Around Hartford<\/h2>\n![\"Large](\"https:\/\/www.trincoll.edu\/reporter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/143\/2026\/09\/Magazine-Governors-Mansion-11-scaled-e1790089719922-300x285.jpg\")
Photo by Nick Caito<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nThe Governor\u2019s Residence<\/strong>
\n990 Prospect Avenue, Hartford, CT<\/strong><\/p>\nThe Governor\u2019s Residence<\/a>, located in the city\u2019s West End at Prospect and Asylum Avenues, is more than just the house where Connecticut\u2019s top elected official lives. The home, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, serves as the site for many official functions of the governor and for charitable events sponsored by nonprofits. It also offers several free and open-to-the-public events, including the 2026 Holiday Open House on December 4 and 5 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. each day. The event will feature holiday trees decorated by volunteers, art from museums around the state, live music from local schools, Santa greeting guests, and a collection drive for Toys for Tots. In addition, the dining room table will be set by a local designer, and the annual commissioned ornament\u2014this year showcasing the Jacobson Barn on the University of Connecticut campus in Storrs\u2014will benefit the Governor\u2019s Residence Conservancy, which holds responsibility for planning and supervising the preservation, restoration, and maintenance of the entire property. Visitors to the Holiday Open House will receive a card featuring a favorite recipe of the governor\u2019s family.<\/p>\nBuilt in 1909 for Hartford physician and industrialist George C.F. Williams, the Georgian Revival-style home was designed by the Boston-based architectural firm of Andrews, Jacques & Rantoul, and in 1916, Hartford architects Smith & Bassette designed the north and south wing additions. Much of the home\u2019s furnishings in use today were created by Connecticut artisans. The first state leader to live in the house was <\/a>Governor Raymond E. Baldwin, who moved in with his family in September 1945; today, the residence is home to Edward Miner \u201cNed\u201d Lamont Jr. H\u201925, Trinity\u2019s Commencement speaker in 2025, and his wife, Annie.<\/p>\nNew trustees<\/h2>\n
Four new members<\/a> were named to the Trinity College Board of Trustees<\/a> and began their terms on\u00a0July 1, 2026.<\/p>\nThe new charter trustees are Amy McGill Dilatush<\/strong> \u201994<\/strong>, a director of marketing at PGIM, the global asset management business of Prudential Financial Inc.; Karoline Shair P\u201929<\/strong>, former chief legal officer and corporate secretary at\u00a0Akouos, a Boston-based biotechnology company that was\u00a0acquired\u00a0by Eli Lilly; and Charles \u201cCharlie\u201d Siguler \u201910<\/strong>, chief investment officer of Uphill Farm, a family office based in Greenwich, Connecticut. Scott Lessne \u201980<\/strong>, senior counsel of the financial services and corporate practice groups at Crowell & Moring LLP, was named as the Trinity College Alumni Association trustee representative.<\/p>\n\u201cAmy, Karoline,\u00a0Charles,\u00a0and Scott are talented and committed members of the Trinity community who will bring significant personal and professional experience to our board,\u201d said President\u00a0Daniel G.\u00a0Lugo. \u201cThey join the board at\u00a0an important time\u00a0in the history of the College as the trustees are focused on setting the strategic vision for Trinity\u2019s next era. Their individual areas of expertise and their collective enthusiasm for Trinity will enable each of them to make a positive impact on the trajectory\u00a0of the\u00a0College.\u201d<\/p>\n
Returning trustees\u00a0Lisa Alvarez-Calder\u00f3n \u201988,\u00a0Malcolm Fraser MacLean IV \u201992, and\u00a0Stephanie Ritz \u201990\u00a0were reelected for another term on the board.<\/p>\n
<\/a>Board officers elected for the coming year are\u00a0Lisa G. Bisaccia \u201978, chair, and\u00a0Jeffrey B. Hawkins \u201992,\u00a0Susannah Smetana Kagan \u201991, and\u00a0David L. Schnadig \u201986, vice chairs.<\/p>\nLetters<\/h2>\nWith gratitude\u00a0to Randy Lee<\/h3>\n
I was happy to read the recent article in the Reporter<\/em> about Dr. Randy Lee [\u201cVolunteer Spotlight,\u201d spring 2026]. When I was a senior at Trinity, I went through a personal crisis precipitated mostly by my parents\u2019 divorce. I made an appointment to see Dr. Lee, and he immediately helped. I went back a few more times, and he helped even more. All these years later, I don\u2019t remember exactly what he said, but I do remember going from feeling overwhelmed and lost to feeling like I could and would get through that difficult situation and be OK. I\u2019m forever grateful to Dr. Lee. . . . He\u2019s really a great guy.<\/p>\nSteve Schutz, M.D., \u201984
\nBoise, Idaho<\/em><\/p>\n
\nRemembering Scott Smedley<\/strong><\/h3>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.trincoll.edu\/reporter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/143\/2026\/09\/Letters-Morrison-photo-300x224.jpg\")
Photo Courtesy of Joan Morrison<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n[The spring 2026 story on firefly research by Scott Smedley and his student] brought back a lot of fond memories of working alongside Scott in the Biology Department.\u00a0As some of you know, Scott was instrumental in acquiring the Church Farm property for Trinity, which was a great place for field trips and student research for several years. . . . Scott was a great friend and colleague; he and the opportunities presented by the Church Farm were among the reasons I came to Trinity. Along with his professional dedication to his students and colleagues, Scott also just liked to have fun.\u00a0We all remember the ice cream socials during the summer research period when Scott brought his own old-fashioned hand-crank ice cream maker, and everyone took a turn before sharing the spoils. I know this recognition would make Scott proud, although, as he was, he would be very humble about accepting all the praise.<\/p>\n
Joan Morrison
\nProfessor of Biology, Emerita
\nCorrales, New Mexico<\/em><\/p>\nEditor\u2019s note: Morrison also shared this photo, which shows Craig Schneider (biology), Christoph Geiss (environmental science), Craig C. Schneider \u201905 (environmental science major), Joan Morrison (biology), and Scott Smedley (biology) at a September 2015 gathering. Morrison writes, \u201cBefore he retired, Craig had an annual get-together, a Labor Day party as it were, and colleagues from throughout the College would attend. . . . It would be nice to have the photo included somewhere; all of the folks in it will have fond memories of that time.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n
\nThe Chapel Singers of yesteryear<\/h3>\n
Thank you for putting that picture on the back of the Reporter<\/em> (spring 2026) and asking for names. My husband, Stan Marcuss, is a member of the Class of 1963. We recognize three of the singers, all members of Stan\u2019s class: Ted Stier, third\u00a0from left in front row; Dick Chang, at the left in the front row; and Dick Gooden, fourth\u00a0from right in the back row (including the choral director in the count). Again, thanks.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.trincoll.edu\/reporter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/143\/2026\/06\/Chapel-Singers-1959-60-41987957-e1790695488369-300x205.jpg\")
Photo Courtesy of the Trinity College Archive<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nRosemary Marcuss
\nWashington, D.C.<\/em><\/p>\n
\nThe first Lessons and Carols was in 1958. I sang in the first four. For trebles, [Clarence] Watters used boys from St. John\u2019s in West Hartford, where he also was in charge of music.<\/p>\n
