The Geneseo Scene

Summer 2011

geneseo scene

A magazine for alumni, parents and friends of SUNY Geneseo

Roots of Success Geneseo’s Goldwater Scholars

Brainpower: The science behind your best memories

A final semester in photos • A center for transformation

geneseo Summer 2011

scene CONTENTS

FEATURES 8

The roots of their success Students from Geneseo have a rich history of earning one of the most distinguished science awards in the nation. Our Goldwater scholars reflect on how their undergraduate experiences shaped their lives.

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Journeys of transformation Our most defining experiences happen outside of the classroom and outside of our comfort zones. An ambitious new initiative provides students with real-world collaboration and life-changing moments.

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17 weeks Photographer Keith Walters ’11 captures memories of a final spring semester at Geneseo.

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The highest honor Hollywood A-lister Glenn Gordon Caron ’75 blazed his own path in film and TV. The college honors his contributions with the first Medal of Distinction.

DEPARTMENTS 3 25 32

One College Circle Alumni News Class Notes

COLUMNS 2 7 20 22 24

President’s Message Letters to the Editor Athletics Perspectives Random Profile: One Cup

Cover art: ©iStockphoto.com/Dan Leap Table of contents photography: Keith Walters ’11

Late-night on Main Street is a Geneseo tradition. Students gather at Mama Mia’s at 2 a.m. on a Friday.

Postmaster: Please address changes to the Collins Alumni Center, McClellan House, SUNY Geneseo, 1 College Circle, Geneseo, NY 14454-1484.

Third-class postage paid at Rochester, NY 14606

geneseo

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Vol. 37, No. 1; Summer 2011

“This is what we do …”

scene

The Geneseo Scene is published

by SUNY Geneseo, Division of College Advancement, Office of College Communications.

Christopher C. Dahl, President Michael J. Catillaz, Vice President for College Advancement Anthony T. Hoppa, Assistant Vice President for College Communications Kris Dreessen, Editor Carole Smith Volpe ’91, Art Director Contributing writers: Terry Bazzett Lisa M. Feinstein Anthony T. Hoppa David Irwin Peter Wayner ’11

Alumni Relations Office Rose G. Anderson, Assistant Vice President of Alumni Relations Michelle Walton Worden ’92, Associate Director of Alumni Relations Tracy Young Gagnier ’93, Assistant Director of Alumni Relations Francis E. Zablocki, Online Community Manager Alumni Relations Office at Collins Alumni Center McClellan House SUNY Geneseo 1 College Circle Geneseo, NY 14454-1484 Phone: (585) 245-5506 Fax: (585) 245-5505 alumni@geneseo.edu

Parent Relations Office Tammy Ingram ’88, Director of Parent Relations

t a time when hard economic realities dominate the news, Geneseo holds fast to the transformative power of a liberal arts education. And never before has there been a greater need to exercise it. Our courage and our willingness to think big — the very qualities that have guided this college since its founding — have not diminished in the face of multiple challenges.

In fact, quite the opposite is true. Those traits are at work in a major new initiative that harnesses many of the forces that make a Geneseo education so special and powerful. As you will read on page 13, the Center for Inquiry, Discovery and Leadership takes our tradition of innovation to a new level and underscores the importance of investing in students’ lives to shape the future.

Imagine an academic experience that extends the challenge of the classroom into the dynamic and demanding work environment — in the U.S. and abroad — where learning takes place in hospitals, schools or corporate office buildings that demand hands-on involvement and collaborative thinking.

Add to that an organizational structure that fully integrates traditional academics with student development. By fostering partnerships among faculty, staff, students and professional mentors, the center will provide life-changing opportunities. the very qualities that have Think of the many benefits afforded to students who guided this college since its serve as Geneseo’s ambassadors in fields such as leaderfounding — have not diminship, entrepreneurship, scientific research, the arts — virtuished in the face of multiple ally anything — and all supported by competitive grants to challenges.” pursue their passions through a variety of projects.

Such a concept truly brings all facets of a Geneseo education together. The center will be a catalyst that allows our students to excel, in their own unique ways, thereby fulfilling our mission to educate the whole person.

In this current climate of fiscal uncertainty, there has never been a greater need for entrepreneurial solutions to help secure Geneseo’s future. The Center for Inquiry, Discovery and Leadership will strategically align resources to help Geneseo students leverage their talents and achieve their greatest potential.

This already happens on a smaller scale, reflected in a variety of student accomplishments spanning academic programs and departments. For example, biochemistry major Ben Peterson ’12, who hails from Wisconsin, is the latest Geneseo student to be honored with the prestigious Goldwater Scholarship for scientists. As our 15th Goldwater scholar (see page 8), Ben continues an impressive Geneseo tradition and becomes a role model for future students.

Certainly, this year has tested Geneseo’s creative, can-do spirit but with your continued support, it will never falter.

We resolve to provide outstanding experiences that produce real-life results for our students, regardless of shifting economic circumstances and changing headlines.

That is what we have always done — and what we will always do.

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“Our courage and our willingness to think big —

Erwin 202

Cordially,

Phone: (585) 245-5570

Contact the Scene at scene@geneseo.edu.

Christopher C. Dahl

Visit the website at www.geneseo.edu/geneseo_scene Phone: (585) 245-5516

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PHOTO BY KEITH WALTERS ’11

One College Circle

Survive the zombie hordes!

Sean Endress ’13, a psychology major, stands guard against the dead during a battle of the game Humans vs. Zombies on the College Green.

A moderated game of tag that was started at Goucher College in 2005, Humans vs. Zombies is played on campuses around the world and at Geneseo in fall and spring.

Humans must ward off zombies with fake swords and Nerf toys. If a zombie touches Sean, he must switch his arm band to a head band and join the fracas as a brain-eater.

Read more about the game at http://humansvszombies.org

CAMPUS NEWS

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Turn the tassels!

Lessons from leaders Student wins government grant News in brief Summer 2011

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ONE COLLEGE CIRCLE

CAMPUS NEWS

PHOTO BY BRIAN BENNETT

Graduates received their degrees during Geneseo's 145th commencement May 14 in the Ira S. Wilson Ice Arena.

Class of 2011 celebrates, says farewell Class of 2011 President Lindsay Pundt says her experience at Geneseo has taught her the beauty of perseverance and that the reward is always on the way.

“I will miss it all,” she says. “… It’s definitely a bittersweet feeling to be leaving a place I’ve called home for the past four years.”

Pundt celebrated her graduation — and said farewell — with approximately 1,200 new alumni in two identical ceremonies May 14 at the Ira S. Wilson Ice Arena.

Graduate students in accounting, education, and communicative disorders and sciences celebrated their achievement at a separate ceremony May 7.

Commencement speaker Jeffrey J. Clarke ’83 addressed students about “Choices for the 4

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Next Decade.”

“Jeff has had an extraordinary career in business and finance, and he understands the challenging global environment our CLARKE graduates will enter,” says President Christopher C. Dahl. “He is a wonderful example of the power of a Geneseo liberal arts education. He shared with the graduates a compelling message about life and education, as they will follow in his footsteps as Geneseo alumni.”

Clarke is CEO and president

of Travelport, a broad-based business services company serving the travel industry and corporations worldwide.

During his 26 years of strategic, financial BANISTER and operational experience with hightech firms, he has served as executive vice president at Hewlett-Packard and chief financial officer at Compaq. He serves on several boards of directors, including The Geneseo Foundation, Orbitz Worldwide and the World Travel and Tourism Council.

At the graduate degree commencement, Rev. Iris Banister MS ’70, an accomplished author and motivational speaker, spoke on “Success Comes in CANS.” Banister served the Rochester, N.Y., school district in various roles for more than 32 years and has won numerous awards for her volunteerism and expertise.

The college also conferred an honorary doctor of humane letters degree upon author and poet J. D. “Sandy” McClatchy, a professor of English at Yale University, president of the American Academy of Arts and Letters and the leading opera librettist of his generation. He delivered Geneseo’s Phi Beta Kappa lecture in 2009.

— Kris Dreessen

Success 101

Alumnae share lessons about leadership Jackie Dycke Norris ’92 did such an outstanding job as President Obama’s senior adviser for the Iowa caucus campaign during the election that First Lady Michelle Obama chose her to be her chief of staff.

Norris soon moved into the position of senior adviser at the Corporation for National and Community Service. Now a consultant, she is launching A Billion+Change, an initiative by the nation’s business community to augment corporate philanthropy with pro bono resources.

On March 2, she returned to campus as the keynote speaker at the third annual Women in Leadership Conference.

Eight alumnae in fields as varied as media, finance, corporate consulting and college athletics discussed challenges confronting women serving in leadership roles.

“As I forged through my journey in politics, there’s a lot of lessons I learned along the way,” says Norris. “I think it’s important to share the lessons you learn about leadership, about the work/family balance, about getting ahead with other people.”

In previous years, the conference has welcomed back Erika Rottenberg ’84, vice president, general counsel and secretary of LinkedIn, the world’s largest professional networking compa-

PHOTO BY BRIAN BENNETT

A positive attitude and willingness to take risks are a few lessons Jackie Dycke Norris ’92 has learned in her career. She and other alumnae spoke about finding success at Geneseo’s Women in Leadership conference.

ny, and Laurie Baker ’85, senior vice president and chief operating officer of Summit Federal Credit Union in Rochester, N.Y. The conference is one of dozens of events each year at which alumni mentor students.

As the keynote speaker, Norris emphasized the impor-

tance of a positive attitude, the need to get involved and take risks, and the firm belief that women must stick together. Ultimately, she says, it’s “all about helping women find their voice to engage in the broader world around them.”

— Peter Wayner ’11

Study abroad

Exploring beyond our borders in Turkey From Bob Viglietta’s classroom in Ankara, he was only a day’s bus journey away from the European Union or the Iraq border. It’s Turkey’s unique position — as a bridge between Europe and Asia and a culture that has such a rich history — that intrigues him.

Viglietta ’12, a political science and sociology major, recently finished his junior year studying abroad at Hacettepe University in Ankara. This summer, he will immerse himself in the Turkish community as one of a highly selective group of students chosen for a Critical Language Scholarship.

The U.S. Department of State offers all-expense-paid, intensive training in 17 foreign countries whose languages are considered critical for defense, business and other world issues.

Viglietta says his selection demonstrates that Geneseo students are extremely competitive for such distinguished programs. The key is to work consistently toward your goals.

“The honor is great but the lesson is greater,” he says.

During his seven-week

scholarship, Viglietta will live with a family in Izmir, Turkey’s third-largest city, and attend a university.

Viglietta is the third Geneseo student to win the prestigious scholarship. In 2009, Mark Simeone ’10 received a scholarship to study in Russia and Jim

Kuras ’09 studied in Turkey.

There has long been faculty support for such opportunities, says Cynthia Klima, associate professor of languages and literatures. She worked with all three students on their applications and guided Kuras on a Turkish language independent study.

“The entire languages and literatures faculty takes pride in, and is very proud of Bob and the exceptional accomplishments of its alumni,” says Rose McEwen, associate professor and chair of languages and literatures. Languages alumni also have recently won Fulbright grants and were hired by the governments of Spain, Chile and France for teaching posts.

