Paola Crandall Fano (Nisonger)

FAVORITE MEMORIES OF WILLIAMS

There are too many to mention, but there is one memory that stands out—the Winter Study course on Rembrandt taught by visiting Professor A. B. de Vries (one of the Monuments Men). He was the former director of the Mauritshuis in The Hague. The course was amazing enough, but as a finale, he organized a whirlwind tour of the Frick, the Morgan Library (Rembrandt etching series), and the Metropolitan Museum of Art (including the restoration studio). We met with people and examined artwork that we never would have seen if we walked in off the street.

WILLIAMS CLUBS / ACTIVITIES

Varsity women’s crew 4 (end-of-season coxswain)

CURRENT INTERESTS, PASSIONS, AND ORGANIZATIONS

I continue to work with local non-profit organizations that assist children and families. Grand-parenting is one of the great joys in life, and we are fortunate to have our granddaughters half an hour away. Lastly, Bob and I continue to enjoy back-road trips, both short and multi-day, in our 53-year-old British two-seater convertible; we really get see this country and enjoy the ride.

LIFE SINCE GRADUATION

As I sit here looking out the window on this beautiful winter’s day, I have regrettably concluded that I am temporarily incapable of writing an essay worthy of a Williams grad. This will pass, though not soon enough. I can, however, reflect upon my 52+ year relationship with Williams College and a defining event and a lasting learning experience.

It all started 52+ years ago, when in the fall of 1969 I attended a gathering of sailing friends on the Cape. At that gathering, John King announced that Williams was accepting transfer applications from women for the 1969-70 academic year. I had already planned to leave Tufts University and transfer to a smaller college and was submitting applications. Williams fit the bill perfectly, and so I applied—and happily was accepted. And so the journey began.
Thank you, John. Without you, my journey would have been very different.

It was at Williams that what has become a lifelong interest in systems started to grow. You can’t just look at the “trees” (individuals, parts . . .) or just the “forest” (product, the macro data . . . ). You need to understand the generally messy and complex system that meshes the two together. If you don’t, the law of unintended consequences will too often bite you. I thank my Williams professors, and subsequently my MIT ones, for guiding me at the start of this journey. A systems perspective has been enlightening, enabling, and at times frustrating as I worked my way through a career and continue to witness events unfold in our ever more complex world.