Donald H. Jones \u201962
\nRochester, New York<\/em><\/p>\nEditor\u2019s note: Donald Jones also writes that in the spring 2026 back cover photo of The Chapel Singers, he\u2019s the fourth from left in the top row. Others he says he spied in the photo include Bob Ierley \u201962, Bob Hunt \u201962, Al Burfeind \u201964, Jim Sweeney \u201962, Paul Johnson \u201962, Bob Harned \u201961, Ted Stier \u201963, and \u201cpossibly\u201d Carl Scott Zimmerman \u201961. He also named Chaplain J. Moulton \u201cMo\u201d Thomas, far left in the top row, and Professor of Music Clarence Watters H\u201935, far right in the top row.<\/em><\/p>\n
\nChapel music and more<\/h3>\n
I have great memories of singing in what was then called the Chapel Choir under the direction of Clarence Watters. I sang in \u201957\u2013\u201958, \u201958\u2013\u201959, and \u201960\u2013\u201961. Your photo was taken in my junior year, which I spent at the University of Madrid. I learned a lot from Professor Watters and acquired a deep appreciation of Renaissance and Baroque motets, which has lasted a lifetime.<\/p>\n
I also sang in the Glee Club under the direction of Professor Barber. His name was also Clarence, though everybody called him Pete. The two Clarences didn\u2019t really like each other very much and didn\u2019t see eye to eye on what was the best singing technique for young male voices. Those of us who sang in both groups often had to struggle with the competing ideals of covered tone and resonant tone. I think I eventually learned how to do one or the other on command, but it wasn\u2019t easy.<\/p>\n
Professor Watters had many connections in the Hartford musical community, and we often got to sing with other groups. Sometimes we sang with boys\u2019 choirs, and they usually had plenty of sopranos but sometimes were lacking in altos, so some of us tenors would get pressed into service as altos, which was a stretch.<\/p>\n
Another memory has to do with Chapel credits. Attendance at religious services was required back then, and one had to accumulate a number of Chapel credits each term by depositing little cards with one\u2019s name into a box at the entrance to the Chapel. Those of us singing regularly in the choir were deemed to automatically satisfy the requirement by virtue of our choir membership, so we didn\u2019t have to deposit name cards. But every semester, as the semester was just about over, one or more\u00a0friends would suddenly realize that there weren\u2019t enough services left in the semester to meet the requirement. So, they would beg us to slip in cards with their names as we entered the building. It seemed to work and we never got caught, so I guess whoever was tallying the names wasn\u2019t paying close enough attention to realize that \u201cCharlie Smith\u201d (not his real name) had acquired three credits for the same service.<\/p>\n
My singing\u2014Chapel Choir, Glee Club, and the Pipes\u2014was one of the most rewarding experiences I had while at Trinity.<\/p>\n
Bill Cressey \u201961
\nNorth Branford, Connecticut<\/em><\/p>\n
\nThe photo on the back page of\u00a0the latest issue of The Trinity Reporter<\/em> included one of my 1961 senior-year roommates and classmate, Robert Bell (back row, second from right), who was also a member of my wedding party in 1964 following my graduation from law school. Bob\u2019s career path\u00a0led him to service with the U.S. Agency for International Development (coincidentally created in 1961). Unfortunately, Bob died in service in an African country of a heart attack, leaving behind his wife and family.\u00a0Sadly and also unfortunately, that agency has been shuttered by the present national administration, although I understand that it is still a legal entity.<\/p>\nOur other roommate, also a classmate, was John Thrower (not pictured), who was one of the Chapel\u2019s student carillonneurs. . . .<\/p>\n
In closing, I would note that Trinity, at that time, had a mandatory Chapel requirement during the first two years.\u00a0Although I am not a religious person, I thoroughly enjoyed Professor Cherbonnier\u2019s course on The Judean-Christian Origins of Western Civilization, which has helped me come to the realization in my later years that the concept of \u201cGod\u201d is at the root of the Mideast\u2019s travails over the years.<\/p>\n
The times spent within the Chapel were always moments of reflection and peace, contemplating its beauty, including that of the iconic, pew-end wood carvings\u2014a national treasure! Hopefully they are memorialized for posterity in a lengthy, descriptive video that describes the key features of each one and is available online for alums to savor.<\/p>\n
For the next 250, dubiously, but sincerely,<\/p>\n
Curt Turner \u201961
\nRowley, Massachusetts<\/em><\/p>\n
\nThe caption on the back cover of the spring 2026 issue of The Trinity Reporter<\/em> is incorrect.\u00a0The name Chapel Singers was not in use when that photo was taken.\u00a0The first line of text on page 20 of that issue correctly indicates that the group of students who sang for Chapel services was known as the Chapel Choir from its beginning.\u00a0It was still known that way during the years when I sang in it (1957\u201361).\u00a0I have not yet discovered when the term Chapel Singers began to be used, but it may have been when the group was reconstituted after the \u201cquartet\u201d year(s) mentioned in that article.<\/p>\nIn my day, Chapel Choir members were paid for their participation: 25 cents for each rehearsal (Tuesday and Thursday afternoons) and 50 cents for each Sunday service (Morning Prayer and Evensong). Two of us did double duty\u2014John E. \u201cJack\u201d Thrower \u201961 (third from left in the back row) was master carillonneur of the College, and I was assistant carillonneur. One of us played a 20-minute carillon prelude for each of the two Sunday services, already dressed in cassock and surplice (as shown in the photo). It was always a scramble down a ship\u2019s ladder and two sets of spiral stairs from the carillon console to the base of the tower to rejoin the choir for the processional hymn.<\/p>\n
The fine music that we sang, the architectural beauty of the Chapel, Professor Watters\u2019s marvelous organ playing, and the theological solidity of the Episcopal liturgy with which we worshipped all made an indelible impression on me.\u00a0Their implicit witness to the faith of generations past also helped me to avoid the abandonment of personal faith that is so common among college students, and I have been a volunteer church musician ever since.<\/p>\n
Cordially yours,<\/p>\n
Carl Scott Zimmerman \u201961
\nCampanologist
\nSt. Louis, Missouri<\/em><\/p>\n
\nGet in touch!<\/h3>\n
The Trinity Reporter<\/em> welcomes letters related to items published in recent issues. Please send remarks to the editor at sonya.adams@trincoll.edu<\/a> or Sonya Storch Adams, Office of Communications and Marketing, Trinity College, 300 Summit Street, Hartford, CT 06106.<\/p>\nVolunteer Spotlight<\/h2>\n
An annual fundraising initiative, the Senior Class Gift Campaign is led by members of the senior class,<\/a> with the goal of making a monetary contribution to the Trinity College Fund to have a positive impact on the College and to help sustain the Trinity experience for future generations. Read more about the Class of 2026 Senior Class Gift Committee<\/a>.<\/p>\nTwice as nice!<\/h2>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.trincoll.edu\/reporter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/143\/2026\/09\/55322512188_da47441a14_o-300x200.jpg\")
