By Kiera Reilly, C’93 @KieraReilly
My dogs Koa and Lau Lau are enjoying the University’s special winter break. They especially like to sit under the tree, near the Penn ornament (hand painted by my classmate Lisa Bardfeld Shapiro, C’93) and hope that if they smile for a photo they’ll receive a treat. It seems to work every time!
Merry Christmas!
Filed under Class of 1993, Kiera R., Photos
By Kiera Reilly, C’93 @KieraReilly
Last month, members of the Southern California Regional Advisory Board (otherwise known as SCRAB) gathered to hear my classmate, Darius Arya, Ph.D., C’93, speak about storytelling cultural heritage through modern means, namely via social media tools such as Instagram and Twitter. Dar lives in Rome and is the CEO and co-founder of the American Institute for Roman Culture.
After re-connecting with him and his wife Erica Firpo, C’94, while in Rome this past May, I’ve been following them both as they share local scenes via Twitter and Instagram (Erica via @moscerina and Dar via @SaveRome). When I heard Dar would be in Los Angeles in November, I asked if he would speak to SCRAB about his work, and he graciously agreed.
An example of Dar’s Instagram from a few weeks ago with this caption: The curve. Romans perfected the arch. Here, in Trajan’s Markets they turned it on its side (and lined it with shops) to hold back the Quirinal Hill #culturalheritage #rome #archaeology
The group gathered at Culina – a modern Italian restaurant at the Four Seasons Beverly Hills. Everyone sipped Prosecco and munched on bruschetta while waiting for everyone to arrive. We then sat down for a family-style dinner while Dar spoke about utilizing digital media to engage a global audience and tell stories about cultural heritage.
SCRAB co-president Denise Winner, W’83, and Roz Pinkus, CW’64, PAR’94, GPAR’17
Marty Caan, W’69, PAR’11, and Jack Tauber, C’73, PAR’08
Bob Weingarten, C’74, PAR’12, Salvador Brau, C’67, Pam Weingarten, PAR’12, and Nora Brau,.
Eric Reiter, W’97, our speaker Darius Arya, C’93, and Jackie Bral, PAR’15, PAR’15
Our elegant family-style dinner table at Culina.
It was an interesting lesson to hear how modern tools can reach a vast global audience and help share the stories of ancient roman culture, and hopefully help to further preserve these ancient sites.
My Instagram from the event @KieraReilly
For more on ancient Rome, follow Dar’s informative posts on his Instagram account @SaveRome.
For more information on the American Institute for Roman Culture, see their website at: http://romanculture.org/. You may also see Dar as he appears frequently in History, Discovery, and National Geographic documentaries and pursues projects relating to cultural heritage management, preservation, promotion, outreach, and communications.
Dar’s Instagram from Dec. 12: Winter blues. Getting jealous of all the great winter shots I’ve been seeing on IG. Sure Rome has its Christmas atmosphere: trees, nativity scenes, light, fair in Piazza Navona, smell of roasted chestnuts are on the air, and the Lungotevere sycamore trees are becoming bare… But we really just have two district seasons: wet and dry– no snow… With some exceptions. Almost two years ago snow fell in Rome for the first time in over 20 years. So I cheer up with memories from that magical moment. #latergram #culturalheritage #rome #archaeology
By Kiera Reilly, C’93 @KieraReilly
Alumni Weekend 2014 seems so far off. With fall colors decorating campus and cool temperatures descending for Homecoming, it is hard to imagine the campus will be full of full green trees and thousands of alumni in only six months.
This week, spearheaded by the Class of 1989, Los Angeles-area alumni from the classes of 1979, 1984, 1989, 1994, and 1999 gathered at the home of Penn Alumni President Julie Beren Platt, C’79, PAR’05, PAR’08, PAR’12 and her husband Marc, also C’79, PAR’05, PAR’08, PAR’12, for a pre-reunion party.
This same reunion cycle partied five years ago in anticipation of their reunion, also at Julie and Marc’s home, so 1989 Reunion Chair Lolita Jackson, ENG’89, decided that everyone should gather again, and they did! The Class of 1989 had the largest showing at the gathering, no surprise since they’ll be celebrating their 25th reunion in May. The other classes enjoyed gathering early in the reunion year, and mingling with other local alumni.
