Notes about the links…info from Tech Support
April 12, 2008
Many of you have had problems with the link to where you need to submit your information. Please click on the Comments link at the bottom of the post, and we will collect your information for your reservation. We do not have a form for you to fill out, but you can submit your answers to the questions in the comments section. If you prefer to keep your information private, please send your information by email to cresricca@sbcglobal.net.
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New ISA Reunion Information
April 8, 2008
Today, April 6, Sunday 11:10 PM
Hello Again!
If you are reading this for the first time, this is your invitation to attend a once-in-a-lifetime reunion of friends from your Ohio State University days. Come to Columbus and join us for a celebration of friendship from our younger days. The International Students Association (ISA) at The Ohio State University became our extended family at that time. Columbus was our hometown for some years and our academic advisers became the father/mother figure to whom we went for advice.
SAVE THESE DATES:
May 30 – 31 and June 1, 2008
International Student Association Reunion at The Oho State University in Columbus, Ohio
HOTEL ARRANGEMENTS: Register immediately for hotel reservations at a reduced rate. Scroll down to registration site.
ABOUT US
This is a partial list of the ISA Presidents from the collective memories of the reunion organizers.
1967-68 Mohammed Kurmally
1968-69 Ato de Graft Johnson #
1969-70 Vince Ferranti
1970-71 Marianita Albano
1971-72 Vijay Sathe
1972-73 Sinyan Shen
1974-75 Shed S. H. Rizvi # *
1975-76 Don Faxon
# We need your help in providing an e- mail address or other method of contact
# * Our apologies to Mr. Rizvi for the error in identifying someone else as ISA President for this period in the weblog ( 01/12/08)
The years selected are not in any way more significant that other years before of after. Simply, these represent the OSU years when most of the ISA reunion organizers developed these lasting friendships by keeping in touch with one another.
ISA REUNION ORGANIZERS
My name is Cres Guerrero Ricca and I am responsible for writing, publishing, and maintaining this weblog :
www.isareunion.org
In Autumn 1967, I started working at The Ohio State University as Assistant to the Director, Miss Ruth C. Bailey. My first responsibility was learning about the organizational relationship of the International Students Office (ISO) and the Dean’s Office of Student Affairs. The number of international students at the time was less than 200, a small percentage of the total OSU student body. My other major responsibility was to encourage interaction among international students and American students. As the office representative, I was to assist ISA in planning and providing support for their programs and activities.
Remembering: most of the programs and activities of ISA were conducted on the first floor of George Wells Knight International House (GWKIH) at 104 East 15th Avenue. Although this was a men’s residence for graduate students, the first floor was open for both genders. There was a was a spacious lounge, a reading room, and an equipped kitchen for preparing and serving food which we were missing from our home countries. Friday night was a party night, which was open to all students seeking friendship and a happy time. There was always music and dancing, mostly the Latin beat, the twist, and other tunes popular at that time.
The ISA activities were spontaneous and needed no advance planning. Sometimes, we would bring something from our own kitchens to share at somebody’s apartment. Marianita Albano’s apartment at Neil Hall was a popular gathering place and there was no need for a special occasion to host a party. It was such a natural way of making friends and if one got lucky - meeting that Somebody Special.
In 1971, I got married to Le Ba Tuan (Tom Lebatuan Ricca) from South Vietnam whom I met just by doing my office responsibilities responsibly. When he completed his Ph.D. program in Electrical Engineering, I resigned from ISO to join him in Saigon where we planned to make our permanent home. The end of the Vietnam war in April 1975, ended that dream. We came back to Columbus with our young son. Once more, we linked up with our ISA connections. We had kept up correspondence with Miss Bailey, who was very helpful in providing me good recommendation to OSU to the position of Foreign Student Adviser – my lucky streak was still there!
I had a very interesting career in international educational exchanges but I was ready to retire from the University in 1997 – - – to do other things , like planning the ISA reunion.
More About Us and the ISA Reunion
This ISA reunion is not sponsored by the Ohio State University and the University is not providing any financial assistance. The ISA reunion is entirely a personal commitment of individuals like Marianita Albano, Marlinda Sardovia Iyer, Alma Saddam, Melinda de Guzman Harty and Kevin Harty.
Kevin holds the distinction of having occupied several levels of administrative positions in international programs and activities at The Ohio State University, After the retirement of Miss Bailey in 1975, Kevin continued to work with the new director, Miss Dorothy Brickman (1971- 1987) in the Office of International Students and Scholars (ISSS).
