Utica Magazine - Fall 2022

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FIRST WORDS

Letter from the Editor

What’s in a Name?

Perhaps it’s a sign of my naivete that I was surprised in February 2022 when the reactions to Utica’s new name were so incredibly… mixed.

From my perspective, it was easy to assume that, because the new name conveys a certain gravitas and represents Utica’s growth over the past 76 years, its adoption would be met with universal applause. Students, alumni, faculty, and staff could now add the word “University” to their resumes! For international students, for whom the word “college” is more often associated with high schools or two-year institutions, the switch would lead to better opportunities! Everyone would have an excuse to buy new Utica gear! How could anyone object?

What I failed to consider, though, is the powerful pull of tradition and nostalgia. For generations of Utica alumni, Utica College — and less recently, Utica College of Syracuse University — were the names they saw on every correspondence, wrote atop every assignment, wore with pride on sweatshirts, and chanted at sporting events. For those alumni, changing the name of their alma mater was just as disorienting as involuntarily changing their own names or the names of their hometowns.

What I failed to consider, ultimately, was the pride and sense of connection so many alumni feel when they think of their beloved alma mater by the name they knew as Butstudents.tothose

alumni, I’ll also say this: The Utica you remember still exists.

IMPACTLASTING througha

Sure, it’s grown, expanded physically and in its academic scope, become more diverse and inclusive (and after 76 years, how could it not?). Despite the state-of-the-art buildings, the growing student population, longer list of program offerings, and now, its new name, the heart of Utica is exactly the same.

That said, I hope you’ll consider visiting campus later this month during our much-anticipated Homecoming, Alumni and Family Weekend. Tour campus, enjoy a drink at the Pub, cheer from the stands at the football game, and you’ll see for yourself that the place you know and love (by any name) is thriving—and that it still feels like home.

Mary Donofrio

ThroughEditorgiving,

volunteering, attending, and staying connect ed to the University, alumni and friends can help Utica and its students thrive on far into the future. Planned gifts may pro vide additional tax and income benefits while allowing donors to continue our tradition of inspiring learners to achieve their dreams.

Simple ways to make a lasting impact include:

• Gifts of appreciated stock

• Gifts that pay you income for life

• Naming Utica the beneficiary of a retirement account or life insurance policy

• Using the Qualified Charitable Distribution provision to satisfy a required minimum distribu tion from your IRA

This is just a sample of the gift-planning opportunities that may be available to you. To learn more, visit myimpact.utica. edu or contact Tim Nelson, Associate Vice President for Advancement, at (315) 792-3489 or tnelson@utica.edu

FROM PRESIDENT LAURA CASAMENTO

Honoring the Past, Looking Toward the Future

The start of the academic year is always a special time on campus, but this August marked an especially meaningful milestone in Utica’s 76-year history. Earlier this year, I was pleased to announce that the New York State Board of Regents approved and endorsed Utica College’s petition to elevate to University status; August 29, 2022, marks the start of the first full academic year as Utica University.

Though some alumni and students have remarked that the name change was surprising, I assure you that our transition to Utica University was anything but.

As the Board of Trustees, members of the senior leadership team, and past leadership know all too well, Utica’s new name represents the culmination of a decades-long commitment to strategic growth, academic excellence through innovative programs and curricula, and an unwavering belief in providing life-changing opportunities to all students through higher It’seducation.amoment no less than 76 years in the making.

But even as we celebrate this long-awaited achievement and what it means for Utica’s future, I hope members of the Utica community also take the time to reflect on the past — and the incredible progress this institution has made since its founding.

In 1946, Utica College of Syracuse University was established to serve veterans looking for an opportunity to better their lives after returning from World War II. Without a physical space to call its own, Utica College created improvised classrooms in houses and in the basement of downtown Utica’s Plymouth Congregational Church. Young but dedicated faculty helped inspire students to dream beyond the makeshift campus, and the College matured in turn.

Today, Utica University is a nationally known institution serving thousands of undergraduate and graduate students here in Utica, through our online campus, and at our additional sites in New York State and Florida.

What would it have meant to those first students to know their humble branch campus would one day become its own formidable university? How could they have imagined what this institution—and its thousands of graduates—would go on to achieve?

Indeed, much more than a name change, our University status is both a celebration of how far we’ve come and a promise of great things ahead.

