OSWEGO ALUMNI ASSOCIATION OF THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK AT OSWEGO n VOL. 43, NO. 1 n SPRING 2017
HGTV HOME Design Director Nancy Fire Breslau ’83 n Q&A with President Deborah F. Stanley n Tyler Hall Re-Opens
with Weeklong Celebration
REUNION • JUNE 8 – 11, 2017
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REgIstRatION Is OpEN!
Sunsets along the flat rocks? Nights at your favorite old haunts? Lake effect storms?
All class years, Greeks and groups are welcome! Classes celebrating milestone reunions: 1942, 1947, 1952, 1957, 1962, 1967, 1972, 1977, 1986, 1987, 1988 and 1992
Groups holding special mini reunions: Alpha Delta Eta, Alpha Sigma Chi, Beta Tau Epsilon, Comm Studies ‘86-’88 Alumni, Delta Chi Omega/Tau Kappa Epsilon (50th Anniversary), Delta Kappa Kappa, Delta Phi Epsilon (30th Anniversary), Delta Zeta, Omega Delta Phi, Omicron Xi (35th Anniversary), Phi Lambda Phi, Phi Omicron Xi (50th Anniversary), Pi Delta Chi/Arethusa Eta, Psi Phi Gamma, Sigma Gamma (70th Anniversary), Sigma Tau Chi, Theta Chi Rho and Wrestling
Advance registration is required and can be completed online: alumni.oswego.edu/reunion.
Come back to campus and get into an Oswego State of Mind! Plus, you can: • Reconnect with friends at the “Come As You Were” BBQ at Fallbrook Friday night. • Relax along the lakeshore Saturday afternoon at the “Picnic on the Lake.” • Enjoy Rick Zuccaro and his All-Star Billy Joel Tribute Band Saturday night at the “Oswego State of Mind” Concert. • Re-live your Oswego days by staying on campus in air-conditioned Johnson and Riggs halls. • Experience many other Reunion activities!
For more information: Reunion Hotline 315-312-5559 Email reunion@oswego.edu Take advantage of early-bird pricing and register before May 19! alumni.oswego.edu/reunion
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Alumni Association of the State University of New York at Oswego Vol. 43, No. 1
77th Annual Technology Conference 7 Approximately 350 people—most of whom are alumni— returned to campus to learn about such new technologies as augmented reality, 3D printing and robotics and how they can be incorporated into classrooms.
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Pantry Opens to Help Students in Need 8 The Students Helping Oz Peers (S.H.O.P.) opened in the basement of Penfield Library to provide students in need with food, toiletries and clothing.
Chemistry Professor and Students Explore Green Solution for Air Quality Problems 14 The research that Vadoud Niri and his undergraduate assistants conducted is helping to identify how some household plants remove volatile organic compounds from the air.
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All Fired Up 24 Design director Nancy Fire Breslau ’83 has created looks that appear in all aspects of our lives, from fabrics and fashion to furniture and fixtures.
Tyler Hall Take 2 Debut 28 A weeklong celebration marked the completion of a $22.2 million Phase 1 renovation, with Phase 2 work scheduled to begin this summer.
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Campus Currents Calendar Class Notes Weddings Alumni Bookshelf In Memoriam ON THE COVER:
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Nancy Fire Breslau ’83, founder of Design Works International in New York City, shows off her designs at her home in Manhattan. Photo by Travis W. Keyes.
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ith the arrival of spring in Oswego, Mother Nature spruces up her appearance as more people head outside to enjoy the warmer air and her splendor. It is almost as if she is President inviting us to feel Deborah F. Stanley “at home” again after a long winter. In this issue, we explore the idea of “home” through Nancy Fire Breslau ’83, the creative director of Design Works International, a lifestyle design company in New York City (story on page 24). She helps companies cultivate designs for all kinds of products to make our homes more comfortable and to suit our indivi dual tastes while keeping up with emerging industry trends. She shares her passion for design with millions of consumers as design director for HGTV HOME, and she traces her open-mindedness and collaborative nature to her education at Oswego. She recalls the supportive culture of the Tyler Hall students and faculty who helped her identify and hone her strengths as an artist. So many alumni have had similar expe riences within the walls of Tyler Hall— pulling all-nighters to finish a project or assignment, collaborating with peers and bonding over constructive critiques. In the fall, we celebrated the renovation of many key spaces, including Waterman Theatre, Tyler Art Gallery and the lobby, within our fine arts home during the weeklong cele bration, Tyler Hall Take 2 Debut (story on page 28). The Phase 2 renovations of Tyler begin this summer, including the exterior of the building. You can hear some of the firsthand accounts in our Tyler Tales project, alumni.oswego.edu/magazine, or
submit your own tale at oswego.edu/tyler tales. Emeritus Professor John Mincher also talks about his role in the development of the first Waterman Theatre in our Faculty Hall of Fame on page 50. One of the greatest pleasures of my presidency is hearing stories like Nancy’s and other alumni about the transformative impact a SUNY Oswego education has had on their lives. I am honored to share these stories and use them as inspiration in my new role as chair of the American Associa tion of State Colleges and Universities, an organization of nearly 420 public institu tions of higher education that is committed to the idea that a better informed, creative and productive citizenry benefits society. This organization provides a forum for sharing best practices, supporting member institutions, creating professional develop ment opportunities, developing public policy and coordinating advocacy efforts. Learn more about this important organiza tion in a Q&A on page 22. In a few short weeks, I look forward to welcoming members of AASCU to my home campus, the site of an AASCU spring meeting. I take pride in showcasing the facilities and beauty of our lakeside campus, and I hope that our guests feel their visit gives them a sense of who we are as a college. I also invite you back to your Oswego home—maybe for Reunion 2017, June 8-11. Check out our fresh looks and updated styles, and rediscover the familiar parts of campus that make you feel at home again. Welcome home!
Deborah F. Stanley President
By including SUNY Oswego in your will or estate plans, you have the power to make an impact on lives of future generations of students. Join others dedicated to carrying out the work of Oswego’s founder, Edward Austin Sheldon, as members of the Sheldon Legacy Society. For more information, visit alumni.oswego. edu/plannedgiving, email sheldonlegacy@oswego. edu or call 315-312-3003. l
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Jeff Rea ’71 Contributing Writers Shaunna Arnold M’04 Jennifer Broderick Robert Clark ’78 Karen Drotar Laura Pavlus Kelly ’09 Travis W. Keyes Nicole Lightfoot ’18 Reynaldo Osoria ’11 Cristal Rojas Contributing Photographers Shenandoah Briere ’17 Criselda Mapoy ’17 Kaitlin Popow ’18 Rane Prieto ’17 Elena Semenza ’17 Emily Shaben ’18 Interns
Oswego Alumni Association Inc. Board of Directors
Lisa Marceau Schnorr ’87 President Amy Vanderlyke Dygert ’01 First Vice President Kathleen Smits Evans ’84 Second Vice President Keith Chamberlain ’87 Past President Elizabeth Locke Oberst Executive Director Edgar Ames ’68 *Tim Barnhart ’02 Marc Beck ’93 Paul Brennan ’93 *Michael Byrne ’79 Mike Caldwell ’70 **Mary Gibbons Canale ’81 Karen Colucci Coia ’89 Raelynn Cooter ’77 Jerry Esposito ’70 Donna Goldsmith ’82 Thaina Gonzalez ’92
Phillip Grome M’89 Jennifer Warner Janes ’91 La-Dana Renee Jenkins ’94 Maureen Flynn Kratz ’04 Claire Lacure ’17 *Don Levine ’78 Molly Mattot ’15 *Steve Messina ’91 Dana Segall Murphy ’99 Cathleen Richards ’09 Mark Salmon ’93 Dan Scaia ’68 Stefen Short ’10 *Jennifer Shropshire ’86 Christie Torruella Smith ’08 Jeffrey Sorensen ’92 **Deborah F. Stanley Kevin Sutherland ’05 Koren Vaughan ’95 Rick Yacobush ’77 Thomas Yates ’89 * At large ** Ex officio
Oswego College Foundation Inc. Board of Directors Mary Gibbons Canale ’81 President Michael Durney ’83 Chair Rose Cardamone Crane ’81 Vice Chair Nicholas Lyons Treasurer Doreen Mochrie ’85 Secretary Mark Baum ’81 Louis A. Borrelli Jr. ’77 Bill Burns ’83 Steve Doran ’82
Bob Garrett ’83 Jack James ’62 Matt Jenal ’78 Gordon Lenz ’58 Peter McCarthy ’82 Robert Moritz ’85 Colleen Murphy ’77 Suzanne Castrigno Sack ’84 William Spinelli ’84 Deborah F. Stanley Marcia F. ThompsonYoung ’81 Mark Tryniski ’85 Joe Yacura '74
State University of New York at Oswego Deborah F. Stanley President Walter B. Roettger Acting Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Nicholas Lyons Vice President for Administration and Finance
Mary Gibbons Canale ’81 Interim Vice President for Development and Alumni Relations Jerald Woolfolk Vice President for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management
Office of Alumni and Parent Relations
You can make an Oswego education even better for future generations!
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Elizabeth Locke Oberst Publisher Margaret D. Spillett Editor Eileen Crandall Associate Editor Matt Cummins Online Coordinator Jim Russell ’83 Staff Photographer Kiefer Creative Graphic Design Lisa Potter In Memoriam Michael Bielak Kerry Casey Dorsey ’81 Tim Nekritz M’05
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King Alumni Hall, SUNY Oswego, Oswego, NY 13126 Phone: 315-312-2258 Fax: 315-312-4004 Email: alumni@oswego.edu Website: alumni.oswego.edu f facebook.com/oswegoalumni t @oswegoalumni
OSWEGO is published three times a year by the Oswego Alumni Association Inc., King Alumni Hall, State University of New York at Oswego, Oswego, NY 13126. It is distributed free of charge to alumni, friends, faculty, staff and families of current students, with support from The Fund for Oswego. Printed April 2017.
OSWEGO Alumni Magazine is printed on recycled paper with inks that are non-toxic, contain no heavy metals, and are composed of bio-derived renewable resources ranging from 25-40% (as a percentage of total ink weight).
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Alumni and their Children Share Stories during Annual Legacy Reception or Nathan Town ’19, Oswego is the place of family lore. His parents’ first kiss occurred at the city’s high school when they were teenagers competing with the Jordan-Elbridge (N.Y.) High School marching band. Then, of course, there is the SUNY Oswego campus. His parents, Todd and Christine Howes Town ’91, created many memo ries on this campus, including his dad’s proposal to his mother in Hart Hall just before winter break of her junior year.
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“It was December 12, 1989,” Christine said. “He stood right in the doorway and asked me to marry him.” The family recalled those moments during the Oswego Alumni Associa tion’s (OAA) Alumni Legacy Reception on Oct. 22 in King Alumni Hall. They were among a few dozen families who attended the event held during the college’s annual Friends and Family Weekend. “When I visited campus, I immedi ately pictured myself here, despite the weather,” Nathan Town said. “I am pursuing a business administration major, following in my mother’s footsteps.” Robert Davies ’20 of Manlius, N.Y., said he always enjoyed hearing the stories that his father, Robert ’88, shared about Oswego, so when it came time to pick a college, he had to visit his dad’s lakeside campus. “Oswego just felt like home while I was touring campus,” the younger Robert said. Matthew Schomber ’88 showed a yearbook to his son “Oswego also had the Eric ’19, an accounting major.
On Feb. 14, student volunteers rallied around Love a Donor Day to thank alumni, faculty and staff for making contributions to The Fund for Oswego. In 2015-16, a total of 6,918 donors gave $4.2 million to help support scholarships, activities and programs that directly enhance the quality of students’ educational experience. Hundreds of students also signed thank-you postcards that were sent to donors.
Nathan Town ’19 with his parents, Todd and Christine Howes Town ’91
degree program [global and international studies] that I was looking for … Also, you can’t beat living next to a lake!” Families flipped through yearbooks, finding loved ones who had studied here—some from several generations ago. The guests in attendance learned about some of the student programs sponsored by the OAA as well as the scholarships available to students, including one specifically for students of alumni. l —Margaret Spillett
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Students Celebrate Love a Donor Day
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Schnorr Family Acknowledges Ties to Oswego through New Scholarship UNY Oswego plays a leading role in the evolution of some families. Such is the case for Mark ’89 and Lisa Marceau Schnorr ’87. Their connection began in Professor John Kane’s Mathematical Economics course and rekindled years later during a social encounter at Oswego. The couple married and their lives drifted away from their alma mater for several years. But when it came time for their daughter, Nicole ’15, to apply to colleges, the family included Oswego on the list of possibilities. Initially, Nicole didn’t know if she wanted to attend the same college her parents had attended, but one visit to campus during high school changed her mind. She ended up applying early decision, graduated with a degree in human resources management and has begun a successful career with Constel lation Brands in Northern California. Their son, Derek ’18, also enrolled at Oswego and is majoring in accounting in
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the School of Business, the same school in which his parents and sister studied. As their children joined the college community, the Schnorrs deepened their connections to the college as well.
When Nicole was beginning at Oswego, the Schnorrs attended an Alumni Legacy Reception during Friends and Family Weekend. That led to Lisa’s involvement on the Oswego Alumni Association board, where she currently serves as president. She and Mark served as parent chairs of The Fund for Oswego during 2013-14, and then last year, the couple established the Schnorr Family Scholarship. The scholarship recognizes students in the School of Business who demonstrate outstanding academic achievement by maintaining a minimum GPA of 3.4 and student leadership in the school or across the college community. “Oswego has had such an impact on the entire Schnorr family,” she said. “We were proud to establish a scholar ship to help support future students for many, many years to come. I look forward to meeting all the students who benefit from this great university.” l —Margaret Spillett
Alumna, Husband Support School of Education Students hen Lynn Nagy Farrar ’61 was a SUNY Oswego student, there was no tuition. “My parents couldn’t have afforded it if there had been,” said Farrar, who went on to a career as a mathematics teacher for schools in New York, including West Genesee (Camillus), Pittsford and Rochester. Farrar counts herself among the “very fortunate” who have been able to get the education they needed to have successful careers, she said. That’s why she and husband, Neil, decided to estab lish the Lynn Nagy Farrar ’61 Endowed Scholarship to support a student with financial need majoring in education. “We needed to give back,” Neil said. “With scholarships, today’s students can have the pressure taken off the financial part in order to reach their goals.” OSWEGO
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As a student, Lynn was active in Theta Chi Rho sorority and Kappa Delta Pi honor society. Although she and Neil had attended the same high school in Solvay, N.Y., they had only been acquaintances then. Fate brought them back together when Lynn took a walk with friends on the breakwall that leads to the Oswego lighthouse. At the lighthouse was Neil—who later completed his degree at Syracuse University—on active duty for the U.S. Coast Guard. They have been together since; the couple will celebrate their 53rd wedding anniversary in June. They have two daughters, Susan and Sarah. Reflecting on her decision to attend SUNY Oswego to become a teacher— a profession choice that her father had predicted for her from a young age— Lynn hopes the scholarship helps another student prepare for a wonderful life of 4
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teaching, as it did for her. In fact, when it came time to select a college, Lynn applied only to Oswego. “There wasn’t any question about it,” she said. “After all, it was Oswego.” l —Eileen Crandall
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OAA Welcomes December Graduates during Commencement Eve Dessert Reception December graduates and their families shared a toast during the Commencement Eve Dessert Reception Dec. 16 in the Sheldon Hall Ballroom. Rhay Guillen ’14, (middle) the regional communication coordinator for the New York State Assembly, delivered a short address to students and wished them good luck in their future endeavors. l
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New OAA Board of Directors (from left): Phillip Grome M’89, Molly Matott ’15, Jennifer Warner Janes ’91 and Thaina Gonzalez ’92
Four Named to OAA Board of Directors
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recipient and was active in several clubs and professional organizations. She resides in Liverpool, N.Y. In addition to the election of new members, Lisa Marceau Schnorr ’87 was elected to the position of president; Amy Vanderlyke Dygert ’01 and Kathleen Smits Evans ’84 were voted in as first and second vice president, respectively. They will serve in these roles for two years. Past President Keith Chamberlain ’87 remains on the board as a member of the Executive Committee. Tim Barnhart ’02 and Michael Byrne ’79 became members-at-large after serving the maximum three threeyear terms. Wrapping up their terms on the board were Lisa Court ’83 and Josh Miller ’08. The Oswego Alumni Association Board is a volunteer entity with primary oversight of the association’s funds and business operations; members actively participate in the shaping of OAA policies and strategic decision-making for alumni engagement on behalf of the more than 85,000 alumni of SUNY Oswego. l —Margaret Spillett
JIM RUSSELL ’83
During the November meeting of the Oswego Alumni Association Board of Directors, the board welcomed four new members, each serving a three-year term beginning July 1, 2016. Thaina Gonzalez ’92 is manager of executive offices/board liaison of Sponsors for Educational Opportunity in New York, N.Y. She has been active as a founding Return to Oz volunteer, a New York City regional volunteer and an alumni admissions volunteer. She resides in Bronx, N.Y. Phillip Grome M’89 is the career and technical education director for the Onondaga-Cortland-Madison Boards of Cooperative Educational Services. He has worked closely with Oswego’s School of Education vocational teacher preparation program. He resides in Camillus, N.Y. Jennifer Warner Janes ’91 is the director of alumni relations at Wells College. She has been active as reunion giving chair for the Oswego Class of 1991, and has extensive experience in higher education in alumni and development organizations. She resides in Cato, N.Y. Molly Matott ’15 is a meteorologist for CNY Central in Syracuse, N.Y. As a student, she was a 2015 Chancellor’s Award
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or Curtiss Matterson ’54, it all started with a soap box derby— crafting a wooden race car, no longer than 6 feet, nor wider than 3 feet. “I loved working with my hands and building things,” Matterson said. On his first trip to SUNY Oswego, he met with a group of GIs who were students in the industrial arts program, and he said, “I went gaga.” With the $50 in his pocket from his job at a heating company, he paid the fees to enroll in SUNY Oswego. “I loved it there,” said the Psi Phi Gamma brother, who can still rattle off his lengthy “given” fraternity name and sing a few Psi Phi songs. “Oswego has played a very important part in my life.” For a few years after graduation, Matterson taught elementary industrial arts in Rochester, N.Y., where he created hands-on learning projects to comple ment the classroom teacher’s lessons. For example, when the fourth-graders learned about the Native Americans who lived on the Great Plains, he developed a project for the students to make their own teepees and clay pots. “I tried to create projects that enhanced learning,” he said.
He moved from teaching to a position with the New York State Teachers Associa tion, which took him to 48 U.S. states and even overseas. Eventually, he founded his own association management company, Matterson and Associates. His wife, Liz, and his two daughters joined him in the business. Over the next 25 years, he helped numerous state and national organiza tions fulfill their missions of advocacy and education. Daughter Deborah followed in his footsteps and now serves as the chief executive officer of the Irrigation Associa tion in Fairfax, Va. Throughout his retirement, Matterson has been an active Reunion volunteer and has encouraged Oswego alumni to connect with and support their alma mater. He teamed up with classmates to fund the Class of 1954 Scholarship, and most recently, he and Liz established the Curtiss B. ’54 and Elizabeth V. Matterson Scholarship, which supports a first-year student with financial need majoring in technology education, technology manage ment or vocational teacher preparation. “It’s a small payback for what I got out of my Oswego education,” he said. “My Oswego experience has done well for me all my life. It gave me the leadership I needed and guidelines to take advantage of the opportunities that opened up to me.” l —Margaret Spillett
Please update your email address! In our ongoing efforts to decrease costs and be more “green,” some regional events will only be marketed via email. Please make sure to send us your current email address so you won’t miss out on Oswego coming to your town and other important news from campus! alumni@oswego.edu | 315-312-2258
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Hands-On Educator Supports the Next Generation of Kinesthetic Learners
Diversity Expert, Innovator Speaks at December Commencement
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amon A. Williams, an author, innovator and global leader in critically thinking about diversity and change management, spoke at the college’s December Commencement Dec. 17 in the Marano Campus Center convocation center and arena. More than 500 candidates for undergraduate and graduate degrees and certificates were invited to participate in the ceremony. l
Business school, green commitment earn Princeton Review’s recognition
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he Princeton Review once again placed the college’s School of Busi ness on its list of the nation’s best, and recognized the college’s emphasis on sustainability by including Oswego in “The Princeton Review’s Guide to 361 Green Colleges.” l
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Augmented Reality, Robotics Among Topics at SUNY Oswego’s 77th Annual Technology Conference New York as part of the Department of Technology’s 77th Fall Conference for educators/professionals from different school disciplines held Oct. 27-28. The approximately 350 conference attendees took part in more than 50 programs offered by nearly 100 different presenters — many of whom are alumni — plus the Technology Innovation Showcase, a reception at Lake Ontario Event and Conference Center, professional develop ment/contact sessions and numerous commercial exhibits with the latest for the classroom and laboratory. Richard Bush ’92 M’97, conference chair and a technology department faculty member, said alumni play a critical role in the success of the conference’s programming. “Over 90 percent of the conference’s participants are alumni,” Bush said. “The draw is certainly to see what’s new in the profession, what’s new at the college and to see old friends.” Other topics covered during the two-day conference included a look at the Makerspace Movement, including software and 3D printing by SUNY Oswego tech nology Professor Donna Matteson ’83 M’88 and Richard Kulibert ’05.
