Union College Magazine, Summer 2022 by Union College

ALSO

INSIDE: The Power of Union is U3Number/115Volume

Departments 2 President’s Message 4 Around U 30 Focus 34 Media 36 Alumni Clubs ON THE FRONT COVER Downtown Schenectady is vibrant and growing. Read on to learn more about the College's role in the city's rebirth. VICE PRESIDENT MARKETINGCOMMUNICATIONSFORAND Mark Land EDITOR Charlie caseyc@union.eduCasey ASSOCIATE EDITOR Erin DeMuth demuthje@union.eduJudd CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Christen Gowan Tina PhillipLincerWajda PHOTOGRAPHERSCONTRIBUTING Matt ShawnMillessLaChapelle DESIGN 2k Design PRINTING Fort Orange Press 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. Postmaster: Send address changes to Office of Communications, Union College, Schenectady, N.Y. Alumni12308-3169.whowant to inform the College about changes of address should contact the Alumni Office at (518) 388-6168 or via e-mail at alumni@union. edu. The same phone number and e-mail address should be used to correspond about ReUnion, Homecoming, alumni club events, and other activities. COLLEGEUNION 37 The Classes & Profiles 51 Arrivals 52 Unions 56 In Memoriam IN THIS ISSUE: 20 Have you Schenectadyseenlately? The Electric City may not be what you remember from your time on campus. Schenectady is experiencing a rebirth—helped along by members of the Union community—that is wowing students and alumni alike. 28 The Power of Union is U Education changes everything. After graduating, our alums make a difference in so many ways. Each one improves their piece of the world with tools and passion honed at Union.

Nott Mermorial’s dazzling ceiling looks like up close? This is it! All those little illumina tors combine for a truly magical display, especially contrasted against the scaffolding. The Nott’s ceiling was under repair (due to a leak) for much of spring, but was shining again by Commencement.

SUMMER 2022 // Volume 115 // Number 3 » Visit us online at www.union.edu/magazine » Follow us on socialEvermediawondered what the

n Feb. 20, 2018, I was introduced as Union’s 19th president. I asked that my schedule include a meeting with Schenectady Mayor Gary McCarthy. When we sat down, I suspected Mayor McCarthy may be wondering why I was there. I told him simply that Union and Schenectady can either be balloons or weights on one another. Given our physical proximity, it’s hard to imagine a neutral relationship, so I wanted to work with him and others to ensure that our fortunes would rise together.Andrise,

As many alumni will attest, the city wasn’t always this way. Like many cities in the northeast, Schenectady was affected by corporate downsizing. Once known as “the City that Lights and Hauls the World,” Schenectady by the early 90s had suffered a steep population decline that left a wake of urban blight with vacant homes and businesses, drugs and corruption.

We can be proud that the push to revitalize the city began largely right here on campus. My predecessor, Roger Hull, teamed with trustee Neil Golub to form Schenectady 2000 and set about improving the look of the city and raising morale. The College hosted fundraisers. Students pitched in each year before the start of classes to clean parks, remove graffiti and plant trees and flowers. That event became the annual John Calvin Toll Day. Union also invested in the community. In College Park, the neighborhood west of campus, Union renovated dozens of homes for student housing and converted a deteriorating hotel into a popular dorm and conference center (College Park Hall).

Integrating Union into the fabric of the Schenectady community is a priority in our Strategic Plan. We have created immersive experiences beginning with first-year orientation to introduce students to the city. The annual Taste Walk brings students to area restaurants to sample their offerings. Student Activities sponsors

Mike Saccocio ‘84, executive director of City Mission, talks about the students from teams and Greek organizations who come to serve those in need. Will Rivas at COCOA House, a mentoring program founded by Rachel Graham Summer ’98, talks about the Union students who help youngsters aspire to a college education. (It is worth noting that Josh Kozack ’22, a senior forward on men’s hockey, received the Hockey Humanitarian Award for his work with COCOA House. See p. 15.)

Just a short walk from campus we have a major performance venue with Broadway shows (Proctors); a pedestrian mall (Jay Street) with a bookstore, coffee shops, restaurants and clothing boutiques; Mohawk Harbor with a concert venue, casino, boat rentals, shops, offices, restaurants and luxury housing. Lower State Street is bustling with shoppers, diners and theater goers.

But they do something else. They get involved and make a difference. For all the visible improve ments in Schenectady, and there are many, the city still has ample opportunities for students, faculty and staff to enjoy the rewards of working in service to others. For our students, engaging with people in the local community forces them to challenge their assumptions and develop a deeper understanding of themselves and others.

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dozens of events at area businesses, parks and farms. The Ralph and Marjorie Kenney Commu nity Center is a lively hub of community outreach where students get involved with everything from the Science and Technology Entry Program to after-school mentoring to volunteer tax prep assistance for our neighbors.

they are. If one word could describe Schenectady today, it would be “excitement.” You can read about it in this issue.

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

The College and the city are not only linked by history. We each thrive as the other succeeds. That the College and its people can play a continuing role in Schenectady’s revival makes us a stronger institution of learning.

When you come back to campus for your next visit, I hope you’ll set aside some time to enjoy the excitement of the new Schenectady. I hope you’ll also appreciate what Schenectady’s success means to Union, and vice versa.

DAVID R. HARRIS, P h .D.

To help facilitate broad and deep connections between Union and the surrounding communities, we have a dedicated staff position for community relations.Eachyear, our students, faculty and staff take advantage of all that Schenectady offers. They enjoy the best Italian, Pakistani and Caribbean food. They catch the latest movies at Bow Tie Cinema or see Broadway shows at Proctors. They get fresh vegetables and kettle corn at the Greenmarket. They indulge at our local bakeries. Our students find internships with local businesses, government and non-profits.

City and College rise together

Remembering Frank Gado

Frank was a very gifted writer. His list of publications is impressive, but his book on the Swedish film-genius called The Passion of Ingmar Bergman is probably the only major publication he has left behind. As he kept writing it for years and years, I pressed him to get it done, saying I’d help him find a good publisher. When he grudgingly agreed to accept my help, I reached out to a friend who had just become the president of Duke University Press. I told him about Frank being a perfectionist who might not deliver. “I know the type,” my friend said. After reading a chapter, he prepared a contract that Frank liked and signed. He was very happy about getting published by Duke, where he had earned his Ph.D. But the publisher’s commitment had a catch. The deadline was non-negotiable. Frank agreed, but then he tried to wiggle out of the deal. He wanted to “touch up” a chapter, or just “rephrase” a few paragraphs. At one point he asked me to talk to the publisher to get the deadline extended. After I refused, he did deliver the manuscript. I’m certainly no expert on films, but especially his psychoanalytic insights into Bergman’s life and films still strike me as remarkable.

Professor emeritus of political science, who taught at Union from 1963 to 1993 Washington, D.C.

Down—1.UnionFund;3.Gostisbe here;4.Seward;5.Thurber;6.Bakrania;9. TerraceCouncil;10.Kosack;11.Templeton;13. USSNovelty;15.Reiss;16.Schwartz;17.Minerva Across—2.Recurring;7.Jacksons;8.Ainlay;11. TheWayWeWere;12.Olin;14.SouthAmerica; 18.Scholarships;19.Sixteen;20.Arthur;21. Cycling CROSSWORD (PAGE 65) ANSWERS SUMMER 2022 | UNION COLLEGE 3

On a campus where almost all faculty members at least leaned toward the Demo crats, including myself, Frank was what used to be called a Rockefeller Republican. Respectful of traditional values in education, moderate on most domestic issues while hawkish on foreign policy, he was among the very first people I knew who was highly critical of Israel’s policy toward the Palestinians—without being critical of Jews. On the contrary, Frank, born and raised in an Italian-Catholic family, was deeply philo-Semitic. He admired and identified with the Jewish tradition of upholding the value of learning. In his last years, when we spoke by phone or communicated by email, a recurring theme was his conviction that Donald Trump, despite his Jewish son-in-law and daughter, was a rotten anti-Semite. That was one of the reasons, he told me, why he resigned his membership from the Republican Party.

LLOYD NURICK Class of Sarasota,'62FL

We met, initially, because I kept getting campus mail as Frank Gati, he as Charles Gado. That’s how our friendship started. It has lasted for 60 years. I spoke with him on the phone as late as the week before he passed away.

Frank was smart, quick-witted, and almost always critical about something or someone. Politely said, he was a perfectionist. Less politely, he could be a pain in the neck. He said what he meant openly, not behind your back. Indeed, he was the most candid colleague I have ever had. In another sense, however, he didn’t mind hurting your feelings, because he believed that his criticism was going to be helpful to you.

he 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!

LETTERS U

To Bob, and diversity

hired by Union as an instructor in 1963, Frank Gado the year before. He was in the English department, I in political science. Our offices were in different buildings.

:ANSWERS

Iwas

CHARLES GATI

Last but certainly not least, Frank was an attractive, popular teacher. Despite his reputation for being a tough grader, his classes were very well-attended. When I looked out from my office at the Social Science building to the Nott Memorial at our wonderful campus, I could often see him going somewhere with a folder or two under his arms— and invariably followed by students who wanted to talk to him. They looked up to him not only because he was a professor who said what he meant, and delivered it with élan, but also because he dared to be different in our era of conformity. (Prof. Gado is also remembered on p. 60.)

Kate White ’72

Class of 2022 TAKES CENTER STAGE AT COMMENCEMENT U AROUND

or more than half of its time on campus, the Class of 2022 weathered a global pandemic that forced students to go home for a period, take classes remotely and navigate an evershifting set of mask mandates and social distancingCOVID-19rules.upended the typical college experience students envisioned when they arrived at Union their first year. The class also witnessed other seismic events, including the Jan. 6 Capitol riots, racial injustice and the war in Ukraine.

Yet they persevered, knowing that the finish line was in reach.

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“What a crazy, tumultuous couple of years you have had, and I so admire the grace with which you have handled this horrible disruption in your lives-and the fact that you made it, you’re here today,”

Kate White ’72, the featured speaker, told theOneclass.of the first women to graduate from Union after the College began enrolling women full-time in 1970, White is a New York Times best-selling suspense novelist and former Cosmopolitan magazine editor-in-chief.

Also at Commencement, Maritza Osuna, senior lecturer of Spanish, was announced as the winner of the Stillman Prize for Faculty Excellence in Teaching. Jillmarie Murphy, the William D. Williams Professor of English and director of Gender, Sexuality and Women’s Studies, was announced as the winner of the Stillman Prize for Faculty Excellence in Research. The prizes will be officially presented at Convocation in the fall.

“The world will continue to change. To continue to achieve your full potential, you must also keep changing, in ways large and small.”

“Stars represented consistency and reliability. They were a dream to someone who dreaded the unknown as they clutched onto images of the past,” said Anderson, from Mystic, Conn., a political science major who minored in environ mental science and psychology.

look up at the night sky in whatever locations life may take us next, we can find solace in gazing upon the same stars and we can feel connected, familiar and comfortable in the places that may feel totally and completely strange.”

In his charge to the graduates, President David R. Harris leaned on two of his familiar phrases to send the class out into the world: “Under the laws of Minerva, we all become brothers and sisters,” and “Be comfortable being uncomfortable.”“Unionhasbeen a team sport,” said Harris. “You thrived, you overcame challenges and disappointments because

Following “Ode to Old Union," led by the Dutch Pipers, the Eliphalets and the Garnettes, the ceremony concluded with a performance of Natasha Bedingfield’s “Unwritten,” sung by Yalena TerreroMartinez ’24, Helen Smith ’24 and members of the Union College Choir.

An English major, White has written 16 novels, including eight psychological thrillers. She received an honorary doctorate of letters degree.

“Though not directly, they followed me

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The student speaker, Sophia Anderson ’22, shared with classmates her fascination with the stars and their impact, beginning with her first night in Richmond Hall 309.

The celebration opened with remarks from the College marshal, Kathleen LoGiudice, professor of biology. Robert Bertagna ’85, chair of the College’s Board of Trustees, offered welcoming remarks.

The College also awarded an honorary doctorate of science degree to Robin Queen, the Kevin P. Granata Faculty Fellow and a professor of biomedical engineering and mechanics at Virginia Polytechnic University. She was nominated by Jennifer Currey, associate professor of electrical, computer and biomedical engineering, and interim director of the Templeton Institute for Engineering and Computer Science, and Amy Loya ’14, visiting assistant professor of biomedical engineering.

“Whenawaits.we

As the Class of 2022 prepared to leave Union, Anderson said their time together prepared them not to fear the unknown that

of your Union brothers and sisters. Look around and you will see them and know how they lifted you up and helped you become more than you sometimes thought possible. Remember that life after Union is also a team sport. Keep and cultivate friendships, seek to understand those who have walked paths that are unfamiliar to you, and lift others up, especially when it would be easy to tear them down.

Sophia Anderson '22

Four members of the Class of 2022 received special recognition. Co-valedic torians are Emma Houston, a psychology major with a minor in studio fine arts from Louisville, Colo.; Christos Kakogiannis, a physics major from Thessaloniki, Greece; and Colin Pennock, an electrical engi neering major from Whitefield, Maine. Salutatorian is Dereck Wang, a biology and economics interdepartmental major in the Leadership in Medicine program, with a minor in Chinese. He is from West Windsor, N.Z.

throughout my time at Union, and have served as important lessons for how I have come to understand the unknown as well as interact with change.”

move to add the two new majors has been in the works for nearly four years. It aligns with a key goal of the College’s latest strategic plan, which aims for Union to “strengthen its vibrant community of learners, scholars and teachers, so that we can more fully blend the liberal arts and engineering, transcend disciplinary boundaries, bridge classroom and immersive experiences, and engage and embrace diverse experiences and perspectives.”

The introduction of the new majors followed the launch of a comprehensive initiative designed to strengthen the College’s engineering and computer science offerings. An ad hoc committee of faculty, administrators and alumni determined that restoring civil engineering as a major and adding environmental engineer ing would attract more top students to Union, particularly women interested in those fields.

U AROUND

One of the oldest and most popular engineering fields, civil engineering involves designing and creating roads, bridges, water systems, buildings and other constructions.

The College will register the majors with the New York State Department of Educa tion and begin a national search for a chair person for a new Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering.

Currently, students can choose among four majors in engi neering: biomedical, computer, electrical and mechanical.

nion will launch two new majors, in civil and environmental engineering, after the faculty recently voted to approve the plan.

CIVIL ENGINEERING returns ; College also adds ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING major

“The addition of these two majors will provide more opportunities for students to address one of humanity’s grand challenges, the environ ment and sustainability in our cities communities.”and

“This marks a pivotal step forward in our Engineering and Computer Science Initiative, through which we are strengthening our offerings and growing the ways in which we are integrating these fields and the liberal arts,” said Michele Angrist, the Stephen

J. and Diane K. Ciesinski Dean of the Faculty and Vice President for Academic Affairs.

The offerings will be available to students who matriculate in fall 2023. They would be the first new majors created by the College since Chinese was elevated from a minor in 2012.The

The push to add the two majors also corresponds with the recent creation of the Templeton Institute for Engineering and Computer Science. The institute aims to develop innovative coursework and cocurricular programming that integrates engineering and computer science with the liberal arts. It also will offer students highimpact experiential opportunities and recruit and retain a diverse student body in theseThefields.institute, supported by a historic gift in 2020 of $51 million from 1980 graduates Rich and Mary Templeton, will transform engineering and the liberal arts at Union.

– Jennifer Currey, interim director of the Templeton Institute and chair of the civil and environmental engineering working group

Restoring civil engineering as a major may also appeal to alumni who were disap pointed by the College’s decision in 2001 to eliminate the Civil Engineering Department to focus on Converging Technologies. This included bioengineering, nanotechnology, mechatronics and intelligent systems and pervasive computing.

UNION COLLEGE | SUMMER 20226

In addition to the institute, 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“Thefacilities.addition of these two majors will provide more opportuni ties for students to address one of humanity’s grand challenges, the environment and sustainability in our cities and communities,” said Jennifer Currey, interim director of the Templeton Institute and chair of the civil and environmental engineering working group.Asthe first liberal arts college to offer engineering in 1845, Union holds a distinctive place in higher education. Since 2008, the College has hosted an annual symposium on integrating a liberal education with engineering that attracts leaders from top schools and companies from across the country.

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UNION COLLEGE | SUMMER 20228

32nd annual Steinmetz Symposium U AROUND

Members of the Bhangra Union dance club perform in the 2022 Lothridge Festival of Dance at the Steinmetz Symposium

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A number of presentations touched on familiar themes including race, power and privilege; risking failure to succeed; and COVID.Inthe

li Khan ’22 began work on a project last summer to help visually impaired people cross the road.

U AROUND

social sciences, sciences and engineering.

On May 13, Khan shared his research in a classroom of the Integrated Science and Engineering Complex.

Khan helped develop an iOS applica tion that alerts the user through vibra tional notification when they are ap proaching a crosswalk. Using the phone's built-in camera and an off-line imageprocessing model, the app also lets the user know through audio when it is safe to cross by detecting traffic lights.

The day wrapped up with a concert featuring the Union College Jazz Ensemble, led by Professor Tim Olsen, in Emerson Auditorium.TheSteinmetz Symposium is named for Charles Proteus Steinmetz (1865-1923), who taught electrical engineering and applied physics at Union. Also chief consulting engineer for the General Electric Company, he was widely regarded as America’s leading electrical engineer.

Steinmetz Symposium celebrates scholarly & artistic pursuits

It marked the first time since 2019 that the event was held in-person after the pandemic forced the affair to go virtual the past two years.

32nd annual Steinmetz Symposium

The all-day event featured a diverse lineup of oral presentations, poster sessions and exhibits highlighting student research as well as dance and musical performances, an art exhibit and other activities.

afternoon, 62 students performed on a stage constructed at the Viniar Athletic Center in the annual Lothridge Festival of Dance. The nearly hour-long show included an array of dance styles featuring choreographies from the Winter Dance Concert by Dance Program Director Miryam Moutillet and Assistant Director of Dance Laurie Zabele Cawley. Student choreographers included Adenike Hickson ’22, Mary Melo ’22, Michela Michielli ’22, Dharshini Suresh ’22 and Zoe Watson ’23.

In addition, the African Dance, Bhangra Union and Hip-Hop clubs, and the Union College Dance Team, performed.

“It was fun. I had been looking forward to it,” said Khan, a computer engineering major with a minor in mathematics from Queens, N.Y. President of Union’s Robotics Club, Khan started a job as a software engineer

Following tradition, classes were canceled for the day to allow faculty, staff, students and visiting parents to sample projects in all fields—the arts, humanities,

After the performance, the Theater and Dance Department presented the Edward Villella Fellowship for dance to Zoe Watson ’22. She is pursuing classical dance at the Boston Ballet.

The Steinmetz Symposium Student Art Exhibition filled the Crowell and West galleries in the Feigenbaum Center for Visual Arts with 137 works by 79 students from a wide variety of majors and all class years. Mediums included digital art, drawing, painting, photography, printmaking and sculpture.

Khan was among hundreds of students, faculty and parents who fanned out across campus to celebrate under graduate research and creativity as part of the 32nd annual Steinmetz Symposium.

UNION COLLEGE | SUMMER 202210

with JPMorgan Chase after he graduated.

Lastconsumption.spring,shewas named a Udall Scholar and was awarded a prestigious Thomas J. Watson Fellowship (see p. 16).

“Through her leadership and example, this student has empowered others on campus and far beyond to work for positive change,” Harris said.

In addition to the Daggett, Paul received five other awards at Prize Day.

The ceremony featured musical performances from the Japanese Drumming and Global Fusion, the African Dance Club and Diane McMullen, professor of music and College organist.

“This student is a model of character and conduct,” Harris said. “She is an accomplished scholar and an activist who has worked tirelessly to make the campus moreCostello,inclusive.”amechanical engineering

Unglid Paul ’22 and Bethany Costello ’22 win top honors at Prize Day

In addition to the Bailey, Costello received three other awards.

The first Prize Day was held on May 18, 1932, to complement the annual Block U Dinner for athletic achievement. The new event honored 20 seniors for their intellectual accomplishments.

In recognizing Paul, Harris noted that her greatest contributions to Union have brought focus to issues of equity and equality.Shewas a leader in the Office of Intercultural Affairs, where she served as a student facilitator and led various dialoguebased programs. She founded Spill the Tea, which is dedicated to creating a brave space for students, staff and faculty to

A passionate advocate for the environ ment, Costello was co-chair of U-Sustain and vice president of sustainability for

major with a minor in energy studies and a Seward Organizing Theme minor in urban climate change mitigation, received the Frank Bailey (1885) Prize. It is awarded annually to the senior who has rendered the greatest service to the College in any field.

