is the bahamas safe to travel 2023

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Is The Bahamas Safe? Crime Rates & Safety Report

• The Bahamas : Safety by City
• Grand Bahama
• Harbour Island

If you include the cays, which are small islands formed on coral reefs, the Bahama Islands consist of about 2,000 islands.

This archipelago and its beaches are an attraction in themselves, but even though they’re most popular for the heavenly beaches, Bahamas are also known for having some wonderful landmarks.

There’s the Pompey Museum of Slavery and Emancipation (formerly known as The Vendue House) as well as Paradise Island, and many forts and monuments all over the city of Nassau, open every day so you can go visit whenever.

Apart from touring around the forts and monuments, there are also other tours you can take such as the tour of the distillery at John Watling’s or you can give Tru Bahamas Food Tours a try and taste some original Bahamian food.

However, don’t ignore the source of the greatest enjoyment in the Bahamas – water!

The Bahamian beaches are perfect for water sports, kiteboarding, kayaking, snorkeling, deep-sea fishing, bonefishing, wave runners, island boat tours, wild dolphin excursions, and even shark encounters.

And the best part about the water – it’s like warm bath water all year round.

• Warnings & Dangers in The Bahamas

OVERALL RISK: HIGH

The Bahamas aren't too safe to visit with its high murder rate, but if you apply safety and precaution measures, it should minimize the risk of getting hurt.

TRANSPORT & TAXIS RISK: MEDIUM

Be very careful when using public transport. Taxi drivers might try to overcharge you since the cabs in this country are not metered. Remain vigilant on public transport since that's where pickpockets operate.

PICKPOCKETS RISK: HIGH

Pickpockets are, of course, common, and this country is ridden with both petty and violent crime, though this time, the accent is on violent crime. Still, you should never carry all your money in the same place, and be aware of your surroundings at all times.

NATURAL DISASTERS RISK: MEDIUM

When it comes to natural disasters, The Bahamas suffer from hurricanes during the hurricane season that lasts from 1 June to 30 November. Tourists are advised to monitor local and international weather updates.

MUGGING RISK: HIGH

Violent crime is extremely common in the Bahamas. The country is ridden with violent crime, and armed robberies, kidnappings, and murders are extremely common, usually not affecting tourists though violence towards foreigners has been on an increase during the past couple of years.

TERRORISM RISK: LOW

Even though there haven't been any terrorist attacks in The Bahamas' recent history, they shouldn't be ruled out so remain vigilant and aware of your surroundings at all times.

SCAMS RISK: MEDIUM

Bear in mind that taxi drivers may try to overcharge you, since cabs in The Bahamas are not metered, so always agree on the price before getting in, and avoid getting into unlicensed cabs. Also, some tour guides, including boat operators, may ask for a tip on top of the agreed price upon the completed job.

WOMEN TRAVELERS RISK: MEDIUM

The Bahamas aren't the safest destination for solo female travelers. Women have reported catcalls and sexual harassment while walking on the streets of the Bahamas. If you are a female solo traveler, you are advised to reject rides from strangers or taxi drivers who appear unlicensed. Be sure to avoid remote streets, both during day and night, and do not flash your belongings or handle money in public. Stay out of the streets at night and be vigilant for any possible dangers at all times.

• So... How Safe Is The Bahamas Really?

The biggest problem for the Bahamas, crime-wise, isn’t the petty crime or the violent street crime: it is the murder rate.

The statistics for the year 2007 weren’t encouraging: 42 recorded murders.

Then three years later, in 2010, the murder count was 96.

The police suggest that the highest number of these murders are fuelled by competition in the illegal drug trade, and related to drug trade or gangs, but there’s also domestic violence that ends with a murder.

This may not affect tourists, but what does is the general increase in violent crime in the recent past, so visitors are advised to exercise caution.

The American Embassy has also received several reports of sexual assaults on American tourists, including teenage girls.

When it comes to these shocking crimes, most of the serious crimes committed in the Bahamas occur largely in Nassau (New Providence).

It is noted that the increase in violent crimes between 2009 and 2015 is partly focused on tourists since many of them were targeted at tourists visiting the country.

There were also instances of an armed robbery at more remote locations, where tourists have no business going anyway, but it is important to mention it as a possible danger.

Many tourists reported being mugged, some of them even in front of a hotel.

You can expect the Bahamian police to be of little help.

• How Does The Bahamas Compare?
• Useful Information

Some countries are required to apply for The Bahamas' visa, while many countries other than the US and Canada are required to present a valid passport which must be current up to your travel period. If you are not sure about your visa status, visit www.doyouneedvisa.com which will let you know whether or not you need a visa based on your nationality and the country you want to visit.

There are two valid currencies in The Bahamas: United States Dollar and the Bahamian dollar. You can find plenty of banks with ATMs in the major tourist centers, and cities, but bear in mind that they can be rare or nonexistent on the Out Islands.

The climate in The Bahamas is subtropical in the north and fully tropical in the south. The best time to visit the Bahamas is between September and May when the temperature averages 21-24°C. Keep in mind that more northerly islands are around 5° cooler than the southern islands. The rest of the year is a bit warmer, with higher humidity in the summer months when the temperatures vary between 27 and 29° C.

The biggest airports in the country are located in Marsh Harbour, Moore's Island, Sandy Point with a large private airport serving Castaway Cay, also used as an exclusive port for the Disney Cruise Line ships.

Travel Insurance

Just like anywhere else, we recommend getting travel insurance when traveling to The Bahamas, since it covers not only the costs of medical problems but also theft and loss of valuables.

The Bahamas Weather Averages (Temperatures)

• Average High/Low Temperature

The Bahamas - Safety by City

Explore the bahamas.

• Are There Snakes in the Bahamas? Should You Be Worried?
• Are There Alligators in the Bahamas?
• Are There Sharks in The Bahamas?
• Where to Next?

23 Reviews on The Bahamas

We have boated from Miami to Bimini GB and Nassau some 15 years ago. It is a beautiful spot to visit BUT unless and until the government and law enforcement get SERIOUS about corruption and violent crime the tourism future looks grim !

Surely with mandatory stiff and severe penalties for violent crimes especially against tourists who greatly contribute to the economy,etc.such a small country with it’s resources ought to be able to RID the place of ALL crime whatever the costs !

Otherwise the word will sooner than later get around and most folk will absolutely AVOID the islands !

Sad but true.

Stay away! Negroes are out of control and will, infact, hurt, rob and may kill. Use to keep a boat at Lyford Key. Pulled out and now keep boat in Carribean.

Stop calling out the Black people

Back off man! The white people there are just as bad, you’re being really insensitive.

White people make up less than 5% of the island tho

Bahamas travel risk needs to be changed

I felt very safe safer than in the us recently on vacation. I got lost on a scooter and a local resident was nice enough to drive me back to safety. They don’t do that in the us. I saw no crime or weapons. I felt nothing but love on the island.

Really? I did not feel safe there and I was on there on a Cruise. Some shady-looking stuff when getting off the boat. Low-class people.

This review is woefully out of touch. I live in the Bahamas for the last 28 years and have never been subjected to any of this. Places like Chicago or Detroit are far more dangerous than the Bahamas. Kidnappings really? Very very rarely somebody gets kidnapped and when it does happen it’ll it’s usually a child walking home alone. Compare the amount of kidnapping per capita to that of the US

Hello anonymous I am a woman alone and am looking to buy a house there and wondered where about do you live? The house I’m looking at is in New Providence. Is that safe to you?

I agree. I just came back from the Bahamas as a solo female traveler. Not once did I feel in danger (with the exception of crazy traffic driving). I was there for 4 days, on my own, did my own excursions (private ones too). I haven’t been mugged, catcalled or anything like that. There is crime just as any town and country. Seldom do they involve murder and people flash name brand and high end items out here as well.

I cannot speak for Nassau but I can say that Freeport in Grand Bahama is much safer than any city in Europe and even more than in the US.

To be fair, I always left my beachbag outside during the night and someone stole it once. The incredible thing is that the robber emptied the bag, left the towel, snorkeling gears and only took the 8$ bag. Robbers are even courteous there.

Just common sense and be careful about other people driving and you will be safe.

bahamas is very nice but nassau just is a hotspot for crime

This article is quite extreme!

Seriously it’s not a big deal

I went to Nassau on a cruise, and there was absolutely nothing wrong with it. All of the people were real chipper and upbeat, and made my family feel welcome. We left our stuff on the beach to go snorkeling. There was like actual money in that bag and all that got taken was a pair of sunglasses. One lady charged a bit too much for handmade souvenirs, but we made a deal and it was fine. Never once did I feel uncomfortable here. Heads up though: in the middle of the summer, hiking up the stone staircase and walking around the streets, it was CRAZY HOT. I thought I was gonna DIE. But in the end, everything was totally fine and all the pickpocket warnings were for naught. Of course I suggest being careful at all times, but it wasn’t any worse than a regular city. I could see myself living there. Also, you people need to back off of the racist stuff. Everyone’s calling this a real terrible place and calling out the black people, and I’m just like, get over yourself. These people were great to us and y’all are being real jerks.

Cat Island fans

I never travel without checking the state-issued travel advisory. Sometimes there is local civil unrest that you, as a tourist, might not be aware of so why risk it?

After reading a bit on relevant travel forums I decided to skip Nassau altogether, even day crime is serious there. We finally decided on Cat Island, a very small island which allowed us to spend our days worry-free. Luckily, my husband is not a shy man, he scanned several taxis for the lowest fare, the difference between them was insane! If you don’t have an option I would strongly suggest negotiating, they do like a good haggle.

Our kids had a bit of trouble adjusting to the weather, the insane high temperatures mid-day meant we had to spend a lot of time shielded from the sun. We lathered ourselves in spf but somehow still managed to get a pretty ugly chest burn right on the first day.

Also, I was surprised to see quite a few female travelers when we were there. If I’m being honest, I would love to experience this paradise all by myself, the whole area is safe and the water is so nice.

If you downsize and opt for a small island with very few inhabitants or go for islands that are mostly booked by families with kids I’m guessing you won’t have any problems. However, if you’re going there to party all night, your chances of bumping into shady characters are pretty high, especially if your alcohol levels are high.

The Bahamas has tons and tons of gorgeous islands where you can escape the daily grind. I wouldn’t say no to it just because in some areas – especially over-populated or touristy ones – you might be in danger. Things aren’t pretty good in NY either but I wouldn’t move in a million years.

Extremely friendly people

Buy an “all-inclusive trip” it’s safer and you never have to carry money. The Bohemian people in markets and even the people on the beach selling trinkets and are extremely friendly, they work for the government there are extremely poor people you do have to beware of cab drivers and never go shopping without a crowd.

My 21-year-old daughter and I spent a week at Nassau and Paradise Island, we stayed at a sister motel next to the Atlantis and it set the bar extremely high for future travels.

Just stay away from Nassau

The Bahamas do have lots of crime in nassau but the other islands are pretty safe! at least they don’t have as much crime as the DR

Bahamas is as safe as anywhere

My wife and I have lived in Nassau for a decade, and the negative reviews above are ridiculous. Simple rules: Don’t go “Over the hill”. Don’t disrespect the locals. They are a proud, loving people but know how to dish rudeness right back at you. Watch your pockets when walking in town…when 6 cruise ships are in port, the petty thieves smell blood! But they are not violent. The “murder rates” that the media and travel sites love to play up, are 99% gang-related. My wife goes grocery shopping alone, I wear my Rolex out in public, we hang out on public beaches, and we have NEVER ONCE felt unsafe. With few exceptions, Bahamians are awesome people and they (and we) live in a beautiful country!

Need advice on Treasure Cays Safety

I am looking for feedback on Treasure Cay, we are going between Christmas and New Years and we found an affordable priced air bnb only two blocks from the beach. We are bringing our daughter who is a strong and beautiful 13 year old and my handsome 12 year old son. Should I worry about their safety? Also how many scams are out there for places to stay.

Go if you feel lucky enough

I’ve been to the bahamas on a cruise with my mum and dad in my senior year of high school. It was great and a lot of fun. Nothing bad happened to us and the beaches were nice to swim in and its quite peaceful. Their views on corporal punishment of crime is a bit concerning cause they literally beat their prisoners on their backs. I don’t know if it is because it scares them to not do what they did again. Either way if you commit a crime don’t expect a reasonable punishment. The criminals their literally never commit a crime anymore there because of fear of pain rather than to give back to the community.

Why is The Bahamas on the “Safest Countries to Visit” tab?

Safe but unfortunate things can happen

I went to the bahamas and i experienced no such crime. However if you travel to any country just be prepared to face dangers that await. I hear they beat the men who have been charged with a crime. It’s safe but still always keep an open eye on what lies beyond.

Felt safe during the day

We felt safe in north Bimini, but at night we stayed in the Airbnb and didn’t venture out. We went all over the island w a golf cart during the day and didn’t feel unsafe. We didn’t wear any flashy jewelry or carry a lot of cash.

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Article Contents

• Overall Risk
• Transport & Taxis Risk
• Pickpockets Risk
• Natural Disasters Risk
• Mugging Risk
• Terrorism Risk
• Women Travelers Risk
• Weather Averages (Temperatures)
• User Reviews
• Share Your Experience

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U.S. warns travelers to the Bahamas to be cautious after 18 murders in capital this year

The U.S. State Department on Friday increased its advisory level for would-be travelers to the Bahamas, urging "increased caution," as the nation's capital has recorded 18 murders this year.

The elevation to Level 2 follows a security alert posted Wednesday by the U.S. Embassy in Nassau, which expressed concern that Americans might be victimized by gang violence in the capital.

"Murders have occurred at all hours including in broad daylight on the streets," the embassy said in its alert. "Retaliatory gang violence has been the primary motive in 2024 murders."

U.S. travelers were advised to be especially cautious in Nassau, use caution when out at night anywhere in the Bahamas, "keep a low profile," be aware of the surroundings, don't resist if confronted by robbers, and have and review security plans.

The State Department added that short-term vacation rentals have the added concern of often lacking the kind of private security present at hotels. It said Nassau's gang crime is not fenced out of areas frequented by tourists.

"Violent crime, such as burglaries, armed robberies, and sexual assaults, occur in both tourist and non-tourist areas," it said in its travel advisory.

The State Department also warned that many recreational watercraft rentals, tours and trips are inconsistently regulated and thus come with an additional layer of risk.

"Watercraft may be poorly maintained, and some operators may not have safety certifications," it said. "Always review and heed local weather and marine alerts before engaging in water-based activities."

The department also warned Americans not to swim alone in the Bahamas, where there have been recent shark attacks .

Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis responded on Thursday to the embassy's alert, saying it's unlikely to affect the number of American tourists in his nation, according to Bahamian daily news platform the Tribune .

He added that the United States has a right to issue such alerts, and the Bahamas does the same, the publication said. The U.S. warnings came as Davis pushed for a crackdown on crime that would include modifying the parameters for constitutionally protected bail.

The Bahamas commissioner of police and a spokesperson for the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

On Tuesday, the U.S. State Department raised its advisory level for travel to Jamaica to Level 3 — this urges Americans to reconsider going to a particular country — based on violent crime and inconsistent access to emergency medical services.

Joe Kottke is a researcher at the NBC News Network Desk.

Dennis Romero is a breaking news reporter for NBC News Digital. 

U.S. officials warn travelers about violent crime in Bahamas

The State Department issued a Level 2 advisory, urging visitors to exercise increased caution

The State Department issued a travel advisory for the Bahamas, telling visitors to “exercise increased caution” because of a spike in crime earlier this month.

The Level 2 advisory, posted Friday, says the majority of crime has taken place in New Providence (Nassau) and Grand Bahama (Freeport) islands. It warns visitors to practice “increased vigilance” in the “Over the Hill” area in Nassau, which has had an uptick in gang violence, according to the department.

The advisory comes after a notice on Jan. 24 from the U.S. Embassy in the Bahamas, citing 18 murders since the start of the year in Nassau, the nation’s capital. The violent crime — some of it gang-related, according to the statement — has primarily affected the local population, but U.S. officials are urging tourists to take caution.

“Violent crime, such as burglaries, armed robberies, and sexual assaults, occur in both tourist and non-tourist areas,” reads the Friday advisory. “Be vigilant when staying at short-term vacation rental properties where private security companies do not have a presence.” The department warned visitors not to answer their doors or resist any robbery attempts, and to enroll in safety alert systems while visiting.

The prime minister of the Bahamas, Philip Davis, told local media that he doesn’t believe the U.S. warnings will affect the nation’s tourism industry, which makes up 70 percent of the country’s GDP and employs about half of the workforce. Authorities in the Bahamas held a news conference Sunday to address the recent spate of murders, according to the Associated Press . None of the killings this year have targeted tourists.

Homicides in the Bahamas increased by 8 percent from 2021 to 2022, according to the Royal Bahamas Police Force . Crime data for 2023 wasn’t available.

The advisory further instructs tourists to take caution when using recreational watercraft, as they may not be “consistently regulated”; it says that maintenance of the vessels may be poor and that some operators may lack certifications. In November, a tour boat carrying roughly 100 passengers sank as it headed toward Blue Lagoon Island northeast of Nassau, killing one U.S. tourist and injuring two other passengers. A spokesperson for the State Department didn’t immediately respond to questions about whether the incident had anything to do with Friday’s warning.

“Commercial watercraft operators have discretion to operate their vessels regardless of weather forecasts; injuries and fatalities have occurred,” the advisory reads.

The department also told tourists to take caution when swimming, advising people to never swim alone and to stay within their abilities and check local weather advisories before heading out. There have been recent shark attacks, some fatal .

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Bad behavior: Entitled tourists are running amok, defacing the Colosseum , getting rowdy in Bali and messing with wild animals in national parks. Some destinations are fighting back with public awareness campaigns — or just by telling out-of-control visitors to stay away .

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The Bahamas

Travel Advisory January 26, 2024

The bahamas - level 2: exercise increased caution.

Updated with additional water safety information.

Exercise increased caution in The Bahamas due to  crime . 

Country Summary : The majority of crime occurs on New Providence (Nassau) and Grand Bahama (Freeport) islands. In Nassau, practice increased vigilance in the “Over the Hill” area (south of Shirley Street) where gang-on-gang violence has resulted in a high homicide rate primarily affecting the local population. Violent crime, such as burglaries, armed robberies, and sexual assaults, occur in both tourist and non-tourist areas. Be vigilant when staying at short-term vacation rental properties where private security companies do not have a presence.   

 Activities involving commercial recreational watercraft, including water tours, are not consistently regulated. Watercraft may be poorly maintained, and some operators may not have safety certifications.  Always review and heed local weather and marine alerts before engaging in water-based activities. Commercial watercraft operators have discretion to operate their vessels regardless of weather forecasts; injuries and fatalities have occurred. Due to these safety concerns, U.S. government personnel are not permitted to use independently operated jet-ski rentals on New Providence and Paradise Islands.   

Never swim alone, regardless of your age or level of swimming skills.  Keep within your fitness and swimming capabilities. Be mindful of sharks when swimming and engaging in water activities, as there have been recent fatal and non-fatal incidents involving sharks.  Be aware of weather and water conditions and heed local warnings. 

Read the country information page  for additional information on travel to The Bahamas. 

If you decide to travel to The Bahamas:  

• Do not answer your door at your hotel/residence unless you know who it is.  
• Do not physically resist any robbery attempt.  
• Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP)  to receive Alerts and make it easier to locate you in an emergency.  
• Follow the Department of State on Facebook , Twitter , and Instagram .  
• Review the Country Security Report  for The Bahamas.  
• Prepare a contingency plan for emergency and medical situations.  Review the Traveler’s Checklist .  
• Visit the CDC page for the latest Travel Health Information related to your travel.

Embassy Messages

View Alerts and Messages Archive

Quick Facts

Passports must be valid at time of entry through departure (throughout the duration of stay).

Two pages are required for entry stamp.

Visitors must declare currency and other negotiable instruments of $10,000 or more upon entry.

Visitors must declare currency and other negotiable instruments of $10,000 or more upon exit.

Embassies and Consulates

U.s. embassy nassau.

P.O. Box N-8197 #42 Queen Street Nassau, The Bahamas Telephone: +(242) 322-1181 Emergency After-Hours Telephone:  +(242) 322-1181 Email:  [email protected]

Destination Description

Learn about the U.S. relationship to countries around the world.

Entry, Exit and Visa Requirements

Visit the  Bahamas Immigration  website for the most current visa information. U.S. citizens are generally required to present a valid U.S. passport when traveling to The Bahamas, as well as proof of anticipated departure from The Bahamas. Those traveling to The Bahamas on a cruise may use another  Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative  (WHTI) compliant document, such as a U.S. passport card. However, we strongly recommend you obtain a passport before travel in case of an unforeseen emergency that requires you to disembark and return by air. U.S. travelers coming for tourism will not need a visa for travel up to 90 days. All other travelers will need a visa and/or work permit.

The Bahamas requires compliance with regulations to divert child abduction similar to  U.S. policies . Review those policies before traveling.

HIV/AIDS restrictions: The U.S. Department of State is unaware of any HIV/AIDS entry restrictions for visitors to or foreign residents of The Bahamas. Find information on  dual nationality ,  prevention of international child abduction , and  customs regulations  on our websites.

Safety and Security

Crime:  The Department of State rates the criminal threat level in New Providence Island (includes Nassau and Paradise Island) as critical. The vast majority of crime occurs on New Providence (Nassau) and Grand Bahama (Freeport) Islands. Criminal activity on the outlying Family Islands does occur, but to a much lesser degree than on New Providence or Grand Bahama. In Nassau, exercise caution in the “Over the Hill” area (south of Shirley Street). Violent crime such as burglaries, armed robberies, and sexual assaults occur, but generally not in tourist areas. For the latest  security messages , visit our website. Find more information about common safety and security concerns in The Bahamas including  credit card fraud ,  real estate matters , and  water sport and scooter safety  on our website. Victims of Crime: U.S. citizen victims of sexual assault are encouraged to contact the U.S. Embassy for assistance. Report crimes to the local police at 919 or 911, and contact the U.S. Embassy at +(242) 322-1181. Remember that local authorities are responsible for investigating and prosecuting the crime.

See our webpage on  help for U.S. victims of crime overseas .

• help you find appropriate medical care
• assist you in reporting a crime to the police
• contact relatives or friends with your written consent
• explain the local criminal justice process in general terms
• provide a list of local attorneys
• provide information on  victim’s compensation programs in the United States
• provide an emergency loan for repatriation to the United States and/or limited medical support in cases of destitution
• help you find accommodation and arrange flights home
• replace a stolen or lost passport

Domestic Violence:  U.S. citizen victims of domestic violence may contact the Embassy for assistance.

Adventure Tourism:  Activities involving commercial recreational watercraft, including water tours, are not consistently regulated. Watercraft are often not maintained, and many companies do not have safety certifications to operate in The Bahamas. Reconsider going on the water in rough seas or inclement weather, as accidents and fatalities have occurred in such conditions. U.S. citizens seeking to engage in adventure tourism-related activities, including boat tours, are strongly encouraged to confirm the following with any tour operator:

• Credentials and certification to operate in The Bahamas
• Liability in the event of an accident
• Safety and rescue protocols for guides

Jet-Ski Operators:  Jet-ski operators have been known to commit sexual assaults against tourists. As a result, U.S. government personnel are not permitted to use independently operated jet-ski rentals on New Providence and Paradise Islands.

Watersports Advisory: Carefully assess the potential risks of recreational water activities and consider your physical capabilities and skills. Be aware of sharks when in or on the water, as shark bites do occur and can result in serious injury or death. Never venture out alone, particularly at isolated beaches or far out to sea. Avoid entering the water above your waist if you have been drinking and always be mindful of jet ski and boat traffic in the area. Do not engage in water activities during times of inclement weather or rough seas. Commercial watercraft operators have discretion to operate their vessels regardless of weather forecasts; injuries and fatalities have occurred.

Hurricanes:  Hurricane season generally runs from June through November, although hurricanes can occur outside that period. Monitor local weather reports closely. Airports and seaports cease operations well before a predicted storm arrives, and seats on most commercial transportation may sell out far in advance. For more information on hurricane preparedness, please refer to the Department of State’s page on  Crisis Abroad and the U.S. Embassy Nassau’s  Hurricane Preparedness  page.

Tourism:  The tourism industry is unevenly regulated, and safety inspections for equipment and facilities do not commonly occur. Hazardous areas/activities are not always identified with appropriate signage, and staff may not be trained or certified either by the host government or by recognized authorities in the field. In the event of an injury, appropriate medical treatment is typically available only in/near major cities. First responders are generally unable to access areas outside of major cities and to provide urgent medical treatment. U.S. citizens are encouraged to purchase medical evacuation insurance . 

Local Laws & Special Circumstances

Criminal Penalties:  You are subject to local laws. If you violate local laws, even unknowingly, you may be expelled, arrested, or imprisoned. Individuals establishing a business or practicing a profession that requires additional permits or licensing should seek information from the competent local authorities, prior to practicing or operating a business.

Furthermore, some laws are also prosecutable in the United States, regardless of local law. For examples, see our website on  crimes against minors abroad  and the  Department of Justice  website.

Drugs:    Marijuana and all products that contains its derivatives such as cannabidiol (CBD) and  tetrahydrocannabinol  (THC) -- to include gummies, oils and other edible products -- are NOT legal in The Bahamas.  Having a prescription or medical card for cannabis/marijuana does not exempt you from being prosecuted under Bahamian law, which makes no distinction between medical and recreational use of marijuana.

The possession or use of illegal drugs, including marijuana, cocaine, and ecstasy, is a criminal offense in The Bahamas and can result in time in prison. While visiting The Bahamas, you are subject to Bahamian law.  Drug violators are regularly arrested, even for possession of small quantities . All persons 16 years of age or older in The Bahamas are tried as adults in court. If you are arrested for drug possession, you should expect to spend at least one night, and possibly longer, in custody. Stay away from drug traffickers, who may be often armed and violent. Do not accept packages from people you meet during your stay.

Firearms, Ammunition, and other weapons are not permitted in The Bahamas .  According to The Bahamas Firearms Act, individuals found to have a firearm or ammunition in their possession without a legally issued Bahamian gun license face a penalty of up to 10 years’ incarceration and $10,000 fine.  Declaring the weapon in your luggage with an airline carrier does not grant permission to bring the weapon into The Bahamas.

If you have a firearm or ammunition onboard a boat entering Bahamian waters, you must declare it with Bahamian Customs at the first point of entry.  Only declared shotguns and handguns are allowed in Bahamian waters.  You must provide the serial number, name of the manufacturer, and an exact count of ammunition.  Declared firearms cannot be removed from your boat and must be kept locked at all times.

If a U.S. citizen illegally brings a firearm or ammunition into The Bahamas, the U.S. Embassy will not be able to secure their release.  All foreign nationals are subject to Bahamian law and must follow local law enforcement procedures.  Please read more information on the Department of State’s page for Travelers With Firearms here .

Arrest Notification:  If you are arrested or detained, ask police or prison officials to notify the U.S. Embassy immediately. See our  webpage  for further information. Travelers should also be aware that Bahamian laws do not include a right to a public defender in lower courts. Any legal representation is at the expense of the visitor.

Faith-Based Travelers:  See the following webpages for details:

• Faith-Based Travel Information
• International Religious Freedom Report  – see country reports
• Human Rights Report  – see country reports
• Hajj Fact Sheet for Travelers
• Best Practices for Volunteering Abroad

LGBTI Travelers:  There are no legal restrictions on same-sex sexual relations or the organization of LGBTI events in The Bahamas.

See   our  LGBTI Travel Information   page and section 6 of our  Human Rights report  for further details.

Travelers Who Require Accessibility Assistance .  Accessibility and accommodations in The Bahamas are very different from in the United States. Newer buildings, especially in tourism-centric areas are accessible, but many older buildings are not.

Students:  See our  Students Abroad  page and  FBI travel tips .

Women Travelers:  See our travel tips for  Women Travelers .

For more information about  customs concerns ,  boating , and  wildlife , please visit our website.

Medical care is available on New Providence and Grand Bahama islands. However, serious illnesses or injuries might not be treatable locally. Serious health problems requiring hospitalization and/or medical evacuation to the United States can cost tens of thousands of dollars in up-front costs. Outer islands have only small clinics, and medical care is limited.

Ambulance service is available on the major islands, but traffic congestion on New Providence Island can cause delays.

We do not pay medical bills. Be aware that U.S. Medicare/Medicaid does not apply overseas. Most hospitals and doctors overseas do not accept U.S. health insurance.

Medical Insurance: Make sure your health insurance plan provides coverage overseas. Most care providers overseas only accept cash payments. See our webpage for more information on overseas insurancecoverage. Visit the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for more information on type of insurance you should consider before you travel overseas.

We strongly recommend supplemental insurance to cover medical evacuation.

If traveling with prescription medication, check with the government of  The Bahamas  to ensure the medication is legal in The Bahamas. Always carry your prescription medication in its original packaging with your doctor’s prescription.

Vaccinations: Be up-to-date on all vaccinations recommended by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Further health information:

• World Health Organization
• U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

Travel and Transportation

Road Conditions and Safety: Driving in The Bahamas is on the left-hand side of the road. Traffic congestion in Nassau is severe, and drivers frequently display aggressive or careless tendencies. Accidents involving pedestrians on New Providence Island are common. Drive defensively and be alert to cars pulling out from side streets. Local practice is to allow this on an individual basis. It is not uncommon to see poorly maintained or excessively loaded vehicles on roadways. Rural roads can be narrow, winding, and in poor condition. Road flooding occurs frequently in many areas, including Nassau and Freeport, during and after rainstorms. Be alert for unmarked or poorly marked construction zones.

Traffic Laws: Seatbelts are required for drivers and passengers in The Bahamas. Wearing helmets on a scooters and motorbikes is also compulsory.

Public Transportation: Public transportation is available by minibus (known as jitneys) and taxi. Jitneys stop frequently and often without warning at undesignated stops. Taxi fares are based on zones and surcharges can apply for additional passengers and luggage. It is important to agree on a fare prior to departing for the destination.

See our  Road Safety page  for more information. Visit the website of The Bahamas’  Ministry of Tourism  for more information.

Aviation Safety Oversight: Aviation Safety Oversight: The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has assessed the government of The Bahamas’ Civil Aviation Authority as being in compliance with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) aviation safety standards for oversight of The Bahamas’ air carrier operations. Further information may be found on the  FAA’s safety assessment page .

Maritime Travel:  Mariners planning travel to The Bahamas should also check for  U.S. maritime advisories and alerts .  Information may also be posted to the  U.S. Coast Guard homeport website , and the  NGA broadcast warnin gs .

For additional travel information

• Enroll in the  Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP)  to receive security messages and make it easier to locate you in an emergency.
• Call us in Washington, D.C. at 1-888-407-4747 (toll-free in the United States and Canada) or 1-202-501-4444 (from all other countries) from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., Eastern Standard Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays).
• See the  State Department’s travel website  for the  Worldwide Caution  and  Travel Advisories .
• Follow us on  Twitter  and  Facebook .
• See  traveling safely abroad  for useful travel tips.

Review information about International Parental Child Abduction in  The Bahamas . For additional IPCA-related information, please see the  International Child Abduction Prevention and Return Act ( ICAPRA )  report.

Travel Advisory Levels

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The Islands Of The Bahamas Announces Updated Travel and Entry Protocols

Mandatory Vacation-in-Place Requirement is Replaced by COVID-19 Health Insurance, Monitoring Procedures, and On-Island Rapid Testing for Those Staying Longer Than Five Days

For more information see: https://www.bahamas.com/pressroom/islands-bahamas-announces-updated-travel-and-entry-protocols

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COVID-19: travel health notice for all travellers

Bahamas travel advice

Latest updates: The Need help? section was updated.

Last updated: July 4, 2024 07:57 ET

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Safety and security, entry and exit requirements, laws and culture, natural disasters and climate, bahamas - exercise a high degree of caution.

Exercise a high degree of caution in the Bahamas due to high rates of crime, especially in Freeport and Nassau.

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Violent crime occurs and is often related to gang activity.

Violent incidents include:

• armed robbery
• home invasion
• sexual assault

The most common crimes committed against travellers in Freeport, Grand Bahama Island, and Nassau are:

• armed robberies
• sexual assaults

Robberies also occur in cruise ship terminals and in and around popular resort areas, even in daylight hours. Crime increases during the holidays.

During your trip:

• stay in tourist areas
• always remain vigilant 
• avoid walking alone at night 
• don’t carry large sums of cash or valuables 

Women’s safety

Sexual assault occurs frequently in The Bahamas, particularly near hotels, in hotel rooms, in casinos, on cruise ships and on the beach. Reported incidents are on the rise in Nassau, including on Paradise Island. In some cases, the victim was drugged.

• Be wary when embarking on jet-ski rides with licensed or unlicensed operators, as several incidents of sexual assault have been reported
• Avoid excessive consumption of alcohol and avoid using drugs
• Don't accept rides from strangers or from unlicensed taxi drivers

Advice for women travellers

Spiked food and drinks

Never leave food or drinks unattended or in the care of strangers. Be wary of accepting snacks, beverages, gum or cigarettes from new acquaintances. These items may contain drugs that could put you at risk of sexual assault and robbery.

Credit card and ATM fraud occurs in The Bahamas, especially in Nassau. Be cautious when using debit or credit cards:

• pay careful attention when your cards are being handled by others
• use ATMs located in well-lit public areas or inside a bank or business
• avoid using card readers with an irregular or unusual feature
• cover the keypad with one hand when entering your PIN
• check for any unauthorized transactions on your account statements

Overseas fraud

Water activities

The water sports rental industry is poorly regulated in The Bahamas. Tourists have been seriously injured using jet skis and other watercraft.

• Rent water sports equipment from reputable, locally registered operators only
• Insist on proper training before using the equipment
• Ensure that beach and aquatic equipment is safe and in good condition
• Ensure that helmets and life jackets are available

Water safety abroad

Boaters should be alert to the possibility of encountering water craft operated by illegal drug traders.

Remain vigilant and make use of officially recognized docking and berthing facilities only.

Live piracy report  - International Maritime Bureau

Several ports in The Bahamas are cruise-ship stops.

Advice for Cruise Travellers

Road safety

Roads are generally adequate in major cities, but in poor condition in rural areas. Road construction is not always well marked.

Bicycles, mopeds and pedestrians can be hazards, particularly on the busy streets of Freeport and Nassau. Drinking and driving is prevalent. Accidents causing fatalities are common.

• Keep your car doors locked and your windows rolled up
• Never get out of your car to remove items blocking the road, as this could be a ploy by armed assailants to rob you
• Keep valuables out of sight in your parked vehicle

Public transportation

After dusk, avoid travelling on local buses on routes outside of the main tourist areas.

Taxis don’t use meters.

• Negotiate the price before you get in
• Only use licensed taxis
• Never share a taxi with strangers

We do not make assessments on the compliance of foreign domestic airlines with international safety standards.

Information about foreign domestic airlines

Every country or territory decides who can enter or exit through its borders. The Government of Canada cannot intervene on your behalf if you do not meet your destination’s entry or exit requirements.

We have obtained the information on this page from Bahamian authorities. It can, however, change at any time.

Verify this information with the  Foreign Representatives in Canada .

Entry requirements vary depending on the type of passport you use for travel.

Before you travel, check with your transportation company about passport requirements. Its rules on passport validity may be more stringent than the country’s entry rules.

Regular Canadian passport

Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months beyond the date you expect to leave The Bahamas.

Passport for official travel

Different entry rules may apply.

Official travel

Passport with “X” gender identifier

While the Government of Canada issues passports with an “X” gender identifier, it cannot guarantee your entry or transit through other countries. You might face entry restrictions in countries that do not recognize the “X” gender identifier. Before you leave, check with the closest foreign representative for your destination.

Other travel documents

Different entry rules may apply when travelling with a temporary passport or an emergency travel document. Before you leave, check with the closest foreign representative for your destination.

Useful links

• Foreign Representatives in Canada
• Canadian passports

Tourist visa: not required for stays up to 8 months Business visa: not required Student permit: required

Other entry requirements

Customs officials may ask you to show them a return or onward ticket.

You must complete and sign an immigration card upon entry to The Bahamas. This card will be stamped by officials at the point of entry and you are required to keep the card until your departure.

If travelling by private vessel, certain documentation is required for entry to The Bahamas.

Department of Immigration - Government of The Bahamas

Departure tax

You must pay a departure tax when you leave the Bahamas unless it is included in your airfare.

• Children and travel

Learn more about travelling with children .

Yellow fever

Learn about potential entry requirements related to yellow fever (vaccines section).

Relevant Travel Health Notices

• Global Measles Notice - 13 March, 2024
• Zika virus: Advice for travellers - 31 August, 2023
• COVID-19 and International Travel - 13 March, 2024
• Dengue: Advice for travellers - 2 July, 2024

This section contains information on possible health risks and restrictions regularly found or ongoing in the destination. Follow this advice to lower your risk of becoming ill while travelling. Not all risks are listed below.

Consult a health care professional or visit a travel health clinic preferably 6 weeks before you travel to get personalized health advice and recommendations.

Routine vaccines

Be sure that your  routine vaccinations , as per your province or territory , are up-to-date before travelling, regardless of your destination.

Some of these vaccinations include measles-mumps-rubella (MMR), diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, varicella (chickenpox), influenza and others.

Pre-travel vaccines and medications

You may be at risk for preventable diseases while travelling in this destination. Talk to a travel health professional about which medications or vaccines may be right for you, based on your destination and itinerary. 

Yellow fever   is a disease caused by a flavivirus from the bite of an infected mosquito.

Travellers get vaccinated either because it is required to enter a country or because it is recommended for their protection.

• There is no risk of yellow fever in this country.

Country Entry Requirement*

• Proof of vaccination is required if you are coming from or have transited through an airport of a country   where yellow fever occurs.

Recommendation

• Vaccination is not recommended.
• Discuss travel plans, activities, and destinations with a health care professional.
• Contact a designated  Yellow Fever Vaccination Centre  well in advance of your trip to arrange for vaccination.

About Yellow Fever

Yellow Fever Vaccination Centres in Canada * It is important to note that  country entry requirements  may not reflect your risk of yellow fever at your destination. It is recommended that you contact the nearest  diplomatic or consular office  of the destination(s) you will be visiting to verify any additional entry requirements.

There is a risk of hepatitis A in this destination. It is a disease of the liver. People can get hepatitis A if they ingest contaminated food or water, eat foods prepared by an infectious person, or if they have close physical contact (such as oral-anal sex) with an infectious person, although casual contact among people does not spread the virus.

Practise  safe food and water precautions and wash your hands often. Vaccination is recommended for all travellers to areas where hepatitis A is present.

  Hepatitis B is a risk in every destination. It is a viral liver disease that is easily transmitted from one person to another through exposure to blood and body fluids containing the hepatitis B virus.  Travellers who may be exposed to blood or other bodily fluids (e.g., through sexual contact, medical treatment, sharing needles, tattooing, acupuncture or occupational exposure) are at higher risk of getting hepatitis B.

Hepatitis B vaccination is recommended for all travellers. Prevent hepatitis B infection by practicing safe sex, only using new and sterile drug equipment, and only getting tattoos and piercings in settings that follow public health regulations and standards.

Measles is a highly contagious viral disease. It can spread quickly from person to person by direct contact and through droplets in the air.

Anyone who is not protected against measles is at risk of being infected with it when travelling internationally.

Regardless of where you are going, talk to a health care professional before travelling to make sure you are fully protected against measles.

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is an infectious viral disease. It can spread from person to person by direct contact and through droplets in the air.

It is recommended that all eligible travellers complete a COVID-19 vaccine series along with any additional recommended doses in Canada before travelling. Evidence shows that vaccines are very effective at preventing severe illness, hospitalization and death from COVID-19. While vaccination provides better protection against serious illness, you may still be at risk of infection from the virus that causes COVID-19. Anyone who has not completed a vaccine series is at increased risk of being infected with the virus that causes COVID-19 and is at greater risk for severe disease when travelling internationally.

Before travelling, verify your destination’s COVID-19 vaccination entry/exit requirements. Regardless of where you are going, talk to a health care professional before travelling to make sure you are adequately protected against COVID-19.

 The best way to protect yourself from seasonal influenza (flu) is to get vaccinated every year. Get the flu shot at least 2 weeks before travelling.  

 The flu occurs worldwide. 

•  In the Northern Hemisphere, the flu season usually runs from November to   April.
•  In the Southern Hemisphere, the flu season usually runs between April and   October.
•  In the tropics, there is flu activity year round. 

The flu vaccine available in one hemisphere may only offer partial protection against the flu in the other hemisphere.

The flu virus spreads from person to person when they cough or sneeze or by touching objects and surfaces that have been contaminated with the virus. Clean your hands often and wear a mask if you have a fever or respiratory symptoms.

In this destination, rabies  may be present in some wildlife species, including bats. Rabies is a deadly disease that spreads to humans primarily through bites or scratches from an infected animal. 

If you are bitten or scratched by an animal while travelling, immediately wash the wound with soap and clean water and see a health care professional. 

Before travel, discuss rabies vaccination with a health care professional. It may be recommended for travellers who will be working directly with wildlife. 

Safe food and water precautions

Many illnesses can be caused by eating food or drinking beverages contaminated by bacteria, parasites, toxins, or viruses, or by swimming or bathing in contaminated water.

• Learn more about food and water precautions to take to avoid getting sick by visiting our eat and drink safely abroad page. Remember: Boil it, cook it, peel it, or leave it!
• Avoid getting water into your eyes, mouth or nose when swimming or participating in activities in freshwater (streams, canals, lakes), particularly after flooding or heavy rain. Water may look clean but could still be polluted or contaminated.
• Avoid inhaling or swallowing water while bathing, showering, or swimming in pools or hot tubs. 

Typhoid   is a bacterial infection spread by contaminated food or water. Risk is higher among children, travellers going to rural areas, travellers visiting friends and relatives or those travelling for a long period of time.

Travellers visiting regions with a risk of typhoid, especially those exposed to places with poor sanitation, should speak to a health care professional about vaccination.  

Insect bite prevention

Many diseases are spread by the bites of infected insects such as mosquitoes, ticks, fleas or flies. When travelling to areas where infected insects may be present:

• Use insect repellent (bug spray) on exposed skin
• Cover up with light-coloured, loose clothes made of tightly woven materials such as nylon or polyester
• Minimize exposure to insects
• Use mosquito netting when sleeping outdoors or in buildings that are not fully enclosed

To learn more about how you can reduce your risk of infection and disease caused by bites, both at home and abroad, visit our insect bite prevention page.

