C’80
In early October, we celebrated our 45th anniversary of graduating from Drew during Rangers Reunite: Alumni Weekend on campus.
The day started with our own Andy Rupp receiving the Alumni Achievement award for Service to Drew. Andy has been the glue that keeps the Drew Basketball alumni connected.
We continued with the Umptyninth-and-a-half annual Soc Deacon Memorial Alumni Rugby match. (It’s a “half” because we played one in June, too. More on that below.) This iteration was a co-ed touch rugby match. Joe Noto C’95, Ben “Nordberg” Klayman C’07, and I represented the older crew. Rachel Papa C’23 was selected Player of the Match and took temporary custody of the coveted Deacon Cup.
As usual, there were more spectators in the rain than players. Among those watching and critiquing the players were Greg Leuser C’77, Rich Fisch C’77 (of course), Steve George, Charles “Chip” Nolet, Jimmy Nicolson C’83, Steve Thompson C’83, P’20, Chris Van Cleef C’85, Grant Waterson C’86, Rebecca (Morris) Kuhar C’96, Jacqui Calnan C’03, and Andrew Thompson C’20. Apparently, Tom Keoughan C’81 watched from the parking lot for a moment, but when he couldn’t get a prime parking spot, he decided to move on. Richard “Scott” Aman C’74 and Ed Golinowski C’75 stopped by after the match, having not wanted to spectate in the rain.
I saw Scott and Ed later in the Class of 1980 Pub, along with Scott Burns C’75.
After the match, we moved on to the beer garden, where there were many more alums, some of whom I mention below, as well as others who have slipped from my memory.
Twenty of our classmates had dinner together, along with some spouses and one daughter, who is also a Drew grad, in Madison. We had a fabulous time! Those in attendance were Mark Andrews, Chip Nolet and his wife Elizabeth “Lisa” (King) Nolet C’84, Rich Dempsey C’80, P’05, P’07, Rich Rosen C’81 and his wife Judy (Delson) Rosen C’82, Jim Greene, Marianne (Hayzak) Ehinger, Tony Ehinger, Leo Growhowski, Michael Ravensbergen, Dan McCabe, Kevin Marino and his wife Rita, Don Press, Chris Walsh, Steve Schloss C’80, P’06, Andy Rupp, Lou Fasulo, Michael Lane, Jim Fleming, and Alison Grillo. Steve Schloss’s daughter, Sydney (Schloss) DeVoe C’06, and Doug Walsh (Drew London Semester Fall 79) also joined us. Somehow, Steve George didn’t make it to the dinner. See photo gallery.
Leading up to Rangers Reunite: Alumni Weekend, I was in contact with close to 100 of our classmates, which means there are about 200 classmates for whom I don’t have reliable email addresses. I hope to find contact info for many more classmates before our 50th anniversary reunion in 2030. We don’t yet know whether it’ll take place in the Spring or the Fall, but the administration and I will let you know late in 2029 or early in 2030.
A few weeks before Rangers Reunite: Alumni Weekend, my daughter married her fiancée in a castle in Co. Cavan, Ireland. It was fabulous! Drewids in attendance were Joan Albanese C’78, Lou Eccleston C’79, Michael Ravensbergen and his wife Anna, Chip Nolet, Lisa (King) Nolet C’84, and Pat Corey C’82 and his wife Lise.
During the summer, Steve Thompson C’83, P’20, hosted his annual Thompson Family Picnic (aka “Loadstock”). Since Steve has retired and moved to the shore, it may have been the end of an era. Drew alums were there in force: Tony Marucci C’85, Jimmy Nicolson C’83, Laurie (Enslein) Bain C’86, Andrew Thompson C’20, Tyler Salter C’20, Michael “Mickey” Green C’79, Erik Womelsdorf C’21, Rich Onoroto C’81, Ken Siciliano, Mary Jane (Eggers) Plofker C’86, Tom Keoughan C’81, Bob Muir C’83, Steve Thompson C’83, P’20, Ron Reede C’81, Chris Walsh, Steve Margolis C’82, Erik Lutzker C’82, Craig Martin C’84, Stewart Rosenzweig C’82, “Pub” Joe Krzys, Rich Fisch C’77, Chip Nolet, Lisa (King) Nolet C’84, John “Sparks” Spanarkle C’82, and Greg Leuser. See photo gallery.
