“I’ve always worked 24/7, even while traveling, and don’t plan on retiring from the travel business and playing tennis until my 100th birthday.”—
—Bobbi Penneys Susselman Laufer CW’68
1940s | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s
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Deadlines 7/15 for the Sep|Oct issue; 9/15 for Nov|Dec; 11/15 for Jan|Feb; 1/15 for Mar|Apr; 3/15 for May|Jun; and 5/15 for Jul|Aug.
1946
Evelyn Stanton Grain C’46 will celebrate her 100th birthday with family and friends on April 17. Her granddaughter Mary Grain WG’20 writes, “We wish Evelyn a happy birthday!”
1956
R. Theodore “Ted” Moock Jr. W’56 writes, “During the months leading up to the 2020 presidential election, I wrote some 20 political blogs, almost all focused on the upcoming election. Then I went into writing retirement. With the 2024 presidential election approaching, I will take pen in hand once again to author political commentary on the election. If anyone would like to receive these blogs, a simple email to [email protected] would do the trick.”
Celebrate Your Reunion, May 17–20, 2024!
1964
Stuart Resor C’64 writes, “Dear fellow classmates, Bonnie and I have been brainstorming how we can achieve a lasting gentle peace in all the Holy Lands. First: let’s combine this grumpy group into a larger cooperative, the United Tribes of the Holy Lands, then develop a series of arbitration and peace shelters. These buildings will replicate what our courthouses do here in US. Then better develop the water desalinization plants and add much more farming. Then add massively more solar and wind power. Massively expand the schools and college buildings. Then as things calm down, add much more in the way of tourist facilities, like they have in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt. Then add more airports. Then translate MLK’s 1963 ‘I have a dream speech’ into Hebrew and Arabic. … Get Gulf states to contribute some to all this. Respond to [email protected].”
1966
Thomas McEwan C’66 writes, “After graduating from Penn, I served for two years in the Peace Corps in Senegal. I recently wrote a book about my time there, called Out in Africa: Senegal 1966–1968. Upon returning to the States, I got a job in the fragrance supply business with International Fragrances and Flavors. After three years with them in New York, I was transferred to their Paris office where I remained for seven years before leaving IFF to become a founding partner at Azur Fragrances. I am retired now, but after 45 years the company is still going strong. I have French and American nationalities and have lived in Paris for over 50 years. Not bad for someone who was born and educated in Philadelphia.”
1967
Lawrence Beaser C’67, a partner at Blank Rome LLP, has been named the 2023 Giant of the Bar by the Philadelphia Bar Association Business Law Section. The honor recognizes a legal giant who has had a “significant impact on the practice of business law in Philadelphia and beyond.”
Eric R. White GEd’67 GrEd’75, executive director emeritus of Penn State’s division of undergraduate studies, is featured in a journal article by Hilleary Himes, “A Place for Academic Advising Scholars: Dr. Eric White at the Division of Undergraduate Studies.” The article appears in Vol. 25 (2023) of The Mentor: Innovative Scholarship on Academic Advising, which is edited by Junhow Wei Gr’16. It can be read at doi.org/10.26209/mj2563329.
1968
Bobbi Penneys Susselman Laufer CW’68 writes, “I continue to sell travel all over the world, as I have been doing since 1982. I also escort tiny groups of two to eight travelers three times a year to very remote destinations such as Outer Mongolia, Tibet, Ethiopia, Papua New Guinea, Algeria, Greenland, Pitcairn Island, and Easter Island. I’ve always worked 24/7, even while traveling, and don’t plan on retiring from the travel business and playing tennis until my 100th birthday. Maybe you’d like to join us? On March 7, I’ll be playing tennis with a 100-year-old friend who has been a sterling example of a life well lived. She serves as a model for so many of us here in San Diego.” Bobbi invites alumni contact at [email protected].
Barbara Weisberg CW’68 writes, “My new book, Strong Passions: A Scandalous Divorce in Old New York, released by Norton in February, tells the dramatic true story of an explosive divorce trial in the 1860s that riveted the nation with headlines about adultery, abortion, and child abduction. The book traces the trial’s impact on laws and attitudes at the time and looks at its relevance today, when issues related to marriage, gender, and reproductive rights are once again making front-page news.”