President David R. Harris presented the top two awards to Unglid Paul ’22 and Bethany Costello ’22.

share different perspectives related to diversity, equity and inclusion. She was also a leader of the Gospel Choir.

A total of 112 prizes were awarded as the event returned to an in-person format. Prize Day coincided with Steinmetz Symposium May 13.

Student Forum and a member of the Sustainability Committee. She was also a winner of a $25,000 Green Fee, which she used to have eight new water bottle-filling stations installed across campus to help reduce single-use plastic bottle

She was also awarded a prestigious Thomas J. Watson Fellowship, which gives her the opportunity to spend the next year traveling to cities across Europe and Asia to volunteer with grassroots and policyoriented organizations that are working on environmental issues.

Costello was also co-organizer of Student Efforts to Advance Sustainability NY, a conference that brought together more than 140 students from 32 cam puses across the state.

inety years after Union celebrated its first Prize Day, members of the campus community gathered in Memorial Chapel May 14 to honor students for achievement in academics, leadership and community service.

Bethany Costello ’22 won the Frank Bailey (1885) Prize

Unglid Paul ’22 won the Josephine Daggett Prize

A Posse Scholar majoring in English with a double minor in French and black feminist theory, Paul received the Josephine Daggett Prize, presented annually to a senior for conduct and character.

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As a recipient of a Fund for Education Abroad scholarship, she lived and studied in Senegal. While there, she was a volunteer intern with the Association des Juristes Sénégalaises, a pro bono female lawyers’ organization that protects and supports children and low-income women victims of domestic violence.

Other presenters at Prize Day included Michele Angrist, the Stephen J. and Diane K. Ciesinski Dean of Faculty and vice president for Academic Affairs; Fran’Cee Brown-McClure, vice president for Student Affairs and Dean of Students; Lynn Evans, class dean for Class of 2022; and Michelle Osborn, interim dean of studies.

We look forward to hosting Homecoming & Family Weekend (Sept. 30 – Oct. 2, 2022) and ReUnion (May 19 -21, 2023).

• Celebrate U

The Class of 1972 had the most active ReUnion volunteers, with 59 classmates participating in ReUnion activities. Together, they raised $1,662,364 for the College in honor of their 50th ReUnion.

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Highlights of the weekend celebration included:•Connecting 50 Years of Union Women: Alumnae Panel & Reception

ReUnion returns to campus

• 50th Medallion Ceremony

ore than 1,000 alumni returned to campus in May for the first in-person ReUnion since 2019.

• Kevin Harkenrider ’77 has generously supported Union College for 45 consecutive years. He is a member of the Terrace Council and has been an active class agent for 20 years. Also active with the San Diego Alumni Club, he established the Gil Harlow Grounds Fund. He is executive vice president and chief operating officer at Viasat Inc.

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ALUMNI GOLD MEDALS WERE AWARDED TO:

• Betsy Modest Brand ’82 has served as an alumni trustee since 2015 and is a longtime member of the Terrace Council. She supports the Becker Career Center’s “Speaking Fearlessly” public speaking program, and has served as an expert panelist in market ing and speaking for the Office of Alumni & Parent Engagement and the career center. She is CEO and president of Brandmark Studios.

• Douglass Karp ’97 was named a life trustee in 2019. Together with his family, he has renovated the humanities building into Karp Hall, supported the Karp Family Posse Scholarship and served on the Powering Union Campaign Steering Committee. Also a generous supporter of the Integrated Science and Engineering Complex, he leads New England Development.

Board of Trustees welcomes new members

Kenya LeNoir Messer ’90 was elected term trustee. She is president and CEO of the Louisiana Association of Indepen dent Colleges and Universities in Baton Rouge. A published author, researcher and lecturer on issues affecting student success, access and retention in college, Kenya is a fellow of the American Academic Leadership Institute. She has been recognized by many organizations, including the U.S. Office of Minority Health. At Union, Kenya was vice president for the African and Latino Alliance of Students and a member of the Delphic Honor Society. Today, she serves as Terrace Council co-chair and is on the Campaign Steering Committee.

he Union College Board of Trustees recently elected three new members, announced Robert Bertagna ’85, chair of the board. They are Paul D. Ginsberg ’84, Kenya LeNoir Messer ’90 and Emily Stein ’24. John Johnson ’85 was also re-elected alumni

Additionally, Kate Barry ’01 and Bill Perlstein ’71 will serve as secretary and general counsel, respectively, while Julie Greifer Swidler ’79 will serve as the first female vice chair of the board.

U AROUND

Emily Stein ’24 was elected student trustee. A biochemistry major from Worcester, Mass., who is also minoring in psychol ogy, she is a Posse Scholar and active student leader. Emily is dedicated to increasing diversity on campus, goes out of her way to help friends and peers, and was secretary/treasurer for her class during her first year. Now, she serves as class president and as a residence advisor in Davidson and Webster House. Emily loves being outdoors and making a difference in people’s lives.

“Ontrustee.behalf of the board, it is my pleasure to welcome Paul, Kenya and Emily,” Bertagna said. “Dedicated to supporting Union, they are excited to use their time and talents to advance the College’s mission. I look forward to introducing them at our fall meeting.”

MEET THE TRUSTEES:

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John Johnson ’85 was re-elected alumni trustee. He is senior director of sales and marketing for Arizona Beverages Snack Food Division. Previously, he was senior director of client develop ment with Acosta Sales & Marketing. A four-year starter on the Union football team, John won several ECAC player of the week honors, including the Ralph H. Rue MVP Award. He also lettered in track and field, and was a founding member of Union’s Pi Pi chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. He is the parent of John K. Johnson II ’10.

Paul D. Ginsberg ’84 was elected term trustee. He is president of Roark Capital Group, an Atlantabased private equity firm. Prior to joining Roark, he was a partner at the international law firm Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP. Paul is a member of the advisory council for the Union Financial Network. As a student, he was a member of Phi Beta Kappa and Pi Sigma Alpha. Paul also received the Oswald Heck—Irwin Steingut Prize, the Charles A. Dana Foundation Scholarship and the Stanley R. Becker Scholarship.

He is the 27th winner of the award, which is presented annually to college hockey’s finest citizen—one who makes significant contributions not only to his or her team, but also to the community-atlarge through leadership in volunteerism.

As director, Donovan oversees campus master planning, new campus construction, renovations, physical space improvement projects, building services and maintenance, as well as grounds and landscaping services. Facilities is responsible for all building projects and repairs, heating and cooling maintenance, utilities, custodial and cleaning activities, summer programs and event management. The department also takes a lead role in environmental sustainability efforts, among other services.

“Union College has meant so much to me,” Donovan said. “I am humbled by this opportunity and excited to work on our spectacular facilities and continued evolution of the campus. The facilities team is full of dedicated, dynamic and talented professionals. I am so excited to be a part of this team and lead the department into the future.”

He supervises a staff of 100.

“I’m extremely honored to be this year’s recipient,” Kosack said. “I want to thank my Union College family and the Schenectady community for all the support they have given me in growing Kozi’s Kids and helping me to make a difference at the COCOA House.”

Kosack’s nomination marked the 10th time that a Union student-athlete was nominated for the prestigious award. He joins two-time nominee Sebastien Gingras ’16, finalist Jeff Wilson ’02, Stephane Boileau ’11, Olivier Bouchard ’07, Cole Ikkala ’14, Ashley Johnston ’14 and Jamie Laubisch ’05.

“We are very excited to promote Marc

Donovan joined Facilities Services in 2013 as assistant director before being promoted to associate director.

Alum named director of Facilities and Campus Development

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academic enrichment and sustainable life skills for inner-city youth in Schenectady.

arc Donovan ’05 has been promoted to director of Facilities and Campus Development following a national search. He succeeds Loren Rucinski, who retired in December after 35 years at the College.

from associate director to director after many years of loyal, dedicated service,” said Scott Jones, vice president for Administra tion and Finance. “As Union embarks on an ambitious plan to improve the campus environment, we believe Marc is the right person to lead our Facilities team to achieve its highest levels, whether new construction, building management or environmental sustainability. Our shared goal is to use the physical spaces to support students, faculty and staff in the creation and dissemination of knowledge, as well as offer opportunities for growth and development.”

Josh Kosack ’22 wins Hockey Humanitarian Award

interactions during the 2020-21 season, Kosack raised more than $5,000 to purchase laptops and online learning equipment for COCOA House, as well as Christmas presents for members of the community. With growing momentum for his cause, this year Kosack raised nearly $50,000, some of which will go toward a lounge area in COCOA House’s new team empowerment center.

Kosack also spent time at the house weekly, in addition to hosting kids at home hockey games, providing support with homework and participating in activities.

When the pandemic limited in-person

His Kozi’s Kids initiative began as a way to introduce kids from COCOA (Children of our Community Open to Achievement) House to hockey and life as a collegiate student-athlete. COCOA House provides a safe after-school environment to foster

“The Kozi’s Kids program is an inspiring testament to Josh's initiative, leadership and commitment to help children in need,” said Matt Patrick, executive director of the Hockey Humanitarian Award Foundation.

osh Kosack ’22, a senior forward on the men’s hockey team, is the 2022 recipient of the Hockey Humanitarian Award.

“Last summer, I began working with Professor David Gillikin and Professor Donald Rodbell to reconstruct paleoclimate records in the tropics,” Stoltenberg said. “The goal of this research is to identify major climate events in Earth’s history and compare them to the changes in our climate happening currently. This can help clarify the extent of warming that has been caused by humans, and also inform how the Earth might respond to anthropogenic climate change over the next millions of years.”

She will continue this project for her senior thesis next fall. This summer, she conducted research in forest ecology and tree hydrology at the University of Göttingen in Germany.

Swanson plans to obtain a Ph.D. in environmental engineering and conduct research in the field of hydrology.

Swanson is an environmental science major with a minor in data analytics. From Manlius, N.Y., she is a member of Union College Community Orchestra, Sigma Xi Scientific Research Society, CNY Association of Professional Geolo gists, Greek Life and Order of Omega.

Bethany Costello ’22 wins Watson Fellowship

’23 and Christine Swanson ’23 were chosen from 417 college students from across the United States. Each will receive up to $7,500 to cover tuition, fees, books and room and board.

he honors continue to pile up for Bethany Costello ’22. Costello is the latest student from Union to be awarded a prestigious Thomas J. Watson Fellowship to spend the next year pursuing her passion.

A passionate advocate for the environment, Costello plans to travel to cities across Europe and Asia to volunteer with grassroots and policy-oriented organizations working on environmental issues.

To lower her carbon footprint and to appreciate the distance and time spent in between each location, Costello plans to avoid air travel throughout her project. Instead, she will rely on ships, trains, buses and other modes of transportation.

Two students win Goldwater Scholarships

“My research interests are in hydrology and data analytics. I am working on a few projects related to both groundwater and surface water quantity and quality issues,” she said. “My most recent research project is focused on examining hydrologic factors controlling turbidity in streams.”

“I plan to obtain a Ph.D. in ecology. I want to continue on a research-focused path, because it allows for creativity and intellectual enrichment. I’ve always loved being a student, and I see myself as a lifelong learner,” Stoltenberg said. “I want whatever research I do to be easily accessible to the public and also inform policy makers, so that hopefully I can make a difference in the world.”

The children of Thomas J. Watson, Sr., the founder of IBM, and his wife, Jeanette, established the program in 1968 to honor their parents’ longstanding interest in education and world affairs. Since the program’s inception, 65 Union students have been awarded fellowships.

At Prize Day in early May, Costello received the Frank Bailey Prize for outstanding service to the College.

She is among 42 students selected after nominations from private liberal arts colleges and universities in the United States. The fellowship offers a one-year grant to seniors “of unusual promise” to study independently outside the U.S. The stipend for individual award winners is $36,000.

“Learning from such a wide range of environmental educators and advocates will give me new perspectives on urban sustain ability and help me become a more effective leader, which I will carry forward into my future work on mitigating climate change,” Costello said.

U AROUND

Costello is co-chair of U-Sustain and vice president of sustainability for Student Forum and a member of the Sustainability Committee. Last spring, she was named an Udall Scholar. Winners, who receive a $7,000 scholarship, are chosen in part for their commitment to careers in the environment, Tribal public policy, or Native health care.

UNION COLLEGE | SUMMER 202216

Stoltenberg, an environmental science major from Racine, Wis., serves as Student Forum Vice President of Sustainability. She is a former U-Sustain co-chair, current Green Team coordinator and co-founder of the Ornithology Club.

wo students were honored with Goldwater Scholar ships, the premiere undergraduate award for students pursuing careers in mathematics, natural sciences and engineering.HaileyStoltenberg

In announcing the winner, one of the four judges, Thomas

“All of the ideas were really interesting,” said Coleman, co-founder and co-president of Kensico Capital Management Corporation and a member of the College’s Board of Trustees. “Some of them are tougher to execute commercially, especially on the scale that you started and the talent levels you have relative to the objective. But keep going.”

n September 2020, twin brothers Sean and Justin Regis ’23 began working on an app that would help personal shoppers who shop for others on platforms such as Instacart and Shipt complete their lists more efficiently.

Seven teams of students got three minutes each to pitch their ideas to a panel of alumni judges in the Reamer Campus Center auditorium. The students then took questions from the judges.

Quicshop as the winner, Coleman said the judges felt it had a realistic market need and that the students had done solid work in identifying deficiencies in the market and how to address those. He also noted that they have already lined up a retailer near their hometown of Cedar Grove, N.J., to test their idea.

Other judges included Catharine Potvin ’97, founder and CEO of Stragility LLC; Michael Esposito ’72, a strategic advisor; and Tony Versaci ’91, managing director of Black Diamond Capital Management.Inselecting

The twins both play guard on the men’s basketball team. Many of their teammates came out to support them during the pitch competition.Seansaid they would use $3,000 of the prize money for marketing, $7,000 for map integration and scaling and $5,000 for coding costs.

The economics majors took a significant step toward bringing Quicshop to market May 12 as winners of Union’s latest version of a pitch competition. The top prize includes $15,000 in startup capital. The prize money is a gift from an anonymous donor.

“We thought we had a good idea,” Justin said. “We are glad the judges thought so as well.”

Relying on indoor mapping technology and wayfinding (blue-line navigation similar to Google Maps GPS), the app would allow a shopper paying a subscription of $2.99 to choose a store, make a list and then navigate the store.

Siblings win entrepreneurship competition

“You have the full package,” Coleman said. “You can actually have a product up and running by the end of the summer.”

They spent the final days leading up to the competition on their pitch decks. These slide presentations—which provide a short summary of a company, the business plan and the startup vision—are critical to attract potential investors.

Flash, a one-click ecommerce app, was runner-up. Founders Luodi Wang, Aaron Carretero and Haba Kiza, all members of the Class of 2025, collected $2,500 in startup capital.

Coleman ’88, provided constructive feedback to the students.

“I’m very excited for this opportunity and happy to have my best friend on my side,” he said, nodding to his brother.

The group heard from accomplished alumni and outside experts about basic business principles, including market sizing, corporate and tax structures and fundraising.

SUMMER 2022 | UNION COLLEGE 17

The students were among the inaugural class of SparkLab, a six-week entrepreneurial initiative created by Roger Woolsey, executive director of the Becker Career Center.

With a focus on community engage ment, intercultural understanding and social entrepreneurship, the Minerva Fellowship offers graduates the opportu nity to partner with international organiza tions that tackle a range of issues, such as poverty alleviation, climate change, and access to healthcare and education. Fellows support the efforts of organiza tions in ways that are meaningful and meet the needs of the communities they serve.

Jillian Goldaber ’22 - The Global Child in Siem Reap, Cambodia

Students, faculty, staff and friends enjoyed Pride Fest on a beautiful Saturday in May. This annual festival celebrates the diversity of sexual orientation, identities and gender expressions.

hree people were chosen to represent the College’s Minerva Fellows program. Two are graduat ing seniors and the third is a member of the Class of 2021, who deferred her fellowship previously.

U AROUND UNION COLLEGE | SUMMER 202218

THIS YEAR’S FELLOWS ARE:

Anna Trancozo ’22 - The Global Child in Siem Reap, Cambodia

Abigail Stack ’21 - Urban Light in Chiang Mai, Thailand

Meet the Minerva Fellows

Lacrosse teams enjoy historic seasons

SUMMER 2022 | UNION COLLEGE 19

n its first year as a formal organization, Union’s club lacrosse team blitzed through the season without a loss, culminating in a national championship in May. The team defeated Marist, 15-9, in the title game at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md., to cap a 12-0 season.

“It feels amazing to win it all in our first year,” said Devon Halliday ’22, co-presi dent of the team and a managerial economics major from Bethlehem, N.Y. “I am extremely proud of the way we worked as a team. There is so much that goes into a club sport behind the scenes, but I think I speak for all of the club lacrosse leadership when I say that winning this weekend made it all worth it.”

Speaking with the Daily Gazette newspaper, midfielder Kieran McGovern ’21 said, “it’s something we’re very proud of … this whole experience is something we’re going to remember for the rest of our lives. Things didn’t bounce our way [in the championship], but I’m still very proud of this team, and I’ll be proud until the day I die, of this season.”

he men’s lacrosse team played the greatest season in Union lacrosse history, before bowing in the NCAA championship to RIT (12-10) May 29. The team set a program record with 18 victories and won the NCAA quarterfinal and semifinal for the first time ever.

20 LATELY?SEENYOUHAVE Members of the Union community UNION COLLEGE | SUMMER 2022

21 have helped build a new city that is wowing students and alumni alike PHOTO COURTESY OF METROPLEX N .Y . S CHEN E C AUG.TADY 2022 SUMMER 2022 | UNION COLLEGE

By the time she was a young adult, the collapse of the American Locomotive Company and the continued downsizing of General Electric had left the city with a population loss of 30,000. With it came

Proctors, hit Maycock hard. “It really bothered me,” she said.

On her recent visits to Schenectady, she is delighted to see a new and vibrant downtown anchored by arts and culture (Proctors Theater) and lively retail, a re-developed industrial site (the former

Mohawk Harbor and Rivers Casino

UNION COLLEGE | SUMMER 202222

a kid growing up in Niskayuna, Susan Maycock ’72 took the bus from her home on Morgan Avenue to downtown Schenectady, where she shopped at the Carl Co., ordered a western egg sandwich at Peggy’s and watched films at Proctors.

A CITY REBORN

PHOTO BY CHRIS MILIAN, COURTESY OF GALESI GROUP

“Schenectady and the whole tri-city area is a thriving place to live. It seems like it would be a nice place to live,” she said. “I don’t know that I would have said that as a kid who graduated and wanted to move on. I’m well aware of how bad Schenectady was for a long time.”

I really like the story of how it was reborn,” she said.

The College is intertwined with its local community, perhaps more so than institutions in rural areas. President David R. Harris appreciates the value of the college-city connection. He is secretary of the Capital Region Chamber of

ALCO) that holds Mohawk Harbor and the Rivers Casino; and renewed streetscapes and“Today,parks.

Susan Maycock ’72

N .Y . S

Known familiarly as “Roger and Neil,” the pair met almost daily at the President’s CHENAUG.TADY

Roger Hull, left, and Neil Golub at the announcement of Schenectady 2000 (Daily Gazette photo)

ROGER AND NEIL

Hull stood his ground. Schenectady needed help.

REBORN

If a college president and a president of a supermarket chain had one thing in common it was the knowledge that their organizations were tied to the fortunes of their home city.

Commerce. He served on Schenectady’s Downtown Revitalization Initiative, supported by a $10 million grant to the city. He meets monthly with the mayor to discuss issues of shared interest. Harris led the development of the College’s 2019 Strategic Plan, which prioritized integra tion with the community and the creation of a position devoted to community relations.“TheCollege and the city are linked by more than history,” said Harris. “We have a shared interest in one another’s success.”

E C

Hull had begun his message wondering “whether anyone takes the time to read thisHiscolumn.”question was answered. Loudly. What followed was a firestorm of criticism in the form of editorials and letters to the editor.

Hull found an ally in Neil Golub, philanthropist and CEO of Golub Corp. and Price Chopper Supermarkets. Golub’s father, Bill, a 1926 Union graduate, had long sought solutions to his native city’s troubles. Before he passed away in 1992, Bill introduced Hull to his son and pledged $1 million to start a recovery.

President Roger Hull acknowledged, “Approaches [to Union through Schenect ady] are so depressing that the College has a defined route for all visitors ...”

In the same column, he announced the formation of Schenectady 2000, a volunteer organization he helped launch that would focus on combatting urban blight and lifting morale.

