Union College Magazine, Fall 2021 by Union College

FALL 2021

UNIONCOLLEGE A Magazine for Alumni and Friends

Volume 116 / Number 1

A NEW U ALSO INSIDE:

16 22

Three alumni compete in Olympics Better windows with Union aerogel

UNION COLLEGE ON THE FRONT COVER

In September, Chris Sainato ’14 made a special trip to campus to paint the new U. The sevenfoot tall Block U sculpture stands on the former site of the Idol. Find out what inspired the artistic motif Chris chose on pg. 3. Learn more about the new U on pg. 12.

VICE PRESIDENT FOR COMMUNICATIONS AND MARKETING

Mark Land EDITOR

Charlie Casey caseyc@union.edu ASSOCIATE EDITOR

IN THIS ISSUE:

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

16 Three alumni competed in the Olympics

Erin DeMuth Judd demuthje@union.edu Christen Gowan Tina Lincer Phillip Wajda

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER

Shawn LaChapelle DESIGN

A trio of Union graduates realized Olympic dreams in Tokyo. Cyclist Emma White ’19 won a bronze medal in track pursuit, while Nina Cutro-Kelly '06 made the U.S. judo team on her fifth attempt and Jake Fishman ’18 was a pitcher for Team Israel.

22 Better windows with Union aerogel

PRINTING

SunThru, a Schenectady startup founded by professors Ann Anderson and Mary Carroll ’86, is creating a silica aerogel insert for triple-pane windows that’s more energy efficient and cost-effective than traditional products.

UNION COLLEGE is published

Departments

2k Design Fort Orange Press

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.

2 President’s Message

38 Alumni Clubs

3 Letters

39 The Classes & Profiles

4 Around U

55 Arrivals

26 Campaign update

56 Unions

30 Focus

58 In Memoriam

32 Media

» Visit us online at www.union.edu/magazine » Follow us on social media

FALL 2021 // Volume 116 // Number 1

‘Back to U’ President David Harris invited the Union community to join him Sept. 19 for “Back to U”—a bike ride, run and walk to kick off the new academic year. Refreshments followed. Emma White ’19, who won a bronze medal in track pursuit in Tokyo, joined the bike ride.

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Together, we thrived

t the end of the fall term, I looked back on the last 18 months with enormous gratitude. We did more than overcome personal, professional and campus-based challenges to keep our community safe this fall. We began the term with renewed energy and started a “normal” routine that included vaccines and testing. “Back to U,” a walk-run-bike event, brought us all together for a morning of exercise. We were joined by special guest Emma White ’19, bronze medalist in cycling at the Tokyo Olympics, who shared her experiences as a student and elite athlete. We announced a partnership with the Schuler Education Foundation that will provide more than $40 million to make a Union education more accessible than ever before. Over the next five years the foundation will match up to $20 million in gifts from our generous donors. Already, we have 15 donors making major commitments. I am thrilled that the Schuler Initiative will allow us to say “yes” to more students who thrive at Union and beyond. At Opening Convocation, we honored three faculty—Nicole Theodosiou, Ann Anderson and Mary Carroll ’86—with the Stillman Prizes for excellence in teaching and research. We saw the welcome return of study abroad. While destinations were limited to Europe, nearly 50 students participated in a program that is a hallmark of the Union experience. We remembered those of our community who were lost on 9/11. We also featured Kevin Rampe ’88, who was instrumental in the recovery of lower Manhattan and the founding of the 9/11 Memorial and Museum.

UNION COLLEGE | FALL 2021

We welcomed a new icon to campus, and students promptly covered it in paint. The “new U” takes the place of the Idol, a piece of ancient Chinese art that is part of our permanent collection. Now, we can restore this cultural symbol and preserve a storied student tradition. We opened the search for the director of the Templeton Institute for Engineering and Computer Science and Dean of Engineering. This person will be a key player for a transformative initiative launched by a generous gift from Mary and Rich Templeton of the Class of 1980. The faculty approved a new General Education curriculum that aims to ignite passions, to expose students to a breadth of disciplines and to prepare them for a complex global society. You will learn more about this in the months ahead. Finally, at the end of the term, we were thrilled with the news that Ty Gamble-Eddington ’21 had received a prestigious Rhodes Scholarship. During his time on campus, Ty’s extraordinary brand of leadership has been a catalyst for campus-wide engagement on a range of issues around equity and social justice. I look forward to watching his post-Union career. I am so proud that every member of the Union community has contributed to our success this year. As I said in my annual State of Union address at the end of fall term, it has been a tough year for all of us in different ways. As strongly as I believe in this community, I’m not quite sure I expected we’d get through this so well. It was tough, we all chipped in, and I thank you for being part of it. DAVID R. HARRIS, Ph.D.

ARTIST’S STATEMENT

U LETTER

Energized by the late Prof. Heinegg

When Chris Sainato ’14 stopped by to paint the new U in September (check out his work on the cover), he had a plan. Sainato is a senior designer, graphics and concept, at Vineyard Vines. Learn more about him and his artistic pursuits at www.chrissainato.com.

“

I wanted to work some collage into the piece. I pulled together a New York Times from the 1920s, a Vogue magazine from the 50s, and a Life magazine from the 60s. The headlines and imagery cause the viewer to reflect and travel back in time. Maybe it reminds them of grandparents, parents or even younger versions of themselves. In the foreground, I wanted to create something visually interesting and organic. I decided to explore a new technique of cutting up a foam roller and using it to create equal lines. The lines collide, overlap and intertwine with each other and represent the chaotic, fast-paced world we live in. The viewer is forced to pause and search the frenzied stripes for the images beneath. Many of the images are clippings of models from Vogue magazine. They’re symbolic of Union’s openness to change and the benefit that comes with a bold re-imagination of the future. The women in those images would not have been allowed to attend Union College at the time their photos were published. I think it’s important to highlight that Union has a history of challenging tradition, adapting and course-correcting. It’s part of what makes it great. We all owe it to ourselves to question things and change when necessary— nothing changes if nothing changes. The surface of the new U is fantastic and welcomes a more imaginative approach to painting. There is so much potential to be unlocked and I’m excited to see what the Union community comes up with. I know I’ll certainly paint it again, and I hope that many others come and leave their own mark on the iconic U. Everything in this world is temporary; whether it’s our time at Union, the paint on the U, or the original Idol itself. The value lives in appreciating it while you can, remembering it when it’s gone, and welcoming what’s to come next in its place.

”

a freshman wanting to sample from the liberal arts during spring 1978, I registered for Professor Heinegg’s Modern Drama class. I sat in the front row, not realizing I had chosen the best seat in the house…and not realizing what was in store. Prof. Heinegg would stride into class (seemingly in a hurry from somewhere else), drop his worn leather briefcase on the table, swipe back his flop of hair, and hit the proverbial on button. For one hour, his class was alive with history, anecdotes, symbolism, humor, raunchy humor, biography—all of it. From Nora to Gregor Samsa to Vladimir and Estragon waiting for Godot, Prof. Heinegg captivated us. What he brought to class, I took away: I was energized and excited about literature, and knew I wanted to (had to!) take more English courses and more with him especially. I did become an English major and I did take more classes with Prof. Heinegg and l loved it! Decades later the memory of this exceptional teacher remains vivid. I am so grateful for his intellect and wit that transformed our learning and us in the process. BUTHAINA SHUKRI ’81

FALL 2021 | UNION COLLEGE

AROUND

Initiative to provide over $40 million for underserved

nion is partnering with the Schuler Education Foundation to invest over $40 million to enroll significantly more low-income students, the College’s latest effort to advance educational equity and opportunity. Union is among the first five schools selected to participate in the Schuler Access Initiative, which aims to enroll more underserved students at the nation’s top liberal arts colleges. Jack Schuler, co-founder of the Schuler Education Foundation, will spend $500 million over the next 10 years as part of the initiative. He wants to include up to 20 liberal arts schools that will match the funds, for a potential investment of $1 billion. Union plans to raise $20 million over the next five years, which, with Schuler’s match, will provide the College with $40 million in scholarship grant funding to recruit and enroll underserved students. In addition to Union, the other schools

Jack Schuler

UNION COLLEGE | FALL 2021

chosen to date include Bates College, Carleton College, Kenyon College and Tufts University. “A liberal arts education is unique to the United States and has proven to be a great foundation for success in postgraduate studies,” Schuler said. “You become a citizen of the world with a liberal arts education. You become a better doctor or lawyer or engineer with the fundamentals of a liberal arts education.” The federal Pell Grant program provides need-based grants to low-income undergraduate students. The College supports an average of 75 students with Pell Grants in every new class enrolled. Most Pell Grants are awarded to students with a total family annual income below $20,000. Beginning in 2022-23, the Schuler grants will allow the College to add nine

students who are eligible for Pell Grants in each of the first two years of the 10-year project. The number of additional students will increase to 10 in subsequent years. President David R. Harris said the Pell-eligible students at Union thrive before and after graduation. Compared to the general student population rate, students who receive Pell Grants have a higher persistence rate and a comparable four-year graduation rate at Union. Persistence measures those students who returned to college for their second year. “They often are among the highest achieving students in the classroom and are leaders across campus,” Harris said. “There is every reason to believe that if we could support more of these students they also would develop into leaders across multiple tomorrows. We are grateful for the Schuler Education Foundation and our

NOTT TODAY COVID

students donors, whose generosity will make the dream of a college education possible for more of these deserving young people.” The goals of the Schuler initiative align with a priority of the College’s Strategic Plan to “ensure that students of all economic backgrounds can access and take full advantage of the opportunities Union provides.” David J. Breazzano ’78, a longtime benefactor to the College, provided the lead gift for Union’s fundraising goal of $20 million. A member of the Board of Trustees since 2008, Breazzano remains grateful for the substantial scholarship aid he received to attend Union. Joining Breazzano as early supporters of this special initiative are 14 trustees and over 115 alumni and friends. The Schuler initiative is the latest move in Union’s commitment to meet the full financial need of all admitted students. The average need-based scholarship at Union is over $40,300. More than half of Union students receive need-based financial scholarship assistance; more than 25 percent receive merit scholarships. In 2019, the College expanded the criteria to qualify for scholarship assistance by launching Making U Possible Family Grants. Families making up to $250,000 per year who have an expected family contribution of $90,000 or less will qualify for at least $20,000 in scholarship assistance. Previously, some families at these income levels would qualify for little or no assistance. These grants will help families who are struggling to meet those contributions plan for their children’s futures and see that a Union education is attainable. The grants are part of Making U Possible: The Presidential Initiative for Scholarship and Immersive Excellence. Created in 2018, the initiative ensures that talented students from all backgrounds not only can afford a Union education but also are able to take full advantage of opportunities in and out of the classroom. This includes providing financial assistance to participate in terms abroad, mini-terms, internships and pre-orientation programs.

The distinctive “Nott Today COVID” t-shirts, produced last spring as part of the College’s vaccination promotion, were already popular on campus. Thanks in large part to Jason Goldberg ’98, the shirts are showing up off campus too. Goldberg has been presenting the shirts as gifts to fellow alumni, many of whom are wearing them for their vaccinations and other special occasions. In a recent campus visit, he picked up nine shirts. The shirts were the brainchild of Leah Rosen, chief marketing officer. Barring another shopping spree by Goldberg, a limited supply is available at the Union Bookstore.

To learn more about the Schuler initiative visit www.union.edu/campaign/schuler

FALL 2021 | UNION COLLEGE

AROUND

Four new trustees join the Board

nion College has named four new members to its Board of Trustees, it was announced by Robert Bertagna ’85, chair of the board. They are Jon Henes ’91, Alexis Henrikson ’23, Vincent Mattone ’06 and Prof. Chad Orzel. “On behalf of the board, it is my pleasure to welcome Jon, Alexis, Vince and Chad to the board,” said Bertagna. “Besides their obvious accomplishments and experience, they bring a true passion for advancing the mission of this College. I look forward to introducing them at our fall meeting.”

Jon Henes ’91 was elected term trustee. Jon is the CEO of C Street Advisory Group, LLC, a strategic advisory firm helping CEOs and C Suites navigate the convergence of business, finance and law with social justice, diversity, inclusion and politics. Prior to C Street, Jon was a senior partner at Kirkland & Ellis and one of the country’s most prominent restructuring, crisis management and corporate governance lawyers. Active in politics and charitable endeavors, he served as national finance chair for Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign. He holds a degree in history from Union, where he was active in Zeta Beta Tau fraternity and the student newspaper.

Vincent Mattone ’06, Alumni Council president and trustee, is a financial advisor for ACM Wealth, the wealth planning team of Advisors Capital Management. Previously, he was a vice president and relationship manager for TD Private Client Group, TD Bank's Wealth Management division. A member of Union’s Alumni Council since 2015, he was elected president in 2021 and co-chairs the Council’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion sub-committee. He earned his bachelor’s degree in economics and political science from Union, where he played football. He is a board member of Youth Inc., a New York City network of 80 nonprofits focused on youth development.

Alexis Henrikson ’23 was elected junior trustee. A native of Portland, Ore., and a 2018 graduate of Lincoln High School, she is an anthropology major with a minor in gender, sexuality and women’s studies. She is a member of Union’s crew team and this year was named to the Liberty League All-Academic Team. She is also a member of Women’s Union and Delta Phi Epsilon sorority. Last year, she was an Accommodative Services intern and served as vice president of academics in Student Forum. This summer, she was a cabin counselor in New Hampshire. She enjoys reading and hiking in the Pacific Northwest.

Chad Orzel, associate professor of physics and astronomy, was elected faculty trustee. A specialist in atomic physics with an active student research program, he is the College’s former director of undergraduate research responsible for coordinating student-faculty projects and organizing the annual Steinmetz Symposium. He is the author of a series of books aimed at making complex topics accessible to a general audience. They include "Breakfast with Einstein," "How to Teach Quantum Physics to Your Dog," "How to Teach Relativity to Your Dog" and "Eureka! Discovering Your Inner Scientist." He holds a Ph.D. from the University of Maryland.

UNION COLLEGE | FALL 2021

In addition, Bertagna announced that Kate Stefanik Barry ’01, will continue on the board as a term trustee after serving as an alumni trustee in her role as Alumni Council president. Barry is a partner at Isaacson, Miller, a Boston-based executive search firm, where her practice focuses on higher education leadership. She was the lead consultant in the search for Union President David R. Harris in 2018. Earlier in her career, she worked in the College’s Alumni Relations and Admissions programs. She majored in psychology at Union and holds a master’s degree from Harvard University. Bertagna also announced that two longtime board members—David Henle ’75 and John Kelly III ’76—have been named life trustees. Henle, the president of DLH Capital LLC, has served as vice chair of the board and was the long-time chair of the board’s investment committee. Among his many contributions, Henle and his wife Joan, have sponsored the David L. Henle Merit Scholars program and were the chief benefactors of the Henle Dance Pavilion that opened in 2013. Kelly, who retired as IBM executive vice president, is a former chair of the board. He and his wife, Helen-Jo, have supported a number of projects at Union, including the Integrated Science and Engineering Complex (ISEC), the John E. Kelly III Digital Arts Lab, the Kelly Computing and Innovation Lab in the Wold Center and the Kelly Adirondack Center. As chair, he was the instrumental in the development of the ISEC. Ellen Sheehan Smith ’80, senior managing director of FTI Consulting, was named trustee emerita after serving on the board for 10 years. She was secretary of the board, served on the board’s executive committee and chaired the facilities committee. A mechanical engineering major who also earned a master’s in engineering from Union, she has spent most of her career as a leader in the energy sector.

Convocation kicks off new academic year

year after the pandemic forced a virtual ceremony, Convocation returned as an in-person event to open the 227th academic year. As a precaution, it was held outdoors in Hull Plaza. “This is the place that knows long histories do not guarantee long futures,” President David R. Harris told a crowd assembled on Hull (Library) Plaza. “It is the place that understands innovation is required as challenges and opportunities arise and transform.” In his address, Harris told the audience he was grateful for the ways in which the campus community responded to the challenges presented by the pandemic and how he looked forward to the coming year. “I am grateful that we have this time together to reflect on what is special about a Union experience,” he said, “and to pursue our core mission this year with even greater intensity, greater innovation, greater accountability to ourselves and one another, and greater joy.” The president reiterated the College’s vision statement to “develop every student to lead with wisdom, empathy and courage, in ways large and small, now and across multiple tomorrows” and offered examples to support that vision. He cautioned about the ways in which the College could fail to achieve its vision. However, he remains confident that the community will work together to meet the goals. “This is the place that has delivered on our vision for 226 years,” Harris said. He also touched on some goals for the coming year: • Make substantial progress on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). He added a fourth letter, B, for belonging. He

pointed to the replacement of the Idol. (See story on page 12.) • Unveil U Journey, “in which we become more intentional than ever in providing students with the opportunity to develop the competencies and life skills that, along with academic growth and development, are keys to whatever you want to do later in life.” • Realize the potential of the $51 million gift from Class of 1980 graduates Rich and Mary Templeton. The gift, the largest ever for the College, will transform engineering and the liberal arts with the creation of the Templeton Institute for Engineering and Computer Science. • Increase the ability to bring lowerincome students to Union. He cited a new program in which the College will partner with the Schuler Education Foundation to invest up to $40 million to enroll significantly more lowincome students. (See story on p. 4.)

In the wake of COVID, Harris also announced the relaunch of the Union College Challenge, in which he challenged the campus community to learn to become more comfortable being uncomfortable. He asked what they could pursue in their studies, work or personal life that would push them in a healthy and responsible way. Also at Convocation, Michele Angrist, interim dean of faculty and vice president for Academic Affairs, announced the winners of the College’s top teaching awards. Read more about them on p. 13. Chloe Metcalfe ’23 and Adam Ginsberg ’22 received the Hollander Prize in Music, established by the late Lawrence J. Hollander, dean of engineering emeritus. They performed “A Whole New World” from the movie “Aladdin.” Max Caplan ’16 accompanied them on piano. Angrist also recognized the students who made the Dean’s List last year. Their names are on a plaque in Reamer Campus Center. FALL 2021 | UNION COLLEGE

AROUND

UNION COLLEGE | FALL 2021

Ty Gamble-Eddington ’21 named a Rhodes Scholar

awreak “Ty” Gamble-Eddington ’21 has been awarded a Rhodes Scholarship for graduate study at the University of Oxford. Gamble-Eddington is one of 32 Rhodes Scholars selected from a pool of 826 candidates representing 247 colleges in the U.S. The class includes 22 women, the most ever, the Rhodes Trust announced. Highly competitive, the Rhodes is one of the most prestigious scholarships in the world. Each year on the Saturday before Thanksgiving, the Rhodes Trust announces the names of the newest Rhodes Scholars from the U.S. The selection process was completed virtually for the second consecutive year due to the coronavirus pandemic. The scholars are expected to start at Oxford next October. “It is a pleasure to congratulate Ty on receiving such a fitting honor,” said David R. Harris, president of Union. “Just as Ty’s leadership on campus has inspired so many to work for positive change, I am certain he will have a significant impact across multiple tomorrows.” A political science and history major with minors in political economy and Spanish and Hispanic Studies, GambleEddington received the Frank Bailey (1885)

Prize last spring at Union. It is awarded annually to the senior who has rendered the greatest service to the College in any field. He was well known for his community activism and work through organizations including Union Pride, Black Student Union, LGBTQ+ Committee, the Diversity Liaison Committee and the Civic Engagement Committee. Gamble-Eddington was involved in the founding of Union’s chapter of My Brother’s Keeper, a mentoring program for Schenectady youth. During winter term 2019, he traveled to Argentina, where he worked with a legal firm to provide services to the poor, the homeless and juvenile inmates. In a fall 2019 term abroad, he was in Seville, Spain, taking classes on immigration policy and working with an organization to help immigrants fully exercise their legal rights. An aspiring international lawyer, he did his senior thesis focused on reforms designed to enhance minority participation in the democratic process. Among his many honors, GambleEddington received the George J. Mitchell Scholarship in support of a year of graduate study in race, ethnicity and conflict. He is currently at Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland.

The Rhodes scholarships average $70,000 per year and cover all expenses for up to four years of study. Scholars are free to study the full range of disciplines offered at Oxford, including life sciences, arts and humanities, social sciences, mathematics and the physical sciences. Gamble-Eddington applied for the Rhodes Scholarship with assistance from the office of National Fellowships and Scholarships and others at Union. He is from Springfield, Mass. While at Union, Gamble-Eddington said, “I really fell in love with all of my classes, and I have wonderful professors and advisers who are experts in their fields and who helped me chart the best course for my future.” Gamble-Eddington is the second Union student to be awarded a Rhodes Scholarship, joining Gregg Meyer '84, now a senior leader at Mass General Brigham hospitals in the Boston area. Elliot F. Gerson, American Secretary of the Rhodes Trust, said of this year’s class: “They are inspiring young leaders already, and we are confident that their contributions to public welfare nationally and globally will expand exponentially over the course of their careers in varied sectors and disciplines.”

FALL 2021 | UNION COLLEGE

AROUND

Union welcomes Class of 2025

he Class of 2025 arrived on campus Sept. 9. More than 7,400 applicants vied to join the 566 that make up the class. The students come from 29 states, the District of Columbia and 20 countries. The class is one of the College’s most diverse and global, with 32 percent international or students of color. Academically, 57 percent of the class ranked in the top 10 percent of their high school class. Fourteen percent are first-generation students or the first in their immediate family to attend college. With military precision, an army of student volunteers unloaded vehicles, piled mini refrigerators, televisions, bikes, bottled water and fresh linens into oversized bins, and rolled them into the building. Before checking into their residence halls, all students reported to the COVID-19 testing site in Memorial Field House. With a commitment to in-person instruction, the College this fall required testing and vaccination of all students and employees.