The DRFC Hall of Fame induction Ceremony was held in June. Ed Corrigan C’69, Chris Walsh, and Steve Thompson C’83, P’20 were the honorees. Afterward, Drew alums and Morris Rugby players held the Umptyninth Annual Soc Deacon Memorial Rugby Alumni match. Some of the alums who were in attendance were Don Jeka C’83 and Alison Dick C’84, Auguste “Augie” Turnier C’81, John Wiman C’84, Tony Buttacavoli C’82, Bob Joyce C’82, Bill Ehlers C’82, Ralph Sorrentino C’83, Chip Nolet, Lisa (King) Nolet C’84, John Spanarkle C’82, and Danielle Ring C’90.
Further back this year, Bob Joyce and I traveled out to eastern Long Island to celebrate the life of our friend and DRFC teammate Bob Ficalora C’79. Again, Drew alums were there in force. Besides Bob and me, Bob Ficalora’s widow, Helen (Schneiderman) Ficalora C’82, “Mild” Bill Bernhard C’82, Lise (Schneider) Bernhard C’81, Chris Van Cleef C’85, Christina “Chrisie (Kobble) Van Cleef C’86, Tom Keoughan, Steve Weitz, Bob Epstein, Judy (Dolinko) Epstein C’82, and none other than John Dean were all there. See In Memoriam.
Incidentally, Bob Epstein has been volunteering as an assistant tennis coach at Drew.
Going even further back in 2025, twenty of us started the year off with a Steakfest at Fernandez Steak House in Newark. We’ve been doing this for maybe 10 years now, and it seems like each year there’s more salad and less steak. This year’s attendees were Danielle Ring C’90, Mickey Green C’79, Michael Ravensbergen and his wife Anna, Chip Nolet, Lisa (King) Nolet C’84, Luis Almeida C’84, P’22, Brenda (Wheeler) Ehlers C’84, T’05 and Bill Ehlers C’82, Ron Reede C’81, Erik Lutzker C’82, Pasquale “Pat” Capriglione C’82, Doug Walsh, Tom Keoughan C’81, Tony Marucci C’85, Gary Castelle C’82, Steve Margolis C’82, Elisa Logan C’82, Chris Walsh and his wife Ruth, and Erin (McMaster) Kennedy C’82. See photo gallery.
I have two pieces of sad news to pass along. We lost Michael Stern C’80, T’84 (AKA Mr. Exxon and MFE) and John “JP” Paterson earlier this year. I know there were several former basketball teammates of John’s at his memorial service. See In Memoriam.
Those are just a few highlights of what happened this year involving Drew alums from around our time and, in some cases, well beyond.
Drop me a line and let me know what’s happening in your life: [email protected].
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C’82
Karen Myszka Ostberg was elected and is serving as Town Justice for the Town of Minisink, NY. An attorney with almost 40 years of experience, she is licensed in NY, NJ, DC, TX, and the U.S. Supreme Court, where she represents small businesses throughout the nation.
C’84
Connie (Cannizzo) Stewart travelled to Utah and visited the state’s national parks, the Mighty 5 (in case, like me, you don’t recall them all, they are Arches, Bryce Canyon, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef, and Zion). She reported that each one was so unique and amazing. Sounds like a bucket list item checked, Connie! She said it was great to see a lot of friends at our relatively recent 40th reunion on campus too.
C’85
From Denise (Browne) Driscoll and Anna-Beth Winograd, “Over 60 members of the Class of ’85, along with friends from ’84–’87, celebrated our 40th during Rangers Reunite: Alumni Weekend at the Horseshoe Tavern in Morristown, NJ, on Saturday evening. Many great conversations and mini reunions of friends from Tolley-Brown, Holloway, Welch, Baldwin, and of course, New Dorm, the Suites, and Hoyt, enjoyed a great ’80s playlist, a slideshow of images from our time in The Forest, and lots of delicious food and drink. We raised a glass to our classmates who are no longer with us and cheered our 40 years since graduation. We also had many attend the 2025 Alumni Achievement Awards earlier Saturday on campus, with two members of our class receiving awards: Sherri L. Andrews for the Achievement in the Arts Award and Jonathan Taub for the Community Volunteer Award.”