“Indeed, much more than a name change, our University status is both a celebration of how far we’ve come and a promise of great things ahead.”

18FEATURESAthleticsOneWord

Grads

Members of the Class of 2022 sum up their Utica University experiences in just one word and share favorite photos from the big day.

22 Utica College is Now Utica University

The inside story on Utica’s transition to a university— and the other changes accompanying the institution’s historic milestone.

26 Moving Target

Focused on opportunity and student success, Utica’s cybersecurity programs are keeping pace with a rapidly changing industry.

30 Advocate in Chief

A fluke accident as a teenager changed the course of her life. Today, Kimberly Hill ’94 is using her experience to support others with disabilities as New York State’s first-ever Chief Disability Officer.

35 Donors

44

Editor Mary Donofrio

Creative Director

Aimee Music

Senior Writers

Joe Perry ’90

Kelly Adams ’00 Christine Leogrande ’81

David Dellecese

Photography Aimee Music

Class Notes Editors

Tracy UticaNicholePrattMasters

is published three times a year by the Office of Marketing and Communications: Kelly Adams, Vice President.

Stay in Touch! Send regardingcorrespondence Utica, address changes, and Class Notes to: Office of Alumni and Parent Relations Utica University 1600 Burrstone Road Utica, NY 13502-4892

Or call (800) 456-8278, (315) 792-3025

Or uticamag@utica.edue-mail:

FRIENDLY FIGHT

The inflatable boxing ring is always a “hit” during on-campus events like this beach party held in the residential quad in April.

Photo credit: Victoria DeLuca ’24

Everyday Pioneers: Nicole Zalewski ’22

According to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, women make up less than 10 percent of the construction manage ment workforce. And for Nicole Zalewski ’22, it’s a disparity that comes with

“Asconsequences.awoman,I have to work five times as hard as my male counterparts to earn the respect of my colleagues and subcontrac tors,” says Zalewski. “It is a sad reality that most men in the industry do not take a

woman seriously, and they do not appreciate having a female boss.”

But the challenges haven’t stopped her. After excel ling in Utica’s construction management program, serving as secretary for the University’s Student Contractors Association and vice president for the Women in Construction Club, Zalewski celebrated her graduation in May with a job in-hand. In Febru ary 2022, she accepted a position as a field engineer

for the Turner Construction Company in Connecticut; she started work in July.

Beyond her classroom expe rience, Zalewski credits the family atmosphere of Utica’s CM program for “helping me grow as an individual,” citing the group’s frequent cookouts, movie nights, and community service projects, like building children’s beds for local non-profit Sleep in Heavenly Peace.

Her ultimate career goal: to be that “female boss” as a project superintendent for a large general contractor or the military — and a role model for other women in the industry.

“I tell other female students interested in CM that people may look at you differently because you are a woman in construction. Don’t worry about what they think. This is not their path,” she says. “If you show up every day and apply yourself, you will succeed.”

Utica University is doing its part to promote diver sity in the ScholarshipConstructionthestonpresident,Corporationhelpmanagementconstructionfield,withfromTheHaynerHoytandcompanyJeremyC.Thur’00.LearnmoreaboutHaynerHoytCorporationManagementonp.43.

How the recent grad and field engineer is busting stereotypes on her path to become a leader in the construction management industry.

CANINE COEDS

Happy students, happy pup. An on-campus event featuring these cuddly visitors helped students relieve finals-week stress in May. Photo credit: Victoria DeLuca ’24

50 Years of Friendship

Speaking of longtime UC relationships (“UCBFFs,” Fall/ Winter 2021, p. 18), myself along with six APO fraternity brothers have maintained a 50-year relationship, getting together at least a half dozen times every year. The gath erings are highlighted by our annual Super Bowl weekend in the Adirondacks, which began as an overnight and has since been extended to five days.

Dave Dudajek ’72 Whitesboro, NY

A Life-Changing Letter

Congratulations to Kimberly Hill ’94! When I saw her name I said to myself, “why does that sound familiar?” I went into my Utica College file and found this. As a high-school senior, I received this letter (right) from Kim and Leilani Lucca ’94 that was person ally signed and pretty much sealed the deal for me to attend UC and have the best years of my life.