— Kris Dreessen Bob Viglietta ’12 is studying in Turkey on a U.S. State Department grant.

PHOTO PROVIDED

Summer 2011

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ONE COLLEGE CIRCLE

NEWS IN BRIEF covering academics, cost of attendance and financial aid.

Students lend a hand in local towns Students’ love of community service spurred this year’s Geneseo Goes to Town event, in which students lent a hand in all 17 towns and nine villages in Livingston County.

It is the newest initiative that builds on the college’s tradition of community partnership. Teams of students maintained trails, supported library book sales and performed other services.

Last year, Geneseo students spent a total of nearly 79,000 hours — the equivalent of nine years — volunteering in diverse areas.

Student presents research on Capitol Hill PHOTO BY KEITH WALTERS ’11

Victory! Geneseo players run to celebrate with teammates after winning the SUNYAC basketball championship. It’s the team’s fourth title. Geneseo hosted the first two rounds of the NCAA Division III Tournament, losing in the second round.

Geneseo hockey: 1,000 games and counting In 1974, Geneseo Club Ice Hockey members played their first game and started a beloved tradition.

In February, fans packed the Ira S. Wilson Ice Arena to cheer the Ice Knights on as they ushered in a milestone — the college’s 1,000th hockey game. The college also celebrated as Head Coach Chris Schultz ’97 earned SUNYAC Coach of the Year honors.

Hockey became a Geneseo intercollegiate sport in 1975-76.

Over the years, students and supporters have led cheering sections and pep bands. The games are a staple of extracurricular life.

“The four years I spent at Geneseo were the best four years of my life,” says former 6

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player Mitch Stephens ’07, a first-team All-American forward. “I loved the hockey, the university, the town — just a great experience that I will cherish forever.”

College honors alumnus killed in war on terror Members of the college community and the family of Lt. Mohsin Naqvi ’05 gathered on March 9 to honor Geneseo’s only known graduate NAQVI ’05 killed in the war on terror.

Naqvi, a combat medic and Urdu interpreter, was killed in September 2008 on active U.S. Army duty in Afghanistan.

The college paid tribute to him with memorial ceremonies in March and the presentation of two plaques: one to be mounted in Milne Library in Naqvi's memory and one given to Naqvi's family.

Naqvi emigrated from Pakistan with his family and became an American citizen at age 16. He posthumously received the Combat Infantry Badge, the Bronze Star with Valor and the Purple Heart.

Geneseo bolsters national reputation The Princeton Review has again named Geneseo one of the nation’s top 50 “Best Value” public colleges and universities.

The college has consistently been included on the list, which features 50 public and 50 private colleges and universities, evaluated on criteria

David O’Donnell ’12 was among just 74 college students from across the nation who presented their research on Capitol Hill and discussed it with U.S. senators and representatives as part of the Council on Undergraduate Research’s annual Posters on the Hill event in the spring.

O’Donnell’s work examined the development of FIGHT (Freedom, Integration, God, Honor, Today), O’DONNELL ’12 founded in Rochester, N.Y., in the 1960s, and how FIGHT demonstrated key themes of the Black Power movement in organizing.

Last year, he used a Geneseo Foundation Undergraduate Summer Research Fellowship to study the Black Power Movement in Rochester.

LETTERS

Letters to the Editor We want to hear from you! The Scene welcomes feedback and encourages discussion of higher-education issues, content and your thoughts about Geneseo. Send letters, which may be edited for space, to scene@geneseo.edu or to the Scene editor, SUNY Geneseo, Roemer House, 1 College Circle, Geneseo, NY 14454.

Gratitude from Japan Thank you, Geneseo, for all the kind words and warm thoughts for Japan following the tsunami. It was a big surprise and a great encouragement. People from Geneseo — professors, friends — have all sent emails and their hearts. On Facebook, I saw activities organized on campus by students and off campus by alumni.

I loved Geneseo but now I realized why I loved it. The school has such nice people and educates students to be like that. I am proud of SUNY Geneseo and love it much more than ever.

I am living in Tokyo, so I didn’t get much trouble.

Lots of people lost their towns, homes, families — everything. Your prayers, thoughts and love — everything will be our power.

Thank you again, from the bottom of my heart.

— Akiko Shimojima ’00 Late faculty member inspired in many ways When I was a student, assistant professor Harry L. Welshofer taught Latin American and medieval histories. He was above all a teacher, though he wore his erudition lightly.

I didn’t learn much medieval history from Harry.

He gave me a C, but he was able to make me a passable

sailor and taught me how to cook a 2-inch-thick steak. But I learned a lot more as well.

By example, he taught subjects that were more ineffable.

If Harry enjoyed life fully, he also lived a good life. He was a serious teacher who didn’t take himself seriously. He was a model of integrity and treated everyone with respect. He knew how to listen. He clearly lived with joy. I don’t think I have been anywhere nearly as successful at living as he was and he would probably give me another C. Geneseo was, and I hope still is, a place where crossing the social barrier between faculty and student was not that difficult. Sometimes it was possible to go beyond the usual invitation to a faculty member’s backyard barbecue and develop a serious friendship. If you were really fortunate, that friendship could last a lifetime. I continue to be grateful that I had that opportunity with Harry.

— Gregory M. Talcott ’68 Alum uses professor’s teachings I enjoyed the recent article about Norwood “PJ” Pennewell ’80, a noted Garth Fagan Dance member. It was especially nice that he remembered Nona Schurman, assistant professor emerita, who taught at Geneseo in the 1970s.

My major was speech communication, not dance, but I took her modern dance classes because I enjoy movement exploration. Nona was ahead of her time in 1973. She explored many principles of body movement, including elements of pilates, yoga and relaxation response. She began and ended each class with life lessons. Her teaching methods encompassed the dancer as a whole being. She revealed to us, over time, highlights of her amazing life as a dancer and teacher.

I saw Nona nearly 20 years later at a dance performance of “Shakers” at Geneseo. I shared with her that I use her warm-up exercises in the pool when I lead water exercise classes for seniors. We explore life lessons along with body movement, just as Nona did.

Nona’s unique teaching style continues on, many years later.

— Patrice Lockhart ’76 Geneseo tugs heartstrings 30 years later I attended Geneseo from 1976-1981. If you were there then and saw a guy on a unicycle, it was probably me. My best memory is cycling across the tundra during the ’77 blizzard, trying to get back to my room. The pavement was clear but the gale-force wind had me leaning waaaay over. I was always in either the computer

lab in the basement of Erwin or The Lamron office anytime I wasn’t asleep or in class. If I got off campus, I often went to Letchworth, usually to research the Genesee Valley Canal and its abandoned tunnel, now home to a bazillion bats. Does anyone remember the disco bar on Court Street?

At the end of each term, we all had fun reading — or putting together — The Normal.

I’ve since earned a master’s degree, but I don’t hold any dear heartstrings for that place. They’re all attached to Geneseo, still.

— Stuart Strickland ’81 Correction: In the winter 2011 profile of Norwood “PJ” Pennewell ’80, longtime Geneseo Assistant Professor of Dance Emerita Nona Schurman was incorrectly identified. Ms. Schurman encouraged Pennewell to try out for Garth Fagan’s dance company. We regret the error.

Summer 2011

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Geneseo’s Goldwater scholars say their undergraduate opportunities gave them the foundation to become world-class researchers, innovators and celebrated teachers.

By Kris Dreessen en Peterson ’12 is entering his senior year with two years of research examining plant proteins and neuron function already under his belt.

This summer, he’s expanding his perspective on how nature works in his first internship, at the University of Buffalo, exploring how the tiny C. elegans worm senses and how its tiny neurons fire.

Such research could lead to a better understanding of how the human brain functions.

He also has earned one of the nation’s most prestigious scholarships for aspiring scientists — the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Program award.

The scholarship commemorates the late Arizona senator by awarding $7,500 to select college students who will pursue careers in the physical sciences, mathematics and engineering, thus ensuring a source of highly qualified professionals in those fields.

Peterson is the latest — and 15th Geneseo student since The professors at Geneseo had 1991 who has won the scholarship.

“The achievements of our Goldwater scholars in their academic a very profound impact on me. work and as leaders in society highlight the talents of our When I left Geneseo, I felt like students and reflect what a Geneseo education offers,” says I had all of the tools I needed to Carol Long, provost and vice president of academic affairs. “From their first day on campus, our students are invited to engage with be the person I wanted to be. their faculty and student colleagues to explore real problems and Geneseo is one of the best to answer big questions.” decisions I ever made in my whole Mastering fundamentals of solid research early at Geneseo, Peterson says, helped him win that first internship. “There are life. It really impacts everything.” a lot of opportunities to get experience like this early on at — Amy Cocina, M.D. ’99, Geneseo,” says Peterson, who aspires to become a university Vassar Brothers Medical Center professor.

In their careers, Geneseo’s Goldwater scholars have gone on to help put their alma mater on the map for 20 years with their innovative ideas and global reputations.

Brian DeMarco ’96, a world-class scientist of ultracold quantum gases, helped discover a new form of matter in 1999, just three years after graduating from Geneseo. As an associate professor of physics at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, DeMarco leads groundbreaking studies that can lead to innovations in technology and energy conservation. (Read his profile on page 10.)

Without a doubt, say DeMarco and the other Goldwater scholars, the same opportunities Peterson has found at Geneseo are responsible for providing a foundation for their own success.

“Looking back on my life and the opportunities Geneseo gave me, I wouldn’t change a thing,” says Dr. Michael Duff ’97, a radiation oncologist at Cancer Care of Western New York. “I can’t imagine a better education.”

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Geneseo’s Goldwater Scholars

The Roots of Th

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Making their mark In 1991, Rebecca Surman ’93 was the first Geneseo student to win a Goldwater award.

She discovered her calling working beside Distinguished Teaching Professor of Physics Stephen Padalino in the charged particle accelerator lab and later earned a summer internship at Argonne National Laboratory, one of the U.S. Department of Energy's oldest and largest national centers for science and engineering research.

Ultimately, she chose to be a professor of physics and astronomy at Union College, where she works exclusively with undergraduate students studying how the heaviest elements such as gold and platinum are formed.

An author of dozens of publications who lectures throughout North America and Europe, Surman won Union College’s 2007 Stillman Prize for Teaching — chosen by students.

The most recent Geneseo Goldwater alumni is Jessica Gucwa ’07, who is pursuing a doctorate in cellular and molecular medicine at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. The program more directly links the advances Gucwa and other researchers are making in killing leukemia cells in the lab with patient treatment.

“It bridges the gap between clinical medicine and basic science research,” says Gucwa, who began leukemia research on an internship as a Geneseo student.

“It’s a newer approach to things. You get more of the whole picture.”

Geneseo’s Goldwater scholars excelled in biology, biochemistry, math and physics at Geneseo — and all have established equally impressive resumes.

Each has earned an advanced degree in mathematics, medicine or a physical science, distinguishing themselves in varied fields.