Clark Greene ’81 spoke about the National Academies Report on STEM Integration and its implications for technology education.
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he summer of 2016 will be remembered for the Pokemon Go phenomenon, which made augmented reality a main stream technology. “Pokemon Go touched so many lives,” said Tiphanie Gonzalez ’05 M’07 of the free-to-play, location-based augmented reality game that sent humans of all ages outdoors with their mobile devices in hand. The game taps into devices’ GPS capability to locate, capture, battle and train virtual mythical creatures that appear on the screen as if they are in the same real-world location as the player. “So many people were playing, and that is one of the things we are seeing now: Augmented reality is part of our everyday lives,” said Gonzalez during her SUNY Oswego Technology Conference presentation, “Using Mixed and Augmented Reality in the Class room.” Through augmented reality technol ogies that are readily available, “a student can explore the world and be immersed, even explore the universe,” she said. Gonzalez shared different types of tech nology from free and low-cost apps avail able on smart phones to the use of augmented/virtual labs used for training programs. Her presentation drew middle and high school teachers from throughout
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Tiphanie Gonzalez ’05 M’07 of the Depart ment of Counseling and Psychological Services presented on the use of augmented reality in the classroom.
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Robotics programming, including how to start and maintain a program, was the topic of a session prepared by Joe Gallina ’02 and Justin Montois ’14. And Clark Greene ’81 spoke about the National Acad emies Report on STEM Integration and its implications for technology education. Greene’s presentation highlighted key elements of the report and its importance as a tool to advance the inclusion of tech nology and engineering education in STEM initiatives at all levels. l —Eileen Crandall More than 350 educators explored emerging technologies to use in their classrooms during the 77th annual Department of Technology Fall Conference.
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Pantry Opens to Help Students in Need ast fall, SUNY Oswego opened a pantry with food, toiletries and winter clothing to meet a need among college students who sometimes lack these necessities. The Students Helping Oz Peers project — or S.H.O.P. for short — opened its pantry in October in Room 3 in Penfield Library’s basement. “Food insecurity issues affect students at colleges and universities everywhere,” Dean of Students Jerri Howland said. An October 2016 report by the National Student Campaign Against Hunger and Homelessness found 20 percent of students at four-year schools across the nation qual ified as having very low food security, with 48 percent of respondents reporting food insecurity in the previous 30 days. Some students report they must choose between eating enough and buying books, Howland explained, and some on meal plans choose the lowest-cost plan, though they may need more food. “When you have to make a choice between buying books and food, well, we don’t want students to have to make that choice,” she said. “Most of the time you
suffer in silence until a peer or a staff member identifies there’s a need.” Nearly $4,000 was raised to seed the pantry, including $3,194.79 through Student Associ ation’s Miss-A-Meal fundraiser, $710 from the Oswego College Foundation Inc. and an additional $15 donation from a department. “We are excited about those gifts, and we’ve started an account,” Howland said. Oswego worked with the College and University Food Bank Alliance, which offers a campus pantry toolkit. While non-perishable foods, clothing and toiletries have been gathered, donations of more are welcome, and monetary donations also are appreciated. Those with questions about using the pantry or looking to donate can email shop@oswego.edu or visit alumni.oswego.edu/givenow. l
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MEETING NEEDS — Shown with some of the nonperishable foods available to SUNY Oswego students in need at the new Students Helping Oz Peers (S.H.O.P.) pantry are volunteers Amanda Sehres ’16 M’17 (left), a school counseling major and a graduate assistant student coordinator of the project, and Rachel McGriff ’14 M’17, a graduate assistant at the Counseling Serv ices Center and a mental health counseling major. The pantry opened in Room 3 in Penfield Library’s basement in October and offers food, toiletries and winter clothing to students in need.
1861 Challenge Raises More than $125k
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n Oct. 18-19, SUNY Oswego cele brated its 155th birthday with a 1,861-minute challenge, paying tribute to the year of the college’s founding by Edward Austin Sheldon. Over the course of the approximately 31-hour event, SUNY Oswego supporters rallied to meet the challenge of an anony mous donor who agreed to donate $25,000 if 600 people made a gift. By 6 p.m. on Oct. 19, the college had surpassed the 600 donors and secured the gift. Then with only 180 minutes left, Engineering Advisory Board Member Keith McDermott ’81 issued a new chal lenge to keep the momentum going. He said he would donate $10,000 if 81 more people made a gift before the time expired.
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By the end of the challenge, a total of 712 donors had raised $125,855 for The Fund for Oswego. The challenge helped create excitement among SUNY Oswego supporters who took to Facebook and Twitter to rally their friends to make a gift. After making her gift, Kelly Barnard Cullinan ’94 posted to Facebook: “#1861Challenge #OswegoPride Dive in and help Oswego State rise to the chal lenge. Oswego State Swimming is where my support is going in honor of my 1990s teammates. ‘Great times’ in and out of Laker Pool!” Among the supporters of the 1861 Challenge were 51 new donors, 108 Graduates Of the Last Decade (GOLD) alumni, 162 donors who hadn’t made 8
gifts in the past year and one who hadn’t made a gift to the college in 26 years. The challenge even included a donor who made the gift from the other “Land of Oz,” Australia. “This challenge really energized our donor base,” Director of Development/ Campaigns Melissa Manwaring ’01 said. “The interactions on our social media platform gave us an opportunity to raise awareness of The Fund for Oswego and all the wonderful scholarships, programs and experiences it supports. We are very grateful to have such engaged ambas sadors and supporters of the college. They make this college what it is—an exceptional educational institution and caring community of learners.” l —Margaret Spillett
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Community Service Efforts Earn Federal Distinction Middle School and numerous other locations, including the Permaculture Living Laboratory on campus.
SUNY Oswego recently made the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll “with Distinction” for the fifth straight year, according to the Corporation for National and Community Service. Only 12 colleges and universities in New York state received the latest “with Distinction” recognition, including three others in the State University system: Cortland, Fredonia and Geneseo. “SUNY Oswego students make a significant impact on com munity life through their service, providing thousands of hours of effort a year to help those less fortunate, whether for a single day or yearlong,” said Alyssa Amyotte, the college’s former coordinator of community services. “The college is proud of its many studentdriven community service initiatives.”
l Additionally, 11 faculty members taught 26 service-learning courses with 643 students, completing 15,000 hours of community service. For more information on community service at SUNY Oswego, visit https://www.oswego.edu/community-service/home or email service@oswego.edu. l JIM RUSSELL ’83
Among the college’s programs: l Mentor Oswego last year sent 176 volunteers into Oswego and Fulton city schools, Hannibal schools and the Oswego Salvation Army for nearly 3,000 hours working with youth to stay in school. l Alternative Winter and Spring Breaks provided more than 100 students with travel-and-service opportunities on behalf of those in need in a dozen locales, from Florence, Alabama, to Monte Cristi, Dominican Republic. l Adopt-a-Grandparent sent 140 students to seven nursing homes to serve about 100 residents for a total of more than 2,000 hours, including the Senior Dance, an intergenerational event that brings seniors, nursing staff and students together for a night of music, dancing and dinner.
SERVICE IN ACTION—Members of Vocal Effect, SUNY Oswego’s show choir, offered a dance workshop last year in Swetman Gymnasium for Oswego Middle School students who are working with college students in Mentor Oswego, an academic and social support program aimed at helping schoolchildren reach their full potential.
l Approximately 175 students—most of them first-year— participated in Project Serve to provide 350 hours of service at Oswego Public Library, Oswego Tree Stewards, Oswego
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Campus Members Join State Mentoring Program Several SUNY Oswego students, faculty, staff and alumni serve as mentors in the New York State Mentoring Program, working in partnership with Leighton Elementary School in Oswego. Molly Maroney M’15 CAS ’15 (left), school counselor at Leighton, welcomes some of Oswego’s mentees—(from left) Brian Davis ’17, a dual major in software engineering and economics; Jenny Roxas of the Office of Career Services; Daisy Ruiz ’14 of the Office of Business and Community Relations; and Marcus D’Urso ’11 of the Field Placement Office—along with Leighton Principal Kara Shore. l
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National Award Recognizes College’s Agricultural Testing Labs JIM RUSSELL ’83
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SUNY Oswego’s enterprising Agricultural Testing and Analysis Labs at the Port of Oswego and the Richard S. Shineman Center for Science, Engineering and Innovation won a national Award of Excellence at the University Economic Development Association Annual Summit in Roanoke, Va., in October. The labs—created to close an export loop in the regional economy—utilize trained student chemists to test and analyze grain shipments, meeting the needs of one of the Port of Oswego Authority’s largest customers, Perdue AgriBusi ness, and providing on-the-job business experience for undergraduates. The UEDA honored the program for “synergistically connecting Talent + Place in ways that enrich participation, and otherwise enhance quality of place.” For more information about the college’s Agricultural Testing and Analysis Labs, contact Anthony Contento at 315312-2032 or anthony.contento@ oswego.edu. l
QUALITY ASSURANCE—Alison Taylor ’16 M’17 (left), a graduate student in chemistry, and Iain Thompson ’17, a biochemistry major and cooperative education student, demonstrated some of the testing procedures they apply to grain samples at the college’s Agricultural Testing and Analysis Labs at Shineman Center (pictured) and at the Port of Oswego, to assure quality, quantity and food safety of grain shipments passing through the port. At the national University Economic Development Association’s Annual Summit in October in Roanoke, Va., the college made a presentation on its business partnership with the port and Perdue AgriBusiness, with the goal of providing a model for other universities seeking to respond to the resource needs of business and industry. HONORING ENTERPRISE—Biochemistry major Iain Thompson ’17, who works at SUNY Oswego’s Agricultural Testing and Analysis Labs as a cooperative education student, displayed the national University Economic Development Association’s top award.
Find the Founder! In the Fall 2016 issue, the Sheldon statue can be found in the mid-right side of the photo of student Angela Tylock ’17 that accompanies travel study story on page 11. Grand prize winner of a College Store gift certificate and Sheldon Hall print is Tonya Acome ’06 M’08. Winning Sheldon Hall prints are George I. Berman ’62, Beth Hallinan ’76, Scott Miller ’81, Kimberly Skillen ’94 and Philip J. Zola ’15. A tiny replica of the Sheldon statue pictured here is hidden somewhere in this issue. Find the Founder and send us a letter with the location and page number, your name, class year and address. We will draw one entry at random from all the correct answers and the winner will receive a $25 gift certificate to the College Store and a print of Sheldon Hall. The next five entries drawn will receive Sheldon Hall prints. Send your entry to Find the Founder, King Alumni Hall, 300 Washington Blvd., Oswego, NY 13126, or email to findthefounder@oswego. edu. Entries must be postmarked or emailed by June 1. l
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or the fourth consecutive year, Univer sity Police at SUNY Oswego received national recognition for its traffic safety enforcement and education program. The department also earned a state award for its work on pedestrian safety. JIM RUSSELL ’83
PROMOTING SAFETY—SUNY Oswego’s University Police department recently earned a national second-place award from the International Association of Chiefs of Police in the college and university category in the National Law Enforcement Challenge, as well as an honor from the New York State Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee. Here University Police Chief John Rossi (left) and Assistant Chief Kevin Velzy ’83 M’14 hold the state award.
The International Association of Chiefs of Police awarded Oswego’s University Police second place in the college and university category in the National Law Enforcement Challenge, a traffic safety awards program that recognizes excellent law enforcement traffic safety programs. The award was announced at the IACP Conference in San Diego on Oct. 18. The New York State Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee also recognized Univer sity Police at Oswego during a ceremony in Saratoga Springs on Nov. 15. For the state award, police departments are judged on their department policies and guidelines, training of officers, incen tives and recognition, public information and education, enforcement activity and effectiveness of efforts—all in the areas of speed enforcement, occupant restraint, driving while intoxicated enforcement, and state or local issues. The local issue high lighted was pedestrian safety. l
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University Police at Oswego Earns National, State Recognition
LECET Continues Its Commitment to Supporting Student-Scholars
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ill Shannon (right), outgoing business manager for Upstate New York Laborers’ Employers Cooperation and Education Trust, LECET, presented a $25,000 check to President Deborah F. Stanley (left). For the past 19 years, LECET has provided support for the Presidential Scholarship program that benefits such student recipients as adolescent education and biology major Kristen McCarthy ’17 (second from left) and public relations major Taylor Briceno ’19 (second from right). l
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he SUNY Council of Chief Student Affairs Officers and SUNY Office of University Life recently honored the college’s multifaceted Bystander Interven tion Program with an Outstanding Student Affairs Program Award in the category for violence education and prevention, crisis management and campus security. “All of these bystander interventionbased programs ultimately have the same goal: to create a culture on the SUNY Oswego campus of students who aren’t going to turn away when they see someone in trouble because they don’t think it’s their place,” said Shelly VanSlyke Sloan ’00, health promotion coordinator at the Lifestyles Center. Step Up! is a training program that teaches students information and
skills needed to become empowered bystanders. The training also covers bystander intervention in cases of depression, binge drinking and more. By the end of the fall 2016 semester, 574 students had participated in 23 90-minute Step Up! Sessions, and more than 1,200 students had received training through the One Love Escalation Work shop, focused on preventing relationship violence. Students view a video that follows the evolution of an unhealthy college romance to a horrifying end. For more information about ongoing prevention and aware ness campaigns, including bystander intervention and risk reduction programs, visit https://www.oswego. edu/title-ix/educational-programs. l 11
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Bystander Intervention Program Honored
ACCEPTING RECOGNITION—Jerald Woolfolk (left), vice president for student affairs and enrollment management, and Shelly VanSlyke Sloan ’00, health promo tions coordinator at the Lifestyles Center, recently accepted an Outstanding Student Affairs Program award from the SUNY Council of Chief Student Affairs Officers and SUNY Office of University Life for Oswego’s multifaceted Bystander Intervention Program. OSWEGO
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Online MBA Ranks Highest in State, According to U.S. News
OPENING THE DOORS—SUNY Oswego recently ranked 16th nationally for student participation in study abroad programs of durations from one quarter to one semester among master’s colleges and universities. Alisia Engle ’11 (right), program manager for CAPA Global Education Network, talked with interested Oswego students last fall at a Study Abroad Fair, one of many outreach efforts aimed at boosting the numbers and diversity of students taking advantage of the college’s many study-and-travel opportunities.
College Makes Top 20 in Study-Abroad Ranking
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UNY Oswego appears in the top 20 nationwide for participation in midlength study-abroad programs among students at master’s colleges and universi ties, according to the authoritative Open Doors annual report released in November. The report, jointly prepared by the Institute for International Education and the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, found that for 2014-15, Oswego tied for 16th for most students—280—taking part in study-and-travel experiences of durations from one quarter to a full semester. More than 400 students took part in programs of all durations, including those enrolled in courses with embedded travel opportunities as well as research through the college’s Global Laboratory. Joshua McKeown, the college’s director of the Office of International Education and Programs, said that years of effort have boosted Oswego’s numbers to a nationally recognized level, thanks to
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support from college President Deborah F. Stanley and other top administrators and a willing faculty, as well as his office and student volunteers. SUNY Oswego students have access to more than 80 international academic programs in over 30 countries. The IIE recently reported that 20 percent of graduating students at Oswego participate in education abroad, making Oswego one of the leading campuses for study abroad in the SUNY system. Last year, the IIE awarded SUNY Oswego an honorable mention in the Andrew Heiskell Awards for International Education program for the college’s “I, Too, Am Study Abroad” campaign, one of only three initiatives honored nationally in the study abroad category. For more information, visit oswego. edu/international, email intled@oswego. edu or call 315-312-2118. l
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SUNY Oswego’s online MBA tied for 27th among online master of business administration programs nationally— the highest of any institution in the state, according to U.S. News’ 2017 “Best Online Degree Programs: MBA” rankings published Jan. 10. Oswego’s School of Business was the only public school in New York to crack the list’s top 100 online graduate business programs, and one of only five in the state (Rochester Institute of Technology, 33rd in the ranking; Clarkson, #42; Syracuse, #47; Marist, #61). “The U.S. News & World Report ranking is an affirmation of the quality of our online MBA program,” said Richard Skolnik, dean of Oswego’s School of Business. “It reflects the expertise of our faculty, the support services provided by the MBA Office, the quality of our MBA students, the expertise of the Extended Learning instructional design team and the commitment to online learning provided by the college.” The high ranking for Oswego’s online MBA program shows that the traditionally strong School of Business—accredited by AACSB International, the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business— has successfully translated campus-based instruction to serve students everywhere, college officials said. For the complete U.S. News rankings, see www.usnews.com/online. For more information on Oswego’s MBA programs, visit www.oswego.edu/mba or email mba@oswego.edu. l
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Professor Emeritus, Donor Meets First Recipient of his Scholarship
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erbert Van Schaack ’51 is still giving back to the students who shaped a career that spanned nearly 40 years. Van Schaack, professor emeritus of the SUNY Oswego psychology department with accomplishments and accolades that span decades, wanted to establish a scholarship for SUNY Oswego students like Sequoya Fitzpatrick ’17, who is the first recipient of the Professor Herbert Van Schaack Endowed Scholarship. Herbert Van Schaack ’51 with his scholarship The scholarship rewards a recipient, Sequoya Fitzpatrick ’17 student entering senior year who demonstrates academic excellence and a desire to pursue a career in Oswego County Neighborhood Youth psychology. Corps; was a recipient of the Youth Last fall, Fitzpatrick paid a visit to Van Award from the State Division for Youth, Schaack, who lives with his wife, Sandy served as a local radio talk show host and Richmond Van Schaack M’77 CAS’77 lectured around the world—to name CAS’80, on West Lake Road in Oswego. just a few of his accomplishments. In their home, Van Schaack keeps on Van Schaack joined the Oswego display in his kitchen the thank you letter faculty in 1956, after he earned a master’s he received from Fitzpatrick, a double and doctorate degree from Cornell Univ major in psychology and cognitive science. ersity. He received the Chancellor’s Award They share a passion for a field in which for Excellence in Teaching in 1975 and the Van Schaack was honored with the rank Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1978. of Distinguished Service Professor in “SUNY Oswego has taught me every 1989. He also has years of service to thing I need in my success toolkit,” says government on both the local and national the letter crafted by Fitzpatrick. She is levels; served as chair of the Faculty honored, it says, to be selected for a schol Assembly; received national recognition arship named for “such an outstanding from the American Association of State professor.” l Colleges and Universities; founded the —Eileen Crandall
S AT U R DAY, O C TO B E R 1 4 , 2 0 1 7
Events
Visit alumni.oswego.edu for complete listing. April 19
GOLD Lunch and Learn Webinar*
April 22
2017 Reunion Engagement and Planning Committee Meeting*
May 3
Alumni and Friends Event in Syracuse, N.Y.*
May 12
Commencement Eve Torchlight Ceremony*
May 19
Oswego College Foundation Board of Directors Meeting in New York City**
June 3
Hudson Valley Alumni Happy Hour*
June 8-11
Reunion 2017*
June 10
Oswego Alumni Association Board of Directors Meeting*
July 27–30
Harborfest Housing for Alumni*
Aug. TBD
Saratoga Race Track Event*
Aug. 4
Brew at the Zoo … and Wine, Too! in Syracuse, N.Y.*
Sept. 9
Alumni Mets Game in New York City*
Oct. 13
Oswego Alumni Association Board of Directors Meeting*
Oct. 14
Homecoming 2017*
Oct. 14
Athletic Hall of Fame Induction*
Oct. 26
Dr. Lewis B. O’Donnell Media Summit*
Mark Your Calendars Now: June 7-10
Reunion 2018
* Alumni and Parent Relations, 315-312-2258 ** University Development, 315-312-3003
alumni.oswego.edu/events
Special Alumni Survey
Calling all alumni!
The Oswego Alumni Association is conducting a survey to explore your opinions of SUNY Oswego’s correspondence and engagement with you as well as your impressions of the college’s image. Complete the survey online at:
alumni.oswego.edu/survey
SAVE THE DATE!
