Dropping in on the New York Alumni

After having dinner at Bubby’s in Tribeca on July 8, the usual suspects
and I went out for some additional libation. From left, Nic Barajas ’08,
Deepa Shah ’06, Emily Paulsen ’05, Jim Hawver ’07 and Matt Quintanilla
’07. Not shown is Stacey Coburn Williams ’07, who actually organized
 the Bubby’s gathering but couldn't come out with us later.

As part of my summer travels I had a chance to spend a few weeks in New York earlier this month after returning from a week in Prague. This gave me plenty of time to catch up with some of my favorite alumni. No matter how much time I have, there's never enough to see everyone I’d like to see, though, but here were the highlights.

Aaron Edwards ’12, now an associate editor at NBC’s
Breaking News, was kind enough to give me a tour of
the news operations at 30 Rock on July 10.

One of the high points of my visit was a
tour of the Lower East Side Tenement
Museum on Orchard Street, conducted by
our own Emily Gallagher ’06 on July 14. I’ve
always been fascinated by that chapter of our
history, and Emily did an excellent job telling
the story of the immigrants and their struggles.

On July 11, I grabbed some coffee with the legendary
Sami Khan ’02, who had recently put the finishing
touches on “Khoya,” his first feature film.

Had brunch on the 13th with Edon Ophir ’09,
whom I had’t seen in way too long. We caught
 up, reminisced about the legendary Fight Club
of 2008–09, and he filled me on his new job
at Uber.

Back to Bubby’s on the 14th for dinner with Paul
Colombo ’00 (left) and Dave and Lisa Boyars Gehrke ’01.
And the best part was I finally got to meet little Aaron,
 who had just turned two months old the day before. 

Beer and apps with James Sigman ’98
 and Mike Cagnazzi ’97 at The Half King,
Sebastian Junger’s bar under the High
Line on W. 23rd.

And last, but far from least: Team Newsday! From left,
Casey Musarra ’11, Kaydi Poirier ’11 and Erin Geismar ’09,
all working at newsday.com, came in from Long Island to
join me for tapas at El Quinto Pino on the 16th. A couple of
days later I had more tapas with Patrick Doyle at Bar
Basque just two blocks away, but I was so engrossed in
our conversation I forgot to take a picture. There's always
one. Sorry Patrick!

Throwback Thursday: Musical Memories

#tbt It was five years ago this week that the members of the great class of 2009 left Ithaca to make their way in the world. At a post-Commencement party at Erica Hendry, Andy Swift and Tahleen Ovian’s apartment we were treated to the finest in musical entertainment.

Welcome, New Ithacan Alumni!

Commencement each spring brings new graduates to the ranks of the Ithacan alumni, and this year is no different. While we said goodbye to quite a few current editors and staff members who received their degrees on May 18, we’re happy to welcome them to the ever-growing network of those whose experience on the paper will provide a springboard for future successes.

Megan Devlin and her family.

Elma Gonzalez with her family.

Among the 2014 graduates who served on the editorial board were Megan Devlin (editor-in-chief 2013–14), Sara Webb (managing editor, spring 2013), Allie Healy (managing editor 2013–14), Anjali Patel (opinion editor, fall 2013), Patrick Feeney (opinion editor, spring 2014), Elma Gonzalez (news editor, fall 2012), Jackie Eisenberg (Accent editor, fall 2013), Taylor Palmer (sports editor, fall 2013; Year in Review editor, 2014), Rose Vardell (assistant Accent editor), Vicky Wolak (chief copy editor, 2013–14), Deanna Romanoff (multimedia editor, spring 2014), Kevin Dates (sales manager 2012–13) and Chelsea Russo (Year in Review design editor, 2014).

Allie Healy and her mom.

The mighty Wenmouth
Williams, who is retiring
as journalism department chair.

Graduates who served as staff members included Mike Caffrey, Nik Decosta-Klipa, Rebecca Helmich, Lewis Kendall, Nathan King, Andrew Kristy, Cady Lang, Bianca Lupi, Dylan Maloney, Nick Marcatelli, Benjii Maust, Meagan McGinnes, Gillian Nigro and Mark Warren.

