Advancement Updates

Thurston Hall ribbon-cutting ceremony

Introducing Thurston Hall

On September 29, construction management faculty, students, and alumni gathered to celebrate UC’s newest academic building, Thurston Hall. The 15,000-square foot construction management facility is named in honor of lead donor Gary M. Thurston ’68, chairman and CEO of The Hayner Hoyt Corporation and graduate of UC’s construction management program. Many construction management alumni also helped fund the effort. An additional $700,000 was provided by Empire State Development (ESD) through the Regional Economic Development Council.

Thurston Hall features a materials lab with materials testing equipment, workspace for construction projects, and instructional support technology such as whiteboards and AV projectors. The facility also provides computer laboratories and workstations configured with CM-specific software, a multi-use auditorium, and a smart classroom, which includes video conferencing capabilities to support online and on-campus course delivery.

“The construction of Thurston Hall offers benefits for the future of the program by helping to attract quality student prospects from across the country and around the world,” said Dr. David Dubbelde, professor and director of the construction management program.

Gary M. Thurston '68

President Casamento with Andrew and Mary Hislop

President Casamento

Coming Fall 2019: Pioneer Village

Groundbreaking ceremony for Pioneer Village

A new student housing option is in the works. At a ceremonial “groundbreaking” on October 10, President Laura Casamento welcomed the College’s partners in the project, including Utica Mayor Rob Palmieri; Bob Calli, executive director of the Utica Municipal Housing Authority and the Housing Authority Board of Commissioners; Chuck Cronin, Axiom Capital, the primary funder; Jonathan Deforest, Steve Obermayer, and Jonathan Lochner, BBL Construction Services; and Jack Spaeth, executive director of the Utica Industrial Development Agency.

The plan calls for three residence buildings, containing twelve gender-inclusive suites. Each suite will be apartment-style with four bedrooms each, two bathrooms, a kitchen with a dishwasher, and a washer and dryer. The plan also includes a community building located next to the tennis courts, near the Todd and Jen Hutton Sports and Recreation Center. Pioneer Village housing will be offered to juniors, seniors, and graduate students in fall 2019.

“Pioneer Village is another example of Utica College doing what we do best: delivering an exceptional educational experience at a price our students can afford,” said Casamento.

Ken Taubes '80

Profiles in Giving: Ken Taubes ’80

Giving back isn’t just a moral obligation for Ken Taubes ’80—it’s an economic principal he believes in.

“That’s how it has always worked in this country,” he says. “The current generation helps pay for the future generation.”

For Taubes, Chief Investment Officer of U.S. Investment Management for Amundi and Amundi Pioneer in Boston, supporting UC is the best way to give today’s students the same chance at success he was afforded as an accounting major in the late ’70s. A Long Island native, Taubes paid his UC tuition through a “patchwork” of loans, merit scholarships, and work-study funds. He spent summers working as a camp counselor to help pay for books and supplies.

Today, as a leader in the financial world (he’s approaching his 20-year anniversary with Amundi), Taubes understands how a college education provides a powerful economic advantage, and that has inspired his longtime philanthropy through UC’s Pioneer Society. Through his endowment of the Kenneth J. Taubes Scholarship, Taubes supports accounting students in financial need.

“It’s important to me to give today’s students a break, because education is the best way to succeed economically and professionally.”

Joseph Michael Chubbuck '14

Lasting Legacy: The Joseph Michael Chubbuck Memorial Scholarship

In 2011, Joseph Michael Chubbuck was a member of the Army National Guard and a UC student, working toward his B.S. in physics in the hopes of securing a career in military research. But the Chubbuck family’s world was turned upside down in early 2012, when Joey was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive cancer. He passed away in August 2013.

Shortly after his death, Joey was awarded his degree posthumously, and his parents Barbara and Joseph ’11 endowed the Joseph Michael Chubbuck ’14 Memorial Scholarship, awarded to physics students at UC that demonstrate academic promise and good character.

The Chubbucks have also started The Joseph Michael Chubbuck Foundation, which provides financial assistance to cancer patients and their families, supports cancer research, and advocates for patients and families during treatment. To learn more, visit thejmcf.org