Class Notes 2018

Hi, ’18s!

We have so many exciting updates to share from our amazing classmates as we round out another incredible year. Scheridan Vorwaller-Cloward and her husband, Matthew, are very excited to announce a baby boy joining their family in December! Congratulations!

Isabel Odom and Tiger Henderson were married on August 17 in East Burke, Vermont. The couple met during Sophomore Summer and bonded through many trips to Vermont. They chose to tie the knot surrounded by family, friends, and Big Green classmates in the Northeast Kingdom. They live in Boston, where Tiger works in private equity and Isabel in management consulting. Congratulations to you both!

Abigail Baldwin and Deepak John are engaged! They met in Biology 13 Sophomore Summer and became close friends by their senior year. They dated throughout the trials and tribulations of medical and dental school and are now both in their residency training. This summer Abigail took a break from doing root canals at UCLA to fly out to visit Deepak in Rochester, New York, where he is completing his medical residency. Deepak brought her to a beautiful state park in upstate New York, where he proposed and she said yes. Congratulations and best wishes for this exciting new chapter!

Caroline Petro is excited to share that she just started her M.B.A. at the Yale School of Management. She welcomes anyone who finds themselves in New Haven, Connecticut, to come say hello!

Lydia Freehafer is currently road-tripping to each of the lower 48 states in her Toyota Prius. By the end of August, when this column was penned, she had been to Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Illinois, with only 43 to go! She set out expecting the trip to last at least through the end of this year. A link to her planned route can be found in her Instagram bio (@freely_lydia), and Lydia welcomes any ’18s on the route to reach out if they want to meet up! Bon voyage, Lydia!

This summer, a group of ’18s including Allie Gerber Ogren, Andrew Ogren, Carter Noordsij, Erik Loscalzo, Alex Bolanos, Liam Fortin, and Emily Choate (yours truly) had a blast reuniting at the Moosilauke Ravine Lodge for an invigorating hike, delicious meal, and quality time together. We had so much fun and wholeheartedly recommend the trip to anyone else who hasn’t spent much time at the new lodge just yet (or just wants a chance to pretend they’re back on freshman trips)!

Thank you so much for sharing your stories; this felt like a very exciting edition of this column! Happy holidays to each and every one of you and best wishes for 2025!

—Emily Choate, 406 Marlborough St., Apt. 3, Boston, MA 02115; (603) 305-5346; eschoate@gmail.com

Hi, ’18s! I hope everyone is having a great summer! I am personally wishing that we were back in June of last summer, when we celebrated our five-year reunion as a class in Hanover. At least we only have four more years until the 10-year mark! Until then, we have one classmate update to share with the class!

In this summer edition of our Class Notes column, I am excited to highlight classmate Shuoqi Chen, who chaired a medical imaging and artificial intelligence (AI) workshop at the International Conference on Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition (CVPR) this June!

The data curation and augmentation in medical imaging workshop was an inaugural event, held in conjunction with the IEEE/CVF CVPR organization. The half-day workshop Shuoqi chaired aimed to foster discussions and collaborations on cutting-edge developments in data processing techniques within the realm of medical imaging. Notably, alumni and faculty from Dartmouth and Thayer were in attendance to showcase their groundbreaking work during the workshop.

Shuoqi shared that the workshop provided an interactive platform to connect both industry and academic experts on topics centered around translating medical data into safe and impactful clinical solutions. Shuoqi writes, “Within the realm of data-driven computer vision and AI solutions for medical imaging lies the potential to significantly improve patient care. Yet safety requirements associated with healthcare pose major challenges for this research field, especially regarding data curation.

Ultimately, the workshop aimed to reinvigorate our perspective on the significance of data in clinical settings. We aspire to push forward the frontier of data curation and augmentation for medical applications to tackle the challenges of limited or imperfect data in real-world medical applications.” You can learn more about the workshop at https://dca-in-mi.github.io, and feel free to reach out to Shuoqi with any questions, thoughts, or feedback. Congratulations, Shuoqi, on a successful workshop!

Thank you so much for your continued engagement with the class. Wishing you all the best; stay cool ’18s!

—Emily Choate, 172 Commonwealth Ave., Apt. 3, Boston, MA 02116; (603) 305-5346; eschoate@gmail.com

Hi, ’18s! I am pulling this column together as 2023 draws to a close and the new year approaches. My husband, Liam Fortin, and I (Emily Choate) have just celebrated our 10th Christmas season together since we met at Dartmouth. Reflecting on this past year, we are so grateful for the many opportunities to connect with Dartmouth friends through travel, at our fifth reunion, and at many friends’ weddings. Thank you to everyone in our Dartmouth family who made this year special!

