Geneseo Scene spring 2016

Spring 2016

geneseo scene

A magazine for alumni, parents and friends of SUNY Geneseo

A Decade of Hurricane Relief What is Geneseo’s impact?

Study Abroad Photo Winners

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geneseo Spring 2016

scene CONTENTS

FEATURES 8

A decade of do-it-yourself change Hurricane Katrina wiped some of Biloxi right off the map. Our volunteers have spent a decade helping rebuild: What are the true impacts of our efforts? Homeowners and those who lived it share stories of incredible transformation.

14 Inner exploration, around the world.

Immersion in new cultures through study abroad sparks transformation, and new perspective. Be inspired by students’ favorite images, and aha moments in our first photo contest.

22 In memoriam: A response to tragedy In January, two students lost their lives. How we responded is deeply rooted in love for the ºextended Geneseo family.

20 Crisis, on the night call Feeling isolated? Specially trained students ensure there’s always someone the other end of the line.

DEPARTMENTS 3 25 32

One College Circle: Campus News Alumni News Class Notes

COLUMNS 2 24

President’s Message Random Profile

Cover Photo by Keith Walters ’11.

Emmeline the bear watches over Main Street at sunset.

Photo by Keith Walters ’11

Postmaster: Please address changes to the Office of Alumni Relations, Doty Hall, SUNY Geneseo, 1 College Circle, Geneseo, NY 14454-1484.

Standard-class postage paid at Lebanon Junction, KY 40150

geneseo scene

Vol. 41, No. 1 Spring 2016

Geneseo Scene is published by SUNY Geneseo, Division of College Advancement, Office of College Communications.

Denise A. Battles, President Jon A.L. Hysell, Interim Vice President for College Advancement David Irwin, Interim Assistant Vice President for College Communications Kris Dreessen, Editor Carole Smith Volpe ’91, Creative Director Contributing writers: Chelsea Butkowski ’15 Kris Dreessen Lydia Fernandez Maya Lucyshyn ’17 Megan Tomaszewski ’17

Contributing photographers: Keith Walters ’11 Kris Dreessen Alumni Relations Office Ronna Bosko Gillam, Director of Alumni Relations Michelle Walton Worden ’92, Associate Director of Alumni Relations Amanda McCarthy, Assistant Director of Alumni Relations for Regional Events Tracy Young Gagnier ’93, Assistant Director of Alumni Relations Alumni Relations Office: Doty Hall SUNY Geneseo 1 College Circle Geneseo, NY 14454-1484 Phone: (585) 245-5506 Fax: (585) 245-5514 alumni@geneseo.edu Contact the Scene at scene@geneseo.edu.

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

FROM THE PRESIDENT

Our relationships and connections make us who “we” are

H

aving passed the six-month mark as Geneseo’s president, I have spent some time reflecting on both the nature of that role and what I have learned thus far about the college.

I still call myself the “new president” as I have yet to experience a full year’s cycle of activities. I gladly accept the moniker of “Geneseo’s new president” as I continue to engage with the campus’ many constituents and learn as much as possible about our exemplary institution.

A college president’s role is an unusual one, encompassing daunting responsibilities and affording tremendous opportunities. Given the timing of this piece, it is impossible not to reflect on one of a president’s most solemn duties, which is to be the campus’ primary representative in times of tragedy. Geneseo, of course, experienced recently just such an event. The loss of two treasured student leaders under horrific circumstances is a scenario no one familiar with our bucolic campus could have reasonably conceived. The reactions to that awful event are understandably individualized and emotions have ranged from disbelief to anger, all overlain by profound sadness.

While we may never grasp fully the reasons behind the terrible tragedy of Jan. 17, what has been made clear in the aftermath is the power and solidarity of the Geneseo family.

Whether speaking with current students, faculty, staff and administrators; faculty and staff emeriti; parents and alumni; community members; or other friends of the college, the strength and commitment of that family has never been more apparent. That level of passion for a higher education institution is a That level of passion for a higher education institution is a rarity and, rarity and, I believe, evidences just how special our college is. Central to that singularity are the I believe, evidences just how special our college is.” relationships and connections that are fostered at Geneseo. This issue of the Scene reveals multiple stories of how intertwined the college is with the local and global communities.

That sensibility is present in the 10 years of service that Geneseo students, faculty, staff and community members have dedicated to Biloxi, Miss., as that area recovers from Hurricane Katrina. It is evidenced in our students’ study abroad experiences, which often transform their perspectives of the world and how they interact with new cultures and learning. And it is illustrated in our students’ volunteerism in acting as Pathways advocates for peers who are in crisis, leading to lifelong impacts for our alumni participants.

As president, I am heartened to be part of such a caring and compassionate community and privileged to represent this institution. My thanks to all in the Geneseo family for your contributions to making the college such an exceptional place.

“The strength and commitment of that family has never been more apparent.

Denise A. Battles president

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PHOTO BY KEITH WALTERS ’11

One College Circle

CAMPUS NEWS Hockey Matt Solomon ’16, races down the ice during Geneseo’s NCAA Division III Tournament Semifinal game in Lake Placid, N.Y., at historic Herb Brooks Arena.

After winning the 2016 SUNYAC Championship, which was the team's first title since 2006, the Knights picked up two NCAA Tournament wins to advance to the “Frozen Four” for the second time in three years. Falling to eventual national champion Wisconsin-Stevens Point, Geneseo finished the season tied for third place nationally.

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Peace Corps stars New refugee course Teaming up to help others GREAT Day News in photos Spring 2016

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ONE COLLEGE CIRCLE

CAMPUS NEWS

Mission Driven: Alumni top Peace Corps volunteers in the nation n Paraguay, Stephanie Edwards ’11 is a community educator, helping residents learn about parasite prevention, healthy cooking and other topics. Sometimes, she leads tech classes. Anything that’s needed.

“I am volunteering to be a part of everything, without worrying about how it will go, or if I will fail,” she says. “I guess that’s the lesson: just do it. Leave your worries of failing at the door and do it fearlessly.”

Stephanie is one of 15 Geneseo graduates currently serving in the Peace Corps, assisting communities in Africa, Asia, South America and the Caribbean.

Their efforts have helped Geneseo earn its spot among top volunteerproducing colleges in the entire country. Geneseo is ranked 18 in 2015 among medium-sized colleges.

They all will join the more than 260 Geneseo alumni who have volunteered all over the world since the Corps was founded in 1961.

ILLUSTRATION BY JOANNA WALTERS ’13

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Geneseo students to explore refugee policy in Cairo

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very summer for nearly a decade, refugee workers from countries like Lebanon, Turkey and Jordan along with academics and students have filled classrooms at the American University in Cairo to spark new conversations on refugee policy. Soon, Geneseo students will be among them.

After working on issues of refugee protection for over 20 years, political science and international relations Lecturer Jeremy Grace created the new study abroad course to give students a first-hand understanding of political and social issues plaguing refugees worldwide.

“The international community is confronting the biggest refugee crisis since World War II,” Grace said. “It’s going to have enormous impacts on all of our lives.”

The European Migrant Crisis resulted in 1.3 million refugees and migrants who sought asylum in Europe in 2015. Currently over 60 million people are displaced worldwide due to violence in their home countries.

American University’s Center for Migration

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and Refugee Studies is offering short courses, seeking to educate refugee professionals on the laws that govern their work: Grace saw an opportunity for Geneseo students to learn Grace alongside them.

“There seems to be a mismatch between the law and the actual needs of refugees,” Grace said. “These courses are trying to get people to understand that mismatch but also to ask questions.”

Grace visited Cairo in summer 2015 to take some of the courses himself. He realized he could create a “profoundly impactful” experience for Geneseo students.

Students in the upcoming study abroad program will take refugee law short courses at the Cairo center and then complete an internship at an Egyptian NGO, most likely

helping refugees directly through data collection or education projects in Cairo. The course begins in summer 2017, following recent violence in Egypt.

“I think seeing the nature and extent of the problem combined with a really nuanced and sophisticated understanding of how the international community is trying to respond puts a lot of the rest of the coursework that we’re teaching into a first-hand experience context,” Grace said.

Inspired by Grace’s courses at Geneseo, Tiba Fatli ’15 is pursuing a master’s degree in Migration and Refugee Studies at the CMRS. While she wasn’t able to participate in Grace’s study abroad as a student, she has experienced the program in Cairo first-hand, and looks forward to what her peers can learn.

“The faculty are highly qualified and can give a non-western perspective on the crisis, a perspective we, as Americans, need to hear,” she said. “The program provides students with the challenges and the benefits of this field.”

— By Chelsea Butkowski ’15

Community connection:

Students and seniors partner to help others ow do the messages of Martin Luther King Jr. matter today? Geneseo students and senior citizens from the community explored this question with Professor of History Emilye Crosby in a special keynote address, then discussed the importance of working together for a cause bigger than themselves.

Then, in honor of the fifth annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Leadership and Service on Jan. 18, students and senior citizens completed several service projects to help others.

They prepared backpack lunches for children, slipping in applesauce, granola bars and other healthy treats, and quick meals like Easy Mac. They made cards and fleece blankets for veterans, cutting and tying the material together to make a cozy present. They also assembled soup kits and individual rice packets for food pantries, to be given to needy families.

“We are all trying to learn — to explore and to connect,” said resident Abby Golfo.

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Nathalie Kalumbwe ’16 and other students write gratitude notes to active soldiers abroad and veterans in Livingston County.

“Going to events like this fosters a sense of community and allows one to contribute to society. Whether you are a college student or a retired senior, there is something new to learn and someone new to speak with.”

That’s the underlying message of the keynote address and the day’s activities.

