Sequel, Fall 2016 by Paul Smith's College

Sequel PAUL SMITH’S COLLEGE THE COLLEGE OF THE ADIRONDACKS FALL 2016

SHARP SHOOTER

Brendan Wiltse’s fabulous landscape photos

KEEPING INVASIVES IN THEIR PLACE MUSHROOM MANIA

[ TABLE OF CONTENTS ] Paul Smith’s College

Fall 2016

ON THE COVER: An autumn view of Heart Lake from the summit of Mt. Jo in Lake Placid. PHOTOGRAPHED BY BRENDAN WILTSE ’07

[ DEPARTMENTS ] To Our Readers

Faculty & Staff Notes

Shore Lines

Evergreens

Spaces

Q&A

Our Adirondacks

Alumni Life

Class Notes

Parting Shot

WRITE TO SEQUEL: PSC Alumni Office P.O. Box 265 Paul Smiths, NY 12970-0265 Fax: (518) 327-6267 E-mail: alumni@paulsmiths.edu

CONNECT WITH US:

Sequel | Fall 2016

14 6 Shore lines New look for Saunders ... speed-climbing the High Peaks ... world-class snowshoeing ... learn to operate a feller-buncher the modern way ... and more. 10 Reservations? Plenty Students in Prof. Kelly Cerialo’s Field Studies in Hospitality Class helped Lake Placid pull together its first-ever Restaurant Week. 12 Chef on a Mission Chef Barbara Curtin ’99 doesn’t just serve meals to the homeless at Share House in Oregon. She teaches them how to cook. 14 VIC 3.0 First, the state ran the VIC. Then, the college took it over. Now, Kendra Ormerod is its new program director. Take a look inside her plans for the venerable nature center.

6 18 Look! Up in the Sky! Dozens of feet above the forest floor, take a walk thorough the treetops at the college’s Challenge Course.

Sequel PAUL SMITH’S COLLEGE THE COLLEGE OF THE ADIRONDACKS FALL 2016

PRESIDENT Cathy S. Dove EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Kenneth Aaron kaaron@paulsmiths.edu WRITER Bob Bennett Communications Coordinator COLLEGE ADVANCEMENT STAFF F. Raymond Agnew Vice President for College Advancement Mary L. McLean Research & Systems Manager Carol Murtagh Assistant to the Vice President Heather Tuttle Alumni Relations Manager Andrea Wilcox Annual Giving & Stewardship Manager

CONTRIBUTORS Patty Hastings Andy Johnstone Kathleen Keck Justin Pierce Lou Reuter Jim Tucker Greg Wahl-Stephens Brendan Wiltse ’07

DESIGN Maria M. Stoodley PRINTING Service Press Connecticut / Scott Smith ’77 Wethersfield, Conn. TRUSTEES OF PAUL SMITH’S COLLEGE Patricia K. Dowden, Chairman Angela Noble-Grange, Co-Vice Chairman Katharine H. Welling, Co-Vice Chairman Daniel D. Tessoni, Treasurer Anthony Johnson, Secretary E. Philip Saunders, Chairman Emeritus Stuart H. Angert Paul E. Avery Paul M. Cantwell Jr. Robert Chur Paul F. Ciminelli Paul Comeau Mark Dzwonczyk Peter P. Forrence Robert Fox Mary Jo Hunt

22 22 Save This Vista To encourage others to protect the beauty of the Adirondacks, Brendan Wiltse ’07 lets his camera do the talking.

Pauline Jennett

Todd Jones ’90 Pieter V.C. Litchfield Dwayne Mahoney David Mammano John A. Paganelli Frederick G. Pierce II Ken Raymond ’68 Thomas Rogers B. Randy Sadlon ’80 Nora Sullivan Elizabeth Thorndike

TRUSTEES EMERITI

26 Keeping Invasives at Bay Not all visitors are welcome in the Adirondacks. The Adirondack Watershed Institute Stewardship Program helps beat back invasive species.

Donald O. Benjamin ’56 Ralph Blum ’54 Richard C. Cattani ’64 John T. Dillon ’58 John W. Herold ’65 Sheila Hutt Caroline D. Lussi ’60 Joan H. Weill

Published by the Office of College Advancement.

Sequel | Fall 2016

[ TO OUR READERS ]

Strategically speaking CATHY S. DOVE | PRESIDENT

The

months since our last issue of Sequel have been busy as always, with the addition of wonderful new colleagues, the implementation of a revised academic structure that helps us better serve students’ educational needs, the graduation of yet another excellent class, and the kickoff to an exciting fall semester. In the midst of this activity many of us also collaborated on an action plan to achieve the college’s strategic goals, which you can read more about below. Our objectives – which include enrollment growth, increased connections with businesses, greater community enrichment, and an enhanced PSC experience – are fairly straightforward. How we get there isn’t a simple answer. Higher education is such a competitive arena, and our challenge includes the need to attract students from new geographies where Paul Smith’s College is virtually unknown. Our alumni network is an important part of making that happen, through the efforts of the growing Compass Club and through the many individuals who contribute their time and resources to support our valuable mission. You can find out more about the Compass Club by contacting our Office of Admissions. I am grateful for the many alumni who return to campus as featured speakers, work with students and faculty on important projects, help students and graduates with job connections, contribute financially, and perform volunteer service in so many different ways. With your continued support, I look forward to an exciting future for the college. Warm regards,

Sequel | Fall 2016

IN FOCUS: 2020 STRATEGIC PLAN Faculty and staff across the college are moving forward with the college’s 2020 Strategic Plan. Working groups are focused on making progress toward our primary strategies and goals: Goal I: Provide inspired learning n Establish an engaged community and active year-round campus n Ensure academic excellence and career readiness n Require significant, authentic engagement in every program Goal II: Expand enrollment and impact n Grow and stabilize full-time campus enrollment n Create academic programs to serve non-traditional students n Tell our story broadly and well n Be a great neighbor Goal III: Strengthen financial, human and campus foundations n Improve campus infrastructure n Be known as a great place to work and a progressive employer n Attract and support a more diverse and inclusive community Some of our first priorities include the design of multiple new academic programs and the start of new athletic teams. We’re also developing more ties with industry partners to create student internships, externships and career placement opportunities. Stay tuned for updates in our next issue! You can always access the detailed 2020 Strategic Plan on the college’s website at http://www.paulsmiths.edu/about/strategic-plan.

BRENDAN WILTSE

[ FACULTY & STAFF NOTES] Prof. Joe Orefice published a

paper, “Silvopasture Practices and Perspectives in the Northeastern United States,” in the international scientific journal Agroforestry Systems along with student coauthor Leanne Ketner.

Project, a collaboration designed to help park officials in Italy develop sustainable tourism practices.

sabbatical during the spring 2016 semester to study marketing and management of adventure tourism in New Zealand.

Holmlund, director of the Adirondack Watershed Institute Stewardship Program, secured about $1.5 million in federal and state grants and contracts to help protect lakes and rivers in the Adirondack Park from invasive species. (See p. 26 for more details.)

In May, Prof. Curt Stager published a paper, “A 1,600-Year Diatom Record of Hydroclimate Variability from Wolf Lake, New York,” in the scientific journal The Holocene along with students Alex GarriganPiela and Brendan Wiltse.

In April, Prof. Jorie Favreau presented a poster, “Challenges in Cultivating the Next Generation of Natural Resource Scientists,” at a conference of the Northeast Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies in Maryland.

Prof. Rebecca Sutter is currently

Prof. Russ Aicher and Alumni Relations Coordinator Heather Tuttle ’99 received H. David

Prof. Peter Roland went on

on sabbatical studying sustainable watershed management at Columbia University. Profs. Joe Conto and Kelly Cerialo helped create the first-ever

restaurant week in Lake Placid in May. (See p. 10 for more details.) Cerialo also joined Prof. Eric Holmlund in leading a group of students and alumni to Italy this summer for the third iteration of the Adirondack and Appennino Sustainable Parks and Communities BELOW: Prof. Eric Holmlund continued to grow the AWI Stewardship Program.

Chamberlain awards at the President’s Day meeting in May. The annual awards, named for Paul Smith’s president from 1988 to his retirement in 1994, recognize an outstanding faculty member and staff member. Aicher also took three surveying students to the New York State Association of Professional Land Surveyors conference in January 2016, where they taught a four-hour “Hands-On GIS Workshop” as a team. Environmental studies instructor Bethany Garretson and Prof. Brett McLeod started a farm near

Osgood Pond as part of a summer class. Garretson raised money for that project by hiking all 46 Adirondack High Peaks during a two-week stretch in August. (See p. 7 for more details.) In May, environmental education instructor Brian McAllister led a group of 2016 graduates on a trip to the World Series of Birding in New Jersey, where they identified 140 different species in a 24-hour period. Teaching and Learning Librarian Meggan Press received an Early Career Librarianship Scholarship from the Association of College and Research Libraries to attend the organization’s conference in Portland, Ore. She also attended an Association of College and Research Libraries’ conference in July, and a Library Orientation

COURTESY CURT STAGER

ABOVE: Students participate in sediment coring research with Prof. Curt Stager.

Exchange conference, “Everything in its Right Place: Effective, Strategic, Differentiated Outreach,” with Student Outreach Librarian Amy Pajewski in May. Press also wrote a book chapter, tentatively titled “Perfect Pairings: Instructional Design Meets Required Library Instruction,” that will be published in the Association of College and Research Libraries’ upcoming book, “Creative Approaches to Instructional Design in Libraries: Moving from Theory to Practical Application.” Prof. John Radigan retired from

Paul Smith’s College after a 31-year career. Language arts instructor Annie Rochon was honored by the Plattsburgh Chamber of Commerce in April after she and her French II class helped translate area menus and marketing materials for Frenchspeaking visitors. Prof. Rebecca Romeo started an

official Paul Smith’s College women’s rugby team.

