Union College Magazine, Spring 2024

UNIONCOLLEGE

A Magazine for Alumni and Friends

A COMMUNITY

IN THIS ISSUE:

2

A community true to our name

The bonds we form at this college are the foundation of it all. True to our name, we are a union of hundreds of groups, thousands of relationships and millions of ideas. Read on for a few examples of how strength lies in our Union of many bonds.

A tradition of giving

The odds of being called to donate stem cells through Gift of Life are about 1 in 1,000. And yet, approximately a dozen Union students and alumni have donated in as many years. To them, this typifies what the Union community is all about and is a testament to the character of its members.

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On

3, Union unveiled its new mascot. Learn more about Charger (the costume mascot) and Charger (the pup) on pg. 8.

The strength of our Union community

Most of my higher education career has been spent at larger institutions—higher ed through-streets if you will. University of Michigan, Cornell and Tufts each provided many opportunities and challenges, but I sometimes lamented that I wasn’t able to develop deeper connections with students, faculty and staff. The size of the institutions meant that repeated interactions with most community members were rare.

My time at Union has been more like living on a cul-de-sac in all the best possible ways. Our small size and residential student community mean that you would have to go out of your way to avoid getting to know others on campus.

As a result of our proximity to one another, I have had the privilege to get to know many of our students on a personal level over the last 5½ years. When I shake students’ hands at Commencement, I am surprised by how often I remember something about them. Sometimes it is when we first met as their family parked outside their first-year residence hall. Sometimes it is a noteworthy performance in an athletic competition or on stage. Sometimes it is an insightful question asked of an outside speaker. Sometimes it is a challenge they faced that at the time seemed insurmountable.

More often than not, it is a series of brief, repeated interactions walking by the Nott or through Reamer, that requires our paths to cross regularly.

The strong sense of community at Union also is a byproduct of our size, and is one of the distinct advantages of life at a small liberal arts and engineering institution. As our name suggests—and as the cover story package for this issue of the Union magazine highlights—our strength as a college comes largely from the unions we create with one another.

Whether it’s our union as a liberal arts college with outstanding engineering programs; the union of being a picture-perfect campus in the heart of a vibrant small city; the union of athletics and the arts; or our union of individuals from diverse backgrounds who come together each day to learn from one another, life on the Union “cul-de-sac” is immensely satisfying.

To be sure, life on the cul-de-sac comes with challenges and responsibilities.

• There’s no place to hide, even if you want to, so you need to be a bit more mindful of your words and deeds (not a bad thing, by the way).

• Since individual actions can have a large impact on a small community, we all have a responsibility to step up and do our part to make Union a better place—and not leave it to someone else to do the work. It’s heartening to see members of our community stepping up—and stepping in—to help one another every day.

• And when we disagree—and we’re going to disagree—it’s important that we do so in ways that are respectful, and that we seek to engage with one another rather than just shout. Our ongoing Forum on Constructive Engagement, which brings together diverse voices to help our community learn more about challenging issues, is just one way we do that. (A story on page 5 highlights our most recent constructive engagement event in January, which featured members of the Schenectady Clergy Against Hate.)

As anyone from a small town knows, living in a place where everyone knows your name can feel a little close at times. Still, those same people are apt to share stories about the strength of their community and to take pride in how that has helped inform their values.

I love life on the Union cul-de-sac and am proud to be at a place that lives its values and strives to be true to its name every day in every way.

DAVID R. HARRIS, P h .D.

Meet the therapy dogs!

Union’s therapy dogs are always ready to welcome students to the Wicker Wellness Center. Their fuzzy faces, wagging tails and lovable personalities never fail to give comfort and brighten days. Students are free to visit them at the center or take them for a walk around campus. The canines, who come to work with their humans (Wicker staffers), have been favorites of the Union community since the therapy dog program began in 2011.

Ace, Eve, Hunter, Mally, Margot and Sparky were recently featured on the College’s Instagram. Scan the QR code to check out their profiles and “tiny mic” interviews. And meet Ace, Hunter and Mally here.

Hunter is a 4-year-old chocolate Labrador. As his owner describes him: “He loves everyone and just wants attention.”

Ace is a 9-year-old Cavalier King Charles spaniel. As his owner describes him: “He snorts like a pig because he has allergies… Our motto for him is no thoughts, just vibes.”

Mally is a 12-year-old black lab. As her owner describes her: “She steals food whenever she can. One time she covered herself in flour. She also loves bread. We call her by her full name, O’Mally, when she’s naughty.”

College now in 229th academic year

Hundreds of first-year students joined faculty and other members of the campus community as the College officially launched its 229th academic year Sept. 5 during its annual Convocation ceremony.

President David Harris welcomed the 560 students beginning their college journey as members of the Class of 2027 and focused his message on three themes for the coming year: generative artificial intelligence (AI), academic mission, and diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging (DEIB).

The College’s top faculty awards were also given during the ceremony.

Timothy Stablein, associate professor of sociology, was presented with the Stillman Prize for Faculty Excellence in Teaching. Donald Rodbell, the John and Jane Wold Professor of Geosciences, was presented with the Stillman Prize for Faculty Excellence in Research.

Beth Tiffany, senior associate director of athletics, was presented with the UNITAS Community Building award. This award is given in recognition of a person

who has helped foster community and diversity at Union. Tiffany was honored for her work in a number of critical initiatives, including Title IX, DEIB and Women at Union.

The Hollander Convocation Music Prize was presented to Yutong Wu ’25 as well.

To read more about Convocation, including Harris’s message and details about the prizes, visit union.edu/news

An evening of constructive engagement

After Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, the first call to Rabbi Matthew Cutler expressing concern and offering support came from his friend, Imam Genghis Khan.

A few weeks later, when Israel launched its response and invaded Gaza, Cutler reached out to Khan, the advisor for Union’s Muslim Student Association.

“I wanted to return that love in ample measure,” said Cutler, the spiritual leader of Congregation Gates of Heaven in Schenectady. “Though we may look at things differently for political reasons, we love human life and we value it.”

The two men, along with Rev. Amaury Tañón-Santos, executive director/CEO, Schenectady Community Ministries, are part of Schenectady Clergy Against Hate. They engaged in a thoughtful and instructive conversation Jan. 18 in the Nott Memorial as part of the College’s Forum on Constructive Engagement.

President David R. Harris moderated the hour-long discussion.

“After the horrible events of Oct. 7, I started thinking about our community,” Harris said in kicking off the discussion. “Knowing that we have people in our community from Israel, knowing that we have people in our community who are from Palestine, and knowing that we have people in our community who have close friends and family in those areas, I began to ask, ‘What can we do? What do we do? How do we come together and learn?’”

Established by Harris in 2019, the Forum on Constructive Engagement series aims to broaden perspectives and promote meaningful exchange on issues. The forum is organized by Union’s chief diversity officers and presented by the Williams Legacy Foundation.

To learn more about the event, visit union.edu/news

President David R. Harris moderated a conversation featuring three members of Schenectady Clergy Against Hate: Imam Genghis Khan, Rabbi Matthew Cutler and Rev. Amaury Tañón-Santos. The event was part of the College’s Forum on Constructive Engagement.

Marking years of Homecoming

The College celebrated a century of Homecoming and Family Weekend last fall (Sept. 29–Oct. 1).

Here are a few highlights.

Mary Read Courtney and Karen Read Kuppinger accepted the Distinguished Alumni Award on behalf of their father, David H. Read ’56. The award was presented by President David Harris.

Guests enjoyed a silent disco in the Nott Memorial.

A special exhibit in Schaffer Library explored the history of Homecoming at Union.

“The Class of 1973 has always had a special appreciation for the beauty of the Union campus. We consider it among the most attractive in the country. As we approached our 50th ReUnion, we saw a unique opportunity to enhance the campus environment by supporting the reconstruction of the Reamer Center patio overlooking one of the most beautiful spots on campus, Jackson’s Garden,” Foley said. “This effort also reconnected so many of our classmates, some of whom hadn’t been back to campus since graduation but wanted to meaningfully support this project to honor our ReUnion. We hope that future generations of the College community enjoy the Class of 1973 Patio as a space to build lifelong connections and camaraderie, just as we did during our years on campus.”

“This is another proud moment for the Class of 1973. This collective effort in honor of our 50th ReUnion gave us the opportunity to be part of a thriving campus center that did not exist when we attended Union,” Messa added. “We are excited to add this special project to the others we have supported as we’ve celebrated our milestone ReUnions—a library reading room, furnishings for the library in Abbe Hall, the Class of 1973 Community Service Internship and the Class of 1973 Endowed Scholarship. We’re humbled by the passion and generosity of our classmates and look forward to a class toast at our next ReUnion.”

The patio behind Reamer Campus Center was dedicated as the Class of 1973 Patio. Pictured are Frank Messa ’73, P’08 and President David Harris. Messa and Don Foley ’73, P’10, P’13 led the effort.

Marisa Silveri ’95 (volleyball), Laura Aptowitz ’17 (field hockey, softball), Lauren McCormick ’11 (basketball) and Molly Larkin ’05 (lacrosse, soccer, hockey) participated in an Alumnae Athletics Panel.

This year’s Brown Trophy was awarded to Sigma Phi Society.

This year’s Rumbold Cup went to Delta Phi Epsilon.

Meet Charger, Union’s new mascot

The Garnet Chargers are turning up the voltage with a new mascot.

Three months after adopting a new nickname, President David Harris introduced Charger to the campus community Nov. 3. The garnet-colored costume dog greeted a crowd of several hundred students, faculty and staff gathered in front of Schaffer Library.

The canine theme is a nod to the College’s dog-friendly campus.

“When you walk this campus, there are dogs all over,” said Harris, noting that the history of dogs as mainstays on campus dates to the late 1800s. “So, we thought what a wonderful way to build on that tradition to have Charger as our mascot.”

In addition to the costume mascot, the College unveiled its new live dog ambassador—a 13-weekold red fox Labrador retriever, also called Charger.

The mascot and the puppy were a hit with those in attendance.

“I love that the new name and mascot represent the history of Schenectady,” said Gabby Baratier ’25. “The puppy is cute and sweet, and representative of the friendly culture on campus.”

LEARN MORE ABOUT UNION’S NEW MASCOT TEAM AT union.edu/meet-charger. To check out a video of the duo on YouTube, scan the QR code.

Aram ’17 debuts

Nothing Good Happens in Wazirabad on Wednesday, the debut novel by Jamaluddin Aram ’17, has been released by Scribner Canada.

A resident of Toronto, Aram has penned a number of short stories and essays focused on themes of family, immigration, childhood and peace in a time of war in his native Kabul, Afghanistan.

His kaleidoscopic novel is set in the early 1990s in Kabul’s workingclass neighborhood of Wazirabad, where everyday life roars through the winding alleys despite the ongoing civil war.

Maura Mack Hisgen promoted to vice president for College Relations

Maura Mack Hisgen, who has held a number of leadership roles in Union’s fundraising organization over the past seven years, recently was selected as the College’s next vice president for College Relations.

Mack Hisgen, who has served as interim vice president since September 2022, joined Union’s Office of College Relations as a senior director of major gifts in 2016. She was elevated to the role of assistant vice president in 2020. She also has served as the executive team’s liaison to the Union Board of Trustees since October 2020 in her role as assistant secretary to the Board.

To learn more about Mack Hisgen, visit union.edu/news

Carolyn

Rodak

named inaugural

Student wins Obama Voyager Scholarship

Eastwood Yeboah ’25, a double major in psychology and Africana studies, has been selected to receive the prestigious Obama-Chesky Voyager Scholarship for Public Service.

Created by President and Mrs. Obama and Brian Chesky, co-founder and CEO of Airbnb, the scholarship supports students who seek careers in public service.

“I plan to focus on disparities in access to mental health resources and knowledge, particularly within marginalized communities that have historically lacked the necessary support,” Yeboah said.

Learn more at union.edu/news

chair, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering

Carolyn Rodak is the inaugural chair of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. She joined Union Sept. 1 and also serves as an associate professor in the department.

The College recently restored its civil engineering major and added a new environmental engineering major.

Rodak, an award-winning teacher, previously was an associate professor of civil engineering at SUNY Polytechnic Institute.

“There are so many things I’m enjoying about Union,” Rodak said. “I believe strongly in the values of a rigorous education that empowers students to think critically, sustainably and inclusively toward making the world a better place. So does Union.”

To learn more about Rodak, visit union.edu/news

A stunning coincidence

Not too long ago, Neil Lewis ’68 picked up an acclaimed novel called Henry and Clara Thomas Mallon wrote the book about Henry Rathbone and Clara Harris Rathbone—two people with deep ties to Union College and a pivotal moment in America’s past.

“They were the engaged couple who was in the box with Abraham Lincoln the night he was shot at Ford’s Theatre,” said Lewis, a retired correspondent for The New York Times

“To my delight, the plot contained much about Union College.

Both Henry and Clara’s father attended. There was much in the novel about who deserved to be ‘a Union man.’”

Henry graduated from Union in 1857. His father-in-law, U.S. Senator Ira Harris, in 1824.

And then a “stunning coincidence” jumped out a Lewis.

“To my great bemusement, I read that Henry won one of two Blatchford awards for public speaking when he graduated. He was the runner-up,” Lewis said. “I had no idea the Blatchford Oratorical Contest had such a venerable history, but the main reason it caught my attention was because, like Henry, I was runner-up for the Blatchford Prize in 1968.”

In 1857, trustee Richard Milford Blatchford (Class of 1815) established the prize to recognize the two best speakers of the graduating class at Commencement, according to the Encyclopedia of Union College History. In 1869, Blatchford endowed the prize with a $1,000 fund.

Lewis recalled with humor how he learned of the award.

“I was walking across campus and was asked if I was a senior. Did I like to speak? Would I please enter the Blatchford oratory contest?” Lewis said. “It provided for two awards and there was only one

other fellow who entered. He had a prepared speech and won. I spoke extemporaneously and probably not memorably.

“Winning brought me a modest cash award and a wry life lesson. Although I came in second, I also came in last.”

Concordiensis articles from Union’s Special Collections were still advertising the prize as late as 1989. It was also included in the 1990 Parents’ Weekend Program. After that, however, all references to the Blatchford Prize disappear from College records.

Even so, Lewis is pleased to have this connection to Union—and U.S.—history.

This medal was awarded to Jas. G. Johnson in 1863 for second place in the Blatchford Oratorical Contest.

Henry Rathbone

GARNET-COLORED MEMORIES: The way it was at Union as iconic movie turns 50

October 2023 marked the 50th anniversary of the theatrical release of “The Way We Were,” starring Barbra Streisand and Robert Redford. A number of the film’s iconic scenes were shot on campus.

To read an in-depth story about the film and its Union connection, visit union.edu/garnet-memories

To watch an excerpt from a promotional clip about the movie, gifted to the College by Columbia Pictures, scan the QR code.

Let’s talk about “Barbie”

The blockbuster movie “Barbie” was a hot topic on campus this fall, particularly at Barbie Takes on the Patriarchy: A Gender, Sexuality and Women’s Studies Scholars Panel. During the event, attendees engaged in a lively discussion with panelists about the film’s portrayal of gender dynamics, women’s empowerment and patriarchy and its role in shaping societal norms. Panelists and speakers included Marlow Guerrant, visiting assistant professor of psychology and gender, sexuality and women’s studies, and director of DEIB for psychology; Stacie Raucci, the Frank Bailey Professor of Classics and department chair; Krisanna Scheiter, associate professor of classics and department chair; Jenelle Troxell, co-director of film studies and associate professor of English; Pattie Wareh, associate professor of English and faculty representative of Wold House; and Erika Nelson, director of GSWS and associate professor of German studies. Francesca Callahan, chief diversity officer for employee and institutional success/director of talent acquisition and career advising, facilitated the panel.

Filming a scene at the Chester Arthur statue

SCHENECTADY SCENE

Vegan all the way: Breakfast, lunch & dinner

Take Two Café on State Street in downtown Schenectady serves plant-based fare with a mission to reduce impacts of food consumption on animals and the environment. Stop by for breakfast (avocado smash, anyone?) or lunch (how about a curry chickpea wrap?). And don’t forget to try dinner at a second venue that recently opened under the same ownership. At Unbeetable, a vegan restaurant, bar and arcade, you can enjoy locally brewed beer on tap, games like vintage Pac-Man and air hockey, meat-free meals and competitive ping pong.

Learn more at taketwo518.com or facebook.com/p/ Unbeetable-100083159141277/

A COMMUNITY

The bonds we form at this college are the foundation of it all—the academics and extracurriculars, the professional and personal discoveries, the cultural and social growth.

True to our name, we are a union of hundreds of groups, thousands of relationships and millions of ideas. And all these parts, coexisting and connecting, make Union whole.

Here are a few examples of how strength lies in our Union of many blended bonds—bonds formed across innumerable spaces, programs and experiences.

TEMPLETON INSTITUTE Core connections

Simon & Garfunkel famously sang (in a great song, it has to be said), “I am a rock, I am an island.”

But the truth is this: no one is. And nothing is. Everything is connected, and without connection, little in this world thrives.

“Some of the greatest global challenges, such as climate change or new developments in artificial intelligence, go far beyond any single discipline’s expertise,” said Andrew Burkett, professor of English and co-director of the Templeton Institute of Engineering and Computer Science. “In part, this is why the Templeton Institute was founded as an interdisciplinary enterprise. We know that arts and humanities, social sciences, sciences and engineering all have equally critical seats at the table when it comes to the global concerns that face us.”

Burkett and co-director Ashok Ramasubramanian are leveraging existing programs—and creating new ones—to continue to strengthen Union’s interconnected academic community.

One new course offered through the Templeton Institute this academic year is “Introduction to Science, Technology and Society.” Burkett, together with Nick Webb (Computer Science), Angela Commito (Classics) and Sohini Chattopadhyay (History), led its development. The class is being team-taught by faculty in English, Classics, Computer Science and History, with a guest module from Engineering.

