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Alumni find jobs they love in the foodie culture
Nazareth College Arts Center | 2012-2013 Season
artscenter.naz.edu 585-389-2170
Series sponsors:
Top to bottom, left to right: Ballet Revolución, photo: ©BB Production; Just Imagine; Anonymous 4; Cashore Marionettes; Mermaid Theatre of Nova Scotia, Guess How Much I Love You, photo: Margo E. Gesser.
Season highlights • Internationally renowned contemporary dance from some of the most sought-after companies • Wonderful family programs, including a performance by a master marionette maker; three popular musicals presented by the Rochester Children’s Theatre; and an adaptation of a beloved classic, performed by one of the country’s most acclaimed children’s theatre companies
• A range of musical programs, from a one-man John Lennon tribute to authentic African drumming, and from sacred medieval music to the pipes and drums of an elite military group • Special events, including a remarkable illusionist and his breathtaking, state-of-the-art magic; New Year’s Eve with the politically based satire of The Capitol Steps; and a powerful presentation of letters written by soldiers serving in Afghanistan and Iraq
Visit artscenter.naz.edu for tickets and more info!
Editor Robyn A. Rime Assistant Director, Publications and Creative Services Regular Contributors Donna Borgus ’13G Julie Long Alicia Nestle Joe Seil Sofia Tokar Additional Contributors Robin L. Flanigan Amy Gallo ’13 Alan Gelb Carissa Risucci ’13 Stephen Tajc Erich Van Dussen Kerry Van Malderghem ’08G
ConneCtionS Nazareth College
Volume 24, Number 3
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News and Views
The latest news from the Nazareth campus.
18 Athletics
Men’s and women’s basketball; hockey updates; Jefferson Dargout ’04 profile
The Classes Ashley Shaw ’13G
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Beyond Self
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Interfaith Ideas
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Life of the Mind
Design Boehm Marketing Communications
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Nazareth in the World
Printing Cohber Press
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Nazareth Heritage
Director of Alumni Relations Donna Borgus ‘13G
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Cover Story: Passion for Food
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Alumni News
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Class Notes The Archive
Photographer Alex Shukoff Contributing Photographers Kurt Brownell Scott Cordaro Brady Dillsworth Greg Francis Jamie Germanow Kristen Loken
Multiple belief communities at Nazareth offer students lots of options. Cover photograph by Alex Shukoff
Name/address corrections: Office of Development email: pwagner6@naz.edu 585-389-2415 Class notes or comments: Office of Alumni Relations email: ashaw6@naz.edu 585-389-2472 Please note that Connections is produced approximately four months in advance of when it is received by readers. Letters and class notes received after production has begun will be included in the next issue of the magazine. All accepted text is subject to editing.
Center for International Education celebrates ten years. In Memoriam: Msgr. William H. Shannon. Three alums find jobs they love within the growing foodie culture.
Web strategist and designer Fran Zablocki ’03; Outstanding Alumni Award winners; Reunion recap.
Nazareth College President Daan Braveman, J.D.
Comments/story suggestions: Marketing and Communications—Publications email: rrime7@naz.edu 585-389-5098
Professor Stephen Tajc discusses his HIV drug research.
Vice President, Institutional Advancement Kelly E. Gagan
We welcome comments from our readers, articles and essays, and class notes. All mail should be directed to one of the offices below, and sent to: Nazareth College 4245 East Ave. Rochester, NY 14618-3790
PhotoVoice exhibition empowers the homeless.
O FPFPO Copyright © 2012 by Nazareth College. Photographs and artwork copyright by their respective creators or by Nazareth College. All rights reserved. No portion of this publication may be reused or republished in any form without express written permission. Nazareth College Mission and Vision Statements The mission of Nazareth College is to provide a learning community that educates students in the liberal arts, sciences, visual and performing arts, and professional fields, fostering commitment to a life informed by intellectual, ethical, spiritual, and aesthetic values; to develop skills necessary for the pursuit of meaningful careers; and to inspire dedication to the ideal of service to their communities. Nazareth seeks students who want to make a difference in their own world and the world around them, and encourages them to develop the understanding, commitment, and confidence to lead fully informed and actively engaged lives. The vision of Nazareth College is to be nationally and internationally recognized as a comprehensive educational institution which provides its students with transformational experiences and integrates liberal arts, sciences, visual and performing arts, and professional education at the undergraduate and graduate levels and which places special value on student success, diversity, inclusion, civic engagement, and making a difference in local and global communities. Statement on Respect and Diversity We, the Nazareth community, embrace both respect for the person and freedom of speech. The College promotes civility and denounces acts of hatred or intolerance. The free exchange of ideas is possible only when concepts, values, and viewpoints can be expressed and challenged in a manner that is neither threatening nor demeaning. It is the policy of Nazareth College, in keeping with its efforts to foster a community in which the diversity of all members is respected, not to discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national or ethnic origin, sex, age, marital or veteran status, disability, carrier status, genetic predisposition, or any other protected status. Respect for the dignity of all peoples is an essential part of the College’s tradition and mission, and its vision for the future. CONNECTIONS | Spring 2012 3
President’s | letter
Dear Nazareth friends,
T “ Nazareth is pleased that it will take a leadership role in the region for offering precisely the kind of educational experiences needed to meet the national demand for students who are well prepared in science and math fields.”
his fall will be an exciting time on the Nazareth College campus. Just 18 months ago, with the generous help and support of the Rochester community and beyond, we broke ground on Peckham Hall, home to the new Integrated Center for Math and Science. The center will be the finest facility in the region for preparing students in the fields of science and math. It will include labs and classrooms with the latest equipment and technology. A distinguishing feature of the center is the range of spaces that will enable us to expand opportunities for undergraduate students to work with faculty members on significant research projects. These projects will stress interdisciplinary and collaborative learning, allowing students to develop an appreciation for both the theoretical and the practical application of science and math. A few years ago, the National Academies of Sciences wrote a report titled “The Gathering Storm,” which found that the U.S. must produce more students interested in math- and science-related fields in order to remain competitive in the global economy. It noted that innovation is the prerequisite for developing the new ideas that will produce jobs in the future. Such innovation requires more people trained in math and science. Nazareth is pleased that it will take a leadership role in the region for offering precisely the kind of educational experiences needed to meet the national demand for students who are well prepared in science and math fields. Now we are counting down the weeks to the grand opening of Peckham Hall. The celebration on September 27 will feature a variety of opportunities for engagement. I hope you’ll join me in commemorating this key milestone in the College’s history.
Sincerely,
Daan Braveman Read more from the perspective of President Braveman on his blog at blogs.naz.edu/braveman.
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The Secret Lives of Nazareth Professors
new video series, The Secret Lives of Nazareth Professors, highlights the little-known talents and interests of the faculty at the College. As accomplished scholars, Nazareth faculty members are dedicated to their students. They challenge them every day to learn deeply and experience broadly. But part of that experience, for both faculty and students, is beyond the academics. Check out the videos and learn how the secret life of Professor Ginny Skinner-Linnenberg, Ph.D., helps her convey the importance of career ethics to her English students. Watch how the secret life of Assistant Professor Stephen Demanchick, Ph.D., helped launch his career in creative arts therapy. And see how Kimberly McGann, Ph.D., assistant professor of sociology, balances her demanding teaching schedule with the freedom found in her secret life. Find all the secret life videos at http://www.youtube.com/ playlist?list=PL1201B4030198 0CE6
Dr. Kimberly McGann and her dance partner James McGarrah.
Dr. Ginny Skinner-Linnenberg leads a secret life as a curler.
Campbell Featured in New Princeton Review Book Nazareth College has one of the country’s best undergraduate teachers, according to The Princeton Review. The Massachusetts-based education services company—widely known for its test-prep courses, books, and student surveybased college rankings—profiles Scott Campbell, Ph.D., associate professor and chair of the philosophy department, in its new book, The Best 300 Professors (Random House/Princeton Review, 2012). The Best 300 Professors is a collaborative project between The Princeton Review and RateMyProfessors.com, the highest-trafficked college professor ratings site in the U.S. The book’s impressive roster of top teachers features professors in more than 60 fields ranging from accounting to neuroscience to sport management. They hail from 122 colleges and universities across the nation. The professors featured in the book are a select group: from an initial list of 42,000 professors considered, the final group of “best” professors chosen constitutes less than .02% of the roughly 1.8 million post-secondary teachers instructing students at colleges and universities across the U.S. “The Princeton Review’s publications highlight the experiences of students, so I am very pleased to know that my students are having such a positive learning experience in my philosophy classes,” says Campbell. Check out a complete list of the professors in the book at www.princetonreview.com/best-professors.aspx
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School of Education Names Interim Dean
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azareth’s School of Education has named Craig Hill, Ed.D., as interim dean while the school undertakes its search for a new dean. Hill brings to this position his experience as chair and then interim dean of education, as well as his service for the past six years as chair of the Department of Adolescent Education. Former dean Timothy Glander, Ph.D., will take up a position as faculty member in the Department of Social and Psychological Foundations this fall.
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Liam Connolly ’12
Hannah East ’09
Six Students Receive Prestigious
Fulbright Grants
Katie McFarland ’12
Maria Seewaldt ’12
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azareth College is proud to announce that the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board has selected Liam Connolly ’12 of Stratham, N.H., Hannah East ’09 of Williamson, N.Y., Katie McFarland ’12 of North Tonawanda, N.Y., Julie Saltrelli ’12G of Rochester, N.Y., Maria Seewaldt ’12 of Warsaw, N.Y., and Jessica Tette ’12 of Livonia, N.Y., to receive 2012-2013 U.S. Junior Fulbright awards. This year’s recipients make a record-breaking number in one year for the College. In the past five years, there have been 17 Fulbrights awarded to Nazareth College students.
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Julie Saltrelli ’12G
Jessica Tette ’12
Connolly, a history and philosophy double major, will teach English in Korea, with the hopes of using his experience on the Nazareth College soccer team to work in community outreach involving athletics. Upon his return, Connolly plans to attend graduate school in the field of international relations. East graduated from Nazareth’s social work program and is currently serving as a Peace Corp volunteer in Cambodia. East will study Finnish anti-corruption policy as a best practices model to better understand the low levels of government corruption in Finland.
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Professor Receives Fulbright Award
McFarland, a Spanish major, will teach English in Germany. Upon her return, she intends to apply to the Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) graduate program at Nazareth. Saltrelli, a student in the master of arts in liberal studies (MALS) program at Nazareth College, will act as a language-learning assistant at an English teacher training college in Argentina. Saltrelli graduated from the University of Buffalo with a dual degree in Italian and women’s studies and is currently the assistant to Stella Plutino-Calabrese, Ph.D., director of the Casa Italiana at Nazareth College. Seewaldt, a German and inclusive adolescent education double major, will teach English in Germany. Upon her return, she plans to attend graduate school to become certified to teach English to students of other languages or search for a full-time teaching position in German or special education. Tette, a Spanish and adolescent education double major, will teach English in Colombia. She hopes to start a youth club to foster community service and team building. Upon her return, Tette plans to attend graduate school for linguistics and eventually teach. Established in 1946 under legislation introduced by the late Senator J. William Fulbright of Arkansas, the Fulbright Program’s objective is to build mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the rest of the world. Sponsored by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, the Fulbright Program is America’s flagship international education exchange. Approximately 279,500 “Fulbrights,” 105,400 from the United States and 174,100 from other countries, have participated in the Program since its inception over fifty years ago.
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Nazareth College is proud to announce that the U.S. Department of State and the Council for International Exchange of Scholars selected Professor of Communication Sciences and Disorders Paula Brown, Ph.D., to receive a 2013 Fulbright Award. In spring 2013, Brown will travel to Eotvos Lorand University (ELTE) in Budapest, Hungary, to teach in the deaf education and speech-language pathology programs at Barczi School of Special Education. She also hopes to consult in the schools for the deaf and establish a partnership between ELTE and Nazareth for future student and faculty exchanges. The Fulbright Senior Specialists Program is designed to provide short-term academic opportunities (two to six weeks) for U.S. faculty and professionals. The goals of the Fulbright Senior Specialists Program are to increase the participation of leading U.S. scholars and professionals in Fulbright academic exchanges, encourage new activities that go beyond the traditional Fulbright activities of lecturing and research, and to promote increased connections between U.S. and non-U.S. post-secondary academic institutions. Read more about Brown’s experiences abroad on the Nazareth College Center for International Education’s International Reflections blog at blogs.naz.edu/cie-director.
Student Receives Assistantship to Teach in France Nazareth College is pleased to announce that Leda Gibbs ’12 was selected to receive a French Government English Teaching Assistantship for the upcoming academic year. She will be teaching in the city of Grenoble. Administered by the French Ministry of Education and Cultural Services, these competitive assistantships give students a chance to gain experience in their field and improve their language skills as well as foster cross-cultural understanding. Gibbs, of Syracuse, N.Y., was a French and adolescent education double major. With the teaching assistantship, Gibbs will teach French to high school students while pursuing a master’s degree.
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Robert Wayland-Smith Receives Woerner Kollmorgen Award
Robert Wayland-Smith, recipient of the 2012 Woerner Kollmorgen Award
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Nazareth College is pleased to honor the recipient of this year’s Woerner Kollmorgen Award, Robert Wayland-Smith, for his admirable efforts in improving the Greater Rochester community through his activism and volunteer work. The award recognizes individuals who have made notable contributions to the Rochester community in enhancing the quality of life for members of the community. A native of Oneida, N.Y., Wayland-Smith received his B.A. in economics from the University of Rochester in 1965. Since then, he has used his extensive knowledge of and experience in economics to boost the Rochester economy through various projects and volunteer activities. In 1967, Wayland-Smith joined Lincoln Rochester Trust Company, subsequently acquired by Chase Manhattan Bank, where he fulfilled several senior management positions during his 31 years at the company, including president and CEO of the Rochester Division Senior Upstate Trust and Investment Division Executive. He retired in 1998 to spend additional time in nonprofit volunteer activities.