Class of 1985 Rangers Reunite: Alumni Weekend Attendees included Lisa Aires McKinley, Sherri L. Andrews, Joanna Diehl Angell, Elizabeth (Spirakis) Benack, Laura Biber, Gerard “Jake” Bradley and his wife Andega, Tom Brayton C’85, T’01, Jean Canavan, Leslie (Rushton) Cerf, Sherri Clyman, Dan Cort, Judy (Cavalli) Cromwell, Carle (Del Prete) Falk, Mark and Dawn (Kepler) Dingley T’01, Tom Driscoll, Denise (Browne) Driscoll, Pamela (Housley) Fong, Kenneth Fredette, Gary Friars, Carrie Genovese, Jean Gogarty, Dwynn Golden, Pamela Goldsmith, Darcie Goodwin, Michelle Hampton, Michael Henderson, Claudia (Higley) Baker, Joe Kowalczyk, Adam Kurtz, Bill Landis, Bill Layton C’85, G’90 and his wife Jean Marie, Martha Lipson and her son Zeke O’Connell, Cherly (McDonald) Latourette, Ceil Miller-Bouchet, Cliff Mix C’86, Kathy Odorow, Donna O’Meally, Adriene (Raguseo) Dobrow, Beth Scannella, Amy (Daaleman) Sinkbeil and her husband Dale, Lori (Silverstein) Soloman and her husband Jerry, Lisa Spitz, Laurena Stoddard, Jonathan Taub, David Thomson, Patti (Elly) Tindall, Chris Van Cleef, Ken Ward, Diane Wehner Papalambros, and Anna-Beth Winograd. Luis Almeida C’84, P’22, Laura Hook C’84, Brenda Rhodes C’86, Eileen Bodnar C’86, Kevin Bodnar C’86, Ann Kilbride-McCarthy C’86, Jerry Idec C’87, Dan Moylan C’86, and Loretta “Lori” (Quinn) Moylan C’87 joined us at the Horseshoe.See photo gallery.
After a long career in healthcare research and consulting with the Advisory Board, Optum, and health tech, Carle (Del Prete) Falk is winding down to make time for volunteer work locally with the UVM Health System and community groups in Burlington, VT, and Santa Fe, NM. Her two sons—Harrison (26) and Conner (23)—are college graduates and finding their way in business administration and finance. Her husband, Chris, is still at UVM Medical Center, ensuring patients get timely infusion care. She loves giving tours, so reach out if you are nearby either destination.
Lidia Soto-Harmon shares, “Doing amazing things! I am excited to share that I am running a national nonprofit dedicated to youth and the environment: the Student Conservation Association. This summer, I did a summer challenge hiking 12.5 miles with a 22-pound backpack at Yosemite to refuel one of our backcountry crews. Here is my LinkedIn post.”See photo gallery.
From Alex Idavoy, “I wanted to share the TED talk I did at Brookdale Community College this spring. It was posted to TED a few weeks ago.”
From John Christian, “I have been married to Mary (an English teacher at Morris Catholic) for soon to be 34 years. We have three daughters — Mariah and Sara (29, both married) and Allie (27). Mariah and Allie live in the Boston area, and Sara lives in Hurley, NY. Sara is having our first grandchild in November. I am working as Director of Human Resources for Nisivoccia, an accounting firm located in Mt. Arlington, NJ. We live in Flanders, NJ.”
From Patricia Tordik, “I would like to say ‘hello’ to all of my Drew classmates and wish them well. After 22 years practicing dentistry in the U.S. Navy, I retired from the military at the rank of O6 and, in 2013, became the Division Chief of Endodontics at the University of Maryland School of Dentistry, where I enjoy teaching both DDS candidates and students in the postgraduate specialty program. If any Drewids are interested in becoming dentists, they can definitely reach out to me with questions. My husband, Michael Steinle, and I have been married for over 33 years, and we are looking forward to retiring someday in Marco Island, FL. I hope everyone is doing well. The fun memories of friends at Drew have stayed with me for a lifetime.”
David Seid and his wife, Lisa, are enjoying their recent retirements — David from a long career as an attorney with the National Labor Relations Board in Washington, DC, and Lisa from her second career as a teacher. They are looking forward to several planned trips and visits with their older daughter, who works as a school psychologist near Seattle.
