Saint Rose Winter Magazine 2021

www.strose.edu/magazine

Students unravel cold case mysteries

Magazine Retired Pfizer exec finds new passions

Winter 2021

Microbiology professor inspires research

What happens in our P-12 schools impacts us all in some way – leading to an educated and more civil society. Since our early years, Saint Rose has graduated tens of thousands of educators who make a difference in the lives of our most precious community members.

5 6 14 36 38 46 48 55

A message from the president Newsflash Higher learning Settling in Alumni profile: Ann Beberwyk Barry 65, G’69 Alumni profile: Neenah Bland G’04 Class notes Instagram best 9

Classroom heroes

Meet 14 inspiring educators who were shaped at Saint Rose

Cold case

Students try to bring closure to families

Colleen Quaglia Record-setting swimmer shows leadership, humor on the pool deck

2 SAINT ROSE MAGAZINE | Winter 2021

WINTER 2021 EDITION Saint Rose Magazine will be published twice a year for our Saint Rose community, alums, and those who support the College. Video and additional features from this edition, as well as new stories each month, can be found at www. strose.edu/magazine. Do you have questions for the magazine team? Email: marketing@strose.edu

IMPORTANT CONTACTS: Alumni Office: alumni@strose.edu Undergraduate Admissions: admit@strose.edu Graduate Admissions: grad@strose.edu Giving: saintrosefund@strose.edu Career Center: career@strose.edu Marcia J. White ’00 President Frances Vorsky Director of Alumni Engagement

EDITORIAL STAFF Denise Dagnino Undergraduate Recruitment Content Specialist Todd Ferguson Digital Media Producer Jennifer Gish Associate Vice President for Marketing and Communications Jane Gottlieb Content Specialist Michael Hickling Director of Marketing and Communications Sarah Heikkinen Social Media Specialist Irene Kim G'21 Contributing Writer

Beth Mickalonis Contributing Photographer Caroline Murray ’13 Senior Assistant Director of Marketing and Communications Karl Power Senior Graphic Designer Catherine Rodriguez G’17 UI/UX Web Programmer Alaudeen Umar Graphic Designer Portrait of Caleb Linder '23 and Suman Ghauri G'13

by Karl Power Portrait of Sharroia Armstead '18

by Alonzo Gardner ’20 Portrait of Justine Vaitas ’14 by Stan Vaitas ’14 Portrait of Caitlin Stillwell ’05, G’06 by Salley Salley Cover illustration by Jordan Power Second apple illustration by Sebastian Power

Alumni awards

Honoring outstanding alumni and faculty for reflecting the spirit of Saint Rose

REUNION WEEKEND 2022 2022

JUNE

Celebrating the Classes Ending in 2s and 7s

www.strose.edu/reunion 4 SAINT ROSE MAGAZINE | Winter 2021

GOLDEN ROSES ANNUAL LUNCHEON: Inducting the Classes of 1970, 1971, and 1972

A message from

Dear Saint Rose community, Winter and the holiday season are often a time for gratitude, joy, and reflection. We've done a lot of reflection at Saint Rose as we move into our next 100 years, and we have so much to be thankful for as we celebrate our students, faculty, administrators, staff, and alumni.

I was overjoyed to see our students this fall semester happy to be on campus for a safe, in-person experience similar to before the pandemic. I love seeing new student clubs emerge, and you’ll be able to read more about that in this edition of the magazine. I’m also grateful that the personal connection between students and faculty Saint Rose is known for shines on our campus once again via in-person learning. It’s part of what makes Saint Rose such a strong community.

Saint Rose has an incredible legacy of educating the whole person and creating graduates who value inclusivity and want to serve the dear neighbor in their chosen line of work. That’s certainly true of the educators you’ll see featured in this edition of the magazine – skilled professionals educated at Saint Rose. And it’s certainly true of our more than 47,000 alumni who are shining the light of Saint Rose brightly wherever they are.

I am proud to serve this institution and all of you. Thank you for the many ways you support Saint Rose. I’m excited for the College’s next century and to see the impact the next generation of Saint Rose students will have on our world.

Best wishes,

In the spirit of our founding values, that community has come together to participate in both the creation of our three-year strategic plan and our Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) self-study process.

This process will conclude with a site visit by an external visit team in spring 2023.

The strategic plan – which was approved by the Saint Rose Board of Trustees in October and will be discussed at our alumni forum in January – outlines objectives for a more robust support system around our students and ensures that Saint Rose continues to produce the thoughtful, well-prepared graduates employers need. The Middle States self-study, currently being worked on by the campus community, not only fulfills the requirements of our accreditation but allows us to assess our work, celebrate successes, and identify places we can grow.

Marcia J. White ’00 President The College of Saint Rose

Marcia White to serve as president until June 2023

COMMUNICATIONS PROFESSOR WRITES BOOK ABOUT GEN Z Each generation, it seems, looks down on those that follow. Professor of Communications Karen McGrath believes the distinctive traits of every wave of young people present opportunities – even if they take some adjustment. “Even Elvis wasn’t welcome right away – he wiggled his hips,” she notes. “But things change.

And as a professor, I need to ask, ‘How can I be effective if I don’t see what’s underneath the behavior?’”

It led her to co-author the 2016 book “The Millennial Mindset: Unraveling Fact from Fiction” (Rowan & Littlefield Publishers), which has since been used at conferences and workplace trainings to help members of different generations to coexist within organizations.

Now McGrath (an early Gen Xer) has written “Gen Z: The Superhero Generation” about those born from the 1990s to the 2010s. The “Z” work, like the Millennial one, is co-authored

by Saint Rose alum (also a late Gen Xer) Regina Luttrell ’08. “Gen Zers are so many things because of the generation in which they are raised. They have to figure out a balance between real-world, in-person interactions and those they have in online or virtual worlds,” McGrath says. “These worlds can collide quite easily, in ways both intended and unexpected.”

6 SAINT ROSE MAGAZINE | Winter 2021

In August, the Saint Rose Board of Trustees announced it had voted unanimously to appoint Marcia White '00, who had been serving as interim president of Saint Rose since June 2020, as president of the College through June 2023. White, a Saint Rose alum and trustee for 18 years, has initiated a turnaround of the College and created a culture of transparency and collaboration. In addition, she has formed partnerships with Capital Region college presidents, Albany elected officials, and local business leaders.

In academic year 2020-2021 – the 100th anniversary of Saint Rose – White raised $5.7 million and developed a multiyear financial plan. Working with campaign chair and Saint Rose Trustee George R. Hearst III, publisher and CEO of the Albany Times Union, White is leading “To the Second Century: The Campaign for the College of Saint Rose,” a $50 million fundraising effort that will continue into 2025.

“The last year has been challenging,” White said at the time of the announcement. “We’ve had to adapt to a pandemic. We’ve had to make budget cuts that resulted in the loss of employees and programs. We are turning an important corner because we did the hard work. I can’t thank the College’s trustees, students, alumni, and employees, who make up such a vibrant community, enough for their support of Saint Rose.”

White appointed Dr. Margaret McLane, who had been serving on an interim basis as provost and vice president for academic affairs, to continue as provost and vice president through June 2023. A national search for both roles will begin in summer to early fall of 2022.

Ashanti' Bishop '22 named Albany Tulip Queen Ashanti’ Bishop ’22, a Capital Region native and early childhood education major, was named Tulip Queen at Albany’s Tulip Festival in June 2021. She plans to use her new platform to focus on community safety and raise awareness about the importance of community relationships, as well as foster literacy throughout the region. The first Tulip Queen was named in May 1949, and there have been a few Saint Rose students who earned the title over the years (Jennifer GouldLobban ’01 in 2002, Juliana Hernandez ’09 in 2009, and Emily BarciaVarno ’18 in 2019).

“Three years ago, I had no idea where I wanted to go to college. I was looking for a place that felt like home and would keep me close to my family while still allowing me some freedom to explore,” says Bishop, who is from Watervliet, New York. “Saint Rose is right in the center of Albany, and it is surrounded by amazing small businesses and beautiful nature, and truly does feel like home. I have a strong connection with Albany because of Saint Rose, and I am inspired to make the world a better place in hopes that our small town will, too, reap the benefits.”

Saint Rose legislative internship students honored for research papers Each year, the New York State Assembly Legislative Internship Program names Paper of the Year Award recipients among interns who have authored exemplary research papers. Of 90 interns, only 11 were nominated. Saint Rose was proud to have two students recognized.

Mark Edem, a political science major who will graduate in May 2022, was one of three award recipients, and Brianna Casserly, a political science student who will graduate in December 2021, was among the 11 nominees. Edem, an intern for Assemblymember Demond Meeks from the 137th District, wrote about raising taxes on New York’s highest earners in order to raise revenue for education, housing, and other public services while creating incentives for said high earners to remain in New York.

Edem comes to Saint Rose from Lesotho, a country in the southern part of Africa, and says the research paper was evidence of his dedication to understanding the intricacies of New York, as well as American politics. “I think it also suggests an interconnectedness across global political systems,” he says. “So, while there may be nuances in American and Lesotho politics, they operate quite similarly.” After graduation, Edem plans to eventually return to Lesotho and pursue political office.

College partners with Black Chamber of Commerce in 'Beyond the Books' soft skills series for students The College of Saint Rose has formed a new partnership with the UpState New York Black Chamber of Commerce to create a bridge between the students of Saint Rose and the chamber’s more than 100 members from the Capital Region, west to Buffalo, and south to the Hudson Valley.

The partnership kicked off with a career-preparation series for young professionals and college students throughout the region called “Beyond the Books: Developing soft skills for your career.” The goal of the series, which opened with a panel discussion on September 30, is to educate young and emerging professionals about communications, networking, organization, and other skills necessary to succeed. Each session will feature a diverse panel of professionals from both the business and education sectors.

Sodexo debuts renovated dining hall and new food program From acai bowls to brick-oven pizzas to made-to-order mac and cheese, Sodexo, the College’s new hospitality services provider, showed off its new menu and its new dining hall renovations at a ribbon-cutting ceremony held during the first day of classes on August 30.

Sodexo began as the College’s new food service provider in January 2021, and this summer the company paid to renovate the College’s dining hall. The new, bright space includes gleaming subway tile and stations dedicated to allergen-free foods, vegan diets, and made-to-order grill items. An ice cream station, which will serve gourmet ice cream made in house, becomes a smoothie station in the mornings and a milkshake station for specialty nights.

Another area can host guest chefs, including professors and local notables.

DAGOSTINO INDUCTED INTO NORTHEAST-10 CONFERENCE HALL OF FAME Former All-American men’s basketball player Steve Dagostino '08 has been elected to the Northeast-10 Conference Hall of Fame. He becomes just the third representative from Saint Rose to be inducted, joining the 2011 national champion women’s soccer team and 2007 national champion diver Brandon Birchak '08, who were enshrined together in 2018.

Dagostino is owner and coach of Dags Basketball, where he has worked with NBA and Division I college players, among others, and served as court coach for the USA Basketball Junior National Team.

In the NE10 Hall of Fame, he will join an exclusive group of just 90 former student-athletes, only a dozen of whom represent men’s basketball.

He was honored in a reception at the Times Union Center on October 25 in conjunction with the Golden Knights men’s basketball exhibition game against Siena.

“To be inducted in to the NE10 Hall of Fame is an honor that for me I couldn’t fathom when I started my career at Saint Rose,” says Dagostino, who was inducted into the Saint Rose Athletics Hall of Fame in 2018.

“Basketball is a team sport; without the success that my teammates sustained over our four years, this wouldn’t be possible. It was a heck of a ride.” Dagostino led Saint Rose to three NCAA Tournament appearances and an 85-37 (.670) four-year record.

8 SAINT ROSE MAGAZINE | Winter 2021

Retiring faculty and 25-year award recipients honored in virtual ceremony

Typically, the College recognizes faculty who have retired, have reached employment milestones, or are achieving emeritus status or rank and tenure promotions with an annual gathering in the spring. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the annual in-person celebration has not been able to occur for the last couple of years. Instead, the College recognized these important members of the College community in a video ceremony that covered 2020 and 2021.

Lucy Bowditch and Barbara Ungar earned the 25-Year Award in 2020, and Paul Conti, Lisa Kannenberg, and Deborah Kelsh marked retirements. There were no 25-Year Award recipients in 2021. The retiring faculty were John Avitabile, Lucy Bowditch, Ann Breaznell, Paul Evoskevich, Frank Fitzgerald, Barry Hughes, K. Michael Mathews, Khalid Mehtabdin, Mary Alice Molgard, Sister Mary Anne Nelson, CSJ '72, G'76, Joanne Powers, Ismael Ramos, Thomas Santelli, and Kristine Tolmie. The virtual ceremony can be found on the College's YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/collegeofsaintrose.

Former women’s soccer players mark national championship anniversary with $70,000 gift

Saint Rose named top 25 institution

by U.S. News & World Report

The 10th anniversary celebration of the Saint Rose women’s soccer program’s 2011 NCAA national championship title was an emotional one for head coach Laurie Darling Gutheil. Not only did so many of her alumni return to Saint Rose on November 6 to celebrate the milestone, they surprised her by announcing a $70,000 gift to the College.

The gift – made by a group of more than 20 former women’s soccer players and their families – will provide support to both the Saint Rose women’s soccer program and all student-athletes at Saint Rose.

“Just like we benefited from those who supported us, we want to support the program and The College of Saint Rose how we can,” said Renae Ransdell ’05, a member of the Saint Rose Athletics Hall of Fame who still serves the program as an assistant coach.

In September, Saint Rose was named a top 25 institution for undergraduate teaching, meaning professors who are great teachers, for the second consecutive year in the U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges 2022 rankings. The College was ranked 24th among Regional Universities North for its commitment to teaching undergraduates. The College was also named a top performer for social mobility, “by enrolling and graduating large proportions of disadvantaged students awarded with Pell Grants.”

Thank you to everyone who made our centennial special!

We wrapped up our milestone anniversary with the Centennial Celebration in June and are thrilled to share that it raised more than $550,000 for student scholarships! We'd like to recognize our generous sponsors.