Leonard Morgan ’99 Totowa, NJ

Inspiring Resilience

I just read the article on Kimberly Morton ‘22 in the last issue (“The Fighter,” Spring/Summer 2021, p. 30). What an inspiring story of resilience and victim advocacy, albeit at such a cost. Glad she’s healed, and I hope her story helps others find paths to healing. And I hope the law spreads nationwide.

Lisa A. Crayton ’85 Oxon Hill, MD

Cheerful Memories

I’m writing about the alumni photo in the Fall/Winter 2021 issue (“Pioneer Past,” p. 41, below, right). The third from the left is Patti Schram Gior dano ’83 and I am fourth from the left, Mary Gossin Priore ’83. My alumni friends and I got quite a kick out of seeing this old photo!

Mary Gossin Priore ’83 Utica, NY

What Do YOU Think?

Share your thoughts on this issue or past issues of Utica via email at uticamag@utica.edu or U.S. Mail: Office of Marketing and Communications Utica University 1600 Burrstone Road Utica, NY 13502

On May 12-13, Utica celebrated its 73rd annual ceremoniesHighlightsstatussinceceremoniescommencementanditsfirstachievinguniversityinFebruary2022.oftheincluded

an emotional presentation of posthumous degrees to late students Alyssa Parrino and John Paul “JP” Ramel, an honorary degree award ed to Ukranian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and a stirring, inspirational ad

you built during your time here,” she said. “Continue to work hard, and let your future be a reflection of the knowledge, experience, and wisdom you gained at Utica University.” University of

dress from New York State Supreme Court Justice Janet Malone ’86

In her own welcoming remarks, President Laura Casamento advised the graduates to “rely on the strong foundation

On March 23, Utica Univer sity recognized students, faculty, and staff who dedicate time and energy to educating themselves on various topics related to DEI, work to be advo cates for equity in their respective spaces, and use their knowledge to create a more inclusive campus climate.

The 2022 winners of the Utica InclusionDiversity,ExcellenceUniversityinFosteringEquity,andAwardare:

Collaboration and Community: Utica Enters New Partnership for DEI

Utica University collabo rated with MVCC, SUNY Polytechnic Institute, the Greater Utica Chamber of Commerce, and the Mohawk Valley Communi ty Action Agency to create a new partnership known as the Utica DEI Com munity Partnership. The UDEICP facilitates positive activities and programs that promote awareness, engagement, action, and unity in response to social

justice issues in the Mo hawk Valley community.

During the Spring semes ter, the group hosted a live discussion with New York Times bestselling author Ashley C. Ford and organized a Unity March through downtown Utica. The UDEICP was named the 2022 Community Am bassador by the MVCAA at this year’s Community Champions Luncheon.

Students: Dylan Bennett Thompson Jaydy’22 Hernandez ’23 Jordyn Bucci-Mooney ’22

Faculty: Michelle ofOligensManagementProfessorAudreyProfessorBoucher,ofChemistryCross,AssistantofConstructionSulo,ProfessorPracticeinNursing

Staff: Ashlea DirectorSchad,ofDevelopment

Jasper Wojtach, TRIO Retention and Tutoring Coordinator Alison (pictured)ProfessionsinAdministrativeRicci-Wadas,AssistanttheSchoolofHealth&Education

Student Organization: The Black Student Union Administrative Office: The Office of International Education

Members of Utica’s DEI staff at the MVCAA event (left to right): Mark Kovacs, Kira Maddox, Nina Nguyen, and Anthony Baird ‘91.

Campus Fun in Many Forms

What do plate-breaking, beach games, and cute pups have in common?

They were all part of unconventional activities held on campus during the Spring semester, sponsored by the Utica Programming Board, the Office of Student Living and Campus Engagement, and the Residence Hall Association, in an effort to help students (and furry friends) unwind.

HEARD ON CAMPUS

“To the graduating Class of 2022, so much joy and tragedy has defined our four thattogether.yearsIhopetoday,foreachofyou,ispurejoy.”

—Class of 2022 Valedictorian Anna Taylor ’22 in her commencement address

Faculty Achievement

Tim Abraham, assistant professor of physical educa tion/exercise and wellness studies; David Schilling, associate professor of phys ical therapy; and Ahmed Radwan, dean of health professions and education and professor of physical therapy, delivered a peerreviewed presentation at the 25th National Applied Ergonomics Conference in Orlando.

