Alumni E–H

Christine Edler ’83
I am teaching at Northfield Mt. Hermon School in Northfield, Mass. My courses vary from the traditional U.S. history requirements to a contemporary issues course and a sophomore-level world history course. I have been a coach of field hockey, lacrosse, track, and basketball over the years. This coming year marks my 18th in the teaching field! I have a MALS degree from Dartmouth, which reminded me of how much I enjoy being a student. My American studies degree from Skidmore has come in handy more times than I can say. But perhaps the most important aspect of my American studies education is the reminder that some of the most interesting and provocative ideas come from outside the textbook (speakers, museum trips, hands-on activities). I often invite world travelers, for example, to come into my sophomore classes and talk about their views of the world. Then we discuss the kids' reactions. American studies reminds me that the world is full of living "artifacts!" History can be fun—even for high school students!

Samia Elia ’03
(Click here to email Sam)
After graduation I moved to Washington, D.C., and accepted a position as public affairs specialist at the Smithsonian Institution.

Michael Ellis ’94
I graduated in 1994 after a terrific experience as an American studies major. I still think fondly of Professors Hall, Lynn, Pfitzer, and Zangrando, and have many of their pearls of wisdom stored in my head. My life has been profoundly shaped by what I learned in the American studies course work, not only as a professional but in regard to how I live every day and how I see myself as a member of this incredibly complex society. I went on from Skidmore to Smith College School for Social Work, where I received my master's in clinical social work, specializing in work with children and families. I am presently working as a child and family therapist at a large nonprofit agency in urban Hartford, Conn., called The Village for Families and Children. I am also a consultant to Head Start centers in the greater Hartford area as well as co-chair of the Diversity Steering Committee here at The Village. In order for me to do my various jobs well, I need to be able to think systemically about how people are affected by laws, poverty, discrimination, culture/ethnicity, religion, politics, media, popular culture, etc. I feel that the broad range of topics covered in American studies as well as specific course offerings such as America on the Couch, Civil Rights in the 20th Century, Machine in the Garden, and Material Culture gave me a great background to do social work. I am grateful to the wonderful people in the department who supported my growth and introduced me to many issues in American culture that I was unaware of prior to entering the program. I feel that my idealism and my desire to serve people were nurtured and strengthened by the readings, lectures, and discussions that took place over the four years that I spent at Skidmore in the American Studies Department.

Kathryn Zucker Epstein ’62
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As I remember, my choice to become an American studies major was quite simply that I felt it would provide me with the optimum liberal arts education, and that is certainly what ensued! Mr. Baker was the department head at that time, and no question he was a "tough" professor. We were the only students at that time that had to write a senior thesis ... and what an effort that was! The title of my thesis was, "The Left-wing Playwrights of the 1930s and How Their Plays Reflected American Society at That Time." Whether or not my choice of American studies as a major had any direct bearing on my career as a travel consultant is hard to say, but I certainly enjoyed the diversity of the curriculum at that time.

Melissa Parodi Essigman ’91
I received an M.S. in secondary education. I am a middle school teacher (currently on maternity leave :). I teach eighth grade American history, so my degree and everything I learned is my life.

Regan Eysman Franklin ’97 (updated 3/06)
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I have decided to become a history teacher for grades 6–12. I am entering a program at George Mason called "Career Switcher." It is a program that allows individuals who have been working for a while to become teachers more quickly than if they were to quit their jobs and go back to school full-time. The obvious advantage being that you can still work while getting certified! I cannot wait to get into a classroom! I have spent the last year teaching second graders at Sunday school at my temple in Alexandria, Va., and I absolutely love it. [It should also be noted that Regan was married about 2.5 years ago!]

Elise Fariello ’11
Elise reports that she is finishing her graduate program at American University and has "accepted a full-time position at the National Archives, where I've been working part-time for the past few years."

