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Keeping in the Current: Prescott College Alumni Trip 2006
-Jeanine M. Canty, ADP faculty and MAP 00’
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Yoga session led by Rachel Peters
Photo Credit: Robert McGillicuddy ‘04 |
There’s something extremely intimate about following the flow of the San Juan River. This year the annual Prescott College Alumni River Trip floated through the low waters of the San Juan experiencing a sacred flow of nature, community, reunions, and celebrations. The trip commenced with a dinner gathering on June 15, 2006 at the San Juan Warehouse hosted by Warehouse Manager, Matt Brown (RDP ‘96), Trip Organizer and Permit & Field Support Coordinator, Rachel Peters (MAP ‘04), Alumni Director, Terri Harris, and the trip crew. As each participant arrived there was a momentum of connecting and an excitement about the journey. There were alumni present with roots as deep as the College itself, attending during our institution’s inception in 1966, and honoring its 40th anniversary. Equally present were alumni from across classes as well as friends of the College, relatives of alumni, and employees.
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Mexican Hat
Photo Credit: Robert McGillicuddy ‘04 |
The participants included alumni, Jay (RDP ’68-69) and Gail Rochlin, Ken Kingsley (RDP ’72), Roy Pittman (RDP ’73) and his daughter, Julie, Rebecca Ruffner (RDP ‘73), Judy Clapp (RDP ’74), Steve Sessions (RDP ’74) and his son, Zach, Windy Dankoff (RDP ’77), Mike Townsend (RDP ’80), Trica Oshant Hawkins (ADP ’97) and Steven Smith, Sam Young (RDP ‘98-99), Daniel (RDP 02) and Michal Shuldman, and Gina Kiehn (ADP ’04); and friends of the college, Steven Bless and Bill McGillicuddy (father of Robert McGillicuddy). The crew included guide and trip leader, Robert McGillicuddy (RDP ‘04), boat guides, Rachel Peters, David Lovejoy (RDP faculty and RDP alum ‘73), Tom Barry (RDP ‘92), Steve Munsell (RDP faculty and RDP alum ‘74-76) and Lincoln McNulty (RDP ’03), kayak guides, Brooke Schickedanz (RDP ‘98) and Gabriel Wallace (RDP ‘05), and guide-in-training, Jeanine Canty (ADP faculty and MAP alum ‘00). Over half of the crew returned from the past year anticipating another fun-filled and memorable gathering.
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Our River Community
Photo Credit: Robert McGillicuddy ‘04 |
The journey embarked with a sense of playfulness with everyone receiving a secret anecdotal story about one other participant which had to be matched to its rightful owner within the course of the river trip. The water party commenced at the San Island launch traveling a 6 day course which ended at Clay Hills, a total of 83 miles. The river days were long with the low flow of the San Juan which averaged 1200 cubic feet per second (CFS). There was a balance of kayakers (in both hard shell and inflatable kayaks), paddle rafters, and oar floaters, bobbing along this singing river. Their hosts included canyon wren, raven, blue heron, big horn sheep, beaver, horses, cattle, Russian thistle, sacred datura, camel thorn, ash, juniper, Mormon tea, prickly pear cactus, chukars, peregrine falcon, cliff swallows, Canada geese, gulls, spotted sandpipers, ducks, coyote willows, cottonwood, hackberry, yucca, tamarisk, brittle bush, black bush, round leaf buffalo berry, freemont barberry, four wing saltbush, snakeweed, rabbit bush, agaves, bear grass, Indian rice grass, Navajo and Cedar Mesa sandstone, Helgato shale, the Honaker trail and Paradox formations, and ancestral markings from both the Native American and Mormon populations.
Steven Smith shared: The trip gave me a new appreciation of the environment and nature. The awe inspiring ruins, friendly people, great food, relaxation on the river, and spiritual hikes in the canyons all made for a wonderful trip.
Canyon Silhouettes
Photo Credit: Jay Rochlin RDP ’68-69
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Windy Dankoff’s Flute Serenade
Photo Credit: Jay Rochlin RDP ’68-69 |
Highlights of the journey included first time rapids, natural and cultural history, reminiscent stories, poems, songs, hikes, yoga, meditation, swimming holes, sunrises and sunsets, fabulous food and libations, and a general fun time. Throughout the journey, we were serenaded by Windy Dankoff’s majestic flute playing which echoed through the canyons. Windy reflected:
This was one of the best trips of my life. The staff was wonderful. They made it easy, fun and fascinating. It was a joy to make new friends and to reconnect with the only institution I ever loved!