Last summer Jaclyn Pageau returned to the Big Green and started a new position in the admissions office after five years working in theater. She also got engaged over the winter in New York City to her now-fiancé, Alex! Congratulations, Jaclyn and Alex!

In additional exciting news, Carter Noordsij proposed to Rebecca Giovannetti in Ilhabela, Brazil, this December. Carter, Rebecca, and family took a boat to visit the fishing village of Bonete for the day, and Carter proposed at the top of a hike overlooking the beach. Congratulations to you both, Carter and Rebecca!

Thanks to everyone who submitted their updates and stories. It’s so good to hear about what everyone is up to. Wishing you all the best!

—Emily Choate, 172 Commonwealth Ave., Apt. 3, Boston, MA 02116; (603) 305-5346; eschoate@gmail.com

Hi, ’18s! It is hard to believe that this is the last column of 2023. As we approach the holidays and the new year, I hope everyone is getting to enjoy time with friends and family!

We have some very exciting classmate news to share as we reflect on a wonderful 2023. Tess McGuinness spent the summer working as an executive on the Gladiator film sequel. The film will be directed by Ridley Scott and will star Paul Mescal, Denzel Washington, and Pedro Pascal. Tess also set up an ongoing television series at A&E for which she will be receiving her first co-executive producer credit. Last but not least, Tess got engaged this summer to her now-fiancé, Joe! Congratulations, Tess and Joe! We are all so happy for you both, and we cannot wait to see what the future has in store!

Sophie d’Orchimont and Garrett Martin have had an exceptionally eventful 2023. The highlight came in July, while vacationing in the south of France. In the early evening of July 28, while strolling through the medieval, mountaintop village of Èze, Garrett popped the question, and Sophie said, “Yes!” The pair will be getting married in Boston next fall. As a personal note, it makes me so overjoyed that my best friend has found her perfect match in such a wonderful person. You both mean the world to me, and I cannot wait to watch you enter this incredible new chapter of your lives.

Thanks to everyone who submitted their updates and stories. It’s so good to hear about what everyone is up to, and I hope everyone has a great fall!

—Emily Choate, 172 Commonwealth Ave., Apt. 3, Boston, MA 02116; (603) 305-5346;
eschoate@gmail.com

Hi, ’18s! It was a blast seeing so many of you at reunions last month. Thank you to everyone who made the trek out to Hanover and who made our five-year reunion one that we will always remember!

In the spirit of summer and getting out into the nice weather, I asked our class to share memories of their favorite outdoor activities at Dartmouth. Alison Clarke described how much she enjoyed playing tennis, including playing in heels and a dress at a Sigma Epsilon formal! In addition to her incredible tennis skills, Alison also had very exciting news to share with the class. This year Alison officially became Dr. Clarke! She began her physician residency at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh in June. Congratulations, Alison! We know you are going to do such an amazing job for all your patients, and we wish you all the best in your medical career!

Herbert Chang also had some exciting news to share. He is returning to Dartmouth to join the faculty as an assistant professor in quantitative social science. His door is always open to chat to see if there are any opportunities to provide students research opportunities with digital data. Herbert is returning to Dartmouth after having spent the Covid-19 pandemic in Taiwan, where he got to meet many current Dartmouth students and alumni. Dartmouth is very excited to have you back. Congratulations, Herbert!

Thanks to everyone who submitted their updates and stories. It’s so good to hear about what everyone is up to, and I hope you will all enjoy the rest of your summer!

—Emily Choate, 172 Commonwealth Ave., Apt. 3, Boston, MA 02116; (603) 305-5346; eschoate@gmail.com

Hi, ’18s! As winter wanes and we look ahead toward warmer weather, I hope you are also looking forward to our five-year reunion in Hanover on June 16-18! This month (March) our reunion registration site and housing form are live. If you haven’t yet, please register and spread the word. Your classmates on the reunion committee are preparing an exciting weekend full of programming and reconnecting with fellow ’18s. Please stay tuned for additional information and don’t hesitate to reach out to me via text or email using my contact information at the bottom of this column if you have any questions or have not been receiving class emails containing reunions information. We are looking forward to celebrating five years with you all in June!