Adam Fein ’95
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I live in Boston with my wife, Toni, who graduated from Skidmore in 1996. I received a master's in library and information science from Simmons College in August of 1999. I am now working for Bain Capital in Boston as a research librarian. The work is largely the same as my last job at KPMG. I was laid off from that job last summer/fall which was definitely a bummer, but I am happy here and feel lucky that I was able to find a new gig. And in some respects, the work is a little more challenging. People ask us to find some pretty obscure information about very small niche industries and companies. So my American studies degree is still quite a valuable asset that helps me tackle these questions. It's the ability to think critically and to solve problems that comes in handy the most. My degree in American studies gave me a solid foundation of general knowledge about the culture that we live in. Most importantly though, it taught me how to learn. I think this is because of the interdisciplinary nature of American Studies (and the great faculty). In our American studies classes we explored a variety of subjects related to American culture and this taught me that there are always many perspectives from which to view any topic. This, in turn, taught me to always ask questions about any given topic, which is how you learn.

Kate Ferris ’74
I currently live in Greenfield Center and have been in the Saratoga area since 1987. Previously I lived in Old Chatham, N.Y., and Manhattan (for eight years). I earned my master's in library science from Simmons School of Library Science in 1975. I am currently an independent contractor doing board leadership training and event management for various clients. My biggest project is running the Showcase of Homes put on by the Saratoga Builders Association each year. I also do a lot of fundraising, but I wish I didn't. I think my American studies degree comes into play frequently, perhaps routinely, in my life. The interdisciplinary approach to a situation or a problem helps me to see the whole. I'm still fascinated by all the different influences that impact our lives, individually and as a society, and how these are reflected in our culture. My degree may have been one of the reasons I first worked in the advertising field (yes, as a librarian!) and I can juggle all lot of different parts of a project to make it come together as a whole.

Elizabeth Bowie Fesperman ’77
I live in Baltimore and have been a reporter for the Baltimore Sun for the past 14 years. I have covered environmental issues, the state legislature, biotechnology, and business. Currently I am writing about Baltimore's public schools, which have an enormous number of social problems. I love the job. A journalism degree might have been more useful when I was looking for my first job, but I think the courses I took in American studies have given me a better context for the subjects I have written about over the years. I believe journalists are writing rough histories of our culture every day. I try to use my background in history, art, and culture to give greater depth to the stories I write. Believe it or not, occasionally I do think about an idea I discussed during a class 25 years ago. (I still remember David's freshman lecture about the future of our society and his prediction that terrorism would replace war). I hope today Skidmore has courses in the influence of race in America and the role of women in our culture. Those are two of the biggest issues I face in my work/life.

Olivia Fidler '19
Intern for documentary series for PBS called UnLadylike2020.

Lisa Fierstein '16
Lisa is a social media intern at Slate Magazine.

Suzie Finkel '11
After spending 3+ years working as a research assistant at a social policy research organization in Manhattan called MDRC (Manpower Demonstration Research Corporation), Suzie Finkel is enrolled in the MS/registered dietitian program at Columbia’s Teachers College.

Kristin Finnerty ’99
(Click here to email Kristin)
I am currently teaching first grade in Great Barrington, Mass., and working on my master's degree in reading at SUNY Albany. Since the children in my classroom are so young I cannot say that I directly use my American studies degree. However, it has been useful to know about the culture of our country when we are studying various holidays and events in our history. I also have found that the American Studies Department helped me to develop my writing skills, which I need to use on a regular basis!