Dave Roberts, adjunct professor for psychology and psychology-child life, recently co-authored a book titled, When the Psychology Professor Met the Minister, which details his journey coping with the loss of his daughter.

Zhaodan Huang, Harold T. Clark Jr. Professor of Finance, co-authored a peer-reviewed article titled The Information Role of Liquidity, Firm Funda mentals, and Long-term Stock Value for the Social Science Research Network, discussing the effect of liquidity shocks on asset prices.

Voicing

Wilfredo Alvarez, associate professor of communication arts, authored a book titled Everyday Dirty Work, where he explores anotherAlvarezcommunicationco-culturalpractices.alsoco-authoredbooktitled

Diverse Teaching Experi ences, about the engage ment of diverse social groups. [1]

Austen D. Givens, associate professor of cybersecurity, co-authored a book titled Homeland Security: An Intro duction, which discussed the systematic approaches of the Department of Home land Security.

Samantha Marocco, assis tant professor of physical therapy, earned her board certification as Physical Therapy Clinical Specialist in Geriatrics Emeritus.

Ariel Gratch, assistant professor of communication arts, co-authored a book titled Introduction to the Special Issue: Storytelling in the Uncanny Valley, a special edition of Storytelling, Self, Society [2]

Kaylee Seddio, assistant professor of psychology, co-authored a peer-re viewed article titled Bidirec tional and Interactive Effects of Child Temperament and Parenting in Early Childhood on the Trajectory of Social Anxiety in Adolescence, in the National Library of Medicine. [3]

oneJust gift can start a lifelong tradition of giving back — and build a legacy to support Utica University students for generations to come.

As a young alumnus of then-Utica College of Syracuse University, Mike Corasanti made his first gift to his alma mater in 1986.

Though it wasn’t much, Mike’s donation was his way of paying it forward.

Today, Mike boasts a 36-year giving history, making him one of the University’s most loyal donors and helping to fund Utica’s most critical needs and support generations of deserving learners.

But for Mike, it’s all part of being a proud alumnus.

“I benefited from the generosity of others,” he says. “So giving back to help students is just the right thing to do.” We couldn’t have said it better ourselves. Here’s to you, Mike.

To learn more, or to “Give Like Mike,” visit utica.edu/givelikemike.

ATHLETICS

Ka’Sean Watlington G’22 Sport: Track and Field Hometown: Bayport, NY

Ka’sean Watlington capped a decorated career in impressive fashion at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championship in Geneva, OH. It was the fifth NCAA appearance for the two-time All-American and one of the nation’s top triple jumpers. The graduate student led a well-represented Utica team at nationals, joining national-qualifying teammates Hogan Logan ’24 and Mackenzie Mix ’25

Looking Back on 2021-22:

An Amazing Season in Review

Twelve teams qualified for postseason conference play, with four advancing to the championship game. Men’s track and field won the 2022 Empire 8 outdoor champi onships. The men’s hockey team claimed its third UCHC conference title in five years, and advanced to the NCAA tournament quarterfinals.

The men’s hockey team earned at nation’s best five All-Amer ican selections. Justin Allen ’22 , Regen Cavanagh ’22 , and Dante Zapata ’23 [1] received first team honors, while Buster Larsson ’23 and Jayson Dobay ’24 earned second team hon ors. Zapata, the UCHC Player of the Year, was a finalist for the Sid Watson Award, given annually to the top player in the Two-timecountry.All-American Hunter Logan ’24 placed fifth in the shot put at the NCAA Indoor Championships.

Mackenzie Mix ’25 was named Empire 8 Outdoor Women’s Track Athlete of the Year and Rookie of the Year. The fresh man placed 18th in the 400 meters in her inaugural NCAA Championships appearance.

Georgiana Santullo ’22 [2] was a finalist for the Laura Hurd Award, presented to the country’s top women’s hockey player. The All-American and UCHC Player of the Year broke 18-year-old single-season program records for goals (29) and points (55). She led the nation in power play goals, and finished second in points-pergame, leading the Pioneers to a program-best 21 wins.

Olsen Returns to Lead Softball Program [3]

Rinae Olsen ’09 is returning home. The former four-year standout turned successful head coach has been named head softball coach at her alma mater.

