Union College Magazine, Summer 2021 by Union College

S U MME R 2021

UNIONCOLLEGE A Magazine for Alumni and Friends

Volume 115 / Number 3

At last, in-person Commencement

Union celebrated two commencements 4 The impact of honoring on campus in June,

the classes of 2020 and 2021. Union engineers

ALSO INSIDE: Alumni recall two decades of Kenney Community Center

UNION COLLEGE ON THE FRONT COVER

Spencer Pennybacker '21 and friends enjoy their in-person Commencement in June. VICE PRESIDENT FOR COMMUNICATIONS AND MARKETING

Mark Land EDITOR

Charlie Casey caseyc@union.edu ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Erin DeMuth Judd demuthje@union.edu CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Christen Gowan Tina Lincer Phillip Wajda

IN THIS ISSUE:

22 Gift supports women students

A new $1.4 million gift from Class of 1980 graduates Mary and Rich Templeton will provide scholarships for incoming women who plan to study engineering and computer science.

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

Matt Milless Shawn LaChapelle DESIGN

2k Design

28 Fitness: Adapting during the pandemic

When COVID-19 shuttered gyms and fitness studios everywhere, alumni in the industry found creative ways to keep their businesses and their clients' exercise routines alive.

PRINTING

Fort Orange Press

UNION COLLEGE is published

three times a year by the Union College Office of Communications, Schenectady, N.Y. 12308. The telephone is (518) 388-6131. Non-profit flat rate postage is paid at Schenectady, N.Y., and an additional mailing office. Postmaster: Send address changes to Office of Communications, Union College, Schenectady, N.Y. 12308-3169. Alumni who want to inform the College about changes of address should contact the Alumni Office at (518) 388-6168 or via e-mail at alumni@union. edu. The same phone number and e-mail address should be used to correspond about ReUnion, Homecoming, alumni club events, and other activities.

Departments 2

President’s Message

44 Alumni Clubs

Letters

45 The Classes & Profiles

Around U

62 Unions

34 Campaign update

64 Arrivals

38 Focus

66 In Memoriam

40 Media

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

SUMMER 2021 // Volume 115 // Number 3

Kiara Beckham '22 was one of a program-record three members of the women's golf team to earn All-Liberty League honors in 2020-21.

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Recalling a year of challenge, success and joy

his spring and summer, as I have happily resumed my travel to meet alumni and friends of the College, I have heard one question more than all others: How did Union fare during the pandemic? The answer I often give: I have never been more proud to be the president of Union College. But there is a longer answer to the question. Throughout the pandemic, I asserted repeatedly that Union must not just survive but find new and creative ways to thrive and emerge stronger than before. Indeed, we have. Our success is directly attributable to the simple fact that everyone in the Union community—on campus and beyond—sacrificed this year in ways large and small and stayed focused on the big picture. Thank you. Here are a few of our accomplishments: First, we reinvented a 226-year-old institution to operate remotely for a term, and then in a hybrid mode for a year during a global pandemic. We celebrated excellence among students, faculty and staff. We honored students in two traditional—though still virtual—events: Prize Day and Steinmetz Symposium. I was proud to present the Daggett and Bailey Prizes to Sarah Vanasse '21 and Ty Eddington '21, respectively. Steinmetz featured a pair of synchronous webinars, one on race, power and privilege. The other was a research seminar on nanomaterials in memory of Prof. Michael Hagerman, a popular champion of undergraduate research who sadly passed away in December. Among our faculty accomplishments, Shena McAuliffe, assistant professor of English, received the Pushcart Prize for an essay in her collection, Glass, Light, Electricity. Mark Dallas, associate professor of political science and director of Asian Studies, received a prestigious one-year fellowship from the Council on Foreign Relations. Five outstanding faculty members received tenure: Ellen Gasparovic, Mathematics; Jennifer Mitchell ’04, English and Gender, Sexuality and Women’s Studies; Nelia Mann, Physics and Astronomy; Laini Nemett, Visual Arts; and Heather Watson, Physics and Astronomy.

UNION COLLEGE | SUMMER 2021

Without our annual recognition luncheon, we honored our employees in a fun new way: by delivering treats and lawn signs to their homes and offices. We considered challenging issues. As our nation reckoned with racial, social and economic injustice, our community was engaged through programs like our Forum on Constructive Engagement and Congress to Campus. We explored police reform, racial justice, voter participation, gun control, activism and student leadership. We made significant progress in our efforts to enhance diversity and inclusion. A four-member Diversity Leadership Team and a committee on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion has employed a broad-based approach to enhancing our initiatives to build a more inclusive campus culture. Among those, the History and Symbols Committee is examining how our spaces, symbols and monuments reflect who we are. The committee, senior staff and trustees have endorsed a proposal to restore and relocate the Idol, an ancient Chinese statue that is part of our permanent collection. In consultation with student leaders, another object is being installed to allow the painting tradition to continue. We devoted our annual Feigenbaum Forum on Innovation and Creativity to lessons learned in higher ed’s response to the pandemic. Our Planning for Multiple Tomorrows (PMT21) working group has surveyed the campus to find ways that Union can be more flexible and agile. For example, we are developing policies for new technologies as a complement to our residential model, and have implemented a new flexible work policy for appropriate staff roles. To face significant challenges that affect admissions, giving and budgets, we launched the Administrative Excellence Project to address substantial, long-term challenges associated with the effectiveness and efficiency of our administrative processes and systems. As always, we were buoyed by the many alumni and friends who share a passion for our mission. Thanks in large part to the generous

U LETTERS

response of our donors during the ADay4U one-day giving challenge this spring, the Annual Fund surpassed $7 million. We stand at over $255 million toward the $300 million goal for the Powering Union campaign. We raised more than $25 million in total gifts over the last year, including $3.4 million in unrestricted gifts to the Union Fund. Every year, and especially this one, the support of every member of the Union family is critical to our success. We return to campus this fall with much to anticipate. We will begin the search for the inaugural director of the Templeton Institute for Engineering and Computer Science. Made possible by the generosity of 1980 graduates Rich and Mary Templeton, the institute will promote campus-wide and community access to engineering and computer science. Faculty will consider a new model for General Education that will include a first-year course on critical thinking, inquiry and analysis. Other courses will emphasize Race, Power and Privilege; and Global Challenges. A new residential curriculum will help students gain competencies outside the classroom including well-being and life skills, cross-cultural competencies, decision making skills, a sense of community involvement and an ability to reflect on their life’s journey. We ended last year with not one, but two Commencement ceremonies—one for the Class of 2021, another for the Class of 2020. Both events were filled with joy and thankfulness. They served as poignant reminders that together we can meet any challenge. As we start a new year, I’ll say it again: I have never been more proud to be the president of Union College. DAVID R. HARRIS, Ph.D.

Coffee for Dr. Howe

he passing of Dr. Bob Howe ‘58 brings back the memory, in 2014, of the delight with which he reported to the Alumni Council of the number of free coffees he had won from his faculty colleagues at the University of Minnesota Medical School on the occasion of Union defeating Minnesota in the Frozen Four.

BILL ALLEN ’59

Reflections on the global pandemic

arch 12, 2021, marked a full year of masks, social distancing, quarantining, regular testing and no large in-person gatherings on campus. It’s been challenging, but this COVID-19 year has also been one of resilience. We asked members of the Union community to reflect on their experiences since the start of the global pandemic. Read their responses at www.union.edu/covid-reflections

SUMMER 2021 | UNION COLLEGE

AROUND

Resilience rewarded: CL ASS OF 2021 CELEBRATES COMMENCEMENT IN PERSON

t was a scene both inspiring and encouraging. Under clear blue skies, more than 470 students in the Class of 2021 reveled in an in-person outdoor ceremony that seemed unlikely just months ago. “We survived COVID-19 as a class and here we are, finally graduating,” exclaimed student speaker Nimra Shabbir. “Congratulations everyone. I always knew our class was quite amazing.” The ceremony was the College’s largest in-person gathering since late February 2020, when the campus community filled Memorial Chapel to celebrate the College’s founding. The next day, they crowded into Memorial Fieldhouse for the public launch of “Powering Union: The Campaign for Multiple Tomorrows.” Sue J. Goldie ’84, a renowned physician, medical researcher and educator whose work has greatly influenced the field of public health, told the graduates: “Be bold, take risks, and use every creative bone in your body to plow through the logistical constraints. You are by far the most prepared graduating class in Union’s history to do just that.” Goldie, the Roger Irving Lee Professor of Public Health at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, and Geraldine Richmond, the presidential chair in science and professor of chemistry at the University of Oregon, received honorary doctor of science degrees. Richmond has been nominated by President Joe Biden to serve as the undersecretary for science in the U.S. Department of Energy. President David R. Harris encouraged graduates to continue to discover who they want to be, and to be open to unexpected opportunities and resilient in response to unexpected challenges. He asked that they use their “time, talent and treasure” to enable future generations of Union students to thrive. “Although you are graduating today, a piece of you will forever be here at Union College because you learned critical academic and life lessons here, you made lifelong friends and maybe even found partners and spouses here,” he said. A video of the Commencement ceremony is available on the College’s Facebook page.

UNION COLLEGE | SUMMER 2021

Sue J. Goldie ’84 delivers the keynote address.

Nimra Shabbir, student speaker at Commencement for the Class of 2021

‘Longest senior year’: Decades later, father joins son in graduating

President David Harris addresses graduates.

uan D. Paneto arrived at Union in 1988. He graduated 33 years later. With his son, Joshua. Juan was five credits shy of graduating when he accepted a job at a New York City bank. After that, family, career and distance prevented him from finishing. He joked with his wife, Marisol ’94, that he would finish his degree in retirement. When the pandemic made remote learning universal, Juan took a class and senior thesis at Union and three on-line classes through Orange County Community College. On June 13, father and son embraced on stage after they received their degrees. Juan was finally wearing a Union class ring, a gift from his mother three decades before. To read his story, visit www.union.edu/panetto

SUMMER 2021 | UNION COLLEGE

AROUND

F I N A L LY, A C A M P U S C O M M E N C E M E N T

UNION COLLEGE | SUMMER 2021

“ I T ’ S A B I G M O M E N T F O R E V E R Y B O D Y, NOT JUST THE STUDENTS G R A D U AT I N G , B U T T H E FA M I L I E S AND OTHERS WHO SUPPORTED THE S T U D E N T S A L O N G T H E W A Y. ”

– Megan Lepore ’20

FOR THE CLASS OF 2020

hen the pandemic prevented a traditional Commencement, the College last June held a virtual event to confer degrees on the 477 members of the Class of 2020. But the College was committed to giving the class an in-person ceremony. While no one was quite sure how students would feel about returning to campus a year after graduating, more than 300 seniors, joined by family and friends, came back to celebrate. “I’m so excited and grateful for the opportunity to have this ceremony,” said Megan Lepore ’20, a psychology major from Lexington, Mass. She was a member of women's crew and a three-time selection to the Liberty League All-Academic Team. “Some of my friends at other schools didn’t do anything this year. I feel pretty special that we were able to come back to celebrate this milestone,” she said. “It’s a big moment for everybody, not just the students graduating, but the families and others who supported the students along the way.” Last June, Lepore began working at Brandmark Studios, a full service boutique marketing agency in Connecticut founded by Betsy Modest Brand ’82. She came back to Schenectady to reconnect with friends she had not seen since the pandemic began. Her parents and brother were on hand Sunday to see her walk across the stage. The main speaker, Juju Chang, the Emmy Award-winning co-anchor of ABC

News’ “Nightline,” praised the class for its perseverance during the pandemic. She said the events of the past 18 months produced countless heroes, including ICU nurses who risked their lives to benefit others. The pandemic also exposed a racial and socioeconomic divide. She cited the murder of George Floyd and the dramatic rise in violence against members of the AAPI (Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders) community. “As we start looking at the pandemic through the rear-view mirror, I think we can start seeing it as a gigantic opportunity for radical empathy,” she said. Chang and sociologist Patricia Hill Collins received honorary Doctor of Letters degrees. President David Harris reflected on the challenges the class endured and the disruptions of their senior year. He was especially moved by a gift the class presented to him a year ago, a photo mosaic with a picture of each graduate and their signature. “The class that ended its time on campus abruptly, the class that missed its senior spring, the class that missed its senior week, and the class that missed its commencement, was the class that presented me with a gift they made together,” he said. “The gift makes clear that this is not a group of individuals, it is a class.” A video of the Commencement ceremony is available on the College's Facebook page.

Keynote speaker Juju Chang addresses the graduates. SUMMER 2021 | UNION COLLEGE

AROUND

HIGHLIGHTS 600+ A L U M N I

PA R T I C I PAT E D.

THE CLASS OF

1991

H A D T H E M O S T AC T IV E RE UN IO N VO LUN T E E RS , WITH

90 C L A S S M A T E S

PA RT IC IPAT IN G IN RE UN IO N ACTIV ITIE S .

Robert (Bob) Fischman ’71

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE 10-DAY LONG CELEBRATION INCLUDED:

ALUMNI GOLD MEDALS WERE AWARDED TO:

William (Bill) Perlstein ’71

Judith (Judy) Dein ’76

• The ReUnion tailgate picnic with President David Harris • The Garnet Guard luncheon featuring Minerva Fellows and a tribute to the late Bob Howe M.D. ’58 • “Hats off to U,” our virtual nod to the Senior Class Handshake with this year’s 50th ReUnion Class—1971. It featured several alumni networking sessions. • Robert (Bob) Fischman ’71 has served as a Union Fund head agent since 2014, volunteers regularly for his class, and participated on his 50th ReUnion class committee. He has also been an active volunteer for admissions, having won one of their annual awards. He also interviews prospective students in the New York City area. • William (Bill) Perlstein ’71 was a founding member of the President’s Council in 2010 and served as chair from 2015-17, during which time he also served on the Board of Trustees. He was appointed a term trustee in 2017 and is general counsel to the board. He served on the Powering Union Campaign Steering Committee and the presidential search committee that selected David R. Harris as the 19th president of Union College. • Judith (Judy) Dein ’76 is a federal magistrate judge of the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts and served as its chief magistrate judge from 2009-2012. She was a member of the President’s Council from 2010-2012 and a term trustee since 2012. She was also a panelist for the Women’s Leadership Institute program, “Alumni Perspectives on Careers in Law,” last August.

We look forward to hosting (in person) Homecoming & Family Weekend—Oct. 29-31, 2021 and ReUnion—May 20-22, 2022. 8

UNION COLLEGE | SUMMER 2021

STEINMETZ showcases student achievement

he 31st annual Steinmetz Symposium, a virtual event for the second year, managed to capture some of the energy and excitement of the in-person Steinmetz with two student research panels presented live in Zoom webinars. The annual exposition of student scholarly, research and creative achievement, featured nearly 250 students across disciplines highlighting their work with electronic posters and recorded videos of individual and group presentations. One live session focused on the theme of race, power and privilege. A second, in memory of Michael E. Hagerman, professor of chemistry, focused on Hagerman’s area: nanosciences. It also featured testimonials from students and alumni. Well known for his passion in the classroom and his friendly and wideranging collaboration in the research lab, Hagerman passed away in December. He was 50. Theatre and Dance offered a virtual performance of works by senior dance

minors, the Dance Team, African Dance, Bhangra, Hip-Hop, In-Unison Step, K-Pop and the LatinX Club. “It has been incredibly impressive to see the dedication and resilience of our students, who have found ways to persevere through the pandemic,” said Chad Orzel, the R. Gordon Gould Associate Professor of Physics and director of undergraduate research. “This is also a testament to the commitment and flexibility of their faculty mentors, who have helped find ways to take research projects remote and supported students through these incredibly difficult circumstances. That they have managed to carry on doing research … is a wonderful demonstration of how exceptional our community is.” The Steinmetz Symposium is named for Charles Proteus Steinmetz (1865-1923), who taught electrical engineering and applied physics at Union. Also chief consulting engineer for the General Electric Company, he was widely regarded as America’s leading electrical engineer.

Many students continue their research work during the summer. These opportunities are funded by fellowships, grants and individual donors. To learn more or to sponsor a student’s research, please visit www.union.edu/campaign/ developing-students

For more on the Steinmetz Symposium, visit https://digitalworks.union.edu/steinmetzsymposium/ SUMMER 2021 | UNION COLLEGE

AROUND

Virtual Founders Day features tech journalist Joanna Stern ’06

A special garnet lighting of the Nott Memorial ended Founders Day on a festive note.

t was perhaps fitting that the first virtual Founders Day featured technology journalist Joanna Stern ’06. The senior personal technology columnist at the Wall Street Journal, Stern shared her career path to the Journal and the role of technology in today’s society. Via Zoom, of course. A political science major, Stern discussed the critical part Union has played in her life, from her days as a first-year student living in West College to her stint as co-editor-in-chief of Concordiensis, the student newspaper, where she developed into a tough but fair journalist. She repeated an oft-quoted comment

UNION COLLEGE | SUMMER 2021

from the late Steve Jobs at the launch of Apple’s iPad 2 in 2011, when he said, “It’s in Apple’s DNA that technology alone is not enough—it’s technology married with liberal arts, married with the humanities, that yields us the results that make our heart sing.” At Union, Stern said, “that intersection has always been here. You can go from taking intro to art history to exploring engineering in one morning. It was here that I discovered that intersection for me. It was the intersection of technology and journalism that set me on a path to well, technology journalism and eventually to the Wall Street Journal.”

Also at Founders Day, Rachel (Lalji) Deochand ’11, a Latin teacher at the Bronx School of Law and Finance, received the Gideon Hawley Teacher Recognition Award. Named for the 1809 graduate of Union who was New York State’s first superintendent of public education, the award is presented to a secondary school teacher in recognition of continuing influence on the academic life of a Union student. (see story on p. 59) Founders Day in 2020 was one of the last college-wide events before the pandemic.

Finance alumni: ‘engage in all that Union offers’

tudy what you enjoy. Network with alumni through Becker Career Center. Get your foot in the door and work hard. Those were among the bits of advice from three alumni in a panel discussion of the Union Financial Network, a mentorship program for students interested in careers in finance. Presenters were Tom Connolly ’89, managing director at Goldman Sachs; Eros Marshall ’96, managing director at Citi; and Sarah Pontius ’04, a real estate consultant. President David R. Harris moderated the discussion. “I didn’t need an economics degree to survive in finance,” said Marshall, who graduated Union as a biology major. “Union prepared me to think critically. Once I got my foot in the door, that’s when I really learned how to do the job. But from a foundational perspective, Union gave me

everything I needed to succeed.” Pontius, who as a youngster aspired to work and live in New York City, said she found a ready network of alumni who helped her find her way to the Big Apple. “Find those connections to get the job and when you get there, work hard and you’ll be successful,” she said. She also emphasized the importance of finding mentors who have been through up and down times of the market: “You can learn so much from the people who have been through those cycles,” she said. Connolly urged students to take in the whole Union liberal arts experience. “Enjoy your four years and engage in all that Union has to offer. That will form who you are as a student and as a person. When you get

out, a whole new learning experience begins, but the building blocks are there. All the things I did at Union … were all part of developing who I am.” All three panelists are highly involved at Union. Connolly and Pontius are trustees; Marshall is a member of the President’s Council. To view the panel discussion, visit https://drive.google.com/file/d/1rS9gXdyje RCwUOvSbAfszN22mzAFC2V0/view . The Union Financial Network connects students who are interested in careers in finance with alumni, parents and friends who work in a broad range of associated areas. Student-alumni connections are fostered through mentoring, alumni career panels, speaker series and internships.

College welcomes new trustee

nion College has named Linda Abriola to the Board of Trustees. “We are pleased to welcome Linda to the board,” said Robert Bertagna ’85, chair of the board. “She will be an invaluable contributor to Union College.” Abriola is the Joan Wernig and E. Paul Sorensen Professor of Engineering at Brown University School of Engineering. She has considerable experience strengthening engineering and computer science programs and increasing diversity and inclusion, especially among women students and faculty. She has continually been part of leadership teams focused on enhancing an integrated approach to undergraduate liberal arts, engineering and computer science. Before joining Brown, Abriola was director of Tufts Institute of the Environment

and a university professor at Tufts University, where she held appointments in the departments of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Chemical and Biological Engineering. From 2003 to 2015, Abriola served as the dean of the Tufts University School of Engineering. Prior to Tufts, she was the Horace Williams King Collegiate Professor of Environmental Engineering at the University of Michigan. A recently appointed U.S. State Department Science Envoy, Abriola is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the National Academy of Engineering. She holds a B.S. in civil engineering from Drexel University, an M.A. and M.S. in civil engineering from Princeton University, and a Ph.D. in civil engineering, also from Princeton University.

SUMMER 2021 | UNION COLLEGE

Jones, Land join Union as VPs

resident David R. Harris has appointed two new members to his senior staff.

Scott Jones

Scott Jones joins Union as vice president for Administration and Finance. He oversees Auxiliary Services, Campus Safety, Environmental Health and Safety, Finance, Facilities Management and Information Technology Services. He succeeds Michele Gibson, who is retiring.

Mark Land

Mark Land is the new vice president for Communications and Marketing. He oversees all communications and messaging activities for both internal and external audiences. The department 12

UNION COLLEGE | SUMMER 2021

includes media and public relations, marketing, publications, social media, the magazine and the College’s website. Land succeeds Leah Rosen. She will work closely with Land and continue to advance Union's academic mission and articulate its distinctiveness as chief marketing officer. “I am excited to welcome the talents and expertise of both Scott and Mark to our community,” said Harris. “Both have extensive experience in higher education that will be critical to advancing our strategic plan. I look forward to working with Scott and Mark as we prepare for a new academic year.” Jones spent nearly 16 years as the assistant vice president for finance at Colby College, where he was responsible for the creation and supervision of a $230 million annual operating budget. Previously, he was the senior manager for business analysis at the University of Virginia. Jones has a bachelor’s degree in commerce from the University of Virginia. Land spent more than four years as the vice president for university relations at Clemson University. Before that, he was associate vice president of public affairs and government relations for Indiana University. Land spent the first 18 years of his career as a newspaper reporter and editor for daily newspapers in Pennsylvania, Michigan, Indiana and New York, including The Saratogian. He also brings nearly a decade of corporate experience as a communications leader for Cummins Inc., a Fortune 500 manufacturer based in Indiana. He has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Indiana University-Bloomington and a master’s degree in business administration from Columbia University. Harris also announced that Michele Angrist, dean of studies, will assume the role of interim vice president for Academic Affairs. She assumes the role as Strom Thacker steps down after five years as Stephen J. and Diane K. Ciesinski Dean of the Faculty and vice president for Academic Affairs.

BACK ON TRACK

Just in time for spring, Union's student athletes— with masks—were back in action. For the latest news and fall schedules, visit www.untionathletics.com.

SUMMER 2021 | UNION COLLEGE

AROUND

Ice in the Mohawk? We’re rowing.

inters can be long affairs for Union’s rowers, who spend months on indoor rowing machines waiting for ice to leave the Mohawk River. This year, spring came early with the addition of indoor training tanks. Chuck ’88 and Katie Lane, Henry Owsley P’21 and Alexa Van de Walle, and Peter ’93 and Daphne Schwab and others supported the conversion of a racquet court in Alumni Gymnasium to a state-ofthe-art four-seat sweep/sculling tank. The tank—with real oars and water—means rowers can practice year-round in optimal conditions with coaches at close range, something not possible on the river in any season. “Our programs are so thankful,” said Head Men’s and Women’s Crew Coach Tom White. “The ability to practice throughout the winter and the flexibility allowed by an on-campus rowing space are incredible improvements for our program. Current and future student-athletes will benefit tremendously from this addition to our program.”

Union still a source of inspiration … 60 years later

elvin Einhorn ’60 surprised Graham Kaplan ’23, literary editor of The Idol, when he sent the magazine a poem called “College Snow.” An active contributor to The Idol and Concordiensis during his student days, Einhorn has won prizes for his poetry. “We happily and eagerly decided to make Melvin’s poem a special feature in this year’s issue of The Idol,” Kaplan said. “His contribution will make this a very special edition. And it shows that even after 60-plus years, you can take the student out of Union but you can never take Union out of the student!” Einhorn agrees. He described his inspiration for the poem and for submitting it to The Idol this way: “I had just completed a different poem on a break from writing a story—trying to revive after 60 years my writing career, which began with The Idol and Concordiensis. It started to snow.” And that brought “College Snow” to life.