1970
Steven G. Friedman W’70 is an attorney specializing in commercial real estate in the Washington, DC, area. After being introduced to writer Samuel Beckett’s work as a student at Penn, Steve purchased a graduation present for himself—a limited-edition (200 copies) set of the Collected Works of Samuel Beckett (Grove Press, 1970), signed by Samuel Beckett. For the past 50-plus years, Steve has displayed the books in his home in Potomac, Maryland. In December of 2023 he donated the Beckett book collection to the Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts at Penn Libraries.
1972
Robert A. Gibbons G’72 is a realtor living in Stuart, Florida. Previously, he retired from NYNEX/Verizon, where he worked for 13 years in national sales and as a branch manager. In 1972, Bob and his first wife, Elaine, moved to Concord, New Hampshire, where Bob was a senior consultant to the superintendent of New Hampshire Hospital. In 1975, Bob ran for mayor of Boston. Although he didn’t win, he shares that his campaign “exposed the ‘busing fiasco’ as a diversion from grossly unequal schools, and the corruption in Mayor Kevin White’s administration.” In 1990, Bob married his high school sweetheart, Brenda Ryan Gibbons. The couple each have two children from their prior marriages and spent many years sailing Buzzards Bay in Massachusetts. In 1995, they founded TRUCTOR(r) Vehicles, which developed patented tractor-truck vehicles for subsistence farmers and has won many engineering awards. At a yacht club dinner, Bob was asked what he did for a living. Bob said, “I work for my wife Brenda; she’s a tractor manufacturer!”
Nancy Kreiger CW’72 retired from a career in epidemiology as director of prevention research at Ontario’s cancer control agency and professor and head of the graduate epidemiology program at the University of Toronto’s School of Public Health. She has now embarked on a new career in the health industry. In the summer of 2023, she completed her certification as a personal training specialist, and in late autumn she was hired by a boutique gym in the Beaches neighborhood of Toronto to work with individuals, focusing on functional strength training.
1973
Robert M. Steeg C’73 ASC’75, managing partner of Steeg Law Firm in New Orleans, has been selected to appear in the 2024 edition of Louisiana Super Lawyers in the category of Real Estate Law. He was also included in New Orleans Magazine’s Top Lawyers 2023 for Real Estate Law.
Celebrate Your Reunion, May 17–20, 2024!
1974
H. Ronald Klasko L’74 has been elevated to chairman at Klasko Immigration Law Partners. Ron, a founding member of the firm, will continue to concentrate on the strategic growth and vision of the law firm.
1975
Jay Rogoff C’75 won the Lewis P. Simpson Award for an outstanding book of American literary criticism for his new book, Becoming Poetry: Poets and Their Methods, published by Louisiana State University Press. The book includes essays on some two dozen poets, ranging from forebears to contemporaries. In examining their work and exploring how poets who have reached a level of achievement become identified with their poetry, it explains how each writer appeals to our imagination. Becoming Poetry aims to demystify poetic art, making it accessible and enjoyable for readers at all levels.
1976
Stephanie Urchick C’76 will lead the international service organization Rotary International as its president, beginning July 1. She is the second woman to hold this position.
1977
Marshal Granor C’77 see Tamar E. Granor C’78 GEE’81 Gr’86.
1978
Jeanne T. Cohn C’78 has coauthored a new book with Alan S. Tenenbaum, Environmental Bankruptcy Law: A Practice Guide. Jeanne explains that the book “provides the history and development of case law on the subject [of environmental bankruptcy law] and offers the environmental practitioner a wealth of information in how to handle an environmental bankruptcy case.”
Tamar E. Granor C’78 GEE’81 Gr’86 writes, “I was recently named a senior member of the Association for Computing Machinery. Senior membership recognizes those who ‘have demonstrated performance through technical leadership, and technical or professional contributions.’ Last spring, my husband Marshal Granor C’77 and I received the Morton Tabas Humanitarian Award from our longtime synagogue, Beth Sholom Congregation in Elkins Park, Pennsylvania. The biennial award is given to a person or couple who has shown a long history of commitment to helping others. As we put together a bio for this, we were stunned by how many ways we’d worked individually and jointly to make the world a better place. Among other things, we continue to be involved with the Hebrew Free Loan Society of Greater Philadelphia, which offers no-interest, no-fee loans to members of Philadelphia’s Jewish community.”
Gabriel Sucher C’78 G’78 reports that he had a letter to the editor published in the October 5, 2022, edition of the Washington Post. He writes, “The letter calls for an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine, followed by a negotiated settlement. This could save many lives.”