Mary Ann Cardillo Fitzgerald ’00 (UWW)
(Click here to email Mary Ann)
I fell in love with American studies in 1987 while a student in Professor Joanna Zangrando’s course, Ethnic and Immigrant Experience. It awakened in me the realization that my ancestors and other folks in the melting pot neighborhood of my birth made significant contributions to the American way of life. I was presented with many opportunities to conduct oral interviews for my American studies courses, as well as those in social history, and in sociology, anthropology, and social work. My background in American studies connected with my life experience in March 1998, when the idea for the West Side Oral Narrative Project manifested itself. The project has taken on a life of its own, and I just follow along, and so I am co-founder and co-director, with Leona Casey Signor, of the project. The New York Folklore Society invited me to tell the story about how the project came about. “West Side Stories: Memories of a Saratoga Neighborhood” was featured in the Fall/Winter 1999 issue of the New York Folklore Society newsletter. Partial transcripts of several oral interviews were highlighted in the “Voices” section of that same newsletter, “Tales from the ‘hood.” Other links for this project are:
http://lcweb.loc.gov/diglib/legacies/NY/200003386.html, and http://lcweb2.loc.gov/diglib/legacies/NY/200003387.html For this link, click on CULTURE, then CELEBRATIONS and scroll down to: Feast of Saint Michael: History (transcript with audio); and/or Feast of Saint Michael: Revival (transcript with audio).  http://www.pulseplanet.com/dailyprogram/dailies.php?POP=2208. A play, "Catching Babies," which will be playing soon in Saratoga (November/December 2000) has been created from some of the West Side Stories about a midwife.

Ellen Flight ’80
I currently live in Middlebury, Vt. I received my M.A. in education from Lesley College Graduate School (now Lesley University). For fifteen years I taught seventh and eighth grade history, English, and writing in Washington, D.C., and Boston suburb independent schools. American studies taught me how to learn and think about history in a cultural context. This was especially handy during those times when I worked to write new curriculum. I was also fortunate to teach at schools where I could connect the literature study with the history curriculum. Currently I am director of a girls' summer camp. For this new job, I think the interdisciplinary nature of American studies has helped me be able to do all the different things this job involves: recruiting, hiring, overseeing kitchen and maintenance, writing articles, mandating, etc., and when I'm not sure what to do or how to proceed, I know how to find the info I need.

Dustin Foote
Works in NYC as a video producer for the Players' Tribune. Expected graduation with a MFA in documentary film from Wake Forest, May 2020. Working on completing/defending thesis documentary called "Locker Room Talk." The film explores the intersection of American sport and masculinity in the 20th/21st century.

Isaac Forman '14
My post-Skidmore life resembles my Skidmore life, though on a much larger campus. Living in New York City has allowed me to see many of the people I became friends with at Skidmore. I am working at Oxford University Press in the English Language Teaching Department.

Lisa (Byun) Forman ’00
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I spent the year after graduation teaching K–9 general music, music history, and strings classes at an international school in Jakarta, Indonesia. I did some travelling in SE Asia after the school year ended and then moved to a beach on the North Carolina coast, where I somehow became an extra for the "hit" television series Dawson's Creek. I am now planning on moving to D.C., where I will do paralegal work at Cohen, Milstein, Hausfeld & Toll. From my experiences, an American studies degree has been a great starting point to pursue everything from education to law. The research and analytical skills we meticulously sharpened in Senior Seminar have come in handy in the least likely of places and have given me the credibility and background necessary to impress potential employers and other bigwigs.

Jude Mooney Fricano ’03
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Jude reports that "Our daughter, Elizabeth Grace (Ellie) Fricano was born March 22, 2006, 5:22 p.m., 7 lbs, 14oz, 22 in." While working full-time as a VP of sales and marketing for a multi-office travel agency, I pursued my degree through UWW. The faculty of the American Studies Department is the reason for my choosing it as my major. I used to say, "My head is in the business world and my heart is in American studies." I am currently an auto underwriting team Leader for State Farm Insurance in Malta, N.Y. My husband and I bought a house just outside the city with a large yard for our growing lab, Jack!
UPDATE, Summer '09:  Our family has moved to Charlottesville, Va., as I took a leadership promotion with State Farm Insurance. Ellie is now 3 1/2 and enjoying her new preschool as we explore this gorgeous new area. The learning hasn't stopped for me as I now continue to pursue insurance designations!