“College Snow” By Melvin Einhorn ’60

As predicted Sunday afternoon in Wylie Texas A suburb of Dallas jots of snow Float through the air in gentle swirls Melt on contact Which makes me think Of New York City Where it falls past tiered windows Congeals on cement sidewalk aprons Beneath high rising buildings with courtyards and alleys The black tar streets whiting without mercy To rut and discolor Be abused by tires bearing people on the move A constant snow sinks into the Mohawk River Valley Drapes the few quaint queer symbols of Union College Aged stone gates, the domed library no longer, A formal Arboretum split by a lifeless trickling brook It is a place to be a poet Cynic critic aspirant And matter

UNION COLLEGE | SUMMER 2021

Faculty and staff artists show work in “Pause” exhibit

fter a year of postponed exhibits, Visual Arts this spring hosted “Pause,” a show of recent works by faculty and staff. “Pause ”featured Martin Benjamin, Chris Duncan, Abby Golodik, Laini Nemett, Fernando Orellana, Frank Rapant and Sandy Wimer. Members of the campus community viewed the exhibit in person; the general public saw it as a virtual 3D walk-through. “Pause … it’s what we’re all doing now. An unanticipated and unwanted break, longer and deeper than any of us imagined,” the artists said in a group statement. “Seeing art in person is critically important, and we’re thrilled that everyone in the Union College community will be able to visit this exhibit.”

English faculty share latest works

t’s been a prodigious few years for faculty-writers in the Department of English. This spring, students, colleagues and alumni interacted with the writers in two virtual readings hosted by student members of Sigma Tau Delta, the national English honors society.

Featured were Shena McAuliffe, assistant professor; Professor Emeritus Jim McCord and photographer Carol McCord; Hugh Jenkins, professor; Kara Doyle, associate professor; Jennifer Mitchell ’04, associate professor; Jordan Smith, Edward E. Hale Jr.

Professor of English; and Bunkong Tuon, associate professor. For more on these readings and other English department news, visit www.union.edu/english/news-updates

SUMMER 2021 | UNION COLLEGE

AROUND

Five faculty receive tenure

ive faculty members have been granted tenure and promoted to associate professor by the College’s Board of Trustees. “These five women represent the best of Union,” said Jennifer Fredricks, dean of academic departments and programs. “They are exceptional teachers who create engaging and intellectually rich learning environments, and are also renowned and nationally recognized scholars and artists in their fields. I am so happy that they will be long-term members of our Union community." JENNIFER MITCHELL ’04, English and Gender, Sexuality and Women’s Studies Mitchell teaches courses on modern and contemporary British literatures; gender, sexuality, and queer studies; and critical theory. Her own writing covers topics including gender and sexuality, modernist literature and adolescent fiction. She is the author of a new book, Ordinary Masochisms: Agency and Desire in Victorian and Modernist Fiction. University Press of Florida (2020). She also is co-editor (with Lizzie Harris McCormick and Rebecca Soares) of The Female Fantastic: Gendering the Supernatural in the 1890s and 1920s (2018). She holds a B.A. from Union, M.A. from Washington University, and Ph.D. from the CUNY Graduate Center.

ELLEN GASPAROVIC, Mathematics Her teaching covers areas including calculus, geometry, logic and set theory and linear and abstract algebra. Her primary research area is applied topology, a field that seeks to identify underlying patterns and mathematical structure in data from areas ranging from medical imaging to networks of sensor arrays. She has received a National Science Foundation Computing and Communicating Foundations (CCF) conference grant (Award 1841455) to support the attendance of 10 U.S. based mathematicians at the Workshop for Women in Computational Topology, as conference aimed at growing the network of women in the field. She holds a B.A. from College of the Holy Cross; and a Ph.D. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

UNION COLLEGE | SUMMER 2021

NELIA MANN, Physics and Astronomy Mann said she loves teaching quantum mechanics (”It really illuminates the interplay between physics and mathematics.”), statistical mechanics (“It provides a wonderful balance between concrete physical phenomena and deep theoretical structures.”) and computational physics (“It provides students with a toolkit that dramatically increases the number of systems they can reasonably analyze.”) As a researcher, Mann is a string theorist, studying nature at the shortest distance scales and highest energy scales to find the most fundamental laws underlying physical processes. She uses string theory to model particles such as protons and neutrons, and their interactions. She also has an interest in computational physics as applied to string theory and other subfields of physics. She has received a KITP Scholars Award from the Kavli Institute for Theoretical Physics at UC Santa Barbara, which supports faculty from primarily undergraduate institutions who are active in theoretical physics. She holds B.S. from Stanford University, and M.S. and Ph.D. from the University of California, Santa Barbara.

LAINI NEMETT, Visual Arts Nemett, who joined Union in 2015, teaches painting and drawing. Her own work responds to the lived, remembered, and imagined histories that emerge from man-made and natural architecture. Her paintings combine details from old and new construction, and chronicle the effects of time and climate change on vulnerable communities such as the Lower Ninth Ward in New Orleans and ancient cliff dwellings in the American Southwest. She has received grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Joan Mitchell Foundation and Fulbright Foundation. She holds an M.F.A. from the Hoffberger School of Painting at Maryland Institute College of Art and a dual B.A. from Brown University in visual arts and the history of art and architecture. She has exhibited her work nationally and abroad, including in solo exhibitions at the Paul Mahder Gallery in Healdsburg, Calif.; Mandeville Gallery in the Nott Memorial; Guilin Art Museum in China, VisArts in Rockville, Md., and the Institute for Contemporary Art at Platform Gallery in Baltimore, Md.

HEATHER WATSON, Physics and Astronomy Watson teaches a range of physics, astronomy, and planetary science courses at Union. She has advised many students on experimental and modeling research projects related to planet formation and evolution, as well as material properties and characterization. Her primary research interests are in the closely related fields of planetary science and mineral physics. She uses a wide variety of experimental and analytical techniques to understand the processes that contribute to the earliest formation and the dynamic evolution of the Earth and other terrestrial planets. A new area of research involves investigations related to the icy moons of Jupiter and Saturn. She was recently awarded $50,000 from the National Science Foundation’s Early-Concept Grants for Exploratory Research (EAGER) program, which supports potentially transformative research. The project, with Union student researchers, could impact how radioactive “clocks” are used to measure the ages of certain events in geologic history as well as understanding what happens to nuclear waste containment materials over time. She holds a B.Sc. from the University of Toronto; and M.S. and Ph.D. from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

SUMMER 2021 | UNION COLLEGE

AROUND

Students win prestigious awards service, scholarship

global pandemic didn’t stop Union students from doing what they always do—excelling. Their exemplary achievements and potential to positively impact the world were recognized with the following awards:

Union College’s Frank Bailey (1885) Prize is awarded annually to the senior who has rendered the greatest service to the College in any field. Tawreak “Ty” Gamble-Eddington ’21, political science and history

The Thomas J. Watson Fellowship offers a one-year grant to seniors “of unusual promise” to study independently outside the U.S. The stipend for individual award winners is $36,000.

In addition to her Watson Fellowship, Sarah Vanasse ’21 (biology and anthropology), was also presented with Union College’s annual Josephine Daggett Prize for conduct and character. 18

UNION COLLEGE | SUMMER 2021

Stephen Nadler ’21: “Photographing Soccer: Community and Identity across the World” (in Brazil, Argentina, Germany, Spain, Senegal)

Matthew Roizin-Prior ’21: “Designing Ourselves: Investigating the DesignCulture Feedback Loop” (in Dominican Republic, Uganda, Australia, Greece)

Sarah Vanasse ’21: “Activism in Female Empowerment” (in Sweden, South Africa, India, New Zealand)

With a focus on community engagement, intercultural understanding and social entrepreneurship, the Union College Minerva Fellowship offers graduates the opportunity to partner with international organizations that tackle a range of issues, such as poverty alleviation, climate change, and access to healthcare and education. Due to COVID-19 safety concerns in Thailand and Cambodia, the fellows will defer their travels until a later date.

Kelsey Brodie ’21, Opalka Fellow, The Global Child, Cambodia

Abigail Stack ’21, Urban Light, Thailand

Apryl Tovar ’21, Opalka Fellow, The Global Child, Cambodia

Udall Scholars are chosen based on their commitment to careers in the environment, Tribal public policy, or Native health care. Each scholarship provides $7,000 for the winner’s junior or senior year of academic study.

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

Bethany Costello ’22, mechanical engineering

Crystal Flax ’22, developing new Empowering Entrepreneurship course for school in Ghana through nonprofit Stitching Talents

Union’s Kenney Community Center Volunteer of the Year awards recognize student commitment to community service.

Julianna Kramer ’21, history and French & Francophone studies

Josh Kosack ’22, economics

Maeve Daby ’23, sociology and Spanish

Clara LaCorte ’24, neuroscience SUMMER 2021 | UNION COLLEGE

AROUND

UNIONS

In honor of Valentine’s Day this year, the Office of Alumni & Parent Engagement asked alumni to share their love stories. Dozens of funny, sweet responses poured in. Here are a just a few. To see others, visit ualumni.union.edu/unions.

AMY BASIS BROWN ’87 and ANDY BROWN ’86

“We first met my freshman year playing Ultimate on the club team. Sophomore year I lived on the third floor of Davidson and when I realized Andy lived in the basement, I became a frequent laundry doer in hopes of bumping into him. When I did bump into him, he invited me to a Halloween party. We talked most of that night and he asked me out on an official date the next day. He borrowed his friend’s car to take me to dinner and a movie (American Dreamer—terrible movie, but it didn’t matter). We’ve been together ever since. We live in Glastonbury, Conn., and have a 24-year-old daughter and a 22-year-old son.”

UNION COLLEGE | SUMMER 2021

DIONNE MORGAN OWUSU ’94 and VICTOR OWUSU ’96

“Victor and I met for the first time the summer of 1992 during his AOP summer. I was one of the tutor counselors that summer. Our union became official spring of his freshman year. I remember I was attracted to his intelligence during a book discussion on race. We were married in Montego Bay, Jamaica. We have three beautiful boys and live in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.”

SUHASINI PADHI CHICO ’14 and KEVIN CHICO ’14

“Despite living in the same dorm (Richmond) freshman year and knowing each other’s friends pretty well, it was junior year before Kevin and I met when we went on a term abroad to Sicily. Being part of a 10-person group means you bond pretty quick, and this connection lasted through the rest of our time at Union. Kevin and I continued our relationship long-distance through my medical school, while he convinced my parents he was Indian son-in-law material. Four years later we got married with a big Union crew joining us at a week-long ceremony in Orissa, India.”

THOMAS WILSON ’17 and KAITE PERRY ’17

“Kaite and I met freshman year. We had both joined the Eliphalets. I can remember seeing Kaite right as I opened the door going into our first rehearsal. Kaite was sitting in a chair and gave me a bright smile and congratulated me for also making it into the group! I was excited and had a crush on Kaite, but was nervous to ask her out. Kaite and I started dating at the beginning of our sophomore year. We finally had the courage to start spending time alone together and I took a trip up to Maine to visit Kaite and her family over winter break. It was a bit of a lackluster first impression because it was snowing and my car got stuck halfway up her driveway!” SUMMER 2021 | UNION COLLEGE

GIFT SUPPORTS SCHOLARSHIP for WOMEN IN ENGINEERING, COMPUTER SCIENCE

new $1.4 million gift from Class of 1980 graduates Rich and Mary Templeton will provide scholarships for incoming women who plan to study engineering and computer science, as well as for first-year students admitted to the Union Scholars program who want to focus their studies on these fields.

UNION COLLEGE | SUMMER 2021

SUMMER 2021 | UNION COLLEGE

GIFT SUPPORTS SCHOLARSHIP for WOMEN IN ENGINEERING, COMPUTER SCIENCE

“ T H I S L AT E S T G I F T W I L L H E L P U N I O N C O N T I N U E T O AT T R A C T TOP STUDENTS AND ENHANCE OUR MISSION AS A LEADING INSTITUT I O N F O R T H E I N T E G R AT I O N O F THE TRADITIONAL LIBERAL ARTS, SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING.”

– Matt Malatesta ’91, vice president for Admissions, Financial Aid and Enrollment

UNION COLLEGE | SUMMER 2021

The hope is that the scholarships, worth a maximum of $27,000 each, will help the students to graduate debt-free from Union. “We are grateful for the continued generosity of Rich and Mary Templeton,” said Matt Malatesta ’91, vice president for Admissions, Financial Aid and Enrollment. “This latest gift will help Union continue to attract top students and enhance our mission as a leading institution for the integration of the traditional liberal arts, science and engineering.” Last February, President David R. Harris announced a $51 million gift from the Templetons during the formal launch of the $300 million “Powering Union: The Campaign for Multiple Tomorrows.” The gift, the largest ever for the College, will transform engineering and the liberal arts with the creation of the

Templeton Institute for Engineering and Computer Science. In addition to the new institute, the gift will be used in the recruitment and retention of women pursuing a degree in engineering or computer science, enhancements to the curriculum, faculty support, and capital to further develop spaces and facilities. The latest gift from the Templetons comes as the Class of 2025 begins to take shape. Eligible students would receive $5,500 the first year, $6,500 for sophomore year and $7,500 in their junior and senior years. The total amount matches the federal direct loan maximum of $27,000. Eligible students still receive the scholarship even if they were not planning to borrow to attend Union. They may still also receive a federal direct loan. In return, the first-year students are required to take an introductory engineering or computer science class. Before their sophomore year, the students must declare engineering or computer science as a major. The scholarship continues with successful progress toward a degree. “Union is one of the few colleges in the country committed to meeting full need,”

Malatesta said. “We are trying to maximize each family’s financial flexibility. We hope these generous scholarships, along with the recent Making U Possible initiatives, can help families from a range of economic backgrounds attend Union.” Rich Templeton is chairman, president and CEO of Texas Instruments. He joined the company after earning a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Union. Mary (Haanen) Templeton, a philanthropist and community volunteer, graduated with a bachelor’s degree in computer science. She had a 14-year career with General Electric Company before moving to Dallas, the headquarters of Texas Instruments. Women continue to be underrepresented in engineering and computer science education. According to research compiled by the Society of Women Engineers, in 2019 the percentage of women who intended to major in engineering, computer science or math/ statistics, was 7.1 percent, compared to 26.7 percent for men. Union’s numbers fare better. The percentage of women who intended to major in engineering, computer science

or math/statistics in 2019 was 12.5 percent, compared to 25.8 percent for men. However, the College strives to close the equity gap. In 2020, Union enrolled 32 women engineers and/or Scholars. With the latest gift from the Templetons, the College hopes to raise that number to more than 50 for the Class of 2025. Daniela Gonzalez of Los Angeles, Calif., applied through early action to Union and was accepted. She also applied to a number of other schools. She plans to major in engineering and minor in studio art. She is excited about the prospect of the scholarship if she attends Union. “It is great that Union will offer scholarships specifically to female students who are pursuing engineering,” she said. “I’ve known that I wasn't receiving the same amount of resources and support to succeed because I’m a low-income Latina woman. I am excited that Union is encouraging more women to pursue STEM fields. I am waiting to receive all of my decision letters before choosing where I’ll go, but Union is definitely on top of my list.”

SUMMER 2021 | UNION COLLEGE

INEERIN G

2020

1845

N C OLL

ENGINEERING SPOTLIGHTS

PHY L L I S RITA ZYC H BU D KA G’ 82

hyllis Rita Zych Budka G’82 earned a Bachelor of Science in Russian language from the University of Rochester before earning a master’s in mechanical engineering from Union College 18 years later. She retired from GE as a senior metallurgical engineer. Today, she is an active member of Union’s Academy of Lifelong Learning (UCALL), is the winter UCALL co-chair and sits on the Curriculum Committee. Through travels to Poland and Lithuania, Phyllis has become an avid genealogical researcher who reestablished ties with family and made new friends. Eight years ago she and a friend established “The Project to Discover Schenectady County’s Eastern European Roots Newsletter.” Today, 30 issues are on the Schenectady Digital History Website. Phyllis also mentors young professional women in Poland and Lithuania to improve their conversational English. She is part of a cross-continental, intergenerational team for W Insight. Here, international role models share knowledge and ideas. She is a volunteer editor for alumni of the certificate program in biomedical ethics for Eastern European countries at the former Union Graduate College (now Clarkson). Since 2011, Phyllis has edited for researchers in Poland, Lithuania and Latvia.

UNION COLLEGE | SUMMER 2021

What are/were the most challenging aspects of your career? What are/were the most rewarding? With a non-traditional background (Russian language undergrad!) and a late start in an engineering career, my training was in contrast to that of my mostly male colleagues. Fortunately, as the digital revolution hit in the early 1990s, my skills and background were a great fit. How has your engineering degree been useful in another field? At Union, I realized that my strongest skill in the engineering environment became my marketing pitch: “I’m an engineer who likes to write.”

What was your most formative experience at Union? I fell in love with metallurgy and nickel-iron meteorites. In 1980, I discovered that the then-accepted beliefs of metal meteorite formation were logically flawed. I was allowed to do an interdisciplinary master’s thesis with two advisors—Prof. Frank Milillo, metallurgy, and Prof. Herman Zimmerman, geology. My thesis title was “The Non-Equilibrium Solidification of Nickel-Iron and Stony Iron Meteorites Under Microgravity Conditions.” I spent the next 25 years challenging the traditional, illogical ideas and publishing my findings. My published work is archived on my website, meteormetals.com What’s the best piece of advice (professional or personal) you ever received? From my late husband, Alfred Budka ’58— Don’t let the turkeys get you down!

M I CH A EL A . DAV I G’83

ichael A. Davi G’83 earned an Associate of Arts & Science degree from the University of South Florida and a B.S. in mechanical engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute before graduating from Union College with an M.S. in industrial administration. He retired from GE after a 40-year career in May 2016 as principal engineer, reporting to the Services Engineering VP/chief technology officer. Michael’s final assignment was leading an international team that developed service engineering procedures and tools for GE’s most advanced HA gas turbines—recognized as an integral component in the world’s most efficient combined cycle gas power plants. He recently published a book, PrivileGEd— Experiences From My Unusual 40-Year Career with One of America’s Most Iconic Companies, and regularly gives talks at local colleges and libraries and to professional groups. Michael is an active member of the Niskayuna Town Historical Committee and a volunteer with the Hudson-Mohawk section of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME). His hobbies include astronomy, pedal biking, managing investments and taking UCALL courses in new areas of interest.

What are/were the most challenging aspects of your career? Surviving the “profits at all costs” mantra fostered by CEO Jack Welch, which created a culture of fear, intimidation and conflict within the company was extremely challenging. Welch was idolized as profits soared, however inside the power business, all was not well. Under Welch’s mandates GE evolved from a leading technology company into a financial institution. This evolution led to severe budget constraints, damaging the competitiveness of our business while continuous personnel reductions—to meet corporate profit demands—took a heavy toll on morale. Comradery with other positive-thinking colleagues, sheer determination and an ability to reinvent my career got me through. What are/were the most rewarding? I was privileged to work alongside some of GE’s top, world-class experts and discovered that, in addition to being highly intelligent, some were among the best teachers and human beings I ever encountered. Many are still faithful friends today, as we are bonded in a fraternity formed from years of trust, cooperation, struggles, successes and failures from our collective experiences.

What was your most formative experience at Union? Through a unique consortium program in my senior year at RPI, I was afforded the opportunity to study with Union Professor Ram Mittal. Ultimately, I completed a senior project with Dr. Mittal in my interest area of transportation and energy, which was not available at RPI at that time. In my graduate studies at Union, I considered myself extremely fortunate to be taught by several recognized industry professionals who were adjunct instructors. One such memorable instructor was Dr. Gerry Hahn, who was GE’s chief statistician. Later, while reading one of Dr. Hahn’s publications, I discovered he had been a key contributor in the formative stages of my very first professional technical assignment, prior to my involvement. That discovery made us instant friends and I still periodically keep in touch with Gerry to this day. What’s the best piece of advice (professional or personal) you ever received? Find something you can be really good at, can learn to love and become passionate about. Persevere, maintain a fervent curiosity and embrace the concept of lifelong learning to keep improving.

How has your engineering degree been useful in another field? Engineering fundamentals are broadly applicable in so many life areas including financial, medical and digital. Certainly my engineering background was a big advantage in Union’s quantitative M.S. program. I’m very grateful to be comfortable with computers, iPhones, iPads and home electronics, which are all so integral in today’s environment. SUMMER 2021 | UNION COLLEGE

REPROGRAMMING

FITNESS ROUTINES during the pandemic R

outines can make us feel like we’re stuck in a rut, going nowhere. Synonyms for the word routine—monotonous, tedious, unchanging—pretty much say it all. But routines also keep us organized, help us manage stress and keep us healthy. Without them, it’d be insanity all the time. And that’s never been more obvious. COVID-19 upended every routine imaginable, including fitness routines. But people are nothing if not adaptable. Alumni in the fitness industry found ways to keep exercise in clients’ lives, as well as their own. How? They leveraged technology—in all its frustrating, amazing glory.

Belinda Gower ’94 28

UNION COLLEGE | SUMMER 2021

Going virtual From solo-owned studios to large companies, everybody in the fitness industry either started offering virtual workouts or increased their online options and bandwidth. For entrepreneurs, this has often meant revamping an existing business or building a completely new one. Belinda Gower ’94 founded her Pilates business, Belinda Gower Studio, in Concord, Mass., in 2014. Until the pandemic forced her to close in March 2020, she offered barre classes, mat classes and reformer classes in her studio. And since her studio is attached to her home—and a fall 2020 survey showed less than a quarter of her clients were willing to resume in-person classes—the space has remained shuttered. But that hasn’t stopped Gower from meeting the fitness needs of her clients— or herself for that matter. “I realized people were counting on me and I wanted to help. I also realized that my clients motivated me to stay fit as much as I did them,” Gower said. “So I decided to give online teaching a try.”

SUMMER 2021 | UNION COLLEGE

In November 2020, she launched barre@home, a collection of Pilates-focused barre classes anyone can do at home. She started out on Instagram Live, which worked very well, but her classes were so popular she quickly outgrew it. “I loved my Instagram Live experience. My pool of clients went from friends and locals to an international following. However, teaching for free from a tiny vertical box wasn’t sustainable,” Gower said. “I wanted to find a higher quality format that worked on multiple devices and to monetize my business.” She switched to uscreen.tv and while it’s running smoothly now, getting used the technology wasn’t easy. “It was a steep learning curve! I hired a videographer to film the first few videos and show me how to edit them,” Gower said. “At the beginning, a 55-minute workout video took me 8 hours to complete between filming, editing, music overlay and uploading.” The set-up is also the hardest part of teaching livestreamed classes. “I have to cross-check the music (must be copyright free), the lighting, the camera angle (my arms and legs must be visible), and pray my kids’ Zoom classes don’t take up all my bandwidth,” Gower said. “I’ve had crashes, bloopers and I’ve been ‘shutoff’ by Instagram for inadvertently using copyrighted music.” “It’s complex,” she added. “It makes inperson teaching look like a piece of cake!” Jenna Langhans ’13 can relate. While she has plenty of experience teaching on-camera for platforms like DailyBurn, CityrowGo and Classpasslive 30

UNION COLLEGE | SUMMER 2021

Jenna Langhans ’13

“A few times I forgot to press ‘record’ and taught an entire class without recording it. So I had to re-film the same class twice.” – Jenna Langhans ’13 , owner of Ballet & Bells

Tamara Linde ’10

(of which she’s a founding trainer), the pandemic threw a big wrench into things. When the studios from which she normally taught classes closed, she had to scramble to figure out how to meet the needs of her clients another way. Thus, Ballet & Bells was born. Its membership program consists of four livestreamed classes a week focused on kettlebell skills, athletic training, HIIT and barre. Langhans, a certified personal trainer, also offers pre-recorded workouts on her website. “When filming for bigger platforms, there’s an entire production team handling all the back end work—wardrobe, hair, makeup, filming, editing,” Langhans said. “And when gyms were still open, the facility handled everything. All the equipment was provided. I program, show up, teach class and don’t have to worry about the tech or customer service issues.” That’s not the case anymore, and getting good at being her own tech crew hasn’t been without its hiccups. “A few times I forgot to press ‘record’ and taught an entire class without recording it. So I had to re-film the same class twice,” said Langhans, who is based in New York City. “My laptop recently died so I was teaching from my phone and the quality wasn’t as good. Sometimes the mic wouldn’t work and once, Zoom crashed and I couldn’t start a class. The list goes on.” She’s also had to take on her own marketing, hire someone to build her website and provide technological assistance, and figure out how to succeed in the competitive online fitness market. “Owning your own business is a double-edged sword. While you get to choose your own prices and hours, you also have to find your own clients in an over-saturated industry on Instagram that offers free workouts and promises quick fixes,” Langhans said. “Anyone can post a workout on social media without having any training knowledge or certifications, which can be frustrating.”

“Our sales skyrocketed overnight and we had to reforecast everything. We had to get creative with finding ways for our coaches to safely produce more content.” – Tamara Linde ’10, head of digital marketing at MYX Fitness

But she’s overcoming that. Ballet & Bells is growing and the larger platforms she teaches for are again making content.