“For engineers and computer scientists, it is important to think outside the box. When we’re doing machine design, we need to think, ‘What are the economic implications? The environmental and historical perspectives?’” said Ramasubramanian, a professor of mechanical engineering and dean of Engineering. “It is similarly very useful for students and faculty in the liberal arts to consider technical perspectives.”

The co-directors are also looking to deepen connections among disciplines outside the classroom. In the fall, they hosted a panel on new pedagogies and

generative artificial intelligence, which featured faculty from the College’s four academic divisions.

“We are also bringing back weekly informal faculty lunches,” Burkett said. “We realize that so many of our best ideas come through social moments like these, and we want to foster more opportunities of this nature.”

The co-directors also would like to extend these sorts of opportunities to staff, to create as much cohesion as possible across all facets of the Union community.

“There is an entire group of people on campus who do such important work to make so many things possible,” Ramasubramanian said. “There is a place for staff in future Templeton Insitute programming. I don’t know when or how yet, but this is a goal I have.”

To learn more about the Templeton Institute, visit union.edu/templeton

Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering

Jennifer Currey delivers the “Science, Technology and Society” guest lecture on “Feminist Technology” in October. Currey, who served as interim director of the Templeton Institute, is also co-chair of Electrical, Computer and Biomedical Engineering.

DINING About more than eats

Eating is fulfilling, often delicious and an absolute requirement for everyone. But eating is about more than just taste and sustenance.

When Reamer Dining Hall (formerly Upper Class) closed in February 2023 in the aftermath of a broken sprinkler main, it brought eating—and the space’s importance—into sharp focus. (The dining hall reopened after renovations in August 2023.)

“To some people, the dining hall is just a home for food. But I met some of my closest friends there,” said Gavin Wright ’26, a physics major and astrophysics minor. “The dining halls act as safe spaces for friends to gather. Where you can shed your insecurities and worries and just enjoy time at Union.”

Glory Moncion Allen ’24, a sociology major who is minoring in psychology, agrees.

“The dining hall is a space where all people on campus go, making it common ground where students, faculty, staff and visitors connect,” she said. “It creates a sense of belonging through a natural, unifying activity that brings together people from different roles and backgrounds.”

Proof of this connectedness and inclusivity is in all the happy faces, but also the food itself. Union College Hospitality

has worked to accommodate diverse dietary needs and recognize the cultural and religious importance of meals.

“The most impactful of our student partnerships is our cultural student takeover. Groups like the Black Student Union, Latin American Student Organization and Asian Student Union have shared their culture and heritage through food and collaboration with Union College Hospitality,” said Tim Forte, director of hospitality. “They have created menus with authentic recipes, and added cultural components like music and art, to really enhance the experience.”

For Wright, this is his favorite thing.

“The best part about Reamer Dining Hall is that it’s always serving unique meals so I can expand my culinary and cultural palates,” he said. “Union Hospitality creates a welcoming global environment this way.”

Glory Moncion Allen ’24 (in hat) enjoys the Reamer Dining Hall with Emily Stein ’24, Gabby Baker ’25, Maeve Baksa ’26 and Nick Athari, a residential life community director.

Alicia Cynamon ’25 helps with the harvest.

Beautiful beets from Octopus’s Garden

OCTOPUS'S GARDEN

Reaping the benefits

Like roots reaching out in all directions to support the growth of its plants, Octopus’s Garden, founded by students in 2008, nourishes awareness and togetherness.

And no one knows that better than the garden’s work-study students, who dedicate their time to caring for the crops.

Students connect through “collaborative events like building bird and bat houses at the garden with Ornithology Club or teaching cooking in Minerva Houses,” said Alexandra (Alex) Lim ’26, a computer science major minoring in environmental science.

The harvests also enrich the lives of those on campus and those beyond its gates.

“Some of the produce is taken by Union’s kitchens for Ozone Café, a weekly vegetarian and organic dining option led by Ozone House,” Lim said, “and some is donated to local organizations like City Mission of Schenectady.”

This enrichment goes well beyond nutrition, too.

Dennis Moraga ’27, who plans to major in environmental policy, likes the opportunity the garden provides for understanding the relationship between food and the environment.

“Working the garden gives students a better appreciation for the effort required to grow food in a sustainable way, and the collaborative nature of it helps them understand that this sustainability is something we all have to work together to achieve,” he said.

Maren Kreutzer ’27, who is majoring in English and environmental science, agrees.

“In our consumer culture, we are so used to having everything within arm’s reach that we rarely stop and consider how it got to us," Kreutzer said. "Growing plants teaches people to appreciate the significance of life because, as there are no shortcuts in cultivation, patience and dedication are the only way to reap the fruits of labor.”

Ezra Gollan ’26 (right) and Harley Bezpiaty ’26 work in the garden

UNION IS alumni, students & Schenectady

Union is part of Schenectady and Schenectady is part of Union. Each one impacts and benefits the other.

Take Theta Delta Chi fraternity and City Mission of Schenectady, a nonprofit dedicated to meeting the needs of the poor. In spring 2023, Sean Laragy ’24 and David Leon ’24 received the mission’s Partners Award for their outstanding service to the organization.

As philanthropy chairs for the fraternity, Laragy and Leon have led their chapter’s efforts in two main areas: food delivery and community meals. They regularly drive donated food from Hannaford grocery store to City Mission and, together with other students, serve as waiters during community dinners at the mission.

“It was nice to receive the award as an affirmation of our efforts, but it is not the purpose of why we give our time,” said Laragy. “The purpose is to help those less fortunate than us and to help bridge the gap between the local community and Union College.”

City Mission CEO and Executive Director Mike Saccocio ’84 agrees.

“Student engagement plays an important role in building community— both on campus and in the city,” he said. “Serving others is a pathway to building relationships, and relationships are a key component of building trust. When trust is present in a community, people can work together and achieve innovative solutions. Union students are earning that trust.”

The relationship between Theta Delta Chi and City Mission is also emblematic of something else—the unique importance of student-alumni bonds.

“I never really had a sense of belonging with alumni before joining Theta Delta Chi, where I have been able to work with Mike Saccocio and Mark Webster ’88,” said Laragy. “Both have served as invaluable mentors to me. I will continue to look to them beyond my time at Union.”

“It was awesome to have someone to connect with who has been in your shoes and was part of the same fraternity at Union,” Leon said of Saccocio. “Alumni often give students more diverse opportunities for learning and engagement at their organizations because of the shared Union bond. Without the alumni connection and Mike, we might have pursued other options, but with that connection, there was no doubt City Mission was the organization for us.”

Webster is thrilled to know he and Saccocio have made an impact. He greatly values his ability to help students in any way he can.

“Of the many roles I have played as an alumnus, being a mentor to the men of Theta Delta Chi is the most important to me,” Webster said. “I am so grateful and thankful that my fraternity has given me countless opportunities to be woven into students’ lives at Union.”

“The College talks often to students about the strength of our alumni network, alumni connection and alumni support,” Webster continued. “I feel a strong obligation to be the kind of alumnus who networks, connects and supports. In this way, everyone—students, the College and alumni—thrive together as one whole community.”

Sean Laragy ’24 and David Leon ’24 receive the Partners Award from City Mission of Schenectady.

Students participating in pre-orientation 2023 work at the City Mission greenhouse, which is located at the home of David Leon ’24.

During Domestic Violence Awareness Month in October, students participated in It’s Up to U Bystander Intervention Training in Hale House.

WE'RE HERE for each other

Community means “a feeling of fellowship with others, as a result of sharing common attitudes, interests and goals,” according to Oxford Languages.

Union’s bystander intervention curriculum, It’s Up to U, takes this definition to heart. The program’s entire purpose is to make supporting each other a commonly held cultural attitude, not just an action. It seeks to empower students to intervene on behalf of others and to teach them how, said Mary Simeoli, Title IX coordinator and director of equal opportunity.

Launched in spring 2022, the curriculum was created by a partnership between the

Eppler-Wolff Counseling Center, the Department of Campus Safety, the Office of Title IX and Equal Opportunity, and the Office of Community Standards and Accountability (which includes the Office on Violence Against Women campus grant program).

In teaching students how to look out for peers, “we are supporting a culture of folks within our community who are able to rely on each other,” Simeoli said. “Reliance and responsibility in turn foster a culture of belonging in every space on campus.”

It’s Up to U also shows students—and others—that it’s okay (and right) to take control and have ownership over situa-

tions in which someone could be hurt.

“We felt it was essential to demonstrate that students aren’t just an audience to their own experience at Union College,” Simeoli explained. “They also contribute to making our places safe and available to all. Particularly when it comes to intervention, faculty and staff just aren’t in some spaces, but students are. That makes it even more important that students have the tools and skills to make their community what they want it to be.”

In other words, It’s Up to U is all about making this college a place where everyone stands for you, and you stand for everyone else, too.

MIVERVAS + CLUBS = BELONGING

Late in fall term, the Beekeeping Club and Green House harvested over 250 pounds of honey from the student-run apiary. They then bottled their bounty and shared it with others.

This collaboration between the club and the Minerva House is a perfect example of how different groups come together at Union, and how each group benefits all involved.

“As a member of Beekeeping Club, I learned the importance of bees and other native, keystone species, and how to be a responsible citizen who contributes to creating a healthy environment,” said Anyerys (Angie) Diaz ’24, a biology major and senior hive captain for the club.

“Minerva Houses and clubs create a sense of community by allowing students to collaborate and feel empowered to be leaders in their fields of interest,” she continued. “Most importantly, clubs and Minervas represent a support system that makes it possible for students to find unity outside the classroom.”

Green House co-chair Talia Marc ’24, a biology major, agrees.

“Membership in Minerva Houses is randomized and not based on any merit. Therefore, you form bonds that you

otherwise might never have,” she said. “Green House is the place where I can share all my ideas and turn them into events with support from friends and the house council.”

One such event, Erotica Night, has been especially important to Green House co-chair Katie Boermeester ’24.

“I feel this is an event that is needed for the entire community. Sex ed is something that is so often overlooked and stigmatized,” she said. “Working with organizations, staff and students who are interested in this topic and its intersectional points has been foundational to my experience on campus.”

“I am forever grateful to have been allowed the space to put on events and discussions that are vital to the College’s DEIB goals,” added Boermeester, an environmental science major. “Green House has allowed me to find myself, my community and who I wish to be once I graduate.”

Anyerys (Angie) Diaz ’24 and Katie Boermeester ’24 (left) inspect some honeycomb.

Honeycomb harvested by the Beekeeping Club

Students have some fun harvesting honey.

LITTLE SPACES, big impact

Sometimes, small spaces belie their own importance. Because it’s here that connections too important to go without so often form.

Consider exhibition and gallery spaces.

They tend not to be very large, noted Gabriella Baratier ’25, a double major in history and English. But these same spaces give visitors the chance to connect through a particular kind of shared experience. That of interacting with powerful material

displayed in ways that provide novel access to topics, ideas and art.

“What makes exhibition and gallery space so special, and so different from any other space on campus, is its fully immersive nature,” Baratier said.

And within these fully immersive places, growth of all kinds—from personal to cultural—thrives. Just look at the exhibit Baratier curated that was on display in Schaffer Library during fall term: “Out in

the Archives: An Exploration of LGBTQ+ History at Union College.”

“This exhibition fostered a stronger, closer-knit and more engaged Union College community by highlighting the voices and stories of members of the community who have been previously marginalized,” Baratier explained. “By providing a space for historical subjects who have largely been omitted from Union’s institutional memory, this exhibition brought together and empowered current LGBTQ+ faculty, students and staff.

“Raising awareness of history is absolutely vital to the survival and growth of any community,” she continued. “The study of history provides a community with the tools to constantly reexamine the norms and assumptions that they take for granted, making them more open to the adoption of new and more diverse ideas in the future.”

Gabriella Baratier ’25 works on curating “Out in the Archives: An Exploration of LGBTQ+ History at Union College.”

A TRADITION OF GIVING

ELLIAS OTTENS ’22

Some odds in life are short; some are long. Enjoying your favorite cup of coffee today? Short odds. Saving a life just by giving a little bit of yourself? Long odds.

And yet, approximately a dozen Union students and alumni have done just that in as many years. Their blood stem cells and bone marrow have saved lives.

“The odds of being called to donate are about 1 in 1,000,” said Marti Freund ’04, chief strategy and operations officer at Gift of Life Marrow Registry.

Gift of Life is a national marrow registry with a mission to cure blood cancer through cellular therapy. And for the last 12 years or so, Union students have enthusiastically joined its registry with a simple cheek swab.

communicate the organization’s strategy, all while witnessing firsthand the incredible power of giving.

“Imagine having your life rest in the hands of a complete stranger. Someone who knows nothing about you, but someone who you hope makes the right decision to donate and understands how precious life is,” Freund said. “There are no words to express the gratitude felt from a recipient.”

Laura Pacheco ’16 has experienced the gravity of this gratitude, and she’s thankful to have been able to be there for someone else.

The hope is that each swab will yield a genetic match for someone who needs healthy blood stem cells or bone marrow to beat cancer. And while few who register will ever actually match with a recipient (Freund herself has been waiting 20 years to donate), Union has had an impressive share for a community its size.

Part of this is owed to the composition of campus.

“The most requested donors are between the ages of 18 and 35, so if you’re young and healthy, the odds of being called are higher,” Freund explained. “Ninety percent of these donors give peripheral blood stem cells; 10 percent of donors give marrow. Usually, marrow donation is requested for pediatric patients.”

Elias Ottens ’22 found out he was a match for a 66-year-old man battling myelodysplastic disorder in spring 2022, four years after he and many of his football

teammates joined the Gift of Life registry. Donating his blood stem cells was a simple process that just took a few hours—one he participated in practically without thinking.

“It was a no-brainer to go donate!” said Ottens, who works in sustainability consulting in New York City. “Afterwards, I reflected on how my donation could have a profound impact on the life of another. I looked back at the times others have made a lasting impact on my life.

“Those moments did not require grand expression or elaborate action, they originated from minor displays of care and empathy,” he continued. “Whether donating stem cells, helping someone you’ve never met or sharing a kind word, the opportunity for impact is all around.”

Freund knows the truth of his words. She lives them every day at Gift of Life, where she helps shape, operationalize and

In April 2013, she got the call from Gift of Life. She was a match for a young boy named Mario.

“There was never a doubt in my mind that I wanted to proceed with the donation process. I never thought about how it would affect me physically, I just wanted to give Mario a second chance at life,” said Pacheco, who played field hockey and lacrosse at Union, and now works for an independent global consulting firm in its turnaround and restructuring practice.

Her bone marrow collection procedure occurred in October 2014, and in 2016, after the one-year waiting period required by Gift of Life had passed, she met Mario. It was an emotional experience for everyone.

“I remember Mario’s mom recalling that doctors told her they didn’t think he’d be able to move much, and he’d potentially be in a wheelchair the rest of his life. Then he started crawling,” Pacheco said. “Fast forward to today, he is walking, attending school and able to be a kid.”

LAURA PACHECO ’16 WITH MARIO, TO WHOM SHE DONATED BONE MARROW.

MARTI FREUND ’04

“Science is an amazing thing. People will call me and others heroes, but Mario is my hero,” she continued. “My one-day as an outpatient does not even compare to the hospital stays and hardships Mario has endured. If I could donate again tomorrow, I would. No hesitation.”

Meeting Mario and seeing him thrive has meant so much to Pacheco that she’s

HOW IT ALL STARTED

The recent history of participation in blood stem cell and bone marrow donation began in 2009 with Derek Mayer ’11. A lacrosse player at Union, he arranged for the men’s team to enroll in the National Marrow Donor Program through an organization called Be The Match (now NMDP).

been inspired to get more involved with Gift of Life.

Post Union, she was co-chair of the Gift of Life Young Professionals Committee in Boston, and even before she graduated, she was the very first Gift of Life campus ambassador in 2015.

Gift of Life’s Campus Ambassador Program was established at Union that

same year and since then, students have proudly taken up the mantle.

“We are assigned a mentor at Gift of Life and I was fortunate enough to be connected to an incredible alumna—Marti Freund,” said Grace Heiting ’22, now a research technologist at Johns Hopkins University. “My role as ambassador included organizing and running swab

“My mother was diagnosed with aggressive blood cancer, and a bone marrow transplant saved her life. Becoming an ambassador for Be The Match and empowering the Union community to get involved was my way of giving back,” recalled Mayer, now a senior technology manager for

Department of Defense research laboratories. “It was an outlet for the sadness and fear we all share when a loved one is hurting.

“Knowing that this effort could make a difference helped me heal as well,” he added. “The credit and success of this movement should be given to the Union family and all those who supported it.”

Some of those supporters were teammates who joined the donor registry through Be The Match in 2009.

Will Mahony ’12 was the first student to match with a recipient and donate in 2011. Fellow lacrosse players Jack Farrell ’12 and Jon Stidd ’12 also later donated.

And in 2010, Marti Freund ’04 helped bring Gift of Life to Union. Freund, chief strategy and operations officer at the organization, had just joined Gift of Life. She knew her alma mater would be a perfect partner for her new employer.

“When I first started at Gift of Life, I made it a priority to educate donors on campus,” she said. “Union is an incredible campus, comprised of intelligent, socially driven and mindful students. I knew that if I spoke to students, they would understand what an amazing opportunity it is to join the registry and give someone a second chance at life.”

Since then, Gift of Life drives—and answering the call to give—have become Union traditions.

DEREK MAYER ’11

drives on campus, recruiting other ambassadors and promoting Gift of Life to other campus organizations.”

Heiting, who played hockey and lacrosse at Union, took the bond already established between Gift of Life and student-athletes and helped it grow.

“We had really strong connections to the Athletics Department, but this quickly spread to other organizations. Chabad was incredible with supporting Gift of Life and running events with us. I cannot say enough about their impact,” Heiting said. “We also made strong connections with Greek Life and academic organizations.”

Playing this role and forging connections across campus meant a great deal to her.

