This morning I started to write a letter of recommendation for a very promising undergraduate for a fellowship. One of the standard questions professors get asked in evaluating students is how they rank in relation to others you have taught (surely a rather arbitrary designation). What immediately came to mind was that I’ve only had one brighter student in what is now a close to decade of teaching undergrads: Phil Szanto. All this time later, he remains the measure against which I evaluate the most promising and engaging students.

You can surely guess how this led me to finding your blog — and I just wanted to express my deep and heart-felt condolences to you and your family on the loss of Phil.

Last time we saw each other was at the Mini bar in North Hollywood in the summer of 2004, celebrating yours and Phil’s graduation from UCI, surrounded by Margaret Keane big eyed sad children paintings. The two of you were a perfect counterpoint to those paintings, so beaming with light and life and promise. I remember being so pleased that two of the brightest and most interesting students at UCI had somehow found each other. I’m glad to know you two got to share the intervening time together.

Sincerely,
James