You may also request a paper copy of the survey by contacting the Alumni Office at 315-312-2258 or alumni@ oswego.edu. Surveys must be completed by May 31, 2017. Your input is highly valued and appreciated. Thank you!
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Noteworthy News JIM RUSSELL ’83
Niri, Students Explore Green Solution for Air Quality
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adoud Niri of the chemistry faculty and his undergraduate assistants worked steadily—and quietly—for three years researching five common houseplants as agents for removing potentially hazardous chemicals such as acetone from the air. Then the American Chemical Society took note of their work, and it is quiet no longer. Niri’s presentation at the society’s annual conference this summer—accom panied by an ACS news release and graphic animation of the experiments—attracted the attention of Washington Post columnist Sarah Kaplan in the “Speaking of Science” blog and subsequent global attention from science mass media and “green” websites worldwide. The outburst of attention shines a strong light not only on Niri’s sustainable approach to an air-quality problem afflicting everyone from nail salon owners to home owners, but to the outstanding opportuni ties for hands-on, faculty-mentored research at SUNY Oswego among undergraduates and graduate students alike.
Biofiltration’s benefits Niri’s research on indoor plants began after a visit to a nail salon with his wife. The odor of acetone in the air quickly drove him out. Acetone is one of the volatile organic com pounds (VOCs) that, if inhaled or ingested to excess, can cause health issues such as dizziness, nausea, shortness of breath, head aches, eye and throat irritation—eventually even liver and kidney damage or lung cancer.
GREEN SOLUTION—Students Geoff Peterson ’15 M’17 (left) and Tim Jones ’17 (right) joined chemistry faculty member Vadoud Niri in the Shineman Center greenhouse to demonstrate a technique for extracting samples from houseplants, which they have spent three years investigating for effectiveness in removing potentially hazardous chemicals from the air.
In conducting a review of the literature on removal of VOCs from air, Niri came upon a 1980s NASA study on VOC’s absorption by houseplants, a process called biofiltration that captures and degrades pollutants. He and his students selected five types of plants to test: jade, spider, bromeliad, Caribbean tree cactus and a palm-like shrub called dracaena. They built a chamber in SUNY Oswego’s Analytical Chemistry Research Lab in the Richard S. Shineman Center for Science, Engineering and Innova tion that tested how well each plant removed the VOCs from the air. LAURA PAVLUS KELLY ’09
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The college’s Scholarly and Creative Activity Committee, which receives support from The Fund for Oswego, provided grants to help fund Niri’s the research, which is being submitted to a scientific journal. Following that, he said, the research must be scaled up. “I need to emphasize that the experi ments we have done have been in a lab setup,” Niri said. “The next step is to try these exact experiments in real room-size situations.” l
Alumni Help Oswego’s Say Yes Participants Build Network
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tew Koenig ’75, president of Koenig Advertising & PR, met with marketing majors John DaCosta ’20 and Dwan Hameed ’20 during the “Opportunity Next Door” networking event in January at the SUNY Oswego in Syracuse branch campus at the Metro Center. The student participants attended work shops during the afternoon, then connected with alumni and employers at a dinner to end the evening. The event was coordinated by Anneke McEvoy, SUNY Oswego’s Say Yes coordinator, and also included alumni Sanjeev Kumar ’15, Tammy Palmer ’98 and Quindell Williams ’11. l
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ealthcare in the digital era—tele medicine, big data, decision analytics, computer networks integrating patient and caregiver information, and more—has led to the launch of SUNY Oswego’s newly approved graduate degree in biomedical and health informatics. “It’s very exciting, because I’ve been working on this since I arrived in 2012,” said computer science faculty member Isabelle Bichindaritz, now director of the new master of science degree program, which can be achieved online or in faceto-face form through the main campus and/or SUNY Oswego’s branch campus in Syracuse. Biomedical and health informatics (BHI) studies the flow of information in healthcare and public health. Students explore techniques for assessing informa tion practices, evaluating needs of providers and patients, and developing technology to address issues the industry is facing. Potential careers for graduates abound, from improving both the effectiveness and the efficiency of clinical practices to devel oping systems that help doctors make datainformed decisions about patient care, from analyzing masses of data that unveil patterns in public health to helping identify which genes are most responsible for the progression of cancers. The BHI degree is offered in three tracks—health informatics: intelligent health systems; health information
HEALTHCARE AND DATA—Computer science faculty member Isabelle Bichindaritz (second from left) spoke about the new graduate degree program in biomedical and health informatics with graduate students (from left) Cassie Breen ’09 M’17, Christopher Bartlett ’16 M’18 and Logan Wells ’14 M’17.
management: health data science; and health informatics professional (profes sional science master’s) focusing on the business management and administration approach to health informatics. For detailed information on the biomedical and health informatics program, contact Bichindaritz at ibichind@ oswego.edu. For information on enrolling in this or any graduate degree or certificate program at SUNY Oswego, visit oswego. edu/gradstudies or call 315-312-3152. l
Professor Co-Edits Book Examining Global Business Incubation
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arketing and management professor Sarfraz Mian and two co-editors, Phillip Phan and Wadid Lamine, take a global view of business incubation in a new book, Technology Entrepreneurship and Business Incubation: Theory, Practice, Lessons Learned (Imperial College Press of London, 2016). The book uses case studies to describe how technology business incu bators by any name—accelerators, science parks, maker spaces—have evolved and gained traction as economic development drivers around the world. l 15
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he State University of New York has recog nized Oswego physics prof essor Alok Kumar as a Distinguished Teaching Professor, one of the SUNY system’s highest honors. Kumar was one of only eight faculty in the system Alok Kumar approved by the SUNY Board of Trustees as earning a distinguished honor in profes sorship, teaching or service announced by SUNY on Nov. 10. Kumar is an internationally recognized scholar and teacher, a distinguished trans lator of ancient texts and a historian of the evolution of medieval science. He has been honored internationally by peers for his numerous contributions to teaching, and has served as a principal investigator on many research projects that have advanced the science of physics. He has been an ardent advocate for the inclusion of non-Western perspectives on science in the teaching of all sciences, not just physics. He is considered a world-class authority on the development of science and mathematics throughout antiquity, particularly among the ancient Hindus. His effective approach to teaching consistently challenges and engages students, and he has received superlative reviews from current and former students. Kumar is known as an extraordinarily productive member of the SUNY Oswego faculty who regularly teaches full course loads that include as many as four unique preparations, often for courses in the first iteration. Kumar joined the SUNY Oswego faculty in 1992. He holds a Ph.D. from Kanpur University in India, with his master’s and bachelor’s degrees from India’s Meerut University. l
New Graduate Degree Puts Data to Work Improving Healthcare PROVIDED
SUNY Names Oswego’s Alok Kumar a Distinguished Teaching Professor
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ATHLETICS Laker Hockey Legend Receives National Award
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he American Hockey Coaches Associa tion has named Oswego All-American goalie Pete Sears ’71 winner of its annual John Mariucci Award. He will be recognized on April 26 during the 2017 AHCA Conven tion in Naples, Florida. The award honors a secondary school association coach who best exemplifies the spirit, dedication and enthusiasm of Mari ucci, a former University of Minnesota player and coach who was also a driving force behind the growth of hockey in the United States. Sears’ career as a goalie at Oswego State was interrupted by a tour serving in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War, but he returned to complete his degree and assume his role on the Lakers team. He was also a member of the 1972 U.S. Olympic
team, winning the silver medal in Sapporo, Japan. Following his Olympic experience, he played three seasons of professional hockey. He returned to Oswego and served as a middle school teacher for 30 years, including 23 years as coach of the Oswego high school hockey team that captured 10 league championships. He also assisted the Lakers for many years as the goaltender coach. Among his accomplishments: 10 league titles, five sectional titles, four NYS regional championships, three-time NY state finalist along with nine NYS Section 3 sportsmanship awards. Sears was awarded the Peter Rush Award from NYS hockey for outstanding service and commitment to the growth of
New Sports Studies Minor Crosses Many Disciplines
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UNY Oswego introduced a sports studies minor this fall that gives students the opportunity to study the history and impact of sports. The idea to create the minor grew from Christopher Mack, an associate professor of history, and sociology department chair Tim Delaney, who both share a deep interest in sports. Delaney, often with participation from Mack, holds a sportsmanship symposium every March. Mack and Delaney, advisers for the new interdisciplinary minor, said it incorporates courses from history, sociology, psychology, human development, broadcasting, journalism, health science and physical education. “Sports play a huge role in our society in a whole host of ways,” Mack said. “The sports studies minor is designed to allow people to pursue their interest in sports in a rigorous academic fashion that will have applications in many areas that sports touch upon in business, in social life, in politics.” For more information, visit catalog.oswego.edu or contact christopher.mack@oswego.edu, or tim.delaney@oswego.edu. l l
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hockey in NYS. He was inducted into the NYS High School Hall of Fame in 2000 for dedication to the sport and his coaching success. He is also in the Oswego High School Hall of Fame and the SUNY Oswego Athletic Hall of Fame. l
Women’s Basketball Head Coach Tracy Bruno Earns 100th Win
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his season, Oswego State women’s basketball team head coach Tracy Bruno earned her 100th career victory, all of which have come at Oswego State in her 10-year span at the helm of the Laker program. The 100th victory was earned Dec. 10, when the women’s basketball team domi nated Buffalo State in a 65-48 victory. Coach Bruno is a 1994 graduate of Saginaw Valley State University, where she was a five-year member of the women’s basketball team and a two-year captain. She was selected to allconference, all-defensive and all-academic teams throughout her playing career and was a member of a Saginaw Valley State team that played in the NCAA Division II Tournament and advanced to the Sweet 16. Bruno earned a bachelor’s degree in physical and health education, and a master’s degree in educational leadership from Eastern Michigan University. l
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Men’s Ice Hockey Wins Regular Season SUNYAC, Makes NCAA Tournament Men’s ice hockey earned an at-large bid to its 12-team NCAA Championship and lost to Hamilton College, 3-1, in the opening round of the tour nament. The team was SUNYAC regular season champion and conference tournament runner-up with a 21-5-1 overall mark and a 13-2-1 league record. They are pictured here after winning the Annual PathFinder Bank Holiday Classic on Jan. 7. l
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Three Wrestlers Qualify for 2017 NCAA Championship, Bushey Claims Fourth Place
Lakers Receive Two National Community Service Awards
Three Lakers qualified for the NCAA championship by claiming a top-three spot in their weight class. Jordan Bushey ’20 (184) and Rocco Russo ’18 (157) both captured the title in their respective weight classes while Evan Corso ’20 was the 133pound runner-up. Corso and Russo bowed out gracefully on the first day while Bushey advanced to the final day and claimed fourth at the NCAA Championship. With the top eight of each weight class earning All-America status, Bushey collected the 47th All-America honor in the program's history and became the program's first All-American since John Spinner ’06 in 2006. Head Coach Mike Howard ’90 has guided the last 18 of those All-Americans during his time at the helm. l
Wrestler Sean Maloney ’17 (left) and Athletic Director Sue Viscomi (second from right) accepted first-place NADIIIAA/ JOSTENS Community Service Awards in two categories at the NCAA Convention in Nashville, Tenn. Oswego claimed the top spot in both the An Array of Projects category as well as the On-Going Project category. Dan Witmer ’82 M’87 oversees the projects as community service coordinator for the Lakers. The department received a trophy and a $1,000 check for each of the accolades, which support the general scholarship fund.
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Men’s Basketball Wins SUNYAC Championship, Makes NCAA Tournament For the third time in six years, the SUNY Oswego men’s basketball team earned the top title in the SUNY Athletic Conference and made the NCAA Tournament. Unfortunately, the team lost to Scranton University, 82-77, in the NCAA opening round. l
Griffin Qualifies for NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championship Ben Griffin ’17 of Sterling, N.Y., qualified for the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships in the 800-meter run with the nation's eighth-fastest time (1:52.82). He competed in the national tournament in Naperville, Ill., hosted by North Central College, and finished in 10th place. l
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ESPN Anchor Linda Cohn ’81 Meets Up with the Lakers ESPN anchor and former Laker goalie Linda Cohn ’81 (center) visited campus to meet with students and attended a Syracuse Crunch game in October 2016; here she is with the 2016-2017 Lakers women’s ice hockey team at the Crunch game. l
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Emma Geyer ’18 Named SUNYAC Scholar Athlete of the Year
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Earl’s Valley Stream High wo-time SUNY Athletic School’s championship teams. Conference Champion While Nanos was coaching, Nick Nanos ’69 was selected he also developed tremendous for induction into the Down martial arts skills and became state New York Chapter of the a black belt instructor. He National Wrestling Hall of Fame was instrumental in the for his lifetime service to the incorporation and integration sport. He will be inducted of wrestling, both standing April 28 during a ceremony at the Nick Nanos ’69 and on the ground, into Melville Marriott in Melville, N.Y. traditional standup Korean, Wrestling under the tutelage Japanese, Filipino and Okinawan martial of emeritus Coach Jim “Legs” Howard arts. He was a trailblazer in what we at Oswego, Nanos developed quickly now know as mixed martial arts. l and became a two-time SUNY Athletic Conference Champion at 115 pounds, winning the title in 1967 and 1968. After graduation, he began his coaching career at Valley Stream Memo rial Junior High School. He established a year-end tournament that gave all of the junior high student wrestlers in Valley Stream an opportunity to gain valuable experience. From 1969-1981, Nick’s wres tlers fed into Hall of Fame coach Harold
JIM RUSSELL ’83
Five Inducted to SUNY Oswego Athletic Hall of Fame The Oswego Athletic Hall of Fame inducted five alumni into the Class of 2016 during Homecoming on Nov. 5. Pictured here are (from left) inductee Michael Charles ’83, baseball; inductee Edward L. Pucci ’75, wrestling; Karol Harding Schieffer ’63, on behalf of her late husband, Peter H. Schieffer ’62, basketball and track and field; inductee Jeffrey Greene ’88, ice hockey; and master of ceremonies Louis A. Borrelli Jr. ’77. Not pictured is inductee Cathleen Palmitesso ’94, volleyball, who was recognized separately Oct. 7 during a volleyball game. l
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he State University of New York Ath letic Conference (SUN YAC) has named SUNY Oswego’s Emma Geyer ’18 as one of its inaugural Scholar Athletes of the Year. Each season, the conference will recog nize student-athletes not only for their efforts on the field, but their classroom performance as well. Out of hundreds of student-athletes, Geyer is just one of eight award winners for fall 2016. Each sport in each season will have one representative, unless there is a tie. Geyer and Buffalo State’s Jenna Smolinski represent women’s soccer after each were tied in total votes on the inaugural ballot. A midfielder, Geyer has consistently been a strong student-athlete. The Liverpool, N.Y., native’s 3.81 cumulative GPA helped land her on the President’s List four times and the Dean’s List once. She has repeatedly received several academic-based scholarships, including the Father Robert E. Hall Memorial Scholarship. She has twice been named to the SUNYAC All-Academic team. One of Geyer’s most impressive accomplishments is being selected as a SUNY Chancellor’s Scholar-Athlete Award recipient in 2015. The award is given to students who have combined academic excellence and outstanding athletic achievement at the Division I, Divi sion III and NJCAA levels at SUNY schools. On the soccer field, Geyer has been consistent for the Lakers. She has appeared in 52 games in her first three years, tallying 13 goals and seven assists. Each year, the junior has posted better numbers than her previous campaign. In 2014, Geyer closed with nine points as a freshman, followed by 10 points as a sophomore. During the most recent season, the midfielder found the back of the net six times and chipped in two assists for 14 points. l
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JENNIFER BRODERICK
BOB CLARK ’78
JIM RUSSELL ’83
JENNIFER BRODERICK
Alumni Reconnect with Campus Comm
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Weekend. Laker student-athletes did their part to amp up school pride, with the men’s and women’s ice hockey teams, men’s basketball team and women’s swimming and diving team all securing home wins over the weekend. Members of the Future Alumni Network (FANs) hopped in a decorated golf buggy and handed out infraction “tickets” to any student who was not wearing school colors on Nov. 4, Green and Gold Day. Those who wore Oswego colors received a green- and gold-iced cookie with information about a group Green and Gold Day photo happening later that day.
In the afternoon, members of the Senior Class Planning Committee hosted “Class Cab,” playing off the popular TV quiz show, Cash Cab. Students who rode in the golf buggy were asked questions about campus traditions and college history by celebrity judges (Career Services Director Gary Morris ’88, Student Involvement Coordinator Maggie Rivera ’92 M’06 CAS’07 and Director of Campus Life Earnest Washington). Those who answered the questions correctly received prizes. Many alumni leaders who serve on the Oswego Alumni Association, College Foundation and other college boards were on campus Nov. 4 for their fall meetings, which included a joint lunch that afternoon. College community members gathered Friday evening for the “Oz-We-Go Back” kickoff party, which included the Green and Gold
Day group photo in Hewitt Union. At the party, DJ Tumbo (Rufaro Matombo ’12, see story on page 40) played tunes that had students, alumni and staff on the dance floor together. The party ended in time for Lakers fans to watch the women’s ice hockey team or the men’s basketball team beat their opponents. Saturday’s festivities began with a Scholars Breakfast that brought together student scholarship recipients with the donors who established the awards. A few other early-risers started the day off with an Alumni-Student Fun Run on campus. About a dozen Graduates Of the Last Decade (GOLD) gathered for a brunch and members of the 2017 Reunion Engagement and Planning Committee met in King Alumni Hall to begin planning for the annual June celebration.
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undreds of alumni, students and campus members participated in a variety of events Nov. 4-5 to celebrate Homecoming
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NICOLE LIGHTFOOT ’18
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mmunity During Homecoming 2016 The college inducted five alumni into the Oswego Athletic Hall of Fame Saturday afternoon. Read more on page 19. Several alumni took advantage of HALLcoming, returning to their former student residence halls for tours and a trip down memory lane. Others stopped by Hart Hall Global Living & Learning Center for the Global Awareness Conference—an annual daylong event that gives students, faculty, staff and members of the community the opportunity to learn about other cultures and global issues. As crowds gathered for the women’s ice hockey game in the arena of the Marano Campus Center, members of FANs and the GOLD Leadership Council invited students and alumni to sign thank-you cards for SUNY Oswego veterans. The cards were mailed to
the veterans the following week in honor of Veterans Day. Meanwhile in the newly renovated Tyler Hall, members of the Oswego State Singers and other musical groups performed a free musical showcase for Homecoming guests. Donors to the college were invited to a reception hosted by President Deborah F. and Michael Stanley on Saturday afternoon to recognize their loyalty and support. By early evening the Marano Campus Center started to fill with Lakers fans wearing their favorite green and gold gear and jerseys—many of whom stopped by the Homecoming Tailgate in the Activity Court. Tailgate guests had a surprise visit from men’s ice hockey head coach Ed Gosek ’83 M’01 and women’s ice hockey head coach Diane Dillon who welcomed the alumni back for Home-
coming, provided short updates on their teams and Lakers athletics and thanked the fans for their support. The weekend ended with Laker pride soaring, as the men’s ice hockey team scored four goals in the third period to come from behind and defeat Geneseo. l
BOB CLARK ’78
NICOLE LIGHTFOOT ’18
SHAUNNA ARNOLD M’04 JENNIFER BRODERICK
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Fostering an Informed Citizenry President Stanley assumes a leadership role with national organization dedicated to public higher education
You have been involved with American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) since you became college president in 1995. Why do you feel it is important to be involved with the organization, and what are some of the ways in which it is advancing higher education in the country?
I
t is a personal and professional honor to serve as chair of the AASCU Board of Directors—an orga nization with transformative influence in American public higher education. Its membership of nearly 420 public colleges, universities and systems share a learning and teaching-centered culture, a historic commitment to underserved student populations and a dedication to research and creativity that advances their regions’ economic progress and cultural development.
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n November, SUNY Oswego President Deborah F. Stanley became chair of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities. Before becoming chair-elect in 2015, Stanley completed a three-year term on AASCU’s Board of Directors as secretary-treasurer. She also served on AASCU’s Millennium Leadership Initiative (MLI) Steering Committee and as an MLI Mentor; on AASCU’s Financial Review Task Force, the investment committee; the Council of State Representatives; the Committee on International Education; the Nominating Committee; and Policies and Purposes. President Stanley shared her vision for AASCU and for public higher educa tion with OSWEGO Alumni Magazine.
I believe in AASCU’s mission and profound message that through our commitments to access and opportunity, public colleges and universities effectively and account ably deliver America’s promise. AASCU is a feet-on-the-ground organization with its ears to our member presidents with a researchbased approach to providing guidance on how to achieve operational excel lence. AASCU is leading pilot initiatives across the country, looking carefully at curriculum and internationalization opportunities, as well as addressing certain challenges such as state funding and enrollment management.