The Class of 1989 had a strong showing!
Julie welcomed and thanked everyone for attending – and said that she is looking forward to her 35th reunion. Lolita Jackson and Beth Kean then took over a Penn trivia contest – there was a friendly competitive spirit in the audience and a few hecklers – but it was all in good fun.
Julie Platt welcomes everyone while Lolita Jackson, ENG’89, and Beth Kean, ENG’89, look on.
Penn trivia contest – hotly contested!
At 8:00, the Class of 1989 headed out to an after-party (it seems that after graduating, the “after” parties become earlier…) and the rest of the group left for home soon after.
If the enthusiasm and energy of these Los Angeles alumni is any indication, Alumni Weekend 2014 will be a smashing success – and one you won’t want to miss!
Hurrah 1994!
Looking good 1999!
Connect with your class on Facebook to be informed about other pre-reunion gatherings and Alumni Weekend details:
Class of 1979
Class of 1989
Class of 1994
Class of 1993 (yes, we’re already thinking about our 25th in 2018!)
See all the photos from the event here.
Filed under Alumni Weekend, Class of 1993, Kiera R., Photos, Reunions, West Coast Regional Office
By Kiera Reilly, C’93 @KieraReilly
In just over a week, the Penn Class of 1993 will celebrate our 20th reunion with a full schedule of events (see the full line-up here). But, let’s remind ourselves why we’re so excited to return – to reconnect and remember all the good times we had while on campus (click on images to see them full sized).
In the spirit of these party invites from long ago, here’s one last invite – come back to Penn and help us party like it’s 1993!
Penn 1993 – it’s less than two weeks until our 20th reunion – and advance registration closes on Friday! Don’t forget to:
We can’t wait to see you on campus May 10-11, 2013!
See our previous reunion posts here:
Hey Day 1993 – 21 Years Later – April 24, 2013
Meet Me at the Button – March 30, 2013
Drink a Highball…at Nightfall – March 15, 2013
Celebrating Feb Club – 20 Years Later – February 26, 2013
Filed under 20th Reunion, Alumni Weekend, Class of 1993, Kiera R., Memories of Penn, Photos, Reunions
By Kiera Reilly, C’93 @KieraReilly
As the Junior Class celebrates Hey Day today, the Class of 1993 is busy preparing for our 20th reunion in just a few short weeks. But it’s also a good time to think back and remember our time as students. It’s hard to believe that twenty-one years ago, on April 24, 1992, we were strutting down Locust Walk about to become Seniors and officially begin our last year at Penn.
Remember the bookstore wall? Huntsman Hall now stands where this wall was. Hey Day is coming – buy your hat, canes and shirts!
I asked my classmates to share their memories of Hey Day, but no one was willing to fess up and share anything on the record. So, here is Hey Day 1993…names withheld to protect the innocent.
Anonymous Classmate #1
OMG, Hey Day! I had 3 job offers and was deciding between them. Completely forgot that a rep from one of the 3 firms was coming to meet me that day to talk about his company. After many, many cocktails, I stumbled back to off-campus housing midday in my red t-shirt and broken hat to find him sitting on my front steps. I could hardly put 2 words together. Cheers to my housemates who saved the day and invited him into our filthy stinking apartment and got him completely wasted. Needless to say, I accepted the offer and stayed at that job for 12 years. It was so awesome. He was my first boss — we just had drinks together this past Tuesday!!
Everyone gathered in off-campus apartments and houses to start the celebration.
Anonymous Classmate #2
First of all it was one of my best days at Penn – being with all my best friends on the Junior Balcony, hugging each other and laughing, while at the same time seeing – in one place – so many of our classmates that I had met during the 3 years before.
I remember after all the festivities started to die down, standing buzzed in the lightly falling rain in the middle of College Green listening to Jerry Brown give a campaign speech for President. I remember thinking, “Boy did his campaign staff really pick the wrong day to come to campus!” Everyone in the audience was a drunk junior – barely standing, cheering and not listening to him. It was a surreal experience for sure!
We made our way from Super Block, over the 38th Street Bridge.
And then we headed to the Quad.
