Hats off to those with recent grads in the family, including Kaya Kazmirci, Marc Koehler, Julie Levenson,and Dani Klein Modisett, back in Hanover in June celebrating the sons and daughters of Dartmouth. Kaya and Marc, former Hitchcock roommates, had an opportunity to reconnect and reminisce, though in the thrill of the moment they were unable to introduce their new grads—reason enough for a future mini-reunion in Turkey perhaps? For Dani’s son, Gabriel, among the highlights of the Dartmouth experience was the ceramics workshop at the Hop, where he discovered a transformative creative outlet and forged strong, sometimes unexpected friendships. For Dani, always wise to the power of laughter, the address by actress and fellow comedian Sandra Oh provided rich material for a recent blog post by stressing the power of kindness (a trait Dani notes is all too often lacking in comedy) while encouraging new grads to lean into their discomfort to develop resilience.
With grads feted, could first-year trips be far behind? News from the very first group of ’shmen I met confirmed that for many our freshman trip kicked off a lifelong interest in hiking. Susie Powers Hagstrom, physician at Phoenix’s Mayo Clinic and mom of four grown children, had just completed a hike up Mount Humphreys in Flagstaff, Arizona. Karin Finkelston, living in D.C. after years in China, said her hiking trips had taken her around the United States and Ireland (her husband’s home turf) and through China and Hong Kong, home to her daughter, son-in-law, and new granddaughter. Retired urologist Tom McKay, recently returned from a two-week hiking trip across England, remembered being asked by our leaders to carry two dozen eggs in his backpack, sure that he was being pranked (though all eggs survived intact—quite a feather in Tom’s cap!). For Eric Mountcastle, a retired math teacher in Ventura, California, an affinity for forests and mountains nurtured at Dartmouth ultimately translated into time spent teaching his three sons to ski, a pastime he still enjoys. And getting ready to hit the trails soon, one of Alix Madigan’s twin daughters is following in her mom’s footsteps as a ’29.
For most, Moosilauke meant an unforgettable overnight complete with green eggs and old school songs. For others, it also became a regular destination, whether hiking, maintaining trails, or pitching in to build the Class of 1984 Crew Cabin (a 2010 project that brought together five architects in the class and many others who contributed labor and resources). For Viva Hardigg and David Hooke,who serve on the Moosilauke advisory committee, the strong connection to the College’s pristine 4,600-acre parcel continues to this day, leading them to sound the alarm that the Class of ’82 Bridge is in critical need of replacement to maintain a vital link to the most popular trails on the mountain. Although formal plans to support this initiative are still under consideration, the importance of Moosilauke to the Dartmouth experience is undeniable, as is the enduring commitment shown by these classmates.
—Deana Washburn, 209 Casino Ave., Cranford, NJ 07016; deanadw@aol.com