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The Latest News from Your Classmates

Find out what your fellow alums are up to—new jobs, marriages, and more—in the September / October 2024 Class Notes!

The Continuous Reunion Club column appears below!

Check out the CRC column —and columns from other Cornell groups—in the Group Notes. Want to see your group represented in future sections? Email us for information!

No news from you all, so you’ll have to tolerate what’s mulling about in my aging, addled mind: Iowa’s many rural towns and their small-town newspapers.

My interest in this arises from my early life. For my first 21 years I lived on a small subsistence farm. After Cornell and marriage, for the next 17 years I lived in the nearby rural village of Elba, NY, population 700, where I was the science teacher in the K-12 school. While living there I earned a doctoral degree at the University of Rochester. Preferring to maintain some connection to rural life, I moved about 1,000 miles west to Des Moines, IA, for a faculty position at Drake University. For a love of Iowa, I stayed for 57 years. In my waning years I now consider more highly my travels in all Iowa’s counties and county seats than my travels in all U.S. states, all the provinces of Canada, half the states of Mexico, and world travel in 32 other countries on five continents.

Iowa is a state of small, county-seat cities, and villages serving the social and business needs of their areas. Some small, rural towns are holding on with their weekly newspapers. In south-central Iowa is the village of Afton, population 1,000, which, against the national trend of dying newspapers, still has its 119-year-old, 60-cent, weekly Afton Star Enterprise. The Afton paper also serves the communities around it, providing each with local news that, in some mysterious way, serves to enrich and bind each community together.

For a love of Iowa, I stayed for 57 years. Paul Joslin ’50

I regularly read the Afton newspaper, which I receive from a friend and former resident of Afton. It’s a six-page publication and includes a variety of local news and three regular columns. Of great interest to me is a regular, 450-word column by a local retired farmer and gifted writer and illustrator who has the enviable ability to write entertainingly about what otherwise would be trivial events. His name is Rick Friday and fittingly his column is called “It’s Friday.”

I quote (paraphrasing a bit) from a recent column of his titled “Folks Tales,” which triggered similarities to my Depression-era upbringing, and perhaps yours as well: “During a child’s upbringing, parents use a variety of folktale strategies that are simply not true. My mom claimed she had eyes in the back of her head. When I broke my arm, the doc never asked if I was wearing clean underwear. My nose never grew after I told a fib. A watermelon seed I swallowed didn’t grow in my stomach. I handled a lot of toads and never got warts. And the moon is not made of cheese. I didn’t need glasses because I sat too close to the TV. A passing car never cut my hand off when I put it out the car window. It always hurt when they said it wouldn’t.” ❖ Paul Joslin ( email Paul ) | 13731 Hickman Rd., #4207, Urbandale, IA 50323 | tel., (515) 278-0960 | Alumni Directory .

“At 95, I’m aging—but rather gracefully,” writes Calvin Gage , who is also “inching toward the 66th anniversary with my wife, Marge. A year ago, we moved to a life care community, Lake Forest Place in Lake Forest, IL. We settled into an apartment where Marge is developing a beautiful patio garden. Among the 400+ residents, I’ve discovered a few with Cornell connections. One was a grad student whose dissertation was about Cornell’s first president, Andrew Dickson White. This chap went on to become president of Lake Forest College. Another resident’s daughter graduated from the Hotel School and, we’re told, had a very successful career in that business. There are other Cornellians here that I have yet to meet.”

Calvin adds, “In this community, where all of us are in our 80s, 90s, and, yes, 100s, it is refreshing to observe the vitality all around me. Yes, there are walkers and rollators and canes and electric scooters—and some can no longer stand tall—but mentally they are with it. That is very satisfying.” ❖ Class of 1951 ( email c/o Alexandra Bond ’12 ) | Alumni Directory .

Carol Singer Greenhaus writes from Rye, NY, that seeing her three daughters, six grandchildren, and nine great-grandchildren gives her the most satisfaction these days—and, as her father used to say, “not a lemon in the bunch.” She feels that Cornell made her travel more interesting and made her interest in geology grow. “Like a kid, I collect rocks.”

Eli Manchester writes from Westwood, MA, that he and his wife are living in Fox Hill Village, a wonderful retirement community. He enjoys watching Cornell athletics on ESPN. He is lucky that his daughters and family live close by so that they see them often. His younger daughter graduated from Cornell Law School. He feels that his five years in Cornell engineering was a wonderful preparation for his professional life.

Harriette Scannell Morgan writes from Adamstown, MD, that waking up gives her the most satisfaction these days. Cornell changed the trajectory of her life; she met her husband, Monte , there and they had 61 years of marriage and two sons. Over the years they lived in the U.S., Canada, South America, and Europe, traveled to all the states, and were huge volunteers.

Bernard Patten writes from Athens, GA, that attending Cornell set the stage for his academic life and how to pursue it. Great satisfaction comes from “research and writing a revisionary kind of ecology, a three-volume work called Holoecology . My subject is a systems ecology topic I have been pursuing since I arrived in UGA Ecology in 1968.” He also has established a flagship quartet, TSS Adirondika Pro Musica. He has two grandsons that his daughter is raising in Atlanta.

Marion Lotz Rutan writes from Haines City, FL, that she has celebrated the 70th anniversary of her wedding with her husband. She enjoys Zoom calls with family and books available through the Library of Congress.

Ann Coffeen Turner writes from Keene, NH, that she enjoys tutoring and reading, having published her teaching materials on the Internet (Teachers Pay Teachers). ❖ Thomas Cashel, LLB ’56 ( email Tom ) | Alumni Directory .

William Ash , PhD ’60, reports that he and his late wife, Gertrude (Kehm) , were lucky to raise four responsible children to adulthood “without any problems whatsoever. They love the USA!” With two grandsons and two great-grandsons, “the family grows into the future with pride, but with hopes that the world will allow them to reach their potential.” William has been writing short monthly newsletter articles for the Cape Lookout Sail and Power Squadron in Trent Woods, NC. “I’ve now written close to 300 articles, each 1–2 pages, with the purpose of making our boating waters safe.”

Virginia “Jinny” Jackson Browning is pleased to still be healthy in mind and body at age 92. Her favorite activities at home in Kentucky are reading and spending time with her children, grandchildren, and 12 great-grandchildren. “The numbers of great-grandchildren are increasing!” she reports.

Dottie Clark Free writes that she enjoys the volunteer activities at the retirement home where she lives in Palo Alto. Her family continues to grow. “In 1966 I married four people: a widower with three children. We now number 18.” Did attending Cornell change the trajectory of her life? “Tremendously! It gave me more confidence and broadened my outlook.”

Cornelius Jones (Monrovia, CA) shares that his wife of 67 years, Ruth, died in 2020. In studying the Jones family’s ancestry, Cornelius has learned that they were some of the first settlers of Staten Island, NY. Early in his career, Cornelius drastically changed his professional life from being a farm agent in New York to being a missionary with the American Baptist Foreign Mission Society.

Herb Neuman is thoroughly enjoying his first great-grandchildren—boy and girl twins. He is still working in real estate development in New York, Maryland, and Florida, training young members of the family firm as they take on responsibilities. In 2023 Herb was co-winner of the Tanner Prize in recognition of being active in the new Hillel building project at Cornell and engaged in strengthening the Jewish Studies Program.

I’ve now written close to 300 articles, each 1–2 pages, with the purpose of making our boating waters safe. William Ash ’53, PhD ’60

Bertram Pitt writes that, although he no longer sees patients, he continues to be active in clinical research. Recent papers relate to heart failure, hypertension, and renal (kidney) disease. “Currently I am working on therapies to reduce dementia in patients with hypertension,” he reports. On the calendar is a trip to Australia from his home in Ann Arbor, MI.

Louis Pradt and his wife, Sandra, still live in the Wisconsin house they moved into 51 years ago. “I like to fill it with music: playing, hearing, and seeing.” Louis spends time dealing with family affairs and gets a lot of satisfaction from the children in the family. He was disappointed to miss our 70th Reunion and sends his greetings to Cornell friends.

Alan Raynor and wife Mary enjoy life in Port Charlotte, FL. He especially likes having time to pursue special interests and is even finding time to write a movie.

Susan Finn Smith , with her husband, Donald (Iowa State), lives a busy life at a retirement community in Middleton, WI. “We have many activities and events,” she says, “but especially enjoy connecting with friends or family, reading, writing essays, streaming movies, going to concerts, and reading the New York Times or Washington Post .” Their son lives nearby and visits often, but their two daughters live and work far away, she reports. “Our second great-grandchild arrived earlier this year.” Susan transferred to Cornell from Iowa State as a junior and completed her BS degree at Cornell. “I grew to love Upstate New York,” she recalls. “I also made Eastern friends and came to love classical music and writing.”

Joyce Wisbaum Underberg , BS ’52, reports that she is still able to keep up with the news “and with the few friends I have left!” In her professional life, Joyce served as director of government affairs for Schlegel Corporation at its headquarters in Rochester, NY, and she remains active in a few organizations that welcome “old war horses” as board members. “I’m very content,” reports Joyce, “with all four children gainfully employed and in happy relationships that have produced nine grandchildren. Life is good—I’m lucky!” Joyce credits Cornell with helping her mature from a somewhat sheltered teenager to an adult “who is still trying to push the envelope for change that I think matters!” Keep us posted on your progress, Joyce.

Lois Crane Williams , MEd ’60, continues to write about local and family history. She lives in assisted living at a retirement complex in Lancaster County, VA, and says, “Marrying a Cornell engineer (the late Peter Williams ) was one of the really good events in my life!” ❖ Caroline Mulford Owens ( email Caroline ) | Bob Neff , JD ’56 ( email Bob ) | John Nixon ( email John ) | Alumni Directory .

Reunion 2024! What a terrific weekend it was! A bit cool and cloudy, but warm spirits throughout the campus. Eight thousand Cornellians returned to the Hill. More than 400 events, programs, and concerts were offered. We were busy. Time flew by. And now we cherish wonderful memories of a glorious weekend.

Dave , PhD ’60, and Mary Gentry Call , as Reunion co-chairs, planned with consideration of our age and limitations. We were cared for with Statler accommodations, good meals, transportation, and time to visit with old friends and also to rest. A special note: at Saturday dinner, held at Kendal where a few of our class including the Calls live, we were delighted that Mary was able to join us. A big thank you to Mary and Dave, who held steady and made it happen for us in spite of their significant health challenges.

Chick Trayford , MBA ’60, our class president, was kept at home because of physical limitations resulting from his treatment in recent months. However, he worked tirelessly to encourage classmates to return for Reunion. The results of his efforts are reported below.

Here are a few highlights of the schedule. Thursday: excitement as we arrived at the registration area; dinner at the Statler; the traditional and wonderful Savage Club’s Reunion Show. Friday: “Democratic Resilience Globally” presentation by the Class of 1979 and the Brooks School of Public Policy (retired ambassador Dwight Bush ’79 shared that, to foster a global worldview, he and his wife give each child one plane ticket a year to anywhere outside of the U.S.); lunch at Moakley House on the golf course; Olin Lecture at Bailey Hall with Andrew Ross Sorkin ’99 , award-winning journalist and author, CNBC “Squawk Box” co-anchor, and co-creator of Showtime series “Billions”; Statler dinner with the Sherwoods (men’s singing) and Corey Earle ’07 discussing “Then and Now”; Cornell University Chorus and Glee Club at Bailey.

Saturday: State of the University Address by President Martha Pollack; Al Eckhardt took a few of us to visit the Merrill Family Sailing Center, where he, a lifelong competitive sailor and skipper of the winning 1954 crew, proudly showed us the new facility and the Class of 1954 FJ22 sailboat he gave to Cornell (a story new to me: as teenagers, for several summers Al and Chick raced sailboats on Long Island Sound. In August 1950, they wished one another well and said goodbye. Soon after, completely by surprise, they found each other on the Cornell campus!); reception and dinner at Kendal; Cornelliana Night with much Big Red spirit and the old songs we love to sing. Sunday: Packing and hugs and good wishes to all.

Here are the officers who will tend to class business: president, Chick Trayford; VP and treasurer, Dave Call; Annual Fund representative, Warren “Breck” Breckenridge ; nominations chair, Al Eckhardt; webmaster, Jan Jakes Kunz ; co-correspondents, Ruth Carpenter Bailey and Bill Waters , MBA ’55.

We cherish wonderful memories of a glorious [Reunion] weekend. Ruth Carpenter Bailey ’54

And here are the results of the work they and others performed on behalf of the class: The Class of 1954 now holds the record for attendance at a 70th Reunion! The University has confirmed that we had 29 classmates in Ithaca! Last year the Class of 1953 had 11; the previous record was 26. We had a total of 55 people including spouses, children, and guests. Dollars raised for Cornell by our class totaled $14.2 million! (“A huge number,” says Cornell, but not the record, which is $17.0 million, held by the Class of 1948.) We thank all who gave to enable us to reach this amount.

Random thoughts: Corey Earle presented a delightful program with photos about Cornell history and changes on campus. We are fortunate to have him as the informal historian of the University. I recommend that you listen to him on Zoom whenever you have the chance. President Pollack gave her final Reunion speech. I swelled with pride to hear of the enormous breadth and depth of Cornell’s impact around the globe. A new book, Beyond Borders: Exploring the History of Cornell’s Global Dimensions , now available and co-edited by Corey, tells in some detail about this important work. Interestingly her talk was interrupted by protestors. Security was prepared: they were given a few minutes to shout and disrupt on behalf of Gaza; the audience drowned them out; then quietly and professionally the security people calmly ushered them out of Bailey. On a happy note, the Cornell Band, not in uniform, played enthusiastically as we entered and departed from Bailey on a couple of occasions. A fun addition.

The University holds a Service of Remembrance and Thanksgiving. I must confess I was taken aback when I saw the length of the list of classmates who have died. One we lost very early was Fred Wood . Jane Barber Wood Smith came this year with their daughter, Barbara Wood ’82 . To the staff of Alumni Affairs, Jane wrote, “Thank you so much for your part in making our 70th Reunion such a joyous and comfortable occasion. I am just so happy and grateful to have been there to renew with old friends and see the old campus surviving amidst the new.

“It was especially poignant for my daughter and me to retrace some family memories from 1963 when she was 3, we lived on Wait Avenue, and her father, my first husband, Fred, worked as acting Episcopal chaplain at CURW. He was later class correspondent and he and I were to be Reunion chairs in ’69; by then he was battling leukemia and died in 1970 when he was chaplain and associate professor at Vassar College.

“Barbara and I were able to track down the chandelier in the Founders Room at Anabel Taylor that was contributed upon request by my father-in-law Frederic Wood 1924 (a former Cornell trustee), along with the plaque indicating that it was in memory of his son. Since no one in the family had ever seen this, we took pictures and emailed and phoned my sister-in-law Meredith Wood Einaudi ’61 in Palo Alto, CA. She was delighted.”

Those of us who attended Reunion were grateful to be there. We remembered those unable to be there. I hope reading these comments gives you a bit of the flavor of a happy weekend. ❖ Ruth Carpenter Bailey ( email Ruth ) | Bill Waters , MBA ’55 ( email Bill ) | Class website | Alumni Directory .

Richard Shriver was honored by the Connecticut River Conservancy with the Bud Foster Award. CRC gives this award each year to someone who has shown outstanding devotion, service, and accomplishment in the Connecticut River watershed. Bud Foster was the first executive director of what is now the CRC. As its website notes, “In those pre-Clean Water Act days when CRC was first established, the challenge facing our rivers was significant. That meant the dedication of those looking to make a difference was also extraordinary. This award shines a light on those who work hard for the benefit of our rivers.”

In its announcement, CRC noted Dick’s contributions: “Dick has been supportive of the Connecticut River Conservancy at every turn. He has been an early morning boat captain for the Unified Water Study, has published articles about restoration stories with great depth and detail, has hosted murmuration bird paddles for local community members, and offered his home as a celebratory reception place. He has been a convener, connector, and friend who brings others together with open arms to unite our efforts for greater collective impact. Thanks to Dick’s leadership, $1 million was recently granted by the Endeavor Foundation to support conservation priorities throughout the watershed. All this in a relatively short time, after a successful career. Dick is an impressive example of how much one person can accomplish when inspired and committed. And now his efforts inspire more of us to appreciate and steward this amazing resource.”

Samuel “Skip” Salus derives great satisfaction from “being able to move around without pain.” He spends his days reading, playing bocce, attending lectures or events, and keeping in touch with old friends. Sadly, Skip shares, “I lost my wife to a strange disease.” He adds that he enjoys “seeing my sons in their jobs competing successfully. I have 13 grandchildren and five are in college—one just graduated and one is at Ithaca College.”

Ruth McDevitt Carrozza (York, PA) greatly enjoys keeping in contact with her far-flung family in Florida, California, New Jersey, New Hampshire, and Maine, and camping with her daughter and son-in-law. She’s also enjoying her new friends in her community and participating in community activities such as crafts and bus trips. “I celebrated my 90th birthday with a great family party on April 1. We are waiting for my fourth great-grandchild.” When asked if Cornell changed the trajectory of her life, she wrote, “Although I was a landscape design student, I was able to become a science teacher because of my science classes at Cornell.”

Although I was a landscape design student, I was able to become a science teacher because of my science classes at Cornell. Ruth McDevitt Carrozza ’55

Hans Duerr writes from his new home in Orchard Park, NY, where he moved to be closer to his sons after his life partner, Jeanne, died in 2020. He is happy to be alive and healthy. George Morson derives great satisfaction from family, his health, volunteering, and tennis. He happily reports that his grandson is a pilot.

Dick Kurtz , BS ’58, appreciates his “good health, happy wife, and family. I enjoy seeing the growth of our 4-year-old identical male quadruplet great-grandchildren—and supporting their parents.” Dick participates in his church choir, plays bridge, volunteers in church affairs, walks the dog, and travels in the U.S. He notes that the University “supported my love of Latin American friends, travels, and countries.”

Shirley Sanford Dudley writes, “I studied psychology at Cornell and became (after an advanced degree) a counselor, registrar, and assistant dean in a seminary. I loved, loved, loved working with students. They have been some of my best friends for life. Also, as a minister’s wife, the variety of students at Cornell enabled me to open up to a wider group of people of all sorts in the cities where we lived.” Now, Shirley is occupied with leadership roles in her senior center, choirs there and at church, 10-minute plays, letter writing, exercising, walking, and reading good books.

These days, Kenneth Sanderson greatly enjoys meeting new people, volunteering at polling places and as an usher at theaters, gardening, and attending plays. “2024 has been the worst year of my life,” he shares. “My wife, Barbara, died, and my brother Don died. I’m glad that I got to bring Barb to visit Cornell once.” When asked if Cornell changed the trajectory of his life, he wrote, “Absolutely. It gave me a goal for life: always excel! And it provided the professors and classmates that served as role models. I only attended Cornell for two years for a BS degree, but I have always felt that I was part of a family. Cornellians opened many doors for me throughout my career.”

Stay tuned for more news from our classmates in the next column! ❖ Class of 1955 ( email c/o Alexandra Bond ’12 ) | Alumni Directory .

Diana Motycka Day has been participating in church activities as a deacon, gardening around her home, and socializing with her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. “I met Bob Day the first day of freshman year at orientation! We fell in love, but Bob’s national scholarship kept him studying too much so I dated Tom Herbert ’54 , MBA ’55, and married him! That marriage ended. Bob and I both went to our 45th Reunion in 2001 and decided immediately to get married right away in 2002. That was an idyllic marriage for 15 years, until Bob died.”

Virginia Seelig Lenz has five grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. She is a tour docent at Poplar Forest, Thomas Jefferson’s retreat home, and a facilitator for a book club at her local library.

Gail Berkson Malloy-Brown is retired from teaching at Adelphi University but still working part time as a psychotherapist. She notes that she’s still recovering from Dick Brown ’48 ’s death four years ago. “Cornell sent me on a ‘trip’ from hospital nurse to public health nurse to teacher and academic administrator of nursing, to psychoanalyst and psychotherapist in private practice, and from BS to MA to PhD.”

Pat Brodie gets the greatest satisfaction in life from spending time with her children and grandchildren. Now retired, she’s writing a memoir. “I’m living in Brookhaven in Lexington, MA, now. Everyone here is over 65. It reminds me of living in the dorm at Cornell.”

I’m living in Brookhaven in Lexington, MA, now. Everyone here is over 65. It reminds me of living in the dorm at Cornell. Pat Brodie ’56

Robert Ridgley writes, “I’m still happily married to Marilyn (Hester) ’57 after 66 years! We just welcomed our first great-grandchild!” Robert retired as CEO of Northwest Natural Gas and continues with numerous activities for the community of Portland, OR, including the Cornell Club. “Economics and history studies at Cornell led me to Harvard Law School, 23 years of legal practice, and then a second career in management of a public utility.”

Carol Skidmore Cuddeback writes, “My 90th birthday party had 53 relatives attending! Great occasion for our large family! I was surprised! Wish my dear husband could have been there.”

Theodora Litner Weihe enjoys “being able to dance and play golf with my younger friends, being able to eat out when I don’t feel like cooking, and being able to drive! I love having a loving husband in good health. We go to grandchildren’s graduations when we can, but otherwise aren’t traveling much. Attending Cornell allowed me to feel confident in many new settings—socially and professionally.”

There will be more news from classmates in our next Class Notes column! ❖ Class of 1956 ( email c/o Alexandra Bond ’12 ) | Alumni Directory .

Those hills of Cornell drew me back again for the 2024 Reunion. The founders of the Continuous Reunion Club declared that attending Reunions only every five years just isn’t enough. I joined CRC in 2000, so I have enjoyed the Reunions every year since then except for the two years of the pandemic.

This year I was able to meet Nan Krauthamer Goldberg and Judy Richter Levy , LLB ’59, for dinner at the Statler’s Taverna Banfi fine dining restaurant. Judy arrived from Manhattan to enjoy her Law School Reunion. She and one other female classmate double registered our senior year. Judy announced that she is about to retire from her practice of personal injury law, which she pursued for at least 50 years with her late husband. She had an interesting and rewarding career helping victims receive compensation due to other people’s negligence. She may occasionally assist her daughter, also an attorney, with her cases. Judy has been our class’s go-to person in NYC to arrange luncheons and dinners whenever Cornell events took place there. Many classmates who enjoy the Cornell hockey games in Madison Square Garden have attended those dinners.

Nan is one who was fortunate to remain in the Ithaca area as three weeks after graduation she and Stan ’55 were married. Stan was a retailer in an Ithaca home improvement business that later grew and diversified, and he became a real estate developer. Nan and Stan had four children in the next 10 years, which kept Nan busy using skills learned in her child development classes. Nan later had her own business, Learning Foundation of Ithaca. Over the years, Nan has helped hundreds of high school students in test preparation and goal-setting. To this day she continues to help local students and also Rotary exchange students. Her family now includes 11 grandchildren, four of whom are Cornellians. Although Stan passed away in 2015, Nan continues to live in their fine modern home on the west shore of Cayuga Lake, across the road from Taughannock Falls State Park.

Naturally, our dinner conversation included news about many of our distaff side classmates. We especially recalled the recent passing of two very active women, Sue DeRosay Henninger and Vanne Shelley Cowie . Both served as leaders during our undergrad years and since we became alumni. Sue was our president early in our alumni days. Vanne’s decorations in Balch Hall for our 40th Reunion are still memorable. Sue was a patroness of the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology, while Vanne was a patroness of the Cornell Botanic Gardens (formerly the Cornell Plantations).

Judy Richter Levy ’57 , LLB ’59, is about to retire from her practice of personal injury law, which she pursued for at least 50 years with her late husband.

Their spouses, Joe Henninger ’56 , MBA ’58, and former trustee Bob Cowie ’55 , MBA ’57, survive them. Both couples were recipients of the prestigious Frank H.T. Rhodes Exemplary Alumni Service Award. Vanne and Bob were honored in 2003 and Sue and Joe were honored in 2009. (And, both couples were members of the Continuous Reunion Club!) Our other honored recipients of the Frank H.T. Rhodes Award are: Art Gensler , 1998; Tony Cashen , MBA ’58, 2001; Steve Weiss , 2008; Steve Laden , 2009; and Bob Staley , MBA ’59, with his wife, Elizabeth (Chapman) ’60 , 2012.

Our class is recognized as having a great number of our alumni involved in Cornell and class activities. In our class leadership and Reunion committees alone, we approach 100 individuals. Could any other class even come close to that? There is a pattern prevalent in the classes of the 1950s. Many male students had plans to continue their education in professions such as medicine, law, advanced business degrees, and further academic studies. Not so for the women. Only about 10 of us ’57 women went right into law or medical schools. In fact, we were not encouraged to continue our education. A corridor-mate, a ’56 co-ed, went to a vet school for an interview. She was told outright that she would not be admitted because she would be “taking the place of a man.”

Graduation found many of us married or soon to be married, then becoming mothers, homemakers, and community volunteers. Only later did some pursue advanced degrees. Barbara “Bobbie” Redden Leamer is a perfect example. She and Dick ’56 were married in the Anabel Taylor chapel the day before our graduation. Defying all who bet against it, she, as our women’s class council president, along with her counterpart, Jim Drennan , MD ’61, was in place the next morning to lead us to our Barton Hall graduation ceremony. Bobbie and Dick were quickly on their way to Jackson, MI, for Dick’s job with Mobil Oil. Dick’s entire career was with Mobil Oil and entailed move after move, 11 of them by our 25th Reunion.

With their three children born in ’59, ’61, and ’63, Bobbie became a Girl Scout leader, a library volunteer, a PTA leader, a Sunday School teacher, and involved with various newcomer groups, sports booster clubs, and many, many more. Her interest in library work led her to earn a master’s in library and information sciences in 1979 from the University of North Texas. Their last move was to Fairfax, VA, in 1989, where they remain. She continues to volunteer at public libraries in the Fairfax area and in Saranac Lake, NY, where they have a summer home. Their family has expanded to include nine grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. ❖ Connie Santagato Hosterman ( email Connie ) | Alumni Directory .

Albert Caines , the only vector control specialist and entomologist in Oswego County, NY, and the area, collected over one million mosquitos in his work. He lives in Phoenix, NY, and enjoys fishing, watching high school sports, Cornell football and lacrosse, two great-grandchildren, and dining out with his girlfriend.

Debbie Fanto Czegledy , who majored in fine arts, had a wonderful career at the United Nations, using her arts skills. Her role in the last 12 of her 20 years at the U.N. was as head of the department that informed people about the work of the agency that gave grants to women in developing countries, through booklets, exhibits, events, and speeches. She also traveled to European countries to fundraise and to developing countries to encourage project recipients. After she retired, she became a professional portrait artist. Now living in Plandome, NY, on Long Island, she still enjoys painting and participates in a French conversation group, many church activities, swimming, and entertaining in her garden with her many friends.

Dean Danzer worked as a chemical engineer for 38 years at Monsanto, then traveled all over the world after retiring. He suffers from amyloidosis and is confined to a wheelchair. He lives in St. Louis, MO, with his wife, Virginia, who graduated in 1961 from Washington University. She is still in good health and is able to drive. He enjoys reading, investing, church activities, and spending time with his family.

Gerald Freedman started out as a mechanical engineer but took multiple other courses, including one on how the body works with Prof. Singer in home economics, which changed his life. He then went to medical school and retired as a radiologist. He lives in Hillsboro Beach, FL, with his wife, Karen, who is a joy! His health is stable, but he has pain in multiple joints. He enjoys sculpting clay, watching TV, reading magazines, spending time with friends, and talking on his cell phone with his kids, who are doing great!

Albert Caines ’58 , the only vector control specialist and entomologist in Oswego County, NY, and the area, collected over one million mosquitos in his work.

Arthur Horowitz says Cornell provided him with the opportunity to learn, limited only by his lack of brain power! He practiced as an ob/gyn until 21 years ago, and since then has helped his wife in her fine art business. They live in Hopkins, MN, and travel a lot—2 million miles to 100+ destinations. Their three children graduated from Barnard, Cornell, and Wesleyan in the 1980s and have since provided them with seven grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren. Arthur’s greatest satisfaction is waking up in the morning!

Susan Swanson Hueber says Cornell pressed her “curiosity button”! She lives in Ridgecrest, CA, and is a widow, which means she has no more horses to care for. She finds satisfaction in getting up every morning, learning (by non-digital means), enjoying music and art, cooking for fun and friends, activities with her dog, and friends and family. She also volunteers at a small local natural history museum.

Almeda “A.C.” Church Riley says Cornell changed her life by providing two good marriages to Cornell graduates, Bill Dake ’57 (1959–84) and John Riley ’55 (1995–2021). In between, A.C. gave 10 years of public service to her community. She lives in Woodlawn Commons, an independent living community in Saratoga Springs, NY, and is on its residents’ association board. She is a member of the United Methodist Church and the League of Women Voters, regularly plays bridge and mahjongg, plans to play frequent golf this summer, and enjoys spending time with her children and their families.

Audrey Wildner Sears says Cornell changed the trajectory of her life when she met Ray ’57 , her spouse of 66 years, and set off on an adventure! She derives great satisfaction from still being active in her community in Grantham, NH. She enjoys volunteering at Montshire Museum of Science in Norwich, VT.

Cynthia Rau Sears is very excited because she recently became a great-grandmother to Nolan Michael! She and husband Raymond, who live in Wayne, NJ, find it hard to believe! ❖ Barbara Avery, MA ’59 ( email Barbara ) | Dick Haggard ( email Dick ) | Alumni Directory .

“ Oh, I want to go back to the old days … Hard to believe we are celebrating our 65th Reunion,” says Marty Lehman . “The event triggers a flood of memories—long bus/train rides from my home in Portsmouth, OH, to Ithaca, lifetime friendships with my brothers from Tau Delta Phi, late nights spent in the architectural drafting rooms ( Work like a jerk till your eyes ache like hell! ), the unforgettable Beaux Arts Ball on the top floor of White Hall, George Healy’s brilliant lectures in British lit, Kingston Trio for Spring Weekend, trudging through the snow on the Quad on Dragon Day, custodial residence at the Heller House on Eddy Street with my architecture classmate Bill Woods , early morning ‘bridge’ parties (milk punch for breakfast) overlooking Beebe Lake, graduation party in the ‘secret garden’ behind the Heller House … Always returning to my old Cornell .”

“Great Reunion!” says Carole Kenyon . Says Phyllis Corwin Rogers , “The best part of Reunion is the trip down memory lane.” Says Harry Petchesky , “Like most of our classmates, I came for the camaraderie and the programs offered by Cornell, all of which got high marks from their attendees.” Says Judy Brotman Cochran , “This was another of the Class of ’59s wonderful Reunions and why many of us keep coming back.” Particularly heartwarming were the rousing cheers given to retiring President Martha Pollack after her State of the University Address, and the performance by the Cornell Alumni Chorus and Glee Club at Cornelliana Night.

Memories of people, places, and events: “Climbing the stairs to Rockefeller Hall and sitting in the auditorium for a physics demonstration reminded me of Professor Herbert Newhall , PhD ’42 ’s introductory physics course in 1955; it was as invigorating now as it was then,” said Phil Yarnell . At our Saturday evening dinner, Corey Earle ’07 gave a fabulous talk contrasting Cornell in the late 1950s with the Cornell of today. Gerry Schultz followed Corey’s presentation with a slideshow featuring Hans Bethe, Phillip Morrison, Dexter Perkins, Michell Sienko ’43 , and other professors who inspired us during our days on the Hill. Svein Arber spoke eloquently about Clinton Rossiter ’39 and Milton Konvitz , PhD ’33 . Sadder remembrances were expressed at Anabel Taylor Hall on Friday morning, when Ron Demer , Bill Kingston , Ellie Applewhaite , and Bill Day read the names of 181 classmates who had passed away since our 2019 Reunion. Ron notes that our class began with 2,262 people, including those who earned degrees and those who did not; 720 have died, which is 32% of those who initially started.

Sixty-eight ’59ers were at Reunion, many accompanied by spouses and friends. Among us was Marsha Gratz Perry , attending her very first Reunion (hooray!). In contrast, Reuners such as Ellie Applewhaite and Harry Petchesky have attended every Reunion, beginning with our 5th back in 1964. One classmate unable to attend but still represented was George Ladas , whose charming book, The Amazing Adventures of Karnival Kat and Eight Musical Mice , was featured at the Cornell Store’s book signing on Saturday morning. Another attendee-in-spirit was Carl Leubsdorf , whose article about becoming a political columnist, “I Really Owe It All to The Sun,” appeared in the Reunion edition of the Cornell Daily Sun .

At least one of us was seen dancin’ to the beat at the evening tent parties. But let’s admit it: most of us had ‘retired’ by that hour. Jenny Tesar ’59

Some statistics: Our class was among those given special recognition at Cornelliana Night, for raising a record amount of money during a 65th Reunion year: $49,797,404. Over 8,000 people registered for Reunion, representing 47 states, the District of Columbia, and 23 countries. More than 450 events were on the schedule: tours, exhibits, lectures, workshops, open houses, receptions, and even canoeing on Beebe Lake. Two ’59ers shared a mid-afternoon snack of BBQ with electricians setting up events on the Arts Quad. And at least one of us was seen dancin’ to the beat at the evening tent parties. But let’s admit it: most of us had “retired” by that hour.

A new-for-’59ers event: Reunion kicked off on Thursday afternoon with the Spirit of ’31: Passing It Forward ceremony, during which the three oldest Reuning classes, celebrating their 75th, 70th, and 65th reunions, presented the Class of 2019, attending their first Reunion, with their official class banner. Events receiving ’59ers’ acclaim included a guided tour of the Mann Library exhibit “Introducing Vladimir Nabokov, Lepidopterist.” We all remember Nabokov’s teaching and his worldwide fame as a writer, but this exhibit illustrated his lifelong involvement (beginning at age 5!) with questions of butterfly evolution and diversity. FYI: The University’s Insect Collection has over seven million insect specimens, including hundreds of butterflies collected by Nabokov.

At the reception celebrating women in engineering—where it was noted that women now comprise nearly 50% of Cornell’s engineering students— Al Newhouse had a good discussion with a female manager from Shell Oil about the impact of EVs on our electric grid. Professor Ross Brann’s talk, “Antisemitism, Islamophobia, and Racism Revisited,” received high marks from Stefanie Lipsit Tashkovich , MEd ’64 (“wonderful”) and Carole Parnes . Carole also commended the presenters at the annual Liberty Hyde Bailey Lecture, this year on synthetic biology and the transdisciplinary, team-based approach being used to solve complex medical, agricultural, and other problems.

The old, the new: All ’59ers and their guests received coupons for a two-dip ice cream cone or cup at the Dairy Bar (Itha-Kahlua Fudge—yum!). A bus full of classmates took a bus tour of the campus with the informative, witty tour guide pointing out new buildings, places being renovated and expanded, the relocation of the baseball field, etc. A stop at the Botanic Gardens (formerly Cornell Plantations) provided a brief respite from the day’s hustle and bustle. On another day, several of us were given a bird’s-eye view of the construction of Cornell Bowers CIS, named after the late Ann Schmeltz Bowers , the college’s primary donor. ❖ Jenny Tesar ( email Jenny ) | Alumni Directory .

Elaine Moody Pardoe has sadly reported from Columbia, MD, “My husband, David, died on March 28. We had a wonderful 62 years of marriage, which are giving me cherished memories to help me through this difficult time. I now live in a retirement community, where I have compatible fellow residents who have experienced the same heartbreak. Dave and I considered moving here one of the wisest decisions ever made. We have three children, who are my greatest source of comfort; we share undying love for their father.”

John Ramsey , who lives in Perry, IA, with his spouse, Lois Lee Huck, says, “I’m happily retired from my ichthyology career at the University of Puerto Rico, Auburn University, and Iowa State. My wife and I enjoy the amenities of our retirement community.”

Merrill Burr Hille reports from Seattle, WA, that she still enjoys hiking and the pleasures of her four grandchildren, who are ages 4–26. Cornell influenced her life, says Merrill. She enjoyed doing research in the Department of Chemistry, which got her to graduate school and eventually to her professorship in biology at the University of Washington; there she managed to publish significant cell biology manuscripts in 2002.

Raoul Andrews-Sudre sent word from Pompano Beach, FL, that he is “playing golf and cooking for my friends. I also give lectures on energy medicines and consult on spa design and management. I continue to travel the world and visit my daughter and grandchildren in Paris.”

Bradford Brown lives comfortably with his wife, Mable, in Johnston, RI. Asked what brings him the most satisfaction, Bradford says, “Our family, including my children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. I’ve been writing memoirs on topics like anti-racism.”

Meantime, Donald Dewey , BA ’65, is still in New Rochelle, NY, where he says he is comfortable with his wife, Sandy. “I also find satisfaction watching the Boston Celtics and not working.” Queried on whether Cornell changed the trajectory of his life, Don drolly says, “I think so; my daughter Elizabeth Dewey Efe ’98 , MBA ’06, also attended Cornell.” Send your news to ❖ Judy Bryant Wittenberg ( email Judy ) | Alumni Directory .

Read the news from your classmates here! Dorcas McDonald founded and is the executive director of the Learning for Living Institute in Boulder, CO. She appreciates Cornell for getting her started to find what she wanted to do.

Longtime tennis photographer Ed Goldman is a new member of the Eastern Tennis Hall of Fame. He has photographed the U.S. Open since 1976. Congratulations, Ed!

Stan Marks is still working and judging in Arizona. A nice Q&A article with his photo appeared in the Town of Paradise Valley Independent , describing his volunteer work for the Paradise Valley, AZ, court.

From Yonkers, NY, Marco Minasso has one grandchild at Cornell. Of his days on the Hill, he recalls, “I felt a part of a large family discovering new ideas every day.”

Mike Polansky writes, “Since retirement doesn’t really work for me, I started a new career as a reporter for a string of local newspapers, Massapequa Post and others, where I cover local board and chamber meetings with matters relating to Massapequa, NY.”

David Marks , MS ’64, is “living in the country with deer and turkeys in the backyard. A big change from Cambridge, MA, but we enjoyed both. After 43 years at MIT as a professor of civil engineering, we are taking it easy in the country. My daughter and granddaughters went to Cornell. Cornell took me as a small-town rural kid and showed me the world.”

Joel Blatt writes, “I’m still teaching European history at the Stamford campus of the University of Connecticut. I was inspired to teach history by Edward Fox and Walter LaFeber.”

I was inspired to teach history by Edward Fox and Walter LaFeber. Joel Blatt ’61

From James Belden , DVM ’64, in Florida: “After 31 years practicing equine sports medicine on the racetrack and another 28 years with sport horses, we have semi-retired to a new farm in Williston, FL. Our focus presently is special-case equine rehabilitation, and we are enjoying the peaceful lifestyle being away from mainstream competition. We continue to show reining horses but only on a regional basis. The new farm affords us more opportunity to visit the grandchildren and great-grandchildren. The tempo of life in North Florida is relaxed compared to South Florida.”

In sad news, Alan Schmitt ’s son wrote that his father died in December 2023 at age 83, and Stephen Wilson ’s son informed us of Stephen’s death and indicated that he wishes to continue carrying on his father’s Cornell support.

Before his death in March, classmate Gary Busch sent in a lengthy news form. He wrote, “I have closed our two African cargo lines and ended the charter of our planes. I have closed my shipping line and sold the last two vessels. I have sold my house in London and down-sized twice to a small apartment. I sold my house in Venice, Italy, and closed my shared apartment in Vanino, Russia. I still have my country house in Somerset. I have largely stopped traveling on a regular basis and sold my car. I continue my daily news blog and my occasional political consulting. All in all, I am leading a normal life after all these years, now surrounded by children and grandchildren. I look forward to a less exciting schedule and hope to settle into a more placid period of gradual decline.” These classmates will be missed. ❖ Susan Williams Stevens ( email Susan ) | Doug Fuss ( email Doug ) | Alumni Directory .

Cornellians is thrilled to share news from Anne Kaczmarczyk Evans , who graduated from the Nursing School in NYC in 1962. (Though the school has been closed for 45 years, Cornell formerly combined three years of education, hospital training, and hands-on experience at NewYork–Presbyterian Hospital and Weill Cornell Medicine—as the institutions are now known—on top of two years of prior academic study, granting a bachelor’s degree in nursing.)

These days, Anne spends her time dancing, sitting on the beach enjoying the sun and water, attending church services, and volunteering at the local historical office and local Medicare office. She writes, “I spent a delightful lunch in NYC with two classmates in March at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.” When asked if attending Cornell changed the trajectory of her life, Anne said, “I earned a professional degree, which lead to a lifetime of work.”