Photo by Stockton Photography<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nMen\u2019s rowing wins national title for second straight year<\/em><\/p>\nThe Trinity College men\u2019s rowing team won<\/a> the 2026 Intercollegiate Rowing Association (IRA) Division III Varsity 8+ National Championship for the second year in a row. <\/a>Wesleyan University finished second, crossing the line just 0.15 seconds behind Trinity, while Williams College placed third, 2.69 seconds behind.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
Fencing returns<\/h2>\n
Trinity College and\u00a0USA Fencing\u00a0announced that the College will add varsity fencing teams<\/a> to its\u00a0athletics offerings, beginning with a women\u2019s program in the 2027\u201328 academic year and then a men\u2019s program in 2028\u201329.<\/p>\nThe news came at the U.S. Fencing Foundation F\u00eate, the foundation\u2019s annual gala, held this year in May in New York City. Gavin Viano, Trinity\u2019s director of athletics and recreation, said that the College is excited to partner with USA Fencing to bring intercollegiate fencing back to campus. \u201cThe addition of varsity fencing aligns with several of the College\u2019s institutional strategies as we enter our third century of higher education,\u201d Viano said. \u201cWomen\u2019s fencing has the highest cumulative GPA of any NCAA sport, and Trinity is ready to attract a cohort of scholar-athletes who are passionate about pursuing the blend of academic and athletic excellence that Trinity is known for globally.\u201d<\/p>\n
Trinity will have the 47th NCAA varsity women\u2019s fencing program in the country and the 40th men\u2019s program. USA Fencing awarded the College a grant to support the\u00a0relaunch\u00a0of the fencing program at Trinity.<\/p>\n
The Bantams will join a regional fencing landscape that includes nearby NCAA programs at Yale, Brown, and Harvard Universities and Boston College, creating competitive opportunities across New England.<\/p>\n
Fencing is not new to Trinity, with a team in the early 1870s noted in Glenn Weaver\u2019s The History of Trinity College<\/em>. Stories in The Trinity Tripod<\/em> recount Bantam teams or clubs from the late 1940s into the 1980s.<\/p>\nRecent Publications<\/h2>\n
After Fission: Recognition and Contestation in the Atomic Age
\n<\/em>Sidra Hamidi, Assistant Professor of Political Science
\nCambridge University Press, 2026; 209 pages<\/p>\nPostcolonial Urban Studies: \u00c9douard Glissant and the Whole-World of Cities
\n<\/em>Garth A. Myers, Paul E. Raether Distinguished Professor of Urban International Studies and Director of the Center for Urban and Global Studies
\nAgenda Publishing, 2026; 199 pages<\/p>\nFees: How to Sell Professional Services
\n<\/em>Jeffrey J. Fox \u201967
\n2026; 192 pages<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.trincoll.edu\/reporter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/143\/2026\/09\/Magazine-Books-Fall-2026-12-scaled-e1790707451346-300x272.jpg\")
Photo by Nick Caito<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nDead Rail
\n<\/em>Alex Belida \u201970
\n2025; 185 pages<\/p>\nNathan Straus: From Macy\u2019s Magnate to International Humanitarian
\n<\/em>Andrew Fisher \u201972, M\u201972
\nRutgers University Press; 403 pages<\/p>\nUnlikely Entrepreneurs: Wins, Losses, and Crucial Lessons on Building Great Companies
\n<\/em>Louis Shipley \u201985 and Patricia Favreau
\nWiley, 2026; 212 pages<\/p>\nThe Washington Decree
\n<\/em>Scott Sherwood \u201987
\n2025; 228 pages<\/p>\nI Was a Shipwreck Scholar: Poems on Loss, Reckoning, and Wonder
\n<\/em>Gregory LeStage \u201988, P\u201927
\nJ.P. Zenger Books, 2025; 72 pages<\/p>\nCipher: A Proven Framework to Hire the Best People
\n<\/em>Craig della Penna \u201997
\nThird Act Publishers, 2026; 211 pages<\/p>\nFriendship Skills for Neurodivergent Adults
\n<\/em>Caroline Maguire \u201997
\nHachette Book Group, 2026; 283 pages<\/p>\nIf you have a recent publication that you would like listed in The Trinity Reporter<\/em>, please submit a copy to Sonya Storch Adams, Office of Communications and Marketing, Trinity College, 300 Summit Street, Hartford, CT 06106. Questions? Email sonya.adams@trincoll.edu<\/a>.<\/p>\nFaculty Focus<\/h2>\n
Bel\u00e9n Fern\u00e1ndez Milmanda
\nAssociate Professor of Political Science and International Studies<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s hard not to be interested in politics if you\u2019re an Argentine,\u201d says Bel\u00e9n Fern\u00e1ndez Milmanda, who came of age in the late 1990s as the country\u2019s economy unraveled.<\/a> As protests swept the nation, her working-class family lived with the daily fear that her father would lose his job. \u201cYou could see it in the streets,\u201d she says. \u201cPeople were going through garbage to find food.\u201d Read more about Fern\u00e1ndez Milmanda<\/a>.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.trincoll.edu\/reporter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/143\/2026\/09\/Campus-Drone-Shots-Spring-26-31-240x300.jpg\")
\u2018Most beautiful\u2019<\/h2>\n
Trinity College once again made\u00a0Architectural Digest<\/em>\u2019s annual list of the\u00a064 most beautiful college campuses<\/a> in the country. The publication, which weighs architectural legacy and setting, singled out Trinity for its picturesque Long Walk, landscape design, and Chapel. The story notes, \u201cUltimately, the campuses on this list stood out for the way architecture, landscape, history, and culture come together to create striking environments for [a] student\u2019s daily life.\u201d<\/p>\nTenure, promotions<\/h2>\n
The Trinity College Board of Trustees voted to award tenure, promotions, and emeriti status to several faculty members.<\/p>\n
Those awarded tenure and promoted to associate professor, effective July 1, 2026, were Elise Castillo, educational studies; Brianna Halladay, economics; Michael C. Puljung, neuroscience and chemistry; Lynn Sullivan, fine arts; Anna Terwiel, political science; and Benjamin J. Toscano, biology. In addition, Shane A. Gleason, associate professor of public policy and law, was awarded tenure, also effective July 1.<\/p>\n
Faculty members awarded emeritus\/a status, effective June 30, 2026, were Dina L. Anselmi, associate professor of psychology; Barbara M. Benedict, Charles A. Dana Professor of English; Robert J. Corber, William R. Kenan Jr. Professor in American Institutions and Values; Jack Dougherty, professor of educational studies; Robert J. Fleming, professor of biology; and Katherine Lahti, professor of language and culture studies.<\/p>\n
In his letter to the <\/a>Trinity community following the April 2026 meeting of the Board of Trustees, Trinity College President Dan Lugo said, \u201cThese professors are esteemed scholars in their field and are making a difference in the lives of the students they teach and mentor.\u201d<\/p>\nFulbrights for two<\/h2>\n
Two recent Trinity College graduates\u2014Julianna Boris \u201926<\/a> and Mia Creane \u201925<\/a>\u2014were awarded Fulbright grants to serve as English Teaching Assistants.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.trincoll.edu\/reporter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/143\/2026\/09\/Julianna-Boris-Fulbright-Portrait-02-200x300.jpg\")
Boris<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nBoris, a double major in\u00a0anthropology\u00a0and\u00a0religious studies, started her time in Taiwan in September. She said that her Trinity coursework played a defining role in shaping her perspective. Classes with Associate Professor of Anthropology\u00a0and Religious Studies Timothy R. Landry\u00a0and Assistant Professor of Religious Studies\u00a0Susanne Kerekes\u00a0left a lasting impact, particularly through their emphasis on ethnographic fieldwork and global religious traditions, she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think studying anthropology has really helped me prepare for going abroad,\u201d said Boris, of Newton, Massachusetts. \u201cIt has given me a very holistic and open-minded view of the world. It helps me prepare to teach other people, but also to learn from them, too.\u201d<\/p>\n
