Union Magazine Fall 2018 by Union College

FALL 2018

UNIONCOLLEGE

Volume 113 / Number 1

A Magazine for Alumni and Friends

President Harris inaugurated

The Stephen Charles Ainlay and Judith Gardner Ainlay Hall, part of the new Integrated Science and Engineering Complex, recently opened for the new academic year. The $100 million project, the largest in Union's history, will be completed in phases over the next two years. "To learn more, visit www.union.edu/se

FALL 2018 // Volume 113 // Number 1

UNION COLLEGE ON THE FRONT COVER

President David R. Harris gives his inaugural address

VICE PRESIDENT FOR COLLEGE RELATIONS

Terri Cerveny

IN THIS ISSUE:

Features

CHIEF COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER

Union inaugurates 19th president

Tom Torello EDITOR

On Sept. 7 and Sept. 8, the College officially welcomed President David R. Harris with a campus-wide celebration attended by academic and community dignitaries, alumni, students, faculty, staff and their families.

Charlie Casey caseyc@union.edu ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Erin DeMuth Judd demuthje@union.edu CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Christen Gowan Tina Lincer Phillip Wajda CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

Matt Milless Michael Farrell Shawn LaChapelle Erin Coker 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. 12308-3169. Alumni who want 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.

28 Meet President David R. Harris Curious about Union’s 19th president? Get to know David R. Harris. Find out why he chose Union, what his own college experience was like, what he does in his spare time and gain insight into his research on social stratification.

Departments 2 President’s Message

34 Bookshelf

60 Unions

4 Around U

36 Alumni Clubs

64 Arrivals

32 focUs

37 Class Notes

66 In Memoriam

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Connected by the laws of Minerva

s I observed in my inaugural address, there are a set of College values and objectives that can be traced to our founding in 1795. These include a focus on broad and deep learning, a commitment to developing the whole student and an openness to engaging people with different perspectives.

Under the laws of Minerva, we all become brothers and sisters. My address focused on these 11 words, well known to our community as the Union College motto. (In French, Sous les lois de Minerve nous devenons tous frères et sœurs) The first part, I observed, emphasizes wisdom as our goal. The second part stresses that those of us in the Union College community have a lifelong connection to one another and the College. The motto and my address provide the framework upon which we will build an even stronger Union College. Over the coming year, we will collaborate on a renewed strategic plan. Our challenges are to articulate and achieve these foundational goals in the current national and international contexts, to identify additional goals to be pursued and to accomplish these goals as budgets have tightened across U.S. colleges and universities. This journey will require significant engagement with all members of the Union College community. We will hold meetings on campus, around the country and online. We will also pose questions and solicit feedback. I encourage you to follow Union College and me on social media (https://www.union.edu/social-media), and share your experiences and perspectives. I also encourage you to participate in the Union College Challenge by making a commitment and by encouraging others as they pursue their commitments (https://www.union.edu/challenge). It is a great way to advance the wisdom and community themes that are at the core of this transformative college. Together we will identify a path that builds on Union’s distinctive and enviable set of resources; that creates a school that is well known and sought after by students, faculty and staff; and that welcomes all who will have a lifelong connection under the laws of Minerva.

DAVID R. HARRIS, Ph.D.

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Take on the #UnionCollegeChallenge President David Harris has called on us to join him in becoming more comfortable being uncomfortable, and in the process, to grow as individuals and as a community. He asked that each of us commit to doing at least one thing that is new, in our studies, our jobs or our personal lives. What takes you out of your comfort zone? What will help you? This is the #UnionCollegeChallenge.

Want to start a new alumni club? Or connect with other alums in your area who share common interests? We’d love to hear from you. The Office of Alumni & Parent Engagement is pleased to support regional alumni clubs and affinity groups, and their efforts. To learn more about establishing a Union College club or group in your region, visit uconnect.union.edu or contact Violetta De Rosa (derosav@union.edu).

Free Union email address for life Show your garnet pride with a fun, yet professional, new email address (yourname@ alumni.union.edu). Working with Google Apps for Education, the College is providing this service free to all alumni and current students. Sign up through UConnect (uconnect.union.edu, login required) or learn more at uconnect.union.edu/gmail A tweet from Chad Orzel, R. Gordon Gould Associate Professor of Physics

» Visit us online at www.union.edu/magazine

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Steinmetz Symposium celebrates research

harifa Sahai ’18 got up close with sharks on her winter break. A Klemm Fellow, Sahai spent three weeks on the south coast of Fiji’s main island of Viti Levu for a shark conservation project. She was one of more than 400 students who shared their work at the 28th annual Steinmetz Symposium in May. “Steinmetz is when we get the chance to show off what we do best here at Union,” said Chad Orzel, the R. Gordon Gould Associate Professor of Physics and director of undergraduate research. The activities began with a corporate breakfast featuring remarks by Frank Bozich, president and CEO of SI Group, a leading global developer and manufacturer of chemical intermediates, specialty resins and solution.

Classes were canceled for the all-day event, which included a lineup of oral presentations, poster sessions and exhibits as well as a dance performances, musical concerts and art exhibit. The Steinmetz Symposium is named for Charles Proteus Steinmetz (1865-1923), who taught electrical engineering and applied physics at Union. Also chief engineer for the General Electric Company, he was widely regarded as America’s leading electrical engineer. The symposium coincided with Prize Day on May 12. Among the top awards given are the Josephine Daggett Prize to the senior for conduct and character (Gianluca Avanzato) and the Frank Bailey (1885) Prize to the senior who has rendered the greatest service to the College in any field (Andrew Cassarino).

As one of Union’s Klemm Fellows, Sharifa Sahai ’18 spent three weeks on the south coast of Fiji’s main island of Viti Levu for a shark conservation project.

Top, middle: Mechanical engineering students who have built a Baja car, an airplane and a rocket engine, displayed their projects in the Wold Center atrium. Top, right: Ayanah Dowdye ’18 and Ankoor Talwar ’18 perform in a number called “Keep it Up” during the Lothridge Festival of Dance.

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REUNION2018 Celebrating Union’s graduates

lumni and families enjoyed all the perennial favorites at ReUnion in May—Alumni Parade, picnic, kid’s carnival and lobster dinner—undaunted by rain. Many of the 2,000 guests got an inside look at the construction of the Integrated Science and Engineering Complex. And they heard from their fellow alumni on a range of topics: • Arnold Drogen ’70, Eugene Kokot ’70, Steven David ’72, Michele Beaulieu ’81, Anastasie Prokhorova ’01, Nori Pepe ’03, Adam Grode ’05 and Shilpa Darivemula ’13 participated in the Watson Fellowship 50th anniversary panel discussion. • Kyrie Kristopher York ’03, Diana Gazzolo ’78, Ackeem Hill ’13, and Quisqueya Witbeck ’16 participated in an alumni diversity and inclusion panel. • Harrison Kim ’13, Matt Wahl ’13, Andrew McCabe ’03, Jon Hill ’08 and Matt Lippman ’13 made up the data analytics and data science round table.

Howard Bishop ’48 couldn’t make it to ReUnion, but donned his class shirt for a photo

The Alumni Council presented Alumni Gold Medals to Donald Foley ’73, Timothy McCabe ’73 and Mark Webster ’88 for their distinguished service to the College. President Stephen C. Ainlay and Judith Gardner Ainlay received the Meritorious Service Award. The Class of 1968 received the Anable Cup for greatest ReUnion participation, while the Class of 1953 received the McClellan Cup for greatest class percentage. The Class of 1978 clinched the Van Voast/ Class of 1941 Cup for best costume. And the Class of 1958 won the Class of 1943 ReUnion Award for greatest ReUnion effort. To view a photo gallery from the weekend, visit www.facebook.com/ unioncollege

ReUnion 2019 will be held May 17-19.

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Nearly 500 receive degrees at 224th Commencement

hroughout his 12 years as Union’s president, Stephen C. Ainlay rarely missed an opportunity to share a story about the College’s rich history. So it was fitting that in presiding over his final Commencement ceremony June 17, Ainlay delivered a last history lesson for the nearly 500 members of the Class of 2018. Ainlay announced last August that he would step down as Union’s 18th president at the end of the academic year. He was selected to be the featured speaker at the school’s 224th Commencement by the Board of Trustees. John E. Kelly III ’76, chairman of the Board of Trustees, in introducing Ainlay and his wife, Judith, thanked them for their leadership and called them tireless ambassadors for Union whose legacy would endure. Addressing the class, Ainlay shared the story of the first purchase of scientific instruments shortly after the College’s founding in 1795. He focused on a device known as “Hadley’s Quadrant.” Invented by English mathematician John Hadley, the device was the favored navigation instrument of the late 18th century.

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Ainlay reminded the class of the key qualities that are in the DNA of Union that will help them navigate, thrive within and contribute to the world they are about to enter. This includes learning broadly and deeply across disciplines, building community and persevering in the face of challenges. “Let your own Union educational experience serve as your Hadley’s Quadrant; let the experience you’ve had here help you navigate the world in much the same manner as Hadley’s Quadrant helped sailors navigate the seas,” he told the class. Ainlay and his wife, Judith, were each presented with an honorary doctorate of letters degrees with citations read by Kelly M. Williams ’86, secretary of the Board of Trustees. The College also awarded an honorary doctorate of science degree to Charles M. Lieber, a chemist and pioneer in the fields of nanoscience and nanotechnology. The Joshua and Beth Friedman University Professor at Harvard, Lieber was nominated and introduced by Rebecca Cortez, associate professor of mechanical engineering.

In his remarks, student speaker Gianluca Avanzato reminded his classmates that they grew up with changing technology, from flip-phones to iPhones, from Facebook to Snapchat. As a result, they are often closed off from one another. “Just think about how often everyone pulls out their cell phones nowadays—during conversations, in lulls between activities, while waiting for a friend,” Avanzato said. “It’s become radical to just sit silently without scrolling on your phone. So be radical! Look around. Look in another human being’s eyes. So often, we are terrified of being our true selves because that means being vulnerable. But I encourage you: Go to new places! Take an unplanned walk, attend a different religious service, join a political rally you believe in.” Three members of the Class of 2018 received public recognition: Valedictorian Hope Relly-Cobb, an English major from Stillwater, N.Y, and salutatorians Saad Akhtar from Foxborough, Mass., and Vamshek Srinivasan from Frisco, Texas. Both are chemistry and psychology interdepartmental majors and members of the Leadership in Medicine program.

Faculty recognized with awards

everal Union faculty have received recent honors that support teaching or recognize research. They are:

Erika Nelson-Mukherjee, associate professor of German Studies, was awarded the fifth Byron A. Nichols Endowed Fellowship for Faculty Development for a two-year period beginning September 2018. She will use the fellowship to develop a course that addresses the larger issues of death, dying and human destruction. The fellowship also will support conference attendance with students at the University of Iowa, a conference at Union with filmmaker and author Doris Dörrie, and a joint paper with student participants in the University of Iowa’s The Examined Life Journal. David Ogawa, associate professor of art history, has been awarded the inaugural Terra Foundation Affiliated Fellowship at the American Academy in Rome. Ogawa will spend six months in Rome researching the work of William James Stillman, Class of 1848. Stillman was a renowned artist, diplomat and historian. He was also a journalist and photographer for the London Times. Zoe Oxley, professor of political science, is part of a research team awarded the 2018 Elsie Hillman Prize from the Pennsylvania Center for Women and Politics at Chatham University. The team’s research explores the “Political Socialization and Early Gender Gaps in Images of Political Leaders, Political Knowledge, and Interest in Politics.” Five students assisted Oxley with her current research: Gianluca Avanzato ’18, Olivia Britton ’18, Rachel Clarey ’18, Jason Nelson ’18 and Taina Orellana ’18. Cherrice Traver, the David Falk and Elynor Rudnick-Falk Professor of Computer Engineering, received a Fulbright U.S. Scholar Award. In spring 2019, she will serve as a visiting professor at the University of Ruhuna in Sri Lanka, where she will engage in teaching and curriculum renewal. She will also be a member of a quality assurance team working to ensure reaccreditation of the University’s Department of Electrical and Information Engineering.

Student speaker Gianluca Avanzato FALL 2018 | UNION COLLEGE

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Honors abound for

ittle was out of reach this year when it comes to awards that recognize and reward the dedication, creativity, intelligence and potential of Union students and graduates.

Fulbright Fellowships The Fulbright Program, including the Fulbright–Hays Program, is an American scholarship program of competitive, merit-based grants for international educational exchange for students, scholars, teachers, professionals, scientists and artists, founded by United States Senator J. William Fulbright in 1946. The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs recently named Union a Fulbright Top Producer for its tradition of excellence with the program. Olivia Britton ’18 Project: “The Lens Through Which the World is Viewed: Refugees and Host Societies in the EU.” She has declined the Fulbright offer and will be entering a doctoral program at Boston University with the support of the NSF Graduate Research Award. Elizabeth Donlon ’18 Project: “Multiple Unstable Transversal Mode Interactions in High-Frequency Thermoacoustic Systems.” She will be working at the Technical University of Munich in Germany. Alexandra Novak ’17 Project: “Characterization and Analysis of Acrocomia aculeata Pulp for Remediation of Arsenic.” She will be working at Universidad Nacional de Asuncion in Paraguay.

Learning and helping in Senegal Christa Guerrier ’19 completed a service trip to Senegal over spring break with the International Medical Relief Program. She shadowed doctors and observed procedures while providing health education in many villages around Senegal. Guerrier is biology major who plans on going to medical school after Union. She hopes to continue international medicine with Doctors Without Borders.

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Sharifa Sahai ’18 Project: “Characterizing Chaos in Drosophila Embryo Development.” Sahai has declined the Fulbright offer and accepted a software engineering residency at Google in New York City.

Union students and graduates Minerva Fellows The program sends recent graduates to work in developing countries while paired up with a social entrepreneurial organization. They will work for nine months and return to the College and live in a Minerva house for one month, where they will participate in a social entrepreneurial course and educate current students about their experiences abroad. Randi Broadwell ’18 Witkoppen Health and Welfare Centre, Johannesburg, South Africa Claire Kelly ’18 Dharma Endeavors, Hampi, India Matthew Liquori ’18 Engeye, Ddegeya, Uganda Luke McCaffrey ’18 Environmentalist Foundation of India, Chennai, India Angus McReynolds ’18 Coral Cay Foundation, Southern Leyte, The Phillipines Emma Parece ’18 The Global Child, Siem Reap, Cambodia

Kathryn Wasserman Davis Projects for Peace Award

Teaching Assistantship Program in France (TAPIF)

The Davis Projects for Peace is an invitation to undergraduates to design grassroots projects that they will implement during the summer. The objective is to encourage and support today’s motivated youth to create and try out their ideas for building peace. Each project is funded with a $10,000 grant.

The program offers young educators the opportunity to work in France for seven months, teaching English to French students of all ages. The program’s goal is to strengthen foreign-language instruction in French schools by establishing a native speaker presence, while also providing young educators around the world with initial international teaching experience and first-hand knowledge of French language and culture.

Emmanuela Oppong ’19 Oppong will return to her native Ghana to help children living in an orphanage. Her project is called “Stitching Talents” and will create a vocational school where children will learn tailoring, crocheting, knitting, cloth printing and dyeing, shoemaking and other sustainable skills.

Fulbright Student English Teaching Assistantships The program places students in classrooms abroad to provide assistance to the local English teachers.

Hannah Rayhill ’18, Greece

Nicholas Williams ’18 Engeye, Ddegeya, Uganda

Jenna Salisbury ’18, Taiwan

Seventy-five American students will study, live and work in Germany for a year following graduation as CBYX fellows. They have the opportunity to pursue paid work or internships and live with hosts. The program is open to candidates from all career fields. Bretta Beer ’18 Garrett Maron ’18

William Garner ’18. Grenoble, France

Harry S. Truman Scholarship Recipients receive a $30,000 scholarship toward graduate school and the opportunity to participate in professional development programming to help prepare them for careers in public service leadership. Emmanuela Oppong ’19

Gianluca Avanzato ’18, Germany

Isabelle Rhodes ’18 The Global Child, Siem Reap, Cambodia

Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange for Young Professionals (CBYX) Fellowship

Elena Pettiford ’18, Rouen, France

Abigail Salamone ’18, Greece

National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowships The program recognizes outstanding students in NSF-supported science, technology, engineering and mathematics disciplines pursuing graduate degrees in the U.S. James Boggs ’18 Graduate School Plans: Computational science Ph.D. program Olivia Britton ’18 Graduate School Plans: Political science Ph.D. program

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Union welcomes new members to trustees

ix new members have joined Union’s Board of Trustees. In addition, Mark Walsh ’76, returns to the board. “We are excited to welcome these new members to our board,” said John E. Kelly III ’76, chair of the board of trustees. “With President David Harris starting July 1, this is an exciting time for the College. I’m confident that with their wealth of experience and knowledge of Union, these new trustees will make lasting contributions to the advancement and governance of our institution.” Union’s Board of Trustees consists of approximately 40 active diverse members, including alumni, faculty, students and other accomplished leaders. Thomas Caulfield CEO of GlobalFoundries Caulfield joined GlobalFoundies in 2014. Headquartered in Santa Clara, Calif., GlobalFoundries provides design, development and fabrication services to some of the world’s leading technology companies. Caulfield served as senior vice president and general manager of the company’s semiconductor wafer manufacturing facility in Malta, N.Y. He was named CEO in March of this year. Previously, Caulfield held leadership roles at several technology companies, including IBM. Caulfield received a bachelor of science degree in physics and science from St. Lawrence University in 1980 and a bachelor of science, master’s and Doctorate of Engineering Science in materials science and metallurgy from Columbia University. He is the parent of Matthew ’19. Robert J. Moser ’99 Founder and CEO of Prime Group Holdings Owning and operating nearly 200 locations in 23 states, the Saratoga Springs, N.Y.-based Prime Group Holdings is the nation’s largest independent owner and operator of self-storage facilities. In addition, the company manages more than $925 million in private equity real estate funds. While at Union, Moser obtained his broker’s license and began brokering sales

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of institutional real estate assets. His senior honors thesis, which concerned real estate pricing determinants, was advised by Professor Therese McCarty of the Economics Department, and helped to launch his success in real estate. Mark Walsh’ 76, Managing director of Ruxton Ventures, LLC Walsh created Ruxton Ventures, LLC, a seed venture capital fund, in 2002. From late 2015 through 2017, he served in the Obama administration as head of the Office of Investment and Innovation for the U.S. Small Business Administration. He previously was the executive chairman of Homesnap. com, a Revolution Ventures investment. He was president of GEnie, General Electric’s online service, and a senior vice president and corporate officer of AOL. While at AOL, he created and ran AOL Enterprise, its business-to-business division. Walsh was also CEO of VerticalNet, a business-to-business portal provider, and co-founder and CEO of GeniusRocket, a provider of crowd-sourced advertising media. Walsh graduated with a bachelor of arts degree in American Studies. He received an MBA in marketing from Harvard in 1980. He served on Union’s board of trustees from 2000 to 2016, including as its chair from 2011 to 2015. He is the parent of Melissa ’11. Kate Stefanik Barry ’01 president of the Alumni Council Barry is a partner at Isaacson, Miller, a Boston-based executive search firm specializing in leadership recruitment for non-profit organizations, including the largest higher education search practice in the country. Barry joined Isaacson, Miller in 2005. Her practice focuses on senior academic leadership positions for a wide range of colleges and universities across the country, with particular expertise in presidential searches. Barry led the team of consultants that assisted with the search for Union’s 19th president, David R. Harris. Barry’s passion for higher education

leadership began during her undergraduate years at Union when she was immersed in college administration and governance as a student leader, and she received the Frank Bailey Prize for her efforts. She received a bachelor of science degree in psychology and holds a master’s degree in higher education from Harvard University. After graduating from Union, she was assistant director of Alumni Relations at Union for three years. Rebecca Cortez, faculty trustee An associate professor of mechanical engineering, Cortez joined Union’s faculty in 2007. Her teaching focuses on materials science and engineering and on courses supporting the College’s nanotechnology minor. Her research is in the area of nanomaterials synthesis and characterization. She has co-authored several journal publications with Union undergraduates and faculty. Cortez’s many interdisciplinary materials-related research projects include the examination of solder material for personal computers, encapsulation of hazardous waste material into an environmentally friendly waste product, fatigue of a turbine engine blade alloy, microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) device development, and nanomaterials characterization. She is a co-inventor on five patents based on MEMS technology. Her teaching goals include instilling an appreciation for the role that materials play in simple and complex applications, and she aims to raise awareness of the importance of materials to technological advancements. She has served as the College’s director of Undergraduate Research and was responsible for administrative leadership of the Undergraduate Research program. This included coordinating the annual Steinmetz Symposium, a collegewide exposition of student scholarly and creative achievement. She earned her bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Washington

University in St. Louis, and her Ph.D. in materials science and engineering from Northwestern University. She was a post-doctoral research associate at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. Ruchi Raval ’20, student trustee A resident of Colts Neck, N.J., Raval is majoring in biology and political science (Interdepartmental). She is enrolled in Union’s Leadership in Medicine (LIM) program. Her campus involvement includes roles as Beuth House Co-Chair, LIMSAC co-president, Bhangra Union member, Shakti E-Board member and Stillman Prize Committee member. John K. Johnson ’85, alumni trustee Johnson is senior sales director for Arizona Beverages. Previously, he was senior director of client development with Acosta Sales & Marketing. He began his career in sales with Nestle Foods, USA, and later went on to spend 16 years at Mars Inc. Here, he excelled in field sales, headed several different cross functional teams, and held international sales and leadership positions. A four-year starter on the Union football team during the 1981-1984 seasons (in which the team was a 1983 NCAA Championship finalist), Johnson won several ECAC player of the week honors, including the Ralph H. Rue MVP Award. He also lettered in track and field. While majoring in managerial economics, he was also a founding member of the Pi Pi chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. at Union. Johnson has been active in coaching, managing and has held several positions on the board for youth sports teams in his community. He is the parent of John K. Johnson II ’10.