Find out what types of insects are present where you’re travelling, when they’re most active, and the symptoms of the diseases they spread.

There is a risk of chikungunya in this country.  The risk may vary between regions of a country.  Chikungunya is a virus spread through the bite of an infected mosquito. Chikungunya can cause a viral disease that typically causes fever and pain in the joints. In some cases, the joint pain can be severe and last for months or years.

Protect yourself from mosquito bites at all times. There is no vaccine available for chikungunya.

• In this country,   dengue  is a risk to travellers. It is a viral disease spread to humans by mosquito bites.
• Dengue can cause flu-like symptoms. In some cases, it can lead to severe dengue, which can be fatal.
• The level of risk of dengue changes seasonally, and varies from year to year. The level of risk also varies between regions in a country and can depend on the elevation in the region.
• Mosquitoes carrying dengue typically bite during the daytime, particularly around sunrise and sunset.
• Protect yourself from mosquito bites . There is no vaccine or medication that protects against dengue.

Zika virus is a risk in this country. 

Zika virus is primarily spread through the bite of an infected mosquito. It can also be sexually transmitted. Zika virus can cause serious birth defects.

• Prevent mosquito bites at all times.
• Use condoms correctly or avoid sexual contact, particularly if you are pregnant.

If you are pregnant or planning a pregnancy, you should discuss the potential risks of travelling to this destination with your health care provider. You may choose to avoid or postpone travel. 

For more information, see Zika virus: Pregnant or planning a pregnancy.

Animal precautions

Some infections, such as rabies and influenza, can be shared between humans and animals. Certain types of activities may increase your chance of contact with animals, such as travelling in rural or forested areas, camping, hiking, and visiting wet markets (places where live animals are slaughtered and sold) or caves.

Travellers are cautioned to avoid contact with animals, including dogs, livestock (pigs, cows), monkeys, snakes, rodents, birds, and bats, and to avoid eating undercooked wild game.

Closely supervise children, as they are more likely to come in contact with animals.

Person-to-person infections

Stay home if you’re sick and practise proper cough and sneeze etiquette , which includes coughing or sneezing into a tissue or the bend of your arm, not your hand. Reduce your risk of colds, the flu and other illnesses by:

•   washing your hands often
• avoiding or limiting the amount of time spent in closed spaces, crowded places, or at large-scale events (concerts, sporting events, rallies)
• avoiding close physical contact with people who may be showing symptoms of illness 

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) , HIV , and mpox are spread through blood and bodily fluids; use condoms, practise safe sex, and limit your number of sexual partners. Check with your local public health authority pre-travel to determine your eligibility for mpox vaccine.  

HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus)   is a virus that attacks and impairs the immune system, resulting in a chronic, progressive illness known as AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome). 

High risk activities include anything which puts you in contact with blood or body fluids, such as unprotected sex and exposure to unsterilized needles for medications or other substances (for example, steroids and drugs), tattooing, body-piercing or acupuncture.

Medical services and facilities

Medical care is good in Freeport and Nassau, but limited elsewhere.

You may need to make a deposit for medical treatment, even if you have travel insurance. If you do not have travel insurance, clinics may require payment upfront or credit card information as a guarantee of payment prior to providing medical care.

Response times to emergency calls may be slow.

If you require specialized care or sustain a serious injury, you may be evacuated to another island for treatment.

Make sure you get travel insurance that includes coverage for medical evacuation and hospital stays.

Travel health and safety

If you take prescription medication, you’re responsible for determining their legality in The Bahamas.

• Bring sufficient quantities of your medication with you
• Always keep your medication in the original container
• Pack your medication in your carry-on luggage
• Carry a copy of your prescription

Keep in Mind...

The decision to travel is the sole responsibility of the traveller. The traveller is also responsible for his or her own personal safety.

Be prepared. Do not expect medical services to be the same as in Canada. Pack a   travel health kit , especially if you will be travelling away from major city centres.

You must abide by local laws.

Learn about what you should do and how we can help if you are arrested or detained abroad .

Penalties for possession, use or trafficking of illegal drugs are severe. Convicted offenders can expect jail sentences and heavy fines.

Pack all luggage yourself and don’t carry anything through customs for anyone else.

Drugs, alcohol and travel

2SLGBTQI+ travellers

Bahamian law does not prohibit sexual acts between individuals of the same sex. However, homosexuality is not widely socially accepted.

Travel and your sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression and sex characteristics

Dual citizenship

Dual citizenship is legally recognized in The Bahamas.

If you are a Canadian citizen, but also a citizen of The Bahamas, our ability to offer you consular services may be limited while you're there. You may also be subject to different entry/exit requirements .

Travellers with dual citizenship

International Child Abduction

The Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction is an international treaty. It can help parents with the return of children who have been removed to or retained in certain countries in violation of custody rights. The convention applies between Canada and the Bahamas.

If your child was wrongfully taken to, or is being held in the Bahamas, and if the applicable conditions are met, you may apply for the return of your child to the Bahamian court.

If you are in this situation:

• act as quickly as you can
• contact the Central Authority for your province or territory of residence for information on starting an application under The Hague Convention
• consult a lawyer in Canada and in the Bahamas to explore all the legal options for the return of your child
• report the situation to the nearest Canadian government office abroad or to the Vulnerable Children's Consular Unit at Global Affairs Canada by calling the Emergency Watch and Response Centre

If your child was removed from a country other than Canada, consult a lawyer to determine if The Hague Convention applies.

Be aware that Canadian consular officials cannot interfere in private legal matters or in another country's judicial affairs.

• List of Canadian Central Authorities for the Hague Convention
• International Child Abductions: A guide for affected parents
• The Hague Convention – Hague Conference on Private International Law
• Canadian embassies and consulates by destination
• Request emergency assistance

Long-line fishing

Long-line fishing is illegal in Bahamian waters. All long-line fishing gear must be stowed below deck while transiting Bahamian waters. Stiff penalties are imposed for catching crawfish, lobster or other marine life in protected areas or out of season.

Investments

If you are interested in purchasing property or making other investments in The Bahamas, seek legal advice from appropriate professionals in Canada and The Bahamas before making commitments. Disputes arising from such activities could be prolonged and costly to resolve.

Traffic drives on the left.

You can drive in The Bahamas with your valid Canadian driver’s licence up to 90 days. If you intend to stay longer in the country, you must obtain a Bahamian driver’s licence.

You should carry an international driving permit.

In case of an accident, you must remain at the scene and not move your vehicle until the police arrive.

International Driving Permit

The currency in the Bahamas is the Bahamian dollar (BSD).

Hurricane season

Hurricanes usually occur from mid-May to the end of November. During this period, even small tropical storms can quickly develop into major hurricanes.

These severe storms can put you at risk and hamper the provision of essential services. You could face serious safety risks during a hurricane.

If you decide to travel to a coastal area during the hurricane season:

• be prepared to change your travel plans on short notice, including cutting short or cancelling your trip
• stay informed of the latest regional weather forecasts
• carry emergency contact information for your airline or tour operator
• follow the advice and instructions of local authorities
• Tornadoes, cyclones, hurricanes, typhoons and monsoons
• Large-scale emergencies abroad
• Active storm tracking and hurricane watches and warnings – U.S. National Hurricane Center

Local services

Dial 911 or 919 for emergency assistance.

Consular assistance

Limited services.

The services of the Honorary Consul of Canada to the Bahamas will be limited from July 4 to 18, 2024. Contact the office by email or telephone before visiting.

Bahamas, Cayman Islands, Turks and Caicos Islands

For emergency consular assistance, call the Consulate of Canada in the Bahamas, in Nassau, or the High Commission of Canada in Jamaica, in Kingston, and follow the instructions. At any time, you may also contact the Emergency Watch and Response Centre in Ottawa.

The decision to travel is your choice and you are responsible for your personal safety abroad. We take the safety and security of Canadians abroad very seriously and provide credible and timely information in our Travel Advice to enable you to make well-informed decisions regarding your travel abroad.

The content on this page is provided for information only. While we make every effort to give you correct information, it is provided on an "as is" basis without warranty of any kind, expressed or implied. The Government of Canada does not assume responsibility and will not be liable for any damages in connection to the information provided.

If you need consular assistance while abroad, we will make every effort to help you. However, there may be constraints that will limit the ability of the Government of Canada to provide services.

Learn more about consular services .

Risk Levels

  take normal security precautions.

Take similar precautions to those you would take in Canada.

  Exercise a high degree of caution

There are certain safety and security concerns or the situation could change quickly. Be very cautious at all times, monitor local media and follow the instructions of local authorities.

IMPORTANT: The two levels below are official Government of Canada Travel Advisories and are issued when the safety and security of Canadians travelling or living in the country or region may be at risk.

  Avoid non-essential travel

Your safety and security could be at risk. You should think about your need to travel to this country, territory or region based on family or business requirements, knowledge of or familiarity with the region, and other factors. If you are already there, think about whether you really need to be there. If you do not need to be there, you should think about leaving.

  Avoid all travel

You should not travel to this country, territory or region. Your personal safety and security are at great risk. If you are already there, you should think about leaving if it is safe to do so.

Office of the Prime Minister’s Statement to the Media re: US Travel Advisory

• January 29, 2024

NASSAU, The Bahamas (30 January 2024) – The Government of The Bahamas is alert, attentive, and proactive to ensure that The Bahamas remains a safe and welcoming destination.

In 2023, The Bahamas welcomed over 9 million visitors, a significant milestone for our nation. 

We were proud to share our crystal-clear waters, beautiful beaches, vibrant culture, warm people, and family-friendly adventures with so many visitors.

The rating of The Bahamas has not changed; we remain a level 2 alongside most tourism destinations.  The incidents described in the January 2024 US Embassy crime alert do not reflect general safety in The Bahamas, a country of sixteen (16) tourism destinations, and many more islands.  

The Government of The Bahamas is implementing a robust and innovative crime reduction and prevention strategy.  This comprehensive approach is informed by the latest research and successful international models, focusing on five key pillars: prevention, detection, prosecution, punishment, and rehabilitation.  

Our law enforcement agencies are taking rigorous steps to maintain our well-earned reputation, including an enhanced police presence and additional police resources (including facial recognition CCTV surveillance technology) and training. We have a zero-tolerance policy for firearm possession and a dedicated Magistrate to handle firearm offences.

The safety and security of everyone is of paramount importance to us and we are confident that The Bahamas will remain safe and welcoming for millions of visitors to continue to enjoy the magic and beauty of our beautiful islands.

Press Inquiries:

Latrae Rahming 

Director of Communications 

Email: [email protected]  

Phone: 1-242-477-1587

Administration

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Cecil Wallace-Whitfield Centre P.O. Box:CB-10980 Nassau, Bahamas

© Office of the Prime Minister 2023. All Rights Reserved.

Bahamas Travel Safety 2024: How Safe is the Bahamas for Travel?

Planning a trip to the beautiful Bahamas?

The U.S. State Department placed the Bahamas on an “Exercise Increased Caution” warning, emphasizing the prevalence of violent crimes.

Here’s what to be aware of about the Bahamas safety-wise:

• Crime Rate: It’s moderate, so stay cautious.
• Danger Zones: Be extra careful in Grand Bahama (Freeport) and Nassau’s “Over the Hill” area.
• COVID Safety: No restrictions, but cases exist, so take precautions.
• Natural Disasters: Hurricane season is from August to October, and earthquakes are rare.
• Carbon Monoxide: Three incidents reported; carry a portable CO detector.
• Beach Safety: Pay attention to the flag system for swimming safety.
• Traveling Solo or with Family: It’s doable, but exercise increased caution.

Now let’s talk about all these things you need to consider for your safety while visiting the Bahamas so you can relax and have a worry-free vacation.

Travel Advisory for the Bahamas

Each year, the U.S. State Department issues a comprehensive travel advisory for every country worldwide, including the Bahamas. These advisories are categorized into four levels, each reflecting the safety conditions in the given destination, providing detailed insights about the risks there and clear recommendations for staying safe.

The categories are as follows:

• Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions — This is the lowest advisory level, indicating that while there is some minimal risk, travelers can confidently enjoy their visit to the destination
• Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution — Travelers are advised to be mindful of heightened safety and security risks, yet they are encouraged to visit the destination if they exercise caution
• Level 3: Reconsider Travel — Travelers are strongly discouraged from traveling there due to the presence of severe safety and security risks at the destination
• Level 4: Do Not Travel — The most critical advisory level with a very prominent likelihood of life-threatening risks. If a danger were to happen here, the U.S. government may have limited capacity to help its citizens, so it’s strongly recommended to not travel there or leave as soon as possible

The U.S. State Department issued a Level 2 warning for the Bahamas due to a spike in homicides in the country. The warning advises extreme caution in the eastern portion of New Providence Island, where gang violence is cited as the primary motive for crimes.

The advisory also emphasizes the risk of violent crimes which are common in both tourist and non-tourist areas. Travelers are urged to keep a low profile, be aware of their surroundings, and not resist if confronted by thieves.

The State Department also highlighted potential risks associated with poorly maintained watercraft and the lack of consistent regulation for recreational water activities. Additionally, tourists are cautioned against swimming alone due to recent shark attacks in the Bahamas .

While you can still visit the Bahamas, do so only with the right precautions . We discuss those in more detail in the section “Exploring Bahamas Solo or With a Family: Is It a Good Idea?” After all, your safety is a top priority.

A Comprehensive Look at Bahamas Crime Rates

Based on Numbeo, the Bahamas has a crime rating of 56.76, which places them in the middle of Numbeo’s crime index.

Over the past three years, there has been an observed increase in reported crimes. The major categories of crimes primarily fall into two groups: crimes against a person and crimes against property.

Here are the specific numbers for these major crimes reported from 2020 to 2022, based on the official annual crime analysis by the Royal Bahamas Police records .

Most of the crimes are concentrated on the New Providence (Nassau) and Grand Bahama (Freeport) islands, especially in Nassau’s “Over the Hill” area.

The crimes from these criminal groups primarily impact the local population and are less likely to affect tourists. Nevertheless, crimes like theft and assault are not confined to specific regions in the Bahamas — they can occur at both tourist and non-tourist locales. Therefore, travelers are urged to exercise caution, avoid dangerous areas, and remain vigilant throughout their stay in the country.

Police Presence in the Bahamas

Travelers prioritize destinations where they feel secure and protected, and this significantly influences their overall travel choices.

The Royal Bahamas Police Force was established on March 1st, 1840, and initially comprised sixteen members. Fast forward to 2023, it has evolved into a modern, complex law enforcement agency with over 4,000 officers, reserves, and police civilians.

The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of National Se curity , Mrs. Sherman-Peter, states that the government has dedicated substantial resources to ensuring the Royal Bahamas Police Force remains at its peak by investing in cutting-edge technology, advanced training, and top-tier vehicles.

Both the government and the police force are acutely aware that the tourism industry is the driving force of the Bahamian economy and are actively committed to fighting crime and safeguarding both citizens and tourists. Mrs. Sherman-Peter confirms that the crime against tourists is low. Nonetheless, it remains paramount for tourists to exercise extreme caution.

Navigating the New Normal: Ensuring COVID-19 Safety in the Bahamas

As of October 2023 , there have been 38,084 confirmed cases of coronavirus in the Bahamas, with 844 unfortunate fatalities and 36,366 individuals who have successfully recovered.

The relatively stable numbers have led the Government of The Bahamas to eliminate the pre-arrival COVID-19 testing, vaccines, and mandatory Bahamas Travel Health Visa. This means that all visitors are now welcome to travel freely to the Bahamas. Additionally, there is no longer a curfew in place, and wearing masks in public places is no longer mandatory.

In the event that you experience symptoms like shortness of breath, nausea, or loss of smell or taste during your vacation, the Bahamas provides options for private COVID-19 testing. You can get tested at hospitals, clinics, or laboratories and receive the results via email or text message. The cost of a rapid antigen test is approximately $54, while a PCR test costs around $115 USD.

It’s crucial to continue practicing social distancing, regular handwashing, and sanitizing to help maintain a safe environment. Most importantly, if you develop symptoms before your trip, it’s highly advisable not to travel to prevent potential virus spread.

Perils of Nature: The Risk of Natural Disasters in the Bahamas

The Bahamas, like many other Caribbean countries, is vulnerable to natural disasters, particularly hurricanes and earthquakes. Let’s learn more about their magnitude and whether they pose a safety risk to tourists.

Hurricane Information and Precautions

The official hurricane season in the Bahamas is from June 1 to November 30, but a hurricane can happen in other months. The risk is highest in August, September, and early October.

On average, the Bahamas faces about seven hurricanes a year , and the parts most affected by hurricanes are West Grand Bahama, North Abaco, and Bimini. Strangely, these hurricanes usually don’t hit the islands directly but change course before they do. Even so, they bring strong winds and rain.

All in all, the Bahamas can experience hurricanes, but these storms usually don’t pose a direct life-threatening risk. Additionally, most hotels have evacuation plans in place . However, it’s a wise move to stay informed about the latest hurricane updates in the area. If there is the possibility of a hurricane, we recommend that you adjust your travel plans.

Earthquake Information and Prevention

Earthquakes can lead to structural damage, tsunamis, and various secondary hazards.

The Bahamas are located on the North American Plate , which is generally a stable region in terms of earthquakes. Although the Bahamas can experience occasional minor earthquakes, they are typically of low magnitude and infrequent.

In 2023, the Bahamas only experienced four earthquakes , which is minimal. The strongest earthquake in the Bahamas in 2023 had a magnitude of 5.4 and occurred in Bombardopolis, Nord-Ouest, Haiti, a separate island nation in the Atlantic Ocean, but the tremors were felt in the surrounding area.

All in all, you shouldn’t be overly concerned about earthquakes when planning a trip to the Bahamas. However, it’s good practice to stay updated on the latest reports in the region and adjust your vacation plans accordingly.

Breathing Safely in the Bahamas: Carbon Monoxide Awareness and Prevention

Carbon monoxide is a dangerous, undetectable, and odorless gas, and every year, it poisons around 420 people in the United States. So what makes carbon monoxide so hazardous?

This gas is produced when carbon-based fuels don’t burn completely. It can escape from malfunctioning appliances like stoves, gas water heaters, and furnaces, and because it’s essentially invisible, our senses can’t alert us to its presence.

When you breathe in carbon monoxide, it blocks the blood’s ability to carry oxygen to your cells and tissues. Depending on how long you’re exposed to it, it can lead to symptoms like headaches, nausea, and dizziness or more severe outcomes such as paralysis, brain damage, and even loss of life.

Unfortunately, the Bahamas suffered the tragic loss of three American tourists to CO poisoning during their vacation at the Sandals Resort in 2022. They went to sleep and never woke up, falling victim to this silent threat.

Remarkably, a simple device known as a CO detector could have prevented this tragedy. Because of that, the Royal Bahamas Police strongly encourages all citizens and rental companies to install these detectors outside every sleeping area in their homes, rental units, and hotels.

However, when you travel to a destination, you can’t always be certain if there’s a functioning carbon monoxide detector in the room to protect you. To ensure your safety, it’s advisable to carry a portable CO detector . These devices are not costly (~ $20) and have the potential to save lives.

Given the very real threat of carbon monoxide poisoning, it’s good to know that avoiding it is simple. Simply carry a portable carbon monoxide detector with you, as your accommodation may not have one, and this way, you’ll have an extra layer of protection.

The Safety of Bahamas Beaches

The Bahamas, like many coastal areas around the world, uses a flag system to indicate the safety level of their beaches for swimming.

Here are the various flags you might encounter at Bahamian beaches:

• Green flag: Calm waters, safe for swimming
• Yellow flag: Moderate currents, swim with caution
• Single red flag: Strong currents, swimming isn’t recommended
• Double red flags: Very dangerous, the water is closed to the public
• Red and yellow flag: Swimming area with lifeguards
• Black and white quartered flag: Surfing area, swimming isn’t allowed
• Purple flag: Dangerous marine life

There are a total of 32 shark attacks recorded since 1749. The most recent one occurred on December 5, 2023, off the coast of Nassau, where a 44-year-old tourist from Boston was attacked by a shark while paddleboarding. Two similar incidents occurred in 2022 when a 58-year-old American woman lost her life while snorkeling. A similar incident took the life of a 21-year-old American in 2019.

The U.S. State Department also flags a potential concern for those seeking aquatic adventures. Recreational watercraft rentals, tours, and trips may lack consistent regulation, and certain operators may not have essential safety certifications.

As you soak up the Bahamian sun and dive into its crystal-clear waters, exercise caution. Avoid swimming alone or at night when sharks may be more active. Choose tours wisely, opting for those with reputable safety records and always stay informed about local weather conditions and marine alerts before embarking on water-based adventures.

Bahamas Weather Patterns: What to Expect?

The climate in the Bahamas is tropical, featuring a hot and rainy season from May to October and a cooler, dry season from November to April.

Average temperatures typically range from 80 to 90°F (26 to 32°C) in the summer and 70 to 89°F (21 to 31°C) in the winter. The wet season spans from May to October, with the rainiest months being July, August, and September. Nevertheless, the showers are usually in the afternoon and pass quickly.

The Bahamas are blessed with over 300 days of sunshine each year. The shortest day falls on December 21, with 10 hours and 35 minutes of daylight, while the longest day arrives on June 21, providing 13 hours and 42 minutes of daylight.

The Bahamas encompass an impressive array of over 700 islands . To provide a more detailed look at the climate, we’ll focus on the capital, Nassau , which is also the most popular destination for tourists.

Weather Overview in Nassau, Bahamas

As summer kicks off, Nassau welcomes long hours of daylight, boasting up to 13 hours and 42 minutes of sunshine. It also marks the start of hurricane season, but don’t worry, as the likelihood of a hurricane making landfall remains relatively low, especially in the early season.

The temperatures also rise, reaching as high as 88°F (31°C), but you should also expect more humidity and a likelihood of rain, with around 17 rainy days.

The hottest months of the year are July and August, with daytime temperatures soaring up to 90°F (32°C). So, make sure to pack sunscreen for those beach days to protect yourself from sunburn.

Scattered afternoon showers are part of the summer experience, adding up to about 19 rainy days during these months. As summer progresses, the hurricane risk becomes more prominent as well, so it’s important to stay tuned to local news reports for your safety.

The fall temperature hovers around 88°F (31°C) throughout September and October. Given that this period falls within the peak of hurricane season, tourism is notably reduced, with some hotels closing for maintenance and renovation. Therefore, it’s not the ideal time for a visit.

November, however, paints a different picture. It signals the conclusion of both the wet and hurricane season. With fewer rainy days and delightful weather (pleasant 82°F/28°C), this month emerges as an excellent time for travel.

The beginning of winter welcomes tourists with plenty of sunshine and clear blue skies. Daytime highs are around 79°F (26°C), while nightly lows are around 64°F (18°C). So the weather is usually excellent for this time of year, ensuring you’re not sweltering in the heat or shivering from the cold.

January is the busiest (and most expensive) month in the Bahamas, but the crowds gradually thin out as February approaches. Both months offer similar temperatures, with pleasant daytime temperatures of 77°F (25°C) and cooler nighttime temperatures of 63°F (17°C). Water temperatures reach their lowest point around 77°F (25°C), but the water is still ideal for swimming.

March welcomes more tourists, particularly due to university students on spring break. The warmest you can expect in the beginning of spring is around 79°F (26°C), yet evenings can still get a bit chilly, dropping to 64°F (18°C). The ocean also warms up to approximately 77°F (25°C).

April is often one of the finest months to visit the Bahamas. This month offers plenty of sunshine, warm daytime temperatures reaching up to 81°F (27°C), and milder nights around 66°F (19°C). Notably, the crowds start to thin toward the end of April, especially those related to spring break.

In May the humidity increases as temperatures continue to rise. Nevertheless, the risk of rainfall remains relatively low, with an average of about 12 rainy days. Daytime temperatures hover around 84°F (29°C), while the nighttime temperatures dip to around 72°F (22°C), and the sea temperature reaches about 81°F (27°C). By May, most of the crowds have dissipated, offering more space to enjoy the beautiful beaches and local restaurants.

When Is the Best Time to Visit the Bahamas?

The optimal times to explore The Bahamas are typically during November or late April. This is when you can enjoy the finest weather conditions, there are fewer crowds, and there’s the smallest risk of a hurricane, as hurricane season is over.

Yet, what defines the “best” time in The Bahamas comes down to personal taste, so the answer to this question is somewhat subjective. For those who want to experience the vibrancy of holiday revelry and celebrations, the winter months of December and January, and, springtime, between March and mid-April, will be their ideal time for a Bahamas adventure.

If you want to enjoy the warmest possible weather, then the dry season, spanning from November to May, is your best bet.

Budget-conscious travelers should also factor in the cost. If you’re on a tight budget, it’s wise to steer clear of the Bahamas during the peak season. Instead, consider the months before or after these peak periods.

In the end, your choice will depend on your personal travel preferences. Consider which month aligns best with your vision of an ideal vacation and plan your travel accordingly!

Exploring Bahamas Solo or With a Family: Is It a Good Idea?

Yes, travelers should consider a solo or family trip to the Bahamas. However, it’s essential to be aware that, as the U.S. State Department’s travel advisory indicates, there are instances of crime in the country. Please take precautions and exercise increased caution while you’re visiting this destination.

Essential Tips for Staying Safe

Before your trip, it’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with the location of the police station nearest to your accommodation on Google Maps . The emergency number for police, ambulance, and fire services is 911.

Prioritize trustworthy hotels with a solid reputation. If you hear someone knocking while you’re staying in your room, it’s essential not to answer your door unless you’re certain about the identity of the person on the other side.

Your sightseeing should be reserved for the day, otherwise, make sure you don’t venture too far from your hotel. And never ever go in secluded neighborhoods and the dangerous areas we mentioned — the Grand Bahama islands and Nassau’s “Over the Hill” area.

While exploring, it’s wise to have some Bahamian dollars (BSD) on hand for small purchases. Be aware that public transportation and ATMs can be targeted by thieves. To minimize the risk, withdraw money from a bank or a mall and don’t attract attention while you’re on the street by wearing expensive jewelry or other valuables. In the event of a thievery, it’s very important not to physically resist because it may escalate the situation and increase the risk to your well-being.

Overall, maintain awareness of your surroundings at all times and respect the local customs and culture, and you’ll have an overall positive experience.

Tips for Traveling Alone

In the spirit of discretion, we advise that you adopt a low-profile approach if you’re traveling solo. For instance, it’s best to stay in during the night, as nighttime outings often come with an increased risk to your safety: there might be intoxicated people creating conflicts, police chasing criminals, etc.

You should always approach interacting with strangers with a healthy dose of caution. This means that you shouldn’t give personal information to someone you just met, like the address of your hotel, phone number, or travel plans.

In terms of apparel, we know you prefer to wear your best clothes on vacation but try not to be extremely revealing. If you hear catcallers, ignore them and don’t give them any reason for further interaction.

It’s also prudent to steer clear of areas densely populated with clubs and bars, especially after dark. If you decide to go to a bar, responsible consumption is key because it allows you to maintain better control over your surroundings and actions.

When you enjoy your drink, never leave it unattended because you run the risk of someone putting a narcotic in it. And when it comes to narcotics, if someone offers them to you, politely decline, as indulging in them can compromise your safety.

Tips for Traveling With Your Family

Vigilance is key when traveling with family, especially with children. Always keep a watchful eye on your kids and ensure that your family members stay together — you don’t want any accidental separation during your travels.

Renting a car offers better flexibility and safety and spares you from constantly having to wait for taxis and buses. However, it’s of the utmost importance to avoid drinking and driving to safeguard the well-being of yourself and your loved ones.

We also think it’s a good idea to carry a well-stocked medical kit, as it provides you with the necessary tools to address minor injuries or health issues. While we’re on the topic of health, make sure you always select reputable restaurants for dining. These establishments tend to prioritize food safety and hygiene, reducing the risk of contracting a food-related illness while you’re on vacation.

That’s a Wrap.

Before you pack those flip-flops, remember the U.S. State Department’s categorization of the Bahamas as a place where you need to “Exercise Increased Caution.” Violent crimes and even shark attacks have occurred recently, so be wary and keep your eyes wide open.

Even in what seems like paradise, you need to be street-smart. Refrain from walking alone at night and avoid high-risk areas. That’s to stay safe from people.

But you also need to stay safe from nature. So, while you soak up the sun, keep your wits about you by keeping an eye on the weather, maintaining water awareness at all times, and making sure the equipment you use or water tours you join are certified safe.

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Great info, very informative. Are you a travel agent? Or can you recommend one? We’re thinking of a Bahamas vacation.

Hi Bill, thank you for reading and glad you enjoyed it. We are not travel agents, but here’s a company that seems good to try.

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The Bahamas Traveler View

Travel health notices, vaccines and medicines, non-vaccine-preventable diseases, stay healthy and safe.

• Packing List

After Your Trip

There are no notices currently in effect for The Bahamas.

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Check the vaccines and medicines list and visit your doctor at least a month before your trip to get vaccines or medicines you may need. If you or your doctor need help finding a location that provides certain vaccines or medicines, visit the Find a Clinic page.

Routine vaccines

Recommendations.

Make sure you are up-to-date on all routine vaccines before every trip. Some of these vaccines include

• Chickenpox (Varicella)
• Diphtheria-Tetanus-Pertussis
• Flu (influenza)
• Measles-Mumps-Rubella (MMR)

Immunization schedules

All eligible travelers should be up to date with their COVID-19 vaccines. Please see  Your COVID-19 Vaccination  for more information. 

COVID-19 vaccine

Hepatitis A

Recommended for unvaccinated travelers one year old or older going to The Bahamas.

Infants 6 to 11 months old should also be vaccinated against Hepatitis A. The dose does not count toward the routine 2-dose series.

Travelers allergic to a vaccine component or who are younger than 6 months should receive a single dose of immune globulin, which provides effective protection for up to 2 months depending on dosage given.

Unvaccinated travelers who are over 40 years old, immunocompromised, or have chronic medical conditions planning to depart to a risk area in less than 2 weeks should get the initial dose of vaccine and at the same appointment receive immune globulin.

Hepatitis A - CDC Yellow Book

Dosing info - Hep A

Hepatitis B

Recommended for unvaccinated travelers of all ages traveling to The Bahamas.

Hepatitis B - CDC Yellow Book

Dosing info - Hep B

Cases of measles are on the rise worldwide. Travelers are at risk of measles if they have not been fully vaccinated at least two weeks prior to departure, or have not had measles in the past, and travel internationally to areas where measles is spreading.

All international travelers should be fully vaccinated against measles with the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine, including an early dose for infants 6–11 months, according to  CDC’s measles vaccination recommendations for international travel .

Measles (Rubeola) - CDC Yellow Book

Dogs infected with rabies are not commonly found in The Bahamas.

If rabies exposures occur while in The Bahamas, rabies vaccines are typically available throughout most of the country.

Rabies pre-exposure vaccination considerations include whether travelers 1) will be performing occupational or recreational activities that increase risk for exposure to potentially rabid animals and 2) might have difficulty getting prompt access to safe post-exposure prophylaxis.

Please consult with a healthcare provider to determine whether you should receive pre-exposure vaccination before travel.

For more information, see country rabies status assessments .

Rabies - CDC Yellow Book

Recommended for most travelers, especially those staying with friends or relatives or visiting smaller cities or rural areas.

Typhoid - CDC Yellow Book

Dosing info - Typhoid

Yellow Fever

Required for travelers ≥1 year old arriving from countries with risk for YF virus transmission; this includes >12-hour airport transits or layovers in countries with risk for YF virus transmission. 1

Yellow Fever - CDC Yellow Book

Avoid contaminated water

Leptospirosis

How most people get sick (most common modes of transmission)

• Touching urine or other body fluids from an animal infected with leptospirosis
• Swimming or wading in urine-contaminated fresh water, or contact with urine-contaminated mud
• Drinking water or eating food contaminated with animal urine
• Avoid contaminated water and soil
• Avoid floodwater

Clinical Guidance

Avoid bug bites.

• Mosquito bite
• Avoid Bug Bites
• An infected pregnant woman can spread it to her unborn baby

Airborne & droplet

• Breathing in air or accidentally eating food contaminated with the urine, droppings, or saliva of infected rodents
• Bite from an infected rodent
• Less commonly, being around someone sick with hantavirus (only occurs with Andes virus)
• Avoid rodents and areas where they live
• Avoid sick people

Tuberculosis (TB)

• Breathe in TB bacteria that is in the air from an infected and contagious person coughing, speaking, or singing.

Learn actions you can take to stay healthy and safe on your trip. Vaccines cannot protect you from many diseases in The Bahamas, so your behaviors are important.

Eat and drink safely

Food and water standards around the world vary based on the destination. Standards may also differ within a country and risk may change depending on activity type (e.g., hiking versus business trip). You can learn more about safe food and drink choices when traveling by accessing the resources below.

• Choose Safe Food and Drinks When Traveling
• Water Treatment Options When Hiking, Camping or Traveling
• Global Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH)
• Avoid Contaminated Water During Travel

You can also visit the Department of State Country Information Pages for additional information about food and water safety.

Prevent bug bites

Bugs (like mosquitoes, ticks, and fleas) can spread a number of diseases in The Bahamas. Many of these diseases cannot be prevented with a vaccine or medicine. You can reduce your risk by taking steps to prevent bug bites.

What can I do to prevent bug bites?

• Cover exposed skin by wearing long-sleeved shirts, long pants, and hats.
• Use an appropriate insect repellent (see below).
• Use permethrin-treated clothing and gear (such as boots, pants, socks, and tents). Do not use permethrin directly on skin.
• Stay and sleep in air-conditioned or screened rooms.
• Use a bed net if the area where you are sleeping is exposed to the outdoors.

What type of insect repellent should I use?

• FOR PROTECTION AGAINST TICKS AND MOSQUITOES: Use a repellent that contains 20% or more DEET for protection that lasts up to several hours.
• Picaridin (also known as KBR 3023, Bayrepel, and icaridin)
• Oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE) or para-menthane-diol (PMD)
• 2-undecanone
• Always use insect repellent as directed.

What should I do if I am bitten by bugs?

• Avoid scratching bug bites, and apply hydrocortisone cream or calamine lotion to reduce the itching.
• Check your entire body for ticks after outdoor activity. Be sure to remove ticks properly.

What can I do to avoid bed bugs?

Although bed bugs do not carry disease, they are an annoyance. See our information page about avoiding bug bites for some easy tips to avoid them. For more information on bed bugs, see Bed Bugs .

For more detailed information on avoiding bug bites, see Avoid Bug Bites .

Stay safe outdoors

If your travel plans in The Bahamas include outdoor activities, take these steps to stay safe and healthy during your trip.

• Stay alert to changing weather conditions and adjust your plans if conditions become unsafe.
• Prepare for activities by wearing the right clothes and packing protective items, such as bug spray, sunscreen, and a basic first aid kit.
• Consider learning basic first aid and CPR before travel. Bring a travel health kit with items appropriate for your activities.
• If you are outside for many hours in heat, eat salty snacks and drink water to stay hydrated and replace salt lost through sweating.
• Protect yourself from UV radiation : use sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15, wear protective clothing, and seek shade during the hottest time of day (10 a.m.–4 p.m.).
• Be especially careful during summer months and at high elevation. Because sunlight reflects off snow, sand, and water, sun exposure may be increased during activities like skiing, swimming, and sailing.
• Very cold temperatures can be dangerous. Dress in layers and cover heads, hands, and feet properly if you are visiting a cold location.

Stay safe around water

• Swim only in designated swimming areas. Obey lifeguards and warning flags on beaches.
• Practice safe boating—follow all boating safety laws, do not drink alcohol if driving a boat, and always wear a life jacket.
• Do not dive into shallow water.
• Do not swim in freshwater in developing areas or where sanitation is poor.
• Avoid swallowing water when swimming. Untreated water can carry germs that make you sick.
• To prevent infections, wear shoes on beaches where there may be animal waste.

Keep away from animals

Most animals avoid people, but they may attack if they feel threatened, are protecting their young or territory, or if they are injured or ill. Animal bites and scratches can lead to serious diseases such as rabies.

Follow these tips to protect yourself:

• Do not touch or feed any animals you do not know.
• Do not allow animals to lick open wounds, and do not get animal saliva in your eyes or mouth.
• Avoid rodents and their urine and feces.
• Traveling pets should be supervised closely and not allowed to come in contact with local animals.
• If you wake in a room with a bat, seek medical care immediately. Bat bites may be hard to see.

All animals can pose a threat, but be extra careful around dogs, bats, monkeys, sea animals such as jellyfish, and snakes. If you are bitten or scratched by an animal, immediately:

• Wash the wound with soap and clean water.
• Go to a doctor right away.
• Tell your doctor about your injury when you get back to the United States.

Consider buying medical evacuation insurance. Rabies is a deadly disease that must be treated quickly, and treatment may not be available in some countries.

Reduce your exposure to germs

Follow these tips to avoid getting sick or spreading illness to others while traveling:

• Wash your hands often, especially before eating.
• If soap and water aren’t available, clean hands with hand sanitizer (containing at least 60% alcohol).
• Don’t touch your eyes, nose, or mouth. If you need to touch your face, make sure your hands are clean.
• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when coughing or sneezing.
• Try to avoid contact with people who are sick.
• If you are sick, stay home or in your hotel room, unless you need medical care.

Avoid sharing body fluids

Diseases can be spread through body fluids, such as saliva, blood, vomit, and semen.

Protect yourself:

• Use latex condoms correctly.
• Do not inject drugs.
• Limit alcohol consumption. People take more risks when intoxicated.
• Do not share needles or any devices that can break the skin. That includes needles for tattoos, piercings, and acupuncture.
• If you receive medical or dental care, make sure the equipment is disinfected or sanitized.

Know how to get medical care while traveling

Plan for how you will get health care during your trip, should the need arise:

• Carry a list of local doctors and hospitals at your destination.
• Review your health insurance plan to determine what medical services it would cover during your trip. Consider purchasing travel health and medical evacuation insurance.
• Carry a card that identifies, in the local language, your blood type, chronic conditions or serious allergies, and the generic names of any medications you take.
• Some prescription drugs may be illegal in other countries. Call The Bahamas’s embassy to verify that all of your prescription(s) are legal to bring with you.
• Bring all the medicines (including over-the-counter medicines) you think you might need during your trip, including extra in case of travel delays. Ask your doctor to help you get prescriptions filled early if you need to.

Many foreign hospitals and clinics are accredited by the Joint Commission International. A list of accredited facilities is available at their website ( www.jointcommissioninternational.org ).

In some countries, medicine (prescription and over-the-counter) may be substandard or counterfeit. Bring the medicines you will need from the United States to avoid having to buy them at your destination.

Select safe transportation

Motor vehicle crashes are the #1 killer of healthy US citizens in foreign countries.

In many places cars, buses, large trucks, rickshaws, bikes, people on foot, and even animals share the same lanes of traffic, increasing the risk for crashes.

Be smart when you are traveling on foot.

• Use sidewalks and marked crosswalks.
• Pay attention to the traffic around you, especially in crowded areas.
• Remember, people on foot do not always have the right of way in other countries.

Riding/Driving

Choose a safe vehicle.

• Choose official taxis or public transportation, such as trains and buses.
• Ride only in cars that have seatbelts.
• Avoid overcrowded, overloaded, top-heavy buses and minivans.
• Avoid riding on motorcycles or motorbikes, especially motorbike taxis. (Many crashes are caused by inexperienced motorbike drivers.)
• Choose newer vehicles—they may have more safety features, such as airbags, and be more reliable.
• Choose larger vehicles, which may provide more protection in crashes.

Think about the driver.

• Do not drive after drinking alcohol or ride with someone who has been drinking.
• Consider hiring a licensed, trained driver familiar with the area.
• Arrange payment before departing.

Follow basic safety tips.

• Wear a seatbelt at all times.
• Sit in the back seat of cars and taxis.
• When on motorbikes or bicycles, always wear a helmet. (Bring a helmet from home, if needed.)
• Avoid driving at night; street lighting in certain parts of The Bahamas may be poor.
• Do not use a cell phone or text while driving (illegal in many countries).
• Travel during daylight hours only, especially in rural areas.
• If you choose to drive a vehicle in The Bahamas, learn the local traffic laws and have the proper paperwork.
• Get any driving permits and insurance you may need. Get an International Driving Permit (IDP). Carry the IDP and a US-issued driver's license at all times.
• Check with your auto insurance policy's international coverage, and get more coverage if needed. Make sure you have liability insurance.
• Avoid using local, unscheduled aircraft.
• If possible, fly on larger planes (more than 30 seats); larger airplanes are more likely to have regular safety inspections.
• Try to schedule flights during daylight hours and in good weather.

Medical Evacuation Insurance

If you are seriously injured, emergency care may not be available or may not meet US standards. Trauma care centers are uncommon outside urban areas. Having medical evacuation insurance can be helpful for these reasons.

Helpful Resources

Road Safety Overseas (Information from the US Department of State): Includes tips on driving in other countries, International Driving Permits, auto insurance, and other resources.

The Association for International Road Travel has country-specific Road Travel Reports available for most countries for a minimal fee.

Traffic flows on the left side of the road in The Bahamas.

• Always pay close attention to the flow of traffic, especially when crossing the street.
• LOOK RIGHT for approaching traffic.

Maintain personal security

Use the same common sense traveling overseas that you would at home, and always stay alert and aware of your surroundings.

Before you leave

• Research your destination(s), including local laws, customs, and culture.
• Monitor travel advisories and alerts and read travel tips from the US Department of State.
• Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) .
• Leave a copy of your itinerary, contact information, credit cards, and passport with someone at home.
• Pack as light as possible, and leave at home any item you could not replace.

While at your destination(s)

• Carry contact information for the nearest US embassy or consulate .
• Carry a photocopy of your passport and entry stamp; leave the actual passport securely in your hotel.
• Follow all local laws and social customs.
• Do not wear expensive clothing or jewelry.
• Always keep hotel doors locked, and store valuables in secure areas.
• If possible, choose hotel rooms between the 2nd and 6th floors.

Healthy Travel Packing List

Use the Healthy Travel Packing List for Bahamas, The for a list of health-related items to consider packing for your trip. Talk to your doctor about which items are most important for you.

Why does CDC recommend packing these health-related items?

It’s best to be prepared to prevent and treat common illnesses and injuries. Some supplies and medicines may be difficult to find at your destination, may have different names, or may have different ingredients than what you normally use.

