in Palm Coast, FL. “I retired last year after a business analytics career, continuing applied math research. Family, including a new granddaughter, brings us satisfaction as does exercise, reading, and Internet communication. We are concerned about events in the Middle East. Shoshana’s whole family lives in Israel. Although mechanical engineering was fairly dull (and lengthy at five years), Cornell launched me into Air Force ROTC, grad school, and a satisfying career.”

Bob Ulrich enjoys seeing his twin grandchildren, Tyler Sprague ’27 and Lili Sprague ’27 , who both finished their freshman year at Cornell—Tyler in engineering and Lili in Human Ecology. Their parents, Mark and Corey Ulrich Sprague , are Class of ’93 .

Marion Travalini Rodd is in Ventura, CA. “I am enjoying children, family, and friends and my grandnephew and great-grandnephew. I am working hard to stay healthy and playing flute in the Ventura County Concert Band. I have three grandchildren in or entering college: Cameron, University of Michigan ’25; Camille, Haverford College ’27; and Ethan, Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, ’28. Cornell opened up a whole world of friendships and opportunities for me.”

Mark and Carolyn Press Landis ’65 welcomed their first great-grandchild in 2023. Taylor Landis-Miller ’14 and Brad Wagner ’14 are the parents, and they live in Berkeley, CA. That’s all for now. Please send news! ❖ Nancy Bierds Icke ( email Nancy ) | 12350 E. Roger Rd., Tucson, AZ 85749 | Alumni Directory .

I’ve a different approach to this month’s column: instead of classmates’ recollections, I’m passing along Susan Mair Holden ’s detailed account of our 60th Reunion, beginning with the very next paragraph.

This note is for all whom we missed at Reunion. We understand that a 60th in Ithaca is not easy for most of us; the phrase “Well, I’m here” was heard several times in answer to “How are you doing?”

The phrase “A grand time was had by all” is an appropriate description of our delightful four days and three nights on the Hill, June 6–9. Our Reunion was beautifully planned and executed by Carolyn Stewart Whitman . There were enough class activities for us to enjoy being together, and just enough free time to take advantage of the lectures, open houses, and experiences that Cornell planned for anyone who cared to attend.

Thursday afternoon was registration and check-in at one of Cornell’s new dorms: Barbara McClintock Hall, located east of Balch and Clara Dickson. McClintock is adjacent to the North Campus Appel Commons, where our Thursday evening cold buffet dinner was held. Following dinner, there was an ice cream social back at headquarters, where a selection of Cornell Dairy’s famous ice creams were enjoyed by all.

The continental breakfasts on Friday and Saturday and the brunch on Sunday that preceded our class meeting engendered many compliments for Cornell catering. They served a lovely dinner at Duffield Hall on Friday evening, which was our first sit-down dinner with nearly all our 118 attendees. Many of us attended the traditional Chorus and Glee Club concert that night in Bailey Hall.

This year, we reached the magic Reunion plateau for us to have our banquet in the Statler Hotel Ballroom on Saturday night. Again, it was a terrific meal with great spirit and nostalgia as the Sherwoods sang, joked, and serenaded Cynthia Wolloch , the outgoing chairman of our JFK Memorial Award.

Cindy organized a very special event for our class: the JFK Award Forum, which many university administrators and deans attended to congratulate and hear from this year’s award winner, Sarah McMorrow ’24 . They also got to learn more about the work done by our officers to ensure the award continues in perpetuity.

It was a passing of the mantle for Katie Dealy ’00 , our JFK Award winner in 2000. As she accepted the first chairmanship of the newly organized JFK alumni board, she said that the award “changed my life.” She explained movingly that the award allowed her to accept and live on a public policy salary, which directly led to her career in public service.

Ken Kupchak ’64 , JD ’71, gave many class officers beautifully carved cheese boards handmade from a koaia tree that had to be removed from their yard.

Two of our classmates who have been application readers for years, Judie Pink Gorra and Stan Morgenstein , will also sit on this board. Cindy and Ken Kupchak , JD ’71, worked tirelessly with the University to ensure our award is legally protected and will continue to be funded and awarded each year.

The JFK Forum featured four conversations, each between one classmate and one award-winning alum. Eileen Corwin Mason , Mike Smith , PhD ’73, Bill Lacy , and Stan Morgenstein, all of whom have pursued careers in public service, spoke with four of our award-winning alumni.

An event just for our class, planned by Carolyn, was a movie, exhibit, and guided tour of Cornell’s collection of Blaschka Invertebrate Models, which are gorgeous crystal works of art that are such accurate models of invertebrates, they are used for research.

Notable events the University hosted were the yearly Olin Lecture, especially enjoyed by CNBC viewers, with Andrew Ross Sorkin ’99 ; and Cornelliana Night on Saturday, which was a wonderfully spirited evening—but this year especially for ’64s. Ours was the only class recognized for our class project and gift to the University! There was a beautiful collage of photos from the day’s JFK Forum, highlighted on the jumbotron by the University, while the Alumni Affairs speaker/cheerleader shared the story of our award with the assembled classes. Such pride we felt, and gratitude to Cindy and Ken!

Back at class headquarters on Sunday morning, for brunch and our class meeting, we were able to check on the progress of the huge jigsaw puzzle that Bob , PhD ’69, and Alice Dannett Friedenson , MA ’71, created for our Reunion. Over the years, Bob has taken countless photos of our Reunions; Alice was able to assemble them into a wonderful collage from which she produced a huge puzzle. Thank you to both of them.

Our class meeting included our election of officers. Congratulations to Elliot Gordon , our new class president! Having worked closely with him for four years, I heartily approve his election. There is no more patient, talented, and pleasant man on Earth.

We’re delighted that Carolyn and her 60th Reunion committee member, Linda Cohen Meltzer , will be our 65th Reunion co-chairs. This will be the third Reunion that each of them will have chaired … so far! They work seamlessly together, as this Reunion surely showed. Ken announced that the other officers will remain the same, including our outstanding Cornell Fund representatives, Phyllis Rivkin Goldman , MS ’67, and Michael Troner , who did a stellar job garnering Tower Club members for our class.

Ken said farewell as our president, giving many of his key officers beautifully carved cheese boards handmade from a koaia tree that had to be removed from their yard; he carried these boards all the way from Hawaii. And we also had a representative from the other non-contiguous state, Alaska: Mike “Tree” Smith with his wife, Linda (Dryer) , MPS ’04 . Also from afar: Rodrigo Ong , MS ’64 , came from the Philippines with his grandson. It truly was a memorable event. Do try to make our 65th!

That’s all for Reunion news. As for your news, just please keep it coming! Update me by email, regular mail, our class website , or our class Facebook page . ❖ Bev Johns Lamont ( email Bev ) | 720 Chestnut St., Deerfield, IL 60015 | Alumni Directory .

There is one more year until our wonderful 60th Reunion happens, June 5–8, 2025, in Ithaca. It promises to be a terrific event! Our classmates Myron Jacobson , Liz Gordon , Bill Vanneman , and Chuck Andola shadowed the Class of ’64 Reunion to see what works and doesn’t work for our own Reunion. Myron states they found a new dinner venue, and the University now offers guided bus tours throughout the weekend. Good news!

Liz commented, “Chuck and I spent some time meeting with Skorton Center director Julie Edwards, who is spearheading the extremely effective resilience coaching for students, which is the basis for our 60th Reunion gift to the University.”

Jeff Kass , our gift committee chairman, further describes the gift: “Our Class of 1965 Student Well-Being Fund Legacy Gift supports the work of the Skorton Center, which is the University’s health center. Our Legacy Gift has helped finance a two-semester pilot program to provide coaching from specially trained Cornell staff that provides emotional well-being support for students facing stress. The pilot has yielded significant outcomes for participants and garnered positive feedback. Cornell is adding more coaches in anticipation of increased demand for the fall 2024 semester. Jamil Sopher , ME ’66, our class president, will soon share further information on progress and plans for the Legacy Gift and Student Well-Being coaching program.”

Loren Meyer Stephens writes that her latest novel, All Sorrows Can Be Borne , is the story of Noriko Ito, a Japanese woman faced with unimaginable circumstances, and is set in Hiroshima, Osaka, and the Badlands of eastern Montana. The story spans the start of WWII to 1982.

The Cornell Club of Boston sponsored an enjoyable June walk through the Mount Auburn Cemetery and lecture by Christopher Dunn, director of Cornell’s Botanic Gardens. Mount Auburn is the first garden cemetery in the U.S. and is notable for the many prominent Bostonians who are buried there. It is a joy to walk peacefully throughout paths of the extraordinary landscape featuring ponds and sculptural elements.

Put the dates of June 5–8, 2025, on your calendar! See you there! Please send your news to: ❖ Joan Hens Johnson ( email Joan ) | Stephen Appell ( email Stephen ) | Alumni Directory .

Hope your summer went well! Ralph Schwartz writes from St. Paul, MN, that he taught chemistry for 38 years and retired 16 years ago. He now enjoys fly fishing, bird watching, and travel. He became a cross-country skier and raced in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Italy. Training was a year-round event. He admits he was a total couch potato at Cornell! Ralph and his wife enjoy river cruising and have several more trips scheduled. Their children and grandchildren live in the Twin Cities area.

Jeff Collins continues to enjoy retirement as well as life in the Forest at Duke, a continuing care retirement community. He is heavily involved in social justice areas, particularly voting rights and reproductive rights. Retirement has allowed Jeff and wife Rose Mills to enjoy their love of travel. In 2023 they went to the Crested Butte, CO, Wildflower Festival, and visited friends in Santa Barbara, CA. Then they went to the U.K. Channel Islands (Jersey and Guernsey), the Isles of Scilly, and South West England (Cornwall, Devon, Dorset). The 2024–25 trips planned are to Morocco, to Italy, and a cruise on the Magdalena River in Colombia. They continue to enjoy the many cultural activities offered in the Research Triangle area of North Carolina, including theater, music, film, and fine dining.

Marcia Tondel Davis has lived in England for over 50 years. She currently lives in Brill, Buckinghamshire, a village with many opportunities for music, art, sport, volunteering, and walks in the countryside with her dog. She has taken courses at Oxford, including philosophy and art. She enjoys visiting the southwest coast of England and has traveled to Seville, Iceland, Ibiza (where one daughter and two grandchildren live), and Lake Garda, Italy. Her other daughter, son-in-law, and one grandchild live near her in Brill.

Barbara Ann Lawrence recently moved to a new senior retirement complex in Fort Lauderdale, FL, having sold her townhome located next to the largest park in Broward County. She has attended a Finger Lakes wine-tasting event and went to a polo event in Wellington, FL. In 1993, Barbara went to New Zealand for a month with a friend from there. This gave the trip an interesting perspective. She never thought in ’66 that she would learn to paint or draw, make sculpture, or do strength training. Barbara would like to meet Cornellians from the mid-’60s classes who live in Southeast Florida.

Marcia Tondel Davis ’66 lives in Brill, Buckinghamshire, a village with many opportunities for music, art, sport, volunteering, and walks in the countryside with her dog.

Kathleen Earle Fox writes from Tenants Harbor, ME, that she is currently working as an artist in watercolors. In July she had a show at the Granite Gallery in Tenants Harbor. She also sings in a Congregational Church choir. A few years ago, she learned to play the fiddle and now plays regularly. She never imagined in ’66 that she would be combining her art with artificial intelligence to produce exciting new art! Her husband, Stan, and their children Seann Colgan ’91 , Thomas Fabisiak ’03 , and Susie Fox and their partners attended a Formula One race in Montreal this past June.

Jeff Konvitz writes from Beverly Hills, CA, that he keeps busy in several ways. He is practicing entertainment finance and trial law, producing motion pictures, and writing. His new historical novel, The Circus of Satan , will be out this fall. Writing best-selling novels is something he never imagined in ’66. Among his favorite travels were his 25th wedding anniversary in Palm Beach, FL, and a World Series of Poker tournament in Las Vegas. Jeff’s youngest daughter graduated from Arts and Sciences magna cum laude in economics this past May.

Ronni Barrett Lacroute continues to live in McMinnville, OR, where she is involved in full-time philanthropy. Her activities include educational programs and nonprofits, supporting programs and operations. She participates in strategic planning and programming. Her Cornell programs include the Johnson Museum, the Lab of Ornithology, Cornell Wind Symphony tours, and the College of Arts and Sciences. Ronnie enjoys gardening, bird watching, and poetry reading. In ’66 she never imagined living in Oregon. She has not traveled since the beginning of the pandemic, which resulted in health issues for her and her daughter. She does visit her daughter and grandson weekly, as they live nearby.

Bonnie Lazarus Wallace was an elementary school teacher for 44 years; 30 of them teaching fourth grade and 14 as a substitute teacher. She now interviews students from her hometown of Cheshire, CT, who have applied to Cornell. Bonnie goes to the gym every morning and takes walks when the weather is nice. Her husband travels the world teaching dentists to do implants. Her daughter lives on Martha’s Vineyard, MA, and her son in Santa Barbara, CA. Bonnie and her husband travel to see family, including six grandchildren.

Now, a fall 2024 note from Mary Jansen Everett and Alice Katz Berglas : “A new Cornell year is in full swing, and freshmen are figuring it out. Dorms, quads, Collegetown, downtown Ithaca. Where to eat, where to study, where to party, when to sleep. Life on the Hill moves quickly, changes constantly (like the weather). Constant is the learning: stumbles and successes, friendships made, knowledge gained (all sorts), finding a way to make Cornell one’s own. And collecting the memories that stick. It is a new Cornell Class of 1966 year, too. All sorts of new possibilities for Cornellians of every age and stage. Stay connected with us! We will do the same along this 2024–25 year and on. Our best to each/all. For your calendar: Cornell 60th Reunion! June 4–7, 2026 (more memories that will stick!).” ❖ Susan Rockford Bittker ( email Susan ) | Pete Salinger , MBA ’68 ( email Pete ) | Alumni Directory .

How did Cornell change the trajectory of your life? This was a question on this year’s news form; we’re starting each classmate’s report with their answer.

“My tenure as sorority treasurer and house president gave me the leadership opportunities that led to my owning my own business,” writes Pauline “Polly” Watkins Runkle (Ft. Lauderdale, FL). Now, she enjoys “art class and painting, living on the ocean, travel, summers in Stonington, ME, church friendships, community, walking in our state parks, watching for birds, and the love of friends and family.” She adds that she’s active in the art community in South Florida and Cape Ann, MA, and loves going to concerts.

“Attending made my life wider, better, fuller. Thank you, Cornell! And both our kids went to Cornell, too,” observes Joanne Edelson Honigman (Brooklyn, NY). Joanne likes “making art, helping my husband with his institute, and being with my five grandchildren.”

“Cornell gave me confidence in my developing career, friends and contacts, and the opportunity to work on a NASA grant to design an unmanned Lunar Roving Vehicle,” observes Robert Pitkin , ME ’68 (Buda, TX). He’s now retired and spends time with “Kingdom Racing, church service, and a men’s group.” He enjoys “friends, golf, retirement, and sharing life with my wife of 54 years.”

Cliff Straehley , located in Fair Oaks, a suburb of Sacramento, CA, says Cornell changed his life trajectory “very much. Found lifelong friends. Continued my love of wrestling. I’ve never forgotten ‘freedom with responsibility.’ Furthered my path to my MD and my career.”

“At Cornell, I learned the importance of study, of balancing study and play, of diversity and difference, and of standing on my own feet. Cornell engendered a love of learning that I continue to enjoy,” answers Judith Edelstein Kelman (New York, NY). “Sixteen years ago, I founded Visible Ink, a writing program at Memorial Sloan Kettering that offers interested patients the opportunity to write on any topic in any form with the individual support of a volunteer writing mentor,” Judith writes. “Over 3,000 participants have joined. The program is free of charge to patients, supported by grants and donations. I feel privileged to be part of an extraordinary community. We have three grandkids on the cusp of high school graduation and two entering their senior year of college (one at Cornell),” she adds. “We’ve taken each of the nine grandkids on a special trip. Since we live in NYC, we get to host many of them and their friends in our home.”

Cornell gave me the opportunity to work on a NASA grant to design an unmanned Lunar Roving Vehicle. Robert Pitkin ’67, ME ’68

“Cornell opened my mind to new ideas and ways of looking at various issues (political, social, environmental, economic); I try to see all sides of an issue, even when it’s hard to do,” responds Ted Feldmeier , BS ’71 (Eliot, ME). “I’m just working at staying healthy, as I have been doing for a long time, enjoying nature, going dancing and partying with friends on Saturday night, giving and helping select charitable causes, and my wonderful wife, Joan. Life is good!” He adds that he’s “been participating in local Democratic politics involving the upcoming November ’24 presidential election.”

John Alden (East Providence, RI) is treasurer of his homeowners association and has “several consulting gigs for private secondary schools on finance and administration.”

Tom Moore , ME ’68 (Gig Harbor, WA, and Portland, OR) writes: “After 20 years in our retirement home we built on the coast of Maine, we have relocated to the Pacific Northwest. Our new second home is in Gig Harbor, WA, with water access and views that are just as great as in Maine. We still split our time between here and Portland, OR. Our two oldest grandkids (grade 11) are looking at colleges. I took them both back to Ithaca last summer for a good Cornell immersion experience. Will see if it takes. Both of my own kids turned down their Cornell acceptances for other colleges.”

William Wohlsen (Philadelphia, PA) says that “foreign language study—German, French, Dutch—and bicycle riding” bring him the most satisfaction these days.

This was not a ’67 Reunion year, but at least six of us returned to Cornell this June. I was there with my wife, Eileen Barkas Hoffman ’69 , at her class’s 55th. As is typical of our experience attending her Reunions, it only rained twice and we were inside both times.

Although we received a number of news forms recently, please do write to let the class know what you’re doing and your thoughts about your time at Cornell. ❖ Richard Hoffman ( email Richard ) | 2925 28th St. NW, Washington, DC 20008 | Alumni Directory .

More news to share with our classmates, as the summer starts to come to an end! We need more news and updates from you, so please let us know where you are and what you are doing—or share your reflections on your years at Cornell with our classmates!

Steven Steinhardt reports that he lives in Albany, NY, and when in Florida this past winter he visited with his AEP fraternity brother Art Bernstein . He is of counsel to the Albany law firm Nolan Heller Kauffman LLP, where he has practiced primarily in the field of healthcare regulation. Earlier in his career he was an attorney with the New York State Department of Health and served as associate general counsel.

David Weisbrod and his wife, Margaret Simon ’66 , an architect and artist, continue to live in Greenwich, CT, where David, after a career at JP Morgan Chase and then as the CEO of a financial derivatives clearinghouse, is an elected member of the town’s Board of Estimate and Taxation. He is currently serving his fourth consecutive term. My wife, Sharon Lawner Weinberg , PhD ’71, and I, along with Cheryl Katz Kaufmann and her husband, Nick ’67 , recently had dinner with David and Margaret. David credits Cornell with broadening his outlook on life and expanding his horizons.

Mary Hartman Schmidt and her husband, William, continue to live in Massachusetts and enjoy spending time with their family, including their five grandchildren, all of whom live in Massachusetts. Summers include family time at their vacation home on Martha’s Vineyard. Mary continues to practice trusts and estates and matrimonial law in Boston. Mary writes that her years at Cornell opened possibilities for her for friendships and her legal career.

Ithaca remains on our radar, now that our oldest granddaughter rows for Ithaca College. Candi Dabi Vene ’68 & Bruce O’Pray ’68

Candi Dabi Vene and her husband, Bruce O’Pray , continue to live in Park Ridge, NJ, and write that their grandkids bring them the most satisfaction these days, followed by community involvement and, for Candi, cooking! “Our blended family of four adult children have blessed us with 10 grandchildren who range in age from 19 to 5-year-old twin boys. Bruce continues to work full time consulting with small businesses. He finds it very satisfying to watch them prosper under his tutelage. Candi handles a small amount of real estate, is active in community affairs, and enjoys spending as much time as possible with nearby grandchildren.”

Candi and Bruce add, “Our connections to Cornell have stayed very much alive. One son graduated from Cornell in 1997. We have remained close friends with Candi’s Pi Phi sister, Tove Helland Hammer ’69 , and her husband, Dave , PhD ’69 . Tove recently retired from teaching in the ILR School after a wonderful 40-year career, while Dave continues to do research and teach in the College of Engineering. Ithaca remains on our radar, now that our oldest granddaughter rows for Ithaca College. Our ‘Ithaca Connection’ is filled with special memories spanning decades! We have attended a few northern New Jersey alumni events, which were fun. We’re still hoping to meet some classmates we know at these events!” They write that Cornell enriched both of their lives and was a big factor in forming their identities. “It encouraged independence and our ability to problem solve and to be curious and always interested in learning.”

I look forward to receiving more news and updates from all of you! Please email me about you and your family with news you want to share with our classmates. ❖ Steve Weinberg, MBA ’70, JD ’71 ( email Steve ) | Alumni Directory .

Greetings, Class of ’69! This column was written in June by guest columnist Alan Cody .

121 classmates attended our 55th Reunion, and Robert Tallo , one of our class co-presidents during the past five years, writes: “The Class of ’69 was treated to Ithaca weather at our Reunion, June 6–9. Cloudy, then rain, then sunshine, then windy, etc. A reminder of our days on the Hill! Fortunately, the weather cooperated with regard to events, with minimal inconveniences and a great finale Saturday evening on the terrace of Martha Van.