Charles “Brad” Schoening relocated to Washington, DC, in 2023, where he leads an active lifestyle in the vibrant Logan Circle neighborhood.
Jessica Jaworowski shares, “I have been volunteering with retired racing greyhound adoptions for 20 years. However, I recently became part owner of a racing greyhound. His name is LT Ash, and he just started racing at Wheeling Island.” See photo gallery.
C’86
Margaret (Kendziora) and Dave McIntyre have been enjoying their small cottage on Lake Gerard in Hardyston, NJ. Dave still works as the CTO and CISO for Build America Mutual but is able to “work from the lake” a few days a week. Margaret and Dave have taken to cruising and have enjoyed two transatlantic voyages, one in each direction. Their son, Douglas, is living at home and looking for work.
Margaret Lee is living in Pennsylvania and enjoying a new foray into book publishing. It began with her writing A Roadmap to Reining: A Non-Pro Rider’s Guide to Reining Training, about her three-month road trip with her horse, Irish. The book is partly a horse training manual and partly about travel planning, and includes some of the ridiculous things that happened along the way. Margaret wound up expanding her company, HorseTail Legacy LLC, to include publishing other books, such as mother-daughter journals, family activity journals, and planners. She says it’s been a learning experience, but it keeps things interesting. You can find her books on Amazon.
Thank you to Marc Scarduffa for making a generous contribution to the Class of ’86 scholarship fund.
C’87
Congrats to our own Kenneth Long, who received the Frances B. Sellers Award during Alumni Weekend this year. I was honored to read his introduction during the awards ceremony. Check out Drew’s website for more information and photos from the event. See photo gallery. Leola Ross checked in this fall to congratulate Ken and said she was heartened to hear of his accomplishments.
During Rangers Reunite: Alumni Weekend, our class of 1987 was well represented. On Friday night at the Athletics Hall of Fame ceremony, the Women’s Field Hockey Team from 1985 (our Junior Year Fall Semester) was honored as a “team of distinction”. Class of 1987 members of that team present for the ceremony included Peggy (Sivilli) Phillips, Loretta “Lori” (Quinn) Moylan, and Christina (Todaro) Reynolds. I (Forrest Shue) was lucky enough to get a picture with the three of them afterwards outside the pub as we recreated a long-lost picture taking during FAP of our freshman year. See photo gallery.
I also heard from Christina (Bushkin) Merrill, who shared this incredible update: “As a proud alumna of Drew University, Class of 1987, I wanted to share a meaningful update from my professional journey. After graduating from Drew, I continued my education at Columbia University’s School of Social Work. Soon after, I founded the Bone Marrow & Cancer Foundation, which I have been privileged to lead for the past 33 years. Our mission has always been to support patients and families facing cancer and bone marrow transplants by providing vital financial assistance, counseling, navigation, and resources—all completely free of charge. Most recently, I launched CancerBuddy, a first-of-its-kind peer support app designed to connect cancer patients, survivors, and caregivers with others who truly understand their journey. It has been an honor to see the impact this platform is making in addressing the loneliness and isolation that so often accompany a cancer diagnosis. I’m humbled that Fast Company recently featured CancerBuddy and the important work we are doing. You can read the article here: Fast Company Feature. I am deeply grateful for the education and foundation Drew provided me, especially as my path was a unique one—I was homeschooled until age 21 while pursuing my equestrian career, and Drew became my first formal academic experience. That journey shaped my path into social work and continues to inspire my lifelong commitment to community, compassion, and connection.”
Anna (Lisowski) Driggett reported that she got married in February and is working as a paralegal in North Carolina. She hopes to make a reunion someday but wanted to report that she’s up to four grandchildren now!
Mary (Burke) Emanuelli C’87, P’19 continues to teach around the corner from Drew at Chatham Day School on Shunpike Road. She teaches math, economics, and robotics—and sometimes sees Drew students on her morning Dunkin’ run. (That’s funny because I live around the corner from that Dunkin’ and usually see Drew students at the ShopRite or the liquor store across the street!). Mary also passed on her congratulations to Ken Long.