Improving virtual But those larger platforms have had to shift gears, too, or in the case of MYX Fitness, step on the gas. The Connecticut-based startup was founded in 2017. As an interactive fitness platform, it streams on-demand and live workouts (coming soon) to clients with MYX set-ups at home. “Our fitness solution has three main pillars: heart rate training, cross-training and positive coaching. Every MYX order comes with a commercial grade cycle bike and Polar heart rate monitor,” explained Tamara Linde ’10, head of digital marketing at MYX. “After taking an initial assessment, users are able to see customized heartrate zones in every workout to make sure they are working out as effectively and efficiently as possible. The goal is to help you work out smarter, not harder, and avoid overtraining and overall fatigue and injury.” “And our coaching staff are all handpicked by our director of fitness and scouting team,” she added. “We wanted coaches who are real, relatable people but also experts in their fields. Our goal is to make fitness more approachable.” The company’s way of doing things, which was gaining traction before the pandemic, became even more popular as COVID shutdown gyms and studios everywhere. The increased demand meant MYX had to get equipment and programming to more people more quickly. “Our sales skyrocketed overnight and we had to reforecast everything. We had to get creative with finding ways for our

coaches to safely produce more content,” Linde said. “This year we also began testing into TV, both streaming and linear. It was really exciting to concept a TV spot with our team, go into production and then see our ad live on the TV screen.” MYX is set to merge with powerhouse fitness company Beachbody this summer as part of a SPAC through Forest Road Acquisition Company. The merger is valued at $2.9B. Even at-home fitness giant Peloton had to pivot a bit when COVID-19 hit. “The pandemic has definitely impacted the things we do at Peloton and has forced us to adapt our software and workflows to meet the unique demands created by social distancing,” said Taylor Ellsworth ’16, a software development engineer in test at Peloton in New York City. “Instead of filming live classes in our New York and London studios, we had to move the whole operation to our instructors’ living rooms.” “This required a lot of teamwork from several different teams,” he added. “The

Taylor Ellsworth ’16

SUMMER 2021 | UNION COLLEGE

“When you develop a steadier routine, you begin to feel more motivated. Exercising your mind and body can allow you to reconnect with yourself and take control of your health.” – Julia Delaney ’18, trainer

production, content, streaming and engineering teams all had to work together to make changes in order for us to keep filming fitness classes.” Ellsworth, who is responsible Peloton’s member website and instructor app, is tasked with writing automated tests to help ensure the company consistently delivers high-quality products. These tests catch software problems before the software gets into the hands of members and instructors. “During the pandemic, my team had to make updates to the instructor app to make the live-from-home experience possible,” Ellsworth explained. “Since everyone was working remotely, this required more communication and troubleshooting than it would have if we were in an in-person setting. Thanks to great teamwork and leadership, we were able to accomplish this successfully.” But of course, not all fitness happens online—even during the pandemic. In-person options have slowly started to return.

Virtual and in-person Julia Delaney ’18, a tier II trainer at Equinox in New York City, has been working with clients online and in the gym. She specializes in athletic speed and agility training, strength training and weight loss.

KEEPING U FIT During the pandemic, the Office of Alumni & Parent Engagement has offered virtual fitness classes led by alumni instructors. More than 300 participants have enjoyed everything from yoga to HIIT workouts to cardio barre and running.

UNION COLLEGE | SUMMER 2021

For the virtual portion of her job, she admits it was challenging at first. “Initially, it was difficult to change how we look at working out. Clients who were used to going to the gym and lifting heavy equipment were forced to go back to the basics,” Delaney said. “But we learned the benefits of bodyweight and resistance training, which can be done in your living room. And virtual sessions allowed my clients to feel accountable to their fitness goals.” When gyms began reopening, other changes to workout routines were necessary. “I learned how to adjust to wearing a mask. Initially, it can limit your oxygen intake and hinder your depth perception and balance,” Delaney said. “I make sure to prepare my in-person clients and make sure they don’t feel discouraged when they first try wearing one.” “I also make sure to maintain a thoughtful distance so that everyone feels safe,” she continued. “Additionally, there is limited occupancy and temperature checks are preformed when you first walk into the gym. It is also protocol to wipe down equipment before and after use.”

While all this has been an adjustment for Delaney and her clients, everyone has just been happy to get back into some sort of exercise routine. “My clients appreciate the escape and the ability to spend an hour on themselves, especially if they are home all day,” Delaney said. “When you develop a steadier routine, you begin to feel more motivated. Exercising your mind and body can allow you to reconnect with yourself and take control of your health.” “I believe fitness is good for the body and the soul.” And she’s not alone. The many benefits of movement are a big reason demand for accessible fitness programming increased during the pandemic.

The benefits There are the obvious physical benefits— from cardiovascular health to strength, endurance and flexibility—and then there are psychological benefits. “The emotional burdens of the pandemic have been widely recognized,” Linde said. “Honestly, I get choked up reading some

CHECK THEM OUT

Julia Delaney ’18

Wally Bzdell ’94

of the stories people have sent in about how MYX has helped them through this.” “We’ve heard from first responders who work 24-hour shifts and use MYX as their ‘me time’ to escape the stress of their jobs,” she continued. “We’ve heard from parents who have had to become teachers who greatly benefit from being able to squeeze in a MYX workout at home.” The fact that fitness goes beyond the body is no surprise to Wally Bzdell ’94. A sports psychologist and New York State licensed psychologist, he owns Bzdell Sports Psychology in Scotia, N.Y. “We all hear plenty about the health benefits of exercise, but an area that gets less attention is how exercise is an important part of recovery for us all,” he said. “And in stressful times like these, recovery becomes more important.” “There are five pillars of recovery I share with student athletes and clients—thinking well, sleeping well, moving well (exercise), eating and hydrating well, and connecting with others,” Bzdell continued. “We actively need to engage in each aspect to be at our best. So not only are there the physical benefits of exercise, without it you can never fully recover and recharge from the stressors life throws at us.” To help his own clients fully engage with each of these aspects during the pandemic, Bzdell developed a series of short videos for them to watch before their virtual sessions. “Online meetings have replaced faceto-face meetings. The unexpected benefit of this is that teams I would normally travel to meet with a couple times per month I can see every week,” he said. “This is a practice that will likely stay in place even after travel and other restrictions are lifted.” Another unexpected benefit is what Bzdell has learned from the pandemic. “The most important principle that has been reinforced is the power of one’s own perspective,” he said. “Our psychological framework is critical and when we develop optimism, control and growth mindset, we act and engage in the world with greater purpose, passion and resilience.”

To learn more about the alumni featured in this story, their businesses or the companies they work for, visit them online. Belinda Gower ’94: belindagower.tv Wally Bzdell ’94: docwallybzdell.com Jenna Langhans ’13: jlanghansfit.com Julia Delaney ’18: jdphoto579@gmail.com MYX Fitness: myxfitness.com Peloton: onepeloton.com

SUMMER 2021 | UNION COLLEGE

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

DEVELOPING STUDENTS BEYOND THE CLASSROOM

hile academic pursuits are at the core of a Union education, most alumni would say that just as much learning and life experience takes place beyond the walls of the classroom. A meaningful, integrated and relevant Union education cultivates the whole person—the head and the heart—and creates intentional connections between what happens inside and outside the classroom. The Powering Union campaign is raising resources that will deepen every student’s academic experience and ensure a range of hands-on learning opportunities

and support services to help each student find their passion and achieve their full potential. Alumni, families, faculty, staff, students and friends have contributed over $12 million to Powering Union to support such initiatives to date. Their generous gifts are opening doors for more students to study away and conduct research, expanding internship opportunities, reimagining first-year programs and the fouryear residential curriculum, creating unique learning environments like the MakerWeb and supporting services for student wellness and academic success.

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

UNION COLLEGE | SUMMER 2021

A phenomenal first-year experience for all

student’s experience during their first collegiate year lays the foundation on which all undergraduate years are built. It’s a year that’s often transformational. One filled with opportunities beyond the classroom that allow students to discover their passions, forge enduring friendships, and stretch the boundaries of what is and can be. But not every student has these opportunities. Union’s leaders and its alumni are striving to change this—to put these experiences within the reach of more students. Take the Mayer Family First-Year Experience Endowment Fund, which is enriching first-year opportunities and making them more accessible. It has filled financial gaps for students who would otherwise be unable to participate in Union’s popular pre-orientation programs. “I was a commuter my first two years at Union, which could be one of the reasons I was drawn to this program. As a commuter, you don’t get to know everyone as well right away. I did live on campus my junior and senior years and played lacrosse during that period, but when I thought about it, I really liked the idea of supporting first-year students. When you go to college, you show up and have no idea what to expect. But Union’s pre-orientation programs help with that. They provide an early chance for students to bond with each other in a non-academic environment—and that really makes it easier for students to settle in at Union. My wife, Dolly, and I wanted to make pre-orientation and the entire first-year experience more accessible.” – Charles Mayer ’74 “Students regularly tell us that preorientation made them feel immediately at home, and because friendships were based on common interests in the outdoors, leadership or community service, they

‘‘

Dolly and Charles Mayer '74

When I heard President Harris speak about pre-orientation during Accepted Students Day, I thought it sounded amazing—especially because this was an opportunity that I had not heard of during other college tours. I was right. The pre-orientation program was crucial to developing the level of comfort that I have here. And the bond that was created between new students and pre-orientation leaders was extremely valuable to me as a first-year. I’ve talked with friends at different schools and by far, I had the best pre-orientation experience, have made the best friends, and have had the easiest time adjusting to college. And I know the rest of my time at Union will be better because of this first-year experience!

’’

– Ainsley Barlow ’24 is a neuroscience major from Simsbury, Conn. She participated in the outdoor pre-orientation experience in September 2020.

formed across race, gender, class, team, departmental major, and other dimensions that often define campus social networks. The only problem we heard about pre-o was the several hundred dollars it costs to participate. It was therefore an easy decision to make a multi-year gift so that pre-orientation programs, and a full Union experience, could be possible for more students.” – President David Harris and Anne Harris The Mayer Family First-Year Experience Endowment Fund has also made possible the appointment of a director of the firstyear experience. She is already expanding programs and offerings. “First-year group communications, programming and events have really ramped up this summer and will continue through orientation and fall, winter and spring terms. We are dedicated to providing programs and communications for first-year students when they may need them the most—from the summer before they arrive through their entire first year. We have also expanded our training of orientation advisors. The hope is that our first-year students will build strong mentorship relationships with

these student-leaders that will last beyond orientation.” – Aileen Schatz, Director of the First-Year Experience “The first-year experience at Union is unique because of the individual attention each student receives. We are intentional when we assign orientation groups and housing. First-year students living on a floor in a residence hall are all members of the same Minerva House. Students in an orientation group are in the same first-year preceptorial course. Additionally, we have an excellent resident assistant program and these student-leaders live on the floor with their residents. We create livinglearning communities in residence halls, have Minerva Houses through which students get involved with programming on small and large scales, and much more.” – Kate Schurick, Dean of First-Year Students To learn more about supporting the First-Year Experience at Union, contact Scott Rava, assistant vice president for principal gifts and campaign director, at (518) 388-6481 or ravas@union.edu.

SUMMER 2021 | UNION COLLEGE

Students in “Intro to World Music” fabricated musical instruments.

3D digital landscapes helped students understand the retreat of glaciers in Greenland.

MakerWeb: building on the classroom experience

he College’s MakerWeb is a campuswide resource of interdisciplinary co-working spaces for students and faculty to tinker and build at the intersection of departments and disciplines. • Students in Prof. Jennifer Matsue’s “Introduction to World Music“ used the Make Lab and 3D Print Lab to build musical instruments. • Kristina Tully ’21 used the CNC Lab to carve large-scale portraits from her digital designs for her senior thesis in visual arts. • Prof. Anouk Verheyden-Gillikin of Geology used the 3D Print Lab to create replicas of dinosaur bones to use as visual aids in one of her courses. • Prof. Joy Wang of Mathematics and Prof. Holli Frey of Geology used the Imagine Lab to create digital landscapes for modeling glacial retreat in Greenland for their Minerva Online Course on climate change. • Prof. Silvina Yi Li of Spanish and Hispanic Studies, used virtual reality equipment in the Imagine Lab to create virtual field trips to several Central American locations. “This is a pretty interesting moment because the Maker Web it is the first completely interdisciplinary series of spaces for all of the campus community to come together and share tools, technologies and resources for fabrication and making,” 36

UNION COLLEGE | SUMMER 2021

Welding in the Make Lab

said Cole Belmont, director of the Maker Web. “The exterior door to the building that houses the Make Lab, our newest and largest space, is open to anyone in the campus community, supporting students from all departments including, but not limited to, engineering classes, students in music and humanities courses, as well as students who simply want to use and learn about tools outside of class time or academic work. This was made possible in part by a grant from the J.M. McDonald Foundation that allowed us to rehab the space and add new tools and equipment for students and faculty.”

The MakerWeb consists of five “Makerspaces” for fabrication and tinkering: 3D Print Lab, CNC Router Lab, Laser Cutting Lab, Imagine Lab and Make Lab. The Makerspaces host sophisticated industry standard digital fabrication equipment along with more traditional metal and wood working tools and many other analog and electric hand tools, including light woodworking tools, soldering stations, Arduino kits, sewing machines, basic tool kits and much more. A staff of 30 students from a range of majors serve as teachers and mentors, serving as collaborators in faculty research and working with local K-12 students. It is the student employees (the Maker Corp) who operate the equipment, train others to use the tools and manage the day to day activity of the Labs with oversight from Belmont. “The MakerWeb plays a key role in lifting Union’s ability to build a vibrant community of learners, scholars and teachers that transcends traditional disciplinary boundaries, bridges classroom and immersive experiences and, as our Strategic Plan emphasizes, engages diverse experiences and perspectives,” said President David R. Harris.. For more on the MakerWeb, visit: https://muse.union.edu/makerweb/

To support MakerWeb efforts or the class dean endowment project, contact Scott Rava, assistant vice president for principal gifts and campaign director, at (518) 388-6481 or ravas@union.edu

Class Deans: Guides to All Things Union

hen Union hired three new class deans in 2018, the College was making a strategic investment to help students in each class reach their full potential. Now, as Union seeks to endow all four dean positions, including the longstanding first-year dean, students reflect on how important these mentors have become.

“Dean Osborn stood out right off the bat, and the next time I saw her, she remembered my name and stopped to talk and see how I was doing. Throughout my time at Union, Dean Osborn always made an effort to catch up,” Minerva Fellow Ruchi Raval ’20 added. “She truly hears student voices and has a strong reputation for being extremely supportive, helpful and caring.” Osborn, an Oxford University-trained cultural anthropologist, enjoys her job and takes it seriously. When the pandemic hit, she returned to work from maternity leave two weeks early. Nobody asked her to. She simply wanted to be there for her students. “It was the pinnacle of their four years, and as we realized that we would be fully online, there was a tremendous amount of disappointment and grieving,” Osborn recalled. “My students didn’t get to hug their friends goodbye or thank their favorite professors in person.”

Rose Parisi ’20

Rose Parisi ’20, a student at Albany Medical College, knew Michelle Osborn as a professor and as dean of the Class of 2020. Osborn is now dean of the Class of 2023 and director of the Minerva Fellows Program. “Dean Osborn helped me decide on my major, formulate my thesis and select courses. She recommended books and sought out new ways to encourage me to expand my knowledge and perspective,” Parisi said. “She always had an open door and is an exemplary role model to students through her leadership and commitment to campus inclusivity.”

Michelle Osborn

Ruchi Raval ’20

“Dean Osborn constantly communicated with us when we were in disarray,” Parisi said. “She was a steady leader in a time of complete chaos, and she always made it clear to students that she was ubiquitously present to act as our advocate.” Osborn and many others across campus came together to create celebration boxes for each member of the Class of 2020 when the pandemic prevented an in-person Commencement in 2020. Filled with special mementos, the boxes included a small model of the Nott Memorial (designed in the 3D Print Lab) and a special class logo. To Osborn and her fellow deans— Kate Schurick, Lynn Evans and Derek Zuckerman—their profession is a calling. They are committed to providing an intentional, invigorating and supportive experience to ensure that all students benefit from everything Union has to offer. Four endowments of $1.8 million will provide long-term funding for these positions. The College is also seeking to raise up to $40,000 a year to support student programming and regular professional development for the class deans.

SUMMER 2021 | UNION COLLEGE

FOCUS

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

UNION COLLEGE | SUMMER 2021

Plant pirates of the Caribbean: Studying biological invasions J E F F C O R B I N , professor of biology

n December 2016, Jeff Corbin was part of a team of ecologists who traveled to Cuba to learn how the country’s unique political and economic history might have altered its natural history. Specifically, they explored how the Cuban Revolution and the U.S. embargo that followed influenced the island’s present-day biodiversity. The group’s research showed that trade and tourism in the Caribbean are among the most important factors in understanding the establishment of invasive species in the region. However, Cuba’s recent history makes it stand out. “We found that Cuba has hundreds fewer invasive plants than expected for its area, and the plant species that do occupy Cuba are distinct from other large Caribbean islands,” Corbin said. “This result is consistent with Cuba’s limited economic openness, such as less trade and tourism per area compared to other Caribbean islands.”

In 1959, Fidel Castro helped rebels overthrow a U.S.-backed dictator and install a Communist-run country. That in turn led to a decades-long U.S. embargo. As Cuba’s revolutionary economy took hold, the Caribbean emerged as a tourist mecca, introducing hundreds of invasive species to the area. As Cuba became more economically self-sufficient, it was cut off from the forces that brought invasive species to the region, researchers found. “Species invasions are one of the major ways—along with climate change and pollution—that humans have altered the globe,” Corbin said. “When species arrive in new places they can have far-reaching effects on the region’s biodiversity and ecology. As a result, Cuba’s unique 20th century history resulted in hundreds of missing invasive plants there.” So what does the research mean going forward? According to Corbin, the work offers one of the best demonstrations of the role that tourism plays in spreading new species around the globe. This is critical, because Cuba is expanding its tourism economy, already the second-largest industry on the island. That, along with the prospect of thawing Cuba-U.S. relations, may open up the pathway for a species invasion. Cuba’s large size and unparalleled richness of native plants are indications of the Caribbean island’s capacity to support many more plants that are non-native in the future, Corbin said. Such a threat, Corbin warned, requires cooperation between Cuba and its neighbors, including the U.S. and Puerto Rico, to limit species moving to and from the island. “The explosive rates of species invasions in recent decades are the product of widespread exchange of

people and goods via tourism and trade,” Corbin said. “Cuba’s Revolution and the subsequent U.S. embargo created an unintended experiment that demonstrated that, when such tourism and trade were curtailed, rates of invasion declined. Knowing this, we can seek to install biosecurity measures that monitor and limit the importation of new species worldwide without limiting economic and cultural exchange.” The research is featured in a paper, “Plant Pirates of the Caribbean: Is Cuba sheltered by its revolutionary economy,” published by the journal Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment.

The lead author is Meghan Brown, professor of biology at Hobart and William Smith Colleges. Corbin, Susan Cushman (Hobart and William Smith Colleges); Timothy McCay (Colgate); Joshua Ness (Skidmore); and the two Cuban scientists joined her. The scholars were supported in part by a NY6 GlobalUpstate Collective grant. Computer science major Jonathan Hanna ’20 and Nick Webb, assistant professor of computer science in the Center for Data Analytics, assisted with the research. By Phil Wajda

SUMMER 2021 | UNION COLLEGE

| MEDIA |

BURK KETCHAM ’48

M. JOHN LUBETKIN ’60

LAWRENCE BALDASSARO ’65

HENRY C. RUSCHMEYER ’66

Dyken Falls

The Carlyle Betrayal

Green Hollow Press

Independently Published

The English Way of Life: A Critique

The second book in a planned trilogy of fiction, Dyken Falls picks up from the first, China Bound. Set in a fictional upstate New York town, a wealthy industrialist has passed away and left a paper mill to an uncaring son. When he sells the mill to Chinese investors, the community suffers the loss of 150 jobs. But hope appears in the form of a Canadian developer who launches a renaissance with plans to turn the mill into an art center with hotel. The preservation efforts are chronicled by Union grad Walter Murphy, a writer for an Albany newspaper. Ketcham, who lives in Schenectady, reports that he is hoping to complete the third book this year.

Lubetkin’s eighth book, a novel, follows Charley Stahl, a troubleshooter for Jack Blanchard, a popular Montana Senator and combat veteran who is running for President. To the horror of Blanchard’s inner circle, a photo of his wife in bed with another man arrives with the terse message, “Don’t Run!” With his only clue a 17th century Dutch painting and just an aging Mafioso to help him, Stahl is ordered to track down the photo’s sender and kill the story. As Stahl quickly learns, the photo has a history of its own and everyone involved, including himself, is anxious to cover up the past—especially when a seemingly unrelated violent death occurs and the stakes are raised to the highest level.

Tony Lazzeri: Yankees Legend and Baseball Pioneer

UNION COLLEGE | SUMMER 2021

University of Nebraska Press

Before there was Joe DiMaggio, there was Tony Lazzeri. Acknowledged by his contemporaries as one of the best and most respected players of his era, the Hall of Fame second baseman was the leader of the famed Murderers’ Row Yankees of the 1920s and 30s. In spite of being afflicted with epilepsy, he was the first player in organized baseball to hit 60 homers in one season, and one of the first power-hitting middle infielders in the big leagues. Yet today he is largely overlooked, his legacy tarnished by the passage of time. This biography seeks to restore Lazzeri to his rightful place in baseball history and examine his social impact as the first great star of Italian descent at a time of widespread discrimination.

Christian Faith Publishing Inc.

The ethic of a people determines how they act in life situations, requiring right and wrong behavior. It can be seen in their daily activities, by the words they say—whether spoken or written—and by the things they do, both publicly and privately. The English are no exception to this means of understanding why a people act the way they do, whether at home or abroad, in their own company or in the company of strangers. Herein an attempt is made to penetrate fog and all, trying to lay bare the mysteries of the English way of life by an American outsider who once lived and worked amongst the English people for seven years. An inside look into the English legal, political, social, educational, commercial, athletic, international, and religious institutions is explored by one who served as a clergyman in a central London parish and, simultaneously, as a teacher of religious studies at a private, Church of England—affiliated, secondary school in south London.

ROBERT CHIPKIN ’71

KATE WHITE ’72

MARK E. KLEIN’72

EVAN I. SCHWARTZ ’86

Paws to Remember the Wit & Wisdom of Theo, the Golden Retriever

The Fiancée

Franklin Rock

Revolver

Harper Paperbacks

Greenbriar Publishing

Concord Free Press

Summer’s looking forward to a break from hustling for acting work in Manhattan when she, her husband Gabe, and Gabe’s nine-year-old son come to rural Pennsylvania for the annual family get-together at her in-laws’ sprawling estate. The reunion sounds like the perfect escape, until Gabe’s baby brother Nick, a perpetual bachelor, shows up with his new flame, Hannah. Summer immediately recognizes Hannah from a showcase they once did together, but strangely Hannah claims not to know her—and that’s not the only thing that seems off. As Hannah charms the other family members, and Nick announces that he’s proposed to her, Summer doesn’t have much choice but to grit her teeth and bear it. But the reunion is soon rocked by tragedy—a family member is found dead. Summer becomes convinced there’s been foul play and that the too-goodto-be-true Hannah is involved. Though Summer tries to make Gabe and the others see the light, they keep ignoring her suspicions. As she investigates just what Nick’s fiancée might have done to keep her perfect image intact, she begins to fear that the first death may only be the beginning.

Sometimes heroes appear when we least expect them. One-part Siddhartha and one-part Forrest Gump, undergraduate student Franklin discovers that he has been chosen. In one extraordinary moment—a brief but crystal-clear glimpse into the future—Franklin learns that his life is to be an adventure unlike any other. Professor Charles Niemeyer, a Gandalflike mentor, begins to skillfully guide Franklin along his journey. But before he has the chance to teach Franklin what he needs to know, Professor Niemeyer suddenly dies, leaving Franklin a blank book with a remarkable title: Franklin Rock: The Man Who Fixed the World. Now on his own, Franklin must navigate towards his surprising destiny. This is novel of adventure, comfort and compassion. As Franklin grows in understanding, so does the reader, learning surprising lessons about time, our world, and the meaning of life. Mark E. Klein M.D. is a physician and author. His career has been centered on caring for others, whether they be patients, colleagues or strangers. Franklin Rock is his third book and his first novel. He has four children, four grandchildren, and lives with his wife in the Washington, D.C., area. Visit him at markekleinmd.com.

Revolver is the debut novel by Evan I. Schwartz, who previously published five books of non-fiction. As the 1970s end, two star-crossed high-school lovers from Long Island go on a mystical journey that takes them deep into the heart of rock ‘n’ roll—and puts them on a collision course with their hero, John Lennon. Suspenseful, funny, and emotional, Revolver deftly combines a coming-of-age story, a deep dive into rock history, and an exploration of the power of music. All set to a soundtrack of the breakthrough albums of the era. Published on the 40th anniversary of John Lennon’s tragic death, Revolver, like all books from the Concord Free Press, is free to readers in exchange for generosity. Request the free paperback at concordfreepress.com/ revolver. Be generous wherever and however you choose. Just donate any amount to a charity, cause, or someone in need. Then log it at the website so the publisher can keep a tally. Concord Free Press books have inspired $3.6 million in generosity so far.

