Cornell news article from Danny ...



The Magazine of Cornell University's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences

  



Spring 2012

Generations and Innovations

Cornellians run in clans – it seems they all bleed Big Red. Several generations of alumni leave legacies to the university through their accomplishments and service. Here are just a few notable families.

FESSENDENS
The Fessendens are hardworking people. The first to enroll as Cornellians—sister and brother Marcia ’49 and Edwin ’54—grew up on a three-generation family farm in King Ferry, N.Y. Marcia (Fessenden Helbig), a College of Human Ecology graduate, enjoyed a long career as a school teacher and still works at a school in Connecticut, said nephew Daniel Fessenden ’87.
With his College of Agriculture and Life Sciences degree in hand, Ed Fessenden made the fourth generation of the Fessenden family farm the most successful yet. From 20 milking cows, Ed expanded to 120 milkers and 700 acres of crops. Today, the family farm milks 600 cows and grows crops on 1,200 acres.
The Fessenden family boasts 11 current or former Cornell students, including nine in CALS—number 12 will be Daniel’s daughter Madeleine, who was recently accepted early decision to the Hotel School.
Farming continues to be an important vocation, but family members have also used their Cornell educations in the fields of finance, public service, agri-business, philanthropy, and education. For example, Ed’s sixth child, John Fessenden ’85, works for Farm Credit East. He also has served on the Animal Science Animal Industry Advisory Council and is currently on the ProDairy Advisory Council and on the board of FarmNet. Brother Daniel served in the New York State Assembly from 1993 to 1999, and is currently director of Tompkins Trust Company and executive director of the Fred L. Emerson Foundation. He serves on the University Council and is a past member of the CALS Advisory Council. Granddaughter Kathleen Fessenden McAndrews ’02 is a dairy nutritionist and operates a dairy farm in Minnesota. She is a board member of the Cornell Club of Minnesota and is chair of Cornell Alumni Admissions Ambassador Network.
Service to Cornell is also a family tradition—Ed received the Outstanding Alumni Award from CALS in 2010 in recognition for his decades of volunteering in myriad capacities, including the CALS Regional Committee, Dean’s Advisory Council, and Campaign Committee, and Daniel received the Young Alumni Achievement Award in 1995.