From Berlin comes this hearty howl from John Emerson (H’75) on a recent Independence Day: “Hey COOGS!” This is how John – then the US Ambassador to Germany – greeted Tom Coogan H’75 and his wife Cynthia when they arrived at John’s picnic to help celebrate the Fourth of July. “When I heard that, I felt right at home,” says Tom.
When I first heard from Tom about this little picnic, I imagined a typical Fourth of July get-together at our house, hanging out by a campfire in front of the barn with a few beers, listening to “The Stars and Stripes Forever” through a Bluetooth speaker. John’s later description provides some clarification: “We had close to 5,000 people,” says John. “Great food, music/bands, 20 minutes of fireworks, and of course I would give a short, fun speech to energize folks, and then cut a birthday cake for the USA.”
John is now back in the USA, planning the next chapter in his career, while Tom is back home in Bethesda. He and Cynthia have lived there since the late 70s, when he signed on with the Secret Service and she attended Georgetown. A master's degree in forensic science and a law degree came next for Tom, followed by many years as an attorney in and out of government.
These days Tom and Cynthia are both navigating through fascinating careers. After retiring from federal service, Tom became a professor, then dean, at Stevenson University. He is responsible for several master's degree programs in forensics that include cyber and digital forensics, forensic accounting and investigations, forensic science, and crime scene investigation. Meanwhile, Cynthia is a full-time professional school counselor. She’s also a part-time dramaturg and dramatist, whose play about the 19th Century American sculptress Harriet Hosmer was read recently at the Kennedy Center.
Reporting two more sightings of colorful characters from the Hill, Tom says that he and Cynthia recently had lunch with their “great friend and master raconteur” Ed Turco H’75 and, later in DC, dinner with Bob "V" Hansmann H'72. I gather Ed divides his time between London and New York, representing H. Huntsman & Sons of Savile Row. “Anyone interested in buying a suit that costs more than a new car should contact Ed. I on the other hand will be shopping at Men’s Wearhouse.” Meanwhile, since retiring from a finance career and earning an MFA, “V” writes a blog and hosts monthly writer's groups in NYC.
About his Hamilton connections, Tom says, “Whether it's been 20 years since I last saw John, 10 years since I saw “V” or however long it's been with other Hamilton classmates, somehow it always seems to me like yesterday. Of course we all look the same – at least to one another – as we did 40+ years ago.”