The Republican Inc.

For more than six years editor, columnist and humorist Robert Chipkin took on the journalistic endeavor of thinking like a dog. In more than 300 columns for the Springfield Sunday Republican, Chipkin adopted the voice of his golden retriever, Theo, as the two of them developed a special kind of Theo-ology—exploring the world as a dog sees it. Now, after a literary career as the only regularly appearing canine columnist, Theo has pulled together his views on skunks, socks, birthdays, time, leashes and much more in a collection of essays—Paws to Remember the Wit & Wisdom of Theo, The Golden Retriever.

SUMMER 2021 | UNION COLLEGE

| MEDIA |

FRANK PERRI ’86

PETER HUTCHISON ’86

VINCENT LIBERTI ’88

White-collar Crime, Organizational Misconduct and Fraud Examination: An Accounting Behavioral and Criminological Approach

“Healing from Hate: Battle for the Soul of a Nation”

Preparing for Your Elder Years

Big Tent Productions

Aviva Publishing

“Healing from Hate” examines the root causes of hate group activity through the bold work of those battling intolerance on the front lines. It features Life After Hate, an organization founded by former Skinheads and neo-Nazis to help others exit hate groups. Documenting a stunning era of hatred in America—from Trump to Charlottesville to Parkland— “Healing from Hate” follows these unique reformers in their work to de-radicalize White Nationalists, transform attitudes of intolerance and heal communities torn apart by racism. Having been provided with exclusive access, the film follows these counselor/ activists in their crusade against violence and intolerance— through community and family engagement, as well as direct “intervention” with radicalized youth—experiencing the conflict of their struggles firsthand.

Preparing for Your Elder Years is the perfect guide to ensure your final years will be as comfortable and relaxing as possible. For nearly thirty years, attorney Vincent Liberti has helped people make sense of Medicare, Medicaid, wills, trusts, long-term care planning, and asset protection. He will take you step-by-step through the planning so you are prepared to care for yourself or a loved one. You will learn about: The many issues associated with protecting yourself and your loved ones. How to conduct an honest appraisal of your financial situation to prepare yourself. Wealth and investing concepts and how to protect your money. How to start saving early for your retirement years and chronic illness. Long-term care coverage—who will pay for it and how. Family dynamics that result from illness or death. Medicaid— its history, current status, how to prepare to avoid it, and how to qualify for it. Advanced estate planning techniques to shelter wealth. How to cope with predators, creditors, litigants, taxes, and spendthrift beneficiaries.

Kindle Publishing

This book helps professionals understand white-collar crime and how its offenders exploit organizations. It also educates people on how to personally protect themselves from these criminals. Drawing on his academic scholarship and experience as a criminal trial attorney and certified fraud examiner, the author debunks the myth surrounding the white-collar offender behavioral profile. The skill set of predatory offenders such as Bernard Madoff are offered, explaining how they manipulate welleducated people into becoming victims. An in-depth analysis is offered on white-collar offenders who resort to murder to prevent the detection and disclosure of their fraud schemes. Extensively analyzed are the sociological and social psychological risk factors that contribute to the rise of corporate fraud, and the difficulties in overcoming organizational misconduct together with insights on how to reduce misconduct. Other areas considered are terror financing and women’s participation in white-collar crime.

UNION COLLEGE | SUMMER 2021

MELISSA STEWART ’90 (EDITOR)

Nonfiction Writers Dig Deep: 50 Award-Winning Children’s Book Authors Share the Secret of Engaging Writing National Council of Teachers of English

In Nonfiction Writers Dig Deep, some of today’s most celebrated writers for children share essays that describe a critical part of the informational writing process that is often left out of classroom instruction. To craft engaging nonfiction, professional writers choose topics that fascinate them and explore concepts and themes that reflect their passions, personalities, beliefs, and experiences in the world. By scrutinizing the information they collect to make their own personal meaning, they create distinctive books that delight as well as inform. In addition to essays from mentor authors, Nonfiction Writers Dig Deep includes a wide range of tips, tools, teaching strategies, and activity ideas from editor Melissa Stewart to help students (1) choose a topic, (2) focus that topic by identifying a core idea, theme, or concept, and (3) analyze their research to find a personal connection. By adding a piece of themselves to their drafts, students will learn to craft rich, unique prose.

DOYIN RICHARDS ’98

AYON IBRAHIM ’13

ELIZABETH NIES GREELEY ’21

Watch Me

Runner, Runner

Cute and Fuzzy Dogs

Feiwel & Friends

Self-published

Lowell Street Press

A picture book about immigration, Watch Me is based on the author’s father’s own story. Joe came to America from Africa when he was young. He worked hard in school, made friends and embraced his new home. Like so many immigrants before and after him, Joe succeeded when many thought he would fail. In telling the story of how his father came to America, Doyin Richards tells the story of many immigrants, and opens the experience up to readers of all backgrounds. Here is a moving and empowering story of how many different people, from different places, make us great. Acclaimed artist Joe Cepeda brings the story to life with beautiful paintings, full of heart.

Earth has become a dangerous, inhospitable world. Only pockets of humanity remain, struggling to eke out a simple existence in the skeletal aftermath from the fall of civilization. Each day is a battle not only with the poisonous climate and lethal weather, but also the cutthroat bandits who prowl the harsh, ruined landscape and prey upon the less fortunate. Of course, being able to worry about those required triumphing over starvation and dehydration first—impressive feats on their own. And now, there are the Runners. Fast, beautiful and seemingly immortal, these beings of shimmering light are the greatest mystery of the land—and maybe its newest danger.

When Elizabeth was eight years old, she filled her after school hours writing books with her best friend, Natalie Bates ’21. Their favorite creation, Cute and Fuzzy Dogs, recounts the tales of four dogs—Coffee, Clefto Ace and Chocolate— who rescue a kidnapped koala, save Santa, surf with dolphins and befriend creatures from all over the world and beyond. Thirteen years later, the three childhood friends—Elizabeth, Natalie and Jessica Duke ’21— came together to publish and illustrate this adorable children’s series. Cute and Fuzzy Dogs: The Complete Collection is twhe perfect bedtime story, suitable for children ages 4 to 7. Download the ebook on Amazon.

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

SUMMER 2021 | UNION COLLEGE

Alumni Clubs

IT WAS NICE TO SEE FROM JULY 1, 2020 TO PRESENT, WE HAVE HELD:

OanUd Kr suY AfoN TmH pport uch r you

so n nected to Unio for staying con me. precedented ti n u is th g n ri u d s—as far ni from all classe um al of s nd sa Thou tended of 1945—have at back as the Class 20. While ts since July 1, 20 our virtual even again, see you in person to t ai w t n’ ca e w engage has allowed us to e lin on g tin ec conn —around the Union family with members of we otherwise the world—who the country and We hope to to reach as often. le ab be t n’ ld ou w ections these virtual conn ue in nt co to le be ab tend our u who cannot at with those of yo to Union. So n or travel back events in-perso online or looking to join us e ar u yo er th he w r upcoming n always find ou ca u yo n, so er in-p nts. ni.union.edu/eve events at ualum ain, stay well! Until we meet ag Warm regards, ASHLEY BOLAND gement ni & Parent Enga Director of Alum

UNION COLLEGE | SUMMER 2021

62 5,573 44 20

VIRTUAL EVENTS WITH A TOTAL ATTENDANCE OF

FROM

STATES AND

COUNTRIES, INCLUDING: o Bangladesh o Canada o China o Curacao o Cypress o United Arab Emirates o France o Ghana o India o Italy

o Morocco o Mexico o Netherlands o Nepal o Pakistan o Sweden o Switzerland o United Kingdom o United States o Vietnam

CL ASS

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

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

1944 The Alumni Council is saddened by the passing of longtime member Lt. Col. Victor “Vic” Christopher ’44. Vic was a loyal fan of Union and proudly attended his 75th ReUnion on campus in 2019. He is further remembered on p. 66.

1952 Adam Klein writes, “My dad, Jerome ‘Jerry’ Klein, passed away Feb. 17, 2021. He had turned 90 the previous week. He was an acclaimed pediatrician specializing in infectious diseases and he was highly respected and admired by many. An emeritus professor of pediatrics at Boston University School of Medicine and former chief of pediatric infectious diseases at Boston Medical Center, he had a national and international reputation as an educator and scholar. Dad took exceptional pride in being able to care for his patients and teach his medical students, residents and fellows. He served as the consummate role model for subsequent generations of physicians. At Union, my dad was a member of the Phi Sigma Delta fraternity. He wrote for the Concordiensis and hosted Broadway Melody on WRUC.” Jerry is survived by his wife Linda; children

Victor “Vic” Christopher ’44

1951 CLASS CORRESPONDENT

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

Dr. Jerome Klein passed away Feb. 17, 2021.

N O TE S

Andrea, Adam and Bennett; son-in-law Zachary; and grandchildren Alexander, Evan and Dana. Donations to the Jerome O. Klein Fellowship Fund in Pediatric Infectious Diseases can be made at https://trusted.bu.edu/s/1759/ 2-bu/giving/interior.aspx?sid= 1759&gid=2&pgid=422&cid=1 060&appealcode=WEBMEDDV> Type “Klein” into the “choose a fund” box. Jerry is further remembered on p. 69.

1953 CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Hubert Plummer 21 Temple Road Setauket, N.Y. 11733 (631) 941-4076 whp@plummerlaw.com William H. Plummer writes, “Wilmer Oudal, our only ’53 classmate who made Alaska his home, died in Anchorage in February 2020. After service in Korea, Bill answered a call from Jesus to teach math at Covenant High School in Unalakleet, Alaska. He met his wife, Anna Marie, who was also teaching at the school. They were married and had four daughters whom they raised in Unalakleet. Bill had a distinguished career as an educator, serving the indigenous community as a math teacher and high school principal. We are proud of his accomplishments in serving his faith and his Union experience.”

William Holzapfel received the Fred G. Stickel Memorial Award from the New Jersey Institute of Local Government Attorneys in November 2020. The award honors a member of the New Jersey bar who has demonstrated excellence in the field of public sector law and has contributed time and effort to advance the interests of municipal law. It is the highest honor awarded by the Institute. William has had a long and distinguished career in the local government and public utility law fields. He was admitted to the New Jersey Bar in 1959 and has been the City Attorney of Elizabeth since 1993. The award was presented to William during a Zoom meeting by Edward J. Buzak ’70, who is a longtime municipal law practitioner in New Jersey.

William Holzapfel ’53 received the Fred G. Stickel Memorial Award from the New Jersey Institute of Local Government Attorneys in November 2020

SUMMER 2021 | UNION COLLEGE

CLASS NOTES

1954 CLASS CORRESPONDENT

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

1955 CLASS CORRESPONDENT

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

1956 CLASS CORRESPONDENT

William Deuell 2666 Steeple Run Lane Manteca, Calif. 95336 whd2923@gmail.com William Deuell writes, “By now, for the readers of this magazine, you know that I am your new class correspondent. Now, at least, our class year is still recognized as being alive and waiting for your cards and letters. I will accept any form of correspondence as long as it is in English. My first letter came from a member of the Class of 1957. Don Bathrick, also known as ‘Bathtub,’ was my roommate in Phi Delta Theta for three years. After college, I worked for New York Tel for one summer and then was drafted in the US Army for two years. Don went to work for New York Telephone after his graduation. Our paths crossed again several years later when we both were working for New York Telephone in Utica, New York. Small world! Don now lives in Schodack, New York, which is about seven miles south of Albany. Don retired from the telephone company in 1995, did some consulting in Hong Kong and Albany, and finally retired from working in 2001. His e-mail is tundra1999@aol.com. As you can see, I now live 46

UNION COLLEGE | SUMMER 2021

in Manteca, Calif.. Manteca is south of Stockton and is in the middle of almond country. Something like 80 percent of the world’s almonds come from this area. My wife, Nancy, and I moved from Arnold, Calif. to Manteca in 1996 after 25 years in the Sierra Mountains. We enjoyed the snow but the valley is a much easier lifestyle.”

1957 CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Paul Mohr 140 E Duce of Clubs Ste A Show Low, Ariz. 85901 dadtired@frontiernet.net Peter Noonan has written a “book” titled Trump, the Man in the Maga Hat: The Real Story of How He Has Moved America Forward. It begins with a heading: “Listed here are many of the important accomplishments of Donald Trump’s first term in office.” The following pages are blank.

1958 CLASS CORRESPONDENT

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

1959 CLASS CORRESPONDENT

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

1960 CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Charles E. Roden kiw702@aol.com Ron Weinstein continues to work full-time in the field of telemedicine (telehealth), a healthcare delivery system that experienced 3000% growth this past year, largely due to

COVID-19. In 2020, there were one billion telemedicine cases in the United States in comparison with 31 million telemedicine cases the previous year. For nearly half a century, he has been an international leader in telemedicine. He served as a consultant on developing national telemedicine programs in China and Japan in the 1990s. Later, as a board member of the International Virtual e-Hospital Foundation (IVeH), he helped support the development of telemedicine programs in the Balkan nations (the 10-island nation of Capo Verde located off the coast of West Africa) and in other countries. In addition, he was the principal architect for the successful National Telemedicine Program of the Republic of Panama from 2001 to 2011. Historically, in 1986, Ron, a Massachusetts General Hospital-trained pathologist, invented, patented and commercialized telepathology, and introduced the term “telepathology” into the English language. Today, telepathology, a subspecialty of telemedicine, is a billiondollar world-wide industry. Telepathology is used in over 40 countries on five continents. For this invention, and his founding of the telepathology equipment industry, he received several “Biomedical Industry Startup-Company-of-the Year” awards. In 1996, he co-founded the state-wide Arizona Telemedicine Program (ATP), headquartered at The University of Arizona, where he is a tenured professor in the Colleges of Medicine. The ATP linked 160 sites in 70 rural communities to the University of Arizona in Tucson. It completed over 1.4 million teleconsultations, including hundreds of thousands of cases on Arizona’s tribal lands. Recently, the ATP successfully

advocated for the passage of landmark “Telehealth Omnibus” legislation by the AZ state legislature and signed into law by Arizona’s Governor in May 2021. Nationally, passage of HB 2454 catapulted Arizona to the front of the line in terms of enacting progressive enabling state telehealth law. Ron has received numerous honors and awards including: Union College’s Eliphalet Nott Medal “for perseverance of an alumnus who achieved great distinction in their field.” The University of Arizona’s College of Medicine’s “Lifetime Teaching Award;” the Arizona Medical Associations’ “Distinguished Service Award;” the Association for Pathology Informatics’ “Lifetime Achievement Award;” the US Distance Learning Associations’ “Hall-of-Fame” award; and the title of “President Emeritus of the American Telemedicine Association” as a “Pioneer in Telemedicine.”

1961 CLASS CORRESPONDENT

John Honey jahoney@msn.com

1963 Gerald Greenwald, MD writes, “I’ve been long retired in Miami, having practiced dermatology here starting in 1973. I figured I was welltrained in my field and I had a lot of self-confidence. So I opened my private office in a medical building with two other dermatologists who were long-established. For whatever reasons, my practice thrived, and quickly. I loved it. There was a time that an ophthalmologist across the hall from me asked, ‘Gerry, what’s your secret?’ He had noted that, at times, the line of patients waiting to get in to see me was ‘out to the elevator,’

about 50 feet away. I said, ‘Bob, there’s no secret. I try to see my patients as scheduled. I try to take time to explain what they have and what I can or cannot do about their condition. And I treat everyone with respect. I show patients I’m interested in them, whether I like their shirt, shoes, lipstick, etc. And I touch each and every one of them, and check them with a magnifier.’ He ruminated for just a moment or two, and told me to keep it up—and that he marveled at and envied that. That simple tete á tete was such a compliment that I still vividly recall it about 40 years later. I am delightfully married and live a relaxed life (as much as the COVID era allows). My six kids are grown and well. They have, thus far, produced 13 grand babies for me. My first bout with colon cancer was in 1997. It spread to become Stage 4 (colon to liver) in 2001. Then another metastasis in 2006, another in 2008, another in 2019. The radiation I’ve had makes me glow in the dark. The chemo I’ve had could kill a herd of elephants. The surgeries and special procedures I’ve had come to nearly thirty. I’m not the lithe fella I used to be but I’m still getting along...and happy to be alive. In 2012, I discovered I had AFIB. My cardiologist actually cured me with 93 intra-cardiac ablations at one sitting. I was skeptical that he could do that, but he did. I am hypothyroid on meds. Long-standing arteriosclerosis and coronary artery disease have accompanied whatever treks I’ve accomplished. My neuropathies from diabetes and chemo are not my friends; my peripheral vascular disease causes my feet to burn. But we all try to adapt to whatever the Lord throws in the gauntlet of life. Everybody has good wishes from me. YOLO.”

1965 Larry Baldassaro was recently featured on masslive.com. The piece focused on his love of baseball and his latest book. In Tony Lazzeri, Larry explores the life and career of the game’s first power-hitting middle infielder, and the first Italian-American player to captivate the public as a member of the New York Yankees.

1966 CLASS CORRESPONDENT

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

1967 CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Joseph Smaldino 6310 Lantern Ridge Lane Knoxville, Tenn. 37921 smaldinoj@comcast.net (815) 762-5984 Wayne Franklin was recently a guest on “The Learning Curve,” where he reviewed the major works and background of James Fenimore Cooper. Franklin is a professor of English at the University of Connecticut and definitive biographer of the American literary figure. Jeffrey Hedquist has three original poems featured in Telepoem Booth, an unusual venue in the Council Bluffs, Iowa public library. Nationwide, there are 13 Telepoem Booth installations. At the Iowa installation you can pick up the phone and listen to Jeffrey read his poems “Lilies of the Valley,” “Squirrel Brain” and “Winter Prairie.” Jeffrey, who is known as “Advertising’s Storyteller,” is a poet and performing songwriter, as well as a nationally known voice talent and marketing expert.

His first poems were published in The Idol at Union College. For more information visit www.telepoembooth.com/ Or call Hedquist Productions, Inc. (641-472-6708). Gary L. Nelson writes, “I am still working part-time in my dental practice, Nelson Dental Healthcare, which I established 48 years ago. I sold the practice to my son, Rob, in 2016, who continues to grow the business beyond my wildest expectations. We both graduated from the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine, myself in 1971 and my son in 2006. My biggest accomplishment and the one I am most proud of, is being happily married for over 50 years to Peggy Martin Nelson, having three wonderful children and eight beautiful grandchildren! I have been truly blessed!”

1968 CLASS CORRESPONDENT

John Dresser Etna, N.H. jdressernh@gmail.com Saul Adler MD MAPW writes, “I am pleased to announce the publication of our book, Manner, Morals and Medical Care: How to be an effective physician, co-edited by myself and Barry Silverman, MD. The book is published by Springer and is available on the website Springer.com. It is a unique reference for medical students, residents and allied healthcare workers who are just entering the medical field, and for pre-med students who wish to learn more about medicine as a career. The book outlines in an anecdotal, yet pedagogical manner what one should expect and what is expected of an individual when embarking on a career at a clinic or hospital.”

Martin Strosberg writes, “On April 23, 2021, we got the sad news. Professor James Underwood—one of Union College’s greatest treasures— passed away. Many of our classmates will remember taking their first poli-sci class, most likely Intro to American Government, from the young Jim Underwood. For me, and I am sure for others, it was the beginning of a life-long relationship. Jim was my teacher, career mentor, Union College faculty colleague, and, most importantly, loyal and caring friend for over 50 years. (He also taught my son Nathaniel from the Class of 2002). Jim was a guest of honor at our 50th Reunion dinner and I was astounded by just how many alumni he remained connected to. But that was Jim—always interested in and supportive of his former students. Moreover, Jim took an active role in College affairs right up to his passing. In these past few years, Jim and I frequently had breakfast at the Blue Ribbon Diner where we discussed all things having to do with Union. Jim (Union’s unofficial historian) regaled me with stories of bygone days. In fact he talked about writing a book about Union College presidents. Over the past 50 years, Union College has had no greater champion. We mourn his loss.”

1969 CLASS CORRESPONDENTS

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

SUMMER 2021 | UNION COLLEGE

DONOR PROFILE

Gary Warren Conrad, Ph.D. ’63 maintained a life-long spirit of gratitude until his passing in July 2020 in Maine. Born in Amsterdam, N.Y., Gary was a first-generation college student and his family could offer financial support for only one semester. Gary received a generous scholarship from an anonymous benefactor that allowed him to continue his studies. He suspected that his charitable donor knew him personally, given the uniquely tailored criteria of his scholarship. To this date, the identity of his generous sponsor, who stepped up at a pivotal moment in Gary’s life, remains a mystery. During his Union days, Professor Ray Rappaport mentored young Gary and served as his primary inspiration for many dedicated years of work at Mount Desert Island Biological Laboratory (MDIBL) in Bar Harbor, Maine. After graduation, Gary earned his Ph.D. at Yale, where he met his wife Abigail (Gail) H. Conrad, Ph.D. They went on to work together as biology professors at Kansas State University. The Conrads felt a strong desire to support students in the same spirit that Gary was supported at Union. Together, they established an endowment to their respective alma maters through their estate. “With our new scholarship we’ve endowed at Union, we hope to remove barriers and make those introductory steps into STEM less challenging for students at Union through our philanthropy,” Gail said. Gary welcomed each moment with daily excitement through his spirit of vitality, openness and readiness. He felt most passionate about being a teacher and sharing knowledge with his students, and appreciated the outdoors. As basic science researchers, Gary and Gail always trusted in the truth of science. Gail believes that “science will lead our nation through the current pandemic.” She is hopeful that their endowed scholarship will inspire the next generation of scientists, just as Dr. Rappaport ignited intellectual curiosity in Gary—curiosity fueled by the power of philanthropy. – By Abigail Stack ’21 48

UNION COLLEGE | SUMMER 2021

Fort Lauderdale, Fla., in February 2020. From the left are son Zach Conrad and wife, Máire, with children Nolan and twins Maeve and Rory. At center are Gary and Gail Conrad, and at right, Samantha (Conrad) Sturhahn and husband, Jay Sturhahn, with children Lilly and Henry.

Legacy gifts made by Ramée Circle members support Union College and secure the financial needs of donors’ loved ones. Such gifts also provide donor tax benefits, all while helping Union meet current goals and reach further into the future. TO LEARN MORE:

Visit www.rameecircle.org/give or contact Steve Jo, director, Gift Planning at jos@union.edu or (267) 797-4342.

Gary Conrad at Eagle Lake on Mount Desert Island in Acadia National Park, taken just three days before he died.

“ I W E N T T O T H E W O O D S B E C A U S E I W I S H E D T O L I V E D E L I B E R A T E LY, T O F R O N T O N LY T H E E S S E N T I A L F A C T S O F L I F E , A N D S E E I F I C O U L D N O T L E A R N W H AT I T H A D T O T E A C H , A N D N O T, W H E N I C A M E T O D I E , D I S C O V E R T H AT I H A D N O T L I V E D. ”

– Henry David Thoreau, Walden, Or Life in the Woods

SUMMER 2021 | UNION COLLEGE

CLASS NOTES

1970 CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Frank P. Donnini Newport News, Va. fpdonnini@aol.com Frank Donnini writes, “The Class of 1970 ReUnion ‘LookBook,’ created for our 50th ReUnion, is a well done effort that came out in 2021. I also want to highlight some recent connections with fellow alumni that graduated in classes in close proximity to 1970. Several years ago, I saw Neal Lewis ’68 at a Union College-sponsored get together at the Franciscan Monastery in Washington, D.C. In 2021, I participated in a Union College virtual event that featured Mark Klein ’72, having a conversation about his interesting newest book, Franklin Rock: A Novel. At the Zoom meeting were Steve Kornfeld ’71 and Henry Kass ’72. All of us were Phi Sigma Delta fraternity members.” Steve Ciesinski writes, “Like all of you, we have been weathering this pandemic tragedy and helping out where we can. I moved to the San Francisco Bay area in 1976 to get an MBA at Stanford University and have lived in the Palo Alto area ever since. I built a career in Silicon Valley growing startups into larger companies, helping create new industries along the way. I retired last year as president of SRI International, an incredible research firm which invented the computer mouse, robotic surgery, Siri and many other innovations. I remain busy teaching at Stanford Graduate School of Business (GSB) and investing/ advising with early stage ventures. Wife Diane and I met at a voicemail startup and have been married since 1988. We have two grown sons: Zack (age 31 and married to Cary 50

UNION COLLEGE | SUMMER 2021

since 2018) and Nick (age 28 and marriage to Anna planned for August 2021). They are now launching their own tech careers. Unfortunately, they weren’t convinced to bear the Schenectady winters and attend Union, so they stayed in California and attended Stanford and USC. Our family is active in many missionoriented interests: serving the homeless in the Bay Area, supporting social justice and environmental programs for a local organic farm, and volunteering as board members of the Yosemite Conservancy. I’ve stayed involved with Union as a trustee, including five years as board chair. We all missed our in-person 50th ReUnion last May, but it was nice to see my classmates when we had a Zoom session with President Harris. I am especially proud of how the school has been operating so well throughout this COVID-19 challenge. I remain connected with many friends and classmates from our Union days and sadly miss my close buddy, Steve Bauer, who passed away a few years ago. In October 2020, it was really special to see our 1969 football team recognized—the athletic department replayed our victorious game against Williams—calling it one of the top 10 games of all time. Stay healthy, everyone!” Fresh food producer FiveStar Gourmet Foods recently named Michael Solomon president. He will oversee all day-to-day operations out of the company's Ontario, Calif., headquarters.