Another highlight was the wonderful storytelling of ‘Reverend’ Tom Barry who taught us not only to make figurines of big horn sheep with a single strand of coyote willow, but also about the courage and the struggles the earliest boaters faced. In reminiscing, Steve Sessions remarked: Tom, spoke sternly and directly to the congregation and
said, ‘Did the Powell expedition have toilet paper? Did the Powell expedition have PFDs? Did the Powell expedition have boat repair kits?’ and the congregation responded in solemn unison – ‘No Tom, the Powell expedition did not have these things.’
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Promenade
Photo Credit: Jay Rochlin RDP ’68-69 |
Our river community experienced two holidays, Father’s Day and Summer Solstice. Each was particularly auspicious with 3 father-child pairs present with the attendance of Roy and Julie Pittman, Steve and Zach Sessions, and Bill and Robert McGillicuddy. Equally special was experiencing the longest day of sunlight. The group spent the solstice on the water culminating their last night with a festive costume party on the beach. By the end of the last river night, each participant’s secret story had been revealed and both new and old friendships shined brightly. Jay Rochlin commented:
The time on the river was great, as were the great scenery and the food. However, being among Prescott College people again was the best. It was inspiring and exhilarating to spend a week with folks for whom the default response to any situation is, 'Sure! Why not?’
It does not take a revelation to note that there is something very sacred about the Prescott College community. While our alumni networks may not be lined with dollars, they are woven with those possessing a service to and love for this world, and when joined in community there is such a respect for all of life accompanied by a deep sense of wonder. The exchanges which continue to occur during these gatherings strengthen our community and our collaborative work in the world. With an alumni so young the creativity and strength of our networks continue to gather momentum. And the alumni are not an exclusive group, recognizing our deep relationships with friends and organizations that form our widening circles. Like the river, we are layered with fast and slower currents moving in many directions, there are obstacles that create challenging and fun opportunities, and always a directed current of activity within dynamic boundaries.
The Prescott College Alumni River Trip is an annual event hosted by the Alumni Association, Advancement Office, and San Juan Warehouse. For information on reconnecting with the College and other alumni, please contact Terri Harris at tharris@prescott.edu. To inquire about next year’s journey, please contact Rachel Peters at rpeters@prescott.edu.
Many thanks to David Lovejoy for the information about the San Juan ecology!
Seattle Alumni gathered
at the home of Sturgis Robinson and Sarah Jones on October
9, 2004.
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| Chris Holder and Sturgis Robinson |
Sturgis Robinson, Jonas Bean, and Joel
Hiller |
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| Background:
Sarah Jones, Sturgis Robinson, Jonas Bean
Foreground:
Beliz Brother and Eliza Davidson |
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September 25, 2004
From Maggie
McQuaid, Class of '73:
Here is a photo
from our Prescott Alumni get-together which we had here in
Anchorage September 25th. We had a very heavy snowfall
that day which probably limited the turnout. But I think everyone
had a great time. I laughed all evening. Although we attended
at different times, we had a lot in common, and we realized
that the Prescott "experience" gave us some very
strong ties.
From left to right:
Harris Sussman
(aka Hal Lenke), a faculty member from the early 70s.
Harris was instrumental in rallying the College community
when the old college went bankrupt in 1974. He helped
with reorganization, and kept the Prescott dream alive.
(While in Anchorage, Harris Sussman also
spoke at the kick-off for the City of Anchorage's Diversity
Week.) Next is Dr. Ellen Cole, a faculty
member and college dean in the late 80s/early 90s. She
is currently on the faculty of Alaska Pacific University.
In the middle, Maggie McQuaid, a legal investigator
and member of the Class of '73. Next is Dr.
Doug North who was President of Prescott College
in the late 80s/early 90s, and is now President o Alaska Pacific
University. Last and not least is Ken Freedman,
a Licensed Professional Counselor who got his Masters at Prescott
College in the late 80s.