Our Diamond Sponsor: The Massry Family and Gold Ann '65 and Gerald Barry George R. Hearst III Matthew H. Mataraso Sisters of Saint Joseph of CarondeletAlbany Province

Silver BBL Construction Services, LLC Berkshire Bank Foundation, Inc. Walter and Michelle Cuozzo Borisenok '80 Class of 1970 The College of Saint Rose Alumni Association Bill and Sharon M. Duker G'15 Daniel P. and Sally D. Nolan Kevin W. and Sari M. O'Connor James J. Sandman Stewart's Shops Marcia J. White '00

Bronze Albany Medical Center James J. and Rose A. '66 Barba Robert and Rita Bailey Crotty '70 Di Vito Consulting E. Stewart Jones Hacker Murphy LLP FirstLight Ling Hai '93 KeyBank Karen Manor '81 and Thomas Metzold Dr. Lee McElroy and RPI Athletics Merrill Lynch Wealth Management/ Clore-Kelly Group MVP Health Care Nigro Companies Performance Industrial Renaissance Corporation of Albany SEFCU St. Peter's Health Partners Times Union Whiteman Osterman & Hanna LLP

Partner Mrs. Annette Ballentine Colloton '75 and Mr. Kenneth Colloton Fenimore Asset Management Dr. Patricia A. Fox '68 James and Diane Gargiulo Jaeger & Flynn/A Marshall & Sterling Company Chet and Karen Opalka Dr. Kathleen Sullivan Ricker '70 Patricia Hunter Standish '50, G'57 Stuyvesant Plaza, Inc. Dr. R. Mark and Kathleen Sullivan The University at Albany Foundation Jonathan Thomson G'95 and Lisa Haley Thomson G'94 Josephine Carroll Voege '63

Supporter Doris E. Bedell '60, G'75 Albert W. Brooks

10 SAINT ROSE MAGAZINE | Winter 2021

Capital District Transportation Authority Barbara A. Carr '54, G'59 Kathleen Losty Chant '71 Mary Ellen Scally Conboy '67, G'70 Maureen Conroy ’72 Susan Covino '71 Mike and Ann D'Attilio Dominick J. DeCecco in memory of E. Patricia Decker DeCecco '59, G'63 F. Maxine Fantroy-Ford, Ed. D. '75 Dr. Margaret A. Farrell '53 Victoria Vianna Frigo '64 Paul and Mary O'Donnell Grondahl G'92 Barbara Dwyer Gunn '70 in Honor of Project 70 Ryan ’99 and Emelie Halliday William M. Keane '88 Joan Lane '60, G'64 Mary E. Lang '83 in memory of Elizabeth R. Lang '41 Charles and Sharon Vilardo Maneri '64, G'69 The McCarthy Charities, Inc. Mary Ann Schultz McLoughlin '63 and Richard E. McLoughlin G'90 Mr. David Meyers/Meyers & Meyers, LLP Kathleen McTague Odabashian '70, G'73 Omni Management Group, Ltd. Timothy Owens Jami DeBrango-Plumbo Tony Paratore '79 Kathy Pautler '72 Rosalie Casabella Pitnell '56 Hon. Loretta A. Preska '70 Price Chopper's Golub Foundation Repeat Business Systems, Inc. The Rosenblum Companies Maria Pafundi Russell '70 Elizabeth M. Salzer '66 Nancy Sandman '70 Schenectady Chapter of The College of Saint Rose Alumni Association Neal Sorell '90 Jeff and Diane Stone UHY LLP United Way of the Greater Capital Region Harold L. and Kerry Ann Williams

Contributor Dayle Ryder Ahrens '65 Architecture+ Jean Avonovich (Avon) Fiftal Buchan '63 Valerie Civiok Barnes '70 Capital District Chapter of The College of Saint Rose Alumni Association Virginia Berardi Carmody '79 Camille Bobrek Casey '68, G'97 Constance Centrello '72 Patricia Clausi '73 George Cronk, Jr. Joan McInerney Davis '70 Claudia Eagan '63 Howard E. Ghee, Jr. G'94

Deborah N. Halacy '76, G'82 Hudson River Industries Regina Scavone LaGatta G'86/ Hudson Valley Community College Foundation Adelaide A. Karl '62 Kathleen Turon Kieffer '84, G'89, CAS'02 Marlene Mauriello '67, G'73 Joan Beichert Mayer '66, G'86 and Carl Mayer Patricia MacCubbin '70 Margaret T. McLane Elizabeth Smith Miller '76, G'77 Pattison, Sampson, Ginsberg & Griffin, PLLC Pioneer/Anchor Agency Michelle and Danny Sanders Paul Silverstein '75 Elizabeth Simcoe G'90 Helen J. Mast Smith '68 Ellen Giovanetti Spratlin '70 In Honor of The Class of 1970 50th Reunion and Project 70 Therese "T" Stillman '79 Agnes Panck Thomson '63 Ann Marie Sausville Weis '62, G'76 and Frederick T. Weis, Jr. Nina Sisto Whitney '64

Friend Academy of the Holy Names Mary Colarusso Agars '62, G'85 Judith Mosher Bennett '61 Patricia Quinn Bergfield '50 Kenneth Besaw, Jr. '71, G'86 Rich and Pat Blanchard Carol LuBrant Butera '79 C.T. Male Associates Linda Clark Carmody '56 Joseph Casey '06 Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Albany Karen Cerosaletti '82 Kathleen Moriarty Christy '86 in honor of Dr. Michael Brophy '84, G'90 Gary W. Cohen '92 Mary Wilson Craiglow '61 Carol Sherry Davis '69 Anne Barry Delehanty '70, G'90 Denise DiNoto '95, G'96 Mary Beth Donnelly '66 Cynthia Beane Doran '81 Susanne Rowan Doyle '78 Grace Robinson Dugan '58 Mary Anne Flanders '76 JoAnne Nabozny Forrence '72 Peter '02 and Lauren Gannon Joann Orbacz Geary '61 Jane Gerwin '70, G'74 Ann Morgan Golden '71 Margaret Conners Harrigan '66 Helyn (Kay) Lomasney Hedeman G'69 Kathleen McLoughlin Heffernan '65 Family of Evan Ireland '20 Matthew Jeffers '97 and Brigid Corcoran Jeffers G'97 Gerald Jennings Jewish Federation of Northeastern NY

Gay Rindone Johnson '70 Virginia B. Kennedy '58 Eileen Mahoney Langdon '65 LaSalle School - Albany Betty Little '62 Marilyn Ryan Lotz ’68 Joanne B. Martin '84, G'91 Elba Matos '91 Mary Hickey Mattes '97 Aleta Klahn McLain '70 Patricia Sweeney Mion '56, G'72 Ann P. Myers '67 Law Office of Eileen A Nevins, PLLC '72 Gloria Stim O'Brien '64 Jackie Oliveira '88 Virginia Papandrea '69 Marilyn A. Pendergast David Phaff William Picotte Catherine E. Pisani '74 Paula Poff Prince, Ph.D. '85 Marilyn Finch Rausch '90, G'94 Carol Fogerty Reed '54 Margaret Macejka Rizzo '63 Judy '80 and Scott Rosenthal '79 Gigi S. G'03 Anne Saile and Larry Myers Kathryn DeRosie Sanders '70 Penny Donally Sessa '70, G'87 Carol Shartrand '81 Rosemarie Smith '62 Lynda Withkowski Stapf ’69, G’73 Adelaide Constantino Thompson ’70 Barbara W. Thumm '62 Congressman Paul Tonko Joyce Palka Vellutino '58 Ryan Venter Joan Cifonelli Voce '58 Dianne Walsh-Hampton '68 Billie Winchell '82 Kathleen Holm Wood '70 in honor of our Golden Roses Class, our upcoming 50th Reunion, and Centennial Celebration Cindy Blair Zielaskowski '80 and Al Zielaskowski

Colleen Quaglia makes a splash in the pool and as a leader

Making a splash

C

olleen Quaglia ’22, an accounting major, has been swimming competitively for most of her life. Now the school record holder in multiple races, including the 50-, 100-, 200-, and 500-yard freestyles and the 100- and 200-yard butterflies and breaststrokes, Quaglia has stepped up as the team captain of the Saint Rose women’s swim team. After receiving an extension of her athletic eligibility due to the pandemic, Quaglia is getting ready for what comes next after she graduates in the spring.

How long have you been swimming competitively?

I’ve been swimming competitively since I was 4. I started at a country club when I was 4, and then I moved to year-round swimming when I was 8 years old. It’s just kind of always been a part of my life. I’ve always enjoyed swimming. I’ve tried other sports, but swimming’s always been the one that’s stuck the most with me.

What has your experience on the Saint Rose team been like?

It’s been awesome. I love the team so much. And I love the fact that we get to train with both the men's and women’s teams, because it’s different than what I’ve done most of my life – because most of my life, I’ve been swimming with just women. I’ve really enjoyed every single second I’ve been on the team here because it’s just a lot of fun. But we also work hard, and we all have the same goals in mind.

You’re a senior and you’re also the team captain. What’s that been like?

Being team captain is fun. There’s a lot of challenges sometimes, but it’s a lot of fun being captain. I like to think that I’m a natural born leader, so I like to lead the team. I can be like, “Alright, we’re gonna go hard today during practice,” or, “We’re gonna have fun today at practice.” It’s fun being able to create a good environment.

As somebody who sees herself as a natural born leader, do you have anybody who has really influenced you?

My mom has influenced me a ton. She’s always taught me to stand my ground when I feel like I need to and to make sure that I’m leading the team in the right. And then for swimming, Michael Phelps is one of my

favorite people. I’m inspired by him. Everything that I do, I always think about, "What would he do? How would he feel about this situation? Both in the pool and out of the pool, how would he handle this situation?" That’s something that I’ve always been really focused on, too.

How do you prepare for a meet?

I like to have fun! I goof around a lot. If I don’t goof around, I get in my head too much. I just have to make sure that I’m focused. I fool around with my team. We like to dance before meets and have a good time. We always joke around in the locker room. I always joke around on the pool deck. Our team is definitely the most fun team, I think. We’re always the team that everyone’s always laughing at. I don’t know if that’s a bad thing or not, but we have fun.

What was it like competing at the NCAA Championships?

It was fun. It’s just an amazing experience just in general to be able to be invited to go to swim there. But it is hard when you don’t have your team there, because my team has pushed me throughout my entire career. I wouldn’t be anywhere without my team because they push me in the pool, and they push me out of the pool. They helped me also mentally, because being there alone is so enclosing sometimes, so you miss your team. But being there just as a swimmer, it’s an incredible experience because you get to be around so many great athletes, which is an awesome experience.

I really enjoyed every single second of it, because it’s fast swimming, and that’s what I love to do.

What do you think swimming has taught you about yourself?

It’s definitely taught me that I’m a hard worker, and I can push myself past points that I didn’t think I could. [Swimming] is my stress reliever, so it’s [taught me to] take life not as seriously all the time. It’s taught me time management, too. I would probably not be the student or the athlete that I am today without the time management that swimming’s taught me, because if I’m not on schedule, I get out of whack. It does teach you life lessons, too, which I think is really valuable because I’m leaving Saint Rose not only as a better swimmer, but as a better person.

"Lane 2 is my favorite lane to practic practicing in that lane my freshma enjoyed training in that lane. A lot and my friends trained with me in

12 SAINT ROSE MAGAZINE | Winter 2021

How did the pandemic disrupt your swimming season?

Actually, COVID hit when I was at nationals in 2020. I was supposed to swim the day after they canceled the meet – they canceled the meet on a Thursday, and I was supposed to swim on a Friday. [I thought], “I can bounce back from this. Next year is going to be my year.” And then obviously, [everything] happened, and we just had to practice, and there were no meets. That was really hard. When the new kids came on the team, it was really hard for them to transition because usually where we bond the most is on the pool deck, and at the meets, and when we go on training trips, and we couldn’t do that last year. It was definitely difficult to try and figure out, especially as a leader on the team, how I could incorporate them into the team. Thankfully, Saint Rose let us in [the pool] last year, so we were really happy that we could keep swimming because it would have been hard getting back into it after a year off.

What has the academic side of things been like for you?

I love the academics here at Saint Rose. I just love all of my professors. I have good relationships with them. Most of my professors I would consider my friends, which I know sounds lame, but I have really good foundations with all of them. I go to their office hours all the time, I ask them questions, and when I get confused on something, I go to them immediately. My favorite professors are the accounting professors, because I’m an accounting major, but Frank Venezia, Barry Hughes, and Scott Jerris, they just taught me so much, and I’m so thankful for them. I’ve learned so much in all of my classes, and I feel so much more knowledgeable now than I was before.

What did you do to stay positive?

We did a lot of Zoom meetings, and we found games and apps [on our phones] where you didn’t have to be next to each other to play. We would do team-building exercises over Zoom, and we would do fun little Instagram shout-outs to try and get people to know each other more. That was our big issue. We couldn’t get to know each other as well as we used to. When we were in practice with the five people you could be in practice with, we tried to get to know them as best as we possibly could. And then we would tell our other close friends on the team about the people and then [relationships] were able to grow from there.

What do you want to do after you graduate?

I’m looking into governmental accounting right now, but I’m not sure exactly yet, because there’s a bunch of different variations of governmental accounting that you can go into.

Your sisters (Danielle ’17 and Karen ’19) both went to Saint Rose. Did that influence your decision to come here?

A little. When I was younger, my swimming coaches all went to Saint Rose, and they were coached by Keith. They had a similar [coaching dynamic] to Keith [Murray, the former coach], because obviously, you learn from your coaches. I liked how they all coached me and figured that Keith would have the same coaching pattern, which he does, because they all learned it from him. But with my sisters, they both came here. Karen wants to be a teacher – that’s why she came here. And then she joined the diving team.

That definitely helped my decision because I was like, "Oh, she knows the team, and she knows that it’s a fun time, and that it’s a good environment to be around."

ce in because I started an year, and I have always of the Saint Rose greats n that lane." – Colleen Quaglia

Why did you choose accounting?

I initially chose accounting because I knew I wanted to go in the business world, but I didn’t know exactly where. I just didn’t see myself in marketing.

If you could give one piece of advice to incoming students, what would it be?

Honestly, just have fun. College is stressful, but I think being able to balance out having fun and being stressed is something that you have to learn, like that time management aspect of it. If you’re stressed all the time, you’re not going to have fun in college – it’s just going to be really hard and boring. And having fun is super important. Even if it’s just going to the movies or seeing your friends and hanging out with them, the simplest thing can make your day 10 times better.

By Sarah Heikkinen

HIGHER LEARNING

Assistant Professor of Microbiology Kelly Hallstrom: Big answers from our tiniest life forms

B

wants to join her research. We asked her to tell us about it in her own words.

pictures of the pathogens, I wanted to keep looking.

An assistant professor of microbiology who has been at Saint Rose for four years, Hallstrom studies microbes. Measuring a fraction of a millimeter, these include the bacteria, viruses, fungi, algae, and other microscopic organisms most people would rather avoid. They are, in fact, tiny forces of nature that inflict considerable damage, à la E. coli, salmonella, and COVID-19.

But, as Hallstrom notes, microbes – billions grow in our bodies as part of our biomes – are essential to sustaining life. Understanding them sheds light on the causes of, and cures for, Lyme disease and food contamination – not to mention the future of energy sources.

Was it always science? Oh yes, oh yes, oh yes.

From high school, when I encountered Carl Sagan, I wanted to communicate about science – either write about it or talk about it. There’s so much science around us that makes such a big difference in our daily lives and still a lot we don’t know.

I went from wanting to be a paleontologist, to wanting to be a storm chaser, to wanting to be an astronaut, to wanting to be an astronomer – being an astronomer was a pretty big dream for a while.