1971 CLASS CORRESPONDENT

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

1972 Prompted by the recent 100th anniversary of Union College radio, Dennis Fazio shares the following: All of us who participated in WRUC (especially in the late 60s and early 70s) received two educations: academic and our “real life” at WRUC. From my engineering education, I launched a first career designing supercomputers. From my WRUC education, I learned how to operate a multi-faceted business, to build and lead a working team, to plan and design systems and organizations, and to acquire the confidence to take on and accomplish things in areas which I really didn’t know much about. These were also critical in my second career of building and operating Internet access service businesses. The years 1968-1972 were quite a distinctive time at WRUC. A second generation was taking over from the monumental rebuild led by Jeff Hedquist ’67, Richard Ferguson ’67 et. al. Because it was a fully commercial and professional enterprise in all facets, we had a grand opportunity to develop a variety of skills. We were fortunate to be there during one of the most dynamic times in the nation’s history and probably the most energetic and creative period in popular music. Between the news, music, and willing advertisers, ideas were flowing like an oil gusher. Some of us took summer jobs at WGY/WGFM/WRGB. One morning, when I was on the WGY console and Phil Robinson ’71 was in the news booth. I found myself thinking that a couple of college kids had control of the station and thousands of listeners. “Better

not **** this up,” I thought, along with “WRUC made this possible.” Many look back on their college days with fondness for several reasons. All of us involved in WRUC have a bonus of great memories, accomplishments, friends, and unbridled creativity that launched us on our “real lives.” Bob Michaelson reports that he received his COVID vaccination from classmate Dr. Aaron Feingold. “Aaron is a cardiologist in New Jersey,” Bob said. “He and I have been close friends since our freshmen year. That is nearly 53 years. You will note that I wore a Union cap for the occasion.”

Bob Michaelson ’72 gets his COVID vaccination from longtime friend and physician Aaron Feingold ’72.

1973 CLASS CORRESPONDENT

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

1974 CLASS CORREPSONDENT

Cathy Stuckey Johnson San Mateo, Calif. caj1080@hotmail.com Mark Mindel writes, “I’ve been retired (pretty much) since 2014. Still work a little at the Saratoga Racetrack as a mutuel clerk, coach marathoners for Fleet Feet, and officiate cross

country, indoor and outdoor track meets. Our son Scott, 35, lives outside of Boston and is still an outstanding marathoner (2:22 best), and recently won the Bay State Marathon in 2:23. He and his wife Sasha (an Olympic Trials Marathoner herself) have one son, Dylan, born Jan 19, 2019. Daughter Katie, 32, is a photographer and waitress and younger son Tim, 31, is a financial advisor for Northwestern Mutual. Wife Linda and I have been married 35 years and she is also enjoying retirement. I am also enjoying very much taking part in the Union College Alumni Book club! We recently did a live interaction with Britt Bennett, writer of The Vanishing Half. I also recently did a virtual Peleton ride with Union alumni!”

Mark Mindel ’74

1976 CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Jill Schneier Wegenstein Carmel Valley, Calif. jwegenstein@gmail.com Craig Diamond retired from his last career incarnation as a consultant in natural resource economics just prior to “the year of COVID.” He continues to serve on executive committee and other leadership roles with the Sierra Club at the local, state and national levels, including policy development relating to urban infill, light pollution, the Everglades, and

the Club’s nationwide Land, Water and Wildlife and 30x30 campaigns. His free time is spent with the Apalachicola Riverkeeper and touring with various bands. Geoffrey Taylor writes, “I retired in January 2020 after a fascinating career in communications. I started out reporting on state government and politics for newspapers and the Associated Press in Albany and ended as a senior vice president of corporate communications and public policy for Excellus BlueCross BlueShield in Rochester. In between, I served as a press secretary to the New York State Assembly Speaker and a research and communications director for the New York State Conference of Blue Cross Blue Shield Plans, where I advocated for and against health care legislation. On my orientation day as a Union freshman in 1972, I’ll never forget Byron Nichols handing me a document answering the question, “What can you do with a political science degree?” I’m pretty sure most of my jobs were conceptually covered in his document, even if they weren’t precisely listed. I’m now living in Pittsford, N.Y. (near Rochester), where my family and I take full advantage of the beautiful Finger Lakes and the hour drive to watch Buffalo Bills home games. Go Dutchmen! Go Bills!”

James Dupes is set and costume design consultant for NYC Ballet Company. Jack Dunn is a retired educator. He is senior advocate for National Coalition for LGBT Health and lives in San Francisco. Thomas Hering is working on another novel, Educator Creative Writing, and is a freelance ghostwriter.

1977 CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Leila Shames Maude LeeShamesMaude@alumni. union.edu Tim Pangburn has received the Distinguished Employee Award from the Engineer Research and Development Center’s Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory (CRREL). Tim started working for CRREL in 1978 as a civil engineering technician. He retired in 2017 as a director for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Remote Sensing (RS)/Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Center of Expertise. He was among employees recognized for contributing to CRREL’s mission of delivering vital public and military engineering services, partnering in peace

and war to strengthen our nation’s security, energizing the economy and reducing risks from disasters. Leona Cohen-Gould writes, “I have just marked my 33rd year as one of the directors of the Microscopy & Image Analysis Core Facility at Weill Cornell Medical College in NYC. In that time the facility has grown from a one-person, one-instrument lab to a facility with a full staff and many state-of-the-art microscopes and instruments to aid the research faculty, students and staff here. For the past 22 years, I have had the pleasure of working with Fred Maxfield ’71 in the department of Biochemistry. When I’m not in the lab, my husband Ken and I enjoy spending as much time as possible at our house in the Catskills.” Thomas Hering ’76 writes, “Mark Broomfield, who played 4 years on the Union College football team as QB, unfortunately passed away this past year. He was a dear friend to many at Union. As a fitting tribute, fellow alums met over 5/15-16 for a memorial golf outing at Metedeconk Golf Club in N.J. In attendance were Dave Dickinson ’78, Thom Hering ’76, Bob Henkel ’76,

William Henson is still in politics. He is currently deputy director of Progressive Democrats of America and a fundraising consultant for the Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez re-election campaign. Jon Raymond is semi-retired. He is chairman emeritus of Jockey Trainers of North America and NYRA Jockey Alumnus Director.

Dave Dickinson ’78, Thom Hering ’76, Bob Henkel ’76, Willy Henson ’76, Bill Curtin ’83, Kevin Heneghan ’76 and Steve Abba ’79 paid tribute to Mark Broomfield ’77, who passed away this past year, during a memorial golf outing at Metedeconk Golf Club in May.

SUMMER 2021 | UNION COLLEGE

CLASS NOTES

Willy Henson ’76, Bill Curtin ’83, Kevin Heneghan ’76, Steve Abba ’79, Joel Fisher ’76, David Viniar ’76, Jon Raymond ’76, Bob Morrison ’78, Dave Mendelowitz ’76, Jack Dunn ’76 and John Kennedy ’78. Old friends like Broomer don’t go away, they walk beside us every day. Unseen, unheard, but always near, Mark, good friend, we hold you dear. Rest in peace.”

1978 CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Jeff Laniewski, Florence, Ariz. jlaniewski4@gmail.com Raymond Stecker Jr. and his wife, Candace Stecker, were recently featured in the Salem News. The article told the story of how Raymond wore his wedding ring for 40 years— never taking it off until it had to be removed by the fire department when he broke his finger.

Attorney Judith Blank joined the public finance practice at Pullman & Comley, the top-ranked law firm for public finance in Connecticut, according to Bond Buyer. Judith practices in the area of state and local public finance, representing governmental agencies issuing general obligation and revenue bonds and representing borrowers, lenders, underwriters, trustees and issuers of private activity

Judith Blank ’78

UNION COLLEGE | SUMMER 2021

bonds. Judith received her B.A., summa cum laude, from Union College and her J.D., magna cum laude, from the Albany Law School. She is admitted to practice in Connecticut and New York. Judith is a member of the National Association of Bond Lawyers; the Government Finance Officers Association of Connecticut; and the Governmental Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada.

1979 CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Kurt Hamblet San Luis Obispo, Calif. kurthamblet@gmail.com Steve Abba is CEO for regional chain, Closets Locks Doors & More.

1980 Debra Katz, a prominent civil rights and employment lawyer, is representing Charlotte Bennet, one of the women who is accusing New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo of sexual harassment. Debra also represented Christine Blasey Ford, who accused associate Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh of sexual assault.

1981 CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Sue Barnhart Ferris sferris59@gmail.com Nicholas Gray writes, “I retired in October 2018 after 30 years in the IT department of UPS and 37 years in the industry. I have really enjoyed retirement and keep busy by walking every day, helping around the house and shuttling our youngest to his rock band practices and gigs. Our older son is a freshman at Union (class of 2024) and is in Fox, as I was my freshman year. We

were fortunate to be able to attend the Admitted Student Open House in February 2020 and meet President Harris at the Founder’s Day dinner the evening before the open house. Sadly, I lost my younger sister in May 2018 (57 years old) and my mother (91 years old) in November 2020. We are still in Bergen County, N.J., but plan to move to NC/SC in late 2022 or 2023—after our youngest graduates from high school in June 2022—to escape the high taxes here in northern N.J.”

1982 In March, Lynn Villency Cohen led a webinar, “The Pioneering Women Art Collectors Who Changed America,” through the New York Adventure Club. Cohen is an art historian, appraiser and writer. Wade M. Goldman P.E. was recently promoted at the Charles Stark Draper Laboratory to the position of distinguished member of the technical staff. He represents the gold standard in quality engineers at Draper and is in his 33rd year there. He has 35+ years of experience in development, transition to production, and production of strategic, space and tactical guidance navigation & control systems. Wade has had leadership roles in the quality organization with focus on printed circuit board manufacture, reliability and trouble shooting. He also has experience in design and assembly of precision inertial instruments. This past year has allowed him to get back his primary hobby and passion, woodworking. He built a soft maple and walnut desk with soft close inset drawers for his work at home office.

1983 CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Cory Lewkowicz Needham, Mass. corylewkowicz@gmail.com

1984 CLASS CORRESPONDENT

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

1986 Cheryl Mele has been named a regional vice president of El Paso Electric (EPE). Cheryl most recently served as an independent consultant. Much of her career was with Austin Energy, a municipally owned electric utility serving the City of Austin, Texas. While at Austin Energy, Cheryl held roles of increasing responsibility from engineer, to director of system operations, then on to deputy general manager and chief operating officer. Peter Hutchison’s latest film, “Healing from Hate: Battle for the Soul of a Nation,” was recently released internationally. The film examines the root causes of racism and bold work of former extremists to de-radicalize White Nationalists. Peter also directed the critically acclaimed “Requiem for the American Dream” (featuring Noam Chomsky). Learn more at www.healing fromhatefilm.com John Macone, of the Merrimack Valley Watershed Council, was recently featured in an article on InDepthNH.org about the health of the Merrimack River. Prior to the watershed council, John spent 25 years working as a journalist, most recently as editor of the Daily News of Newburyport. He has also worked as a park ranger for the National Park Service and

the State of Maine, and authored three books on greater Newburyport’s history. John operates a small organic farm in Amesbury, and enjoys boating and fishing along the Merrimack and the local coast.

Michele Armour has become the first female to be appointed first justice of the Attleboro (Mass.) District Court. A Norfolk resident, she has served on the bench for five years and in various courts.

1987

1990

Jay Cohen writes, “After a rewarding and memorable 30-year career on Wall Street, I decided to retire to pursuing my passion for photography full time. My work focuses on landscapes, cityscapes and portraits and you can see images on my website, www. jcimagesphotography.com, or on Instagram at @jaycohen13. We are still living in Westchester County while our new home across the border in Connecticut is being completed.”

Greg Angus writes, “The Mighty Playwrights program is in its second successful year here in Goulburn NSW, Australia. I created Mighty Playwrights to provide primary school students with an opportunity to develop stories outside of the typical time restraints of the classroom and to gain confidence by stepping into a collaborative, creative process. Our writers work with mentors from professional writing and arts backgrounds to create original play scripts which are realized on stage by the Lieder Theatre Company, Australia’s longest continuously running community theatre. The experience of seeing the impact of your own words on a massive audience is a potentially life-changing event for a 10- or 11-year-old child. Mighty Playwrights was recognised as ‘2020 Community Event of the Year’ by the Goulburn Mulwaree Council and aims to grow uniquely in towns throughout regional New South Wales in 2022. A documentary about our pilot year can be viewed on YouTube and at the Goulburn Mulwaree

1988 Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center announced the appointment of Dr. Darrin D’Agostino as provost and chief academic officer. Darrin was previously the executive dean of the College of Osteopathic Medicine and vice provost of Health Affairs for Kansas City University.

1989 Neil Zane writes, “I have been promoted to managing director, technology partnership development, at Bank of America. Our team connects BofA to the tech startup community, introducing promising emerging tech companies to the firm. I’m located in NYC and have been at BofA since 2010, after a career selling technology to corporations since graduating Union.”

Library website: www.gmlibrary. com.au/cgi-bin/spydus.exe/ MSGTRNGEN/WPAC/ MIGHTYPLAY WRIGHTS.”

new “College Hockey for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion” initiative that was unveiled in February.

1991

1994

Ellen Matloff, a certified genetic counselor and founder of My Gene Counsel, was featured in a recent article in The Philadelphia Inquirer, titled “Many supposed breast cancer risk genes don’t raise risk, studies find.”

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

Larissa L. Knapp was named executive assistant director of the human resources branch at FBI Headquarters in Washington, D.C. She most recently served as the assistant director of the security division.

UBS Wealth Management USA announced recently that David Chodosch, financial advisor and senior portfolio manager in the firm’s Jericho, New York office, has been named to the Forbes/SHOOK Research Best-in-State Wealth Advisors list for 2021. David joined UBS in 2008 after 10 years at Smith Barney and prior tenure of four years with Merrill Lynch.

1992

1995

Anokion SA, a Swiss biotechnology company focused on treating autoimmune disease by restoring normal immune tolerance, recently announced that Deborah Geraghty, Ph.D., has been promoted from chief operating officer to the role of president and chief executive officer. Deborah joined Anokion in 2018, bringing more than 20 years of extensive experience in the life sciences industry across corporate and portfolio strategy, commercial and finance. Prior to Anokion, she was senior vice president of corporate strategy at Dimension Therapeutics.

Upper Saddle River (N.J.) Councilwoman DeAnne DeFuccio recently won a special election convention for State Assembly in the 39th district. Read more in the New Jersey Globe at https://new jerseyglobe.com/legistature/ deanne-defuccio-wins-stateassembly-seat/

1993 CLASS CORRESPONDENT

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

Greg Angus ’90

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Union College Director of Athletics Jim McLaughlin is one of 26 people representing the 11 Division I hockey conferences as part of the

1996 David Fusco writes, “In an evermoving career, I am delighted to report that I have recently joined a New York City private equity firm, Staple Street Capital, as an operating partner/ head of human capital. My role makes use of my 25-year career in human capital management in operating businesses across seven different industries. Our firm is industry agnostic with a focus on mid-market distressed assets. My role is to lead the human capital activities of the firm and all portfolio companies within our funds. It’s a nice SUMMER 2021 | UNION COLLEGE

UNION COLLEGE | SUMMER 2021

THANK YOU to all the members of our community who made gifts to The Union Fund this year. Your gifts supported every aspect of the student experience and enabled us to say “Yes!” to bold ideas and emerging priorities.

To support students on their Union journey, make a gift at www.union.edu/give

SUMMER 2021 | UNION COLLEGE

CLASS NOTES

change of pace, ever-moving and always interesting. I continue to be Boston based.”

David Fusco ’96 writes, “Our son, Mario, turned 1. Just 17 years to Union! Happy Holidays from Boston.”

Betsy Phelps Seplowitz was founder in 2019 of Nourish Designs. With each sale, the apparel company is helping to provide meals for kids through the Regional Food Bank of Northeast New York’s BackPack program. Dr. Marie Cavuoto Petrizzo has been promoted to the assistant dean for medical education at the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell on Long Island. As an assistant dean, she coordinates the delivery of the first two years of the medical school’s integrated curriculum and ensures its alignment with the school’s guiding principles. Marie was also completing a master’s in education degree (MSEd) from Hofstra University, with an anticipated graduation date of May 2021. She continues to supervise allergy and immunology fellows-in-training at Northwell Health.

1997 CLASS CORRESPONDENT

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

UNION COLLEGE | SUMMER 2021

1998 CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Ryan T. Smith Jupiter, Fla. ryan.smith@thebenjamin school.org Jordan Pinsker, MD has been named vice president and medical director of Tandem Diabetes Care, Inc., an insulin delivery and diabetes technology company. Jordan is a leading pediatric endocrinologist and prominent thought leader in artificial pancreas research. He joins Tandem from Sansum Diabetes Research Institute in Santa Barbara, where he has served as the director of Artificial Pancreas Technology since 2018. Joanna Rudolph was recently interviewed by FilmandTV Now. com about her film “Summer With Mrs. Von Mausch.” She also wrote a piece for the site that discusses “5 Tips for Rolling with the Punches as a Short Film Producer.” Rudolph has produced five short films and is the executive producer of “Burning Annie.”

1999

she is a certified child life specialist for the Smilow Pediatric Hematology & Oncology Program.

2003 CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Katrina Tentor Lallier Shrewsbury, Mass. katrinalallier@gmail.com Jenny Moon Lippman was nominated to run for a seat on the Glenville (N.Y.) Town Board. She is a civil engineer with MJ Engineering and Land Surveying.

2004 Warren Gardiner has been named chief financial officer of Intercontinental Exchange Inc, an operator of global exchanges and clearing houses and provider of mortgage technology, data and listings services. Previously, he was vice president of investor relations. Since 2017, Warren has led ICE’s investor relations program. He has also played an integral role in business development, as well as financial planning and analysis.

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

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

2000 David Dussault was recently featured in the Times Union newspaper. The story focused on his decision to move his P1 Ventures manufacturing line from Colorado to Schenectady.

2002 Charlotte Beales recently received Extraordinary Employee honors at the Smilow Cancer Hospital of Yale Medical Center, where

2005 CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Annette C. Stock annettecstock@gmail.com

Mathematician Nikhil Srivastava has been named winner of the prestigious 2021 Michael and Sheila Held Prize from the National Academy of Sciences for solving questions on the Kadison-Singer problem and on Ramanujan graphs. The prize consists of a medal and $1 million. Srivastava and two collaborators solved longstanding questions on the Kadison-Singer problem and on Ramanujan graphs, and in the process uncovered a deep

new connection between linear algebra, geometry of polynomials, and graph theory that has inspired the next generation of theoretical computer scientists. Nikhil is an associate professor of mathematics at the University of California, Berkeley.

2006 CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Sarah T. Heitner New York, N.Y. sarah.t.heitner@gmail.com Billy Goldstein has been named a business development and marketing specialist with Village Properties, an independent real estate brokerage. He will serve as director of business development and strategy, and help coordinate Village Properties’ new partnership with luxury real estate marketplace Forbes Global Properties. He was a founding member of the development marketing team at Compass in New York. He has more than 15 years of experience in the real estate business, including in building and managing effective teams, maximizing sales production, developing business strategy, streamlining operations and project management, and leveraging market research. When not working, Billy enjoys going to the beach, playing golf and tennis and hiking. He is a member of the Urban Land

Billy Goldstein ’06

’98

DOYIN RICHARDS ’98

It’s all about real talk: Teaching anti-racism to adults & kids

oyin Richards ’98 doesn’t pull any punches in the Anti-Racism Fight Club. Blunt honesty—real talk—is what he’s all about. Richards founded the Anti-Racism Fight Club in the summer of 2020 after the murder of George Floyd. “There was a strong appetite for anti-racism education, but a lot of what I witnessed completely missed the mark,” he said. “I decided to leverage my 16 years of training and development experience— and lifetime of being an anti-racism Black person—to create a no-nonsense, behavior-changing anti-racism course.” “I dish out harsh truths and thrive on making people uncomfortable because I know that meaningful growth happens in uncomfortable moments,” he continued. “So if I determine a client is giving lip service to inclusion and equity but not actually doing anything, I’ll call them out on it. If a company thinks they’re committed to

diversity, but they have no diversity on their leadership team, I’ll question their motives.” But Richards’ frank approach hasn’t scared anyone away. In fact, corporations and schools are embracing his course and the reason he calls it the Anti-Racism Fight Club. “The point is that being quietly ‘not racist’ isn’t good enough anymore. We have to actively fight against racism and end this nightmare once and for all,” he said. “Since July 2020, I’ve trained over 6,000 people to be anti-racist, and I don’t plan on slowing down anytime soon.” Which is why he’s also offering his brand of real talk to kids. In an age-appropriate but no less impactful way, Richards’ new book introduces young readers to diversity and inclusion through a special story. Watch Me, his third children’s title, was written in memory of his father, who died of colon cancer in February 2019. It tells the story of his father’s immigration to the United States.

“Over the past few years, there has been some inflammatory rhetoric circulating about how immigrants from so called ‘s***hole countries’ don’t add value to America,” Richards said. “My dad was born and raised in a small West African country called Sierra Leone that fits that description.” “He ended up getting a Ph.D. from Northwestern University and became an award-winning professor. I kept thinking I could inspire so many kids from third-world countries to do great things by empowering them to believe in themselves.” Richards lives in Southern California with his wife and their daughters, Emiko (10) and Reiko (7). He studied psychology at Union. “In the interest of keeping it real,” Richards said, “Union wasn’t the most diverse school during my time there and I didn’t have the easiest time fitting in with the student body. I think that if I was a student at Union now, I would feel a lot more comfortable in my own skin.” Richards loves all types of cheesy pasta and is a diehard Los Angeles Lakers and Dodgers fan. He’s also the head coach of Reiko’s basketball team. “I absolutely love it,” he said of coaching. “I find myself laughing at (and also dishing out) some of lamest dad jokes out there. Dad puns—that’s how eye roll.” To learn more about Richards, the Anti-Racism Fight Club, or to watch his TEDx Talk, visit doyinrichards.com. Learn more about his books at us.macmillan.com/author/doyinrichards

SUMMER 2021 | UNION COLLEGE

CLASS NOTES

Institute, the oldest and largest network of cross-disciplinary real estate and land use experts in the world. In February, Elroy Tatem and his wife, Angela, were featured on News Channel 10’s “Love Stories of the Capital Region.” Read more at www.news10. com/news/schenectadycounty/local-stories-of-thecapital-region-angela-elroy/ Cooper Braun was recently featured on westword.com. The article focused on the success of Stories With Spirit during the pandemic. Braun co-founded the venture in 2014 to share acting and storytelling with adult audiences.

legal industry who have been practicing for 10 years or less and have distinguished themselves professionally and in the community. She focuses her practice on employment litigation and counseling, and investigations. She also works with organizations across the country to develop and conduct cultural assessments and training programs on discrimination and harassment prevention, and unconscious bias.

GYN, a practice of St. Peter’s Health Partners Medical Associates. She practices obstetrics and gynecology. Genevieve returns to the Capital Region from New York City, where she worked as an OB/GYN physician with Pure OB/GYN, New York Presbyterian Methodist Hospital and Mount Sinai West. Mike Del Vecchio writes, “I’m living and working in Upstate NY. Just recently wrote and played all the instruments on an alternative rock (Grunge) album called, ‘Can’t Be Anyone but Myself.’ Available online. More information at mikedelvecchio.com”

2007 CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Jackie Siedlecki Murphy Delmar, N.Y. jaclynrenemurphy@gmail.com

Carla Reeves ’08

Award-winning photographer Nancy Borowick recently had an image published in the New York Times. Her work has also been featured in O the Oprah magazine, Audubon magazine, Glamour, National Geographic and other publications. Jazmin Puicon was recently awarded two prestigious fellowships. She is a fellow at the Open Society Network Experiential Learning Institute and a spring 2021 fellow at the Pulitzer Center.