If you are not feeling well after your trip, you may need to see a doctor. If you need help finding a travel medicine specialist, see Find a Clinic . Be sure to tell your doctor about your travel, including where you went and what you did on your trip. Also tell your doctor if you were bitten or scratched by an animal while traveling.

For more information on what to do if you are sick after your trip, see Getting Sick after Travel .

Map Disclaimer - The boundaries and names shown and the designations used on maps do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. Approximate border lines for which there may not yet be full agreement are generally marked.

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• You will be subject to the destination website's privacy policy when you follow the link.
• CDC is not responsible for Section 508 compliance (accessibility) on other federal or private website.

Heading to the Bahamas? Here's what you should know about travel warning

The  United States Department of State  has issued a  Level 2 travel advisory  for travelers heading to the Bahamas.

The advisory warns travelers to "exercise increased caution" due to crime, specifically on the islands of New Providence, which includes Nassau, and Grand Bahama, which includes Freeport.

There have been 18 murders in Nassau since Jan. 1, according to the U.S. Embassy in the Bahamas. 

"Murders have occurred at all hours, including in broad daylight on the streets.  Retaliatory gang violence has been the primary motive in 2024 murders," the embassy said.

Another travel advisory urges travelers to reconsider a trip to Jamaica.

The Level 3 travel advisory was issued due to crime and medical services.

"Violent crimes, such as home invasions, armed robberies, sexual assaults, and homicides, are common. Sexual assaults occur frequently, including at all-inclusive resorts," the department said.

Are there travel warnings for Bahamas?

Yes. The U.S. Department of State has issued a Level 2 travel advisory , urging visitors to use increased caution in the Bahamas due to crime.

"The majority of crime occurs on New Providence (Nassau) and Grand Bahama (Freeport) islands. In Nassau, practice increased vigilance in the Over the Hill area (south of Shirley Street) where gang-on-gang violence has resulted in a high homicide rate primarily affecting the local population," the State Department said.

"Violent crime —  such as burglaries, armed robberies, and sexual assaults —  occur in both tourist and non-tourist areas. Be vigilant when staying at short-term vacation rental properties where private security companies do not have a presence. "  

The department also warned tourists about activities involving commercial recreational watercraft, including water tours since they are not consistently regulated. 

"Watercraft may be poorly maintained, and some operators may not have safety certifications ... and injuries and fatalities have occurred."

If in the water, the U.S. Department of State warned people to be cautious of s harks since there have been fatal and non-fatal incidents involving sharks recently.

What is a 'Level 2 travel advisory'?

A level 2 travel advisory warns travelers to exercise increased caution, according to the U.S. Department of State.

"Be aware of heightened risks to safety and security.

"Alerts are used to notify U.S. citizens of specific events and changes happening locally, and as quickly as possible."

There are 4 levels of travel warnings. Here's what they mean

• Level 1: Exercise normal precautions: This is the lowest advisory level for safety and security risk. There is some risk in any international travel.
• Level 2: Exercise increased caution: Be aware of heightened risks to safety and security.
• Level 3: Reconsider travel: Avoid travel due to serious risks to safety and security.
• Level 4: Do not travel: This is the highest advisory level due to greater likelihood of life-threatening risks.

Is there a Bahamas travel ban?

No, but as officials warned those who travel there, use caution and stay informed.

Where is the Bahamas and how can you get there?

The Bahamas  is a chain of more than 700 islands that stretch from southeast of Miami to east of West Palm Beach. You can get there by boat or plane.

It's also a popular destination of cruise ships.

A ferry goes from Fort Lauderdale to Freeport. The trip takes about 3 hours.

US Embassy, State Department offer these tips if you go to the Bahamas

• Exercise extreme caution in the eastern part of New Providence Island (Nassau).
• Use caution when walking or driving at night.
• Keep a low profile.
• Be aware of your surroundings.
• Do not physically resist any robbery attempt.
• Review your personal security plans.
• If you decide to travel to The Bahamas,  do not answer your door at your hotel/residence unless you know who it is.  

Actions you can take

For assistance, contact the embassy at :

U.S. Embassy Nassau, The Bahamas#42 Queen Street, [email protected]

Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program to receive alerts.

For U.S. citizens in an emergency:          

• Call State Department Consular Affairs at: 1-888-407-4747 (when dialing from within the U.S.)
• 1 (202) 501-4444 (when dialing from overseas)

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Jamaica and the Bahamas are pushing back against U.S. travel warnings

Vanessa Romo

The U.S. State Department issued a Level 3 travel advisory for Jamaica, saying "Violent crimes, such as home invasions, armed robberies, sexual assaults, and homicides, are common. Sexual assaults occur frequently, including at all-inclusive resorts." Ramon Espinosa/AP hide caption

The U.S. State Department issued a Level 3 travel advisory for Jamaica, saying "Violent crimes, such as home invasions, armed robberies, sexual assaults, and homicides, are common. Sexual assaults occur frequently, including at all-inclusive resorts."

Jamaican and Bahamian officials are pushing back on U.S. claims that the island countries are unsafe for tourists because of rampant crime and poor access to medical services.

In renewed travel warnings last month, the U.S. State Department urged would-be sun and sand seekers to beware of two of the most popular Caribbean beach destinations.

"Violent crimes, such as home invasions, armed robberies, sexual assaults, and homicides, are common. Sexual assaults occur frequently, including at all-inclusive resorts," the agency warned in a Level 3 advisory about Jamaica — just one level below the most severe warning against travel to Americans.

The State Department added: "Violence and shootings occur regularly in many neighborhoods, communities, and parishes in Jamaica."

Officials deem the Bahamas a slightly less perilous destination with a Level 2 advisory , noting that "gang-on-gang violence" is confined to specific cities and neighborhoods, "primarily affecting the local population."

And the U.S. Embassy in Nassau released a security warning notifying would-be travelers that "murders have occurred at all hours including in broad daylight on the streets." The embassy reported 18 murders have occurred since the start of 2024.

Although alarming, the latest notices do not elevate the threat level of either country. The State Department has listed Jamaica as a Level 3 destination since 2022 and the Level 2 advisory for the Bahamas has been in place for years .

But they come at the start of both of the tourism-dependent countries' season and winter-fatigued Americans are seeking to escape the cold in warm turquoise waters and white sand beaches. Which is why government officials from both nations are working allay travel jitters.

"[T]here are very distinctly defined areas within Jamaica that the advisory cites as having high risk for crime, so the majority of the island's tourism product remains unaffected. Overall, the crime rate against visitors to Jamaica remains extremely low at 0.01%," the Jamaica Tourist Board told NPR in a statement.

The board added: "The island consistently ranks among the top destinations for international travel, welcoming 4.1 million visitors in 2023, with approximately 3 million from the United States. Visitors can continue to come with confidence to enjoy all that Jamaica has to offer."

The Jamaica Constabulary Force reports there were 83 murders between Jan. 1 and Feb. 3 this year. That is a significant drop from 2023 numbers, when there were 109 total murders during the same period.

Still, the American agency said the homicide rate remains "among the highest in the Western Hemisphere."

While Bahamas officials assert the islands are safe, two women allege assault

Bahamian Prime Minister Philip Davis also responded to the advisories about travel to his country, stressing that the government "is alert, attentive and proactive to ensure that The Bahamas remains a safe and welcoming destination."

Davis also noted that many tourism locations share the same Level 2 designation.

"The incidents described in the January 2024 US Embassy crime alert do not reflect general safety in The Bahamas, a count of sixteen tourism destinations, and many more islands," he added in a statement on Jan. 29.

But less than a week later on Feb. 4, two American women said they were drugged and sexually assaulted by two staff members at the Pirates Cove Zipline and Water Park in Freeport.

The women, both mothers who say the trip was their first vacation without their kids, had been on a Carnival Cruise ship. They disembarked on their last day to spend time at the resort, where they had some drinks that they believe were spiked with drugs.

In an interview with Good Morning America , they said they quickly lost consciousness, waking up intermittently, and eventually recalling enough to realize that they had been assaulted by two resort staff members. Both said they had bruises on their legs and tested positive for various drugs.

The Royal Bahamas Police Force said in a statement that they "recognize the seriousness of such matters and handle them with the highest level of professionalism, privacy and sensitivity."

The alleged assailants, men ages 40 and 54, have since been arrested. The RBPF says it is conducting an ongoing investigation with the FBI.

How to stay safe on the islands

State Department officials offer similar advice to those planning to travel to either Jamaica or the Bahamas.

Primarily, tourists should keep a low profile, be aware of their surroundings, avoid secluded places or situations, and avoid walking or driving at night. If confronted by a robbery attempt, do not attempt to physically resist.

Do not bring firearms or ammunition while traveling to Jamaica, including stray rounds, shells or empty casings. The State Department says "the penalties for carrying firearms and/or ammunition, even inadvertently, are severe, and can include lengthy prison sentences."

Officials also encourage travelers to enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive alerts and to make it easier for officials to locate you in an emergency. They also recommend following the Department of State on Facebook and X .

Correction Feb. 9, 2024

A previous version of this story incorrectly said there were 109 murders in Jamaica from Jan. 1 to Feb. 3, 2024. The year was 2023.

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The Bahamas issues statement in wake of travel advisories

Post date: Jan 31 2024

Date: Jan 31 2024

By: Travelweek

NASSAU — The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, Investments & Aviation has issued a statement in the wake of new advice for travellers from both the Canadian and U.S. governments.

The Canadian government is cautioning Canadian travellers to exercise a high degree of caution when travelling in the Bahamas due to high rates of crime, especially in Freeport and Nassau. The Canadian government’s Bahamas Travel Advice page, found here , was updated on Jan. 29. The advice for U.S. travellers at travel.state.gov can be found here.

Here’s the Jan. 30 statement from the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, Investments & Aviation, after the U.S. travel advisory was issued …

“The Government of The Bahamas is alert, attentive, and proactive to ensure that The Bahamas remains a safe and welcoming destination.

“In 2023, The Bahamas welcomed over nine million visitors, a significant milestone for our nation.

“We were proud to share our crystal-clear waters, beautiful beaches, vibrant culture, warm people, and family-friendly adventures with so many visitors.

“The rating of The Bahamas has not changed; we remain a level 2 alongside most tourism destinations. The incidents described in the January 2024 US Embassy crime alert do not reflect general safety in The Bahamas, a country of 16 tourism destinations, and many more islands.

“The Government of The Bahamas is implementing a robust and innovative crime reduction and prevention strategy. This comprehensive approach is informed by the latest research and successful international models, focusing on five key pillars: prevention, detection, prosecution, punishment and rehabilitation.

“Our law enforcement agencies are taking rigorous steps to maintain our well-earned reputation, including an enhanced police presence and additional police resources (including facial recognition CCTV surveillance technology) and training. We have a zero-tolerance policy for firearm possession and a dedicated Magistrate to handle firearm offences.

“The safety and security of everyone is of paramount importance to us and we are confident that The Bahamas will remain safe and welcoming for millions of visitors to continue to enjoy the magic and beauty of our beautiful islands.”

Tags: Bahamas, Lead Story

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The Bahamas

Latest update.

Exercise a high degree of caution in The Bahamas due to the threat of violent crime.

The Bahamas (PDF 720.39 KB)

Americas (PDF 3.29 MB)

Local emergency contacts

Fire and rescue services.

Call 911 or 919.

Medical emergencies

Call 911, 919 or go to the nearest hospital.

Call 911, 919 or visit the nearest police station.

Advice levels

Exercise a high degree of caution in The Bahamas.

• Armed robberies, burglaries, bag snatchings, theft, fraud and sexual assaults are the most common crimes committed against travellers in Freeport and Nassau. Be aware of your surroundings, even in areas usually considered safe. Keep valuables out of sight.
• Sexual assault frequently occurs in The Bahamas. Don't visit deserted beaches or walk alone, especially after dark.
• Food and drink spiking is a risk in tourist resorts. Never leave your food or drink unattended.
• The water sports industry in The Bahamas is poorly regulated. Be careful when renting jet skis and other water sports equipment, as many companies and individuals offering water sports activities are unregistered.
• Natural disasters, such as hurricanes, can occur in The Bahamas. Medical facilities may not be able to handle major emergencies.

Full travel advice:  Safety

• HIV/AIDS infection rates are high. Take precautions if you're engaging in high-risk activities.
• Medical care is of a reasonable standard in Freeport and Nassau but limited elsewhere. Medical expenses can be very high. If you're severely ill or injured, you might need evacuation to the US. Make sure your travel insurance covers this.

Full travel advice:  Health

• Don't use or carry illegal drugs. Penalties for drug offences are severe. They include fines and lengthy prison sentences.
• Serious crimes can attract the death penalty, including  aggravated murder, terrorism, treason and war crimes.
• American authorities may conduct thorough drug searches in The Bahamas. Pack your own luggage. Don't carry anything through customs for other people. 
• The legal age for same-sex relations is 18. However, it's still not widely accepted. Avoid being affectionate in public.

Full travel advice:  Local laws

• Entry and exit conditions can change at short notice. You should contact the nearest embassy or consulate of The Bahamas for the latest details.
• Bahamian dollars (BSD) and US dollars are both accepted currencies. Exchange currency at commercial banks or currency exchange offices. It's illegal to leave The Bahamas with more than BSD10,000. Many places accept credit cards. There are ATMs on the larger islands. Only use ATMs in controlled areas such as airports, banks, casinos and hotels.
• Use registered taxis. Taxis don't use meters. Negotiate the price before you leave.

Full travel advice:  Travel

Local contacts

• The  Consular Services Charter  details what the Australian Government can and can't do to help you overseas.
• You can get full consular help from the  Australian High Commission in Trinidad and Tobago .
•  To stay up to date with local information, follow the High Commission’s social media accounts.

Full travel advice:  Local contacts

Full advice

Violent crime.

Armed robberies, burglaries, purse snatchings, theft, fraud and sexual assaults are the most common crimes committed against travellers in Freeport and Nassau, including in cruise ship terminals and resorts.  Avoid Nassau’s 'over the hill' area (south of Shirley Street), where gang violence occurs.

Criminals target travellers in Nassau and Freeport for:

• armed robbery
• home invasion
• sexual assault

The Bahamas has a high murder rate. Most murders happen at night in non-tourist areas in downtown Nassau. Avoid these neighbourhoods.

The Bahamas has a high rate of sexual assault. Assault can happen in many areas, such as:

• in and around hotels
• on cruise ships
• on the beach
• when taking jet ski rides

Food and drink spiking is often followed by sexual assault or robbery. Never leave your food or drink unattended.

To protect yourself from violent crime:

• stay alert to your surroundings, even in areas usually considered safe
• be wary of approaches from friendly strangers
• don't visit deserted beaches or walk alone, especially after dark
• avoid using drugs and excessive consumption of alcohol

Never get out of your car to move items blocking the road. Armed criminals could be waiting to rob you. 

If you're attacked or robbed, don't resist. Criminals often carry weapons. You could be seriously injured or killed.

The water sports industry in The Bahamas is poorly regulated. Be careful when renting jet skis and other water sports equipment, as many companies and individuals offering water sports activities are unregistered. People have been killed or seriously injured using jet skis and other watercraft carelessly or by the reckless behaviour of others. There have been reports of sexual assaults on foreign nationals by jet ski operators in Nassau.

Petty crime

Petty theft and bag snatching often happen in tourist areas. Keep valuables out of sight.

Always keep vehicle windows closed and doors locked. Leave valuables out of sight, even when your vehicle is moving. 

Cyber security 

You may be at risk of cyber-based threats during overseas travel to any country. Digital identity theft is a growing concern. Your devices and personal data can be compromised, especially if you’re connecting to Wi-Fi, using or connecting to shared or public computers, or to Bluetooth.

Social media can also be risky in destinations where there are social or political tensions, or laws that may seem unreasonable by Australian standards. Travellers have been arrested for things they have said on social media. Don't comment on local or political events on your social media.

More information:

Cyber security when travelling overseas

Terrorism is a threat worldwide.

Civil unrest and political tension

Public protests and events that attract large groups of people can turn violent.

• Demonstrations and civil unrest

Climate and natural disasters

The Bahamas experiences  natural disasters  and  severe weather , including:

• tropical storms

Medical facilities can't handle major emergencies. Be prepared to evacuate at short notice. Keep your travel documents up to date.

To protect yourself in case of a natural disaster:

• monitor local media, local authorities and other sources, such as the  National Emergency Management Agency
• keep your passport in a safe, waterproof location
• follow the advice of local authorities
• stay in contact with your friends and family
• contact your tour operator, hotel or airline

Get local advice before entering areas after a natural disaster.

Hurricanes and severe weather

In September 2019, Hurricane Dorian caused severe damage to the Abaco Islands and Grand Bahama. Arrange your accommodation before travelling and seek local advice on any ongoing disruption from this hurricane that could affect your itinerary. All other islands in The Bahamas remain unaffected.

The  hurricane season  in The Bahamas is from June to November. Tropical storms and hurricanes can also happen in other months. Landslides, mudslides and flooding can occur.

The direction and strength of hurricanes can change suddenly.

If you're travelling to the Bahamas during hurricane season, check if severe weather has affected tourist services.

If there's a hurricane or severe storm:

• you may get stuck in the area
• flights can be delayed or suspended
• available flights might fill quickly
• adequate shelter might not be available

Severe weather  may also affect:

• access to ports
• road travel
• essential services, such as water, electricity and communication systems

If a hurricane is approaching:

• know your hotel or cruise ship's evacuation plan
• identify your local shelter
• monitor local media and the  US National Hurricane Center

If you're travelling during the hurricane season or following a natural disaster, contact:

• your tour operator to check if tourist services at your planned destination have been affected
• your airline for the latest flight information
• Global Disaster Alert and Coordination System
• Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency

Tsunamis can happen in The Bahamas.

A tsunami can arrive within minutes of a tremor or earthquake. Be alert to warnings.

Register with the  Global Disaster Alert and Co-ordination System  to receive tsunami alerts.

If you're near the coast, move immediately to high ground if advised by local authorities, or if you:

• feel a strong earthquake that makes it hard to stand up
• feel a weak, rolling earthquake that lasts a minute or more
• see a sudden rise or fall in sea level
• hear loud and unusual noises from the sea

Don't wait for official warnings such as alarms or sirens. Once on high ground, monitor local media.

• National Emergency Management Agency

Travel insurance

Get comprehensive  travel insurance  before you leave.

Your policy needs to cover all overseas medical costs, including medical evacuation. The Australian Government won't pay for these costs.

If you can't afford travel insurance, you can't afford to travel. This applies to everyone, no matter how healthy and fit you are.

If you're not insured, you may have to pay many thousands of dollars up-front for medical care.

• what activities and care your policy covers
• that your insurance covers you for the whole time you'll be away

Physical and mental health

Consider your physical and mental health before you travel, especially if you have an existing medical condition. 

See your doctor or travel clinic to:

• have a basic health check-up
• ask if your travel plans may affect your health
• plan any vaccinations you need

Do this at least 8 weeks before you leave.

If you have immediate concerns for your welfare, or the welfare of another Australian, call the 24-hour Consular Emergency Centre on +61 2 6261 3305 or contact your  nearest Australian Embassy, High Commission or Consulate  to discuss counselling hotlines and services available in your location

• General health advice
• Healthy holiday tips  (Healthdirect Australia)

Medications

Not all medication available over the counter or by prescription in Australia is available in other countries. Some might even be considered illegal or a controlled substance, even if prescribed by an Australian doctor.

If you plan to bring medication, check if it's legal in The Bahamas. Take enough legal medication for your trip.

Carry a copy of your prescription or a letter from your doctor stating:

• what the medication is
• your required dosage
• that it's only for personal use

Health risks

The rate of  HIV/AIDS  infection is high in The Bahamas. Take appropriate precautions if you engage in activities that put you at risk of infection.

Insect-borne diseases

Transmission of zika virus  is a risk in The Bahamas.

• Zika Virus (Healthdirect)

If you're pregnant, the Australian Department of Health recommends that you:

• discuss travel plans with your doctor
• consider deferring non-essential travel to affected areas

Other insect-borne illnesses are a risk in The Bahamas. These illnesses include:

• chikungunya

To protect yourself from insect-borne illnesses:

• make sure your accommodation is insect-proof
• use insect repellent
• wear long, loose, light-coloured clothing

Seek medical advice if you have a fever, muscle pain, rash or severe headache.

• COVID-19 information  (Department of Health and Aged Care)

Medical care

Medical facilities.

Medical care is of a reasonable standard in Freeport and Nassau but limited elsewhere.

Private medical care is expensive.

You need to pay cash before doctors and hospitals will treat you.

If you become seriously ill or injured, you might need to be evacuated to Miami or another destination. Medical evacuation can be very expensive.

You're subject to all local laws and penalties, including those that might appear harsh by Australian standards. Research local laws before travelling.

If you're arrested or jailed, the Australian Government will do what it can to help you under our  Consular Services Charter . But we can't get you out of trouble or out of jail.

Penalties for drug offences are severe. They include fines and long prison sentences in local jails.

Pack your luggage yourself. Don't carry anything through customs for anyone else.

US authorities may do thorough drug searches in The Bahamas.

• Carrying or using drugs

Serious crimes can attract the death penalty, including:

• aggravated murder

The legal age for same-sex relations is 18.

• Advice for LGBTI Travellers

Australian laws

Some Australian criminal laws still apply when you're overseas. If you break these laws, you may face prosecution in Australia.

• Staying within the law and respecting customs

Dual citizenship

Bahamas doesn't recognise dual citizenship for people over 21.

• Dual nationals

Visas and border measures

Every country or territory decides who can enter or leave through its borders. For specific information about the evidence you'll need to enter a foreign destination, check with the nearest embassy, consulate or immigration department of the destination you're entering. 

Visa-free travel for short stays

You won't need a visa to enter The Bahamas if:

• your visit is for 90 days or less
• you have a valid return or onward ticket

In other situations, you might need a visa before travelling.

Entry and exit conditions can change. Contact an embassy or consulate of The Bahamas for details about visas, currency, customs and quarantine rules. The Bahamas doesn't have an embassy or consulate in Australia. Its nearest mission is the  Embassy of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas in Beijing , China. Call +86 10 6532 2922.

• The Bahamas - list of  overseas missions

If you need to extend your stay in the Bahamas, see the  Department of Immigration guidance  on how to apply for an electronic extension to stay. You can also email  [email protected] .

Travel via the United States

If you're travelling through the US, you'll need to meet US entry or transit requirements. This also applies if you're transiting through the US.

Check your visa requirements with a  US embassy  or  US consulate  well before you travel.

• Travel advice for the US
• US - list of overseas missions

Entry into The Bahamas

You must complete and sign an immigration card when you enter The Bahamas. Officials will stamp your card when you enter.

Keep your immigration card until you leave.

If you arrive by private charter, you'll need entry documentation.

All visitors leaving The Bahamas need to pay a departure tax. This might not be included in the price of your ticket. 

• Department of Immigration

Some countries won't let you enter unless your passport is valid for 6 months after you plan to leave that country. This can apply even if you're just transiting or stopping over.

Some foreign governments and airlines apply the rule inconsistently. Travellers can receive conflicting advice from different sources.

You can end up stranded if your passport is not valid for more than 6 months.

The Australian Government does not set these rules. Check your passport's expiry date before you travel. If you're not sure it'll be valid for long enough, consider getting  a new passport .

Lost or stolen passport

Your passport is a valuable document. It's attractive to people who may try to use your identity to commit crimes.

Some people may try to trick you into giving them your passport. Always keep it in a safe place.

If your passport is lost or stolen, tell the Australian Government as soon as possible:

• In Australia, contact the  Australian Passport Information Service .
• If you're overseas, contact the nearest  Australian embassy or consulate .

Passport with ‘X’ gender identifier

Although Australian passports comply with international standards for sex and gender, we can’t guarantee that a passport showing 'X' in the sex field will be accepted for entry or transit by another country. Contact the nearest  embassy, high commission or consulate of your destination  before you arrive at the border to confirm if authorities will accept passports with 'X' gender markers.

• LGBTI travellers

The local currency is the Bahamian Dollar (BSD).

US dollars are also accepted. You can exchange US dollars for BSD at commercial banks or currency exchange offices.

It's illegal to leave The Bahamas with more than BSD10,000.

You can find ATMs on the larger islands. They can be found in:

• airport terminals
• some hotels

Only use ATMs in these and other controlled areas. See  Safety

Credit cards are widely accepted. Check your credit card statements often for unauthorised charges.

Before you travel, ask your bank if your cards will work in The Bahamas.

Local travel

Driving permit

To drive in The Bahamas, you'll need both:

• a valid Australian driver's licence
• an International Driving Permit (IDP)

You must get your IDP before leaving Australia.

Road travel

You're more likely to be killed in a motor vehicle accident in The Bahamas than in Australia.

Hazards include:

• local driving habits
• traffic congestion
• poorly maintained roads, especially in rural areas
• flooding, especially in Nassau and Freeport
• poorly marked construction zones

If you plan to drive:

• check your travel insurance covers it
• learn local traffic laws and practices
• get advice on road conditions, especially after rain
• Driving or riding

Motorcycles

Check if your travel insurance policy covers you for riding a motorbike, quad bike or similar vehicle.

Always wear a helmet.

Use only registered taxis and limousines arranged through your hotel.

Taxis don't use meters. Negotiate the price before you leave.

Public transport

Public transport is via minibus (jitneys).

Pickpocketing can happen on public transport. Pay attention to your belongings.

• Transport and getting around safely

Nassau is one of the world's largest cruise-ship ports. Cruise ships also dock at other ports in The Bahamas, including Freeport in Grand Bahama.

Medical facilities on cruise ships may not be as good as in Australia. Onboard medical treatment may be expensive.

If you plan to travel on a cruise ship:

• check it has suitable medical facilities
• be aware of the costs of onboard medical treatment.

Armed smugglers often use small boats and other vessels in The Bahamas. Be careful of the boats you're travelling on.

• Going on a cruise
• Travelling by boat

DFAT doesn't provide information on the safety of individual commercial airlines or flight paths.

Check  The Bahamas' air safety profile  with the Aviation Safety Network.

Emergencies

Depending on what you need, contact your:

• family and friends
• travel agent
• insurance provider

Always get a police report when you report a crime.

Your insurer should have a 24-hour emergency number.

Consular contacts

Check the  Consular Services Charter  for what the Australian Government can and can't do to help you overseas.

You can get full consular help from the Australian High Commission in Trinidad and Tobago.

Australian High Commission, Port of Spain

18 Herbert Street, St Clair  Port of Spain  Trinidad and Tobago Phone: +1 868 235 7950 Email:  [email protected] Website:  trinidadandtobago.embassy.gov.au Facebook:  AusHighComTT

Check the High Commission website for details about opening hours and any temporary closures.

24-hour Consular Emergency Centre

In a consular emergency, if you can't contact an embassy, call the 24-hour Consular Emergency Centre on:

• +61 2 6261 3305 from overseas
• 1300 555 135 in Australia

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It Might Be Safer To Stay In A Resort/Hotel While In The Bahamas

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How dangerous are the bahamas, the abacos islands - the safest in the bahamas to visit, are hotels safe in the bahamas, how to stay safe in the bahamas, what is the safest country in the world.

The Bahamas are tropical island paradises within easy reach of Florida (day tours of The Bahamas are possible from Miami). Unfortunately, the islands are also somewhat dangerous - but fortunately, not so dangerous that one should avoid them. The Bahamas has many islands, and some islands are more dangerous than others. From Nassau, Bimini, Freeport, and beyond, there may be some spots in the area to steer clear of during a vacation.

When planning a trip to The Bahamas, plan around staying on the safer islands (and certainly avoid the known dangerous places). There are plenty of things that first-time visitors should avoid doing when visiting The Bahamas .

UPDATE: 2023/07/01 19:44 EST BY NOAH STAATS

This article has been refreshed with new information regarding the safety of the Bahamas, as well as staying in hotels and resorts versus short-term rentals. According to the US State Department, it's suggested to book hotels through trusted brands rather than stay in a home for rent by an unknown party.

• In general, the Bahamas are not considered to be safe.
• Armed robbery is one of the most reported crimes throughout the islands.

When it comes to destinations, The Bahamas are, unfortunately, not the safest by far. There are considerable risks from general crime on the idyllic islands.

The risks in The Bahamas include crimes like robbery (often armed robbery). Crime has occurred even in the main tourist areas of the island nation. Fortunately, the country maintains police patrols in the main tourist areas.

​​​​​​The United States Department of State has a Level 2 travel warning for visiting The Bahamas, "Exercise Increased Caution." The department urged increased caution due to crime. They note that the majority of crime occurs on the islands of New Providence (Nassau) and Grand Bahama (Freeport).

• Emergency Numbers: 911 or 919

One of the most dangerous areas in Nassau is the "Over the Hill" area (south of Shirley Street), where there is gang-on-gang violence. So avoid this area.

Safe Travel Abroad assesses the risks in The Bahamas as the following:

• Overall Risk: High
• Transport & Taxis Risk: Medium (Be Careful Not To Be Overcharged)
• Pickpockets Risk: High (Common On The Islands)
• Natural Disaster Risk: Medium (Mostly Hurricanes In the Hurricane Season - June through November)
• Mugging Risk: High (Violent Crime is Extremely Common In The Bahamas)
• Terrorism Risk: Low (There Hasn't Been A Terrorist Attack In Recent History)
• Scams Risk: Medium

It should be noted that violent crime (like burglaries, armed robberies, and sexual assault) occurs in tourist and non-tourist areas.

Related: These Tips Will Help You Stay Safe While Traveling To Dangerous Cities

According to the British government , the outlying islands of The Bahamas, called the Family or Out Islands, are known to have lower crime rates. The Out Islands are all the Bahaman islands, excluding the main islands of New Providence and Grand Bahama Island (New Providence is home to around 70% of the population and most of the crime).

• Safest Islands: The Abacos Islands

Among the Out Islands are the Abaco Islands and Eleuthera Islands. Since the 1970s, the Out Islands have also been called the Family Islands and are made up of around 700 islands (only some of which are inhabited).

The Abacos are considered some of the safest islands in The Bahamas and are known for being family-friendly. The Abaco Islands have only a population of around 17,000 and are made up of Great Abaco, Little Abaco, and several smaller barrier cays. See crime statistics in The Bahamas on the Royal Bahaman Police website .

So to keep safe while in The Bahamas, remain vigilant and plan on visiting the Abaco Islands. Naturally, the safest islands are uninhabited islands that one can rent as a private island. But when planning a vacation on the inhabited islands, plan on visiting the comparatively safe Abaco Islands.

Related: Here's How Far $100 Will Get You In The Bahamas

• Overall, hotels and resorts in the Bahamas are safe for guests.
• It is not recommended to stay in a short-term rental in the Bahamas.

Yes, hotels and resorts throughout the Bahamas have been deemed relatively safe. However, when it comes to 'how' safe a person staying in the country is: there is always a possibility of crime. As mentioned before, the Bahamas are known for violent crime, including armed robbery and sexual assault. Understandably, these points can lead to potential tourists shying away from coming at all, nonetheless spending thousands at a resort. However, at these nicer properties on fancier islands, visitors to the Bahamas can expect a heightened level of security.

Many hotels have security and police monitoring them, ensuring nothing happens. This is pretty standard for most countries throughout the world, as tourist hot spots aren't always as safe and relaxing as people would hope. According to the State Department , staying in Airbnbs or other short-term rentals are the most dangerous choices. Compared to a big-name hotel brand like Hilton, staying at a locally-owned property (although nice) is more likely to spell trouble.

There have been reports of armed robbery, assault, sexual crimes, and other petty theft at short-term rentals throughout the islands, especially in larger ones like Nassau, Freeport, and Bimini.

• Be vigilant when staying in the Bahamas. Keep an eye out for suspicious activity.
• It's recommended to stay on resort property and not venture into unknown areas.

"Be vigilant at all times and don’t walk alone away from the main hotels, tourist areas, beaches and downtown Nassau, particularly after dark. Take care if traveling on local bus services after dusk on routes away from the main tourist areas. Don’t carry large amounts of cash or jewellery. Robbers may be armed. Don’t resist in the event of an attempted robbery." British Government

Additionally, be aware of the health and safety standards and the maintenance of watercraft. U.S. government personnel are not permitted to use independently operated jet-ski rentals on account of safety concerns on New Providence and Paradise Islands. ​

Never carry all one's money or credit cards in one place. Taxis are also not metered in The Bahamas, so be aware of the price before accepting the ride.

Be aware of walking around at night - especially alone. Never walk around at night alone and drunk.

Visitors should follow the tips for keeping safe while visiting and traveling to dangerous places around the world.

• Switzerland, Denmark, New Zealand, Norway, and Sweden are some of the safest countries.
• Europe is one of the safest continents to travel to in the world.

If it is safety that one is interested in, then one will need to travel out of the Western Hemisphere (except for Canada).

There are various methodologies for measuring how safe a country is. It is very difficult to compare statistics from different countries as different countries report and categorize crimes differently - this can make the comparisons very misleading.

Ways to gauge a country's safety is to see the Peace Index or Safety Ranking of the country. The safest countries in the world are Switzerland, Denmark, New Zealand, Norway, and Sweden (Canada 7th and the USA 47th) according to the methodology by U.S.News . The 2020 Global Peace Index had a slightly different listing, with the top five peaceful countries being Iceland , New Zealand, Ireland, Denmark, and Austria (Canada was ranked 12th and the USA 129th). These also tend to be the countries with the highest quality of life .

If countries were ranked by homicide, then things could be thrown off as countries with tiny populations may not have any homicides in a given year. With countries with significant populations, Singapore and Japan rank very low (0.16 and 0.32, respectively). Otherwise, New Zealand is 0.74, the USA 4.96, and the Bahamas 31.96 according to data compiled by Index Mundi (note caution should be taken comparing these numbers between countries).

In short, if one would like to go somewhere very safe, go to (much) of Europe, New Zealand, Australia, some East Asian countries, or Canada but not the Bahamas.

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Is The Bahamas Safe To Visit? Travel Advisory 2024

The Bahamas has seen a surge in crime recently, although authorities underscore that it primarily impacts the local community.

The U.S. State Department’s travel advisory remains at level 2 (Exercise Increased Caution), but an update on January 26 underscored the importance of exercising extra vigilance, particularly when visiting New Providence and Grand Bahama islands.

According to reports, two American cruise passengers were drugged and sexually assaulted at a Grand Bahama resort on February 4. There is an ongoing investigation by the FBI and local law enforcement, and two employees of the resort are being held as suspects.

Table of contents

February 22 – the u.s. travel advisory for the bahamas doesn’t seem to worry local travel agents, u.s. travel advisory for the bahamas, canada travel advisory, areas to avoid in the bahamas, common scams in the bahamas, safety tips for the bahamas, latest news from bahamas:.

At Worcester’s Caribbean Travel Tour, Zuly Echandia doesn’t think the State Department’s alert to be more cautious because of crime quite matches up with what she’s been hearing.

She claims her clients tell her they enjoy visiting the Bahamas and believe it to be a safe destination.

She continues, pointing out that the travel advisory particularly addresses gang-on-gang violence in the Nassau region.

The Bahamas are ranked at level 2, which places them alongside countries like Brazil, Germany, Italy, and Spain.

Official Travel Advisories

The United States State Department issued an “ Exercise Increased Caution ” warning for the Bahamas, citing a number of violent crimes like armed robberies, sexual assaults, and shark attacks.

Given the moderate crime rate, travelers are urged to exercise extra caution when visiting Grand Bahama (Freeport) and Nassau’s “Over the Hill” neighborhood.

The Canadian government is cautioning its citizens to exercise a high degree of caution when traveling in the Bahamas due to high rates of crime, especially in Freeport and Nassau. 

Authorities also state that the most frequent crimes against visitors in Freeport and Nassau include armed robberies, burglaries, purse snatchings, theft, fraud, and sexual assaults. Robberies can occur at cruise ports and in and around renowned resort areas.

Most crimes occur on the islands of Grand Bahama (Freeport) and New Providence (Nassau). In Nassau, particular vigilance is advised in the “Over the Hill” neighborhood (located south of Shirley Street) due to incidents of gang-related violence, which predominantly impact local residents.

Tourists are advised to avoid areas such as Bain and Grants Town, Centreville, and Englerston in New Providence, as they are known for higher rates of criminal activity.

When compared to other Caribbean countries, the Bahamas experiences relatively fewer scams. Nevertheless, it’s important to remain vigilant against the following fraudulent activities:

Taxi Overcharging: Some taxi drivers may take longer routes or quote higher fares than necessary. To avoid this, consider pre-booking taxis or using ride-sharing services like Uber.

Drink Pricing: Certain establishments may charge extra for beverages. Always check for price lists or inquire about prices before placing your order.

Hair Braiding Scam: Visitors may be misled into paying exorbitant prices for hair braiding services. Despite agreeing on a price upfront, visitors may find themselves faced with unexpected fee hikes, citing reasons such as time taken or hair length. To prevent this, ensure to finalize the price before commencing the service.

Fraudulent Tours and Fake Tour Guides: Beware of fraudulent tour offers where locals promise exceptional tours but end up charging inflated guide rates. Always verify the credibility of tour operators and guides before booking.

Safety standards in the Bahamas are not too high during nighttime hours. Despite the generally friendly and hospitable nature of the locals, security issues may arise, particularly in secluded or urban areas. To ensure your safety, adhere to the following guidelines:

• Remain vigilant of your surroundings, even in typically safe areas.
• Exercise caution when approached by unfamiliar individuals.
• Avoid visiting deserted beaches or walking alone, particularly after nightfall.
• Refrain from using drugs and consuming excessive amounts of alcohol.
• Do not venture on foot outside of the main tourist areas and beaches, especially when alone.
• Opt to stay in downtown Nassau, where regular police patrols are conducted.
• Steer clear of unlit areas, and consider traveling in groups after sunset.
• Exercise caution when using local bus services at night, especially outside of main tourist areas. 
• In the event of an attack, do not resist and comply with any demands, as attackers may be armed.

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Warnings and insurance

The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office ( FCDO ) provides advice about risks of travel to help British nationals make informed decisions. Find out more about FCDO travel advice .  

Before you travel 

No travel can be guaranteed safe. Read all the advice in this guide and see support for British nationals abroad for information about specific travel topics. 

Follow and contact FCDO travel on Twitter , Facebook and Instagram . You can also sign up to get email notifications when this advice is updated. 

Travel insurance 

If you choose to travel, research your destinations and get appropriate travel insurance . Insurance should cover your itinerary, planned activities and expenses in an emergency. 

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12 Of The Most Dangerous Cities In The Caribbean

• The Caribbean may be known for its beauty, but it also has a dark side with violence, corruption, and poverty leading to crime.
• Tourists should be informed about safe places to go and ones to avoid before planning their trip.
• Cities like Nassau, San Juan, and Kingston have higher rates of crime and should be approached with caution, while other areas can provide a safer vacation experience.

Whenever we think of the Caribbean, it is easy for our minds to automatically connect with a vision of the sun, beach, and clear-blue water , like in Aruba. After all, some of the most exotic and beautiful sights on this earth are hidden in the islands of the Caribbean. Nevertheless, the Caribbean remains more than what meets the tourist's eye. Once we look past the beauty, we can sadly find violence, civil unrest, political corruption, poverty, and other societal disadvantages that lead to crime. As such, not all areas or countries can be considered visitor-friendly .

As a tourist looking to explore the unknown, it remains empirical to remain informed on the safe places to go and those to avoid. Although it's important to highlight the fear of crime in the Caribbean is often overblown and isolated to specific areas, you may still want to consult this list of the Caribbean's most dangerous cities before planning your next trip.

UPDATE: 2023/10/22 07:55 EST BY JAIMEE TERESE

Palm Trees And Peril: These Are Some Of The Most Dangerous Places In The Caribbean

While the Caribbean is regarded as an overall safe region to visit with overwhelming appeal, there is sometimes a dark side to paradise. This list of the most dangerous cities in the Caribbean has been expanded and updated for accuracy. Please note, however, that even in the Caribbean countries with the highest crime rates, the threat is often contained to a small area and shouldn't tarnish the whole nation's reputation.

Related: 10 Of The Safest Caribbean Islands For Solo Female Travelers

Nassau, Bahamas

The Bahamas can be considered among the safest Caribbean countries on this list, yet one must still proceed cautiously. While violent crime does not occur often, there has been an increase in specific places like Nassau.

Despite the city being highly touristic with tons of activities on offer , the danger may still lurk in the less developed residential parts and outskirts of the town, especially as the wealth divide between tourists and locals continues to grow. It is, therefore, always best to be cautious of one's belongings, use better judgment, and avoid high-risk behaviors. Most pick-pocketing and petty theft reports have been reported, especially in nightclubs and restaurants.

• No-go zone : The area known as 'Over the Hill' is regarded as one of the most dangerous neighborhoods in Nassau and should be avoided by tourists.

Related: 14 Reasons Bimini Should Be On Your Bahamas Radar

San Juan, Puerto Rico

Despite being an unincorporated territory of the United States, many consider Puerto Rico a Caribbean island as well. Perhaps surprisingly, this island is on this list due to an enduring struggle with crime and political corruption.

A cycle of violence has been identified through an increase in organized crime, illegal drug trade, and alleged governmental involvement in such violations. Indeed, the island is not as safe as it used to be--especially in the city of San Juan. A wave of daytime violence linked to the drug trade has kept some tourists reluctant to visit the island altogether.

• Safest neighborhoods in San Juan : Old San Juan, Miramar, Isla Verde, Santa Teresita, Ocean Park
• Exercise caution (especially at night) : La Perla, Piñones, Puerta de Tierra, Parque de las Palomas, Santurce

Laventille, Trinidad & Tobago

Murder rates have risen significantly over the years in the tiny islands of Trinidad & Tobago, with most of the infractions occurring outside the capital city of Port of Spain in Laventille.

The majority of crimes are linked to illegal drug trades and gang-related issues. Sexual assault and homicide also appear to be on the rise in the Laventille area, with the latter being closely linked to gang violence. Though Tobago tends to be regarded as safer than Trinidad, there is an increased risk of theft, highway robbery, and armed assaults on both islands during peak travel periods such as Christmas and Carnival.

• Beach safety : despite the appeal of their deserted beauty, it is best to avoid isolated beaches on the islands and stick to those more frequented by tourists.

Another issue to be aware of in Trinidad & Tobago are ATM scams and 'swiping' where a thin magnetic strip is placed in the card slot. Reduce the risk by using only official bank ATMs rather than stand-alone machines.

Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic

The Dominican Republic has been in the news a lot recently, with reports of tourists mysteriously wounding up dead during their resort stay on the island. As these strange occurrences continue to accumulate, several travel warnings have been issued with regard to the increasing crime rates.

The profile underlying the vibrant city of Santo Domingo reflects low safety and high chances of assault, vandalism, theft, and more. Reports of police corruption and bribery have also made it harder to control criminal activity. Though the latter does not usually affect the resorts, it is best to be cautious when traveling to the city. Flashy jewelry and high-risk behaviors are not recommended.

• Safest cities in the Dominican Republic : Puerto Plata, Juana Dolio, Las Terrenas, Punta Cana

San Pedro Sula, Honduras

In recent years, Honduras has experienced incredibly high levels of both violence and criminality. The city of San Pedro Sula is considered to be rampant with drug trafficking, gang affiliation, and violence. Indeed, the city is considered to be ground zero for violent homicides in Honduras and is soon looking to become one of the murder capitals of the world.

Reports indicate an outstanding record of 20 homicides occurring daily. Young people happen to be the target of murder and assault due to the prominence of urban gangs like Mara Salvatrucha and Barrio 18. Traveling to Honduras is thus to be strongly reconsidered.

• Best vacation destination in Honduras : visit the beautiful island of Roatan instead

Basseterre, St. Kitts & Nevis

While crime in Saint Kitts & Nevis long made headlines, especially the high murder rates in the capital city of Basseterre, it has decreased across the nation by more than 60% in recent years. Nowadays, visitors are generally safe on their vacation to the dual islands, as Saint Kitts & Nevis have doubled down on efforts to leave their violent legacy behind.

Looking at strict statistics, the numbers are still elevated, but the majority of crimes in Basseterre are linked to both gang activity and illegal drug trade, so they are rarely targeted at tourists. Though measures have been taken to reduce the level of crime for a while now, one must still proceed with caution as assault, rape, and petty crime does still occur.

• Best places to visit in Saint Kitts & Nevis : Kittian Village, Cockleshell Bay, Charlestown, Sandy Point

Kingston, Jamaica

Although Jamaica remains one of the most popular international destinations for American travelers, several visitor warnings have been issued in regard to certain areas. The frequently-visited island has one of the highest murder rates in the world and serves as a site for a prolific drug trade system. Both Kingston and Montego Bay have found their way on this list, and so for considerable reasons.

While violence tends to remain in impoverished areas, in these aforementioned cities, it is not always confined. Sexual and physical assaults, robberies, murders, and more have been frequently reported all across the island, with occasional incidents even occurring at all-inclusive resorts. As a result, Jamaica is consistently ranked as one of the most dangerous islands in the Caribbean.

• Safer alternatives : try booking a resort in Negril or Ocho Rios instead, and check out these 4 places in Jamaica that are super safe .

Related: 8 Things To Do In Negril: Complete Guide To Jamaica's Ultimate Paradise

Port-Au-Prince, Haiti

Governmental warnings have been reissued time and time for Haiti and so especially in the capital city of Port-Au-Prince. As the country has experienced political instability for many years, the city is often central to a series of protests that tend to erupt into violent encounters between government officials and civilians.

Moreover, economic disparities and desperation have led to increased rates of armed robberies, break-ins, carjackings, murders, and physical assaults against visitors. The criticality of the situation is reflected in tourists getting robbed upon arriving at the airport. Lastly, drug-related crimes are also common, along with gang violence and kidnappings, and unfortunately, the situation only seems to have gotten worse in 2023.

• Paradise in crisis : Haiti is the poorest country in the Caribbean, with over 60% of the population living in poverty, according to National Geographic.

Caracas, Venezuela

Currently, the State Department advises tourists not to travel to Venezuela, and rightfully so. The island, which borders the Caribbean Sea, has experienced rapid and unfavorable changes in the past years, with crime increasing at alarming rates. Violent crimes, which previously only touched rural areas, have now erupted everywhere. Moreover, civil unrest and political dysfunction continuously place the city in chaos.

The rise of gangs, economic disparity, and drug trafficking have only resulted in greater violence, homicides, theft, and social fragmentation. The Venezuelan capital of Caracas currently ranks among the world's most violent cities.

• Danger all around : unfortunately, the safety risks extend far beyond the capital city, with most foreign governments issuing a 'Level 4: Do Not Travel' advisory to the entire country due to the extreme economic and political instability.

Georgetown, Guyana

This unique coastal nation borders Brazil and Venezuela, but interestingly, it is the only English-speaking country in South America. Rich in biodiversity, over 70% of its natural environment remains essentially untouched, from its dense rainforests to beautiful Caribbean beaches. Unfortunately, the country also ranks towards the bottom of the list on the Global Peace Index.

Crime rates are high overall, which has kept tourism numbers low. The highest risk for violent crime tends to be concentrated around Georgetown, the capital of Guyana. Here, incidents like armed robbery are commonplace, especially in shopping areas and business districts. Wealthy tourists are frequently the targets of muggings, even in broad daylight. Alarmingly, cars are known to follow travelers from the airport and attack upon arrival at their destinations. There are also security issues stemming from drug trafficking and political unrest that are unlikely to be resolved anytime soon.

• Recommendations for travel : Guyana has a lot to offer , but the safest way to explore is with an organized tour group.

LGBT travelers should exercise extreme caution in Guyana. Homosexuality is illegal, and any displays of affection (even holding hands) can lead to immediate arrest.

Belize City, Belize

Belize is a magical Central American destination that is well worth visiting. It offers a mix of vibrant culture, miles of stunning Caribbean coastline, and a lush jungle with massive Mayan ruins . With that said, there are some security issues to note and places to avoid to help ensure a safe experience.

Border areas are risky due to increased drug and human trafficking. This is especially true with the northern border into Mexico, and anywhere north of Belize City is generally recommended to be avoided due to gang activity. Within Belize City, violent crime is rife, and the homicide rate is high - it is considered the most dangerous place in Belize. There are frequent assaults, robberies, and murders, and the entire city is really a no-go zone at night for tourists.

• Safest places to visit in Belize : Caye Caulker, Corozal, Ambergris Caye

Colon, Panama

Overall, Panama is actually one of the safest countries in Central America, and a special tourist police force is present in the most-visited areas. Panama's colorful island chain of Bocas del Toro is an amazing (& safe) destination to enjoy all that the Caribbean has to offer and the dreamy archipelago of San Blas .

One area that is not safe to visit, however, is Colon. One of the country's ten provinces, situated on the Caribbean coast of Panama right at the entrance of the Panama Canal. As with many port cities, this naturally creates an environment riddled with gangs and drug trafficking. Colon is also known to have high rates of mugging, pick-pocketing, and robbery, many of them approaching tourists under the guise of tour guides.

• The Darien Gap : Travelers should also exercise extreme caution when visiting the stretch of the Caribbean coast that borders Colombia. It is advised to only visit with professional guides.

Advertisement

Tropical Storm Beryl Tracker

By William B. Davis, Madison Dong, Judson Jones, John Keefe, and Bea Malsky

Beryl was a tropical storm in the Gulf of Mexico early Sunday Central time, the National Hurricane Center said in its latest advisory .

The tropical storm had sustained wind speeds of 60 miles per hour. Follow our coverage here .

Where will it rain?

Flash flooding can occur well inland and away from the storm’s center. Even weaker storms can produce excessive rainfall that can flood low-lying areas.

What does the storm look like from above?

Satellite imagery can help determine the strength, size and cohesion of a storm. The stronger a storm becomes, the more likely an eye will form in the center. When the eye looks symmetrical, that often means the storm is not encountering anything to weaken it.

Beryl is the second named storm to form in the Atlantic in 2024.

In late May, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicted that there would be 17 to 25 named storms this year, an above-normal amount.

This season follows an overly active year, with 20 named storms — including an early storm later given the official name of “Unnamed.” It was the eighth year in a row to surpass the average of 14 named storms. Only one hurricane, Idalia, made landfall in the United States.

Typically, the El Niño pattern that was in force last season would have suppressed hurricanes and reduced the number of storms in a season. But in 2023, the warm ocean temperatures in the Atlantic blunted El Niño’s usual effect of thwarting storms.

The warm ocean temperatures that fueled last year’s season returned even warmer at the start of this season, raising forecasters’ confidence that there would be more storms this year. The heightened sea surface temperatures could also strengthen storms more rapidly than usual.

To make matters worse, the El Niño pattern present last year is also diminishing, most likely creating a more suitable atmosphere for storms to form and intensify.

Hurricanes need a calm environment to form, and, in the Atlantic, a strong El Niño increases the amount of wind shear — a change in wind speed and/or direction with height — which disrupts a storm's ability to coalesce. Without El Niño this year, clouds are more likely to tower to the tall heights needed to sustain a powerful cyclone.

Sources and notes

Tracking map Source: National Hurricane Center | Notes: The map shows probabilities of at least 5 percent. The forecast is for up to five days, with that time span starting up to three hours before the reported time that the storm reaches its latest location. Wind speed probability data is not available north of 60.25 degrees north latitude.

Wind arrivals table Sources: New York Times analysis of National Hurricane Center data (arrival times); U.S. Census Bureau and Natural Earth (geographic locations); Google (time zones) | Notes: The table shows predicted arrival times of sustained, damaging winds of 58 m.p.h. or more for select cities with a chance of such winds reaching them. If damaging winds reach a location, there is no more than a 10 percent chance that they will arrive before the “earliest reasonable” time and a 50 percent chance they will arrive before the “most likely” time.

Radar map Source: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration via Iowa State University | Notes: These mosaics are generated by combining the 130+ individual RADARs that comprise the NEXRAD network.

Storm surge map Source: National Hurricane Center | Notes: Forecasts only include the United States Gulf and Atlantic coasts, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The actual areas that could become flooded may differ from the areas shown on this map. This map accounts for tides, but not waves and not flooding caused by rainfall. The map also includes intertidal areas, which routinely flood during typical high tides.

Satellite map Source: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration| Notes: Imagery only updates between sunrise and sunset of the latest storm location.

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Margaritaville at Sea passenger files lawsuit saying she was raped in Bahamas hotel

• A passenger on a Margaritaville at Sea cruise is suing the cruise line’s parent company Classica Cruise Operator claiming she was sexually assaulted by an employee of the hotel booked by the company.
• The hotel has a history of sexual assault allegations, and the cruise line was liable to warn about and protect passengers from the hotel’s “dangerous conditions,” said the lawsuit.
• This is the latest in a string of sexual assault incidents involving Margaritaville at Sea cruises.

A Margaritaville at Sea passenger is suing the cruise line’s parent company Classica Cruise Operator claiming she was sexually assaulted by an employee of the hotel booked by the company, according to the lawsuit filed last week.

The hotel has a history of sexual assault allegations, and the cruise line was liable to warn about and protect passengers from the hotel’s “dangerous conditions,” said the lawsuit, which was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida.

“We want to make people aware,” Alex Perez, the passenger’s attorney from the maritime and admiralty law firm Lipcon, Margulies & Winkleman, P.A., told USA TODAY. “These things happen in foreign ports. I know you’re on vacation but you have to be careful. This can help people make informed decisions.”

The passenger, named “Jane Doe” in the case, is a Missouri resident who went on a two-day cruise from West Palm Beach, Florida, to the Bahamas and back in August 2023. 

According to the complaint, Classica had arranged for the passenger to stay at the Viva Fortuna Beach by Wyndham, located in Freeport in the Bahamas because the ship did not have cabins available for her.

Learn more: Best travel insurance

Resources and laws: What to know if you're sexually assaulted on a cruise

The lawsuit states that the passenger left her room at night to get water when an employee forced her into the control room of the resort’s theatre, locked the door and raped her. 

This isn’t the first allegation of rape at the Viva Fortuna Beach by Wyndham. In 2016, a TripAdvisor user who went to the resort to get married wrote a review saying she was gang raped by staff when a security officer opened her door while her husband was out. The general manager had responded to the review by saying the resort takes “allegations of violence very seriously.” The investigation hit a dead-end when no evidence was found. 

Resort employees have a “practice” of encouraging alcohol to the guests “with a motive to sexually assault and/or rape them if they became vulnerable,” according to the complaint.

“Prior to the subject incident, (Classica and Wyndham) knew or should have known that the resort was not reasonably safe and/or employees at the Resort had a proclivity for sexual misconduct,” the lawsuit said. However, Classica neglected to warn the passenger or provide her with security during her stay there. 

Margaritaville at Sea and Wyndham Hotels & Resorts did not respond to USA TODAY’s request for comment. 

Jane Doe is suing the resort for damages for the physical injuries and pain, post-traumatic stress disorder, “mental anguish,” “loss of enjoyment of life” and medical expenses among other things she experienced from the assault. 

The lawsuit will help “prevent any of this happening to anyone else,” Perez said. “That’s step No. 1. I’m not here to make the cruise lines look like the bad guy. I have a sister, a mother, there’s women in my life, and I don’t want anything like this to happen to someone.”

This is the latest in a string of sexual assault incidents involving Margaritaville at Sea Cruises. Last year, two women aboard the Margaritaville at Sea Paradise cruise ship said they were raped by a bartender who snuck into their room at night, ultimately impregnating one. 

Kathleen Wong is a travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Hawaii. You can reach her at [email protected] .

The Key Points at the top of this article were created with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and reviewed by a journalist before publication. No other parts of the article were generated using AI. Learn more .

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July / August 2024

Find out what your fellow alums are up to—new jobs, babies, marriages, and much more—in the July / August 2024 Class Notes!

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Scroll down to read Group Notes, which comprises alumni news about members of Cornell groups—including campus activities, alumni organizations, and more—across generations. Want to see your group represented in future sections? Email us for information!

I now present to you the final installment of my essay, originally written for and published by my fraternity, Alpha Delta Phi, and featured in the last three Class Notes sections. Thank you for reading along, and I encourage you to write in with your own memories of our time shared on the Hill!

Alpha Delt affected my post-college life in another unexpected way. Senior year was find-a-job time, and many companies came on campus to interview seniors and to make job offers. Dow, DuPont, Standard Oil of New Jersey (of Ohio, of Indiana, etc.), Gulf Oil, and many others visited Olin Hall to interview Chem Es, and I was fortunate enough to get an offer from practically everyone I signed up for interviews with. Then, sometime in this year, an Alpha Delt graduate visited the house. His name was Joseph Pursglove ’30 , and he had been active the year our old house burned down. He had played a part in building our present chapter house. You see, his family owned Pursglove Coal Company in West Virginia; hence, he had been able to help. He learned I was a graduating Chem E and explained to me that Pursglove Coal had been acquired by Pittsburgh Consolidation Coal Company, which had a goal of becoming the technology leader in the coal industry and which had formed an R&D division that was going to develop a process to make gasoline from coal. Would I come to work for them?

I had worked two summers for Standard Oil of Ohio, who hoped I would come back. Although I had several very good other offers, I was intrigued by the chance to “get in on the ground floor” with a company not already loaded with chemical engineers. This was an opportunity to develop a promising new technology and to work for a fellow Alpha Delt, since Mr. Pursglove was their VP of research and development. I accepted his offer and moved to Library, PA (outside of Pittsburgh), in June 1948.

Two and a half years later, we had successfully pilot-planted our process to make gasoline from coal; we ran the economics and discovered it would cost 30 cents per gallon to make, while at that time you could buy gas retail at the pump for 19 cents per gallon. Our R&D partner, Standard Oil Development, heaved a sigh of relief that coal was not going to replace crude oil as the source of gasoline and terminated the program. The process was, however, used years later by South Africa when the world was embargoing their imports of gasoline in protest against apartheid.

Bob Engelbert ’49 and Ned Turner ’48 were at my side when I married Peg Wilharm Tuttle ’48 and we stayed in touch for many decades. Ray Tuttle ’48

Working in Pittsburgh after college, Peg Wilharm Tuttle and I got back to Alpha Delta Phi as house-party chaperones with great enjoyment. Later, due to moves farther away to central Illinois, Florida, Chicago, and California, and with a family that grew to three children, we were seldom able to get back to Cornell. Then we moved to Weston, MA. Our children graduated from high school, and the opportunity for a second generation of Cornellians/Alpha Delts appeared in the form of my youngest, John Tuttle ’81 . He was vice president of his senior class and a member of its state champion tennis team, and he had good enough grades to be accepted at almost all the schools he applied to. He also was determined to achieve admission on his own. He was suspicious that having a father as alumnus would play a role in being accepted at Cornell and, therefore, made Brown his first choice. Brown was the only one that did not invite him on campus, so he agreed to visit Cornell when I convinced him that being son of an alumnus would not play much of a role, and I certainly would not push it.

The engineering campus proved pretty impressive, so I took him down to see Alpha Delta Phi. It was summer break, and unfortunately the house was in terrible shape: trashy, dirty, and very unappealing. As we left, John said, “Do I have to join Alpha Delt?” I said, “No, but give it a chance when they rush you, because you’ll see a great house then.” He did and did. I was traveling overseas so much in those days that I don’t even remember if I made it to his initiation. He switched for a year or so to the University of Colorado but returned to Cornell and Alpha Delta Phi and lived in the top-floor suite, where he made lifelong friends. He graduated from Cornell, went back out west to Colorado School of Mines and the University of Colorado, where he got his PhD.

John and I made it back for several of my Reunions, including my 60th and 65th, and his presence and the visits to Alpha Delt made the trips very worthwhile. He has been much more active than I ever was, holding office in both the local alumni chapter and in the national leadership of the fraternity.

The fraternity offered us opportunities for leadership, encouraged charity and athletics, and gave exposure to brothers with a wide variety of backgrounds and interests. Some become lifelong friends— Bob Engelbert ’49 and Ned Turner were at my side when I married Peg and we stayed in touch for many decades. I know John has continued a lifelong friendship with his roommate as well. ❖ Ray Tuttle ( email Ray ) | Alumni Directory .

We hope this column finds you well, wherever you are. Please take a moment to fill out the online news form to let us know what you’ve been up to. What are your plans for the summer? Who from the Hill do you still keep in touch with? Did attending Cornell change the trajectory of your life in any way? We’d love to hear from you. ❖ Class of 1949 ( email c/o Alexandra Bond ’12 ) | Alumni Directory .

In the last several columns I have written on the general theme of gender equity, with emphasis on how our female classmates overcame restrictive folkways and prejudices to obtain graduate degrees and to go on to successful careers in law, academia, healthcare, and other professions. In those columns I featured brief life stories of a select few of our accomplished female classmates.

For this column I brought up the question of the rates at which gender equity has gradually advanced in various occupational fields. For example, which occupations opened first, and which have been among the last? I found that this could be a PhD dissertation topic. So the best I can do is to reflect on the extent to which gender equity is being achieved.

I looked up some current information about our dear alma mater. Total undergraduate enrollment is now about 16,000, of which 54% percent are female and 11% international. 53% identify as persons of color. 47% receive financial aid averaging $49,000. Graduate enrollment is about 10,000, of which 47% are female.

Marjorie Leigh Hart (New York, NY) of our class council sent me an unusual magazine titled Olin Hall News , named after the campus home of the Smith School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering. Marjorie and Billie Carter Nelson of the Class of ’49 are featured as female pioneers in the field of chemical engineering. I thought Marjorie might be the first graduate in the field, but Billie preceded her by one year. All of which relates to the welcome fact that the College of Engineering, with an undergraduate enrollment of 3,000, and graduate enrollment of 1,300, has achieved gender parity and also reached an amazing high of 65% females in the entering PhD class! Seven of the 11 schools in the College of Engineering are led by women. The college grants 50% of its degrees to women, compared to 22% of all other schools of engineering.

Marjorie Leigh Hart ’50 was the only female chemical engineering graduate in our class.

Like Marjorie, Billie was the only female chemical engineering graduate in her class. On graduation day she married Earl Nelson ’49 , a fellow chemical engineering student. Both were immediately hired, Earl in the development and research department of Atlantic Petroleum and Billie in DuPont’s experimental station. Billie’s father was English and her Chinese mother had high expectations of her. She enjoyed high school chemistry and physics, and her teachers encouraged her to apply to Cornell. At age 16, there were no commercial airline flights from her home in Hawaii and she traveled to the mainland on a cargo steamer. A friend of her dad met her in San Francisco and got her safely on a train, which—with connections and layovers—took two weeks to get to Ithaca.

Interestingly, when she left employment to raise four children, she left the field of chemical engineering and subsequently went to the University of Delaware for a PhD in psychology. Thereafter, she helped high school and college students, women in particular, plan and execute plans for future education in fields of their choice with emphasis on science-related careers.

Our classmate Marjorie spent her entire post-Cornell time working in the field of chemical engineering, and I consider her a Cornell chemical engineering pioneer and will add a bit to what I reported on her in the March/April 2024 column. Upon arrival at Cornell, because the College of Engineering was committed to WWII veterans, she was admitted to the College of Arts and Sciences. To enroll in engineering, she “had to prove herself!” On a fateful day in December, she met with Fred H. “Dusty” Rhodes , PhD 1914 , then director of the now Smith School. “So you want to be an engineer?” he asked. “Do you drink beer?” “No,” said Marjorie, “but I can learn.” And on that basis, Marjorie was admitted. Subsequent to graduation, Marjorie had a stellar career in management and corporate development and investment roles in several chemical companies. She fondly recalls her time working in Japan. “The Japanese included me in everything—even trips to male-dominated bars. It was a good thing I learned to drink beer at Cornell!” At Zinck’s, perhaps? Marjorie’s remarkable accomplishments deserve recognition.

While Billie and Marjorie were probably the first females in chemical engineering, they were not the first to graduate from the College of Engineering. That honor goes to the remarkable Kate Gleason , Class of 1888 . Kate acquired an outstanding reputation as an industrialist, banker, inventor, and land developer. She was succeeded by female engineering graduates in 1905, 1921, and 1924. ❖ Paul Joslin ( email Paul ) | 13731 Hickman Rd., #4207, Urbandale, IA 50323 | tel., (515) 278-0960 | Alumni Directory .

Happy summer, Class of ’51! We hope this column finds you content and well, wherever you are. Please take a moment to fill out the online news form to let us know what you’ve been up to. What are your plans for the summer? Who from the Hill do you still keep in touch with? Did attending Cornell change the trajectory of your life in any way? We’d love to hear from you. ❖ Class of 1951 ( email c/o Alexandra Bond ’12 ) | Alumni Directory .

Lewis Ward-Baker writes from Rochester, NY: “I keep singing—most recently in a large chorus that performed with a fine student orchestra (Eastman School of Music), and I warble in a church choir and a vocal quartet, ‘Voices of the Spirit.’ Here is a motto I’ve coined to live by: ‘Seek beauty … and be kind.’ My four children, seven grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren continue to enrich my life. Though it took until I was in my 60s, I finally found a glorious life partner, my wife, Pat. It’s a good life.”

Patricia Dexter Clark writes from Concord, MA: “I worked for Cornell until my husband retired. Then we traveled during the ’80s. In ’07 we moved to Concord to a retirement home, Newbury Court. Since then, I helped with projects and enjoyed entertainment, music, trips, speakers, art, etc.” She derives the most satisfaction from her family of three children and their children and what they do in their lives.

Rik Clark writes from Osterville on Cape Cod: “Transferring to Cornell as a junior in 1950 broadened my interest in academics. I attended all seven undergraduate colleges in two years. Establishing and staffing the Cornell Northeast Regional Office from 1969 to 1984 further increased my fondness and respect for Cornell.” Good health and staying active and involved brings the most satisfaction. He is grateful to enjoy small boat cruises, golf, family, and friends, but as the aging process continues, losing family and friends is difficult.

I keep singing—most recently in a large chorus that performed with a fine student orchestra, and I warble in a church choir and a vocal quartet. Lewis Ward-Baker ’52

Carolyn “Cappy” Heyl Innes writes from Dallas, PA: “I do count my blessings for good health. Bibbi Antrim Hartshorn and Jane Kiely Davis and I keep in touch from afar. Our traveling days are over, but great memories of our ’52 days and our yearly road trips with Gene Powers Johnson make us smile. We were lucky!”

Jim Ling writes from Fort Collins, CO: “I finally retired as chairman of the local sewer board after 18 years. I also retired from volunteering for recognizing veterans in a local hospice.”

Diane Sargent writes from Gloucester, MA. She is writing a memoir and enjoying life and learning and making the most of each day. Being with family and friends brings her the most satisfaction.

I, Tom Cashel , thank these classmates for their notes. I hope that all the class enjoys the summer months and takes advantage of the opportunity to reflect on our good fortune to be able to witness it. ❖ Thomas Cashel, LLB ’56 ( email Tom ) | Alumni Directory .

Our class treasurer John Nixon reports that last year (July 2022 to June 2023) we contributed an incredible $5,613,169 to Cornell, donated by 148 classmates including 24 Tower Club members. Our generosity was recognized with several awards, including the Class of 1947 Cayuga Society Bowl and the Class of 1958 Bowl. The impact of these gifts, which set a new donor record for any 70th Reunion in Cornell history, has continued to leave a mark on campus. Thank you!

The Class of ’53 Library Endowment Fund currently has a book value of $70,836 and a market value of $99,196 with a projected $3,654 payout for 2024. Our Container Garden Fund has a book value of $26,088, a market value of $36,295, and an anticipated fiscal year payout of $1,336. To see the campus at its springtime best, go to the Botanic Gardens website ; its natural beauty may be even grander than the pictures in your memory.

’53 class president Bill Gratz recently traveled to Baltimore for this year’s Cornell Alumni Leadership Conference (CALC). He reports that there were some interesting presentations about freedom of speech, diversity, equity, and inclusion, antisemitism, and Islamophobia. Since his return from that weekend, Bill has had an opportunity to attend a meeting of the Cornell Club of Fairfield, CT, for a presentation by Corey Earle ’07 . He urges all class members who are reading this to go hear Corey speak if you have the opportunity. “Corey highlighted many items from our daily lives that connect us with Cornell,” he reports. “It was really thought-provoking.”

Our class set a new donor record for any 70th Reunion in Cornell history. Caroline Mulford Owens ’53

Do you recall a news item from New Mexico in 1990 that named ’53 classmate Linda Mitchell Davis New Mexico’s Cattleman of the Year? A remarkable honor, as that recognition was usually reserved for men. However, Linda grew up on ranches in northeast New Mexico, riding a horse from the time she was a toddler. In her senior year she left Cornell to marry Les and join him in operating the historic CS Ranch. Les, who died in 2001, called her “the best cowboy in the state.” The last time I spoke with Linda was at our 65th Reunion, and at that time she had organized a driving group whose focus was on emergency driving (including an ambulance) to the nearest hospital many hours away. Linda passed away on February 18.

Do you find Zoom as useful as I do? It was especially helpful during the pandemic and continues to keep me in touch with my two little great-grandchildren, ages 2 and 3 and growing up fast. Their mom, my granddaughter Anna Plattner ’12 , has become an expert on forest farming (at Wild Hudson Valley), leaving limited time to visit great-grandma five hours away. Let us know how you use Zoom or Facetime in your life. ❖ Caroline Mulford Owens ( email Caroline ) | Bob Neff , JD ’56 ( email Bob ) | John Nixon ( email John ) | Alumni Directory .

As I was composing this column in April, I received word that a Cornell friend of mine died. Forgive me while I feel sad and remember what our friendship has meant over these many years. Charles “Chuck” Juran ’53 and I developed our friendship during our activities at Willard Straight. In my senior year I worked with Chuck, who was president of the board of managers of the Straight. Though an engineer, he had broad interests. We kept in touch over the years. With our spouses we visited each other’s homes and traveled together to Alaska. Chuck exemplifies the Cornellians who have played a significant role in my life since 1950. I am sure you too have favorite friends from the Hill who have meant a great deal to you. It’s time to tell those folks we cherish them.

I look forward with much anticipation to our 70th Reunion. Often we don’t think about the huge amount of planning devoted to making it run smoothly. Both Cornell and the classes work diligently to create a memorable weekend. As a reminder of that, our class president, Chick Trayford , MBA ’60, traveled from his home in Delaware to Ithaca for Reunion 2023. He went to observe how the Class of 1953 planned for their 70th and to gain ideas for ours in 2024. Which he did.

But then, on July 11, Chick was taken to the emergency room in Dover and stayed there for eight days. He writes, “After a bone marrow biopsy, they diagnosed acute promyelocytic leukemia but were not capable of treating it there. I was transferred to Newark, DE, for an additional 27 days. I continued treatment as an outpatient (80+ chemo infusions and many pills) until February 29, 2024. They have given me a clean bill of health and doubt I will have a recurrence.” Chick cautions, “The only reason I’m still alive is that I was proactive.” He urges us to do the same. And, happily, he plans on joining us in Ithaca this June!

I received an email from George Hein . “I’m a ’54 classmate writing in for the first time. As I get older, like many of us, the life we have lived before becomes more interesting as the life we have left begins to shrink. After majoring in chemistry and graduating, I went on to graduate school at the University of Michigan and post-doc study at CalTech and then was an academic chemist at Boston University and Harvard Medical School for about 10 years. In the ’60s I was politically active opposing the Vietnam War and left my career to join other scientists and teachers in developing science education materials at the Education Development Center in the Boston area. (Philip Morrison was one of our guiding advisors.) Still later I settled at Lesley University, where I started their doctoral programs and had a third career as an evaluator of education programs, many of which were in museums.

I’m a ’54 classmate writing in for the first time. George Hein ’54

“In 1954, I married Hilde Stern ’53 . We had three children. After divorce 20 years later, I lived alone for 10 years and then married Emily Romney (Radcliffe ’57), a singer and classical voice teacher. We live in Cambridge in a lovely house that is beginning to be a bit much for us with the many stairs and the generous collection of furniture from both families.

“If I remember correctly, I had a classmate named Ruth Carpenter from Binghamton, NY, who went to Cornell. Could this be you?” How about that for a surprise and welcome connection?! George and I have had a wonderful phone conversation to catch up a bit on all these intervening years.

Searching for more news, I contacted Corey Earle ’07 , the University’s longtime (if unofficial) historian. Corey is a visiting lecturer in American studies and teaches “The First American University” on the Hill, which is affectionately known as “Storytime with Corey.” The course is now a Big Red institution on par with the Hotel School’s Introduction to Wines. It draws more than 400 students each spring—filling its lecture hall to capacity and generating a long waiting list. This is in addition to his full-time job as a principal gifts associate in Alumni Affairs and Development.

He responded at once! He sent me wonderful sources of material from the Cornell Daily Sun . Here are a few headlines from the issue as we graduated in 1954: “University to Confer 1,725 Degrees at 86th Commencement Exercises.” “52 Seniors to Receive ‘Honors,’ 31 to Graduate with Distinction.” “Senior Week Activities Include Picnic, Partying.” “’54 Councils Begin Planning Class Functions.” “Class of 1954 Bids Farewell.” And this topic, relevant in 2024, “Education and the Prospect for Democracy.”

My keen appreciation to Corey for researching material relating to the Class of 1954. We are extremely fortunate to have him scheduled to speak to us at our Friday dinner during Reunion. Ever since his guiding us on a bus tour of campus in 2014, we have recognized what a special person, with deep knowledge of Cornell, Corey is. Now everyone understands that. ❖ Ruth Carpenter Bailey ( email Ruth ) | Bill Waters , MBA ’55 ( email Bill ) | Class website | Alumni Directory .

Dave Sheffield , MRP ’61, writes, “Join in the ’55 Zoom Connection on the first Tuesday of each month at 4 p.m. hosted by our class president, Bill Doerler , to reminisce and ‘chew the fat’ in preparation for our 70th Reunion in 2025. I’m still ‘going’ after retiring from architectural practice eight years ago, but starting to wind down most church, community, and Cornell boards and committees. Allison (Hopkins) ’56 and I are fortunate to have Laurie Sheffield ’84 and Stephen Sheffield ’88 nearby, although the grandchildren (two each) are spreading out. We’re approaching our 58th year in our Wellesley, MA, house. It’s just the right size for the two of us.”

Arnold “Arne” Foss shares that these days, he greatly enjoys his grandkids and a good nap. When asked if attending Cornell changed the trajectory of his life, he replied, “Yes, it allowed me become a jet pilot and then a doctor.” At age 90, Roy Allen , MS ’63, is feeling good being able to do what he wants to do, which includes traveling. “By the end of this year, I will have been to 100+ countries!”

Cornell is where I had the privilege of receiving a great education and meeting my best friend, Jerry Jakes ’53 . Emilyn Larkin Jakes ’55

Peter Eschweiler , MRP ’57, writes, “After living 60 years in nearby Pleasantville, NY, Pauline ‘Mickie’ (Symonds) ’53 and I moved to a retirement community in 2020 in Briarcliff Manor, NY. I keep busy in my role as secretary to the community’s independent living resident council. Our grandson Michael Rivlin ’13 is the fifth generation Cornellian in our family following my grandfather, my dad, two uncles, Mickie and me, and our daughter, Susan Eschwiler ’78 (Michael’s mom!).” Mickie died in 2021, and Peter notes that he gets great satisfaction these days from remembering her and walking each morning.

Since the loss of her husband, Jerry Jakes ’53 , in March, Emilyn Larkin Jakes says, “I’ve been trying to adjust to waves of missing him. I spent the last one and a half years taking care of Jerry while he was on a journey of illness. Prior to that, we enjoyed a wonderful retirement with our children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Cornell is where I had the privilege of receiving a great education and meeting my best friend, Jerry.”

Robert Leader gets great satisfaction “from the success of our children, 17 grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren. I successfully completed lung cancer treatment and continue to work on legal matters about 20 hours per week.” William Boyle , MBA ’56, enjoys maintaining friendships and reading. When asked about his time on the Hill, he wrote, “Cornell provided an opportunity for intellectual development, personal relationship expansion, and personal confidence-building that has served me well throughout my life!” ❖ Class of 1955 ( email c/o Alexandra Bond ’12 ) | Alumni Directory .

Elizabeth Jennings Rutledge finds satisfaction these days from, she says, “spending valuable time with my husband, Dick ’55 , travel, studying every subject of interest—even on my iPhone!—spending time with friends, fresh air, gardening, and bird watching. I am very involved as a private investor.” She also enjoys “many happy birthday celebrations, including for two sons and one daughter, three grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren, and all their pets.” Elizabeth fondly recalls living in Clara Dickson Hall, a happy sorority life, and meeting Dick on the Hill. After graduation, the pair moved to Hawaii. “We witnessed Hawaii become a state while living on Oahu. I was teaching Hawaiian children to read while Dick served as an officer in the Navy.”

Orlando Turco still greatly enjoys following the Cornell wrestling team. Jack Wootton is still auctioning for charities. When asked if Cornell changed the trajectory of his life, he replied “Absolutely!” and particularly noted that ROTC prepared him for his 53-year career in the Army.

John Long , MS ’57, writes, “I’m enjoying life and retirement from farming with my wife, Loretta; we have been married for 62 years. I continue writing up memories of all our years together.” Joe Henninger , MBA ’58, writes, “Unfortunately, I lost my wife, Suzanne (DeRosay) ’57 , on March 4, 2024. We met at Cornell, were married in Ithaca, and were married for 65 years.”

We witnessed Hawaii become a state while living on Oahu. Elizabeth Jennings Rutledge ’56

Leo Convery is involved with Rotary Club and does wood carving. He writes that Cornell “gave me the smarts and ability to have a successful work life and now a great retirement.” Lewis Klotz shares that he gets the most satisfaction these days from “living past 92!”

Michael Cornman writes, “I retired at year-end from the practice of IP law but am still licensed to do pro bono. I have moved onto the campus of SUNY Purchase, into an apartment of a new intergenerational learning community where classes are readily audited and students mentored. It has been likened to being on a cruise ship, without the waves. All the residents are seniors intent on continuing to learn (albeit without the burdens of exams and term papers). Plenty of Cornellians in the new community. Not quite the good old days on the Hill back in the ’50s, but it is an exciting new chapter.” ❖ Class of 1956 ( email c/o Alexandra Bond ’12 ) | Alumni Directory .

When Bob Martin sent his news, he noted one particularly strong memory of his time on campus. He recalled freezing in Beebe Lake trying to get his fraternity’s “submarine” to work in the Spring Weekend boat race. He did not mention if his efforts were successful. He said he does enjoy living in fascinating Sedona, AZ, even while taking multiple cruises each year plus traveling throughout the country visiting his growing family. At last count, he had eight grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren. Bob was with us at our 65th Reunion, where he was seen continuing his longtime connections with his Alpha Chi Rho brothers/classmates.

Thinking about Spring Weekend and Fall Weekend festivities left me wondering how the Cornell in loco parentis policy for Cornell women allowed us to stay overnight in the fraternity houses. The women had very strict sign-in/sign-out times with housing curfews, probably to keep us safe and innocent during our undergraduate years. Yet, we packed up our ball gowns and changes of clothing for these two party weekends each year. Where did the fraternity brothers go while we slept in their beds and used their restrooms? House Mothers might have been on the premises, as well as married graduate student couples, serving as chaperones.

Recently I was told the men moved to lower floors in the houses or apartments with friends, and slept on couches, on cots, or in sleeping bags. Or, being so young, maybe they did not sleep at all. Does anyone else remember the champagne cocktail parties, live jazz bands, and Big Band galas in Barton Hall, which had been transformed by YASNY (the student decorating group)? We may have been the Silent Generation, but our “Gracious Living” era at Cornell will never be duplicated.

Bob Martin ’57 recalled freezing in Beebe Lake trying to get his fraternity’s ‘submarine’ to work in the Spring Weekend boat race.

Classmates continue to move and downsize. Colin Campbell and wife Nancy have left the environs of Colonial Williamsburg and moved to Bluffton, SC. After Cornell, Colin earned a law degree at Columbia University. He worked briefly at the American Stock Exchange before moving to Wesleyan University in administration. He was selected as the 13th president of Wesleyan in 1970. His next career move, in 1988, took him to Virginia, where he became the president of the Rockefeller Brothers Fund and the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. Some of you might have attended a class pre-Reunion gathering held at Colonial Williamsburg, facilitated by Colin. He is now chairman emeritus of the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. In honor of Colin and Nancy, groundbreaking of the Colin G. and Nancy N. Campbell Archaeology Center at Colonial Williamsburg was held on April 21, 2023. Currently under construction, when completed the Campbell Archaeology Center will encompass 35,000 square feet of collections, research, and educational space.

Bob Watts sent word about his change of residence. Linda, his wife of 63 years, passed away soon after our 2022 Reunion. Bob found himself living alone in their warm but empty home in Portsmouth, RI. Linda was a great “Navy wife” as Bob continued in his 30-year career in the U.S. Navy. Bob had 12 different duty assignments, mostly on the East Coast, but had an over-five-year residence in Belgium when he was assigned to the staff of the Supreme Allied Commander Europe. Their daughter was born there and still lives there, as do two granddaughters and a great-granddaughter. After Bob’s retirement as a captain from the Navy, he became involved in our class activities, along the way serving as class president and webmaster. His search for a more suitable living situation led him to Essex Meadows, a senior living community in Essex, CT. It was “all hands on deck” as his three children and several grandchildren helped sift through the many years of memorabilia. The recent move took him closer to his oldest son’s home and that of his grandson with the added bonus of two great-grandchildren. Bob is finding a warm, caring environment in Essex Meadows with peers with interesting life stories. He has a kitchen in his apartment, yet he enjoys the camaraderie of mealtime with others. He dubs the conversations as lively, yet not contentious.

After John Wolberg graduated from Cornell with a BME, he went on to earn a PhD in nuclear engineering in 1962 from MIT. He and wife Laurie (Holbreich) ’58 moved to Haifa, where he joined the faculty of Technion-Israel Institute of Technology. With the intention of staying for only two years, John’s career continued at Technion and he was promoted to full professor in 1979. He is considered an expert in financial data modeling, has done research and consulting for leading financial institutions, and has worked with some of the pioneers of computerized trading. Author of six related books, the most popular is Expert Trading Systems: Modeling Financial Markets with Kernel Regression. Now professor emeritus, he has pursued an interest in art which began at Cornell. He started painting after a sabbatical in the 1980s. Forty of his paintings are featured in the book John Wolberg: Engineer as Artist. ❖ Connie Santagato Hosterman ( email Connie ) | Alumni Directory .

We have a few brief reports from class officers and others as we await input from you all via the News and Dues letter for 2024. Class president Meyer Gross represented us all at the annual CALC/CACO meeting in February in Baltimore. He reports getting good tips in “class officering” from many staff members and also connecting with fellow engineers from the Engineering Alumni Association. Meyer, an active member on the CEAA board, hoped that some would be attending its meeting on campus in April when they celebrated the 150th anniversary of Mechanical Engineering on the Hill.

Good news comes from Alan Goldman on the American Platform Tennis Association mixed-ages finals. Alan and his son, James, came close to winning their match, “losing to a better pair,” Alan says, “as my son was the best player of them all, and I played my best as the oldest player.” They will try again next year. Alan wrote on other family successes: “I’ve been fortunate to have both well-educated and very nice grandchildren. My sons and spouses have done great jobs in raising them and are currently living in Illinois and Abu Dhabi (yes, we did get to AD about a year ago, a great trip).”

We’re saddened to report that the class lost a truly stalwart member in March, Marilyn Zeltner Teel , after her 26 years of battling Parkinson’s disease while somehow maintaining an infectiously hearty outlook on life and her family. She was surrounded by them all: husband Larry ’57 , BME ’60, daughter Kathleen ’87 and her husband, Dan Wagner ’87 , and their three grown sons, and Marilyn’s son, David, and his family. Marilyn was an avid Cornell supporter active in local CU Rochester activities, a teacher of children for many years, a fine piano student, an active horticulturist at home with Larry doing the hard work, and an active Kappa Delta with close ties to her sisters. Those who knew her—many of whom were present for her memorial service in Victor—will miss her greatly.

Ray ’57 and Audrey Wildner Sears ’58 greatly enjoyed the eclipse at the Montshire Museum of Science in Norwich, VT. The museum’s telescopes were well attended.

Dale Reis Johnson and husband Dick ’57 , BEE ’59, report “slowing down a little, but still traveling to visit grandsons Spencer, at George Fox University near Portland, OR, and Luke ’27 , a Cornell frosh. Both boys play baseball for their schools.” The Johnsons recently had lunch with Dick’s Phi Kappa Sigma brother John Bodenmann and his wife, Tracy, who were visiting from Wisconsin. “John’s company embroiders things, including all the Boy Scout patches.” Dale and Dick still play bridge and attend Learning In Retirement courses, along with their occasional traveling.