Career Services Office Honored for LGBT Support
azareth College’s Office of Career Services has been recognized by Out for Work, a national organization devoted to supporting lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) college students as they navigate the transition from college to professional life. Ranked among the top 20 in the country, Nazareth and other award-winning career centers received A+Gold and Gold levels of certification in the 2012 LGBTQ Career Center Certification Program Report. All the centers were honored at the 2012 National Association of Colleges and Employers conference in Las Vegas in June. Many colleges and universities fail to provide resources specific to the career needs of LGBT students, reports Out for Work. To help rectify this, the organization provides resources for college career centers,
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In addition to his notable dedication in his work, Wayland-Smith has made several commendable philanthropic contributions to the Rochester community. He has served on numerous boards and currently serves on the Rochester Institute of Technology Board of Trustees, State University of New York at Geneseo College Council, Greater Rochester Independent Practice Association Board of Directors, and the Hope Hall Development Committee. In recognition of his efforts, Wayland-Smith has received numerous awards, including the most recent Special Recognition Award, Young Women of Distinction Scholarship Award; Lifetime Social Justice Award from Flower City Habitat for Humanity; Eastman Legacy Award for Courage and Leadership in Public Policy, Center for Governmental Research; and Whitaker Service Medallion, Nathaniel Rochester Society, Rochester Institute of Technology. His hard work and dedication make Wayland-Smith a deserving recipient of the prestigious Woerner Kollmorgen Award. Previous award winners include J. Christine Wilson, Justin Vigdor, T. Franklin Williams, M.D., and Carter Catlett Williams, C.S.W., A.C.S.W.
sponsors conferences and career fairs for LGBT students, and developed a certification program to help college career centers assess how well they are meeting the needs of this population. Mike Kahl, director of Nazareth’s career services office, is pleased by the recognition. “For some time I’ve recognized that our LGBT students have needed extra support with their job searches, such as identifying LGBT friendly organizations, deciding whether or not to come out on their resume, and so on,” explains Kahl. “We now have a link on the front page of the office’s webpage that connects students to specific LGBT career resources; we have planned programs for our LGBT students featuring speakers including our own alumni; and we have taken students to the Out for Work national conference for the last two years. I’m very proud that we have chosen to take the lead in this way, and I think doing so demonstrates that Nazareth takes very seriously serving the needs of all of our students.” Check out Nazareth’s career services office at naz.edu/career-services.
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Nazareth Named Finalist by President’s Community Service Honor Roll Nazareth students spent spring break at the Mountain Institute in West Virginia.
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azareth College is proud to announce that for the first time, it received national recognition as a finalist in the Presidential Award category of the 2012 President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll. Each year since its inception in 2006, Nazareth has been named to this prestigious Honor Roll, twice making the “with distinction” category. The Honor Roll is the highest federal recognition for engaging in service with its community that a college can receive. Nazareth College
was recognized for its overall commitment to civic engagement, especially in the innovation in early childhood education category. “It is a great honor for Nazareth to be named as one of only 14 finalists out of nearly 700 schools in the country for the Presidential Awards,” says President Daan Braveman. “I am so proud of the great work our students, faculty, staff, and community partners are doing every day. Nazareth College has been, and will always be, deeply committed to service and engaging with our community.”
Approximately 90 percent of Nazareth undergraduates participate in community service while they are students. The Honor Roll recognizes Nazareth’s dedication to early childhood education through its work with School #36, Hope Hall, and the Teacher Opportunity Corps program. School #36 and Hope Hall are just two of the 15 sites that make up the Partners for Learning and Partners for Serving programs. Teacher Opportunity Corps lies within the School of Education.
Ebenhoch Joins Development Team Nazareth College is pleased to announce that James B. Ebenhoch has joined the College as the director of individual giving in the development office. Ebenhoch is responsible for the leadership and strategic direction of the College’s development programs, including major gifts, planned gifts, and the annual fund. Before joining Nazareth, Ebenhoch was the senior director of development and alumni relations at NTID at RIT. He has more than 17 years of fundraising and management experience in higher education and nonprofit development with a national health care organization and two leading national research universities. Ebenhoch received his M.B.A. in management from the University of Albany and his bachelor’s in business administration from Niagara University. At Nazareth, he can be reached at jebenho8@naz.edu and 585-389-2401.
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Stepping Out For Jasmine Spence ’14, starting Nazareth’s first step team was a no-brainer. While goofing around with some others who had stepped in high school, she created a buzz. How do you describe stepping? It’s using your body to make beats. It started in Africa as a “boot dance” and it’s been transformed into different styles. In stepping, you’re not just using your feet to stomp. You’re using your entire body. What kinds of skills do steppers need to have? There’s no talent required. At our first interest meeting, a lot of international students came. They picked up the steps as fast as anyone else, even the people who had stepped before. People who have danced before might pick it up faster. But it’s hard to say, at the outset, who’s going to be the best. What’s the hardest part of learning to step? The hardest move to master is the “train.” You stomp back on your right foot while lifting your left foot higher. The key is to make your left foot go as high as it can. The left foot is rhythmic but silent. It took me almost a month to get it. But once you learn it, you have it down forever. How do you choreograph a routine? We just come up with a beat that we like. We’ll do a steady beat, then somebody makes up another beat that goes with it, and then
Left to right: Abby Wells ‘14, co-founder Jasmine Spence ‘14, Shaniece Heath ‘14, president and co-founder Brianna Searight ‘14, Kristina Bushey ‘14, and Chazzarae Burgess ‘15. Not pictured: Winter Wilburn ‘15. another person adds something completely different. Once you’ve got the beats, you put in the body movements: clapping, stomping, twirling your legs like crazy. It’s everything. Is the team only for women? No. We have guys on the team, too. We like to pull our guys in when we’re thinking up the new steps. We show them the moves and get their feedback on if something is too feminine! You had 20+ members in your first year. How did you build interest? At first, curious audiences showed up to see us perform because they weren’t sure what a step team actually does. But then students started telling other students, “Hey, you’ve got to see this. It’s a really good show.” And then lots of people showed up.
What else do you do on campus? I’m an orientation leader. You get to meet all the new students and show them the ropes. You’re getting them to love Nazareth like you do. The most important part is getting them involved on campus, so of course I let them know about the step team! When you graduate, how will it feel to leave the step team as your legacy? I’m going to be so excited. This is something that we did. We’re the founders. How cool is that? You’re planning to go to law school. Will starting the step team look good on your application? Well, leadership is key!
Students got much-needed exam-time stress relief when the College’s residential life department collaborated with the Humane Society’s Lollypop Farm pet-assisted therapy program. Certified therapy dogs and cats, along with their trained handlers, arrived on campus for holding, petting, brushing, walking, or just hanging out. It must have worked: residential life has received numerous requests to repeat the program on a weekly basis! Check out the happy students and stress-relieving pooches at go.naz.edu/pets
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Nazareth Receives $2 Million Gift to Name Math and Science Building by Julie Long
Larry and Nancy Peckham and Nazareth President Daan Braveman shake hands over the Peckhams’ $2 million gift for the new math and science building.
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azareth College’s new Integrated Center for Math and Science will have the name Peckham Hall when it opens to students in August of this year, thanks to a $2 million gift from Larry and Nancy Peckham. Peckham Hall will play an instrumental role in leading the way for Nazareth students to receive the very best in math and science education, enabling the College to increase the number of students who pursue majors in science and math fields, as well as those who pursue careers as health and human services professionals and teachers of math and science. “Nazareth College is enormously grateful to Larry and Nancy Peckham for this generous gift to name the Integrated Center for Math and Science,” said President Daan Braveman. “They have looked into the future and seen how this building will help Nazareth expand the number of students interested in pursuing careers in math, science, technology, health care, and teaching. They also understand that the facility will have far-reaching impact on the Rochester community as many of our students remain in the region as health care professionals, teachers, and professionals in STEM-related fields.” When Peckham Hall opens this fall, the new building will feature: • 74,000 gross square feet. • Classrooms and lab lecture rooms that offer state-of-the-art technology. • 20 labs to serve biology, anatomy, chemistry, physics, math, computing, and ecology. • Collaboration spaces for student and faculty research. • The first LEED-certified green building design in Pittsford. • Two “green roof” gardens.
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• A greenhouse that features three environments—desert, sub-tropical, and temperate. It will grow plants for study and research, for community outreach, and for enriching a math/ science curriculum. The Peckham Hall grand opening is scheduled for Thursday, September 27, at 4 p.m., with a ribbon-cutting event and reception, student-led tours, lab demonstrations, poster viewings, video screenings, musical entertainment, and refreshments. For details or to RSVP, call 585-389-2409 or email mstehle6@ naz.edu. Read more about the Peckhams transformational gift and the center’s grand opening in the next issue of Connections. Julie Long is the assistant director of media relations in Nazareth’s marketing department.
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n Sch o o l o f M an ag ement
SOM Honors Alumni by Robin L. Flanigan
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ecognized for a distinguished career well-rounded individual, which makes you a that has taken him to a senior posiwell-rounded professional. It gives you the tion at one of the nation’s premiere ability to think broadly, digest different types broadcast companies, John Drain of information that are not core to what you ’83 is the recipient of Nazareth College’s do every day, and adjust—and that’s really 2012 School of Management Alumni Award. important in business today.” “He’s the quintessential SOM graduate,” Another vital component to a successful says Gerard Zappia, dean of the School of business career is maintaining high ethical Management. “John is a good example of standards, adds Drain, acknowledging that someone who has learned how to learn, and he often thinks back to his business ethics he has a steady record of progressive achieveclass at Nazareth as he oversees the spending ment to show for it.” of millions of dollars in operating and capital Drain, senior vice president of finance for expenditures. He emphasized that message Manhattan-based Hearst Television, is quick in April, at the Nazareth Honor Society’s to point out that Nazareth gave him both induction ceremony, as he spoke about the the foundation and confidence to excel in respectable mentors in his life and advised a career he’d always felt he should pursue. soon-to-be-graduates to stay true to their The son of an accountant and an accountant moral principles. himself by trade, his jobs have generally been “I’m a firm believer that nobody but yourin the media business—preparing and analyzself can take away your integrity,” explains John Drain ’83, recipient of the 2012 School ing financial statements, handling legal and Drain, who, as part of the alumni award of Management Alumni Award human resource matters, calculating the best process, was asked to fulfill this speaking use of financial and human capital during engagement as well as help pick next year’s mergers and acquisitions, and providing career development opportuhonoree. “That’s part of your personal branding, and doing things nities for the industry’s up-and-coming leaders, among other duties. right is a quality that people value.” In his current position, he is responsible for all finance, human Nazareth not only heavily influenced Drain’s career, but it was durresources, information technology, and other administrative matters at ing his time at the College that he met his wife, Dena Burdick ’84. Hearst Television, which has 29 television stations servicing 26 U.S. marThey’ve been married 25 years and have three children. kets. Additionally, he works with the company’s president and senior “Every time I go back on campus, it’s home,” he says. “I really feel leaders of the management team to set strategy for future growth. connected to Nazareth in just about everything I do.” Drain, who commutes to work from his home in Plymouth Meeting, Read more about the School of Management at naz.edu/managePenn., says he was “deeply honored” to receive the second annual ment. alumni award. “There was a lot of diversity at Nazareth,” he says. “The people, Robin L. Flanigan is a freelance writer in Rochester, New York. the education, the cultural arts, the entire environment makes you a
“ John is a good example of someone who has learned how to learn, and he has a steady record of progressive achievement to show for it.” — G e r a r d Z a pp i a , dean o f the S chool o f M anagement
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n s cho o l o f h e alt h an d h uma n s erv ic es
Music and Memory by Sofia Tokar
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any people are familiar with using rhymes and songs to help remember information. But can melodies and harmonies help maintain—and even improve—the memory skills of aging individuals with dementia? Sheila Konar certainly thinks so. “The benefits of music therapy on mental health are astounding. We’ve always been interested and involved in this field as well as in giving back to the community.” To that end, Konar donated a major gift in 2011 on behalf of the Konar Family Foundation to the music therapy program at Nazareth College. Among other initiatives, the gift enabled the creation of a special music therapy group for persons with Alzheimer’s. Konar was personally interested in supporting this endeavor since her own husband was diagnosed with the disease. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia. At present, there is no cure and the disease worsens as it progresses. As research into medications and other treatment options continues, professors at Nazareth were interested in studying the effectiveness of individually tailored small group music therapy sessions for those living with Alzheimer’s. And it was the donation from the Konar Family Foundation that kick-started the program. The music therapy group at Nazareth was led by Associate Professor of Music Therapy Betsey King, Ph.D., and Assistant Clinical Professor of Music Therapy Laurie Keough, M.S.Ed.—both of whom are board certified music therapists with extensive experience in the field. “With the help of the Rochester chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association, we recruited enough participants and caregivers for 12 sessions in the fall semester,” explains King. The sessions involved singing songs (occasionally combined with sign language), playing instruments, and building memory skills through repetition and engagement. The research was compiled throughout the semester, and the preliminary results and analysis indicated significant improvement in areas of concern for persons with Alzheimer’s. “Improvement is especially meaningful for people who have a progressive debilitating disease,” explains Keough. “Intervention is often necessary simply to maintain skills in this context.” Examples of improvements included increased social interaction among group members, active participation, and ability to participate in more complex musical interactions. In response to the encouraging results, the music therapy group continued to meet during the spring 2012 semester. “Not only did we see changes in the participants on account of the direct stimulation of music therapy, but what’s most promising is the carryover reported from this 50-minute session to the world outside of this room,” says Keough. Indeed, the participants’ caregivers reported back on their loved ones’
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Clockwise from top left: Associate Professor of Music Therapy Betsey King, music therapy graduate student Theresa Lemmerman ’09, ’12G, and Assistant Clinical Professor of Music Therapy Laurie Keough lead Lou, George, and Nola, three participants in Nazareth’s music therapy group for people with Alzheimer’s disease. positive affects, increased activity, and energy levels. Most surprising, notes Keough, was not just the maintenance of existing skills, but the building and development of the participants’ memory skills. “At the beginning, we saw anxiety, confusion, and disorientation, but that gradually faded with the weekly sessions. The structure remains the same, but each session is different and builds on the skills from the previous week. It’s incredible to see so much improvement and growth in the participants.” And so the question now from both the participants’ caregivers and the music therapists is the same: What’s next? “As we increase the visibility of Nazareth’s music therapy program and educate the health care agencies and facilities in our community about music therapy, we can provide new jobs for our graduates, varied clinical training for our students, and services for underrepresented and underserved populations,” says King. “In a real and tangible way, this generous gift from the Konar Family Foundation will enable us to do just that.” Learn more about music therapy at go.naz.edu/cat. Sofia Tokar is the assistant editor in Nazareth’s marketing department.