KATHLEEN KECK

LEFT: Prof. Rebi Romeo (with ball) helped establish a women’s rugby team on campus. ANDY JOHNSTONE

Sequel | Fall 2016

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And the survey says …

our last issue, we asked you for some feedback about Sequel. And we got it! In all, 367 of you responded to our reader survey. What we learned: n 65 percent of respondents get all or most of their information about Paul Smith’s from the magazine. n 86 percent of respondents read all or most of every issue. (Just 57 percent of readers of other college magazines who took the same survey said the same.) n 90 percent of respondents strongly agree or agree with this statement: “Sequel strengthens my personal connection to the institution.” That last point is what we shoot for with every issue: To bring you closer to a place that so many of us love. We’re glad we’re hitting the mark. (88 percent of you rate the magazine’s content as excellent or good – a full 10 percent higher than readers of other college publications.) You also had suggestions, though – and we’re listening. While you like the print edition, nearly half of you (47 percent) would be willing to go online to read exclusive, web-only content. We’re working on that. And we know that many of you would like even more news about alumni in their professions, which is valuable feedback. We did read all of the feedback, too. And we appreciate it. We’ll share one comment, though, that summarizes what a lot of you had to say: “I just look forward to getting it. It makes me happy...reminds me of my magical time spent on campus.” – KENNETH AARON

Sequel | Fall 2016

Supporters come through You

did it! Thanks to you, the college’s Coming Home Challenge successfully raised more than $1.5 million for the College Fund between October and December, with an anonymous donor contributing $1 million. Now, the next phase of the campaign has begun. The same donor has pledged to match up to $1 million in gifts given between July 1 and June 30, 2017. There’s a sweetener, too: If 13 percent of the college’s alumni give, that donor will contribute $2 for every $1 given. And if the alumni participation rate gets to 15 percent, the match goes to 3:1. In addition to the Coming Home Challenge, a series of other fundraising campaigns generated even more support. The college’s Board of Trustees gave $1 for every dollar raised between Jan.1- June 30 during the Trustee Challenge, raising $300,000, and the college’s Giving Tuesday effort in November resulted in $132,000 in gifts. In all, 2,085 donors contributed $2.1 million to the College Fund in the fiscal year that ended June 30. Ten percent of the college’s alumni contributed, the highest number in recent memory. “We’re so encouraged by our community’s response to these challenges,” said F. Raymond Agnew, Paul Smith’s vice president for college advancement. “Almost all of our students receive financial aid, including scholarships. We depend on our donors’ generosity to renew this support annually, and we are grateful to them for helping us do so year in and year out.” – KA

KENNETH AARON

orkers put the finishing touches on renovations to the entrance of the Saunders Sports Complex in August. The new, Adirondack-style façade, made possible by a generous gift from Chairman Emeritus Phil Saunders, matches the design of other campus buildings, including Pickett Hall and Overlook Hall. – KA

Leaders join ranks T

PHOTOS BY ANDY JOHNSTONE

Faculty member Bethany Garretson ’09 climbed all 46 Adirondack High Peaks to raise money for sustainable-living activities on campus.

#ClimbIt4Climate H

iking all 46 Adirondack High Peaks is enough of a challenge for most people. When Bethany Garretson ’09 set out on that journey in August, she did it in 14 days, raising $33,000. The environmental instructor had hoped to climb the peaks – in general, all the 4,000-foot-plus mountains in the Adirondacks – during a marathon eight-day stretch as a fund-raiser to support sustainable-living activities at the college. The quest, dubbed Climb it 4 Climate, began Aug. 8. After five days and 23 peaks, she backed off on her speed-climbing attempt while facing sweltering heat, but ultimately finished the 218-mile journey in just 14 days. Garretson raised the money through pledges, matching gifts and from a donor who gave every time somebody posted a summit selfie using the #climbit4climate hashtag. “As a college student, I was frustrated by global climate change and other environmental issues,” Garretson says. “I left school wanting Garretson signing in to the trail register on Aug. 6 before summiting her first High Peak, the 4,347-foottall Seward Mountain.

to fix the world. After four years as a wilderness therapy field instructor and graduate student, I learned that the best way to help on a large scale is to focus my efforts at the community level. Relying on our own human energy and ingenuity is the first step toward making a difference, and every step counts.” Though she wasn’t able to complete the 46 as a through-hike, stringing together all the mountains by foot and camping overnight, the quest was a complete success in other ways, she says. “Beauty outweighs ugly and there is an abundance of kindness in this world,” she wrote on Facebook. “For five days I was blessed to be without phone, computer, or ‘connection’ as we may call it. Though for anyone who has gone on a backpacking trip or been without modern devices for a week – you find a much deeper connection in your surroundings. Our world isn’t falling apart. Believe me, it’s still very much intact.” For more information on Climb it 4 Climate, visit www.paulsmiths.edu/climb-it-4-climate. – BOB BENNETT

wo highly experienced educators joined the Paul Smith’s administration in July. Dr. Terry Lindsay, 23year veteran of higher education, became the new vice president of student affairs and LINDSAY campus life and Bruno Neveu, an award-winning chef and educator, was named chair of the Culinary Management NEVEU department. “I am honored to serve as the next vice president for student affairs and campus life,” Lindsay says. “My immediate goal is to engage students and to work with my colleagues to advance the college’s goals and objectives. I look forward to collaborating with campus partners to foster an academic environment that promotes student success and achievement. I am proud to be part of the Paul Smith’s family.” Lindsay is the former dean of diversity and intercultural programs at North Park University in Chicago. He also served as the dean of student development at Harper College in Palatine, Ill., and as vice president and dean of student life at Iowa Wesleyan College in Mount Pleasant, Iowa. Neveu arrives at Paul Smith’s from the Academie Culinaire de France, where he was most recently culinary school project manager. “Initially, I was attracted to Paul Smith’s by the magnificent setting,” Neveu says. “When I arrived, the positive energy and hospitable faculty and staff made me want to be part of the institution. I am thrilled to share their culinary vision and the essential values that helped establish the college’s excellent reputation.” Neveu has won several awards, including first place in the Auguste Escoffier Competition in Paris and a diploma of excellence in teaching. He is also a knight in the World Order of the Académie Culinaire de France and has been certified by the American Culinary Federation as a culinary educator, executive chef and executive pastry chef. – BB Sequel | Fall 2016

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College helps land snowshoe championships S

aranac Lake calls itself the “Capital of the Adirondacks.” Come February, it’s also going to be the capital of the snowshoeing world. That’s when the village will host the World Snowshoe Championships. Paul Smith’s is a partner on the event, and Jim Tucker, the college’s athletic director as well as director of the snowshoe team, will be race director. Tucker and Saranac Lake Mayor Clyde Rabideau traveled to Vezza d’Oglio, Italy, the site of the 2016 championships, to press their bid for the upcoming event. Up to 500 competitors are expected to pour into the village for the event, which is also being backed by the Saranac Lake Area Chamber of Commerce and the Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism. It’s the first time the world championships will ever be held in the United States. When the racers get here, they’ll find some pretty stiff competition awaiting them: Not only is the Paul Smith’s team a perennial powerhouse, but two Paul Smith’s students, Chloe Mattilio and Matt Leichty, each won individual titles at the U.S. Snowshoe Nationals earlier this year. – KA COURTESY JIM TUCKER

New skills, no sawdust

tudents in Paul Smith’s Timber Harvesting class are going to have even deeper skills when they graduate thanks to a high-tech piece of equipment that the college purchased in May. Paul Smith’s new logging simulator allows students to practice their timber harvesting skills in the safety of the virtual world. The $71,500 rig simulates a Caterpillar feller buncher, a piece of heavy equipment that’s used in the logging industry to cut down and stack trees. The simulator includes a seat, monitor and controls that are an exact replica of the ones found on the Cat machine. Students start out using a simple program that familiarizes them with all the different controls and then graduate to more complex tasks such as chopping down and stacking a very specific set of trees. When they’re ready, the simulator tests their skill level and lets them know what they need to improve on. Students will be required to spend a set number of hours operating the machine. “I absolutely think this simulator is going to make our students more valuable to their future employers,” says Dave Falkenham, Paul Smith’s forest manager. “Even if students don’t go on to operate a feller buncher for a living, they still walk away knowing what’s involved. That makes them better at marking a harvest because they have an idea of what it takes to operate the machine that’s doing the cutting. The experience they gain could also help them set up internships that weren’t attainable before.” The college purchased the logging simulator as a part of its new North American Logger Training School. The Empire State Forest Products Association and the college will offer certification in heavy equipment harvesting, chainsaw safety and forestry and business management practices. The training school and the simulator were made possible by a $300,000 state grant that Paul Smith’s secured last year with the help of N.Y. Sen. Betty Little. – BB Dave Falkenham takes the simulator for a spin. BOB BENNETT

. BOUQUIN

WWW.FOX.COM

Military grade H

ere’s this for an idea for a TV show: Take some seriously hard-core members of the U.S. Armed Forces. Have them serve as mentors to a group of 16 civilians – a police officer, a triathlete, an Olympian, a former member of the Paul Smith’s woodsmen’s team – as they compete in muscle-melting, military-grade challenges. Spoiler alert: The lumberjack wins. Mark Bouquin ’12 captured the first season of “American Grit,” a Fox TV reality series that aired this spring. He split the $500,000 first-place prize with teammate Clare Painter, a horse trainer and fisher. (Bouquin’s windfall came in handy: A day before his victory was broadcast, he and his girlfriend, Melissa Dancy, had their first child.) “It was definitely hard,” Bouquin told The Buffalo News after his victory. “But I’ve had experience with a lot of things that I did on the show. I grew up in the Boy Scouts. I grew up with my father and my mother in the woods always teaching me how to do things. I’m an arborist. I work out in the woods every day, so I have a lot of experience with knots. I rode, I kayaked, I canoed. I tutored mapping and surveying in college. A lot of that stuff I had previous experience with.” Bouquin wasn’t the only Smitty to make the reality circuit this year. Dustin Charbonneau ’04 appeared on the second season of the Food Network’s “Spring Baking Championship”; at the time of filming, Charbonneau was the executive pastry chef at Chicago’s Moto restaurant, a noted molecular-gastronomy destination. – KA

SPORTS ROUNDUP BOWLING The Bobcat bowling team captured its third consecutive Yankee Small College Conference championship in April, with Taylor West and Kalei Fenn nabbing top individual honors as well. Fenn not only rolled a 278 in the championship match to claim the women’s title, but got there by going through a bowler, Meagan Masury of Great Bay Community College in New Hampshire, who had never lost a collegiate match. On the men’s side, top-seeded West bested his teammate Kyle Martin, who came in second. Smitties Chris Beckwith and Ben McInerney finished third and fourth. In the five years since the bowling team began competition, it has taken four YSCC titles. WOMEN’S RUGBY A Paul Smith’s alumna, faculty member and staff member – who also competes on the U.S. Women’s National Rugby Team – pulled together a women’s rugby team for this first time this spring, assembling a 25-woman roster that entered four tournaments.