Architect’s rendering of the Williams Center for Campus Community Safety

Williams Center to be a model for safety best practices

hen Kelly Williams ’86, began to consider funding the renovation of a former bank that will house Union’s Campus Safety department, she envisioned more than a base of operation for College officers. She pictured a community hub that takes a holistic approach to model best practices in campus and public safety. The Williams Center for Campus Community Safety at Nott Street and Van Vranken Avenue is to open next year. “This will be more than a state-of-theart center for our safety professionals,” she said. “It is an opportunity to provide some thought leadership in areas that affect every campus and local community.” Those areas include responses to hazing, sexual assault and sexual harassment, from which no college is immune, she said, adding that the College plans to provide programming for local law enforcement and safety officials at other institutions. Other topics could include firearms violence, mass notification, emergency planning, event management and incident investigation. “Because Union is a small, tightknit community, we have an opportunity to try something like this that would be beyond the capability of larger institutions,” she said. Williams hails from Newburgh, N.Y., where her father, Jim, is a former police officer and veteran who has been focused on addressing sexual harassment and assault in the military. Active in veterans affairs, last summer he helped organize a stop of “The Wall that Heals,” a replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial that drew more than 15,000 visitors in Newburgh.

The Williams family foundation is active in Newburgh, addressing food insecurity and homelessness. Kelly Williams is founder of a private equity firm. A member of Union’s Board of Trustees since 2008, she chairs the board’s Administration and Finance Committee and headed the search for Union’s new president, David R. Harris. The Williams Center will house most operations of the 26-member Campus Safety force. Services including vehicle registration, transportation, ID card processing, 24-hour building access and video monitoring will remain in College Park Hall. The building is also supported by the Wright Family Foundation, a longtime proponent of Union whose mission is to “provide funding in support of neighborhood revitalization, jobs and career support, education and social needs.” The College received a grant toward the purchase of the building from the Schenectady County Metroplex Development Authority. College officials cited the presence along the corridor of Golub Corp. and Ellis Hospital as one of the factors in the College’s decision to purchase the 60-year-old property in the city’s Northside neighborhood. “This is a wonderful opportunity for the College to improve the quality of life on Nott Street and the immediate area north of our campus,” said Christopher Hayen, director of Campus Safety. “With our high visibility, the move will bolster public safety in the area and help anchor the city’s revitalization efforts.” FALL 2018 | UNION COLLEGE

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At an early-season race, Harrison White, Curtis White ’18 and Emma White ’19

Lives in balance: Curtis ’18 and Emma White ’19

ollege or pros. That’s the choice facing most promising young cyclists: ease up on the demanding sport to make time for an education, or postpone an education to go all-in for a pro career. Then there are the Whites, Curtis ’18 and Emma ’19. Both are juggling the demands of college work with the grinding lifestyle of training and racing at the international level, and they are enjoying considerable success in both spheres. Over the summer, Emma made history, becoming the first Under 23 American woman to capture all three disciplines in the same year—time trial, criterium and road race. The milestone came as she sprinted to a third-place finish at the U.S. National Road Race Championships in Knoxville, Tenn. in late June. Shortly after that, she announced her decision to focus on track cycling, a decision that came after she was recruited for the U.S. program and a likely spot with the reigning Team Pursuit world champions at the 2020 Olympics Games in Tokyo. An interdepartmental major in computer science/science, medicine and technology, Emma races with Rally Cycling. 12

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Curtis, who rides with the Jelly Belly team, is a classics major with a minor in law and humanities. His senior thesis was on Roman law in the U.S. Constitution, tying Cicero to Amendment VI. He spent spring term between Union and multi-day stage races in New Mexico, Ireland, Quebec and Tennessee. In June, he won the prestigious Fitchburg Longsjo Classic in Massachusetts, one of the longest-running races in the U.S. Early this fall, Curtis closed out his road season with Jelly Belly at a stage race in China. After that it’s cyclocross, the fall-winter sport that features short laps over mixed terrain and obstacles. Both Emma and Curtis have a special fondness for cyclocross. Curtis plans to compete in two World Cup events in Wisconsin and Iowa, a continental championship in Ontario, and nationals in Kentucky. In February, he’ll be racing World Cup events in Europe and the world championships in Denmark. For her part, Emma will forego the cyclocross season to focus on track. “The Olympics has always been a dream since I was a kid,” she said in an interview with Velonews. “It’s been a recurring goal of mine. So if I have an opportunity to get

there, I want to see what’s down that road.” Curtis and Emma are using Union’s calendar to their advantage. The trimester affords a long break between fall and winter terms, a busy time for cyclocross. And they know that what it takes to succeed in cycling—keeping up—also applies to their academic lives. They always travel with books and work closely with professors to stay up to speed. Despite their demanding schedules, both are on track to finish their course work only one term behind, Curtis this fall, Emma next. The Whites hail from Delanson, about 20 miles west of campus, where the quiet and hilly roads are ideal for training. Their talent and work ethic come honestly. Their father, Tom, head coach of Union crew, was a silver medalist in the 1988 world championships in rowing. Their mother, Chris, is a veteran of Outward Bound and a triathlete. Their sister, Sarah, is a sophomore at Union. Another sister, Anna is in her last year of high school. Harrison, 16, the youngest sibling, is a developing cyclist who has already earned spots on junior teams competing internationally.

New Stillman Prize created

new prize will recognize faculty for outstanding achievement in research. The Stillman Prize for Faculty Excellence in Research was established through the generosity of Lila and Abbott Stillman ’69. It complements the Stillman Prize for Faculty Excellence in Teaching, funded by Abbott Stillman with assistance from Allan Stillman, his father, and David I. Stillman ’72, his brother. The award honors Abbott’s grandfather, Abraham Stillman.

“We are grateful for Abbott Stillman’s generous gift and continued support of the College,” said Strom Thacker, the Stephen J. and Diane K. Ciesinski Dean of Faculty and Vice President for Academic Affairs. “The Stillman Prize for Excellence in Teaching is the highest teaching honor we bestow on our faculty and is a treasured distinction earned by one faculty member per year. We are excited to bring an equal distinction to honor our faculty’s research.”

The Stillman Prize for Excellence in Teaching was first awarded in 1995 to Mary K. Carroll ’86, the Dwane W. Crichton Professor of Chemistry. Joanne Kehlbeck, associate professor of chemistry, was the most recent recipient. The inaugural Stillman Prize for Excellence in Research will be awarded in the 2019-20 academic year.

For Union rocketeers, one giant leap

nion’s rocket team successfully launched and landed their entry in the College’s first participation in the Spaceport America Cup, an intercollegiate engineering competition near Truth or Consequences, New Mexico in late June. In the process, they earned an honorable mention for “Full Cycle Professionalism.” “None of the judges I spoke with ever heard of a team competing and being successful in their first year,” said Andrew Rapoff, team advisor and Thomas J. Watson Sr. &

Emma Watson Day Distinguished Professor and chair of Mechanical Engineering. The team—recent ME graduates Andrew Attori, Owen Gauthier, Christopher Marina and Matthew Reinhardt— launched their 9-foot rocket to an altitude of 10,400 feet and safely parachuted to a landing about 1,000 feet from the launch pad. The Spaceport America Cup drew more than 100 teams from colleges and universities in about a dozen countries.

Union’s rocket team at the Spaceport America Cup. From left, Prof. Andrew Rapoff, Christopher Marina ’18, Owen Gauthier ’18, Matthew Reinhardt ’18 and Andrew Attori ’18.

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VILLA ITALIA At 45 years and counting, Villa Italia Pasticceria is a Schenectady institution and a Capital Region favorite. Located at 226 Broadway, it’s got every craving— savory or sweet—covered with its pastries, paninis and specialty cakes.

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Volume

Adirondack Journal of Environmental Studies is published by the Adirondack Research Consortium

For the fourth time in the past five years, Union is recognized by the U.S. EPA as a conference champion of the College and University Green Power Challenge for using more green power than any other school in the Liberty League. Union’s green power use of more than 21 million kWh is equivalent to avoiding the carbon dioxide emissions from the electricity use of nearly 2,000 average American homes annually.

and Union’s Kelly Adirondack Center. Featured topics include feminism in the woods, the regional impacts of climate change and water chemistry in Adirondack lakes.

Remembering Alex Askenazy ’20 The campus community planted a tree to memorialize Alex Askenazy ’20, who passed away in his residence hall last October from an existing medical condition. Earlier this year, students from Alpha Phi Omega, of which Askenazy was a member, raised almost $10,000 for Citizens United for Research in Epilepsy (CURE) in his memory.

World-renowned poet, activist and educator Nikki Giovanni speaks on “An Evening of Poetry, Love and Enlightenment” as part of the Presidential Forum on Diversity series.

New portrait unveiled A new painting of the late Armand V. Feigenbaum ’42 and his brother, Donald S. Feigenbaum ’46, is unveiled in the administration building that bears their name. The painting, made possible by the Feigenbaum Foundation, is by Ronald N. Sherr, whose portraits include Presidents George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush.

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Becker Career Center announces recipients of summer community service internships: Class of 1973 Community Service Internship to Alexandra Greenberg ’19 (Massachusetts Adoption Resource Exchange), Lilith Haig ’21 (Camp Ramapo), Seraj Sidibe ’19 (Generation Teach); Roger H. Hull Summer Community Service Internship to Hannah Josovitz ’19 (COCOA House); Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., Mohammed A. Omar ’94 Memorial Community Service Internship to Aissata Diallo ’20 (Girls Inc.)

Faculty, staff, students, alumni and guest speakers lead lectures during the inaugural TEDx Union College event. The theme of the conference is “Imagination to Innovation.” More information, including pictures and speaker bios, is available at facebook.com/TEDxUnionCollege/

JUNE

Lynn Pasquerella, president of the Association of American Colleges and Universities, delivers the keynote address at the College’s annual symposium on integrating a liberal education with engineering. Her talk was titled “Escaping Westworld.”

A new study led by Associate Professor of Psychology Cay Anderson-Hanley indicates that older adults with mild cognitive impairment, often a precursor to Alzheimer’s, showed significant improvement with certain complex thinking and memory skills after exergaming.

Watson Fellows ReUnion At a ReUnion panel, Shilpa Darievemula ’13 describes her Watson Fellowship studying healing through dance in several countries. From left are Watson alumni Nori Lupfer Pepe '03, Anastasie Prokhorova ’01, Adam Grode ’05 and Darievemula. Lynn Evans, director of fellowships, is at right. Also on the panel were Eugene Kokot ’70, Steven David ’72 and Michele Beaulieu ’81. There have been 56 Watson Fellows from Union since the travel-study program began in 1968.

Robots vs. Gracie For their final exam, students in Professor of Mechanical Engineering Bill Keat’s class went mini-golfing. It was their robots—Fiona, Big Bertha and The Little Engine that Could— versus Keat’s six-year-old daughter, Gracie. The robots did well, but in the end, Gracie triumphed 87-71 (par was 55).

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HARRIS BEGINS

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HIS PRESIDENCY with a

CHALLENGE A

t his inauguration on Sept. 8, David R. Harris challenged members of the audience to consider how they might stretch themselves to benefit this and other communities. In the pursuit of wisdom, Harris, a sociologist, said the campus community must learn to become more comfortable being uncomfortable. This commitment is part of Union’s institutional heritage extending to its founding in 1795 as the first non-denominational college. “Our name refers to the coming together of people from several faiths to form this new college,” he reminded the audience. “The founders did not stay in their cultural comfort zones, as did the founders of most other colleges at the time. Through experience they discovered what it meant to be a leading college without a denominational affiliation.”

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HARRIS BEGINS HIS PRESIDENCY

“

Wisdom is what will serve our students well regardless of how job markets and cultures change over the coming decades. – President David R. Harris

”

To follow the founders’ lead or what he called the Union College Challenge, Harris made two commitments of his own for the fall term. First, he will add a center-right podcast each week to his regular list of podcasts from outlets such as NPR, the New York Times or the Washington Post, and he will post his reflections online. This will push him to better understand how others see the world, and sharpen and perhaps change some of his perspectives, he said. Union’s 19th president also publicly committed himself to taking at least three yoga classes a month. Physically active, Harris said he couldn’t imagine spending his workout time doing poses in a room. But as he has gotten older, his wife, Anne, has encouraged him to try yoga. Harris asked the audience to consider what they could pursue in their studies, work or personal life that will push them in a healthy and responsible way. 20

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“

Wisdom is what will allow our faculty to excel in research and teaching, regardless of how the questions they explore and the students in their classes change in the coming decades. – President David R. Harris

”

President David R. Harris with John E. Kelly III '76, chairman of the Board of Trustees

“I suspect that through this formalization of the Union College Challenge, we will all become better adherents to the laws of Minerva, and see benefits personally and in our community,” he said. Shortly after the inauguration, Harris made an appeal on the President’s website for members of the Union community to commit to a challenge and achieve it. Just as important, he said, the Union College Challenge can be a means by which Union community members support each other. A former provost and senior vice president at Tufts University, Harris was officially installed by John E. Kelly III ’76, chairman of the College’s Board of Trustees, who presented Harris with the school medallion and the seal of Union University. Harris also is the chancellor of Union University. “Last September,” Kelly said, “as our search committee embarked on a journey to

identify our next president, we sought a teacher with a passion for the broad and deep education that is a hallmark of Union, a scholar dedicated to the idea that differences make a community stronger, and an administrator who energetically champions the role of the College in serving our communities. We were truly inspired when we met David Harris.” In his inaugural address, Harris shared his vision for how the College can chart its course forward, particularly during these uncertain times, with many wondering what the implications of inequality, climate change, globalization, and other challenges are for America and the world. Guided by the College’s motto, “Under the laws of Minerva, we all become brothers and sisters,” Harris pointed out that the Roman goddess is primarily associated with wisdom. “Wisdom is what will serve our students well regardless of

how job markets and cultures change over the coming decades,” he said. “Wisdom is what will allow our faculty to excel in research and teaching, regardless of how the questions they explore and the students in their classes change in the coming decades. Wisdom is what will guide our staff and administrators to make choices that will benefit not only today’s Union community, but also those who will walk these paths in the years to come.” He cautioned that a focus on wisdom doesn’t mean there is little value in data, information or knowledge. These, he said, “are the foundations upon which wisdom is built. They are not always manipulations of the powerful. They are not always something to be negotiated. They are not always fake.” He emphasized the need for students to continue to pursue a well-rounded education, with coursework in the arts and humanities, the social sciences, the sciences

and engineering. Students must also be exposed to a range of theories, perspectives and methods. He said they must learn how to make an argument and how to tell if a point has been proved. “The goal of a Union College education is not to enter with a life plan and avoid anything that could possibly disrupt it,” he said. “Rather, the point is for students to find out who they want to be by exploring many paths. A Union education must provide our students with the skills, experiences and judgment; in short, the wisdom to face whatever comes their way.” Similarly, he said, faculty should be supported and encouraged to learn new approaches or form new partnerships to achieve their research and teaching goals, a theme of Friday night’s academic symposium. “Teams are more effective when they include people from different perspectives; people FALL 2018 | UNION COLLEGE

HARRIS BEGINS HIS PRESIDENCY

“

We must learn from one another and the disparate paths that have led us to this special place.… We must not forget that the connections we make here will be there for us in the years ahead, and that we have an obligation to do what we can to better this place and support those who follow us. – President David R. Harris

who can approach challenges from different directions and reveal what is not evident from any one perspective,” he said. He cited examples of faculty who have moved beyond the familiar to develop research and testing that extend beyond narrow knowledge. “Encouraging faculty breadth, while not losing sight of the imperative for disciplinary depth, is critical to the future of the college,” he said. Returning to the College’s motto, Harris noted that it refers to brothers and sisters and not men and women. One is about individual pursuits, he said, but the other is about relationships. To succeed at Union, and to pursue wisdom, one cannot go it alone. “We must learn from one another and the disparate paths that have led us to this special place,” he said. “We must ask for help from one another when times are tough, and offer support and guidance when we see someone struggling. We must not forget 22

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”

that the connections we make here will be there for us in the years ahead, and that we have an obligation to do what we can to better this place and support those who follow us. Like brothers and sisters, our connection to the Union community is forever.” In shaping his vision, Harris said he read the inaugural addresses of many of his predecessors. He noted that with the benefit of hindsight, laying out a vision requires humility because none of his predecessors knew what the College and its graduates would face in the years ahead. “I wanted to scream to President Day, who shared his vision in May 1929, to look to Wall Street in five months,” he said. “I wanted to implore President Fox, who shared his vision in October 1934, to look to Poland in five years. I wanted to yell to President Martin, who shared his vision in October 1965, to look to Haight-Ashbury in 1967; to the Lorraine Motel,

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HARRIS BEGINS HIS PRESIDENCY

Biddy Martin, Amherst College president

“

This is a celebration of Union College— what it has been, what it is now and what it can be. It is also a celebration of you and all of the other people who have shaped this College for nearly as long as the United States has existed.

– President David R. Harris

”

the Ambassador Hotel and the Democratic National Convention in 1968; as well as the Watergate Office Building in 1972. I read President Hull’s 1990 address with the knowledge that the world would soon change radically, as the internet became fully commercialized just five years after he shared his vision.” At the beginning of his address, Harris referenced the distinction of being the first person of color to serve as president of Union in its 223-year history. “In acknowledging what is clear when you look at me and the portraits of my predecessors, we appreciate not only how far Union and society have come, but we are also reminded of how far we have to go,” he said. “As we have seen at the national level, whether a barrier has been punctured or broken is sometimes only clear with time.” He also explained the purpose of this weekend’s inauguration and related events. “This is a celebration of Union College—what it has been, what it is now and what it can be,” he said. “It is also a celebration of you and all of

the other people who have shaped this College for nearly as long as the United States has existed. What it is not is a coronation. The president of Union College is the leader of a community. There is much he can decide, but his authority is not absolute and his perspectives should be questioned, albeit respectfully and constructively.” Biddy Martin, president of Amherst College, and a colleague of Harris’ at Cornell, cited the president’s leadership style. “David Harris is courageous. He has one of the liveliest, most creative and synthetic minds I have ever known.” She also cited his ability to cross boundaries to connect people with new ideas. “He connects progress with people,” she said. Members of Harris’s family, including his wife, Anne, and their three daughters, joined in Saturday’s celebration, with Mrs. Harris making a surprise appearance at the lectern. A former high school English teacher and preschool teacher, Anne Harris recalled meeting her future husband in the fall of 1988 when both were students at Northwestern University. As

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Anthony Monaco, Tufts University president

Jon Kaufman, friend of Harris family

Anne Harris

time passed, she said, “I realized he was a person of integrity. He cared about the treatment of others … He wasn’t afraid to try something new, or to fail, and to learn from that failure and build on that. He challenged the status quo and always tried to do the right and just thing. For the past 30 years, all of the attributes I observed when he was 19 years old have stayed constant and true.” Guests at the inauguration included delegates from dozens of colleges and universities across the country. Greetings were offered by a number of faculty, staff, student and alumni representatives, along with community leaders. They included Kathryn Stefanik Barry ’01, president of the Alumni Council; Michael Stalteri ’19, president of Student Forum; Francis M. Ramirez de Cueva, staff member and parent of a

2014 graduate; Gretchel Hathaway, dean of Diversity and Inclusion and chief diversity officer; Mary Carroll ’86, the Dwane W. Crichton Professor of Chemistry and chair of the Faculty Executive Committee; Gary McCarthy, mayor of Schenectady; state Sen. James Tedisco ’72; and Anthony P. Monaco, president of Tufts University. Before the ceremony began, Harris told guests about an early-morning rehearsal of his inaugural address in Memorial Chapel, which is lined with the portraits of the previous 18 Union presidents. “They didn’t say anything,” he quipped. The 90-minute ceremony opened with remarks from William A. Finlay, College marshal and professor of theater. After Ode to Old Union, combined student musical groups—Union College Choir, Heavenly Voices

Gospel Ensemble, Union Jazz Ensemble and the Eliphalets— ended the ceremony with Sing a Song, Earth, Wind and Fire’s 1975 testament to the healing power of music. Following the ceremony, historic Jackson’s Garden was the site of a gala open to all. Fireworks capped the evening. Other inaugural events included an academic symposium in the Nott Memorial, “Constructive Engagement Across Perspectives: What We Know and What We Do,” featuring Scott E. Page, author of The Diversity Bonus and the Leonid Hurwicz Collegiate Professor of Complex Systems, Political Science and Economics at the University of Michigan. Early Sunday morning, Harris, an avid cyclist, led a 13-mile community bike ride from campus along the Mohawk-Hudson Bikeway.

Union's Bhangra Dance Group performs during inauguration.

To read Harris’ address and other details about inauguration, visit www.union.edu/news FALL 2018 | UNION COLLEGE

Inaugural weekend festivities 1

Academic symposium on "Constructive Engagement Across Perspectives: What We Know and What We Do"

David and Anne Harris with daughters Eve, Olivia and Maya

President David R. Harris chats with guests during inauguration weekend.

4 5 6 7

Fireworks celebration at the Nott

A student climbs the rock wall during Club Expo The gala in Jackson's Garden

President David R. Harris (left) and daughter, Maya, have some fun at Club Expo.

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A few minutes with David R. Harris Why Union? Union stood out for a number of reasons. First is the people. Everyone I’ve met in the Union community has been engaging, open and accomplished. Second, I love the location, in a city with a rich history that is bouncing back. Schenectady and the area provide myriad opportunities for students, faculty, and staff to engage, grow and contribute. Third, I welcome the opportunity to show the world how exceptional Union College is while working to make it even stronger. I enjoy academic leadership— identifying and achieving institutional goals, and academic engagement—growing through interactions with students, faculty, and staff. Union provides a unique opportunity to do both.

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Describe your journey to Union. I grew up in the Philadelphia area. Neither of my parents attended college. I was fortunate to be well prepared at an exceptional public high school and decided on Northwestern University, which had one of the world’s best journalism programs and offered me very generous financial aid. After three weeks, I changed my major from journalism to civil engineering. In the spring of sophomore year, I dropped out. Both transitions were motivated by a lack of passion for what I was doing. I eventually found that the major that most interested me was social policy. It combined my passion for understanding and improving society, with my drive for rigor. I returned to Northwestern the next fall and graduated with my class. Although far from linear, my path exposed me to a broad array of ideas and methods, and forced me to choose a path after experiencing several alternatives. Just as my major was not clear when I entered college, it was far from certain that I would earn a Ph.D. That changed late in my junior year, when Professor Karen Fuson said I would be a great fit for a program aimed at increasing the number of underrepresented students who pursue graduate study and research careers. I worked with Professor Roberto Fernandez on a research project that became a co-authored book chapter. After a long intellectual journey, I had finally found my passion.