“My time as an ambassador was one of the most rewarding experiences that I had at Union. As I apply to medical school, I constantly reflect on the different ways we can help those in need,” Heiting said. “Cancer is something that can make us feel helpless, but by contributing in any way we can—like joining the registry—it gives us back hope.

“Nothing was better than seeing our campus community band together for a common cause, spreading love and hope to each other.”

This togetherness is perhaps another reason Union has had so many donors, against all odds.

“This many donors coming from Union says a lot about our school, but even more so, it is a major testament to all the students and alumni, and their character,” said Liam Hoye ’24, a football player and economics major.

In spring 2022, Hoye got the call and gave his own gift of life.

GRACE HEITING ’22

LIAM HOYE ’24

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FOC U S

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.

Cards, suits and their history

Go Fish. Poker. War. Bridge. Solitaire. Crazy Eights. We’ve all played them. Card games are fun, after all, and entertaining.

But have you ever thought about that deck of cards you’re using? Really considered how it came to be?

Well, Ambrose Proctor ’25 and Sheri Lullo have. Proctor, advised by Lullo, is researching playing cards—their history, evolution, cultural significance and artistic value—across the ages.

“For me, this has been a really refreshing project,” Lullo said. “We both came to this topic knowing very little. It was pretty exciting when we found an interesting array of studies in which the illustrations on playing cards were meaningful beyond the game.

“In different contexts, they have been used to reinforce political, social or religious structures, disseminate knowledge and, of most interest to us, challenge established narratives.”

Proctor has studied cards from the 11th century all the way to the present day, across diverse cultures, including those in Europe, Asia and Mexico.

“We are certain that playing cards appeared first in China around the 12th century and did not appear in Europe until at least a century or two later,” Proctor said. “There’s not a clear answer about how cards got from Asia to Europe, though probably they went from China to India to Egypt to Europe, where the first mention of cards was found in France in 1377.”

While few playing cards survive today from centuries past (because they were made of paper or similarly degradable material), evidence of the cultural exchange they precipitated abounds.

“Cards were very easily exchanged across cultures. They’re one of those things that you would take with you when traveling to keep entertained … and they would be exported and imported between countries in Europe,” Proctor explained. “Somehow, France became the best-known card makers; they exported the most cards to other parts of Europe.

“It’s the French who started the red-black color system that we use today.”

Something similar happened with suits. While each country had its own version to

AMBROSE PROCTOR ’25, anthropology and visual arts major, Seward Interdisciplinary Fellow (With Sheri Lullo, associate professor of Asian art history)

A playing card, featuring the common blue violet (Viola sororia), designed by Ambrose Proctor ’25

begin with—cups, swords, coins and batons for the Spanish or hearts, acorns, bells and leaves for the Germans—the French style had more staying power.

Their hearts, pikes, tiles and clovers—which evolved into hearts, spades, diamonds and clubs—“became especially popular and was eventually copied to become the Anglo-American pack we use today,” Proctor said.

And in that modern pack, other echoes of the past exist, too.

Many surviving decks that scholars have studied were commissioned for wealthier people as ornamental pieces and were actually played with very little—which is why they’ve lasted for centuries.

“Despite this, most playing cards were used by the working class, with card playing thought of as a working-class pastime for most of history,” Proctor said. “This is an important context to have when studying the imagery of playing cards. The traditional imagery depicts the class system as it was.”

In other words, the monarchy (face cards) makes up a small portion of society (and the deck). They have the most power (in most games), while the pip cards represent the much larger share of common people at the bottom who have less power.

“These images were associated with a value system in which kings are the highest ranking and so on going numerically down the deck,” Proctor said. “Cards reinforced the hierarchy of the time, effectively acting as propaganda to its audience—the working and lower classes.”

But cards cut both ways and were sometimes turned against the ruling classes.

“During the reign of King Henry III of France, a card maker in Lyons crafted the king and queen of hearts to mock the power difference between Henry and his mother, Catherine de Medici,” Proctor said. “Another example is when French card makers changed their face cards to reflect Enlightenment values during the French Revolution.”

With all this in mind, Proctor made their own deck of cards as part of their studies and research during fall term. Their deck was inspired by their mother, who has always taught Proctor the importance of being aware of your surroundings.

“I thought the benefits and beauty of nature would be a wonderful theme for a deck based on the area’s native plants and mushrooms,” Proctor explained. “The theme is meant to bring attention to the importance of native wildlife and how preserving it supports our ecosystem.”

RON SINGER ’62

Norman’s Cousin & Other Writings

Unsolicited Press

In Singer’s latest book, the engine is storytelling, but beneath the plots lurk layers of madness and magic, as well as startling, genre-busting juxtapositions. For example, two related stories, “Buying a Car” and “Selling a Car,” are New York City picaresques combined with technical automotive detail and the history of a marriage. Written almost three decades apart, these two stories mirror their times, from the 1970s recession to the wave of immigration that was a by-product of the war in Afghanistan. The play, “Voir, Dear,” is also about an immigrant (Russian-Jewish); its themes are race, justice, language, and family relationships. Race and justice are also the themes of “Simple,” and family relationships are at the heart of “Norman’s Cousin.” The final piece in the collection, “Flagman,” is about a Cuban immigrant, but the narrator is a racist and nativist.

MARTIN JAY ’65

Immanent Critiques; The Frankfurt School under Pressure

Verso Press

Fifty years after the appearance of The Dialectical Imagination, his pioneering history of the Frankfurt School, Martin Jay reflects on what may be living and dead in its legacy. Rather than treating it with filial piety as a fortress to be defended, he takes seriously its antisystematic impulse and sensitivity to changing historical circumstances. Honoring the Frankfurt School’s practice of immanent critique, he puts critical pressure on a number of its own ideas by probing their contradictory impulses. Among them are the pathologization of political deviance through stigmatizing “authoritarian personalities,” the undefended theological premises of Walter Benjamin’s work, and the ambivalence of its members’ analyses of anti-Semitism and Zionism. Additional questions are asked about other time-honored Marxist themes: the meaning of alienation, the alleged damages of abstraction, and the advocacy of a politics based on a singular notion of the truth. Immanent Critiques is a companion volume to Splinters in Your Eye: Frankfurt School Provocations, which came out in 2021.

GUY CARUSO ’71 (CO-EDITOR)

Wolf

Wolfensberger: The Influence of the Person and His Ideas Today | A Festchrift Valor Press

Wolf Wolfensberger was born in Germany in 1934, emigrated to U.S. in 1950, received his Ph.D. in 1960 and began a career that had him living in Omaha, Nebraska; Toronto, Ontario, Canada; and eventually Syracuse, New York, where he lived for the rest of his life. But wherever he lived he was always traveling around the world spreading ideas for much-needed reform of services to people with intellectual impairments—ideas that have indeed had a worldwide impact. This book reviews various areas and angles of his work commemorating the scholarship and influence of this giant in the field of human services of the second half of the 20th century.

MICHAEL L. SACHS ’73

Excusercise: Inexcusable Excuses for not Exercising Excusercise LLC

One of the primary public health challenges in the 21st century is sedentariness. Due to a number of factors (e.g., work/family related, recreation/ leisure time related, etc.), too many people are basically sedentary—they obtain insufficient physical activity in their daily lives. Michael L. Sachs and Bruce Cohen have thought for eons/ages about how to address this issue, and help individuals with the excuses they make for not exercising. They hope they have developed one tool/ instrument in the toolbox of solutions needed to address this global issue. They’ve selected the top 50 researched reasons that people offer as excuses/perceived barriers to making successful exercise behavior change part of their healthy lifestyle, and illustrate how to move beyond them with effective strategies so they can exercise joyfully on a regular basis. Sachs is a professor emeritus at Temple University.

CYNTHIA PEARCE LEMAY ’78

Millennials and Conflict in the Workplace: Understand the Unique Traits of the Now Generation Routledge

This book unravels the mysteries and confusion surrounding millennials. They are now the largest group in the labor force and their presence redefines the workplace for many organizations. Many older workers, who struggle to understand millennials, often define them by stereotypes rather than their actual attributes. The research behind this book explores the conflict styles of millennials compared to Generation Xers and Baby Boomers—the unique strategies they are likely to use to address conflict in the workplace. This book shares the results of interviews and focus groups providing first-hand accounts from millennials and non-millennials about their work interactions. And the results from approximately 11,000 test-takers of the Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument provide fascinating findings about generational differences in conflict styles. This research fills an important gap in the research on generational cohorts and conflict management and provides valuable information to scholars and practitioners alike.

CAPT. WAYNE

“THE GREAT TUNTINI” TUNICK ’80, USN (RET.)

American Quest

GT Books

This is the story of Sam Dean, a young man from humble beginnings whose integrity, courage, and belief in himself lands him in positions of immense responsibility and who acquits himself with great distinction. A fictional tale based on actual events and real people, American Quest showcases the U.S. Navy’s helicopter pilots, aircrewmen and the rescue swimmers who fly in some of the world’s most dangerous places and jump, in daylight or darkness, into the sea in all kinds of weather to save others in danger or distress. Sam Dean and his mentors, including his re-doubtable squadron commander, call sign “Great Tuntini,” exemplify the very best of the human spirit. American Quest is a quest for excellence, for a better life. It is the story of countless young men and women who are willing to serve their country, who undergo rigorous training and excel in roles they never could have imagined, and who sometimes are called upon to make the ultimate sacrifice.

JANICE THOMPSON ’86

Dry Tinder: A Tale of Rivalry and Injustice in Salem Village

Self-published

Dry Tinder is an historical novel based on the true story of the Towne sisters—three innocent, godly women falsely accused of witchcraft in 1692. Told through the perspective of Sarah Towne, the story becomes personal. Understanding the hysteria of the Salem witch trials by imagining the day-today lives of the early colonists, Janice Thompson shines a piercing light on the harsh judgment of their Puritan faith, wars with the native tribes and the sometimes-troubled relationship between the Massachusetts Bay Colony and Mother England. Like dry tinder to a carelessly lit match, the conflagration that follows should not be a surprise to anyone.

DIANE MEHTA ’88

Tiny Extravaganzas Arrowsmith Press

Tiny Extravaganzas, Diane Mehta’s fiercely lyrical new collection of poetry, works the American sentence to its limits. Mehta’s poems are miniaturist examinations of art, aging, literature, grief, parenting, the sublime, labor and faith. She chases rhythm, rhymes with wit, and upends formal verse with phrasing that moves like jazz against and within tradition. Art is both anchor and a framework for understanding the world, and each poem is an opportunity to have a conversation with the reader and with art and other artists. Her poems vary from small, contemplative musical interludes to epic poems about collective suffering. Mehta’s refined and propulsive poems come with an emotional bang that quietly breaks your heart.

CARA PETERHANSEL ’16

Horror Movie Dream Diner

Bottlecap Press

Horror Movie Dream Diner is a collection of poems that explore the intersections of chronic illness and mental health through the lens of horror film tropes. Through a combination of her own poetic voice, and the inhabited voices of women from famous horror films, this collection investigates the corners of fear that exist within those diagnosed with chronic physical and mental illnesses. Born from an obsession with horror films and the ways in which horror narratives can mirror experiences of illness, Horror Movie Dream Diner dives into the worlds of films such as Donnie Darko, Carrie, Rosemary’s Baby, Hellraiser, and Midsommar, as well as invented worlds of horror, and of joy.

JAIME LEMIRE ’24

Reflections of the Bald Girl: An In-Depth Cancer Review BookBaby

This memoir attempts to encapsulate the raw emotions and existential uncertainty that tormented and destabilized the author after her diagnosis with cancer. Cancer is incredibly personal and incredibly dehumanizing. There’s no cancer rule book. There are no “good” choices and aspiring to the best bad choice sucks. Embracing the suck is the unwanted and unrelenting challenge of a lifetime. The things that matter revolve around how we treat each other in the worst of times. Strength is not the absence of weakness but responding to weakness with grace and humility. Hopefully this helps someone else who is facing hard choices among bad alternatives. Ultimately, this book strives to give friends and family members of seriously or terminally ill patients a bird’s eye view into the mindset of disease.

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

Alumni Clubs

The Office of Alumni and Parent Engagement offers great ways for alumni and their families to get together. If you have any suggestions for events near you, contact us at alumni@union.edu or (518) 388-6168. A full listing of up-to-date events can be found at ualumni.union.edu/events.

North Andover Summer Welcome Reception hosted by Mark ’88 and Emily Webster P’23, P’26 (July 2023)

BOSTON, MASS.

Murray’s Fools Distillery Tasting & Tour hosted by Randall ’94 and Sarah Beach P’24 (June 2023)

GLENVILLE, N.Y.

Alumni & Family Day at the Track (July 2023)

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y.

FALMOUTH, MASS.

Smith ’01 and other scientists gave 30-minute presentations on a variety of topics—from deep sea research and robotics to geology, marine biology and geophysics—at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in August 2023.

WEST

Guests enjoyed a reception hosted by Thomas Bagnoli ’24 and his parents Barbara Cox and Joe Bagnoli, Aug. 6, 2023. Attendees included Jessie King, parent of Emily King ’23; Liz Wright, parent of Jay Segee-Wright ’20; Adam Naryka ’96; Marisa Naryka; Bill Peck ’76; Christine Shyne, mother of Fiona Shyne ’23; Fiona Shyne ’23; Cindy Peck and Jay Segee-Wright ’20.

SAINT PAUL, MINN.

Untermyer Gardens Tour & Luncheon led by Joseph Ades ’78 (July 2023)

YONKERS, N.Y.

Ronald Otten ’69, Cathie Werley, Sandra Otten, John Werley ’67, Jordanna Mallach ’00, Susan Albert ’77, Steven Albert ’77, and Martin Albert ’03 enjoyed a Union College reception in Saranac Lake Sept. 23, 2023. The reception was hosted by Jordanna Mallach ’00 and her husband, Joseph Gladd, at their camp.

SARANAC LAKE, N.Y.

Victoria

Alumni & Family Men’s Hockey Pre-Game Reception at Army West Point, hosted by the Union College Westchester/Fairfield Club (October 2023)

POINT, N.Y.

A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT OF THE ALUMNI COUNCIL

GREETINGS FELLOW ALUMNI,

There are so many great ways to get involved with Union.

This past year was filled with alumni gatherings throughout the country. We have hosted more than 70 events in 26 cities in 10 states. If you’d like to help the Alumni Office plan an event in your area, contact Ashley Breslin and Damond Heath at alumni@union.edu.

It’s bittersweet writing my last update as Alumni Council president. I’ve been involved with the council for almost a decade and have had the honor of serving as an alumni trustee the last three years. While my time on the Board of Trustees is coming to an end, I will continue to be an active member of the Union community. And I look forward to supporting the next group of alumni leaders as they take the Alumni Council reins. If you’re looking for your own way to engage with and support Union, consider giving time, talent or treasure.

Time

There are many ways to get involved:

• Class Agents

• Regional & Affinity Alumni Clubs

• The Alumni Council & Gold Committee

• ReUnion Committee

• Admissions Alumni Volunteer

• Career Engagement Volunteer

Interested? Contact Ashley Breslin, director of Alumni & Parent Engagement, at alumni@union.edu or visit ualumni.union.edu. We’re always excited to meet new alumni volunteers and encourage you to seek Alumni Council membership at ualumni.union.edu/acapplication

Talent

GarnetGrove is a career and mentorship platform available through the Career Center that fosters connections among students, alumni, parents, faculty and community leaders.

Through GarnetGrove, alumni can:

• Help uncover potential career paths for students.

• Participate in industry-related affinity groups and discussions.

• Post internships and job opportunities for students.

• Conduct mock interviews and provide resume tips.

• Use one-on-one chat and video messaging mentorship capabilities.

To learn more or create a GarnetGrove account, visit union.peoplegrove.com or scan this QR code.

Treasure

The Union Fund plays a critical role in augmenting the College’s operating budget and advancing its educational mission. It is an expression of community in which individuals illustrate the power of many. Every donor and every dollar make a difference. Particularly helpful are unrestricted gifts or those that allow the College to support areas of greatest need.

To learn more or to make a gift, visit ualumni.union.edu/waystogive

Thank you for the opportunity to serve as Alumni Council president. It’s an exciting time to be part of the Union community and we hope we can help you find more ways to be involved and stay connected.

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

Vin Mattone '06 with his family

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT:

Simone Sampson ’10

Alumni Council member

After graduating from Union with a degree in philosophy, Simone Sampson ’10 served two years with AmeriCorps, engaging in nonprofit development and grant writing. Sampson also earned a master’s in philosophy from American University and taught first and second grade social studies and science at KIPP DC in Washington, D.C.

Today, she is a product strategist at Navy Federal, focusing on debit card strategy. She holds an M.B.A. from George Washington University and serves in the D.C. National Guard, where she has been a voice for her fellow soldiers. Recognizing that many endure financial struggles, Sampson has advocated for resources and institutions to support soldiers’ unique needs, especially for lower enlisted individuals living paycheck to paycheck.

Sampson was inspired to serve by her mother, Dr. Estelle Cooke-Sampson ’74, who also spent time in the National Guard.

Both women have done much for Union. Cooke-Sampson has supported the College staunchly in many ways, including through leadership as a trustee. Sampson has been actively involved in Union events in D.C., engaging with students and service on the Alumni Council. Here, she reflects on some of those activities and her own undergraduate experience.

Which of these activities has been most meaningful?

Connecting with students. It allows me to bridge the gap between my experiences as a graduate and the aspirations of current students. I value the opportunity to offer guidance and to support young minds as they navigate their educational journeys and prepare for their futures. I enjoy meeting them and gaining insights into their perspectives on the changing educational environment. It is essential institutions like Union College continue to evolve to meet the needs of future generations.

What was your most formative Union experience?

The Philosophy Speaker Series. It allowed me to explore contemporary philosophy and witness the intersection of academic studies with current research. It was a departure from my studies’ predominantly ancient philosophical focus and broadened my horizons, illustrating the real-world impact of academic pursuits.