The third director, Dr. John Greisberger, took over a well-run office for international education and services. The ISSS office moved from Lincoln Tower to Oxley Hall and the name was changed to Office of International Education (OIE), 1987- 2007. Dr. Greisberger term of appointment was characterized by a broad independent review of The Ohio State University’s role in the twenty-first century, Gradually, OIE was preparing its students for life in a global community. This period promoted overseas work experience and/or study abroad to American students.
These changes resulted in another direction of administrative reporting. The OIE Director reported to the Office of the Provost while maintaining its organizational relationship with the Office of Student Affairs. Kevin was appointed Assistant Director to assume additional responsibilities including relocating their offices in other parts of Oxley Hall . In 2007, all international programs, services and activities including the academic faculty involved in the Study Abroad programs reported to the Office of the Provost for International Affairs.
Visit the new web site of the Office of International Affairs (OIA) where Kevin’s many talents come in handy as the Program Manager. Kevin is responsible for arranging the guided tour of the campus on Saturday morning, May 31 for the ISA reunion. Thank you, Kevin.
www.oia.osu.edu
In recognition of Kevin’s contributions to the University’s role as an agent of global diversity, he was awarded the 2007 Distinguished Diversity Enhancement Awardee at The Ohio State University.
Melinda de Guzman-Harty is currently enjoying a very interesting position as Senior Scientist IV at Boerhringer-Ingelheim Roxane, Inc. in Columbus, Ohio. Her research concern on the structural characterization of and developing analytical methods for active pharmaceutical ingredients in drug formulations. She also writes up documentations for Product Filing to the FDA. Her other responsibilities involve providing laboratory safety programs and mentoring Junior scientists . Melinda is a charter member of the Roxane Diversity Council. All of the above, Melinda is also Kevin’s most influential “adviser”. We nudge her when we need help from Kevin.
Hotel arrangements with discount rates at the Holiday Inn on the Lane, 328 West Lane Avenue
After Marlinda Sardovia Iyer did a survey of area hotels in Columbus; she found a good offer from the Holiday Inn on the Lane, north of campus. Marlinda arranged for 10 rooms at the rate of $99.00 per day. We need to receive ten (10) reservations by Tuesday, April 15, to sign the contract. Each room is furnished with a King size bed or two double beds. All for $99.00!
Here is a fast way to reserve a room: Send in your reservations by e-mail to: cresricca@sbcglobal.net
Send your reservation before April 15, 2008 with your full name and a residence address. Expect a quick response from us and your name will be forwarded to the Manager for hotel reservations. You will call a toll-free number to register and pay with a credit card.
If we do not receive 10 reservations by April 15, the organizers will not be able to sign the contract. ISA guests can still register directly to the Holiday Inn on the Lane for the same rate of $99.00 until May 9, 2008 (Friday) . BUT only for available room. After May 9th, the hotel rate will go up to the holiday’s rate of $159.00.
Marianita Albano and Shirley Manchek, with their bright smiling faces, will greet you with hugs at the lobby of Holiday Inn on the Lane on Friday morning (May 30). They will provide you with the latest schedule of activities and collect the cost of the catered dinner on Saturday evening. Until we know exactly how many people are coming to the reunion , a modest estimate is between $30 to $40 for each individual. Shirley recently returned from traveling in Iceland chasing the sun! She deserved a vacation after months of putting together hundreds of photographs of our ISA years. She will display these pictures at the ISA reunion site for our pleasure; at the end of the reunion, she will give them away as souvenirs. We suggest you bring your own collection to share, too. We appreciate Shirley’s thoughtful and gracious contribution to refreshing memories.
Alma Saddam, our Food Specialist, is Chair for the Saturday night dinner. We will be announcing the details as soon as you register your attendance at the weblog site (REGISTER HERE) found at the end of this weblog. Alma, in your taste, we trust!
Among our out-of-town supporters of this reunion are Vince Ferranti and his wife Sharon (Virginia), They are our host and hostess for the May 30, Friday evening reception at the party room on the top of Holiday Inn on the Lane. Vince has been the consistent ISA cheer leader when it comes to reunions or getting us together for remembering those good old days. We appreciate his thoughtfulness and generosity.