You talk about the importance of flexibility in addressing societal challenges. How is Union suited for this? In the inaugural addresses of past Union presidents, each shares his perspective on how the College can prepare young men and women. With the advantage of time, I can see challenges and opportunities coming that the presidents could not. For example, in May 1929, President Frank Parker Day could not have foreseen the Great Depression or World War II. It is key that we focus on core learning and developmental goals that prepare students to thrive in future opportunities and challenges we cannot anticipate.

How can higher ed—and Union—advance our understanding of the complexities of poverty and disadvantage? Over the past 50 years, the U.S. has experienced marked growth in residential segregation and inequality by socioeconomic status. As a result, we are less likely to have deep, personal knowledge of life experiences of those who are much poorer or richer. Union’s broad and innovative liberal arts curriculum uses literature, history, economics, theater and other disciplines to teach students why some people thrive and others do not. It is also critical that students learn through sustained experiential learning. By engaging deeply on- and off-campus, students will develop an appreciation for the constraints and opportunities of those with different life experiences.

How do we assure that all promising students have equal access to higher education? A Union education? Unfortunately, due to many decisions made on campuses, as well as in state houses and at the national level, the cost of education at top colleges and universities is beyond the reach of the average American. Put simply, the advertised cost exceeds median family income. FALL 2018 | UNION COLLEGE

Q&A WITH DAVID R. HARRIS

“

In addition to access, we must ensure that all Union students feel this place is their home and a place where they can reach their full potential.

”

It is unacceptable to conclude that more than half of American families need not apply to schools such as Union. We must therefore engage in a three-part strategy. First, we will continue to examine decisions at Union, mindful that as we make expenditures, we need to consider the impact on affordability and financial aid. Second, we will continue to make the case to state and national leaders that expanding Opportunity Programs, Pell Grants, and other such programs while eliminating unnecessary regulations that increase our costs is a wise investment. Third, we will work with our alumni and friends to make the case for philanthropy. I have already heard from alumni who attribute much of their success to the financial aid they received. I certainly feel the same way about what Northwestern did for me. Ensuring that students have the opportunity to thrive at a college that altered one’s life, or the life of a loved one, is perhaps the greatest way to show gratitude. In addition to access, we must ensure that all Union students feel this place is their home and a place where they can reach their full potential. Access without inclusion and achievement means that we gave ourselves the opportunity to succeed, but did not.

In an era when news seems to rely on sound bites and false equivalence, what role can Union play in the national and international dialogue? Colleges exist to pursue a number of goals, but chief among them are the creation of knowledge, the dissemination of knowledge and the nurturing of knowledge-based innovation. If everything is subjective, then the very foundation upon which higher education rests does not exist. Union must continue to be a strong voice for the power of subjectivity, the reality of objectivity, and how to discern the importance of each in any given situation. It happens when every course confronts what is believed to be true. It happens when faculty and students produce and disseminate knowledge that helps the public

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better understand the world. It happens when we respectfully and constructively challenge one another when our perspectives differ. The future of our institution, and many others, likely rests on our ability to discern the boundaries between perception, perspective and objective reality.

What roles/opportunities do you envision for Union in the local community? We must acknowledge that students and employees select Union because of all it has to offer, but also because of what local communities provide. As have many others, I see a tremendous opportunity for Union College to partner in the resurgence of Schenectady and other local communities. We do this through capital projects such as the Seward Street neighborhood, through the work of campus units such as the Kenney Center, and through the many alumni and employees who choose to make this their home. I have been engaging campus and community members to understand the roles we can play. Being engaged locally is good for our mission, it is good for our future and it is the right thing to do.

“ How do we foster free speech and open dialogue at a time when this is under fire at other institutions? Free speech, at its core, means that someone gets up and says whatever he or she thinks and everybody else listens. Instead, I push hard for something I call constructive engagement. We need to figure out how we can engage across lines of difference in a constructive way, not so that we bludgeon one another, but so that we learn from one another. It starts with the repeated interactions that happen on a campus like this, where I know you and you know me. Hopefully, we can bring in speakers who help push those conversations, not to fight with, but to help stretch the campus in constructive ways.

How do we see potential in ourselves and others? One of my favorite stories about this is from one of my pervious institutions. An African-American student told me he was walking by a dorm room and heard music from a favorite movie, The Little Mermaid. He knocked and said, “Can I join you guys?” Those people became some of his best friends, and they watched Disney movies together all the time. You see the potential in others when you are open to discovering who they are, not who you think they might be. And I think you find potential in yourself when you give yourself that same license to go where you want to go as opposed to going where you think you have to.

“Spare” time—why cycling? In the modern era, work can follow us far beyond the office, thanks to the devices we choose to carry with us. Like many people, I had felt that I needed to be connected and monitoring email constantly. That stared to change in 2010 when I joined the Obama Administration. I starting riding at dawn, and found that not only did I feel better, but that I also was more productive. A six-mile ride led to a 100-mile charity ride a year later. I find riding to be a great way to clear my head and prepare for the day.

You see the potential in others when you are open to discovering who they are, not who you think they might be. And I think you find potential in yourself when you give yourself that same license to go where you want to go as opposed to going where you think you have to.

”

FAVORITES : BOOKS To Kill a Mockingbird: Doing the right thing, even when it is not popular. Understanding who people are, not just who others say they are. The Philadelphia Negro: A powerful example of how mixed-methods research can help us understand a challenge and identify promising interventions. MOVIES Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner: Amazing performances and a reminder that what people think is right for society need not be what they think is right in their personal lives. Raising Arizona: Smart and funny FOOD Pizza: I think I have a gene that allows me to eat endless amounts of pizza. BBQ chicken with mushroom is a favorite, but I’m not too picky. I have to be careful. Seafood, especially salmon. I may have been a grizzly bear in a past life. SPORTS: Hockey: Fast and fun to play and watch Softball/baseball: Baseball was my primary sport as a kid. In college I shifted to softball. My schedule makes it difficult for me to join a league, but I’m ready to sub should one of our intramural teams need someone. To watch a Q&A with David Harris, visit www.union.edu/inauguration

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FOCUS

Ever wonder what Union professors are up to when they aren’t teaching? Just about everyNothing is beyond

Body positivity may reduce eating disorder risk

their collective

D . C A T H E R I N E W A L K E R , visiting assistant professor of psychology

reach or curious

thing, as it turns out.

minds. Here’s a glimpse of the diverse and intriguing work they do.

eople are looking for ways to think positively, to embrace themselves for who they are. And Catherine Walker wants to help. “Young women are given many models of how to focus on the body’s appearance, and to criticize it,” Walker said. “Google trends show a three-fold increases in searches for body positivity-related content from 2015 to 2017, and a 17-fold increase since 2010.” “Many young women have grown up in a ‘petri dish’ of unrealistic appearance-focused body ideals,” she continued. “These women (and increasingly men) don’t actually have a framework for how to appreciate their bodies. My study is part of a program intended to help build that framework, to teach young women to appreciate their bodies for more than just appearance.” Walker’s study will build on previous research that’s shown that gratitude for one’s body— for what it enables us to do physically, creatively and communicatively—can reduce eating disorder risk factors and the onset of conditions likes anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. “This will be the second study to date to assess the combination of mirror exposure and focus on body functionality,” Walker said. “The first was conducted by Julia Brooks ’17 as part of her senior thesis.” The findings were recently presented at the International Conference on Eating Disorders. Walker will ask study participants to look at themselves in a full-length mirror once a week and focus on what their bodies allow them to do and experience. They will also be asked to keep a journal and write in it three times a week, concentrating again on the positive things their bodies do for them. “I hope to ascertain whether pairing mirror exposure and a focus on gratitude for one’s body is an effective means of reducing eating disorder risk factors,” Walker said. “The study currently only includes females because young women are at greater risk for eating disorders.” Anorexia nervosa has the highest mortality rate of any mental illness, Walker said. If individuals can be prevented from developing the disorder in the first place, the social and emotional cost savings—not to mention the monetary savings of years of treatment—are very high. The study is part of a larger pilot program Walker is running, called “In the Mirror: Functional Appreciated Bodies.” The program is being designed to easily translate into an app-based format for greater reach. “Most young Americans use their cell phones to search for answers to medical and mental health issues, yet no empirically supported body image applications exist to date,” Walker said. “If young women can look for and find an app that helps navigate them through ways to appreciate their bodies, buffering the impacts of appearance—focused media—then it may help prevent later onset of eating disorders.” Walker’s efforts are supported by a grant from the National Eating Disorder Association. –By Erin DeMuth Judd

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Building Our Third Century

A partial distribution was received from the estate of Thyra Joan Smith. Ms. Smith was a friend of the College who established a trust naming Union a remainder beneficiary. Proceeds will be used to support Jackson’s Gardens. A bequest was received from the estate of C. Hunt Eggleston, Class of 1976. Proceeds established the C. Hunt Eggleston III, 1976 and Blake Edward Hunt Eggleston, 2011 Scholarship. An economics major, Mr. Eggleston had a career as an entrepreneur in telecommunications. An additional distribution was received from the estate of Edward J. Gramse, Class of 1943. The proceeds, along with previous distributions, will be used in support of a bricks and mortar project. A partial distribution from the estate of Monica Z. Greco was received. Proceeds will be used at the discretion of the Trustees of Union College. Mrs. Greco was the widow of Louis D. Greco, Class of 1950. Mr. Greco was an economics major and a member of Kappa Sigma. An annual trust distribution was received from the estate of Jeremiah Gray, Jr., Class of 1956. Proceeds will be used to support areas of greatest need. A bequest was received from the estate of Lee E. Landes, Class of 1945. Proceeds will be added to the Rear Admiral Lee Landes ’45 Endowed Scholarship. Landes was an economics major who retired from careers in the U.S. Naval Reserves and as a technical planning manager with the Ford Motor Company.

CH ARI TAB L E G I F T ANN UITIES A charitable gift annuity was established by Jacob E. Myer, Jr., Class of 1960. Remainder proceeds will be added to the J. Elbert Myer Jr. ’60 Endowed Scholarship.

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| BOOKSHELF |

JAMES A. YANNES ’59

JOHN E. EDINGER ’60

RICK ARONS ’73

PETER ARONSON ’78

Obama’s Wonder Years (8 Years of Lower Unemployment & Rising Stock Markets)

Captain Cook Hits Hawaii

Unholy Alliance: The Scientific & Religious Conspiracy against God and the Jews

Bronislaw Huberman: From child prodigy to hero, the violinist who saved Jewish musicians from the Holocaust

BSD Press

Double M Books Inc.

If God exists and the Pentateuch is divine, then the Jews are the Chosen People. Nonetheless, Christianity and Islam arose specifically to replace the Jews as the Chosen of God. Further, the daily revelations of science seem to both debunk the existence of God and make the Chosen designation irrelevant. This de facto alliance of religion and science has changed the biblical calculus and driven rabbinic Judaism’s 2,000 years of legal and social remediation. Yet history and archaeology, along with quantum physics, are converging on a reality unimaginable as recently as 100 years ago. Do science and scripture disagree? Can the biblical narrative be true? Does free will exist? What is consciousness? What is the underlying substance of reality? Who are the real chosen people, and why does it matter? Using hundreds of sources, analyses of the biblical narrative, the Hebrew language, quantum physics and religious commentaries, Rick Arons presents an explanation of reality, the role of the Jewish people and the veracity of the Hebrew scriptures. In doing so he addresses the conundrum of the perpetual demonization of the Jewish people and the State of Israel.

Bronislaw Huberman was a child prodigy who played his violin before kings and queens. As an adult, he became one of the greatest violinists in the world. And then came the horrors of Nazi Germany and the violence and hatred toward the Jews of Europe. The time period was 1933–36. Huberman decided he needed to save his fellow Jews in Europe. He witnessed Jewish musicians losing their jobs. He saw their desperate state. So he took action, using his violin as a sword. When he needed to raise the necessary funds, he turned to Einstein for help. When he needed political clout, he turned to Chaim Weizmann, the great Jewish leader. This is the inspiring true story of Bronislaw Huberman and the founding of an orchestra in Palestine, later the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra. This is book #1 in The Groundbreaker series, inspiring books for middle-grade readers about extraordinary people doing extraordinary things. For decades Peter Aronson was a newspaper and TV journalist, then a practicing attorney in New York City, before turning his attention to children’s books. Visit www.peteraronson books.com to learn more.

Trafford Publishing

This book contains a distillation of eight-plus years of both financial and cultural factoids abstracted from a plethora of sources and was originally accumulated for James A. Yannes’ personal use. Friends have asked for copies so often that the author decided to publish the material, which he accumulated between 2008 and 2016 from numerous sources and presents in factoid format. The book demonstrates that the core eight years (2008–2016) was a remarkable period in American history, with continuous improvements in both the stock market and the employment picture.

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CreateSpace Independent Publishing

On his third voyage to the Pacific, Captain Cook had instructions to sail northeast from New Zealand to the coast of North America to search for a passage from the Pacific to the Atlantic. He ran into Kauai, an island that is toward the western end of the Hawaiian Islands. This discovery is written up here based on one of the voyage participants after his return to England. Cook and his participants got to explore Kauai in more detail than any other of the islands, and it is the only island that has a statue dedicated to Cook.

CONSIDERATION Bookshelf features new books written or edited by or about alumni and other members of the Union community. To be included, send the book and the publisher’s press release to: Office of Communications, Union College, Schenectady, NY 12308 MELISSA STEWART ’90

EMILY C. BURNS ’03

A seed is the start

Transnational Frontiers: The American West in France

National Geographic

Learn all about the plant cycle, from how seeds grow, the fascinating ways they travel, and what it takes for a seed to become a plant. Meet seeds that pop, hop, creep, and explode in this vividly illustrated introduction to the simplest concepts of botany. The story, which is perfect for elementary school Common Core learning, carefully highlights the many ways that seeds get from here to there, engaging children’s curiosity with strong action verbs. Stunning photographs with fact-packed captions provide supporting details, explaining the role of seed features and functions in creating new generations of plants. Complete with an illustrated glossary and back matter featuring more resources, this book inspires wonder as it encourages budding botanists of all ages to look with new eyes at plants and their seeds.

University of Oklahoma Press

When Buffalo Bill’s Wild West show traveled to Paris in 1889, the New York Times reported that the exhibition would be “managed to suit French ideas.” But where had those “French ideas” of the American West come from? And how had they, in turn, shaped the notions of “cowboys and Indians” that captivated the French imagination during the Gilded Age? Transnational Frontiers maps the complex fin-de-siècle cultural exchanges that revealed, defined, and altered images of the American West. For French artists and enthusiasts, the West served as a fulcrum for the construction of an American cultural identity, offering a chance to debate ideas of primitivism and masculinity that bolstered their own colonialist discourses. By examining this process, the author reveals the interconnections between American western art and Franco-American artistic exchange between 1865 and 1915. Emily C. Burns is assistant professor of art history at Auburn (Ala.) University.

GEORGE GMELCH & SHARON BOHN GMELCH

In the Field: Life and Work in Cultural Anthropology

or send publisher’s press release and a high-resolution book cover image to magazine@union.edu.

University of California Press

This book offers students an invaluable look at what cultural anthropologists do when they are in the field. Through fascinating and often entertaining accounts of their lives and work in varied cultural settings, the authors describe the many forms fieldwork can take, the kinds of questions anthropologists ask, and the common problems they encounter. From these accounts and the experiences of the student field workers the authors have mentored over the years, In the Field makes a powerful case for the value of the anthropological approach to knowledge. George Gmelch and Sharon Bohn Gmelch are professors of anthropology at the University of San Francisco and Union College.

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Alumni Clubs

CHARLOT TE

WASHINGTON, D.C.

On May 1, Kristen ’90 and Reza Mozayeni ’87 hosted Union alumni, parents and friends in Charlotte, N.C.

Dr. Estelle Sampson-Cooke ’74, a Union College trustee, hosted over 80 alumni and students in her home during the annual Washington D.C. Term Reception.

NEW YORK CIT Y

Save the Date UPCOMING ALUMNI CLUB EVENTS NOV. 13 Healthcare & policy: breakfast and panel w/Kim Czubaruk ’85, Sarah Yergeau ’10, Megan (Beveridge) Hashbarger ’05 Washington, D.C. NOV. 14 Creating an inclusive workplace: breakfast & networking discussion w/ Meredith Miller '97 and Pooja Kothari ’03 New York City DEC. 4 Alumni club holiday celebration New York City

DEC. 5 Alumni club holiday celebration Washington, D.C. DEC. 7 Men’s hockey vs. Brown meet-up Providence, R.I.

Jim McLaughin ’93, Rob Derbabian ’83, Allyne Price ’78, Brett Tessler ’12 and Chris Brush ’90 were featured panelists at the New York City Sport Panel Networking Breakfast.

DEC. 8 Men’s hockey vs. Yale pregame event & game New Haven, Conn. DEC. 11 Alumni club holiday celebration Boston, Mass.

For more events, visit uconnect.union.edu Deb Winson ’78, Judith Collen Fisher ’77 and Allyne Price ’78 reconnected at the Sport Panel Networking Breakfast in New York City. 36

UNION COLLEGE | FALL 2018

CL ASS

Garnet Guard Alumni who have celebrated their 50th ReUnion. GARNET GUARD CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Bob Howe ’58 135 Chevy Chase Dr. Wayzata, Minn. 55391 howex001@umn.edu

1940 Sheldon J. Evans celebrated his 100th birthday with over 200 family and friends at a party in Larchmont, N.Y., on June 21, 2018. He received a town proclamation and greetings from near and far. Sheldon is a WW II Army veteran and retired from a career as assistant superintendent of schools in Mamaroneck, N.Y., and other positions with the state of New York Dept. of Education. His wife of 63 years, Phyllis H. Evans, died in 2012. He has four children and two grandchildren.

Sheldon J. Evans ’40 celebrated his 100th birthday June 21, 2018

He sends his best wishes to all Union students and alumni.

1947 Nicholas Volkman ’71, V.M.D., writes, “On April 11, 2018, my father, Alvin Volkman, M.D, D.Phil., died at age 91. He was a pre-med student and a brother of Sigma Phi. After graduation, he attended medical school, did an internship at Case Western Reserve, a residency at Peter Bent Brigham Hospital, taught at the College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, and received a doctorate from Oxford University, England. He did immunological research at Trudeau Institute, Saranac Lake, New York. He ended his career as professor emeritus of Pathology at Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina. He served in the Navy during the Korean Conflict. A

Alvin Volkman ’47

N O TE S

kid from Brooklyn, he fondly and warmly remembered his days at Union, the place where he met my mother, Winifred Joan Grinnell (Russell Sage 1946), and began his career in science. His wives, Joan, Marjorie and Carol predeceased him. His wife, Suzanne, seven children, 14 grandchildren and 7 great-grandchildren survive him.” Alvin is further remembered on pg. 66.

1950 Morton Silver writes, “As the CEO of Orda Management Corporation, I have recently completed the total renovation and modernization of two office buildings on Park Avenue South in New York City near Union Square. A bridge was built between the buildings to create one combined building of 675,000 square feet. Among other amenities are landscaped gardens on the roofs of each building. The newly combined building is tenanted by Facebook, Buzzfeed, STV and T. Rowe Price. The project includes three upscale restaurants. I have also become a benefactor of the Union hockey program and interestingly two former members of the Union hockey team are part of my leasing agent group at Newmark & Co.”

1951 CLASS CORRESPONDENT

James Taub 711 S. Market Street Johnstown, N.Y. 12095 (518) 762-1172 shrevie711@hotmail.com Eugene Benman writes, “John Thomas Perta [living in Powell, Ohio] had enrolled at Union earlier than I. After both of us served some time in the US Navy, it was he who ‘coaxed’ me to attend Union. He is a retired insurance company executive, and I, a retired GE engineering manager. I shall always be grateful to John, my high school pal, for his guidance. Eleanor and I reside in Fayetteville, N.Y., surrounded by grandkids and greatgrandkids. The ‘Y’ here provides swim-therapy for the ‘sore’ bones. Best wishes to both our outgoing and incoming college presidents. For UNION.”

Eugene Benman ’51

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CLASS NOTES

Joan Loepp writes, “My father, Malcolm “Mick” Graham Thomas Jr., passed away May 4, 2018. Born March 3, 1926 in Woodbury, New Jersey, he entered Union in the fall of 1944 but after one week was drafted into the Army. He was discharged in March 1947, returned to Union in the fall, and after graduation worked for American Express overseas (Okinawa and Hong Kong) for several years. He married Rhoda M.E. Furse in 1958 in Hong Kong, where two of their children were born. They moved back to the U.S. in 1963 and settled in Wallingford, Pa., where their third child was born. Following my mother’s death, dad moved to Hillsboro, Oregon, where he met his second wife, Joann. My dad was steadfast in his faith and was a generous supporter of charities, his favorites being those focusing on children and animals. He walked several miles every day until his late eighties. He loved his family, enjoyed crossword puzzles and classical music, westerns, non-fiction literature, and a martini on his deck in the late afternoon with his wife!” Mick is further remembered on pg. 68.

Malcolm “Mick” Graham Thomas Jr. ’51

1952 Three members of the Class of 1952—Jay Cohn, Art Stockman and Len Levine—had a mini 38

UNION COLLEGE | FALL 2018

ReUnion in Lake Placid, Fla., in March 2018. They enjoyed the weather, food and reminiscing.

1953 CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Garrett Murphy 524 6th Street Dover, N.H. 03820 gwmurphy53@gmail.com Bob Dorse was recently recognized as a U.S. Masters Swimming All American for his excellence in swimming in 2017. Among his achievements were first-place finishes in six events in the men’s 85-89 age group. Leonard Schwartz writes, “I was happy to have been able to attend the 1953 ReUnion dinner with my wife, who I met at a Fraternity Weekend in February 1951. Certainly a wonderful experience seeing fellows I last saw 65 years ago.”