Were you a first gen? For a planned story, we'd like to hear from alumni who were the first in their family to attend college. Please respond to magazine@ union.edu

UNION COLLEGE | FALL 2021

New NSF grant extends climate study in Peru

wo Union College geology professors—Donald Rodbell and David Gillikin—are leading an international team of scientists in a project to develop the longest continuous paleoclimate record from the region known as the “heat engine” of Earth. They are collecting lake sediments and cave deposits from the tropical Andes of Central Peru that hold important data about the Earth’s climate history and suggest what the future may hold. Earlier research by the Union scientists and others has shown that climate stability is rare and that change—particularly at the regional level—can happen quickly, in a matter of decades, and that the globe is remarkably interconnected when it comes to natural climate variability. The project, led by Union College, has received a $1.5 million award from the National Science Foundation. (Union’s share is $541,000). Other collaborating institutions are the University of Michigan, the University of Minnesota and the University of Pittsburgh. The grant will fund geochemical investigations of both a recently collected Lake Junín sediment core and nearby cave deposits in the eastern Peruvian Andes. A 700,000-year-long sediment core was collected as part of the Lake Junín Drilling Project, a 2015 multimillion-dollar NSF-funded effort also led by Union College. Climate patterns in the South American tropics—such as El Niño that warms water in the eastern Pacific—can have a profound global impact on water balance. “This project will help us understand the role of the tropics in global climate and will improve our ability to predict future droughts in a densely populated region of the world,” Rodbell said. “The strength of this project is that we are combining two paleoclimate archives— lake sediments and cave stalagmites,” Gillikin said. “Each have strengths and weaknesses, but together they provide

Prof. David Gillikin, Modesto Castro (cave owner), Laura Piccirillo ’20 and Prof. Donald Rodbell at the entrance of Peru’s Huagapo Cave in March 2019.

more information than either can independently." Union College has strong ties to the Peruvian Andes, where Rodbell has spent about 35 years reading the paleoclimate records in lake sediments. Together, Rodbell and Gillikin bring expertise to merge lake records with cave records. Over the next three years, they will monitor the cave conditions to better understand how climate signals are recorded in the stalagmites. They will also collect more stalagmites for study. The Union team got a jump start on reconstructing climate history in 2019, when the professors led eight students in a project to analyze the isotopes of oxygen and carbon in the stalagmites. Union is well positioned for this project with a stable isotope laboratory and the necessary equipment to sample stalagmites. Rodbell and Gillikin are working with collaborators at the University of Michigan, the University of Minnesota, the University

of Pittsburgh and several Peruvian institutions. Larry Edwards (University of Minnesota) has been dating the stalagmites using radiometric dating. Mark Abbott and Josef Werne (University of Pittsburgh) will explore leaf wax isotopes and organic molecules that reflect lake temperatures, and thus climate. Naomi Levin and Ben Passey (University of Michigan) will investigate clumped isotopes in both lake carbonates and the stalagmites. An anonymous reviewer cited the potential of the project to “deliver high quality quantitative records of past temperature, precipitation, and evaporation for the region using a well-designed multi-proxy approach from the different archives (sediments and speleothems [cave deposits].” The reviewer called the application “an exceptionally strong proposal with a high chance of success and with scientific outcomes that will be of use to the paleoclimate community.” FALL 2021 | UNION COLLEGE

AROUND

For former Idol painters, it’s a new ‘U’

he painting tradition continues. The object is new and different. A sturdy seven-foot sculpture centered by a “Block U” stands on the former site of the Idol east of Achilles Center. On Sept. 3, it got its inaugural coat of paint courtesy of some student leaders and athletes who played a part in the design and placement of the new icon. In keeping with tradition, the students painted with their hands. “What we have heard is that the most important part of [the painting] tradition was being together with your friends, engaging in a shared activity,” said President David Harris in a visit with the student painters. “The challenge was that the object being painted was part of our permanent collection and was an ancient piece of Chinese art. What we’ve done is to say, ‘Let’s keep the tradition and change what’s under all of the layers of paint.” Alexis Candido ’22, who serves as vice president for administration of Student Forum, was among the student painters. She has painted the Idol on three occasions. “Like a lot of students, I never knew what was under all the layers of paint and that the Idol was an important cultural symbol,” she said. “It’s very important to all the students to honor [the painting] tradition … but also keep in mind and learn the story about what is behind the Idol. To educate and foster the diverse community we want to have on campus was super important to all the student leaders.” Phil Facey ’22, who stopped to paint the new icon on his way to cross country practice, said, “I think it’s cool that we can preserve this part of Union history. When I come back as an alum I’ll remember that I painted it, and maybe I’ll paint it as an alum.” Deidre Hill Butler, associate professor of sociology and director of Faculty Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging is also chair of the History and Symbols

UNION COLLEGE | FALL 2021

Committee. “Replacing and restoring the Idol and examining the painting tradition is one more step to move us toward a wider lens of campus inclusivity,” she said. Last year, the College’s History and Symbols Committee, senior staff and trustees endorsed a proposal to restore and replace the Idol. The new icon was developed in consultation with student leaders. Generations of Union students have painted the Idol. Plans are to restore the

ancient Chinese statue and give it a new and safer home on campus. A gift from the Rev. John Farnham, Class of 1856, the Idol had been targeted with paint since it was set up at Union in 1876. Farnham, a missionary in China, purchased the statue after it was unearthed during a construction project in Shanghai. Before he shipped it to Union, he had placed it for a time in front of the nearby boys’ school he ran there.

Three honored with top faculty awards Three professors were presented with the College’s top faculty awards at Convocation in September.

Nicole Theodosiou

Ann M. Anderson

Mary K. Carroll '86

NICOLE THEODOSIOU, associate professor of biology, received the Stillman Prize for Faculty Excellence in Teaching. Her research interests include evolution and development of the digestive tract in the vertebrate lineage. She studies patterning (how different organs are ordered) and morphogenesis (how organs take on their final shape and function) of the digestive tract in vertebrate embryos and how the digestive tract evolved in the vertebrate lineage over 450 million years. “Nicole’s students deeply appreciate the work that she puts into making her classes exciting, fun, interesting and enjoyable at the same time that they are challenging,” said Michele Angrist, interim dean of faculty and vice president for Academic Affairs, in presenting the award. “They also remark on the lengths to which Nicole went, when her courses had to be online, to adjust and innovate her pedagogy to maintain student engagement, excitement and motivation during a very difficult time.” Theodosiou’s faculty colleagues “share their admiration for the time that she has invested in honing her pedagogy and for the myriad ways that that investment has paid off for students in her classes,” Angrist noted. “They laud her for her commitment to course revision and new course development.”

Theodosiou received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Swarthmore College and her Ph.D. from Yale University. She joined Union in 2007. ANN M. ANDERSON, the Agnes S. MacDonald Professor of Mechanical Engineering, and MARY K. CARROLL ‘86, the Dwane W. Crichton Professor of Chemistry, are winners of the Stillman Prize for Faculty Excellence in Research. Anderson and Carroll, co-directors of the College’s Aerogel Lab, have developed a rapid supercritical extraction method for preparing aerogels. The lab—which focuses on the fabrication, characterization and application of aerogel materialshas involved 160 Union students, 10 high schoolers and faculty from Union and other institutions. Their work has resulted in three patents, 29 papers in refereed scientific journals, several conference publications and book chapters, and more than 100 presentations at regional, national and international conferences. Recently, they have focused their efforts on the use of aerogels in two areas: catalysts for automotive pollution mitigation and aerogel monoliths for window applications in sustainable buildings. “Ann and Mary have an outstanding record of high-quality research and are recognized nationally and internationally

for their work in the area of aerogel materials,” Angrist said. “They have built a respected aerogel facility at Union as a joint chemistry-mechanical engineering initiative, and they have co-founded a firm to commercialize aerogel technology developed at Union. “They have contributed to proposals for numerous successful National Science Foundation awards that have supported their work as well the acquisition of research instrumentation for the College. Ann and Mary, it is very clear that your collaborative, interdisciplinary scholarship achieves a high level of excellence and that your colleagues, students and disciplines—and the wider world—are the better for it.” Anderson received her Bachelor of Science degree from Tufts University and her Ph.D. from Stanford University. Carroll received her Bachelor of Science degree from Union in 1986 and her Ph.D. from Indiana University. This is the second time Carroll has received a Stillman Prize. In 1996, she was the first winner of the Stillman Prize for Faculty Excellence in Teaching. The Stillman prizes were created by David I. Stillman ’72, Abbott Stillman ’69 and Allan Stillman in honor of their father and grandfather, Abraham Stillman.

FALL 2021 | UNION COLLEGE

AROUND

Remembering 9/11 In September, the College reflected on the 20th anniversary of 9/11 and its impact on the Union community with a ceremony and a commemorative website that memorializes four alumni who were lost that day: Thomas W. Duffy ’71, Andrew A. Fredericks ’83, Don J. Kauth ’74 and Alexander R. Steinman ’91. The site also features recollections of the campus response and a video interview with Kevin Rampe ’88, founding director and board member of the 9/11 Memorial and Museum. Learn more at union.edu/news/911

UNION COLLEGE | FALL 2021

Catherine Seaman ’22 is on top of the world at the Roman aqueduct of Segovia in Spain.

After a pause, it's ‘bon voyage’ again

ore than a year after the pandemic paused all study abroad, 48 students were living and learning in six countries this fall. “I’m really happy Union was able to make this happen,” said Catherine Seaman ’22 of Ipswich, Mass., a biology major with a minor in Spanish and Hispanic studies minor who is studying in Madrid. “The language and cultural immersion of this experience have opened my eyes with appreciation for the differences, the history and the people of Spain.” For now, destinations are limited to Europe. Most Union students are in Antwerp, Belgium; Galway, Ireland; York, England; Rennes, France; Athens, Greece; and Seville, Spain. The program in Madrid is part of the New York Six Liberal Arts Consortium, to which Union belongs. Seaman and another student are the first Union participants. “It’s tremendous that after all this time, we can finally send students abroad, one

of the defining experiences of a Union education for so many,” said Lara Atkins, director of International Programs. “We are balancing our commitment to an international experience with the complications and ongoing challenges that are a reality in today’s COVID world.” Typically, about 125 Union students go abroad each fall, the busiest term for international programs. Union canceled fall 2021 terms abroad and winter break mini-terms in Argentina, Australia, Brazil, China, Egypt, Fiji, India, Japan, New Zealand, South Africa, Turkey and Vietnam. The winter break Klemm Fellow International Internship Program also was put on hold. During the winter 2022 term, four students will go on the economics term to Lille, France; 14 to a London program; and one to Nairobi, Kenya, on the St. Lawrence University term that is part of the NY6 Consortium. Four students are planning to go to

South Korea, Spain, Australia and Italy on non-Union programs. The winter term in Cambodia was canceled. On the domestic front, the winter term San Francisco Internship on Innovation and Creativity was moved to spring 2022. Other active spring programs are based in London, Germany and Italy. The Washington, D.C., internship program run by the Political Science Department also moved to spring. Plans are also afoot for the summer 2022 National Health Systems Program, in which students will explore health care systems of the U.S., Canada, Scotland (UK) and the Netherlands. In addition to running in-person terms abroad, Union continues to offer its Virtual Global Internship course (TAB-201T), a collaboration with several of the College’s study abroad partners. “All of our programming is subject to change,” Atkins noted, “but in the long term, we hope to offer as many in-person opportunities as are safely possible.” FALL 2021 | UNION COLLEGE

UNION COLLEGE | FALL 2021

WHITE RIDES TO

BRONZE IN TOKYO

Cyclist was one of three alumni Olympians

FALL 2021 | UNION COLLEGE

WHITE RIDES TO BRONZE IN TOKYO

“I F YO U W O U L D H AV E T O L D M E AT 1 0 Y E A R S O L D T H AT A N Y O F T H I S W O U L D H AV E H A P P E N E D, I N E V E R WOULD HAVE BELIEVED IT! THE YEARS HAVE FLOWN B Y, F I L L E D W I T H S O M E O F T H E G R E A T E S T M E M O R I E S A N D A L S O S O M E O F T H E M O S T PA I N F U L H E A R TA C H E S . I ’ M G R AT E F U L F O R A L L O F I T. ”

UNION COLLEGE | FALL 2021

fter accumulating a trove of accolades—most recently a bronze medal in track pursuit at the Tokyo Olympics—cyclist Emma White ’19 is stepping off the bike, professionally at least.

“If you would have told me at 10 years old that any of this would have happened, I never would have believed it!” she said in announcing her retirement on social media. “The years have flown by, filled with some of the greatest memories and also some of the most painful heartaches. I’m grateful for all of it.” White’s road to Tokyo took 15 years. She started at 9 in cyclo-cross, a discipline run on rugged courses. She won four national junior titles in cyclo-cross between 2011 and 2015, and three titles in road events between 2013 and 2015. In 2018, while juggling her classes at Union with a hectic global racing schedule, she became the first Under 23 American

woman to capture all three road cycling disciplines in the same year—time trial, criterium and road race. By the time she graduated Union with a degree in computer science/science, medicine and technology, she was named to U.S. national team in track pursuit, an event that requires explosive power, precision and strategy. In 2020, just weeks before the pandemic, White was on the U.S. team that won a World Cup championship in Berlin. At the Tokyo games, White and her U.S. teammates—Jennifer Valente, Chloe Dygert, Megan Jastrab, and Lily Williams— competed in an event that saw the world record broken multiple times. Germany won the gold medal, Great Britain the silver. White, who hails from Duanesburg, N.Y., comes from an athletic family. Her father, Tom, is head crew coach at Union. Her brother, Curtis ’18, is a world-level cyclo-cross rider. During some post-Olympic rest in September, White visited campus to participate in “Back to Union,” a run, bike and walk event led by President David Harris to celebrate the start of a new academic year together on campus. Just days before her retirement announcement in October, White won the Sea Otter Classic circuit race, leading two other Rally teammates to a podium sweep at the Laguna Seca Raceway in Monterey, Calif. This fall, before she announced her retirement, White reflected on her Olympic experience and her future. FALL 2021 | UNION COLLEGE

WHITE RIDES TO BRONZE IN TOKYO

“I NEVER IMAGINED I WOULD BE ABLE T O C O M P E T E AT T H E O LY M P I C S A N D I T C A N R E A L LY H A P P E N T O A N YO N E T H AT PUTS THEIR MIND TO IT!”

What was it like to train in relative isolation? Did the pandemic hurt or help when it came time to compete? When we first got news of the postponement of the Olympics, I was living in Colorado Springs with two of my teammates and my coach. We continued to train together even though we didn't quite know when our next event would be. I was so lucky to be able to ride with them in this time of uncertainty because if I had been alone, my motivation wouldn't have been where it was all year. Off the bike, I think our team got stronger throughout the pandemic because we all became so close. The most difficult part of training during the pandemic was not knowing where other teams were and how fast they were going. How was your family’s experience watching from Orlando? My parents had such a wonderful time in Orlando! NBC and the Olympic Committee sent each family there for an all-inclusive vacation at the Universal Orlando Resort. 20

UNION COLLEGE | FALL 2021

They met other families and bonded over not being in Japan, spent some time in the theme park, and were able to see all of the action live! We heard a bit about some resentment among Japanese citizens that the games would go ahead as planned. How were you treated? I never saw any of this resentment first hand. In the village, there were hundreds of volunteers that we would see every day. Interacting with the volunteers was one of my favorite parts of the entire Games experience. The kindness, positivity, excitement and support was overflowing from everyone we encountered. They worked hard to give us as much of a cultural experience as possible given the COVID restrictions and have made me want to go back to Japan as soon as I can! Do you feel like your success is having an impact, particularly in further developing women’s cycling? And track cycling in particular?

I have been lucky enough to visit junior clubs (10-18 years old) in the area after the Olympics and this is something I feel so passionate about. Getting more kids (and girls, specifically!) on bikes is so special because I started at that age and there weren't nearly as many kids involved then. They are the future! I hope that my success is motivational for them and gives them something to shoot for. I never imagined I would be able to compete at the Olympics and it can really happen to anyone that puts their mind to it! What’s next for you? I am looking forward to my next challenge! I am taking a step back from cycling next year and looking to putting my Computer Science / SMTC degree to use in the "real world." Cycling will always be a huge part of my life and I'm excited to play a bigger role with local clubs and kid's cycling teams through coaching. I'm so thankful for all of the experiences I have had in cycling and will take them with me for the rest of my life.

Two other alumni participated in the Tokyo Olympics.

NINA CUTRO-KELLY ’06 , made the U.S. Olympic judo team on her fifth attempt. At 36, she was the oldest U.S. Olympic judoka in the sport’s history. Cutro-Kelly, who has competed in more than 50 countries, is a fifth-degree black belt with 10 national titles to her name. She also won a silver medal at the Pan-Am Championships in April and holds a bronze medal from the Pan-Am Games in 2015. At the Olympics, she lost to Slovenia’s Anamari Valensek in the elimination rounds. After graduation, she moved to France to teach English and earn a master’s in teaching English as a second language at Rennes University. Back in the U.S. after eight years abroad, she settled in San Antonio, Texas, where she is a coach at Universal Judo. She is also finishing an MBA in project management at Keller Graduate School of Management with a full scholarship from the United States Olympic Committee. A native of Albany, N.Y., Cutro-Kelly majored in political science and French at Union. “Just a shout out to Union for always working with me during my studies when I needed to travel for tournaments and training camps,” she said.

JAKE FISHMAN ’18, a baseball standout at Union, was a pitcher on the 24-man roster for Team Israel. Fishman, who has dual citizenship in the U.S. and Israel, was one of 12 pitchers on Israel’s roster, which included eight players with Major League experience. This year was the first time Israel had qualified for the Olympics in baseball. Team Israel went 1-4 in the tournament, finally eliminated by the Domincan Republic. Fishman pitched in three games: a win over Mexico and losses to South Korean and the Dominican Republic. "The Olympics has been a very surreal experience," Fishman said from the Olympic Village. "Being able to walk the same roads, train in the same facilities and share this experience with the best athletes in the world is something I never dreamed of doing. Everybody here has trained their entire lives to get to this point and everybody has a great amount of respect for each other. I could not be more excited to be here and experience this with the rest of my team.” Fishman, a left-handed pitcher, was drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 2016 MLB Draft, forgoing his senior

season to begin his professional career. He quickly rose through the ranks of the Blue Jay organization to reach the AAA level in 2018. He pitched this year with the Miami Marlins AAA affiliate Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp. Fishman reached the professional level following a stellar three-year career at Union. As a junior, he was named a D3baseball.com first-team All-American after posting a 7-0 record and leading Division III with a 0.41 earned run average. He was named the Liberty League Player and Pitcher of the Year in his final season and finished his career 18-2 with a 1.36 ERA and 177 strikeouts in 171.2 innings. He is Union's all-time leader in ERA, wins, strikeouts (177) and opponent's batting average (.211). At the plate, he ranked third in batting average (.410), fourth in on-base percentage (.477) and eighth in hits (143). Off the field, Fishman was a two-time CoSIDA Academic All-District selection and a Dean's List student. After leaving the school in 2016 to play professionally, he continued his studies and graduated from Union in 2018 with a degree in managerial economics. U

FALL 2021 | UNION COLLEGE

Windows of opportunity: aerogel’s promise o f r insulated panes Call it “frozen smoke” or “see-through insulation.” Either way, Union College aerogel could soon be used in homes across the colder reaches of North America (think New York to British Columbia).

UNION COLLEGE | FALL 2021

unThru, a Schenectady startup founded by professors Ann Anderson and Mary Carroll ’86, is creating a silica aerogel insert for triple-pane windows that’s more energy efficient and cost-effective than traditional products. The company is working on commercializing its insert with the help of two alumni who recently came onboard. Aerogel as a material is very lightweight, about 95 percent air. Anderson, the Agnes S. MacDonald Professor of Mechanical Engineering, once described it as “frozen smoke.” Her colleague, John Costa ’17, explains aerogels this way. “The name aerogel may be misleading at first since aerogels are actually dry, rigid or elastic foam-like materials,” said Costa, SunThru’s chief executive officer. “But the name originates from the fact that aerogels are usually derived from wet gels, physically similar to edible gelatin. In aerogels, the liquid component is replaced by a gas or vacuum in a way that preserves the sparse, solid, porous backbone.” “We call our aerogels for windows see-through insulation,” he added. The see-through bit—or optical clarity—is one reason silica aerogels are good for windows. Another is the fact that aerogel is an extremely good insulator, which is why it’s used in everything from

Annelise Lobo '22 and Joana Santos '20 (right) peer through aerogel.

wetsuits to skylights to blankets that cover pipelines in deep-sea drilling. “Current high-performance windows that can perform beyond the typical double-pane window are about 1.5 times heavier and thicker than our aerogel alternative,” said Adam Forti ’17, SunThru’s chief operating officer. “In North America, most buildings cannot accommodate these windows without significant alterations that are extremely cost prohibitive.” “But because a silica aerogel is one of the lightest solids on earth and also highly insulative per inch, an aerogel solution can increase thermal performance without adding significant weight or thickness to existing windows—all for only a small green premium.” How? The aerogel insert SunThru is creating will be sold to window manufacturers, who will then place the insert between panes of glass without changing the design or structure of traditional windows. “SunThru is in the research and development phase, proving out our latest highly transparent aerogel and working with our customers to integrate them into

An example of an aerogel insert.

FALL 2021 | UNION COLLEGE

WINDOWS OF OPPORTUNITY

Above: Ann Anderson, the Agnes S. MacDonald Professor of Mechanical Engineering and director of Energy Studies, chats with Allison Stanec '21, Annelise Lobo '22 and Joana Santos '20. Below: Mary Carroll '86, the Dwane W. Crichton Professor of Chemistry, works with Chris Avanessian '21 and Thomas Andre '20 (right).

“What separates SunThru is our manufacturing process. We use Union’s patented rapid supercritical extraction method.” – Adam Forti ’17, SunThru’s chief operating officer.

UNION COLLEGE | FALL 2021

window products,” Costa said. “We have contracted with the Union College Aerogel Lab to produce 5” x 5” aerogels for us. In the near future, we will begin building out SunThru’s own manufacturing capabilities.” “We have an immediate goal of making 20” x 14” aerogels, as this is the minimum size needed for our customers to test our materials in their windows,” he continued. “We hope to eventually make aerogels as large as possible since windows come in all shapes and sizes.” While there is another company in the Northeast developing a similar product, SunThru’s aerogel has an edge over the competition.