Celebrate Your Reunion, May 17–20, 2024!
1979
Frank Ballmann W’79 writes, “After a long and successful career using my Wharton accounting and finance skills, I decided it was time to use that dual major in political science I collected at Penn long ago and got involved in government relations in 2006. In 2010, I began representing NASSGAP, the state agencies responsible for funding almost $15 billion annually in state student financial aid programs, on federal financial aid issues in Washington. In my finance jobs, I’d sit next to my investors on a plane and they’d thank me for making them wealthier. When I started this job, I sat next to a recent grad on a plane who, when she found out what I did, thanked me for getting the grants that enabled her to go to college and change her life. NASSGAP helps well over a million students pay for college every year, so while the job pays less, it feels great to change all those lives! And in this role, I serve on the board of the Committee for Education Funding, where I get to work in DC with Bill Andresen, Penn’s associate vice president for federal affairs, on various issues and initiatives! Outside of work, I like to travel, and I was able to get to all 50 states within four years of graduating from Penn. Perhaps because my spring breaks were spent following the Quakers in the NCAA basketball tournament, Florida was the last of 50 states for me. Now, my goal is to get to all seven continents; five down, two to go. Most recently, I hiked the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu in late 2019. Looking forward to seeing my classmates at our reunion in May!”
Dr. Seth L. Matarasso C’79, a dermatologic surgeon, has been named president of the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery and American Society for Dermatologic Surgery Association. Seth is also a clinical professor of dermatology at the University of California School of Medicine in San Francisco.
1980
Dr. George Grillon D’80 received the Distinguished Service Award from the Maryland State Dental Association House of Delegates. The award acknowledges a member who has provided exceptional service to the profession and the state. George is a maxillofacial surgeon and trains surgery residents at MedStar Washington Hospital Center, where he is vice chairman. He is also chief of oral and maxillofacial surgery at Suburban Hospital, where he directs the education of surgery residents from the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.
1981
Earle Hager W’81 reports from Los Angeles that he continues to be busy with his consulting firm, the Neutrino Donut. He writes, “Donut stands for the Direct Observation of the Neutrino Tau, but you already knew that. I am working with science-based startups and helping them with the grant funding process. It’s always interesting and involves lots of online meetings. My daughter is graduating from UC Berkeley with a degree in economics this spring and my son is working in the media industry out here, having graduated from CalArts a few years back. I am also celebrating beating cancer, thanks to a few Penn Med doctors out here at UCLA, as well as many other very amazing doctors, nurses, technicians, and other staffers. Everyone stay safe and get your checkups. I would love to hear from classmates. And fuck cancer!”
Cindy Shmerler C’81 was inducted into the Eastern Tennis Hall of Fame in August 2023. Cindy has covered the sport for 45 years for major newspapers worldwide and as a television commentator for ESPN, USA Network, and Tennis Channel. She is currently a sports and obituary writer for the New York Times. Several Penn grads attended in support of Cindy, including her brother Bill Shmerler W’77, and former Penn tennis players Ricky Meyer W’77, Susan Wilf Morris C’80, and Lendy Smith Muller C’80. Cindy’s husband Ford Levy EE’79, copresident of the Class of 1979, and her children, Kristen Levy C’15 and Maxwell Levy C’18, were also present.
1982
Robert Carley C’82 was recently featured on News 12 Connecticut for his meetings with Henry Kissinger, the former US secretary of state and national security advisor to Presidents Nixon and Ford who died on November 29. Robert met Kissinger on four occasions and drew several caricatures of him over the years. The video can be viewed at tinyurl.com/carleykissinger.
Celebrate Your Reunion, May 17–20, 2024!
1984
Jeff D. Lerner C’84 recently completed his 35th year with the New York State Workers’ Compensation Board, serving as an administrative law judge for the agency for the past 30 years. As a judge, he presides over cases involving work-related accidents and occupational diseases, as well as line-of-duty injuries to volunteer firefighters and volunteer ambulance workers.
1985
Kathleen Brewer-Smyth GNu’85 Gr’01 has authored a book, Adverse Childhood Experiences: The Neuroscience of Trauma, Resilience and Healing Throughout the Life Course (Springer, 2022), which won four American Journal of Nursing (AJN) 2023 Book of the Year Awards. It was awarded first place in three categories (Community/Home Health Care, Creative Works, and Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing) and third place in the Consumer Health category. No book has ever won this many AJN awards since AJN first began acknowledging high-quality publications on nursing and healthcare topics in 1969. Kathleen is an associate professor in the School of Nursing at the University of Delaware.
