Union College Magazine, Fall 2022

“Recent Acquisitions”

Exhibit

THROUGH JUNE 12

A new exhibition at the Mandeville Gallery, “Recent Acquisitions,” reflects the growing emphasis on purchasing works for the Union College Permanent Collection that represent a diversity of cultures, perspectives and identities.

More than 30 works that were added to the collection in the last 10 years are on view. They incorporate contemporary African, African American, Asian, Indigenous Alaskan and Native American artists, and include paintings, photographs, prints, digital media, mixed media and works on paper.

Above: Untitled by Keita Seydou

Left: Infinite Regress CXLVII by Eamon Ore-Giron

The purchase of several artworks in the exhibition was made possible by the generosity of donors Alfred ’56 and Sybil Nadel, and Kelly M. Williams ’86.

To read a story about the show, visit union.edu/news

ON THE FRONT COVER

Students enjoy a pre-orientation trip to West Mountain (Queensbury, N.Y.).

Opportunities to experience new things, grow and learn with friends, and become part of a community are the essence of U Journey.

UNION COLLEGE is published three times a year by the Union College Office of Communications, Schenectady, N.Y. 12308. The telephone is (518) 388-6131. Non-profit flat rate postage is paid at Schenectady, N.Y., and an additional mailing office.

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Grab your compass: U Journey starts now

College has two parts. What you learn inside the classroom and what you learn outside it, living and navigating life. Both are vitally important to a student’s all-around growth. Which is why Union is rolling out a new residential curriculum called U Journey. It’s a programmatic and experiential map of sorts, designed to help students succeed at all levels.

STEP program: Something for everyone

There’s a program at Union—the Science and Technology Entry Program (STEP)—that benefits pretty much everyone it touches. Local high school students, Union students, faculty and staff, and even local business owners and alumni. Everyone loves STEP.

VICE

Paul Buckowski Shawn LaChapelle

Fort Orange Press

Going beyond the classroom

Since my first days at Union, I have always enjoyed asking alumni, “Can you tell me about your Union experience?”

Invariably, their responses are always heartfelt, thoughtful and informative.

One of the first things they mention is the impact of faculty. Just as today, faculty are supportive and inspiring. They take an interest in our students and their goals. They develop connections that change lives for the better.

Alumni talk about their classes, not just the ones in which they succeeded, but the ones in which they struggled. They often talk about a term abroad, or another life-changing experience that led to a career, sometimes a life partner.

Sometimes, alumni will talk about difficult times. A roommate problem. Navigating a lease. Fixing a car. Financial issues. A loss of a friend or family member. They’ll talk about regret over a class they didn’t take, a club they should have joined or a time they wish they had made another choice.

But they always talk about their lives outside of academics—athletics, clubs, Greek life, residence halls—and the lifelong friends, and spouses, they met along the way.

College is, after all, a time of discovery. It can be exhilarating, exciting, frightening and confusing. Sometimes all at once.

The truth about college is that students don’t spend all their time in classes, or studying.

There are many interactions—some planned, others spontaneous—which prepare students to succeed now and across multiple tomorrows.

Which is why we’ve created U Journey, a suite of residential programming that aims to develop the “Whole U”. By providing pathways and goals, we will ensure that every student has the opportunity to achieve a full Union experience. There are six areas of focus: well-being, life skills, decision making, cross-cultural competency, belonging and reflection. You can read more about U Journey on p. 20.

Through residential programming, we are creating moments and spaces—through leadership programs, experiential learning and travel opportunities—to allow students to build these life skills.

When we kicked off the Powering Union campaign in 2020, we set as a priority developing students beyond the classroom. We are enormously grateful to the alumni and other friends who have responded so generously. Thank you for helping us reach our $300 million campaign goal about a year ahead of schedule.

But we will continue to raise funds to support U Journey and other initiatives that develop students beyond the classroom.

Years from now, when our current students are established in their lives, I hope they will also report back that Union gave them a great education—and a great experience—that prepared them to lead lives of wisdom, empathy and courage.

DAVID R. HARRIS, P h .D.

U

LETTERS

Taking pride in Schenectady, Union

As a follow up to the Schenectady revitalization article and the connections to Union College, my firm, Wendel Duchscherer, is proud to have been the architects and engineers for the renova tions and additions to the Schenectady Train Station. We used both our national expertise in designing public transporta tion rail and bus facilities as well as our/ my Union College connections to help win the commission. My Union College days of arriving and/or leaving on the train brought me some intimate knowledge into some of the issues surrounding the “old” station. We are proud of the result and equally proud of the role that the College has played in the rejuvenation of the downtown, Schenectady core.

DAVID C. DUCHSCHERER

Remembering

Frank Gado, a former student writes:

Frank,

I hope that where you are now you may read this. It’s about my gratitude, especially for the time you spent in guiding me for my thesis on your favourite film: “8 1/2.”

Even though you were keen on Ingmar Bergman, you had a unique “feeling” for this film, which you thought was the most beautiful ever made and which, eventually, years later, led me to write a book. In 1975 you gave me the opportunity to hold one of your film-classes around the multiple interpretation levels of Fellini’s master piece—as if I was a colleague of yours, not a student. Your acumen for describing movies was also full of poetry with a contagious enthusiasm and craving for meaning that led all of us students “to see beyond.” Your parents from Piemonte did not speak English and you became a Maestro in the language of Shakespeare. For instance, your explanation of Moby Dick was unparalleled and just stunning. In saying “THANK YOU!” this last time, allow me to quote Natalia Ginsburg’s words on Cesare Pavese, who was from the village of Santo Stefano Belbo, like your parents. “Our city (Turin) resembles you, the friend we lost…like you, always busy and committed to work in a stubborn, feverish way … at each corner, we think that your figure may all of a sudden appear …” You are in our minds and hearts, seeing you with us “when the whole world was so much younger…”

PAOLO CERATTO ’75

The start of Union’s Italian language program

Iwas saddened to read in the recent edition of the college magazine about the passing of Professor Frank Gado. The obituary and letter from Professor Gati were beautiful tributes. However, one accomplishment was not mentioned, in which I played a significant part: the establishment of the Italian Language program. In the fall of 1971, I was having breakfast with Professor Gado in Hale House, and mentioned that we’d never had an Italian language course at Union. Without hesitation he said, “Frankie, if you can get 30 students to sign up, I’ll teach Italian in the winter term.” I then went out on campus and initially spoke to three groups of students—those with Italian surnames, art majors and music majors. In no time, I had obtained the requisite number of students for the inaugural class in winter 1972. Professor Gado utilized an interesting teaching manual: due to his Swedish connection, the book he used was in Italian and Swedish! Since that time, the Italian language program has continued at Union, and I was pleased to learn that there is a term abroad now in Sicily.

FRANK J. ALLOCCA ’73

Fond Union memories

Iread Jerry Rost’s (Class of 1950) letter about his Idol experience in the winter 2022 edition of the Union College magazine. The Idol always triggers a favorite Union story for most of us alumni, and hearing from fellow grads always triggers a Union memory. But my favorite Union memory came three years after graduation, and was recalled by the In Memoriam notice of the death of Howard H. Brown ’44.

It was June 1957 and I was graduating from Columbia Law School. I needed a clerkship with a New Jersey counselor-atlaw (then a special designation by the New Jersey courts), to fulfill admission requirements. Traditionally, clerkships paid no salary. Only a few paid $10 or $15 per week—$25 was almost unheard of except from the biggest firms. I read a notice on the school bulletin board from a three-man firm in Elizabeth, N.J., willing to pay $25, and it instructed me to call H. Harding Brown. I did so immediately, got an appointment and sent in my resume.

Upon my arrival, I was introduced to Harding Brown ’44, whose first words were, “I see you graduated from Union College. So did I. Blood is thicker than water. You’re hired.”

Nous devenons tous freres et sœurs.

AVROM GOLD ’54

Editor’s note: This letter was originally printed in the summer 2022 magazine with the incorrect photo.

The full-page obituary for Bob Holland, Class of ’62, was well written and much appreciated. He was an outstanding personality and very smart. He had to be: In those days, Union had only one African American student per year, at least in my class, the class ahead of me and the class after me. My recollection is that he lost the class presidency by a close vote in our freshman year, but it was a runaway in the three following years. Everybody liked Bob, and I remember him well 60 years later. It’s good that Union has become a lot more diversified!

NURICK ’62 Sarasota, Fla.

LLOYD

Share your Homecoming memories

We’ll be marking the 100th anniversary of Homecoming & Family Weekend in 2023. Help us celebrate by sharing your photos and memories of past Homecoming weekends. Photos need to be at least 1 MB in size.

EMAIL: magazine@union.edu

Descendants of John Kreusi, a Swiss inventor and associate of Thomas Edison, were on campus in August during a reunion in Schenectady. In the late 19th century, Kruesi came to Schenectady to help build the Edison Machine Works and then General Electric into one of the greatest American success stories. An estimated 45 members of the extended Kreusi family have attended Union, some with ties to the Nott and Potter legacy. (Photo by Jim Frierson)

Powering Union campaign tops $300 million milestone early

FUNDRAISING CONTINUES

Among the priorities are ensuring access; propelling the liberal arts and engineering; developing students beyond the classroom; and expanding The Union Fund.

The campaign so far has featured gifts from more than 21,000 donors, including alumni, families, faculty, students, staff and foundations. Among them are more than 7,500 first-time donors. There also have been more than 65 gifts of $1 million or more.

“Since joining the Union community, I’ve learned that we’re always here for each other,” President David R. Harris said. “The outpouring of support from alumni, families and friends is inspiring, and we are all excited by everything we will accom plish together. But we aren’t done yet.”

Through June 2023, the College will continue its efforts to garner support for its key priorities, with a particular emphasis on developing students beyond the classroom. This includes internships, well-being and career workshops, undergraduate research, travel and experiential learning opportunities.

POWERING UNION

the largest and most ambitious capital campaign in the school’s 227-year history, has surpassed its goal of $300 million nearly a year ahead of schedule.

Launched publicly three weeks before the pandemic in February 2020, the campaign has raised $304 million to date to support key priorities in the College’s strategic plan.

While the academic mission is the core of a Union education, Harris stressed in his Convocation address Sept. 6 the importance of life outside the classroom.

To that end, he announced the launch of U Journey beginning with the Class of 2026. Learn more about the new residential curriculum on p. 20.

The Powering Union campaign received a major boost with a $51 million gift from Class of 1980 graduates Rich and Mary

Templeton. The gift, the largest ever for the College, will transform engineering and the liberal arts with the creation of the Templeton Institute for Engineering and Computer Science. The institute aims to develop innovative coursework and co-curricular programming that integrates engineering and computer science with the liberal arts, offer students high-impact experiential opportunities, and recruit and retain a diverse student body in these fields.

In addition, the gift will be used to recruit and retain women pursuing a degree in engineering or computer science, enhance the curriculum, support faculty and further develop spaces and facilities.

Thirty percent of campaign gifts received so far support scholarships for students, a key factor in ensuring access.

The campaign inspired a new partner ship between Union and the Schuler

“We are incredibly grateful for the collective generosity of our Union community. The willingness and desire to offer philanthropic support, particularly during a pandemic, is remarkable. These gifts will allow us to build on the shared values that are distinctive to Union's transformative educational experience.” —Kathryn Barry ’01, Campaign Co-chair and Trustee

Education Foundation to invest millions to enroll significantly more low-income students. By reaching its $20 million goal for that specific initiative, the College will receive a $22 million match from the foundation for $42 million in scholarship grant funding. This will allow Union to increase the number of Pell-eligible students it serves.

The Feigenbaum Foundation, created by brothers Armand V. Feigenbaum ’42 and Donald S. Feigenbaum ‘46, has pledged $11 million for scholarships, the visual arts, an endowed professorship in economics and a speaker series.

“We are incredibly grateful for the collective generosity of our Union community,” said Campaign Co-chair and

Trustee Kathryn Barry ’01. "The willingness and desire to offer philanthropic support, particularly during a pandemic, is remarkable. These gifts will allow us to build on the shared values that are distinctive to Union's transformative educational experience.”

Trustees David J. Breazzano '78 and Guy Logan ’90 are also campaign co-chairs.

To celebrate Powering Union and to build on the momentum until the campaign concludes June 30, 2023, Harris and members of the Board of Trustees will host a series of receptions around the country in the coming months. Events are scheduled for San Francisco (Jan. 24), Los Angeles (Jan. 26) and Palm Beach (March 2).

Convocation celebrates Union’s 228th academic year

The College officially opened its 228th academic year Sept. 6 during the annual Convocation ceremony.

Nearly three years into the pandemic, President David R. Harris told the 900 people gathered in Memorial Chapel to expect a more normal year.

“We have all been through a lot since March 2020,” Harris said. “Our seniors were in their first year at Union. Our first-years were in their sophomore year of high school. Let this be a year when all of that sacrifice bears fruit. Welcome to a year when we continue to celebrate Union while finding ways to make it even stronger, and a year in which we work together to achieve for ourselves and for one another even more than we think possible.”

Harris focused on three areas in his address: Union’s academic mission, life outside the classroom, and diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging (DEIB).

Also at Convocation, Michele Angrist, the Stephen J. and Diane K. Ciesinski Dean of Faculty and Vice President for Academic Affairs, presented the winners of the College’s top faculty awards.

Maritza Osuna, senior lecturer of Spanish, was awarded the Stillman Prize for Faculty Excellence in Teaching. Ozuna joined Union in 1993. Jillmarie Murphy, the William D. Williams Professor of English and director of Gender, Sexuality and Women’s Studies, is the winner of the Stillman Prize for Faculty Excellence in Research. She joined Union in 2008.

Kevin Trigonis, director of the Science and Technology Entry Program (STEP), was presented with the UNITAS Commu nity Building award. STEP helps prepare historically underrepresented and economically disadvantaged students to enter college and increase participation in math, science, technology, health-related fields and licensed professions. Read more about STEP on p. 26. The UNITAS award is given in recognition of a person who has helped foster community and diversity at Union.

To read more about Convocation and Harris’s address, visit union.edu/news/ stories/202209/convocation-celebratesunions-228th-academic-year

President David Harris delivers the Convocation address

Jillmarie Murphy, the William D. Williams Professor of English and director of Gender, Sexuality and Women’s Studies, is the winner of the Stillman Prize for Faculty Excellence in Research.

MAMBA meets with trustees

The Union College chapter of MAMBA (Men Assertively Manifesting Bold Alliances)—a young men of color group dedicated to becoming the best versions of themselves through one another—met with members of the Board of Trustees in October. Trustees, seated in the front row, include Guy Logan ’90, John Johnson ’85, Stan O’Brien ’74, Dennis Coleman P’24 and Pete Haviland-Eduah ’10.

Neil Golub, a life trustee of the College, and former president and CEO of the Price Chopper/Market 32 supermarket chain, was honored by the city this fall with a street naming. Golub was cited for the role he has played in the revitalization of Schenectady, in particular the formation of Metroplex, a tax-funded authority that has led much of the redevelopment in the city and county. (Erica Miller/The Daily Gazette)

President David Harris presents Kevin Trigonis, director of the Science and Technology Entry Program (STEP), with the UNITAS Community Building award.

Maritza Osuna, senior lecturer of Spanish, was awarded the Stillman Prize for Faculty Excellence in Teaching.

The Class of 2026 arrives 580

The 580 members of the Class of 2026, selected from nearly 8,500 applicants (a Union record), arrived Sept. 3.

The students hail from 33 states, the District of Columbia and 25 countries.

The class is one of Union’s most diverse, with nine percent international and 24 percent representing domestic students of color. Thirteen percent of the class are first-generation students or the first in their immediate family to attend college.

The Class of 2026 also boasts strong academic credentials, with 61 percent of its students ranked in the top 10 percent of their high school class.

members of Class of 2026

33 states 25 countries 61%

ranked in top 10 percent of high school class

Take the UNION COLLEGE CHALLENGE

One hallmark of President David R. Harris’ tenure at Union has been encouraging members of the College community to expand their horizons. To embrace “becoming comfortable being uncomfortable.”

In that spirit, President Harris has re-launched the Union College Challenge. First introduced in 2018, the initiative calls on Union community members to try new things, explore new ideas or seek out new experiences.

Harris is leading the way by challenging himself to broaden his exposure to music. He is inviting members of the community to share music that is meaningful to them. He will then sit down to discuss the music and its importance with those who share. Harris is not only hoping to expand his personal play list, but to come to know the Union community better.

The initial response to the challenge has been overwhelming, but that’s only part of the story. The real power of this effort comes in having members of the community commit to their own challenges—and then share those challenges.

“As excited as I am about my Union Challenge, I’m even more excited to hear about your Union College Challenge,” Harris said. “What is it that makes you uncomfortable but would help you better understand yourself, and perhaps even the world, if you confronted it? I’m confident that when you confront whatever it is that makes you uncomfortable, you will reap the benefits.”

Everyone who completes their challenge this academ ic year will receive a token of acknowledgment and three lucky individuals will receive a Union-themed prize package next spring. One member of the Class of 2026 will also receive a Schenectady-themed prize package. It includes two tickets to be President Harrris’ guest at the local touring production of the smash-hit musical “Hamilton” in March of 2023.

commit to the Union College Challenge during a pop-up event with President David Harris in September.

When you complete your challenge, fill out this form (visit forms.gle/AqH2w22w5EbtR2ak8 or scan the QR code) and you’ll be entered to win.

You can also share and follow the Union College Challenge on social media by searching for #UnionCollegeChallenge.

Homecoming & Family Weekend 2022

More than 1,500 guests—friends, parents, alumni and students— visited campus (Sept. 30 – Oct. 2) for Homecoming & Family Weekend. They enjoyed everything Union has to offer, from athletics to the tailgate picnic to exhibits, trivia night and great food. Two particularly special moments came with the presentation of the inaugural Rumbold Cup and tours of the newly renovated locker rooms in Achilles Center.

The sisters of Delta Phi Epsilon sorority were awarded the inaugural Rumbold Cup. Sponsored by Linda (Rumbold) Buiocchi ’80 and Tom Buiocchi ’80, the cup is presented annually to the sorority that exempli fies the best scholarship, service, values and participation in the Union community.

Dr. Cathy Chiu Tan ’91 and Dr. Raymond Tan ’91 celebrated their Union story with sons Ray ’26 and Quinten. They shared remarks during the 2022 Legacy Family Reception at the President’s House. The family is pictured with President David Harris and Anne Harris.

The alumni brothers of Delta Upsilon, the Gridiron Club and Bill Larzelere ’71, P’12, P’14 funded the renovations of the locker rooms in the Achilles Center. More than 300 student-athletes from seven of Union’s 26 varsity teams use these facilities each year. The teams are men’s football and baseball; men’s and women’s lacrosse; and women’s field hockey, softball and soccer.

The Stephen P. Brown Memorial Trophy—also known as the Brown Cup—was presented to Chi Psi fraternity. It is awarded annually to the fraternity that has the best record in scholar ship, intramural athletics and extracurricular activities. The cup was established by Phi Sigma Delta in 1953 in honor of Stephen P. Brown, a Phi Sig who died in a train accident in 1950.

Check out more Homecoming highlights at facebook.com/unioncollege or at union.edu/news

Students and research, a perfect pair

More than 120 students across a multitude of disciplines participated in summer research this year.

For nearly 40 summers, with the exception of the pandemic, Union has fostered close working relationships between thousands of students and faculty as part of its longstanding commitment to undergraduate research.

Here’s just a sampling of some of the incredible work they did:

Julian Zapata-Hall ’23, a mathematics major, is one of three students who worked in Schaffer Library on a project with Jennifer Grayburn, director of Digital Scholarship and Public Services. The students were part of the library’s Summer Institute for Digital Exploration at Schaffer (Summer IDEaS), which aims to introduce students from acrosss disciplines to the digital humanities.

Luke Miranda ’23, a biochemistry major, researched the self-cleavage sites and structure of metacaspase proteins from the fungus Schizophyllum commune. He worked with Kristin Fox, the Florence B. Sherwood Professor of Physical Sciences.