Stacey Annis ’78; her daughter Bailey Annis, an instructor in the college’s writing center; and Prof. Rebecca Romeo volunteered to lead the squad, which a growing number of students had requested. All three coaches play: Stacey Annis is a charter member of the Saranac Lake women’s club; Bailey Annis has won the collegiate national title while at Norwich University in Vermont, played for national collegiate teams in both Canada and France, and started for the Bristol Ladies Rugby club in the Women’s Premiership in England; and Romeo, who is also coordinator of the college’s writing center, has played for a few years. The team will launch its first fall campaign this year. MEN’S RUGBY This spring’s rugby squad dominated North Country rivals SUNY Potsdam, St. Lawrence University and Clarkson University, blending speedy newcomers with veteran talent. The current team ended the spring season with a win over the alumni team, something that has only happened once before.

The women’s rugby team completed its inaugural campaign in the spring.

RIGHT: Billy Adams wins the Stihl Timbersports title.

COURTESY STIHL TIMBERSPORTS

Several strong players will return this fall, while new players are also expected. SNOWSHOE RACING Seven members of the Paul Smith’s College snowshoe racing team traveled to Italy in January to compete in the World Snowshoe Championships, where strong performances by Bobcat racers helped lift the U.S. women’s and men’s teams into third and fourth place, respectively. Chloe Mattilio was the second woman to cross the finish line of the 9-kilometer course, logging a time of 48:09, while Joe St. Cyr was the top American finisher in his age category. A month later, at the U.S. Snowshoe Nationals in Utah, Mattilio and first-year student Matt Leichty claimed national titles – the first two Smitties to take home top prizes at the national championship. Mattilio won the U.S. Women’s Marathon, while Leichty won the Men’s Junior 5K race. WOODSMEN’S TEAM Team captain Billy Adams closed out his college career in style, winning the Stihl Timbersports Collegiate Championship. Adams earned a spot on the 2017 Stihl professional

circuit in return for besting seven other competitors. He’s the first Paul Smith’s student to win the collegiate title since Matt Bolton in 2008. At the year’s biggest meet, the annual Spring Conclave, the co-ed Jack-and-Jill team took top honors, with the men’s and women’s team each finishing second. This year’s Spring Meet, as it is more commonly called, was held at SUNY-Alfred. Next year’s competition will be held on campus on April 21-22, 2017, when hundreds of competitors will converge on the new woodsmen’s arena, which opened last fall. LOOKING AHEAD Two of the college’s newest teams, relaunched thanks to a donation fromChairman Emeritus Phil Saunders, are preparing for their second seasons.The golf team captured a YSCC title in its return to competition last fall after lying dormant for years. And both the men’s and women’s basketball teams are girding for a full slate of games this winter as they seek to grab momentum from the enthusiastic home crowds that greeted them as they competed for the first time since 2013. – JIM TUCKER, KENNETH AARON

Sequel PAUL SMITH’S COLLEGE THE COLLEGE OF THE ADIRONDACKS SUMMER 2015

LOU REUTER-ADIRONDACK DAILY ENTERPRISE

A note from the editor Not much stays the same over the course of a decade. Take this magazine: 10 years ago, when I became editor of Sequel, it was a slender black-and-white newsletter. But it’s hard to capture how vibrant this place is just using shades of gray. So we went full color. Working with our ultra-talented freelance designer, Maria Stoodley, we brought out a real magazine with the space to cover all the things that make Paul Smith’s so special. All of it has been a complete delight. I met so many of you through Sequel, and publishing the magazine was always, always my favorite part of my job.

Two years ago, though, I left my full-time post at the college to open my own communications business. And while I’ve been thrilled to continue as Sequel’s editor, it’s time to turn it over to a team on campus. Starting with the next issue, Sarah Hart will take over the editing duties here, and Andy Johnstone will be the designer. Over the past couple of years, Sarah has shepherded a student publication, the Apollos, to fruition – bringing to life a much-needed outlet for student voices on campus. And Andy was instrumental in the recent redesign of the college’s website. Bob Bennett, who has contributed so

INTO THE WEEDS Looking for ticks in the Adirondack s

HUNTING & CONSERVATION CLEVELAND COOKS

much to this magazine and has been an invaluable partner of mine in its twice-yearly birth, will continue his fine work. I’m excited to see where this crew takes Sequel – there has never been a shortage of great stories on campus and there are so many more to cover. But I’d be remiss if I didn’t take this chance to thank all of you for both reading and sharing your stories with me, and all of us. The pleasure has been mine. – KENNETH AARON Sequel | Fall 2016

[ EVERGREENS]

DINE TIME BY KENNETH AARON

ith about three weeks to go before Lake Placid’s first-ever Eat ADK Restaurant Week kicked off, a van full of students from Prof. Kelly Cerialo’s Field Studies in Hospitality course swept into the village, marketing materials in tow. Cerialo pulled into the parking lot at the Redneck Bistro and went through a list of 27 restaurants and hotels, each of which were to get a marketing kit stuffed with brochures, coasters, and other items promoting the 10-day event. The nine students, all wearing a uniform of black slacks and blazers, were to deliver the boxes. “Please explain what’s inside the marketing kit when you deliver it to the businesses,” says Cerialo, giving instructions to the students before they headed off. Paul Smith’s students did more than provide invaluable legwork and research for the promotion, which featured discounted, fixed-price menus at village restaurants ranging from casual dining to fourstar establishments. They also helped introduce the very idea of a restaurant promotion to area officials. The idea for the week started with Paul Smith’s Prof. Joe Conto, who saw restaurant weeks in other communities drum up business during fallow periods. In the Adirondacks, winter brings 10

Sequel | Fall 2016

PHOTOS BY KENNETH AARON

ABOVE: Students Jessica Stafford (left) and Sydney Brown (right) at the Lake Placid Pub and Brewery. LEFT: Students look on as Prof. Kelly Cerialo reviews the list of hotels and restaurants scheduled to receive a marketing kit.

skiers and snowboarders, summer brings hikers and paddlers, and fall brings leafpeepers. But spring is quiet. After Conto turned the idea over to students for more study, they presented their findings to the Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism (ROOST) and Lake Placid businesses in spring 2015, and the concept became a reality. But it took a year of additional

work to bring it to life. “It’s exciting to finally see it happen,” says Sydney Brown, a senior majoring in hotel, resort and tourism management. Cerialo’s students played an integral role in learning how other restaurant weeks succeeded – and where they fell short. They interviewed organizers of six different weeks across the country, including ones in Denver, the Hudson

Valley, Lake Tahoe and San Antonio, and suggested events and promotions to accompany the week. “I didn’t think we were going to be as involved as we are,” says Amanda Wetter, majoring in baking and service management and hotel and restaurant management. “I thought they were going to come up with the events and we were going to put them together.”

HOSPITALITY STUDENTS HELP MAKE A SLOW MONTH BUSIER IN LAKE PLACID Kelsey Cassidy, Eat ADK’s chairwoman, said the research Cerialo’s class performed was invaluable because the local restaurants just didn’t have the bandwidth to do it. “We’re incredibly grateful for their help. They helped us form our path,” says Cassidy, whose full-time job is manager of the Great Adirondack Brewing Co. “We had ideas of what we would do and it was helpful to hear them say, ‘We’ve talked to Denver’s restaurant week, and they said that didn’t work.’” Among the things the students learned: The weeks work best when they’re not just aimed at tourists, but locals, too. The most successful weeks grow over time

– they don’t try to cover multiple communities right off the bat. And programming tied to restaurant weeks tends to flop when it doesn’t involve food. Cerialo’s class helped come up with programming such as a beer-tasting night involving local breweries. Other successful events included a healthycooking demonstration and wine tasting jointly sponsored by a natural food grocery and wine shop, and a farmer’s market tasting in downtown Lake Placid. “To say that we created these events is an especially good feeling,” said Tiffany Elyse Perez ’16, a senior majoring in baking arts and service management and hotel and restaurant management.

Cerialo says the project has given students invaluable experience working with clients – all of the ideas were pitched at formal presentations. “I said to the students, this can’t be hypothetical – like, ‘This sounds like a good idea’ – you have to give the committee reasons these could actually work,” she says. The work didn’t stop at the presentation, either. Students learned how to tailor a concept to a client’s needs, because the first idea that’s suggested often isn’t the one that’s used. “We’re at the point where they realize that’s part of the process,” Cerialo says. And while that’s not always easy, at the end, she says the students have a moment

when they say, “I did this!” Paul Smith’s students will continue to refine the event, conducting surveys among diners, compiling statistics and looking for ways to include even more businesses. Some hotels, for example, offered special eat-and-sleep packages to coincide with the week. With the first week in the rearview mirror, event organizers are still figuring out how to improve. But Paul Smith’s students are likely to continue lending their expertise to make it even better. “It’s a really good hands-on learning experience,” Cerialo says. “There will definitely be involvement in the future.” S

Tiffany Elyse Perez ’16 shows Eat ADK marketing materials to an employee at Generations in Lake Placid.