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n Co ll e g e o f A r t s and Sc ien c es
Biology Grads Shine in Graduate Schools by Alan Gelb
University of Buffalo medical student Kelly Noble ’11 on a recent visit back to Nazareth’s science labs.
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he competition to secure places at the nation’s medical, dental, and veterinary graduate programs is so intense that admission into these programs is one indicator of how well a college is faring. With that in mind, Nazareth College is doing very well
indeed. Nazareth’s biology department, which offers undergraduate programs in biology, environmental science, biochemistry, and biology education, derives its strength from a number of factors: small class sizes, close faculty-student connections, extensive hands-on laboratory training, outstanding opportunities for undergraduate research, and the new state-of-the-art Integrated Center for Math and Science on campus. Indeed, Nazareth’s biology students, many of whom receive scholarships, participate in independent research as a capstone project, and many are involved in field work and internships. “We’ve tripled our enrollment in the last ten years, and applications for fall 2012 are up,” says Brian Witz, Ph.D., professor and chair of the biology department. “Applicants are impressed with our small class sizes and individualized attention. They tend to find more caring and concern here than at many rival institutions.”
14 CONNECTIONS | Summer-Fall 2012
The biology program certainly paved the way for Kelly Noble ’11 of Homer, N.Y. Initially, Noble intended to be a high school biology teacher. “But after Bio 103, I decided I wanted to do something more clinical,” she says. “I met with Professor Witz and he was wonderful. He really showed me the ropes.” Now in her first year of medical school at the University of Buffalo, Noble expressed appreciation for Nazareth’s “whole person” approach to education. “With the core curriculum, I could take a lot of different subjects, like music, which I love,” she says. “I decided to do a piano course, and it really helped relax me, which in turn helped me get through organic chemistry.” Noble was also captain of the women’s varsity tennis team. Another biology graduate, Stephen Tychostup ’09 of Mayfield, N.Y, is also at the University of Buffalo, in its School of Dental Medicine. “Dr. Witz took a lot of pride in the way he ran his classes and his labs,” says Tychostup. “He challenged students in a fair way and helped us get a strong grip on basic science.” Tychostup, too, felt that Nazareth was a good place to develop as a whole person. “I played soccer for four years and not only did that help my grades, but it taught me to be able to better balance my commitments.” Amber Streicher ’11 of Strykersville, N.Y. will enter Cornell University’s College of Veterinary Medicine in the fall. “Nazareth enabled me to thrive because of its family atmosphere and the ease with which you could get to know your professors,” she says. “Getting to know professors, while they are enthusiastic to understand their students, led to several opportunities to participate in undergraduate research, which was one of the many factors involved in helping me to become a more wellrounded veterinary school candidate.” Nazareth graduates from medical, dental, and veterinary schools go on to hold significant positions in their fields, such as Tom Carroll ’01, chief resident at Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester; Charlotte Hanna-Willardson ’01, doctor of veterinary medicine at the Finger Lakes Equine Associates at the Racetrack in Farmington; and Rebecca Lenhard Swan ’04, second year radiology resident at Albany Medical College. With the new Integrated Center for Math and Science, Nazareth’s biology department will offer labs and study spaces that represent a quantum leap forward. The future of the biology department and its graduates—and of the Rochester area that benefits from the work of these professionals—never looked better. Learn more about the biology department at naz.edu/biology. Alan Gelb is a freelance writer in East Chatham, New York
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n S cho o l o f e d u cat i o n
Redefining Comic Books by Sofia Tokar
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n the hierarchy of the book world, the classics and the great works have long merited academic study, critical praise, and broad readership in school curricula. Some genres—such as romance and young adult—have traditionally been overlooked in the grand scheme of literature, but are now experiencing serious attention from readers, educators, and scholars alike. But comic books? “Some people still don’t think of comics as ‘real books’,” says Nazareth alumna Anne Hicks ’07, a children’s services librarian at the Henrietta Public Library in Henrietta, N.Y. “The local children’s librarians frequently collaborate on lists of comics to recommend to parents, teachers, and children coming into the library,” she explains. “It was at one of these meetings that the idea was born for a conference to educate people about different forms of valid reading experiences.” The conference, titled Comics, Libraries, and Education: Literacy Without Limits, was held last April, and approximately 100 teachers, librarians, graduate students, and others attended and participated. It was the first of its kind in this region and was organized by a group of librarians and educators in Monroe County who are all passionate about comics and graphic novels. As part of the original planning committee, Hicks knew that a partnership with an area institution would be key—and Nazareth’s School of Education seemed like the logical choice. In spring 2011, she approached Associate Professor in Language, Literacy, and Technology Laura C.S. Jones, Ph.D. “This was a great opportunity to gather together Nazareth faculty interested in this topic to conduct sessions and workshops at the conference,” says Jones. “It was also an opportunity for Nazareth to recognize and publicly support the efforts of libraries in the local community.” To that end, Jones recruited some of her fellow School of Education colleagues, including Maria Baldassarre Hopkins, Ph.D., assistant professor in language, literacy, and technology, and Rachel Bailey Jones, Ph.D., associate professor in the department of social and
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psychological foundations of education. Adrielle Mitchell, Ph.D. and associate professor and chair of the English department in Nazareth’s College of Arts and Sciences, also agreed to participate. The conference’s organizers all agree that comics educate, enrich, and entertain. But while some people hear the word comics and think of mostly of superheroes, the term today is “used broadly to encapsulate a wide range of texts that pair words with illustrations to create graphic narratives,” explains Mitchell. “We want people to recognize that comics are a form, not a genre—and that there are many different genres within comics, including the adventures and hero stories as well as memoirs, travelogues, journalism, adaptations, and so much more.” Pairing text with illustrations is a powerful tool for literacy and reading comprehension. But for many children, comics also act as a gateway to more and other types of reading. “Society today is flooded with exposure to images. Because we are immersed in the visual, it’s more important than ever to teach young people how to be critical consumers of media and text,” explains Bailey Jones. The conference included presentations by noted and award-winning graphic novel creators and illustrators, including Mark Siegel, George O’Connor, Frank Cammuso, and others. There were also panel discussions on topics such as exploring the creative process of composing comics, emerging topics and trends in children’s and teen comics, developing multimodal and critical literacy skills, and integrating comics and graphic novels in classroom settings ranging from kindergarten to college. “The hope,” says Jones, “is that this conference causes a ripple effect of dialogue about comics among school teachers, students, professors, librarians, and other professionals who work at the very forefront with the public on issues of literacy.” Learn more about the conference at go.naz.edu/comics. Sofia Tokar is the assistant editor in Nazareth’s marketing department.
CONNECTIONS | Summer-Fall 2012 15
NEWS|views
On May 12, 2012, Nazareth College held its eighty-fifth annual commencement at the Blue Cross Arena in Right, top to bottom: Megan Spatola ‘12G Kevin Graham ‘12G
a joint graduate and undergraduate ceremony. Graduates and their loved ones celebrated
Delaina Carraway ‘12G
the end of one chapter and the beginning of another.
President Daan Braveman high fives PT graduate Michael Ellis ‘12G.
Left to right: Emeritus Trustee David Metz, honorary degree recipient Judy Wilmot Linehan ‘76, and Vice President of Finance and Treasurer Margaret Cass Ferber.
Class president Hamanjit Anand ‘12 at the Candlelight Farewell for seniors. Maria Seewaldt ‘12 (left) and Barbara Lippman ‘12 at the senior sendoff.
Check out more graduation photos at go.naz.edu/commencement. Erin Hassett ‘12
Candice Kundle ‘12
Graduation Day www.naz.edu
CONNECTIONS | Summer-Fall 2012 17
sports|news
Basketball Players Earn All-Conference Honors
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Jason Corletta ’12
Tyshun Stephens ’13
Phil Scaffidi ’12
Brad Ford ’14
our Nazareth men’s basketball players were honored in February with the announcement of the Empire 8 Conference all-star teams. Jason Corletta ’12 was named to the first team; Tyshun Stephens ’13 was named to the second team, and Phil Scaffidi ’12 and Brad Ford ’14 were named honorable mentions. Corletta, of Pittsford, N.Y. and a graduate of Pittsford Sutherland High School, was Nazareth’s leading scorer in 2011-12 with an average of 14.6 points per game. He also led the team with 49 three-point field goals and completed his career with 1,277 points, good for eighth place all-time. Corletta was also recognized by the Empire 8 as Nazareth’s Sportsman of Year. One member of each team was named that institution’s representative on the 2012 Men’s Basketball Sportsman of the Year Team. Empire 8 emphasizes that “Competing with Honor and Integrity” is an essential component of a student-athlete’s experience in conjunction with an institution’s educational mission. Stephens, of Newark, N.Y. and a graduate of Newark High School, averaged 13.6 points and nearly four assists per game for Nazareth in 2011-12. He also ranked first on the team with 99 free throws made. He also surpassed the 1,000-point mark in career scoring. Scaffidi, of Buffalo, N.Y. and a graduate of St. Joseph’s Collegiate Institute, averaged 12.0 points and 3.7 rebounds per game and shot a team-best 80.9 percent from the free-throw line by sinking 76 of 94 attempts. He also surpassed 1,000 points in career scoring and completed his career with 1,117 overall. Ford, of Victor, N.Y. and a graduate of Victor High School, was Nazareth’s leading rebounder (9.0 rpg.) and third-leading scorer (12.8 ppg.). He also was a long-range shooting threat, evidenced by ranking second on the team with 42 three-point field goals. Nazareth finished 18-9 overall in 2011-12 and lost in the finals of the Empire 8 Conference Tournament.
Ready to Drop the Puck The Golden Flyers men’s ice hockey team, set to begin intercollegiate play in the fall, is in the thick of recruitment with about 20 players already on the roster, and the new home and away jerseys are hot off the design table. The Golden Flyers first home game will be on October 18 vs. Geneseo at the Sports Centre at MCC, which will be the home ice for the Golden Flyers. The men’s hockey team will play in the ECAC West, joining Elmira, Hobart, Manhattanville, Neumann, and Utica. “We think that top to bottom this is one of the top conferences in the country,” said Nazareth Head Coach George Roll. “It could be tough for us coming out of the gate, but we’re excited about the opportunity that the ECAC has given us.” Watch Part II of the video as Coach Roll prepares for the inaugural season at go.naz.edu/ice-hockey.
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www.naz.edu
The Soccer-Playing Social Worker by Kerry Van Malderghem ’08G
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oving from Haiti to the United States when he was 15 “Everybody was shocked, they had never seen anything like that years old, Jefferson Dargout ’04 had one constant in before,” Dargout says. “I wanted to score more and beat my high his life: Sports, whether it was scoring goals in soccer or school record of seven goals, but they wouldn’t let me do it.” returning serves in tennis. Dargout may get another chance to try for his old record. In January, But though Dargout is a natural athlete, he had to spend extra he signed on to play professional indoor soccer with the Rochester time on his classes and learning the English language. Upon arriving Lancers, whose inaugural season ran from October 2011 through in the United States, he enrolled in Franklin High School in the city of March 2012. Rochester, which had an excellent international program and helped “We have a good group of guys, and the guys played very well for with the transition. the first time,” Dargout says. “It was a great experience, and I’m look“I had to stay after school all the ing forward to next year and playing for time,” Dargout says. “I had to work them again.” extra hard to catch up with English.” As skilled as he is as an athlete, The time spent in the classroom paid professional soccer is only something off when Dargout enrolled at Monroe Dargout does in his spare time. A social Community College (MCC) to continue work major at Nazareth, he is now a his studies; there he took some adsocial worker with the Hillside Work ditional English as a Second Language Scholarship program in the Rochester courses before transferring to Nazareth. City School District, where he assists The hard work didn’t end there. international students who arrive in Dargout was a second team All-Amerithe United States without any English can selection in soccer in 2002 and was language knowledge—students who are named the Empire 8 Conference Player just like he was. of the Year in 2003. He also played “What I’m doing as a social worker tennis for the Golden Flyers, earning landed me in the same program that all-conference honors each of his two I used to be in as a student,” Dargout years. Drafted by the Rochester Rhinos explains. “It’s a really good thing for during his senior year, he played profesme—and for them—because I’ve been sional soccer for several years, then through it.” went on to coach men’s and women’s He credits the social work program at tennis at MCC and Roberts Wesleyan Nazareth with his ability to help others College. He was inducted into Nazanow. reth’s Sports Hall of Fame in 2010. “All the research and everything … it’s Nazareth Athletic Director Pete Bothhelpful when we have to do things with ner remembers Dargout’s extraordinary the kids,” he says. “It’s one of the best accomplishments as a student-athlete. schools in the country for social work.” “He was a dominant two-sport That may be true, but Bothner recJefferson Dargout ’04 as a Rochester Lancer athlete; he was the best soccer player ognizes another reason why Dargout Courtesy Scott Cordaro/Lancers 2012. and the best tennis player on his team,” makes an exceptional social worker. Bothner says. “To not only play two “He’s just a genuinely nice person,” sports, but to be the best player on both Bothner concludes. “He cares deeply is really an incredible feat.” about other people and always acts with compassion and kindness.” Dargout enjoyed playing both sports for the Golden Flyers. One of Learn more about Nazareth athletics at http://athletics.naz.edu/ his fondest memories—and something he mentioned in his Hall of Fame induction speech—was of the five goals he scored during his Kerry Van Malderghem ’08G works in the athletics department at second game in a Nazareth uniform. Lake Forest College and freelances as a sports writer.
sports|news
Wilson Makes Second-Team All-Conference
Risucci Repeats as Swimming All-American Carissa Risucci ’13 finished in fifth place in the 200-yard breaststroke in March at the NCAA Division III Swimming and Diving Championships at the IU Natatorium in Indianapolis. She earned All-American honors for the second year in a row. Risucci, seeded second entering the event, broke her own school record with a time of 2:17.15. “It was a great swim,” says Nazareth Coach Martie Staser. “She went out pretty fast in hope of staying with the leader, but in the end she was happy with her swim.” Risucci finished fourth in the same event last season even though her time of 2:18.38 was slower than this year’s. She also placed 12th in the 100-yard breaststroke to gain honorable mention All-American honors in that event for the second year in a row. Risucci and teammates Maura Reissig ’14, Emily Sauter ’14, and Rachael Phipps ’12 also earned honorable mention All-American honors in both the 200- and 400-yard medley relays. Phipps swam three individual events as well as finished 18th in the 50 freestyle, 21st in the 100 butterfly, and 28th in the 100 freestyle.