Our first responders to the invitation to the reunion were Vijay Sathe and his wife, Shanu (California), Dhyneshwar Chawan and his wife, Charulata( New York), Mukul Mehta and his wife, Renu (Ohio). Vijay will take a late flight Friday after performing his professorial duties at the Peter F. Drucker and Masatoshi Ito Graduate School of Management in Claremont, California. Mukul and Dhyneshwar are two brilliant gentlemen in interesting and successful business pursuits.
Derry Habir wrote us from Jakarta where he is Dean of the Faculty of Business Administration at the Swiss German University located in that city. Derry and his wife Toshiko travel together, meeting at different places whenever they can. Toshiko is currently writing her dissertation in Fine Arts at the University of South Wales. We were delighted to learn they found us on Google and hitting the ISA reunion web site. He writes that he and Toshiko had been “reminiscing about our time at OSU and wondering how we could get back in touch with old friends.” We hope they will spend part of their summer with us at the ISA reunion. Derry mentioned his meeting with Anita Dighe while she was traveling in in Jakarta some years ago.
Friends of Roland Berty will be happy to know that he and his wife, Zenia will travel from Costa Ricca to be with us at the reunion. Expect humor “mucho grande” with all his jokes as a Grand Master.
Sinyan Shen, in Woodbridge, Illinois wrote that they were away for a month, spending it in Sorrento, you do remember that song of our times! He was coordinator of the Global Warming International Conference for the State Department. He sent us a list of friends with his greetings for : Mukul Mehta, Dhyneshwar Chawan, Shirley Manchek, Alma Saddam, Mohammed Kurmally, Marianita Albano, Marlinda Sardovia, Vijay Sathe, Vince Ferranti, Kevin Harty and Roland Berty.
In November, Lydia Alcantara and Alma Saddam took a trip to Australia which included a cruise to New Zealand. We understand that they brought back many pleasant memories dining at the captain’s table. You will have to ask them why they did not bring back the Captain.
The following names are additions to a previous list we posted in January. PLEASE HELP US WITH THEIR E-MAIL ADDRESSES. Or, you can forward to them our weblog address: ISAreunion.org
Tunji ABAYOMI
Nageshwar Rao BHASKAR
Mark Anthony EDWARDS
Farida KHORASSANI
Mei-Yu LAI
Raquel D. RAMIREZ
Shed. S. H. RIZVI
Rajendar SHARMA
Anna Maria SONNEMANN
John and Maria VAN DECK
Bello A. YAKASAI
Thank you for your help.
REGISTER HERE: You are helping the organizers to plan the activities by completing this registry. Thank you.
Please click on the comment link and leave the following information
* Your full name:
* Attending the ISA reunion YES NO MAYBE
If attending, Number of guests (including yourself) = Total
* If attending Friday evening May 30) Welcome and Reception at the Holiday Inn on the Lane ,
check here _____
* If attending Saturday night dinner at the Sokol residence, check here _________
IMPORTANT NOTES
While we are hopeful to meet all of you who are on our mailing list, we understand you may have other commitments. Still we would love to hear from you and if you wish, we will keep your name in the mailing list. Out of the 30+ names to whom we sent the invitation to the ISA reunion, only three came back as wrong addresses .
The Welcome Party on Friday evening (May 30) is hosted by Vince and Sharon Ferranti. We are so pleased that after about 40 years, these loving and generous friends are still practicing the warm Italian tradition of hospitality and good will. Remembering: evenings at their apartment in West NInth Avenue with Vince making pizza after pizza for a bunch of hungry ISA members.
While we are not declaring any dress codes, come as you feel comfortable. This will be an informal and a convivial company.
Bring walking shoes for the Campus tour and an umbrella or raincoat if it is just one of those Columbus light showers . The group will meet in the lobby of the Holiday Inn on the Lane on Saturday morning. The time will be announced during registration and again at the Friday night reception.
The Saturday dinner at the house of Barbara Sokol is located at 2346 Fishinger Road. Again, we need the registration numbers to complete arrangements for rides to the location. Unless there is a nostalgia for German Village or some itchy feet eager to go dancing, that can be arranged later,
We do not have any dress codes at the reunion. We do love to see our ladies from India wearing their beautiful saris. Come and relax. Enjoy the company. We will ask Barbara if the swimming pool is ready for those wanting to swim before dinner.