The group includes physicians and researchers who specialize in disease prevention and treatment. Heart specialists and veterinarians. Celebrated teachers at

colleges and universities who are tackling America’s science education gap.

Esteemed researchers examining elements and matter that advance technology and affect all life on Earth. (Find out where they are on page 12.)

Scott Meckler ’06 followed an entirely different direction to become a marketing maven at one of the world’s largest online printing companies.

Though Meckler was a math major at Geneseo, he explored as many areas as he could — taking music, creative writing, philosophy and language.

Studying such diverse topics gave him the ability, he says, to see the world with a new perspective. That liberal arts foundation was vital after he earned a master’s degree in theoretical mathematics and then switched gears to private industry — in an entirely new career.

“Everything felt like it started to come together,” says Meckler, marketing analyst at Vistaprint. “If I had just taken math, I’m not sure I would have seen that so much. The value of the liberal arts education is that you not only see connections, you start to form connections.”

••• The foundation of success Why do Geneseo students have such a rich track record of Goldwater success? It begins with talent, says Distinguished Teaching

heir Success ARTWORK BY ©ISTOCKPHOTO.COM/DAN LEAP

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PHOTO PROVIDED BY THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT URBANA-CHAMPAIGN

Brian DeMarco ’96 Ultracold science pioneer Higher degrees: Ph.D., University of Colorado-Boulder, physics National Research Council post-doctoral fellowship — National Institute of Standards and Technology Position: Associate professor of physics at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and director of the cold-atom quantum simulation research group.

As a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Colorado-Boulder, DeMarco and his advisor JILA Fellow Deborah Jin produced the world’s first fermionic degenerate gas of atoms — a new form of matter in which atoms behave like waves.

The discovery provided new ways physicists can study and understand superconductors — materials that can operate at temperatures around the boiling point of nitrogen, or minus 320 fahrenheit.

The journal Science named the achievement among the top 10 science discoveries of 1999. DeMarco was 25.

“It made me realize that you can accomplish very new things as a scientist,” says DeMarco. “Nothing is really out of reach.”

A world-class researcher in the field of ultracold quantum gases, DeMarco continues his groundbreaking studies on the physics of superconducting materials at the University of Illinois at UrbanaChampaign.

High-temperature superconductors are used in MRI machines and are beginning to be used to transport electricity more efficiently, but mysteries abound about how they work, says DeMarco. Figuring out how they can operate at even higher temperatures may be a catalyst for better use of superconductors in technology and society to address energy conservation and needs, says DeMarco.

His team is one of a handful of labs in the United States and Europe that cools ultra-cold atom gases to a billionth of a degree above absolute zero and traps them in a crystal made of light to study their properties.

“That’s colder than even the farthest reaches of interstellar space, which is the coldest thing we know about in the universe,” says DeMarco, who lectures throughout North America and Europe.

“These experiments are at the leading edge of what people can do.”

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watch a video and read more about DeMarco’s work go.geneseo.edu/LiveScience

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Professor of Biology Robert O’Donnell.

During his 24 years at Geneseo, he has taught thousands of students and collaborated with more than 120 on cancer-related and other research studies. He never fails to be impressed. In an intimate liberal arts environment, he says faculty can provide students with opportunities often reserved for graduate students at larger institutions.

“We get a lot of outstanding students who are able to really stand out in a brilliant way and get support to pursue the Goldwater Scholarship, go to esteemed labs, and be competitive at a national level,” says O’Donnell. “It’s a mixture of opportunity for undergraduate research and the students’ innate ability to do that type of work.”

The college’s commitment to the student experience is evident in its steady investment through the years, including $53 million to build the state-of-the-art Integrated Science Center.

Last year, The Geneseo Foundation helped to fund more than 300 research grants, 372 scholarships, 132 student awards, leadership seminars and a variety of other initiatives — across all disciplines.

Kathryn Weiss ’02 used a Foundation travel award to develop her passion for neuroscience. She first examined growth of glial cells of the rat brain with O’Donnell, and when a leading neuroscience researcher delivered a lecture on campus, she aimed high. The award allowed her to secure a spot on the lecturer’s team in the United Kingdom, studying neuron regeneration in fish.

“Every opportunity builds on the next one,” says Weiss, a veterinarian who is pursuing advanced training in animal neurology.

According to Geneseo’s Goldwater scholars, this level of support — providing opportunities for practical experience outside class early in a student’s education — is key.

Through their experiences, they built on their skills and knowledge and found their niche. Looking back, the scholars say it wasn’t the equations they solved or the samples they examined that defined them.

It was the professors.

“The professors pushed me to strive to be the very best I can be,” says Duff.

They are masters at identifying how to engage undergraduate students in research in meaningful ways, says DeMarco.

And their gentle guidance inspired, says Amy Cocina ’99.

••• Giving back, in the Geneseo tradition At Geneseo, Cocina says Professor Harold Hoops gave just the right balance of knowledge, guidance and freedom to build her confidence so she could reach her own best decisions.

She can’t imagine her life now, without that mentoring.

“He helped me really believe in myself,” says Cocina. “ …

When I left Geneseo, I felt like I had all the tools to be whoever I wanted to be ... and I felt very prepared.”

Cocina still draws upon Hoops’ soft-handed approach as an internist at a Poughkeepsie, N.Y., hospital. She takes pride in teaching patients about their conditions, so they can confidently make the extremely tough decisions. (Read her profile on page 11.)

“That style has influenced how I help people come to grips about their conditions or make decisions about their care,” she says.

Surman, DeMarco, Summer Raines ’03 and Matthew Fleming ’04 have chosen to give the next generation of scientists the same outstanding education they received at Geneseo.

Amy Cocina, M.D. ’99 Thoughtful patient care Higher degrees: Princeton University, master of arts The Mt. Sinai School of Medicine, doctor of medicine Position: Internist at Vassar Brothers Medical Center, Poughkeepsie, N.Y.

PHOTO BY JOHN SUMROW/UNIVERSITY OF NEW MEXICO

Summer Raines ’03 Bridging the science education gap Higher degrees: University of Wisconsin-Madison, doctorate in biochemistry Position: Post-doctoral fellow at the University of New Mexico

Summer Raines ’03 cut her teeth in teaching as a chemistry and biochemistry assistant at Geneseo, running review sessions and labs.

“It quickly became something I loved to do,” she says.

As a post-doctoral fellow, Raines is taking the mission of the Goldwater Scholarship to heart. Raines believes the United States is lagging behind many countries in science education and works to encourage more students to enter the field of science.

Raines is a member of the postdoctoral Academic Science Education and Research Training program at the University of New Mexico. This fellowship is fully supported by the National Institutes of Health through its Institutional Research and Academic Career Development Award. The program is designed to get scientists into classrooms and combines traditional laboratory research with a strong teaching component to encourage underrepresented minority students to pursue science as a career.

In the lab, Raines is examining ways to remove virulence genes from Candida albicans, the primary yeast pathogen in humans, to help prevent diseases. She is also preparing to teach in a New Mexico college that predominantly serves Native American students.

Raines also is employing active-learning methods she utilized when organizing science fairs and other outreach while pursuing her doctorate.

“It’s important to show that science is fun and it’s important,” says Raines. “You have to give real-world examples and show them why they should find it interesting and care.”

Ultimately, Raines wants to teach at a college just like Geneseo, where small classes allowed her to form one-on-one relationships with professors.

“Research shows that students who take an active part in their own learning retain more information and are more successful in their post-undergraduate careers,” says Raines.

“I think small colleges like Geneseo are best at fostering this kind of learning atmosphere.”

As an internist at one of the biggest hospitals in the Hudson Valley, Dr. Amy Cocina ’99 cares for patients in all levels of care, from asthma attacks to cancer treatments.

She came to Vassar Brothers Medical Center last summer, after completing a three-year residency in internal medicine at The Mt. Sinai Medical Center, one of the oldest and most distinguished teaching hospitals in the United States.

She began her career at Princeton studying how protein cells in cancer behave, but ultimately chose to use her affinity for teaching and research working in primary care.

“I really love teaching patients about their illnesses and helping them cope and make good decisions,” says Cocina. “I’ve found it so rewarding to be a part of people’s lives and helping families through that.”

As a Geneseo student, Cocina studied the biochemical properties of algae with Professor Harold Hoops, from whom she ultimately found inspiration for her style as a doctor.

“He really listened to me and helped me to make good decisions,” says Cocina. “I can honestly say that I would not be the person I am today without Dr. Hoops. He helped me believe I could do whatever I wanted to do.”

Hoops’ gentle teaching approach stuck with her: She realized on her own what she needed to learn and improve.

Cocina incorporates that style into her patient relationships.

Patients know their bodies best; if she listens, she will find the answer. When she can’t cure them, she knows she can help them make good decisions.

She remembers treating a World War II veteran recently. A fighter all his life, he wasn’t recovering from kidney and heart failures. Cocina worked with him and his family so they were comfortable with the course he chose. He died on his own terms, surrounded by family.

“When you can help someone through something,” says Cocina, “that’s what I live for.”

PHOTO PROVIDED

Summer 2011

11

Geneseo’s Goldwater Scholars …

Where are they now?

• Rebecca Surman ’93 (physics) Associate professor of physics and astronomy at Union College, with a focus on computational nuclear astrophysics.

• Elizabeth Hile ’94 (biochemistry) Assistant professor in the department of physical therapy at the University of Pittsburgh’s School of Health and Rehabilitation Services.

She also is a specialist in neurology.

SURMAN

FLEMING

DEMARCO • Brian DeMarco ’96 (physics) Assistant professor of physics at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, leading groundbreaking research on ultracold quantum gases.

COCINA

• Kurt Schillinger, M.D. ’96 DUFF (biochemistry) Cardiovascular fellow at Penn Cardiovascular Institute.

MECKLER

WEISS

GUCWA

RAINES

PETERSON

• Richele Abel Watkins ’98 (biochemistry) Stay-at-home mother for her two children.

• Kathryn Weiss, D.V.M. ’02 (biology) Veterinarian at Red Bank Veterinary Hospital in Red Bank, N.J. She begins an intensive animal neurology internship at Canada West Veterinary Specialists in Vancouver this summer.

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geneseo scene

• Matthew Fleming ’04 (biochemistry) Completing his doctorate program in cellular and molecular physiology at Yale University and is beginning post-doctoral work at Yale researching potential treatment of the leading genetic cause of mental retardation.

• Daniel Welchons, M.D. ’06 (biochemistry) General surgery intern at Brigham and Women’s Hospital at Harvard Medical School.

• Scott Meckler ’06 (math) Marketing analyst at Vistaprint, a marketing, printing and promotional materials resource to 9 million customers.

• Michael Duff, M.D. ’97 (physics) Radiation oncologist at Cancer Care of Western New York.

• Amy Cocina, M.D. ’99 (biochemistry) Internist at Vassar Brothers Medical Center in Poughkeepsie, N.Y.

• Summer Raines ’03 (biochemistry) National Institutes of Health-supported post-doctoral candidate at the University of New Mexico for a dual component of biochemistry research work and teaching, with a focus on underserved populations.