Sequel | Fall 2016

[ EVERGREENS]

PHOTOS BY GREG WAHL-STEP

a course left) stands behind a Curtin ’99 (third from residents. and ABOVE: Chef Barbar rs rke wo se class with Share Hou created in cooking

HENS

LIFE LESSON

CHEF HELPS HOMELESS HONE KITCHEN SKILLS

hen Chef Barbara Curtin ’99 started volunteering at Share House, a shelter for homeless men in Vancouver, Wash., she wasn’t planning on being a groundbreaker. But for Curtin, who was once one of the first women licensed as a professional blaster in New York State, that seems to come with the territory. It wasn’t long before she started offering cooking classes to the men in the shelter, a first for the area. Jessica Lightheart, Share’s community relations director, said that when an award-winning chef offered her help, the nonprofit saw an opportunity to build an essential life skill. “I think it feels good to share knowledge,” Curtin says. “I take what I know for granted. I realize now, moreso than ever, that there’s a whole segment of people who don’t know how to cook.” It’s a skill that can go far. Patrick Reid, a 33-year-old who graduated in March from Vancouver’s Northwest Culinary Institute, got a part-time gig at The Nines, a luxury hotel in downtown Portland with multiple restaurants. He’s comfortable working the line — the fast-paced, intensely-focused line of people prepping food in a restaurant kitchen. “If the chef wants a pound of garlic chopped in 30 seconds, you’ve got 30

Sequel | Fall 2016

BY PATTY HASTINGS seconds,” Reid says. But, he says, part-time work isn’t enough to afford rent. For now, he lives at Share House, and came to Curtin’s class to brush up on his skills. The lemon zest he’s grating is going into some hummus that he’s helping prepare in the shelter’s kitchen. After graduating from Paul Smith’s, Curtin spent much of her career on the East Coast; about three years ago, she moved west to be closer to family and the Portland, Ore., food scene. She worked in several kitchens there before starting to look for ways to help others – “I’m done making a name for myself in the industry,” says Curtin, a member of the American Culinary Foundation Pro Chefs Oregon chapter and chair of its Chef & Child Foundation. So she left the restaurant business and became the outreach kitchen manager at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral in northwest Portland, her full-time job. Curtin had a hard time remembering the exact year she graduated from Paul Smith’s, but she had a very clear memory of her commencement speaker, who urged the graduates to give back. “Going forth, I took that,” says Curtin, who says she was moved by how many homeless people she saw in her new home. (Portland declared a housing emergency last year.) She’d learned a lot over her career, and she wanted to share that knowledge. “We keep telling people what they shouldn’t be doing, what they shouldn’t be eating. But we’re not telling them how to prepare

wholesome food,” says Curtin, who wants to show people that they can eat well, and healthily, on a limited income. Whatever food is available at the food bank typically drives what’s made in class, but this time a resident requested they make hummus. Curtin brought her food processor just for the occasion. She assigns the handful of guys that showed up for class to different tasks: chopping veggies, opening the cans of garbanzo beans, brushing pita bread with olive oil, salt and pepper. All the while she rambles off the proper way to juice a lemon or peel fresh garlic, how to use cheese cloth or stabilize a cutting board. “When I went to school for this, if your cutting board was messy or your station was messy, the chef instructor would come over, pick everything up and throw it into the sink,” she says. Jared Barrett, a 29-year-old shelter resident, says he loves Middle Eastern food and has wanted to learn how to make hummus. “I’ve worked all over the restaurant except cooking,” he says. “I haven’t had much opportunity to cook for myself.” Barrett, who has been at the shelter since July, is trying to get back on his feet after landing a job at an umbrella warehouse. Someday, he hopes to get a job as a flagger. When the cooking is all done, the class eats what they’ve made. The hummus comes out smooth and smelling of sesame oil, and the pita chips are crispy. Curtin, leaning against a table in the Share House

cafeteria, talks about how chefs eat on the fly — just like this — and how they always know a few meals that can be put together like this if ingredients run out. The kitchen at Share House, which serves about 89,500 meals yearly to homeless people, has run out of food before. When the kitchen recently ran out of sloppy joes, Reid says he put together a dish with pasta, bacon, peas and Parmesan cheese. Curtin would like to make the classes more structured. She envisions someday teaching people who’ve just gotten housed how to cook wholesome, nutritional meals on a low budget. “I believe I have something to offer people who are transitioning,” she says. The group loads up plates with hummus, veggies and chips, and hands them out to people milling around Share House. Curtin smiles as she heads back to the kitchen. “Food’s a great thing. Food’s a beautiful thing,” she says.

ABOVE: Patrick Reid shares a dish he prepared with the cooking class with Jim Hammond.

» Additional reporting by Kenneth Aaron. » A version of this story first appeared in The Columbian of Vancouver, Wash. (www.columbian.com).

LEFT: Curtin he lps Share House resident Patric k Durlin prepare hummus.

Sequel | Fall 2016

[ FEATURE]

KENNETH AARON

Kendra Ormerod sits on a bench in the VICâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s amphitheater.

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New era at theVIC KENDRA ORMEROD TAKES REINS AT VITAL EDUCATIONAL RESOURCE

BY BOB BENNETT

ack in 2011, when budget cuts forced New York State officials to shut the doors of the nearby Visitor Interpretive Center, Paul Smith’s College stepped in to save the valuable community resource. Five years later, the VIC has become a valuable part of the college itself, an institution that supports its core values.

And Kendra Ormerod, the VIC’s new program director, intends to keep it that way. She’s taking the reins from Brian McDonnell, who ran the facility for the last five years. “Brian has done a fantastic job with the VIC’s programming, and I can’t thank him enough for that,” Ormerod says. “The VIC has something to offer for practically everyone, and that’s not going to change. In fact, we’ve hired two new part-time staff members and three interns to help us continue our interpretive canoe paddles, guided nature walks and the butterfly house. But we’re also focused on infusing the college’s priorities and

A frittilary butterfly at the VIC’s Butterfly House, which is a popular summertime attraction.

KENNETH AARON

making it more of a hands-on teaching resource for our students.” At the same time, the VIC will continue serving as a vital community resource where outdoor pursuits such as skiing and hiking have thrived alongside art, music and culture. The college will build on that tradition by providing spaces where local art and artisans can thrive. Ormerod has taken cues from the college’s strategic plan and an initial plan for the VIC established by trustees, faculty and staff. Many faculty members are planning to use the VIC this fall,

including Profs. Craig Milewski, Celia Evans and Sally Bogdanovitch. “It’s going to be our classroom,” says Brian McAllister, instructor of the college’s Environmental Education course and former interpretive naturalist at the VIC. “Environmental Education has become a super hands-on course. We used to spend more time in the classroom, learning how to create signage, for example. Now, we’re going to be out in the field, actually making them.” McAllister’s students will develop signage and trail maps that help visitors

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[ FEATURE] RIGHT: Jeff Boucher of Tupper Lake takes a photo on the VIC’s Woods & Waters trail. BELOW: Actors with the Adirondack Lakes Summer Theatre Festival perform Shakespeare’s “Taming of the Shrew” outdoors at the VIC.

PHOTOS BY KENNETH AARON

LEFT: Dan Alempijevic ’14 holds a falcon during the Wildlife Society’s Northeast Student Conclave in March 2015.

identify particular flora and fauna throughout the VIC’s wetlands, forests and bogs – much like the interpretive trail system that was in place when the state operated the nature center. “About 25,000 people a year come through the VIC, and now they will have interpretive signs to fuel their experience,” McAllister says. McAllister and his students will also design and work on exhibits at the VIC as a part of the Biodiversity Research Institute’s Adirondack Center for Loon Conservation, which conducts scientific research, conservation and outreach to help loons thrive. “We have a ton of state land available to us in the Adirondacks, and that’s a plus,” McAllister says, “but, even so, it would be difficult to teach this course without the resources the VIC provides. It’s one of only five places in the park that has a trail running directly through a bog, for example, and it’s a part of the college. We don’t have to travel. It’s an amazing resource for our students.” Melanie Johnson, professor of natural sciences, teaches classes at the VIC whenever possible, including portions of her Foundations of Environmental Science and GIS Applications classes and Adirondack Field Ecology, a two-week program for high school students that allows them to learn about electrofishing, radio tracking, species identification, paleoecology and more. “Thanks to the VIC, the students get real-world 16

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examples,” she says. “We’re out in woods, actually practicing what we talk about in the classroom. It adds a whole different element that they wouldn’t get otherwise.” Johnson used to teach at a university where travel time and other logistics limited this kind of field work to a single bus trip each semester. Now, she and her students have access in almost every lab. “In my foundations class, we spend multiple labs at the VIC exploring different ecosystems,” Johnson says. “We go to the Forest Ecosystem Research and Demonstration Area at the VIC and get a first-hand look at the impacts of different logging practices on natural communities. In my GIS Applications class, students create a digital map of the VIC for use in cellphone apps and then walk across Keese Mills Road to the VIC to follow it, so they really come to understand what makes a user-friendly map. They quickly learn that the world looks much different in the field than it does in a computer lab. I can’t imagine teaching my labs without the VIC.” And while the VIC’s trails, forests and wetlands are the foundation for the experiential learning opportunities offered by faculty, they’ll also have access to the theater space, exhibit area and classroom, which Ormerod would eventually like to infuse with smart technology. Ormerod is currently working on a longterm strategic plan, a mission statement and a new website integrated with the Paul

Smith’s College site. Then there’s the VIC’s retail space, which she’s revamping into a space where the college community can sell its wares, including artwork, textiles, music, jewelry, woodwork, ceramics, metal and glasswork. “The store is a huge priority, and I’m really proud of what we’ve done with it so far,” Ormerod says. “It’s a huge opportunity for our budding entrepreneurs.” Ormerod is also exploring the feasibility of adding mountain bike trails, and intends to improve to the walking trail that currently connects the VIC to campus. “We want to make sure the VIC is accessible as possible to our students,” she says. “We would like to make the trail bike friendly.” There are also capital projects, such as a new boiler, that need to get done. The Friends of the VIC membership program has been successful, but Ormerod wants to grow and streamline that as well. “There are just so many priorities that have to be attended to, a ton of things that have to be done and so many opinions about what the priorities should be,” Ormerod says. “Right now, I’m trying to determine who our audience is and how we serve them. Ultimately, we know our strategic plan will be informed by the college plan, but the VIC also needs to serve the needs of K-12 students, tourists and locals.” While the job might sound overwhelming, Ormerod is enjoying her new position and taking it all one day at a time. “The college community has been great and really supportive,” she says. “Both the positive and negative feedback have been helpful. It means they care, and that’s half the battle.” S

NANCIE BATTAGLIA

An aerial view of the visitor center at the Paul Smithâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s College VIC. Heron Marsh, Shingle Mill Falls and Lower St. Regis Lake are in the background.