“I think it’s easy to hold

Martin Luther King Jr. up high and think about all the great things he did,” said Samantha Hebel, coordinator of student leadership, volunteerism and service at Geneseo. “But we have to tell the story of all the small things that led to that and all the other people that had a role in making a difference. There are little things that people can do every day

that can make a big impact.”

Honoring MLK this way is a good mix of youth and community, says Ruth Swift ’72, a member of the Livingston County Office of the Aging.

Participants gain an appreciation for small acts of kindness, and feel the importance of the connections they make with each other.

“I come here every year to have the best time of my life,” Diane Wilson said. “The service element is fantastic.

You have the senior citizens and kids coming from every race and you learn respectfully and everything. I love that atmosphere.”

Over several days, the college also held a variety of events to honor Martin Luther King Jr.’s message of nonviolence and civic engagement, including a candlelight vigil, lectures, and film screenings and panel discussions on such topics as Islam and gender, civil rights and the involvement of students.

— By Megan Tomaszewski ’17

Research, talent and the mentors who have been there since day one

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GREAT Day — Geneseo Recognizing Excellence, Achievement and Talent. As part of the 10year anniversary, the college honored Katz and 15 other professors who have sponsored Student research posters are among showcased students every work at GREAT Day. year.

Student solo students find new articles and or team projects often take an research with technology on academic year, or more, to the topics. complete, says Katz. While all Students from all disciplines students learn, Katz says faculpresented their findings with ty benefit too. lectures, performances, “There’s something about posters and other exhibits at

passing back and forth drafts of ideas and watching the project evolve. It’s very bonding,” she says. “All of the hours we spend analyzing data and explaining our findings — it’s really fun to co-produce something new while building lasting relationships.”

This year’s presenter of the Jack and Carol Kramer Endowed Lectureship was Brother Guy Consolmagno, president of the Vatican Observatory Foundation. His expertise is exploring the connection between meteorites, asteroids and the evolution of small solar system bodies.

— By Kris Dreessen

Spring 2016

PHOTOS BY KEITH WALTERS ’11

en years ago, Professor of Psychology Jennifer Katz assisted a student to quantify outcomes for women who sought help at a Rochester-area battered women’s shelter. Did they return home? How long did they stay at the shelter?

This year, Katz helped five students prepare to show their research for the 10th annual GREAT Day on April 19 — on various topics including what compels bystanders to intervene when there’s a perceived chance of sexual assault.

“It’s very collaborative,” says Katz. She says as an advisor, she provides structure and deadlines. Together, they explore new ideas and often,

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ONE COLLEGE CIRCLE

Benjamin Laabs, middle, chair of the Department of Geological Sciences, works with Jenelle Wallace ’16, and recent graduate Eric Kolakowski ’15 during the department’s recent biennial field trip for juniors and seniors, which took place this year in Chile.

“Into the Woods:” Department of Music students rehearse the Tony Award-winning musical for April performances.

Pie a Pi Kapp: Choco cream or straight-up whipped? Students “pie” members of Pi Kappa Phi in the union lobby to raise money for The Ability Experience, a nonprofit organization that serves people with disabilities.

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Storytime with the president: President Denise A. Battles reads to a School #23 kindergarten class in Rochester to promote the college’s partnership with the City School District, which includes elementary school reading programs and the Rochester Young Scholars Academy.

PHOTOS BY KEITH WALTERS ’11

Relay for Life: Students walk in the annual Relay for Life event, in another record-breaking year.

Students raised more than $173,000 in the 11th annual Relay for Life, a signature fundraiser for the American Cancer Society that helps support cancer research and support services for cancer patients.

The Geneseo event is the largest in the Rochester area for fundraising, the largest in New York and ranks among the top 25 college Relay for Life events in the country.

Solar-powered transportation: Brandon Mark ’16 and Zachary Hallenbeck ’16 are putting science to practical use; they built a unique solar-powered golf cart as part of the college’s eGarden project, in which students can put their experimental projects to the test. The design employs a rotating panel mount to maximize efficiency.

PHOTOS BY KEITH WALTERS ’11

Basketball coach is best in nation: Women’s basketball Head Coach Scott Hemer recently led the Knights to their fourth-consecutive SUNYAC championship game — and earned two top honors. He is this year’s State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) Coach of the Year — and the United States Marine Corps/WBCA NCAA Division III National Coach of the Year.

Not quite summer: Summer Stratton ’16 jumps on the summer-like weather before the usual springtime snow takes over again.

Spring 2016

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A Decade of Hurrican

What is Geneseo’s imp

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pact?

By Kris Dreessen

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s a freshman, Amanda Flannery ’09 spent her first spring break with students rebuilding a home after Hurricane Katrina heavily damaged it and soaked everything inside, covering it with black mold.

She picked up a hammer. She painted; simple work with brick and mortar for senior citizen Joanne Arderios.

Joanne was one of the few people in her Biloxi, Miss., neighborhood who had a FEMA emergency trailer.

Every day, Joanne cared for the neighborhood kids while parents worked or struggled with their destroyed houses. At night, some of the kids slept in one of her beds. Her daughter took another bed.

Joanne slept in her wheelchair, saving the final bed for anyone who needed one.

“I looked at that trailer, realizing how few things this woman had, and she was giving them all up for other people,” says Amanda. “That was the moment that I decided I would try to live that same way — to help others.”

For 10 years, Geneseo students, faculty, staff and community residents have given up a week to help homeowners in the Biloxi area rebuild after Hurricane Katrina.

It is one of the longest-running commitments from a college for relief efforts, with more than 900 volunteers. For more than 36 trips, the Livingston County CARES crews have assisted with rebuilding more than 80 homes for families who could not otherwise afford it.

Those are the stats.

But what is the real impact of our efforts on homeowners and the region? What does it mean for students, as they take their experience with them beyond graduation?

We look at how such efforts truly make a difference.

Geneseo students rip siding off a home on the 35th service trip to Biloxi, Miss. They painted and performed work on two homes.

Spring 2016

PHOTOS BY KEITH WALTERS ’11

ne Relief

Geneseo has dedicated a decade of volunteer efforts to Katrina recovery. What is the true impact of our work?

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HOMEOWNER PROFILE: •••

PHOTO BY KRIS DREESSEN

Biloxi: Efforts help pull the city from devastation and slow recession

Volunteer efforts that allowed Gladys Daniels to stay in her home inspire her own actions.

Gladys Daniels “You’ve got to help one another.”

By Kris Dreessen

I

t’s been eight years since Gladys Daniels, 83, opened the front door to her home for the first time again.

Plumbers, electricians, college students and a lot of crews from different states ripped up, hammered, painted, and enabled her to return to her Bowen Street house after Hurricane Katrina.

Without them, “this” would not have happened: a tidy one-story home built on the property with a wheelchair ramp entrance, sturdy windows — all on the property she and her late husband bought to raise a family decades ago.

“The storm was horrible. Oh Lord, I hope I never have to go through one again,” Gladys says, looking out at her family room and dining room table.

“But people help you. It’s remarkable.

People you’ve never seen before. It was just so good and kind. You don’t even know them.”

A few feet away is where her last dining room table sat, and where she and her son, Ben, and her now deceased mother survived the storm. Katrina floodwaters rushed in during daytime, thank the Lord, she says, or more of her friends would have died.

“We had storms but we never got water like that,” she says, explaining why 10

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many didn’t evacuate. “It was too late for us to go.”

At first, Gladys waded in the water, catching shoes that floated out of closets and putting them on the couch. When the refrigerator tipped, she knew it was disaster. She and Ben put a chair on the dining room table for her mom; it was a struggle, but they all got up. If Ben wasn’t there? They’d be dead.

Hours and night passed, the water waist-level on the table: “We were praying and everything else and calling to Jesus. Ain’t nothing else to do.

‘Jesus, don’t leave us now.’

“Many of our friends drowned.”

When the water receded, the family waded in the muck. They lost everything.

People in the food and water trucks were the first people who lent a hand.

Volunteers from many states rebuilt her home — gutted to homey once again.

She carries that with her.

“I think of the scripture. ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ I often think of that, and if someone comes around for help for something, I give. And if I don’t have it to give, I try to get it. You’ve got to help one another, and get along with one another. What if the people didn’t help me? Where would I be today?”

Water started filling Gladys Daniels’ home in early morning. She and her son, Ben, had just time to climb atop their dining room table. Together they pulled her mother up, too. They waited there all night, watching flood waters wash away their life.

All over Biloxi, “it was like a bomb went off,” remembers Pamela Ulrich, Harrison County administrator. “Rich or poor, we were all devastated.”

Gas and water spilled through the streets. There were fires. Casino barges floated atop a tidal wave in 140-mile winds and landed on houses.

Ulrich, Harrison County District 5 Supervisor Connie Rockco and other emergency personnel pulled 20-hour shifts, living at the courthouse. When relief started coming in, it was not easy to accept, says Rockco: “We didn’t have the resources or emotional manpower to coordinate it.”

“That’s what’s so great about the Livingston CARES group. They made their own way,” she says. “I told them, ‘I don’t know where you’re going to stay or going to eat.’ They did it all themselves.”

The first trip, volunteers slept in the old football stadium. Over the years, they have stayed in everything from converted railroad cars to gymnasiums and sewing factories turned bunk houses.

“As an institution, we seized the moment,” says Livingston CARES board of directors chairman Tom Matthews, who is the college’s associate dean of leadership and service. “We really wanted to have a relationship. It makes all the difference in the world because when we come down here, it feels like home. I haven’t talked to a student who hasn’t had a meaningful experience. In a lot of cases, it is life-changing.”