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It is a repository for ideas and best practices and also represents our institutions in federal legislative and policy realms. A member of what is commonly referred to as the “Big Six” (a group of the major types of higher education institutions in the United States), AASCU offers its collective and expert voice on issues related to higher education that impact our sector and provide a road map to the future. How has your involvement with the organization affected your leadership on the SUNY Oswego campus?
W
orking with AASCU is always incredibly productive. In addition to the great networking that takes place
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I look forward to supporting and standing behind AASCU’s national Opportunities for All initiative that is designed around a unified brand for state colleges and universities, and grounded in the value proposition that America’s state colleges and universities offer the higher education choice that creates brighter futures for all. I am committed to the strategic goals of AASCU, which include: ●● Advancing the distinctive mission of
public higher education ●● Fostering institutional effectiveness and
student success ●● Supporting institutional leadership
outside New York State and across the country, I have numerous opportunities to work with other presidents and see how colleagues are handling initiatives. Such collaborative discourse has allowed me to gain insight and address matters back on the Oswego campus with a much broader perspective. AASCU provides professional development programs designed to help leaders think deeply and creatively about the nature of our work and effect better outcomes for our regions. I have directly benefitted from AASCU’s support of institutional leaders as we face national, regional or statewide challenges in an ever-changing environment for public higher education and attempt to integrate new ideas and advanced technology in degree delivery. What are your top goals as chair of the organization?
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s chair, I support Dr. Muriel Howard, our president, and her administrative leadership team. It is important that we work toward achieving the vision of the organization. We do this by helping the general public, the media and policymakers better understand and support the role and public purposes of state colleges and universities; assist our members in preparing students for the 21st century; and maintain our reputation as an innovative thought leader and force for positive change in higher education.
and change ●● Leading advocacy efforts to support
public financing of public higher education ●● Advancing equity and opportunity in
public higher ed
Of significant importance is policy related to Pell grants, debt levels, accreditation and reauthorization of the Higher Educa tion Act. Certainly, immigration policy and executive action have great impact on our campuses so we are being vigilant to pursue just and non-discriminatory policy through our efforts in Congress and in the federal courts. Many state colleges and universities offer lower tuition costs for in-state residents, and some offer free tuition to in-state residents. Does AASCU support free public higher education for state residents?
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ew York State Governor Andrew Cuomo has made a very powerful and positive statement in support of public higher education. AASCU is enriching the dialogue around delibera tions like these by providing facts and analyzing possible impacts.
●● Strengthening research capabilities
and creative activity of AASCU and its members; and ●● Strengthening the financial sustain
ability of AASCU and its members. You are entering your term amid great change in the country with a new administration. How do you think that will affect the organization and the goals you hope to achieve during your tenure?
A
ASCU will remain focused on its priorities of affordability, excellence and accountability. We will continue our work on combating campus sexual assault, and ensuring access, diversity and inclusion for those historically underrepresented in American higher educa tion. In the words of our President Dr. Howard, we are “recommitting the associ ation and its members to the national goal of promoting affordability by restoring the proper balance among the federal govern ment, the states and families.” As the new administration takes office in Washington, we will seek to collaborate and enhance understanding, especially with the U.S. Department of Education.
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Why is public higher education so important?
P
ublic education throws its arms wide open to enfranchise ideas and intel lects without the barrier of high cost. Public higher education is based on a belief that wide inclusion produces a better informed, creative and produc tive citizenry for all to benefit. I support AASCU’s belief about higher education institutions—that “we are ‘stewards of place,’ engaging faculty, staff and students with the communities and regions we serve—helping to advance public educa tion, economic development and the quality of life for all with whom we live and who support our work. We affirm that America’s promise extends not only to those who come to the campus but to all our neighbors.” l
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TRAVIS W. KEYES
All Fired Up
Design director Nancy Fire Breslau ’83 has created looks that appear in all aspects of our lives, from fabrics and fashion to furniture and fixtures.
T By Margaret Spillett
he odds are pretty good that Nancy Fire Breslau ’83 has been in your home. In fact, she may be in your bedroom, your living room, your bathroom, your wardrobe or your jewelry box right now. Quite possibly, she is the person behind your drapes, and she has left her mark on your tissue box. That’s because Nancy Fire, as she is known professionally, is the founder and creative director of Design Works Inter national, a lifestyle design company located in the garment district of New York City. Among her clients are Kelly Ripa Home, global producer of paper products Kimberly-Clark Corp., Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft and HGTV HOME, for which she serves as design director. She has created designs for such fashion icons as Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger. Her designs are featured in Target, Macy’s and The Dollar Tree. She has even done resto ration for the Marie Antoinette exhibit in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. Her design influence on a wide range of products is pervasive. Much like the character of “Miranda Priestly” (only nicer!) played by Meryl Streep in the Hollywood movie, The Devil Wears Prada, Fire curates designs for hundreds of clients’ collections, whose products range from fashion accessories to plumbing fixtures to furniture to fabrics for bedding, curtains and pillows.
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“That scene [in The Devil Wears Prada]with the blue sweater is one of my favorites, from one of my favorite movies,” Fire said. “It was said perfectly because there’s so much that we as designers do before a product ever makes it anywhere.” Fire spends a few months a year traveling the globe looking for inspiration and identifying trends to report back to her clients and to help them develop a few lifestyle themes and product lines that will capitalize on the emerging trend, fit within their brand, appeal to their consumer base and stay within their price point. “What is so unique and tremendous about Nancy is that she can take her trends report and apply it to how it would look in fabrics for furniture, paint colors, flooring or plumbing fixtures,” said Robyn Ulrich, senior vice president of home promotions and consumer products at Scripps Networks, the parent company of HGTV, Food Network and DIY Network, among others. “She works with the people making design decisions with all of our licensees to make sure their products come under the HGTV HOME brand,” Ulrich said. “We have a wide audience that we’re trying to speak to, and Nancy does a great job trying to make sure that we have a little bit for everyone. I’ve never worked with anybody in the course of my 30-year career who has been easier to work with or is more passionate about what they do, and her energy … it’s endless. She is truly amazing.” Her clients say Fire’s ability to work with a wide range of people—C-level business executives to the more creative types—and her collaborative, open style have led to her remarkable success. 24
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Nancy Fire with husband, Neil Breslau, above; and national celebrity Kelly Ripa
“I love working with Nancy,” said Dan Bonini ’79, president of PKLifestyles LLC in New York City and a licensee of the Kelly Ripa Home line of products. “I can’t remember how we discovered we both had attended Oswego, but when I found out I said, ‘Now, I know why I like you!’ She has the design talent, trend forecasting and the understanding of merchandising and business aspects. She is just real and can relate to just about anyone she meets. “That’s our Oswego education,” said Bonini, who earned a bachelor’s in business administration. “It’s not all theory. Oswego gives you a down-toearth approach combined with business acumen and applying theory to the real world.”
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“She works with the people making design decisions with all of our licensees to make sure their products come under the HGTV HOME brand. We have a wide audience that we’re trying to speak to, and Nancy does a great job trying to make sure that we have a little bit for everyone.” —Robyn Ulrich, Scripps Networks executive
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The Oz Way of Life
Fire first came to SUNY Oswego in high school to visit a friend who had enrolled here. She ended up living on the third floor of Seneca Hall across from the friends she had made during her visit. She also found a lifelong friend in art history major, Katharine “Kitty” Berner Connor ’84, who worked at the Tyler Art Gallery with her. “Oswego really encouraged me to be a free thinker,” said Fire, who earned a BFA in art. “The people at the time in Tyler Hall—including profes sors like Craigy Huston Hemingway and George O’Connell—were just awesome. We’d go back to Tyler Hall and work all night. And there’d be a group of us who just supported each other, and it was that support that grounded me to know that it’s good to collaborate with people going forward.” Fire also developed a passion for photography and capturing the moment. “I was never the best illustrator in class and I was never the best ceramicist,” she said. “But I always had a great eye. I loved all my classes at Oswego, and they allowed me to open up and find my strengths and my style.” Today, she said she continues to capture the moment through photos and posts on social media outlets like Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. Connor said she admires Fire for her commit ment to her career and her passions, and for staying up-to-date on emerging trends—not just creatively but also commercially. “I respect that she started this business herself,” Connor said. “It takes a lot of guts and a lot of confi dence in yourself to know that you’ve got something
TRAVIS W. KEYES
Fire’s Hot Summer Trends
Our Homes Are Our Museums
2 Global Greats: Curate your summer style with items that share colorful texture and influences from cultures all over the world. Patterns, prints and weaves create an eclectic mix-and-match style that allow us to celebrate a pattern play of style. NANCY FIRE BRESLAU ’83
3 Nature’s Bounty: Bring the outdoors, indoors. Look to nature as a direct influence in home design by creating a connection to the outdoors through motifs like botanicals and textures from wood grain to marble veining. NANCY FIRE BRESLAU ’83
While her business continues to evolve, her commitment to her family and friends remains constant. She said she is grateful to her husband and business partner, Neil Breslau, who helped her found the company nearly 30 years ago. “Our family has been our most amazing project of all time,” she said. “Having a working partner and husband allowed me to be very active when both of our children were young. I went on school field trips, ran street fairs and baked cupcakes because Neil was always there.” Their children are now forging their own career paths. Jessie is a 2015 Cornell graduate who majored in food policy and recently returned to New York after working in organic farming in Colombia, and William will graduate in May from Cornell and plans to work for Red Bull Media House in its graduate program in New York City. She said she has enjoyed watching her children create their own living spaces that are comfortable and showcase their own personalities. “Caring about your surroundings is important,” she said. “Today, there’s so much cocooning, and people want to be home and entertain. It’s a tough time right now. You’ve got a world that’s split. You’ve got a lot of negative news, and people are trying to stay very positive. People like to show you what they collect. Our homes are like our own museums. People today need to feel really comfortable with who they are and be OK with their apartment. Lifestyle design has to come from the heart and be authentic. People say, ‘You are what you eat.’ Well I say, ‘Your home is your heaven.’”
1 Artisan Blues: Look for products both in home decor and in fashion that are handcrafted in many amazing techniques like shibori, tie dye, dip dye and ombre ideas. NANCY FIRE BRESLAU ’83
and can run with it. She’s got a great creative mind and has a wonderful eye. She is very committed. As a 50-something-year-old, social media is not really in our wheelhouse. But she’s made it in her wheelhouse because it’s an expectation of today’s ecommerce and commerce in general. She continues to grow and change her business.”
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She can vividly recall each of her homes and how they reflected who she was and what was important to her at that time. For instance, her first home after graduation was a 400-square foot studio apartment in Tudor City, a section of New York near the United Nations headquarters. It was so small that she had a murphy bed that folded up behind a door and even the kitchen opened up from the wall. “But I did have one window,” she said. “It was big enough that I could see the Chrysler Building, and it was just beautiful.” She played up that feature by tiling the window sill in painted terra cotta and found a wood block table that fit perfectly under the window. “That really set the vibe for the apart ment,” she said. She rattled off a list of key features from her homes, including several that have trav eled with her throughout life—an ikat rug, a table made from wood recovered from an old barn in England and a vintage George Smith sofa that remains in her home today. “That sofa really spoke to us and really characterizes who we are,” she said. “Our apartment today is an eclectic mix of every thing we’ve owned through our lifetime, which is amazing. Each piece has a story to tell, and we feel cozy.” As she looks to the future, Fire said she and Neil have their eyes set on finding and refurbishing an old Airstream trailer and taking a cross-country trip that she will document by returning to her first passion of photography. In the meantime, her company, Design Works International, has launched several subsidiaries, including Studio NYC, a licensed line of home products; Creative Corporate, a product development and branding service; Design2Print, fabric printing services; and a media production division to help companies tell their stories digitally. “As a company, we pride ourselves on having diversity in our designers and in our work,” Fire said. “We’re not just about one style. That has really kept us alive and strong and sought after all these years.” l
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Tyler Hall Take 2 Debut
Phase 2 renovations begin following celebration of new interior spaces.
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MATTHEW J MANCUSO ARCHITECTURAL RESOURCES
CRANDALL BY EILEEN
JENNIFER BRODERICK
JIM RUSSELL ’83
Rolling Out the Red Carpet: Celebrating Tyler Hall’s New Look
A
and a day of events focused on Tyler Hall, including sold-out performances of The Wizard of Oz in Waterman Theatre. “It has been an enormous undertaking, and I’m enor mously proud of the people involved,” Stanley said. Among jazz ensemble perfor mances and an appearance by the State Singers, Pretzat expressed
gratitude for staff and students who were spread throughout campus during the renovation project, most of whom have now returned to their “home” building. “This building has been home to so many wonderful moments,” Pretzat said. “We are looking forward to many more.”
JIM RUSSELL ’83
MATTHEW J MANCUSO ARCHITECTURAL RESOURCES
PLANNED SPACES: Art studios, like the one shown in this architect’s rendering (above), will be completed in August.
n all-star cast of guests attended the Tyler Hall Take 2 Debut recep tion on Oct. 28, part of a celebration of the newly renovated facility that concluded School of Communication, Media and the Arts (SCMA) Week on the SUNY Oswego campus. Guests walked a red carpet lined with student paparazzi through the sweeping new Tyler lobby, joining college President Deborah F. Stanley and her hus band, Michael; SCMA Dean Julie Pretzat; and the many others who were instrumental to the success of the $22.2 million Phase 1 reju venation of Tyler Hall. Stanley encouraged guests to see the modernization—including a new Waterman Theatre with state-of-the-art equipment and amenities; rehearsal, recording and gallery space—through the lens of creativity that will be spurred in each location. “It’s all about building spaces that make learning possible,” Stanley told more than 150 recep tion attendees. The reception concluded a week of celebration
PLANNED SPACES: Phase 2 will include a costume shop, shown above in an architect’s rendering.
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Tours Showcase Spaces
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present. It’s open to all 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday—Sunday. Along corridors in the new Tyler Hall, there are several private rooms for one, providing a space for practice. Throughout the day, students come and go with musical instruments in hand. Beside these small, semi-private venues, the new Tyler has soaring new spaces like the two-story Instru mental Rehearsal Room, which houses the college community orchestra and several ensembles; the Choral Rehearsal Room for choirs and the State Singers; and a state-of-the-art recording studio capable of capturing it all. The recording studio gets high marks from Dan Wood M’10, who provides instructional support and mentors students like Derek Greenough ’16 and Aaron Roth ’17. “We’re all really happy,” Wood said. “Audio design and produc tion is very popular. We have more and more students interested in high-end production.” And the equipment, Wood said, is consistent with what students will see on the job in professional recording studios. “These are top-of-the-line pro tool systems,” he said.
Waterman Theatre Takes Center Stage In addition to drawing visitors to see seats named for the legends of Tyler Hall and state-of-the-art equipment, Waterman Theatre drew sold-out crowds for the annual Dr. Lewis B. O’Donnell Media Summit and perfor mances of The Wizard of Oz, produced by Jonel Langenfeld of the theatre department. Guests to The Wizard of Oz walked the red carpet into Tyler Hall beneath massive switch-lights that could be seen throughout the city of Oswego. Among the attendees were chil dren of all ages and the elderly:
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Cadi Hannold ’17 isn’t sure which new space in Tyler is her favorite. The theatre and creative writing dual major served as a Tyler Hall tour guide, bringing guests—mostly alumni and community members— through the corridors to view all aspects of the renovations. “I never got to see the old Tyler,” Hannold said. However, it was evident that many of those on her tour had. In fact, some were donors in the seat-naming initiative in Tyler’s Waterman Theatre. Tour members fanned into the seats of the audience in the theatre, many in search of seat plaques bearing the names of professors, alumni and other honorees who were formative parts of their college years and careers. There are still seats available to name. Visit alumni. oswego.edu/watermanseats. Students also led tours into the Tyler Art Gallery, which features a variety of artists. In addition to changing exhibitions, the learning gallery is home to a permanent collection of European, African and American art from the 18th century to the
JIM RUSSELL ’83
A RED CARPET EVENT was held to celebrate Phase 1 completion.
a testament to the leading role that SUNY Oswego plays for the surrounding community. “It’s part of our respon sibility to the community, to provide great venues and opportunities,” said Stanley. “The vastly improved accessibility to and in the
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Phase 2 Begins nd floor art studios are under construction with a completion date of August, said School of Communication, Media and the Arts Dean Julie Pretzat. Meanwhile, Phase 2 is expected to begin at the end of spring semester and result in the renovation of one floor per year with final completion in 2020-2021, she said. “It has been very exciting to see Tyler’s new spaces come alive with the sights and sounds of music, art and theatre activities,” Pretzat said. “The improvements have energized our students and faculty. It is so much easier to make great work in a great space.” Phase 1 resulted in new or modernized spaces in Tyler Hall that include Waterman Theatre, Tyler Art Gallery, a music rehearsal hall, a modern lobby and entry, a new box office and more. Phase 2 will include exterior work, a lab theatre, studios for different artistic disciplines, a new costume shop, classrooms and offices. Funding for Phase 2 is from a state capital appropriation of $18 million—$13 million for interior work and $5 million for exterior refurbishing, including cleaning and repairing the facade and landscaping. “Visiting alumni have been both excited and a bit jealous about the improvements to the building,” Pretzat said. “They most appreciate all the natural light that has been brought into the building as well as the up-to-date technology for our students.”
Alumni, including Lifetime TV’s Diana Preisler ’96 (above), returned to attend the grand reopening events.
building has made the perfor mance and exhibition spaces extremely welcoming to our community,” Pretzat agreed. Before assuring audiences that there’s no place like home, students took part in a staple of SCMA programming: The 12th annual Dr. Lewis B. O’Donnell Media Summit. This year’s summit examined mobile technologies and the arts, and featured moderator Sean McAllister ’01, co-host of MORE and MORE Access on Fox5 in Las Vegas; and panelists George “Nick” Gianopoulos ’07, pianist and composer-in-residence for the
symbiosis ensemble and concert series, “Music @MiMoDa” in Los Angeles; Diana Preisler ’96, star of the Lifetime TV series Pitch Slapped and a member of the a capella band Blue Jupiter; Michael Yoon ’00, graphic artist and communications manager for University Services at Princeton University; and Mya Brown, a playwright and visiting assistant professor in acting/directing. Each panelist shared how he or she employed social and digital technologies in their work as musi cians, artists and performers during the Oct. 27 event titled Digital,
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The Dr. Lewis B. O’Donnell Media Summit was held in the new Waterman Theatre.
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Telling Tales at Tyler
Social, Mobile: How Media Trends Impact Theatre, Music and Art. Following the discussion, students asked the panelists questions ranging from how to improve the number of followers
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on social media to how to protect creative works to what the panelists thought of how U.S. presidential candidates and their followers used social media. l
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JENNIFER BRODERICK
Pictured here are the 2016 Dr. Lewis B. O'Donnell Media Summit panelists and Career Connectors: (Back row, from left) Omy Melo '14, assistant editor, The Station; Mya Brown, visiting assistant professor of theater/actress; Louis A. Borrelli Jr. '77; SUNY Oswego President Deborah F. Stanley; Adam Shear '14, promotional strategy coordinator, USA Network, Syfy, Cloo; Quindell Williams '11, photojournalist, CNY Central; Gabriel Almanzar '05, supervising art director, CBS This Morning; (front left); Michael Yoon '00, a communications manager and graphics specialist at Princeton University; Sara Cooper '14, policy coordinator, New York State Network for Youth Success; Diana Preisler '96, Lifetime reality series Pitch Slapped star; George "Nick" Gianopoulos '07, a Los Angeles-based composer; Jenna Wehn '09, highlight producer, ESPN; and Sean McAllister '01, executive producer/co-host, Las Vegas Fox affiliate KVVU.
Opened in 1968 as the college’s rapher Tyler Edic ’13 (lower left), first exclusive arts space, Tyler who compiled the video memories. Hall was named for James Gale Visit oswego.edu/magazine to hear Tyler, a painter who was born in Clabough’s and many other stories Oswego. Over the decades, it served from alumni, staff and current as home school for generations students. And, it’s not too late to of arts students—from visual self-submit your Tyler Tale. See the and performing arts to music and website for details. theatre—as well as the faculty who guided them. Arts students are the types of students who spend late, long hours refining their passion for art, according to Cynthia Clabough, professor and art department chair. Clabough was a participant in Tyler Tales, a project capturing the stories of the people who know Tyler Hall best. Tyler Tales interviewees visited the new Tyler recording studio space to Pictured above is videographer share stories ranging from hilarious Tyler Edic ’13 and Amy Bartell ’86, to heart-wrenching with videogan instructor in the art department.