Stag's
Leap Wine Cellars in Napa, CA
October
11, 2003
The fall harvest
was in full swing as alumni, parents, and friends met in Napa
at Stag's Leap Wine Cellars owned by the family of alumnus
Stephen Winiarski (RDP '91). Beginning at our outdoor mingle
with a view of grapes being unloaded by the ton, we toured
Stag's Leap - from a grassy-knolled view of acres of vineyards,
through a catacombed hill with winding passages stacked high
with casks, to the "center of the earth" where a perpetual
pendulum was anchored. President Dan Garvey spoke at the
reception  that
wrapped up an afternoon of old friends and new connections,
good company and great wine.
Special thanks
to Stephen, Warren and Barbara Winiarski as well as the staff
as SLWC for hosting this gathering.
Boston, MA
August 24, 2003
Alumni, former faculty
members and presidents, parents, and current President Dan
Garvey along with wife Barbara attended the Eastern Regional
Gathering in Boston, MA on August 24, 2003. We kicked-off
the day with a tour of the Longfellow House in Cambridge where
we were introduced to the great American poet Henry Wadsworth
Longfellow, his family and work. Then it was off to the Charles
River for canoeing and kayaking adventures, bravely bearing
the wakes of motorized tourist contraptions. After drying
off and grabbing a bite to eat, we headed back to the Longfellow
House where Dr. Layne Longfellow (Former PC Faculty and Academic
VP '72-'74, currently advisor to the PCAA Board) introduced
a flute trio, and then hosted the evening's reception at his
home in Cambridge. Thirty "PC people" - alumni from many
generations, parents, former faculty, and current and past
presidents - were present for a day that encompassed the elements
that are at PC's core: education, recreation, and community.
 From
the PCAA President, Matuschka:
Why is it, I wondered
while mingling at the Boston Reunion amongst guests that included
former faculty, alumni, parents of alums, the new president--many
of whom I never met or shared a personal relationship with--that
I could feel so at home and comfortable with this "family
of friends"? Was I alone in these thoughts? In the 30
years since leaving PC I have questioned why the one year
I spent there was one of the most profound I'd every experience.
How did one small chunk of time spent at PC impact my life
so grandly?
My wonderment led
to posing these questions to some at Layne Longfellow's house
in Cambridge this past August, including Dr. Lee Stuart who
helped organize the event. Lee had been my student advisor
in 1973 and we had met my first day on campus to discuss which
orientation trip I didn't want to take. As we
paddled down the Charles River, and later the Delaware (on
a personal trip), I asked Lee if she had the same experience
or impression of Prescott College that I had.
"I chose Prescott
simply on the basis of friendliness, interest, openness, generosity,
hospitality and enthusiasm," Lee said. "Prescott required
me to be more than I would have been on my own. Because this
was the first institution that welcomed a reciprocal relationship
where I was a citizen, not a subject, one can easily understand
why conversations begun 30 years ago continued today as if
we'd merely left the room for a few moments."
Dr. Layne Longfellow
now advises the Alumni Board, and has been living in Cambridge,
across the street from Harvard, for two years. "Cambridge
is not my place," he said. "That feeling eased when I found
Lee Stuart (B.A. '74) and Hal Lenke (now Harris Sussman) nearby.
We hung out, talked, ate, drank, listened to music, swapped
stories, watched the news and discussed politics, gave support
and pooled expertise, each reveled in the accomplishments
of the others; pretty soon there were ponderosas outside the
windows, and spectacular sunsets, and the air cooled dramatically
at sunset. Then, on my very last night in Cambridge, my apartment
filled with 25-30 students, alumni, parents, faculty, and
presidents. It didn't matter that we did or didn't know one
another from before. We knew that we shared history, and generally
a view of life, and of society, and of the planet. You know,
then, how good it felt that the moving van showed up the very
next morning to take my earthly possessions back to Prescott
."
 Dr.
Harris Sussman, another former faculty member, (known as Hal
Lenke then, at PC '73-'76, Program Council Chair, Vice President/External
Relations of PCAE) had been my confidant and English teacher
in 1974 when he held class under a tree or in some students'
cozy home. After the Boston gathering I sent him an
e-mail asking the same question: Was I alone in thinking I
had left Utopia when I left PC?
