TWO COUPLES, A REUNION,
AND LOTS OF MEMORIES

When it comes to talking to their classmates about how much the University has affected their lives, Barry '73 and Maureen McCarthy Friedman '74N, '91N (PhD) and William '75 and Iris Lipman Iler '75 can speak from experience.

The co-chairs of the attendance committee for the 25th Reunion this fall only have to look at their spouses to know that the University has been the source of several lasting relationships in their lives.

Each couple met while they were undergraduates, married shortly after graduation, and have built their lives together.

The four have spent the past several months heading a volunteer team, spreading their enthusiasm among the Classes of '73, '74, and '75.

Maureen, who is an associate professor of nursing at Nazareth College, met Barry when she was a sophomore and he was a junior. After graduation, he went to Ohio State University to work on his doctorate in industrial psychology. A year later, they married and Maureen joined Barry in Columbus.

She earned a master's degree at Ohio State and, after the couple returned to Rochester, a doctorate in nursing from Rochester. This summer, Barry was named the new director of training and development at Harris Interactive.

The Ilers met during the fall of their senior year. Bill was the day manager at the Bungalow, a Mt. Hope Avenue bar that was popular with students. Iris applied for a waitressing job and became friends with the classmate who was technically her boss.

After getting married in 1976, Bill took a job at Philip Morris, remaining with the company throughout his career.

Iris was director of orientation and an academic advisor for the University until the couple moved to Syracuse. A few years later Bill's job took them to New York City, and then back to Syracuse.

While there in the early 1990s, Iris earned a law degree from Syracuse University. The couple now lives in Westchester County, where Iris practices law.

The two couples have spent hours calling classmates, sending e-mails, and otherwise talking to fellow graduates about Reunion 2000.

"The phonathons have been fun," Maureen says. "They've been a way to re-acquaint ourselves with our classmates, and we hope to get other others excited about coming back."

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