Bruce Astrachan provides his “proud pops” report from Central Pennsylvania, as his son Max has been working as a Global Management Trainee at Hunter Douglas after graduating from NYU’s Stern School of Business, and his son Sid will graduate from Penn State’s Smeal College of Business next May. Sid already has a job lined up with Procter & Gamble as a Brand Manager in Cincinnati after graduation. Bruce also reported that he is beginning his 27th year at Ahold Delhaize USA, serving as Senior Counsel for their great local brands, including Stop & Shop, Giant Food, Food Lion, The GIANT Company, and Hannaford. Hiking in the Poconos and kayaking along the Delaware River have been his perfect getaway lately—sipping wine in the Finger Lakes is a close second.
Great to see those of you who made it to the Rangers Reunite: Alumni Weekend. Thanks to all who submitted their class updates this fall. If you are reading this and don’t receive our C’87 updates or requests for information via email or our Facebook page, please reach out to Drew and/or to me ([email protected]) to provide updated contact information.
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C’88
Chris Holland wrote, “Had a great time seeing some old Class of 1988 friends recently in NYC! We enjoyed the chance to catch up with each other’s lives, while reminiscing about some wonderful (and funny) memories from our days together at Drew!”
Katie Embree wrote, “We Drew girls have annual get togethers. Ann (Gunster) Finan, Stacie (Milhaven) Lowery C’87, Sue (Urbaniak) Vadeika, and I are usually at Ann’s but last year we were in Florida. Mary “Missy” Neal Richardson, Manette (Trogani) Snow, Carole (Bluemer) Burton, and I meet in Colorado or Cincinnati. Each time we all get revived and leave with renewed energy. Nothing like girlfriends…we highly recommend.”
Sarah (Green) Page wrote, “My husband John and I bought a house built in 1717 on the south shore of Massachusetts across from a cranberry bog. We have 7 fireplaces! We live with Trixie the cat, my kitchen muse. I’m a test kitchen chef and recipe developer and John is a landscape and architectural painter. I spent a great day with Lavinia Boxil and Dan Gordon C’85 non the Cape this past August. Robin “Ro” Balchen C’89 and I had a kickass fun girls weekend last year in NYC where we reconnected with Rev. Derrick McQueen C’87 for dinner. SO great to catch up!”
Christina Colon wrote, “Well it may just so happen that Heidi Spangler-Sarna, Rachael (Simiadian) Nicoll, Patty O’Malley, Deb (Driscoll) Turner, Nina Wright, Vivian Hanna, Sherry (Abadir) Sennello, and Lisa (DeBenedetto) Leventhal convened at my recent wedding last February in Coral Gables Florida.” See photo gallery.
Stewart Hollingshead wrote, “There is a not so alleged gathering of Drew alums. A growing event in the Poconos featured a few of your classmates including Paul Cocja, Mike Levin, Josh Abrams, Ken Krasnow, Dan Coleman C’89, and yours truly. A healthy weekend of stories, s’mores, a cocktail or two, golf, texas hold’em, and fine dining brought back a lot of memories and yearnings for the ice cream machines at The Commons.” See photo gallery.
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Michele-Lee (Berko) Shapiro has joined Hartmann Doherty Rosa Berman & Bulbulia LLP (HDRB&B) as a partner in their Litigation Group, based in the Hackensack, NJ, office. Michele-Lee is a highly skilled litigator with extensive experience representing individuals and organizations in complex civil matters. Her practice spans corporate breakups, contract and antitrust disputes, e-commerce conflicts, and fraud and consumer fraud claims. She also brings significant appellate experience, providing clients with strategic insight at every stage of a case. Before joining HDRB&B, Michele-Lee practiced at Brown Moskowitz & Kallen, P.C., and Sills Cummis & Gross P.C. She also served as an Assistant Prosecutor in the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office and clerked for the late Hon. Herman D. Michels, then Presiding Judge of the Appellate Division of the Superior Court of New Jersey. In addition to her legal practice, Michele-Lee has long been involved in mentoring the next generation of lawyers. She has taught Legal Research and Writing as an Adjunct Professor at Seton Hall Law School and continues to advise law students and young attorneys. Drawing on her participation in her family’s successful performing arts business, she also brings unique insight into the challenges facing small businesses and the need for cost-conscious, effective counsel.