"The Boston reunion
was a socially induced time warp for me," Hal responded. "Being
at Prescott College seems like a personal and professional
Eden, the more so in retrospect. Its impact on my life is
out of all proportion to the length of time I was there. The
people I was with had a powerful impact on me. There were
a few people at the reunion I hadn't seen in 28 years. Three
observations: PC made peers of everyone who shared the experience
together, across our differences; I rarely see anything comparable
in people's life work, and work life, so it remains special;
educationally, we need to sustain and promote its ethos, principles,
and qualities."
So I was not alone. And neither were Lee Stuart, Layne Longfellow or
Hal Lenke in thinking that importing Utopia across state borders
these past 30 years had been an easy task. I see PC as a place
of hope-for it has kicked death, its brush with extinction years
ago. Prescott's heroic, dramatic climb back is no longer a dream.
In the midst of this cultural / worldly crisis we are experiencing,
Prescott offers hope and connection. My colleagues and former
alumni at the Boston Reunion had answered many of my core questions.
A certain type of person can be found in Prescott. People who
listen to the world and behave in a different kind of way.
San Juan
River
June 20-26, 2003
by Rachel Yoder
Journeying to the
San Juan River via Monument Valley with Steve Munsell (B.A.
'74 and RDP Adventure Education faculty) and Tom Barry (RDP
'92) captaining the hulking white PC van, I was in heaven.
I hadn't graduated from Prescott College, never had the chance
to attend wilderness orientation or take an AE course, and
was loving every moment of what I imagined to be a quintessential
PC experience. I was in awe that this trip was actually
part of my "job requirements," was experiencing the same grateful
disbelief that work could get this good as I'm sure many,
if not all, PC students have experienced when it comes to
their educational moments at PC. "You mean, I get credit and
a degree for doing this stuff?"
You mean, I get a job and a paycheck to go on this
trip? Surrounded by 22 alumni, significant others, boat
captains, and PC faculty and staff, we were on our way to
a leisurely, educational, and slightly drier than anticipated
river trip on the San Juan.
 Due
to greatly lowered water levels, we changed our itinerary
to include the upper, more calm portion of the river rather
than the almost un-navigable, lower section. Taking time
to examine petroglyph panels, hiking almost daily, and generally
enjoying a leisurely pace, the group had plenty of time for
bonding, sing-along serenades, the game "squint" (a group
favorite), and all that the San Juan and its banks had to
offer. Julie Munro (RDP '85 and RDP Adventure Education
Program Coordinator) led the group as we kayaked, rowed, paddled
and, yes, even sometimes pushed our way toward our take-out
at Mexican Hat. Are you surprised we also discovered an
unsuspecting alumna, Karen House (MAP '98), as she guided
her own boat (full of little girls, nonetheless) past our
camp?
It was a fabulous
time on the river, thanks to our skilled leader and boat captains,
in addition to the participants who each contributed their
own unique spirit and gifts. Below, Michael Belef (RDP '99)
offers his own reflections on this year's alumni river trip.
 by
Michael Belef, RDP '99
Our journey began tackling
a mountain of camp gear in PC. Expectations.the river was
low, but spirits were high. After discussions everyone clamored
to fill the trailers. We drove ten hours from Prescott through
Monument Valley and beyond. Sharing my partner Denise's awe
at the Southwest was worth the drive. We also shared perfect
starry skies atop broad mesas, and needles, thorns, flies,
and the Southwest's fastest flowing river. Overnight, a
Colorado storm turned relatively clear water to beige chalk.
The San Juan carries 30% of all silt deposits in Lake Powell.
People pay big bucks for mud baths in Napa, in Sweden, and
other lands: we swam and bathed with daily delight. Near River
House we met a slender King snake diagramming in the sand,
and discovered a docile baby rattler on a favorite sitting
stump. Ravens circled as did many raptors and cows. There
are cows in them thar hills.
