Where are they Now?
Journalist Tom Junod, B.A.’80 (“Reconnecting With Alma Mater,” Spring 2016), who’s won the National Magazine Award twice, has moved to ESPN The Magazine and ESPN.com to serve as a senior writer. During nearly two decades at Esquire, the Wantagh, N.Y., native earned acclaim for his poignant article “The Falling Man,” which was published after the 2001 attack on the World Trade Center; for personal essays; and for profiles of such celebrities as Kevin Spacey and Michael Stipe. More recently, Junod’s story “The Death of Patient Zero” was awarded the inaugural June L. Biedler Prize for cancer writing.
In an ESPN news release announcing Junod’s hiring, the 11-time finalist for the National Magazine Award said: “No matter what subject I’m writing about, I’ve always liked to use my stories to ask larger questions that are of interest to me. Right now, in America 2016, there’s no subject more suited to the asking of provocative, challenging questions than sports. I’m honored to ask them for ESPN.”
Adrienne Lazarus, B.A.’90 (“Finding the Right Career Path” Spring 2012,), has taken a step, so to speak, in a new direction: as CEO of The Frye Company. “I joined Frye 14 months ago because I was so drawn to the incredible opportunity to be able to write a chapter in America’s oldest footwear brand,” Lazarus, former president of Intermix and Ann Taylor, emailed in late July. “I saw so much potential to transform it from a wholesale footwear company to a great American heritage brand with a much broader product selection and a multichannel approach to the business.”
Lazarus promises “a lot of excitement” for Fall 2016, as the company’s Modern Icons campaign and its product assortment “celebrate the original DNA of Frye while making our iconic styles modern and covetable for today.”
Frye will open several new stores in the U.S. by Dec. 31. Its first store opened in 1863 in Marlboro, Mass.
A: This alumna from the Class of 2004 appeared on “Jeopardy!” in January 2016 and won $43,000.
Q: Who is Amelia Hershberger?
With practiced speed on the buzzer and a cool, calm demeanor, political-science graduate Amelia Hershberger outlasted her opponents in three games on the popular quiz show. Having grown up a fan of “Jeopardy!” Hershberger took the online test several times and auditioned in person twice. After her audition in early 2015, she made it onto the show.
“It was a great experience, and I’ve kept in touch with the people I played against,” said Hershberger. “The camaraderie on the show, regardless of how you perform, is overwhelmingly supportive and encouraging.” Despite the friendliness of competitors, Hershberger said you always have to remember that most of the time everyone knows the answer. “It’s a matter of being able to ring in quickly on the buzzer – that is key.”
What advice does Hershberger, who lives in Albany with her husband, Jason Porter ’03, and young son, have for fellow alumni interested in trying out for the show? She recommends that you access the “Jeopardy!” online fan archives, commit to practicing, and brush up on your history and authors. “There always seem to be clues about Shakespeare!”
– Valerie DiRocco-Ruskin, M.P.A.’95
