Lift the Chorus: Voices from Cornell Alumni

Kimberly (Rice) Smith ’06, an Anthropology and Archaeology major, reflects on her time as an Alto II in the Chorus. She served as Assistant Concert Manager during the production of the Ave CD, later as Vice President, and as Tour Manager for the “TONE” Tour of New England—where she brought the Chorus back to her hometown church in Connecticut. Now a nurse educator in Manhattan, she shares how Chorus friendships, traditions, and leadership experiences shaped her path long after Cornell.

Becky Van Tassel ’08, a Plant Biology graduate from Cornell’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, served as grants coordinator, vice president, president, and tour manager for the 2008 joint international tour to China. Through a PCCW grant, she helped update and expand the Chorus alumni database, strengthening outreach for fundraising and engagement. Now a teacher, she credits Chorus leadership with shaping her collaborative and organizational skills.

Meredith Benneth Smith ’10, an English major in the College of Arts and Sciences, sang in the Chorus and After Eight, serving as publicity manager. She toured with the group to Canada, China, and the U.S. South, performing both masterworks and American spirituals, and took part in school workshops abroad. A journalist and former Cornell Daily Sun staffer, she credits Chorus with shaping her Cornell experience, building lifelong friendships, and teaching lessons in community and collaboration.

Sheila Morrell, a 1983 Human Service Studies graduate from Cornell’s College of Human Ecology, joined Chorus after her sister and sang under Professor Thomas Sokol. She helped design the group’s first standardized concert dress and built lasting friendships through music. Since graduating, Sheila has led church choirs, sung in community ensembles, performed in nursing homes, and volunteered at a children’s jazz camp—continuing to share the power of music across generations.

Sophie Arzumanov ’21, an Operations Research and Information Engineering graduate from Cornell’s College of Engineering, served the Chorus as Concert Manager and later General Manager. As GM, she oversaw finances, tours, and Centennial planning during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. She also represented the Chorus at the Glee Club’s sesquicentennial AB meeting, advocating for financial equity between the sibling groups while working closely with the Chorus Advisory Council to strengthen the organization’s future.

Nanette Eichell, a 1971 History graduate from Cornell’s College of Arts and Sciences, joined Chorus her first year and sang under Professor Thomas Sokol. She performed with major orchestras, served as librarian, and recalls a time before formal leadership or alumni networks. Now based in Kentucky, Nanette continues to stay musically active and recently began learning piano, keeping music a central part of her life.

Caroline Hinrichs ’22 led the Chorus as president during the pandemic, organizing socially distanced outdoor sectionals, managing office moves from Sage Chapel, and guiding the group through multiple director transitions. As a Nutritional Science major, she also sang with the Cornell Chordials, recorded for their album, and collaborated with the Chorus Advisory Council to strengthen alumni connections.

Stacie Dressel, a 2024 Biological Engineering graduate from Cornell’s College of Engineering, joined Chorus in her sophomore year and became publicity manager during the Centennial. She created a 15-minute “Chorus Through the Years” video for the celebration, highlighting a century of history. As After Eight’s musical director, she brought fresh energy to the group. Now in graduate school at Princeton University, she’s brought her leadership skills into student government and continues to sing with the chapel choir, keeping music an essential part of her life.

Rachel Wright, a 2007 Development Sociology graduate from Cornell’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, served as president of the Chorus and musical director of After Eight. She helped revive After Eight in the mid-2000s, arranging lasting repertoire like Life is a Highway. After graduating, Rachel joined Teach For America and went on to become a high school math teacher. She now serves as Upper School Director at a pre-K–12 independent school and holds a doctorate in organizational leadership—drawing directly on the skills she developed through leading the Chorus.

Aja Tillman, a 2005 Textiles and Apparel graduate from Cornell’s College of Human Ecology, brought her design and branding eye to the Chorus through roles like publicity manager and president. She helped introduce the maroon DCA shirts and was present during the early adoption of the Chorus’s now-iconic Treble Woman logo. Asia toured internationally with the Chorus in Italy and remained connected through reunions and, more recently, as a member of the Chorus Advisory Council. Her time in the group helped shape lasting friendships and a deep appreciation for community and creativity.