In anticipation of this year’s reunion, I asked you to share stories of reconnections with your Dartmouth peers since graduation. Amir Sharifzadeh wrote, “One day around noon in June I was on the Johns Hopkins shuttle and I saw a medical student wearing a Dartmouth T-shirt. I was also wearing a Dartmouth T-shirt that day and I was going to my office in the physics department. We had never met before at Dartmouth, but we were both very excited to meet each other—just like two family members who met each other in the same place after a long time. I realized that day how much I miss home (Dartmouth).” I can certainly relate to this story and agree there is nothing better to bring together two strangers than a Dartmouth T-shirt! Amir has been studying applied physics and working at the Johns Hopkins University Institute for Data-Intensive Engineering and Sciences since November 2021. Thank you for sharing your story and your update, Amir!

In exciting news, Lydia Jabs was named as an awardee of the Middle East Policy Council’s “40 Under 40 Awards,” which recognizes professionals shaping the present and future of U.S.-Middle East relations. Lydia is the executive director of the U.S.-Libya Business Association, where she strives to enhance the diplomatic and commercial relationship between the United States and Libya and facilitate opportunities for mutually beneficial investment. Congratulations, Lydia!

Sarah Rote is planning to through-hike the Appalachian Trail this summer. You can follow her Instagram @rotesarah to follow her along the way; please reach out and say hi! Happy trails, Sarah!

Thanks to everyone who submitted their updates and stories. It’s so good to hear about what everyone is up to! Cheers to reuniting in 2023!

—Emily Choate, 172 Commonwealth Ave., Apt. 3, Boston, MA 02116; (603) 305-5346; eschoate@gmail.com

Hi, ’18s! It’s hard to believe another year is drawing to a close! As 2023 approaches and I reflect on this past year, I’m so grateful for my Dartmouth family! I hope you all feel the same during this holiday season. In this column, I asked you to reflect on fall at Dartmouth.

Scheridan Vorwaller-Cloward wrote in to describe her favorite memories from freshman fall. She wrote, “Two of my favorite things from freshman fall term included settling in and getting to experience a New England autumn! I remember feeling so nervous and so small when I first got to my dorm room. How was I going to fit in and meet people?

“My floor in McCulloch was seemingly empty besides my suitcases and me. I remember being anxious to see how the term would progress. A little while later I heard life on the floor and stepped out of my room. I saw a tired but fantastic human being, toothbrush in hand, who was fresh off of her trip and had just woken up. We both seemed a little timid and startled at first, but she became one of my dearest and closest friends from my time at Dartmouth. The next memory was from ‘Writing 5.’ I had a view from the third floor of Baker Library, and I would get so genuinely distracted by the changing foliage outside the window that I eventually had to change seats and put the window to my back. It was so colorful and gorgeous; it really stole my heart.” Thank you for your reflections, Scheridan! Your entry truly brings me back to 14F!

Scheridan also celebrated her second anniversary with her husband, Matthew Cloward, this year. Happy anniversary! She has received her engineer-in-training certification in electrical engineering and is working toward becoming a professional engineer in Utah. Congratulations, Scheridan!

In July Ella Ryan, Dru Falco, Francesca Governali, Carolyn McShea, Riley Carbone, and Lily Xu reunited for a week-long bike trip. They biked from Underhill, Vermont, to Portland, Maine, making many stops along the way, including at Hanover and the Moosilauke Ravine Lodge. It sounds like an amazing trip!

Taylor McKenna got engaged in July to Duncan Hurrelbrink ’17. The pair met on ski patrol in 2014 and have been together since 2016. They currently live in Minneapolis, Minnesota, with their puppy, Rhubarb, and are gearing up for a September 2023 wedding in Vermont! Congratulations, Taylor and Duncan!

Finally, Taylor Johnson is enjoying a new basketball season in London. He is excited to have the opportunity to share the court with his old teammate Aaryn Rai ’22 this year. Sounds like fun; go, team!

Thanks to everyone who submitted their updates and stories. It’s so good to hear about what everyone is up to!

Have a happy New Year, ’18s! Cheers to 2023!

—Emily Choate, 172 Commonwealth Ave., Apt. 3, Boston, MA 02116; (603) 305-5346; eschoate@gmail.com

Hi, ’18s! I hope everyone has been enjoying their summer! It seems everyone has been busy, as we have lots of exciting updates to share!

Charlie Blatt wrote, “Many exciting things on the horizon! I recently got engaged to my fiancé, Jack Greenberg. He describes Dartmouth as his ‘college-in-law.’ In May I graduated from Yale Law School. After I take the bar exam in late July Jack and I are moving to New York City, where I will work for a law firm and later clerk for a federal judge. I’m looking forward to starting a new post-law school chapter and hope to spend more time with Dartmouth friends in New York.” Congratulations, Charlie and Jack, on all these exciting developments!

