Letter to fellow alumni from Dom Cottone

6/7/2007

Celebrating Danielle Curry's birthday. Dom Cottone is standing, third from right; Danielle is seated, third from the right. 

Dom Cottone ’99, M.S. ’00 recently attended several Ithaca alumni gatherings, and was compelled to share his thoughts on reconnecting with old friends and remembering Ithaca.   

By Dom Cottone

Occupational therapists, investigators, marketers, Homeland Security personnel, entertainment managers, higher education administrators, athletic trainers, financial advisers, hospital administrators, and speech pathologists. Mentors and employers.

Friends. My Ithaca friends.

This spring I attended the Campaign for Ithaca College kickoff in Chicago, where I live. After the formal speeches from President Peggy Williams and others from the College, I spent the rest of the evening reconnecting with old friends and acquaintances. It was a wonderful time being surrounded by familiar faces who reminded me of the times we all shared.

The next day I flew to New York for the 30th birthday party of my friend and classmate Danielle Curry ’99, M.S. ’00. I knew many of my fellow Ithacans would be there.

But I wasn’t really prepared for what a great reunion it would be, filled with stories of Ithaca: Prospect Street and Hudson, Simeon’s, the reopening of Joe’s Restaurant, the new Hilton, the College’s acquisition of the Circles, our days of folly and joy in the quads. We celebrated our accomplishments, and shared our stories of hardship and recovery. As we sat and talked, I felt like I was in the heart of Ithaca.

The combination of the Campaign for Ithaca College event and the reunion with my friends really illustrated the importance of memories. Sometimes I do believe that the memories and friendships I made at Ithaca are more important than the education I received. They have made all the difference to me in my life.

Ultimately, this is a plea to you to give back to Ithaca. Remember the friendships you made in the halls of Park or Friends or Ford, and continue to participate in the development of the College. There are students in those halls, students just like you once were, who are making lifelong friendships and building partnerships that will carry them well beyond the shores of Cayuga Lake. And this is reason enough to support the College with funding and/or time. Both of these are as precious as the days you played football, volunteered for a student organization, or played your guitar on campus.

My partner came with me to visit these friends in New York. As we stood outside, looking through the pane of glass to the living room and watching the hugging and laughter, he looked at me and said, “You have some wonderful friends.”

“Yeah,” I replied. “There’s a lot of love in that room.” And it came straight from the halls and hills of Ithaca.