But I went from looking at the big things to little things.

On the paradox: When I went to college (Clark University), we learned about the good side of microbes: microbes in the soil, microbes that we need to be here, the probiotics that we eat and the bacteria that help plants grow. But the good and bad are all mixed. For example, there are harmless E. coli, there are dangerous E. coli. I started to see just how broad the field of microbiology is and how many opportunities there are to ask questions and experiment.

y the time she encountered the writings of Carl Sagan in high school, Dr. Kelly Hallstrom knew her future was in science.

Propelled by Sagan, she thought she’d devote herself to studying the stars. She has, instead, zeroed in on some of our smallest life forms.

Hallstrom studies microbes in soil, water, and our own bodies. On top of teaching students ranging from nonscience majors to future nurses and clinicians, she keeps up with the world of tiny living things so she is ready when a student

14 SAINT ROSE MAGAZINE | Winter 2021

Why microbes? I remember in middle school looking at an encyclopedia of infectious disease, because that’s what I did for fun back then. I saw pictures of all these pathogens, and I remember sitting there in the living room and thinking, "Here are things we can’t see with our own eyes. How can they do so much damage to our bodies?"

I don’t know if I could handle seeing someone sick with a nasty infection, but when I saw the

When I got a Ph.D. in biomedical sciences (University of Massachusetts Medical School), my work was on salmonella – we wanted to know how these bacteria make us sick.

We learned salmonella bacteria use proteins to turn our immune responses against us. Big stories from time to time come out of the lab. Salmonella got a lot of attention in 2009 when there was a peanut butter recall.

On the journey to teaching: I didn’t know if I wanted to do research or write. But the beautiful thing about teaching is you get to actually do the science, and talk about it, and write about it. I struggled with it for a while but saw that education was my best path.

On teaching small life forms in a small setting: Doing academic research at a large university is incredibly fascinating. But it pressures you to come up with the newest thing. Some people love that. But when I’ve done it, I’ve felt like I was constantly racing around to get that next discovery or paper out. It took the fun out of science because you were so focused on getting results.

At Saint Rose, I saw the perfect opportunity to do research, be in the classroom, communicate science, do the outreach, and continue learning.

On student research during a pandemic: Last year, undergraduate microplastics research kept us going. It gave us something to focus on that felt normal.

But we had to reinvent the project because of COVID-19. We had planned to do lab work in the summer of 2020, but we couldn’t because everything shut down. So we turned part of

the project into an environmental observation.

Those observations were just as important as our original plans.

The students kept collecting data. They found microplastics in both sites (Washington Park in Albany and Onondaga Lake in Syracuse). They were really passionate about the work. The students came to me about this project, and I learned a lot from them.

On Tiny Earth: Tiny Earth is a project out of the University of Wisconsin at Madison of students and faculty who are trying to find microbes in the soil that produce antibiotics to treat disease. The goal is to learn how to find what’s in the soil that might fight disease and, if we’re lucky, produce it.

My goal is to run it here in my microbiology lab.

Students choose what route they want to take with the microbes they collect from the soil and make their own decisions on how to grow them and study them. I went through the training last summer and am trying it now with one research student. She has her sample of earth and will decide what options to take. She’s already found bacteria that turn purple, yellow, or pink in their growth media, which is really cool to look at. So far, she has 13 samples of soil bacteria growing in the lab. The next step is to see if any are making

and releasing compounds that kill other bacteria.

On cooperation in COVID-19: Of course we’d rather not have a horrible pathogen on our hands.

But what we saw with COVID-19 was a breaking of scientific barriers. Biomedical research is competitive, and there’s always the race to make the next big finding or to create the next cure.

But with this pandemic, we saw competition put aside for cooperation. We saw scientists putting their own work on hold to focus on SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19. We saw companies sharing information and resources with each other.

I think it shows that when it comes down to it, we can work together to tackle big problems. I think we also are seeing that people do want access to scientific information that they can trust. I know I’ve never been asked as many questions about viral biology and immunology as I have been over the last 18 months. There is a real desire by the general public to understand the science that impacts their everyday lives. With that door open, I think that provides scientists with opportunities to engage more with the public and perhaps build more bridges between scientists and nonscientists.

By Jane Gottlieb

Searching for answers...

SAINT ROSE STUDENTS ASSIST LAW ENFORCEMENT IN COLD CASES

16 SAINT ROSE MAGAZINE | Winter 2021

When forensic psychology student Caleb Linder '23 was 6 years old, Jaliek Rainwalker went missing. Rainwalker, who was 12 at the time and lived with his adoptive parents in Greenwich, New York, was last seen on November 2, 2007.

Linder’s grandparents lived in Salem, a neighboring town of Greenwich.

The news of Rainwalker's disappearance quickly spread. Local, state, and federal law enforcement led an in-depth investigation.

"I remember seeing his missing posters up," Linder said.

Despite being one of the Capital Region’s most well-known cases, it remains unsolved today.

Nearly 15 years after learning about Rainwalker’s disappearance, Linder was assigned the Rainwalker cold case at the Cold Case Analysis Center (CCAC) at Saint Rose. A sophomore at the time, Linder was asked to join the CCAC by Dr. Christina Lane, program director and associate professor of criminal justice.

The CCAC obtained thousands of pages of information collected throughout the years by Jaliek’s maternal adoptive grandmother, Barbara Reeley. Linder’s job — alongside other students — was to read through the evidence, consolidate the most pertinent information, and try to find something that was overlooked in the past. This information was then passed to local law enforcement to help aid in their investigation.

Soon after being assigned the case, Linder made the connection. He called his grandparents and discovered they once lived in the same neighborhood as Rainwalker’s adoptive parents in Salem, a few years before Rainwalker went missing. Now there he was, playing his part in unraveling the case.

Rainwalker was last seen with his adoptive father, Stephen Kerr, who alleges he ran away after they stayed the night at an abandoned family residence in Greenwich. In 2012, the case was elevated from "missing child" to “probable child homicide." No arrests have been made to date, but Kerr remains a "person of interest.”

Rainwalker’s adoptive grandmother (Reeley) and his biological family are still searching for answers — answers that the Cold Case Analysis Center intends to help law enforcement agencies find.

"We are giving people peace of mind that not all hope is lost," Linder said.

Warming up cold cases The Rainwalker case represents one of the hundreds of thousands of cold cases across the nation. According to the U.S. Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs, there were 250,000 unsolved murders nationwide in 2020 — a number that grows by 6,000 each year.

Dr. Chris Kunkle, a longtime adjunct in Saint Rose’s criminal justice department and deputy director of the South Carolina Department of Corrections, is familiar with the cold case crisis facing the United States.

After years of witnessing a lack of resources dedicated to cold cases, Kunkle initiated the idea of developing a Cold Case Analysis Center at Saint Rose. A co-founder and advisor of the center, Kunkle felt confident in the College’s ability to help fill a gap while ushering in a new generation of law enforcement professionals.

"I saw the possibility of the person-power of Saint Rose and what students could provide in helping organize files and researching things that law enforcement agencies, unless they're well-funded, just don't have resources for,” Kunkle said. “And, in kind, we could provide training and an education to students who would be potentially working live cases."

The only center of its kind in New York State and one of six nationally, the Cold Case Analysis Center officially got its start in 2018. Each year, students from degree programs in criminal justice, behavior, and law; forensic science; and forensic psychology are selected to work on real cold cases — such as the Rainwalker case — under the guidance of Kunkle and Lane,

and in partnership with local law enforcement agencies.

Students like Linder and Molly Tasber ‘22, a criminal justice, behavior, and law student with a concentration in criminology, gain real-world experience they can apply to their future careers.

"This has really helped me want to be an investigator because I see things in reports, and I'm like, ‘Ah, I want to be able to fix that for the future,'" Tasber said. “And I want to be able to help people.”

Tasber is graduating this spring and is thinking about joining the police academy. She has worked on three cold cases to date: the Rainwalker case; the Suzanne Lyall case, which focuses on a student who went missing from the University at Albany campus in 1998; and most recently, she was assigned a case that focuses on finding the parents of a baby whose body was found in 1997.

When working in the Cold Case Analysis Center, Tasber said students hear from guest lecturers who are experts in the field, such as police officers, FBI agents, forensic pathologists, and forensic anthropologists, who all lend their insights to the cases at hand.

They also learn about modern-day technologies integral to solving cases, such as genetic genealogy and advanced DNA testing.

“I didn't realize how much truly goes into the cases and how many people really work on them before they turn into a cold case,” Tasber said.

Lane said students are quick to realize that working on cold cases is nothing like what is portrayed on TV shows.

"There's a lot of rigor involved, and research, and deductive and critical thinking," Lane said.

Lane knows all too well what it’s like to live in a community impacted by an unsolved crime.

She lives in Cambridge, a neighboring town of Greenwich, where Rainwalker went missing.

"And being part of that community and knowing that the community really cares to know what happened to him, really made me gravitate to that case to see if we can give any assistance or help," Lane said.

The goal of the CCAC is to help keep these cases alive by resurrecting new evidence and providing better information to law enforcement.

And the CCAC has been successful in doing so.

While investigating the case of Catherine Blackburn, who was sexually assaulted and brutally murdered in Albany in 1964, the Cold Case Analysis Center, in conjunction with the American Investigative Society of Cold Cases, donated money to have DNA analyzed through a process called M-Vac. By forging ahead with this process, local law enforcement and forensic laboratories were able to isolate potential suspect DNA and rule out suspects as a result.

"That catapulted that case closer to resolution," Kunkle said.

Helping the dear neighbor True crime content has exploded in popularity since the podcast "Serial" first captivated millions of listeners in 2014. But it does take a certain type of person to want to actually do the work and study the worst details of unimaginable crimes.

As Lane puts it, they’re looking at "the dark side of life."

So, why do it?

Helping the community is central to the mission of Saint Rose, which is why developing a Cold Case Analysis Center here was a natural fit.

"The Cold Case Analysis Center is providing a resource to the community as a way of giving back," Lane said.

A large part of the CCAC is developing trust with local law enforcement. Over the years, the Albany Police Department has recognized that Lane, Kunkle, and their students are a great resource for the community – so much so that the Albany Police selected cases for the program to focus on this fall.

"They pick and choose the cases that they think would be the most viable, meaning the ones that actually have a lot of physical evidence to them," Lane said.

There is a reason why these cases are cold.

Progress is seen in fits and starts. But the Cold Case Analysis Center has time. As each year passes and new students come in, the program inches closer to helping law enforcement find the missing link.

"Our students, who are learning and applying all the academic knowledge in a practical sense, are actually giving back to the community and helping victims of crime," Lane said. “We are letting them know that these cases still mean a lot to police officers. They are not forgotten.”

By Caroline Murray

Molly Tasber works in the Cold Case Analysis Center in Albertus Hall.

18 SAINT ROSE MAGAZINE | Winter 20221

Next-Level Professors Next-Level Practice Next-Level Community Next-Level Committment HOME. Of Next-Level Learning

Are you ready to advance your career or pivot to a new one?

Our Flex programs allow students to tailor their learning around their lives by taking classes in person, via livestream, or online on their time.

And we offer a variety of top-notch graduate programs in: • • • • • • • • •

Accounting Adolescence Education Clinical Mental Health Counseling Communication Sciences and Disorders Counseling Curriculum and Instruction Early Childhood and Childhood Education Educational Psychology (fully online) Flex MBA

Visit www.strose.edu/grad for more information.

• • • • • • • • •

Flex MS in Computer Science School Counseling School District Business Leader School District Leader School Building Leader Flex MS or Advanced Certificate School Psychology Social Work Special Education Teaching English as a New Language

LEAVE A LASTING IMPACT

Use the required minimum distribution from your IRA to help a Saint Rose student pursue their dreams.

Alumni often ask how to make a gift using the required minimum distribution (RMD) from their IRA. If you are at least 70 1/2 years old, you can donate any amount up to $100,000 from your RMD to a qualified charity such as Saint Rose without paying any income tax on the distribution.

If you are in a position to make a gift using this retirement asset, please consider it. It is as simple as contacting your plan administrator and providing the College’s federal tax ID number (14-1338371) and address (432 Western Ave., Albany, NY 12203-1490). Contact your administrator in early December if this type of gift fits into your year-end tax planning.

Please contact Therese “T” Stillman ’79 at 518.454.5199 or stillmat@strose.edu if you have any questions.

HOME. OF EDUCATION FOR TRANSFORMATION.

20 SAINT ROSE MAGAZINE | Winter 2021

See extended interviews with all of the educators in this feature on our magazine website: www.strose.edu/magazine

The headlines all ring the same: the pandemic has pushed educators to the brink, teachers are leaving the classroom in droves, schools are understaffed and underfunded.

But ask the kids. Each day, lives are changed in classrooms and hallways, stories that will be remembered and retold when old report cards fade and once-baby faces hustle their own kids to the school door.

Tens of thousands of educators from Saint Rose are out there making a difference. We feature a small collection of those stories here, but to all of you creating memorable and meaningful days for our children no matter what life brings:

Thank you.

Samantha Walsh ’15, G’16

Third-grade teacher at Watervliet Elementary School in Watervliet, New York

Kevin Walsh '15, G'17

High school pre-algebra and algebra 1 teacher at Hoosic Valley Junior/Senior High School in Schaghticoke, New York An ugly Christmas sweater party ultimately brought this husband-and-wife pair of teachers together when they were students at Saint Rose, and the College means so much to them that Kevin proposed to Samantha in the Thelma P. Lally School of Education.

What lessons do you still carry with you from Saint Rose today?

Samantha Walsh: “There are a million ways to teach one thing.” – Dr. Pfister said this to me when she gave me my very first assignment involving writing a lesson plan. I could not wrap my head around the “best” way to teach a second-grade ELA standard. She then reminded me of this when I had to teach a demo lesson for Watervliet during my interview process. I don’t know if she realized how much this would stick with me, but I still think about it today when I compare how I teach something to my colleagues and then worry! Or even when I’m writing up a lesson for an observation. It really calms me down, but it is also so beyond true!

What keeps you in this field – even with all of the challenges?

Kevin Walsh: I’m not going to lie to you; teaching is tough.

Sometimes lessons don’t go as planned, and you simply have a rough day. It’s common with any job, really. I think it’s important to remind yourself that you’re making a difference. Teaching during the pandemic, where I had to juggle in-person students along with fully online students and hybrid students, wasn’t easy. There were a lot of days last year when I would come home absolutely exhausted and not feeling great about how lessons went. I had to remind myself, with the help of Sam, that even though I had my rough days, I was exactly where I was supposed to be. The teaching may look different than it did a couple years ago, but I do believe I’m still making a difference in my students’ lives, and that keeps me going through all the challenges teaching presents.