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[ SPACES]

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CHALLENGE COURSE PHOTO BY KENNETH AARON

1 O’Connor is about 40 feet off the ground. Don’t freak out – even if he slips, O’Connor is “on belay.” That means he’s tethered to a rope connected to instructor Andrew McDonald, who can arrest O’Connor’s fall using a small friction brake called an air traffic controller. (For you nautical types and rock climbers, the rope is secured to a carabiner on O’Connor’s harness with a figure 8 on a bight knot.)

you’ve ever looked at a squirrel and wonder why they get to have all the fun scampering through the trees, get yourself to the college’s Challenge Course. Here, new faculty member Bobby O’Connor takes a mid-air stroll on the balance beam. Yes, it’s safe: Used as part of the college’s recreation curriculum, as well as for corporate retreats and parties, the course builds trust, communication and team-building skills.

2 McDonald can let O’Connor have more rope, or stop him from falling, using the belay device attached to his harness. The 70-meter-long rope is dynamic, meaning it has a little bit of give, so if O’Connor falls he won’t be violently jerked at the end.

called staples. “Our goal is to see that everyone challenges themselves and pushes the limits of their comfort zone so they grow,” says Kate Glenn, the course manager. “We never want someone to push themselves too far, to become scared or uncomfortable. It’s about growth, and growth happens when you feel safe and supported enough to step outside of your comfort zone.”

5 The course was built in 1996. This beam, essentially a utility pole, has been in use since then. A zipline is the highest element, at 60 feet off the ground.

The catwalk is a good warm-up for some of the more intense activities on the course, such as this elaborate contraption known as the vertical playpen. Climbers make their way to the top while on belay.

6 These ladders help people make their way to the staples, which stop 10 feet from the ground. That prevents mischief makers from accessing them when the course is closed. The ladders are locked up in a storage shed after hours.

4 The higher elements are reached by climbing up rungs installed in the trees,

» Visit www.paulsmiths.edu/recreation/ challenge-course to book the course!

Sequel | Fall 2016

Fungi Guy BROOKS WORDEN ’10 Age: 28 Now living in: Royal Oaks, Calif. Hometown: Tyngsborough, Mass. Education: B.S., Forestry-Ecological Forest Management Last book read: “The Mushroom Hunters: On the Trail of an Underground America,” Langdon Cook. Hobbies: Mushroom hunting, snowboarding, fishing. Favorite mushroom recipe: Close tie between Lion’s Mane Parmesan or Oyster Mushroom Tacos, or fried morels.

RECIPE: LION’S MANE TEMPURA Ingredients 1 egg ½ lb. Lion’s Mane mushroom 2 limes Salt & black pepper Powdered cayenne pepper

1 cup panko 1 tbsp. wheat flour Greek yogurt 2 tbsp. coconut oil Sweet onion Garlic Fresh cilantro

Prepare egg wash in a small mixing bowl by whisking egg with a squeeze of lime juice, salt & pepper, and a dash of cayenne pepper. On a plate, combine panko flakes, wheat flour, a pinch of salt and pepper and a dash of cayenne. Mix well. Heat coconut oil in a cast iron pan on medium-high heat. Slice mushrooms into finger-width wedges. Coat both sides of mushrooms in egg wash, dredge in panko mixture and add to pan. Add some sweet onion slices and crushed garlic; fry both sides of mushroom until golden. Combine yogurt and dash of cayenne in a separate bowl; squeeze lime atop mushrooms and serve with cip. Garnish with fresh cilantro. Enjoy!

JUSTIN PIERCE

Brooks Worden ’10 with some of the fruits of his labor at Far West Fungi.

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[Q & A]

INTERVIEW BY KENNETH AARON

rooks Worden ’10 knows mushrooms. He’s been around the world for them. So pull up a toadstool and let him tell you about mushroom jerky (great for vegetarians), mushroom tacos (he cooks ‘em all the time) and why mushrooms make him think of space travel. Why do you find mushrooms so interesting? The more I learn about mushrooms, the more fascinating they get. They’re really the forest managers. There are saprophytic fungi that are breaking down trees. There’s parasitic fungi that are attacking living trees. There’s mycorrhizal fungi that recycle nutrients. Without these, you virtually wouldn’t have our forests. We virtually wouldn’t have any trees. We wouldn’t have any soil. We wouldn’t have anything! How did you first try to make mushrooms a career? I had my own little side business in Saranac Lake. I grew salad greens, and I foraged wild mushrooms. I was able to make a few bucks from that, but not a lot; I didn’t have any infrastructure, I didn’t have any capital to invest in infrastructure, and it was a really slow market. I really love the concept of providing food. I mean, you eat three times a day. It’s the highlight of almost every day. I love working with mushrooms – I like things that grow fast. I once had a house with a basement so damp mushrooms grew in it. I get the sense that cultivating mushrooms is a lot more technical than that. It starts with a mushroom. We open it up, and we take sterile tissue from inside. We put it on a petri dish and let it grow. Then we take that piece of tissue, put it into 10 mason jars with sawdust and grain. And then, after another tenfold expansion, we go to bags. So I’ll start with one mushroom. And for oyster mushrooms, over eight weeks, we’ll grow 10,000 pounds. You’ve honed your trade all over – in Israel, in Nepal, now at

a 60,000-square-foot farm not far from Silicon Valley. What have you learned? I learned you can be a multimillionaire going into this, or you could have a wage of $5 a week and be able to make an income and sustain yourself. In Nepal, I worked with a company that gave cultivation lectures; we got to work with over 100 different farmers. I got to learn a lot about the culture – see how people live, how they work, what their struggles are dayto-day, and how to make something work with very limited resources. It’s a really fantastic way for women to gain independence and become economically viable in their community. You were a forestry major, and you’ve studied permaculture, which is all about creating sustainable agricultural systems – environmentally and economically. We’re looking at how to reduce down time, and ways of producing enjoyable, year-round jobs – which is something I always struggled with in the Adirondacks, always having seasonal work. I wanted something sustainable and year-round. Could you take this back to the Adirondacks? Absolutely. We could grow mushrooms on the moon. We can grow mushrooms anywhere. You worked for a while at a medicinal mushroom farm, which I imagine makes some people think of more illicit substances. Which they aren’t. We get testimonials from people from all over the world saying how effective our products can be. We have testimonials from people whose dogs had cancer who said our product was helping them.

We can’t claim to treat or diagnose or prevent any kind of illness in this country. But there’s still a big world about there that utilizes these nutraceuticals for medicine. At my last company, Aloha Medicinals, we had a program in Ghana where it sent our product for AIDS patients and HIV patients – people that have compromised immune systems. We worked with a doctor out there who found our product had a 60 percent success rate. I’ve heard of mushrooms used for a ton of other things, too, like insulation. Oyster mushrooms, in particular, are often used for cleaning up oil spills on shore and reducing the amount of hydrocarbons in the soil. They utilize carbon sources as a food source, and it converts hydrocarbons into proteins. I think there’s a lot of things that are overlooked. One really fascinating use was in prosthetics – they’re used in between joints, so prosthetics rub less and are more comfortable. There’s internal bandages made from fungi. So, what’s next? It’s an exciting field! There’s a lot of opportunities. I’m never bored with it. When I see a mushroom, I don’t even necessarily see a mushroom. There’s so much to learn. One spore shoots out into its environment with a force of over 10,000 Gs! That’s 10 times the force of a rocket leaving our atmosphere. And a single mushroom can produce a trillion spores. So next time you see a mushroom I want you to think of a trillion rocket ships leaving to colonize their Earth environment. You love these things. I love mushrooms! I love mushrooms and I think you should too. S

Sequel | Fall 2016

[ FEATURE]

VIEWS WITH A VISION BIOLOGIST USES CAMERA TO BRING NATURE CLOSER

BY KENNETH AARON | PHOTOS BY BRENDAN WILTSE For all the work Brendan Wiltse ’07 has done to promote conservation in the Adirondacks – research into the effects of climate change and road salt on Adirondack waterways, the water-quality monitoring he conducts as part of his job at the Ausable River Association – he’s come to a somewhat frustrating conclusion: The public doesn’t necessarily speak science. They know a beautiful picture when they see it, though. So Wiltse has built a second career, of sorts, as a landscape photographer in the Adirondacks. “I think one of the things I realize with conservation is, people need to care about a place in order to want to conserve it,” Wiltse says. “They need to have some sort of connection. And I think

Sequel | Fall 2016

photography is a great tool to build those connections with people.” He’s succeeded at connecting with a lot of people through his Facebook page, which is “liked” by nearly 6,000 people; his hope is that the steady stream of mountain sunrises, alpine plants and wildlife he shares with them provides the impetus to act. “Ideally, sometime down the line, if there’s a conservation

. A view of Wright Peak. ? A self-portrait of Brendan Wiltse ’07. The Great Range of the Adirondack High Peaks is in the background. > Alpine goldenrod on Wright. Rare alpine plants grow on the summits of a handful of Adirondack mountains; hikers must take care not to trample these milleniaold ecosystems.

Sequel | Fall 2016

[ FEATURE] issue that comes up, they’ll be more likely to get involved. Because it’s a little bit more real to them – it’s not something so foreign,” Wiltse says. Wiltse honed his photography skills during the years he spent working for the Adirondack Mountain Club. He started the job while at Paul Smith’s and continued working there while he earned his doctorate in biology at Queen’s University in Canada; he’s still connected with the group, contributing several photos of fragile alpine vegetation to a project benefiting the program. Algonquin, he says, is his favorite hike. “But before all the crowds show up,” he says. “I really like waking up at 1 in the morning and going hiking up something for the sunrise – that’s the best time to be photographing something, anyway. And by the time I’m heading down, everyone else is heading up.” Wiltse often amps up the colors in his images to hues that go beyond what was in the field. It’s an artistic choice he makes to replicate the feel of a particular moment more than the reality of the moment itself. “When you view it on a piece of paper or a computer screen, if my goal was to reproduce what it looked like to the human eye, it wouldn’t reproduce the same emotional feeling that someone gets,” Wiltse says. “You need to make the image pop a little bit more. And that’s ultimately what I want people to feel: That they’re there, and they feel the same feeling that I feel when I’m there.” S » To see more of Wiltse’s work or see a workshop schedule, visit his webpage, www.brendanwiltse.com, or follow him on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ brendan.wiltse.photography.