On April 20 Francine Mejia welcomed home twin baby boys, Alistair Logan and Harvey Grant. She wrote, “The sleepless nights of studying have prepared me well for the sleepless nights to come!” Congratulations to you and your family, Francine!

Herbert Chang has exciting news! During his time at Dartmouth he coinvented a musical instrument with his music professor Spencer Topel. Now, seven years later, their instrument has won the prestigious Guthman Musical Instrument Competition Jury’s Special Award, known as the X-Prize. Herbert wrote, “My friendship with Professor Topel was one of the most important things I gained from Dartmouth and culminated in this way. I’m currently a Ph.D. student at USC, but collaborate heavily with Dartmouth mathematics and the Neukom Center, with our most recent work featured in Scientific American.” The award comes at a sad time following the passing of professor Jon Appleton, who invented the Synclavier at Dartmouth 40 years ago. Herbert wrote that Professor Appleton’s legacy was conceptually instrumental in his and Professor Topel’s work. Congratulations to you both!

Recently, Ben Farrar, Jack Taylor, and Jimmy Buchanan went to Chamonix, France, for an extended vacation! Ben wrote that they “enjoyed several weeks of skiing, rock and ice climbing, and eating more cheese and bread than previously considered humanly possible.” That sounds like an ideal vacation!

Kate Letkewicz wrote in to say, “Congratulations to Emily Slagle for the bun in the oven! You’re going to be the best mom!” Congratulations, Emily, and thanks for writing in with the amazing news, Kate!

Kimberly Ma will be beginning her Ph.D. program in biodefense at George Mason University starting in the fall. She wrote, “I will be continuing to work full-time in public health for a while so it will be a little tough, but I am super excited for this next step. I’m looking forward to continuing to connect with D.C.-based Dartmouth alumni during the next (at least) five years!” Congratulations, Kimberly!

Hollye Swinehart is currently living in London and finishing her master’s in filmmaking. She is currently in pre-production for her directing and writing debut, Cotton Something. Congratulations, Hollye! If you want to be involved or to find out more, please visit cottonsomething.com.

This past spring Maya Moten went back to school to study film and got engaged to her boyfriend (now fiancé)! Congratulations, Maya!

Thanks to everyone who submitted their updates and stories. It’s so good to hear about what everyone is up to! Enjoy the rest of the summer and stay cool, ’18s!

—Emily Choate, 172 Commonwealth Ave., Apt. 3, Boston, MA 02116; (603) 305-5346; eschoate@gmail.com

Hi, ’18s! The years 2020 and 2021 have been full of ups and downs. For many of us, the warmer weather and miracle of vaccinations helped make this past summer a highlight in an otherwise challenging time. For the last column of 2021 I asked you at the end of the summer to share your stories and updates with the class. It was great to hear about some exciting life updates and about the good times that were enjoyed during the summer. I’m writing this column at the end of August, and while it’s impossible to know what the future holds for us (or what will have happened between now and when this column is published at the end of the year), it is so nice to revel in the joys of this pleasant moment. Thank you for sharing your updates!

This summer Will Tremml got engaged to Olivia Champ ’19 on their road trip to the Grand Canyon. This fall will mark six years since they first met in the Alpha Chi Alpha basement after being introduced by mutual friends. They recently moved from Washington, D.C., to Boston, and look forward to watching the Dartmouth-Harvard game together in person. Congratulations, Will and Olivia!

Love was truly in the air this summer! Josie Yalovitser and Raphael Sacks ’17 were engaged in July while vacationing in beautiful Aruba! Josie and Raphael are currently living in Burlington, Vermont, with their Siberian Husky Shurik. They are super excited for this next chapter in their lives. Congratulations to you both!

In June Cindy Li moved to Boulder, Colorado, quit her job, and started a new specialty tea company called Uproot. Her new company sources directly from family farms to bring consumers the freshest tea possible. You can learn more about Uproot at uprootteas.com. Congratulations on this exciting new venture, Cindy—we’re “uprooting” for you!

This summer Caroline Petro joined AmeriCorps and moved to California to start a year of service at the Sacramento Food Bank and Family Services. Caroline also took a beautiful trip to Spain this summer with Jerrel Catlett and had a fantastic time exploring Madrid and Barcelona. She hopes everyone is staying safe and doing well! Congratulations on an exciting summer and on the amazing work you’ll be doing this year, Caroline!

Thanks to everyone who submitted their stories and updates for the column. It’s so good to hear about all the amazing experiences our class had this summer! This column will be our last of 2021, so I hope everyone has a lovely holiday season and a happy New Year. Cheers to 2022!