“What separates SunThru is our manufacturing process. We use Union’s patented rapid supercritical extraction method,” Forti said. During rapid supercritical extraction (RSCE), chemicals gel together (like Jell-O) in a hot press; the resulting wet-gel is dried by removing solvents (the wet part). The remaining aerogel (the dried part), is created in hours, rather than the days or weeks alternative methods take. RSCE is also approximately seven times cheaper, requiring one hour of labor for every 8 hours the other methods need, said Anderson, SunThru’s chief technology officer. She and Carroll, the company's chief science officer, are among the inventors of the process. So what’s on the horizon for SunThru in the next five years? “We hope to have completed building out a manufacturing site that gives us the capability to supply 5 million square feet of aerogel inserts,” Costa said. “Beyond this, we hope to expand the market share of our product and continue to innovate in the manufacturing of aerogel materials.” The prospect of commercializing a product they’ve been studying for years is thrilling for Anderson and Carroll. “It has been personally and professionally rewarding as well as intellectually stimulating,” said Carroll, the Dwane W. Crichton Professor of Chemistry. “This shows that it is possible to commercialize research coming out of fundamental and applied work in laboratories at small liberal arts colleges.” “Union has been incredibly supportive in helping us navigate this process, and we have obtained funding from the National Science Foundation and the New York State Energy Research & Development Authority that helps bridge the gap between research and commercialization,” she added. Costa and Forti are equally excited about taking Union aerogel into the wider world. After all, they caught the aerogel bug as mechanical engineering majors working in the lab with Anderson and Carroll. “This experience has been nothing short of amazing. John had originally approached me about starting some form of business together, though not a high-tech one,” Forti recalled. “But I

Zineb Hajjaj '20 inspects aerogel that has been dyed for window applications. It bears the College’s Minerva Seal.

couldn’t get aerogel off my mind and told John we should reach out to Ann and Mary about working together.” “I don’t think either of us could have imagined what would happen next,” Costa added. “It has been so rewarding to be part of innovation. Every day we are presented with new challenges and need to make meaningful decisions. It really helps give a sense of purpose to life.” Costa recently participated in the FuzeHub 2021 Commercialization Competition at the NYS Innovation Summit, and won $50,000 to support SunThru's efforts. Costa, Forti, Anderson and Carroll would also like to acknowledge the contributions of Sri Teja Mangu, Joana Santos ’20, Margeaux Capron ’22, Avi Gajjar ’23, Allison Stanec ’21, Matthew Roizin Prior ’21, Ben Manning, Jason Leo and Casper Xallan Wilson to recent efforts. U

John Costa '17, SunThru’s chief executive officer

Adam Forti ’17, SunThru’s chief operating officer

To learn more about SunThru, visit sunthru.biz

FALL 2021 | UNION COLLEGE

CAMPAIGN PRIO RITIES: Ensuring Access Propelling the Liberal Arts and Engineering Developing Students Beyond the Classroom The Union Fund

C E N T E R F O R FA C U LT Y E XC E L L E N C E

ix years ago, a generous grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation enabled Union to create a faculty development framework that emphasizes the teacher-scholar model and supports faculty members across the lifespan of their careers. Today, the College is preparing to establish its new center for faculty excellence. Gifts to this initiative will provide the financial resources necessary to facilitate programs and opportunities that sustain both the teaching and the research activities of the faculty.

Focused on the acquisition of student-centered pedagogies, effective course design and the integration of research and teaching, the new center is not a bricks-and-mortar project. Rather, it will offer a variety of programs and professional development opportunities designed to ensure Union’s long-term ability to attract, reward and retain faculty members who are both leading scholars in their fields and exceptional teachers. “Gifts to this project will support training in inclusive pedagogy and evidence-based instructional design methods that research in the learning sciences has shown increases student learning and engagement,” said Jennifer Fredricks, dean of academic departments and programs. “We also need to elevate research and to do this, we must provide more funding for faculty travel, publishing and writing workshops and seed funding for grant applications.” “We need to demonstrate to internal and external communities alike that teaching and research are interconnected and equally important aspects of faculty careers,” she continued. “With Mellon Foundation funding we have made great strides in providing faculty development support, but we need significant resources to sustain this invaluable work.”

Every gift to Powering Union is invested in students. To read more about the campaign and personal stories about the impact that gifts from the Union community are having, visit www.union.edu/powering

UNION COLLEGE | FALL 2021

‘‘ “F

aculty are more than just teachers,” said Kara Doyle, professor of English and director of faculty development. “They’re advisors, managers, peer counselors, mentors, leaders and scholars. A center for faculty excellence will help many more Union faculty imagine and reach their full potential in all these areas.” Doyle, whose interests include Chaucer and old French literature, had long been dissatisfied with conventional papers and revisions to get writing skills to “stick” with students. So, she used a summer workshop through the Faculty Development Institute to design a portfolio of short writing assignments that require students to focus on two writing skills and reflect on their progress. The grade was less on individual assignments and more on students’ progress throughout the portfolio. “Writing is like any other practiced skill, such as playing a musical instrument or a sport,” she said. “The portfolio approach encourages students to think about building and improving skills, to take a more conscious approach, to make revision an integral part of the writing process.”

We have been avid supporters of faculty development since founding the Byron Nichols Endowed Fellowship for Faculty Development in 2006. Adding our support to the Faculty Development Institute was a natural fit. The FDI’s approach encourages curiosity and risk-taking and invites faculty to ask the same of their students. The current Nichols Fellow, Nicole Theodosiou, is an FDI graduate whose experience inspired her to apply for a Nichols Fellowship grant. We could not be more proud of our support for the FDI and Nichols Endowed Fellowship for Faculty Development. – Susan Maycock ’72 and Alan Maycock

David Cotter, professor of sociology and former director of faculty development, has been impressed that faculty at all levels of their career are dedicated to honing their craft, often with radical pedagogical changes. “People who are considered among the best teachers on our faculty—who have already won the Stillman Award for Excellence in Teaching— have been taking these workshops in order to get better than they already were.” Many senior faculty have abandoned hour-long lectures for a more effective model: shorter sessions intermingled with applications, Cotter noted. The need for remote teaching during the pandemic has been the impetus for faculty to “flip the classroom” and focus on more active learning. The pandemic also showed that the Faculty Development

’’

Institute—with resources, technology and networks with other institutions— made Union well positioned to transform teaching, Cotter said. In the midst of the pandemic in 2020, the first-ever virtual summer FDI workshop drew 90 Union faculty and another 66 from schools in the New York Six Liberal Arts Consortium, according to organizer Denise Snyder, director of learning technologies and environments. “Rather than thinking about all of the things we wouldn’t be able to do if we weren’t face to face the whole term, the FDI aimed to strengthen faculty thinking and confidence around what they can do differently and still meet learning goals,” Snyder said. In 2019, faculty shared the innovations they developed through the FDI in a program called “8x8: Leaps of Faith.”

To learn more visit: https://muse.union.edu/rte/2019/05/14/8x8-leaps-of-faith-8stories-about-cultivating-complex-thinkers-for-a-messy-world/

FALL 2021 | UNION COLLEGE

POWERING UNION

Faculty Development Institute

Union faculty are constantly enhancing their teaching, both inside and outside the classroom. Through programs offered by the center—like the Faculty Development Institute—professors find support and encouragement that feeds not only their own drive to do and be more, but that of their students as well.

UNION COLLEGE | FALL 2021

“Mathematics and Social Justice” “This course would not have taken shape the way it has without the resources and knowledge I acquired through the Faculty Development Institute,” said Ellen Gasparovic, associate professor of mathematics. “Faculty development opportunities like this are not only energizing and revitalizing, they allow us to engage with our peers and with experts in learning technologies and pedagogies to brainstorm exciting new strategies that help us create more inclusive, effective and inspiring classrooms.” “In this course, students will see how mathematics provides a helpful framework for turning real world issues into multi-step problems or questions that can be investigated logically and critically,” Gasparovic said. “As we study topics like probability or linear systems, we will incorporate issues of social justice, such as modeling LGBTQ+ acceptance over time; partisan and racial gerrymandering; the lottery’s role in highlighting economic disparity; and gender and racial bias in algorithms.” Offered for the first time this fall, “Mathematics and Social Justice” is open to students of all majors, requiring no prerequisites.

“Math supplies us with the tools that enable us to quantify and analyze fundamental issues of social justice,” Gasparovic said. “Some mathematicians are designing software to be used for predictive policing. Some are designing race correction algorithms in medicine or facial recognition algorithms, both of which have been used in alarmingly discriminatory and racist ways.” “Still others are modeling the disproportionate and devastating impact of COVID-19 on communities of color,” she added, “or testifying in Supreme Court cases regarding political redistricting and gerrymandering.” Because math, like any powerful tool, can be used for good or ill, Gasparovic wants to provide students with a sound understanding of this dichotomy. “I want students to have a healthy skepticism of the ‘veneer of objectivity’ that mathematics has been said to provide, but I also want them to learn how math can be used to advance equity and fairness,” she explained.

Electric City Cottage

“Faculty development is essential for the vitality of our scholarship and teaching,” said Nicole Theodosiou, associate professor of biology. “Students directly benefit from a more inclusive classroom and projects that promote agency and independence. There’s potential to create unique learning experiences and further the reach of a center for faculty excellence by taking students out of the classroom and fostering joy and purpose in their lives through an integrated residential curriculum.” Theodosiou’s own project, Electric City Cottage, has been inspired and supported by the College’s Faculty Development Institute and the Byron A. Nichols Endowed Fellowship for Faculty Development. Electric City Cottage is a Union College tiny house in the making. It’ll be a science classroom on wheels—and on a mission. “The Electric City Cottage will travel around Schenectady and communicate science to the public through hands-on interactive activities and communitybuilding events and performances,” Theodosiou said. “The learning activities will be co-created by students in crossdisciplinary courses and these students will be in charge of teaching and communicating with the public in the Electric City Cottage.” “I want to give students the space and platform to develop community leadership skills,” she continued, adding that she hopes the tiny house will eventually expand its reach into the Adirondacks and Mohawk Valley. To design and then actually build Electric City Cottage, Theodosiou is offering

three courses. The first one, “Big Plans, Tiny Houses,” was offered in fall 2020. “Students explored local and national mobile science outreach programs and spoke to local people to identify three areas of needs in our community—food security and nutrition; mental health; and the COVID-19 pandemic,” Theodosiou said. “With this information, students designed three prototype models for our mobile tiny house.” Students in the second course, offered in fall 2021, took those prototypes and developed a final design for the house. They also focused on science communication and created learning activities within the three areas of need. “I’m excited that EYP—the architects and engineers who designed our new Integrated Science and Engineering Complex—will support this project. They will also work with students to develop a feasible final prototype,” said Theodosiou, who chairs the Professional Development and Education Committee for the Society of Developmental Biology. “The last course will be to build the tiny house.”

A prototype of the Electric City Cottage, a mobile science classroom.

Madison Nathan ’22, who took Theodosiou’s “Big Plans, Tiny Houses” class, hopes her peers will take advantage of these courses and the opportunities they provide. “I had never taken a class quite like this before. Besides focusing exclusively on ideating the Union tiny home, our class developed a mini project,” she said.” “We created COVID kits to hand out to members of the community, and a website with COVID resources and links to sign up for a COVID vaccine. We also partnered with local seamstresses to create adult- and child-size reusable masks.” “I would definitely recommend getting involved in this project in some capacity,” continued Nathan, a psychology major with a double minor in biology and modern adolescence. “Whether you are interested in the engineering of a tiny home, community outreach, design or science, there is something for everyone. I can’t wait to see the Electric City Cottage come to life in the upcoming years.” U Learn more about Electric City Cottage on Instagram @UnionCollegeTinyHouse.

FALL 2021 | UNION COLLEGE

FOCUS

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

UNION COLLEGE | FALL 2021

A better sensor for detection of common contaminants Y I J I N G S T E H L E , assistant professor of mechanical engineering

“D

o you ever think that your hair loss, dull skin, sore throat, dry mouth, allergies or other health problems could have some relation with water quality?” Yijing Stehle asked. “I am inspired by the question, ‘How safe is our water?’” To find out, she’s studying a group of chemical contaminants called volatile organic compounds (VOCs). “VOCs come not only from big manufacturing companies like GE, IBM and GlobalFoundries, but from almost all businesses and even households,” Stehle said. “VOCs are used in paint, solvents, aerosol sprays, cleaners, disinfectants, automotive products and dry cleaning fluids.” “Even our daily facial products contain VOCs—like benzene in sunscreen,” she added. “And every time you print something, that ink is typically about 10% or 20% VOCs, in the form of petroleum distillates.” As a result, volatile organic compounds are everywhere in the environment— from the air we breathe to the water we swim in and even drink. Dichloromethane, ethylene glycol and benzene are most common in waterways in upstate New York. Their ubiquity makes knowing more important. “Repeated and direct exposure to VOCs can cause serious health effects, including damage to the liver, kidneys and central nervous system,” Stehle said. And that’s why she’s working to develop better sensors to detect these chemicals. Sensors currently on the market are mainly working to detect VOCs in the air,

but they are expensive and complicated to make, and they aren’t stable under ambient conditions for long-term storage or use. But making a better sensor is tricky— sensitivity and compatibility are often hard to combine. Partly because volatile organic compounds are, well, volatile. They can easily volatilize (evaporate) into the air or dissolve in water, which means a good sensor has to be able to handle both scenarios. “When it comes to VOCs, drinking is no better than inhaling,” Stehle said. “So we want to make our sensor good for both dry and wet environments.” She and her research team are focusing their efforts on printable tungsten disulfide sensors. The sensors are made by dropping layers of graphene ink onto a mold, which is then placed in a humidity chamber and hooked up to a set of electrodes. “Data will be taken for VOCs of different concentrations to confirm the response and sensitivity of the sensor. When water is used, it will be taken from local waterways,” Stehle said. “The final cost for each sensor should be less than 5 cents, which makes it disposable.” The team includes mechanical engineering technology coordinator Stan Gorski, engineering lab technician Robert Harlan, Zoe Lyon ’22, Hayden Qualls ’22, Sang Duong ’23 and Luke Kilby ’23. Their work is supported by a grant from the Bender Scientific Fund of the Community Foundation for the Greater Capital Region.

A humidity chamber used to test sensors created in the lab.

From left are Stan Gorski, Sang Duong '23, Luke Kilby '23 and Yijing Stehle.

Sensors made from dropping multiple layers of graphene ink onto a mold.

FALL 2021 | UNION COLLEGE

| MEDIA |

UNION COLLEGE | FALL 2021

BURK KETCHAM ’48

RON SINGER ’62

MARTIN JAY ’65

The Pledge

The Real Presence

Green Hollow Press

Adelaide Books

The Pledge is the finale in Ketcham’s trilogy based in a fictional upstate New York town. He previously published Dyken Falls and China Bound. Following three years in the U.S. Navy during World War II, Ketcham graduated from Union College and went on to get a master’s degree in planning from the School of Architecture at Columbia University. As a planning consultant, he is the author of over 100 planning reports and plans for cities and towns throughout the United States. His deceased wife, Helen Schmid Ketcham, was a published novelist, playwright and actress. Both of their sons are married and are college professors. One is a retired teacher of risk management and ethics. The other is an artist who teaches drawing and painting.

The Real Presence is a political novel and can be considered a sequel to Uhuru Revisited: Interviews with Pro-Democracy Leaders (Africa World Press/ Red Sea Press, 2015). Like Bob Shepard, the American character in The Real Presence, Ron Singer served with the Peace Corps in Nigeria in the mid-1960s, during the lead-up to the Biafra War. Since then, he has written a great deal about African politics, history, economics and culture. Much of the inspiration for an exciting and enlightening story in The Real Presence comes from the author’s personal experience. This is Singer’s 15th book. The genres represented are poetry, memoir, fiction and non-fiction. Singer’s work has appeared in journals, newspapers, magazines and e-zines across the English-speaking world. Many of Singer’s poems have been anthologized and/or set to music, and four stories have garnered Pushcart nominations. He has also written the librettos for two performed operas.

Genesis and Validity: The Theory and Practice of Intellectual History University of Pennsylvania Press

There is no more contentious and perennial issue in the history of modern Western thought than the vexed relationship between the genesis of an idea and its claim to validity beyond it. Can ideas or values transcend their temporal origins and overcome the sin of their original context, and in so doing earn abiding respect for their intrinsic merit? Or do they inevitably reflect them in ways that undermine their universal aspirations? These and other persistent questions are at the heart of the discipline known as intellectual history. The essays in this collection address them through engagement with leading intellectual historians, as well other giants of modern thought. Martin Jay is the Ehrman Professor of European History Emeritus at University of California, Berkeley. He is author of numerous books, including The Dialectical Imagination: A History of the Frankfurt School and the Institute of Social Research, 1923–50, and Reason After Its Eclipse: On Late Critical Theory.

JAMES STROSBERG ’63 MARTIN STROSBERG ’68

Schenectady’s Battle Against Contagious Disease: From Smallpox to Covid-19 Schenectady County Historical Society

On Saturday, October 5, 1918, Union cancelled its home football game against Wesleyan. The reason was that three Wesleyan students had been stricken with the Spanish Flu. Union’s quick response no doubt saved some lives on the campus. The city of Schenectady was not so quick to respond; it ultimately suffered the loss of over 500 in a population of 87,000. This is the story of how Schenectady battled and in most instances overcame contagious diseases including smallpox, cholera, typhoid, diphtheria, TB, polio, influenza and COVID. Union professors and alumni often played a key role in the battle. Of particular note is Dr. Charles Duryee, Class of 1882, who as Schenectady public health officer and mayor helped establish a modern Schenectady Public Health Department dedicated to clean water, pasteurized milk, vaccination (for smallpox), quarantine and isolation, and the promotion of personal hygiene. The book may be purchased at schenectadyhistorical.org/ bookshop.

ROSEMARY MINER G’68

RAYMOND ANGELO BELLIOTTI ’70

Rosemary for Remembrance: A Memoir

The Godfather and Sicily: Power, Honor, Family, and Evil

Hilliard Harris

After years of writing and adventure, Rosemary Miner is sharing some of her wonderful life experiences in this memoir. An American history teacher turned history writer, her previous works have focused on regional writing in periodicals like Adirondack Life. Miner has also written three Adirondack mysteries for her Miss Grace Wickham series— One Upon a Time to Die For; Lies and Logs to Die For; and Adirondack Rubies to Die For. Grace is an herbal doctor who inherited her father’s medical practice. She is called out whenever an accident is reported, but she’s nobody’s fool. Grace knows that many times, these deadly accidents are not accidents.

SUNY Press

In his 24th book, Belliotti interprets The Godfather as, among other things, a commentary on the transformation of personal identity within the Sicilian and Italian immigrant experience. The book explores both the novel and the film sequence in terms of an existential conflict between two sets of values that offer competing visions of the world. On the one hand, a nineteenth-century Sicilian perspective grounded in honor and the accumulation of power within a culturally specific family order; and on the other, a twentieth-century American perspective that celebrates individualism and commercial success. Philosophically analyzing concepts such as honor, power, will to power,

respect, atonement, repentance, forgiveness, and a meaningful life, Belliotti applies these analyses to the cultural understandings transported to America by nineteenth-century Italian immigrants. He casts fresh light on Old World allegiances to l’ordinedella famiglia (the family order), la via vecchia (the old way), and the patriarchal ideal of uomodi pazienza (the man of patience), as well as the Sicilian code of honor. The two sets of values—Old World Sicilian and twentieth-century American— coalesce uneasily in the same cultural setting, and their conflict is irresolvable. Belliotti is the SUNY Distinguished Teaching Professor of Philosophy Emeritus at State University College at Fredonia.

FALL 2021 | UNION COLLEGE

| MEDIA |

PA JAMES ’77

GARY GLAUBER ’80

ANDREA L. FRY ’81

Empowered by Trauma

Rocky Landscape with Vagrants

A Careful Contrition

Poisons & Antidotes

Shanti Arts Publishing

Deerbrook Editions

Here are crafted reminders of a world gone awry despite best intentions, discrete memories of humanity’s misguided longings. Glauber’s poetry is filled with desire—desire longing to bridge the distances between lovers, between past and present, between hope and reality. Glauber’s words in this collection show us the path: refuge can be found in art, in music, in poetry and above all in our boundless capacity for love. This book isn’t about the pandemic, or even our political divisions. Rather, this is a carefully constructed collection of precarious messages that foretell of a prescient world where everything suddenly matters.

In Poisons & Antidotes, life is inhabited by things that kill us and things that save us. But it’s never black and white, because poisons exist on a continuum, each increment representing some gradation of toxicity. Sometimes poison is clearly recognizable; other times it sits side-by-side with the innocuous and the borders are blurred. In this collection, poison is a metaphor for the degree of human connectedness to the world. The delirious voices in the poems are trapped in their own subjectivity, unable to see beyond their own strange stories. Just as poison becomes less virulent across the continuum, the poetic voices acquire a gradual awareness of themselves in relation to their world. By the end of the collection, it is as if human experience also exists on a kind of continuum. The expression of this vast range of experience—with all its subtleties, contradictions and ironies—is the antidote to human disconnectedness. Andrea Fry is an oncology nurse practitioner at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.

Independently published

The author writes, “As I learned from personal attacks, I’ve found that individuals living with trauma can assist their recovery by making an honest acknowledgment of when they surrendered esteem, morality and values to their predator. It is my hope and prayer that Empowered by Trauma will serve as a tool for claiming self-responsibility in any assault/abuse/attacks upon one’s person. In so doing, one will become empowered enough to be an over-comer of emotional, life-changing experiences.”

UNION COLLEGE | FALL 2021

Cyberwit Press

Rocky Landscape with Vagrants has something for everyone. These poems encourage us not only to “accept life’s ambiguity/its lack of clarity and neatly packaged answers,” but to “embrace them as a gift.” Glauber’s use of language is so eloquent and generous you might not notice the punch of the payoff until it’s knocked you off your feet. These poems are brave enough to go anywhere—it’s about the surprise of the destination as much as the curves in the road. In Rocky Landscape with Vagrants, we encounter an expertly crafted reflection of our collective struggle for meaning and connection during these troubled and trying times.

CONSIDERATION Media, formerly Bookshelf, features new titles by or about alumni and other members of the Union community. To be included, send a copy of the work (book, DVD, CD) and synopsis to: Office of Communications Union College Schenectady, NY 12308 MELISSA STEWART ’90, co-author

5 Kinds of Nonfiction: Enriching Reading and Writing Instruction with Children’s Books Stenhouse Publishers

For decades, we’ve classified fiction as a way to study, understand and, ultimately, teach it better. However, up to now, nonfiction hasn’t received this same level of intention. In 5 Kinds of Nonfiction, Melissa Stewart and Marlene Correia present a new way to sort nonfiction into five major categories and show how doing so can help teachers and librarians build stronger readers and writers. Along the way, they introduce the five kinds of nonfiction—active, browseable, traditional, expository literature and narrative. They explore each category through discussions, classroom examples and insights from leading children’s book authors. They also offer tips for building strong, diverse classroom and library collections, and provide more than 20 activities to enhance literacy instruction. Finally, they include innovative strategies for sharing and celebrating nonfiction with students.

FRANCIS L. STEVENS ’01

MARIK HAZAN ’15

Affective Neuroscience in Psychotherapy: A Clinician's Guide for Working with Emotions

Our Trip Together

Routledge

Most psychological disorders involve distressful emotions, yet emotions are often regarded as secondary in the etiology and treatment of psychopathology. This book offers an alternative model of psychotherapy, using the patient’s emotions as the focal point of treatment. This unique text approaches emotions as the primary source of intervention, where emotions are appreciated, experienced, and learned from as opposed to being solely regulated. Based on the latest developments in affective neuroscience, Dr. Stevens applies science-based interventions with a sequential approach for helping patients with psychological disorders. Chapters focus on how to use emotional awareness, emotional validation, selfcompassion, and affect reconsolidation in therapeutic practice. Interventions for specific emotions such as anger, abandonment, jealousy, and desire are also addressed. This book is essential reading for clinicians practicing psychotherapy, social workers and licensed mental health counselors.

