He likes to say that nobody has ever scored more points in the history of Jadwin Gym than he has, and with multiple decades of lighting it up in lunchtime basketball under his belt, he might just be correct in that statement. He also is a mildly decent squash player, or at least one capable of getting a workout in, if nothing else.
Given his propensity for fun, Kurian was hardly a surprising choice to say to TigerBlog that he was heading into New York City for the women's squash national championship Tuesday, with the match to be played in Grand Central Station, along with colleagues Tiffani Semancik and Michael Medley. TB asked him if he'd like to report on the experience.
Jon Kurian has appeared on the pages of TigerBlog many times before, always being written about — including his being honored with the departmental Lorin Maurer Award in 2023. That award is one of the highest the department awards, and that gives you an idea of the esteem in which Kurian is held.
Ah, but for today, Kurian appears here in a different light. Today, he offers up a Guest TigerBlog on his experience at what he called "A Grand Event."
I spent several years of my early career commuting into New York City from Stamford, Conn.
That meant taking the Metro-North train line every weekday into and out of NYC. And where does that train line start… the one and only Grand Central Terminal in the heart of Manhattan.
The building is something that only Manhattan could produce. Walking into the great hall, you can’t help but feel the energy and grandeur of NYC.
The 40,000 square foot space, with its vaulted 130-foot ceiling painted with an elaborate celestial mural, simply takes your breath away—if you are able to stop and look up without being run over by one of the more than 750,000 people that walk through this building every day. The staircases are marble with gold-painted railings. The four-sided clock tower (installed in 1913) in the center of the hall brings visions of a simpler time, with men wearing top hats and long coats.
The huge granite and limestone pillars on either side of the hall and massive windows add to the feeling of how monstrous and glorious this building is. It’s more than a train station; it is a work of art.
Legend has it that it was built in such a way that if anyone tried to invade NYC via the train tracks, they would be on the low ground and the defenders would be on the high ground, making it nearly impossible to launch a successful invasion. You can feel that elevation change as you walk out of the main hall towards Park Avenue, the main entrance and exit of the building.
I made that walk Tuesday, not to go into the hustle and bustle of NYC (although I must admit, I did walk outside to get the feel of NYC, thanks to my coworker who made this journey with me), but to go to, of all things, a squash match. Not just any squash match—the College Squash Association Singles National Championship, which, by now, I am sure you have heard, Princeton's Zeina Zein won in convincing fashion.
Squash is a great sport to watch. Watching it played in a glass court is really cool, but watching it played in a glass court in Grand Central Station was truly surreal. In my opinion, a venue as majestic and grand as Grand Central Terminal was the perfect spot for such a huge event.
As I watched, I could not help but notice the enormous crystal chandelier that hung over the court, or the crowd of people walking behind the court on their way to or from the train, or the many people who stopped to watch on their way in or out of the world’s largest train station.
The energy of New York City was palpable. I can only imagine what Zeina was feeling.
Whatever she was feeling, it certainly suited her well as she rolled over the competition.
Her performance was as majestic as the venue itself. Well done, Zeina; well done, CSA for having this event in the perfect spot; well done, Grand Central Terminal.
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