Buried halfway through his message in the July 1993 issue of this magazine, former

THE ROUTE TO UNION’S GATE

2022 SUMMER 2022 | UNION COLLEGE 23

But first, Union needed help. It had a 4 percent budget hole, a shortfall of 165 enrolled students, 150 empty beds and lost revenue from 63 students going on other college’s terms abroad programs, Hull recalls. Add to that an infrastructure challenge illustrated by a crumbling centerpiece, the Nott Memorial.

Schenectady 2000 was focused on cultivating volunteers to clean and replant streetscapes and parks, paint rusted railroad overpasses and remove graffiti. It also aimed to change attitudes about the possibility for a brighter future. The

Hull’s ambitions as a self-described “education turnaround guy” were clear when he was hired in 1990. His resume included membership in a familiar sounding organization: Beloit 2000, an effort aimed at turning around the rust-belt Wisconsin city where he had been president of Beloit College.

College hosted gala fundraisers and provided an army of volunteer students each fall during orientation, a tradition that continues as John Calvin Toll Day.

As it does today, Union had a ready corps of students eager to take on community service projects. Jeff Gower ’92 started a College-based chapter of Habitat for Humanity that revitalized homes in Hamilton Hill, an effort for which he was named a Point of Light by President George H.W. Bush. In 1996, Rachel Graham ’98 started COCOA House, an afterschool enrich ment program that continues to draw scores of Union students as mentors.

House, often with other city leaders and volunteers. By the time they had the first public meeting of Schenectady 2000 in 1994, they had hosted 83 private presen tations with 3,400 attendees, had 30 com mittees and 800 volunteers, according to Bill Patrick, author of Metrofix

See story p. 15.)

UNION COLLEGE | SUMMER 202224

Golub became a trustee of the College and a supporter of a number of initiatives, perhaps most visibly one of the Minerva Houses named for his parents. Hull and Golub remain close friends. Each is eager to ensure that the other is recognized for his contributions to the city and the College.

AS IT DOES TODAY, UNION HAD A READY CORPS OF STUDENTS EAGER TO TAKE ON COMMUNITY SERVICE PROJECTS.

Rachel Graham Summer ’98 founded C.O.C.O.A. House in 1996 at Grace Temple Church of God and Christ, where her father, Marvin, was pastor. Begun as an after-school academic enrichment program on Hamilton Hill, it has thrived “beyond my wildest dreams” to become a popular mentoring program with work shops on entrepreneurship and financial literacy, she said. Summer, who lives outside of Austin, Texas, is a leader in Tinkergarten, which offers an outdoor play-based curriculum for children and parents. Having served in an informal advisory role since graduating, she recently joined the board of C.O.C.O.A. House. (Josh Kozack '22, a senior forward on men's hockey, received the Hockey Humanitarian Award for his work with COCOA House.

N .Y . S CHEN E C AUG.TADY 2022

The authority has invested $215 million and leveraged over $2 billion in down town projects, according to Jayme Lahut ’83, executive director of Metroplex. There are four hotels within walking distance of campus, 1.5 million square feet of new office space, and new luxury housing throughout downtown.

After several years and an improving outlook on campus, Hull turned his attention to the city.

With the creation of Metroplex, Hull turned his attention to the neighborhood west of

At Metroplex: David Hogenkamp ’06 and Jayme Lahut

thetheCorp.forindustrialliabilityserviceCenter,Place,atlightedAasformerEventually,alongInitiative,Throughcampus.theUnion-SchenectadytheCollegepurchasedhomesSewardPlaceandHuronStreet.theCollegealsopurchasedtheRamadaInnonlowerNottStreetaresidencehallandconferencecenter.fieldtothesouthwouldbecomeasoccerfield.TheformerAlpsGrill,thecornerofNottStreetandParkbecametheKenneyCommunityhometoUnion’scommunityprograms.TheCollegenegotiatedacaponforcontaminationontheformersites,whichhelpedpavethewaythelaterconstructionoftheGolubheadquartersonlowerNott,andMohawkHarborandRiversCasinoonformerALCOsite.

The Union-Schenectady Initiative focused on bringing back the College Park neigh borhood

Schenectady 2000 was about chang ing attitudes. But major progress would require major money. In 1998, state and county legislators approved Metroplex, a public authority funded by a ½ percent increase in county sales tax.

When Lahut joined Metroplex in 1999, Schenectady had an 80 percent vacancy in commercial and retail spaces and virtually no new housing. “I remember driving around and thinking, ‘Someone should turn out the lights when they leave,’” he said.

SUMMER 2022 | UNION COLLEGE 25

METROPLEX

While the proposal to form Metroplex was controversial, the results are clear.

But the Troy native who went on to a master’s in public policy from the University of Chicago knew the former industrial city had potential.

’83

ONE-STOP DEVELOPMENTECONOMIC

The strength of Metroplex, he said, is that it avoided trying to find “one big solution”—a convention center, movie theater or transportation building—and instead first focused on expanding Proctors Theater and the downtown as a center of arts and culture.

Bradley Lewis, a professor of economics at Union and a member of the Metroplex board,“[Metroplex]agrees. has become a one-stop economic development team/institution where there were about 30 separate such entities before,” he said.

“Working with a very wide group of stakeholders, we have a unified develop ment team that is professional and very effective,” Lewis said. “Schenectady City and County have indeed had a remarkable renaissance, with a much more balanced economy. I’m proud and grateful to be a part of Lewisit.”has used his experience to develop a course, Urban Redevelopment (Economics 231), that he regularly teaches at Union.

Professor Bradley Lewis

UNION COLLEGE | SUMMER 202226

“In Schenectady, the issue is not really just that we have the money,” Lahut said. “We have streamlined the process with the planning commission [and other bodies] so getting from approval to groundbreak ing to operation is a streamlined process.”

Each school year, dozens of Union students—through the Kenney Commu nity Center—are volunteering in a range of programs—serving meals, offering childhood enrichment and sorting clothes.

President David R. Harris called the book “a case study in urban revitalization that could be a blueprint for the reinvention of any post-industrial American town.

Mike Saccocio ’84, is the executive director of City Mission, a faith-based organization offering housing, food, clothing and life skills to those in need.

Schenectady’s rebirth is chronicled in a book, Metrofix: The Combative Comeback of a Company Town by William B. Patrick.

Mike Saccocio ’84, executive director of City Mission

N .Y . S CHEN E C AUG.TADY 2022 SUMMER 2022 | UNION COLLEGE 27

Lewis also advised Hogenkamp’s senior thesis, which considered the impact of the arts on urban redevelopment strategies. After a stint in financial services, he earned a master’s in regional planning from the University at Albany.

As an intern for Metroplex, Hogenkamp researched the impact of anchor stores in redeveloping a riverfront, a concept used for Mohawk Harbor.

“The city wouldn’t be the same without the College,” Patrick said when he spoke at Founders Day in February. “And Union College is lucky to have a revitalized and improving Schenectady. If one thrives, so does the Introducingother.”Patrick at Founders Day,

THE UNION CONNECTIONVOLUNTEER

Add to that the many Union teams and organizations who take on projects.

and working with a whole new generation of students.”

As a student, Saccocio was a member of Theta Delta Chi fraternity. Today, members of his fraternity are involved in two projects: picking up groceries from local markets for the Mission’s Dining Center, and growing lettuce at the Mission’s indoor farm for their salad bar.

“We love the connection with Union,” he said. “It’s really special this many years later to be renewing those connections

One of Lewis’ former students is David Hogenkamp ’06, executive director of Schenectady’s Land Bank and project director at Metroplex. The Land Bank has invested over $9 million to restore neighborhoods by revitalizing vacant and abandoned buildings to create highquality housing and homeownership opportunities.Hogenkamp credits Lewis with refining his interest in economic development. “Brad introduced me to Metroplex and our chairman, Ray Gillen, in 2005, and I became an intern through the class taught by Hal Fried.”

Schenectady's comeback story

“Here’s something I say time and again whenever I’m interacting with the students at Union,” Saccocio said. ‘Who are these young people?’ I certainly never consid ered this when I was in college.

“We can be proud of the many members of the Union community who have played a part in Schenectady’s rebirth,” Harris said.

FROM INTERN TO LEADER

Gordon “Gordie” Ellmers ’71 D.V.M. Edward,

Nadia was a primary care physician in underserved neighborhoods in Brooklyn and East Harlem prior to joining Wood River Health Services, where she focuses her practice on “providing health care to a varied population, including those with the least access to health care services.”

Through his consultancy, Kyrie helps prepare law enforcement candidates for the demands of police work and serving the communities they police. He also works with schools to help young men of color anticipate the issues they will face when encountering police and, worstcase scenario, if they enter the criminal justice system.

“I really liked studying at Union. There were so many intelligent and nice people around me—the faculty, the staff, the students. Fred Levy ’72 was my roommate more than 50 years ago, and we still keep in touch ... I make it a point to give to Union, because Union gave a lot to me. Union prepared me to do pretty much whatever I wanted to do!”

’90 M.D. Warwick, R.I. MAJOR: Biology NOW: ServicesHealthWoodPhysician,FamilyRiver Kyrie York ’03 Dallas, Texas MAJOR: EconomicsIndustrial NOW: LLCConsulting,RileyKristopherCEO, UNION COLLEGE | SUMMER 202228

“I had to learn how to develop relation ships in addition to learning about the culture of college and the East Coast. Overall, my time at Union helped with building my communication, leadership, and project and time management skills. Most importantly, so many people who did not look like me were always willing to provide a helping hand. This allowed me to become comfortable on campus. Building relationship capital was one of the best tools I was able to develop at Union and has aided me throughout my career.”

Fort

Nadia Duvilaire

After graduating from Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, Gordie joined the veterinary practice his father had established in Fort Edward, N.Y. Gordie still practices part-time, and he and his wife, Lynn, live in the house adjoining the clinic. When he isn’t meeting with people and caring for their pets, he can be found outdoors taking photographs.

“While I was at Union, I had the opportu nity to participate in a term abroad focused on socialized medicine. Led by Peter Tobiessen, who was chair of biology at the time, the experience allowed us as students to compare our healthcare system in the United States with those of England, Sweden and Hungary. The eight-week program really helped me understand health care delivery and became instrumental to how I have practiced over the years in the U.S.”

N.Y. MAJOR: Physics NOW: Photographer(part-time)Veterinarianand

Oh, and if you’re interested in helping today’s students do the same, there are numerous ways to get involved. The possibilities—from volunteering to mentoring to joining the Alumni Council or Terrace Council—are endless. Visit ualumni.union.edu or contact Elyse Brown, associate director of Alumni & Parent Engagement, at browne@union.edu or (518) 388-6687.

Berkeley,

New York, N.Y. MAJOR: SciencePolitical and Classics NOW: Lead gations,SpecialCounsel,InvestiMeta

Curtis Henry ’16

MAJOR: English NOW: Vice UtilidataRegulatory,StatePresident,Policy&

“I was a history major, and really dug deep into that—way beyond the major require ments. I loved the structure of the history courses, and Professor Aslakson’s class, Race and Constitution, remains my favorite to this day. We discussed Supreme Court cases focused on racial equity, including Plessy vs. Ferguson and Brown vs. Board. Every time I teach about those cases in AP U.S. history, I refer to that course, because it enables me to link my students’ interests with college-level opportunities.”

Just look at what Union alumni go on to accomplish after graduating. They make a difference in so many capacities and professions, contributing to and building their communities wherever they are.

Shelby is an attorney at Meta, the global social media and technology company that owns Facebook and Instagram, and serves over 3 billion users. She represents the company with governmental inquiries and oversees internal legal matters.

“The intimate environment at Union helped me build my self-confidence. I began to feel confident enough to speak in class, I performed very well and I was never pigeonholed. Union gives you the chance to explore what really interests you, and you have the opportunity to grow and learn from different experiences.”

“I clearly remember the climate change course I took early in my time at Union. Taught by Jeffrey Corbin, professor of biological sciences, the class explored the impacts of climate change on everything from our food systems to our built environment. That class, and ultimately my senior English thesis taught by Claire Bracken, set me on a path to becoming an advocate for the environment and clean energy solutions.”

Lauren Randall ’10 Calif.

Shelby Cuomo ’13

Lauren became a vice president of Utilidata at the beginning of 2022. An energy technology company, Utilidata is focused on digitizing the grid edge to unleash the full potential of clean energy. She was previously director of policy and market development at sunrun, the largest residential energy storage and energy services company in the U.S.

EDUCATION CHANGES EVERYTHING.

And be on the lookout for the next e-newsletter, “The Power of Union is U.” Delivered monthly to all alumni inboxes, these newsletters shine a spotlight on exceptional graduates—each one equipped with a Union education; each one changing the world.

Chicago, Ill. MAJOR: History NOW: CollegeMuchinTeacher,HistoryPrep SUMMER 2022 | UNION COLLEGE 29

Curtis spent his first three years as a teacher at Achievement First Amistad High School, where he and his three brothers, including Corey ’18, graduated. Curtis now teaches at Muchin College Prep, a charter school in downtown Chicago, where he embraces the school’s mission of educational equity.

Read on to learn more about a few alumni and their impact on the wider world. Longer stories about each—plus stories of other alumni—are available at union.edu/upowerunion.

points, official censorship and the most sinister things—including the vanishing of students, journalists, professionals and, in my case, a social sciences teacher at school—left deep marks on generations of Argentines.”“Goingtocollege, just as democracy was returning, I started learning about the true scope of the military’s terror campaigns, their hundreds of clandestine camps and the thousands of forced disappearances,” she continued. “This quest brought together a patchwork of personal memories and experiences into more articulate intellectual and political pursuits.”

Park of Memory, Buenos ArgentinaAires,

Each country has made progress in memorializing atrocities and committing to democracy.“Argentinahas been democratic since

Memorializing human rights abuses in South America

“My fieldwork consists of visiting and documenting memorial sites while conducting interviews with officials, activists and experts,” she continued. “Questions about the past and remembrance, the role of citizens and the government in memorializing human rights abuses, and the relations between the politics of memory and the framing of human rights in democracy are central in my study.”

Ever wonder what Union professors are up to when they aren’t teaching?

i olvido ni perdón—neither forgetfulness nor impunity for perpetrators—are special words to Guillermina Seri.

FOC U S

Just about every thing, as it turns out. Nothing is beyond their workdiverseglimpseminds.reachcollectiveorcuriousHere’saoftheandintriguingtheydo.

The motto has inspired millions of people, and Seri’s own research into the activism and policies memorializing human rights abuses in Argentina, Chile and“AsUruguay.anative of Argentina, the policies of state terror of the last military dictatorship stand as a life-defining, very personal subject for me,” Seri explained. “Growing up under conditions of state violence, amid military coups, routine curfews, check

UNION COLLEGE | SUMMER 202230

She’s been studying state human rights abuses ever Currently,since.sheis conducting interviews in preparation for a trip to South America (November-December), where she'll assess initiatives and policies memorial izing the atrocities committed by military dictatorships in Argentina from 19761983, Chile from 1973–1990 and Uruguay from“The1973–1985.maingoal of my study is to draw lessons about the appropriate forms of state support for memorializing state abuses in ways that help consolidate a human rights agenda, and appreciation for human rights and democratic life,” Seri said.

GUILLERMINA SERI, professor of political science

“The long-lasting, traumatic experiences and legacies left by military rule in Argentina, Chile and Uruguay should serve as a warning about the dangers of banalizing— and losing—democracy,” she continued. “The democratic politics of memory are here to remind the world of how and why both human rights and democracy matter— an urgent message in 2022.”

SUMMER 2022 | UNION COLLEGE 31

But such actions have not come easily.

– Erin DeMuth Judd

In Chile, an amnesty decree protected those who committed human rights violations during the military dictatorship

“After decades of democratic expan sion worldwide, a global reversal is taking place toward the rapid rise of authoritarian leaders and regimes,” Seri said, noting that the 2022 Varieties of Democracy report shows the level of democracy enjoyed by the average global citizen in 2021 reverted to 1989 levels.

In its Resolution 3/2019 on Principles on Public Policies on Memory in the Americas, the Organization of American States (OAS) endorses a “comprehensive approach to memory.” It instructs member states to adopt public policies in conjunction with justice and accountability initiatives.

This support and the progress it has helped nurture comes at a critical time.

In turn, “Uruguayans had to reverse attempts to erase the past, including the transformation of a main prison (Punta Carretas) into a shopping mall,” Seri said.

In Argentina, “characterized as a global ‘trailblazer’ in matters of human rights as early as 1985, the democratic government held historic trials of military Juntas,” Seri said. “They were a major milestone in international human rights after Nuremberg.”

“Protecting human rights abuses, honoring citizens’ right to truth and offering reparations are now state duties,” Seri said. “Governments are also obligated to support memorialization through funding and by promoting plural perspectives in the construction of public memory.”

But prosecutions for human rights violations under military rule were interrupted for many years in Argentina and resumed only in 2006, she added.

into the 2010s. And in 1986, Uruguay passed a controversial “expiry law” banning perpetrator prosecutions.

Seri’s work also looks at how govern ments can best support memorialization of state-sponsored atrocities, as well as the impact this support has on current human rights practices and agendas. Her research is supported by an American Political Science Association Summer Centennial Center Research Grant from the William A. Steiger Fund for Legislative Studies.

Such resistance to sanctioned erasure of the past is paramount, and today’s governments have a responsibility to preserve history accurately.

1983, Uruguay since 1985 and Chile since 1990,” Seri said. “Varieties of Democracy ranks both Uruguay and Chile among the strongest liberal democracies in the world in 2022.”Allthree countries are preserving, protecting and establishing sites of memory, including at locations where detention, torture and extermination took place—like former secret camps or prisons. Some of these places have also become historic sites or parks that are now open to the public.

The Nature paper shows that tropical Andean glaciers waxed and waned in lockstep with the large ice sheets of the Northern Hemisphere and with temperature fluctuations at the South Pole, thus completing the picture of globally synchro nous ice ages. Previously, much of what was known about glacial changes came from studies

Donald T. Rodbell, the John and Jane Wold Professor of Geosciences at Union College, is the lead author of the paper that also shows that changes in the concentration of greenhouse gases (primarily CO2 and methane) have had a profound impact on synchronizing global climate.

The drilling rig, Lake Junín, Peru, 2015

FOC U S UNION COLLEGE | SUMMER 202232

or the first time, scientists can show that greenhouse gases have dragged the tropics—not just the polar regions—into synchronous climate change over much of the last million years, according to a paper published this week in Nature

Nature is regarded as the world’s leading journal of peer-reviewed science research. Rodbell’s paper and more about the Lake Junín project are available at www.union.edu/junin-drill.

DONALD T. RODBELL, the John and Jane Wold professor of geosciences

The paper is based on data from fieldwork in 2015, when Rodbell led an international team of 30 scientists who collected a 100-meter deep sediment core from beneath Lake Junín, high in the Peruvian Andes. It was the first continuous record of tropical glaciation spanning the past 700,000 years.

“We now know that modest, natural changes in the concentration of these gases in the atmosphere, though far smaller than what is happening due to human activities today, was sufficient to alter global climates with almost no lag time,” Rodbell said.

'Nature' paper shows history of synchronized global climate

“This documentation of tropical ice ages in synch with the rest of the globe provides an important test to the hypothesis that it was greenhouse gases that dragged the tropics (and the rest of the globe) along to follow the beat of the Northern Hemisphere ice sheets,” Rodbell said.

Expanding glaciers leave a signature sediment type in the lake from the ground-up rock generated by their growth, Rodbell explained. When glaciers shrink and disappear, they leave a very different type of sediment, one dominated by calcium Rodbell’scarbonate.teamdetermined the age of sediment layers in the core using radiometric techniques such as radiocarbon and uraniumthorium dating coupled with paleomagnetic tools.

Nicholas Weidhaas '15, Professor Donald Rodbell and Grace Delgado '14 with a sediment core from Lake Junín, Peru

The international decade-long project was funded by the International Continental Scientific Drilling Program and the U.S. National Science Foundation. Union College was the lead institu tion. Other institutions involved include the University of Pittsburgh, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the University of Florida, Oregon State University and the University of Minnesota.

“Although the history of the ice ages provides dramatic documentation of natural climate variability on a large scale, our understanding of this history has primarily come from the high latitude regions of the globe,” Rodbell said. “With this project, we know what happened during the ice ages in low latitude regions.”

SUMMER 2022 | UNION COLLEGE

This new study provides additional evidence that ice ages were not simply driven by changes in the annual distribution of solar radiation during regular orbital cycles 20,000 to 100,000 years long. Because these cycles produce patterns of solar radiation that vary by latitude, orbital variations alone would cause asynchro nous ice ages across the globe.

33 in the Northern Hemisphere.