Outside the classroom, Boris served as a captain of the\u00a0Trinity women\u2019s rowing team, to which she was originally recruited as a coxswain. Being part of that team has provided a strong sense of community and leadership experience, she said.<\/p>\n
Boris\u2019s decision to apply to teach English in Taiwan was both strategic and personal. She has studied Mandarin Chinese since third grade and hopes to strengthen her language skills during her time abroad. Additionally, as someone adopted from China, she sees the experience as an opportunity to reconnect with her cultural heritage.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.trincoll.edu\/reporter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/143\/2026\/09\/Mia-Creane-Fulbright-240x300.jpg\")
Creane<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nAlthough she is still exploring her long-term career path, Boris emphasized her commitment to creating meaningful change in communities. \u201cWhat has drawn me to this type of work is the idea of doing work that\u2019s centered around humans\u2014helping people and improving communities from the ground level,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Creane, who headed in September to Handlov\u00e1 in the Slovak Republic, is combining her interests in language, education, and technology. After she graduated from Trinity with a degree in computer science, the native of Milford, Connecticut, worked as a system engineer for a health care software company in Madison, Wisconsin.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe program in the Slovak Republic was specifically seeking STEM majors,\u201d Creane said. \u201cThey\u2019re looking for the skills that I have, and I\u2019m looking forward to using those skills. They\u2019re doing some really interesting government initiatives with technology and education.\u201d<\/p>\n
At Trinity, Creane appreciated her experiences as a teaching assistant and a tutor. \u201cI enjoyed the opportunity to mentor other students, especially in computer science courses, where I could tell them more about the program,\u201d she said. Creane also completed the Trinity Technology and Leadership Internship for Women during her junior year.<\/p>\n
Studying languages, including Hebrew and Russian at Trinity, helped Creane prepare for her upcoming role teaching English. She also studied in South Korea for a semester. \u201cGoing into Trinity, I thought that language learning was not for me, but I had some really great experiences,\u201d she said. \u201cNow language learning is something I\u2019m really interested in and enjoy,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Following her time teaching English, Creane sees herself working in the tech field again. \u201cBut I definitely am looking to combine that with other interests of mine; I\u2019d really love to get into education software or education technology,\u201d she said. \u201cI think that having more experience in the education space with Fulbright will help with whatever I decide to do next.\u201d<\/p>\n
Vibrant once more<\/h2>\n
A striking and colorful piece of art on the Trinity College campus underwent a thorough restoration this summer.<\/p>\n
The two-sided, two-story-tall wall drawing by conceptual artist Sol LeWitt, Wall Drawing #849: Irregular Blobs of Color, 1998<\/em>, in the Cornelia Center has been repainted and refinished, 28 years after its installation.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.trincoll.edu\/reporter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/143\/2026\/09\/Sol-LeWitt-Mural-Restored-06-200x300.jpg\")
Photo by Nick Caito<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\u201cThis is the single most important artwork on the Trinity campus,\u201d said Alden R. Gordon \u201969, Paul E. Raether Distinguished Professor of Fine Arts, Emeritus. \u201cSol LeWitt is in every textbook on modern art; he\u2019s one of the most important American artists of the late 20th century. Trinity has a very bold and very distinctive example of his work because it\u2019s actually two surfaces which constitute one work of art\u2014one concave, one convex, fitting in with each other.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Cornelia Center\u2014called Vernon Social Center when it opened in 1997\u2014was designed by architect Tai Soo Kim, who wanted to add color to his austere space, Gordon said. Gordon was instrumental in inviting LeWitt to create a wall drawing for the unique space. \u201cSol LeWitt was born in Hartford, and he lived in this neighborhood for part of his early life,\u201d Gordon said. \u201cHis parents are buried in Zion Hill Cemetery, next to campus. He told me that was part of why he wanted to work on this project at Trinity.\u201d LeWitt died in 2007.<\/p>\n
LeWitt never touched the walls during the drawing\u2019s installation in the summer of 1998. \u201cIt\u2019s conceptual art,\u201d Gordon said, \u201cso it\u2019s a concept that can be written on paper and then there has to be a human interpretation, working from the instructions.\u201d LeWitt provided scale drawings to his assistants, who drew the design on the wall freehand and applied the paint. Trinity alumni and Gordon helped to paint the piece.<\/p>\n
With one side of the work facing exterior windows, \u201cit\u2019s the only LeWitt mural in Hartford that\u2019s visible from outside,\u201d said Gordon, the founder and editor of PublicArtCT.org. \u201cAnd it\u2019s especially beautiful when it\u2019s lit up at night.\u201d<\/p>\n
Gabriel Hurier, who led the four-person team that completed the restoration on behalf of the LeWitt estate, said that the work took about 20 days. \u201cIt\u2019s about 26 feet tall on the inside and maybe 24 feet on the outside,\u201d Hurier said of the artwork. \u201cIt\u2019s a very singular drawing. There\u2019s not another one like this anywhere.\u201d<\/p>\n
After 28 years, the paint colors had faded, and the walls showed signs of damage from being in a busy public space. Construction and repairs took their toll on the piece over the years, as had scratches, rips, and spills on the walls.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.trincoll.edu\/reporter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/143\/2026\/09\/Sol-LeWitt-Mural-Restoration-29-300x200.jpg\")
Photo by Nick Caito<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\u201cFirst, we basically sanded it down, fixed any holes or marks, and cleaned up the caulking. Then we worked on repainting and refinishing,\u201d said Hurier, who noted that specialized paints were used to match the original colors as closely as possible. \u201cWe taped off the different colored sections and just went color by color. We went over it several times with new paint, then glossed it several times. Getting the glossy finish just right is very hard, and Sol was particular about his finishes.\u201d<\/p>\n
John Hogan, the installations director for the LeWitt estate, said that LeWitt\u2019s artistic life went through several phases. \u201cEarlier in his career, he was known for a sort of hard geometry. And then, gradually, he started to become a little bit more playful and started working with these very unusual shapes, these blobs like you see at Trinity,\u201d Hogan said. \u201cThe piece at Trinity is actually one of the rarer ones where Sol is responding very specifically to the architecture.\u201d<\/p>\n
Hogan said that other examples of LeWitt\u2019s work in Hartford can be found at the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art. \u201cSol obviously liked working in galleries and museums, but he really had a sense of wanting to put his work in the public environment,\u201d Hogan said. \u201cHe didn\u2019t sell this piece to Trinity\u2014it\u2019s an example of where he said, \u2018You can borrow this work, and everyone can see it.\u2019 A lot of artists would not be so forthcoming in their generosity.\u201d<\/p>\n