Linda K. Fuller ’64
One of the first American studies majors! I'm an associate professor in the Communications Department of Worcester State College. I earned my B.A. in American studies from Skidmore, an M.A. in human technology from American International College, and a Ph.D. in communication studies from the University of Massachusetts. I am responsible for more than 200 professional publications and conference reports, and am the author/(co-)editor of more than eighteen books, including the five-volume series Beyond the Stars: Studies in American Popular Film (Popular Press 1990+); Communicating Comfortably: Your Guide to Overcoming Speaking and Writing Anxieties (HRD Press, 1990); The Cosby Show: Audiences, Impact, Implications (Greenwood Press, 1992); Community Television in the United States: A Sourcebook on Public, Educational, and Governmental Access (Greenwood, 1994); Communicating About Communicable Diseases (HRD, 1995); Media-Mediated Relationships (Haworth, 1996); Media-Mediated Aids (HRD, 1996); Women and Aids: Negotiating Safer Practices, Care, and Representation (Haworth, 1997); and Dictionary of Quotations in Communications (Greenwood, 1997). My next books are on the subjects of ethnic images in film and telecommunications in terms of multiculturalism. A resident of Wilbraham, Mass., I won a Fulbright to teach and do research at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore for 1996. And I've just been awarded a Fulbright to Senegal to work with the West African Women's Association.

Judy Farmer Fulton ’65
After graduating I worked one year as the assistant to the librarian at Franklin and Marshall college in Lancaster, Pa. (where I still reside). I did all his correspondence, ordered books, etc. My "paid" employment ended with the birth of my first child in December 1966. I have been a stay-at-home mother and grandmother ever since (three married children, 4 3/4 grandchildren!) My American studies degree opened up many new worlds: I was a Republican committeewoman; and president of many local nonprofit groups, including the Lancaster Museum of Art and the Lancaster Country Day School. It was a wonderful major for me who was interested in American government and history plus American art and architecture. With the requirements of a thesis and comps, we learned to do research, think critically, and write concisely (and sometimes creatively). For a generalist, it was a fascinating and exciting major!

Alyssa Garvin ’05
(Click here to email Alyssa)
Greetings to everyone at Skidmore and alums here and there. I hope you are all well. I'm living in Seattle and exploring the west coast with my fiance, Mike, and our dog, Kaida. Keep in touch!

Carrie Gates ’97
(Click here to email Carrie)
After graduating in 1997, I taught fourth grade for a year prior to attending Boston College to earn my M.Ed. in literacy and reading in education. I currently reside in Boston with fellow American studies alum, Melissa Pollock. I teach sixth grade in the Weymouth public schools. I feel as though my American studies major was a valuable part of my education. Being a teacher I am constantly discussing current events in the classroom. I am able to draw upon historical facts and events which I have learned to supplement the conversation. In addition, when teaching "social science," I have often referred back to notes taken from Professor Pfitzer's class to remember specific dates and add tantilizing stories which intrigue the students.

Abby (Swormstedt) Gegeckas ’00 (updated 3/05)
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It's spring 2005 and I am back in New Orleans, teaching second grade in the public schools. I moved back here in the summer of 2004, after getting a master's in education at Harvard University. I'm now working on a second masters' at Xavier University, and contemplating my next career move! My other news is that I am now Abby Gegeckas. I got married in October 2004. My husband Vytas is a chef and runs a restaurant here in the French Quarter. We would love to see any Skiddies venturing down to the Big Easy! Hope everyone in the American Studies Department is doing well—and congrats to Professor Zangrando on her retirement. I know she will be missed!

Sandra Gibson-Quigley ’76
(Click here to email Sandra)
I received my teacher certification for secondary education from the Upper Valley Teacher Training Program in 1977; I have an M.A. from the University of Vermont in Cultural History/Museum Studies (1981). From 1981 to 1994 I worked in museum education. My choice of this field was directly related to my work at Skidmore. I spent one winter term (as a sophomore) with Mary Lynn at Old Sturbridge Village. The following year, I spent the fall semester interning in the OSV education department. From 1981 to 1986 I was a coordinator in the Education Department at OSV. I was responsible for developing and maintaining their education resources and curriculum materials, and for developing and instructing in their teacher training programs and workshops. From 1986 to 1994 I was the education director for Preservation Worcester; and I also worked as a consultant developing programs and curriculum for museums, local and state historical societies and commissions, as well as various school departments. Since 1994 I have been teaching at Notre Dame Academy in Worcester, Mass. This job combines many of my interests, as well as fitting well with my family and lifestyle. I currently teach modern european history, and the AP course in U.S. history. My academic and professional training and experience are all invaluable in my current work. My history courses are interdisciplinary, with a strong reliance on social history and the arts.

