Mark Ostow
Everett Johnson
Union, NJ
BA, Economics, Pierson College
Why did you choose Yale?
I was recruited to play football. Originally I was attempting to be a neurosurgeon, and the football team guys really pushed me toward econ and I think it was for the better. I had a great time here, spent a lot of time working, met amazing people, and at the end of the day that’s what I’m going to take away from here, the people that I’ve met. The classes were great but there’s absolutely nothing like the people that are with me here right now.
As an athlete, did you find it hard to balance your responsibilities on the field and in the classroom?
It takes a lot of grit and a lot of work to get through it. It takes 30 to 40 hours a week of grinding on the field, in the weight room, looking at film. And we still need to be academically competitive. So to be here and to compete with the greatest minds in the world and on the field—it’s tough, but it’s an experience that will help shape me for the rest of my life.
What will you value most about your time at Yale?
The Yale crowd is incredibly diverse and everyone is incredibly thoughtful in their own ways. I go to other schools and the population feels very similar. That’s not true here. Here you have 5,500 true individuals, and that’s what I learned most from this experience. Everyone has a different perspective.
Mark Ostow
Sophie Gould
Hamilton, MA
BA, History, Branford College
What will you value most about your Yale experience?
I was the news editor for the Yale Daily News. It was probably the highlight of my college experience.
Sounds exciting. What did you cover?
As a reporter, my beat was the Investments Office, so I covered everything to do with Yale’s financial situation and its budget. Also, faculty-administration relations. I got to interview [then-Provost] Peter Salovey every week. One of my favorite stories was a feature on the people who go from Yale’s Investments Office to leadership positions elsewhere. It was really fun to get to talk to really impressive people.
Did you ever have to do any difficult stories?
There were definitely difficult stories. Whenever you had students criticizing the administration for anything, that’s always difficult to report on because you want to make sure both sides of the story are heard.
What’s next for you?
I’m going to be doing consulting for Bain and Company in Boston.
Mark Ostow
Ryan Dailey
Millville, NJ
BA, Economics, Jonathan Edwards College
Why did you choose Yale?
I just had an amazing experience at Bulldog Days, and the school also offered me the best financial aid package of any school that I applied to. I was also really excited to see the arts scene at Yale. I was in the Glee Club and the Yale Spizzwinks, the a cappella group. I was really excited at the opportunity to travel the world through singing.
Did any one place stand out as a favorite?
New Zealand. We took a trip to the South Isle, which is more of a wilderness-based island. It’s where they filmed a lot of The Lord of the Rings. We took a drive down to this incredibly beautiful sound. And none of us had driven on the wrong side of the road before so it was a little bit terrifying, driving down this very narrow pathway. But you’re surrounded by rainforest and all of a sudden, you come out into this beautiful amazing valley. It looks just like Rohan.
Mark Ostow
Montana Blanco
Albuquerque, NM
Master of Fine Arts (Costume Design), School of Drama
What are you going to value most about your Yale experience?
I’ve worked on several projects—most recently I worked on War, which was at the Yale Repertory Theatre. That was definitely a favorite. What’s been really important to me here is working with the costume shop and learning to collaborate in this beautiful environment. It’s been really valuable to be in a place where everybody’s caring at the same level, a high level. I realize that’s not always going to be the case. My colleagues really valued what they were doing so everybody brought their “10” to the table.
What makes Yale a special place?
The commitment to the craft that my colleagues share.
Mark Ostow
Rachel Geylin
Chatham, MA
Master of Science in Nursing, School of Nursing
Why did you choose Yale?
My brother went to undergrad here, and I had a cousin who went here, so I was very familiar with the campus environment. I also liked the connection between all the grad schools and the community as well as the reputation of the program.
How did the professional-school experience differ from visiting campus when your brother was here?
As nursing students we have to have cars, so dealing with New Haven parking and New Haven parking in the snow—and, just, living in East Rock is very different from living downtown.
How has Yale changed you?
I also worked for the university as a nurse as well, in the Fair Haven neighborhood health center, so I’ve seen more of the greater city-wide issues in that sense. I’ve worked with some of the less well-off populations of New Haven, and being here on campus with the money and the prestige of Yale, it definitely gives you the perspective of both angles. I’m hoping to be working with oncology patients, so they won’t necessarily be an underserved population, but they are a high-needs population.
Mark Ostow
Eric Rogers
San Francisco, CA
Master of Environmental Design, School of Architecture
Congratulations.
Sorry I look frumpy. I’m just off a plane.
From where?
San Francisco. I was attending my sister’s graduation yesterday.
How did New Haven compare to San Francisco?
I found New Haven to be less socially progressive than San Francisco, but I was impressed by how interesting people here were and the intellectual climate in New Haven and around Yale in particular.
What’s next for you?
I’m going back home and teaching, probably, at California College of the Arts, where I went to undergrad. And starting a company—sort of like Airbnb but for outdoor space. People could rent somebody’s pool or hot tub or whatever on an hourly basis rather than overnight stays. Sort of like turning the city into a playground.
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