2010 Alumni Updates
CLASS OF 2007
Anna Conser
After three years of work and travel, I have returned to Classics with a Fulbright grant in Germany, where I am studying ancient Mediterranean attitudes toward the Near East, and the cultural impact of exploration.
Jill Schrader
Minneapolis, MN
Second year law student at William Mitchell College of Law
CLASS OF 2006
Stephen Harris
Northfield, MN
Masters of Architecture Student
University of Texas
On July 17, 2010, I got married to Cassie Funke ('05)
Jessamyn Schertz
I'm working on my PhD in Linguistics at the University of Arizona in Tucson - my main interests right now lie in learning about the ways that contact between different languages can affect their sound systems. I've also been involved with a project exploring the phonology and phonetics of Scottish Gaelic, which took a group of us to the Isle of Skye in Scotland this summer to run some experiments, chat with native speakers of the language, and enjoy and beautiful views: http://www.uanews.org/node/32670. I'm staying in Europe this year for a temporary research position at the Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics in Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
CLASS OF 2005
Ben Y. Faroe
Columbia, SC
dreamworldcollective.com
I married Kristen Miller '08 in June 2009. Since then she worked as a nanny, I graduated with an MA in Bible Exposition from Columbia (SC) International University, she stopped working as a nanny, and I continued working as a Jimmy John's delivery driver. I'm now looking for work as a writer and/or pastor. In my free time I've been developing a side project called the Dream World Collective. Kristen and I just planted our fall garden of peas, spinach, and lettuce.
Sylvia L. Reed
www.u.arizona.edu/~slreed
I'm writing my dissertation in Linguistics at the University of Arizona. I'm on the job market this year, so if anyone needs a linguist...! :)
CLASS OF 2004
Alma Mazer
Boston, MA
Marketing Manager, CSN Stores
I'm not sure if I was included in your initial Classics wedding count, but... hey, I got married this summer! :) My husband Dave, whom I met at a freezing cold Ultimate Frisbee tournament in New Hampshire in February 2008, and I were married on June 19 on a cruise on Lake Champlain in Burlington, Vermont. (I attached a couple photos) We had a great time and went to Aruba for our honeymoon, where we enjoyed many fruity drinks and watched a whole lot of World Cup. In other news, I'm living outside of Boston and working as a marketing manager at an online retailer called CSN Stores, where I do a lot of different things to provide a better user experience for customers visiting our websites. In my spare time I'm still playing a lot of frisbee, trying to get outside as much as I can before I hibernate for the winter, and attempting to cook with gourds as much as I can.
CLASS OF 2003
Drew Ayers
Decatur, GA
Graduate Teaching Assistant, Department of Communication
Georgia State University
I'm in my 4th year of a PhD program in Communication (Moving Image Studies) at Georgia State University. I'm writing a dissertation about "vernacular posthumanism," and I hope to finish by the end of this academic year. I got married in St. Louis on July 3 to Karen Petruska, who is also a PhD student in the same program at the same university. Hans Wietzke, Greek major '03, was in attendance. Much dancing and merriment was had by all. Unfortunately, we didn't have an opportunity slather ourselves in olive oil and scrape off the grime with a strigil.
Hans Wietzke
Stanford, CA
Graduate Student, Stanford University
Hello, Northfield! I'm about to start my second year as a grad student in Stanford's Classics program. Last year I wrote a few papers on ancient science, which right now seems to be the direction my studies are headed. I'm pleased to announce, too, that I finally made it to Rome for the first time last spring, a trip which was a long time coming. I'm also pleased to have made it to Target Field in June, where I saw Denard Span hit three triples in one game!
CLASS OF 2002
David Raczek
Shrewsbury, MA
Resident in Neurology/Neurosurgery
Tufts University
Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine
In July, I started at my new position, a 3 year residency program in veterinary neurology/neurosurgery. Coincidentally, we moved to MA and bought our first home. Despite all of the moves since Carleton, I somehow still haven't landed anywhere without cold winters.
