The power of Tulane connections
When Wendy (Cohen) Chasanoff (SLA ’20, B *21) and Jack Chasanoff (B ’20, B *21) first connected in a Tulane Facebook group during their senior year of high school, they couldn’t have imagined how deeply the university would shape their lives — or that it would lead to a love story.
The Chasanoffs make it back to campus often, and next week they’ll be returning for their milestone 5th reunion. They are two of the seven Class of 2020 reunion co-chairs for Wave ’25 Weekend, which runs November 13–16. The Class of 2020 celebration will take place on Friday, November 14, from 8–10 p.m. at the F&M Patio Bar.
From the 5th to the 45th reunion classes, Tulanians from across the years will be back on campus next weekend.
For Jack, the reunion will be an opportunity to reconnect with classmates and celebrate the spirit of Green Wave athletics. Wendy is excited to network and reconnect with friends she was close to at Tulane, with whom she has lost touch.
“Once you graduate and go to your corner of the globe, it’s not as easy to stay connected,” she said. “Reunion is a chance to reconnect and see everybody again.”
That’s precisely why Wendy urges anyone on the fence to come back. “You never know who you’re going to run into. You never know what connection you’re going to rekindle and what opportunities that could bring later down the road.”
Both Dallas natives, Wendy and Jack were Tulane-bound high school seniors when they met at a breakfast Jack organized in April of their senior year of high school for Texas admitted students. They came from rival high schools but didn’t know each other. “We had so many mutual friends who were all telling us to meet,” Wendy said.
They became close friends in Dallas but didn’t start dating until October of their first year at Tulane. They married in July 2024, and their love story was featured in the “True Love at Tulane” 2025 edition.
Their on-campus roles set the stage for their alumni involvement. At Tulane, they discovered a well-rounded experience of rigorous academics combined with rich extracurricular activities. “Tulane is great academically,” Wendy said, “and there are a lot of things that you can balance your life out with too.”
"I attribute a lot of the success that I’ve had in my career and my personal life to Tulane … (Tulane has) such great resources, not only at the school, but once you graduate, and you’re a part of that alumni network.” — Wendy (Cohen) Chasanoff (SLA ’20, B *21), who with her husband Jack Chasanoff (B ’20, B *21) are helping co-chair their upcoming 5th reunion
On campus, Wendy worked with Campus Programming, helping to plan major events such as Homecoming and Crawfest, and she joined the pre-law fraternity Phi Alpha Delta and alumni liaison group, Tower & Crescent. Jack, meanwhile, joined the business fraternity Alpha Kappa Psi, was president of Unscripted Improv troupe and played intramural soccer.
After commencement, that sense of connection didn’t fade — it grew — which is why they’ve stayed so active as alums.
Both earned Tulane business graduate degrees, and Wendy moved into consulting, crediting Tulane’s alumni network for the opportunity. “I actually connected with a Tulane alum who got me my first job in consulting.” She recently changed jobs and is working for Amazon as a technical program manager for AWS.
“I attribute a lot of the success that I’ve had in my career and my personal life to Tulane, and I want to make sure that I continue to spread that network. We have such great resources, not only at the school, but once you graduate, and you’re a part of that alumni network.”
Jack began his career at EY, commonly known as Ernst & Young, in accounting and later moved to Dallas Trinity FC, a women’s professional soccer club, where he now serves as senior director of business intelligence and strategy.
Jack’s love for Tulane sports and his connection to the Green Wave have remained strong. He co-hosts “The Uptown Update,” a football podcast with friend Reid Spears (B ’20). Available on all major platforms, the show has run for about six seasons and continues to evolve and grow in popularity.
Each week they recap the last game and preview the next, bringing in other Tulanians along the way — like Head Coach Jon Sumrall, Athletic Director David Harris and multiple players such as 3rd Round NFL Draft Pick Caleb Ransaw.
Jack’s hope for the Uptown Update is to be a focal point for the Tulane community across the country that allows alumni and fans to connect through football. They have hosted tailgates for away games, and ticket giveaways for fans who could not get tickets. The episodes are weekly and are generally released on Wednesdays.
Jack is particularly excited about the Homecoming football matchup. “The Green Wave has a really talented squad this year. I think there is a solid chance the Homecoming matchup has genuine postseason stakes. The Green Wave will need to win to try and reach their 4th straight Conference Championship Game.”
Click here for more information about Wave ’25 Weekend.