Anonymous Classmate #3
I remember I had a blast that day…smooched a couple people amid the hustle and bustle and had a great excuse to act silly and irresponsible all day. What I remember most though is how I ended the day…meeting class of ’92 friends on Locust Walk. One friend (Name withheld), W’92, took a bite out of my styrofoam hat and then drenched me in beer head to toe. He told me it was part of the Hey Day tradition and to this day I am not sure if his claim was true or just a sneaky opportunity to soak me 🙂
And our class board led us down Locust Walk to College Green.
L-R: Ed Miller, Elissa Laitin, Lisa Luther, Julie Berliner, Chrissy Bass, Mike Rosenband, Laurie Bieber, Brooke Hayes. Not pictured Jennifer Spadano and Doug Rosenberg.
Congratulations to the Class of 2014 – we hope you have wonderful memories of today to share twenty-one years from now!
The Penn Archives shared the history of Hey Day.
See photos from today’s Hey Day on campus by following @UofPenn on Instragram or @Penn on Twitter. Hashtag is #HeyDay.
1993 Classmates – it’s only a few weeks until our 20th reunion
We can’t wait to see you on campus May 10-11, 2013!
Filed under 20th Reunion, Alumni Perspective, Campus Life, Class of 1993, Historical, Kiera R., Memories of Penn, Photos, Reunions, Traditions
By Kiera Reilly, C’93 @KieraReilly
The countdown to Alumni Weekend continues, and before we know it we’ll be back on campus celebrating our 20th reunion. The Penn Class of 1993 reunion and gift committees are calling and emailing classmates, encouraging them to attend and to make a gift to The Penn Fund.
To get everyone in the Red and Blue spirit for Alumni Weekend, here are some buttons I’ve collected from when I was a student, the first few years after we graduated, and now as a staff member in alumni relations.
Buttons I collected while working for alumni relations.
Homecoming 1998 and 2000, Penn’s 250th Anniversary in 1990, and Ivy Champs in ’92-’93.
1992’s South Street Strut, 1993s Walnut Walk and South Street Strut
Does anyone else have a Penn button collection?
We hope to see everyone from the Class of 1993 at THE Button in May!
For details about our Saturday parade and picnic, and BIG class Quad party, click here! Don’t forget to follow our Facebook and Twitter. Check out who is planning to come here. Go online and register now!
Filed under 20th Reunion, Alumni Perspective, Alumni Weekend, Class of 1993, Historical, Kiera R., Memories of Penn, Photos, Reunions
By Kiera Reilly, C’93 @KieraReilly
The Penn Class of 1993 hosted a pre-20th reunion party in DC tonight, organized by classmates Minal Damani, Brandon Fitzgerald and Brinda Jadeja.
Red and Blue Highballs were served.
Here’s a Toast to Dear Old Penn!
And, here’s another photo to remind us how long ago we were on campus, courtesy of Debbie Frank, C’93.
For details about our Saturday parade and picnic, and BIG class Quad party, click here!
Don’t forget to follow our Facebook and Twitter.
Check out who is planning to come here. Go online and register now!
Meet us at the Button in May!
Filed under 20th Reunion, Alumni Perspective, Alumni Weekend, Class of 1993, Kiera R., Photos, Reunions
By Kiera Reilly, C’93 @KieraReilly
As Penn’s Class of 1993 gears up for our 20th reunion in May (that’s right, we graduated last century), we’re re-connecting with each other and making plans to reunite on campus via Email, Facebook and Twitter, things that didn’t exist when we were students! Our class Facebook page sees the most interaction, as classmates post stories and memories from our time on campus:
Princeton at Penn Men’s Basketball – now this is what my friend Chris Lehmann called “Pandemonium at the Palestra”
Penn Six singing “It Ain’t Easy Being Conrad Bain” from their 1993 album “Jacket Off” album. Jason Downie, C’93 – lead singer, Ed Matz, C’93 – lyrics
Brian Keys leading Penn Football past Lafayette – one of our first Penn football games!
“The Simpson’s” writer Matt Selman, C’93, sneaking Penn into an episode.
A recent story in The DP* highlighted the Feb Club, a tradition that our class started, thanks to our then-class president Michael “Scoops” Rosenband, C’93. Scoops sent along a page from the Friars directory highlighting his – and our class’ – contribution to fun times in February.