Among the co-authors of the Nature paper are two Union alumni—Nicholas Weidhaas ’15 and Grace Delgado ’14—both of whom partici pated in the 2015 drilling operation. Other students participated in core sampling trips to the University of Minnesota and/or pursued their senior thesis research projects on aspects of the drilling project. These include Erin Delman ’12, Dane O’Neil ’14, Tara Metzger ‘15, Laura Pacheco ‘16, Elise Farrington ’16, Liam Glennon ’17, Michael Kaye ’17, James Molloy ’17, Jordy Herbert ’18 and Tshering Lama Sherpa ’18.

the last 35 years has focused on finding climate records in sediment layers from high altitude lakes and in cave deposits in the tropical Andes. In addition to records of glaciation, some of these records have documented the history of El Niño and La Niña events over the past 10,000 years.

Ice cores from the polar regions of both hemispheres have shown that greenhouse gases were apparently tightly coupled to the expan sion and contraction of the big ice sheets in the NorthernRodbell’sHemisphere.researchover

See story on page 40.

BOB ELMENDORF ’70

MICHELLE CHILCOAT (editor/ translator), associate professor of French & co-director of Film Studies

Modern Language Association

The Return

DR. IRA RUTKOW ’70

When we can’t fall asleep we call on our Little Purple Monster. In this book, Little Purple Monster leads a journey through a restless night with games, imagination, arts and crafts. Using rhyme, the reader can enjoy nighttime play along with a fun, rhythmic story. Great for ages 3-7, this book reminds us that monsters at night can be fun and friendly.

Empire of the Scalpel: The History of Surgery

UNION COLLEGE | SUMMER 202234

The Troy Book Makers

Resistance: Stories from World War II France (English Résistance:translation)

One Banana … Two Banana

Little Purple Monster

| MEDIA |

ELANNA POLLACK REISS ’91

Based on real events of the French Resistance during World War II, author Édith Thomas’s stories explore how ordinary people respond to the extraordinary conditions of political occupation. The stories, first published under the title Contes d’Auxois by an underground press in 1943, were written to oppose Vichy-Nazi propaganda and to offer encouragement to civilians who felt resigned to defeat. Whether lining up to wait for food or adapting to living side-by-side with German soldiers, the characters in these stories must make choices in highly compromised circumstances on a daily basis. As the characters confront their own suffering and that of others, their actions inspire readers to consider the nature of heroism, the idea that people can share a common humanity with their enemies,

Joan Murray, former poet in residence at the New York State Writers Institute, describes Bob Elmendorf’s poetry collection as “a journey where the real world shimmers like a dream world as we see it through his vision. This deep and detailed journey begins in the womb he shares with his brother and leads finally to a radiation treatment center where he tells the next patient that he’s warmed the table for her. But this is not a book of autobiographical poems; it is a lyrical book of things observed in all their radiant thingness. Flip open any page and see what spills out. Snails, blossoms, birds. Stones, belts, coins. Things hidden, things discovered, things left behind. He teaches us to look at things so closely that we feel them.” Elmendorf has been published in 51 magazines. He gives infrequent readings and was in poetry workshops for 20 years. He taught Vergil, Catullus, Ovid, Horace, Homeric Greek and New Testament Greek pro bono to home school teens the last 12 years in Chatham, N.Y. He resides in Malden Bridge, N.Y.

This is a great starter counting book, perfect for baby or pre-K ages. The counting offers some unexpected surprises along the way, including a play on words and a very hungry dog. The food, graphics, rhymes and rhythm help teach counting and vocabulary in a fun and engaging way. And wordplay keeps the grown-up readers on their toes.

Contes de la Seconde Guerre mondiale en France (French text)

Independently published

ELANNA POLLACK REISS ’91

ThereScribnerare not many life events that can be as simultaneously frightening and hopeful as a surgical operation. In America, tens-of-millions of major surgical procedures are performed annually, yet few of us consider the magnitude of these figures because we have such inherent confidence in surgeons. And, despite passionate debates about health care and the media’s endless fascination with surgery, most of us have no idea how the first surgeons came to be because the story of surgery has never been fully told. Rutkow reveals surgery’s fascinating evolution from its early roots in ancient Egypt to its refinement in Europe and rise to scientific dominance in the United States.

Jim Prusko P’25 with son Seth Prusko ’25

“

The Parents Circle is a philanthropic group that works in concert with school leaders to enhance the Union experience for students and their families by supporting faculty, staff and the broader campus community. Members become College insiders and investors in its success, ultimately developing stronger ties to their student’s Union experience.

We invite all parents to join with us in supporting the educational programs and activities that will make your child’s Union experience extraordinary.

– Jim Prusko P’25

I grew up going to Union football games and following Union hockey, as my father lived his whole life in Schenectady and was a member of the Class of 1956. My sister is also part of the Class of 1989.

he Parents Circle would like to welcome Class of 2026 families to the Union community!

Media, Bookshelf,formerlyfeatures 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 Officeto: of Communica tions Union to:high-resolutionOrSchenectady,CollegeNY12308sendsynopsisandimagemagazine@union.edu

SUMMER 2022 | UNION COLLEGE 35

and the possibility for individuals to find solidarity in an andProfessorDorisbyanversion.andChilcoat,textisolatingoverwhelming,world.TheFrenchwaseditedbyMichellewhoalsoeditedtranslatedtheEnglishBothbooksincludeintroductionco-writtenLoriJ.Marso,Union’sZemurrayStoneofModernLiteraryHistoricalStudies.

Union has been a part of my family my whole life.

So my wife, Jean, and I— and the whole family— were incredibly proud and excited when Seth chose to follow the tradition. We’ve really enjoyed his first year, especially going to watch the tennis team play, and are happy we can support all the great things Union is doing.

CONSIDERATION

To learn more about the Parents Circle, please contact: Noelle Beach Marchaj '05 Director of Parent and Family Philanthropy Cell: union.edu/parents-familiesmarchajn@union.edu860-655-2875

Parents Circle

“

Megan Lepore ’20 and alumni trustee Betsy Modest Brand ’82 enjoyed a Powering Union campaign event in Boston.

WASHINGTON, D.C.

UNION COLLEGE | SUMMER 2022

WASHINGTON, D.C.

NEW YORK CITY

Alumni Clubs

Alumni enjoyed skating at Rockefeller Center during an event this past winter in New York City.

Join ualumni.union.edu/eventsUs

President David Harris, Jordan Cooper ’18, William Wykoff ’18 and Andy Zou ’17 attended a Powering Union campaign event in Washington, D.C.

BOSTON

NEW YORK CITY

Visit us online at ualumni.union.edu/events to check out our upcoming events and make your plans for Homecoming & Family Weekend (Sept. 30 – Oct. 2, 2022).

Youseline Obas ’03, Bernard Carey ’04 and Ida Carey enjoyed a Powering Union campaign event in Washington, D.C.

Samantha Siegel ’21 and Nimra Shabbir ’21 attended a Powering Union campaign event in New York City.

1953 CLASS CORRESPONDENT

1956 CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Hubert Plummer was on campus for Commencement in June to see his grandson, Ian Plummer ’22, receive his Union diploma. At Prize Day in May, Ian, a geology major, received the Edward S.C. Smith Geology Prize to the senior with high professional potential. The prize is named for the professor that Hubert had when he was a student at Union.

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

W. Hubert Plummer 21 Temple Road Setauket, N.Y. 11733 (631) whp@plummerlaw.com941-4076

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

Avrom J. Gold

Alumni who have celebrated their 50th ReUnion.

1944

1952

1954 CLASS CORRESPONDENT

CLASS NOTESU

Antonio. He and his wife, Marion, have moved to an assisted care facility for health reasons. His good news is the arrival of a sixth great-grand child. I hope to see Rick after we complete our move to San Antonio. Sonny and I were able to have lunch together in NY on several occasions before I left my N.J. digs three years ago, and Rick and I also visited together on my two or three trips a year to San Antonio to visit my daughter.”

Seymour thickm@icloud.comThickman

GARNET GUARD

1955 CLASS CORRESPONDENT Ken 1346HaefnerWaverly Pl. Schenectady, N.Y. kbhaefner@gmail.com12308

William Deuell 2666 Steeple Run Lane Manteca, Calif. whd2923@gmail.com95336

19702 Bella Loma, Apt. 9-102 San Antonio, Texas 78256 (908) avromgold@gmail.com581-1455

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Avrom J. Gold writes, “I retired from practicing law in New Jersey for over 50 years, including tours as a deputy attorney general, assistant attorney general of New Jersey, special trial counsel to the N.J. Highway Department for Eminent Domain and special counsel to Bergen County, N.J. highway paving litigation. I retired in 2010 from private practice and spent the next eight years consulting. After shuttling between New Jersey and Hilton Head Island, S.C., for many years, I settled permanently here about three-and-a-half years ago on the shore of a beautiful small wooded pond where I count large birds, small mammals and alligators as my neighbors. That changed before the end of April. My former wife and I are moving to San Antonio, Texas, to be near our daughter, who retired a couple of years ago as an executive with USAA and most recently as president of Impact San Antonio, a major women’s non-profit charitable group. Our son continues as an associate professor in the Dept. of Education at the University of Maryland. I had an email from classmate Sonny Gertzog He lives in New York City with his wife, Alice. COVID aside, things are looking pretty good for getting out of their apartment more often. And I spoke with Rick Fink, also a classmate who lives in San

Ian Plummer ’22 and his grandfather, W. Hubert Plummer ’53 at Commencement.

Garnet Guard

Norm Bartner writes, “Recently won national master’s championship in 50 freestyle, and 2nd place in butterfly, and made top 10 in the world for the 50 m. backstroke. Unfortunately recently lost teammates Bob Dorse ’53, Rupert Huse and my co-captain, Jay O’Neil Robert M. Lewis writes, “Happily retired since 1996 from Ob-Gyn practice at Albert Einstein College of

David A. Weichert could not make it to his 70th ReUnion in May, but his heart was with his classmates from 1952. He marked the occasion with a ride in his friend’s 1952 Hudson Hornet.

SUMMER 2022 | UNION COLLEGE 37

David A. Weichert celebrated his 70th ReUnion with a ride in his friend’s 1952 Hudson.

1960

1959

1965

Charles E. jk@kupersmith.comJoelkiw702@aol.comRodenKupersmith

Bob Hodges, the Class of ’56 ReUnion chair, writes, “Our class achieved a singular distinction in September 2021. During our virtual 65th ReUnion in May last year, one of our class officers asked the College to consider the novel idea of hosting a Virtual Scholarship Luncheon. Before COVID-19 put a hold on live events, one representative for each donor was invited to campus for an in-person luncheon with student recipients. With Zoom, all of our classmates could be invited. It took place Sept. 28, 2021. In other news, Our Class of 1956—John A. Davidson Memorial Scholarship Fund was launched at our 50th ReUnion in 2006 with many initial donations. The contribu tions have continued every year and the total principal of our endowment fund is now over $114K. In 2021, Union’s scholarship committee decided that the income from our fund was sufficient to provide two scholarships each year. Our classmates from ’56 are urged to continue contributing to both the Union College Annual Fund and our 1956 Scholarship Fund, as they have been doing so admirably.”

David C. Horton 68 Paul Revere Road Lexington, Mass. paulrevereroad@aol.com02421

Roger Likewise reports that he and his wife, Diane, are now living year-round at their home in Placitas, N.M. Their summer place in the Adirondacks is getting good use by their daughter, who lives in Conn. Roger and Diane are enjoying retirement in the mountains about 30 miles from Albuquerque, N.M., with a beautiful view of the surrounding areas. Their son, Dr. Roger Likewise, who lives in Colo., has a son who will be graduating from the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs this year. Roger says he and Diane began dating when he was a Union undergrad and living at the Sigma Phi place. Diane graduated from Russell Sage in 1957. Before retiring, Roger was in the Insurance Underwriting Department for Cigna. He and Diane are enjoying overall good health. He has some mobility issues due to spinal stenosis, but gets around reasonable well. He wishes all his classmates good health.

Robert “Byng” Huntington, ’56 class president, sends his best wishes to all classmates and their families. He reports that he and his wife of 66 years, Pat, and he are enjoying life in the Blue Grass Country of Kentucky. They are delighted that their older daughter, Gracia, has relocated back there to live. Their younger daughter, Anne, and her three children also live in Louisville,

5361 Santa Catalina Avenue Garden Grove, Calif. (310)daltrader@earthlink.net92845629-8971

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Medicine. Enjoying writing, eleven grandchildren, two great-grandchildren and finally retired endocrinologist wife of 58 years.”

Salvatore J. Esposito, a prosthetic dentist practicing in Beachwood, Ohio, received the Golden Medallion Award from the American Prosth odontic Society in recognition of his contributions to the field. He is a graduate of the New Jersey College of Medicine and Dentistry. He is past chairman of the Department of Dentistry, Oral Surgery and Maxillo-facial Prosthetics at the Cleveland Clinic Founda tion, a position he held for 25 years. Prior to that, he was head of the section of maxillofacial prosthetics, Department of Surgery at the Metro Health Medical Center in Cleveland, Ohio. Salvatore is an adjunct associate professor at the Case Western Reserve School of Medicine and Dental Medicine and has been a visiting professor at the UCLA and SUNY at Buffalo Colleges of Dentistry and the University of Turin in Torino, Italy. He is the co-author of the textbook titled Maxillofacial Rehabilitation, and has over 50 published articles and book chapters in medical and dental literature. His practice is limited to complete dentures, implant supported prosthetics and the prosthetic manage ment of patients with head and neck deformities.

Charles Enzer ’57

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

1958

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

William “Dal” Trader

Bernard Cohen writes, “My daughter, Amy Klinger, had her first novel published. The title is In Light of Recent Events and it is receiving good reviews on Good Reads.”

Paul Mohr 140 E Duce of Clubs Ste A Show Low, Ariz. dadtired@frontiernet.net85901

Charles Enzer writes, “Laura and I moved to Jerusalem— where I spent my junior year at the Hebrew University. Our daughter and grandchildren live a short walk away. We have two great-grandchildren. Our oldest Israeli grandchild is marrying in April. Life is rich here. Shed 65 lbs. since the photo. Missing only practicing medicine.”

NOTESCLASS UNION COLLEGE | SUMMER 202238

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Ky. He writes, “It may be recalled that, in the 2015 issue of the Union College magazine, a class news item announced that Norm Bartner had won the U.S. Masters swimming championship for the 80–85 age group in the free and backstroke events. I now have a significant update to this impressive accomplishment: Norm won the 85–90 age group in the same events, circa 2019. COVID then apparently interfered with the next couple of championships, or we might have heard even more. Congratulations from the Class of ’56, Norm!”

1961

CLASS CORRESPONDENT John jahoney@msn.comHoney 1962

Lawrence Baldassaro received the 2022 SABR (Society for American Baseball Research) Baseball Research Award for his book, Tony Lazzeri: Yankees Legend and Baseball Pioneer (U. of Nebraska Press, 2021).

1957

1969

SUMMER 2022 | UNION COLLEGE 39

1971

George pinyachta@gmail.comDelanson,CushingN.Y.

1972

Etna, jdressernh@gmail.comN.H.

1966

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

CLASS CORRESPONDENT Frank P. fpdonnini@aol.comNewportDonniniNews,Va.

David Holdridge writes, “Just back from four years in the Middle East and am currently back on our farm in Vermont, working principally on the cultivation of hardwoods (black walnut and black cherry). Further I am engaged with the promotion of my first book (Avant Garde of Western civ) and its sequel (Charity in Lebanon). Am always pleased to discuss the Middle East (vis a vis US relations) with students and faculty.”

Antonio F. Vianna 7152 Tanager Drive Carlsbad, Calif. simpatico1@juno.com92011

Laszlo (Leslie) Petrovics writes, “Live in Hungary, pretty much since 1989 ‘Changes’ when Communism fell. Too few

Chamber of Commerce. He writes, “[This was] a wonderful tribute to CAHH and a fitting way to celebrate its 20th anniversary next year. Just goes to show what can happen when you have a vision and can give back to the community.”

Frank P. Donnini writes, “It is with sadness that I report that fellow classmate Lawrence Moran of Glenville, N.Y., passed away in November 2021. At Union, Larry earned a B.A. in philosophy and was a member of Phi Sigma Kappa fraternity. He was employed by the New York State Education Depart ment as an internal auditor.

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

David Holdridge ’66 tending to his walnuts

Terri, his wife of more than 50 years, wrote that Larry enjoyed hiking, canoeing and camping in the Adirondack Mountains and traveling in Europe. He was also a student of military history.” Larry is further remembered on pg. 62.

Ray Salisbury,Pike rnwpike@comcast.netMass.

John Dresser

Lawrence R. Sykes, an attorney, was recently sworn in to the Yonkers (N.Y.) Board of Education. He has practiced law for over 30 years in the areas of litigation, real estate and municipal law.

David Conant writes, “Robert J. Kensell, of Walnut Creek, Calif. better known as ‘Rod’ at Union, who held a B.S. in electrical engineering from Union and M.S. from Stevens Institute of Technology, died April 12, 2022. Always enjoying a spirited debate, he was appreciated for his keen intellect combined with a great sense of humor. His professional career began at Bell Labs and there, created new computer technology. In 1974, he transferred from New Jersey to Pacific Bell in San Francisco managing Systems Security, retiring in 1994. Rod embraced the California lifestyle and was very active, an avid jogger and downhill skier. His many interests included reading about science, physics and philosophy. He was a lifetime fan of the New York Yankees.” Rod is further remembered on p. 62.

1967

1968

Charlie Fischer retired from a career in trust and estate banking in 2012. He’s been very active with the American Cancer Society since 1994, when his first wife, Sandy, was diagnosed with cancer. She passed away in 1998 at 53. Charlie and his second wife, Jean, founded the non-profit Cancer Alliance of Help and Hope (CAHH) in 2003 to help cancer patients with day-to-day expenses during treatment. The program has helped hundreds of families in Palm Beach County, Florida, and was named the 2022 Nonprofit of the Year on Palm Beach Island by the Palm Beach

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

John Robbins ’71 hosted 13 Phi Gamma Delta alumni at his home on Lake Winnipesaukee in Meredith, N.H. This was the 23rd consec utive annual February get together, proving Union is not just for college days alone. They enjoyed dining out, watching a sled dog race, ice fishing, and reminiscing about their days at Union. In attendance were Steve Pierce ’71, Hank Riehl ’74, Drew Hanelink ’71, John Seay ’67, Ken LaBarge ’69, Walt Hennings ’69, Al Britton ’74, Bill Palmer ’69, Doug Tosh ’72, Bob Herron ’70, Mark Curry ’69 and Bob Farnum ’68.

CLASS CORRESPONDENTS

Joseph Smaldino 6310 Lantern Ridge Lane Knoxville, Tenn. (815)smaldinoj@comcast.net37921762-5984

Henry Fein, M.D. Rockville, hgfein@aol.comMd.

1970

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Joe Whitford writes, “I recently retired after 45 years practicing securities law in Seattle, primarily focusing in the emerging technology company sector. I thoroughly enjoyed my law practice, but have to say that retirement has been working out well for me. I spend a lot of time as chair of a nonprofit, which helps facilitate sister school relationships between a handful of elementary and secondary Seattle schools with similar schools in the province of Mombasa, Kenya. I’m also looking forward to a couple of long postponed international trips. Hope to make the 50th ReUnion in Schenectady.”

Despite Rutkow’s claim that “a liberal arts education gives you the widest background that you can incorporate into becoming a person and a doctor,” there is little in his Union transcript to show that he strayed far from biology.

But to write about surgery and have credibility, he felt he had to become a surgeon.Hestayed the course with his medical training all the way to a residency in general surgery. At the same time, he took a fellowship in medical economics at Johns Hopkins and earned a Ph.D. in public health.

During this fellowship, Rutkow learned that hernia repair was among the most common surgeries. It is also elective with virtually no emergencies.

everyone at some point in life will have a disease that requires surgery, the manual art of healing. But little is known about the history of surgery.Enter

In the mid-80s, Rutkow began a herniasonly practice along with an ambitious advertising campaign that drew the ire of

’70

his contemporaries. Medical advertising, he notes, is commonplace today.

Rutkow realized his true calling— writing—only three years into his 11 years of medical training,

authored eight books, most on medical history.

“Looking back, I was too much of a pre-med,” he recalls. “I never took a course in history or sociology or political science. I was pure pre-med. Go to medical school. Become a doctor. That’s the way it was in the 60s.”

Dr. Ira Rutkow ’70, surgeonturned-surgical historian. His latest book, Empire of the Scalpel: The History of Surgery, traces the evolution of the seemingly routine operations that so many of us take for granted.