• Amy Zielinski Becker ’06, M.D. (biology) First-year resident in internal medicine at the University of Rochester Medical Center in Rochester, N.Y.

• Jessica Gucwa ’07 (biochemistry) Doctoral candidate in cellular and molecular medicine at Johns Hopkins Medical Institute graduate center.

• Ben Peterson ’12 (biochemistry) Aspires to become a university professor.

Surman says her experience at Geneseo not only motivated her to choose to teach at an undergraduate institution, but also inspires the way she teaches.

“My experiences at Geneseo have absolutely shaped how I approach my job as an instructor, academic adviser and research supervisor,” says Surman. “I try to model my teaching style after my favorite Geneseo professors, who taught intellectually demanding courses with great passion for their discipline and equally great concern for their students.”

Such desire is contagious.

Fleming will soon defend his doctoral dissertation at Yale University and is continuing to research how a specific type of drug may be able to treat fragile X syndrome, the leading genetic cause of mental retardation.

Fleming aspires to teach cellular and molecular physiology at a research institution, but never considered that path until he came to Geneseo. He says he wants to share the same excitement with students that Geneseo faculty shared with him.

Raines is also preparing for a career in teaching that blends research with outreach to provide better science education for under-represented populations and minorities. (Read her profile on page 11).

••• Potential to make a difference Peterson, Geneseo’s latest Goldwater scholar, isn’t sure what his focus of research will be — cell metabolism or neurobiology. He’s just getting started.

But he knows he wants to teach and to keep asking questions to “contribute to the body of science as a whole.”

That nature of inquiry can be tedious, says DeMarco. He knows the countless hours every scientist spends tightening nuts and bolts for experiments. He also knows the reward.

As a Geneseo student, DeMarco didn’t know he would transform the way the world can study superconducting physics. But he believed he could. He passes that message on to his own students, and, by example, to Geneseo students including Peterson.

“You, as an individual, can really have that opportunity,” says DeMarco. “I tell my students that now … You can really have a big impact — and it can be you who does it.”

:

View more Goldwater photos online go.geneseo.edu/goldwater

ILLUSTRATION BY CHAD J. SHAFFER/STOCK ILLUSTRATION SOURCE

Journeys of transformation Geneseo’s ambitious educational initiative provides students with defining life experiences.

By Kris Dreessen lways fascinated with Russia, Mark Simeone ’10 was first able to study the country’s language at Geneseo.

He explored Moscow for the first time on a summer study-abroad journey with Professor of Political Science and International Relations Robert Goeckel.

Those four weeks started a path of discovery for Simeone.

“The country was so much more complex than I imagined and there are so many different realms of culture, politics and eco-

A

Russia after his junior year. He is now earning his master’s degree at the Center for Russian, Eurasian and East European Studies at Georgetown University, with a certificate in refugee and humanitarian emergencies. He will intern at the U.S. embassy in Moscow this fall.

“I definitely have found my purpose,” says Simeone. “My first experience in Russia in 2008 was transformational for me. Without it, I don't think I would be where I am today. It opened my eyes and my mind to

The experiences expose them to new ideas and ultimately change their understanding of the world — and what consequence they can have in it. nomics,” he says. “Through personal encounters with Russian students and politicians, I realized Russia is a country that will continuously become more important for global politics.”

Those Geneseo experiences helped him earn a U.S. State Department Critical Languages Scholarship to live in southern

so many more possibilities."

Such defining learning experiences — those outside of the traditional class setting and outside of our comfort zones — are the foundation for Geneseo’s new initiative in student development.

The Center for Inquiry, Discovery and Leadership will be a home for students and

faculty to collaborate with individuals and organizations playing critical roles in business, government, industry, the arts and other fields.

The center creates a forum for dynamic sharing of knowledge and learning by bringing professional leaders to campus, and enabling students, in turn, to pursue focused learning opportunities with individuals and organizations — internationally, in economic development, in anything they can imagine.

The experiences expose them to new ideas and ultimately change their understanding of the world — and what consequence they can have in it, says Geneseo Provost Carol Long.

“The center will give our students stellar opportunities to blend real-world experiences and inspirational personal and professional encounters with their rigorous liberal arts education,” says Long. “The center and its support for student engagement will give Geneseo students the insight and edge they need to lead in the 21st century.”

Center initiatives focus on several endowed program areas, including providing student research and internship opportunities and a residency and lecture series that brings successful innovators and leaders to campus. The center also will provide mentoring and assistance for students who apply for Fulbright awards and other highly competitive national and international grants and fellowships.

Student ambassadors also will play an integral role in center programming. They will receive a stipend to pursue projects of their own design that will be the signature experience of their Geneseo education, says Long.

Long will lead the initiative as the college seeks private gifts and contributors to establish endowments that enable opportunities.

A board of advisers, comprised of successful leaders of business, public policy organizations and other fields, will provide counsel and direction.

“The learning and leadership experiences are intellectual, ethical and personal — and that’s what has always made Geneseo special and different,” says President Christopher C. Dahl. “This initiative brings together bright minds of students, faculty and professionals who, in turn, will impact their communities and ultimately, the way we think.”

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13

Class of 2011:

The final semester From her first day on campus, Lindsay Pundt knew Geneseo would leave a lasting impression.

“The people, the atmosphere, the setting — everything fits. It’s going to be hard to let go,” she says.

New traditions. Best friends. Broomball.

Late-night on Main Street. Discussions about politics, literature and life in the wee hours.

Photographer Keith Walters ’11 (at left) captured the moments shared by every Geneseo student, and those that make every student’s “home away from home” unique.

“I have been fortunate enough to capture what will be some of the best times of our lives,” says Keith, a business major with a passion for photography. “You don’t realize how quickly your undergraduate studies pass

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14

geneseo scene

until you are faced with the reality of picking up your cap and gown a month before commencement. Even though the days are getting longer, they feel much shorter.”

S K E WE

Photos by Keith Walters ’11

Members of the men’s basketball team lead a round of cheering for the women’s team, as they win the SUNYAC 2011 championship game at home.

Women’s basketball shows breast cancer awareness.

Josh Carney ’12 and Sawyer Green ’11 build a snowman on the College Green.

Students cheer at the BioOlympics cockroach races.

Summer 2011

15

Students dance at the sold-out spring concert with Ke$ha and 303.

Main Street, 1 a.m.

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Friends host a Sunday brunch in the townhouses.

Royal Lady Knights raise money for Japan earthquake/tsunami relief.

Full moon over Sturges.

The championship broomball game.

Summer 2011

17

Dan Nattell ’11 helps Lauren Kanick ’11 try on her graduation gown in line at Senior Salute Days.

Cramming for final exams in Milne Library, at 10 p.m.

Students savor the warm spring day at Fall Brook.

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geneseo scene

PHOTOS BY BRIAN BENNETT

The walnut base that holds the Medal of Distinction was created exclusively for Geneseo

by Tom Moser ’60, president of Thos. Moser Cabinetmakers.

“People ask me what I learned while I was at Geneseo. I always answer the same way: I learned to be me.”

— Glenn Gordon Caron ’75 PHOTO PROVIDED

Writer, producer and director Glenn Gordon Caron ’75 says he learned to be himself at Geneseo. He is the first recipient of the Medal of Distinction, the college’s highest alumni honor.

The highest honor Geneseo awards the Medal of Distinction to an alumnus who has made a major mark in Hollywood.

by Kris Dreessen hen Glenn Gordon Caron ’75 dreamed up a comedy about a former model’s fiery relationship with a detective in her investigation agency, people told him it was too unconventional for primetime.

Caron made “Moonlighting” anyway.

With it, Caron made television history and launched Bruce Willis’ career when he cast him as the wise-cracking lead. Since then, Caron has worked with some of the biggest stars — and become a Hollywood name himself.

A producer, writer and director, Caron earned best-writing accolades from the Writers Guild of America in 1988 for those innovative “Moonlighting” scripts. The series won seven Emmys and three Golden Globes.

Caron went on to produce, write and direct feature films and TV shows and founded Picturemaker Productions. He most recently earned primetime success with “Medium,” a CBS and NBC drama about a woman who communicates with the dead.

To honor Caron’s personal success, career achievements and philanthropy, the

W

college recently awarded him the Medal of Distinction.

The new award is the highest honor Geneseo gives to alumni. It recognizes exceptional achievement and contributions to society, and characterizes a life of consequence and purpose that betters the circumstances of others.

Caron has supported the college as well as the AIDS Project of Los Angeles, the American Foundation for AIDS Research, and the New York City Ballet, among other organizations.

“Glenn Gordon Caron has used his talent, passion and curiosity to create a body of work that includes films with leading stars and iconic television programs that will hold their own places in entertainment history forever,” says Jack Kramer ’76, Geneseo Foundation board president. “He also has made impor-

:

View photos of the New York City award event go.geneseo.edu/caronNYC Watch the video honoring Caron go.geneseo.edu/carontribute

tant contributions to causes that help others and advance the arts for future generations.

Geneseo has always taken great pride in educating the whole person. Glenn and future Medal of Distinction recipients are testaments to this value, and elevate Geneseo in the nation and world.”

Caron says his experiences at Geneseo gave him “the self-confidence and skill sets” to fulfill his dreams and stick to his creative vision. Geneseo, he says, provided an environment in which he could experiment and “feel safe enough to fail.”

“I met amazing people who taught me to trust my instincts, to take chances, and if you don’t know something, throw yourself into the task of learning it,” says Caron.

Those include performing arts Professor Emeritus Terry Browne, who let him stage his own productions, and Tom Matthews, director of leadership, education, development and training, who allowed him to develop the Kino film society. The club is still active on campus nearly 40 years later.

Friends, faculty and supporters gathered in New York City in January to celebrate Caron’s honor, but the notorious East Coast snowstorms prevented him from flying in.

Instead, he participated via Internet to accept the award. Seeing everyone, he says, brought back a flood of memories.

He says those who influenced him during his days at Geneseo “all left a mark. All contributed in some way to my success. To my ability to write. Direct. Produce. Be a husband. A father. Be a citizen … People ask me from time to time what it is I learned while I was at Geneseo. I always answer the same way: I learned to be me.”

Summer 2011

19

ATHLETICS

From the locker room to the board room Alumni share their lessons of personal success with student-athletes

PHOTO BY KRIS DREESSEN

Blue Knights soccer co-captain Andy Marzo ’11 anticipates that what he learned on the field will help him in the board room. Alumni who attend an annual leadership dinner share insight with studentathletes on how to be a successful leader.

By Peter Wayner ’11 une into any NCAA game and you’ll hear that 380,000 college athletes are turning pro in a field other than sports.

Andy Marzo ’11 is one of them. A business administration major, he begins his master’s degree this fall at Clarkson University. He wants to become an environmental consultant in the growing field of alternative energy. He played soccer throughout his years at Geneseo. Guiding his teammates as captain during his senior year, Marzo discovered insights about what true leadership means.

“It comes down to knowing people individually and knowing what motivates them,” he says. “It’s not one size fits all.”