Thanks for writing, Anne! Cornellians is always happy to receive news from Nursing school alumni and celebrate their distinct Big Red experience. They’re welcome to fill out an online news form or write directly to Alexandra Bond ( email Alex ).

Here’s the news that’s come over the transom since our last column. If you’ve missed this one, you can atone by sending news for the next one.

From Ewing, NJ, Patricia Carlin White , MEd ’63, writes that now that she has retired from teaching high school home economics (“culinary arts”), she is keeping busy as a textile artist making handwoven clothing and with traveling—most recently to Japan and to Lisbon a few times a year to visit her son and his family.

After 30 years working with Penn State student counselors, Betty Lefkowitz Moore is enjoying retirement by being with friends, volunteering at the library, providing medical assistance for those without funding, serving as director of the Jewish Community Center, and being a great-grandmom.

Linda Zucchelli Martinelli of Rexford, NY, proudly reports that her two grandsons at Cornell are both on the Dean’s List!

Beverley Mochel Wilson lives in Lawrence, KS, where she volunteers four days a week recording and live broadcasting for sight-impaired individuals. “We are the second largest service in the country with 250 volunteers and 1,000 listeners!”

Author Jack Foley lives in Oakland, CA, where he is a prolific writer, poet, and critic. Since 1988, he has presented poetry on the Berkeley, CA, radio station KPFA. In 2021, Academica Press published The Light of Evening: A Brief Life of Jack Foley , and the companion volume, A Backward Glance O’er Travel’d Roads . Last year’s output included Creative Death (Igneus Press), Bridget (Stoneybrook Editions), and, coming up, Ekphrazz (Igneus Press) and Collisions (Academica Press).

Bob Simpson , a retired automotive engineer for the Chrysler Corporation now living in Fenton, MI, keeps himself busy completing projects and/or repairing or fixing things. David Harrald writes that he is enjoying retirement in Sun Lakes, AZ.

From Veneta, OR, John Abele sends word that these days, in addition to enjoying the company of his family, he gets the most satisfaction from watching Fox programs and “supporting the Conservatives.” Liz Belsky Stiel writes that she and husband Lester ’60 are settled in La Jolla, CA, where they “plan to continue to age in place.”

From La Conversion, Switzerland, Jacqueline Browne Bugnion ’62 writes that in retirement she has been financing an agricultural school.

Originally from St. Paul, MN, Jean Kitts Cadwallader serves on several boards in Homer, NY, where she set up home after graduation with her late husband, William , DVM ’62 , a Cornell veterinarian, and raised her family, which now includes 10 grandchildren, three great-grandchildren, and two more “in the oven.”

From La Conversion, Switzerland, where she has lived for almost six decades, Jacqueline Browne Bugnion writes that in retirement she has been financing an agricultural school that is linked to the “Great Green Wall,” a major reforestation project in Burkina Faso whose purpose is to promote peace, restore 100 million hectares of land, sequester 250 million tons of carbon, and create 10 million jobs. The project is providing food and water security, habitats for wild plants and animals, and a reason for residents to stay in a region beset by drought and poverty.

After 30 years of part-time teaching as an anatomy and physiology instructor at Frederick Community College, Betty Kopsco Bennett , now retired in Middletown, MD, keeps busy with family, church, and volunteer work.

In retirement, Ray Hutch , a Penfield, NY, resident, serves on several boards including the YMCA, Rochester Area Community Foundation, Lollypop Farm (Humane Society), United Way, and Synergy IT Solutions, the company he founded.

Abbie Jobe ’26 , a CALS agricultural engineering major, is the Class of 1962 Rhodes Tradition Fellow (2022–24). Abbie reports that, thanks to this award, she was able to take advantage of some great experiences this past school year. She was selected to join the SMART (Student Multidisciplinary Applied Research Teams) Program on the E&E Green Farms at Cornell with which she was able to travel to Rwanda in January to help a female seed processor and distributor build a website from HTML. This past summer she traveled to the Kingdom of Eswatini (formerly known as Swaziland), where she spent five weeks as a project manager for Cornell Engineers in Action, helping her team of six engineers build a water distribution system for the Matutini primary school.

Want to know what’s happening at Cornell every day? Read the Cornell Daily Sun online via this link . You can also sign up on the site for a free daily newsletter.

Check out our class website for timelier information. Please send along news and updates (photos, too, which we can display on our class website) about what’s happening with you and your family. Send your entries to: ❖ Judy Prenske Rich ( email Judy ) | Alumni Directory .

The exciting news from the Class of 1963 is that our president, Paula Trested Laholt , was honored with the William “Bill” Vanneman ’31 Outstanding Class Leader Award. From the announcement: “This prestigious award is given to class officers who have provided long-term exemplary service to their class, in honor of Bill’s 75 years of superlative service. Paula has been indispensable to her Class of 1963 for decades, first volunteering for her 25th Reunion. She is the current class president and a member of the class council. Paula was recognized during Reunion on Saturday, June 8, as part of Cornelliana Night in Bailey Hall.” Lauren Coffey, director of Class Programs wrote: “Having worked closely with Paula, I can say that she is so deserving of this award and embodies the spirit of Bill Vanneman ’31 . I’m so thrilled for Paula, as I’m sure you will all be as well!” Our class is very proud of Paula and grateful to her for always saying yes and jumping in to help out when necessary through the years. Congratulations, Paula!

A fun story in Cornellians in June was about physical education memories, and a comment from classmate Nancy Cooke McAfee was highlighted: “I almost didn’t graduate because I could not pass golf. I was inept—the teacher finally said, ‘OK, I will pass you, but please, don’t ever come back!’ P.S.: I never picked up another golf club!” Check out the story and add your own memories to the comment section!

Whin , ME ’68, and Joan Melville still live in Pittsford, NY. Whin writes: “I am busy volunteering for my fraternity and church and traveling. We have 11 grandkids from the ages of 23 months to 21 years. Cornell gave me good analytical skills and good background from Milton Konvitz , PhD ’33 . He taught development of American ideals, good economics, and business law—all so valuable in my career.”

David and Trisha Sheaff are enjoying family, traveling, and volunteering when they can. They are enjoying life in Harpswell, ME. When asked if Cornell changed the trajectory of his life, David said: “Absolutely! My years at Cornell opened many doors and friendships.”

Judy Branton Wilkins writes from Penn Valley, CA, “My husband, Paul, passed away in June 2022. My son Brian got married for the first time at 48 to Kristina (from Lithuania), who had two boys, and they now have a daughter. I keep busy with book clubs, genealogy, and mahjongg.” Did attending Cornell change the trajectory of her life? “Yes. I entered as a music major and left with a double major in music and economics. I thought I would forever be a piano teacher, but I was an economist with HUD and a production coordinator of housing. Then, with the birth of our first child, I became a piano teacher including advanced pupils. I feel in both areas I have made a contribution. More importantly, Cornell gave me an inquisitive mind and a lifelong love of learning.”

Our president, Paula Trested Laholt ’63 , was honored with the William ‘Bill’ Vanneman ’31 Outstanding Class Leader Award.

John Herslow writes that he and his wife, Janis, are “enjoying family and owning new property in Springtown, PA. Gardening and taking winter cruises keeps us busy.” He admits that Cornell taught him to learn to compete.

Sandra Hackman Barkan is “busy with her children and two grandsons, travel, grassroots political activity, and reading. My husband, Joel Barkan , passed away in 2014. I met him the first week of freshman year; we got married just before the beginning of our senior year. He was supported by faculty to become an Africanist (he was a political scientist). I graduated with a degree in French and ended up an Africanist with a PhD in comparative literature. That and African literature were key to my research and teaching.”

Bob and Shoshana Agnew are living in Palm Coast, FL. “I retired last year after a business analytics career, continuing applied math research. Family, including a new granddaughter, brings us satisfaction as does exercise, reading, and Internet communication. We are concerned about events in the Middle East. Shoshana’s whole family lives in Israel. Although mechanical engineering was fairly dull (and lengthy at five years), Cornell launched me into Air Force ROTC, grad school, and a satisfying career.”

Bob Ulrich enjoys seeing his twin grandchildren, Tyler Sprague ’27 and Lili Sprague ’27 , who both finished their freshman year at Cornell—Tyler in engineering and Lili in Human Ecology. Their parents, Mark and Corey Ulrich Sprague , are Class of ’93 .

Marion Travalini Rodd is in Ventura, CA. “I am enjoying children, family, and friends and my grandnephew and great-grandnephew. I am working hard to stay healthy and playing flute in the Ventura County Concert Band. I have three grandchildren in or entering college: Cameron, University of Michigan ’25; Camille, Haverford College ’27; and Ethan, Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, ’28. Cornell opened up a whole world of friendships and opportunities for me.”

Mark and Carolyn Press Landis ’65 welcomed their first great-grandchild in 2023. Taylor Landis-Miller ’14 and Brad Wagner ’14 are the parents, and they live in Berkeley, CA. That’s all for now. Please send news! ❖ Nancy Bierds Icke ( email Nancy ) | 12350 E. Roger Rd., Tucson, AZ 85749 | Alumni Directory .

I’ve a different approach to this month’s column: instead of classmates’ recollections, I’m passing along Susan Mair Holden ’s detailed account of our 60th Reunion, beginning with the very next paragraph.

This note is for all whom we missed at Reunion. We understand that a 60th in Ithaca is not easy for most of us; the phrase “Well, I’m here” was heard several times in answer to “How are you doing?”

The phrase “A grand time was had by all” is an appropriate description of our delightful four days and three nights on the Hill, June 6–9. Our Reunion was beautifully planned and executed by Carolyn Stewart Whitman . There were enough class activities for us to enjoy being together, and just enough free time to take advantage of the lectures, open houses, and experiences that Cornell planned for anyone who cared to attend.

Thursday afternoon was registration and check-in at one of Cornell’s new dorms: Barbara McClintock Hall, located east of Balch and Clara Dickson. McClintock is adjacent to the North Campus Appel Commons, where our Thursday evening cold buffet dinner was held. Following dinner, there was an ice cream social back at headquarters, where a selection of Cornell Dairy’s famous ice creams were enjoyed by all.

The continental breakfasts on Friday and Saturday and the brunch on Sunday that preceded our class meeting engendered many compliments for Cornell catering. They served a lovely dinner at Duffield Hall on Friday evening, which was our first sit-down dinner with nearly all our 118 attendees. Many of us attended the traditional Chorus and Glee Club concert that night in Bailey Hall.

This year, we reached the magic Reunion plateau for us to have our banquet in the Statler Hotel Ballroom on Saturday night. Again, it was a terrific meal with great spirit and nostalgia as the Sherwoods sang, joked, and serenaded Cynthia Wolloch , the outgoing chairman of our JFK Memorial Award.

Cindy organized a very special event for our class: the JFK Award Forum, which many university administrators and deans attended to congratulate and hear from this year’s award winner, Sarah McMorrow ’24 . They also got to learn more about the work done by our officers to ensure the award continues in perpetuity.

It was a passing of the mantle for Katie Dealy ’00 , our JFK Award winner in 2000. As she accepted the first chairmanship of the newly organized JFK alumni board, she said that the award “changed my life.” She explained movingly that the award allowed her to accept and live on a public policy salary, which directly led to her career in public service.

Ken Kupchak ’64 , JD ’71, gave many class officers beautifully carved cheese boards handmade from a koaia tree that had to be removed from their yard.

Two of our classmates who have been application readers for years, Judie Pink Gorra and Stan Morgenstein , will also sit on this board. Cindy and Ken Kupchak , JD ’71, worked tirelessly with the University to ensure our award is legally protected and will continue to be funded and awarded each year.

The JFK Forum featured four conversations, each between one classmate and one award-winning alum. Eileen Corwin Mason , Mike Smith , PhD ’73, Bill Lacy , and Stan Morgenstein, all of whom have pursued careers in public service, spoke with four of our award-winning alumni.

An event just for our class, planned by Carolyn, was a movie, exhibit, and guided tour of Cornell’s collection of Blaschka Invertebrate Models, which are gorgeous crystal works of art that are such accurate models of invertebrates, they are used for research.

Notable events the University hosted were the yearly Olin Lecture, especially enjoyed by CNBC viewers, with Andrew Ross Sorkin ’99 ; and Cornelliana Night on Saturday, which was a wonderfully spirited evening—but this year especially for ’64s. Ours was the only class recognized for our class project and gift to the University! There was a beautiful collage of photos from the day’s JFK Forum, highlighted on the jumbotron by the University, while the Alumni Affairs speaker/cheerleader shared the story of our award with the assembled classes. Such pride we felt, and gratitude to Cindy and Ken!

Back at class headquarters on Sunday morning, for brunch and our class meeting, we were able to check on the progress of the huge jigsaw puzzle that Bob , PhD ’69, and Alice Dannett Friedenson , MA ’71, created for our Reunion. Over the years, Bob has taken countless photos of our Reunions; Alice was able to assemble them into a wonderful collage from which she produced a huge puzzle. Thank you to both of them.

Our class meeting included our election of officers. Congratulations to Elliot Gordon , our new class president! Having worked closely with him for four years, I heartily approve his election. There is no more patient, talented, and pleasant man on Earth.

We’re delighted that Carolyn and her 60th Reunion committee member, Linda Cohen Meltzer , will be our 65th Reunion co-chairs. This will be the third Reunion that each of them will have chaired … so far! They work seamlessly together, as this Reunion surely showed. Ken announced that the other officers will remain the same, including our outstanding Cornell Fund representatives, Phyllis Rivkin Goldman , MS ’67, and Michael Troner , who did a stellar job garnering Tower Club members for our class.

Ken said farewell as our president, giving many of his key officers beautifully carved cheese boards handmade from a koaia tree that had to be removed from their yard; he carried these boards all the way from Hawaii. And we also had a representative from the other non-contiguous state, Alaska: Mike “Tree” Smith with his wife, Linda (Dryer) , MPS ’04 . Also from afar: Rodrigo Ong , MS ’64 , came from the Philippines with his grandson. It truly was a memorable event. Do try to make our 65th!

That’s all for Reunion news. As for your news, just please keep it coming! Update me by email, regular mail, our class website , or our class Facebook page . ❖ Bev Johns Lamont ( email Bev ) | 720 Chestnut St., Deerfield, IL 60015 | Alumni Directory .

There is one more year until our wonderful 60th Reunion happens, June 5–8, 2025, in Ithaca. It promises to be a terrific event! Our classmates Myron Jacobson , Liz Gordon , Bill Vanneman , and Chuck Andola shadowed the Class of ’64 Reunion to see what works and doesn’t work for our own Reunion. Myron states they found a new dinner venue, and the University now offers guided bus tours throughout the weekend. Good news!

Liz commented, “Chuck and I spent some time meeting with Skorton Center director Julie Edwards, who is spearheading the extremely effective resilience coaching for students, which is the basis for our 60th Reunion gift to the University.”

Jeff Kass , our gift committee chairman, further describes the gift: “Our Class of 1965 Student Well-Being Fund Legacy Gift supports the work of the Skorton Center, which is the University’s health center. Our Legacy Gift has helped finance a two-semester pilot program to provide coaching from specially trained Cornell staff that provides emotional well-being support for students facing stress. The pilot has yielded significant outcomes for participants and garnered positive feedback. Cornell is adding more coaches in anticipation of increased demand for the fall 2024 semester. Jamil Sopher , ME ’66, our class president, will soon share further information on progress and plans for the Legacy Gift and Student Well-Being coaching program.”

Loren Meyer Stephens writes that her latest novel, All Sorrows Can Be Borne , is the story of Noriko Ito, a Japanese woman faced with unimaginable circumstances, and is set in Hiroshima, Osaka, and the Badlands of eastern Montana. The story spans the start of WWII to 1982.

The Cornell Club of Boston sponsored an enjoyable June walk through the Mount Auburn Cemetery and lecture by Christopher Dunn, director of Cornell’s Botanic Gardens. Mount Auburn is the first garden cemetery in the U.S. and is notable for the many prominent Bostonians who are buried there. It is a joy to walk peacefully throughout paths of the extraordinary landscape featuring ponds and sculptural elements.

Put the dates of June 5–8, 2025, on your calendar! See you there! Please send your news to: ❖ Joan Hens Johnson ( email Joan ) | Stephen Appell ( email Stephen ) | Alumni Directory .

Hope your summer went well! Ralph Schwartz writes from St. Paul, MN, that he taught chemistry for 38 years and retired 16 years ago. He now enjoys fly fishing, bird watching, and travel. He became a cross-country skier and raced in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Italy. Training was a year-round event. He admits he was a total couch potato at Cornell! Ralph and his wife enjoy river cruising and have several more trips scheduled. Their children and grandchildren live in the Twin Cities area.

Jeff Collins continues to enjoy retirement as well as life in the Forest at Duke, a continuing care retirement community. He is heavily involved in social justice areas, particularly voting rights and reproductive rights. Retirement has allowed Jeff and wife Rose Mills to enjoy their love of travel. In 2023 they went to the Crested Butte, CO, Wildflower Festival, and visited friends in Santa Barbara, CA. Then they went to the U.K. Channel Islands (Jersey and Guernsey), the Isles of Scilly, and South West England (Cornwall, Devon, Dorset). The 2024–25 trips planned are to Morocco, to Italy, and a cruise on the Magdalena River in Colombia. They continue to enjoy the many cultural activities offered in the Research Triangle area of North Carolina, including theater, music, film, and fine dining.

Marcia Tondel Davis has lived in England for over 50 years. She currently lives in Brill, Buckinghamshire, a village with many opportunities for music, art, sport, volunteering, and walks in the countryside with her dog. She has taken courses at Oxford, including philosophy and art. She enjoys visiting the southwest coast of England and has traveled to Seville, Iceland, Ibiza (where one daughter and two grandchildren live), and Lake Garda, Italy. Her other daughter, son-in-law, and one grandchild live near her in Brill.

Barbara Ann Lawrence recently moved to a new senior retirement complex in Fort Lauderdale, FL, having sold her townhome located next to the largest park in Broward County. She has attended a Finger Lakes wine-tasting event and went to a polo event in Wellington, FL. In 1993, Barbara went to New Zealand for a month with a friend from there. This gave the trip an interesting perspective. She never thought in ’66 that she would learn to paint or draw, make sculpture, or do strength training. Barbara would like to meet Cornellians from the mid-’60s classes who live in Southeast Florida.

Marcia Tondel Davis ’66 lives in Brill, Buckinghamshire, a village with many opportunities for music, art, sport, volunteering, and walks in the countryside with her dog.

Kathleen Earle Fox writes from Tenants Harbor, ME, that she is currently working as an artist in watercolors. In July she had a show at the Granite Gallery in Tenants Harbor. She also sings in a Congregational Church choir. A few years ago, she learned to play the fiddle and now plays regularly. She never imagined in ’66 that she would be combining her art with artificial intelligence to produce exciting new art! Her husband, Stan, and their children Seann Colgan ’91 , Thomas Fabisiak ’03 , and Susie Fox and their partners attended a Formula One race in Montreal this past June.

Jeff Konvitz writes from Beverly Hills, CA, that he keeps busy in several ways. He is practicing entertainment finance and trial law, producing motion pictures, and writing. His new historical novel, The Circus of Satan , will be out this fall. Writing best-selling novels is something he never imagined in ’66. Among his favorite travels were his 25th wedding anniversary in Palm Beach, FL, and a World Series of Poker tournament in Las Vegas. Jeff’s youngest daughter graduated from Arts and Sciences magna cum laude in economics this past May.

Ronni Barrett Lacroute continues to live in McMinnville, OR, where she is involved in full-time philanthropy. Her activities include educational programs and nonprofits, supporting programs and operations. She participates in strategic planning and programming. Her Cornell programs include the Johnson Museum, the Lab of Ornithology, Cornell Wind Symphony tours, and the College of Arts and Sciences. Ronnie enjoys gardening, bird watching, and poetry reading. In ’66 she never imagined living in Oregon. She has not traveled since the beginning of the pandemic, which resulted in health issues for her and her daughter. She does visit her daughter and grandson weekly, as they live nearby.

Bonnie Lazarus Wallace was an elementary school teacher for 44 years; 30 of them teaching fourth grade and 14 as a substitute teacher. She now interviews students from her hometown of Cheshire, CT, who have applied to Cornell. Bonnie goes to the gym every morning and takes walks when the weather is nice. Her husband travels the world teaching dentists to do implants. Her daughter lives on Martha’s Vineyard, MA, and her son in Santa Barbara, CA. Bonnie and her husband travel to see family, including six grandchildren.

Now, a fall 2024 note from Mary Jansen Everett and Alice Katz Berglas : “A new Cornell year is in full swing, and freshmen are figuring it out. Dorms, quads, Collegetown, downtown Ithaca. Where to eat, where to study, where to party, when to sleep. Life on the Hill moves quickly, changes constantly (like the weather). Constant is the learning: stumbles and successes, friendships made, knowledge gained (all sorts), finding a way to make Cornell one’s own. And collecting the memories that stick. It is a new Cornell Class of 1966 year, too. All sorts of new possibilities for Cornellians of every age and stage. Stay connected with us! We will do the same along this 2024–25 year and on. Our best to each/all. For your calendar: Cornell 60th Reunion! June 4–7, 2026 (more memories that will stick!).” ❖ Susan Rockford Bittker ( email Susan ) | Pete Salinger , MBA ’68 ( email Pete ) | Alumni Directory .

How did Cornell change the trajectory of your life? This was a question on this year’s news form; we’re starting each classmate’s report with their answer.

“My tenure as sorority treasurer and house president gave me the leadership opportunities that led to my owning my own business,” writes Pauline “Polly” Watkins Runkle (Ft. Lauderdale, FL). Now, she enjoys “art class and painting, living on the ocean, travel, summers in Stonington, ME, church friendships, community, walking in our state parks, watching for birds, and the love of friends and family.” She adds that she’s active in the art community in South Florida and Cape Ann, MA, and loves going to concerts.

“Attending made my life wider, better, fuller. Thank you, Cornell! And both our kids went to Cornell, too,” observes Joanne Edelson Honigman (Brooklyn, NY). Joanne likes “making art, helping my husband with his institute, and being with my five grandchildren.”

“Cornell gave me confidence in my developing career, friends and contacts, and the opportunity to work on a NASA grant to design an unmanned Lunar Roving Vehicle,” observes Robert Pitkin , ME ’68 (Buda, TX). He’s now retired and spends time with “Kingdom Racing, church service, and a men’s group.” He enjoys “friends, golf, retirement, and sharing life with my wife of 54 years.”

Cliff Straehley , located in Fair Oaks, a suburb of Sacramento, CA, says Cornell changed his life trajectory “very much. Found lifelong friends. Continued my love of wrestling. I’ve never forgotten ‘freedom with responsibility.’ Furthered my path to my MD and my career.”

“At Cornell, I learned the importance of study, of balancing study and play, of diversity and difference, and of standing on my own feet. Cornell engendered a love of learning that I continue to enjoy,” answers Judith Edelstein Kelman (New York, NY). “Sixteen years ago, I founded Visible Ink, a writing program at Memorial Sloan Kettering that offers interested patients the opportunity to write on any topic in any form with the individual support of a volunteer writing mentor,” Judith writes. “Over 3,000 participants have joined. The program is free of charge to patients, supported by grants and donations. I feel privileged to be part of an extraordinary community. We have three grandkids on the cusp of high school graduation and two entering their senior year of college (one at Cornell),” she adds. “We’ve taken each of the nine grandkids on a special trip. Since we live in NYC, we get to host many of them and their friends in our home.”

Cornell gave me the opportunity to work on a NASA grant to design an unmanned Lunar Roving Vehicle. Robert Pitkin ’67, ME ’68

“Cornell opened my mind to new ideas and ways of looking at various issues (political, social, environmental, economic); I try to see all sides of an issue, even when it’s hard to do,” responds Ted Feldmeier , BS ’71 (Eliot, ME). “I’m just working at staying healthy, as I have been doing for a long time, enjoying nature, going dancing and partying with friends on Saturday night, giving and helping select charitable causes, and my wonderful wife, Joan. Life is good!” He adds that he’s “been participating in local Democratic politics involving the upcoming November ’24 presidential election.”

John Alden (East Providence, RI) is treasurer of his homeowners association and has “several consulting gigs for private secondary schools on finance and administration.”

Tom Moore , ME ’68 (Gig Harbor, WA, and Portland, OR) writes: “After 20 years in our retirement home we built on the coast of Maine, we have relocated to the Pacific Northwest. Our new second home is in Gig Harbor, WA, with water access and views that are just as great as in Maine. We still split our time between here and Portland, OR. Our two oldest grandkids (grade 11) are looking at colleges. I took them both back to Ithaca last summer for a good Cornell immersion experience. Will see if it takes. Both of my own kids turned down their Cornell acceptances for other colleges.”

William Wohlsen (Philadelphia, PA) says that “foreign language study—German, French, Dutch—and bicycle riding” bring him the most satisfaction these days.

This was not a ’67 Reunion year, but at least six of us returned to Cornell this June. I was there with my wife, Eileen Barkas Hoffman ’69 , at her class’s 55th. As is typical of our experience attending her Reunions, it only rained twice and we were inside both times.

Although we received a number of news forms recently, please do write to let the class know what you’re doing and your thoughts about your time at Cornell. ❖ Richard Hoffman ( email Richard ) | 2925 28th St. NW, Washington, DC 20008 | Alumni Directory .

More news to share with our classmates, as the summer starts to come to an end! We need more news and updates from you, so please let us know where you are and what you are doing—or share your reflections on your years at Cornell with our classmates!

Steven Steinhardt reports that he lives in Albany, NY, and when in Florida this past winter he visited with his AEP fraternity brother Art Bernstein . He is of counsel to the Albany law firm Nolan Heller Kauffman LLP, where he has practiced primarily in the field of healthcare regulation. Earlier in his career he was an attorney with the New York State Department of Health and served as associate general counsel.

David Weisbrod and his wife, Margaret Simon ’66 , an architect and artist, continue to live in Greenwich, CT, where David, after a career at JP Morgan Chase and then as the CEO of a financial derivatives clearinghouse, is an elected member of the town’s Board of Estimate and Taxation. He is currently serving his fourth consecutive term. My wife, Sharon Lawner Weinberg , PhD ’71, and I, along with Cheryl Katz Kaufmann and her husband, Nick ’67 , recently had dinner with David and Margaret. David credits Cornell with broadening his outlook on life and expanding his horizons.

Mary Hartman Schmidt and her husband, William, continue to live in Massachusetts and enjoy spending time with their family, including their five grandchildren, all of whom live in Massachusetts. Summers include family time at their vacation home on Martha’s Vineyard. Mary continues to practice trusts and estates and matrimonial law in Boston. Mary writes that her years at Cornell opened possibilities for her for friendships and her legal career.

Ithaca remains on our radar, now that our oldest granddaughter rows for Ithaca College. Candi Dabi Vene ’68 & Bruce O’Pray ’68

Candi Dabi Vene and her husband, Bruce O’Pray , continue to live in Park Ridge, NJ, and write that their grandkids bring them the most satisfaction these days, followed by community involvement and, for Candi, cooking! “Our blended family of four adult children have blessed us with 10 grandchildren who range in age from 19 to 5-year-old twin boys. Bruce continues to work full time consulting with small businesses. He finds it very satisfying to watch them prosper under his tutelage. Candi handles a small amount of real estate, is active in community affairs, and enjoys spending as much time as possible with nearby grandchildren.”

Candi and Bruce add, “Our connections to Cornell have stayed very much alive. One son graduated from Cornell in 1997. We have remained close friends with Candi’s Pi Phi sister, Tove Helland Hammer ’69 , and her husband, Dave , PhD ’69 . Tove recently retired from teaching in the ILR School after a wonderful 40-year career, while Dave continues to do research and teach in the College of Engineering. Ithaca remains on our radar, now that our oldest granddaughter rows for Ithaca College. Our ‘Ithaca Connection’ is filled with special memories spanning decades! We have attended a few northern New Jersey alumni events, which were fun. We’re still hoping to meet some classmates we know at these events!” They write that Cornell enriched both of their lives and was a big factor in forming their identities. “It encouraged independence and our ability to problem solve and to be curious and always interested in learning.”

I look forward to receiving more news and updates from all of you! Please email me about you and your family with news you want to share with our classmates. ❖ Steve Weinberg, MBA ’70, JD ’71 ( email Steve ) | Alumni Directory .

Greetings, Class of ’69! This column was written in June by guest columnist Alan Cody .

121 classmates attended our 55th Reunion, and Robert Tallo , one of our class co-presidents during the past five years, writes: “The Class of ’69 was treated to Ithaca weather at our Reunion, June 6–9. Cloudy, then rain, then sunshine, then windy, etc. A reminder of our days on the Hill! Fortunately, the weather cooperated with regard to events, with minimal inconveniences and a great finale Saturday evening on the terrace of Martha Van.

“After a great five years of Greg Baum ’s leadership during ‘interesting’ times, Cindy Nixon DuBose and Sally Knowlton put together a fantastic program of events. We enjoyed an impressive presentation on ‘Cornell, the First American University’ by Corey Earle ’07 , Friday night entertainment by class musicians, tasty food at the HQ and Morrison Dining Hall (quite a step up from the Barf Bar), numerous campus-wide events, the Sherwoods, delicious meals, and plenty of ice cream and great conversations with old and new friends.

“A shout-out also goes to the student clerks, Omani, Emma, John, Dennis, and Yuri! From walking out in the pouring rain to place directional signs to HQ to managing to connect the big-screen TV in the multipurpose room for the first game of the NBA finals, they were fantastic from start to finish.

“It’s going to be hard, but I fully expect that Sally and Cindy will top this year’s performance at our 60th in 2029. Make sure to put it on your calendar to experience a great weekend and reunite with the Class of ’69. Go Big Red!”

Greg Baum, one of our class co-presidents during the past five years writes: “Serving the past five years as co-president was personally very rewarding. It offered me an opportunity to get to know a large number of classmates that I would not have otherwise encountered. Arranging for the periodic leadership group Zoom calls was sometimes challenging, but the speakers taught us so much about a variety of topics. We learned about the University’s legal department, its libraries, the vastness of its facilities, and the new Brooks School of Public Policy. Classmates shared their career expertise on COVID and other infectious diseases, vaccine development and implementation, ornithology, battery technology, the world’s energy supply, mystery writing, a female franchising pioneer, opera lighting, and U.S. foreign policy challenges with China and Russia. The Class of 1969 includes so many truly remarkable individuals, and I am very grateful to have been able to be a part of showcasing them.”

Sally Knowlton writes, “The Heights (our Reunion caterer) was secured last fall and finalized in January. Shadowing the Class of 1968 certainly helped put us in a position to secure the best food purveyors. By being involved and attending Reunion, Cindy and I feel grateful to have met so many interesting and great people we never knew before!”

Jon Kaplan , MD ’74, class affinity group networking coordinator, writes that he had a great time recruiting and communicating with affinity group leaders (representing Greek organizations, sports teams, residence units, etc.) in preparation for Reunion. “These ‘AGLs’ (30 of them) volunteered to reach out to classmates in their affinity groups to encourage them to come to Reunion. Based on word-of-mouth and the turnout at Reunion, the effort was a success!”

Special thanks to our Reunion campaign chair, Lee Pillsbury . Under his leadership, our class raised $24,852,986 (a class best!) from 532 donors on our honor roll, including 32 Tower Club members and 82 Cornell Giving partners. Lee writes to all who contributed, “Thank you for all that you do. I am so proud to be a part of the great Class of 1969.”

And none of this would have been possible without our dedicated Reunion registration chairs, Larry and Nancy Jenkins Krablin , who write: “Krablins have played cooperative and interacting roles. When Nancy chaired our 20th in 1989 (the rugby shirts with the origin of the intertwined 6/9 class logo created by Ken Lin ’70 , a colleague of Larry’s at Burroughs), all registrations were on paper, Larry created a primitive electronic form to collate data, and payment was by paper check to Cornell Class of 1969, for which he opened a unique bank account. For the seven Reunions that followed, the process has evolved with technology! The highlight of the month of June (and the several weeks before) was our 55th Reunion. As Reunion co-registrars, we get to interact with everyone who comes, and with many who are thinking about it but ultimately can’t travel to Ithaca. Reunion itself was a lot of fun and very well planned by our outstanding Reunion chairs Cindy Nixon DuBose and Sally Knowlton. As always, we came away with new friends and a heightened appreciation of what Cornell is and does.”

Walking through my old dorms and classrooms [during Reunion weekend] kindled poignant memories. Phyllis Levine Evan ’69

Thanks also to Kate Freyer, our class engagement officer who always guides us to a great Reunion.

At our class meeting on Saturday night during Reunion weekend, we elected new class officers for the next five years. Congratulations to the new officers, with thanks for their enthusiasm in stepping up to lead our class. The new officer slate is: co-presidents Adam Sieminski , MPA ’71, Bill Bruno , ME ’71, and Steve LaRocca ; secretary and treasurer Stephen and Ingrid Dieterle Tyler ; membership chair Robert Tallo; Reunion co-chairs Cindy DuBose and Sally Knowlton; registration chairs, Nancy and Larry Krablin; affinity group chair Jon Kaplan; VP communications and webmaster John Wilkens , ME ’71.

Phyllis Levine Evan writes, “I wasn’t sure about coming to Reunion; I wasn’t sure I would know anybody. I am so glad I did! There were so many fun and interesting activities, it was hard to choose. I was always busy. People were friendly and inclusive. I made new friends and reconnected with old.

“Walking through my old dorms and classrooms kindled poignant memories. Happy times as well as things I wish I had done differently—if only I had the wisdom then that I have now. The Chimes, the bridge over the gorge, Beebe Lake, the Arts Quad … all the good old stuff. New dorms (so many), incredible additions to Goldwin Smith and the architecture building—an excellent job of maintaining classic old buildings while adding new airy spaces. Thank you to our Reunion organizers for doing a great job. If in doubt, come!”

Congratulations to our classmate Doug Antczak , who is retiring as the Dorothy Havemeyer McConville Professor of Equine Medicine. We wish Doug and Wendy well in retirement with thanks for all your contributions to the Cornell College of Veterinary Medicine.

Gary Shaye reports that he continues his long career with Save the Children as associate vice president, trustee relations. His time in the Peace Corps inspired him to join Save the Children and their work to provide support for children in countries throughout the world including the U.S. It was a pleasure talking with Gary about his work for this wonderful organization during Reunion.

Chris Degnen recounted for several of us, at Friday Reunion dinner, his walk and bike trip along the Camino de Santiago, a nearly 500-mile walk on a legendary pilgrimage route through the Galicia region of northwestern Spain rich in medieval culture.

Tom Allen reports that he and his wife, Gayle, are happily retired in the San Diego area. Tom has been volunteering with the San Diego Police Department and enjoys coming to the aid of citizens with health crises, stranded vehicles, and more.

I wish I had the space to share all the wonderful conversations I had during Reunion. Please share yours by emailing your thoughts about Reunion and other news to Cornellians associate editor Alexandra Bond ’12 ( email Alex ) or by submitting an online news form .

There will be even more interesting experiences to share at our next Reunion, so mark your calendars for our 60th, June 7–10, 2029, and be there! Best regards: ❖ Alan Cody ( email Alan ) | Class website | Alumni Directory .

I’m writing this the second week of July, in the spare bedroom of a dear friend who is putting me up (or putting up with me), while my kitchen is demolished and rebuilt as the final piece in a home refurbishing. Amazing how one cannot really exist without a kitchen!

I was recently in Ithaca for what proved to be a rainy Reunion. After returning home, I thought I might not have enough responses from classmates for this Class of 1970 column. How wrong I was!

First, a bit about Reunion. This year was the 45th Reunion of my Johnson School MBA program. Being retired, and not being a practicing corporado anymore, very few of the Johnson activities were of much interest. In fact, prior to arriving in Ithaca, I had planned only to be at the class picture-taking session for individual Johnson classes. In addition, only three individual classmates, including me, attended! One of the others was an old acquaintance, and an undergrad from another university, and had little knowledge of the breadth of activities a Cornell Reunion offers. So we joined forces, and off we went.

One very interesting advantage was the fact that Larry ’69 and Nancy Jenkins Krablin ’69 were the registrars for their class Reunion. Larry was a roommate of mine many years ago and gave me some leeway to attend some of their events and experience their headquarters in very new facilities on North Campus. Others from our class were there as the official “shadows” in preparation for our own 55th Reunion next year, so they will have a full plate of activities for us!

Be aware that our class Reunion is now less than a year away. If you have any thoughts or ideas, and wish to be involved or to volunteer, contact Sally Anne Levine , JD ’73, our class president. Find her contacts (and others’) through the Alumni Directory . Hope to see many of you in 2025!

Fred Piscop ’70 is a renowned crossword puzzle creator and the inheritor of the legacy of Split Decision Puzzles.

Fred Piscop (Bellmore, NY), renowned crossword puzzle creator and the inheritor of the legacy of Split Decision Puzzles from his schoolteacher George Bredehorn, was recently a guest on an Australian podcast, Wide Open Air Exchange . Fred noted that he never knew anyone down there had heard of him!

Howard Rosenof (Newton, MA) is another engineer responding to my continuing question about classmates staying in engineering. The following is an outline of his varied experiences. “I’ve enjoyed forays into management, teaching, marketing, and consulting, but never strayed too far or too long from hands-on engineering. After Cornell I got an MSEE from Northeastern and I went to work designing electrical control systems for nuclear power plants. Pressures from environmental groups and cheap oil led me to conclude that I didn’t have much of a future in nuclear, so I moved on to design controls for chemical plants. (Some environmentalists have since acknowledged that nuclear power can help mitigate climate change, and interest in the field seems to be increasing.)

“I developed a particular interest in one type of chemical plant that had a reputation for being difficult to control, leading to numerous articles and speaking engagements, teaching opportunities in the U.S. and Europe, co-authorship of the first published book on the subject, and an international award. After that, about halfway through my career, I switched to artificial intelligence and its applications to process control, working for two companies prominent in the field, and again traveling a lot. In retirement, I wrote my second book, Engineering, Your Career , published in 2022. It combines insights I gathered over more than 40 years, with extensive research. There’s only one review on Amazon, but I’ve gotten a great deal of positive feedback privately.”

And lastly, I need to mention yet again one of our most amazing classmates (and yet another engineer), Robert Langer (Newton, MA). He was recently awarded the Kavli Prize in Nanoscience given by the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters. His award was for improving drug delivery through nanoparticles, which translated into applications that developed mRNA vaccines for COVID-19. Read his entire story here .

As always, you may contact me directly (see below) or you may use the University’s standard online news form . ❖ John Cecilia, MBA ’79 ( email John ) | Alumni Directory .

Nina Gordon Schwartz was delighted to have a painting in the June Art League Landscape Exhibit , a juried exhibition at the Torpedo Factory Art Center in Alexandria, VA’s Old Town. Professionally, Nina owns Impulse Graphics, where she’s a graphic designer and art director. Her work has been in advertising, book design, and direct mail design—including corporate branding and collateral materials that express each company’s mission and philosophy.

We are grateful for Marcia Wities Orange ’s Reunion report. She loves the Continuous Reunion Club (CRC) and encourages others to join. For her, this year’s highlight was seeing the New York Times ’ Andrew Ross Sorkin ’99 and to discover him to be a fellow communication arts major. She adds that it was fun to catch up with classmates Dot Preisner Valachovic , Holly Person Flynn , Arthur Mintz , and John Henrehan , BS ’76.

In April, Marcia enjoyed Cornell’s Adult University’s theater weekend in Manhattan, along with Elisabeth Kaplan Boas and Art Spitzer . Marcia will return to CAU in Ithaca in July for a weeklong CAU class that Elisabeth will also attend.

The online news form has been useful to a growing number of us. Do consider using it for your own news, please.

Mike Kubin and his wife, Nancy Chemtob, continue to live in Manhattan. There, a bunch of friends met in his apartment when Cliff Essman visited from Baltimore. Cliff’s wife, Sue, was at the party, too, as were Jerry and Aimee Goldstein Ostrov ’72 , Ted , JD ’74, and Michelle Grossman , Stu and Hilary Oran , and Danny Bernstein ’70 . Amazingly, this group of friends met on the Hill some 56 years ago. These days, Mike enjoys traveling, writing, playing bass guitar, and hanging out with his grandkids. He’s still working at Invidi, the world’s leading provider of addressable television technology. They sold it to AT&T in 2018 and are looking to buy it back.

Howard Jacobson and Jona live in Rochester and enjoy traveling when he isn’t working. He works part time advising entrepreneurs as well as startup and early-stage businesses. He believes his undergraduate opportunities to explore are, in part, what allowed his curiosity to expand—and thus his entrepreneurial spirit to grow.

