Class Notes

Rob Kaufelt '65 writes: "I have met recently and spent some quality time with Michael Gottlieb '65 and David Pickar '65, and Maureen Weir '65. All were here recently, and we plan to hold our 60th reunion next year at a place to be determined.

"We are sad at the losses from our class, and to those who are ill now we wish a complete recovery. By my count we have lost 16/51 of our classmates.

"As for me personally, my daughter Rose, 14, will attend high school next year at Blair, while her twin brother Jacob will attend 9th grade at his current school Eaglebrook in Deerfield Ma. Their older brother, Julian, age 17, will be a senior at Eagle Hill School, in Hardwick Ma, and has begun looking at colleges."

James Filenbaum '67 writes: "After practicing law in Rockland County, New York for almost 40 years where we raised our two daughters, my wife Linda and I moved to Boca Raton, Florida a number of years ago. We have seven grandchildren and the oldest, Scott, will be graduating Tulane University next year and plans to go to law school the following year. Next oldest is Eric who will be a freshman at the University of Tampa starting in the fall. The others are still in high school.

We got a thrill meeting Head of School Steven Loy and his wife last spring at a baseball practice/spring game in Vero Beach, Florida as well as meeting the coach and the entire team. It may have been a long time ago when I was the RPS varsity catcher from 1965-1967, but sometimes it seems like it was only yesterday that Oke was there yelling at us to play better and teaching us about life. Precious memories!"

Carol Brown Markowitz '69 writes: "The Sidai Resource Centre in Samburu, Kenya, where I’m involved, is thriving. It supports 48 girls, providing a safe residence and continued education. Notably, eight girls are in high school, in Kenya, which includes boarding expenses and invovles passing an entrance exam. The founder, (Sara Lesiamito) and her husband, a Kenyan conservation ranger, will visit NYC in September. We’re arranging speaking engagements for Sara to highlight child protection issues."

Sidai Resource Centre

Jeffrey Gale '69 writes: "Closing in on 50+ years as a practicing attorney in Central Jersey. I have been joined by my son, Jordan Gale, who is now my youngest partner, and I look forward to the name on the sign remaining unchanged as I slow down. All good things I have experienced trace back to four years at Rutgers Prep."

Bruce William Colburn '70, PhD passed away on June 11, 2024 in Newport News, VA. He is survived by his sons Adam and Ben and his sister Merryl Colburn Bernstein '73.

Bruce grew up in East New Brunswick, NJ and graduated from Rutgers Preparatory School with varsity letters in soccer and lacrosse in 1970. He received a BA in psychology from Northwestern in 1974 and a PhD in clinical psychology from Bowling Green University in 1978.

After moving to southeastern Virginia to start a family with his first wife Marnee, Bruce gained a local reputation as a specialist in panic, anxiety, and sleep disorders before ultimately co-founding Rock Landing Psychological Group, a clinical practice collaborative that still operates today.

The local healthcare community loved Bruce as a beloved educator and mentor, celebrated for his edgy humor and clinical skill in equal measure. His patients knew him as a natural comic who understood the very real challenges they faced and taught them the confidence to “feel the fear and do it anyway.”

Bruce’s family will remember him for his cynical humor, eclectic sense of style, and his will to live at all costs. Outside of the office, Bruce enjoyed practicing guitar, scuba diving, studying surrealist art, exotic travel, and above all, sharing his passions with his family and friends.

Bruce has since been cremated and memorialized on a reef in Florida to “sleep with the fishes” as he always wanted. If you knew Bruce and have fond memories to share, please send them to his son Ben at bjcolbur@gmail.com.

Richard Cooke '73 and a group of classmates visited with Coach Robert "Bob" Fenstermaker in December 2023. Left to right: Michael Strassberg '73, Rich Cooke '73, Coach Fenstermaker, Jack Kamin '73, and Jim Jasionowski '73. 

Composer/lyricist/playwright Amy Engelhardt '84 took her award-winning solo show IMPACT to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in August 2023. The show, an inspiring celebration of what we can do for each other in times of crisis, will tour in 2024/2025 "with some silly, Satanic nuns thrown in for good measure." Check out the schedule at www.amyengelhardt.com.

Celebrating their 35th reunion, Tim Herrmann '89, John Lair '89, and Todd Cornish '89 gathered for a round of golf after their Alumni Day celebrations on campus.

William "Sandy" Somers '91 hiked the entire Appalachian Trail between June 5 and November 16, 2023.

Scott Mory '92 has returned to the George Washington University as Senior Vice President and Chief of Staff, following successful runs leading fundraising and alumni relations programs at Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Southern California.

Melissa Zak ’93, DNP, MBA, RN, NEA-BC, is currently the Chief Nursing Officer at Penn Medicine, Pennsylvania Hospital. Melissa resides in Voorhees, NJ with her husband and three children.