Someday, Marzo expects those lessons

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geneseo scene

from the locker room and field to translate to the boardroom. “Soccer may not always be there,” he says, “but the things you learn through soccer will be.”

Last year, Marzo was able to meet, network and be inspired by successful student-athlete alums including Michael Gibeault ’85 at Choosing to Lead — The Annual Athletics Leadership Dinner.

Created in 2009, alumni from all over the country are invited to campus to serve as role models for Marzo and other studentathletes who will soon choose what their personal success looks like.

Geneseo sports round-up — www.geneseo.edu/athletics

More than 30 alumni — from business executives and company founders to teachers and coaches — have participated. The 2009 event was for female student-athletes; in 2010, for men. This year’s April dinner was for male and female athletes.

“When you make a professional connection, you have opportunities for job placement, you have resources for the field of study that you’re in, and you have mentoring opportunities,” says Marilyn Moore, athletic director from 1999 to 2010.

It was Moore’s vision to create the dinner. James Leary ’75 provided the opportunity with the James N. Leary Endowment for Leadership in Athletics, which supports the event. A former Geneseo basketball player himself, Leary knows how lessons from athletics transcend field and court.

“I don’t think there’s anything tougher that I’ve gone through in my professional career than a Saturday morning basketball practice,” he says. The physical and mental exhaustion was intense, he says, but he pushed himself through.

As executive director at Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld, a $750 million professional services firm, Leary has had his share of professional challenges. Those Saturday morning workouts taught him, he says, to “work hard and persevere,” and it’s gotten him where he is today.

Gibeault also has found his niche, as vice president of national projects at Robert Half Legal, a major supplier of legal professionals to law firms and corporate legal departments in North America. A Geneseo swim team captain in 1983 and 1984, he was honored to relate his own revelations to students at the 2010 event.

“Success isn’t measured by money or title but it’s really measured by (finding) something you enjoy every single day,” he says. “Buckle up and go for the ride — it’s worth it!”

Alison Lewis ’09 is taking those ideals to heart. The dinner reinforced their importance, she says.

She has developed a leadership training program for team captains at Hilbert College as part of her graduate assistantship while she pursues her master’s in sports administration at Canisius College.

“That’s what my leadership skills from athletics have taught me — to go out, not be afraid, and do what I want to do in life.”

Participate.

Geneseo professors have always encouraged students to be active in class, on campus and in the community.

Today, your participation is essential.

The college receives less than a third of its budget from New York state. Alumni and parent gifts to The Fund for Geneseo and The Parents Fund make undergraduate research, study abroad, internships, scholarships, athletics and so much more possible — to transform every student’s experience.

Bill Cook Distinguished Teaching Professor of History since 1970

Please support The Fund for Geneseo.

To make a gift, visit giveto.geneseo.edu or call (585) 245-5503.

T h e F u n d fo r G e n e s e o

•

Erwin 11

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1 Co l l e g e C i rc l e

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G e n e s e o, N Y 1 4 4 5 4 Summer 2011

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PERSPECTIVES

‘The

good old

By Terry Bazzett

days’

How do we choose experiences to become great memories and why are those from our college years so vivid? Associate Professor Terry Bazzett, trained in neuroscience and biopsychology, reveals how we remember what we do and how everyday things we encounter let us relive beloved times.

n my kitchen, there is an old ceramic cookie jar. It’s off-white and covered with brightly painted cookie shapes, with a ceramic walnut handle on the lid.

Manufactured by Los Angeles Pottery in the 1950s, this gaudy little piece was known by the descriptive but rather unimaginative name, BAZZETT “Cookies All Over.” It was one of the most popular cookie jars of its day and is now a prized collector’s item. I don’t know what one of these jars is worth, and I don’t care.

It’s priceless to me. Though it seldom holds cookies anymore, it always holds something more important — memories.

Those memories are of my carefree childhood days — most notably the glorious days I would help my mother bake. I close my eyes and hear the mixer. I feel the heat of the oven. I smell the vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg. The old jar contains those precious memories from childhood.

As life progresses, memories seem to

I

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geneseo scene

[

[

Terry Bazzett, associate professor of psychology at SUNY Geneseo, is a biopsychologist who specializes in the influence of genetics on normal and abnormal behaviors. He is the author of An Introduction to Behavior Genetics, a textbook used in courses around the country. A postdoctoral fellow at the University of Michigan for five years before he came to Geneseo, he studied animal models of human neurodegenerative disorders. He has always been intrigued by the workings of the brain, including memory formation and recall.

become more precious. They connect us indelibly to our past and allow us to revisit once-in-a-lifetime events again and again.

Reliving joyous memories humors us in good times, and comforts us in troubled times.

So what is it that makes for a good memory and what helps us gather and retain these instances with wonderful detail? Why are memories of our college years so vivid, so vital, decades after graduation?

First, let’s look at how such memories are formed. Many brain structures contribute to the process. This is not surprising, as memory formation and recall are complex and crucial functions. To simplify explanations of complicated human behaviors, such as memory recall, we often consider animal models that seem much simpler and more intuitive.

The survival of any animal requires memory for a wide range of essential activities. Animals must remember what types of food can be consumed and where those foods have been found.

They need to remember where their shelter is and where predators lurk. They need to use all of these memories to

avoid harm in the future.

For all of those basic functions of memories, a common thread runs through those events that merits the most secure storage and vivid recall: emotions.

Emotions are often linked to memories of great importance.

It’s also true for humans. What affects us the most, we remember the best.

To that end, there is a quirky little structure in the brain called the amygdala. It influences emotions, mediates expression of anger and anxiety, and plays a crucial role in forming memories associated with all types of emotional events. It also can be stimulated or “triggered” by external environmental cues, such as emotion-evoking sights and sounds, to recall emotional memories.

While we don’t rely on amygdala functions to help us survive the way other animals do, this system and its primitive function still persist in our brains. More a novelty than a necessity for you and me, amygdala function can still be enjoyed. It can literally produce a physical sensation of our memories.

PHOTO BY KRIS DREESSEN

PHOTO BY BRIAN BENNETT

PHOTO BY CAROLE SMITH VOLPE ’91

The amygdala can be triggered by a cue from the past — often by smells. There’s no mystery to the sensation of déjà vu. In all likelihood, it’s an amygdala replay of an emotional memory that you had locked away, triggered by a smell, taste or some other sensation.

Déjà vu brings a bonus — a lightheadedness, or emotional arousal brought about by memories stored but not recalled for many years. These are emotions and memories tied together and replayed in the moment. We don’t need it, but it’s a novelty we can still savor.

This can be especially true for experiences we remember so vividly from college. But why are these college memories so emotionally charged, decades later?

Technically speaking, the transition from adolescence to young adulthood brings with it a variety of emotion-provoking hormone changes. It is also a time when we experience true independence.

At Geneseo, alumni ventured away from home for the first time and felt the mental arousal associated with being challenged to gain new knowledge, and the

PHOTO PROVIDED

euphoria associated with succeeding.

Making close friends and exploring romances tops off a rich stew of some of the most emotional experiences of a lifetime. You can bet that amygdala functioning was in high gear at that time.

Beyond the memories of eccentric professors, late-night talks and cram sessions with classmates that you readily remember, there are many more memories stored safely away that you are probably not consciously aware of today.

This has certainly been my experience on occasions when I have been fortunate enough to revisit my own alma mater. On those occasions, my strolls through campus were punctuated by a barrage of invigorating memories and emotions. I also found those sensations rather curious, as I usually recall my undergraduate years as quite labor intensive and financially challenged. In this regard it is refreshing to get an amygdala’s perspective, as a contrast to how the rest of my brain might remember that part of my past.

You see, there is another phenomenon known as “state dependent learning.”

Experience some amygdala-driven emotions. Let the memories rush back and recall the special times you enjoyed. The sensation of an amygdala moment is a unique exploration of your subconscious.

Physically being in a place where something was experienced can actually aid in recalling events. This is the reason so many students want to sit in the same desk for a test they sat in during each lecture period. Our brains constantly use cues to help us remember.

Being in the place helps take us back to the experience.

So to you, our alumni, I offer this: Come back to campus when you have the opportunity. Look again at the bear perched atop the Main Street fountain. Listen to the Sturges tower bells. Smell the pizza and subs being prepared in your favorite haunts.

Experience some amygdala-driven emotions. Let the memories rush back and recall the special times you enjoyed. The sensation of an amygdala moment is a unique exploration of your subconscious.

You might be surprised just how much positive energy was filed away in your deep brain structures during your Geneseo experience. And you will likely open the doors to many more memories you thought you lost in the years since you celebrated your own graduation.

Summer 2011

23

RANDOM PROFILE

One Cup Lessons from Iraq

By Peter Wayner ’11 oni Lamberti ’06 stood at the fence under the baking sun and loops of razor wire, watching the inmates. On the other side, terrorists and other prisoners in the Iraqi jail showed their resentment.

“As soon as they would see me, they would start throwing rocks at me and say ‘Mushkila! Mushkila!’ which means ‘bad,’” she remembers. “Being female, being American and being Christian — you could see the hatred. If there wasn’t a fence between us, you could see in their eyes what they would do to me.”

This was Iraq’s Camp Bucca, where Toni spent a year in 200809 with the 168th Military Police Battalion. Her unit was among those responsible for closing the prison, which once held 26,000 inmates, she says. Her team had to decide which prisoners should be released and which prisoners should be in other facilities.

It was a tremendously difficult job, punctuated by the stress of war. But she faced it. Toni’s determination was awakened, she says, as a Geneseo student, when she spent her final semester studying at Shanghai Teachers University in China on a Geneseo program.

“It was definitely one of the best experiences of my life,” she says.

It didn’t seem like it immediately.

Toni was the only Geneseo student who went that semester.

She spoke zero Chinese and nearly no one spoke English. She was terrified until one day she forced herself to take a subway train solo.

“That,” she says, “was the start. I like to throw myself out of my comfort zone.”

Toni called on that attitude when she joined the Tennessee National Guard in 2007. She had always wanted to serve her country and the Guard allows her to stay near home in the Nashville area.

Now, Toni works in human resources for the Guard full time.

During active duty, her role is in intelligence. She says she can’t fully discuss those duties, but closing Camp Bucca was one of them. Though the mission was accomplished successfully, with all personnel surviving and significant progress made in training Iraqi soldiers, those days stretched Toni’s endurance.

“It’s pretty unnerving,” she says. “I really feel like hatred breeds hatred. Being there and seeing how much they hated me, it was very hard not to feel the same way about them.”

This was especially difficult because she prides herself on having an open mind. “It’s taken me a very long time to realize the difference between hatred and mistrust, but there definitely is a difference,” she says.

Her reconciliation with these feelings and overcoming all of the other obstacles are part of the Guard’s appeal for Toni.

“Here I am three years later, and I probably will be in for life.”

PHOTO PROVIDED

Class of 2006

T

ONE CUP Inspired by the idea that everyone has a story to share, we offer the “random profile.”

Each issue, we don a blindfold and throw a dart at a map of the United States to choose our state, then

It’s true!y

We reall do!

take aim again to choose a lucky alum.