22 SAINT ROSE MAGAZINE | Winter 20221

Angelina Maloney ’96

Superintendent of the Brunswick Central School District and president of the Saint Rose Alumni Association

It was always the encouragement of others that led Angelina Maloney into her roles, whether it was teacher or administrator. Now, she’s leading a district through a pandemic by jumping in wherever she’s needed, including earning her CDL and other credentials so she could fill a school bus driver shortage by running her own route.

Can you spot a Saint Rose-made teacher?

It’s always easy to pick a Saint Rose grad because they have particular sets of pedagogical styles. It’s very hardworking. It’s very equity-based. It’s very inclusive, and they really just have good skills. Teaching is an art, and you either have it or you don’t. And I find that Saint Rose does a really good job of making sure that people who are in that program are high quality, and that they’re not putting people that wouldn’t be good for kids in front of kids.

What keeps you in this field?

Obviously, the last two years being a school superintendent have been very, very challenging. In addition to going through a pandemic worrying about the breakdown of family and the social/emotional needs of students, now we’re even struggling with staffing needs. I think you saw when you were walking around with me that I got to say hi to the kids. I knew their names. And for me, that was super important. That put a smile on my face for the day, even though just a little while ago I had a really challenging meeting. So, you can always kind of reset and recalibrate. And I think that’s the best part of education, just the cycles. Every year has a start and an end, and then you get a chance to do it over and do it better. I just hope that when I finally retire, people will say I worked as hard as I could, I gave 100%, and that I left a positive touch.

Giglio and Giardenelli work closely together in their role as speech language pathologists for the Guilderland School District, and they’re also still tight with their network of Saint Rose communication sciences and disorders alumni. Before the pandemic, “the speech group” used to get together regularly – now it’s more about problem solving and staying in touch via text messages.

Katie Giglio G’05 and Anna Giardenelli G’04

Speech Language Pathologists (SLPs) for the Guilderland School District, Guilderland, New York What lessons do you still carry with you from Saint Rose ?

Giardenelli: I think the person-centered approach – really knowing that it is so important that everyone is a person with a voice, and that it’s our role to help them make it through their communication disorder or make life easier for the children and the families.

I think they really brought home the value of just being a really good person. You know, these students that we have want us to be creative, and want us to be resourceful, and want us to be able to change really quickly and come up with something fun. They really, at the end of the day, just want to be loved. So, I think that all those values were woven through our educational classes at Saint Rose, and they’ll be with us forever.

What keeps you in the field?

Giglio: The kids. Honestly, it is so awesome to see all the kids, and even though they’re all wearing masks, just to see how happy so many of them are to be here at school half the time. You know, I just walk down the hallway and try to say hi to every child by name just because, you know, they like it.

I’m not sure what kind of job you could ever have that would make you think fast on your feet, be creative, laugh, and want to cry all at once. It’s just like every day is a new challenge, but it’s a good challenge.

24 SAINT ROSE MAGAZINE | Winter 2021

Ryan St. John G’05 School counselor, Bethlehem High School in Delmar, New York

St. John has always been an athlete, and being part of a team has been a defining characteristic for him. A school counselor for six years, he sees a parallel between teams working toward common goals and his work as an educator.

What did you find meaningful about the master’s in school counseling program at Saint Rose?

The fact that throughout the program, the professors did require us to get outside of our comfort zone. They required us to think outside of our own thought processes, to challenge ourselves, to be vulnerable. In class, we were asked to share some personal things and to almost set up a group kind of therapeutic setting. And that required us all to trust each other.

I’ve taken that to this job quite a bit. On a daily basis, I’ve asked families and students to trust what we’re doing.

How has the role of the school counselor changed over the years?

The role of this job has changed considerably. I think when I reflect on the work we do now – the onset of anxiety disorders that exist in our current culture – we spend a lot of time in this office triaging situations that are anxiety-related.

So, you find yourself kind of thrust into the middle of all that and trying to navigate and help families and students. I think we spend a lot more time in that realm while we are at school now. At the end of the day, it’s not a therapeutic setting, but sometimes it gravitates that way, and it’s just a shift.

Caitlin Stillwell ’05, G’06

Director of college counseling and the content director for College Seminar 11 and 12 at Uncommon Schools-North Star Academy Washington Park High School, Newark, New Jersey.

Although she was interested in becoming a school counselor from the time she was in high school, Stillwell chose to pursue her college degree in special education instead. A teaching career was eventually followed by working as an admissions counselor for Saint Rose, and that’s when leading a college essay workshop at a local high school made her realize she needed to pursue her original goal.

Does having worked at Saint Rose inform your work counseling students about college today?

Yes, I feel like it gave me an inside track to help students through the application process. It allowed me to network with admissions offices throughout the country to learn how other schools operate and what other majors are available for students. It also allowed me to see the music audition and art portfolio review firsthand. Working at the College has given me the knowledge to help students navigate the test-optional option, as well as make smart decisions about financial aid.

What do you love about your work?

I love that I can help students with their post-high school plans. I love helping them find the best-fit college that supports them academically, financially, and socially. Best of all, the students stay in touch and help us inform the next class on how they are doing post high school. I love seeing our students grow and learn through this process and really become the drivers of their own post-high school journey.

Our students are so appreciative of the assistance we are able to give them. I truly love seeing my students’ dreams come true, especially when they are accepted to their topchoice college.

26 SAINT ROSE MAGAZINE | Winter 2021

Suman Ghauri G’13

Special education teacher for adult learners at The Wildwood School in Latham, New York Ghauri’s students were hit hardest by the pandemic, especially when her population of learners with disabilities, often severe, received instruction virtually in the early part of the pandemic. But she and her fellow teachers rose to the occasion, utilizing technology like Boom Cards, which allow students to learn through interactive games, and meeting up at parks during the summer for critical face-to-face engagement.

What brought you into the field of education and to Saint Rose?

I came into the field because I had strong teacher role models growing up in my educational career. And then also, I have some family members who are educators, and they kind of inspired me to enter the field.

I wanted to join Saint Rose because I felt fortunate enough that I was living so close to a college that is known for their teaching and their school of education. I just took the opportunity right when I had the chance.

What was your early career like?

My first exposure to special ed, and specifically in the field of autism, was here at Wildwood. And that was as a master’s student. And I was working as a teacher. And then, once I graduated, I moved to Phoenix. That’s where I had my first job. And that’s where I was exposed to other areas of autism and other learning disabilities. And then I came back to the area after I had my family, and now I’m here. Having those different experiences is helpful and just having an overall comprehensive methodology in teaching because, of course, no two learners are the same.

Kimberly Fuda ’94

Kindergarten teacher at Glencliff Elementary School in Niskayuna, New York

Ellen Fuda

First-year education major and Golden Knights softball player

Kimberly Fuda, a teacher for 23 years, showed restraint when she didn’t push her daughter, Ellen Fuda, toward Saint Rose to pursue a career in teaching.

But she was thrilled when Ellen decided to pursue both softball and their shared passion of education at her own alma mater.

How long did you know you wanted to be a teacher?

Kimberly Fuda: Ever since I was a little girl, I was that person who lined up all of her dolls, and I was a little bit of a boss.

Your kid in the neighborhood who wanted everyone to sit down and, you know, play school with me.

But really, I think it comes down to all the amazing connections I made with teachers along the way in my elementary school and later in high school. And it wasn’t necessarily what they taught me. It was who they were as people and how they made me feel.

Ellen Fuda: I was also one of those kids who dragged all the kids from the neighborhood downstairs to train for spelling bees and write on my big whiteboard.

After I started going into school with my mom – she let me come in on days that I would have off and she wouldn’t – I saw what she did and how passionate she was about it.

Kimberly, you’ve been in this field for 23 years. What keeps you going?

Children learn from people they like, and people that they love, and people that they trust. Even through something like a pandemic, I was thinking, "You know ... those masks prevent viruses and everything else from spreading, but they don’t stop the positive relationships." And that’s what kids need. Even in a world that’s filled with chaos right now and unpredictability, the fact that teachers are the constant for so many children – that’s what I think is most important.

28 SAINT ROSE MAGAZINE | Winter 2021

Neil J. Estrada G’10

Assistant principal at Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake High School in Burnt Hills, New York

Estrada started his career in the Schenectady City School District, where he taught second, fourth, fifth, and sixth grades for 10 years. A graduate of the advanced certificate program in school building leadership, he later transitioned into the role of administrator there before moving to Amsterdam Middle School as assistant principal and now Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake High School in the same capacity.

How did Saint Rose prepare you as an administrator?

The extensive internship that they gave us really allowed you to get your feet wet. Just being able to work with other people that had a very similar drive, very similar passion and education, specifically urban education, and just the opportunities that they provided us, provided me the chance to try new things.

They really encourage taking risks and relationshipbuilding. And it was an amazing program. As an assistant principal in my capacity now, I wear various hats. [I'm the] director of driver education. I'm the master scheduler here at the high school. I'm in charge of Advanced Placement exams and classes. So doing all those different tasks within the internship really, I believe, prepared me for the role of an administrator.

What keeps you in the field?

The same thing that kept me in the field 10 years ago and 10 years prior to that: the kids. We’re in the people business; we’re in the kid business. Every day's a different challenge.

Every day is a different success. It's important to have a lot of strong knowledge of self, of your background, so we can give our all for our young people in our community.

Catie Magil G’07, G’16

Director of pupil personnel services for the ScotiaGlenville Central School District in Scotia, New York Pursuing a master’s degree in school psychology was a backup plan for Magil after she realized she didn’t want to work toward her doctorate in clinical psychology. But she quickly fell in love with the field. She got her start in the City School District of Albany, later worked in Saratoga Springs, earned advanced certificates in school business leader and school district leader at Saint Rose in the midst of it all, and recently started a new job with the Scotia-Glenville Central School District.

How did your experience at Saint Rose prepare you for the field?

The coursework really prepared me for working with a range of students. I remember taking a lot of courses related to diversity, which certainly is a big focus now. But 15 years ago, it was not as much of a focus. I remember taking a lot of courses on diversity and really kind of immersing yourself in situations where you need to be almost a little bit uncomfortable to force you to feel certain things and experience things from a different lens. So, I feel like the coursework really helped prepare me to work with students in a school setting.

What keeps you in the field?

There’s such a high rate at which educators are leaving the field right now. What keeps me in this field? You know, there’s always a challenge. COVID-19 certainly was one of the greatest challenges to ever face – and probably that we ever will face – in the world of education. But the challenges are what continues to drive me, in terms of the decisions and the leadership. That’s really a huge driving force in terms of the ability to impact just such a large group of students, and not just students but teachers and families. And that’s what it’s really about.

30 SAINT ROSE MAGAZINE | Winter 2021

Sharroia Armstead ’18

Fourth-grade special education teacher for the New York City Department of Education working in Brooklyn, New York

At Saint Rose, Armstead said she saw the emphasis on the importance of community. And today, as a classroom teacher, she thrives on creating a strong and positive community in her classroom. Having long had a passion for working with kids, she wants to be the teacher that students remember after they’ve left her classroom.

What do you love about your work?

I love supporting my students by providing them with the tools to succeed. I really enjoy seeing my students have that "aha" moment when they finally understand the concept.

Additionally, I love forming relationships with my kids. It is always touching to see my students the following year in the hallways as they scream my name and express how much they miss me.

You’re a young teacher, and a lot of young people aren’t even considering the field anymore because they think it’s too hard. What would you say to them?

I know that this may sound cliché, but teaching is a challenging yet rewarding career. As of now, the world is focusing on the difficulties that teachers and students are facing as we transition back into the classroom. However, the media is not focusing on the growth students have still been able to accomplish throughout this pandemic. We need more teachers that are passionate about working with our children. Through this pandemic, we have seen teachers do the unimaginable just to get our children to learn and stay on track. I think we need more driven teachers inside of our school system.

Thea MacFawn ’20

Dean of students at Shaker Middle School in Loudonville, New York

MacFawn started her career as an English teacher before transitioning to administration last year. She wanted to be an educator because her own teachers had helped to show her that she could use her voice to make a difference. Inspired by the notion that students don’t have to wait until adulthood to make an impact on their communities, she and a librarian with the North Colonie Schools co-founded the Capital Region Institute for Human Rights in 2014. The organization holds a leadership program for students and teachers showing them how they can create change.

What do you love about your work?

It’s those moments when you’re working one to one with the student and helping them to resolve a question, or to address a problem, or to develop a new skill. The work is in really providing access and tools and resources to every young person. So that way when they graduate, they’re able to define their path, to choose their route to success, and to feel confident in doing that.

You founded the Capital Region Institute for Human Rights with your colleague, high school librarian Kelly Wetherbee. How did it develop from the idea of a class to a full-blown organization?

Through working with students, initially, we thought about having a class that was sort of more of a combination of social studies and English, and we would have a community service component. And then over time, I started to think, "No, this can’t fit in a unit."

What I thought about was, what if we created, essentially, a teen leadership camp?

It was really important to me that at the end of the day, students saw themselves as able to have a positive impact on their community, on the world. They didn’t have to wait to go to college and didn’t have to wait to grow up to be able to use their voices to advocate around issues important to them.

32 SAINT ROSE MAGAZINE | Winter 2021

Laurie Ellis ’91, G’95, G’98

Instructional coach at Philip Schuyler Achievement Academy in the City School District of Albany

Ellis has worked for the City School District of Albany for the entire 29 years of her career. She fell in love with the district and urban education in her student-teaching experiences at Saint Rose and was there to stay for the long run. An Albany Schools Golden Apple Award winner in 2013 and 2020, she’s also mentored countless Saint Rose student-teachers, many of whom she persuades to stay with the school district.

What keeps you in the field after 29 years?

I love change. I see challenges in change. And the last year, there was a lot of change. I never thought in my career I would see such a fast, rapid pace of the integration of technology and education. I know teachers were struggling, but they produced such phenomenal results in the last 20 months with integrating technology for our students. And the idea of children having one-to-one computers, I also did not think I would see in my career span. That means we’re ready for the next step. And that really is to politically look and see why we haven’t always had computers for children.

There are political issues and inequities that we need to work on.

What made you so passionate about urban education?

At the beginning of my career, when I was at Arbor Hill, I remember going into the principal and saying, "There are no books for my students to read." And she said, "We have tons of books in the library." And I said, "There are no characters that reflect my class. There are are no multicultural books."

And she said, "We don’t have them."

That’s really when I got into technology. A digital camera had just come on to the market, and it was about a thousand dollars. And [noted philanthropist] Charles Touhey bought that so I could use PowerPoint, which was the latest technology tool, to create electronic books using my students’ pictures so that we could write stories that were multicultural.

I find the children of Albany are unique and outspoken, and I like that. And the teachers in Albany are the best of the best because they have to be the best.

Justine Vaitas ’14

Pre-K through second-grade special education teacher at River Ridge Academy in Bluffton, South Carolina

Vaitas graduated from Saint Rose with her college sweetheart, Stan Vaitas '14, who earned his BFA in Art Education and has since been working as a high school media arts teacher. The couple is now married with a little girl named Madison Rose (named after Madison Avenue and Saint Rose). Justine Vaitas has been a standout teacher at River Ridge, a pre-K-8 school, and was named its Teacher of the Year in 2020.