A decade in, direct Katrina relief is finished, says Rockco, but there are longlasting issues: high insurance, an influx of people seeking work, unemployment, the tax base and ultimately higher taxes.

“Geneseo volunteers made their way to help us rebuild not just our homes but our lives and spirits. They’ve become our family,” says Rockco, who presented the group with a resolution of thanks in January. “It helps our spirits, too. One thing this storm

did was to let us bear witness to how humans can care for one another.”

•••

George Sullivan ’07 was among the students whose desire to help ultimately led to the Livingston CARES formation. Four months after the hurricane, he was floored by the devastation.

But that’s not what he carries with him: “The resilience of folks that we had the opportunity to help is,” he says. “It was really humbling to see people maintain their dignity and demonstrate so much strength in adversity.”

He and Amanda Flannery — who was so touched by a homeowner who gave up her own bed for others — saw the best in fellow Americans in a part of the country they had never visited and knew little about.

“I think we students took away from it just how similar we all are, regardless of our backgrounds or where we live,” says Sullivan.

Students keep journals. Matthews is always blown away by the emotions and perspectives students encounter, and not surprised that they often continue to give back.

Several have gone into the Peace Corps and other nonprofit outreach organizations.

Sullivan, who was a student Geneseo firefighter, is a U.S. foreign service officer.

Opportunities like Biloxi relief create a culture, of sorts, that brings out the best in people, he believes. You experience a sense of community and want to reproduce it.

That’s exactly what Flannery found on her four trips: “Hope and community became important for me.”

Flannery joined American Cancer Society efforts through Relay for Life, and returned to Biloxi three more times.

Community service is now in her life and career path. She’s now the Relay for Life regional events coordinator at ACS in Rochester.

“I feel like if I hadn’t gone on that first trip, I might not have found my calling,” she says.

With 10 years of nonprofit expertise and wisdom of helping people in tough times, Flannery views the construction she did for Joanne Arderios with a new perspective.

On the surface, it’s home repair.

“For somebody who was giving up everything she had to help other people, I think it was huge for Joanne to know that other

PHOTO BY KEITH WALTERS ’11

Volunteer veterans: Alumni are changed forever

Impact on students is long-lasting: Amanda Flannery ’09 chose a career in community service because of her Katrina experience.

people were willing to help her,” says Flannery. “I believe very strongly that hope is one of the most powerful things you can give someone, and I think that’s what we did.”

Amanda’s first work trip, in 2006 and a page from her journal.

••• Students: A new lens to see themselves and the world

Those lifelong insights and lessons expressed by alumni are repeated by even the most recent volunteers.

Students share reflections around a closing bonfire: they express strong emotions and a new-found or reinforced belief in community, their abilities, and what can be accomplished.

“I always wanted to do a volunteer trip and I’d never been to the South,” says James Arcidiacono ’16. “I didn’t realize how much we’d be helping people.”

You can envision how efforts over time, from Geneseo and other volunteers, house

:

Experience the January trip with volunteers in our exclusive blog: http://www.features.geneseo.edu/ten-years-and-counting Learn about Livingston CARES: http://livingstoncares.geneseo.edu

Spring 2016

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PHOTO BY KRIS DREESSEN

HOMEOWNER PROFILE:

Daisy Guyton says she could not care for her son in her home if not for volunteers.

Daisy Guyton “It changes you.”

Daisy Guyton’s home was the first that Livingston CARES volunteers helped rebuild, 11 years ago. This is about how life has changed — and how that help changed her.

By Kris Dreessen

D

aisy steps out, Duke darting out with a bark to see who’s coming.

The front door, displaying a black wreathe carefully wrapped in gold ribbon, opens to a living room in black and reds.

It’s the same frame, but inside, her home is new. Katrina flooding rose seven feet, wiping away more than 47 years of her family’s life.

“We had to start from scratch. I was 73.

Can you imagine that?” says Daisy.

“Everything you had accumulated. In a matter of hours, you don’t have anything but what you have on.”

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Daisy and her son, Thomas, evacuated during Katrina; they came home after.

“I peeked in the window and I just started crying,” she says.

Livingston CARES and other volunteers rebuilt her home: Daisy and her daughter slept there before it was finished.

“There were no sheets, no nothing. But we had a bed,” she laughs. “I didn’t care.

We were overjoyed.”

Where would she be without the volunteers? Not here in her home.

Daisy’s husband, a chef, is dead. With her fixed income, she wouldn’t be able to rebuild. Here, she can care for Thomas, who has had a stroke. Her daughter, Shaunda, stays here, too. That would be impossible in senior housing.

“I’m just so thankful,” she says. “This has changed me a lot.”

In such devastation, you are forced to see things differently, she says, when your life is completely altered. Before the storm, Daisy says, she didn’t think much about those who were down and out.

“You don’t think much because, really,

you’re living the good life. Then I found myself in the same line, to get whatever I could to survive,” she says. “I have six coats out in the back shed that I bought for children when I know someone needs them. It really changed me as a person.”

Often she looks around her house, and remembers. She tries not to think about the pain of the storm, but of the care so many showed her and others.

Then there’s the fridge.

A volunteer told Daisy a member of her congregation heard about her and wanted to buy her a new one. The volunteer took her to a store and invited her to choose one. They picked it out together, and put it on the gentleman’s credit card.

He had never been in Mississippi.

“This is why I appreciate the volunteers.

They do things and they don’t even know you,” she says. “They did so much for us.

So much. It was terrible, this storm, but when things like this happen, it also shows us the best in people.”

RELIEF:

10 years accomplished ...

Volunteer efforts will focus on helping low-income residents with home improvements, and outreach.

By Kris Dreessen

PHOTO BY KEITH WALTERS ’11

A

lmost immediately after news of Hurricane Katrina flooding hit, Geneseo students sought ways to help that would make a long-term difference.

“Everybody felt there must be something we could do, and that maybe we should think about going there,” says George Sullivan ’06, a foreign service officer with the U.S. Department of State in Brazil.

That desire created Livingston County CARES, a nonprofit that links local volun-

by house, add up. He can envision the nized her. She served lunch alongside change. meal recipients. Many thanked her.

He also talked about a change in himself Back home, she thought about this from the work he did. Arcidiacono says it’s and realized that by getting to know hard for him to step out of his comfort the people she tried to help as individzone — he’s never done construction. uals, she saw community in an entirely “It was a little scary initially,” he says, new way. The divide between her and “but once you’re those in need was ripping the siding erased. off because that’s “There are so what has to be many people and done, that is your society often makes new comfort zone.” us feel like if we Now working want to have an through the Back effect, we have to Bay Mission, volundo something big,” teers have the she says. “But you expanded opportunican start small — ty to work foodjust to one person, pantry, soup-kitchen and the next, and and homeless-daythen you better the center shifts. community. It radi“You go outside of ates out. More peoyour bubble doing ple are interested in them — outside of helping, then. what you know is “We go back to Taylor Powers ’16: The most rewarding part ‘home,’” says of the trip? Gaining a new lens with which to our day-to-day rouview the world.

Arcidiacono. “You tines, but we have an realize there’s so advantage. We now much more.” have a whole new lens with which to Arcidiacono and Taylor Powers ’16 each view the world.” served meals at Fish and Loaves downtown.

Providing food at the pantry, Powers recognized repeat customers, and they recog-

PHOTO BY KEITH WALTERS ’11

James Arcidiacono ’16 found a new comfort zone on the Biloxi trip, transforming what he believes he can do.

Connie Rockco officially commends Livingston CARES for 10 years, with Tom Matthews

teers with humanitarian projects — and a 10-year commitment to Biloxi and Harrison County, Miss.

Ten years have passed, but Livingston CARES recently voted to keep going.

A decade in, Rockco says direct Katrina recovery is complete, so crews will focus on construction projects for low-income residents, and other outreach for low-income needs.

They work with the Back Bay Mission, which has a long tradition of social and economic justice. Beginning with the January 2016 group, students volunteer shifts in the mission’s soup kitchen, food pantry, and homeless center.

“Ten years later,” says Matthews, “Our commitment is still strong.”

:

Watch Livingston CARES receive a s pecial resolution at the Harrison County Board of Supervisors:

https://youtu.be/nCjgUwPGW4M Read about volunteering at the homeless center:

go.geneseo.edu/micahcenter

Spring 2016

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Grand Prize

Photo

Contest

WINNER

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ast year, more than 500 Geneseo students journeyed to Ghana, Haiti and dozens of other locations — to cities and remote villages around the world, performing field research in biodiversity and learning about everything from health care in resource-challenged areas to psychology.

There are 58 Geneseo-sponsored programs in 37 countries, for many disciplines. The students’ experiences all had something in common: transformation.

Immersion in a new culture challenges us to dive into what we have never known — with an open mind. Over time, or sometimes in aha moments, we change our perception of ourselves and what we can do, and of the world around us.

The world becomes smaller.

At Geneseo, 35 to 40 percent of our students experience a study abroad opportunity. There are 600 programs to choose from; 58 of those are Geneseo-led. The newest? Studying African diaspora in Brazil and writing and knowing the land in Iceland.

Our first Scene photo contest celebrates the moments big and small that make up such journeys. In our “epiphany” category, students share those pivotal moments when their outlook was transformed.

Our grand prize photo winner, philosophy major Jes Heppler ’17, will receive a GoPro from Campus Auxiliary Services, to document her upcoming explorations.

At Geneseo, internationalization is a core value. In collaboration, Campus Auxiliary Services is helping a Geneseo student set out on discovery by offering a $500 scholarship to attend their first Geneseo program this summer or fall.