New Degree Press

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

In Our Trip Together, you’ll learn about the complexities of the psychedelic rollout today and the lessons we need to remember from the past. You’ll learn about how Israeli’s and Palestinians are drinking Ayahuasca together, and how Charles Manson used psychedelics to convince his followers to commit multiple murders. We’ll share stories of “Googler’s” microdosing LSD and how psychedelics were used in concentration camps during the holocaust. You’ll learn about psychedelics for end-of-life care and about healers that are using tarot cards to conduct narrative therapy with these same compounds and plant medicines. You’ll see how these molecules will come to influence politics and business and how culture will transform at unprecedented rates over the next 10 years. Ultimately, we want our readers to see this book as a tool to help them navigate the ups and downs of psychedelic development over the coming decades, develop a nuanced approach of engaging with the psychedelic ecosystem and those building it, and find ways in which to participate mindfully when they are called to this work.

FALL 2021 | UNION COLLEGE

ALUMNI COUNCIL

A Message from the President of the Alumni Council Meet the Executive Committee The Alumni Council is pleased to introduce executive committee members serving through June 30, 2024.

It is my pleasure to address you as the new president of the Union College Alumni Council. The Alumni Council is an organization that has operated since 1871, engaging alumni in the ongoing life of the College. We strive to strengthen the relationships of alumni with one another and with the College, and to support the mission and values of the College. Apart from organizing and conducting our alumni trustee elections, we support programming organized by the Office of Alumni & Parent Engagement, as well as from our regional and affinity alumni club network. We are proud to recognize exceptional alumni, faculty and staff at convocation during ReUnion weekend. Our organization has worked to navigate the challenges faced this past year, and will continue to serve the needs of the alumni community. We hope to be a recognizable group within the campus community, and you’ll be hearing from us often. In this regular feature we will inform the alumni community of our ongoing efforts to encourage participation in alumni-focused events and initiatives. We also will continue to recognize the contributions that members of our Council have made to the Union community. We encourage your interest and participation in our meetings, which are open to all who have received a degree from Union College or who have previously been full-time students and whose class has since graduated. For those interested in learning more about our organization, meetings and membership, please visit ualumni.union.edu or contact Ashley Boland, director of Alumni & Parent Engagement, at alumni@ union.edu. I look forward to meeting with many of you in the coming year. – Vin Mattone ’06, President, Union College Alumni Council 36

UNION COLLEGE | FALL 2021

P R E S I D E N T : Vin Mattone ’06

Vin has worked at ACM Wealth for over 15 years as a wealth advisor. He earned a B.A in economics and political science from Union College and serves on the Board of Trustees as an alumni trustee. Vin lives in Rockville Centre, N.Y., with his wife, Laura, their three young children and sheepadoodle. He is actively involved in his community, volunteering for several charitable and non-profit organizations, and as a member of the Financial Planning Association of Long Island. V I C E P R E S I D E N T: Chester Karwatowski ’78 Chet has been an active member of the Alumni Council for the last 17 years. He is a supply chain and digital transformation leader at IBM, and serves on the boards of several environmental, social and educational organizations. He is the proud father of two adult children. As the chair of the Council’s Affinity and Clubs committee, Chet will work to improve communications between the Council, regional alumni clubs and other Union affinity groups.

V I C E P R E S I D E N T O F CO M M U N I C AT I O N S : Quisqueya Witbeck ’16

Quisqueya has a background in global health, development and international relations and has worked in sectors ranging from business operations to academia. In addition to her role on the Alumni Council, Quisqueya also serves as the GOLD (Graduates of the Last Decade) Terrace Council chair and as the head class agent for the Class of 2016. She served with the Alumni Club of Boston for four years. VICE PRESIDENT OF M E M B E R S H I P : Tess Skoller ’13

Tess is an associate brand and advertising manager at MFS Investment Management in Boston, Mass. She previously held roles on the marketing teams at Goldman Sachs and OppenheimerFunds (now Invesco) in New York City, where she was involved in the New York City Alumni Club for more than seven years. In addition to working as a financial marketing professional, Tess is pursuing her MBA at UNC-Chapel Hill’s Kenan-Flagler Business School. VICE PRESIDENT OF FINANCE:

Matthew Mauriello ’99 Matthew is a longtime member of the Council and volunteer for the College. He teaches computer science for SUNY Orange and Newburgh Free Academy P-TECH, and is a swim coach for a local swim team in Newburgh, N.Y. As a volunteer for Union, Matt helps with alumni admissions and the Annual Fund.

SENIOR ALUMNI TRUSTEE:

Betsy Modest Brand ’82 Betsy is one of four alumni trustees who sit on the College’s Board of Trustees. She is the founder of Brandmark Studios, a boutique marketing agency based in Connecticut. She also is on the board of the equity theater ACT of Connecticut, and a parent to three young adults. At Union, Betsy serves on the Board’s Admissions and College Relations committees, and on the Council’s DEI initiative. She holds an MBA from Columbia University. I M M E D I AT E PA S T P R E S I D E N T:

Kate Barry ’01 Kate 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. At Union, Kate was active in College administration and governance as a student leader, and she received the Frank Bailey Prize for her efforts. She holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Union and a master’s degree in higher education from Harvard University.

FALL 2021 | UNION COLLEGE

Alumni Clubs

SAVE THE DATE

Join us for

REUNION 2022 May 20-22

HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE: • 50th Class Medallion Ceremony • Parade • Class Welcome Receptions & Dinner • Class Photos • Garnet Guard Luncheon

UNION COLLEGE | FALL 2021

• Family Picnic & Kids Carnival • All Class Lobster Fest • Fireworks • Bon Voyage Breakfast

Registration will open on Monday, April 4, 2022 at ualumni.union.edu/reunion

CL ASS Garnet Guard

1953

Alumni who have celebrated their 50th ReUnion.

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

GARNET GUARD CLASS CORRESPONDENT

John Honey ’61 121 Waterside Dr., Box 1175 North Falmouth, Mass. 02556 jahoney@msn.com John Honey ’61 writes, “The Garnet Guard and Ramée Circle held a joint luncheon during the virtual ReUnion on May 13. The program honored Bob Howe ’58 who was chair of both organizations for many years. Tributes were delivered by David Horton ’58, a classmate and good friend, Bob’s wife Sondra, and his grandson Alex Wildhagen Regan ’16. This was followed by a discussion of the activities of the Minerva Fellowship, which provides entrepreneurial opportunities in foreign countries to recent graduates. We marveled at some of the experiences that were described by participants. The program ended with the singing of the alma mater by the Eliphalets. We look forward to being able to hold the Garnet Guard Luncheon in person on campus next year.”

1951 CLASS CORRESPONDENT

James Taub 711 S. Market Street Johnstown, N.Y. 12095 (518) 762-1172 shrevie711@hotmail.com

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

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

1956 CLASS CORRESPONDENT

William Deuell 2666 Steeple Run Lane Manteca, Calif. 95336 whd2923@gmail.com William Deuell writes, “On May 14, 2021, our class held the first virtual Zoom class ReUnion, which everyone agreed was very successful. Our meeting was attended by 13 classmates, which was good considering not everyone was familiar with Zoom. We expect our next meeting will be attended by an overwhelming number of classmates. Subjects covered were: 1) An update by Rob

N O TE S

Parker, VP for College Relations. There will be additional virtual events later this year. Keep informed by reading all your Union correspondence. 2) A musical interlude by Paige Kent, Class of 2023, singing ‘Wouldn't It Be Loverly’ from My Fair Lady. She delivered a wonderful performance. 3) A report by Byng Huntington, class president, on class business, election of officers, and details of our class scholarship. The election of officers included a new position of class registrar. The class registrar will be responsible for developing and maintaining an up-to-date list of living classmates, deceased classmates and classmate widows, if possible. Norm Bartner has volunteered to accept this position and we all look forward to his excellent work. Please send questions to any class officer. They all are good at email.”

1957 CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Paul Mohr 140 E Duce of Clubs Ste A Show Low, Ariz. 85901 dadtired@frontiernet.net Bob Yunick writes, “I am pleased to announce that the June 2021 issue of Adirondack Life magazine carries an article of mine about my hummingbird banding in the Adirondacks at my Jenny Lake camp near Corinth as well as

at other places. I keep active with my banding with so far nearly 220,000 birds, over 6,000 of them hummers, since 1962. One of my Jenny Lake Ruby-throats years ago tied the then-North American age record of nine years. I caught her for eight consecutive years a total of 25 times. That age record has since been exceeded by an additional two months. My other major hummer banding location has been in the deep North Woods of Maine along the shores of Mooselookmeguntic Lake near the Canadian border where I have banded a little over 2,200 Ruby-throats in the past 18 years. My oldest bird there is 8 years, 2 months. I continue publishing papers on my banding results with raptors and songbirds. There's always more to learn. One recent paper dealt with a 47-year study at my Jenny Lake camp linking decline in the local breeding Purple Finch population with climate warming. It's real.” Bob, a retired organic chemist from Schenectady, is licensed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to band birds.

1958 CLASS CORRESPONDENT

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

FALL 2021 | UNION COLLEGE

CLASS NOTES

David Horton writes, “It was wonderful to hear from John Richards, artist, musician, writer, movie buff, and humorist! Since leaving a teaching position in 1963, ‘his last honest job,’ as John writes, during which time he was making and peddling his art on the side, he then took some actual design courses at Pratt Institute, after which he began giving full attention to his artistic bent and talent that emerged even in his childhood. Eventually, in 1978, he opened Yummy Mud Puddle in Provincetown, Mass., that featured his art work and, later, another Puddle in Nyack, N.Y. Moving to Saint Augustine, Fla., in 1988, he soon met and married potter Claudia Dunaway and together they started ‘the infamous Temple of Great Art No Spitting to show their artistic output in clay, glass, wire, paper, pewter, steel, plaster, and trash.’ In 2003, they moved to Burnsville, N.C., on 10 acres of wild woods overlooking the Black Mountains. The new Yummy Mud Puddle includes two studios, a chalet-style house, a small gallery, a large guest house (vacation rental!), and a pond with fish! Go to John’s web site, www.yummymudpuddle.com, to get in touch with him, and to learn more about the art work featured in the store, the vacation rental,

and, yes, the band Hot Duck Soup, in which he plays the banjo. I recommend it!” John Glass writes, “After graduation, I attended MIT’s Sloan School of Management. As result of a class there, I became an MIT Fellow in Africa and spent two years in the Ministry of Economic Development of Northern Nigeria. On return, I worked for Polaroid in engineering and research management jobs. Afterwards, I joined a small company called Millipore where I became marketing manager; later, director of investor relations and managed an in-house venture capital arm. With its seed capital, I co-founded BioMarin Pharmaceuticals and left Millipore to become a biotech consultant. BioMarin has become a successful public company with sales of two billion dollars. My consulting business involved helping venture capital firms to repair their struggling investments. I now live in a small town, Boxford, Mass. My wife and I have travelled a great deal on small cruise ships. My favorite trip was to French Polynesia in the South Pacific. We have a summer home on Lake George and we spend as much time there as we can. With my first wife, I have two children who have given me life’s greatest gift of three grandchildren. Now it’s time for a nap!”

1959 CLASS CORRESPONDENT

William “Dal” Trader 5361 Santa Catalina Avenue Garden Grove, Calif. 92845 daltrader@earthlink.net (310) 629-8971 John Richards ’58 with one of his artistic creations.

UNION COLLEGE | FALL 2021

In May, William (Dal) Trader ’59 (center in a grey vest) enjoyed a USS Compton (DD-705) reunion in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., with some of his shipmates. The group also visited the USS Slater (DE-766) at Albany Dock on the Hudson River and the Old No Name bar (now Tin and Lint) in Saratoga.

1960 CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Charles E. Roden kiw702@aol.com

1961 CLASS CORRESPONDENT

John Honey jahoney@msn.com Ron Singer ’62 sits on a well in Weld, Maine. (Photo by Elizabeth Yamin, August 2020)

John ’61 and Betsy Honey join Bill Reaman ’61 every Friday afternoon on Bill’s deck for cocktails and to discuss our time at Union, naval service and life on Cape Cod.

1962 Ron Singer recently released his 15th book, a political novel titled The Real Presence. Ron

received a B.A. (English) from Union College in 1962. In 1958-59, he was co-winner of the Van Order Prize in Creative Writing. After his Peace Corps service, He did graduate work at the University of Chicago, where he received an M.A. (1968) and Ph.D. (1976), both in English. His doctoral studies focused on Renaissance drama and social history. To learn more about his latest book, see p. 32.

1963 Edward J. Snyder recalled his freshman year roommate, Gary Warren Conrad, a biological

researcher and professor at Kansas State University, who passed away last year. “There were many opportunities for fun and frolic in the first year,” Snyder wrote. “All during this time, Gary worked hard and studied and, obviously, accomplished a lot and was an excellent roommate.” Snyder, an attorney in West Seneca, N.Y. began post-Union life as a Peace Corps volunteer in Guatemala. He then joined CARE International, serving in Tehran, Iran, and later Medellin, Colombia. He earned an MBA and law degree from the University of Buffalo. Formerly a member of the school board and town attorney, he is the town prosecutor in East Aurora, N.Y. He keeps in touch with Tom Ackerman and other alumni in the Buffalo area. Dr. James Strosberg and his brother, Martin Strosberg '68, recently published a new book. Schenectady’s Battle Against Contagious Disease: From Smallpox to COVID-19 was the subject of a recent article in the The Daily Gazette. For more on their book, see p. 33. Jim Gross writes, “My granddaughter, Leila Rose, starred at 9-and-one-half-years old as young Anna on Broadway in Disney’s classic show FROZEN. She also sang the Star Spangled Banner at Madison Square Garden before 19,000 fans before a Knicks vs. Chicago Bulls basketball game. To all our Union hockey fans, Leila will be singing the anthem on January 29 before the Union-RPI Mayors Trophy game at the Times Union Center in Albany. Leila is the daughter of my son, Peter Gross ’05.”

1964 The Cronheim family writes, “Our father, Charlie ‘Buck’ Cronheim, passed away Jan. 10, 2021. He was known throughout his life as a positive thinker who absorbed and spread knowledge—he believed in possibilities. At Union, he studied electrical engineering and economics, enjoyed fraternity life (Sigma Chi), and played lacrosse. Tireless and energetic, he completed his MBA while working at Eastman Kodak Company and enjoying a new marriage with two kids in tow. Later, he embarked on a 30-year career overseas with the Mobil Oil Corporation. Charlie’s country and cultural assimilation prowess remains legendary. He formed deep friendships with peoples of host and other countries. His easy language agility and proficiency in Italian, Japanese, Swahili and Dutch were some of the tools he used for earning trust and confidence in his business and recreation endeavors. He shared his lifelong love for sailing in races and passagemaking around the world. He was a known racer in England, where his adventures included the famously dangerous Fastnet. Charlie loved food, never turning down a new or novel meal, and was also an excellent cook, ‘Charlie pasta,’ being a family favorite. He habitually read and could absorb several books at once. Retirement gave Charlie and his beloved and brave wife the opportunity to live aboard his second ketch Malaika II and travel to ports in Europe and the Middle East. After seven years of sailing, he landed in Baltimore, Maryland, where he turned his talents toward non-profits (Gutierrez

Memorial Fund, Reconstruct Together and Ngoma) and teaching medical students at Johns Hopkins and the University of Maryland. His busy retired life became a second career, one he found immensely satisfying. True to his engineering roots, Charlie was constantly thinking about possibilities. He loved empowering individuals of all ages and organizations to reach their goals, always encouraging them to try something new. A special love was helping others launch their own overseas adventures. He was the ‘go-to’ man for problem solving and inventive enterprises, large and small, including a ‘no-pull’ leash for his daughter’s exuberant lab-mix. Charlie was a dog lover whose every pocket was filled with dog treats for any and all he might meet. Father, husband, brother, grandfather, cousin, uncle, mentor and friend to all he met, Charlie’s larger-than-life presence lives on in those whose lives he touched.” Charlie is further remembered on p. 63.

Henry Cassell Ruschmeyer’s new book, The English Way of Life: A Critique, was recently featured on CanadianInsider. com. Published by Christian Faith Publishing, the book is a modern anthropological observation of life in English society. The author draws from the seven years spent living, working and preaching in London. He holds degrees from Bank Street of Education, General Theological Seminary and New York University. He is an ordained Episcopal priest.

1967 CLASS CORRESPONDENT

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

1968 CLASS CORRESPONDENT

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

1969 CLASS CORRESPONDENTS

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

Charles “Buck” Cronheim ’64 Jan. 10, 2021

1966 CLASS CORRESPONDENT

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

Toby Overdorf ’91 opened a new campaign office in Stuart, Florida, along with David Pittinos. Toby is a member of the Florida House of Representatives, to which he was first elected in 2018. Toby founded Crossroads Environmental Consultants in 2002 and turned it into a nationally recognized company. He is also the environmental division president of EDC. David is retired from the investment business and has been working on fundraising

FALL 2021 | UNION COLLEGE

CLASS NOTES

’64 A fraught, but formative education

he time he spent at Union was formative for Ranya Alexander ’64, but not in the way most people today think of college being formative. In September 1960, “Union was an all-male, nearly all-white ‘little ivy league’ juggernaut in engineering and medical school preparation,” Alexander recalled. The College’s prowess for training future doctors was good for the pre-med major—a prominent physician and biotech pioneer focused on finding a cure for Parkinson's and Alzheimer's—but its demographics presented some difficult challenges. “Before school started, my roommate, who happened to be Jewish, informed me that he was asked by an administrator if he ‘minded rooming with a Negro,’” Alexander said. “I was the only resident Black freshman in West College in 1960. I had only one fistfight and lost the run for class president by 8 votes.” Despite a narrow election loss among his peers, some faculty were less supportive. “My distinguished biology professor, complete with an Oxford/Cambridge accent, included in his lecture the ‘fact’ that Negroes have a much higher pain tolerance threshold and can hence take more discomfort,” Alexander said. “He ventured no opinion on emotional pain.” “In addition,” Alexander added, “my mother’s Parents Weekend visit to campus was followed by more than one professor commenting to me on ‘how well she spoke English.’” It didn’t end there. Early in his first year, another faculty member recited lyrics from a 1920’s song during chemistry class.

UNION COLLEGE | FALL 2021

D R . R A N YA A L E X A N D E R ' 6 4

“My chemistry professor elaborated on silicon by animating and describing this element, as ‘you know, what the darkies beat their feet on… Mississippi mud,’” Alexander remembered. “All eyes turned my way. I gathered my books and silently left the classroom.” “I did not return to that class and as

there was no incomplete or withdrawal allowed, I received an F,” he added. “That F, plus, I am sure, the Premed Committee’s infamous senior year endorsement letters, kept me out of medical school for years.” For six years, to be precise—even though the National Medical Fellowship

“Students should see that generational difference often leads to misunderstanding and cultural awkwardness, but this is usually not intentional malevolence. However, as my dad said, ‘an education is not promised or given, it is taken.’”

organization had awarded him a full scholarship to any medical school to which he gained admission. “With my applications, I included the NMF letter and an explanation of my first-year chemistry grade, but to no avail,” Alexander said. “Over two dozen medical schools rejected me. Howard and Meharry, the only predominately Black U.S. medical schools at the time, were excluded from being acceptable by the NMF.” While hard to bear, these experiences shaped him. “My English professor had given me a C on an autobiographical essay, calling it ‘too fanciful to believe’ since it included accounts of dancing onstage with Josephine Baker, Paul Robson rehearsals at our apartment and knowing Malcolm X,” Alexander recalled. (His mother, Marilyn, a community organizer and supporter of the arts in Harlem, the Mecca of Black culture, also worked many years at NBC. As such, she knew many prominent figures of the day.) “I left school, but my father ordered me back on the train, reminding me I had earned a full scholarship—pending grades— and that ‘an education is not promised or given, it is taken!’” Alexander continued. “At Union, I learned to work very hard. I was ultimately proud of my diligence.” He graduated in the middle of his class and went on to earn an M.D. and Ph.D. in biochemistry from the University of California, Davis. He also completed residencies at Yale University (pediatrics) and UCLA (emergency medicine), as well

as neuroendocrinology fellowship training at the University of California, San Francisco. A former assistant professor of pediatrics at UCLA and Charles Drew Post Graduate Medical School, Alexander served as the San Diego medical director of Schaefer Ambulance Company, an associate director of Sharp Rees-Steely Medical Group, and San Diego regional director of Partners Urgent Care. He is a co-founder of the website Wellness.com. And now, he is the founding chief operating officer of a small minority-owned biotech company in San Diego. Innovative California Biosciences International (ICBII) is dedicated to developing technologies that can cross the blood-brain barrier to potentially treat neurodegenerative conditions like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. “The blood-brain barrier is a physical barrier of cells lining blood vessels in the brains of all mammals,” Alexander explained. “It protects the brain from chemicals, toxins, bacteria and viruses. Unfortunately, it also keeps out 98 percent of conventional drugs and virtually all antibodies.” “We believe neurodegenerative diseases and brain cancer have not been cured largely because no current drugs can get through the blood-brain barrier in effective enough quantities,” he added. “But our SMART Molecule technology can get through.” SMART Molecules begin as small antibodies (1/10 the size of regular mammalian antibodies). They are modified chemically to attach to receptors on the blood-brain barrier, enabling transport

directly from the blood to the brain. ICBII just finished preclinical animal studies using mice carrying genes programmed to produce human disease. These animals may have Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s disease-associated plaque in their brains. “With SMART Molecules, we can reduce the mouse brain’s sticky plaque by 66 percent with 12 weekly injections,” Alexander said. “We are now searching for funds to begin clinical trials to prove that our pending drugs cause no harm to humans.” Looking back on his journey from Union to where he is today, Alexander offers these thoughts. “I sincerely hope my brief time at Union College led to greater tolerance, enlightenment, understanding and wisdom on the part of my professors, as it surely has for me,” he said. “All Union students have the ability to succeed; they should be nourished and cultivated, not discouraged and discounted.” “And students should see that generational difference often leads to misunderstanding and cultural awkwardness, but this is usually not intentional malevolence. However, as my dad said, ‘an education is not promised or given, it is taken.’” Which is why Alexander counsels “hard work.” “Union only admits students who can graduate. You do have the intellectual capacity, but you must exercise the will and then persist,” he said. “By now, Union offers professional guidance and cultural sensitivity. Use them.”

FALL 2021 | UNION COLLEGE

CLASS NOTES

for Big Brothers Big Sisters as well as starting a campaign for Police Lives Matter.

1970 CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Frank P. Donnini Newport News, Va. fpdonnini@aol.com Raymond R. Oneglia writes, “Celebrated 51 years with family construction firm, O&G Industries in Connecticut. Still getting up at 4:30 a.m. and working full time.”

Toby Overdorf ’91 and David Pittinos ’69

In 2008, Thomas Flynn’s book Bikeman: An Epic Poem was published. The recollection of the terrorist attacks on 9/11 is now being released in a commemorative edition, featuring a forward by Dan Rather and a new note from Thomas. This book aims to commemorate those tragic events and to honor the extraordinary heroes of 9/11. Thomas is an award-winning television producer and writer.