Natalie Prevenza ’23, a neuroscience major, conducted research on “Using Biophysical Assays to Investigate Conformational Switch that Occurs in Precursor MicroRNAs.” Colleen Connelly, assistant professor of chemistry, advises her.

Daniella Massa ‘23 conducted her summer research with VALERIE (Voice-Activated Laser Enabled Robot for Interactive Experiments) in the College’s CRoCHET Lab (Collaborative Robotics and Computer-Human Empirical Testing). Under the guidance of Kristina Striegnitz and Nick Webb, associate professors of computer science, Massa was working on developing a fully functional social robot that is able to communicate and interact with humans.

Interested in learning more about these and other projects? Visit https://www.union.edu/ news/stories/202207/summer-researchprojects-2022

Fifty years ago, Union honored basketball legend and civil rights champion Bill Russell

In 2011, President Obama awarded Russell the Medal of Freedom.

Upon his death, the Washington Post called Russell a disrupter and a “fully dimensional Black athlete more than a half century before it was okay to be one.”

“Bill stood for something much bigger than sports: the values of equality, respect and inclusion that he stamped into the DNA of our league,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement. “At the height of his athletic career, Bill advocated vigorously for civil rights and social justice, a legacy he passed down to generations of NBA players who followed in his footsteps. Through the taunts, threats and unthinkable adversity, Bill rose above it all and remained true to his belief that everyone deserves to be treated with dignity.”

Union’s conferral of an honorary degree to Russell achieved a modicum of national attention.

On a cold, blustery June day in 1972, NBA great and civil rights pioneer Bill Russell received an honorary doctor of laws degree at Union’s commencement.

At 6 feet, 10 inches tall, Russell towered over those gathered on the crowded dais. At 38, he was also the youngest of the seven honorary recipients, which included noted choreographer Jerome Robbins and Walter Fallon '40, president and CEO of Eastman Kodak.

The temperature was 48, with winds gusting up to 30 miles an hour, making it one of the College’s coldest commence ments.

“It’s late, I’m cold, and you’re cold. My hands hurt, so I’ll be brief,” President Harold C. Martin said as he prepared to deliver his charge to the Class of 1972.

Martin invited Russell, who died Sunday, July 31, 2022 at 88, to campus.

At the time, Russell’s resume included 11 NBA titles, two NCAA championships and an Olympic gold medal. Retired from the game, he worked as a broadcaster for ABC and hosted a syndicated TV talk show, “The Bill Russell Show.”

Yet it was Russell the person that Union also celebrated. Growing up in the segregated South, Russell was an outspoken advocate for civil rights his entire life. He attended the March on Washington in 1963, when Martin Luther King Jr. gave his “I Have a Dream” speech. He publicly supported Muhammad Ali, who was vilified when he refused induction into the Army. He joined the college lecture circuit, visiting dozens of schools and universities to discuss everything from basketball to racism.

“Time does not dim, nor absence wilt, the record of your achievements as player, coach and man,” reads the citation to William Felton Russell.

In an editorial, “A slightly stilted accolade,” which was picked up by numerous media outlets, the Minneapolis Star nominated Union’s citation as the “sharpest (needlesharp, that is) of commencement season.”

The newspaper thought the citation, believed to be written by Martin, was aimed at Wilt “The Stilt” Chamberlain, Russell’s fiercest rival on the court.

A few days after collecting his honorary degree, Russell made the short trip to New York City for an appearance on “The Tonight Show.” Joined by guests the Amazing Kreskin, a mentalist, and poet Nikki Giovanni, Russell bantered about his Union honor with Flip Wilson, who was filling in for regular host Johnny Carson.

Russell is further remembered on p. 72.

Reaching a big league milestone

Jake Fishman ’18 became the first Union alumnus in 110 years to make it to the Major Leagues on July 31, when the Union All-American made his big-league debut for the Miami Marlins against the New York Mets. He tossed 3.1 innings against the New York Mets at LoanDepot Park.

“Running out of the bullpen was surreal,” Fishman said. “When I stepped onto the mound, [Marlins manager Don] Mattingly said the same thing that every manager I've ever had has said— what the situation was and to go get ‘em. That gave me some comfort to try and treat it like a normal situation.”

Before his call up, Fishman was 4-0 with a 1.87 earned run average and 43 strikeouts in 43.1 innings for the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp (AAA) in 2022, and in two seasons with Jacksonville is 9-1 with a 2.89 ERA in 99.2 innings over 59 appearances. He also pitched for Team Israel in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, tossing 6.1 innings over three outings.

According to Baseball Reference, Fishman is the first alumnus to play in the Major Leagues since Bill Cunningham finished a three-year career with the Washington Senators in 1912. He is the fifth Union player in history to reach the highest level of professional baseball, joining Cunning ham (1910-12), Seth Sigsby (1893), Jim McCauley (1885) and Frank Mountain (1880-1882).

(Photo courtesy of Joseph Guzy/Miami Marlins)

Award-winning author donates archives to Union

In 1996, Andrea Barrett ’74 was an obscure but gifted writer when she stunned the literary world by winning the National Book Award for fiction for “Ship Fever and Other Stories.”

The author of four novels at that point, Barrett, discouraged by paltry sales and scant reviews, pivoted to short stories. In part by learning how to use her background as a biology major at Union, Barrett began creating stories that combined art and science with copious historical research.

Appearing first in small literary maga zines, short stories such as “The Behavior of the Hawkweeds” and “The Littoral Zone” formed the basis of “Ship Fever.”

“WHEN WE ARE READING A BOOK BETWEEN COVERS, IT SEEMS LIKE IT ALWAYS WAS THAT WAY, THAT IT JUST CAME FULLY-FORMED OUT OF THE WRITER’S HEAD. THAT IS DISCOURAGING WHEN YOU ARE A YOUNG WRITER JUST STARTING OUT. INSTEAD, IF YOU CAN LOOK AT THE WORK OF A WRITER YOU’VE READ AND SEE ALL THE FALSE STARTS AND THE MISTAKES AND THE FOUR, EIGHT OR 12 DRAFTS, YOU CAN SEE THAT OTHER PEOPLE STRUGGLE, TOO.”

Publishing’s version of the Oscars, the National Book Award (which included a $10,000 prize) firmly established Barrett as a literary force. In the 25 years since winning the award, Barrett has written five other books, including “Servants of the Map,” a finalist for the 2003 Pulitzer Prize in Fiction. Her latest collection of stories, “Natural History,” was released in September.

Fans and scholars of Barrett’s work soon will be able to get a sense of the author’s creative process and the evolution of each of her books. Barrett, 68, recently donated her archives to Union. A dozen boxes stored in the basement of the home in New York’s Champlain Valley she shares with her husband of 43 years, Barry Goldstein ’73, now have a permanent home in Special Collections.

“It seemed like the right time,” Barrett said of giving her papers to her alma mater. “When I finished this book (“Natural History”), I thought, ‘What am I doing?’ These boxes are sitting in my basement. The mice are going to get them. I was ready to let them go to a place where others may want to go through them.”

The materials include manuscripts and

multiple drafts of most of her books, numerous notebooks filled with ideas, research notes, essays about writing and lectures given at writing conferences. The drafts contain margin notes, wholesale edits and other changes that demonstrate how much the work evolved over time.

“Sometimes I’ll look at pieces of an old novel and what I thought was the beginning is now the end,” she said. “I started in a first person voice, but the final novel is in the third person voice. I start out with someone who is a central character, and that person ends up being a minor character. The changes are not line edits like in a newspaper story where they might fix your lede. They are often wholesale reconstructions, a complete new way of telling a story, which is common for many writers. Writers in training don’t always know that.”

The new collection also features some of Barrett’s earliest work, including a high school paper and two papers she wrote as a senior at Union. One was a series of essays about images of diatoms, or single-cell organisms, she took with the College’s new electron microscope.

Andrea Barrett ’74

The

One of the many drafts for “The Littoral Zone,” one of the stories in “Ship Fever,” winner of the National Book Award for fiction in 1996.

In addition to the National Book Award, Barrett has received recognition with a Guggenheim Fellowship and a MacArthur Fellowship, or genius grant, which carries a prize of $500,000.

Yet her papers clearly show that the path to success was never certain. The collection includes numerous rejection slips of her stories from magazines such as Esquire, The New Yorker and Good Housekeeping. Cosmopolitan passed on one of her submissions, noting it was “quite nice but just a tad too quiet for Cosmo.”

Barrett understands that rejection and failure are part of a writer’s life. That is why she hopes opening the window into her creative process will help others.

“I always found it useful as a writer to look at other writers’ early drafts and see their processes,” she said. “When we are

reading a book between covers, it seems like it always was that way, that it just came fully-formed out of the writer’s head. That is discouraging when you are a young writer just starting out. Instead, if you can look at the work of a writer you’ve read and see all the false starts and the mistakes and the four, eight or 12 drafts, you can see that other people struggle, too.”

The College will begin cataloging and organizing the Barrett collection to make it publicly available.

“I’m ecstatic that Andrea Barrett has decided to entrust Union with her archive,” said Sarah Schmidt, director of Special Collections and Archives. “Andrea is a wonderful example of the strength of Union College: a biology major who went on to be an award-winning author. It is the perfect blend of science and humanities.”

Barrett said she and her husband, Barry, a biophysicist and photographer, are grateful for the education they received at Union. It is also the place where they met. While she got emotional preparing her papers to donate to her alma mater, she understands it serves a purpose.

“I would be so happy if what people got from it was a sense of eagerness about their own work and to know they can write, too,” she said. “Writing is as learnable as anything else. There is a lot of craft to it. If looking at my papers makes a young writer feel more inspired or more comfortable about their own writing process, I would feel really happy.”

To learn more about Andrea Barrett, visit her www.andrea-barrett.com.

Madeline Rioux ’23 sorts through the papers of author Andrea Barrett ’74.

collection includes numerous rejection slips of Barrett's stories from magazines like Cosmopolitan.

Everything

else

you learn in college

College has two parts, equal in value, equal in transformative power.

There’s what you learn in the classroom—soaking up knowledge to succeed academically and professionally, finding your passion and pursuing it, discovering talents you didn’t know you had.

Then there’s what you learn everywhere else—in your residence hall, at that job downtown, at your first solo medical appointment, on a club committee, when your car won't start, on adventures with friends.

WELL-BEING | LIFE SKILLS | DECISION-MAKING | CROSS-

Both parts are vitally important to a student’s all-around growth. Which is why Union has started rolling out a new residential curriculum called U Journey.

“I’m a big advocate for change and trying new things. It keeps life fresh and exciting, and it gives me something to look forward to,” said Jacob Hernandez ’25, a computer science major and residence advisor. “U Journey is a substantial shift from how things were done last year. The emphasis on residen tial life makes me hopeful for a great year ahead because of how it focuses on the development of the student and how they learn to live in a community.”

CULTURAL COMPETENCY | BELONGING | REFLECTION

“THE EMPHASIS ON RESIDENTIAL LIFE MAKES ME HOPEFUL FOR A GREAT YEAR AHEAD BECAUSE OF HOW IT FOCUSES ON THE DEVELOP MENT OF THE STUDENT AND HOW THEY LEARN TO LIVE IN A COMMUNITY.”

– Jacob Hernandez ’25, resident advisor

U Journey: What is it?

“If you look at Union’s Strategic Plan, there’s a significant focus on student life outside the classroom. To differentiate our experience and, quite honestly, to develop our students beyond that of other college students, Union decided to go in the direction of a residential curriculum,” said Ryan Keytack, assistant vice president for student affairs, campus & community living & learning. “Through a robust suite of residential programming, intentionally designed to nurture the whole individual, Union students will develop the life skills necessary to succeed in a complex global society.”

“U Journey is specifically designed to help students understand their responsi

“A residential experience is a transi tional period between a more structured high school framework and post-collegiate independence,” Keytack said. “It is imperative that students become inde pendent and learn and understand all the processes needed to successfully conduct themselves and navigate daily living in their current and future environments.”

How U Journey works

To accomplish this goal of developing the whole individual, U Journey takes an intentional approach to how students fill their discretionary time. As President David Harris explained during Convocation

– Ryan Keytack, assistant vice president for student affairs, campus & community living & learning

Sept. 6, there are six areas of focus: well-being, life skills, decision-making, cross-cultural competency, belonging and reflection.

“The full Union experience is achieved when life outside the classroom comple ments life inside the classroom,” he said.

To that end, the College is rolling out U Journey over the next several years. It will enhance leadership and program offerings, and build up experiential learning and travel opportunities.

Phase 1 began this fall with Union’s newest students, the Class of 2026. Phase 2 (2023-24) will expand U Journey to sophomore, junior and senior classes; develop a programming series; establish a new speaker series and create a winter term trip. Phase 3 (2024-25) will involve an assessment of U Journey.

“Students are at different places at different times, and we want to meet them exactly where they are. We will have a bigger focus on skill development during the first year and then shift to more a la carte learning opportunities for our more independent upper class students,” Keytack said. “The first year focuses on transitions, connections, sense of belonging and social responsibility. Year two shifts to academic exploration, career exploration, leadership and relationship building.”

“THROUGH A ROBUST SUITE OF RESIDENTIAL PROGRAMMING, INTENTIONALLY DESIGNED

TO NURTURE THE WHOLE INDIVIDUAL, UNION STUDENTS WILL DEVELOP THE LIFE SKILLS NECESSARY TO SUCCEED IN A COMPLEX GLOBAL SOCIETY.”

Powering Union Beyond the Classroom

As Powering Union: The Campaign for Multiple Tomorrows enters its final phase, developing students beyond the classroom is a priority for the College. Think intern ships and research, life-skills workshops, travel opportunities and experiential learning. The new residential curriculum described here, U Journey, is a big part of this effort, too.

We would love your help enhancing our ability to blend informal (beyond-theclassroom) learning with formal academic learning. Both enable students to develop critical competencies that prepare them for healthy, fulfilling and successful lives. Participate in a speaker series, become a mentor, support pre-orientation and first-year experience programs or provide immersive career opportunities. The possibilities are wide open.

union.edu/powering

To learn more, contact Scott Rava, assistant vice president for principal gifts and campaign director, at (518) 388-6481 or ravas@union.edu.

“The upper class years examine independence, civic responsibility, global perspectives and personal vision,” he added. “We couldn’t do any of this without the residence advisors (RAs) playing their important facilitator role.”

Important RAs

In the past, RAs focused heavily on incident response, facilities management and building community. Under U Journey, they will do less with the first two and more with community development.

“RAs also planned programs based on what I like to call the wellness wheel. They did events from scratch and focused on general topics like diversity and health,” Keytack explained. “Our professional staff in Student Affairs is now leading the charge. They are working with the RAs and campus offices to offer new options like socials, micro-courses, workshops, directed dialogues and peer mentorship.”

For instance, this winter, the Class of 2026 will be watching a variety of short videos featuring their peers.

“These videos provide an understand ing of skills needed to navigate social, academic, financial and ‘home’ life,”

“BEING AN RA ALLOWED ME TO STEP OUTSIDE MY COMFORT ZONE, MEET NEW PEOPLE AND HELP THEM HAVE A BETTER EXPERIENCE THAN I HAD MY FIRST YEAR.”

– Alexa Gonzalez ’24, resident advisor

Keytack said. “Topics include laundry and work orders, time management, sharing spaces, cooking/fire safety, assertiveness in communication, stress management and money management.”

To expand U Journey’s reach and seamlessly weave it into the entire undergraduate experience, the Office of Student Affairs also assigned core development themes for each week of fall term for new students. The first week was all about getting acquainted and involved, while subsequent weeks focused on living in a diverse community and engaging Schenectady.

“Having peers share their advice and stories (both the ups and downs) teaches resilience and motivates students to the finish line,” Keytack said. “Some of our topics are best explored peer to peer as well. The informal chat with an RA versus an office visit with a dean just feels different and has a different kind of impact.”

“It only makes sense to capitalize on RA savvy and resonance with their peers,” he added. “They’re much cooler than me.”

As one of these cool RAs, Alexa Gonzalez ’24 is excited about her role. Now in her second year as an RA, she is a biomedical engineering major with an organizing theme minor (studying the development of what society considers deviant individuals).

“I had a difficult first year because I started right in the middle of the pandem ic,” she said. “For me, being an RA allowed me to step outside my comfort zone, meet new people and help them have a better experience than I had my first year.”

“I’m looking forward to being part of U Journey. I love being a part of ResLife and getting to know all of the incoming students,” Gonzalez added. “Anything I can do to make their transition easier, I will gladly be a part of.”

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY ENTRY PROGRAM

FROM UNION TO SCHENECTADY, STEP PROGRAM BENEFITS ALL

For Kevin Trigonis, this pretty much sums it up— the reason so many people get in on STEP. Alums, faculty, staff and students. They all want to make a difference for local secondary school students.

Like Kira Streichert '26 of Schenectady. She spent her senior year of high school participating in everything STEP had to offer.

“Being in STEP at Union was one of the best things I have ever done,” she said. “I discovered so many different things about myself and my community, and I was able to find new ways to challenge myself socially and intellectually.”

Since 1994, Union has received a Science and Technology Entry Program (STEP) grant from New York State to prepare historically underrepresented and economically disadvantaged students to enter college. STEP also seeks to increase participation in math, science, technology, health-related fields and licensed professions.

The benefits aren’t one-sided, either. STEP volunteers get just as much out of the program as the participants. But more on this later.

“

I think in order to be successful in life, it is necessary to have someone who will challenge you to be the best version of yourself. Union folks want to be that someone.”

STEP in classroom & field

This year, STEP is providing services to 77 middle and high school students from 13 area districts, said Trigonis, who directs the program at Union. Students benefit from SAT/ACT preparation, STEM and healthcare professions workshops, field trips to local businesses and visits to area colleges, and research opportunities.

For instance, this summer, STEP students visited Dynamic Energy to learn about its solar energy business. They also toured Schenectady-based P1 Ventures.

“We’re an engineering and manufacturing company that works with some of the largest corporations—like GE—in the world,” explained founder and CEO David Dussault ’00. “We partner with these companies to help them engineer and manufacture their products, and optimize design and delivery. We want to revitalize American manufacturing—open up U.S. factories and put people back to work in meaningful manufacturing careers. We want to export instead of import.”

STEP students saw this mission in action when they visited P1. The experience made an impression.

“Most of them said, ‘Wow, we never knew that things were made in Schenectady for such important infrastructure around the world,’” Dussault recalled. “P1 is making technology for subma rines, the U.S. military, space exploration and the energy sector.”

“The students liked understanding the big picture of what we’re making here and what we’re making it for, and then actually seeing these things being physically made right in Schenectady,” he continued. “We want to hire and inspire the next generation; these opportunities with STEP are an important part of that.”

This year, STEP is providing services to 77 middle and high school students from 13 area school districts

STEP students visit P1 Ventures, a Schenectady company founded by David Dussault '00.

STEP students also took trips to the Glenville Aeroscience Museum, SUNY Polytechnic Institute, Albany Nanotech Complex, and Union’s Kelly Adirondack Center. There they participated in an environmental science day, led by Maeve Daby ’23.

They spent a lot of time on Union’s campus, too.

STEP in college

STEP students (grades 10-12) participated in a workshop led by Makerspace Director Cole Belmont and Associate Professor of Biology Nicole Theodosiou. The curriculum was based on a project developed by Theodosiou—the creation of a mobile “tiny house” that would take science and technology out into the local community to engage and educate Schenectady residents.

“Students worked in teams to create their own tiny houses,” Belmont said. “They worked in the library for research, got hands-on experience in our Makerspaces to create physical prototypes and worked in our computer labs to detail digital models and presentations. Ultimately, the STEP teams gave public presentations of their projects in Reamer Auditorium.”

Faculty involvement in STEP extends beyond experiential learning as well. Professors Deidre Hill Butler (sociology), Kathleen LoGiudice (biology), Cheikh Ndiaye (French and francophone studies), Cherrice Traver (computer engineering), Mary O’Keefe (economics), and Ashok Ramasubramanian (mechanical engineering)

members of the STEP Advisory Committee.

are

“

The students liked understanding the big picture of what we’re making here and what we’re making it for, and then actually seeing these things being physically made right in Schenectady. We want to hire and inspire the next generation; these opportunities with STEP are an important part of that.”