Jacquelyn (Clark) Gilchrist '06
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The opportunity to be part of such a wonderful, close-knit department was a privilege. I have fond memories of the courses I took from Profs. Pfitzer, Zangrando, Lynn, and Nathan, and I appreciate the freedom I had to indulge my obsession with Andersonville prison under the mentorship of Prof. Pfitzer. After graduation, I became a copywriter, primarily handling healthcare accounts. The research and writing skills I developed at the American Studies department are helpful for my everyday work, and for my personal writing projects.

Seth Goddard ’94
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It would be a stretch to say that my degree is of much use in my current job, senior interface designer at BlueLight.com. Insomuch as American studies helped me to see the interconnectedness of facts and trends, sure, it's helping me—but, really, any good liberal arts education should do as much. I am living back in my hometown of San Francisco after spending five years in New York City. The two towns, as would happen, were also home to my senior thesis subject, The Frontier Dichotomy, Circa 1939 (The 1939 World Fairs of San Francisco and New York, "The Pageant of the Pacific" and "The World of Tomorrow). In New York, 1994–1999, it's safe to say that I made use of my degree every day as a print and then web journalist for People, Life, and Time magazines. Some of my favorite projects were Company Town: Norilsk Russia (hello machine in the garden); The Time 100 (most important people over the past 100 years); Top 100 Events of the Millennium; Missions to the Moon (the frontier attitude); Time 75 (focused around Time covers); A Giant Leap for Mankind (ditto); Joe DiMaggio, 1914–1999; Black in America (disregard the errors at the bottom of the page, nobody's maintaining my old site—Life went out of business last year); Diana, Princess of Wales, 1961–1997; The Baby Boom Turns 50 (look for interviews with John Lewis and Allen Ginsberg); Pictures of the Year, 1998; Pictures of the Year, 1997. Today it's safe to say my degree comes in handy every time I pay even the slightest attention to current local, national and international events, which really is every day. Many thanks to the professors who helped me make sense of all that I see through my open eyes.

Alex Goldberg ’94
I currently reside in NYC. I am currently attempting to be self-employed as a filmmaker/actor/writer/director. I recently completed the shooting of my directorial feature film debut and am starting the post-production process. An American studies degree is necessary in interpreting events in our country, obviously the major political and cultural events. However, I am more concerned with the interpretation of daily life, for the stories to tell often aren't paraded around on television. They have to be found. An American studies degree taught me how to look between the lines.

Melissa Raff Goldberg ’94
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I was a double major with American studies and elementary education. I taught first grade for six years, and now I am a stay-at-home mom with my 7-month-old daughter. I completed several internships in museums while I was in college. I worked at the National Air and Space Museum and the National Racing Museum. Integrating my American studies major with museums is an exciting opportunity. When I return to work, I hope to pursue that avenue.

