Tony Goldwyn ’82
Tony Goldwyn ’82

Nobel Prize Winner, Acclaimed Actor Added to Alumni Weekend Lineup

Michael Rosbash, the Peter Gruber Endowed Chair in Neuroscience, who recently received the 2017 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, and Tony Goldwyn ’82, acclaimed actor, director and activist, will be celebrated at the inaugural Alumni Weekend in June.

“We are delighted to honor the accomplishments of Michael Rosbash and Tony Goldwyn at Alumni Weekend,” says Patsy Fisher, vice president of alumni relations. “Although their professional paths are different, they share a deep commitment to their work, remarkable achievements and an abiding tie to Brandeis.”

Alumni Weekend will feature many of the most popular elements of Reunion: milestone class-reunion celebrations, an expanded Alumni College, the Ralph Norman Barbecue, Kegs and Kickball, and Ollie’s Family Fun. Open to all alumni, Alumni Weekend will also feature exciting special events, including a reception for Rosbash and Goldwyn, who will be the recipient of the 2018 Alumni Achievement Award.

Rosbash, Professor Emeritus Jeff Hall and Michael W. Young of Rockefeller University won the Nobel Prize for their groundbreaking work on the molecular mechanisms controlling circadian rhythms.  

Goldwyn has played Fitzgerald Grant III on the hit TV show “Scandal” for seven seasons. In his role as activist, Goldwyn has helped promote the Innocence Project and served as a spokesperson for the disaster-relief agency Americares.

Bursting With Pride

In the fall, I had the pleasure of joining close to 60 fellow Brandeisians in welcoming President Ron Liebowitz to Toronto. The alumni in my home city are a microcosm of Brandeis — diverse in their fields and interests, representative of a wide range of class years and majors. That night, we gathered to hear President Liebowitz discuss his vision for our alma mater and answer our questions.

The atmosphere was one of optimism and excitement. After hearing President Liebowitz speak, many alumni told me how confident they are that Brandeis is in good hands. They were especially impressed with how open he was in laying out the challenges we face. He was equally clear about how we can capitalize on our strengths, such as our world-class faculty, and where we can improve, including by creating a more vibrant student-life experience.

Another prevailing mood was pride. I have always felt extremely grateful for the education I received at Brandeis, and I’ve wished more people knew about the incredible work being done there. Now that Professors Michael Rosbash and Jeff Hall have won the Nobel Prize for their breakthroughs in understanding the molecular mechanisms that control circadian rhythms, the world is getting a detailed view of the high-level scholarship and research conducted every day at our gem in Waltham.

There will be plenty of Brandeis pride in the air at our inaugural Alumni Weekend on June 8-10. I can’t wait to hear Professor Rosbash speak, cheer as acclaimed actor/director/activist Tony Goldwyn ’82 receives the Alumni Achievement Award, celebrate our milestone classes (like my own 40th Reunion!) and enjoy spending time with Brandeisians from every graduation year. I hope to see you there.

Best,

Mark Surchin ’78
President, Brandeis Alumni Association

Mark Surchin with President Liebowitz and Judi Shostack
President Ron Liebowitz and Alumni Club of Toronto President Judi Shostack ’78 with Mark Surchin in Toronto.

’Twas the Season

In November and December, more than 700 alumni and friends attended Brandeis holiday receptions held by alumni clubs in eight regions across the U.S. 

Boston

Photo from the Boston holiday reception

Alicia Park, Caylin Marotta and Elizabeth Chalfin, all ’15, at the Alumni Club of Greater Boston’s 18th Annual Holiday Reception, held at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum.

Photo from the Boston holiday reception
Karen Adler Abramson ’85, MA’94, director of archives at the JFK Library, and Eileen McNamara, director of Brandeis’ journalism program and author of a forthcoming book on Eunice Kennedy Shriver, were the featured speakers at the reception. Daniela (Jacobson-Fried) Egan ’04, Hanna Switlekowski ’13, Jennifer (Klein) Seadia ’02 and Jonathan Sclarsic ’03 (on either side of Abramson and McNamara, at center) served as event chairs. 