Class President Michael “Scoops” Rosenband credited with bringing Feb Club to our class in the Friars directory.
Alyssa Newman, C’93, shared this photo of the Feb Club t-shirt – the rules were that if you attended 10 out of the 11 events, you received a Feb Club t-shirt (this year’s seniors are offering an event each day). Back in the day, a free t-shirt was nothing to scoff at, nor was an excuse to go out and have fun with classmates during dreary February.
The back of the original Feb Club t-shirt – a tradition started by the Class of 1993!
If you can’t see, here’s the list of activities:
Feb 1 – Cavanaugh’s
Feb 3 – Metropolis
Feb 7 – Ferris Bueller’s Day Off at the Eric 3
Feb 9 – Smoke’s
Feb 12 – Penn Basketball vs. Columbia
Feb 16 – Cavanaugh’s
Feb 18 – Chasers
Feb 20 – Boccie
Feb 23 – Murph’s
Feb 25 – Ice Skating at the Class of 1923 Rink
Feb 28 – Smoke’s
My personal favorites were watching Ferris Bueller’s Day Off and ice skating at the Class of 1923 Ice Rink – something I had never done before.
Julie Berliner Bell, C’93, saved her Feb Club shirt too – it’s part of a quilt of other favorite t-shirts.
Our class is looking forward to May when we’ll reconnect, remember and reminisce about the fun times we had while students at Penn. We have a great group of classmates helping to plan our reunion and raise funds for Dear Old Penn – see our class reunion page for the full list.
If you’re a member of our class, be sure to join our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter.
If you’re planning to attend the reunion, be sure to add your name to the hundreds of classmates already listed on our “We’re coming!” page by emailing reunion co-chairs Lisa Nass Grabelle, C’93, L’96, or Chrissy Bass Hofbeck, C’93.
And, don’t forget to contribute to our Class Gift! We’re hoping to increase the number of participants that donate to Penn – please make your gift today!
Author: Nicole Maloy, W’95
(For my previous Q&A with World Masters Track & Field competitor, Ruth Greenfield, Nu’92, check out Part I).
Today, Deirdre Morris-Abrahamsson, C’93, GEd’94, is a Communications Specialist at Widener University in Pennsylvania, and serves as a freelance sports/events consultant. But I remember her as the athlete with whom I shared the high jump pit for two years as my teammate on Penn Women’s Varsity Track & Field. When I was doing my plyometric training, sprints, short-approach jumping drills, and literal attempts at greater heights, there she was. The difference was, when I was done training or competing for the day, she was on her way to work on another event.
Deirdre was a pentathlete indoors, and a heptathlete outdoors. The former includes the 60m Hurdles, High Jump, Shot Put, Long Jump and 800m; the latter replaces the 60m Hurdles with 100m Hurdles, then adds the Javelin and the 200m Dash. So, yeah, I’m feeling a bit inadequate right now. She is trying to convince me to join her in competing again in the Master’s division (35+). Lord help me, I might be swayed. Stay tuned…
Here we are at an indoor meet back in the day.
Q&A with Dee
4 years Penn Women’s Varsity Track & Field, Senior Co-Captain
Pentathlon, Heptathlon
Why did you join the track team at Penn?
I was successful in track at St. Francis Prep High School in Queens, NY and I was recruited by many colleges. I intended to continue competing, and I chose Penn over Dartmouth and Cornell, where I was also accepted.
High jumping at the Colonial Relays during her high school days. Even then, she wore the red and blue!
Why did you stay on the team for as long as you did?
Good question! I loved the sport and my teammates, and I couldn’t imagine not being a part of the team. I never thought about quitting, I always wanted to train harder, achieve more and see what I was capable of doing.
(Note: Deirdre was also President of the Penn Irish Club, and was involved in the West Philadelphia Tutoring Project.)
What was your proudest accomplishment in Track & Field at Penn?
At the end of my junior year, I blew my knee out in a freak long jump accident at the Ivy League Championships at Yale.
(Side note: I was there, and the sound of her scream is still echoing in my head. I just want the readers to understand the severity of the injury and the pain she was in so you can have some context for her recovery and subsequent return to competition).
I had knee surgery in May and wore a cast for two months. I was running again by October, hurdling by December, and ready to compete again by January.