Elizabeth Miller Grasty ’70
(Click here to email Elizabeth)
I graduated in 1970 (Dr. David Marcell was head of the American Studies Department back then)—a year of great political involvement, the Strike Skidmore and invasion of Cambodia etc. Geography? I was born and raised in western Massachusetts and married an Army officer in 1971 (to 1979) and moved frequently (Arizona, Missouri, Maryland, Virginia, and finally in Texas for 12 years). I remarried in 1985 and have lived in northern Virginia now for eight years (after five years in New Jersey). I started in credit unions in 1972 on a military base; worked my way up the "ladder" with five credit unions and have been president of New Horizon CU for eight years. What do I do? Management of people and finances, set policies, work with staff, board, auditors, and examiners. Loans, collections—do it all in a small credit union ($24 million in assets with two offices). I was very involved with political action with HR 1151 in 1998 in the Campaign for Consumer Choice to change the Federal Credit Union Act in a response to lawsuits by the banking community. (We won by a landslide!) My American studies background has helped me be resourceful and flexible in the credit union movement, the "People Helping People" philosophy is reinforced by Skidmore (and my family's) code of ethics. No advanced degree but lots of continuing education in the credit union environment of Loans, Compliance, Investment and ALM, Human Resources. Being a scholarship student at Skidmore, I was required (and wanted!) to work a campus job - from working in the library to senior year being a research assistant to an American studies professor who was working on his Ph.D. I spent hours on microfilm in the library researching Nixon in the New York Times. Students were not covered by the minimum-wage laws, so freshmen were paid $0.25/hour and working up to $1/hour as seniors! I also ran the Furniture Exchange for three years. New York had Sunday blue laws then, so the stores were closed. I received an interest-free grant from the Skidmore business office of +/- $2,000, then put up posters announcing that my partner and I would be going through each dorm buying selected items (bookcases, rugs, bedspreads, desk sets, lamps, etc.) and paying on the spot. This was particularly successful just before spring break! We returned with a truck and Groundsmen during exam time and collected our purchases, storing them in an old building during the summer. We returned in September a few days early to prepare for our Sunday sale to incoming freshmen when we were the "only game in town" for these necessary items. American studies taught the value of capitalism and self-sufficiency.

Diana Williams Green ’71
I left Skidmore with hopes of entering the field of historical research but while debating graduate school, I decided to temporarily detour into the field of medical records administration. I picked up the missing science courses at Randolph Macon College in Lynchburg, Va., in 1971–72 and received an R.R.A. from USPHS Medical Record Administration Program in Baltimore, Md., with affiliation at Johns Hopkins. I began working as director of the Medical Records Department at a local hospital, as well as consulting at two others, in 1973 and remained until 1986. I remained home with my youngest child until 1993, when I began working in my husband's office—financial planner with AXA Advisors—and here I remain. Obviously, I never actually used my American studies degree but have fared well in other fields as the result of the great Skidmore preparation!

Rich Greeney ’99 (updated 6/08)
(Click here to email Rich)
I am currently teaching high school social studies at Cold Spring Harbor High School.  I also coach junior high school basketball and varsity basketball.

Kevin Grinwis ’96 (updated 10/07)
(Click here to email Kevin)
My initial path after graduation led me to Seattle, where I worked for several years in business development and acquisition integration for an automotive software firm. Although not directly related to American studies, I found the major’s methodology of looking at culture and experiences through multiple perspectives to be very useful in my role of analyzing the corporate cultures of the companies we acquired and for recommending how to best work together. I returned to grad school to get a MBA in 2004 and reposition myself for a career in real estate, which has allowed me to combine my business experience and education with passions studied in American studies; the American-built environment and landscape. I now work on the portfolio management team of a multifamily real estate investment trust (REIT), where I am responsible for analyzing financial performance of the Florida portfolio and identifying demographic, economic, and land-use trends that influence buying, selling and development decisions.

Cynthia Hawkins Guarino ’82
I am currently living and working in Bahrain, in the Middle East, as a newsreader on the radio. We've lived here since 1997 after spending the previous nine years living and working in Switzerland, the United Arab Emirates, and a brief stint in Sweden. After graduating from Skidmore I worked in public affairs and event organization. In 1987 I received an M.B.A. from Columbia University and subsequently moved to Lausanne, Switzerland, with my husband. Since 1987 my work in various countries has encompassed event organization and government and public relations. My current position on the radio fully utilizes the skills aquired through the American studies degree as I am required to select, edit, and rewrite as necessary all the news I read on air. As course work in American studies develops these skills as well as encouraging exposure to many different areas of study, my work has benefited greatly.