Maureen Benitz Glassbrook '97 writes: "Excited to share that I married Jarret Glassbrook on May 4, 2024. We were married at St. Peter's Church in Washington, DC, with a reception at the Capitol View at 400. I was thankful to have Nicole Finner-Mordecai '97 as a bridesmaid. The photo was taken at Union Station."

Dr. Emran El-Badawi '98 has been named Dean of Tarleton State University’s College of Liberal and Fine Arts.

https://www.tarleton.edu/news/tarleton-state-names-dr-emran-el-badawi-dean-of-college-of-liberal-and-fine-arts/

Mark Nastus '94 and JT McMillen '18 met up with longtime faculty member, Dave Wise, on the Appalachian Trail this summer. Dave is hiking the AT end to end and is expected to finish on 8/25. You can follow him on Instagram at dwise.at.

Portia Hunt '00 and family celebrated daughter Vivian Aurelia Mirabal's first birthday in April outside of Washington DC. In the picture, Vivi is seen wearing her RPS onesie with her grandma, Jean Meyers, and Kathy Riley!

Warner Howard '00 writes: "I am entering my 18th year of teaching as a special educator with Charlottesville City Schools. My wife, Ashley, is in her 8th year of social work with Charlottesville Health Partnership. My son, Warner (14), is entering 10th grade at Charlottesville High School. My eldest daughter, Nadia (13), is entering 9th grade at The Renaissance School (Charlottesville). Noelle (6) and Naomi (4) are entering 1st grade and kindergarten, respectively, at Charlottesville Day School."

Rachita Bhatt '01 is thrilled to share that her son, Nikash Shah (Class of 2036), just graduated from Kindergarten at RPS! The tradition lives on!

Akash Shukla '04 and his wife Radha Shukla welcomed their son, Kabir Shukla, on August 21, 2023. 

Victoria Ghafoor ’06 and her partner Kevin welcomed twins, Asa and Cameron, on December 27, 2023.

Kevin Trimarchi '06, the owner of 22 West Tap and Grill, is thrilled to announce that his restaurant has been chosen to be featured on America's Best Restaurants. This prestigious recognition as one of the best restaurants in America is a tremendous honor. The eagerly anticipated episode is expected to air in August, with the exact release date to be confirmed by the end of July. 22 West Tap and Grill is one of only five restaurants in New Jersey to receive this distinction. Initially, the episode will be available on our Facebook Page before being broadcast on America's Best Restaurants' YouTube channel.

Kathleen Kaparski Vitale '07 is expecting a new little Argonaut coming Christmas of 2024.

Jillian Angeline '08 is now a Public Affairs Specialist with the Federal Aviation Administration. She's excited to combine her broadcast journalism and drone pilot skills to the new role. Previously, she was the creator, host and producer of the "Props Clear" podcast, chatting with drone industry leaders worldwide. Catch those episodes on her YouTube channel.

Bill(y) Utasi '09 and Allison Utasi got married in Baltimore, MD in the whimsical gardens of the American Visionary Arts Museum on 4/28 surrounded by friends and family, including this bunch of dapper 2009 alums!

L to R: Romit Patel '09, Ruchit Patel '09, Scott Skolnick '09, Bill Utasi '09, Steve Marcou '09, Eric Loy '09, Dan Dobalo '09, Michael Metz '09

Cassidy Nogueira '10 writes: "I will be getting married on June 25 in Dublin to my partner of 12 years, Christopher Bari! We'll be spending a few days in Dublin, Galway, and London before returning home a married couple. Can't wait to share photos!"

Caroline Syms Zagunis '10 welcomed a baby girl, Emersyn Therese, who turns one in July. She lives in the Ann Arbor, Michigan area and works in Marketing for McGraw Hill Education.

Andrew Parr '12 had his eighteenth piece of choral music published this Spring.  His most recent title, The Son of Mary, is published by Augsburg Fortress Publishers.  An original composition using the text of the English Christmas text "What Child is This?," the piece can be heard on the publisher's website or YouTube channel.  Parr's other compositions are published by Hal Leonard Corporation, Alfred Music, Choristers Guild, and Hinshaw Music. 

A group of alums gathered to play "Dream On" to honor retiring faculty member, and longtime Band Director, Lisa Peterson. Vaughn Stavropoulos '16 helped arrange the piece for all alums involved including Justin Phillips '20, Sarah Thornton '07, Carla Evans '20, Mark Nastus '94, Stephen Mitchell, Andi Stevenson '14, and Justin Moore '23.

Antonia Bates '22, a sophomore with the Rutgers women's basketball team, participated in the CBS Sports Diverse Ambassador program at the Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament, which aims to provide BIPOC student-athletes with exposure to sports journalism and broadcasting careers.

https://bvmsports.com/2024/04/03/rutgers-basketball-star-shines-in-cbs-sports-ambassador-program/