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Brittany Wilson ’12
Katie Kollar ’12
Brittany Wilson ’12, who amassed more than 1,000 points during her four-year career playing basketball at Nazareth, earned second-team Empire 8 Conference all-star honors for 2011-12. Katie Kollar ’12 represented Nazareth as an honorable mention selection, and Brittany Patenaude ’12 was recognized as the Golden Flyers’ Sportswoman of the Year. Wilson, of Fairport, N.Y. and a graduate of Fairport High School, finished the 2011-12 season with 275 total points for an average of 11.0 points per game. In addition to her points scored, Wilson led the team in assists (59) and steals (36) and was second in rebounding at 6.0 per game. She finished her career with 1,186 points, good for seventh place all-time. Kollar, of Johnstown, N.Y. and a graduate of Johnstown High School, led the Golden Flyers in scoring in 2011-12 at 11.7 points per game. She also set a Nazareth single-season record by connecting on 69 three-point baskets. She also finished with 97 total rebounds, 32 assists, 23 steals, and nine blocked shots. Patenaude, of Watertown, N.Y. and a graduate of Watertown High School, was selected as Nazareth’s Sportswoman of the Year. One member of each team was named that institution’s representative on the 2012 Women’s Basketball Sportswoman of the Year Team. Empire 8 emphasizes that “Competing with Honor and Integrity” is an essential component of a student-athlete’s experience in conjunction with an institution’s educational mission. Patenaude finished third on the team in both scoring (7.0 ppg.) and rebounding (5.4 per game).
Brittany Patenaude ’12
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Griffin Named Top Runner at E8 Indoor Meet Ira Griffin ’15 was named Runner of the Meet after winning the 60meter dash at the Empire 8 Indoor Track and Field Championships at Ithaca in January. Griffin posted a winning time of 7.09 seconds to win the 60, just missing his own school record of 7.03 set at RIT in December. He also set a record by placing third in the 200-meter dash with a time of 22.98 seconds. He anchored Nazareth’s winning 4 x 400-meter relay team that included Jake Lafaver ’14, Phil Schierer ’13, and Dan Polino ’12. The winning time was 3:29.27. In the women’s E8 meet held the same day, Kristi Custer ’13G made firstteam all-conference by winning the triple jump with a leap of 10.85 meters (35 feet, 7 ¼ inches). Katie Wyant ’13 also earned first-team all-conference honors by winning the 400-meter dash with a school-record time of 1:01.81. She also finished sixth in the 200-meter dash (28.24 seconds). Kelsey Ryan ’13 made second-team all-conference in the 5,000-meter run by placing second with a time of 19:53.41. Ira Griffin ’15
Jared DeMichiel Named Assistant Hockey Coach Jared DeMichiel, former goaltending standout at RIT, was named assistant coach for Nazareth’s men’s ice hockey in January. DeMichiel will assist Head Coach George Roll in recruiting players in preparation for Nazareth’s first season of intercollegiate play in 2012-13. DeMichiel, of Avon, Conn., graduated from RIT in 2010 and was the Tigers’ starting goalie during their run to the Frozen Four during the 2009-10 season. He led all of Division I with 27 victories that year and was a first-team Atlantic Hockey Association all-star as well as Goaltender of the Year. He played in 66 games during his career at RIT and compiled a record of 41-19-2 with a 2.48 goals-against average, a .909 save percentage, and seven shutouts. After graduating from RIT with a degree in business administration, DeMichiel signed with the American Hockey League’s Hershey Bears and played professionally for parts of two seasons. In addition to Hershey, DeMichiel played with the South Carolina Stingrays and Elmira Jackals of the East Coast Hockey League and with Providence of the AHL. DeMichiel has coaching experience as an assistant with the RIT women’s hockey team and as a goalie instructor at several camps and clinics. Nazareth is scheduled to begin play in October as a member of the ECAC West. The Golden Flyers will play home games at the Sports Centre at MCC.
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CONNECTIONS | Summer-Fall 2012 21
beyond self | community service
Hidden Victims of Homelessness PhotoVoice project empowers the homeless and educates the community by Carissa Risucci ’13
“Shelter is a place where you can go to feel safe from the daily struggles and every day sacrifices one must make in order to keep from becoming homeless.” —Doris, Wilson Commencement Park
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“
omeless but not hopeless. … Homelessness has no color, creed, or origin. No age or gender. Only victims.” Lydia, a woman who seeks support from Rochester’s YWCA, was one such victim. Her first-hand observations on homelessness accompanied her photographs in Exposed: Rochester’s Hidden Victims of Homelessness, a PhotoVoice project that supplied 13 homeless and formerly homeless volunteers with digital cameras and an opportunity to share their stories. The participatory photography, coupled with narrative statements, resulted in a public exhibition at Nazareth College last May. This PhotoVoice strategy, conceptualized nearly two decades ago, was created in the hopes of empowering underrepresented populations. Exposed: Rochester’s Hidden Victims of Homelessness, in particular, “intended to combat common misconceptions about and bring awareness to the issue of homelessness in Rochester,” says Leanne Charlesworth, Ph.D., professor of social work at Nazareth College and spearhead of the project. “Rochester’s Homeless Services Network (HSN) invited indi-
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viduals and families receiving services from its diverse spectrum of member agencies to participate in the project,” says Charlesworth. “Ultimately 13 individuals were intensively involved with the project taking photos, writing, and participating in workshops.” Of the 13 that signed on for the PhotoVoice project, a majority of the respondents were youth ranging from ages 10 to 20 and mothers leading their struggling families. That demographic may sound shocking, but it didn’t surprise Charlesworth. “The individuals involved in the project are actually representative of the homeless community in Rochester,” Charlesworth says. “It is a common public perception to think of homeless persons as older individuals struggling with mental health or substance abuse issues. In fact, the growing homeless segments in Rochester and the nation are youth and mothers with children. The PhotoVoice project represents these two sectors, and hopefully changes the view of who we are talking about.” The root of this mistaken view, Charlesworth explains, is “because Rochester has fairly strong emergency shelter services for the homeless and as a result, the public is infrequently exposed
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to its homeless community.” By bringing this segment to the forefront, she hopes that the general population not only understands factual information regarding the homeless but is also exposed to ways in which they can become involved in advocacy efforts. Rochester’s HSN agencies Sojourner House, YWCA, Wilson Commencement Park, Mercy Community Services, and Center for Youth all became part of Charlesworth’s team of Nazareth faculty and community organizations that helped realize the project. “The synergy that exists when you put together an interdisciplinary team from Nazareth and community partners is exciting,” says Charlesworth. As a professor, she had already sparked relationships with some of these agencies in the years prior to the project’s commencement through her students’ annual work with the homeless community. Charlesworth also knew Nazareth faculty would be “critical to the project’s success.” Paul Porell, assistant professor in art, instructed the participants on how to use the digital cameras. Virginia Skinner-Linnenberg, Ph.D., professor of English, gave the participants tips on creative writing for their narrative pieces. Deborah LaBelle, Ph.D., associate professor and director of the information technology program, constructed a website for the project. Additionally, Director of Community Service Adam Lewandowski helped to organize transportation and childcare for the participants during their workshop sessions. Funding donated by the HSN was used for the construction of photo exhibitions at the completion of the project. Charlesworth also received valuable donations from outside organizations that helped bring the project to fruition. Kodak offered “cameras and printing services with high enough quality for a powerful educational exhibition.” Gateway & Company donated framing services for the exhibition, and Wegmans and Tops gifted food for the project’s opening and closing workshops. Charlesworth says contributors were immensely supportive and found the project “a very intriguing idea.” Once the participants were taught photography and writing techniques, another benefit to the project became apparent. Not only did the public have an opportunity to become enlightened, but the participants had the opportunity to develop skills they would not have been able to access otherwise. “We were doing things I never thought I would do,” says Christopher Torres, a 20-year-old participant in the project. When the material started to filter in from the participants, Nazareth faculty and students were astonished by its quality. Charlesworth says, “We didn’t realize the level of talent that would exist on both the writing and photography side.” She identifies the participants’ creativity and dedication throughout the project as most impressive. “Their work and writing takes your breath away,” admits Charlesworth.
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One particularly powerful participant was 12-year-old Breanna. Her statement described a mattress she had photographed: “I hide underneath my worn out mattress and your old junk. This is my house. This is my castle.” Like Breanna, the rest of the participants are most proud of the work they have submitted and are now “eagerly awaiting the next exhibition” to be displayed in the City Hall Link Gallery in November 2012 in correlation with National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Month. Kellibeth Perez, a young woman amazed at the opportunity with which she was presented, has high hopes that people will become more open minded, appreciate life, and consider contributing to advocacy efforts after visiting the exhibition. “That’s the thing,” says Perez. “We can help, and that’s why we took these photos.” View more PhotoVoice images at go.naz.edu/photo-voice. Carissa Risucci ’13 is a communication and rhetoric major at Nazareth College.
“When I was young, my grandmother used to tell me this, ‘We all have our own life to pursue and our own kind of dream to be weaving. And we all have some power to make wishes come true, as long as we keep believing.’ And when I heard these words of inspiration they told me no matter how hard life may seem that I should never give up on my dreams and always push toward success.” —Christopher Torres, Center for Youth, age 20
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INTERFAITH | ideas
Catholic
and More Nazareth offers a rich variety of belief communities to students by Amy Gallo ’13
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An interactive word game used at the Muslim Student Association’s annual Ramadan dinner, to which the entire campus is invited.
ynne Staropoli Boucher, director of Nazareth’s Center for Spirituality, hears it every time a tour of prospective students passes by her office on the first floor of the Golisano Academic Center: “So, wait … this isn’t a Catholic college anymore?” While the confusion is understandable, Nazareth’s religious affiliation is anything but confused. Founded by the Sisters of Saint Joseph as an all-female Catholic college in 1924, Nazareth underwent what Boucher calls a “cultural transformation” in the 1970s as the College became co-ed and officially declared an independent religious affiliation. The result of this transformation is a school fit for the 21st century. “According to the Office of Admissions, more and more students applying to Nazareth do not identify with a specific religious group,” says Boucher. With eight different “belief communities,” Nazareth is the perfect place for exploring spiritual beliefs and connecting with others who have different beliefs. Led by Catholic Chaplain Jamie Fazio ’97, the Nazareth College Catholic Community (NCCC) is the largest spiritual group on campus, with more than 350 students registered. In addition to weekly Mass, the NCCC offers community service opportunities, spiritual direction, Bible studies, and service retreat trips. Focusing a great deal on social justice, the community “provides a place for students to discover more about their Catholic tradition while embracing the diversity and needs of the wider
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community,” says Fazio. “Affirming God’s presence in people of all faith traditions, the NCCC nurtures the development of a Catholic spirituality that is based on the call to bring the mercy and justice of the Beatitudes into the modern world through means that embrace such diversity.” The Protestant Community maintains a similar focus. Led by Protestant Chaplain Rev. Alison Schmied, the group is comprised of students affiliated with many different Christian denominations, as well as students who describe themselves as “just Christian.” A group of students works with Schmied to plan and lead a weekly worship service, using music and traditions drawn from a variety of Protestant denominations. The Protestant Community also provides a variety of social and missional opportunities each semester that are open to all Nazareth students, regardless of their religious affiliation. Many Protestant students are also active in Nazareth Christian Fellowship (NCF), a student-led club for which Schmied is staff advisor. NCF describes itself as “a student community united in love, compassion, and purpose,” says Kim Miller ’12. NCF’s midweek meetings consist of messages from students, guest preachers, worship music, prayer, and fellowship. “We are very relational and we value getting to know the individual,” says Miller. “The best thing we can offer one another is our time.” These groups are only the beginning. Nazareth’s Jewish community, Hillel, “is a growing community that contributes another
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voice to the wonderful interfaith dialogue already happening on campus,” says Sarah Lesser ’14. In spring 2012, the Center for Spirituality welcomed Samuel Asher as an official Jewish leader on campus. A complement to Nazareth’s Catholic and Protestant chaplains, the local cantor will add strength to that presence, as well as provide Jewish Shabbat services on campus for the first time in Nazareth’s history. Other groups, both big and small, add a rich diversity to Nazareth’s interfaith community. The Muslim Student Association aims to educate the campus about Islam, according to Ulfat Shafiq ’12. The group holds annual Ramadan dinners open to the entire Nazareth community, “where students and professors get to learn about our holiday and enjoy breaking our fast with us,” says Shafiq. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints community is growing, with Cheryl Gerstner ’12 planning an introductory trip to Palmyra, N.Y., to visit what Mormons believe to be “the cradle of restoration.” And Nazareth’s weekly Zen meditation, led by religious studies lecturer Sandra KistlerConnolly and Assistant Professor of Art Therapy Renee van der Vennet, Ph.D., exposes students to the wisdom and compassion of Zen Buddhism’s teachings through the mindfulness and awareness of meditation. For students who may not have an official leader or services on campus, the Center for Spirituality offers transportation to off-campus services and religious events. One of Nazareth’s newest belief communities—and perhaps its most unique—is AASH, which stands for Atheists, Agnostics, and Secular Humanists. The group is affiliated with all secular beliefs and philosophies, as well as humanist ideas. Recently, they held Catholic Chaplain Jamie Fazio ’97 embraces Emily Orilio ’12 at the senior sendoff Mass, where graduating seniors receive a blessing each spring. Photo by Nicholas Croce ‘13.