Olsen ranks sixth among Utica softball players with 147 games played. She is also eighth in Utica’s record book with a .981 career fielding percentage and ninth in career RBIs (71). She helped guide the Pioneers to a second-place finish in the Empire 8 and the ECAC Tournament after going 31-11 in Following2006.

graduation, she stayed on as an assistant coach, and helped the program to unprecedented success.

In 2013, Utica captured its first-ever Empire 8 regular season championship. The Pioneers finished as Empire 8 runners-up but earned, an atlarge selection into the NCAA Tournament for the first time

Afterever.

leaving Utica, Olsen spent six years as an assistant coach at perennial cham pionship contender Ithaca College. She helped guide the Bombers to four conference championships and five NCAA Tournament appearances, including a third place finish in 2018. The Ithaca coaching staff was named NFCA Regional Coaching Staff of the Year twice during her tenure.

Most recently, Olsen has spent the past three seasons as head coach at Skidmore College. During her first full year of coaching, she led her team to a 24-14 overall record and an ap pearance in the Liberty League Tournament.

Rogers Named Men’s Lacrosse Head Coach [4]

Lelan Rogers is the new head coach of the Pioneers men’s l acrosse program. Rogers comes to Utica with more than 30 years of coaching experience, most recently at Syracuse University. He spent the past 14 years as defensive coordinator and recruiting co ordinator at Syracuse, helping lead the Orange to Division I national championships in 2008 and 2009 and 14 NCAA tournament appearances.

Under his leadership, the Syra cuse defense ranked in the top 5 nationally in goals-against for three consecutive years, in cluding a No. 1 ranking in 2010.

In all, 79 players were named USILA All-Americans during Rogers’ time at Syracuse.

Prior to Syracuse, Rogers was the head coach at SUNY Cortland, where he guided the Red Dragons to four SUNYAC championships and five straight NCAA Tournament ap pearances, including a national semifinal appearance in 2003.

During his time at Cortland, 23 of his players earned All-Amer ican recognition. He has also coached collegiately at Ohio Wesleyan and Le Moyne, and coached one season profes sionally with Major League Lacrosse’s (MLL) Chicago Machine.

Pioneer Hall of Fame: Six ATHLETICSOneIndividuals,Team

Louie Educate '15 Men’s Hockey

Louie Educate transferred to Utica after leading the nation with 27 goals during his freshman season at Nichols College. His all-around scoring ability and prow ess for scoring goals in big moments would help lead Utica to its first-ever NCAA tournament and Frozen Four appearances. His 36 goals and eight game-winning goals rank seventh and second respectively in program history. Between his time at Utica and Nichols, he had 122 career points in 108 games. He was a two-time ECAC West All-Conference pick, and was the conference's 2013 Player of the Year. Educate was also a 2013 AHCA Division III First Team All-American, and was also named to the Division III All-USCHO team in the same year. Following his college career, he played parts of three professional seasons in the United States’ Southern Professional Hockey League as well as in Germany, and served as assistant coach on the Pioneers’ team that won the 20172018 conference championship. Today, he is head coach of the Utica Jr. Comets National Collegiate Development Conference (NCDC) junior hockey program.

Hannah (Mackey) Scheminger '15 Field Hockey

Hannah Mackey holds career and single-season records for goals, points, points-per-game, and game-winning goals (11), as well as career records for Her 36-goal senior season ranked ninth in NCAA Division III history at the time of her graduation, and remains an Empire 8 record to this day. Her 84 career goals and 199 career points were both conference records at the time, and were only just recently surpassed. She helped guide the Pioneers to three Empire 8 championships in four tournament appearances and three NCAA tournaments. She scored two goals in the team's 2012 NCAA opening round game against Endicott College to lift the program to its first national tournament win. She is the only Utica field hockey player to be named an All-American in consecutive seasons. Among additional honors, she was a four-time All-Conference First Team selection, 2011 Empire 8 Rookie of the Year, 2014 Empire 8 Player of the Year, 2014 ECAC North Atlantic Player of the Year, and 2015 Empire 8 Conference Woman of the Year.

Meet the newest members of the Pioneer Hall of Fame.