We catch up, relive memories and share life insight, like we are talking over coffee.

Up next ... Kentucky.

Could it be you?

24

geneseo scene

QUICK FACTS Home: Nashville, Tenn.

Graduation year: 2006 Degree: Bachelor of arts with a major in psychology How you describe Geneseo: A very small, quaint and quiet town.

Favorite campus hangout: The square and Sturges Best Geneseo memory: My study abroad experience in Shanghai, China Most important life lesson you learned at Geneseo: Nothing is absolute.

What you would tell incoming freshmen: I would tell them to remember that what they think they want and what they think they know will change five times just in the time they are in college — and five more times after graduation.

What you would tell graduating seniors: Change is good.

Embrace it and do one thing “outside the box” just so you know that you can.

Favorite saying: Minds are like parachutes. They don’t function properly unless open.

ILLUSTRATION AMANDA LINDLEY

Toni Lamberti,

Alumni News ABOUT THE PHOTOGRAPHER: Benjamin Gajewski ’07 has long enjoyed photography and the outdoors.

His image at dusk of a dead oak tree in fall in the town of Geneseo captures the beauty found in all stages and landscapes in the natural environment.

A former photo editor of The Lamron, Gajewski took special interest in productions by the School of The Arts. Gajewski now is the stewardship director for the Genesee Valley Conservancy, a nonprofit organization that works to protect habitat, open space and farmland in the Genesee River watershed. A resident of Geneseo, he continues to photograph for the School of The Arts and always finds time to preserve moments in nature with his camera.

You can see more of his work at northstreetstudios.exposuremanager.com

Share your artwork with us! Send a short bio and a link or examples of your work to scene@geneseo.edu.

ALUMNI NEWS

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Alumni event photos Queen of all trades The ultimate spell caster Class Notes Summer 2011

25

GENESEO ALUMNI ASSOCIATION

Upcoming

Alumni Events July 8-10, 2011

Other Summer Events

SUMMER REUNION go.geneseo.edu/reunion

Buffalo Bisons baseball game New Jersey Picnic Long Island Clam Bake

August 11, 2011 Saratoga Day at the Races go.geneseo.edu/saratoga2011

September 23-24, 2011 HOMECOMING go.geneseo.edu/homecoming

August 14, 2011 Geneseo Day at the Phillies

October 21-22, 2011

go.geneseo.edu/phillies081411

PARENTS WEEKEND

Boston Alumni Networking Event Kelly McKernan ’92, left, Kristina Sym ’07, Thomas Pethybridge ’06 and Steve Donnelly ’10.

The alumni relations office has identified 19 key regions across the country where we have strong representation of Geneseo alumni. We are continuously planning a variety of events in these areas. There have been more than 45 alumni events, on and off campus, since January 2011 and we’re not slowing down.

Check the alumni homepage frequently — and make it your homepage — so you don’t miss out.

We are always looking for regional event ideas and event sponsors. Contact us at alumni@geneseo.edu if you would like to partner with us.

Keep in touch You will receive event invitations and notifications based on the address Geneseo has on file (the address where this issue of the Scene was mailed). Be sure the address on the back of this magazine is up to date — or you may miss out.

GENESEO ALUMNI REGIONS Albany, N.Y. New England Buffalo, N.Y. Chicago Colorado Community Advocates for SUNY Geneseo Florida/East Coast Florida/West Coast Los Angeles Long Island New Jersey New York City North Carolina Philadelphia Rochester, N.Y. San Francisco Syracuse, N.Y. Washington, D.C. Westchester County, N.Y./Connecticut Who did you miss? See more photos!

These are a sample of the hundreds of photos from events across the country and on campus. View the complete photo gallery online at go.geneseo.edu/alumniphotos Visit our Geneseo alumni homepage: alumni.geneseo.edu

26

geneseo scene

Geneseo, N.Y. Ysaye Barnwell ’67/MS ’68 Pre-Community Sing Reception sponsored by Bank of Castile Community Advocates: Debra Grose Hill ’75, Geneseo assistant vice president for advancement, left, Holly Brandow Mullin ’87, Marilyn Lyon, Cynthia Oswald, Philip Natoli ’74, Elizabeth Porter and John Linfoot, Geneseo director of special development.

Geneseo, N.Y. Men’s Basketball Alumni Weekend Phil Thrall ’66, left, Dan Farberman ’80, Pat Moriarty ’78, Paul Rich ’81 and Gary Witter ’75.

Saratoga Springs, N.Y. Alumni and Parent Networking Reception co-sponsored by Ilana Smith ’02 and Stacey Harris ’03

Washington, D.C. Alumni Networking Reception Rachel Gaylord ’04, Ryan Smith ’02 and Michael Parks ’01.

Syracuse, N.Y. Alumni Professional Networking Event co-sponsored

by Janet Callahan ’76 and Tom Cambier ’01 Dan O’Brien ’73, left, Eric Hinman ’02, Tom Cambier ’01, Janet Callahan ’76 and Geneseo Vice President for College Advancement Michael Catillaz.

Buffalo, N.Y. Alumni Night at the Sabres, pre-game dinner co-sponsored by Mark Kane ’80 and Bruno Lombardo ’00 Rochester, N.Y. Alumni Night at the Amerks

Jonna Laker Kane ’05, left, and Jason Kane ’05, Mark Kane ’80, Matthew Kane ’11 and Audrey Donahue Ramage ’80.

John DiSarro ’07, left, Patrick Cronin ’10, Theresa Traver ’09 and Phillip Heiler ’10.

Summer 2011

27

Denver, Colo. Alumni Hockey Night at the Avalanche, pre-game reception co-sponsored by Amy Hogan ’96 Matt Rush ’89, left, Amy Hogan ’96 and John Linfoot, Geneseo director of special development.

New York City Premier Alumni Event sponsored by Dan ’86 and Nancy Wentworth ’86 Loughran Christian Lopez Ponch ’96, left, Wendy Wick ’95, William Baker ’96, Tanya Woldbeck Gesek ’93 and Jill Abbate Sulkes ’93.

Nyack, N.Y. Alumni and Parent Networking Reception Robert Kinney and Jane Lawrence P ’13 and Carl Potts P ’14 .

New York City Winter Social Event Katie Ohea ’08, left, Jason Gerasia ’07, Brian Malone ’05 and Matt Kellen ’04.

Chicago Geneseo Alumni Regional Committee Mike Denesha ’66, left, Gary Grose ’87, Megan Wolfinger ’97, Jeff Burkard ’89, Kimberly Bares ’90, Ronna Bosko, Geneseo senior director for college advancement, and Paul Lambert ’91.

Boston Alumni and Model U.N. Student Reception sponsored

by Dan Spiess ’90 Melinda Berry ’88, left, Amelia Alberghini Angella ’96, Paul Furcinito ’88, Professor of Political Science and International Relations Robert Goeckel, Dan Spiess ’90, Tracy Strauss ’96 and Sarah McGuire Sobieraj ’93.

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geneseo scene

New York City Premier Alumni Event sponsored by Dan ’86 and Nancy Wentworth ’86 Loughran President Christopher C. Dahl, center, with sponsors Dan Loughran ’86 and Nancy Loughran ’86.

Scotch Plains, N.J. Alumni and Parent Networking Reception David Goodman ’89, left, Lisa Imbro Siracuse ’89, Kim Guenter Faber ’88, Geneseo assistant vice president for advancement, and Debra Edelman P’10.

Raleigh, N.C. Alumni Networking Reception

New York City Alumni and Student Externship Reception

Rochester, N.Y. Alumni Networking Reception co-sponsored by Mark Cronin ’88 and John O’Malley ’85

Port Washington, N.Y. Alumni and Parent Family Skating Event

From left, Distinguished Teaching Professors Ronald Herzman (English) and William Cook (history) and event co-sponsors Mark Cronin ’88 and John O’Malley ’85.

Summer 2011

29

ALUMNI NEWS

ALUMNI PROFILE

Ysaye Barnwell ’67/MS ’68:

Queen of song, queen of all trades You can’t help but like Ysaye Barnwell ’67/MS ’68.

Her charisma captivates crowds and has bolstered a career ranging from education to health care to music. She is best known as a composer and vocalist in the Grammy Awardwinning, internationally renowned, all-women AfricanAmerican ensemble Sweet Honey in the Rock.

She has been with the group for 32 years and has written many of the songs they perform.

Their music ranges from spirituals and gospels to blues, jazz and hip-hop. Their schedule takes her to all parts of the country.

“Sweet Honey has been an amazing journey for me,” says Barnwell, a native New Yorker who lives in Washington, D.C. “It’s a wonderful way to engage a number of people about many things.”

It was through a fluke that Barnwell became a part of Sweet Honey. After completing her bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Geneseo in speech pathology and a doctorate at the University of Pittsburgh in cranio-facial studies, she earned a master’s degree in public health at Howard University and also taught at Howard’s College of Dentistry. Geneseo conferred an honorary doctorate of humane letters on her during commencement in 1998.

She also studied sign language at Gallaudet University and in 1979, an unexpected career-changing moment came one day as she sang a solo in church while simultaneously signing the words.

“It happened that one of the founding members of Sweet Honey, Bernice Johnson 30

geneseo scene

class of’67/MS ’68 Ysaye Barnwell PHOTO BY BRIAN BENNETT

Reagon, was at the service and came to me afterwards to invite me to audition,” says Barnwell.

“I thought she was talking to someone behind me! The audition lasted about a month …

and clinician. She conducts her community vocal workshops worldwide, including a shortened version on the Geneseo campus in March for about 200 participants. She invites members of the community to gather — even if they have no singing experience — to raise their voices and learn about AfricanAmerican culture and traditions.

Barnwell also has acted in a television series and appeared in PHOTO BY BRIAN BENNETT the 1998 film “Beloved,” which Ysaye Barnwell ’67/MS ’68 leads the Geneseo Community Sing in March. starred Oprah Winfrey.

As an Africanand I was asked to join. It American student in the ’60s, opened up a whole new life for Barnwell says her Geneseo edume that I had not anticipated.” cation happened on many levels.

Barnwell spends much of her “There were very few black time offstage as a master teacher people on campus and none in

the community and it was pretty shocking and difficult,” she says.

“In spite of that, I got a good education academically but also a deep education on race relations, which shaped much of my perception of the world.”

She gives special credit to faculty members Robert “Doc” Isgro in music and the late Yvonne Rosedale in speech pathology for motivating her.

She sang in the Chamber Singers under Isgro’s direction for five years and he taught her much about music.

Barnwell hears from many people about the impact her music has on them, which she says is very inspiring.

“I will continue doing this until I can’t anymore,” she says. “Retirement is not in my vocabulary.”

— By David Irwin

Elaine Ferrao Chase ’95:

Geneseo’s Magic card

The ultimate spell caster More than 12 million people worldwide play and are fans of Magic: The Gathering. That’s like the entire population of Pennsylvania heaving “shivan meteors” and drinking “alabaster potion” to stay strong while whittling away their opponents’ life points to zero to win.