Class Notes 1947 1947 70th 70th JUNE JUNE 8-11 8-11
1952 1952 65th 65th 1947 70th 1957 1957 60th 60th 1952 65th
JUNE 8-11 8-11 JUNE JUNE 8-11 JUNE 8-11 8-11 JUNE
Mary Jane Quinn Parrow JUNE 8-11’59 1962 55th and 1962 Fred55th Parrow ’60 have lived in Spring, Texas, for the past 43 years. Fred is retired fromJUNE Shell Oil 8-11 1957 60th Company, where he was a manager for office leasing. They enjoy golf JUNE 8-11 1967 and travel. 1967 50th 50th
1962 55th
JUNE 8-11 8-11 JUNE
1972 45th 45th 1972
JUNE 8-11
Peter Sulzbach ’62 isJUNE a realtor 8-11 JUNE 8-11 1967 50th in Fort Myers, Fla. Otto Thomas ’63 lives in JUNE 8-11 San 1977 Diego. 40thDuring his time in 1977 40th Oswego, he was active in swimming, soccer, symphonic choir,JUNE band8-11 and JUNE 8-11 1972 45th musicals. He also served as a resi dent assistant. ’86, ’88 ’86, ’87, ’87, ’88 JUNE 8-11 30thCarol ReunionHoffman Emerson ’67 30th Reunion of Stanley, N.Y., is retired from a career in education. She and her 8-11 1977 40th husband, Roger, enjoyJUNE traveling and spending time with family and JUNE 8-11 friends in 25th the Finger Lakes region. 1992
1992 25th ’86, ’87, ’88 30th Reunion
’00, ’01, ’02
JUNE 8-11 8-11 JUNE
NOTES
Call us at: 315-312-2258 Email us at: alumni@oswego.edu Fax us at: 315-312-4004 Visit our website at: alumni.oswego.edu
More than a Million Miles on Five Continents: A Travel Writer’s Journey From a tent in a desolate desert region in the Middle Eastern country of Jordan, to the ferry docks on the island of Milos, Greece, to an isolated snowy mountain pass accessible only by snowmobile in the Rocky Mountains: It’s all in day’s work for David Drotar ’74. “One of my favorite trips recently was a bear-watching excursion in British Columbia,” said Drotar, who leads the life of a modern-day adventurer—one who shares his travels with readers as the author of seven books and hundreds of articles for newspapers, magazines and online publications. “A lot of the time spent was just sitting quietly in a wooden blind at the river’s edge waiting for the bears to come fishing.” According to Drotar, his wanderlust began during his time as a student at SUNY Oswego as a biology major with interests that gained traction in the stacks of books in Penfield Library, where he was a student employee. “That experience fostered my love of books, journals and sense of trying to organize and make sense of the world,” Drotar said. A class on children’s literature with Helen Buckley Simkiewicz, he said, sparked his interest in writing. “Soon I found myself writing about nature and the outdoors in many of my stories,” Drotar said. Drotar also founded independent publishing’s Brookview Press. In addition to serving as Drotar’s publisher for his later books, Brookview is home to works such as the memoir Chasing Dreamtime by Neva Sullaway, which went on to win six book awards. Drotar, who was awarded the 2016 Excellence in Journalism Award from the International Food, Wine & Travel Writers, said Australia and Antarctica remain to be conquered by his pen; in the meantime he continues to visit locales both near and far to his home in Castleton-on-Hudson, N.Y. “I particularly enjoy the more leisurely paced trips in which you can really soak in the ambience of a destination and relate to its people,” he said. —Eileen Crandall
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Note: Class notes included in the magazine come from a variety of information sources, such as alumni submissions, news releases, social media posts and news media reports. To submit your class note, email alumni@ oswego.edu, call 315-312-2258, fax 315-312-4004 or submit online at alumni.oswego.edu.
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Drotar’s Top Five Travel Destinations 1. Galapagos Islands—truly a magical place. The wildlife has evolved without any contact from predators so they have no fear of humans. You can walk right up to a bird in a tree and say hello. 2. Greece—I was there as a young backpacker in 1982 and twice the past two years on writing assignments. The islands, sea and mountains are stunningly beautiful. 3. Thailand—Beautiful temples and people who suddenly burst into smiles when they see you. 4. Yellowstone National Park and Wyoming Rockies in winter— The landscape and thermal features are amazing. 5. Acadia National Park—Love the rocky Maine coast!
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1967 50th JUNE 8-11
Ron Smith ’67 of Sayville, 1972 45th N.Y., is regional political action coordinator for the New York JUNE 8-11 State United Teachers in Suffolk County, N.Y. He also serves as executive vice president for the 40thFederation of Labor Long1977 Island and as a state committee member 8-11 for the Working FamiliesJUNE party. He was a teacher in the Sayville Public ’86, ’87,District ’88 School for 37 years before 30th Reunion retiring. He enjoys sailing with his wife, June, near Long Island and in the Caribbean. JUNE 8-11 Kenneth Trager ’67 lives in Greensboro, N.C., with his wife, 1992Lenhardt 25th Shirley Trager ’69. He retired from 36 years as a public JUNE 8-11 high school social studies teacher and is a volunteer for the Greens ’00, ’01, ’02 Center and Greens boro Science 15th Reunion boro History Museum. The Tragers have two daughters. Joseph Armstrong ’70 JUNE 8-11of Normal, Ill., professor of botany emeritus for Illinois State Univer sity,2005 was 10th presented the Distin guished Fellow Award by the Botanical Society of America. The JUNE 8-11 award is the society’s highest honor ’08,scholarship, ’09, ’10 for teaching, advocacy 5th Reunion and service to the profession. Karen Marzynski ’70 of Syracuse, N.Y., is a retired 6th JUNE 8-11 grade teacher who volunteers for charitable organizations, including Delta Kappa Gamma’s Alpha Iota Chapter, to raise funds for scholar ships for girls in Oswego County; Friendly Service for Oswego County; and the Rosamond Gifford Zoo in Syracuse. She and fellow Theta Chi Rho sisters in the Central New York area meet on a monthly basis to visit a place of interest and enjoy the sisterhood they started at Oswego. John A. Lang ’71 of Syra cuse, N.Y., retired after 34 years of teaching in the Syracuse City School District. In retirement, John has been a docent for the Everson Museum, a volunteer at the Land mark theatre and, most recently, an officer and trip leader for the Adirondack Mountain Club. He
enjoys keeping fit and partici pating in triathlons. He’ll never forget having seen The Doors at his freshmen orientation. Carol Lebiedzinski ’71 was 1947 70th named October 2016’s Rosamond Gifford Zoo (Syracuse, JUNEN.Y.) 8-11 volunteer of the month. She retired in 2005 from a 34-year teaching career with the Chittenango Central 1952 65th School District, where she taught science to students inJUNE grades 8-11 7 through 10. She later completed the Rosamond Gifford Zoo volunteer training 1957class, 60th selecting the Zoo to You program as her focus. Francine Zolkower Wolf ’71 JUNE 8-11 of Largo, Fla., is a professional actor. She is part of the Stuff Happens Improv which appears 1962 Theatre, 55th monthly at the new Safety Harbor (Fla.) Art and Music Center. She JUNE 8-11 teaches acting and improv and runs ZaZu Productions, which special izes in entertainment and celebrity 1967 50th caricature impersonations for events. She has also developed and JUNE 8-11 taught improv workshops.
Joseph-Michael Midura ’74 is the historian for the city of North Tonawanda, N.Y. Glendon Widrick ’74 of Castorland, N.Y., retired from teaching chemistry and math ematics for the Beaver River (N.Y.) Central School District. He now teaches part time for the Lowville Academy & Central School Dist rict, and enjoys traveling to Florida and visiting grandchildren. Mary Etta Schneider ’75 serves as board chair and president for Historic Huguenot Street, an orga nization dedicated to collecting, preserving and interpreting history in New Paltz, N.Y. Lynne Benson “Bense” Stangl ’75 is retired and living in Oceanside, Calif. Patrick Bradley ’76 of Lewiston, N.Y., is director of public relations and communications for the Niagara Falls (N.Y.) Memorial Medical Center. Rosemary Battista Inger70th as a teacher for soll 1947 ’76 retired the Oswego City School District’s Kingsford Park School inJUNE June8-11 2013 after 37 years of teaching. Benita Zahn ’76 was honored with1952 the Zonta 65th Club of the Upper Hudson Valley (N.Y.) “People Making A Difference” award. JUNE 8-11 Benita, who holds a doctorate degree in professional studies/ bioethics, co-anchors NewsChannel 1957 60th 13 Live at 5 and 6 p.m. broad casts. She is also a healthJUNE reporter, 8-11 covering issues including wellness, treatment breakthroughs, aging, nutrition and the latest healthcare 1962 55th trends. She co-produces and hosts Health LINK on WMHT and writes JUNE 8-11 a weekly column for the “Live Smart” page in the Albany Times Union newspaper. Her work has 1967 50th garnered numerous awards such as the Distinguished Communicator JUNE 8-11 Award/American Women in Radio and Television, Women Against MS honoree and media awards 1972 45th from the American Cancer Society, American Lung Association and JUNE 8-11 American Heart Association.
1972 45th JUNE 8-11
David Hults ’72 of Harrisdale, 1977 40th Australia, retired after more than 40 years working in higher education JUNE 8-11 in Australia. Robert A. Rubinstein ’72, ’86, ’87,was ’88 honored by the Amer Ph.D., 30th Reunion ican Public Health Association for his research and advocacy on peace and human rights as theJUNE recipient 8-11 of the 2016 Victor Sidel and Barry Levy Award for Peace. Rubinstein is 1992 25th a Syracuse University professor. Richard Goldstein ’73 of New JUNE 8-11 Bern, N.C., is a self-employed inde pendent agent for Medicare Supple ’00, ’01, ’02 ment Insurance Service Inc. 15th Reunion Roger Hancock ’74 of Quincy, Mass., retired in fall 2016 as senior software engineer for Cerner JUNE 8-11 Corporation. T. Scott King ’74 of Delray 2005 Beach, Fla.,10th joined the board of advi sors for Zimmerman Advertising. Patricia McMahon ’74 moved JUNE 8-11 to Houston after living in Western ’08, ’09, ’10for five years. She writes Australia 5th Reunion books and poetry. children’s
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James Mignogna ’77 is a retired pilot. He lives in Cazenovia, N.Y. William Smith ’77 is a retired programmer analyst. He lives in Port Matilda, Pa. Kevin McMahon ’78 formed a consulting firm, McMahon Siegel Group, based in Colorado Springs, Colo. McMahon was chairman and chief executive officer of design firm Edwards and Kelcey and, after its 2007 purchase by Jacobs Engi neering, group vice president of that firm. Siegel was also chairman and chief executive officer of Kleinfelder, where he led its global expansion. Susan Davis Winn ’78 of Camillus, N.Y., teaches at the Roxboro Road Elementary School in the North Syracuse (N.Y.) Central School District. Gregory Wittman ’78 of Lake wood, Wash., is a pilot for Alaska Airlines. He is retired from the United States Air Force Reserves. Edward Zak ’78 of Holland Patent, N.Y., is a visiting assistant professor for SUNY Oswego. Deb Howe Allen ’80 is director of advancement for the Fairport (N.Y.) Baptist Homes Foundation. Bill Holt ’80 of Scotia, N.Y., is a state of New York Division of Criminal Justice employee who also serves as a volunteer firefighter and served 10 years for the U.S. Naval Reserves. Pamela Landry ’80 of Milford, Conn., is operations manager for Quinnipiac University’s WQUN Radio. Rosemary A. Cardamone Crane ’81 joined the board of directors for Unilife Corporation, a medical device and drug delivery systems company headquartered in York, Pa. Michael McCauley ’81 of Orlando, Fla., retired in 2014 as supervisor for customer service at Southwest Airlines in the Orlando International Airport. Prior to moving to Orlando, he served for 20 years in the Oswego (N.Y.) Fire Department. Brian P. Ward ’81 w a s prom oted to a company officer as managing director for Global Markets, GE Energy Financial Services in GE Capital. With more
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Jay Ahuja ’85 produced, with 1957 60th Charlotte (N.C.) MeDIA veterans, Live from The Double Door Inn: A JUNE 8-11 Documentary. The documentary traces the history of Charlotte’s home of the blues for 43 years. 1962 55thJ. Harrington ’85 of Timothy Prescott, Ariz., is managing director for edtech startup, Fidelis Educa JUNE 8-11 tion. Previously, he held multiple positions focused on academic leadership, 1967 50thstudent success and education technology research with DeVry Education Group.JUNE He holds 8-11 a doctorate in education leadership. Cynthia Ryerson Kehoe ’85 of Rock1972 Hill,45th S.C., is a certified nurses aide and Red Cross volunteer. Lynda Swart ’85 of Fort Myers, JUNE 8-11 Fla., is a legislative assistant for the City of Sanibel, Sanibel Island, Fla. 1977 Previously, 40th she had been an educator for the Walton (N.Y.) Central School District. JUNE 8-11
Alumna, Family Spreads Love for the Ice
1980 ONTARIAN
than 34 years at GE, Brian has held leadership positions in finance, risk, quality and global markets. Lisa Morelli Ferron ’82 of Mount Juliet, Tenn., is a senior busi ness IT analyst for HealthStream Inc. in Nashville, Tenn. She serves on the board of her local Interna tional Institute of Business Analysis chapter as communications chair and volunteers with Women Get I.T. as a mentor for women inter ested in technology careers. She has been married for 34 years and has two daughters. Frannie Franc ’82 of Newtown, Pa., is an educational consultant, supervisor and adjunct faculty member for the School of Educa tion at the College of New Jersey. Debbie Smith Murray ’82 and John Murray ’84 of Cross River, N.Y., celebrated their 30th wedding anniversary on Sept. 27, 2016, with their children, Ryan and Lauren, in New York City. William Pfund ’82 of Sylvania, Ohio, is the director of analytical services for NAMSA, a medical research organization. Marci Chase Haas ’83 of Stony Point, N.Y., performs systems archi tecture and planning for the AT&T Matching Gift Company. Lela Katzman ’83 has owned marketing communications firm Full Spectrum Communications since 1996. She lives in Loudonville, N.Y., with her husband, Jonathan Koppel ’83. Their son Zachary Koppel ’13 graduated with a degree in broadcast and mass communica tions; he currently works for the State Employees Federal Credit Union and lives in Watervliet, N.Y. Their other son Josh graduated from the University of Massachusetts. Jim Maniccia ’84 M’99 is a technology teacher for Westhill High School in Syracuse, N.Y., and chair of the Syracuse-area chapter of the Society of Manufacturing Engineers. Michael Perrin ’84 w a s appointed executive deputy commissioner of the New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance. He lives in Albany, N.Y., with his wife of 23 years, Susan, who is the daughter of former SUNY Oswego Professor of Political Science Fred Bartle, who retired in 1986. They have two children.
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She is the all-time scoring leader as a SUNY Oswego women’s ice hockey team defenseman. She was the scoring leader for field hockey in the 1979-80 season. She has athletic accolades ranging from most valuable player to team captain. And when she graduated with a degree in education, she was far from done with the sports that had shaped her youth. Instead, Anne Potter Collins ’80 has woven hockey throughout her entire life, with the next generation of her family spreading even more broadly her love for—and skills on—the ice. Inducted into the Oswego State Athletics Hall of Fame in 2006 for her contributions to athletics, Collins and her husband, Glenn (who played hockey for Rochester Institute of Technology and later coached there), have four children, all who have played either collegiate or professional hockey. Her daughters—Kelly ’12 and Courtney ’15—both played for SUNY Oswego. Sons Chris and Greg are retired from professional hockey careers in Europe. Her brother, the late Fred Potter ’80, played for SUNY Oswego as well. “When Glenn and I met near the end of our college days, we just knew that hockey would be a big part of our journey together,” Anne said. “When our first son Chris was born, we had him on the ice as soon as he could walk!” And the reach is broader than the Collins clan. Anne and her family own and operate Village Sports arena in Fairport, N.Y., where the next generation of hockey players put sticks to ice and learn the skills of the game under the Collins family’s tutelage. “We’ve had thousands of kids from the community come through our programs, and we enjoy giving back by doing business in the community the kids grew up in,” she said. “We make sure the kids have fun as they learn and play the great game of hockey.” Anne runs a sports-based preschool that teaches 3 and 4 year olds to play hockey, as well as kindergarten readiness skills. The rest of the family runs other programs, training youth off and on the ice. It’s a natural evolution for a family that has dedicated itself to the game. “The game of hockey has taught me humility, respect, companionship and perseverance,” Anne said. “I just love seeing the little ones and their parents having fun together.” —Eileen Crandall
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Allan DeCarlo ’86 M’95 1992 25th CAS’03 teaches Advanced Place ment American History and JUNE 8-11 Advanced Placement American ’00, ’01, ’02 at Pittsford Mendon Government 15th Reunion High School in Rochester, N.Y. He has worked in education for more than 30 years. JUNE 8-11 Peter Devine ’86 of Rock ville Centre, N.Y., is executive director law firm Molod Spitz 2005for 10th & DeSantis, P.C. in New York City. John Oakley ’86 is a police lieu JUNE 8-11 tenant for the city of Yonkers, N.Y. Matthew ’08, ’09, ’10 Berndt ’87 of Austin, 5th Reunion Texas, is an employment specialist for the Indeed.com Idea Center. Keith Chamberlain ’87 of JUNE 8-11 Pottstown, Pa., is chief marketing officer for Healthworks Inc. John T. Greene ’87 is executive vice president and chief financial officer of Bioverativ, a planned spin-off company of Biogen, which is headquartered in Cambridge, Mass. Previously, he was chief financial officer of Willis Group and for HSBC Holdings. Earlier in his career, he spent 12 years in various roles at General Electric.
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Michael Liebe ’87 has been teaching English in Korea since December 1992, at a college in Daegu, a city north of Busan. Geri Penz Vaeth ’87 of Henri etta, N.Y., is a secretary for Genesee Community College in Batavia, N.Y. Mark Delaney ’88 of Smith town, N.Y., is retail strategy prin ciple for the mobile computer division at Zebra (formerly Motorola) and lives with his wife, Kathy, and their three children. Christopher Hurd ’89 M’94 was one of five educators recognized nationally in 2016 with Project Lead the Way’s Teacher of the Year Award. He was one of the first teachers in the area to participate in
been a critical partner in developing summer STEM camps for children at Niagara University. Jeannine Feldeisen Haas ’90 is chief marketing officer for Gulf stream Aerospace Corp. She previ ously served as the chief managing officer for Avis Budget Group. During her tenure, she was named to Forbes’ 50 Most Influential CMOs of 2014, Brand Innovators Top 50 Women in Marketing 2014 and 2015 and Advertising Women of New York’s 2015 Working Mothers of the Year list. Dee Marie M’90 of Minetto, N.Y., is a writer for Conceptual Images Publishing and a registered animal-assisted therapy team with her labrador retriever.
PLTW through Cazenovia (N.Y.) schools. PLTW is a nonprofit educa tional organization that emphasizes computer science, engineering and biomedical science curricula. Tina Panepinto Smeal ’89 is principal for the G.J. Mann Elemen tary School in the Niagara Falls (N.Y.) City School District. Jill Spelina ’89 of Havertown, Pa., graduated in May 2016 from Villanova University with a Ph.D. in engineering. Lynne Merletti Tompkins ’89 was recognized during an awards dinner at Niagara University as U.S. Educational Leader of the Year. She has worked in the Niagara Falls (N.Y.) City School District for the past 26 years. Since 2007, she has
Thomas Bailer ’91 M’96 of Pennellville, N.Y., was appointed to the position of principal for the John C. Birdlebough High School in the Phoenix (N.Y.) Central School District in July 2016. John Myers ’91 of Elmhurst, N.Y., is the director of enrollment management at the New York University Steinhardt School of Education in New York City. Robert Park ’91 is vice president for School Channel and Student Success at MeasureOne, a higher education data and analytics firm. Daniel Walker ’91 of Glen Ridge, N.J., is a lighting designer for Full Spectrum Productions. He has worked on Once, Paramour,
Taryn Tracy Chapola ’97 was seven years into a fulfilling career as a graphic designer at Syracuse University Office of Publications and less than three months into her new role as a mother when some post-pregnancy bloodwork changed her life forever. On Jan. 20, 2005, less than a month away from her 30th birthday, Chapola was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia. The Syracuse native immediately began treatments and received a bone marrow transplant that July at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City. Her friends, including Shannon Herron Patrie ’97, Anne Doherty Satalin ’97, Kelly Stoner ’98 and former Lakers hockey player David Rogers ’98, rallied around her and raised funds for her medical needs—which kept her out of work for almost a year and half. During that time, Chapola started to recognize the critical role the nurses played in her recovery. She set her mind on a full recovery and becoming an oncology nurse to make that kind of difference in other patients’ lives. She returned to work as a full-time graphic designer but also enrolled into a
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Alumna Finds Satisfaction in Two Distinct Careers weekend nursing program while juggling her responsibilities as a wife and mother. “I just felt this drive within me to become a nurse,” she said. “This is definitely where I am supposed to be.” Today, she works as a nurse in a private oncology practice in Syracuse. When she thinks it will help, Chapola, who celebrates her 12th “cancer-versary” or her “birthday without cancer” in July, shares her own experience with the cancer patients she treats. “People ask me, ‘Is it sad to work with cancer patients?’” Chapola said. “I say, ‘Absolutely not.’ I feel very good about the work I am doing. I see joy and sadness but get satisfaction by helping people on their cancer journey.” Initially, Chapola said she was hesitant to change careers because she didn’t want to “waste her degree in graphic design.” But she said she quickly realized this second career is where she needs to be now. Plus, she still puts her degree to use around the office.
