Legacy Dinner Celebrates Lafayette Tradition

As part of Family Weekend festivities, 41 students will celebrate Lafayette tradition at the sixth annual Legacy Dinner this Friday. Over 47 alumni parents and a handful of alumni relatives, including grandfathers, are expected to attend.

Hosted by the Office of Alumni Affairs, the dinner recognizes undergraduates who are continuing their family’s affiliation with the College. President Dan Weiss will offer remarks to commemorate the evening.

“Legacies add value to the Lafayette experience and enhance the life of the College,” says Sherri Jones, director of alumni affairs. “They are part of a rich heritage that dates back to the Class of 1836 – Lafayette’s first graduating class – where two members of that class had sons who attended Lafayette.”

Lafayette’s Legacy Dinner began in 2000 and was the idea of Bill Raver ’68. A legacy himself and former president of the Alumni Association from 1998-2000, Raver wanted to recognize and celebrate the importance of continuing the legacy tradition within the family.

For Tobie Langsam ’07 (Massapequa, N.Y.), family tradition was a factor in her decision to come to Lafayette. A psychology major, she is proud to share a common college experience with her father, Richard Langsam ’72.

“I wanted to go to a place that wouldn’t be too far from home and new to me, but familiar with my parents,” she explains. “I had heard a lot of stories from my father, so when I came to visit, Lafayette already felt like a home away from home. I feel I have a special bond with my father. He was the past, and I’m the present and hopefully there will be someone in the future who will continue in our footsteps.”

Mathematics major Jason Rivkin ’09 (Cliffside Park, N.J.) had an easy decision in choosing colleges, thanks to his mother’s memories of a balanced academic and social atmosphere. Susan Denenholz ’74 earned a B.A. in mathematics.

“My mother said she received an incredible liberal arts education in a laid-back, comfortable environment,” he says. “I noticed that immediately when I walked on campus. My decision was then very easy.”

Following in the footsteps of her father, Robert Donofrio ’71,and two sisters, Beth Ann Donofrio Coombs ’97 and Stacey Donofrio ’99,international affairs major Michelle Donofrio ’08 (Sea Girt, N.J.) feels a strong connection to the College. Her brother, Christopher Donofrio ’10, is the latest addition to the family legacy.

“My father and my sisters always had wonderful stories and great things to say about Lafayette, which influenced my decision to look and apply,” says Donofrio ’08. “Ultimately, it was my own decision to choose to attend here. Having always heard such great things, it was hard not to want to come here. I felt that I was adding to the family and school history by coming here. Not to mention after having visited [Lafayette] for many homecomings and family weekends because of my sisters, I really felt at home. I think it’s a great honor to be a legacy.”

Christopher Shumeyko ’10 (Vestal, N.Y.) saw first-hand the benefits of a Lafayette education with his mother, Nancy Keller Shumeyko ’80.

“[Lafayette is] a great school with small class sizes and personal attention,” he says. “I’ve seen my mom’s success after graduation from Lafayette, and I knew I’d be earning a top-notch education.”

Current Lafayette legacies and legacy relatives who will attend Friday’s dinner are:

Class of 2007

• Elizabeth Helwig (Basking Ridge, N.J.; biology); Suzanne Boutillier Helwig ’74
• Whitney ’07 and Emma Laird ’10 (Westfield, N.J.); Scott ’81 and Anne Woodward Laird ’82
• Jonathan Jaffe (Northampton, Mass.; mathematics); Leslie Jaffe ’68
• Brad Wertheim (Martinsville, N.J.; biochemistry); Glenn ’76 and Gail Dobriner Wertheim ’76

Class of 2008

• Jessica Monico (Succasunna, N.J.; mathematics-economics); Raymond Monico ’74

Class of 2009

• David Crawford (Stamford, Conn.); Greg Crawford ’68
• Christian Garelli (Pasadena, Calif.; international affairs); Susan Bodner Garelli ’73
• MacKenzie Mor (Blue Hill, Maine; mechanical engineering); Frederick Sommer ’38
• Rachel Pidcock (Allentown, Pa.; art); J. Scott Pidcock ’75
• Ellen Rose (Spring Lake, N.J.; Spanish); Nancy Kuenstner ’75 and Robert Kuenstner ’50
• Patrick Rossi (Easton, Pa.; biology); Tony Rossi ’68
• Rachel Tanz (Chicago, Ill.; biology); Robert ’72 and Jill Johnson Tanz ’79
• Robert C. Waldele (Stirling, N.J.); Robert J. Waldele ’79

Class of 2010

• Rachel Abramovitz (New York, N.Y.); Stuart Abramovitz ’77 and Ed Auble ’61
• Rob Amesbury (Wyckoff, N.J.); W. Robin Amesbury ’77
• Peter Crouse (Media, Pa.); Nancy Matchett Crouse ’80
• Marc Desmond (Rye Brook, N.Y.); Amy Blumenthal Desmond ’77, Lynne Desmond ’06,
• Peter Blumenthal ’72, and Edwin Blumenthal ’42
• William Engel (Wayland, Mass.); Robert Engel ’74
• Carolyn Fast (Rockaway, N.J.); Thomas ’79 and Mindy Nadel Fast ’82
• Marie Garofalo (Randolph, N.J.); Angela DiChiara Garofalo ’82
• Meghan Gray (Hockessin, Del.); Glen ’80 and Ellen Senkowski Gray ’80
• Beth Haubenstock (Wayne, N.J.); Mark Haubenstock ’74
• Jordan Kaplan (Livingston, N.J.); Barbara Lan Kaplan ’80
• Eric Marshall (Wyckoff, N.J.); Christopher Marshall ’70
• Peter Moody (Madison, N.J.); Rebecca Murr Moody ’78
• Jennifer Nunn (Lower Gwynedd, Pa.); Richard Nunn ’78
• Kaitlin O’Shaughnessy (Milltown, N.J.); George O’Shaughnessy ’77
• Jennifer Pralgever (Mendham, N.J.); Alan Pralgever ’73
• Leslie Raucher (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.); Harold ’74 and Beth Goldstein Raucher ’76
• David Sison (Short Hills, N.J.); Carlos Sison ’69
• Kathleen Sokolowsky (Downingtown, Pa.); David ’81 and Susan Murphey Sokolowsky ’81
• Marie Stavrovsky (Bethlehem, Pa.); Ernest Stavrovsky ’03 and Nicolette Stavrovsky Teles ’03
• Alexander Struck (Mount Laurel, N.J.); Ken ’76 and Joanne Buonanno Struck ’75, Juliana Struck ’03, and Thomas Struck ’06
• Ezra Tischler (West Chester, Pa.); James Tischler ’71
• Brian Warner (Bellport, N.Y.); Paul Warner ’70
• Jonathan Werkmeister (Point Pleasant, N.J.); Robert Werkmeister ’76