In addition, at our end-of-the-year awards ceremony at the Ithacan Banquet on May 1, the following people were recognized for their work:
Story of the Year: Jackie Eisenberg, “Break Out," March 20, 2014.
Photo of the Year: Amanda den Hartog, “#Cortaca2013,” Nov. 21, 2013.
Multimedia Story of the Year: Samantha Certrulo, Amanda den Hartog, Emma McQuade and Jillian Baker, “Taste of Success,” Feb. 6, 2014.
Outstanding Section: The Ithacan Online (Evan Sobkowicz, webmaster; Jessica Corbett, social media manager; Jillian Baker, interactive designer)
Outstanding Editor: Tucker Mitchell (photo editor)
Outstanding Freshman: Kayla Dwyer (assistant news editor)
Outstanding Senior: Elma Gonzalez
Outstanding Achievement: Megan Devlin, Allie Healy

Amanda den Hartog’s Photo of the Year

Congratulations to everyone for a great year!

Throwback Thursday: Ithacan Power Couple

#tbt Ithacan power couple, Spring 1998: News Editor Rob Bluey ’01 and Layout Editor Melissa Bloomrose ’00.

Grant and Ellick Headline in Alumni Magazine

Ithacan alumni are are well represented in the latest issue of IC View, the Ithaca College’s alumni magazine. Kelli Grant ’04 wrote the cover story, “Start Me Up: The Rise of the Entrepreneur,” which takes a look at six alumni who have launched their own successful businesses. And the magazine interviews Adam Ellick ’99 about the dramatic story of Malala Yousafszai’s emergence as an education activist and leader in the movement for women’s rights in Pakistan. Ellick’s documentary work for the The New York Times is credited with first bringing  her story to the attention of the American public.

Throwback Thursday: Nieman Conference on Narrative Journalism, March 2009

#tbt Erin Geismar ’09, Jennifer Nevins ’09 and Tricia Nadolny ’09 at the Nieman Conference on Narrative Journalism, March 2009. The conference attracted the best teachers and practitioners of narrative journalism to Boston each year to speak and conduct workshops for hundreds of attendees. As a result of the impact of the economic downturn on the Nieman endowment, 2009 was the last year the foundation sponsored the conference.

Marissa Tejada ’00 Publishes Novel

Former Ithacan writer Marissa Tejada ’00 is publishing her first novel. Chasing Athens, a romantic comedy and contemporary romance novel will be released by e-book romance publisher Musa Publishing on April 25.
As Marissa describes it in her press release, “Set in Athens, Greece, the Greek Islands and Ithaca, New York, Chasing Athens follows Ava Martin, a heartbroken American expat, whose new husband unexpectedly ditches her after their move abroad. Instead of returning to the States, she makes an abrupt decision to stay. Despite pressure from her mother, uncertainty over her divorce and issues with her long-estranged father, she's determined to make it on her own. With her Greek friends, she laughs and learns while facing culture shock, language barriers and the charm of Mediterranean men, until a life-threatening emergency back home in sleepy Ithaca, N.Y., forces her to confront her disappointing past, and forces her to redefine the meaning of home.”
The book will be available on the Musa Publishing website, as well as through Amazon and Kindle.
Since graduating from IC, Marissa has worked around the country as a television reporter and anchor, as well as in public relations. She is currently living in Athens as a full-time freelancer and blogger specializing in culture, food and wine, technology and travel writing.

Dinner at Viva

Just finished an enjoyable dinner at Viva Taqueria with, from left, former photo editors Rachel Orlow ’13 and Shawn Steiner ’13, as well as our current special projects manager, Elma Gonzalez ’14. Also present, but not shown, was the consistently camera-shy Kelsey O’Connor. Shawn and Rachel were passing through town on their way back to New York.

Throwback Thursday: Spring 2003

#tbt "Go Philly Sports!" Sports Editor Brian Delaney ’04 and Assistant Photo Editor Carly Chamberlin ’05.

Congratulations Team Newsday!