NOTESCLASS UNION COLLEGE | SUMMER 202240

DR. IRA RUTKOW

basic history of their field, when anesthesia was invented, for example.

On the history of surgery

He knew the names of the most popular professors in social sciences—Joe Board, Bob Sharlet, Malcolm Willison—but he never took their classes.

“The writing bug caught me in my junior year of medical school,” he said. “I always wanted to write more than I wanted to operate.“Iwasmore interested in the gestalt of the surgical world: the sociology, the politics, the history, the anthropology, what makes a surgeon a surgeon,” he said.

’70

Over the past 5,000 years of recorded surgery, success has required an under standing of anatomy, the ability to control bleeding, anesthesia and antisepsis. Rutkow describes early surgery as a series of blunders and breakthroughs, with success never guaranteed. Many advances were made during wars, when physicians had to improvise.Mostwriting about surgery covers the drama of the operating room, Rutkow notes. Throughout 50 years of training and practice, Rutkow was dismayed that many patients had little understanding of medical training, licensure or specialization. More perplexing, he found, was that surgeons had little understanding of the

“I became a hernias-only surgeon, not because I love doing hernias, though I do,” he said. “But it allowed me to manage my RutkowAndtime.”write.has

Nearly

He opens Empire of the Scalpel by describing an experience that sparked his interest in surgical history. As a young intern, a patient with a seemingly minor head injury had a sudden decline. Panicked and fearing he had missed earlier signs, Rutkow rushed to tell an attending doctor. Once in the operating room, the patient was saved with a trephination, drilling into the skull to relieve the pressure of an intracranialAfterward,bleed.asenior neurosurgeon pulled Rutkow aside to assure the shaken intern that his response had saved the patient. He also explained that the trephination was among the earliest known operations; cavemen chiseled holes in skulls to release evil spirits. “The elegance and simplicity of his observation would define and guide my career,” Rutkow writes.

SUMMER 2022 | UNION COLLEGE 41

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

know the ‘history makers,’ eminent faculty from Union I had the honor to reconnect with. Charles Gati, from our years, put an irrevocable crack into the Iron Curtain when he invited Boldizsar Ivan, editor of the Hungarian Quarterly, to give the first Commencement talk at Union in 1971. Charles proved a genius in political science because the talk went down as he had hoped—with busloads of protesters coming up from New Jersey to express outrage at the first Commie speaker. Made the New York Times, and the talk went down as successful. The upshot: it became the impetus for the first East-West student/ faculty exchanges in the form of the Thomas James Watson Fellowship (later this morphed into the Fulbright). Second, in Hungary after the changes, GE was in the vanguard of privatization led by general manager David M. Green, of Union’s Electric Engineering Dept. Having worked his magic in Hungary, David was tapped by Jack Welch to bring light bulbs to China. This was another first, pioneered by Union, as ‘history.makers’ because GE was the first the Chinese allowed in, even before MacDonalds, generally the first foot-soldier for

Rutkow regards same-day and minimal access surgery among the greatest innovations of modern surgery. “Patients can have an epidural and hernia surgery and be home in two or three hours and back to work in a week.”

“I would like to think that 200 years from now, physicians and surgeons will not look back at what we were doing in 2022 and think, ‘What were those people doing? That was barbaric. Whoever heard of chemotherapy? What were they doing with antibiotics?’ Instead, they should realize that what we were doing was state of the art.”

“THE WRITING BUG CAUGHT ME IN MY JUNIOR YEAR OF MEDICAL SCHOOL. I ALWAYS WANTED TO WRITE MORE THAN I WANTED TO OPERATE. I WAS MORE INTERESTED IN THE GESTALT OF THE SURGICAL WORLD: THE SOCIOLOGY, THE POLITICS, THE HISTORY, THE ANTHROPOLOGY, WHAT MAKES A SURGEON A SURGEON.”

CLASS CORREPSONDENT

At 17, Rutkow arrived at Union when strict rules—including parietals—were enforced. Though the rules had eased by the time he graduated, Rutkow feared that a transgression could threaten a letter of recommendation to medical school.

He said he expects progress will continue in robotics, artificial intelligence and transplants.

1974

1973

Laszlo (Leslie) Petrovics ’72 writes, “The pride of my life, Daniel, now 28 years old, first in his class at the University of Groningen and also the University of Amsterdam. Chip off the block? Far more a person than I was at his age!”

Thomas Rembetski writes, Michael Willis and I wish to announce the passage of our classmate and dear friend, Richard D. Wood, known for his wit, modest football talents and undying loyalty. All who wish to grieve with us can say a prayer for him.”

Cathy Stuckey Johnson San Mateo, caj1080@hotmail.comCalif.

Larry larry.swartz@agriculture.ny.govNiskayuna,SwartzN.Y.

Modern surgery has been around for about a century, Rutkow observes, and what qualified for surgery before that would be unrecogniz able

“I was a very good student,” he said. “I followed the rules.”

democratization. An honor and thrill to have known such Union faculty. For our smaller part, Delta Chi was enlisted to help form Dominion House, a center for women transition ing to the community from mental health facilities. It still not only operates but has expanded as nobelmemoriesspeaks,history/).mohawkopportunities.org/Opportunities.Mohawk(https://ItissaidmemorybutinmyexperiencefromUnionforgeachoir.”

So,today.itisimportant to consider frames of reference. “People talk about barbaric treatments, torture, malpractice of the 19th century and earlier, but what they were doing was state of the art,” he said.

So did his friends. Over a dozen members of his fraternity, Phi Epsilon Pi, who graduated in 1970 went on to become doctors.

Stuart Jablon ’82 writes, “Went to Peru in April as the Peace Corps country director after serving three years in the same role in Costa Rica. This takes me full-circle, as I was a Peace Corps volunteer in Jamaica after graduation.”

1982

Michael B. Elmes, professor of business at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, was awarded the WPI Board of Trustees Chair’s Exemplary Faculty Award. It recognizes WPI faculty members who excel in all areas of faculty performance, including teaching, research, scholarship and advising. Michael has been a professor of organization studies at WPI Business School since 1990, and has published more than 50 papers, conference proceedings, and books on numerous topics related to organizations. He also has published work related to high Wellington,WPI’smountaineering.altitudeHedirectsProjectCenterinNewZealand.

1976

four of us had last gotten together, along with Stephen and Judith Ainlay, in January 2020 at a book-signing for Chris’ book, Taranto: the Raid, the Observer, the Aftermath, about an important WWII navy battle. Chris is a writer living in Virginia. Bill is still practicing law and threatening to retire. I am still working and serving as a trustee on Union’s Board, and Alan is still working on retiring from his legal career.”

1979 CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Kevin Heneghan retired from National Audubon Society as content curator, and is now focused on his Birdchirp Tour Co. and his iBird Chirping App. Also research associate for snowy owl migration patterns in Asia, and part-time Certified GOAT Yoga instructor.

Using a visit from Chris O’Connor ’76 as an excuse, Bill Talis ’76 hosted a mini-reunion with his Concordy co-editor, Judy Dein ’76, and her husband, Alan Reisch ’75.

CLASS CORRESPONDENT Leila Shames union.eduLeeShamesMaude@alumni.Maude

1977

Linda Klein, past president of the American Bar Association and senior managing share holder with Baker Donelson, was named a top ofmediator/arbitratorthreebyreadersthe Daily Report. She is a panelist with Alterity ADR, an Atlanta-based alternative dispute resolution firm.

NOTESCLASS UNION COLLEGE | SUMMER 202242

Helena Binder taught a class that walked participants through the process of developing a stage production. The course was part of the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Dartmouth. An actor and director for 40 years, Helena’s productions have been seen at opera companies throughout the U.S.

1980

1975

Using a visit from Chris O’Connor as an excuse, Bill Talis hosted a mini-ReUnion at his home in Marshfield, Mass., with his Concordy co-editor, Judy Dein, and her husband, Alan Reisch ’75. Judy writes, “Bill and I had met as staff writers on Concordy when Alan was editor-in-chief. It turns out that Alan was also Bill and Chris’s freshman RA, proving that your past can come back to haunt you. The

Bill Henson is a Democratic political consultant on policy for Elizabeth Warren and consultant on strategy for the Democratic Progressive Reform Group.

Jeff jlaniewski4@gmail.comFlorence,Laniewski,Ariz.

Dr. Irving Kaufman writes, “All is well. I am blessed to have my wonderful wife, Reva, who is my life partner and office manager of my family medicine practice, Be Well Family Practice, in Somerset, N.J. We were open all COVID-19 and took care of thousands of COVID patients. I’m now very busy using all my three board certifications—in family medicine, in adolescent medicine and enjoysandapproachaddspracticingfoundation.thekitchenIyearschildren,fatherCarolina.livesNewmarried.wonderfulIend-of-lifeprovidinghospicemedicalofElizabethassistantBrunswick.UniversityfamilyIhomemedicine—beinggeriatricamedicalforthousandsofpatients.amalsothechairmanofmedicineatSt.Peter’sHospitalinNewIteachthephysicianstudentsfromSaintUniversitythefineartfamilymedicine.IamthedirectoroftheSteinincentralNewJersey,compassionatecaretoourpatients.amblessedtohavefourchildren,nowallThreeofthemliveinJerseyandoneoftheminCharleston,SouthIlovebeingagrand-tothreelovelygrandages2and8and11old.AtUnionCollege,enjoyedrunningakosherforfouryearsandbeingpresidentoftheHillelAndIstillenjoymyJewishfaith.”HethatheisinvolvedinantoreversedementiaAlzheimer’sdiseaseandTaiChi.

1981 CLASS CORRESPONDENT Sue Barnhart sferris59@gmail.comFerris

CLASS CORRESPONDENT Paul Inpboyd@yahoo.comBoydApril,

Dr. Nancy Gagliano has been named interim chief executive officer for OraSure Technolo gies Inc., a maker of diagnostic tests and specimen-collection devices. Nancy has been a member of the company’s board since November. She is a physician and has held senior posts at CVS Health.

1978 CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Kurt Hamblet San Luis Obispo, kurthamblet@gmail.comCalif.

Cory corylewkowicz@gmail.comNeedham,LewkowiczMass.

1984

Use cash or securities to establish a CGA, and Union will make guaranteed regular payments to you, you and your spouse, or a loved one, for life. The income from your gift will help secure your future, and once the annuity contract ends, the remainder will help secure Union’s future.

Sheila Acker Spitz ’84 and Adam Spitz ’84

Whether you’re in retirement and looking for immediate income, or planning for retirement and a future stream of income, a CGA may be right for you.

Rachel (Cohen) Berger writes, “After over 30 years serving as a primary care physician in the Boston area, mostly spent at the Atrius Health Somerville site (originally Harvard Community Health plan), I have retired from the practice of medicine. I am looking forward to the next phase of my life and how it unfolds.”

| (518) 388-6156

Linda lindagutin@hotmail.comDurham,GutinN.C.

Sheila Acker Spitz and Adam Spitz shuttle between Charlotte, N.C., and NYC (Brooklyn Heights). Adam is lead physician at Novant Health Endocrinology in Charlotte. Sheila has an art and design business in Charlotte, while also working remotely as an independent solo attorney in NY—mostly pro Bono but also for NYC firms.

Audrey Churchill writes, “Luis Diaz-Perez III and I spent what was supposed to be graduation day for both of us (June 10, 1984) at Ellis Hospital, in

STEVEN JO, Director of Gift Planning | jos@union.edu

Schenectady, N.Y., welcoming our son Mario into the world. Luis’ graduation was delayed until June 1985 because he left school during our senior year to get a job in Chicago to help support me so I could graduate on time. I then spent a year working and taking care of Mario while his dad Luis went back to Union to finish his senior year. Mario’s grandpar ents, Luis II and Camilla, were so generous and helped us navigate being 22, fresh out of college, and parents of such a beautiful baby boy. I wanted to spend the year after graduation in France, but obviously that was no longer possible. Mario will celebrated his 38th birthday on June 10, and I turned 59 1/2 on March 1, so I just purchased a one-way ticket to France. I am finally going to be able to spend 6-9 months in Paris immersed in the French culture that represents half of my heritage. I only regret

FOR YOU, FOR UNION, FOR SURE

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

A Charitable Gift Annuity creates income for you and support for Union—for sure.

EXPLORE YOUR OPTIONS & REQUEST A PERSONALIZED ILLUSTRATION

that my mom is not able to make the trip to visit her hometown of Mietesheim, France with me. Retirement is looking mighty good right about now! And not a moment too soon!”

Linda Gutin writes, “Things are going well here in Durham, N.C., but I was sad to hear that Professor Emeritus Arnold Seiken passed away recently. His daughter, Dabra Seiken, was my roommate for two years and we remain good friends. When I told her how he claimed that the reason I got a 93 on a test was because he’d ‘tossed all the papers down the stairs and mine landed on a higher step than the others,’ she told me that was one of his stock lines! I’ll always remember that, at our 35-year ReUnion, we had a wonderful dinner together. (And I don't care if his saying I was his ‘favorite student’ was another one of his stock lines!)”

To see an illustration based on your specific circumstances, visit rameecircle.org/cga or call us in the Office of Gift Planning at (518) 388-6156.

SUMMER 2022 | UNION COLLEGE 43 1983

“Distrust is one of the main drivers of hesitancy, therefore, who delivered the message was almost more important than the message itself,” Arthur said. “We worked hard to identify trusted voices that varied by audience, and it was critical to take a very nuanced and targeted approach. Messengers that resonated with key audiences included doctors, nurses, pharmacists, national medical experts, as well as faith and community leaders.”

Its ability to achieve such results is predicated on its very purpose.

pieces of content and collaborated with wide-ranging partners, including CVS, Meta, Google/YouTube, all major sports leagues, MTV, Verizon, MasterCard, churches, community-based organizations and manyStill,more.”ithasn’t been easy.

“We relied heavily on medical profes sionals to deliver fact-based messages about vaccines and brought in influencers and celebrities as ‘amplifiers,’” she continued. “They brought tremendous scale to our campaign and were also highly influential when it came to sharing their own personal stories.”

NOTESCLASS UNION COLLEGE | SUMMER 202244

“We worked in concert with leading public health officials to ensure that our messages reflected the latest, most accurate information,” she explained. “We relied heavily on social listening, often responding in real time through digital and social channels to communicate new essential information and combat misinformation.”

And then once people had the most current information, there was another hurdle to jump. Readers had to believe in the accuracy of the message.

Ever

“Our campaign, ‘It’s Up to You,’ was customized for each priority audience,” she continued. “We developed over 800

For the last 80 years, this nonprofit organization built for communicating largescale, pressing issues, has had a hand in things like changing societal norms around seatbelts or buzzed driving.

wondered who to thank for all that useful COVID info in your newsfeed, on Facebook or even on the community bulletin board? There’s a good chance it’s the Ad Council, and by extension, Heidi Arthur ’85.

Communicating a complex issue, especially one we’re all learning about in real time as scientific understanding evolves (sometimes weekly), presents big challenges.Tokeep pace with rapidly changing information and guidance, Arthur and her team did a couple of things.

duringCommunicatingCOVID

HEIDI ARTHUR

“The Ad Council has had great success with our COVID-19 vaccine education initiative called ‘It’s Up to You,’” said Arthur, chief campaign development officer at the Ad Council. “Over the course of one year, we helped reduce national vaccine hesitancy from 50 percent to 5 percent by building confidence across various communities.”

“We are basically built for a moment like this. We have tremendous convening power and throughout the pandemic, we brought together leading public health experts, media, major brands, social platforms, tech and talent to get behind research-based messages that would inspire action,” Arthur said. “Our goal was to ensure that the American public had the most accurate information possible to help them feel empowered to make an informed decision about vaccines.”

’85 ’85

Since 2020, it’s been heavily focused on the COVID-19 pandemic, disseminating information through a vast network of partners in media, marketing and advertising.

Listening was also paramount when it

1987 CLASS CORRESPONDENT Drena drena.kr@gmail.comRoot

Dr. Theodore Glasser ’86

“I LOVED MY UNION YEARS! I WAS ABLE TO DEVOTE MY MAJOR TO MY PRIMARY PASSION AT THE TIME AND DISCOVER NEW AREAS OF INTEREST. I CAN ATTRIBUTE MY INITIAL INTRODUCTION TO THE AD INDUSTRY TO MY TIME AS ADVERTISING EDITOR FOR CONCORDIENSIS .”

Arthur, who majored in modern language and minored in economics at Union, credits the College with sparking her interest in her field.

John Swift has been appointed global sector lead for health care, science and technology for Buro Happold, an interna tional consulting firm. He will work with a team in Boston and integrated practice leaders nationwide as well as regional sector leaders in the U.K., Europe and Asia. He brings over 25 years of experience in the creation of sustainably designed research, commer cial and academic facilities.

CLASS CORRESPONDENT Timothy timothy.t.hesler@gmail.comHesler

Dr. Theodore Glasser, internist, has been appointed to the newly created position of chief medical officer (CMO) at Baptist Medical Center Jacksonville, Fla., the health system’s flagship hospital. Ted has a 26-year history with Baptist Health, having joined the health system in 1996 as the first full-time hospitalist. He oversaw the growth of the Baptist Primary Care (BPC) hospitalist group to serve the system’s adult hospitals.

“Through our own research, we understood the top questions that were on people’s minds. Based on this learning, we made sure our campaign directly addressed questions with timely, accurate and expert-vetted information.”

1985

Jacksonville, chairman of the Department of Medicine and section chief of Internal Medicine. He received his medical degree from the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (now known as Rutgers University).

Throughout his tenure, he has held multiple leadership positions with responsibilities,increasingincluding as the medical director of inpatient services with BPC, chief of staff at Baptist

“People were often confused and bombarded with conflicting messages. It was important for us to lead with empathy and communicate with authenticity and transparency,” Arthur said. “We consistently reassured people that it’s understandable and okay to have questions—it’s normal!”

came to building trust with the public.

Peter Torncello was recently sworn in as a new City Court judge in Watervliet, N.Y. He has worked in the Albany County District Attorney’s Office and as a public defender.

1986

SUMMER 2022 | UNION COLLEGE 45

John Swift ’87

“I loved my Union years! I was able to devote my major to my primary passion at the time and discover new areas of interest,” she said. “I can attribute my initial introduction to the ad industry to my time as advertising editor for Concordiensis (although I did dress up as a Fig Newton and sing the jingle in my fourth grade talent show).”

Larry Kanusher, John Siegel, Dave Ross and Darryl Seavey— all members of the Class of 1984—enjoyed a “great spring ski trip to Colorado; skiing, reminiscing about our great four years at Union, and celebrating 60th birthdays!”

“Also, Professor Bruce Reynolds—my economics professor and advisor—was wonderful and encouraged me to write my senior thesis on the effects of advertising on the fast food industry. It entailed a massive regression analysis, which was reliant on the use of the only computer in the library at the time (if my memory has this right!). Oh, have times changed!”

Eric Seplowitz’s work was featured in the exhibition, “An Uncommon Planet,” at the Flinn Gallery (a part of the Greenwich Library) in Green wich, Conn. The show highlighted the work of two photographers, Jonathan Pozniak and Eric, who depict the natural world from different Jonathanperspectives.capturesthe beauty of icebergs and aerial landscapes, while Eric reveals the array of colors and patterns in rocks and minerals. To learn more about “An Uncommon Planet,” an-uncommon-planet/https://flinngallery.com/visit

NOTESCLASS UNION COLLEGE | SUMMER 202246

1993

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

1994

CLASS CORRESPONDENT Daimee daistu@optonline.netStadler-Isralowitz

CLASS CORRESPONDENT Randall rsbeach72@gmail.comSchenectady,BeachN.Y.

Jill D. Bernstein New York, jilldbernstein@yahoo.comN.Y.

1990

Theresa Boni has been appointed general counsel and senior vice president, legal, by Surface Oncology, a clinical-stage immunooncology company. She has more than 20 years of legal experience spanning the biopharmaceutical and medical device industries. Prior to joining Surface, Theresa served as vice president, assistant general counsel at Dicerna Pharma ceuticals; vice president, associate general counsel at Kiniksa Pharmaceuticals and held senior legal positions with Boston Scientific and Thermo Electron (now Thermo Fisher Scientific). After Union, she earned a J.D. from the Boston University School of Law.

1996

Laurel jay.mullen@comcast.netMullen

Larissa L. Knapp recently became the executive assistant director of the National Security Branch at FBI Headquarters in Washington. She will oversee all national security investigative and intelligence operations.

1988

Nicole Engelbert ’94 is sworn in as trustee for the Village of Tuckahoe, N.Y. She is pictured with her husband, Matthew, and son, Nicholas.