“After a great five years of Greg Baum ’s leadership during ‘interesting’ times, Cindy Nixon DuBose and Sally Knowlton put together a fantastic program of events. We enjoyed an impressive presentation on ‘Cornell, the First American University’ by Corey Earle ’07 , Friday night entertainment by class musicians, tasty food at the HQ and Morrison Dining Hall (quite a step up from the Barf Bar), numerous campus-wide events, the Sherwoods, delicious meals, and plenty of ice cream and great conversations with old and new friends.

“A shout-out also goes to the student clerks, Omani, Emma, John, Dennis, and Yuri! From walking out in the pouring rain to place directional signs to HQ to managing to connect the big-screen TV in the multipurpose room for the first game of the NBA finals, they were fantastic from start to finish.

“It’s going to be hard, but I fully expect that Sally and Cindy will top this year’s performance at our 60th in 2029. Make sure to put it on your calendar to experience a great weekend and reunite with the Class of ’69. Go Big Red!”

Greg Baum, one of our class co-presidents during the past five years writes: “Serving the past five years as co-president was personally very rewarding. It offered me an opportunity to get to know a large number of classmates that I would not have otherwise encountered. Arranging for the periodic leadership group Zoom calls was sometimes challenging, but the speakers taught us so much about a variety of topics. We learned about the University’s legal department, its libraries, the vastness of its facilities, and the new Brooks School of Public Policy. Classmates shared their career expertise on COVID and other infectious diseases, vaccine development and implementation, ornithology, battery technology, the world’s energy supply, mystery writing, a female franchising pioneer, opera lighting, and U.S. foreign policy challenges with China and Russia. The Class of 1969 includes so many truly remarkable individuals, and I am very grateful to have been able to be a part of showcasing them.”

Sally Knowlton writes, “The Heights (our Reunion caterer) was secured last fall and finalized in January. Shadowing the Class of 1968 certainly helped put us in a position to secure the best food purveyors. By being involved and attending Reunion, Cindy and I feel grateful to have met so many interesting and great people we never knew before!”

Jon Kaplan , MD ’74, class affinity group networking coordinator, writes that he had a great time recruiting and communicating with affinity group leaders (representing Greek organizations, sports teams, residence units, etc.) in preparation for Reunion. “These ‘AGLs’ (30 of them) volunteered to reach out to classmates in their affinity groups to encourage them to come to Reunion. Based on word-of-mouth and the turnout at Reunion, the effort was a success!”

Special thanks to our Reunion campaign chair, Lee Pillsbury . Under his leadership, our class raised $24,852,986 (a class best!) from 532 donors on our honor roll, including 32 Tower Club members and 82 Cornell Giving partners. Lee writes to all who contributed, “Thank you for all that you do. I am so proud to be a part of the great Class of 1969.”

And none of this would have been possible without our dedicated Reunion registration chairs, Larry and Nancy Jenkins Krablin , who write: “Krablins have played cooperative and interacting roles. When Nancy chaired our 20th in 1989 (the rugby shirts with the origin of the intertwined 6/9 class logo created by Ken Lin ’70 , a colleague of Larry’s at Burroughs), all registrations were on paper, Larry created a primitive electronic form to collate data, and payment was by paper check to Cornell Class of 1969, for which he opened a unique bank account. For the seven Reunions that followed, the process has evolved with technology! The highlight of the month of June (and the several weeks before) was our 55th Reunion. As Reunion co-registrars, we get to interact with everyone who comes, and with many who are thinking about it but ultimately can’t travel to Ithaca. Reunion itself was a lot of fun and very well planned by our outstanding Reunion chairs Cindy Nixon DuBose and Sally Knowlton. As always, we came away with new friends and a heightened appreciation of what Cornell is and does.”

Walking through my old dorms and classrooms [during Reunion weekend] kindled poignant memories. Phyllis Levine Evan ’69

Thanks also to Kate Freyer, our class engagement officer who always guides us to a great Reunion.

At our class meeting on Saturday night during Reunion weekend, we elected new class officers for the next five years. Congratulations to the new officers, with thanks for their enthusiasm in stepping up to lead our class. The new officer slate is: co-presidents Adam Sieminski , MPA ’71, Bill Bruno , ME ’71, and Steve LaRocca ; secretary and treasurer Stephen and Ingrid Dieterle Tyler ; membership chair Robert Tallo; Reunion co-chairs Cindy DuBose and Sally Knowlton; registration chairs, Nancy and Larry Krablin; affinity group chair Jon Kaplan; VP communications and webmaster John Wilkens , ME ’71.

Phyllis Levine Evan writes, “I wasn’t sure about coming to Reunion; I wasn’t sure I would know anybody. I am so glad I did! There were so many fun and interesting activities, it was hard to choose. I was always busy. People were friendly and inclusive. I made new friends and reconnected with old.

“Walking through my old dorms and classrooms kindled poignant memories. Happy times as well as things I wish I had done differently—if only I had the wisdom then that I have now. The Chimes, the bridge over the gorge, Beebe Lake, the Arts Quad … all the good old stuff. New dorms (so many), incredible additions to Goldwin Smith and the architecture building—an excellent job of maintaining classic old buildings while adding new airy spaces. Thank you to our Reunion organizers for doing a great job. If in doubt, come!”

Congratulations to our classmate Doug Antczak , who is retiring as the Dorothy Havemeyer McConville Professor of Equine Medicine. We wish Doug and Wendy well in retirement with thanks for all your contributions to the Cornell College of Veterinary Medicine.

Gary Shaye reports that he continues his long career with Save the Children as associate vice president, trustee relations. His time in the Peace Corps inspired him to join Save the Children and their work to provide support for children in countries throughout the world including the U.S. It was a pleasure talking with Gary about his work for this wonderful organization during Reunion.

Chris Degnen recounted for several of us, at Friday Reunion dinner, his walk and bike trip along the Camino de Santiago, a nearly 500-mile walk on a legendary pilgrimage route through the Galicia region of northwestern Spain rich in medieval culture.

Tom Allen reports that he and his wife, Gayle, are happily retired in the San Diego area. Tom has been volunteering with the San Diego Police Department and enjoys coming to the aid of citizens with health crises, stranded vehicles, and more.

I wish I had the space to share all the wonderful conversations I had during Reunion. Please share yours by emailing your thoughts about Reunion and other news to Cornellians associate editor Alexandra Bond ’12 ( email Alex ) or by submitting an online news form .

There will be even more interesting experiences to share at our next Reunion, so mark your calendars for our 60th, June 7–10, 2029, and be there! Best regards: ❖ Alan Cody ( email Alan ) | Class website | Alumni Directory .

I’m writing this the second week of July, in the spare bedroom of a dear friend who is putting me up (or putting up with me), while my kitchen is demolished and rebuilt as the final piece in a home refurbishing. Amazing how one cannot really exist without a kitchen!

I was recently in Ithaca for what proved to be a rainy Reunion. After returning home, I thought I might not have enough responses from classmates for this Class of 1970 column. How wrong I was!

First, a bit about Reunion. This year was the 45th Reunion of my Johnson School MBA program. Being retired, and not being a practicing corporado anymore, very few of the Johnson activities were of much interest. In fact, prior to arriving in Ithaca, I had planned only to be at the class picture-taking session for individual Johnson classes. In addition, only three individual classmates, including me, attended! One of the others was an old acquaintance, and an undergrad from another university, and had little knowledge of the breadth of activities a Cornell Reunion offers. So we joined forces, and off we went.

One very interesting advantage was the fact that Larry ’69 and Nancy Jenkins Krablin ’69 were the registrars for their class Reunion. Larry was a roommate of mine many years ago and gave me some leeway to attend some of their events and experience their headquarters in very new facilities on North Campus. Others from our class were there as the official “shadows” in preparation for our own 55th Reunion next year, so they will have a full plate of activities for us!

Be aware that our class Reunion is now less than a year away. If you have any thoughts or ideas, and wish to be involved or to volunteer, contact Sally Anne Levine , JD ’73, our class president. Find her contacts (and others’) through the Alumni Directory . Hope to see many of you in 2025!

Fred Piscop ’70 is a renowned crossword puzzle creator and the inheritor of the legacy of Split Decision Puzzles.

Fred Piscop (Bellmore, NY), renowned crossword puzzle creator and the inheritor of the legacy of Split Decision Puzzles from his schoolteacher George Bredehorn, was recently a guest on an Australian podcast, Wide Open Air Exchange . Fred noted that he never knew anyone down there had heard of him!

Howard Rosenof (Newton, MA) is another engineer responding to my continuing question about classmates staying in engineering. The following is an outline of his varied experiences. “I’ve enjoyed forays into management, teaching, marketing, and consulting, but never strayed too far or too long from hands-on engineering. After Cornell I got an MSEE from Northeastern and I went to work designing electrical control systems for nuclear power plants. Pressures from environmental groups and cheap oil led me to conclude that I didn’t have much of a future in nuclear, so I moved on to design controls for chemical plants. (Some environmentalists have since acknowledged that nuclear power can help mitigate climate change, and interest in the field seems to be increasing.)

“I developed a particular interest in one type of chemical plant that had a reputation for being difficult to control, leading to numerous articles and speaking engagements, teaching opportunities in the U.S. and Europe, co-authorship of the first published book on the subject, and an international award. After that, about halfway through my career, I switched to artificial intelligence and its applications to process control, working for two companies prominent in the field, and again traveling a lot. In retirement, I wrote my second book, Engineering, Your Career , published in 2022. It combines insights I gathered over more than 40 years, with extensive research. There’s only one review on Amazon, but I’ve gotten a great deal of positive feedback privately.”

And lastly, I need to mention yet again one of our most amazing classmates (and yet another engineer), Robert Langer (Newton, MA). He was recently awarded the Kavli Prize in Nanoscience given by the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters. His award was for improving drug delivery through nanoparticles, which translated into applications that developed mRNA vaccines for COVID-19. Read his entire story here .

As always, you may contact me directly (see below) or you may use the University’s standard online news form . ❖ John Cecilia, MBA ’79 ( email John ) | Alumni Directory .

Nina Gordon Schwartz was delighted to have a painting in the June Art League Landscape Exhibit , a juried exhibition at the Torpedo Factory Art Center in Alexandria, VA’s Old Town. Professionally, Nina owns Impulse Graphics, where she’s a graphic designer and art director. Her work has been in advertising, book design, and direct mail design—including corporate branding and collateral materials that express each company’s mission and philosophy.

We are grateful for Marcia Wities Orange ’s Reunion report. She loves the Continuous Reunion Club (CRC) and encourages others to join. For her, this year’s highlight was seeing the New York Times ’ Andrew Ross Sorkin ’99 and to discover him to be a fellow communication arts major. She adds that it was fun to catch up with classmates Dot Preisner Valachovic , Holly Person Flynn , Arthur Mintz , and John Henrehan , BS ’76.

In April, Marcia enjoyed Cornell’s Adult University’s theater weekend in Manhattan, along with Elisabeth Kaplan Boas and Art Spitzer . Marcia will return to CAU in Ithaca in July for a weeklong CAU class that Elisabeth will also attend.

The online news form has been useful to a growing number of us. Do consider using it for your own news, please.

Mike Kubin and his wife, Nancy Chemtob, continue to live in Manhattan. There, a bunch of friends met in his apartment when Cliff Essman visited from Baltimore. Cliff’s wife, Sue, was at the party, too, as were Jerry and Aimee Goldstein Ostrov ’72 , Ted , JD ’74, and Michelle Grossman , Stu and Hilary Oran , and Danny Bernstein ’70 . Amazingly, this group of friends met on the Hill some 56 years ago. These days, Mike enjoys traveling, writing, playing bass guitar, and hanging out with his grandkids. He’s still working at Invidi, the world’s leading provider of addressable television technology. They sold it to AT&T in 2018 and are looking to buy it back.

Howard Jacobson and Jona live in Rochester and enjoy traveling when he isn’t working. He works part time advising entrepreneurs as well as startup and early-stage businesses. He believes his undergraduate opportunities to explore are, in part, what allowed his curiosity to expand—and thus his entrepreneurial spirit to grow.

Thomas Nally remains among the ranks of those who plan never to retire. He continues to serve as senior advisor for A Better City, going into the office five days a week. He and wife Susan Brownlee make Brookline, MA, home, where he’s president of his neighborhood association and active in other civic roles. Reflecting on how Cornell affected his life trajectory, he adds that Cornell reinforced and supported its shape from before—and ever since—undergraduate days.

Nina Gordon Schwartz ’71 was delighted to have a painting in the June Art League Landscape Exhibit.

Also a consultant active in his field, Alan Miller writes from Rockville, MD, where he lives with his wife, Sue O’Hara ’72 , BA ’71. Al consults for the International Finance Corp. and is founder of a new venture fund. Both aim to promote sustainable cooling solutions. His book manuscript, based on his career in climate change and ozone depletion, is currently out for review by the University of Virginia Press.

After a successful career mostly in management consulting (including Deloitte, KPMG, EDS, and SAS), Gary Cokins is partly retired, he writes from Cary, NC. He gives training webinar courses mostly to accountants. He and his wife, Patricia Monseaux Tower ’67 , have two grandsons, 20 and 22. He asks, how cool is it that the 22-year-old just started with Boeing in Houston with the International Space Station on preventive maintenance? Taking stock, he believes his operations research and industrial engineering bachelor’s taught him how to think systematically. He’s written 10 books; you can learn more at his website .

Still another classmate who is not retired: Jeff Punim works three days a week from Long Beach, CA, where he and Donna make their home. He has time for golf, tennis, cycling, and travel to Southeast Asia and France.

Margaret “Molly” Mead is on the faculty at Amherst College. She and her wife, Carole Bull, have been married more than 20 years and enjoy taking long walks (which they call forest bathing). How has attending Cornell changed her life course? Molly shares that after the student takeover of Willard Straight Hall, when she joined others to surround the building, she went the next year (her junior year) to a small town in Pennsylvania to talk about the Vietnam War.

Jim Newman , MD ’75, lives in Wynnewood, PA. His enjoyment derives from three disparate things: writing, ice hockey, and his four grandchildren. He loved his first and second careers. Then, retired, divorced, and with grandchildren on the way, he was hit hard by the pandemic’s isolation and illness. He gave his soul over to writing and loves it. He’s written an unpublished medical satire and a self-published memoir. After that, even more: a genre-bending fiction trilogy is soon to have a fourth in the series. All are identifiable by the protagonist, Gabriel. In retirement, he adds, he is working on writing—and the wash, dishes, grocery shopping, filling out questionnaires, and answering wrong numbers. He says he would never have been as intuitive, empathetic, funny, engaged in the world, and fascinated by everything had he not gone to Cornell.

Dianne Holmes , MS ’74 (Vancouver, WA) retired last September. She enjoys gardening, travel, and hanging out with her friends. Credentials from an Ivy League school, including the scientific master’s, opened many doors for her.

Regarding your 75th birthday: Most of us will have seen this milestone—or will soon see it—and the class is having a virtual get-together and toast Saturday, September 21. Remember, there will be swag for ’71-ers who register in time . After registering, you will receive a confirmation email including login details for our Zoom celebration. Questions? Please email: 1971AtCornell@gmail.com . ❖ Elisabeth Kaplan Boas ( email Elisabeth ) | Cara Nash Iason ( email Cara ) | Alumni Directory .

Fellow classmates, this is Wes Schulz , ME ’73, one of three class correspondents who produce this column. We appreciate your input. Our senior class correspondent, Alex Barna , is stepping down from his scribe position—taking a “permanent sabbatical,” he says. Alex has faithfully served the Class of 1972 for many, many years. We appreciate his efforts and offer him a deeply felt thank you.

From Trumbull, CT, Richard Girouard reports that after 52 years, he is still doing (and still thoroughly enjoying) his restaurant consulting projects. However, the COVID years were tough. He started serving on the Trumbull Inland Wetlands & Watercourses Commission in 2000 and has been its chairman for the last 20 years. He also is a justice of the peace. Attending Cornell changed his life’s trajectory from the original plan to be a cinematographer. His girlfriend’s father (who graduated from Cornell under Dean Robert Beck ’42 , PhD ’54) thought the restaurant business would be a better profession, since Richard had grown up in it. “My girlfriend’s father gave me good advice.”

Clifford Hendry reports from Pittsburgh, PA, that he and wife Jean have three children and nine grandchildren who all live nearby and are doing well. He keeps busy with daily exercise classes and attending the various sports activities of the grandchildren. Cliff’s other activities include tutoring first graders to improve their reading skills. He also has a fun job delivering flowers for a friend’s business—and business is booming these days.

Reflecting on his time on the Hill, Cliff wrote, “I had an incredible Cornell experience. I played quarterback on the 1971 Ivy championship team. I was second string, but our awesome first-string quarterback, Mark Allen ’74 , got hurt early in the game against Penn at Franklin Field in Philadelphia. It was our last game. We had to win to get our first Ivy championship. I came off the bench and had the best game of my career. We won 41-13. I was presented with the game ball afterwards in the locker room. The lesson is: don’t quit because you are not playing. Have perseverance. Ed Marinaro broke the NCAA rushing record and was my good friend and still is today.”

Jim Vaughn and wife Julie are in Hilton Head Island, SC. He is a third-generation Cornellian. What brings him the most satisfaction these days? “Being able to embrace life on my terms and in my time with family and friends.” He is monitoring the Cornell Free Speech Alliance and says he agrees with their efforts. Jim serves on a public service board that is a leader in reclaimed water and sound water practice.

From their longtime home in Walpole, MA, Charley Rayner , ME ’73, and wife Cindy are enjoying the retirement life. He was a season ticket holder for hockey as a student and still keeps up with the Cornell hockey news. Charley retired in 2011 partly because he got tired of all the business travel during his civil engineering career. His three children are all married with houses and kids. Erik works in wealth management and lives close by in Needham, MA, with wife Bridget and sons Henry and Will. Brett and wife Claire and their kids Nevin and Willa are in Washington, DC. Lindsay and husband Tom live in the same Walpole neighborhood as Charley. Their daughter Charlotte is the youngest grandchild and is called Charli. I am guessing that she might be getting some extra attention from her grandfather.

Irwin Rosenfeld writes that he is still active in theater. He has performed in 20 plays or musicals since 2019. He has also been singing in a choir since he retired in 2016. He enjoys spending time with his six grandchildren who live near Seattle and Nashville. He related that attending Cornell converted him from being a math major to going pre-med, which eventually led to a successful career in psychiatry.

I played quarterback on the 1971 Ivy championship team. I was second string—I came off the bench and had the best game of my career. We won 41-13. Clifford Hendry ’72

Here is a request from two of our classmates. Charles Tetrault and Jerry Schulz started a project of trying to remember everyone on their freshman floor, including their room numbers and hometowns. While they have made significant progress, if you lived in U-Hall 4, second floor, in 1968–69, please drop them a note ( email Charles and Jerry ).

When they sent this request to me, I wrote back with the following: “I have a memory from my Cornell engineering days of taking ‘Mechanical Drawing.’ I sat at a drafting table next to someone else named ‘Schulz.’ This person would complete the drawing assignment effortlessly in 35 minutes. I would spend two hours scribbling and erasing furiously. I am sure this other person got an A grade, whereas I just barely passed. Skip forward a few years to when I was working for an engineering firm in Boston. The draftsmen were on strike. Management had some of the younger engineers go work on the drawing boards to keep production going. I did not want to do this, so I kept my transcript handy. It showed a grade of D+ for me in ‘Mechanical Drawing.’ Fortunately for all concerned, I was not called upon to work on the drafting table.”

Jerry replied to complete the story: “Yes, I was the one who was in the class with you. I had not thought of this class in decades. I remember that I was pretty good at the class, which was back in the era of T-squares and triangles. Except I had an unfair advantage, which is that at the urging of my grandfather I had taken a mechanical drawing class in high school, so I had a big head start. I did get an A, which was one of only two in four years of college.

“My only other A was in ‘Computers and Programming,’ which is a bit freaky—I never realized this until now. I switched from engineering to Arts and Sciences as a government major. Upon graduation, I forgot about engineering and computers and went to work for six years as an elementary school teacher. But then I made a career change and went into computer work in government and nonprofits, which I did for the rest of my career. And this has occasionally involved some graphics work which I continue to enjoy. (Thanks, Grandpa!) So, as they say, no experience or learning is irrelevant.”

Thank you to all who have written in. Keep the news coming! As always, you may contact one of us directly, or use the University’s online news form . ❖ Wes Schulz , ME ’73 ( email Wes ) | Frank Dawson ( email Frank ) | Susan Farber Straus ( email Susan ) | Alumni Directory .

So many retirement stories—I’m feeling left out. Michael Ciaraldi lives in Shrewsbury, MA, and is five years into retirement, pursuing his avocation as author and playwright. (You can find his plays on this site , which requires a membership.) He and wife Angelina spend time with family and, of course, their chihuahua. Medical issues forced him to skip the 50th Reunion, but on his Share Your News form he wrote that his time at Cornell “affects every aspect of my life,” so he intends to make it to the 55th in 2028. As do we all!