Thomas Nally remains among the ranks of those who plan never to retire. He continues to serve as senior advisor for A Better City, going into the office five days a week. He and wife Susan Brownlee make Brookline, MA, home, where he’s president of his neighborhood association and active in other civic roles. Reflecting on how Cornell affected his life trajectory, he adds that Cornell reinforced and supported its shape from before—and ever since—undergraduate days.

Nina Gordon Schwartz ’71 was delighted to have a painting in the June Art League Landscape Exhibit.

Also a consultant active in his field, Alan Miller writes from Rockville, MD, where he lives with his wife, Sue O’Hara ’72 , BA ’71. Al consults for the International Finance Corp. and is founder of a new venture fund. Both aim to promote sustainable cooling solutions. His book manuscript, based on his career in climate change and ozone depletion, is currently out for review by the University of Virginia Press.

After a successful career mostly in management consulting (including Deloitte, KPMG, EDS, and SAS), Gary Cokins is partly retired, he writes from Cary, NC. He gives training webinar courses mostly to accountants. He and his wife, Patricia Monseaux Tower ’67 , have two grandsons, 20 and 22. He asks, how cool is it that the 22-year-old just started with Boeing in Houston with the International Space Station on preventive maintenance? Taking stock, he believes his operations research and industrial engineering bachelor’s taught him how to think systematically. He’s written 10 books; you can learn more at his website .

Still another classmate who is not retired: Jeff Punim works three days a week from Long Beach, CA, where he and Donna make their home. He has time for golf, tennis, cycling, and travel to Southeast Asia and France.

Margaret “Molly” Mead is on the faculty at Amherst College. She and her wife, Carole Bull, have been married more than 20 years and enjoy taking long walks (which they call forest bathing). How has attending Cornell changed her life course? Molly shares that after the student takeover of Willard Straight Hall, when she joined others to surround the building, she went the next year (her junior year) to a small town in Pennsylvania to talk about the Vietnam War.

Jim Newman , MD ’75, lives in Wynnewood, PA. His enjoyment derives from three disparate things: writing, ice hockey, and his four grandchildren. He loved his first and second careers. Then, retired, divorced, and with grandchildren on the way, he was hit hard by the pandemic’s isolation and illness. He gave his soul over to writing and loves it. He’s written an unpublished medical satire and a self-published memoir. After that, even more: a genre-bending fiction trilogy is soon to have a fourth in the series. All are identifiable by the protagonist, Gabriel. In retirement, he adds, he is working on writing—and the wash, dishes, grocery shopping, filling out questionnaires, and answering wrong numbers. He says he would never have been as intuitive, empathetic, funny, engaged in the world, and fascinated by everything had he not gone to Cornell.

Dianne Holmes , MS ’74 (Vancouver, WA) retired last September. She enjoys gardening, travel, and hanging out with her friends. Credentials from an Ivy League school, including the scientific master’s, opened many doors for her.

Regarding your 75th birthday: Most of us will have seen this milestone—or will soon see it—and the class is having a virtual get-together and toast Saturday, September 21. Remember, there will be swag for ’71-ers who register in time . After registering, you will receive a confirmation email including login details for our Zoom celebration. Questions? Please email: 1971AtCornell@gmail.com . ❖ Elisabeth Kaplan Boas ( email Elisabeth ) | Cara Nash Iason ( email Cara ) | Alumni Directory .

Fellow classmates, this is Wes Schulz , ME ’73, one of three class correspondents who produce this column. We appreciate your input. Our senior class correspondent, Alex Barna , is stepping down from his scribe position—taking a “permanent sabbatical,” he says. Alex has faithfully served the Class of 1972 for many, many years. We appreciate his efforts and offer him a deeply felt thank you.

From Trumbull, CT, Richard Girouard reports that after 52 years, he is still doing (and still thoroughly enjoying) his restaurant consulting projects. However, the COVID years were tough. He started serving on the Trumbull Inland Wetlands & Watercourses Commission in 2000 and has been its chairman for the last 20 years. He also is a justice of the peace. Attending Cornell changed his life’s trajectory from the original plan to be a cinematographer. His girlfriend’s father (who graduated from Cornell under Dean Robert Beck ’42 , PhD ’54) thought the restaurant business would be a better profession, since Richard had grown up in it. “My girlfriend’s father gave me good advice.”

Clifford Hendry reports from Pittsburgh, PA, that he and wife Jean have three children and nine grandchildren who all live nearby and are doing well. He keeps busy with daily exercise classes and attending the various sports activities of the grandchildren. Cliff’s other activities include tutoring first graders to improve their reading skills. He also has a fun job delivering flowers for a friend’s business—and business is booming these days.

Reflecting on his time on the Hill, Cliff wrote, “I had an incredible Cornell experience. I played quarterback on the 1971 Ivy championship team. I was second string, but our awesome first-string quarterback, Mark Allen ’74 , got hurt early in the game against Penn at Franklin Field in Philadelphia. It was our last game. We had to win to get our first Ivy championship. I came off the bench and had the best game of my career. We won 41-13. I was presented with the game ball afterwards in the locker room. The lesson is: don’t quit because you are not playing. Have perseverance. Ed Marinaro broke the NCAA rushing record and was my good friend and still is today.”

Jim Vaughn and wife Julie are in Hilton Head Island, SC. He is a third-generation Cornellian. What brings him the most satisfaction these days? “Being able to embrace life on my terms and in my time with family and friends.” He is monitoring the Cornell Free Speech Alliance and says he agrees with their efforts. Jim serves on a public service board that is a leader in reclaimed water and sound water practice.

From their longtime home in Walpole, MA, Charley Rayner , ME ’73, and wife Cindy are enjoying the retirement life. He was a season ticket holder for hockey as a student and still keeps up with the Cornell hockey news. Charley retired in 2011 partly because he got tired of all the business travel during his civil engineering career. His three children are all married with houses and kids. Erik works in wealth management and lives close by in Needham, MA, with wife Bridget and sons Henry and Will. Brett and wife Claire and their kids Nevin and Willa are in Washington, DC. Lindsay and husband Tom live in the same Walpole neighborhood as Charley. Their daughter Charlotte is the youngest grandchild and is called Charli. I am guessing that she might be getting some extra attention from her grandfather.

Irwin Rosenfeld writes that he is still active in theater. He has performed in 20 plays or musicals since 2019. He has also been singing in a choir since he retired in 2016. He enjoys spending time with his six grandchildren who live near Seattle and Nashville. He related that attending Cornell converted him from being a math major to going pre-med, which eventually led to a successful career in psychiatry.

I played quarterback on the 1971 Ivy championship team. I was second string—I came off the bench and had the best game of my career. We won 41-13. Clifford Hendry ’72

Here is a request from two of our classmates. Charles Tetrault and Jerry Schulz started a project of trying to remember everyone on their freshman floor, including their room numbers and hometowns. While they have made significant progress, if you lived in U-Hall 4, second floor, in 1968–69, please drop them a note ( email Charles and Jerry ).

When they sent this request to me, I wrote back with the following: “I have a memory from my Cornell engineering days of taking ‘Mechanical Drawing.’ I sat at a drafting table next to someone else named ‘Schulz.’ This person would complete the drawing assignment effortlessly in 35 minutes. I would spend two hours scribbling and erasing furiously. I am sure this other person got an A grade, whereas I just barely passed. Skip forward a few years to when I was working for an engineering firm in Boston. The draftsmen were on strike. Management had some of the younger engineers go work on the drawing boards to keep production going. I did not want to do this, so I kept my transcript handy. It showed a grade of D+ for me in ‘Mechanical Drawing.’ Fortunately for all concerned, I was not called upon to work on the drafting table.”

Jerry replied to complete the story: “Yes, I was the one who was in the class with you. I had not thought of this class in decades. I remember that I was pretty good at the class, which was back in the era of T-squares and triangles. Except I had an unfair advantage, which is that at the urging of my grandfather I had taken a mechanical drawing class in high school, so I had a big head start. I did get an A, which was one of only two in four years of college.

“My only other A was in ‘Computers and Programming,’ which is a bit freaky—I never realized this until now. I switched from engineering to Arts and Sciences as a government major. Upon graduation, I forgot about engineering and computers and went to work for six years as an elementary school teacher. But then I made a career change and went into computer work in government and nonprofits, which I did for the rest of my career. And this has occasionally involved some graphics work which I continue to enjoy. (Thanks, Grandpa!) So, as they say, no experience or learning is irrelevant.”

Thank you to all who have written in. Keep the news coming! As always, you may contact one of us directly, or use the University’s online news form . ❖ Wes Schulz , ME ’73 ( email Wes ) | Frank Dawson ( email Frank ) | Susan Farber Straus ( email Susan ) | Alumni Directory .

So many retirement stories—I’m feeling left out. Michael Ciaraldi lives in Shrewsbury, MA, and is five years into retirement, pursuing his avocation as author and playwright. (You can find his plays on this site , which requires a membership.) He and wife Angelina spend time with family and, of course, their chihuahua. Medical issues forced him to skip the 50th Reunion, but on his Share Your News form he wrote that his time at Cornell “affects every aspect of my life,” so he intends to make it to the 55th in 2028. As do we all!

George Mitchell II lives in North Rose, NY, working as a part-time farmer, coaching track, and spending time with kids, grandkids, and his dad, now 97, a graduate of the Cornell Class of ’50!

Terry Richmond lives in a cottage in Ottawa with husband Doug and family, part of a gang of close friends who go for long walks in the countryside. They welcomed a group of Syrian refugees to Ottawa last May. One of her sons is curator of the Canadian Canoe Museum in Peterborough, ON, which stewards the world’s largest collection of paddled watercraft—and we’re all invited to visit! Terry reports spending a “frightening amount of time” reading the news and fretting over it. I feel the same way—the news from Cornell and other campuses over the past few months brought flashbacks of freshman year—but it sounds like she’s also helping where she can. She credits Cornell with widening her world to include different cultures and causes.

Nancy Dworkin Miller is now retired and lives in Jersey City with husband Jerry. She finally has time for visits with her family, which now includes seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Between visits there’s time for reading, jazz concerts, festivals, acoustic guitar lessons, and even a little paid consulting. Did attending Cornell change her life’s trajectory? “Absolutely,” she says, “by emphasizing critical thinking and communication skills.”

Charles Camisa continues to practice dermatology part time in Naples, FL; between patients he spends time reading, writing, taking CAU courses, and traveling. His youngest daughter, Kristen, was married last April. As for Cornell’s influence on his life, it was where he realized that his dream of being a vet was not to be—upon entering the barn and finding he was allergic to the animals. But like any good Cornellian, he adapted and switched to pre-med. I had a similar epiphany, discovering after my first few stair-climbs as a chimesmaster that I was more suited to the Glee Club.

Cornell was where dermatologist Charles Camisa ’73 realized that his dream of being a vet was not to be—upon entering the barn and finding he was allergic to the animals.

Donald Partridge lives with his wife, Pat, in Batavia, NY, raising and exhibiting their famous Brown Swiss cows with help from their six grandkids. He also makes hay, sells sweet corn at their roadside stand, and has traveled to every state in the lower 48, adding Alaska in June.

Here in Seattle, Bill McAleer , MBA ’75, is still a partner with Voyager Capital. Voyager incubates the tech companies that have turned this city from a hub for lumber and airplanes into the digital cerebellum of the American economy. He has a knack for helping entrepreneurs through their ups and downs, and fortunately the ups have outnumbered the downs. He reports that the companies they’ve backed over the past 25 years are now worth about $10 billion. He and Colleen (McGinn) ’74 have three grandkids who I’m guessing will learn that when Grandpa talks, they would do well to listen.

Louis “Dusty” Profumo , MBA ’74, lives in Atlanta with wife Anita. He retired last year at age 71 after 25+ years in the restaurant business, and joined the board of American Franchise Capital, which operates 89 Taco Bell and 45 Applebee’s franchises. I’m guessing his five grandkids always have a place to meet Grandpa for lunch! He also has a 19-year-old son at Georgia Tech looking to be a “helluva engineer.” Dusty credits Cornell for changing the direction of his life and providing lifelong friends.

I plan to retire from radio at the end of the year. That would mark 55 years since my first paid job at WVIP (RIP) in Mount Kisco, NY. To prepare myself, I’ve moved to a four-day week, which leaves more time to fix things at our beach house and to practice my book-reading skills. Unlike my fellow English majors, I was never good at long-form reading—in the early ’70s you could often find me hopelessly asleep in the Uris stacks, but I’m getting better at it and can proudly report that I’ve hacked and slashed through 473 pages of the complete works of Charles Dickens on my Kindle. I should finish around the time our light-rail system is completed. ❖ Dave Ross ( email Dave ) | Phyllis Haight Grummon ( email Phyllis ) | Pam Meyers ( email Pam ) | Alumni Directory .

This edition is being written in the aftermath of our 50th Reunion, which was another record-breaker for our Notable Class. Since then, you’ve undoubtably read the follow-up emails detailing all that transpired. My personal highlight (prior to the Saturday night dinner—see below) was the mini-reunion of some of my WVBR colleagues from our class, reliving our DJ days when we went back on the air live on WVBR 93.5 FM (and streamed worldwide on wvbr.com ) from our class headquarters at Ruth Bader Ginsburg Hall Friday night, playing the favorite songs that you sent in. It was great to again hear Angel Harper (Sounds of Blackness), Larry Kleinman (weekday mornings), Dan Boyle , MRP ’77 (overnights), and Zack Mosner (Salt Creek), along with me (Saturday mornings). (You may have seen my recap post on our class Facebook page or the “DJ Telescoped” audio recording .) So I asked them to tell us what they have been doing since 1974 and received the following:

Angel Harper, a former elementary school teacher and standup comic with a brown belt in karate, is a vested member of SAG-AFTRA and has been very busy in the Los Angeles area as an actress, voice-over talent, and studio teacher on many productions. For example, she has worked with Brat Studios, American Experience’s “Fly With Me,” AFI’s “Hole in the Wall” and “Echoes of Greatness,” among others.

Larry Kleinman replied that he did “eight more years of radio, including six as the morning man at WLIR-FM on Long Island, and stints at WIOQ in Philadelphia and WNEW-FM in New York and 30+ years owning (and eventually selling) a small software development/IT consulting firm. Along with my wife of 42 years, Sally, we raised two wonderful daughters, one of whom gave us our first grandchild in 2023. For the past seven years, I’ve been a docent at the USS Intrepid , still floating in NY harbor (the ship, not me). For the past 11 years I’ve been an EMT crew chief, where I spend a lot of time on an ambulance taking people older than me to the hospital, and occasionally actually saving someone’s life.”

Dan Boyle offered this summary: “1976: skipped the last semester of grad school (City Planning in Sibley Hall) for a fellowship with the NYS Assembly; talked my way into weekend work at WQBK-FM. 1977: just about ran out of money when a full-time position opened; did overnights for a year (the best!); moved to late night and eventually to midday. 1980: couldn’t see myself taking requests for ‘Free Bird’ when I was 30, so got a real job using my degree at NYS Department of Transportation; my mom was happy! 1987: moved to the NYC area to work at the city’s transit authority in operations planning. 2000: after various twists and turns in Tampa and San Diego, I started my own transit consulting firm. Cornell taught me how to think, but WVBR taught me how to talk, and that was the most useful skill in my career.”

Cornell taught me how to think, but WVBR taught me how to talk. Dan Boyle ’74, MRP ’77

Zack Mosner said, “I gave up on big city living after about 45 years in the Seattle area and moved to beautiful Anacortes, in the San Juan Islands in Washington State. Retired in 2017 after almost 25 years with the Washington State Attorney General, having created a Bankruptcy and Collections Unit. A highlight? Winning a test case at the U.S. Supreme Court. With wife Patty for over 19 years, we have six kids between us and seven grandkids—so far!”

Speaking of Reunion stories, my fellow correspondent, Molly Miller Ettenger , reports, “ Walter Grote was an alternate on the U.S. Olympic wrestling team in ’76, then won the U.S. National Freestyle Championship in ’78. His daughter Skylar Grote was at the U.S. Olympic trials for wrestling while we were at Reunion! Walter and Skylar are the only father and daughter to have both won the U.S. National Freestyle Championships!” Congratulations to both!

Perry Jacobs sent in three Reunion-related links for your consideration: A Cornell (thank) U podcast episode with Peter Kaplan ; a Cornell video recording titled “Walter LaFeber: A Half-Century of Friends, Foreign Policy, and Great Losers (2006)”, where he talks about how he ended up at Cornell and other personal matters prior to the lecture; and an Ithaca Voice article titled “Gallery: See what’s under construction near Cornell this spring.”

Finally, this will be my last Class Notes column. Back when Dale Lazar , JD ’77, became class president 10 years ago, Jack Jay Wind and Elizabeth “Betsy” Moore were stepping down as class correspondents. So I was recruited, on behalf of our class, by Steve Piekarec , who, along with Dale, were past presidents of the Cornell Club of Washington, of which I have been a longtime member. Also recruited was Lucy Babcox Morris , and we joined Helen Bendix , BA ’73, who was continuing as a correspondent. We three worked together until Helen retired in early 2018, at which time Lucy and I split the assignment. When Shelley Cosgrove DeFord became class president five years ago, she asked us if we could recommend someone for the third slot, and Lucy suggested Molly Ettenger, who accepted. We three then worked together until Lucy stepped down at the end of 2022. Since then, Molly and I have been splitting these columns. However, at our class dinner Saturday night at Reunion, I was honored to be introduced as our new class president. So, going forward, I will be communicating with you from that position. Stay tuned for Molly’s next column with further details about our new class correspondents.

We thank all for their contributions and invite you to continue to send in your news. ❖ Jim Schoonmaker ( email Jim ) | Molly Miller Ettenger ( email Molly ) | Alumni Directory .

Another cool summer’s day in Orlando as I write this. At least inside it is! Here is the news. Elizabeth Grover is still enjoying (and excelling at) tennis—and looking forward to #50 next year. (Can anyone reading this believe it?) She was one of nine Pi Phi’s—along with Nancy Hargrove Meislahn , Gwenn Tannenbaum Canfield , Ann Goodrich Edgerton , Ellen Roche , Joanne Meder , Leslie Hudson , Elaine Johnson Ayres , and Ann Van Valkenburg Hammer —who got together in Savannah (“a bit steamy”).

Rodney Brooks has published The Rise and Fall of the Freedman’s Savings Bank : And Its Lasting Socio-Economic Impact On Black America (Spiramus Press, March 12, 2024). The book tells the story of the bank created just after the end of the Civil War to provide an opportunity for formerly enslaved and Black war veterans to save and gain financial knowledge. Sometimes known as the nation’s first “Black bank,” the bank was created by the U.S. Congress with little oversight and controlled by a board composed of 50 white men. The bank failed just nine years later, done in by incompetence, corruption, and a worldwide depression. With that failure came the loss of the savings of its most vulnerable customers—the newly freed slaves who had trusted the Freedman’s Bank with their life savings. It was crippling; it left 61,144 depositors with losses of nearly $3 million (more than $80 million today). Rodney is retired deputy managing editor, money, at USA Today .

Celebrating 70th birthdays: Kim Solworth Merlino and her husband celebrated her 70th by traveling from their home in New Jersey to San Francisco, where one of their sons lives with his family. Their other son and his wife also flew across the country to meet them for a long weekend. “We had a lovely birthday meal at a restaurant my husband and I had taken them to when our boys were seven and 10 years old.”

Ruth Zafren Ruskin threw herself a 70th birthday party/celebration of “beating cancer a third time”—a wine, cheese, and dessert party, which about 100 family members, friends, and colleagues attended. “We had Ruth-themed Broadway entertainment by daughter Diana’s musical theater group, Shenandoah Cabaret, and I was awarded the ‘Granny’ Lifetime Achievement Award in Living! My award looked a lot like a bobble-head figure of Hillary Clinton remade to look like me.” The party was a fundraiser for JSSA, a nonprofit health and welfare organization that serves the greater Washington, DC, area, of which Ruth is president of the board.

Geoffrey Gyrisco reports, “For my 70th birthday, in below-freezing early-January Wisconsin, I celebrated by bringing big fresh-baked muffins and chocolate cookies to my favorite outdoor airsoft field, for whoever showed up that day. My shots, hitting a far more skilled player, were the final shots of the day.”

Ruth Zafren Ruskin ’75 threw herself a celebration of ‘beating cancer a third time’—which about 100 family members, friends, and colleagues attended.

David Fischell , PhD ’80, describes himself as “an inventor and an engineer at heart.” This is undoubtedly an understatement. He has started 14 medical technology startups, where he served 25 years as CEO, with 15 of his medical products receiving FDA approvals, and he led a 1986 Bell Labs Intrapreneurship Venture creating the forerunner to GoTo Meeting and Zoom. He also holds 198 U.S. patents as of late 2023 and was instrumental in supporting the creation of the Department of Biomedical Engineering at Cornell, now the Meinig School of Biomedical Engineering (BME).

In another understatement, David reports, “I get bored, so I need to have projects that keep me engaged in creating new technologies, especially when they involve learning.” He created the technology and design of what became the world’s first drug-eluting stent (for Johnson & Johnson); the responsive neurostimulator (RNS) system, which is implanted cranially to identify and treat epileptic seizures; and the Guardian, an implantable cardiac monitor that can warn high-risk heart attack survivors about future heart attacks. All are FDA-approved. David, thank you. You have saved a lot of lives.

And I do want to quote David here on what I think is excellent advice for current students: “Pick something you like and follow it until something better comes up. Once you are at your first job, begin by knocking it out of the park to establish your reputation. As you continue, learn as much as you can about what is going on in your organization, and when you find a problem that is important and interests you, ask your boss if you can take it on. Once this happens, you will rarely ever be given work, and instead, you will lead the direction of your future. Always be looking for something important where you can make a difference.”

On a personal note, I am thrilled (and so moved) to report that my daughter Briana and her boyfriend, Evan, were accepted by the Johnson School at Cornell and will be pursuing their MBAs starting this August. And my younger daughter, Arielle, just finished her second year at University of Miami Law School. She is showing serious skills both in pre-trial litigation and on her feet in mock trials. ❖ Mitch Frank ( email Mitch ) | Joan Pease ( email Joan ) | Deb Gellman , MBA ’82 ( email Deb ) | Karen DeMarco Boroff ( email Karen ) | Alumni Directory .

It was great to hear from Lynda Gavigan Halttunen in Carlsbad, CA. She writes, “This year I have re-connected with Steven Leigh ’73 , BS ’75. He lives in Florida, and I live in California. After nearly 50 years we still have so much to be thankful for. There IS life after 70 and grand adventures in this new chapter. I’m happy, healthy, and grateful.” She adds that she has been “traveling from California to Florida, New York, Ireland, and Iceland (so far this year).”

Bill Hanavan and I have also had an exciting year so far. In March, we took a Road Scholar trip to the Grand Canyon so that Bill could see it for the first time. Here in Cleveland, we were in the path of totality for the solar eclipse and, within a month, also had a rare and fabulous view of the Northern Lights. Both were firsts for me, and they were stunning! Bill spent the spring planting trees with his gang at Heights Tree People (now a proper nonprofit), and we went up to Nova Scotia to see spring choir and drama performances by our 10-year-old granddaughter, Hilda. We’re planning an all-family get-together in Michigan in August to celebrate this year when Bill and I turn a combined 140.

How are you celebrating your landmark birthday? We’d love to hear all your news that’s fit to print! ❖ Pat Relf Hanavan ( email Pat ) | Lisa Diamant ( email Lisa ) | Alumni Directory .

I hope everyone enjoyed the summer. We’ve received little news from all of you in recent months, so no doubt life is keeping everyone busy. As a result, this column will be brief—but I hope you’ll soon be writing to share what, and how, you’ve been doing.

I spent May traveling with friends in Europe, visiting some new destinations as well as old favorites in Austria, Germany, Hungary, and Poland. The trip was centered around cities filled with history, amazing architecture, great restaurants, and lots of classical music. And we did see plenty of beautiful scenery along the way. I’m happy to say that I finally made it to Prague, which has long been on my bucket list, and was not disappointed. Next up is a trip to Peru in October with Cornell Alumni Travel. This will be my second trip with the Alumni Travel group. My first experience was a safari trip to South Africa in 2017, which was outstanding. Traveling with fellow alums of all ages and backgrounds added a special connection to the adventure and created lifetime memories. I’m hoping the Peru experience will be as wonderful.

Sheryl Checkman is keeping busy in New York City. She writes that she is semi-retired but still takes on the occasional design project and sells her photography online . In addition, Sheryl has been doing background acting for the last six years and joined SAG in 2021. Since the pandemic, Sheryl has become a bird photographer. She notes, “We call ourselves ‘pandemic birders.’” Photography and nature have brought her much satisfaction and joy.

We enjoy hearing from you and having the opportunity to share your stories with our fellow classmates. Please keep all of your news and views coming in via the online news form . ❖ Mary Flynn ( email Mary ) | Howie Eisen ( email Howie ) | Alumni Directory .

Greetings, classmates! Some ’78ers had so much fun at last year’s Reunion that they attended this year’s as well. Pat Reilly , Angela DeSilva , Mary Bowler , Melinda Dower , and Debbie Downes , MD ’82, attended through the Continuous Reunion Club (CRC). Cynthia Kubas accompanied Paul Varga ’79 to his 45th Reunion. In all, 20 classmates were in attendance, either through CRC, other classes, or affinity groups.

Beth Cooper Kubinec and husband John , JD ’73 , attended the Chesterton House NYC Conference at Cornell Tech the weekend after Reunion. Their youngest son, Jack ’23 , lived there for three years. For those who are not familiar with this residence, Chesterton House is a center for Christian studies at Cornell. The men live in the former Delta Phi Epsilon house on the Knoll and the women live next door in what used to be the Treman residence. (Disclosure: I was a member of D Phi E and lived in the house for two years.) Beth writes, “We have noticed that just when your kids get old enough to be civilized and actually interesting to be around, they move away and someone else gets to enjoy the results of all your hard work.” Steve Kesselman , JD ’81, attended a moving ceremony in Ithaca in April, where Zeta Beta Tau—the fraternity he shared with his late son, Samuel ’23 , BS ’22—dedicated its Chapter Room in memory of Sam, its former president, who passed away a year earlier as a result of vehicular homicide.

More travel of the non-Cornell variety: Gary Holcomb and wife Julie took a week-long vacation to Northern California. “We spent the first half of the trip in San Francisco, seeing the Japanese Tea Garden, Coit Tower, museums, Fisherman’s Wharf, and Giants and A’s baseball games, plus the Oakland Zoo and obligatory cable car rides. We went to Napa Valley for the balance of the trip, complete with wine tastings and great food.”

I saw the official last concert of David Bromberg, whose fantastic blues I first heard in Ithaca. Stephanie Mitchell ’78, JD ’80

Stephanie Mitchell , JD ’80, writes from the Orkney Islands, “I’ve now been living in Orkney for six months, sneaking up on but never quite reaching retirement. I am heading the international trade policy team for the chief veterinary officer in the Scottish Government, which means trying to make the new post-E.U. exit borders work in the interests of Scotland’s agrifood sector. It’s my third civil service after U.S. and E.U. and I’m thoroughly enjoying being grumpy in the service of Scotland. In 2023 I was fortunate to be able to visit the U.S. just long enough to catch up in person with Annie Wong ’77 and the family of Paul Rohrlich , two of my closest friends from the Hill. I also saw the official last concert of David Bromberg, whose fantastic blues I first heard in Ithaca at the summer program between my junior and senior years of high school. I’ve also been glad to hear from Cliff Cockerham and Peter Halamek ’77 , ME ’79, fellow survivors of Clara Dickson and ILC, respectively.”

Rick Schwartz writes: “After 38 years with the strategic value advisory practice at Kroll, a global financial and risk advisory firm, I transitioned to senior advisor, supporting projects of my choosing out of our Silicon Valley location. I continue to pursue my passion for triathlons (40+ races since 2008) and co-lead one of California’s largest and most active triathlon clubs. On long, hard workouts I’m reminded of how I’d push myself through late-night endurance runs on snowy paths during Cornell winters.”

David Doupe and wife Beth moved to the San Francisco Bay Area in 2020 from Los Angeles to be closer to grandchildren. “When we arrived, we had two granddaughters from our son Andrew and his wife, Julie, and just recently our son Tom ’12 and his wife, Annie, had a baby boy! So we are two very happy grandparents!” David continues: “After 46 years in commercial real estate, I am retiring this summer. Given that the majority of my career has been on the road, I’ve had to assure my bride of 44 years that I will have plenty to keep me active! Which I will, between honing my golf skills and staying engaged via a few board seats.”

That’s it for this column. Keep those updates coming! ❖ Cindy Fuller , PhD ’92 ( email Cindy ) | Ilene Shub Lefland ( email Ilene ) | Alumni Directory .

We are thrilled to feature this Reunion report, written by guest columnist and class president Mary Maxon Grainger , MPS ’87:

I’m glowing after an enjoyable 45th Reunion, and I was feeling particularly grateful for all the Class of ’79 volunteers when I agreed to write this column!

We had 200 classmates together in Ithaca and another 60 guests participating in class, college and unit, affinity group, and university activities. This is the size gathering that was anticipated for the 45th, so Reunion co-chairs Larry Stone and Cindy Green hit the mark with pricing, budgeting, venue size, souvenir ordering, etc.! (FYI it’s anticipated that we’ll double that for our 50th in June 2029.)

Larry, Cindy, and registration chair Larry Bunis are amazing volunteers who led the planning and production of this outstanding quinquennial celebration of our time as undergraduate students. Many other classmates pitched in to help decorate headquarters, greet at events, and cover other roles as needed; thanks to Marjory Appel , Jennifer Grabow Brito , Debra Doncov , Jeff Ford , Rich Friedman , Matt Frisch , Bob , MS ’80, and Stacy Buchler Holstein , Lon and Lisa Barsanti Hoyt , Sue Stein Klubock , Steve Magacs , Karen Mineo , Clarence Reed , Janet Goldin Rubin , Deb Seidman , Ginger So , and Nancy Sverdlik . Kudos go to Mike Curran and Margie Wang , who organized optional Friday midday activities, including winetasting with lunch at a local winery. Brad Grainger cheerfully assisted me, Mary Maxon Grainger, at several points during the weekend, and in advance.

’79ers were especially visible at several university events. Serving to introduce programs were Jeff Weiss at our Democratic Resilience Globally program, Scott Zelov , MBA ’81, at a College of Arts and Sciences talk, and Ginger So at the Olin Lecture in Bailey Hall and via livestream. Ambassador Dwight Bush discussed Democratic Resilience Globally with two faculty members of the Cornell Brooks School of Public Policy with support from Stephanie Jacqueney . Provost Michael Kotlikoff (who will be interim president by the time this column is published) visited our dinner on Thursday and conversed with attendees.

Our 45th Reunion class photo was taken during Friday’s reception and dinner at the Newman Arena (in Bartels Hall, where basketball and volleyball are played). Since there’s a jumbotron there, the class meeting was presented via a brief video with membership news from Margie Wang, a fundraising update from Mark Wilson , MBA ’80, nomination of the 2024–29 officers by Jeff Weiss, and recognition of the Reunion leadership and retiring class officers by me. It can be viewed here and the updated leadership is listed here . Retiring class officers and the Reunion leaders were thanked aloud and on signs on the dinner tables. (In addition to Larry, Cindy, and Larry, thanks go out to Steve Bronfenbrenner , Carol French Ducommun , MBA ’85, Danna Levy , Tom Rissman , Janet Rubin, and Cynthia Williams .) If you’re interested in getting involved with the class, please let me know!

At the Ithaca Farmers Market, Carolyn Clark ’79 regularly writes poetry for shoppers.

On Saturday evening, musical classmates performed during the “Redstock” concert, a relatively new Reunion tradition. Gary Dunn , Gregg Garfin , Casey Koulman , and Cathy “Cats” DeMarinis Mueller have been together in the band Your Mother starting in college. Lon Hoyt was the keyboardist for an outstanding jazz quintet. In Bailey Hall, Cornelliana Night featured traditional Cornell songs sung by alumni and students both on stage and seated, and Reunion successes were announced including our record-breaking donation campaign.

The Hangovers entertained us earlier at our Saturday reception. There were Hangovers alumni and Cayuga’s Waiters alumni singing at some of the university concerts and in sing-off style late Saturday in the Goldwin Smith Hall foyer. We don’t have a list of ’79ers who sang, but we know some like Mark Bauer cheered them on. We also don’t have a list of women’s crew members who rowed at the annual gathering on the Cayuga Lake inlet, but these men’s crew members were present: Jeff Bloom , MA ’92, Dave Boor , Craig Buckhout , MBA ’80, Dan “YT” Cheung , Ian Murray , Greg Strub , and William Winand . The Reunion 5K was held again on Saturday morning featuring Judy Ashby , Liz de Cognets Champagne , Dave Chisholm , Debra Duncov, Steve Kusmer , Cindy Lehrer , Gary Munk , and Henry Peck .

Wine was served at class receptions that was donated by our classmates with Finger Lakes wineries. Thanks very much to Fred Frank of Dr. Konstantin Frank and Dave Peterson of Swedish Hill.

Classmate Carolyn Clark is an Ithaca native who has returned to the community. After she signed copies of her poetry books at the Cornell Store on Saturday morning, she went to the Ithaca Farmers Market, where she regularly writes poetry for shoppers.

It’s also interesting to note where attendees traveled from. Tom Riley came the furthest from Honolulu, and Hilda Fritze-Vomvoris was second from Switzerland. Both traveled more than 4,000 miles. There were 51 from New York, 20 from New Jersey, 18 from Pennsylvania, 17 from Massachusetts, 11 each from California and Connecticut, and nine each from Florida and Maryland. In addition, two came from Canada, and there were 19 other states represented.

Our next columns will be composed by the class correspondents Larry Bunis , Linda Moses , and Cindy Ahlgren Shea . Please send them your news, including how you celebrated 45 years since graduation! ❖ Mary Maxon Grainger ( email Mary ) | Linda Moses ( email Linda ) | Cynthia Ahlgren Shea ( email Cynthia ) | Larry Bunis ( email Larry ) | Alumni Directory .

Send us some news. Anything! Our 45th Reunion is next year—let us publish some news beforehand to spark conversations. I’ve cajoled, I’ve begged, I’ve showered and changed my shirt, but nothing works. I have many memories of college days, but too many of my reminiscences involve painful recriminations and flashing blue lights, so maybe you should chime in. Sure, I could write only about myself, but nobody wants to see that.

Speaking of Reunion, you should mark your calendars and clear your schedule; it’s never too early. We are quickly approaching our Geritol and rubber pants years; our Reunion nametags will be in 300-point font and those dang kids working the front desk with their tattoos and hippity hop music will forget to brew the decaf, so gather ye rosebuds while ye may! Reunion is July 5–8, 2025.

Today’s guest columnist is Brian “Sandy” Curtis , who writes from Texas: “ Jill (Lonati) and I celebrated our 40th wedding anniversary last September. We met in seventh grade, attended Cornell together, and have lived happily ever after. In 2022, we were blessed with our first grandchild, and have another due later this year. I retired from Chevron two years ago after a wonderful time leading their environmental law group. We finished up that phase of our lives being expats in Singapore and Jakarta, and thoroughly enjoyed that part of the world. Since then, we have been enjoying some great travel experiences with family and friends. We are living in Houston, which we have called home for more than 30 years. We remain connected to Cornell, and I have recently caught up with some of my tennis teammates spread out around the U.S. Jill and I are always looking to reconnect with classmates, so please let us know if you are in the Houston area!”

Jill Lonati Curtis ’80 and I celebrated our 40th wedding anniversary last September. We met in seventh grade, attended Cornell together, and have lived happily ever after. Brian “Sandy” Curtis ’80

They met in seventh grade! They’re living happily ever after! Jeepers, people, they can’t be the only classmates with fascinating stories to share. Singapore and Jakarta! Maybe you’ve been there. Tell us about it. Tell us about the time you went to kill-a-keg at the Creeker and got lost walking home, even though it was only three blocks. Tell us about the hallucinations you had during a prelim because you stayed up three nights in a row. Heck, I can’t be the only one.

Okay, more about me. I’m Dik Saalfeld , married father of none, and I live in the stunning paradise of Vermont, where I spend my days observing critters and plants and wondering at the glory of it all. There’s a pond in the backyard and a lake across the street and the only activity our “security” cameras pick up is foxes raiding turtle nests, deer eating the daisies, bobcats chasing dinner, and the lady who delivers for Amazon. In April we had to travel almost 20 miles to a wildlife preserve to observe the eclipse within the zone of totality, and the weather was perfect—and it changed us forever.

Now it’s your turn. ❖ Dik Saalfeld ( email Dik ) | Chas Horvath, ME ’81 ( email Chas ) | David Durfee ( email David ) | Leona Barsky, MS ’81 ( email Leona ) | Alumni Directory .

Who can believe summer has passed and it is already fall? Doesn’t the time just go faster and faster? I spent the summer working, vacationing in Marblehead, MA, and getting my daughter ready and sent off to University of Florida for her freshman year! My son has transferred high schools and is attending Dreyfoos High School of the Arts for theater tech. And you? What is going on?

Emily Gross Eider tells us that, after raising their two children in Bethlehem, PA, she and her husband spent six years living near the Delaware beaches. They moved to Odenton, MD, to be closer to their daughters and grandson. Stephen Silvia grew up in Buffalo, NY, but now lives in Bethesda, MD, and teaches at American University. He told us that his freshman year he lived in U-Hall 5. While on campus he was involved with the Cornell Daily Sun and Phi Sigma Kappa. He also loved hanging out at Lynah Rink.

And on to the Big Apple, Timothy Matson , MBA ’87, is married to Deborah (Sopher) ’82 , MBA ’87. He is the chief investment officer at National Guardian Life Insurance Company. He grew up in Randolph, NY. Freshman year he lived in U-Hall 4. He was involved in Sage Chapel Choir and ZBT fraternity. We’ve come a long way!

Going south to Ocean Springs, MS, we find Richard Furr , project manager at Mississippi Power Company. He lived in Donlon Hall his freshman year and was involved with the sailing team. His areas of expertise are energy, electricity markets, renewable energy, solar, engineering, and electrical engineering. When he wasn’t in class, you could find him at the Stewart Avenue Co-op or the Nines. His favorite Big Red memories? “A 10-day hike in the Adirondacks as part of freshman orientation, a snowball fight late into the night after the first hard snow, and taking snow skiing as a PE class.”

And in the middle of the country, Alison Sherman Arkin and her husband, Mike ’80 , BS ’78, ME ’80, live in Beachwood, OH. Alison is senior vice president, leadership development at Ratliff & Taylor. She grew up in Elmira, NY, and lived in Donlon Hall her freshman year. She was involved with Human Ecology clubs.

Further west, Gary Tabor is an ecologist and wildlife veterinarian based in Bozeman, MT. He is the founder and president of the Center for Large Landscape Conservation , a support organization for large-scale conservation efforts. Gary is also chair of the IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas’ Connectivity Conservation Specialist Group, which connects 1,300 scientists across 130 countries.

Gary Tabor ’81 has worked on behalf of large landscape conservation internationally for over 40 years, on every continent without emperor penguins.

Gary has worked on behalf of large landscape conservation internationally for over 40 years, on every continent without emperor penguins. Gary’s conservation achievements include the establishment of Kibale National Park in Uganda; the establishment of the World Bank’s Mountain Gorilla Conservation Fund in Uganda; co-founding the Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative; pioneering the field of Conservation Medicine/One Health; co-founding Patagonia Company’s Freedom to Roam wildlife corridor campaign; and co-founding the Network for Landscape Conservation.

Gary is a recipient of the Australian American Fulbright Scholar award on Climate Change and the Henry Luce Scholar Award. He has academic affiliations with Cornell, the University of Wisconsin, Madison, the Salazar Center for North American Conservation at Colorado State University, and the University of Queensland, Australia. He is a member of the Conservation Committee of the National Aquarium in Baltimore. He was involved with the Cornell Outing Club while at school! It certainly helped him for where he is today!

Across the pond, we find Elise Kuebelbeck Johnson in London. Elise is an acupuncturist who grew up in Massapequa, NY. Her areas of expertise are healthcare, acupuncture, and shiatsu. When she wasn’t in class you could find her at Rulloff’s, Cabbagetown Café, and the gorges in the summer. She has enjoyed slowing down a bit with work, though she’s still practicing acupuncture and shiatsu and doing Zoom qigong teaching, which began during the pandemic. She enjoys time with her five children, who mainly live in London, and her wonderful barrister husband, Roddy.

