Jul/Aug 2000

Readers may have noticed the amount of space allotted to the Class of '97 for bimonthly notes has dwindled. Now that many of us in the working world can manage to scrape a few bucks together, I encourage classmates to consider contributing to class dues; the greater the number of duespayers, the more space we have to share our news in the magazine. Enjoy the rest of summer!

After spending the summer after graduation working in the Dominican Republic and then moving to Boston, Alison Brown (brownali@ohsu.edu) is now a first-year PhD student in the neuroscience program at the Oregon Health Sciences University in Portland. Heather Fiore (hed3@yahoo.com) is a nutrition trainee in the leadership education in adolescent health program at U. of Rochester, where she is training with an interdisciplinary team. Before moving to Rochester, Heather worked as the dietitian and assistant director of Foodnet Nutrition for the Elderly in Tompkins County. She's visited with classmates Jennifer Cowan, Liz Whelan, Paul Papierno, Rob Unckless, MS Ag '99, Brad Marshall, Jenn Thom, Tamarra Strawn, Russell Giasomo, Heather Sandford '98, BS Ag '97, Rob Glesmann, and Chris Littlejohn '98, MA IN T '99. Madhurima Putta (mp20@cornell.edu) reports Ravi Ghanta and Ravi Hariprasad placed first in both MIT's and Wharton's business proposal contests for their plan outlining a computer security system. Vijaya Gadde spent a semester away from NYU law school studying abroad in Copenhagen. Madhurima went to Christian Medical College in Vellore, India (founded by Ida Scudder, a Cornell Medical College graduate) for an "eye-opening and humbling" international medical experience, before enrolling in Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, where she is a second-year med student. Madhurima says Karen Szczepanski '96 accepted a pediatrics residency at Philadelphia's Einstein Hospital. Rich Vuduc (richie@cs.berkeley.edu) continues to search for the "ever-elusive thesis topic" for his PhD in computer science at Berkeley, but in the meantime he started an Internet company, www.snailgram.com, with friends. In January, Rich wrote that the company would be featured in an issue of The Red Herring, and noted investors are welcome. Rich met up with Yoshi Hishinuma, Sid So, Jeff Cerilles, MS CH '98, Toshio Nakama, and Debra Kadner '94, ME C '95, over Thanksgiving.

Elliott Schneider (ElliottS21@aol.com) took nine weeks off after quitting his job as a test engineer at Delphi Automotive in Rochester, NY, and traveled through England, Belgium, Holland, Germany, and most other European countries before returning to the US job market with an eye toward an MBA in the future. Elliott reports Julie Newman, MS M '98, is still plugging away at Delphi.

Roger Hom (rmjhom@excite.com) writes that he's seen classmates Eric Schuldenfrei, BArch '99, Bo Lee, Jason Tapia, BArch '99, and John Vett, as well as Nick Karytinos '98, John Wimmers '56, BArch '57, Chan Byun '85, BArch '86, James Gibbs '95, and Brian Davison. Bethany Godsoe (bethgodsoe@yahoo.com) and Neil Giacobbi '96 have relocated to Brooklyn. Bethany is in grad school at NYU's Wagner School for Public Service, while Neil works at Deutsche Bank. They've seen a lot of Cornellians, including Amy Wilkinson, MPA '98, Jen Smith, Traci Tsuchiguchi, Rachel Resnick, Ann Marimow, Mike Greenle, Pete Saladino, Pete Friedman, Ted Lyu, and Jake Sargent.

A. Bobby Nandi (anandi@howost.com) is a manufacturing engineer for Stryker Corp. and living in East Hills, NY. Betsy Leis (leisb@towers.com) recently transferred to the strategy and organization division of Towers Perrin and has become very involved in the Cornell Club of Chicago. "It's a great way to get connected to other alums in the area," she writes. Betsy's kept in touch with Andrea Pinkus, ME EP '98, and Mike Tamburro. Kim Tudahl Messeri (kmesseri@solutionbee.com) recently built a house in North Austin, TX, and is now an account executive/instructional designer/technical writer for Solution Bee, an Internet/intranet development start-up. Similarly, Christine Booss is now working as a content manager for a website development start-up in New Haven, CT, and has started an MBA. Christine met up with Josh Friedman '96, JD '99, in Hartford in the fall, and has been trying to keep track of Liz Malang, who introduced former presidential candidate Bill Bradley at a Fordham Law School event. In nearby Providence, Cybele Clark-Mendes (cybelie2000@hotmail.com) expected to finish her master's of fine arts in photography at the Rhode Island School of Design in June. She has seen classmates Yasmin Hernandez, Vanessa Correa, and Ivan Gartner, BArch '99, as well as Nilda Taveras '98, Rosanna Batista '98, and Michele Perez '96. In Boston, Kate Nemens (katenemens@mindspring.com) was wrapping up her second year at Northeastern U. school of law.

Blakely Lord (bal6@cornell.edu) started law school and bought her first house. She spent New Year's in New Hampshire with Laura Rossier '99 and Becca Whittles '99, and has also seen Meghan Herstine '96, David Anderson '95, BA '96, and Mark Dawson '96. In Lafayette, LA, Feroze Haidary continues to work in the Gulf of Mexico as a lead field engineer on a simulation ship for Schlumburger, an oil field service company. Catherine Flynn (cjf6@cornell.edu) currently works as a sales associate for Stearns Veterinary Outlet Store and Veterinary Associates.

Please send updates.--Erica Broennle, 7681 Provincial Dr. #103, McLean, VA 22102; e-mail, ejb4@cornell.edu;www.classof97.cornell.edu.edu.