— David Dussault ’00, CEO P1 Ventures

Throughout the school year, Union students also act as mentors and tutors.

Last year, Trigonis said, 46 Union students volunteered their time in this capacity. One of them was Ebyan Abshir ’24, an Africana Studies major, who provided Spanish and math tutoring.

Every week in fall 2021, she created lesson plans for, and held virtual meetings with, two middle school students.

“I was happy to make every tutoring session revolve around the students’ needs and what they wanted to focus on,” Abshir said. “Going into winter and spring term, I became more involved in STEP and started volunteering at the middle schools as a tutor. I helped students work on math and prepare fun and safe science experiments.”

And she’s loved every second of it.

“When I learned about STEP, I was happy to start working as a mentor and create a family among students, faculty and tutors,” Abshir said. “What makes STEP an exciting and gratifying experience is being a role model for younger students and providing them with the extra support they need in their classes and education.”

She’s also learned a lot that will help her on her own journey.

Everyone wins

“STEP made me gain a new understanding of responsibility as a college student,” Abshir said. “I’ve learned to maintain a level of commitment to all of my activities that I’m proud of. And being a role model for younger students pushes me to organize my priorities and helps me grow my own abilities.”

“STEP has also reinforced my desire to make a difference, either in policies related to healthcare or in practice as a physician or physician assistant, providing quality, accessible care.”

“Being a role model for younger students pushes me to organize my priorities and helps me grow my own abilities.” — Ebyan Abshir ’24

“STEP trains you to think on your feet and be creative. STEP also teaches you that there is always a way to make an impact, even it’s just helping a student send emails to the college they’re applying to.”

— Maya Whalen-Kipp ’16

’23, at Kelly Adirondack Center.

Maya Whalen-Kipp ’16 can relate.

She first became a STEP mentor in 2013 and has led a number of STEP workshops on environmental science, graphic design and chemistry over the years. At Union, she studied biology and visual arts. Today, she’s an ORISE Science Technology & Policy Fellow at the U.S. Department of Energy, where she works on marine renewables.

“STEP trains you to think on your feet and be creative. STEP also teaches you that there is always a way to make an impact, even it’s just helping a student send emails to the college they’re applying to,” said Whalen-Kipp. “Show up with good intentions, everything else will work out.”

Whalen-Kipp, who participated in similar programs as a teen, also places immense value on what the STEP students learn.

“These programs enable underrepresented students to be exposed to creative thought and leaders in STEM and art fields. They provide space for us to think outside the box, envisioning a future for ourselves that maybe we’ve never thought of before,” she said.

Elroy Tatem ’06 echoed these thoughts.

An electrical engineering major who is now an instructor in the semiconductor industry, Tatem was also a STEP mentor during his Union days. As an alum, he has continued to facilitate workshops in science and engineering.

Of his favorite part of working with STEP students he said, “You can give them a vision of what is possible and watch them internalize it. They not only achieve those things, but go on to lead lives even greater than the vision you showed them.”

This kind of outcome is what motivated Dussault to collabo rate with STEP.

“To continue to revitalize American manufacturing, and hire and inspire the next generation, we need to find those in our local

“You can give them a vision of what is possible and watch them internalize it. They not only achieve those things, but go on to lead lives even greater than the vision you showed them.”

– Elroy Tatem ’06

STEP students participated in an environmental science day, led by Maeve Daby

community who can help us do that,” he said. “We want to develop, train and recruit folks, and we like the idea of helping those who are underrepresented in STEM and manufacturing jobs.”

“I grew up pretty low on the socioeconomic ladder, so I like finding people who might have the ability but not the opportunity,” Dussault continued. “I love giving people from our community the chance to thrive.”

And when the community thrives, so does P1.

“The partnerships STEP creates are critical. Often, as a business owner, developing employees from the ground up is something you kind of have to do alone,” Dussault said. “So to have a state

grant program paired with a world-class school like Union—that’s collaborating with a business like ours—is a really powerful combination.”

“In fact, we’re going to start internships for STEP students at P1,” he added. “Kevin Trigonis will help us find promising candidates and then over the next year, we’ll be engaging them in internships, which could lead to various career paths for them or hiring with P1.”

STEP student success

Success comes in many forms for STEP students, whether its internships, college or something else.

For Kira Streichert ’26, it was college. At Union. Her STEP experience showed her there’s no place she’d rather be.

During workshops on campus, “I made lasting connections with Union staff and I got along with Kevin Trigonis right away,” Streichert said. “He even helped with my college decision, sitting down and discussing pros and cons in an unbiased way. I felt that there was genuine support at Union, which is something that’s very valuable to me and motivated me to choose Union.”

STEP also motivated her to strive for more. Meeting astronaut Nicole Stott was particularly inspiring.

“This was probably my favorite experience in the program. I got to meet Nicole and ask her questions. My dream was to become an astronaut when I was younger, so it was just unfor gettable,” Streichert said.

The fact that Stott majored in aeronautical engineering didn’t hurt, either. The field, as well as space travel, are mostly male dominated.

“It was encouraging to meet her as I begin my journey in college,” Streichert said. “I hope to become an engineer.”

“My path in STEP has taken me full-circle, as I am now a STEP mentor myself,” she added. “I hope to be an example for the kids in STEP to follow their passions and encourage girls to take an interest in engineering.”

Malachi Burnham is also pursuing a degree. He graduated from Schenectady High School in June and is now attending SUNY Schenectady Community College.

“

My path in STEP has taken me full-circle, as I am now a STEP mentor myself. I hope to be an example for the kids in STEP to follow their passions and encourage girls to take an interest in engineering.” — Kira Streichert ’26

An award-winning leader Kevin Trigonis, director of the Science and Technology Entry Program at Union, received the UNITAS Community Building Award at opening convocation. Learn more on p. 9.

STEP students enjoy at workshop at Union.

(Courtesy of Cole Belmont)

STEP students participate in a workshop at Union.

(Courtesy of Cole Belmont)

“I am planning on becoming a physician assistant in an underserved area to give back to the community,” he said. “STEP helped me decide on the college that best suited me and helped prepare me for PA school.”

Emily Aldas, a senior at Niskayuna High School, is looking forward to the future, too. Most interested in chemical or electrical engineering right now, she wants to pursue a STEM-related major in college.

“STEP has really helped me realize how much I love math and engineering,” she said. “My favorite thing is the research projects. They’re so much fun and real hands-on experiences I learned a lot from.”

Angela Commito isn’t surprised to hear how much Streichert, Aldas and Burnham loved their hands-on STEP experiences.

In the workshop she led last year with Belmont, students did 3D modeling in archaeology. They handled real artifacts, did mini excavations, explored scientific methods, and designed and printed their own 3D models of artifacts.

“It’s essential to be in these spaces physically if you’re a young person interested in research, not just in STEM fields but also in arts and humanities,” said Commito, senior lecturer in classical archaeology. “Getting comfortable in these spaces—seeing yourself in these spaces—is an essential step for anyone interested in research or a career in science, technology and other fields.”

What STEP means to Union

Bringing these teens to campus is also invaluable for Union.

“These students are incredibly talented and motivated, and the community at Union would benefit enormously if they ended up attending the College,” Commito said. “Even if that doesn’t always happen, having the students on campus helps make Union an outward-facing community engaged with the broader public, which is an important role for an institution of higher education.”

“Every college or university is located in a specific place, and the people, history and resources of Schenectady cannot be found anywhere else,” she continued. “By integrating those into campus as much as possible—especially in the form of face-toface interaction and collaboration—Union becomes a truly unique community. One that cannot be found anywhere else.”

STEP up

Want to learn more about STEP?

Become a mentor? Lead a workshop? Email Kevin Trigonis, Union STEP director, at STEP@union.edu

Learning lizards: A study of bearded dragon cognition

LEO FLEISHMAN, William D. Williams Professor of Biological Sciences (with Caitlin Williams ’23)

Caitlin Williams ’23 has some dynamic lab mates.

“They each have their own personalities. Frances was looking at us—paying close attention this whole time—while Bruce and Buzzy were mostly ignoring us and doing their own thing,” she said during a recent interview. “I didn’t expect this when I started working with them.”

Why not?

Because Frances, Bruce and Buzzy aren’t people. They’re bearded dragons.

Williams and her advisor, Leo Fleishman, have been working with these lizards, which are native to Australia, since spring 2022. (Though these three were captive-bred and purchased at pet stores).

They want to know what bearded dragons are capable of learning and how they perceive (literally see) the world.

To begin to learn about their cognitive capabilities and vision, they built a Y-maze. It’s basically a box with an open area at one end

and two choices (divided by a little wall) at the other end. The two choices, in this case, were red or blue dots.

Since Buzzy only joined the trio in June, it was just Frances and Bruce who participated in this first iteration of the experiment.

“I would put Frances or Bruce in the maze, and then after five minutes passed, I’d put a worm in front of one of the colors,” Williams said. “After about four weeks, Frances learned to go to red dot before the worm went in. It took Bruce a little longer to learn to go to the blue dot.”

Even so, bearded dragons can apparently differentiate blue from red—and associate a particular color with treats. Which allowed Williams and Fleishman to add another layer to their research.

“Now that we know they can learn, we can start asking more questions about what they can learn,” Fleishman said. “Over the summer we studied their ability to perceive spatial orientation.”

In the same Y-maze, two sets of black and white stripes replaced the colored dots. All three lizards could now choose between horizontal stripes or vertical stripes.

Williams witnessed a similar pattern of learning with this experiment. Frances and Buzzy both learned to associate specific stripe patterns with treats. Bruce failed to do so, but there could be several explanations for this.

Perhaps Frances and Buzzy are just quicker on the uptake. Or maybe they’re more relaxed around people.

“Frances is much more comfortable with being handled,” said Williams. “Bruce is more frightened in general.”

“Fear level has a big impact on learning,” Fleishman added. “But this is why we went with pets. There are advantages to animals

Ever wonder what Union professors are up to when they aren’t teaching? Just about every thing, as it turns out. Nothing is beyond their collective reach or curious minds. Here’s a glimpse of the diverse and intriguing work they do.

that are used to being held. We couldn’t do this with wild lizards; they’d be too frightened to show us what they can do.”

Since Frances and Buzzy are able to tell horizontal stripes from vertical stripes—and understand that a treat is associated with one or the other—Fleishman and Williams are now testing with polarized light.

While the experiment is ongoing, early results indicate the lizards can indeed see polarized light—something humans can’t do.

“I like the idea of figuring out what animals can perceive. So many animals see a much broader range of light and color than we do,” Fleishman said. “Understanding their capabili ties gives a richer, more interesting view of the world.”

JOEL KUPERSMITH ’60 M.D.

Supporting Veterans After 50 Years of the All-Volunteer Force and 20 Years of War: Ideas Moving Forward Amazon

Written with former Army Chief of Staff General George W. Casey Jr., this book initiates a national discussion about veterans of the All-Volunteer Force, in anticipation of its 50th anniversary July 1, 2023. There will be many discussions about the force capabilities of the AVF but probably not many about its veterans. Among differences in AVF veterans from their processors, they possess a high degree of technological and other skills, and are more diverse, fewer in number, older, selectively chosen and more geographi cally isolated. The book explores these differences and related policies, especially regarding perceptions of veterans, diversity, return on investment of military service, stakeholders, the VA, VSOs and achieving policy change. The book is valuable for its policy discussions, but it also contains considerable information about veterans.

ROBERT E. MAY ’65

Spearheading Environmental Change: The Legacy of Indiana Congressman Floyd J. Fithian Purdue University Press

Spearheading Environmental Change describes the life of a four-term United States congressman, focusing on his role in the emerging environ mental movement in late 20th-century America. The book highlights Floyd Fithian’s legislative efforts regarding three water-related issues that profoundly concerned Hoosier and midwestern voters; creating a national park on the Indiana shoreline of Lake Michigan; canceling dam construction near Purdue University; and mitigating flooding in the Kankakee River Basin. The book also covers Fithian’s positions on ecologi cally sensitive issues such as pesticides, noise pollution, fossil fuels and nuclear power. Robert May co-wrote the book with his wife, Jill P. May.

RAYMOND ANGELO BELLIOTTI ’70

Heroism and Wisdom, Italian Style: From Roman Imperialists to Sicilian Magistrates Farleigh Dickinson University Press

In his 25th book, Belliotti philosophically analyzes concepts such as heroism; practical wisdom; honor; Nietzsche’s notions of will to power; Plato’s understanding of love; creating meaning in life; the issue of morally dirty hands in political administration; the proper role of positive duties in society; the aspirations of grand strivers; and the linkages between biological, biographi cal and autobiographical lives. He does so all in the context of explaining and evaluating the lives and works of 14 histori cally significant Italians: Gaius Julius Caesar, Brunetto Latini, Dante Alighieri, Caterina Sforza, Niccolò Machiavelli, Giuseppe Mazzini, Giuseppe Garibaldi, Francesca Cabrini, Gabriele D’Annunzio, Antonio Gramsci, Salvatore Giuliano, Oriana Fallaci, Giovanni Falcone and Paolo Borsellino. By dissecting their lives and philosophies, and by confront ing the conceptual puzzles and social impediments hampering the exercise of practical wisdom and heroism, we may confront the people that we are and reimagine the people we might become.

With Cold Ease challenges the myths surrounding the fraud offender image by exposing how they think about exploit able opportunities, strategies predatory offenders use to swindle people with ease, and the motives underlying their use of violence as a solution to a perceived problem. Moreover, we examine how organiza tions by their very structure produce the risk of making corporate fraud an acceptable practice. The book relies on a multidisciplinary approach to explain how fraud offenders operate by incorporating psychological, criminological and social psychological principles to this field of study.

FRANK PERRI ’86 With Cold Ease: Inside the Fraud Offender Mind Kindle Publishing

RANDALL S. BEACH ’94

A Passionate Life: W.H.H. Murray, from Preacher to Progressive

SUNY Press

One hundred fifty years ago, the Adirondack Mountains were overrun. Thousands of middle-class urbanites from Boston and New York City abandoned the comfort of their homes and rushed into the unknown, northern wilderness, believing they would find great restorative and even curative powers. These would-be adventurers were informed by one man, William Henry Harrison Murray, a preacher from Boston. A Passionate Life is the first comprehensive biography of Murray, a man who has been described as the father of the American outdoor movement and the modem vacation. While he is best known for his promotion of the Adirondacks in the late nineteenth century, Murray was a complex character who was driven to

CONSIDERATION

Media, formerly Bookshelf, features new titles by or about alumni and other members of the Union community.

To be included, send a copy of the work (book, DVD, CD) and synopsis to:

Office of Communica tions Union College Schenectady, NY 12308

Or send synopsis and high-resolution image to: magazine@union.edu

Give the gift of stock

promote his many passions. From the 1860s until his early 20th-century death, Murray was a famous preacher, popular writer and lecturer, an equine enthusiast, patent owner, publisher, businessman, lumberman, temperance advocate, free lover, women’s rights advocate and advocate for educational reform. In many ways, Murray’s passions followed the progressive movements within nineteenthcentury America and attempted to address questions still relevant to today’s society.

Randall S. Beach, the greatgreat-grandson of Murray, is an attorney with the law firm of Whiteman Osterman and Hanna LLP, in Albany, N.Y.

Securities that have increased in value and been held for more than one year are one of the most popular assets to use when making a gift to Union College.

If you sell a security, you may incur significant tax liability. However, when you donate a gift of securities to Union College, the taxable capital gain is eliminated. A gift of securities enables you to have a profound impact while maximizing your charitable deduction and minimizing your tax liability. As with all of your charitable decisionmaking, please consult your tax and financial advisors regarding your specific circumstances.

FOR INFORMATION:

Instructions for making your gift of securities to Union College are available at ualumni.union.edu/waystogive

a little less taxing and give a gift of stock.

Alumni Clubs

CAPITAL REGION

YANKEE STADIUM

Graduates enjoy a Capital Region alumni event at Albany Distilling Company.

Graduates attend an alumni mixer in New York City.

NEW YORK CITY

The Fairfield/Westchester Alumni & Parent Gathering, hosted by Barbara Long and Don Foley '73, P'10, P'13, was held June 23, 2022.

WESTCHESTER

Alumni enjoy a GOLD (Graduates of the Last Decade) happy hour in New York City June 22, 2022.

GOLD

Alumni enjoyed Union College Day at Yankee Stadium June 25, 2022.

The Summer Sendoff on Long Island was a hit.

Parents Circle “

Union’s Parents Circle is a parent philanthropy group whose members become College insiders and investors in its success, ultimately developing stronger ties to their student’s Union experience.

We appreciate everything that Parents Circle families shared with Union in 2021–22. Your support and philanthropy has an incredible impact.

We are thrilled to welcome Class of 2026 families to the Union community, and we invite you to join with us in supporting the educational programs and activities that will make your child’s Union experience extraordinary.

Thank you to our 2021–22 Parents Circle families.

Bob ’88 and Laura ’89 Koch P’25

David and Ann Kurtz P’22

Jon Lennon ’92 and Carolyn Dunn ’90, P’23

Ian ’89 and Lisa Levin P’25

Steve ’87 and Karyn Lipsky P’22

John ’89 and Susanne Lovisolo P’23

Barry MacLean P’98

John Masini P’13

Joseph and Caren McVicker P’23

Carlo and Amy Merlo P’23

We love the culture at Union, where inclusiveness, respect and high achievement are valued. The involvement of alumni and the Parents Circle at Union is exceptional, strengthening the social fabric of the school and making for a truly individualized education. The Union family embraces the diversity of its members. It nurtures the best in human values, character development and academic achievement.

–Miriam and Dennis Coleman GP ’24

Anonymous

Robert and Susan Appleby P’21

Edward Barth and Ana Rodriguez P’23

Charles ’84 and Alison Batchelder P’19, P’22, P’24

Thomas Caulfield and Sandra Eng-Caulfield P’19

Barry and Nancy Cohen P’23

Dennis and Miriam Coleman GP’24

Patrick ’88 and Jennifer DiCerbo ’91, P’24

Paul and Anne Donahue P’24

Susan Farley ’81 and Gilbert Harper P’24

Roger and Gwen Forman P’22

Craig Goos and Kerry Berchem P’23

Nick ’81 and Christine Gray P’24

Rosemarie Heinegg P’94

Mark and Julie Jones P’25

Stephen and Jill Karp P’97, P’99

Brian and Dawn Kilmeade P’25

Jeffrey Kip P’24

Michael and Anne Moran P’10, P’13

Peter and Cynthia Nemer P’24

Thomas and Liz Niedermeyer P’10

Mark and Nedra Oren P’88, P’90

Jim and Jean Prusko P’25

Greg and Debbie Regis P’23, P’23

Sean Riley P’25

Nathaniel Roberts and Laura Zung P’24

Michael and Janet Rogers P’11

Belisario and Leslie Rosas P’25

David and Karen Sherwood P’23

Barry and Julie Simon P’91

Barbara Sturges P’97

Keith Sultan ’90 and Iuliana Shapira P’23

David and Michele Tarica P’10

Yue Wang and Qing Liu P’22

Peter and Judi Wasserman P’95, P’00

Mark ’88 and Emily Webster P’23, P’26

Robert Wilson P’09

Anne Wilson P’09

Peter and Marla Wold P’10 Guilan Yu GP’22

To learn more about the Parents Circle, please contact: Noelle Beach Marchaj '05, Director of Parent and Family Philanthropy Cell: 860-655-2875 | marchajn@union.edu union.edu/parents-families

“

Miriam and Dennis Coleman GP ’24 with Eli Coleman

Garnet Guard

Alumni who have celebrated their 50th ReUnion.