—Emily Choate, 172 Commonwealth Ave., Apt. 3, Boston, MA 02116; (603) 305-5346; eschoate@gmail.com

Hi, ’18s! Happy summer! It’s hard to believe this year marks five years since our own Sophomore Summer. I have so many lovely memories from “16X,” including plenty of time in the great outdoors, countless late nights with friends, and exciting trips to explore the Upper Valley.

Alex Wolf remembers plenty of crazy times from 16X, but will keep the details to himself in his and his friends’ memories for the time being! These days Alex is working on a new startup called Deltawave.ai. His startup is aimed at fighting climate change with state-of-the-art blockchain and machine learning technology. It is in the very early stages, but Alex looks forward to raising capital to support his project in the near future! The class of 2018 wishes you luck, and we are all excited to see how Deltawave.ai can help our planet!

I hope everyone gets a chance to enjoy this summer, and that you will all think back fondly of the summer we shared at Dartmouth during 16X. Be well, ’18s!

—Emily Choate, 172 Commonwealth Ave., Apt. 3, Boston, MA 02116; (603) 305-5346; eschoate@gmail.com

Hey there, ’18s! As we approached the end of 2020, I asked you to share something positive from the year. Here are some of the reflections you shared in the last days of 2020. I hope you enjoy and continue to find light in otherwise dark times!

Nicholas Norwitz had a successful 2020. He wrote, “November 3 is a date I will forever remember. It is the day I completed my Ph.D. in neuroscience and metabolism from the University of Oxford, as well as Election Day and my 25th birthday. I suppose I’m now Dr. Norwitz, which is pretty cool. I’m also proud to be launching a first-of-its-kind science-based cookbook. This book fuses my academic interest in metabolism with my recreational interest in cooking. While I feel I’ve achieved a lot in 2020, professional achievements mean little without health and family. The best part of 2020 was that the pandemic forced me to relocate from the United Kingdom to the United States. This unexpected truncation of my studies abroad provided the opportunity to spend six months with my whole family. It was a blessing.” Nicholas is also looking forward to 2021. He shares, “In our senior year I was admitted to Harvard Medical School but deferred to complete my Ph.D. Along with the fun I had in my gap years, one of the great aspects of deferring was that Dylan Cahill and Arielle Isaacson effectively leapfrogged me and started one and two years before me. When I enter Harvard Medical School this summer I’m looking forward to having two Dartmouth friends ahead of me in the ranks.” Congratulations on a phenomenal year, Dr. Norwitz! You can find Nicholas’s cookbook at ketodietapp.com/books/new-mediterranean-diet and read about his journey to becoming an M.D.-Ph.D. here at www.metabolicmultiplier.org/palliative-care-to-an-md-phd-healthy-ulcerac....

Jerrel Catlett also accomplished much in 2020. He wrote, “Working with three of my fellow students at the Icahn School of Medicine in New York City this summer I developed an anti-racism discussion series open to faculty, physicians, students, and hospital administrators across the Mount Sinai Health System to engage in small group conversations focusing on how anti-Black biases and prejudices manifest in medical practice and research. The initiative recently finished its first series, with more than 150 diverse participants ranging from professors and hospital executives to students from the medical and graduate schools. I was also elected to serve as the sole M.D. student representative on Mount Sinai’s workgroup on genomic medicine, which serves to create institutional guidance promoting inclusive, anti-racist research agendas and more ethical study of the important intersections between race, ancestry, genomics, and social determinants of health.” Thank you for championing these initiatives, Jerrel, and congratulations on your success in promoting these important discussions!

Bryan Bliek and Olivia Bewley ’19 were engaged in Washington, D.C., at the end of November. Congratulations, Bryan and Olivia—the class of 2018 wishes you all the best!

In October Alexa Escalona and Thomas Lee Hodsden III were married. Alexa writes, “This year I married the love of my life.” Congratulations on your union and thank you for sharing your joy with the rest of the class of 2018!

In other classmate news, Emily Everhard served as the associate producer of the new Netflix docu-series Surviving Death, alongside five other Dartmouth alumni. Based on Leslie Kean’s book of the same name, Surviving Death is a journey of discovery that investigates whether consciousness can survive bodily death. We look forward to watching the series upon its January 6 release!

Thank you to everyone who shared their reflections and life updates. Here’s to more great memories in 2021!