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“Oh, I see some flyers and pamphlets that could use some design help so I will often offer up my services to try and improve them,” said Chapola, RN, OCN. “My coworkers all laugh at how excited I get when we get good paper or have new markers and pens. Never has an oncology nurse cared more about paper stock!” —Margaret Spillett
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Cirque Du Soleil on Broadway, Cats, 30th Reunion Disney’s Tarzan and the Christmas Spectacular at Radio City in New JUNE 8-11 York, N.Y.
1992 25th JUNE 8-11
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15th Reunion Jamie Vitale Cuda M’92 of Frankfort, N.Y., is an assistant professor at Mohawk Valley JUNE 8-11 Community College. She earned a doctorate in education from St. John 2005Fisher 10th College in August 2016. She chairs the MVCC Hiring Systems Advisory Council and the JUNE 8-11 MVCC Health Sciences Library Committee. ’08, ’09, ’10 Karen Kopryanski ’93 is an 5th Reunion assistant professor of theatre for the Virginia Commonwealth Univer sity School of the Arts.JUNE She8-11 had previously been with the Boston Conservatory. Deborah Kiley Torres ’93 of Valhalla, N.Y., is ethics and compli ance communications manager for Deloitte & Touche LLP. Jason Bristol ’95 joined the KHOU 11 sports team in Houston in fall 2016. Bristol has been the WHP sports director in Harrisburg, Pa., for more than 10 years, winning 20 Mid-Atlantic Emmy awards and three Edward R. Murrow Regional awards as a sports reporter and anchor. The Pennsylvania Associ ated Press Broadcasters Association awarded him first place in sports casting three years in a row. Before WHP, Bristol was a sports anchor for the Empire Sports network and WSTM in Syracuse, N.Y. He appears weekdays on KHOU 11 News and hosts KHOU 11 Sports Extra on Sunday nights. I-Chun Chen M’95 of Hsinchu, Taiwan, is manager for Powerchip Technology Corp. Mike Scerbo ’95 has been named assistant athletic director for compliance at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh. Mike, who went 109-82 in 11 seasons as the head women’s lacrosse coach for the Dukes, led Duquesne to an Atlantic 10 Championship appear ance in each of his past six seasons. He leaves his post as the winningest lacrosse coach in school history.
CLA SS Jeff Solan ’95 M’97 became superintendent of Cheshire (Conn.) Public Schools in July 2016. He was formerly principal of Cheshire High School. Scott Geller ’97 is managing partner of Adaptive Workplace Solutions, LLC in Melville, N.Y. Ted Metellus ’97 of New York City is in charge of course opera tions, including event safety and security, for Rock N’ Roll Mara thon at the Competitor Group. He received the Professional of the Year Award from the National Center for Spectator Sports Safety & Security. George Morris ’97 is an oncology clinical trials research registered nurse for the Providence Portland Medical Center in Port land, Ore. Melanie Trulby ’97 of Beach wood, N.J., is a radio traffic manager for Press Communications LLC in Neptune, N.J. Adam Plante ’98 is an agent for Brightway, Riverside in Jacksonville, Fla. He also volunteers with Equality Florida and the Jacksonville Coali tion for Equality. Michael Sussman ’98 of Old Bethpage, N.Y., is vice president of SterlingRisk Inc. in Woodbury, N.Y. Taryn Croot Weinstein ’99 M’04 became the director of student affairs at Dartmouth Geisel School of Medicine in Hanover, N.H. in February 2016. Robert Yasinsac ’99 is a featured photographer at the New York State Museum in Albany, N.Y., for his Hudson Valley Ruins exhibi tion from August 2016 through December 2017. The exhibit, based on his 2006 book Hudson Valley Ruins: Forgotten Landmarks of an American Landscape, features more than 80 photographs of approxi mately 60 locations, and is supple mented by architectural fragments and historical ephemera from the museum and private collections. Lisa Brodsky ’00 of Belleville, N.J., is journal production manager for Cenveo Corporation in Columbia, Md. Jason Pasion ’00 is the head coach of tennis programs for Hofstra University in Hempstead, N.Y. Previously, Jason had the same job at the New York Insti tute of Technology. He played for
SUNY Oswego during his time as a student. Colleen Politowski ’00 has been named principal at St. Andrew’s Country Day School in Kenmore, N.Y. She most recently served as the principal at St. John Vianney School in Orchard Park, N.Y. Previously, she was the prin cipal of St. Francis of Assisi School in Tonawanda, N.Y. Nicole Rookey Dzuba ’01 of Baldwinsville, N.Y., is senior marketing coordinator for C&S Companies of Syracuse, N.Y. Mia Hodgins ’02 is the assistant director of development at Monroe Community College in Rochester, N.Y. Joshua Noble ’02 is junior/ senior high school assistant prin cipal and the athletic director for the New Lebanon (N.Y.) Board of Education. He began his teaching career in the Smithtown (N.Y.) Central School District, teaching sixth grade mathematics and English Language Arts, before moving on to Chatham (N.Y.) Central School District to teach mathematics and science. Natasha Johnson Polito ’02 of Webster, N.Y., is a broadcast media account executive for WHEC-TV 10 NBC in Rochester, N.Y. Margaret Bowen ’03 is zoo manager for Phillips Park Zoo in Aurora, Ill. She has nearly 20 years of experience working in the animal care field at zoos and animal clinics throughout the country. Jill Cotter ’03 of Rochester, N.Y., is office assistant for the University of Rochester’s Larry & Cindy Bloch Alumni & Advance ment Center. Sherry Stock Faye ’03 of Livermore, Calif., is a postdoc toral researcher for the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. She earned a Master of Science in health physics and Ph.D. in radio chemistry, both from the Univer sity of Nevada, Las Vegas. She also completed a one-year postdoctoral scholar position at the University of California at Berkeley. Jennifer O’Connor Teepe ’03 of Albany, N.Y., is a laboratory center administrator with the state Department of Health.
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Megan Ingersoll Walters ’03 M’04 is tax manager for Fust Charles Chambers LLP in Syracuse, N.Y. Brent Danega ’04 ’05 M’14 of LaFayette, N.Y., was honored in November 2016 as a recipient of the Central New York Business Journal 40 under 40 award at the Oncenter in Syracuse, N.Y. Recipi ents are selected for excelling in the workplace and giving back to their community. Brent is a human resources associate for the State University of New York at Cortland. Stephen Hoffman ’04 of Craryville, N.Y., is a senior graphic designer for the Merrill Corporation. Whitney Chase Howell ’04 is a software developer for Mainstream Technologies. Previously, she worked in government contracting and in the healthcare sector. She and her husband live in Cabot, Ark., with their four children. Benjamin New M’04 was appointed by the Morrisville-Eaton (N.Y.) Board of Education as its new middle/high school principal. He was previously the principal for the Bolivar Road Elementary School in the Chittenango (N.Y.) Central School District. Amanda McKenna Viel ’04 M’05 is the principal for Millard Hawk Primary School in Central Square, N.Y. Katherine Doe ’05 of Mount Pleasant, S.C., is director of product marketing for Equifax. Stefania Fusillo ’05 of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, is a senior human resources consultant for the Cana dian Food Inspection Agency’s Learning Division in Ottawa. Scott Grau ’05 M’08 of Liver pool, N.Y., joined INFICON as a customer service manager. He previously worked for Eaton Corp. Robert Palazzo M’05 CAS’08 was appointed principal at Panther Valley Elementary in Nesque honing, Pa. Previously, Palazzo was employed by the Palmerton (Pa.) School District, most recently as a school psychologist. Johanna Vining-Shopmyer ’05 of Schenectady, N.Y., is a profes sional development manager for the New York State Association of School Business Officials in Albany, N.Y. OSWEGO
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Ashley Babbitt Cady ’06 of Clarence Center, N.Y., is a special education teacher for Iroquois High School in Elma, N.Y. Elizabeth Farwell Gawinski ’06 CAS’09 of Cicero, N.Y., is a school psychologist for the Central Square (N.Y.) School District. Andrea Ormsby ’06 of Banner Elk, N.C., is a high school math teacher for Watauga County (N.C.) Public Schools. Jason Poland ’06 M’09 of Mohegan Lake, N.Y., is a secu rity guard for Securitas Security Services. Brian J. Potter ’06 was promoted to senior tax manager at Dannible & McKee LLP in Syracuse, N.Y. He joined the firm in 2006. He is a certified public accountant and a member of American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the New York State Society of CPAs.
Erika Fenton Reed ’06 of Fulton, N.Y., and her family welcomed Tucker James, who was born on May 2, 2016, in Oswego City Hospital. She is a supervisor for Home Depot. Michael Sellitti ’06 of Sidney Center, N.Y., is founder of Skytop Digital Media LLC. Kelly Gardner Williamson ’06 of Canastota, N.Y., joined MedTech Association as a marketing and events manager. Previously, she was coordinator of public relations and alumni communications at SUNY Morrisville (N.Y.). Trevor Backer ’07 is a mobile crisis clinician for Cascadia Behav ioral Healthcare in Portland, Ore. Theresa Ruane DePierro ’07 M’ 08 of Raleigh, N.C., is AVP for internal audit at Credit Suisse in Morrisville, N.C.
Stephan DiFlorio ’07 of Lockport, N.Y., married Amanda Steenbergh on Aug. 23, 2016. He is a technology teacher at North Park Academy in Buffalo, N.Y. Amber Singleton Fagin ’07 of Alexandria, Va., performs commer cial/mechanical outside sales for Ferguson Enterprises in Beltsville, Md. Laura Kinnally Minor ’07 of Millis, Mass., is a preschool teacher for the Wellesley Nursery School in Wellesley Hills, Mass. Mike Rulffes ’07 was appointed director of provider services and service line development at Crouse Hospital in Syracuse, N.Y. Mike joined Crouse Hospital in 2014 as the manager for the Orthopedic and Spine Co-Management group. He previously served at St. Joseph’s Hospital Health Center in Syracuse,
and at the Cleveland Clinic (Ohio) from 2007 to 2012. Richard Shea ’07 of Albany, N.Y., is associate principal for the Berkshire Union Free School District in Canaan, N.Y. Matthew Jerauld ’08 of Round Lake, N.Y., is a central sterile techni cian for Saratoga Hospital in Sara toga Springs, N.Y. Sarah Kane ’08 M’15 of Endwell, N.Y., is a deputy director of budget for Broome County (N.Y.). Diana Major ’08 studied avian and tropical ecology in the Amazon River basin in summer 2016. She is a senior aviculturist and zookeeper at SeaWorld and lives in San Diego. Gary Sutton ’08 M’10 of Hilton Head Island, S.C., is the interim registrar for the University of South Carolina—Beaufort.
Alumnus Makes the Most of Life’s Obstacles and Opportunities Then his life changed dramatically again. He was diagnosed with prostate cancer and wasn’t certain he would survive. Now as a four-year cancer survivor, he said he wants to make the most of every opportunity presented to him. His life experiences inspired the design of an anti-microbial smartphone case that led to the creation of Goze (gozezone.com). The company donates a portion of all sales to DKMS, one of the world’s largest cancer charities and bone marrow donor registries. Caban developed the #gotcheeks marketing campaign to encourage people to have their cheeks swabbed and become a potential donor on the registry. He also serves as a motivational speaker through his own company Philip M. Caban, LLC and works with teens aging out of foster care via a program he started called The H.U.S.T.L.E. (Helping Under-Serviced Teens Learn Entrepreneurship) Academy in NYC. “I was given a second chance at life, and I’m going to crush every minute of it,” he said. “I believe there are kids out there who would benefit from hearing my story. It is selfish not to share what I’ve learned to help others.” —Margaret Spillett
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Motivational speaker, bouncer, luxury hotelier, entrepreneur, inventor, stand-up comedian, film writer, start-up consultant, and non-profit fundraiser. These are a just few of the titles held by Brooklyn native Philip Caban ’05, who studied business administration at SUNY Oswego. When he arrived at SUNY Oswego, he said he was overwhelmed by its beauty, the opportunities afforded him and the glimpse of a life he never thought was possible. “I grew up in the ’hood and was surrounded by guns, violence and drug activity,” he said. “My friends were being killed or going to jail, and here I was in the middle of this beautiful campus. My universe had flipped. It was hard to focus on college because I expected my life to end up in a terrible way.” But an EOP (Educational Opportunity Program) counselor at Oswego helped him change his thinking by reminding him if he wasn’t going to take advantage of the opportunities at Oswego then he should leave to let someone else benefit. “I realized that everyone there was interested in my well-being and in helping me succeed, if and only if I engaged them the right way,” he said. In addition to his studies and two off-campus jobs, Caban pledged Delta Kappa Kappa, helping to cultivate a philanthropic atmosphere. After college, Caban entered the hospitality industry, working his way from front desk attendant to manager of a luxury hotel. “I learned the importance of, and how to, communicate as effectively with the immigrant who left school in 2nd grade as with the Princeton-educated CFO,” he said. “I learned so much. It was a crash course in all aspects of commerce and life.”
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CLA SS Michael Ferlito ’09 of Penfield, N.Y., is product development manager for HM Clause, a biotech nology company. Tamar Greene ’09 appeared at Bristol Riverside Theatre in Bristol, Pa., in the role of Booker T. Washington in Ragtime. Tamar also performed as Crab Man in Porgy and Bess at the Spoleto Festival USA in Charleston, S.C. Andrea Bunker Harris ’09 of North Tonawanda, N.Y., is employed by The Travel Team Inc. in Buffalo, N.Y. Matthew Peirson ’09 of Camillus, N.Y., is the owner and coffee roaster for Simple Roast Coffee. He began roasting coffee as a hobby while studying entrepre neurship at SUNY Oswego, selling his products at farmer’s markets. Erin O’Connor Goldman ’10 is controller for SUNY Oswego Auxil iary Services. Kate Wilcox ’11 is senior brand manager for The Martin Group in Rochester, N.Y. Wilcox previously worked for Butler/Till in Rochester. Meredith Mesick Askew ’12 of Syracuse, N.Y., is an implementa tion consultant in time and labor management for ADP Inc., and has received Society for Human Resource Management certified professional status. Matthew Berrigan ’12 M’13 is a senior audit associate for Fust Charles Chambers LLP in Syracuse, N.Y. Christina Blanchard ’12 of Hilo, Hawaii, is chief operating officer for Eye Care Hawaii. Kevin Clary ’12 M’13 is a special project analyst for Fust Charles Chambers LLP in Syracuse, N.Y. Christopher Daniel ’12 M’13 is a tax senior associate at Dermody, Burke & Brown, CPAs LLC in Syra cuse, N.Y. Brady Farkas ’12 is program director at WCPV-FM, the ESPN affiliate in Burlington, Vt. Previ ously, he was a radio producer and on-air voice for WTMM-FM in the Albany, N.Y. region. Daniel J. Fetter ’12 joined Scolaro, Fetter, Grizanti, McGough & King P.C. as an attorney in the firm’s estate planning and wealth preservation, agricultural services
Ross Bentley ’14 of Green ville, N.Y., is an editor for ESPN in Bristol, Conn. Mary Godnick ’14 of Liverpool, N.Y., is a marketing and develop ment assistant for the Adirondack Council. Nicholas Jao ’14 of Hicksville, N.Y., is a billing coordinator for Hazen and Sawyer, DPC. Steven Leventoff ’14 of Cort landt Manor, N.Y., is a portfolio management analyst for Carrington Capital Management. Ryan Mellon ’14 of Playa Del Rey, Calif., is an account services representative for the Los Angeles Clippers professional basketball team. Previously, he spent two years with Enterprise Rent-A-Car as a manager. Najee Rahman ’14 is digital communications manager for CenterState CEO in Syracuse, N.Y. Cory Sisson ’14 opened a barbershop, C.S. Barber, in Cale donia, N.Y. Dario Alburquerque ’15 M’16 is an associate in the audit and accounting department of Dermody, Burke & Brown, CPAs LLC in Syracuse, N.Y. Victoria Faccini Baumgras ’15 and husband, Andrew Baumgras ’15, left for Morocco in September to begin volunteer service with the Peace Corps for 27 months. Ashley Bennett ’15 of Brew erton, N.Y., earned honorable mention in the 2015-16 Best of SUNY Student Art Exhibition. Sabrina Edwards ’15 of Homer, N.Y., is pursuing a master’s degree in applied ecology and conservation biology at Frostburg (Md.) State University. Alicia D. Koster CAS’15 is district business administrator for the Oriskany (N.Y.) Central School Board of Education. Lauren MacBlane ’15 is a brand strategist for Terakeet in Syracuse, N.Y. Kerry McSweeney ’15 M’16 of Liverpool, N.Y., is a member of the audit staff for Dannible & McKee LLP in Syracuse, N.Y. Brandon Messecar ’15 M’16 is an audit associate for Fust Charles Chambers LLP in Syracuse, N.Y.
and business and tax practice group. He is a graduate of the Ohio Northern University Claude W. Pettit College of Law. Ryan Gorman ’12 M’13 is a senior audit associate for Fust Charles Chambers LLP in Syracuse, N.Y. Lewis Karpel ’12 of Minneap olis is the staff news photojournalist at WCCO-TV CBS in Minneapolis. Previously, he worked for WSTMTV, WSTQ-TV, WTVH-TV, CNYcentral.com, the NBC, CW and CBS-affiliated stations in Syracuse, N.Y. Aaron Murphy ’12 of Lowell, Mass., is an English as a second language teacher. Following his time in Oswego, he taught at a K-3 elementary school in North Caro lina, earning a Rookie Teacher of the Year Award, as well as a teaching award for having exemplary instruc tional practices. After four years of teaching, he earned a master’s degree from Western Governors University. Joshua Snyder ’12 of Dansville, N.Y., is a project specialist for The Gunlocke Company. Kara Alheim ’13 is content and marketing manager for CenterState CEO in Syracuse, N.Y. Brittany Carbacio ’13 M’14 was promoted to audit senior at Dannible & McKee LLP in Syracuse, N.Y. She joined the firm in 2013. Brian Donegan M’13 of Cort land, N.Y., is a digital meteorologist for www.weather.com. Andrew Hare ’13 is the new ice hockey goalie for the Fayetteville (N.C.) FireAntz. Following his time on the SUNY Oswego ice hockey team, he spent the next two seasons in France, then played goalie in Manglerud, Norway. Melody Osterstuck LeBeau ’13 worked with high school students through the Western New York Summer Institute to develop the www.IAmSyria.org website. Gabrielle Mastaglio ’13 of Cutchogue, N.Y., is a marketing specialist for Barnes & Noble Inc. Previously, she was an account executive for Hodes. Alexis “Lexie” Avery ’14 of Johnson City, N.Y., is a career consultant at the State University of New York at Binghamton. 39
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Caitlin Owens ’15 of Union Springs, N.Y., is an administrative assistant at Cornell University. Jon Vautrin-Gardinier ’15 of East Hampton, N.Y., is an intelli gence analyst for the U.S. Army. Kyle Wistner ’15 M’16 is an audit associate for Fust Charles Chambers LLP in Syracuse, N.Y. He is a former member of the SUNY Oswego men’s lacrosse team. Alexsander Yousuf ’15 M’16 of Pennellville, N.Y., is an audit associate for Fust Charles Chambers LLP in Syracuse, N.Y. Reid Adler ’16 is a graduate resident mentor in SUNY Oswe go’s Hart Hall Global Living and Learning Center. He is pursuing a master’s degree in strategic communication. Amy Hogan ’16 is a reporter for FOX 40 WICZ-TV in Binghamton, N.Y. Nicholas Jira ’16 is a physi cist engineer for semiconductor company SEMES of South Korea. Martha Miller ’16 of Liver more, Calif., is a post-collegiate appointee to the Lawrence Liver more National Laboratory. Michelle Moisan ’16 o f Mexico, N.Y., is a graduate student in the Counseling Services Program at SUNY Oswego. Bailey Waterbury ’16 is the women’s soccer coach for Paul Smith’s College in Paul Smiths, N.Y. She played center midfield for the women’s soccer team during her time at Oswego. Brian Wegman ’16 is an asso ciate in the audit and accounting department at Dermody, Burke & Brown, CPAs LLC in Syracuse, N.Y.