? Fallen logs on the shore of Kiwassa Lake, between Lake Flower and Oseetah Lake in Saranac Lake. / The college’s dock on Lower St. Regis Lake.

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. TOP: A panoramic view of Lower St. Regis Lake and the Joan Weill Student Center on campus.

. ABOVE: A sunrise view from the summit of the 5,115-foot Algonquin, the second-tallest mountain in New York.

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[ OUR ADIRONDACKS ]

ABOVE: Jake Kuryla stands by a boat launch at Fish Creek Pond Campground, one of the busiest locations in the Adirondacks.

PHOTOS BY KENNETH AARON

REPEAT DEFENDER S ometimes, Jake Kuryla’s job is boring. Other times, it’s hectic. On rare occasions, people are downright hostile toward him. Despite all that, it’s always rewarding, and he goes home feeling like he’s made a difference.

Sequel | Fall 2016

BY BOB BENNETT

Kuryla is a member of the Adirondack Watershed Institute Stewardship Program and a fisheries and wildlife science major at Paul Smith’s College who is entering his senior year this fall. AWI stewards help prevent the spread of invasive species by hanging out at boat launches across the Adirondack Park, educating boaters and decontaminating canoes, kayaks, motorboats and other vessels that would otherwise have introduced pernicious, persistent threats to sparkling waters. I spent a day with Kuryla in late June at Fish Creek Pond Campground and observed the process. A boater rolled in around 9 a.m. “Have you encountered a watershed steward before?” Kuryla asked. The boater said he had. “Have you taken the steps necessary to prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species after you last

used your boat?” Kuryla continued. The boater said he last used the boat in the fall, plenty of time to dry out and kill off any invasive species that might have been clinging to his boat. If he had used it more recently, Kuryla would have suggested that he clean, drain and dry the boat before taking it to another waterbody. “What is the last body of water you were in?” Kuryla asked. “Lake Champlain,” the boater replied. “Finally, are you in favor of this program?” Kuryla said. He said he was and went on his way. These are the standard questions that stewards ask each and every time a patron shows up to launch a boat. They record the answers and enter the information into a database for later analysis. When boaters come back out of the water, stewards do a thorough visual inspection and remove any invasives they might find. He generally inspects an average of

‘‘

LEFT: Kuryla with a specimen of Eurasian watermilfoil taken from a boat in Tupper Lake.

If we spot something in a waterbody, we report it, and rapid response comes in to eradicate.

BELOW: Kuryla checks a paddler’s kayak for invasive species.

‘‘

– JAKE KURYLA

AWI STEWARD

12 to 15 boats a day. Paul Smith’s College has secured about $1.5 million in federal and state grants and contracts for the program this year. The funding allows the AWI to perform inspections at 50 different boat launches across the Adirondacks. The program has come a long way since its first year, 2000, when it served just one lake; it’s more than doubled since 2011, even, when stewards worked at 22 waterways. And the more water those stewards cover, the wider impact they have. Just through mid-summer, Kuryla and other stewards like him have inspected 16,740 boats. They’ve found 643 aquatic invasive species on those crafts, including curly-leaf

pondweed, zebra mussels, spiny waterflea, variable-leaf milfoil and water chestnuts. In fact, the very first boat that stopped at the new Long Lake decontamination station this year was carrying Eurasian watermilfoil, as was a boat intercepted at a launch in Lake Placid. Stewards were able to scrub them both clean. Fish Creek Pond itself is riddled with variable-leaf milfoil, an invasive plant that breaks apart and sticks to boat trailers and fishing gear, potentially spreading from lake to lake. Once these invasives take hold in a waterbody, they rapidly multiply and choke out native species. “Once there, everything you enjoy about the water body is gone,” Kuryla says. “If we

spot something in a waterbody, we report it, and rapid response comes in to eradicate. But prevention is the only surefire way. At this point, it’s like mowing the lawn, you just have to maintain it.” About 95 percent of the boaters that Kuryla encounters are cooperative and in favor of the program, but some want nothing to do with it. Generally, those boaters are just in a hurry or in a bad mood, he says. “If they don’t want to cooperate, there’s not much we can do about it,” he says. “They don’t have to let us inspect their boat. At that point, I try to stay out of their way and do a visual inspection from afar.” He also reminds them, though, that their reticence can hit them in the wallet: New state regulations open boaters to fines should their vessels contain invasive species. Kuryla jots down the license plates of boaters who won’t let him remove invasives, and reports them to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. Boaters can receive a warning for their first offense, a $150 fine for their second, a $250 fine for their third and a $1,000 fine after that. These fines are in addition to any local regulations that may be in place. That’s unusual. Kuryla says he encounters very few truly hostile people. “Usually, those are people who are retrieving and in a hurry,” he says. “Other times, it’s raining and they don’t want to stand in it while I inspect their boat. That’s not much fun for me either, and it makes for a long day. But I’ve found invasives on those days, and that makes it worthwhile. There are things about this job that aren’t always fun. I suppose I could have worked construction instead. That might be easier in some ways, but then I wouldn’t be making a difference like I am here.” S

Sequel | Fall 2016

[ ALUMNI LIFE]

Baltimore. Boston. New Jersey. And more. The Compass Club is coming! Build the next generation of Smitties. Join the Compass Club today and help talented prospective students find their own Paul Smith’s experience. For more info: admissions@paulsmiths.edu

[

2016-2017

Alumni Events

SEPTEMBER

PSC Family Homecoming Weekend Friday-Sunday, Sept. 23-25 Campus OCTOBER

Board of Trustees/ Alumni Board Meetings: Paul Smiths Saturday-Sunday, Oct. 15-16 Campus

Compass Club: Baltimore Tuesday, Oct. 18 Compass Club: Boston Wednesday, Oct. 19 Fall Career Fair Thursday, Oct. 20 Campus NOVEMBER

NYC Alumni Reception Sunday, Nov. 13 DECEMBER

Winter Commencement Sunday, Dec. 11 Campus

JANUARY 2017

Alumni Board Meetings: Albany

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]

CALENDAR

Saturday-Sunday, Jan. 7-8 Alumni Reception: Albany Saturday, Jan. 7 NYSAPLS Wednesday-Friday, Jan. 18-20 Turning Stone Casino, Verona, N.Y.

Compass Club: New Jersey Monday, Jan. 23 FEBRUARY 2017

Saranac Lake Winter Carnival Saturday, Feb. 11 MARCH 2017

Pancakes at Bob’s Trees Saturday, March 18 Galway, N.Y.

Spring Career Fair Thursday, March 30 Campus APRIL 2017

Sugar Bush Breakfast Saturday, April 22 White Pine Road, Paul Smiths

Alumni Board Meetings: Paul Smiths Saturday-Sunday,

April 22-23 Campus MAY 2017

Commencement Saturday, May 6 Campus JUNE 2017

Saturday-Sunday, July 29-30 Campus AUGUST 2017

Woodsmen’s Field Days: Boonville Friday-Sunday, Aug. 18-20

Alumni Board Meetings: Paul Smiths Saturday-Sunday, June 3-4

Clam Bake at Bob’s Trees Sunday, Aug. 20

Campus

OCTOBER 2017

Galway, N.Y.

Reunion 2017 Friday-Sunday, July 28-30

Alumni Board Meetings: Paul Smiths Saturday-Sunday, Oct. 14-15

Campus

JULY 2017

Alumni Board Meetings: Paul Smiths

PHOTOS BY KATHLEEN KECK

. Bob Brhel drives the college’s restored stagecoach during Reunion 2016.

CONTACT US » For additional information, please contact: Office of Alumni Relations Phone: (518) 327-6253 Email: alumni@paulsmiths.edu

? The annual

Sugar Bush Breakfast brings together alums and friends and features the college’s own maple syrup.

Sequel | Fall 2016

[ ALUMNI LIFE / CLASS NOTES ] LETTER FROM THE ALUMNI RELATIONS MANAGER

I’m

writing this shortly after the end of Reunion 2016, which brought 400 people from across the United States to campus. We celebrated the 40th anniversary of the Ecology and Environmental Technology (EET) program, recognized a number of alumni and friends with Alumni Association awards, and even raised $10,000 for our Endowed Alumni Scholarship through our annual silent auction. In other words, it was a complete success. And lately, we’ve had many. In just the past few months, Mark Bouquin ’12 won the first season of “American Grit,” a new reality show on Fox. Epic, the Columbus, Ga., restaurant owned by Melissa (Rostak ’91) and Jamie Keating ’91, was named one of the nation’s 40 best. Those high-profile achievements make us look great, of

ALUMNI ASSOCIATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS B. Randy Sadlon ’80, President Alyson Bennet ’81, Vice President Norman Fedder ’69, Secretary Kathleen Gowen ’86, Treasurer Darrell Austen ’94 Tara Butcher ’01 Christopher Diedrich ’84 David Eaton ’61 Karen Frank ’83 Peter Frank ’83 Michael Heller ’03 Cory Hoffman ’09 Donald Jones ’00 Richard Lewis ’63 John Maille ’82 F. Joseph McCranels ’54 Kurt Mullick ’69 Frederick Oberst ’63 Thomas Rosol ’74 John Stephens ’87 Melissa Uhlik ’76 Andrea Urmston ’89 Scott VanLaer ’93 James Voorhies ’72

Sequel | Fall 2016

KENNETH AARON

course. But there’s so many other ways you shine that I’m grateful for. Consider: Over the past year, more than 10 percent of you donated to the college. That’s our highest participation rate in recent history. Thank you.

