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C olumbia U niversity RECORD February 9, 2001 3 PEOPLE ON CAMPUS Journalism School Student Crowned 5-Time Jeopardy Champion From Dawn to Decadence: 500 Years of Western Cultural Life, written by Professor Emeritus and Provost Emeritus Jacques Barzun, CC'27, has been named a finalist in the criticism category of the National Book Critics Circle Award, reported The New York Times on 1/30/01. Barzun's 800-page survey of recent Western civilization is one of five nominees for the criticism category. David Means, MFA Writ- ing '87, also received a nomi- nation. His Assorted Fire Events, a short story collec- tion, was nominated in the fic- tion category. The winners for the awards' five categories, which also include biography, autobiogra- phy, general nonfiction and poetry, will be announced on March 12. Ponisseril Somasundaran, a member of the faculty of the Fu Foundation School of Engi- neering and Applied Science since 1970, has been elected to the Russian Academy of Natur- al Sciences—the association of scientists well known for their successes in the fields of physics, mathematics, chem- istry, metallurgy and other nat- ural sciences. Among the foreign members of the Academy, there are more than 20 Nobel Prize laureates. Somasundaran was named La von Duddleson Krumb Profes- sor in 1983 and was chairman of the Henry Krumb School from 1988 to 1992 and of the depart- ment of chemical engineering, material science and mining from 1992 to 1997 and is cur- rently director of the National Science Foundation IUCR Cen- ter for Advanced Studies in Sur- factants/Langmuir Center for Colloids and Interfaces. Michael Kirschenheiter, associate professor at Colum- bia's Business School, is one of the first professors to have a course online by working with UNEXT, reported The Chroni- cle of Higher Education. UNEXT is a company that provides online business courses for institutions such as Carnegie Mellon, Stanford University, the London School of Economics, University of Chicago and Columbia. his opponents were still scrolling through almanacs and dictionar- ies just minutes before the show, he figured cramming would hin- der his concentration. "I thought it would be more stressful to study. I just went in cold," Arnone says. In preparation for the chal- lenge, Arnone adopted the phi- losophy that would eventually carry him through five victories. "I told my friends and family I had to have a ‘good vibes only’ policy,” he says. Arnone wanted to maintain a mood of optimism rather than competitiveness. “For me, the fact that I won is the greatest testament to the power of a positive attitude." Of course it was more than good vibes that kept Arnone on top. "I played very aggressively. Knowledge gets you there but strategy keeps you there," he says. Arnone adds that patience and composure are also two nec- essary keys to winning. "You don't guess," he notes, "especial- ly out of fear of needing more money. Most of the answers I got wrong were guesses." Facing the cameras and studio audience was an opportunity Arnone actually enjoyed. "I've never had a problem getting up in front of people," he says. Rather, he relished the adventure of appearing on the show. "I thought to myself, 'I'm some- where I've always wanted to be,'" he says. Playing the game, he notes, requires a surprising degree of strength and endurance. "It's a very physical, intense thing. You're standing still the whole time, but you're using all your energy," he says. "Every muscle is poised." A former reporter for the Tren- ton Times and the Pennington (NJ) Post, Arnone acquired much of his trivia knowledge through years of writing on diverse sub- jects from science to geography, to politics and entertainment. The 29-year-old, who majored in lib- eral arts as an undergraduate at Notre Dame, says appearing on Jeopardy was always a dream, but one he hadn't pursued until a random evening last April. "I used to play at home on the couch. Often I'd do better than the people on the show," he says. "On a whim, I went to the Web site." After filling out some basic information on the Jeopardy site, Arnone was then invited to Washington, D.C. in May to take a test. Like all potential players, he needed to answer correctly a minimum of 35 out of 50 fill-in questions. Arnone passed the exam, and subse- quently became one of 4,000 possible contestants hoping to fill only 400 spots available on the show each year. By the