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an AASH Mythbusters event to educate the Nazareth community about misconceptions surrounding secular belief. They are also active members of Nazareth’s interfaith community. “AASH represents a voice that isn’t always heard and understood,” says Hannah Barry ’15. “Our participation in the interfaith community shows that secular belief can and should be in dialogue with religious belief.” As a liberal arts school, the College has a special responsibility to foster a community where students are encouraged to explore themselves and the world Erin Pisarski Sherbo ‘09 at a recent celebration around them in order to become, as Nazareth’s mis- of Buddha’s birthday, an annual event organized by Nazareth’s Zen meditation group. sion states, “fully informed and actively engaged” citizens. “Part of learning about the world is learning about people of different faith backgrounds and how they relate to each other,” says Boucher. “Nazareth has a responsibility to help students have a consciousness about different religions and learn how to dialogue with people of other beliefs and perspectives.” And it looks like it’s working. “To be open, understanding, and respectful to others’ beliefs, you must also be to your own,” says NCCC member Candice Gage ’14. “While I have learned much about other faiths, I have also realized the importance of my own faith in my life. This immovable belief allows me to appreciate others’ beliefs without devaluing my own.” Whether it’s Zen meditation, weekly Mass, or an AASH discussion about Darwin, Nazareth’s many different belief communities provide a diverse student body with a place not only to share and express their spirituality, but also to question and explore it as well. “We’re not as concerned about which answer you end up at,” says Boucher. “We just want you asking questions.” Learn more at naz.edu/center-for-spirituality. Amy Gallo ’13 is a sociology major at Nazareth.
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LIFE | of the mind
Research students Moudi Hubeishy ’14 (left) and Cara Czechowski ’14 (middle) discuss infrared spectroscopy results with Dr. Stephen Tajc.
Drug Pioneers Explorations on the leading edge of HIV drug therapy research by Stephen Tajc
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he World Health Organization estimates that 34 million people are currently living with HIV worldwide. Approximately 1.8 million people died from AIDS this past year, placing the total number of deaths from the AIDS epidemic at more than 30 million since the disease was first recognized in 1981 (www.unaids.org). Current drug treatments for individuals infected with HIV have dramatically increased the life expectancy of HIV positive patients. Unfortunately, prolonged exposure to HIV drugs can present additional health problems and complications. It is imperative that new HIV drug targets are explored and understood until a cure for HIV is discovered. My research focuses on understanding the fundamental mechanisms of a new class of HIV drugs and drug targets.
Goodwell Nzou ‘15 conducting a chemistry reaction under inert atmospheric conditions.
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Current HIV Treatment Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy (HAART) is the current treatment of HIV, which includes a mixture of drugs that target specific parts of the HIV virus. The HAART treatment has been shown to suppress HIV replication to below the limits of detection and consequently slows the progression of AIDS and AIDS-related mortality. Unfortunately, side effects from the HAART treatments undermine its effectiveness. In addition, although HAART greatly reduces HIV replication, it does not completely halt it, and treatment must continue throughout the patient’s lifetime. Long-term exposure to the drugs increases the possibility of both related harmful side effects, such
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HIV virus
as progressive liver disease, and the occurrence of drug-resistant HIV strains. A patient is required to take 90 to 95 percent of the recommended drug dose to achieve long-term undetectable HIV levels. Any lower level dosage of the drugs greatly reduces the suppression of the virus and enhances HIV mutations. Viralresistant strains of HIV can complicate treatment, especially if newly infected individuals contract the drug-resistant HIV strains. All of these problems, as well as others, lead to treatment failure rates of as high as 44 percent in patients infected with HIV.
Preventing HIV from Entering Human Cells The AIDS epidemic has created an urgent need for the development of new HIV drug candidates, which necessitates an understanding of the fundamental binding characteristics of current and developmental HIV drugs. The entry of HIV into a human cell involves the interaction of several proteins, each of which may serve as potential targets for inhibitory drugs. Most interest has been centered on the exterior of HIV, which is made up of a protein complex known as the envelope spike. This outer portion of HIV mediates how HIV first contacts, then enters the human host cell. A small drug with the capability of interfering with the envelope spike can potentially prevent HIV from entering the human cell, thus preventing the spread of the virus within the infected human’s body. These drugs are commonly referred to as HIV viral entry inhibitors. In 2003, the pharmaceutical company Bristol-Myers Squibb developed a small molecule HIV viral entry inhibitor drug known as BMS-378806 (BMS-806). This drug became an attractive target as a potential antiviral drug and as a probe to study HIV entry, as it is a small molecule that could be taken orally. BMS-806 was identified by screening millions of compounds and was found to be a potent inhibitor of HIV entering human cells. The specific mechanism of how the drug actually works is still not understood. Consequently, a systematic study of BMS-806 may provide substantial insight toward both the mechanism of binding to the envelope spike of HIV and the development of related HIV inhibitors. Undergraduate Research at Nazareth College and Beyond Nazareth students in my research group are focusing on two aspects of BMS-806. The first entails the chemical synthesis of BMS-806 derivatives to determine what functionality allows the drug to prevent HIV from entering human cells. This is achieved by methodically removing functional groups from BMS-806 utilizing synthetic organic chemistry, then sending the newly synthesized drug to our collaborator, Dr. Ernesto Freire’s group
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in the Department of Biology at Johns Hopkins University, to verify if the drug still works. If removing a functional group results in loss of BMS-806 potency, then that functional group is a key component. On the other hand, if a functional group is removed and the drug maintains its inhibition properties, then that functional group could either be eliminated or improved upon to enhance the drug. These experiments allow us to understand how the drug works and give us the opportunity to improve the drug’s binding capabilities. The second aspect of our research involves chemically attaching a synthetic linker to BMS-806 with the intent of creating a medical diagnostic device. Right now, all of the HAART small molecule drugs target the inside of the HIV virus. BMS-806 is the first small molecule drug that attaches to the outer membrane of the virus. We can use the binding properties of BMS-806 to our advantage by attaching one end of a synthetic linker to BMS-806 and the other to an optically active surface, such as a porous silicon chip. Our collaborator, Dr. Lisa DeLouise in the Department of Dermatology at the University of Rochester Medical Center, has demonstrated using porous silicon chips in the detection of opiates and their metabolites in urine samples. Using similar methodology to the detections of opiates, we can potentially detect the proteins on the outer membrane of HIV with the modified BMS-806 drug. The porous silicon chip technology could allow for an immediate and labelfree detection of HIV as opposed to waiting several days for blood samples to be analyzed.
Future Research Benefits The lifespan of an individual infected with HIV has significantly increased since the early 1980s, when a positive HIV test was widely considered a death sentence. However, the number of individuals infected with HIV continues to increase, and new therapies are always needed. Our research is intended to increase the knowledge of how HIV viral entry inhibition works. In doing so, an entire new class of HIV drug therapy can potentially alleviate many of the current HAART drug resistance and HIV mutation concerns. In addition, the knowledge gained from understanding how small molecule drugs like BMS-806 attach to the outer membrane of HIV can lead to faster and cheaper methods of HIV detection. Through earlier detection, combined with additional treatment options, we can only hope to decrease the HAART failure rate and continue to prolong the lives of individuals infected with HIV. Stephen Tajc, Ph.D., is assistant professor in chemistry and biochemistry.
CONNECTIONS | Summer-Fall 2012 27
Nazareth | in the world
Engaging the World Center for International Education celebrates tenth anniversary by Erich Van Dussen
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ith a small but passionate staff, the enthusiastic support of faculty and staff, thousands of intellectually curious student minds, and millions of frequent-flyer miles, Nazareth’s Center for International Education (CIE) has broadened the scope of the College while helping to make the world a smaller place—one passport, one semester, one concert at a time. The CIE, which will celebrate its 10th anniversary this fall, is Nazareth’s headquarters for worldwide study. As a key component of the program, formal academic partnerships with dozens of international universities and institutes—from Russia to Peru, from Wales to Australia, from Hungary to China—create a rich network of opportunities for Nazareth students wishing to study and travel abroad, and for foreign students seeking similar experiences here. Nazareth’s commitment to global involvement predates the center, including strong international sister-city programs and a robust Fulbright scholarship record that continues today. But the CIE reflects an above-and-beyond dedication to expanding the College’s global offerings. “As our culture becomes more international, institutions have come to realize the importance of having a global perspective,” says Sara Varhus, Ph.D., vice president for academic affairs. “Because so many students ultimately will live and work in situations with international dimensions, an international experience becomes a valuable aspect of their education.” The CIE’s story began in 2000, when George Eisen, Ph.D., came to campus for a discussion about how Nazareth could broaden its international scope for students and faculty. Eisen proposed a department that centralized and supported a broad range of international activity—study abroad programs, intensive on-campus English-language programs to complement foreign students’ interactions with American academia, and cultural elements that would involve not only the entire Nazareth community, but diverse ethnic populations around the region, as well.
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Farzona Nizomi performs a Tajikistani dance wearing traditional dress at the CIE’s annual International Night of Culture and Cuisine.
Two years later the CIE opened its doors, and Eisen, as executive director, set about engaging the faculty. “International education must begin with faculty and staff,” he says. “They are molding the students—by inspiring them, we enable the enthusiasm to spread.” A five-year strategic plan was developed, but those goals were surpassed after year three, according to Eisen. “In 2003 we had two participants in the summer program for intensive English; last year we had 130. We needed to establish a network of partner institutions around the world, and when I came here we had two or three partners—now we have 39. And the year I arrived, according to what I heard, there were 32 students going overseas. Last year, there were 244.” The CIE’s American Language Institute, once a summer-only program intended to help foreign students increase their English fluency, is now a year-round offering, further expanding the diversity of Nazareth’s student population. The program has even attracted international high school students, who come to the www.naz.edu
College in the summer breaks between their own school terms. These steady increases in popularity, Eisen says, validates the CIE as an idea whose time had indeed come. Naturally, the world has also changed in 10 years—and global events can’t help but affect a global program. “There is less money in Europe now, and so the number of European students who are able to come here has gone down quite a bit,” Eisen says, while noting increases in students traveling from China and Saudi Arabia to study in the United States. The world’s conflicts, too, have provided learning experiences for Nazareth’s internationally blended student community. For example, the sight of Afghan students preoccupied with their cellular phones in class initially prompted faculty members to simply discourage cell phone use. “But we needed to understand the culture,” Eisen says. “In Afghanistan today, the mobile phone is part of life: if something happens, the parents will call, so the need for an immediate connection is profound.” Similarly, when a 2011 incident of U.S. protesters burning a Koran in Florida made national headlines, Eisen received emails from some former Afghan students who had returned to Kabul. “They were asking, ‘How can this be?’ I explained to them that we deplore this, too. The educational process didn’t stop because they went home.” Situations like these also become learning experiences for the American students, he adds. “It’s an education in two directions.”
The CIE also unites students in ways not limited to academics. After some Uruguayan students completed their studies and returned home, Eisen was surprised to bump into one of the students back on the Nazareth campus some time later. “One of her classmates from here had come to visit her in Uruguay. Now she and her friend were back, making plans to visit another student overseas. The establishment of international friendships— these are the intangibles that people don’t think about. It’s what we’re creating for the long run.” An international student enjoying the American Indeed, a wide array of cultural immersion of a hot dog at a baseball intangible benefits extends game. beyond the classroom. Washington, D.C., connections are strengthening, with the State Department sending international students to Nazareth to complete their degrees and collaborating with Washington-based NGOs to fund and administer programs. “We’ve emerged as a leader in international programs in the Rochester area and are attracting students no one else is,” observes Eisen. Through CIE’s relationships with ethnic groups and the influential business community around the greater Rochester area, diverse on-campus activities have included concerts of Hungarian gypsy and Turkish-influenced Sufi music, a multimedia series honoring the Polish rescuers of Jews during World War II, and most recently, an exhibition featuring photographs taken by Nazareth students chronicling some of their international experiences. “Internationalization has to be cultural, too,” Eisen says. “Our role is not just sending students overseas or bringing students here, but also to engage the campus.” Varhus agrees. “The center has really enriched the campus culture and created great opportunities for all our students— even those who don’t travel abroad—to share international experiences that can enhance their understanding of the world.” Find out more about Nazareth’s Center for International Education—its past, present, and future—at www.naz.edu/ international-education.
Nazareth Professor of Art Lynn Duggan, part of a Nazareth delegation on a trip to Cappadocia, Turkey, sponsored by the CIE and the Turkish Cultural Center of Rochester. www.naz.edu
Erich Van Dussen is a freelance writer in Rochester, New York.