What do you love about your work today?

One of my favorite aspects is working with the parents and to see their joy that their students are progressing.

Most people do not realize the amount of work that goes on behind the scenes for special education teachers – for example, differentiation for each student, IEP meetings, progress monitoring, etc. – but the extra work is all worth it to see students progress and feel confident. Many parents have dated notions about what special education is, and I pride myself in changing their mentality to realize that we offer support to students to help close the gap.

You were selected as Teacher of the Year in your school.

What did that mean to you?

To be selected from such a large pool of excellent teachers is a great honor! The fact that my peers saw me as a model teacher to represent our school is one of my biggest accomplishments. Each year, I tried to take on a little more responsibility by taking on roles, such as department chair after my second year, and other titles, such as afterschool coordinator and ADEPT Evaluator of other teachers. It was my fourth year of teaching that I was nominated for top three, and my fifth year of teaching when I received this honor. This award made me feel appreciated by my peers.

The kids think I am a celebrity because my picture is hanging in the hallway when you first enter the school!

34 SAINT ROSE MAGAZINE | Winter 2021

Tamara Thorpe-Odom G’08

Academic administrator for the Shenendehowa Central School District in Clifton Park, New York Thorpe-Odom always wanted to be a teacher, having come from a family that put their children through private school and emphasized that education was the key to success. With a passion for special education, she’s served as an administrator in Schenectady, New Lebanon, and Chatham, as well as at Northern Rivers.

And throughout her work, her emphasis as an educator and professional has been about forming relationships.

What did you take away from your master’s degree program in education leadership and administration at Saint Rose?

Relationships, relationships – and they matter. People don’t remember always what you say, it’s what you don’t say. I always want to be able to allow people, and my students, my colleagues, and families, to have their voice, to be able to have that kind of station. I think Saint Rose really has prepared me to be able to be open, to be reflective, to really value people’s verbal cues, nonverbal cues, and be able to provide them with support and resources and make people feel comfortable to have that conversation.

What led you to become an administrator?

I wanted to go into administration because I really want to be an advocate for special-ed students. And I wanted them not to just be a separate group of students. I wanted them to be included because I really believe that all students deserve that type of education. The great thing about being a special educator is that you can be flexible – things don’t bother me. You just roll with it, and you make something out of nothing. It’s like life. It’s going to take some grit, and it’s going to take some, you know, good times, trial and error. But then, the end of the project is just knowing that that child’s gotten through, that family has felt heard, that teacher feels supported and has learned something different.

The campus culture evolves as students create their own spaces and communities that feel like home

L

ast year, Courtland Daverne ’22 had an idea: What if there was a safe space for men of color at Saint Rose to come together and build a community?

"It’s kind of hard finding friends who are from your region,” she says. “You kind of feel out of everything.” Now the Golden Vybz have 20 dancers on their team, and more than "I wanted to gather people who look like me, half of the new dancers joined this fall after men of color, to make a community and learning about the group on campus. “I feel have a voice for us," Daverne says. Soon after, like [Golden Vybz] is not only a team, but a he founded the League of Extraordinary family," Howell says.

Gentlemen (L.E.G.), a student-led campus organization that aims to help build a voice After a year away from campus due to for men of color on the Saint Rose campus. the pandemic, students at Saint Rose are continuing to find ways to come together.

"Saint Rose is a majority white female school," Even with over 40 clubs and organizations Daverne explains. "I feel like in many cases, already established at Saint Rose, students men of color are scattered. We don’t really are still working to build their own spaces. have a voice, and our opinions aren’t heard Sydney Benson ’24, a sophomore nursing as much. I feel that, if we come together, student, helped found one of Saint we’ll have a voice, and we’ll be able to have Rose’s newest groups, the Future Nurses change."

Association. Benson is a member of the first class of nursing students at the College As of right now, Daverne is trying to drum since the nursing program was reinstated up excitement for the group on campus by in 2020. working with faculty, staff, and alumni to raise the group’s profile before he graduates.

He’s spent the first half of the fall semester tabling at events and reaching out to other men of color at Saint Rose. He hopes he can bring men of color into his group this year, explaining that it’s important for his community to have a group on campus that will stand the test of time.

One of the benefits of being a part of a small-school community is that students are also empowered to build their own clubs and organizations from the ground up, all while learning how to take on leadership roles among their peers. Take, for example, the Golden Vybz dance team. In 2018, AfroCaribbean students founded Golden Vybz to unite their community through dance.

Therése Howell ‘22, public relations officer for the Golden Vybz, reflected on how she felt when she first joined the group. Like Daverne, Howell felt out of place when she first came to Saint Rose as a woman of color before she found Golden Vybz.

Courtland Daverne

36 SAINT ROSE MAGAZINE | Winter 2021

“Even if they feel lost, their home will be our little group.”

"When the nursing program was new, we went onto campus and didn’t know any other nursing students,” Benson explains.

“We thought that if we started a group, other nursing students would know where to go and who to talk to, and they wouldn’t feel as lost."

Benson and the other members of the Future Nurses Association hope that, by the time they’re seniors, the nursing program will have grown exponentially and will become more involved in the larger community through community service.

She also says she hopes the Future Nurses Association will make first-year nursing students feel like they have a place at Saint Rose.

"Even if they feel lost, their home will be our little group," she says.

Student Nurses

This drive to create a home for students at Saint Rose is echoed in the mission of one of the College’s longest-standing student groups, Saint Rose Identity, the College’s LGBTQIA+ and Allies club. Identity, which was formed more than 25 years ago, has stayed strong throughout the years because of their dedication to creating a safe space for LGBTQIA+ students at Saint Rose.

"When you’re in college, you’re often trying to discover your identity and who you are," says Abby Pauli ’23, secretary of Identity.

"This is a safe space to do that."

Pauli explained that Identity was one of the first places where they they felt like they were home when they first came to Saint Rose in 2019. Pauli is also the president of the Jew Crew, a group on campus for Jewish students that formed Pauli's first year at the College.

"As a Jewish student, I wanted to join a safe space for Jewish students on campus."

Therése Howell

For Aubrey Bogart ’24, president of Saint Rose Identity, the most important thing is that Identity is a family for its members.

"Some students may not have a home that’s a safe environment for them," she says. "I feel lucky that we can provide that for students."

Ensuring that students feel accepted regardless of their identities, abilities, or skills is also one of the main goals of the new student-led art club, House of Arts.

Gabrielle Clarke ’22 switched her major from graphic design to communications after the program reduction announcement in December 2020, and she is now minoring in graphic design. From the time she took her first art class, Clarke knew she wanted to create her own club for artists at the College, but she wasn’t sure if it would be possible.

"I wanted students to have a safe space to express themselves because I felt like we weren’t getting that in the graphic design program," she explains, adding that she didn’t have the opportunity to bring her ideas to fruition with the House of Arts until this year.

Clarke had been a member of the Student Art League, a club for art students, since her first year at Saint Rose but decided to redesign and rename the club when she took over as president this year. In the past, the club had, Clarke says, felt like it was geared toward one art form. Now, she’s inviting any and all creative students – painters, writers, musicians, and everything in between – to join the House of Arts.

"I wanted to make it a little more inclusive for everyone,” she explains. “I think that’s what’s going to make people want to join, because that’s all they want – a place where they can feel accepted. Whatever you feel home is, this is it."

By Sarah Heikkinen

How a Sister’s support inspired Ann Beberwyk Barry’s lifelong pursuit of education

W

hen her husband announced in 2013 that he wanted to retire, Ann Beberwyk Barry ’65, G’69 reluctantly agreed to retire with him. After nearly 30 years of exciting work at Pfizer Inc., where she had risen to become Executive Director of Worldwide Business Development, she was anxious.

"I was apprehensive because, in my all-consuming job, I was constantly under pressure to deliver, was interacting with people all the time, and loved the fast pace of my work environment,” she says. "I thought, ‘What am I going to do? I want to keep using my brain and to continue interacting with people.'"

A lifelong gardener, she decided to join the Master Gardener Volunteer (MGV) program with Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) in Rockland County, New York. That proved a nice segue into an action-packed retirement.

"As a Master Gardener, I’ve gotten involved with so many things," she says. "I give talks to the public at libraries, organize fundraising events, teach in the MGV program, and am a member of most committees, including serving as vice president

38 SAINT ROSE MAGAZINE | Winter 2021

of the board of directors. If I’m not doing things for CCE, I’m working in my yard, which I love.”

Shortly thereafter, she found another important pursuit: surveying and monitoring for invasive plant species in conjunction with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s Partnership for Regional Invasive Species Management (PRISM) program. She works directly with the New York-New Jersey Trail Conference, which coordinates many of the PRISM activities.

Her husband, Gerald (Jerry) Barry, joined her quest to monitor and survey for invasive species, and she recruited more and more Master Gardeners to do the same. She found herself leading groups and teaching others to identify and record the invasive plants and has become a renowned expert on the subject. The couple’s accomplishments were acknowledged via an “Extra Mile Award” from the New York-New Jersey Trail Conference.

"I wanted to continue to use my mind, continue to interact with people, and do something meaningful,” she says. “And what’s great is that my

husband is my partner in all of this.”

A determination to educate herself A passionate, lifelong advocate of education, Ann Barry gives Saint Rose much credit for her successful research and pharmaceutical career.

But the unquenchable spark of intellectual curiosity and the perseverance to achieve her goals began with herself.

She grew up on a farm in Rensselaer County, New York, in a family that hewed to the old-fashioned belief that women should be homemakers, mothers, and nothing more.

"My father was a lifelong farmer who felt that women did not need an education," she says.

She didn’t want to defy him but was determined to get an education.

"He was fine with my going to high school, but insisted that I be a secretarial major," she says.

She acquiesced and took the secretarial coursework. However, she

also packed her schedule with every math and science course she could find and compressed each yearlong math and science course into a single semester.

"I’d start taking algebra in September: I’d read and study the entire textbook and take the Regents in January," she explains. "In January, I’d start a new math or science course and finish that by May. Over the summer, I took language courses along with a summer job."

Although her husband was supportive, her parents and other family members urged her to put her education in the background and focus on her home and children. Sister Rehfuss, however, encouraged her to continue to pursue her education, and repeatedly let her know that she could be a good wife and mother and still be an educated, productive woman with a career.

Sister Rehfuss then invited her to teach in the Saint Rose chemistry lab.

"That was life-changing for me," she says.

Determined to attend college, she applied to Saint Rose, and she and her mother convinced her father to allow her to attend. He agreed on the condition that she major in education, with the plan of teaching elementary school.

"Saint Rose was the only place I applied," she says.

She met her father’s conditions by entering as an education major, funding her tuition with summer jobs and scholarships, commuting by bus each day.

"Within a few weeks of starting at Saint Rose, I went and changed my major to chemistry since it was a better fit for me and my love of science," she says.

She soon found mentorship and guidance with chemistry faculty John McGrath and Sister Mary Rehfuss, CSJ ’49. “My sophomore year, I took organic chemistry with Sister Rehfuss, and she was a great teacher, an extremely caring woman, and a wonderful mentor who consistently encouraged me,” she says.

She graduated from Saint Rose in 1965 with her bachelor’s degree in chemistry, married in the fall of that year, and had two daughters over the next two years. Despite having two very young children, "I entered the MS program at Saint Rose because I wanted to continue my education."

Even though she had taught science to junior high school students at the East Greenbush Central Schools for a year, the experience teaching college students transformed her from a relatively shy young woman into a more confident, knowledgeable leader.

She adds, "I don’t know what I would have done without Sister Rehfuss and her encouragement.

She was my lifelong inspiration and altered the direction of my life."

In 1969, Ann Barry received her MS from Saint Rose and her husband, Jerry Barry, completed his doctoral program at Albany Medical College. The family moved to the New York City metropolitan area for his National Institutes of Health (NIH) postdoctoral research fellowship at Cornell Medical School. She then continued teaching, first at a community college, then full time at William Patterson College of New Jersey, followed

by Lehman College of the City University of New York. None of these opportunities would have occurred without the background provided by Saint Rose.

A brilliant Ph.D. defense and a move to Big Pharma With her daughters getting older, Ann Barry felt it was now time to start a doctoral program, and she started her Ph.D. at St. John’s University in Queens, New York – first in biochemistry, then switching to cardiovascular physiology, her husband’s field. Again, there was the need to balance the hard work and demands of the doctoral program with the needs of the family. At the time of her defense of thesis, she recalls, "The dean of arts and sciences said it was the best defense presentation he’d ever seen."

Once again, she believes the educational and teaching experience had helped train her for that moment. She was then awarded a National Institutes of Health (NIH) postdoctoral research fellowship in the Department of Cardiology at Albert Einstein College of Medicine. After three years of research in the heart failure area, she decided that, while the science was interesting, research was too solitary for her.

"I needed more interaction with people," she explains.

That led to her next career move: pharmaceuticals. In 1987 she joined Pfizer Pharmaceuticals at its world headquarters in midtown Manhattan, in the cardiovascular clinical group doing clinical trials and providing broad medical support for Pfizer’s European operations.

"I loved the challenge, the travel, and interacting with people around the world," she adds.

She was then promoted to the medical lead for Pfizer’s cardiovascular products in the United States, where she also became a primary liaison with a multitude of outside organizations, such as the NIH, American Heart

Ann Beberwyk Barry with the invasive Oriental Bittersweet vine.

Association, and American Society of Hypertension. The U.S. position also included a larger strategic role that involved extensive interactions with outside health insurers, the VA, etc., as well as a larger educational role with the field force and outside organizations.

"The educational background was so important for me at Pfizer – people saw me as an educator. Those skills go back to my Saint Rose training and my start as an instructor in the chemistry lab," she adds.

After 14 years in the Pfizer Cardiovascular Clinical Group, she was invited to join Pfizer’s Worldwide Business Development group, which was an opportunity to combine science with business and among other duties, acquire outside compounds and companies for Pfizer’s portfolio.

"You have probably heard of Eliquis," she says. "It is an anticoagulant that was being developed by Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS). I remember calling Bristol Myers Squibb

“I don’t know what I would have done without Sister Rehfuss and her encouragement.

She was my lifelong inspiration and altered the direction of my life.”

and asking if they would be willing to talk to Pfizer about potentially working together and sharing in the development and commercialization of the product. After a year of hard work, we completed a deal and Eliquis has become one of Pfizer’s biggest products.”

At her retirement party, Ann Barry received a special visit from the Pfizer CEO and a warm sendoff by Pfizer’s President of Pharmaceuticals, signifying the prominence she had attained in the organization.

Looking back on an illustrious work history and on to a fulfilling retirement, she acknowledges that it was a long journey for her from the farm to her office high up in the Pfizer tower in midtown Manhattan.