Gary Lambert, director of 21st Century Learning for the Beekmantown Central School District, is the recipient of the 2022 Leader in Digital Education Award from the

Nicole Engelbert writes, “This spring I was elected to the position of trustee for the Village of Tuckahoe in New York. It is a two-year term. Campaigning was an intense experience, particularly for such a contested race, but I learned a great deal about public service and the community. Initially, the election was tied. Yes, every vote does in fact matter! But after absentee ballots were

Karen Kelleher, in her new role as director of Idaho’s Bureau of Land Management, will oversee approximately 12 million acres of public lands.

Steven Sanders writes, “I was recently named senior appellate counsel by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey. In addition to my appellate docket, I am now overseeing the office’s responses to Habeas petitions. And in 2021, my office awarded me the

counted, I was able to unseat the incumbent. I ran on a platform of tocommunity,Tuckahoehardlowerincludinginengagementdevelopment,economiccommunityandinvestmentpublicinfrastructure,floodmitigationasWestchesterwashitthispastsummer.isawonderfulandIamhonoredserveasitsnewesttrustee.”

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Samuel A. Alito Award for excellence in appellate advocacy.”

Steven Sanders ’89 with former Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein

1989

1992

Diane Mehta recently received the Professor Peter Heinegg Literary Award, established in memory of Peter, who taught at Union College for 42 years. The prize is given to a student or graduate who has demon strated exception skill in writing poetry, fiction or non-fiction. Diane was a Kirby-Mewshaw Fellow at Civitella Ranieri in 2021 and will be residence at Yaddo in 2022. She is the author of Forest with Castanets and How to Write Poetry. Her poems appear in The New Yorker, Harvard Divinity Bulletin, The American Poetry Review and more. She works with arts organizations on commissions, including a poem for the New York City Ballet on Christopher Wheel don’s DGV: Danse a Grande Vitesse. Diane also received a 2020 Spring Literature grant from the Café Royal Cultural Foundation for her nonfiction writing. She was the founding managing editor of A Public Space, and launched an edited Glossolalia for PEN America to publish writing from tradition ally languages.underrepresented

1991

Jen jenbrandwein2@gmail.comBrandwein

School AssociationAdministratorsofNewYork State (SAANYS). This award recog nizes an SAANYS member who has demonstrated exceptional, creative leadership in harness ing the potential of technology to further teaching and student achievement. The technology team, under Gary’s direction, supports 2,400 users, including students, faculty, staff and administrators—and over 2,500 computers and mobile devices. Gary holds a master of arts in teaching from Union.

Dan Lewis writes, “I have accepted a position as family law partner with Tin Fulton Walker & Owen, PLLC, in Charlotte, North Carolina, where I will continue to exclusively practice family law and mediate cases.”

Elise DiBenedetto writes, “I recently moved to Fort Lee, N.J., and actually really like New Jersey. Am currently running treasury and FP&A for Christmas Tree Shops. My boot-strapped side hustle is more of a side hobby at this point, but I am not giving up just yet (www.paw.pet if you want to check it out, and of course I’d love any thoughts you have). A while back I completed a road trip to Utah and back via Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, South Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa and Illinois. Cannot say enough good things about our National Parks or our amazing country. A couple of FYI’s for anyone else contemplating an adventure in the mountains: 1) when some vehicles are going up steep elevation for an extended period of time, the air conditioning will shut off. Don’t worry, it will come back on again later when you

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

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

served as executive director of one of the largest equine therapeutic organizationsnon-profitintheworld. It uses horses to provide millions, in privately funded services, to children with disabilities and military veterans.

1998

Kellie Forrestall BeeBee Lowell, forrestkj@hotmail.comMass.

Ryan ’98 and Megan Smith live in Jupiter, Fla., with their three children Emeline (18), Maggie (16) and Ryan Jr. (14). Ryan is the athletic director at the

Sarah Garnett has been promoted to public sector health leader by consulting firm Guidehouse. She has more than 20 years of experience in the commercial and federal healthcare markets, with a focus on driving growth and strategic initiatives in revenue operations, regulatory and legislative requirements, and disaster recovery. Sarah joined Guidehouse in 2005 and was named a partner in 2020.

CLASS CORRESPONDENT Elise elise.dibenedetto@gmail.comDiBenedetto

2001

Stacy (Barnard) Rogers ’01

Stacy (Barnard) Rogers is president and founder of the newly formed Trinitas Group, a business consulting firm. Trinitas is engaged with some of the country’s most influential C-Suite executives, providing team culture enrichment, executive leadership training, business and strategies.communitydevelopment,marketingandcorporateengagementStacymostrecently

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

SUMMER 2022 | UNION COLLEGE 47

Benjamin School and Megan is a physician’s associate with the Palm Beach County Firefighters Benefit Fund. Their oldest daughter, Emeline, will attend the University of Miami this fall.

2002

Dr. Jonathan M. Buscaglia has been appointed chief medical officer of Stony Brook University Hospital. He joined Stony Brook Medicine in 2008 as medical director of endoscopy.

CLASS CORRESPONDENT Erin erinlgrogan@gmail.comGrogan

Nicholas Barna was promoted to lieutenant with the New York State Police in November 2021. The promotion brought him to SP-Batavia, where he served as the BCI lieutenant, casino detail. He is now back in Albany, stationed in division traffic services. Nick has served with the NYSP since 2004. Moving up the ranks, he has been stationed all over the state, from New York City to Niagara Falls.

1999

Photographs by Eric Seplowitz ’96 were part of the exhibit, “An Uncommon Plant,” at the Flinn Gallery.

Ryan ’98 and Megan ’99 Smith with their children, Emeline, Maggie and Ryan Jr.

1997

2000

Ryan T. Smith Jupiter, school.orgryan.smith@thebenjaminFla.

2004

Bakrania ’03 thought he’d be an engineer. But then he found himself on another path, one punctuated by little Union moments that led him in a different (but also parallel) direction.

Today, Bakrania is an associate professor of mechanical engineering at Rowan University, which

And another: He took a class with Anderson that required a group project with assigned roles and a peer-evaluation process.

Desiree Plata was recently featured in an Health and Human Services Press article titled, “From Superfund Site to Super Scientist.” Desiree is an associate professor of civil and environmental engineering at MIT. She studies the impact of industrially generated chemicals on the environment.

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Marc Donovan has been promoted to director of

Engineering his experiences to educate

Dr. Amilcar Arnaldo Tirado writes, “I work as a psychiatrist in the adult outpatient psychiatry department and psychiatric emergency services of Lincoln Medical Center (LMC), located in the South Bronx. At LMC I provide psychiatric care in a medically underserved community, where the patient population mostly consists of Latinos and African Americans who are of low socioeconomic status. I also supervise and teach residents and medical students. I am an assistant professor of clinical psychiatry at Weill Cornell Medicine. In 2019, I was recognized by the American Psychiatric Associa tion (APA) for my excellence and dedication as a psychia trist, and earned the honor of becoming a Fellow of the APA. Between August 2021 and March 2022, I was involved in the Physician Affiliate Group of New York (PAGNY) Physician Leadership Development Program. I have the honor of being the first psychiatrist from LMC that was selected for this program. I have also authored and co-authored several articles. Most recently I published two articles in the Psychiatric Times related to COVID-19 and my personal experience falling and privateandthetraining.markspsychiatryrecentlyYearPersonalCoronavirus:hospitalized—‘SurvivingbeingAPsychiatrist’sJourney’and‘OneWithCOVID-19.’Ipassedmyforensicboardexam,whichthecompletionofmyIamlookingaheadatnextphaseofmycareerplantostartmyownpractice.Areasof

Smitesh

One moment: Ann Anderson, the Agnes S. MacDonald Professor of Mechanical Engineering, noticed Bakrania always prepared compelling presentations. She encouraged him to participate in the American Society of Mechanical Engineers’ Old Guard Competition (he placed second).

“David Chapin ’02 commented that I possessed all the qualities of a teacher,” said Bakrania, who majored in mechanical engineering and minored in physics and math. “It is the combination of these experiences that made me consider teaching. The more I explored this path, the more I realized how much I enjoy sharing my knowledge with others and empowering them.”

Jon jonathancberman@gmail.comBerman

are on a more flat terrain. 2) Rattle snakes live in prairie dog holes; please remember this fun fact if you are hiking or think it would be amazing to try to get close to one.”

2003

2005

Another: When preparing for the competition’s oral presentation, mechanical engineering professor William Keat “noted my presentation style was very academic,” Bakrania recalled. “He said I presented to educate rather than just inform.”

interest for me include forensic psychiatry; interna tional and domestic govern ment affairs; laws and policies that affect and influence the practice of medicine and delivery of healthcare; patient and physician advocacy; LGBTQ+ psychiatry and civil rights; telepsychiatry; and community psychiatry.”

Katrina Tentor Lallier Shrewsbury, katrinalallier@gmail.comMass.

NOTESCLASS UNION COLLEGE | SUMMER 202248

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Annette C. annettecstock@gmail.comStock

SMITESH BAKRANIA ’03

Amilcar Arnaldo Tirado ’02, MD, MBA, FAPA

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

He’s developed a number of apps to aid in this process, like Clausius and Pikme, both available for iPhone, iPad and Mac. Clausius enhances student understanding of the thermodynamic properties of water using interactive and intuitive charts (learn more at thermopropertycharts.com).

Other innovations include animated videos of his own creation that help students better visualize concepts. (Bakrania loves graphic design, too, and uses it often to enrich lessons.)

“I HAD THE BENEFIT OF BEING TAUGHT BY SOME INCREDIBLE TEACHERS. I KNOW MY ATTITUDE TOWARD WHAT I LEARN AND PURSUE WAS NOTICEABLY ALTERED BECAUSE OF THESE INDIVIDUALS. I WANT TO SERVE THE SAME ROLE IN SOMEONE ELSE’S JOURNEY.”

“It is an incredible honor to receive the Lindback Award. I take enormous pride in my profession and get tremendous joy from teaching. However, I know I have a long way to go and have a lot to learn,” Bakrania said. “The Lindback Award reassures me that I am on the right path on this long journey.”

“I had the benefit of being taught by some incredible teachers. I know my attitude toward what I learn and pursue was noticeably altered because of these individuals,” he said. “I want to serve the same role in someone else’s journey.”

And for the first time this year, he will lead a term abroad in Germany for engineering students. There they will learn about history, culture and engineering, and hopefully benefit from international immersion as Bakrania himself did.

’03

“Every course I teach is characterized by my incessant effort to improve,” said Bakrania, who was also a Fulbright Scholar in New Zealand. “The driving force for these improvements is the fundamental belief that I can create a better learning environment for my students.”

“If I can engage my students intellectu ally and feed their curiosity, they develop an intrinsic motivation for learning,” he continued. “This aspect of teaching is incredibly gratifying. When the product of your effort is a lifelong learner, the impact is ever-present.”

This philosophy includes facilitating faculty development at Rowan and across higher education, too.

SUMMER 2022 | UNION COLLEGE 49

“Pikme allows me, and apparently other instructors around the world, to directly engage with students at random and provide more dynamic and wholesome feedback during lectures,” Bakrania said.

“As an international student, I traveled from Tanzania to the U.S. to attend Union. This was an extremely discomforting experience, yet an educational one in the long run,” Bakrania explained. “I realized that immersing myself in a new culture provides tremendous opportunity for growth.”

recently recognized him with The Lindback Distinguished Teaching Award. It honors one permanent faculty member with an outstanding record of teaching and a sustained record of commitment to student learning.

Such opportunities for growth continue even now.

Which is why Bakrania is constantly reviewing, refining and refreshing his teaching to better serve his students.

Bakrania is actively assisting colleagues with building better online course options because students often benefit from the flexibility these offer. He also regularly publishes and presents his work at engineering educational conferences, where he shares his own outcomes and learns from others.

Pikme fosters more lively conversation by randomly selecting students to participate in class. It has been downloaded more than 70,000 times.

2017

Charles has gained a depth of commercial banking experi ence. He served in the roles of team leader and commercial relationship manager prior to his promotion to senior group manager for commercial real estate, healthcare and not-forprofit businesses.

Isaiah Buchanan, RN, CVICU, recently won the DAISY Award. The DAISY (Diseases Attacking the Immune SYstem) Award is an international recognition program that honors and celebrates the daisy-award-winnerisaiah-buchanan-october-nyuhs.org/news-search/hisnurseprovidecompassionateskillful,carenurseseveryday.IsaiahisaatUHS.Readmoreofstoryathttps://www.

2006

2009 CLASS CORRESPONDENTS

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Carla Reeves has been promoted to director of the law firm Goulston & Storrs. She is an employment lawyer and litigator in the firm’s Boston office, where she focuses on employment counseling, litigation and investigations. In 2021, she was named a top employment lawyer by Boston Magazine, an employment law trailblazer by The National Law Journal, and an up-and-coming lawyer by Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly

CLASS CORRESPONDENT Lauren 2016@alumni.union.eduWatervliet,WoodsN.Y.

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

2016

CLASS CORRESPONDENT Anna benjamin.engle@gmail.comBenjaminannameiring@gmail.comBoston,MeiringMass.Engle

Gabe Kramer Los Angeles, carl.s.winkler@gmail.comNewCarlkramerg3@gmail.comCalif.S.WinklerYork,N.Y.

2013

Jamaluddin Aram of Afghani stan, a writer, documentary filmmaker and producer, has secured a book deal from Scribner, Canada, for his debut novel, Nothing Good Ever Happens in Wazirabad on a Wednesday

2007

sustained, withandoutsidecommitmentextraordinarytoserviceofRutgersUniversity;effectivecollaborationandmeaningfulconnectiontoaservicegroup,school,non-profitorothercommunityorganization.

Jackie Siedlecki Murphy Delmar, jaclynrenemurphy@gmail.comN.Y.

Cristina Vazzana Boston, vazzanaca@gmail.comMass.

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

2012

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

CLASS CORRESPONDENT Jake jake.ulrich@duke.eduUlrich

NOTESCLASS UNION COLLEGE | SUMMER 202250

Facilities and DevelopmentCampusatUnion. He joined Facilities Services in 2013 as assistant director before being promoted to associate director. A mechani cal engineering major at Union, Donovan served in a variety of roles for seven years with Turner Construction Company, including project superintendent and budget and risk engineer. Among the projects he worked on were the Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute in Williamstown, Mass.; the Curtis R. Priem Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center (EMPAC) at PolytechnicRensselaerInstitute;and the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Data Center. He also spent a year as a senior engineer at Albany Medical Center. He is married to Betsy McPhail ’05. The couple has two children, McKenna and Kelsey. The family lives in Ballston Lake. (see story on p. 15)

2008

Dr. Jazmin Puicon ’07, center, was recognized by the NAACP. Charles Pinckney ’08

Charles Pinckney has been named M&T Bank regional president for New York’s Capital Region. He will take on the added regional leadership responsibilities while remain ing in a senior role supporting commercial real estate, middle market, healthcare and not-for-profit businesses. Dur ing his 14 years with M&T,

Jazmin Puicon was recognized by the NAACP for her service in “centering black history in the lives of students” during Black History Month 2022. Dr. Puicon also received recogni tion for exemplary teaching from the State of New Jersey’s Amistad Commission and won Rutgers University Graduate School’s Excellence in Outreach and Service Award. The Rutgers award recognizes

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

2010 CLASS CORRESPONDENT Deanna deannac88@gmail.comCox

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Cody Bellair ’16 graduated from the University of MichiganDearborn with an M.S. degree in industrial & systems engineering in December 2021.

Robin Matthew Blythe with sister Henia (Federico ’08)

SUMMER 2022 | UNION COLLEGE 51

2019

Pamela Rice participated in the Engineering Professional Development Program at Eversource Energy, New England’s largest energy company. She now has a full-time role at Eversource, which recently featured Pamela’s story on its website (eversource.com) as part of National Engineers Week.

2008

2013

Laura Piccirillo presented at 14th annual Biology Graduate Student Symposium, hosted by Memorial University’s Biology Graduate Student Association. She was awarded “Best MSc Oral Presentation” at the symposium.

Otto Wells Hayes (Hayes ’13)

Rachael Federico and Matthew Blythe welcomed their third child, Robin Matthew Blythe. He was born in Silverton, Oregon, Jan. 8, 2022, weighing 8 pounds, 4 ounces. Robin has been lovingly welcomed by older sisters, Henia and Shoshana.

CLASS CORRESPONDENT Kayla ohannibalwilliams@gmail.comOmarrakaylafisherny3@gmail.comFisherHannibal-Williams

Keaton Seward Weller (Weller ’09)

ARRIVALS

Lacey Weller writes, “My husband, Doug, and I are proud to announce the birth of our second son, Keaton Seward Weller. He joins his big brother, Lenox Irving. They are both named after the roads that border Union, where Doug and I met.”

2009

Marisa Kaufman and Michael Dan welcomed their daughter, Ayelet Noa Dan, Feb. 18, 2022.

Nick and Lily Hayes share that they had a baby in December named Otto Wells Hayes. Ayelet Noa Dan (Kaufman ’09)

2020

Lauren McCartney and Chuck Pappas ’11 were married in a private ceremony Sept. 19, 2020. They had a reception Sept. 10, 2021, in Brooklyn, N.Y.

’18

2009

enjoys volunteering as a Big Brother at his alma mater the Blake School; playing in a local pond-hockey league; and hosting his biannual podcast, “Strictly Business with Ted Hancock.”

2003

Ted Hancock recently wed Eleanor Hancock (née Trousdale) at a family ceremony in Drago, Minn. Professionally, Ted continues to thrive in his role as an engineering manager at EcoLab. Ted received his master black belt in Lean Six Sigma methodology and his colleagues nominated him for EcoLab’s prestigious Effective Decision-Maker Award. In his free time, Ted

Darius Sabet married Molly Gardner in Redondo Beach, Calif., Sept. 18, 2021, in a beautiful outdoor ceremony by the ocean. They live in Los Angeles. Alumni in attendance included John Forbush, George Freund, Marti (Schulman) Freund ’04, Nate Alford ’04, Alyssa (Azran) Alford, Joel Ott, Drew Morgan ’02, Scott Alexander ’02 and Brian Collins ’02.

Alumni in attendance included Jamie and Katrina Schellens, Vinny Sofia, Madison Warren, Peter ’09 and Caitlin Hart, Lindsay Stone, Gillian Russo, Briana Cincotta, Will Brooks ’11, Kyan Nafissi, David LeSueur, Terri Vlahos McCartney ’81, Chuck Pappas ’80, Simone Sampson, Kelly and Matt Farrell ’11 and Adrian McLaren.

UNION COLLEGE | SUMMER 202252 UNIONS U

Alumni attend the wedding of Claude-Luvier Bonnet ’18 and Christina Dykas ’18

2010

’03

’09

’10

SUMMER 2022 | UNION COLLEGE 53

Alumni attend the wedding of Lauren McCartney ’10 and Chuck Pappas ’11

Claude-Luvier Bonnet and Christina Dykas were married Sept. 4, 2021, in Massachusetts. They shared a lovely day with family and friends. In atten dance were Jonathan Fields ’19, Taylor Finn, Samuel Lartey, Matthew Lewis, Justin Andolina ’19, Bessena Cabe ’13, Talitha Kumaresan ’19, Ashley Rosa ’17 and Sharifa Sahai.

2011

Darius Sabet ’03 and Molly Gardner

Saori and Hiromu Enoki were married Dec. 24, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan.

Ted Hancock '09 and Eleanor Hancock (née Trousdale)

2018

To learn more about the Alumni Council, visit ualumni.union.edu or contact Ashley (Boland) Breslin, director of Alumni & Parent Engagement, at alumni@union.edu. Or become a member at ualumni.union.edu/acapplication.

We just completed a successful alumni trustee election, and for the first time, hosted a meet-the-candidates session. This allowed all alumni to meet those on the ballot, and find out why they were motivated and inspired to serve Union as a trustee. This session was well attended and hopefully encourages engagement and participation in future elections.Wewill continue to feature our distinguished members as well. This month you will learn more about one of our younger alumni, Vice President of Communications Quisqueya Whitbeck ’16. She has been instrumental in helping us reach more of you through multiple platforms, including this magazine.

was a very eventful and productive academic year for the Alumni Council in 2021-22. We accomplished so much and are looking forward to doing more in the year to come.

– Vin Mattone ’06 President, Union College Alumni Council

As always, we encourage your interest and participation in our meetings. They are open to all who have received a degree from Union College or who have previously been full-time students and whose class has since graduated. We will be returning to in-person meetings this fall. Our meeting on Saturday, Oct. 1, during Homecoming will be followed by our annual Alumni Tailgate Picnic (sponsored by the Alumni Council).