Elaine Ferrao Chase ’95 was among the first to play Magic, the world’s first trading-card game. She was an elementary education major at Geneseo when it was released in 1993.

“I got hooked on it pretty severely,” says Chase.

Chase was able to parlay her passion — and keen sense for strategy — into one of the top game careers in the world.

Starting as a player and judge, she has ascended the ranks in little more than a decade to become the global brand director for Magic: The Gathering at Wizards of the Coast, a subsidiary of Hasbro Inc. She expected to be an educator.

“I come from a family of teachers,” she says.

Chase started as a substitute teacher at her hometown school in Rockland County, N.Y. In her free time, she continued to play Magic. She was so good, she competed in two Magic Pro Tours and went on to excel as a high-level tournament judge and organizer. In 1999, a contact at Wizards invited her to join the company.

“It was a dream come true,” says Chase. “It was sad to leave teaching because I do love working with children and helping them grow and learn, but the opportunity to go work for my favorite game company was a little too much to resist.”

Chase first determined tournament rules and policies. She

then spent four years as a game developer before taking on brand manager positions for Wizards’ licensed trading card games division. She was named global brand director

Magic worldwide. That includes offices in the United Kingdom, Belgium, France, Australia and Japan. The game has been translated into nine languages and is sold in 70 countries.

Chase has drawn upon a nugget of wisdom shared by math Professor Olympia Nicodemi: You can’t be a good teacher until you find something you struggle with yourself. for Magic in March 2009.

As brand director, Chase leads the strategic direction, marketing, product development and financial profile for

Magic is one of Hasbro’s “mega-brands,” alongside Transformers and GI Joe. “At the end of the day, I still play games for a living, it’s just

class of’95 Elaine Ferrao Chase PHOTO PROVIDED

If there were a Magic card in the decks that symbolizes Geneseo, says Chase, it would be the Tolarian. “It’s the highest profile institute of learning in Magic,” she says.

“The card is so powerful, in fact, that it was banned from tournament play.”

a different kind of game,” says Chase. “They involve marketing plans and consumer insights and spreadsheets and strategizing business plans.”

As a developer, Chase helped to create Harry Potter and other licensed trading-card games. It was “the best job in the world,” says Chase, but she moved to the business side to challenge herself and participate in Magic’s bigger picture.

Chase says her gaming background and her Geneseo education lend valuable insight to her career. She used what she learned as a teacher to improve Harry Potter and other child-based games and marketing plans. As a player, she honed a keen ability to make quick connections and predict outcomes needed in leading Magic.

She has also drawn upon a nugget of wisdom shared by Distinguished Teaching Professor of Mathematics Olympia Nicodemi: You can’t be a good teacher until you find something you struggle with yourself.

“I did take that to heart, every step of my career,” says Chase. “Even packing up the U-Haul and moving across the country (to work for Wizards) was trying to move out of my comfort zone and present myself with new and interesting opportunities.”

— Kris Dreessen

Summer 2011

31

ALUMNI NEWS

New, intes! o ClassyoN ur reading

To make l, e persona experienc riages, ar m r fo ments announce are adoptions births and onal iti ad tr e th included in s.

Class Note m ria o em In M w. ments follo ce un no an

Class Notes 1991

1980 Maris Burton received her mas-

ter’s degree in professional counseling in June 2009. She passed the national certified counselor exam in September 2009 and is a counselor in a private practice.

1982 Lisa Robinson Schmitt recently

1960s

accepted a position at Simply You Jewelry as a business development manager.

Fredricka Gaube Remza ’66

recently published Ride the Wave, a sequel to The Journey to Mei with its settings in upstate New York and Cape Town, South Africa.

Al Sciarrino ’68 published the novel Vincent Black Lightning, 1952.

1985 Sandra Ayala is an assistant professor of special education at Sonoma State University in California.

Margaret Peggy Schick

1970s James Swarts ’71/MA ’76 has

been elected to the national Steering Committee of Historians Against the War. Rosemary Schenk-Sanborn ’72 traveled with high school students on a four-month exchange with the Jinshan School in Beijing, China.

Warren Barlowe ’74 is an obsessive-compulsive disorder behavior therapist in private practice on Long Island. He is also a performance artist in Brooklyn, a sidewalk astronomer and an activist in peace and social justice causes.

Tom Ingrassia ’74 launched the business Mental Massage in partnership with award-winning massage therapist Jared Chrudimsky.

A fusion of guided imagery and physical massage in a group workshop, it is designed to help clarify and set personal and professional goals, reduce stress and enhance mind/body balance. Frank Sutliff ’79 is a member of the board of directors and executive committee of the board of the School Administrators Association of New York State.

32

geneseo scene

Margaret Schick

Rachel TaberHamilton

recently accepted a position at the University of Southern Maine in Portland as director of annual giving and alumni development.

Rachel TaberHamilton

recently became the 16th rector of Trinity Episcopal Church in Everett, Wash. She is the first female rector since the church was founded in 1892.

1987 Stephanie Norton MacIntosh

and Michael MacIntosh are proud to announce the birth of a baby girl, Kiera, born on June 15, 2009.

Celebrating their 20th reunion July 8 and 9, 2011.

Eric Collins and Allison Collins are proud to announce the birth of a baby boy, Brady Christopher, born on May 12, 2010, in Newton, Mass. Scott Kuhn received a master’s degree in business administration from Southern New Hampshire University in January 2011 and was a member of Delta Mu Delta International Business Honor Society. Eric Osganian and Amy Osganian are proud to announce the births of Nellie, born on Sept. 26, 2007, and Camille, born on July 10, 2009.

Kristi Lee Smith Streamer completed the training and requirements for the family development credential offered through the Center for the Study of Culture, Health and Human Development at the University of Connecticut and recently accepted a position at Le Roy (N.Y.) Central School District as a school counselor for pre-kindergarten through grade 3.

Patrick O’Shea are proud to announce the birth of a baby boy, Samuel Otto O’Shea, born on April 6, 2008.

1993 Eileen Bien Calabro was recently

promoted to director of editorial development at Pearson Longman, a publishing company, in New York City. Jill Abbate Sulkes was

recently promoted to head of financial and profesJill Abbate Sulkes sional liability from managing director of financial and professional liability at Marsh in New York City. Marsh is the world’s leading insurance broker and risk advisor.

1994 Tammy Brandstetter is proud to

1992 Penny Valenzano Elliott recent-

announce the birth of twin boys, Keegan and Cayden, born on Dec. 4, 2010, in Rochester, N.Y.

ly accepted a position at Constellation Brands in Victor, N.Y. as change management lead.

1995

Laura Wischoff Snyder,

director of marketing for the accounting firm of Porter Laura Wischoff Keadle Snyder Moore, is vice chair of the 2011 board of directors of Emerge Scholarships Inc. Emerge is a nonprofit organization that provides academic scholarships to deserving women whose educations have been interrupted, who have overcome significant challenges and who give back to their communities.

Correction: Donna Otto and

Kristen Bauer Maniscalco was recently promoted to Power Systems Division finance manager at ABB Inc. in Raleigh, N.C. Lea Setegn accepted a position at United Way of Greater Richmond & Petersburg (Va.) as director of public relations and is happy to announce his marriage to Jess Kahn on Sept. 6, 2009, in Richmond, Va. Alex Vicente and Tina Vicente are proud to announce the birth of a baby girl, Olivia Nicole, born on July 19, 2010.

1996 Celebrating their 15th reunion July 8 and 9, 2011.

Gerard Cagayat recently started Mountainview Home Solutions in

the Seattle metro area as the owner and real estate investor.

Jennifer Campbell and Todd Baker are proud to announce the birth of a baby boy, Alexander, born on Jan. 13, 2011, in Buffalo, N.Y. Daniel Kim and Jennifer Scrafford ’97 are proud to announce the birth of a baby girl, Ellina Leah Michaela, born on Nov. 13, 2010, in Falls Church, Va. Cathleen Tobin Koshykar recently accepted a position at Soleo Communications Inc. in Fairport, N.Y., as general counsel and is also happy to announce her marriage to Roman Koshykar on May 15, 2010, in Mendon, N.Y. Brendan Morgan was recently promoted to director of commodities trading at Deutsche Bank in Houston. Kathleen Hysick Schmitt and Brian Schmitt are proud to announce the birth of a baby boy, Andrew David, born on Aug. 4, 2010, in Rochester, N.Y. Mary Catherine Woods Tischler and James Tischler are happy to announce their marriage on Oct. 23, 2010, in Montauk, N.Y. Mary is an assistant general counsel for CBS Corp., handling pre-broadcast review for “CBS News,” as well as litigation for all of the company’s subsidiaries including the CBS Television Network, Showtime, CBS Radio and Simon & Schuster.

1997 Amy Barmore Pasley and Tim

Pasley are proud to announce the birth of twin boys, Timothy Jacob “T.J.” and Elijah Bruce “Eli,” born on April 5, 2010, in Rochester, N.Y. Lisa Decker Schneider and Joseph Schneider are proud to announce the birth of a baby girl, Eva Marie, born on Dec. 16, 2010, in Langhorne, Pa. Jennifer Scrafford and Daniel Kim ’96 are proud to announce the birth of a baby girl, Ellina Leah Michaela, born on Nov. 13, 2010, in Falls Church, Va. Michael Shiffer and Raina Shiffer are proud to announce the birth of a baby boy, Ryan Michael, born on Oct. 6, 2009, in Chapel Hill, N.C. Cary Silverman and Robin Lang are

Grace, born on March 2, 2010, in Schenectady, N.Y.

2000 Beth Coffiner Goldman and

• Celebrate the Sciences • Greek Hall of Fame and Greek Reunions

Phi Kap 55th Anniversary and Sig Ep Reunion

• Alumni Happy Hours • Sports Hall of Fame • School of Business Reception • Dr. Ronald Herzman Tribute Ceremony

Sign up now at go.geneseo.edu/homecoming

Justin Goldman are proud to announce the birth of a baby girl, Sarina Elyanah, born on Jan. 12, 2010, in Albany, N.Y. Lorrie Streblow Mallaber and Matthew Mallaber are proud to announce the birth of a baby boy, Benjamin Thomas, born on May 24, 2010.

Kelly O’Coyne and Joseph Huss are happy to announce their marriage on Aug. 7, 2010, in Webster, N.Y. They live in Ontario, N.Y. Eli Phillips and Emilie Jansen Phillips are proud to announce the birth of a baby boy, Eric Samuel, born on Sept. 3, 2010.

Alyssa Blickensderfer Quintilone and Michael

Quintilone are proud to announce the birth of a baby boy, Landon John, born on Nov. 29, 2010, in Williamsville, N.Y. Amanda Fisher Tulich and Stefan Tulich are proud to announce the birth of a baby girl, Eve Grace, born on July 7, in Boulder, Colo.