While it is technically on indefinite loan from the artist\u2019s estate, the LeWitt wall drawing\u2014the creation of which was funded by the Edward C. and Ann T. Roberts Foundation Inc. of Hartford\u2014is considered part of the Trinity College Art Collection, which is managed by the Watkinson Library and College Archives. Christina M. Bleyer, College librarian and director of special collections and archives at the Watkinson Library, noted, \u201cHaving such a large contribution from Sol LeWitt is representative of Trinity\u2019s connection to Hartford and its commitment to public art.\u201d<\/p>\n
Original Installation Team, 1998:<\/h3>\n
Lana Abraham \u201998
\nSachiko Cho (LeWitt assistant)
\nAmalie Flynn \u201998
\nAlden Gordon \u201969
\nTory Marsh \u201997<\/a>
\nKevin Oster (LeWitt assistant)
\nKim Piotrowski \u201993<\/p>\nReunion 2026<\/h2>\n
The Governor\u2019s Residence<\/strong> The Governor\u2019s Residence<\/a>, located in the city\u2019s West End at Prospect and Asylum Avenues, is more than just the house where Connecticut\u2019s top elected official lives. The home, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, serves as the site for many official functions of the governor and for charitable events sponsored by nonprofits. It also offers several free and open-to-the-public events, including the 2026 Holiday Open House on December 4 and 5 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. each day. The event will feature holiday trees decorated by volunteers, art from museums around the state, live music from local schools, Santa greeting guests, and a collection drive for Toys for Tots. In addition, the dining room table will be set by a local designer, and the annual commissioned ornament\u2014this year showcasing the Jacobson Barn on the University of Connecticut campus in Storrs\u2014will benefit the Governor\u2019s Residence Conservancy, which holds responsibility for planning and supervising the preservation, restoration, and maintenance of the entire property. Visitors to the Holiday Open House will receive a card featuring a favorite recipe of the governor\u2019s family.<\/p>\n Built in 1909 for Hartford physician and industrialist George C.F. Williams, the Georgian Revival-style home was designed by the Boston-based architectural firm of Andrews, Jacques & Rantoul, and in 1916, Hartford architects Smith & Bassette designed the north and south wing additions. Much of the home\u2019s furnishings in use today were created by Connecticut artisans. The first state leader to live in the house was <\/a>Governor Raymond E. Baldwin, who moved in with his family in September 1945; today, the residence is home to Edward Miner \u201cNed\u201d Lamont Jr. H\u201925, Trinity\u2019s Commencement speaker in 2025, and his wife, Annie.<\/p>\n Four new members<\/a> were named to the Trinity College Board of Trustees<\/a> and began their terms on\u00a0July 1, 2026.<\/p>\n The new charter trustees are Amy McGill Dilatush<\/strong> \u201994<\/strong>, a director of marketing at PGIM, the global asset management business of Prudential Financial Inc.; Karoline Shair P\u201929<\/strong>, former chief legal officer and corporate secretary at\u00a0Akouos, a Boston-based biotechnology company that was\u00a0acquired\u00a0by Eli Lilly; and Charles \u201cCharlie\u201d Siguler \u201910<\/strong>, chief investment officer of Uphill Farm, a family office based in Greenwich, Connecticut. Scott Lessne \u201980<\/strong>, senior counsel of the financial services and corporate practice groups at Crowell & Moring LLP, was named as the Trinity College Alumni Association trustee representative.<\/p>\n \u201cAmy, Karoline,\u00a0Charles,\u00a0and Scott are talented and committed members of the Trinity community who will bring significant personal and professional experience to our board,\u201d said President\u00a0Daniel G.\u00a0Lugo. \u201cThey join the board at\u00a0an important time\u00a0in the history of the College as the trustees are focused on setting the strategic vision for Trinity\u2019s next era. Their individual areas of expertise and their collective enthusiasm for Trinity will enable each of them to make a positive impact on the trajectory\u00a0of the\u00a0College.\u201d<\/p>\n Returning trustees\u00a0Lisa Alvarez-Calder\u00f3n \u201988,\u00a0Malcolm Fraser MacLean IV \u201992, and\u00a0Stephanie Ritz \u201990\u00a0were reelected for another term on the board.<\/p>\n <\/a>Board officers elected for the coming year are\u00a0Lisa G. Bisaccia \u201978, chair, and\u00a0Jeffrey B. Hawkins \u201992,\u00a0Susannah Smetana Kagan \u201991, and\u00a0David L. Schnadig \u201986, vice chairs.<\/p>\n I was happy to read the recent article in the Reporter<\/em> about Dr. Randy Lee [\u201cVolunteer Spotlight,\u201d spring 2026]. When I was a senior at Trinity, I went through a personal crisis precipitated mostly by my parents\u2019 divorce. I made an appointment to see Dr. Lee, and he immediately helped. I went back a few more times, and he helped even more. All these years later, I don\u2019t remember exactly what he said, but I do remember going from feeling overwhelmed and lost to feeling like I could and would get through that difficult situation and be OK. I\u2019m forever grateful to Dr. Lee. . . . He\u2019s really a great guy.<\/p>\n Steve Schutz, M.D., \u201984 [The spring 2026 story on firefly research by Scott Smedley and his student] brought back a lot of fond memories of working alongside Scott in the Biology Department.\u00a0As some of you know, Scott was instrumental in acquiring the Church Farm property for Trinity, which was a great place for field trips and student research for several years. . . . Scott was a great friend and colleague; he and the opportunities presented by the Church Farm were among the reasons I came to Trinity. Along with his professional dedication to his students and colleagues, Scott also just liked to have fun.\u00a0We all remember the ice cream socials during the summer research period when Scott brought his own old-fashioned hand-crank ice cream maker, and everyone took a turn before sharing the spoils. I know this recognition would make Scott proud, although, as he was, he would be very humble about accepting all the praise.<\/p>\n Joan Morrison Editor\u2019s note: Morrison also shared this photo, which shows Craig Schneider (biology), Christoph Geiss (environmental science), Craig C. Schneider \u201905 (environmental science major), Joan Morrison (biology), and Scott Smedley (biology) at a September 2015 gathering. Morrison writes, \u201cBefore he retired, Craig had an annual get-together, a Labor Day party as it were, and colleagues from throughout the College would attend. . . . It would be nice to have the photo included somewhere; all of the folks in it will have fond memories of that time.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Thank you for putting that picture on the back of the Reporter<\/em> (spring 2026) and asking for names. My husband, Stan Marcuss, is a member of the Class of 1963. We recognize three of the singers, all members of Stan\u2019s class: Ted Stier, third\u00a0from left in front row; Dick Chang, at the left in the front row; and Dick Gooden, fourth\u00a0from right in the back row (including the choral director in the count). Again, thanks.<\/p>\n Rosemary Marcuss The first Lessons and Carols was in 1958. I sang in the first four. For trebles, [Clarence] Watters used boys from St. John\u2019s in West Hartford, where he also was in charge of music.