What’s your favorite Union memory?

I loved the close-knit community and the opportunities for personalized learning that the College provided. I appreciated the small class sizes and strong accountability for one’s work. This environment allowed for robust discussions and interdisciplinary possibilities. My time at Union felt like a “safe space,” where I could create meaningful connections with fellow students— something I cherish.

Best advice you’ve received: One piece of advice that has guided me is the belief that it’s never too late to pursue something new. I firmly believe that individuals can always change and grow, but sometimes we don’t know we can until we try.

Fun fact about you:

I love audiobooks, with a special mention for Stephen King’s The Stand. It goes along with my passion for literature and commitment to lifelong learning.

Parents Circle

UIt was a delight to see so many families at the annual Parents Circle breakfast meeting with President David Harris during Homecoming & Family Weekend.

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 2022–2023. Your support and philanthropy have an incredible impact.

We are thrilled to welcome Class of 2027 families to the Union community, and we invite you to join with us in supporting the educational programs and activities that will make your child’s Union experience extraordinary.

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

Anonymous

Robert and Susan Appleby P’21

Jim and Katie Brennan P’26

Erik and Anna Caspersen P’26

Thomas Caulfield and Sandra Eng-Caulfield P’19

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

David and Tara Della Rocca P’26

Paul and Anne Donahue P’24

George and Sharon Gmelch P’05

Nick '81 and Christine Gray P’24

Merle Hochman P’89

Michael and Alexandra Horowitz P’26

Mark and Julie Jones P’25

Walker and Suzanne Jones P’26

Stephen and Jill Karp P’97, P’99

Irvin Kessler and Barbara Anderson P’04

Brian and Dawn Kilmeade P’25

Jeffrey Kip P’24

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

Barry MacLean P’98

Mila Meier P’91, P’94

Carlo and Amy Merlo P’23

Michael and Anne Moran P’10, P’13

Peter and Cynthia Nemer P’24

Thomas and Liz Niedermeyer P’10

Mark and Nedra Oren P’88, P’90

Jim and Jean Prusko P’25

Sean Riley P’25

Nathaniel Roberts and Laura Zung P’24

Michael and Janet Rogers P’11

Fred ’85 and Sue ’88 Rothberg P’26

David and Karen Sherwood P’23

Roger ’94 and Piper ’95 Smith P’26

Kay Stafford GP’26

Barbara Sturges P’97

Keith Sultan ’90 and Iuliana Shapira P’23

Catherine Chiu Tan ’91 and Raymond Tan ’91, P’25

David and Michele Tarica P’10

Yue Wang and Qing Liu P’22

Mark ’88 and Emily Webster P’23, P’26

Robert Wilson P’09

Anne Wilson P’09

Garnet Guard

Alumni who have celebrated their 50th ReUnion.

GARNET GUARD

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

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

1953

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Hubert Plummer

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

1954

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

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

1955

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Ken Haefner

1346 Waverly Place Schenectady, N.Y. 12308 kbhaefner@gmail.com

Arthur Newman was recently featured in the Charleston City Paper in an article titled, “Prolific painter Newman discusses decades of artwork.”

CLASS NOTES U

1956

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

William Deuell

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

1957

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Paul Mohr

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

1958

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

David C. Horton

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

Sandy Rosenblum writes, “I have been ‘practicing’ personal injury law in Albany, N.Y., for more than 60 years and ‘still trying to get it right,’ energetically advocating daily for the bent and broken. Five children came after Union and the University of Buffalo Law School. Three of them have law degrees, one practicing largely (and an ordained rabbi), one housewife (post years of lawyering) to a physician, one doing dermatology (after a bit of law), and an architect and therapist—all of impeccable integrity in their professions.

Three are the products of Albany’s Maimonides Hebrew Day School that my wife, Dina, and I proudly helped found more than 40 years ago, and

worthy of our continuing active support. Fortunately, we have succeeded in instilling love of country and Judaism in our children and hundreds of others. Union College in days of yore represented the best in our dear country. Chapel had its profound spiritual effects. While I was not able to attend our 65th ReUnion in May, I wish my classmates a lengthy life full of meaning, enriched by some of the best days of our lives at Union.”

David Horton writes, “Four stalwart members of the Class of 1958 attended our 65th ReUnion this past May with their significant others. Ross Nye had registered for ReUnion, but had to cancel at the last minute. Attendees included me and Miriam, Bill Mack (Ellen), Dan Riesel (Sheila) and John Sweeney (Sherry Fitzgerald). The Macks and the Hortons visited with Walter Bray at his home in Delphi, N.Y., on their way to Schenectady that weekend. Walter was recovering from surgery that prevented his wife, Jaylyn, and him from coming to ReUnion. On campus, we all enjoyed our time together and took advantage of the activities the Alumni Office had planned. We also saw and learned how Union has evolved over the past 65 years. Bagpipers still led the alumni parade from Alumni Gym to Memorial Chapel. Ah, tradition! In our

memories we heard the song, ‘If you want to go to Union just come along with me, by the light, by the light of the moon.’ Support Union students by contributing to Annual Giving and, if you wish, designate a portion of or all of your donation to the Donald T. Stadtmuller Scholarship Fund that our class established in Don’s memory. Also, I invite you to send me information about yourself that you would like to share with others in the Union College alumni magazine.”

ReUnion, are David

1959

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

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

Pictured from the left, clockwise around the table at Hale House during

Horton ’58 (Miriam), Bill Mack ’58 (Ellen), Dan Riesel ’58 (Sheila) and John Sweeney ’58 (Sherry Fitzgerald).

David M. Berger writes, “My wife and I live on Sanibel Island, Fla., and have just moved back into our home after Hurricane Ian. Thankfully our damages were ‘minimal’ compared to others—friends have lost homes and belongings, and we are continuing to make repairs. This has been a lesson in meeting challenges and being creative when necessary. Every day is a test!”

1960

CLASS CORRESPONDENTS

Charles E. Roden kiw702@aol.com

Joel Kupersmith, M.D. jk1688@georgetown.edu

Charles Roden writes, “Once again hard to believe 63 years have gone by. Leslie and I continue to enjoy our 10 grandchildren. Finally, have one who entered Union as a freshman. We continue to make home between New York and Florida. Just completed a knee replacement and the doctor assured me that I will regain my former 8 handicap (right). Speak to Paul Wintrich and Mike Lawrence, who are doing well. This summer we once again plan to return to Capri. Love to hear from everyone.”

The Rev. Paul Hardwick and his wife, Linda Rae, celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary on May 20 with a trip to Monterey, Calif. Paul also marked the 60th anniversary of his ordination as an American Baptist minister earlier in May. Paul retired after serving churches in the Midwest for 40 years and as Association Minister for the Pacific Coast Baptist Association.

Mel Einhorn writes, “After a long career in healthcare labor and admin relations I moved to Wylie, Texas (NE of Dallas). At Union was active. With the

literary magazine and newspaper. Wrote poems, short stories, interviewed people of note and did spontaneous human interest pieces as I spiraled from pre-med to English literature. In my retirement I have been able to pursue writing, which was thwarted by an early marriage, children and a challenging economy. At 83 life and spinning tales with a younger wife of thirty-five years is good. Fond memories of joy and travails when Union lamentably was not coed. My daughter graduated in 2012 and redeemed my notorious reputation. Best to all. P.S.— Was a VP at American College of Internal Medicine in Philadelphia for five years.”

Larry Benson writes, “I had a great cruise in a catamaran with Dr. Paul Jacobs as captain, his companion as navigator and me as the person who learned how to ‘grind.’ Not much fun to learn this valuable nautical chore! After graduation from Union with a B.S. in geology, I was granted an M.S. in geology at The University of Tennessee in Knoxville and practiced engineering geology until I retired. I have been in Greenback, T.N., for 40-some years and live in a historic house built in 1854, so I have learned quite a few things about maintenance. I have extra bedrooms, so visitors are welcome. I purchased a Ferrari many years ago and have been judging the earlier models for 30-plus years and that experience has been enriching.”

Chester Feldberg writes, “Happy to report that I recently retired for the fourth (and presumably final) time. My first, and primary, career was with the Federal Reserve System, where I spent 36 years, the last 10 running bank supervision at

the New York Fed. Much of my career at the Fed involved crisis management, and I was fortunate to have participated in the resolution of most of the major financial crises that arose between 1975 and 2000, when I retired. I then spent eight years as non-executive chairman of Barclays’s U.S. operations and chairman of its governance committee. Following my second retirement in 2008, I was asked to serve as one of three independent trustees appointed jointly by the U.S. Treasury and the Federal Reserve in connection with the government’s controversial bailout of AIG. My fourth retirement occurred in March of this year when I retired as a board member and chairman of the audit committee of Mizuho Americas, the holding company responsible for overseeing the U.S. banking and securities operations of its parent bank in Japan. On the personal front, Yvonne and I continue to divide our time between Sleepy Hollow, N.Y, in the summer and Tucson, Ariz., in the winter. We still enjoy traveling both at home and abroad and returned recently from a fascinating cruise to Italy, Croatia, Greece and Turkey.”

Dick Bruce writes, “I wrote and produced a play called ‘Sometime Child’ off Broadway. After getting some very nice reviews, I brought in a crew to film the play. It is now up on You Tube. The play has an important and topical message but also includes humor and several plot twists.”

Paul Jacobs writes, “In a moment of temporary insanity back in January 2022 a good friend, Tom McDonald (Brown ’71), and I purchased a classic 29 ft, 1964 Graves Constellation sailboat. She was one of the very earliest fiberglass hulled boats built in the USA, and rather ironically was built and launched less than one mile from where my wife, Nancy, grew up in Marblehead, Mass. Tom and I fully realized that while her ‘bones’ were excellent she needed a lot of TLC to restore some sadly neglected teak and mahogany. As we are both retired, we have the time ... and inclination ... to do this. Tom and I are now 1.5 years into the restoration and are thrilled with the results to date. Our best guess is that she will be sailing again by June 2024, in time for her 60th birthday!”

Paul Jacobs ’60 (green jacket) and friend Tom McDonald aboard their Graves Constellation sailboat, getting ready to sail from Stony Point, N.Y., to Wickford, R.I.

1961

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

John Honey

jahoney@msn.com

On May 10, 2023, a dozen members of the classes of 1960 and 1961, organized by Jim Reisman and Robert Markfield, gathered for a special ReUnion at Bobby Van’s steakhouse restaurant in New York City. Diverse in careers and personalities, we came not only from the New York area, but also from California, Kansas, Nebraska and Florida. The event, dubbed “Ancient Union Men Gathering” (for obvious reasons!), had a dozen octogenarians with a youthful vibrancy, under white hair, recounting experiences at college with affection for Union and for each other. It was a gala evening all around. Everyone left with a spring in their slowing steps and memories of a life enjoyed and well-lived based on a quality education at Union. Attendees included Mike Bloom ’60, Paul Cohen ’60, Peter Steinglass ’60, John Merey, Jim Reisman ’60/’61, Steve Albert ’60, Lynn Ratner ’60, Robert Markfield, Al Galland ’60, Gary Stein ’60, Chet Feldberg ’60 and Lew Roht ’60.

1962

Andrew Larson graduated in 1962 with an ME degree. He thoroughly enjoyed his time at Union. He worked for Monsanto for 30 years. He has been in St. Louis for 50 years, has been married 61 years and has 5 wonderful sons.

1965

David Leon Savoie, of Richmond, Vt., died May 5, 2023. His family writes, “David worked for decades as an executive in the banking business before launching his own successful company, U.S. Aircraft Finance, more than 25 years ago. He served his country for many years both

Twelve members of the classes of 1960 and 1961 got together in New York City in May. In attendance were Mike Bloom ’60, Paul Cohen ’60, Peter Steinglass ’60, John Merey ’61, Jim Reisman ‘60/’61, Steve Albert ’60, Lynn Ratner ’60, Robert Markfield ’61, Al Galland ’60, Gary Stein ’60, Chet Feldberg ’60 and Lew Roht ’60.

as a pilot in the U.S. Air Force and the National Guard, and went on to fly high for the rest of his life in his private aircraft. His passion for aviation never faded. An avid traveler, he lived a full life of adventure with his wife, Wendy, family, friends and many beloved pets. He was 80.” David is also remembered on p. 61.

1966

Bill Barnes, Jan Werner and Chip Bacon were in Pasadena, Calif., the first weekend in April to participate in a celebration of the remarkable life of our classmate, fraternity brother and friend, Frank LoVerme Frank passed away late last year after a battle with pulmonary fibrosis. His wife, Esther, two children and many friends and relatives gathered to mourn his passing and celebrate the years we knew him. Union and the friendships he started there were very important to Frank. He always credited Union with jumpstarting his successful career in marketing and advertising. Frank never tired of retelling stories of life at Union and in the process, lifting the spirits of any alums he met over the years. Frank was a doting father and uncle to his extended family and a loyal friend. He will be missed by all of us who had the good fortune to have known him.

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

H. Leigh Frye writes, “My wife and I enjoyed seeing Jack and Lorraine Moore, Scott Muirhead, Larry Relyea, Thad Knight, and class members at our 55th ReUnion in May. Fireworks were again amazing.”

Class of 1968 members got together at the home of Paul and Judy Boor in White Lake, N.Y., in July. Pictured are Leigh Frye (Ilion, N.Y.), Charles Williams (Columbus, Ohio) and Paul Boor (Galveston, Texas)

Mark Polansky writes, “Following an amazing 25-year career as co-founder, managing director and senior partner in Korn Ferry’s Technology & Digital Officers Executive Search Practice, I started a new business. It is focused on building and leading communities of interest comprised primarily of chief information and chief technology officers as well as human resource and talent acquisition executives, chief diversity officers, and other transformational leaders. My firm, Outcome Solutions LLC, creates and leads advisory boards that provide platforms for thought leadership among IT executives, technology providers and entrepreneurs for peer and expert interaction, sharing,

David Leon Savoie died May 5, 2023.

and networking around innovation and best practices. Current projects include an advisory and innovation council of CIOs at a rockstar private equity firm, and a corporate advisory board for an organization of awesome women technologists.

1969

CLASS CORRESPONDENTS

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

Ray Pike Salisbury, Mass. rnwpike@comcast.net

Don Bentrovato writes, “Greetings to all, looking forward to our 55th ReUnion in May 2024! Details will be coming from Alumni Office and the class ReUnion committee. I have fully retired and was honored by the Schenectady Medical Society for my 50 years of being a physician, along with some of my medical school classmates. Where does the time go?! It was a nice event with our wives invited and each of us got a certificate of honor. I had my med school reunion in October, too! Hope to see you this spring!”

Dr. Leonard M. Kagan, of New York, N.Y., and formerly of Dix Hills, N.Y., who graduated from New York Medical College and was a board-certified OB/GYN,

died December 12, 2022. Len was in private practice in West Islip and Holbrook, N.Y., for over 37 years. After retiring, he and his wife, Cara, thoroughly enjoyed their extra time with their children and grandchildren as well as traveling. Len was a cherished husband and father to Michelle Kagan Sandler ’02 (Joel Sandler) and Erica Healey-Kagan (Leslie HealeyKagan), and grandfather to Juliet, August and Jude Sandler. Throughout his life, Len was a devoted Sigma Phi brother. He was 75.

Richard Rosener writes, “Robert H. Sheil, of Montpelier, Vt., who held a law degree from Vermont Law School, died Nov. 29, 2022. Early in his career he worked as a deputy state attorney in Washington County, Vt. Following six years in private practice specializing in juvenile and criminal law, he then joined the state public defender system as the supervising attorney in the Office of the Juvenile Defender. He remained in that position until he retired. He has also served on many local, state and national boards concerned with juvenile justice issues. He also enjoyed cooking, traveling, and spending time with friends on Butler Island in Lake Champlain.” He is further remembered on p. 61.

Jim Eignor passed away July 4, 2023. His family writes, “Since his retirement from G.E., he had been doing a lot of woodworking, including creating displays at the Schenectady County Historical Society. He and his wife, Ann, traveled the country, visiting all 50 states while he sharpened his photography skills. He is survived by her, their two daughters and their spouses, and a grandson.” Jim is further remembered on p. 61.

1970

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

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

Frank Donnini, class correspondent for the past 25+ years writes, “When recently volunteering as a docent (I’ve also been doing this for over 25 years) at the top-level Mariners’ Museum in Newport News, VA, an older couple came in to visit. I began the brief welcoming with the usual question of where are you from? I got the answer of Schenectady. I then responded, I graduated from Union College. Turns out the lady was a retired school educator, and the husband informed me that Union once again offered a civil engineering major. News to me as a history major, but it’s a good thing. Had an enjoyable conversation. A few weeks later, an older man came in and the same Q&A followed. He grew up in Schenectady. Stopped at the Mariners’ Museum while sailing his boat up the East Coast. Another nice chat. Both visitors had several close relatives that graduated from Union. Small world. Now on to the many inputs that came in recently when the request went out calling for classmates

to share what’s going on in their full or semi-retirement lives. While several submitters are regular ones, a few were first-time responders, which was very nice to receive. Everyone, keep on submitting your inputs!”

Andy Anderson writes, “I just passed through capital country on my way from N.J. to the Adirondacks. A week at Lake Placid has become something of a family tradition since my son-in-law participated in the Lake Placid Ironman triathlon several years ago. We’re here with our daughter, our SIL, and two of our four grandkids. They live in Ashland, Mass. The other two grandkids are in Brooklyn, N.Y., and Princeton, N.J. My wife Ann (Russell Sage ’70) and I live in Bergen County, N.J. I’m retired from a career in environmental engineering, prompted in part by the celebration of the first Earth Day on campus in April 1970. A couple of years after Union, I was considering pursuing a graduate degree. I found a couple of programs in environmental engineering. Engineering and the environment: a perfect match. I earned an ME from Manhattan College and became one of the Manhattan Mafia, a significant thread running through the field. Retirement finds me fixing up and riding bicycles, paddling kayaks, maintaining the house and garden, wood carving, volunteering on community boards and, of course, visiting with grandkids. Sometimes at the end of a day Ann or I will say, ‘I don't know what I did today, but it took me all day to do it.’ I think often of Union and the fine people I met there through football, in the Mountebanks, in the dorm, at the Rathskeller, and last, but

Dr. Leonard M. Kagan ‘69 died Dec. 12, 2022.