2009-2010 Women's Basketball Team

The 2009-10 Utica women’s basketball team captured the Empire 8 conference championship before advancing to the second round of the NCAA tournament. The team posted program-tying best 22-7 record, including a 12-1 record on its home court and a 12-4 conference mark. The Pioneers earned an automatic berth in the national tournament on a buzz er-beating layup by Jessica Berry, which lifted Utica to a 38-37 upset of top-seeded Ithaca. In the opening round of NCAA play, the team overcame a 15-point deficit to defeat Moravian Team64-61.members

include Berry, Jessica Snyder, Katie McGee, Devon Croll, Danielle Busansky, Casey Orlando, Janelle Nixon, Megan Browning, Danielle Moore, Meghan Fiore, Justine Karst, Courtney Crawford, Brittany Baudanza, Stephanie Nara, An drea Reese, team manager Monique Sidberry, Assistant Coach Kristen Vasta, and Head Coach Michele Davis. They join Utica’s first-ever women’s basketball team, the trailblazers from 19491950, as the second women’s basketball team inducted into the Hall of Fame.

Brian Barth '06

BrianFootballBarth

was on the roster when Utica earned its first-ever win over an NCAA Division III program, and later captained the team to its first winning season in 2005. A three-time Empire 8 All-Conference selection, 2003 ECAC Northwest Honorable Mention All-Star, and 2004 Football Gazette Division III Preseason All-Amer ican, the tight end and offensive staple appeared in every game over his four-year career, starting 35 of 40 contests. He caught 80 passes for 849 yards, leading the Pioneers in re ceptions in each of his sophomore and junior seasons. He also helped block the edges for a Pioneers offense that leaned on its rushing attack. Following his college career, Barth earned an invitation from the Buffalo Bills to participate in a training camp workout.

Evelyn Kurzac '14, M'15 Water Polo

One of the most accomplished players in the history of Collegiate Water Polo Association Division III competition, Kurzac was a four-time All-Conference and All-American selection. She is Uti ca's all-time leader in career (236) and single-season (75) goals. She was also a

formidable distributor and defender. Her 59 career assists are a school record, and she is ranked second in program history in career steals. In four appearances at the CWPA tournament, Kurzac helped guide Utica to five postseason victories.

Meghan Matan '14 Softball

Utica’s first-ever softball All-American, Meghan Matan was a cornerstone to the program’s most successful era to date. She played in 120 games over three seasons, primarily at third base. During that stretch, the Pioneers won 78 games, including a program-record 34 victories in 2013 when the team earned its first-ever NCAA tournament berth. She earned All-Region First Team and National Fast pitch Coaches’ Association All-American honors in 2014, when she led the Empire 8 with a .481 batting average and struck out only three times during the entire season. A career .397 hitter, Matan recorded two of the top 10 single-season batting averages in Utica history. She is one of only four players in school history to score more than 100 runs, and ranks fifth and fourth respectively in career doubles and triples. At the time of her graduation, she owned four single-season records, including hits-per-game, hits, doubles, and stolen bases.

Megan Myers '14 Women’s Hockey

Megan Myers put together one of the most offensively dominant careers in the history of Utica women's hockey and the ECAC West Conference. A four-team All-Conference selection, two-time First Team selection, and 2013 All-Amer ican, she led the Pioneers in scoring each of her four seasons. She is tied for the program’s career goal-scoring record (74), and is second in career points (143). The Las Vegas native scored 15 career game-winning goals, helping lead Utica to 56 wins and three postseason appear ances. She became the first Utica women's hockey player drafted into the Canadian Women's Hockey League when she was selected by the Boston Blades in 2014. Playing alongside Olympic greats Brianna Decker, Hilary Knight, Monique Lam oureux, Kacey Bellamy, and Meghan Duggan, Myers helped guide Boston to the 2015 Clarkson Cup Championship. She played a total of five seasons with the Blades and became its captain. She also played on the Professional Women's Hockey Players' Association Dream Gap Tour.

IN WORDA

As members of Utica University’s Class of 2022 know all too well, crossing that stage on Commencement Day is no small feat. And after celebrating their achievements on May 12-13, 2022, we posed yet another challenge to the graduates: Describe your Utica University experience in just one word. Here, a collection of our favorite ascenesresponses—andone-wordcelebratoryfromamilestoneworthmillionmore.