George Mitchell II lives in North Rose, NY, working as a part-time farmer, coaching track, and spending time with kids, grandkids, and his dad, now 97, a graduate of the Cornell Class of ’50!

Terry Richmond lives in a cottage in Ottawa with husband Doug and family, part of a gang of close friends who go for long walks in the countryside. They welcomed a group of Syrian refugees to Ottawa last May. One of her sons is curator of the Canadian Canoe Museum in Peterborough, ON, which stewards the world’s largest collection of paddled watercraft—and we’re all invited to visit! Terry reports spending a “frightening amount of time” reading the news and fretting over it. I feel the same way—the news from Cornell and other campuses over the past few months brought flashbacks of freshman year—but it sounds like she’s also helping where she can. She credits Cornell with widening her world to include different cultures and causes.

Nancy Dworkin Miller is now retired and lives in Jersey City with husband Jerry. She finally has time for visits with her family, which now includes seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Between visits there’s time for reading, jazz concerts, festivals, acoustic guitar lessons, and even a little paid consulting. Did attending Cornell change her life’s trajectory? “Absolutely,” she says, “by emphasizing critical thinking and communication skills.”

Charles Camisa continues to practice dermatology part time in Naples, FL; between patients he spends time reading, writing, taking CAU courses, and traveling. His youngest daughter, Kristen, was married last April. As for Cornell’s influence on his life, it was where he realized that his dream of being a vet was not to be—upon entering the barn and finding he was allergic to the animals. But like any good Cornellian, he adapted and switched to pre-med. I had a similar epiphany, discovering after my first few stair-climbs as a chimesmaster that I was more suited to the Glee Club.

Cornell was where dermatologist Charles Camisa ’73 realized that his dream of being a vet was not to be—upon entering the barn and finding he was allergic to the animals.

Donald Partridge lives with his wife, Pat, in Batavia, NY, raising and exhibiting their famous Brown Swiss cows with help from their six grandkids. He also makes hay, sells sweet corn at their roadside stand, and has traveled to every state in the lower 48, adding Alaska in June.

Here in Seattle, Bill McAleer , MBA ’75, is still a partner with Voyager Capital. Voyager incubates the tech companies that have turned this city from a hub for lumber and airplanes into the digital cerebellum of the American economy. He has a knack for helping entrepreneurs through their ups and downs, and fortunately the ups have outnumbered the downs. He reports that the companies they’ve backed over the past 25 years are now worth about $10 billion. He and Colleen (McGinn) ’74 have three grandkids who I’m guessing will learn that when Grandpa talks, they would do well to listen.

Louis “Dusty” Profumo , MBA ’74, lives in Atlanta with wife Anita. He retired last year at age 71 after 25+ years in the restaurant business, and joined the board of American Franchise Capital, which operates 89 Taco Bell and 45 Applebee’s franchises. I’m guessing his five grandkids always have a place to meet Grandpa for lunch! He also has a 19-year-old son at Georgia Tech looking to be a “helluva engineer.” Dusty credits Cornell for changing the direction of his life and providing lifelong friends.

I plan to retire from radio at the end of the year. That would mark 55 years since my first paid job at WVIP (RIP) in Mount Kisco, NY. To prepare myself, I’ve moved to a four-day week, which leaves more time to fix things at our beach house and to practice my book-reading skills. Unlike my fellow English majors, I was never good at long-form reading—in the early ’70s you could often find me hopelessly asleep in the Uris stacks, but I’m getting better at it and can proudly report that I’ve hacked and slashed through 473 pages of the complete works of Charles Dickens on my Kindle. I should finish around the time our light-rail system is completed. ❖ Dave Ross ( email Dave ) | Phyllis Haight Grummon ( email Phyllis ) | Pam Meyers ( email Pam ) | Alumni Directory .

This edition is being written in the aftermath of our 50th Reunion, which was another record-breaker for our Notable Class. Since then, you’ve undoubtably read the follow-up emails detailing all that transpired. My personal highlight (prior to the Saturday night dinner—see below) was the mini-reunion of some of my WVBR colleagues from our class, reliving our DJ days when we went back on the air live on WVBR 93.5 FM (and streamed worldwide on wvbr.com ) from our class headquarters at Ruth Bader Ginsburg Hall Friday night, playing the favorite songs that you sent in. It was great to again hear Angel Harper (Sounds of Blackness), Larry Kleinman (weekday mornings), Dan Boyle , MRP ’77 (overnights), and Zack Mosner (Salt Creek), along with me (Saturday mornings). (You may have seen my recap post on our class Facebook page or the “DJ Telescoped” audio recording .) So I asked them to tell us what they have been doing since 1974 and received the following:

Angel Harper, a former elementary school teacher and standup comic with a brown belt in karate, is a vested member of SAG-AFTRA and has been very busy in the Los Angeles area as an actress, voice-over talent, and studio teacher on many productions. For example, she has worked with Brat Studios, American Experience’s “Fly With Me,” AFI’s “Hole in the Wall” and “Echoes of Greatness,” among others.

Larry Kleinman replied that he did “eight more years of radio, including six as the morning man at WLIR-FM on Long Island, and stints at WIOQ in Philadelphia and WNEW-FM in New York and 30+ years owning (and eventually selling) a small software development/IT consulting firm. Along with my wife of 42 years, Sally, we raised two wonderful daughters, one of whom gave us our first grandchild in 2023. For the past seven years, I’ve been a docent at the USS Intrepid , still floating in NY harbor (the ship, not me). For the past 11 years I’ve been an EMT crew chief, where I spend a lot of time on an ambulance taking people older than me to the hospital, and occasionally actually saving someone’s life.”

Dan Boyle offered this summary: “1976: skipped the last semester of grad school (City Planning in Sibley Hall) for a fellowship with the NYS Assembly; talked my way into weekend work at WQBK-FM. 1977: just about ran out of money when a full-time position opened; did overnights for a year (the best!); moved to late night and eventually to midday. 1980: couldn’t see myself taking requests for ‘Free Bird’ when I was 30, so got a real job using my degree at NYS Department of Transportation; my mom was happy! 1987: moved to the NYC area to work at the city’s transit authority in operations planning. 2000: after various twists and turns in Tampa and San Diego, I started my own transit consulting firm. Cornell taught me how to think, but WVBR taught me how to talk, and that was the most useful skill in my career.”

Cornell taught me how to think, but WVBR taught me how to talk. Dan Boyle ’74, MRP ’77

Zack Mosner said, “I gave up on big city living after about 45 years in the Seattle area and moved to beautiful Anacortes, in the San Juan Islands in Washington State. Retired in 2017 after almost 25 years with the Washington State Attorney General, having created a Bankruptcy and Collections Unit. A highlight? Winning a test case at the U.S. Supreme Court. With wife Patty for over 19 years, we have six kids between us and seven grandkids—so far!”

Speaking of Reunion stories, my fellow correspondent, Molly Miller Ettenger , reports, “ Walter Grote was an alternate on the U.S. Olympic wrestling team in ’76, then won the U.S. National Freestyle Championship in ’78. His daughter Skylar Grote was at the U.S. Olympic trials for wrestling while we were at Reunion! Walter and Skylar are the only father and daughter to have both won the U.S. National Freestyle Championships!” Congratulations to both!

Perry Jacobs sent in three Reunion-related links for your consideration: A Cornell (thank) U podcast episode with Peter Kaplan ; a Cornell video recording titled “Walter LaFeber: A Half-Century of Friends, Foreign Policy, and Great Losers (2006)”, where he talks about how he ended up at Cornell and other personal matters prior to the lecture; and an Ithaca Voice article titled “Gallery: See what’s under construction near Cornell this spring.”

Finally, this will be my last Class Notes column. Back when Dale Lazar , JD ’77, became class president 10 years ago, Jack Jay Wind and Elizabeth “Betsy” Moore were stepping down as class correspondents. So I was recruited, on behalf of our class, by Steve Piekarec , who, along with Dale, were past presidents of the Cornell Club of Washington, of which I have been a longtime member. Also recruited was Lucy Babcox Morris , and we joined Helen Bendix , BA ’73, who was continuing as a correspondent. We three worked together until Helen retired in early 2018, at which time Lucy and I split the assignment. When Shelley Cosgrove DeFord became class president five years ago, she asked us if we could recommend someone for the third slot, and Lucy suggested Molly Ettenger, who accepted. We three then worked together until Lucy stepped down at the end of 2022. Since then, Molly and I have been splitting these columns. However, at our class dinner Saturday night at Reunion, I was honored to be introduced as our new class president. So, going forward, I will be communicating with you from that position. Stay tuned for Molly’s next column with further details about our new class correspondents.

We thank all for their contributions and invite you to continue to send in your news. ❖ Jim Schoonmaker ( email Jim ) | Molly Miller Ettenger ( email Molly ) | Alumni Directory .

Another cool summer’s day in Orlando as I write this. At least inside it is! Here is the news. Elizabeth Grover is still enjoying (and excelling at) tennis—and looking forward to #50 next year. (Can anyone reading this believe it?) She was one of nine Pi Phi’s—along with Nancy Hargrove Meislahn , Gwenn Tannenbaum Canfield , Ann Goodrich Edgerton , Ellen Roche , Joanne Meder , Leslie Hudson , Elaine Johnson Ayres , and Ann Van Valkenburg Hammer —who got together in Savannah (“a bit steamy”).

Rodney Brooks has published The Rise and Fall of the Freedman’s Savings Bank : And Its Lasting Socio-Economic Impact On Black America (Spiramus Press, March 12, 2024). The book tells the story of the bank created just after the end of the Civil War to provide an opportunity for formerly enslaved and Black war veterans to save and gain financial knowledge. Sometimes known as the nation’s first “Black bank,” the bank was created by the U.S. Congress with little oversight and controlled by a board composed of 50 white men. The bank failed just nine years later, done in by incompetence, corruption, and a worldwide depression. With that failure came the loss of the savings of its most vulnerable customers—the newly freed slaves who had trusted the Freedman’s Bank with their life savings. It was crippling; it left 61,144 depositors with losses of nearly $3 million (more than $80 million today). Rodney is retired deputy managing editor, money, at USA Today .

Celebrating 70th birthdays: Kim Solworth Merlino and her husband celebrated her 70th by traveling from their home in New Jersey to San Francisco, where one of their sons lives with his family. Their other son and his wife also flew across the country to meet them for a long weekend. “We had a lovely birthday meal at a restaurant my husband and I had taken them to when our boys were seven and 10 years old.”

Ruth Zafren Ruskin threw herself a 70th birthday party/celebration of “beating cancer a third time”—a wine, cheese, and dessert party, which about 100 family members, friends, and colleagues attended. “We had Ruth-themed Broadway entertainment by daughter Diana’s musical theater group, Shenandoah Cabaret, and I was awarded the ‘Granny’ Lifetime Achievement Award in Living! My award looked a lot like a bobble-head figure of Hillary Clinton remade to look like me.” The party was a fundraiser for JSSA, a nonprofit health and welfare organization that serves the greater Washington, DC, area, of which Ruth is president of the board.

Geoffrey Gyrisco reports, “For my 70th birthday, in below-freezing early-January Wisconsin, I celebrated by bringing big fresh-baked muffins and chocolate cookies to my favorite outdoor airsoft field, for whoever showed up that day. My shots, hitting a far more skilled player, were the final shots of the day.”

Ruth Zafren Ruskin ’75 threw herself a celebration of ‘beating cancer a third time’—which about 100 family members, friends, and colleagues attended.

David Fischell , PhD ’80, describes himself as “an inventor and an engineer at heart.” This is undoubtedly an understatement. He has started 14 medical technology startups, where he served 25 years as CEO, with 15 of his medical products receiving FDA approvals, and he led a 1986 Bell Labs Intrapreneurship Venture creating the forerunner to GoTo Meeting and Zoom. He also holds 198 U.S. patents as of late 2023 and was instrumental in supporting the creation of the Department of Biomedical Engineering at Cornell, now the Meinig School of Biomedical Engineering (BME).

In another understatement, David reports, “I get bored, so I need to have projects that keep me engaged in creating new technologies, especially when they involve learning.” He created the technology and design of what became the world’s first drug-eluting stent (for Johnson & Johnson); the responsive neurostimulator (RNS) system, which is implanted cranially to identify and treat epileptic seizures; and the Guardian, an implantable cardiac monitor that can warn high-risk heart attack survivors about future heart attacks. All are FDA-approved. David, thank you. You have saved a lot of lives.

And I do want to quote David here on what I think is excellent advice for current students: “Pick something you like and follow it until something better comes up. Once you are at your first job, begin by knocking it out of the park to establish your reputation. As you continue, learn as much as you can about what is going on in your organization, and when you find a problem that is important and interests you, ask your boss if you can take it on. Once this happens, you will rarely ever be given work, and instead, you will lead the direction of your future. Always be looking for something important where you can make a difference.”

On a personal note, I am thrilled (and so moved) to report that my daughter Briana and her boyfriend, Evan, were accepted by the Johnson School at Cornell and will be pursuing their MBAs starting this August. And my younger daughter, Arielle, just finished her second year at University of Miami Law School. She is showing serious skills both in pre-trial litigation and on her feet in mock trials. ❖ Mitch Frank ( email Mitch ) | Joan Pease ( email Joan ) | Deb Gellman , MBA ’82 ( email Deb ) | Karen DeMarco Boroff ( email Karen ) | Alumni Directory .

It was great to hear from Lynda Gavigan Halttunen in Carlsbad, CA. She writes, “This year I have re-connected with Steven Leigh ’73 , BS ’75. He lives in Florida, and I live in California. After nearly 50 years we still have so much to be thankful for. There IS life after 70 and grand adventures in this new chapter. I’m happy, healthy, and grateful.” She adds that she has been “traveling from California to Florida, New York, Ireland, and Iceland (so far this year).”

Bill Hanavan and I have also had an exciting year so far. In March, we took a Road Scholar trip to the Grand Canyon so that Bill could see it for the first time. Here in Cleveland, we were in the path of totality for the solar eclipse and, within a month, also had a rare and fabulous view of the Northern Lights. Both were firsts for me, and they were stunning! Bill spent the spring planting trees with his gang at Heights Tree People (now a proper nonprofit), and we went up to Nova Scotia to see spring choir and drama performances by our 10-year-old granddaughter, Hilda. We’re planning an all-family get-together in Michigan in August to celebrate this year when Bill and I turn a combined 140.

How are you celebrating your landmark birthday? We’d love to hear all your news that’s fit to print! ❖ Pat Relf Hanavan ( email Pat ) | Lisa Diamant ( email Lisa ) | Alumni Directory .

I hope everyone enjoyed the summer. We’ve received little news from all of you in recent months, so no doubt life is keeping everyone busy. As a result, this column will be brief—but I hope you’ll soon be writing to share what, and how, you’ve been doing.

I spent May traveling with friends in Europe, visiting some new destinations as well as old favorites in Austria, Germany, Hungary, and Poland. The trip was centered around cities filled with history, amazing architecture, great restaurants, and lots of classical music. And we did see plenty of beautiful scenery along the way. I’m happy to say that I finally made it to Prague, which has long been on my bucket list, and was not disappointed. Next up is a trip to Peru in October with Cornell Alumni Travel. This will be my second trip with the Alumni Travel group. My first experience was a safari trip to South Africa in 2017, which was outstanding. Traveling with fellow alums of all ages and backgrounds added a special connection to the adventure and created lifetime memories. I’m hoping the Peru experience will be as wonderful.

Sheryl Checkman is keeping busy in New York City. She writes that she is semi-retired but still takes on the occasional design project and sells her photography online . In addition, Sheryl has been doing background acting for the last six years and joined SAG in 2021. Since the pandemic, Sheryl has become a bird photographer. She notes, “We call ourselves ‘pandemic birders.’” Photography and nature have brought her much satisfaction and joy.

We enjoy hearing from you and having the opportunity to share your stories with our fellow classmates. Please keep all of your news and views coming in via the online news form . ❖ Mary Flynn ( email Mary ) | Howie Eisen ( email Howie ) | Alumni Directory .

Greetings, classmates! Some ’78ers had so much fun at last year’s Reunion that they attended this year’s as well. Pat Reilly , Angela DeSilva , Mary Bowler , Melinda Dower , and Debbie Downes , MD ’82, attended through the Continuous Reunion Club (CRC). Cynthia Kubas accompanied Paul Varga ’79 to his 45th Reunion. In all, 20 classmates were in attendance, either through CRC, other classes, or affinity groups.

Beth Cooper Kubinec and husband John , JD ’73 , attended the Chesterton House NYC Conference at Cornell Tech the weekend after Reunion. Their youngest son, Jack ’23 , lived there for three years. For those who are not familiar with this residence, Chesterton House is a center for Christian studies at Cornell. The men live in the former Delta Phi Epsilon house on the Knoll and the women live next door in what used to be the Treman residence. (Disclosure: I was a member of D Phi E and lived in the house for two years.) Beth writes, “We have noticed that just when your kids get old enough to be civilized and actually interesting to be around, they move away and someone else gets to enjoy the results of all your hard work.” Steve Kesselman , JD ’81, attended a moving ceremony in Ithaca in April, where Zeta Beta Tau—the fraternity he shared with his late son, Samuel ’23 , BS ’22—dedicated its Chapter Room in memory of Sam, its former president, who passed away a year earlier as a result of vehicular homicide.

More travel of the non-Cornell variety: Gary Holcomb and wife Julie took a week-long vacation to Northern California. “We spent the first half of the trip in San Francisco, seeing the Japanese Tea Garden, Coit Tower, museums, Fisherman’s Wharf, and Giants and A’s baseball games, plus the Oakland Zoo and obligatory cable car rides. We went to Napa Valley for the balance of the trip, complete with wine tastings and great food.”

I saw the official last concert of David Bromberg, whose fantastic blues I first heard in Ithaca. Stephanie Mitchell ’78, JD ’80

Stephanie Mitchell , JD ’80, writes from the Orkney Islands, “I’ve now been living in Orkney for six months, sneaking up on but never quite reaching retirement. I am heading the international trade policy team for the chief veterinary officer in the Scottish Government, which means trying to make the new post-E.U. exit borders work in the interests of Scotland’s agrifood sector. It’s my third civil service after U.S. and E.U. and I’m thoroughly enjoying being grumpy in the service of Scotland. In 2023 I was fortunate to be able to visit the U.S. just long enough to catch up in person with Annie Wong ’77 and the family of Paul Rohrlich , two of my closest friends from the Hill. I also saw the official last concert of David Bromberg, whose fantastic blues I first heard in Ithaca at the summer program between my junior and senior years of high school. I’ve also been glad to hear from Cliff Cockerham and Peter Halamek ’77 , ME ’79, fellow survivors of Clara Dickson and ILC, respectively.”

Rick Schwartz writes: “After 38 years with the strategic value advisory practice at Kroll, a global financial and risk advisory firm, I transitioned to senior advisor, supporting projects of my choosing out of our Silicon Valley location. I continue to pursue my passion for triathlons (40+ races since 2008) and co-lead one of California’s largest and most active triathlon clubs. On long, hard workouts I’m reminded of how I’d push myself through late-night endurance runs on snowy paths during Cornell winters.”

David Doupe and wife Beth moved to the San Francisco Bay Area in 2020 from Los Angeles to be closer to grandchildren. “When we arrived, we had two granddaughters from our son Andrew and his wife, Julie, and just recently our son Tom ’12 and his wife, Annie, had a baby boy! So we are two very happy grandparents!” David continues: “After 46 years in commercial real estate, I am retiring this summer. Given that the majority of my career has been on the road, I’ve had to assure my bride of 44 years that I will have plenty to keep me active! Which I will, between honing my golf skills and staying engaged via a few board seats.”

That’s it for this column. Keep those updates coming! ❖ Cindy Fuller , PhD ’92 ( email Cindy ) | Ilene Shub Lefland ( email Ilene ) | Alumni Directory .

We are thrilled to feature this Reunion report, written by guest columnist and class president Mary Maxon Grainger , MPS ’87:

I’m glowing after an enjoyable 45th Reunion, and I was feeling particularly grateful for all the Class of ’79 volunteers when I agreed to write this column!

We had 200 classmates together in Ithaca and another 60 guests participating in class, college and unit, affinity group, and university activities. This is the size gathering that was anticipated for the 45th, so Reunion co-chairs Larry Stone and Cindy Green hit the mark with pricing, budgeting, venue size, souvenir ordering, etc.! (FYI it’s anticipated that we’ll double that for our 50th in June 2029.)

Larry, Cindy, and registration chair Larry Bunis are amazing volunteers who led the planning and production of this outstanding quinquennial celebration of our time as undergraduate students. Many other classmates pitched in to help decorate headquarters, greet at events, and cover other roles as needed; thanks to Marjory Appel , Jennifer Grabow Brito , Debra Doncov , Jeff Ford , Rich Friedman , Matt Frisch , Bob , MS ’80, and Stacy Buchler Holstein , Lon and Lisa Barsanti Hoyt , Sue Stein Klubock , Steve Magacs , Karen Mineo , Clarence Reed , Janet Goldin Rubin , Deb Seidman , Ginger So , and Nancy Sverdlik . Kudos go to Mike Curran and Margie Wang , who organized optional Friday midday activities, including winetasting with lunch at a local winery. Brad Grainger cheerfully assisted me, Mary Maxon Grainger, at several points during the weekend, and in advance.