Newsday was named a Pulitzer Prize finalist in the Public Service category this year “for its use of in-depth reporting and digital tools to expose shootings, beatings and other concealed misconduct by some Long Island police officers, leading to the formation of a grand jury and an official review of police accountability.” Congratulations to our Ithacan alumni at Newsday — Erin Geismar ’09, Kaydi Poirier ’11 and Casey Musarra ’11! The Ithacan’s current multimedia editor, Deanna Romanoff ’14, will be joining the Newsday team as an intern this summer as well.

Throwback Thursday: Spring 2003

#tbt Opinion Editor Joe Geraghty ’04 and Editor-in-Chief Ellen Stapleton ’03 in Spring 2003. Written on the back of the photo: “And I thought Joe wanted me in the picture with him for sentimental value…”

Ithacan Named Best in New York State

Ramya Vijayagopal and Sabrina Knight with
the Ithacan’s awards at the 2014 NYPA convention.

The Ithacan has once again been named the Best College Newspaper in New York State by the New York Press Association. The award, the NYPA's top collegiate honor, was announced today at the organization’s annual convention at the Gideon Putnam Hotel in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. Ithacan News Editor Sabrina Knight ’16 and Contributing Writer Ramya Vijayagopal ’17 accepted the awards on behalf of the paper. 

The awards are for work produced during calendar year 2013 (Kelsey O’Connor, spring 2013 editor-in-chief; Megan Devlin, fall 2013 editor-in-chief).

In addition to being named the best overall college paper in the state, The Ithacan and its staff members received the following awards:

Awards for the Paper
First Place for Best Website
First Place for Best Sports Coverage
Second Place for Editorial Writing
Third Place for General Excellence
Honorable Mention for Design

Awards for Individuals
First Place for Column Writing — Ramya Vijayagopal
Second Place for Column Writing — Rachael Hartford
First Place for Photography — Shawn Steiner
Third Place for Photography — Durst Breneiser

Shawn Steiner’s winning photo: Baritone saxophone player Mike Brown
plays for the audience at the Streetlight Manifesto concert. The Ithacan,
April 18, 2013, p. 14.

Throwback Thursday: 1998

#tbt The Ithacan wouldn’t be what it is without it’s advertising staff bringing in the bucks. Here are Business Manager Bonnie Flock ’01 (right) and Sales Manager Allie Ello ’99, way back in 1998. And to be fair to Allie, who had her back to the camera, here’s her good side, from that series of portraits Jay Miller’s editorial board took in front of that weird towel. 

Throwback Thursday: Fall 2003

#tbt “Proof of our political diversity in top editors." News editor Anne K. Walters ’04 and Managing Editor Caitlin Connelly ’05, Fall 2003.

Jack Curran Named 2014–15 Editor-in-Chief

The Ithaca College Board of Student Publications has appointed junior Jack Curran as editor-in-chief of The Ithacan for 2014-15. 
Curran, from Ballston Spa, N.Y., is currently the paper’s online news editor. He is a double major in journalism and economics. 
In addition to his work as an editor and staff writer at The Ithacan, he has served as an editorial intern at the investigative news website “City Limits” in New York City and as an assistant producer at ICTV’s Newswatch 16.
His term as editor-in-chief will begin at the end of the current academic year in May.

Graham Hebel Comes Back for a Visit

A lot of photo talent in one room: From left, “Year in Review”
Photo Editor Durst Breneiser, Assistant Photo Editor Amanda den Hartog,
Graham Hebel ’13,Staff Photographer Jennifer Williams and Photo Editor Tucker
Mitchell.

Former Ithacan photo editor Graham Hebel ’13 returned to campus for a visit this afternoon. It was his first look at the new Ithacan office, which he found quite impressive. Everybody loves those windows!
Graham is currently working as a desktop publishing assistant for Newman Architects in their New Haven, Conn., office, employing his wide range of photo and design skills in support of the firm's marketing initiatives. 
He managed to catch up with former Ithacan colleagues Taylor Palmer and Durst Breneiser, who were in the office working on “Year in Review,”  and Editor-in-Chief Megan Devlin; he met several new editorial board members as well.