Siobhan Brennan ’22

Matthew“Eventful”Breault

Nicole“Empowering”Evans’22 with her family Nutrition

Megan

ISCOLLEGEUTICANOW

UNIVERSITYUTICA

THE ANTICIPATION WAS HIGH IN THE CYNKUS WELCOME CENTER ON FEBRUARY 17, 2022.

An announcement was to be deliv ered by President Laura Casamen to, and the locals news media, the Board of Trustees, students, and many members of the faculty and staff were buzzing in the building’s atrium, ready to hear the news that, according to chatter already circu lating on social media, promised to be Afterbig.a

brief welcome from Board of Trustees Chair Robert Brvenik ’77, President Casamento took the “Itpodium.ismy pleasure to talk to you about the worst-kept secret in the Mohawk Valley,” she said, the quip immediately breaking the tension and eliciting laughter and applause. Indeed, the word had gotten out — but it didn’t diminish the excitement in the air when President Casamento officially announced that that the New York State Board of Regents had approved and endorsed the

college’s petition to elevate to university status.

“We will now be known, forever more, as Utica University.”

Casamento went on to explain how the moment signified “much more than a name change.”

“It represents the culmination of a decades-long commitment to stra tegic growth, academic excellence through innovative programs and curricula, and an unwavering belief in providing incredible, life-changing opportunities to all students through higher education.”

In fact, the change in designation was more than two decades in the making. It had been long lobbied for by former President Todd Hutton, among other administrators and leaders of the institution, since 1999, when Utica added its first graduate programs. At the time, New York was the only state requiring the creation and operation of doctoral level programs in order to be called a university.

In almost every respect, Utica was already operating as a university — and the New York Board of Regents simply had to catch up.

“Nearly every institution in every part of the country that resembles Utica College was long ago recog nized as a university,” Hutton has Atsaid.last, signs of hope surfaced in December 2021, when William Murphy, New York State’s deputy commissioner of higher educa

tion, recommended the amended definition to the Higher Education Committee of the Board of Regents.

In a memo, Murphy noted that “the term ‘college’ presents a significant marketing challenge” for New York institutions aiming to compete at the national and international level.

The Board seemed to take heed. Months later, in January 2022, the New York State Board of Regents announced a dramatic change to the definition of “university” that had been in place since 1969. The

amendment removes doctoral pro grams and degrees in two or more professional fields, adds graduate program discipline areas, and re quires an institution to have at least three registered graduate programs in order to receive the “universi ty” designation. Utica exceeds the requirement, offering 20 graduate programs, including doctoral pro grams in both physical and occupa tional therapy, MBA programs, and masters programs in health adminis tration, nursing, and education.

ANATOMY OF THE UTICA UNIVERSITY SEAL

The laurel, part of the original UC-SU undergraduate academic seal, symbolizes honor and achievement.

The focal point of the seal is a shield, used in heraldry, that represents “family ties” to Syracuse University as well as the Utica University community as a family.

The five bars, depicted as the five stripes of white space stemming from the peak, represent the five areas in which the University reaches out to students to educate and develop them: liberal arts, sciences, professional studies, extracurricular activities, and continuing education.

MCMXXXIII

Syracuse extensionUniversitysite(1933)

MCMXLVI

First year as a college (1946)

MCMXCV

The book represents learning and knowledge.

Its “U” shape stands for Utica and Utica University.

The peak on the bottom of the seal’s shield is an abstract representation of the Frank E. Gannett Memorial Library, the center of learning on campus.

The dates on the seal mark four import ant years in the University’s history (see timeline below).

Chartered by the Board of Regents as an independent institution (1995)

24 The arch, formed by white space, represents the archway at Plymouth Church through which thousands of students passed to take classes on the original Oneida Square campus.

MMXXII Regents award Utica university status (2022)

The Utica University seal incorporates a number of important symbols.

With the Board’s amendment, Utica was among the first private insti tutions in the state to be granted university status.

“In terms of the breadth and depth of our programs, this change is a true reflection of who we are today as an institution,” said Casamento at the news conference. “This exciting news will strengthen our ability to recruit students and faculty internationally and from other parts of the country.”

The announcement concluded with yet another milestone: the ceremoni al unveiling of the hoodies.