Carl Thum writes, “Lisa and I recently retired from Dartmouth College after 35 years of employment at the college. The last two remote terms served as kind of pre-retirement. Spending more time now on family, friends, local travel, exercise, cooking, reading and gardening. In mid-July, I spent a week fly fishing in Montana.” JC Woodward writes, “Busily retired on a 170-acre homestead with my wife and sister in New Hampshire. When I’m not pushing dirt around with my big farm tractor, I’m working part-time as a Keene State College research associate, writing software and doing data analysis for various academic projects.” Sandy Williamson writes, “We’re in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Northwest Georgia, about an hour from Chattanooga, Tenn., an hour and a half from Atlanta. Good mountain golf courses, wineries and craft beer breweries for entertainment.”

participating in the spring semester in Vienna (Fruhling in Wien) in 1970, after 51 years! The surrounding area had changed but the pension was still there. Very good experience. All my three roommates participated in the semester abroad programs. I hope all students get an opportunity to participate in the semester abroad program at Union.”

programs in China studies. My thanks to Profs. Gati, Sharlet and Berk for their guidance, and for my BA in comparative Communism—still a guaranteed conversation starter! Pat, my wife of 44 years, and I look forward to COVID-postponed European and Pacific travels. All the best to my classmates!”

1973 CLASS CORRESPONDENT

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

In September, Hal Tugal ’71 visited the place where he stayed as a student during a term abroad in Vienna in 1970.

1972 Louis Furmanski writes, “I just retired after 40 years in higher education, having taught international relations/law and American foreign policy, as well as serving as a department chair and dean. Most recently I spent time in Hawaii and China as an associate with the East-West Center, developing

Sam Brody writes, “My Union College experience is a jewel I carry with me every day. I was pre-med but one of my first courses at Union was then called Comprehensive Education or Comp-Ed. It was taught by Prof. Donald Thurston. I became a better writer as a result of Dr. Thurston’s critiques of the pieces we wrote every week. Don Thurston also played a role in establishing a romance. He assigned Zen And The Art Of Archery. A senior noticed me reading it. We got to talking and he gave me the name of a Skidmore (then all women.) student. We’ve been married for 49 years. The Modern American Novel course my senior year was inspiring. At my Vanderbilt

1971 CLASS CORRESPONDENT

A commemorative edition of Bikeman: An Epic Poem by Thomas Flynn ’69 was recently published.

UNION COLLEGE | FALL 2021

Henry Fein, M.D. Rockville, Md. hgfein@aol.com Hal Tugal writes, “We did our Danube River cruise in September. We stopped off in Vienna, Austria, and visited the pension where I stayed along with my classmates as students

Several members of the Class of 1972 assembled in Rhinebeck for a mini-reunion recently. They are Lee Zehngebot, Harris Ginsberg, Bob Michaelson, Bill Silver, Gary Starr and Bob Kurtter.

interview for medical school, the physician and I talked about that course. The best part of my pre-med courses were the professors. Biology professor Dr. Twitty Styles was important to me. Organic chemistry professor, Dr. Alan Maycock, came to our wedding. I loved my years as a physician. I kept reading and writing. Lately I’m reading and writing poetry, playing Mozart and Gershwin on my clarinet and keeping fit. It is a joy that all began at Union. To current students I would say, wherever you think you may be going after Union, take advantage of the vast diversity offered in a small-school setting.”

Sam Brody ’73

1974

1976

CLASS CORREPSONDENT

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

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

Jill Schneier Wegenstein Carmel Valley, Calif. jwegenstein@gmail.com

1975 Fred Weil writes, “A group of folks made a three-day bicycle ride from NYC’s Central Park to Union to benefit the Michael J. Fox Foundation to support research on Parkinson’s disease. In the picture are Thomas Siragusa ’84, Adam Schwartz ’96, Dave Gordon ’76, Phil Mueller ’75, myself and Richard Moses ’76, to whom the ride was dedicated to this year. We left NYC on Friday, Sept. 3, and arrived at Union on the 5th, after 200 miles of great biking through the Hudson Valley. This was our sixth year, and we intend to come back next year. More info on the ride is available at https://fundraise. michaeljfox.org/tf-2021/ fredweil. There is a link to a tribute page, which has the story of my dad, for whom I created the ride.”

A hearty crew gathered at Full Moon Resort in Big Indian, New York, August 16-20. Sporting a homemade Union banner, the attendees are Full Moon’s owner, Michael Densmore ’75, Lisa KastonBehrendt ’75, Stewart Abramson ’75 and Vicki Herzl Watkins ’76 (back row). Front row, left to right, are Stephen Beck ’75, Tom Behrendt ’75, Mark Maurer ’75, Bob Shugoll ’75 and Gray Watkins ’73. Spouses Gail Maurer, Wendy Beck and Kathy Abramson with daughter, Wendy, are also pictured.

Arthur Miller ’76 writes, “45 years to the day that I graduated in ’76, I watched my son, Matthew (a biomed engineering major), graduate in June 2021. To add to the goosebumps, the recessional song was ‘Corner of the Sky’ from Pippin. I quoted that in my yearbook. Go figure! Matthew’s first ReUnion was 2001, when he met the Dutchman, and in later years he carried the class banner. Now we get to share ReUnions! Oh, and the T-shirt I’m wearing is from one of our ReUnions—‘The Way We Were’ was filmed during the fall term of my freshman year.”

A group including Thomas Siragusa ’84, Adam Schwartz ’96, Dave Gordon ’76, Phil Mueller ’75, Fred Weil ’75 and Richard Moses ’76, celebrate the sixth annual Park to Nott Ride to fight Parkinson’s disease.

FALL 2021 | UNION COLLEGE

CLASS NOTES

solutions to the medical device industry. He assumes leadership of all aspects of the organization and will oversee the implementation of N2’s growth strategy.

1980

In July, alumni enjoyed a gathering in Woodstock, N.Y. In attendance were Fred Weil ’75, Aggie Weil, Dave Gordon ’76, Robert Johnson ’76, Andy Pearce ’76, Beth Pearce, Garrett Andrews ’78, Mary Tavino, Pete Tavino ’74, Arthur Miller ’76 and Ethan Pearce ’15.

Jim Loree, Stanley Black & Decker CEO, offered thoughts on balancing long-term sustainability with the shortterm bottom line in a recent “Moral Money” broadcast with the Financial Times. He also discussed measures that allowed Stanley Black & Decker to navigate the global pandemic.

1981 1977 CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Leila Shames Maude LeeShamesMaude@alumni. union.edu John J. Eklund has been named to Ohio’s Eleventh District Court of Appeals by Gov. Mike DeWine. John was featured in the Daily Legal News in July at dlnnews.com/ editorial/30642

Albany Medical College Dean Dr. Vincent Verdile will retire in December, after which time he will be dean emeritus. Vincent began his career at Albany Medical Center in 1993 as vice chair of the department of emergency medicine and became the 17th dean of the college in 2001. At that time, there were fewer than 6,100 student applications. In 2020, there were nearly 14,000 applicants for 145 seats. In 2016, he was also named the senior executive vice president for system care delivery. Accomplishments during his career include a complete overhaul of medical school

UNION COLLEGE | FALL 2021

curriculum; establishment of the Patient Safety and Clinical Competency Center; revitalization of the Alden March Bioethics Institute; and construction of a research building with a $10 million grant from the National Institutes of Health. During his tenure, the college endowment has grown from $43.5 million in 2001 to nearly $125 million last year. And scholarship funding has grown from $1 million to more than $33 million.

1978 CLASS CORRESPONDENT

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

1979 CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Kurt Hamblet San Luis Obispo, Calif. kurthamblet@gmail.com Keith Edwards has been appointed chief executive officer of N2 Biomedical, a leading provider of coating and surface treatment

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Sue Barnhart Ferris sferris59@gmail.com Lawrence Thal writes, “After a long and rewarding career spanning 38 years at the Federal Reserve Bank of N.Y., I have officially retired effective May 1, 2019. A year later, I moved out of N.J. and relocated to Boynton Beach, Fla. on June 1, 2020.”

1982 After briefly working at Microsoft, Richard “Rick” Zucker moved on to Google two years ago. After also working at Intel previously, he is trying to complete a tech company bingo. He just needs to work at two of Apple, Facebook (walking distance from his home), and Amazon (across the street from his office). Drew Malloy lives in Santa Cruz, California, working at the student health center on the UCSC campus. Drew writes, “I hope the Union community and alumni all survived the

pandemic. I would love to hear from anyone from Union who admits to knowing me. Please drop me an email: edmalloy@ucsc.edu”

1983 CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Cory Lewkowicz Needham, Mass. corylewkowicz@gmail.com

1984 CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Linda Gutin Cary, N.C. lindagutin@hotmail.com Ted Borer writes, “I’m savoring the pleasure of seeing campus life through my son Noah’s eyes. He’ll be a senior studying computer science next year. He joined Kappa Alpha and has given me another excuse to visit Davidson and bond with my old friends from Union. We are father and son, but under the laws of Minerva we have also become brothers. Still working, cycling, gardening, and enjoying married life. Looking forward to travel as empty-nesters.” Carolyn Dulchinos writes, “I still live in Boulder and I’m still working full-time as an organizer with Netroots Nation, the largest annual convention for progressive activists in the country. My two kids are grown and on their own, so I’m stepping up my animal welfare volunteering in my spare time. I’ve gone on several trips to the Four Corners area to help with high volume pop-up spay and neuter projects with a Colorado-based rescue called Soul Dog. I’m fostering kittens and dogs for the Humane Society of Boulder Valley and also assisting weekly in the HSBV clinic with animals recovering from surgeries.”

Alissa (Calabria) Quinn writes, “This is my 34th year in the financial services industry, leading The Quinn Wealth Management Group at UBS Financial Services in Albany, N.Y., helping clients pursue their life passions and dreams. I was recently named to the Forbes Top 1000 Women Wealth Advisors in the U.S. and Barron’s Top Women Advisors in the U.S. I continue my own passion of ballroom dance, a legacy started by my parents, Frank and Angela Calabria. My father was a professor of psychology at Union, so I applied early decision back then. One of my best Union memories was my term abroad in Seville, Spain, sparking a love of European travel. Our two young adult children are living in Boston and our two mini long-haired dachshunds keep us laughing!” Alissa was recently named to the Albany Business Review’s Women Who Mean Business Class of 2021.

Alissa (Calabria) Quinn ’84

Donna Upson Correia writes, “After visiting my 27-year-old daughter, Sarabeth, several times in Helena, Montana, my husband David Correia and I decided to move out to Missoula, Mont. Moving in early 2020, we have thoroughly enjoyed living in this beautiful part of the country (having lived our entire lives in the Boston area). After working for

the past year at First Security Bank overseeing the PPP loan/ forgiveness program, I have accepted a position at Capital Matrix, a Certified Development Company, based out of Boise, Idaho. I will be responsible for growing their presence in Montana, working with bankers and small business owners, and facilitating their purchase of owner-occupied buildings utilizing the SBA 504 program. I am very excited about this new opportunity and getting to know Montana even better!” Robert Dawsey writes, “Currently living in Florida with my wife Theresa, after retiring from General Motors. I worked for GM for 34 years in Southern California, and I am now vice president of engineering for Flex Power Control, Inc. Our only daughter, Lauren, was married earlier this year at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.” Linda Merry Gutin writes, “Since Union, I’ve gotten an MA in organizational psychology, done a little standup (very little), and climbed Mount Everest, Mount Kilimanjaro and Mount Vesuvius. (It’s illegal to climb Mount Rushmore, otherwise...) I really did waste a few precious hours walking uphill in SAND to see an empty-but-for-sand volcano. In fact, the most memorable part of the uphill battle was the looks of pity on the faces of the people coming back down. In 2008, I moved to RaleighDurham, North Carolina, where I’ve been ‘bringing the cha-ching’ under my ROI Résumés banner. I've even had the honor of helping some terrific Union friends and their kids. For a good laugh, call!”

Laura Modlin writes, “Earlier this year, I launched The Rescued Earth (therescuedearth.com), my new business. With it, I bring together my work as a journalist, photographer and environmentalist.” Pamela Marcus writes, “During COVID, I retired from my radiology practice. It is strange but nice to not be working after so many years. I spend time in my garden, reading, walking my dogs and working on my family tree! My husband, Jeff Erskine ’82, has been working remotely from home in his real estate business. We recently celebrated Adam Stein’s ’83 60th birthday, where we saw his wife Fran Wallach ’83, Rita and Larry Lieberman ’83.” Renee Haber writes, “I celebrated 30 years at Laughlin Constable this August! I’m definitely an anomaly in the ad biz as I have worked for the same company since moving to Chicago in 1991. Still loving it and learning new things all the time. Also celebrated my 30-year wedding anniversary in September of 2019. Survived the pandemic so far and happy to be vaccinated and getting back out to see people!”

In January of 2020, Bonnie Rosenberg Rayman was appointed the chief community officer at the Posnack JCC in Davie, FL. She oversees all of the camp, early childhood, children, family, special needs and community outreach programming at this $10 million JCC. Her husband

Evan has been working for Chewy.com for almost four years and loves how everyone who has a dog wants to be friends with him. Their son Josh graduated American Heritage High School in May of 2020 and goes to Florida State University. He did his freshman year remotely from home. He is majoring in sports management and law. Their daughter Carly just graduated American Heritage High School this past May of 2021. She is attending Shenandoah University Conservatory in the musical theatre program. In late August, Bonnie and Evan dropped both Josh and Carly off at college for the first time and instantly became emptynesters. They are looking for the silver lining and hope to find it!

1985 Steven E. Cole, managing partner of Adams Leclair LLP, has been recognized as “Lawyer of the Year 2022” by the Best Lawyers in America. He has practiced commercial law in upstate New York for more than 25 years and is a founding partner of Adams Leclair LLP. He regularly represents companies and individuals in business-related disputes involving trade secrets, shareholder rights, restrictive covenants and intellectual property. He also

Steven E. Cole ’85

FALL 2021 | UNION COLLEGE

CLASS NOTES

has extensive experience representing clients in the financial services industry, including investor disputes, regulatory inquiries and disputes involving corporate raiding.

1988

Resuscitating a local newspaper

Chi Psi had a ReUnion in Newport, Rhode Island, recently. Among those in attendance were Mike Forhan ’88, Bob Koch ’88 and Charlie Slotnik ’88.

The call came in March. Who wants to hike Northville-Placid Trail? The instigator of the call, Bob Steindl, promised clean mountain air, sunny skies and starlit nights on a 140-mile jaunt through the foothills of the Adirondacks. Five friends from the Class of ’88 (John Balzano, Catherine (Tremante) Canavan, Mark Shanahan, Steve Szydlik, Lou Tremante) eventually signed on with Bob for various segments of the adventure, joining forces with unsuspecting spouses and friends to form the 13-person “Seward’s Follies” team. Bob served as spiritual leader of the intrepid band, using his 20 years in the U.S. Air Force to plan the trip with military precision. Over the next four months, terms like “bear cans,” “drift box,” and “picaridin” became familiar lexicon as the smarter members of the crew tested gear and trained their

UNION COLLEGE | FALL 2021

anice Thompson ’86 was never a journalist, editor or publisher. She’d never worked at a newspaper in any capacity. But that didn’t stop her from saving one. When her local paper printed its last issue in October 2020, she realized something. “A lot of people depended on the monthly Anchor for their news,” said Thompson, who has spent her career as a fundraising executive at places like MIT, Harvard, Boston Athenaeum and Meadowbrook School of Weston. “Harpswell has the oldest median age in the state of Maine—whose median age is the oldest in the country—so many of our residents don’t access online news resources like younger folks do.” She knew she couldn’t let the loss stand. “This is a crazy time. We find ourselves debating what “facts” are; “fake news” is accused from both sides of the political isle; anyone can espouse a theory (no matter how true) and find millions of followers online. Local papers are folding all over the country,” Thompson said. “And that’s why it’s even more important to keep local reporting alive.” In January 2021, Thompson and a group of friends and neighbors started pooling their financial resources so they could purchase the intellectual property and brand of the Anchor. They also wanted to mail a survey to the 4,700 residents of Harpswell, to find out what they needed in their hometown paper. “We signed the purchase deal with the last editor just four weeks before the inaugural issue was due to the printer—big crunch time!” Thompson said. “The first paper was edited by a volunteer who was a Boston Globe editor for many years. Our

first issue hit the mail the Friday before Memorial Day.” Getting that first paper out the door was tremendously challenging, but also extraordinary. “I don’t remember working so hard on anything before, even during my 80-hour weeks as a director of development. Everything we’ve done has had to be learned from scratch—we didn’t get any training from the past editor,” Thompson said. “But the process has also been the most rewarding experience I’ve ever had. I feel like finally I’m making a difference in my community.” The newspaper’s team includes a fulltime editor and half-time administrative assistant. Thompson herself is at 80 percent time as director of development and operations. Prior to this, she was director of development at the Harpswell Heritage Land Trust. The Anchor still publishes once a month. It doesn’t cover national or even state news, unless such news directly affects Harpswell. “The old paper covered mostly features and steered clear of controversy or news,” said Thompson, who holds an MBA from Boston University and a MEd from UMass Boston. “We are expanding the features to include news, especially from town. Our subjects focus a lot on our being a coastal community—the working waterfront, fishing, aquaculture. We also have letters to the editor and a calendar section.” “Harpswell has a weird geography,” she added. “We are located on two peninsulas connected by a bridge across water, so we have no town center where people meet regularly. One survey respondent called the Anchor the ‘virtual meeting place for Harpswell’ and we like that a lot.”

’86

Check out the Harpswell Anchor at harpswellanchor.com

JANICE THOMPSON '86

Operationally, the Anchor is a nonprofit. “The model of small, local print papers is dying because it’s almost impossible to run a paper on advertising revenue alone,” Thompson said. “The last editor of the Anchor wasn’t drawing a salary and we knew we wanted a professional staff. A nonprofit paper is sustained financially through business sponsorships (like ads), but also tax-deductible gifts from individuals and grants from foundations. It takes the onus off struggling local businesses.” Another benefit of being a nonprofit is the standard to which the Anchor must hold itself. “As a nonprofit, we are not allowed to be partisan nor can we take a stand on any issue, so that keeps us honest and balanced, which is sadly too rare these days,” Thompson said.

Reviving this newspaper has brought Thompson full-circle from her days as a Union student. “I’ve been thinking about my dearly departed great-uncle Harold Blodgett a lot lately. He was head of the English Department at Union for many decades and had long retired when I was thinking about studying journalism at Syracuse or English at Union,” Thompson said. “Harold wrote me a letter I’ll never forget, because it made up my mind to attend Union.” “He said it was much more important to learn the basics of critical thinking, writing well, researching a subject and speaking in public at a place like Union,” she continued. “You can always learn the journalism trade on the job, he said. So I think it’s ironic that after 35 years of not doing journalism, I’m finally getting to it!”

FALL 2021 | UNION COLLEGE

CLASS NOTES

aching, over-50 bodies. On July 31, the team converged at a trailhead just outside Northville and the adventure began. Four days later, a ragged bunch emerged from the woods on Route 28 in Piseco at the end of Segment 1, dirty and sore. In between was 40+ miles of hills and mud, myriad freeze-dried meals and one extremely harrowing crossing of West Stony Creek, where four of the ten in attendance ended up taking unplanned swims. This was a brook that really bounded! However, there was also plenty of time along the trail to swap stories and bad jokes and to renew old friendships. During one memorable Adirondack thunderstorm on Day 2, several enthusiastic but vocally challenged members of the team raised the spirits of the others by serenading them with *all* the verses of “American Pie.” Ultimately, blisters, a couple of twisted knees, and lots of wet feet were the only major casualties of the hike, and a night of recovery in Piseco restored the energy of everyone. Lou, Steve, John and Catherine did 40 miles. Bob and Mark did the entire trail to Lake Placid, reaching their goal on August 12. The rest of the team returned to their normal lives and comfortable mattresses, content with having completed the shorter hike. Regardless of the distance covered, all the hikers delighted in the trail and Bob’s “call of the wild,” though several have now blocked his cell number.

1990 Beth (Stanger) Barach writes, “It was great to be back on campus in September after many years and show my

UNION COLLEGE | FALL 2021

and hopefully we will be able to visit Union soon. Anyone in the Arizona or NYC areas please let us know. It would be great to catch up!”

Class of 1988 hikers Bob Steindl, Lou Tremante, Catherine (Tremante) Canavan, John Balzano, Mark Shanahan and Steve Szydlik at the trailhead in Northville, N.Y.

family around Union. However, what made it even more special was knowing that my son Jacob, Class of 2025, is now starting his own adventure at Union. I look forward to visiting again soon.”

David Wachtel ’90 proudly wears his Nott Today COVID shirt.

1992 Lance Harry was recently featured in Energy Tech Review, discussing “Stat-X fire suppression: environmentally friendly fire suppression unit” and “Stat-X fire suppression: saving lives with efficient fire suppression systems.” He is president and CEO of Fireaway Inc.

1993 CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Jill D. Bernstein New York, N.Y. jilldbernstein@yahoo.com Jason “Jay” Buchwald writes, “While I am still working as a hospitalist in Scottsdale/Arizona, I also sometimes do hospitalist work out of state, including N.Y. I am simultaneously building my own practice, going to nursing homes and acute rehab centers, with the plan to be eventually fully self-employed! So far so good, but it does take time. I also am still very involved with music. I have my own recording studio, The Operating Room, and I am writing/composing/ recording for both myself and other artists. This includes being the keyboard player for the Matt Facciolla Band (https://www.matthewjohnsband.com)—a longtime friend, former and when asked, current band mate who has opened for Joan Jett, The J. Geils Band, Foghat, One Republic, and even ending up in the recording studio with the Goo Goo Dolls. Played a show for 20,000 people a few days after that on the waterfront in Buffalo. It was a blast! Some highlights are at www. BuckyTunes.com. My wife, Chiqui, and I are in NYC often,

Stacie Jordan Brenkovich writes, “We recently stopped to visit Union on our way home from Lake George! It was great to see how the campus has expanded without losing its character. My husband, John, and kids, Matthew (11) and Avery (8), really enjoyed seeing where mom went to college!”

1994 CLASS CORRESPONDENT

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

1996 Clarkson University Assistant Professor of Education Karen Gregory recently received the Outstanding New Teacher Award for 2021.

1997 CLASS CORRESPONDENT

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

A large-scale figurative sculpture by Jack HowardPotter, titled “Torso II, Swinging II, Messenger of the Gods,” was on-site at Court Square Park in Long Island City, Queens, through Sept. 12. It

Check out the TERRACE COUN CIL The Terrace Council is Union’s society for leadership-level donors who make the College a priority in their annual philanthropy. Collectively, Terrace Council members contribute over 80 percent of all monies raised by the College. Please consider becoming a Terrace Council member and joining the 310 new Terrace Council members who signed up in force last year.

Our Terrace Council co-chairs offer this message of thanks.