50s

James F. Lord ’55 has retired

after 32 years as a NYS Forest Ranger and six years as town justice. He is still active woodworking, canoeing, and bird watching. He also has a small sawmill for his own use. Glenn Schmidt ’56 writes,

“Thanks to PSC I met my wife! Came to PSC as a freshman prepro forestry student in 1954. Met my wife-to-be, Dianne Moquin, in September 1955 and were married in the Presbyterian Church in May 1956. Ken Cleaves was my roommate both years and was my best man. A fellow classmate, Phil Read, played the organ at our wedding. Ken and his wife, Jean, flew in from Missoula, Mont., for our 50th class reunion and anniversary, at which we renewed our vows. I would like to thank all my classmates for many wonderful memories and wish all of

Our Alumni Campground looks better than ever, and thanks to your participation in a campground raffle, we’ve raised $3,000 to support its maintenance. Thank you. Speaking of your generosity, you’ve raised $70,000 over

you good health and happiness.” Albert C. Winslow ’56 says that

it is not his picture in the 1956 yearbook! He also says that if someone has a picture of the 1956 Cotillion showing the orchestra, he is the trumpet player in the back of the sax section. He mentions that his little dance band was called The Troubadors and they were all PSC students. He thinks that it is somewhat unusual to find such a good group for such a small school, which at the time was roughly about 250 students. Hugo Kollmer ‘58 says his two

years at Paul Smith’s were perhaps the best of his life. His many wonderful memories include experiences serving others, including battling a forest fire on McKenzie Mountain, participating in the search for an elderly lady who became lost in an Onchiota marsh, cutting and splitting firewood for a elderly lady in Saranac Lake, being part of the small crew who dug a well for

the past few years for two new initiatives: Our Paving the Way program, which has installed engraved pavers on campus, and our Heritage Tree program, which plants trees in honor of our donors. The first was planted by the Wagner Cos. Thank you. Many of you have helped us at one (or more) of the two dozen Compass Club events sponsored by the Admissions Office to recruit new students; we’re expecting 900 students in the fall. Thank you. There are so many more great stories. I love to hear them; keep sharing your success stories so we can share them with others! #SmittyOn,

Heather Tuttle ’99 Alumni Relations Manager

college sawmill manager Howard Welch, and helping to build a fish barrier dam at the outlet from Black Pond.

60s

Donald Dellow ‘62 says that he and Jerry Rudd ‘63 were room-

mates in 1962 and they recently got in touch after 53 years and met for dinner in Captiva Island, Fla. He explains that they had a lot of wonderful memories of their years at PSC. He also mentions that he retired from the University of South Florida on May 5. John A. Seifert ’63 writes

that after graduating in 1963, he worked in several sawmills for the next 31 years, including Adirondack-Jamestown Sawmill, Tupper Lake, N.Y.; Cliffs Forest Products, Munising, Mich.; and Frank Miller Lumber, Union City, Ind. In 1994 he embarked on a new

We want to hear from you! Email class notes to alumni@paulsmiths.edu, send to PSC Alumni Office, P.O. Box 265, Paul Smiths, NY 12970, or fax to (518) 327-6267. (Pics welcome!) career in sawmill scanning and optimization sales with Inovec in Eugene, Ore. Inovec was purchased by USNR of Woodland, Wash., in 2006, for which he worked until his retirement in March 2015. USNR, now the world’s largest manufacturer of wood industry machinery and optimization, gave him the opportunity to sell sawmill machinery as well as optimization to customers in the eastern U.S. as well as in Austria and Germany. He is married to his wife of 38 years, Cathy, and have raised four children. In 2012, he and Cathy fulfilled their long-time dream of building a new house here in south central Ohio. Their two Labrador retrievers enjoy roaming their 14 acres and swimming in the Salt Creek. Along with the dogs, they raise chickens and enjoy beekeeping. Since retiring, he has started his own business, The Sawmill Coach LLC, specializing in sawmill machinery alignment training and general sawmill and band saw troubleshooting. Sawmills still occupy a little of his time but the majority is spent on their small farm. They have done a little traveling and are planning their third trip to Ireland this summer. He looks forward to hearing from classmates and PSC alumni and can be reached at js.sawmill@gmail.com. Jim J. Long ’66 and his wife, Chris, share

a log home on 10 acres in the Michigan woods with two spoiled-rotten dogs. Jim is retired from his 30-year career as an environmental chemist. Jim is a published author and continues to write fiction for a living. Jim says, “I miss Paul Smith’s and the smell of balsam fir, and where the air is so clean it hurts.”

Congratulations to Melvin Montpelier ’66 on publishing his book, “This American Moment: Thoughts on the American Condition.” Contact Mel at melmontpelier@ gmail.com to order or for more information. William “Bill” C. Achcet ’67 (aka

Adirondack Bill) says he is extremely grateful for the education he received at PSC and that the friendships he made while there have lasted for more than 50 years. He states that he is also very lucky to have met Reed Adams ’68 (aka Perchmaster) who has become one of his best friends.

Trail markers

He mentions that they both enjoy hunting and fishing together and that he sincerely hopes their friendship will last a lifetime. Robert T. Escheman ’67 is enjoying

BIRTHS

George A. Lindner ’67 says that he

To Christine (Lent ’06) and Homer Hungerford ’05 a son, Easton William, on July 8. Welcomed home by big sister Lillian, who is turning 4 in September.

retirment in northeast North Carolina. He’ll see everyone at his 50th reunion.

retired in 2013 and mentions that it was nice to see the woodsmen’s team arena. He says that he was a member of the B team of 1966 and the A team of 1967. Charles Voelkl ’67 writes that PSC was

a great experience – and that the very best times of his life were right on campus. After graduating, he earned a B.A. and M.A. in psychology from the University of Arizona, teaching at his local community college. He eventually started his own trading desk; he has been trading stocks full-time for about 30 years and has won an award from USA Today as one of the country’s top traders. “The years at PSC were the best I could have hoped for being a new high school graduate and not knowing what to expect,” he writes. “All the best and hope to make it back soon. PSC is the greatest foundation you can have to build a future of success and happiness.” Guy S. Baker ’68 and his wife, Maggie,

both retired from Seneca College, Toronto, in June 2015. Guy was a professor in the School of Hospitality & Tourism for 29 years, after having a 16-year career in the Canadian hospitality industry. Since retirement, they have travelled to Norway, Maggie’s home, and just recently visited Florida. Guy and Maggie are enjoying retirement and relocated to Niagara Falls in June. Guy said, “PSC was the best thing that happened for me at that time. It got me focused and gave me a great start to my career! I always think fondly of my time at PSC!” Allan Janoff ‘68 says that of his numerous

wonderful memories of PSC, his very best is meeting somebody who has become his very best friend: Peter Dorn ’69, who became the owner of the famous Copacabana in New York City and now lives in New Jersey.

To Matthew G. Bennett ’09 and Amanda Bennett, a daughter, Alice Mae Bennett, on March 12. To Gina (Martin ’10) and Tom Pollock ’10, a son, Thomas Joseph, on July 25. To Maria Leidig and Keith Braun ’10, a daughter, Harper Jane, on July 28. To Megan (Pustay ’11) and Steven Lachowski, a son, Hunter Steven, on May 29. To Ashley (Neumann ’12) and Jake Dates ’10, two sons: John Christopher Dates III on July 22, 2014, and Gage Kellogg Dates on March 22. To Melissa Dancy and Mark Bouquin ’12, a son, Jamison Tyler, on June 8. To Kathleen Dole ’13 and Dave Bartholomew, a daughter, Lucy Kathleen, on July 4. To Sarah Hart and Christopher Griffin ’14, a daughter, Edith Eva Terese, on July 12. To Kristen Leveille ’15 and Jorge Velazquez ’15, a son, Mateo Luis, on June 29.

MARRIAGES Lucienne (Witkowski ’93) to Todd LaLonde ’93 on Oct. 17, 2015. Ashely (Neumann ’12) to Jake Dates ’10 on July 28, 2012. Jennalee (Bramer ’10) to Benjamin Lukacs ’10 on Feb. 19. Megan (Pustay ’11) to Steven Lachowski

on Sept. 27, 2014.

Danielle (Ball ’13) to Seth Crevison ’12

on June 18.

Sequel | Fall 2016

[ CLASS NOTES ]

Trail markers MARRIAGES Stephanie (Dalaba ’14) to Ryan Deibler ’13 on July 16. Madelaine (Sullivan ’14) and Joshua S. Sempler ’14 on Aug. 6.

DEATHS Maurice F. Kenny on April 16 in

Saranac Lake.

William A. Scafidi ’48 on Sept. 27,

2015, in St. Remy, N.Y.

David B. Robinson ’48 on June 13 in

Morrrisonville, N.Y.

Marion S. Tompkins ’48 on March 16

in Evansville, Ind.

KATHLEEN KECK

Fred Eiserman ’48 on November 14,

2015, in Casper, Wyo.

Reunion 2016

John “Hawkeye” Hawkinson ’53 Philip Franzoni ’53 on June 20, 2011,

. Todd Collins ’96, executive chef for Sodexo Campus Dining at Paul Smith’s, received the Employee Award from the college’s Alumni Association at Reunion 2016.

Michael G. McAllister ’56 on May 11,

Gene Goundrey ’69 says that it was

on July 18 in Gabriels, N.Y. in Cocoa, Fla.

2014, in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

Ivan V. Young ’57 on Feb. 6 in

Sayre, Pa.

Robert J. Saulnier ’58 on May 16 in

North Adams, Mass.

Eugene Crabtree ’59 on April 20,

2009, in Pagosa Springs, Colo.

Joseph Anthony Verciglio ’60 on

Feb. 1, 2013, in Manassas, Va.

Nathan T. Southworth ’61 on May 27

in Easton, Md.

Peter F. Laube ’65 on June 16 in

70s

Bloomfield, N.Y.

Gail L. Kittleson ’65 on Jan. 12 in

Canton, Ohio.

Thomas Hynds ’71 writes that while

David F. Moltz ’66 on June 19, 2011,

in Syracuse, N.Y.

Thomas E. Kelleher ’67 on Aug. 25,

2010, in Spicer, Minn.