I had my ups and downs that indoor and outdoor season. At the Indoor Championships at the Naval Academy, I hit a hurdle in the first event of the Pentathlon and finished last in the event- in a fog. However, I ended my Penn Track career at the Outdoor Championships at Princeton with a fifth place finish in the Heptathlon and a personal record in the 800m. I crossed the finish line with a smile on my face. I had been through so much, and I had accomplished a lot. And, I didn’t have to run an 800m race ever again!
Your favorite Penn Track & Field memory?
The Penn Relays, of course! I competed in them during my high school years, and then as a Penn Track member it was so awesome to have that event take place on our home track. It was great fun to be a part of the meet, to watch amazing competition and feel the energy of the crowd. I remember walking on the track one day, and there were some older guys walking ahead of me, talking about the “ghosts” on the track and their days running at the Penn Relays. It is true. Thousands upon thousands of people have raced and competed at Franklin Field, each with their own stories of success, defeat, and pride at having competed at the famous Penn Relays.
And the people – my teammates and the alumni of both the men’s and women’s teams. I have made such wonderful friends, and we will always have the bond of being part of such a storied athletic program. My coaches Betty Costanza and Tony Tenisci are life-long friends and mentors, and Charlie Powell, the head men’s coach who just retired, is someone that I admire immensely.
Deirdre competing for Penn as a junior.
What were your main activities and interests between your graduation from Penn and competing in the Masters division (including but not limited to sports)?
I was always surprised to hear from fellow athletes who stopped running once their competition days were over. I never stopped. I couldn’t imagine that. It was so ingrained in me and had been such a big part of my life for so long, that when I would be sitting at work and 3 p.m. would roll around, I always felt like it was time to head out to Track practice.
The year after college, I took up rowing. I learned to scull at the Philadelphia Girls Rowing Club. A recurring feeling that would come over me while doing a 10 mile row and watching runners race up and down Kelly Drive was: I’d rather be running! Plus, tipping my single scull and falling into the murky Schuylkill River didn’t help matters.
Rowing lasted for about a year, and then I started playing Ultimate Frisbee. I could not throw at all, but I could RUN. I joined a summer league team through the Philadelphia Area Disc Alliance, and I had a blast. It was tough, but so much fun. I played Ultimate for ten years, and in my career played at the Club level with Women’s and Mixed teams. I played in 3 US Championships, three World Championships (in Vancouver, Hawaii, and Germany), 3 Swedish Championships and numerous tournaments throughout the US, Canada and Europe. It is through Ultimate that I met my husband – an Ultimate playing Swede that I met at a beach tournament in Italy, south of Lecce. We met in 2001, lived in Salt Lake City until the end of 2002, and then in Sweden from 2002 – 2009.
Throughout this time I continued to run, and I competed in races from 5K to the half marathon. I have also continued weight lifting and I have really fallen in love with yoga. And Swing Dancing, did I mention Swing Dancing? I did this for several years in NYC and when I lived in Barcelona, and it is something that I really want to get better at.
Ultimate Deirdre
What prompted you to start competing in the Masters division? What did it involve?
I have always thought about competing again in track but never really knew how or where. (I actually didn’t think I would ever STOP competing in track, so it was inevitable to start up again.) Playing Ultimate was a big time commitment, not to mention work and then kids. But after moving back to the USA two years ago from Sweden, I got reconnected with many Penn teammates. Ruth Greenfield, Nu’92, was very active with Masters Track, and I was inspired by her participation and great success. She kept encouraging me, and others, to take it up again, and finally, I did.
What are your strongest memories of your first competition as a Master?
I have only competed in a handful of track meets so far. My first meet was the Mid-Atlantic Regional Championships in June at Widener University. As a former heptathlete, I can do many events. The easiest to just step back into though, besides the running events, is the shot put. I showed up and there were about fifteen men and one woman there ranging from ages 25 – 70 competing, with their shot put shoes, measuring tapes, and all the typical paraphernalia. There was a nice camaraderie and lots of encouragement among the participants. I was very nervous, but I did fine – and actually surprised myself that my form and strength is still there (actually, I feel stronger physically after having had children).