Sunday (June First) is an open book. We are watching for the registration numbers to make a choice among possibilities – a picnic, a choice of buffet lunch/dinner at many ethnic restaurants to choose from. The ISA reunion organizers agree that the goal of the reunion is to visit with one another , to bridge the years we have not seen one another and to look forward to some cooperative ventures for the future.
We appreciate the long and late hours of technical advice and assistance of Ramon Ricca, in the process of publication of this weblog. And many thanks to my dear husband for his support in this endeavor.
For the present – Good Fortune
For the future – Peace on Earth
— Author Unknown
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A Weekend in Columbus Ohio You Will Remember Forever
January 12, 2008
Save these dates: May 30-31, and June 1, 2008
Where were you when they were Presidents of the International Students Association?
Remember when …………..
1967-68 Mohammed Kurmally
1968-69 Ato deGraft-Johnson
1969-70 Vince Ferranti
1970-71 Marianita Albano
1971-72 Vijay Sathe
1972-73 Sin-yan Shen
1973-74 Marlinda Sardovia
1974-75 Eric Borchers
1975-76 Don Faxon
Forty years had passed. In preparing the above list, we had some discussions, not so much about their leadership, rather, of the years when they were at the realm. We apologize for any errors and would welcome your corrections.
Where have the years gone and where are we going from here?
We welcome you to Columbus:
Marianita Albano started with the idea of a reunion during a brief trip to Columbus last August. The idea took roots right away and we started making a list of people whose addresses, specifically , those we could reach by e-mail and receive a quick response. Her personal message to all:
“Folks, it has been awhile since we all left OSU, it is about time we get together, relive old memories, make new ones, and share what you have been up to, since we last saw each other. Please come. And pass the word around!”
Marianita came to Columbus for the Celebration of Life of a very special friend of international students. Others who came to this event were Mukul Mehta (from Cleveland, Ohio), Dhyneshwar Chawan (from Syracuse, New York). They came with their respective spouses. Chawan’s two sons also attended the event. The idea of an ISA reunion was endorsed further. From Columbus, there was Alma Saddam, Mohammed Kurmally and his wife, Jane. Cres Guerrero-Ricca and Tom Lebatuan Ricca completed this circle.
When not traveling, Marianita’s ranch house in Salisbury is a most popular destination where her Hotel Albano is available for all seasons. Her house is a popular site for weddings, anniversaries, holiday vacationers, and summer students learning English as a Second Language. The students learn fast because they have a very good example from their hostess who introduces them to American living like dishwashing and throwing out the thrash. Marianita has a four-legged assistant who comes by a most appropriate name, Shrek. He does not bite but enjoys chewing leather shoes, if left in the doorway.
That same week in August, we had another group enjoying a bowl of soup at a Vietnamese cafe. Joining us were Melinda deGuzman Harty and Kevin Harty with their two children, Karina and Alexander, We surprised Marlinda Sardovia Iyer with a birthday cake (one candle for a long life). Our happy faces and laughter added sufficient brightness to light up our dinner table.
Melinda continues to be engaged in research and development. Her work impacts all of us. One of her responsibilities is determining the formulator mixing of drugs for FDA approval. In addition to her professional involvement, Melinda and Kevin participate in interesting activities for both the Harty and de Guzman families in the US and in the Philippines, respectively.
Kevin is among the professional staff at the expanded Office of International Affairs at OSU. To learn more about the changes in what we knew as the Office of International Students and Scholars, read about it in Links.
Marlinda R. Sardovia Iyer is still busy as ever; she needs to work in order to be able to volunteer. Her volunteer work consists of being President of IVO (International Voluntary Organizations), Director of the Columbus International Festival (CIF) Health Fair, (yes, she also helped organize the CIF, formerly the UN Festival- as Chair for the last several years), and as Vice President of her neighborhood association —– among other things, the Asian Festival. At the rate she is going, she may need a bigger house to display all the plaques she has received for her volunteer work and leadership including the latest from the Mayor of Columbus and the Governor of Ohio.
In October, Colonel Shirley Mancheck appeared in flesh at the home of Sharon and Vince Ferranti in Richmond, Virginia. Shirley had retired from the military and was traveling around to visit friends. The idea of an ISA reunion was further ignited during this visit. Vince was trying to convince us we should have the reunion in Virginia where he has “plantations” where we could roam around. Those of us in Columbus, said, “No, thank you. The reunion has to be in Columbus, our old stomping grounds – at the Oval, at North High.” Ahhhhhhh, to see again those places where we enjoyed last minute “add-more-water-to-the-soup” potlucks at Marianita’s place on Neil Avenue, and do you remember the night we all stayed to watch the moon landing at Cres’ apartment on East 15th?