And onto another continent, Jotaro Fujii is living in Tokyo, Japan, and is CEO of Fujii Consulting. His first year on campus he lived in Cascadilla Hall. He was involved in restaurant planning on campus. His areas of expertise are business, leadership, management consulting, and marketing. When he wasn’t in class, you could find him driving around Cayuga Lake!

Please do reach out to me and let me know how you are! I love to hear from my classmates, so drop a line. Stay healthy, enjoy life, and I hope to see you soon! ❖ Betsy Silverfine ( email Betsy ) | Alumni Directory .

Welcome to a wonderful fall season, a great time of year in Ithaca and a great time to reconnect with classmates. Hopefully, you enjoyed the summer and you had an opportunity to share some news and stories with us. We are an excellent vehicle for sharing information about you, your family, and your accomplishments. Please take advantage of this information distribution space and contact us as frequently as you can.

We received some uplifting and exciting news from one of our classmates in Virginia. Linda Harris Crovella has been busy with her legal career but also spends time with her growing family. Linda writes, “Since late September 2022, I have been an administrative law judge with the Federal Maritime Commission in Washington, DC, which I am enjoying so much that my retirement plans are on hold. One thing that may prompt me to retire is the birth of my first grandchild in February, Jackson, to my oldest son, Ben Crovella ’07 , and daughter-in-law Cassie, who live in Boston. I’ve visited several times since his birth and absolutely love snuggling with that little guy! Luckily, there are many flights between D.C. and Boston.”

In addition, Linda has been able to stay in touch with classmates. “Recently, I had lunch with my freshman-year roommate, Ingrid Hall Johnson . We try to get together every six months or so and have even traveled together to past Reunions. I also keep in touch with Ginny Pados Beutnagel , who still makes me laugh as much as she did in college!”

One of the most prolific writers in our class,  Henry Herz , reports that he has recently published his 12th picture book, titled  I Am Gravity . Henry notes the following about his latest publication: “What reaches everywhere and never tires? Pulling on feathers and galaxies alike? Holding the mighty Milky Way together? Gravity, of course! Told in lyrical, riddling, first-person narrative, gravity boasts of its essential role in life as we know it—from the pulling of the ocean’s tides to the vastness of the stars in the sky.” Best of luck, Henry, with your latest publication.

Please enjoy the fall season and keep in touch with your classmates. Stay well. ❖ Doug Skalka ( email Doug ) | Mark Fernau ( email Mark ) | Nina Kondo ( email Nina ) | Alumni Directory .

Hello, classmates! I hope we have all recovered from a HOT summer! Always looking for news from all of you. Here is what some of our classmates have been up to.

On May 12, three Cornell alums and pilots flew in the National Celebration of General Aviation D.C. Flyover—a parade of nearly 60 general aviation aircraft flying over D.C. for the first time in years. They are Eric Blinderman , Justine Harrison ’96 , and Jim Hauslein ’81 , MBA ’84, all Cornell grads and pilots. Sounds like an amazing sight, and since D.C. airspace has been restricted since 9/11, it was a unique opportunity for the pilots.

One of our class officers, Lynn Leopold , recently came back from an exciting trip to Portugal and Spain. Hiking El Camino de Santiago was a highlight.

Paul Beedle reports from Little Rock, AR, where he is celebrating his 25th year as a parish minister, currently serving at the Unitarian Universalist Church. Music is a throughline, since his early compositions were performed live at Risley Residential College, and he is still composing. In addition, he is learning the hammered dulcimer. That sounds like a great addition to our class band for next Reunion!

We heard from Tom Keegan , who is enjoying retirement in Montana, and spending his time maintaining wildlife habitats, hunting, and birding.

Marti Reisman Sheldon is enjoying friends and loved ones at home in Huntington Beach, CA, with her husband of 37 years, Mark , MS ’85 . The Engineering Co-op program at Cornell led to her successful 42-years-and-counting career with Boeing!

I, Alyssa Bickler , am still in Venice, FL, with my fiancé, Mike Consentino. We love to travel when we can get away, and we enjoy live music events and dining with friends! I recently bought into the recruiting firm where I have worked for the last 10 years and am very excited for the future here! In addition, I am still riding my Harley-Davidson Street Glide with a great group called the Diva Angels. ❖ Alyssa Bickler ( email Alyssa ) | Nancy Korn Freeman ( email Nancy ) | Jon Felice ( email Jon ) | Stewart Glickman ( email Stewart ) | Alumni Directory .

Greetings, classmates! My name is Charles “Chuck” Oppenheim . Mike Held and I are your new class correspondents. I am able to take on this responsibility—as an outlet for my enthusiasm for Cornell and staying touch with classmates—because I have shifted to working part time in my role as a lawyer advising hospitals and other healthcare providers on transactions and regulatory compliance. I live in Los Angeles with my wife, Lydia, and our two sons.

I attended our 40th Reunion and had so much fun (thanks, co-chairs Catherine “Kitty” Cantwell and Janet Insardi ) that I can hardly wait until the 45th! A few classmates and I (because we attend Reunions faithfully every five years, we call ourselves the “Reunion friends”) gathered early, organized by Kathy Witkowsky , and spent Tuesday and Wednesday nights at a rented mansion she found online, which was once home to the president of Ithaca College but is located in Collegetown.

Kathy and I were joined at the mansion by classmates and fellow “Reunion friends” Dave Momot , Karen Reynard Regenauer , Laurie Sheffield , Stuart Wamsley , and Tom Kraemer . We spent the time hiking, cooking, eating and drinking, and playing music by firelight in the back yard. Dave and Tom were on guitar and Kathy played the fiddle, while her husband, Jay (not a Cornellian, but still a great guy) also played guitar. We all moved to the dorm assigned to the Class of 1984 (Ganędagǫ: Hall), and during the Reunion Kathy led yoga one morning and Laurie led printmaking one afternoon with Diane Matyas ’83 , MFA ’89.

Once ensconced in the dorm I had a chance to catch up with numerous classmates, including Felise Milan and Sharon Camhi . Sharon is enjoying her retirement after having practiced as a pulmonologist with the V.A., while Felise stays busy as a professor of medicine, assistant dean for Learner Assessment and Clinical Competencies and director of the Ruth L. Gottesman Clinical Skills Center at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. (You may recognize the name Ruth Gottesman; she was in the news a few months ago because she donated an enormous sum to the Albert Einstein College of Medicine that will allow this medical school to forgo charging tuition from now on.)

We spent Tuesday and Wednesday [before Reunion] at a rented mansion, which was once home to the president of Ithaca College but is located in Collegetown. Charles “Chuck” Oppenheim ’84

Felise lives with her husband in Irvington, NY. Her daughter is a rabbi in Cherry Hill, NJ; one son is a computer engineer and data analyst for Hinge, making sure no one who wants a date goes without; and her younger son is a working actor, dancer, and singer based in NYC and currently performing at the Arizona Broadway Theater. She had a blast at Reunion reconnecting with old friends, and even made new friends with David Grayson and the “Reunion friends.” Felise and David closed down the tent parties, as they enjoyed craft beer, great music, and great dancing!

Naturally, I spent time catching up with many of my fraternity brothers, including Darren Miller , Larry Lazar , Matt Siegal (with wife Laura Weiner Siegal ’85 ), Steve Nachman (with wife Donna Better ’85 ), Phil George , and Tom Allon , who sold his media company, City & State, in 2021 but stayed on to lead its expansion into Pennsylvania and Florida. Tom also founded a NYC policy think tank in 2022 called the 5Boro Institute, and splits time between Brooklyn and eastern Long Island with his wife, Rebecca, four grown children, and two cats.

I also had a chance to catch up with Marcia Stairman Wagner , founder of the Wagner Law Group, a boutique law firm specializing in ERISA and other employment-related legal issues, who reports she has no plans to retire, as she’s just “hitting her stride.”

If you attended Reunion and have war stories to share—and whether or not you attended, if you have any other updates to share—please let us know! ❖ Charles Oppenheim ( email Charles ) | Michael Held ( email Michael ) | Alumni Directory .

Dave Votypka writes, “My college roommate and our buds have been celebrating our 60th birthdays—yikes! Scott Chapman and I missed Byron De La Navarre ’86 , DVM ’90’s 60th in Chi-town. Scott and I went skiing at Stowe a couple years ago and are planning another trip this winter. I’d like to hook up with fellow Cornellian Jeff Dunlap ’86 for some concerts this summer. Also, fellow Cornellian Neil Hoyt ’86 just celebrated his daughter’s wedding recently. WAK!

“What I get the most satisfaction from is family, followed by my job. Farming and owning an ag business has built many relationships over the years. I enjoy these tremendously. Besides work, I love to snow ski, golf, vacation, and ride our UTV around the farm (especially during happy hour).

“I’m slowly retiring out of full-time farming. This will be my 43rd year of farming, including college. I’m renting half of my acreage and will slowly stop growing. My son has an excellent job as an electrical engineer and will not return to the farm. We plan on running our grower business only, called Springwater Ag Products, after all the land is rented, which will give us more time with activities!

“My son Austin just got married to his lovely wife, Lindsay, last fall. I couldn’t be happier! My two grandsons, Teddy and Brooks, are a ray of sunshine in our lives. My stepdaughter is about to have our next granddaughter. Life is full of joy!”

Dave closes out his message by saying, “Making lifetime friends and memories were the best things about Cornell! Oh, and jumping off the gorge and the parties on Libe Slope!”

Most days, I know my Cornell roommates better now than I did then. Melissa Reitkopp ’85

Melissa Reitkopp shares that during COVID, her college roommates began having weekly virtual calls that have continued. “Most days, I know my Cornell roommates better now than I did then. We are having some great adventures all around the world. We called ourselves the 509ers because we lived at 509 Wyckoff Road for our last two years at Cornell. It was a huge old house on North Campus, and we had a floor with seven permanent residents and three ‘honorary’ ones.

“In March 2024, we gathered on the west side of Seneca Lake for the 35th anniversary of Lakewood Vineyards, owned by the Stamp family, including Chris ’83 and Liz Myer Stamp (four generations). Their adult children, Ben Stamp ’11 and Abby Stamp Wilkins ’13 , also work in the family business. Ben worked that evening for the event dinner, and both of them (with their families) joined us for brunch on Sunday with the latest additions (Wesley and Logan—Cornell Class of 2042?!).

“Pre-event, we visited Susan Herlands Holland , who heads Historic Ithaca and its companion store, Significant Elements, and sampled ice cream at the Cornell Dairy Store with Brian Garrett and Erin O’Connor . It is such fun to see students on campus again. We celebrated Linda Woo Kao ’s brother Henry Woo ’86 , BS ’88, and Gail Fink ’s birthdays at the neighboring Lakeside Resort and 3812 Bistro. They are two of our honorary 509ers. A divine lemon curd cheesecake from a Sally’s Baking Addiction recipe was enjoyed by all.

“The weekend was a wonderful whirlwind of events. We all had fantastic wine pairings with our dinner at Lakewood and were joined by my husband, Jeff Peters, and Susan’s husband, Ron Preville. Linda’s ‘snow leopard’ husband, David, couldn’t join us. The ‘bacon on bacon’ small plate was a huge hit, and I fell in love with Lakewood’s Dry Riesling.” ❖ Joyce Zelkowitz Cornett ( email Joyce ) | Alumni Directory .

Happy summer. As I put this column together, many in the lower 48 are experiencing extreme weather. Earlier this week our classmates in southern Florida were inundated with nearly two feet of rain, and about a third of the country will be dealing with temperatures approaching 100 ˚F for the next week. Wherever you are, we hope you are safe and comfortable. If precipitation or temperatures are keeping you indoors, it is a great time to send news updates to your Class of ’86 correspondents.

Laura Pitta Peter has relocated from California to Charlotte, NC. (Depending on where in the Golden State she previously resided, she may not be experiencing a much more temperate climate.) Laura is accustomed to change. She previously worked in industry and for the federal government. She is now in academia as the executive director, research commercialization and development, at the University of North Carolina, Charlotte.

Julie Bick Weed is still freelancing for the New York Times travel section. Her favorite topics focus on new travel technology like facial recognition or AI, so please send her any article ideas! She volunteers at Garfield High School, helping low-income students with writing projects. When she is lucky enough to catch up in person with a Cornell pal like Adrienne Silverstein Iglehart , Aruna Inalsingh , Rob Harpel , or Shera Raisen , “it feels like no time has passed, and the hysterical laughter returns!”

Julie Bick Weed ’85 is still freelancing for the New York Times travel section.

Rich Matteson and his wife, Kimberly, report that they’ve seen both of their sons obtain their college degrees and move on to independent lives and homes. As a result, Rich and Kimberly are free to enjoy their retirement, which includes visiting their sons in Florida and Nebraska. Rich is the CAAAN committee chair for North Texas and works with alumni in the vicinity to enlighten local high school applicants about Cornell. In addition, Rich volunteers with the Cornell Regional Campaign Committee to reconnect with alumni and raise annual funds. After many years of hearing about Cornell, Kimberly was shown Ithaca and the University last August. When at home, Rich is also teaching math as a substitute teacher in the middle and high schools that his sons attended. He finds the experience challenging some days but does feel as if he is making a difference where it counts for some of today’s teens. Regarding the impact that Cornell had on his life, Rich shared, “Cornell opened my eyes to the world, gave me a great education, and taught me that I could accomplish anything that I set my mind to. I am grateful and proud to be a Cornellian.”

That is all I have to share this month. But if you, like Rich, recognize how life and times at Cornell impacted your life and brought you to a life worth sharing, please take a few moments and share those thoughts with us. ❖ Toby Goldsmith ( email Toby ) | Lori Spydell Wagner ( email Lori ) | Michael Wagner ( email Michael ) | Alumni Directory .

By the time you read this, fall semester will be starting again. Hope you’ve had a chance to take some well-deserved time off and enjoy yourself. Let us know where you went, what you did, and who you did it with. In the meantime, I’ll continue to stalk classmates for news. Here’s the latest from my inbox:

My husband, Andy, and I had the great honor of attending the wedding of Bill and Carol Meyers ’s daughter, Sarah, to Justin in Greenwich, CT. Cornellians (and especially U-Hall 3 alums) in attendance were Tim Sullivan , Toni and Jody Monkovic , Shawn Fagen ’86 , Tom Tung ’86 , ME ’87, and Anne Yablonski Suissa ’88 .

Cheryl Berger Israeloff and husband Larry are expecting their first grandchild. Cheryl practices neuro visual medicine and the treatment of the visual aspects of the dizzy patient. Fun fact: I was one of Cheryl’s early test patients back when she was an optometry student! Cheryl mentioned that one Cornell event that changed the trajectory of her life was becoming friends with Janis Cohen Schlerf ’86 , who introduced her to Larry.

Brenda Wilkinson Melvin returned to campus for the Cornell Black Alumni Association’s recent Reunion, which featured panel discussions, a celebration of the life of Africana studies pioneer Professor James Turner, a Sneaker Ball, brunches, parties, winery tours, golf outings, and more. She enjoyed reconnecting with ’87 classmates Darrell Butler , Jacquelyn Browne , Allison Fennell , DVM ’91, Onjalique Clark , Marcia Bobb , and Gligor Tashkovich , MBA ’91, and she also bumped into Scott Pesner at a bus stop on her way back to North Campus! With no time for rest, the day after she returned home from Reunion she started a new job as internal communications director at AARP.

Josh Lesnick gathered with fellow Phi Psis John Webster and Michael Moore and their kids at the Saratoga Race Course to see the running of the Belmont Stakes!

With no time for rest, the day after Brenda Wilkinson Melvin ’87 returned home from Reunion she started a new job at AARP.

Anne Meinig Smalling was just named the incoming chair of the executive committee of the Cornell Board of Trustees as the search begins for a new provost, while Michael Kotlikoff was preparing to become interim president in the wake of Martha Pollack’s retirement.

Tony Spring was named the new CEO of Macy’s Inc. back in February. He’s been with Bloomingdale’s for 36 years in multiple roles, including most recently as the CEO.

Sanmoy Bose continues to enjoy retirement—lots of travel, yoga, tennis, squash, and walks with their two puppies. Sanmoy also does a little consulting with private equity companies and insurance companies as an operations, delivery, and customer subject matter expert. He retired from Duck Creek Technologies in 2022 as their chief customer and delivery officer. Previously he was a senior partner with Accenture.

Joshua Abelson , MA ’89, wrote that during the recent New York Presidential primary, he went to vote in NYC and was greeted by the site chief, Gligor Tashkovich! Gligor has been monitoring polls at elections for many years (and not just in NYC).

Speaking of Gligor—he wrote that he recently went to Athens for the 40th anniversary of the team that helped build the Western European Internet. He had a role in that project while attending Cornell. He caught up with many of the folks he worked with on the project and also had coffee with the Greek Prime Minister! He also traveled to Ravello, Italy, to celebrate his mom’s 86th birthday, followed by a trip to Porto, Portugal.

Please keep in touch and continue to share your news with us by emailing us at: ❖ Whitney Weinstein Goodman ( email Whitney ) | Liz Brown, JD ’90 ( email Liz ) | Alumni Directory .

Greetings, Class of ’88! The autumn air will soon be crisp and the leaves changing colors before our eyes. Take a moment and enjoy the fall foliage, just like we did when we were strolling around campus.

Congratulations to Robert Rosenberg , a former class president, who has been honored with the Frank H.T. Rhodes Exemplary Alumni Service Award. This award recognizes “alumni who have given extraordinary service to Cornell through long-term volunteer activities.”

Meanwhile, a group of classmates— Howard Greenstein , Linda Gadsby , Jacques Boubli , Dan Frommer , Doug Ringel , Rob Rosenberg, Laura Bloch , and Bob Attardo —attended the Cornell Alumni Leadership Conference in Baltimore, MD, earlier this year. They met up with Henry “Huck” O’Connor for dinner. Alumni volunteer leaders heard updates about how to use AI in your workplace and other current topics.

Speaking of volunteering for Cornell and other community outreach projects, I participated in the U.S. College Expo in Toronto, ON, where I answered lots of questions about campus life, University courses, SAT testing, and much more from many Canadian prospective high school students.

Alison Minton ’s pet parrot was featured on Geico’s social media (Instagram & TikTok feeds) for March Madness. Perhaps the parrot should become our newest class mascot, alongside our Cornell bear.

In other class news, Laura Bloch, our class membership chair, who resides in San Francisco, CA, was back on campus to celebrate her daughter Ella Yitzhaki ’24 ’s graduation from the College of Arts & Sciences. Ella is starting a position in health policy in Washington, DC. Her son is in his freshman year at the University of Oregon after he returned from studying abroad in London, England, during the summer. Laura is busy finishing up her second year as the president of the Cornell Northern California Alumni Association, where they put on events to connect Cornell alumni with one another.

Alison Minton ’88 ’s pet parrot was featured on Geico’s social media for March Madness.

Aileen Cleary Cohen chimes in from Palo Alto, CA, that she just retired as the vice president of clinical development at BeiGene, where she “helped bring approval of a cancer drug across five indications.” She’s happy spending time in her cabin in the Sierra Nevada while she cheers on the San Francisco Giants and the New York Knicks.

Her daughter, Emily, is starting her master’s in environment and society at Columbia University while her son, Erik, is at Seton Hall, studying media studies. Her stepdaughter, Rebecca, teaches high school in San Jose, CA. Aileen commented that she made “lifelong friends at Cornell and enjoyed her time on the Hill. Some of the best years!”

Further North, Charles Frischer lives in Seattle, WA, with his wife, Abigail, and kids. “We are enjoying watching them grow into young adults.” Charles runs an investment business, which is a daily challenge. He tries to “work as little as possible each day.” He finds it rewarding to be on the board of his kids’ private school and other corporate boards. The family recently traveled to Cambodia and Vietnam and are hoping to visit India and Laos as their next family adventure.

Karen Kao is semi-retired but still finds time to host small dinner parties and piano singalongs in her new condo in White Plains, NY. She still teaches piano and also volunteers at the local food bank, performing arts center, and arts center, where she is “an art teacher to classes of 25 wriggling elementary school children.”

News flash: This past January, Stephen Aschettino of Oyster Bay, NY, joined the financial innovation and regulation practice at global law firm Steptoe LLP as a partner. His practice focuses on fintech, payments, and digital assets commercial and regulatory matters. He lives on Long Island with his wife and three children.

That’s all for now. Please keep sending your news to me. I love hearing from our classmates, both near and far. ❖ Pamela Darer Anderson ( email Pam ) | Alumni Directory .

Cornell Reunion 2024 brought a record achievement for our class: most classmates ever attending a 35th Reunion! Our Reunion committee treated us to nostalgia like Straight Cookies, Hot Truck wares, and a cappella groups! The Hangovers welcomed us Friday evening during our happy hour. Entertainment during dinner Friday was a live big band, and we ate dinner on the North Campus residential quad. Men who sang during the ’80s and ’90s in the a cappella favorite Cayuga’s Waiters re-grouped for Reunion and brought a wonderfully rowdy serenade to dinner on Saturday night. After dinner, our classmate and musical talent extraordinaire Fil Straughan sang for us and spun tunes from our college years for dancing.

Our class headquartered at the townhouses on North Campus. Thursday we arrived to a red-and-white-festooned campus, golden hour sunshine, and a yummy “Hot Truck”-catered meal. My husband, Mike McGarry , and I sat down outside and promptly made a new friend, Laurie Bechhofer , who came in from Michigan. She knows the lovely Liese, wife of my favorite CHE professor, Dr. Urie Bronfenbrenner ’38 . Laurie also was a “townie,” as her dad was a professor here: Robert Bechhofer taught in the engineering college in Operations Research and Industrial Engineering. Laurie drives through our area of Buffalo, NY, regularly en route to visit family and we hope she stops by! Both Laurie and Mike are passionate about helping kids in public schools. I enjoyed listening to them discuss solutions for problems shared in Michigan and New York State. Both volunteer their time to that end. (I am proud to report that Mike just wrapped up nine years of caring, diligent service on our local Hamburg school board and we learned that fellow class correspondent Kris Borovicka Gerig ’s husband also serves on their local school board in Ohio. Thank you to both.

After dinner, we lingered at the tables. Deb Shames and I visited and talked of Cornell memories, our families, and their fondness for sports, especially the Boston Celtics; Deb and her son are huge fans and he was at the Celtics playoff game that night! Deb’s work and passion is for helping students from a wide variety of backgrounds make a good college fit. She has made it her business: Personal Best College Coaching. Deb pairs students with their ideal college and helps them through the application process, reducing the stress for them and their families. She also finds great joy in her volunteer efforts using those skills helping those who are the first in their family to attend college. Helping them get in is one step, but then she stays with them to help them graduate.

Lingering in headquarters, we plopped down on the sofa and made more friends. I loved meeting another lovely Laurie to whom I will now apologize for inadvertently clumsily rejecting the friend request sent to me (please would you try again?). This method now feels as unreliable for me as jotting it on a piece of paper and losing that. Clearly a me problem. On those cozy couches, we also enjoyed meeting Lauren Hoeflich , Evelyn and James Masson , ME ’90, and another classmate John, a pediatrician from Seattle. I’m embarrassed: I should have pulled out my notes app and jotted down John’s details.

Our Reunion committee treated us to nostalgia like Straight Cookies, Hot Truck wares, and a cappella groups! Lauren Kidder McGarry ’89

Rain intermittently baptized our festivities; it seemed appropriate given how often we experienced it during our time on the Hill. Have you heard the term for it? “Ithacating!” While we did enjoy some mini-monsoons, we also reveled in sunshine and warmth. Our visit to Libe Slope had sunshine and another conversation with Cornell Johnson School alumni and Reunion attendees who offered to take our photo. We were trying to re-stage a photo taken of us as newlyweds during the Dragon Day festivities of our senior year. Our volunteer photographer wanted to get it just right, and so we got to know her during the creative process. After the picture we kept chatting, such that their friends left for a museum tour and returned to us four still chatting away! We exchanged contacts with our new B-school alumni friends and hope next year to meet up for a Red Sox game.

I attended the Reunion this time using a cane again; I am hobbled by a dodgy left knee, awaiting replacement midsummer. It helped me appreciate the many accommodations made around campus for students with ambulatory issues. Elevators, smooth pathways, ramps, good lighting, and benches smartly situated made it simpler to move around and rest often. Those with happier knees enjoyed birdwatching walks at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology grounds, or cycling in the surrounding hills, or running (and perhaps walking a bit) the lush Reunion 5K through the Cornell Botanic Gardens.

Finally, the most impactful part of the Reunion for me took place during the Remembrance Service at Sage Chapel. In October 2020, Michael and I never got to attend the Texas funeral of our classmate Alisa Lynn Schmitz Evans because we were following my doctors’ counsel as I’m on two immunosuppressive therapies. Our grieving felt incomplete. Writing her name on the list drew out tears of frustration and sadness. Listening to the poems, verses, and Savage Club choral group helped us reflect and grieve. We were given and took the opportunity to speak her name, share brief words of her life, and light a candle in her remembrance. Afterwards, we and other mourners and rememberers wept to the pipe organ belting out beautifully. When you have a loss, and have need of this reflective service, please pause and go, even amid the fun of Reunion. I felt it added to the real purpose of coming back to campus for us. ❖ Lauren Kidder McGarry ( email Lauren ) | Stephanie Bloom Avidon ( email Stephanie ) | Kris Borovicka Gerig ( email Kris ) | Anne Czaplinski Treadwell ( email Anne ) | Alumni Directory .

As the fall semester gets underway, the Class of ’90 continues to work its magic on the Hill. Casey Jones returns to the campus this semester as associate head coach for the Cornell men’s hockey program. He rejoins the Big Red after 13 seasons at Clarkson, where he coached his teams there to a combined 234-185-56 record, including two trips to the NCAA tournament and five finishes in the top three of their conference. This season is the last for head coach Mike Schafer ’86 , who has announced that he’ll be retiring afterward and handing the reins of the team over to Casey. Schafer himself took over as head coach from another former Cornell hockey player, Brian McCutcheon ’71 , who had been the coach during Casey’s years as a player.

Meanwhile, the Cornell Asian Alumni Association this summer held an event at the Cornell Club in New York City celebrating leadership strategist and bestselling author Jane Hyun . Her new book, Leadership Toolkit for Asians : The Definitive Resource Guide for Breaking the Bamboo Ceiling , went on sale at the end of April and several weeks later landed on Business Insider ’s list of recommended summer reading. “Never thought my book would be considered a ‘summer beach read,’” Jane posted on Facebook, “but I just made the Wall Street top 35 recommended beach must-read list on Business Insider ! I’ll take it.”

Deborah Klein Glasser writes to us about life just north of the border, where she’s been “soaking up all the maple syrup and poutine Toronto has to offer” since 2020. As her son starts his senior year in high school, she’s been dropping “not-so-subtle hints about the wonders of Cornell.” We’ll be sure to check in with her sometime around April or May to see if her subtlety has paid off.

Deborah misses her friends and family in NYC and beyond, so she spent several months this year on a mini-reunion tour, visiting with Rob and Sue Portman Price , MRP ’91, in Nashville—be sure to read all about what he’s been up to in a recent column—as well as class correspondent Nancy Solomon Weiss in New Jersey, plus Howie ’89 and Karen Saul Miller , Vivian Althaus Harrow , and Ilissa Sternlicht ’89 in New York, and Jonah Klein in Toronto.

“Also, while at a neighborhood party, I bumped into Joe Milner ’89 , vice dean and professor at Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto.”

This season is the last for men’s hockey head coach Mike Schafer ’86 , who has announced that he’ll be retiring afterward and handing the reins over to Casey Jones ’90 .

Deborah loves staying connected to Cornell through her involvement with the President’s Council of Cornell Women (PCCW) and by volunteering with the Cornell Alumni Admissions Ambassador Network, conducting interviews with high school students who have applied to Cornell. She reports that “PCCW’s symposium earlier this year in Baltimore was incredible, listening to fabulous Cornell speakers, reconnecting with old U-Hall 1 pals Linda Choong and Amy Bodek , and meeting plenty of new and inspiring Big Red women.”

Inspired by the challenges she had faced finding a job when she graduated from Cornell, Deborah has taken leave from her 27 years in marketing in order to build her own business as a job search and career management coach for young professionals. “I am here to help Gen Z clients develop the job search tools needed to secure a summer internship or full-time position.” She notes that she’s happy to offer the kids of fellow classmates a “Big Red discount.” You can check out her website for more information.

Before signing off, please allow your humble correspondent (or, at the very least, me) to remind you that planning for our upcoming 35th Reunion is in full swing. We lost out on having a Reunion in person in 2020, so reconnecting with each other and the campus in general will be doubly special this time around. I have truly enjoyed every Reunion I’ve managed to attend on the Hill; it’s a great chance to not only spend some quality time with a few of the folks you knew way-back-when, but also connect with classmates you didn’t necessarily know at the time, but nonetheless have so much in common with to this day. The best way I can describe the experience is to say it’s like meeting old friends for the first time.

So, save the date! June 5–8, 2025. And if you’d like to help out in any way, please do. The more volunteers we have to help plan and make those plans a reality, the lighter the workload and the more amazing the experience. It’s not too late to reach out to our Reunion committee and other class officers via e-mail at cornellclass90@gmail.com .

Here’s to the start of another academic year, and here’s to seeing each other again in person at its close.

Do you have any news about a classmate or yourself that you’d like to share? Please feel free to drop us a line with your news for the class column. ❖ Allan Rousselle ( email Allan ) | Rose Tanasugarn ( email Rose ) | Nancy Solomon Weiss ( email Nancy ) | Class Facebook page | Alumni Directory .

With our daughter’s graduation from Ithaca College falling on the same day as my birthday, I figured I should invite anyone and everyone who might be in or around Ithaca to celebrate. And why not?

I am glad that Eric Schneider , MBA ’99, a freshman-year dorm-mate and current Ithaca dweller, made his way to the festivities. I remember Eric usually had a smile on his face and always had something witty to say. As a former ROTC member, I knew exactly how he would appear when he strolled into the backyard; familiar face and grin with a touch of gray hair, tailor-fit khakis, and a button-down shirt.

We caught up a bit on his work with Corning Inc. and his children. “Our older son is a graduate of the University of Colorado, Boulder, and our younger son a rising sophomore at the University of Vermont.” At one point Eric paused, looked past me, and shared, “I apologize for being so tightly wound back then. Still a work in progress.” His wife, Susie (Curtis) , a fellow Class Notes ’91 correspondent, chuckled with me. I did not disagree with the overachieving mechanical engineer BS, Cornell Johnson School MBA, and U.S. Navy lieutenant. But it got me thinking, is being tightly wound so bad?

Chris Reynolds , also a U-Hall 2 dorm-mate, said, “I am pretty sure I could make that admission as well,” when I told him about my exchange with Eric. Chris, a political science and econ major and lacrosse player, towered over all of us back then with a nice way about him. “I live in Cold Spring Harbor, NY, with my wife of 25 years and am a partner at RCV Frontline, a venture capital firm that invests in early-stage food and beverage brands.” Chris also earned an MBA from Columbia University.

Chris likes to unwind with his busy family. “We have four children: oldest son plays lacrosse and football at Army; second son attended International Yacht Restoration (trade) School and works in North Carolina for Fibreworks, supporting projects for the Department of Defense and NASCAR, among others; daughter, a junior in high school, committed to play lacrosse and attend the University of Maryland; and youngest son is in eighth grade, a four-sport athlete, and an aviation fanatic.” Whew!

Cathy Merrill Williams ’91 , who resides on the other hill, Washington, DC, wrote, ‘I have two sons attending Cornell!’

My daughter, Abby Marraccino, overcame a major setback in her first two weeks of college, cut from the only sport and team she knew and loved: gymnastics. It lit a fire under her, and she sprung from there, reinventing herself as a diver, a sport she had never tried before. Abby went on to be team captain for part of five league championships and earned four national all-American honors. How? I still ask myself.

I did not know Cathy Merrill Williams back on the Hill. A government and history major who earned a master’s in public administration from the London School of Economics, she is now CEO of Washingtonian Magazine . Cathy, who resides on the other hill, Washington, DC, wrote, “I have two sons attending Cornell! My older son just completed his freshman year and is studying math, sailing, and, well, partying. My younger son will soon join the Hotel School as a freshman.”

Of course I wondered, so I flat out asked Cathy, “Were you tightly wound back then?” Cathy responded affirmatively. “College was fun. I did, however, keep a journal and, looking back, I’m surprised how much I stressed about classes and grades. Now with children and a company to run and the many issues facing the world, it seems a little crazy to have had that be a major worry. Yet, I see it in my own son too, so perhaps it is just the circle of life.” Perhaps it is.

Circling back to our daughter: for her next act, professional or otherwise, she coined the mantra, “Nothing is more powerful than a smile.” Though behind her clenched teeth and those of these classmates are determined beings winding and unwinding as they leap through life. And that’s not such a bad thing at all.

Also not a bad thing: our 35th Reunion is almost here! Please save the date of June 4–7, 2026. Jeff Weintraub , MD ’95, one of our chairs, and Eric Rosario , a member of the planning team and Annual Fund rep, met up on campus for this year’s Reunion to scope things out. After a pandemic interrupted Reunion in 2021, our 35th Reunion promises to be a blockbuster!

Got news to share? Use the online news form or feel free to contact one of us directly: ❖ Joe Marraccino ( email Joe ) | Evelyn Achuck Yue ( email Evelyn ) | Susie Curtis Schneider ( email Susie ) | Ruby Wang Pizzini ( email Ruby ) | Wendy Milks Coburn ( email Wendy ) | Alumni Directory .

My husband, Todd Kantorczyk , recently enjoyed a weekend of baseball in Baltimore, MD, with 14 of his Alpha Sigma Phi (Rockledge) fraternity brothers including classmates Chris Hove , Harvey Beldner , and Brian Nowicki .

Todd’s freshman roommate, Michael Cimini , and my sorority sister Angela Cheng-Cimini celebrated their 30th wedding anniversary in Sardinia, Italy. They were joined by son and daughter-in-law Matthew ’19 and Sarah Dickerman ’19 , daughter Christina, and fellow alumni Santo Barravecchio ’89 , Matthew Rubins ’90 , and Samantha Hardaway ’93 . Angela says, “It was wonderful to reminisce about our days on the Hill!” Congratulations on 30 years!

Lizzy Klein lives in New York City and started a fine jewelry business in 2019 and a second jewelry business in 2024. Mazi New York offers minimalist fine jewelry handmade in NYC and Mazi+Zo is a licensed sorority jewelry line. Lizzy says, “I love spending so much time with college students—they are inspiring!” Lizzy has donated 30% of the sales of her Star of David collection to Hillel to support Jewish college students.

Eileen Rappaport also lives in NYC and is keeping very busy with her residential real estate business and raising her 14-year-old daughter. She is a competitive tennis player and loves yoga, live music, and travel with family and friends. She recently traveled to France and South Africa. Eileen is very involved in fundraising for Memorial Sloan Kettering via Cycle for Survival. Her daughter is starting high school, and they enjoy NYC’s flowers and gorgeous parks. Eileen feels that Cornell changed the trajectory of her life by giving her “the very best friends, a lifetime of memories and lessons, and the best four years spent in beautiful Ithaca. All the opportunities I was afforded at Cornell confirmed that I can always change my path in life and pursue so many different interests at once!”

John Overton Jr. lives in New Hampshire with his wife, Christine Hand-Overton . Their older son, Josh, will begin his first year of medical school at the University of New England. Their younger son, Jacob, completed his sophomore year at the University of New Hampshire.

Rick and Meghan DeGolyer Hauser enjoy seeing the revitalization of their small town in Western New York. Meghan writes that lots of Cornell entrepreneurs are part of the turnaround. (Tell us more!) Their oldest offspring works at Cornell, their middle child just graduated from the University at Buffalo, and their youngest is a rising junior at Cornell.

Please share your news with us via email or use the online news form . Be well and take good care. ❖ Jean Kintisch ( email Jean ) | Sarah Ballow Clauss ( email Sarah ) | Wilma Ann Thomas Anderson ( email Wilma Ann ) | Alumni Directory .

Whit Watson is transitioning from a full-time position at Golf Channel to a freelance role, and still working with Westwood One Sports at golf’s major championships this year. “While working for Golf Channel in Stamford, CT, in May, I had the chance to meet up with my former Sheldon Court roommate Stuart Roth , MBA ’00, MILR ’01, and his wife, Dana, to watch some of the Knicks-Pacers series. My son Zachary is a PhD candidate in political science at the University of Virginia, and daughter Ellie just finished her junior year at Boston University, where she is a film/TV major. I was also honored to recently join the board of directors at the Cornell Media Guild, parent of WVBR-FM, the place that started my career. Would love to hear from anyone in the industry, or anyone from our class!”

Atul Aggarwal greatly enjoys outdoor activities such as hiking, running, and meeting up with friends. “I am working as a radiologist. My daughter graduated from Cornell in 2023, and my son will be starting as a freshman at Cornell in the Class of 2028.” Brian Fuhr proudly reports that he recently ran a marathon in three hours and 30 minutes, with “kids half my age,” no less! He is celebrating 25 years with Mat Zucker ’92 .

Adrian Sexton joined a global firm focused on AI, where he leads strategic business growth across sports, media and entertainment, and technology. Clients include the NBA, the NFL, MLB, Disney, Warner Bros. Discovery, Paramount Global, and Universal Pictures/Comcast. “In addition, I have been working on an AI startup, Cohuman.AI, which focuses on responsible, human-centric AI.” Adrian notes that he gets the most satisfaction from family, especially seeing his kids grow and soon apply to universities. “For fun and fitness, I enjoy saunas, HIIT classes, beach volleyball, and Spartan races. To accelerate an early retirement (!), I’m working with a capital group, a global athletes fund, and a major investment bank to acquire a major sports league in the U.S. in connection with the World Rugby Cup.”

Cornell gave us both the confidence and knowledge to be independent entrepreneurs. Mark ’93 and Julie Oratovsky Lonski ’93

Henry Most writes, “I recently taught for the first time the famous ‘Interpersonal Dynamics’ course (aka ‘Touchy-Feely’) at Stanford Graduate School of Business. I’m a lecturer in management at Stanford’s Graduate School of Business and an executive coach. At Stanford I’m in the experiential learning arena, focusing on interpersonal and leadership skills. I traveled around the world with one of my Cornell friends, Adam Gensler , in 1998 and moved out to San Francisco soon thereafter, where he and another Cornell friend, Dave Levitt , lived. Both of them had a significant impact on my life and who I am as a person.”

Mark and Julie Oratovsky Lonski greatly enjoy watching their 11th-grade son grow, thrive, and dream about his college future. “We own and operate our family landscape design-build firm. Cornell gave us both the confidence and knowledge to be independent entrepreneurs, and it taught us to use critical thinking skills every single day.”

John Fuller , ME ’94, writes, “I operate a civil engineering consulting business in my hometown of Port Jervis, NY. We have been in practice for more than 20 years.” John enjoys coaching travel baseball, spending time with his family, and participating in CrossFit at a competitive level. When asked about his time at Cornell, John said, “It helped shape who I am today.” ❖ Mia Blackler ( email Mia ) | Melissa Hart Moss, JD ’97 ( email Melissa ) | Theresa Flores ( email Theresa ) | Alumni Directory .

Daniel Chernin writes, “I am senior vice president and associate general counsel at Broadridge Financial Solutions Inc. My daughter, Marina, is at Georgetown and my son, Joshua, will be applying to Cornell in two years. I loved my time at Cornell and always remember it fondly. My closest friends are still my friends from Cornell.”

Kristen Crockett Tsarnas has been building her professional organizing and interior decorating business, Home Wellness Consulting . From her website: “Feeling and doing your best, true wellness, is only attainable when you have a healthy environment supporting you. Research suggests that your home is the foundation of security and contentment in your family life. As your launching pad into the world, it is also the foundation of your success outside the home. My mission is to help you build a beautiful, colorful, welcoming home that promotes ease, creativity, and contentment for you and each member of your family. I work with clients at every life stage, including moms and dads, young adults in their first apartment, and seniors moving to assisted living. I am passionate about sustained wellness and health for all members of our society and know that we, as a community, can live better.”

Scott Noren has been greatly enjoying working in his garden and the woodlot on his property. He writes, “My house, a cabin in the woods, was constructed during the first year of COVID. I am about to complete my 25th year as a high school science teacher—seven more to go before full retirement. I have taught a wildlife ecology and management class for 23 years; this was my major at Cornell (Natural Resources). Thank you to my professors.”

Rudro Dé , BS ’98, works at JP Morgan in investment banking in NYC. Ingrid Kist-Leader has been traveling internationally a lot—Iceland twice, Greece, Italy, and Ireland. “I’m developing my photography skills a ton! And helping my son apply to colleges, which is bittersweet.” Indeed, Ingrid says that spending quality time with her teenage son brings her the most satisfaction these days. She adds, “I’m a history teacher—can’t wait to retire!”

