Revisiting Playboy's October 1995 Edition Featuring "Women of the Ivy League"

While researching for my blog entry on Alicia Rickter, I came across a 10-page Playboy (October 1995) spread, photography by David Chan and David Mecey, highlighting the "Women of the Ivy League." When I was college, I remember receiving this issue and just falling in love with many of these girls posing for this spread. 

So, after 27 years, curiosity hit me -- "I wonder what they are doing now?" 

AMY NABORS

At the bottom of the third page of the spread is a sexy photo of Amy Nabors revealing her beautiful breast from her blue sweater, wearing sexy red lingerie panties, and staring at the camera with her hair draped over the side of the bed. The caption reads, "A self-described feminist, Yale's Amy Nabors... says: 'I wanted to pose for PLAYBOY to show that we're not asexual man-haters.' After finishing her course work here, the anthropology major says she wants to study sex in other cultures."

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Seventeen years later (2012), Amy Biviano, a small business coordinator and public accountant, ran unsuccessfully for a seat on the Washington House of Representatives. The contest became a "must watch" after a conservative blog revealed her Playboy stunt. 

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In a column, she explained her decision on posing for Playboy, which earned her $500, "Yes, it was fun to have my five minutes of fame both on the Yale campus and on the national scene. It is a nice little boost to the ego to know that some people consider me to be attractive enough to be in Playboy. But of course, I know now, and I knew when I first chose to pose, that the benefits will fade, and they will only be remembered by a few people searching through dusty archives... However, posing for Playboy has permanently changed me by making me think a little bit differently about myself -- I'm now more of a risk-taker, fear social approval less, and know a bit more about what I'm capable of. I may never do something this controversial again, but it's nice to know that I could and did."

SUSANE COLASANTI

The stunning Susane Colasanti was one that quickly caught my attention--a validation of my taste in women. Even more so after I learned what she's doing now in life. 

On the fifth page of the Playboy pictorial, is the sexy photo of Susane wearing a sexy black teddy under a white cotton rob, exposing her beautiful large breast and pubic area. The caption reads, "'I was raised in a family where the body was respected as an art form,' says University of Pennsylvania astrophysics major Susan Colasanti... Step aerobics, oil painting and cuddling (with her teddy bear, Chez) keep Susane busy -- that is, when she's not stargazing."

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Today, she is a bestselling author of realistic contemporary teen novels. Before becoming a full-time author, Susane was a high school science teacher. And as revealed in a YouTube video "Epic Author Facts," Susane, grew up in New Jersey and a huge fan of David Letterman, she still has Chez, her teddy bear.

After learning all this, I quickly subscribed to her Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube channel. I'm now a fan. 

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SHANNON SMITH

I have a thing for long curly hair. So, naturally, I was drawn towards Shannon Smith, who posed on staircase lifting her blue sundress revealing her beautiful ass and gorgeous legs. A profile of a breast is exposed as she looks downward towards the camera. The caption reads, "Shannon Smith... of Dartmouth is an animal lover, too -- but no tame stuff for her: She's interested in primate and tiger care."

Later, in a Dartmouth periodical, Shannon explained her choice in posing for Playboy, "I believe the human body is beautiful and not something that should be hidden. It is not something against women, but for the human body."

Today, Shannon works in homeless health care and founder of a sobering center. After graduating from Dartmouth, she moved to Los Angeles and pursued a career in nursing. She explains in a Roads Taken podcast, "... I really wanted to help people, and I had been volunteering a lot. I worked a lot with homeless agencies in Venice and Los Angeles. Nursing was able to put me in the forefront of what ended up being exactly what I wanted to do."

AMANDA PANAGAKOS

Like I said above, I have a weakness for long curls. The last "Women of the Ivy League" featured in this pictorial was Amanda Panagakos, a stunning long curly brown hair 19-year old who's black dress is drop around her hips bearing her pretty breast. She has her butt against the key slip fo a piano. The caption reads, "Finally, say hello to 19-year-old Amanda Panagakos... a hotel administration major attending Cornell, where she hops to learn the secrets of opening her own resort. Until then, the dancer-lifeguard wouldn't mind being a Playmate." 

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Amanda Panagakos Guadagnino is now a councilwoman for a town in New Jersey. After graduating Cornell, she worked as a golf shop manager -- eight months at Trump National Golf Club at Bedminster--before becoming a medical office manager. 

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Although, I am first to admit that I always look forward in receiving Playboy magazines for the girls. Yes, the articles were good, but it was the centerfolds and pictorials that I was after. But looking back as an adult, there is an appreciation for these representatives of "Women of the Ivy League" and what they've accomplished in life. 

Sources:

https://www.spokesman.com/blogs/spincontrol/2014/feb/07/amy-biviano-returns-political-arena/

https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2012/oct/19/legislative-hopeful-posed-topless-playboy/

http://unprofessionalcritic.blogspot.com/2010/03/awesome-author-interview-part-deux.html

https://www.susanecolasanti.com/press

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susane_Colasanti

https://www.thedartmouth.com/article/1995/09/dartmouth-women-grace-playboy

https://archive.dartmouthalumnimagazine.com/article/1995/12/1/playboys-view-of-the-green

https://www.audible.com/pd/A-Place-to-Land-Shannon-Smith-Bernardin-on-caring-for-others-and-determining-what-is-needed-Podcast/B08W53RR82

https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanda-guadagnino-7b60447/

https://northbrunswicknj.gov/government/council/