"I look back and say, ‘Saint Rose and Sister Rehfuss put me on the road to success and gave me the life I wanted," she says.

"I am sharing my life with a wonderful husband and partner.

We have two terrific daughters who are well adjusted, happy professionals with careers in pharmaceuticals and families of their own. As I now look back, I can honestly say that I did everything I wanted to do in life. Thank you, Saint Rose."

By Irene Kim

40 SAINT ROSE MAGAZINE | Winter 2021

Saint Rose distinguished alumni and faculty carry Saint Rose values into the world

E

ach year, the Saint Rose Alumni Association recognizes outstanding alumni and faculty with the Distinguished Alumni Award and Thomas A. Manion Distinguished Faculty Award.

Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic meant the in-person celebrations could not be held for 2020 and 2021, but the recipients were celebrated in two prerecorded ceremonies that are available on the College’s YouTube channel.

The Distinguished Alumni Award acknowledges a Saint Rose alum

for demonstrating the excellence of a Saint Rose education through outstanding accomplishments or significant contributions to society.

The distinction must lie in one of the following areas: professional, academic, cultural, service, or creative expression. Selection for the award is based on the quality of achievement, the scope of its impact, and the extent to which it exceeds the nominee’s customary professional responsibilities.

The Thomas A Manion Distinguished Faculty Award was established in honor of former

Saint Rose President Thomas A. Manion. This award is presented to an eligible faculty member in recognition of excellence in teaching, outstanding professional accomplishment, and concern for student, demonstrated by influencing their professional and personal lives.

We’d like to introduce the 2020 and 2021 honorees.

2020 Thomas A. Manion Distinguished Faculty Award:

2020 Distinguished Alumni Award:

Michael D. Normandin ʼ87

Al Chapleau, associate professor of criminal justice and law Al Chapleau, associate professor of criminal justice and law, is known by students for being a dynamic and demanding but always fair member of our faculty, and as a result, he has received numerous faculty awards throughout this career.

He gives countless hours to our outstanding Mock Trial Team, where students gain real-world skills that assist them in future legal careers or in other fields they may choose.

A former Schenectady County chief assistant district attorney and former New York State assistant attorney general, Chapleau is proud of students who are admitted to law school, underscored by the fact that he remains connected with those alumni as they move on to successful careers.

In addition to an orientation toward excellence and dedication to developing the whole person, Chapleau gives back to our dear neighbor by training New York State town and village justices and their clerks – education that is vital to a fair and just system.

"I don’t ever teach anybody. If I do a really good job, I set up the atmosphere that allows them to learn," Chapleau says.

"Teaching – people think it’s so directive. It’s not directive. It’s inspiring them to have an imagination."

42 SAINT ROSE MAGAZINE | Winter 2021

"Teaching – people think it’s so directive.

It’s not directive. It’s inspiring them to have an imagination."

– Al Chapleau

From an orientation toward excellence that led him to start his own computer consulting firm as a fresh graduate of Saint Rose, to his work for the U.S. Veterans Administration because he felt it was important to serve those who serve our country, to making the decision to leave the workforce to care for his parents, Michael D. Normandin ’87 reflects the spirit of Saint Rose.

In addition to hiring Saint Rose graduates and interns and serving as a mentor for Saint Rose students, Normandin, who earned his degree in computer information systems at Saint Rose, established an endowed award titled the Michael D. Normandin Innovative Computing and Technology Award. This award is given out annually to the most promising student in either the computer technology or music industry fields of study.

A gifted musician with a big heart, Normandin says he has always believed in a phrase coined by author and motivational speaker Zig Ziglar, who said, "You can get anything in life you want if you’ll just help enough other people get what they want."

2021 Distinguished Alumni Award:

Graham C. Knowles G’94

For the past 25 years, Graham C. Knowles G’94, who earned a Master of Science in Education in College Student Personnel Services at Saint Rose, has invested his time, energy, and wisdom into thousands of students, including graduate students at Saint Rose during his time as a College employee. As a student-development professional, he dedicates his professional life to program development, advising, counseling, student-leadership development, classroom instruction and curriculum development, and event planning.

Knowles is currently an associate director/lecturer for the Archer Center for Student Leadership Development at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York. He joined the Archer Center in 2005 after a varied career in higher education at Siena College, Saint Rose, and Hudson Valley Community College.

"Graham’s professional accomplishments exceed well beyond the office and classroom,” the nomination for Graham’s award read. “Graham characterizes an ultimate servant leader whose passion and purpose is to help others achieve their potential. His mission focuses on helping others align their values and standards with their purpose in order to foster collaboration, teamwork, and, ultimately, achieve success."

In addition to teaching, supporting RPI’s athletic department, and advising for the Rensselaer chapter of The National Society of Leadership and Success, Graham recently designed a new virtual team builder for curriculum that has a provisional U.S. patent.

Knowles said a number of people he interacted with during his time at Saint Rose influenced who he would later become as a higher education administrator.

"It was all of their role modeling that gave me the things that I do today and the person that I am today,” he said. “I think of Saint Rose impacting my life in two different ways. It impacted my life greatly in the profession that I went into and the professional and educator that I am in higher ed … and then certainly my personal life, as well. I met my wife here."

2021 Distinguished Alumni Award:

Sister J. Elizabeth (Betsy) VanDeusen, CSJ ’84

After earning a bachelor’s degree in sociology and religious studies from Saint Rose in 1984, Sister J. Elizabeth (Betsy) VanDeusen, CSJ has devoted her life to helping others. In her early years – before joining the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet – she worked at Unity House in Troy, assisting those struggling with poverty, mental illness, HIV and AIDS, and domestic violence.

After becoming a Sister of St. Joseph in 1991, VanDeusen became the head of the St. John’s/St. Ann’s Center in Albany, New York, which offers food and other aid for people in need. Six years later, she became the first-ever Catholic nun to serve as director of church relations for Habitat for Humanity International, based in Americus, Georgia.

In 2000, VanDeusen returned to the Capital Region and worked in several positions, including St. Helen’s parish and the St. Joseph Worker program, both in Schenectady.

After Hurricane Irene hit, she spent a year helping people in six counties of the Diocese rebuild their lives as case manager for Catholic Charities. Since 2013, she has been director of community partnerships for the Albany diocesan Catholic Charities.

It should also be noted that VanDeusen has continued to support the College, both by serving as a Saint Rose Trustee and by participating in programs and connecting with students at any opportunity that arises.

"The Sisters of St. Joseph talk a great deal about the dear neighbor and working with a dear neighbor,” she said. “I am humbled (by the award), and I pray and trust that I will continue to be with the spirit of The College of Saint Rose and the Sisters of St. Joseph as long as I live and breathe."

About the Alumni Association The Alumni Association aspires to strengthen the distinction of Saint Rose alumni and today’s community of scholars, while enhancing the mission of Saint Rose. The association comprises five elected officers and 16 elected directors, as well as appointed representatives who serve as nonvoting members.

Can’t make the time commitment for a full board position? Join a committee! Spaces are open at the committee-member and director levels. Committees include governance, finance, reunion, and awards and honors. We have members and directors all over the country and have virtual attendance available for all meetings. The next election is coming up in spring 2022.

Want to learn more? Email us at alumni@strose.edu, and someone from the board will contact you.

2021 Thomas A. Manion Distinguished Faculty Award:

Dr. Christina Pfister, professor of education Dr. Christina Pfister is a professor of education at Saint Rose and is presidentelect of the New York Association of Teacher Educators. She was the Teacher-Education Department chair at Saint Rose for 2 ½ years, and has published at least four researchbased articles in the field of education, and remains active as a researcher. She encourages her students to be active researchers, and many of them have presented at conferences.

In the award nomination form, Pfister’s commitment to students was described this way: "Dr. Pfister goes above and beyond for her students. When classes were in person, her door was always open and students could go in and ask any question, whether it related to class, advising, or just for some advice and a snack. As an advisor, Dr. Pfister would create a ‘Master Plan’ for her students to help them decide when to take classes that they would need to graduate. It was suggested that Dr. Pfister might like to move her office, but she insisted on being close to the ‘common’ area, which provides ready access to students."

Pfister’s collection of materials that she loans to students is so extensive, the nominator goes on to say, that the curriculum librarian in the Thelma P. Lally School of Education often refers to her collection as the “second-best curriculum library.” She is known for never forgetting a birthday or other significant event in the lives of those around her.

"I’m just I’m so honored to receive an award for doing something that I love doing. And, you know, there’s an old cliché about, 'Do something you love, and you'll never work a day in your life' or something along those lines," she said. “This, of course, is an award from the Alumni Association. … It just means a lot to know that the alumni are still thinking about the College and still thinking about the folks here and know that we really do still care about them, even if it's been three, five, 10 years."

By Jennifer Gish

Nominations are reviewed by the Saint Rose Alumni Board.

Nominations are now open for the 2022 Awards, and you can find nomination information at www.strose.edu/alumni

44 SAINT ROSE MAGAZINE | Winter 2021

Did you know?

• T here is no fee to join the Alumni Association. All graduates become members upon graduation.

• As a member of the Alumni Association, you can continue to utilize Career Services. You can also assist current students by referring your organization/ company job openings and internship opportunities.

• Family members of alumni are eligible to apply for the Delaney Scholarship — which is only for legacy families — when they enroll as first-year students.

Undergraduate legacy students can also receive a four-year $1,000 award under the Authentically You Awards program.

• As a member of the Alumni Association, you are eligible for a discount on services from Liberty Mutual Insurance.

• The Alumni Store is open 24/7 at https:// strosealumni.myspreadshop.com.

• The Alumni Association currently has two operating chapters: Schenectady and the Capital District. New members are always welcome. For more information, visit www.strose.edu/alumniassociation and click on the chapter link or contact the Office of Alumni Relations.

Find out what it means to be ‘Authentically You’ Since its founding, Saint Rose has been focused on giving students an experience that includes an orientation toward excellence, development of the whole person, building an inclusive community, serving the dear neighbor, and meeting the needs of the times.

And we’re saying it in every way we can – including in our new financial aid awards program offered to incoming undergraduate students.

Introducing the Authentically You Awards Program The Authentically You Awards, coupled with our merit-based scholarships, mean first-year students can earn up to $23,000 (in awards and scholarships) toward tuition and fees.

First-year students who apply to Saint Rose can stack the following awards up to $3,000: $2,000 Admissions Interview Award: We want to get to know our prospective students better and for them to get to know us! $1,000 Music Award: We encourage students to continue to play in an ensemble. $1,000 Catholic School Award: Although we are now an interfaith college, we honor our history with this award. $1,000 Legacy Award: We encourage relatives of current students or alumni to continue their family’s legacy here. $1,000 Out-of-State Award: We understand the cost of traveling, which is why we provide this award to out-of-state students. $1,000 ROTC Award: Since we first allowed GIs to take night classes in 1946, we’ve shown a commitment to military-affiliated students. $1,000 First Generation Award: Opening up access to education is in our roots.

To learn more and schedule a visit: www.strose.edu/campus-offices/financial-aid/awards/

Addressing the impact of COVID on Albany Neenah Bland G’04 serves on a city task force to guide distribution of $80 million in federal funding

E

arlier this year, the City of Albany, New York, learned it would receive $80 million under the American Rescue Plan to make up for the losses COVID-19 caused. The city sought public input into how the money should be spent. In March, Mayor Kathy Sheehan convened a COVID Recovery Taskforce made up of 40 stakeholders to lend their expertise and listening skills to the process.

Among them is Neenah Bland G’04, executive director of the Albany Community Action Partnership, a nonprofit that provides career assistance, early childhood education, and other supports to underserved families. Staff members include her identical twin sister, Nerissa Bland Roberts, who earned the same Saint Rose degree, a master’s in school counseling, the same year.

Born and raised in Albany, Bland has the background, degree, and professional qualifications to help struggling families. She has also had her share of experiences as a young, single mother who was told she would not succeed. Going to Saint Rose, and doing so alongside her sister, helped build the confidence she needed to thrive in her profession.

"If I had gone anywhere else, and hadn’t had the experiences with the professors and the challenge, I really don’t think I would be sitting here now," she said.

Here, Bland discusses her work on the task force.

46 SAINT ROSE MAGAZINE | Winter 2021

How did you react to being named to take part in Albany’s COVID-19 relief effort?

It was an honor to be seen as a leading expert in the field and asked to share this insight.

On an average day how do you see COVID-19 hurting our families?

I believe COVID-19 has hurt local families in many ways. Families are dealing more with juggling work and family, especially childcare, and the spread of the disease can cripple families that are already struggling in the workplace. Also, families in these communities are experiencing higher death rates and illness due to COVI-19. The stress and trauma of the pandemic, on top of life situations, has played a major role in the health, mental health, and stability of many families.

The task force is divided into working groups. I see that you’re on one devoted to children and families. What is your role?

My role consists of bringing in ideas around community and family needs, providing input on what initiatives might help this sector, and other data regarding what we see in our day-to-day work in these fields.

Since my focus is on low-income families and our most vulnerable populations, it was imperative that we discuss the needs that affect this population and see that funds are targeted to those needs.

As an Albany native and head of a service agency, you obviously think a lot about the city’s problems. Through this process, what have you learned?

As a leader of an organization focused on the impoverished community in areas of education, health, housing, and workforce development, I don’t always have an insight into other sectors like economic development, business, infrastructure, and healthcare. The task force allowed me to get a deeper dive into those needs and how we all must come together to create a

Going to Saint Rose, and doing so alongside her sister, helped build the confidence she needed to thrive in her profession.

better Capital Region for all citizens. These funds need to be spread throughout the community in ways that create lasting impact, not temporary fixes or handouts.

In your opinion, what’s the right way to use this money – what specific projects do you embrace for helping Albany recover from COVID-19?

In my opinion, we must focus on strengthening the workforce in all sectors, whether that be skills/education training, job creation, or job retention. We also must focus on barriers that impede this success, like affordable, reliable childcare, transportation infrastructure, and services like mental health and trauma support.

Do you have hope we will recover?

I do feel hopeful that as a community and people who care about each other, we will stand strong and get through this.

I’m hopeful that kindness, support, and understanding will allow all of us to see a brighter future.

By Jane Gottlieb

"These funds need to be spread throughout the community in ways that create lasting impact, not temporary fixes or handouts."

– Neenah Bland

C L ASS N OTE S

S

ince 1924, Saint Rose graduates have been astounding us with their amazing accomplishments and endeavors, in all walks of life, all over the world. Here’s a small sampling of some of the impressive things they’ve been doing recently.

To see all the recent Class Notes submissions, visit www.strose. edu/magazine. Also, you'll never miss Saint Rose news if you make sure you're subscribed to our monthly Saint Rose News e-newsletter. If you’re not currently receiving a monthly Saint Rose News update, email alumni@strose.edu.

And remember to send us your Class Notes submissions at alumni@strose.edu.

’20s

Kaliah Noel ’21 is an operations assistant at IMI Studios in New York, New York.