’79ers were especially visible at several university events. Serving to introduce programs were Jeff Weiss at our Democratic Resilience Globally program, Scott Zelov , MBA ’81, at a College of Arts and Sciences talk, and Ginger So at the Olin Lecture in Bailey Hall and via livestream. Ambassador Dwight Bush discussed Democratic Resilience Globally with two faculty members of the Cornell Brooks School of Public Policy with support from Stephanie Jacqueney . Provost Michael Kotlikoff (who will be interim president by the time this column is published) visited our dinner on Thursday and conversed with attendees.

Our 45th Reunion class photo was taken during Friday’s reception and dinner at the Newman Arena (in Bartels Hall, where basketball and volleyball are played). Since there’s a jumbotron there, the class meeting was presented via a brief video with membership news from Margie Wang, a fundraising update from Mark Wilson , MBA ’80, nomination of the 2024–29 officers by Jeff Weiss, and recognition of the Reunion leadership and retiring class officers by me. It can be viewed here and the updated leadership is listed here . Retiring class officers and the Reunion leaders were thanked aloud and on signs on the dinner tables. (In addition to Larry, Cindy, and Larry, thanks go out to Steve Bronfenbrenner , Carol French Ducommun , MBA ’85, Danna Levy , Tom Rissman , Janet Rubin, and Cynthia Williams .) If you’re interested in getting involved with the class, please let me know!

At the Ithaca Farmers Market, Carolyn Clark ’79 regularly writes poetry for shoppers.

On Saturday evening, musical classmates performed during the “Redstock” concert, a relatively new Reunion tradition. Gary Dunn , Gregg Garfin , Casey Koulman , and Cathy “Cats” DeMarinis Mueller have been together in the band Your Mother starting in college. Lon Hoyt was the keyboardist for an outstanding jazz quintet. In Bailey Hall, Cornelliana Night featured traditional Cornell songs sung by alumni and students both on stage and seated, and Reunion successes were announced including our record-breaking donation campaign.

The Hangovers entertained us earlier at our Saturday reception. There were Hangovers alumni and Cayuga’s Waiters alumni singing at some of the university concerts and in sing-off style late Saturday in the Goldwin Smith Hall foyer. We don’t have a list of ’79ers who sang, but we know some like Mark Bauer cheered them on. We also don’t have a list of women’s crew members who rowed at the annual gathering on the Cayuga Lake inlet, but these men’s crew members were present: Jeff Bloom , MA ’92, Dave Boor , Craig Buckhout , MBA ’80, Dan “YT” Cheung , Ian Murray , Greg Strub , and William Winand . The Reunion 5K was held again on Saturday morning featuring Judy Ashby , Liz de Cognets Champagne , Dave Chisholm , Debra Duncov, Steve Kusmer , Cindy Lehrer , Gary Munk , and Henry Peck .

Wine was served at class receptions that was donated by our classmates with Finger Lakes wineries. Thanks very much to Fred Frank of Dr. Konstantin Frank and Dave Peterson of Swedish Hill.

Classmate Carolyn Clark is an Ithaca native who has returned to the community. After she signed copies of her poetry books at the Cornell Store on Saturday morning, she went to the Ithaca Farmers Market, where she regularly writes poetry for shoppers.

It’s also interesting to note where attendees traveled from. Tom Riley came the furthest from Honolulu, and Hilda Fritze-Vomvoris was second from Switzerland. Both traveled more than 4,000 miles. There were 51 from New York, 20 from New Jersey, 18 from Pennsylvania, 17 from Massachusetts, 11 each from California and Connecticut, and nine each from Florida and Maryland. In addition, two came from Canada, and there were 19 other states represented.

Our next columns will be composed by the class correspondents Larry Bunis , Linda Moses , and Cindy Ahlgren Shea . Please send them your news, including how you celebrated 45 years since graduation! ❖ Mary Maxon Grainger ( email Mary ) | Linda Moses ( email Linda ) | Cynthia Ahlgren Shea ( email Cynthia ) | Larry Bunis ( email Larry ) | Alumni Directory .

Send us some news. Anything! Our 45th Reunion is next year—let us publish some news beforehand to spark conversations. I’ve cajoled, I’ve begged, I’ve showered and changed my shirt, but nothing works. I have many memories of college days, but too many of my reminiscences involve painful recriminations and flashing blue lights, so maybe you should chime in. Sure, I could write only about myself, but nobody wants to see that.

Speaking of Reunion, you should mark your calendars and clear your schedule; it’s never too early. We are quickly approaching our Geritol and rubber pants years; our Reunion nametags will be in 300-point font and those dang kids working the front desk with their tattoos and hippity hop music will forget to brew the decaf, so gather ye rosebuds while ye may! Reunion is July 5–8, 2025.

Today’s guest columnist is Brian “Sandy” Curtis , who writes from Texas: “ Jill (Lonati) and I celebrated our 40th wedding anniversary last September. We met in seventh grade, attended Cornell together, and have lived happily ever after. In 2022, we were blessed with our first grandchild, and have another due later this year. I retired from Chevron two years ago after a wonderful time leading their environmental law group. We finished up that phase of our lives being expats in Singapore and Jakarta, and thoroughly enjoyed that part of the world. Since then, we have been enjoying some great travel experiences with family and friends. We are living in Houston, which we have called home for more than 30 years. We remain connected to Cornell, and I have recently caught up with some of my tennis teammates spread out around the U.S. Jill and I are always looking to reconnect with classmates, so please let us know if you are in the Houston area!”

Jill Lonati Curtis ’80 and I celebrated our 40th wedding anniversary last September. We met in seventh grade, attended Cornell together, and have lived happily ever after. Brian “Sandy” Curtis ’80

They met in seventh grade! They’re living happily ever after! Jeepers, people, they can’t be the only classmates with fascinating stories to share. Singapore and Jakarta! Maybe you’ve been there. Tell us about it. Tell us about the time you went to kill-a-keg at the Creeker and got lost walking home, even though it was only three blocks. Tell us about the hallucinations you had during a prelim because you stayed up three nights in a row. Heck, I can’t be the only one.

Okay, more about me. I’m Dik Saalfeld , married father of none, and I live in the stunning paradise of Vermont, where I spend my days observing critters and plants and wondering at the glory of it all. There’s a pond in the backyard and a lake across the street and the only activity our “security” cameras pick up is foxes raiding turtle nests, deer eating the daisies, bobcats chasing dinner, and the lady who delivers for Amazon. In April we had to travel almost 20 miles to a wildlife preserve to observe the eclipse within the zone of totality, and the weather was perfect—and it changed us forever.

Now it’s your turn. ❖ Dik Saalfeld ( email Dik ) | Chas Horvath, ME ’81 ( email Chas ) | David Durfee ( email David ) | Leona Barsky, MS ’81 ( email Leona ) | Alumni Directory .

Who can believe summer has passed and it is already fall? Doesn’t the time just go faster and faster? I spent the summer working, vacationing in Marblehead, MA, and getting my daughter ready and sent off to University of Florida for her freshman year! My son has transferred high schools and is attending Dreyfoos High School of the Arts for theater tech. And you? What is going on?

Emily Gross Eider tells us that, after raising their two children in Bethlehem, PA, she and her husband spent six years living near the Delaware beaches. They moved to Odenton, MD, to be closer to their daughters and grandson. Stephen Silvia grew up in Buffalo, NY, but now lives in Bethesda, MD, and teaches at American University. He told us that his freshman year he lived in U-Hall 5. While on campus he was involved with the Cornell Daily Sun and Phi Sigma Kappa. He also loved hanging out at Lynah Rink.

And on to the Big Apple, Timothy Matson , MBA ’87, is married to Deborah (Sopher) ’82 , MBA ’87. He is the chief investment officer at National Guardian Life Insurance Company. He grew up in Randolph, NY. Freshman year he lived in U-Hall 4. He was involved in Sage Chapel Choir and ZBT fraternity. We’ve come a long way!

Going south to Ocean Springs, MS, we find Richard Furr , project manager at Mississippi Power Company. He lived in Donlon Hall his freshman year and was involved with the sailing team. His areas of expertise are energy, electricity markets, renewable energy, solar, engineering, and electrical engineering. When he wasn’t in class, you could find him at the Stewart Avenue Co-op or the Nines. His favorite Big Red memories? “A 10-day hike in the Adirondacks as part of freshman orientation, a snowball fight late into the night after the first hard snow, and taking snow skiing as a PE class.”

And in the middle of the country, Alison Sherman Arkin and her husband, Mike ’80 , BS ’78, ME ’80, live in Beachwood, OH. Alison is senior vice president, leadership development at Ratliff & Taylor. She grew up in Elmira, NY, and lived in Donlon Hall her freshman year. She was involved with Human Ecology clubs.

Further west, Gary Tabor is an ecologist and wildlife veterinarian based in Bozeman, MT. He is the founder and president of the Center for Large Landscape Conservation , a support organization for large-scale conservation efforts. Gary is also chair of the IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas’ Connectivity Conservation Specialist Group, which connects 1,300 scientists across 130 countries.

Gary Tabor ’81 has worked on behalf of large landscape conservation internationally for over 40 years, on every continent without emperor penguins.

Gary has worked on behalf of large landscape conservation internationally for over 40 years, on every continent without emperor penguins. Gary’s conservation achievements include the establishment of Kibale National Park in Uganda; the establishment of the World Bank’s Mountain Gorilla Conservation Fund in Uganda; co-founding the Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative; pioneering the field of Conservation Medicine/One Health; co-founding Patagonia Company’s Freedom to Roam wildlife corridor campaign; and co-founding the Network for Landscape Conservation.

Gary is a recipient of the Australian American Fulbright Scholar award on Climate Change and the Henry Luce Scholar Award. He has academic affiliations with Cornell, the University of Wisconsin, Madison, the Salazar Center for North American Conservation at Colorado State University, and the University of Queensland, Australia. He is a member of the Conservation Committee of the National Aquarium in Baltimore. He was involved with the Cornell Outing Club while at school! It certainly helped him for where he is today!

Across the pond, we find Elise Kuebelbeck Johnson in London. Elise is an acupuncturist who grew up in Massapequa, NY. Her areas of expertise are healthcare, acupuncture, and shiatsu. When she wasn’t in class you could find her at Rulloff’s, Cabbagetown Café, and the gorges in the summer. She has enjoyed slowing down a bit with work, though she’s still practicing acupuncture and shiatsu and doing Zoom qigong teaching, which began during the pandemic. She enjoys time with her five children, who mainly live in London, and her wonderful barrister husband, Roddy.

And onto another continent, Jotaro Fujii is living in Tokyo, Japan, and is CEO of Fujii Consulting. His first year on campus he lived in Cascadilla Hall. He was involved in restaurant planning on campus. His areas of expertise are business, leadership, management consulting, and marketing. When he wasn’t in class, you could find him driving around Cayuga Lake!

Please do reach out to me and let me know how you are! I love to hear from my classmates, so drop a line. Stay healthy, enjoy life, and I hope to see you soon! ❖ Betsy Silverfine ( email Betsy ) | Alumni Directory .

Welcome to a wonderful fall season, a great time of year in Ithaca and a great time to reconnect with classmates. Hopefully, you enjoyed the summer and you had an opportunity to share some news and stories with us. We are an excellent vehicle for sharing information about you, your family, and your accomplishments. Please take advantage of this information distribution space and contact us as frequently as you can.

We received some uplifting and exciting news from one of our classmates in Virginia. Linda Harris Crovella has been busy with her legal career but also spends time with her growing family. Linda writes, “Since late September 2022, I have been an administrative law judge with the Federal Maritime Commission in Washington, DC, which I am enjoying so much that my retirement plans are on hold. One thing that may prompt me to retire is the birth of my first grandchild in February, Jackson, to my oldest son, Ben Crovella ’07 , and daughter-in-law Cassie, who live in Boston. I’ve visited several times since his birth and absolutely love snuggling with that little guy! Luckily, there are many flights between D.C. and Boston.”

In addition, Linda has been able to stay in touch with classmates. “Recently, I had lunch with my freshman-year roommate, Ingrid Hall Johnson . We try to get together every six months or so and have even traveled together to past Reunions. I also keep in touch with Ginny Pados Beutnagel , who still makes me laugh as much as she did in college!”

One of the most prolific writers in our class,  Henry Herz , reports that he has recently published his 12th picture book, titled  I Am Gravity . Henry notes the following about his latest publication: “What reaches everywhere and never tires? Pulling on feathers and galaxies alike? Holding the mighty Milky Way together? Gravity, of course! Told in lyrical, riddling, first-person narrative, gravity boasts of its essential role in life as we know it—from the pulling of the ocean’s tides to the vastness of the stars in the sky.” Best of luck, Henry, with your latest publication.

Please enjoy the fall season and keep in touch with your classmates. Stay well. ❖ Doug Skalka ( email Doug ) | Mark Fernau ( email Mark ) | Nina Kondo ( email Nina ) | Alumni Directory .

Hello, classmates! I hope we have all recovered from a HOT summer! Always looking for news from all of you. Here is what some of our classmates have been up to.

On May 12, three Cornell alums and pilots flew in the National Celebration of General Aviation D.C. Flyover—a parade of nearly 60 general aviation aircraft flying over D.C. for the first time in years. They are Eric Blinderman , Justine Harrison ’96 , and Jim Hauslein ’81 , MBA ’84, all Cornell grads and pilots. Sounds like an amazing sight, and since D.C. airspace has been restricted since 9/11, it was a unique opportunity for the pilots.

One of our class officers, Lynn Leopold , recently came back from an exciting trip to Portugal and Spain. Hiking El Camino de Santiago was a highlight.

Paul Beedle reports from Little Rock, AR, where he is celebrating his 25th year as a parish minister, currently serving at the Unitarian Universalist Church. Music is a throughline, since his early compositions were performed live at Risley Residential College, and he is still composing. In addition, he is learning the hammered dulcimer. That sounds like a great addition to our class band for next Reunion!

We heard from Tom Keegan , who is enjoying retirement in Montana, and spending his time maintaining wildlife habitats, hunting, and birding.

Marti Reisman Sheldon is enjoying friends and loved ones at home in Huntington Beach, CA, with her husband of 37 years, Mark , MS ’85 . The Engineering Co-op program at Cornell led to her successful 42-years-and-counting career with Boeing!

I, Alyssa Bickler , am still in Venice, FL, with my fiancé, Mike Consentino. We love to travel when we can get away, and we enjoy live music events and dining with friends! I recently bought into the recruiting firm where I have worked for the last 10 years and am very excited for the future here! In addition, I am still riding my Harley-Davidson Street Glide with a great group called the Diva Angels. ❖ Alyssa Bickler ( email Alyssa ) | Nancy Korn Freeman ( email Nancy ) | Jon Felice ( email Jon ) | Stewart Glickman ( email Stewart ) | Alumni Directory .

Greetings, classmates! My name is Charles “Chuck” Oppenheim . Mike Held and I are your new class correspondents. I am able to take on this responsibility—as an outlet for my enthusiasm for Cornell and staying touch with classmates—because I have shifted to working part time in my role as a lawyer advising hospitals and other healthcare providers on transactions and regulatory compliance. I live in Los Angeles with my wife, Lydia, and our two sons.

I attended our 40th Reunion and had so much fun (thanks, co-chairs Catherine “Kitty” Cantwell and Janet Insardi ) that I can hardly wait until the 45th! A few classmates and I (because we attend Reunions faithfully every five years, we call ourselves the “Reunion friends”) gathered early, organized by Kathy Witkowsky , and spent Tuesday and Wednesday nights at a rented mansion she found online, which was once home to the president of Ithaca College but is located in Collegetown.

Kathy and I were joined at the mansion by classmates and fellow “Reunion friends” Dave Momot , Karen Reynard Regenauer , Laurie Sheffield , Stuart Wamsley , and Tom Kraemer . We spent the time hiking, cooking, eating and drinking, and playing music by firelight in the back yard. Dave and Tom were on guitar and Kathy played the fiddle, while her husband, Jay (not a Cornellian, but still a great guy) also played guitar. We all moved to the dorm assigned to the Class of 1984 (Ganędagǫ: Hall), and during the Reunion Kathy led yoga one morning and Laurie led printmaking one afternoon with Diane Matyas ’83 , MFA ’89.

Once ensconced in the dorm I had a chance to catch up with numerous classmates, including Felise Milan and Sharon Camhi . Sharon is enjoying her retirement after having practiced as a pulmonologist with the V.A., while Felise stays busy as a professor of medicine, assistant dean for Learner Assessment and Clinical Competencies and director of the Ruth L. Gottesman Clinical Skills Center at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. (You may recognize the name Ruth Gottesman; she was in the news a few months ago because she donated an enormous sum to the Albert Einstein College of Medicine that will allow this medical school to forgo charging tuition from now on.)

We spent Tuesday and Wednesday [before Reunion] at a rented mansion, which was once home to the president of Ithaca College but is located in Collegetown. Charles “Chuck” Oppenheim ’84

Felise lives with her husband in Irvington, NY. Her daughter is a rabbi in Cherry Hill, NJ; one son is a computer engineer and data analyst for Hinge, making sure no one who wants a date goes without; and her younger son is a working actor, dancer, and singer based in NYC and currently performing at the Arizona Broadway Theater. She had a blast at Reunion reconnecting with old friends, and even made new friends with David Grayson and the “Reunion friends.” Felise and David closed down the tent parties, as they enjoyed craft beer, great music, and great dancing!

Naturally, I spent time catching up with many of my fraternity brothers, including Darren Miller , Larry Lazar , Matt Siegal (with wife Laura Weiner Siegal ’85 ), Steve Nachman (with wife Donna Better ’85 ), Phil George , and Tom Allon , who sold his media company, City & State, in 2021 but stayed on to lead its expansion into Pennsylvania and Florida. Tom also founded a NYC policy think tank in 2022 called the 5Boro Institute, and splits time between Brooklyn and eastern Long Island with his wife, Rebecca, four grown children, and two cats.

I also had a chance to catch up with Marcia Stairman Wagner , founder of the Wagner Law Group, a boutique law firm specializing in ERISA and other employment-related legal issues, who reports she has no plans to retire, as she’s just “hitting her stride.”

If you attended Reunion and have war stories to share—and whether or not you attended, if you have any other updates to share—please let us know! ❖ Charles Oppenheim ( email Charles ) | Michael Held ( email Michael ) | Alumni Directory .

Dave Votypka writes, “My college roommate and our buds have been celebrating our 60th birthdays—yikes! Scott Chapman and I missed Byron De La Navarre ’86 , DVM ’90’s 60th in Chi-town. Scott and I went skiing at Stowe a couple years ago and are planning another trip this winter. I’d like to hook up with fellow Cornellian Jeff Dunlap ’86 for some concerts this summer. Also, fellow Cornellian Neil Hoyt ’86 just celebrated his daughter’s wedding recently. WAK!

“What I get the most satisfaction from is family, followed by my job. Farming and owning an ag business has built many relationships over the years. I enjoy these tremendously. Besides work, I love to snow ski, golf, vacation, and ride our UTV around the farm (especially during happy hour).

“I’m slowly retiring out of full-time farming. This will be my 43rd year of farming, including college. I’m renting half of my acreage and will slowly stop growing. My son has an excellent job as an electrical engineer and will not return to the farm. We plan on running our grower business only, called Springwater Ag Products, after all the land is rented, which will give us more time with activities!

“My son Austin just got married to his lovely wife, Lindsay, last fall. I couldn’t be happier! My two grandsons, Teddy and Brooks, are a ray of sunshine in our lives. My stepdaughter is about to have our next granddaughter. Life is full of joy!”

Dave closes out his message by saying, “Making lifetime friends and memories were the best things about Cornell! Oh, and jumping off the gorge and the parties on Libe Slope!”

Most days, I know my Cornell roommates better now than I did then. Melissa Reitkopp ’85

Melissa Reitkopp shares that during COVID, her college roommates began having weekly virtual calls that have continued. “Most days, I know my Cornell roommates better now than I did then. We are having some great adventures all around the world. We called ourselves the 509ers because we lived at 509 Wyckoff Road for our last two years at Cornell. It was a huge old house on North Campus, and we had a floor with seven permanent residents and three ‘honorary’ ones.

“In March 2024, we gathered on the west side of Seneca Lake for the 35th anniversary of Lakewood Vineyards, owned by the Stamp family, including Chris ’83 and Liz Myer Stamp (four generations). Their adult children, Ben Stamp ’11 and Abby Stamp Wilkins ’13 , also work in the family business. Ben worked that evening for the event dinner, and both of them (with their families) joined us for brunch on Sunday with the latest additions (Wesley and Logan—Cornell Class of 2042?!).

“Pre-event, we visited Susan Herlands Holland , who heads Historic Ithaca and its companion store, Significant Elements, and sampled ice cream at the Cornell Dairy Store with Brian Garrett and Erin O’Connor . It is such fun to see students on campus again. We celebrated Linda Woo Kao ’s brother Henry Woo ’86 , BS ’88, and Gail Fink ’s birthdays at the neighboring Lakeside Resort and 3812 Bistro. They are two of our honorary 509ers. A divine lemon curd cheesecake from a Sally’s Baking Addiction recipe was enjoyed by all.