Our biggest initiative this year was to become a more recognizable group within the alumni community—by helping alumni connect and provide support to the College, students and each other. We put on some of the great programming in the Capital Region and around the country for the Union community. We also created a new logo to help enhance visibility of the Alumni Council and its efforts.

Enjoy your summer. I look forward to seeing more of you this fall on campus.

UNION COLLEGE | SUMMER 202254

A Message from the ofPresidenttheAlumni Council

’16 studied global health and diplomacy under the auspices of the Organizing Theme major at Union, with minors in history and Latin American & Caribbean Studies.

Northeastern New York. Each year there has been a panel, a meet-and-greet or an informational booth at the Career Fair. It has been very gratifying to see Union go from a school without a significant ranking in the number of alums serving in the Peace Corps, to rank 22nd among small schools that produced Peace Corps volunteers in 2018 and 15th in 2019.

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT:

It is the combination of roles that I have undertaken that makes my engagement most meaningful. Engaging with faculty, staff, students and their families, as well as my fellow alumni, gives me valuable insight into the College and its legacy.

Quisqueya Witbeck ’16

Any personal or professional accom plishments you would like to share?

I have had the benefit of an eclectic career so far. Since graduating from Union and later completing my master’s degree, I have worked in leadership training, business operations, the arts and academia.

What makes your Union involvement meaningful?

In the 2022-2023 school year, it will be 10 years since I established the partnership between Union’s Career Center and the Returned Peace Corps Volunteers of

vice president for communications, Alumni QuisqueyaCouncilWitbeck

In all that you do, try to impact those around you and your environment positively and do not forget to be kind to yourself as well.

SUMMER 2022 | UNION COLLEGE 55

What do you do?

I’m an Alumni Admissions volunteer, Becker Career Center volunteer, Graduates of the Last Decade Terrace Council chair, Alumni Council vice president for communications, head class agent for the Class of 2016, Capital Region Alumni Club member, former Boston Alumni Club member, ReUnion volunteer, and organizer of the occasional alumni event apart from any specific role.

What are you involved with at Union?

What is the best advice that you have ever received/given?

UNION COLLEGE | SUMMER 202256

Russell M. Spencer ’50, of Houston, Texas, who served with the U.S. Navy in the Asiatic-Pacific Theatre during World War II, March 11, 2022. He was a graduate of Albany Law School who practiced law in Watertown, N.Y. He was 94.

Arthur P. Ismay ’49, of McLean, Va., who served in the U.S. Navy, saw combat off the coast of North Korea and established Boat Squadron One during his time in Vietnam, Jan. 13, 2022. He also served the Kennedy Administration as officer in charge of the USS Sequoia, the president’s yacht based in the Washington Navy Yard. A recipient of the Bronze Star, he retired from the Navy in 1974. Arthur, who loved water sports—especially swimming and sailing—was 94.

8 8

Richard Palla ’47, of Randolph, N.J., who received the Donald H. Kuhn Inspiration Award from Morris Habitat for Humanity, July 10, 2021. A dedicated volunteer with the organization for more than 20 years, he was 98.

John C. Williams ’51 , of Hartford, Conn., who served in the U.S. Army and earned several honors, including a good conduct medal, March 17, 2022. A licensed professional engineer who worked in building construction and then technical sales, he held various positions with Master Builders in New York and Ohio. Active in his church in many leadership capacities, he served as president and chair of the board of trustees. Craig was also involved in the local chapter of Rotary International and received the Rotarian of the Year award four times. He was 93.

Ten Eyck “Ike” Bronk Powell Jr. ’51 , of Coeymans, N.Y., who served in the U.S.

Culver F. Hayes Jr. ’53, of Lawrence and formerly of Neptune, N.J., who served in the U.S. Air Force and had a long career with New York Telephone Company and AT&T as a personnel manager, Feb. 16, 2022. Active as an elder and treasurer at Westminster Presbyterian Church, he was also business manager for Central Presbyterian Church and a seasonal tax preparer for H&R Block. Later, he was active in Seabrook Village as treasurer for the resident organization and as a member of the Silver Tones. Cul, who

Navy aboard the USS Charles R. Ware and was vice president of Powell and Minnock Brickworks, Dec. 29, 2021. Later he was president and owner of H.B. Davis Seed Company, which he operated for 40 years. Active in his community, he served as deputy and acting supervisor, town councilman and as a member of the Assessment Board of Appeals. A founding member of the National Lawn and Garden Distributors Association, he loved traveling the U.S. and internationally. He was 93.

Richard W. Reeks ’48 (USN Ret.), of Troy, N.Y., and formerly of Virginia Beach, Va., who served in the U.S. Navy during World War II, Dec. 14, 2021. He dedicated 27 years to the Navy, with deployments aboard the USS Kula Gulf, USS Kenneth D. Bailey, USS Cacapon and USS Trathen He also spent 10 years teaching in Virginia Beach Public Schools and was a longtime volunteer and choir member at Francis Asbury United Methodist Church. Richard, who liked gardening, woodworking and making furniture, was 94.

1940s

Robert W. Kelly ’52, of Corte Madera, Calif., Sept. 11, 2021. He was 91.

development for the very poor. Jack, who later worked for the Unitarian Universalist Affordable Housing Corporation, was active with the River Road Unitarian Universalist Congregation. He was 93.

Howard S. Modlin ’52, of New York, N.Y., an attorney who earned a law degree from Columbia University and became president of his firm, Weisman, Celler, Spett & Modlin, Feb.10, 2022. Among his directorships, he was director general of DataComm Industries Inc. He was elected class president and received the Alumni Gold Medal at his 45th ReUnion in 1997. He was 90.

1950s

John Edmondson ’51 , of Rockville, Md., and formerly of Washington, D.C., who held a law degree from the University of Virginia, Jan. 3, 2022. Jack had a long career in international development as a low-income housing specialist at the Cooperative Housing Foundation. A leader in the fight for equity and social justice, he traveled the world facilitating housing

James H. Rich Jr. ’51 , of Southold, N.Y., who served in the U.S. Navy and early in his career worked for Young-Rich associates building schools and commercial buildings, March 9, 2022. Later, he and his father operated Southold Lumber Company Inc. James coached Little League, was vice president of the Southold School Board and president of Southold Rotary. A 58-year member of the Southold Fire Department and a 70-year member of the Southold American Legion Post 803, he was an avid sailor and sailboat racer. Jim was 94.

Dr. Walter L. Pelham ’51 , Delmar, N.Y., who served in the U.S. Army and graduated from University of Rochester School of Medicine and Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Nov. 30, 2021. He operated a private practice in Newark, N.Y., and served as deputy commissioner of the Albany County Health Department. Active in the First United Methodist Church of Delmar, he was an avid outdoorsman who enjoyed hunting and fishing. He was 92.

IN MEMORIAM

During his time at Howard, Bob became a pioneer in pediatric sickle cell disease research. He authored or co-authored more than 80 publica tions, including four books. Bob retired from the university in 2009 after 42 years.

In 1967, Bob joined the faculty of Howard University College of Medicine, where he became chair of the Graduate Department of Genetics and Human Genetics. He also saw patients at the Howard University Hospital pediatric clinic.

SUMMER 2022 | UNION COLLEGE 57

Born in Newburgh, N.Y., in 1931, Bob earned a bachelor of science degree from Union, where he contrib uted significantly to campus life. Upon graduation, he received the Frank Bailey (1885) Prize for outstanding service to the College. Additionally, Bob was a member of Alpha Phi Omega, Delphic Society and Christian Society. He was a soloist for glee club and choir, and a member of Block U. Bob won seven letters in cross country, basketball and track.

member of the Board of Directors of the Hastings Center on Bioethics. He was a fellow of the American Association of Science and served on special committees of the National Institutes of Health, including the working group on ethics, law and social issues for the National Center for Human Genome Research.

Just as engaged as an alumnus, he was a loyal supporter of the College and a member of the Terrace Council, Union’s leadership giving society. Bob was a career resources volunteer, Annual Fund phonathon worker and Alumni Council member. In 1972, he was elected alumni trustee, becoming the first Black member of the Board.

DR. ROBERT F. MURRAY JR. ’53

He served in that capacity from 1972 untilBob1980.also held a master of science degree in genetics from the University of Washington, and a medical degree from the University of Rochester School of Medicine. After completing his residency in internal medicine at the University of Colorado Medical Center, he also served in the U.S. Public Health Service at the National Institutes of Health.

Possessed of an infectious laugh and great sense of humor, Bob was a born storyteller who loved science fiction, sitcoms, opera, classical music, jazz, R&B, good food and the Redskins.Heissurvived by his wife, Isobel (Peachy) Murray; children, Dr. Robert F. Murray III, Suzanne F. Drielsma and Dianne Murray Jones; five grandchil dren; and two great-grandchildren.

r. Robert F. Murray Jr. ’53, of Washington, D.C., was a national authority in the field of genetics, particularly sickle cell anemia, and the first Black member of the Union College Board of Trustees. He died Jan. 21, 2022, at the age of 90.

Robert F. Murray Jr. '53, right, receives the Frank Bailey (1885) Prize from President Carter Davidson

Outside of medicine, Bob was a lifelong lover of music. He was an accomplished pianist and had a powerful singing voice. He found great joy performing with the choir, and directing and signing with the Jubilee Singers at All Souls Unitarian Church, of which he was a member for more than 40 years.

An active member of the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences, he was a fellow and

just weren’t sure if he was kidding or not,” Barbanel said. “You had to sort through the sarcasm.”

Seiken loved tennis. But Bick, an accomplished distance runner, touted his sport as an ideal outlet for mathematicians who thrive on solitary concentration. By the peak of the running boom in the mid-1980s, Bick had recruited most of his colleagues and converted the tennis players.

He held a B.A. from Syracuse University; and M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Michigan

Throughout his career and during retirement, he was a regular at department celebrations, where he began the tradition of reciting original and witty poetry to honor a promoted colleague, according to Julius Barbanel, professor

Survivors include his wife of 67 years, Ione; two sons, Aron ’80 and Jason ’80; and a daughter, Dabra ’84.

“We tried to suppress running, but Ted was a formidable force,” joked Seiken, one of the few tennis holdouts. “I view running as a de-evolutionary development.”

Seiken joined his retired math ematics colleagues for monthly luncheons, most recently in March, said Barbanel, adding, “He was so gracious and kind and said he was lucky to have had such a good life.”

Seiken was largely responsible for encouraging faculty to shift their focus solely from teaching to also doing research, according to an entry by his colleague, the late Professor Ted Bick ’58, in the Encyclopedia of Union College History

Seiken’s office, in the southeast corner on the second floor of Bailey Hall, was filled with sunlight and crowded with plants, leaving barely enough room for the professor and a guest.Hearrived at Union in 1967 after teaching appointments at the University of Michigan, the University of Illinois, Michigan State University and the University of Rhode Island.

ARNOLD SEIKEN, professor emeritus and former chair of mathematics

UNION COLLEGE | SUMMER 202258

rnold Seiken, professor emeritus and former chair of mathematics, used his kindness, deadpan humor and subtle sarcasm to encour age struggling students and enliven his department. He passed away on Monday, April 18, 2022. He was 94.

IN MEMORIAM

Barbanelemeritus.recalled that in his job interview the chair eagerly announced faculty benefits including sheep grazing on the College lawn and free burial in the College Plot at Vale Cemetery.“Hehad a deadpan humor and you

He retired in 1996 after 28 years at Union, including 13 as department chair.

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

Michael R. Medei ’55, of Daytona Beach, Fla., who held an MBA from the University of Massachusetts, joined the GE training program and worked on the Polaris Missile Program, Nov. 18, 2021. Later, he worked with the Daytona Beach Apollo Support Department and in retirement was a consultant for Harris Corporation and Lockheed Martin. An avid handball player for almost 50 years, he served on the Ormond Recreation Board and was a member of St. Brendan’s Catholic Church. He was 87.

Sven R. Hartmann ’54, of High Falls, N.Y., who served in the U.S. Air Force and held a Ph.D. in physics from the University of California, Berkeley, Dec. 17, 2021. A professor emeritus at Columbia University, he conducted research in optical physics and led the team that first demonstrated the photon echo effect. He enjoyed time on his rural Hudson Valley farm, raising honeybees, guinea fowl, peacocks and llamas. He was 89.

David B. Smith ’53, of Wellfleet and Boston, Mass., who served in the Signal Corps of the Eighth Army during the Korean War, Nov. 29, 2021. A telephone engineer with the Bell System, primarily with New England Telephone, he enjoyed the Boston Symphony Orchestra and singing in the Trinitarian Congregational Church (Wayland) choir. David also served as a deacon at the church and was an active supporter of his sons’ musical edification. He was 91.

Nelson J. Stewart ’53, of Sun City West, Ariz., who served in the U.S. Army and Air Force, and was an electrical engineer at General Electric in Syracuse, N.Y., for 35 years, March 19, 2021. Nelson loved to travel. He is survived by his wife, Jean; two daughters; a grandchild; and three great-grandchildren. He was 95.

Benjamin served in the U.S. Public Health Department, commissioned to the Coast Guard, and went on to practice orthodon tics for 45 years. He loved spending time with his family at home on Union Street or on Saratoga Lake. He was 87.

Robert Lehrer ’56, of Garnet Valley, Penn., who held a master’s in chemistry and a Ph.D. in physical chemistry from Johns Hopkins University, Dec. 20, 2021. He enjoyed a long and varied career with DuPont Company as a chemist, in sales and marketing, and as a business manager. Bob loved coming up with new inventions, like coffee filters and game shows, and also had a great love for animals (especially dogs). He enjoyed card games, shuffle board and visits with his grandchildren. Bob was 87.

Dr. Benjamin J. Vinciguerra ’56, of Schenectady, N.Y., who held a master’s from Albany State Teachers College and graduated from the University of Buffalo School of Dental Medicine, Feb. 25, 2022.

completed 4,000 workouts by age 85 at Seabrook Fitness Center, was 90.

SUMMER 2022 | UNION COLLEGE 59

Nelson Botsford Jr. ’54, of Frisco, Colo., who served in the U.S. Air Force and spent his entire career with Bell Telephone Laboratories, Feb. 21, 2022. He enjoyed the Colorado outdoors, spending summers camping with his family and winters skiing. He also enjoyed a second home in Mountainside and retired to a house he built in the Reserve. He was 89.

Admitted to practice before the U.S. Supreme Court, he later worked for Oneida Ltd., where he helped capture an industrial spy and rose to senior vice president, and chairman of the board and chief executive officer. He retired after 31 years, but remained active in the commu nity, including as a member of the board of directors of Oneida Savings Bank and Coyne Textile Services. He was 87.

Arthur “Jay” O’Neill ’56, of Scituate, Mass., who was a pilot in the U.S. Navy and captain of the swim team and brother of Alpha Delta Phi at Union College, Feb. 23, 2022. Jay spent 52 years as an ocean lifeguard at Jones Beach State Park and had a long career in insurance. Always positive and smiling, he was a loving father, grandfather, friend and colleague. Survivors include his daughter, Amy (O’Neill) Rojik ’92, her husband and their five children. Jay was 87.

Dr. Joseph C. Loffredo ’54, of Lake George and Niskayuna, N.Y., who graduated from Albany Medical College and spent two years at the 60th Station Army Hospital (France), March 3, 2022. Joe practiced pediatrics in the Schenectady area for 32 years and was chief of pediatrics at Ellis Hospital. An avid sports fan, his favorite baseball team was the New York Yankees. He also enjoyed thoroughbred racing, fishing, gardening and spending time with his family. He was 89.

Robert P. Larsen ’53, of Riverside, Calif., who was an Eagle Scout, served in the U.S. Army and held a NYS professional engineer’s license, Nov. 28, 2021. He first worked for General Electric, earned a master’s of engineering from Cornell University and retired as an engineering fellow from Rockwell International Corpo ration. Robert held a patent, authored more than 30 technical papers and established the Robert P. Larsen ’53 Endowed Scholarship for Engineering Students at Union College. A 50-year member of Masonic Lodge No. 207 (Anaheim), he was active in his community.

Norman E. Scull ’54, of Santa Fe, N.M., who was the former advertising director at The Sandpaper and graduated from Harvard Law School, Jan. 4, 2022. He practiced law in East Orange, N.J., and lived on Long Beach Island for 30 years, where he was president of the Rotary Club. He spent two decades with the sales team at The Sandpaper and served as business manager of the Celebrations, a spiritual group he attended. He was 89.

William D. Matthews ’56, of Oneida, N.Y., who graduated from Cornell Law School and then joined the firm of Whitlock, Markey and Tait (Washington, D.C.), Nov. 21, 2021.

FRANK GADO, professor emeritus of English 8

He was twice awarded a Fulbright fellowship to teach at Uppsala University in Sweden and an NEH grant to study the genre of autobiography.

An active lecturer during retire ment, he gave annual talks on Bryant at the poet’s homestead in Cumming ton, Mass. In the past several years, while undergoing treatment for cancer, he gave a series of talks on Herman Melville’s Moby Dick at Dartmouth College’s Osher Lifelong Learning Institute.

The Frank Gado Endowed Terms Abroad Fellowship was created by Janet Black ’74 and Dr. Hans Black ’74 to honor their former professor.

(See page Thorlac3.)Turville-Petre, a specialist

in Middle English literature and former head of English at the University of Nottingham, England, met Gado at Uppsala. He wrote, “As an English graduate of a British university, I knew nothing of American lit (things are better now), and Frank set about teaching me. My first lesson was John Bart (who he?), and then we progressed to sterner stuff. Though distance meant we rarely met later, he continued to check up on my education, most recently distressed when I admitted I’d never finished Moby Dick. Oh well, a firm friend I shall greatly miss.”

Survivors include his children, Tobias ’92 and Carin ’96.

rank Gado, a professor emeritus of English who specialized in American literature and film, passed away June 8, 2022, after a long illness at his home in West Hartford, Vt. He was 85.

policy. He delighted in calling attention to “barbarisms” of English usage in the College magazine. He also penned letters to The New Yorker to correct grammatical mistakes or to complain that none of his entries to the weekly cartoon contest had made it to the preliminary ballot.

He edited First Person: Conversa tions on Writers and Writing with writers including John Updike, Glenway Wescott and Robert Penn Warren. He also edited volumes of works by Stephen Crane (Drawn from Life: Stories by Stephen Crane) and James Kirke Paulding (The Lion of the West and the Bucktails).

His interests also included film. He taught the film program at the College, concurrently writing his most ambi tious work, The Passion of Ingmar Bergman, published in 1986.

IN MEMORIAM

Born in Fairview, N.J., to immigrant parents from Piemonte, Italy, Gado graduated in 1958 with a degree in philosophy from Dartmouth College, where he was a member of Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity. After a semester at Harvard Law School, he changed course and earned his master’s and Ph.D. in literature from DukeTeachingUniversity.literature and writing remained his passion throughout his professional life, most of which was spent at Union, where he chaired the English department.

Charles Gati, professor emeritus, praised his former colleague for his popularity with students, his directness, and his perfectionism.

UNION COLLEGE | SUMMER 202260

Gado was a forthright critic of literature, culture and the academy. In retirement, his emails with alumni and former colleagues combined the latest personal news with waggish analyses of a book, film or college

Gado, who taught at Union from 1963 until he retired in 1999, was also head of the Union College Press, for which he edited a number of works on American writers and published two studies on poet William Cullen Bryant.

Michael J. Kopec ’61 , of Trenton, N.J., who served in the U.S. Army and worked for the Vick Manufacturing Division of Richardson-Merrell Inc., Dec. 8, 2021. Vice president of manufacturing for the Vick’s Healthcare Division, he later became president of manufacturing at CarterWallace Inc. Michael was proud of his long tenure of service to the AMA Manufactur ing Council and his involvement in Junior Achievement of Greensboro. Also a longtime member of the Bedens Brooks Club in Skillman, N.J., he was 82.

David W. Mitchell ’60, of Eastham, Mass., who served with the U.S. Army and was a CPA with Arthur Andersen & Co., March 9, 2022. Dave later founded his own accounting firm, Vlacich, Mitchell & Co. CPAs in Orleans, at which he served clients for more than 40 years. Also treasurer for Montague Machine Co., he was treasurer for the Orleans Cardinals for more than 30 years. Dave loved golf, particularly with family and friends. He was 85.

SUMMER 2022 | UNION COLLEGE 61

Technology, April 21, 2022. He spent his career with IBM, mostly in IBM Research, finishing as manager of I/O science and technology at the Almaden Research Center. He became a private pilot in his free time and after retirement enjoyed much world travel. He was 86.