Throwback Thursday: April 7, 1999

At front of room, from left: Board of Publications members Suzie O’Rourke ’09, Gretta Nemcek ’09, Dean Thomas W. Bohn, yours truly, Professor Mead Loop, Ithaca Journal managing editor Bruce Estes, SGA president Mark Naparstek ’09 and EIC candidate Rob Bluey ’01.

#tbt Fifteen years ago (!) this April 7, the Ithaca College Board of Student Publications interviewed Rob Bluey ’01 for the position of editor-in-chief of The Ithacan. He got the job and went on to lead the paper to its first national title as Best Non-Daily College Newspaper from the Society of Professional Journalists. Rob is now director of digital media and editor in chief of The Foundry blog at the Heritage Foundation in Washington, D.C. He’s married to his Ithacan managing editor, Melissa Bloomrose Bluey ’00; they have two sons, Ben and Luke.
The board will be convening again next Tuesday to select a new EIC for 2014–15.

Great Dinner with the New York Ithacan Alums

Counterclockwise from left: Stacey Coburn Williams, Nic Barajas, Emily
Paulsen, Jen Hodess Gonzalez, Liz Crowley Pontillo, Gustavo Rivas-Solis,
 Kelli B. Grant, Jim Hawver and Matt Quintanilla.

The Heartland Brewery on W. 43rd St. in Manhattan was once again the venue for our annual dinner with New York City Ithacan alumni, held in conjunction with the spring National College Media Convention. There was great food and great service, as always.

Twenty alumni turned out out to see old friends and meet new ones, as they interacted with one another and with seven current Ithacan staff members fresh off a victory in the Columbia Scholastic Press Association Crown Award competition at the convention.  

Counterclockwise from left, Steven Pirani, Evan Falk, Michelle Boule, Tucker
Mitchell, Shawn Steiner, Molly Apfelroth, Jared Dionne, Rachel Orlow
and Patrick Doyle.

Alumni in attendance were, in alphabetical order: Molly Apfelroth ’13, Nic Barajas ’08, Michelle Boule ’13, Jared Dionne ’13, Patrick Doyle, Aaron Edwards ’12, Evan Falk ’09, Jennifer Hodess Gonzalez ’02, Kelli B. Grant ’04, Jim Hawver ’07, Rachel Orlow ’13, Jackie Palochko ’11, Emily Paulsen ’05, Kaydi Poirier ’11, Elizabeth Crowley Pontillo ’04, Matt Quintanilla ’07, Gustavo Rivas-Solis 01, Libby Sile ’11, Shawn Steiner ’13  and Stacey Coburn Williams ’07.

The current students who met them at the dinner were Online News Editor Jack Curran ’15, Photo Editor Tucker Mitchell ’16, Assistant Accent Editor Steven Pirani ’16, Assistant Sports Editor Miles Surrey ’15, Assistant News Editor Kayla Dwyer ’17, Multimedia Editor Deanna Romanoff ’14 and Chief Proofreader Vicky Wolak ’14.

It was great to see everyone again, as always, and for those of you who couldn’t make it, you were missed. But there’s always next year.

Counterclockwise from left: Vicky Wolak, Aaron Edwards, Miles Surrey, Deanna
 Romanoff, Kaydi Poirier, Jack Curran, Kayla Dwyer, Jackie Palochko and Libby Sile.

More Awards from New York

The Ithacan wrapped up the spring National College Media Convention in New York today by topping off its Gold Crown Award with winning Second Place for Best Newspaper and Third Place for Best Facebook Page in the Apple Awards Best of Show Competition.

Ithacan Wins CSPA Gold Crown

From left, Assistant Sports Editor Miles Surrey, Assistant Accent Editor
Steven Pirani, CSPA Director Edward Sullivan, Online Editor Jack Curran
and Assistant Photo Editor Tucker Mitchell at the award presentation
ceremony at the conference.

The Ithacan has been a been presented with a Gold Crown award by the Columbia Scholastic Press Association at the spring National College Media Convention in New York City. The Gold Crown awards are the highest honors presented by CSPA.

The award recognizes overall excellence in publications that work “to combine their digital and print publications as one.” This award was for work produced during the 2012–13 academic year (Kelsey O’Connor, editor in chief). It was presented in a ceremony on March 14 at the Sheraton Times Square Hotel.