Erica Zendell ’08

I recently had the pleasure of returning to campus for my 15th reunion, and was invigorated by seeing three women who were exceptionally formative in my educational journey: Betsy Carson, Carole DeVito, and Abby Kanter. Reflecting on how happy I was to see them at the reunion, even if only for a few short conversations each, I was privileged to reflect on how each of them made me a tougher woman, a more creative and critical thinker, and a better citizen of the world. I have Ms. Carson to thank for seeding in me a love of Asia thanks to her 7th grade history class–one that would lead the early part of my career to Asia–and to engendering a “Tough Cookie” mindset in everything I’ve done in my life, which has long since taken me away from the D-E lacrosse field. Whenever I think of how and from whom I learned to be “a strong woman,” Betsy Carson is the first person who comes to mind. I have Carole DeVito to thank for helping me see the world through her classes in Art History, European History, and her trips to Europe with her husband, Pasquale. With inimitable style and flair, she made every “surface” about which she taught–whether it was a work of art or a piece of history–come alive. When I think of teachers who taught me how to think–by studying the finest details alongside the broader context, then, after intensive study of alternative perspectives, coming to your own conclusions–I think of Carole DeVito, who was a paragon for clear thinking and even clearer teaching. I have Abby Kanter to thank for teaching me the magic of Jorge Luis Borges and Gabriel Garcia Marquez, a love for homemade baking, and that “life is many things, but it is never boring” and that “our hold on reality is only tentative, at best!” The power of words and storytelling that I first learned in her classes has carried into my writing work outside of Leggett Hall. Few things evoke stronger memories than going into the Leggett Hall basement on a Friday morning, saying hello to all the language and history teachers, and seeing Sra. Kanter share whatever she had baked that week! To this day, I aspire to Sra. Kanter’s baking skills and generosity of spirit among her colleagues, students, and family.