Chinese Martial Arts Association at Cornell
Formerly the Shaolin Kung Fu Association at Cornell - SKFAC

Jared Cooper     home page

Jared began studying KokushiRyu Goshinho Ju-Jitsu in 1984 under Kyoshi Bill Palmer and Sensei Karen Palmer; also with Soke Nobyoshi Higashi, the founder of the style. Originating in Japan in 1965 this style of Ju-Jitsu was oriented towards street defense, as Soke Higashi’s brother was the police training officer in Tokyo. Jared earned his black belt in 1992 and went on to teach classes during high school. He met then the man that introduced him to the Chinese arts, Somer Urgulec, who would have a great influence on how Jared perceived martial art training. After entering Cornell, he found himself training with a number of artists and in a number of styles including Thai Boxing (under Kevin Seaman), Kung Fu (under Maurice Holthom), Aikido, Brazilian grappling, American boxing, and an amalgam of other styles (with Sensei Aki Bryson). Between 1994 and 1998 he taught for the Shaolin Kung Fu Association at Cornell with Sifu Eddie Padlan and Kyosoonim Michael Torres. He has given several demonstrations at Cornell’s International Living Center with his co-instructors, has taught guest seminars at Cornell’s summer camp, and has attended and trained at numerous world class seminars during this time. His training now primarily focuses on Brazilian Ju-jitsu and Boxing.

Lawrence Eng     home page

     Lawrence Eng began his formal martial arts training when he was 8 and trained on and off over the years. In Fall 1994, he took the Kung Fu PE class where he met Eddie Padlan, Mike Torres, and Jared Cooper. Lawrence became an original member of the SKFAC in January 1995 and the club treasurer in Fall 1995, and was an assistant instructor.
     A student of martial arts history and theory since he was a child, Lawrence took full advantage of his time at Cornell (1994-98) to study the martial arts, learning various martial disciplines from his instructors and fellow members of the SKFAC as well as other martial artists on campus.

Erik Harris     home page

Beginning in 1984, Erik studied Poekoelan Tja Kalong, the "Bat" system of an Indonesian martial art taught by Great Grandmaster Willem Reeders, for a year and a half under Cheryl Dolce. Since 1990, Erik has been studying another system based on Reeders' teachings, under Shifu George Reyngoudt at the Academy of Chinese-Indonesian Fighting Arts. It is primarily based on the Chinese system of Chuan Fa that Reeders taught, but also has elements of the Indonesian martial arts that he taught. For more information, visit Erik's CIMAC page. He also has limited experience in Kali and Taiji ("Indonesian" and Yang styles), as well as the arts taught in the club since he joined in the Fall 1996 semester, and served as Vice President from Spring 1998 to Fall 2000. Erik graduated with a BS in Electrtical Engineering in May 2000.

Ilya Kravchenko     home page

Ilya started with Nothern Shaolin 5 Animal Fist in Moscow, Russia in 1989, had been studying it untill 1993 in Moscow and continues on his own since moving to US. At Cornell took Aikido 1994-present, practice Tai Chi on and off last 6 years. 1995-present - train in Wing Chun. Ilya joined the club in the Fall 1997 semester, and earned his PhD and left in the Spring 1999 semester.

Lee Lichtenstein     home page

Lee joined SKFAC in its first semester, Spring 1995. He took Tae Kwon Do at Cornell for one semester before joining SKFAC and continued TKD for one more semester alongside his training at SKFAC. Other than that, he had no martial arts experience. Lee graduated from Cornell in 1998 with a BA in Computer Science. Since then, he has taken some boxing and kung fu, but found that none of the other classes were as fun as those with SKFAC.

Roman Lobkovsky     home page

Roman had a year of experience in Washin Ryu Karate, obtaining the level of Blue Belt, before joining the club in the Fall 1995 semester. He got his first taste of martial arts in the summer of 1993 when he had a few weeks of Wushu training. He currently knows more of the Hung Gar forms that Eddie taught than anyone else in the club, and is a well rounded martial artist. Roman was a co-vice president of CMAAC during the 1998-1999 school year, and graduated in May 1999.