The recipient will share their photos and everyday thoughts and epiphanies in next year’s Scene photo contest, so we can all share in the journey.

Enjoy.

— Kris Dreessen, Editor

GRAND PRIZE WINNER: Geneseo wishes all students have the opportunity to study abroad. Campus Auxilary Services is providing a $500 scholarship for a first time student. See their photos next year!

:

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See all the photos go.geneseo.edu/abroadphoto

geneseo scene

(GoPro camera, courtesy of Campus Auxiliary Services, Coca-Cola and Barnes & Noble)

“Dachau” Jes Heppler ’17 Major: Philosophy Program: Oxford scholars program through SUNY Brockport

Judge’s comments: There is not a lot going on in this photo, but there is. It’s minimalist, powerful, quiet and somber.

Through this image, we can envision people in the camp. We hear their voices.

Spring 2016

AWARD ILLUSTRATION : DESIGNED BY FREEPIK

“One of my more grim epiphanies was seeing the Dachau concentration camp near Munich, Germany. While it wasn’t a death camp like Auschwitz, it was the first camp and they still killed the Jews with gas.

“I had the opportunity to look in some of the buildings, and it was haunting. It is easy to distance yourself from such tragedies when you learn about them from afar, but stepping on the same ground that the prisoners walked on and entering the same rooms where thousands died makes it all the more real. It was terrifying to see in person, but it changed me in a way that I think is both important and significant, especially as a Jew.”

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Jennifer Mazzola ’17 Program: “Psychology of Happiness in Amsterdam” “The image of a bike, flowers and canal perfectly captured the beauty of Amsterdam.”

CATEGORY: EPIPHANY

FIRST PLACE

($100 gift certificate to the college bookstore, courtesy of Campus Auxiliary Services)

“Argentina” Deidre E. Kelly ’16 Major: Graduate student, School of Education Program: Master of Spanish adolescent education in Córdoba, Argentina

“I felt so small in front of such immense features of the land. The photos I took portray the desires of a solo traveler to capture what’s in front of their lens, and also their inability to fit such a large experience into a small camera.

I’ve gotten used to traveling by myself, but I’ve never been completely comfortable doing so. There’s always a small, nagging feeling to be careful, it’s dark; be careful, you’re alone; be careful ...

Our culture instills this fear in women and girls from a very young age, and there comes a sense of dependency, of needing someone else for something or to make a decision.

In my first two abroad experiences, I asked friends and parents — ‘Should I do this?’ On this, my final trip, I went all out, doing everything I WANTED to do, not asking others for anything, not declining a possibility because I had to ‘be careful.’

I went on three days of solitary hikes, up to 14 miles long. I’m not in shape, nor do I have survival skills. I was alone. But I wanted this and decided I was going to get it. I started late, I didn’t bring enough food, I got dirty, I fell, I lost the trail, I sweated, I almost cried, and I screamed out in frustration a few times.

But I pushed on, and was rewarded by my perseverance with this breathtaking vista.

I had accomplished something by myself, something I never thought I'd be able to do, by trusting myself and my brains and my instincts, and by putting one foot in front of the other until I reached the goal I deserved to attain.

Back home, this photo reminds me what I can accomplish. I trusted myself not to fail and I didn’t let myself down.”

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Christina Lu ’16 Program: Stonybrook-Beijing University Exchange Program “Grandmas of Beijing hang out.”

Jes Heppler ’17 Program: Oxford scholars program through SUNY Brockport “This was the night of a major climate conference.

Climate marches and protests were not permitted following the attacks in Paris, but Paris still showed solidarity with facts and statistics on the Eiffel Tower.”

FIRST PLACE CATEGORY: PEOPLE AND PORTRAITS ($100 gift certificate to the college bookstore, courtesy of Campus Auxiliary Services)

“Nanoun, Monaise and Zamor” Yoshua Yosephia Kohrs ’16 Major: Biochemistry Program: Service-learning in Borgne, Haiti

“Borgne, Ayit: These women are the soul of the hospital — the kitchen! They feed the patients every day as well as prepare meals for the hospital staff and visitors. Also, they don’t need help. If there is an extra dish, they will carry it on their head with poise.”

Ashlee Hill ’17 Program: Regent's University London “The magnificence and serenity of the Scottish Highlands.”

Spring 2016

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CATEGORY: SENSE OF PLACE ($100 gift certificate to the campus bookstore, courtesy of Campus Auxiliary Services)

“Boats of Tongli” Kristin Tran ’16 Major: Business administration Program: Fudan University in Shanghai, China

FIRST PLACE

“Water boats lined up in Tongli, in the outskirts of Suzhou, China.”

Katharine Martinson ’17 Program: Monsters and Freaks in Paris “Walking through the catacombs, I realized that these were real people, who lived and died, just as I once would. Yet instead of being remembered, their graves were torn up and their bodies thrown underground. It made me incredibly sad. I stayed far down below in those once-forgotten waterways for quite some time.”

Kristin Tran ’16 Xitang, China Program: Fudan University in Shanghai, China, through SUNY Albany.

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CATEGORY: CULTURE ($100 gift certificate to the campus bookstore, courtesy of Campus Auxiliary Services)

FIRST PLACE

“The dance” Deidre E. Kelly ’16 Major: Graduate student, School of Education Program: Master of Spanish adolescent education in Córdoba, Argentina

“The dancer front and center of this ‘folclore’ dance was part of the culture club I was a part of in Córdoba. The dance is a very old tradition of the indigenous peoples of Argentina, influenced by various other dances and cultures throughout the centuries, and thus slightly different in different provinces. It is wonderful to see young adults care for their bond to their culture by learning these dances, and to see families and their young children appreciate displays of culture such as this.”

Rachel Bruce ’16 Program: Western Humanities I in Athens, Greece “The Temple of Poseidon on Cape Sounio, Greece.”

Ashlee Hill ’17 Program: Regent’s University London “Members of my group were eating at a restaurant a few short miles from where one of the terrorist attacks occurred. Despite the feelings of terror and anxiety that wash over me about my time in Paris, every time I look at this photo, I can't help but remember the feeling of peace and acceptance I felt while standing at the Eiffel Tower that day.

I admire the strength and courage of France following the Paris Attacks and I try to embody that in my day to day life. “

Kristin Tran ’16 Program: Fudan University in Shanghai, China, through SUNY Albany “A woman sells small trinkets in Tongli, China.”

Spring 2016

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Crisis: on-call at night Student advocates lend trained ears to their peers who find themselves needing help.

By Lydia Fernandez

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geneseo scene

PHOTO BY KEITH WALTERS ’11

O

ne night every week, Jenny Soudachanh ’16 goes to her room to wait by the phone. She sits there for hours. Her friends and her housemates know to leave her alone, even though the phone might never ring.

But when it does, Soudachanh feels a jolt of nerves. She has no idea who will be on the other end or what will happen next.

“It’s good to be a little nervous,” she says.

“It keeps you alert.”

Soudachanh answers a hotline for Geneseo Pathways, a peer advocacy program that helps students facing difficult social, emotional or academic situations connect with the help they need in the overnight hours when they might feel most vulnerable and other outlets are closed.

Pathways gives students an option for reaching out while remaining anonymous.

They can connect with someone their own age and know that their concerns will be kept confidential. It’s a way for them to talk things through as they decide whether or not to report a situation or go to the campus Lauderdale Center for Student Health and Counseling.

“There are times when it’s difficult to talk to an adult because there can be a disconnection or they won’t understand,” says Soudachanh, who began training as a Pathways peer advocate two years ago.

The peer advocates are volunteers — typically upperclassmen — who are trained to listen without judgment and to help the callers make decisions without providing advice. They take turns serving on teams that are on-call each night from 8 p.m. to 8 a.m.

They also train the next cohort of Pathways volunteers. Students undergo 10 weeks of intense training on top of their academic schedules. They commit to weekly meetings and are on-call at least once a week during the semester plus two or three weekend nights per semester.

They are also enrolled in PSYCH 294, a psychology seminar in peer advocacy taught by Professor Jennifer Katz.

Katz created Pathways with input from

Geneseo Professor Jennifer Katz talks with Geneseo Pathways volunteers.

her students in 2011 and continues to coordinate the program. She had participated in a campus-wide Sexual Assault Teach-In, where it became clear that students needed a place to turn for more than sexual assault.

“It revealed gaps in our services that we spent the next five years working on,” Katz says.

That spring, Katz presented the issue to her clinical psychology class and asked for their ideas on how to address these needs.

She and the students developed Geneseo Pathways.

“Initially, we weren’t sure anyone would use the service,” Katz says.

Over the first two semesters, however, students contacted Pathways about 60 times by phone and online. Since then, the contacts have continued to grow. In 201415, Pathways received nearly 90 contacts from students by phone, email and online chat. The issues cross a wide range, from stress about school to conflicts with friends or intimate partners to mental health symptoms including depression, anxiety

and suicidal feelings. They can also include crisis situations that require contacting University Police or other authorities.

Although the program has no funding, Katz says the psychology department gives her one class a year that’s focused on the program and helps with promotional materials. The health and counseling centers also help cover an adjunct instructor to teach, to allow Katz to devote time to Pathways.

Because each contact is anonymous, Katz and the peer advocates often have no way of measuring the impact of the program beyond the number of contacts.

“It’s hard to translate that into the fact that that may have saved someone’s life,” says Jesse Strickler ’15, who spent two years as a peer advocate and helped several students through both extremely serious and less serious situations.

“I admired every single person who was brave enough to reach out and contact us when they were having a problem, especially those who were in a state of crisis,” says Abigail Cantello ’15, who joined Pathways as a sophomore. “I clearly remember each and

every one of the crisis situations I dealt with as an advocate, and hope that I was able to provide helpful support and resources to those individuals.”