Ray ’57 and Audrey Wildner Sears are pleased to have one of their grandsons, Chester, entering Cornell’s Graduate School in Agriculture and Life Sciences to pursue more study in genetics, after working in CALS in recent years. The Searses greatly enjoyed the April sun’s near-total eclipse at the Montshire Museum of Science in Norwich, VT (across the river from Dartmouth College), where they are active members. The museum’s telescopes were well attended and marvelous to use for many children and adults of the community as that locally rare event occurred.

That’s it for now; your co-correspondents will look for news from you soon. ❖ Dick Haggard ( email Dick ) | Barbara Avery, MA ’59 ( email Barbara ) | Alumni Directory .

Pearl Woody Karrer reports that her fourth poetry collection, Like Silencing the Wind , has been published by, and is available from, Finishing Line Press. The book threads themes of conflict and war through poems that affirm our shared humanity. They cross barriers of time and continents, beginning with Rodin’s nude bronze of a helmet maker’s wife and ending in Afghanistan. In addition to writing poetry, Pearl teaches piano and exhibits art in juried shows. After many years of editing, she has retired from the California Quarterly .

Wayne Scoville remarried in 2012. “Between us, Julie, and I have seven kids, 19 grands, and nine great-grands. Hard to remember all their names, let alone birthdays!” Wayne and Julie live in Jackson, MS, but continue to spend part of each summer at their place on Lake George, which Wayne has owned since 1963 and has long referred to as “the money pit.” Fortunately, the kids and grands use it and provide some sweat equity.

Len Rubin ’s big project of the spring was redoing the kitchen in his NYC apartment. “This time, I may wind up actually liking it!” Len continues to keep up his subscriptions to Carnegie Hall and several Off-Broadway theater series. “I recommend the Off-Broadway theater scene to everyone. The plays and casts are more interesting, it is a lot less expensive, and the audiences are much better behaved.” Len is thinking of retiring from his psychiatry practice later this year, though his assistant suggests they should try telehealth for a while and see how it goes.

Volunteer extraordinaire: For the past 45 years, Joan “Jo” Ellis Jones has been the manager for senior citizens’ congregate or Commission on Aging’s congregate meals in Ithaca, MI. And for 30 years she has served as the director to the city’s Senior Activity Building, where the nutrition program has long been located. In addition, for 30 years she has volunteered to serve on the task force that created the senior building. She continues to work on expanding opportunities for seniors, last year helping to raise the funds to build pickleball courts next to the building. Jo’s now-deceased husband, Fred “Shape” Jones ’57 , BChemE ’59, also contributed to development of the senior building and served as the first president of its board of directors.

Alan Schechter ’59 was recently designated the Christian B. Anfinsen Distinguished Investigator at the NIH.

After 47 years in their home in Bethesda, MD, Ira Wolpert and his wife moved about two miles away, to a senior facility. “We find it easy living, with no worries about taking out the trash, changing light bulbs, or dealing with repairs and maintenance.” A retired lawyer, Ira continues to work for Senior Corps of Retired Executives, a volunteer organization that offers free counseling and mentoring to folks who wish to start or build existing businesses in the greater D.C. area.

“My wife and I have four grandchildren who are benefitting from higher education at institutions geographically dispersed, from the University of Pittsburgh to Stanford,” writes Alan Schechter . Alan was recently designated the Christian B. Anfinsen Distinguished Investigator at the NIH in Bethesda, MD, where he has conducted basic and clinical research since 1965. His current studies, with a moderate number of colleagues, is focused on sickle cell anemia, nitric oxide, and related topics. In addition, he has helped develop the NIH history program, and tries to contribute to larger questions of biomedical history.

“A Season to Remember”: Harry Petchesky spent the winter following and writing about Cornell basketball. Overall, the men’s team went 22-8, losing only one at-home game. Following each game, Harry sent game summaries to about 35 alumni, friends, and present and previous athletic directors. “It was fun to do, and when lots of people responded appreciatively, I had the reports bound and sent copies to Jon Jaques ’10 , the new coach and a great guy, for distribution to the players, coaches, and managers.”

“After years of attending Reunions, I’m afraid we’ll miss this one,” writes Dave Portman . He and his wife, Stephanie, moved in 2022 to Moorings Park Grande Lake, a continuing care retirement community in Naples, FL. “It’s still under construction but it’s beautiful and just what we needed at this stage of our lives. We’re very happy here and staying as active as possible with bridge, water aerobics, exercise classes, and a busy social schedule. Stephanie and I would love to hear from any classmates who are or plan to be in Naples.”

By the time you read this, our 65th Reunion will be a memory, with attendees sharing details of their experiences during three activity-filled days “far above Cayuga’s waters.” There will be lots to talk about, write in diaries, post on Facebook. Photos taken won’t need to sit in an album until our 70th but will have been instantly shared via texts and emails. All this will have been possible thanks to months of hard work by Brenda Canniff’s team in the Alumni Affairs office and by a group of classmates led by Reunion chair Jerry Schultz . Jerry hosted Zoom sessions, during which Reunion finances, meal menus, wine lists, souvenirs, speakers, a memorial service, and many other matters were discussed regularly with Ron Demer , Harry Petchesky, Barbara Hirsch Kaplan , and other class officers. Bill Kingston deserves special credit for his astute fiscal analysis of our class finances and expenditures. Thanks, too, to classmates, such as Ron, who spent hours tracking down classmates and encouraging them to attend the Reunion. These folks are the best! ❖ Jenny Tesar ( email Jenny ) | Alumni Directory .

Reflecting on the various changes in his life, Bob Schnur writes from Verona, WI, that he feels quite satisfied because he is retired but is also teaching tax law at the University of Wisconsin. Yet he deeply regrets that his long-term partner, Betty, passed away about two years ago. Bob has had some serious health problems but now seems to have recovered and will be resuming his teaching. John Smith , who lives with his wife, Julie, in Far Hills, NJ, and was formerly a tax lawyer, says gratefully, “I had a heart attack that slowed me way down in late 2022, but I am gradually gaining strength and now have much pleasure working in my large vegetable garden, though I am also still toiling as a landscape architect and have interesting jobs. Perhaps retirement will come when I am 90 years old; we will see.”

Meanwhile, David Berkley , PhD ’66, reports from Metuchen, NJ, where he lives with his spouse, Marlene Unterberger, that what brings him the most satisfaction is quiet day-to-day living with his children. “I have triplets, Marlene has two, I have three grandchildren, and Marlene has 9. We also travel to Israel, where Marlene’s daughter and grandkids live.” Asked whether Cornell has changed the trajectory of his life, David answered, “Of course—the entire experience, and whoever gave me a taste of management. Most of my career was spent in technical management of R&D.”

I took a splendid cruise around South America last year and visited Singapore. Johanna Dwyer ’60

From High Falls, NY, Janis Mitchelhill Leas says that she experiences great satisfaction with her family, friends, music, reading, and gardening. However, she admits, “I’m rather self-indulgent; I downsized my home in 2018 but am still in Ulster County. No more horses or dogs or at-home young people. My seven grandchildren are scattered in New York, Ohio, and Massachusetts. One is just starting in the military and the last one is graduating from Cornell and beginning in the Army in order to fulfill his ROTC commitment in June.”

Sharon Lasky Mishkin reports that as of June 15, 2024, she has a new address in Arcata, CA. Sharon’s late husband was a law school attorney and she says, “I’m going to spend the next two or three years in Arcata with my daughter and her husband. Then I expect to return to Indianapolis. I also will feel satisfaction from gardening and Torah study.” Johanna Dwyer , still living in Jamaica Plain, MA, is pleasantly satisfied these days by “friends, family, good books, concerts, and cruises when possible. I still do a little work part time on nutrition-related topics. I’m also taking a number of trips to foreign countries when health permits; I took a splendid cruise around South America last year and visited Singapore. I’m pleased to admit that going to Cornell changed my life: I made lasting friendships and had a career I enjoyed. I also met many people unlike myself whom I very much enjoyed and continue to do so.” ❖ Judy Bryant Wittenberg ( email Judy ) | Alumni Directory .

It’s a beautiful spring day in Atlanta to write our class column. Our next on-campus Reunion is two years away, but the first messages are emerging. One, we have two outstanding Reunion chairs in Rosanna Romanelli Frank and Pat Laux Richards . Second, we will be staying at the Statler Hotel, finally. I will leave further communications in the hands of our Reunion chairs. Our mailbag of Class Notes is nearly exhausted. Don’t forget to send us your news!

Ruth Bohrer Bramson sent an informative update. “Having retired as CEO of the Girl Scouts, my husband, Shelly, and I have been spending a great deal of time at our home in Ogunquit, ME. I spent a difficult year fighting lung cancer at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, and just got word that my scan shows no evidence of disease. So I am happy to report that I am now a healthy wife, mother, and grandmother. I have nine grandchildren and all of my children are pursuing exciting professional careers. My fondest memories of Cornell are living in my sorority house, Delta Tau, and cruising the quarters in the freezing weather.”

I’m teaching at a small university in St. Paul—back in a classroom after ‘vowing’ I’d never be back in one after graduation. Mike Hoffman ’61

After more than a few years, we heard from Mike Hoffman , coxswain on our great varsity crew. “Hello all! Haven’t contributed in a while, but at Susan Williams Stevens and Doug Fuss ’s invite, here’s some Hoffman trivia: Still living in Minneapolis (Minnetonka, officially); I have four sons ranging in age from 57 to 30. Beth is a medical safety director at Medtronic, and I continue to run my ‘business coaching’ practice with independent contractors and small business professionals. I periodically remain in touch with my crew gang and ZBT bros: Lory Aaron , Nat Weisler , Wally Buch , Joel Rosenberg ’60 , BCE ’62, Donny Spero , and Larry Bortles . Life is good. I’m keeping our Peloton busy, doing some traveling to our boys and family, and teaching in the marketing department of the business school for a small university in St. Paul. Imagine—back in a classroom after ‘vowing’ I’d never be back in one after graduation. And so it goes. I continue to treasure my time on the Hill and the wonderful, important, and enduring friendships I was lucky enough to make. Wishing all of us continued health and staying sharp! Cheers.”

On a personal note, Sue and I have been seven months in our new independent living community in Atlanta. We are at the end of the beginning but no further. The move has turned out to be more monumental than anticipated. The physical move itself was daunting, but then we needed to adjust to a new lifestyle, a new city, and traffic! Happily, the hard part is behind us, and we now see our daughter and granddaughters regularly.

Finally, remember Susan and Doug. Please keep your news flowing and send in lots of class notes. Your classmates want to hear from you. ❖ Doug Fuss ( email Doug ) | Susan Williams Stevens ( email Susan ) | Alumni Directory .

This column is being written in April, which, as we all know, is tax month. In the absence of personal entries from classmates, I thought it fitting to write about another set of figures: classmate and class-based giving.

In this, the 62nd year of the Class of 1962, generous donations and consistent giving have resulted in an excess of $315,474,379 (as of 2/7/2024) in gifts to the University. Included in this figure is the nearly $40,000,000 the class raised for our 60th Reunion—a historic milestone for the University because it was the highest amount ever given by a 60th Reunion class! This is not the first giving record our class has set. Indeed, in 1987 we were dubbed “The Class” by then-Cornell President Frank Rhodes for our 25th Reunion gifts of $5.5 million, which represented a new Cornell and national record for the most money ever raised by a single class!

Amazingly, there’s still more. We have burnished our record for generosity with our class-based donations as well. The Class of 1962 Fund for Photography at the Johnson Museum of Art ($150,935) now holds a collection of 37 outstanding historic and contemporary fine art images by distinguished and acclaimed photographers, including Edward Steichen, Lotte Jacobi, Andreas Feininger, Bruce Davidson, and Gordon Parks. And how about the Frank and Rosa Rhodes Class of 1962 Tradition Fellowship and the Class of 1962 baseball field scoreboard? Two of many other fantastic Class Gift Fund projects.

The Class of 1962 Fund for Photography at the Johnson Museum of Art now holds a collection of 37 outstanding historic and contemporary fine art images. Judy Prenske Rich ’62

While we’re on the subject, our current Tradition Scholar knows quite a lot about giving—in this case, giving of oneself, which seems to be second nature to Bronx, NY, native Abbie Jobe ’26 , who is majoring in agriculture science in CALS. Abbie used her 2022–23 award this winter to cover the costs of a service trip to The Gambia, where she was a volunteer employing Montessori practices to educate Gambian students in the community of Foni, located in the rural region upcountry. Once back at Cornell, she began taking environmental engineering courses in hopes of switching her major to that area. A project team member of Cornell Engineers in Action, this summer she will be traveling to the Kingdom of Eswatini (formerly Swaziland) to build a bridge in the rural community. The plan is to help individuals in the community have better access to resources that are located on the other side of a floodplain. On behalf of all of us, WOW!

Please send along news and updates (photos, too) of what’s happening with you and your family. Don’t let the Class of 1962 disappear from these pages before its time. Check out our class website for timelier information and send your entries to me! ❖ Judy Prenske Rich ( email Judy ) | Alumni Directory .

Greetings from your class president, Paula Trested Laholt : “As you may know, we had our 60th Reunion last June. To keep you all informed I would like to present our newly elected class officers for the next four years. They are: vice president, Judy Kross ; secretary, Retta Presby Weaver ; treasurer, Vivian Grilli DeSanto ; Reunion chair, Nancy Cooke McAfee ; membership chair, Harvey Rothschild ; and nominations chair, Jim Billings , MBA ’64. And please remember our class correspondent, Nancy Bierds Icke , who would love to hear news from you about all your comings and goings. In addition to our officers, we have a class council of 10 members whose involvement in class affairs determines our class decisions and activities. If anyone is interested in participating, please contact me. You will be receiving a letter announcing our dues for the coming year. Dues are now $20. We would like as many as possible to reach our class goal.”

As you know, Ed Butler , MS ’65, has been working hard on our mental health video project since before our 60th Reunion last year. The fund has remained open and our class donated an extra $4,000 on Giving Day in March. Video number one was used in August 2023 for incoming freshmen. Videos two and three are ready to film. There is talk about using videos for graduate students as well. Donations are still welcome at any time.

Harvey Rothschild keeps in touch with classmate Cliff Argue , ME ’66, and his wife, Theo, who live in Mercer Island, WA. Cliff wrote, “We hope to go to California to visit our daughter Christina and her family. We are still trying to decide what the best housing arrangement is for us going forward. Our 3,200-square-foot house is too much for the two of us.”

My wife and I have rented a small duplex in Horizon Villages off Triphammer Road so that we will have a second home in Ithaca. Jim Byrnes ’63, MBA ’64

After our class council Zoom meeting on March 20, Jim Byrnes , MBA ’64, sent a newsy email: “I did attend the council meeting a couple of weeks ago but could not say anything because I was in my car and the phone hookup was not working properly even though I could hear everything. I was actually driving from Albany to Ithaca and got caught in a late winter blizzard just before the meeting started—so I felt lucky to get into the meeting and it seemed miraculous that I kept the connection all the way through the hill country from Bainbridge to Dryden!

“Terry (Connecticut College ’68) and I have rented a small duplex in Horizon Villages off Triphammer Road so that we will have a second home in Ithaca. We have been in Vero Beach, FL, for several years but, having lived in Ithaca for 30 years, found that we do miss Ithaca and look forward to spending more time there. I have been enjoying Cornell sports. Men’s basketball, the hockey teams, and wrestling have all done well on the national scene—as has lacrosse. The ESPN+ service is well worth it. Last night I watched Cornell come from way behind to beat number-four Syracuse in double overtime—great entertainment for us alumni!”

Please send news—I am always in need of more for the column. ❖ Nancy Bierds Icke ( email Nancy ) | 12350 E. Roger Rd., Tucson, AZ 85749 | Alumni Directory .

Welcome to our traditional post-Reunion column, which was written before Reunion weekend. We hope to have Reunion recollections to report upon in the September/October column! But in the meantime, we’d like to feature a classmate we only once mentioned here, some 40 years ago, who has since gotten reams of headlines and stories elsewhere: Joseph Bruchac . If you don’t remember him, it could be because, while Joseph matriculated with our class in the autumn of 1960, he graduated with the Class of ’65.

Joseph is renowned for giving much to literature and society. A Google search results thusly: “Bruchac is a writer and storyteller who published more than 120 books. Much of his work explores Abenaki identity and Native storytelling. He began publishing in 1971 and has collaborated on eight books with his son, Jim.”

Joseph is proud of his Native American heritage; much that he has written elaborates on native cultures in general. He notes that his own heritage is also both English and Slovak, yet he identifies mostly with his Abenaki heritage, which traces back to colonial times and is still located in the northern-most New England states and southeastern Canada. But he’s also written extensively about myriad other Native American cultures from coast to coast. Some of his notable works include the novel Dawn Land (1993) and its sequel, Long River (1995), both of which feature a young Abenaki man of the pre-colonial period, before European contact. The sheer scope of his work has not gone formally unnoticed: in 1999, he received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Native Writers’ Circle of the Americas. He lives in Greenfield, NY, a picturesque rural enclave comprising five different hamlets.

Joseph Bruchac ’64 is renowned for giving much to literature and society.

Our class focus has been on ensuring that our annually bestowed JFK Award will quite literally outlive us all. Class president Ken Kupchak , JD ’71, put it this way: “As previously reported, we have determined that our JFK Award for Public Service will be our enduring class legacy. In preparation for the eventual sunsetting of our class, we have transitioned the direction of the JFK Award to a self-perpetuating board controlled by our JFK awardees. Awardee Katie Dealy ’00 is the JFK board chair and our Cindy Wolloch is our class liaison to the board. Cindy and Katie are planning a great 60th Reunion panel of several pairs of JFK awardees and our classmates to share the award’s special place in Cornell’s public service.”

I am confident this panel was a success that ensured our class’s status for decades to come. I sincerely hope you were able to attend our 60th Reunion and had a great time. As for your news, just please keep it coming! Update me by email, regular mail, our class website , or our class Facebook page . ❖ Bev Johns Lamont ( email Bev ) | 720 Chestnut St., Deerfield, IL 60015 | Alumni Directory .

Loren Meyer Stephens (Los Angeles, CA) reports that her ghostwriting companies, Write Wisdom and Bright Star Memoirs, released two memoirs in February: We’re Live in 5: My Extraordinary Life in Television by Jeff Margolis with Loren Stephens, and Adieu: A Memoir of Holocaust Survival by Alfred J. Lakritz. Loren has published a personal essay, The Meyer Trilogy , which “spills the beans” on members of her father’s family. Loren and husband Dana spent 10 days in Scandinavia enjoying the fabulous food, countries, and people. She was in New York for the March meeting of the National Commission of the Anti-Defamation League, on which she sits.

Loren is proud that her son Josh (Princeton ’97 and Harvard Kennedy School) is working part time with her. He is a journalist and runs a business helping students worldwide to apply to U.S., Canadian, and British schools of higher education. Her favorite memories of college days: “Sneaking off to Greenwich Village to see French movies and wander around the city. Driving around the campus in the wintertime with the top down. Having my first apartment with Phyllis Weiss Haserot , MRP ’67, Judy Hayman Pass , and Marilyn Jacobson Friedland , where I started cooking.”

John Marks (Amsterdam, Netherlands) is a best-selling author and has a new book scheduled to come out on August 17 from Columbia University Press titled From Vision to Action: Remaking the World Through Social Entrepreneurship . To note one of many laudatory comments on this work, from former U.S. Ambassador Frank Ricciardone: “This book tells the inspiring story of an extraordinarily successful social activist who used the precepts of social entrepreneurship to deal with highly charged conflicts around the world.”

John is the founder and managing director of Confluence International; a visiting scholar in Peacebuilding and Social Entrepreneurship at Leiden University; and the founder and former president of Search for Common Ground, the world’s largest peace-building nonprofit organization, which was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2018. John is co-author of the New York Times bestseller The CIA and the Cult of Intelligence and the award-winning Search for the “Manchurian Candidate.” John also founded Common Ground Productions and has produced TV series promoting nonviolent coexistence in 25 countries.

John Marks ’65 is founder of Search for Common Ground, the world’s largest peace-building nonprofit organization, which was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2018.

Class president Jamil Sopher , ME ’66, and numerous other class officers attended the annual meeting of the Cornell Alumni Leadership Conference in Baltimore in February. The class delegation included Joan Hens Johnson , Laureen Stanton Knutsen (treasurer), Bill Vanneman (secretary), Barbara Press Turner , and Grace Hershberg Morgenstein . Alumni class counselors Lauren Coffey and Kate Freyer joined them. On February 22, Jamil, Joan, and Laureen and husband Ragnar dined at the Petit Louis, a French bistro. On February 23, another nice dinner was enjoyed at La Tavola, an Italian restaurant, by Jamil, Joan, Laureen, Grace, Barbara, Bill, and Lauren, with Class of 1964 delegates (including Stan Morgenstein , Grace’s husband). Joan and others also enjoyed a visit to the Walters Art Museum while in Baltimore.

We are particularly saddened to learn of the passing of classmate Bob Baker , a Vietnam War veteran and an entrepreneur who distinguished himself as a member of the Cornell football team, especially at the halfback position, in the years 1962–64. Bob was one of the greatest all-purpose runners in team history. In 1964, he led the entire nation in kickoff returns with a 35.1-yard average on 11 returns for 386 yards, thereby duplicating the feat of star quarterback Gary Wood ’64 , who did it in 1963. Also in 1964, Bob led the team in rushing with a 5.2-yard average for 543 yards. He was an AP All-America pick and first team all-Ivy pick, and was selected to the ECAC All-East team. He left with school records for highest average gain per kickoff return in a game (52.7 yards), season (35.1), and career (27.7). He was always a welcome presence at Reunions and other group events. We will miss him.

Stephen Appell pursued his Cornell basketball passion with a second trip to New Haven, this time on March 1, to see the women’s team give a decent battle to Yale, though they succumbed 79-72. On March 15–16, he attended the Ivy tournaments at Columbia, viewing all the women’s games; on March 16 he was at Columbia with son Brad to see the men’s team give a spirited effort against Yale, the ultimate men’s champion. Steve got to see some of his favorite women players who came to watch that game, including team high-scorer Kaya Ingram ’24 , Vivienne Knee ’26 , and Clarke Jackson ’27 , as well as some favorite past men players, including Garry Munson ’66 . On March 19 he got to watch the Cornell men play for the first time ever in the National Invitation Tournament, against Ohio State. They lost 88-83 after leading with a minute to go. Steve is convinced that a couple of bad officiating decisions near the end of the game turned the tide. The team finished 22-8, and the University has since announced that Jon Jaques ’10 has been named the new head coach to replace the departing Brian Earl. Steve has known Jon ever since his playing days on the Sweet Sixteen team of 2010 and is thrilled at his appointment.

Please remember that our 60th Reunion class gift involves support for the development of a Well-Being Program under the auspices of the Skorton Center, for the promotion of mental health throughout the Cornell community. Our class gift Reunion committee, headed by Jeff Kass , has worked in collaboration with Skorton Center Director Julie Edwards, a pilot project has proved successful, and many classmates have contributed financially to the Class of 1965 Mental Health Fund. The program is training and engaging coaches who are experienced, sensitive members of the Cornell community and who are proving to be a great help to Cornell students and staff. We look forward to continued support from our classmates.

Please keep the news coming to us. People love to hear about your doings, via our column. ❖ Joan Hens Johnson ( email Joan ) | Stephen Appell ( email Stephen ) | Alumni Directory .

Martha Goell Lubell recently phoned me, just to chat. We went to high school together and have continued our friendship. Years ago, at a Reunion, we sat on the front steps of Donlon one night, waiting for her teenage boys to return from an adventure on campus. On our call, Martha told me that one of her sons just had another son; she now has three grandsons, but no granddaughters. She also told me how she had met her husband. Soon after graduation, she had a new job, at the New York Times , and had to work nights. Her first night there, she walked into the newsroom, and the first person she saw was a guy; they now have been married for decades!

In a similar theme, I ( Pete Salinger , MBA ’68) met my wife, Ruth (Dritch) ’67 , one afternoon during intersession in my sophomore year and her freshman year at Cornell. We liked each other immediately, and then never dated anyone else.

Carolyn Rider Chase wrote: “I’m still trying to get my head around my 80th birthday coming around in May. We continue much the same—playing with trains (Jack), gardening, doing photography, and trying to keep up an 1880s house. This winter we skied several times—a first since Jack’s 2016 strokes and 2018 esophagectomy. We’re looking forward to spending the month of June in Florida with our daughter.”

Michael Rauchway wrote from Saint Pete Beach, FL, that his grandson Theodore will be entering Cornell in the fall as a member of the Class of ’28. In addition to his grandfather, he joins his father, Jonathan ’94 , and uncle Eric ’91 as a Cornellian.

We took an amazing trip this past October to Morocco with five other couples who are good friends. Hilda Lichtenstein Levine ’66

Hilda Lichtenstein Levine wrote from Naples, FL: “Marty and I are enjoying retirement in two wonderful places: winters in Naples, FL, and summers in Lenox, MA, in the Berkshires. We took an amazing trip this past October to Morocco with five other couples who are good friends. We also spend time with Michael ’63 , ME ’65, and Joan Simonson Ury ’65 and Marilyn and Mike Ratner ’63 in both locations. Our daughter Jill Levine Bradford ’94 and her husband, Dan, currently live in Sudbury, MA. Their son, Adam, graduates from USC this May, and their daughter, Jessica, will graduate from Northwestern next June.”

A note from Mary Jansen Everett and Alice Katz Berglas : “As ever, the Cornellians class column deadline pushes us to think two months down the road. As we write, the Cornell Class of 2024 is taking its final finals, finishing senior projects, excited and yet conflicted about leaving what has become their home, their Hill. By the time you read this, the Cornell Class of 2028 will be packing suitcases, hugging high school best friends, anticipating and yet anxious, about to begin their own Cornell climb up the Hill. And we, the Cornell Class of 1966, will begin the first steps planning our big 60th Reunion year and weekend. Our Hill, their Hill, shared by Cornellians since the first Cornell commencement in 1869. Join us this coming Cornell year and all our alumni years ongoing. (Yes, send your dues and news !) Mark your calendars NOW for our return to our Hill—it’s the big Cornell 60th. And we will fill our Hill with us, June 4–7, 2026!”

Stay in touch. Everyone wants to know what you’ve been up to (they really DO!). ❖ Pete Salinger , MBA ’68 ( email Pete ) | Susan Rockford Bittker ( email Susan ) | Alumni Directory .

Joan Klein Cohen (Stockbridge, MA) shares: “Happy to announce my second novel, The Deepfake , was published April 2, 2024 (and received a starred review from Kirkus ). Husband Bruce ’65 , ME ’67, and I still love living in the Berkshires, where Bruce is a volunteer assistant lacrosse coach at Williams.” Joan’s favorite Cornell memory: “Sitting in the stacks of the A.D. White Reading Room, staring out at the view, contemplating profound philosophical questions I still don’t know the answer to.”

Julia Bentley-Macdonald writes: “My husband, Jerry Macdonald, passed away on March 7, 2024. I am moving to Longview, a senior residence near Ithaca College, this June. Last year, I received the Volunteer of the Year Award from Lifelong—a senior community center. I plan to continue my activities at both Longview and Lifelong.”

Thanks to Stan Davis ’69 for this report: “The unique strategies of Ralph “Russ” Morin , to retain and attract business talent during and after the pandemic, were recently touted in the New Hampshire Business Review . Russ continues to operate his Attleboro, MA-based catering and events business. Also continuing aggressive growth initiatives, he has recently added a restaurant group and a business consulting arm.”

John Lyncheski (Naples, FL) has “officially cut ties (fully retired) from Dentons Cohen & Grigsby. I was one of the founding partners in 1982 of the Pittsburgh-based firm. We grew to approximately 150 lawyers and recently partnered with Dentons, the nation’s largest global law firm. I spent the last seven years as of counsel, based out of our Naples office. My focus was on management side labor and employment law with clients in the healthcare field. One of the newer principals in our firm is Reeve “Ting” Vanneman ’s daughter, Julie.

Stu Ockman ’67 has now had 13 puzzles accepted by Times crossword editor Will Shortz.

“A proud veteran of the U.S. Navy JAG Corps, I’m married to my high school sweetheart, Kathy, who probably spent as many weekends at Cornell as I did. We have three children and seven grandchildren, several of whom have joined us in Naples. I’ve stayed connected as a member of our class council and have reconnected with Sigma Nu contemporaries, including Tom Charlton , MBA ’69, Fred Nesbitt ’69 , and Bill Manser . I ‘Facebook’ with George McWeeney , MBA ’69, and Dick Gilkeson . I do my best to follow Big Red sports. Unfortunately, I’m hampered by some mobility limitations, but, overall, life is good. Go Big Red.”

During a Zoom meeting with Cornell engineering classmates, Stu Ockman revealed that he has a lifelong love of crossword puzzles. “Perhaps my earliest memory of solving a real crossword puzzle (not the Highlights for Children version) was a contest run by the Philadelphia Inquirer when I was in sixth grade. I had fun solving it (and think I found the correct answer) but needed a version without erasures to enter the contest; I was too shy to ask our next-door neighbor for their copy of the paper. Imagine my surprise a few days later when the Inquirer announced that there were no winners.”

After graduating with a BS degree, Stu then received an MS in construction management from Stanford and an MBA from the University of Pennsylvania Wharton School, continuing to solve puzzles while working as a licensed professional engineer in California for Day & Zimmermann Inc. When Adam Perl told him that he had submitted a puzzle to the New York Times , Stu took his passion for crossword puzzles up a notch. He has now had 13 puzzles accepted by Times crossword editor Will Shortz. Stu created a puzzle for the Civil and Environmental Engineering Update for alumni to solve, which can be found here . He maintains his engineering practice at Ockman & Borden Associates, which he founded in 1981. ❖ Richard Hoffman ( email Richard ) | 2925 28th St. NW, Washington, DC 20008 | Alumni Directory .

I have some news to share with our classmates this summer! For future columns we need more news and updates, so please let us know where you are and what you are doing, or share with us your reflections on your years at Cornell!

Susan Mascette Brandt writes that “through serendipity” she has reconnected with Jane Wallace Vanneman . They were corridor-mates freshman year in Dickson VI (a.k.a. “the Wine Cellar”) but had not seen or spoken to each other since around 1965! She reports that this reconnection has been “just wonderful” and is continuing on Zoom.

Jim Ponsoldt and his wife, Susan, continue to live in Athens, GA. Jim enjoys helping his son, James Ponsoldt, a well-known and acclaimed writer, director, and producer, with scripts for his son’s two recent TV series, “Shrinking” and “Daisy Jones & the Six.” Jim, a lawyer, was on the faculty of the University of Georgia School of Law beginning in 1978 and retired from the full-time faculty as the Joseph Henry Lumpkin Professor of Law in 2008, where he specialized in the areas of antitrust, corporations, criminal procedure, and communications law. He is the author of numerous articles as well as letters to the editors of the New York Times , the Atlanta Journal-Constitution , and local publications on a variety of legal and social policy issues. He and Susan enjoy spending time with and taking photos of their three grandkids.

Jerry Kreider , MArch ’71, and his wife, Kathleen, live in Narberth, PA, outside Philadelphia. He recently received the 2024 Patrick Monaghan Good Neighbor Award for his “unwavering commitment” to Habitat for Humanity’s mission of building and repairing homes in Philadelphia. He continues to contribute to the group’s strategic fundraising initiatives.

Jerry Kreider ’68 , MArch ’71, received the 2024 Patrick Monaghan Good Neighbor Award for his ‘unwavering commitment’ to Habitat for Humanity’s mission.

Sharon Lawner Weinberg , PhD ’71, published two books in 2024, a second edition of Statistics Using R : An Integrative Approach and a third edition of Statistics Using Stata: An Integrative Approach, both by Cambridge University Press . She is professor emerita of applied statistics and psychology, having recently retired from NYU after being on the faculty for 52 years and having served as a vice provost of the university for seven of those years.

Richard Schuler writes, “I’m still practicing civil trial law at a firm I founded in West Palm Beach, FL, 46 years ago, Schuler, Weisser, Zoeller, Overbeck & Baxter. I still love the practice and living in Jupiter, FL, with my wife, Angela. Angela is originally from Brazil, and we attended the 21st annual family reunion there in March, then went on to Chile to explore that country—I recommend it highly. We’re leaving in a few weeks to go to Eastern Europe, Austria, Germany, and the Netherlands. Trying to exercise and keep these bones from getting too creaky and have been swept up in the pickleball mania along with my wife—although she beats me at that and still runs four miles a day!”

David Radin , former editor-in-chief of the Cornell Daily Sun during our days on the Hill, recently published a book, A Temporary Affair . His book is a collection of 31 talks given at Sunday morning sittings at the Ithaca Zen Center by Yoshin David Radin, founder of and abbot at the Ithaca Zen Center for the past 40 years. The talks were given at a time when David’s health was severely compromised by end-stage renal failure. Happily, in February 2019, he received a kidney transplant from a member of the Ithaca Zen Center, to whom the book is dedicated.

I look forward to receiving more news and updates from all of you! Please email me about you and your family with news you want to share with our classmates. ❖ Steve Weinberg, MBA ’70, JD ’71 ( email Steve ) | Alumni Directory .

This column is being written at the beginning of April, just about the time that registration information for Reunion 2024 is being made public. News of how our 55th Reunion fared on June 6–9 will be covered in a later column, but I plan to be there as it will mark the end of my term as Class of ’69 co-president. I am hoping for a good turnout. Catching up with friends in person is best—but here is some news received from other classmates that you may know, who may or may not be attending our 55th.

John Reilly (Arts) has retired in Erie, PA, after a 45-year career as a colon/rectal surgeon. He and his wife, Bette, have found great enjoyment in activities in support of the Erie Philharmonic. In addition to penning reminiscences of his days in surgical training at Bellevue Hospital in NYC, he relaxes at the piano, serves on local boards, and, as expected in retirement, travels to link up with family and friends. John keeps in close touch with his Sigma Nu buddies, the faithful custodians of shared memories of rites of passage: Bob “Bubba” Smith (Arts), Frank Pagano (Arts), and Marc Grabelsky (Ag), as well as with several fraternity brothers from that era who still look for any occasion to raise a glass at the Chapter Lodge on Willard Way. Finally, for over 40 years, John has treated several generations of family to the unique experience of Cornell’s Adult University, accompanied by the bliss of summer on the Hill. He looks forward to attending future courses, on and off campus, hoping to run into precious friends for encounters that summon up a special time—a time that, although now so long ago, “seems like only yesterday!”

Ann Sullivan (Arts), now retired, doesn’t have to travel to attend our Reunion, as she and her husband, Nick Salvatore (also retired, from the ILR School), are living in Ithaca. Ann writes that her days are filled with volunteer work and enjoying family in a wonderful place to live. Her daughter, Nora Salvatore ’01 , JD ’06, settled in Ithaca, too!

For over 40 years, John Reilly ’69 has treated several generations of family to the unique experience of Cornell’s Adult University, accompanied by the bliss of summer on the Hill.

Ron Gidron (Engr), MBA ’71, on the other hand, has a long way to go if he wants to attend a Reunion, as he and his wife, Lourdes Sanchez, are retired and living in Madrid, Spain. In December 2023, they invited all of their children and six grandchildren to join them in NYC, and reported it was great to rediscover that unique place with all of them. Ron has two grandsons and a nephew now living in the U.S., either studying or working. What he enjoys now (having closed his company last year) is composing music, writing a family history book dating to 2000 BC (!!), and teaching math, Hebrew, and music online to several young family members. They have been traveling mostly around Spain by using the state-owned Paradores Nacionales, which provides unique lodging in mostly historic buildings converted to hotels. Asked about his favorite memory of Cornell, Ron lists a number of them: professors Hans Bethe, Robert Moog , PhD ’65 , and Carl Sagan, discovering electronic music, designing the first computers, musical history classes as electives in the College of Arts and Sciences, the unique landscape of the Cornell campus and the Finger Lakes region, Willard Straight Hall and Uris Library, harsh winters, Collegetown, and downtown cinemas.

Another classmate living abroad is Kent Nadbornik (Hotel). He and his wife, Nina, call Helsinki, Finland, home. Turning 80 in February 2024 was a milestone for Kent, who enjoys walking outdoors and keeping track of his 11 grandchildren. Among his favorite memories of Cornell are serving as a banquet waiter in the Statler in 1965, food facilities engineering, and the design of Alcatraz food facilities.

Submitted by acting class correspondent and retiring class co-president: ❖ Greg Baum ( email Greg ) | Class website | Alumni Directory .

The writing and submission of this column has turned into a miracle. Originally there was not to be one, as there was no material. However, a miracle of some last-minute submissions and an allowance to submit after the deadline has allowed the continuation of a 1970 class column without a break since I volunteered to write one some years ago. Somehow this takes me back to the creation of papers, lab reports, and such as a student—a last-minute reprieve. So be it!

My focus on Cornell recently has been preparing for my 45th Johnson Reunion, along with the ever-interesting Continuous Reunion Club, now less than a month away. Be aware that our class 55th Reunion is now just a year away. If you have any thoughts or ideas, and wish to be involved or to volunteer, contact Sally Anne Levine , JD ’73, our class president. Find her contact info (and others’) through the Alumni Directory . Hope to see many of you there.

Nick Cooper (Draper, UT) responded positively and proudly to my request about those who might have stayed in engineering. “I got into engineering right out of school and continue to work as a consultant in the water field. I’m currently a senior project manager at AECOM, where I am also design manager for water and wastewater treatment projects.

My work has taken me around the world, to the Middle East, Southeast Asia, the U.K., and South America. Nick Cooper ’70

“My work has taken me around the world, to the Middle East, Southeast Asia, the U.K., and South America. My wife of 46 years, Deb, has been very patient while I travel. My employment for three consulting firms has meant that we’ve relocated as well. Utah is our seventh and last state. These days, I’m only commuting one or two weeks a month to California from our home in Draper, UT (a few miles south of Salt Lake City). Although I work full time, this feels like semi-retirement. I enjoy what I do and spend much time guiding clients and junior engineers on how to manage people and projects.

“I’ve been back to Ithaca a few times, including lectures to graduate civil engineering students on ‘Your Career Path.’ As an engineer, the thing that was the most beneficial to me is having gone to Cornell and started engineering before we had computers. I try to teach younger engineers to build the database of their mind—that is the most important value they have for clients.”

Merry Bloch Jones (Philadelphia, PA) responds as follows: “I’m living in Philadelphia, still writing suspense novels, just beginning my 22nd book, 15th spine-rattler. (Find them all on my website .) I also spend time rowing on the Schuylkill River and chasing grandkids (a new one coming this year!). Hoping to visit Cornell sometime soon to see all the changes.”

As always, you may contact me directly (see below) or you may use the University’s online news form . ❖ John Cecilia, MBA ’79 ( email John ) | Alumni Directory .

As I am putting the final touches on this column, it is the day of the “Great American Total Eclipse,” and I wonder how many of us shared this extraordinary cosmic phenomenon, as we have so many significant events during the past 74–75 years. If you experienced an eclipse adventure, please tell us about it.

Did you know that Naomi Guttman-Bass left her science profession behind for a career in the arts in Israel? After completing her BA degree at Cornell, Naomi continued to pursue her interest in science and biology, earning a PhD from MIT. Following years of scientific research both at Yale University and at the University of Jerusalem, she left academia to pursue a career in video production. She has been producing documentaries and short films ever since (for more than 25 years). Have you seen her latest documentary, UnReined , which tells the story of a young horseback rider who held the Israeli high jump record for 20 years? The film illustrates how a shared love for horses developed into a collaboration between Israelis and Palestinians. You can view UnReined here .

A group of 23 Psi Upsilon alums from the classes of 1970–73 gathered with a few members of SAE for a small reunion in Ithaca in late November 2023. Classmates Robert Bloch , Tom Brereton (and his wife, Amy), Eddie Kosteva , MBA ’73, Warren Baker (and his wife, Donna), Leo Reinsmith , ME ’72 (and his wife, Laurie (Bettan) ’72 ), and Gary Cokins joined in the festivities. Robert wrote on our class Facebook site that the passing of classmate Barry Cermak earlier in 2023 “made us realize that we should get together before more of us were unable.” Highlights of the weekend included a Friday evening dinner, a football game against Brown University, a Saturday barbeque, a visit to the former Psi U fraternity house (now a grad student dorm), side trips to Taughannock Falls and other points of interest, time on campus, and, most of all, sharing old memories and wallowing in nostalgia.

The Cornell Alumni Leadership Conference (CALC) is Cornell’s annual signature volunteer event, where Cornellians come together for a weekend full of discovery and inspiration. This year’s CALC was held in Baltimore, MD. To begin the weekend with some Big Red spirit, the Class of 1971 held a dinner at Café Gia on Friday evening, February 24. Dale Cohen , Mitchell Weisberg , Naomi Katz Mintz , Susan Deitz Milmoe , Martha Coultrap (and her husband, Harvey Bagg), Laurie Berke-Weiss (and her husband, Brian Berke), David Beale , and Barbara Brem Noveau (and her husband, Donald ’70 ), together with Sally Anne Levine ’70 , JD ’73, and Kate Freyer from Alumni Affairs and Development shared a delightful meal, reminisced, brainstormed additional ideas for our class history project, and began planning for our next Reunion.

In early March, Linda Germaine-Miller and Leslie Jennis Obus organized a lovely lunch in NYC for Martha Coultrap, Gilda Klein Linden , Laurie Berke-Weiss, Dale Cohen, and me. It was wonderful to spend time with friends we have known for over 50 years, to catch up on our current lives, and to reminisce about our time in Ithaca and days gone by. We all enjoyed the afternoon so much we are planning another in May!

Naomi Guttman-Bass ’71 left her science profession behind for a career in the arts in Israel.

Barbara Gelsky Popka and her husband, Ed ’70 , were married shortly before our graduation on March 27, 1971, but celebrated their anniversary last April (albeit two years late because of COVID) with a great party attended by friends and family. Ed and Barbara spend most of the year in Hilton Head, SC, and summer in Deep Creek Lake, MD. The Popkas have two children and four grandchildren (“the highlight of our lives”) living in the Atlanta and Baltimore areas, so they visit both places fairly frequently. The Popkas love to travel. In the past year they have visited Vietnam and Cambodia, toured Eastern Europe, cruised through the British Isles, and vacationed for a month in Hawaii. On schedule next: a cruise around South America and a 10-day trip to Cuba in May. Barbara’s fondest Cornell memories are her 9 p.m. “Straight breaks.” She would love to hear from other Cornellians and her contact information can be found in the Alumni Directory .