Sara works for the Schenectady County Department of Health and Xavier is a special education teacher at Glens Falls City Schools. “We love Saint Rose and how well it prepared us for the future,” they wrote.

Jennifer Scamell G’21 has become the new technology and innovation director for New Hyde Park-Garden City Park (Long Island, New York). She was previously district technology integration specialist.

She has worked for the district since 1998.

Cyonn Alexander ’18 is a domesticviolence intake specialist for the City of Albany, New York, police department.

Tylor DuGuay ’18 was promoted to client development associate at CLG Insurance in Albany, New York.

Wari Isaac ’20 has become staff accountant at Redburn Development Partners in Albany, New York.

Stephanie "Annie" Scherer '20 released her first full-length album, "Garden Bed." Each song on the album was written during her time as a student at Saint Rose.

Tyler Warren ’20 has joined Horizon Media in New York, New York, as assistant video investor.

’10s

Sara Bayliss DeLuke ’18 and Xavier DeLuke ’19, G’19 married in 2020.

48 SAINT ROSE MAGAZINE | Winter 2021

Thomas Yorke G’19 is the new superintendent of the Sharon Springs school district in Sharon Springs, New York. He joined the district in 2004 as a teacher, and for the past two years has been the district’s K-12 building principal.

Jackson Murphy ’19 and his firm, Lights Camera Jackson Productions, are involved in a new television series, “Everybody’s a Critic,” that’s described as “part roundtable debate show, part game show, part reviews show, and – all movies!” In Murphy’s partnership venture with Chaz Ebert, publisher of RogerEbert. com, the show will feature a diverse, rotating panel of film critics who discuss new blockbuster releases as well as indie gems. The critics will also be competing for honors and prizes of cash donations to their favorite charities.

Brian Graham G’18 is a human resources intern at NSF International in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and is earning his master’s degree in human resources and labor relations at Michigan State University.

Liam Guiton ’18, G’20 has joined the Skidmore College men's lacrosse staff as assistant coach.

Alquan Higgs ’18 has become coordinator of first-year programs and leadership development at Marist College in Poughkeepsie, New York.

Cassandra Madsen G’18 is a senior account executive at Powell Communications in New York, New York.

Torez Ramsey ’18 is a laboratory technician for Monogram Biosciences in the San Francisco Bay area.

Michael Vespe G’18 has joined Garden City Public Schools as director of literacy K-12.

Edson Chipalo ’17, a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Alabama, served as the Saint Rose commencement speaker for the undergraduate Class of 2021 on Saturday, May 8. A week later, he got married in Alabama.

Congratulations to Chipalo and his wife, Meredith Beamer!

C L ASS N OTE S Juanita Diaz G’17 is the new principal of Manorhaven Elementary School in Port Washington, New York.

Kayla Curtiss ’15, G’17 is a proud new mom to little Lincoln.

Ryan Milkiewicz ’17 has become a software developer for Hoffman Development in the Albany, New York, metropolitan area.

Kelly Ann Osorio G’13 has become director of financial services for Berkshire Community College (Pittsfield, Massachusetts). She was most recently director of financial aid at East Stroudsburg University in Pennsylvania. She has been in higher education for 12 years, and started her career at Saint Rose.

Taylor Nazon ’17 has become email marketing manager for Chicago Public Media in Chicago, Illinois.

Brian Tomek ’17 has become an instrumentation analyst with Certified Laboratories, Inc., in Melville, New York.

Abigail Barker ’16 has become spokesperson for the New York State Department of Health in Albany, New York.

Nina Buonarota ’16 has become a business development representative at Precisely in Cohoes, New York.

Sam Crocker ’16 has been promoted to director, mid-market and SMB sales, at Impact in London, England.

Tay (Artavius) Fisher G’16, former Harlem Globetrotter, held a basketball camp for youth at Saint Rose in August.

Christopher J. Hartigan G’16 has been appointed principal of Stratford Elementary School in Garden City, New York. He was previously assistant principal at Stratford. Before that, he taught at PS253Q in Far Rockaway, Queens, New York.

Allee Alexandra von Stackelberg ’16, Esq., has become an assistant district attorney at the Albany County District Attorney’s office in Albany, New York.

Paige DeSorbo ’15 was featured at screenrant.com for her role in "Summer House," a reality-TV show.

Sarah Kleffke ’15 is a speechlanguage pathologist at Woodfords Family Services Preschool in Portland, Maine.

Jermaine Brookshire Jr. ’13, Esq., has become CLE director at Connecticut Bar Association–Young Lawyers Section. In addition to CLE director, Brookshire also still holds the position of business law co-chair.

Daniel Martinelli G’15 has been named assistant superintendent for educational services by the Cohoes Board of Education.

Michael Pomarico ’12 was 2019 Employee of the Year for the Mint Hill Police Department in Mint Hill, North Carolina. Officer Pomarico has been with the department for six years and in the K-9 program for three years.

Timothy '12 and Lyssa '13 Irizarry are proud new parents to Cooper.

Regina K Iannizzotto Antebi ’13 is excited to announce the birth of her baby girl! Tehila Adina Antebi was born August 22, 2021.

Francesca Mills ’15 has become team leader at Fidelity Investments in Denver, Colorado.

Meisha Ross-Porter G’15, chancellor of the New York City School district, was interviewed on “Good Morning America 3” about how New York City’s schools are supporting teachers and students as they have dealt with difficult conditions and continue to transition through the pandemic.

Frank Lombardi ’14 has joined Syneos Health, in the greater Boston metropolitan area, as talent acquisition manager.

Dominykas Milka ’14, G’14 has become a finance associate at Courtyard by Marriott in the New York City metropolitan area. He will soon begin his eighth year playing professional basketball, currently with Keflavík Karfa, the men’s premier league team of Keflavík, Iceland.

Jillian Schook ’14 has become laboratory operations supervisor, cytology, for Northwell Lenox Hill Hospital in New York, New York.

She is also pursuing an MBA in healthcare administration at Baruch College.

Matthew Babula G’13 has been appointed as a specialist in the Academic Advisement Center at Herkimer County Community College.

Jacob Quesnell ’12 was promoted to senior quality investigator for Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health in Red Hook, New York. He is married to Caitlin (Nolan) Quesnell, ’12 an alum who works as a special education teacher. They celebrated their fifth wedding anniversary on May 21, 2021.

Alayna Shaw ’13 has been promoted to senior AmeriCorps program manager at Colorado Youth for a Change.

Kali Bradford ’12 was the featured executive for the American Association of Independent Music (A2IM). According to the article, "Currently the director of business development at SyncVault, her main responsibility is to cultivate relationships with artists, record labels, distributors and other artist development companies to help create a new international solution to the traditional marketing mix."

Zizette Deutsch G’12 was named special education supervisor assigned to Lincoln-Titus Elementary School in Crompond, New York, and to Lakeland Copper Beech Middle School in Yorktown, New York.

Alyssa Northburg ’12, G’13 was named Teacher of the Year at Edward Best Elementary, part of the Franklin County School System in North Carolina.

Stacey Ratner G’12 is a licensed behavior analyst/BCBA at Yellow Bus ABA in Mineola, New York.

Jason Urschel ’12 has joined Saratoga National Bank & Trust Co. as assistant vice president, commercial relationship manager.

Rachelle Mokay Rogers ’11 has become general manager at Lindener’s Cider.

Ken Stay ’11, G’12 has joined Standard Communities, the affordable-housing division of Standard Companies, which is headquartered in D.C., as an East Coast construction manager.

Two Saint Rose alums announced their candidacy for the Shenendehowa Board of Education: Alfred Ives ’99, G’00, G’01, who is employed at the New York State Office of the State Comptroller, and Tom Templeton G’11, the owner and a psychotherapist at Templeton Mental Health Counseling, PLLC.

C L ASS N OTE S

Dan Danbusky G’10 has been appointed principal of Cold Spring Harbor Junior/Senior High School (Cold Spring Harbor, New York). Before this appointment, he had worked at Northport High School (Northport, New York) as assistant principal (2012-2015) and then as principal (2015-2021). He collaborated with administrators and department chairs to develop and integrate innovative initiatives and course pathways, including the growth and expansion of Advanced Placement courses and offerings from the International Baccalaureate program. Prior to Northport, he worked at the Brentwood School District (20092012) as a teacher and dean of students.

for the City of Albany. In this role, he will focus on police accountability.

Jon Accardi ’07 has been named associate vice president and director of athletics at Keuka College in Keuka Park, New York.

He had previously served as dean of students and associate vice president for student life.

Katelyn Mockry Christiansen '08, G’10 and her husband, Kyle Christiansen, welcomed their daughter, Madelyn Josephine, to the world on September 26. Mom (who just celebrated one year as chief financial officer at Murnane Building Contractors), Dad, and big sister Abigail are so in love!

Michael Esposito ’09, G’09 has joined Facebook as a communications manager supporting diversity, equity, and inclusion recruiting.

Michael Sloman G’09 has been composing and performing his poetry for diverse crowds ever since his high school years at Albany High School. He runs spoken-word poetry programs at Albany High School and Albany Leadership Charter School and started up Our Harlem Screenplay at Kulture Seed Films.

Golden Knights basketball great Steve Dagostino ’08 has been inducted to the Northeast-10 Conference Hall of Fame, joining national champion diver Brandon Birchak ’08 and the 2011 champion women’s soccer team.

Matt Toporowski ’08 has become senior assistant corporation counsel

50 SAINT ROSE MAGAZINE | Winter 2021

Rebecca Relyea ’06 joined the faculty at the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA) as an assistant professor of radiologic science.

Joleen Rabuano G’05 is now a social studies teacher in the Rye City School District, Rye, New York.

Abby Ingraham ’10 has become regional vice president at Map Your Show in Albany, New York.

’00s

Franco Pacheco ’06 is director of communications for Community Partnership for Youth in Seaside, California.

Suzanne (Heasley) Scofield G’06 is a financial representative and financial planner with Thoroughbred Advisors in Latham, New York.

Andrea Gray G’10 has become director of marketing, special events, and public relations for Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center.

Stacey Connor G’09 is the new assistant principal at Catskill Elementary School.

drawing, as well as advanced art.

Her family descended directly from the Everingham family of Lafayette, a dairy-farming family that dates to before the Revolutionary War. Gabriel used exclusively New York State-manufactured materials in her decoration of the cow statue.

Bill Fenner G’07 has become director of sales at Taza Chocolate in Somerville, Massachusetts.

Jennifer Green G’07 is the new director of pupil personnel services at Middleburgh Central School District, Middleburgh, New York.

Gail Krieger G’07 was named director of the Office of Disability Services at Berkeley College (New York and New Jersey). She was previously director of pupil personnel services with the Irvington Union Free School District in Irvington, New York.

Katie Boss ’04 has become human resources manager for QCI Asset Management in Rochester, New York.

Katherine Broderick ’04 has joined Livingston Energy Group as the director of community engagement.

Janice DeRito G’04, LMSW, is supervisor of state initiatives at Affinity Health Plan in New York, New York.

Andrew Kourt ’03, G’13 was appointed superintendent of schools at the New Lebanon Central School District in New Lebanon, New York, in October 2020.

Sarah Allen-Meyers ’06 is now the director of news and programming for Spectrum News Upstate New York.

Krista May ’03 has become director of strategic marketing and communications for the Connecticut Sun.

Katie Gabriel ’06 was one of the artists who painted fiberglass cow statues for the New York State Fair.

The cows traveled across the state to raise awareness of all things dairy before being displayed at the State Fair. Currently an art teacher at Fayetteville-Manlius High School, Gabriel teaches painting and

Daesha Devón Harris’s ’02 artwork was featured in the MohawkHudson Regional Invitational exhibit at the Albany Center Gallery in Albany, New York.

William Male ’02 was promoted to deputy chief of the Rotterdam Police Department (Rotterdam, New York).

He was previously a lieutenant in the department. Male has been with the department since 2006.

Kwame Morton G’02 has become assistant superintendent for pre-K-12 and curriculum and instruction at Cherry Hill Public Schools in Cherry Hill, New Jersey.

He was previously principal of Cherry Hill High School West and Joyce Kilmer Elementary School, both in Cherry Hill.

Renata Relyea ’02, an instructional coach for math and science for North Colonie Central Schools, was featured in an interview with Spotlight News. She spoke about the challenges of teaching during the pandemic, her difficult journey from her native Czechoslovakia to Italy and eventually the U.S. at the age of 4, and thoughts about her beloved grandmother.

Mary Yuhasz ’02 and Michael Yuhasz ’01 spoke with The Saratogian about their taekwondo studio, Adirondack Taekwondo and Fitness Center in Clifton Park, New York, and shared their stories, thoughts, and strategy from running their business during the COVID-19 shutdown.

Brendan Lawler ’01 reports: “I was appointed to the Dutchess County Legislature in January to fill the remainder of an unexpired term to represent the residents of District 4 in the historic Town of Hyde Park. I am now running for a full term and will be on the ballot in November.”

Jeremy Bogan ’00 has become director of application services – system delivery at MultiCare Health System in Tacoma, Washington.

Megan-Claire Chase ’99 was featured in an article from the V Foundation on the need for health equity in cancer care. The feature was based on her own experience as a cancer survivor.

’90s

Gretchen Guenther-Collins ’99, G’99 has been promoted to the position of shareholder for Teal, Becker & Chiaramonte, CPAs. She

C L ASS N OTE S

has been with the firm since 2000.

She is also the treasurer of the board of directors of the Albany Damien Center and a member of the Saint Rose Golden Knights Athletic Advisory Council.

Meredith Rivet ’99, G’03 has become the new principal of New Turnpike Elementary School in the Lansingburgh Central School, District (Lansingburgh, New York).

She has been the instructional supervisor for Howe Elementary School in the Schenectady City School District, and previously was the multi-tiered support specialist coordinator for Brunswick Central School District. She has also taught at Chatham Elementary School.

Sarah Robinson ’99 has been promoted to the position of shareholder for Teal, Becker & Chiaramonte, CPAs. She is on the board of directors for the Ronald McDonald House Charities.

Suzanne Maloney ’98 has joined Northern Rivers Family Services as the coordinator of the Bella Greenhouse and Educational Center.

Kevin Goyer, Jr. ’97 has joined BioDerm, Inc., a leading provider of disposable medical devices and wound care supplies, as vice president, people.

Sanjay Shrestha ’97 was featured in an article in the Albany Business Review. His unconventional career path began with a job as a senior research analyst covering the cleantechnology sector, with a focus on fuel cells. He recently became chief strategy officer at Plug Power in Albany.

Nikki Radens Arel ’96 has been inducted into the Phi Alpha Honor Society, which honors social work students. Once COVID-19 shut down Arel's massage business indefinitely (now reopened), she started her Master of Social Work degree through Walden University’s asynchronous online degree program, something she has been considering for a few years. With the goal of a certificate in military social work, she currently has a field placement at Veterans Base Camp in Chaplin, Connecticut.

