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EPISODE 8: APRIL 16, 2008
BREAKING NEWS OF A RECORD-BREAKING GIFT

President Judith Shapiro announces the largest gift in Barnard’s history — the naming gift for the Nexus. This announcement is followed by a conversation between President Shapiro and the donors, Barnard trustee Diana Vagelos '55 and her husband, Dr. P. Roy Vagelos. The Vageloses discuss why this project has inspired their strong philanthropic support, and what they see as the new building's most exciting features.
Running time: 9 minutes, 47 seconds

DIANA TOULIATOU VAGELOS '55

Diana Vagelos is vice chair of the Barnard Board of Trustees and chair of the Committee on Buildings, Grounds and Environment. She began her current trustee term in 2003, and served previously from 1991 to 1995. Mrs. Vagelos is also a director of the New Jersey Performing Arts Center and the mother of four grown children. In the posts of vice president and treasurer of the Marianthi Foundation, she oversees her family's support of education, the arts, and other charitable causes.

At Barnard, students benefit from an endowed scholarship named for Mrs. Vagelos's parents, and graduates have a welcoming home at the Vagelos Alumnae Center, another product of Diana and Roy Vagelos' visionary support.

DR. P. ROY VAGELOS

Roy Vagelos is the chairman of Regeneron and Theravance, two biopharmaceutical companies that develop medications for the treatment of serious diseases. In 1994 he retired from Merck & Co. after 19 immensely successful years — initially leading its research organization, and then serving as president, chairman and CEO.

 

 

 

EPISODE 7: MARCH 7, 2008
GREEN IS THE NEW BLACK: THE NEXUS AS A MODEL OF SUSTAINABILITY

The Nexus' many green features are described by Barnard trustee Cyndi Stivers '78, a media entrepreneur and outspoken advocate of sustainable living.
Running time: 5 minutes, 26 seconds

CYNDI STIVERS '78

Cyndi Stivers is a journalist who has led the way in providing the public with enlightening reports and analyses of contemporary life and culture. After working for major newspapers and magazines, Stivers paved a bold new path by founding TimeOut New York and becoming its editor-in-chief. She followed that immensely successful venture by serving as executive vice president of Martha Stewart Omnimedia. Stivers later launched blueegg.com, a website dedicated to attaining sustainable living, and she currently serves as an advisor to Time Inc. on major projects. She also serves as a Barnard trustee.

 

 

 

EPISODE 6: FEBRUARY 21, 2008
WELCOMING THE CITY: SPECIAL EVENTS

Broadcast journalist and best-selling author Joan Hamburg describes the new building’s major public-events space — a large, elliptical room adaptable for all kinds of functions and performances, warmed by the rich hues of cherry-wood panels. Hamburg shares her vision of how that space will enable Barnard to play a more prominent role in New York’s civic, intellectual, and cultural life.
Running time: 5 minutes

ALUMNA JOAN HAMBURG

Joan Hamburg is the host of a long-running, hugely popular program on the WOR radio network. On radio and TV, and in widely sought-after books and magazine articles, Hamburg has provided her innumerable listeners and readers with expert advice on travel, dining, health care, consumer goods, and much more. Over the course of her remarkable career, Hamburg has received numerous awards, including the 2006 Matrix Award for Excellence in Radio Broadcasting from New York Women in Communications, and the Broadcaster of the Year Award from The New York State Broadcasters Association. Among the many public conversations she’s held was one that especially delighted her college classmates: an entertaining and informative interview of President Judith Shapiro at Barnard Reunion 2007.

 

 

 

EPISODE 5: FEBRUARY 7, 2008
ONSTAGE: PERFORMING IN THE NEXUS

Broadway producer and alumna Dasha Epstein reviews what will prove to be a bright showcase for Barnard’s theatre artists and a hit with audiences—a black box theatre, and the Dasha Epstein Theatre Lab, a space in which artists will create, collaborate, and celebrate.
Running time: 5 minutes, 40 seconds

ALUMNA DASHA EPSTEIN

Dasha Epstein is the producer behind the award-winning Broadway productions of Ain't Misbehavin’, Children of a Lesser God, and Master Harold and the Boys, among many others. She is the recipient of two Tony Awards, two Drama Desk Awards, and Drama Critics Circle and Outer Critics awards. After graduating from Barnard, where she had studied theatre with the legendary Howard Teichmann, Epstein was introduced to and went to work for Lillian Hellman before getting married and having two children. After taking time out to raise a family, she returned to the theater as co-producer with Morton Gottlieb on Same Time, Next Year. In 1985, Epstein produced Orphans with Steppenwolf; she was the producer of a London staging of Orphans starring Albert Finney. Her credits include Something's Afoot, Hal Holbrook's Mark Twain Tonight and Last Licks, all produced with Emanuel Azenberg and the Shubert Organization. Her last production, a musical called Four Guys Named Jose, received the Hola (Hispanic-Latin "Tony Award") and was heralded by the New York Times as the first crossover musical. Epstein is on the Drama Board at Duke University, the advisory committee of CUNY-TV, and the National Board of Advisors of the Actors Fund; she has served for many years on the administration committee of The League of American Theatres and Producers. In 2006, Barnard honored Dasha Epstein at the College’s annual spring party and auction.