Marcia Wities Orange is immersed in Big Red this season. In April, she attended an excellent local presentation by Corey Earle ’07 , Cornell’s “unofficial historian,” titled “Cornell is Everywhere: How Our Everyday Lives are Shaped by Cornell.” Marcia noted, “It still amazes me when I am one of the oldest alums there, but after 50-plus years, logic says it really shouldn’t.” This summer, Marcia is looking forward to Cornell’s Adult University on campus and may also attend Reunion with the Continuous Reunion Club. Marcia is also attending the Cornell Theater Weekend in late April—totaling four Cornell events in four months!

Gail Sussman Marcus reports she has had a stable, happy, and lucky life. Gail has been living in Larchmont, NY, for 40 years. Since 1980, Gail has been teaching history at the Brearley School in Manhattan and continues to find joy and energy in the classroom and engaging with her students. She and her husband of more than 50 years, Marty, who has recently retired from his position as a judge in the Bronx Supreme Court, enjoy spending time with their two grown children, their children’s spouses, and four growing grandchildren.

Down in Lower Manhattan, Richard Warshauer leads an annual historical walking tour, “The Great Crashes of Wall Street.” He sent us a wonderful photo from his last one featuring Richard and his Cornell flatmate and lifelong friend James Wanderstock . Richard, who founded the tour after the stock market crash of 1987 says, “If we’ve learned anything from history, it is that history repeats itself.” Any history buffs, classmates intrigued by the financial markets, or people looking to spend a few interesting and enjoyable hours in Manhattan, contact Richard (who can also be found in the Alumni Directory ) for information about his next tour.

Have you participated in our class history project yet? Dale Cohen, Martha Coultrap, Irmgard Dick , MAT ’72 (known in Cornell years as “Victoria Elmer”), Kathy Ellison Lindeman , Naomi Katz Mintz, Arthur Lasko , Mike Licitra , Molly Mead , Arthur Mintz , Sharon Schatz , Jim Schiffman , and Mitch Weisberg joined the monthly conversation last March. Participants discussed our junior and senior years with an emphasis on Cornell traditions. The wide-ranging conversation touched on the Vietnam War, sex, drugs, and rock and roll, dogs roaming on campus , campus movies, the teach-in at Barton Hall, taking manual notes in class, slide rules, the 18-year-old legal drinking age, activist David Burak ’67 , MFA ’80, and Jeff Dowd (the son of Cornell Economics professor Douglas Dowd), who was the Coen brothers’ inspiration for the Dude character in The Big Lebowski . “Tumultuous” was Jim Schiffman’s description of our time on the Hill.

Does Cornell continue to have an impact on your life? Please write and tell us how—we always look forward to hearing from you! Cara Nash Iason ( email Cara ) | Elisabeth Kaplan Boas ( email Elisabeth ) | Alumni Directory .

Richard Joslyn , PhD ’77, retired in 2020, after a 44-year career as a political science professor and academic administrator at Temple University, which included teaching at, and being the dean of, the university’s campus in Tokyo. He writes, “When I locked my office door on Friday, March 13, 2020, to finish out the semester virtually, I had no idea I would not be able to return for two years to clean it out. Unfortunately, the COVID experience has taught me the extent to which many of my fellow citizens have little regard for the health and safety of others. Could we endure the kinds of sacrifices and deprivations our parents and grandparents did during the WWII years, in support of a greater good? I have my doubts.

“I retained my sanity during the abrupt change to an isolated COVID-induced protective bubble by co-authoring a book about the history of Temple’s campus in Japan (1980–present), published by Temple University Press. It is available on Amazon. The story includes villains and heroes, periods of rapid growth and sharp decline, and complicated relationships with several Japanese partners fighting for respect and fair treatment by the government of Japan and enduring the Japanese economic crash, tsunami, and nuclear meltdowns. But today the campus has over 2,000 matriculated undergraduates from around the world and plans to open an additional campus in Kyoto.”

Peter Fortunato ’s memoir, Desert Wind: My Life in Qatar , came out in March 2023. It recounts his experiences teaching in the pre-medical department of Weill Cornell Medicine in Qatar from 2005–09. He writes, “This was a crucial time for the country as it emerged on the world stage, and important for me both professionally and personally. This is one of the only books in English to detail the expat experience of interacting with Qatari natives.”

These days, Peter is writing, painting, and doing community service in Ithaca. “Although I left classroom teaching in 2013, I’m as busy as can be with projects. My wife of 51 years, the poet Mary Gilliland ’73 , MAT ’80, has had three collections of her poetry published in the past two years and is riding a wave of success!” When asked about his time on the Hill, Peter fondly recalls his friendships with his roommates “and all that we went through together, 1968–72. We still keep in touch often!”

Peter Fortunato ’72 ’s memoir recounts his experiences teaching in the pre-medical department of Weill Cornell Medicine in Qatar.

Artist and writer Sarah Sutro shares, “My second book of poetry, Natural Wonders , comes out on August 9, 2024, with Finishing Line Press. The poems, deeply entwined with nature, offer the reader an experience of intense immersion in, and balance with, the Earth. A kind of rallying to care for Earth’s house and our ultimate survival, they stress the necessity to repeat these daily excursions and the urgency to keep on cultivating, walking, praising, looking ahead—ultimately conversing with the Earth every day to protect and appreciate her. Natural Wonders celebrates coming home to a sense of place in the natural world, with occasional ominous reverberations from the world stage. For the month of September, I will be in a two-person show, ‘Out of Time: Memory Portraits,’ at the Third Eye Gallery in Hoosic Falls, NY.”

A previous finalist for the Robert Frost poetry award, Sarah has published poetry in the U.S., Europe, and Asia. Previous works include her chapbook Études (Finishing Line Press, 2016), and her book of essays COLORS: Passages through Art, Asia and Nature (Blue Asia Press, 2011). Her writings have been included in journals, newspapers, and anthologies, and she has been a writer and reviewer for American Arts Quarterly and Berkshire Fine Arts . In addition to her Cornell degree, Sarah also holds degrees from Yale at Norfolk and University of the Arts, London, and for many years she taught college courses in art and interdisciplinary studies in the Boston area. Her paintings can be seen at her website .

Margo Rogers Lesser writes, “This news is prompted by the note from Elias Savada ,” who shared in the May/June Class Notes column that he and his wife, Andrea, are “still waiting for grandkids.” Shares Margo: “We had given up on becoming grandparents, but in February 2023 our daughter and son-in-law (married almost eight years at that time) had a beautiful little girl, who has given us incredible joy. And as I write this, our son and daughter-in-law (married 10 years) are on the verge of ‘giving us’ a second grandbaby. Amazingly enough (and luckily for us), they all live within an hour of our primary residence. Don’t give up, Elias!”

Margo adds, “I’m basically retired but still work regularly to keep my co-authored treatise, Michigan Corporation Law & Practice, updated. For many years, I did volunteer work with the local child abuse and neglect charitable and advocacy organization, which I still support philanthropically. My husband (Princeton ’72), an ophthalmologist, specialized in glaucoma and cataract surgery, retired at the beginning of 2020, and pursued relocating our primary residence from a big house in Birmingham, MI, to a condo in Bloomfield Hills—a crazy process during the pandemic. But despite the difficulty of downsizing and moving at that time, I admit that life is easier in a good condo community.

“Attending Cornell definitely changed the trajectory of my life! When I was growing up, my understanding/assumptions about what women could do—beyond wife, mother, household manager, and hostess—were limited to secretary, stewardess, teacher, and other school worker. While in junior high and high school, I discovered a facility in languages and allowed myself to think about a future in diplomacy, or at least as an interpreter at the U.N. That was why I chose Cornell—because of the strength of the language program. I gradually shifted into government and history, and ended up going to law school, where I thrived.” ❖ Frank Dawson ( email Frank ) | Alex Barna ( email Alex ) | Wes Schulz , ME ’73 ( email Wes ) | Susan Farber Straus ( email Susan ) | Alumni Directory .

Wayne Merkelson , JD ’75, and spouse Nancy Roistacher ’72 are two of this year’s five Frank H.T. Rhodes Exemplary Alumni Service Award recipients. This award recognizes alumni who have demonstrated extraordinary service to Cornell through long-term volunteer activities. Congratulations to these two outstanding alumni who continue to give countless hours to Cornell. Wayne and Nancy write, “We are honored even to be thought about for such an honor, and we hope to remain involved and keep giving back as long as we are able to do so.” Wayne currently serves our class as Cornell Fund co-chair with Susan Murphy , PhD ’94, as well as nominations chair. My non-Cornell spouse and I enjoyed a delightful brunch with Wayne and Nancy in Cincinnati last October while they were on one of their trips to visit state capitals. It was Wayne who contacted me over 25 years ago, encouraging me to volunteer for our class, and it has been a very fulfilling experience.

Congratulations to Paul Cashman upon his election to Cornell’s Board of Trustees. Paul is a 2020 recipient of the Rhodes Exemplary Alumni Service Award, immediate past president, and current web community manager for our class. As grandparent to two cats, I really appreciate Paul’s love of cats, which he has combined with his interest in software, “through mentoring student teams developing an app for the Cornell Feline Health Center (CFHC), being a technical mentor at Cornell Animal Health Hackathons, and developing an AI system with the CFHC to support their national citizen-science project to perform a health census of the U.S. feral cat population.”

Mary Gilliland , MAT ’80, senior lecturer emeritus, CAS Knight Institute for Writing, has a new book of poetry published this year titled Ember Days . Its poems “feature soldiers under duress, models transformed to artists, descendants of forced immigrants, survivors of hurricanes, and witnesses for peace—stepping up to our world’s disasters, leveling with its possibilities, and interrogating faith, justice, militarism, madness, and the perception and affection of intimate relationships.” Mary’s previous book The Devil’s Fools (2022) won the Codhill Press Pauline Uchmanowicz Poetry Award. Her other award-winning poetry collection is The Ruined Walled Castle Garden (2020). She is the recipient of a Council on the Arts Faculty Grant from Cornell, where she created and taught seminars such as “Ecosystems & Ego Systems” and “America Dreaming.”

I’m developing an AI system with the Cornell Feline Health Center to support their project to perform a health census of the U.S. feral cat population. Paul Cashman ’73

Natalie Tyler , spouse of classmate David Riede , who lives just up the interstate from me in Columbus, OH, writes that she “remains introverted, small-talk adverse, and terminally shy.” Natalie’s best Cornell memories include “listening to classmates who were brilliant.” She thanks a sampling of the many who helped her “appreciate the arts from many directions, how to think and write critically, how politics work, and how to ask questions.” They include William Cowdery , PhD ’89, Jeff and Robin Marantz Henig , Mitch Weiss , Louise Eisenbrey Wakefield , Diana Straight , Margot Murtaugh , Louise Shelley ’72 , Mona Deutsch Miller , Jeff Newman , and Gary Borgida ’70 . Natalie gets the most satisfaction these days from listening to opera, rereading Anthony Trollope, and poetry.

Michael Van Valkenburgh is the creative director of Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates Inc. (MVVA), a landscape architecture firm he founded in 1982. He had a new book published earlier this year regarding one of MVVA’s iconic parks, titled Brooklyn Bridge Park . This book is “MVVA’s 23-year story of transforming 85 acres of Brooklyn waterfront into parkland that reconnects New Yorkers to the East River. It examines MVVA’s process of designing a park that went from a remote possibility to an essential part of the city around it.” Michael, thank you for your persistence and creativity.

Send news to: ❖ Pam Meyers ( email Pam ) | Phyllis Haight Grummon ( email Phyllis ) | Dave Ross ( email Dave ) | Alumni Directory .

The teeny-tiniest of columns this time, as we hope everyone has been saving up news to share at our 50th Reunion! The almost-empty class mailbox was cheered to hear from Raymond Seraydarian , ME ’76, who has recently moved to the Mission Hills neighborhood of San Diego. His favorite memory from his time at Cornell is the Christmas program of “Lessons and Carols” held in Sage Chapel.

Ronald Pies also wrote to alert us that he has just published a book, titled The Anatomy of Gratitude , which is a survey of this important quality in six of the world’s great spiritual traditions. “I try to practice cultivating gratitude every day, with some days admittedly more difficult than others!” Ron has recently retired from the practice of psychiatry.

With gratitude to you all for whatever news you are willing to share. ❖ Molly Miller Ettenger ( email Molly ) | Jim Schoonmaker ( email Jim ) | Alumni Directory .

We have lots of news on how our classmates celebrated their 70th birthdays! Did we ever think that was going to be a number in our lives? Paula Amols celebrated hers with a trip to Iceland, where she got a glimpse of the Northern Lights! The highlight was a helicopter ride over the volcanic southwestern region of the country. “One volcano had erupted two days earlier,” she writes. “The mix of lava fields with beautiful views of snow-covered volcanoes was stunning.” While an adventurist on trying foods, she did avoid the fermented shark and the boiled sheep’s head. Upon her return home, she had a larger family celebration, which included her brother, who turned 75. Paula has a side hustle: she owns microshares in racehorses! One is on the Kentucky Derby trail! She devotes her time at her local SPCA. She also assists in another organization to help people age in place by providing social activities and helpful services.

Kathryn Gabinet-Kroo drove from Montreal with her family all the way to Cleveland, joining up for a family reunion to celebrate her birthday. In all, there were 12 adults, six kids, and plenty of great stories that were salted with food and drink. Frank Goodwin and his wife went south—way south, to Antarctica—for his 70th. They camped in a tent on Kerr Point. Walter Krepcio shares his birthday news from Augusta, GA. He lives about a mile from Augusta National Golf Club. “For my 70th I appeared as a guest co-DJ on a doowop radio program on Wesleyan University WESU-FM in Middletown, CT. I’m into ’50s music—I always listened to Rockin’ Remnants on Saturday nights on WVBR when I was a student.” After that gig, the family went on a Seabourn three-week cruise to a lot of Caribbean islands. “What a blast,” he says, adding that he hopes to go on many more cruises! Roberta Moran writes that her 70th birthday was spent signing up for social security. Ken Englander did not want any kind of big party, and that worked out well. It happened that five people in his family have birthdays around the same time, so his granddaughter made custom cakes for each of them. He notes, “The best part was on my 70th, we all enjoyed watching our hometown Kansas City Chiefs win the Super Bowl! That is a pretty cool memory of the day.”

In other news, Beverly Spivey-Rivers writes from North Carolina that her favorite Cornell memory is running up the Hill from freshman dorms to get to the Hot Truck! She is an ordained Baptist minister and continues to serve in this calling. Greatest source of satisfaction for her? Spending time with family and friends and serving in her ministry. William Martin takes great satisfaction in restoring his 1800s barns and more. He continues to serve as an officer for two different charitable organizations. His fondest memories at Cornell include living with the guys at Cayuga Lodge and the camaraderie from that. He took pride in taking some hard and NOT required electives like organic chemistry and physics and loved working at Bob’s Hot Truck! Suzy Nagin Klass has retired from social work and is now a certified end-of-life doula, working primarily in Manhattan. She centers her work on supporting the emotional and spiritual needs of the dying person, along with providing support to the person’s family members and caregivers.

Elisabeth Rittner Needleman lives in Watertown, MA. Her favorite memories of Cornell? The library, the sense of independence, the beautiful natural surroundings, and reading poetry with friends.

Lynn Rosenbluth Saltz and husband Rick ’73 , MBA ’74, celebrated the marriage of their daughter, Marcy ’06 to Andrew Ogulnik on September 30, in Greenwich Village in New York. About a third of the guests were Cornellians. Both Lynn and Rich are happily retired and are “just doing what they want to do.”

Paula Amols ’75 celebrated her 70th birthday with a trip to Iceland, where she got a glimpse of the Northern Lights!

Jan Carr (New York City) wrote to us about her new children’s book, Pet-a-Palooza , which is the third book in her chapter-book series of Buddy and Bea. The books were inspired by Jan’s experience as a teacher and by her academic studies at Cornell in human development and family studies. “These books are for ages 5–8—you will laugh out loud as you read these to youngsters,” she says. Jan still keeps in touch with Ellen Cohen , her freshman roommate in Mary Donlon Hall. Randomly paired by the university as roommates, they are still very close. She also sees Rudy Perkins , Martha Simon , and Michael Miller ’74 .

Peter Kaestner holds the world record for viewing the most bird species—and in February 2024, he achieved his personal goal of viewing 10,000 species when he spotted an orange-tufted spiderhunter!

By the time this column goes to print, college basketball won’t even be in your rear-view mirror! Nonetheless, I joined the ILR Alumni Association of Northern New Jersey for a Princeton/Cornell game back in March. Jordan Berman ’95 was the host of the pre-game festivities at Princeton. Jordan is founder and CEO of OFC, a video production company that centers itself on creative communications. The pre-game was a lot of fun. Cornell lost—but our daughter, who is at Princeton for her PhD, was happy.

I myself just learned that I have been awarded a Fulbright scholarship to teach and conduct research at the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid in Madrid, Spain, for either the fall 2024 or the spring 2025 semester. Husband Joel and I have become grandparents again—two little boys now.

Please take a few minutes to send us highlights of your life after Cornell, college friends you’ve seen, and memorable moments on campus, and we’ll share the news in our upcoming columns. ❖ Karen DeMarco Boroff ( email Karen ) | Mitch Frank ( email Mitch ) | Joan Pease ( email Joan ) | Deb Gellman , MBA ’82 ( email Deb ) | Alumni Directory .

We received a letter from a senior principal process engineer from 24M Technologies, who was writing to praise “an amazing engineer,” our very own Ray Zagars , ME ’77. “Ray is a special human being; he is both an extremely qualified engineer and an amazing people person. No doubt Ray’s success can be attributed to the foundation Cornell provided. He has been a driving force in the success of 24M Technologies for over 10 years now. 24M grew out of a lab at MIT to produce semi-solid lithium-ion batteries; because of Ray’s knowledge and training, the company is changing the way the world stores energy. I am selfishly saddened that Ray has made the decision to retire at the end of this month.” Congratulations on your retirement and your successful career, Ray!

Thad Rutkowski has a new book , Safe Colors , a novel of short fictions. This autobiographical novel tells the story of a biracial boy whose struggles to fit in run from childhood to middle age. The book is filled with incidents revolving around the search for identity. A press release says that Thad perfectly captures the loneliness and isolation of a nowhere man lost in a nowhere land, searching for that elusive “somewhere” in which he can finally be someone.

Abdullah Sami Paksoy , ME ’77, writes that daughter Elif lives in Northern Italy; son Mustafa, in San Francisco, has been married to Anabel for almost eight years now and they have two boys, Zeki, born in 2021, named after his father-in-law, and Aydin, born in 2023. Abdullah and wife Halime are busy in their home in Adana, Turkey. Last August, they celebrated their 40th anniversary with family in Sardinia and recently visited Mexico City for the first time. He writes that they shuttle back and forth and love spending time with family. Their two kids plus two grandchildren are their pride and joy. He also loves building toys for his grandchildren.

Paul Stander ’76 is happy to say that he survived both the Drake Passage and the polar plunge!

In January 2024, Paul Stander and his daughter—and a contingent of some 50 Cornellians—traveled to Argentina and Antarctica with Cornell Alumni Travel for the trip of a lifetime. Paul is happy to say that he survived both the Drake Passage and the polar plunge! It was a fantastic experience! Paul continues to work as the chief of geriatrics at V.A. Phoenix Health Care System, as well as the Hospice of the Valley in Phoenix, and is vice chair of the board of trustees for Vitalant Inc. This is the second-largest blood banking company in the country. He asks that you donate blood if you can, as it is very much needed. Paul still manages to enjoy a workout, playing golf, and playing bridge. A lot has changed in the 40 years since he last played as a freshman at Cornell, but he is slowly getting it together.

Donna Tesiero is pleased to announce the recent publication of her book , A Revolutionary Woman: Elizabeth Freeman and the Abolition of Slavery in the North (McFarland & Company). According to the publisher, “Elizabeth Freeman was an enslaved widow and mother living in Massachusetts at the end of the American Revolution. Hearing the words of the new Massachusetts state constitution, which declared liberty and equality for all, she sought the help of a young lawyer named Theodore Sedgwick, later Speaker of the House and one of America’s leading Federalist politicians. The lawsuit that she and Sedgwick pursued would bring freedom to her and her daughter, as well as thousands of other enslaved people.” Donna adds, “My daughter and her husband, Tony, are expecting their second child in July; she’ll be joining older sister Sofia, age 2.”

Thank you for sending us your news! It is appreciated by all. ❖ Lisa Diamant ( email Lisa ) | Pat Relf Hanavan ( email Pat ) | Alumni Directory .

In the absence of any news from our classmates, I will take the Correspondent’s Prerogative (if that is a thing) of writing about what I have been doing over the past several decades.

Since the late 1980s, I have been caring for patients with heart failure, which, as the name implies, is the inability of the heart to provide blood, oxygen, and nutrients to the rest of the body. Among the miracles of modern medicine are the medications that take the stress off the failing heart, improving survival and quality of life. Many people who I saw earlier in my career—and who would have died—can now, as a result of modern medicine, return to normal lives and have their hearts recover. Unfortunately, there are some patients who, despite modern medicine, do not improve, and for those patients (who have what we call advanced heart failure) the options are either heart transplantation, mechanical circulatory support, or ventricular assist devices, which are pumps that help the heart pump.

One question is whether the future of advanced heart failure is biological (heart transplantation and other potential therapies) or mechanical (mechanical circulatory support). Both have been successful in improving survival and quality of life. Newer advances such as gene therapy or xenotransplant (transplants from pigs) on the biological side or newer, smaller, more durable ventricular assist devices on the mechanical side make this a rapidly evolving field. The good news is that patients with heart failure have many medical options that can improve their heart function, survival, and quality of life. For those who don’t derive benefit from medications, there are biological and mechanical options that can improve survival and quality of life. Stay tuned.

Hope you enjoyed the science lesson (there will be no credit; you audited it). Here’s to continued travel and adventures with family and friends in 2024. Please stay safe, be careful, and, as always, follow the science. Best wishes.

Please keep all of your news and views coming in! ❖ Howie Eisen ( email Howie ) | Mary Flynn ( email Mary ) | Alumni Directory .

A very short update this time around. Don’t be shy, classmates—tell us what you’re up to these days!

Thanks to the generosity of our classmate Roger Strauch and his brother Hans Strauch ’80 , the College of Architecture, Art, and Planning continues to increase the accessibility of academic careers to emerging scholars and practitioners in those disciplines. The college recently announced the establishment of a new endowed Strauch Early Career Fellow, an annual appointment funded by the brothers. Through gifts totaling $1M on behalf of the Mosse Foundation, the brothers have championed the college’s efforts to create more robust pathways to academic careers.

“We focus our philanthropic endeavors on supporting progressive leaders and institutions that develop opportunities for talented people and dedicated professionals to respond to daunting societal challenges,” said the Strauches. “We are inspired by Dean J. Meejin Yoon’s leadership and her focus on identifying, attracting, and supporting talented, early-career educators who contribute fresh ideas and perspectives. We share her confidence that this endowed fund will lead to impactful and effective approaches to how society designs and builds environments that dramatically improve how we live and work more economically, peacefully, and comfortably—both individually and collectively.”

In retirement, Bob Annear works for a company that gives support to the Navajo Nation in the Four Corners area of the Southwest. With many poverty-related diseases and issues in the Nation, his organization provides much-needed revenue and jobs. Living in Boulder, CO, Bob enjoys the long winter ski seasons. He also gets satisfaction from coaching lacrosse at a local high school and, he says, “watching my son grow into a productive member of the community.”

Mick Rogers writes that he and his wife, Pam Marrone , are approaching retirement at different speeds. While Mick is winding down his work guiding Master of Social Work graduate students from Smith College in the San Francisco Bay Area, peer-reviewing clinical social work articles, and providing ethics consultations to members of California’s clinical society, Pam has started up a new company—the Invasive Species Corporation. This is the fourth company that Pam has established in Davis, CA. She serves as executive chair and co-founder.

That’s all I’ve got for now. Keep up with Cornell news at the Cornellians website , submit an online news form , or send an email to either of your class correspondents: ❖ Ilene Shub Lefland ( email Ilene ) | Cindy Fuller , PhD ’92 ( email Cindy ) | Alumni Directory .

Sunny Hallanan resides in Belgium, where she continues to be the country’s only Episcopal priest. For the last 12 years, she has led one parish and three missions there, and also travels quarterly to a new mission church in Tbilisi, Georgia (the country, not the state!). Sunny lives on the edge of the Waterloo battlefield, where she enjoys running. She says she can’t understand why more people don’t visit Belgium, which she calls a “hidden gem.” Sunny is proud of her daughter, a Chicago firefighter, and son, a dairy farmer for the University of Pennsylvania. She has two grandsons.

Updating his recent report, Bill Gallagher says that he was offered a contract extension for the 2024–25 school year to continue teaching at CEVRO Institute in downtown Prague. Bill calls his experience teaching abroad after 40 years in the business world “a brave new world,” adding, “I’ve been enjoying it immensely, and to do it overseas in a different cultural environment is a wonderful experience.” Bill’s favorite Cornell memories include: Lynah Rink, Louie’s Lunch, Willard Straight, the Quad, the Haunt, the Rongo on Fridays, Green Dragon coffee shop (“a welcome respite from the cold walk up the Hill”), and being “soaked and chilled to the bone” playing rugby on Upper Alumni Field.

Charlie Howland of Lower Merion Township, PA, says he frequently asks friends and colleagues, “How does one know when to retire?” As for himself, he reports: “Technically I retired from the EPA in 2018, after a 28-year career as an enforcement attorney, focused on cleanups of contaminated land. But I did so to jump into a second career, as a partner at an international-focused law firm based in New York, heading its environmental group.” Over the past several years, Charlie has spent “serious chunks of time” in India, Kazakhstan, Norway, Panama, Spain, and Uzbekistan,” both for clients, as a Fulbright Specialist teaching environmental and energy law, and for fun with his family. He believes that his time at Cornell, with professors LaFeber, Polenberg, Weiss, Moore, and others, helped prepare him for international work, especially during this time. He’s observed that the U.S. appears quite a bit different from abroad than it does from within. Charlie said he keeps up with all things Cornell primarily through regular visits with his cousin and his wife, both of whom are Cornell English professors. His son, Baird ’18 , BA ’17, is pursuing a PhD in communications at the Annenberg School at Penn. And his daughter, Carolina (Elon ’14, Stern MBA ’23), is a director at IBM, focused on cybersecurity and sustainability offerings. Wife Beth Saslow continues seeing young children as part of her psychology practice at Cooper Hospital in Camden, NJ. At the time of this writing, Charlie was hoping to attend our 45th Reunion.

After retiring in late 2017, Lloyd Herman has been spending his days biking, sailing and kayaking when the weather permits, and doing yoga and reading on inclement days. He says he is particularly satisfied by “sunrise in a kayak on a warm, calm summer day.” Lloyd says he recommends retirement for everyone, “early and often.” Lloyd and wife Julie Lim’s son got married (to a Cornellian!) in 2019, but they are “still waiting for the next generation.” He believes Cornell changed the trajectory of his life, stating, “I doubt I would have made it to law school without Cornell for an undergraduate school.”

Brad and Mary Maxon Grainger , MPS ’87, had two “epic experiences” this past spring. Their first adventure was a tour of four ice hockey rinks in a span of three weeks. First up was Lynah Rink, where they witnessed the Cornell men’s hockey team defeat Harvard (twice) to advance to the ECAC playoffs. Next, they journeyed to Lake Placid, where they saw Cornell beat their opponents at the Herb Brooks Arena, becoming ECAC champions. In Springfield, MA, they saw Cornell advance to the NCAA “elite eight,” and, several days later, at the Adirondack Bank Center, they watched Canada vs. Finland in international women’s hockey, featuring three Cornell women’s hockey alumnae. Brad and Mary’s second experience involved traveling back to Lake Placid to experience the solar eclipse totality on April 8. “Fortunately, the skies were quite favorable, and we were very glad to be there and to help Mary’s brother Bob Maxon ’87 broadcast it live on NBC Connecticut.”

Sunny Hallanan ’79 resides in Belgium, where she continues to be the country’s only Episcopal priest.

At the time of her April submission for this column, Margie Wang was anticipating catching up with Wendy Schaenen , MD ’83, Laura Hitt McCann , Laura Dorfman , and other Tri-Delta sisters at Reunion. She and her husband, Bill, are relishing their new role as grandparents as daughter Marlene Wang ’11 and son-in-law Tom Hudson ’11 welcomed their first child, Amelie, in June 2023. Additionally, son Alexander Wang ’14 was scheduled to complete his MBA at NYU Stern with a class trip to the Cannes Film Festival in May.

In April, Nancy Sverdlik reunited with ILR classmates Howie Lavin , Brian Linder , Jedd Mendelson , John Scelfo , MBA ’80, and Janet Goldin Rubin over dinner in NYC. The following day, she, along with Howie, Jedd, and John, attended the ILR Groat and Alpern Awards ceremony, held at NYC’s Pierre Hotel. The award (which John Scelfo received in 2011), is named for Jerry Alpern ’49 , MBA ’50, father-in-law of classmate Ricky Fisch , MBA ’80.

Jeff Berg , ME ’80, MBA ’81, relays that he and his wife, Debra Paget, celebrated their 40th anniversary with an “amazing bucket-list five-week ocean cruise in Southeast Asia” during March and April 2024. They visited Indonesia (Bali and Java), Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, and Hong Kong. In all, they took in nine countries, including the flight connections they made through Doha and Seoul.

Speaking of big trips, my husband, Jeff Riback ’75 , and I ( Danna Levy ) journeyed to Australia and New Zealand for the month of January. It was our farthest and longest journey to date, and despite any pre-travel anxiety over the distance and length of the trip, we settled in quickly and thoroughly enjoyed our time in Sydney, Melbourne, Hobart (Tasmania), and Auckland. Highly recommended! In other news, I have decided to make this Class Notes column my last. I’ve enjoyed reporting all your “news that was fit to print” during these past five years, and writing our class newsletter for the five years prior. Thanks to all the classmates who provided me with material for this column, and to those of you who contacted me offline to say “hi” or to relay comments, mostly about my Major League Baseball stadium odyssey (which I hope to complete this summer!). Sending best wishes to all!

Please submit future updates on your travels, jobs, retirements, and other personal and family news via the Share Your News form, the online news form , or emails sent directly to the continuing class correspondents, Linda Moses and Cynthia Ahlgren Shea . ❖ Danna Levy ( email Danna ) | Linda Moses ( email Linda ) | Cynthia Ahlgren Shea ( email Cynthia ) | Alumni Directory .

Since we did not receive news submissions for this column, I am sharing my firsthand experiences and welcome your input and dialogue as we approach our 45th Reunion next summer. We look forward to reconnecting through pre-Reunion events and on campus, celebrating our time at Cornell and investing in the success of the current students and the University.

I visited campus twice during the spring months: in early May to attend the Cornell Hillel Board of Trustees retreat, and in early June to attend the Class of 1979 45th Reunion with friends from the class. I served as trustee and co-chair of the Campus Climate Committee for the Cornell Hillel Board of Trustees during the 2023–24 academic year.

Campus was filled with the usual activities, excitement, and energy in early May, as classes came to an end and students were busy with finishing papers and preparing for exams. Along with my fellow trustees, I had the opportunity to spend time with students and Hillel staff, enjoy a boat tour of Cayuga Lake, experience Shabbat services and dinner at 104West!, and attend a dessert reception and board meeting at the North Campus house where Hillel hosted events during the 2023–24 academic year. During this campus visit, the encampment was parked on a corner of the Arts Quad with tents and signs and a small number of students wearing masks and milling around behind a tarp wall.

While students pursued their campus academic and extracurricular activities, they experienced the spring semester of 2024 overshadowed by the horrible terrorist attacks in Israel on October 7, 2023, the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, and campus controversies involving protests.

In early June, campus was filled with proud and excited alumni of all ages wearing red, marveling at the new residential and academic buildings, and warmly embracing classmates they had not seen for many years. The Class of 1979 stayed in one of the new North Campus dorms, Hu Shih Hall (our class Reunion destination next year), evoking memories of freshman year hanging out in the dorm lounge and making friends. West Campus U-Hall dorm living does not compare with the sparkling newness and modernity of Hu Shih Hall, with rooms and bathrooms organized by pods, cooling temperature control, spacious well-lit hallways, and a courtyard for outdoor gatherings.

I visited campus twice during the spring months. Leona Barsky ’80, MS ’81

Cornell Reunion provided a captivating and timely smorgasbord of educational, social, and cultural opportunities, with programs about: global domestic resilience; artificial intelligence; robots and space; synthetic biology; Toni Morrison , MA ’55 ; entrepreneurship and women C-suite officers; campus climate; and antisemitism, Islamophobia, and racism and the 1935 Nuremberg Laws. There was also a Hillel reception at the new building site, a tour of the Human Ecology Fashion + Textile Collection and the NanoScale Facility, welcome cocktail receptions and breakfasts at the colleges, an enjoyable Q&A session with Andrew Ross Sorkin ’99 for the Olin Lecture in Bailey Hall, the final Reunion address from President Martha Pollack on Saturday morning, and Cornell music shows, including the Savage Club, the Glee Club, Redstock, and Cornelliana Night.

There was time to dance in the tent parties, reminisce at fraternities and sororities, canoe on and walk around Beebe Lake, hike Cascadilla Gorge, take a tour of the Botanic Garden or the Lab of Ornithology and Sapsucker Woods, try rappelling at Schoellkopf Stadium, and, of course, enjoy Cornell ice cream at the ice cream socials and the Dairy Bar. The library offered three sessions for a popular genealogy research seminar referencing the complimentary genealogy guidance posted on the library website.

Classmates enthusiastically participated in the Class of 1979 Reunion activities to reconnect with friends from this class and learn practical tips for planning our upcoming 45th Reunion on June 5–8, 2025, including Mollie Pulver and Todd Wolleman (Reunion co-chairs), Nancy MacIntyre Hollinshead , Beth Anderson , and Nate Weiss . We encourage you to share your news, participate in Class of 1980 social media and pre-Reunion events, and volunteer for Reunion.

Our 45th Reunion will be memorable and a wonderful way to enjoy spending time on campus with your friends after missing our 40th Reunion weekend due to the COVID-19 pandemic. ❖ Leona Barsky, MS ’81 ( email Leona ) | Dik Saalfeld ( email Dik ) | Chas Horvath, ME ’81 ( email Chas ) | David Durfee ( email David ) | Alumni Directory .

I am happy to report that my family and I are doing well. My daughter, Ella, will be attending University of Florida this fall. We are super excited to be a “Gator family.” (We love the Big Red, but we will also love our new school!) My son, Brayden, will be transferring from Boca Raton Community High School to Dreyfoos School of the Arts, where his specialty will be theater tech! He absolutely loves the behind-the-scenes of building the scenery and directing. I am also delighted that two of the prospective students that I met with in the fall will be attending Cornell! I’m still hard at work raising funds for Hadassah Hospital in Jerusalem, Israel.

Karen Levine Whitman is now planning the annual June Class of ’81 dinner in NYC around the NYU Hospitality Investment Conference dinner. Guests always include Kenny Blatt , Karen, Dan Miller , Erik Nylen , Joe Ziskin , Russ Urban , Mike DeNicola ’80 , Rob Mandelbaum , Rachel Lipschutz, and others.

Down the road from me in Boca Raton, Kenny Blatt tells us that daughter Maya ’27 is a rising sophomore Hotelie and loved her first year. Also in Florida are Mike and Tanis MacKay Bell , who are living in Plantation and Gainesville. Tanis grew up in Williamsville, NY, and freshman year on the Hill she lived in U-Hall 3. She was involved with the Noyes Center programming board, Willard Straight dining, the pre-vet society, and ski club, and she was an orientation counselor. When she wasn’t in class, Tanis was at the apartment on 614 Stewart Ave. with Theresa Wrobel , Jaquelyn Fitch Fleckenstein , Jennifer Read Campbell , Mary Ellen Plubell Miller ’82 , Nancy McDonald Cousins , James Hahn , and Mike Bell. Her favorite memories are with Mike, her partner and best friend, “walking and walking and walking” on the gorge trails, the suspension bridge, and around Beebe Lake—plus working for Willard Straight dining with so many wonderful friends and eating dinner together like a big family every night in Okenshields, parties at the Straight, dancing at Nite Court, the Pancake House, playing volleyball and broom hockey, hockey games and sleeping out for season tickets, and the “mug club” at the pub.

Mike is now retired, so they are enjoying trips to spend time with their four kids and grandson, who are sprinkled across the country. Tanis is volunteering as a vet tech weekly at the Humane Society and the South Florida Wildlife Center and they are fostering kittens, baby squirrels, and baby possums. They purchased a second home up in Gainesville, so as to be able to spend more time with their grandson! They have been resuming their road trips, “which allow us to reconnect with our Cornell friends, and we now have a teardrop trailer to pull along with us!” Their plan ended up quite different than expected, starting with settling in South Florida; the plan was just to be there for Mike’s residency. Tanis was a stay-at-home mom to their four kids, and she then became a full-time volunteer in the public school system for 22 years (which had not been on her radar). She has enjoyed being able to focus on working with animals since the kids all finished school. She feels so fortunate to have a happy and fulfilling life.

Claudia Bloom tells us she met up with John Hoffman for drinks at the Beekman Hotel in New York City. John had been nominated for his documentary short film, The Barber of Little Rock , as the co-director. They caught up and toasted the excitement of his new film!

Lori Balton ’81 is a location scout for Netflix, Disney, Paramount, Warner Bros., Sony, and Amazon.

In North Carolina, David Boraks had retired in January from WFAE, the Charlotte NPR station. So far, he is “failing” at retirement. He’s taken on multiple freelance projects, including two podcasts, occasional work for two public radio stations in North Carolina, and some magazine writing. But he does have time for some travel, including a recent road trip with a friend to see the eclipse in northern New Hampshire and to visit the Maine coast. And he and his wife, Shelley Rigger, have a trip planned to England in June. He’s not ready to sit still!

Also in the South, we meet up with Susan Lee , who is the owner/instructor at Body & Brain Yoga Tai Chi in Raleigh. Her first year at Cornell, she lived in Balch Hall. She was involved with CAAA, SCA, and the Cornell Orchestra. She joined the U.S. Air Force in 1984 as a communications/computer officer, then became a government IT contractor working for the Department of Defense and the Department of Homeland Security in 1996. She became a Body & Brain Yoga Tai Chi instructor in 2012 and opened her own Body & Brain center in 2015. She survived the pandemic as a small business owner and continues to provide holistic fitness for body, mind, and spirit.

Annie Laase Bailey is retired and living in Santa Fe, NM. Willie and Annie have been together for more than 40 years. Annie spent her career working for a global healthcare company in executive management, with the last 10 years in Europe (France and Switzerland). She achieved her goal of retiring at age 50 and returned to the U.S. to enjoy more time with family. They also own a small farm in Northern Wisconsin. They have a daughter, Jazz, and two grandchildren, as well as two lively Australian shepherds. Annie shares that she had no particular expectations of life after Cornell, “it just happened one day at a time, unfolding as a wondrous adventure.”

Dawn Lee , ME ’82, is living in Longmont, CO. She lived her freshman year in Sperry Hall. Her areas of expertise are business, computer science, and math. And continuing to Las Vegas, David Barringer is camping, hiking, skiing, and fine dining. He grew up in Utica, NY. When he wasn’t in class, you could find him at the Hot Truck, running, or playing tennis.

Further west is Lori Balton , a location scout for Netflix, Disney, Paramount, Warner Bros., Sony, and Amazon living in Venice, CA. She grew up in New Hyde Park, NY. Her areas of expertise are visual arts, painting, science, journalism, photography, video making, research, writing, and editing. She remembers being in the library, watching a movie at one of the Cornell Cinema venues, and dancing at the Rongovian Embassy. Cornell Cinema offered her such invaluable exposure to films from around the world—it was truly a critical part of her education, as was living in the Shire Coop on Oak Avenue with an incredible, eclectic group of people who she gratefully continues to call friends. She is married to Chuck Sharp.

Ron Komsa is retired and living in Ellicott City, MD. He told us he lived freshman year in U-Hall 2. He was an RA in Dickson, was in APO, and worked some on-campus jobs (with cows, calves, and sheep!). So many fond and wonderful memories. The people he met, friends made, and experiences had (both academic and non-academic!) are “all valuable to me and I will cherish them for the rest of my life.” He especially remembers U-Hall/old West Campus living, RAing, Dickson Living Learning Unit and the incredible residents there, the nutrition barn, the waterfront dancing, falling in and out of love, the homestead (and its guests), weekends at the state parks, breakfasts, and much more! Life never goes the way you would think it should/could, but each step of life has a purpose and meaning and keeps him smiling and hoping for more!

I hope you are all doing well! Please reach out and let me know your news. I would love to share it with our classmates. Stay well! ❖ Betsy Silverfine ( email Betsy ) | Alumni Directory .

Congratulations to Dianne Renwick , a dear friend from U-Hall 3, who was sworn in officially in January as Presiding Justice of the NYS Supreme Court, Appellate Division, First Department. New York State Governor Kathy Hochul, who named Dianne as Presiding Justice last June, addressed the attendees in a historic investiture ceremony; Dianne is the first African American woman appointed to this role in the court’s 129-year history.

Linda Harris Crovella wrote from Arlington, VA, that she changed jobs in fall 2022 and is now an administrative law judge with the Federal Maritime Commission. She says, “It is a new area of law for me, and I love it! My retirement is now postponed indefinitely.” Linda loves to travel with and see her children in Seattle, Burbank, and Boston. She adds, “My most important news is that my oldest son, Ben ’07 , and his wife, Cassie Rotman, just had their first baby, a boy who was impatient and arrived seven weeks early, in February 2024. I was able to fly to Boston the day he was born, and I am happy to report that being a grandma is as wonderful as everyone has reported! Jackson is an overachiever, already having met all his special care nursery milestones early, and he is now home with Mom and Dad. He could be the third generation Cornellian in our family!” As for her favorite Cornell memory, Linda answered, “Seeing Bruce Springsteen my first year, but frankly, all the concerts I saw during those four years were fantastic! There are a few I did not see that I wish I had, but all in all, I can’t complain! The Pretenders at Slope Day was the cherry on top!”

