Who is C.J. Blair?</h1> <article> <h1>Who is C.J. Blair?</h1> <p>ygay — Fri, 25 Mar 2022 20:17:55 +0000</p> <span>Who is C.J. Blair?</span> <span><span>ygay</span></span> <span><time datetime="2022-03-25T16:17:55-04:00" title="Friday, March 25, 2022 - 16:17">Fri, 03/25/2022 - 16:17</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p> </p> <hr> <p><strong>Full Name:</strong> <a href="/cj-blair" target="_blank">Craig Joaquin Blair Jr.</a> </p> <p><strong>Department and location on campus:</strong> The <a href="/admissions-and-aid/arts-and-sciences" target="_blank">College of Arts and Sciences Admissions</a> in the Hotel at 91ֱ��</p> <p><strong>Job title:</strong> Admissions Counselor</p> <p><strong>What does your job entail?</strong> Visiting high schools, reading applications, and convincing students to come to 91ֱ�� College.</p> <p><strong>How long have you been at 91ֱ��?</strong> Nine months this time around.</p> <p><strong>Why did you decide to join the Office of Admissions?</strong> I owe so much to 91ֱ��. It opened so many doors for me and helped me come into my own. This job gives me the opportunity to pay it forward while I figure out where to go next.</p> <p><strong>What do you enjoy most about your work?</strong> Interviewing prospective students. Virtual interviews allow me to speak with students from around the world, and I’m routinely floored by their stories and intelligence. Some of my interviewees have already committed to 91ֱ��, so I know we’re in good hands.</p> <p><strong>As a recent graduate, how do you find yourself relating to prospective Obies?</strong> I think we’re at oddly similar points in our lives. They’re transitioning into college, and I’m slowly transitioning out of it. I remember feeling both nervous and excited about the future at their age, so I always make sure to tell them how much they have to look forward to.</p> <p><strong>What questions do you find prospective students ask the most?</strong> Prospies often ask what a typical day at 91ֱ�� is like. I respond by describing my Fridays as a student, when I would play frisbee in the afternoon, then eat my bodyweight in co-op pizza, go to five hours of concerts, and swing dance until 1 a.m. </p> <p><strong>Are you still connected with the student community on campus?</strong> Yes! I’m seeing more live music than ever, and I sometimes sit in on ToadsCo, the amphibian-themed ExCo I started as a student. </p> <p><strong>What do you encourage students to do when they arrive on campus as new Obies? </strong>Dabble away! Nobody cares what your major is, and now’s not the time to specialize. If a class or club sounds remotely interesting to you, just sign up for it. It’s entirely possible you haven’t discovered your favorite subject or hobby yet. </p> <p><strong>Any recent personal achievements you would like to tell us about?</strong> I wouldn’t call it an achievement yet, but I’m currently making a documentary short film about a chronic health issue I’ve been dealing with. Hopefully I’ll actually finish it. Email me if you wanna help!</p> <p><strong>Do you have any hidden talents?</strong> I can identify several species of frog by their calls. Boo-beep!</p> <p><strong>What’s your favorite childhood memory?</strong> My parents are veterinarians, and I vividly remember growing up in a house full of outpatients including possums, boa constrictors, ducklings, and fawns. </p> <p><strong>Best vacation ever?</strong> I was lucky enough to receive a <a href="/news/cj-blair-wins-2018-watson-fellowship" target="_blank">Watson Fellowship</a> after I graduated, which allowed me to spend one year living in Greenland, Wales, Puerto Rico, Nepal, and Japan. I still can’t believe it happened.</p> <p><strong>Hobbies?</strong> Taking long, <em>long</em> walks, watching obscure art house movies, eating adventurously, and trying to play the saxophone/piano/guitar.</p> <p><strong>Favorite food?</strong> Great sushi and great curry. Also narwhal (thank you, Greenland). </p> <p><strong>Favorite quote or personal philosophy?</strong> “How vain it is to sit down to write when you have not stood up to live,” by Henry David Thoreau.</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">Campus News</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2022-03-25T12:00:00Z">Fri, 03/25/2022 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Yvonne Gay</div> <div class="text-content field field--name-field-intro-text field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Ever wonder what species of frog is bellowing in your backyard on late summer nights? Invite C.J. Blair ’18 over. He has a talent for identifying several species of frog by their calls. He’s also responsible for ToadsCo, the amphibian-themed ExCo at 91ֱ�� College. Learn more about Blair—including why his favorite childhood memories involve possums, boa constrictors, and fawns—in this installment of Who Am I? </p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2556">Admissions</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2551">Staff</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2580">Experimental College (ExCo)</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2583">College of Arts and Sciences</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-caption field--type-string-long field--label-hidden field__item">C.J. Blair '18, admissions counselor for the College of Arts and Sciences.