The Office of Alumni Relations is pleased to offer many ways for alumni to stay in touch with each other, and with Colgate! E-mail me with questions or concerns at tmansfield@colgate.edu. — Tim Mansfield, associate vice president, institutional advancement and alumni relations Questions? Contact alumni relations: 315-228-7433 or alumni@colgate.edu
The Spectacular Thirteen
A Christmas wish came true for the Colgate Thirteen on December 12 when they joined the likes of Al Roker of the Today Show, Nick Cannon of America’s Got Talent, and Rosie Perez of The View as preshow entertainment for the Radio City Music Hall Christmas Spectacular in New York City.
The invitation arrived via e-mail from Kristina Heney ’95, senior vice president of marketing and sales at Madison Square Garden Entertainment, to Thirteen member Alexander Rojek ’15. Heney is in charge of bringing in outside groups to perform as opening acts for the show.
On the cavernous red-and-gold Great Stage, the Thirteen gave their audience two holiday favorites: Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas Is You” and Irving Berlin’s “White Christmas.”
“When the curtain came up and we saw all the seats filled with cheering people, it was a surreal experience,” Rojek said. “It was absolutely unbelievable to be on the same stage that so many great performers have crossed.”
Although this was the Thirteen’s debut at Radio City Music Hall, they are no strangers to the spotlight. The group has performed the national anthem at Fenway Park for the Boston Red Sox and in Miami for Super Bowl XIII. In January 2013, they sang on the nationally syndicated Ricki Lake Show.
— Quanzhi Guo ’18
Professional networks sponsor winter break immersion
Students from the campus Colgate Entertainment Group (CEG) visited the alumni CEG in Los Angeles and toured famous studios including 20th Century Fox Television, where Modern Family is filmed (pictured here).
A pair of trips kept nearly 30 students busy during winter break 2015. Coordinated through the Center for Career Services and supported by alumni and parents in Colgate’s professional networks, these two-day seminars help undergraduates begin to clarify career goals and build their professional connections.
The Colgate Real Estate Council (CREC), led by Cushman & Wakefield partner James Nelson ’98, hosted 22 students in New York City. “Attendance jumped from eight participants in 2014 due to buzz from last year’s trip and a newly developed real estate student group on campus,” Nelson said. The students got “an industry crash course from a who’s who of Colgate alumni speaking on various aspects of the business. Then, they toured a luxury condo project under development in the city.”
Professional connections that are developed on immersion trips pay off. CREC member Charlotte Myers ’13, an associate at Cushman & Wakefield, proved the point: “Without a doubt,” she said, “I would not be at my current job if I hadn’t taken part when I was a student.”
Nearly 2,500 miles from Manhattan, the Colgate Entertainment Group welcomed nine students from its own campus group to Los Angeles for tours and meetings with entertainment industry alumni. Students visited with grads at 20th Century Fox Television and Creative Artists Agency.
“I am so glad to have had a firsthand look into so many different aspects of the entertainment world,” said Sara Hinton ’16. “I realize the breadth of the industry and the many opportunities available, and I am thankful to have seen how graduates paved their individual paths to Los Angeles — how Colgate prepared them for their positions.”
Confab on the new Congress
Where will the new U.S. Congress lead us? A panel in Washington, D.C., considered the question on February 26, sponsored by Colgate’s Common Good Network.
Panelists included Amy Dudley ’06, communication director in the office of Senator Tim Kaine; Elizabeth Oblinger ’10, staff assistant for Senator Rob Portman; Dave Smith ’88, a political consultant at GMMB; and Paul Lobo ’89, founder of the Policy Integration Partners LLC. Amanda Terkel ’04, a Huffington Post political reporter, moderated.
The panel touched on the current relationship between the two parties as well as between the two chambers; difficulties in the process of lawmaking; the potential shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security; and the possible future of Congress in the 2016 election. The panelists reflected on their own experiences and shared their opinions.
A Q&A session concluded the event, which was attended by alumni and students on the current Washington, D.C., Study Group. On campus, students gathered in Case Library to watch the Livestreamed conversation and pose questions. Among them, Justin LoScalzo ’16 asked if they thought that the upcoming presidential election serves as a distraction from policy making or if it will encourage parties to work toward a solution to use as leverage in the election. Smith remarked, “You’ve got a lot of senators who are interested in being that next president, and every move they make is going to be through that lens.” Dudley added that “in 2016, Democrats are going to be vying for control again and Republicans are going to try to hold on to it.” All panelists agreed that this will be an important year to make progress for both parties.
— Iris Chen ’17
Internationalism at Colgate
In February, the Chenango Valley Alumni Club heard from Nicole Simpson, associate dean of the faculty for international initiatives and associate professor of economics, at its monthly luncheon at the Colgate Inn. The audience asked about Colgate’s international students (approximately 10 percent of the student body), and they were interested in the accessibility of study abroad programs.
“As of last year, any Colgate students who study abroad can take their financial aid with them,” Simpson explained. “The portability in financial aid is a major change for Colgate, and will allow more students to study abroad.”
Konosioni coffee talk
Current and past members of Konosioni in New York City.
In February, for the first time in recent memory, Konosioni’s current and alumni members gathered for brunch in New York City. They shared experiences, traded campus news, and discussed ways to sustain engagement beyond graduation.
Student members, led by President Emily Hawkins ’15 and Vice President Annie Hoefler ’15, shared updates on current projects and Konosioni activity in recent years, such as launching a crowdfunding website for local nonprofits called Madison County Gives, distributing Torch Medals, and leading a campaign to bring back the Colgate hello. Alumni recalled their own experiences with the organization, noting first-year van stuffing, leading convocation, and their induction ceremonies.
As an organization committed to service, leadership, and tradition, Konosioni members hope to continue to learn from the experiences of prominent alumni members (including Maggie Dunne ’13, Bart Hale ’04, Melissa Coley ’79, and Frank Hearn ’86), reaffirm their mission, and strengthen relationships with members on campus and off. They will have the chance as they plan future gatherings.
— Natalie Sportelli ’15
A new way to get noticed
The Colgate Bookstore is pleased to offer a special opportunity for alumni to promote their businesses in front of thousands of fellow grads, parents, and friends while contributing to the bookstore’s annual online catalogue. Alumni can sponsor up to a half-page in the catalogue and use that space to publicize your own ’Gate-Made products, books, or services.
The bookstore offers three different levels of sponsorship. To find out which level best suits your needs, call 315-228-6944, or e-mail lcassulis@colgate.edu. Colgate University reserves the right to review all submissions prior to publication.
Colgate Alumni Club visits Archaeology Museum
On March 7, Club of Philadelphia members were taken on a private guided tour of the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology. They saw treasures from the Signature Galleries, including Egypt (Sphinx), Egypt (Mummies), Greece, and Rome. This piece is the Statue of Sitepehu, 18th Dynasty (ca. 1479–1458 BCE). A block statue, Sitepehu, Overseer of Priests is constructed of sandstone with hieroglyphic inscriptions listing the virtues of the deceased.