Pathways is designed to support those who call, and build camaraderie and continual training among the peer advocates.

Teams rotate being on-call each night, though the individuals may be in physically separate locations.

“We keep in touch during each contact, so we are never entirely alone,” Strickler says.

Katz is also always available to step in if

the situation warrants, and she follows up with each peer advocate after every encounter.

“One of the things I’m most proud of is that the peer advocates really support one another,” she says. “The people on-call bond through their experiences.”

On the hotline, no two contacts are the same and there are no perfect answers.

“Some contacts are more serious than others,” Strickler says. “The person or group sometimes needs to take on a debriefing for their own emotional wellbeing.”

Through Pathways, the peer advocates build lasting friendships and have indelible experiences that shape who they are and who they’re likely to become.

“It’s made me a better friend,” says Strickler, who is a clinical research coordinator at the New York State Psychiatric Institute. He says the experience has made him a better listener and given him the confidence in his ability to make a difference.

Soudachanh sees similar changes in herself. She recalls a recent conversation with a friend who was trying to make a difficult decision. As she listened, she recognized that sometimes people can sway their friends’ decisions in an effort to be supportive and took a step back.

“I Pathwaysed her a bit — asking what did she want, how did she feel about things — and helped her to be comfortable about it,” Soudachanh says.

Most of the peer advocates are psychology majors. The Pathways experience has helped confirm their career choices — it has prepared them for working in the field.

Sara Widgerson ’12 helped create Pathways and was one of the first peer advocates in the program. She is now pursuing her Ph.D. in clinical psychology at the University of Miami. She credits Pathways with deepening her communication skills, giving her hands-on experience and reinforcing her belief that she could handle this kind of work.

“Having this experience as an undergrad is invaluable to me now,” she says. “In my current position, I think about how a peerto-peer program could help here.”

Through Pathways, Cantello realized she was heading down the right career path and is now pursuing a master’s degree in school counseling at the University of Rochester.

“As I progressed through my semesters as an advocate, I gained a lot of confidence in myself and my abilities,” she says. “I was able to get to a place where I believed in myself — that I was capable of truly helping others.”

Spring 2016

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Campus and community members remember the students.

PHOTO BY KEITH WALTERS ’11

In memoriam:

The Geneseo family responds to tragedy

I

t was a wrenching start to Geneseo’s spring semester.

The details were widely reported, but students and faculty returned to campus in January to the devastating news that two beloved students had perished in a violent off-campus incident involving a former student.

Senior Kelsey Annese was an education major, and Matthew Hutchinson was a senior geography major. Both were studentathletes — Kelsey on the women’s basketball team and Matt on the men’s ice hockey team. Both were highly regarded by faculty, coaches and peers and had left sub-

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geneseo scene

Due to requests of many alumni and friends of the college wishing to honor the memories of Matt Hutchinson and Kelsey Annese, Geneseo has established a memorial fund. If you wish, please go to go.geneseo.edu/memorialfund to make a donation in remembrance of their lives so well lived.

stantial marks on both the college and the community.

The news thrust the campus and community into a somber period of mourning.

Everyone felt the loss, but through the grieving came a compelling solidarity among those on campus, members of the communi-

ty, alumni and friends.

Expressions of sorrow and support came from alumni, parents and friends all over the world. The #OneKnight hashtag became a therapeutic rallying point on social media, on signage at hockey and basketball games, and elsewhere.

In a solemn and beautiful remembrance ceremony on campus, faculty members, coaches, administrators and community members offered powerful reminiscences of Kelsey and Matt. Some 3,500 packed Kuhl Gymnasium for the ceremony; nearly 7,500 others watched the streamed video.

“We have lost two of our own…but when we leave this place and move forward, we will carry them with us in our hearts always,” said President Denise Battles at the ceremony.

“The Geneseo campus is ‘Geneseo Strong,’” declared hockey coach Chris Schultz. “And the Geneseo community is ‘Geneseo Strong.’”

A remembrance of our students and the

power of community

By Robert Bonfiglio, vice president of student and campus life

I

learned first-hand during a graduate practicum at SUNY Purchase that death was part of our work in student affairs. It was my introduction to joining with colleagues to minister to students after a suicide. I recall clearly the gloom that enveloped the campus in the aftermath of that tragedy.

Nearly 40 years later, a tragedy of unfathomable proportions — two murders and a suicide — called us to respond at Geneseo. In reflecting on the deaths of victims Kelsey Annese and Matt Hutchinson in January, what endures is the generous, caring and selfless manner in which our campus community has come together and the compassionate support we have received from the greater Geneseo community. In the days that followed, emails, texts, calls and notes came in from colleagues and friends across New York, across the nation, and even from overseas. “We’re with you,” they read.

Geneseo students and alumni often describe our college as “a special place.”

That does not mean it is a place isolated from the world. Rather, it means that strong ties bind us to each other and that, when problems arise, we stand together to address and cope with them. The culture of our college is indomitable, undergirded by an ethic of care that permeates our campus, extends into our village, and defines the character of the place we call Geneseo — far beyond our intellectual pursuits and our extracurricular avocations.

This ethic of care culminated in one of the most solemn, moving, profound events I have ever attended — the campus memorial service for Kelsey and Matt in Kuhl Gymnasium. Quickly filled to capacity, the gym was remarkably quiet. Thousands more watched the event streamed live.

Local firefighters arrived in uniform to

honor Matt, their departed colleague.

Police from other SUNY colleges supplemented our force to help manage the event. Alumni friends of Kelsey’s parents, both Geneseo graduates, joined. Over 500 Geneseo student-athletes were present to support their fellow students. A busload of students from SUNY Brockport came to lend their support.

Faculty members, staff members, community members and students offered their reflections, each highlighting

received from colleagues at this time, was one from Dee Molinari, the longtime director of residence life at SUNY Purchase. We had not seen each other or spoken since I left Purchase in 1978.

Perhaps it was she who showed me in my first job in higher education how to minister to a community when lives are cut short. Once again I benefited from her support and her compassion.

There is a book of poetry on my nightstand by Donald Hall. When we grieve,

Geneseo students and alumni often describe our college as “a special place.” That does not mean it is a place isolated from the world. Rather, it means that strong ties bind us to each other and that, when problems arise, we stand together to address and cope with them.

unique aspects of Kelsey and Matt, their well-rounded characters and full engagement in the college and community.

What emerged were detailed portraits of two model Geneseo students, affirming the supportive nature of our college and the intricate, connective webs we craft.

In an unexpected way, that evening was a reflection of joy. It gave voice to the joyfulness that most of our students and alumni feel toward Geneseo. It reflected the joyfulness with which our faculty and staff approach their work with our students. For me, it affirmed a deliberate choice to work with students, even in terrible times, supporting them in a spirit of joy and love.

Among the many notes of support I

Hall says, “The whole village weeps.” He goes on to ask, “Where shall we take our pleasures for validation?” At Geneseo, although we continue to weep and mourn our loss, I know that we will seek, and find, our validation in the sustaining work of our faculty and staff. We will find our validation, as well, in the support of local community members, among Geneseo alumni, and among colleagues in the field of higher education. Most of all, we will find our validation in our relationships with our students — in their inquisitiveness, in their exuberance, and in the joy that Kelsey and Matt and so many others bring to Geneseo and leave with us — even in the most challenging of circumstances.

Spring 2016

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RANDOM PROFILE

One Cup Suzanne Benko Rainwater ’94 PHOTO PROVIDED

Making the most of everything

By Chelsea Butkowski ’15

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 take aim again to choose a lucky alum. We catch up, relive memories and share life insight, like we are talking over coffee.

Rhode Island Could it be you?

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QUICK FACTS Home: Tulsa, OK Graduation year: 1994 Degree: Sociology Favorite Geneseo hangout: The gazebo Best Geneseo memory: Sitting behind the goalie box at Geneseo Knights ice hockey games as my work study job!

Most rewarding experience since college: Becoming a stepmom and then having my baby boy after over 20 years of life and work experiences after college.

What are people usually surprised to discover about you? That I went backpacking in Europe for over a month by myself right after I graduated Geneseo.

Advice to seniors: Make a plan of what you want to do and push forth with it, and then when the first shot is fired, adapt to what life has in store, which could also mean learning to overcome something. Finally, make it all worthwhile. True satisfaction comes when you have put your all into something and then enjoyed the ride in the process. One truly never knows when your last day is, or the last day is for those you love.

ILLUSTRATION BY AMANDA LINDLEY

M

ore than four years before women in the U.S. military were permitted to serve on submarines, Suzanne Benko Rainwater ’94 made her first dive to the depths.

She was one of a few select Coast Guard members entrusted to create a new unit, which performed armed waterside security for the Navy’s submarines. As part of the job, Suzanne went for a dive.

“Devising and implementing the unit was by far one of the most significant, challenging and rewarding jobs I’ve accomplished,” she says.

Suzanne has been a member of the Coast Guard since 1998, protecting America’s oceanic borders and marine life as an oil-spill responder and regulatory specialist.

It was her first husband who encouraged her decision to join the Coast Guard. They met while Suzanne was preparing for law school in New York City. He attended the Coast Guard Academy. “I always told him that I was a lot more interested in his Coast Guard assignments than going to law school,” she says.

Suzanne had always been passionate about environmental issues, and the Coast Guard’s environmental mission and the fast-paced nature of the job appealed to her. She didn’t want to wait until after graduation to get started. Instead, she applied and was soon commissioned as an officer for the reserve force during law school.