<\/p>\n Donald H. Jones \u201962 Editor\u2019s note: Donald Jones also writes that in the spring 2026 back cover photo of The Chapel Singers, he\u2019s the fourth from left in the top row. Others he says he spied in the photo include Bob Ierley \u201962, Bob Hunt \u201962, Al Burfeind \u201964, Jim Sweeney \u201962, Paul Johnson \u201962, Bob Harned \u201961, Ted Stier \u201963, and \u201cpossibly\u201d Carl Scott Zimmerman \u201961. He also named Chaplain J. Moulton \u201cMo\u201d Thomas, far left in the top row, and Professor of Music Clarence Watters H\u201935, far right in the top row.<\/em><\/p>\n I have great memories of singing in what was then called the Chapel Choir under the direction of Clarence Watters. I sang in \u201957\u2013\u201958, \u201958\u2013\u201959, and \u201960\u2013\u201961. Your photo was taken in my junior year, which I spent at the University of Madrid. I learned a lot from Professor Watters and acquired a deep appreciation of Renaissance and Baroque motets, which has lasted a lifetime.<\/p>\n I also sang in the Glee Club under the direction of Professor Barber. His name was also Clarence, though everybody called him Pete. The two Clarences didn\u2019t really like each other very much and didn\u2019t see eye to eye on what was the best singing technique for young male voices. Those of us who sang in both groups often had to struggle with the competing ideals of covered tone and resonant tone. I think I eventually learned how to do one or the other on command, but it wasn\u2019t easy.<\/p>\n Professor Watters had many connections in the Hartford musical community, and we often got to sing with other groups. Sometimes we sang with boys\u2019 choirs, and they usually had plenty of sopranos but sometimes were lacking in altos, so some of us tenors would get pressed into service as altos, which was a stretch.<\/p>\n Another memory has to do with Chapel credits. Attendance at religious services was required back then, and one had to accumulate a number of Chapel credits each term by depositing little cards with one\u2019s name into a box at the entrance to the Chapel. Those of us singing regularly in the choir were deemed to automatically satisfy the requirement by virtue of our choir membership, so we didn\u2019t have to deposit name cards. But every semester, as the semester was just about over, one or more\u00a0friends would suddenly realize that there weren\u2019t enough services left in the semester to meet the requirement. So, they would beg us to slip in cards with their names as we entered the building. It seemed to work and we never got caught, so I guess whoever was tallying the names wasn\u2019t paying close enough attention to realize that \u201cCharlie Smith\u201d (not his real name) had acquired three credits for the same service.<\/p>\n My singing\u2014Chapel Choir, Glee Club, and the Pipes\u2014was one of the most rewarding experiences I had while at Trinity.<\/p>\n Bill Cressey \u201961 The photo on the back page of\u00a0the latest issue of The Trinity Reporter<\/em> included one of my 1961 senior-year roommates and classmate, Robert Bell (back row, second from right), who was also a member of my wedding party in 1964 following my graduation from law school. Bob\u2019s career path\u00a0led him to service with the U.S. Agency for International Development (coincidentally created in 1961). Unfortunately, Bob died in service in an African country of a heart attack, leaving behind his wife and family.\u00a0Sadly and also unfortunately, that agency has been shuttered by the present national administration, although I understand that it is still a legal entity.<\/p>\n Our other roommate, also a classmate, was John Thrower (not pictured), who was one of the Chapel\u2019s student carillonneurs. . . .<\/p>\n In closing, I would note that Trinity, at that time, had a mandatory Chapel requirement during the first two years.\u00a0Although I am not a religious person, I thoroughly enjoyed Professor Cherbonnier\u2019s course on The Judean-Christian Origins of Western Civilization, which has helped me come to the realization in my later years that the concept of \u201cGod\u201d is at the root of the Mideast\u2019s travails over the years.<\/p>\n The times spent within the Chapel were always moments of reflection and peace, contemplating its beauty, including that of the iconic, pew-end wood carvings\u2014a national treasure! Hopefully they are memorialized for posterity in a lengthy, descriptive video that describes the key features of each one and is available online for alums to savor.<\/p>\n For the next 250, dubiously, but sincerely,<\/p>\n Curt Turner \u201961 The caption on the back cover of the spring 2026 issue of The Trinity Reporter<\/em> is incorrect.\u00a0The name Chapel Singers was not in use when that photo was taken.\u00a0The first line of text on page 20 of that issue correctly indicates that the group of students who sang for Chapel services was known as the Chapel Choir from its beginning.\u00a0It was still known that way during the years when I sang in it (1957\u201361).\u00a0I have not yet discovered when the term Chapel Singers began to be used, but it may have been when the group was reconstituted after the \u201cquartet\u201d year(s) mentioned in that article.<\/p>\n In my day, Chapel Choir members were paid for their participation: 25 cents for each rehearsal (Tuesday and Thursday afternoons) and 50 cents for each Sunday service (Morning Prayer and Evensong). Two of us did double duty\u2014John E. \u201cJack\u201d Thrower \u201961 (third from left in the back row) was master carillonneur of the College, and I was assistant carillonneur. One of us played a 20-minute carillon prelude for each of the two Sunday services, already dressed in cassock and surplice (as shown in the photo). It was always a scramble down a ship\u2019s ladder and two sets of spiral stairs from the carillon console to the base of the tower to rejoin the choir for the processional hymn.<\/p>\n The fine music that we sang, the architectural beauty of the Chapel, Professor Watters\u2019s marvelous organ playing, and the theological solidity of the Episcopal liturgy with which we worshipped all made an indelible impression on me.\u00a0Their implicit witness to the faith of generations past also helped me to avoid the abandonment of personal faith that is so common among college students, and I have been a volunteer church musician ever since.<\/p>\n Cordially yours,<\/p>\n Carl Scott Zimmerman \u201961 The Trinity Reporter<\/em> welcomes letters related to items published in recent issues. Please send remarks to the editor at sonya.adams@trincoll.edu<\/a> or Sonya Storch Adams, Office of Communications and Marketing, Trinity College, 300 Summit Street, Hartford, CT 06106.<\/p>\n An annual fundraising initiative, the Senior Class Gift Campaign is led by members of the senior class,<\/a> with the goal of making a monetary contribution to the Trinity College Fund to have a positive impact on the College and to help sustain the Trinity experience for future generations. Read more about the Class of 2026 Senior Class Gift Committee<\/a>.<\/p>\n Men\u2019s rowing wins national title for second straight year<\/em><\/p>\n The Trinity College men\u2019s rowing team won<\/a> the 2026 Intercollegiate Rowing Association (IRA) Division III Varsity 8+ National Championship for the second year in a row. <\/a>Wesleyan University finished second, crossing the line just 0.15 seconds behind Trinity, while Williams College placed third, 2.69 seconds behind.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Trinity College and\u00a0USA Fencing\u00a0announced that the College will add varsity fencing teams<\/a> to its\u00a0athletics offerings, beginning with a women\u2019s program in the 2027\u201328 academic year and then a men\u2019s program in 2028\u201329.