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It’s a sold-out crowd in Tyler Hall’s brand new Waterman Theatre for one of the campus’s hottest events: the annual African, Latino, Asian and Native American (ALANA) Fashion Show. As the show begins, the music kicks up a notch, and the fashion models and dancers take the stage. At stage right, there’s a sound system manned by a DJ who is no stranger to being the sound master for SUNY Oswego events. He is Rufaro Matombo ’12, better known as “DJ Tumbo.” In addition to his DJ expertise, he represents radio stations in the greater New York City region for Emmis Communications. Oswego is a five-hour drive from his home in the city, but Tumbo returns to campus a few times a year to mix his love of music with words of encouragement for current students.
REYNALDO OSORIA ’11
DJ Tumbo: Mixing Music with Motivation Rufaro Matombo ’12
How did you become a DJ? My mother organized an event for Zimbabweans at the Harlem YMCA. I had no clue what I was doing. At that time my parents gave me their CD disc changer, the home entertainment system and told me “play the music for the kids while the elders had fun.” I must have been 12 or 13 years old. I didn’t have a microphone to control the crowd so I would play the whole song and when the song was fading out, I would yell to people, “Are you ready for the next song?” You encourage SUNY Oswego students to follow their dreams when pursuing a career. How has your love of music defined your career? It was a dream to land the position of brand ambassador for HOT 97, WBLS and WLIB in 2016. HOT 97 is the world’s biggest and most well-known Hip Hop radio station. WBLS has a large amount of history attached to it. My job is to increase brand awareness. I use my skills as a professional DJ, sense of humor and media versatility to be as effective as possible. I just recently got hired to become a board
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operator/producer so I am very excited to be involved on the programming side of things, too. You’ve returned to campus to be the DJ for many events, and you’ve served on alumni panels. What draws you back to campus? My grandfather was a teacher and my father always told me what his father told him: “If you hold information that can potentially help someone, share it to the world.” I always go back to Oswego to offer advice, internships and jobs to help our students achieve their goals. What’s one song you always play when you come to campus? It has to be “F.L.Y.—Swag Surfin”. When the song is played, it commands unity. People rest their arms around the person(s) to the left and right and just sway during the chorus. It is literally an experience if you are doing that with a crowd of 400 people in Tyler, or 3000+ in the campus arena. —Eileen Crandall For more of DJ Tumbo’s interview, visit oswego.edu/magazine.
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Oswego Matters By Executive Director Betsy Oberst
Harborfest Housing Stay on Campus for Harborfest—Special Alumni Discount The Oswego Alumni Association is pleased to offer a special alumni discount for on-campus housing for alumni who wish to relive their favorite Oswego memories while attending this year’s Harborfest, July 27-30. Alumni will be housed in Waterbury Hall according to class year, with a maximum of two adults per room. Alumni may begin checking in at 2 p.m. Thursday, July 27, and must check out by 11 a.m. Sunday, July 30. There is an early-bird alumni discount special of $70 per night for those making reservations on or before July 14 at 4 p.m. Alumni reservations made after that time will be $75 per night until July 26 at 4 p.m. The special alumni discount rate will not be available after 4 p.m. July 26, and all alumni will be charged the regular “walk-in rate” of $77.70 per night. Those alumni making reservations by 4 p.m. July 26 can also rent a refrigerator and mattresses for children 16 years and younger, for an additional $10 each for the weekend. Linens for beds and towels will be supplied. The Centro bus will run a convenient shuttle service from campus to the festival grounds. Don’t miss the opportunity to attend this exciting Oswego tradition and show your Laker pride! To make reservations, please visit alumni.oswego.edu/ harborfest, or you may contact Allison Craine at allison.craine@ oswego.edu or 315-312-2258 with questions.
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ell … time flies, as they say! Somehow it’s 2017, and it has been a trip down memory lane to work with this year’s Class of 1977 volunteers on planning their 40th reunion in June. We have such an engaged group of class volunteers, and the posting of old photos and memories has truly brought back a flood of happy memories and longago friendships that my husband, Jerry ’77, and I have. In today’s digital, social media era where we can even know what someone had for breakfast, one might ask, “Why return for a college reunion?” The answer is surprisingly simple. Nothing can replace the in-person interactions and revisiting the place where those long-ago memories and transformational life experiences took place. And a return to the nostalgic location where those (sometimes lifelong) relationships were forged cannot be replicated online. Attending college was for me 40 years ago, and remains today, a life-changing and opportunity-opening experience. I, like so many of my friends, headed off to my freshman year without a clear idea of what I wanted to “do” with my life, or where my path would take me. I just knew that the experience ahead of me would change and broaden me. And it did! In many ways, our online social mediasavvy students of today are no different in that respect. I get to watch students transform and grow in their years here as Oswego students. And it is a gift for which I give thanks every day. I have always loved Reunion Weekend, our largest alumni program of the year. This year, it will take on added significance as I welcome home the Class of 1977, and so many of Jerry’s and my college friends. I encourage anyone, from any class or affinity group who has not returned for a reunion to add it to your bucket list. To see how the beautiful lakeside campus we all love so
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much has transformed, too, is magical. And so many of you have provided SUNY Oswego with your financial support for some of those physical improvements, as well as for our many student programs. For that, we continue to be grateful! Three years ago, we conducted our most recent “all-alumni” survey to solicit your input on programs and communications that engage and inform our alumni. Our Oswego Alumni Association Board of Directors and our campus alumni team uses this information to serve our 85,000+ alumni body in the most effective manner. In order to continue to maintain relevancy, we are again seeking your feedback on the programs, services and communications that will serve you best. Please take a few moments and help us by sharing your feedback on the 2017 alumni survey. (See page 13.) Our Board of Directors and alumni team really want and need your input! I look forward to seeing you soon on campus … maybe at Reunion 2017… or on the road! With Laker pride,
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J SOOS-OTT—Laura Soos ’12
and Ian Ott ’10 were married July 9, 2016, in Cheektowaga, N.Y. From left: Bryan Henschel ’11, Deanna Apps ’14, Brian Fitzgerald ’10, Danielle White ’14, Christopher Nowak ’10, Jackie Maguire ’13, Laura Soos Ott ’12, Ian Ott ’10, Danielle Burdick ’14, Lindsey Glazier ’13, Austin Byrd ’10, Erin Merz ’12, Bob Stanton ’12, Sarah Boutwell Roder ’12, Amanda Adami ’13 and Nathan Roder ’08 M’10.
J RUANE-DEPIERRO—Kristopher DePierro ’07 and Theresa Ruane ’07 M’08 were married in Cortland, N.Y., on
June 4, 2016. Front row from left: Emily Herrick Barzee ’07 M’08, Amber Webb ’07, Ashley Williams ’07, Patrick Moran ’07, Jason Hann, Bonni Spector ’06, Natalie Sypniak Bourgoine ’07, Katie O’Day Dantonello ’07, Pat Carroll ’07 and Michele Giorlando ’08. Middle row from left: Adam Kapp ’06, Joanne Rutkowski Kapp ’06, Melissa Canestrare Cappelli ’07, Rachel Schneider ’09 M’11, Melissa Olsa Tortora ’07, Andrew Monsour ’06, Lindsey Heacock ’07, Joe Kelleher ’05, Lyndsay Clark ’07 M’08, Steve Dantonello ’07, Sarah Guessferd Dunkirk ’08 and PJ Dantonello ’07. Back row from left: Lauren Mercendetti ’07, Nora Rudewicz Cortez ’08, Tyler Hoerz ’06, Lisa Moskowitz Hoerz ’08, Glenn Tortora ’07, Nick Barzee ’07 M’08, Joe Nofal ’03, Rich Harvey ’07, Luciana Halliday Nofal ’04 and James Weiss ’07 M’10.
3 STEVENSON-BUCK—
Jessica Rose Stevenson married Bradley Buck ’14 in St. Matthew’s Church, East Syracuse, N.Y., on Sept. 24, 2016. The couple resides in Liverpool, N.Y. From left: Patrick Brown ’15, Joseph Montana ’15, Michael Schmitt ’15, Daniel Massmann ’14 ’16, Trisha Nojaim ’14 M’15, Kayla Beyer ’14 M’16, Matthew Beisner ’14 M’15, Tori Scurti ’14, Matt Boyle ’14, Jessica Stevenson Buck, Bradley Buck ’14, Jill Easton ’14, Brandyn Peters ’14, Matt Lutz ’15, Matthew Ellis ’14, Meg McNulty ’14, Jennifer Hughes ’14, Danielle Hausser, Karinna Haneda Okkonen ’14 and Elise Tartaglia ’14 M’15.
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J MORRIS-BYARS—George Morris ’97 married Brandon Byars on Sept. 9, 2016, at Gorge Crest Vineyards in Hood River, Ore. They live in Portland, Ore. Among guests in attendance were Todd Bullock ’87 (best man) and Michelle Chappell Webb ’96.
Z BELAIR-PIERCE—
Rachel Belair M’10 M’15 married Troy Pierce ’03 on June 10, 2016, at the Rosamond Gifford Zoo at Burnet Park in Syracuse, N.Y.
J FOX-MURPHY—Jacqueline Fox ’13 married Robert Murphy ’13 at the Stonebridge
Golf and Country Club in New Hartford, N.Y., on Oct. 8, 2016. Back row from left: Jon Nesmith ’13, Chris Callender ’14, Paul Harnish (white shirt in back) ’14, Jordan Rockower ’14, Cat Beeman ’15 and Cindy Hoetzer ’82. Front from left: JT Moore ’16 (in white shirt), Rebecca Unger ’15, Colin Wrba ’14, Robert Murphy (groom) ’13, Jacqueline Fox (bride) ’13, Kelly Brinkel ’15, Shannon O’Shea ’14 and Kara Michelsen ’15.
J CHANG-HOLMES—Mark Holmes ’87 and
Helen Chang were married at the South End Racquet Club in Torrance, Calif., on Nov. 5, 2016. From the left: Keith Chamberlain ’87, Mark Holmes ’87, Helen Chang, Wendy O’Dea ’87 and Bob Wolff ’87.
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Alumni Bookshelf We celebrate and share the success of Oswego alumni authors, illustrators and recording artists, who may ask their publisher/distributor to send a copy of the work to the Oswego alumni office to be considered for this column and our website, where cover photos of all works in this column will be displayed. Mark Allen Baker ’79 Battling Nelson, the Durable Dane MCFARLAND & COMPANY INC., 2016.
The incredible story of Oscar “Battling” Nelson is a rags to riches—back to rags—tale. As one of the toughest and most durable professional boxers to enter the ring, Battling Nelson held the world lightweight championship title from 1908 to 1910. Sharon Fitzsimmons Wozny ’83 Jamie’s Journey: Cancer from the Voice of a Sibling FIVE STAR PUBLICATIONS INC., 2016.
Inspired by her years of volunteering for the Children’s Cancer Network, Wozny tells the story of 13-year-old Jamie, whose life is turned upside down when her younger sister is diagnosed with cancer. Over the course of her sister’s treatments, Jamie experiences a multitude of confusing emotions that she expresses in a journal. This book gives siblings of cancer a voice, including journal space to write about their own experiences.
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Trisha Michael ’85 and Mike Russell
Rick McElroy M’94
A Journey of Discovery through Intuition with Help from the Angels
PAGE PUBLISHING INC., 2016.
SACRED LIFE PUBLISHERS, 2016.
The world we experience with our five senses is only the tip of the iceberg. By following the stairway to absolute love, you can heal your mind, connect with the world beyond and trust your intuition, no matter your belief system. This book of meditations, exercises and tidbits from the authors’ lives can help connect readers with themselves and others. Brad Thomas Parsons ’91 Amaro: The Spirited World of Bittersweet, Herbal Liqueurs with Cocktails, Recipes and Formulas RANDOM HOUSE, 2016.
The European tradition of making bittersweet liqueurs—called amari in Italy— has been around for centuries, but it is only recently that these herbaceous digestifs have moved from the dusty back of the bar to center stage in the United States and become a key ingredient on cocktail lists in the country’s best bars and restaurants. Parsons is an award-winning author of cocktail-inspired works that have appeared in Bon Appetit, Food & Wine, Travel + Leisure and other publications.
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Conquering Heroes Conquering Heroes takes place mostly in the jungles of Laos and Cambodia during the Vietnam War. Main character Caveman develops into a killing machine, primarily working alone and in the darkness. If you have ever wondered about the Vietnam War and the covert missions that many brave men and women undertook, then this is the book for you. Lou Paduano ’04 Signs of Portents: A Greystone Novel ELEVEN TEN PUBLISHING, 2016.
Portents is a city like no other— and one that detective Greg Loren can’t wait to escape. Since his wife’s death, he has looked forward to leaving; however, fate has another plan. Loren finds himself embroiled in murders that have shaken the city. Together with a young woman with unearthly powers, he must work to find the otherworldly being that is killing the citizens of Portents, even if it means traveling to worlds not his own.
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Maynard Lonis ’40 M’51 of Phoenix, N.Y., died Jan. 11, 2017. Maynard was the son of Ernest Lonis, Class of 1905, a New York state legislator and member of the Board of Visitors of the College for whom Lonis Hall on campus is named. Maynard served with the U.S. Maritime Service during World War II. He taught for many years in the Fulton City School District. His love for electronics led to a career working with General Electric and Black Clawson. Maynard was predeceased by his wife, Betty Neilson Lonis ’49. He is survived by his children, Robert, William ’75 and Mary Lonis Alton ’92; grandsons, Gregory, Ryan, Preston and Blake; and grand daughter, Catherine; and great-grandchildren, Maggie and Jackson. Rita Rossberg McCain ’45 of High point, N.C., died Oct. 1, 2016. She earned a master’s degree from Catholic University in 1948 and joined the staff at the newly formed LeMoyne College as Registrar, later becoming the first Dean of Women. She later taught in the Syracuse City School District for 20 years. Rita is survived by four children and seven grandchildren. Betty Vrooman Buehler ’46 of Little Falls, N.Y., died Dec. 3, 2016. She taught in Great Neck, Suffern and Canton, then worked with Child Protective Services of St. Lawrence County. Betty was predeceased by her husband, Robert Buehler ’46, on Dec. 2, 2006. She is survived by two daughters and four grandchildren. Patricia Churchill Persley ’47 of Vestal, N.Y., died Nov. 15, 2016. She taught in the Vestal Central School District for 24 years. Patricia was predeceased by her husband, Philip Persley ’49, on Feb. 22, 2011. She is survived by a daughter, Kristin. Sid Ayers ’49 of West Palm Beach, Fla., died July 2, 2013. He served with the U.S. Army during World War II. Sid began his career in education as an industrial arts teacher and later became a guidance coun selor. He then became the guidance coordi nator for the Hyde Park (N.Y.) Central School District and the Rhinebeck (N.Y.) Central School District, and later for Marist College in Poughkeepsie, N.Y. Sid was a consultant to the NYS Department of Education. Surviving are two daughters, three grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. Ann O’Mara D’Addezio ’49 of Sayville, N.Y., died Aug. 7, 2013. She taught for many years in the Sayville School District. Ann was predeceased by her husband, Salvatore D’Addezio ’51, in November 1982. She is
survived by four children, eight grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Naomi Leff Eisner ’51 of Plainview, N.Y., died July 4, 2015. She is survived by her husband, Joseph. Elston Ecker ’52 of Cicero, N.Y., died Sept. 4, 2016. He started his teaching career at Brownville (N.Y.) Central School before serving with the U.S. Army during the Korean War. Following the war, he taught at Pulaski (N.Y.) Central School while earning a master’s degree at Oswego. He served as principal in Chittenango, N.Y., while working toward an educational administrative degree at Syracuse University. He went on to work as the busi ness administrator for the Fulton (N.Y.) City School District, and from 1970 to 1992, was superintendent of the Belleville (N.Y.) Central School District. Surviving are his wife, Betty, two children and five grandchildren. Rhoda Topliss Meyer ’52 of East Windsor, Conn., died May 7, 2016. Marguerite Oswald Mills ’52 of Ithaca, N.Y., died Dec. 29, 2016. Peg taught for two years in California while her husband served with the U.S. Air Force. Following Tom’s service, they returned to Ithaca, where Peg taught until her retirement. She was prede ceased by her husband, Thomas Mills ’51, on March 14, 1993. She is survived by three children, seven grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. Walter Fink ’53 of Trappe, Md., died Aug. 27, 2014. Following graduation from Oswego, he served with the U.S. Navy. Walter earned a master’s degree from Columbia University. He helped found the O’Day Corporation. Walter is survived by his wife, Anne-lise. Betty Czirr Talbot ’53 of Sarasota, Fla., died Nov. 7, 2016. Eugene Barna ’54 of Saratoga, Calif., died July 22, 2016. He is survived by his wife, Lillian, two sons and two grandsons. Patricia Crawford Cassidy ’54 of Sonoma, Calif., died Sept. 8, 2013. She is survived by three children and five grandchildren. Gerald Turner ’54 of Honeoye, N.Y., died Jan. 28, 2016. He served with the U.S. Navy and the Coast Guard Reserves. Jerry taught in the Rush-Henrietta (N.Y.) School District for 30 years. Surviving are his wife, Doris Schwennker Turner ’56, four children, nine grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. Gerald Wendt ’54 of Franklin, Pa., died Sept. 17, 2015. He served with the U.S. Army during the Korean War and later earned a master’s degree from Indiana University.
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Jerry taught in New York in the Red Creek and Franklin school districts and was principal of the Polk, Utica and Sandy Creek elementary schools. He retired in 1993. Jerry is survived by his wife, Marie, three children and two grandchildren. Robert Brien ’56 of Ilion, N.Y., died Dec. 4, 2016. He taught in the Whitesboro (N.Y.) School District for 30 years, retiring in 1990. Bob is survived by his children, Gale Brien Shust ’89, Colleen Freeman, and Robert and Tim Brien; five grandchildren and his companion, Hilda Paddock. John Ciulik ’56 of Waukesha, Wis., died Oct. 26, 2016. He served with the U.S. Marine Corps and earned a master’s degree from Cali fornia State University. John taught for many years in the Norwalk-LaMirada School District in Norwalk, Calif. He is survived by his wife, Vida, six children, seven grandchildren, three great-grandchildren and two stepsons. John Forsyth ’57 of Wayland, N.Y., died May 8, 2016. He was a member of the U.S. Naval Reserves. John taught at Wayland Central School, then at Susquehanna Valley Jr. High School in Conklin, N.Y., until his retirement in 1992. He is survived by his companion, Janice Schultz; three daughters, Amy Goldman, Mary Jo Landino and Julie Forsyth DeSantis ’87; and four grandchildren. Lucius Hall ’57 of Webster, N.Y., died Oct. 16, 2016. He was a veteran of the Korean War. Before his retirement, Lucius taught industrial arts and driver’s education in the Webster Central School District. He is survived by his wife, Barbara; children, Mark, Lauri Aquino, Beth Hall ’83 and Todd; five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Patricia Parkhurst Manwaring ’59 of Haines City, Fla., died June 9, 2015. She taught in the Pulaski Central School District for 20 years. Surviving are her daughters, Vicki and Peggy. Leon Jackson ’60 of Auburn, N.Y., died Nov. 5, 2016. He taught in the Phoenix Central School District for several years. He is survived by several cousins. George McDade ’60 of Rochester, N.Y., died Nov. 9, 2016. After earning a master’s degree at Bowling Green University, he taught at Indiana State University for several years. In 1964, George and his family moved to Roch ester, N.Y., where he began his 30-year career teaching at Monroe Community College. He was predeceased by his wife, Jean Hernon McDade ’60, on May 29, 2004. George is survived by his children, Elizabeth, Andrew and Matthew McDade, and Maranne McDade
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Clay, and nine grandchildren. Gifts in his memory may be made to the George Camp bell McDade ’60 and Jean Hernon McDade ’60 Memorial Scholarship, c/o the Oswego College Foundation, 215 Sheldon Hall, SUNY, Oswego, NY 13126. Valerie Schoff Nicholson ’60 of Pulaski, N.Y., died Sept. 1, 2016. She taught in the Pulaski Central School District for 27 years, and retired in 1995. Val is survived by her husband, Edward Nicholson ’59; sons, Thomas and Timothy; and three grandchildren. William Derousie ’63 of Orange Park, Fla., died May 22, 2016. He retired from the U.S. Navy after 22 years of service. Bill earned a master’s degree at Pepperdine University in 1976 and a bachelor’s degree at the University of North Florida in 1984. After retiring from the Navy, Bill worked at CSX in logistics and transportation, retiring in 1999. He also retired from the Clay County School Board, where he had been a teacher at Ridgeview High School in Orange Park. Surviving are his wife, Pamela, six children, seven grand children, three great-grandchildren and three sisters, Audrey Dearborn, Theresa Derousie Rookey ’67 and Denise Reynolds. Henry Rotella ’64 of Shoreham, N.Y., died on Aug. 29, 2016. He earned a master’s degree from Hofstra University. Hank taught in the South Huntington School District for five years and the Rocky Point School District for 29 years. He is survived by his wife, Sonia Johnson Rotella ’64; two sons, Tim and Jeff; a daughter, Amy Katz; and eight grandchildren. F. Gordon Turner ’64 of Palmetto, Fla., died Oct. 20, 2016. He earned a master’s degree at Syracuse University. Gordon is survived by his wife, Christine. James Marshall ’65 of Ticonderoga, N.Y., died Oct. 8, 2016. He taught at John Jay Senior High School and later at North Country Community College. Jim is survived by his wife, Melanie, three daughters and six grandchildren. Jeanne Hogan McCloskey ’65 of Oswego died Dec. 1, 2016. She was a teacher at Mexico (N.Y.) Middle School, retiring in 1990. Jeanne is survived by her husband, David, two chil dren and four grandchildren. Ronald Archambo ’66 of Melbourne, Fla., died Dec. 2, 2015. He was a teacher in the Central Square (N.Y.) School District for 20 years, retiring in 1986. Ron is survived by his wife, Alice, four daughters, eight grandchil dren and 10 great-grandchildren.
