Gennady Stolyarov II departs for a 'dangerous world'

Iconic student soon graduates with triple-major in safe, quantifiable subjects; 'dresses like a 19th-century professor'

By: Mary Petrides

Posted: 4/23/09

Clad in a black dress suit, senior Gennady Stolyarov II sat in AJ's Cafe, his Cuffley hat resting on the table.

"When one dies, it's like a whole universe is extinguished," he said. He shifted matter-of-factly and leaned forward in his seat, unable to find accurate words to describe the post-mortem condition.

"The best way to talk about nothing is the following."

He folded his hands and was silent for a moment.

"It's nothing," he said. "I am profoundly disturbed by that."

He said Pascal's Wager doesn't hold water because in Hell, the individual has the dignity of suffering - a fate he finds preferable to nonexistence.

"I'm a very risk-averse person," he said.

He said he used to run outside, but recently switched to an elliptical trainer in the Roche Sports Complex because it's safer. In August of last year, he gathered granola bars, water and reading materials and spent four hours, 24 minutes and 51 seconds running a marathon on the elliptical.

A real marathon is dangerous, he said, because there's no guarantee of food or water, and weather and traffic are unpredictable.

He exercises regularly for his health, and found that a systematic approach to motivation worked better than a sheer act of will. He assigned points to various exercises - five points for a minute of walking, one point for each floor exercise.

He initially aimed for 1,000 per day, but "on some days it would lead to these absurdities" like repeated shoulder exercises and no running.

He found a watch-like device that records his heart rate and calories burned per day. He said he tries to burn 500 calories per day.

Finding Wendy

On Sept. 14, 2006, Gennady and some friends returned from a concert and sat in the lobby of McIntyre Dormitory. Wendy Bateman, a freshman Olds resident at the time, overheard them discussing Ayn Rand.

"She asked me, 'you like Ayn Rand, don't you?' And I said 'yes,'" he said.

"We talked till late that night, till probably midnight or 1 a.m. and spent the whole next day together, except when we were in class. And from that point on, we were basically inseparable," Wendy said.

The two became engaged the following February.

But no one found out until March 2008, when Gennady created an account on Facebook, Wendy said. She already had an account, but couldn't set her relationship status until he joined.

"He set us as engaged and then everybody knew," she said.

They plan to marry on May 24 in Wendy's parents' backyard in Texas. After the ceremony, they will take a cruise in the Caribbean.

Gennady said the two don't rely on emotional highs and they try to minimize the emotional roller coaster that often accompanies relationships.

They watch movies together - particularly mysteries, Gennady said, because he enjoys their predictability.

"They always have a nice, clear systematic solution," he said. "Even if a gruesome murder happens, you know it's going to be resolved at the end…It's a kind of level of assurance that one doesn't get in the real world."

Wendy said they complement each other well: he motivates her to work and she shows him how to calm down and relax.

"There was never any pressure with us. It was just what we're going to do," Wendy said. "With Gennady, it was like we were family already."

Looking ahead?

Gennady triple majored in mathematics, economics and German. He spent eight semesters in Professor of German Eberhard Geyer's classes, beginning with a 300-level German course.

"I find that he has guts for some of the outfits," Geyer said. "I personally would go more with the flow. He dresses like a nineteenth-century professor. It's courageous."

Gennady said that during his time at Hillsdale, he has gained an appreciation for his condition in the world and learned not to rely on other people.

"Most other people - how shall I say it? - well, you can't rely on them to be as concerned about your life as you are," he said. "Sometimes they'll do nice things for you, but you should never rely on them."

After graduation and the wedding, Gennady plans to work as an actuary, beginning in late June. He's had job offers, but won't decide until late April where he will work.

"The only thing I'm really worried about is hyperinflation," he said.

Most undergraduates pass one actuarial exam before graduation - pay scale increases for each exam passed - but Gennady has passed four.

He said he's glad he came to Hillsdale when he did.

"Academically, this is a wonderful place," he said.

His years as a student here changed him, he said.

"I suppose what I've learned most thoroughly ... There's a lot more uncertainty in the world than appears at first glance," he said. "The older I get, the more vulnerability I perceive in the everyday existence of life … It's a very interesting world, and in many respects it's a very dangerous world."