CLASS OF 2001
Geoffrey Claussen
Cleveland Heights, OH
Katy ('02) and Eliana ('30?) and I moved to Cleveland Heights, Ohio this summer. I'm doing my best to finish writing my dissertation this fall, and will start teaching (Religon/Jewish Studies) at Oberlin College in the spring semester.
CLASS OF 2000
Gregory Rawn
Hustisford, WI
Stay-at-home father, writer
The Classics department has served me well, and not only in letting me tutor my (now) wife in Greek! It led (somewhat) naturally into my MA in Church History and Theology from Luther Seminary in 2005 and is now useful in entertaining my Carleton-bound six year old who is now interested in Greek mythology. Oh, and a deeper understanding of the origins of our language does help my writing a bit, too. But, alas, the adage "use it or lose it" is sadly true and the particulars of Latin and Greek have faded into the dusty recesses of my mind.
CLASS OF 1999
Anthony Marcus Miles
Vice President
WMC, Inc.
In the spring I learned the basics of Modern Greek. This summer I attended the Latin Seminar in Kentucky for the fifth or sixth time. I have also been learning Biblical Hebrew. I am continuing to study Washo, the endangered indigenous isolate language of Lake Tahoe.
CLASS OF 1998
Ian Crawford
Portland, OR
Associate Attorney
Stoel Rives LLP
Not much, frankly. Sorry. I'll think of something.
CLASS OF 1996
Caroline Toll
Minneapolis, MN
Physician
Allina Medical Clinic
I got married this summer to a wonderful man, and have a challenging and fun primary care/HIV practice in Minneapolis. Not much Classics-related activity on the horizon, though I did just get tickets to the MN Opera's "Orpheus and Eurydice" and the Park Square Theatre's "The Odyssey".
CLASS OF 1995
Marc Moskowitz
Arlington, MA
Software Engineer
Interactive Factory
Working as a software engineer at a company that does a lot of online publishing work (nothing classical at the moment, though my fingers are always crossed). Living in Arlington with Becca (Pratt) Moskowitz '95, our two housemates, and our 4 cats. Just finished reading Isidore's Etymologiae, an off-and-on project that took me 6 years.
CLASS OF 1994
Elsa Watson
Bainbridge Island, WA
Development Coordinator
West Sound Wildlife Shelter
http://www.elsawatson.net
Not too much! I'm heading into my second year at the West Sound Wildlife Shelter. It's a small office -- my husband Kol Medina ('96) and I are the entire fundraising/development team. Still writing novels on the side, hoping for a big break....
CLASS OF 1993
Marissa Nolen Bannecker
Seattle, WA
I thoroughly enjoy getting your Classics Department updates, and I've meant to write in for awhile now. I've been in Seattle since 1994, doing a variety of creative/design and ecommerce management jobs. I got my MBA from University of Washington in 2006 and am currently managing the consumer direct website for Cutter & Buck, a golf and casual clothing company based here in Seattle. I just got married in May... he's not a Carl, but his recall of Greek mythological figures is better than mine, so I like to think he's worthy.
CLASS OF 1992
Heather Gruenberg
Traverse City, MI
As of this writing, still trying to finish a teaching certificate; still teaching swimming lessons and substitute teaching; still not married. In other words, not much! Hope everybody is well!
CLASS OF 1990
Jason Fisher
Cincinnati, OH
IT Director
Gardner Publications
www.wanax.com
Working for a company that publishes B2B trade magazines serving the US manufacturing markets, so it's been a rough couple of years. All in all, though, doing well and making progress on improving and updating antiquated systems at this 4th generation, family-owned business. When my wife's archaeological digs needed database help, I found that my love of languages led me to quickly learn computer languages and I discovered the joy of solving current problems in the office world. After my Masters work, I bailed on grad school and headed into business. Eventually that path led into IT, and I've never looked back.
On the personal side, I'm still married to my college sweetheart whom I met in Greece during my Junior year at Carleton, our oldest just started his Freshman year in high school, and our youngest, upper Elementary, so time seems to fly on by!