Mark Polansky ’68

not necessarily least, in classes. All the best to all the members of the Class of ’70.”

Bill Birns writes, “Known as Bonzo in our college days, I am now simply Bill, or Dr. Birns, retired schoolteacher in the Catskill Mountains, now writing slim local history books in prose and verse, living quietly in little Fleischmanns, N.Y., with wife, Gayla Suzanne, and goldendoodle Murray Wagner. Recently honored by The Catskill Center for Conservation and Development as one of 50 ‘Stewards of the Catskills.’ The old Bonz has been a mountain guy since U-hauling down from Union 52 years ago. John Denver’s ‘Country Roads’ provided the soundtrack for the 70-mile State Route 30 trip into a world outside the American mainstream. I’ve loved it! Congratulations to Kenny Pearce on Cheektowaga being named one of top 100 American places to live. Perhaps, the Catskill Mountains should be in there too. Though, let’s keep that quiet. Getting a bit crowded here. All the best, brothers!”

Vincent Bonventre, J.D., Ph.D, is the Justice Robert H. Jackson Distinguished Professor of Law at Albany Law School, director of the Center for Judicial Process, and author of New York Court Watcher. He writes, “I’m entering my 34th year on the Albany Law School faculty. Still absolutely love being in the classroom and teaching constitutional law, criminal law and seminars on the Supreme Court and the N.Y. Court of Appeals. I’m still writing, providing commentary, and lecturing to bar associations. My three sons, two of whom graduated from Union, are all doing well in their professions (law, physics and mathematics),

and my wife Catherine (another lawyer and prof!) and I actually just moved into a new home in Albany and are having a blast. I occasionally drive to Schenectady just to visit the gorgeous campus and become nostalgic and grateful for all the good fortune I had spending four years there. BTW, I did my graduate work at the University of Virginia, whose magnificent grounds bear some resemblance to Union’s and, apparently, Thomas Jefferson’s plan for UVA was influenced by Union’s campus!”

Mark Bornfield writes, “I am still performing and doing concerts. A recent one was with the Broward Pops Orchestra in Florida on Nov. 12, 2023. I work on Cape Cod, Mass., now with four nights of performance and attended the Union College alumni event in August here on the Cape.”

David Higby writes, “I was fortunate to find a professional niche in environmental policy and advocacy with not-forprofits. I spent several years with Environmental Advocates of NY—a statewide watchdog group in Albany, where I was the project director for Great Lakes water management, protection of the Adirondacks, water quality, hazardous and solid waste reform and toxic cleanup oversight. I then joined the Nature Conservancy (N.Y.) as the director of Federal Government Relations, where I changed my focus to Washington and federal conservation matters, including climate issues. It was great to have work I believe in. My private life good fortune has been even more off the charts. For the last 40 years I have teamed with a remarkable woman, Nancy Hand, an accomplished landscape

architect who established a thriving garden design business. Two wonderful children, now successfully fledged, came to us. Nancy and I are now building a little retirement home just north of Montpelier, Vt. I sometimes fill some time with guest lecturing at (e.g.) the University at Albany, Albany Law School and our alma mater. All-in-all an appropriate journey for a trouble-seeking Union College American Studies freak from a long line of scruffy Adirondack hunting and fishing guides.”

Fred Jackson writes that he is in his 16th year of retirement in Wilmington, N.C., where he enjoys bicycling and boating. He and Ana Maria Zelaya de Jackson (from Guatemala, Russell Sage ’72) celebrated 52 years of marriage this year.

Jon Littman writes, “I’ve been enjoying retirement since I left family medicine in 2017. One of my favorite activities is volunteering at the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago. Once a week I work in the insect collections department, where millions of specimens are kept, mostly helping to update databases in the huge collection. As a young boy I developed an interest in butterflies and got to know all the common species in the New York area. Over time my interest widened to many other types of arthropods. While these little critters are often regarded as pests, our entire ecological system depends on them to help break down and recycle dead plant and animal matter, and they play a crucial role as pollinators of crops, forests and gardens. Many of them are rather beautiful in their color patterns and anatomical details as well as being fascinating in their complex behaviors. Also,

I looked back at our year’s Freshman Record (which has our pictures and a short blurb about where we went to high school) and saw that Frank Donnini attended the Mt. Hermon (MH) School in Massachusetts. I don’t know if you knew our classmate, Dave Demaine. Dave was a very close friend of mine while he was at Union and thereafter until his death some years ago. He was a longtime teacher (classics dept.) at MH and I visited him at the school a number of times; a very nice place.”

Len Simon writes, “I am enjoying semi-retired life in San Diego, Calif. I have a wife and three grown sons and a nice house in La Jolla with a view of the Pacific. I have practiced law and been married to the same woman for the last 49 years. My career has involved complex litigation on the plaintiffs’ side, and sports-related issues. I have also been teaching one law school course a year since 2000, although I’m taking this year off. I have taught at Duke (law school alma mater), USC, University of San Diego and UC Irvine. In my semi-retired state, I have cut back on my complex litigation practice and increased my sports law work. I teach and write about sports

Jon Littman ’70 volunteers at the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago.

and the law as well. I co-own a minor league baseball team, the Lake Elsinore Storm, a class A San Diego Padres affiliate. We won the League Championship last year and seem to do that about once a decade. I see Craig Carlson and his lovely wife, Therese, on a regular basis. I also see Karyn and Rich Gilman, who live in the desert in La Quinta, Calif. My main avocations these days are watching the Padres and playing golf. My wife and I like to travel, but she is fighting her way through some medical challenges now.”

Mike Swirsky reports that he continues to work as a radiologist at White Plains Hospital in Westchester, N.Y. Mike spends part of the winter in Florida, at his home in Boynton Beach, where he reads cases in the morning and plays golf in the afternoon. He and his wife, Jane, enjoy spending time with their four grandchildren throughout the year. Not ready to retire! Work for him is still quite intriguing.

Mike Thompson is still working as an attorney at Law in Canton, OH, and writes, “… not sure I have anything noteworthy, but wanted to reach out to an Old Fraternity Brother (Phi Sigma Delta) and hope this finds you in good health! I see where we are now losing classmates and fraternity brothers.”

Carl Thum writes, “Year three of retirement, we are as busy as we were when we (Lisa and I) were working for Dartmouth College in Hanover, N.H., and raising a family. But we do now have more time for reading, gardening, fly fishing, exercising, and spending time with family and friends. I am very involved in a nonprofit that provides permanent, positive and semi-independent residences for adults with

developmental delays. Attend and cheer for Union’s hockey team when it comes to Hanover to play Dartmouth.”

Chris Woods writes, “I had some business in Albany, N.Y., last year and decided to stay an extra day and pop on over to Union. Working my way from the perimeter of the school into the core campus, I drove down Seward Place (known then as ‘Sewer’ place} and the change was amazing. The dumpy house Joe Godlewski and I lived in just past Huron Place (now Roger Hull Place) was all fixed up and looked great along with most all of the other houses. After that I got lost when trying to get to the old alumni field house due to all the new buildings, gyms, hockey rinks etc. What a change! Union has come a long way. At least Jackson’s Garden is still where I remembered it. My old fraternity house, Psi U, unfortunately, is no more; now a named student house along with Chi Psi and our other neighboring fraternities. With four grandchildren coming along, I will probably be visiting Union a lot more frequently. Next week, I’m having lunch with Dick Brickley ’69 and a fellow Psi U, who I have not seen in 20 years. Regardless of what any of my physics professors said, time is compressing, but I’m planning to be around when my oldest grandchild gets accepted at Union! Early admission might be helpful here.”

John Hammerstrom reported that he was the third fastest swimmer in the nation this year at the U.S. Masters Summer Championships held in Sarasota, Fla., for his 75-79 age group by finishing in the bronze-medal position in the 50-meter freestyle race. He also finished seventh in the

100-meter freestyle. John and his wife of 42 years, Diane Marshall, enjoy living on the Big Island of Hawaii, where she writes and he gardens and volunteers as a HAM radio operator and CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) member.

1971

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

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

1972

Dr. Ira Schwartz has been named Emory University’s Exemplary Teacher of the Year. He is an associate professor of family and preventive medicine, among other roles at the university.

Larry Thornton writes, “I regret to inform the Union community that my best friend from Union, Wayne Roe, passed on June 10, 2022—exactly 50 years to the day that we graduated! Wayne was a generous man who did very well in his career. My wife and I traveled worldwide with Wayne and his wife, Debbie. We both had three children in about the same year. Wayne loved his beach house in Hatteras, N.C., and condo in San Francisco. Wayne lived in Bethesda, Md. He ran in several Boston

Marathons, finishing in under 2:30. He also competed in many triathlons in his career.”

Guild Hall in East Hampton, N.Y., honored Ken Wyse recently, recognizing his outstanding leadership and enduring commitment to the 92-year-old institution. Ken has been a trustee of the multidisciplinary arts center since 2014 and serves as the second vice chair of the executive committee, as well as the chair of the development and events committees. Ken has had an incomparable career in consumer goods marketing and licensing, including 30-plus years of driving increased revenue and profits for PVH Corporation. He is president of Wyse Consulting, a firm he established after retiring from PVH Corporation. Ken is a member of the Leadership Council of Lincoln Center, and the chairman emeritus of Lincoln Center’s Business Council. He is a member of the Board of Directors of the Business Council for International Understanding, which pursues international business opportunities for U.S. companies in association with the U.S. State Department. Ken is also chairman emeritus of the YMA/FSF Youth Mentoring Association.

John Hammerstrom ’70

Ken Wyse ’72

1973

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Larry Swartz

Niskayuna, N.Y.

larry.swartz@agriculture.ny.gov

The Board of Trustees presented Frank Messa with the Founders Medal in May in recognition of his distinguished service to Union. For over 30 years, Frank has represented the board in a variety of leadership positions and at countless celebrations. A life trustee, he even served as a member of the administration as interim vice president for College Relations.

1975

Reuniting with a beloved mentor

George Bain writes, “As editor of Concordiensis in my senior year, I worked with Mrs. Lorraine Marra to keep Concordy solvent and on track. When you walked into her office, first floor on the right in what’s now the Career Center, she greeted you with a welcoming smile and constant good cheer. She knew there was never a problem for an activity that a student couldn’t solve, perhaps with a little gentle counsel from her. We may not have considered her office a classroom in how to run a small business, and her teaching influence was so great because she never hectored or lectured us. Indeed, we rarely realized how her leadership was allowing us to find the right course of action. Creating a sense of family for all of us, she was—and remains—a joy to visit and to know.”

Dave Gordon ’76, Adam Schwartz ’96 and Fred Weil participated in The Park to the Nott Ride to Fight Parkinsons. (park2nottride.com), a fundraising cycling event for the Michael J. Fox Foundation. They rode 202 miles, starting at Tavern on the Green in NYC’s Central Park and ending with one spin around the Nott Memorial. They raised $10,000 for the Michael J. Fox Foundation.

Bob Bernhardt writes, “Lorraine Marra knew where everything was, who everyone was and how everything worked. Having her ear, and experiencing her kindness, humor and professionalism, were among the things that made Union the wondrous place it was for us. She was a wind beneath our wings, and the glue that kept us from going off the rails!”

Frank Allocca writes, “When I was a 17-year-old away from home for the first time, Mrs. Marra became like a second mother to me, giving me all kinds of advice, both academic and social. Over the years I would probably visit her in her office at least several times a week. I was amazed but really not surprised that after 50 years, she knew me by name immediately at the Bon Voyage breakfast. It was truly a highlight of ReUnion Weekend.”

Patrick A. “Buzz” Guida writes, “Mrs. Lorraine Marra served as the Student Activities coordinator before and long after my time at Union. I had the great pleasure of working regularly with Mrs. Marra while serving on the Student Activities Tax Committee. That was the campus body that allocated funds to various College-

funded clubs and organizations. Mrs. Marra engaged personally with the Tax Committee and the leadership of each of those organizations to make sure all funding requests were fairly considered and reasonably provided for. Mrs. Marra offered creative solutions to any challenges, always demonstrating good humor and respect for the College’s best interests. I will add that I felt like she was treating us with the same level of attention and thoughtfulness often reserved for one’s own kids. Was so happy to see her during our 50th ReUnion weekend.” Patrick is treasurer of the Rhode Island Bar Association and a partner at Duffy & Sweeney Ltd., where he is part of the firm’s banking and finance, business law, and real estate law teams.

Ross Fraser ’70, Lorraine Marra, George Bain ’73 and Patrick “Buzz” Guida ’73 pose for a photo on campus during ReUnion in May. Lorraine spent 35 years at Union College, retiring in 1997 as coordinator of Student Activities.

Paolo Ceratto ’75 with his grandson Nilo, who is 8 months old.

1976

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Paul Boyd

pboyd@yahoo.com

David Strom writes, “I started working earlier this year for SiliconANGLE.com, a business technology news site, as their cybersecurity and AI reporter. It is nice to be back with doing editorial blogging work. Those alum that work for tech companies that want mentions about their products, you now have a connection!”

Craig Diamond is the proud grandfather of his first grandson. In other, less impactful news, he has been afforded the opportunity to present a seminar during the quinquagenary of the University of Florida’s Center for Wetlands and the impact of HT Odum on ecosystems science, energy theory and ecological policy.

Dave Gordon writes, “Every year, Fred Weil ’75 organizes a 3-day bike ride from Central Park in New York City to Union College to raise money for Parkinson’s Research (park2nottride.com). This year’s ride was May 18-20. It is a Union-centric ride. Besides Fred, Union riders were Adam Schwartz ’96 and me. Our SAG drivers (support and gear) were Arthur Miller, Robert Johnson and Garrett Andrews ’78. It is a lot of riding and

even more fun. And always great to finish at Union by doing a lap around the Nott.”

Douglas Wingerath visited Union College in May 2023 for the first time since graduation. He writes, “Very enjoyable to see Sigma Chi brothers after all these years.” He has three daughters and four grandchildren.

Gary Geller writes, “I’ve been working at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, CA, for about 35 years. For the last 20 or so I’ve focused on using satellite data for monitoring biodiversity and ecosystems, an area that is changing quickly due to changes in remote sensing technology and increasing threats to ecosystems. After graduating in ’76 I took a year off and worked for a tree maintenance company trimming trees in New Hampshire, then got an MS from the University of Wyoming in botany and Ph.D. from UCLA in biology. I took the job at JPL by accident, basically, and developed software or systems for some years. Then I took a year and a half off to travel and when I returned to JPL started the ecosystem work. I’ve been living with the same woman for a long time.”

Dave Gordon ’76 (second from left), Adam Schwartz ’96 (center) and Fred Weil ’75 (helmet) at the conclusion of The Park to the Nott Ride to Fight Parkinson’s.

Robert Johnson ’76, Steve Wollins ’76, Andy Pearce ’76, Beth Pearce, Dave Gordon ’76, Garrett Andrews ’78 and Thom Siragusa ’83 gathered at Garrett’s home recently.

Andy Pearce ’76 writes, “I took this picture this summer while in Schenectady. Walking the campus that evening was a combination of magic and a feeling that I was home. I hope the picture captures even a small amount of the romance.”

Alumni participate in the annual Park2Nott Ride

Douglas Wingerath ’76

1977

Stephen Blonsky writes, “I am a semi-retired nephrologist. I do occasional Locums work and do volunteer teaching at the Medical College of Wisconsin. My oldest son graduated with a doctorate in pharmacy (PharmD) from the University of Iowa and is working for Aurora Health in Milwaukee. He and his wife have two children. My oldest daughter received her M.D. and finished her nephrology fellowship at The Cleveland Clinic and is now working at Marshfield Clinic in Marshfield, Wis. (with the same organization I work with in the same medical specialty). She and her husband have two children and one on the way. My second daughter obtained her M.D. and finished her pediatric cardiology training at the University of Michigan. She is a pediatric cardiologist in Minneapolis. My first twin son is teaching French language at a public high school in L.A. and just completed his doctorate of education at California State University, and my second twin son is living with his wife in Norway and works at a company developing new types of batteries for EV. My wife is a retired RN. We travel and spoil our grandchildren. Enjoying retirement.”

1978

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Jeff Laniewski Florence, Ariz. jlaniewski4@gmail.com

Joe Cardinal was inducted into the Space Technology Hall of Fame at the 38th Space Symposium in April 2023. Joe and his colleagues at Southwest Research Institute and the NASA Johnson Space Center were recognized as the leaders of the NASGRO®

software development team. NASGRO analyzes fatigue crack growth and fracture in structural and mechanical components and is the most widely used software of this type in the world. It is a key analytical tool used to substantiate structural integrity of aircraft, spacecraft, rotorcraft, gas turbine engines, pressure vessels and other safety critical hardware. The Space Technology Hall of Fame award honors technologies having their origin in space programs and that have since been adapted and transferred to the public sector for the benefit of all.

Joe says the wide range of companies and industries he supports around the world using NASGRO has kept his career interesting over the last 20+ years. He has worked for Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio, Texas, for over 40 years as a structural engineer and has been married to his wife, Leslie, for 32 years. As a native Schenectadian living in south Texas for so long, he still does not miss the upstate New York winters.

1979

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Kurt Hamblet

San Luis Obispo, Calif. kurthamblet@gmail.com

Wanda Nichols ’78 and Cindy Vanina were roommates again 45+ years later, on a two-week trip to Lisbon, Porto and Bordeaux. Whether sharing a room at an Airbnb or a guest room in an historic chateau, Wanda and Cindy explored Europe together, eating their way through big cities and tiny villages alike. Favorite food: natas in Lisbon. Favorite site: St. Emilion near Bordeaux. Favorite activity (besides eating): river cruise down the Douro River in Porto.

