Dear classmates —
I hope you and your families are holding up as we close in on a year of holing up at home. As you may know, Cornell has done a superb, indeed exemplary, job of keeping COVID-19 at bay while maintaining a mix of in-person and online instruction. The students are stressed, but are holding up very well. Indeed, they have turned their angst into art, as those of you who saw the “Off-Campus/Online” film festival I alerted you to last month can attest.
In this issue of our class newsletter:
- Patrick Stevens, bibliographer for Religious Studies, writes to tell us about the latest acquisition enabled by the Class of 1973 Book Fund, and what life is like on campus during Covid-19.
- Isabelle Haberstock ’22, the current recipient of the Class of 1973 Scholarship, tells us what she’s been up to during the fall semester.
- Wayne Merkelson and Susan Murphy tell us about the 50th Reunion Campaign plans.
- Lots more Cornell content coming your way, starting with Virtual CALC 2021.
Class of ’73 Book Fund update
The Class of ’73 Book Fund enables the Cornell University Libraries to purchase scholarly works. The Libraries have discretion over what the funds are used for, and our book fund is used to purchase texts for scholars in Religious Studies. Patrick Stevens, the bibliographer in Religious Studies, writes us every year to let us know what works were acquired (earlier acquisitions were described here, here, here, and here). Read Patrick’s letter about this year’s acquisitions.
We bibliographers in the library have a profound privilege sustaining and ameliorating outstanding library collections at Cornell—an endeavor that would be inconceivable were it not for the generosity so many of our donors have long manifested. The Class of 1973 Book Fund has long had a significant role strengthening the library’s collection in Religious Studies, which include religion in a generic sense, and significantly the history of religion and biography of religious personalities, as well as the study of Christianity.
Patrick J. Stevens, bibliographer for Religious Studies
I was curious about how the library operated during Covid-19, so I asked Patrick about library operations and the campus in general, as well as how selections are made using the Class of ’73 Book Fund proceeds. Here is his reply.
News from our scholarship recipient
Isabelle Haberstock ’22, our current scholarship recipient, writes us from Ithaca, where she was working as a contact tracer between semesters.
The mood on campus is very different from what I, and probably many of you, are used to. One of the main differences I have noticed is how quiet it is. There are not a lot of cars or people around central campus. Even when going to an in-person class there is a lack of chatter that you would expect between peers- probably because everyone is so far apart.
Isabelle Haberstock ’22
Class of ’73 50th Reunion Campaign
Our 50th Reunion Campaign leaders, Wayne Merkelson and Susan Murphy, write:
Believe it or not, fundraising for our 50th Reunion is under way. We are fortunate to have more than a dozen classmates helping contact members of our class to learn of their interests and plans to support Cornell students and the many programs we love.
Our focus now is especially on planned giving. Any planned gift made between now and Reunion 2023 will count in our 50th Reunion totals. We already have learned that some classmates have included Cornell in their estate plans, but had not yet notified Cornell. Learning of those intentions, and documenting them now, ensures that your wishes will be honored as you intend. We are happy to work with any classmate to connect them with the appropriate people at Cornell to designate a planned gift for Cornell.
Now also is a time when classmates who intend to make a multi-year commitment to the university at Tower Club level or beyond can do so and have it count toward Reunion. A pledge of $10,000 or more for each of three years that includes reunion year (e.g., FY 2021—which is now, and ending June 30, 2021, plus FY 2022 and FY2023, or FY ’22, ’23, and ’24, etc.) will count in its totality for our Reunion. With many of us able to take Qualified Charitable Deductions (QCDs) from our IRAs, this can be one way to make an especially impactful gift at this stage of life.
Every program of the University can benefit from your generosity and we encourage you to give where it means the most to you. If you are undecided, you will note that as a class, we are especially focused on growing our Class of 1973 scholarship, so that generations of students to come will be able to benefit from a Cornell education as we did.
Thank you for considering a gift to Cornell and in support of our reunion. Please be in touch if we can help: Susan at shm1@cornell.edu, Wayne at wayne.merkelson@gmail.com.
Join us at Virtual CALC 2021
The annual Cornell Alumni Leadership regularly draws 500 – 800 highly engaged volunteers from around the world, and the Class of ’73 has always been well represented. This year’s CALC is virtual and absolutely free. As of February 7, seventeen members of the class are signed up to attend (see the current list here).
The conference kicks off on Wednesday evening, February 24, with a session with student- and alumni-elected trustees, moderated by Corey Earle ’07. On Thursday afternoon, meet the four new deans of Cornell colleges, and join all alumni at an evening virtual reception.
The conference officially begins on Friday morning, February 26, with a panel of Cornell’s top leaders, including President Martha Pollack, talking about how the campuses have functioned during the pandemic. This will be followed by Vice President for Student & Campus Life Ryan Lombardi hosting a panel to discuss the student experience during this time. Following this will be sessions on Cornell’s commitment to public engagement and campus efforts to implement diversity, equity, and inclusion. You can acquire new skills for volunteer work at the interactive skill-building workshops in the late afternoon, and meet other Cornellians at the community hour that concludes Thursday’s sessions.
Saturday begins in the late morning with a Town Hall with Michelle Vaeth ’98, the Associate Vice President for Alumni Affairs. This will be followed by an update on alumni publications, to explain the reasoning behind the decision to move the Cornell Alumni Magazine to an online publications portal. In the afternoon, hear some of our most dedicated volunteers talk about their Cornell volunteer journeys, and then learn some cooking tips from Eric Szymczak, executive chef at the Statler. Conclude your CALC experience with your own journey through Cornell’s lifelong learning content.
Full agenda details and registration (free!) can be found here.
Cornell Content to enjoy at home
Since the start of the pandemic, Cornell has been pouring out a cornucopia of online content for your edification and amusement:
- You can check out the calendar of virtual events, with everything from a session of online Pictionary to how to grow great garlic.
- Veg out with live cam views from atop the Statlerr or Barnes Hall, meditate at the Johnson Art Museum, and be soothed by our feathered friends at the Lab of O and its partners.
- The Institute of Politics and Global Affairs and the Mario Einaudi Center for International Studies have frequent webinars on political topics (hat tip: Pam Meyers).
- Return to the Classroom with lectures by Cornell professors.
- The Alumni Affairs live stream site has dozens of archived programs including Cornelliana Night, Olin lectures, tours of the Botanic Gardens, and much more across a range of categories.
In conclusion…
All this month, you as a Cornell alum are eligible to vote for two of the candidates for alumni-elected trustee. I don’t envy the task of the Committee on Alumni Trustee Nominations in selecting only four candidates out of the many who are submitted, because all the candidates are amazingly well-qualified. You can read about the candidates and cast your vote here.
Please support the work of the class in providing programming, communications, and Reunion planning by paying your tax-deductible class dues, which you can do here. Don’t forget to scroll down and support the Class of 1973 Scholarship and/or Book Funds while you’re in the neighborhood.
To find events near you, check out this University events link. I look forward to seeing you (virtually, alas) at a Cornell event soon!
best regards —
Paul
Paul M. Cashman
President, Cornell Class of 1973