1954 CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Avrom J. Gold 33 Madison Lane Hilton Head Island, S.C. 29926 (908) 581-1455 avromgold@gmail.com

1955 CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Ken Haefner 1346 Waverly Pl. Schenectady, N.Y. 12308 kbhaefner@gmail.com Arthur Newman was recently featured in the James Island Bugle. The story focused on his career in the arts and special education.

1956 Martin Valentine writes, “Retired from private allergy practice, appointed professor emeritus, Johns Hopkins Med School. Grandson Trey Martinez plays baseball for Towson University. Son-in-law Tony Martinez in administration at Uniformed Services University (Medical Sciences).” Kimball Gross writes, “My wonderful wife, Alice, died of cancer in 2014, so it’s been tougher to keep my home and yard looking just as good as when she was here to share in all the tasks this life requires. Am still active in my Barbershop Chorus, Toastmasters

Linda Hernandez, a 2018 graduate of Immokalee High School in Florida, recently met with Trustee Emeritus Philip Beuth ’54, to celebrate Hernandez’s acceptance to Union College. Hernandez is a member of the Guadalupe Center Tutor Corps, a selective group of students who participate in a work-study program that also helps them to prepare for college and apply for scholarships. Hernandez plans to study bioengineering. Beuth is a trustee of the Guadalupe Center, which has a mission of breaking the cycle of poverty through education and serves more than 1,300 children from six weeks through college.

Kimball Gross ’56

International chapter speaking engagements, enjoying contacts with my three sons, their families, and kids. Fortunate to have a wonderful lady friend who is great company. Have type 1 diabetes but otherwise health is good at age 83.”

1957 CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Paul Mohr 140 E Duce of Clubs Ste A Show Low, Ariz. 85901 dadtired@frontiernet.net Anthony Ehrlich writes, “Latest reincarnation: curator. My exhibition of 32 B&W photographs of great jazz musicians (Ray, Ella, Trane, etc.) by a late friend opened recently in the News Journal Center in Daytona Beach, Florida. A jazz afficiando friend supplied anecdotes about these greats. An art gallery coordinator friend designed the installation

Jazz musician exhibit by Anthony Ehrlich ’57

and the website, www. rogerkallinsphotography.com. The exhibition opened with a concert by the Daytona State College Jazz Ensemble; it will be up until mid-December. This project was two years in the making. The goal is to give the public access to these world-class images. Hey, friends, the exhibition can travel…”

1958 CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Robert B. Howe 135 Chevy Chase Dr. Wayzata, Minn. 55391-1053 howex001@umn.edu Dr. Daniel S. Papernik was honored by the Institute for Psychoanalytic Education, affiliated with the NYU School of Medicine, and the Psychoanalytic Association of New York, on April 14, 2018. Dr. Papernik was honored by the by the institute and the society his vital contributions to both organizations and to psychiatry and psychoanalysis. The legacy tribute dinner was held at the Upper Story by Charlie Palmer. Dr. Papernik continues to practice psychiatry and psychoanalysis. Cecil Lavance writes, “I am 87 years young, was born in Amarillo, Texas and moved to Upstate New York at the age of 13. After graduating from high school in 1949, I worked as a machinist for the General Electric Co. in Schenectady, N.Y. I joined the U.S. Air Force in January 1951, trained as a radar technician and saw action in Japan and Korea with the 3rd Fighter Escort Squadron. I am a member of the Korea War Veterans Association and returned to visit South Korea in 1981 and in 2012. After discharge in 1954, I earned an electronic engineering degree at Union College in Schenectady, N.Y., in 1958.

Over the next 27 years, I worked on a variety of projects at Motorola’s Government Electronic Division in Scottsdale, Arizona. First as a design engineer and then as project leader, I helped develop hardware for missile and satellite tracking and communication equipment and have four U.S. Patents on pre-GPS navigation systems. For the past 49 years I have been active in the Arizona Desert Bighorn Sheep Society, having served as its president in 1972. I am active in our Sister City organizations in Caborca, Mexico and Zeitz, Germany. I am a volunteer with Yavapai County Search and Rescue, and am a volunteer driver for the Disabled American Veterans out of the local VA hospital. A few years ago I worked on one Habitat project in Mexico with a youth group from my church. In May of 2005 I was on the team of a Global Village Project (Habitat for Humanity International) in Juazeiro do Norte, Brazil. In 2006 my youngest son and I worked on a Habitat Project in the village of Sekeydumase in Ghana. I love to travel and enjoy hiking, hunting and helping and working with people.” David Horton writes, “‘Always a class act’ was emblazoned on the back of the faux tuxedo T-shirts that members of the Class of 1958 wore in the parade at ReUnion as we celebrated our 60th year as alumni. A top hat and a walking stick with a ‘silver’ handle complemented the T-shirt. We were quite an elegant group. Classmates and spouses who attended ReUnion were Howard and Mary Bell, Walt and Jaylyn Bray, Bob Carlson, Bill Freeborne, Dave and Miriam Horton, Bob and Sondra Howe, Bill and Ellen Mack, Bruce Martin, Karl Meyers,

Ralph Muckle, Norton and Rita Reamer, Tom Renak, Dan and Sheila Riesel, Paul and Harriet Rosen, and John Sweeney. At the Alumni Convocation in Memorial Chapel following the traditional parade led by bagpipers, our class received the Class of 1943 ReUnion Award for Overall ReUnion Effort. Thanks go to Head Agent Walt Bray, all the class agents who worked on behalf of the Annual Fund and ReUnion, and to each and every classmate and spouse who made ReUnion 2018 such a memorable occasion for us. The Donald T. Stadtmuller Memorial Scholarship Fund continues to award scholarships to Union students. Our class established the scholarship fund as part of our 50th ReUnion to honor Don, who died in 1963 aboard the submarine USS Thresher when it unexpectedly was destroyed during a deep-dive test. If you wish to contribute to the fund to help ensure its support of Union students, send a check to Union College, 807 Union Street, Schenectady, NY 12308-3169. Indicate on the check that it is a donation to the Stadtmuller scholarship fund. Thank you, too, to each and every member of our class who gave a donation to the Annual Fund. Come to ReUnion in 2023. Come to Homecoming each fall. Our alma mater will welcome you warmly!”

as A History of Bear Lake, about our summer home community of the last 40 years.” Robert Sallick writes, “After living in the same home in Danbury, Conn., for 49 years, Barbara and I have probably moved into our final home in Southport, Conn. At 3,800 sq/ ft it’s roughly the same size as our previous home. It has a free flowing first floor with wonderful views from every room overlooking the Fairfield golf course and Southport Harbor. Now much closer to family, the house is on a beautiful setting with a large patio that includes a pizza oven. The lush landscaping makes us feel like we’re living in a bird sanctuary. Southport is very convenient; everything you need is within a six-minute drive, including the train station. This is a very special place to be, and we’re really enjoying it.” Arthur DeMania writes, “2018 is a big year for me. I made it to 80 years old and have been married to my wife Lennie for 50 years. What more can a man from the Class of 1959 ask for?”

1959 CLASS CORRESPONDENT

William “Dal” Trader 5361 Santa Catalina Avenue Garden Grove, Calif. 92845 daltrader@earthlink.net (310) 629-8971 Robert Deming writes, “Having retired in 2000, I started a 10-year local history project just published with wife, Anne,

Arthur DeMania ’59 and wife, Lennie

1960 CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Charles E. Roden kiw702@aol.com

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CLASS NOTES

1961

Bill Reaman and John Honey represented the Class of 1961 at the Scholarship Luncheon on May 4 in College Park Hall. They write, “We had the privilege of dining with Emily Coello ’20, the recipient of the Class of 1961 Scholarship for the past two academic years.

1963 CLASS CORRESPONDENT

George Ball 6929 Country Line Road Wayland, N.Y. 14572-9553 gball@frontiernet.net

In March, Cornell University hosted a special event, “50 Years of Transformative Teaching: Celebrating Dan Schwarz.” Hundreds of former students came from all over the country to honor Dan, who is the Frederic J. Whiton Professor of English and Stephen H. Weiss Presidential Fellow. Dan came to Cornell University in 1968, fresh after finishing his Ph.D. at Brown University. He has taught courses on a variety of literatures, most notably covering the Modernist tradition generally and James Joyce in particular, and on the Holocaust. Dan’s research interests are broad, spanning multiple centuries and fields. He is the author of 18 books and editor or co-editor of many others. His most recent works are How to Succeed in College and Beyond: The Art of Learning, recently translated into Mandarin and with other translations forthcoming; Endtimes? Crisis and Turmoil

UNION COLLEGE | FALL 2018

at the New York Times; and two volumes on the European novel, Reading the European Novel to 1900 and its recently published sequel, Reading the Modern European Novel since 1900. He is faculty president of the Cornell chapter of Phi Beta Kappa as well as the longtime faculty adviser to the Literary Society, and was for many years adviser to the men’s varsity tennis team. Dan is active in the Presidential Research and College Scholar programs and is the recipient of the 1998 College of Arts and Sciences Russell Award for distinguished teaching. Jim Gross writes, “Still working every day as head of Douglas Elliman Commercial real estate with my son, Peter, Class of 2005. We have two signs on the boards at Messa Rink and are passionate Union hockey fans and are big supporters of the Garnet Blades.”

1964 Paul Wiener writes, “I retired as a librarian at SUNY-Stony Brook in late 2011, and live in Ann Arbor, Mich. Married to Gretchen from Traverse City,

Paul Wiener ’64

Frederick “Lynn” May ’64

Martin Jay ’65 with the translators of his book, Downcast Eyes, in Kyoto

Mich., two children, Jenny in N.Y.C., and Gabe in Philly.” Robert Brockner writes, “Just enjoyed a couple of days visiting with Ton Hogle ’65 and Charlie ‘Buck’ Cronheim. Tom flew in from Huston and stayed with me in Kensington, Md., and we spent two days visiting Buck and his lovely wife Ruth’s place in Baltimore, as well as touring the sites.” Matthew Intrieri writes, “Now living in Myrtle Beach S.C., on Market Common, very nice, but warm! Heard there is a Union Alumni chapter down here, love to know when and where they meet.”

Jeffrey May writes, “My brother, Frederick ‘Lynn’ May, passed away June 10, 2018. He was an avid skier, golfer and cook, and a world traveler. Lynn learned most of the

languages of the countries he visited with his wife, including French, German, Russian and Italian. He also studied Chinese. Lynn is survived by his wife of 49 years, Maureen ‘Mo’ May, and extended family. We will miss him.” Lynn is further remembered on pg. 70.

1965 Martin Jay writes, “A conference at Ritsumeikan University in Kyoto was held in April on the Japanese translation of my book, Downcast Eyes. In May, I received an honorary doctorate of humane letters from Bard College. In June, I was interviewed for the series El Intelectual y su Memoria at the University of Granada in Spain, and a conference devoted to my work was held at Queen Mary University of London.”

1966 CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Antonio F. Vianna 7152 Tanager Drive Carlsbad, Calif. 92011 simpatico1@juno.com David Holdridge writes, “Living in Beirut now surrounded by the prospects of war, as we Americans vow to crush Iran and as the Russians plant surface-to-air missiles in Syria.”

David Holdridge ’66 on the corniche in Beirut

1967 CLASS CORRESPONDENT

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

Navy Commander (Ret.) Jim Bedinger received the RADM Bruce Boland, USN (Ret.) Lifetime Achievement Award in April. He was recognized for his life-long accomplishments and his continued service to our country during the 2018 San Diego Military Advisory Council (SDMAC) Achievement Awards dinner. Commander Bedinger served in the U. S. Navy for 22 years, which included internment in Vietnam as a prisoner of war for over three years. He has been an active member of a number of organizations that support the military. Joseph Smaldino writes, “Wow, was surprised and honored to receive the 2018 Distinguished Alumnus award from the Department of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences at the University of Connecticut. Union gave me some terrific building blocks to pursue my master’s degree at UCONN. My acceptance speech included a tune on my UCONNlele...fun was had by all.”

5/18/18.” He will be further remembered in the winter 2019 magazine.

1968 CLASS CORRESPONDENT

CLASS CORRESPONDENTS

George Cushing Delanson, N.Y. pinyachta@gmail.com

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

Ray Pike Salisbury, Mass. rnwpike@comcast.net

Ting Pau Oei writes, “Still working after retiring from Johnson & Johnson, where I spent 22 years working and living internationally as well as back in NJ, our on-again/ off-again home over the years. Most of my time is spent in the venture capital field nurturing life science startups. When not working, I help my wife, Suzana, maintain our horse farm mostly by driving her crazy on our John Deere. Our two daughters have become west-coasters (SF & Portland) & we enjoy FaceTiming and occasionally seeing them and our three grandkids.”

Mark A. Bauman, DDS, was recently elected vice president of the American College of Dentists, the oldest and one of the most prestigious honorary dental organizations. He is serving on their Board of Regents, where he represents New York, New England, Quebec and Atlantic Provinces, Canada.

Christopher Cassels writes, “We mourn the passing of William ‘Sparky’ Toth. Will passed away peacefully on

Ting Pau Oei ’68

Navy Commander (Ret.) Jim Bedinger ’67 (center) with Rear Admiral (Ret.) Mark Balmert, San Diego Military Advisory Council president, and Rear Admiral Yancy Lindsey, Commander, Navy Region Southwest.

1969

H. Leigh Frye writes, “It was announced at the 50th ReUnion class dinner that the family of Kenneth W. Olsen, D.M.D., has established the Class of 1968 Kenneth Olsen scholarship in memory of Ken, who loved Union and always looked forward to attending Union functions. The scholarship fund will accept donations from Ken’s friends as well. Ken passed away in September 2017 of metastatic melanoma.”

On June 27, chairman of the Union College Board of Trustees and IBM Senior Vice President of Cognitive Solutions and Research John E. Kelly III ’76 gave the key note address on artificial intelligence at a renewable energy conference held at Marist College in Poughkeepsie, N.Y. Also presenting at the conference was John Ciovaccio ’87, president of Aztec Geothermal. Other Union College graduates in attendance were Mike Mosher ’85, president and CEO of Central Hudson G&E; Scott Medla ’76, managing partner at Ansonia Partners; and Allan Page, chair of the Board of the Hudson Renewable Energy Institute. Allan writes, “The presentation given by John Kelly was, to say the least, mind boggling. In the words of another presenter at the conference and former chair of the New York Public Service Commission, Maureen Helmer, a partner at Barclay Damon: ‘John’s talk was both extremely inspiring and at the same time sobering.’ John took conference participants down a path leading into a future that few realize is developing at breakneck speed. Buckle up and FALL 2018 | UNION COLLEGE

CLASS NOTES

enjoy the ride into the future.” The conference was sponsored by the Hudson Renewable Energy Institute, the Marist School of Management, and The Business Council of New York.

1970

experience. Then graduate school at the University of New Hampshire majoring in physics and mechanical engineering receiving my Ph.D. in 1977. I keep in touch with my roommates and visit the campus as often as we can. Love the new physics/astronomy department at Union!”

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Frank P. Donnini Newport News, Va. fpdonnini@aol.com Robert Stone writes, “Have been enjoying retirement for a while now. My wife, Angela, and I travel frequently with both our sons and their families living on the left coast. Love to spend time playing golf. Hoping to make it to campus sometime this year.”

1971 CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Henry Fein, M.D. Rockville, Md. hgfein@aol.com Halil Tugal writes, “I received a very nice letter from the chairperson of the Union physics department, Prof. Goble, and based on that I made my choice. I participated in the Junior Year Summer Program in Vienna, Austria. Vienna was great. German art and literature, language, field tours to Budapest, Prague, Salzburg, and Kaprun in the Alps, were great learning

1972 Jeff Glidden recently joined the board of directors of the Discovery Museum in Acton, Mass. Jeff is the retired senior vice president and chief financial officer of Parametric Technology Corporation, a post he held until 2015. He serves on the board of trustees at the New Hampton School; executive committee of Epilepsy Foundation; president’s circle of the Maine Coast Heritage Trust; the Conservation Trusts of Kennebunkport and Boxborough; and the planned giving committee of United Church of Christ. Harris Ginsberg writes, “Three years after leaving corporate America, I’ve built a leadership consulting practice and also reinvented myself as a potter, showing and selling pottery through the Hudson River Potters.”

Handmade pottery on Harris Ginsberg’s dinner table

Halil Tugal ’71

UNION COLLEGE | FALL 2018

Steven David writes, “Happy to participate in the 50th anniversary of the Watson Fellowship at Union's ReUnion weekend, along with my good friend, Bob Levis. A special treat was having Prof. Byron Nichols in the audience and being able to thank him for his help in my Watson application so many years ago. I continue to teach at Johns Hopkins University, where I am a professor of political science.”

1973 Bob Bernhardt recently conducted the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra during its performances with Jason Alexander, the Tony Awardwinning actor best known for his role as George Constanza on “Seinfeld.” Bob has 31 years of experience as a music director, 35 years as a pops conductor and 33 years in the opera pit. In 2015, he was named principal pops conductor of the Grand Rapids Symphony. This season is his 21st year as principal pops conductor of the Louisville Orchestra, as well as his 36th consecutive year with the orchestra. It’s also his sixth season as music director emeritus and principal pops conductor of the Chattanooga Symphony and Opera, where he was music director for 19 seasons. S. Carter Gowrie recently received the Distinguished Citizen Award from the Middlesex County Chamber of Commerce. A lifelong sailor, Carter has long been active in the marine and sailing community. He served on the board of the Essex Yacht Club, the Eastern Connecticut Sailing Association, and the Interclub Dinghy Class Association. He is past president of the J/35 Class

Association and past commodore of the Frostbite Yacht Club. With a strong commitment to community, Carter began a successful yearly donation drive for the Shoreline Soup Kitchens & Pantries. Since Gowrie Group, of which he is founder and CEO, began this fundraising initiative for the Soup Kitchen in 2004, the challenge has raised nearly $1,500,000. This equates to providing over four million meals to those in need in the community. Carter is also on the board of the Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center in Old Saybrook, Conn. Gowrie Group began in 1974 as a boutique boat and yacht insurance specialty brokerage. Howard Seife writes, “After 25 years as a partner at the law firm of Chadbourne & Parke, last year our firm merged with Norton Rose, where I am global head of the financial restructuring and insolvency group (and I became a grandfather for the first time.). Not sure which development has been more exciting.” Andrew Paul writes, “I sold my company, Capitol Impact LLC, in January of 2017, and as of May 2018, I will be retiring from that business and focusing my energy on Morgan and Mendel Genomics, Inc., with a new test procedure for cancer risk assessment. I also hope to play a bit more golf and work into full retirement, spending more time with children and grandchildren.” Peter Kircher writes, “Since my terms abroad at Union, I served in the Peace Corps in Ecuador, and moved to Texas for graduate school. I live in the rural town of Cedar Creek, Texas (near Austin) with my wife, of 40 yrs. Jacquie Shillis,

and Weimaraner Bella. I retired from full-time teaching in the Austin public schools several years ago and have found a number of very part-time jobs to keep me interested, sharp and help me make a little money. The University of Texas and Austin have enough going on to keep us quite occupied in our semi-retirements. My big current focus is that, like many of my generation, I am fighting prostate cancer. So far, so good. I will keep up the fight.”

1974 CLASS CORREPSONDENT

Cathy Stuckey Johnson San Mateo, Calif. caj1080@hotmail.com Gail and Lou Snitkoff ’73 recently celebrated the grand opening of their new business, Pause Gallery, in Troy, N.Y. Learn more at www.pausegallery.com

sociation and the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. He has taught at continuing legal education seminars, college and law school, most recently as adjunct faculty teaching Trial Advocacy at the Washington & Lee School of Law. He is co-editor, with Corinne J. Magee and Timothy C. Carwile, of the entire Defending Criminal Cases in Virginia manual published by the VACDL and Virginia CLE Publications, and is the author of Chapter 8: Eyewitness Identification Procedures. Dave is too busy with his long established practice to retire before most of his Union classmates, who are nevertheless welcome to visit anytime when crossing off trips to historic Charlottesville on their bucket lists.

1975 David L. Heilberg is a cofounder of Dygert Wright Hobbs & Heilberg, PLC, in Charlottesville, Virginia. He has practiced law in Virginia for 39 years and provides clients throughout the central part of Virginia with criminal defense representation, even for capital homicide cases, in state and Federal Courts. Dave received an AV* peer review rating through MartindaleHubbell/Lawyers.com, a 10.0 “Superb” peer review rating through Avvo and has been recognized as a Super Lawyer in the field of criminal defense in Virginia continuously since 2011. He is a former president and member of the board of the Virginia Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, and has been an active participant in the Virginia Trial Lawyers As-

David L. Heilberg ’75

Neil Brier writes, “This year my employer, the Dwight School in N.Y.C., allowed me to change roles in lieu of retiring. I am the front desk reception person in the admissions department four days a week. It is the most enjoyable job I have ever had. I also discovered last year that Kibbutz Gesher Haziv has a Facebook page and was able to reconnect with members of the kibbutz whom I met while on Union's program in 1975!”

Christopher Nadherny writes, “My very first submission. So, lots of news...wished Dennis DeMuth happy birthday this morning and will visit with him and Jodie ’73 later this summer; great ski trip with George Idelkope in Utah earlier this winter...hitting perfect snow (54” in five days). Looking forward to catching up with more Dutchmen out east this summer. Have lived in downtown Chicago ‘forever’ and welcome any Union chums. Oldest son Weston, now 28 years old, is in his final year of medical school at University of Wisconsin. 26-year-old son, Matt, is finishing first year of his M.B.A. at University of Chicago Booth School of Business. Matt and I play squash several times each week. Takes me two days to recover. I retired from Spencer Stuart, a global executive search firm, after 30 great years to start my own executive coaching firm (www.chrisnadherny.com). Published a book last October, The Proactive Executive— available on Amazon (5-star reviews!), and have developed a series of seminars and workshops to help professionals manage their careers more effectively. Lots of fun.”