—Emily Choate, 172 Commonwealth Ave., Apt. 3, Boston, MA 02116; (603) 305-5346; eschoate@gmail.com

Hey, ’18s! I hope you are all well. In these challenging times, I asked our class to share their thoughts to help capture this historic moment. So many of you shared your reflections that I don’t quite have enough space to feature them all in this brief column. Fortunately, the class executive committee will publish everyone’s submissions in full in our year-end newsletter. You will receive the newsletter in your email inbox, and I encourage you to read the heartfelt submissions inside. The trials of this time have impacted us all in different ways, but I was inspired to read your stories of self-reflection and, most importantly, hope.

Here are some quotes from the submissions we received. Please enjoy and look for the full stories in our upcoming newsletter.

Kihong Ahn described the importance of the Dartmouth community in these times, writing, “In light of recent events I realize how privileged I was to have the community I had at Dartmouth—people who wrote me letters while I was serving, people who texted me during the last couple of weeks, people who stayed good friends while I was at Dartmouth and while I was not. Dear class of 2018, I miss you dearly and wish all of you the best of luck with everything from the bottom of my heart.”

Liam Fortin wrote, “During the course of this lockdown I’ve kept returning to John Donne’s poem, ‘No Man is an Island,’ when he claims, ‘No man is an island entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main.’ The past few months have shown me community is not something I should take for granted, and my goal is to remember that as we exit this odd time.”

Sarahi Pineda described an amazing pandemic project, writing, “I finally managed to put together a T-shirt quilt using all my old Dartmouth T-shirts from trips, the house system, Homecoming, Winter Carnival, and all those random free shirts from freshman year. The quilt is a good reminder of how our old memories from Dartmouth can stay with us in the form of something new.”

An anonymous author writes, “Sometimes it feels like there’s no turning back and we should just give up on it all. We can’t, though. We need to hold each other accountable and make difficult choices. As long as we do our part to make sure that the next generation has it a little bit better than we do, I think we can afford to feel a little hope for the future.”

Another anonymous reflection reads, “Above all I tell myself to remain hopeful and optimistic every day. We can move past this, but only if we are willing to be a part of the change we wish to see and only if we refuse to rest until we have helped to make it a reality.”

Hassan Y. Hassen wrote, “We are dealing with things we never imagined, but I am confident that, by the grace of God, we will endure. The closing lines from ‘Don’t Quit’ by John Greenleaf Whittier ring especially true during these difficult times, ‘So stick to the fight when you’re hardest hit—it’s when things seem worst that you must not quit.’ ”

As a final update, Maya Moten completed a two-year leadership development program and accepted a new position as a communications professional with the external communications team at her company. Congratulations, Maya!

Thank you to everyone who shared their reflections. I am grateful for this community of fellowship and hope and wish you all the best!

—Emily Choate, 172 Commonwealth Ave., Apt. 3, Boston, MA 02116; (603) 305-5346; eschoate@gmail.com

Hey, ’18s! I hope all is well with you and that you’re ready for springtime weather, wherever you are! In this edition of our Class Notes column I asked everyone to reflect on the 2010s to share some favorite memories as we close out the decade. Brendan Schuetze wrote, “I will always look back fondly on the summer of 2015, which Timothy Messen and I spent at the Second College Grant, located in New Hampshire’s northernmost Coos County. The outdoor programs office had given us grant funds for a research project. Our project essentially boiled down to cataloguing every log in the Dead Diamond River. Although I can’t say I loved the tedium of measuring the length and width of countless half-submerged logs, there’s nothing better than spending your days canoeing with a close friend, plucking leeches off your legs while resting on the riverbank, and finishing the day tossing a Frisbee on the Second College Grant’s abandoned airstrip. Nearly five years later, I still find myself reminiscing about summer 2015. The Grant is truly a treasure.”

We have some exciting entrepreneurial news from Emily Lin, who started her own probiotic drink company! Her new business, Jem Ferments, offers several flavors of water kefir, a fermented probiotic soda. Emily was inspired to bring this tasty beverage to local grocery stores following her travels in Malaysia. Jem Ferments recently launched in Union Kitchen DC grocery stores in January. If you’re in the area, make sure to grab a taste! You can learn more and follow the business on their website, jemferments.com. I can’t wait to try some the next time I’m in Washington, D.C.!

On a personal note, I’m excited to announce that Liam Fortin and I got engaged at the end of November while back on campus. Liam proposed in the Bema at the end of a beautiful autumn day, and we celebrated with a lovely dinner at Pine before heading back home to Boston to celebrate with friends and family. We are both so happy and so excited for this next chapter in our lives!

As always, thanks to everyone who shared stories and updates for this column. If you’re not getting emails from me and want to be included in receiving these column prompts and other important class news, the best way to do so is to update your alumni profile. You can find details on how to update your contact information and customize the content you’re receiving at www.alumni.dartmouth.edu/connect/find-alumni. As always, I look forward to staying in touch!