<\/p>\n The news came at the U.S. Fencing Foundation F\u00eate, the foundation\u2019s annual gala, held this year in May in New York City. Gavin Viano, Trinity\u2019s director of athletics and recreation, said that the College is excited to partner with USA Fencing to bring intercollegiate fencing back to campus. \u201cThe addition of varsity fencing aligns with several of the College\u2019s institutional strategies as we enter our third century of higher education,\u201d Viano said. \u201cWomen\u2019s fencing has the highest cumulative GPA of any NCAA sport, and Trinity is ready to attract a cohort of scholar-athletes who are passionate about pursuing the blend of academic and athletic excellence that Trinity is known for globally.\u201d<\/p>\n Trinity will have the 47th NCAA varsity women\u2019s fencing program in the country and the 40th men\u2019s program. USA Fencing awarded the College a grant to support the\u00a0relaunch\u00a0of the fencing program at Trinity.<\/p>\n The Bantams will join a regional fencing landscape that includes nearby NCAA programs at Yale, Brown, and Harvard Universities and Boston College, creating competitive opportunities across New England.<\/p>\n Fencing is not new to Trinity, with a team in the early 1870s noted in Glenn Weaver\u2019s The History of Trinity College<\/em>. Stories in The Trinity Tripod<\/em> recount Bantam teams or clubs from the late 1940s into the 1980s.<\/p>\n After Fission: Recognition and Contestation in the Atomic Age Postcolonial Urban Studies: \u00c9douard Glissant and the Whole-World of Cities Fees: How to Sell Professional Services Dead Rail Nathan Straus: From Macy\u2019s Magnate to International Humanitarian Unlikely Entrepreneurs: Wins, Losses, and Crucial Lessons on Building Great Companies The Washington Decree I Was a Shipwreck Scholar: Poems on Loss, Reckoning, and Wonder Cipher: A Proven Framework to Hire the Best People Friendship Skills for Neurodivergent Adults If you have a recent publication that you would like listed in The Trinity Reporter<\/em>, please submit a copy to Sonya Storch Adams, Office of Communications and Marketing, Trinity College, 300 Summit Street, Hartford, CT 06106. Questions? Email sonya.adams@trincoll.edu<\/a>.<\/p>\n Bel\u00e9n Fern\u00e1ndez Milmanda \u201cIt\u2019s hard not to be interested in politics if you\u2019re an Argentine,\u201d says Bel\u00e9n Fern\u00e1ndez Milmanda, who came of age in the late 1990s as the country\u2019s economy unraveled.<\/a> As protests swept the nation, her working-class family lived with the daily fear that her father would lose his job. \u201cYou could see it in the streets,\u201d she says. \u201cPeople were going through garbage to find food.\u201d Read more about Fern\u00e1ndez Milmanda<\/a>.<\/p>\n Trinity College once again made\u00a0Architectural Digest<\/em>\u2019s annual list of the\u00a064 most beautiful college campuses<\/a> in the country. The publication, which weighs architectural legacy and setting, singled out Trinity for its picturesque Long Walk, landscape design, and Chapel. The story notes, \u201cUltimately, the campuses on this list stood out for the way architecture, landscape, history, and culture come together to create striking environments for [a] student\u2019s daily life.\u201d<\/p>\n The Trinity College Board of Trustees voted to award tenure, promotions, and emeriti status to several faculty members.<\/p>\n Those awarded tenure and promoted to associate professor, effective July 1, 2026, were Elise Castillo, educational studies; Brianna Halladay, economics; Michael C. Puljung, neuroscience and chemistry; Lynn Sullivan, fine arts; Anna Terwiel, political science; and Benjamin J. Toscano, biology. In addition, Shane A. Gleason, associate professor of public policy and law, was awarded tenure, also effective July 1.<\/p>\n Faculty members awarded emeritus\/a status, effective June 30, 2026, were Dina L. Anselmi, associate professor of psychology; Barbara M. Benedict, Charles A. Dana Professor of English; Robert J. Corber, William R. Kenan Jr. Professor in American Institutions and Values; Jack Dougherty, professor of educational studies; Robert J. Fleming, professor of biology; and Katherine Lahti, professor of language and culture studies.<\/p>\n In his letter to the <\/a>Trinity community following the April 2026 meeting of the Board of Trustees, Trinity College President Dan Lugo said, \u201cThese professors are esteemed scholars in their field and are making a difference in the lives of the students they teach and mentor.\u201d<\/p>\n Two recent Trinity College graduates\u2014Julianna Boris \u201926<\/a> and Mia Creane \u201925<\/a>\u2014were awarded Fulbright grants to serve as English Teaching Assistants.<\/p>\n Boris, a double major in\u00a0anthropology\u00a0and\u00a0religious studies, started her time in Taiwan in September. She said that her Trinity coursework played a defining role in shaping her perspective. Classes with Associate Professor of Anthropology\u00a0and Religious Studies Timothy R. Landry\u00a0and Assistant Professor of Religious Studies\u00a0Susanne Kerekes\u00a0left a lasting impact, particularly through their emphasis on ethnographic fieldwork and global religious traditions, she said.<\/p>\n \u201cI think studying anthropology has really helped me prepare for going abroad,\u201d said Boris, of Newton, Massachusetts. \u201cIt has given me a very holistic and open-minded view of the world. It helps me prepare to teach other people, but also to learn from them, too.\u201d<\/p>\n Outside the classroom, Boris served as a captain of the\u00a0Trinity women\u2019s rowing team, to which she was originally recruited as a coxswain. Being part of that team has provided a strong sense of community and leadership experience, she said.<\/p>\n Boris\u2019s decision to apply to teach English in Taiwan was both strategic and personal. She has studied Mandarin Chinese since third grade and hopes to strengthen her language skills during her time abroad. Additionally, as someone adopted from China, she sees the experience as an opportunity to reconnect with her cultural heritage.<\/p>\n Although she is still exploring her long-term career path, Boris emphasized her commitment to creating meaningful change in communities. \u201cWhat has drawn me to this type of work is the idea of doing work that\u2019s centered around humans\u2014helping people and improving communities from the ground level,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n Creane, who headed in September to Handlov\u00e1 in the Slovak Republic, is combining her interests in language, education, and technology. After she graduated from Trinity with a degree in computer science, the native of Milford, Connecticut, worked as a system engineer for a health care software company in Madison, Wisconsin.<\/p>\n \u201cThe program in the Slovak Republic was specifically seeking STEM majors,\u201d Creane said. \u201cThey\u2019re looking for the skills that I have, and I\u2019m looking forward to using those skills. They\u2019re doing some really interesting government initiatives with technology and education.\u201d<\/p>\n At Trinity, Creane appreciated her experiences as a teaching assistant and a tutor. \u201cI enjoyed the opportunity to mentor other students, especially in computer science courses, where I could tell them more about the program,\u201d she said. Creane also completed the Trinity Technology and Leadership Internship for Women during her junior year.