Farley Weiss C’85, a copyright and trademark lawyer at Weiss & Moy, has published his first book, Because It’s Just and Right: The Untold Back Story of the US Recognition of Jerusalem as the Capital of Israel and Moving of the US Embassy to Jerusalem, coauthored with Leonard Grunstein. Farley writes, “The book goes into detail on the Jewish right to Israel including establishing the Jewish people’s indigeneity to the land and its historic and legal right to Israel as well as the move of the embassy to Jerusalem and its recognition as Israel’s capital. The title comes from [former US senator Jon] Kyl’s response to people as to why he originated the legislation in 1995 when he would reply, ‘Because it’s just and right.’ The book also discusses Hamas and its Covenant, the Palestinian Authority, and Iran, as well as well as US diplomacy. I have personal knowledge of the battle that led to the Jerusalem Embassy Act of 1995 as I voluntarily worked with Senator Kyl’s staff during the legislation and kept the faxes I received at the time. I have been interviewed on radio and television regarding the book. Please contact me if you would like me to speak about the current situation with Israel and about the book at [email protected].” More information about the book can be found at jerusalemrecognition.com.
1986
Jody Enders Gr’86 has received the Modern Language Association’s Lois Roth Award for a translation of a literary work for Immaculate Deception and Further Ribaldries: Yet Another Dozen Medieval French Farces in Modern English (University of Pennsylvania Press, 2022). Jody is a professor of French and theater at the University of California, Santa Barbara.
John K. Fiorillo W’86, an attorney and partner at Unruh Turner Burke & Frees, recently presented at the Real Estate Institute, the Pennsylvania Bar Institute’s flagship program on real estate law. The session, titled “Real Estate Assessment,” delved into critical aspects of assessment law, focusing on uniformity challenges under the Pennsylvania Constitution’s Uniformity Clause.
Greg Schlimm W’86 has completed his doctoral research on value creation with technology mergers at Warwick Business School in England. He shares that he “is enjoying guest lecturing and staying active in the space as an interested observer. Now working with the Transaction Advisors Institute, supporting corporate M&A teams to improve their deal performance. Still living in Washington, DC, but also spend time at Rehoboth Beach with Lynne and the two dogs. Hi to everyone from DC!”
1988
Jeffrey Eisen W’88 has been named a “Hollywood Troubleshooter” by the Hollywood Reporter. The publication compiled a list of “25 attorneys the entertainment elite have on speed dial for death, divorce and other disasters,” and this is Jeffrey’s third time on the list. Jeffrey is a partner at Mitchell Silberberg & Knupp LLP in Los Angeles, where he cochairs the firm’s Trusts and Estates practice. He lives in Manhattan Beach, California, with his wife Andrea Goldberg Eisen W’88, and the couple has two adult children.
Celebrate Your Reunion, May 17–20, 2024!
1989
David P. France C’89 relaunched his dance company in Basel, Switzerland, in February 2023, after a nine-year hiatus. David P. France Dance Company was initially started in New York City circa 2009 and continued in Basel from 2010 until 2014. During that six-year run, the company performed and held dance workshops in Belgrade, Serbia; Rome; Paris; and Basel, Switzerland. Also during that time, David organized trainings through Human Resources and Employee Resource Group (ERG) stakeholders at Novartis AG in Basel. In August, David will be performing at Dance-Forms 79th International Choreographers’ Showcase in Edinburgh, as part of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. David writes that he is looking forward to attending his 35th Reunion in May. Currently, he serves as cochair of the Class of 1989’s 35th Reunion Giving Committee and senior vice president of outreach and events for the 35th Reunion Committee. If anyone has any questions about the reunion, please feel free to contact him directly through Penn Alumni Relations at [email protected].
1990
Robin Rothstein C’90 writes, “It’s been an exciting couple of years! I celebrated my first anniversary as a staff writer at Forbes Advisor this past fall, followed by a promotion. I love my work and am grateful for this opportunity to fulfill my dream of writing full time in a role that gives me room to flex my creative muscles, level up my journalism skills, and serve readers. I’m available for contract work in topic areas outside of real estate, so if you’re looking to boost your SEO with a proven writer whose articles receive thousands of monthly page views, give me a shout!” Robin invites alumni contact at [email protected]. Robin’s website is robinrothstein.com.