2008 CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Dana Cohen Bernstein New York, N.Y. dana.lynn.bernstein@gmail.com Carla Reeves, an employment lawyer at Goulston & Storrs in Boston, has been named a 2021 “Up & Coming Lawyer” by Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly. The award recognizes the rising stars of the Massachusetts 58

UNION COLLEGE | SUMMER 2021

Mike Del Vecchio ’10 recently released the album, “Can’t Be Anyone but Myself.”

2011 James Siedlecki, son of Clare Stone ’08 and Kevin Siedlecki

2009 CLASS CORRESPONDENTS

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

2010 Dr. Genevieve St. Hilaire recently joined Samaritan OB/

Lauren Hennessey recently directed an episode—“So Far Away”—of The Unicorn. The episode aired March 4 on CBS. Lilla Safford Smith, senior staff thermal systems engineer at Tesla, presented a talk on her career to students enrolled in the Research and Entrepreneurship Practicum being piloted by Ann M. Anderson, the Agnes S. MacDonald Professor of Mechanical Engineering; Bradford A. Bruno, professor of mechanical engineering; and Mary K. Carroll ’86, the Dwane W.

Crichton Professor of Chemistry. The practicum is part of a National Science Foundation Partnership for Innovation grant, “Aerogels as Three-Way Catalysts for Automotive Pollution Reduction.” The student researchers in the course are developing entrepreneurial ideas and learning what is involved in bringing technology developed through fundamental research to the marketplace.

2012 CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Anna Meiring Boston, Mass. annameiring@gmail.com Catherine Elliott Tisdale defended her Ph.D. in renaissance drama and early modern literature at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Her dissertation, titled “Stranger Compass of the Stage: Difference and Desire in Early Modern City Comedy,” reimagines the cultural and social effect of alien, foreign and stranger characters on the early modern stage. Dr. Adam Zucker directed the dissertation with committee members Dr. Jane Hwang Degenhardt, Dr. Marjorie Rubright and Dr. Harley Erdman. The defense (conducted via Zoom) included friends, family, colleagues and Union College English Department professors Dr.

Catherine Elliott Tisdale ’12 received her Ph.D. in February.

For Hawley winner, connections go beyond classroom

’11

achel (Lalji) Deochand ’11, a Latin teacher at the Bronx School of Law and Finance, recalls that she was always inspired by the presentation of the Gideon Hawley Teacher Recognition Award at Founders Day. “When I heard the student talk about their high school teacher and the impact they had, it was so moving,” she said. This year it was her turn to inspire a future teacher. She was nominated by her former student, Juan Valdez ’24, an economics major at Union. Valdez said his teacher, after helping him through the application process at Union, has continued to guide him at Union. “She went from being my teacher to also being my mentor,” he said. From an early age, Deochand thought she had a future in teaching. “I was always the teacher when I played with my brothers and their friends. I was the one writing on the chalkboard.” But when she arrived at Union, she was considering a career in law. Her passion for teaching was re-ignited after she met Prof. Stacie Raucci and Prof. Hans Mueller of Classics at a first-year registration session in the Nott. “They knew me right away by my first name, they answered my emails immediately and they were always available,” she said. “It’s so important to have that connection with students as individual learners.” Before long, Deochand was taking her share of classes in Lamont House. She did

Kara Doyle and Dr. Anastasia Pease. Catherine received her degree on Feb. 1, 2021. Eliana Lakritz was recently featured in The Westfield News. The Q&A focused on “Healthy eating for a happy heart.” Eliana is a full-time registered

RACHEL (LALJI) DEOCHAND

a term abroad in Greece through the Classics department, a mini-term in India with Prof. Hal Fried, and did her senior thesis on classical roots of rhetoric in modern political speeches with Prof. Matthew Scherer of political science and Prof. Raucci. She graduated as a double major in political science and classics. She earned her master’s in teaching from Union Graduate College and was a student teacher at Bethlehem High School. Deochand, who stays in touch with Valdez through email, has urged him to get involved in all that Union has to offer. She was president of U-Program, a member of Student Forum, a member of the African and Latin Alliance of Students

dietitian at Baystate Noble Hospital in Springfield, Mass. On April 29 Megan O’Connor, CEO and founder of Nth Cycle, a metal processing technology company that recently secured $3.2M in seed funding from Clean Energy Ventures,

and AUM Hindu Association. She was an advisor of Symposium, a theme house that programs dinners and discussions with faculty. She worked with Judith Ainlay on U-Bloom, which recycled flowers from Union events. She worked all four years in the College’s Records Office. For three years, she tutored a third-grader at St. John’s School who went on to graduate with ’11 honors. Deochand is just as active at her school. Besides teaching Latin, she is the yearbook advisor and college advisor. Recently married, she had a baby boy in September, Jaxon Jai Deochand. When she’s not teaching, she is with family. COVID, she notes, has been a blessing in disguise for a new mother. “I can experience all the milestones plus more.” Recalling her time at Union, she thinks of the connections she had with her professors. “That’s what I have now with my students,” she said. “It’s what makes teachers so valuable. They have compassion and can really build those connections with the students that carry through beyond the classroom.”

described her career pathway to students enrolled in the Research and Entrepreneurship Practicum (MER 293A/CHM 293A). Discussion with Dr. O’Connor focused on her experiences establishing and building a start-up company.

The Research and Entrepreneurship Practicum is being piloted by Ann M. Anderson, the Agnes S. MacDonald Professor of Mechanical Engineering, Bradford A. Bruno, Professor of Mechanical Engineering, and Mary K.

SUMMER 2021 | UNION COLLEGE

CLASS NOTES

Carroll ’86, the Dwane W. Crichton Professor of Chemistry, as part of a National Science Foundation Partnership for Innovation grant.

tions in fluid dynamics and biomedical entrepreneurship.

Adam Stolz writes, “After concluding a federal clerkship with the Honorable U.S. District Judge Paul C. Huck, I recently became an associate attorney at Lash & Goldberg LLP, a litigation law firm in Miami, Fla., that specializes in representing clients in the healthcare industry.”

Jake Ulrich was recently profiled by Duke University in a piece titled “Ph.D. Student Investigating Potential Cause of Mysterious Kidney Disease.”

2018

2016 Hristina Milojevic ’15 completed her Ph.D. in mechanical engineering in December. On April 29 Megan O’Connor ’12, CEO and founder of Nth Cycle, participated in Union’s Research and Entrepreneurship Practicum.

2013 CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Cristina Vazzana Boston, Mass. vazzanaca@gmail.com

2014 Gabriella A. Romero is a public defender in Albany, N.Y., and this summer she is running to represent Albany’s vibrant sixth ward in the Common Council. Gabriella was recently endorsed by the Capital District Democratic Socialists of America (DSA). Michelle Goldberg and Lily Gurman serve on her campaign team as field organizers and advisors.

Patrick Sullivan, after working on the Biden-Harris transition team, was politically appointed to serve in the Biden Administration in the Office of Management and Budget working on national security programs. “I am incredibly thankful for those whose guidance allowed this dream to become a reality,” he said. “The political science department at Union College provided me with a strong foundation to help launch my career. A special thanks to Professor Zoe Oxley for guiding me through my senior thesis.” Before working on the transition team, Sullivan served as the director of operations for Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell (FL-26).

2015 Hristina Milojevic completed her Ph.D. in mechanical engineering, at University of Southern California Viterbi School of Engineering on Dec. 16, 2020 in Los Angeles. She researched design thinking and creativity. She also completed course concentra-

UNION COLLEGE | SUMMER 2021

Patrick Sullivan ’15 in the Cannon House Office Building Rotunda.

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

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

2017 Writer, documentary filmmaker and producer Jamaluddin Aram of Toronto recently was named a finalist for the 2020 Bronwen Wallace Award for Emerging Writers in the short fiction category for his story, “This Hard Easy Life.” Julie Sophis appeared on the February cover of GSA Today, volume 31, issue 2. Check it out at https://www.geosociety.org/GSA/Publications/ GSA_Today/GSA/GSAToday/ archive/31/2/cover.aspx

SunThru, at startup born at Union College, is developing a window pane made of silica aerogel that could make windows more energy-efficient and cost-effective. John Costa is CEO of the company, which was recently highlighted in the Albany Business Review. Adam Forti is also a member of the SunThru team. Ann Anderson, the Agnes S. Macdonald Professor of Mechanical Engineering, and Mary Carroll '86, the Dwane W. Crichton Professor of Chemistry, invented the process for manufacturing the aerogel material.

Christina Dykas ’18 and ClaudeLuvier Bonnet ’18 are very excited to be engaged. They are looking forward to a September wedding.

Cole Gendels was recently featured in Real Estate Weekly’s 2020 Rising Stars. As an associate with Newmark, Cole specializes in representing both tenants and landlords throughout New York City. Jake Lombardo, co-founder and CEO of Anodyne Nanotech Inc., was recently featured on Yahoo! Finance in an article titled “Boston Biotech, Anodyne Nanotech Advances the Hero Patch Platform by Securing $4.2M in Seed Financing.” Anodyne develops differentiated, transdermal forms of highvalue drugs.

2019 Tommy Sipple, a mechanical engineer, is a member of a Cornell University team that recently won the sixth annual NFL 1st & Future competition. The team developed wearable athletic performance-analysis technology, called Light Lace,

through the Organic Robotics Corporation.

Lily G.E. Reale recently joined the Bulfinch Group as a financial representative. In this role, she is able to help individuals, families and business owners take control over their financial world and help teach them to become world-class savers.

Parents Circle Frank and Patti D’Iorio P’21 with Francesco ’21

“

Lily G.E. Reale ’20

Nick Soluri was recently featured on Poets on Craft, a cyberspace for contemporary poets to share their thoughts and ideas on the process of poetry and for students to discover new ways of approaching the writing of poetry. Nick is a poet and playwright from New York. His poetry has appeared or is forthcoming in Hobart, Misfit Magazine, As It Ought To Be Magazine, Ghost City Review, Albany Poets, as well as the anthology, Without a Doubt: Poems Illuminating Faith. He’s currently an MFA candidate at Sarah Lawrence College.

he Parents Circle is a philanthropic group that works in concert with school leaders to enhance the Union experience for students and their families by supporting faculty, staff and the broader campus community. Members become College insiders and investors in its success, ultimately developing stronger ties to their student’s Union experience. We invite you to join with us in supporting the educational programs and activities that will make your child’s Union experience extraordinary.

We love the culture of Union, where respect and high achievement are valued. The involvement of alumni and the Parents Circle at Union are exceptional, strengthening the social fabric of the school and making for a truly individualized education. – Frank and Patti D’Iorio P’21

“

2020

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 www.union.edu/parents-families SUMMER 2021 | UNION COLLEGE

U UNIONS

’06

Alumni attend the wedding of Melissa and Jonathan Blonstein ’06

2006

2014

2018

Melissa and Jonathan Blonstein were married at Melissa’s home in White Plains, N.Y., Oct. 18, 2020. In attendance were Elliot Silverstein, Alex Halpert, Eugene Parloff ’07, Rigo Smith ’07, Ashley Weiss, Jackie Blonstein ’09 and Jeffrey Blonstein MD ’73. The couple resides in New Jersey. Jonathan is a matrimonial attorney in Livingston and Melissa works for a private equity firm in New York City.

Emily Crandall and Joe Bradlee were married Sept. 12, 2020. The bride’s parents, Bob Crandall ’87 and Meredith (McCarty) Crandall ’87, hosted the special occasion for immediate family members at their golf club in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

On December 12, 2020, Cassandra Call and Michael Warrener ’16 married in a beautiful, joyous and intimate ceremony with 20 of their closest friends and family. Among their bridal party was Carolyn Doty, Elena Pettiford, Victor Fabio ’16 and Ryan Muther ’16. The couple has been together since September 2015, when they met while volunteering at Golub House during orientation. They are now beginning their life together in Bloomingdale, N.J. PHOTO: Unions_18_Call_SP21:

UNION COLLEGE | SUMMER 2021

•

Thank you for powering Union on #ADAY4U

2021

’14

Emily Crandall ’14 and Joe Bradlee ’14 with Emily's parents Bob Crandall ’87 and Meredith (McCarty) Crandall ’87

•

Thank you to the more than 1,970 members of the Union community who helped power Union with a gift on #ADAY4U (April 20-21). Together, we raised more than $750,000. These donations will help close the gap between talent and financial need for new and returning students, and level the playing field for students from all backgrounds.

’18

Cassie Call ’18 and Michael Warrener ’16 married on a foggy December day, complete with fake snow provided by Cassie’s mom.

Want to learn more about your impact? Visit ualumni.union.edu/aday4u

SUMMER 2021 | UNION COLLEGE

U ARRIVALS

Ryder Eoin Hurley (Cheng ’09)

Satchell Barnabus Rubin (Rubin ’95)

Violet Jane Cline (Cline ’06)

Chloe Madison Alger and Brayden Michael Alger (Alger’08)

Evelyn Virginia Kaplan (Kaplan ’11)

1995

2006

2008

2009

Brett Rubin and Laurie Weiner Rubin welcomed Satchell Barnabus Rubin on Jan. 6, 2020. The family lives in Atlanta, Ga.

Alex Cline ’07 and Sara (Gagnon) Cline welcomed their second daughter, Violet Jane Cline, on June 3, 2020. She joins big sister, Isla.

Lindsay (Larabee) Alger and Brian Alger welcomed fraternal twins, Chloe Madison Alger and Brayden Michael Alger, Jan. 8, 2021, at Hartford Hospital (conveniently where Lindsay works as a neurosurgery physician assistant). The family of four resides in East Granby, Conn.

Malysa Cheng and Brian Hurley welcomed their second son, Ryder, Aug. 4, 2020.

UNION COLLEGE | SUMMER 2021

2011 Evelyn Virginia Kaplan was born on March 2, 2021 at 8lbs 5oz to Katie (Morris) Kaplan and Jamie Kaplan.

ALUMNI COUNCIL

Alumni Council announces executive committee The Nominating Committee of the Alumni Council is pleased to announce our new Executive Committee. As of July 1, they are: President . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1st Vice President . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . VP for Nominations & Membership . . . . . . . . . VP for Communications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . VP for Finance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Immediate Past President . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Director of Alumni & Parent Engagement . . . Senior Alumni Trustee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Vincent Mattone ’06 Chester Karwatowski ’78 Tess Skoller ’13 Quisqueya Witbeck ’16 Matt Mauriello ’99 Kate Barry ’01 Ashley Boland Betsy Brand ’82

The council offers its thanks to Kate Barry ’01 for her work as president from 2018 to 2021. “Kate’s tireless leadership during her tenure is greatly appreciated. Her skill of overseeing the council to keep alumni connected and involved with initiatives of the College during these unprecedented times was especially amazing. A lot of planning and coordination directed by Kate went on behind-the-scenes to take an organization that traditionally has operated with physical meetings during on-campus events to one that can navigate and thrive remotely. As a result, we’ve been able to connect more frequently and have reached more alumni, especially in instances where physical proximity to campus has been a deterrent in the past. By all measures we have improved our outreach thanks to Kate’s guidance, and this achievement would not have been possible without her.”

Congratulations to all Alumni Council members who have achieved lifetime status: Thomas Ackerman ’63 Kenneth Haefner ’55 Jessica Hayashi ’74 David Horton ’58 Al Magil ’62 Michael Newell ’74 James Reisman ’61 Robert Sussman ’67

The council also wishes to thank Jessica Hayashi ’74 for her work in the role of secretary. Jessica has been a dedicated volunteer on the Alumni Council for 22 years and her recent achievement of lifetime membership status is well-deserved.

– Vincent Mattone ’06, incoming president

SUMMER 2021 | UNION COLLEGE

8 IN MEMORIAM

8 1940s George J. Eckert ’44 Lt. Cmdr. (U.S. Navy retired), of Saratoga Springs, N.Y., who served during World War II and the Korean and Vietnam wars aboard six ships, Jan. 14, 2021. Also a commanding officer of Naval Reserve Training Centers in Glens Falls, Troy, Albany and Scotia, he was a former communicant of the Church of St. Peter. George was an Eagle Scout and honorary life member of Saratoga Council 246 Knights of Columbus, and was active in many veterans organizations, including Gurtler Bros. Post 420 VFW. A recipient of the NYS Senate’s Liberty Medal, and several other honors, he was 95. Victor J. Christopher Jr. ’44, of Broadalbin, N.Y., who enlisted in the ACC aviation cadet program and was a veteran of World War II, Feb. 16, 2021. Vic retired from Mohasco as manager of testing laboratories and was a member several professional organizations, including the American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists. He helped form the 139th Fighter Squadron NYANG and served as executive officer of the 109th Air Transport Group. Also a seasonal tax preparer, he was active in his community, including with the Kennyetto Volunteer Fire Company and Broadalbin Central School Board of Education. He was 97. William Roy Breg Jr. ’45, of Woodbury, Conn., a pediatrician and professor emeritus at the Yale School of Medicine, Nov. 26, 2020. After medical school at Yale, he was an officer in the U.S. Army, deployed to Japan during the Korean War. His early research led to innovations in how genetic research and medicine were practiced. As professor in the genetics and pediatrics departments at Yale Medical School, he made more scientific discoveries, helping to improve our understanding

UNION COLLEGE | SUMMER 2021

of human illnesses. He had a lifelong interest in photography, trains and gardening. He was 97. Ronald H. Grossman ’45, of Sarasota, Fla., and Old Forge and Utica, N.Y., who served in the U.S. Navy during World War II and the Korean Conflict, and with the Navy Air Squadron in Key West, Jan. 8, 2021. He attended Albany Law School and practiced law in the Navy and in Utica for 45 years. Past president of the Oneida County Bar Association and Temple Beth El, he was also a member of country clubs in Utica, Old Forge and Sarasota. Ronald, who also attended NYU (uptown) and the Naval Midshipman School at Notre Dame, was 94. Dr. Marshall N. Heyman ’45, of Cottonwood, Ariz., an Eagle Scout who served in the U.S. Army and held a Ph.D. in psychology from the University of Iowa, Jan. 28, 2021. Mike worked for the Navy before joining the CIA, where he spent his career as an operations support psychologist. He retired as branch chief and went on to consult for the Department of Defense, the U.S. Marshals Service and the Secret Service. A member of the 10th Armored Division Veterans Association, he spent many years helping students define their course of study at Hocking College in Ohio. He was 96. James D. Simpson ’46, of Lexington, Ky., and formerly of Mystic, Conn., who served during World War II with the U.S. Army in the ETO, Dec. 21, 2020. He held several positions with the Electric Boat Company of General Dynamics, retiring as project manager of the U.K. Polaris Program office. James was active in his community with many organizations, including as president of the Mystic Community Center Board. He also sang in several church choirs and community groups,

8 SARAH FLEMING

Sarah Fleming, center, enjoys mint juleps with Diane McNamara, left, and George Schiller.

olleagues and other friends are remembering Sarah Fleming, who served in a number of administrative capacities over a 47-year career at the College. She died Jan. 20, 2021 at the age of 99. A native of Scotland, she moved with her family to Schenectady when she was 8. She graduated from Mont Pleasant High School in 1939, the same year she joined the College. She retired in 1986 as administrative assistant to the business manager, ending a career marked by her friendliness, warmth and sincerity. For the rest of her life, she kept in touch with former colleagues and

alumni, some of whom she had known for 50 years. “We were friends for over 48 years and I was fortunate, until COVID hit, to have had the opportunity to stop in and visit her periodically,” said George Schiller, a retiree from Human Resources who once worked with her in the administration building. “We would sit and talk about ‘the good ole days’ and get laughing at some of the antics we got ourselves into.” Diane McNamara, who retired as director of telecommunicatons, met Sarah in 1975 when they both worked in the business office. She and Schiller would meet Fleming periodically for

lunch and to reminisce. In 2017, the trio met for lunch at the Lighthouse, where they fulfilled a promise to each other to have mint juleps on a patio. She was a member of the Bellevue Reformed Church and Union’s Quarter Century Club. She was predeceased by two brothers: Alexander, who worked at Union for 28 years before retiring in 1986 as manager of support services; and William, who worked in Union’s machine shop. Memorial contributions may be made to Shriners Hospital for Children, c/o Donor Relations, 2900 N. Rocky Point Dr., Tampa, FL 33607.

SUMMER 2021 | UNION COLLEGE

IN MEMORIAM

and played saxophone, clarinet, bassoon and the Scottish Highland bagpipes. He was 96.

Later an executive with Triton Oil & Gas, Bernard was an avid golfer and bowler who enjoyed traveling. He was 94.

Weston E. Vivian ’46, of Ann Arbor, Mich., who served in the U.S. Navy and held an M.S. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a Ph.D. from the University of Michigan (both in electrical engineering), Dec. 4, 2020. Wes cofounded Conductron Corporation, was vice president at KMS Industries and Vicom Inc., and was a senior consultant at Kalba International. He also served in the 89th U.S. Congress as a democrat representing Michigan’s 2nd district. Wes, who worked to pass the Voting Rights Act and Social Security amendments resulting in Medicare and Medicaid, was 96.

Herbert Freeman ’47, of New York, N.Y., who was an IEEE computer pioneer who designed SPEEDAC, the first digital computer for Sperry Gyroscope, Nov. 15, 2020. Also a professor of computer engineering at NYU, RPI and Rutgers, he founded Maptext Inc. He also won several honors, including a Guggenheim, for his work in computer graphics. Herbert held prominent positions at IFIP, IAPR, ACM and IEEE.

John "Paul" Frelick ’46, of Black Mountain, N.C., who served in the U.S. Navy, held a master of divinity from Union Theological Seminary and a Ph.D. in social ethics from the University of Edinburgh (Scotland), Oct. 31, 2020. Ordained to the Presbyterian Ministry, during his life he was director of the John Knox Ecumenical Conference/ Student Center (Geneva, Switzerland); director of the World Affairs Center and member of the faculty at Beloit College (Wis.); and a volunteer in mission for Warren Wilson College (Asheville, N.C.). He was 95. Joseph J. Lesley Jr. ’47, of Rotterdam, N.Y., who served in the Army Air Force during World War II and was former head teller at Bankers Trust and 1st American Bank, Nov. 12, 2020. Joseph, who also helped his father run Lesley’s Poultry Farm, was a member of Our Lady Queen of Peace Church, VFW post 1895 and the Knights of Columbus. He was 98. Bernard D. McGrath ’47, of Dallas, Texas, who served with the U.S. Army during World War II and worked in the oil and gas industry, Nov. 10, 2020. He began a 30-year career with Texaco as a geologist and finished in upper-management.

UNION COLLEGE | SUMMER 2021

Anthony J. Izzo ’47, of Schenectady, N.Y., who served in the U.S. Army during World War II, Feb. 13, 2021. Dedicated to his family, Tony was a professional engineer for ALCO and New York State. He was proud of Union College and attended many sports events and participated in many ReUnions. An avid golfer, bowler and gardener who enjoyed growing roses, his was also interested in mushroom foraging. Tony had a sharp wit and jokester humor. He was 97. A. George Davis ’47, of Potsdam, N.Y., who served in the U.S. Navy and held an M.A. from Harvard University, Feb. 23, 2021. A professor emeritus at Clarkson University, he held many posts, including acting chair of the mathematics department, professor, dean of campus life and assistant dean of the School of Arts and Sciences. He was instrumental in building Clarkson’s canoeing, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing programs, and was a longtime timekeeper for the hockey program. A member and leader of the First Presbyterian Church for 50 years, he was also president of the Potsdam Central School Board. He was 94. Donald G. Harrington ’48, of Endwell, N.Y., and Colchester, Vt., who was an engineer for 34 years for IBM, Nov. 15, 2020. He attended Union in 1944 and 1945 and, as a commissioned ensign, was transferred

by the Navy to Brown University and graduated from RPI. His closest affinity was with Union, however. He was a regular at ReUnions, often driving his Model A Ford in the alumni parade. A proud member of the Garnet Guard, he followed Union hockey, had a “Union wall” of various mementos and a wardrobe of Union apparel. Survivors include his daughter, Janet Harrington Mattis, former associate director of Becker Career Center. He was 94. Clyde V. Musty ’49, of Colton, Ore., who served with the U.S. Army and worked at IBM before owning and operating Clyde’s 76 Station in Colton, Jan. 13, 2021. Clyde mentored many high school students, hiring them to work at the gas station and teaching them the fundamentals of working on cars and developing a good work ethic. He served 14 years as Colton’s fire chief and spent 32 years with the fire department. Also a member of the Colton Water District for 20 years, he loved road trips, cinnamon rolls and reading the Wall Street Journal. He was 96.

