While we didn’t hear from many of you (I’m sure you were saving your news for our in person meeting in May which now is related to Zoom) it was great to hear from the few of you who responded.
Lawrence Shannon reports; “After a lifetime for me and the past 30 years for Sarah, we have left New Jersey and relocated to Wilmington, North Carolina. Any Kenyon folk coming through coastal North Carolina, give us a call.”
We heard from Jen Mizenko twice – her life sounds like a whirlwind; “Even though I ‘retired’ or more like ‘quit with a pension,’ ‘pandemic retirement’ has been crazy busy. I've developed two online movement and meditation classes for seniors. I've been doing tons of online training, ranging from my drum lessons to Theatrical Intimacy Choreography. And I've been doing my share of teaching online as well, teaching the local senior community movement and meditation once a week, and movement for actors at the Baron Brown Studio in Los Angeles. I'm hoping these classes will happen in real space and time eventually. I managed to juggle three online conferences - theater, dance, and higher education in prison - simultaneously. And in the true liberal arts spirit, I found all of the sessions to be intersectional! The ideas are brewing. I'm bummed our reunion is once again delayed. But think of the party we will have when we are all able to gather together again! I heard one historian suggest that it's likely we'll have our own version of the Roaring 20's post pandemic...as long as we don't repeat the financial downfall part. Hope to see you all really soon.”
Josh Welsh is still living in Los Angeles, working in film and eagerly looking forward to re-entering the post-pandemic world. He would love to hear from any Kenyon folks out here!
Jan Richardson writes; “Keep Ridgeland Beautiful, where I serve as director, recently won a Keep America Beautiful Innovation National award and a Keep Mississippi Beautiful Wildflower Trails state award for our wildflower project. Our volunteers group worked safely outdoors during the pandemic to transform a three-acre field near an interstate exit into a wildflower oasis, featuring up-cycled metal sculptures, trails, and landscape features.”
Matt Rhoa has taken the first step to help save my beloved San Francisco. “I was recently elected as a delegate to the California state democratic party. #saveSF” (Matt also adopted a “pandemic puppy” and it is crazy cute!)
Kate Fonyo Pisano says; “Like so many parents around the country, I have had the experience of having one or both of my sons living and working at home since late August. Two of us working full time and both of them in graduate school, all under one roof was sometimes challenging but generally fun. The opportunity to spend time like that with them as adults has been the positive part of the pandemic! Thankfully, my younger one relaunched in February and the older one will have moved back to DC by the time this is printed!”
Susan Berger and her husband “officially became great grandparents in January! How crazy is that?!” (Very crazy – Susan hasn’t aged a bit…)
Gina Bauman Kornfeind writes that “things are finally getting better at the hospital! Let's hope they continue to get better! Looking forward to seeing all of you!”(A huge THANK YOU to Gina and all of our classmates who were on the frontlines during the pandemic – in whatever way! Thank you for all you did/do every day!)
Brian Edwards wanted to let you know (even if it is years late) he looks forward to coming to our 35th, 36th, & 37th reunion!
Richard Lincoln reports that his family (Richard, wife Helene, son Connor, dog Macy) are back in the Bahamas for at least the next few months. Their life of the past two years sure has been different living aboard their boat Apricity. It has been a refreshing change, and they are glad they took the opportunity at this time in their lives. Thus far, their travels have taken them from Fort Lauderdale, FL to Bimini Bahamas, Great Harbour Cay, Chub Cay, Normans Cay (Carlos Lehder/Pablo Escobar fame), and Highbourne Cay. Their plans will take them south to Staniel Cay (next to the famous swimming pigs and Thunderball Grotto), then east to Cat Cay, and Eleuthera. From Eleuthrea, they will continue north to Green Turtle Cay in the Abacos. Each island is replete with powdery sand beaches and crystal clear water, and each with its own personality.
Jim Tull was thrilled to be invited to teach a Master Class for 16 Kenyon students over winter break. Negotiation and Conflict Resolution was offered over Zoom through Kenyon’s Center for the Study of American Democracy in the PoliSci Department. "The students were fantastic and I can officially verify the rumor that in many ways today’s students are way smarter than most of us were at their age".
Alfred Naddaff reports; "After completing a successful year in Atlanta with Edible Arrangements awarding the remaining franchise territories for the United States, I accepted a position in franchise development with Checkers/Rally’s based in Boston. Home Again! My son, AJ Naddaff is completing his MA in Arabic Literature at American University of Beirut and will live in Beirut and travel to Jordan for a Fulbright in February, hopefully. Alexandra, recently moved to Burlington, VT to work for a start-up surrounded by Green Mountains and Lake Champlain. Geraldine continues to teach French at a small private school in Boston. We are hoping to travel to Morocco this summer for a family vacation. Feel free to connect if you are in the Boston area!"
As for me (Mary Schwendener), I'm sorry we aren't going to meet in person this year, but I am really looking forward to the time when we can get together in person (May 2022?)! I continue to work a lot (VA home health, private practice, Centerstone) but my retirement is in sight (November 2022)! Being alone during the pandemic (working from home, divorced, grown kids) has been tough but I've been blessed by my amazing Kenyon friends. I am so thankful and aware of the long lasting relationships that were formed during our time at Kenyon. I'm looking forward to post-pandemic travel and hanging out with all of you!
Please stay tuned for the Zoom Reunion Schedule. At the very least, it will be an opportunity to hang out together and yell “you’re muted!” I hope to see you all virtually soon and in real life next year!
Much love,
Schwens
Aka Mary Schwendener