time autumn arrived, Arnone had put the prospect in the back of his mind, instead concentrating on his heavy workload as a new graduate stu- dent. Then, in October, he got the phone call that would change his life. He was offered a spot on the Nov. 1 show. Like all of the game's contestants, he would have to pay his own way to Los Angeles, but Arnone was more than ready to head west. He would go as far as his dream required. Returning home a champion has been an unusual experience. "I've never been the focus of this kind of attention before," says Arnone, who adds that it’s still funny when well-wishers stop him in the grocery store. "People are talking about it," he says. "They're all coming out of the woodwork." As a five-time winner, Arnone will get to compete in Jeopardy's Tournament of Champions, which will be played at the end of the summer. He plans to implement the same strategies that helped him succeed in his first five victories. "It's a matter of relaxing, listen- ing carefully to the questions and trying to get into the zone," he says. And, of course, he'll follow one of his most reliable mantras: "Don't think too much." BY JASON HOLLANDER Michael Arnone, a student in the School of Journalism’s New Media Program, standing with Jeopardy host Alex Trebek, left. Arnone collected $54,499 and a new Chevrolet Suburban as a five-time champion on the game show. He will return to play in the Tournament of Champions at the end of the summer. M ichael Arnone was mentally and physi- cally exhausted. He had already amassed $40,899 in the first three games, but this contest, his fourth in two hours, had been more taxing than the others. Even the carefully styled part in his hair was somewhat displaced. Despite possessing a slight lead, Arnone's opponents were both within $1,500 of him going into the decisive battle: Final Jeopardy. Arnone had $5,400 to gamble with in the crucial round, where a final bet is placed on one last question. Confident with his knowledge of the category "Tele- vision"—he is an admitted TV junkie—Arnone had put it all on the line, betting double or noth- ing and assuring himself victory if he answered correctly. The Journalism School student braced himself as the question was presented by Jeopardy host Alex Trebek: "An allusion to the Arabian Nights, this show invites viewers to open a magic door to knowledge." Arnone stood motionless, his face stoic, revealing nothing to his opponents or Trebek. When his answer was finally unveiled—Sesame Street—the studio audience exploded with applause and cheer. The New Jer- sey native was suddenly one win away from achieving the distin- guished title, "Five-time Jeop- ardy Champion." But first, he would get a much-needed rest. The show would not tape again for six days. Upon returning, Arnone man- aged to win his fifth and final game by his most narrow margin. He took home a total cash prize of $54,499 and a brand new Chevrolet Suburban (all five- time winners receive a new car). He attributes his success on the show to keeping the experience in perspective at all times. "I just- went out there and had fun. The game was always a game," he says. "The times I played most poorly were when I stopped thinking it was." The aspiring international cor- respondent never studied for the competition. Although some of The 1950-51 men’s basketball team went 21-0 in the regular season, winning the Eastern League (precur- sor to the Ivy League) and heading to the NCAA tournament. At center, Athletic Director John Reeves, left, shakes hands with former men’s Head Coach Lou Rossini. Undefeated Lion Squad of 1950-51 Honored At Center Court in Levien Half a century after posting a 21-0 regular season record and landing a spot in an NCAA tour- nament that featured a field of only eight, the 1950-51 men’s bas- ketball team returned to Columbia to be honored in Levien Gym on Feb. 3 during halftime of the Lions’ matchup against Harvard. The 1950-51 team’s only loss came in a first-round NCAA tour- nament game against Illinois. Lou Rossini, the team’s head coach, made an appearance that was inspirational to both his for- mer players and fans in atten- dance. Rossini, a 27-year-old assistant at the time, was called on to lead the Lions in 1950 after former Head Coach Gordon Rid- ings suffered a heart attack. Columbia went on to defeat Harvard that night, 66-55, for their fourth straight win, evening their Ivy record at 3-3. PHOTO BY JOHN SMOCK Ponisseril Somasundaran
