Homecoming 2017
More than 700 people returned to the Hilltop for Homecoming, traveling from 38 states and as far away as New Zealand and Japan. Brittany Atchison Horn ’10, recipient of the Young Alumni Achievement Award, expressed her gratitude to Cornell succinctly and universally when she told the audience in King Chapel,
“Thank you for believing in me, thank you for empowering me, and thank you for investing in me. I adore Cornell. I cherish the Hilltop and I will always, always bleed purple.”
Cornell proudly honored these alumni at Homecoming, as pictured from left: 
Michael Bellito ’72 is an inspirational educator, in and out of the classroom. He taught English and speech for 40 years and, following a stroke, continued to educate through writing four books including “The Silent Journey,” a narrative about overcoming a stroke. Leadership and Service Award
Fred Holtz ’86 promotes his passions to spur innovation and community. Holtz helped lead the transformation of Cornell’s alumni program through the Alumni Task Force during his tenure as president of Cornell’s Alumni Association Board of Directors. Leadership and Service Award
Brittany Atchison Horn ’10 takes action daily to empower others and build community. She launched EmpowerHER, a Nigerian microfinance initiative that has empowered 400 women to create their own businesses, born out of the collaborative Iowa-Nigeria Partnership with the United Methodist Church. Young Alumni Achievement Award
As Liberia’s Peace Ambassador, the Rev. William Tolbert III ’77 (represented by his son, William Westerfield Tolbert) leads the healing process. In this role, he is charged with creating a stable, lasting peace in the country, working closely with the National Reconciliation Commission. Distinguished Achievement Award
Leadership and Service Award: Craig Vickstrom ’92 is committed to treating families at the local and international levels. When the Ebola outbreak occurred in 2015, he left his medical practice to help the people of Sierra Leone. Leadership and Service Award
Athletic Hall of Fame
Cornell’s Athletics Department honored the following 2017 Hall of Fame Inductees (pictured from left): Lindsey Pfalmer Debolt ’03 (tennis, basketball), Katie Boyle Schimmel ’03 (soccer), Ward Nelson ’72 (football, wrestling), Bob Bishop ’67 (basketball, baseball), and Mark Steger ’71 (football, baseball). For more, see crnl.co/2017hof
50th reunion class shares wisdom on bookmarks
The Class of 1967 shared some of their wisdom during the weekend by making and placing more than 700 bookmarks across campus for students and younger alumni to find. The purpose was to instruct, inform, and amuse the folks who happen upon the bookmarks, says Linda Crissey Cotten ’67, one of the organizers. “I didn’t want us to be viewed solely as orthotics-wearing, blue-haired, weekend invaders,” she says, “but rather as nice, thoughtful, amusing even, older folks who have very fond memories of the years spent on the Hilltop.”