CONNECTIONS | Summer-Fall 2012 29
Nazareth | heritage
In Memoriam:
Msgr. William H. Shannon
H
by Robin L. Flanigan
e was known as an inspiration. A legend. Even a prophet of sorts. Monsignor William H. Shannon, emeritus professor of theology at Nazareth College, died on April 29 at the age of 94. He was beloved by generations of students and alumnae who were grateful for his knowledge and most especially for his wisdom and his generous care for them. “Bill always distinguished between knowledge and wisdom,” explains Christine Bochen, Ph.D., professor of religious studies and holder of the William Shannon Chair in Catholic Studies. “He was as much a lifelong student as he was a teacher.” Nora Brennan Shannon ’66 of Fairport, N.Y., recalls a theology course she took from Shannon (no relation) as a senior. “He told us to take the book we had studied from our freshman year—which he had written—and burn it,” she says. “This was a revelation for me for many reasons, but most important was that he was probably in his 50s, and this ‘old’ man was completely changing the way he was thinking about something that he cherished. That lesson has stayed with me for my life, and now that I am much older than he was then, I remember to keep an open mind.” Msgr. Shannon, a Rochester-area native with worldwide influence, was widely respected and internationally renowned for his theological knowledge and prolific writings. He attended St. Andrew’s and St. Bernard’s seminaries in Rochester and was ordained in 1943 by Bishop James E. Kearney. He joined the Nazareth College faculty in 1946 and served as professor of religion and chaplain until his retirement in 1982. A priest for nearly 69 years, he was often described as a man of enduring truth and integrity, a resolute reformer who wasn’t afraid to voice his opinion on controversial topics such as gender equality or religion, even when his views were critical of the Roman Catholic Church he loved. Shortly before he retired from the College, Msgr. Shannon began teaching a course on the Trappist monk and writer Thomas Merton. That course set in motion more than three decades
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Monsignor William H. Shannon. Photo by Mike Crupi, courtesy Catholic Courier.
of work on Merton’s life and writings. Shannon edited several volumes of Merton’s letters, wrote the acclaimed biography Silent Lamp: The Thomas Merton Story, co-authored The Thomas Merton Encyclopedia, and wrote a host of books and essays that focused on the same themes Merton championed: spirituality, social justice, and nonviolence. In 1987, Shannon was instrumental in founding the International Thomas Merton Society and became its first president. Today the society has more than a thousand members all over the world. “Often, I will recommend Bill’s biography over the official biography because it’s much more readable, and he had an understanding of Merton that went much further and deeper,” says Paul Pearson, director and archivist at Bellarmine University’s Thomas Merton Center in Louisville, Kentucky. “He had a passion and empathy for Merton’s vision of what the church is about, what Catholicism is about, and what the spiritual life is about, so in a sense he interpreted Merton’s message—and what it means for us today.”
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While giving Nazareth’s 2010 baccalaureate address, Msgr. Shannon called for graduates to focus on justice, honesty, equality, and peace as they committed “to live not just for oneself but for others” and “to be in touch with the authentic moments of the human spirit.” We are at “the crossroads of human culture,” he continued, and should cultivate “a world that ensures for everyone a place at the table.” This was a steady message, one that even now reminds his friends and former students of the inclusive vision of Vatican II and Shannon’s own willingness to talk openly about the many issues facing us today, including issues central to women’s lives. “It was quite a breath of fresh air to hear him be so supportive of women and women’s causes,” says Karen Larimer ’66, former director of alumni relations at Nazareth. “He allowed us—and encouraged us—to examine our beliefs. I don’t know that most of us felt like we had that liberty. We felt empowered.” Elizabeth Osta ’67, who lives in Pittsford, N.Y., vividly remembers listening to Shannon’s proclamation in one of her freshman classes that the church, which had been teaching a theology of “damnation,” would instead be teaching a theology of “salvation.” “What a refreshing statement to the ears of an 18-year-old, grappling with the church and her place in it,” recalls Osta, who considered Shannon “a beacon of light and hope.” Jamie Fazio ’97, Catholic chaplain in Nazareth’s Center for Spirituality, always enjoyed watching former students flock around Shannon when he was on campus to celebrate Mass during alumni reunions. “Some he hadn’t seen in years, but he remembered their names,” he says. “It was like the years just melted away.” After Fazio became Catholic chaplain, he welcomed people to the Sunday liturgy by acknowledging Msgr. Shannon’s reputation and confessed that he didn’t take the position lightly. Afterward, an alumnus approached Fazio as he was shaking hands outside the chapel and said, “If you want to be a good chaplain, do what Father Shannon did. He loved us.” “Someone can be intellectually brilliant but not be able to connect with people, and he was able Msgr. Shannon delivering a Baccalaureate address in 1982. to do both,” Fazio says.
Msgr. Shannon greeting a well-wisher at his 90th birthday celebration.
“He inspired and challenged and loved all at the same time, making anyone he was with feel like the most important person in the world.” Barbara Staropoli, S.S.J., who met Shannon in 1971 when she was assigned to help the then-chaplain develop a successful campus ministry, agrees. They worked together in that partnership for about five years and always remained close. “In his friendship with me, he really showed me my own potential,” she says. “He took me seriously, and helped me to see that I had a very good mind.” In retirement, Msgr. Shannon continued to contribute frequently to national Catholic magazines and journals, as well as lecture at conferences in the United States, Canada, and Great Britain. He continued to serve as chaplain for the Sisters of St. Joseph and to live at their Motherhouse. In fact, he was quick to say that he himself was a Sister of St. Joseph. From presiding over the weddings of former students—and the baptisms of their children—to his continued literary contributions (his final book was the self-published How to Become a Christian Even if You Already Are One), Msgr. Shannon left a legacy that reaches far beyond Nazareth’s campus. “He had great dreams, and his dreams became realities,” muses Bochen, who knew Shannon for 44 years and organizes the College’s annual Shannon Chair Lecture Series. “He was always a man of vision, wisdom, and deep faith, and through his personal growth modeled what it means to be human.” Donations in Msgr. Shannon’s memory can be made to the William H. Shannon Endowed Scholarship, Nazareth College, 4245 East Avenue, Rochester, NY 14618 or online at www.naz. edu/makeagift. Msgr. Shannon’s funeral homily, delivered by Rev. Charles E. Curran, Elizabeth Scurlock University Professor of Human Values at Southern Methodist University, can be found at go.naz.edu/shannon-homily. Robin L. Flanigan is a freelance writer in Rochester, New York.
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COVER|story
Passion for Food
by Robyn Rime photographs by Alex Shukoff and Kristen Loken
Your kitchen boasts a collection of well-thumbed cookbooks. You think broccoli is underrated and spinach has gotten a bad rap. You never miss an episode of Iron Chef America, and you even own a nutmeg grater. You may be a foodie.
oodie culture has flourished on the national scene during the last 25 years, and even people who don’t consider themselves cooks have been touched by it. Who hasn’t occasionally browsed for a recipe online or stopped at a farmers’ market for fresh local produce? Who doesn’t recognize the smiling face of Rachael Ray, that 30-minute meal master, on magazine covers in grocery store checkout lines? A foodie, of course, is not the same as a gourmet. Gourmets are old-fashioned epicures of refined taste, whereas foodies appreciate all kinds of food, from high cuisine to ordinary meals. What’s more, they like to learn about food—the science behind it, the industry that produces it, the personalities that promote it. Gourmets are connoisseurs, but anyone interested in eating and drinking can be a foodie, and their numbers are growing.
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The Food Network, launched in 1993, gave rise to programming such as The Naked Chef and Emeril Live!, creating a cult of celebrity chefs like Mario Batali and recipe mavens like Paula Deen. Food blogs and websites such as Epicurious enjoy millions of visitors annually. Consumer demand for cookbooks continues to increase as a growing number of people choose to eat and entertain in, and specialty kitchenware stores such as Williams-Sonoma have become mainstream mall fare. Even Julia Child is experiencing a renaissance, showing up recently in books, blogs, films, and television reruns. What’s behind all this is a passion for food—for eating it, preparing it, studying it, and in some cases living it. In the following stories you’ll meet three Nazareth alumni who have found their passion—and jobs that they love—within the foodie culture.
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COVER|story
Trisha Renshaw ’93
Winemaker at Fox Run Vineyards
T
ricia Renshaw ’93 has an extraordinary natural palate, and she discovered it entirely by accident. For years, Renshaw “followed her interests instead of a job path,” studying math, then art, then landing at Nazareth and majoring in French. After graduating, she spent years raising her daughters and working in a public school district … until one day in 2005 when, buoyed by the conviction that she should be making wine, she volunteered to assist with bottling at Fox Run Vineyards in Penn Yan, N.Y. The bottling line broke down that morning, and winemaker Peter Bell invited Renshaw to instead try her hand at tasting notes. Renshaw buried her nose in the glasses, rolled the wines around her mouth, and wrote her way into a job. In Summer in a Glass, Evan Dawson’s chronicle of winemaking in the Finger Lakes, Bell described Renshaw as “born with the kind of skills that a trained professional could spend 30 years trying to attain. And they would never have what she has.” Seven years later, Renshaw remains at Fox Run, now working in tandem with Bell as a winemaker and still describing flavors in wines that the layman can’t detect (“Honeydew melon, lime zest, a hint of jasmine”). She also recently received her certificate in wine science and viticulture via the University of California’s distance learning program. It was a long road, with Renshaw able to take only a single course each year, but worth it in the end.
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“Without that degree, I couldn’t generate new ideas,” she explains. “I wanted to rectify problems and innovate, and you can’t do that without the science.” Fox Run is one of 90 wineries in the Finger Lakes region, according to the New York Wine and Grape Foundation. It produces approximately 15 thousand cases of wine per year from 55 acres of vines on a hillside overlooking Seneca Lake. Its specialty ports and Rieslings have been earning awards recently at national and international competitions, and those honors are due in no small part to Renshaw. From the time the grapes are picked to the moment the wine is ready for bottling, Renshaw has her capable hands on the process. Each year, like all the vineyard employees, she assists with the harvest, putting in 70-hour weeks throughout the autumn. After “the crush,” most of her work occurs in the fruity-smelling room housing tall stainless steel tanks of wines in progress, and in a small kitchen-like laboratory stocked with glasses, flasks, and labeled samples of wine. “We make sure fermentation is happening, that there’s a desirable amount of microbial activity. We make sure the flavors are evolving as we hope, and we taste for sweetness or dryness. We clean the tanks and barrels, top the barrels as they evaporate, and in January we blend the red wines.” Renshaw pauses for a breath. “There’s no push-button formula,” she adds. “I love it because it never gets old. Every year is different.”
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Asking Renshaw about her accomplishments is like asking a sommelier for recommendations, and the list begins with Fox Run’s 2005 Riesling. “I got to get my hands dirty—it was my first wine,” she smiles. “Peter guided me to the best grapes, and I chose what to do. It turned out so delicious that we bottled it as our first Reserve Riesling.” The wine brought home a gold medal from the 2007 Riesling Du Monde Wine Competition in Strasbourg, France, a contest that featured more than 500 Rieslings from 12 countries. Of the 71 gold medals awarded, only one went to a winery from the United States. “It was just what I needed at that time,” Renshaw says. “It told me I was getting this winemaking thing, that I could make a go of it.” The tawny port blends are next on Renshaw’s list, and she has a special fondness for these sweet, fortified wines (“Nuts, dried fruit, butterscotch, brown sugar brûlée”). Blending wines turns out to be a particular skill of Renshaw’s, well suited to her sensitive palate; Bell has turned much of their production over to her. “I compare it to painting with multiple colors,” she explains. “What’s the most beautiful direction I can take with it?” Renshaw’s enthusiasm is inspiring; if her radiant smile weren’t enough to express how passionate she is about what she does, she’s happy to tell you. “I love the ability to invent and reinvent what I’m doing all the time, to really stretch what I’m doing to create something beautiful,” she says. “It’s a nourishing job.” For those of us who can’t hope to experience wine the way she does, Renshaw has some advice. “Learn to trust yourself,” she says simply. “People are afraid when tasting wine. You should eat and drink what you like, and be open to new things.” And for her two teenaged daughters, Renshaw has one final thought: “None of my early jobs taught my girls anything about work other than the fact that you have to do it. Now my girls see that if you don’t give up on what you really want, work doesn’t have to be just drudgery. You really can find something you love, and all of a sudden your life isn’t just about finding a way to get to the weekend. You can love the work week just as much.”