“The weekend was a wonderful whirlwind of events. We all had fantastic wine pairings with our dinner at Lakewood and were joined by my husband, Jeff Peters, and Susan’s husband, Ron Preville. Linda’s ‘snow leopard’ husband, David, couldn’t join us. The ‘bacon on bacon’ small plate was a huge hit, and I fell in love with Lakewood’s Dry Riesling.” ❖ Joyce Zelkowitz Cornett ( email Joyce ) | Alumni Directory .

Happy summer. As I put this column together, many in the lower 48 are experiencing extreme weather. Earlier this week our classmates in southern Florida were inundated with nearly two feet of rain, and about a third of the country will be dealing with temperatures approaching 100 ˚F for the next week. Wherever you are, we hope you are safe and comfortable. If precipitation or temperatures are keeping you indoors, it is a great time to send news updates to your Class of ’86 correspondents.

Laura Pitta Peter has relocated from California to Charlotte, NC. (Depending on where in the Golden State she previously resided, she may not be experiencing a much more temperate climate.) Laura is accustomed to change. She previously worked in industry and for the federal government. She is now in academia as the executive director, research commercialization and development, at the University of North Carolina, Charlotte.

Julie Bick Weed is still freelancing for the New York Times travel section. Her favorite topics focus on new travel technology like facial recognition or AI, so please send her any article ideas! She volunteers at Garfield High School, helping low-income students with writing projects. When she is lucky enough to catch up in person with a Cornell pal like Adrienne Silverstein Iglehart , Aruna Inalsingh , Rob Harpel , or Shera Raisen , “it feels like no time has passed, and the hysterical laughter returns!”

Julie Bick Weed ’85 is still freelancing for the New York Times travel section.

Rich Matteson and his wife, Kimberly, report that they’ve seen both of their sons obtain their college degrees and move on to independent lives and homes. As a result, Rich and Kimberly are free to enjoy their retirement, which includes visiting their sons in Florida and Nebraska. Rich is the CAAAN committee chair for North Texas and works with alumni in the vicinity to enlighten local high school applicants about Cornell. In addition, Rich volunteers with the Cornell Regional Campaign Committee to reconnect with alumni and raise annual funds. After many years of hearing about Cornell, Kimberly was shown Ithaca and the University last August. When at home, Rich is also teaching math as a substitute teacher in the middle and high schools that his sons attended. He finds the experience challenging some days but does feel as if he is making a difference where it counts for some of today’s teens. Regarding the impact that Cornell had on his life, Rich shared, “Cornell opened my eyes to the world, gave me a great education, and taught me that I could accomplish anything that I set my mind to. I am grateful and proud to be a Cornellian.”

That is all I have to share this month. But if you, like Rich, recognize how life and times at Cornell impacted your life and brought you to a life worth sharing, please take a few moments and share those thoughts with us. ❖ Toby Goldsmith ( email Toby ) | Lori Spydell Wagner ( email Lori ) | Michael Wagner ( email Michael ) | Alumni Directory .

By the time you read this, fall semester will be starting again. Hope you’ve had a chance to take some well-deserved time off and enjoy yourself. Let us know where you went, what you did, and who you did it with. In the meantime, I’ll continue to stalk classmates for news. Here’s the latest from my inbox:

My husband, Andy, and I had the great honor of attending the wedding of Bill and Carol Meyers ’s daughter, Sarah, to Justin in Greenwich, CT. Cornellians (and especially U-Hall 3 alums) in attendance were Tim Sullivan , Toni and Jody Monkovic , Shawn Fagen ’86 , Tom Tung ’86 , ME ’87, and Anne Yablonski Suissa ’88 .

Cheryl Berger Israeloff and husband Larry are expecting their first grandchild. Cheryl practices neuro visual medicine and the treatment of the visual aspects of the dizzy patient. Fun fact: I was one of Cheryl’s early test patients back when she was an optometry student! Cheryl mentioned that one Cornell event that changed the trajectory of her life was becoming friends with Janis Cohen Schlerf ’86 , who introduced her to Larry.

Brenda Wilkinson Melvin returned to campus for the Cornell Black Alumni Association’s recent Reunion, which featured panel discussions, a celebration of the life of Africana studies pioneer Professor James Turner, a Sneaker Ball, brunches, parties, winery tours, golf outings, and more. She enjoyed reconnecting with ’87 classmates Darrell Butler , Jacquelyn Browne , Allison Fennell , DVM ’91, Onjalique Clark , Marcia Bobb , and Gligor Tashkovich , MBA ’91, and she also bumped into Scott Pesner at a bus stop on her way back to North Campus! With no time for rest, the day after she returned home from Reunion she started a new job as internal communications director at AARP.

Josh Lesnick gathered with fellow Phi Psis John Webster and Michael Moore and their kids at the Saratoga Race Course to see the running of the Belmont Stakes!

With no time for rest, the day after Brenda Wilkinson Melvin ’87 returned home from Reunion she started a new job at AARP.

Anne Meinig Smalling was just named the incoming chair of the executive committee of the Cornell Board of Trustees as the search begins for a new provost, while Michael Kotlikoff was preparing to become interim president in the wake of Martha Pollack’s retirement.

Tony Spring was named the new CEO of Macy’s Inc. back in February. He’s been with Bloomingdale’s for 36 years in multiple roles, including most recently as the CEO.

Sanmoy Bose continues to enjoy retirement—lots of travel, yoga, tennis, squash, and walks with their two puppies. Sanmoy also does a little consulting with private equity companies and insurance companies as an operations, delivery, and customer subject matter expert. He retired from Duck Creek Technologies in 2022 as their chief customer and delivery officer. Previously he was a senior partner with Accenture.

Joshua Abelson , MA ’89, wrote that during the recent New York Presidential primary, he went to vote in NYC and was greeted by the site chief, Gligor Tashkovich! Gligor has been monitoring polls at elections for many years (and not just in NYC).

Speaking of Gligor—he wrote that he recently went to Athens for the 40th anniversary of the team that helped build the Western European Internet. He had a role in that project while attending Cornell. He caught up with many of the folks he worked with on the project and also had coffee with the Greek Prime Minister! He also traveled to Ravello, Italy, to celebrate his mom’s 86th birthday, followed by a trip to Porto, Portugal.

Please keep in touch and continue to share your news with us by emailing us at: ❖ Whitney Weinstein Goodman ( email Whitney ) | Liz Brown, JD ’90 ( email Liz ) | Alumni Directory .

Greetings, Class of ’88! The autumn air will soon be crisp and the leaves changing colors before our eyes. Take a moment and enjoy the fall foliage, just like we did when we were strolling around campus.

Congratulations to Robert Rosenberg , a former class president, who has been honored with the Frank H.T. Rhodes Exemplary Alumni Service Award. This award recognizes “alumni who have given extraordinary service to Cornell through long-term volunteer activities.”

Meanwhile, a group of classmates— Howard Greenstein , Linda Gadsby , Jacques Boubli , Dan Frommer , Doug Ringel , Rob Rosenberg, Laura Bloch , and Bob Attardo —attended the Cornell Alumni Leadership Conference in Baltimore, MD, earlier this year. They met up with Henry “Huck” O’Connor for dinner. Alumni volunteer leaders heard updates about how to use AI in your workplace and other current topics.

Speaking of volunteering for Cornell and other community outreach projects, I participated in the U.S. College Expo in Toronto, ON, where I answered lots of questions about campus life, University courses, SAT testing, and much more from many Canadian prospective high school students.

Alison Minton ’s pet parrot was featured on Geico’s social media (Instagram & TikTok feeds) for March Madness. Perhaps the parrot should become our newest class mascot, alongside our Cornell bear.

In other class news, Laura Bloch, our class membership chair, who resides in San Francisco, CA, was back on campus to celebrate her daughter Ella Yitzhaki ’24 ’s graduation from the College of Arts & Sciences. Ella is starting a position in health policy in Washington, DC. Her son is in his freshman year at the University of Oregon after he returned from studying abroad in London, England, during the summer. Laura is busy finishing up her second year as the president of the Cornell Northern California Alumni Association, where they put on events to connect Cornell alumni with one another.

Alison Minton ’88 ’s pet parrot was featured on Geico’s social media for March Madness.

Aileen Cleary Cohen chimes in from Palo Alto, CA, that she just retired as the vice president of clinical development at BeiGene, where she “helped bring approval of a cancer drug across five indications.” She’s happy spending time in her cabin in the Sierra Nevada while she cheers on the San Francisco Giants and the New York Knicks.

Her daughter, Emily, is starting her master’s in environment and society at Columbia University while her son, Erik, is at Seton Hall, studying media studies. Her stepdaughter, Rebecca, teaches high school in San Jose, CA. Aileen commented that she made “lifelong friends at Cornell and enjoyed her time on the Hill. Some of the best years!”

Further North, Charles Frischer lives in Seattle, WA, with his wife, Abigail, and kids. “We are enjoying watching them grow into young adults.” Charles runs an investment business, which is a daily challenge. He tries to “work as little as possible each day.” He finds it rewarding to be on the board of his kids’ private school and other corporate boards. The family recently traveled to Cambodia and Vietnam and are hoping to visit India and Laos as their next family adventure.

Karen Kao is semi-retired but still finds time to host small dinner parties and piano singalongs in her new condo in White Plains, NY. She still teaches piano and also volunteers at the local food bank, performing arts center, and arts center, where she is “an art teacher to classes of 25 wriggling elementary school children.”

News flash: This past January, Stephen Aschettino of Oyster Bay, NY, joined the financial innovation and regulation practice at global law firm Steptoe LLP as a partner. His practice focuses on fintech, payments, and digital assets commercial and regulatory matters. He lives on Long Island with his wife and three children.

That’s all for now. Please keep sending your news to me. I love hearing from our classmates, both near and far. ❖ Pamela Darer Anderson ( email Pam ) | Alumni Directory .

Cornell Reunion 2024 brought a record achievement for our class: most classmates ever attending a 35th Reunion! Our Reunion committee treated us to nostalgia like Straight Cookies, Hot Truck wares, and a cappella groups! The Hangovers welcomed us Friday evening during our happy hour. Entertainment during dinner Friday was a live big band, and we ate dinner on the North Campus residential quad. Men who sang during the ’80s and ’90s in the a cappella favorite Cayuga’s Waiters re-grouped for Reunion and brought a wonderfully rowdy serenade to dinner on Saturday night. After dinner, our classmate and musical talent extraordinaire Fil Straughan sang for us and spun tunes from our college years for dancing.

Our class headquartered at the townhouses on North Campus. Thursday we arrived to a red-and-white-festooned campus, golden hour sunshine, and a yummy “Hot Truck”-catered meal. My husband, Mike McGarry , and I sat down outside and promptly made a new friend, Laurie Bechhofer , who came in from Michigan. She knows the lovely Liese, wife of my favorite CHE professor, Dr. Urie Bronfenbrenner ’38 . Laurie also was a “townie,” as her dad was a professor here: Robert Bechhofer taught in the engineering college in Operations Research and Industrial Engineering. Laurie drives through our area of Buffalo, NY, regularly en route to visit family and we hope she stops by! Both Laurie and Mike are passionate about helping kids in public schools. I enjoyed listening to them discuss solutions for problems shared in Michigan and New York State. Both volunteer their time to that end. (I am proud to report that Mike just wrapped up nine years of caring, diligent service on our local Hamburg school board and we learned that fellow class correspondent Kris Borovicka Gerig ’s husband also serves on their local school board in Ohio. Thank you to both.

After dinner, we lingered at the tables. Deb Shames and I visited and talked of Cornell memories, our families, and their fondness for sports, especially the Boston Celtics; Deb and her son are huge fans and he was at the Celtics playoff game that night! Deb’s work and passion is for helping students from a wide variety of backgrounds make a good college fit. She has made it her business: Personal Best College Coaching. Deb pairs students with their ideal college and helps them through the application process, reducing the stress for them and their families. She also finds great joy in her volunteer efforts using those skills helping those who are the first in their family to attend college. Helping them get in is one step, but then she stays with them to help them graduate.

Lingering in headquarters, we plopped down on the sofa and made more friends. I loved meeting another lovely Laurie to whom I will now apologize for inadvertently clumsily rejecting the friend request sent to me (please would you try again?). This method now feels as unreliable for me as jotting it on a piece of paper and losing that. Clearly a me problem. On those cozy couches, we also enjoyed meeting Lauren Hoeflich , Evelyn and James Masson , ME ’90, and another classmate John, a pediatrician from Seattle. I’m embarrassed: I should have pulled out my notes app and jotted down John’s details.

Our Reunion committee treated us to nostalgia like Straight Cookies, Hot Truck wares, and a cappella groups! Lauren Kidder McGarry ’89

Rain intermittently baptized our festivities; it seemed appropriate given how often we experienced it during our time on the Hill. Have you heard the term for it? “Ithacating!” While we did enjoy some mini-monsoons, we also reveled in sunshine and warmth. Our visit to Libe Slope had sunshine and another conversation with Cornell Johnson School alumni and Reunion attendees who offered to take our photo. We were trying to re-stage a photo taken of us as newlyweds during the Dragon Day festivities of our senior year. Our volunteer photographer wanted to get it just right, and so we got to know her during the creative process. After the picture we kept chatting, such that their friends left for a museum tour and returned to us four still chatting away! We exchanged contacts with our new B-school alumni friends and hope next year to meet up for a Red Sox game.

I attended the Reunion this time using a cane again; I am hobbled by a dodgy left knee, awaiting replacement midsummer. It helped me appreciate the many accommodations made around campus for students with ambulatory issues. Elevators, smooth pathways, ramps, good lighting, and benches smartly situated made it simpler to move around and rest often. Those with happier knees enjoyed birdwatching walks at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology grounds, or cycling in the surrounding hills, or running (and perhaps walking a bit) the lush Reunion 5K through the Cornell Botanic Gardens.

Finally, the most impactful part of the Reunion for me took place during the Remembrance Service at Sage Chapel. In October 2020, Michael and I never got to attend the Texas funeral of our classmate Alisa Lynn Schmitz Evans because we were following my doctors’ counsel as I’m on two immunosuppressive therapies. Our grieving felt incomplete. Writing her name on the list drew out tears of frustration and sadness. Listening to the poems, verses, and Savage Club choral group helped us reflect and grieve. We were given and took the opportunity to speak her name, share brief words of her life, and light a candle in her remembrance. Afterwards, we and other mourners and rememberers wept to the pipe organ belting out beautifully. When you have a loss, and have need of this reflective service, please pause and go, even amid the fun of Reunion. I felt it added to the real purpose of coming back to campus for us. ❖ Lauren Kidder McGarry ( email Lauren ) | Stephanie Bloom Avidon ( email Stephanie ) | Kris Borovicka Gerig ( email Kris ) | Anne Czaplinski Treadwell ( email Anne ) | Alumni Directory .

As the fall semester gets underway, the Class of ’90 continues to work its magic on the Hill. Casey Jones returns to the campus this semester as associate head coach for the Cornell men’s hockey program. He rejoins the Big Red after 13 seasons at Clarkson, where he coached his teams there to a combined 234-185-56 record, including two trips to the NCAA tournament and five finishes in the top three of their conference. This season is the last for head coach Mike Schafer ’86 , who has announced that he’ll be retiring afterward and handing the reins of the team over to Casey. Schafer himself took over as head coach from another former Cornell hockey player, Brian McCutcheon ’71 , who had been the coach during Casey’s years as a player.

Meanwhile, the Cornell Asian Alumni Association this summer held an event at the Cornell Club in New York City celebrating leadership strategist and bestselling author Jane Hyun . Her new book, Leadership Toolkit for Asians : The Definitive Resource Guide for Breaking the Bamboo Ceiling , went on sale at the end of April and several weeks later landed on Business Insider ’s list of recommended summer reading. “Never thought my book would be considered a ‘summer beach read,’” Jane posted on Facebook, “but I just made the Wall Street top 35 recommended beach must-read list on Business Insider ! I’ll take it.”

Deborah Klein Glasser writes to us about life just north of the border, where she’s been “soaking up all the maple syrup and poutine Toronto has to offer” since 2020. As her son starts his senior year in high school, she’s been dropping “not-so-subtle hints about the wonders of Cornell.” We’ll be sure to check in with her sometime around April or May to see if her subtlety has paid off.

Deborah misses her friends and family in NYC and beyond, so she spent several months this year on a mini-reunion tour, visiting with Rob and Sue Portman Price , MRP ’91, in Nashville—be sure to read all about what he’s been up to in a recent column—as well as class correspondent Nancy Solomon Weiss in New Jersey, plus Howie ’89 and Karen Saul Miller , Vivian Althaus Harrow , and Ilissa Sternlicht ’89 in New York, and Jonah Klein in Toronto.

“Also, while at a neighborhood party, I bumped into Joe Milner ’89 , vice dean and professor at Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto.”

This season is the last for men’s hockey head coach Mike Schafer ’86 , who has announced that he’ll be retiring afterward and handing the reins over to Casey Jones ’90 .

Deborah loves staying connected to Cornell through her involvement with the President’s Council of Cornell Women (PCCW) and by volunteering with the Cornell Alumni Admissions Ambassador Network, conducting interviews with high school students who have applied to Cornell. She reports that “PCCW’s symposium earlier this year in Baltimore was incredible, listening to fabulous Cornell speakers, reconnecting with old U-Hall 1 pals Linda Choong and Amy Bodek , and meeting plenty of new and inspiring Big Red women.”

Inspired by the challenges she had faced finding a job when she graduated from Cornell, Deborah has taken leave from her 27 years in marketing in order to build her own business as a job search and career management coach for young professionals. “I am here to help Gen Z clients develop the job search tools needed to secure a summer internship or full-time position.” She notes that she’s happy to offer the kids of fellow classmates a “Big Red discount.” You can check out her website for more information.

Before signing off, please allow your humble correspondent (or, at the very least, me) to remind you that planning for our upcoming 35th Reunion is in full swing. We lost out on having a Reunion in person in 2020, so reconnecting with each other and the campus in general will be doubly special this time around. I have truly enjoyed every Reunion I’ve managed to attend on the Hill; it’s a great chance to not only spend some quality time with a few of the folks you knew way-back-when, but also connect with classmates you didn’t necessarily know at the time, but nonetheless have so much in common with to this day. The best way I can describe the experience is to say it’s like meeting old friends for the first time.

So, save the date! June 5–8, 2025. And if you’d like to help out in any way, please do. The more volunteers we have to help plan and make those plans a reality, the lighter the workload and the more amazing the experience. It’s not too late to reach out to our Reunion committee and other class officers via e-mail at cornellclass90@gmail.com .

Here’s to the start of another academic year, and here’s to seeing each other again in person at its close.

Do you have any news about a classmate or yourself that you’d like to share? Please feel free to drop us a line with your news for the class column. ❖ Allan Rousselle ( email Allan ) | Rose Tanasugarn ( email Rose ) | Nancy Solomon Weiss ( email Nancy ) | Class Facebook page | Alumni Directory .

With our daughter’s graduation from Ithaca College falling on the same day as my birthday, I figured I should invite anyone and everyone who might be in or around Ithaca to celebrate. And why not?

I am glad that Eric Schneider , MBA ’99, a freshman-year dorm-mate and current Ithaca dweller, made his way to the festivities. I remember Eric usually had a smile on his face and always had something witty to say. As a former ROTC member, I knew exactly how he would appear when he strolled into the backyard; familiar face and grin with a touch of gray hair, tailor-fit khakis, and a button-down shirt.

We caught up a bit on his work with Corning Inc. and his children. “Our older son is a graduate of the University of Colorado, Boulder, and our younger son a rising sophomore at the University of Vermont.” At one point Eric paused, looked past me, and shared, “I apologize for being so tightly wound back then. Still a work in progress.” His wife, Susie (Curtis) , a fellow Class Notes ’91 correspondent, chuckled with me. I did not disagree with the overachieving mechanical engineer BS, Cornell Johnson School MBA, and U.S. Navy lieutenant. But it got me thinking, is being tightly wound so bad?

Chris Reynolds , also a U-Hall 2 dorm-mate, said, “I am pretty sure I could make that admission as well,” when I told him about my exchange with Eric. Chris, a political science and econ major and lacrosse player, towered over all of us back then with a nice way about him. “I live in Cold Spring Harbor, NY, with my wife of 25 years and am a partner at RCV Frontline, a venture capital firm that invests in early-stage food and beverage brands.” Chris also earned an MBA from Columbia University.

Chris likes to unwind with his busy family. “We have four children: oldest son plays lacrosse and football at Army; second son attended International Yacht Restoration (trade) School and works in North Carolina for Fibreworks, supporting projects for the Department of Defense and NASCAR, among others; daughter, a junior in high school, committed to play lacrosse and attend the University of Maryland; and youngest son is in eighth grade, a four-sport athlete, and an aviation fanatic.” Whew!

Cathy Merrill Williams ’91 , who resides on the other hill, Washington, DC, wrote, ‘I have two sons attending Cornell!’