Jonathan Welsh and his partner, Ken West, were creative collaborators on the Cornell Fashion + Textile Collection exhibition “Let the Grain do the Work,” curated by Catherine Kueffer Blumenkamp , MPS ’15 . Showcasing designs draped from rectangular cuts of cloth, the exhibition highlighted zero-waste and couture techniques and the collaboration of architecture and fashion. Jonathan wrote, “Several pieces on display are from our private collection.”

Our online memory book is now closed for new entries, but you can still see photos and read about many of our classmates there. Some of the most recent news is from Robyn Allen-McKinnon , who wrote, “Since graduation, I have resided in New York, Virginia, Indiana, Illinois, and Pennsylvania. I have worked in the pharmaceutical industry for over 30 years in roles in finance, project management, market access, pricing, and business analytics. I am currently employed at Organon, a Merck ‘spin-off,’ in Pennsylvania. I have been married for more than 30 years and have two sons, who recently graduated from college. And I enjoy vacationing in the Caribbean and tropical locations. Finally, I have worked with nonprofit organizations—including my sorority (Delta Sigma Theta)—trying to make a difference!”

Gail Soltan Payne ’82 met her husband, Don ’83 , at Cornell. Their first date was dinner at the Nines and then a Hangovers concert.

Susan Drange wrote, “Since graduation, I have spent most of my life in California, working and raising a family. For the first 20 years I was working in corporate training, HR, and communication roles at SoCalGas, Disneyland, and Hughes, as well as having my own consulting business. For the second half of my career, I switched over to higher education and got a PhD from UCLA at age 54! I have held leadership roles in faculty development and diversity at UCLA, Columbia, and Stanford. I am looking forward to retiring near the beach in Ventura County. If you are visiting Southern California, I’d be happy to connect.”

Gail Soltan Payne met her husband, Don ’83 , at Cornell; he was a member of the Glee Club. She wrote that their first date was dinner at the Nines and then a Hangovers concert. Gail added, “We’ve traveled a lot, including bicycle touring in France twice. Don and I just purchased a camper van for exploring the country. We have two wonderful adult kids. Our daughter, Hannah, is a neuroscientist post-doc at Columbia, and our son, Dylan, worked in data analytics at YipitData in NYC, and now lives in Park City, UT. I love to travel and am a fan of dogs, hiking, good music, and films.”

Patti Morrissey writes from Alexandria, VA, where she is CEO and founder at Global Foresight Strategies. She added, “I went from being a psych major at Cornell to two MAs in international relations. I’ve been in the D.C. area since 1985 and my career has been in international/national security. I go to every Cornell Reunion and I’m still close with my gymnastics teammates and quite a few of my sorority sisters.” Patti added several photos including one with her two daughters at Octoberfest in Munich in 2018.

Michitaka Yamaguchi shared, “After a long career in architecture, first as a designer then a project manager and marketer, and finally a construction manager, I left architecture to pursue my passion as a visual artist.” He added, “My husband, Len, and I currently live in Harlem and are loving it.”

Many others added newsy pages to our memory book— Everette Phillips , Pauline Kurtides Sheehan , Susan Ng Hill , and Adam Shapiro , to name a few, with photos too! ❖ Nina Kondo ( email Nina ) | Doug Skalka ( email Doug ) | Mark Fernau ( email Mark ) | Alumni Directory .

Chuck Ruebling and I caught up by phone a few days ago. A fellow New Jersey resident, he and his wife, Donna, live in Morristown, where Chuck is the assistant headmaster at Delbarton School. Lacrosse coaching and camps continue to be a large part of their family life when they are not spending time at their seaside home in Ocean Grove, NJ. Chuck told me his Cornell group of friends still meets regularly for fine dining and libations (i.e., pub crawls) in various cities—2023 was in Asbury Park, and this year, in March, they did it again in Boston. The group included Mike Vernick , ME ’84, Steve and Christine Bisagni Wyman , Dave Fetterolf and Erica Waterman ’82 , Dave and Lori Krinsky , Chuck and Donna, and Beth DiRusso , BS ’85, and husband Mark.

That’s all for now! ❖ Nancy Korn Freeman ( email Nancy ) | Alyssa Bickler ( email Alyssa ) | Jon Felice ( email Jon ) | Stewart Glickman ( email Stewart ) | Alumni Directory .

When I wrote this column, we had only a couple more weeks until we saw each other at Reunion 2024! Our new correspondent will take the helm from there.

Here is some news to catch you up. Our class president, John Toohey-Morales , was recently featured in a Cornellians article , which I have excerpted and paraphrased here. John is best known as the longtime chief meteorologist for Miami’s NBC station, WTVJ Channel 6. John’s value as a trusted expert became especially apparent in 1992 when Hurricane Andrew struck Florida, Louisiana, and the Bahamas. His on-camera meteorology career began in 1991 in Miami, where he appeared on Univision, Telemundo, and finally, NBC. As his profile rose, it prompted other U.S. stations serving Latino audiences to recruit their own Spanish-speaking degreed meteorologists—broadening the job market and inspiring the next generation to follow in his footsteps.

On the Big Red front, he sits on the external advisory board of the Cornell Atkinson Center for Sustainability; in 2023, he won a four-year term as an alumni-elected trustee. In January 2024, John was inducted as an honorary member of the American Meteorological Society—and at the ceremony, he gave a prominent shout-out to his alma mater. “Cornell showed me what it takes to be successful: hard work, resilience, and perseverance,” he said at the event. Now semi-retired, John still appears on Channel 6 regularly from June to November—as the station’s hurricane specialist, guiding viewers through the region’s often dangerous storms. John has certainly done the Class of ’84 proud, and we wish him well as he ends his term as our class president.

In January 2024, John Toohey-Morales ’84 was inducted as an honorary member of the American Meteorological Society.

Diane Garber is the founder of WillPOWER Your Day , which creates healthy, delicious, and nutritious plant-based snacks. An avid animal lover, Diane has embraced a completely plant-based lifestyle and is more creative in the kitchen and happier than ever. From WillPOWER Your Day’s website: “Evidence-based research continues to show that plant-based nutrition promotes superior health and can minimize several diseases. Diane uses somewhat unconventional cooking methods to create truly sensational, mouth-watering snacks that provide healthy protein and hefty fiber with no added oil, salt, or sugar.”

And now I bid you all farewell! It has truly been an honor to help keep the class aware of the “happenings” these last five years. As of this writing, I can’t wait to see everyone in Ithaca in June! Far above Cayuga’s waters. Send your class news: ❖ José Nieves ( email José ) | Alumni Directory .

Greetings, Class of ’85! Please take a moment to fill out the online news form to let your classmates know what you’ve been up to. What have you been doing for work? What brings you the greatest satisfaction these days? How has your life changed—or not changed—lately? We’d love to hear from you!

If you have sent in your news recently, please look for it in the next column. ❖ Joyce Zelkowitz Cornett ( email Joyce ) | Alumni Directory .

The art and science worlds collided last April, when not one but two Cornellians were featured in a public conversation about art and science. Classmate Enrique Martínez Celaya and the Nobel Prize-winning chemist Roald Hoffmann (a Frank H.T. Rhodes Professor Emeritus) held a conversation at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, which was moderated by the award-winning journalist Krista Tippett.

Coinciding with this event in New York, Enrique opened a solo exhibition at the Hispanic Society Museum & Library called “The Word-Shimmering Sea.” A public reception followed. This exhibition is the inaugural project in the Hispanic Society’s main courtyard following the recent renovation of their historic Upper Manhattan space. Congrats to Enrique!

Classmate and beloved Cornell men’s hockey coach Mike Schafer was recently featured in a Cornellians story . Since taking the helm in 1995, he has carved out a stellar record: going into the most recent past season (2023–24), he had 520 wins, 282 losses, and 105 ties. Mike shares his thoughts on the game of hockey, the players, Cornellians’ love of the sport, and aspects of coaching. Interestingly, he believes that growing up in a large family taught him many of the skills necessary for coaching!

Enrique Martínez Celaya ’86 opened a solo exhibition at the Hispanic Society Museum & Library called ‘The Word-Shimmering Sea.’

James Chen is currently living in Northern California but is gearing up for retirement in Las Vegas. He recently reflected on his time on the Hill after dropping son Zachary ’26 off: “Going back to Cornell to drop off my son brought back many memories of prelims, parties, problem sets, Cascadilla Hall, Rulloff’s, the Nines, Upson Hall’s computer lab, basketball, football, and hockey games, poker/bridge nights, and, of course, winter storms. In fact, there was a snowstorm in January 2024 when I last dropped him off. It’s been too many years since I’ve seen some classmates, and I hope to see them at our 40th.”

Speaking of retirement, my husband, Michael Wagner , and I recently had a fun get-together in California with fellow Cornellian Jon Grunzweig ’85 . (Side note, Michael and Jon also share the same high school in Ohio, and Jon’s wife, Tina, and I attended the same California high school.) We both have “retirement homes” on the Palos Verdes Peninsula and had fun connecting and planning future West Coast Cornell get-togethers.

Please let us know what you all are up to so we can share your news. ❖ Lori Spydell Wagner ( email Lori ) | Michael Wagner ( email Michael ) | Toby Goldsmith ( email Toby ) | Alumni Directory .

Vishaan Chakrabarti ’s forthcoming book, The Architecture of Urbanity: Designing for Nature, Culture, and Joy will be out September 24, 2024. The book discusses how the right design of our communities can create a more equitable, sustainable, and joyous future for us all. It also presents works by a global array of practicing architects that demonstrate how innovative design can dramatically improve life in big cities and small settlements around the world.

Vishaan is an architect, author, public thought leader, and founder of Practice for Architecture and Urbanism, a firm that focuses on building ecological, equitable, and joyous communities. He is also the author of A Country of Cities: A Manifesto for an Urban America .

Debra Howard Stern is happy to announce that on March 26, 2024, she successfully defended her dissertation (without the need for revisions!) titled “Forty Acres and a School: How Black Charter School Founders Can Disrupt the Impact of Segregation on Black Children” to earn her EdD in education policy and leadership at American University in Washington, DC. “My dissertation focused on exploring how Black charter school founders are actively working to disrupt systemic racism and create affirming inclusive learning environments for marginalized students in the face of persistent segregation and inequity in K–1 education. I continue as the executive director for the Amani Public Charter School, a public charter middle school in Mount Vernon that I founded 13 years ago.” Bravo!

Edward Herrmann is an archaeologist at Indiana University in the Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences. Ed recently stepped down from being the executive director of the university’s Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology in order to continue his fieldwork in the Midwest and the Olduvai Gorge in Tanzania.

This past spring, Charles ’86 and Adrienne McVicker Reing , Howard Greenstein ’88 , and Kenneth Szydlow ’88 biked 178 miles around the Netherlands as part of a mini AEPi reunion. They biked through massive tulip fields, past numerous windmills, and over more canals and water crossings than could be counted. Adrienne said that “going for the full Dutch experience, pedaling through high winds, rain, and hail most days, was a tad unexpected, but worth it for this adventure.”

Going for the full Dutch experience, pedaling through high winds, rain, and hail most days, was a tad unexpected, but worth it for this adventure. Adrienne McVicker Reing ’87

James Sturz has been touring the country in support of his new book, Underjungle , and seeing classmates and other alumni at the events. Steven Rosenblatt and Amy Underberg Applebaum ’86 attended the September 2023 event at the Cornell Club of New York. Also in September, Jim saw Gligor Tashkovich , MBA ’91, and Eric Messinger ’83 at Pan Aqua Diving in NYC.

In October, Jim’s book tour took him to Ocean Plant in San Francisco, where he caught up with Natan Goore , Bart Schachter , and Michael Moore , ME ’88. Jim then headed to Los Angeles, where, at North Figueroa Bookshop, he saw Hugh O’Gorman and Steve Meagher . In March, Jim was a panelist at the Virginia Festival of the Book in Charlottesville, VA. He stayed with Pamela Mandell Freedman and saw Gregory DiMeglio and Jimin Han ’88 . Jim said, “Promoting a book means seeing friends, wherever they are!”

In early April, Charles Muller came back to campus to watch the men’s lacrosse team take on Brown and to cheer on Steve Long ’s son Mikey ’25 . A contingent of Class of 1987ers attended the game including Charlie’s wife, Deborah (Kranz) , Martin and Nicolle Clessuras McCormick , Christian Modesti and wife Lisa, Frank Kelly ’86 and wife Gayle, and Greg Ripich ’86 and wife Kelly. Charlie wrote, “It was great to turn back the clock, spend time at the Fall Creek House, and have dinner at the Souvlaki House, where our Chi Psi composites still hang on the wall.” Charlie and Debbie recently moved to St. Petersburg, FL, and are enjoying being empty nesters and watching their sons make their way in the world.

Hotelie alumnae Amy Benigno Fothergill , Janet Pulliam Smith , Jennifer Scanlan , Jennifer Gonsalves-Cotter , Michelle Russo , Cheryl Van Steeden Schneider , and Jennifer Miles Coulter ’86 got together in Austin, TX, because they realized that meeting up once every five years at Reunion is just not enough! During the weekend they did yoga, danced the two step, sampled margaritas, took a boat tour, and did a lot of laughing. According to Amy, “The highlight was a very fierce ‘Chopped’ competition in which three teams of two showed off their skills. Chaos ensued (especially with all of the dishes!), but in the end a delicious meal was enjoyed by all. The weekend was a real testament to the special friendships made more than 35 years ago.”

Amit Batabyal has two jobs at the Rochester Institute of Technology in Rochester, NY. He is the Arthur J. Gosnell Professor of Economics in the College of Liberal Arts and the interim head of the Department of Sustainability. He says, “Doing both jobs keeps me on my toes!” ❖ Liz Brown, JD ’90 ( email Liz ) | Whitney Weinstein Goodman ( email Whitney ) | Alumni Directory .

Happy summer, fellow ’88s! Hope you are all enjoying the summer sunshine, wherever you may be—on the beach, in the mountains, or hanging out in your own backyard.

Save the date: November 30, 2024 is the next Frozen Apple Hockey game at Madison Square Garden in NYC. Catch the Cornell men’s hockey team in action at this world-famous arena.

Now onto our Class Notes: Chad Snee has lived in Troy, OH, since 1999 and has been married for 31 years. He has three daughters (ages 26, 22, and 19). In his own words, Chad says, “I am very blessed.” From the West Coast, Aileen Cleary Cohen checks in from Palo Alto, CA.

In other class news, Misha Gonz-Cirkl was invited to speak at the Give Back for Students conference for students nationwide who are trying to figure out their college plans and future career moves. In her talk she emphasized “how education and constantly checking in with myself has helped me take a risk when a dream presented itself.” She told the students to “stay curious, imagine your place, create a plan, pave your own path, and run your race at your own pace!” Great advice, Misha! After Cornell, she worked on Wall Street in NYC. Then she earned her MBA abroad before becoming an actor, writer, and director.

News Flash: Karis North has recently been named to the Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly Top Women of Law list for 2023. She was honored at an event on November 1, 2023 to celebrate her accomplishments as a female lawyer who is both a pioneer, educator, trailblazer, and role model for her peers. She currently serves as the president of the Massachusetts Municipal Lawyers Association. Congratulations, Karis!

Lauren Camp ’88 has written a collection of poetry based on her experiences as the astronomer in residence at the Grand Canyon Conservancy.

Sharon Berlin , another female lawyer in our class and a graduate of the School of Industrial and Labor Relations, joined the law firm of Keane & Beane PC. She will be located in their new Long Island office in Melville, NY. Sharon will represent both private and public sector management in labor and employment law matters. She also serves as the general counsel to several school districts, private schools, and other educational groups.

Now let’s focus on the arts: Lauren Camp , New Mexico poet laureate, has just written another book, titled In Old Sky . It is a collection of poetry, based on her experiences as the fourth astronomer in residence at the Grand Canyon Conservancy in Arizona. The book includes color photos from her study of the natural darkness of Grand Canyon National Park and the wonders beyond this breathtaking landscape. Lauren has written seven other books.

Don’t forget to join our Cornell Class of ’88 Facebook Group —it is a great way to stay in touch with your fellow classmates as well as get the latest news on upcoming class and university events.

That’s all for now. Please keep sending your news to me. I love hearing from our classmates, both near and far. ❖ Pamela Darer Anderson ( email Pam ) | Alumni Directory .

Hi, classmates, family, and friends of the Class of ’89! You’re reading this after our 35th Reunion, but before our Reunion reports have been published—stay tuned for that news in a later column (and I sure hope you had a blast if you attended!).

Speaking of Reunions, our classmate George “Skip” Winters traveled to Vermont last October to attend his University of Vermont Medical School 30th Reunion and shared this update (mea culpa for the delay): “In 2015 I moved to Grand Junction, CO, where I am a private practice gastroenterologist. My oldest son, Ross, is a sophomore at the Citadel and plays lacrosse there. My youngest, Duncan, went to high school in Scotland and is a two-time world-champion bagpiper. He is now a freshman at Carnegie Mellon in the College of Engineering.”

Before Reunion, one of my most recent opportunities to catch up with classmates was through holiday cards. My kids and I, over the years, have always enjoyed the annual card from Paul Schulte and his family—yes, because we want to hear what my U-Hall 2 freshman-year friend Paul and his wife, Krista, and daughter Ali have been up to, but also because the cards often feature a photo and/or amusing news of their big orange cat. This year, however, the photo was not of a domestic kitty but a spectacular leopard, along with news of their adventure in Tanzania. They visited four wildlife parks—logging more than 50 animal species—and also enjoyed five beach days in Zanzibar, while celebrating Paul and Krista’s 30th anniversary and Ali’s completion of grad school. Congratulations on those milestones, Schulte family!

I enjoyed some special travels of my own earlier this year, visiting Tokyo and Kyoto via a wonderful tour with Boston-based Marathon Tours & Travel. My first trip to Asia was spurred by my longtime goal to finish the six World Marathon Majors; I ran my first, London, in 2004 and have since completed Boston (many times, as it’s my “hometown” major here in New England), New York (three times), Berlin, and Chicago. The Tokyo Marathon, and indeed the whole vacation, was an amazing experience and I was grateful to be able to get there. Next up (fingers crossed): the Sydney (Australia) Marathon in September. (Always a new goal: no sooner had I checked off the six majors than Sydney is close to being added as a seventh, with Cape Town expected to be eighth.) I’ll take any excuse to run through beautiful new-to-me parts of the world, but one of these days I am going to slow down to take a non-running trip, maybe one of the Cornell-sponsored ones that I get glimpses of in my mailbox.

Another one of our classmates gets to take the trip of a lifetime this summer: Brian Krabak is going to Paris for the Olympics! He’ll be serving as physician for the U.S. swim team at the Games. Brian was not among those arriving at Cornell dreading the swim test ; he credits his parents with making sure he knew how to swim and says, though he didn’t compete at Cornell, swimming became an important part of his fitness regimen and he’s since enjoyed masters swimming and competed in triathlons. His professional journey has gone from being an electrical engineering major at Cornell to med school at SUNY Buffalo, an internship at Johns Hopkins-Sinai Hospital, a residency at New England Medical Center-Tufts University, and a sports medicine fellowship at the Mayo Clinic. Currently, he’s a board-certified sports medicine physician within UW Medicine and a clinical professor in rehabilitation medicine, orthopedics, and sports medicine at the University of Washington School of Medicine and Seattle Children’s Hospital.

Brian Krabak ’89 will be serving as physician for the U.S. swim team at the Olympics.

Brian expects long workdays with the intense training camps leading up to the Games, and at the Games themselves, but certainly will savor the experience: “It’s a dream come true to contribute to the health and well-being of our athletes, enabling them to excel and achieve their athletic aspirations on such a grand stage. I’m filled with immense fulfillment and gratitude for this opportunity, and I intend to cherish every moment of my time at the Paris Olympics, eagerly awaiting the playing of our national anthem. Additionally, I’m excited to collaborate with medical professionals from around the world, uniting our efforts to prioritize athlete health and safety during this prestigious event.” Santé , Brian!

Here’s some closer-to-home news: Congratulations to Jill Ruderman Sandford and family! Jill wrote in recently from Rye, NY: “I am excited to share that my son, Tom Sandford , a third-generation Cornellian, will be graduating from Arts & Sciences with the Class of 2024 .” Melinda Fellner also shared legacy news: “I am bursting with pride at my three sons who are all Big Red men now— Harry Bramwit ’22 (Arts & Sciences), Miles Bramwit ’25 (Arts & Sciences), and the newest addition, Simon Bramwit ’28 (Arts & Sciences). Go Big Red!” Melinda is currently the chair of the tax department of Carter Ledyard and Milburn in NYC as well as a proud mom.

Big kudos also to our classmate Jason Karszes , MS ’91, of Stanley, NY, who was presented with the Friend of NEDPA Award at the 2024 Northeast Dairy Management Conference in March. The award recognizes an extraordinary industry partner whose work has positively impacted New York’s dairy industry. Jason works as a farm business management specialist for Pro-Dairy, a nationally recognized extension and applied research leader serving dairy farms. He was praised by colleagues for the collaborative environment he’s fostered and for his selfless dedication to helping dairy farmers; he in turn highlighted his appreciation for his staff and for the challenges and growth he experiences through his work with the farmers. You can read more here .

It’s always a joy to receive updates from classmates who are excelling in their fields, nurturing and mentoring others, pursuing their passions, challenging themselves, and reflecting on their time at our alma mater. Thanks to those of you who shared your news. We’d love to hear from more classmates! Simply fill out an online news form or e-mail one of us. ❖ Anne Czaplinski Treadwell ( email Anne ) | Lauren Kidder McGarry ( email Lauren ) | Stephanie Bloom Avidon ( email Stephanie ) | Kris Borovicka Gerig ( email Kris ) | Alumni Directory .

Greetings, classmates! By the time you read this column, summer will be in full swing. Hopefully you are enjoying sun, relaxation, time with family and friends, and maybe a getaway to somewhere special.

We hope you are also starting to think about traveling to Ithaca for our class’s upcoming 35th Reunion next June, now less than a year away! And, a reminder that we are still seeking volunteers: if you would like to help with Reunion planning, with building our affinity groups and class connections through social media, or with fundraising and encouraging contributions to our class, please send an email with your area of interest to cornellclass90@gmail.com .

Our classmates continue to live Cornell’s current campaign, applying their education “to do the greatest good.” Marla Spindel , who lives in McLean, VA, with her husband and 17-year-old daughter, is a perfect example. Marla, who attended law school at George Washington University, “always wanted to do something to help people.” After taking on pro bono cases while working at D.C. law firms, Marla decided to leave law firm life but kept her pro bono cases, in which she served as guardian ad litem for children in the foster care system. The pro bono organization she was engaged with then connected her with two other attorneys doing similar work, and together the three attorneys founded the D.C. Volunteer Lawyers Project to focus on representing the interests of children in court as guardians ad litem and representing victims of domestic violence. The D.C. Volunteer Lawyers Project has grown tremendously since its founding in 2008 and now recruits, trains, and supports hundreds of dedicated volunteer lawyers in the D.C. area who provide pro bono legal services to victims of domestic violence, at-risk children, and vulnerable immigrants.

Today, Marla not only continues to serve on the project’s advisory board but also is executive director of DC KinCare Alliance , a charitable legal organization she co-founded in 2017 to provide legal and related assistance to low-income grandparents and other “kin caregivers” who take on responsibility for raising children whose parents are unable to do so, due to such circumstances as incarceration, homelessness, mental illness, and substance abuse. As Marla recognized, the grandparents and other kin who step up in these emergency situations face huge challenges, including financial hardship; the need to juggle work with unanticipated childcare responsibilities; and a lack of knowledge of how to navigate the system. DC KinCare Alliance helps caregivers file for custody or adoption of children in court, to then obtain legal documents such as birth certificates and social security cards on behalf of the children, and to apply for government benefits and secure healthcare coverage for them. Marla enjoys the work not only because she can help individual families, but also because she seeks to bring about systemic changes to laws and policies, including engaging in litigation to redress discrimination and advocating before Congress and government agencies for changes to laws and policies that better support kinship family needs and reduce barriers to recognition of these families. Marla, you are truly using your education to do good for so many families!

Brian Vinci ’90 , ME ’94, PhD ’03, has worked at the Conservation Fund for more than 25 years, where he currently serves as director of the Freshwater Institute.

Brian Vinci , ME ’94, PhD ’03, is also using his Cornell education to do the greatest good. Brian was fortunate to stay in Ithaca well beyond 1990, earning from Cornell both a Master of Engineering and then a PhD in biological and environmental engineering. He lives in Williamsport, MD, with his wife, Jonna, and has worked at the Conservation Fund for more than 25 years, where he currently serves as director of the Freshwater Institute. He is responsible for the management and administration of the institute’s day-to-day operations, including program delivery, communications, fundraising, and development, and leads a group of 20 scientists and technicians who conduct applied research in sustainable aquaculture production systems. “Our mission at the institute is to advance sustainable aquaculture practices that create a robust U.S. aquaculture industry, reduce dependence on seafood imports, and ensure high-quality, safe, and nutritious seafood for all. We are dedicated to developing solutions that minimize environmental impact, address climate change challenges, and meet the evolving demands of consumers. The best part of my career has been the people that I have met and known, both at the Freshwater Institute and in the seafood industry. I am fortunate to have traveled all over the globe and met truly wonderful people in the past 25 years.” This past October, Brian was quoted in the New York Times concerning the benefits of land-based salmon farming, which offers a more climate-stable alternative to traditional ocean-based salmon aquaculture and will help meet U.S. demand for salmon. “Land-based technology is already viable. We are 25 to 30 years away from replacing 50–70% of our imported farmed salmon with domestically raised fish.”

Lastly, Lauren Berkow , who lives in Alachua, FL, and works at the University of Florida College of Medicine as the chief of the division of neuroanesthesiology, recently published her second medical book , titled Emergency Anesthesia Procedures. The book is intended as a resource for both residents in training and for use by practicing physicians. The book provides checklists and step-by-step guidance that can be used in real time to respond to anesthesia emergencies involving pediatric and adult patients. Congratulations, Lauren! She also shared the news that her older daughter, “who graduated from Florida State University in May, got accepted into the Master of Public Health program at University of Florida!” Lauren’s younger daughter is an undergraduate at Florida State University.

Please write in with news of how you are using your Cornell degree “to do the greatest good,” or of how you are spending your summer. Enjoy! ❖ Nancy Solomon Weiss ( email Nancy ) | Allan Rousselle ( email Allan ) | Rose Tanasugarn ( email Rose ) | Class Facebook page | Alumni Directory .

Greetings, Class of ’91! This is Evelyn Achuck Yue , reporting from the Bay Area in Northern California. My 16-year-old twins, James and Allison, hit a huge milestone and received their driver’s licenses just in time for me to fly to Las Vegas to compete in a golden ticket pickleball tournament. This summer, we hope to visit Cornell and other schools on the East Coast as we begin the college visit tours.

Now, reporting on news from some of our classmates. Therese Duane writes, “My husband, Jeffrey Tessier , and I have been raising our four children, two of whom are now at Texas A&M and the other two at Nolan Catholic High School. Jeffrey is clinical chief of infectious diseases at UT Southwestern. I left academic surgery and am now doing locums and medical mission trips for the last year, trying to serve a higher purpose.”

Michelle Dortignac sent an update: “I came to New York City to be an artist and forged my unconventional career path from there. I started as a modern dancer/choreographer, then went to teaching yoga, then became an aerial acrobatics performer, then created a combination class of aerial acrobatics mixed with yoga, called aerial yoga. As aerial yoga started to become popular and competition started popping up everywhere, I developed my own method, Unnata, which now has a worldwide presence. Even after 30 years since college graduation, I found my life path but am still a ‘work in progress.’ Last year, I relocated to Pennsylvania after having lived in Brooklyn, NY, since my Cornell graduation.”

Doantrang Du shares, “I am the program director of the Rutgers/Monmouth Medical Center Internal Medicine Residency Program located in New Jersey and the co-director of the Cystic Fibrosis Center at Monmouth Medical Center. I am responsible for training young physicians and medical students. I am married and have two children. My son graduated from Brown and is currently working as a software engineer out in Silicon Valley and my daughter is a freshman at Cornell.”

I developed my own method of aerial yoga, Unnata, which now has a worldwide presence. Michelle Dortignac ’91

Susan Halebsky Dimock sent in a quick greeting: “I run Loyola University Chicago’s D.C. semester program and have an 11th grader. I am no longer on my local school board. This summer, I hope to see Maryanne DePresco when I take my son to camp in Vermont.”

Todd DeMonte sent an update that he and his wife live in Sun Prairie, WI, and will celebrate their 30th wedding anniversary this year. They have three happy children: Thomas, 24, Emma, 23, and Julia, 22. Todd spends his spare time as a volunteer wrestling coach at a local high school. He is the principal member of TD1 LLC, where he identifies and leads the development and acquisition of innovative product concepts and solutions across multiple markets, increasing vitality and driving long-term value creation. Todd earned a BS in mechanical engineering from Cornell and an MBA from Tulane University. He has been awarded 31 U.S. patents with several more pending.

Rebecca Brown writes, “I moved to Vero Beach, FL, from Austin, TX, once I became an empty nester in 2023. After pursuing various careers from finance to technology to fitness, I am currently a real estate investor in Vero Beach and the surrounding areas. My son is studying engineering at UCF in Orlando and following his dream to work in the theme park industry. I now spend my free time playing tennis and running on the beach with my two rescue pit bulls.”

Thanks to those who sent in updates for this month. If you haven’t been in touch in a while, we encourage you to reach out and let us know what you have been up to! We would love to hear from all of you! You can send updates by using the online news form or feel free to contact one of us directly: ❖ Evelyn Achuck Yue ( email Evelyn ) | Susie Curtis Schneider ( email Susie ) | Ruby Wang Pizzini ( email Ruby ) | Wendy Milks Coburn ( email Wendy ) | Joe Marraccino ( email Joe ) | Alumni Directory .

I, Wilma Ann Thomas Anderson , am so excited to be on the other side of my doctoral journey. My dissertation is published and I graduated with my doctorate in education leadership, management, and policy from Seton Hall University! Woohoo! That’s it. Mic drop. Well, of course that’s not all of it and the mic won’t stay dropped; there is always something brewing with me. I am still singing near and far, soon launching my first book, and always up to all good. I have been actively involved with the Cornell Black Alumni Association for the last six years as the VP for student relations, and I am looking forward to continuing to serve the organization, alumni, students, and Cornell in any way possible, as best as I can.

The singing group I founded, Baraka Kwa Wimbo, is still singing strong on campus and turns 33 years old in September 2024. It has been great meeting many of the alumnae over the years. Hats off to every young woman who has lent her voice and spirit to this ministry.

Lifelong learning continues: I recently earned a certificate in plant-based nutrition through eCornell and the T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutrition Studies, and a certificate in user experience (UX) design from Georgia Institute of Technology. I am working on an associate’s degree level course in UX research. Hey, I love tech, and learning is FUN! Now what about your other 1992 classmates? Well …

Chimene Liburd Brown shares that she never would have imagined working for the government as the chief medical officer for Medicaid. Politics, policy, and payment is a new space, but knowing she can make a difference in healthcare, where it is most needed, is rewarding. She is board certified in lifestyle medicine, which complements her internal medicine certification. Chimene’s newest crafting hobby is Tunisian crochet. She also enjoys making metal jewelry, photography, and so many other creative projects. Chimene is also an empty nester enjoying the freedom—two college degrees and one to go!

Jeanne Rosen Goldberg reported, “My youngest daughter, Gabrielle, just got accepted and confirmed that she will be attending Cornell in the fall in the engineering program. We just visited the school for accepted students’ day, and it was really fun to see both how the school and Collegetown have changed and also stayed the same in many ways. Most of our favorite hangouts are no longer there! So come August, my husband and I will become empty nesters, with all three of our daughters in college for the next two years. It will just be us and our two dogs, Finn and Teddy! I am looking forward to hopefully traveling a bit more if possible.

“I am a regional director of operations at Beth Israel Lahey Health Primary Care in Massachusetts. I have been in this particular role for the last seven years. It has been a challenging time working through COVID and in primary care in general, but it is very rewarding work and I enjoy helping patients get the care they need. Cornell definitely helped me get into my graduate program at NYU, and then my first work position. This led to the trajectory of my career and how I ended up in the Boston area, where I met my husband and have lived ever since—so I would say that Cornell greatly impacted my life.”

Stacey Rappaport has been named a finalist for the Women in Business Law Awards for Insurance & Reinsurance Lawyer of the Year. She was recently appointed to Fordham Law School’s Dean’s Planning Council and to the Advisory Board of the Partnership Accelerator Program at the Equality Action Center at UC Law San Francisco. Here is the press release for more info.

The 1990 caving expedition in Puerto Rico with Cornell Outdoor Education is hands down my favorite experience! David Contiguglia ’92

David Contiguglia says, “I am continuing a 100-year tradition of the Contiguglia family practicing law in Cayuga County, NY, which was started by my grandfather, Anthony Contiguglia, in 1924, and continued by my father, Louis Contiguglia , JD ’56 , and his twin brother, Hon. Robert Contiguglia , JD ’56 . I’m enjoying the continued connection with my community. I maintain my own law practice in Auburn, NY. My niece Emma Contiguglia ’23 graduated from Cornell last spring. My niece Courtney Contiguglia ’25 is completing her junior year.”

The activities keeping David joyfully busy are gardening, cooking, and attending Cornell men’s ice hockey games at Lynah Rink! Go Big Red. What’s his favorite memory of his time at Cornell? “Attending Dragon Day with my brother, Carl ’89 , MBA ’90, while I was still a high school senior. The 1990 caving expedition in Puerto Rico with Cornell Outdoor Education is hands down my favorite experience!” Dave exclaims. “Does anyone have pictures?” If so, let us know and 1992 Class Notes will make the connection.

Jeff Parnapy , MAT ’97, beams, “My daughter, Erin, graduated from SUNY Potsdam in January 2024. My son, Andy, is a junior at Alfred University studying biochemistry. I am proud to be the FFA advisor at Byron-Bergen Central Schools. My agricultural mechanics team won first place at the state level and will be competing at the National FFA convention in October! I am also a high school agriculture teacher in my 32nd year of teaching and am also serving as the president of the New York Association of Agricultural Educators.” To the question, “Did attending Cornell change the trajectory of your life?” Jeff answered, “Yes! Dr. Arthur Berkey and Dr. Daryle Foster ’72 , PhD ’85, in the education department were key in getting me certified as a high school agriculture teacher.”

Paul Lacava , MD ’96, wrote in about a recent adventure. “Three college roommates decided to get together for an epic trip from April 18–22, 2024. Traveling in from New Jersey, David Wrone and Gene Cutler met me at the San Francisco airport, and we embarked on a six-hour drive to the great Sequoia National Park. We stayed at Wuksachi Lodge and hiked the trails along the Round Meadow and the Big Trees trails, in awe of the towering great sequoias. General Sherman was a highlight of the trip, standing at 275 feet tall.

“We next drove to Death Valley National Park, camping overnight in tents. The clear night sky enabled us to see Jupiter, multiple satellites, and the Milky Way. In Death Valley, we hiked at Zabriskie Point with its borax deposits and the Golden Canyon Trail. At 282 feet below sea level, Badwater Basin was our next stop, where we visited the salt flats of the ancient seabed. The vibrant colors of the red hematite and green chlorite revealed a palette of color in the geological rock formations along our way. In terms of local flora, Joshua trees and wildflower super blooms were additional noteworthy sightings. Our trip was great fun for three good friends who made plans for another trip very soon. More to come.”

And more to come from the rest of the Class of 1992! Now don’t be shy. We all need to hear good things, regularly. Class Notes is one way to make this happen. Just let us know you are out there and share at least one good thing about your time at Cornell and about your life now. Rest assured, we only share the information you want us to share. What happens in 1992 Class Notes, stays in 1992 Class Notes. Well … kinda … it’s on the Internet, but you know what I mean! We can’t wait to hear from you! ❖ Wilma Ann Thomas Anderson ( email Wilma Ann ) | Jean Kintisch ( email Jean ) | Sarah Ballow Clauss ( email Sarah ) | Alumni Directory .

Maisie Ganzler has written a book ! You Can’t Market Manure at Lunchtime: And Other Lessons from the Food Industry for Creating a More Sustainable Company (Harvard Business Review Press) was published in April, in time for Earth Day. This is a how-to guide for anyone, regardless of industry or company size, who wants to build an authentic brand based on sustainability.

In addition to five lessons drawn from her experience, the book includes 12 Q&As with a who’s who of sustainability pioneers from much-admired companies such as Whole Foods Markets, Chipotle, Stonyfield Organic, Clif Bar, Ben & Jerry’s, and others. It’s an easy read full of stories and practical advice. Maisie is the former chief strategy and brand officer at Bon Appétit Management Company, where she is now a strategic advisor. ❖ Theresa Flores ( email Theresa ) | Melissa Hart Moss, JD ’97 ( email Melissa ) | Mia Blackler ( email Mia ) | Alumni Directory .

This month’s update starts with some hardcore travel. Sean Alexander , MBA ’01, wrote, “I had the opportunity to sail over 1,500 miles from Ushuaia to Antarctica and back on a fiberglass Kaufman 48 with four other crew members. Scott Crawford ’95 , my shift mate, played hockey for Cornell in the early ’90s! We experienced hurricane-level winds along with massive swells crossing the Drake Passage while encountering whales, dolphins, and thousands of penguins!”

Thanks to the April 8 solar eclipse, some of us didn’t have to go all the way to Antarctica for adventure! During the 2017 eclipse, Kirstyn Cassavechia Smith felt left out of the festivities due to her blindness. This time, she and the South East Area Coalition in Rochester, NY, hosted an eclipse party for the visually impaired, featuring a light-sensitive device that helps the blind “hear” an eclipse via musical tones. Kirstyn appeared on CNN to demonstrate this fascinating LightSound device.

Sital Kalantry wrote, “ Eduardo Peñalver and I have a fun update—our son will be starting Cornell this coming fall. Eduardo is now president of Seattle University and I am a professor of law and associate dean.” Closer to the Hill, Jaclyn Schnurr was named dean of faculty for the Office of Academic and Student Affairs at Wells College.

Paris-based Jason Gardner recently published We the Spirits , a photography book about the traditional Carnival celebration. “For more than 15 years, throughout 15 countries, I have visually documented the ritual and festival of Carnival, focusing on traditional, folkloric, and community celebrations, ones with few outside visitors. The book includes Carnivals photographed in Austria, Bulgaria, France, Germany, Greece, Guinea-Bissau, Italy, North Macedonia, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Trinidad and Tobago, and the U.S.” ❖ Dika Lam ( email Dika ) | Dineen Pashoukos Wasylik ( email Dineen ) | Jennifer Rabin Marchant ( email Jennifer ) | Alumni Directory .

It’s springtime in D.C. as I write this column. The cherry blossoms on the National Mall peaked early this year, but there are still plenty in my neighborhood and I am grateful for the sunny, 75-degree day we are having, as I know it won’t be long before the heat and humidity of summer kick in (which will certainly have happened by the time you read this).

Also in the D.C. area is Michael Stroud , who shared that 2023 was an eventful year for his family, in particular his daughter, Quinn ’27 , who began her Cornell career in CALS and is studying biology. Quinn is also proudly serving in the U.S. Armed Forces Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC). Michael says his favorite moment was moving Quinn into her dorm early for her to participate in ROTC; it was also his proudest and scariest moment, watching as she set out on her own journey. Michael himself recently transitioned his legal practice to the law firm of Ice Miller LLP in the firm’s Washington, DC, and Baltimore, MD, offices. Michael focuses on government relations and lobbying related to congressional funding, transportation, infrastructure, technology, and taxes. He is also helping advise political candidates on federal and state campaign finance and election law as well as import-export control and compliance for restricted technology.

Another child of a classmate about to become a Cornellian is Noah Greenberg, son of Joshua Greenberg . Josh shared on social media what a thrill it was to join his son for the newly admitted students’ weekend at Cornell in April. Writes Josh, “We are so proud of Noah and look forward to watching his Cornell experience. Grandpa George Greenberg ’65 would be very happy to see him at Cornell too!” And Stephanie Lessans Geller ’s second son, Ira, will not only be a classmate of Noah’s, but will also be joining his older brother Henry ’25 on campus in the fall. Brian Hyett recently reached out to me on social media and shared that he is a gastroenterologist living in the Portsmouth, NH, area.

Josh Greenberg ’95 shared what a thrill it was to join his son for the newly admitted students’ weekend at Cornell in April.

Lastly, exciting news from Texas, where the Family Houston board of directors announced in January the appointment of its new CEO and president, our classmate Ken Sheirr , who previously served as chief marketing officer of the Houston Rockets. Since 1904, Family Houston has been serving Houstonians providing programs for veterans, adults and children in need of affordable mental healthcare, and families struggling to achieve financial stability. And for 120 years, Family Houston has been by Houston’s side through wider-spread adversities like natural disasters, multiple epidemics, and wartime.

“We are confident that Ken will lead Family Houston with a strong vision that connects broadly across our community,” said the board chair. “We recognize that thousands of Houstonians are counting on us, and we are excited by what is possible with Ken’s strategic thinking, marketing acumen, and talent for consensus-building.”

As the Rockets’ CMO for 15 years, Ken oversaw all areas of the team’s brand, philanthropy, customer experience, and digital, retail, and event operations, and led all revenue-driving marketing efforts. He was also instrumental in the opening of Toyota Center, strategic planning for inaugural sponsorship deals, and overseeing third-party facility operations. He created the Rockets Give Back community relations initiative, designed to serve Houston’s underserved youth, military, and first responders and provide disaster relief, while simultaneously creating a focused philanthropic identity for the team, comprehensive corporate partnerships, and opportunities for staff involvement and leadership. Previously, he served on the Ronald McDonald House board and chaired the marketing committee. A current Anti-Defamation League board member, he chaired the education committee for five years and sits on the strategic development committee. Ken and his wife, Gretchen, have 16-year-old twins.

Stay connected and safe, classmates. ❖ Alison Torrillo French ( email Alison ) | Class website | Class Facebook page | Class Instagram page | Alumni Directory .

This year, I finally had the opportunity to attend the Cornell Alumni Leadership Conference (CALC) as a class rep, and it exceeded all my expectations. Held February 23–25 in the Baltimore area, the event drew more than 400 engaged alumni volunteer leaders from across Cornell’s global network.

For me, it was an incredibly valuable experience full of learning, sharing, and focusing on leadership development to enhance the student experience along with networking to meet new friends. The weekend’s programming featured insightful presentations and breakout sessions providing direct updates from the university administration.

