In the Media
The Philadelphia Inquirer published an op-ed by Vassar president Catharine Hill about the need for colleges to embrace the nation’s veterans. Blogs such as Policy Shop and Stars and Stripes praised the op-ed.
The New York Times ran a tribute to Louise (Larocque) Serpa ’46 (pictured), legendary rodeo photographer, who passed away earlier this year. The story features a slideshow of her work.
The San Francisco Chronicle featured a Q&A interview with actor Lorenzo Pisoni ’97, covering wide-ranging topics including Vassar, which Pisoni said “changed my life.”
The Daily Pilot (CA) noted that songwriter and guitarist Samantha Smith ’14 was the opening act for surf music legend Dick Dale.
The Poughkeepsie Journal ran a story about the opening of the latest exhibition at the Frances Lehman Loeb Art Center, “Marco Maggi: Lentissimo.” Also, the New Yorker illustrated an article about the art of de Kooning with a piece from the Art Center's collection. Meanwhile, Broadway World gave a nod to MODFEST.
The Chicago Tribune featured freelance graphic designer Christopher Devine ’05 and his art/design-project-turned-community-campaign, Homeless Signs, which uses design to better convey need and help Chicago panhandlers—homeless or not. Documentary filmmaker Matthew Cunningham also featured Devine’s efforts in a short film, and Wennes Communications Stations’ Upbeats featured his work in a short news segment.
LAist ran a story about Andrew Zimmern ’84 (pictured), who recently showed up in Los Angeles filming an episode of his new Travel Channel series, “Bizarre Foods America.” The Los Angeles Times also ran a story about Zimmern, who shared globetrotting travel tips at the Los Angeles Travel & Adventure Show. And Huffington Post noted that Zimmern hosted a “California Dreaming” pop-up dinner that raised money for the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank. Meanwhile, Eater ran a story about a trip to New Orleans, where Zimmern filmed an episode for his MSN web series, “Appetite for Life,” and cooked at a fundraiser for the Crescent City Farmers Market. Miami New Times covered Zimmern’s whirlwind tour through Florida. And, if you have an iron stomach on par with Zimmern’s, Screen Junkies published its list of “6 Bizarre Foods episodes that will make you queasy,” while Taste Terminal asked him to weigh in on horse meat and also did a separate Q&A. Lastly, if you want to hear straight from Zimmern, read his roundup of “My Best List for 2011” on his blog at MplsStPaul magazine.
Huffington Post and many others noted that Trustee Meryl Streep ’71 had taken home the Golden Globe for Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama. 60 Minutes on CBS featured “the many faces” of Streep. And Newsweek featured Streep, as Margaret Thatcher, on its cover and in a feature inside the magazine. The same issue also featured an essay by Benjamin Busch ’91, whose new memoir Dust to Dust comes out in March.
Food Republic spoke with Slow Foods USA founder Patrick Martins ’94 about buying heritage meats from a knowledgeable butcher. Also, the Wholesome Wave Foundation named Martins in a story about the “movers and shakers of the food world.”
Business Insider named AAVC president and former Oxygen CEO Gerry (Bond) Laybourne ’69 in a roundup of “successful people who wake up really early.”
IndieWire named Crossing the River, a new film by writer/director Emilie McDonald ’91, as a “Project of the Day.” Also, Queens Mamas profiled McDonald in a Q&A about parenting, filmmaking, and the new film, which deals with a modern-day hate crime and is inspired by a true story. For more behind-the-scenes details of the movie, Her Film—an organization that builds audiences for films by, for, and about women—featured a guest post from McDonald.
Photo District News spoke with photographer Evan Joseph ’92 about photographing exclusive real estate.
The Washington Post profiled doctor Wendy Fulgueras ’98. Fulgueras was also part of a three-part series about 59 Maryland students who, in 1988, were promised a fully paid college education by two wealthy businessmen. She was one of those students.
Windy City Times noted that Stacey Long ’89 (pictured) was named director of public policy and government affairs at the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force.
The New York Times and Daily Fairfield (CT) wrote about Claudia Sickinger-Harris ’89 and her fight for gender fairness in the New Canaan Lacrosse Association.
Psych Central featured Bella DePaulo ’75, who recalled her Vassar days in an article about women in television in the 1960s and 1970s.
The New York Times spoke with Urban Studies professor Tobias Armborst about his firm’s proposal for imaginative re-use of a dis-used Hudson Valley parking lot.
Myrtle Beach Online quoted Paco Underhill ’75 in an article about different types of shoppers that emerge during the holiday season. Business Standard interviewed Underhill in a story about the differences between consumer culture in the United States and India. Meanwhile, Economic Times interviewed him in a video about what Indian retailers are doing right and wrong.
The Poughkeepsie Journal spoke with Iryna Shakhmantsir ’12 about a Russian Christmas celebration in the Hudson Valley.
The Poughkeepsie Journal chatted with English literature professor Donald Foster in an article about the debated authorship of the popular holiday poem “The Night Before Christmas.” (subscription required)
Wired again named Ian Saginor ’01 (pictured) in its “What Rocks: The Week’s Best in the Geoblogosphere”—once for his Volcanoclast blog post about geologically interesting countertops, and again for a blog post about how scientists should respond to poor or inaccurate science reporting in the media.
LaxPower noted that Marc Graham became the head coach—the eighth in program history—of Vassar’s men’s lacrosse team.
The Poughkeepsie Journal spoke with students Isabelle Zee ’13 and Chris Flynn ’14 in an article about the proposed New York State budget for 2012-2013.
The New York Times reviewed the young adult book Without Tess, by Marcella (Fleischman) Pixley ’92, noting that the book’s exploration of “the complexities of sibling loyalty” will “resonate with young readers.”
The Poughkeepsie Journal noted that a delegation of nine college professors from Hudson Valley institutions, including Vassar Africana studies professor Mootacem Mhiri, traveled to Oman to explore the Arab country’s progress as part of the “Educators to Oman” program.
The Boston Herald quoted American University professor Leonard Steinhorn ’77 in an article about Republican Mitt Romney. The Week magazine also quoted Steinhorn.
Art and Seek featured a video of Rachael Yamagata ’96 and her band performing her song “Dealbreaker.” ArtistDirect noted that Yamagata announced a North American tour. Magnet magazine asked Yamagata to write a guest post on its website about “therapy movies to get over a breakup,” on the heels of featuring a Q&A with her late last year. Audrey magazine, “the Asian American women’s lifestyle magazine,” featured a short profile of her, too, while Spinner ran a Q&A.
Compiled by Peter Bronski
Louise Serpa photo from Vassar collection, courtesy the subject. Andrew Zimmern photo courtesy The Travel Channel. Stacey Long photo courtesy the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force. Ian Saginor photo courtesy the subject.