 Group
process is alive and well, with two group votes on the issue
of leaving early. The low river had already cut the trip short,
but for most, cooling floats in our vests were superior to
stop and go traffic back home. The group remained cordial
and cohesive to the end. Chin Lee wash, Water House, every
camp accessed spectacular canyons, ancient home sites, and
more recent ruins from Mormon and other settlers whose tales
of perseverance humble modern adventurers. At Sand Camp we
discovered several varieties of gorgeous and friendly lizards,
and the skittish Bighorn Sheep. We all watched a large Outward
Bound group take on the rapids. Brooke Schickedanz (RDP '98)
assisted in a rescue and evacuation. We met many other friendly
paddlers and one curiously upset kayaker. Observing varying
degrees of boating skills and river sense, I felt safe with
the PC veterans. Whenever his chores were done, Tom Barry
(RDP '92) was bending willow branch undulates. By journey's
end Tom fashioned one ancient animal split-twig figure for
every paddler. Twelve year old Santi Bahti's (son of Mark
Bahti, B.A. '69/ADP '99) play and positive vibes never ceased
even under withering heat.
Blowing sand tested
our nettle for several days, filling ears, nostrils, cameras,
lungs. Remarkably our food and drink was nearly always sand
free. Food was plentiful, varied, and delicious with a couple
of camp treats for birthdays serenaded by Corey Burke and
his blue guitar. The kayakers let the others try out their
crafts - a nice bonus. At Sand Camp we gathered under a shady
canyon shelf. Tom drawled historic tales of mystery and hard
luck, and the fortunes and bounties of this marvelous river.
We learned about sand waves and canyon winds.
Water politics and
modern water rights tied together our drinking water, our
bathtubs, this river and others from Wyoming to San Diego
and the Sea of Cortez. We knew similar events occurred on
every US water way.
 Impressive
were the experiences that every participant lent to our group
learning. With alumni from 1969 through 2001, our party truly
represented the vast mix of PC community and included a car
salesman, adventure ed leaders, PC staffers, a district attorney,
therapists and child advocates, and computer professionals.
Every alumnus had amazing life experiences to relate on the
boats or in our nighttime circles. We all learned old and
new PC lore. I expected rock-busting labor, but our cheerful,
tireless leaders encouraged the alumni to relax while they
made camp, loaded boats, cooked and cleaned. Of course we
all chipped in, but the leisure was plentiful. It event turns
out that we were the prototype group for an exciting new PC
venture leading river expeditions.
It was the first river campout journey for some, first paddling,
first reflections into the Anasazi world, starlit nights on
broad Mesas and the calming river setting dreams in motion.
We definitely reconnected to PC, treated like royalty start
to finish. See ya in 2004.
April 12,
2003
Minneapolis, MN |
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We must have brought
the extraordinary weather with us from the Alumni Office,
because our weekend in Minneapolis, MN was absolutely beautiful,
with sunny skies and re-kindled friendships warming our spirits.
 On
April 12th, nearly 20 alumni and their spouses gathered at
Café Brenda in the warehouse district of Minneapolis
for an intimate reception highlighted by delicious appetizers,
delightful company, and a didactic presentation offered by
Joel Hiller (former Prescott College Dean and President) outlining
the design, goals, and impact of the Crossroads Center. Alumni
Association President Chris Haydock (B.A. ’73) offered
his well wishes and thanks to attendees before we departed
for Theatre de la Jeune Lune, just a few blocks away, for
an evening of Chekov’s The Sea Gull.
The
years 1970 to 1975 were represented in full force, with all
but one attendee (Derek Smith, RDP '93/former Prescott College
Trustee) having graduated in those years. Thank you, Minneapolis
alumni, for a wonderful evening of merriment and community!
 The
memorable short The Power of Coal, featuring talking George
Bush heads, addressed the United States’ involvement
(or lack thereof) in dealing with global climate change issues
and highlighted the key players and forces shaping current
policy. In Dancing Rabbit: an eco village, Schmit documented
the typical day at Dancing Rabbit eco village in northeastern
Missouri. After the film, John explained that, as exemplified
in this particular film, he prefers to take a laissez-faire
approach when it comes to documentary filmmaking, allowing
the subjects to talk about and explain what they want instead
of directing dialogue by asking questions.
After showing 4
of his films, the floor was opened for a question and answer
session where students were able to gain more information
about independent filmmaking and just what it takes to start
a career in this field. Faculty and staff raised questions
related to John’s experience at Prescott College, and
how this prepared him for work in the filmmaking industry.
Schmit’s presentation
marked the first in a series of Career Link forums designed
by the Prescott College Alumni Association to forge networking
and advising connections between alumni and current students.
To read more about John’s award-winning documentary
work, please visit his website.
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