Dr. Richard F. Balsam ’59, of Albany, N.Y., who graduated from Albany Medical College and practiced internal medicine and cardiology in Albany for 45 years, Jan. 9, 2022. A veteran of the U.S. Army Medical Corps, he created Renaissance Musical Arts as a local event programming and educational fundraising platform for classical music and young artists. Richard enjoyed competitive sports, organized and competed in tennis competitions and coached his sons toward a Suburban Council golf championship. He was 83.

Kenneth S. Hoyt ’59, of Landrum, S.C., and formerly of Saranac Lake, N.Y., enjoyed doing international work with Stromberg Carlson and Plessey Telecommunications, Dec. 24, 2021. He also worked with Arthur D. Little Inc. (Mass.) and Ascom AG (Switzerland) before opening KSH International Inc. (Tampa), a management consultancy focused on telecommunica tions and data technology sectors. A founding member of the Cultural Center in Carrollwood and an active member of the Tampa chapter of Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, he was 84.

1960s

John S. Glass ’58, of Boxford and Lake George, N.Y., who graduated from MIT Sloan School of Management and was part of the MIT Fellows in Africa program, March 9, 2022. Later, he worked for Polaroid Corp. and served as an executive for many years at Millipore Corp. A founder and board member of several

Power Squadron and an instructor for seamanship, he was a charter member of the Laser Association Fleet No. 71. He raced his laser boat from 1973–1995 and was also active in the First Unitarian Universalist Society. He loved downhill skiing more than any other outdoor activity and served on the Mad River Glen volunteer ski patrol. He was 85.

Dr. Howard Jaffe ’57, a dentist practicing in Mt. Pleasant, S.C., Feb. 2, 2022. He was 86.

biomedical ventures, including BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc., he enjoyed photog raphy, ceramics and genealogy. A member of the Sons of the American Revolution, he was 86.

Donald W. Thompson Jr. ’59, of Port Ludlow, Wash., who earned an MBA from Santa Clara University, Feb. 14, 2022. He worked at Loral and Pratt & Whitney before enjoying a long career with Lockheed Martin Space Systems, where he worked on satellites and the space shuttle for more than 20 years. An avid golfer, Don loved traveling and taking cruises. He was 86.

Roy Neuer ’60, of South Burlington, Vt., who was a mechanical design engineer in the GE Armament Department, Dec. 27, 2021. A member of the United States

Edwin M. Kraus ’62, of Ulster, Penn., who taught science at Aquinas Prep School (Ky.), Short Hills Country Day School (N.J.), The Pingry School (N.J.) and Sayre High School (Penn.), Dec. 6, 2021. The farm he and his wife owned was home to many animals over the years, from donkeys and ponies to rabbits and pigs. Also a phle botomist at Robert Packer Hospital, Ed enjoyed competitive chess, collecting stamps, computer games and Tuesday Breakfast Club with his friends and son. He was 81.

Richard G. Addison ’64, of Camarillo, Calif., who was a civilian contractor with the federal government, Feb. 5, 2022. He began his career in Washington, D.C., and

Wendell Neugebauer ’57, of Ballston Spa, N.Y., who held degrees in electric engineering from Union College and MIT, March 5, 2022. An electrical engineer with General Electric, he worked on the AWACS radar, Star Wars defense systems and power grid technologies. Active in the Knights of Columbus and IEEE, he loved animals, was a lifelong vegetarian and avid cyclist. He loved working in the garden and woods, and taking his children camping, swimming, canoeing and stargazing. He was 86.

Dwight R. Ball ’57, of Sarasota, Fla., who graduated from Cornell Law School and practiced law in Binghamton, N.Y., and Sarasota, Oct. 22, 2021. He served in the Army Reserves, had a strong work ethic, loved traveling and valued experiences over possessions. A wonderful father and grandfather, he loved reading and fishing.

Richard S. Muir ’58, of Rotonda West, Fla., whose career included work at Hartford Electric Light, SNET and similar manufac turers in Connecticut, Dec. 20, 2021. A licensed Connecticut Professional Engineer, he also taught electrical engineering at Gateway Community College for 20 years. Richard was a member of the Widow’s Son Lodge, AF & AM of Branford, and was an accomplished private pilot for nearly 60 years. He was 85.

spent five years in Puerto Rico before settling in California. He retired after 35 years of federal service. Salutatorian of his class at Newport (Vt.) High School, Richard was 80.

IN MEMORIAM

Dr. Edward B. Clark ’66, of Salt Lake City, Utah, who graduated from Albany Medical School and spent 26 years at the Univer sity of Utah, March 8, 2022. He served as chairman of pediatrics and chief medical officer or Primary Children’s Medical Center, and was the Wilma T. Gibson Presidential Chair. Later, he was president of the University of Utah Medical Group. The Clark’s Classification of Congenital Heart Disease remains a standard clinical diagnostic tool. Ed, who loved nature, was dedicated to equal opportunity in healthcare and education, and who served in the U.S. Public Health Service, was 77.

years with General Reinsurance Corpora tion, retiring as senior vice president. Bracken enjoyed reading to his children, fly fishing and gardening, as well as family history and Irish history. He developed a manuscript about Tain Bo Cuailnge, or the Cattle Raid of Cooley. He was 75.

Robert J. Kensell ’68, of Walnut Creek, Calif., who held a master’s in computer technology from Stevens Institute of Technology and began his career at Bell Labs, April 12, 2022. Later, he transferred to Pacific Bell in San Francisco, where he managed systems security until he retired in 1994. An active person who was an avid jogger and downhill skier, he enjoyed reading about science, physics and philosophy. A lifelong Yankees fan who also traveled extensively, Bob was 75.

Stuart Moss ’72, of Washington, D.C., who was a dedicated research scientist and

John F. Barber ’69, of Reno, Nev., who held a master’s in operations research from Union College, March 25, 2022. He worked in GE Research and Development, and Information Technology, before retiring from the company in 1996. John then joined America Online, setting up AOL Japan in Tokyo and becoming its managing director. John also coached T-ball and youth basketball, and was the voice of the Mustangs for the American School in Japan. He played music and emceed the high school football games while watching his sons’ games. He was 75.

1970s

Herbert B. Lee G’71 , of Tinton Falls, N.J., who was an electrical engineer at Central Hudson Gas and Electric Corporation (Poughkeepsie) and held a B.S. in electrical engineering from Howard University, Jan. 30, 2022. Herbert, who met President John F. Kennedy at a Rose Garden event, also held an M.S. in electrical engineering from Union College. He enjoyed traveling the word, cultivating a large vegetable garden, fishing and playing golf with friends. He was 88.

Anthony R. Turi G’69, of South Cambridge, N.Y., who served in the U.S. Coast Guard and held a B.S. from Paterson State Teachers College and an M.S. from Union

Dr. Armen Manasar ’68, of Wappingers Falls, N.Y., who earned a doctorate of dental surgery from Northwestern University, Nov. 13, 2021. He ran a private practice in Wappingers Falls and was active in professional organizations, including as past president of the Dutchess County Dental Society. Also director of dentistry for 22 years at Vassar Brothers Medical Center, he was a doting father and grandfather, as well as an avid storyteller. He was 75.

Robert J. Gresham ’68, of Windsor, Conn., who spent his career in the air cargo industry and retired from DB Schenker Company, Feb. 23, 2022. In retirement, Bob started his own consulting company, working with the U.S. Department of Commerce, and spent the last 10 years as a professional assistant with Carmon Funeral Homes. Active with his children as a baseball coach, he was captain of Poquonock Volunteer Fire Company. An avid gardener, Bob was also active with Old Saint Andrews Episcopal Church. He was 75.

Lawrence R. Moran ’70, of Amsterdam, N.Y., who was an internal auditor with the New York State Education Department, Nov. 26, 2021. At Union College, he earned a B.A. in philosophy and was a member of Phi Sigma Kappa fraternity. Larry enjoyed traveling in Europe, hiking and canoeing in the Adirondacks, and studying military history. A poet and philosopher, he was 73.

David Snively ’65, of Cleveland, Ohio, who worked for Standard Oil of Ohio in positions that included vice president of retail marketing, wholesale marketing and governmental affairs, Nov. 10, 2021. David later owned a farm and earned a reputation for producing excellent lamb. Formerly town trustee of Newbury, he wrote 18 short stories, two novels and one novella. Also active in Junior Achieve ment, he hosted an annual farm day for the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Cleveland. David, who enjoyed cooking, woodworking and golfing, was 81.

Bracken C. O’Neill ’68, of Bridgeport, Conn., who taught English at the University of El Salvador while serving in the Peace Corps and later earned a J.D. from the University of Michigan, Jan. 29, 2022. He spent 25

UNION COLLEGE | SUMMER 202262

Dr. William C. Schlansker ’68, of Anchorage, Alaska, who earned a doctorate of dental medicine from the University of Pennsylvania, Feb. 12, 2022. Bill served in the U.S. Commissioned Corps of the Public Health Service as a bush dentist before starting his own practice in Anchorage. He practiced there for nearly 40 years. Bill, who enjoyed cross-country skiing, rowing and hiking, loved music. He was 75.

College, Jan. 31, 2022. He taught science and math in several districts in New Jersey and New York before spending 20 years at Hoosick Falls Central School. He coached football at the high school and collegiate level, and served as vice president and president on many boards, including the Cambridge Central School Board. He was 89.

Paul J. Dean ’76, of Albany, N.Y., who served in the Coast Guard and worked for American Standard before continuing his career in technical sales with Rexford Plumbing and Kaiser Aluminum Co., Jan. 31, 2022. Later, he founded P.J. Dean Trucking, fulfilling a lifelong dream. He and his wife traveled extensively interna tionally and made five cross-country car trips exploring U.S. national parks. Paul, who enjoyed sailing, snorkeling and volunteering in the National Park on St. John, and working at Maho Camp, was 84.

1980s

SUMMER 2022 | UNION COLLEGE 63

Dr. Anthony J. Romanazzi ’77, of Queensbury, N.Y., who earned his DMD from Tufts University and practiced dentistry in Glens Falls for 40 years, Jan. 28, 2022. A member of many professional organiza tions, including the Fourth District Local Dental Society, Tony loved flying. He built his own amphibious seaplane and was a lifelong member of the Experimental Aircraft Association. Tony received a commendation for his work as a volunteer aviation safety counselor for the New England Region of the Federal Aviation Administration. He was 67.

program director for the National Institute for Child Health and Human Development, Nov. 13, 2021. A beloved companion, son, brother, uncle and great-uncle, he was 71.

Roger L. Meyers G’87, of Grantham, N.H., and Osprey, Fla., who held a master’s in music composition from the University of South Florida at Tampa and master’s in computer science from Union College, Dec. 11, 2021. He spent the balance of his career at GE Fanuc Automation in a variety of roles, including as head of the commercial proposal development team. Roger, who enjoyed performing his computer-generated music at concerts and festivals, was a volunteer with the Sarasota County Democratic Party. Also a volunteer tax preparer, he was 69.

Dorothy F. Hoyt G’72, of Burnt Hills, N.Y., who held bachelor’s degrees in math ematics and German and earned a master’s degree from Union College, March 20, 2022. A lifelong educator, she enjoyed substitute teaching and tutoring, as well as sewing, music, baking and family camping. She taught Sunday School, was an advisor for youth programs, served on the Schenectady YMCA Board of Trustees and was an active member of AAUW. Dorothy, who loved spending time with family, was 91.

Brian E. Durr ’81 , of Albany, N.Y., who held a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Empire State College and was an avid New York Giants fan, Feb. 18, 2022. After more than 30 years, he retired from Oswald D. Heck Developmental Center as a supervisor. A proud father, he loved helping people with their taxes, Star Trek and music— everything from Parliament Funkadelic to R&B. He was 63.

Larry Morrison G’72, of Glenville, N.Y., who graduated from the University of New Hampshire with a degree in mechanical engineering and held a master’s in industrial administration from Union College, Dec. 5, 2021. He spent 35 years with G.E., enjoyed international travel and spent every summer with his family at their camp in Bridgton, Maine. Larry loved reading and donated platelets twice a month for 30 years. He also drove Meals on Wheels weekly in Maine for 20 years. A runner who competed in many races in New York and Maine, he was 80.

Dr. Desmond R. Del Giacco ’72, of Saratoga Springs, N.Y., who graduated from Albany Medical College and was on the Saratoga Hospital Board of Directors for 20 years, Jan. 19, 2022. He ran a private practice in pulmonology and critical care, and served as medical director and oversaw the development of a modern ICU at Saratoga Hospital. He held many leadership roles during his 41-year career, including Saratoga County Chest Clinic medical director (1984-2022). Also a member of many professional organizations, he received the Community Service Award from Saratoga Hospital. He was 71.

40 years building roads and bridges as an engineer with the NYS Department of Transportation, and in retirement was a consultant for Capital District construction companies. A communicant of St. Edward the Confessor Church, he was also a member of the Knights of Columbus in Troy and Cohoes. He was 85.

Joy W. Pinnell G’83, of Galway, N.Y., who studied economics at West Virginia Wesleyan College, earned a master’s from Union College and worked in computer science, Feb. 19, 2022. She worked at Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory and traveled extensively around the U.S., Europe and Africa. Joy, who loved doting on her family, was 80.

Richard F. Brady G’73, of Clifton Park, N.Y., and formerly of Troy, who served in the 1st Brigade, 27th Armored Division of the NYS National Guard, Jan. 13, 2022. He spent

James W. Sedlak G’75, of Fredericksburg, Va., who held a B.S. from Manhattan College and an M.S. in industrial adminis tration from Union College, Jan. 10, 2022. Jim taught physics at Marymount High School and spent 30 years with IBM as a research physicist and manager of corporate new products release and control methodologies. Also executive director of American Life League, he co-founded and directed Stop Planned Parenthood International. The recipient of many pro-life awards, including the Dutchess County Right to Life’s Pro-Lifer of the Year award, he was 78.

Marsha T. Danzig ’85, of Dayton, Ohio, who held an M.Ed. from Harvard and was a yoga therapist and Reiki practitioner, Jan. 8, 2022. She worked at the United Nations in Switzerland; was the first amputee yogi; and was a somatic movement and dance kinetics teacher. A Ewing’s Sarcoma survivor, she wrote several books, including Yoga for Amputees: The Essential Guide to Finding Wholeness After Limb Loss. The creator of Color Me Yoga and Yeshua Yoga, she was 59.

Friends of Union College

Lester Foster G’02, of Ballston Lake, N.Y., who attended Westminster College and served in the U.S. Air Force before earning master's in the teaching program at Union College, Dec. 16, 2021. He spent nearly 40 years with General Electric, was a member of the G.E. Quarter Century Club, held a pilot license and was a member of the Millionaire Flying Club. Also a member of the Saratoga Elks PBOE #161, he attend the Shenendehowa United Methodist Church and the Mount Olivette Baptist Church in Saratoga Springs. Lester was 82.

Caelan B. Lapointe ’15, of Boulder, Colo., who won a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship and held a doctorate in mechanical engineering, Feb. 13, 2022. A computational engineer who pioneered the use of adaptive mesh refinement for simulations of wildland fires, he was the recipient of Union College’s Josephine Daggett Prize and the author of numerous scientific papers. Caelan loved cats and his Cajun roots, and was an accomplished Suzuki violinist and fiddler. He was 28.

Michelle Pollack ’96, of Highland Mills, N.Y., who held a master’s in education from Columbia Teachers College, Feb. 17, 2022. She taught sixth grade math at Nanuet Middle School and was a math coach at Pinebush Schools. Michelle led mathemati cal professional development workshops to help teachers create a student-centered environment. Always able to inspire her students to love math, she was 47.

Jeffrey E. Cieszynski ’95, of Glenville, N.Y., who served in the U.S. Navy, Feb. 4, 2022. After working for Digital Equipment and Toshiba, Jeff spent 17 years with Cadence Design Systems in the Schenectady area. A cub master of Pack 67 and the assistant scout master of Troop 67, he was president of Schenectady Youth Hockey and a member of several other community groups. Jeff cherished his friends and family. He was 56.

Daniel J. Hager II ’15, of Ridgefield, Conn., who held degrees in English and history from Union College and worked at NBC Sports Premier League Soccer, Dec. 14, 2021. During the off-season, he worked on live broadcasts of hockey, football and curling (for the Pyeongchang Olympics). Mostly recently, Daniel worked with a small independent film company. Witty, bright and loving, he was 29.

Francis E. O’Brien Jr., of Modesto, Calif., who served in the U.S. Marine Corps and participated in Operation Flintlock in the Marshall Islands, as well as the battles of Saipan and Tinian, Feb. 16, 2022. The recipient of two Purple Hearts, a Bronze Star and the V for Valor award, he taught and coached at Union College. Later, he taught civics and coached football at Oakdale High School and Riverbank High School. Active in his community, he was 99.

George Fredericks, of Schenectady, who was a campus safety officer from 2003 to 2015, May 30, 2022. He enlisted in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War, serving in signal intelligence in Vietman and Thailand. Before joining the College, he spent three decades with the New York State Department of Labor. A passionate photographer, he was 72.

Philip G. Kosky, of Suwanee, Ga., who was a distinguished research professor of engineering (2001–2007) at Union College, May 21, 2022. Prior to teaching, he spent most of his career as a research scientist with General Electric Research & Develop ment Center. He co-authored five editions of the college text, Exploring Engineering: An Introduction to Engineering Design He also wrote nearly 200 publications and other reports, including 25 patents. Philip held a B.S. in engineering from University College London and a Ph.D. in chemical engineering from the University of California, Berkeley. He was 83.

Philip R. Reynolds, of Halfmoon, N.Y., who taught math for 32 years at Oxford High School, Webster High School and Niskayuna High School, May 28, 2022. He coached basketball and was a math department head during his career, and later spent 15 years teaching at Union College. Phil held a B.S. from Cornell, an M.A. from Colgate and an Ed.D. from the University of Rochester. He served in the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam Conflict and in the Naval Reserves. Past president of the Association of Math Teachers of NYS and the NYS Association of Math Supervisors, he was 83.

1990s

Jacek D. Rudnicki ’00, of Chicago, Ill., who worked in financial and computer tech, and was a most loyal and devoted friend, Feb. 6, 2022. A native of Poland, he moved to the U.S. in 1987. Remembered as a generous and gentle soul, he was 44.

Richard P. Harblin, of Galway, N.Y., who was a carpenter at Union College for 20 years, Feb. 3, 2022. A veteran of the U.S. Army who served in Germany, he enjoyed hunting, fishing and spending time in the woods and at his camp. Dick also liked reading, spending time with his family and having a beer with friends at the Thirsty Moose. He was 92.

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James D. Williams-Ness ’93, of Litchfield, Conn., who was vice president of client solutions at Nielson, May 20, 2022. Jamie grew up in Greenwich and attended Brunswick School and Deerfield Academy. At Union, he majored in history, joined Phi Delta Theta, won a scholarship from the Federation of German-American Clubs, and studied at the University of Augsburg. Jamie was an avid New York sports fan who particularly loved the Rangers. An active member of the New York Road Runners, he qualified for the NY City Marathon and the Berlin Marathon. Above all, Jamie was a devoted husband to his wife, Shane, and father to their daughter, Adeline (Addie). He was 52.

2000s

IN MEMORIAM

2010s

DOWN 1. Discretionary fund for campus 3. NHL defenseman for the Arizona Coyotes 4. Secretary of State, purchased Alaska 5. Screenwriter, director of “Dodgeball” and “Red Notice” 6. Alumnus and award-winning professor at Rowan University 9. Giving society named for oldest campus structure 10. Winner of this year’s Hockey Humanitarian Award 11. Chairman, president and CEO of Texas Instruments; largest one-time gift in Union’s history 13. The name of Eliphalet Nott’s steamboat 15. Alumna and author of Little Purple Monster 16. “Parks and Rec” actor, voice of “Sonic the Hedgehog,” Union alumnus 17. Greek goddess, student housing, a fellowship ACROSS 2. A donation made in monthly, quarterly, semi-annual, annual installments 7. Campus garden 8. Newly constructed building, named for 18th Union president 11. 1973 film shot at Union 12. Civil engineer, building that houses an observatory 14. Location of Prof. Guillermina Seri’s current research 18. Over 50% of Union students receive these 19. Number of Nott sides 20. 21st U.S. President 21. Olympic sport of alumna Emma White ’20 Test your knowledge of Union history and gain insight into all aspects of life on campus that donations support. You can even find some answers to these questions throughout the magazine. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 1314 15 18 17 16 19 20 21 Ready to make your impact on campus? Visit union.edu/give today. Mark Calendars!Your Union’s October Challenge is a great way to maximiaze your support and make an immediate impact on students’ lives. Stay tuned for more details. See page 3 for answers. How well do you know U ?

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Union College Magazine, Summer 2022

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