My daughter, Abby Marraccino, overcame a major setback in her first two weeks of college, cut from the only sport and team she knew and loved: gymnastics. It lit a fire under her, and she sprung from there, reinventing herself as a diver, a sport she had never tried before. Abby went on to be team captain for part of five league championships and earned four national all-American honors. How? I still ask myself.

I did not know Cathy Merrill Williams back on the Hill. A government and history major who earned a master’s in public administration from the London School of Economics, she is now CEO of Washingtonian Magazine . Cathy, who resides on the other hill, Washington, DC, wrote, “I have two sons attending Cornell! My older son just completed his freshman year and is studying math, sailing, and, well, partying. My younger son will soon join the Hotel School as a freshman.”

Of course I wondered, so I flat out asked Cathy, “Were you tightly wound back then?” Cathy responded affirmatively. “College was fun. I did, however, keep a journal and, looking back, I’m surprised how much I stressed about classes and grades. Now with children and a company to run and the many issues facing the world, it seems a little crazy to have had that be a major worry. Yet, I see it in my own son too, so perhaps it is just the circle of life.” Perhaps it is.

Circling back to our daughter: for her next act, professional or otherwise, she coined the mantra, “Nothing is more powerful than a smile.” Though behind her clenched teeth and those of these classmates are determined beings winding and unwinding as they leap through life. And that’s not such a bad thing at all.

Also not a bad thing: our 35th Reunion is almost here! Please save the date of June 4–7, 2026. Jeff Weintraub , MD ’95, one of our chairs, and Eric Rosario , a member of the planning team and Annual Fund rep, met up on campus for this year’s Reunion to scope things out. After a pandemic interrupted Reunion in 2021, our 35th Reunion promises to be a blockbuster!

Got news to share? Use the online news form or feel free to contact one of us directly: ❖ Joe Marraccino ( email Joe ) | Evelyn Achuck Yue ( email Evelyn ) | Susie Curtis Schneider ( email Susie ) | Ruby Wang Pizzini ( email Ruby ) | Wendy Milks Coburn ( email Wendy ) | Alumni Directory .

My husband, Todd Kantorczyk , recently enjoyed a weekend of baseball in Baltimore, MD, with 14 of his Alpha Sigma Phi (Rockledge) fraternity brothers including classmates Chris Hove , Harvey Beldner , and Brian Nowicki .

Todd’s freshman roommate, Michael Cimini , and my sorority sister Angela Cheng-Cimini celebrated their 30th wedding anniversary in Sardinia, Italy. They were joined by son and daughter-in-law Matthew ’19 and Sarah Dickerman ’19 , daughter Christina, and fellow alumni Santo Barravecchio ’89 , Matthew Rubins ’90 , and Samantha Hardaway ’93 . Angela says, “It was wonderful to reminisce about our days on the Hill!” Congratulations on 30 years!

Lizzy Klein lives in New York City and started a fine jewelry business in 2019 and a second jewelry business in 2024. Mazi New York offers minimalist fine jewelry handmade in NYC and Mazi+Zo is a licensed sorority jewelry line. Lizzy says, “I love spending so much time with college students—they are inspiring!” Lizzy has donated 30% of the sales of her Star of David collection to Hillel to support Jewish college students.

Eileen Rappaport also lives in NYC and is keeping very busy with her residential real estate business and raising her 14-year-old daughter. She is a competitive tennis player and loves yoga, live music, and travel with family and friends. She recently traveled to France and South Africa. Eileen is very involved in fundraising for Memorial Sloan Kettering via Cycle for Survival. Her daughter is starting high school, and they enjoy NYC’s flowers and gorgeous parks. Eileen feels that Cornell changed the trajectory of her life by giving her “the very best friends, a lifetime of memories and lessons, and the best four years spent in beautiful Ithaca. All the opportunities I was afforded at Cornell confirmed that I can always change my path in life and pursue so many different interests at once!”

John Overton Jr. lives in New Hampshire with his wife, Christine Hand-Overton . Their older son, Josh, will begin his first year of medical school at the University of New England. Their younger son, Jacob, completed his sophomore year at the University of New Hampshire.

Rick and Meghan DeGolyer Hauser enjoy seeing the revitalization of their small town in Western New York. Meghan writes that lots of Cornell entrepreneurs are part of the turnaround. (Tell us more!) Their oldest offspring works at Cornell, their middle child just graduated from the University at Buffalo, and their youngest is a rising junior at Cornell.

Please share your news with us via email or use the online news form . Be well and take good care. ❖ Jean Kintisch ( email Jean ) | Sarah Ballow Clauss ( email Sarah ) | Wilma Ann Thomas Anderson ( email Wilma Ann ) | Alumni Directory .

Whit Watson is transitioning from a full-time position at Golf Channel to a freelance role, and still working with Westwood One Sports at golf’s major championships this year. “While working for Golf Channel in Stamford, CT, in May, I had the chance to meet up with my former Sheldon Court roommate Stuart Roth , MBA ’00, MILR ’01, and his wife, Dana, to watch some of the Knicks-Pacers series. My son Zachary is a PhD candidate in political science at the University of Virginia, and daughter Ellie just finished her junior year at Boston University, where she is a film/TV major. I was also honored to recently join the board of directors at the Cornell Media Guild, parent of WVBR-FM, the place that started my career. Would love to hear from anyone in the industry, or anyone from our class!”

Atul Aggarwal greatly enjoys outdoor activities such as hiking, running, and meeting up with friends. “I am working as a radiologist. My daughter graduated from Cornell in 2023, and my son will be starting as a freshman at Cornell in the Class of 2028.” Brian Fuhr proudly reports that he recently ran a marathon in three hours and 30 minutes, with “kids half my age,” no less! He is celebrating 25 years with Mat Zucker ’92 .

Adrian Sexton joined a global firm focused on AI, where he leads strategic business growth across sports, media and entertainment, and technology. Clients include the NBA, the NFL, MLB, Disney, Warner Bros. Discovery, Paramount Global, and Universal Pictures/Comcast. “In addition, I have been working on an AI startup, Cohuman.AI, which focuses on responsible, human-centric AI.” Adrian notes that he gets the most satisfaction from family, especially seeing his kids grow and soon apply to universities. “For fun and fitness, I enjoy saunas, HIIT classes, beach volleyball, and Spartan races. To accelerate an early retirement (!), I’m working with a capital group, a global athletes fund, and a major investment bank to acquire a major sports league in the U.S. in connection with the World Rugby Cup.”

Cornell gave us both the confidence and knowledge to be independent entrepreneurs. Mark ’93 and Julie Oratovsky Lonski ’93

Henry Most writes, “I recently taught for the first time the famous ‘Interpersonal Dynamics’ course (aka ‘Touchy-Feely’) at Stanford Graduate School of Business. I’m a lecturer in management at Stanford’s Graduate School of Business and an executive coach. At Stanford I’m in the experiential learning arena, focusing on interpersonal and leadership skills. I traveled around the world with one of my Cornell friends, Adam Gensler , in 1998 and moved out to San Francisco soon thereafter, where he and another Cornell friend, Dave Levitt , lived. Both of them had a significant impact on my life and who I am as a person.”

Mark and Julie Oratovsky Lonski greatly enjoy watching their 11th-grade son grow, thrive, and dream about his college future. “We own and operate our family landscape design-build firm. Cornell gave us both the confidence and knowledge to be independent entrepreneurs, and it taught us to use critical thinking skills every single day.”

John Fuller , ME ’94, writes, “I operate a civil engineering consulting business in my hometown of Port Jervis, NY. We have been in practice for more than 20 years.” John enjoys coaching travel baseball, spending time with his family, and participating in CrossFit at a competitive level. When asked about his time at Cornell, John said, “It helped shape who I am today.” ❖ Mia Blackler ( email Mia ) | Melissa Hart Moss, JD ’97 ( email Melissa ) | Theresa Flores ( email Theresa ) | Alumni Directory .

Daniel Chernin writes, “I am senior vice president and associate general counsel at Broadridge Financial Solutions Inc. My daughter, Marina, is at Georgetown and my son, Joshua, will be applying to Cornell in two years. I loved my time at Cornell and always remember it fondly. My closest friends are still my friends from Cornell.”

Kristen Crockett Tsarnas has been building her professional organizing and interior decorating business, Home Wellness Consulting . From her website: “Feeling and doing your best, true wellness, is only attainable when you have a healthy environment supporting you. Research suggests that your home is the foundation of security and contentment in your family life. As your launching pad into the world, it is also the foundation of your success outside the home. My mission is to help you build a beautiful, colorful, welcoming home that promotes ease, creativity, and contentment for you and each member of your family. I work with clients at every life stage, including moms and dads, young adults in their first apartment, and seniors moving to assisted living. I am passionate about sustained wellness and health for all members of our society and know that we, as a community, can live better.”

Scott Noren has been greatly enjoying working in his garden and the woodlot on his property. He writes, “My house, a cabin in the woods, was constructed during the first year of COVID. I am about to complete my 25th year as a high school science teacher—seven more to go before full retirement. I have taught a wildlife ecology and management class for 23 years; this was my major at Cornell (Natural Resources). Thank you to my professors.”

Rudro Dé , BS ’98, works at JP Morgan in investment banking in NYC. Ingrid Kist-Leader has been traveling internationally a lot—Iceland twice, Greece, Italy, and Ireland. “I’m developing my photography skills a ton! And helping my son apply to colleges, which is bittersweet.” Indeed, Ingrid says that spending quality time with her teenage son brings her the most satisfaction these days. She adds, “I’m a history teacher—can’t wait to retire!”

I have taught a wildlife ecology and management class for 23 years; this was my major at Cornell. Scott Noren ’94

Elizabeth Kaufmann Hale writes, “I have stayed an active member of the Cornell community, as my two sons are currently undergraduate students up in Ithaca. Dylan ’24 is in Dyson and is on the football team. Ryan ’27 is a freshman who is on the premed track. In addition to running a busy dermatology practice with my sister (also a dermatologist), I stay very active by running marathons and half-marathons. This summer, I will be joining AAD’s ‘Skin Cancer, Take a Hike!’ and hiking in the Canadian Rockies!”

Andres Pinter recently made the leap from investor to entrepreneur. “Pursuing a passion to accelerate electric vehicle (EV) adoption, I left a senior role at Ares Management and launched Bullet EV Charging Solutions, an installer and maintenance provider for EV chargers. While analyzing the EV sector at Ares, I recognized that the country’s lack of reliable EV charging infrastructure was one of the biggest impediments to EV adoption. Bullet EV is expanding this year from Texas into California, Colorado, and Arizona. The company installs EV chargers for Tesla, ChargePoint, ABB, and all other major manufacturers. Among other accolades, Bullet EV was recently awarded a grant from Columbia University’s Tamer Fund for Social Ventures. I’m learning it takes nerves of steel to launch a business, and I welcome any insight or advice from fellow alumni.”

Pryor Cashman LLP announced the arrival of counsel Praveena Nallainathan to the firm’s immigration group in New York, where her practice will focus on corporate immigration, nationality, and consular law matters. Most recently, Praveena was of counsel at Am Law 200 law firm Quarles & Brady; prior to that, she served as global director of diversity, equity, and inclusion at Dechert and was associate general counsel of immigration and head of talent mobility for IHS Markit, a publicly traded information services company. While at IHS Markit, Praveena designed and managed the company’s first in-house immigration compliance program. Born in Sri Lanka, Praveena also has deep experience with immigration humanitarian relief programs, including asylum and special immigration juvenile petitions. She received her JD from Rutgers University School of Law in 2006. ❖ Dineen Pashoukos Wasylik ( email Dineen ) | Jennifer Rabin Marchant ( email Jennifer ) | Dika Lam ( email Dika ) | Alumni Directory .

I write this column as many of my Class of ’94 friends—along with some of you, classmates!—are returning from yet another amazing Reunion weekend on the Hill. Abra Benson Perrie , MBA ’04, who attended as a returning alum of the business school, provided a fantastic recap of campus on our Class Facebook page .

Some of my favorite observations of the new and old include: “Toni Morrison Dining (on North Campus) … is nicer than many restaurants I’ve gone to, and the water machine was fancy! Fancy is the word here. Fancy!” And: “Fortunately, some places are pretty much just like we remember them. The Straight will make you smile at its stalwart way—inside and out. There are some things that don’t change much … at least not yet.” Want to read more? Join our Facebook page .

If you couldn’t tell, we are already gearing up for our 30th Reunion, June 5–8, 2025—since we all missed the 25th due to COVID (boooo), this one is going to be BIG! 30 is the new 25! Reunion chairs Patricia Louison Grant and Lisa Powell Fortna will be on campus in early October to get the planning in full swing. And keep an eye open for our new “30 for 30” project coming out in November!

Now on to the news. On April 13, David Jakubowicz became president-elect of the Medical Society of the State of New York. When he takes office in 2025, he will be the first president from Bronx County Medical Society in more than 50 years. A board-certified physician, he is director of otolaryngology and allergy at Essen Health and a clinical assistant professor of otorhinolaryngology at Albert Einstein College of Medicine/Montefiore. David also shared that his daughter, Cornellian Halle ’27 , recently joined AXO sorority, which resides in David’s old fraternity house (Sammy). I hope for Halle’s sake that the floors are a little less sticky than they were in the early ’90s!

Vernetta Kinchen sent in happy news that her son, Tony ’24 , graduated in May from CALS and was accepted into Cornell’s PhD program in systems engineering. She also recently had the chance to be back on campus and joined about 40 Hotelies for lunch at the Pines. Thanks to Ted Teng ’79 for organizing the event!

David Jakubowicz ’95 shared that his daughter, Cornellian Halle ’27 , recently joined AXO sorority, which resides in David’s old fraternity house (Sammy).

Also in May, the Boston Globe released its third annual list of the most influential people in the New England tech sector. The leaders spotlighted in the selective Globe Tech Power Players 50 List have demonstrated innovation and resourcefulness and have contributed heartily to keeping their sector thriving during challenging economic times. Featured prominently are our classmates Niraj Shah and Steven Conine , founders of Wayfair, both of whom I hope we will see on the Hill next June!

Last, but definitely not least, one of our fantastic class authors, Henry Neff , sent word that his seventh novel—but his first that’s strictly for older teens and adults—arrived in June via Blackstone Publishing. It’s called The Witchstone , and Henry shares, “If you enjoy dark comedy and curses, martini-swilling demons, and tennis-playing priests, this book is for you.” Henry has been writing full time for 15 years and also enjoys spending time with his sons (ages 12 and 10).

The Neff family also rescued their second pup, Nox, in December of 2023: “Doggie DNA says she’s part cattle dog, beagle, pit bull, and Lab. Her appearance and behavior suggest there’s some piglet and Tasmanian devil in there too.” When asked if attending Cornell changed the trajectory of his life, Henry responded, “Unquestionably. It’s where I sharpened my mind, expanded my horizons, and met some of my closest friends.” With that ringing endorsement, it only makes sense to put June 6–8 in your calendar right now and make a plan to meet back on the Hill!

Until next time … stay connected and safe, classmates. ❖ Alison Torrillo French ( email Alison ) | Class website | Class Facebook page | Class Instagram page | Alumni Directory .

Autumn greetings, Class of ’96! Please take a moment to let us know how you spent your summer! If you have anything you’d like to share with our class, please submit an online news form or write directly to any of us: ❖ Catherine Oh Bonita ( email Catherine ) | Janine Abrams Rethy ( email Janine ) | Marjorie Polycarpe Jean-Paul ( email Marjorie ) | Alumni Directory .

If you’re anything like me, this time of year makes you think of the start of a new semester on the Hill. What are your plans for the fall? Are any of you venturing out of town to travel? Or marking any career milestones? If you have anything you’d like to share with our class, please submit an online news form or write directly to: ❖ Class of 1997 ( email c/o Alexandra Bond ’12 ) | Alumni Directory .

Class of 1998: Have you kept in contact with your Cornell family? We celebrated our 25th Reunion last year and, although I could not make it to Reunion, the music of that Spotify playlist cultivated by William Robertson ’97 , BFA ’98, and fellow classmates continues to transport me back to that time and place, high above Cayuga’s waters.

Since then, I have learned about other classmates who have impacted our lives and the lives of others. In two different articles from the Cornell Chronicle , Dan Cane and Tim Chi were profiled for their passion for entrepreneurship and technology, and their shared Cornell experience as undergraduates. Along with Stephen Gilfus ’97 , Lee Wang ’97 , MS ’98, Stephano Kim , John Yang , and John Knight , Dan and Tim co-founded, during their Big Red years, an online learning platform and education technology solution, CourseInfo LLC, which would become Blackboard Inc.

The article stated, “The idea to digitize [Dan’s] class materials inspired the business that would quickly turn his housemates into colleagues and his career path into a wildly successful entrepreneurship. In 2011, Blackboard Inc. sold for $1.6 billion.” Currently the founder and CEO of Modernizing Medicine, a medical technology and management company, Dan shared in the March 2024 article, “I use lessons learned from my time at Cornell daily. More than just the quality of the education, the quality of the experience changed me. Most importantly, the people I met and continue to meet at Cornell are cut from a different cloth.” Giving back to his alma mater, Dan has established the Cane Entrepreneurship Scholars program that encourages the growth and development of young entrepreneurs with financial support, mentoring, and experiential learning.

Dan Cane ’98 and Tim Chi ’98 co-founded, during their Big Red years, an online learning platform that would become Blackboard Inc.

Tim continues to inspire connections through the Entrepreneurship at Cornell Advisory Council. From an April 2024 Cornell Chronicle article : “Looking back on that experience, what is remarkable to me was just how fortunate we were to have a bunch of like-minded Cornellians, from different disciplines, who loved to work together—but more importantly, hang out together. For me, this was the embodiment of why culture in companies is important today.” With his co-founders, “We had product, engineering, finance, sales, and marketing and it was an exhilarating time to be on campus, building something special.”

It was in 2005 when Tim, then in the throes of wedding planning, saw the need to create and build a solution. He shared: “I noticed that ‘online vertical marketplaces’ were springing up everywhere as a purpose-built antidote to broad horizontal search platforms. This led to the proverbial ‘light bulb’ moment—a purpose-built online vertical marketplace, powered by user-generated reviews from newlyweds, for weddings. From this, WeddingWire was born.” With a few co-founders including Lee Wang, Tim “designed a first-of-its-kind two-sided marketplace for the wedding industry to bring both sides of the industry—couples and vendors—together to create a more seamless experience, focused on finding the perfect wedding vendors for any couple’s big day.” In 2019, WeddingWire merged with XO Group, the parent company of the Knot, to become the Knot Worldwide.

Connections, entrepreneurship, friendship, family, and Big Red grit and spirit are just some of the many attributes that we, the Class of 1998, have added to what it means to be a Cornellian. What have you been up to? We want to hear from you! Fill out our online news form or email: ❖ Uthica Jinvit Utano ( email Uthica ) | Alumni Directory .

Meredith Glah Coors writes, “With my oldest son’s diagnosis of type 1 diabetes in 2014 at age 11, I became involved with JDRF (a leading organization funding type 1 diabetes research), working to raise funds for research and a cure. I served on the Mountain West Board in Colorado for six years and joined JDRF’s Global Mission Board in 2022. I chaired our annual fundraiser in 2017 and have worked as an auction chair for the event each year since. During the pandemic, I created a mask fundraiser that raised $36,000; my kids and I sewed masks in exchange for donations to JDRF. Locally I also serve on the board of the Denver Zoo and volunteer at Children’s Hospital Colorado.”

Courtney Armbruster writes, “As an animal lover, I am fortunate that I found the Central New York Cat Coalition, an all-volunteer group that rescues homeless cats and adopts them into loving homes. We also run the largest subsidized spay/neuter program in all of CNY, getting more than 2,500 cats fixed a year for low-income owners and rescuers. Since starting as a volunteer with the organization more than 15 years ago, I continued to take on more responsibility and became the president of the board nearly nine years ago. I stepped back to vice president in 2023 and continue to work hard daily to help this organization improve the lives of animals in our community.”

I foster nearly 100 cats every year and get them adopted into forever homes. Courtney Armbruster ’99

Courtney adds, “I personally foster nearly 100 cats every year and get them adopted into forever homes. I volunteer at our adoption center, write our grant applications, manage our social media and website, coordinate our donations and supplies, and handle correspondence. Cats in my care come from all kinds of backgrounds, including strays, surrenders, and abandoned pets. We help animals with serious medical conditions like ruptured eyes, dental disease, broken bones, and more, and it can be a real challenge. We’re always trying to fundraise to help cats in need, and the supply of animals needing help never ends. It’s a ton of work, but so incredibly rewarding!”

We would love to hear from any classmates who attended our 25th Reunion in Ithaca in June! What did you think of the Olin Lecture, which was given by our very own Andrew Ross Sorkin ? (That event can be viewed here !) Did you make it to the tent parties? Did you check out your favorite spots on campus, and see all that’s changed since our days on the Hill? Hopefully you had plenty of time to spend with friends old and new.

Please drop us a line to let us know about your Reunion experience, so we can share it with the class! Those who weren’t able to attend would love to live vicariously through you. ❖ Class of 1999 ( email c/o Alexandra Bond ’12 ) | Alumni Directory .

Greetings from a warm and peaceful Cleveland, OH! Wishing you all well, wherever you are, and encouraging you to drop me a line whenever you get a chance. I’d love to hear from you. ❖ Denise Williams ( email Denise ) | Alumni Directory .