2001 proud to announce the birth of a baby boy, Max Adrian, born on March 1, 2011, in Baltimore. Tina Pepe Stern and Erik Stern are happy to announce their marriage on June 6, 2006, in Henderson, Nev. They live in Weston, Fla. Marlene Fanning Yolango and Frank Yolango are proud to announce the birth of a baby girl, Kaitlyn Juliet, born on Oct. 4, 2010.

director. Kimberly Thompson Glas is proud to announce the birth of a baby girl, Abigail Davies, born in Fairfax, Va., on Oct. 19, 2010. She also recently accepted a position at the Department of Commerce in Washington, D.C., as deputy assistant secretary for the Office of Textiles and Apparel.

1998

Elizabeth Buchholz Clark and Todd Clark are proud to

Rebecca Bertrand Benz and Brian Benz are proud to

announce the birth of a baby boy, Colby James, born on May 3, 2010, in Rochester, N.Y. Robyn Walker recently accepted a position at Catholic Relief Services in Baltimore as a data analyst. Darcy Scott Weeden and Kevin Weeden are proud to announce the birth of a baby girl, Abigail

announce the birth of twin girls, Peyton Elizabeth and Lauren Rebecca, born on Dec. 7, 2010, in Norfolk, Va. Frank Giallorenzo recently accepted a position at the city of Coral Gables in Florida as assistant human resources

1999

Sean Fitzsimons and Sara Fitzsimons are proud to announce the birth of a baby boy, Max William, born on Dec. 23, 2010. Aimee Cocke Herring and Michael Herring are happy to announce their marriage on March 13, 2010. Kathryn Eldridge Iannello and John Iannello are proud to announce the birth of a baby girl, Coraline Victoria, born on March 18, 2010, in Flagstaff, Ariz. Mieko Ozeki and Josh Blumberg were married in Delhi, N.Y. Mieko also recently earned a degree in sustainability and environmental management after completing her capstone course and conducting research on the implementation of student green funds in North America.

Bridgit Hirsch VanEpps and Michael VanEpps are happy to announce their marriage on Aug. 5, 2010, in Half Moon Cay, the

Summer 2011

33

ALUMNI NEWS

CLASS NOTES Bahamas. They reside in Watertown, N.Y.

2002 Casey Dokoupil and Elizabeth

Manghi are happy to announce their marriage on Oct. 9, 2010, in Richmond, Va., where they live.

David Loreto was recently promoted to associate director of admissions at D’Youville College in Buffalo, N.Y. He and Audrey Brady are also happy to announce their marriage on June 6, 2010, in Letchworth State Park (N.Y). They live in Kenmore, N.Y. Danielle Carlin Pierce and Colin Pierce are proud to announce the birth of a baby boy, Ethan Gerard, born on May 30, 2010, in Rochester, N.Y.

2003 Kathryn Dudek and Mathieu

Gagnon-Oosterwaal of Montreal are happy to announce their mar-

riage on Oct. 30, 2010, in Buffalo, N.Y. Stacy Fravel Gidley and Brian Gidley are proud to announce the birth of a baby boy, Jake Allen, born on Aug. 1, 2010, in Rochester, N.Y. Kathleen Knuth was promoted to lieutenant in the New York City Fire Department EMS Command in August 2010.

Joseph Patituce

and Megan are proud to announce the birth of Kathleen Knuth a baby boy, Joseph Thomas, born on Nov. 11, 2010. Joseph is a managing partner and president of Patituce & Associates LLC.

2004 Scott Bartels recently accepted a

position at HSBC Bank in Buffalo, N.Y., as an assistant vice president, senior specialist in marketing.

Scott Butler recently accepted a

position at Lake Erie Regional Health System (Irving) of New York as vice president of marketing and community relations. He is also proud to announce his marriage to Lindsay Butler on Dec. 5, 2009, in Penn Yan, N.Y. Tim J. Conheady and Jessica Starr are proud to announce the birth of a baby boy, Lucas Declan, born on Nov. 28, 2010, in Rochester, N.Y. Tim was recently promoted to director of clinical informatics at CDS Unistel Inc. in Webster, N.Y. Malena Soto Cropper and Daniel Cropper are proud to announce the birth of a baby boy, Liam Douglas, born on March 6, 2010, in Asheville, N.C. Matthew Dunn recently accepted a position at Lycoming College in Williamsport, N.Y., as head coach of the women’s soccer team. Sheri McKenna McMullen and Nicholis McMullen are proud to announce the birth of a baby girl, Keira Lyn, born on May 11, 2010, in Lakewood Ranch, Fla.

2005 Jennifer Sisbarro Arnold and Mark Arnold are happy to announce their marriage on July 17, 2010, in Ithaca, N.Y. Jamie Bosket was recently named associate vice president of George Washington’s Mount Vernon Estate in Mount Vernon, Va. Janine Giordano Drake and Josh Drake are happy to announce their marriage on Sept. 19, 2009, in Urbana, Ill. Courtney Stevens King and Christopher King are proud to announce the birth of a baby boy, Joshua Christopher Stevens, born on April 18, 2010, in Rochester, N.Y. Lindsey Smith Metzger and Jacob are proud to announce the birth of a baby boy, Ryan Joseph, born on Dec. 7, 2010, in Buffalo, N.Y.

2007 Sarah Chambers accepted a position at the American Red Cross, Greater Rochester (N.Y.) Chapter, as a development coordinator. Kristina Dion and David

March 2, 2011

Abramo are

happy to announce their marriage on Oct. 23, 2010.

Sarah Chambers

Jessica Dixon Dudley and

Michael Dudley of Clay, N.Y., are happy to announce their marriage in Geneseo on June 12, 2010. Robert Eckstrom received a juris doctorate from Washington and Lee University School of Law on May 8, 2010, and was admitted to the Virginia State Bar last December.

Nicholas Young joined Jaeckle Fleischmann & Mugel LLP, a fullservice corporate law firm, as an associate in the business and corporate practice group. Allison Lane received a master’s degree in public communication from American University. Sarah Williams Morris and Dave Morris are proud to announce the birth of a baby boy, Matthew Michael, born on Sept. 5, 2010, in

Send your class note or notice to

go.geneseo.edu/uknight

Margaret Burmeister Davison ’49, Dec. 7, 2010 Phyllis Austin MacDonell ’50,

Dec. 26, 2010

Rochester, N.Y. John Seifts received a master of science in education from SUNY Cortland and is employed by the Utica (N.Y.) City School District.

2008 Ivan Cash recently accepted a

position as art director at Wieden + Kennedy in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Karen Merrill earned certification as a certified public accountant and is an auditor with PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP in Rochester, N.Y. Sarah Osterling was recently promoted to marketing coordinator at the Finger Lakes Tourism Alliance in Penn Yan, N.Y. Emy Rustin Sewnauth and Andrew Sewnauth of Irondequoit, N.Y. are happy to announce their marriage on June 26, 2010, in Geneseo.

2009 Kimberly Skeggs recently

accepted a position at St. Louis (Mo.) Public Schools as thirdgrade teacher. Rachel Gamma is teaching high school math at Newburgh (N.Y.) Free Academy.

Jordan Gross is pursuing a master’s degree in hydrology and biogeochemistry at SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry in Syracuse, N.Y.

IN MEMORIAM

Audrey Montgomery Algier ’53, Dec. 11, 2010 William Hite ’61, Dec. 2, 2010 Nick Past ’63, Dec. 31, 2010 Susan Cowilich Brackett ’66,

Jan. 10, 2011 John Nuthall ’75, Nov. 30, 2010 Frank Mochol ’78, Jan. 11, 2011 Thomas Ryan ’78, March 9, 2011 Rosita Munger-Grun ’80, Dec.

8, 2010 Robert A. Adamo ’83, March

16, 2011 STUDENTS Jay Young Choi, April 15, 2011 Joseph Glantey, March 23, 2011

ALUMNI E. Mattice Spencer ’37, Jan. 22,

FACULTY Harry L. Welshofer, assistant

2011

professor of Latin American and medieval history from 1961 to 1968, died Feb. 25, 2011.

Alice Newton Spring ’39, Nov.

15, 2010 Sylvia Martin Crary ’41, Jan. 13,

2011 Carlyne Naber McCallister ’47,

ALUMNI NEWS

Scene around the world Are you packing to cruise the Nile or adventure in the Amazon? Rediscovering America on a drive?

Take a photo of yourself with the Scene on vacation, business or other trips and submit them for our feature.

Send your images to scene@geneseo.edu with a subject line of “Scene Around the World.”

Barbara Combes Ingrassia ’74/MLS ’75 and Thomas Ingrassia ’74 aboard the Queen Mary 2 “somewhere in the North Atlantic Ocean,” sailing from New York City to Southampton, England.

Narina Crain Schulz ’04 brought the Scene to the top of Machu Picchu at 8,000 feet. She was studying the culture while pursuing a master’s degree in clinical mental health counseling at Roosevelt University.

Linda Hughson Pacelli ’71 and Doug Dixon ’71 explore the ancient city of Carcasonne, France.

Marty Gerby Davis ’66 remembers Geneseo during a hike at the Arenal Hanging Bridges in Costa Rica.

Kelly Lange ’92 at the opera house in Sydney, Australia.

Caroline G. Robinson ’83 at the Temple of Karnak in Luxor, Egypt.

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geneseo scene

Rev. James L. Swarts ’71/ MA ’76 in Agra, India for sunrise at the Taj Mahal during a tour through northern India and Nepal.

A match made at Geneseo

By Lisa M. Feinstein he Pekariks met in Niagara Hall. Fourteen years later, Geneseo is still a strong part of their lives.

John Pekarik ’98 lived in Niagara Hall during his first two years at Geneseo, and while he appreciates the education he received at college, some of John’s favorite memories center on the people he met.

“I remember weekends when one of us would be the night host at Niagara. We’d hang out and order pizzas,” says John. “I’m still friends with a lot of those people today.”

One of them became his wife.

John met Stacy Mason Pekarik ’99 during her freshman year, but they didn’t start dating until 2003. Married in 2005, they are now the proud parents of a baby boy, Matthew. Stacy is a kindergarten teacher and John works for the IRS. Stacy credits her professors at Geneseo for nurturing her love of teaching.

“David and Elisabeth Rogers knew what we were going through because they had been teachers themselves,” she says. “They made us better teachers.”

As a political science major, John considered Professor Jeffrey Koch an inspiration.

Today, he still works with Koch as a member of the Political Science Alumni Cabinet, providing field experiences and internships for students.

The Pekariks also are loyal supporters of The Fund for Geneseo and the Ella Cline Shear School of Education. In fact, Stacy and John bear the proud distinction of having given back to the college for 12 years — every year since Stacy’s senior year.

“Geneseo for me was the opportunity to grow and mature that I had never had before,” says John. “If I were going to choose a period that defined me as an adult, it would be the four years I spent in Geneseo.”

Geneseo was and is an integral part of their lives.

“You chose to go to Geneseo for a reason. You chose to stay and graduate. Think about what made you make those decisions and think about how your experience there influenced your life. Those experiences fundamentally defined who you are. That’s why it’s important to give back,” John says.

T

:

Make a difference ... visit giveto.geneseo.edu

Stacy Mason Pekarik ’99 and John Pekarik ’99, with their son, Matthew.

PHOTO BY RONNA BOSKO

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