I have taught a wildlife ecology and management class for 23 years; this was my major at Cornell. Scott Noren ’94

Elizabeth Kaufmann Hale writes, “I have stayed an active member of the Cornell community, as my two sons are currently undergraduate students up in Ithaca. Dylan ’24 is in Dyson and is on the football team. Ryan ’27 is a freshman who is on the premed track. In addition to running a busy dermatology practice with my sister (also a dermatologist), I stay very active by running marathons and half-marathons. This summer, I will be joining AAD’s ‘Skin Cancer, Take a Hike!’ and hiking in the Canadian Rockies!”

Andres Pinter recently made the leap from investor to entrepreneur. “Pursuing a passion to accelerate electric vehicle (EV) adoption, I left a senior role at Ares Management and launched Bullet EV Charging Solutions, an installer and maintenance provider for EV chargers. While analyzing the EV sector at Ares, I recognized that the country’s lack of reliable EV charging infrastructure was one of the biggest impediments to EV adoption. Bullet EV is expanding this year from Texas into California, Colorado, and Arizona. The company installs EV chargers for Tesla, ChargePoint, ABB, and all other major manufacturers. Among other accolades, Bullet EV was recently awarded a grant from Columbia University’s Tamer Fund for Social Ventures. I’m learning it takes nerves of steel to launch a business, and I welcome any insight or advice from fellow alumni.”

Pryor Cashman LLP announced the arrival of counsel Praveena Nallainathan to the firm’s immigration group in New York, where her practice will focus on corporate immigration, nationality, and consular law matters. Most recently, Praveena was of counsel at Am Law 200 law firm Quarles & Brady; prior to that, she served as global director of diversity, equity, and inclusion at Dechert and was associate general counsel of immigration and head of talent mobility for IHS Markit, a publicly traded information services company. While at IHS Markit, Praveena designed and managed the company’s first in-house immigration compliance program. Born in Sri Lanka, Praveena also has deep experience with immigration humanitarian relief programs, including asylum and special immigration juvenile petitions. She received her JD from Rutgers University School of Law in 2006. ❖ Dineen Pashoukos Wasylik ( email Dineen ) | Jennifer Rabin Marchant ( email Jennifer ) | Dika Lam ( email Dika ) | Alumni Directory .

I write this column as many of my Class of ’94 friends—along with some of you, classmates!—are returning from yet another amazing Reunion weekend on the Hill. Abra Benson Perrie , MBA ’04, who attended as a returning alum of the business school, provided a fantastic recap of campus on our Class Facebook page .

Some of my favorite observations of the new and old include: “Toni Morrison Dining (on North Campus) … is nicer than many restaurants I’ve gone to, and the water machine was fancy! Fancy is the word here. Fancy!” And: “Fortunately, some places are pretty much just like we remember them. The Straight will make you smile at its stalwart way—inside and out. There are some things that don’t change much … at least not yet.” Want to read more? Join our Facebook page .

If you couldn’t tell, we are already gearing up for our 30th Reunion, June 5–8, 2025—since we all missed the 25th due to COVID (boooo), this one is going to be BIG! 30 is the new 25! Reunion chairs Patricia Louison Grant and Lisa Powell Fortna will be on campus in early October to get the planning in full swing. And keep an eye open for our new “30 for 30” project coming out in November!

Now on to the news. On April 13, David Jakubowicz became president-elect of the Medical Society of the State of New York. When he takes office in 2025, he will be the first president from Bronx County Medical Society in more than 50 years. A board-certified physician, he is director of otolaryngology and allergy at Essen Health and a clinical assistant professor of otorhinolaryngology at Albert Einstein College of Medicine/Montefiore. David also shared that his daughter, Cornellian Halle ’27 , recently joined AXO sorority, which resides in David’s old fraternity house (Sammy). I hope for Halle’s sake that the floors are a little less sticky than they were in the early ’90s!

Vernetta Kinchen sent in happy news that her son, Tony ’24 , graduated in May from CALS and was accepted into Cornell’s PhD program in systems engineering. She also recently had the chance to be back on campus and joined about 40 Hotelies for lunch at the Pines. Thanks to Ted Teng ’79 for organizing the event!

David Jakubowicz ’95 shared that his daughter, Cornellian Halle ’27 , recently joined AXO sorority, which resides in David’s old fraternity house (Sammy).

Also in May, the Boston Globe released its third annual list of the most influential people in the New England tech sector. The leaders spotlighted in the selective Globe Tech Power Players 50 List have demonstrated innovation and resourcefulness and have contributed heartily to keeping their sector thriving during challenging economic times. Featured prominently are our classmates Niraj Shah and Steven Conine , founders of Wayfair, both of whom I hope we will see on the Hill next June!

Last, but definitely not least, one of our fantastic class authors, Henry Neff , sent word that his seventh novel—but his first that’s strictly for older teens and adults—arrived in June via Blackstone Publishing. It’s called The Witchstone , and Henry shares, “If you enjoy dark comedy and curses, martini-swilling demons, and tennis-playing priests, this book is for you.” Henry has been writing full time for 15 years and also enjoys spending time with his sons (ages 12 and 10).

The Neff family also rescued their second pup, Nox, in December of 2023: “Doggie DNA says she’s part cattle dog, beagle, pit bull, and Lab. Her appearance and behavior suggest there’s some piglet and Tasmanian devil in there too.” When asked if attending Cornell changed the trajectory of his life, Henry responded, “Unquestionably. It’s where I sharpened my mind, expanded my horizons, and met some of my closest friends.” With that ringing endorsement, it only makes sense to put June 6–8 in your calendar right now and make a plan to meet back on the Hill!

Until next time … stay connected and safe, classmates. ❖ Alison Torrillo French ( email Alison ) | Class website | Class Facebook page | Class Instagram page | Alumni Directory .

Autumn greetings, Class of ’96! Please take a moment to let us know how you spent your summer! If you have anything you’d like to share with our class, please submit an online news form or write directly to any of us: ❖ Catherine Oh Bonita ( email Catherine ) | Janine Abrams Rethy ( email Janine ) | Marjorie Polycarpe Jean-Paul ( email Marjorie ) | Alumni Directory .

If you’re anything like me, this time of year makes you think of the start of a new semester on the Hill. What are your plans for the fall? Are any of you venturing out of town to travel? Or marking any career milestones? If you have anything you’d like to share with our class, please submit an online news form or write directly to: ❖ Class of 1997 ( email c/o Alexandra Bond ’12 ) | Alumni Directory .

Class of 1998: Have you kept in contact with your Cornell family? We celebrated our 25th Reunion last year and, although I could not make it to Reunion, the music of that Spotify playlist cultivated by William Robertson ’97 , BFA ’98, and fellow classmates continues to transport me back to that time and place, high above Cayuga’s waters.

Since then, I have learned about other classmates who have impacted our lives and the lives of others. In two different articles from the Cornell Chronicle , Dan Cane and Tim Chi were profiled for their passion for entrepreneurship and technology, and their shared Cornell experience as undergraduates. Along with Stephen Gilfus ’97 , Lee Wang ’97 , MS ’98, Stephano Kim , John Yang , and John Knight , Dan and Tim co-founded, during their Big Red years, an online learning platform and education technology solution, CourseInfo LLC, which would become Blackboard Inc.

The article stated, “The idea to digitize [Dan’s] class materials inspired the business that would quickly turn his housemates into colleagues and his career path into a wildly successful entrepreneurship. In 2011, Blackboard Inc. sold for $1.6 billion.” Currently the founder and CEO of Modernizing Medicine, a medical technology and management company, Dan shared in the March 2024 article, “I use lessons learned from my time at Cornell daily. More than just the quality of the education, the quality of the experience changed me. Most importantly, the people I met and continue to meet at Cornell are cut from a different cloth.” Giving back to his alma mater, Dan has established the Cane Entrepreneurship Scholars program that encourages the growth and development of young entrepreneurs with financial support, mentoring, and experiential learning.

Dan Cane ’98 and Tim Chi ’98 co-founded, during their Big Red years, an online learning platform that would become Blackboard Inc.

Tim continues to inspire connections through the Entrepreneurship at Cornell Advisory Council. From an April 2024 Cornell Chronicle article : “Looking back on that experience, what is remarkable to me was just how fortunate we were to have a bunch of like-minded Cornellians, from different disciplines, who loved to work together—but more importantly, hang out together. For me, this was the embodiment of why culture in companies is important today.” With his co-founders, “We had product, engineering, finance, sales, and marketing and it was an exhilarating time to be on campus, building something special.”

It was in 2005 when Tim, then in the throes of wedding planning, saw the need to create and build a solution. He shared: “I noticed that ‘online vertical marketplaces’ were springing up everywhere as a purpose-built antidote to broad horizontal search platforms. This led to the proverbial ‘light bulb’ moment—a purpose-built online vertical marketplace, powered by user-generated reviews from newlyweds, for weddings. From this, WeddingWire was born.” With a few co-founders including Lee Wang, Tim “designed a first-of-its-kind two-sided marketplace for the wedding industry to bring both sides of the industry—couples and vendors—together to create a more seamless experience, focused on finding the perfect wedding vendors for any couple’s big day.” In 2019, WeddingWire merged with XO Group, the parent company of the Knot, to become the Knot Worldwide.

Connections, entrepreneurship, friendship, family, and Big Red grit and spirit are just some of the many attributes that we, the Class of 1998, have added to what it means to be a Cornellian. What have you been up to? We want to hear from you! Fill out our online news form or email: ❖ Uthica Jinvit Utano ( email Uthica ) | Alumni Directory .

Meredith Glah Coors writes, “With my oldest son’s diagnosis of type 1 diabetes in 2014 at age 11, I became involved with JDRF (a leading organization funding type 1 diabetes research), working to raise funds for research and a cure. I served on the Mountain West Board in Colorado for six years and joined JDRF’s Global Mission Board in 2022. I chaired our annual fundraiser in 2017 and have worked as an auction chair for the event each year since. During the pandemic, I created a mask fundraiser that raised $36,000; my kids and I sewed masks in exchange for donations to JDRF. Locally I also serve on the board of the Denver Zoo and volunteer at Children’s Hospital Colorado.”

Courtney Armbruster writes, “As an animal lover, I am fortunate that I found the Central New York Cat Coalition, an all-volunteer group that rescues homeless cats and adopts them into loving homes. We also run the largest subsidized spay/neuter program in all of CNY, getting more than 2,500 cats fixed a year for low-income owners and rescuers. Since starting as a volunteer with the organization more than 15 years ago, I continued to take on more responsibility and became the president of the board nearly nine years ago. I stepped back to vice president in 2023 and continue to work hard daily to help this organization improve the lives of animals in our community.”

I foster nearly 100 cats every year and get them adopted into forever homes. Courtney Armbruster ’99

Courtney adds, “I personally foster nearly 100 cats every year and get them adopted into forever homes. I volunteer at our adoption center, write our grant applications, manage our social media and website, coordinate our donations and supplies, and handle correspondence. Cats in my care come from all kinds of backgrounds, including strays, surrenders, and abandoned pets. We help animals with serious medical conditions like ruptured eyes, dental disease, broken bones, and more, and it can be a real challenge. We’re always trying to fundraise to help cats in need, and the supply of animals needing help never ends. It’s a ton of work, but so incredibly rewarding!”

We would love to hear from any classmates who attended our 25th Reunion in Ithaca in June! What did you think of the Olin Lecture, which was given by our very own Andrew Ross Sorkin ? (That event can be viewed here !) Did you make it to the tent parties? Did you check out your favorite spots on campus, and see all that’s changed since our days on the Hill? Hopefully you had plenty of time to spend with friends old and new.

Please drop us a line to let us know about your Reunion experience, so we can share it with the class! Those who weren’t able to attend would love to live vicariously through you. ❖ Class of 1999 ( email c/o Alexandra Bond ’12 ) | Alumni Directory .

Greetings from a warm and peaceful Cleveland, OH! Wishing you all well, wherever you are, and encouraging you to drop me a line whenever you get a chance. I’d love to hear from you. ❖ Denise Williams ( email Denise ) | Alumni Directory .

Did everyone have a good summer? Remember, we’re now less than two years away from our big 25th Reunion—and those Ithaca summers are truly gorges! Plus, we can party—I mean, um, network?—twice as hard to make up for our 20th Reunion going virtual due to the pandemic, so please do save the date: June 4–7, 2026. Whether the temperatures run hot or cold for the occasion, there’s sure to be the perfect Dairy Bar flavor to match each of our high, nostalgic spirits.

Speaking of excellent frozen treats, Salil Gupte and I kicked summer off by taking our kids around Italy (Rome, Naples, Pompei, Sorrento, Capri) and eating gelato daily (sometimes more than once), then headed to Seattle for our usual “home leave” (with Salil also going back and forth to D.C. and Delhi for Boeing business). This may have been my last long summer break for a while, as I’m slated to start working at the U.S. Embassy in Delhi, pending security clearances and budgets not getting frozen. Don’t want to jinx myself by elaborating further but will share to our class Facebook group when/if it happens. In the meantime, I’m geeking out by working on my MLIS degree through San Jose State University. Being a student again is hard; how did we do it the first time? Oh, that’s right—younger, spongier brains!

You don’t become a Cornell alum without having an unapologetic love of learning, right? (Take that, everyone who called us nerds once upon a time—it’s now called having a “growth mindset!”) Jeremy Werner , class officer at large, attended a May 7 Cornell Silicon Valley event hosted by the Cornell Alumni Association of Northern California on “How Chip Innovation Is Shaping the Future of AI,” with panelists including Cornell professor of electrical and computer engineering Chris Batten, Quanergy founder Tianyue Yu , PhD ’03 , and former CEO of Xilinx Victor Peng , ME ’82 . During the event, the CHIPS and Science Act was discussed, including the $6.1B grant to Micron, where Jeremy leads the storage business, along with Micron’s announced investment of over $100B in a new DRAM fab complex in Upstate New York. Professor Batten also talked about Cornell Custom Silicon Systems , an exciting student-led group at Cornell working on semiconductors.

I’m geeking out by working on my MLIS degree. Being a student again is hard; how did we do it the first time? Nicole Neroulias Gupte ’01

At the event, Jeremy met up with fellow classmates Ilyas Elkin , a distinguished engineer at NVIDIA designing the Tensor datapath for the world’s leading AI GPUs, and Brian Silverstein , whose latest startup MirrorTab is delivering cybersecurity for banks and other high value sites to communicate securely with their customers. (The last startup Brian founded was the web browser shopping plug-in Honey, which was bought in 2020 by PayPal for $4B.)

Over in Colorado, Christina Bové , DVM ’06, is now teaming up with MOVES (Mobile Veterinary Specialists) to offer cardiology services to veterinary clinics in and around Denver. When she’s not working, she can be found hiking or running with her husband, toddler, and dog—her cat prefers to stay on the couch. (I can relate!) Also from her bio, “Dr. Bove is passionate about veterinary wellness and is a wellness/nutrition coach and certified personal trainer. She is also addicted to Jane Austen, specifically Pride & Prejudice !”

Still reading? Send me a message via our class Facebook group or on my LinkedIn (I’m not hard to find) or email (see this column’s closing paragraph) with the phrase “Zero to Three!” Bonus points if you can remember what that references.

Kudos to a classmate who responded after I embedded a phrase in my last Class Notes: Ryan McCarthy writes that he is “loving Austin with my two kids (ages 5 and 7). I stay busy biking, reading, and playing pickleball, and will hopefully start taking advantage of Lake Austin and sailing. I have been working as head of real estate at Soul Community Planet Hotels since 2018 with the vision of making the world a better place by serving those that value personal wellness, kindness, and sustainability. We currently have 10 hotels and are growing. I started training for a sailing race in June 2025 called WA360, which is in the Pacific Northwest and is a 360-mile race with one rule: no motor. The goal is to then do Race to Alaska in 2026—750 miles with one rule: no motor. Should be challenging and fun!”

To share news or a memory and get back in touch with classmates, please email either of us, visit our website , like the Class of 2001 Facebook page , join our Class of 2001 Classmates Facebook group , and/or follow us on X ( @Cornell2001 ). ❖ Nicole Neroulias Gupte ( email Nicole ) | James Gutow ( email James ) | Alumni Directory .

2002 & 2003

Autumn greetings! We don’t have any news to share from either of these classes this round. Please take a moment to let us know how you spent your summer! If you have anything you’d like to share with your class, please submit an online news form . ❖ Class of 2002 & 2003 ( email c/o Alexandra Bond ’12 ) | Alumni Directory .

We would love to hear from any classmates who attended our 20th Reunion in Ithaca in June!

What did you think of our class tour of the Cornell Veterinary Biobank? Did you make it to the cocktail hour at the Nevin Welcome Center? Did you check out your favorite spots on campus and see all that’s changed since our days on the Hill? Hopefully you had plenty of time to spend with friends old and new.

Please drop us a line to let us know about your Reunion experience, so we can share it with the class! Those who weren’t able to attend would love to live vicariously through you. ❖ Class of 2004 ( email c/o Alexandra Bond ’12 ) | Alumni Directory .

If you’re anything like me, this time of year makes you think of the start of a new semester on the Hill. What are your plans for the fall? Are any of you venturing out of town to travel? Or marking any career milestones? If you have anything you’d like to share with our class, please submit an online news form or write directly to: ❖ Hilary Johnson King ( email Hilary ) | Jessica Rosenthal Chod ( email Jessica ) | Alumni Directory .

Hello, Class of 2006! Summer is in full gear as I write, bringing with it warmth, sunshine, and a lively spirit. Now, as the days grow shorter again, we hope you have soaked up the vibrant energy of the season. Amidst your professional and personal adventures, we’re excited to share the latest news with you from the class.

Shanah Segal and her husband, Amotz, are proud to be raising their two boys in New York City, “exploring new playgrounds, going to museums, and immersing ourselves in the various new popups.” Shanah has recently joined the New York Board of Directors for Postpartum Support International, where she has a platform to raise awareness around issues she helps support in her private practice as a clinical psychologist, such as mental health issues during perinatal and childbearing years. Shanah continues to volunteer for Cornell across a number of areas and hopes to visit Ithaca this year. We can’t wait for you to come back to the Big Red!

Whether you’re embarking on exciting new projects or destinations, cultivating newfound passions, or cherishing moments and milestones with loved ones, please keep the updates coming and share with the class! We’d love to hear about your favorite memories at Cornell, and what you’ve been up to lately. ❖ Kirk Greenspan, MBA ’22 ( email Kirk ) | Alumni Directory .

Hello, Class of 2007! Below are some awesome updates on our classmates’ professional developments. I am so happy to be able to share them with you all. As always, my contact information is listed at the end; I love hearing from you and look forward to future updates!

Justin Dorman , a classmate of ours from the School of Industrial and Labor Relations, recently created, authored, graphically designed, and self-published 58 children’s picture books. The books’ wide-ranging topics include animals, nature, national parks, landmarks, and monuments. Fifty-two paperback and six hardcover books in all. He even features Ithaca in his  Artistic World Famous Waterfalls  book. Justin has fond memories of a backpacking trip in Arizona with Cornell Outdoor Education during spring break of junior year. Thanks for sharing, Justin! I look forward to sharing these with my little ones!

Carolyn Satenberg-Stewart shares that she is the chief people officer at a tech AI startup. She and wife Madelyn live in Sebastopol, CA. She shares that her time at Cornell has definitely had an impact on the trajectory of her life. Wishing you both the best!

Finally, Nicky Rho Rooz has joined international law firm Withers as partner. The firm has expanded its international family law team by establishing a practice in New York, which she will lead. Nicky joins Withers from Salzano Ettinger Lampert & Wilson LLP, and previously worked in the family and matrimonial law group at Blank Rome LLP for nearly a decade beforehand.

She advises on all aspects of family law, including cohabitation, prenuptial and postnuptial agreements, divorce and separation, paternity actions, complex financial issues, child and spousal support, high-conflict custody disputes, and domestic violence restraining orders/orders of protection. Her clients include high-net worth and high-profile individuals, including tech sector entrepreneurs and investors.

Congrats to everyone on your accomplishments! Have more updates to share? Please feel free to reach out to me or submit online! ❖ Samantha Feibush Wolf ( email Samantha ) | Alumni Directory .

Autumn greetings! We don’t have any news to share this round. Please take a moment to let us know how you spent your summer! If you have anything you’d like to share with your class, please submit an online news form . ❖ Class of 2008 ( email c/o Alexandra Bond ’12 ) | Alumni Directory .

This June was our 15th Reunion! So much has changed on campus and in the world in the last 15 years, but it is always fun to return to “Old Cornell” and enjoy all that Ithaca has to offer. This Reunion our class had 249 alumni, partners, and children come back to the Hill to get together, reminisce, and explore all the new parts of campus. We had 163 alumni and children ranging in age from infant to 17. We stayed on West Campus, in Alice Cook House, which was nicely decorated with well over 1,000 red and white balloons! Our alumni came back from all over the U.S., and from as far as London!

Some of us were able to try the “new RPU” at Morrison Hall, and visit CTB at its new location, with ample outdoor space. We enjoyed an ice cream social, wine tour, dinner at Weill Hall and at the Johnson Museum, family Fun in the Sun, multiple tent parties, and, of course, late night Wings Over Ithaca.

We loved seeing everyone there who made it and can’t wait for our next Reunion in five short years, to see everyone again! See you then, ’09! ❖ Sara Kaleya ( email Sara ) | Alumni Directory .

Alexander Eason spends his time “reading, making money, working out, and learning piano and foreign languages.” Sadly, he shares, “our dogs, Chance and Sully, passed away, so we are remembering them and coping with those difficult emotions.” Of his time at Cornell, Alexander writes, “I was inspired being around so many overachievers and it made me want to strive hard to complete my academic/personal goals.” ❖ Michelle Sun ( email Michelle ) | Alumni Directory .

Steven True writes, “We are moving from Arizona—to England! My wife, Alice, is English, and we are moving to her childhood village with our 15-month-old son, Noah.” Congratulations and good luck, Steven! ❖ Class of 2011 ( email c/o Alexandra Bond ’12 ) | Alumni Directory .

If you’re anything like me, this time of year makes you think of the start of a new semester on the Hill. What are your plans for the fall? Are any of you venturing out of town to travel? Or marking any career milestones? If you have anything you’d like to share with our class, please submit an online news form or write directly to: ❖ Peggy Ramin ( email Peggy ) | Alumni Directory .

Veronica Yambrovich Landau shares that she married Matthew in Key West in December 2023! They are enjoying life in Central Florida and are looking forward to meeting their first child. Congratulations!

As always, if you have news to share, please email me! ❖ Rachael Schuman Fassler ( email Rachael ) | Alumni Directory .

Hello, Class of 2014! I hope that many of you had fun at our 10th Reunion this past June. Although I was unable to attend, the following message was passed on to me by other class council members:

“It was so wonderful to see so many of you back on the Hill for our 10th Reunion! Almost 600 classmates attended the weekend, where we reconnected over Dinosaur BBQ, late night Wings Over, and, of course, dancing in the tents. 357 classmates made a gift in honor of our Reunion to almost 200 different areas of Cornell, totaling a class best of $252,285! We appreciate your support of our Reunion campaign and of our alma mater.

“Thank you to Reunion chairs Ashley Black and Krystal Sze for their hard work organizing the weekend, Kelly Parness Hawthorne and Dana Lerner for spearheading our Reunion campaign, and to class president Julia Buffinton for making sure the weekend was a total success!

“Save the date! Our next Reunion is June 7–10, 2029. If you’d like to get involved with planning, please contact Julia ( email Julia ).”

Outside of Reunion news, Tyler Beck and his brother, Austin Beck ’18 , BS ’17, were recently featured in a new Roku documentary series, “Dairy Diaries,” that premiered this April. This series features actress Vanessa Bayer visiting Beck Farms, where she participates in the daily life of a dairy farmer over the course of one week and five episodes. You can read more about the series in this article in Cornellians .

Please send me your news. ❖ Samantha Lapehn Young ( email Samantha ) | Alumni Directory .

Congratulations to Connor Buczek , MBA ’17, who has become head coach for the Big Red lacrosse team. Connor was a three-time All-American while an undergrad, and after graduating pursued his MBA at the Johnson School, at the same time volunteering as an assistant coach. Despite receiving an offer from a Wall Street firm, Connor decided to stay on the Hill for a full-time coaching position. He has since earned Ivy League Coach of the Year twice. Best of luck, Connor!

Rizpah Bellard has founded a company called Nova Farming, which “seeks to empower individuals with valuable knowledge about sustainable agriculture, farm and ranch management, and animal husbandry.” After seeing the widening gap between people and their food systems, Rizpah wanted to bring people into the experience of farming through educational programs and workshops. She was awarded a Fulbright in 2020 and this year was named to COWGIRL Magazine ’s 30 Under 30 list.

Congratulations are also due to  Kushagra Aniket , who published a book called  Krishna-Niti : Timeless Strategic Wisdom , which offers 11 lessons in strategy from the Indian epic the  Mahabharata . According to the book’s blurb, “The authors draw upon their extensive research into the  Mahabharata  to present this unique perspective on strategy, leadership, and crisis management, distilled from the magnificent epic of India.” ❖  Caroline Flax  ( email Caroline ) |  Mateo Acebedo  ( email Mateo ) |  Alumni Directory .

Kristin Stinavage writes, “I am excited to share my achievement of becoming a certified postpartum doula from DONA International and Relief Parenting Respite and Resource Center LLC. This certification is not just a professional milestone but a synthesis of my diverse educational and experiential journey.

“The role of a doula, deeply rooted in the ancient Greek tradition of ‘a woman who serves,’ has always resonated with me. It aligns perfectly with my hospitality background, where the essence is to provide care, comfort, and a memorable experience. This alignment has been instrumental in shaping my approach to supporting families during the transformative postpartum period.

“My education at Cornell and the Culinary Institute of America has been pivotal in my understanding of service excellence—and what hospitality means when serving a family at this point in their lives. It has instilled in me a profound appreciation for the art of showing up for others, especially in moments as intimate and life-changing as the postpartum period. This understanding has been a guiding force in my journey, allowing me to create a unique blend of emotional support, nutritional guidance, and holistic care.

“The postpartum period is more than a phase; it’s a significant transition that deserves the utmost care and attention. My skills, honed through a blend of culinary expertise and hospitality acumen, enable me to offer a level of support that transcends traditional caregiving. I view each meal as a therapeutic tool, not just for physical nourishment but as a medium for emotional healing and family bonding.

“This journey has also led me to reflect deeply on our society’s current perspectives on healthcare. It has highlighted the need for a more inclusive, nurturing approach, particularly in postpartum care. In a world where the healthcare industry is often critiqued for its clinical detachment, I see my role as a doula to bring back the human touch, empathy, and personalized care that every family deserves during such a critical time.

“As I step into this role, I carry with me the understanding that postpartum is a passage—an intimate, transformative experience that merits a communal embrace. My aim is to ensure that this journey is marked by nurturing, growth, and profound bonding for every family I support.

“With continuous learning and skill refinement, I am committed to contributing positively to the evolution of postpartum care, inspired by the wisdom of those who walked this path before me.” Thanks for sharing this fantastic news, Kristin. Classmates, it’s your turn next! ❖ Class of 2016 ( email c/o Alexandra Bond ’12 ) | Alumni Directory .

Volunteering is a passion for our classmate Connor Donnelly . He writes, “In high school, I was a tutor. In undergrad at Cornell, I was an orientation leader, a Peer Advisor, a tutor through REACH Tutoring, and on the Finance Committee for GlobeMed.

“After completing undergrad, I was an AmeriCorps member for City Year Los Angeles. The following year, I was a Peace Corps volunteer in Uganda, where I served as the national director for DEAR Day, a technical trainer, and a fifth-grade teacher.

“More recently, as a graduate student at the University of Michigan, I was a nonprofit board fellow (a non-voting board member) on the Metro Detroit Salvation Army Advisory Board. I was also a student consultant for the food waste nonprofit ReFED, and the energy poverty startup in Brazil, PopLuz. I was also an Environmental Defense Fund Climate Corps Fellow for the nonprofit Sustainable Jersey.”

Thanks for all you do, Connor! Classmates, what are you up to these days? We’d love to hear from you! ❖ Class of 2017 ( email c/o Alexandra Bond ’12 ) | Alumni Directory .

Rhia Jarvis writes, “I got engaged to Adam Wegman! We rotated in the same lab for our PhDs and struck it off just as the pandemic started. It’s nice to think that good things also came of COVID!”

Osei Boateng , MHA ’20, writes, “I serve as the founder of the OKB Hope Foundation, a nonprofit organization committed to delivering free healthcare services to remote and underserved communities scattered across Ghana. Through our pioneering mobile medical unit, we bring one-on-one consultations, essential medications, and diagnostic services directly to the doorsteps of those who need it most. Since introducing our health van, we’ve touched the lives of over 5,000 individuals spanning 55 rural communities.

“Beyond our medical services, we are actively engaged in mental health education and support initiatives within high schools across Ghana through the Wohohiame Wellness Initiative. Since the inception of this program, we’ve extended mental health assistance to more than 3,000 students across six high schools.

“Our impactful work has garnered recognition from distinguished platforms such as the CNN Heroes program and the Global Health Solutions Initiative. These accolades stand as a testament to the relentless efforts of our team and the positive strides we’ve made in enhancing healthcare accessibility and mental health awareness throughout Ghana.” ❖ Class of 2018 ( email c/o Alexandra Bond ’12 ) | Alumni Directory .

Hello, Class of 2019! I hope you have had a wonderful summer so far. Thank you to all of you who joined us at Reunion this past June! It was wonderful to get back in touch with so many old friends and get to know so many new ones. For those of you who didn’t join us, we look forward to seeing you at the 10th in 2029!

In the meantime, your class council has been at work to start planning some 2019 events! Keep an eye out, especially as we head toward the Frozen Apple hockey game this November. As always, if you have any news to share with the class, please submit it through our online form! ❖ Troy Anderson ( email Troy ) | Alumni Directory .

Peter de Lande Long writes, “My expertise lies at the intersection of design and wellbeing, with research demonstrating how well-designed spaces can significantly reduce anxiety and depression, enhance focus and concentration, and cultivate a strong community sense. This foundation led to the creation of DormAlgo, an initiative focused on reimagining student housing.

“DormAlgo is designed to provide scalable, cost-effective solutions to improve student living environments. Our approach transcends aesthetics; we are dedicated to enhancing students’ lifestyles and wellbeing, creating spaces that are not just functional, but also personalized and comforting—a true home away from home.” ❖ Class of 2020 ( email c/o Alexandra Bond ’12 ) | Alumni Directory .

Autumn greetings! We don’t have any news to share from these classes this round. Please take a moment to let us know how you spent your summer! If you have anything you’d like to share with your class, please submit an online news form . ❖ Class of 2021–23 ( email c/o Alexandra Bond ’12 ) | Alumni Directory .

Agriculture and Life Sciences

Jim Eckblad , PhD ’71 , writes, “I volunteer through the Decorah (IA) Lions Club to sort and read eyeglass prescriptions on donated eyeglasses. The glasses are then available to travel with mission groups to developing nations, where they are made available to individuals who wouldn’t be able to afford the cost of prescription glasses.”

Lee Basevin Kass ,  PhD ’75 , is an adjunct professor in the plant breeding and genetics section at Cornell and an adjunct professor at West Virginia University in Morgantown. Lee has completed a new biography of Cornellian and Nobel laureate  Barbara McClintock 1923 ,  PhD 1927 . The book is titled  From Chromosomes to Mobile Genetic Elements : The Life and Work of Nobel Laureate Barbara McClintock . It is published by CRC/Routledge/Taylor & Francis Group.

Mariella Fourli , MS ’97 , writes, “In 2008 I created an NGO called Microsfere, whose purpose is to promote biodiversity conservation and rural development in communities in West Africa. We have an ongoing project in Ghana, in collaboration with rural communities around Kakum National Park. The involved communities have benefited from initiatives such as microfinance, capacity-building, promotion of micro-enterprises compatible with biodiversity conservation, and children’s libraries; our main focus in the last few years has been on supporting energy-efficient cooking stoves, which have clear benefits in terms of CO2 emissions, deforestation, and women’s health. Overall, more than 600 families have been participating in our projects.”

Timothy Shaffer , PhD ’14 , writes, “I’m leading a civil discourse effort at the University of Delaware’s Biden School called the SNF Ithaca Initiative. As the director and the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Chair of Civil Discourse, I have the opportunity to introduce students to more constructive ways of engaging across difference through classes, workshops, and other experiential learning opportunities. Annually, we invite about 100 students from around the country to the SNF Ithaca National Student Dialogue.”

Kirsten Kurtz , MS ’21 ’s artwork was featured at an art show that was held in Ithaca by the Community Arts Partnership and Tompkins Food Future. Kirsten is the manager of Cornell Soil Health Laboratory in the School of Integrated Plant Science. The art show also featured the works of several other artists from CALS within the theme of “Picturing a Resilient, Equitable, and Healthy Food Future.” The artwork was displayed throughout the month of June.

Architecture, Art, and Planning

Tom Stack , MArch ’98 , was recently promoted to studio director for the private sector architecture group at H2M Architects + Engineers, headquartered in Melville, NY. The group is currently engaged with real estate development companies designing mixed-use and multi-family projects. Tom and his wife reside on the North Shore of Long Island, NY, and enjoy spending time with their children. They recently welcomed the addition of their fourth grandchild.

Caitlin McCarthy , MArch ’20 , and Jordan Young , MArch ’20 , had their proposal for BUILDFest 2024 selected to be built as one of three permanent, large-scale art installations at the Bethel Woods Center for the Arts, where the grounds of the 1969 Woodstock festival was. Construction will begin this summer. BUILDFest is a five-day festival where accepted participants work with student teams to install their designs on-site. Once completed, the installations will be enjoyed during the Catbird Music Festival.

Arts and Sciences

Garth Drozin , GR ’78–81 , retired in March 2023 from a career as a trial attorney and judge in Los Angeles to return to his beloved music composition . Garth lectured on composition to doctoral composition students and professors at the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing, China, in April 2024. While in Beijing, he received a commission to compose a piece for a professional Chinese orchestra, and he completed that piece in June 2024; it will premiere in Beijing later this year. On October 8, 2024, the Singing Statesmen will perform his men’s choral piece “Loveliest of Trees” at Arkansas State University. His big band jazz piece “Sutch As It Is” will be performed by the Cerritos College Jazz Band in their fall 2024 concert. In October 2023, Garth conducted and sang with the Voice of Love Chorus Los Angeles, an all-Chinese-American chorus of 60 voices, in concert.

Susan Brewer , PhD ’91 , wrote a book titled The Best Land : Four Hundred Years of Love and Betrayal on Oneida Territory that will be published on October 15, 2024. In it, she recounts the story of the parcel of Central New York land on which she grew up. Susan and her family had worked and lived on this land for generations when the Oneida Indian Nation claimed that it rightfully belonged to them. From here she tells the land’s story through the lens of two families—her own European settler family and the Oneida/Mohawk family of Polly Denny—who called the land home. The Brewer and Denny families took part in imperial wars, the American Revolution, broken treaties, the building of the Erie Canal, Native removal, the rise and decline of family farms, bitter land claims controversies, and the revival of the Oneida Indian Nation. As she makes clear in The Best Land , through centuries of violence, bravery, greed, generosity, racism, and love, the lives of the Brewer and Denny families were profoundly intertwined.

Trenton Cladouhos , PhD ’93 , has been a geologist for around 35 years. For the last 16 years, he has been working on geothermal energy, a clean renewable that could “transform the U.S. energy landscape,” according to the Department of Energy. Trenton was featured in a video by TLS Geothermics describing his field of work and gave a talk earlier this year at the 49th Stanford Geothermal Workshop about what is needed to advance the field.

Scott Rosenzweig , MBA ’91 , is running for office in the Montana State House of Representatives, House District 57, to represent Bozeman, Gallatin, and Park counties. Scott’s previous career was working in satellite communications before he was inspired to run for state office.

Ronald Smith , MBA ’94 , writes, “My wife and I founded Friends of St. Kizito Rubuguri Primary School , a nonprofit organization, after visiting St. Kizito Rubuguri Primary School in Rubuguri, Uganda, twice within a three-month span, starting in October 2022. We decided to create a nonprofit to raise awareness and support for the school.”

Nikita Gossain , MBA ’20 , writes, “I began my career at KPMG, where I found fulfillment in the work but sought a deeper impact. Inspired by this drive, I ventured into entrepreneurship after my time at Cornell. Now, as the owner of my three businesses and in the early stages of building a private equity firm, I’ve committed to allocating 50% of all earnings to impactful charities such as Malaria Consortium, Helen Keller International, and New Incentives. While my primary focus is on leveraging my skills in mergers and acquisitions to accumulate financial resources for impactful giving, I am deeply involved in volunteering and community engagement. I actively participate in the Effective Altruism movement, advocating for evidence-based solutions and contributing policy change submissions. Additionally, I mentor girls from my high school, aiming to empower more women to enter the business world. I dedicate time to volunteering at orphanages in India, recognizing the importance of direct action in making a difference. I am also currently working on a project similar to the Soft White Underbelly YouTube channel, utilizing storytelling to shed light on important societal issues. I believe in the power of blending business acumen with a strong sense of social responsibility. As I continue to build my private equity firm, I am driven by the vision of creating lasting, positive change, both through business success and meaningful contributions to the community.”

Pearl Phillips , MBA ’21 , writes, “I chaired this year’s event committee for the Susan G. Komen Impact Luncheon at Cipriani 42nd Street on March 13. I reached out to my fellow alumni and current students in the executive MBA/MS in healthcare and I am humbled to say many answered the call. Our committee is now exclusively composed of EMBA/MS students, including a couple of us who are breast cancer survivors. All proceeds from the event will benefit the Susan G. Komen organization and help to drive advancements in breast cancer care and research.”

Jacob Tannenbaum , MPS ’21 , founded the nonprofit Life After Life Foundation to bring parks to the communities and environments that need help most. The foundation is working to close on their first abandoned brownfield property to begin its remediation and rehabilitation into biodiverse green space for nature-deprived communities.

Pedro Escobar , MBA ’23 , writes, “My engagement with the Student DREAMers Alliance, a vibrant segment of the Hispanic Alliance of South Carolina, is more than a volunteer effort—it is a commitment to the future. I mentor a high school student named Edwin, whose ambition is to get into college, master the English language, and carve a niche for himself in the STEM industry. In a candid video , I delve into the value of education, the significance of breaking down barriers, and how my experiences at Cornell have shaped my approach to mentorship and service. The intersection of my academic background and the mission of the Hispanic Alliance of South Carolina has fueled my passion for this cause. Contributing to a world where educational equity is not just a dream but a reality is essential. By supporting Edwin, I am helping to lay down the stepping stones for his success, just as my path was paved by the transformative education I received. Together, we are not just dreaming of a brighter future—we are actively constructing it. Our journey is chronicled on the Hispanic Alliance’s website , which showcases the unique bond we have developed and the mutual growth we have experienced.”

Engineering

Anima Anandkumar ,  MS ’08 ,  PhD ’09 , gave a TED Talk on “ AI that connects the digital and physical worlds ” in April 2024. “While language models may help generate new ideas, they cannot attack the hard part of science, which is simulating the necessary physics,” says Anima. She explains how her team developed neural operators that are AI trained on fine details to bridge this gap. Anima shares some of her recent projects that have stemmed from her developments, including improved weather forecasting and medical device designs. Anima is the Bren Professor of Computing and Mathematical Sciences at Caltech.

Human Ecology

Kristine DeLuca , MA ’19 , writes, “I spent my entire career working in the nonprofit sector—mostly in student development in higher education, with a brief stint as a director for a county department dedicated to providing services for underemployed and unemployed residents of that county. My expertise in providing career services centered around careers in nonprofits, government, and teaching, and I now run programs that provide funding to students committed to providing servant leadership, service, and research for the betterment of communities. I also have volunteered for many nonprofit boards. Currently, I serve as president of the board of directors for the Learning Web, an agency that provides a continuum of care to Tompkins County youth—providing apprenticeships and mentorships for all, as well as supportive services for unhoused youth up to age 24. I’ve served on this board for the past eight years, seven as president.”

Cindy Rodríguez , MPA ’19 , is excited to share that she is Vermont Public’s new senior vice president of people and culture. Vermont Public is an independent, community-supported media organization created in 2021 from the merger of Vermont Public Radio and Vermont PBS. It provides news, music, and educational programming through various platforms and is funded primarily by member donations. Outside of work, Cindy has been enjoying travel and spending time with her family and friends. She recently checked a place off her bucket list—Berlin, Germany—and also traveled to Sydney, Australia.