C’91
Steve Muench shares, “I’m now in my 14th year of teaching social studies — 12 years in public education and nine at Leonia Middle School, NJ. It’s very enriching, and I love going to work every day. I teach 8th Grade World History and Holocaust & Genocide Studies. In the spring and summer, I take on a second role of directing history and geography tournaments for International Academic Competitions. This often takes me across the United States and around the world — such as Berlin, Vienna, and Rome. But by far the most exciting position I have is coaching the United States Geography Team since 2017. Each year, we select the top four high school geographers and compete against 46 other countries at the International Geography Olympiad (iGeo). Last summer, we competed in Bangkok, Thailand, placing 4th in the world as a team. In 2024, in Ireland, we ranked #1 in the world for the first time ever. Prior to that, we competed in Bandung (Indonesia), Hong Kong, Quebec City, and Belgrade. We are looking forward to next summer in Istanbul! (http://www.geoolympiad.org/) On a personal note, I have been married for 31 years to my best friend and Drew C’91 alum, Ligia (Duart) Muench. In fact, we got married in Great Hall and had the reception in Mead Hall! We are Drewids through and through. Our son, Ryan, 26, works at Crédit Agricole and lives in NYC. Our daughter, Sydney, 23, works as an associate producer for Cutter Entertainment in NYC. Life is good.”
C’92
In May Vanessa Allen Sutherland, Executive Vice President of Government Affairs, General Counsel, and Corporate Secretary at US refiner Phillips 66, was named a 2025 Legends in Law Award recipient for the prestigious Burton Awards in Washington, DC. The following week her team at Phillips 66 received the 2025 Best Large Law Firm by the Association of Corporate Counsel-Houston. She is most excited about creating endowed scholarships at her alma maters to help future students.
Jen (Crank) and Warren Potts C’90 split their time between Sturbridge, MA and Wilmington, DE. Jen produces and directs films, does construction on their house in Sturbridge, and spends time with their five adult kids and new grandchild. Jen recently produced The Compatriots, an independent feature film that won Best Narrative Feature at the 2025 San Antonio Film Festival and was recently released on Amazon. Jen is now producing a short film in the Hudson Valley area and hustling to get her own narrative feature funded.
After 30 years of leading design teams in a number of industries, Paul Stonick has launched his own boutique design management firm KICK Consultancy. Building the startup, which provides companies with design strategy, AI literacy and fractional (aka part-time) leadership, “… has been both humbling and energizing, a return to the heart of why I got into design in the first place: to make ideas real, build teams that thrive, and help people and companies lead what’s next with confidence, culture, and craft,” Paul said. KICK’s anchor client this year is the outdoor BBQ grill maker Big Green Egg, where he is serving as Fractional Head of Customer Experience. Paul and his wife Esther (Wiedenhaupt) C’91 have been in Atlanta for the past eight years but still miss the Jersey Shore every single day. Their son Max (18) runs a thriving sports card business, while daughter Emma (15) is pursuing her passion for the performing arts, having filmed her first TV show, Evil Lives Here, earlier this year.
Clara (Schaeffer) Fowler, Director of the Research Medical Library at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, successfully launched a peer-reviewed journal this year, Advances in Cancer Education & Quality Improvement. The inaugural issue spanned topics including advanced training frameworks for image-guided cancer therapy, strategies to address burnout and workplace civility, patient-centered resource development, and the implementation of clinical decision support tools and dashboards that are transforming care delivery. Clara is also working toward her Doctorate of Education (Ed.D.) in Higher Education at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, with an eye toward graduation in 2026.
C’95
Michael Barret Jones spent the month of July playing the bucket list role of Edna Turnblad in Hairspray with Prince William Little Theatre in Manassas, VA, and is about to start directing a production of A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum in Reston, VA. He was featured in American Theatre Magazine (“Around the Table With Queer Generations and ‘The Inheritance’”) for his work convening LGBTQ+ Community Round Tables in conjunction with a production of The Inheritance at Round House Theatre, a professional LORT D theatre in Bethesda, MD, where he serves as Director of Development.
Bill Bogardus shares, “How can it be 30 years? About six months ago, Neil Manning and I vowed to go to our Drew University 30-year reunion with a new October date. The reunion did not disappoint.”
