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Picture Perfect
When we receive Carnegie Mellon Today, we review all the articles and enjoy the magazine cover to cover. What a lovely surprise to reach page 37 of the January issue and see one of Ed’s paintings in all its glorious color staring back at us. Thank you so much for sharing.

As for the rest of the January issue, in the feature “Broadway Bound,” it was terrific getting to know Josh Gad and Rory O’Malley, who are starring in “The Book of Mormon.” We will see it when it hits Los Angeles next year. Ann Roth (A’53, H’00) did the costumes, so Carnegie Mellon dramats were well represented. Lovely articles about Robert Mendelson’s son [“First Word”] and Jonathan Rothberg’s son [“He Did It!”]—from the heart.

We are always proud of our connection to CMU.
—Ed (A’59) and Chloe (A’52) Mieczkowski
   Huntington Beach, Calif.

Great Respect
Your excellent article [January issue’s “High on Research”] on Dr. Jonathan Caulkins’ work on drug use and public policy reminds me of my days as an undergraduate in psychology, when I learned to respect both drugs and math-based research. Still proud to be an alumna and supporter of this great institution.
—Rose Marie Watters (DC’73)
   Louisville, Ky.

Thinking Gone Askew!
We purchased Askew! for our children after reading about it in Carnegie Mellon Today [October issue’s “60 Seconds With …”]. My 9-year-old son loves it so far. He has been playing with it by himself as a sculpture toy. Now if I can only get Sean’s budding engineering mind to move past the need for symmetry!
—Amy and David (E’80) Mapes
   Madison Heights, Va.

In Memoriam
Jeffrey Zaslow (DC’80), a bestselling author and columnist for The Wall Street Journal, died in a weather-related automobile accident on February 10. He was 53 years old. He may be best remembered at Carnegie Mellon for co-authoring The Last Lecture (Hyperion, 2008) with Randy Pausch, the university’s late computer science professor. The Last Lecture was on bestseller lists for more than a year, and it has been translated into more than 40 languages. Critics lauded his voice of compassion in both his books and his newspaper columns.

“We are deeply saddened by the death of Jeff Zaslow, a loyal Carnegie Mellon alumnus who made the stories of Randy Pausch, Gabby Giffords, and many others touchstones of comfort, inspiration, and humor. Through his gift for storytelling and through his life, Jeff influenced many of us. He visited campus often to share the important lessons learned from Randy’s Last Lecture with our students. Carnegie Mellon mourns his loss.”
— Jared L. Cohon, President
     Carnegie Mellon University

Obituary: Last Lecture Co-Author, Alumnus Jeffrey Zaslow Killed In Accident

Associated Press Obituary