Chris Nadherny ’75 with sons Matt and Weston, hiking New Hampshire’s White Mountains

1976 CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Jill Schneier Wegenstein Carmel Valley, Calif. jwegenstein@gmail.com Mark Bennett is President Trump’s nominee to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. Civilbeat.org recently covered his Senate confirmation hearing. Mark was the former state attorney general under Hawaii's last Republican governor, Linda Lingle. Craig Diamond has taken on the role of manager of the Gulf Consortium, a 29-member body of elected and appointed officials responsible for expending a portion of Florida's share of BP Deepwater Horizon monies. John Corey writes, “Well, it’s been just over a year dis-employed (a.k.a. retired), and I’m still living in the Projects (old house projects, old car projects, kid projects (they never get old), non-profit-org projects as requested, etc...). I LIKE it! Not yet back to school, except in the most hands-on, practical manner. Building a wave-drive transport, just to see if it can be done. Let’s call it a senior senior project. Reconnected over the past year or so with a near classmate, Gerry Coleman ’75,

Sue and John Corey ’76 with son Ethan, daughter Samantha and son-in-law Brian

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CLASS NOTES

who turned out to be a neighbor a couple miles up the hill after all these years. Still get to see freshman roommates Alan Crawford and Bob Casciaro regularly (what ever happened to Bernard Carey, our fourth in Davidson that year?). In touch with a dozen others still, and we raise a toast when together to Bob Goelz, who died not long after our 25th ReUnion.” Paolo Ceratto ’75 writes, “After graduating Union in psychology, Laura Antinucci continued her studies at NYU and then returned to Italy, where she became a prominent breastfeeding expert. As an international board certified lactation consultant, she was able to give advice to hundreds of Roman mothers. Her collaboration extended to UNICEF and the Centro Studi Yoga Roma. She died of cancer on 27 January 2015. She is survived by her three children. I was touched by the many letters that so many mothers wrote to the Centro Studi Yoga Roma, testifying to Laura’s professionalism, dedication and kindness of heart. She was clearly special!” Laura is further remembered on pg. 70.

1977 CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Leila Shames Maude LeeShamesMaude@alumni. union.edu Dave Plumer has joined Instor Solutions Inc., as executive advisor. In this role, he works with Instor’s president and senior leadership team to create robust planning, reporting and communication processes aimed at helping Instor achieve deeper operational success and accelerate organizational development. Previously, Dave

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was CEO of Open Blue Sea Farms, Inc., the worlds’ largest open ocean farm, based in Panama. Dr. John Fildes returned to Union in May. He toured campus, joined Leadership in Medicine students for lunch and delivered a public lecture in the Nott Memorial. He spoke on “The 1 October Las Vegas Shootings: Lessons Learned.” John is medical director and chair of the department of trauma and burns at Las Vegas University Medical Center. In the aftermath of the Route 91 music festival shooting last fall, he led the treatment of many of the victims at UMC.

prostate cancer research, leaving in April 2018 and retiring from the practice of oncology. He became medical director for Jewish Hospice and Chaplaincy Network in 2017 after recovering from a stem cell transplant for myelofibrosis. Jeffrey will continue to serve the Jewish Hospice and Chaplaincy Network. Rich Easton recently joined Carolina One Real Estate Services. Rich was previously employed in sales and marketing for two Fortune 500 companies. The founder and president of Easton Consulting Group, LLC, he has had extensive real estate and corporate relocation experience in six different regions, cities and states across the U.S. He is working from Carolina One’s Hwy 17 North office near Mt. Pleasant, S.C. Jay Warnick retired from GE 4/1/18. He started with GE 8/6/78.

Dr. John Fildes ’77

1978 CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Jeff Laniewski Florence, Ariz. jlaniewski4@gmail.com Jeffrey D. Forman, M.D., FACR, a nationally recognized radiation oncologist who spent 13 years at the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute, concluding in 2007, is returning to become medical director of development. Following his departure from Karmanos in 2007, he served as medical director for 21st Century Oncology in Michigan for 10 years, as well as its national director of

Michael Marks writes, “Truly sorry that I missed the 40th. It has been an interesting journey since graduation. Still married to Yvonne Lavender Marks ’77 and we are lucky to have three daughters—two married—and one grandson. After practicing orthopaedic spine surgery for 23 years, I put my M.B.A. from the University of Tennessee to good use as I transitioned to hospital administration for four years and then decided to start a healthcare consulting company—focusing upon practice management, correct orthopaedic coding and communications training. In January 2018, I received an offer I couldn’t say no to—senior medical director for Relievant Medsystems, a spinal device start-up to address the pervasive problem of chronic

low back pain. My motto— #JOMA—Just One More Adventure.”

Michael R. Marks ’78, M.D. M.B.A., and Hudson

Rob Taylor writes, “’Bandstand,’ the 2017 Tony winning musical Richard Oberacker and I wrote, hit the silver screen in over 700 theaters nationwide on June 25 and June 28, as a Fathom Events Release. https://www.fathomevents. com/events/bandstand”

1979 CLASS CORRESPONDENT

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

1980

Alan ’80 and Corey Rutkin ’21 in Morocco, Africa.

Richard Templeton was recently featured on GoBankingRates.com. The story, a compilation of mini-profiles,

looked at where the world’s 51 most successful CEOs went to college. Richard is president and CEO of Texas Instruments. Richard Eisen writes, “I am close to entering my fourth year of pathology practice since moving to the desert, to Scottsdale Arizona in September of 2015. Andrea and I took the leap to get out from the bitter winters in the Northeast and moved to where we will eventually retire. My new partners are superb pathologists and wonderful to work with each and every day. The practice within the Banner Health System is quite reward-ing and at the same time challenging, particularly navigating around such a large system. Andrea continues to enrich young student’s lives as a Jewish educator at our new spiritual home, Temple Solel in Paradise Valley. Life in the Valley of the Sun is treating us very well with myriads of bike and hiking paths and trails to explore. Just not in the daytime summer heat of 110 degrees or more. We are thrilled to be living much closer to our son Josh and other relatives in the Phoenix region and California. To sum up, life in Arizona at age 60 is fantastic!” Mack Sperling was recently named to the inaugural class of North Carolina Lawyers Weekly’s Hall of Fame. It recognizes senior attorneys in North Carolina who have made a significant impact on the legal profession through their career accomplishments, contributions to the profession, contributions to the bar and the commonwealth, contributions to the development of the law and their efforts to increase access to justice. Mack, author of the highlyread legal blog North Carolina Business Litigation Report, has worked in the legal field for 35 years. He serves on the Local

Rules Committee for the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina and is a permanent member of the Fourth Circuit Judicial Conference. An attorney with Brooks Pierce, he is also a fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers.

1981

upcoming Securities Exchange Commission filings. Also in March, he published “Lender’s Environmental Due Diligence” in Development Magazine. In May he published “Under Control: Sophisticated Developers Know How to Assess and Manage Vapor Intrusion Risk” in Commercial Investment Real Estate magazine. Tom’s

Mexico. The team included Andrew Attorri ’18, Owen Gauthier ’18, Matthew Reinhardt ’18, and Christopher Marina ’18. For any other classmates interested in high power rocketry, give a holler. We fly regularly out of Pine Island, N.Y.” (See story on p. 13)

1983 CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Cory Lewkowicz Needham, Mass. corylewkowicz@gmail.com

From left to right: Jenifer Aronoff, ’81, Danny Berman ’80, Cherie Weiss ’80, Rob Colby ’80, Steve Krisky ’80, Gina Torrisi ’80, Jill Stein ’80 and Rob Lillienstein ’80 gathered in Upper Saddle River, N.J. in April to celebrate Jill’s 60th birthday.

Deborah Spencer ’82 and Steve Spencer ’80 with the Union College rocketry team

1982 Tom Mounteer published three articles in the first half of 2018. In the March 8 edition of Bloomberg’s Corporate Law and Accountability Report, he published an article titled “The Floods Are Coming. What More Will Investors Be Told?” It forecasted what companies might be revealing about the risk of coastal inundation due to climate change in their

taught for over 20 years at George Washington University Law School. He remains a partner in Paul Hastings Washington office. Deborah Spencer writes, “Nice surprise to meet the Union Team on the field for some high power rocketry. Steve Spencer ’80 and I were delighted to be able to mentor this team of great engineers as they prepared for the Spaceport America Cup in New

David Campanile writes, “I retired in February 2018 from a 26-year career as an anesthesiologist in Syracuse, New York. My wife, Jennifer, and I are empty nesters and enjoy chasing our three adult girls (and their boyfriends) around the eastern seaboard, namely Florida and Washington, D.C. Our youngest, Mia, graduates from Union this year.” Linda Boff is a member of the new Commission on Digital Innovation and Lifelong Learning, recently created by Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker. The group is charged with developing recommendations to expand online learning opportunities for Massachusetts residents seeking skills for in-demand fields. Linda is the chief marketing officer for General Electric, spearheading several major divisions of the company including global marketing, brand, content, digital, sponsorship and customer experience. She is also GE’s vice president of Learning and Culture, where she leads the company’s learning and development work. Corinne (Cory) Lewkowicz writes, “It was wonderful to see the folks who were able to make it to our 35th ReUnion this year. The group was smallish, given that so many FALL 2018 | UNION COLLEGE

CLASS NOTES

people had children graduating this year or had work/life commitments that precluded them from attending. However, fear not—what we lacked in numbers, we more than made up in rambunctiousness and class cheer. Friday was a gorgeous day—Saturday and Sunday were, well, in Schenectady fashion, rather rainy. Cindy Buddenhagen-Menges informed me that her husband Keith, who joined us at the ReUnion, regularly reads our class notes, so I have a new task of keeping the notes ‘Keith-approved.’ And, many congrats to Cindy and Keith on their 30th wedding anniversary. As for me, I finally finished grad school—AGAIN— and completed a re-specialization certification program in clinical psychology at William James College (my Ph.D. from Penn State in 1995 was in developmental psychology). After just about two years doing an American Psychological Association internship in York, Penn., and working as a licensed psychologist in Columbia, Md., I’m looking forward returning home to Boston, where Douglas MacFadden has been holding down the home fort and the beasts (cats and dogs) have been keeping an eye on him. If you are on Facebook, look for the Union College Class of

Keith Menges, husband of Cindy Buddenhagen-Menges ’83, reads the Union magazine

UNION COLLEGE | FALL 2018

1983 page, and join us there. And please, feel free to send news my way. We’d love to hear from you!” David Campanile combined his 35th ReUnion with a visit with his daughter Mia, who is graduating this year from Union. Stephanie Will was unable to make it because of her son’s graduation from Tufts, and David Blakelock was at his daughter Alex’s graduation from Elon University. Andy Levine is making forays into the podcast world: “Second Act Stories is a podcast that I launched in March 2018. So far, I’ve profiled 14 individuals who are pursuing more rewarding lives in a Second Act. Recent profiles include an investment banker who became a public-school teacher, a convicted felon who opened up popular restaurant and a former General Electric executive who became a Jesuit priest. Here’s a link to the podcast: www.secondactstories.org.” Mike Zanta has his own creative ventures underway with his CD: “A Handful of Treasure.” Fantastic listening, and available through several sites, including YouTube and iTunes. Tracy Hoffman made it to ReUnion from California, with her fiancé, David. They plan to get married in October, 2018, in the wine country area of California. Thomas Siragusa writes, “On May 17-19, our motley crew bicycled from Central Park, N.Y.C. to Union College in the 3rd annual Park to Nott Ride for Parkinson’s Disease Research. The event was organized and led by Fred Weil ’75 and joined by Cliff Langweiler ’76, Artie Miller ’76, Dave

Gordon ’76, Sara Miltenberger ’15, myself, and 10 others. On the 3rd day, we endured rain and cold to arrive at ReUnion with smiles and welcomes. We are growing in size and planning the 4th annual ride next year. If interested, see event and contact info for Fred here. https://fundraise. michaeljfox.org/tf-2018/ fredweil”

comes to the AAP from the University of Michigan Medical Center, where she held several leadership roles, including appointments as professor of pediatrics, internal medicine and health learning sciences; associate chair and director of education in the Department of Pediatrics and Communicable Diseases; director of the Division of Pediatric Rheuma-

Alumni participating in the 3rd annual Park to Nott Ride for Parkinson’s Disease Research arrive at the Nott Memorial

Paul Sutton has been elected to the town council of Morrison, Colo., where he hopes to pursue an agenda oriented to a wellbeing economy that works toward a sustainable and desirable future that values nature and ecosystem services. (https:// www.thesolutionsjournal. com/article/toward-sustainable-wellbeing-economy/). He writes, “This video made by the University of Denver captures much of my research in the area of ‘valuing nature’ (https://www.du.edu/ideas/ interview-videos/valuingnature.html#). Sharolyn and I will be working to Make America Green Again :)”

1984 Hilary Haftel, M.D., MHPE, FAAP has been hired by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) to lead its educational initiatives. She

tology; and leader of the Adolescent and Young Adult Rheumatology Program. Edric Yearwood and Heidi Horak finally got together at Edric’s home in Charlotte, N.C.—at the insistence and persistence of Jonathan Ruzi of Phoenix, Ariz.—on Heidi’s drive from home in Treasure Island, Fla. to her family farm in N.Y. Great visit and look forward to seeing Jon in November. John Jerwick writes, “The best thing about being retired is that I can do whatever I want, whenever I want. I have been polishing up on my skiing skills and would very much like to connect next year with alumni who ski to thrash, for a day or two, the Eastern US slopes. I retired January 2017 and have not looked back. I am trying to figure out what I will do when I grow up, so I took an ancient history course at the local

DR. RICHARD LAZZARO ’84 Major: Biomedical program Current Position: Chief of thoracic surgery and head of the Northeast Epicenter for Robotic Thoracic Surgery, Lenox Hill Hospital, New York City

’84

The future of surgery is technology, like robots

hen Dr. Richard Lazzaro ’84 returned to campus in April, he opened his talk about medical innovation and the benefits of robotic surgery with a video clip of vehicles racing around the treacherous curves of Italy’s Stelvio Pass. And crashing. What’s this got to do with surgery? Nothing. But it illustrates the benefits of knowing where you’re going before you get there. “Every surgeon wants to be the driver of a Ferrari and whip around those curves expertly,” Lazzaro said. “But the truth is, you never really know what’s coming around a corner you’ve taken a hundred times.” Which is why it helps to have a road map of a patient’s anatomy. In Lazzaro’s case, this road map is being provided by the da Vinci robotic surgical system. He’s performed over 1,200 procedures with the technology

and is changing the face of thoracic surgery in the process. Lazzaro and his team have achieved the highest quality rating from the National Society of Thoracic Surgeons for three consecutive years. “Our facility rose to No. 1 in patient outcomes because we have a better tool,” he said of da Vinci. “A tool that makes surgery like a smooth plane ride with no turbulence.” No turbulence means steady vitals during the operation, decreased chance of bleeding, and less detriment to the immune system. All because roboticassisted minimally invasive surgery reduces the need for open surgery by providing three-dimensional visualization of the patient’s body. It also enhances dexterity, control and precision, and allows surgeons to operate through keyhole incisions that cause less pain and take less time to heal, while simultaneously saving millions in health care costs.

Basically, surgeons have a better map and a better way to get from point A to point B. And these maps are only going to improve as technology advances and its applications diversify. “Medicine is going to explode,” said Lazarro, who graduated from Albany Medical College. “The way we do things is going to change—drastically. It’s a great opportunity for you students to make a real difference.” Lazarro himself has completed 15 surgical firsts with the da Vinci system, including the first robotically assisted bilateral bronchoplasty for the treatment of tracheobronchomalacia. Other surgeons also frequently travel to Lenox Hill Hospital to learn robotic thoracic surgery from Lazzaro and his team. Prior to Lazzaro’s talk, which was part of the Alumni Speaker Series, students had a chance to try out the da Vinci system themselves. The machine was stationed in Wold Atrium for several hours.

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college which showed me that politics has not changed in thousands of years. Not much help in the growing up part, but it interests me that the political headlines today could have been cut from the scrolls of ancient times. I like my independence, but I am not sure if I am done with work or not, so if things were to get slow, I am debating on a back-up plan of starting a new career; any ideas out there?”

bicycle suspension systems, and fiber optic amplifiers and multiplexers. Richard received his J.D. from Chicago-Kent College of Law, Illinois Institute for Technology.

1987

1985 Joel Musicant writes, “I was recently named chief of the Department of Gastroenterology at Monmouth Medical Center Southern Division. My wife, Danielle, is a special education teacher, and our kids are Benjamin, 25, who went to Siena, and is a bid estimator for Pinnacle Commercial contractors; Josh, 23 graduated from Michigan and is taking the LSAT in June; and Sarah, 21, is a senior at NYU Tisch School of the Arts studying Musical Theatre.” Richard J. Basile has joined Murtha Cullina LLP Intellectual Property Practice as a partner in its Stamford, Conn., office. While Richard represents clients in all areas of intellectual property law, the focus of his practice is patent litigation and patent prosecution. He has extensive first-chair patent litigation experience with an emphasis on counseling and representing generic drug companies in Hatch-Waxman proceedings. In addition to pharmaceuticals, Richard has experience in other technical fields, including ultrasonic water meters, GPS business and method patents, medical imaging devices, radiation based paper making sensors, computer cooling fans, heavy vehicle braking systems, 48

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Mass., including Cape Cod. Lorraine serves as the vice president for the district, and is on the MA Medical Society’s Committee on Legislation. For the full write-up go to: https://bit.ly/2JM4xoQ Lorraine is also excited to announce that her son Daniel will be joining Union’s Class of 2022 in the fall!

Richard J. Basile ’85

1986 Nina Mogilnik recently wrote a piece for The New York Jewish Week about her experiences caring for her son, Noah, who has autism. Read “Alone Together: A Mom’s Difficult Realization” at jewishweek. timesofisrael.com Lorraine Marasco Schratz, M.D. was honored by the Bristol North District of the Massachusetts Medical Society as Community Clinician of the Year for 2018. She is a pediatric cardiologist with Child Heart Associates in Worcester, and cares for patients in eastern

Lorraine Marasco Schratz ’86 and her son, Daniel Schratz ’22, on his high school graduation day

Dr. Charles Moore recently received the Thomas Jefferson Award from Emory University in recognition of his efforts in community health and service. In addition to teaching at Emory’s School of Medicine and treating patients as chief of otolaryngology at Grady Memorial Hospital, Moore serves as president for the HEALing Community Center, which he founded to help bridge the health care gap in Atlanta. See story on p. 49. Jay Cohen writes, “I am still a managing director in equity research at Merrill Lynch. Over the past five years, I have developed a deep passion for photography. I recently was awarded an honorable mention at the Greenburgh (N.Y.) library

A photo by Jay Cohen ’87

photo competition (see photo). Feel free to follow me on Instagram at jaycohen13.” P. Meserve Platt writes, “Started a new position with Freenome— using multi-analyte biomarker screening and Machine Learning to ‘spot the pattern, treat the cancer.’ When not in the Bay Area, I have been helping to develop an expansion of Solar to offset the base load for the Sea Ranch Association. Headed into the High Sierras this summer for some R&R.”

1988 Jonathan Laskin writes, “I have been a prosecutor with the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office for the last 26 years. I am a deputy chief responsible for the over-sight of the drug treatment court. In my spare time, I continue to collect autographs, a hobby that I began in high school. Many a cold weekend winter day at Union was spent in the library writing letters to various celebrities, and then going to Box 944 to get responses. I estimate I have over 60 thousand signatures!” Devin Wenig was recently appointed to the General Motors Company board of directors. Devin is president and CEO of eBay. Previously, he spent more than 18 years at Thomson Reuters, and was chief executive officer of Thomson Reuters Markets for the last four years of his career there. Patricia Feeney writes, “In January, I was promoted to deputy commissioner of quality assurance and integrity for the N.Y.C. Department of Correction. I have happily served the agency for the past 26 years. It is thrilling to be a

DR. CHARLES MOORE ’87 Major: Biology; Minor: Music Current Position: Head and neck surgeon, Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta

’87

Dr. Charles Moore ’87 (photo by Jack Kearse, Emory University)

Taking health care where it’s needed

r. Charles Moore ’87 found his true calling just weeks into his new job as a head and neck surgeon at Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta. Grady, which is affiliated with Emory University, where Moore is a professor, is a “safety net hospital,” the only—and often last—option for economically vulnerable patients. As Moore saw dozens of patients enter with advanced disfiguring cancers that could have been treated earlier, he realized it was time to change course. “When I came down here, I had never faced all of the social determinants that shape peoples’ health,” he said. “I saw all these severe head and neck cancers happening over and over again.” So, he packed some Tupperware bins with medical supplies and set out in his green Subaru to meet patients in their communities, providing basic health screenings at homeless shelters, bus stops, and churches. And he began to

understand the challenges of accessing primary care: transportation, insurance and tight budgets to name a few. “At first, I didn’t tell people what I was doing,” he said. “But then I discovered that while one person can make a difference, collaborating with others can make even more of a difference.” After a lot of collaboration and fundraising, Moore has grown his traveling medical practice into the HEALing Community Center, a federallyfunded facility that provides preventive, primary and specialty care for the uninsured and those living in poverty. HEAL stands for Health Education Assessment and Leadership. The HEALing Community Center has expanded to four locations in Atlanta, including two school-based centers. It serves more than 5,000 patients annually and serves as a teaching base for the Emory School of Medicine, Rollins School of Public Health, Nell Hodgson Woodruff

School of Nursing, Laney Graduate School and Emory College and several other area universities. Moore’s efforts were recognized at the Emory commencement last spring with the Thomas Jefferson Award, which honors the Emory staffer who has enriched the intellectual and civic life of the Emory community. Moore arrived at Union from Nedrow, a community near Syracuse. While already accepted at Cornell, he visited Union “and fell in love with it.” A biology major and a music minor who started the Gospel Choir at Union, he has retained his passion for both fields. When he isn’t practicing medicine, he enjoys singing and playing the piano and saxophone. No amateur, he has performed as a background singer with big acts including Michael Bublé, Sounds of Blackness and Avery Sunshine.