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Sandra Lezoli Michalski ’68 of Margate, Fla., died March 22, 2013. Robert Ocque ’68 of Webster, N.Y., died April 6, 2014. Bob taught industrial arts at the Brockport Middle School before retiring. He is survived by his wife, Nora. Jean Bertolero Pallas ’68 of Valatie, N.Y., died Sept. 24, 2013. Prior to retirement, Jean had been a librarian at the Valatie Free Library for many years. She is survived by her husband, Bruce, two sons and two grandchildren. Edwin Engborg ’70 of Ashland, N.H., died Jan. 1, 2016. He was an industrial arts teacher in several school districts, most recently at the Mount Prospect School in Plymouth. Edwin was a correspondent for the Record Enterprise. He is survived by his wife, Kathleen, a daughter and two granddaughters. Jef Billings ’71 of Los Angeles died Sept. 27, 2016. He earned a master’s of fine arts degree from New York University. Jef was a long-time Stars on Ice designer and director, and won multiple Emmy Awards for his work in television. He was also the recipient of Oswego’s Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1992. Donald Lackey ’71 of Geneseo, N.Y., died Sept. 11, 2016. Don served with the U.S. Air Force during the Vietnam War. He earned an associate’s degree from Corning Community College and a master’s degree from SUNY Brockport. He retired from SUNY Geneseo in 2003 as assistant vice president for human resources after 30 years at the college. Surviving are his wife, Nancy, two sons and four grandchildren. Robert Stapleton ’71 of Syracuse, N.Y., died June 3, 2014. He earned an MA from Chapman College, and was a 37-year employee of the NYS Office of Mental Health. Bob retired as a director of administration at Hutch ings Psychiatric Center in Syracuse in 2011. He is survived by his wife, Beth Wallbridge; two sons, Sean and Kyle; and three siblings, including Susan Stapleton Drapela ’74. Charles Swanson ’71 of Steamboat Springs, Colo., died Aug. 9, 2016. He taught industrial arts and driver and traffic safety education at Oswego High School until his retirement in 1998. Chuck is survived by his wife, Jean; daughters, Gayle Swanson ’86 and Pamela Swanson Palmquist ’90; and four grandchildren. Barrett Dorsey ’72 of Syracuse, N.Y., died July 27, 2016. He taught at St. Paul’s Elementary School in Troy for many years before taking a position with the NYS Office of Budgetary Management. In 1991, he
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returned to Syracuse, where he worked and volunteered with several social services orga nizations. Barrett is survived by his partner, Richard Giaccio; his sisters, Elizabeth Dorsey Foster ’66, Patricia Poppe, and Margaret Dorsey-Nocilly ’93 and her husband, Louis Nocilly ’65. Richard Henry ’72 of Oswego died Dec. 20, 2016. He worked at the SUNY Oswego Rice Creek Biological Field Station, the Oswego Health Department and the Metro politan Water Board. He is survived by his wife, Joanne Mayo Henry ’76, and two chil dren, Danny and Maggie. Diana Hantsch Cornell ’73 of Bing hamton, N.Y., died Jan. 5, 2017. She retired from the Binghamton City School District after teaching secondary math for 35 years. Diana was predeceased by her brothers, Charles and Raymond Hantsch ’73. She is survived by her husband, Stephen, and brothers, Robert and David Hantsch. Richard Trigony ’73 of Port Jefferson, N.Y., died Feb. 25, 2014. He earned an MBA from Dowling College. Richard worked for the law firm of Huber, Lawrence and Abel for 17 years and was an assistant vice president for Credit Suisse at the time of his death. He is survived by his wife, Jacquelyn, and his daughter and son-in-law, Michelle and Arthur Smallwood. Thomas Dorgan ’74 of The Villages, Fla., died Jan. 27, 2017. He had worked for Miller Brewing Company for more than 30 years before retiring in 2008. Tom is survived by his wife, Jo-Ann; sons, Thomas ’99 and Eric; granddaughters, Sophia and Hannah; and his siblings, Ellen Dorgan Harootunian, Susan Dorgan Whitehead ’65, Richard and John. Joan Halperin Rabin ’74 of Marietta, Ga. died Feb. 13, 2015. She began her career in education in the Boston Public School System and, after moving to Marietta, taught at The Epstein School, The Davis Academy and the Etz Chaim pre-school and religious school. Joan is survived by her husband, Dan, and three daughters. William MacFarlane ’75 of Williston, Vt., and Palm Coast, Fla., died Oct. 20, 2016. He served with the U.S. Coast Guard from 1977 until 1988. He earned master’s degrees from Pepperdine University and Loyola University. He owned Servpro of Burlington, Vt., and Servpro of Clinton/Essex, N.Y., from 1999 until his retirement in 2013. Bill is survived by his wife, Cathy, two children, two stepchildren and five grandchildren.
Donald Russo ’76 of Clifton Springs, N.Y., died Aug. 28, 2016. He worked for NYS Electric and Gas for 34 years. After he retired, he worked as a bus driver for the ManchesterShortsville (N.Y.) Central School District. Donald is survived by his wife, Sandy, two children, two grandchildren and his mother, Susan Russo. Lori Herman ’77 of Seattle died Aug. 28, 2016. She earned a master’s degree from the University of Missouri at Rolla, Mo. Lori worked at Hart Crowser in Seattle until 2002, when she and her husband started their own consulting business, Aspect Consulting. She is survived by her husband, Doug Hillman; and her children, George and Kayla Nebbitt. Christopher Griffin ’78 of Rhinebeck, N.Y., died Nov. 3, 2016. He was employed at IBM for 36 years, beginning as an associate programmer and retiring as a senior engineer. Chris is survived by his parents, Vincent and Marjorie Griffin, and two siblings. Bernard Antonio ’79 of Liverpool, N.Y., died Jan. 2, 2017. He taught industrial arts/ technology in the Syracuse City School District for 35 years, retiring in 2006. Bernie was also a driver’s education teacher for more than 40 years at North Syracuse High School, ManliusPebble Hill School and OCM BOCES. He is survived by his wife, Elizabeth; his son, Matthew; and two stepdaughters, Sarah and Bridget Finn. Andrea Hanny ’82 of Schenectady, N.Y., died Nov. 3, 2016. She had been employed at the New York National Guard Headquar ters in traffic management since 1988. She is survived by two siblings. Helen Loiacono ’82 of Marlborough, Mass., died Sept. 12, 2016. Her first job at Raytheon found her working on air traffic control systems and President Reagan’s Star Wars program. Helen is survived by her kindred spirit, Charlene Bencivenga ’80; her mother, Dorothy Loiacono; and her brother, Patrick. Anthony Manzo ’84 of Elmira, N.Y., died Dec. 10, 2016. Prior to retiring, he was a corrections officer at the Southport Correc tional Facility. He is survived by four sisters and several nieces and nephews. Robyn Meleski Carinci ’86 M’92 of Oneida, N.Y., died Oct. 18, 2016. She taught at Roxboro Road Elementary School in the North Syracuse School District for more than 28 years. She is survived by her husband, Mike Carinci ’86; her sons, Matthew and Nathan; and her father, Alfred Meleski.
Susan Stanco ’87 of Belvedere Tiburon, Calif., died March 5, 2014. She is survived by a daughter, Senna. Stephen Bell ’90 of Stuart, Fla., died March 14, 2015. He earned a master’s degree from the University of Connecticut. Stephen taught industrial technology for 22 years in the Ossining Union Free School District. He is survived by his parents, Richard and Judith Bell, and a sister, Maureen Grippo. Traci Buske Aikens ’93 of Oswego died Nov. 11, 2016. She earned an RN degree at Crouse Hospital, her four-year degree of nursing at Syracuse University and a master’s degree in nurse practitioner at SUNY Upstate Medical University. She worked as an RN at Oswego Hospital and as a NP for Dr. Michael Nupuf and the Oswego County Health Department. Traci is survived by her husband, Roger; her children, Quinn and Declan; her parents, G. Douglas and Barbara Buske ’76, and Judy Buske; her brother, Matthew Buske ’14; and her sister, Heather Buske. Doris Stowell M’94 of Central Square, N.Y., died Nov. 28, 2016. Peter Howe M’95 of North Syracuse, N.Y., died Dec. 23, 2016. He served with the U.S. Army as a military policeman working with Interpol in Germany. He worked at Miller Brewery for 17 years. Peter earned a bachelor’s degree from SUNY Regents College while working at Miller Brewery. After they closed, he earned a master’s degree at Oswego and a Ph.D. from Syracuse University in 2003. He was a professor at Cazenovia College, and later taught at SUNY Oswego and Syracuse University, where he was a visiting professor at the time of his passing. He is survived by his wife, Joanne, four children and seven grandchildren. James Dunleavy ’96 of Holyoke, Mass., died Jan. 5, 2017. Jimmy taught special educa tion at East Meadow Elementary School in Granby, Mass. He is survived by his parents, James and Maureen Dunleavy; his brother, Jason; and his significant other, Donna Marshall-Janerico. Donald Lagona ’98 of Savannah, Ga., died in an automobile accident on Nov. 20, 2016. Don was the weekday morning anchor for the News at Daybreak, an investigative reporter for Asked and Answered, and Have You Heard for WTOC-TV, a CBS affiliate in Savannah. He had previously worked as a reporter/anchor at WWTI-TV in Watertown, N.Y., and as a producer/reporter at WIXT-TV in Syracuse. Don is survived by his parents, Donald and Mary Jo Logana, and two siblings.
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Catherine Sloniger ’99 of Geneva, N.Y., died Oct. 17, 2016. She graduated from Niagara Community College with both an AA and AS degree in 1997. She is survived by her sister and brother-in-law, Susan and Joseph Reed; and two nephews, Eddie and Andy. Daniel Block ’01 of Syracuse, N.Y., died Nov. 26, 2014. He was employed by the Syracuse City School District, and was a lieu tenant with the Onondaga County Auxiliary Police. Daniel is survived by his mother, Gilda LeBlanc; his father, Daniel Block; his sister and brother-in-law, Annmarie and Paul Maroney; and a niece and nephew. John Whalen ’01 of Zephyrhills, Fla., died June 21, 2013. Matthew Ciecko ’11 of Utica, N.Y., died Nov. 28, 2016. He earned a master’s degree from Grand Canyon University. Matt was a teacher in the Syracuse City School District. He is survived by his parents, Carl and Colleen; his brother and sister-in-law, Ryan and Claire Ciecko; and his nephew, Theodore. Douglas Aldrich, Associate Professor Emeritus of Education, died Jan. 7, 2017. He was appointed at Oswego on Sept. 1, 1960, and retired on July 1, 1977, after 17 years of service. He served with the U.S. Marine Corps during World War II. He earned a bachelor’s degree at Mansfield State College, a master’s degree at St. Lawrence University and a doctorate of education from SUNY Buffalo. Douglas is survived by his wife, Lois “Terry” Aldrich; his daughter, Betsey Snyder; and his grand daughter, Alexis. Diana Balmori, former Associate Professor of History, died Nov. 14, 2016. Diana studied at the Architecture School at the National University of Tucuman in Argentina before emigrating to the United States. She continued her education at UCLA, where she earned a Ph.D. She taught at Oswego from 1974 until 1983. She became a partner at Cesar Pelli Associates, and in 1990, she started her own landscape architecture firm, Balmori Associates. She is survived by her husband, Cesar Pelli; and two sons, Denis and Rafael. Paul Liebenauer, Emeritus Professor of Physics, died Oct. 20, 2016. He earned a bachelor’s and master’s degrees in physics from Case Institute of Technology and a Ph.D. in physics from Case Western Reserve Univer sity. Paul taught at Clarkson University for two years before coming to Oswego in 1968. He retired in 2001. Surviving are his son, Eric; his daughter, Kara Liebenauer ’91; and five grandchildren.
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In My Mind’s Eye By Kerry Casey Dorsey ’81
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hen I came to SUNY Oswego as a student on that snowy 1978 January day, I could not have imagined that my future, family, home and career would all be here on the shores of Lake Ontario. After all, I was from Wantagh [Long Island] with a certain order to my universe. The expectation was that I would graduate, move to Queens with some girlfriends, get the big job, land in Manhattan then marry and settle in West chester. As Carly Simon sang, “Isn’t that the way I always heard it would be?” All that changed in 1979 when I met my wonderful husband, Dennis, over one of those idyllic Oswego summers. Fast forward 37 years, my life is filled with two beautiful children, Kevin and Erin, and a 30-year combined career in Oswego County government and at SUNY Oswego. Returning to work on campus in 2003, it all came rushing back. Wasn’t it just last Friday that I left my Penfield Library study carrel, went to Hewitt Union check cashing office, stopped at the Sweet Shoppe and then went on to meet hometown roommate Lynn Winterfield Wilder ’80 at the College Tavern? And then one day it happened. The first time I saw her, she was walking down from Sheldon Hall, clutching her books to keep warm against a crisp autumn day. Her long brown hair glimmered in the sun. Her pace was delib
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erate with a gleam in those hazel eyes. But she was only in my mind’s eye, my hazel eyes; she was my younger self, Bob and Joan Casey’s daughter, a firstgeneration college student. Could she, a Communication Studies major, have imagined helping to make public policy as Oswego County’s deputy admin istrator? Would she have been proud of engaging more than 85,000 alumni at her beloved alma mater and helping raise millions in funds for student scholarships and academic programs including establishing a scholarship for her cherished parents? How could she ever have known that one day President Deborah F. Stanley would appoint her as SUNY Oswego’s vice president for development and alumni relations and presi dent of Oswego College Founda tion Inc.? I wish I could have told my younger self that her most rewarding professional endeavor would be to help advance the mission of SUNY Oswego and experience the transformative power of philanthropy, that she indeed would be humbled by both the generosity of our donors and the perseverance of our neediest students. Like Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz, we would both come to learn that happiness lies in our own backyard. There is no place like home; there is no place like Oz. l
Kerry Casey Dorsey ’81 retired from her role as SUNY Oswego’s vice president of development and alumni relations and president of the Oswego College Foundation Inc. in October after 13 years as an employee of the college. Among her many accomplishments, she led the successful completion of two major fundraising initiatives, the $23.8 million Inspiring Horizons campaign, and With Passion & Purpose: The Campaign for SUNY Oswego, which raised $43.48 million—the largest completed campaign among all SUNY comprehensive colleges.
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Message of the Torch Our Loyal Lakers Society members fulfill the promise in “The Message of the Torch,” delivered each year to new graduates during the Commencement Eve Torchlight Ceremony. “We, the alumni of SUNY Oswego, dedicate [the torch’s] bright burning to our memories of the light transferred from our school, through us, to others. May its glory never be dimmed.” Consistent donors ensure that the flame of learning continues to burn bright. Your support year after year provides an assurance of resources that the college can use to carry out its mission of empowering women and men to pursue meaningful lives as productive, responsible citizens.
“ When my phone rings with that 315 area code, I can’t resist talking to a current Oswego student and hearing their enthusiasm about the place that shaped my life to what it is now, knowing it will do the same for them.
I make a gift each year knowing that whatever amount I give, goes right back into campus and the lives of students. … Donating even the smallest amount when I first graduated was my way to say thank you!” – Dana Segall Murphy ’99, Oswego Alumni Association board member who has made a gift to The Fund for Oswego for the past 18 years (every year since she graduated)
Become a Loyal Laker and help fuel the future at SUNY Oswego.
Loyal Lakers
The Loyal Lakers Society recognizes SUNY Oswego’s most dependable and consistent donors. Membership is automatic and occurs after five consecutive years of giving at any level to The Fund for Oswego. Learn more at: alumni.oswego.edu/loyallakers, or make your gift today at: alumni.oswego.edu/givenow or by calling 315-312-3003.
Nonprofit US Postage PAID Oswego Alumni Association
KING ALUMNI HALL OSWEGO, NY 13126 If OSWEGO is addressed to a son or daughter who has graduated and no longer maintains a permanent address at your home, please clip the address label and return it with the correct address to the Oswego Alumni Association, SUNY Oswego, Oswego, NY 13126, or email the updated address to alumni@oswego.edu
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John Mincher
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ittle did John Mincher know as a curious 15-year-old that when he poked his head into the open door of the Youngstown (Ohio) Playhouse, he would be entering a career that continues to pique his interest 65 years later. “They were working on the sets for The Glass Menagerie,” Mincher recalled. “I walked into the theatre and heard someone yelling to me, ‘Don’t just stand there. Come down here and help me.’ I did and I loved it!” He said he didn’t know that such work even existed, but he worked at the theatre— one of the oldest and highly regarded commu nity theatres in the country—until he left for college at Kent State. There, he was studying to become an English teacher. “There really weren’t many schools who offered programs in technical theatre,” he said. “It wouldn’t have been a disaster if I ended up as a high school English teacher but I really loved working in the theatre.” Mincher came to SUNY Oswego in 1963 on the promise that he would have direct input into the design and equipping of the new Waterman Theatre in Tyler Hall. “The college never broke that promise,” he said. “The architect on the new arts building was Skidmore, Owings and Merrill, a world famous firm from New York City. They had established a new campus of solid bunkerlike buildings that was unified and solid— a look that evoked strength in our extreme winter climate.”
Mincher worked on the design and development of the theatre, which was named one of the 50 best constructed in the United States when it opened. Last fall, he returned to campus to see the newly renovated Waterman Theatre open, 45 years after its initial opening with the production of Guys John Mincher (left) with Emeritus Professor of Theatre Mark Cole ’73 and Michael Tafler ’76 in October 2016 and Dolls to watch a fresh interpretation of The Wizard of Oz. including for a production of the musical “It’s wonderful seeing this new Godspell, whose set design, she said, was space,” he said. “Technology and theaters have evolved so much since the theatre first simple, symbolic and powerful. opened. Waterman Theatre has proven to be That’s exactly what Mincher intends his an extremely useful tool in the creation of designs to be. Oswego’s professional grade students, and “If the scenic design dominates the the facility more than served its intended production, then I failed,” Mincher said. “The purpose over those years.” design should enhance, not dominate. Scenic He was also integral to the development design is an intellectual exercise. You get to of the technical theatre program and often work with some of the greatest literature ever called on the skills of hard-working students, written and you get to interpret it and make it including George Dummitt ’69, Bill Stark ’68, into a visual rendering.” Jon Vermilye ’66 and Ken Stone ’68, who all Today, Mincher, who lives in Florida, still turns to the arts for entertainment and went on to have professional or educational personal endeavor; he is writing a history of his careers in theatre. family and he paints landscapes and portraits “I worked those poor students to death,” in watercolors and oils. He recently established he remembered. “I believed they could do a scholarship at SUNY Oswego in memory of anything, and they did. They were unbeliev able, and many of them made their way to his late wife, Sandra Kelly Mincher ’65. l work on Broadway productions.” —Margaret Spillett Theatre professor Kitty Macey, who was hired by Mincher, said that Mincher created some of her favorite production designs,