"Cornell students dream bigger dreams."

--Frank H.T. Rhodes, Cornell University Commencement, May 28, 1995

Monday, October 27, 2014

31. Andrea Forgacs

Montreal, Canada · Arts and Sciences


andreaforgacs@gmail.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/andrea.forgacs.75

Tell us about what you're doing with your life.

I've been living in Montreal, Canada for the past three years with
my husband, son (9), and daughter (6) and now a third one on the way, due March 1! My husband and I met in Cambodia during a backpacking trip after I finished grad school. He's French, and before Montreal, we spent almost 10 years in France. That's where I got into the travel industry, working for a travel management company in Paris and then for a hotel chain in London. Here in Montreal, I am a marketing strategist for a loyalty marketing company that has its roots in the travel sector.

What is your favorite memory of your time at Cornell?

Junior and senior year, I lived in an off-campus house with nine amazing women, whom I still count among my closest friends today. The list of experiences we shared (and continue to share) goes on and on, and they're definitely among my fondest memories of my time at Cornell. Other favorite moments include working in the Browsing Library and sneaking into Okenshield's, locking myself up in the stacks to write my papers, after-hours at a certain fraternity, the summer I spent in Ithaca and of course, the gorgeous gorges.

What random or surprising encounters with Cornell or Cornellians have you experienced since you left?

When I was living in Paris, my advisor, David Grossvogel came to spend a semester there. Together with the local Cornell Club, I got to host him for a dinner at my house... nearly 10 years after we parted ways. Not only was I honored to welcome him into my home, I also met a great group of fellow alumni, some of whom I'm still in touch with.

What does being a Cornell alumnus mean to you?
It's hard to articulate this one... I am incredibly proud of being part of the Cornell family and still feel very connected to the School. Part of the reason for this is that my Cornell crew are among my best friends in the world, even after all these years. I've returned to Ithaca many times since graduation, and even took a family vacation there one summer when I was still living in Europe (is it ever too early to start the college visits?). Not-so-secretly, I hope at least one, if not all of my children end up studying at Cornell!