GARNET GUARD

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

John Honey ’61 121 Waterside Dr., Box 1175 North Falmouth, Mass. 02556 jahoney@msn.com

1944

CLASS CORRESPONDENT Seymour Thickman thickm@icloud.com

1953

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

W. Hubert Plummer 21 Temple Road Setauket, N.Y. 11733 (631) 941-4076 whp@plummerlaw.com

1954

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Avrom J. Gold 19702 Bella Loma, Apt. 9-102 San Antonio, Texas 78256 (908) 581-1455 avromgold@gmail.com

Avrom J. Gold writes, “Rick Fink and his wife, Marion, and I recently visited at their residence in Boerne, Texas, which is only a few miles from mine in San Antonio. I then decided to see if I could make contact with the 35 other surviving members of the Class of ’54. So, with the cooperation of the Union Alumni Office in supplying a class list, I sent emails to all

CLASS NOTES U

members of the class. I received responses from eleven classmates. Some sent extensive notes; others simply sent their current locations. Here’s where they are, and a little of what’s new. Phil Beuth is living in Florida, with summers in Buffalo and trips to his Carribean vacation property. Bill Bloomfield lives in Poland, Ohio, and has four children, six grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

Marco Clayton retired as chief of ENT at a Baltimore Hospital and has been succeeded by his eldest son. Bill Doll is in Nashua, N.H., and three of his four children live nearby. Steve Fink is also in Exeter, N.H, after a career at the UNH. Rick Fink and his wife Marion live in an assisted living community in Boerne, Texas, after his retirement from the USAF, two master’s degrees and a couple of more careers. Irwin ‘Sonny’ Gertzog, retired as a professor of political science and government. He and his wife, Alice, are still living in New York City, keeping busy with children and grandchildren, doctors and exercising. Jim Groff and his wife are living on the Outer Banks of North Carolina, still active with biking, bridge and golf. Mike Kahn retired after 30 years with GE and lives in Key Biscayne, Fla. Connie Lang lives in Averill Park, N.Y. Ed O’Meally lives in a retirement community in Westminster,

Md. After a lengthy career as a surgeon, and a second career as a full-time woodworker, Bob Richter is retired and living in NYC with his wife, Gladys.”

1955

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Ken Haefner 1346 Waverly Pl. Schenectady, N.Y. 12308 kbhaefner@gmail.com

1956

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

William Deuell 2666 Steeple Run Lane Manteca, Calif. 95336 whd2923@gmail.com

1957

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Paul Mohr 140 E Duce of Clubs Ste A Show Low, Ariz. 85901 dadtired@frontiernet.net

1958

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

David C. Horton 68 Paul Revere Road Lexington, Mass. 02421 paulrevereroad@aol.com

1959

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

William “Dal” Trader 5361 Santa Catalina Avenue Garden Grove, Calif. 92845 daltrader@earthlink.net (310) 629-8971

Chet Cavoli is living in Florida but has a condo in Washington, D.C. “so I can visit my old War College and Pentagon friends.” He served 24 years in the U.S. Air Force, retiring at the rank of colonel. As a fighter and reconnaissance pilot, he flew 132 combat missions in South east Asia. Besides a four-year tour at the Pentagon, he served in various command positions at division, weapon center and wing levels. He logged over 4,300 flying hours in fighter aircraft. Among his commendations, he was awarded the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star, Distinguished Flying Cross and Air Medals. Chet is the proud uncle of Army General Christopher Cavoli who last summer was confirmed as commander of United States European Command and Supreme Allied Commander Europe, a job previously held by General Dwight David Eisenhower.

1960

CLASS CORRESPONDENTS

Charles E. Roden kiw702@aol.com Joel Kupersmith, M.D. jk1688@georgetown.edu

Bob Hoffman writes, “I retired after 36 years of teaching American history, economics and AP psychology at Jericho (N.Y.) High School. I tried to pattern my teaching style after my great history professor at Union, Fred Bronner. I’m

entering my 22nd year as a Nassau County High School track official, as well as the director of the Jericho Hall of Fame. As a member of the Lions club, I help distributing food at the homeless shelters in the area. I walk and attend the gym daily. Keeping busy is my elixir.”

Kirke Bent’s cost allocation invention is featured in the Jan-Feb 2022 issue of the CPA Journal

Joel Kupersmith writes, “After my eight-year stint running the VA medical research program nationally, I have taken an interest in veterans’ issues. Former Army Chief of Staff George Casey and I have just published a book on Kindle—Supporting Veterans After 50 Years of the All-Vol unteer Force and 20 Years of War: Ideas Moving Forward— by which we hope to start a national discussion of veterans of the AVF in line with its 50th anniversary next July. The book is based on a workshop we conducted of high-level individuals, including former VA secretaries, members of Congress, etc.”

Charles Roden writes, “Of 10 grandchildren, number nine will enter Union next year; his father, mother, grandfather, great-grandfather and aunt were all graduates. Also, he sees Mike Lawrence and Paul Wintrich frequently, continues to work, spends time between Florida and New York and is celebrating his wife’s birthday in Capri.”

Arthur L. Friedman writes, “My wife and I celebrated our 50th wedding anniversary in France. In 2016, we moved to Atlanta, where our daughters and grandchildren are. I would love to see Union classmates again. Anyone interested in

meeting on the lawn in Tanglewood for ‘Bethoven’s Ninth’ in August or a day or two at a hotel in New York for dinner and maybe a show?”

1961

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

John Honey jahoney@msn.com

The women’s lacrosse world championship has been underway this summer. Tia Reaman (Princeton ’25) and Anna Reaman (Bates ’22) are playing for Puerto Rico. How does that work you ask? The girls’ grandfather, Bill Reaman, was living and working in Hato Rey, Puerto Rico, when their father was born. He was working for IBM on a project for the Puerto Rican Depart ment of Education. The girls’ father was born in San Juan at the Ashford Hospital. He lived at the El Monte Apartments until he and his parents moved to Maryland. (Yes, Bill’s lacrosse experience at Union was a factor.)

1966

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Antonio F. Vianna 7152 Tanager Drive Carlsbad, Calif. 92011 simpatico1@juno.com

1967

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Joseph Smaldino 6310 Lantern Ridge Lane Knoxville, Tenn. 37921 smaldinoj@comcast.net (815) 762-5984

1968

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

John Dresser Etna, N.H. jdressernh@gmail.com

1969

CLASS CORRESPONDENTS

George Cushing Delanson, N.Y. pinyachta@gmail.com Ray Pike Salisbury, Mass. rnwpike@comcast.net

1970

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Frank P. Donnini Newport News, Va. fpdonnini@aol.com

Steve Ciesinski writes, “A number of Union alums of the Class of ’70 stayed very close during our time at Union and for many (50) years after. In July, seven of us met up at Martha’s Vineyard along with five of our wives and ferried to Woods Hole for an evening of bonhomie, good conversation and good food. The conversa tions were lively and topics ranged from current events to family activities to (of course) memories of Union football and lacrosse games!” On the mini ReUnion were Steve Ciesinski, John Brennan, Jim (Luke) Sabella, Nate Cohen, Rich Swan, Dave Gray and Craig Carlson

Frank Donnini saw men’s lacrosse play in the Div. III NCAA national tournament in May. He writes, “Since I live minutes away from Christopher Newport University, I caught the first game on live video and went to the second game the next day. Really enjoyed seeing them win. Brutal mid-summer like weather, but they got through it. Union College alum Derek Witheford ’11 is the head coach and has done an outstanding job. The late Bruce Allison, longtime men’s lacrosse coach, would have been proud of how good the program is today.”

Ted Steingut writes, “All good here. My 22-year-old stepgranddaughter working at Ernst & Young global account ing firm. My natural daughter has a PhD in educational psychology and lives in Austin, Texas, with her husband and 3-1/2 year-old-boy and 9-month-old daughter. We spend winters in Delray, Fla., and I am basically retired as a lawyer (but still looking for clients).”

Ted Steingut also writes, “Our dear friend and fraternity brother Andrew Sherman died

Gathering at Martha’s Vineyard and Woods Hole are, from left, Steve Ciesinski, John Brennan, Jim (Luke) Sabella, Nate Cohen, Rich Swan, Dave Gray and Craig Carlson.

in Guatemala on April 2, 2022. Andy lived a life of adventure, success and love. In 1969, as a Union College junior, he spent the summer in Guatemala sponsored by a program called Volunteers for Technical Assistance, founded by some Union College professors and engineers from General Electric. There he met his future mentor, a professor of urban planning. He also dated the older sister of his future wife, Adriana. Andy fell in love with the country and the people and persuaded the Peace Corps to send him there following graduation from Union, in spite of the stated Peace Corps policy that one could not demand being stationed in a particular country. Andy thus went to Guatemala in 1970 for life.

Andy married Adriana and became a very successful real estate developer. He leaves two daughters: Jacqui, who joined his business, and Jamie, who helps her mother on the family rubber farm. There are five glorious grandchildren: Daniel, Adrian, Tomas, Matias and Georgia. Andy was a great athlete who captained the Union men’s soccer team. He had a beautiful house in Aspen, Colo., where he skied avidly into his 70s. In Guatemala, he played competitive fast pitch softball and later managed the Guatemalan national team, took them to the world championships in Canada, and in 2018 was inducted into the Hall of Fame of the World Baseball Softball Confederation.

On April 19, 2022, a big memorial service was held at the softball field in Guatemala that Andy had endowed.” Ted went down for the service.

Andy’s surviving Phi Sigma Delta fraternity brothers—Arnie Drogen, Charles Hollander, Michael Hollander, Stuart

Shapiro, Richard Sloan and Ted (along with senior year off-campus roommate Andreas Papanicolaou ’71)—and his natural brothers, Roger (who attended Union for a short time) and Tom, all mourn his loss. As Adriana said at his graveside, “We look to the sky to see and think of him and our beloved Floyd Weintraub smiling on us and their families while arguing about the Yankees versus the Dodgers or Red Sox.”

1971

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Henry Fein, M.D. Rockville, Md. hgfein@aol.com

1973

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Larry Swartz Niskayuna, N.Y. larry.swartz@agriculture.ny.gov

Mark Shugoll and his wife, Merrill Shugoll, were awarded the J. Watkins Distinguished Service Award by Signature Theatre (Arlington, Va.) at its 2022 Stephen Sondheim Award Gala. The award honors community leaders who have made an extraordinary impact in the greater DC community through their passion and advocacy for theater and arts education. Mark and Merrill founded and produce ArtSpeak!, an arts education program that brings Broadway stars like Audra McDonald, Patti LuPone, Sutton Foster, Kelli O’Hara and Stephen Schwartz into public schools. They also underwrite student theater tickets and provide scholarships to students for vocal arts training. Through their company, Limelight Insights by Shugoll, they have donated millions of dollars in market research services to arts organizations. The same

Mark Shugoll ’73 and Merrill Shugoll with (to their right) Carol Burnett, Bernadette Peters, Santino Fontana and (to their left) Maggie Boland of Signature Theatre. The theatre recognized the Shugolls with the J. Watkins Distinguished Service Award.

evening, the Sondheim Award was presented to Carol Burnett. Bernadette Peters and Santino Fontana were among the performers.

Patrick A. Guida is secretary of the Rhode Island Bar Associa tion. He is a partner at Duffy & Sweeney Ltd. and is part of the firm’s banking and finance, business law and real estate law teams. He has been providing legal services to institutional banking clients throughout New England for more than three decades and previously served as in-house counsel for two major banks. In 2022, he was elected president of the American College of Commercial Finance Lawyers and named an Excellence in the Law Hall of Fame honoree by Rhode Island Lawyers Weekly. He is an elected fellow of the American College of Com mercial Finance Lawyers and a member of the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws. Patrick is a member of both the Rhode Island Bar Foundation and the American Bar Foundation. In addition to serving on the Executive Committee over the last three years, he has served on the House of Delegates for more than ten years. Patrick served

as chairperson of the Annual Meeting Planning Committee in 2019 and was an active member of that Committee for several years prior to that. He has been an active and enthusiastic participant in Continuing Legal Education Committee activities since 1995. He has also been very involved as an executive in several public education related activities since 1988.

1974CLASS CORREPSONDENT

Cathy Stuckey Johnson San Mateo, Calif. caj1080@hotmail.com

Lawrence Gordon writes, “Retired after 37 years as an orthodontist. Moving to Minneapolis-St Paul.”

Patrick A. Guida ’73

Alumni and friends of Rich Moses ’76, who died Dec. 20, 2021, celebrated his life June 4, 2022. In attendance were Bruce Freeman ’76, Jim Sutton ’78, Mike Esposito ’72, Kipp (Kelley) Freeman ’75, Mike Goodman ’76, Scott Medla ’76, Alison (Sloat) Makarczuk ’75, Al Sprague ’77, Randy Ruschak ’76, Tom Burbank ’75, Kevin Crawford ’75, Clete McLaughlin ’77, Patrick “Buzz” Guida ’73, John Breault ’77, Michael Gilfeather ’79 (cousin of Rich), Diane Nelson Wade ’78, Don DeCesare ’74, Maria Cortese, Jeff White ’75, Tom Everett ’76 and Michael Cortese ’76, Dave Gordon ’76, Kathy Beck Moses ’78 and granddaughter Kira Moses.

1976

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Paul Boyd pboyd@yahoo.com

Robert Carlson writes, “After 40 years as a civil engineer and 30 years, simultaneously, as a Democratic politician culminating in three terms as mayor of Watervliet, N.Y., I have retired. Until the pandemic, I had been enjoying traveling with my wife, Carol, a retired school superintendent. We have seen some of the “wonders of the world” such as Machu Picchu, Peru; the Taj Mahal, India; the Great Wall of China; the Great Barrier Reef, Australia, and many other fascinating places on six different continents. Mostly, we love spending time with our five children and their families, which include nine grandchildren.

Dr. John E. Kelly III retired from IBM after four decades leading technology innovation for the company and industry. He remains active in the technol ogy industry, and was recently

honored as a Life Trustee of Union College.

and grandfather of five, he ran the family farm for 34 years, and was great-grandson of the famed Grandma Moses. And always humble. It seemed like he knew half the town, and was related to the other half. But he always made time for his Sigma Chi fraternity brothers, hosting an annual gathering that reached 55 guests one year. They supported him all through his long battle with Parkinson’s disease, helping wherever possible, and raising money annually for research. Sigma Chi showed up in force at the celebration, a dozen and a half strong, in a touching display of brotherly love. Rich will not be forgotten.

Craig Diamond has failed to retire successfully. He has been designated volunteer co-lead of the Sierra Club’s National Land, Water & Wildlife Campaign and is managing 1000 Friends of Florida’s research efforts relating to the impacts of and alternatives to the land application of biosolids. His feet have grown several sizes since his days at Union and his inability to reliably remain in the confines of any genre of music remains uncompromised, even during performances.

Dave Gordon writes, “The winter 2022 edition of the alumni magazine noted the passing of Rich Moses. On June 4, there was a Celebration of Life at the Moses Farm in Eagle Bridge, N.Y., in his honor. Over 200 people attended the celebration, and the outpour ing of love was evident for this simple yet remarkable man. He touched the lives of many with his decency, honesty and his ability to make everyone feel special. He was married to Kathy Beck Moses ’78 for 43 years, was a father of three

John Corey writes, “My wife, Sue, says I’m failing at retirement and I confess it. After selling our last company in 2011, but staying on by request until I couldn’t bear corporate life a minute more, I officially retired in 2017. I was immedi ately swept into two projects that met the test of being interesting, important and funded. First was a product development for a secure, in-pharmacy cryostorage and dispensing unit for living stem-cell therapeutics (to treat ischemic stroke). That’s gone quite well and is now in the patenting stage, in parallel with an accelerated Phase 2/3 clinical trial. The other project is development of efficient, high-reliability cryorefrigera tion for the antennas of the Next-Gen Very Large Array radiotelescope network. The answers ARE out there! And it’s an honor to contribute to their pursuit. Who could stay truly retired with such tasks at hand? In more personal notes, Sue and I both survived COIVD twice (so far). First, we caught it in NYC in February 2020, before it was even known to be there! We thought it was just a horrible flu until I realized my sense of smell was completely gone. Alas, it has never returned. Then, during last year’s lull, we joined a biennial family reunion in Montana, just when the Delta wave arrived there. About half the attending family were ill the next week, but until we learned that we thought we’d had just an old-fashioned air-travel cold (Thank you for that mildness, Moderna vax!). This spring has been a medical adventure for us both, but I’ll skip the Organ Recital—the good news is we’re both well now, and Sue even has a new knee that returns her to painless walking: truly a modern

Dr. John E. Kelly III ’76

Susan Dufel writes, “Retired after 40 years in medicine in 2020. Had fulfilling career in emergency medicine. Now enjoying boating in Connecticut. Traveling around New England on our Nordic Tug!”

miracle. We’re in process of building a second home at Cape May, NJ—expanding on an 1880 farmhouse that we’re moving to a large plot with pond. So far, it’s been an exercise in managing bureau cracy, but the design work has been fun. We spend as much time as practical with our first grandchild, Ms Kai Pierre, who lives with our daughter Sam and son-in-law Brian, in northern Virginia (where I grew up!). We are amazed how they balance multiple jobs and an active toddler! Our son Ethan is employed developing ABS and traction controls out near Detroit, so we mostly Facetime to reach him there. Almost every day I think of my time at Union, how well I was educated and prepared for a productive and pleasing life (so far!), and all the fun we had, too. I still get to play a bit with many of the lifelong friends made in those days, including Alan Crawford, Bob Casciaro, Gerry Coleman, Barbara Perlov and Michael Sherer; plus Nancy Cook (U Albany). Eager for our fastapproaching 50th Reunion!”

Christopher O’Connor writes, “Susan and I just celebrated our 40th wedding anniversary. Had a recent get-together with Bill Talis, Judy Dein and Al Reisch. My daughter Kathleen found a husband (J.T. McDaniel)

and a career (Chiroptera) at Union: Class of 2010. Will always be grateful for Hans Freund, Byron Nichols and Hugh Allen Wilson. Still, ‘...a prize as fair as a God may wear is a dip from our alma mater.’”

Marty Silverman writes, “Having closed down our retail spice shop earlier this year, I’ve launched yet another career, joining Redi-farms in my hometown of Westfield, N.J. Currently still in R&D phase, Redi-farms is an indoor vertical hydroponic farm that will eventually occupy a 100-yearold, reimagined factory building less than a mile from the center of town. The 32,000 square foot building will house, in addition to the vertical farm and specialized mushroom cultivation rooms, an upmarket restaurant, a retail store, an event space, a teaching kitchen and an educational classroom to teach local school groups about sustain able and resource-efficient agriculture. Perhaps my wife, Trudy, and I will celebrate our 35th anniversary this fall with an organic, hydroponic vegetarian feast!”

John W. Busterud writes, “In retirement, I have continued to serve in the Order of St John, an international humanitarian NGO which operates an eye hospital and clinics in Jerusalem, Gaza, and the West

Bank for all faiths, regardless of means. For my service, I was honored to be made Knight of Grace in 2021 by Queen Elizabeth II, the Order’s sovereign head.”

1977

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Leila Shames Maude LeeShamesMaude@alumni. union.edu

1978

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Jeff Laniewski, Florence, Ariz. jlaniewski4@gmail.com

Dr. Maria Kansas Devine ’82 and Joan Moumbleaux ’81 hiking in Bryce Canyon during a June trip to Zion, Bryce, and the Grand Canyon.

1983

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Cory Lewkowicz Needham, Mass. corylewkowicz@gmail.com

Rachel Pearce ’12 took this photo of July 4 celebration attendees at the Woodstock, N.Y., home of Garrett Andrews ’78. From left to right are Alison Siragusa, Aggie Weil, Fred Weil ’75, Zach Pearce ’12, Beth Pearce, Andy Pearce ’76, Garrett Andrews ’78, Steven Wollins ’76, Dave Gordon ’76, Thom Siragusa ’84, Robert Johnson ’76, Eden Spadea and her husband Bill Ross ’82.

1979

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Kurt Hamblet San Luis Obispo, Calif. kurthamblet@gmail.com

1981

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Sue Barnhart Ferris sferris59@gmail.com

Bob Skelton writes, “I was recently appointed general counsel for Carlos Rosario International Public Charter School in Washington, D.C. The school’s mission is to provide adult education that prepares the diverse immi grant population of Washing ton to become invested, productive citizens and members of American society.”

