Class Note 1984

While many of us are far flung around the girdled earth, I received this note from our very own and esteemed Mara Rudman, principal at Quorum Strategies LLC and visiting lecturer at Dartmouth: “I am really enjoying the experience teaching at the College. My course is titled ‘Smart Power, the National Security Process, and the Shaping of U.S. Policy in the Middle East.’ The students have a mock National Security Council deputies meeting, a congressional consultation and an international consultation. The intent is to have them grapple with some of the challenges of facing hard policy choices with limited and competing time, information, resources and interests. The 15 students in the seminar are just great—they are engaged, curious and eager to improve on often bad choices. I think my Washington, D.C., colleagues might do well seeing their fresh approaches sooner rather than later! I do have to stop and remind myself that I am the teacher and not the student. I can walk around and forget that our student days ended 30 years ago, until I bump into an ’84 progeny and I know for sure that we’ve passed on that torch to the next generation. I also have had a great chance to reconnect with our classmates who are living or have homes up here: Lucia Jackson and Carin Reynolds live in the area; Ann Armbrecht is nearby in Montpelier, Vermont; and Viva Hardigg has graciously provided housing while I am here. I’ve been able to see Marsha Trant (whose son Evan Schlick is a ’17) and hope to see others such as Carla Small, Bob Cronin and Anjali Hulyalkar Chutanni when they are here this fall visiting their kids. I hope to catch Lisa Ragen Ide (whose daughter Maisie is a ’16) and Michelle Dorion in early November while they are here for the Dickey International Center board meeting—’84 women seem to be dominating that board now. Since I am close by I joined Wendy Folberth Miller (two of her kids attend Dartmouth) and Ben Potter at Hope Walks, a cancer center fundraiser at Newton-Wellesley Hospital near Boston. Our team honored the memory of our classmate Dianna Rynkiewicz.” Mara’s past work experience includes deputy assistant to the president, executive secretary on the National Security Council and deputy envoy and chief of staff for the State Department Office of the Special Envoy for Middle East Peace.
Are you going to be “Homeward Bound” for our 30th reunion June 11-15? Ed Kenealy reports that after a first of its kind Facebook poll, “Homeward Bound” was selected for our 30th reunion theme! If you didn’t know about the Facebook poll, maybe we don’t have a valid email address for you. With email being our primary means of communication, we need your correct email address. If you haven’t been receiving reunion or other class emails, go to our class website www.dartmouth84.org and update your info. Or you can send your correct email address to dartmouth84@gmail.com. The 30th reunion team will be making a concerted effort to update our class email records so we can reach everyone. And while you are online join our class Facebook page: “Dartmouth College Class of 1984.” You can also let your classmates know that you will be heading to Hanover this June for our very own 30th Reunion Facebook page: “Homeward Bound: The Class of ’84 30th Reunion, 6/11-6/15.” Many of you already have said that you will attend. And, if you’ve got any reunion questions or want to help out, just email Ed at ed.kenealy@dartmouth84.org.
—Jan Gordon and Derek Chow, 132 Wildcat Lane, Boulder, CO 80304; (303) 448-1580; janandderek@comcast.net