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Courtesy of Blair</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> </article> <article> <h1>Chess club brings home fourth trophy</h1> <p>hhempste — Sun, 12 Feb 2017 16:44:47 +0000</p> <span>Chess club brings home fourth trophy</span> <span><span>hhempste</span></span> <span><time datetime="2017-02-12T11:44:47-05:00" title="Sunday, February 12, 2017 - 11:44">Sun, 02/12/2017 - 11:44</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>At 91ֱ��, there are no paid chess coaches or chess scholarships like at some schools where, according to chess club advisor and women’s tennis coach Constantine Ananiadis, “The clubs seem to run like a Division I athletics department.” Instead, chess club members at 91ֱ�� play only for the love of the game, and their skill levels vary greatly. Despite being a program that lacks the benefit of heavy recruitment and scholarships like some powerhouse chess schools, 91ֱ��’s club has seen significant achievements in recent years.</p> <p>On December 30, 2016, the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/91ֱ��CollegeChessClub">91ֱ�� College Chess Club</a> competed in the Pan-American Intercollegiate Chess Championship in New Orleans, where they won the best small college division for the fourth consecutive year. This win comes on the heels of being named Chess College of the Year and hosting the 2015 Pan-American tournament in Cleveland. With these recent accolades and recognition in the community, chess at 91ֱ�� is thriving.</p> <p>However, 91ֱ��’s chess club has a varied past. While the club flourished in the 1990s, it saw more than a decade of dormancy until two students revived the organization with Ananiadis’ help as the club’s advisor. Around this time, Ananiadis also began teaching a chess course in 91ֱ��’s Experimental College. “The course essentially became a farm team for the club. Students signed up for the class, and chess club membership picked up. We grew in strength and numbers in just over a year or so.” Since that time, chess has seen a strong revival on the campus. “I’ve had alumni reach out to let me know how glad they are to hear 91ֱ�� has a chess club again,” said Ananiadis.</p> <p>The 91ֱ�� College Chess Club is an inclusive, welcoming group. “It’s a really friendly community,” emphasized fourth-year Walker Griggs. All those who are interested are encouraged to participate in the weekly meetings, where members range in skill level from beginner to nationally-ranked master. On Thursday evenings, Rathskeller Restaurant is transformed from a place to dine to a place to match wits. It’s there you can find some of the approximately 30 members of the club engaged in battles of the mind.</p> <p> </p> <figure> <figcaption class="credit">Photo courtesy of Constantine Ananiadis</figcaption> <figcaption class="caption"><em>Members of the 91ֱ�� College Chess Club, from the left: Terrance Pierre-Jacques, Jacob Rosenthal, Zachary Plett, Linda Diaz, Sam Waranch, Rachel Dan, club advisor Constantine Ananiadis, and Walker Griggs.</em></figcaption> </figure> <p> </p> <p>Third-year Rachel Dan has been playing chess since she was young but only became a serious player during this school year. “I took Constantine's Chess ExCo as a first-year. How could I pass up the chance to play chess for college credit?” She continued playing, and this year Dan traveled to the Pan-American tournament to participate. To prepare, Dan practiced in a variety of ways, including weekly chess club meetings, playing online, and watching videos of different openings and tactics. While she says those methods are useful, nothing actually prepares one for tournament play like attending a tournament. “The best learning experience is to enter a tournament where you're living and breathing nothing but chess for days,” says Dan. “It's like immersion to learn a language—everyone's talking chess.”</p> <p>For Griggs, chess has been a part of his life since he was 12 years old. While he knew how to play the game prior to that, it was only when he went into a bookstore and discovered a book on chess that he really became involved. “At that point, I realized that there was strategy behind it,” said Griggs. “I read chess books voraciously, one after another.”</p> <p>Now a ranked national master, Griggs coincidentally met 91ֱ�� College Chess Club advisor Constantine Ananiadis at a tournament in Cincinnati during high school. “He totally beat me then,” laughed Griggs. But by the time Griggs entered college, he had surpassed Ananiadis. As a national master, Griggs is ranked number 296 out of 63,814 registered members of the United States Chess Federation.