Gillian Halpern ’05
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I graduated New York Law School in June 2010. Passed the New York Bar Exam, waiting to be formally admitted to state bar. I'm working for a boutique NYC law firm. How American studies has played into my life: I retained the multidimensional approach of American studies in my law school career in that I was able to place certain cases and statutes into the larger picture of what was going on at that time in history.  I've also developed a passion for reading historical fiction and nonfiction.

Lynn Elisha Hansen ’78
For the past 18 years I have been owner of the Artisan Shop and Gallery, a contemporary American craft store representing American artists from all over the U.S. I currently have two stores. One is located in Wilmette and the other in Long Grove, Ill. I guess you could say my American studies degree paid off in that it has helped me to appreciate American art and the tradition that it comes from. I enjoy seeing the connection between art and life in my work, and I learned to make these connections through my American studies degree.

Kristin Harrison ’97
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I will graduate from Brooklyn Law School in 2003. Before going to law school, I worked for a year at a law firm and for two years in a Congressional Office doing constituent service. I draw from what I learned in American Studies almost every day. I think an integral aspect of a liberal arts education is learning about the history of your country from the perspective of all the groups who experienced it. As a law student I am constantly reminded how important it was to be a well-rounded student before focusing on one area of study. With its multidisciplinary approach, American studies was perfect because it encompassed all areas of study.

Michael Heath ’90
Afer Skidmore I worked at Gabelli Funds as a representative for their line of mutual funds. Having no particular interest in that, I left there to attendthe Culinary Institute of Ameria in Hyde Park, N.Y. While there I studied culinary and pastry arts with some great chefs. Their facilities were extensive, as were the training and cooking instructions. Since I already had a college degree (most students are there for a 2-year associate's degree), I left after one year of class and applied to some M.B.A. programs. I lived in NYC for two years while going to NYU's Stern School of Business. Although not their forte by any means, I majored in marketing and graduated in 1995 summa-cum-nothin'. Only joking, as did most liberal arts graduates, I did well in subjective subjects like strategy, management psych, and others while I had more trouble with quantitative courses like statistics. After leaving NYU, I started a company that produced and bottled fresh squeezed orange juice and smoothies. I leased space, set up juicing and blending machines and sold to prepared-food retail places like lunch and breakfast delis, bagel stores, and the like. Here we are six years later and BoraBora Fruit Juices is still in business. We are on our second factory and sales have increased over the years. We concentrate mostly on the New York Metro region. The products are fresh squeezed juices and smoothies which are of course all natural, made fresh daily, and sold mostly in places you would get a bit to eat for breakfast or lunch. On another note, I got married in 1996 to college friend of a good friend from high school. Her maiden name was Neille Paley. We have no children. Two years ago we bought a house in the same town I hail from, Pound Ridge, N.Y.

Michele Helfgott MD ’86
I live in Fort Wayne, Ind., with my fiance Rodney and am practicing Ob/Gyn with six other people. I am much happier than I was in Munster, Ind., although that job was a good starting ground. I have passed my boards so I am official. Rodney and I are doing well and hope to be getting married this fall. I miss Skidmore, the people and the teachers very much. I hope to be back this summer for the reunion. In terms of how American studies helped me in my profession, I think it enabled me to be more well-rounded and to appreciate the little things in life like nature, history, culture, reading—things that, as a physician, we often lose sight of or do not have enough time for. I truly do my best to make time for those things; life is too short not to.

Kristen Helmstetter ’05
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Oh I miss the American Studies Department so much! I'm back in New Jersey working as a real estate appraiser in my family business. I have to take classes to work toward a state license and then another designation in the field. For fun I've also been working for the Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World (I've convinced someone else to give me money to go to Disney) I just got back from my first trip where I was doing research so I can be on my way to becoming the book's expert on the Animal Kingdom park. And no one thought I could do something with a thesis about Disney World...