CLASS OF 1989
Christopher Brunelle
Assistant Professor
Dept. of Classics
St. Olaf College
I've just begun my ninth year at St. Olaf, teaching in the Classics Dept. and (since 2006) in the Great Conversation program. Lots of work, lots of fun. My two current projects are an investigation of Latin gender-specific phrasing (i.e. 'he or she' instead of 'he') and a translation of Ovid's *Ars amatoria* into limericks (nearly done with Book 2; know any intrepid publishers?). I also direct music at the First United Church of Christ, though my choir has more Oles than Carls. Serena Zabin (Carleton History Dept.) and I have three sons: Julian (7), Leo (4), and Sebastian (4). Yes, you math majors out there, Leo and Sebastian are twins. Onwards!
CLASS OF 1985
Kirk Ormand
Oberlin, OH
Department of Classics, Oberlin College
I continue as the chair of the second-best Classics department in the country (after Carleton). Last year I team-taught a course with a colleague in English on Ovid and his reception in medieval literature. It was a hoot.
Last year (i.e., 2009) I managed to publish an article: “Electra in Exile,” in Bound by the City: Greek Tragedy, Sexual Difference, and the Formation of the Polis, eds. Denise McCoskey and Emily Zakin. Albany: SUNY Press, 2009, 247-273. (I may have reported this previously). I continue work on my book on the Hesiodic Catalogue of Women, on editing the Blackwell Companion to Sophocles, and on various smaller projects.
This past summer I was one of the Gertrude Smith Professors at the American School of Classical Studies in Athens, in which capacity I led Summer Session I, a 6-week tour of Greek archaeological sites. I attach a picture of me near the Corycian cave outside of Delphi, wearing my official adventure hat.
Margaret Sullivan
Minneapolis, MN
Margaret Sullivan completed her Masters of Public Affairs at the Humphrey School (University of Minnesota) in the spring of 2011 and is now working with the Hennepin County Children’s Mental Health Collaborative to coordinate parent engagement. Her husband, Jon Parshall (’85 Geology), is working on his second WWII history book in his “spare” time. His first, “Shattered Sword,” was a comprehensive re-examination of the Battle of Midway and was received enthusiastically by people who enjoy reading that kind of material. (Margaret is still stuck on Chapter 3.) Their two children are teenagers now and their daughter, Anna, is beginning to explore colleges, including a couple in Northfield.
CLASS OF 1984
Seth Leventhal
Edina, MN
Liz Sunderland
Fort Collins, CO
Tribal Lands Program Coordinator
Trees, Water & People
I got married this summer - for the first time, at age 48. Having fun!
CLASS OF 1983
Sahya Nakamura Luck
Asia Pacific Controller, Medtronic
My daughter, Marisa, is a Carl, class of 13. Unfortunately with no interest in Latin and Greek.
CLASS OF 1982
Jennifer Huldin
Okemos, MI
Staff Physician
Olin Student Health Center
Michigan State University
My father, Don Huldin '55 died this summer which was hard, so I got a new puppy to help cope. The youngest of four is now in high school and the oldest out of college at her first job in NYC. I am learning woodworking and have made some birds and bowls and spoons. Next up, plans to learn hammer dulcimer...
CLASS OF 1981
Hugh Jenkins
Amsterdam, NY
Associate Professor of English
Union College
Beatus ille . . . I own a small (organic) hobby farm in upstate New York. In my spare time, I teach (English--I'm slumming) at Union College.
CLASS OF 1977
Barbara Block
Billings, MT
Rabbi, Congregation Beth Aaron
I was ordained as a rabbi at Hebrew Union College - Jewish Institute of Religion in Cincinnati on June 5, 2010, and became the rabbi of Congregation Beth Aaron in Billings, Montana on August 1.
CLASS OF 1970
Katherine Floerke
On September 1 my sister and I will be leaving on a 4-month sabbatical. Time to rest! We will spend September in the U.S., part of the time with our mother and part of the time on retreat. Then October, November, and December we'll be in Peru, Brazil, and Ecuador. I will think of Dan Quayle who said he wished he had studied his Latin better so he could speak to the people in Latin America!
CLASS OF 1964
Maxine Hohman Reneker
Monterey, CA