She relocated to California midway through law school and later to Virginia with her husband. They were in a car accident in 2000.

Suzanne almost lost an arm, but her husband was killed instantly.

“The death of my first husband was exponential,” she said. “It changed so much of who I am as a person. I’ve learned to be more appreciative of every bit of life and that it’s all up to me to decide how I view it and, ultimately, live it.”

She launched herself into her career in the Coast Guard after the accident, propelled by the events of September 11, 2001, and her desire to serve her country.

After 10 years focused on homeland security, she worked with Coast Guard admirals leading cleanup efforts for the BP oil spill off the Louisiana coast in 2010. That assignment reminded Suzanne of her passion for the environment. She became a Coast Guard oilspill responder soon afterward.

As she slowly redirected her career back to environmental issues, Suzanne’s life began to open up.

She remarried, caring for a stepdaughter and a new son. Now, she’s back in law school to obtain a specialization in energy law.

She hopes to work in the energy industry. She still serves in the Coast Guard as a reservist, but is no longer on active duty.

“I’ve been so focused on just my Coast Guard career for so long,” she says. “Now I’m a mom and finishing another degree. I’m sort of starting over.”

Alumni News Great Knight Alumni across the nation celebrated Geneseo on Great Knight, April 19.

From Virginia to the Big Apple and California, our Geneseo family gathered together at 31 events to reminisce, enjoy and make new connections. More than 130 people attended the Rochester, N.Y., event.

Alumni from all parts, including New Zealand, joined in via social media on this #GreatKnight.

See all the photos — and who you know — at http://www.geneseo.edu/ alumni/alumni-event-photos

ALUMNI NEWS

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New alumni organization takes shape Alumni event photos Fashion power Empowering women Class Notes Spring 2016

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SUNY Geneseo Alumni Association takes shape

L

ast fall, President Denise Battles announced plans to create the SUNY Geneseo Alumni Association (SGAA) to be sole official alumni association of the college.

At the time, she asked me to chair an implementation committee she charged with outlining governance and recommending a leadership structure for the SGAA. Besides myself, implementation committee members were: Meaghan Arena (vice president for enrollment management), Ronna Bosko Gillam (director of alumni relations), Doug Dickman ’89 (Geneseo Alumni Association director), Jill Yonkers Emmons ’96 (Alumni Council regional committee member), Marissa Lewis ’10 (Geneseo Alumni Association director), John O’Malley ’85 (Foundation board member), Dan White (consultant) and Michelle Worden ’92 (associate director of alumni relations).

President Battles called on alumni to join the process with comments and suggestions. We received valuable input. The committee has now completed a draft SUNY Geneseo Alumni Association constitution and bylaws. Once these charter documents are finalized and approved by the president and her cabinet, the president will appoint an interim SGAA board, led by alumni relations staff liaisons, to facilitate the rollout of the new organization.

In this initial period, planned to last about a year, the SGAA will unfold into a fully operational association representing all 59,000 Geneseo alumni.

The interim SGAA leadership will plan events for the next year; test the charter documents and suggest revisions, if needed; create committees; and work to develop and increase the ranks of volunteer leaders.

The SGAA will elect officers to full terms and start a succession of governance. The ultimate success of the SGAA will, of course, be measured by the number of you who engage in the life of the college and with each other as active Geneseo alumni. As we designed the new organization, we asked at each turn what will be best for the alumni family because that will always be good for Geneseo.

The next Scene will introduce the new SGAA in detail.

Thank you for your loyalty to the college. I hope each of you will get involved with the SGAA. A strong SGAA supports a strong Geneseo.

Together we’ll create a new era in Geneseo alumni engagement — with each other and with the college we love!

Homecoming — Sports Hall of Fame dinner

Homecoming — Alumni swim meet

Homecoming — Alumni softball game

Debra Hill ’75 Assistant vice president emerita for college advancement

Questions? Suggestions?

Visit the SGAA website at www.geneseo.edu/alumni/sgaa or contact Ronna Bosko Gillam, director of alumni relations, at bosko@geneseo.edu or (585) 245-5596.

Homecoming — Friday Night 5K 26

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Alumni Events

Homecoming — Stadium ribbon cutting

Ice Hockey alumni weekend

Spring 2016

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Upcoming

Alumni Events The Office of Alumni Relations is always looking for regional event ideas. Contact the office at alumni@geneseo.edu if you would like to work with us to plan an event in your area.

A Reception with President Denise A. Battles June 23, 2016 (Boston region)

Tri-City ValleyCats vs.

Vermont Lake Monsters June 23, 2016 (Albany)

Buffalo, N.Y., Presidential reception

Reunion -— Weekend Theme “Celebrating the ’70s” June 3-4, 2016 Groups celebrating special reunions: • OA (Orientation Advisors) 50th Anniversary: 1966-2016 • UAA (Undergraduate Alumni Association) 40th Anniversary: 1976-2016

Crew Alumni Race and Fundraising Night October 8, 2016 (Rochester and on campus) Rochester, N.Y., Presidential reception

Homecoming October 14-15, 2016 (Friday Night 5K, alumni swim meet, women’s alumnae softball game)

Sports Hall of Fame November 19, 2016 (campus recognition event) Contact Tracy Young Gagnier ’93, assistant director of alumni relations (gagniert@geneseo.edu) if you are interested in learning more about either of these reunions.

Make sure we have your email so we can invite you to join us! We are always planning events on campus and throughout Geneseo’s 18 alumni regions across the country. Most of our event invitations are sent by email to reduce cost and conserve resources.

Visit alumni.geneseo.edu for events in your area!

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Florida - West, Presidential reception

Alumni Events

Washington, D.C., Externship Program

Albany, N.Y., Presidential reception

Reunion — Women’s Basketball alumnae gathering

Northern California Presidential reception

Boston, Mass., event

Reunion — Access Opportunities Program Spring 2016

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Creating a fashion niche Unable to find a functional wardrobe that suited him, this entrepreneur made his own line.

By Chelsea Butkowski ’13

B

OGA, an upscale menswear line that operates mostly online, maintains its Chicago Retail Lounge in the city’s industrial West Loop neighborhood, perched in the fifth-floor loft atop a historic printing warehouse.

Style consultants meet oneon-one with potential clients.

Surrounded by exposed brick, they sit on leather-upholstered furniture and talk over cocktails about the client’s personal style and body type. The result is a personalized selection of crisply casual jeans, shirts, and jackets.

“I thought it was very challenging to shop for myself because there weren’t really good quality basics out there

class of ’89 Jeff Burkard

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that were strategically designed and strategically coordinated to just build a great wardrobe,” says BOGA founder and creative director Jeff Burkard ’89. “I felt that I could do it better.”

Burkard has built his career on this ability to identify a niche and pay close attention to detail, but he says starting BOGA was one of the biggest risks of his life.

That’s saying something for a man who built his first multimillion-dollar business only a year out of college.

“If you were to ask me when I was 25 if I’m a risk taker, I don’t think I would have said I was,” he says. “You have to be willing to take risks — but it’s

kind of just recognizing that you have received the opportunity in front of you, and it’s not going to stay there forever. It’s going to be something that is either seized or not seized.”

Working in the specialty food industry for a year after graduating from Geneseo, he realized retailers wanted threedimensional gourmet gift baskets — much flashier than the flat gift boxes that were standard fare at the time. With friends and relatives, Burkard started DesignPac LLC in Chicago, which shipped thousands of gourmet gift baskets to retailers across the country.

As CEO, Burkard grew DesignPac over 19 years into a business with 80 full-time and

PHOTO PROVIDED

ALUMNI NEWS

ALUMNI PROFILE

300 seasonal employees and annual revenue of roughly $70 million. When demand for gift baskets expanded onto the Internet, he and his business partner sold the company to 1800Flowers.com in 2008. Two years later, he left DesignPac. Burkard spent time traveling and soul-searching during two years off, but soon he was determined to create a new business. This time, he focused on building his own personalized brand, for sale directly to consumers.

He applied the same skills he used to create gift baskets — international sourcing, package design and hands-on curation — and his design passion and experience.

BOGA launched in 2012 with a focus on elevated dress casual clothing. He built its foundation on the ideal pair of jeans or “a refined denim.”

To maintain the line, Jeff has had to make sacrifices.

He travels to Europe and Morocco frequently to research textile production, and has spent countless hours on design and development of the brand. These tasks breed chaos, but he says they’re all part of being an entrepreneur.

“Starting BOGA has been incredibly stressful and mentally taxing, however, I wouldn’t trade it in,” he says. “I love what I’m doing, and I love building something.”

ALUMNI PROFILE

By Kris Dreessen

PHOTO BY ADAM FRANCIS PURL

A

s a Peace Corps volunteer in rural Mali, Rahama Wright ’02 helped women develop the area’s first shea butter cooperative so they could have more power to harvest and sell shea seeds working together.

In Mali and as an intern with the U.S. Embassy in Burkina Faso the summer after her Geneseo graduation, Wright saw the need for more self-reliant income among women — and a better, more profitable way for them to be part of the shea supply chain.

Wright created Shea Yeleen in 2005, with a mission to empower women with sustainable income, training and opportunities, not just by selling raw materials to others, but producing valued-added shea butter and other finished products themselves.

“I had to create a new business model,” she says.

It took seven long years to build Shea Yeleen: She spent the first two years researching grassroots organizations, how to structure the operation, how to train women and how to identify and work with local leaders. The process came with its own set of challenges: She used all of her Peace Corps money, and then some. She had to leave her apartment; she slept on a blow-up mattress in her friend’s apartment.

“Everything was telling me, ‘this is not going work.’ But I believed. It boils down to faith. I remember telling myself, I am committed to these issues, regardless if it takes a month or 25 years.”