“My experience at Union provided me with a great education, wonderful friends and many fantastic memories. By giving back, I hope to help provide students with the opportunity to have as rewarding an experience as I did. Thank you for your consideration.” – Andy Albert ’89

“We are especially thankful to belong to a community that is committed to sustaining Union’s future. We are reminded of our time on campus, the lessons learned, the friendships formed and the experiences that enable us to understand the importance of giving back, especially at times like these. The leadership and support of Terrace Council members have made an extraordinary impact on growing The Union Fund throughout the years.” –Kenya LeNoir Messer ’90

T O LE A RN M O RE A B O UT T E RRAC E CO UN CIL, V IS IT ualumni.union.edu/terracecouncil FALL 2021 | UNION COLLEGE

CLASS NOTES

was part of a group of public installations throughout New York City designed to brighten the landscape with thoughtprovoking art.

1998 CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Ryan T. Smith Jupiter, Fla. ryan.smith@thebenjamin school.org Joanna Rudolph has written a piece for agnesfilms.com called “How to market a 10-year-old short film.” In it, she talks about her experience releasing and marketing “Summer with Mrs. Von Mausch,” a short film she produced.

1999 CLASS CORRESPONDENT

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

Newest Lunch, owned by George Plakas, recently celebrated a century in business. The popular eatery is located in Schenectady.

2001 Victoria (Dreier) Smith writes, “After nearly ten years at Sea Education Association (SEA), I accepted a position as the assistant director of Annual Giving and Prospect Research at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) in Woods Hole, MA.”

2002 CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Elise DiBenedetto elise.dibenedetto@gmail.com Ricja Rice was recently sworn in as Albany, N.Y.'s newest city court judge to fill a vacancy created by a retirement. She is first vice president of the Black 52

UNION COLLEGE | FALL 2021

and Hispanic Bar Association and past president and current board member of the Women’s Bar Association. Rice is running for a full 10-year term in November.

2003 CLASS CORRESPONDENT

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

2005 CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Annette C. Stock annettecstock@gmail.com

2006 CLASS CORRESPONDENT

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

for her visionary work helping companies across the country improve their corporate cultures and eliminate barriers to inclusion in the workplace. Carla serves on Goulston & Storrs’ Inclusion Advisory Committee and Hiring Committee. She is co-chair of the Boston Bar Association’s Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Section; co-chair of the Women of Color Committee of the Women’s Bar Association; and a member of the Programs and Professional Development Committee of the Massachusetts Black Lawyers Association. She is also a 2020 Fellow of the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity and serves on the Board of Directors of the Volunteer Lawyers Project of the Boston Bar Association.

Marisa Kaufman is assistant commissioner of communications in the division of external affairs at the NYC Administration for Children’s Services. Marisa joined ACS in April 2018 as communications director. Prior to ACS, Marisa worked in the office of U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer. There, she served in multiple capacities, including deputy NYC Communications director. Marisa holds a Master of Public Administration from Baruch College and has extensive experience in communications strategy and planning.

2010 CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Deanna Cox deannac88@gmail.com

2007 CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Jackie Siedlecki Murphy Delmar, N.Y. jaclynrenemurphy@gmail.com Caroline (Nelson) Blackburn writes, “I was appointed Dutchess County Attorney in November 2020 by Dutchess County Executive Marcus J. Molinaro. I am the first woman to hold the position in Dutchess County history. On a personal note, my husband, Dan, and I welcomed a daughter, Natalie Margaret, in July 2019. She turned two this year. Her little brother, Samuel Joseph, was born in June 2021. We are hoping to visit campus sometime this year.”

2008 CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Dana Cohen Bernstein New York, N.Y. dana.lynn.bernstein@gmail.com Carla Reeves was named an “Employment Law Trailblazer” by The National Law Journal

Carla Reeves ’08

Barclay Damon attorney Jamie Dughi Hogenkamp was recently named to the 2021 Upstate New York Rising Stars list. She works in the firm’s Albany office and specializes in health care.

2009 CLASS CORRESPONDENTS

Gabe Kramer Los Angeles, Calif. kramerg3@gmail.com Carl S. Winkler New York, N.Y. carl.s.winkler@gmail.com

From left: Brendan Truscott ’10, Tucker Wold (15 months), Joe Wold ’10, Joe’s dog Bruin, and Sunny Looi. With Brendan’s help, Joe recently started a business called LifeHandle.

Joe Wold recently started LifeHandle, leveraging Union’s network to involve other alums, including his college roommate, Brendan Truscott. Joe writes, “LifeHandle manufactures assistive carrying devices and accessories designed to help people lift, hold and carry your kids and gear, and also walk your

Parents Circle

Thank you to the Parents Circle families and loyal alumni who hosted Summer Welcome Receptions for the Class of 2025. The Union passion, spirit and enthusiasm shared during these programs are inspiring!

nion’s Parents Circle is a parent philanthropy group, whose members become College insiders and investors in its success, ultimately developing stronger ties to their student’s Union experience. We appreciate everything that Parents Circle families shared with Union in 2020 – 2021. Your support and philanthropy has an incredible impact. We are thrilled to welcome Class of 2025 families to the Union community, and we invite you to join us in supporting the educational programs and activities that will make your child’s Union experience extraordinary.

Thank you to our 2020-2021 Parents Circle families: Robert and Susan Appleby P’21 Thomas Caulfield and Sandra Eng-Caulfield P’19 Barry and Nancy Cohen P’23 Patrick ’88 and Jennifer DiCerbo ’91, P’24 Francis and Patricia D'Iorio P’21 Susan Farley ’81 and Gilbert Harper P’24 Merle Hochman P’89 Peter ’82 and Daphne Hoffman P’21 Stephen and Jill Karp P’97, P’99 Jaap and Regina Ketting P’21 Jeffrey Kip P’24 Henry and Nancy Klingeman P’21 David and Ann Kurtz P’22 Jon Lennon ’92 and Carolyn Dunn ‘90, P’23 Stephen ’87 and Karyn Lipsky P’22 John Masini P’13 Sean and Susan McCance P’24 Henry and Amy Merlo P’23 Eric ’91 and Susan Miller P’22 Michael and Anne Moran P’10, P’13 Thomas and Liz Niedermeyer P’10 Mark and Nedra Oren P’88, P’90 Jim and Jean Prusko P’25 Nathaniel Roberts and Laura Zung P’24 Michael and Janet Rogers P’11 Alan ’80 and Maura Rutkin P’12, P’21 David and Karen Sherwood P’23 Eric and Risa Siegel P’21 Angelo and Connie Silveri GP’21 Laurie Stone P’14 Keith Sultan ’90 and Iuliana Shapira P’23 David and Michele Tarica P’10 Jon and Betsy Tilkemeier P’21 Peter and Judi Wasserman P’95, P’00 Mark ’88 and Emily Webster P’23 Robert Wilson P’09 Anne Wilson P’09 Guilan Yu GP’22

To learn more about the Parents Circle, please contact: Noelle Beach Marchaj '05 Director of Parent and Family Philanthropy Cell: 860-655-2875 marchajn@union.edu union.edu/parents-families FALL 2021 | UNION COLLEGE

CLASS NOTES

dog hands-free! The first two products, the Hands-Free Comfort Leash and the All-Purpose Handle, work with the LifeHandle Sling to make adventures easier and more fun. The Hands-Free Comfort Leash is designed to distribute your dog’s pull force across your core while keeping both hands free when you need them. The All-Purpose Handle allows you to easily hold kids, groceries or sporting gear with one arm. After a successful launch on Kickstarter at the end of 2020, LifeHandle has been making the lives of parents and dog owners more enjoyable. Learn more at www.mylifehandle.com and let us help you handle life with LifeHandle.”

2012 CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Anna Meiring Boston, Mass. annameiring@gmail.com Rachel Baker was promoted to assistant secretary for health by New York Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo . She previously served as an Excelsior Service Fellow. Sam Fein is a two-term legislator representing constituent in the Albany County (N.Y.) Legislature. In July, he announced his bid for the New York State Assembly. Learn more at feinforassembly.com Chris Paine and his band, The Midnight Callers, were signed to a three-album deal with Marty Scott’s JEM Records. Their debut album on JEM, “Red Letter Glow,” is out now. They were voted in the top three in the 2020 Little Steven’s Underground Garage/Sirius XM listeners poll. They are currently preparing to record their second album for JEM Records. In other news, The

UNION COLLEGE | FALL 2021

Midnight Callers, based out of New York City, helped to raise thousands of dollars for the Shriner’s Children’s Hospital. They played a concert, along with four other bands, at The Rock and Rhodes Music Festival. The event was held on Sunday, Oct. 3, at Rhodes on the Pawtuxet in Cranston, Rhode Island.

Chris Paine ’12 (second from left) and his band, The Midnight Callers, recently signed an album deal with JEM Records.

Cushman & Wakefield has welcomed a team to its office at 1290 Avenue of the Americas that includes Matthew Livingston. Previously at JLL, he has seven years of experience and joins the firm as a director. The team will focus on tenant representation in New York City.

2013 CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Cristina Vazzana Boston, Mass. vazzanaca@gmail.com

2014 Colleen Kilbourne writes, “In June 2021, I graduated from University of Rochester’s Family Medicine Residency program and will begin my career as a rural family medicine physician at Tri-County Family Medicine in the Finger Lakes region of N.Y. My husband Matthew and I welcomed our first child,

Yancy Zhang ’16, a software engineer with Wharton Research Data Services, recently spoke to students and faculty at Union’s Center for Data Analytics.

Owen Matthew Tracy, in April of 2021, and look forward to bringing him to campus for a visit soon!” Jasmine Roth has been accepted to the John Wells Directing Fellowship at Carnegie Mellon University’s School of Drama. The fellowship is a three-year MFA program that accepts only two students per year.

2015 Maura Driscoll is digital director in Gov. Charlie Baker’s (Mass.) communications office. Before joining the governor’s team, she worked as chief of staff to Ipswich Republican Rep. Brad Hill. Teddy Benfield was recently featured the Abigail Ogilvy Gallery’s artist spotlight. In the Q&A, he talked about his artwork and inspiration. Read more at www.abigailogilvy. com/blog

2016 CLASS CORRESPONDENT

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

At its first in-person event since March 2020, Union’s Center for Data Analytics welcomed Yancy Zhang. Yancy is a software engineer with Wharton Research Data Services, a leading data and analytics provider for business research. He spoke about his work on computational finance, financial filing and regulations, and information retrieval. Yancy highlighted the potential of natural language processing in understanding financial markets. His described his work of extracting information from large amounts of text contained in publicly available filings.

2017 Shayne Gostisbehere, an NHL defenseman for the Philadelphia Flyers since 2014, was traded in July 2021 to the Arizona Coyotes.

2018 Sharifa Sahai was recently featured in the MITxHarvard Women in Artificial Intelligence Young Scientists Interview Series.

2020

Andrea M. Secchiaroli P’20, Patrick Secchiaroli ’90 (right) and their son, Michael Secchiaroli ’20 (left), attended the celebration of the Class of 2020 on campus in June.

ARRIVALS

Ryder Dylan Blonstein (Blonstein ’06)

Mira Anne Wade (Wade ’06)

Nicholas Everett (Cromeek ’07)

Jolene Jade Pearson (Pearson ’07)

2021 Jasper Chew writes, “After graduating in June, I have started working in my new role as associate at Marathon Communications, a strategic communications firm based in Los Angeles with experience in public affairs and coalition building for both public and private sector clients. Last summer, I interned there for fellow Union alum Gabe Kramer ’09. I conducted background research on development projects for major real estate companies, gaining knowledge on the issues affecting communities, local bureaucracy and the development process in a number of municipalities. In this new role, I will continue my work on development projects in the Los Angeles area with some expanded responsibilities as well as provide administrative support to Marathon President Richard Lichtenstein. I’m excited for this opportunity, and sincerely thank the alumni office at Union for starting me on this path.”

2006

2007

Melissa and Jonathan Blonstein welcomed Ryder Dylan Blonstein on Aug. 27, 2021. Ryder is the grandson of Jeffrey Blonstein MD ’73 and nephew of Jackie Blonstein ’09.

Jess Cromeek and her husband, Duncan Bell, are proud to announce the birth of their second son, Nicholas Everett. He was born on Aug. 15, 2021, in Washington, D.C., and weighed 7 pounds, 11 ounces and was 21 inches.

Liz (Mehaffey) Wade and her husband, Ryan Wade, welcomed Mira Anne Wade on Aug. 27, 2021. PHOTO: Arrivals_06_Wade_ FL21:

Melissa and Mitch Pearson, welcomed their baby girl, Jolene Jade Pearson, in August 2021. Jolene joins her twin siblings, Brandon and Cecilia. The family lives in Lido Beach, N.Y. PHOTO: Arrivals_07_Pearson_ FL21: FALL 2021 | UNION COLLEGE

U UNIONS

’12

Alumni attend the wedding of Jamie Carey ’12 and Ryan Dowling ’12

2012 Jamie Carey and Ryan Dowling were married on May 8, 2021 in Montauk, N.Y. Alumni in attendance included Kate Pontosky ’11, Claire Lavelle, Alex Sussman ’14, Max Davidson ’13, Phil Mendes, Lizzy Rosato, Chris Chiodo ’11, Dan Golden ’13, Brett Tessler, Isabel Zellweger, Rus Dzanko, Chris Moore, Anthony Pontosky, David Lawrence ’65, Lizzie Santoro, Johnny Goldbery, Jamie Therrien, Brian Cannon, Andie Coopersmith, Hilary Salander, Brianne Fennessy, Hilary Bergman, Kealin Civetti and Ali Berg.

UNION COLLEGE | FALL 2021

’14

Alumni attend the wedding of Harrison Kim ’13 and Kayla (Froelich) Kim.

’14

Alumni attend the wedding of Jacob Lebowitz and Allison (Troy) Lebowitz ’15

’14

Alumni attend the wedding of Nicole Merigliano ’14 and William Meile ’14.

2013 Harrison Kim and Kayla (Froelich) Kim were married June 25, 2021. Alumni in attendance included Cal Smith, Luke Johnson, Kristin (O’Connor) Richey, Chase Richey, George Haydock ’14, Scott Strohecker, Evan Croll and Parker Niles.

2014

’14

Jacob Lebowitz and Allison (Troy) Lebowitz ’15 were married in a private ceremony Sept. 12, 2020. They were finally able to celebrate with friends June 26, 2021. Alumni in attendance included William Meile, MarcAnthony Parrino, Katherine (Pouliot) Rose ’16, Sarah (Logan) Parrino ’13, Joshua Rose, Tosin Kazeem, Michael Miceli, Nicole (Merigliano) Meile and Kenneth Schunck.

Nicole Merigliano and William Meile were married May 30, 2021 at Bonnet Island Estate in Manahawkin, N.J. Alumni in attendance included Nick LaPoint, Shannon LaPoint (née Crowley), Jeff DeVico ’13, Colin Coates, Adrian Nowak, John Giuggio, Nick Becker, Allison (Troy) Lebowitz ’15, Jacob Lebowitz, Mary McCune, Kelly Harchetts (head coach, field hockey), Michael Ewing, Micaela DeSimone, Joshua Ouellete, Matthew Meile and Alex (Antonucci) Meile ’12. Rebecca Knepple married Jason Kuehl in a special Star Wars themed wedding on May 4, 2021, in Borderland State Park in Massachusetts. Jacob Larocca ’12 was the officiant and Union alumni in attendance were Andrew Persson ’12 and Allie Steed ’17.

Rebecca Knepple ’14 and Jason Kuehl

FALL 2021 | UNION COLLEGE

8 IN MEMORIAM

8 1940s Feliciano J. Gonzalez ’42, of Boston, Mass., who served in the U.S. Marine Corps and was part of a honor guard at the White House during World War II, June 14, 2021. He attended law school at the University of Puerto Rico and also studied at Harvard Law School before joining the Department of Justice in Puerto Rico. Later head of the legal department for the Federal Land Bank of Baltimore, he concluded his career as an attorney for legislative services in the government of Puerto Rico. An avid gardener who was devoted to his family, particularly his granddaughters, he was 102. Dr. Levon Bedrosian ’46, of Delmar, N.Y. who graduated from Albany Medical College, and served in the U.S. Navy during the Korean War and later in the U.S. Naval Reserve, April 9, 2021. Lefty delivered over 10,000 babies and served as medical director of Albany Medical Center South Clinical Campus and as clinical professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Albany Medical College. He held a commercial pilot’s license and was a member of the Upper 15 Flying Club. A member of the First Presbyterian Church (Albany) and Delmar Reformed Church, his Armenian heritage was important to him. He was 96. Daniel Andersen ’47, of Grand Rapids, Mich., who served in the U.S. Navy during World War II and attended Dallas Theological Seminary, May 3, 2021. A teacher at Grand Rapids Junior College (now GRCC), he later taught physics, astronomy and cosmology at Grand Valley State College (now GVSU). In 1982, he took over publication of “This I Believe,” an independent Christian ministry. An avid peace advocate who marched for racial justice and was an environmentalist, gardener and conservationist, he loved spending time at the family cottage on Little Whitefish Lake. He was 95.

UNION COLLEGE | FALL 2021

Elihu H. Modlin ’48, of Hewlett Bay Park, N.Y., who was a member and president of the Hewlett-Woodmere Board of Education for 27 years and was president of the Five Towns Community Council, May 13, 2021. Also a member of the Board of Trustees of Long Island Jewish Hospital, he was a longstanding patron of many arts, cultural, environmental and healthcare organizations. An avid golfer who was fond of skiing and baking blueberry muffins for his grandchildren, he was 93. Harold Larkin ’49, of Schenectady, N.Y., who held a master’s in education from Union College and completed GE’s Advanced Engineering Program, April 24, 2021. He spent 39 years with Knolls Atomic Power Lab and in 1957, received a Management Award for Conceptual Design of a Reactor that became the first nuclear core for a U.S. submarine. Active in Boy Scout Troop 48 in Clifton Park, he served as social ministry chair for almost 30 years at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church. Also a strong supporter of ELCA World Hunger Program, Hal was an avid runner and was a New York State champion for several consecutive years. He was 93. Wayne M. Davis ’49, of Albany, N.Y., who was a veteran of World War II and a graduate of Albany Law School, March 21, 2021. Employed by the New York State Bar Association, he later served for many years as assistant attorney general. Thereafter, he remained active in his private practice until he retired at the age of 84. Also professor of law at Russell Sage College, he was president of the Union College Alumni Association and active in Laymen’s League of the Unitarian Church and the Association of the Blind. He loved flying in the Civil Air Corps and sailing his own boats, which he kept at Saratoga Yacht Club. He was 94.

8 JAMES A. CLARK

olleagues are remembering James A. Clark for the friendly care he gave to his work across campus, his pride in serving his country and his obsession for maintaining pristine ice at Messa Rink. Clark, a stationary engineer who joined Union in 1990, died July 29, 2021. He was 66. Colleagues called him “Sarge,” a moniker that referred to his devotion to the U.S. Army and playfully described his intolerance for imperfection. He served 45 years in the U.S. Army, first as a Vietnam era soldier and later in the Army National Guard, when he was deployed at Ground Zero after the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001. Known for his organizational and computer skills, he created spreadsheets used to monitor the HVAC systems on campus. Besides his regular duties in ensuring the comfort of students and employees, he took on the 24-hour job of maintaining the ice at Achilles Center’s Messa Rink. When he wasn't on campus, he monitored and adjusted the ice temperature from a laptop computer at his home.

“Jim was not only a dedicated employee, but was also a friend to many in the department,” said Gary Thomas, manager of central utilities and cogeneration. “We all had a personal relationship with Jim on the outside. Jim arranged yearly camping trips with some of the guys, attended Yankee games and exercised on the weekends.” Thomas said that after Clark was diagnosed with cancer, he continued to work around his treatments to ensure that “everything was in order and that everyone understood how the Achilles ice rink operated. This commitment and courage proved that Jim was a critical asset to his friends and the organization.” He was a fixture at the rink and a favorite with players, coaches and staff. He never missed a Union hockey game and often traveled to away games. “We will miss the daily interactions with Jimmy discussing the program and hockey in general,”

said Rick Bennett, head coach of men’s ice hockey. “We are grateful for the many upgrades he helped provide in the locker room. As great as Jimmy was in his profession at Union, we respected and admired him for his years of service with the U.S. Army. We will miss Jimmy Clark and what he meant to our program as a friend.” “Jimmy was always eager to help,” said Josh Sciba, head coach of women’s ice hockey. “He was so committed to seeing the hockey programs have everything that we need to be successful and there was no project that was too big. His dedication was inspiring. Messa Rink continues to be a great facility due in large part to his efforts year round. Our condolences go out to his family as they celebrate his legacy.” Survivors include his wife, Victoria Mayo Clark; two children; two step-children; and 10 grandchildren. A memorial is set for Monday, Aug. 23, at 10 a.m. in Memorial Chapel. Masks will be required. Interment will be on Tuesday, Aug. 24, at 11 a.m. at the Gerald B.H. Solomon Saratoga National Cemetery, 200 Duell Road, Schuylerville, N.Y. 12871.

FALL 2021 | UNION COLLEGE

IN MEMORIAM

Harvey Strauss ’49, of Cape Coral, Fla., who was a key engineer for NASA’s Apollo missions, July 19, 2021. Chief ground support equipment structures engineer for the lunar module, his signature accompanied the astronauts to the moon. During his career, Harvey also worked as a construction field engineer and a civil and structural engineer. Later, he and his wife founded Alpha Engineering of Lee County Inc. in southwest Florida. He enjoyed fishing, painting, sculpting and acting, and was an extra in the film “Marooned” (1969). He was 93. Paul Guttenberg ’49, of Amsterdam, N.Y., who served in the U.S. Marines and helped lead and grow the family business, Mortan’s, Aug. 16, 2021. Active in his community on multiple boards and with civic organizations, he was a founder of Fulton-Montgomery County Community College. During his career, he also organized a financial restructuring company and founded a consulting firm working with financially trouble companies. He and his wife also restructured and modernized the River Ridge Living Center when they assumed ownership of it. Paul, who owned and enjoyed flying several pre-war airplanes, was 94.

1950s Robert G. Lippman ’50, of Long Island, N.Y., a retired marketing director who served in the 5307th Merrill’s Marauders in Burma during World War II, June 21, 2021. Lippman Hall, the renovated Social Sciences building, was dedicated in honor of Bob and his wife, Barbara, in 2011. At the ceremony, he recalled his feelings for Union in four words: “I love this place.” The project was supported by their son, Jim ’79 and his wife, Linda. Survivors also include son Donald ’82; and grandchildren Meredith ’09, Matthew ’13 and Michael ’18. Also a graduate of Rome Free Academy, Bob was 98.