1984

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Linda Gutin Durham, N.C. lindagutin@hotmail.com

Roberta (Bobby) Cohen writes, “I have a new position as assistant director of the Copyright Society. I am also on the Boards of Get In the Game, a voter registration organization. The 2024 elections will be important! Please VOTE! I am also board secretary of the Business Outreach Center, a non-profit that helps entrepreneurs with low incomes to start and

Susan and Christopher O’Connor ’76

John W. Busterud ’76

expand their small businesses in underserved communities. I am looking for a new publisher for novel number eleven. I can’t believe we’re only a year away from our 40th ReUnion. Wow! Can’t wait to see everyone in 2024!”

Justin T. Green writes, “I continue to represent the families of aviation crash victims with my law firm, Kreindler & Kreindler, in New York. One of my biggest cases is featured in the documentary “Flight / Risk,” which was released from Amazon Studios on Sept. 9, 2022. The documentary covers the Ethiopian Flight 302 aviation disaster and the fight for justice of the families of the Boeing 737 MAX disaster victims. Here is a link to the documentary: https://press. amazonstudios.com/us/en/ original-movies/flight-risk”

1985

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Timothy Hesler timothy.t.hesler@gmail.com

Eric Cook writes, “Jill and I are approaching 21 years together. We have three kids and four grandkids so far. I’m currently working at Liberty Mutual in procurement.”

Jorgen, I became a step mom/ grandma, with two adult children and two young grandchildren. We are all engineers. Tiffany and I are ME’s; Jorgen and Jens are ChemE’s. Jorgen and I met at Kimberly-Clark and we both took a retirement package in 2018, after 17 years (Jorgen) and 25 years (me). We traveled, took care of family, took on a series of home projects (WI), and had an extended honeymoon! What a blast! Jorgen went back to work after 1.5 years as a senior engineering manager at Grande Cheese. I started independent consulting part time after 2.5 years, work with Argo Consulting in Lean for R&D. I’m super healthy, play a ton of tennis, keep busy with exotic birds, friends, family, gardening, travel, etc. I hope my Union buds are all doing well and have navigated the last couple of years success fully!”

Carolyn Hutchinson Carter writes, “In June 2016, I married a wonderful guy, Jorgen Carter (1st marriage). With

Jonathan Heimer writes, “This September I will begin a new assignment as the Minister Counselor for Commercial Affairs, India, at the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi. This will be the first assignment where my wife and I will be without our children; they are now both rising sophomores, one in college in New York (alas, not Union) and the other

Poet inspired by the ‘magic’ of music

Poet Diane Mehta ’88 sounds like a jazz musician explaining the joy of nailing a solo.

“I’m attracted to that moment of pure feeling when I’ve hit a groove, taking a leap of faith with diction and idea,” she said. “I love getting out of my comfort zone while I’m writing the poem. I know I can shape rhythm. I know I can use certain words to get the poem to a certain place.”

“The influence of musicians on me in terms of sparking my imagination is huge,” she said. “What they’re doing is magic to me.”

During a recent residency at Yaddo, an artist’s retreat in Saratoga Springs, Mehta met a composer who played variations of Beethoven’s sonatas to demonstrate the importance of pacing and pauses.

Mehta’s creative process often starts with music. She listens to the same music repeatedly to unpack a rhythm and chart her course.

Her listening habits lean toward jazz, an art form that—like poetry—employs improvisation and unexpected turns. She collects words that captivate her and sprinkles them into her poetry: “thresh old,” “cannibalize,” “proverbial,” “scraggle.” She invents words like “mavericking.”

Mehta finds that poetry, like music, needs to be performed to be appreciated. “I put a lot of effort into pauses and intonation because it changes the way the poem is heard,” she said. “If you speak slowly, it helps the listener.

“I love reading,” she said. “I used to get anxious. But if I’m in love with my poem and it’s in love with me, I’m there with my poem and I forget the other people.”

Among her influences, Mehta counts Irish poets Yeats, Heaney, Louis MacNeice; American poets Elizabeth Bishop and Adrienne Rich; and especially British religious poets George Herbert, John Donne and Gerard Manley Hopkins.

Jill and Eric Cook ’85

Carolyn Hutchinson Carter ’85 and Jorgen Carter

Mehta was honored this year with the Peter Heinegg Literary Award, named in memory of the professor emeritus of English whom Mehta recalls as fascinating and charismatic. Heinegg retired in 2017 after 42 years at Union. He died in 2021. She was on campus this fall for a reading with students in Shena McAuliffe’s creative writing class and Jordan Smith’s poetry class.

Alex Roginski ’26 was struck by Mehta’s questions about legacy, in particular her poem, “The Organized Magic of My Father.” It concludes: “These dreams you wondered over, waited for / are starkly lit. They whisper: What is your ultimate belief / in your last life, what will you leave me with?”

Anushka Kaiwar ’25, a native of India, connects with Mehta, who spent part of her childhood in Bombay, over the poet’s explorations of feminism, faith and family. “Being a third culture kid who spent a good part of her life in India, her poetry speaks to me in a way most other poetry cannot, bringing to life parts of my mind that I haven't been able to put into words. A safe space I didn't know I needed, but found solace in now.”

INFLUENCE OF MUSICIANS ON ME IN TERMS OF SPARKING

MY IMAGINATION IS HUGE. WHAT THEY’RE DOING IS MAGIC TO ME.”

An English major at Union, Mehta recalls some favorite classes: Adrian Frazier’s course on Irish literature, Linda Patrik’s radical feminism and Byron Nichols’ class on moral dilemmas. She wrote for the Idol, the student literary magazine. She played rugby, her small size notwithstanding. “I was really fast,” she said. “I played wing.”

After Union, she earned a master’s in poetry at Boston University. She studied with former U.S. poet laureate Robert Pinsky, a jazz fan who taught her to write in meter; and Derek Walcott, the Saint Lucian Nobel laureate who stressed the importance of memorizing poems and writing good sentences that are rhythmically variable.

“I got a complete education in pacing, and figuring out how to ground the line in sentences and vivify sentences on a line

level,” she said. “Then I could adjust the length and beat and duration of each sentence so they all blended together musically.”

Mehta regards herself primarily as a poet whose associative mind is also well suited to essays. “It’s thrilling to write an essay because the natural flow and rhythm of the poems can easily fall in there and I can just let it happen.”

Mehta, who lives in Brooklyn, is the author of a poetry collection Forest with Castanets (2019) and How to Write Poetry (2008). Her work has appeared in the New Yorker, the New York Times, Harvard Review, American Poetry Review and A among others.

Of her writing process, she says that poems can take three weeks, essays longer. She never comes back to a piece later, but rather stays with it until it feels done.

“It’s grinding work,” she said. “But it’s thrilling when it comes together.”

DIANE MEHTA ’88

Diane Mehta '88 on a visit to Gort, County Galway, Ireland near Yeats' summer home, Thoor Ballylee Castle

“THE

In Detroit, stories from the street

BY ALLISON HOWARD ’91

Filmmaker Allison Howard first found her calling capturing the harsh realities of people affected by crime, poverty and injustice. Two decades later, she is asking them to tell their own stories.

When you bring a camera’s viewfinder to your eye, the world suddenly makes more sense. Everything else disappears, allowing you to focus on the frame—and to see

I felt this first growing up in comfortable, middle-class Upstate New York, where the pictures I took helped create a narrative through difficult years of self-discovery.

At Union, I looked for different experiences in the people of the College. Coming from a very white enclave where diversity meant Protestants and Catholics, I’d never spent much time with people of other races, religions or cultural back grounds. From fellow students (especially in Barry Smith’s Improv class), I was exposed to upbringings different from my own. I heard what it was like growing up as a person of color; I learned about the hardships faced by LGBTQ kids in the 90s. My world got incrementally bigger.

I also found focus, thanks to landing an internship at a local TV station where I shot video for the first time. If a picture is worth a thousand words, a movie is worth a million. That’s why, after a few years as a ski bum in Colorado after college, I started the career I’ll stick with for the rest of my life.

Filming Crisis

Soon after starting in TV, I found what felt like my calling—filming in tense, high leverage situations: a busy trauma center or embedded with the police on a drug raid. First as a grunt with a camera, then as a producer and director of photography, I shot high-adrenaline crisis TV for all the major networks that were doing unscripted shows.

I loved every minute of it. I’m an adrenaline junkie at heart and being paid well to run around with a camera and a bulletproof vest was a perfect marriage of artistic passion and personality. I knew what we needed to capture for great TV,

and finding it in the heat of the moment of a life-or-death situation was a thrill every single time. My heart beats faster even writing about it.

Working with first responders, I developed a deep loyalty for the coura geous, dogged people who spend their lives protecting others. A short blonde girl like me feels secure surrounded by a dozen six-foot-five towers of muscle, even on a SWAT raid.

In the 80s and 90s, celebrating the courage and heroism of police officers wasn’t at odds with my generally centerleft philosophy. Law and order were good things, and to most people—liberals especially during the Clinton years— policing was considered a way to improve disadvantaged neighborhoods.

But I didn’t really look under the surface. Even though almost every day my camera captured the realities of the streets and the stresses pushing police officers to the breaking point, I didn’t really see them.

We’re conditioned not to think about those things. We know there are bad neighborhoods, but we think vaguely that the problems plaguing those neighbor hoods belong to them. If people don’t like living next to a drug house, they could move.

And, yeah, cops see bad things, but that’s part of the job. Seeing those things and still protecting and serving the community is why we call police officers heroes. Right?

Detroit Part 1

In 2009, I was riding pretty high. My career was going well. I was supervising the pilot for what I hoped would be the next big series at A&E. I came to Detroit to shoot “Detroit Undercover” and met two special operations detectives, code-named Moe and Buffy. They worked at Detroit’s No. 9, one of the highest-crime precincts in

America, and they were two of the best officers on the Detroit Police Force.

Moe had swagger and boundless charisma, the kind of guy you feel safe with the moment you meet him. Buffy was a livewire—relentlessly passionate, righteously aggressive, proud, powerful, unstoppable. The two of them together, with Hollywood looks and magical chemistry, were God’s gift to unscripted TV.

Over the years, I’d get to know them better. I’d find out that while Moe was winning awards for his police work, his twin boys were building the Hustle Boys, one of Detroit’s most notorious gangs. And that Buffy grew up idolizing a father who had done time for murder. That she’d come to police work because she and her dad used to spend their nights looking for her drugaddicted sister on these same streets.

But at first, they were subjects for my camera, like the guys they were out to bust.

After finishing the pilot and while waiting for a full order from the network, I did a short stint as a producer/shooter on A&E’s “The First 48.” I thought it would be good to get to know the homicide detectives I’d would work with on “Detroit Undercover.”

This turned out to be the worst decision of my life. Everything changed in a trigger slip.

I was filming with detectives on a SWAT raid to capture a murder suspect. As I ran up to the house with them, I heard shouting and the Pop-Pop-Pop of gunfire. Chaos ensued, and I didn’t know exactly what I was filming, but in the moments that followed it became clear the bullets had killed a little girl.

Her lifeless body was rushed out in front of my lens and captured on my tape. A portion of my footage was later leaked to the attorney for the girl’s parents, who then filed a lawsuit against the city of

’91

Detroit and A&E. When the people responsible for stealing the footage were caught, they lied and said I had sold it to them. I was charged with obstruction of justice and perjury. A traumatic, multiyear court case ensued.

The Other Side of the Law

I hadn’t done anything wrong, but the system of justice often cares more for its own machinery than it does for the truth. After three years of proceedings and on the advice of lawyers, I pled guilty to a lesser charge to avoid the possibility of jail time and enduring a high-profile trial. But I had the luxury of having a TV network pay for the lawyers who would fight for me, something many people don’t.

This was the first time I’d ever looked up from the frame of my camera to see the bigger world. It’s embarrassing that it took being accused of a crime to look again at the hundreds of suspects I’d filmed.

I’d tacitly understood the hardships faced by the people living in America’s most dangerous neighborhoods. I’d tacitly appreciated the sacrifice made by officers every day on the job. I’d accepted the notion that justice was just. But during all those years filming cops and criminals, I

hadn’t seen the world through their eyes. I hadn’t appreciated that justice is far more complex than most of us realize.

The 313 Project

In 2019, I started working with a screen writer, Eric Belgau, to tell some of the stories I’d learned in Detroit, specifically Moe’s and Buffy’s. As we started crafting a narrative in the early summer of 2020, the George Floyd protests broke out.

As the national conversation changed, we realized something powerful: it was time for others to tell their story.

At the end of 2021, Eric and I founded the 313 Project so that the people around Detroit’s No 9 could make their voices heard. We’re experimenting with an innovative approach to screenwriting— creating a foundation of stories on which those who’ve lived these streets can paint their truth—and we’re working to publish the writing of inmates and former officers.

It takes longer to develop these stories than it does to produce unscripted TV. But as the stories take shape, it’s amazing to see the picture form—like film in a dark room, slowly coming into focus. In 2023 and beyond, as we work to bring this content to the market, it’s exciting to feel

DURING ALL THOSE YEARS FILMING COPS AND CRIMINALS,

I HADN’T SEEN THE WORLD THROUGH THEIR EYES.

I HADN’T APPRECIATED THAT JUSTICE IS FAR MORE COMPLEX THAN MOST OF US REALIZE.

that we’re helping to reimagine the police genre to make it more relevant to the world we live in.

Hear them speak

We can’t just snap our fingers and give everyone a Union College experience like I had. But for those of us who’ve had that experience, we need to value the humanity and contributions of people whose backgrounds don’t afford them that privilege. That’s what we’re trying to do in Detroit. Just listen to the people who have a story to tell.

We tell a lot of stories about marginal ized communities in movies, scripted TV, and unscripted TV. But while the people who live in places like Gratiot and 8 Mile are the subjects of our content, they are rarely, if ever, the source. And they don't reap the financial benefits of the stories told about them.

We need to hear them speak. We need to give them the camera, and to work like hell to get their stories heard. And to make sure they are compensated.

It's a funny thing to take the camera away from my eye. To be honest, it’s easier to see people in that little rectangle, where I have the power to frame a narrative that makes sense. But our narratives have been defining others for too long, and it’s fascinating to see how the world changes when someone else selects the frame.

Howard and her colleagues have established The313project.org as a 501c(3) and hope to raise funds to support story contributors. Filming is planned for mid-2023 in east Detroit.

ALLISON HOWARD ’91

Allison Howard ’91, left, with producer Daniel Ramirez, front, and Detroit Detective Adlone “Moe” Morris.

at a boarding school in Connecticut. Visitors most welcome!”

County Government. He is a registered professional engineer in N.Y., Penn., and Va. He is an active member of the Northern Virginia Builders Industry Association, the Loudoun County Chamber of Commerce and the National Association for Industrial and Office Parks (NAIOP).

1988

Greg Struckus, Dr. Mark Richard and Tim Hesler from the Class of 1985 had their freshman preceptorial reunion in Pine Point, Maine, this July 2022.

1987

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Drena Root drena.kr@gmail.com

Gary VanAlstyne has joined Bowman Consulting Group Ltd. as branch manager and principal at its Leesburg, Virginia office. Gary has more than 30 years of experience in construction and develop ment. Before joining Bowman, Gary served as vice president of Davis Utility Consulting, LLC, as director of design and construction services of the Loudoun County Public Schools, and as a member of the FSM Public Review Committee of the Loudoun

The Sunday Times of London recently published an article titled, “Brian McNamara on GSK spinout Haleon: We were right to spurn £50bn bid.” Brian is CEO of Haleon.

1990

Cheryl Packman Davis writes, “We had a SDT soiree at my house in Weston, Conn. on June 26 with 1988-1998 graduates. Super fun!” Alums in attendance included Laurie Davidson Medvinsky ’91, Nina Smilari Stout ’91, Hallie Neuberger Wofsy ’91, Lisa Stillman Janis ’91, Kathy Kavaney, Karen Nourizadeh, Robyn Denenberg Sysler, Beth Turney, Julie Molnar, Lori Kaplan ’89, Sheri Weinstock ’89, Risa Sotsky Pollack ’89, Ilana Klein ’89, Lisa Ordower ’89, Gaby Small Tullman ’92, Julie

Feldstein ’92, Andrea Cohen Meyer ’92, Ruth Wallberg ’92, Jen Oxman ’92, Pam Finger Weber ’93 and Niko Harriton ’97.

a Union webinar about successfully navigating businesses during the pandemic and they reconnected. Jay’s experience, knowledge, counsel and friendship have been priceless to Ellen and her company.

Julie Molnar ’90, Andrea Cohen Meyer ’92, Jennifer Charlap Grumbling ’91, Laurie Davidson Medvinsky ’91, Cheryl Packman Davis ’90, Elissa Rosenzweig Novick ’91 and Jessica Krane ’92 got together this summer.

1991

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Jen Brandwein jenbrandwein2@gmail.com

Ellen Matloff is the CEO of My Gene Counsel, a digital health company helping to scale genetic counseling services for patients and clinicians. She writes that Jay Freeland has served as a valued senior advisor to mGC since 2020, after Ellen heard Jay speak on

1992

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Laurel Mullen

jay.mullen@comcast.net

David S. Sachar M.D., FACG co-authored a book chapter titled “Medicine with the Military” that has been accepted for publication in the book, Advising and Developing the Pre-Health Professional Student. David is a member of the faculty, General Surgery Residency Program, at Carolinas Medical Center, and a member of the faculty, Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery Fellowship, also at Carolinas Medical Center. Additionally, he is a clinical associate professor, Department of Medicine, at UNC School of Medicine.

1993

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Jill D. Bernstein

New York, N.Y.

jilldbernstein@yahoo.com

Alums attended an SDT gathering at the home of Cheryl Packman Davis ’90 in June.

Elissa Rosenzweig Novick ’91, Jennifer Charlap Grumbling ’91 and Laurie Davidson Medvinsky ’91 enjoyed a summer reunion at Laurie’s home.

Gary VanAlstyne ’87

Sharing the gift of family

Few things in life are as powerful as carrying a baby. Portia Zwicker ’03 knows this from experience; she has a child she adores. She’s also carried for others.

As a gestational surrogate, she has opened a path to creating or growing a family when other paths are closed.

“Surrogacy is often a last resort. It’s the only reasonable option for a gay man to have a biological child, which is one reason I decided to carry a second time. I specifically asked to be matched with a gay couple,” Zwicker said. “For others, they have often gone through so much grief and loss that when they match with a surrogate, hope returns. And when their baby is born, their lives are changed.”

“I carried twice (the first time to help my cousin) because I wanted to help those who couldn’t carry,” she added. “Both times were wonderful and fulfilling.”

In fact, her first surrogacy experience inspired her to advocate for what is now some of the most progressive legislation of its kind in the nation.

Back in 2018-19, when she was carrying for her cousin, New York was one of only three states in which compensated surrogacy was illegal. Protections at the time were minimal and surrogate contracts were unenforceable.

“Soon after I delivered my cousin’s daughter, my attorney, who has since founded the New York Surrogacy Center, asked if I wanted to join her and dozens of others lobbying Albany for the Child-Parent Security Act,” Zwicker said. “I was very happy to and was able to provide a surrogate’s perspective.”

“The legislation, which passed in 2020 and went into effect in early 2021, legalizes compensated gestational surrogacy, allows for enforceable contracts, pre-birth orders, and provides surrogates with a bill of rights,” she continued. “It also requires that agencies who want to work with New York surrogates go through a licensing process. New York is the only state that requires this.”

Zwicker, who recently completed her second and final nine months as a surrogate, is also the surrogacy outreach

coordinator at New York Surrogacy Center (NYSC) in Albany.

She helps recruit surrogates for NYSC, which is a licensed surrogacy-matching agency that pairs surrogates and prospective parents. Operated by attorneys, NYSC educates both parties about the entire process—including medical, financial, legal and other aspects—and guides them through it if they decide surrogacy is right for them.

The entire experience is one Zwicker never imagined for herself during her Union days. But causes and careers have a way of sneaking up on you sometimes.

“While I majored in music, my career is now in technical writing—although music is still very much in my life. I play viola and occasionally sub with the Schenectady Symphony,” Zwicker said. “My favorite class at Union was ‘Logic and Critical Reasoning’ with Professor Hayaki.”