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CLASS NOTES

Sharing science through books M E L I S S A S T E WA R T ’ 9 0 Major: Biology Current Position: Science writer

ne hundred ninety one. That’s how many science books Melissa Stewart has written. Yep, 191. On everything from monkeys and chocolate to space, seeds, robots and the human body. For everyone from toddlers to teachers. Why? She cares and she can’t stop. She’s fueled by a need to share science. To help people of all ages understand how ears hear, why T. rex’s arms were so short, and how amazing spit is. Not surprisingly, Stewart was a biology major at Union. It was a fateful choice, one that brought her to Professor Karen Williams. When Stewart was writing her senior thesis on sequencing fruit fly DNA, Williams showed Stewart a related article in Discover magazine. Williams told Stewart she could have written it. “She saw this talent in me that I didn’t know I had,” said Stewart, who earned a master’s in science journalism from New York University. “If she hadn’t taken the time, who knows what I’d be doing now. I might have a job that I hate.”

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’90 But she has a job she loves, and she’s dedicated to promoting the value not just of science, but of nonfiction writing and its use in classrooms. “I have a theory that there are two kinds of thinkers when it comes to reading. Narrative thinkers have a natural love of stories and storytelling. Analytical thinkers prefer expository writing that describes, explains or informs,” Stewart said. “In a recent article for the Public Library of Science (PLOS), I brought awareness to the idea that at least some of the kids who are labeled reluctant readers really aren’t. They just haven’t found the right gateway to literacy yet because they don’t connect with narrative writing. To fall in love with reading, they need access to a diverse array of nonfiction books.” “I’m trying to foster the development of kids who will love science, engineering, math and technology for their whole lives,” she continued.

“Science is more critical than ever. If we can get children—our leaders of tomorrow—to love, respect and trust science, we’ll be doing a lot of good for the future.” Stewart’s latest book, A Seed is the Start, published by National Geographic, is included in this issue’s Book Shelf (p. 34). To learn more about Stewart and her books, visit www.melissa-stewart.com or check out her blog at celebrate science.blogspot.com. To read her PLOS article, visit http://blogs.plos. org/scicomm/2018/03/27/

manager in the agency, and serve New York’s Boldest.” Senior Investigator Paul Olson recently retired from the New York State Police after 26 + years of service. He writes, “Hope all are well. Going fishing!”

Paul Olson ’88

1989 Valerie Sarwin writes, “Selling homes in Naples, Florida and living with my boyfriend of 17 years.” Jonathan Artz writes, “Presently, I am finishing my 17th year employed by the largest medical group in the USA—The Permanente Medical Group (TPMG). We have 110 neurologists in our Northern California system, with five of them working at my medical center. I practice adult neurology and am a neurophysiologist in San Rafael, California (just north of San Francisco). I am medical director for our hospital’s EEG (electroencephalography) lab and medical director for our hospital’s stroke program. We just were given the highest designation (two years in a row) for patient care by the American Heart/Stroke Association. I am also medical director for our hospital’s Cognitive Disorder Program. I recently was given the opportunity to be the physician lead for Kaiser Permanente

(Northern California) as we develop a national level stroke conference slated for April 2019. Keeping Union Strong on the West Coast!”

1992

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

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

1990 Amanda Kittelberger writes, “I’m living in Zomba, Malawi this year with my husband and two boys. It’s been quite an adjustment between the significant power outages, heat, and handwashing laundry, but we’re glad to be here and learning a lot. If you’re in southern Africa and wanting some local flavor, please look us up. We’re not hard to find if you just drop in to town—most of Zomba recognizes us—we kind of stand out here.” Benjamin Auslander writes, “Have moved into the world of higher ed fundraising. Glad for the change. At Villanova’s Charles Widger School of Law. My four boys are aged 19 to 12. One in college, two in high school, and one in middle. Watching some of the hockey playoffs has made me remember how much fun it was to watch people like Guy Logan and Ron Kinghorn (and others) at the Achilles rink!”

Benjamin Auslander ’90 with three of his sons at Stowe

1994

1995 John Koroso writes, “Completed work as bridge engineer for Kigamboni Bridge in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.” David Sachar, MD ’92, Andy Seewald ’91, Franz Litz ’91, Seth Widden ’91, Caryn Sachar ’93 and Becky Whidden ’90 enjoyed a ReUnion while visiting Seth, a professor of French literature at Oxford University.

1993 CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Jill D. Bernstein New York, N.Y. jilldbernstein@yahoo.com Robert Newton has been named manager of civil engineering in the Connecticut office of BSC Group, a leading consulting firm providing planning, design and environmental services to the transportation, energy, and land development markets. Rob will apply more than 25 years of industry experience to the leadership of engineering projects for both public and private sector clients. He is a registered Professional Engineer in Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New York. His credentials also include the LEED Accredited Professional designation from the US Green Building Council. Noah Genel has been promoted to First Deputy Commissioner and General Counsel at the New York City Business Integrity Commission.

Brett Rubin writes, “Laurie (Weiner) Rubin and I just returned from Italy for a 45th b-day celebration. I start a new job running Northeast sales for meQuilibrium in July. Zach graduated preschool May 22 and enters Davis Academy for kindergarten in the fall. We love staying in touch with our union friends Gary and Hallie Chase here locally and always welcome visitors. If anyone finds themselves in the Atlanta area, please reach out.” Eileen Barrett writes, “Still enjoying New Mexico, where I am faculty at the University of New Mexico School of Medicine as an internist and where my husband, Sam, kiddos Pete and Daisy, and I enjoy blazing sunsets and the intersection of multiple cultures. I’m immediate past president of the New Mexico Chapter of the Society of Hospital Medicine (SHM) and am now a district chair for SHM, and also serving as a regent of the American College of Physicians and through both organizations am enjoying working to improve our healthcare system for our patients, community, and clinicians. It was the National Health Systems term abroad that set me on this path, and will always be grateful to Union for that experience.”

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CLASS NOTES

1996 Tanweer Ansari writes, “Thrilled to be an honoree for the Long Island Business News Executive Circle Award, which highlights many things including corporate excellence and community.”

1997 CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Sara Amann Garrand Ballston Lake, N.Y. sgarrand1@nycap.rr.com Jack Howard-Potter’s work was recently included in the Long Island City Arts Open 2018. His pieces were displayed during Plastique Trois show and at the Factory LIC. He also showed his work during the opening of his Long Island City studio. To learn more about his sculpture work, visit steelstatue.com

1998 CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Tanweer Ansari ’96 was an honoree for the Long Island Business News Executive Circle Award

Catherine Hedgeman writes, “In January of 2018 I celebrated 11 years in solo practice and I opened a new law office in downtown Albany. I specialize in real estate and economic development projects.” Kathy Walter writes, “Excited to be back in Capital Region. Moved from N.Y.C. to take a job with the State as an Excelsior Fellow after graduating from Fordham Law School last year and being admitted to the NY Bar in January. I continue to work with clients related to education technology and cybersecurity through Nsoma (www.nsoma.com) and now I’ve expanded to part-time legal services in Intellectual Property with Falati (www. falati.com) and a firm of my own, working with non-profit organizations. I have been spotting Union grads in the area and can’t wait to catch up.”

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Ryan T. Smith Jupiter, Fla. ryan.smith@thebenjamin school.org George Tiggle has accepted a position at Schenenctady County Community College as their success coach manager.

1999 CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Kellie Forrestall BeeBee Lowell, Mass. forrestkj@hotmail.com Joel Cooper writes, “We recently moved to San Diego, Calif., where I took a new position as principal scientist

Joel Cooper ’99 and family

in the Toxicology Department at Neurocrine BioSciences, where we focus on development of medicine in the neurology field (Parkinson’s disease, tardive dyskinesia). My wife, Elissa, is working in the banking industry and our kids Reid (7) and Lila (5) are enjoying the warm California sun. Wishing all the best to my fellow Union alumni!”

and taking our family on the road for three months, splitting that time between Chile and New Zealand.”

2000 Jordanna Mallach, of Saranac Lake, N.Y., recently ran for Franklin County sheriff on the Democratic line. The Harrietstown Town Councilwoman moved to the North Country in 2006 after three years of active duty with the Army National Guard. She is special programs coordinator for the New York State Division of Veterans Affairs and is senior instructor for an Information Operations Battalion in the Army National Guard. Max Welsh writes, “Aimee (Zullo) and I live in Milwaukee with our two boys, Cameron (10) and Wesley (5). Aimee is a cardiologist and I recently left big law firm life to pursue a variety of legal, consulting, charitable, soccer, and pizza-related interests. We look forward to putting our busy lives on hold next winter

Max Welsh ’00 with wife, Aimee (Zullo) Welsh ’00, and sons, Cameron and Wesley

Dr. Mary Nichols, a NYS licensed psychologist, has been promoted to the director of Clinical Outcomes for the behavioral health agency Astor Services for Children and Families in Rhinebeck, N.Y.

2001 Victoria (Dreier) Smith writes, “My adventure at Sea Education Association (SEA Semester) as the Alumni Coordinator continues, and I enjoy sailing aboard our two tall ships, the SSV Corwith Cramer and SSV Robert C. Seamans, with our alumni and crew. This summer, I will attend a botanical artist residency in the Montreal area and then skip down to the Caribbean to meet the Corwith Cramer over New Year’s. Last year, my husband and I explored Tasmania by motorcycle and cannot wait to go back! We rounded out the vacation by visiting friends in Melbourne and Dubai. This trip was to celebrate my husband’s almost full recovery from a very serious motorcycle accident the previous year.”

Marie Maurer writes, “After moving back to WA to settle down and grow our family, my husband Christopher and I worked for almost two years to get our foster license. We got our license the same day I gave birth to our second daughter, Iyla, back in March 2017. In February 2018, we accepted our first foster child placement, a 2.5 year old boy named Leo. He has been with us for 3 months. It has been very hard but we persevere knowing how much he needs the stable routine and healthy food and positive social interaction we can provide. We went into this with the hope of adopting, but his case has just begun and it will likely be at least a 2-year journey though the court system. I am constantly challenged by the ups and downs of parenting and never cease to be amazed at the growth it has fueled for me. Parenting is my full-time job (yep, I’m a stay-at-home mom!) and I feel like I work much, much harder now than I ever did on any bridge design or building science problem or compost pedalling operation.”

2003 CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Katrina Tentor Lallier Shrewsbury, Mass. katrinalallier@gmail.com Major Patrick Mahoney, USMC has relocated with his wife, Ingrid, and daughters (3 and 5) to Newport, RI, where he will study at the Naval War College. Having been stationed away from New England for the past 14 years, he looks forward to catching up with Union alumni and making it back for Homecoming in the fall.

2004 Dorothy Gamber Friedrich writes, “I am living in Weston, Conn., with my husband and three kids. I started at Rocaton Investment Advisors in Norwalk, Conn., last summer in sales marketing and am enjoying working with other Union alumni.”

2005 Adam Howe recently started working at Albany Medical Center. Adam Kohnstamm writes, “It is with broken hearts that we share the news of the shocking loss of Jason Matthew Fishner. He passed away on May 14, 2018, after being diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor only a week earlier. Jason was surrounded by his wife Renee, mother Debra, father Allen, brother Kevin, and father-in-law Sid. Jason had an ingrained appreciation of arts and culture, and was a visionary mechanical design engineer. He was a National Collegiate Robot Rival Champion in 2004. His first engineering job was at the MIT Kavli Institute, where he worked on the F.I.R.E. project for the Magellan telescope. He was part of the team that helped design the gravitational wave sensors for LIGO, the group that won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2017. His latest job was as an engineer at Mack Molding in Arlington, a job he loved. Jason and Renee also owned a 3D printing studio, Fish 3D Designs, where they designed jewelry and gifts by combining 3D printed materials with natural elements and accents. Growing up, Jason played baseball, he was an avid Yankee fan and collected baseball cards since childhood. He was an incredible husband and

CHARITABLE GIFT ANNUITY RATES ARE UP Many individuals have used Charitable Gift Annuities to accomplish both income and philanthropic goals. The rates increased on July 1, 2018—the first increase since 2012. This income (see changes below) is favorably taxed.

Single-Life Annuity

Two-Life Annuity

Old Age Rate

New Rate

Age

Old Rate

New Rate

4.7%

5.1%

65/65 4.2%

4.5%

5.1%

5.6%

70/70 4.6%

5.0%

5.8%

6.2%

75/75

5.0%

5.5%

6.8%

7.3%

80/80

5.7%

6.2%

7.8%

8.3%

85/88

6.7%

7.3%

Why it’s a great way to give: • Payments for life, a portion of which may be tax-free. • Guaranteed fixed payments at a rate up to 9%, depending upon your age(s). • A current income tax deduction for a portion of your gift. • Most importantly, your gift supports the programs at Union that mean the most to you.

TO LEARN MORE, PLEASE CONTACT:

Jacqueline Cavalier, Director of Gift Planning (518) 388-6156 or cavaliej@union.edu www.union.giftplans.org

FALL 2018 | UNION COLLEGE

CLASS NOTES

JULIA COLLIGNON ’04 Major: Civil engineering Current Position: Senior Manager, Commercial & Utility Developments, Tesla

’04 Leading the way to better power

usiness Insider named her one of the “most powerful female engineers,” Fircroft called her an “inspirational female pioneer in engineering,” and medium.com listed her among the “most powerful women in science who are changing the world.” And no wonder. Julia Collignon ’04 is helping a famously innovative company build the energy grid of the future—one that’s more dependable and a lot greener. As senior manager of Commercial and Utility Energy Developments at Tesla, Collignon’s job is to make sure Tesla’s renewable energy projects get done right. “We define scope, schedule and budget and then deliver a project to our customers based on these plans,” she said. “Ultimately, our goal is to accelerate the world’s transition to sustainable energy. My contribution to this mission is to ensure we deliver projects in the most efficient way possible.” One example is the application of Tesla’s Powerpack product with solar energy. It combines solar panels with the company’s cutting-edge battery systems, which are turnkey and easily scalable, and offer commercial consumers and energy providers greater control, efficiency and reliability across the power grid. “Powerpack systems shave peak energy usage, lower demand charges

UNION COLLEGE | FALL 2018

and generate new revenue streams for grid services and demand response programs,” Collignon said. “They can be charged when energy prices are low and discharged during peak demand when energy prices are high.” It’s products like these than make her job fun—and inspiring. “It’s extremely motivating to work for a mission-driven company. Tesla is always pushing the envelope and moving the bar higher,” Collignon said. “Every day presents a new challenge and I’m always learning. I also close up my computer each night and feel that I’ve contributed to something bigger than the bottom line. It’s a great feeling.” So is knowing she’s part of the changing face of technical fields. “When I first started my career, I was usually the only woman in a meeting, on a job site, in a construction trailer,” Collignon said. “Things have changed a lot in the past 15 years and sometimes I find myself in meetings with 90-100 percent technical women.” Collignon joined Tesla in November 2015 after nearly eight years with SunPower, where she held various positions, including project manager, development engineer and senior manager. Prior to that she was a structural engineer at Gilsanz, Murray, Steficek LLP. Collignon majored in civil engineering at Union and holds an M.S. in engineering management from the University of California, Berkeley.

father. Renee and Jason met in 2007 and got married in 2011. Lucy, his 3-year-old daughter, was the love of his life. All are welcome and encouraged to contribute to the Fishner’s family fund to help alleviate the financial strain that Renee and Lucy may experience, including Lucy’s childcare and education. https://www.gofundme.com/ jason-renee-and-lucy-fishner” Jason is further remembered on pg. 71.

Jason Matthew Fishner ’05 with daughter Lucy

2006 CLASS CORRESPONDENT

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

he seems to make friends everywhere we go. I am still working in Experimental/R&D aerospace.” Mara van den Bold writes, “I started a Ph.D. in geography at Clark University in Worcester, Mass., in 2016. My research will focus on the implications of renewable energy developments in West Africa on demand for land and rural livelihoods. I continue to work part-time (remotely, for now) as senior research analyst at the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) (Washington, D.C.), on issues related to food security and nutrition, mostly in South Asia and West Africa.” David Olson writes, “Our research group recently published a manuscript in Cell Reports demonstrating that psychedelic compounds can promote neural plasticity. This work provides a potential explanation for the beneficial effects that others have observed in clinical trials using these compounds to treat mood and anxiety disorders. For more information, please see our website https://www. olsonlab.org/”

Elliot Seguin writes, “Living in California with wife Jennifer and 1-year-old son Gideon. Gid is a handful, stoked on trucks and trips to the zoo,

Annual Summer Send-Offs

Annual Summer Send-Offs are wonderful ways for incoming students and families to get to know others in the Union community. Thank you to the families and alumni who graciously hosted a regional event to welcome the Class of 2022 to Union College. Lynne ’84 and Howard Carpenter ’84 (Will ’22) Terri and John Cerveny (Kate ’18) Cheryl ’90 and Rich Davis (Cassie ’21) Maura and Alan Rutkin ’80 (Corey ’21) Emily and Mark Webster ’88 Kara and Rich Williams (Jack ’21)

Elliot Seguin ’05 and son, Gideon

A recent study by David Olson ’06 and his team was featured on the cover of Cell Reports, which shows a neuron treated with LSD.

To learn more about Summer Send-Offs or other opportunities to get involved with Union, contact Noelle Marchaj, director of Parent and Family Philanthropy, at marchajn@union.edu

FALL 2018 | UNION COLLEGE

CLASS NOTES

2007 CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Jackie Siedlecki Murphy Delmar, N.Y. jaclynrenemurphy@gmail.com Nancy Borowick was recently named an honoree for the Women that Soar Awards Show, taking place in November 2018. Nancy is a humanitarian photographer based on the island of Guam and New York City. She focuses her work on telling stories of illness, struggle and personal relationships. In 2008, she established the Ghana On Tap Project, raising funds and overseeing the drilling of a borehole well at an orphanage in central Ghana and since 2009, she has worked closely with the Touch A Life organization, a nonprofit that provides holistic care for children rescued from slavery and trafficking in West Africa. Nancy’s most recent focus has been her parents’ battles with cancer, which culminated in her monograph, The Family Imprint, published in 2017.

2008 CLASS CORRESPONDENT

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

On June 7 and 8, Heather (Cunningham) Garside represented the Passaic County Historical Society (of which she is director/curator) at the New Jersey History and Historic Preservation Conference: Building a Place for History. The conference, which took place on the campus of Passaic County Community College, brought together representatives of the historic community from all over the state to discuss the preservation of historic buildings. During the conference Heather served as a panelist in the session

UNION COLLEGE | FALL 2018

“Revenue Streams at Heritage Sites: Diversifying for the Future,” which focused on one important daily task of managing historic structures—keeping them funded.

was recently elected co-chair of the American Psychological Association’s Special Interest Group in Diabetes. She is based within the Department of Clinical and Health Psychology at the University of Florida.

the year, awarded to an EMT for going above and beyond the call of duty. Earned this award for a cardiac arrest save at Fenway Park.” Chenele (McLean) Francis writes, “I received my masters in clinical nutrition in May 2016.” Danielle Steinmetz, M.D. graduated from St. George’s University School of Medicine on June 10, 2018. She will begin her residency in internal medicine at St. Mary Medical Center in Langhorne, Pa. this summer.

Heather (Cunningham) Garside ’08 with Passaic County Historical Society trustee Ken Donnelly

2009 CLASS CORRESPONDENTS

Gabe Kramer Los Angeles, Calif. kramerg3@gmail.com Carl S. Winkler New York, N.Y. carl.s.winkler@gmail.com Marisa Aryn Kaufman is the director of communications for the N.Y.C. Administration of Child Services. Marisa was previously the deputy press secretary in for Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer. Sarah Westen, Ph.D., has been awarded the prestigious JDRF National Fellowship in Psychology award and will be one of five fellows globally to lead an initiative to integrate psychology into type one diabetes research and clinical care. Sarah is also the 2018 recipient of the American Psychological Association’s Drotar-Crawford Postdoctoral Fellowship Research Grant in Pediatric Psychology and is a 2018 Children with Diabetes Friends for Life® Fellow. She

Dr. Sarah Westen ’09, recipient of the JDRF National Fellowship in Psychology

2010 Katharine Murphy graduated from the Yale School of Management with her M.B.A.

2011 Katie (Van Meter) Perry graduated with her M.B.A from Oklahoma City University in December 2017. On March 1, 2018, Katie gave birth to twins: Sullivan Richard and Saoirse Roisin Perry. On June 1, Katie started a new career at The OU College of Pharmacy as their admissions and recruitment coordinator.

2012 CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Anna Meiring Boston, Mass. annameiring@gmail.com Christos Theodorou writes, “Earned two commendations for cardiac arrest saves with meaningful recovery. As an EMT-basic, earned the Metro Boston 2015 BLS provider of

Dr. Danielle Steinmetz ’12

2013 CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Cristina Vazzana Boston, Mass. vazzanaca@gmail.com Carissa Vazzana recently joined the Mallozzi Family as a sales manager focusing on new business development and marketing initiatives. Located in downtown Schenectady, the Mallozzi Family has been serving the Capital District for over 50 years. Whether at Villa Italia, Johnny’s, Mallozzi’s Banquet House, Rivers Casino or at any off-premise locations, Mallozzi’s continues to accommodate a variety of events paired with exceptional service and most importantly great food. Feel free to

Parents Circle

Thank you to our 2017-18 Parents Circle families:

Champions of your student’s success

“

Education and community participation are cornerstone family values for us. We are happy to be members of and contribute to the Union community. - The Solazzo family

rom the moment your child enrolls at Union, you are part of our family. Together, we encourage students to explore their passions, broaden their horizons and discover themselves. The Union College Parents Circle is made up of families who make annual leadership gifts of $5,000 or more. Such generous philanthropic support has an immediate impact on academics, student life and campus priorities.

Liz and Rick Solazzo with children Peter and Michael ’20 (front).