1950s Paul E. Fitting ’50, of Sewickley, Penn., who served in the U.S. Marine Corps and spent 21 years with Alcoa, Nov. 12, 2020. Later employed with Paul Planert Design Associates and Burt Hill Architects, he enjoyed traveling and the arts and was active in his community. Paul served as chairman of Goodwill Industries, North Hills Youth Ministry and the Northland Library Foundation, and was a member of the Session at Northmont Presbyterian Church. Paul, who admired owls and enjoyed wood carving, was 97. Harry R. Lawton ’50, of Pittsfield, Mass. who spent 41 years with GE as an electrical engineer and was a technical director for the Polaris and Poseidon systems, Nov. 24, 2020. An active jogger, bicyclist, canoeist and skier, he enjoyed

summers at Onota Lake and Cape Cod. Harry, who enjoyed traveling and visited many of the U.S. national parks, was a voracious reader and liked “Jeopardy” and crossword puzzles. A strong supporter of many charities, and Union College, he donated 72 pints of blood to Red Cross during his life. He was 92. Dr. Anthony F. Mastrianni ’50, of Albany, N.Y., who was a pediatrician who held a medical degree from McGill University, Montreal, and served in the U.S. Air Force, Dec. 22, 2020. He started Schoolhouse Road Pediatrics and was medical director for St. Margaret’s Center for 25 years. Tony also served as chief of pediatrics at St. Peter’s Hospital and was a board member at the Albany Country Club. A longtime parishioner at Christ the King Church, he was 91. Gabriel B. DiCerbo ’50, of Schenectady, N.Y., who served in the U.S. Navy during World War II, Jan. 19, 2021. He spent 40 years with the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance, retiring as director of taxpayer services. He also played tenor sax in the Armand Riccio Moonlight Serenaders. A member of St. Paul the Apostle Church, St. Anthony’s Church, the Sons of Italy, the Rotterdam Elks and the American Legion, he was a New York Yankees fan. He was 93. William D. McDavitt ’51, of Exton, Penn., who served in the U.S. Army during World War II and was a member of the Newtown Square Presbyterian Church, April 23, 2020. A lifelong democrat, Bill loved candies and desserts. He was 93. Laurance Foley ’51, of Dublin, N.H., who served in the U.S. Navy and, in addition to his undergraduate degree, held a master of science in industrial administration from Union College, Dec. 27, 2020. Larry worked at Behr Manning (later Norton Co.) in the nascent field of information technology. His 40-year career spanned abrasives and electronics manufacturing,

computer consulting, publishing, biotechnology, public utilities, construction consulting and professorship. He was 93. James A. Taub ’51, of Johnstown, N.Y., who served in the 4th Armored Division in the European Occupying Force during World War II, Feb. 27, 2021. Employed with the Social Security Administration Office in Gloversville until retirement, he was a member of the Holy Trinity Church and Colonial Little Theatre. Also a member of the Catskill 3500 Club and an Adirondack 46er, he was 94. Keith A. Hitchins ’52, of Urbana, Ill., who was a professor of East European history at the University of Illinois, UrbanaChampaign, Nov. 1, 2020. Keith, who held a doctorate in history from Harvard University, was the first American Fulbright Scholar invited to study behind the Iron Curtain. The author or editor of hundreds of articles and more than 20 books, he taught at Wake Forest University and Rice University before joining the University of Illinois (1967-2019). He was 89. Dr. Jerome Klein ’52, of Dedham, Mass., who was emeritus professor of pediatrics at Boston University School of Medicine and former chief of pediatric infectious diseases at Boston Medical Center, Feb. 17, 2021. Also associate editor at Clinical Infectious Diseases Journal, he had more than 500 publications to his name, from peer-reviewed manuscripts to books. Jerry received many prestigious awards, including the Distinguished Physician Award of the Pediatric Infectious Disease Society. A graduate of Yale University School of Medicine, he was 90. Dr. David I. Smith ’52, of New York, N.Y., who graduated from NYU Medical School and served as a flight surgeon in the Air Force, March 2, 2021. A clinical professor at Cornell Medical School who had a nursery at New York Hospital named for him, David was the type of pediatrician who made house calls as part of his private

practice. He enjoyed spending time with his family, boating, fishing, sketching, reading, photography, model shipbuilding and playing the piano. He was 90. Edmund “Ross” Sawtelle ’52, who retired to Kittery, Maine, and held a master of science in geological science from Michigan State University, March 18, 2021. He enjoyed a 29-year career with Mobil Oil in Africa, the Middle East, Europe and the U.S. Later, Ross was the country director for the International Executive Service Corps in Jordan and Morocco, and Eastern Europe branch director in Hungary. A member of Sigma Phi at Union, he helped build the Rathskeller and established the Edmund R. Sawtelle ’52 Endowed Fund for Geology to support Union’s geology students. One of five Sawtelles to attend Union, he loved his family, nature, jazz, history and seeing the world. He was 90. Dean E. Bensley ’53, of New London, N.H., who was an Eagle Scout and held an advanced degree from MIT’s Sloan School of Management, Nov. 5, 2020. Eventually rising to vice president of Raytheon, he worked for the company his entire career. An accomplished woodworker and active member of his community, he chaired the N.H. Audubon Society and the Kearsarge Regional School Board. He and his wife were avid sailors who took their yacht, Transit, on two transatlantic crossings and many other adventures. He was 89. W. Robert Mayer ’53, of Oneida, N.Y., who served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War and spent his career as the city engineer for Oneida, May 5, 2020. Bob, who also had worked with the Pennsylvania Railroad and the Monongahela Connecting Railroad, enjoyed hunting, fishing and gardening. He and his wife were avid birdwatchers and travelers. Bob liked visiting Civil War battlefields and was passionate about the Oneida Independent Company Calvary. He also enjoyed his camp in the Adirondacks. He was 89.

SUMMER 2021 | UNION COLLEGE

IN MEMORIAM

8 PROF. CHARLES WEICK

harles F. “Chuck” Weick, professor of chemistry emeritus, was a dedicated teacher, researcher and mentor who began his Union career—and his marriage— when he met a nurse on a visit to the College infirmary. Prof. Weick passed away on March 21, 2021 at the age of 90. He joined the faculty in 1958 while completing his Ph.D. in nuclear chemistry at the University of Rochester. He taught radiochemistry at Union for about 10 years, and then carved out a field in inorganic chemistry. His areas of research interest included radiochemistry, inorganic chemistry and gold complexes. He retired in 1996, completing a 38-year career at Union. When Weick was working as a teaching assistant in graduate school, he knew that he wanted to teach. “My main goal was to teach,” he said when he retired. “And I suppose I've been lucky because I've been able to spend my days doing what I enjoy.” One day, after he first arrived on campus, he stood up in his Butterfield office and hit his head. At the infirmary, he met a nurse who thought he was a student. Later on, he met Janet again at folk dancing lessons at the YWCA. They married, lived on campus for a year in Silliman Hall, and had two sons who gradu-

UNION COLLEGE | SUMMER 2021

ated from Union, David in 1984 and Brian in 1986. Janet Weick also graduated from Union in 1986 with her bachelor’s degree in the arts. “When you think of a Union family, we’re pretty much it,” he said. In 1978, when Janet Anderson, the Florence B. Sherwood Professor of Physical Sciences Emerita, was the first woman faculty member to join the chemistry department, Weick was among the faculty who made her feel at home. “I met with Chuck and Bob Schaeffer together when I interviewed, and they made me feel comfortable and relaxed, even after a long day,” she said. “Both of them, along with Howard Sheffer, invited me to play golf with them in the summer. We went out once a week in the early morning to many of the local courses, and they put up with my mediocre game. Chuck was a tennis player and an accomplished downhill skier, too.” As a student at Union, Mary Carroll ’86, the Dwane W. Crichton Professor of Chemistry, knew Weick as “a very organized and engaging instructor.” She was also a lab partner with the professor’s son, Brian. When Carroll joined the chemistry faculty in 1992, Weick was a mentor. “Chuck’s office was the closest to mine of any colleague and I had many conversations with him about teaching,” she recalled. “Chuck was

generous with both his time and his teaching materials. In particular, I found the macros he had written to check student calculations on Introductory Chemistry lab reports to be extremely useful. For years, Weick had donated his weekly copy of Chemical & Engineering News to Schaffer Library, a practice he asked Carroll to continue after he retired. Weick received a National Science Foundation Science Faculty Fellowship, which allowed him to study inorganic complex reaction mechanisms at Northwestern University. He also spent a year working in bioinorganic chemistry at the University of Kent at Canterbury, England. He was secretary for six years of the regional branch of the American Chemical Society and was a member of Sigma Xi, the national science honor society. He was also a member of the Union College Alumni Bowling Club, Faith United Methodist Church where he served on several committees, and the Buffalo Bills Marching Band. A graveside service will be at Park View Cemetery in Schenectady at a later date. There are no calling hours. Arrangements are with Jones Funeral Home. To leave a condolence, visit www.jonesfh.net. Memorial contributions may be made to Professor Charles F. Weick, Ph.D. Endowed Scholarship at Union.

Richard C. Royce ’53, of Ludlow, Mass., who graduated from Western New England College and served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War, Feb. 14, 2021. A civil engineer with Ley Construction Company for many years, he later owned and ran the Warren True Value Hardware store with his wife. He loved camping, coaching kids baseball and fly fishing. An ardent Red Sox and Patriots fan and member of First Church in Ludlow, he was 89. Francis C. Purstell ’55, of Waynesboro, Va., who worked for North American, RCA and Grumman Aerospace, Nov. 15, 2020. In retirement he started a contracting company, Mont Ivy Corp., before retiring again to the golf courses of Farmington Country Club and Waynesboro Country Club. He was 89. John H. Steidl ’55, of Montclair, N.J., who graduated from Yale Divinity School and continued his education at Smith College of Social Work, Nov. 3, 2020. A Presbyterian and Episcopal minister who worked with the Episcopal Church in New York City, he later became director of family therapy at Yale New Haven Hospital. John, who concluded his career as director of residency training at the Institute of Pennsylvania Hospital, loved music and played piano, organ and cello. He was 86.

before becoming senior partner with Lombardi, Reinhard, Walsh and Harrison. Ted was also Niskayuna town justice and a member of serval organizations, including the Schenectady Economic Development Corp. The founder of three commercial real estate entities, he was 88. Carmen M. Cusano ’55, of Hobe Sound, Fla., who held a Ph.D. in organic chemistry from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and was a chemist and group leader for 25 years at Texaco Co., Dec. 21, 2020. He later worked for Cummins Engine Co. and then created CMC Consulting Inc. Carmen’s contributions to his field include over 50 patents in the area of oil additives. An avid ballroom dancer, sailor, gardener and wildlife enthusiast, he was 86. Richard W. Carpenter ’56, of Callawassie Island in Okatie, S.C., who worked at IBM and Sylvania before becoming an executive at Data Architects, Nov. 13, 2020. At Data Architects, he helped create the first software for banks and insurance companies. Passionate about golf and nature photography, Dick was a Rotarian who was chair of the green committee at Duxbury Yacht Club. On Callawassie, he also served on the Island Beautification Committee. He was 85.

Herbert N. Benson ’55, of West Seneca, N.Y., who served in the U.S. Navy and was a geophysicist who worked all over the world (many locations on ships), Dec. 10, 2020. An avid hunter and fisherman who pursued his hobby in the Buffalo area, Alaska, Kenya and other locations, he also collected stamps and currency. He was 87.

Herbert I. Willetts ’56, of Seven Lakes, N.C., who held an M.B.A. from Columbia Graduate School of Business, Nov. 17, 2020. He worked for Mobil Oil and Marcoin Inc. and volunteered for the Sandhills Moore Coalition, FirstHealth Moore Regional Hospital and Radio Reading Service for the Blind. A former member of the Seven Lakes Lions Club, he was a member of the Chapel in the Pines, Seven Lakes. He was 86.

Theodore Reinhard ’55, of Niskayuna, N.Y., who had a 50-year legal career and was dedicated to the economic development of downtown Schenectady, Dec. 6, 2020. A graduate of Albany Law School, Ted served in the U.S. Army, ran his own practice and was on staff with the N.Y.S. Assembly

Roy G. Elliott ’56, of Brewster, Mass., who was an engineer for Sperry Giro, where he worked on guidance systems for early ICBM missiles, Jan. 29, 2021. Later he took the reins from his father at Ace Alarm Company in Scotia, N.Y. A member of Explorer Post 38, Roy was an avid fisher-

man and a skilled cabinetmaker and woodworker. An ardent Boston Celtics fan, he was a starting forward on the Union College basketball team. He was 86. Joel M. Albert ’57, of Mahwah, N.J., who graduated from NYU Law School and served in the National Guard, Aug. 26, 2018. A prominent family law attorney, he spent 58 years with a private practice in Bergen County. Joel, whose father and cousin also attended Union College, was 83. Bruce Pirnie ’57, of Evans, Ga., who served in the U.S. Air Force and spent 14 years in the Air Force Reserve, Jan. 5, 2021. He held an M.A. in management from Columbia University and received the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award for helping repatriate Vietnam era POWs. Bruce spent 31 years with Avon Products, where he focused on international marketing with assignments around the world. In retirement he consulted for Sara Lee’s direct selling companies. An officer of Midtown Hospital and trustee for Northwood School, he also consulted for U.S. Aid in Egypt, Russia and Ukraine. He was 86. John F. Sutton ’58, of Berkeley Springs, W. Va., who worked for the U.S. Navy before spending his career at NASA’s Goddard Spaceflight Center, Sept. 27, 2020. At NASA, he earned 40 patents. While with the Navy, he designed the first chamber for testing the effects of space on rockets. John, who attended George Washington University and American University, earned his master’s and Ph.D. in physics. He was 84. Donald R. Lawton ’58, of Schenectady, N.Y., who attended Brown University and was an electrical wholesaler who owned Econ Electric, Sept. 28, 2020. Later, Donald worked at M. Gold & Sons and Clifford Gray Electric. An avid sports enthusiast who played tennis and ran long distance track in high school and college, he was a big Red Sox fan. Donald loved vacationing with his family on Cape Cod. He was 85.

SUMMER 2021 | UNION COLLEGE

IN MEMORIAM

Dr. Stuart F. Blum ’58, of Cleveland Heights, Ohio, Oct. 25, 2020. He was 82. Paul J. Snyder ’58, of Saugerties and Ulster Park, N.Y., who served in the U.S. Army and volunteered for duty in Korea, Feb. 14, 2021. He worked in product engineering and microprocessor component procurement at IBM in Poughkeepsie from 1958 until retirement in 1987. A member of United Methodist Churches of Saugerties, Town of Esopus and Clinton Avenue, he was treasurer of Chestnut Hill Cemetery for many years. Paul enjoyed raising animals on his farm and liked hunting, sports, postcard collecting, card games and genealogy. He was 89. Dr. Arnold W. Goldschlager ’59, of San Francisco, Calif., who served in the U.S Air Force and graduated from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Aug. 13, 2020. He practiced medicine and cardiology in San Mateo County for 50 years and taught at UCSF for 40 years, rising to associate professor of clinical medicine. Arnold helped found the Air Ambulance in California and Hawaii, and held leadership roles in organizations including the Mzuri Safari Club and the Mzuri Wildlife Foundation. A lifelong member of the National Rifle Association, he was a knight officer in the International Order of Saint Hubertus and a member of the St. Francis Yacht Club. He was 81. Jed Fierberg ’59, of West Hartford, Conn., who transferred to UConn and served in the U.S. Army in Korea as part of the military police, Dec. 17, 2020. Vice president of Morris A Fierberg Company and later president of Industrial Mechanical Corporation, he enjoyed traveling, dogs and wildlife. Jed and his wife were members of the first class of Bushnell volunteers. A resident of Hoffman Summerwood Community, where he sang in the Summerwood Singers, he was 89. William J. Hoder ’59, of Bridgeport, Conn., who served in the U.S. Navy and held a

UNION COLLEGE | SUMMER 2021

master’s in electrical engineering from the University of Connecticut, Dec. 13, 2020. He worked for General Electric and then Norden, a division of United Technologies in Norwalk. Bill later taught at Sacred Heart University and Norwalk State Technical School, and was manager of the village store at Covenant Living of Cromwell. He enjoyed woodshop and playing ping pong. He was 91. Peter B. Ellis ’59, of Clifton Park, N.Y., who served in the U.S. Navy and spent 30 years with Verizon, Jan. 25, 2021. Later the area operations manager of Aquatic Development Corporation, he held leadership positions at Shaker Ridge Country Club and Albany Country Club. A lover of golf, he was also a board member and committee chair at King of Kings Evangelical Lutheran Church. He was 87.

1960s Paul L. Wollman ’60, of Schenectady, N.Y., who served in the U.S. Air Force in Vietnam and attended Albany Law School, Dec. 19, 2020. He practiced law in Amsterdam, served as Amsterdam City Court judge, and was attorney for the Valley Rural Housing Corporation as well as a member of the board of directors. Also attorney for the AIDA and MCIDA for many years, Paul loved to golf, ski and travel, and was passionate about his Austin Healy. He was 82. Carl A. Nelson ’61, of Springfield, Mass., who was a mechanical engineer for the U.S. Navy Laboratory before retiring in 1994, Nov. 11, 2020. He was a graduate of Technical High School in Springfield, Mass. He was 81. Dr. Donald C. Durbeck ’61, of Lake Meade, Penn., who graduated from Albany Medical School and served in the Public Health Service during the Vietnam War, Jan. 8, 2021. Co-founder of Associated Cardiologists, he served as cardiology department chair at Polyclinic Hospital

(Harrisburg) and won several teaching awards for his work with residents and other practitioners. Don later oversaw CSL Plasma Labs and examined recruits at the Department of Defense’s Military Entrance Processing Stations. He enjoyed family, fishing, boating and skiing. He sang and played saxophone and clarinet in big swing bands. Don was 80. George E. Hartwell Jr. ’62, of Midland, Mich., who held master’s and doctoral degrees in inorganic chemistry and was a NATO postdoctoral fellow at Imperial College of Science and Technology in London, Nov. 4, 2020. An associate professor at Indiana University (Bloomington), he later joined the Dow Chemical Company as a research scientist who authored 36 publications and received 30 patents. George, who enjoyed railroading, genealogy and coin and stamp collecting, was 80. John W. Charlton ’62 died Nov. 5, 2020. He was 80. Stewart E. Walls ’62, of Pawleys Island, S.C., who served in the U.S. Navy, spent 20 years in the reserves and graduated from Boston University School of Law, Jan. 16, 2021. An attorney in the aerospace industry for General Electric and Lockheed Martin, he was active in MetroInterfaith Housing in Broome County, N.Y. He also volunteered with Habitat for Humanity in S.C. and built block houses in Nicaragua with Bridges to Community. Stewart sailed around the Horn of Africa, completed a five-week camping trip across Europe and went on safari in Kenya. An avid reader, he was 80. Robert J. Osekavage ’62, of Mahwah, N.J., who spent 35 years as an aerospace engineer with Bendix Corporation, where he worked on the Apollo and Saturn projects, Feb. 14, 2021. A resident of Mahwah for more than 50 years, Bob volunteered as a Cub Scout leader and a little league soccer, baseball and softball

coach. He enjoyed traveling and spending time with his grandchildren. He was 80. William B. Kenney ’63, of Orange Beach, Ala., who served in the U.S. Army and worked for Standard Oil in many capacities, Nov. 20, 2020. President of a heating oil subsidiary and president of the Chevron Land Development subsidiary, Bill later worked in legislative and government affairs. He retired from the corporate headquarters’ business planning department. Bill loved to ski, boat and fish with his wife, and he enjoyed all types of music and being outdoors. He was 83. Morris Ziehm G’63, of Rotterdam, N.Y., who served in the U.S. Army and held a B.S. from the University of Buffalo School of Engineering and an M.S. in engineering from Union, Jan. 16, 2021. An associate professor of mechanical technology at Illinois Central College, he later spent 29 years as an engineer at GE Large Steam Turbine. A member of Zion Lutheran Church who was active on the church council for many years, he was 88. George W. Ball ’63, of Wayland, N.Y., who held a Ph.D. in mathematics from Syracuse University and an M.S. in computer science from RIT, May 11, 2020. A professor of mathematics and computer science at Alfred University for 38 years, he was 79. Robert S. Garver ’64, of Princeton Junction, N.J., who held a master’s degree from Pace University and spent 35 years in corporate lending and private banking, Dec. 19, 2020. Bob worked for Manufacturers Hanover Trust Company, Chemical Bank and Chase Bank before retiring from J.P. Morgan Chase. Active in his community, Bob was trustee, lector and Eucharistic minister at St. David the King Roman Catholic Church. Also a talented photographer, he was an avid fly fisherman who shared his love of the outdoors with his children. He was 78.

Peter J. Grandstaff ’64, of Ballwin, Mo., an Eagle Scout who served in the U.S. Air Force and held a Ph.D. in economics from Duke University, Dec. 14, 2020. He spent decades as an economist and data analyst for AT&T and its predecessors. Peter, who loved being outdoors, anything to do with trains and bird-watching, was 78.

2020. A docent and board member at Keeler Tavern Museum & History Center, he published monographs on the community’s Civil War experience and notable resident Cass Gilbert. Charles was an avid traveler who enjoyed playing bridge and following the Green Bay Packers and Boston Red Sox. He was 76.

Frank D. Carey ’64, of Albany, N.Y., who served 24 years in the U.S. Army and Air Force, Jan. 16, 2021. An investigator with the Department of Labor, he loved woodworking and reading and had a large collection of books. A huge Boston Celtics fan, he was 78.

John R. “Dick” Phillippe ’69, of Niskayuna, N.Y., who was a financial advisor with Merrill Lynch before joining Tucker Anthony, Jan. 31, 2021. At Tucker Anthony (eventually RBC Wealth Management), he became a first vice president. A member of the First Reformed Church and Mohawk Golf Club, Dick served almost 50 years on the board of the Boys & Girls Club of Schenectady. He was a founding member of Girls Inc. Foundation Trust of Schenectady and served on the board of directors of Schenectady County Community College. A recipient of the Higher Education Service Award from the Hudson Mohawk Association of Colleges and Universities, Dick was 74.

Anthony A. Gallo ’64, of Olean, N.Y., who earned a doctoral degree in biochemistry from Tufts University and taught at Case Western Reserve Medical School, Jan.15, 2021. Later a chemist for Hysol Corp., he earned 15 patents and was active in the Genesis House and Olean Food Pantry. A member of the Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels, where he served as a Eucharistic minister, he supported the Friends of Good Music for many years. Anthony, who enjoyed traveling, reading and gardening, was 79. Robert L. Townsend Jr. ’65, of Springfield, Vt., who was an Eagle Scout and served in the U.S. Air Force in Vietnam, Nov. 22, 2020. Robert, who held an M.S. in forestry from the University of Massachusetts, spent his career with the University of Vermont Extension Service (1974-2000). He started the first VT Travel Industry Conference in southern Vermont and received many awards for his UVM Extension work. Active with the Windsor County Agricultural Fair, in retirement he worked part-time with Huffer Forestry Associates. Robert, who built the Townsend Family Sugaring Operation with his family, was 77. Charles Pankenier ’65, of Ridgefield, Conn., who had a 30-year career in communications and marketing with IBM, Dec. 3,

Richard H. Marchant ’69, of Gloucester, Mass., who was an Army medic and psychiatric counselor during the Vietnam War, and held an M.A. in psychology from Fairleigh Dickinson University, Jan. 13, 2021. Dick worked at the Social Security Administration, retiring as assistant regional commissioner for the New England region. An avid fisherman, scuba diver and underwater photographer, he also enjoyed birdwatching and traveled to more than 50 countries on six continents. Don loved his dogs and gardening, and was a trained watercolor artist. He was 73.