Now, Shea Yeleen is sold online and in retail stores,

class of ’02 Rahama Wright Rahama Wright ’02 empowers African women with her beauty and skin care line, Shea Yeleen.

Empowering women in Africa The former Peace Corps volunteer created a new business model for a beauty staple. including Whole Foods. Shea Yeleen works with some 800 women in two cooperatives in northern Ghana — in Tamale and Damango.

Shea Yeleen provides living wages — $6 per day from the usual $2 per day — access to community health cards for family care, and an opportunity for savings. Most often, Wright says, the income is used for their children’s education.

It also funds dreams. In a video, Gladys proudly shows her small café, opened from Shea Yeleen income.

“I think you don’t know if you can do something until you try, or someone opens your eyes that this is achievable,” says Wright. “We all just need a little encouragement and support to believe you can achieve something that you might ever have considered.”

Shea Yeleen cooperative women work in small facilities, in groups of 10, and produce butter, and most recently, shea butter soap. Products are shipped and labeled in the U.S. Wright has received several accolades for her vision and success. In 2008, she was one of 80 women selected to participate in an Oprah Winfrey and White House leadership Project. She is a member of President Obama’s Advisory Council on Doing Business in Africa.

“One of my proudest moments was when we brought some of the women to the U.S.,” says Wright, so they could see Shea Yeleen on the shelves, and understand their position in the supply

:

chain. “These are women who didn’t even have passports or birth certificates. Those moments hit home.”

One of Wright’s favorite images is of her with children of the cooperative members.

“That moment really captures why I’m doing this,” says Wright. “Throughout history, I have been inspired by people who were able to change the lives of the next generation.

When I started Shea Yeleen, I said, ‘I might not be able to completely change a woman’s life. She may still have a firstgrade education. But what if she’s able to change her child’s life, and they have a much different experience, and education and a different job?”

Read more about Shea Yeleen www.sheayeleen.com

Spring 2016

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ALUMNI NEWS

Class Notes CORRECTION:

In the previous issue of the Scene, it was incorrectly reported that Erin Healy Lyons ’90 joined an accounting firm in North Carolina. It was Erin Lyon ’09 who did. You can read his class note in this issue.

1930s Irma Nehrboss Scura ’37, a graduate of the Geneseo Normal School, turned 100 on April 10, 2015. Her church surprised her with a birthday luncheon, at which she was presented a commendation from the New York State Legislature in honor of her birthday, bestowed by Sen. Catharine Young.

1960s Susan Frink Anderson ’66 has

published a book, “Murture,” that was released on Oct. 14, 2015.

1970s Mark Rosenzweig ’70 retired in

October as an assistant New York state attorney general after 16 years in the New York City Litigation Bureau and 40 years of practice. He was awarded the Louis B. Lefkowitz Memorial Award for Outstanding Service.

He and his wife, Susan, will continue to volunteer services in their community. George Jay ’72 placed 8th at the U.S. Masters Swimming nationals in the 800meter freestyle for ages 65 to 69 held the first week of August in Ohio. Raymond Kotcher ’73, Ketchum Inc. senior partner and chairman, was inducted into the International Communications Consultancy Organization Hall of Fame for making exceptional progress in the internationalization of the public relations industry while demonstrating the cultural sensitivity and commercial acumen to create an agency that shares global reach with local relevance.

Tom Ingrassia ’74 has released his second book, “Reflections of a 32

geneseo scene

1950s Several 1956 graduates have stayed in touch through round-robin letters for nearly 60 years. Every month or so one of the women receives an envelope filled with letters, clippings, photos and other items from each respondent. She removes her own earlier letter and adds a new letter with personal and family updates, then mails the package to the next recipient.

These ladies have stayed in touch primarily through these letters. Once their own children grew up, they started meeting yearly for dinner. The group pictured met for dinner in Canandaigua, N.Y., last October.

Pictured are, from back left to right: Mary Lou Renner Perry ’56, Phyllis Parks Rathbun ’56, Dee Evangelista Valvano ’56, Shirley Mason Edwards ’56; and in the front, Lynn Carr Goodman ’56.

Love Supreme: Motown Through the Eyes of Fans,” which features 140 photographs, many never before published, that tell the story of the people, places and things that made Motown the music that inspired a generation.

Mark Semmelmayer ’74

received the Business Marketing Association’s highest recognition, the G.D. Crain Award, and became an inductee into the Business Marketing Hall of Fame in June 2015. Janet D. Callahan ’76 has been selected for inclusion in Upstate New York Super Lawyers for 2015. Janet is the managing partner at Hancock Estabrook LLP. She has more than 30 years of civil litigation experience and has

been a partner at the firm since 1989. Russell Donahue ’79

was recently promoted to marketing director and communications officer at Kennebec Savings Bank in Augusta, Maine. Diane Joslyn ’79 retired in July 2015 from her position as a science librarian at the University of Rochester Carlson Library.

1980s David Hall ’81 published “Winter in the Wilderness: A Survival Guide.” While at Geneseo, David was president of the Outing Club.

After college, he pursued his interest in the outdoors professionally and founded the Ithaca area Primitive Pursuits Program, which teaches children and adults

such wilderness skills as fire-making and tracking. James Teahan ’82 was elected president of the Sacramento Chapter of the Association of California State Supervisors for the next three years. The Sacramento Chapter has over 3,000 members. Jim was previously vice president of the chapter. John O’Malley ’85 was recently promoted to public relations manager for Verizon Communications in Philadelphia, Pa. In his new role, he directs the public relations efforts for Verizon’s wireless, landline and FiOS business units in the company’s Philadelphia Tri-State region, which includes eastern Pennsylvania, southern New Jersey and Delaware.

1990 Tracey Hesslink Meek was recently promoted to senior director of human resources at Ellis Medicine.

1992 Christopher Cusack was named Distinguished Teacher of the Year at Keene State College (N.H.), for his commitment to student success and the field of geography. Marc DeCristofaro and Christina Zuch de Zafra were pleased to connect in New Orleans in March. Both are proud graduates of the biology department who went on to receive doctorates and board certification in toxicology and are working in the pharma/biotech industry. Marc is at Novartis in New Jersey and Christina is at Amgen in California.

Joel Deichmann published “Passion for Place: Embracing Global Wanderlust,” a book featuring shoestring travels around the world for personal and professional reasons alike and highlighting the educational value of travel.

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

See the complete photo gallery at go.geneseo.edu/goworld.

Terry L. Hyland ’88 and Linda S. Brown Hyland ’76 visit Bryce Canyon, Utah, with their son Jeremy and sister, Judy.

Rob Mason ’69, at the starting line of the 20K of Paris on Oct. 11, 2015. He did it to scratch it off his “bucket list.” He originally ran the race in 1980.

Neil Serafin MA ’74 and Claudia Ardanuy Serafin ’75 at the Blue Lagoon thermal pools in Iceland.

Elissa Morganti Banas ’90 visited the Poas Volcano in Costa Rica with her husband, Bill Banas, after leading an International Baccalaureate Workshop for history teachers in IB schools in the capitol of San Jose.

Kathleen Comfort Hamilton ’70 and her husband visited Jordan Daniel ’11, left, and Brandon Rosenberg ’11 in the Danube River in Germany. Kyoto, Japan, at the Arashiyama Bamboo Grove.

Erika Mack McBride ’92 at the India Gateway arch in Mumbai, India.

Marcia Keough Veley ’81 enjoying the sun in St. Maarten in the Dutch West Indies.

Spring 2016

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ALUMNI NEWS

CLASS NOTES

2006 1993 Sarah Riecke Early went on safari to Mfuwe, Zambia, with John McLennan with Dazzle Africa, a nonprofit that combines safari vacations with philanthropic efforts. Sarah co-founded the organization with four other women. Currently, Hilary Banker serves on the board of directors.

Sarah is board president.

Sara Johnson was named among the nation’s Top 10 Health Promotion Professionals by Wellness Council of America and recently acquired and became copresident and CEO of ProChange Behavior Systems Inc. Benjamin Schecter has been appointed as the chief of the Civil Division for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Kentucky. The Civil Division represents the United States, its agencies, departments and their offices in federal and state courts.

1995 Christopher Mannelli has been

appointed as the executive director of Geva Theatre in Rochester, N.Y. At Victory Gardens Theater in Chicago, he served as managing director. Matthew Marshak has just released his own line of furniture called Rhythm and Home, by Pulaski Furniture. It focuses on a unique medley of casual living and easy lifestyle for today’s home.

1996 Anthony Luis has been elected

to partner at Rawle & Henderson LLP. He works in the firm’s New York City office.

1997 Roger Mattioli was promoted to

lieutenant colonel in the U.S. 34

geneseo scene

Geneseo newlyweds

Steven Maher ’11 and Amanda Peck ’11 celebrated their marriage on September 26, 2015 at the View Barn in Piffard, N.Y. Other Geneseo graduates in attendance included four out of five groomsmen, as well as several generations of friends and family. Steven and Amanda are also new homeowners in Castile, NY.

Marine Corps on Sept. 1, 2015, and serves as the regional defense counsel for the Eastern Region at Camp Lejeune, N.C.

2000 Lauren Crescenzo DeGasperis

and Philip DeGasperis are proud to announce the birth of a baby boy, Christian Anthony. He was born on Oct. 15, 2015, in Mount Kisco.

2002 Julianne Pannelli was recog-

nized as one of the 40 Under 40 Rising Stars by the New York Nonprofit Media. She was nominated by her employer, Catholic Charities Community Services of the Archdiocese of New York, for her dedication and professionalism in her various roles over the past eight years.

