Skip to main content

Alumni Spotlight: Nick van der Kloot ’83 and Angeline van der Kloot ’83

Sakura Sweethearts Nick and Angeline van der Kloot’s story began, as many I-House stories do, with a simple everyday moment. They first met while standing in the serving line in the Dining Hall. Nick struck up a conversation and, as Angeline recalls with a smile, began flirting right away. He asked to sit at her table, then asked for her phone number, which she said she initially refused because “he was very handsome and already being admired by many others.” Not long after, Nick invited Angeline to attend a Russian Emigré Society ball at the Waldorf Astoria, and she agreed to go with...

Continue reading

A Century in the Making: Revisiting the Memoirs of Peter Lindenfeld ’50

Peter Lindenfeld ’50 led a remarkable life, and on January 22, his story continued at I-House. Peter passed away at the age of 100 in November 2025, but not before finishing and publishing his memoir, “A Century in the Making: A Hundred-Year Journey from Refugee to American.” Prior to his passing, he had intended to visit I-House for a book reading with residents, but the visit never came to pass. In his stead, I-House welcomed Peter’s son, Tom Lindenfeld, for a reading and a fireside chat about his father’s life and legacy. After being driven from Austria as a...

Continue reading

The New Creative Economy: A Talk with Jorge de los Santos ’01

How can founders, freelancers, and influencers stay ahead in today’s creative economy? Move fast, build trust in public, and stop letting perfection get in the way of progress. On December 4, residents gathered in the Home Room to discuss the business of creativity with I-House alumnus Jorge de los Santos ’01. De Los Santos is co-founder, president, and CEO of Global Media Review, a social media company that supports influencers, journalists, and publishers, and of Sky Blue International, a cross-border technology and investment advisory firm. The event, titled “The Business of...

Continue reading

I-House Welcomes Vreni Hommes ’89 and Gautam Shirhattikar ’05 to the Board of Trustees

At its October 29 meeting, the International House Board of Trustees elected alumni Vreni Hommes ’89 and Gautam Shirhattikar ’05 as its newest members. “We are thrilled to welcome two accomplished alumni to the Board of Trustees,” said Sebastian Fries, President & CEO. “Vreni and Gautam are passionate about our I-House community and deeply committed to our future success. Each brings a unique blend of experience and insight to the Board. We are incredibly grateful for their partnership and strategic expertise as we prepare for I-House’s second century.” Hommes rejoins the board...

Continue reading

Annual PEAR Weekend Held in Brussels

Old friends gathered and new cross-generational connections formed during the 2025 Freunde/Pan European Alumni Reunion weekend held November 7–9 in Brussels, Belgium.Nearly 50 alumni and friends representing five decades of I-House traveled from Austria, France, Germany, Switzerland, the UK, and the USA to attend the three-day weekend of meetings, tours, and dinners.Belgium is one of the six founding members of the European Union, and Brussels serves as the de facto capital of the European Union as home of the European Commission, the Council of the European Union, and, along with...

Continue reading

I-House Alumnus Robert Badinter ’49 Enters the French Panthéon

Robert Badinter (1928-2024), the distinguished lawyer and former French Minister of Justice renowned for abolishing the death penalty in his country, was honored with induction into the Panthéon in Paris on October 9. Badinter, who lived at International House while studying at Columbia University in 1948-49, joined such historic figures as Voltaire, Victor Hugo, Marie Curie, and Simone Veil with the honor, and is the subject of an exhibition at the national mausoleum through March 8: Robert Badinter, la justice au cœur. Best known for his key role in ridding France of the guillotine...

Continue reading