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COVER|story
Leslie Zinck Ward ’02
Owner of Lovin’ Cup Bistro & Brews
P
erhaps some restaurant owners treat their businesses as nothing more than a financial investment. Those owners are not like Leslie Zinck Ward ’02, co-owner of Lovin’ Cup Bistro & Brews in Rochester, N.Y. Ward likens the restaurant to “business as an art form,” and it’s clear she’s brought her own passion and creativity to its development. Lovin’ Cup, located near the RIT campus, offers a bit of everything: quick lunches and leisurely dinners; coffees, cocktails, and microbrews; an eclectic mix of live music. The centrally located bar features an impressive metal sculpture/wine rack, original art adorns the walls, and a corner stage promises entertainment, such as the popular Lovin’ Cup Idol and open mic nights. The restaurant fulfills Ward’s vision of “an all-encompassing sensory experience—a food destination, a place where something is always happening.” Deliberate attention to both the menu and “the vibe” transforms the place from a bustling businessperson’s lunch stop at noon into a rocking students’ night spot ten hours later. Folded into every dining experience is Ward’s love of music. Live entertainment happens nearly every night, and every menu item has a name inspired
by a song title or lyric, such as the “Ring of Fire” angus burger or the “U2-na” sandwich. Even the restaurant’s name has musical origins, this time in a Rolling Stones song. “I loved the idea of having the name come from music, and that song reflects the ‘beautiful buzz’ I wanted to create at Lovin’ Cup,” Ward explains. Ward has spent much of her career in realms both musical and edible; her previous experience included coordinating PR for local bands and doing sales, marketing, and PR for an Atlanta Bread Company franchise. “I took away sales skills and other business skills that are good for someone who’s opening a business,” she says. Ward now directs Lovin’ Cup’s concept and business development as well as marketing and special events. A given day can be devoted to overseeing menu development, exploring local and national music acts, meeting with beverage vendors, or analyzing food trends and assessing where it makes sense for the business to grow. Building the business quickly was critical, says Ward, as Lovin’ Cup’s 2008 opening coincided with the country’s sharp slide into recession. The odds of success were not good: The National
The restaurant fulfills Ward’s vision of “an all-encompassing sensory experience—a food destination, a place where something is always happening.” 36 CONNECTIONS | Summer-Fall 2012
www.naz.edu
photo caption can mention Leslie just named Young Entrepreneur of the Year by Henrietta (N.Y.) Chamber of Commerce
Restaurant Association reports that approximately 25 percent of restaurants fail in the first year, 75 percent in five years. Approaching its fourth anniversary, Lovin’ Cup is beating the odds. It expanded in December 2011, and it’s showing a 40 percent growth in raw sales since its first year. “We created the concept, but we adapted it to what people wanted without overextending ourselves,” Ward explains. www.naz.edu
Still, she and the other owners maintain control of that concept, and no detail—be it financial or logistical, practical or personal—is too small to matter. The bread for the paninis is from a local bakery. The number of available cooking inches on the flattop impacts menu items (“It’s only so big—we can’t do both burgers and grilled cheese”). And the bar, Ward says, doesn’t have shot glasses. “I like the idea of enjoying food
and drink—not just throwing it quickly down your throat.” As an English and secondary education major, Ward didn’t originally see herself in the restaurant business. “But your passions and skills find themselves in odd ways,” she concludes. “I think hospitality is my forte—I just had to find my way to it. My passion for food and drink and music are all intermingled with what Lovin’ Cup has become.” CONNECTIONS | Summer-Fall 2012 37
COVER|story
Emily Massimi ’04 Manager of recruitment at the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone
E
mily Massimi ’04 dreamed of working with the New York Yankees. As a psychology and sports management major, she had good prospects, too—and then, while working at a Pittsford restaurant, she was “bitten by the food bug.” After graduating from Nazareth, Massimi began working as an admissions officer at The Culinary Institute of America’s (CIA) main campus in Hyde Park, N.Y. Two years later, she transferred to the CIA at Greystone campus in St. Helena, Calif., located in the Napa Valley. Now the manager of recruitment, Massimi has been with the CIA for seven years. “Napa Valley is the place to be if you have an interest in food and wine,” Massimi says. “And the CIA is essentially the Harvard of the food industry.” Known as the world’s premier culinary college, the CIA teaches theory and foundational skills reinforced by extensive kitchen and bakeshop experience. The CIA has 44,000 alumni around the world who are among the leaders in the food industry, such as chef, author, and television personality Anthony Bourdain and Grant Achatz, chef/owner of Alinea Restaurant. The CIA at Greystone campus has approximately 300 students and offers degree or certificate programs in culinary arts, baking and pastry, and wine and beverages. The majority of Massimi’s job involves meeting with prospective students who are thinking about food and hospitality as a career. “It’s an incredibly rewarding and also very demanding field,” Massimi says. In addition to the test scores needed for applying to any college, the CIA requires its applicants to have six months of experience with hands-on preparation in a professional kitchen or bakery, working with fresh ingredients for a minimum 38 CONNECTIONS | Summer-Fall 2012
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of 10 hours per week. “We don’t evaluate their skill level at that point,” she explains. “But they must be passionate about the industry.” And Massimi can tell when a prospective student will be a good fit for the CIA. “It’s wonderful seeing the joy and passion the students have, especially the ones right out of high school,” she says. “Their faces just light up when you begin talking to them about food.” Everyone at the CIA has that underlying food appreciation, says Massimi, from the students to the administrators to the faculty, and she believes the place has both nourished and enhanced her attitude toward food. She’s taken a few courses herself (“They offer wonderful opportunities to continue our learning”), expanded her tastes, and become a much better cook. Meals are available at the campus’s restaurant and café, prepared fresh daily—and in full view of patrons!—by the current students. “I still remember my lunch on the first day,” she muses. “It was pecancrusted sea bass with Israeli couscous.” Since that day, Massimi has gone on to try sweetbreads, which she asserts are delicious, and has even been persuaded to eat both rabbit and snapping turtle. Massimi clearly enjoys helping students pursue their passion for food and loves traveling to see CIA graduates, whether they are baking pastries or working on the line. “The best part is seeing their joy and knowing you had a part in it,” Massimi says earnestly—and then she laughs. “That, and the food I get to eat, too!” Robyn Rime is the editor of Connections.
“…the CIA is essentially the Harvard of the food industry.” Cooking with Naz Alums Are you inspired by the love of food and drink shared by these alums? You can find favorite recipes from each at go.naz.edu/recipes. Tricia Renshaw—Open-face Smoked Salmon and Avocado Sandwiches Leslie Zinck Ward—Oven-baked Shrimp Scampi Emily Massimi—Spring Pea and Ricotta Gnocci with Pancetta and Mint
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CONNECTIONS | Summer-Fall 2012 39
Invest in the Next Generation of Students “Honoring my widowed mother who paid for my education is just one reason why I remembered Nazareth in my estate plans. I made some terrific friends at Nazareth with women who have enriched my life. We were a spirited class, had lots of fun, and have continued to care about each other. I believe we need to give back. I’ve been very fortunate—I’ve had a wonderful and full social work career and life. I want to show appreciation for my education, the growth of the College, and all my terrific friends.” — Marie Van Ness ’62, 50th reunion celebrant and retired chief of Army Community Service at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, remembers Nazareth College in her will
Founders Society member Marie Van Ness ’62 visits with Masters of Social Work student Cemre Korman ’13G during Reunion Weekend 2012
What is planned giving? When you include the College in your future plans through creating a life income gift such as a charitable gift annuity or charitable remainder trust, or by naming Nazareth as a beneficiary of your will, retirement plan, or life insurance policy. Nazareth will work with you to develop a gift plan that meets your personal financial and philanthropic objectives.
What is the Founders Society? A planned giving recognition society whose members are crucial to advancing the mission and long-term goals of Nazareth. Throughout the year, members receive special invitations to attend Nazareth events as well as recognition in our annual report.
Create a Meaningful Legacy For more information on planned giving opportunities, please visit go.naz.edu/plannedgiving or contact Melissa Head, associate director of major gifts and planned giving, at 585-389-2179 or at mhead9@naz.edu.
ALUMNI | profile
The Crossroads of Communications and Technology
P
opular psychology says people are either rightbrained or left-brained, either creative or logical. Fran Zablocki ’03, a project manager at the higher education web communications company mStoner, has parked himself at the intersection of right brain and left brain. “Web strategy and design is a good middle point,” Zablocki explains. “It requires both critical thinking, like systems analysis, and human interaction, such as talking to people, learning what they’re passionate about, discovering what they love, and getting at the kernel of their identity. We take a college’s communications and relationship needs and translate them into technology that can meet those needs.” Figuring out what a client wants to say and then helping them say it: That combination of right and left brain tasks may be a hallmark of the fast-moving world of web communications, but it was also a hallmark of Zablocki’s Nazareth education. A business administration major and rhetoric/information design minor, Zablocki found that a business focus combined with liberal arts was a good career foundation. “Understanding business accounting but also having a broader perspective on how to think and learn and see the interconnection between disciplines—that all helps in a field that changes literally every day and has influences from all parts of life,” he says. “This particular field is very cross-disciplinary—you need to be adaptable, flexible, and willing to try the untested.” Tackling the unpredictable is commonplace in a job that couldn’t have existed a few years ago. Project managers themselves, of course, are nothing new. For decades, PMs have developed budgets, created timetables, coordinated meetings, allocated resources, and generally served as the interface between client and company. Zablocki does all that, but he does it from home—and not from an isolated basement office, but rather from the new technology frontier, by instant messaging, teleconferencing, and using document sharing and social media tools like Google Apps and Yammer. “The only time I see my co-workers in person is when we’re on location at an institution,” he laughs. “This is a very modern, very flexible organizational structure, and we’re using a lot of the technology we’re telling other people they should be using.” Despite the undeniably cool technology involved, what Zablocki appreciates most about his current job is the exposure to so many different universities. “I get to see the breadth of what higher education offers,” he says. “ I have a front row seat for
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by Robyn Rime
observing the challenges and opportunities of small liberal arts colleges and large public universities and everything in between.” The son of a life-long University at Buffalo employee, Zablocki has always had an affinity for higher ed. After receiving his M.B.A. from UB, he returned to Nazareth as a web communications manager, then went on to manage the online alumni community at SUNY Geneseo. “Higher education is something that has helped all of us to become the professionals we are,” he wrote recently. “Working to enhance, or at least ensure that same benefit for Fran Zablocki ’03 future graduates is something that makes the job worthwhile and fulfilling beyond the work itself.” So where does Zablocki plan to go in an unpredictable and quickly changing field? He wants to move education forward, not only with the work he does but also by sharing time and expertise, speaking at conferences, and contributing to blogs. He’s already taking steps in that direction: He has a growing resume of speaking engagements, and he began a blog in 2011, sharing his own thoughts and ideas for the web in higher education. mStoner senior strategist Susan T. Evans says, “Fran’s personal blog contains one of my favorite posts from last year. He wrote about the relationships colleges and universities have with young alumni and the neglect that typically follows graduation.” Other posts and conference topics explore the next generation of alumni donors and alumni online networks in the age of Facebook and LinkedIn. Well-written and engaging, Zablocki’s blog (http://franzablocki.com) is a healthy balance of right and left brain, of analysis and creativity. Zablocki also contributes to mStoner’s blog (www.mStoner.com/blog) and is active on Twitter (@Zablocki). Check him out and watch a thought leader on the rise. Robyn Rime is the editor of Connections.
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ALUMNI | news
Borgus Promoted to Director of Alumni Relations Nazareth College is pleased to announce Donna Borgus ’13G as the new director of alumni relations. She will serve as the College’s direct connection to Nazareth alumni around the world and will work to keep alums engaged with their alma mater through personal contact, regular communication, and event programming. Prior to joining Nazareth in 2011, Borgus was the associate director of annual giving at Heritage Christian Services in Rochester. A Pittsford resident, she earned her bachelor’s degree from Saint Lawrence University and is currently pursuing her master’s in management at Nazareth.
Farewell and Thanks!
I
n fall 1994, I first set foot on the Nazareth College campus. Little did I know at the time—as a small town, north country kid—that I would spend 16 of the next 18 years calling this place home. It was during those first few years as a student, with so many great faculty and staff mentors and friends, that a passion ignited in me for higher education. I also learned what a special place Nazareth is, and after a short stint down the thruway at Syracuse University, I was lucky enough to return home. During the next 12 years I had a front row seat for some of the most transformational and exciting times in the College’s history. “Captain Naz” was a funny nickname used by some of my classmates and friends when I assumed my role in alumni relations at Nazareth. I used to chuckle when I heard it, but it was a fitting title, given how much I loved this place and
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never hesitated to don the purple and gold when given the chance. Through all my experiences at Nazareth, I was blessed to work with wonderful people, and I will forever bleed purple and gold. However, I am now pursuing a new adventure as the director of alumni relations at The College at Brockport. This is a great opportunity for me and my family, but it’s certainly a bittersweet moment. I built numerous relationships throughout the Nazareth community—with many of you as alumni, as volunteers, and most importantly as friends—and I will cherish those for many years to come. Together we moved the alumni program in a positive direction to better serve the entire Alumni Association, Nazareth College, and our students. The alumni program will continue under the capable leadership of Donna Borgus ’13G, formerly assistant director and now Nazareth’s new director of alumni relations. She is among the many people I would like to thank for all their help, commitment, and suggestions over the years. With tears and a smile,
Kerry Gotham ’98 Director of Alumni Relations
www.naz.edu
Autumn Alumni Events Golden Flyers Golf Tournament The 10th annual Nazareth College Golden Flyer Golf Tournament, held at Greystone Golf Club on Friday, September 21, will benefit Nazareth’s student athletes. For more details and to register for the tournament, visit alumni.naz.edu/golf2012.
Alumni Games
Eileen Ramos ’65 and her daughter Marina Ramos ‘15 enjoy last year’s Legacy Luncheon.
Fans and hecklers alike are welcome as athletes relive those glory days with teammates and friends on Saturday, September 22. Games include men’s and women’s lacrosse, men’s and women’s basketball, and more. Check alumni.naz.edu for more details.
18th Annual Sports Hall of Fame Nazareth will honor some of the best ever to don the purple and gold at its 18th annual Sports Hall of Fame induction dinner on Saturday, September 22. More than 80 alumni, coaches, and administrators, along
with three national championship teams, have been inducted into the Hall of Fame over the years. For details, including a list of this year’s inductees and to register for the ceremony, visit alumni.naz.edu.
Annual Alumni Legacy Luncheon Honor your family’s continued commitment to a Nazareth education. Alumni parents and grandparents along with children or grandchild who are current Nazareth students are invited to this special luncheon on Saturday, October 20. Advance registration is required. Please call the Office of Alumni Relations at 585-389-2472 or register online at alumni.naz.edu.
LinkedIn Tutorial Alumni and current students will both network and learn to maximize their use of the social media tool LinkedIn. Check alumni.naz.edu for more details.
Reignite Alumni Chapters
Are you a Nazareth alum residing in Rochester, Buffalo, Syracuse, New York City, Long Island, Boston, or Washington, D.C.? Get involved with your local alumni chapter!
■ Check out chapter events at alumni.naz.edu/events. ■ Join Facebook groups for chapters by searching “Nazareth College ___ Chapter.”
■ Living in Albany? Volunteer to establish and co-chair a new chapter! Donna Borgus ’13, director of alumni relations, and Rita O’Neil Stevenson ‘49 at a recent event of the Nazareth College Syracuse Chapter.