Spears completed his Ph.D. in

counseling psychology from the University at Albany in August 2014, and accepted an associate psychologist position with the New York State Office of Children and Family Services, working with at-risk youth.

2004 Maura Ballerstein Proctor and Chris Proctor are proud to announce the birth of a baby girl, Michaela Olivia, born on Sept. 4, 2015, in Rochester, N.Y. Maura was recently promoted to software test engineer at Paychex Inc. in Rochester. Mark Shepard and Courtney Shepard are proud to announce the birth of a baby boy, Grady Mason, born on Dec. 2, 2015.

2005 Jon Szatkowski recently pub-

2003 Michelle Grimm Oberst and Matthew Oberst are happy to announce their marriage on Aug. 14, 2015, in Rochester, N.Y. They live in Farmington, N.Y. William

lished an award-winning novel, “Developing Minds: An American Ghost Story,” which is loosely based on his experiences as a firstyear teacher. Celeste Young published her second book of knitting patterns, “Baby Me Knits.”

Elizabeth Allen was promoted to deputy communications director and deputy assistant to the President of the United States.

Tessa Cassidy Chefalo and Anthony Chefalo are proud to announce the birth of a baby girl, Hazel Marie, born on Nov. 2, 2015, in Syracuse, N.Y. Matthew A. Hanna and Jessica R. Hammer Hanna ’10 are happy to announce their marriage on Aug. 1, 2015, at St. Thomas More Church in Hauppauge, N.Y. Nikki Green Karpen and Tom Karpen are happy to announce the birth of a baby girl, Kiera Lee, born on Aug. 11, 2015. Nancy Prior is pleased to announce her marriage to Douglas Paschke in July 2016.

2007 Erica Bishop recently accepted a position at Berklee College of Music in Boston, Mass., as professional music department coordinator.

Brett Schrader has

been appointed to partner at EFPR Group LLP.

2008 Matthew Hejnas and Chelsea Pierson Hejnas are happy to

announce their marriage on Oct. 12, 2014, in Albany, N.Y. Christopher Murphy earned his Ph.D. in theoretical physics from the University of California, San Diego, in June 2014, and is conducting postdoctoral research at Scuola Normale Superiore Pisa, Italy. Jessica Orban and Daniel Kopp are happy to announce their marriage on Aug. 1, 2015, in New Canaan, Conn. Patricia Swanson graduated with a doctor of dental surgery degree in May 2015 from the University at Buffalo School of Dental Medicine, and began a specialty residency in prosthodontics at SUNY Stony Brook in July.

Scene around the world 2009 Chelsea Pierson Hejnas and

Matthew Hejnas ’08 are happy to announce their marriage on Oct. 12, 2014, in Albany, N.Y. Erin R. Lyon joined Butler + Burke LLP in Winston-Salem, N.C., as an associate accountant. She previously spent five years as an industry accountant in manufacturing and health care.

Erin Prendergast Lyon recently accepted a position as an associate at Butler + Burke LLP in Winston-Salem, N.C. Danielle Hunt and Eddie Novara ’12 are happy to announce their marriage on June 20, 2015. Danielle also accepted a position at SUNY Brockport as director of cross-country, track and field.

Aelim Jung ’13 and Dave Beaty ’11 visited the Opera House in Syndney.

Rachael Bacon ’12 and Bianca Femia ’12 at the ancient site of Machu Picchu in Peru.

2010 Jessica R. Hammer Hanna and Matthew A. Hanna ’06 are happy to announce their marriage on Aug. 1, 2015, at St. Thomas More Church in Hauppauge, N.Y. They live in Charleston, S.C.

2011 Kaitlyn Richardson recently accepted a position as employment programs coordinator at the University of Rochester Strong Center for Developmental Disabilities.

Lee Westbrook and Sally Dunbar Westbrook ’73 celebrated their 42nd anniversary with a rafting trip through the Grand Canyon.

2012 Sarah Cantatore and Jesse Goldberg are happy to announce

their marriage on May 31, 2015, at Sea Cliff Manor, Sea Cliff, N.Y. Melanie Franciosa and James Caldwell are proud to announce the birth of a baby girl, Ryan Rose Caldwell, born on July 10, 2015, at Winnie Palmer Hospital in Florida.

Kaitlyn Gayvert has been named to the Forbes magazine’s “30 Under 30” list, which lauds the success of young change agents in 20 professional fields. Kaitlyn is a Ph.D. can-

Carla Pennello ’10 trained faculty and staff at Rochester Institute of Technology international campuses in Croatia and United Arab Emirates and brought her Scene. Here she is in Croatia. “I forgot it at a restaurant and paid a cab driver to bring it to the airport for me,” she says. “That is how much my alma mater means to me!”

Jane Claud ’69 in Havana, Cuba.

Spring 2016

35

ALUMNI NEWS

CLASS NOTES didate at Weill Cornell Medicine.

Ben Jay published his first article about craft breweries in the Finger Lakes in the New York Times.

Eddie Novara and Danielle Hunt ’09 are happy to announce their marriage on June 20, 2015. Eddie also accepted a position at University of Rochester as head men’s and women’s cross-country and track coach.

2013 Megan Russ received a master’s degree in medical physics from the University at Buffalo and is working toward her Ph.D.

2014 Hayley Goffin was recently

promoted to program coordinator at Rehabilitation Support Services Inc. in Albany, N.Y. Briana Thompson and Justin Bendlin are happy to announce their marriage on May 30, 2015.

Alumni host golf tournament in honor of brother

In 2012, four Geneseo alumni reunited with their friend Don Litzelman ’82 before he passed away from cancer. They formed a nonprofit organization in his memory to help find a cure for brain cancer, and support Geneseo lacrosse players.

On June 4, they are hosting an annual Don Litzelman Foundation Golf Tournament, as well as other activities. The event raises money for the cause and reconnects Sigma Phi Epsilon brothers.

For more information, visit the foundation website at www.donlitzelmanfoundation.com.

Lois Ingersoll Yatarola ’53,

2015 Emily Frawley recently accepted a

position at Oldcastle as recruiting support coordinator. Hannah Glaser has written and illustrated her first children’s book, “The Kitty Who Came in From the Cold.” She is completing a master of fine arts degree in the Illustration Practice Program at Maryland Institute and College of Arts.

In Memoriam ALUMNI Leonora Deleeuw Maine ’40,

Sept. 9, 2015 Loretta Hyde Johnson ’42,

Oct. 14, 2015 Mary Myers Turner ’47, Jan. 1,

2015 Ellarae Goldstein Bracker ’49,

Oct. 11, 2015 Constance Daniels Quanz ’50,

Nov. 11, 2015 Florence Phillips Steverson ’50, Oct. 31, 2015 Ruth Coffin Underhill ’52,

Dec. 13, 2015

36

geneseo scene

June 29, 2015 John Sparnon ’60, Oct. 19, 2015 Francis Harvey ’70, Oct. 27, 2015 James Dailey ’72, Oct. 27, 2015 Richard Morris ’72, Oct. 10, 2015 JoAnn Crupi ’78, Oct. 30, 2015 Patricia Knapp Hetzler ’79,

Paul Dimillo ’83, Oct. 23, 2015 Melanie Stanford ’83, Sept. 3, 2015 Amy Janicki ’13, Dec. 2, 2015

shared her expertise in costuming and other aspects of theater with students from 2006 to 2014.

FACULTY William Lowe, an adjunct lecturer

Gilbert Palmer, associate professor

from 1993 to 1997 in the School of Education, died on Sept. 9, 2015.

June 21, 2015 Karen Liperote Morganstein ’80, Oct. 5, 2015 Daniel Ottaway ’80, Oct. 17, 2015

Crystal Ferrell, a visiting assistant professor and adjunct lecturer of theatre, died on Jan. 26, 2016. She

Any amount, every year.

As Geneseo nears the end of our fiscal year on June 30, we need your help! Please consider making a gift to the college and helping us reach our year-end goal. It’s simple. Your gift helps changes lives and affords students the same experiences and opportunities you had that made your time at Geneseo a defining moment in your life. Any amount, every year, makes a difference.

To make your gift to Geneseo, return the enclosed envelope or visit giveto.geneseo.edu to make your donation online.

Thank you!

of mathematics emeritus from 1958 to 1987, died on Feb. 12, 2016. He helped found the department’s Math Skills Center and served as its director from 1979 through 1987.

Thank you, donors: I found my place When I visited Geneseo, I found a genuine caring for my well-being.

It was advertised to me that I was going to find my place here.

It was something that was difficult to imagine, but I had faith in that. My first semester, I joined Alpha Phi Omega service fraternity: I found my place.

I’m also a student representative in the Faculty Senate, an admissions greeter and a Relay for Life volunteer. This semester, I’m conducting lab research on memory recall. I never imagined the power I could have here to be involved and make a difference.

The New Horizons Scholarship for incoming students that I received — $3,000 for all four years — is partly funded by donors.

It shows me that alumni appreciate my hard work and my ability to contribute to the campus community. They have come through here and accomplished great things, and want Geneseo to be the best place it can be. I have adopted that mission. It helps me believe this is a place where I can succeed.

— Luke Bamburoski ’19

New Horizons Scholarships are among the most prestigious grants awarded to top admitted students at Geneseo.

More than 20 New Horizons Scholarships were funded by members of the 1871 Leadership Society — comprised of donors who make annual gifts of $500 or more.

They and others who make annual gifts of $500 or more are part of our 1871 Leadership Society. They provide opportunities for students like Luke, interact with students and set an example of philanthropy to Geneseo. geneseo.edu/support/giving-societies

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