Gary G. Warren ’67 on July 28 in

East Baldwin, Maine.

R. Karl McKinnon ’68 on June 2 in

DeWitt, N.Y.

Gary F. Santorelli ’68 on Nov. 17,

2009, in Syracuse, N.Y.

Charles I. Gridley ’69 on April 26 in

Albany, N.Y.

Sequel | Fall 2016

great to see the story about the yurts in the last Sequel. He mentions that his niece and her family vacation every summer in yurts near Gatineau, Quebec, and they love them. He says that he is still working full-time in New Jersey in accounting and doing lots of curling every week at the Plainfield Curling Club. He also does a lot of cycling in the summer on old tow paths by the Millstone and Delaware rivers. He says being out there is like vacationing every weekend! He wishes the best to all Smittys, be they young or old!

transitioning from military life to civilian life can be difficult, the transition from military life to college life can be even more challenging. People who have served have experiences that are unique to their time in the military. “I needed a ‘re-entry’ mode to help me get positioned for my life as a civilian and a student,” Hynds writes. “When I was separated from active duty in 1969, I knew I wanted to go to college and the GI Bill allowed me to go to school without financial hardship. I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do, but I knew I needed to attend a school that cared for its students and helped

them through their studies. I had fished and hunted, camped and hiked growing up, so I knew the solitude of the outdoors was a place I could feel at ease and start my new life. As soon as I saw PSC I knew I found my home. I started my first semester in the summer of 1969. I soon learned that not only the school was where I needed to be, I discovered how the professors all cared about each student and helped us much more than my civilian friends at large universities and colleges were helped. At that time there was a Veterans Club on campus which was very active and allowed us to interact with fellow vets, help each other with our studies and navigate becoming a civilian. I graduated PSC in the summer of 1971 and, while I never continued my forestry studies, the two years I spent at PSC were the building blocks for my educational career and my subsequent 41 years in the pharmaceutical research industry. PSC gave me the start and I did the rest. I will always love my time at PSC, contribute to the school, encourage other students to attend PSC and return as often as I can. It was, and still is, just what I needed at the time.” Michael Matoushek ’71 says he retired

from making American Girl furniture and is now visiting with his grandchildren and has been hunting and fishing.

William A. Cook ’72 writes that after 39

years with the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, he has retired as a forester. He will now concentrate on fishing and golfing in beautiful northern Idaho. He thanks PSC for a great education! James A. Martin ’74 has been work-

ing for Colorado’s Department of Natural Resources in its Division of Water Resources in Greeley, Colo. He invites any alumni visiting Colorado to call him at (970) 3528712 ext. 1211. He is still fishing and hunting and camping, but still busy at work. He wishes the best to the Class of 1974 and for those who are retired. Stephen Mackey ’77 recalls that walk-

ways weren’t shoveled in those days; they just got packed down by all the students traveling between classes and their dorms. [Ed.’s note: They’re shoveled like clockwork now.] When spring finally came, the packed snow melted and cracked, “kind of like a glacier, and when you looked down, way down at the bottom of the crevasse you could see water running. The snow pack had built up so slowly that you didn’t realize how high up you were from the real side-

walk – something like 4 feet down! Also, as you are all well aware, spring doesn’t come to Paul Smith’s until early May.” Deborah Naybor ’77 joined the college’s

environmental studies faculty after owning a land surveying business for more than 30 years. She writes: “I went to Paul Smith’s College for forestry, graduating in 1977 with the confidence that I could be successful in a career I would love. PSC gave me many gifts but, most important of all, my time there created a strong work ethic and an ability to problem-solve that took me literally around the world and back. I became a licensed land surveyor and ran my own firm for over 30 years, hiring many PSC grads as I knew they would have the same reliability and skill set that makes a great employee. I started a nonprofit that provides training and funding for economic development in some of the poorest countries in the world. And then I came home to Paul Smith’s to join the incredible faculty and give back to the place that shaped my entire life. Paul Smith’s is my ‘heart home,’ the place where I feel part of an amazing community that works hard to make our world a better place. If you are human, life isn’t always easy, but

Trail markers DEATHS John “Jack” P. Asure ’70 on July 24 in

Saylorsburgh, Pa.

Dorothy LeBlanc ’70 on May 13 in

Hilton Head Island, S.C.

Gary J. Klenovic ’71 on May 13 in

Harpursville, N.Y.

Robert Kruckel ’73 on May 12 in

Southampton, N.Y.

Leonard M. McGuire ’73 on August 8,

2004, in Bristol, Conn.

Daniel M. Carroll ’73 on June 25 in

Canadensis, Pa.

Garrett E. Jones ’75 on June 22, 2015,

in Cicero, N.Y.

Anne L. Strayer ’76 on May 2 in

Hamilton, Mass.

Michael F. Wheeler ’77 on June 5 in

Rockville, Md.

Cathy L. McLellan ’78 on January 18 in

Dorset, Vt.

Richard A. Bunnell ’81 on May 25 in

Litchfield, Conn.

Pennsylvannia Alumni Picnic / More than 30 alumni, family and friends reconnected with Paul Smith’s and each other at an picnic at the Shikellamy State Park in Pennsylvania, along the banks of the Susquehanna River, on June 25. Renee Burslem, the college’s senior advancement officer, and Randy Sadlon ’80, the incoming president of the PSC Alumni Association, addressed the PA Smitties alumni group. It was the group’s first event, but it likely won’t be the last: The group vowed to repeat it annually.

Mark E. Nelmes ’85 on Dec. 23, 2014,

in Brunswick, Maine.

Eileen M. (Rumsey ’85) Shepard Matacale on June 28 in Andover, N.Y. Daniel A. Kemmerer ’89 on April 15

in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Akiko Morri ’92 on June 19 in

Millbury, Mass.

RICHARD LEWIS ’63

Sequel | Fall 2016

[ CLASS NOTES ]

EET Reunion > Mike Rechlin ’66 organized a reunion of alumni and faculty members of the Ecology and Environmental Technology (EET) program, which marked its 40th anniversary this year. They gathered at the Countess Alicia Spaulding-Paolozzi Environmental Science and Education Center during Reunion 2016.

what I learned at this special place taught me to never give up. The education at PSC is much deeper than earning a degree and I’m honored to be able to work with my students as they start their own amazing journey into their future.”

Vincent J. Cordi ’85 was looking forward

Justin H. Kennick ’78 is still working

90s

full-time at Old Sturbridge Village in Massachusetts. His lovely wife, Marge Bruchac, is still teaching at UPenn. Theresa St. Mary ‘79 has finally retired

after 31 years with Publix Supermarkets in Florida. She has been traveling and finally enjoying life. Best wishes to all the Hotel Saranac alumni and Dorm 8 gang.

80s

Robert D. Munn ’82 and Juliet (Hill ’85) Hill-Munn are celebrating 34 years of mar-

riage this year. They have four grandchildren. Kathy (Roth) Bomyea ’85 says that she

has been living in Conway, S.C., which is just outside of Myrtle Beach, for the past 20 years. She has been working as an office manager at a local school. She and her husband, Tony, will be taking a trip to upstate New York this summer to celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary. She says she hopes to stop by PSC to see what is new!

Sequel | Fall 2016

10s

looking at out at the lake drinking coffee, and most importantly, our favorite, sea kayaking & cross country skiing trips with our intro classes for the degree program. Finally, a few days after Valentine’s Day, after MONTHS of talking, I looked at him and was like, ‘Are you going to make your move or what?!’ and the rest is history :-) We lived on campus for the rest of the semester and in May got our own place in Lake Clear and have been together ever since. He worked for St. Regis Canoe Outfitters and I worked in activities at the Whiteface Lodge (I designed their Kamp Kanu program as my externship). We moved to Florida after graduation, then Oregon, then restored an old travel trailer, did a month-long cross country road trip with my brother, Kurt Bramer – also a RATE graduate – and ended up back in the Adirondacks! Ben is the sales manager and loss prevention coordinator for Dick’s Sporting Goods, and I’m an event coordinator at the Adirondack Winery. We are soooo happy to be back in the ADK!!! It would be nice to make our way back up to the boreal north someday but we are happy here for now. Life is good!”

ding date was Feb. 19, 2016, (on our 7th anniversary!!!) at Brown’s Brewing in Troy, N.Y. We were both in the RATE program and had many classes together. We spent a lot of time talking and getting to know one another on hikes, talking for hours in the dining hall

Colin Jansen ’13 writes that while entering Paul Smith’s was as much of a whirlwind as entering any college, Paul Smith’s is much better than any other. “From hands on learning to the people you’ll meet, you’ll know your home, because when they hand you that degree, you won’t want to leave,” he writes.

to the 2016 Reunion, where he hoped to see many familiar faces and friends. It’s the 40th anniversary of the EET program, so let the SWAMPIES return. Mike Rechlin ’66 and Pat Flath were around and some special activities were held for EET grads.

Thomas Gliddi ’90 is a forest ranger with

the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. He was honored at the Franklin County Traffic Safety Board Annual Awards in May for proactive enforcement with off-road recreationists and continued protection of state lands in Franklin County. The awards ceremony was held at Paul Smith’s College. Lucienne (Witkowski ’93) and Todd LaLonde ’93 were expecting a baby in

early May.

Jennalee (Bramer ’10), who married Benjamin Lukacs ’10, writes, “Our wed-

Sequel | Fall 2016

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[ PARTING SHOT ]

Missing Links For

all the things you can do at the VIC, golf isn’t on the list. (Though the college does have a golf team again.) Yet for decades, Paul Smith’s Hotel guests played at the St. Regis Golf Club, part of which occupied land now traversed by the VIC’s Silvi trail. In this 1943 photo, Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC) trainees play the course, which straddled Keese Mills Road. The clubhouse in the background isn’t standing any longer, but wood from it was salvaged for the Forestry Club Cabin’s back porch.

JOAN WEILL ADIRONDACK LIBRA

»D o you have a Paul Smith’srelated photo, artifact or other item with a story behind it? Share! Drop a line to marketing@paulsmiths.edu.

RY ARCHIVES