 

 

 

EPISODE 4: JANUARY 17, 2008
STUDENT SPACES PAST AND FUTURE

With the Nexus, Barnard will have a new home for student life on campus. This episode reflects on College activities over the years, including wonderful memories of McIntosh Center, and anticipates a thriving new center of community.
Running time: 5 minutes, 35 seconds

DORIS MILLER

Doris Miller is Barnard’s Assistant Director of College Activities. Since 1973, when Doris first came to work at the College, she has been a daily source of inspiration and support for admiring and appreciative students. Generations of graduates remember her dedication and warmth, and today’s students continue to rely on her for everything from cheap Broadway tickets to precious personal advice. In this podcast, Doris talks about the indispensable role a particular building can play in shaping the college experience and enhancing campus life.

 

 

EPISODE 3: JANUARY 3, 2008
ON DISPLAY: THE ARTS IN THE NEXUS

From their longtime home on the third floor of Barnard Hall, Barnard’s arts and architecture departments are planning for a big move once the Nexus is complete. In this episode, learn about the expanded and state-of-the-art classroom, gallery, and studio spaces that are being created on the fourth floor of the Nexus.
Running time: 4 minutes, 30 seconds

H. BARBARA WEINBERG '62, Ph.D.

H. Barbara Weinberg '62 is the Alice Pratt Brown Curator of American Paintings and Sculpture at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Prior to joining the Met, Weinberg was an associate professor of art history at Queens College and at the Graduate Center of the City University of New York. She has published essays on late-nineteenth century American art in The American Art Journal, Arts Magazine, and several other publications. Among her curatorial achievements, Weinberg was co-curator of the critically acclaimed 2006 exhibition "Americans in Paris, 1860-1900," which included some 100 paintings by 37 icons of American art. An American studies major, Weinberg initially was intrigued by the variety and scope of the major, which in the early ’60s was a relatively new addition to Barnard’s curriculum.

 

 

Photo by Mackenzie Stroh for New York Magazine

EPISODE 2: DECEMBER 20, 2008
ON THE MENU: DINING IN THE NEXUS

With the Nexus, Barnard will transform the usual cafeteria model found on many college campuses into vibrant, innovative dining options. This episode serves up the menu of spaces in which students, faculty, administrators, and guests will soon gather in to break bread while discussing a lecture, a book, the news of the day, and more.
Running time: 4 minutes

ALEXANDRA GUARNASCHELLI '91

Alexandra Guarnaschelli ’91 is the executive chef at Butter Restaurant in New York City, presenting traditional American fare shaped by seasonal ingredients and global influences. After receiving her undergraduate degree in art history, Alex took her first job in food, slicing strawberries and making créme anglaise at Larry Forgione’s An American Place restaurant. Wanting to add some formal training to her real world experience, Alex ultimately received a Grande Diplome from LaVarenne culinary school in Burgundy. She soon found herself in the kitchen of Paris’s three-star Guy Savoy restaurant; she quickly was promoted to sous chef in Savoy’s Parisian bistro, La Butte Chaillot. In New York, Alex worked as fish and sous chef with Daniel Boulud at his critically acclaimed restaurant, Daniel. She has also worked on the West Coast alongside restaurateur Joachim Splichal at "Patina” in Los Angeles. Alex combines her creative impulses with her extensive background in the food industry, drawing on the vast selection of fresh local ingredients at New York City’s Union Square Farmer’s Market to showcase the best produce the season has to offer.

 

 

 

EPISODE 1: DECEMBER 6, 2007
A VISION OF BARNARD'S FUTURE

The Nexus embodies the dreams of students, faculty, and other members of the Barnard community. This episode explores the aspirations on which the Nexus will be built. Beyond providing critically needed space, the Nexus fulfills an institutional goal of elevating social, intellectual, and cultural pursuits to a new level.
Running time: 4 minutes, 33 seconds

ANN BRASHARES '89

Novelist Ann Brashares is the author of the blockbuster series Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. Her books are favorites of young readers around the world, and her unforgettable characters have been winningly captured on film. The Last Summer (of You and Me), Brashares’ first novel for adults, was published this year. She also has written two non-fiction books for children.

In a Web message to her fans, Brashares names her favorite themes: love, loss, friendship, and sisterhood. Whatever age her audience may be, this Barnard philosophy major offers readers terrific stories while mining profound themes with honesty, passion, creativity and insight.