“Looking back, enjoying and doing well in that class was definitely a foretelling of my future role in technical writing,” she added. “But back in college, I had no idea who I was or what I wanted to do.”

PORTIA ZWICKER ’03

Photo courtesy of RC Photography 518

1994

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Randall Beach Schenectady, N.Y. rsbeach72@gmail.com

1996

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Daimee Stadler-Isralowitz daistu@optonline.net

Tanweer S. Ansari writes, “I was promoted to executive vice president, internal counsel, at First National Bank L.I. effective Jan. 1, 2022. I have oversight of legal, compliance, Bank Secrecy Act, Community Reinvestment Act and human resources at the bank.”

1997

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Sara Amann Garrand Ballston Lake, N.Y. sgarrand1@nycap.rr.com

Heather (Medwick) Pesikoff is a managing director, the chief operating officer, and the chief compliance officer at RGT Wealth Advisors. CIO Views magazine recently published an article titled, “Heather Pesikoff: A Collaborative Leader Paving a Smoother Path for Women in Wealth Management.”

1998

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Ryan T. Smith Jupiter, Fla. ryan.smith@thebenjamin school.org

1999

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Kellie Forrestall BeeBee Lowell, Mass. forrestkj@hotmail.com

2001

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Erin Grogan erinlgrogan@gmail.com

2002

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Elise DiBenedetto elise.dibenedetto@gmail.com

Colleen Parent writes, “I am working in Schenectady as the medical director at New Choices Recovery Center, so far it has been a great experi ence. I have a son entering 4th grade and a son entering kindergarten.”

2003

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Katrina Tentor Lallier Shrewsbury, Mass. katrinalallier@gmail.com

2004

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Jon Berman jonathancberman@gmail.com

Shannon (Murphy) McAllister writes, “My recent accom plishment as a side gig was running the 122nd US Open (held at The Country Club this June) as vice chair.”

Julia (Davis) Collignon lives in San Francisco with her husband and three kids. Julia works for Intersect Power, building renewable energy power plants.

Priya Rametra writes, “I live in Manhattan with my husband. We are celebrating our five-year wedding anniversary in August. To celebrate, we are going to Maui, where we got married.”

Seth Greengrass writes, “I am the head of legal & compliance for Axpo US. I live in Long Island with my wife, Cara, and three kids Liam (7), Scarlett (5) and Tyler (3).”

Jonathan Berman writes, “I am president of Berman Adjusters, Inc. We are public insurance adjusters and we operate a second-generation family business. We help homeowners,

Saying yes to adventure, and reality TV

Colin Farrill ’07 is a guy who rarely says no. Whatever comes his way, there’s a 99% chance he’s going to embrace it.

Because for him, unfamiliar, unexpect ed, uncomfortable—these are all just synonyms for opportunity.

“When I’m faced with choices I know could significantly shift the course of my life, I call them ‘choose-your-own-adven ture moments,’” said Farrill, who lives in Chicago and is a senior account director at the software company Salesforce.

“These moments are few and far between, especially as you get older. But there is significant value in challenging yourself and saying ‘yes’ to something that sounds crazy or pulls you outside your comfort zone— even when you might want to say ‘no.’”

“Sometimes things can be daunting or risky, but the reward of the experience is living.”

Consider his recent run on season 19 of the reality show, “The Bachelorette.”

Caught off-guard when a friend wanted to connect him with a casting director for the show, Farrill at first wasn’t remotely interested.

“Being on reality TV wasn’t on my radar; I didn’t immediately see the value. Family, friends, health, career and adventure already fulfilled my life. I thought, ‘Who wants to be the old guy on a dating show?’” Farrill recalled. “However, I quickly realized this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity knocking on my door.”

“Before I knew it, they were telling me that I was what they were looking for. And then I was stepping out of the limo.”

(A limo is how contestants arrive on the opening episode.)

While Farrill, 36, was eliminated in the early weeks of the show, he would do it again in an instant.

“It drew on my sense of adventure. I love coming face-to-face with the unknown,” he said. “There is something thrilling about walking into an environ ment, not knowing what to expect, and having to rely on your knowledge and skill set to thrive.”

Farrill, whose hobbies include perform ing improv and sketch comedy, also made some new friends.

“Although there wasn’t the strongest connection between myself and the two bachelorettes, I did make so many strong

connections with the rest of the bachelors,” he said. “Being the oldest member of the cast, I quickly realized my role in the house was that of a mentor to a large group of ambitious, young guys. It brought me back to my time in Sigma Chi at Union, where I built some of my strongest, lifelong friendships.”

Indeed, several Union experiences stand out to Farrill as he looks back on his time in Schenectady. His service as a student trustee, Sigma Chi and his term abroad in England.

On the College’s Board of Trustees, the likes of Mark Walsh ’76 (former board chair), Jason Oshins ’87 and Valerie Hoffman ’75 inspired him “to achieve greater and work harder in hopes that one

day I could return as a board member and continue to give back to Union.”

In England, surrounded by new places, people and challenges, Farrill learned to embrace adventure and discovery, and make them enduring passions.

And in Sigma Chi, he joined a rank of “like minded brothers who strove to cultivate lifelong friendships, foster leadership and promote positive relationships.”

“This experience laid the foundation of many of the intangible skills I use every day in my career, on stage or even walking into the Bachelor Mansion filled with 31 strangers.”

Farrill majored in history and minored in psychology. If you’re ever in Chicago, he performs improv and sketch comedy regularly at the The Second City. It inspires his creativity and pushes him out of his comfort zone, and that he said, means he’s always learning and always growing.

COLIN FARRILL ’07

“THERE IS SOMETHING THRILLING ABOUT WALKING INTO AN ENVIRONMENT, NOT KNOWING WHAT TO EXPECT, AND HAVING TO RELY ON YOUR KNOWLEDGE AND SKILL SET TO THRIVE.”

For the love of teaching and history

Jazmin Puicon ’07 loves teaching. It makes her day, every day. And she’s really good at it.

For her classroom at Bard Early College (Newark, N.J.), where she’s an assistant professor of history, Puicon has secured over $10,000 in grants to provide her students with supplies and extracurricular educational experiences.

She was a teaching fellow at the Pulitzer Center and is the current Open Society University Network CLASP Fellow. This year, the NAACP Newark Education Committee recognized her for centering the Black experience in her classroom and coursework. She also received the Mildred Barry Gavin Prize from the New Jersey Historical Commission, given annually to K-12 educators for outstanding teaching of African American history, or for outstand ing performance in a related activity.

And in May, she received her Ph.D. in history from Rutgers University, which presented her with the School of Graduate Studies’ Excellence in Outreach and Service Award for her work at Bard Early College.

What drives Puicon to delve so deep and commit so much to teaching?

History. Her history.

“The reason I have been so successful in providing a rich teaching experience for my students is my personal history as a first-generation college student—as a daughter of immigrants from Latin America who had to fight extremely hard for every accolade,” Puicon said. “My students often

’07

JAZMIN PUICON ’07

remark they wish they had a professor like me earlier in their lives. This is perhaps the best compliment I can get.”

“I started on this path of teaching and research to be the teacher I never had growing up—one that celebrates the complexities of the Afro-Latinx experience and the contributions of people of all colors in the fights for liberation and freedom all over the Americas,” she continued. “This is my history and the history of many of my students. It is worth celebrating and exploring in every course I provide.”

One of those courses she developed this summer in consultation with Teresa Meade, who was the Florence B. Sherwood Professor of History and Culture at Union before retiring. Puicon used Meade’s textbook as a basis for a survey class on Latin America and Caribbean history, which Puicon created for the Newark Board of Education.

“This course brings my work full-circle,” said Puicon, who is serving as the board’s resident Latin American and Caribbean

historian. “Now students across all high schools in Newark will have access to this rich and complex material that centers the lives of everyday people in the Americas— people who fought back, resisted, rebelled and who also made history.”

Meade, incidentally, was one of Puicon’s mentors.

“At Union, I fostered my passion for learning about Latin American and Latinx history and turned it into a passion for

“ONE OF MY GREATEST JOYS AS A PROFESSOR IS TO WATCH THE TRANSFORMATION OF MY STUDENTS AS THEY BEGIN TO UNDERSTAND HOW HISTORY WORKS AND HOW IT CAN BE EITHER INVALIDATING OR A SOURCE OF EMPOWERMENT.”

teaching,” she said. “I became a teaching assistant for the first time as an under graduate in Teresa’s ‘History of Brazil’ class.”

Accepted into the Future Professors Program at Union, Puicon also shadowed Meade for an entire semester, participated in department meetings and office hours, and traveled and presented at large national conferences. The experience solidified her dream to become a teacher.

This dream was only enhanced by her other campus activities, through which she carried the thread of representing and uplifting the Latinx community. Puicon founded the Tau Chapter of Latinas Promoviendo Comunidad/Lambda Pi Chi Sorority; held executive board positions in several campus life groups; and was the first president of the Multicultural Greek Council at Union.

She also double-majored in Spanish language and literature, and Latin American and Caribbean studies.

“One of my greatest joys as a professor is to watch the transformation of my students as they begin to understand how history works and how it can be either invalidating or a source of empowerment,” Puicon said. “I always think of my time at Union as the pivotal years that allowed me to explore history and learn more about my identity, and also gave me the opportunities to flourish as a leader.”

“I am very grateful for all of those experiences and try to replicate them in my classroom with my students.”

landlords and businesses who have property damage as a result of fires, floods or natural disasters. I live in Brookline, Mass., with my wife, Erica, and kids Nicole (8) and Jake (6). We have a dog named Brady, whose full name is Brady Kevin Garnett Sanieoff Berman. Erica and I celebrated our 12th wedding anniversary in August.”

Paige (Saperstein) Guinn resides in Miami, Florida, with her husband, Robert, and their son, Oliver. She was recently made a shareholder at the law firm of Falk, Waas, Hernandez, Solomon, Mendlestein, and Davis, P.A. She handles the defense of medical negligence claims on behalf of the firm’s clients.

2005

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Annette C. Stock annettecstock@gmail.com

2006

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Sarah T. Heitner New York, N.Y. sarah.t.heitner@gmail.com

2007

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Jackie Siedlecki Murphy jaclynrenemurphy@gmail.com

Karyn Amira, a political scientist, was awarded tenure at the College of Charleston. She and her husband, Nathan, also welcomed their son, Gavin, in January.

Jazmin Puicon recently graduated with a Ph.D. in history from Rutgers University. In addition, she received the Mildred Barry Garvin Prize from the New Jersey Historical Commission. The Mildred Barry Garvin Prize is given every year to a K–12 New Jersey teacher, guidance counselor, or school librarian for outstanding teaching of African American history, or for outstanding performance in a related activity.

2008

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Dana Cohen Bernstein New York, N.Y. dana.lynn.bernstein@gmail.com

Charles Sumpter ’07 recently accepted the post of senior director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion for the World Wildlife Fund.

In March 2022, Heather Garside ’08 was honored at the 7th annual Purple Festival’s International Women’s Day awards, spotlighting outstand ing women in Passaic County, New Jersey. She writes that she was “humbled and awed to be included among such wonder ful women, each making a difference in our community.”

2009

CLASS CORRESPONDENTS

Gabe Kramer Los Angeles, Calif. kramerg3@gmail.com

Carl S. Winkler

New York, N.Y. carl.s.winkler@gmail.com

CLASS CORRESPONDENTS

Anna

2012Meiring

annameiring@gmail.com

Benjamin Engle benjamin.engle@gmail.com

2015

Louis Fierro writes that he recently left his “role at the Education Advisory Board in Washington, D.C. to begin the full-time MBA program at Duke University.”

Patrick Irwin ’09, a nine-year member of the Schenectady Police Department, was on campus Aug. 30 for an event with Make-A-Wish Northeast New York to help a Ballston Spa teen realize his wish to be a police officer for the day. It began with the investigation of a “theft” of a painting in the Nott Memorial and ended with the return of the painting, via state police helicopter, to President David Harris.

2010

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Deanna Cox deannac88@gmail.com

2011

Anthony Perez recently started a new position as the Manhat tan Borough Commissioner at the NYC Department of Parks & Recreation.

Dr. Lucas First recently joined St. Peter's Musculoskeletal Medicine office in Latham, N.Y. He is a physical medicine and rehabilitation (PM&R) physician, specializing in interventional pain medicine. He received his Doctor of Medicine from Drexel University College of Medicine in Philadelphia in 2017. He did his PM&R residency and served as chief resident at NewYorkPresbyterian Hospital in New York City, completing rotations at Columbia University Irving Medical Center, Weill Cornell Medical Center, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Hospital for Special Surgery and other hospitals. He also completed an internal medicine internship at Albany Medical Center and a pain medicine fellowship at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, N.H. At Union, where he was a member of Phi Beta Kappa, he majored in neuroscience and did an organizing theme minor in chemistry and Chinese culture and medicine. He completed field research for his honors thesis while on a term abroad at Fudan University in Shanghai.

2013

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Cristina Vazzana Boston, Mass. vazzanaca@gmail.com

2016

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Lauren Woods Watervliet, N.Y. 2016@alumni.union.edu

2017

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Jake Ulrich jake.ulrich@duke.edu

Thomas Lawton and Vito Capuano joined forces to found Taasa Health Inc., a nonprofit focused on facilitating the construction and operation of health centers in Uganda. In 2022, Taasa Health finished construction of their flagship health center in Kalungu, which will serve a population of 100k. Taasa will be working to expand access to health care, education and female empowerment. Taasa is always looking for dedicated volun teers and generous donors. Please feel free to reach out or donate at our website: www.taasahealth.org

Micheline Bakou writes, “Upon graduation, I moved to Senegal,

then I went to Lausanne, Switzerland, and Hong Kong to do a hospitality program with École Hôtelière de Lausanne. After the pandemic, I moved back to Senegal, and I am now working for a real estate development firm as a purchasing manager. 2022 has been a great year for me—I got a promotion, and I got married on July 2, 2022! My husband’s name is David. He is a civil engineer from the Republic of the Congo, and he works in Senegal. He will be finishing up his masters in civil engineering, with a concen tration in geotechnical engineering, in Winter 2022.”

2020

CLASS CORRESPONDENTS

Kayla Fisher

kaylafisherny3@gmail.com Omarra Hannibal-Williams ohannibalwilliams@gmail.com

Meaghan Barros started medical school in summer 2022.

Jenna Smith writes, “I’ve been working the past year-and-ahalf at my dream job as publicity assistant at Penguin Young Readers, a children’s book division of Penguin Random House. I’ve officially made the move from Seekonk, Mass. to New York City. And a few weeks ago I had the huge honor of assisting on actress Elizabeth

Jenna Smith ’20 recently assisted with the book launch for Hattie Harmony: Worry Detective, by Elizabeth Olsen and Robbie Arnett

ARRIVALS

Olsen (WandaVision) and Robbie Arnett’s debut children’s book, Hattie Harmony: Worry Detective, which just became a #1 New York Times bestseller! Was such an incredible experience to meet them and assist on their in-person book launch event.”

Kayla Fisher earned an M.S. in innovation & management from Tufts University in 2021 and an M.S. in biomedical engineering in 2022, also from Tufts.

Sam Veith writes, “I’m out traveling the world. Check out my website, veithbros.com, to see where I’m at.”

Katelynn Russ writes, “In September of 2021 I started a new position as a biomedical engineer at a startup called FluidForm, where we are working on 3D printing living tissues for regenerative medicine. I am also a professional hockey player and in March of 2022 I won the Isobel Cup with my team, the Boston Pride, a team in the Premier Hockey Federation.”

2021Adam Hall recently received a Tau Beta Pi Fellowship. The award will fund one year of his doctoral education in mechan ical engineering at the Univer sity of California, San Diego. He writes, “This fellowship is a great start to my postgraduate career. It will let me get a head start on my research, allowing me to do more in the limited time. Shorter-term goals for research output include work relating to improved ocean turbulence modeling, which would improve climate models. This relates directly to how I hope to impact both my field and the world. Improved models will contribute to a better understanding of the world around us, and hope fully how to better mitigate the effects of climate change.”

Katelynn

2005

On January 31, Victoria (Hurley) Salvatoriello and Nick Salvatoriello ’07 welcomed their third child, Bianca Rose Salvatoriello, into the world. She joins her sister Adelaide (4) and brother Grantham (6). Everybody is happy and healthy, and enjoying life in their home in Norwell, MA.

2007

Guy Lometti and Dagmara (Podwyszynska) Lometti welcomed two baby girls in recent years—Blake Isabella Lometti on Sept. 14, 2019, and Cameron MacKenzie Lometti on Nov. 10, 2020.

2008

Sean Maginess, Rachael Maginess and big sister, Norah, welcomed Sophia Rose on July 9, 2021. They write, “Sophia has been a delight since day one and completes our family. We live in Old Lyme, Conn.”

Bianca Rose Salvatoriello (Salvatoriello ’05)

Guy Lometti ’07 and Dagmara (Podwyszynska) Lometti ’07 with children Blake and Cameron

Jaqueline Palermo ’07 and her husband, Daniel Durr, welcomed their first child, William, in June.

Sophia Rose with big sister Norah (Maginess)

Russ ’20, who plays hockey for the Boston Pride, with the Isobel Cup.

U

UNIONS

2004

Stefanie Simon married John Petrillo on July 9, 2022, at Brooklake Country Club in Florham Park, N.J. Alumni in attendance included Ami Vora Dalal, Diana (Kim) Liu, Jasmine Jacob and Julie Cyriac.

2008

Lauren Wetherell married Matthew Ronas on Oct. 23, 2021 at Lakota's Farm in Cambridge, N.Y.

2012

Sarah Gagnon and Joe Cardino tied the knot (or Nott) Oct. 22, 2021, in the Hudson Valley N.Y. region. In attendance were Alagra Bass, Christina Maldo nado ’11, Erin Delman, Ben Humphreys, Kelly Farrell ’11, Matt Farrell, Danielle McDonald ’12, Joseph Cardino ’82 and Roy Lipson ’80.

Family and friends gathered from across the country to celebrate the wedding of Sara (Block) Shusterman and Jordan Shusterman in Lake Geneva, Wis. on Feb. 19, 2022. Alumni in attendance included Jaclyn Mandart, Aviva Hope Rutkin, Lily Marto, Rachel Baker, Zach Pearce and s The couple lives in Chicago, Ill. with their Cavachon, Ruby.

Alumni attend the wedding of Meredith Westover ’18 and Brandt Scott ’16

’12

Alumni attend the wedding of Stefanie Simon ’04 and John Petrillo

Lauren Wetherell ’08 and Matthew Ronas

Alumni attend the wedding of Sarah Gagnon ’12 and Joe Cardino ’12

Alumni attend the wedding of Sara (Block) Shusterman ’12 and Jordan Shusterman

2017

Allison Smith and K.R. White ’16 were married May 14, 2022 in Providence, R.I. The ceremony was officiated by Peter Durkin ’16. Alumni in attendance included Saad Shukran ’16, Rachel Fried, Daniel Mayne ’16, Ariella Honig, Benjamin Megathlin, Audrey Hunt, Adam Lewis ’16 and Danielle White ’21.

PHOTO CAPTION: Unions_17_

Lindsay Degnan Vasiliadis married Phil Vasiliadis June 26, 2022, at Union station in Worcester, Mass. Alumni in attendance included George Fotiadis ’89, Morgan Seber ’16, Meg Girton, Gina Distefano, Jacqueline Sharry ’18, Katie Tighe ’18, Anna Doran, Alexa Schillaci, Emily West, Nate Altman, Vic Cullinan ’16, Justin Fleischer, Curtis White ’18, Katlyn Oliver and Malcolm Sherrod.

2018

Meredith Westover and Brandt Scott ’16 were married June 25, 2022 in Waterford, ME. Alumni in attendance included Alexandra Speak ’16, Peter Scatena, ’16, Kelley White ’16, Jake Movson ’17, Hannah Hage ’16, Julia Lund ’16, Ashley Tolento ’16, Sylvie Kalikoff ’16, Miles Ingraham ’16, Jenna Swartz, Ray Farmer ’16, Alyssa Klein, Ariella Yazdani ’16, Liam McAninch ’16, Melissa Brauner, Cara Slugaski ’16, Giovana Vivaldi, Elizama Martinez-Leger ’17, Chloe Bartlett ’17, Dan Tompkins ’17, Allie Mignucci ’19 and Joshua Dunn.