”

Parents Circle members also enjoy opportunities to deepen their connections to the College, including: • Invitations to special events and complimentary tickets to select athletic events • Opportunities to network with fellow Union parents • Communications from campus leaders • Opportunities to share professional expertise with students • Recognition in publications, and as members of the Terrace Council

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

Anonymous Chuck ’78 and Jennifer Assini Chip ’84 and Alison Batchelder Lauren Baumann Harry Stevenson and Tina Brown-Stevenson Thomas and Jeanne Capasse Thomas Caulfield and Sandra Eng-Caulfield John and Terri Cerveny Scot and Carolyn Cohen Nick ’76 and Victoria Coward Richard ’80 and Karen Delaney Brad and Lauren Egna Brian ’88 and Liz Epstein Charles and Dina Ferguson Stephen and Carol Geremia Peter ’82 and Daphne Hoffman Karl Knapp and Luisa Chuinard Knapp Myant Kyaw and Ioc Ip Michael and Julie Levy ’87 Donald ’82 and Barbara Lippman Kristan Loree ’80 Jim Loree '80 and Rebecca Corbin Loree Emmett and Margaret Lyne Robert and Lynn McCormick David McGrath Chris and Liz McReynolds Matt '79 and Julie Nagorsky Henry Owsley and Alexa VanDeWalle Alan '80 and Maura Rutkin Marty '83 and Kim Sands Richard and Elizabeth Solazzo Gus Mininberg and Magda Sura Mininberg '83 Dan '79 and Esther Tanenbaum Jason '95 and Annabelle Temple Jon and Betsy Tilkemeier Robert and Louise Tritt Bill '82 and Cindy Wall Bill '71 and Pamela Wicker Edward and Elizabeth Youmans

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

CLASS NOTES

Seizing opportunity and giving back

i Gao’s parents didn’t speak English when they emigrated to the United States. But they left China, and worked 12-hour days in restaurants, to give their daughter chances they never had. The chance to go to the college, to have a corporate career, to be whatever she chose. And right now, after a successful few years at PwC in Boston, she’s choosing to be a Princeton in Asia Fellow. Founded in 1898, PiA is nonprofit organization independently affiliated with Princeton University. It strives to foster mutual appreciation and cultural understanding between communities in the East

XI GAO ’15 Major: Economics & Asian Studies Current Position: Princeton in Asia fellow

UNION COLLEGE | FALL 2018

and West by connecting service-minded individuals and partner organizations in Asia. Gao will spend the next year in Shanghai, China, with tech start-up IoT One, where she’ll specialize in accelerating industrial use of Internet of Things technologies. “The Internet of Things gives us great technology like smart refrigerators, selfdriving cars and fitness watches,” said Gao, who worked in information technology at PwC. “As a researcher and consultant, I’ll help build partnerships between IoT and manufacturing companies, and help companies understand and implement Internet of Things technologies.” She’s also hoping to build connections of a more familial kind—her parents are from Fujian, just a few hours from Shanghai. Gao is excited about learning where they come from. This will be her first time in China alone, she said, and her first opportunity to fully immerse herself in her heritage and more deeply understand her family’s roots. Gao’s also looking forward to using her language skills (she’s fluent in in Mandarin) to become part of the local community in Shanghai and contribute to it in some way. Turning her own opportunities into something beneficial for others is a habit of Gao’s.

“Coming from a low-income background, I have been very fortunate to be part of organizations that have helped develop who I am today. The main two are Summer Search and Posse Foundation,” Gao said. “Posse empowers students to reach their full potential with mentorship and an incredible support network, and provides full-tuition college scholarships.” “Thanks to the partnership between Posse and Union, I was able to attend Union and build lasting relationships with professors and other students that have changed my life.” To express her gratitude and pay it forward, Gao helps organize annual dinners for these entities, supports their fundraising efforts and works to build corporate awareness of their missions. She’s also been involved in organizing groups of professionals, who volunteer with and teach high school students networking skills. “Every step of the way toward my education and career, I had the support of great organizations,” Gao said. “I want to be there to create equity for low-income students to have the same opportunities as others. Their abilities should not be limited by their financial backgrounds.”

“As a researcher and consultant, I’ll help build partnerships between IoT and manufacturing companies, and help companies understand and implement Internet of Things technologies.”

’15

connect with Carissa at cvazzana@mallozzis.com for any inquiries. Elana Lerner and Paul Brockmann got engaged in Boston in the spring of 2018. Paul is also the project engineer designing the new cold room and vivarium for Union’s new Science and Engineering building.

Elana Lerner ’13 and Paul Brockmann ’13

extremely helpful and accommodating. What brought me to LSU was the City Year graduate award, but what keeps me here are the amazing faculty who are not only wonderfully equipped to teach, but are also interested in stewarding me through my graduate experience.” Curry’s involvement with City Year and experience at LSU have had a huge impact on her post-graduate plans. She writes, “Serving with City Year Baton Rouge and being able to provide support to the students that I’ve worked with have solidified my decision to stay in Baton Rouge to work alongside teachers, staff, and many others to improve the educational experience of students, especially students of color, in our community.” For more, visit http://www.lsu. edu/cup/bbl/2017-2018/ cityyearscholars.php

taught English in Spain at a small school in Castilla la Mancha. Prior to traveling, she interned in Manhattan for U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand and NBCUniversal. Julie Warren graduated in May with her MSW degree specializing in mental health from Washington University in St. Louis.

Sara Miltenberger ’15 received the Scholar Practitioner Award from Columbia University’s The Earth Institute.

2014

Erin Wade recently completed her M.S. in journalism at Boston University. Greg Midland ’96, director of content for the USGA, attended OMNIGON’s fifth annual Client Summit in Texas. Lauren Crupnick, marketing coordinator, has organized this event for OMNIGON since her first internship over the summer of 2014. The Client Summit brings together executives in the sports and entertainment industries to discuss industry hot topics and enjoy local sites. This year the event included dinner and a tour of AT&T stadium, a full day of sessions and friendly competitions at the Ford Center and concluded with the team attending the Byron Nelson tournament.

Michael Donadio writes, “After graduating from Boston College Law School this May, I will begin my legal career as a business law associate at the Foley & Lardner office in Boston. At Foley, I will join fellow Union graduate Matt Karlyn ’94, who is a partner at the Boston office.”

Rebecca Knepple graduated with a master’s degree in mechanical engineering with a concentration in materials science from Northeastern University. Amber Curry, a recipient of City Year’s/LSU’s 2017 University Partner Scholarship and graduate student in the School of Education, shared her appreciation for the award and the faculty of LSU, and how instrumental their support has been in making her first year of graduate school a success. She writes, “The possibility of having my tuition covered by the Community-University Partnerships’ City Year graduate award was a huge factor as I considered attending LSU, but all of the professors and faculty I have interacted with have been

Wilson’s yacht. More information at www.musiciansof maalwyck.org/aleda.

Amber Curry ’14 (left) and Brooke Duncan

2015 Shayna Han is among Hillel International’s fifth cohort of Masa-Hillel Fellows. The fellowship is a six-month professional development seminar designed to prepare current Masa participants for Hillel work. Shayna is a Masa Israel Teaching Fellow in Ashdod, Israel. Last year, she

2016 Max Caplan’s new chamber opera, Aleda (The Flight of the Suff Birdwomen), premiered June 8-10 at CLYNK in Glenville’s Business and Technology Park. Commissioned by the celebrated Musicians of Ma’alwyck, the opera tells the true story of a 1916 women’s suffrage demonstration involving a biplane, the Statue of Liberty, and President Woodrow

Lauren Crupnick ’16 and Greg Midland ’96 showing their Union College spirit with Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders

FALL 2018 | UNION COLLEGE

U UNIONS

’12

Alumni attend the wedding of Alexandra Burtman ’12 and Chris Diskin ’12

1975 Arielle Shugoll and Gabriel Mariasch were married March 31, 2018. In attendance were Arielle’s father, Bob Shugoll ’75, Arielle’s uncle, Mark Shugoll ’73, Stew Abramson ’75, Stephen Beck ’75, Tom Behrendt ’75, Lisa Kaston-Behrendt ’75, Michael Densmore ’75 and Mark Maurer ’75.

1983 Paul Sutton got married to Sharolyn Anderson on July 1, 2017.

UNION COLLEGE | FALL 2018

’75

Alumni attend the wedding of Arielle Shugoll and Gabriel Mariasch. Arielle is the daughter of Bob Shugoll '75.

’83

’90

Paul Sutton ’83 and Sharolyn Anderson

’02

Diana Voskoboynik ’02 and Alexander Goldshmidt

’08

Carly Aimi ’08 and Michael McCulloch

John Torpie with wife Kimberly Hamilton and daughters Erin and Lizzie

1990

2008

John Torpie married Kimberly Hamilton in July 2017. He writes, “Now a proud parent to two wonderful young women, Erin and Lizzie. Shared day w ith Karl Hartmann ’91, Chris Nikolis, Mike Schulitz, Mark Zimmerman, Susie Torpie Rappin ’91 and Allen Torpie ’61 .

On Aug. 26, 2017, Carly Aimi married Michael McCulloch on Lake Winnipesaukee in New Hampshire. Everyone joined us for a three-day long party hosted on a summer camp (dormitory-style) and it was amazing! Alumni in attendance included Celia Peachey ’07, Danna Deblasio, Liz Martinez, Sarah Ehle, Kimberley Rosenberger, Merrell Middleton, Rigo Smith, Rob O'Keefe, Ned Lincoln, Maura Pine, Vikram Ravikumar, R.C. Atlee, Ali Perse, Barbara Gafurri, Rachel Meyers-Weinerman, Maura Pine, Ellie Rines ’09, Ian Austin ’09, Sara Jacobsen ’09 and Caitlin Intrator ’09.

2002 Diana Voskoboynik and Alexander Goldshmidt are happy to announce their marriage on May 28, 2018, in Sharon, Mass. They live in Cambridge, Mass.

FALL 2018 | UNION COLLEGE

UNIONS

2009 Emma Labrot writes, “We attended the wedding of Tom DiLaura and Casey O’Malley on May 5, 2018 in Syracuse, N.Y. Other Union alumni in attendance were Owen Heneghan, Andy and Meg Barhite, James Maher ’10 and Maggie Levine.”

2012 Anna (Gjesteby) Abell married Christopher Abell, Jr. of Chevy Chase, Md. and graduate of the College of Holy Cross on Oct. 14, 2017 at the Salem Country Club in Peabody, Mass. Dutchmen in attendance included Alexa Goldfarb, Samantha Peper ’11, Dani (Horowitz) Cohen, Max Neumeyer and Aviva Dworkin. Alexandra Burtman and Chris Diskin were married in Rye, N.Y., May 12, 2018.

2013 Jillian Debono Beaule married Andrew Beaule ’14 at Ventosa Vineyards in Geneva, N.Y. April 22, 2017. In attendance were professors Ken DeBono, Linda Stanhope and Carole Weisse, and Emily Nault ’12, Alex Weisse, Dylan and Sam Katz ’14, Phil and Giovanna Kemp, Lauren Hafkemeyer ’14, Kelly McDonough ’14, Jaclyn DeFranco, Meredith Fierro, Joe Bradlee ’14, Emily Crandall ’14, Jeff Porter ’14, David Peretti ’14, Dane O’Neill ’14 and Morgan Muggia ’15. 62

UNION COLLEGE | FALL 2018

’09

Alumni attend the wedding of Tom DiLaura ’09 and Casey O’Malley

2014 Mat Bodie and Alex (Aufiero) Bodie got married July 22, 2017 at St. Thomas Aquinas Church in Fairfield, Conn. A reception followed at Rolling Hills Country Club. In attendance were Daniel Carr, Nick LaPoint, Erica Antman, Juliette Larzelere, Leah Doucette, Katie (Ziemba) Baisley, Jane Ramage, Emily Rider, Emily Crandall, Cole Ikkala, Ryan Forgaard, Kyle Bodie, Matt Hatch, Jill Goretti, Anne Morrissey, Haley Brown, Steph Hynes, Shannon Crowley, Maggie Close, Josh Jooris, Kevin Sullivan, Nick Cruice and Troy Grosenick.

2015 Suan Quah and Andrew Ivarson were married at Onesto in Milwaukee, Wisc. In attendance were Julian Jocque, Cara Peterhansel ’16, William Stearns, William Doyle, Warren Thompson, Caleb Novins, Kaelan Hansson, Stephen DiIorio, Thomas Arcuri and Ayon Ibrahim ’13.

’12

Anna (Gjesteby) Abell ’12 and Christopher Abell, Jr.

’13

Alumni attend the wedding of Jillian Debono Beaule ’13 married Andrew Beaule ’14

’14

Alumni attend the wedding of Mat Bodie ’14 and Alex (Aufiero) Bodie ’14

’17

Julianne Tatelbaum Drake ’17 and Max Drake at the Wychmere Beach Club in Harwich, Mass.

2017 Julianne Tatelbaum Drake was married to Max Drake, a 2016 RPI graduate. The two have been together since high school, and were married on Cape Cod on May 13, 2018, surrounded by many Union friends.

’15

Alumni attend the wedding of Suan Quah ’15 and Andrew Ivarson ’15

FALL 2018 | UNION COLLEGE

U ARRIVALS

Andrew Jacob Parent (Parent ’02)

James and Rosemary Prossner (Prossner ’02)

Camille Scoppetti Renaud (Renaud ’03)

Matt and Kelly Mertens ’03 with Molly and Charlie

Alexander Pietro Masini (Masini ’06)

Nathan Winfield Schellens (Schellens ’07)

Matthew Harris Weiss (Weiss ’08)

Nathan Alden Brush (Brush ’08)

Juliette Rose Truscott (Truscott ’09)

Libby ’11 and Michael ’09 Eisenman with daughter Helen Carol

UNION COLLEGE | FALL 2018

Joe Chambers (Chambers ’11)

Maia and big sister, Emilia (Bottieri ’04)

2002

2004

2008

Colleen Parent writes, “We welcomed our second baby boy this past August—Andrew Jacob. He is beautiful and healthy!”

Crystal Bottieri writes, “We welcomed our second baby on Nov. 5, 2017. Maia Louise August was born at 10:20 a.m., weighing 7 pounds and 9 ounces and measuring 20 inches long.”

Brett (Rosenzweig) Weiss, her husband Michael, and big brother Hunter welcomed Matthew Harris into the world on Dec. 26, 2018.

Ross “R.J.” Prossner writes, “James (11/1/16) welcomed his little sister, Rosemary, on 5/26/18. Everybody is healthy and happy living in Annapolis, Md.”

2003 Erica (Scoppetti) Renaud and Kevin Renaud are proud to announce the birth of their daughter, Camille Scoppetti Renaud. Millie was born Aug. 31, 2017, weighing 6 pounds, 9 ounces and was 19 inches long. The family resides in Franklin, Mass. Brody Hayes Hurley (Hurley ’09)

Kelly (Whalen) Mertens and her husband, Matt, welcomed a son, Charlie Mertens, to the family on Feb. 7, 2017. He joins big sister, Molly (3). They recently moved to Lynnfield, Mass. Professionally, Kelly has joined the faculty at Boston University and Salem State University as an adjunct instructor. She is entering her sixth year as a school administrator in Lexington, Mass.

2006 Karen (Block) Masini and her husband, Christian, welcomed their first child, Alexander Pietro Masini, on Jan. 30, 2018 at 3:53 p.m. Alexander surprised both of them by coming two weeks early but both mom and baby are doing great.

2007 Thomas “Win” Schellens and Jordan (Silletti) Schellens ’09 are proud to announce the birth of their first child, Nathan Winfield Schellens. He was born at Yale-New Haven Hospital on March 5, 2018 at 12:56 a.m. Nathan weighed 6 pounds, 7 ounces and was 19.8 inches long. The family resides in Old Saybrook, Conn. James Shand and his wife, Amanda, welcomed their daughter, Eleanor Anne “Elsie” Shand to the world on May 26, 2018.

Liza (Turkel) Brush and Jesse Brush welcomed their son, Nathan Alden Brush, on Nov. 11, 2017 in New York City.

2009 Malysa (Cheng) and Brian Hurley welcomed the birth of their son and future Union student, Brody Hayes Hurley, on April 21, 2018. Elisabeth (Higgins) Truscott and Brendan Truscott welcomed their daughter, Juliette Rose, on Dec. 25, 2017.

On May 1, 2018, Libby (Monti) Eisenman ’11 and Michael Eisenman welcomed their baby girl, Helen Carol Eisenman, into the world.

2011 Jackie Bartley Chambers and her husband, Joe, welcomed baby Logan on April 2, 2018.

On March 1, 2018, Katie (Van Meter) Perry welcomed twins Sullivan Richard and Saoirse Roisin Perry.

Sullivan (left) and Saoirse Perry (Perry ’11)

FALL 2018 | UNION COLLEGE

8 IN MEMORIAM

8 .........

1930s . . . . . . . . .

Richard M. Kovaric ’38, of Green Valley, Ariz., Jan. 28, 2017. He was 100.

.........

1940s . . . . . . . . .

Lee E. Landes ’45, of Farmington Hills, Mich., who served in the U.S. Navy during World War II and the Korean War, and held an MBA from Harvard Graduate School of Business Administration, Jan. 23, 2018. An active Naval Reservist (retired 1979), he worked for Ford Motor Company, where he earned the company’s highest award— the Bronze Bell. A member of many military organizations, he received the Legion of Merit Medal from the president of the United States and was active in MADD. Lee was 93.

Dr. Alvin Volkman ’47, of Greenville, N.C., who earned his M.D. from the University of Buffalo and helped establish East Carolina University’s Brody School of Medicine, April 11, 2018. His most notable work proved white blood cells originate in bone marrow, strengthening fundamental understanding of a major aspect of immune function. Alvin, who had a passion for the arts, loved the outdoors and was an avid fisherman, was 91.

Dr. Maurice H. Rubin ’46, of Scottsdale, Ariz., an ophthalmologist who taught at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill and Stanford medical schools for a combined 35 years, Nov. 28, 2017. Maurice practiced in Greensboro, N.C. for 30 years, and later at the Shepard Eye Clinic in Santa Maria, Calif., where he taught foreign ophthalmologists. Also a guest professor at Hadassah Hospital in Jerusalem, where he taught micro surgery, he was 93.

Merritt E. Tilley Jr. ’48, of Wilmington, Del., who served in the U.S. Navy aboard the USS Brennan and Greenwood, and with the reserves until 1963, March, 15, 2018. Merritt, who earned an MBA from Columbia University and worked for the DuPont Company (1952-82), worked part-time at Four Seasons Travel during retirement. A president of the Newark Junior Achievement Group and Paladin Club Homeowners Association, he was an usher at St. David’s Episcopal Church. He was 92.

Andrew D. Kelly ’46, of Liverpool, N.Y., a General Electric employee for more than 30 years who was an Army engineer and veteran of World War II, June 4, 2018. Active in his community, he lived in Liverpool for more than 50 years and was an Eagle Scout and a Sea Scout quartermaster. He was 93. Dr. Edwin A. Meeks Sr. ’47, of Knoxville, Tenn., who served with the U.S. Navy during World War II and with the Army Medical Corps after graduating from Vanderbilt School of Medicine, March 17, 2018. A founder of Pediatric Associates,

where he practiced until retiring in 1990, he was associate professor of clinical pediatrics at ETSU Medical School and on staff at Memorial Hospital and Johnson City Medical Center Hospital. A member of many professional organizations and an elder emeritus at Midway Presbyterian Church, he was 93.

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Harold L. Jones Jr. ’48, of Fort Mill, S.C., a U.S. Army veteran of World War II who served as a surgical technician and earned several honors, including the WWII Victory Medal, American Campaign Medal and Good Conduct Medal, April 24, 2018. An extraordinary minister of Holy Communion for several years, he enjoyed a 35-year career as a pharmaceutical sales representative with Upjohn. A member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church (Pinehurst), who acted in several plays at the Sunrise Theater (Southern Pines), he was 93.

Edmund F. Henk ’49, of Williamsburg, Va., who served in the U.S. Marine Corps and earned graduate degrees from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and the IMEDE in Switzerland (now International Institute for Management), March 16, 2018. His 33-year career with Mobil Oil Corporation included executive positions in Ghana, Sudan, Switzerland, Turkey, France, England, Australia and New York. A longtime member of the Kiwanis Club of Williamsburg, he was 91. Robert J. Gallo ’49, of New York, N.Y., a well-known classical music press representative who worked with the Carson Office and from 1995 onward at Gallo+Giordano with his spouse, Joe Giordano, Feb. 22, 2018. Looking after the likes of Leonard Bernstein and Benny Goodman during his career, he served in the U.S. Navy as a pharmacist’s mate, first class, in the Pacific Theater. Bob, who studied at Columbia University, was 92. Robert M. Selling ’49, of Acton, Mass., who held a master’s in public administration from Northeastern University and was a Navy pilot during World War II, Feb. 17, 2018. Bob, who retired as assistant regional commissioner for the Social Security Administration in 1980, later was an operations manager for the Massachusetts Department of Welfare. An active member of First Parish Church of Stow and Acton, and a volunteer SHINE counselor for Minuteman Senior Services, he was 90. Roger T. Stevens ’49, of Albuquerque, N.M., A Navy veteran, Mason and Shriner who worked for Mitre Corporation and Dikewood Corporation, May 30, 2018. A deacon at First Baptist Church of Rio Rancho, he graduated from Blackstone School of Law and held a M.A. in mathematics from Boston University. Roger, who also received a master of engineering degree in systems

8 CLIFFORD J. BENFIELD ’46

engineering from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and a Ph.D. in electrical engineering from California Western University, authored 30 books on computer graphics and programming. He was 91. .........

1950s .........

George W. Patcigo ’50, of Westminster, Colo., who served in the U.S. Navy and worked for GE before retiring from AT&T, April 20, 2018. Active in his community, he volunteered with CenturyLink Pioneers of America, MS Society, Beep Baseball and at various church functions. While living in Schenectady (until 1978), he led Boy Scout Troup 49 and headed the Rotterdam Rescue Squad. George, who enjoyed reading, cycling and travelling with his wife, was 90.

lifford J. Benfield ’46, a former trustee who led a successful career in human resources management, passed away June 23, 2018 at the age of 94. He served as a trustee from 1980 to 1990, and was a member of the Alumni Council from 1991 to 2003. A generous and consistent donor, he served as national chair of the Annual Fund. He was also active as an admissions interviewer. He received the Alumni Gold Medal in 1970. In 2012, he led the effort to install in Memorial Chapel a plaque memorializing alumni lost in World War II. He began his career at Servo Corporation, later serving as vice president at Columbia Records, executive vice president at CBS, the Lowes Corporation and American Express International Banking Corp. He culminated his career as founder and president of Hay Career Consultants in New York City.