—Emily Choate, 172 Commonwealth Ave., Apt. 3, Boston, MA 02116; (603) 305-5346; eschoate@gmail.com

As we move deeper into summer and temperatures climb, it’s hard to believe it’s been more than a year since we entered the wide world as Dartmouth alumni. I hope this has been a year of growth, happiness, friendship, and success for the class of 2018, even if there were moments that challenged us in new ways. In this edition of the Class Notes column, I wanted to hear from you on your reflections on the past year and learn about any new updates in your life since Dartmouth.

Sarah Rote wrote, “Though it’s exactly what I wanted, it’s a little overwhelming to move by myself to an entirely new city. I’m lucky to have plenty of free time for hobbies (my year-to-date novels read is 58 at the time of writing), but I do miss the welcoming Dartmouth atmosphere and easy ability to meet others with shared interests. Only now do I appreciate the great diversity of knowledge on campus—in class, from friends, or at random events (shout-out to a dinner discussion I once attended about man-eating lions)—and I strive to continue learning wherever I can. A print of the library bell tower hangs on the wall of my new apartment, reminding me of the last time I was in a completely new place where I knew no one, and of how much I’ve grown since.” I’m so glad to hear that this year has been a year of growth, Sarah! I must say, I’m a little intrigued to learn more about the man-eating lions; maybe we’ll connect some time. All the best in your new city!

Hassan Y. Hassen wrote, “This past year I began my graduate studies at Columbia University School of International Public Affairs, where I am pursuing a degree in public administration. During this time I have had the pleasure to take courses that focused on conflict management, defense policy, military strategy, and cybersecurity. These experiences aided me heavily as I was recently given the opportunity to brief the entire economic and political section at the U.S. embassy in Santo Domingo on 5G technology. In the upcoming year I will conclude my studies at Columbia and will begin my career as a foreign service officer, when I hope to inspire others to pursue their passions while also giving back.” It sounds like you’ve had a truly exciting year and that next year will be just as exciting. Can’t wait to hear all about what the future holds!

Seeing Dartmouth friends is always a pleasure. In June Liam Fortin, Sam Colello, Carter Noordsij, Erik Loscalzo, Andrew Ogren, and Dave Tramonte met up for a weekend in Boston. They enjoyed walking around the city, going out on the town, and even hitting the beach. I’m glad you all got to spend some quality time together in such a great city!

As always, thanks to everyone who shared their updates and reflections. If you ever have news you want to share with the column, don’t hesitate to reach out to me directly by email at eschoate@gmail.com. If you’re not getting my emails with the column prompts, feel free to reach out by email and I’ll make sure we’ve got your current email address on file. Looking forward to sharing your stories in the next column!

—Emily Choate, 172 Commonwealth Ave., Apt. 3, Boston, MA 02116; (603) 305-5346; eschoate@gmail.com

Spring is on its way! It’s hard to believe that one year ago we were enjoying our final term at Dartmouth. Though it’s been a while since we were on campus, I enjoyed reading the memories and stories you submitted. Here are some highlights from your notes.

As a New Hampshire native, I’ve always loved a good snowy winter. After this year’s Winter Carnival, I wanted to learn about your favorite winter memories at Dartmouth.

Madeline Miller wrote, “My freshman year I had a friend who built a toboggan in the wood shop. It was a good winter for snow, so we took a group of people to the golf course to see how many of us could fit on the sled at once!”

Jessie Colin wrote, “Freshman year I felt that Hanover winter was so cold compared to the California temps I was used to, so naturally I decided to do a weekend mountaineering course up Mount Washington with the DOC to shift my frame of reference. Ninety-mile-an-hour winds, minus-40-degree temperatures, and a full heart were the summit conditions. My plan worked. Coming back on campus, low 20s didn’t feel so cold anymore and, despite the fact I had the beginnings of frostbite on my face, I couldn’t believe that this school in the icy, isolated woods could feel so much like home.”

Inspired by Valentine’s Day, I asked, “Did you ever send a Flitz while at Dartmouth?”

Jessie Colin wrote, “I developed a habit of sending Flitzes to new friends I thought were cool. As a freshman, I didn’t quite understand that you weren’t supposed to write, ‘This is a Flitz’ in the subject line of every single one.”