Shanley Henry '05
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After school I worked in media in various capacities, starting in TV production and now I'm in adtech sales. Sometimes it seems worlds apart from my first job to now, but I've always been on some side of the marketing equation. Initially, I was in broadcast marketing (producing commercials for all CBS News shows) and now I help marketers reach their audiences digitally. I work for a San Francisco-based company, which has about 350 employees. We work daily with top brands to help them strategize and execute their marketing campaigns. It's a fun and fast-paced environment where I get to work with a lot of different people with various marketing issues they're looking to solve, be it access to customers, insights into their purchase behavior, or something else. The tech side is also really interesting because you are exposed to so many different products and capabilities and it's constantly changing.

Blake Hering, Jr., ’88
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I currently work in commercial real estate finance (going on 11 years in commercial real estate). The application of my liberal arts education is subtle. American studies in particular, as I've come to define it, applies American history, or aspects thereof, to contemporary American culture. AS seeks to better understand the influence these periods (the 1960s or the 1920s, for example), or inventions (the car), or other events of history have on the current psyche or culture. I could be way off from what I was supposed to be learning, but I now have post-education definition autonomy. What I learned, and perhaps more importantly, how I learned, has influenced the way that I approach the world: my views, my ideas, my conclusions. The questions I ask, the answers I seek. American studies was a vehicle to learn critical thinking; learning to support a viewpoint, whatever that may be. One of the ways in which I feel I've benefitted in business, is through my learned ability to see, think, and support an opinion or idea from varied points of view. A necessary quality for any business person, not just a salesman or politician is to vacillate, and sound reasoned in your vicissitudes. The obvious personal downside is the ability to slip willingly into rationalizations. But that is fodder for another major. Despite what you might conclude from the above, I have actually been somewhat successful in my career. Perhaps more importantly, I feel I could be and would be successful in whatever I chose to pursue, in part, because of my liberal arts education. "I think critically, therefore I can."

Bryn Varley Hollenbeck ’00
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I'm currently a doctoral candidate in the History of American Civilization Program at the University of Delaware. Most of my days are spent working on my dissertation, The Material Culture of Childhood, 1900–1965. The research process is a lot of fun, especially when I spend time in Princeton University's Cotsen Collection (an incredible collection of children's literature) or at Winterthur Museum and Library (where I am a McNeil Dissertation Fellow). Periodically, I take a break from full-time dissertating in order to teach a class for UD; I've really enjoyed teaching in both history and art history. My undergraduate training in American studies hugely impacts how I approach both my own research and my teaching experiences. My American studies background broadens and directs my dissertation's source base and the questions I ask of the past. Skidmore's American Studies Department also held high standards in analytical thinking and writing, and this training continues to affect my own work and the work I assign to students.

Joe Hooker ’03
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I am currently working in the financial services industry for PFPC. My office is in King of Prussia, Pa., a suburb of Philadelphia, not far from my hometown. I am debating whether or not to take the LSATs and dreaming of the lazy days I squandered while at Skidmore.

Margaret Sills Huckel ’99
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I currently work at the Saratoga Springs Public Library as technical services principal clerk. I supervise four other clerks; we accession 20,000 new items a year. In addition I work seven hours a week as a senior clerk in the Children's Department. I continue to use my American studies education and training in my family history research, which is a great pleasure to myself and my family members. I believe American studies is one of the best backgrounds to have for library work, both in reference and iin acquisitions. This year (2007) after years of avid following from the public side, I joined the 18th century reenacting hobby. I belong to the 1st New York McCracken's Company, which participates in French and Indian War, Revolutionary War, and the occasional War of 1812 events. I started as a female camp follower but because one of our company, an underwater archaeologist has built an 18th century boat, I have become a sailor as well. We do events on Lake Champlain and Lake George, as well as the Hudson River and the St. Lawrence Seaway. Of course my American studies background is what gives me the depth of knowledge and understanding to enjoy and contribute to these events, as well as the awareness of what I still don't know. The biggest lesson was this: You are never done learning, and Skidmore gave me the tools I need to keep researching and striving to learn more all the time.