UNION COLLEGE | FALL 2021

Richard W. Redick ’50, of Bethesda, Md., who was a statistician and demographer with the National Institute of Mental Health, Aug. 1, 2021. He retired as chief of the survey and reports branch of the division of biometry and epidemiology, and authored many publications and reports about the status of mental health services in the U.S. An emeritus member of the Population Association of America, he held masters and doctoral degrees in sociology and demography from the University of Chicago. He was 94. Charles F. Little Jr. ’53, of Queensbury, N.Y., who held a J.D. from Albany Law School, served in the U.S. Air Force during the Cold War and served in the Air Force Reserves, May 21, 2021. He began his career in private practice, later retiring after a long career as an attorney with the NYS Department of Health. A longtime member of the Union College Alumni Association, he was active in his community, including the Crandall Public Library in Glens Falls and Queensbury United Methodist Church. He loved steam trains and supporting educational programs through various organizations. He was 90. Nelson J. Stewart ’53, of Sun City West, Ariz., who served in the U.S. Army and Air Force, March 19, 2021. An electrical engineer with General Electric for 35 years, he was 95. William C. Ketchum Jr. ’53, of Rye, N.Y., who graduated from Columbia Law School and served in the U.S. Navy aboard the USS Bexar, April 9, 2021. He practiced law in the New York City for 20 years and produced 40 books about Americana, including Early Potters and Potteries of New York State and American Folk Art of the Twentieth Century. He also taught at the American Folk Art Museum’s Folk Art Institute, and at NYU and the New School. A past member of the Board of Trustees of Westchester County Historical Society, he was 90.

Dr. Robert N. Shorter ’53, of Clemmons, N.C., who earned an M.A. and Ph.D. at Duke University and taught medieval literature for 41 years at Wake Forest University, July 10, 2021. He was chair of the English Department for 12 years and an associate dean of the graduate school at Wake Forest. Bob’s special love was Chaucer. He was 90. Russell H. Baller ’54, of Kinderhook, N.Y., who graduated from Albany Law School and was a veteran of the U.S. Air Force, April 27, 2021. He started his practice with the Sanford and Forner law firm, and served as an assistant district attorney and assistant public defender in Columbia County. Also a Village of Kinderhook judge, he retired as an administrative judge for the New York Office of Racing and Wagering. He was 88. Dr. Douglas G. Williams ’54, of Sacramento, Calif., who earned an M.D. from the University of Rochester School of Medicine and served as a doctor in the U.S. Army, Aug. 11, 2021. A successful and beloved obstetrician who delivered thousands of babies at Sutter Memorial Hospital, in retirement he continued to attend weekly grand rounds at UC Davis Medical C enter. Doug loved sports, fine wines, his cherished pets, his family and traveling the world with his wife. He was 89. Edward L. Cooper ’55, of Mukwonago, Wis., who served as a pilot in the U.S. Air Force and reserves, July 7, 2021. Ed worked as a buyer for many years for Allis Chalmers and later owned J&E Packaging Corp. A devoted husband, father and grandfather, he loved the Brewers and Packers, and all animals, especially his dog, Mindy. He was 87. Richard Slutsker ’56, of Boynton Beach, Fla., who was retired president of Lorstan Studios, a photography business started by his father, May 12, 2021. A member of B’nai Jeshurun and Green Brook Country Club, he was on the board of Newark

Academy. Richard enjoyed traveling, visiting family and friends, playing golf and reading, and was a lifelong New York Giants fan. A passionate and vivid storyteller, he was 87. Jackson Goddard ’57, of Garden City, N.Y., and New Salem, Mass., who held an M.S. from Adelphi University and served in the U.S. Navy, helping conduct research on the Turks Islands, March 22, 2021. While working for Grumman, he helped design the NASA Apollo mission’s lunar excursion modules. Later a systems engineer and market analyst at the Hendry Corporation, he remained active in retirement. He enjoyed attending auctions, collecting stamps and helping neighbors. He was 85. Randolph Meyer ’57, of Westport, Conn., who served in the U.S. Army in Korea and spent 20 years with IBM before establishing computer leasing company Westport Marketing Inc., July 3, 2021. Wally served Westport with 12 years on the RTM and four years as a selectman. He was founder of Project Return, treasurer of Mid-Fairfield Aids Project for 25 years, past president of Westport Rotary and a justice of the peace for 18 years. A strong globalist, he was 91. Alan Harvey ’58, of Aurora, Colo., who served in the U.S. Marine Corps and held a master’s degree from the Wharton School of Business and Governmental Administration, April 8, 2021. After serving as city manager for five cities, he joined FEMA as an incident disaster specialist for natural disasters in Florida, Virginia, New Jersey and Nebraska. An Eagle Scout who enjoyed the outdoors, he loved sailing his Catalina 27 and was an avid woodworker. Also a Rotarian and Paul Harris Fellow, Alan was 85. Dr. Mark R. Silk ’58, of Hartford, Conn., graduated from New York Medical College and served in the U.S. Air Force, April 30, 2021. He practiced urology at St. Francis Hospital, was a faculty member and

researcher at UCONN Health Center and author of several journal articles. A devoted father, he was also a voracious reader and was a member of the tennis team, French Honors Society and Kappa Nu fraternity at Union College. His favorite vacation spot was Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Dr. James E. Kennedy ’58, of Avon, Conn., who earned his DDS at the University of Pennsylvania, held an M.S. in dental science from the University of Rochester and served in the U.S. Army, July 7, 2021. He specialized periodontics and was dean of the School of Dentistry at the Medical College of Virginia/Virginia Commonwealth University. He later became a professor and dean emeritus of the University of Connecticut’s School of Dental Medicine. An active leader in several professional organizations, including as president of AADS, he was 85. Nelson A. Peek ’59, of Schenectady, N.Y., who held an M.S. in electrical engineering from Union College and graduated from the G.E. Apprentice Machinist Program, March 28, 2021. During a 38-year career with G.E., Nelson worked in several areas, including the electron tube department and advanced development lab, before retiring from Knolls Atomic Power Lab as supervising engineer. Awarded one patent, Nelson was active in his community, including in the Elfun Society and New Hope Lodge #730. A recipient of the Blue Cross Masonic award, he was 87. Hamilton H. Traver Jr. ’59, of Raleigh, N.C., who served in the U.S. Navy before joining the Philadelphia Electric Company, June 4, 2021. He spent 32 years at PECO and completed a graduate degree in physics and education in order to teach. He enjoyed Lake George, Lake Luzerne, camping, fishing, hunting, swimming, skiing and basketball. An avid traveler, he visited every state except Hawaii, and liked U.S. and world history, spending time with his family and playing Crazy 8s. Ham was 83.

Lawrence A. Lotito ’59, of Lake Forest, Calif., who held a doctorate in engineering from Yale University, July 3, 2021. He enjoyed a management career in the electronics industry, retiring as vice president of marketing and general manager at Toshiba TEC America. A longtime member of the Beach & Tennis Club, he was a volunteer referee instructor and director of programs at the American Youth Soccer Organization (Torrance, Calif.). Larry, a skilled woodworker who built custom furniture and toys for his grandchildren, was 83.

1960s Edmund D. Meyers Jr. ’60, of Fort Washington, Pa., who held a Ph.D. in sociology from Johns Hopkins University and taught at Dartmouth College, May 26, 2021. While at Dartmouth, he published Time-Sharing Computation in the Social Sciences and was director of Project Impress. Ed was also director of computing activities at the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago, and director of the research computing division at the Center for the Study of Youth Development in Omaha, Neb. A member of the Episcopal Church, he was 83. Edward C. Frick ’61, of Peoria, Ariz., who participated in General Electric’s manufacturing training program and worked in computer mainframe manufacturing with GE, Honeywell and Bull, Sept. 12, 2021. After 31 years, he retired from Bull in 1993 as director of manufacturing. Subsequently, he worked for several small electronics companies in Phoenix in senior management positions. Active in his community, he was director of the Deer Valley Credit Union and director and past president of the Honeywell Retiree’s Club. Edward, who enjoyed the family cabin in Flagstaff, was 82.

FALL 2021 | UNION COLLEGE

IN MEMORIAM

8 PROF. THOMAS KERSHNER

homas Kershner, associate professor of economics emeritus, is being remembered for his broad intellectual interests, his mentorship and his accessibility. He passed away at his home in Saratoga Springs on June 19, 2021. He was 79. He joined the College in 1968 as an instructor of economics and became assistant professor after completing his Ph.D. in 1972. He became associate professor with tenure in 1974. He chaired Economics from 1973 to 1981, during which he recruited faculty members Bruce Reynolds, Shelton Schmidt, Bradley Lewis and J. Douglass Klein. When Klein first visited campus during a bitterly cold January in 1979, Kershner hosted him and his wife at his home. “I have always appreciated the warm welcome he offered and the ways he helped me become part of the Union community,” Klein said. Before he joined Union in 1979, Lewis was on the traveling audit team for GE. When he was in Schenectady for a quarter, he took

UNION COLLEGE | FALL 2021

an economic forecasting course with Kershner. After Lewis earned his Ph.D., Kershner called him and convinced him to come to Union and Schenectady. “He was an excellent recruiter,” Lewis said. “He looked for candidates who had been in small colleges as undergrads and gone on to highlyranked grad departments. [Union] was very strong and, to me, very interesting.” Kershner also supported and encouraged his colleagues to get involved with faculty governance, Lewis said. John Denio ’76 was an interdepartmental major in civil engineering and economics with a busy schedule as a student athlete in soccer and basketball. He recalls Kershner attending games and welcoming him and others at his home. “He treated everyone equally,” Denio recalled. “He was never that professor on a pedestal.” Kershner was “remarkably down to earth” and took time to know

students outside of class, said Denio, who retired in 2015 to complete a career as coach, professor and dean of students at the Albany College of Pharmacy. Denio said his interest in academe “had a lot to do with how professors [like Kershner] dealt with me as a student.” Kershner coordinated the Achilles Rink project from 1974 to 1976, and served as interim director of athletics from 1975 to 1977. He became a research professor from 1993 until he retired in 1997, which allowed him to do consultancy work. With some Union colleagues, he started Kennerman Associates, an economic forecasting firm that determined losses for deceased or injured individuals including victims of the 9/11 attacks. The firm, later renamed Kershner Grosso &Co., expanded into investment management. He earned his A.B. from Oakland University; and his master’s and Ph.D. from Harvard University. Survivors include his wife, Christine Rowe-Button; and daughters, Jennifer Moreau and Kim Ferrie.

Reeve B. Howland ’63, of Elmira N.Y., who was a retired mechanical engineer and registered environmental manager with Motor Components, LLC, May 15, 2021. At Union, “Doc” was a member of Alpha Delta Phi and the football team. Reeve is survived by his wife of 56 years, Karin; sons, R. Scott and Peter ’94; and four grandchildren. Reeve was 79. Howard C. Allen ’63, of Glens Falls, N.Y., who served in the U.S. Army and spent 31 years in the Army Reserves, earning the Army Commendation Medal, May 6, 2021. An electrical contractor for Liberty Electric before working for Hill Electric and Ontario Electric, he ended his career at 82 as a warehouse receiver for Warren Electric. A lifelong member of First Presbyterian Church of Glens Falls, he served on the board of deacons, was an elder on session with the mission committee and became a Stephen Minister. Howard and his wife were active supporters of the arts. He was 86. Major Richard H. Hughes ’63 (U.S. Air Force, ret.), of Las Vegas, Nev., who served 20 years in the U.S. Air Force, Jan. 19, 2021. Upon retirement, Dick owned and operated a local model train shop for more than 30 years. He was 79. Paul M. Cantwell Jr. ’63, of Malone, N.Y., who graduated from Albany Law School and until January 2020, worked in the Law Offices of Cantwell & Cantwell, May 10, 2021. He was the Malone town attorney for 17 years and Franklin County attorney for four years. Also attorney for Paul Smith’s College and a member of its board of trustees, he was also the attorney for Alice Hyde Memorial Hospital. Serving on numerous boards, including Adirondack North Country Association, Life Flight and Adirondack Community Bank Advisory Board, he was 79. William C. Motter III ’63, of Kansas City, Mo., who enjoyed 50 years in the insurance business and was a graduate of

St. Paul Academy, July 11, 2021. Devoted to family and friends, Will loved his golf games, and family days spent at hockey games, tennis tournaments and the beach. He was 80. Charlie “Buck” Cronheim ’64, of Mountain Lakes, N.J., who flew helicopters in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War and later served as a reservist, Jan. 10, 2021. He held an MBA and spent a 30-year career overseas with Mobil Oil Corporation in Holland, England, Italy, Kenya, Nigeria and Japan, tackling ever-changing jobs in information systems and management. He enjoyed sailing, piloting small planes and organizing safaris, scuba diving, river rafting, camping, mountain trekking and other adventures for and with family and friends. In retirement, he devoted his talents to non-profits and teaching medical students. He was 80. Robert O. Westfall ’64, of Vero Beach, Fla., who held management positions at several firms before retiring from Graphic Controls in Clayton, N.Y., March 30, 2021. Bob loved the Thousand Islands, boating and fishing. In Vero Beach, he worked well into his 70s and was a medical courier. He was 83. Warren C. Dickerson ’64, of Pelham, Ala., who held an MBA from Auburn University and served in the U.S. Air Force during the Vietnam War, April 21, 2021. Employed with the Air Force as a civil engineer for 24 years, he enjoyed golf, model trains and his family. He was an accomplished musician who performed with Weasel and Wharf Rats in college. A member of the Train Collectors of America for more than 30 years, he was 79. Rev. Gerald A. Ash ’64, of Mitchellville, Md., who held a Master of Divinity from the General Theological Seminary and was an Episcopal priest in parishes in New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Maryland, June 27, 2021. He loved singing Anglican choral music, was a gourmet cook, had a green

thumb for gardening and enjoyed decorating for the holidays (especially Christmas). He was 79. Dr. Robert A. Warner ’64, of Tigard, Ore., who attended medical school at Duke University and SUNY Upstate Medical University, and served in the U.S. Air Force Reserves, June 28, 2021. Chief of medical services at Syracuse VA Medical Center for 10 years, he was also a professor of medicine for 11 years, medical director of Inovise Medical Inc., and director of Tigard Research University. He enjoyed philosophy, reciting poetry, telling good and bad jokes, attempting to master video poker and cheering on Syracuse University. He was 78. Stephen E. Mintz ’65, of Amsterdam, N.Y., who earned a bachelor’s in English literature from Brown University before earning a bachelor’s in electrical engineering from Union College, June 7, 2021. A systems analyst for New York State, he was former chairman of the Vocational Advisory Committee at Hudson Valley Community College. He was also president of the Y-Knot Sailing Organization and was an amateur radio enthusiast with an extra class license. He was 82. James B. Lovell G’66, of Sandwich, Mass., who served in the U.S. Army Air Corps and earned a B.S. from Brown University and an M.S. in electrical engineering from Union College, April 26, 2021. Employed with General Electric for 40 years, he was an accomplished pianist and was rehearsal pianist for the Schenectady Light Opera. A member of the Scotia-Glenville Rotary Club, he sang in groups that included the Burnt Hills United Methodist Church Choir. Interested in many things, including geology, Greek mythology, the Dutch Masters, gardening and swimming, he was 96. H. David Stensel ’67, of Seattle, Wash., who received an appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy and held a master’s and Ph.D. in environmental engineering from Cornell

FALL 2021 | UNION COLLEGE

DONOR PROFILE

Carl George: Fostering experiential and academic exploration After 30 years in academia, Carl George, emeritus professor of biology, has left an indelible mark on Union College. One of his greatest contributions to the College has been educating the community and broader audiences about the symbolism and significances of the Nott Memorial. He is wellknown for his numerous lectures and tours of the iconic structure, and his hope is that he will go down in history as the best ambassador for architectural appreciation of the Nott. George finds importance in respecting the 227-year heritage of the College and generations of amazing alumni. Throughout its existence, George believes that Union has always brought the best people together. “We’ve got top-notch faculty and students, and the campus environment is uniquely special,” he said. “I think there is an important intimacy in the Union experience.” Exploration, too, is important. Exposing students to new academic endeavors, for instance, was George’s favorite part of his teaching career. Dedicated to “the big picture of teaching,” he challenged students’ academic experiences and encouraged exposure to the unfamiliar. In “World Agriculture,” which he co-taught with Peter Tobiessen, emeritus professor of biology, student groups met local farmers as part of coursework. When George was teaching, the majority of Union students came from cities and had never worked with cows before. He laughed, remembering that “there were some very shocking experiences for some, so this was definitely a different kind of course.” 64

UNION COLLEGE | FALL 2021

Balinese Masks, puleh wood, paint, palm fiber, Gift of Carl George in memory of Gail George, Union College Permanent Collection, 2008.7.1-23 UCPC

To continue his legacy of fostering experiential and academic exploration, George has donated many cultural artifacts and objects to the College’s Permanent Collection. He recently gifted an Asian cloisonné bowl, which Associate Professor of Visual Arts Sherri Lullo will use in her “Arts of China” course. “Carl’s gifts to the Permanent Collection have broadened and greatly enhanced my teaching,” Lullo said. “This gift offers another opportunity to consider the ways that Chinese artisans continually incorporate foreign styles and technologies into their craft.” George has traveled extensively and spent time in Indonesia, assembling a significant collection along the way. Masks he and his late wife, Gail, brought back from Bali and donated to the College are exhibited in Taylor Music Center; Luristan bronzes are featured on the third floor of Schaffer Library; and a Garuda sculpture hangs near the entrance to Emerson Auditorium. The Garuda is a bird-creature from Hindu mythology that has a mix of eagle and human features, and represents both birth and heaven. “Carl’s approach to life could be called transdisciplinary. Carl is a visionary who, long before current academic discourse, understood the educational impact of wide-ranging cultural collections in learning in and beyond the classroom,” said Julie Lohnes, director and curator of Art Collections & Exhibitions. “Without doubt, the Permanent Collection is deeply indebted and grateful to Carl for these gifts. They make up some of the most utilized objects integrated into teaching from our collections.”

T O L E A R N M O R E about supporting the College, visit Union’s planned giving society, the Ramée Circle Society, at rameecircle.org.

Or, contact Steve Jo, Director of Gift Planning, at jos@union.edu or (267) 797-4342.

Fear Bowl (Magic Square Motif), n.d., metal (possibly tin and copper alloy), Gift of Carl George, Union College Permanent Collection, 2018.7.3 UCPC

Fear Bowl (Zodiac Motif), n.d., metal (possibly brass), Gift of Carl George, Union College Permanent Collection, 2018.7.2 UCPC FALL 2021 | UNION COLLEGE

IN MEMORIAM

University, March 30, 2021. Dave spent 32 years in the University of Washington Civil Engineering Department and in 2019 received the WEF Camp Applied Research Award. When not teaching or in the lab, he was a private consultant for companies and municipalities around the world. Dave, who loved the outdoors and Friday fajitas and margarita nights, was 76. Jens Kure-Jensen G’68, of Manchester-bythe-Sea, Mass., who held master’s degrees in engineering from Copenhagen’s Polytechnic Institute and Union College, Feb. 18, 2021. A power generation engineer and later a consultant to General Electric, Jens was an Adirondack 46er, skier and avid sailor. He served on the First Reformed Church’s consistory. He was 91.

1970s Peter Ericson ’70, who held a law degree from Oklahoma City University, served in the Peace Corps in India and specialized in hospital and physician insurance defense, May 6, 2021. A lifelong Unitarian, he served in a number of capacities at First Unitarian Universalist Church (Richmond, Va.). He enjoyed golf, traveling, reading and all things Swedish. He was 72. Stephen B. Brooks Jr. ’71, of York Harbor, Maine, who was longtime purchasing manager at Hollingsworth & Vose during his 36-year career there, April 12, 2021. While living in Rehoboth, Mass., he served in the Conservation Committee and Taunton Commission on Aging. During retirement, Steve worked part-time for the U.S. Census and volunteered with AARP to help seniors file their taxes. A devoted fisherman, he enjoyed his boat (the Aliceanna). He loved animals and kept a small farm in both Floyd and Rehoboth. Also an avid golfer, he was often known as “Twig.” He was 71.

