Our classmates are excelling in academic roles, traveling, and embracing turning the “Big 6-0.” Jacqueline Francis, professor and chair of the visual and critical studies graduate program at California College of the Arts, shared a radiant selfie celebrating 60 from New York City while back in her hometown for a conference. Also loving the Big Apple, Dave “Cary” Mitchell sends regards from Brooklyn, where he and his wife, Samantha, recently relocated from Washington, D.C. Cary has a D.C.-based telecom law practice which he continues to manage remotely, and Samantha left ER medicine to pursue her passion for acting. Cary and Samantha enjoy exploring their new neighborhood and morning walks in Prospect Park with their rescue pup, Gigi. Tim Scherman, associate professor and chair of English and linguistics at Northeastern Illinois University, is now adding published author to his list of roles. Tim has researched and edited the selected writings of Elizabeth Oakes Smith, 19th-century writer, women’s activist, and lecturer. Joyce Sackey-Acheampong, M.D., a fellow of the American College of Physicians and Dartmouth trustee, took on a new role as Stanford Medicine’s first chief diversity and inclusion officer. Stanford welcomed Joyce and her husband with courtside seats to a Stanford men’s basketball game, where Joyce was awarded the game ball on behalf of Stanford Medicine. On the 60th birthday celebration front, Heidi Cary Nadiak, Laura Robertson, and Annette Hatch-Clein “gently” relived their days in Fairweather Hall by meeting up in Costa Rica. Heidi writes, “We pretended to be ecologists searching for birds, insects, flowering plants, monkeys, and sloths (Laura’s favorite) while enjoying amazing avocadoes, local fruits, kind local people, good rum, and our own company. A good time was had by all; I still hear the laughter and the howling monkeys near our cottage.” Todd Cranford welcomed his milestone birthday surrounded by family and dear friends in a fun-filled weekend in Montego Bay, Jamaica, marked by sunshine, beach, turquoise water, a spectacular birthday cake, and some cognac and cigars thrown in for good measure. Kathy (Babs) Jeavons shared the escapades of 12 dear friends who convened in Palm Springs, California, at an Airbnb house (complete with pong table) to celebrate over four decades of friendship and their 60th birthdays. Kathy writes, “The weather was terrible, but being together and celebrating each other with memories, laughter, support, encouragement, and love more than made up for it.” Joining Babs for exploration of Palm Springs, including Joshua Tree National Park, were Beth Gilman Hobbs, Carole Crelin Frassinelli, JoAnn Shannon Davey, Emily Smith Arons, Jenny Page, Jill Morgan, Diane Bonina, Lauren Sonstrom Rosen, Susannah Gaylord Budington, Gayle Gilman, and Amy Durno Harned, with two “partners in crime” Sue (Stella) Finegan Vasu and Cindy Bergman McManus joining the fun in spirit. Here’s to decades of friendship, traveling to explore new corners of our world, and living our best lives as we celebrate turning 60.

—Rebecca Blake Osborne, 42 Olive St., Newburyport, MA 01950; (603) 381-4164; rosborne29@comcast.net; John MacManus, 188 Ringwood Road, Rosemont, PA 19010; (610) 525-4541; slampong@aol.com