Eddie Padlan     home page

     Edwin B. Padlan, known to his training partners as Eddie, has been studying the martial arts since July, 1989. He reached the rank of blackbelt at the Shaolin Ch'uan Fa Kung Fu Academy in August, 1992 where he studied primarily Hung Gar Kung Fu, under Sifu Rik Kellerman.. He now holds the rank of 2nd degree black belt. Eddie has also studied various other styles of Kung Fu including Praying Mantis, Wing Chun, Bak Mei, and Choy Lay Fut.
     In his first semester at Cornell University, Eddie acted as the teaching assistant in the Kung Fu Physical Education class. In January 1995, he founded the Shaolin Kung Fu Association at Cornell and acted as one of the instructors until graduating in May 1998.
     In Eddie's four years at Cornell, he trained in such styles as Jiu-jitsu, Hap Ki Do, Tae Kwon Do, and Wing Chun Kung Fu, as well as continuing to teach and train Hung Gar and Praying Mantis Kung Fu.

Tuyen Phan     home page

Tuyen trained for a little more than a year in Judo, Aiki Bujitsu, and Shotokan Karate, primarily focusing on Karate. He also took Cornell's Kung Fu PE class, where he didn't learn much, but became highly intrigued by the techniques. He says his martial arts study also includes lots of Jackie Chan, Jet Li, and other martial arts movies. Tuyen joined the club in the Fall 1998 semester. Tuyen graduated in May 2000.

Kevin Rodriguez     home page

Kevin had no experience in martial arts before enrolling in Cornell's Kung Fu PE class, and became one of the founding members in the Spring 1995 semester. Since then, he learned some of all of the systems that were taught in the club since he joined, until he left at the end of the Fall 1998 semester.

Carlo Romero     home page

Carlo began Tae Kwon Do in 1987 and earned his first dan black belt in 1989 under Master J.K Choi, Vice President of the Universal Martial Arts Association. He went on to achieve a 3rd degree black belt in the summer of 1996. Carlo also sampled from Kempo karate and boxing until he joined the Shaloin Kung Fu Association in 1995 where he has studied Hung Gar, grappling, and boxing. During the spring of 1998, he was practicing Savate, a French kickboxing discipline. Carlo was an assistant instructor for the club from the time he joined until he graduated in May 1999.

Mike Torres     home page

     Michael I. Torres, a 1st Dan Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do and Hap Ki Do, began his martial arts training at age 9. He received his WTF certification (#5911526) on December 21, 1995 and his UHI certification (#1197) on August 22, 1996. He studied under 8th Dan Black Belt, Master Kwang J. Lee, and 8th Dan Black Belt Master Ik Hwan Kim in Bloomfield, NJ before attending Cornell University at age 17.
     During the past 5 years, Michael has studied various arts, including Hung Gar Kung Fu, Wing Chun Kung Fu, Western-style boxing, Jiu-jistsu and grappling. His specialties are street applicable techniques and striking.
     As a founding member, Vice-President, and an Instructor of the Shaolin Kung Fu Associaton, Michael studied with, taught, and learned from, fellow martial arts instructors; Edwin Padlan, Jared Cooper, Lawrence Eng, Erik Harris, and Carlo Romero among other highly qualified students. He was an active member from 1995-1998.

Chris Zanelli     home page

Chris had no experience in martial arts prior to joining the club in his Fall 1997 semester. Starting his Hung Gar training primarily under club co-founder Sifu Eddie Padlan, he continues his studies at the Shaolin Ch'uan Fa Kung Fu Academy, under Sifu Rik Kellerman. Chris has trained hard here and at home to gain both his black sash and permission from his sifu to teach part of the curriculum here at the club and continue in Sifu Eddie's footsteps. Along with his kung fu training he has taught a cardio-kickboxing class, introduced to his school by his sifu, for 3 months. Chris graduated with a BS in Operations Research/Industrial Engineering in May 2000.

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Copyright © 1998-1999 Erik Harris.