Some of the frank discussions addressed head-on the challenges institutions like Cornell have faced in recent years—from the COVID-19 pandemic and social isolation to social unrest and complex issues like the Israel/Gaza conflict. Fred Van Sickle (vice president for Alumni Affairs and Development) and Michelle Vaeth ’98 (associate vice president for Alumni Affairs) spoke about the nuances of supporting student voices while ensuring safe spaces for learning.

Despite such obstacles, the resilient Cornell spirit was on full display. I was inspired by the rich dialogue with fellow alumni as we exchanged perspectives on striving “to do the greatest good” in our respective fields and communities.

A personal highlight was reconnecting with familiar faces like Lauren Myers ’97 , Patty Louison Grant ’95 , and Nicole Innis ’97 . Even more special was finally meeting my fellow class volunteer leaders in person, including Stephanie Cockerl , Jenn Lagnado-Papp , MAT ’97, Lee Hendelman , MBA ’03, and Katrina James , as well as many other people. Our class is truly fortunate to have such a committed group keeping us connected to Cornell and each other. I remain grateful to Stephanie for recruiting me to join this group.

The weekend left me beaming with Cornell pride and an even stronger commitment to supporting the school that paved the way for my career success. As the academic year winds down, I was reminded of the importance of making Annual Fund and class dues contributions to uphold Cornell’s excellence. You can learn more here .

Attending my first CALC in Baltimore was an energizing and unifying experience. I’m already looking forward to the next one! ❖ Marjorie Polycarpe Jean-Paul ( email Marjorie ) | Catherine Oh Bonita ( email Catherine ) | Janine Abrams Rethy ( email Janine ) | Alumni Directory .

Kristin Maloney MacDonald writes, “For the last 10 years or so I have been working with composer Robert Maggio and librettist Justin Warner on a musical adaptation of Far From the Tree , an extraordinary book by Andrew Solomon. This year we’re delighted to announce that we won the 2024 Richard Rodgers Musical Theater Award from the Academy of Arts and Letters, which will subsidize a Studio Production in the New York area. See this article for more information.”

Lindsay Rich Cavner is celebrating 20 years of owning her company, Stepping Stones Pediatric Therapy, in Phoenix, AZ. “My team of 30 therapists delivers life-changing pediatric therapy to children and families in their homes. My agency is honored to be recognized for quality therapeutic services throughout the entire State of Arizona.” Lindsay shares that she loves spending time with her daughter, husband, cat, and dog, and gets great satisfaction from “changing lives for the better of children born with disabilities. Being an early intervention occupational therapist is rewarding and brings meaning to my life.”

About her time on the Hill, Lindsay fondly recalls being with the fifth-floor Cascadilla group on Slope Day 1997, “listening to the great student bands and relaxing on outdoor couches with friends after finals were over. Also singing with my a cappella group After Eight at arch sings, at witching hour concerts, and in Bailey Hall.” ❖ Sarah Deardorff Carter ( email Sarah ) | Erica Broennle Nelson ( email Erica ) | Alumni Directory .

I deeply regret to inform you about the passing of a member of our class, Jocelyn Chabot Mozak . After graduating cum laude with a bachelor’s in electrical engineering, Jocelyn earned her master’s in electrical engineering at Stanford University on scholarship. She married her college sweetheart, Chris , and together they raised two young men, both of whom Jocelyn was extremely proud of, as they represent her greatest success in life. She worked at Intel, started her own web design agency, and became a sought-after public speaker. Jocelyn is remembered for her big heart, quick wit, and ability to put people at ease because of her empathy and humanity. In addition, I will personally remember her for the kindness and compassion she had shown me when my mother passed away during junior year. Sincerest condolences to her family from her CU family.

Please share your latest news with me via email or the online news form . Thank you and take care. ❖ Uthica Jinvit Utano ( email Uthica ) | Alumni Directory .

Greetings, Class of ’99! Please take a moment to fill out the online news form to let your classmates know what you’ve been up to! What have you been doing for work? What brings you the greatest satisfaction these days? How has your life changed—or not changed—lately? We’d love to hear from you!

If you have sent in your news recently, please look for it in the next column! ❖ Class of 1999 ( email c/o Alexandra Bond ’12 ) | Alumni Directory .

I hope that all is well, wherever you are, whenever you read this note. I would love to see you all in person, but as we have just this brief message, I will say that not a day goes by where my mind does not wander to my time on the Hill and the people I met.

I have never met Mickey Rapkin , but from the article recently featured in Cornellians , I am sure I would have enjoyed a little quality coffee time with him in my favorite campus coffee shop, eating chocolate-covered espresso beans.

Mickey recently wrote and directed a poignant short film that wrestles with making the Holocaust relevant to younger generations. If you have not seen this 15-minute short, titled The Anne Frank Gift Shop , take the time to view the trailer on YouTube. Rapkin uses a blend of dark humor and satire to stir the conversation around the sensitive topic. I suggest you watch the movie, if possible.

That’s all for now. I’d love to know what you are up to, out there in the great, wide world. Drop me a line through the online news form . Take care. ❖ Denise Williams ( email Denise ) | Alumni Directory .

Summertime is flying by and the return to school for the younger set is getting closer. I remember those days well. Wanting to make the most of every day of summer vacation freedom while nerves built for the return to classes and homework. The excitement must be even more palpable for the students preparing for their freshman year at Cornell. What an exciting time—moving into a dorm, meeting roommates, roaming around campus with a pack of new friends, and class selection. Those were the days.

I was recently in Pittsburgh for a work trip and found some time to see a close friend (that I met freshman year), Thomas Kavanaugh ’00 . We caught up on our families—his 10-year-old twin boys were deep in their soccer season. And his spouse, Megan (Cunningham) , was enjoying her job. As usual, we re-hashed some funny college stories and ran through our list of Cornell friends who we had seen or heard from recently.

Thomas had recently decided to go for a walk through the nearby Carnegie Mellon campus and coincidentally ran into our friend Jay Rosen . Jay was on a college tour in Pennsylvania with his oldest son, who will be applying to schools this fall. It’s scary to think, but taking our children on college tours is going to become more and more common in the next few years (if it isn’t already). Jay was doing well and told Thomas about his time working for the Red Sea development company in the Middle East and preparing to run in the senior division of the Maccabiah Games.

It was great to see Courtney Pearson Esposito when she recently visited us last week while she was in New York. My wife, Christobel Lorie Gutow , and Courtney don’t have the chance to see each other often, but they always have a great time getting together and catching up. Courtney lives in Dallas with her husband, Bryan . They have two teenage daughters who keep busy with dance and cheer in addition to their schoolwork. I was very impressed to learn that Courtney started an indoor and outdoor seasonal floral arrangement business called Bee Contained. What started out as a hobby and passion for floral decorations has grown into a full-fledged business with hundreds of clients in the Dallas area. Check out her Instagram ( @beecontained ) and be sure to reach out to Courtney if you’re in Dallas.

Erica Chatfield Roberts ’01 recently completed running marathons on all seven continents!

Christopher Fan is an assistant professor at the University of California, Irvine, in the departments of English, Asian American studies, and East Asian studies. He is also a cofounder and senior editor of Hyphen Magazine . He’s the author of a recently published book, Asian American Fiction After 1965: Transnational Fantasies of Economic Mobility . Christopher says it “examines how Asian American fiction maps the immigrant narrative of intergenerational conflict onto the ‘two cultures’ conflict between the arts and sciences.” The book offers a new way of understanding contemporary Asian American fiction through the lens of the class and race formations that shaped its authors, both in the U.S. and in Northeast Asia.

Another classmate, Jennifer Ng Chow , is an Agatha, Anthony, Lefty, and Lilian Jackson Braun Memorial Award-nominated author. Her newest series is the Magical Fortune Cookie mysteries, and the first book in the series is Ill-Fated Fortune , published by St. Martin’s Press. Jennifer describes the novel as a whodunit mystery about a young fortune cookie chef who becomes the main suspect when one customer’s ill-fated fortune results in his murder. Jennifer is an active member of Crime Writers of Color and Mystery Writers of America. Connect with her online and sign up for her newsletter at her website .

Erica Chatfield Roberts recently completed running marathons on all seven continents! She completed the feat in South America with a Patagonia marathon in Chile in October 2023. Before that, she completed a Bhutan marathon in May, and in prior years ran Athens, Sydney, Marrakesh, and Antarctica marathons, along with several in North America. Retired from marathoning, Erica is looking forward to continued adventures around the world.

Don’t forget to get in touch with your local Cornell alumni group to see if they’re planning a student send-off this summer! Those are great opportunities to answer questions from anxious parents (if not the kids themselves) and network with fellow alums. To share news and get back in touch with classmates, please email either of us, visit our website , like the Class of 2001 Facebook page , join our Class of 2001 Classmates Facebook group , and/or follow us on X ( @Cornell2001 ). ❖ James Gutow ( email James ) | Nicole Neroulias Gupte ( email Nicole ) | Alumni Directory .

Thalia Goldstein writes, “I’m excited to announce the publication of my first book, Why Theatre Education Matters: Understanding Its Cognitive, Social, and Emotional Benefits , published by Teachers College Press. This book answers the question: ‘What, psychologically, is an acting class?’ Based on a nationally representative, systematic study of acting classes for high school students, the book connects the activities and teaching strategies of acting to relevant developmental psychology findings and the skills adolescents need as they navigate their worlds.”

Thalia adds, “This book comes out almost 25 years after I took English 301, ‘Mind and Memory,’ with Professor Diane Ackerman , MFA ’73 , PhD ’79 . This course introduced interdisciplinarity to me, and the idea that you can study both a topic and the act of creativity and learning within that topic. That course was structured as the study of creativity across domains and was paired with the student’s own creative practice—for me, theater and dance. Since then, my research and academic career has been focused on the interdisciplinary study of psychology and theater, and I now teach a similar course as a professor at George Mason University, ‘Psychology of Creativity and Innovation.’ I can only hope to change the trajectory of a student’s life the way Professor Ackerman and this course changed mine!” ❖ Class of 2002 ( email c/o Alexandra Bond ’12 ) | Alumni Directory .

This month, we heard from Clement Chow , associate professor of human genetics at the University of Utah School of Medicine, whose lab uses “the common fruit fly to model rare diseases and find new drugs for kids with rare diseases.” Clement says, “The most exciting aspect of this work is the prospect of directly applying our lab work to helping people live full and healthy lives. Working with the families and patients and getting to know the people and lives that these diseases affect is very fulfilling.”

Let us know what you’re up to. Until next time: ❖ Candace Lee Chow , PhD ’14 ( email Candace ) | Jon Schoenberg , ME ’03 , PhD ’11 ( email Jon ) | Alumni Directory .

Keith Hermanstyne writes, “This June, I will be participating in AIDS/LifeCycle 2024! While this means I will unfortunately miss Reunion, I am happy that I will be biking more than 500 miles from the San Francisco Bay Area to Los Angeles. The money I raise for this event supports important HIV/STI treatment and prevention services for people who are most vulnerable. If you would like to learn more, you can check out this link .”

Jigyasa Chander ’00 , BA ’04, reports that she has a new toddler, Anant Mitva, and she gets great satisfaction from watching him grow and from her work in nonprofit administration. ❖ Jessi Petrosino ( email Jessi ) | Alumni Directory .

Hi, Class of 2005! We hope you are all having a nice 2024. As we start to prepare for our 20th Reunion in 2025, we’d love to know if we have the correct contact info for our classmates. If you have any updates, please use this link .

Yasmin Fahr published her third cookbook, Cook Simply, Live Fully , in April with HarperCollins. She’s also a regular contributor to New York Times Cooking and is currently spending half the year in Menorca, Spain. She invites people to say hi online @yasminfahr!

Anpao Duta Flying Earth was recently appointed to the board of directors at the education innovation nonprofit the Aurora Institute. He is currently the executive director of the NACA Inspired Schools Network. ❖ Jessica Rosenthal Chod ( email Jessica ) | Hilary Johnson King ( email Hilary ) | Alumni Directory .

Hello, Class of 2006! Spring has finally sprung as I write this column, and with it comes a sense of rejuvenation and renewal. Amidst your endeavors both professional and personal, we’re pleased to share the latest class news with you.

Joe Fassler has published his debut novel , The Sky Was Ours , through Penguin Books. The story begins in Ithaca and follows a young woman’s journey into the wilds of Upstate New York, where she stumbles on a charismatic recluse working on an impossible project in his countryside barn. “The novel draws deeply on my time at Cornell,” says Joe, where he studied English and creative writing and was “immersed in the landscape that surrounds Ithaca.” Joe’s writing on climate and technology has appeared in outlets like the New York Times , the Atlantic , the Guardian , and Wired . Publishers Weekly called The Sky Was Ours a “stunning debut.” What an incredible accomplishment, Joe!

Jessica DiMenna Watson is excited to share that she got married in September 2023, and now she and her husband are expecting their first child together. Congrats, Jessica!

Whether you’re embarking on exciting new projects, heading to new destinations, cultivating newfound passions, or cherishing moments and milestones with loved ones, please keep the updates coming and share with the class! We’d love to hear about your favorite memories at Cornell and what you’ve been up to lately. ❖ Kirk Greenspan, MBA ’22 ( email Kirk ) | Alumni Directory .

Hello, Class of 2007! I was recently in Puerto Rico for spring break with my family, and there happened to be a lot of Cornell students there as well! I felt extremely old, but was happy to see the new crew of Cornellians. As a little update from me: I’m working with local candidates for my borough council election and have joined the Core Campaign Team as head of events. Gearing up for a busy election season!

Hello from Shane Dunn ! He writes: “As you may know, I have the immense privilege of serving as president of the nonprofit board of directors of GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders (GLAD) in Boston, one of the country’s most effective, durable, and tenacious civil rights organizations. For more than 45 years, GLAD has paved the way for some of the most monumental and important legal victories in New England and across the country—from marriage equality to protecting those living with HIV to ensuring the transgender community can live, thrive, and serve.

“Social movements are not one-day or one-year affairs. For us to achieve true lived equality for the LGBTQ+ community, those of us with other forms of visible and invisible privilege must get involved and stay engaged, even when we think we have succeeded. I wake up every day with deep humility and gratitude to serve and support GLAD.”

Thanks, Shane, for the update and all your hard work! Is anyone else in the nonprofit space? What are you working on?

Looking forward to sharing more exciting stories with everyone! Have more updates to share? Please feel free to reach out to me or submit online! ❖ Samantha Feibush Wolf ( email Samantha ) | Alumni Directory .

Happy summer, Class of ’08! Please take a moment to fill out the online news form to let your classmates know what you’ve been up to! What have you been doing for work? What brings you the greatest satisfaction these days? How has your life changed—or not changed—lately? We’d love to hear from you!

If you have sent in your news recently, please look for it in the next column! ❖ Class of 2008 ( email c/o Alexandra Bond ’12 ) | Alumni Directory .

Kirsten Stoner Cummiskey , ME ’10, writes, “Since last Reunion, I got married to Ryan , ME ’10, and we had a baby girl this spring. I love spending time with my newborn daughter, husband, and doggo.” In her work, Kirsten has been developing and leading research on a subretinal delivery device for gene and cell therapies. When asked if attending Cornell changed the trajectory of her life, she replied, “Yes! I would never have met my husband otherwise.”

Katie Engelhart is a journalist, documentary producer, and contributing writer at the New York Times Magazine , based in Toronto and New York. She’s also a Fellow at New America and mostly reports on ethics and medicine. Her most recent article , which won a Pulitzer, is about a legal fight involving dementia. It asks: when does a person with dementia lose the ability, and then perhaps the right, to decide for herself?

Katie writes, “My story What Happened in Room 10? won a George Polk Award for Magazine Reporting in 2021. It is the product of a months-long investigation into the first COVID outbreak in an American nursing home—and, more broadly, the rise of the for-profit nursing home industry in America. The article also won the John Bartlow Martin Award for Public Interest Magazine Journalism and the MOLLY Prize for Investigative Journalism, and was a finalist for the National Magazine Award in Feature Writing. Previously, I worked as a documentary film correspondent and on-air producer at NBC News. I made short documentaries from across the U.S. and abroad.” ❖ Jason Georges ( email Jason ) | Alumni Directory .

We welcome spring with the announcement of new Cornell babies! Ordessia Charran and her husband, Anthony Torres, welcomed a baby girl in August 2022 and are expecting another girl this summer. Since leaving New York City in 2020, Ordessia has been working as a pulmonary and critical care medicine physician at Kingman Regional Medical Center in Arizona. The family splits their time between Arizona and Nevada. She is enjoying spending time with her daughter and looks forward to bringing her family to visit the East Coast again.

Sarah Khatibzadeh , BS ’09, DVM ’14, and Gordon Briggs ’09 , BS ’08, ME ’09, celebrated the birth of their first child, Athena Melanie, in 2023. They are thrilled and look forward to taking Athena on her first trip to campus, including stops at Alice Cook House, where they met on Halloween night in 2007, and Sage Chapel, where they tied the knot in May 2014.

Samantha Stout spent the last 10 years studying paintings with X-ray spectroscopy in Italy. She met her husband there and together they founded a freelance business. They moved back to the U.S. in March 2023 and Samantha now works as a metrology engineer at the MEMS (Micro Electro-Mechanical Systems) foundry Atomica in Santa Barbara, CA. Her Big Red ties run deep, and she still loves keeping up with the research advances coming from the materials science department at Cornell.

Please write and share your news! We would love to celebrate with you. ❖ Michelle Sun ( email Michelle ) | Alumni Directory .

John Nitti ’s book, Sharing the Road , was published last year. “There are plenty of bits about Cornell in it,” he writes. From the publisher: “Ten years after his 36-year-old uncle, a Brooklyn firefighter, is killed on 9/11, Cornell senior John Nitti prepares for a journey and challenge of a lifetime after graduation with his roommates―one of the longest bicycle rides in the history of the U.S. As the 10,000-mile, 35-state ride across the country and back approaches, however, his friends drop out, making it a solo venture. The odds are against him. For one, he’s not a cyclist. He’s never biked more than nine miles in a day, and he needs to learn how to change a flat tire. He’s never camped before, except in his backyard as a kid.

“As Nitti faces self-doubt and a fear of being alone, the challenges of the road prove immense: gale-force headwinds in Texas, freezing temperatures in New Mexico, 25 flat tires, encounters with wildlife and police, crashes in Alabama and Pennsylvania, and more; but he receives unexpected help from strangers―just about every day. On a trip full of unique experiences, from riding up and down the Rockies twice to ‘showering’ in farm sprinklers and rivers, to working on a farm in Ohio, he learns to appreciate changes in himself as he bikes through the forests, mountains, plains, cities, and deserts of the U.S., on everything from dirt roads to interstates, trying to make it back home to New York.”

Virginia Tyrone Yozwiak shares, “ Adam , ME ’11, and I welcomed our third child, Andrew David (a.k.a. A.D. Yozwiak)!” And Carolyn Sedgwick-Ludwin writes, “My husband, Brian, and I were indeed laboring on Labor Day weekend—we welcomed our son Andy to the world! He is a delight. He’ll be making his first trek to Ithaca this summer. Andy loves the water, so we’re especially looking forward to introducing him to Ithaca’s many waterfalls and natural areas.”

My husband and I were indeed laboring on Labor Day weekend—we welcomed our son Andy to the world! Carolyn Sedgwick-Ludwin ’11

Michael Breitstein has been promoted to partner at CoVenture Management, a privately held alternative asset management firm focused on direct credit opportunities and credit-oriented investments in early and later-stage companies. He has more than 10 years of special situations credit experience.

Sami Fishbein Sage has co-written a book , Democracy in Retrograde: How to Make Changes Big and Small in Our Country and in Our Lives , which is “a combo of self-help and political manifesto that is perfect for anyone who wants to save our democracy but doesn’t know where to start.” According to the publisher, “In today’s political climate, it’s hard not to get discouraged. Isolated, doom scrolling, lacking a sense of purpose or community … it’s easy to become overwhelmed by the dire state of American democracy and do nothing, because why try when the odds are never in our favor? [The co-authors] want to reframe civic engagement as a form of self-care: an assertion of one’s values and self-respect. This book is not just about voting, but about claiming your singular place in your country and community.

“Using real stories of regular citizens who have made a difference, Democracy in Retrograde is a choose-your-own-adventure map to civic engagement that’s tailored to your values, skills, passions, resources, and time. Whether you have only a few hours to spare or are ready to make a lifetime commitment, [the authors] show you how to make changes, big and small, that matter.” Sami is a cofounder and chief creative officer of Betches Media and she hosts the award-winning daily news podcast, Morning Announcements . ❖ Class of 2011 ( email c/o Alexandra Bond ’12 ) | Alumni Directory .

Olivia Prout Plunkett and her husband, Dan, are pleased to share that their son, Orin, was born on January 23, 2024. His big brother, Ellis, is very happy with his new promotion and they all look forward to getting back to Ithaca this year! ❖ Peggy Ramin ( email Peggy ) | Alumni Directory .

After a short break, we are back with more news. As usual, our classmates are continuing to impress as they take business and entrepreneurship into their own pioneering hands.

First up is Brynne Vernon , who is a member of the board of the nonprofit organization Sunday, which supports entrepreneurs and small businesses in low-income and underserved communities by providing zero-interest microloans. Its mission is to accelerate entrepreneurship, dismantle poverty, and reinvent micro-finance through ethical and transparent lending practices. Most of the entrepreneurs Sunday supports are women. By removing undue interest, Sunday empowers women to start and/or grow their business with inclusive and equitable access to capital. As loans are repaid, the capital is lent out once again, helping more business owners and multiplying impact over time. Sunday has lent directly to entrepreneurs in over 130 countries and is funded entirely by donations. More information can be found here .

Amanda Quain will be releasing her third book, Dashed , on July 16, 2024. Dashed is a contemporary young adult update of the classic Sense and Sensibility and tells the story of Margaret Dashwood. When Margaret’s sister Marianne—newly single and the world’s biggest romantic who has seemingly forgotten that love nearly tore their family apart five years earlier—crashes a cruise vacation with their other sister, Elinor, the vacation Margaret planned is seemingly ruined. The only solution? Find Marianne a love interest, at least until they reach land. The plan, however, quickly goes awry as Margaret finds her own love interest on board and the boat faces a storm. Will Margaret follow the plan of finding her sister love or will she follow her own heart?

Amanda Quain ’13 will be releasing her third book, a contemporary young adult update of the classic Sense and Sensibility .

Lei Liu started law school at the University of New Hampshire Franklin Pierce School of Law in August 2023 in Concord, NH. Lei visited Ithaca in November 2023 and was able to reconnect with his former German studies professor, Grit Matthias. Lei remembers his years at Cornell fondly, including relaxing on Libe Slope and watching the sunset, studying late at night at Uris and Olin libraries, enjoying snowball fights on the Arts Quad, and making friendships that continue today.

We’ve reported many times on Kamillah Knight , MPA ’15, MBA ’22, and her impressive achievements, but I would be remiss not to mention a future Cornellian now in our midst. After marrying Stephan Spilkowitz ’10 , Kamillah welcomed baby Koah in September 2023 and they are already planning for Koah to become a member of the Cornell Class of 2045!

As always, if you have news to share, please email me! ❖ Rachael Schuman Fassler ( email Rachael ) | Alumni Directory .

Hello, Class of 2014! Earlier this year in March, Spencer Whale made his Broadway debut as an assistant director for the show Lempicka , about Polish painter Tamara de Lempicka.

Classmates Delia Hughes , MBA ’20, and Lindsay Simon recently won a Stacy’s Rise Project grant, which awarded their company, Tazzy Candy, $25,000 and mentorship from PepsiCo and Frito-Lay. They were one of 15 female-founded companies to win, alongside two others with Cornellian founders. Tazzy Candy sells hard candy with only six ingredients and low sugar content.

Please reach out if you have any news to share! ❖ Samantha Lapehn Young ( email Samantha ) | Alumni Directory .

Some exciting news from our class! First, Sadie Garside married husband Brandon on June 15 in Chatham, MA, on Cape Cod.

Also, Christine Gutchess and her mother have written a cookbook of their favorite recipes, focusing on simple, easy dishes that are sure to please a crowd. The book is called Homebody , inspired by summers spent near Cornell on Skaneateles Lake. After graduating from Cornell, Christine went to the Culinary Institute of America and spent time in Washington, DC, as a private chef.

Congratulations, Sadie and Christine! ❖ Caroline Flax ( email Caroline ) | Mateo Acebedo ( email Mateo ) | Alumni Directory .

2016 & 2017

Happy summer! We don’t have any news to share from these classes, so if you are reading this please take a moment to fill out the online news form to let us know what you’ve been up to! What have you been doing for work? What brings you the greatest satisfaction these days? How has your life changed—or not changed—lately? We’d love to hear from you! ❖ Classes of 2016 & 2017 ( email c/o Alexandra Bond ’12 ) | Alumni Directory .

Austin Beck , BS ’17, and his brother, fellow Cornellian Tyler Beck ’14 , run their family’s Upstate New York dairy farm, which was recently featured in a new TV series. Streaming for free on the Roku Channel, “ Dairy Diaries ” follows former “Saturday Night Live” star Vanessa Bayer around the brothers’ operation as she spends a week learning what it takes to produce milk, from cow to glass.

Sponsored by the dairy industry and shot over the course of a week in November 2023, the show comprises five episodes that are roughly 10 minutes each. In choosing a location for filming, the producers considered more than 80 hopefuls. “When we applied, we thought, ‘There are so many farms, there’s no way they would choose us,’” Tyler recalls. “But eventually, we had a 50-person production team from Hollywood on our farm—and some of them had never even seen a cow.”

Said Austin, “We did the show because it’s important for us to do our part to bridge the gap between consumers and farmers.” He hopes “Dairy Diaries” will counter some of the negative PR generated by activists who oppose the milk-production industry. “Other generations didn’t always prioritize telling their story—but we wanted to have the opportunity to educate and give people a different perspective.”

You can read more about their adventures in this recent Cornellians story ! ❖ Class of 2018 ( email c/o Alexandra Bond ’12 ) | Alumni Directory .

We hope many of you reconnected on the Hill at Reunion last month! If you did, please take a moment to send us a note—via the online news form or email—to tell us about the weekend! Who did you see? How was it to come back to East Hill as an alum? What changes to campus caught your eye? We’d love to hear from you! ❖ Class of 2019 ( email c/o Alexandra Bond ’12 ) | Alumni Directory .

Sara Tayara was recently selected to receive the John Mack ABANA Fellowship, which offers an educational stipend of $15,000 and professional mentorship opportunities to MBA students with an interest in the Middle East and North Africa region. Sara was one of five Fellows selected from 100 applicants in the fellowship’s inaugural year. In the fall, she will attend the Stanford Graduate School of Business.

At Cornell, she earned dual degrees in information science and urban planning, with a minor in business. Currently, Sara is a manager at EY MENA, in their digital and emerging technology practice, where she leads teams in designing and developing digital products for various sectors, most notably smart cities. Based in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, she is actively involved in expanding the company’s digital design practice across the region, as well as mentoring young professionals in the product space.

Julia DeNey was recently featured in a Cornellians story for her work designing apparel for people who have autism and other conditions. Her company’s offerings include a sweatshirt with a flip-down eye mask and weighted vinyl material around the ears that can block 10–30 decibels of high-frequency sound, and a “compression” shirt whose adjustable lining can be tightened around the wearer, replicating the feeling of a hug.

Amanda Madenberg writes, “I met my fiancé, Josh Londin ’21 , on campus in 2017. Seven years later, he proposed at the top of the Slope.” Congratulations! ❖ Class of 2020 ( email c/o Alexandra Bond ’12 ) | Alumni Directory .

Amanda Hernandez was recently featured in a Cornellians story for her work as the coach of the Cornell Dance Team. A medical student at the University of Michigan, Amanda has coached the squad remotely for the past three seasons—and this year they made it to the finals of the U.S.’s largest collegiate dance competition, which was held in Walt Disney World’s ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, FL, in January. Of the team, she said, “The growth we have had is unbelievable for such a short period of time.”

Their advancement to the finals (where they finished eighth overall) marked the best showing by any Ivy League school in the competition’s history—thanks in large part to Amanda’s efforts. The team’s advancement is a bit bittersweet for Amanda, since, she says, it will soon be time for the squad to have an in-person, professional coach. “I want the team to live on forever and just keep getting better and better,” she says. “I’ll always be the dancers’ number-one fan.” ❖ Class of 2021 ( email c/o Alexandra Bond ’12 ) | Alumni Directory .

Summer greetings, Class of ’22! If you are reading this, please take a moment to send in an online news form . What have you been doing since graduation? What are your plans for the summer? Sends us your news, big or small—we can’t wait to hear from you! ❖ Class of 2022 ( email c/o Alexandra Bond ’12 ) | Alumni Directory .

Lorlei Boyd , who was featured in our May/June Class Notes column, has since penned a personal essay for Cornellians titled “We Need Anthropologists Everywhere—Especially in AI.” In it, she wrote, “One year ago, I entered the job market with a humanities degree. This was never the plan—until my senior year, I thought for sure I was en route to my PhD. Humanities were for academia, right? I was hungry to join the workforce, only I didn’t know how.

“I wish the world were kinder to non-STEM majors. I had internalized self-doubt—a conviction that corporate America belonged to the engineers, that humanistic and research skills were inferior. Now I lead applied AI software development at Gray Decision Intelligence , a provider of academic program evaluation software to higher education institutions. The truth is that these skills transfer.

“What’s the catch? The humanities don’t teach you the technical details—rather, they give you a toolbox. Your skillset offers an aggressive competency to research anything and everything and distill that dizzying volume of information into a thoughtful final product.

“What you know going into a project almost doesn’t matter. When you’re trained in the humanities, your job is to think through incommensurable problems. What’s more complex than human nature? My point is that the humanities prepared me for a biztech career in STEM—not something I would’ve anticipated a few years ago.

“At the end of the day, this is not to say STEM majors are worth any less. Rather, I hope to lift up my fellow humanities majors. You, too, are incredibly skilled and will bring unique gifts to your workplace. Trust your education.” ❖ Class of 2023 ( email c/o Alexandra Bond ’12 ) | Alumni Directory .

Arts and Sciences

Malve Brueggemann Burns , MA ’67 , PhD ’71 , published a historical novel , Stone Mother , in September 2023. The novel highlights the strange period in post-WWII Germany when an entire nation would not—and could not—speak of the horror it had wrought. The novel’s heroine, Marie, grows up in a castle, a thousand-year-old “stone mother,” in the late 1940s in Germany. Kirkus called it “an evocative novel about inherited pain and redemption.” Malve has given book presentations at independent bookstores and libraries, including at Georgetown Neighborhood Library.

Jason Clay , MA ’76 , PhD ’79 , is an expert on food sustainability and the senior vice president at World Wildlife Fund (WWF)—where he oversees the Markets Institute, a think tank that works with startups focused on how to make food production more climate friendly. He is currently working on creating “Codex Planetarius,” a set of minimum environmental standards to produce globally traded food. The project will propose standards to reduce the six to eight key environmental impacts of producing food exports and to ensure that they don’t undermine renewable natural resources for present and future generations. He also authors “ Rethink Food ,” a weekly newsletter that offers readers insight and experiences gained over the course of his more-than-40-year career on the front lines of global food sustainability. Before joining WWF in 1999, Jason ran a family farm, taught at Harvard and Yale, worked in the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and spent more than 25 years working with human rights and environmental organizations.

Cheryl Walsh , MA ’91 , published her debut novel , Unequal Temperament , with American Buffalo Books in September 2023. As the book’s blurb notes: “From her early aspirations of being a concert pianist to her current job as a meteorologist, Morgan has found that life—much like forecasting weather patterns and tuning harpsichords—is far from an exact science. When her father dies unexpectedly, Morgan pushes away her husband, and the growing chasm threatens their marriage. Through the lens of art, music, and meteorology, Unequal Temperament examines how we navigate the storms of our lives.”

Hanna Hasl-Kelchner , MBA ’78 , wrote a book , Seeking Fairness at Work: Cracking the New Code of Greater Employee Engagement, Retention & Satisfaction . It helps executives, managers, and business owners examine the unwritten rules at work—rules that, when broken, keep employees from doing their best work and companies from reaching their full potential. Hanna uses real-life stories to reveal the fundamental unfairness and hidden conflicts that slowly crush trust and employee engagement. The book also tackles managers’ misconceptions and concerns and includes a five-step framework to dramatically elevate both the employee experience and business results.

On May 17, an episode of “Let’s Make a Deal” featured our very own Sanford “Sandy” Argabrite , MBA ’85 ! Sandy performed a magic trick for the host, Wayne Brady, and in the end, he went home with $5,000. Sandy has been practicing magic tricks for the past 20 years and has performed in Los Angeles, Hawaii, and Toronto. And this isn’t his first time on a game show—in 2019, Sandy was on the “Best Ever Trivia Show.”

Brian Hittle , MBA ’03 , is now writing Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan book series. In 1984, Tom Clancy published The Hunt for Red October , a novel that reimagined thrillers and invented the military thriller genre. (Clancy died in 2013.) Now, for the 40th anniversary of that book, Brian and his friend, both Navy veterans, are writing the sequel, Act of Defiance . Brian was a former submarine officer, who himself used to do the type of missions seen in the movie adaptation. He writes under the pen name Brian Andrews.

Rachel Eng Tomadakis , MBA ’19 , was hired as a senior asset manager at Synergy, a real estate development firm in Boston. Rachel’s career has spanned over 15 years in commercial real estate asset management. Most recently she was the vice president of asset management at Marcus Partners and the director and asset manager for the RMR Group. “I am honored to be a part of Synergy’s high-caliber team,” said Rachel. “I look forward to elevating the team and contributing to Synergy’s ongoing success in this dynamic real estate environment.”

Onyinye Akujuo , MBA ’22 , shares that, on March 20, 2024, she gave birth to Adaora Johnson, who can sometimes be seen sporting her very own striped Cornell outfit. Congratulations!

Yusuf Kappaya , MBA ’23 , and his wife, Issra, also shared that they welcomed their baby boy, Ilyas Haroon Abdullah-Kappaya, to the world recently. “Cornell Class of 2046!” said Yusuf.

Computing and Information Science

Daniela Rus , MS ’90 , PhD ’92 , was featured in the Boston Globe ’s third annual list of the most influential people in the New England technology sector. Daniela is a roboticist and computer scientist, director of the MIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, and the Andrew and Erna Viterbi Professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Gregory Parks , JD ’08 , a professor of law at Wake Forest University, edited a recently published volume on collegiate Greek-letter organizations. The book , The Law of Fraternities and Sororities , offers an overview of the legal landscape of the critical issues that collegiate Greek-letter fraternities and sororities should understand and integrate into their day-to-day work. The first section explores the range of issues that deal with processes, standards, rules, and practices that fraternities and sororities must follow. The second discusses risk and liability issues like hazing and sexual assault. The third covers constitutional issues like freedom of speech, and the final section examines broader issues of antitrust and consumer protection.

Welcome to our newest offering: Group Notes! Like Class Notes, these columns are written by alumni, but they comprise news about members of Cornell groups—including campus activities, alumni organizations, and more—across generations. If you would like to see your group represented here, email us for more information!

Cornell Daily Sun

Hello fellow Sunnies, and welcome back to Group Notes! I’m Vee Cipperman ’23 , a former Sun editor-in-chief, who also worked as a graduate operations fellow for the Sun this past spring. The semester brought many exciting events with our alumni, both in and outside the media industry.

Throughout the semester, student Sunnies saw where their work could take them through the “Meet a Journalist” series. Eric Lichtblau ’87 , a celebrated journalist with the New York Times and other major publications, led a workshop on investigative journalism. Adam Thompson ’97 , a bureau chief in the Life & Work group at the Wall Street Journal , taught students about writing engaging sports stories. Melanie Lefkowitz ’95 , editor-in-chief of the Cornell Chronicle , joined us for an engaging conversation about pursuing a journalism career and covering higher education.

On April 19, the Cornell Daily Sun Alumni Association hosted its annual New York City reunion. The student editorial board traveled downstate to meet alumni and share Sun stories. On April 20, the board enjoyed an exclusive tour of the New York Times office, hosted by Times managing editor Marc Lacey ’87 . This event followed the Washington, DC, reunion, hosted on March 22.

On April 13, the Sun held our second annual business workshop in Ithaca. We invited alumni working in management, tech, and multimedia journalism for a day of panels and networking with students. This event is modeled after our journalism workshop, which has taken place at the Sun office every October for the past decade; it gives alumni from other industries a chance to reconnect and share their knowledge with students.

Throughout the semester, student Sunnies saw where their work could take them through the ‘Meet a Journalist’ series.

Rebecca Shoval ’08 planned the first business workshop last year, and I took over for this year’s gathering. We hosted a number of impressive speakers. Alex Berg ’09 , an award-winning documentarian and broadcast journalist, teamed up with Leah Stacy, editor-in-chief of CITY Magazine in Rochester, for a panel on producing multimedia content. Google app developer Jordan Epstein ’18 and Roku marketing VP Dan Robbins ’13 spoke about using analytics and data tools in journalism.

Several members of the Sun senior board joined us for the event, including incoming chair Scott Jaschik ’85 . We shared panels, meals, and vibrant discussions on the Sun ’s future.

As always, the Sun welcomed its new editorial board in early March. Editor-in-chief Gabriel Levin ’26 leads the editorial side of the paper, and director of business and operations Sheila Yu ’26 leads the financial side. This spring, the 142nd board launched ambitious projects and set new goals to rejuvenate the Sun ; they still have many months to drive the paper, and we can’t wait to see what they’ll accomplish.

As always, the spring semester brought new ideas, productive meetings, and alumni reconnections at the Sun . Look forward to more in the future! If you’re interested in submitting an update for a future Cornellians column or want to know more, please reach out to me. Enjoy a summer of rest and sunshine! ❖ Vee Cipperman ’23 ( email Vee ) | Alumni Directory .

University Chorus & Glee Club

For my encore, I almost titled this column “The Sounds of Silence,” as I had received very little news by my deadline. Fortunately, a little plug on social media resulted in some fantastic updates to share.

Paul Sheppard , MS ’84 , wrote in from Tucson, AZ, to share that his singing club, Under Video Surveillance, which is composed of various small ensembles, put on a recital of sacred music on May 11 in the old church of Tumacácori, AZ. The event was recorded, and a playlist of the songs is in production—stay tuned! Paul made me smile when, at the time of this writing, he shared that the group planned to end the recital with the Biebl “Ave Maria.”

Town and Country Players in Bucks County, PA, brought in an update about Chorus accompanist extraordinaire Sue den Outer ’94 , who is the music director for their upcoming performance of 9 to 5 . This is Sue’s second year with T&C, her first show being Guys and Dolls . One of Sue’s favorite theatrical experiences was Little Women , “because of the connection to a childhood favorite novel, the beautiful score, and the people who became dear friends,” and her favorite woman character in theater is Elphaba (from Wicked ), because she is “strong-willed, grounded (well not always, but you know what I mean), and passionate.” What would Sue tell her younger self? “You do not need to do all of the shows!”

Speaking of doing all the shows, I received some super exciting news from Kristin Maloney ’97 , which I am sharing in her own words: “For the last 10 years or so I have been working with composer Robert Maggio and librettist Justin Warner on a musical adaptation of Far From the Tree , the extraordinary book by Andrew Solomon. This year we won the prestigious Richard Rodgers Musical Theater Award from the Academy of Arts and Letters, which will subsidize a Studio Production in the New York area. We have been working with director Michael Greif ( Rent, If/Then, Next to Normal, Dear Evan Hansen ), and we are really looking forward to further developing this show under his direction. It is a super thrilling shot of adrenaline, much needed after the years of listlessness wrought by the COVID theater shutdowns.”

A dozen Glee Club alumni performed at a celebration at the Cornell Tech campus to honor the life and memory of Chuck Feeney ’56 .

Lastly, Jacques Boubli ’88 sent in a lovely update from a lakeside Airbnb about half a mile north of the Hangar Theatre and Allan H. Treman State Marine Park, where he and his wife, Elyse, drove to from Katonah, NY, to celebrate Passover with their children, Sophia ’26 and Jeremy (a freshman at Binghamton). Jacques shared a special story that explains why Passover is such a deeply personal holiday to his family, as his father, Elie Boubli , MS ’54 , left Egypt and took the maiden voyage of the Andrea Doria to save his life and make a better one in the U.S. “Of all places,” Jacques writes, “he started it at Cornell, majoring in electrical engineering and minoring in ILR.”

A few days before making the trip to Ithaca, Jacques attended the Groat-Alpern Awards celebration at the Pierre in NYC, where classmates Lauren Ezrol Klein ’88 and James Miller ’88 were honored. The next day, a dozen Glee Club alumni performed at a celebration at the Cornell Tech campus on Roosevelt Island to honor the life and memory of Chuck Feeney ’56 . Writes Jacques, “It was a deeply moving tribute to the extraordinarily generous Feeney, Cornell’s largest donor ever. Our group included Andrew Guo ’19 , Phil Batson ’70 , PhD ’76, Bart Codd ’88 , Pete Klosterman ’70 , Chris Umeki ’19 , Eric Saidel ’97 , Don Peck , JD ’86 , Steve Tremaroli ’76 , Terence Goff ’96 , Joe Cleverdon ’98 , BS ’15, and my dearest friend, TP Enders ’90 , ME ’96, who expertly organized and coordinated our participation.”

Professionally, Jacques is a partner at the Portfolio Strategy Group, a $2B Registered Investment Advisor in White Plains, NY, where he has been for 10 years and previously served as chief compliance officer. His career journey has not been a straight line, however, and he says he is often asked about his transition from arts management to wealth management. Jacques shared that he served as the Glee Club’s music librarian, assistant manager, general manager, and tour manager from 1984–88, which led to a 20-year career in the performing arts, which included running violinist Isaac Stern’s family office and serving as production manager for Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. Armed with an MBA from NYU/Stern and as a certified financial planner, he entered financial services in 2008, “so don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t time the markets!” Jacques also shared, “I often reflect on my experiences with the Glee Club. Nothing meant more to me at Cornell. It helped me find my friends, my calling, and myself. The camaraderie, brotherhood, and responsibility were transformative and continue to provide me with joy.”

Your updates are music to my ears—please keep them coming! Until we meet again. ❖ Alison Torrillo French ’95 ( email Alison ) | Alumni Directory .

Top image: Photo by Adam Murtland / Cornell University

Published July 1, 2024