1980

The American Arbitration Association (AAA) and its International Centre for Dispute Resolution (ICDR), the world’s leading provider of conflict management and dispute resolution services, recently elected Linda A. Klein to the AAA-ICDR Council. She is senior managing shareholder at Baker Donelson in Atlanta, Georgia. Her practice includes a wide range of business dispute prevention and resolution matters, internal investigations, contract law, professional liability, and risk and crisis management. She has worked extensively with clients in the construction, higher education and pharmaceutical industries.

Larry Mariasis writes, “Dori (Weiner) Mariasis and I celebrated our 40th wedding anniversary on May 22. We met at Union our senior year. Dori transferred from an accounting class to an economics class I was taking. Knew she was ‘the one’ the moment she walked into the classroom. We were also both RAs—Dori in Fox and me in South College. We had a combined party for our dorms in February 1980. That’s when we started dating. Engaged in February 1982, married in May 1983. Turns out she WAS ‘the one.’ It’s now been 40 amazing years sharing my life with the most incredible woman in the world. I would not change one thing. Two terrific sons (Jason and Eric), the cutest grandson (Theo), two caring daughters-in-law (Zoie and Vanessa). Forty years spanning professional careers, family, world travel, lots of fun and laughs, good health, good friends, giving back. Every day is a gift. We have been blessed. And it all started at Union. Thank you, Union, for our firstclass education and, of course, for bringing us together!” Larry retired in 2008 from Bank of America after a 26-year career. They live eight months of the year in Estero, Fla., and four months in Sudbury, Mass.

Wanda Nichols ’78 and Cindy Vanina ’79 on a two-week trip to Lisbon, Porto and Bordeaux

Linda A. Klein ’80

Larry Mariasis ’80 and Dori (Weiner) Mariasis ’80

Jim Loree P’18, a former Union College trustee, has been appointed to the board of Serta Simmons Bedding. He is the past president and chief executive officer of Stanley Black & Decker, Inc. Jim has also served on the board of The Whirlpool Corporation since 2017.

1981

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Sue Barnhart Ferris sferris59@gmail.com

1983

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Cory Lewkowicz Needham, Mass. corylewkowicz@gmail.com

1984

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

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

1985

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Timothy Hesler timothy.t.hesler@gmail.com

Jeffrey Van Detta writes, “I have commenced my 25th academic year of law teaching at Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School (AJMLS), where I am the John E. Ryan Professor of International Business and Workplace Law. My work at AJMLS has opened legal education to non-traditional law students who seek to practice in underserved communities and to represent underrepresented populations in both Georgia and nationally. At Union, I was a Latin and Greek major in the Classics Department, studying under Professors Christina Elliott Sorum (late Dean of Faculty) and Mark Toher. I was elected to Phi Beta Kappa in my junior

year, won the Robert G. O’Neal Prize for Classics, and spent my fourth year cross-enrolled between Union and Albany Law School. I took my B.A. (summa cum laude) from Union in 1985 and my J.D. (cum laude) from Albany Law in 1987. My extensive faculty biography is found at https:// www.johnmarshall.edu/faculty staff/jeffrey-a-vann-detta/”

1986

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Allan Markus

bigalmed@gmail.com

After 30 years in the Foreign Service, Mikaela (Sawtelle) Meredith retired Sept. 30, 2023. She and her husband will depart Uzbekistan, where she served as USAID’s first director for two years, and move to Cape Nedick, Maine.

Allan L. Markus MD MS MBA FACP recently became the governor for the Arizona Chapter of the American College of Physicians and is starting a second internal medicine training program in Arizona at Dignity Health in Chandler/Gilbert, Ariz.

Phil Bean writes, “After 25 years as an administrator (mostly as a dean) at Harvard and Haverford colleges, I

returned to my hometown, Utica, and went into semiretirement to run a modest residential rental business with my partner. I also serve as president of the Board of Trustees of the Utica Public Library, and devote most of my free time to working as chair (and founder) of a nonprofit committed to the restoration of parks in Utica that were designed by renowned American landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr. I’m overseeing the reconstruction of a locally iconic cement reflecting pool Olmsted designed for one local park in 1913. Having had lectureships in history at Hamilton and Harvard colleges, I also returned to teaching as a part-time lecturer at Hamilton College last fall and will do so again in 2024. And when I’m not doing all that, my partner and I have been wintering for a few years in the mountainous parts of southern Mexico, including Mexico City, and exploring parts of beautiful New York state. There’s never a dull moment in this happy retirement.”

1987

CLASS CORRESPONDENT Drena Root drena.kr@gmail.com

Andy Hodgkin writes, “I have reached 24 years since my initial diagnosis with brain cancer. Our kids are grown, and we all took a cruise this summer.”

1988

Mary Ann Dunham was recently featured in the Pittsburgh Business Times in an article, “Woman of Influence: Meet Mary Ann Dunham, Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney.”

1989

Ian Levin writes, “I am a partner at Schulte Roth & Zabel LLP in Manhattan, where I focus on executive compensation and employee benefits. In addition, I’m entering my second term as chair of the Emory Law School Advisory Board and serve as an adjunct professor at both Emory Law School and New York Law School.”

1990

Lawrence Rosenthal writes, “Lorraine and I are approaching our 25th anniversary, and we are still living in the greater Cincinnati area. I just completed my 25th year in legal education/administration, serving as a professor for the first 10 of those years (five years at Stetson University College of Law and five years at Northern Kentucky University’s Salmon P. Chase College of Law), and serving as both a professor and associate dean for academics at NKU-Chase for the past 15 years. I recently traveled to the Lake Tahoe area, and I was able to reconnect with my freshman-year and senioryear roommate, Joe Pomroy, and his wife, Michelle, who live in Carson City, Nevada. I hadn’t seen them in over twenty years, and it was great

Professor Jeffrey Van Detta ’85 presents law apprentice Tyanna Coleman with an award for most improved classroom performance (April 2023).

Lawrence Rosenthal ’90 and Joe Pomroy ’90 on Lake Tahoe

On the weekend of Sept. 8-10, 2023, a group of former Potter House residents gathered on Cape Cod for our annual memorial golf outing for Eric T. Starck ’90. Pat Ahearn ’90, Ben Auslander ’90, Ben Chapman ’90, Maurice Kauff ’90, Mo O’Connell (football ’87-’88) and Greg Rybarczyk ’90 enjoyed good memories and mediocre golf. To commemorate 25 years since Eric’s passing, plans are afoot for an expanded field in 2024. Anyone interested should get in touch.

Members of the Votto family and friends recently visited campus to see the bench the Vottos gifted to Union College. Pictured are Olivia Votto (Michael and Amanda’s daughter), Michael Votto ’00, Nik Castronova (Paul’s wife), Paul Stewart-Stand ’00, Amanda Votto ’00, Shane Cahill ’00 and Michael Votto Jr. (Michael and Amanda’s son). The bench plaque reads: “The entrepreneurs’ bench / A gift of Amanda (2000) & Michael Votto (2000) and Dana & Stephen Votto (2008) / In honor of Votto Vines, which began as a Union College economics thesis / Dream big & follow your heart”

to be able to spend some time together. As you can see from our picture, we had a successful day fishing on Lake Tahoe. I hope all members of the Class of 1990 are doing well.”

1991

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Jen Brandwein jenbrandwein2@gmail.com

1992

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Laurel Mullen jay.mullen@comcast.net

1993

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Jill D. Bernstein New York, N.Y. jilldbernstein@yahoo.com

Stacie Brenkovich writes, “Maria Bruno Warner ’94 and I recently spent time together at our annual spa getaway in

Norwich, Conn. This is our 5th year and counting! We are already booked for next year! I continue to work at Deloitte in the knowledge management field and spend lots of time on the baseball and softball fields for my kids!”

1994

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

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

1995

Dr. Eileen D. Barrett has been named chair of the Board of Regents of the American College of Physicians. She is an internal medicine physician hospitalist in Albuquerque, N.M.

1997

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

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

Paul J. Deguire III ’06 and Shuron Morton were recently inducted into the Christian Brothers Academy Athletic Hall of Fame. The induction ceremony was held Oct. 7.

1998

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Ryan T. Smith Jupiter, Fla. ryan.smith@thebenjaminschool.org

Jennifer M. Paster was sworn in as Brookline’s chief of police in May. She has served the department for 23 years.

1999

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Monica Lussier monica_lussier@yahoo.com

2000

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Kimberly Kilby kimberlyakilby@gmail.com

Jeremy Newell recently testified at the House Oversight Committee hearing, “A Failure of Supervision: Bank Failures and The San Francisco Federal Reserve.” He was introduced as a “recognized expert in banking law and financial services regulatory policy.” Watch the hearing here: https://www.youtube. com/watch?v=TwelKGhgXnM

Stacie Brenkovich ’93 and Maria Bruno Warner ’94

Helping people breathe

Medicine. Business. Software development. Three fields, one for each of three former Union roommates.

Dr. Richard Lazzaro ’86, Robert Israel ’85 and Robert Wiesenberg ’85 have all achieved much in their respective industries. But perhaps little from the last 40 years compares to the adventure the trio has embarked on now.

Leveraging their decades-old friendship, Lazzaro, Israel and Wiesenberg have brought their fields—and their expertise— together to change lives.

“Rich had shared the groundbreaking work he was doing with a minimally invasive, robotically assisted procedure to treat tracheobronchomalacia (TBM), a life-threatening condition,” Israel said. “Recognizing the potential to save countless lives by improving the safety and accessibility of the procedure, Rich sought the right partners on the business side. The prospect of creating this kind of company with friends from Union truly struck us as an incredible opportunity.”

In 2019, Lazzaro, then chief of thoracic surgery at Lenox Hill Hospital, and Israel, a

serial entrepreneur, investor and business developer, co-founded Lazzaro Medical. Wiesenberg quickly joined them as chief operations officer, offering his experience from 30 years of building and leading a profitable software application development company that created scientific, technical, medical and legal information products.

The company’s credo is “helping millions to breathe easily again.” Israel expanded on this guiding principle.

“Lazzaro Medical’s mission is to develop and provide innovative solutions

ROBERT WIESENBERG ’85, DR. RICHARD LAZZARO ’86 AND ROBERT ISRAEL ’85

“Recognizing the potential to save countless lives by improving the safety and accessibility of the procedure, Rich sought the right partners on the business side. The prospect of creating this kind of company with friends from Union truly struck us as an incredible opportunity.”

–Robert Israel '85

for the diagnosis and treatment of tracheobronchomalacia, ensuring improved outcomes and enhanced quality of life for patients.”

TRACHEOBRONCHOMALACIA & SURGERY

TBM is a progressive disease of the trachea (windpipe) and bronchial tubes in which supporting cartilage and other framework of the airways deteriorate. This leads to narrowing and potential collapse of these crucial breathing structures.

Its symptoms—shortness of breath, recurrent lung infections and cough— are the same as those of COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) or asthma, which Lazzaro noted often coexist with TBM.

“Tracheobronchomalacia is a common disease that is uncommonly diagnosed. It affects a substantial number of individuals in the United States each year, with estimates suggesting a prevalence as high as 10 percent in the general population,” explained Lazzaro, who is the company’s chief medical officer. “Notably, approximately half of the nation’s 16 million COPD patients are likely afflicted by TBM as well.”

Good treatment options for these TBM sufferers are difficult to come by. But Lazzaro Medical aims to change that with its pioneering new surgical option and diagnostic devices.

“Previous to Lazzaro Medical’s minimally invasive tracheal repair procedure,

the most common form of treatment was a high-risk surgery called an open tracheobronchoplasty,” Lazzaro said. “This treatment, while effective, is a highly invasive, complex procedure for which few patients are eligible.

“The open procedure can be riskier than the disease itself as only a select few patients can undergo the nine-hour procedure and lengthy hospital stay.”

By comparison, Lazzaro Medical’s technique—minimally invasive tracheal repair surgery (MITR™)—is robotically assisted and relies on restructuring the airway with generic mesh.

Lazzaro performed the first of such interventions well before he and his friends founded Lazzaro Medical, and he’s been refining the technique ever since.

THE FIRST SURGERY

“A patient with severe tracheobronchomalacia told me he was probably going to die if he had traditional open tracheobronchoplasty. But he knew he was definitely going to die if he didn’t have surgery,” recalled Lazzaro. “I successfully performed the first minimally invasive, robotically assisted tracheal repair to treat this patient at Lenox Hill Hospital in 2013.”

“Ten years later, he’s still alive.”

Now southern region chief of thoracic surgery for RWJ/Barnabas Health, Lazzaro didn’t expect to be performing many of these minimally invasive surgeries initially. But after publishing and presenting his

work more widely, he was approached by physicians from a large pulmonary practice in 2016.

Many of their patients, diagnosed with COPD or emphysema, were no longer responding to treatments for those conditions. Turns out, they had TBM.

“They were really at death’s doorstep with severe TBM,” Lazzaro said. “I started doing minimally invasive tracheal repair surgery on these people with phenomenal results.”

“And that’s when I knew,” he continued. “I just knew that I had to find a way to minimize the variability of MITR™ and look for ways to democratize and standardize the outcome—and this is what Lazzaro Medical is all about.”

Since 2013, Lazzaro has performed approximately 175 procedures and is working hard to teach other physicians to do the same. The growing list of facilities with surgeons he has trained includes more than 30 elite hospitals around the country.

Israel, Lazzaro and Wiesenberg are dedicated to expanding this list and making TBM treatment more accessible, safer and reliable for people everywhere. In addition to the minimally invasive procedure itself, Lazzaro Medical is developing new devices to support its surgical technique and improve diagnosis of TBM.

Lazzaro Medical has received funding from strategic investors including Northwell Health, New York State’s largest healthcare provider. And in October, Lazzaro Medical and Mayo Clinic signed a know-how agreement, with the shared goal of improving patient care and raising awareness of the minimally invasive surgery technique.

“Through this collaboration, we seek to reduce timelines in making this therapy available for the millions of patients who could greatly benefit,” Lazzaro said.

To learn more about Lazzaro Medical, visit www.lazzaromed.com.

2001

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Erin Grogan erinlgrogan@gmail.com

2002

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Elise DiBenedetto elise.dibenedetto@gmail.com

Sarah Delaney Vero recently accepted the position of inaugural general counsel and vice president for human resources at Skidmore College. In this role, she will provide collaborative and thoughtful leadership, strategic vision, and legal perspective while fostering a supportive workplace culture that empowers and inspires engagement and creativity. Sarah began her work with the college in 2008 as outside counsel with the office of human resources.

ECAC Hockey has named former Union defenseman Doug Christiansen as its new commissioner. He most recently served as deputy commissioner of the United States Hockey League. ECAC Hockey has 12 member schools, including Union and RPI. A Wisconsin native, Doug had 16 goals and 12 assists over 108 games in his Union career.

2003

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

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

Jeremy Stelzner’s short story, “Bank On It,” has been included in the 2024 short fiction anthology Coolest American Stories

2004

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Jon Berman

jonathancberman@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

Sarah Wilde has joined Repario as the chief human resources officer. Previously, she served as the vice president, global human resources at UnitedLex Corporation. A graduate of Brooklyn Law School, Sarah is recognized for her expertise in leading international HR operations, temporary legal staffing, talent management and M&A.

2007

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Jackie Siedlecki Murphy jaclynrenemurphy@gmail.com

Christopher T. Zona has joined Roseland, NJ-based Mandelbaum Barrett PC as a partner in the firm’s healthcare litigation group, litigation department, and white collar and criminal defense group. He previously was counsel at Brewer in New York City. Christopher focuses his practice on all facets of litigation, defense and dispute resolution, investigations and crisis management. A veteran litigator and a seasoned trial

attorney, he served as trial counsel in more than 50 trials, including more than 30 jury trials. He represents clients in both affirmative and defensive litigation, is well-versed in navigating pre-litigation negotiations and investigations, all facets of litigation, and trial practice, and has assisted clients as appellate counsel in both state and federal appellate courts.

2008

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Dana Cohen Bernstein New York, N.Y.

dana.lynn.bernstein@gmail.com

Kenneth Falcon and Moish Peltz celebrated the fifth anniversary of their partnership, Falcon Rappaport & Berkman LLP, a full-service law firm with offices in New York, California and Florida. They have grown from nine attorneys in 2018 to more than fifty in 2023, with a focus on taxation, estates, corporate and the interdisciplinary practice of law. Steven Berlowitz ’09 is counsel to the firm, handling primarily federal litigation. Ken is managing partner of the firm and former chair of the real estate department. Moish is chair of the intellectual property department and co-chair of the emerging technologies & blockchain department, which focuses on web3, AI, and the future of the practice of law. We would love to connect with any Union College students or alumni interested in learning more about our practice.

Christopher T. Zona ’07

New PwC partners Adrian Christie ’06 and Jenna (Ondash) Switchenko ’07 celebrate with their spouses—Anique (Lebel) Christie ’06 and John Switchenko ’07—and friends Emily (French) Breakey ’07, Ryan Breakey ’04, Sara (Gagnon) Cline ’06, Alex Cline ’07 and PwC colleague Diana Hemm ’09.

2009

CLASS CORRESPONDENTS

Gabe Kramer

Los Angeles, Calif. kramerg3@gmail.com

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

2010

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Deanna Cox deannac88@gmail.com

2011

Sarayfah Bolling recently joined the Board of Directors of YouthBuild USA, the global nonprofit that champions opportunity youth—young adults between the ages of 16 and 24 who are neither in school nor employed—as they earn the knowledge, training, and opportunities that lead to long-term professional and personal success. She joins the board as director of programs and strategic engagement at Callisto, a San Francisco-based national nonprofit organization that uses technology to empower survivors of sexual violence.