Allen Phelps ’95 is the new artistic director of The Theater Barn, a nonprofit dramatic company and venue in New Lebanon, New York.

He is taking up the mantle from his parents, who established the theater in 1984 and are retiring after running it for 37 years.

Cosimo Tangorra Jr. G’95 is the new superintendent of the New Hartford Central School District in Oneida County, New York. Tangorra had most recently served as Niskayuna Central School District superintendent in Niskayuna, New York, which he joined in 2015.

Kevin Graber ’92 has become coach of the Bourne Braves in the Cape Cod Baseball League. Graber was also named the Northeast Region Coach of the Year from the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA). This is his second honor in the last three seasons. He is the varsity baseball coach at Phillips Academy Andover.

Melissa Jennings Mewhorter ’92 has been named vice president of finance and controller at Ballston Spa National Bank in Ballston Spa, New York. Mewhorter, who will manage all aspects of finance, including financial reporting, purchasing, accounts payable, investment accounting, tax reporting, shareholder relations, and general accounting, has been with the bank for more than 15 years, beginning as a staff accountant.

According to the bank, she has led the community support team for the past four years, in which capacity she planned, organized, and directed 15 drive-through food pantries with the Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York during the COVID-19 pandemic.

April Bartel ’91 is a marketing specialist at Frederick Innovative Technology Center, Inc. in Frederick, Maryland.

Kirsten Voege ’91 and Jo Carroll Voege ’63 sent greetings from Dublin, Ireland, where they raised a pint to celebrate Saint Rose’s centennial. Jo Carroll Voege, who earned a BS in elementary education at the College, went on to teach in Bay Shore, New

York, earned a master's degree in geriatrics, and ran her own geriatrics-care management business until retirement. She currently lives in Bedford Hills, New York. Kirsten Voege, who majored in public communications, worked at Ogilvy and Mather Direct in New York City and went on to executive advertising agencies such as Draft Direct, Draft Worldwide, and ID Media. She currently lives in Albany, New York.

Brian Foley ’87 has become a senior professional liability claim specialist with Sedgwick in Leeds, New York.

’80s

Peggy O’Shea ’86 has been named superintendent of Cohoes School District (Cohoes, New York). She had been acting superintendent since October 2020, then interim superintendent in December 2020, all while continuing her duties as assistant superintendent. She has worked for the district since 1995, when she became assistant principal of Cohoes High School.

She became principal of Van Schaick Grade School in 1998 and assistant superintendent in 2002.

Prior to her roles at Cohoes, O’Shea worked as an associate principal, a special education teacher and coordinator, and a reading teacher.

William "Bill" Foster ’85, an attorney at Barclay Damon with over 30 years’ experience, has been named to the 2021 Upstate New York Super Lawyers list.

Kimberly Brooks Penman ’84, G’86 retired from Albany High School (Albany, New York), where she served as a special education teacher for 34 years. This concludes a wonderful career in education spanning over 35 years.

Cynthia Beane Doran ’81, a retired Troy High School business teacher of over 30 years and former HVCC accounting adjunct, has been a Rensselaer County legislator since 2013 and deputy minority leader since 2018, proudly serving the residents of the City of Troy, New York.

Cheryl Sager ’80 came out of retirement in 2020 to teach music at Kensington Elementary School in Kensington, New Hampshire.

She has just completed her sixth CD, titled "Songs from the Heart," which is dedicated to her mother.

Cheryl also had a watercolor art show hanging at the Seacoast Artists Association in Exeter, New Hampshire.

Melody Reynolds ’74 writes: “I volunteer regularly for Flower City Habitat for Humanity (Rochester, New York). The Women Build team currently is building a house for a single mom and her son.

It’s our 17th house!”

’70s

Rev. Leonard Comithier Jr. ’72, a pastor at Macedonia Baptist Church (Albany, New York) for over 35 years, was honored with the prestigious Rev. Joyce Giles Pastoral Award by the Capital Area Council of Churches (CACC). Honorees are chosen who demonstrate outstanding pastoral ministry and exemplify racial, gender, and denominational inclusiveness.

Floranne (Flo) Smith McCraith ’57 is happy to report she is retired and living happily in Florida with her wonderful husband, Bob. They are enjoying keeping up with their 16 children, 38 grandchildren, and 20 greatgrandchildren.

’50s

Cathryn “Cathy” Arcomano ’46 and her artwork have debuted on a new website designed and built by her loving husband, Nicholas Arcomano. The site features her art, a book of her correspondence during her study-abroad year in Mexico with four other Saint Rose students, and other information about her life.

’40s

C L ASS N OTE S In Memoriam (April 2021 to September 30, 2021) Matthew Davidowicz ’12 Patricia Pierro G’12 Barbara A. Stieber ’95 Nancy Bainbridge White G’93 Rebecca Howe ’91 Grace Druzba ’90 Lois J. Gruner ’90 Kristine Smith ’90, G’99 Henry "Hank" Hren Jr. ’88 Mary Josephine Persico Otter G’88 Dawn Lewis Haggart ’87 Paul N. Bernard G’86 Claudia Petway Smith ’85 Mark Legler ’84 Holly Gates-Morgan G’83 Julia Bishop-Hahlo (formerly Sister Julia Marie) ’82 Laura Gaida Channell ’79, G’93 Cecelia Soldacki Artino ’78 Alice Morris Schrade ’78 James L. Vatter ’77 Michael J. Sheridan G’76 Timothy B. Roberts ’75 Mary R. Clancy G’74 Christine "Chris" Baker Kozlowski ’74 Ronald E. Reuter G’74 Sister Edward Marie Tesiero (Edwina Mary) ’74 Sister Helene Courtney, CSJ ’66, G’73 Sister Mary Rose Noonan, CSJ ’73 Merritt G. Sargent G’73 Sister Lois Barton, CSJ ’71 Marion DeWitt ’71 Yvette Scott Jones ’71 Sister Claudia Amrod ’70 Ellen McKeon ’69 Sister Marilyn Donnelly ’68 Lauretta McGuirk G’68 John Ainsworth G’67 Marjorie Silliman Rose Becker G’67 Sister Yvette Martin, CSJ ’67, G’73 Patricia M. McDonough ’67 Jane Mullen Costanzo ’66 Sister Catherine Joseph Croghan, CSJ ‘66 Sister Ruth Cecilia Dowd ’66 Jennie Cerminaro Joseph ’66 Sister Giovanna Marie Marcoccia ’66 Sister. Theresa M. Martel, SCSL ’66 Sister Kathleen Thomas Vail, CSJ ’66 Sister Teresa Walsh, CSJ ’66 Eulalie Climer Kindt ’64 Eleonore Maria Pauly G’64 Mary Lynn Shaughnessy Baldwin ’62 Sister Bernadette Catellier, CSJ (formerly Sister Rose Bernadette) ’62 Geraldine Dunn Hayford ’62 Kathleen R. Jennings ’62 Joyce Kieloch ’62 Virginia Logan ’62

52 SAINT ROSE MAGAZINE | Winter 2021

Sheila Tighe Liegel ’61 Sister Marion Rafferty, RSM ’61 (formerly Sister Mary Brian) Maryann A. Thouin ’61 Mary Evelyn Fox Whitney ’61 Ellen Murphy Carruthers ’60 Marian Koch G’60 Rosemary Reilly Myers ’60 Kathryn Cundiff Stratman ’60 Charlotte Eberwein Sutherland G’60 Anne Conboy Butler ’59 Marianne Osborn Gould ’58 Ann Ahearn Meade ’56 Kathleen Bergan Brown ’55 Joan Ward Mullaney ’54 Diana Sin-Wai Pai Hsieh ’53 Louise M. Mgurdichian Giragosian ’52 Lorraine Cox Carpenter ’51 Antoinette Rinella Damian ’51 Antonina Melita Rindenello ’51 Sally O’Neill Dugan ’50 Mary Jane Fina Kinosian ’50 Patricia Ann Callahan McDonald ’50 Charlotte Chirico Szarejko ’50 Jo Ann Morrill Nolan ’49 Norma B. Schug ’49 Elizabeth ‘Betty’ Norton Casavant ’48 Mary Bristol Suplee ’48 Maray Ryan Cuerdon ’46 Audrey Kiefer Ostrander ’45 Friends Joseph C. Faul, husband of Karene Tarquin Faul, the College’s former art department chair Dr. Wayne Morris Hurr, former director of the College’s Counseling and Psychological Services Center Paula Stopera, Community of Excellence Honoree.

Mary Roszykiewicz Flatley ’50, G’55

Mary Roszykiewicz Flatley, who passed away on August 14 at age 92, had been a proud supporter of Saint Rose for over 70 years and was a member of the Carondelet Society. Earning both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in biology at Saint Rose, she was always a believer in science and lifelong learning.

Sister Mary Rose Noonan, CSJ ’73

Sister Mary Rose Noonan, CSJ passed away on August 12 at age 70. Born in Utica, she earned her bachelor’s degree in English at Saint Rose and her master’s at the University of Notre Dame. She was a Sister of St. Joseph for 47 years, and was a beloved community woman whose presence lit up the house. She spent the majority of her ministry in the Albany Province in administration and development. Since 1994 and until her passing, she served as the communications director.

In Memoriam

Esther Massry

Esther Massry, the beloved matriarch of the Massry Family, passed away on September 28 at age 90. She and her late husband, Morris, were beloved philanthropists in the Capital Region and longtime supporters of Saint Rose. They started their businesses together, starting with retail until they later transitioned to real estate, which gave Esther Massry the ability to dedicate more time to raising the couple’s six children.

Her dedication to family – always serving as the epicenter for large family gatherings – permeated to her children and grandchildren who carried on her traditions with their own families. She was also the neighborhood hostess, welcoming friends to canasta games and pool parties.

Richard ‘Dick’ Huether

In addition to the annual cruises she took with her family, she loved to travel internationally with Morris, displaying items from their journeys in her home.

Dedicated on September 20, 2008, the Esther Massry Gallery recognizes Esther Massry’s love of life and art and her devotion to family and community. As a passionate art aficionado, she had collected art from all over the world. In 2008, friends and family of Esther Massry joined together and contributed over $700,000 to name the gallery in the Massry Center for the Arts in her honor. The gallery is a reflection of her passion and a place for all to experience the power of the arts.

Our community lost a staunch supporter when Richard “Dick” Huether passed away on September 1. He was 87.

Huether was exceptionally proud of the building of the Huether School of Business and was personally involved with its design and construction – wanting a beautiful, welcoming space where all students could explore their entrepreneurial spirit.

His commitment to the College spanned decades and included serving on the Huether School of Business Advisory Council, on the College’s Board of Associates, and as co-chair of the College polo event fundraiser in the 1990s.

He was a mentor for the College’s Student Association and was named an honorary member of the Delta Mu Delta Honor Society.

He served on the College’s board of trustees from 1998 to 2014 and was subsequently elected by the board as a trustee emeritus. In 2011, in recognition of his transformational leadership gift to renovate 944 Madison Avenue, the school was renamed in his honor.

His involvement with Saint Rose followed a very successful career as a corporate marketing executive for General Electric from 1957 to 1989, responsible for developing corporate, consumer, industrial, transportation, utility, and service market opportunities.

Julian Randolph Kolod

William Burgess Picotte

Steven Alger, Ph.D.

Kayleigh Heinmiller

Known to his colleagues and friends as Randy, Julian Randolph Kolod, who passed away on August 7 at age 83, taught mathematics at Saint Rose for 40 years, retiring in 2010. He was most often seen on campus smiling and joking with his close friend, Dr. Carmen Artino, and they remained close friends long after they both retired. In his time at Saint Rose, he touched countless students’ lives. Prior to joining the faculty at Saint Rose, he served in the U.S. Air Force during the Cuban missile crisis, rising to the rank of captain and teaching several years at SUNY Albany.

Dr. Steve Alger, who passed away on August 23 at age 79, taught sociology at Saint Rose from 1976 until his retirement in 2007. He was a beloved colleague, teacher, and mentor to students, known for this patience and kindness. He and his wife, Janet, were researchers and scholars in the area of cat culture, dispelling the myth of the anti-social cat. They authored "Cat Culture: The Social World of a Cat Shelter," a long-term study of cat interactions at the Whiskers Shelter in Albany.

William Burgess Picotte, a friend and donor to the College, passed away August 6 at age 71. Picotte had a 50-year career at Picotte Companies, a commercial real estate company founded by his grandfather, uncle, and father, where he last served as a senior vice president. His life was marked by leadership and service to numerous Capital Region organizations, including the board of trustees of The Albany Academy and a director of, among others, Parsons Child and Family Center, Teresian House Foundation, and WMHT Public Television. He was also a great supporter of Saint Rose.

Kayleigh Heinmiller, assistant director of human resources at Saint Rose, passed away at age 29 on August 15 of complications associated with Cystic Fibrosis. To her coworkers, she was a wonderful friend, technology wiz, and absolute joy in their lives.

The College of Saint Rose needs support from alums like YOU to advocate for our bright young leaders of tomorrow. Your generosity to The Saint Rose Fund creates opportunities for exceptional students as they chart their courses toward discovery and innovation.

More than ever, our capability to provide scholarships will be a pivotal reason why students will choose to come to Saint Rose and be able to stay and finish their education.

You inspire Sarah Culver, a graduate student majoring in clinical mental health counseling, who wants to run community support groups for survivors of domestic violence.

You create motivation for Katelyn Kwiatkowski, a senior majoring in early childhood education, who wants to become a second- or third-grade teacher and pass on her love of learning.

Make your monthly recurring gift to The Saint Rose Fund today. Whether it’s your very first donation or you’re continuing your legacy of giving, every gift is treasured.

Your donations open doors for exceptional students like Avery Vargas, a sophomore majoring in computer science, who is the first person in his family to go to college.

Return the enclosed response envelope or give online at www.strose.edu/giveagift.

You provide hope for Jennifer Demizio, a senior majoring in public health, who is a single mother and says if it weren’t for donor support, she wouldn’t be able to complete her college career.

54 SAINT ROSE MAGAZINE | Winter 2021

THE FUTURE OF SAINT ROSE IS BRIGHT! HOME. OF EDUCATION FOR TRANSFORMATION.

The College of Saint Rose Alumni Office 432 Western Avenue Albany, NY 12203 518.454.5196 www.strose.edu alumni@strose.edu

Saint Rose Strategic Plan Presentation for Alumni When: Wednesday, January 12, at 6 p.m. EST Where: Via Zoom How: Keep an eye on your email for the registration link.

In October, the Saint Rose Board of Trustees approved a three-year strategic plan for Saint Rose that was developed by a cross-campus committee with feedback from our Saint Rose community.

See a presentation of the plan, and hear from President Marcia White and Dr. Margaret McLane, provost and vice president of academic affairs, about how Saint Rose is moving forward into its next century. You also will have an opportunity to ask questions about the plan.

Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Albany, NY Permit No. 137