Samantha Corkern , MPA ’23 , co-founded the Walisha Foundation in an effort to reduce food insecurity in East Africa. From the organization’s website: “Our journey began with a clear vision: to empower smallholder farmers and young graduates, catalyzing a shift toward sustainable agricultural practices. We recognize the pivotal role of wheat and maize in securing food sources across Africa, and our mission is to empower farmers to achieve a hunger-free Africa.”

Jeff Mausner , JD ’76 , has been volunteering in various aspects of animal welfare since his retirement from practicing law in 2012. Jeff has received recognition for his work several times, including receiving a Special Commendation from the California Legislature in 2024, the Guardian of the Animals Award from In Defense of Animals in 2023, and the “best of” award from the Los Angeles Neighborhood Councils in 2017 for his volunteer work saving the lives of thousands of dogs, cats, and other animals and improving animal shelter conditions.

Dan Emery , JD ’80 , writes, “I am cutting back my law practice, but continue doing public benefits work and some pro bono work, and participate in and support nonprofits. I have been on the board of Pine Tree Legal Assistance, Maine’s civil legal aid group, for almost 10 years, and spent the past three as board chair. This is very rewarding work, and I trace my interest to two years in the Law School’s Legal Aid Clinic. I am also a water reporter for Friends of Casco Bay, providing photo evidence of phenomena like algae blooms, erosion, and sea level rise. I took some environmental law at the Law School and have retained that interest. I am grateful for the education I received at the Law School, which has allowed me to pursue a rewarding career and other interests including the above.”

Russell Yankwitt , JD ’96 , celebrated his law firm’s 15th anniversary. Started in his kitchen at a folding table with one employee, Yankwitt LLP has turned into a 20-plus-employee boutique law firm in Westchester County, NY. This year, Russell was honored with Pace University’s Westchester Changemakers Award, which pays tribute to outstanding individuals who have contributed significantly to the advancement of Westchester County. He has also been selected by Super Lawyers as a Top 10 attorney in New York this year, which will be formally announced in October. Russell also has the only Westchester-based law firm ranked in Chambers and Partners, one of the most respected resources in the legal industry. He is also the honoree of this year’s Legal Services of the Hudson Valley Equal Access to Justice Awards Dinner and serves on the Federal Bar Council Executive Committee as treasurer.

Lou Guard ,  JD ’12 , co-wrote a book titled  All the Campus Lawyers : Litigation, Regulation, and the New Era of Higher Education  that made the  New Yorker  “Best Books of 2024” list. The book traces the legal controversies affecting college and university campuses, including issues of free speech, affirmative action, and Title IX on college campuses. Lou is currently an adjunct professor of law on the Hill. A signed copy of the book was added to the Cornelliana collection in the University Library.

Welcome to our newest offering: Group Notes! Like Class Notes, these columns are written by alumni, but they comprise news about members of Cornell groups—including campus activities, alumni organizations, and more—across generations. If you would like to see your group represented here, email us for more information!

Continuous Reunion Club

We Continuous Reunion Club members experience our Reunions in many varied ways. Happily, two of our members wrote reports of the weekend’s events for us to enjoy.

First, we have a report from Connie Santagato Hosterman ’57 : Reunion 2024 brought the Continuous Reunion Club members back to the sky lounge of High Rise 5 for their headquarters. We made great use of the lounge for our continental breakfasts and our interesting late-night discussions. Dot Preisner Valachovic ’71 and I arrived early on Wednesday to assist our CRC clerk, grad student Irene Xu , JD ’22 , and the three non-Reunion year (NRY) clerks, Suha, Chloe, and Elana, in the transformation of the bland sixth-floor lobby into a bright, decorated, lively spot. The four clerks quickly bonded and enhanced the initial welcome of all who came to register.

Did we CRC members entice some of the NRY attendees to join us? Of course! By noon on Thursday our CRC president, Melinda Dower ’78 , and vice president Pat Reilly ’78 , accompanied by her husband, had arrived. Soon the ice was in place, so out from the locked “booze room” came beverages and munchies. Let the fun begin!

The highlight for CRC members this year was a visit to William “Buck” Briggs ’76 ’s singular treasure of Cornell and Ithaca memorabilia. There was the bar from the Royal Palm, complete with barstools! There was the lit neon sign from Joe’s! There were lit neon signs from The Rose! There were pieces of bowling lanes from a long defunct Ithaca bowling arena where a band could perch! A large sign obtained from Sam Gould’s Collegetown Store hung from the ceiling. Every way we turned, we saw more and more artifacts from bygone years.

Buck admitted to often being at the right place at the right time and even dumpster-diving at demolition sites to find these treasures. He knows “guys” who help him retrieve and restore his many, many items. There were significant photos, paintings, and old prints as well. Seeing Buck’s amazing collections was truly a nostalgic trip through time.

Dinosaur BBQ catered our Saturday night supper under a tent, perfect for this year’s changeable weather. We had plenty of time to head to Bailey Hall for Cornelliana Night and then to the tents. The evening wrapped up with great camaraderie in our sky lounge headquarters. The next morning, we scattered to our homes, leaving with these heartfelt words: “See you next year!”

And now, a report from John Cecilia ’70 , MBA ’79: One of the great advantages of CRC is the freedom to do many varied things at Reunion, as the group plans only a few special CRC events. This leaves time for exploration of all the various presentations, breakfasts, and more done by schools and organizations in the broad university. But with that freedom to explore the plethora of activities comes the possibility of trying to do too many things at Reunion, and not having enough time or energy. This year I may have overwhelmed myself with too much!

One of the great advantages of CRC is the freedom to do many varied things at Reunion. John Cecilia ’70, MBA ’79

2024 was the 45th Reunion of my Johnson School MBA program. Being retired, and not being a practicing corporado anymore, very few of the Johnson activities were of much interest. In fact, prior to arriving in Ithaca, I had planned only to be at the class picture-taking session for individual Johnson classes. In addition, only three individual classmates, including me, attended! One of the others was an old acquaintance, and an undergrad from another university, and had little knowledge of the breadth of activities a Cornell Reunion offers. So she and I joined forces, and off we went.

One very interesting advantage was the fact that an old undergrad roommate and his Cornellian wife were the registrars for their Class of ’69 Reunion and gave me some leeway to attend some of their events. OMG, more choices to make! So what transpired was a collection of events that had us running around the campus, from the bottom of the hill at West Campus to the far reaches of North Campus and beyond, and missing some special CRC events.

But we did a lot, some of which is mentioned here! A wine tasting with retired Johnson professor Joe Thomas. A quiet late meal at the Statler. A sumptuous breakfast and interesting talks (and stuff) with the Sibley School (mechanical engineering) at its 150th birthday. Being at President Martha Pollack’s last State of the University address and being witnesses to the mini-protest and her very smooth handling of same during her talk. Attending CRC member Andrea Strongwater ’70 ’s Nabokov butterfly event with children. Standing in line to purchase mementos at the Cornell Store. A marvelous stroll through the Botanic Gardens. Cornelliana Night (up close!). The tents. And an impromptu farewell breakfast at the Ithaca Bakery before we began our individual journeys home.

For my graduate school companion, I believe it was an eye-opening weekend, experiencing the breadth and depth of alumni activity available at Cornell Reunions, along with the impossibility of seeing and doing everything! She does intend to join the Continuous Reunion Club, so we can do this every year!

Thanks to our two roving reporters for their accounts! ❖ Connie Santagato Hosterman ’57 ( email Connie ) | John Cecilia ’70, MBA ’79 ( email John ) | Alumni Directory .

Hello, fellow Cornell fencers, and welcome to Group Notes! I’m excited to introduce this new column to share our alumni’s journeys, both personal and professional, while highlighting the latest on the team.

If we haven’t met, I’m Adam Kirsch ’15 , MBA ’16. Like many of you, Cornell fencing was an integral part of my college experience. While I spend most of my time now working as a consultant advising companies on mergers and acquisitions, I still enjoy breaking out the blades when I can and look forward to returning to the competitive fencing scene in fall 2024. I recently returned from a vacation to the United Kingdom, where my family and I worked with local archivists to trace our heritage to a small town in the English countryside, finding the pub operated by my ancestors still standing!

It seems like just yesterday we were all enjoying each other’s company in Ithaca at our annual Alumni Weekend and Spring Awards Dinner! There was a lot to celebrate—including the men’s team’s club national championship (for more, see the Cornell Chronicle story here , which features Gabriel Montalvo-Zotter ’24 , Riley Xian ’25 , and Max Dolmetsch ’25 ). It made the banquet even more special to recognize this team while commemorating the 2004 national champions—represented in Ithaca by Matt Herndon ’04 , Mike Klinger ’06 , Frank Castelli ’05 , PhD ’17, Jason Lin ’04 , and James Morris ’05 .

Matt now resides in State College, PA, and serves on the Borough Council, where he focuses on safer streets, housing affordability, sustainability, and inclusion. Mike traveled to sunny Ithaca from Honolulu, HI, where he works as a civil rights attorney and has recently declined two requests to play bass in a Toad the Wet Sprocket cover band. Dr. Castelli, a longtime Ithaca resident, left the familiar grounds of East Hill to take a new role at Atlanta’s Georgia State University.

I still enjoy breaking out the blades when I can and look forward to returning to the competitive fencing scene in fall 2024. Adam Kirsch ’15, MBA ’16

Also recognized were a number of scholar-athletes: the Graeme Jennings Award went to Molly Veerkamp ’24 and Gabe Montalvo-Zotter ’24; the Scholar Athlete of the Year for the third year in a row was Emma Ni ’25 ; the Georges Cointe Award went to two athletes with endless spirit and energy, Lucas Lutar ’25 and Isabela Carvalho ’27 ; with Patrick’s parents both in attendance, the Patrick DeNeale Award went to Riley Xian ’25 and Sterre Hoogendoorn ’24 ; and the Outstanding Athlete of the Year Awards went to Ketki Ketkar ’26 in epee and Langston Johnson ’27 in sabre.

Notably, Ketki won the NCAA Regional this season in commanding fashion. She earned bronze at NCAA Nationals and closed out the season as an All-American! Ketki is the first fencer to accomplish this feat since Victoria Wines ’17 . Since graduating from Boston College Law School in 2022, Vicki has served as the U.S. compliance lead at McGill and Partners.

Alan Petroff ’74 joined us from Huntsville, AL—bringing with him a wide selection of Yellowhammer beers from his home state! Alan’s Heroes Project, an effort to capture the stories and signatures of the greatest fencers in Cornell’s history, has brought many alumni back into the fold while paying tribute to the rich past of our fencing program.

Doug Herz ’73 coordinated a well-attended alumni meetup in Boston. We’d love to hear from you if you’re interested in organizing an alumni meetup in your home city.

Let us know what you’re up to! To be featured in Group Notes, email your update to: ❖ Adam Kirsch ’15 , MBA ’16 ( email Adam ) | Alumni Directory .

University Chorus & Glee Club

’Tis the summer of reuniting our favorite Cornell singers, from Reunion itself to meetups and joint trips elsewhere around the globe.

From what I heard about Reunion, the weather wasn’t the best, but the camaraderie was wonderful. Adam Juran ’94 , BA ’21, wrote, “It was so much fun making music again after 30 years! Don’t think we should wait so long before doing that again.” Chuck Walter ’99 posted a lovely video of the Chorus singing “The Hill” on the Glee Club Facebook page , to which TP Enders ’90 , ME ’96, commented, “I was thinking as this was going on, that sitting on the Bailey stage, surrounded by ‘The Hill’ being sung in earnest, and looking out over a dimly lit, spellbound audience, must surely be the very pinnacle of the Reunion experience. I’m glad you captured this exquisite moment. Nice to see you, Chuck, and the rest of you 4 and 9 hooligans. Looking forward to a proper 0 and 5 event next year after 2020’s was derailed.” I, too, am looking forward to my much-delayed 25th (aka my 30th) next year (June 5–8, 2025—save the date!) and hope to see many of my Chorus and Glee Club friends in attendance!

It was so much fun making music again after 30 years! Don’t think we should wait so long before doing that again. Adam Juran ’94, BA ’21

In mid-June, after our kids finished school, Esther Cohen Bezborodko ’94 and I took our families to a beautiful Airbnb adjacent to a lovely beach on the Chesapeake Bay right outside of Virginia Beach. It was a glorious four days with three adults, five kids, and a puppy, and everyone had a blast. Esther’s son had his bar mitzvah in May, and her youngest daughter will have hers in November. The family recently moved to North Riverdale (from South Riverdale) and love it there. Performance wise, Esther is now studying with Erik Nelson Werner, and she and her children recently performed in a gala benefit for their local theater featuring lots of Broadway luminaries—a great experience all around, she said.

Steve Engelbrecht ’01 spent the summer in Geneva, Switzerland, with his family. His kids (Alex, 8, Nora, 7, and Steven, 4) were enrolled in a bilingual summer camp and he and his wife were taking French lessons. They had posted some pictures on Facebook and got a reply from Michael Banino ’94 , BA ’95, who lives in Jakarta with his wife, Morgan, and son Finch, 5, but his sister lives in Geneva and they visit every summer. Steve writes, “We were able to work out a get-together at a local place for some delicious local cuisine, a stroll through the Vieille Ville, and a ride on the Ferris wheel in this beautiful city!”

Your updates are music to my ears—please keep them coming! Until we meet again. ❖ Alison Torrillo French ’95 ( email Alison ) | Alumni Directory .

Top image: Photo by Noël Heaney / Cornell University

Published September 1, 2024

The best equatorial mounts in 2024

Equatorial mounts are tripod heads for astrophotography, that allow long exposures of stars, planets and outer space

The Quick List

• Best overall
• Best for light telescopes
• Best for heavy telescopes
• Best premium
• How to choose

The Quick List ↩ 1. Best overall 2. Best for light telescopes 3. Best for heavy telescopes 4. Best premium How to choose

If you want to embark on astrophotography, owning one of the best equatorial mounts isn’t just desirable, it’s essential. 

As the Earth turns on its axis, the sky above seems to spin, with stars rising in the east and setting in the west. If you point a camera at a certain point in the night sky and leave it on an exposure longer than 30 seconds, you’ll notice that the images of the stars become trailed as they move during the time of the exposure. If your intention is not to take images of star trails (which is an art form in itself) then you need to be able to track the motion of the stars throughout the exposure, so that they appear as sharp points of light, rather than trails. This is where an equatorial mount is crucial.

When you buy an equatorial mount, you want one that tracks smoothly and accurately, with quiet motors so you don’t wake the neighbors, has long battery life on cold nights, can carry all the equipment that you’re going to put on it (telescope, eyepieces, filters, cameras and so on) and which fits with your budget. 

So which do you choose? For the uninitiated, there’s a bewildering amount of choice, but I have selected a few that cover a range of requirements and budgets.

Gemma works for the European Space Agency and was the editor of  All About Space magazine. She is the author of several books including "Quantum Physics in Minutes", and "Haynes Owners’ Workshop Manual to the Large Hadron Collider". She holds a degree in physical sciences, a Master’s in astrophysics and a PhD in computational astrophysics.

With a mighty payload capacity and a delightful setup process, this is a well-engineered system that supports accurate exposures. Read more below…

It’s not rated for supporting heavyweight equipment, but it does have a wide choice of options for alignment and tracking. Read more below…

This compact mount supports any payload outside of the most extravagant, with powerful enough tracking to keep up. Read more below…

Individual tuning by hand in the factory makes all the difference when it comes to using this powerful but elegant system. Read more below…

Best equatorial mounts in 2024

Why you can trust Digital Camera World Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out how we test.

Best equatorial mount overall

1. Sky-Watcher EQ6-R PRO SkyScan GOTO Extra Heavy Duty Equatorial Mount and Tripod

Specifications, reasons to buy, reasons to avoid.

Sky-Watcher’s EQ6-R PRO SynScan is a delight to set up and use, with some nifty extra features thrown in. Its large payload capacity means that it can mount almost any feasible combination of telescope and imaging accessories. We can safely say that if you get this mount, you probably won’t ever need to upgrade to another because it can handle pretty much anything.

Two features provide the key to its success. One is the inbuilt polarscope, for aligning the mount on the Pole Star, Polaris. Rather than looking through an eyepiece, the view through the polarscope is displayed on the hand controller’s screen. Then you just have to adjust the alt-az bolts to centre Polaris in the field of view – it was dead easy when we tried it, and didn’t require any further accessories or software. Just be aware that the polarscope has an illuminated reticle: we found that you’ll need to turn the illumination down, or the view will be obscured by a red glow.

Second is the periodic error correction (PEC) facility, which corrects for backlash caused by gaps between the motor gears. PEC ‘trains’ the mount to compensate for the backlash. It’s pretty straightforward, involving slewing to any star near the celestial equator – we selected one of the stars of Orion’s Belt – then tracking that star using ‘PEC Training Mode’. Subsequently, we found that the PEC was consistently successful in maintaining sub-arcsecond accuracy while tracking deep-sky objects across the sky, allowing us to take longer exposures before any tracking errors could interfere. Rarely were exposures wasted, making for far more efficient data capture.

• Back to the top ⤴

Best equatorial mount for light telescopes

2. Sky-Watcher EQ5 PRO SynScan Go-To Equatorial Mount and Tripod

Sky-Watcher’s EQ5 PRO SynScan equatorial Go-To mount is the perfect example of a great mount that wants to work with you, not against you. Out of the box, the setup was straightforward; and out under the sky, the polar alignment was wonderfully versatile, with one, two, and three-star alignment options.

Why would you need so many alignment options? It all depends on your needs. If you’re just out under the stars for a bit of quick grab-and-go astronomy before it clouds over again, one-star alignment is sufficient. We found that under one-star alignment, the Go-To was placing our chosen targets in the center of the field of view to within an accuracy of about an arc-minute – certainly good enough for a spot of visual observing.

Of course, if you’re planning an all-night session obtaining deep exposures, you’re going to want to opt for the three-star alignment for maximum accuracy – and we found the tracking to be mostly spot on.

There are 10 different slew speeds to get you around the sky and to track objects (not everything moves at the rate of stars – the Moon, planets, and some comets will track faster than the background stars). Thankfully the motors are fairly quiet, even at the fastest slewing speed.

Where the mount is limited is in its carrying capacity. Though it’s a stable, even chunky build, it’s not a heavyweight mount, with a 9.1-kilogram payload capacity. This limits the mount to smaller telescopes, but we were confident with it carrying a 6-inch refractor with room to spare for imaging accessories. It could probably carry a five-inch reflector, but not larger apertures.

Best equatorial mount for heavy telescopes

3. Celestron CGX Equatorial Mount and Tripod

The CGX is widely hailed as Celestron ’s best astrophotography mount, and having given it a spin, we’d have to agree. It succeeds over its predecessors thanks to advances in its mechanics: improved motors facilitate smoother, quieter slewing. Even the tracking capabilities of heavy-duty mounts can become sluggish when a ton of equipment is mounted on them; not so the CGX, which happily copes with large payloads with all the comfort of a championship weightlifter.

So what, exactly, is so improved? It’s all in the design of the worm drive in the mount’s motor, which is now belt-driven and spring-loaded, leaving out unnecessary gear cogs where gaps in the gear teeth can cause a backlash. The mount slews wonderfully smoothly as a result, with nine different slew speeds to choose from. On top of this, there’s Periodic Error Correction, and it all resulted in an extremely good performance.

The CGX is a heavy-lifter, designed for large telescope apertures of between 6 and 11 inches – light buckets for capturing the faintest of galaxies and nebulae. The equatorial head has a low profile, making the mount more compact and therefore more stable and not prone to wobbling, unlike some larger models. It also features professional-level control software, which Celestron has designed in conjunction with a high-end instrument manufacturer, Planewave Instruments. All in all, the CGX oozes quality.

There’s also the CGX-L, which seriously ups the already impressive payload credentials among other enhancements, but costs around 80 per cent more than the CGX.

Best premium equatorial mount

4. Losmandy GM811G Equatorial GoTo Mount

The Losmandy GM811G is hand-tuned in the factory, ensuring that the engineering and resulting performance of every single mount produced is optimized. As we found out during our hands-on time, that makes a heck of a difference, both in terms of the feel of the build quality, and what the mount is like to use.

The GM811G is a hybrid of two of Losmandy’s previous mounts, the smaller GM8 model and the weightlifter that is the G11. The GM811G combines the relatively lightweight mount of the G8 with the large carrying capacity of the G11. This ratio of weight to carrying capacity is extremely helpful, especially if you have to regularly lug the mount to your favorite dark-sky location of a star party.

The GM811G comes with all the bells and whistles that you’d expect – periodic error correction, a huge Go-To database, and a hand controller, the Gemini 2, which really deserves a mention here. Unlike most other hand controllers with their five-line LED monochrome screens, the Gemini 2 is furnished with a color touch-screen, finally bringing hand controllers into the 21st century. You can even connect it to your PC using a USB cable, and mate it to your favorite planetarium software.

There are two options for tripods: the lightweight (LW) model or the chunkier heavy-duty (HD) version, for when you really want to load up the mount. For carrying a five-inch imaging refractor and associated paraphernalia – CCD, filter wheel etc – the LW tripod is more than up to the task. The mount smoothly cruises around the sky – somewhat noisily, be we found its GoTo accuracy to be spot-on, with minimal backlash. 

The mount is pricy, but if you want a mount that has received personal care from someone in the factory rather than just come off a production line, and has a high carrying capacity and exceptional tracking, the GM811G is the one for you.

How to choose the best equatorial mount

I’m new to astrophotography – why do i need an equatorial mount.

If you want to capture the night sky in its fullest detail, you need to use long exposures. But, as the Earth rotates, stars will move within your image frame during the exposure, causing either a loss in sharpness or star trails, which are created by the same stars exposing multiple times.

You therefore need a mount for your camera that has the ability to move in alignment with the stars, so that they seem to remain in the same place for the duration of your exposure.

Star-trackers are simple lightweight mounts for wide-angle night sky images, where you use a regular lens with your camera. They’re a great way to dip your toe into astrophotography, and you can read our guide to the best star-trackers to learn more about them.

The next step up is a full telescopic mount, like the equatorial mounts we look at there. These take the weight of a telescope; you can then attach your camera to the telescope via an adapter ring, effectively turning your telescope into a super-long-distance telephoto lens. Now you can capture smaller segments of the night sky in glorious detail.

As well as the extra weight they can take, equatorial mounts typically feature GoTo technology, which enables the telescope to point to a specific star or constellation of your choice.

Is it complicated to set up an equatorial mount so that it’s ready for use?

The main thing you have to do is to help your system understand where it should be pointing, which is pretty straightforward with modern mounts.

The rotation of the night sky is around an axis centered on the celestial pole. The closest star to this pole is Polaris, the famous Pole Star, and all the stars appear to rotate around this spot. And so, to track the movement of the stars, the telescope mount must also rotate around this point. Enabling your mount and telescope can do this requires a simple process called polar alignment, but you need an equatorial mount to make it possible. 

For contrast, alt-azimuth mounts simply move up and down and left and right, rather than following the arc of the stars around the sky, which makes tracking for long exposures impossible.

To polar align, you must first set the tilt of the polar axis to match your latitude. Manual equatorial mounts will feature setting circles that allow you to do this, but with computerized Go-To equatorial mounts you can simply set your location using the database in the hand controller, and following an alignment procedure that targets several bright stars that are then matched to their positions in the database, so the mount knows exactly where its location is. This is particularly handy if you don’t know your latitude! 

Then, target the Pole Star in the finderscope (you can also invest in a small polarscope that provides more accurate fine-tuning so you are pointed exactly at the celestial pole). Once done, you can rest assured that your equatorial mount is polar aligned, and if you’re imaging using a motorised mount, you can do so safe in the knowledge that your image will feature pinpoint stars, not long star trails.

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Gemma is content director of science and space magazines How It Works and All About Space , history magazines All About History and History of War as well as Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM) kids education brand Future Genius . She is the author of several books including "Quantum Physics in Minutes", "Haynes Owners’ Workshop Manual to the Large Hadron Collider" and "Haynes Owners’ Workshop Manual to the Milky Way". She holds a degree in physical sciences, a Master’s in astrophysics and a PhD in computational astrophysics. She was elected as a fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society in 2011. Previously, she worked for Nature's journal, Scientific Reports , and created scientific industry reports for the Institute of Physics and the British Antarctic Survey . She has covered stories and features for publications such as Physics World, Astronomy Now and Astrobiology Magazine.

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These Computerized Mounts are excellent for saving time and effort, letting you bypass time-consuming and complex processes in favor of getting your eyes on the stars quicker!

No more tedious set-up to manually track objects in the night sky. With little more than the push of a button, the Telescope Mount aligns itself and will locate and “go to” any of the objects in its database. Astronomy became more fun and much easier than ever before! Click the Learn More Button to read more!

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Computerized Telescope Mounts

Though some hobbyists swear by the analog, hand-steered systems, computerized telescope mounts have revolutionized the game. Also known as a GoTo mount, a digital system can deliver hands-free, accurate tracking of celestial objects, making it easier to capture stunning images without blur. At OPT, we carry GoTo equatorial mount , Dobsonian GoTo mount, and other mount options to meet your needs.

If you’re looking for ease of use and a quick setup, consider an alt-az automatic telescope mount . These computerized mounts move on two axes — up/down and left/right — and don’t need to be aligned with Polaris to begin tracking. This makes it a great telescope for beginners. For instance, the Celestron NexStar 6SE Computerized Telescope is a turnkey package capable of automatically pointing to and tracking over 40,000 objects in the sky. To align it, you simply need to choose three bright objects, and the system will do the rest. With its 6-inch aperture, you’ll see Jupiter’s cloud bands and lunar surface features. The Sky-Watcher 8” is another excellent beginner package featuring a Dobsonian GoTo mount and a collapsible telescope.

You can expand your astrophotography capabilities by choosing a GoTo equatorial mount. Equatorial mounts like the iOptron GEM45 work on the same two axes as an alt-az mount, but the system is tilted to account for latitude. This allows you to align with Polaris and track circumpolar orbits. Our selection of GoTo equatorial mounts are high-quality and high-functioning, with an impressive range of payload weights and quick polar alignment. Low power consumption, whisper-quiet mechanics, and internal cable management systems ensure ease of use.

One of the main benefits of our computerized telescope mounts is their compatibility with software and operating systems. Using your favorite PC, astrophotography controller, or alignment tools, you can reduce the time spent performing rote labor and increase the amount of time spent stargazing. This compatibility opens the door for increased use opportunities, from deep space photography to planetary and lunar exposures.

If you have any questions about the features and functions of our computerized telescope mounts, contact our knowledgeable Sales Team .

Still have questions? We have answers.

What is the advantage of computer-controlled mounts for telescopes?

One advantage of an automatic telescope mount is its ability to navigate in severely light-polluted skies. Computerized mounts allow you to align when stars are less visible and can save beginners and experts alike significant amounts of time.

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Best telescope mounts in 2024

Here, you can check out the best telescope mounts of 2024 with our comprehensive round-up of what's out there.

If you're looking for the best telescope mounts out there then you're in the right place as we've rounded up all the top models on the market. Telescope mounts are crucial to an astronomer's stargazing experience and we've discovered the best the market has to offer. 

When choosing a new telescope, buyers can focus too heavily on the optical tube assembly. This is especially the case with novice astronomers and those buying gifts, but a poorly assembled mount can lead to a frustrating experience. 

Best telescopes Best binoculars Best monocular Best cameras for astrophotography Best locations for astrophotography and skywatching

As those with more experience will know, having one of the best telescope mounts in your inventory can vital for your stargazing experience. If your telescope is mounted on a flimsy or poor quality telescope mount, it can lead to a more unstable and far more frustrating experience. 

The good news is there's something for everyone in this guide. It doesn't matter whether you're looking for something portable to use on-the-go or a mount for your permanent stargazing spot. 

Below you'll find a range of the best telescope mounts so that there's something to suit everyone and every budget. It doesn't matter if you're in the market for a manual alt-azimuth mount or a fully computerized go-to equatorial, you're sure to find one of the best telescope mounts on the market that's perfectly suited to you. 

What type of mount should I buy?

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Telescope mounts come in a wide variety of designs. The most common types are: Alt-azimuth, German equatorial, Fork mounted equatorial and Dobsonian. See our summary at the bottom of this page to discover how each mount varies and what they're best for.

All of these types can be offered in manual, motorized, or computerized formats. The best choice depends upon your own observing requirements. For example, a manual mount such as a low-cost Dobsonian would be ideal for visual observing. For astrophotography, a motorized or computerized equatorial mount is desirable.

Sky-Watcher EQ-5 Deluxe Mount and Tripod

Our expert review:

Specifications

Reasons to buy, reasons to avoid.

Sky-Watcher's EQ-5 mount has long been used by amateur astronomers worldwide. Its modest size, low cost and array of features have made it among the most popular small telescope mounts ever produced. It is one of the most popular entry-level equatorial mounts on the market. The EQ-5 also comes as part of many small telescope packages offering the option to purchase a complete telescope with a proper astronomical mounting.

Above is featured the manual version, but for an additional cost dual-axis motor drives can be added enabling a great platform with which to venture into trying astrophotography. An optional polar scope is also available for fast and accurate polar alignment. The EQ-5 is a highly capable portable mount and is easily capable of holding most small telescope tubes up to around 20cm aperture.

Sky-Watcher EQ-5 Pro GOTO Mount & Tripod

The fully computerized version of Sky-Watcher's EQ5 mount represents a great mount to venture into the world of astrophotography with. Along with dual axis motor drives, it offers full go-to capability with a large object database. Multiple tracking rates are also available as is an autoguider port for long-exposure deep-sky imaging. 

The EQ-5 performs best of all with small telescope tubes. Refractors below 5-inches (13cm) and reflectors below 8-inches (20cm) are the best fit for this mount. For example, it is perfectly capable of providing a solid platform for the highly popular 8-inch (20cm) Schmidt Cassegrain telescope. The EQ-5 is also highly portable and is an ideal choice for those without a permanent observing site.

Celestron Advanced VX GOTO Equatorial Mount

Celestron's Advanced VX mount is a modern revision of their popular CG-5 mount and a direct competitor to the Sky-Watcher EQ-5. It offers an array of advanced features and a slightly increased payload capacity meaning larger optical tubes can be used. For example, Celestron offers this mount as part of a package with their popular C8 Schmidt Cassegrain for which it is well suited.

The slewing and tracking accuracy of the VX mount is also impressive and the control system is very user-friendly and easy to get to grips with. The polar alignment method available using the telescope software is easily accomplished and results in accurate alignment. Overall the VX mount is a great platform for most small telescopes and is one of the best available at its price point.

Celestron Heavy Duty Alt-Azimuth Tripod

The Celestron Heavy Duty Alt-Azimuth tripod is an ideal entry-level mounting for binoculars or small telescopes. It offers manual slow-motion controls for fine adjustments and its standard camera tripod mounting bracket allows quick attachment of many small telescopes, binoculars or cameras.

Though the simplest entry of the six mounts we look at here, it's a sturdy and solid tripod that will nicely hold a small telescope in the 3-inch to 5-inch (7-13cm) aperture range. The addition of slow-motion controls is useful, especially for observing objects at higher magnifications. Overall, this is a nice low-cost mount for those just starting out, or anyone looking for a quick 'grab and go' mount for a small telescope or binoculars.

Sky-Watcher AZ-EQ6GT GOTO Dual Mount

The AZ-EQ6GT mount is the latest incarnation of Skywatcher's much-used EQ6 mount. This mount has proven hugely popular over the past two decades, and this latest version offers some great features. The ability to operate in either equatorial or alt-azimuth works well and its decent payload capacity means many different telescopes can be mounted to it.

The mount also has a neat feature of the user being able to move the telescope around manually without the mount losing its positional information meaning it can be slewed using the motors or pushed by hand. The quote payload capacity is impressive and well above the entry-level mounts such as the EQ-5. The EQ-6, in any form, is a great choice for the more serious amateur astronomer and this latest version is a great addition.

Losmandy G-11 Equatorial Mount

The Losmandy G-11 mount is one of the most popular serious telescope mounts of the past few decades. Its superb build quality and great performance has garnered a loyal following over the years. The latest version offers dual-axis go-to slewing via the Gemini 2 system. It can also carry larger telescopes and is an ideal platform for serious astrophotographers.

Having been a long-time owner and user of the G-11 mount its flexibility, performance and build quality put it among the best serious mounts available. You can also order the mount with a high-quality polar alignment scope which allows fast and very accurate alignment for those who do not have a permanent observing site. Overall, a superb choice for the more serious or experienced observer.

There are different mounts to account for different types of skywatching and stargazing techniques, each with their own unique uses.  Alt-azimuth mounts are the most basic, offering a design whereby the telescope is moved in a horizontal or vertical motion to locate objects. These mounts can come in either manual or computerized formats. Typically most Dobsonian's are manual alt-azimuth mounts with fork-mounted Schmidt Cassegrains being computerized alt-azimuth.

The German equatorial mount is probably the most popular telescope mount design for amateur size telescopes. The equatorial mount compensates for Earth's rotation by having one axis aligned to the celestial pole allowing a motor drive to move the telescope in sync with the apparent motion of the night sky. This allows the telescope to keep track of any celestial target for long periods allowing astrophotography to be attempted.

The fork-mounted equatorial is often found these days as an option for computerized Schmidt Cassegrain whereby the fork-mounted telescope will sit on a wedge allowing it to be aligned to the celestial pole.

This type of mounting is a variation on the alt-azimuth design specially for Newtonian reflecting telescopes. These are available in simple manual push-pull design or fully computerized with object tracking and go-to.

As mentioned above the type of mount you require will depend upon exactly what you want to do, but there are a few rules that apply regardless of the mount you choose.

Firstly, you need to make sure your telescope mount isn't massively under-sized as unstable mounts can be criminally frustrating. You also shouldn't go for anything that's considerably above your knowledge and experience level as, again, you could be left frustrated. Since a good mount that matches the size and weight of your telescope is vital, it's also important you don't blow your budget on the telescope and leave just pennies left over. Investing a little money in the mount itself can give you a stable and reliable stargazing experience you want, regardless of the money you've spent on the telescope.   

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Damian A. Peach FRAS  is a British amateur astronomer, astrophotographer, lecturer and author. Best known for his photographs of a wide variety of astronomical objects. His career in the field spans over thirty years. Peach's passion for Astronomy first began in 1988 inspired by books in his school library. Later he joined the British Astronomical Association (BAA) in 1996 and since then has contributed large amounts of observations to the various observing sections and also written and co-authored many papers in the organization's journal. He was awarded the organization's prestigious Merlin Medal in 2006. The same year he was also awarded the Association of Lunar and Planetary Observers (ALPO) Walter H. Haas award for his contributions. Peach has provided astronomical images for magazines and books throughout his career. His images have been featured in Astronomy Magazine, Sky & Telescope, Astronomy Now & The Sky at Night. He has also authored articles on astrophotography for these magazines. Peach has also been a co-author on several professional scientific papers on planetary astronomy, especially regarding work on Mars and Jupiter. He was one of only a few amateur astronomers to have work featured as part of the national Explorers of the Universe exhibition at the Royal Albert Hall in 2007. His work has also appeared at the Edinburgh Science Festival, and The Royal Greenwich Observatory. Peach's work has also been used by NASA and ESA to illustrate what ground-based telescopes can achieve in photographing the planets, and the support they can provide to professional space probe missions.

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Best Portable Telescope Mounts Buyer's Guide

Looking for a portable telescope mount to maximise the quality of your work telescope mounts are essential. we've put together a comprehensive buyer's guide reviewing our top mounts available on the market for those who want a more portable solution..

Looking for the best portable telescope mounts in the market? You have come to the right place!

As a telescope requires ultimate stability to perform its function while producing the quality of image it is intended to, mounts and tripod stands have become the most valuable accessory related to telescopes.

Here is a list of affordable yet qualitatively best portable telescope mounts available in the market. Whereas our buying guide includes almost every aspect, one ought to carefully evaluate before purchasing a telescope. In short, our blog contains everything you need to know about portable telescopes.

Our Overall #1 Rated Pick

If you're looking for the best portable telescope mounts that is affordable, easy to use for beginners, and has a great build quality, our top pick is the Orion 10010 Atlas Pro.

Sturdy frame construction

Motorized mount, 44 pounds payload capacity, polar alignment software, best portable telescope mounts based on user reviews.

Let's take a look at the top products on the market, based on the average rating by real customers just like you.

Product Name

Orion Atlas Pro AZ/EQ-G

Orion 9995 Sirius EQ-G

Celestron CGX

Orion AstroView EQ Mount

Sky-Watcher EQM-35 Telescope Mount

Sky-Watcher HEQ5

Celestron CG-4 Equatorial Mount

Celestron 9055 Equatorial Telescope Mount

Orion Sirius AZ/EQ-G

Best Portable Telescope Mounts: A Complete Review

If you've made it this far into the reviews then you must be serious about your buying choice.

Now that we've covered the quick list of products, let's break down each of them to see why they have been chosen.

In this section we'll cover the pro's and con's of each and give you some ideas of who each product is most suitable for.

Orion Atlas Pro AZ/EQ-G Computerized Telescope Mount

The Orion Atlas Pro is a computerized telescope mount. It has been the most popular telescope among astronomer’s community. The mounts also come handy when you plan to go to different places for astrophotography. 

The mount can hold almost 44 pounds of weight. Telescope’s extra weight needs additional support to keep it balanced on the polar axis. That is why the German Equatorial mounts come with counterweights on the other end of the telescope. 

The telescope mount has robust structure and stability. It also has a high torque belt drive motor mechanism. The system controls the motion, so it is more precise and more comfortable to handle. It also includes a new feature of Polar Alignment software that helps in natural alignments.

Precise motion

Can be used by pc or smartphone, additional wi-fi kit, smooth latitude adjustment, handheld control is less accurate as using a smartphone app, an expensive investment, orion 9995 sirius eq-g computerized telescope mount.

The Orion Sirius is one of the best and highly used telescope mounts for astrophotography. It is a computerized mount that provides precise and smooth movements. The mount of the telescope can hold up to 30 pounds of weight for all the astronomical applications. 

You can adjust the mount at your desired position and view great views of divine celestial objects. The mount has a go-to hand controller so that you can adjust the view according to your ease. You can view approximately 42,900 celestial objects with high precision and ease. 

The computerized hand controller has made life more manageable. It is effortless to understand and align. The tripod that comes with the mount is exceptionally robust. It has stainless-steel legs and a cast-metal spreader plate. 

The sturdiness of the mount is unmatchable with any other mount. The mount has easy polar alignment because of the polar-axis scope included. You need a 12V DC power supply for and more for the motorized operations.

Sturdy frame

Precise alignment, smooth adjustment, hold up to the 30-pound weight, robust structure tripod, exceptional movement, great value for money, you will need an additional 12v power supply; that is sold separately, celestron cgx computerized german equatorial tripod mount.

The Celestron Computerized mount and tripod is a must-have accessory with a telescope. It helps you observe the divine celestial and terrestrial objects with ease and precise control. It can handle up to 55-pound of weight. 

The additional weight of the telescope is balanced with a counterweight on the mount at the other end. So, it is stable at the polar axis as long as you observe the sky. The frame structure has a robust construction and can be carried around on trips. 

The tripod also comes with the mount and is very stable. It provides a stable and less shaky foundation. The handheld control of the computerized mount allows you to watch over 40,000 celestial objects like the moon, stars, planets, and galaxies. 

It has an improved database and motorized focus of the mount. The CGX Celestron Mount has the brand-new feature of polar alignment software that helps in easy alignments.

Computerized control

Smooth and precise movement, polar alignment software, hold up to a 55-pounds weight, stable tripod, internal cabling for a clean appearance, wide latitude range, it is a heavy mount, the financial investment is quite serious, orion 9829 skyview pro equatorial telescope mount.

The Orion SkyView is a lightweight and small, but sturdy mount. It is perfect for traveling as you can carry it with you in a carry bag. The mount is capable of holding up to 7-pounds of weight. That is why it is made to hold a small telescope or other astronomy equipment. 

The features of this telescope are not less because of its size. They are comparable to any other telescope mount. It has a rugged metal equatorial mount head that is settled on the tabletop. The tripod that comes with the mount has three spreading legs and has a robust design structure. 

The movement of the mount is precise and controlled. You can observe and locate faraway celestial and terrestrial objects easily. It is adjustable, and you can lock it at your desired position for viewing astronomical objects. 

The mount is compact and portable, with a wide tracking platform. It also includes a counterweight to help balance the telescope on the polar axis and prevent breakage or falling. Mount has dual tracking cables for manual tracking and great latitude adjustment.