Alumni attend the wedding of Allison Smith ’17 and K.R. White ’16

Alumni attend the wedding of Lindsay Degnan Vasiliadis ’17 and Phil Vasiliadis

Katherine (Moeller) Tesoriero ’17 and Anthony Tesoriero were married July 9, 2022.

Kaite and Tommy Wilson, both Class of 2017, were married Sept. 18, 2021.

Aaron Gordon ’18 and Brooke Cleveland ’20 got married at the end of June at Saratoga National.

Micheline Bakou ’17 married her husband, David, July 2, 2022. The couple resides in Senegal.

A MESSAGE FROM THE President of the

Alumni

Council

We have hit the ground running this academic year and are continuing to organize and sponsor more events/ programming to bring everyone together in 2022-23. Hoping to leverage the momentum of the return of in-person events, we are excited to see many more alumni face to face. With all the Union community has going on, I wanted to highlight some of the ways alumni can get involved.

WAYS TO VOLUNTEER:

› Class Agents

› Regional & Affinity Alumni Clubs

› The Alumni Council & Gold Committee

› ReUnion Committee

› Admissions Alumni Volunteer

› Career Engagement Volunteer

The Alumni Council works hand-in-hand with many of these volunteer groups and initiatives. Learn more at ualumni.union.edu (select Alumni Council under the “community” tab). You can also contact Ashley Breslin, director of Alumni & Parent Engagement, at alumni@union.edu.

We are eager to meet new and interested alumni volunteers. We encourage you to become an Alumni Council member at ualumni.union.edu/acapplication.

It’s an exciting time to be part of the Union community, and we hope we can help you find more ways to get involved and stay connected.

– Vin Mattone ’06, President, Union College Alumni Council

The Alumni Gold Medal, given each ReUnion, is a prestigious award that recognizes steadfast loyalty and many years of distinguished, dedicated service to the College. Please consider nominating a classmate at ualumni.union.edu/awards.

SPOTLIGHT:

Tess Skoller ’13

Vice president for membership and nominations, Alumni Council

Tess Skoller ’13 is an associate brand and advertising manager at MFS Investment Management. Based in Boston, Mass., she works on a team that manages all advertising for the firm, and oversees the paid social strategy and execution. Tess previously held roles on the marketing teams at Goldman Sachs and Oppenheimer Funds (now Invesco) in New York City. In addition to working as a financial marketing professional, Tess earned an MBA at UNC-Chapel Hill’s KenanFlagler Business School (MBA@UNC) in October 2022. At Union, she was an art history and English interdepart mental major.

Tess has been an active alumna since graduation. From 2013-2021, she was a member of the NYC Alumni Club, helping to plan educational and social events for alumni in the tristate area.

In 2016, she won the Young Alumni Rising Star Award, and in 2017, she received a Best Alumni Event award for moderating a panel of alumnae working in marketing. Tess is also involved in connecting with current students to advise them on their career paths in marketing, advertising and communications. She was elected to the Alumni Council in May 2019.

Which of your Union activities has been most meaningful and why?

Putting together the panel of marketers for our event back in 2017 was one of the most meaningful volunteer experiences I’ve had.

Getting to work with alumnae from different class years and seniority levels in their roles was a formative experience. I was able to moderate a conversation that was beneficial to both the event attendees as well as the panelists, who I am still connected with today.

What was your most formative experience at Union?

I don’t know if I can pick a singular moment from my experience at Union as being the “most” formative. I think the people at Union helped to form me. Whether it was an art history or English professor, dean or a friend, I was shaped by each new person who came into my life during my four years at Union.

Favorite Union memory (as an alum or student):

During my first year at Union, I was on the Concert Committee and helped to bring Kid Cudi to campus for a spring concert (not for Spring Fest). Getting to stand in the front row of the concert at the Field House and meet Kid Cudi was one of my favorite (and coolest) moments.

Since graduating, one of the best memories was watching Union hockey in the NCAA tournament in 2014—on my

birthday! I was able to attend the semifinals in Philadelphia, but for the finals, I was watching with friends at a bar in New York City. I remember the sheer joy and excitement that erupted throughout the whole bar when we won.

What is the best piece of advice personal/professional that you have ever received/given?

“Don’t wait to enjoy a moment until it becomes a memory.” I was recently given this piece of advice, which I think is relevant now more than ever. With the challenges of the world today, it’s sometimes hard to be entirely present for our lives, even the mundane parts. I think this line is a reminder to stay present as often as possible so you can enjoy yourself before the moment is something in your past.

Fun fact about yourself:

I am classically trained in ballet (starting at age three until I was 15). At five years old, I was the youngest polichinelle/clown in the Papermill Playhouse’s annual performance of “The Nutcracker.”

Any personal or professional accomplish ments you would like to share?

As part of my graduate studies, I recently spent three weeks at the WU-Vienna University of Economics and Business International Summer University intensive studying branding and sustainable business.

8 IN

MEMORIAM

8

1940s

Junius W. Stephenson ’44, of Hackensack, N.J., who was an Eagle Scout and was awarded the Silver Beaver by the Boy Scouts of America, May 16, 2022. Over 45 years, he held many roles at St. Luke’s (Haworth), including vestry warden and director acolytes. A mechanical engineer who received the Medal of Achievement from the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, his work included contributions to the Clean Air Act. Known as Steve, he loved Christmas and put up decorations in his yard until he was 99. He was 100.

Calvin S. de Waal Malefyt ’47, of Greenville, N.C., who held a B.A. from Hope College, a master of divinity from Westminster Theological Seminary and a Ph.D. from Harvard University, Feb. 3, 2021. He served in Chapel Hill Reformed Church, University Reformed Church, Clarkstown Reformed Church and Park Street Church. Selected Protestant chaplain to the English-speaking diplomatic congregations in Moscow, U.S.S.R. and Warsaw, Poland, he was editor of the Harvard Theological Review. A Staley Distinguished Christian Scholar, he was 95.

Dr. Ralph M. Obler ’48, of Los Angeles, Calif., a proud Union alumnus who earned his medical degree at the University of Buffalo and interned in Denver, April 14, 2022. He was 95.

Robert A. Hanley Jr. ’48, of Boothbay Harbor, Maine, who enrolled in the V12 Officers Training Program at Union and served in the Western Pacific on an amphibious landing craft tank, May 13, 2022. He later served the U.S. Department of State in the Foreign Service in Paris and was active in the Navy Reserve (1948-1966). He also worked in trade development for the Port Authority of N.Y. and N.J. and earned an MBA from the City College of New York. He was an avid skier and

jogger, president of the board of directors of the McBurney YMCA, and an American Legion member. Bob, who sang in the choir at Our Lady Queen of Peace, was 97.

John E. Crowe ’49, of Newark, Del., who served with the U.S. Army during World War II and graduated from Syracuse University Law School, May 11, 2022. He spent his career as a chemist and patent attorney for the Hercules Corporation, and was a Mason for more than 60 years. John, who enjoyed sailing, downhill skiing and refinishing furniture, was 96.

Roger C. Greenhalgh ’49, of Cary, N.C., who served in the U.S. Army during World War II with Patton’s Third Army in the Battle of the Bulge, June 29, 2022. A recipient of the Combat Infantry Badge and Purple Heart, he was also awarded battles stars for Ardennes and Rhineland. Roger spent 40 years with IBM, where he developed the header concept for data packets and held a U.S. patent for this innovation. He was most proud of the six children he and his wife, Shirley, raised. He was 97.

1950s

John H. Auer Jr. ’50, of Pittsford, N.Y., who served in the U.S. Army and began his career with General Railway Signal Company as an electrical engineer, April 22, 2022. Promoted to senior engineer, research engineer and senior advanced project engineer, he retired from the company as manager of advanced engineering. Jack authored many technical papers, held 87 traffic control patents and was Rochester Patent Law Association’s Inventor of the Year (1980). He loved skiing and camping with his family and was an active volunteer with the Elderberry Express. Jack, who enjoyed traveling, was 95.

Donald M. Frisbie Jr. ’50, of Punta Gorda, Fla. (formerly of Mahopac, N.Y. and Ft. Myers, Fla.), who served in the U.S. Air Force in the Pacific during and after World War II, Dec. 24, 2021. He taught history at several high schools in the Buffalo area and Long Island before taking a position in admissions at Stony Brook University, from which he retired as director of admissions in 1995. His interests included baseball, bowling, bridge, drums and piano. He most enjoyed golf, shooting his age every year after 72, even scoring a round of 85 at age 95. Survivors include a nephew, Donald Howard Jr. ’63. He was 96.

Bernard V. Leason ’50, of Denver, Colo., who spent 20 years in Europe as a journalist, correspondent and editor for various publications, June 15, 2022. He was also author of 10 books, many of which were on The New York Times best-seller list. He is survived by his wife, Frieda; four children; and his brother, Christopher ’56. He was 94.

Morris Kay ’50, of Metuchen, N.J., who served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War and held a Ph.D. in chemistry from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, May 23, 2022. Mo was an analytical chemist for many years and in retirement taught chemistry to nursing students at local colleges. He was fascinated by language and loved New York Times puzzles, family car trips and hosting dinners. He was 93.

Edgar W. Snell Jr. ’51 , of Niskayuna, N.Y., who held a Master of Science in library service from the former School of Library Service of Columbia University, Sept. 22, 2022. He worked at Boston Public Library and New York Public Library before becoming a senior cataloger in the Descriptive Cataloging Division of the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., a position he held until retirement. Edgar, who had a lifelong interest in physical

fitness, gifted his Niskayuna home to Union College in 2021. His father, Edgar W. Snell (Class of 1921) and his uncle, Charles W. Snell (Class of 1943), were also Union alumni. Edgar was 92.

Walter A. Levy ’51 , of Philadelphia, Penn., who held bachelor’s and master’s degrees from New York University in electrical engineering, and a master’s degree in operations research from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, April 11, 2022. He served in the U.S. Army Signal Corps and worked at Century Lighting before working at RCA, Pennsylvania Research Associates and other companies. He later worked as a telecommunications consultant at his own firm, Edgewood Computer Associates. An enthusiastic amateur musician, he was 92.

Harold J. Hughes Jr. ’51 , of Altamont, N.Y., who served in the U.S. Army and was an assistant attorney general for the state of New York, June 30, 2022. Later, he was elected a justice of the New York State Supreme Court, Third Judicial District; a role he held for 28 years. Harold loved reading, sports (especially golf), the Adirondacks, his church, his lawn and his family. A graduate of Albany Law School who was valedictorian of his class, he was 92.

Dr. Fred S. Kantor ’52, of New Haven, Conn., a celebrated immunologist and teacher who spent 56 years at Yale School of Medicine and Yale New Haven Hospital, May 28, 2022. He earned his medical degree from New York University and served in the Commissioned Corps of the U.S. Public Health Service. A licensed pilot, Fred studied myasthenia gravis and other autoimmune diseases, and developed Lymerix, a Lyme disease vaccine. A devoted husband, friend, father and grandfather, he enjoyed many eclectic hobbies. He was 90.

Thomas W. Odell ’52, of Nashua, N.H., and formerly of Wellesley, Mass., who served in the U.S. Army, April 2, 2022. He worked for Raytheon Company, developing radar and missile defense systems. He enjoyed boating, playing golf and watching the New England Patriots with his family. He was 91.

Dr. Benjamin Furst ’53, of Utica, N.Y., March 5, 2022. He was 90.

Medford S. Webster ’53, of Aurora, Colo., who held a Ph.D. in physics from Washington University and was part of the team at Brookhaven National Laboratory that discovered the Omega-minus particle, May 12, 2022. He went on to spend 39 years at Vanderbilt University, where he was a professor of physics and chair of the physics and astronomy department. A research fellow at Max Planck Institute and a CERN Fellow, he had an unwavering love of music, opera particularly. He was 90.

Alfred L. Scott ’53, of Hudson, N.Y., who graduated from New York University School of Law and founded Bell Equipment Company, June 27, 2022. Later, he acquired Alcorn Combustion Company. After selling both businesses, Al joined the corporate finance department at Oppenheimer & Co. He went on to found Scott-Macon Ltd., a boutique investment bank. A kind and generous husband and father, he supported many causes. Past president and long-serving member of the board of the Columbia-Greene Hospital Foundation, Al was 91.

Kenneth F. Greenough ’54, of Sun Lakes, Ariz., Aug. 3, 2022. He was 90.

Col. Arne Ellermets ’54, of Bradenton, Fla., July 31, 2021. He was 89.

Chester R. Blakelock Jr. ’54, of Tinton Falls, N.J., who served in the U.S. Navy, Dec. 12, 2021. He was 89.

Richard H. Page ’55, of Willsboro, N.Y., who was a graduate of the University of Maryland and a professor emeritus of psychology at Skidmore College, March 28, 2022.

In retirement, he enjoyed life on Lake Champlain, fishing, boating and swimming. He played piano, sometimes professionally, and studied the emergence of intelligence in the universe. He was 89.

Robert C. Durbeck ’56, of Los Gatos, Calif., who held an M.S. from Cornell and a Ph.D. in control systems from Case Institute of Technology, April 21, 2022. He spent his career with IBM, working on computer control systems and input/output devices, and retired as manager of I/O science and technology. Active with the Society for Information Display and the International Display Research Conference, he was instrumental in launching IBM’s Almaden Research Center. A private aviator, he helped with the Almaden Branch Library reconstruction. He was 87.

Robert L. McCabe ’57, of New Bedford, Mass., who held a master’s degree from San Diego State University and a Ph.D. from Boston University, June 5, 2022. He loved mathematics and taught for more than 40 years at UMassDartmouth. A lover of animals and an anti-war activist, he sang in the old New Bedford Community Chorus and was a member of the First Unitarian Church. Bob also loved movies, the Grateful Dead and spending time with his children. He was 86.

Richard Lounsbury ’57, of Carlinville, Ill., who spent his career as a geologist and environmental coordinator, June 14, 2022. He worked for the U.S. Geological Society, Tennessee Valley Authority and Monterey Coal Company. He was involved with the Lions Club, We Care Recycling Center, Carlinville Public Schools Foundation Board and Link Mentoring Program. In 2003, the Carlinville Chamber of Commerce named

Dick its Citizen of the Year. Dick, who loved trout fishing, mushroom hunting, singing colorful songs and nature, was 87.

Martin J. Cohen ’57, of Heath, Texas, who served in the U.S. Air Force and was a certified financial planner, May 25, 2022. He was employed with Eppler, Guerin and Turner, and also founded a financial planning firm, Balanced Financial Corporation. He was instrumental in the formation of the Dallas chapter of the International Association of Financial Planning, and he founded the Dallas-Fort Worth Chapter of Financial Planners. Martin was also active in many other organizations, including the Dallas Toastmasters. He loved the arts, listening to good jazz and playing piano. He was 86.

Gerald M. DePass ’58, of Ridgefield, Conn., who served in the Air Force Reserves and was a member of Phi Delta Theta fraternity at Union College, June 14, 2022. Jerry worked with IBM before starting his own business, the Adesse Corporation, developing virtual machine software for IBM mainframe computers. Active in his community, he participated in school board issues, town planning and Democratic town politics (running a number of local election campaigns). He was 86.

Matthew Morlock Jr. ’58, of Latham, N.Y., who served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War and held a teaching degree, March 22, 2022. First an assistant principal at Albany High School, he spent much of his career teaching social studies at Livingston Middle School. Matt loved to bowl, spend time with his family and was an avid fan of the Detroit Tigers and Lions. He loved reading and watching T.V. with his wife. He was 89.

Richard Spirawk ’58, of Bethel Park, Penn., and formerly of Upper St. Clair, who served in the U.S. Marine Corps and worked many years in metal sales, May 8, 2022. He later owned his own business, earned his pilot’s license and enjoyed traveling all over the world. An avid reader and prolific writer, he loved going to dinner with friends, trying new wines, dancing with Carol, and family gatherings. He was 85.

James Robert McDowell ’58 (Lt. Col. USAF ret.), of Tucson, Ariz., June 15, 2022. A member of Theta Delta Chi fraternity, he was 85.

Ernest L. Pacchiana ’59, of Stormville, N.Y., who was an engineer with the U.S. Army during the Cold War, Jan. 18, 2022. Ernie worked in the family business, Thalle Construction, before getting into real estate and residential development as a certified professional engineer. A longtime Little League and CYO basketball coach, he created the Pony League baseball. A founder of the Briarcliff Rotary Club chapter, he introduced paddle tennis to northern Westchester. Ernie was 84.

Donald R. Pandori ’59, of San Jose, Calif., who was an accordion prodigy and great piano player, March 6, 2022. Educated as an electrical engineer, he worked at Ford Aerospace, where he led design of wideband satellite communication systems. At home, he worked on electronic inventions and enjoyed the camaraderie of local accordion clubs. Don cared for friends and family whatever the need and found great joy in gatherings with his children and grandchildren. He was 88.

1960s

Dr. Bernard S. Strauss ’60, of Livingston, N.J., and Boca Raton, Fla., who graduated from Albert Einstein College of Medicine and practiced urological surgery in Livingston for many years, July 3, 2022. Among the first doctors in North Jersey to transplant a human kidney from a living donor successfully, he held a master’s degree in public administration. Bernie loved reading, writing his memoirs, playing golf, and his dog, Lily. After retiring to Boca Raton, he was a frequent volunteer at Caridad Health Clinic. He was 84.

Alfred R. Lambert G’61 , of Portland, Maine, who studied at the University of South Carolina, Chapel Hill, and held a master’s from Union College, April 10, 2022. Al taught chemistry at Westbrook College for 36 years. He loved gardening and was a longstanding member of the Maine

Iris Society and Maine Hosta Society. He frequently opened his gardens for public tours, enjoyed fly-fishing and candlepin bowling, and was a diehard New England sports fan. He was 87.

John G. Voris ’61 , of Brookfield, Conn., who enjoyed a successful and rewarding career with IBM, July 19, 2022. In retirement, he was an active member of the Brookfield Police Commission and a trustee of the Brookfield Library for more than 20 years. John took great pleasure in supporting his community and mentoring young people. He was 85.

Donald F. Crist ’61 , of Chippewa Bay, N.Y., who taught 11th grade American history for 34 years at Holland Patent (N.Y.) High School, April 7, 2022. He also coached boys basketball at Holland Patent and women’s basketball at Hamilton College. Don was an avid fisherman and outdoorsman. He and his wife, Marsha, spent retirement RV-ing around the country, from their St. Lawrence River home to visit families from Saranac Lake, N.Y., to Michigan to California and ending in Marathon, Fla., for their winter months. He was 82.

Richard W. Sanderspree ’62, of Cleverdale, N.Y., and Spring Hill, Fla., who began a lifelong career as a stockbroker with Spencer Trask before retiring after 40 years from Morgan Stanley, Jan. 23, 2022. He enjoyed riding his bike, woodcarving and sitting in an Adirondack chair looking out over his sliver of Lake George. Dick was a member of the Gooley Club (Newcomb) and past president of the North Queensbury Fire Company. He served in the Army Reserves and was a committeeman for the Queensbury Republicans. Dick, who was very proud of his children, was 81.

Bernard H. Newton ’63, of Glenville, N.Y., who was an engineer with DuPont before joining General Electric in the RECO division, April 1, 2022. Bernie held a professional engineer license and was an Adirondack 46er who loved to hunt and fish. He also enjoyed woodworking, cherished his family and was a member of

the Church of Immaculate Conception. He was 80.

Robert R. DiCocco ’63 (Lt. Col. ret.), of San Antonio, Texas, who served 24 years in the U.S. Air Force, March 12, 2022. Bob later spent 31 years as a tax advisor with H&R Block. He was 81.

Dr. Leonard Blumin ’63, of Mill Valley, Calif., who graduated from Albert Einstein College of Medicine and was board certified in internal medicine, Jan. 19, 2022. He worked at a couple of Bay Area hospitals before becoming director of emergency services at the former Children’s Hospital of San Francisco. A founder and president of Antique Doorknob Collectors of America, Len published Victorian Decorative Art: A Photographic Study of Doorknob Design He was also president of the board of directors of Audubon Canyon Ranch.