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ALUMNI | news
Ou tstan ding A lu mni Elizabeth Anne Osta ’67 Elizabeth Anne Osta ’67 has displayed a notable commitment to community service, education, and Nazareth College. With a major in speech pathology, Osta began teaching children with special needs at the Foreman Center at Monroe #1 BOCES in Fairport. She entered the Sisters of St. Joseph and served as principal of St. Michael’s and Corpus Christi Schools.
After leaving the convent, she worked for the Rochester City School District and became a training specialist for the New York State Education Department, providing seminars to parents and teachers of children with disabilities. Additionally, she shared her expertise as an adjunct professor of special education at Nazareth, and later as visiting professor. Osta has served on numerous boards over the years, including the Mental Health Association Board and To Reach and Inform about Developmental Disabilities (TRIADD). She currently serves on the board of the Faith in Action Network, where she cochairs a committee to provide scholarships to Rochester City School District youth in memory of Alberta Moss. She also serves
as president of the Rochester Chapter of the Irish American Cultural Institute. She has received numerous writing awards, including the Golden Pen Award from the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle. Her first book, Jeremiah’s Hunger (2011), is a 19th-century Irish historical novel; a breast cancer survivor, Osta will donate a portion of all book sales to the Pluta Cancer Center, where she received extraordinary treatment. Since graduating, Osta has not forgotten Nazareth College. She has served on the alumni board, hosted a reunion celebration, become a member of the Council Oak Society, and helped to coordinate the Class of 1967 Scholarship. She is an exemplary model of what a Nazareth graduate should be.
Mary Michele Mollen Quinn ’71 Mary Michele Mollen Quinn ’71 has reflected the mission of Nazareth College through her personal, professional, and community service achievements. Quinn graduated with a double major in sociology and elementary education, taught for a year, then married and spent 23 years overseas. During that time, she taught school in Tokyo, Taiwan, and Dubai. She also started and served as principal at an American school in South Africa, which grew from a private home to a dedicated building with 150 students. In several overseas locations, Quinn volunteered as a religious educator and raised money for orphanages and hospitals. Quinn earned an M.A. in curriculum development at Michigan State University and returned to Rochester in 1998. Having experienced unusual opportunities and challenges as an ex-patriot, she was determined to give back to her community. After three years of volunteering at Saint’s Place, a non-profit ministry that welcomes and resettles refugees, she became the coordinator of volunteers in 2004. At Saint’s Place, Quinn has done much more than coordinate services, donations, and volunteers. Students from Nazareth, as well as other colleges and local high schools, come to Saint’s Place to learn about refugee needs, volunteer their services, and earn credit for internships. Quinn serves as a role model and mentor for these students, and they in turn have become more aware citizens of the world. Through her tireless work at Saint’s Place, Quinn serves not only her community but her alma mater as well. For more alumni profiles, visit alumni.naz.edu.
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www.naz.edu
Jessica Goodman ’04 GOLD (Graduate of the Last Decade) Award Winner Jessica Goodman ’04, Ph.D., has made remarkable strides in her professional and academic career in the past decade, demonstrating both the value of a Nazareth education and a continued connection to her alma mater. Goodman majored in biochemistry, a decision she views as one of the best of her career. At Nazareth, she received personalized attention from professors and had the opportunity to participate in hands-on research beginning in her sophomore year. That extensive experience propelled her to graduate studies at Yale University, where she worked in a nationally recognized laboratory for chemical biology research. Goodman received her Ph.D. in molecular biophysics and biochemistry from Yale in 2008. She is currently a postdoctoral fellow at the Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, a prestigious research institute affiliated with MIT. Nazareth connections continue to run strong with Goodman. She has remained in contact with the chemistry
department and serves as a member of the math and science advisory council, which plays an important role in curriculum development and has overseen the construction of the new math and science building. Staying connected and giving of her time are just two of the ways Goodman shows her ongoing commitment to Nazareth. For more alumni profiles, visit alumni.naz.edu.
The offices of career services and alumni relations co-hosted the third annual School of Management alumni networking program last March. More than 60 current SOM students met with more than 30 alumni from a wide variety of professional fields. The interactions gave students first-hand experience with important networking skills that will help them throughout their careers.
Corrections
Connections expresses its apologies for the following errors in the Spring 2012 Class Notes: • Irene Deppler Wojciechowski graduated in 1976, not 1948 as reported. • Gavin Thomas is the son, not the daughter, of Kari Steger Cameron ’03.
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ALUMNI | news
2012 Nazareth College
Top, left to right: Theresa Mancuso ’72, Gail Connors Stevenson ’72, Joanne Walos Fleury ’72, Kitty Sullivan Ryan ’72, and Patti Wickes Condoluci ’72. Three generations: grandmother Margaret Fitzgibbon Nailos ’57, mother Monica Nailos Smith ’82, and daughter Gretchen Smith ’14. Student workers and alumni-in-training Samantha Strain ’15, Alexandra Diaz ’12, Emily Wingenbach ’12, and Anna Bailey ’13. Bottom, left to right: 50th Reunion group; annual reunion attendees Kevin Laley ’06 and Nikki Bell ’07 prepare for the 5K run.
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Reunion Weekend 2012 Top, left to right: Ruth Kennedy Scherberger ’48, Mary Tierney Rafferty ’48, Jeanette Yoerger Holleran ’48, and Catherine Clark ’48 at the Founders Society luncheon. Anne Nary ’57 Ashley Shaw ’13G from alumni relations and Henry McGinnis, husband of Lucille McMahon McGinnis ‘46. Middle row: The Echo Circle
Bottom, left: Greg Hyde ’07, Terese Vaccaro ‘07, and Isaiah Tolbert ’07.
David Minor and Joann Mangefrida Minor ’67.
Clockwise from top left: Trish Sawitzki Fisher ‘92, Juliann Powell ‘92, Jennifer Schaefer ‘92, Nora Clifford Bell ‘92, and Amy Hanna ‘92.
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class|notes
CLASS|notes ’60s Mary Hanlon Fegraus ’63, Eng., was honored with the Laguna Beach Seniors 2012 Legacy award at the Sixth Annual Legacy Ball in March. The award honors individuals who have made a lifelong commitment and contribution to the quality of life in Laguna Beach. Mary received the award in recognition of her decades of local philanthropy and advocacy for the environment. She is a founding member of the Laguna Canyon Foundation and the Laguna Beach Community Foundation, as well as a trustee for the Laguna Beach High School Scholarship Foundation, a director for Laguna Greenbelt, and a past Laguna Beach Planning Commissioner.
’70s Dorothy McLaughlin Petell ’74, Art, recently retired to Edgartown on the beautiful island of Martha’s Vineyard.
’80s David McGuire ’84, Mus. Theatre, recently performed songs from the new album, Kristen Sings and Plays and Rings, at the Nazareth faculty recital of his wife, Kristen Shiner McGuire, percussion coordinator. Also performing at the recital were Kristen as vocalist, drummer, and mallet percussionist; Paul Smoker, jazz
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ensemble coordinator, on trumpet; Dave Arenius on bass; and Paul Hofmann on piano.
’90s Paul Richardson ’92, ’95G, Hist., Edu., recently published Money Is a Verb! (PR Productions, 2012), a guide for teachers on making, protecting, and saving money. Jonathan Gottschall ’95, Eng., recently published The Storytelling Animal: How Stories Make Us Human (Houghton, 2012). Gottschall teaches English at Washington and Jefferson College and is the author or editor of five scholarly books.
’00s Tom Keenan ’04, Hist., was inducted into the Canisius High School (Buffalo, N.Y.) Athletic Hall of Fame last October. He was a three-year starter at guard for the Golden Flyers from 1997 to 2000. Keenan is currently a manager for North American sales at Cambridge Resources. Dan Dicaprio ’06, Art, got his M.F.A. in jewelry and metalsmithing and recently received honorable mention at a prestigious exhibition at the Society for Contemporary Craft in Pittsburgh. His work can be seen on his website http://dandicaprio.com/ home.html.
Janelle McAllister Hill ’08, Bus. Admin., and Leon Hill ’08, Bus. Admin., were a part of TLC’s Four Weddings television show that aired February 24, 2012. They were featured for the show’s college sweethearts theme, showcasing their Nazareth pride by using purple and gold as their colors in honor of where they found their love. Joseph Mihalich ’09, Math, is the assistant men’s basketball coach at the University of Scranton. The team won the Landmark Conference championship and advanced to the NCAA tournament’s Elite Eight.
’10s Colleen Echter ’11, ’12G, Act., received the NYSSCPA outstanding student award at Irondequoit Country Club last March. The award is presented to an outstanding student who is graduating in compliance with the 150-hour CPA education requirements and who has exhibited integrity, maturity, leadership skills, communication skills, and earned a high grade point average. Echter is currently employed with the University of Rochester.
WEDDINGS & UNIONS Christine Manuele ’01, ’07G, to Brian Turnquist, Aug. 13, 2011. Maureen Manley ’09 to Marco Ballatori, Sept. 4, 2011.
Scott Charles Jr. ’12, who received his B.S. in musical theatre from Nazareth last May, starred in the July production of My Mother’s Lesbian Jewish Wiccan Wedding at the Finger Lakes Musical Theatre Festival. The festival, produced by the Merry-Go-Round Playhouse in Auburn, N.Y., is a new annual summer-long festival offering 250 performances featuring more than 200 professional actors and actresses from across the country.
BIRTHS & ADOPTIONS Kristina Murphy Peck ’96, a daughter, Kennedy Marie, Jan. 6, 2012. Ian Prichard ’98, a son, Logan Thomsen, June 28, 2011. Erin Witmeyer VanDerWoude ’99, a son, Cayden, July 6, 2006, and a daughter, Avery Laurie, Dec. 10, 2010. www.naz.edu
Katie Kovar ’01, a son, William Burdette, March 4, 2012. Gabrielle Meade Higgins ’02, a daughter, Rachel Nicole, June 2, 2011. Caitlin Melville Devendorf ’05, a daughter, Violette Elizabeth, March 17, 2012. Megan McPherson Mawhinney ’05, a daughter, Adelyn Rose, Dec. 2, 2011. Jennifer Killeen Breunig ’08, ’10G, a son, Isaac, Feb. 5, 2012.
IN MEMORIAM Anne M. Ferrari ’33, on March 1, 2010. She retired from Eastman Kodak Company in 1981 after a 37-year career. Mary Purcell Roche ’39 on Aug. 31, 2011. She received her M.S. degree in biochemistry from The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. in 1940. She was the first female research scientist hired by Corning Glass, now Corning, Inc., and was a contributor on numerous patents. She shared her love of math and science by teaching at Bradford
Central School from 1958 to 1961. In 1962, she was hired as an instructor at Corning Community College and retired as a professor of chemistry in 1982. Ellen Dawn Dillon Jewel ’49, on Jan. 8, 2011. Helen Cullinan Anderson ’54, on Aug. 27, 2011. Suzanne Martin McVey ’64, on Jan. 22, 2012. She spent three years in the Maryknoll Novitiate and was a long-time volunteer at St. Joseph’s House of Hospitality and at Daystar for Medically Fragile Infants, Inc. She was the hardworking mother of six beautiful girls, the loving grandmother of 12, a well-known neighbor, and a dependable, supportive, and fun-loving friend to many. Greg Houston ’72 on March 21, 2012. He was a sergeant with the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War. Joyce Paul Frielinghaus ’75, on Nov. 7, 2011. She attended Brighton High School in Rochester and graduated in 1955 from RIT with an associate’s degree in retail management. She was an avid
WELCOME! Nazareth welcomes the following newborn into the ever-growing ranks of future alumni! Isaac, son of Jennifer Killeen Breunig ’08, ’10G, born February 5, 2012. reader and gifted writer and wrote many poems and short stories. In Rochester, Frielinghaus was active in the Rochester Compeer program, where she advocated on behalf of people with mental health issues and became a Compeer Calling Volunteer. She was also involved with Literacy Volunteers and helped
young students learn to develop a love of reading. Dr. Peter G. Klem ’90, on March 25, 2012. He earned his master’s and Ph.D. in American history at the State University of New York, Buffalo. In 2003, he became a professor of history at Great Basin College in Elko, Nevada.
Nazareth friends celebrated the wedding of Maureen Manley ’08 to Marco Ballatori on September 4, 2011. From left: Jamie Rouselle ’10, Andrew Johnson ’08, Dan Crowley ’08, ’12G, Keri Neadom ’08, the bride, Cassy Cameron, Adam Lawless, and Beth Russell ’07. Front: Joanne Pendergast ’08, ’11G.
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THE | archive
Punch Party B
reak out the punch and cookies—there are boys on campus! Back in the pre-coed 1960s, Nazareth often imported young gentlemen from St. John Fisher College for special occasions.
If you have additional information about this photograph, please let us know. Send comments to Archives, Lorette Wilmot Library, Nazareth College, 4245 East Avenue, Rochester, NY 14618, or email driley9@naz.edu. 50 CONNECTIONS | Summer-Fall 2012
This photo, which appeared in the Spring 2012 issue of Connections, has now been identified! Disco dancer Phyllis Kloda ’79, observed by her roommate Martha Fraver ’79, ’87G got instructions on the hustle from a still unknown (possibly St. John Fisher) student. Kloda is now the art department chair at the College at Brockport. www.naz.edu
RETHINK Graduate Degrees
Whether you want to complete your studies, receive your certification, or switch careers, consider a graduate degree from Nazareth College. Nazareth offers graduate programs in:
Graduate Program Information Sessions— September 6 and November 8 • Meet with faculty from your specific program of interest. • Optional campus tours available.
Discover more or register for a session at grad.naz.edu.
Arts and Sciences Education Health and Human Services Management
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4245 East Ave. Rochester, NY 14618-3790 CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED
The Art of Food Food and drink are potent inspirations for Nazareth students and alumni (check out the feature story on page 32). This ceramic sculpture by Mary Herbst ’14, titled The Basket, appeared in the spring Undergraduate Student Art Show, which showcases the best work created during the year by Nazareth art students. You can view a Flickr gallery of other student artwork at at go.naz.edu/UGart
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