It was also a great surprise to run into two former Penn Men’s Track athletes who are also very active and successful on the Masters Track circuit: Jason Costner, W’92, and Mohamed Ali, EAS’92. It was nice to hear them cheer me on when I very bravely ran the 400m.
And to top it off, after my first meet, I was ranked #1 in the US in my age group in the shot. That was a thrill. I know that several of my teammates would rocket to the top of the rankings if they started competing again.
At her first Masters Outdoor Track meet in May with fellow Penn Track & Field alumni, Jason Costner and Mohamed Ali.
In which events do you currently compete or plan to compete?
I really want to high jump and long jump again, but, even though I still run, it will take a lot to prepare my body for that kind of impact and to get used to doing it again. The muscle memory is still there though. I have tried high jumping, and it feels natural to do it. I just need to take it slow! I also want to run all of the events up to the mile and see how I do in each. And I will continue shot putting as I really want to see how much I can improve.
Your proudest accomplishment in Track & Field at the Masters level?
In December, I competed in my first meet of the indoor season. My goal was to throw over 30 feet in the shot put – and I did! I also ran the 800m. Like many heptathletes, I dreaded running the 800m as the last of seven events. Although I am slower now, I feel that I am mentally stronger, and I really pushed myself and kept focused. I look forward to running it again, and I aim to whittle my time down over the season.
How does being a mom affect your life as a competitive athlete? How have your children responded?
The other day, my four-year old daughter said to me, “You are the best mom in the world, and the best shot putter in the world.” Alert the presses! My kids know that I love track and field, and my seven-year old son has been to many track meets and has watched a lot of them on TV – especially when we were living in Sweden and they were on TV all the time. He watched Usain Bolt run at the Penn Relays two years ago. This past summer, he participated in his first track meet, and he racked up the medals and had a great time. He “practices” throwing hammer, javelin, and shot put in the yard. I am excited for both my kids to come watch me compete at a meet this winter, and I think that if I went head to head in the 800 with Gavin, he would beat me. In fact, his favorite event to run is the 800m – so he has the advantage.
Sports are such a big part of our family, and it is natural for all of us to be active. We go watch Pappa play in an Ultimate Frisbee tournament, mom run a 5K, Gavin play soccer, and Violet swims. We will see if they become Track & Field athletes, but if they don’t, it won’t be for lack of exposure.
Deirdre with her husband and two children.
What advice do you have for other women/former college athletes who might be interested in competing again?
Remember in high school (or middle school) when you first started doing track and this whole new world opened up to you? You would go and hang out with your friends at track meets, compete in the 55m, the 200m, the triple jump, the shot put (for a laugh) and then run a relay or two? Master’s Track has that vibe. At the meets I have been to, people run multiple events and throw in a field event for good measure. I swear, I am pretty sure this one guy did run ALL of the events at my last meet.
It is a lot of fun, and you would surprise yourself at what you can still do. I know for me, I still have a competitive streak and I want to do my best and keep getting better. But in Masters Track, I am only competing against myself and my own times. The other competitors are very friendly and supportive, and it seems like a close-knit community. Find a Masters Track club in your area, or just show up at meet. If you are not sure what to do, just jump into the 55m dash for a start. Don’t forget to stretch!
And since there are fewer competitors, the meets don’t take all day as they do in high school and college. You can get a few races in on a Sunday morning and then be home in time for lunch.
Anything to add about your experience with Penn Women’s Varsity Track & Field?
I am very proud to have been a member of the Penn Women’s Varsity Track & Team. We worked hard, all year long, and it was a huge commitment. After I graduated, I wanted to stay involved with sports, and I have worked primarily in the sports and event industries. I am a huge sports fan, but Track will always be my favorite.
Anything to add about your experience competing in Track & Field in the Masters division?
It will help with motivation to find some people to train with. I recently started working at Widener University and have become friendly with the track coaches. I have been able to attend some of their practices and get a few training and throwing tips. It is a great feeling to head down to the track and be around the athletes.
Two gold medals from her first master’s track meet. Nice job, Dee!
Again, to read an earlier post “Q&A with World Masters Track & Field” competitor, Ruth Greenfield, Nu’92, check out Part I).
Filed under Alumni Perspective, Athletics, Class of 1993, Nicole M.
Frankly Penn 