Precise movement

Great latitude tracking, manual tracking, compact and portable, best for a wide field, includes counterweights, the mount takes quite some time to assemble, the polar alignment is not very advanced.

The Orion AstroView EQ Mount is a great option for an upgrade. It is not the cheapest production by Orion. This is an upgraded model as compared to other Orion mounts. It can hold up to 12-pounds of payload weight of your telescope or camera equipment for astrophotography. 

This mount is best made to balance the small refracting telescopes. It is not a computerized equatorial mount, but that is not a thing to worry about. The tracking motor keeps the focus on the first object you pointed it at. 

The movement of the mount is not shaky. It is smooth and provides a precise movement. The EQ-3M mini-motor that is attached to the mount is automatic and helps you track the celestial and terrestrial objects. 

This mount has an improved and enhanced head design structure. That features the replaceable dovetail for a quick telescope attachment.

Computerized motor

Lightweight, travel safe model, eq-3m motor for accurate tracking, replaceable dovetail, handheld controller, precise controls, it does not have any goto software, not best for long exposure astrophotography, sky-watcher eqm-35 – computerized goto german equatorial mount.

The Sky-Watcher is an Orion SkyView Pro with motors and GoTo installed. The frame is quite sturdy yet lightweight. That makes it perfect for traveling and beginner’s astronomy. 

The EQM-35 is fully equipped with advanced features, just like other mounts available in the field. It is compatible with desktop control software, autoguider, or any other thing that you need for astrophotography. 

The telescope mount can hold up to 22-pounds of weight. The best way to utilize this telescope is with a small telescope refractor or lens.  

The whole design of the mount is innovative and customizable. It can be used as a small tracking platform. The SynScan hand controller of this mount allows you to observe more than 42,000 celestial objects at ease. 

The database can store data of countless nights of astronomy without getting held. Sky-Watcher mount has a large 180-tooth RA gear on it. That makes the tracking of the Mount smooth and precise.

Counterweights

Accurate tracking, 180-tooth ra gear, software compatibility, hand controller, easy to assemble, it requires an additional 13v of power supply, the reticle is not quite aligned, sky-watcher heq5 – computerized goto german equatorial mount.

The mount for learning the astrophotography Sky-Watcher HEQ5 is perfect. It is quite similar to Orion Sirius, and the only difference is that it is a pro-version of a telescope mount. The frame is sturdy yet lightweight. 

It has exceptional tracking control for navigating celestial and terrestrial objects. The mount can hold up to 30-pounds. The HEQ5 has precise and controlled tracking that is beneficial for locating faraway planets and stars. It is compatible with EQMod drivers and a bunch of hardware accessories.  

The EQ computerized mount is lightweight so you can carry it around in a storage bag easily. It has a high-quality metal roller bearing on the right ascension and the declination axis of the mount. The built-in finderscope that helps navigate the planets easily.  

It also helps the astronomer in easy and quick polar alignment. The mount database SynScan can hold up to data for more than 42,000 celestial objects.

Precise tracking

Improved polar tracking, synscan database, eqmod drivers, hardware accessories, stainless-steel tripod, you require 13v power supply for this mount, celestron cg-4 german equatorial mount.

The Celestron Computerized mount is a must-have with a telescope. It helps you observe the divine celestial and terrestrial objects with ease and precise control. Celestron is a well-known name in the industry of astronomy equipment. 

It manufactures one of the best German Technology Equatorial Mounts. It can handle up to 12-pound of weight. The extra weight of the telescope is balanced with a 7 and 4-pounds of counterweights at the other end. 

The tripod also comes with the mount, and it has an accessory tray.  It provides a stable and less shaky foundation. It has an improved database that controls the telescope and motorized focus of the mount. 

The CG-4 Celestron Mount has the brand-new feature of polar alignment software that helps in easy alignments. It also includes RA and DEC slow-motion tracking controls that help in precise tracking of the planets and other celestial objects.

Motorized control

Motor drive, great tracking, finderscope, the alignment takes some time, orion 9055 min-eq tabletop equatorial telescope mount.

The Orion Min-EQ is a tabletop mount for small telescopes. It supports a payload of 7-pounds and does not have any GoTo features like other telescopes. It has a rugged metal equatorial mount that is attached over a tripod. 

The frame structure is sturdy and heavy-duty. It is feasible for wide-field astrophotography. You can easily adjust the angle at your desired position and view the divine celestial object at ease. 

The mount is small yet robust. That is why it is perfect for traveling. It features a counterweight that holds the telescope in balance. 

The dual slow-motion cables are included for precise manual tracking and latitude adjustment. This mount is the perfect compact tracking device for astrophotography.

Counterweight

Additional motor kit, latitude adjustment, payload capacity is minimal, orion sirius pro az/eq-g computerized goto mount.

The Orion Sirius Pro is one of the best telescope mounts for astrophotography and visual observation. It is a computerized mount that provides precise and smooth movements. The mount of the telescope can hold up to 30 pounds of weight for all the astronomical applications. 

It can support two telescopes side-by-side. You can adjust the mount at your desired position and view great views of divine celestial objects. You can view approximately 42,000 celestial objects with great precision and ease. 

The computerized hand controller has made life easier. It is effortless to move manually, and you will not lose the GoTo alignment. It is compact and collapsible.

GoTo alignment

Collapsible, can support two telescopes, none as such, portable telescope mounts buyer's guide.

It is not an easy job to select a tripod stand as it can become your partner for all your future astronomical endeavors, or it will end up sitting in your closet for the rest of its life. Since purchasing mount is a hefty investment, one ought to think properly before putting down an order. 

To help you through the process of selecting the mount perfect for your needs, we have created this buying guide that has all the information about the different types of mounts and their essential features.

Altitude Azimuth Mount 

One of the basic designs of telescopic mounts is the altitude azimuth mount; it is also abbreviated as an alt-az mount. Just as any place on earth has a specific number defining its location, the stars have their longitudes and latitudes as well. 

The motion of the mounts handling the telescopes is relevant to the movement of the stars. For altitude azimuth mounts, the left and right movement are called the azimuth, and the up-down movement is called a shift in altitude. 

As the movement of the mount depends upon the position of the NCP and stars, an altitude azimuth mount is only good when placed directly underneath the NCP, i.e., at the north pole. Since most people tend to observe the night sky from the comfort of their own homes or known camping spots, the NCP is faraway, and the natural movement of the mount in the azimuth direction becomes a hurdle. 

If you have a specific plan for your telescopes and their mounts, then an altitude azimuth mount can prove beneficial for you. But if you are a general astronomer who wants to spend the night comfortably star gazing into the sky, then an equatorial mount should be your preferred type of telescope mount.

Equatorial Mount 

The problem of altitude azimuth mounts is fixed in equatorial mounts by fixing the azimuth axis to shift towards the NCP automatically. In equatorial mounts, the terminology is changed as azimuth is described as right ascension and altitude as the declination axis. 

When you fix the equatorial mount to the polar axis, it gets into the right ascension drive. Through the right ascension drive, a mount carrying a telescope automatically points at the relative star you want to follow so that you do not have to continuously change the direction of the mount as the earth moves along its axis. 

The declination axis only needs to be changed when you want to shift from a particular field of view into another one. As the declination axis does not act as an automatic axis, so it needs to be changed manually. It is one of the more advanced versions of the typical altitude azimuth mount, which limits the movement when it is away from the North Pole.

GoTo Mount 

The mounts we have mentioned previously do not have any artificial intelligence added to them; an equatorial mount only blindly follows the star it is pointed at when it’s set in the right inclination axis. 

However, the newer most advanced type of mounts has become intelligent due to the input of digital devices along with the basic structure of the mount. Once you enter the information about your location, date, time, and the particular celestial object you are looking for, your GoTo mount will automatically point the telescope in the relevant direction. 

It will also present you with a list of options and celestial objects that you can observe from your location.

Telescopes cannot perform their function without having external support. Such support is provided by mounts and tripods that are built to provide a steady ground and safe spot for your telescope. 

Tripods have three legs than fan out and provide a heightened yet stable base for your telescope and also aid in its movement. Telescopes are used for many purposes involving astrophotography and star gazing; most of them cannot be performed until the device is steady and stable. 

Just like all other optical devices, if there is even slight diversion in the stability of the telescope the image they produce will most likely become obscured. For optimum functionality of a telescopic device, it is necessary to purchase a mount.

Building Material

One of the important factors is the building material that acts as a base of the mount itself. The telescope is not a lightweight device, due to the incursion of multiple lenses and mirrors with the multiple coated spherical tube, a telescope is not only heavy it is also pretty delicate—all the more reasons for the mount to have a sturdy construction itself. 

Most companies make their mounts with aluminum for ultimate protection and sturdiness, but in reality, any metal with a good tensile strength can act as fine material. However, plastic or any other material that cannot match the tensile strength of metal should not be molded into a mount as it can easily break under the weight of the telescope.

Counter Weights 

Intelligently engineered mounts have deployed an ingenious method of balancing a hefty device such as a telescope on a simple accessory with three delicate legs, and that is by introducing a couple of counterweights. 

The counterweights are a couple of heavy objects that are placed in the middle of an opened tripod stand. They provide balance to the entire system as they hang directly underneath the telescope reducing the chance of the system to trip over due to any misplacement technically to zero. 

It is better to purchase a mount with counterweights as it provides an increased level of security and stability to the device.

Holding Capacity 

There are different qualities of a telescope that make it desirable but, at the same time, limit its capacities as well, such as higher magnification power being related to a smaller field of view. To compensate for this issue with equally high resolution, instead of resorting to finder scopes, people end up purchasing two or more telescopes. 

Without the smart technology of a GoTo telescope, it is not easy to point both telescopes in the same direction. Since mounts themselves are not cheap, people often hesitate to purchase them. To counter this issue, some companies have introduced mounts and tripod stands that can support two telescopes at the same time. 

This involves having two separate bases on top of one tripod stand where you can lock in your telescope for safe viewing. 

Supporting capacity 

There is a limit to everything, just as a mount has a limited capacity of weight it can bear on top of itself before succumbing to the pressure and breaking down. Typically mounts can hold a minimum of 30 pounds of weight, and the range often extends to 70 pounds. 

Be sure to check the weight of your entire system, including the extra eyepieces and finder scopes. Weight of everything except for the tripod stand needs to be included in the calculation before purchasing the tripod stand. 

Especially when the mount offers to hold two or more telescopes, you need to calculate the weight of both telescopes before buying the accessory. 

A telescope is a delicate device, and it needs optimum security, especially when it is going to be placed in the mount that has the support of three long thin legs. On the actual surface where the telescope is placed on top of the stand, there is a small lock that fits the device into place, and its movement is then only associated with the movement of the mount. 

The sturdiness of those locks holds its vitality as it is an essential component in keeping the device safe in one place.

Practicability 

As the question place is suggestions for portable telescopes, it is necessary that the accessories involved, especially mounts and tripod stands, must be easily portable as well. A mount is convertible and can easily be stored into a confined space in the bag with the telescope, so it checks out on being an easily portable device. 

Other aspects that factor in the practicability of the mount include the weight of the mount itself. It is proven that the heavier the mount, the more stable ground it produces for astronomical adventures.

As a mount holds more weight, its sturdiness also increases, and so a heavier mount is supposed to last longer. Even though the extra weight seems like a bit of a burden while traveling, we assure you it is worth the trouble.

The durability of any product can be increased by manufacturing it with quality materials and carefully engineering its design to perform its optimum function. Secondly, a product lasts its life only if it is treated with care, so mostly it is upon you to make your product last longer. 

The warranty offered by the company shows only the level of confidence the company has on its device, and it proves the sturdiness of the device even more now that you can get a refund on your deposit if the mount fails to deliver.

We are not going to hold back on this front as it is quite evident that any advance mount is going to set you back a couple of thousand dollars. All expensive tripod stands are either GoTo mounts or equatorial mounts equipped with motorized belts. 

The more basic altitude azimuth mounts do not cost as much as the GoTo mounts as you can procure an alt-az mount only for a couple of hundred dollars.

Frequently Asked Questions

For astrophotography, an equatorial mount is best as it allows an extensive range of movement on your command and also has advanced motorized belt technology that increases its efficiency. So, whenever you want to change the point of observation, you can do so on the click of a button.

If you plan on observing a particular object in the sky for research or observational purposes and plan on following up on the same object throughout the night, then it is probably best to purchase a GoTo mount as its digital technology can take almost all of the burden off your shoulders.

Probably when you are going on an expedition to the north pole where the azimuth axis is easier to follow and NCP is right above the ground.

One cannot fathom using a telescope to its maximum limits without the help of a sturdy telescope. Whether it involves simple stargazing, astrophotography, or observation for research purposes, mount is an essential accessory that a telescope can’t just do without. 

In every process, the telescope needs to be steady, and the mount is the only device that can provide stability while still offering an extensive range of movement.

Take a look at the reviews of the best portable telescope mounts that we have reviewed for you along with the buying guide and choose one that suits you perfectly.

Happy Stargazing, Folks!

Telescope GoTo Mount: Key to an Amazing Stargazing Experience

Karl Perera MA

Table of Contents

Astronomy lovers often view telescopes as tools that take them on a tour of the universe’s wonders, allowing an up-close observation of celestial bodies and unveiling mysterious phenomena in outer space. Telescopes are also vital for astrophotography.

Among the many vital components is a telescope GoTo mount system. In this article, I will include an in-depth exploration of what GoTo mounts are —their operation, usefulness, and how best to set them up with a telescope for your astrophotography imaging session.

I will also give you my take on telescope Goto Mounts and what I have discovered by using them. I hope you find this post helpful, especially if you are considering buying a Goto system.

What is a Telescope GoTo Mount?

Above, we can see a picture of the first telescope I used for astrophotography. It is a Celestron 130slt with a telescope Goto mount. This telescope introduced me to the goto system. This kind of mount is a computerised mount with a hand controller that can locate and move to different astronomy targets that are programmed into its large database.

The telescope Goto mount here is an alt-AZ version, and I found this model to be very easy to use, even as a beginner. 

Celestron – NexStar 130SLT Computerized Telescope

• Reflector telescope 
• 130mm aperture
• Go to System Computerized
• 4000 object database
• Perfect starter telescope

Although this kind of Goto system was easy to use, I did find it difficult to bend over, sometimes into difficult neck-twisting positions, kneeling on the ground, and trying to centre the star in the eyepiece. Several times, the hand controller just kept telling me the alignment hadn’t worked and I had to start again. With practice, this can work, but it is sometimes very tricky. In the end, with this telescope, I found I could get near the target by aligning two stars separated by some distance in the sky. How easily you can align your model of Goto telescope will vary depending on the model and method of alignment.

My Ioptron CEM 26 goto equatorial mount provided me with new challenges as I had to do Polar Align for the first time. I also found it more difficult to align the scope. It was definitely a more complex system than for my previous Alt Az Celestron Goto mount. With time, I got better at this, but in the end, I resorted to plate-solving, which is much easier and saves me so much time.

With telescope using the Goto system, everything is normally controlled from the handset and this is a very sensitive piece of equipment you need to take care of. I didn’t use my Celestron for several months and when I switched it back on, the handset no longer worked. Pity!

Goto Mount vs. Manual Mount

As we’ll see in the next sections, there are many more advantages to using a telescope Goto mount compared to a manual mount. 

With a manual mount, you need to keep adjusting the tracking regularly and this is only practical for observation work, not for astrophotography, where you need good tracking to ensure your long exposures do not suffer from star trailing 1 .

Below is a manual mount where you can see the manual tracking controls. This is very old-school but much cheaper. You can see it costs just $200.

Orion Observer 90mm Equatorial Refractor Telescope

• Less than $200 (price may rise)
• 900mm focal length
• EQ3 equatorial mount

The difference between using a manual mount and a Goto mount

A manual mount needs to achieve the same as a go-to mount, but you need to adjust it. The Goto mount, once set up, can do these things automatically. 

Any telescope mount, for observation or astrophotography, needs to do two things accurately:

• To locate objects in the night sky according to their coordinates. 
• To track the objects as they move across the sky. 

Locating objects is important for both observing and photographing space objects.

To locate objects correctly, the telescope mount needs to be set up so it knows exactly where it is pointing, and it needs to be calibrated so that if you enter the coordinates of any deep-sky object, it will point to the correct place and find the target. The telescope mount needs to be set to a few reference points so that it is correctly calibrated and knows which coordinates it is pointing to and where it needs to point to move to any given target’s coordinates. 

The main difference here is that when you are using a manual telescope, you will have to manually  adjust the telescope to move it to your object and then check that you have located the object.

Once you have the object in view, you’ll need to adjust the knobs every so often to track the movement of the object . If you don’t manually do this, the object will drift out of your eyepiece.

One solution to the tracking adjustment is to fit a motor that will move the telescope at a fixed rate to track the object for you . You may have to make small, manual adjustments to this over time , depending on how accurate it is. 

As we will see in more detail below, a Goto mount just needs to be correctly aligned 2 , and then it will slew to objects and track them automatically. If everything is set up well, there is no need to manually adjust anything , and you are set to use your telescope for observing or for astrophotography.

Advantages of Goto Mounts for Stargazing

There are a number of benefits to the telescope Goto mount for both amateur astronomers and astrophotographers. With swift and accurate positioning, even elusive targets can be tracked efficiently, granting more valuable observation and imaging time. The GoTo Mounts’ computerised system ensures an exceptional level of accuracy, making them easier to use than other kinds of mount. This computerised system helps in the following ways:

• saves time by reducing the manual search for celestial objects.
• swift and accurate positioning
• elusive targets can be tracked efficiently
• more valuable observing or imaging time.

A Telescope GoTo Mount has a computerised system that automatically points the telescope to astronomical objects selected by the user . 3 This feature is particularly useful for beginners who may not be familiar with the night sky, as well as for advanced astronomers who want to save time locating specific celestial bodies.

Another key feature of a GoTo Mount is its tracking ability. Once the telescope is pointed at an object, the mount can automatically track that object across the sky . This is especially beneficial for astrophotography, as it enables long-exposure photographs without the object drifting out of view .

Finally, GoTo Mounts are designed with portability in mind. They are often compact and lightweight, making them ideal for those who wish to travel with their equipment. Despite their small size, these mounts are sturdy and capable of supporting a wide range of telescopes and other equipment necessary for observation or astrophotography.

In my experience, I would advise anyone looking for a telescope setup to consider a telescope Goto system because it simplifies everything . With all the above benefits, it doesn’t make sense to me to cut corners and go for a model that does not have this computerised feature.

It is equally important for observation and for astrophotography that your mount makes it as easy and quick as possible to find the object you want to target. Astrophotography requires an accurate auto-tracking telescope mount, even more so than for observation, so this is even more of an important benefit if you want to photograph astronomical objects.

Bear in mind, though, that both my setups so far have used this system, and I have not tried a manual system without Goto, so not everyone will agree with what I have said, but I am sure that if you are new to astrophotography, it will be a big advantage to have a telescope Goto mount.

How to Use a Goto Mount

When I first got my telescope with its Goto mount, I expected it to instantly move to and locate the object I selected on the hand controller. I have a comical memory of the first time I went out and tried to go from one target to the next and could not see anything at all. What a surprise!

What I failed to understand is that the Goto mount must first be aligned with at least two stars; three is better. Once you do this, it knows where it is pointing and can then find your chosen target.

In the case of my AltAZ model, two motors move the scope horizontally and vertically to find your object. Therefore, the scope moves in two directions. This is easy to understand but is not as good as an Equatorial mount at tracking the movement of stars and  deep-sky objects . I often get odd shapes and sudden movements when trying to take pictures for longer than about 30 seconds. This meant I had to reject many images that I took and had less to stack.

With an equatorial telescope mount, tracking is easier once the object is found because the mount is aligned with the celestial polar axis around which all the stars rotate. All the telescope needs to do is move in one direction around the polar axis. This makes the tracking more accurate. With my newer goto telescope mount (an Ioptron CEM 26), I could easily take two-minute-long exposures without any guiding, and the star trails were not noticeable. I did sometimes have to reject perhaps 10–20% of these, though, as there were small movements that spoiled the image.

With the first telescope I had, I did ensure the mount was level and I believe this is even more important with an equatorial mount. There has been some discussion about just how important this is, and you can check out this video by Cuiv the Lazy Geek who questions how important levelling of a mount actually is .

When I began using a guide scope , I found that my rejection rate was almost zero and I could track for as long as I wanted. I tend to only use exposures of a maximum of ten minutes, but I could do much longer without any problems. I recommend an Equatorial mount.

Which telescopes can be used with go-to mounts?

Generally, any type of telescope can be used with a Goto mount. These include:

• Newtonian reflectors (this is what I use)
• Cassegrain-Schmidt

Best Goto Telescope Mounts

If you’ve got this far, you’re probably thinking, I need a Goto telescope mount, but which one is the best? Before deciding which are the best Goto mounts we should first think about which telescope company makes the best ones. After this we will consider what you need from a telescope Goto mount because there is no sense in paying too much for a mount you can’t use. Likewise you don’t want to get something cheap that will not be up to the job and that you will regret buying later.

There are some really good brands of telescope mounts such as Skywatcher and Ioptron (which I use). You can read more about telescope brands here.

Considerations when Choosing a Go-To Mount

There are a number of important factors to consider before choosing a Goto telescope mount. These include:

• How much weight can your mount carry? You need to make sure it can support all the extra equipment you have, such as a camera, guidescope, etc.
• How good is the tracking? You need this, especially for astrophotography.
• Does the mount have a large enough database with the kind of targets you want programmed into it?
• How easy will it be to use the GoTo system and hand controller? The easier, the better!

Top 3 Goto Mounts from Sky-Watcher that I recommend:

• Lower price
• 42,000 objects in Goto
• Smooth, accurate tracking

• 44 pounds capacity load
• Accurate Goto
• Includes polar scope

• Complete kit plus tripod
• Wifi control
• Astrophotography on the go!
• Polar scope included

Tips for Using a GoTo Mount Effectively

To make the most of your GoTo mount, consider the following tips:

• Calibration : Regularly calibrate your mount to maintain its accuracy and performance.
• Astronomy Apps : Utilise astronomy apps or software that can sync with your GoTo mount to expand your observational or imaging opportunities.
• Object Catalogues: Explore various object catalogues available for GoTo mounts, such as Messier, NGC, or IC catalogues, to discover interesting celestial targets.
• Observing and Imaging Plans : Plan your observing sessions in advance by creating a list of objects you want to observe. This allows for efficient and focused stargazing. There is a lot of software you can also use for this, such as the astrophotography tool, which I use.
• Tripod legs: One final but most important tip I’ve found is this: keep your mount tripod legs as short as possible and make sure they are tightened to increase the stability of your setup. By doing this, I have been surprised that the wind is much less of a problem, even though I live in a very windy location near the sea.

Maintenance and Care of GoTo Mounts

There is not much to think about in terms of caring for your mount. The most important things can happen when you are using it, so let’s start with how to store it.

Make sure if you store it for short periods, you set the weights for an equatorial mount into zero position with weights pointing down. This removes any load from the mount. If you store it for a long time without using it, take the weights off or disassemble the mount completely.

Make sure to regularly clean the mount from grease or dirt. Be careful when doing this!

Always ensure while using the mount that you monitor the mount at critical times, such as the meridian flip. I have experienced crashes where the mount weight or balance bar hits the legs, and this can damage the motor. The best reaction if this happens is to immediately switch off the motor and release the clutch, moving the mount to remove any pressure on the motor.

When slewing, you should watch your telescope carefully and ensure there are no snags or strains. Don’t leave these things to chance. A Goto telescope mount is probably your most important and valuable piece of equipment, and damage is both inconvenient and costly!

I hope this article has helped you understand what a telescope Goto mount is and how it can help you. If you are confused or need help choosing a mount, please send me your question . I’ll be glad to help you out!

[1] TutKit. Part 10 – Long exposures with tracked camera. Retrieved from https://www.tutkit.com/en/text-tutorials/390-part-10-long-exposures-with-delayed-camera

[2] Using Your First Telescope – Part Two: Aligning a GoTo Scope – All-Star Telescope Canada . Retrieved from https://all-startelescope.com/blogs/helpful-articles/using-your-first-telescope-2

[3] GoTo (telescopes) – Wikipedia. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GoTo_(telescopes)

[4] Cuiv the Lazy Geek. Tripod Leveling in Astrophotography! Worth it or Worthless?? – YouTube. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6lWMn429coY

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Sky-Watcher AZ-GTe with StarTravel 102 Refractor– Modular Go-To Alt-Az Tracking Mount for Time-lapse and Panoramas – Wifi Enabled App Controlled

Purchase options and add-ons, about this item.

• TRAVEL SIZED GOTO MOUNT: Weighing just 8. 6 pounds, this computerized, portable, Alt-Az tracking mount is perfect for portable, on-the-go, mobile astronomy observing.
• INCLUDED 102MM ACHROMATIC REFRACTOR: The StarTravel 102 is a no-frills achromatic refractor, designed for both astronomical observing and terrestrial viewing. With a 102mm aperture, enjoy seemingly three-dimensional planetary viewing with a field of view so large, it’ll make observing feel more like a spacewalk.
• WIFI ENABLED, APP CONTROLLED: Generating its own proprietary Wifi signal, the AZ-GTe blends 21st century technology with Sky-Watcher’s innovative astronomy equipment, giving users a way to integrate a smartphone or tablet with their telescope.
• TIME-LAPSE AND PANORAMA READY: Create breathtaking time-lapse video and panoramas with the AZ-GTe’s photography mode, and with it’s built in SNAP port, shooting can be fully automated.
• RUGGED BRASS AND ALUMINUM GEARS: Using rugged brass and aluminum gears provide smooth, motorized, night sky tracking for precise tracking while observing or imaging.

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Product description.

Sky-Watcher’s AZ-GTe is the perfect tracking platform for those seeking a compact travel mount capable of both Alt-Az Go-To alignment and video timelapse. Boasting a payload capacity of 11lbs, this modular Alt-Az mount can support anything from a small Maksutov or refractor, to a mid-sized DSLR for timelapse photography. Weighing just 8. 6 lbs, the AZ-GTe is the ideal travel mount, easily fitting in carry-on luggage and perfect for grab-and-go situations. Wifi Enabled, App Controlled The AZ-GTe generates it’s own Wifi signal, allowing users to control the telescope directly from their iOS or Android devices. Once connected to the mount, use Sky-Watcher’s SynScan Pro app to align the mount for celestial tracking or the SynScan PTZ app for timelapse photography. Adjustable Aluminum Tripod The AZ-GTe includes an adjustable aluminium tripod with built in pier extension however, the AZ-GTe can also attach to nearly any photographic tripod using a standard 3. 8”-16 thread. Integrated SNAP Port No need for an intervelometer timer with the AZ-GTe! With a 60-second preset exposure setting, the AZ-GTe can trigger a DSLR using the auxiliary shutter release cable. Once the camera is plugged into the mount and a shot is fired, it will continually shoot 60 second exposures until the cable is removed.

What's in the box

• Pier Extension
• Red Dot Finder, Diagonal, 10mm and 25mm eyepiece

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The Best Telescope Mounts in 2024 (Updated)

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Telescope mounts are an important part of any telescope setup. They hold the telescope in place and keep it stable while you view objects in the night sky. There are many different types of telescope mounts available, and each has its own advantages and disadvantages. In this article, we will take a look at the best telescope mounts for 2022 and discuss what makes them stand out from the competition.

What Are The Benefits of Telescope Mounts and Why Do You Need an Astronomical Mount?

Tripods keep your camera steady for low light and nighttime photography . So why is your tripod not good enough for astrophotography ?

Because the stars move. Their motion in the sky is due to Earth rotation, but we won’t get too technical here.

The bottom line is that stars move across the sky. Taking a long exposure on a tripod will turn the stars into streaks of light.

These are  star trails , and they can lead to amazing results. 

With a tracking mount, you can expose the night sky for a longer time without having star trails .

There won’t be any motion blur covering the many interesting stars up there.

Thanks to tracking, we can see many other sky objects.

These include The Great Orion Nebula, hints of the Barnard’s Loop and Lamba Orionidis nebulae, the Horsehead and Flame Nebula next to Alnitak (the leftmost star in Orion’s belt), the Rosette Nebula and Sirio.

What You Need To Know About Astrophotography Mounts 

Not all mounts are created equal. Some are very portable. Others are very accurate or have great payload capabilities.

There is no shortage of mounts on the market. This can be intimidating, particularly because of the terminology and acronyms you’ll find in their technical sheets. 

Depending on the way they track the movement of stars, mounts can be divided into Altazimuth and Equatorial mounts.

Altazimuth Mounts

Altazimuth mounts, also known as Alt/Az mounts, allow you to rotate the payload (telescope or camera) around the vertical.

You can swing it left to right (azimuth), and move it up and down (altitude).

Check out the scheme below to see what I mean.

Alt/Az mounts are very simple to use. All you have to do is to frame and follow your target.

These are best suited for observation, rather than astrophotography . They suffer from so-called “field rotation”.

If you are interested in Moon, solar and planetary photography, Alt/Az mounts are still great.

This is because of the short exposures required to photograph them. These will show a negligible field rotation, easy to fix in post.

To photograph deep sky objects , though, you need an equatorial mount.

Equatorial Mounts

Equatorial mounts are built with astrophotography in mind. 

Equatorial mounts allow you to track the sky by moving the payload around two axes.

One of them will coincide with Earth’s rotational axis and will track the right ascension of the target. The other one will track its declination.

To properly track the sky, it is important that the mount is aligned. In the Northern Hemisphere this is done by placing Polaris in the proper position when framed in the mount’s polar scope.

In the Southern Hemisphere, you have to use a faint star near the Octan constellation. This makes the alignment more difficult.

Once the mount is aligned, you can begin photographing your target.

Because the equatorial mount nulls the field rotation, you can now take long exposures . These are required to properly photograph the fainter deep sky objects, such as nebulae, galaxies, etc.

The downside of equatorial mounts is that setup is a bit long and more tedious. The polar alignment must be as good as possible. 

Also, you have to take extra care that your payload is well balanced on the mount. This reduces the effort of the mounts and the vibrations during operations.

You cannot alter the polar alignment once you reorient the payload to frame your target. This ensures that your tracking remains accurate throughout the long exposures.

Motorised and Computerised Mounts For Astrophotography

Entry level, lightweight, Alt/Az, and equatorial mounts are often available with manual controls.

This means that you have to manually move the mount from time to time using fine movement controls. 

This setup is for visual observation only. You need a continuous tracking for astrophotography.  

Many manual mounts can be retrofitted with DC motors. It’s best to just buy a motorized mount if you are interested in astrophotography .

The drawback of a motorized mount is that you need to power it. This is easy if you can image from your garden. Less so if you have to be on the move.

To GOTO or not to GOTO?

High-end mounts are computerised with what is usually called a GOTO system. Motorized mounts might have it or not. And some can be retrofitted with a GOTO unit.

While not strictly needed, the GOTO will make your astrophotography life easier. Long focal lenses or telescopes mean framing your target can be a time consuming and frustrating experience.

The GOTO is a computer containing a database of celestial coordinates for hundreds of thousands of targets.

Once you input your location and use two or three bright stars to let it know which way your scope is pointing, the computer will move the mount so that your target is centered.

The main drawback of a GOTO mount is its cost.

Max Payload

The single most important thing you should look for is the maximum payload your mount can support. 

As a rule of thumb, you should not load your mount over 60% of its declared maximum payload. This ensures that it performs at its best. It’ll allow you to take longer exposures of better quality.

When you get closer to the maximum load capability, the tracking error will be higher. The balance of the payload can worsen, and vibrations can set in to degrade the image quality.

Choosing The Right Mount Type For You

Alt/Az mounts are not very suitable for astrophotography. That’s why we will concentrate on equatorial mounts, whose main application is astrophotography.

Mounts For The Starry Landscape Photographer Or Casual Night Photographer

If you are interested in  starry landscapes or if astrophotography is not (yet) your main interest, you probably think you can skip buying a mount altogether.

It’s true that you don’t need a high-end astrophotography mount. But you’ll still benefit from at least using a tracker.

Trackers are small and lightweight equatorial heads you can mount on your tripod. They’re very portable and great for astrophotography with light equipment at low magnification. 

There are many trackers out there. The smallest, cheapest and easiest to use is the Omegon Minitrack LX2 .

This is a fully mechanical tracker, very compact and lightweight (430gr), travel and airplane friendly.

It was developed by amatuer astro photographer Cristian Fattinnanzi. And it was named a hot product for 2019 by the  Sky & Telescope  magazine.

The setup is lighting fast: 

• pop the Minitrack on your tripod fitted with a 3-way pan and tilt head (or a wedge), 
• mount your gear on top of it with a ball head, 
• polar align the Minitrack and wind up the timer 
• frame and begin shooting

The polar alignment is done by centring Polaris in the polar’s scope field of view.

A green laser or optical polar scope can be used instead of the tube via the accessory adapter.

This mount can carry up to 2 kg of equipment. It’s intended for starry landscape and star fields. 

You can buy the Minitrack LX2 with or without a ball head. A few accessories are available, such as a transport bag and a green laser/polar scope holder. 

A new version, called S/N, is great for both the South and North hemispheres.

By using my extremely lightweight micro four thirds equipment, I was able to push the mount to expose for 60” with a 170mm EFL.

This was long enough to get some interesting shots of the lower Orion constellation while still keeping stars round.

This mount is quite unique and a winner for the price.

It also comes with a compact spring loading mechanism. This will balance the weight of the camera to help the timer tracking the sky properly.

Two valid alternatives are the Skywatcher Star Adventurer MINI WI-FI . You can control it remotely via Wi-Fi but it has a maximum payload of only 3kg.

The  iOptron Sky Tracker Pro  is another option. But prepare to spend 3 times more than for the basic Minitrack LX2.

Mounts for the Enthusiast Astrophotographer on a Budget and on the Move

For the enthusiast astrophotographer willing to invest a bit more, things are looking bright in the market. There are many capable trackers that allow you to grow your hobby at a reasonable cost.

A great option is the Skywatcher Star Adventurer tracker. Check out our review here .

You can even use this mount with small telescopes, such as the  Skywatcher Skymax 90/1250 for photographing the Moon and planets.

I’ve used one for three years now. I’ve shot the moon and planets with the Skymax, as well as starry landscapes, star fields, and DSO photography.

The  iOptron Sky Guider Pro tracker is a great alternative. It has similar capabilities to the Star Adventurer.

All these trackers do not come with a GOTO set. But that is a great opportunity to learn navigating the sky.

With the use of short focal lengths and some practice, you can manually frame your target.

Mounts for the Serious Astrophotographer

Full grown equatorial mounts are for the serious astrophotographer. You need to have both the budget and the opportunity to use them.

It is said you should buy the best mount you can afford. Great astrophotography gear on a mediocre mount will give far worse results than okay gear on an excellent mount.

These mounts are not cheap, or lightweight.

These mounts include a heavy duty tripod . Because they can carry full telescopes and large refractors, they can weigh over 20 kilos.

They need to be powered at 12V DC. Either you can plug them into the grid or have to drag a power tank with you.

The Skywatcher EQ5 PRO GOTO mount is the minimum quality mount for the serious astrophotographer.

Here some of its main technical specs:

• it weighs 23.5 kg (5.6 kg only the tripod);
• max payload is 10 kg (many will say max 6 kg for astrophotography);
• it requires a 12V DC power supply.

This kind of mount will allow you to image the sky with almost anything. And you will be able to do this with only several minutes of long exposure . This is great for high quality images.

iOptron and Celestron are other reputable brands with similar mounts in their product line. 

Before you go shopping, perform a realistic evaluation of your needs and possibilities. 

Try answering these questions:

• What is your budget?
• Does your location have a reasonable dark sky or will you be on the move?
• Can you set up your gear in your garden or terrace or not?
• Can you store your equipment at home?
• Do you see yourself traveling with your gear?
• What kind of astrophotography do you like and what kind of gear will you be likely to use?

I live in a small apartment and don’t have space for a lot of astrophotography gear . I am also low on budget and can’t afford to do narrowband astrophotography.

And I have to go into the field for any astrophotography. This is why I decided that equatorial mounts would be more of a hassle than a joy for me. Instead, I bought the best tracker for my needs, the Skywatcher Star Adventurer .

What’s the best astrophotography tracker for you? Let us know in the comments!

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Best travel telescopes in 2024

For astronomy travel you'll need a compact, portable telescope that delivers results. We've picked some of the best budget and high-end travel telescopes.

Astronomy travel can be a wonderful thing, offering practical astronomers the chance to leave light pollution behind and journey to distant, dark-sky locations.

For a successful astronomy holiday you'll need a compact, lightweight and portable telescope that you can unpack and set up in minutes. It's no good lugging around heavy pieces of equipment that require intense sessions just to set up and get going.

Not only will your astronomy trip require a suitable 'grab and go' telescope, but if you're planning on travelling far you'll also need a telescope that you can take on a flight either in the baggage hold or as hand luggage.

While current travel restrictions may have put astronomy holidays on hold, you can still get planning for a future stargazing break and decide what telescope you're going to take with you.

As well as a lightweight and compact telescope you'll want an instrument that can provide exquisite views of the night sky. You don't want to go through the effort of transporting your compact refractor across an entire continent, only to find it offers mediocre views.

We've put together a list of some of the best portable, quality telescopes that would make good astronomy travelling companions. See the link below each selection for a full review of that telescope.

You may also require a good, portable mount that slips in your luggage easily. You'll find quite a few models like this in our guide to the best telescope mounts available.

And, if astronomy holidaying is really your thing, read our recommendations for what to bring on an astronomy camping trip or our simple guide to astronomy travel .

Remember to keep an eye on travel restrictions in your own country, and also those of your planned destination.

If you're looking for a different kind of telescope, read our guide to the best telescopes for viewing the planets or the best telescopes for beginners .

If imaging the night sky is your thing, discover our pick of the best telescopes for astrophotography .

21 best travel telescopes

Sky-watcher heritage 100p tabletop dobsonian.

As the name suggests, a tabletop telescope is a telescope that’s been designed to sit on top of a sturdy platform such as a garden table or any other flat, medium-height surface. The Heritage 100P Tabletop comes packaged with two 1.25-inch eyepieces (25mm and 10mm), a 2x Barlow lens and a red-dot finder.

Installation is easy: attach the finderscope , pop in an eyepiece and you can be viewing the heavens in moments. Despite its small size it still gave decent views of a range of celestial wonders. We found it was easy to store and bring out quickly whenever the clouds cleared.

Read our full Heritage 100P Tabletop Dobsonian review .

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Acuter Voyager MAK80 telescope

• Buy now from eBay

The MAK80 is a compact lightweight system measuring only 270mm long (including the eyepiece holder) and a diameter of only 100mm. It weighs 1.8kg and can easily sit in the palm of most hands.

This makes for a portable system that only needs the addition of a tripod, for which there's a ¼-inch tripod thread included. It's ideal for taking to dark-sky sites or as a spotting scope for daytime or night-time use.

What's more, it comes with a light carry case that will help when transporting on a train or plane.

Read our full Acuter Voyager MAK80 review .

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Sky-Watcher Evostar 72ED DS-Pro refractor telescope

The Evostar 72ED DS-Pro is a satisfying, lightweight scope to use. The optical tube weighs just 1,955g and at 42cm long it’s a short tube system. The the dew shield is also removable, all of which adds up to a great get-up-and-go-anywhere telescope, perfect for viewing and imaging under far-flung dark skies. The 72ED DS-Pro is also an ideal companion to Sky-Watcher’s Star Adventurer travel mount. Indeed, we used it to take images with our Star Adventurer, and found the whole system quick and easy to set up, a great incentive to invest in the telescope.

Thanks to reader Robert Miller for recommending this telescope. Robert said: "It is light, easy to pack and has a very nice coarse/fine focusser. It performs superbly on a Vixen VersaGo mount and its resolution seems limited only by aperture and weather. Great views of star fields and globulars. And the price was easy on my budget."

Read our full Sky-Watcher Evostar 72ED review .

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William Optics Zenithstar 61 apo refractor

In terms of portability it’s difficult to imagine how you could improve on this 61mm aperture refractor’s design. In its most compact form it measures 23cm long by 14cm wide. It’s also light at 1.7kg but retains a solid, well-built feel. The front has a retractable dew shield that extends the overall length by a further 7cm.

Realistically, the ZS61 produces lovely views of larger deep-sky objects and the Moon but if you’re after detailed views of the planets, or splitting tight double stars, this isn’t the scope for you. If you want an ultra-portable instrument that can provide good contrast, colour-corrected views of extended objects, it’s perfect.

Read our full ZenithStar 61 ED review .