Rep. Vic Fazio ’65, H’98, of Arlington, Va., a moderate Democrat who spent two decades on Capitol Hill as a party leader in the U.S. House of Representatives, March 16, 2022. He represented the Sacramento area from 1979 to 1999 and was a member of the House Appropriations and Armed Services committees. A supporter of ethics reforms and environmental programs, the Vic Fazio Yolo Wildlife Area bears his name. Also chairman of the House Democratic Caucus and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee in 1994. He was the Commencement speaker in 1998, and received an honorary doctor of laws degree. He was 79.

Dr. Jeffrey S. Spector ’66, of Highland Park, Ill., who practiced child and adult psychiatry for 50 years in Chicago and Highland Park, passed away May 20, 2022. Also on staff at Northwestern and highly respected in his field, he attended Albert Einstein Medical School and did his child fellowship at Michael Reese Hospital. Dedicated to his patients, family and friends, he was 77.

Edgar W. Knaub Jr. G’66, of Willow Street, Penn., who earned an advanced degree in chemistry from Union College before joining GE Silicones, May 16, 2022. He

went on to spend the majority of his career at Armstrong World Industries. Edgar loved traveling and visited countries around the world, and also enjoyed gathering with family in Chincoteague, Va. He served in Stephen Ministries, Contact Counseling and Water Street Rescue Mission. Edgar, who liked helping people pursue education, served on school boards and as a science fair coach and judge. He was 81.

Stephen W. Forster ’66, of Jackson, Va., who held a Ph.D. from Syracuse University and served in the U.S. Army, Nov. 2, 2020. He retired from the Federal Highway Administration as technical director of pavement research at the Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center after 30 years of service. He received the National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal and Vietnam Campaign Medal. An active member of Mount Jackson United Methodist Church, he served as president of the men’s group and was a member of the choir. His passion for antique cars was lifelong. He was 75.

Charles E. Hoag Jr. ’67, of Pawley’s Island, S.C., March 12, 2021. He was 76.

George P. Neumann ’67, of Basking Ridge, N.J., who served in the U.S. Navy’s Civil Engineering Corps, May 18, 2022. He later joined the family business, Spearin, Preston and Burrows, where he was a heavy machine contractor on some iconic waterfront foundations in New York City. George went on to join the Conti Group and developed Conti U, a training program. He was a licensed realtor in retirement and a member of many religious organizations, including the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick. A knight of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre, he was 77.

Daniel D. Gestwick ’68, of San Diego, Calif., who retired from General Electric in 2006 and loved to travel, June 1, 2022. A highlight of his career was the six months he spent working in Nuovo Pignone in Florence, Italy. Dan enjoyed photography and woodworking. A proud and supportive father, he was always willing to help friends and family. He was 76.

Donald B. Kiley G’69, of South Burlington and West Glover, Vt., who served in the U.S. Navy and held a B.S. in mathematics from Boston College, April 9, 2022. He earned a master’s from Union College and spent 35 years at IBM, working on everything from programming punch cards to chip designs and other secret projects. He loved the outdoors, golfing, music and spending time at Camp Kiley on Lake Parker. An avid bike rider, he was 92.

1970s

Sister Marian J. Townley G’70, of Latham, N.Y., who was a Sister of the Holy Names for more than 70 years and held a B.S. in biology from Barry University, April 29, 2022. She also held an MTS in physics from Union College and taught science in several schools in Tampa and Key West, Fla., as well as at the Academy of Holy Names in Albany. She was also a teacher and principal at St. Theresa’s School in Maputsoe, Lesotho. She was 94.

Andrew J. Sherman ’70, who was a successful real estate developer in Guatemala for more than 50 years, April 2, 2022. Andy first went to Guatemala as a college student sponsored by Volunteers for Technical Assistance. After Union, he returned as a Peace Corps member. Andy earned a B.A. degree from Union, where he captained the men’s soccer team and was a member of Phi Sigma Delta fraternity. He enjoyed skiing at his residence in Aspen, Colo.; playing and then managing competitive softball in Guatemala; keeping in touch with his fraternity brothers; traveling; and leading a full and active life. His wife, two daughters and five grandchildren survive him. Andy was 74.

Kofi M.G. Williams Opantiri ’71 , of Los Angeles, Calif., who held an M.A. in education from California State University, Los Angeles, Nov. 9, 2021. He briefly taught pre-school before joining the United States Postal Service, serving for 36 years in various roles, including mail handler, forklift operator and union delegate. He loved music—from doo-wap to boogaloo to soul and jazz—and

championed the beauty, accomplishments and strength of the African Diaspora. He loved his children, grandchildren, relatives and friends. Kofi was 72.

Raymond Misiewicz G’71 , of Schenectady, N.Y., who held a bachelor’s degree from New Jersey Institute of Technology and master’s from Union College, April 16, 2022. He spent 33 years as a nuclear engineer at Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory and held two patents for his design work. Active with the Saratoga Submarine Veterans, he enjoyed spending time at Lake George and the Saratoga National Historic Park. He was 77.

Allen S. Gartner ’71 , of Rutland, Vt., who held a law degree from New York University, July 5, 2022. He ran Mintzer Brothers hardware and farm supply store with his brother until 2001. A strong believer in the Jewish tradition of anonymous charity, he was involved in many projects and organizations that supported the community. Nothing was more important to Allen than family. He was 73.

David J. Mazzocchi ’72, of Charleston, W. Va., who served in the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam era as a code analyst, March, 4, 2022. After a career in business, he worked at Wellington’s Café as an assistant manager. Known for his creative woodworking skills, sense of humor, sharp wit and compassion, David loved Halloween. People would come from all around to see his spooky creations. He was 71.

Benjamin F. Pratt Jr. G’72, of Averill Park, N.Y., who held an MBA from Union and was a professional engineer with the State of New York, April 24, 2022. Ben worked for General Electric for 42 years and was a longtime member of West Stephentown Baptist Church, where he was chair of the Board of Trustees. He also ran a television repair service for many years, was the longtime caretaker of Hillside Cemetery and was a member of Gratitude Masons and Van Rensselaer Masons. Also a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows Interlochen Lodge, he was an avid gardener. He was 98.

William J. Nohilly G’72, of Irving, Texas, and Bolton Landing, N.Y., who served with the U.S. Marine Corps in Vietnam, June 14, 2022. He later enjoyed a 30-year engineering career with IBM and retired as a vice president. Instrumental in the mainframe computer built in the Hudson Valley during his time, he was known as the Father of the 3090. Bill loved to tell stories, and his family was the cornerstone of his life. He was 79.

Lt. Col. Craig J. Coonley ’73, of Bridgeport, W.Va., who graduated from Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, June 7, 2022. He served in the U.S. Air Force in several capacities, including as chief hematologist/oncologist at USAF Medical Center-Keesler AFB. Craig, who received the USAF Commendation Medal, later went into private practice at Oncology-Hematology Associates in Bridgeport. He then became medical oncologist and cancer program administrator at the Louis A. Johnson VA Medical Center (Clarksburg). A licensed amateur radio operator, he was 71.

William G. Cornish ’75, of Delray Beach, Fla., and formerly of Carlisle, Mass., who worked in the insurance business at Alexander & Alexander, AON and Marsh McLennan, May 22, 2022. An avid golfer and lifelong member of the Country Club (Brookline), he enjoyed volunteering for an afterschool program for Haitian children through the Episcopal Church. A trustee of Belmont Hill School for 25 years, he was a longtime board member of Wayside House Treatment Center for Women and Wediko Children’s Services. He was 72.

Ronald C. Harris G’75, of Poughkeepsie, N.Y., who held master’s degrees from Union College and Syracuse University in electrical and industrial engineering, July 4, 2022. Ron worked for IBM as a staff engineer for many years and was also an adjunct professor at Marist College, where he taught discreet mathematics. An avid soccer fan, player and coach, he was a music lover and enjoyed spending time with his family. Ron was 80.

Willard Bridgham III ’77, of Albany, N.Y., who held a B.A. from Hobart College and a B.S. in engineering from Union College, June 3, 2022. A practicing consulting engineer, he was a longtime member of the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers. He helped his children build their business, Four Fat Fowl, and was an avid fisherman, awardwinning photographer and amateur musician. He was 77.

Richard A. Gorman ’77, of Venice, Fla., and formerly of Chadds Ford, Penn., who worked for GE, Burroughs and Lockheed Martin, and later was a business owner, May 23, 2022. A devoted father, spouse and grandfather, he always put family first. He was 67.

Wendy L. Carroll ’78, of Morristown, N.J., who was a systems engineer for IBM Corporation, June 23, 2022. Most recently, she was a bookkeeper for Dr. Steven Richter and Dr. Jeffrey Miller. Wendy was a member of the Spring Brook Country Club 9-Holers, Morristown Memorial Women’s Association and Morris School District PTA. She was 66.

Charles R. Watson Jr. ’78, of Cohoes, N.Y., who earned an engineering degree from Union College and retired from Simmons Machine Tool, July 11, 2022. An active member of Hope United Methodist Church, he was a volunteer at Joseph’s House and Shelter. Chuck was a master woodworker who enjoyed attending Valley Cats and RPI hockey games, and loved sharing the fruits of his vegetable garden with friends and family. He was 75.

David Wilson ’79, of Amsterdam, N.Y., who served in the U.S. Marines and the U.S. National Guard, March 28, 2022. A custodian at Amsterdam city hall, he was later the first African American man to serve the Amsterdam Police Department. He later worked for the deputy sheriff’s office in Fonda. Davey loved spending time with family and friends. He was kind and had a memorable sense of humor. He was 69.

Jonathan M. Just ’79, of Stamford, Conn., who worked in New York City for companies including IESC, BairesDev and CNET, May 22, 2022. Later, he worked in internet sales for True Logic Software. Jon enjoyed languages and their nuances, and was a fluent Spanish speaker. He also enjoyed music, art and food—passions acquired during his extensive travels throughout the world. He was 67.

1980s

Matthew J. Kimberley ’81 , of Constable, N.Y., who spent many years as a painting contractor in the Malone area, May 30, 2022. Matthew, who enjoyed woodworking, was 63.

Dr. Robert C. Berlin ’81 , of Jackson, Wyo., who graduated from SUNY Upstate Medical University, May 15, 2022. He founded Jackson Hole Medical Imaging at St. John’s Hospital, spending 24 years of his career there. A wonderful father and partner, he was a devoted dog owner who loved skiing and cycling. He competed in the LoToJa and Michael J. Fox Foundation’s Tour De Fox, logging thousands of vertical miles. He was 62.

Joseph F. O’Donnell G’82, of Schenectady, N.Y., who served in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and earned a bachelor’s in English literature from St. Louis University, May 18, 2022. He held a master’s degree in sociology from SUNY Albany and a master’s in administration and management from Union College, where he was also an adjunct professor. He retired as acting director of the Bureau of Healthcare Statistics at the NYS Department of Health. He enjoyed spending time at the family camp on Great Sacandaga Lake. He was 75.

Thomas C. McGee ’86, of Delanson, N.Y., who served with the U.S. Army in Korea during the Vietnam War, April 28, 2022. He studied chemistry at Alfred State College and computer science at the College. Tom worked for Brookhaven National Laboratory, General Electric and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, from which

he retired. Tom loved hunting trips with friends, watching the Yankees and reading science magazines. He was 69.

Dr. Alan G. Schwartz ’86, of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., who graduated from SUNY Downstate Medical School, June 10, 2022. He practiced pulmonary/critical care medicine early in his career before moving into addiction medicine. Family and friends remember him as someone who would drop everything to be there when they needed him. He was 58.

Jean M. Kallus ’86, of New Hartford, N.Y., who was a graduate of the College of William and Mary School of Law, April 10, 2022. She was an assistant chief attorney with the Legal Aid Society, where she had worked for 32 years. A loving and devoted mother and wife, she was 57.

Matthew W. T. Hopkins ’88, of Stillwater, N.Y., who championed scholastic rowing and classical Christian education, Sept. 4, 2022. He was a founder and headmaster of the Augustine Classical Academy in Mechanicville, N.Y. Introduced to rowing in his first year at Union, he was involved in the sport as a coach, first at Niskayuna High School and more recently at ACA. Survivors include his wife, Tamra (Tibbits) Hopkins ’91 and nine children.

Michael D. Moore ’89, of Alplaus, N.Y., who held a Ph.D. from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, May 21, 2022. He worked at International Paper and the Naval Undersea Warfare Center before spending 10 years as a development engineer at General Electric. Later, he operated his own business, AetherMachines Inc., a technical creativity company. Also a private pilot and licensed HAM operator, he enjoyed singing in the Zion Lutheran Church choir and studying exterior ballistics. He was 56.

1990s

Thomas Myslinski ’90, of Scotia, N.Y., who was a salesman at Less EMF and previously owned Custom Test Technologies, July 31, 2022. An avid New York Giants fan, “Big T” was active in the Scotia-Glenville Elks Lodge #2759, Scotia Rotary and Guan Ho

Ha Fish and Game Club. He enjoyed reading, golf and visiting the ocean (especially Myrtle Beach), and cherished his children and grandchildren. He was 63.

Jessica J. Bernstein ’97, of Rutland, Vt., who was a Watson Fellow at Union and a black belt in Tae Kwon Do, March 10, 2022. She held an M.A. in women’s studies from George Washington University and worked first at the United Nations Foundation and then Population Action International. After earning an MSW from the University of Maryland, she worked at Sheppard Pratt. Jess, who traveled repeatedly to Africa and Europe to held mothers and children get healthcare they needed, was 44.

2000s

Brooke L. Yanow ’02, of Swampscott, Mass., who held a master’s degree in education from Leslie University, April 20, 2022. She began her career as a first grade teacher in Revere Public Schools before teaching kindergarten at Eveleth and Glover Schools in Marblehead for more than 15 years. She enjoyed painting and artistic projects at home and with her students, as well as traveling to warm destinations and spending summers at the beach. A teacher leader who participated in several school and district committees, she was 41.

Robert S. Briody ’02, of Coxsackie, N.Y., who owned and operated Innovative Test Solutions in Schenectady, July 29, 2022. Dedicated to and proud of his children, he was always there for them—from coaching little league baseball to attending every gymnastics meet. Active with the Coxsackie Sportsmen’s Club and Town of New Baltimore, Scott also enjoyed motorcycle racing and coaching riders of all ages. A competitor in MotoAmerica’s Stock 1000 class, he was killed during a racing accident. Scott, who remained engaged with Union College and spoke to ESC 100 students every year, was 50.

Emily (Marshall) Vigneaux ’05, of Garden City, N.Y., who was an engineer with Aramark, a wife to husband, Dave, and a mother to daughters, Charlotte and Madelyn, July 15, 2022. She was 39.

2020s

Brian Clinton ’22, of Tarrytown, N.Y., who graduated from Union College with a degree in economics and was a member of Irvington High School’s Class of 2018, Aug. 20, 2022. He was 22.

Friends of Union College

Bill Russell H’72, a Boston Celtics basketball great and civil rights activist who received an honorary doctor of laws degree from Union in 1972, July 31, 2022. Bill won an Olympic gold medal with the U.S. basketball team in 1956 and led the Celtics to 11 NBA championships. Later, when the Celtics named him head coach, he became the first Black man to hold that role in a major U.S. professional sport. In 2010, President Barack Obama awarded Bill the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Bill, who was 88, is further remembered on p. 16.

Stephen R. Graubard H’97, of Manhattan, N.Y., who was editor of the journal “Daedalus” for 40 years and received an honorary doctor of humane letters from Union in 1987, May 27, 2021. He served in the U.S. Army, held a bachelor’s degree from George Washington University, and master’s and doctorate degrees from Harvard. Later, he taught at Harvard before moving to Brown, from which he retired with emeritus status. He was 96.

David McCullough H’94, the historian who was a Pulitzer Prize-winning author, TV host and narrator and received an honorary doctor of letters in 1994, Aug. 7, 2022. Besides addressing the Class of 1994 at Commencement, he came to campus in 1995 for the re-dedication of the restored Nott Memorial and again that year with Tom Brokaw of “NBC Nightly News” for a piece commemorating the 50th anniversary of VE Day, which featured two dozen Union students. “What Union started is impressive in the extreme, and how early it happened,” he said in a 2017 interview. “Abraham Lincoln wasn’t even born yet and this was happening. It’s thrilling.”

Robert “Bruce” Tatge, of Clifton Park, N.Y., who graduated from Lehigh University and held an M.S. in electrical engineering from MIT, April 19, 2022. He started out at the General Electric engineering laboratory before transferring to the gas turbine division as supervisor and then to acoustics as manager. He later was manager of the inlet and exhaust systems unit and retired from GE in 1988. A registered professional engineer, he held five patents and was chair of the steering committee for Union College Academy of Lifelong Learning. He was 94.

Ann G. Gotwals, of Schenectady, N.Y., who held a B.A. in education from Shippensburg University and was an elementary school teacher, May 15, 2022. Also a loving stay-at-home mother, later she was an admissions recruiter for Union College and several other institutions. Active in her community, Ann volunteered with the American Association of University Women and First Reformed Church of Schenectady, where she was a leader of the Stephen Ministry program. She was 78.

Marjorie Spitz Karowe, of Rochester, N.Y., who held a B.A. from Smith College and graduated from Albany Law School, May 11, 2022. She worked from various law firms and was admitted to the New York State Courts, the U.S. District Courts Northern, Eastern and Southern Districts, and to the U.S. Supreme Court. She taught at Albany Law School, Union College, and the Cornell School of Industrial and Labor Relations. She was a founder of the Capital District Bar Association and the Women’s Bar Association of the State of New York. She was 92.

George T. Fredericks, of Schenectady, N.Y., who served in the U.S. Army, working signal intelligence in Thailand and Vietnam, May 30, 2022. He went on to spent three decades with the New York State Department of Labor before working another 14 years at Union College. Photography was George’s lifelong passion, capturing all types of media. A devoted and loving husband and father, he was 72.

Nancy T. Edwards, of Burnt Hills, N.Y., who graduated from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champagne and held a master of public administration from the State University of New York at Albany, May 30, 2022. She worked for the Social Security Administration and Leo Burnett advertising agency, and was a researcher at the Hoover Institute at Stanford. Later, she was an administrator in the foreign languages department at Union College. She traveled extensively around the world, including trips to England and Hungary to study family genealogy. She was 91.

Leonora A. Flynn, of Schenectady, N.Y., who was a graduate of St. Adalbert Elementary School and Mont Pleasant High School, June 26, 2022. She worked at IGE and the Schenectady School District, and was later a dispatcher for Union College security. She was 96.

Kathleen L. Ferri Ragule, of Schenectady, N.Y., who graduated from Mohonasen High School and was employed as a hospitality worker at Union College for 28 years, Oct. 11, 2022. She enjoyed classic 80’s music while gardening around her home, and spending quality time with her family, friends and pet rabbit, Augie. She was 53.

The Union Fund VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT

Jaclyn Mandart ’12

HEAD CLASS AGENT

Jaclyn celebrated her 10th ReUnion in 2022, was a featured event panelist this past spring, and led the Class of 2012 to surpass giving goals for FY22. They raised over $15,000.

“ It’s been so rewarding to volunteer for College Relations. Volunteering has been a great way to stay involved with Union and I’ve loved being able to stay in touch with classmates as they reconnect with the College. And of course, through my partici pation as a class agent, I’ve been able to see a meaningful impact on the students, campus and community in so many ways.”

Be a class agent

Do you like spreading the word about annual giving challenges and encouraging others to give back to Union? Join the class agents as an advocate and help us bolster peer-to-peer fundraising, our most effective success tool. As an agent you will be provided:

• Access to a volunteer giving portal

• Resources, scripts and shareable graphics

• Insider news and statistics

• Invitations to volunteer appreciation events

• The potential to expand your network and help The Union Fund reach its annual giving goals

QUESTIONS?

Contact Shawna Gallagher, associate director of annual giving, at gallaghs@union.edu.

To join the class agent team, scan here!