1991
Thomas Bartscherer C’91, a senior lecturer in the humanities at Bard College, shares that the New York Times has selected an opera he wrote with composer Dylan Mattingly as one of the 10 Best Classical Music Performances of 2023, a listing that was revealed in the newspaper’s December 5 issue. Earlier in the year, the New York Times had featured the duo’s opera, Stranger Love, in its May 15 article, titled “A Six-Hour Opera Goes On for One Euphoric Night Only.” Thomas is also celebrating the November release of his latest book, coedited with Ewa Atanassow and David A. Bateman, titled When the People Rule: Popular Sovereignty in Theory and Practice.
Jim Bucking L’91, managing partner of the law firm Foley Hoag, has received the 2023 Cushing-Gavin Attorney Award from the Boston Labor Guild. The award annually recognizes lawyers who have provided lifelong service in labor-management affairs, representing either unions or employers.
Andrew S. “Andy” Cohen C’91 is cofounder of Cohen Rabinowitz PLLC, a San Antonio-based law firm specializing in commercial real estate law. Andy concentrates his practice on development transactions with a focus on affordable housing projects.
Celebrate Your Reunion, May 17–20, 2024!
1994
John W. Glomb Jr. C’94 WG’02 has been promoted to CEO of Tokio Marine North America. In addition to this new role, John will also continue as CEO of Philadelphia Insurance Companies and Tokio Marine North America Services, and as an executive officer on the Tokio Marine Holdings Executive Management Team. The Philadelphia Business Journal recognized him as one of the “Most Admired CEOs” in 2023. The listing can be viewed at tinyurl.com/johnglomb.
1998
Abbey Pachter Gr’98 has written a new book, A Monarch in Winter: Biography of a Butterfly. Abbey writes, “This is an informative, journal-styled memoir about the life of one monarch that lived its life free-range in my home during the winter of 2021. The story also chronicles how, during that second winter of COVID-19, I passed from the relative safety of isolation to join the cadre of nurses and physicians who came out of retirement to contribute to the vaccination effort for which, incidentally, many of us were awarded Presidential Volunteer Service Awards from President Biden [Hon’13]. Monarch is available on Amazon or may be purchased from me directly.” Abbey may be contacted at [email protected].
2001
Raymond Valerio C’01 writes, “After serving in the Bronx County District Attorney’s Office for 16 years, I moved to the Queens County District Attorney’s Office in 2020 to be the director of forensic sciences overseeing all forensic science-based prosecutions. Scientific American magazine recently published my opinion editorial ‘Firearm Forensics Has Proven Reliable in the Courtroom. And in the Lab.’ As explained in the article, firearms identification analysis involves the microscopic examination and comparison of fired ammunition samples (typically fired bullets and spent cartridge cases recovered at crime scenes), in relation to each other and to test fires produced from recovered firearms. Qualified firearms examiners can identify a particular firearm as having fired a specific bullet or cartridge case. Investigators can then connect firearms to shootings, and even one shooting to another. From New York City to Los Angeles, hundreds of shooting investigations benefit every day from this analysis.”
Celebrate Your Reunion, May 17–20, 2024!
2004
Melissa Byrne CGS’03 writes that she was “cringing as a few wealthy donors exploited the horrible massacre on October 7” to advance a “culture war” and “calls upon all Penn alumni across all ideologies to firmly oppose [their] attempts to remake Penn in their image—a small-minded, cruel place that eschews the beauty of Penn.”
2005
Adam Burgos C’05 and his wife Donna Padilla (who met thanks to David Krulewitch C’05) are thrilled to announce the birth of their son, Matéo Ezra Burgos Padilla, on November 26 in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania. Adam writes, “Matéo is already best friends with our dog Fausto and is looking forward to visiting family in Philadelphia and New York as soon as he can.”
2007
Jasmine Nichole Cobb Gr’07 Gr’09, a professor of African & African American studies and art, art history, and visual studies at Duke University, is the author of New Growth: The Art and Texture of Black Hair. According to the press materials, the book “traces the history of Afro-textured coiffure, exploring it as a visual material through which to reimagine the sensual experience of Blackness.”