Altair 60 EDF Doublet Refractor Telescope

The Altair 60 EDF doublet refractor is a lightweight tube assembly that weighs 1.5kg and almost fits in the palm of your hand. It’s ideal for a multitude of purposes, including as a travel scope and for wide-field imaging.

It's suppled as an optical tube only, giving you the flexibility to use your own star diagonal and eyepieces for visual observations, as we did for the review. Also in the box is an extendable dew shield. The view was pin sharp across 85% of the view, with only slight distortion at the edges and little sign of colour fringing, showing that the lens design was doing its job.

Read our full Altair 60 EDF Doublet review .

Vixen A62SS Refractor Telescope

This scope is supplied in a soft, protective carrying case that is small enough to comply with aircraft carry-on luggage regulations, yet leaves plenty of room for a star diagonal and a set of eyepieces. An eyepiece extension tube is included and this holds a secret for casual photographers in the form of a male T-thread.

The inside of the optical tube is fully baffled and painted in a matt black coating. Its robust, single-speed Crayford focuser can be rotated through 360° to help with framing and there is a lock to secure the focus tube once it is in the desired position. The Vixen A62SS refractor is an excellent travelling companion and we would recommend it to any astronomer looking for a portable telescope for observing rather than astrophotography.

Read our full Vixen A62SS refractor review .

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Orion Starblast 62 Compact Telescope

The Orion StarBlast compact travel refractor is marketed as a great scope to take on trips away, but should also appeal as a very suitable beginners’ instrument. It possesses a 2.5-inch, four-element crown and flint glass objective, a focal length of 520mm, along with an extendable dew shield.

Also included are a Crayford focuser, 20mm and 4mm eyepieces, a 45° erect-view diagonal, a Vixen-style dovetail mounting block and a hard carry case. In keeping with its likely use, we tested the StarBlast on both a small equatorial mount and a sturdy photographic tripod.In the latter configuration we really did appreciate the joys of a truly lightweight and simple setup.

Read our full Orion Starblast 62 review .

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Sky-Watcher Skymax-127 Virtuoso GTi

The Skymax-127 is a compact telescope that boasts a Wi-Fi-controllable Go-To mount, promising to make the night sky navigable with the touch of a button.

The Skymax-127’s long focal length (with a focal ratio of f/11.8) makes it great for observing the Moon, planets and double stars, but you can also observe bright deep-sky targets too.

The Wi-Fi control works via the Virtuoso GTi single-arm tabletop mount, which has a wireless network adaptor that enables you to connect and control with a smartphone or tablet.

We got great views of Saturn and its rings, Jupiter's northern belt and Galilean moons, our own Moon's southern hemisphere, Bode's Galaxy and the Cigar Galaxy and the Pleiades.

The Sky-Watcher Skymax-127 Virtuoso GTi is a delight to use on a wide range of targets, and can be highly recommended.

Read our full Skymax-127 Virtuoso GTi tabletop telescope review .

StellaMira 90mm

Even the packaging for the StellaMira 90mm ED is compact, the telescope coming in a lockable black carry case.

Another must for travel telescopes is sturdy construction, given that they may be hauled on and off aeroplanes and rattled around in car boots.

The StellaMira, you'll be pleased to hear, fits the bill, and although the carbon-fibre tube keeps the weight down to a 3.3kg, the telescope doesn't at all feel flimsy.

Instead, this is a competitively priced, compact instrument that we found offers excellent views and high-quality astro imaging results in a convenient, well thought out package.

Read our full StellaMira 90mm ED triplet apo refractor review .

Altair Astro Starwave ASCENT 70 ED refractor

The ASCENT 70 ED refractor is a cost-effective travel option for amateur astronomers. We were interested to see what it could do both as a visual system and as an imaging scope. It's a 2.75-inch, 420mm focal length telescope just 300mm long; 380mm with the dew shield extended.

The back of the focuser unscrews to reveal a M54x0.75 female thread – with the right adaptor, you could attach a camera and use this scope as a telephoto lens for astrophotography. What impressed us most about the Starwave 70 ED was how light it is – just 2kg. The scope is supplied in a soft, well-padded case with several compartments for accessories.

Read our full ASCENT 70 ED review .

Altair 72mm EDF Deluxe refractor

The Altair 72mm EDF is marketed as a telescope for astronomers who need a small, lightweight instrument for packing up and taking on their travels. Weighing just 2.5kg and at a length of 32.5cm, the telescope is clearly portable and suitable for astronomy travel. It is also short enough to mount on a star tracker mount.

We attached a DSLR and found the focuser extended smoothly and felt very secure. A dual-speed dial made precision focus easy, while focus wheels offer a good level of resistance.

Read our full Altair 72mm EDF review .

William Optics Zenithstar 61 II APO with UniGuide guidescope

The Zenithstar 61 II APO is a fantastic instrument for those interested in wide-field, low power viewing, and the great thing about it is it's very portable.

The telescope is just 25cm in length with focuser and dew shield retracted, and its 14cm from the bottom of the mounting plate to top of the saddle handle bar.

The Zenithstar 61 II comes with a padded carry-case too, making the whole package suitable for those who want to take their telescope to far-flung dark-sky corners of the world.

Plus, at 2.15kg the main telescope with mounting ring, ‘Cat Series’ saddle handle bar and mounting plate is easy to carry. All you need is a camera and you've got yourself a quality astrophotography setup.

The UniGuide guidescope is 25cm long, 7cm high and 5.5cm wide, and can be integrated into your setup for long-exposure imaging.

Read our full Zenithstar 61 II apo review

RVO Horizon 72ED refractor

The lightweight and compact design of the RVO Horizon 72ED makes for a great travel scope. Stowed and collapsed with dew shield and focuser retracted, it is only 34cm long. The optical tube weighs 2.68kg, making it light enough to hold in your hand and easy to remove from the tube rings to adjust position.

The 72ED is also sold in a £947 imaging package aimed at deep-sky astrophotographers, which includes a 1.0x rotatable field flattener and a finder/guidescope.

The 72ED's colour correction is spot on and, even when we pushed the magnification, we found views of deep-sky objects were superb. This is a cracking instrument for both wide-field observing and imaging, delivering both on the lightweight necessities and the powerful performance of a quality travel telescope.

Read our full RVO Horizon 72ED review .

Starwave Travel 70 EDT-R apo

Weighing just under 1.8kg and being only 33cm in length with the dew shield retracted, this scope is great for astronomy trips and is supplied with a soft travel case. Easy and quick to set up, it’s ideal for astronomy on the go. As an imaging instrument, the scope plus reducer proved very capable and the wide field of view offered makes it ideal for photographing extended deep-sky objects, such as the Pleiades cluster in Taurus or Rosette Nebula in Monoceros.

Sheer ease of use made this scope a pleasure to observe and image with. It’s easy to see how it could become a must-have companion for holidays and star parties, or just to observe or photograph special events without the hassle of transporting and setting up heavier equipment.

Read our full Starwave Travel 70 EDT-R review .

RVO Horizon 60ED Doublet refractor

The Horizon 60ED is lightweight and portable: perfect for 'grab-and-go' astrophotography and also for bringing with you on a trip to a far-flung dark-sky site. The complete setup, including a DSLR camera, weighs less than 3kg, and setting up for an astrophotography session is quick and easy. We found we didn't need to fiddle about with the setup, making it a good option for dark-sky sites away from home.

It comes in an aluminium carry case that houses the telescope, guidescope, dovetail bars and field flattener with room for more. The case also protects the scope during storage and travelling, and is lightweight and lockable. Measuring 41 x 23.5 x 18cm, it's within the limits for airline cabin baggage.

Read our full RVO Horizon 60ED Doublet refractor review .

Vixen FL55SS fluorite apo refractor

The Vixen FL55SS's tube measures just 282mm and weighs 1.5kg It's a compact, lightweight refractor that offers premium features in a portable package. The FL55SS is a dual-purpose telescope suitable for visual astronomy, or with the addition of a dedicated lens kit, for fast, wide-field astrophotography.

It uses fluorite, which has optical properties that make it very desirable as light can pass through it with minimal dispersion, unlike glass. In practice this means that the overall view is sharper, as all the colours of light entering the telescope are focused to a single point, rather than being dispersed into a fuzzier appearance.

Read our full Vixen FL55SS review .

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Altair Starwave 110ED-R refractor

The solid look and feel of the Starwave 110ED-R is a result of a serious reduction in the weight of the scope. We were really very pleased about just how easy the telescope was to lift from its padded case, and we reckon the 6.8kg Starwave 110Ed-R is a brilliant compromise between both aperture and portability. It's an instrument that will please those who like to travel to far-flung, dark corners of the world to no end.

It boasts a 110mm doublet lens for viewing at an enjoyable resolution, and what's more, it's easy to take with you and transport around in its padded case.

The length and the balance of the 110ED-R made it a simple fit for our EQ mount and sat neatly in a satisfying, central position, because the lens cell and focuser are only 60cm apart.

This model offers supreme comfort while observing objects at a range of altitudes.

Read our full Altair Starwave 110ED-R review .

Tecnosky AG70 Astrographic Refractor

With an optical system designed to eliminate two of the major issues that can spoil a photograph – colour problems and star shape issues – the AG70 removes the need for the likes of coma correctors and relieves the associated headache of achieving optimal spacing that tends to come with them. Setting up the telescope for use involved little more than removing it from the box and putting it on a mount.

The supplied tube rings and dovetail offer a little movement to help with balancing, and the scope is light and compact. It should sit comfortably on portable travel mounts. Sheer simplicity of use made the little astrograph a pleasure to operate, as once the camera was focused we were able to just get on with the job of taking photographs.

Read our full Tecnosky AG70 review .

Altair Starwave 70 EDQ-R quad apo imaging refractor

Once we’d unpacked the 70 EDQ-R, the first thing we noticed about the telescope is how light it is: with a Canon EOS 70D DSLR camera attached it weighed just 2.1kg. This really does make it a grab-and-go telescope for even the smallest of mounts.

Even with a smaller aperture, the change in CMOS cameras over the last few years means images of all sorts of objects are achievable with this telescope. That makes it an ideal travel scope and a good option to take with you on longer trips instead of a set of camera lenses.

Read our full Altair Starwave 70 EDQ-R review .

William Optics GTF 102 five element astrograph

The GTF 102 is supplied with a high-quality soft padded case. It is very substantial and protects the telescope in transit very well indeed. With both carry handles and a shoulder strap, transporting the scope is easy.

We were very pleasantly surprised by the shape of stars across the field of view and right into the corners. The two-element internal field flattener was certainly doing its job and so too was the triplet lens, as chromatic aberration was also well controlled.

Read our full William Optics GTF 102 review .

Founder Optics FOT106 triplet refractor

The FOT106 has an f/6 106mm objective lens with a focal length of 636mm, which makes it a great telescope for observing or imaging larger star clusters, galaxies and nebulae. It's just begging to be taken to a dark-sky site for a proper observing session.

It comes in an aluminium case featuring a range of accessories including a matching field-flattener. This foam-padded, locking carry case should reliably protect the telescope during transit, and we found it kept the who assembly together well, including field-flattener and rings.

The case measures 70cm x 24cm x 23cm, making it certainly manageable and portable for taking to dark-sky sites.

Read our fullFounder Optics FOT106 review .

What did we miss?

If you feel your own telescope is perfect for astronomy travel and should be on our list, let us know! Email us at [email protected] or get in touch via Facebook , Twitter and Instagram .

Iain Todd is BBC Sky at Night Magazine's Staff Writer.

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Best Budget Mount

Mounts for astrophotography aren’t cheap and so inevitably to get a cheap mount up and running to the standard we need to take great space pics requires either a bit of ingenuity and effort or some  degree of compromise. In this section I will run through various possibilities…

Buying Second Hand

Skywatcher eq5 (or eq3) goto.

• With a bit of work these will guide to an accuracy of 1.4 arcsecs
• EQ5 can carry a decent sized telescope 10kg/22lb
• Can upgrade it to sub arcsec accuracy with a darkframe optics hypertune when your ready to up your game
• Have to keep your eyes peeled for a cheap one
• Have to be prepared to get your hands dirty
• new mounts are better for instance the skywatcher eqm-35 achieves 1 arc second guiding.

Here  is a good guide on how to tune up your old eq5 mount. There are two things to do. Firstly replace the gunky synta grease with more refined lithium grease. This will allow you to balance the scope more accurately which plays a big part in performance. The other important step is to get the worm gear meshing correctly with the cog wheel. Here is a step by step guide to removing the gunk by  protostar  on stargazer’s lounge website

Fancy a professional tune up

If you serious about astrophotography then I would recommend asking Dave Woods to tune up your second hand mount. . For £189 he will turn an eq3/5 mount into a sub arc second precision instruments. Here is a link to his . FYI he tunes lots of other mounts too! Please mention astrobiscuit as he’s kindly agreed to support the channel with commission.

The Man who knows EVERYTHING about mounts: David Woods

Skywatcher EQM-35

• Really bloomin good! I am seriously impressed. Out the box it will give you roughly 1.2 arc second guiding accuracy.
• Can carry a decent sized telescope 8kg/17lb
• I think this mount is good value but its not budgety enough for folks who want to dip their toe into astrophotography. Maybe try here instead

My affiliate link

(You won’t find a better price)

Keeping it small and cheap with a travel mount

Small telescopes are capable of taking amazing pictures and happily they don’t need to sit on big mount expensive mounts. The big surprise is that both the Skywatcher Star Adventurer and the AZ GTI (which needs to be tweaked in order to get it to work in EQ mode) are great when guiding. I admit there are other similar astrophotography travel mounts but these are the only one I’ve properly tested.  I’ve even stuck a little guide scope on the Star Adventurer and with good polar aligning I’ve managed 30 minute long subs a 60mm refractor (Tak fs60CB). The skywatcher 72 ed is as big a scope as I would recommend with these mounts.

Skywatcher Star Adventurer Pro Pack

• Surprisingly good whilst guiding: around 2 arc seconds
• Super Portable
• Easy to use
• No GOTO function
• Can only Guide in RA
• Need a tripod
• Can only carry small scopes

Skywatcher AZ GTI

• Has a great GOTO function via phone app
• Can connect to a computer via wifi allowing the use of serious and powerful astrophotography software like Nina
• Is an ALT AZ Mount. In order to make it work in EQ mode you need to install firmware and cobble together a suitable mount which can be polar aligned. Brief description  here (check)

Sky-Watcher AZ-GTI (in Alt-Az mode)

Once you get the hang of the AZ GTI you can control the mount with your phone and point the scope to thousands of space objects at the touch of a button. As the mount tracks you can take exposures of up to about 30 seconds duration (but the exact figure depends on where in the sky you are shooting, the size of your camera’s sensor and your focal length. The wider your telescope or lens the bigger the problem you will have with  field rotation  and the shorter your exposures will have to be. I shot my first astrophotography video using an AZ mount.  You can checkout the video  here . I often have problems when using this mount for deep space astrophotography in Alt Az mode. For me it works far better in EQ mode.

AZ-GTI in equatorial mode

If you are massively geeky like me you can take this mount to another level. By installing special firmware you can transform this alt az mount into an equatorial mount for serious long exposure small scope astrophotography. Of course you need to align the mount to the rotation of the earth (polar aligning) before this will work so you might need to fiddle with the tripod in order to achieve the correct angle. Once sorted this mount’s tracking accuracy is really impressive and it can be controlled via wifi from a computer running astroimaging software like  APT . All in all this small motorized mount is incredibly powerful but his is probably not a good mount for the technophobe. If you are a technophobe then really the star adventurer is your mount.  If you think you can handle it then go for this. It is brilliant in EQ mode.

See Also…

Best Value Telescope for Astrophotography

Choosing a Mount for astrophotography

Best All Round Telescope

Deep Space Lucky Imaging

Your First Astrophotography Rig

My new favourite mount: ZWO AM5

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12 Best Computerized Telescopes Worth the Money (2024)

A computerized telescope isn’t for everyone. Usually, it’s more expensive and doesn’t offer the value you can get with manual Dobsonians.

BUT, you can see things like messier objects way quicker, with more precision.

It automatically tracks and targets so that whatever you are looking at stays centered in the eyepiece rather than drifting out of view after a few seconds.

The best computerized telescope has a large aperture, automatically tracks at least 14,000 celestial objects, and is reasonably portable. Here are our favorites.

Best Computerized Celestron NexStar 6SE

Best Money Can Get Celestron CPC 1100

Best Budget Option Celestron NexStar 127SLT

Best Computerized Telescope

1. celestron nexstar 6se computerized telescope.

The Celestron NexStar 6SE Telescope is the best all-around mid-price GoTo telescope.

While it is advertised for both beginners and advanced users, it’s the perfect telescope for an intermediate user.

It comes with a fully-automated GoTo motorized mount with a database of over 40,000 objects.

The 150 mm aperture provides enough light collection for incredible viewing within our Solar System, but it’s not the greatest for viewing DSOs.

The NexStar 6SE is a fantastic choice for astrophotographers or anyone who wants to dive into the field (though it doesn’t come with any adapters).

The telescope comes with a 25mm Plossl eyepiece, a red-dot finderscope, and access to astronomy software, Starry Night.

What we liked

• An excellent choice for intermediate users
• Superior optics for viewing our Solar System
• Great for astrophotography (need adapters)
• Lightweight and portable

What we didn’t like

• Not the best at viewing DSOs

Optical Type : Reflector (Schmidt-Cassegrain) Aperture : 150mm Focal Ratio : f/10 Magnification : 60x Weight : 30 lb

2. Celestron CPC 1100 GPS XLT Computerized 11″ Schmidt Cassegrain Telescope

Cassegrain Telescope. It is the perfect electronic telescope to take you from intermediate to advanced levels. The optics are treated with Celestron’s Premium Star Bright XLT optical coatings for exceptional views.

The telescope features a massive 280mm (11 inch) lens and a long 2800mm focal length. It comes with a large 40mm 1.25″ Plossl Eyepiece that gives 70x power magnification. Also included is a 9x50mm Finderscope for easy locating of celestial objects.

The scope comes with a fully computerized Altazimuth mount and internal GPS. The GPS makes locating objects easy as it automatically downloads information from orbiting satellites and pinpoints your exact location on Earth. It will set the date, time, longitude, and latitude.

Use the SkyAlign Alignment Technology to choose three bright celestial objects and the telescope aligns to the sky for you. The database of over 40000 celestial objects tracks any object you desire.

Although it is heavy, the innovative lift-and-move ergonomic design of this digital telescope makes it easy to carry and easy to set up, even in the dark. The tripod is made of heavy-duty steel with a central leg support bracket for added stability.

Also included is a tray to hold all your additional accessories. With this best GPS telescope, you will see amazing detail of planets, star clusters, deep-sky objects, and far-away galaxies.

• Large 280mm (11 inch) lens
• Ergonomic design for portability
• Exceptional clarity for professional stargazers
• Computerized dual fork arm Altazimuth mount
• Internal GPS tracks your position
• Database of over 40000 celestial objects
• Hand control holder to view information hands-free
• High price for beginners
• Heavier than most 

Optical Type : Schmidt Cassegrain Aperture : 280mm (11 inch) Focal Ratio: f/10 Magnification : 70x Weight : 83 lbs (37.6 kg) Mount : Computerized altazimuth mount

3. Celestron NexStar 127SLT Computerized Telescope

The Celestron NexStar 127SLT is another great beginner option, but with a higher aperture and a bit better power.

Though it is similar to the 90SLT, it has some distinct differences. Aside from the aperture being much higher, the computer system is practically flawless.

Its alignment software, SkyAlign, is easy and straightforward, and it’s incredibly easy to find what you’re looking for with its 40,000-object database.

It also excels at viewing both planets and deep-sky objects beyond our solar system (to an extent, of course).

However, this telescope does have similar downsides to the 90SLT. The battery life is very short, so you’ll need an external power supply, and the hand controller is difficult to learn for a beginner. The mount that’s included is also reportedly a little unstable at times.

Overall, in terms of capability and affordability, this is a great mid-range telescope for both beginners and intermediate astronomers. It comes with two eyepieces, a red-dot finderscope, an adjustable tripod, and astronomy software, Starry Night.

• Great for beginners
• Excellent optics for viewing planets and DSOs
• The GoTo mount is easy to use and works exceptionally well
• The hand controller has a learning curve

Optical Type : Compound (Maksutov-Cassegrain) Aperture : 127mm Focal Ratio : f/12 Magnification : 60x, 167x Weight : 18 lb

4. SkyWatcher S11800 GoTo Collapsible Dobsonian GoTo Scope

The SkyWatcher S11800 GoTo Dobsonian is a high-end computerized reflector telescope for intermediate or advanced users.

The GoTo system with this telescope is expertly designed.

It’s incredibly simple to align the telescope, it provides automatic tracking of objects at high magnifications, and it allows quick transition from automatic to manual adjusting.

The optics are high-quality and provide stellar, crisp views of planets, including Jupiter and Saturn.

While the collapsible feature is beneficial for portability, you’ll have to re-align and adjust the telescope each time you collapse it.

It’s also not exactly easy to lug around, with a base of around 35 lbs and a total assembled weight of 55 lbs. It comes with two eyepieces, a CRAY ford-style focuser, a hand controller with a database of over 42,000 objects.

• Great upgrade-telescope for intermediate and advanced users
• Excellent optics provide crisp planetary and DSO viewing
• Collapsible design makes it easy to carry and fit in tighter spaces
• Easy to use computer system
• Requires more alignment due to the collapsable feature
• Higher price tag

Optical Type : Reflector (Dobsonian) Aperture : 203mm Focal Ratio : f/5.9 Magnification : 50-139x Weight : 55 lb

5. Celestron NexStar 130 SLT Newtonian Reflector Telescope

The Celestron NexStar 130 SLT Newtonian Reflector is a well-priced computerized telescope for beginners. It comes with a motorized altazimuth mount, fully computerized hand control, and SkyAlign. With this amazing feature of self aligning telescopes, you can simply center the telescope on any three bright celestial objects, and it will align to the night sky.

There is also a StarPointer Finderscope to help with alignment. Teens who are great with touch devices will soon get this going! The Celestron NexStar 130 SLT also comes with a pre-assembled, adjustable steel tripod. This is ideal for a family with smaller children, allowing for height adjustments to give them perfect sky views.

The telescope has a 130mm aperture offering crystal clear views of our solar system and other sky objects. You will see Moon’s craters as well as Saturn’s rings and Jupiter’s cloud bands. It comes with a Red Dot StarPointer Finderscope and 2 eyepieces, a 25mm, and a 9mm.

The SLT (Star Locating Telescope) has a database of more than 4,000 stars, galaxies, deep-sky objects, and more. The self-tracking telescope can easily locate your object with pinpoint accuracy and then track the object as it moves across the sky. This is a great choice for beginners and more advanced stargazers. These computerized telescopes will give years of stargazing without the need to upgrade.

• 5 inch aperture
• Computerized hand control with 4,000+ object database
• SkyAlign to align on any three bright celestial objects
• 2 eyepieces, 25mm, 9mm
• Light and portable
• Sturdy stainless steel adjustable tripod
• StarPointer finderscope 
• Sensitive to vibration
• Learning curve to start

Optical Type : Newtonian Reflector Aperture : 130mm (5 inches) Focal Ratio : f/5 Magnification : 26x, 72x Weight : 18 lbs (8.16 kg) Mount : Computerized GoTo Mount

6. Celestron NexStar Evolution 8 Schmidt-Cassegrain Telescope

This Celestron computerized telescope has a large 8” (203mm) aperture that gives stunning views of the Moon, planets, star clusters, and deep-sky objects. It comes with 2 eyepieces, a 40mm Plossl and a 13mm Plossl. Also included is a StarPointer Red Dot reflex sight for easy locating of sky objects.

The telescope has a GoTo mount that features high-performance brass worm gears and motors for improved tracking accuracy. The younger generation enjoys using mobile apps and is sure to get this one going in a jiffy! Using the Celestron SkyPortal app, you will be able to track planets and stars across the sky.

When we are out and about, what we don’t want is a battery that runs out of power. This Celestron goto telescope gives 10-hour continuous battery use, ideal for long viewing without the stress of having to recharge when far away from a power source. It is also great for astrophotography – simply attach a DSLR camera and try your hand at snapping some amazing pictures.

Setting up the NexStar Evolution is quick and easy. It has an all-metal tripod with an accessory tray with indentations for storing and carrying the tripod. During setup, you will find leg markings to help you get a level height for your go to telescope.

• 203mm (8”) aperture 
• 2032mm focal length
• StarPointer red dot reflex sight
• 10-hour continuous use battery
• Computerized GoTo mount
• 2 Plossl eyepieces, 40mm and 13mm
• Great for astrophotography
• Higher price
• Some learning curve to get started

Optical Type : Schmidt-Cassegrain Reflector Aperture : 203mm (8 inch) Focal Ratio : f/10 Magnification : 51x, 156x Weight : 40.6 lbs. (18.4 kg) Mount : Computerized GoTo Mount

7. Celestron NexStar 5SE Computerized Schmidt-Cassegrain Telescope

The Celestron NexStar 5SE computer controlled telescope is ideal for both a seasoned astronomer or a beginner starting out on a stargazing adventure. The first striking feature is pure fun – I love the bright orange tube! The telescope features a 5” aperture and a 1250mm focal length. It comes with one eyepiece, a 25mm that gives 50x power magnification.

These computer controlled telescopes have a fully automated GoTo mount featuring a database of more than 40,000 celestial objects. The mount will automatically locate and track objects for you.

This is a fabulous feature as you do not have to continually adjust the telescope to keep your object in view. This NexStar model is a GPS telescope and comes with an auxiliary port for use with additional accessories like a GPS. The internal battery compartment prevents cord wrap during use, a bonus when you are working in the dark.

For transporting to take along on a weekend away, it is easy to assemble and break down. The single fork arm design and sturdy steel tripod break down into separate components.

Using the SkyAlign technology for computerized tracking, you will get your telescope aligned and ready in minutes. My family enjoys a telescope that comes with astronomy software – it is a great help to get you started. The Starry Night software package has a 10,000 object database with printable sky maps.

• 5” aperture, 1250mm focal length
• 25mm eyepiece, 50x magnification
• Computerized hand control with 40,000 object database
• Motorized altazimuth mount
• Well priced telescope with GPS connections 
• StarBright XLT enhanced coatings 
• Too light for deep space photography
• Learning curve to get started

Optical Type : Schmidt-Cassegrain Aperture : 127mm (5 inch) Focal Ratio : f/10 Magnification : 50x Weight : 27.6 lbs (12.5 kg) Mount : Motorized altazimuth mount

8. Celestron NexStar 90SLT Computerized Telescope

The Celestron NexStar 90SLT is an excellent entry-level telescope for those new to astronomy and on a budget.

The telescope is a combination of both reflector and refractor technology (known as compound), with well-made optics.

It excels at viewing the Sun, Moon, and other planets. Saturn is about the limit of its magnification, which will appear small, but you’ll still be able to make out the rings and some of its moons.

The computerized mount makes tracking and finding objects in the sky pretty easy.

The alignment tech it uses, SkyAlign, is quite good at detecting objects and automatically adjusting and aligning the telescope for clear viewing. It comes with a hand controller that you can use to browse the extensive database of over 40,000 stars and objects.

The telescope comes with two eyepieces, a red-dot finderscope, batteries, a hand controller, and access to astronomy software, Starry Night.

• Excellent optics for viewing planets
• Lightweight and portable 
• The computerized system makes tracking objects easy for beginners
• Batteries have a short life, you’ll need an external power source for extended use
• Bit of a learning curve for the hand controller

Optical Type : Compound (Maksutov-Cassegrain) Aperture : 90mm Focal Ratio : f/14 Magnification : 50x, 139x Weight : 12 lb

9. Orion SkyQuest XT10i IntelliScope Dobsonian Telescope

This large 10 inch Dobsonian is better suited for more advanced users. It does have a higher price but will be a lifetime investment. This motorized telescope comes with 2 Sirius Plossl eyepieces, a 25mm with 48x power magnification, and a 10mm with 120x power magnification.

The 9×50 right-angle correct-image finder helps you to easily locate the object you want to view. To organize yourself out in the field, there is an eyepiece rack to hold all the accessories for this best automatic telescope.

Use the push-to computerized IntelliScope Object Locator system that guides you to over 14,000 celestial objects. The IntelliScope’s Object Locator can also take you on a tour of the best sights to see in any month of the year.

With this best computer-controlled telescope, you will get amazing views of deep-sky objects, nebulas, star clusters, far-away galaxies, close-up views of the Moon’s craters and planets.

The large base has CorrecTension adjustment knobs that keep the telescope optical tube balanced in any viewing position. Dobsonian mounts stand out for their ease of use. The base features a CorrecTension system that ensures smooth manual tracking control as you follow an object across the sky.

I always look for electric telescopes that come with loads of educational information. The Starry Night software package guides you to stars, constellations, planets, and other celestial objects that are visible on any day and time you choose.

• Large 10-inch aperture on this tracking telescope
• 2 eyepieces, Sirius Plossl 25mm and 10mm
• SkyQuest IntelliScope System
• IntelliScope object locator hand controller
• Orion 9X50 finderscope
• Telescope eyepiece rack
• Collimation cap
• Higher price 
• Heavy, not easily portable

Optical Type : Dobsonian Reflector Aperture : 254mm (10 inch) Focal Ratio : f/4.7 Magnification : 48x, 120x Weight : 55.3 lbs (25 kg) Mount : Dobsonian

10. Orion SkyQuest XT10g Automated GoTo Telescope

The Orion SkyQuest XT10g Computerized GoTo Telescope is our favorite choice for the intermediate user.

With a 10” (254 mm) aperture, you’ll be able to view galaxies, nebulas, star clusters, as well as planets and stars with excellent clarity.

The hand controller is intuitive and straightforward for regular users, and it includes a database of over 42,000 objects.

The GoTo design is seamless, and, with the included GPS, aligning and adjusting the scope is effortless.

There are few problems with this telescope, but the only issues that arise with this beast of a telescope are minor quips. The software for the hand controller is reportedly shipped with an older version, which requires updating. The power cord is not included, which is an odd thing to leave out, and it requires an external power source.

Overall, it’s an excellent GoTo telescope for both beginners and advanced observers. However, at that price point, it’s the best motorized telescope option for seasoned astronomers with larger budgets.

• Ultimate seasoned-astronomer experience
• Fantastic optics for viewing distant planets and DSOs
• Intuitive hand controller
• Extensive object database and effortless alignment
• Both firmware and software is well-designed and well-made
• Power cord not included
• Some hand controllers are shipped with older software with issues (update fixes this, though)

Optical Type : Reflector (Dobsonian) Aperture : 254mm Focal Ratio : f/4.7 Magnification : 36x, 300x Weight : 68 lb

11. Orion StarBlast 6i IntelliScope Reflector Telescope

If you are looking to upgrade to a computerized telescope, the Orion StarBlast 6i Intelliscope Reflector Telescope is a perfect choice. It is well priced and ideal for a family wanting to expand their knowledge and become intermediate-level stargazers.

With a huge 6″ aperture and 750mm focal length, you will get sharp views of the Moon and bright planets like Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn. You will also enjoy seeing deep sky objects like nebulas, galaxies, and sparkling star clusters.

What I like most about this self aligning telescope is the portability and the tabletop mount that make it so easy to set up and operate. The telescope comes with Orion’s IntelliScope computerized object location system.

This allows you to find any celestial object by using the easy-to-use handheld locator. By manually slewing the telescope according to the directional arrows, you can pinpoint objects in space and place them into your field of view in seconds.

The automated telescope comes with 2 eyepieces, a Sirius Plossl 1.25″ 25mm and a 10mm. You also get a handy eyepiece rack to hold your accessories. The Starry Night Software Package guides and shows you what to look for and when. If you are not sure, simply press the Tour Button to select one of 12 tours of the best objects visible in any month you choose.

• Very well priced for exceptional features
• Large 6” aperture 
• 2 eyepieces, a 25mm and a 10mm 
• Table-top motorized mount
• Best computerized telescope for viewing galaxies
• Easy to use with the handheld locator
• Doesn’t come with a GoTo mount
• Some users prefer a full size mount

Optical Type : Reflector Aperture : 150mm (6 inch) Focal Ratio : f/5 Magnification : 30x, 75x Weight : 25 lbs (11.3 kg) Mount : Altazimuth

12. Orion StarSeeker IV 127mm Mak-Cass GoTo Telescope with Controller

Sit back, relax and let this best goto telescope track your celestial object! This is the best way to view the night sky. The powerful 5″ GoTo Mak-Cass has a long 1540mm focal length for amazing views of the Moon, planets, and deep-sky objects.

This automatic tracking telescope comes fully equipped with two AFOV eyepieces, a 23mm wide-field 60°, and a 10mm wide-field 60°.

Also included is a 1.25″ Star diagonal for easy viewing. Once you get into it, the telescope is easy to align. The dual optical encoders on both axes of motion allow manual aiming of the telescope without losing your GoTo alignment.

After your object is in sight, the StarSeeker IV 127mm locates and tracks it automatically for you as it moves across the sky. Weighing only 22.2 lbs, it is easy to take along on a stargazing vacation.

This is a slightly more expensive goto telescope, but it offers great value for money and a host of features for advanced stargazers. It has a GoTo hand controller and EZ Finder II sight for smooth and fast locating of objects.

To help you get started, there is a DeepMap 600, a MoonMap 260, and a large GoTo database of over 42,000 objects. For family viewing fun with this automatic telescope, you can follow a built-in Tour.

• 5” aperture, 1540mm focal length
• 2 eyepieces, AFOV 23mm and 10mm
• StarSeeker IV GoTo Altazimuth Mount and Tripod
• Computerized GoTo Hand Controller
• Orion EZ Finder II reflex sight
• Accessory tray
• Hand controller holder bracket and strap
• Some users had trouble with the mount
• Has some learning curve

Optical Type : Maksutov-Cassegrain Aperture : 127mm (5 inch) Focal Ratio : f/12.1 Magnification : 67x, 154x Weight : 22.2 lbs (10 kg) Mount : GoTo Altazimuth

Types of Computerized Telescopes

Computerized telescopes are broken up into two categories, motorized, also known as “GoTo,” and non-motorized.

GoTo Telescopes

GoTo telescopes  have an electronic motor that’s connected to the included computer, which allows the user to input locations, and the telescope will automatically go to them.

They’re user-friendly, sleek, and you don’t have to do things manually.

GoTo telescopes are extremely helpful for beginners, but they’re also useful to seasoned enthusiasts seeking to save time as they scan the cosmos.

The big disadvantage of a computerized telescope is that it makes things “too easy,” which we really don’t think is that big of a deal! 

Non-motorized Telescopes

Non-motorized   versions  are similar in that they still have a computer, but you have to manually move and adjust the telescope to the desired location (the computer provides instructions).

This could be considered the downside of non-motorized versions, but many argue that the non-motorized versions are better for beginners.

They make scanning for objects easier while not providing the motorized “crutch.”

Overall, they can both be great for beginners, but non-motorized telescopes offer the opportunity to learn the ropes of the manual adjusting process using guided instructions.

Computerized Telescope Price Timeline

Dissimilar to traditional reflector and refractor telescopes, the price ranges for computerized telescopes are easier to navigate. In general, motorized telescopes are  inexpensive  and you can typically find a good quality one for under or around $500. 

Anything under $100 is considered a cheap computerized telescope. These telescopes, while very inexpensive, are not typically worth buying—it’s best to spend a bit more and get something with higher quality.

Budget: $100-$300

Telescopes residing in the $100 to $300 range are typically decent quality, and they’re a good choice if you’re on a tight budget. We recommend getting something around $300 if you can, though.

Mid-range: $300-$600

This is the perfect range for someone who’s interested in jumping into astronomy, or an intermediate astronomer looking to upgrade their old equipment.

High-end: $600-$1,000

A higher-end computerized telescope will cost you about $600 or more. Optics and overall viewing quality begin to take a leap-up at this point.

Seasoned Astronomer: $1,000 +

This range is primarily for seasoned astronomers who want to upgrade their viewing experience, and also don’t have too much of a budget. Telescopes in this range provide a gorgeous viewing experience, but that’s why they’re more expensive.

Also read :  5 Best Solar Telescopes in 2020 [to Observe The Sun]

Don’t Forget the Power Source

Before buying a computerized telescope, it’s essential to determine where you’ll be using it most. Where you plan to use, it plays a part in what other accessories you need, especially when it comes to power.

• These types of telescopes always require electricity to operate (obviously), so you’ll need a stable power source if you want to view the night sky uninterrupted. 
• If you’re using it at home, for instance, you can simply plug your telescope into an outlet in or outside of your home. However, if you’re using it somewhere remote, you’ll need a portable power supply. 

Both options can affect the overall price and the portability of the telescope. Most portable power sources for telescopes have an adapter that you can plug into your vehicle, but if you’ve ever tried that before, it kind of ruins the experience (you’ll be wondering if your car battery will die the whole time). Adding a portable power source also affects the overall weight of your telescope, which is crucial to remember if you plan on hiking with it!

Also read :  5 Best Travel Telescopes in 2020 [Portable & Durable]

• 5 Best Telescope Eyepieces in 2020 [+Beginner’s Guide]
• 5 Best Telescopes for Viewing Planets in 2020 [Saturn, Mars, Jupiter, etc.]
• 5 Best Dobsonian Telescopes in 2020 [From 8 to 12-inch Options]

How to Choose the Right Computerized Telescope?

Aperture .

Apertures can range from a smaller 5 inch to a large 10 inch, or 11 inch. The larger the aperture, the more costly the telescope will be. Telescopes with larger apertures are also bigger and are sometimes less portable. 6 inch or 8-inch digital telescopes will give home stargazers great views of the night sky at mid-range prices. 

Magnification 

This relates to the eyepieces you get with computer telescopes. Some models come with more than one eyepiece, offering a choice of magnifications. Power magnifications can be anything from 25x to 125x or more. Higher magnification does not always mean that you see a clearer image, as very large images can become distorted. 

Focal Length 

This is effectively the length of the telescope. Focal lengths on the telescopes we reviewed range from 750mm to a large 2800mm on the more expensive models. The longer the focal length the better views you will get. Look for 750mm to 1500mm as a starting point in a beginner to an intermediate telescope.  

Size and Weight

The first question is, do you want to travel with your scope or do you have a permanent place to set it up at home? If you want to take it on trips to darker observation sites, you need a light and portable scope. Weights can vary between 20 lbs and 80 lbs. Look for a best digital telescope that weighs around 25 lbs to 40 lbs for easy portability. 

A GPS-powered telescope makes the alignment procedure much easier. You do not need to enter dates, times, or location. The GPS automatically fetches the information from satellites and knows exactly where you are on the planet. Many computer telescopes have connections for attaching a GPS. Some more expensive models have a built-in GPS System. 

GoTo vs. Manual

Are you a classic viewer or a fan of apps and computerization? GoTo telescopes can automatically locate and track your object, making it easier for beginners to start stargazing. They do cost more than manual telescopes. With a manual telescope, it is up to you to locate and align your telescope on the object you want to view. 

What is a computerized telescope?

A computerized telescope has a mount with computer software that lets you input coordinates or select an object from a database. The telescope will then find the object for you. You will not have to locate it manually. 

Is a computerized telescope worth it?

Yes – it is a great way for beginners to start stargazing fast and easily. Sometimes beginner home astronomers become frustrated trying to locate sky objects. Computerized telescopes remove this problem. 

Can you connect a telescope to a computer?

Yes, you can. Computerized or GoTo telescopes connect to software on an App or on a mobile device. This allows you to easily locate and align to celestial objects. 

What is the best computerized telescope for beginners?

The Orion StarBlast 6i IntelliScope Reflector Telescope is best for a beginner. It is well priced with exceptional features. It has a large 6” aperture, 2 eyepieces, and a portable table-top motorized mount.

What is the best computerized telescope under $500?

The Celestron NexStar 130 SLT Newtonian Reflector Telescope costs just under $500.  It is a great choice with a 5 inch aperture, 2 eyepieces, and a lightweight, portable construction. 

What is the best computerized telescope under $300?

For under $300 you will find it difficult to get a decent computerized telescope. If this is your fixed budget then rather look for a well-priced manual telescope. If you can increase your budget, both the Celestron NexStar 130 SLT Newtonian Reflector and the Orion StarBlast 6i IntelliScope Reflector are priced under $500.

Ian is an astronomy enthusiast, passionate writer, and editor-in-chief of PlanetGuide. He holds a degree in mathematics and has written over 100 articles on astronomy. Ian has been fascinated with the stars for over 30 years and has logged thousands of hours at the eyepiece. When he’s not observing the sky, he is enjoying time with his two kids, Amelia and Aurora.

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