To kick off the weekend, Peter Arthur was posthumously inducted into the Drew Athletics Hall of Fame. Kevin Ralph C’94 made the induction, and Neil gave a tremendous speech highlighting Pete’s career, including his no-hitter vs. Upsala and shutout vs. Wilkes. In attendance were Bill, Joe Quinty, Jose Avalos, Tom DiMartino C’96, Jana Balsamo C’96, Rob Potanovich C’97, and Joe Leonard C’98, along with Pete’s father, Michael, his sister, Victoria, and Michael’s partner, Pat Keck. The ceremony was followed by a wonderful dinner at Rod’s in the Madison Hotel with Pete’s family.
Saturday started with Neil, Bill, and Jana touring the campus (the new UC looks fantastic), followed by more baseball, as Bill, Neil, Joe Quinty, Tom, and Joe Leonard visited the plaque dedicated to Ron Moss. Joe Leonard and Neil shagged fly balls, while Joe Quinty got the full Glory Days experience by getting a hit in the alumni game — not bad for a ’95er. Bill checked out the basketball alumni game, but that is a young man’s contest.
The class had a picture, and many old friends headed to the beer garden just before the rains came. Later that evening, a group of Neil, Bill, Jana, Joe Quinty and his wife, Megan, Rich Dewland C’97, P’29, and his wife, Megan P’29, Julie (Pelano) Synder C’96, and Robert “Josh” Rundle C’96 went to dinner with Father Paddy O’Donovan, a fixture on campus during our time in the Forest. Father Paddy invited us to his home, brought out a guitar with some Irish whiskey, and we all learned how talented Josh Rundle is musically. Not what I envisioned going into the weekend, but it turned out to be a night I will never forget.
Hurst 21 and friends got together in Toms River, NJ at the Bossdorf household to celebrate 30 years anniversary. See photo gallery.
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We all hit a milestone birthday this past year, and I (Dan Ilaria) turned the usual summer Drew gathering at my house into a celebration. Drew classmates Pat Aylward, Jennifer Jones, Sara (Hall) Philips, Brian Nell, and Kristine (Papachristos) Ilaria C’00 joined in on the fun. See photo gallery.
Frank Ruggerio shared he saw some C’98 grads to celebrate his birthday at Stone Water in Lake Hopatcong, including Frances “Fran” Caggiano-Swenson C’98, Heather (McMurchie) Champagne C’98, and Luigi Mennella C’98. See photo gallery.
Alison Kinney still teaches at Eugene Lang College at The New School, and next spring, on May 1, her third book is being published by UGA Press.If you see Alison on her book tour, any alums in cities visited should feel free to introduce themselves and say hello. Alison is also happy to Zoom into classrooms.
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Daari (Bristol) Daniels is currently in her 22nd year of teaching, spending her days with an adorable group of second graders in Denville, NJ. Outside of the classroom, she proudly wears many hats—a wife of 24 years, a dance mom, a soccer mom, a karate mom, a scouting mom, and a full-time chauffeur of kids. Life is busy, but it’s filled with laughter, learning, and plenty of adventures. See photo gallery.
After losing their home in the devastating Eaton Fire last January, Dawn Digrius Smith C’99, G’05, ’07 and her husband, Robert, relocated to San Bernardino, into a beautiful 1928 Spanish Revival home in the historic Arrowhead neighborhood that they are in the process of restoring. DMDS Partners, Inc., her research corporation, is back up and running after the fire that destroyed all computer equipment, data, drives, and hard copies of client surveys. They are now working with the Fontana Unified School District on two large arts education projects and coordinating with the California Arts Education Association, as well as several other school districts inside and outside of California. Her son, Andrew, is completing his master’s in composing at NYU, and her daughter, Skye, is an educator in the greater Seattle area.
On July 1, 2025, Peter DeNigris was appointed to the Rutgers University Board of Trustees. He is the co-founder and co-owner of Somerset Psychological Group, PA, which is a group psychology practice in Martinsville, NJ.
Gwen “Gigi” Naglak had a very fun night out at the Philadelphia Fringe Festival to see Meghann Williams C’02 in a show. She was joined by Michael Osinski C’01 and his husband, Matthew, Jeni McCool C’04, and their friend Sara, who has basically earned an honorary Drew degree over the last 20 years by listening to all their stories! See photo gallery.
