Class of 1991 30th Year Virtual Reunion (April–June 2021)
Due to the global pandemic, Cornell Reunion was all-virtual for 2021. Although we were disappointed that we were not be able to gather on campus in person, Virtual Reunion allowed even more alumni to participate in innovative and exciting ways.
The Class of 1991 held our own virtual Reunion events to supplement the University sponsored virtual Reunion. There were multiple online gatherings between April and July 2021.
Our first class event was held on April 15 and 18 and was a success with over 100 classmates in attendance with special musical appearances from the two fabulous Cornell student groups, the Touchtones and the BreakFree Dance Troupe.
Following the entertainment, classmates had ample time to join different breakout groups and catch up with other classmates.
Our second event was held on May 19 where we began with entertainment from the Hangovers, and learned from fellow '91er Mitchell Davis, expert food consultant focusing on food to find better solutions and build better lives. It featured a special beverage of the evening called a "Rhubarb Shrub." Then, again, classmates had amply opportunity for FaceTime roaming around different breakout rooms
Our third class event, the Reunion Rooms Party was a huge success and was held during the University's Reunion weekend on June 12, again with over 100 classmates in attendance.
For our final class event celebrating our 30th Year Reunion, the Class of 1991 partnered with Laughing Gull Chocolates
and took a virtual trip around the globe, learning the ins and outs of chocolate tasting and tasted chocolate made with cacao grown all over the world followed by more opportunities for classmates to reconnect in breakout rooms.
In addition to our four class events, we also provided all classmates with the opportunity to catch up with other classmates. To help with that, we sponsored a Cornell Class of '91 Reunion Memory Book. We are hoping you had a chance to participate.
Class of 1991 30th Year Reunion Class Photo: We are trying to create a photo collage of all of the headshots from the Reunion Memory Book as well as screenshots from our events. If you have any screenshots please send them to us at cornell91@cornell.edu.
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Although we were all disappointed not to celebrate our 30th Reunion on Libe Slope this June, the Class of 1991 pulled together an incredible virtual Reunion. Our virtual Reunion allowed us to extend the celebration over a few months, and classmates were able to participate in innovative and exciting ways. Planning efforts were led by Reunion chair Jeff Weintraub, MD ’95, and class president Jana Pompadur Kierstead.
Our first event, held in April, was led by Kim Brown Bixler and Abbe Goldberg Groffman. We were treated to special performances by Cornell’s a cappella group the Touchtones and Cornell’s amazing dance group BreakFree. We heard and saw how current Touchtones and BreakFree dancers pivoted during the pandemic, and ’91 Touchtones alumni KimMartin-Epstein, Erinn Greene Ryen, and Lisa Dell DeLuca also joined in the celebration!
Our next event, in May, “Eating the Future,” planned by Dorine Colabella DiConti and J. Tim Vanini, began with music by the Hangovers and featured a presentation from ’91 classmate Mitchell Davis, a foremost expert in the fields of food, restaurants, and food systems change. Some classmates who joined also created the featured beverage for the evening, the “Rhubarb Shrub.”
Then in June, we held the Class of ’91 rooms party, which occurred during the University’s virtual Reunion weekend. Thanks to Eric Rosario, BA ’10, and Kathy Kraus Bolks for their planning efforts, which allowed many ’91ers to re-connect and meet some new ’91ers as well. Our final Reunion event, in July, coordinated by Kim Bixler, involved a virtual chocolate trip around the globe, and we learned the ins and outs of chocolate tasting as we sampled delicious offerings made with cacao grown all over the world. Additional thank-yous go out to the other ’91ers that were very involved in virtual Reunion planning including Paul Hayre, Bob Baca, Andrew Stifel, Robyn Lipsky Weintraub, Ruby Wang Pizzini, Charles Wu, Kris Hurley van Riper, and Karen Paul Zimmer, MD ’98.
Hopefully some of you tuned in to the University-sponsored Reunion event “Clash of the Cornellians,” a trivia night challenge to see how well contestants (from any Reunion class) know Cornell today. Our very own Jeff Weintraub, MD ’95, took the win! And another huge congratulations goes out to Robyn Lipsky Weintraub, who had her 35th New York Times crossword puzzle published and has hit for the cycle, having created a crossword every day of the week for the New York Times. Well done, Jeff and Robyn! In other class news, ’91 set a new record in funds raised for a 30th Reunion campaign. We also reached our goal for Cornell Giving Partner Members and for the Annual Fund. Thank you all for your generous contributions!
As we were not able to meet in person, the Class of ’91 is sponsoring a Reunion memory book. This project, spearheaded by Charles Wu, provides all classmates an opportunity to catch up with others. Hundreds of classmates have already participated, and we encourage all of you to join. Create a private page before the end of this year (secure and only visible to other ’91ers) all about you: what you’re up to these days, favorite memories of your time on the Hill, and pics from then and now. If you did not receive an email with a link and instructions, please drop us a message at cornell91@cornell.edu, and we’ll send you the link to join.
The conclusion of our 30th marks the beginning of a five-year run for our next slate of class officers. Check out the full listing here. This is the last column for Tim Vanini and Lori Attanasio Woodring. Joe Marraccino and Wendy Milks Coburn will be staying on as correspondents, and will be joined by Ruby Wang Pizzini, Susan Curtis Schneider, and Evelyn Achuck Yue. Please keep in touch and send any news or updates by using the online news form. Have a wonderful summer and don’t forget to write in and tell us what you have been doing! Joe Marraccino, Joe.Marraccino@wfafinet.com; Wendy Milks Coburn, wmilkscoburn@me.com; Ruby Wang Pizzini, ruby.pizzini@gmail.com ; Susan Curtis Schneider, skc12@cornell.edu; Evelyn Achuck Yu, evelyn_yue@yahoo.com.
As always, if you are interested in getting involved with any class positions (and we are always seeking), please contact our class president, Jana Pompadur Kierstead, at jkierstead@hbs.edu. Check out our class website for yourself at: cornellclassof1991.com. We’d love to hear from you about anything! Submit your news via the online news form or contact any of us directly at: Tim Vanini, lavanooche@icloud.com; Wendy Milks Coburn, wmilkscoburn@me.com; Lori Woodring, lori.woodring@yahoo.com; Joe Marraccino, Joe.Marraccino@wfafinet.com.