Alma Saddam, the lady most new international students will remember as one of the individuals greeting new students during orientation. Retired from OSU as Assistant Professor Emeritus. She has not slowed down. She continues to be engaged in international activities, being Chair of the Food Booths’ displays and samplings at the annual City of Columbus Asian Festival, an enormous undertaking bringing thousands of visitors at Franklin Park during the Memorial Day weekend. When she is not planning this festival,( a whole year preparation in itself), she is a world traveler and recently visited her seventh(!) continent: Australia and New Zealand.
In planning for this ISA reunion, we discovered Tom Denune still in Columbus, still doing his international stints, making trips to South and Central America, doing good deeds. Tom and Alma used to be Miss Bailey’s assistants to make sure everyone had a warm blanket for those chilly nights and mornings at Camp Akita.
The first to respond to our invitation was Professor Vijay Sathe (ISA President, 1971-72). From his home office at The Peter F. Drucker and Masatoshi Ito Graduate School of Management at Claremont Graduate University in California:
He says, “It’s about time! Please come and rekindle old friendships, discover old friends in new ways, and discover new friends in old ways Peter Drucker says, ‘ As you grow older, you have a choice. You can slow down or speed up!’ Fellow ISAers, let’s speed up.”
Mohammed Kurmally resides in Columbus with his wife, Jane. They have one son.
Cres and Tuan returned to Columbus in 1975 after residing and working in Saigon. for four and a half years. They have one son, Ramon, who is helping his mother design this blog site.
We will reminisce of old times and we will create new memories – this time in the golden years of life’s experiences. We believe that in the few days of the reunion we can talk about our contributions in developing a peaceful, prosperous, inspiring future for our children and grandchildren.
Come to the ISA reunion and have a good time!
Here is a preview of activities during the reunion:
Friday, May 30 will start with registration of arrivals and receiving the schedule of activities of the reunion. Shirley Manchek is designing a “wall of photographs”, her collection of those ISA years we are celebrating at this ISA reunion. If you wish to contribute some photographs from your own collection,, contact Shirley through the Links/ Comments. Capping Friday evening is a Welcome and Reception hosted by Sharon and Vince Ferranti.Also, at this time, we will share a Moment of Silence to remember ISA members who have gone to the Great Beyond.
Saturday, May 31 is the day for small groups tour of the OSU campus , including the new improved North High Street scene and the expanse of buildings and turf on Lane Avenue. Mrs. Si Sokol has graciously offered their spacious residence and swimming pool for the catered dinner at the time the stars appear in the heavens.
Sunday, June 1 is a picnic (weather permitting) or group activities at places of interest in the city. Watch for details in the future updates of this web site.
HOTEL ACCOMMODATIONS
We are arranging for hotel arrangements with group rates: We will provide you a toll free number of the hotel(s) after we receive your request. Please register to receive hotel information. The dates of the ISA reunion will be the start of the summer season .
REGISTER HERE
To complete our plans and arrangements for the activities, we need your response as soon as possible. Please respond at this site. Will you attend the reunion?
Please click on the comment link and leave the following information:
Will you be attending? (Yes, No, Maybe)
Number of guests (including you):
Will you be needing hotel accomodations?
How many of the guests will be staying?
Please leave additional information if you know any of the following:
Help Wanted for addresses or email of these individuals:
- Ray Berry – said to be working in Southern California
- Ato deGraft-Johnson, last known address Michigan
- Phoebe “Fifi” Golke, not in Columbus, as claimed
- Surinder Kumar – was on “search” list of Vince Ferranti
- Robert “Bob” Maynard – last known address in Virginia Beach
- Kwamena Monney y – was once editor of ISA newsletter
- Ramakrishna Chunchanalakot Melakote – former resident at George Wells Knight International House on E. 15th Avenue
- Maria Spinelli (Mrs. David White) – last known address Amherst, Massachusetts
- Jacquie Yacher- last known address, Chicago, Illinois
Please enter your pre-event information in the comments below: please answer the questions in the REGISTRATION section in your comments. We look forward to your replies!