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Our 25-year reunion at Rangers Reunite: Alumni Weekend was a wonderful opportunity to return to The Forest and reconnect with familiar faces. Congratulations again to Chad Bridges on his induction into the Athletic Hall of Fame and recognition for Achievement in the Liberal Arts at the Alumni Achievement Awards.
Thank you to everyone who came that weekend, and additional thanks to the Reunion Committee who helped spread the word and welcome everyone back to campus: Chad Bridges, Steve Ewell, Rachel Holland, Anna Kaltsas, Janet (Wong) King, Emily Musil, and Mirko Widenhorn.
Hope to see many of you at our next big milestone reunion. See photo gallery.
C’02
This summer, Oscar “Omar” Rodriguez-Graham participated in a two-week artist-in-residence program run by the Curatorial Program for Research in Brooklyn, NY. Additionally, he completed an art installation commissioned for the United States Embassy. See Omar’s work at rodriguez-graham.com.
In 2023, after 10-years of cumulative service, David Lee left the Office of Undergraduate Admission Office at Princeton University and accepted an interim position as Co-Director of College Counseling at The Spence School in Manhattan. Beginning in November 2024, he joined the College Counseling Office at Packer Collegiate Institute in Brooklyn Heights, NY.
C’05
The Korn Gallery exhibition of paintings by Frances Kuehn was curated by Drew alumna Heather Cammarata-Seale. A reception was held on October 23, where Heather gave an introduction to the exhibition in the gallery. The show continued through November. For further reading, please see The Vibrant Material of Frances Kuehn, by Heather Cammarata-Seale, PhD., in Woman’s Art Journal, Spring/Summer 2023, Volume 44, No. 1.
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Simon Hanna has recently started a new job as Director of Development at Mainly Mozart in San Diego. If anyone finds themselves in Southern California and would like to experience some of the best classical music in the world, check us out.
Greenbaum, Rowe, Smith & Davis LLP is pleased to announce that Drew University alumna Meghan E. Anderson, recently joined the firm as an associate in Greenbaum’s Tax, Trusts & Estates practice. Meghan advises individuals, families and business clients, including high-net-worth individuals and the owners of closely held businesses, on all aspects of estate planning and administration. Her work encompasses the drafting of wills, trusts, advance directives, powers of attorney and other estate planning documents. She provides guidance related to federal and state income, gift, estate, generation-skipping transfer and other tax matters and their implications within the estate planning and administration contexts. She also manages the administration of trusts and estates with individual fiduciaries, including the preparation of New Jersey inheritance tax returns and federal estate tax returns. Prior to entering private practice, Meghan worked in the mergers and acquisitions tax group of a “big four” accounting firm, where she advised private equity and corporate clients on the tax consequences of domestic and international M&A transactions and corporate restructurings. Meghan received her JD at Pennsylvania State University, Dickinson School of Law, an LL.M in Taxation with distinction from Georgetown University Law Center, and a BA from Drew University. She earned an Advanced Professional Certificate in Taxation in Estate Planning from New York University School of Law. She is admitted to practice in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. She is a member of the New Jersey State Bar Association’s Real Property, Trust & Estate Law Section and the Middlesex County Bar Association.
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Seth Gorenstein and his wife, Pamela, welcomed their daughter, Lana, into The Forest in March 2025. See photo gallery.
Dara (Goldberg) Murray recently became a published author. The Trees Disappeared originally appeared online in Issue 160, The Wind Turns, by Right Hand Pointing in July 2025. She has forthcoming poems (online and in print) this year in Pine Hills Review, Thimble, The Quarter(ly), LEON Literary Review, American Poetry Journal, Querenica Press, and Quibble Lit. In November, Dara received the 2026 John & Eileen Allman Prize for Poetry from Bellevue Literary Review for her prose poem Telling the Bees, which will be published in their Spring 2026 issue. The prize is awarded annually after anonymous review and recognizes outstanding writing on themes of health, grief, and the body.
Jennifer Bronstein Sargent is living in London with her husband and two children. She is working as a senior video producer at a major advertising agency. She spent the last five years in San Francisco and is happy to now call the UK her home. See photo gallery.
Tom Basgil recently became a certified diversity supplier. Tom Basgil, LLC (dba Sticky Tactics) achieved Certified LGBT Business Enterprise® status from the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce.
PHOTO GALLERY