Julia Herrnstein Manganaro

Greetings MAUHS –ers!

Well, we moved away from Bennington after my sophomore year, much to my objection at the time. My Mother took a job at the University of Pennsylvania in Philly. I ended up graduating from a Quaker (of all things) high school in Philly and went on to major in Theater at U of Penn. After college I lived in NYC for 12 years, spending the first 5 years working on Broadway, doing costumes. After my son was born I took some time off and somehow ended up working for an insurance adjusting company specializing in investigations and have more or less stayed in that industry ever since.

I now work for Fireman’s Fund Insurance Company and handle high exposure complex litigation claims. I know it sounds somewhat dry and boring after the “lights of Broadway” but I really love it, its all about law and it keeps me challenged which is good.

I have been married to Ed for 15 years, he does the same thing I do for a living. Our daughter is a force and my son (from a prior marriage) is a sweet gentle soul.

All in all life is tremendous and I am happy, maybe that’s why I am so interested in connecting with my Bennington ‘roots’. So, even though I left several thousand years ago I have always considered myself a small town girl and fondly remember hitching ( can you believe it!) to school from Bennington College in the mornings…..

My best to all!

A school story? Hanging out in the Band room...the Model UN….Mr. Carlson’s trip to hunt for Herkimer NY Crystals……flunking sewing ( only to go on and sew on Broadway years later!)…..playing the tympani in the orchestra….hanging out with the hippies outside the lunch room and smoking ……skipping Latin and getting caught and crying so hard they sent me home….