“Emory’s 175-year history is really the sum of the connections of its alumni, students, faculty and staff. Even Atticus Green Haygood 1859C and Isaac Stiles Hopkins 1859C, memorialized by the welcoming campus gates, were classmates at Emory,” says Carolyn Bregman 82L, director of alumni career services for the Emory Alumni Association (EAA). “Our alumni have incredible stories to tell about the connections they’ve made at Emory. We’re collecting alumni videos, written stories and letters to share. Whether your first roommate turned out to be your best friend, or your sociology professor became your lifelong mentor, or you met the love of your life on campus, or your work colleagues are Emory grads, too, we want to hear from you. Send us your story!”
In a brief video, Emory History Maker Isam Vaid 93Ox 95C 99PH shared his Emory connection with two chaplains. As a 16-year old freshman, he said he was shy. After a meeting with the Rev. Sammy Clark 54C, Vaid attended the Leadership Oxford program. The experience “started changing my fortunes. I joined the Oxford Interfaith Council and gained my first exposure to religious conversation.” When he recalls his relationship with his mentor, “Sammy was one of those people that took extra time to work with me.”
Under Clark’s mentorship, Vaid started the Muslim Student Association at Oxford College. After Clark introduced him to the Rev. Susan Henry Crowe, Vaid started working closely with her. “She had just arrived when I came to main campus in 1993. We ended up starting the Emory Muslim Student Association, and we’re now in our 18th year.” He reflects on what this vital Emory connection has meant to him. “We’ve addressed difficult issues. Out of that comes a story of 18 years of Emory alumni. The story continues.”
Generation after generation
Dr. J. Russell Bailey 85C and Judi Kletz 85C understand all of these meanings of connection. When they were students and residence hall advisors at Emory in their college days, they became fast friends. Years later, separated by geography in Charlotte, NC and Germantown, MD, their children were on the hunt for colleges. “Both concluded that Emory was where they wanted to be. So, last spring it was real exciting that they learned of each other,” says Dr. J. Russell Bailey 85C.
But this connection story gets even better. Russ’s son and Judi’s daughter, David Bailey 15C and Alex Kletz 15C enrolled for the same term and have also become good friends. “We hang out a lot and we both live in the same dorm,” says David. “It’s weird to think that our parents were good friends, and now we’re really good friends.”
Alex agrees. “We communicated via Facebook for a while but we actually met in person before we moved in, which was a little weird because we knew about each other but we didn’t really know each other.”
Like in the Bailey and Kletz families, Emory friendships can last a lifetime. To submit your videos and stories today, visit our 175 Connections page. We’d love to hear from you.