2012

CLASS CORRESPONDENTS

Anna Meiring annameiring@gmail.com

Benjamin Engle benjamin.engle@gmail.com

Dr. Lucas First recently appeared on WAMC’s “Medical Monday” program to discuss interventional pain medicine. Lucas is a physiatrist with St. Peter’s Musculoskeletal Medicine in Latham, N.Y.

2013

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Cristina Vazzana Boston, Mass. vazzanaca@gmail.com

This past fall, several alumni participated in Professor Tomas Dvorak’s managerial economics class: Harrison Kim ’13 (virtual), Stephen Rosenblatt ’87 (in person) and Alex Kozikowski ’18 (virtual). Harrison is senior director of business strategy at Austin FC; Stephen is senior vice president at Barclays Investment Bank; and Alex is an associate at York Capital Management.

2016

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

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

Charles Bouchard ’13 and Molly O’Brien ’16 at her graduation from SUNY Upstate Medical University Norton College of Medicine.

Members of the Class of 2019 got together in spring 2023. Pictured are Jack Santilli, Kevin McNoble, Will Barnett, Peter McKinlay, Ben Sysler, Eric Gennari, Tim Curtis, Griffin Smith, Arden Kellner and Andrew Blau.

Molly O’Brien received her Doctor of Medicine from SUNY Upstate Medical University Norton College of Medicine on May 7, 2023. She will continue her residency training in family medicine at St. Joseph’s Hospital Health Center in her hometown of Syracuse, N.Y.

2017

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Jake Ulrich jake.ulrich@duke.edu

2019

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Delila Haden dhaden1919@gmail.com

2020

CLASS CORRESPONDENTS

Kayla Fisher kaylafisherny3@gmail.com

Omarra Hannibal-Williams ohannibalwilliams@gmail.com

Nathan Gillespie writes, “I was recently awarded the National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate (NDSEG)

Fellowship for my work on auditory perception and memory. This fellowship will fund my doctoral research for the next three years. It also includes mentorship and internship opportunities with the U.S. Air Force Office of Scientific Research, as well as living, travel, and professional development stipends. Since the program’s inception, NDSEG has awarded 4,730 fellowships to a pool of more than 68,000 applicants, a 7% acceptance rate. If not for the support of Union mentors like Prof. Josh Hart of the Psychology Department and Fellowship Director Dr. Lynn Evans, I would have never had the confidence to apply for these kinds of opportunities or pursue a government research career.”

2021

Veronica Leitao writes, “I was accepted into the NALCAP fellowship program in Spain, where I will be teaching English in Andalusia for a year!”

Sarayfah Bolling ’11

GABRIELLA ROMERO ’14

’14

movement of code violations as they progress from reporting to closure,” Romero explained. “It was unanimously passed!”

Local Law Q passed in June 2023 and codifies the relationship between the new public safety commissioner (the final arbiter of police discipline) and the Community Police Review Board (CPRB).

A career and life of service

Gabriella Romero ’14 works and serves according to the Lao Tzu principle.

Go to the people. Live with them, Learn from them. Love them. Start with what they know. Build with what they have. But with the best leaders, when the work is done, the task accomplished, the people will say, “We have done this ourselves.”

“This translates to real life, in my work as an attorney in the Albany public defender’s office and on the Albany Common Council,” Romero said. “It’s so important to be client and community focused when making decisions and enacting policy.”

The first Latina to represent Albany’s (N.Y.) 6th Ward, Romero is also the first public defender to serve on the Common Council. The two positions dovetail in ways that make her a powerful ally and advocate for the public.

Her work as an attorney allows her to really get to know people. To understand

them, their needs, struggles and successes. To see how systems—legal, social and economic—constrain or uplift their lives.

“I was driven to run for Common Council after widespread demand for police accountability and transparency in 2020,” said Romero, who was elected to a four-year term in 2021. “As a public defender, I am uniquely qualified to identify cracks in our government systems in need of reform.”

“My policy areas center around increasing government transparency, providing more oversight for the police department and protecting tenants,” she added.

Her goals have the support of her fellow lawmakers and voters. In just a couple of years, she’s already introduced and passed three pieces of legislation.

Local Law H passed in November 2022 and creates a public-facing database for all code violations in the City of Albany.

“This database allows tenants/prospective tenants, landlords and interested community members to view and watch

“My bill requires the commissioner to consider the CPRB recommendations for police discipline and if they disagree with CPRB suggestions, they must explain why,” said Romero, who is an Albany Law School graduate. “This bill solidified the ballot proposal from 2021 that expanded the powers of Albany’s CPRB; it was passed overwhelmingly by the City of Albany’s voters.”

Finally, her first piece of legislation to pass was Ordinance 9.41.22. Initially vetoed by the mayor, who was then unanimously overridden by the Common Council, it repeals a decades-old law banning skateboarding in downtown Albany.

“Banning a form of transportation only in the lower wards violated our city’s own equity agenda,” explained Romero, who is an Albany native. “To only have penalties on those moving and living in a specific jurisdiction is and was an injustice.”

Romero is equally busy making a difference in her day job. A felony trial attorney, she doesn’t just represent clients in the courtroom. She does her best to help them overcome whatever led to their criminal charges in the first place.

“I really work hard to provide a complete picture of those accused to the judge and prosecutor, and then connect clients with services to address the underlying root cause of behavior,” she said. “For example, any client of mine who consumes substances is offered access to drug and alcohol evaluations.”

ARRIVALS

“My policy areas center around increasing government transparency, providing more oversight for the police department and protecting tenants.”

A team of client advocates also provides transportation services and meeting reminders, and helps with social services applications, housing opportunities and family court navigation.

“I’m so proud to be in an office that prioritizes client-centered representation,” Romero said of the public defender’s office. “This is the most effective approach to address underlying criminal behaviors. When a client is housed, supported and healthy, we can work more effectively on fighting their charges.”

Romero is also proud that her career path took her through Union, where she studied psychology. The experiences she had were instrumental in molding the public servant she’s become.

“I truly loved my time at Union! I was able to explore everything a liberal arts education can offer—including puppetmaking, intro to ballet, a history/science class about the origins of vampirism, and documentary filmmaking,” she said. “And after I graduated, I was a Minerva Fellow in Estero de Platano, Ecuador. This program shaped my perspective to be holistic in my approach to helping people.”

To learn more about Romero, visit albanyny.gov or gabriellaforalbany.com

2004

Emily (Horsford) and Harshana Godamanna welcomed Teshan James Godamanna to the world on December 27, 2019.

2005

Zoey Katherine Smith was born May 15, 2023, to Matthew and Georgina (Serroukas) Smith Big brother, Alex, couldn’t be happier to meet his little sister. Their pug, Lenny, has become accustomed to more noise in the house!

2013

Katelyn (Lancto) Lefko and husband Nathan Lefko welcomed their first son, Lucas, on Sept. 22, 2022.

Victoria (Frisbee) Boor and Paul Boor celebrated the birth of their second child, a daughter named Gabriella Rose, in April 2023. They also have a son, Joshua Thomas, born in January 2021.

2014

Ava (Carnevale) Heaslet and her husband, Reese, welcomed their daughter, Harlow Heaslet, in 2022 and celebrated her first birthday in May 2023. They are overjoyed to be parents and love little Lo so much.

Teshan James Godamanna (Godamanna ’04)

Alex with baby sister Zoey (Smith ’05)

Victoria (Frisbee) Boor ’13 and Paul Boor with children Gabriella Rose and Joshua Thomas

Ava (Carnevale) Heaslet ’14 with husband, Reese, and daughter, Harlow (Heaslet ’14)

Alumni attend the wedding of Matt Breazzano ’11 and Sloane Sheldon ’11

’11

Alumni attend the wedding of Carla Gottlich ’15 and Ethan Lubowitz ’16, who were married Dec. 17, 2022.

’15

2011

Matt Breazzano and Sloane Sheldon were married Oct. 28, 2023, at Ford Field and Stream, just outside of Savannah, Ga. Alumni in attendance included Chad Harrington, Evan Ryan, Matt Farrell ’12, Scott Zurawel, Web Gordon, John Russell, George Fontaine ’10, Matt Cataldi, Amanda (Schlossberg) Cataldi ’13, Kelly (Peterson) Farrell, Lauren Soneira, Briana Mark, Dave Breazzano ’78, Jeremy Breazzano ’07, Lauren (Brown) Harris and Samantha (Peper) Hawkins.

2012

Dr. Lucas First and Alexis McNamara were married Sept. 30, 2023, at the Otesaga Hotel in Cooperstown, N.Y. A number of Union alumni attended, including Tim Weis, Matt Lippman ’13, Samantha (Killeen) Lippman ’13, Matt Graveley, Matt Fontaine, Brian Choi ’13 and Alex Cooper, who officiated. Lucas is a physician specializing in interventional pain medicine. Alexis is a nurse anesthetist.

2015

Benjamin Wilkinson and Kelley White ’16 married Oct. 15, 2022, in Scarborough, Maine.

2016

Charles Bouchard ’13 and Molly O’Brien married June 17, 2023, in Syracuse, N.Y. Alumni in attendance included Charles G. Bouchard ’84, Joanna Chalifoux, Samuel Rentschler ’14, Kelly Breslauer, Matthew Yonta, David Peretti ’14, Laura Aptowitz ’17, Brendan West ’13, Adam Miller ’14, Tyler Heck ’13, Michael Lee ’14 and Connor Owen ’13.

Alumni attend the wedding of Dr. Lucas First ’12 and Alexis McNamara.

Alumni attend the wedding of Benjamin Wilkinson ’15 and Kelley White ’16 (photo by Rachel Campbell Photography).

Ethan Pearce ’15 and Siân Roberts married Aug. 6, 2023, in London. Pictured are Union alums at a stateside reception on Sept. 23.

Ilan Levine and Tani

Levine ’15 married Oct. 23, 2022, in Washington, D.C. In attendance were Dennis Gordon ’67, Max Lutze, Emanuel Storch, Alex Kramer, Tim Hobart ’15, Peter Durkin, Les Gordon ’69, Shmuly Rubin (Chabad), Laiky Rubin (Chabad), Karlee Bergendorff ’15, Lauren (Resnikoff) Florek ’15 and Ron Levine ’55 (Ilan’s grandfather).

Nate Gillespie writes, “Shannon Collins and I were married at Memorial Chapel June 24, 2023! Shannon and I met as first-years at Union and dated for several years before getting engaged in 2020, shortly before the Covid pandemic hit. Although it took some waiting, we were thrilled to be married at the place where our story together began—Union!”

Alumni attend the wedding of Charles Bouchard ’13 and Molly O’Brien ’16.

’16

Megan Kerbs ’16 and Kyle Christine ’13 married April 29, 2023, in Encinitas, Calif.

’16

Abby Katz ’17 and Ryan Whelpley ’16 married in Harwich, Mass., June 2, 2023.

’17

Alumni attend the wedding of Ilan Levine ’16 and Tani (Marcus) Levine ’15.

’16

Nate Gillespie ’20 and Shannon Collins ’20

’20

(Marcus)

1940s

William T. Williams ’45, of Mattapan, Mass., died June 24, 2023. He was 84.

Albert M. Lyles ’47, of Charlotte, N.C., who served in the U.S. Army and held an M.A. from the University of Pennsylvania and a Ph.D. from Rutgers University, June 11, 2023. He taught at the University of Missouri and University of Tennessee and was an administrator at Virginia Commonwealth University and Winthrop University. He was 96.

Thomas F. Stratton ’49, of Los Alamos, N.M., who held a Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota, March 21, 2023. He enjoyed a 40-year career at Los Alamas Scientific Laboratory, where he was involved in such efforts as Project Sherwood and CO2 lasers. A fellow of several professional organizations, including the American Physical Society, he was 93.

Frederick E. Steigert ’49, of Westerly, R.I., who held a Ph.D. from the University of Indiana and was director of undergraduate studies at Yale University, May 29, 2023. Later, he was an advising professor at the University of Connecticut. An avid runner, storyteller and historian, he was a volunteer fireman in Bethany, Conn. He was 94.

Dr. Sandor H. Wax ’49, of Boca Raton, Fla., who furthered his education at Boston University and Tufts University School of Medicine, June 27, 2023. Sandy, who served in the U.S. Navy at Camp Lejeune and aboard the USS Norfolk, was 94.

1950s

William DeLorenzo Jr. ’50, of Oakland, N.J., who held an LL.B. from Rutgers University School of Law and retired from the Marine Corps with the rank of colonel, May 30, 2023. He practiced law in Hackensack and

IN MEMORIAM

was admitted to all New Jersey Federal Courts, the U.S. Tax Court and the U.S. Supreme Court. He was 94.

Richard H. Hall ’50, of Schenectady, N.Y., who served with the U.S. Army in Europe and spent most of his career at GE, June 15, 2023. He attended McGill University, authored many technical publications and held several patents. He was 98.

Howard C. Portz ’51 , of Fort Thomas, Ky., died May 30, 2022. He was 93.

Dr. Bernard L. Meyers ’51 , of Niskayuna, N.Y., who attended medical school at Syracuse University and held a master’s from Cornell University, March 24, 2023. He had a general medical practice in Troy, specialized in gastroenterology and made rounds at St. Mary’s and Samaritan Hospitals. He was 93.

Frank L. Muddle ’51 , formerly of Cushing, Maine, who enjoyed a career in hospital management and was a chief administrator at hospitals in Ohio, New York, Maine and New Jersey, June 22, 2023. He served in the Medical Service Corps with the U.S. Army and held a master’s degree from Washington University. He was 93.

Leigh F. Benner ’52, of Alpharetta, Ga., who held an MBA from New York University, served in the U.S. Navy and was an electronics engineer for Naval Air Squadron VP-26, April 28, 2023. Leigh later spent 45 years with Western Electric, working in the early days of computer technology. He was 92.

Leo Kuperschmid ’52, of Freedom Village, Penn., who was a graduate of Columbia Law School and spent most of his career in New York City, Nov. 3, 2022. An ardent supporter of the oppressed who was active in the Civil Rights movement with Martin Luther King, he was 92.

Eugene J. Bucci ’52, of Philadelphia, Penn., who served in the U.S. Army in the Korean War and spent 30 years in the IT industry with Remington Rand (later Sperry Corporation), May 12, 2023. A member of Epiphany of Our Lord Church for 58 years, he finished his career as a data manager at Arcadia University. He was 92.

Robert F. Forsyth ’52, of Bellevue, Wash., died May 4, 2023. He was 92.

Richard Munro ’52, of Syracuse, N.Y., who served in the U.S. Army during World War II and was a district engineer for Shell Oil Company, July 5, 2023. Later, he started his own construction company, which he owned and operated for 40 years. He was 94.

Frank A. Pepe ’53, of Philadelphia, Penn., who held a Ph.D. from Yale University and was a professor emeritus at the University of Pennsylvania, June 20, 2023. He taught and conducted research in the university’s anatomy department for nearly four decades and chaired the department for 13 years. He was 92.

John V. Cinquino ’54, of Clifton Park, N.Y., who served in the U.S. Marine Corps and Marine Corps Reserves, July 18, 2023. A civil engineer and managing director at C.D. Perry and Sons, he also was a project manager for James H. Maloy Inc. A longtime communicant of St. Kateri Tekawitha Parish, he was 91.

Richard E. Soloski ’55, of Burlington, Mass., who worked for General Electric and AVCO, May 24, 2023. Later, he and friends founded Hycor in the defense industry. Richard was a vice president with company.

David T. Case ’55, of Overland Park, Kan., who served in the U.S. Army and held an MBA from Rockhurst University, Nov. 11, 2020. After 26 years in marketing research at General Electric, he retired from

Hallmark Cards Inc. as vice president of operations research. Dave, who loved his family, his Catholic faith, traveling, golf and sailing on the Great Peconic Bay, was 86.

E. Donald Stack ’56, of Naples, Fla., and Vienna, Va., who served in the U.S. Air Force, March 24, 2023. He spent 38 years with AT&T, working domestically and running international operations in Tokyo and Brussels. A volunteer in the Catholic church, he was 88.

John T. Rielly ’56, of Worcester, N.Y., who served in the U.S. Army and later spent his career at Prudential Insurance Company, April 30, 2023. John, who retired as a general manager at Prudential, was member of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church and the Knights of Columbus. He was 88.

Alfred J. Uhlmann Jr. ’56, of Midland Park, N.J., who served in the U.S. Air Force and worked at AT&T, Bell Laboratories and Verizon Communications in various engineering capacities for 36 years, June 5, 3023. Al loved the outdoors, enjoyed playing golf and was president of the Packanack Lake Golf Club. He was 89.

Richard G. Zumbach ’57, of Binghamton, N.Y., who held an MBA from SUNY Binghamton, April 15, 2023. He was an engineer with IBM and a lifelong volunteer with the Muscular Dystrophy Association. An instructor at Beech Mountain Adaptive Ski Week, he was 88.

Robert J. Roth ’57, of Mount Pleasant, S.C., who was a civil engineer and enjoyed photography, July 4, 2023. An active member of the Lions Club and the Isle of Palms Exchange Club, he was 87.

Irwin Tom Renak ’58, of Pittsfield, Mass., who served in the U.S. Army and worked for General Electric, May 6, 2023. Tom was an active member of many boards and organizations and worked for Habitat for Humanity in retirement. He was 92.

Albert M. Katz ’58, of Duluth, Minn., held a master’s degree and Ph.D. from the University of Michigan, April 28, 2023. A professor emeritus of theatre and communication at the University of Wisconsin-Superior, he helped found the Wisconsin Theatre Association and Society of American Fight Directors. Also a published author, he was 84.

John D. White ’58, of Sarasota, Fla., who held an M.S. from MIT’s Sloan School of International Management, July 10, 2023. He held leadership roles at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, Bell Telephone Laboratories, Galileo Optics Corporation and Southwall Technologies. He was 90.

Bernard Michals ’59, of Sarasota, Fla., who was former owner and president of Bernard Michals Insurance Agency, March 23, 2023. A co-founder of Massachusetts Youth Ice Hockey, he served in the U.S. Navy and was USA hockey director. He was 85.

