“On the Cover of the Rollin’ Stone...”

One of our former students who turns up in this blog from time to time is someone who didn't actually graduate from Ithaca College — Patrick Doyle. As a student here through 2008 he was one of our best Accent writers and was the assistant section editor, in line to become Accent editor, when he decided to transfer to NYU. During the process of earning his degree there, he interned at Rolling Stone, where his was eventually hired as a writer and then promoted to associate editor. Earlier this month he published his first Rolling Stone cover story, on Willie Nelson. 

Patrick has always kept in touch with me and his Ithaca classmates, and has never made a secret of how much his Ithacan experience contributed to his development as a writer and editor. And I’ve never made a secret of how proud we are of his success. Congratulations Patrick!

Margie Obreza Chetney’s Work Honored

Margie Obreza Chetney ’99 with Michael Veley,
 director and chair of SU’s Department of Sport
Management 

Former Ithacan sports editor Margie Obreza Chetney ’99 was presented with Syracuse University’s Falk College Rising Star Award on August 21. The award goes to an employee who has worked for Falk College for less than two years and has, among other things, shows outstanding initiative, works independently but is also a strong team player, demonstrates a positive attitude and shows significant efforts and accomplishments in a short amount of time.

Sounds like the Margie I remember.


Margie works in the university’s Department of Sport Management, where she oversees all of the its communication, social media, and newsletters, while also working with sport management students and professors on a daily basis. She left the newspaper business in 2013 after spending 14 years at The Post-Standard in Syracuse as a reporter, copy editor and assistant editor. Switching its emphasis to a more digital format led to several changes at the newspaper, and Margie saw the time of transition and uncertainty as a chance to take her career in a new direction.

Margie lives in Syracuse with her husband, Matt, and their two children, Haylee, 6, and Jake, 4. Margie is also busy on the bowling lanes, winning three Syracuse city titles in May 2014.

Good Times in Our Nation’s Capital

From left, Lena Yue ’10, Erica Hendry ’09, Nate Weixel ’08,
Max Steinmetz ’09 at the alumni dinner.

It was an exciting time in Washington, D.C., last weekend, when I was able to combine my annual dinner with our Washington alumni on Aug. 7 with attending the Aug. 9 wedding of one of our best former editors-in-chief, Beth Quill ’06, and Seth Zuckerman.

The D.C. dinner is always one of my favorite parts of summer, although it has the bittersweet quality of usually being the last fun thing I do before going back to work for the fall semester. Combine it with a wedding (the 14th wedding of an Ithacan alum I’ve attended) and there's nothing bitter about it.

Senior Miles Surrey, Kate Sheppard ’06 and Caitlin Connelly
Ellsworth ’05 at the alumni dinner.

The Bride: Beth Quill ’06

Bonnie Flock Tabasco ’01 and Mike Tabasco ’00 at the dinner.

We had a great time this year, as usual. Dinner was at our favorite spot, the Old Ebbitt Grill, and it brought out the usual cast of characters, plus a few new ones. This year’s crowd included Caitlin Connelly Ellsworth ’05, Charlie Ellsworth ’04, Erica Hendry ’09, Noria Litaker ‘06, Alexandra Palombo ’11, Max Steinmetz ’09, Kate Sheppard ’06, Bonnie Flock Tabasco ’01 and Mike Tabasco ’00, Megan Tetrick ’03 and her husband Brad Hopewell, Kerry Tkacik ’13, Nate Weixel ’08 and Lena Yue ’10. Current students Deanna Romanoff and Miles Surrey were also on hand. Jill Agostino ’86 was in New York on New York Times business the night of the dinner, so Erica, Max and I had brunch with her on Sunday.

Alex Palombo, Kerry Tkacik and
Yue again!

Enjoyable though the dinner was, however, the high point of the weekend was Beth’s wedding. The ceremony was beautiful, and the word “radiant” doesn’t do her justice. The ceremony was held at the St. Thomas Apostle Church in Woodley Park, and the reception at St. Francis Hall, adjacent to one of the coolest/creepiest American monasteries I know, the Franciscan Monastery of the Holy Land in America. (I love that place! I’ve visited it many times.) Nothing creepy about the reception though — just a lot of people coming together to celebrate a wonderful couple. It was also a nice chance to spend more time with people I like: Anne Walters Custer ’05, Noria Litaker ’06, Lyndsey Runaas ’06 (that’s Dr. Runaas to you) and Kate Sheppard ’06 and her husband Deen Freelon. I always tell current students that becoming involved with The Ithacan is like becoming part of a family, and it’s never more evident than at times like this.

The newly married bride and groom
come down the aisle.

Noria Litaker ’06, Kate Sheppard ’06, Lindsey Runaas ’06,
Beth Quill ’06, some goon photobombing, and Anne Walters
Custer ’06 at the wedding.

Some Summer Visitors

I had the pleasure of joining up with some alumni who returned to Ithaca to enjoy our beautiful summer weather during the past week. Former Ithacan news editor Aaron Mason ’02 came from Buffalo, former Managing Editor Jennifer Hodess Gonzalez came from Long Island and former Photo Editor Melissa Thornley Bloomrose came from Washington, D.C., along with children and friends, for a weekend visit, which prompted lunch at Viva on Saturday.

Back, from left, Ed Drantch, Aaron Mason ’02, Jennifer Hodess
 Gonzalez ’02, Melissa Thornley Bloomrose ’02 and Sarah
 Lentz ’02. Front, Isabella Gonzalez (standing), Eleanor
Bloomrose (in stroller). Henry Bloomrose was also there,
although he seems to have vanished for the photo. He was
probably off on superhero business.

Then last night another former news editor, Alex Leary ’97, who is also living in D.C., took a break from visiting family in Cortland to join me for dinner at ... where else? It was nice to see them all again. And I'm glad I got to see Melissa and Alex here, since they won't be in D.C. when I get there this weekend for my annual visit.

Alex Leary ’97