It’s hard to believe how quickly time passes. The class of 1997 is kicking off plans for our 15th reunion next summer and we are looking for volunteers. Did you have a great time at the 10th reunion? Are there areas you would like to see improved? This is a great opportunity to let your voice be heard and influence the direction of our 15th reunion, which will take place June 14-16, 2013.


We need volunteers to help out in all areas—from those who are interested in leading the planning to folks who just want to lend a hand during the weekend. If you are interested in volunteering, please send an e-mail to Jennifer Walus at jennifer.walus@gmail.com or Kristin Canavan at kristin.canavan@gmail.com.


In publishing news, Allison (Sciortino) Singh has written a book to help students cope with college rejection called Getting Over Not Getting In: A College Rejection Guide. In a recent interview in The Dartmouth, Allison said she did not intend to write a book on college admissions but was inspired to do so after a friend asked her to help a student who was upset about not being accepted to her top-choice school. “In advising that student, I started to think about what I went through, and I realized that there’s nothing really out there to help students make sense of rejection,” she said, referring to her own disappointment about not being accepted to Princeton 20 years ago.


The book draws upon studies, interviews and personal experience to help reassure students that rejections have many reasons, most of which are based on factors beyond the applicants’ control, such as geography, “hooks,” rankings pressure, finances and even luck. Allison advises that students headed to their second-choice schools focus on what the school has to offer and keep an open mind so they don’t miss out on great opportunities and relationships. She ultimately came out of college “with a better sense of myself, a true appreciation for learning, good friendships, happy memories and even my future husband,” she told the Get Schooled blog. 


Allison’s book is available at amazon.com.


—Jason Casell, 6426 Needle Leaf Drive, Rockville, MD 20852; jhcasell@gmail.com