David Cassels Johnson Gr’07 and Francis M. Hult Gr’07 were both recently elected to the board of trustees of the Center for Applied Linguistics (CAL), a nonprofit supporting effective policy and practice for linguistic diversity.
Greg Moran C’07 is CEO of the car-sharing platform Zoomcar. The company manages more than 20,000 cars across 45 cities in India, Indonesia, and Egypt. Zoomcar recently merged with Innovative International Acquisition, and the newly renamed Zoomcar Holdings now trades on the Nasdaq under the ticker symbol ZCAR for stock and ZCARW for warrants.
2008
Abigail Kolker C’08 and Roi Godelman are happy to announce the birth of their son, Raz Kolker Godelman, on June 19. Big sister Naya is thrilled with the new addition. Abby, Roi, Naya, Raz, and yellow lab Bana live in Washington, DC. Abby is an immigration policy analyst at the Library of Congress and Roi is a software engineer at Capital One.
Maura Connell Lightfoot C’08 completed a successful first year as a transformational executive leadership coach. With a Penn degree in cultural anthropology and a Cambridge MBA, concentrated in international business, Maura, who has lived in more than seven countries, works at the intersection of business and culture. Maura offers 1:1 coaching, group programs, speaking engagements, and retreats for individuals and groups seeking transformational change and greater professional impact. Maura invites alumni contact at [email protected].
2011
Dr. Laura R. Gordon Gr’11 has been promoted to partner at the law firm BakerHostetler. Laura works out of the firm’s Philadelphia office and focuses her practice on patent prosecution, portfolio management, and counseling for clients in the life science, biotechnology, and pharmaceutical spaces.
2013
Jake Cohen C’13 married Sara Saltzman on November 19 in Closter, New Jersey.
Holly Marrone G’13 LPS’16 has joined Remington & Vernick Engineers (RVE) as vice president of human resources. RVE is an engineering firm that provides design, planning, and construction management and inspection services throughout New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, and North Carolina. Previously, Holly served as executive director and chief people officer at Penn’s School of Nursing.
2016
Junhow Wei Gr’16 see Eric R. White GEd’67 GrEd’75.
2017
Austin Kreinz C’17, founder of Atomix Logistics, has been named to Forbes’ magazine’s 30 Under 30 list for 2024, in the retail and e-commerce category. Atomix Logistics is a startup that assists e-commerce brands in fulfilling orders. According to Forbes, “Brands pay for space within Atomix’s warehouse, where products are packaged and shipped according to their specifications.”
Celebrate Your Reunion, May 17–20, 2024!
2019
Kristin Tichenor GrEd’19 has been named board president of Tuition Exchange, which is a reciprocal scholarship opportunity for eligible faculty and staff dependents at more than 700 individual member institutions of higher education.
2020
Mary Grain WG’20 see Evelyn Stanton Grain C’46.
Felix Yerace LPS’20, a teacher at South Fayette High School in South Fayette Township, Pennsylvania, has received the 2023 National Earl Reum Award from the National Association for Student Activities. This award is given annually to someone who encourages and inspires others in the field of student leadership and is instrumental in student leadership training.
2021
Dr. Gregory Chen Gr’21 M’23, a resident physician at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, is included in Forbes magazine’s 30 Under 30 list for the year 2024. According to Forbes, “Gregory Chen’s research focuses on CAR-T cell therapy, a groundbreaking approach to genetically modify T cells to fight cancer. A paper Chen coauthored in Nature showed that a single dose of CAR-T cells in patients can hold certain cancers in remission for over a decade. This clinical breakthrough has led to a major rethinking in cancer immunology.”
Alexis Holzmann GEd’21 completed a 2,198.4-mile thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail, achieving a decade-long goal and joining the less than 25% of successful annual finishers. Backpacking continuously over the course of six months, Alexis hiked from Georgia to Maine, “battling through a severely sprained ankle, record-breaking rainfall, and treacherous terrain,” she writes. During her hike, Alexis connected with people from all over the world, often staying up late at trail shelters “discussing the role of teacher attitudes about math on student performance and creative ways math instruction could be informed by students lived experiences, which were both topics inspired by research and coursework led by Dr. Caroline Ebby and Dr. Janine Remillard of the Penn Graduate School of Education.” Alexis is currently writing a memoir, All for Us: Tales from a Totally Average Thru-Hiker, seeking to share her on-trail experiences and inspire anyone who feels like it is “too late” to pursue their dreams.