Did everyone have a good summer? Remember, we’re now less than two years away from our big 25th Reunion—and those Ithaca summers are truly gorges! Plus, we can party—I mean, um, network?—twice as hard to make up for our 20th Reunion going virtual due to the pandemic, so please do save the date: June 4–7, 2026. Whether the temperatures run hot or cold for the occasion, there’s sure to be the perfect Dairy Bar flavor to match each of our high, nostalgic spirits.

Speaking of excellent frozen treats, Salil Gupte and I kicked summer off by taking our kids around Italy (Rome, Naples, Pompei, Sorrento, Capri) and eating gelato daily (sometimes more than once), then headed to Seattle for our usual “home leave” (with Salil also going back and forth to D.C. and Delhi for Boeing business). This may have been my last long summer break for a while, as I’m slated to start working at the U.S. Embassy in Delhi, pending security clearances and budgets not getting frozen. Don’t want to jinx myself by elaborating further but will share to our class Facebook group when/if it happens. In the meantime, I’m geeking out by working on my MLIS degree through San Jose State University. Being a student again is hard; how did we do it the first time? Oh, that’s right—younger, spongier brains!

You don’t become a Cornell alum without having an unapologetic love of learning, right? (Take that, everyone who called us nerds once upon a time—it’s now called having a “growth mindset!”) Jeremy Werner , class officer at large, attended a May 7 Cornell Silicon Valley event hosted by the Cornell Alumni Association of Northern California on “How Chip Innovation Is Shaping the Future of AI,” with panelists including Cornell professor of electrical and computer engineering Chris Batten, Quanergy founder Tianyue Yu , PhD ’03 , and former CEO of Xilinx Victor Peng , ME ’82 . During the event, the CHIPS and Science Act was discussed, including the $6.1B grant to Micron, where Jeremy leads the storage business, along with Micron’s announced investment of over $100B in a new DRAM fab complex in Upstate New York. Professor Batten also talked about Cornell Custom Silicon Systems , an exciting student-led group at Cornell working on semiconductors.

I’m geeking out by working on my MLIS degree. Being a student again is hard; how did we do it the first time? Nicole Neroulias Gupte ’01

At the event, Jeremy met up with fellow classmates Ilyas Elkin , a distinguished engineer at NVIDIA designing the Tensor datapath for the world’s leading AI GPUs, and Brian Silverstein , whose latest startup MirrorTab is delivering cybersecurity for banks and other high value sites to communicate securely with their customers. (The last startup Brian founded was the web browser shopping plug-in Honey, which was bought in 2020 by PayPal for $4B.)

Over in Colorado, Christina Bové , DVM ’06, is now teaming up with MOVES (Mobile Veterinary Specialists) to offer cardiology services to veterinary clinics in and around Denver. When she’s not working, she can be found hiking or running with her husband, toddler, and dog—her cat prefers to stay on the couch. (I can relate!) Also from her bio, “Dr. Bove is passionate about veterinary wellness and is a wellness/nutrition coach and certified personal trainer. She is also addicted to Jane Austen, specifically Pride & Prejudice !”

Still reading? Send me a message via our class Facebook group or on my LinkedIn (I’m not hard to find) or email (see this column’s closing paragraph) with the phrase “Zero to Three!” Bonus points if you can remember what that references.

Kudos to a classmate who responded after I embedded a phrase in my last Class Notes: Ryan McCarthy writes that he is “loving Austin with my two kids (ages 5 and 7). I stay busy biking, reading, and playing pickleball, and will hopefully start taking advantage of Lake Austin and sailing. I have been working as head of real estate at Soul Community Planet Hotels since 2018 with the vision of making the world a better place by serving those that value personal wellness, kindness, and sustainability. We currently have 10 hotels and are growing. I started training for a sailing race in June 2025 called WA360, which is in the Pacific Northwest and is a 360-mile race with one rule: no motor. The goal is to then do Race to Alaska in 2026—750 miles with one rule: no motor. Should be challenging and fun!”

To share news or a memory and get back in touch with classmates, please email either of us, visit our website , like the Class of 2001 Facebook page , join our Class of 2001 Classmates Facebook group , and/or follow us on X ( @Cornell2001 ). ❖ Nicole Neroulias Gupte ( email Nicole ) | James Gutow ( email James ) | Alumni Directory .

2002 & 2003

Autumn greetings! We don’t have any news to share from either of these classes this round. Please take a moment to let us know how you spent your summer! If you have anything you’d like to share with your class, please submit an online news form . ❖ Class of 2002 & 2003 ( email c/o Alexandra Bond ’12 ) | Alumni Directory .

We would love to hear from any classmates who attended our 20th Reunion in Ithaca in June!

What did you think of our class tour of the Cornell Veterinary Biobank? Did you make it to the cocktail hour at the Nevin Welcome Center? Did you check out your favorite spots on campus and see all that’s changed since our days on the Hill? Hopefully you had plenty of time to spend with friends old and new.

Please drop us a line to let us know about your Reunion experience, so we can share it with the class! Those who weren’t able to attend would love to live vicariously through you. ❖ Class of 2004 ( email c/o Alexandra Bond ’12 ) | Alumni Directory .

If you’re anything like me, this time of year makes you think of the start of a new semester on the Hill. What are your plans for the fall? Are any of you venturing out of town to travel? Or marking any career milestones? If you have anything you’d like to share with our class, please submit an online news form or write directly to: ❖ Hilary Johnson King ( email Hilary ) | Jessica Rosenthal Chod ( email Jessica ) | Alumni Directory .

Hello, Class of 2006! Summer is in full gear as I write, bringing with it warmth, sunshine, and a lively spirit. Now, as the days grow shorter again, we hope you have soaked up the vibrant energy of the season. Amidst your professional and personal adventures, we’re excited to share the latest news with you from the class.

Shanah Segal and her husband, Amotz, are proud to be raising their two boys in New York City, “exploring new playgrounds, going to museums, and immersing ourselves in the various new popups.” Shanah has recently joined the New York Board of Directors for Postpartum Support International, where she has a platform to raise awareness around issues she helps support in her private practice as a clinical psychologist, such as mental health issues during perinatal and childbearing years. Shanah continues to volunteer for Cornell across a number of areas and hopes to visit Ithaca this year. We can’t wait for you to come back to the Big Red!

Whether you’re embarking on exciting new projects or destinations, cultivating newfound passions, or cherishing moments and milestones with loved ones, please keep the updates coming and share with the class! We’d love to hear about your favorite memories at Cornell, and what you’ve been up to lately. ❖ Kirk Greenspan, MBA ’22 ( email Kirk ) | Alumni Directory .

Hello, Class of 2007! Below are some awesome updates on our classmates’ professional developments. I am so happy to be able to share them with you all. As always, my contact information is listed at the end; I love hearing from you and look forward to future updates!

Justin Dorman , a classmate of ours from the School of Industrial and Labor Relations, recently created, authored, graphically designed, and self-published 58 children’s picture books. The books’ wide-ranging topics include animals, nature, national parks, landmarks, and monuments. Fifty-two paperback and six hardcover books in all. He even features Ithaca in his  Artistic World Famous Waterfalls  book. Justin has fond memories of a backpacking trip in Arizona with Cornell Outdoor Education during spring break of junior year. Thanks for sharing, Justin! I look forward to sharing these with my little ones!

Carolyn Satenberg-Stewart shares that she is the chief people officer at a tech AI startup. She and wife Madelyn live in Sebastopol, CA. She shares that her time at Cornell has definitely had an impact on the trajectory of her life. Wishing you both the best!

Finally, Nicky Rho Rooz has joined international law firm Withers as partner. The firm has expanded its international family law team by establishing a practice in New York, which she will lead. Nicky joins Withers from Salzano Ettinger Lampert & Wilson LLP, and previously worked in the family and matrimonial law group at Blank Rome LLP for nearly a decade beforehand.

She advises on all aspects of family law, including cohabitation, prenuptial and postnuptial agreements, divorce and separation, paternity actions, complex financial issues, child and spousal support, high-conflict custody disputes, and domestic violence restraining orders/orders of protection. Her clients include high-net worth and high-profile individuals, including tech sector entrepreneurs and investors.

Congrats to everyone on your accomplishments! Have more updates to share? Please feel free to reach out to me or submit online! ❖ Samantha Feibush Wolf ( email Samantha ) | Alumni Directory .

Autumn greetings! We don’t have any news to share this round. Please take a moment to let us know how you spent your summer! If you have anything you’d like to share with your class, please submit an online news form . ❖ Class of 2008 ( email c/o Alexandra Bond ’12 ) | Alumni Directory .

This June was our 15th Reunion! So much has changed on campus and in the world in the last 15 years, but it is always fun to return to “Old Cornell” and enjoy all that Ithaca has to offer. This Reunion our class had 249 alumni, partners, and children come back to the Hill to get together, reminisce, and explore all the new parts of campus. We had 163 alumni and children ranging in age from infant to 17. We stayed on West Campus, in Alice Cook House, which was nicely decorated with well over 1,000 red and white balloons! Our alumni came back from all over the U.S., and from as far as London!

Some of us were able to try the “new RPU” at Morrison Hall, and visit CTB at its new location, with ample outdoor space. We enjoyed an ice cream social, wine tour, dinner at Weill Hall and at the Johnson Museum, family Fun in the Sun, multiple tent parties, and, of course, late night Wings Over Ithaca.

We loved seeing everyone there who made it and can’t wait for our next Reunion in five short years, to see everyone again! See you then, ’09! ❖ Sara Kaleya ( email Sara ) | Alumni Directory .

Alexander Eason spends his time “reading, making money, working out, and learning piano and foreign languages.” Sadly, he shares, “our dogs, Chance and Sully, passed away, so we are remembering them and coping with those difficult emotions.” Of his time at Cornell, Alexander writes, “I was inspired being around so many overachievers and it made me want to strive hard to complete my academic/personal goals.” ❖ Michelle Sun ( email Michelle ) | Alumni Directory .

Steven True writes, “We are moving from Arizona—to England! My wife, Alice, is English, and we are moving to her childhood village with our 15-month-old son, Noah.” Congratulations and good luck, Steven! ❖ Class of 2011 ( email c/o Alexandra Bond ’12 ) | Alumni Directory .

If you’re anything like me, this time of year makes you think of the start of a new semester on the Hill. What are your plans for the fall? Are any of you venturing out of town to travel? Or marking any career milestones? If you have anything you’d like to share with our class, please submit an online news form or write directly to: ❖ Peggy Ramin ( email Peggy ) | Alumni Directory .

Veronica Yambrovich Landau shares that she married Matthew in Key West in December 2023! They are enjoying life in Central Florida and are looking forward to meeting their first child. Congratulations!

As always, if you have news to share, please email me! ❖ Rachael Schuman Fassler ( email Rachael ) | Alumni Directory .

Hello, Class of 2014! I hope that many of you had fun at our 10th Reunion this past June. Although I was unable to attend, the following message was passed on to me by other class council members:

“It was so wonderful to see so many of you back on the Hill for our 10th Reunion! Almost 600 classmates attended the weekend, where we reconnected over Dinosaur BBQ, late night Wings Over, and, of course, dancing in the tents. 357 classmates made a gift in honor of our Reunion to almost 200 different areas of Cornell, totaling a class best of $252,285! We appreciate your support of our Reunion campaign and of our alma mater.

“Thank you to Reunion chairs Ashley Black and Krystal Sze for their hard work organizing the weekend, Kelly Parness Hawthorne and Dana Lerner for spearheading our Reunion campaign, and to class president Julia Buffinton for making sure the weekend was a total success!

“Save the date! Our next Reunion is June 7–10, 2029. If you’d like to get involved with planning, please contact Julia ( email Julia ).”

Outside of Reunion news, Tyler Beck and his brother, Austin Beck ’18 , BS ’17, were recently featured in a new Roku documentary series, “Dairy Diaries,” that premiered this April. This series features actress Vanessa Bayer visiting Beck Farms, where she participates in the daily life of a dairy farmer over the course of one week and five episodes. You can read more about the series in this article in Cornellians .

Please send me your news. ❖ Samantha Lapehn Young ( email Samantha ) | Alumni Directory .

Congratulations to Connor Buczek , MBA ’17, who has become head coach for the Big Red lacrosse team. Connor was a three-time All-American while an undergrad, and after graduating pursued his MBA at the Johnson School, at the same time volunteering as an assistant coach. Despite receiving an offer from a Wall Street firm, Connor decided to stay on the Hill for a full-time coaching position. He has since earned Ivy League Coach of the Year twice. Best of luck, Connor!

Rizpah Bellard has founded a company called Nova Farming, which “seeks to empower individuals with valuable knowledge about sustainable agriculture, farm and ranch management, and animal husbandry.” After seeing the widening gap between people and their food systems, Rizpah wanted to bring people into the experience of farming through educational programs and workshops. She was awarded a Fulbright in 2020 and this year was named to COWGIRL Magazine ’s 30 Under 30 list.

Congratulations are also due to  Kushagra Aniket , who published a book called  Krishna-Niti : Timeless Strategic Wisdom , which offers 11 lessons in strategy from the Indian epic the  Mahabharata . According to the book’s blurb, “The authors draw upon their extensive research into the  Mahabharata  to present this unique perspective on strategy, leadership, and crisis management, distilled from the magnificent epic of India.” ❖  Caroline Flax  ( email Caroline ) |  Mateo Acebedo  ( email Mateo ) |  Alumni Directory .

Kristin Stinavage writes, “I am excited to share my achievement of becoming a certified postpartum doula from DONA International and Relief Parenting Respite and Resource Center LLC. This certification is not just a professional milestone but a synthesis of my diverse educational and experiential journey.

“The role of a doula, deeply rooted in the ancient Greek tradition of ‘a woman who serves,’ has always resonated with me. It aligns perfectly with my hospitality background, where the essence is to provide care, comfort, and a memorable experience. This alignment has been instrumental in shaping my approach to supporting families during the transformative postpartum period.

“My education at Cornell and the Culinary Institute of America has been pivotal in my understanding of service excellence—and what hospitality means when serving a family at this point in their lives. It has instilled in me a profound appreciation for the art of showing up for others, especially in moments as intimate and life-changing as the postpartum period. This understanding has been a guiding force in my journey, allowing me to create a unique blend of emotional support, nutritional guidance, and holistic care.

“The postpartum period is more than a phase; it’s a significant transition that deserves the utmost care and attention. My skills, honed through a blend of culinary expertise and hospitality acumen, enable me to offer a level of support that transcends traditional caregiving. I view each meal as a therapeutic tool, not just for physical nourishment but as a medium for emotional healing and family bonding.

“This journey has also led me to reflect deeply on our society’s current perspectives on healthcare. It has highlighted the need for a more inclusive, nurturing approach, particularly in postpartum care. In a world where the healthcare industry is often critiqued for its clinical detachment, I see my role as a doula to bring back the human touch, empathy, and personalized care that every family deserves during such a critical time.

“As I step into this role, I carry with me the understanding that postpartum is a passage—an intimate, transformative experience that merits a communal embrace. My aim is to ensure that this journey is marked by nurturing, growth, and profound bonding for every family I support.

“With continuous learning and skill refinement, I am committed to contributing positively to the evolution of postpartum care, inspired by the wisdom of those who walked this path before me.” Thanks for sharing this fantastic news, Kristin. Classmates, it’s your turn next! ❖ Class of 2016 ( email c/o Alexandra Bond ’12 ) | Alumni Directory .

Volunteering is a passion for our classmate Connor Donnelly . He writes, “In high school, I was a tutor. In undergrad at Cornell, I was an orientation leader, a Peer Advisor, a tutor through REACH Tutoring, and on the Finance Committee for GlobeMed.

“After completing undergrad, I was an AmeriCorps member for City Year Los Angeles. The following year, I was a Peace Corps volunteer in Uganda, where I served as the national director for DEAR Day, a technical trainer, and a fifth-grade teacher.

“More recently, as a graduate student at the University of Michigan, I was a nonprofit board fellow (a non-voting board member) on the Metro Detroit Salvation Army Advisory Board. I was also a student consultant for the food waste nonprofit ReFED, and the energy poverty startup in Brazil, PopLuz. I was also an Environmental Defense Fund Climate Corps Fellow for the nonprofit Sustainable Jersey.”

Thanks for all you do, Connor! Classmates, what are you up to these days? We’d love to hear from you! ❖ Class of 2017 ( email c/o Alexandra Bond ’12 ) | Alumni Directory .

Rhia Jarvis writes, “I got engaged to Adam Wegman! We rotated in the same lab for our PhDs and struck it off just as the pandemic started. It’s nice to think that good things also came of COVID!”

Osei Boateng , MHA ’20, writes, “I serve as the founder of the OKB Hope Foundation, a nonprofit organization committed to delivering free healthcare services to remote and underserved communities scattered across Ghana. Through our pioneering mobile medical unit, we bring one-on-one consultations, essential medications, and diagnostic services directly to the doorsteps of those who need it most. Since introducing our health van, we’ve touched the lives of over 5,000 individuals spanning 55 rural communities.

“Beyond our medical services, we are actively engaged in mental health education and support initiatives within high schools across Ghana through the Wohohiame Wellness Initiative. Since the inception of this program, we’ve extended mental health assistance to more than 3,000 students across six high schools.

“Our impactful work has garnered recognition from distinguished platforms such as the CNN Heroes program and the Global Health Solutions Initiative. These accolades stand as a testament to the relentless efforts of our team and the positive strides we’ve made in enhancing healthcare accessibility and mental health awareness throughout Ghana.” ❖ Class of 2018 ( email c/o Alexandra Bond ’12 ) | Alumni Directory .

Hello, Class of 2019! I hope you have had a wonderful summer so far. Thank you to all of you who joined us at Reunion this past June! It was wonderful to get back in touch with so many old friends and get to know so many new ones. For those of you who didn’t join us, we look forward to seeing you at the 10th in 2029!

In the meantime, your class council has been at work to start planning some 2019 events! Keep an eye out, especially as we head toward the Frozen Apple hockey game this November. As always, if you have any news to share with the class, please submit it through our online form! ❖ Troy Anderson ( email Troy ) | Alumni Directory .

Peter de Lande Long writes, “My expertise lies at the intersection of design and wellbeing, with research demonstrating how well-designed spaces can significantly reduce anxiety and depression, enhance focus and concentration, and cultivate a strong community sense. This foundation led to the creation of DormAlgo, an initiative focused on reimagining student housing.

“DormAlgo is designed to provide scalable, cost-effective solutions to improve student living environments. Our approach transcends aesthetics; we are dedicated to enhancing students’ lifestyles and wellbeing, creating spaces that are not just functional, but also personalized and comforting—a true home away from home.” ❖ Class of 2020 ( email c/o Alexandra Bond ’12 ) | Alumni Directory .

Autumn greetings! We don’t have any news to share from these classes this round. Please take a moment to let us know how you spent your summer! If you have anything you’d like to share with your class, please submit an online news form . ❖ Class of 2021–23 ( email c/o Alexandra Bond ’12 ) | Alumni Directory .

Agriculture and Life Sciences

Jim Eckblad , PhD ’71 , writes, “I volunteer through the Decorah (IA) Lions Club to sort and read eyeglass prescriptions on donated eyeglasses. The glasses are then available to travel with mission groups to developing nations, where they are made available to individuals who wouldn’t be able to afford the cost of prescription glasses.”

Lee Basevin Kass ,  PhD ’75 , is an adjunct professor in the plant breeding and genetics section at Cornell and an adjunct professor at West Virginia University in Morgantown. Lee has completed a new biography of Cornellian and Nobel laureate  Barbara McClintock 1923 ,  PhD 1927 . The book is titled  From Chromosomes to Mobile Genetic Elements : The Life and Work of Nobel Laureate Barbara McClintock . It is published by CRC/Routledge/Taylor & Francis Group.

Mariella Fourli , MS ’97 , writes, “In 2008 I created an NGO called Microsfere, whose purpose is to promote biodiversity conservation and rural development in communities in West Africa. We have an ongoing project in Ghana, in collaboration with rural communities around Kakum National Park. The involved communities have benefited from initiatives such as microfinance, capacity-building, promotion of micro-enterprises compatible with biodiversity conservation, and children’s libraries; our main focus in the last few years has been on supporting energy-efficient cooking stoves, which have clear benefits in terms of CO2 emissions, deforestation, and women’s health. Overall, more than 600 families have been participating in our projects.”

Timothy Shaffer , PhD ’14 , writes, “I’m leading a civil discourse effort at the University of Delaware’s Biden School called the SNF Ithaca Initiative. As the director and the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Chair of Civil Discourse, I have the opportunity to introduce students to more constructive ways of engaging across difference through classes, workshops, and other experiential learning opportunities. Annually, we invite about 100 students from around the country to the SNF Ithaca National Student Dialogue.”

Kirsten Kurtz , MS ’21 ’s artwork was featured at an art show that was held in Ithaca by the Community Arts Partnership and Tompkins Food Future. Kirsten is the manager of Cornell Soil Health Laboratory in the School of Integrated Plant Science. The art show also featured the works of several other artists from CALS within the theme of “Picturing a Resilient, Equitable, and Healthy Food Future.” The artwork was displayed throughout the month of June.