<\/p>\n Studying languages, including Hebrew and Russian at Trinity, helped Creane prepare for her upcoming role teaching English. She also studied in South Korea for a semester. \u201cGoing into Trinity, I thought that language learning was not for me, but I had some really great experiences,\u201d she said. \u201cNow language learning is something I\u2019m really interested in and enjoy,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n Following her time teaching English, Creane sees herself working in the tech field again. \u201cBut I definitely am looking to combine that with other interests of mine; I\u2019d really love to get into education software or education technology,\u201d she said. \u201cI think that having more experience in the education space with Fulbright will help with whatever I decide to do next.\u201d<\/p>\n A striking and colorful piece of art on the Trinity College campus underwent a thorough restoration this summer.<\/p>\n The two-sided, two-story-tall wall drawing by conceptual artist Sol LeWitt, Wall Drawing #849: Irregular Blobs of Color, 1998<\/em>, in the Cornelia Center has been repainted and refinished, 28 years after its installation.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is the single most important artwork on the Trinity campus,\u201d said Alden R. Gordon \u201969, Paul E. Raether Distinguished Professor of Fine Arts, Emeritus. \u201cSol LeWitt is in every textbook on modern art; he\u2019s one of the most important American artists of the late 20th century. Trinity has a very bold and very distinctive example of his work because it\u2019s actually two surfaces which constitute one work of art\u2014one concave, one convex, fitting in with each other.\u201d<\/p>\n The Cornelia Center\u2014called Vernon Social Center when it opened in 1997\u2014was designed by architect Tai Soo Kim, who wanted to add color to his austere space, Gordon said. Gordon was instrumental in inviting LeWitt to create a wall drawing for the unique space. \u201cSol LeWitt was born in Hartford, and he lived in this neighborhood for part of his early life,\u201d Gordon said. \u201cHis parents are buried in Zion Hill Cemetery, next to campus. He told me that was part of why he wanted to work on this project at Trinity.\u201d LeWitt died in 2007.<\/p>\n LeWitt never touched the walls during the drawing\u2019s installation in the summer of 1998. \u201cIt\u2019s conceptual art,\u201d Gordon said, \u201cso it\u2019s a concept that can be written on paper and then there has to be a human interpretation, working from the instructions.\u201d LeWitt provided scale drawings to his assistants, who drew the design on the wall freehand and applied the paint. Trinity alumni and Gordon helped to paint the piece.<\/p>\n With one side of the work facing exterior windows, \u201cit\u2019s the only LeWitt mural in Hartford that\u2019s visible from outside,\u201d said Gordon, the founder and editor of PublicArtCT.org. \u201cAnd it\u2019s especially beautiful when it\u2019s lit up at night.\u201d<\/p>\n Gabriel Hurier, who led the four-person team that completed the restoration on behalf of the LeWitt estate, said that the work took about 20 days. \u201cIt\u2019s about 26 feet tall on the inside and maybe 24 feet on the outside,\u201d Hurier said of the artwork. \u201cIt\u2019s a very singular drawing. There\u2019s not another one like this anywhere.\u201d<\/p>\n After 28 years, the paint colors had faded, and the walls showed signs of damage from being in a busy public space. Construction and repairs took their toll on the piece over the years, as had scratches, rips, and spills on the walls.<\/p>\n \u201cFirst, we basically sanded it down, fixed any holes or marks, and cleaned up the caulking. Then we worked on repainting and refinishing,\u201d said Hurier, who noted that specialized paints were used to match the original colors as closely as possible. \u201cWe taped off the different colored sections and just went color by color. We went over it several times with new paint, then glossed it several times. Getting the glossy finish just right is very hard, and Sol was particular about his finishes.\u201d<\/p>\n John Hogan, the installations director for the LeWitt estate, said that LeWitt\u2019s artistic life went through several phases. \u201cEarlier in his career, he was known for a sort of hard geometry. And then, gradually, he started to become a little bit more playful and started working with these very unusual shapes, these blobs like you see at Trinity,\u201d Hogan said. \u201cThe piece at Trinity is actually one of the rarer ones where Sol is responding very specifically to the architecture.\u201d<\/p>\n Hogan said that other examples of LeWitt\u2019s work in Hartford can be found at the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art. \u201cSol obviously liked working in galleries and museums, but he really had a sense of wanting to put his work in the public environment,\u201d Hogan said. \u201cHe didn\u2019t sell this piece to Trinity\u2014it\u2019s an example of where he said, \u2018You can borrow this work, and everyone can see it.\u2019 A lot of artists would not be so forthcoming in their generosity.\u201d<\/p>\n While it is technically on indefinite loan from the artist\u2019s estate, the LeWitt wall drawing\u2014the creation of which was funded by the Edward C. and Ann T. Roberts Foundation Inc. of Hartford\u2014is considered part of the Trinity College Art Collection, which is managed by the Watkinson Library and College Archives. Christina M. Bleyer, College librarian and director of special collections and archives at the Watkinson Library, noted, \u201cHaving such a large contribution from Sol LeWitt is representative of Trinity\u2019s connection to Hartford and its commitment to public art.\u201d<\/p>\n Lana Abraham \u201998
\n990 Prospect Avenue, Hartford, CT<\/strong><\/p>\nNew trustees<\/h2>\n
Letters<\/h2>\n
With gratitude\u00a0to Randy Lee<\/h3>\n
\nBoise, Idaho<\/em><\/p>\n
\nRemembering Scott Smedley<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\nProfessor of Biology, Emerita
\nCorrales, New Mexico<\/em><\/p>\n
\nThe Chapel Singers of yesteryear<\/h3>\n
\nWashington, D.C.<\/em><\/p>\n
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\nRochester, New York<\/em><\/p>\n
\nChapel music and more<\/h3>\n
\nNorth Branford, Connecticut<\/em><\/p>\n
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\nRowley, Massachusetts<\/em><\/p>\n
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\nCampanologist
\nSt. Louis, Missouri<\/em><\/p>\n
\nGet in touch!<\/h3>\n
Volunteer Spotlight<\/h2>\n
Twice as nice!<\/h2>\n
Fencing returns<\/h2>\n
Recent Publications<\/h2>\n
\n<\/em>Sidra Hamidi, Assistant Professor of Political Science
\nCambridge University Press, 2026; 209 pages<\/p>\n
\n<\/em>Garth A. Myers, Paul E. Raether Distinguished Professor of Urban International Studies and Director of the Center for Urban and Global Studies
\nAgenda Publishing, 2026; 199 pages<\/p>\n
\n<\/em>Jeffrey J. Fox \u201967
\n2026; 192 pages<\/p>\n
\n<\/em>Alex Belida \u201970
\n2025; 185 pages<\/p>\n
\n<\/em>Andrew Fisher \u201972, M\u201972
\nRutgers University Press; 403 pages<\/p>\n
\n<\/em>Louis Shipley \u201985 and Patricia Favreau
\nWiley, 2026; 212 pages<\/p>\n
\n<\/em>Scott Sherwood \u201987
\n2025; 228 pages<\/p>\n
\n<\/em>Gregory LeStage \u201988, P\u201927
\nJ.P. Zenger Books, 2025; 72 pages<\/p>\n
\n<\/em>Craig della Penna \u201997
\nThird Act Publishers, 2026; 211 pages<\/p>\n
\n<\/em>Caroline Maguire \u201997
\nHachette Book Group, 2026; 283 pages<\/p>\nFaculty Focus<\/h2>\n
\nAssociate Professor of Political Science and International Studies<\/p>\n\u2018Most beautiful\u2019<\/h2>\nTenure, promotions<\/h2>\n
Fulbrights for two<\/h2>\n
Vibrant once more<\/h2>\n
Original Installation Team, 1998:<\/h3>\n
\nSachiko Cho (LeWitt assistant)
\nAmalie Flynn \u201998
\nAlden Gordon \u201969
\nTory Marsh \u201997<\/a>
\nKevin Oster (LeWitt assistant)
\nKim Piotrowski \u201993<\/p>\nReunion 2026<\/h2>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.trincoll.edu\/reporter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/143\/2026\/09\/2-Trinity-College-Reunion-2026-Saturday-121-scaled-e1790185269584-300x221.jpg\")