1970s Theodore N. Anderson Jr. G’70, of Batavia, N.Y, and formerly of Albion, who held a master’s degree from Union and taught science at Pembroke High School for 32 years, Nov. 6, 2020. Theodore also taught

SUMMER 2021 | UNION COLLEGE

IN MEMORIAM

8 PROF. JAMES UNDERWOOD

ames Underwood, who by many accounts “bled garnet” over a four-decade career as professor, department chair, dean of faculty and interim president, passed away on Friday, April 23, 2021 after a brief illness. He was 83. “Jim” was known for his loyalty to Union, his wide-ranging involvement across campus, his strong connections with alumni and his deep interest in College history. “I feel lucky to have known Jim,” said President David Harris. “He was widely respected for his loyalty to the College; his warm rapport with colleagues, students and alumni; and his tireless energy as a teacher and administrator. He was also a keen student of Union history, and one who directly affected much of Union’s history.” Underwood joined Union in 1963 and retired in 2003 as the Chauncey H. Winters Research Professor of Political Science and dean of faculty emeritus. In retirement, he remained highly active on campus. He kept an office in the College's Emeritus Center; attended many College events with his wife, Jean; and continued to advise students. He taught a class the

UNION COLLEGE | SUMMER 2021

year after he retired on one of his favorite subjects, Eliphalet Nott, Union's president from 1804 to 1866. His vast experience made him a natural choice to serve as interim president in 2005. “Jim was extremely helpful during a critical time for Union, working diligently to pull the Union community together,” said Stephen Ciesinski ’70, who was chair of the Board at the time of Underwood’s appointment. “He was respected by all, including faculty and alumni, as an exceptional researcher, teacher and spokesperson for Union. I was truly appreciative for his agreeing to serve as interim, and I know he enjoyed his role.” Underwood served as dean of faculty from 1988 to 1994, chair of Political Science from 1978 to 1984, chair of the Social Sciences division, and director of the General Education program. He was the longest-serving current faculty member when he retired from full-time teaching in 2003. Roger Hull, who served as president from 1990 to 2005, said he was pleased to have Underwood continue as chief academic officer for the first five years of his administration. “Not only was he a very good dean,

but Jim also was what anyone serving in an administrative position definitely wants and clearly needs—loyal and honest. Always loyal, Jim never hesitated at the same time to give me his unvarnished thoughts on all issues. For that loyalty and honesty, I was always, always, grateful.” Clifford Brown, the Robert Porter Patterson Professor of Government, recalls that his friend and colleague “first and foremost, considered himself to be a teacher, and he would be most proud of the accomplishments of the hundreds (or thousands) of students whose lives he touched, and with many of whom he kept in contact long after graduation.” Underwood was also proud of his role as academic vice president, when he presided over the creation of a nationally recognized General Education program. He led the creation of the Africana Studies and East Asian Studies programs, which complemented Gen Ed, and was instrumental in the organization of the President's Commission on the Status of Women. He also contributed to the planning for the Yulman Theater and Schaffer Library expansion.

As interim president, Underwood’s accomplishments were also extensive. He presided over Union's initial participation in the POSSE program, formed a commission to promote civility on campus, launched a major self-study as the basis of the College's 2006 strategic plan, formalized the status of lecturers, filled 12 vacant endowed chairs, launched a reform of the merit system, and (ever mindful of students) instituted several measures to enhance student safety. Underwood loved the beauty and history of the College grounds. “Jim was very proud of the Union College Ramée campus,” Brown said. “He worked diligently on the committee that developed the materials for celebrating its bicentennial in 2013. He was a quiet patron and defender of Jackson's Garden, and was responsible behind the scenes for saving a serious amount of open space at its east end when the Reamer Campus Center and access road was planned.” Underwood helped organize an invaluable resource to future historians of the College, an oral history project that has interviewed dozens of emeriti faculty. Underwood said his most fulfilling years at Union were those when he returned to teaching after serving as dean. He was refreshed and wiser, he said, from reading about teaching styles from many tenure reviews. He also noted that the quality of students had improved over the years, an observation that drew a playful rebuke from a former student who had become a judge. “I sent him back what I think was a Solomonic answer: ‘I have more students who are like you,’” Underwood said. He taught a range of courses including Contemporary American Politics; Political Leadership; Policy-

Making and American Society; the Environment, Energy and American Politics; Civil Rights and Civil Liberties; and Seminar in American Politics. Underwood often compared teaching to acting. “You are a performer in the classroom, just as you are on the stage,” he said in a retirement interview with Union College magazine. “A lot of actors and faculty are shy, but not on the stage or in the classroom. Both need a response. When you've struggled, you leave exhausted. When everything has gone well, you leave with a quiet euphoria; there's no feeling like it. I think both actors and teachers feel as though we're really only as good as our last performance, and that's one of the things that drives you.” He was an advisor to many students in the College's internship programs in Washington, D.C. and Albany. He had long-standing friendships with a number of alumni who have gone on to distinguished careers in law, politics and diplomacy. By the end of his teaching career, he had taught a number of children of former students including one whose parents were both students. His areas of professional interest included political leadership, administrative systems, environmental and energy policy, and New York State politics. He was a consultant to the Subcommittee on Executive Reorganization in the United States Senate, and to the New York State Education Department. He also served on Congressional staffs as a recipient of an American Political Science Association Congressional Fellowship. He was the co-author (with William Daniels) of Governor Rockefeller in New York: The Apex of Pragmatic Liberalism in the United States, and published articles in Policy and Congress and the Presidency. In 1971, he co-authored

Science/Technology—Related Activities in the Government of the State of New York, a study funded by the state Office of Science and Technology. He wrote and lectured extensively on former New York Governor Mario Cuomo. He wrote an article, “Lincoln: A Weberian Politician Meets the Constitution,” in the June 2004 issue of Presidential Studies Quarterly. His entry on William H. Seward, Union Class of 1820 and Lincoln's secretary of state, was published in the Encyclopedia of the American Presidency. He was a popular speaker at alumni events across the country, usually speaking on Union historical figures such as Nott, Chester Arthur and William Seward. A graduate of Franklin and Marshall, he received his M.P.A. and Ph.D. from Syracuse University. He was a member of the American Political Science Association and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Ever the teacher, he has donated his body to Albany Medical College. A native of Irwin, Pa., he is survived by his wife, Jean; two daughters, Karen (Fred) and Carolyn (Warren); and four grandchildren, Connor, Griffin, Grace and Anna. Shortly after her husband’s passing, Jean Underwood said simply, “Jim was a husband, father, teacher and friend extraordinaire.” Memorial contributions may be made to the Professor James E. and Jean A. Underwood Endowed Scholarship, established in 2007 by Richard Ferguson ’67, to support Union students with financial need. Prof. Underwood is remembered by his friend Prof. Martin Strosberg ’68 on p. 47. A campus memorial service was planned for Saturday, Sept. 25 at 10 a.m.

SUMMER 2021 | UNION COLLEGE

IN MEMORIAM

8 PETER HEINEGG

eter Heinegg, professor emeritus of English, is being remembered for his deep intellectual engagement, energetic lectures, sharp wit and compassion. Heinegg, who retired in 2017 after 42 years at Union, passed away on Tuesday, June 1, 2021. He was 79. He arrived at Union in 1976 to begin a teaching career that would cover an astonishing range of topics including major English authors, Yiddish literature, Italian Renaissance literature and the Bible. He led terms abroad in Greece and Italy. To every course, he brought his energy and wide-ranging interests to get students to consider the big idea. He received the Stillman Prize for Excellence in Teaching in 2000 after one student nominator wrote, “Taking a Heinegg class is like getting a drink from a fire hydrant. His classroom is not only an intensely interesting place, but a place where you get a real sense that something is truly at stake in the act of learning, that one is not merely dealing with facts but also ideas that matter.” An animated lecturer, he often paced the room making sweeping gestures. A student once said, “Many lectures ended with his long hair jutting in every direction as though a storm had come through.” Of his teaching, Heinegg wrote, “I feel a prophetic enthusiasm and I hope it’s catching. I also like the prophet’s role because it lets me dive

UNION COLLEGE | SUMMER 2021

into riffs, tirades and rhetorical spritzes; to be defiant and outrageous. American culture needs constant satirical needling, so I never stop reminding students what a crazy world we live in.” He eschewed cooperative learning, calling it “folly” to have students lead one another. He wrote, “I’m in charge here … and in the meantime I make them take off those dumb baseball hats.” He described himself as a “classic first born” who was “naturally inclined to be a professional nurturer and father figure.” He had a “devout religious upbringing” and spent seven years in Jesuit seminaries before going to graduate school. Heinegg’s recent publications include: Dim and Dimmer: Prospects for a New Enlightenment (R&L Publishers, 2014); a contribution to Anthology of World Religions (Norton, 2014); and Bitter Scrolls: Sexist Poison in the Canon (University Press of America, 2010). He was a regular book reviewer

for Cross Currents and America. He also translated more than 50 books. For several years in the late 1980s, he penned regular op-eds in the Schenectady Gazette, many of which he described as pessimistic takes on American culture. He served at Union as department chair, member of the Faculty Review Board and member of the committee that formed Religious Studies. He earned his B.A. in 1965 from Fordham University, and his Ph.D. in 1971 from Harvard University. The Heinegg home, just a few blocks east of campus, was frequented by students and colleagues who came to share meals and lively discussions. A number of faculty lived with the family over the years. Heinegg often biked and walked back and forth to campus. During many of his walks, he would read a book. Heinegg spent his last night reading German poetry and watching films from Iran, said his wife, Rosie. In his last night, he also remarked to his wife that he had done exactly what he’d always wanted in life. “All he ever wanted was to read, write and teach literature,” she said. “He was an academic’s academic.” Survivors include his wife, Rosemarie, who was an adjunct lecturer at Union who taught psychology and first-year preceptorial; son, Max ’95; and daughter, Alexandra.

for the local BOCES, and worked for Buffalo City School District and the Museum of Science evaluating school science programs. A lifelong volunteer fireman in the Dye Hose Company of the Albion Volunteer Fire Department, he also belonged to the Lake Plains Players and was a 70-year member of the Albion First Presbyterian Church. He was 79. Steve Rathje ’70, of Stony Creek, N.Y., who studied musical composition at Temple University and was a well-loved area musician, Jan. 21, 2021. He wrote the “Passacaglia for Orchestra,” which was played by the Philadelphia Symphony and which he conducted. A member of several bands, including Adirondack Gold and Desert Sky, Steve was named Songwriter of the Year at the Southern Adirondack Country Music Awards for his song “One Too Many.” A prolific square dance caller who was head groundskeeper of Cronin’s Golf Course for 26 years, he was 72. George W. Hemstead III ’71, of Englewood, Fla., and Albany, N.Y., who held a master’s degree from the Sage Colleges and was— among other things—a self-taught architect, horologist, photographer and fisherman, Oct. 27, 2020. Chip, who worked for the New York State Department of Parole, served as director of support operations until his retirement in 2011. Edmund J. Wnek ’72, of Amsterdam, N.Y., who served in the U.S. Army and spent 37 years with General Electric, Dec. 18, 2020. He retired as manager of non-destructive testing for steam turbines and was a member of several organizations, including the American Society of Mechanical Engineers and the St. Michael the Archangel Fraternal Aid Society. Edmund, who enjoyed traveling, dancing, trout fishing and was a communicant of St. Stanislaus Church, was 90. Dale M. Fisher Sr. G’72, of Painted Post, N.Y., who held a B.S. from Alfred University and an I.A. M.S. from Union College,

Jan. 3, 2021. He worked at Carborundum Company in several engineering and management positions before joining Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory, where he held management positions until he retired in 1999. He was 81. Robert D. Melin G’72, of Tempe, Ariz., who held an M.S. in business administration from Union and a B.S. in industrial engineering from the University of North Dakota, Dec. 27, 2020. Bob, who spent 20 years with General Electric, later worked for AMCA International and OnmiQuip, from which he retired as chief operating officer. An avid sports fan and skilled bridge player, he was a passionate reader and enjoyed his time in the Changing Hands book club with his nephew. He was 82. Ronald H. Pushee G’73, of York, S.C., who held a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from UNH and a master’s from Union, Nov. 16, 2020. Ronald, who spent many years with General Electric informational services, retired as an IT/ computer security manager at Kesselring Atomic Power labs (West Milton, N.Y.). He loved Glad Menagerie Farm and raising his family there, as well as spending time at their camp in the Adirondacks. A firefighter with Harmony Corners Fire Department for 37 years, he also served as an EMT with Galway Ambulance Service. Ronald, who volunteered as treasurer for the Hearing Loss Association of America (Lakeland, Fla.), was 77. Elbridge A. O’Neil Jr. ’73, of Clifton Park, N.Y., who spent more than 20 years with General Electric as a research chemist and secured several patents, Dec. 17, 2020. Later he worked for Window Tech Systems and spent his retirement enjoying his grandchildren and helping his granddaughter with science and math. He was 76. William V.A. Waldron ’74, of North Kingstown, R.I., who served in the Army National Reserves and was a sales representative for Conestoga Wood

Specialties, Jan. 26, 2021. Bill, whose greatest passion was sailing, was a certified captain and member of the Quonset Davisville Naval Yacht Club. A meticulous craftsman and woodworker, he designed and implemented renovations to his North Kingstown home and family homes in Mattapoisett. He was 71. Douglas Warner III ’74, of Burlington, Ky., who served in the U.S. Marine Corps, attained the rank of captain and flew the EA-6B Prowler, Feb. 16, 2020. He was awarded numerous honors, including the Pistol Expert Badge, Navy Unit Commendation and Marine Corps Expenditionary Medal. Later, Doug spent more than 20 years with the FBI, serving on the Safe Streets Task Force and SWAT team in Newark, and volunteering for duty in Guantanamo Bay and Baghdad. Passionate about history, he enjoyed baseball, football, chess, flying and fishing. He was 68. Dr. Alan J. Fogel ’75, of Altamont, N.Y., who graduated from Albany Medical College and operated his own medical practice, Nov. 12, 2020. Alan loved spending time with his family hiking, building a hockey rink the backyard each winter and building furniture out of broken hockey sticks. A doctor who served generations of families and treated his career as a calling, he was 66. Edward J. Morgan G’75, of Slingerlands, N.Y., who held degrees from Stonehill College (B.A.), Siena College (M.A.), Union (M.S.) and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (M.S.), Dec. 22, 2020. First a teacher, he went on to work as chemist and executive in the Office of General Services for the State of New York. He was a longtime communicant of Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church and Christ Our Light Catholic Church, and was active in many service organizations. An outdoor enthusiast and accomplished dancer, Edward was 84. Jerome D. Williams G’75, of Newark, N.J., who was former provost at Rutgers

SUMMER 2021 | UNION COLLEGE

IN MEMORIAM

University-Newark and Prudential Chair in Business at Rutgers Business School, Jan. 29, 2021. A leader in the field of marketing and business school innovator, he was an advocate regarding the urgency of diversifying the professoriate. Jerome held a doctorate in marketing and social psychology from the University of Colorado, a master’s in industrial administration from Union College and a bachelor’s in English from the University of Pennsylvania. He was 74. Paul E. Gundlach ’77, of Scotia, N.Y., who spent 32 years with General Electric before spending 20 more as a bus driver for Scotia-Glenville schools, Jan. 18, 2021. A member of the Good Shepherd Lutheran Church and graduate of Hudson Valley Community College, Paul loved traveling the globe. Among the places he visited were China, Italy, Ireland and Germany. He was 77. Martha E. Dolan ’78, of Lexington, Mass., an engineer who globally championed medical technologies that improved patients’ lives, Dec. 28, 2020. Devoted to her family, she held an MBA from Harvard Business School and worked for HewlettPackard and Philips Healthcare. Martha, who helped found an inter-college ice hockey team while at Union, later worked at Boston Children’s Hospital. She once bicycled across the U.S., loved the outdoors, skiing, sailing, canoeing and hiking. She was 64.

1980s Vincent B. Smith ’80, of Endwell, N.Y., who attended Union College, Broome Community College and Utica College, graduating with a degree in accounting and business management, Jan. 3, 2021. Formerly an accountant and treasurer with Binghamton, Vestal and UnionEndicott school districts, he was also a fiscal advisor at the central business office

UNION COLLEGE | SUMMER 2021

of BOCES before retiring after 35 years of service. An active member at First Presbyterian Church of Johnson City, he coached softball for more than 10 years with the Binghamton Recreation League. An avid sportsman who enjoyed fishing and hunting, he was 62. Dr. Michael Arato ’80, of Mt. Sinai, N.Y., who earned his M.D. from Columbia University after receiving his B.S., March 13, 2021. He passed away after a long and brave battle with lung cancer. Michael practiced OB-GYN in Stony Brook, N.Y., for over 30 years, delivering a generation of children to the community. At Union, Michael was active in student government and as a brother at Delta Phi fraternity. He was an accomplished and humble man who enjoyed many passions in life including his practice, cycling, good food and drink, and good company. He was 63. Maj. George Lovejoy G’81 (retired), of Clifton Park, N.Y., who was a decorated Vietnam War veteran who retired from the USAF Reserves as a major, March 9, 2021. A graduate of Oklahoma University and Union College, he was an industrial engineer with the Watervliet Arsenal. Previously, he has worked for G.E. and Bennington College, and was a real estate agent with Berical Realty. A member of the Single Squares and the Spa Wheelers, he loved square dancing, cooking and spending time with friends and family. He was 86. Alan B. Ginsburg ’82, of Albany, N.Y., who graduated from Albany Law School and spent 30 years as a lawyer and many years as an educator, Jan. 18, 2021. A member of Temple Israel and Beth Abraham Jacob, he enjoyed teaching courses in Judaic and legal studies. Alan cherished time with family and liked reading, watching musicals, New York sports teams and summers spent at Camp Givah. He was 59. Dina M. Golas ’89, of Glen Ridge, N.J., who spent her career on Wall Street, most recently as managing director of institu-

tional equity sales with RW Baird, Nov. 18, 2020. Dedicated to her family, she was a certified domestic violence counselor with the Montclair Police Department and a member of the board of directors for Fight Colorectal Cancer. Twice named Women’s Champion at Rock Spring Club, she was an avid golfer. Dina was 53.

1990s Matthew E. Turner G’98, of Butler, Penn., who graduated from Mercyhurst College before earning a master of arts from Union College, Feb. 26, 2021. A longtime teacher at Burnt Hills- Ballston Lake High School, he taught social studies for more than 20 years. He also led exchange trips to Spain, was an advisor to CIVITAS and coached the boys and girls swim teams. Matthew was the first BH-BL teacher to complete the National Board Certification requirements and organized an alumni swim meet around the holidays. He enjoyed traveling to Europe and his favorite diner, the Burnt Hills Café. He was 47.

2000s Emily Stauber ’04, of San Francisco, Calif., who held an MSW from Boston College, Dec. 1, 2020. Emily’s career as a social worker perfectly dovetailed with her caring and compassionate nature, and remarkable talent for genuinely making one feel happy, understood and special. She so positively impacted many people. She is remembered, celebrated and honored by many wonderful friends— friendships that were initiated and nurtured at Union College, and that are joined in effervescent memory by her family. She is survived by her mother, father, sister, aunts, uncles and cousins. Emily was a bright light that will shine forever. She made everyone she met a happier and more enriched person. Emily was 38.

8 RAYMOND COOK

Sam Coatta '15 with Raymond

aymond Cook, who over a three-decade career at Union endeared himself to students in the dorms he cleaned and was a favorite fan of student athletes. He died June 3, 2021, at the age of 57. “Ray was a fixture, not only in our department, but also in our campus community,” said Loren Rucinski, director of facilities and planning. “Ray’s life was here on campus, and he endeared himself to many staff and students, particularly student athletes.” Ray spent his entire career in housekeeping, but always made himself available after hours to watch over freshly-poured concrete or to survey the campus for burned out lights, Rucinski said. He was close with the students in the dorms he cleaned, especially Fox Hall, where he worked for many years. After his shift, he would attend basketball and hockey practices as well as all home games. When men’s hockey made—and won—the Frozen Four in

2014, the team arranged for him to attend the games in Philadelphia. Rich Patierne, manager of building services, recalled Ray’s love for the New York Yankees and Oakland Raiders. He could recite all the scores and highlights after each game. “Union College was Ray’s family and he, in turn, treated this College like it was,” Patierne said. “He gave everything that he possibly had to make sure Union was a better place, whether by keeping an office or residence hall clean, attending sporting events, saying hello to all who knew him or by just being Ray.” Men’s hockey players knew him as “Cookie,” a nickname that carries a measure of respect in the hockey community, according to head coach Rick Bennett. Ray was also known simply as “Cook,” “Cooks” or “The Boss”—the latter a reference to his icon, legendary Raiders owner Al Davis. Ray was also a member of St. Joseph’s Athletic Club, where

he had many friends. “My interactions with Ray revolved around our practices as Ray seemed to always be there to watch,” Bennett said. “It was refreshing to get Ray’s perspective on the team and individuals. His connections with our student-athletes will be missed, and our coaching and support staff have lost a good friend.” “Ray (Cookie) Cook has been a wonderful friend to the women’s basketball program,” said Mary Ellen Burt, head coach. “He always made it a point to stop on October 15 for the first day of practice. He managed to attend most of our games (and quite a few practices) and was a great supporter of the program. No matter where players or coaches went on campus, Cookie would always give a friendly wave or fist pump. He was always genuinely glad to be part of the UCWB family. I will personally miss Cookie and his warm heart and contagious smile.”

SUMMER 2021 | UNION COLLEGE

IN MEMORIAM

2010s Alexander Coppola ’11, of Dalton, Ga., who attended St. John Fisher’s Wegman’s School of Pharmacy and was a clinical pharmacist at Hamilton Medical Center, Jan. 9, 2021. Previously a CVS pharmacist/ pharmacy manager, he was an EMT with Mohawk Ambulance and taught New York State EMT classes. Also active with Alplaus Volunteer Fire Department, where he served as a firefighter and president, Alex volunteered for medical missions in Peru, El Salvador and Honduras. A fourth-degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do and certified rescue diver who belonged to several pharmacist associations, he was 31. Peter J. Meile ’14, of Ramsey, N.J., a popular member of Union football team who earned his B.A. in political science at Union, Dec. 17, 2020. He was a triplet who grew up playing football with his brothers, Matt and Billy. Former Coach John Audino recalled Peter as “not only a great football player, but an awesome young man who was a leader for all of us.” Audino described him as being highly self-motivated, smart and a “real nasty offensive lineman. His technique was unbelievable, and he gave his all for our program and his school.” He was 28.

Friends of Union College James W. Morley, a prominent authority on international politics in the Asia Pacific region and Japanese foreign policy, who taught history at Union from 1948 to 1955, Sept. 27, 2020. From 1955 until his retirement in 2001, he taught at Columbia University, where he served as director of the East Asian Institute. At Columbia, James was the Ph.D. advisor and mentor to Professor Emeritus Donald R. Thurston, who succeeded James at Union. James held a number of government positions, and devoted much of his career to U.S.-Japan relations. He was 99.

UNION COLLEGE | SUMMER 2021

Benjamin M. Brown, of Rotterdam, N.Y., who was a self-taught chef who worked at Union College, Applebee’s, Davidson Brothers, Dolce Vita and other establishments, Nov. 12, 2020. Passionate about music and guitar, he played in multiple bands. Ben also enjoyed woodshop and art, as well as fishing. An avid sports fan, particularly of the Denver Broncos and Boston Red Sox, he studied at Brazosport College in Lake Jackson, Texas. He was 45. Sonya (Broeren) Dudgeon, associate dean of admissions and West Coast and international recruiter who represented Union in China, March 22, 2021. Sonya came to Union from the admissions office at Kenyon College, her alma mater, where she also worked in college relations and human resources. She was 52. Rev. Hugh G. Nevin Jr., of Slingerlands, N.Y., who published a book on the history of the Nevin family name and was a graduate of Williams College and Union Theological Seminary, Jan. 22, 2021. Also a graduate of Columbia University Teachers College, where he earned a doctorate in religion and education, he was an ordained Presbyterian minister. From 1980 until his retirement, Hugh provided ministry staffing at Union College and SUNY Albany, and initiated several projects as an employee of the United Ministries Board of Education for New York State. He was 87. James L. Evans, of Rotterdam, N.Y., who recently celebrated 25 years with the maintenance department at Union College, Jan. 20, 2021. He was 65. Raymond J. Jung, of Schenectady, N.Y., an accomplished bassist who served as adjunct professor of music, Feb. 1, 2021. A scholarship student at the Berklee College of Music in Boston, he was taught by the legendary guitarist, Pat Metheny. He performed with groups such as Renaissance and King Crimson and artists including Phil Collins, Jeff Berlin and Robert Fripp. He was 64.

Michael G. Palmer, of Albany, N.Y., who spent 28 years at Union College as part of the Physical Plant team and who loved cheering on the hockey team, Jan. 16, 2021. A devoted father, Mike was an avid camper who enjoyed spending time in his vegetable garden with classic rock playing in the background. He was 70. Barbara (Nolan) Rappaport, of Bar Harbor, Maine, who served as a cryptanalyst in WAVES and was part of a Navy-code breaking unit in Washington, D.C., Feb. 28, 2021. She graduated from Wellesley College before doing graduate work in botany at the University of Michigan. For 40 years, Barbara and her husband, Raymond, spent summers conducting research at Mount Desert Island Biological Laboratory. After retirement in 1989, they conducted research there year-round. She was 97.

“

I joined the Union community

this past October. I am humbled by our loyal alumni and legacy families who have so thoughtfully included Union in their estate planning. Membership in our Ramée Circle Society is the ultimate expression of one’s passionate commitment to their alma mater. Each of you has given from your hearts as well as

”

from your abundance, so that our shared good work might abound. - Rob Parker, Vice President, College Relations

Please take a moment to visit

www.rameecircle.org

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

Please recycle

SAVE THE DATES

Oct. 29–31 For information ualumni.union.edu/hfw

FEATURING OUR FAVORITE EVENTS: • Campus tours • Athletic competitions • The Pumpkin Carving Contest • Chemistry Club Ice Cream Social • Homecoming Tailgate Picnic • Harvest Dinner • Legacy Family Reception • The Farewell Brunch

Union College Magazine, Summer 2021

Articles inside

Focus

Media

Letters