New York

Photo from the New York City holiday reception
Alumni Board member Jessica Bergman ’91; Patsy Fisher, vice president of alumni relations; and Sidney Levinson ’85 and his wife, Amy Cohen ’85, Alumni Board vice president, at the New York region holiday reception, held at Manhattan Penthouse.
Photo from the New York City holiday reception
Charlie Chelnik and Sarah Gross, both ’10.

Washington, D.C.

Photo from the Washington, D.C., holiday reception

Raechel Banks ’12, Faith Broderick ’13, David Handler ’14, Doug Kanovsky ’12, Sunny Aidasani ’14, Malorie Letcavage ’14 and event chair Jackie Zais ’13.

Photo from the Washington, D.C., holiday reception

Robin Farber, Ron Kendler and Danielle Garfinkel, all ’09.

Southern California

Photo from the Southern California holiday reception
Rachel Landauer ’09, Tamar Kane ’89, Deborah Dragon ’95 and Anya Bergman ’10.
Photo from the Southern California holiday reception
Syeda Lee ’14, Liane Hypolite ’10, Fernando Torres-Gil ‘76, Ashlee Hypolite ’13 and Eddie Anderson.

Northern California

Photo from the Northern California holiday reception

Alex Amann ’05, Preeti Ravilya ’10, Sanjay Raju and Minna Schmidt ’13.

Photo from the Northern California holiday reception
Alison Channon ’10, Elisette Weiss ’10, Jeremy Botwinick ’09 and Alana Tilman ’10.

Ceremonies

Photo of Ariel/Kravitz wedding
Tamar Ariel ’10 and Matthew Kravitz ’07 were married on Nov. 12, 2016, in Durham, North Carolina. They moved back to Washington, D.C., in May 2017 after living in the Tar Heel State for two years.
Photo of Klein wedding
Sarah Klein ’08 married Chris Appel on Sept. 3 in Charlottesville, Virginia, with several Gordon 3 alumnae on hand to wish them well.
Photo of Perkins/Goldstone wedding
Surrounded by beaming Brandeisians, Leora Kling Perkins ’09 wed Matthew Goldstone ’07 in August.
Photo of Puterman/Moscona wedding
Jessi Puterman and Alberto Moscona, both ’15, tied the knot in June in Manhattan. Rabbi Daniel Kasdan ’13 officiated.
Photo of Ney/Robinson wedding
Rebecca Ney and Stephen Robinson, both ’11, exchanged wedding vows at the Liberty Warehouse in Brooklyn on Aug. 12. The bride’s parents, Vic Ney ’81 and Karen Binder ’82, P’11, are Brandeis alums, as are the groom’s father and sister, Jeff Robinson ’72, P’07, P’11, and Emily Robinson Grimes ’07.
Photo of Jennings wedding
Matthew Jennings ’09 and Kathleen Duffy were wed on July 22 at Codman Estates, in Lincoln, Massachusetts. Many of the groom’s former track and cross-country teammates cheered them on. 
Photo of Lindholm/Bray wedding
Former varsity athletes from various Judges teams reunited for the wedding of Hannah Lindholm and Benjamin Bray, both ’11, at Lake Park Bistro in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on May 28. The couple met while competing on the Brandeis cross-country and track squads.
Photo of Cagnacci wedding
Lisa Cagnacci ’01 married Jo Kibble on March 4, 2017, in London. Dev Bondarin and Jane Kohuth, both ’01, served as bridesmaids.
Photo of Medow wedding
Stephen Medow ’03 married Jessica Feinstein on Nov. 11 in Big Indian, New York. Alumni in attendance included the groom’s younger sister, Betsey Medow ’08.
Photo of Shapiro wedding
Ilana Shapiro ’05 married Liron Yahdav on Sept. 3 in a ceremony near their San Francisco, California, home.