Finally, Ashley Zepeda wrote a heartfelt message to share with the class. I hope you all enjoy reading it as much as I did. Ashley wrote, “Adjusting to life post-Dartmouth has been an adventure in and of itself. I guess you don’t realize the bubble you’re in until you finally leave it. Now that 2018 has come to a close I’ve found myself reminiscing quite a bit about my years at Dartmouth and how the relationships and experiences I fostered there impacted me. Moving to Mexico and living there for six months post-grad was a humbling experience that gave me incredibly valuable perspective. The class of 2018 is arguably in an extremely formative period of our lives right now, experiencing our first real exposure to the ‘real world’ in a particular time and setting brimming with political and environmental turmoil. It’ll be up to us and our generation to shape the world as we know it in the coming future.

“The biggest lesson I have learned since graduation is never to let age or circumstance distract you from your passions and purpose. Yes, Dartmouth helped prepare us with degrees and perhaps good jobs and stability, a network of close friends, and great memories, but I have found it even more enlightening to remember what got me into Dartmouth in the first place, before all the hustle and bustle and real-life expectations took a grip on me. As we navigate our new lives, perhaps in new cities and countries, and continue to grow as adults on this changing planet, remember to keep your curiosity alive and seek knowledge and truth in all of your endeavors. Never doubt your brilliance and creativity, because Dartmouth saw it and fostered it, and the world will come to need it someday. I miss you all immensely!”

Thanks to everyone who submitted their funny, heartfelt, and touching stories! Don’t be a stranger!

—Emily Choate, 172 Commonwealth Ave., Apt. 3, Boston, MA 02116; (603) 305-5346; eschoate@gmail.com

The summer is winding down, but the class of 2018 sure isn’t! Our classmates are staying busy as they settle into their new lives all around the world.

Sammi LaFontaine recently started classes at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine as a member of the class of 2022. Sammi chose Einstein because her faculty interviewer, David Rubaltelli ’97, M.D., described how the college was similar to Dartmouth. Sammi has definitely found this to be true! The learning environment is collaborative, and the faculty, students, and staff are like a family. Sammi’s also grateful that Dartmouth’s academic rigor has prepared her for the high volume of information thrown at new medical students. Sammi is so happy to have found her new home!

Kimberly Ma had a great summer. She traveled to Tokyo with Hughes Lee ’17 for a whirlwind, six-day trip. The time flew by with good food, old friends, and even a swim practice. Back in the United States, Kimberly moved to Arlington, Virginia.

She has enjoyed hanging out with Nan Hu and Krishan Canzius on the weekends. Though her graduate classes at Georgetown University haven’t begun yet, Kimberly’s new school is already reminding her of Dartmouth. Georgetown also uses Banner and Canvas; it feels almost as though she never left Hanover! Kimberly has already made friends with many of her new classmates at Georgetown and is looking forward to many more social events and trivia nights. Make sure to say “Hi” if you’re in the area!

Sophie d’Orchimont and Garrett Martin have become true citizens of the world. In August they visited Sophie’s family in Belgium and then traveled to London, Paris, Chantilly, and Amsterdam. In Amsterdam they met up with Alex Putter and had an amazing time exploring the city together. After a great trip, Sophie and Garrett finally arrived in Pécs, Hungary, their new home. This year Sophie and Garrett will be teaching English to young Hungarian students. Garrett is teaching kindergarteners, while Sophie is teaching nursery students in the morning and grade-school students in an after school English program. Adjusting to Hungarian life has been both challenging and incredibly fun! Sophie and Garrett are learning to navigate the city, finding the best food and exploring a new culture. They are currently living in a local church complex until their permanent apartment is renovated. Each morning Sophie and Garrett are awakened by church bells and loud roosters, but at least they get farm fresh eggs. While they are both enjoying all of their new adventures, Sophie and Garrett truly miss all the members of the class of 2018!

Liam Fortin has been enjoying his post-graduation life. This summer he visited Carter Nordsij and spent an awesome day wakesurfing on Lake Winnipesaukee, New Hampshire, and catching up after a hectic senior week. In July Liam and Emily Choate (yours truly!) traveled to Italy for a spectacular vacation. Starting in Naples, we traveled north to Rome, Florence (our favorite), and finished off the trip in Venice. We enjoyed some of the best food we have ever eaten and shared an incredible experience in each of the unique, vibrant cities of Italy. In August we moved into our new home in Boston’s Back Bay. The apartment is coming together with plenty of Dartmouth decor, and we can’t wait to host other ’18s when they visit Boston! We are enjoying our new jobs in consulting and making new friends in the city. Come say “Hi” any time!

Thanks to everyone who submitted stories! I look forward to staying in touch!

—Emily Choate, 172 Commonwealth Ave., Unit 3, Boston, MA 02116; (603) 305-5346; eschoate@gmail.com