A psychology major, he was president of Delta Upsilon, and a member of the Pre-Med Society, lacrosse team and the Idol. He left Union during his sophomore year in 1944 to serve in the U.S. Army as a lieutenant in the Philippines. He returned to Union to complete bachelor’s and master’s degrees in psychology in 1948. While at Union, he met Eunice Ann Patrick, his wife of 68 years. An avid sailor and lifetime member of the New York Yacht Club, he and his wife moved to Southold, N.Y. in 1983. He was well known for his work with the Southold Historical Society and the restoration of the Horton Point Lighthouse. He is survived by his wife and three sons, James ’75, John and Daniel. Union relatives also include a granddaughter, the late Anne Benfield Fuller ’09; and a grandson, Edward ’15.

John E. Hinrichs ’50, of Thomasville, Ga., who served with the U.S. Marine Corps during World War II on open waters at Iwo Jima, May 21, 2018. John, who spent 33 years with General Electric, traveling internationally and leading its large motor department, was highly active in local Rotary and Rotary International for six decades. The Thomasville Rotary Club presented him with the Lifetime Service Award in 2013. A member of First Baptist Church Thomasville, he was 98. Eugene M. Setel ’50, of Buffalo, N.Y., who served in the U.S. Navy and graduated from Harvard University Law School, May 29, 2018. A Buffalo attorney for more than 50 years, he was a partner in the firm of Borins, Setel, Snitzer and Brownstein. Active in many professional and community organizations, he was former president of the boards of Erie Community College and the Foundation for Jewish Philanthropies, which presented him with its Endowment Leadership Award. A volunteer mediator with Child and Family Services Center for

FALL 2018 | UNION COLLEGE

IN MEMORIAM

Resolution and Justice for more than 20 years, he was 89. Dr. Vincent P. Donnelly ’51, of Irvington, N.Y., and formerly of Fairfield and New Milford, Conn., who graduated from McGill University, April 18, 2018. During his tenure at Saint Vincent’s Hospital (Bridgeport, Conn.), he was chief of the residency program, chairman of the surgery department and co-chief of medical staff. The winner of numerous accolades, including Teacher of the Year for four consecutive years, he practiced general surgery. A member of Our Lady of Assumption Parish (Fairfield) and Our Lady of the Lakes Parish (New Milford), he was 87. L.I. (Roy) Dimmick ’51, of Ventura, Calif., who held an aeronautical engineering degree from Indiana Technical and worked at several firms, including Martin-Marietta, Space Recovery Systems and TRW Systems Group, Dec. 8, 2017. Later, Roy formed the L.I. Dimmick Corporation, an engineering consulting firm for the Navy, and then established the CAES Corporation, a consultant data base. Past chairman of AIAA and ASME, he loved airplanes, animals, old cars and traveling. He was 91.

in Okinawa and Hong Kong, May 4, 2018. After returning to the U.S. in 1963, Mick joined First Pennsylvania Bank in Philadelphia, where he worked until retiring in 1989. He is survived by his wife, Joann; children Joan Loepp, Malcolm G. Thomas III and Mary Yunker; and six grandchildren. He was 92. William C. Streets ’52, of Winchester, Va., and formerly of Clayton, who served in the U.S. Army with the 1st Calvary in Japan and received the Army of Occupation Medical (Japan) and World War II Victory Medal, March 4, 2018. A graduate of Albany Law School, Bill worked with Hinman, Strub, Bigors & Manning in Albany before retiring from Mobile Oil Company. A former member of the Delmar (N.Y.) Reformed Church, he enjoyed spending time on Chub Island. He was 88. Willard G. Taylor ’52, of Albany, N.Y., and Washington, D.C., who served with the U.S. Army in postwar Japan and spent three decades at Rose & Kiernan (Albany) as an insurance underwriter, March 22, 2018. He was 90.

William P. McClary ’51, of Burnt Hills and Rexford, N.Y., an alumnus of Clarkson University and SUNY Albany (Med), May 28, 2018. A teacher and principal of Sauquoit Valley Central High School, he was also on the faculty of SUNY Empire State College and helped school districts pioneer the use of GE computers to assistant in education. A U.S. Army major, Rotarian, Community Human Services Board member and Burnt Hills United Methodist Church worker, he was 92.

Rev. Richard A. DeMott ’52, of Banner Elk, N.C., who held a master of theology from Yale University Divinity School and a master of sacred theology from the Lutheran Theological Seminary, March 31, 2018. Vicar at St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church (Sterling, Va.) for 18 years, he also served as dean of Region 13 for the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia. Richard, who served on the Town of Seven Devils Town Council for many years and was Mayor Pro-Tem (2002-09), was active with the High Country Council of Governments. He was 88.

Malcolm G. Thomas Jr. ’51, of Hillsboro, Ore., who served in the U.S. Army and spent several years with American Express

Robert I. Hass ’52, of Farmington, Conn., a lieutenant in the USNR who graduated from Harvard Business School (1957) and

UNION COLLEGE | FALL 2018

had an extensive business career in marketing, March 28, 2017. He was a vice president of Royal Typewriter (Conn.) and Sony (N.Y.), later becoming senior vice president of Smith & Wesson (Springfield, Mass.) Active in his community, he served as vice chairman of the historic Stanley Whitman House. Bob loved lacrosse and enjoyed nothing more than watching his son play. His wife, son, and daughter-inlaw survive Bob. He was 86. John G. von Jess Sr. ’53, of Acton, Mass., who graduated from Rutgers University and was a U.S. Air Force pilot in command of KC-97 refueling aircraft (1953-61), Feb. 9, 2018. John, who later worked at IBM, Digital Equipment Corporation and Hewlett Packard, helped found Software International. He was 86. Carl S. Monz ’53, of Camillus, N.Y., who did graduate work at Syracuse University before retiring in 1992 from GE as manager of power and control engineering, March 1, 2018. An active volunteer in his community and church, St. Joseph’s, he enjoyed golf; good music; Ogunquit, Maine; and Cape Cod, Mass. Survived by his wife of 57 years, Clara; three daughters, son-in-law Scott Remillard ’86, and seven grandchildren, including Jordan Remillard Rickman ’11. Carl, an associate class agent, was 87. Harold W. Moore ’53, of Boston, Mass., who founded HW Moore Associates, an engineering firm in Boston, June 12, 2017. Bill, who became a born again Christian in 1996, was 90. Donald B. Horton ’53, of Saco, Maine, who held a Ph.D. in marine biology/oceanography from the University of Rhode Island and established the marine research institute at the University of North Carolina (Aurora), April 23, 2018. Later director of the Research Institute of the

Gulf of Maine, he taught graduate level classes at the University of Southern Maine. In the early ’70s, Don co-founded Kristia Associates, which was the only importer of Jotul wood stoves from Norway and held the franchise for the entire U.S. He was 88. Ira Rubin ’53, of Dayton, Ohio, who practiced law for over 50 years, had a deep love for his family and was passionate about sport fishing, Feb. 17. 2017. He was 86. Dr. Kenneth L. Pratt ’53, of Vero Beach, Fla., who graduated from Albany Medical College and served in the U.S. Air Force, May 12, 2018. A faculty member at Albany Medical College (1966-83), he also had a private practice in neurology in Phelps until 1988. Ken enjoyed hiking and canoeing in the Adirondacks, ballroom dancing, politics and non-fiction on almost any topic. He was 87. Earl W. Jennison Jr. ’53, of Basking Ridge, N.J., who served in the U.S. Air Force and retired from Project Software & Development Inc. as a cost engineer, March 3, 2017. A member of Phi Beta Kappa and ROTC during his time at Union College, he was 85. Ron “Papa” Prusko ’56, of Schenectady, N.Y., who held a master’s in social work from Fordham University, Feb. 3, 2018. A social worker at Schenectady County Welfare Department before retiring from the LaSalle School in 1989, he enjoyed traveling and attending concerts with his wife. Ron, who loved the Yankees and was an avid golfer and bowler, was 83. Richard W. Mayo ’56, of Eustis, Fla., a mechanical engineer for General Electric who served in the U.S. Army during World War II, Feb. 17, 2018. A Methodist, he was 91. Solon H. Arellano ’56, of Houston, Texas, March 3, 2018. He was 83.

Raymond F. Koss ’56, of Saratoga Springs, N.Y., who enjoyed a long career at Sterling-Winthrop Research Institute as a research biologist and was instrumental in developing one of the first anabolic drugs (Winstrol), March 21, 2018. A member of the Albany Ski Club who hiked the Adirondacks and enjoyed golf, he also served in the U.S. Army. He was 88. Arnold S. Kress ’56, of Media, Penn., who attended Westminster Seminary and spent 20 years as a missionary in Japan with his wife, March 19, 2018. Serving first with Orthodox Presbyterian Church Japan and later with Christian Reformed Japan Mission, he served as pastor for Buskirk Reformed Church (N.Y.) and as director of Peniel Bible Conference (N.Y.) after retiring from missionary work. A member of Trinity Christian Reformed Church in Broomall, he was 83. Leif A. Booger ’56, of Cary, N.C., who spent 40 years with IBM, ultimately leading the grocery software development Europe division in London, May 4, 2018. Leif, who founded Skill Based Consulting in Cary, was treasurer of the Candlewood Lake Club (Conn.) Board of Directors. An avid traveler, antique collector and car fanatic, he also guided the expansion of the CLC tennis facilities and program. He was 86. Robert P. Brown ’56, of Sarasota, Fla., who served in the U.S. Marine Corps during the Korean War before joining the family business, Atlas Insurance Agency, March 21, 2018. A founding member and organizing director of West Coast Bank, he also helped establish the Field Club and was a life member of the Sarasota Gun Club. Instrumental in consolidating the Associated Field Trial Clubs of Florida, he was a lifelong Episcopalian. He was 86.

Frank G. Balfe ’57, of Brunswick, Ohio, who retired in 1997 after 40 years with Eveready Battery Co., May 27, 2018. Frank, who worked numerous construction projects in Vermont, Ohio, North Carolina, Missouri, Iowa and Puerto Rica, was 82. Alan R. Shucard ’57, of Racine, Wisc., who was an English professor at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside and published books of poetry and literary criticism, Jan. 16, 2018. He was 82. Rev. Merl L. Galusha Jr. ’59, of East Concord, N.Y., who did mission work in Africa from 1972 until 1982, and was pastor of the United Presbyterian Stone Church (1982-2003) in Caledonia, May 22, 2018. Active in the Genesee Valley Presbytery, serving as its financial administrator for 10 years during retirement, Merl served on the founding board of Teresa House (Geneseo). Also a founding member of the board of directors of Focus on the Children, he was 80. Peter E. Huggler ’59, of Columbia, Mo., who achieved the rank of Eagle Scout and from 1975 to 2005 was an engineer with Toastmaster Inc., May 13, 2018. A longtime member of Memorial Baptist Church, he sang with the choir, the men’s quartet and regularly performed for residents of The Bluffs nursing facility. Peter, who also volunteered at the Shepherd’s Basket, was 80.

.........

1960s .........

Laszlo Z. Valachi ’61, of Tualatin, Ore., March 10, 2018. He was 82. Allen W. Hendrie ’61, of Troy, N.Y., who retired after more than 30 years from GE in Waterford, where he was a systems analyst, April 4, 2018. Allen, who enjoyed gardening, music and reading, and loved the New York Mets, was 79.

FALL 2018 | UNION COLLEGE

IN MEMORIAM

Robert N. Markson ’61, of Middletown, N.J., and Jupiter, Fla., who held a graduate degree in electrical engineering from Yale University and worked at Bell Laboratories in Holmdel, N.J., May 3, 2018. He was 78. John S. Preston Jr. ’62, of Bridgewater, Mass., who served in the U.S. Air Force and held a master of science in insurance from the University of Hartford, April 26, 2018. Chief financial officer for New London County Mutual Insurance, he was dedicated to his community. John served as chair of the regional advisory board of the Connecticut Audubon Society, as deacon and financial trustee for First Church of Christ Congregational, and as treasurer for Families in Crisis, to name just a few. An avid traveler, he was 77. William H. Stearns ’63, of Ruston, La., who served as vice president and treasurer at the family construction firm, Stearns and Bergstrom (Syracuse, N.Y.), April 15, 2018. After relocating to Louisiana, he spent nearly 30 years as president of the board of directors of the Mineral Springs Water System. He was 76. Frederick “Lynn” May ’64, of Santa Fe, N.M., who served in the Vietnam War and in many executive positions in Washington, D.C., under Presidents Nixon, Ford and Reagan, June 10, 2018. Also the CEO of many health-related organizations, including the American Academy of Physician Assistants and the American Society of Radiologic Technologists, he was 75. James H. Wilson ’65, of Merced, Calif., who served with the U.S. Navy aboard the USS Chippola during the Vietnam War and attended law school at Santa Clara University, Feb. 20, 2018. Jim, who retired from Canelo, Hansen and Wilson in 2014 after 36 years with the firm, enjoyed reading

UNION COLLEGE | FALL 2018

and exploring new cultures and foods while traveling with his wife. He was 74. Howard R. Bartholomew ’65, of Middleburgh, N.Y., who earned an M.A.T. from the State University College at Oneonta, taught U.S. history at Schoharie Center School, and ran the Rod and Gun Shop in Middleburgh, April 17, 2018. Also a selfemployed cabinet-maker, he was director of the Valley Environmental Conservation Association and instrumental in the formation of Dam Concerned Citizens. A member of the Howes Cave and Middleburgh Reformed Churches, he was 74. Stephen E. Cheuvront ’68, of Chestertown, Md., who held a master’s degree in physics from Duke University, May 22, 2018. First employed by NASA, he spent 40 years with Computer Science Corporation and was a member of Ma & Pa Model Railroading Club. Stephen, who enjoyed model trains and watching the Orioles, Duke basketball and the Ravens, was 71. Dr. Brian J. Izzo ’68, of Saratoga Springs, N.Y., who served with the U.S. Army in South Korea and graduated from Albany Medical College, June 3, 2018. An associate clinical professor at AMC, he precepted medical students at his Myrtle Street practice for many years. Brian was a longtime member of the Saratoga Wilton Elks Lodge #161, the Fraternal Order of Eagles and the Gurtler Brothers Veterans of Foreign Wars Post #420. An honorary member of SSPBA and SSFD, he was 71.

.........

1970s .........

Michael A. Pitt ’71, of Rancho Santa Fe, Calif., and formerly of Lake Forest and Chicago, Ill., who spent 37 years with William Blair (Chicago), May 23, 2018.

A partner of William Blair who was most recently head of corporate syndicate, he was 68. Richard P. Cram ’76, of Sarasota, Fla., April 20, 2018. He was 71. Laura Antinucci ’76, of Rome, Italy, an international board certified lactation consultant, Jan. 27, 2015. She was 60. Steven P. Richter ’77, of Schenectady, N.Y., who spent 35 years with the New York State Department of Education before retiring in 2017 as manager of information technology services, Feb. 4, 2018. A lifelong community volunteer, he was a member St. Luke’s Holy Name Society, Knights of Columbus and St. Luke’s School Board. Steven, who enjoyed hunting and yearly family vacations in Cape Cod, Mass., was 62. Susan C. Wolitz ’79, of Woodbridge, N.J., who was a computer programmer for TriZetto Group Inc. and retired in 2017 after 30 years with the company, March 23, 2018. A collector of baseball cards, silver coins and hot wheels cars, she was an avid reader who enjoyed watching birds and was interested in geology. She was 61.

.........

1990s . . . . . . . . .

Wendy R. Kaplan ’91, of Nashua, N.H., who held a master of health administration from Virginia Commonwealth University and worked at Southern New Hampshire University, May 5, 2018. Wendy, who enjoyed hiking, playing tennis, reading, listening to Billy Joel and spending time with family and friends, was 48.

8 LAWRENCE J. HOLLANDER

.... . . . . .

2000s .. . . . . . . .

Jason M. Fishner ’05, of Queensbury, N.Y., a mechanical design engineer who first worked at the MIT Kavli Institute and was part of the team that helped design gravitational wave sensors for LIGO and won the 2017 Nobel Prize in Physics, May 14, 2018. Later an engineer at Mack Molding (Arlington), he and his wife, Renee, also owned Fish 3D Designs. A Little League coach who taught science, technology, engineering, art and math (STEAM) classes at Manchester Community Library, he was 35. Anne V. Fuller ’09, of Brooklyn, N.Y., who held a masters from Dominican University and taught for Teach for America in Chicago Public Schools before teaching second and fourth grade at Achievement First Crown Heights (Brooklyn), March 25, 2018. Annie, who co-wrote the restructuring of her charter network’s second grade reading curriculum, achieved her network’s highest recognition for her ability as a master teacher. She was 31.

Friends of Union College Manuel Aven, of Saratoga Springs, N.Y., who graduated from the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre and held a doctorate in chemistry from the University of Pittsburgh, Jan. 31, 2018. Managing research departments at General Electric for 40 years before retiring as a GE consultant in Hungary in 1992, he was devoted to the Union College Academy of Lifelong Learning (UCALL). Chair of the curriculum committee for nine years and an emeritus member of the UCALL steering committee, he was a three-time Adirondack 46er. He was 93.

awrence J. Hollander, dean of engineering emeritus and a generous benefactor to Union, passed away May 12, 2018. He was 91. Known to colleagues as Larry, he joined Union in 1986 as a visiting professor of electrical engineering and, three years later, was named dean of engineering. He established the Lawrence J. Hollander Bicentennial Scholarship for engineering students and the Hollander Music Prize, awarded annually to an outstanding student or ensemble. Larry took pride in getting to know the recipients of the

scholarship he established. He personally presented the music prize at Opening Convocation. In retirement, he enjoyed travel, especially cruises on some of the world’s largest ocean liners. Destinations included Antarctica, the Yangtze River in China and the Rhine River. A native of New York City, he first set foot on Union’s campus in spring 1971 while doing an accreditation visit as secretary of the New York State Education Department Board for Engineering and Land Surveying. He also served as a dean at the Cooper Union and has taught at his alma mater, New York University (B.S.E.E., 1951; M.S.E.E., 1954). An expert in the electrical power grid, he made a name for himself during the Northeast blackout of 1965. In retirement, he remained close to the College that he said is “like a second home.” When he established the scholarship, he said, “Union College, with more than 200 years of history and 150 years of engineering, is where I want to be remembered. I believe in the idea of a private liberal arts college containing engineering curricula.”

8 FALL 2018 | UNION COLLEGE

IN MEMORIAM

Jessie Makowski, of Clarks Summit, Pa., and formerly of Schenectady, N.Y., who was housekeeping supervisor for Facilities Services, May 2, 2018. Jessie, who joined Union College in 1966 and retired in 1991, loved to bake and took up Polka dancing in her 60s. Active in her community, she was an assistant leader in Girl Scouts for four years, and enjoyed travling, with trips to Hawaii and England. She was 90. Dorothy A. Litts, of Charlton, N.Y., a former data processing clerk and registration assistant in the Registrar’s Office, April 20, 2018. Dorothy, who joined Union College in 1968 and retired in 1991, had a passion for hand applique work and took many bus trips with her Quilting Families. A member of the Thursday Tearers and Quilt North, she was 92. Helen C. Cernik, of East Glenville, N.Y., former manager of word processing for Union College’s Character Research Program, March 7, 2018. Helen, who worked at Union from 1964 until 1985, was a graduate of Mildred Elly College. After World War II, she was a draftsperson at General Electric and while in her 50s, established a desktop publishing company called Lexi Communications. A congregant of St. George Greek Orthodox Church and longtime member of the Ladies Philoptochos Society, she was 95. Frank O. Tricozzi Sr., of North Myrtle Beach, S.C., a former roofer and carpenter who worked at Union from 2000 until 2011, June 9, 2018. A member of Our Lady Star of the Sea Catholic Church, he was an avid golfer and loved bowling, boating and snowmobiling. He was 70. Survivors include his wife, Barbara, an administrative assistant in the Dean of Studies and other campus programs; his son, Raymond ’96; and his daughter, Constance DiLallo, administrative assistant in Becker Career Center.

UNION COLLEGE | FALL 2018

MARK W. SMITH

EDITH PILCHER

ark Weldon Smith of Columbus. Ohio, who served as dean of students and professor of psychology from 1973 to 1977, passed away May 16, 2018 at 90. He earned his B.A., M.A., and Ph.D. from Ohio State University. Prior to Union, he served as dean of men and professor of psychology at Denison University. He also held a position at Eckerd College. An advocate for student selfgovernance, he served as president of the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators, and co-authored a book titled Pieces of Eight. In retirement, he pursued his passion as a rock and roll historian. Survivors include his wife, Nancy Johnson Smith; a son, Wilson Woods Smith; and a daughter, Dana Driscoll.

dith Pilcher, an accomplished writer on Adirondack history and wife of the late Ennis Pilcher, professor of physics emeritus, passed away on Feb. 4, 2018 at the age of 89. Together with her husband, she was a frequently on campus for chamber concerts, lectures and UCALL events. She was a staunch advocate of the Adirondacks, and was one of the founding members of the Adirondack Research Center. An accomplished author, she wrote four books on Adirondack history. She was a frequent contributor to Adirondack Life and other journals devoted to the park and wilderness. She also had a love of adventure, traveling around the globe, including living in Sweden and Ethiopia during her husband’s sabbatical. She is survived by her two children, Steven Pilcher (wife Ann Pilcher), and Dorothy Pilcher; and her five grandchildren.

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Please recycle

An a cappella success

rancis Ramirez de Cueva, who works as a cleaner in Facilities, was one of two people to get a standing ovation at the inauguration of David R. Harris. The other was the new president. One day last year, Professor of Theater Bill Finlay was drawn to opera singing in the courtyard behind Yulman Theater and discovered de Cueva in full voice as she was cleaning windows. “It was like a scene out of Mary Poppins,” he said. “I hurried back to my office and wrote down her name,” he said. “I thought maybe we could use her in a show.” As inauguration planning began, Finlay, the college marshal, recommended her. Singing solo acapella, she performed “Exito” (Success) by Luisito Rey. Her performance can be seen at www.union.edu/news.