UNION COLLEGE | FALL 2021

Stephen MacKenzie ’71, who was a distinguished service professor at SUNY Cobleskill and a member of its animal science program for 40 years, March 22, 2021. A renowned scholar, author and educator, Doc led the establishment of the canine training and management bachelor degree program at Cobleskill. He served as a deputy sheriff for the Schoharie County Sheriff’s Office for 25 years and as their K-9 handler and trainer for seven of those years. Recognized by the North American Police Work Dog Association as Master Trainer of the Year in 2017, Doc was 72. William C. Crutcher G’72, of Middlebury, Conn., who served in the U.S. Navy during the Korean Conflict, and held a bachelor’s degree from Georgia Technology Institute, an M.A. from Union College and a J.D. from the University of Louisville (Ky.), April 2, 2021. Bill worked for the U.S. Patent Office before spending 16 years with General Electric. Later patent/trademark counsel and vice president of Timex, he also worked at the Gager-Henry Law firm. Active in his community, including with the Middlebury Land Trust, he was an officer of Middlebury Congregational Church. Devoted to music and cultural pastimes, he was 92. Edwin R. Dodd G’72, of Menlo Park, Calif., who held a B.E. in mechanical engineering and B.A. from Sydney University, as well as an M.A. from Union College, June 4, 2021. Known as Tom, he was an engineer who traveled the world and built gas turbine engines for General Electric. He also worked with General Tool, enjoyed all sports and was a rugby referee. A member of the Palo Alto Lawn Bowls Club and SIRS Branch 16 golfing club, he enjoyed traveling. Tom was 83. Anthony J. Scipione G’72, of Middletown, Penn., and formerly of Hummelstown and Scotia, N.Y., who graduated from the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy and held a

master’s in education from Columbia University and a master’s in geology from Union College, July 7, 2021. A Naval engineer during the Korean War, he was an engineer at General Electric before becoming a Earth science teacher at Scotia-Glenville High School. A member of the Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary Catholic Church, he played trumpet with several bands, including the Music Company Orchestra. An avid gardener, he was 92. Brian A. Janonis ’73, of Fort Collins, Colo., who held an M.S. from Colorado State University and was awarded a Gates Fellowship at Harvard Kennedy School, June 6, 2021. He worked at Greeley and Hanson (Chicago), M&I Consulting Engineers, the City of Greeley wastewater department, and was a partner in RBD. Later, he worked for Fort Collins water department, eventually becoming CEO of city utilities. Brian, who enjoyed baking bread, photography, fishing, woodworking and collecting Pelican fountain pens, was 71. David C. Sertl ’73, of Broomfield, Colo., who held a master’s degree from Cornell University and was a chemist for Abbott pharmaceutical company (N.Y.), June 10, 2021. While in New York State, he helped with Navigator Ministries at the University of Vermont. Later, in Columbus, Ohio, he pursued his doctorate at Ohio State University and was a chemist with Ross Labs. He loved the Colorado Mountains, enjoyed the cottage in the Adirondack Mountains with his family and was a big traveler. He was 70. Michael R. Doyle ’73, of Albany, N.Y., who was executive director of the New York State Petroleum Council for 17 years and held a master’s degree in public administration from Northeastern University, May 28, 2021. Also director of government relations for New York Telephone and director of government

affairs at the Business Council of New York, he was inducted into the Upstate New York Basketball Hall of Fame. He was inducted to Union’s Athletics Hall of Fame in 2007 as a member of the 1971-72 basketball team (19-3) that set a school record for wins. He refereed high school basketball and was a WNYT Channel 13 High School All-Star Basketball Scout. Michael, who loved traveling, was 70. J. William Schweiker G’73, of Saratoga Springs, N.Y., who graduated from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and held a master’s in mechanical engineering from Union College, Aug. 13, 2021. He worked at General Electric on the Atlas Missile Project and then at Watervliet Arsenal until his retirement. A devout Catholic and communicant of St. Clements, Bill served on the Saratoga Springs City Planning Board for nine years and on the board of Saratoga Central Catholic High School. He enjoyed skiing, bike riding and walking. He was 92. Martha H. Schmulbach G’74, of Cleverdale, N.Y., who graduated from Ohio State University and held an M.A. in American Studies from Union College, March 18, 2021. An English teacher at Linton High School and Niskayuna High School, she taught, directed and acted in over 50 community plays and musicals. She also worked for Franklin Trask Theatrical Enterprises, the Columbus Public Library, and radio stations WCOL and WOSU. A published author with Capital District Writing Project Publications, she was safety officer and secretary with the U.S. Power Squadron in Lake George. A member of Schenectady’s First Reformed Church, she was 95. Ansell Alberga Jr. ’75, of Schenectady, N.Y., who graduated from HVCC and served in the U.S. Army, Aug. 9, 2021. He spent 40 years with Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory and held the position of mechanical engineer at retirement. Ansell was involved

with Scouting for more than four decades and was an assistant scoutmaster with Troop 357. A science fiction buff who enjoyed the outdoors, he was 81. Susan H. Santamauro ’75, of Milford, Conn., who retired from AT&T as a senior technical director in information technology and was the first woman to letter in track and field at Union College, May 24, 2021. She loved gardening, as well as her two corgis and spending time with her family, especially her grandchildren. She was 67. Grey L. Neely Jr. G’75, of Clarksdale, Miss., who held a bachelor’s from Mississippi State University, where he was a member of Air Force ROTC, April 19, 2021. Grey, who also held a master’s in engineering from Union College, worked for General Electric before running his own engineering consulting business. An avid reader who participated in re-enactments of the Revolutionary War, he was a member of the Noon Lions Club and a former deacon of Clarksdale Church of Christ. He was 70. George V. Chapek G’75, of Glenville, N.Y., who held a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and a master’s in mechanical engineering from Union College, May 31, 2021. He was employed with Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory and Plug Power. A U.S. patent holder, he won the KAPL Engineering/Scientist Award in 1997 and the Schenectady Amateur Radio AssociationHenry Primm Broughton Award for Outstanding Public Service in 1985. George, who enjoyed photography, sailing and auto racing—and often worked as a pit crew member and mechanic—was 71. Lynn M. Sullivan ’75, of Cary, N.C., who graduated from the Vincentian Institute (Albany, N.Y.) and worked as a lab technical for many years before becoming a licensed optician, May 29, 2021. Active in her community, she volunteered for the Lion’s Club and Legal Aid Society. Very

interested in learning Spanish, she spent many hours attempting to master it as a second language. She was 69. Gerald L. Spencer Sr. ’76, of Wilmington, N.C., who served in the U.S. Navy as an active duty submarine officer and accepted a commission in the Naval Reserve, May 26, 2021. He held two M.S. degrees, a Ph.D. in materials engineering from RPI, and held a professional engineer license. At Benet Weapons Laboratory, he served as chief of specifications and packaging branch, chief of materials science branch and leader of the fatigue and fraction analysis team. A recipient of the Navy Commendation Medal and Meritorious Service Medal, he retired as captain after 22 years of service. He was 80. Dr. Michael Wasser ’77, of Laramie, Wyo., who graduated from New Jersey Medical School before joining Gem City Bone and Joint (Premier Bone and Joint) as a shoulder and knee specialist, June 16, 2021. Also a member of the University of Wyoming sports medicine team, he joined Rural Partners in Medicine in 2016, starting a practice to serve patients in rural Nebraska. Michael, who enjoyed rugby, hockey, skiing and biking, supported Israel through AIPAC, where he served as Wyoming state chair for more than two decades. He was 66. William D. Brinnier IV ’77, of Matthews, N.C., who held an M.A. in counseling psychology from Marist College and spent most of his life teaching collegiate psychology in New York and North Carolina, June 28, 2021. A singer, songwriter and guitar player, he loved classic rock and was in several bands. He was the author of Phenomenal Golf: The Inner nArt & Science of Being There and earned affiliate status with the United States Golf Teaching Federation. Also a professional golf instructor at Pebble Creek Club House, he loved the Adirondack Mountains (N.Y). He was 65.

FALL 2021 | UNION COLLEGE

IN MEMORIAM

8 PROF. TWITTY STYLES

witty J. Styles, professor emeritus of biology, was revered as a teacher who challenged his students, respected as a mentor who made lifelong friendships and admired as a leader whose ambitious vision helped forge a welcoming community that celebrates difference. He died Aug. 19, 2021, at the age of 94. Styles taught at Union from 1965 to 1997. In 1971, he was the first African-American faculty member to earn tenure. An immunologist by training, he specialized in infectious diseases, particularly parasitology and immunity to parasitic infections. He was a frequent speaker at professional conferences and worked at clinics in developing countries. He led the College’s AIDS Committee and was active in regional AIDS awareness programs. When he retired in 1997 with colleague and close friend Carl George, professor emeritus of biology, the pair launched UNITAS, which Styles described as “a campus-wide organization whose primary mission is to support and encourage diversity, acceptance and the celebration of cultural differences.” To fund UNITAS, Styles and George wrote letters to hundreds of former students. They quickly raised $50,000, an amount matched by the College. “Fittingly, Prof. Styles and his wife, Dr. Constance Glasgow, were among the first people to welcome us to Union,” said President David R. Harris.

UNION COLLEGE | FALL 2021

“In addition to his well-established reputation as a teacher and mentor, Twitty was committed to building a community that welcomes all and celebrates the diversity that is our strength. I know that his legacy will live on through the initiatives he championed and the many colleagues and alumni who have been lifted by his wisdom, empathy and courage.” Styles earned his bachelor’s from Virginia Union University, and his master’s and Ph.D. from New York University. Born May 18, 1927, in rural Virginia, Styles was first named Winfield but renamed Twitty after a late uncle. The youngest of eight children, his mother passed away when he was 3. Styles attended Moton High School in Farmville, Va., while it was still segregated. (It was among the first schools to be desegregated after Brown v. Board of Education in 1954.) At Moton, his math teacher was Dorothy Vaughn, the “colored computer” played by Octavia Spencer in the 2017 film “Hidden Figures”

about the women behind the scenes in early NASA projects. Vaughn and other teachers were highly influential. After earning his bachelor’s in biology from Virginia Union University, he joined them at Moton to teach science from 1948 to 1950. Drafted into the U.S. Army in 1951, he was assigned to a medical lab in Tokyo that specialized in exotic diseases. “I became an expert on infectious diseases, and I was really stimulated by the work and all the wonderful people around me,” he wrote. In 2019, he wrote a memoir, “Son of Prince Edward County,” a book that provides frank accounts of some of the challenges he faced as an African American. He writes that as late as 1965, when he arrived in Schenectady, he and his wife faced rental restrictions against Black families. They lived temporarily in a home outside of the city that used rainwater from a cistern. He brought bottles of drinking water home from Union. Eventually, they bought a home in Clifton Park, where Style’s wife, Dr. Constance Glasgow, was a prominent pediatrician, and where they raised their two children, Scott and Auria. Styles received the Faculty Meritorious Service Award from the Alumni Council. Of his teaching, he once said. “I always told [my students], ‘Stay with it, you can do the work, put your studies first, and do what you're capable of doing.' “They needed to know that someone cared about them and somebody wanted them to

succeed. That's what I've tried to convey all these years.” “The best measure of a professor's success is how a student feels about you,” he said. “Your student is your final product. They and their success are the final judges of who you are and what you did for them.” To pay tribute to their teacher and mentor, Trustees Fred Pressley Jr. '75 and Estelle Cooke-Sampson '74 helped establish the Professor Twitty J. Styles Scholarship in 2003. When Styles and George retired together in 1997, they hosted a nearly four-hour event that featured performances from cultures around the world. They were to leave campus in a hot air balloon, but high winds scuttled their planned exit. George recalled his friend as “remarkably kind, generous and outreaching. He had a global perspective and wide-ranging interests and he was so socially adroit.” Styles and his wife were widely traveled and collected art including stone carvings from Africa, George said. Styles also collected frog figurines, a fitting hobby for someone whose fascination with biology began with a frog dissection. “Frogs were important to him,” George said. Styles was especially proud of his wife, Connie, whose many accolades he displayed in their home, George said. Styles was a popular figure at alumni events, according to Damond Heath ’10, senior associate director of Alumni and Parent Engagement. Heath also knew Styles as the “elder statesman” of Alpha

Phi Alpha, a historically Black fraternity. The professor joined as an undergraduate in 1946 and helped charter the PiPi chapter at Union in 1983. Another alumnus, D. Dapo Akinleye ’02, recalled Styles’ seven decades of service to the fraternity and service organization. “I was fortunate enough to join as a freshman at Union in 1999 and shared a deep bond with Twitty personally and through our membership in this philanthropic organization, which he served for over 75 years,” said Akinleye, who as a senior served as president of Union’s chapter of APA and is currently the alumni advisor for students. “Brother Styles had style, wisdom, humor and compassion, attributes which will be missed by the frat, the institution and all those who knew him. I will cherish his memories, mourn among his loved ones and hereafter promise to “pay it forward” while I reflect on his mentoring presence in all of our lives,” said Akinleye, an epidemiologist with the New York State Department of Health and the Office of Quality and Patient Safety. As news of his passing spread, many took to social media to share their thoughts about Styles. Lorraine Morales Cox, associate professor of visual arts and chair of the Visual Arts Department, posting on Facebook, wrote, “He was the first person to truly welcome me with open arms when I came to Union 20 years ago. We had many meaningful conversations, and I will never forget, especially those moments when I doubted myself, when he said, with

that sweet charming southern drawl ‘Lorraine, you're a breath of fresh air!’ He probably had no idea how many times I called on that moment as a new faculty member trying to advance equity and inclusion and find my place at Union College.” Angela Tatem joined Union in 2003 and was director of the Kenney Community Center from 2008 to 2020. She first met Styles, when, as a middle school student, she participated in the College’s STEP program. “Professor Twitty Styles was a pillar in the Union College community,” she wrote on Facebook. “The first Black man to become a professor at the College, a highly respected mentor and friend. He was instrumental in making so many opportunities available to Black and Brown students especially. Personally, he was a strong and loving mentor and always encouraged Elroy (her husband, a 2006 alumnus) to earn his doctorate degree. He encouraged me as well in my role at Union serving as the STEP Program director and called me weekly to give advice, encouragement and see how my family and students were doing. We will never see such a kind and amazing man again.” Memorial contributions may be made to the Professor Twitty J. Styles Endowed Scholarship Fund at Union College. Plans for a campus memorial are underway.

FALL 2021 | UNION COLLEGE

IN MEMORIAM

8 PROF. KENNETH SCHICK

olleagues and other friends are remembering Kenneth L. Schick, the Frank and Marie Louise Bailey Professor of Physics Emeritus, who passed away on Sept. 16, 2021. He was 91. Schick, who joined the College in 1959 and retired in 2000, was recalled for his dedication as a teacher, his encouragement as a mentor and his inquisitive nature. “Ken hired me when I came to Union and made our family feel very welcome,” recalled Jay Newman., the R. Gordon Gould ’41 Professor of Physics Emeritus. “After he stepped down as chair, he joined me and numerous students in joint research projects that resulted in nine publications over a decade of collaboration. “After his retirement, he was an active participant in our weekly department colloquia,” Newman said. “Ken always impressed me with his wide-ranging interests, sharp wit and deep concern for his students and colleagues. We'll miss the twinkle in his eyes when he asked a poignant question.” Rebeca Koopman ’89, the R. Gordon Gould ’41 Professor of Physics, knew Schick first as a

UNION COLLEGE | FALL 2021

student and later a colleague. “He taught three of my classes, including astrophysics, which I pursued as my career, and he was a dedicated and inspiring professor,” she said. “He was a mentor to me as a beginning faculty member, always supportive and encouraging. Even after retirement, he was a frequent visitor to our department, participating in our weekly Astronomy Discussion Group and attending our colloquia, and always bringing his wit and perceptive questions.” Born Feb. 20, 1930, in Brooklyn, New York, he received his high school diploma from Stuyvesant High School, a B.S. from Columbia University, and a PhD in Physics from Rutgers University. He served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War. Among his service to the College, he served as department chair and faculty trustee. A champion of academic excellence, he recruited to Union a number of outstanding professors including two top GE scientists: the late Ralph Alpher, the

author of the inaugural work on the Big Bang theory; and the late Herbert Strong, the inventor of artificial diamonds. His wide-ranging research interests covered the electron gun, the surface physics of carbon, impact characteristics of high-speed particles, biophysics and white (random) noise generation. He was a Fulbright Scholar at the University of Leiden in the Netherlands and visiting professor at the Weizmann Institute in Israel. He served on many Middle States Accreditation Committees. Active in retirement, he was on the boards of the Saratoga Independent School and the Legal Equality Advocacy Firm, Inc. He founded the Saratoga chapter of the Torch Club. He reviewed physics textbooks for Knopf Doubleday Publishing. Survivors include his wife of 64 years, Elaine; a daughter, Karen (Schick) Bellhouse; and son, Louis Schick. He was predeceased by his daughter, Ruth Schick. Online remembrances may be made at www.burkefuneralhome.com

Rodgers G. Cheeks ’77, of Schenectady, N.Y., who served in the U.S. Navy during the Korean War aboard the USS Wright and USS Coral Sea, July 27, 2021. He became a funeral director and with his father, owned and managed Cheeks Funeral Home for more than 60 years. He held an M.S. from RPI and also worked for the U.S. Postal Service. A member of the Schenectady NAACP, New York State Funeral Directors Association and St. George’s Episcopal Church, he enjoyed world history and jazz (especially Wynton Marsalis). He was 90. Frank J. Garwatoski Jr. ’78, of Canton, Ga., who spent 42 years with General Electric, March 26, 2021. Promoted to manufacturing management, he held key leadership positions until 1994 when he shifted focus to maintenance and repair of large turbine generators. Frank, who loved bike riding, bowling, family time and traveling, was 70. Michael Heiberger ’79, of Chatham, Mass., who worked for General Electric Research and Development Center and boxed in the heavyweight division in the Schenectady Boxing Club, April 13, 2021. Michael served in the U.S. Navy aboard the USS Guardfish and after worked for General Atomics in San Diego. Granted several certificates for U.S. patents, he later worked for Foster Miller in Boston. An avid cook and muscle car enthusiast, he enjoyed boating, fishing, clamming and lobstering. He was 67.

1980s Michael G. Clifford ’81, of East Greenbush, N.Y., who spent 30 years at Agilent Technologies (Palo Alto, Calif.) as a scientific equipment sales representative, March 28, 2021. Prior to that, he was employed at the New York State Police Crime Lab. A talented pianist, he enjoyed golf, spending time with family and friends, and supporting Villanova University. He was 61.

Charles D. Heath Jr. ’82, of Ho-Ho-Kus, N.J., who spent many years in a corporate office before creating DC Sports, May 6, 2021. A member of Theta Delta Chi fraternity at Union, Chip’s passion was coaching high school basketball. He also enjoyed vacations with his family at the lakeside cabin in the Catskill Mountains that his grandfather originally built. He was 60. John W. Hanson G’87, of Hazlet, N.J., started his career at AT&T as a software developer before joining the optics division as part of a cutting-edge high speed multi-wavelength optical transmission project, April 4, 2021. He later worked for Lucent, then AlcatelLucent, and most recently, for Nokia in software development and customer support roles. John, who had a good sense of humor and earned the nickname “Fish,” which stayed with him for many years, was a tireless worker who was dedicated to helping others. He was 59.

1990s Mark A. Spease ’91, of Bethlehem, Pa., who graduated from the University of Michigan and spent his career building Industrial Technology Research, May 9, 2021. In 2008, he became owner of the company, overseeing sales and general management. He played hockey in college, coached college hockey and was active in the Lehigh Valley Phantoms Youth organization. Mark, who was proud of his children and enjoyed spending time at Fiddle Lake, was 51. Michael J. Kaczynski ’93, of Tempe, Ariz., who was a member of Delta Phi fraternity and Mensa Society, April 18, 2021. He worked for the State Assembly of New York before spending the past 21 years as a senior software engineer at Intel. Michael was a devoted Yankees fan, enjoyed going to Saratoga Racetrack every summer and

loved vacationing in York Beach, Maine. He also enjoyed cooking exotic foods and loved hot sauce. He was 50.

2000s Michael A. Thompson ’00, of Marietta, Ga., who played varsity football at Union College and was an ECAC Academic All Star and Football Gazette D3 All American, July 29, 2021. Mike began his career with General Electric in its financial management program and later was chief financial officer at the Wrench Group. His passion was his family and he was an avid fan of Boston sports teams. Mike, who loved golf, was a gourmet chef and held a special place in his heart for Cape Cod, was 42.

2010s Sean A. Fitzgerald ’11, of Salem, Mass., who was an avid musician who wrote his own songs and lyrics, as well as poetry, March 18, 2021. The author of several unpublished books and comics, he enjoyed snowboarding, fishing, hiking, nature, concerts, music and the arts. He was a certified open water diver. Sean has a seat plaque (orchestra J3) at the Wang Theater in Boston beside his grandmother’s plaque in seat J1. He was 31. Brianna McCarthy ’13, of Methuen, Mass., who held a master’s in teaching from American International College, April 15, 2021. She spent time as a teacher at the Comprehensive Grammar School, the Timothy Grammar School and Methuen High School. A remarkable and kind teacher and coach, she taught English at the high school and was freshman class advisor. Brianna joined the Methuen girls’ ice hockey coaching staff three years ago. When she taught at the middle school, she oversaw the combined middle school field hockey program. She was 30.

FALL 2021 | UNION COLLEGE

IN MEMORIAM

8 Underwood memorial service is online The College hosted a memorial service Sept. 25 for Prof. James Underwood, who died April 23 after serving over four decades as professor, department chair, dean of faculty and interim president. A recording of the service is available at: www.union.edu/ underwood-recording

UNION COLLEGE | FALL 2021

Friends of Union College Lewis C. DiStasi Jr., of Highland, N.Y., who held a law degree from Villanova University and went on to become a partner at DiStasi, Moriello and Murphy P.C., Feb. 24, 2021. During his legal career of more than 50 years, he served as editor of American Law Reports and as an adjunct professor of law at Union College. An attorney for numerous community organizations, he was also town attorney for the Town of Lloyd for more than 40 years. Lew was a member of the Barbershop Harmony Society in Rochester and Poughkeepsie. He was 83. Richard A. Kenyon, of Port Charlotte, Fla., who was dean emeritus of the Kate Gleason School of Engineering at Rochester Institute of Technology, April 16, 2021. He also served as dean of engineering at Union College; as president of Tri-State University (Indiana); as professor, department head and associate dean at Clarkson University; and as an instructor at Cornell University. Active in many professional organizations, he was a volunteer for the Coast Guard Auxiliary and Rotary. He held a BME from Clarkson College of Technology, an M.S. from Cornell University and a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering Syracuse University. Author or co-author of three textbooks, he was 88.

William J. Sparre, of Schenectady, N.Y., who spent 33 years as a cook at Union College, April 3, 2021. A devoted fan of the New York Yankees, his favorite music group was The Beatles. He had a legendary sense of humor, loved wrestling and worked as a welder for General Electric for 18 years before joining Union. A regular at Cornell’s and Armondo’s Villa Tuscan Grill, he was 67. Richard J. Harblin, of Middle Grove, N.Y., who was a gifted mechanic who retired in 2018 after 37 years with Union College, May 30, 2021. Able to repair any vehicle (gas or diesel), he enjoyed hunting and fishing and spending time at the family camp in Childwold, N.Y. He was 64. Cynthia Bouck, of Rotterdam, N.Y., who served in various administrative roles at Union College until her retiring in 2007, Aug. 5, 2021. A dedicated wife, daughter, mother, grandmother, friend and mentor, she enjoyed attending her family’s many sporting events. Cindy was a devout Catholic who enjoyed traveling to visit her grandchildren, a road trip across the United States and trips to Alaska and Europe. She was 82.

Union College Annual Giving VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT

Jen Brandwein ’91 Why do you give back to Union College through volunteering? Simple answer—I enjoy it! I am grateful to have had such a positive experience at Union and to have made life-long friendships, and have always enjoyed returning for ReUnion. Volunteering on the ReUnion Committee provides an opportunity to get involved, reconnect with classmates, and give something back to the school that gave so much to me.

How has being a 1991 class agent for the Office of Annual Giving impacted you? It reinforced how connected I feel to Union and my classmates. No matter how long it has been since we have seen or spoken with one another, or even if we talked for the first time during ReUnion, there is this innate connection with classmates that keeps getting stronger. Part of this may be about getting older, and being more reflective and appreciative of how special our Union experience was (and continues to be). But I think it is more the combination of a small school, which makes you feel like you know everyone, and that Union attracts smart, nice and fun people!

GIVE A YEAR-END GIFT There is still time to make a tax-deductible, charitable contribution to Union College before the end of the calendar year. Give every year. Make a difference every day.

union.edu/give

This past ReUnion was our 30th and while we were disappointed that it wasn’t in-person, our class still came together to participate and even lead webinars/talks. The virtual format helped several classmates get involved for the first time and also sparked interesting conversations where we learned how classmates have positively affected the professional and personal lives of other classmates. It was an important reminder that it is never too late to reconnect with Union and how impactful these connections can be. This ReUnion felt even more consequential and special as we took time to remember our classmates who passed away way too soon. We gathered pictures, made an In Memoriam video, and established the Class of 1991 Internship Program. This program raised funds in their names and will provide four students with paid internship opportunities next summer. Knowing that these internships may help shape life-long career paths, while also extending the memory of our classmates, makes it very meaningful all around.

Office of Communications 807 Union Street Schenectady, NY 12308-3169

Please recycle

September 12, 2021 Union opened its 227th academic year with its traditional Convocation ceremony, which helped welcome the Class of 2025, recognized student and faculty achievements, and offered a glimpse of what lies ahead for the coming year. Read more on pg. 7.

Union College Magazine, Fall 2021

Articles inside

The Classes & Profiles

Arrivals

Around U

Focus

Media

President’s Message

Letters

Campaign update