William G. Sortor ’59, of Woodcliff Lake, N.J., who served in the U.S. Army and was president of Sunrise Oil Company (Englewood), April 28, 2023. Bill loved spending time with family and friends, was president of Englewood’s Rotary Club and enjoyed the outdoors. He was 87.

Richard D. Ruquist ’59, of Grafton, Mass., who held a Ph.D. from Harvard University and whose work included research of ballistic missile defense systems, March 24, 2023. While he ran the Boston and New York marathons multiple times, his true passion was marching and drumming in fife and drum corps. He was 85.

Kurt A. Brunell ’59, of Saddle Brooke, Ariz., who worked for IBM and later was president of Cerberus Pyrotronics, March 8, 2022. He went on to sell and service a system alternative to pool chemicals that harnesses NASA technology. An avid skier who loved to explore by motorcycle, he was 84.

Amos E. Badertscher Jr. ’59, of Baltimore, Md., who served in the U.S. Army, studied at the University of Maryland Baltimore County and taught math at the Boys’ Latin School, July 24, 2023. Later, he became a famous photographer, renowned for his chronicling of the queer scene in the 1960s and 1970s. He was 86.

1960s

M. John Lubetkin ’60, of Ashburn, Va., who served in the U.S. Army Ready Reserve and was a cable television executive who founded two communications companies and the Learning Channel cable network, March 15, 2023. Also an award-winning author of historical non-fiction and fiction, he was 85. Learn more at https:// johnandlinda.carrd.co/

Dr. Melvin J. Gunsberg ’60 died Feb. 12, 2023. He was 84.

Thomas G. Hoffman ’60, of Fletcher, N.C., who was a math teacher for many years in Poughkeepsie and at the NYS Division for Youth, Feb. 12, 2023. He broke records in track and cross country at Union and enjoyed being a track coach while teaching at Poughkeepsie High. He was married for 61 years and has a daughter, a son and two grandchildren. He was 84.

Joseph Datres Jr. ’62, of Wappingers Falls, N.Y., who served in the U.S. Air Force and held a master’s degree from New York University, April 1, 2023. Joe worked for Westinghouse, Bell Labs and IBM, retiring as senior engineer at IBM. An active volunteer with Angel Flight and AARP, he was 89.

Edwin Decker Adams ’62, of Scituate, Mass., who specialized in corporate trust banking and retired from State Street, April 26, 2023. He served on the Scituate school board, loved spending time with family and friends, and was passionate about the St. Lawrence River. He was 83.

William Vanneck ’62, of Palm Beach, Fla., a former Union College trustee who came from a long line of alumni, including his grandfather Frank Bailey (Class of 1885), June 19, 2023. He was an active supporter of Union, the Frank Bailey Prize Fund and Frank Bailey Professorship. He was 82.

William Lana ’62, of Williamsburg, Va., died March 4, 2023.

Richard S. Cammarota ’63, of Gahanna, Ohio, who held a master’s degree from Columbia University and a Ph.D. from Pennsylvania State University, May 10, 2023. He served in the U.S. Air Force during Vietnam, was on the faculty at the Air Force Academy and was dean of the Air Force Institute of Technology. The recipient of many accolades, including the Meritorious Service Medal, he was 82.

Richard L. Butler ’63, of Mystic, Conn., who held an MBA from the University of Hartford and served in the Coast Guard Reserves, May 21, 2023. Dick completed his banking career as managing director of global marketing at JP Morgan Chase. Active in his community, including with the American School for the Deaf, he was 81.

Robert C. Squier ’63, of Bradenton, Fla., worked for Bethlehem Steel before becoming president of Curtis Screw Co., Dec. 31, 2022. He was a leader in the green steel movement, helping to bring environmentally friendly cars closer to reality. He was 82.

John P. Maier ’64, of Milwaukee, Wisc., who spent more than 50 years in the newsprint industry and sold paper in the U.S., Europe and Asia, April 20, 2023. John, who climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro, trekked to Mount Everest Base Camp II and hiked the Inca Trail in Peru, was 82.

Kevan J. Acton ’64, of Bennington, Vt., served in the U.S. Navy aboard the USS Shangri-La and graduated from Albany Law School, May 24, 2023. He was an assistant federal public defender in New Haven, Conn., before retiring as an assistant attorney general in Albany. A talented musician, Kevan was 81.

James H. Norris G’65, of Clifton Park, N.Y., who graduated from Sienna College and held an M.S. from Union College, April 6, 2023. He managed the supercomputer facility at Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory and was past Parish Council member of St. Edward the Confessor Roman Catholic Parish. He was 89.

William L. Clapham ’65, of Brunswick. N.Y., who played drums with stars like Chubby Checker and was a market analyst with the NYS Labor Department, April 6, 2023. He also worked 22 years with the state judiciary and served as NYS Unified Court Systems director of budget and management. He was 79.

Donald T. Smith Jr. ’65, of Plymouth, Mass., who earned an MBA from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College, June 14, 2023. He spent 30 years as a planning manager with Corning Incorporated and loved everything about upstate New York, including the Bills, fishing, his friends and visiting the many wineries. He was 80.

David Leon Savoie ’65, of Richmond, Vt., who worked for decades as an executive in the banking business, May 5, 2023. He later launched his own company, U.S. Aircraft Finance, and served his country for many years both as a pilot in the U.S. Air Force and the National Guard. He was 80.

Leon R. Wood Jr. G’66, of Fort Mill, S.C., who served in the U.S. Naval Aviation during the Korean War and held a bachelor’s degree from the University of Kentucky, May 2, 2023. He worked at Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory until retirement and held a master’s degree from Union College.

Antonio Vianna ’66, of Carlsbad, Calif., died Dec. 29, 2022. He was 79.

David M. Plummer ’66 died Oct. 24, 2022. He was 78.

John A. Kottage ’68, of Syracuse, N.Y., who retired as manager, licensed civil engineer, of Marin County, April 3, 2023.

Douglas G. Reynolds ’68, of Canandaigua, N.Y., who served in the U.S. Navy and graduated from Albany Law School, May 12, 2023. He was Yates County Social Services attorney for 40 years and was president of the Penn Yan Library board. Doug, who loved spending time at Keuka Lake, was 77.

Richard P. Lumb ’69, of Fremont, Neb., who worked at HDR and Kirkham-Michael architectural firms, Nov. 7, 2022. He also taught CAB computer-aided drafting at Metropolitan Community College and was a member of several organizations, including the National Model Railroad Association. He was 77.

Robert Sheil ’69, of Montpelier, Vt., who graduated from Vermont Law School, Nov. 28, 2022. He spent 28 years as a supervising attorney in the Office of the Juvenile Defender in Vermont’s public defender system. Honored by the Vermont legislature in 2016 for his exemplary public service, he served on the boards of several nonprofits. He was 74.

James G. Eignor ’69, of Scotia, N.Y., who held a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering and two master’s degrees from Union College and spent most of his career designing power plants at General Electric, July 4, 2023. In retirement Jim volunteered for the Schenectady County Historical Society, serving as vice president of its board. He was 76.

1970s

Gordon R. Seidenberg ’70, of Reston, Va., died Feb. 21, 2023. He was 74.

Richard J. Schade ’71 , of Oxford, Conn., who held a master’s degree from the University of Minnesota (Duluth) and served in the U.S. Air Force and Minnesota Air National Guard, June 9, 2023. He spent 40 years at Sikorsky Aircraft and Butler America Aerospace, writing operational and maintenance manuals for helicopters. He was 74.

R. Treat Rinear ’72, who spent more than 25 years as a big brother and officer in Big Brothers Big Sisters of Long Island, Feb. 5, 2023. Head of Legal Aid’s family court division, he also worked at Wells Fargo and was a Sigma Chi brother during his time at Union College.

Paul Gamache G’72, of Bath, Maine, who held a B.S. from Bryant College and an M.S. from Union College, May 12, 2023. He enjoyed a 35-year career in accounting and financial management and was active on numerous boards of non-profit organizations. He was 83.

Wayne Roe ’72, of Bethesda, Md., died June 10, 2022.

Bernard E. Kuczek G’72, of Scotia, N.Y., who graduated from the University at Albany (B.S. and M.S.) and served in the Korean War in the 408th military govt., July 19, 2023. He held a second master’s degree from Union College, was a retired teacher and was drafted by the Brooklyn Dodgers. He was 91.

Stephen H. Ramm ’74, of Columbia, Conn., who was an accomplished sailor who held a captain’s license, May 18, 2023. He worked in information systems as a consultant on projects in the U.S. and internationally. A lover of music and art, and an avid reader, he was 72.

William E. Jacobsmeyer G’78, of Sunapee, N.H., who graduated from Brown University and served in the U.S. Air Force, July 25, 2023. He later spent 30 years as an electrical engineer at General Electric Ordnance Systems and earned a master’s degree from Union College. He was 90.

Susan V. Pannell ’79, of Bethesda, Md., who graduated from George Washington University (MPhil, economics) and University of Maryland (teaching), April 17, 2023. A high school and college math instructor, she was on the faculty of several schools and colleges. She was 66.

Joseph F. Ukeritis ’79, of Hagaman, N.Y., who worked for General Electric and Martin Marietta before retiring from Lockheed Martin, May 25, 2023. He volunteered for 20 years as a NYS hunter education instructor and was a lifelong member of Sacandaga Boat Club. He was 72.

1980s

Michael J. Kravitz ’80, of Rockledge, Fla., and formerly of Albany, N.Y., who was a civil engineer who worked on infrastructure projects throughout New York, California and Florida during a 40-year career, May 30, 2023. An avid baseball fan and former stand-out baseball player, he was 68.

Robert Fox ’82, of Lenoir, N.C., and formerly of Rochester, N.Y., who held a master’s from Cornell University and was vice president of Rochester Regional Hospitals Corporation, April 3, 2023. He later was president of the Mary M. Gooley Hemophilia Center. He was 63.

Elizabeth Grotz ’82 died May 22, 2023.

Dr. David E. Seubert ’83, of Rochester and Manlius, N.Y., who graduated from Sackler School of Medicine Tel-Aviv University, Apil 15, 2023. He held many positions, including director of obstetrics (Bellevue Hospital) and associate professor (University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry). Also a personal injury lawyer, he was 62.

Eve Lynn Somerstein Cohen ’84, of Dobbs Ferry, N.Y., who had a distinguished career as a credit analyst and later became a much-loved math tutor, died of pancreatic cancer March 22, 2021. She is survived by her husband, Morris, and children, Leah and Justin. Eve was 58.

Frederick N. Simms G’85, of Durham, N.C., who earned a B.A. from the University at Albany and a master’s degree from Union College, June 6, 2023. He worked in software design at Nortel before forming Bear Island Trading Company. Neil, who loved to sail and was an avid photographer, was 67.

Linda A. Cavanna-Wilk ’88, of Mamaroneck, N.Y., who was an attorney with Ford & Harrison in New York City, Feb. 5, 2022. She loved the beach, skiing, horseback riding, biking and boating. A devoted wife and mother, she was 55.

Diamantina Loupessis Tralongo ’89, of Guilderland, N.Y., who spent many years managing the family business, Latham 76 Diner, July 16, 2023. A devoted wife, mother, daughter, sister, aunt, cousin and cherished friend to many, she was 57.

1990s

Brian Macherone ’92, of Schenectady, N.Y., who was a computer programmer for STOCHOS Inc., James McGuiness & Associates and Union College, May 22, 2023. Later he worked as a research analyst at the Academic and Research Center, University of Albany. A motorcycle enthusiast and lover of all animals, he was 67.

Victor Caraballo ’99, a devoted father and husband, died June 29, 2023.

2000s

John Cahill ’02, of Niskayuna, N.Y., who worked in the insurance claims adjuster field, March 30, 2023. Jack loved his children and their sports endeavors, and was a board member of the Schenectady Youth Hockey Association. He was 43.

Noah V. Kucij G’03, of Albany, N.Y., who held a master’s from Union College and was pursuing a Ph.D. (English) at SUNY Albany, April 5, 2023. He had been a member of the Hudson Valley Community College English faculty for 14 years. He was 43.

Donald R. Thurston, professor emeritus of Asian Studies, who over three decades of teaching helped students fall in love with the culture, art and language of Asia, died June 5, 2023. He was 93.

He taught at Union from 1966 until he retired in 1996.

In 1989, Thurston helped launch the East Asian Studies program with the goal of introducing students to the cultures and civilizations of Japan and China, which had captivated him as a young man.

In fall 2022, he established an endowed professorship, the Donald R. Thurston and Robert Englebach Professorship in Asian Studies. It is named for Thurston and his late husband, both steadfast supporters of Union’s comprehensive approach to Asian Studies.

Thurston’s gift of $2.5 million is one of the largest gifts to the College from a faculty member.

“Throughout his teaching career and beyond, Professor Thurston has continued to expand our curriculum— and our students’ perspectives— literally around the world,” said Union President David R. Harris at a November ceremony to honor the professor. “His gift will ensure that his transformative impact continues well into the future.”

DONALD R. THURSTON

PROFESSOR EMERITUS OF ASIAN STUDIES

Drafted into the Army in 1951 after he earned a B.A. from Syracuse University, Thurston was bound for the war in Korea when he was one of two soldiers removed from a troop ship in Yokohama to learn typing.

When he wasn’t learning to type, he explored the small villages and cities along Japan’s Inland Sea. After he was assigned to Army headquarters in Korea, he returned to Japan for R&R.

Discharged from the Army in 1953, he decided to stay in Korea and then travel the world. He carried only a knapsack, Olivetti typewriter and camera.

Back in the U.S. in 1954, he took advantage of the G.I. Bill and enrolled in Columbia University’s East Asian Studies program to earn a master’s in international relations. From 1956 to 1958, he was back in Japan to teach conversational English at Tohoku University. From 1959 to 1961, he taught English at Tenafly (N.J.) High School.

By 1961, Thurston was intent on teaching at the college level. He returned to Columbia’s East Asian Studies program, earning his Ph.D. with a dissertation comparing Japanese teachers’ unions before and after World War II.

He joined Union in 1966 to teach courses on the history and political systems of Japan and China.

In 1984, he led Union’s first term to Japan at Kansai Gaidai University with each student living with a Japanese family. Two years later, he took 12 students on Union’s first term in China at Nanjing Teachers College.

Thurston and his husband, Robert Englebach, were together for 37 years before Robert died in 2015. They took many trips throughout the world and loved spending summers at their seaside cottage along Maine’s Penobscot Bay.

Survivors include his sisters-in-law, Phyllis Thurston and Jean Englebach; and nephews, Scott and Jeff Thurston.

Friends of Union College

Giuliano D’Andrea, of Clifton Park, N.Y., who held a bachelor’s degree from University of Bridgeport and a master’s and Ph.D. (mechanics) from RPI, April 10, 2023. He spent 62 years with Benet Labs/ Watervliet Arsenal and was an adjunct professor at RPI and Union College for many years. He was 84.

Jerri Cortese, of Amsterdam, N.Y., died March 23, 2023, at the age of 64.

Gisele M. Begin, of Schenectady, N.Y., who worked at Draper High School as a cafeteria worker/cook before joining the dining staff at Union College until her retirement, June 6, 2023. She loved ice skating, playing bingo with friends, cooking for her family and spending time at the beach at her home in Florida. She was 85.

Gertrude Cionek, of Schenectady, N.Y., who worked at Union College for many years before her retirement, June 20, 2023. Known for her love of cats and spunky attitude, she was 88.

Suzanne K. Crogan, of Schenectady, N.Y., who was a waitress for 20 years at the Lobster Pound (Latham, N.Y.) and worked in food service at Union College until retiring, July 1, 2023. She had a great love for Elvis and Cher, and her proudest accomplishment was being a mother. She was 76.

DAVE RUEL

Colleagues and other friends are mourning the loss of Dave Ruel, the retired director of enterprise applications and systems in ITS who, over a 30-year career at Union, was known for his kindness, compassion, generosity and humor.

Ruel, of Clifton Park, N.Y., died June 8, 2023. He was 68.

A native of Lewiston, Maine, he was a 1978 graduate of the University of New Hampshire, where he majored in social services and minored in business administration. After college, he worked as a counselor and administrator for social services agencies in Maine. He then transitioned to IT, first as a systems analyst for Liberty Mutual, then as a manager of administrative information systems at Swarthmore College.

He joined Union in 1988 as associate director of administrative computing services and was steadily promoted until his retirement in 2020.

He enjoyed family vacations along the Maine coast and Lake George, swimming and animals. He was a history buff with a particular interest in the Civil War and World War II. A fan of music, tennis and basketball, he was especially devoted to the Dallas Cowboys.

Survivors include his wife, Barbara Ruel; and daughter, Erin Konchanin.

Giving back to Union

Juliana Ketting ’21 knew she wanted to attend Union the moment she stepped on campus, but once she started school, she wasn’t sure what to study. After taking Latin and a few classics courses, though, she again knew she’d found her spot.

With the help of beloved professors and advisors, Ketting thrived at Union, both in the classroom and beyond. She was part of a mentor program and president of Union’s chapter of Gamma Phi Beta—two roles she credits with building determination and leadership skills, and fostering her overall growth.

“I grew into someone I didn’t know I was when I started,” said Ketting, now a learning specialist at the Pennington School. “I formed relationships and made lifelong friends who I still talk to every day.”

Ketting’s parents, Ramée Circle members, always encouraged her to give back to Union. She recently added the College as a beneficiary to her retirement account.

“It was an easy decision,” she said. “I knew I wanted to take care of it while I was young, but I didn’t realize how easy it was. It took me maybe five minutes, and now I don’t have to worry about it. I can leave it to grow.”

Kettings’s gift is directed in benefit of the Classics Department. She encourages others to think about the things most important to them.

“I want to leave some of my legacy to Union. So many students can benefit from that, and that means a lot to me,” she said.

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