Architecture, Art, and Planning

Tom Stack , MArch ’98 , was recently promoted to studio director for the private sector architecture group at H2M Architects + Engineers, headquartered in Melville, NY. The group is currently engaged with real estate development companies designing mixed-use and multi-family projects. Tom and his wife reside on the North Shore of Long Island, NY, and enjoy spending time with their children. They recently welcomed the addition of their fourth grandchild.

Caitlin McCarthy , MArch ’20 , and Jordan Young , MArch ’20 , had their proposal for BUILDFest 2024 selected to be built as one of three permanent, large-scale art installations at the Bethel Woods Center for the Arts, where the grounds of the 1969 Woodstock festival was. Construction will begin this summer. BUILDFest is a five-day festival where accepted participants work with student teams to install their designs on-site. Once completed, the installations will be enjoyed during the Catbird Music Festival.

Arts and Sciences

Garth Drozin , GR ’78–81 , retired in March 2023 from a career as a trial attorney and judge in Los Angeles to return to his beloved music composition . Garth lectured on composition to doctoral composition students and professors at the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing, China, in April 2024. While in Beijing, he received a commission to compose a piece for a professional Chinese orchestra, and he completed that piece in June 2024; it will premiere in Beijing later this year. On October 8, 2024, the Singing Statesmen will perform his men’s choral piece “Loveliest of Trees” at Arkansas State University. His big band jazz piece “Sutch As It Is” will be performed by the Cerritos College Jazz Band in their fall 2024 concert. In October 2023, Garth conducted and sang with the Voice of Love Chorus Los Angeles, an all-Chinese-American chorus of 60 voices, in concert.

Susan Brewer , PhD ’91 , wrote a book titled The Best Land : Four Hundred Years of Love and Betrayal on Oneida Territory that will be published on October 15, 2024. In it, she recounts the story of the parcel of Central New York land on which she grew up. Susan and her family had worked and lived on this land for generations when the Oneida Indian Nation claimed that it rightfully belonged to them. From here she tells the land’s story through the lens of two families—her own European settler family and the Oneida/Mohawk family of Polly Denny—who called the land home. The Brewer and Denny families took part in imperial wars, the American Revolution, broken treaties, the building of the Erie Canal, Native removal, the rise and decline of family farms, bitter land claims controversies, and the revival of the Oneida Indian Nation. As she makes clear in The Best Land , through centuries of violence, bravery, greed, generosity, racism, and love, the lives of the Brewer and Denny families were profoundly intertwined.

Trenton Cladouhos , PhD ’93 , has been a geologist for around 35 years. For the last 16 years, he has been working on geothermal energy, a clean renewable that could “transform the U.S. energy landscape,” according to the Department of Energy. Trenton was featured in a video by TLS Geothermics describing his field of work and gave a talk earlier this year at the 49th Stanford Geothermal Workshop about what is needed to advance the field.

Scott Rosenzweig , MBA ’91 , is running for office in the Montana State House of Representatives, House District 57, to represent Bozeman, Gallatin, and Park counties. Scott’s previous career was working in satellite communications before he was inspired to run for state office.

Ronald Smith , MBA ’94 , writes, “My wife and I founded Friends of St. Kizito Rubuguri Primary School , a nonprofit organization, after visiting St. Kizito Rubuguri Primary School in Rubuguri, Uganda, twice within a three-month span, starting in October 2022. We decided to create a nonprofit to raise awareness and support for the school.”

Nikita Gossain , MBA ’20 , writes, “I began my career at KPMG, where I found fulfillment in the work but sought a deeper impact. Inspired by this drive, I ventured into entrepreneurship after my time at Cornell. Now, as the owner of my three businesses and in the early stages of building a private equity firm, I’ve committed to allocating 50% of all earnings to impactful charities such as Malaria Consortium, Helen Keller International, and New Incentives. While my primary focus is on leveraging my skills in mergers and acquisitions to accumulate financial resources for impactful giving, I am deeply involved in volunteering and community engagement. I actively participate in the Effective Altruism movement, advocating for evidence-based solutions and contributing policy change submissions. Additionally, I mentor girls from my high school, aiming to empower more women to enter the business world. I dedicate time to volunteering at orphanages in India, recognizing the importance of direct action in making a difference. I am also currently working on a project similar to the Soft White Underbelly YouTube channel, utilizing storytelling to shed light on important societal issues. I believe in the power of blending business acumen with a strong sense of social responsibility. As I continue to build my private equity firm, I am driven by the vision of creating lasting, positive change, both through business success and meaningful contributions to the community.”

Pearl Phillips , MBA ’21 , writes, “I chaired this year’s event committee for the Susan G. Komen Impact Luncheon at Cipriani 42nd Street on March 13. I reached out to my fellow alumni and current students in the executive MBA/MS in healthcare and I am humbled to say many answered the call. Our committee is now exclusively composed of EMBA/MS students, including a couple of us who are breast cancer survivors. All proceeds from the event will benefit the Susan G. Komen organization and help to drive advancements in breast cancer care and research.”

Jacob Tannenbaum , MPS ’21 , founded the nonprofit Life After Life Foundation to bring parks to the communities and environments that need help most. The foundation is working to close on their first abandoned brownfield property to begin its remediation and rehabilitation into biodiverse green space for nature-deprived communities.

Pedro Escobar , MBA ’23 , writes, “My engagement with the Student DREAMers Alliance, a vibrant segment of the Hispanic Alliance of South Carolina, is more than a volunteer effort—it is a commitment to the future. I mentor a high school student named Edwin, whose ambition is to get into college, master the English language, and carve a niche for himself in the STEM industry. In a candid video , I delve into the value of education, the significance of breaking down barriers, and how my experiences at Cornell have shaped my approach to mentorship and service. The intersection of my academic background and the mission of the Hispanic Alliance of South Carolina has fueled my passion for this cause. Contributing to a world where educational equity is not just a dream but a reality is essential. By supporting Edwin, I am helping to lay down the stepping stones for his success, just as my path was paved by the transformative education I received. Together, we are not just dreaming of a brighter future—we are actively constructing it. Our journey is chronicled on the Hispanic Alliance’s website , which showcases the unique bond we have developed and the mutual growth we have experienced.”

Engineering

Anima Anandkumar ,  MS ’08 ,  PhD ’09 , gave a TED Talk on “ AI that connects the digital and physical worlds ” in April 2024. “While language models may help generate new ideas, they cannot attack the hard part of science, which is simulating the necessary physics,” says Anima. She explains how her team developed neural operators that are AI trained on fine details to bridge this gap. Anima shares some of her recent projects that have stemmed from her developments, including improved weather forecasting and medical device designs. Anima is the Bren Professor of Computing and Mathematical Sciences at Caltech.

Human Ecology

Kristine DeLuca , MA ’19 , writes, “I spent my entire career working in the nonprofit sector—mostly in student development in higher education, with a brief stint as a director for a county department dedicated to providing services for underemployed and unemployed residents of that county. My expertise in providing career services centered around careers in nonprofits, government, and teaching, and I now run programs that provide funding to students committed to providing servant leadership, service, and research for the betterment of communities. I also have volunteered for many nonprofit boards. Currently, I serve as president of the board of directors for the Learning Web, an agency that provides a continuum of care to Tompkins County youth—providing apprenticeships and mentorships for all, as well as supportive services for unhoused youth up to age 24. I’ve served on this board for the past eight years, seven as president.”

Cindy Rodríguez , MPA ’19 , is excited to share that she is Vermont Public’s new senior vice president of people and culture. Vermont Public is an independent, community-supported media organization created in 2021 from the merger of Vermont Public Radio and Vermont PBS. It provides news, music, and educational programming through various platforms and is funded primarily by member donations. Outside of work, Cindy has been enjoying travel and spending time with her family and friends. She recently checked a place off her bucket list—Berlin, Germany—and also traveled to Sydney, Australia.

Samantha Corkern , MPA ’23 , co-founded the Walisha Foundation in an effort to reduce food insecurity in East Africa. From the organization’s website: “Our journey began with a clear vision: to empower smallholder farmers and young graduates, catalyzing a shift toward sustainable agricultural practices. We recognize the pivotal role of wheat and maize in securing food sources across Africa, and our mission is to empower farmers to achieve a hunger-free Africa.”

Jeff Mausner , JD ’76 , has been volunteering in various aspects of animal welfare since his retirement from practicing law in 2012. Jeff has received recognition for his work several times, including receiving a Special Commendation from the California Legislature in 2024, the Guardian of the Animals Award from In Defense of Animals in 2023, and the “best of” award from the Los Angeles Neighborhood Councils in 2017 for his volunteer work saving the lives of thousands of dogs, cats, and other animals and improving animal shelter conditions.

Dan Emery , JD ’80 , writes, “I am cutting back my law practice, but continue doing public benefits work and some pro bono work, and participate in and support nonprofits. I have been on the board of Pine Tree Legal Assistance, Maine’s civil legal aid group, for almost 10 years, and spent the past three as board chair. This is very rewarding work, and I trace my interest to two years in the Law School’s Legal Aid Clinic. I am also a water reporter for Friends of Casco Bay, providing photo evidence of phenomena like algae blooms, erosion, and sea level rise. I took some environmental law at the Law School and have retained that interest. I am grateful for the education I received at the Law School, which has allowed me to pursue a rewarding career and other interests including the above.”

Russell Yankwitt , JD ’96 , celebrated his law firm’s 15th anniversary. Started in his kitchen at a folding table with one employee, Yankwitt LLP has turned into a 20-plus-employee boutique law firm in Westchester County, NY. This year, Russell was honored with Pace University’s Westchester Changemakers Award, which pays tribute to outstanding individuals who have contributed significantly to the advancement of Westchester County. He has also been selected by Super Lawyers as a Top 10 attorney in New York this year, which will be formally announced in October. Russell also has the only Westchester-based law firm ranked in Chambers and Partners, one of the most respected resources in the legal industry. He is also the honoree of this year’s Legal Services of the Hudson Valley Equal Access to Justice Awards Dinner and serves on the Federal Bar Council Executive Committee as treasurer.

Lou Guard ,  JD ’12 , co-wrote a book titled  All the Campus Lawyers : Litigation, Regulation, and the New Era of Higher Education  that made the  New Yorker  “Best Books of 2024” list. The book traces the legal controversies affecting college and university campuses, including issues of free speech, affirmative action, and Title IX on college campuses. Lou is currently an adjunct professor of law on the Hill. A signed copy of the book was added to the Cornelliana collection in the University Library.

Welcome to our newest offering: Group Notes! Like Class Notes, these columns are written by alumni, but they comprise news about members of Cornell groups—including campus activities, alumni organizations, and more—across generations. If you would like to see your group represented here, email us for more information!

Continuous Reunion Club

We Continuous Reunion Club members experience our Reunions in many varied ways. Happily, two of our members wrote reports of the weekend’s events for us to enjoy.

First, we have a report from Connie Santagato Hosterman ’57 : Reunion 2024 brought the Continuous Reunion Club members back to the sky lounge of High Rise 5 for their headquarters. We made great use of the lounge for our continental breakfasts and our interesting late-night discussions. Dot Preisner Valachovic ’71 and I arrived early on Wednesday to assist our CRC clerk, grad student Irene Xu , JD ’22 , and the three non-Reunion year (NRY) clerks, Suha, Chloe, and Elana, in the transformation of the bland sixth-floor lobby into a bright, decorated, lively spot. The four clerks quickly bonded and enhanced the initial welcome of all who came to register.

Did we CRC members entice some of the NRY attendees to join us? Of course! By noon on Thursday our CRC president, Melinda Dower ’78 , and vice president Pat Reilly ’78 , accompanied by her husband, had arrived. Soon the ice was in place, so out from the locked “booze room” came beverages and munchies. Let the fun begin!

The highlight for CRC members this year was a visit to William “Buck” Briggs ’76 ’s singular treasure of Cornell and Ithaca memorabilia. There was the bar from the Royal Palm, complete with barstools! There was the lit neon sign from Joe’s! There were lit neon signs from The Rose! There were pieces of bowling lanes from a long defunct Ithaca bowling arena where a band could perch! A large sign obtained from Sam Gould’s Collegetown Store hung from the ceiling. Every way we turned, we saw more and more artifacts from bygone years.

Buck admitted to often being at the right place at the right time and even dumpster-diving at demolition sites to find these treasures. He knows “guys” who help him retrieve and restore his many, many items. There were significant photos, paintings, and old prints as well. Seeing Buck’s amazing collections was truly a nostalgic trip through time.

Dinosaur BBQ catered our Saturday night supper under a tent, perfect for this year’s changeable weather. We had plenty of time to head to Bailey Hall for Cornelliana Night and then to the tents. The evening wrapped up with great camaraderie in our sky lounge headquarters. The next morning, we scattered to our homes, leaving with these heartfelt words: “See you next year!”

And now, a report from John Cecilia ’70 , MBA ’79: One of the great advantages of CRC is the freedom to do many varied things at Reunion, as the group plans only a few special CRC events. This leaves time for exploration of all the various presentations, breakfasts, and more done by schools and organizations in the broad university. But with that freedom to explore the plethora of activities comes the possibility of trying to do too many things at Reunion, and not having enough time or energy. This year I may have overwhelmed myself with too much!

One of the great advantages of CRC is the freedom to do many varied things at Reunion. John Cecilia ’70, MBA ’79

2024 was the 45th Reunion of my Johnson School MBA program. Being retired, and not being a practicing corporado anymore, very few of the Johnson activities were of much interest. In fact, prior to arriving in Ithaca, I had planned only to be at the class picture-taking session for individual Johnson classes. In addition, only three individual classmates, including me, attended! One of the others was an old acquaintance, and an undergrad from another university, and had little knowledge of the breadth of activities a Cornell Reunion offers. So she and I joined forces, and off we went.

One very interesting advantage was the fact that an old undergrad roommate and his Cornellian wife were the registrars for their Class of ’69 Reunion and gave me some leeway to attend some of their events. OMG, more choices to make! So what transpired was a collection of events that had us running around the campus, from the bottom of the hill at West Campus to the far reaches of North Campus and beyond, and missing some special CRC events.

But we did a lot, some of which is mentioned here! A wine tasting with retired Johnson professor Joe Thomas. A quiet late meal at the Statler. A sumptuous breakfast and interesting talks (and stuff) with the Sibley School (mechanical engineering) at its 150th birthday. Being at President Martha Pollack’s last State of the University address and being witnesses to the mini-protest and her very smooth handling of same during her talk. Attending CRC member Andrea Strongwater ’70 ’s Nabokov butterfly event with children. Standing in line to purchase mementos at the Cornell Store. A marvelous stroll through the Botanic Gardens. Cornelliana Night (up close!). The tents. And an impromptu farewell breakfast at the Ithaca Bakery before we began our individual journeys home.

For my graduate school companion, I believe it was an eye-opening weekend, experiencing the breadth and depth of alumni activity available at Cornell Reunions, along with the impossibility of seeing and doing everything! She does intend to join the Continuous Reunion Club, so we can do this every year!

Thanks to our two roving reporters for their accounts! ❖ Connie Santagato Hosterman ’57 ( email Connie ) | John Cecilia ’70, MBA ’79 ( email John ) | Alumni Directory .

Hello, fellow Cornell fencers, and welcome to Group Notes! I’m excited to introduce this new column to share our alumni’s journeys, both personal and professional, while highlighting the latest on the team.

If we haven’t met, I’m Adam Kirsch ’15 , MBA ’16. Like many of you, Cornell fencing was an integral part of my college experience. While I spend most of my time now working as a consultant advising companies on mergers and acquisitions, I still enjoy breaking out the blades when I can and look forward to returning to the competitive fencing scene in fall 2024. I recently returned from a vacation to the United Kingdom, where my family and I worked with local archivists to trace our heritage to a small town in the English countryside, finding the pub operated by my ancestors still standing!

It seems like just yesterday we were all enjoying each other’s company in Ithaca at our annual Alumni Weekend and Spring Awards Dinner! There was a lot to celebrate—including the men’s team’s club national championship (for more, see the Cornell Chronicle story here , which features Gabriel Montalvo-Zotter ’24 , Riley Xian ’25 , and Max Dolmetsch ’25 ). It made the banquet even more special to recognize this team while commemorating the 2004 national champions—represented in Ithaca by Matt Herndon ’04 , Mike Klinger ’06 , Frank Castelli ’05 , PhD ’17, Jason Lin ’04 , and James Morris ’05 .

Matt now resides in State College, PA, and serves on the Borough Council, where he focuses on safer streets, housing affordability, sustainability, and inclusion. Mike traveled to sunny Ithaca from Honolulu, HI, where he works as a civil rights attorney and has recently declined two requests to play bass in a Toad the Wet Sprocket cover band. Dr. Castelli, a longtime Ithaca resident, left the familiar grounds of East Hill to take a new role at Atlanta’s Georgia State University.

I still enjoy breaking out the blades when I can and look forward to returning to the competitive fencing scene in fall 2024. Adam Kirsch ’15, MBA ’16

Also recognized were a number of scholar-athletes: the Graeme Jennings Award went to Molly Veerkamp ’24 and Gabe Montalvo-Zotter ’24; the Scholar Athlete of the Year for the third year in a row was Emma Ni ’25 ; the Georges Cointe Award went to two athletes with endless spirit and energy, Lucas Lutar ’25 and Isabela Carvalho ’27 ; with Patrick’s parents both in attendance, the Patrick DeNeale Award went to Riley Xian ’25 and Sterre Hoogendoorn ’24 ; and the Outstanding Athlete of the Year Awards went to Ketki Ketkar ’26 in epee and Langston Johnson ’27 in sabre.

Notably, Ketki won the NCAA Regional this season in commanding fashion. She earned bronze at NCAA Nationals and closed out the season as an All-American! Ketki is the first fencer to accomplish this feat since Victoria Wines ’17 . Since graduating from Boston College Law School in 2022, Vicki has served as the U.S. compliance lead at McGill and Partners.

Alan Petroff ’74 joined us from Huntsville, AL—bringing with him a wide selection of Yellowhammer beers from his home state! Alan’s Heroes Project, an effort to capture the stories and signatures of the greatest fencers in Cornell’s history, has brought many alumni back into the fold while paying tribute to the rich past of our fencing program.

Doug Herz ’73 coordinated a well-attended alumni meetup in Boston. We’d love to hear from you if you’re interested in organizing an alumni meetup in your home city.

Let us know what you’re up to! To be featured in Group Notes, email your update to: ❖ Adam Kirsch ’15 , MBA ’16 ( email Adam ) | Alumni Directory .

University Chorus & Glee Club

’Tis the summer of reuniting our favorite Cornell singers, from Reunion itself to meetups and joint trips elsewhere around the globe.

From what I heard about Reunion, the weather wasn’t the best, but the camaraderie was wonderful. Adam Juran ’94 , BA ’21, wrote, “It was so much fun making music again after 30 years! Don’t think we should wait so long before doing that again.” Chuck Walter ’99 posted a lovely video of the Chorus singing “The Hill” on the Glee Club Facebook page , to which TP Enders ’90 , ME ’96, commented, “I was thinking as this was going on, that sitting on the Bailey stage, surrounded by ‘The Hill’ being sung in earnest, and looking out over a dimly lit, spellbound audience, must surely be the very pinnacle of the Reunion experience. I’m glad you captured this exquisite moment. Nice to see you, Chuck, and the rest of you 4 and 9 hooligans. Looking forward to a proper 0 and 5 event next year after 2020’s was derailed.” I, too, am looking forward to my much-delayed 25th (aka my 30th) next year (June 5–8, 2025—save the date!) and hope to see many of my Chorus and Glee Club friends in attendance!

It was so much fun making music again after 30 years! Don’t think we should wait so long before doing that again. Adam Juran ’94, BA ’21

In mid-June, after our kids finished school, Esther Cohen Bezborodko ’94 and I took our families to a beautiful Airbnb adjacent to a lovely beach on the Chesapeake Bay right outside of Virginia Beach. It was a glorious four days with three adults, five kids, and a puppy, and everyone had a blast. Esther’s son had his bar mitzvah in May, and her youngest daughter will have hers in November. The family recently moved to North Riverdale (from South Riverdale) and love it there. Performance wise, Esther is now studying with Erik Nelson Werner, and she and her children recently performed in a gala benefit for their local theater featuring lots of Broadway luminaries—a great experience all around, she said.

Steve Engelbrecht ’01 spent the summer in Geneva, Switzerland, with his family. His kids (Alex, 8, Nora, 7, and Steven, 4) were enrolled in a bilingual summer camp and he and his wife were taking French lessons. They had posted some pictures on Facebook and got a reply from Michael Banino ’94 , BA ’95, who lives in Jakarta with his wife, Morgan, and son Finch, 5, but his sister lives in Geneva and they visit every summer. Steve writes, “We were able to work out a get-together at a local place for some delicious local cuisine, a stroll through the Vieille Ville, and a ride on the Ferris wheel in this beautiful city!”

Your updates are music to my ears—please keep them coming! Until we meet again. ❖ Alison Torrillo French ’95 ( email Alison ) | Alumni Directory .

Top image: Photo by Noël Heaney / Cornell University

Published September 1, 2024