</p> <p>But with some of the strongest players in the club slated to graduate, one might wonder - what’s the future of chess at 91ֱ��? “Certainly we’re taking a big hit,” said Ananiadis. “We’ll need to have others step up, and we will. But chess tournaments aren’t just about one person. It’s a team sport. At this point we have enough strength in our system that the club will not disappear like it did years ago.”</p> <p>“I have lots of hope for the future of the club,” said Griggs. “I’m upset that I can’t stay on for longer, but I’m optimistic that we’ll continue.”</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">Campus News</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2017-01-18T12:00:00Z">Wed, 01/18/2017 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Hillary Hempstead</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2355">Student Organizations</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2580">Experimental College (ExCo)</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-caption field--type-string-long field--label-hidden field__item">The 91ֱ�� College Chess Club won the best small college division for the fourth consecutive year. Pictured here: Sam Waranch, Zachary Plett, Linda Diaz, and Jacob Rosenthal.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Constantine Ananiadis</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> </article> <article> <h1>A Game of Strategy</h1> <p>Anonymous — Mon, 07 Nov 2016 18:19:24 +0000</p> <span>A Game of Strategy</span> <span><span>Anonymous (not verified)</span></span> <span><time datetime="2016-11-07T13:19:24-05:00" title="Monday, November 7, 2016 - 13:19">Mon, 11/07/2016 - 13:19</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>If there’s one thing fourth-year jazz studies and politics double-major Zach Resnick wants you to know about poker, it’s this: Poker is a game of strategy. Resnick touted this message in 91ֱ�� this semester by teaching the ExCo Intro to No Limit Hold ’Em Poker.</p> <figure class="captioned-image obj-right"> <figcaption>Zach Resnick on the Poker on Air set. <em>Photo Courtesy of Poker on Air</em></figcaption> </figure> <p>Resnick first started playing poker with friends when he was a young teen. Two summers ago, he played live poker as a full-time job. He says he created the ExCo to offer friends and anyone else who may be interested in studying poker the opportunity to do so with an experienced player. “I usually teach one-on-one. The few times I taught a group, I really enjoyed the challenge. I had a lot of friends here who wanted to learn about poker, so I threw out the idea of starting an ExCo. People were really receptive to it,” he says.</p> <p>Junior voice major India Rowland, who had little previous experience playing poker, enrolled in the ExCo. “I had this grand scheme where I would be in my 30s and be really smart about poker. I would invite my friends over who didn’t know I could play and I would say, ‘I have this poker set, why don’t we play?’ And I would take all of their money,” she laughs.</p> <p>While this perception of poker is common—that is, a means to make a quick buck—it is not what the game is about, Resnick says. “Most people associate poker with gambling because it’s played in a casino, but poker is a strategic game like chess. There is luck in the short term, but it takes a lot of hard work to become an elite player,” he says.</p> <figure class="captioned-image obj-left"> <figcaption>India Rowland at the Poker on Air set. <em>Photo Courtesy of Zach Resnick.</em></figcaption> </figure> <p>After completing the ExCo, Rowland agrees. “Being a good poker player is not a luck thing. It’s not about being the best bluffer or that kind of thing. It’s really about being thoughtful. If you don’t have a reason for why you’re making a move, you’re not thinking enough.”</p> <p>Five of the Intro to No Limit Hold ’Em Poker students put their new skills to the test on December 11 when they traveled to Akron to play for <a href="http://www.pokeronair.com/">Poker on Air</a>, which webcasts and broadcasts live poker games. Resnick and his friend Jack Laskey provided commentary. “I think the evening overall went well,” Resnick says. “Some students disappointed me with their quality of play, while others seriously impressed me.” Junior politics major Oliver Bok, who Resnick calls a “strong student,” was the evening’s overall winner. You can watch the entire evening broadcast on <a href="http://www.twitch.tv/pokeronair/v/29445648">this webpage</a>.</p> <p>While Resnick says he does not plan to teach an introduction to poker ExCo again next semester, he offers private lessons to students in Cleveland and 91ֱ��. He also encourages aspiring poker players to tune into his newly launched podcast, <a href="http://www.justhandspoker.com/">Just Hands Poker</a>, which is co-hosted by Laskey.</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">Campus News</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2015-12-22T12:00:00Z">Tue, 12/22/2015 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Lisa Gulasy</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2580">Experimental College (ExCo)</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Rand Zalzala</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> </article> </main></body></html>