“Our students tell me that the new name is not ‘official official’ until it appears on a hoodie,” said Casa mento, as a dozen student ambas sadors approached the podium, all wearing the first-ever batch of Utica University hooded sweatshirts.

“So, of course, we made that hap pen,” said President Casamento, slipping on her own. 

THE BUZZ ON SOCIAL MEDIA

What members of the greater University community are saying about Utica’s new name

Linda Smith Griffin ‘72

What a momentous day. I know how long and how hard many people worked toward this goal. Bravo!

Frank Cittadino, Adjunct Professor of Fine Arts

New Name, New Look

A guide to Utica University’s redesigned visual brand identity

Before After

Fast facts about the new look:

• Designed by Joe Bosack & Co., a national branding and design firm

• Maintains the same color palette and typography as the previous design

• A slightly modified moose logo is the primary athletic logo

• Features Gotham font used in the institutional logo as an athletic word mark, from which a standalone “U” secondary logo

is extrapolated in an effort to more closely align the athletic identity to the institutional identity

• “Achieves a much cleaner, easier-to-use system of marks that allows greater ease in pre senting and maintaining a consis tent image of Utica University,” says Vice President for Presiden tial Affairs and Chief Marketing and Communications Officer Kelly Adams.

FANTASTIC! Utica University is poised to grow even more as a significant national and international center of learn ing and research.

Tom Baker ’13

End of an era. Progress. While I’ll miss the nostalgia of knowing it all my life as, and graduating from, Utica Col lege, it’s better for the institu tion and all those attendees yet to come. Congrats, Utica University. You’ll always be UC to me.

Lenie Herrera-Kline ’17

Congratulations my alma mater! Proud to be a graduate of this school!

Rrezart Dema ’16

“Never Stand Still”

Roger Shapiro ’83

Are the t-shirts ready???

Focused on opportunity and student success, Utica’s cybersecurity programs are keeping pace with a rapidly changing industry.

MOV TARGET. ING

When Andrew Carr arrived at Utica University as a student almost twen ty years ago, the 9/11 terror attacks were still fresh in everyone’s mind.

The profound effect that the re sulting global war on terror had on American society resonated deeply within the domain of law enforce ment education. Newer fields like cybersecurity, still in its infancy on that fateful day in 2001, largely followed the course of these historical currents.

Now an assistant professor and director of Utica’s master’s program in cybersecurity, Carr was in the founding cohort of the cyberse curity major when it launched in 2007. At that time, the program was

laser-focused on national security, and with good reason.

“Utica University students sought careers in law enforcement or intelligence to help defend against threats to our way of life. At the time, the public sector was typically the main employer of cybersecuri ty professionals and terrorism was everyone’s main concern,” says Carr. “The private sector was not a signif icant focus of Utica’s cybersecurity program in those early days.”

Part of the reason for this was the establishment of the Department of Homeland Security and other institutional resources created as a direct response to 9/11, such as the National Counterterrorism

Center and the Directorate of National Intelligence. The federal government needed a large cadre of skilled, highly trained profession als to bring these new agencies on line and pursue the goal of keeping America safe.

Other concerns drove the pub lic sector’s call for cybersecurity professionals as well. As methods and practices became more sophis ticated, law enforcement agencies were increasingly turning to digital forensics to aid in the fight against white collar crime, child trafficking, and other domestic threats. The cy bersecurity curriculum at Utica was designed in large measure to pre pare students to meet this demand.

Carr’s own experience underscores this dynamic. As a student, he completed an internship with the Utica Police Department under the supervision of his now-colleague Professor Anthony Martino. His first job was as a computer evidence specialist at Onondaga County’s Wallie Howard Jr. Center for Forensic Sciences in Syracuse.

“Many of the people I graduated with currently hold positions in government at both the federal and state level,” Carr says.

Dr. Leslie Corbo, associate professor of cybersecurity and director of the undergraduate program, began her career in the private sector work ing for a global defense contractor.

When she arrived at Utica as an adjunct in 2012, an important focus of the program was on cyberwar fare and intelligence collection in support of the U.S. Department of “TheDefense.government was focused on finding and shutting down resources used to fund terrorism. That focus was at the forefront of our program, and our students were supporting military and law enforcement in stallations. Our curriculum prepared graduates for work in government entities and defense contractors,” says Corbo.

The Big Shift

But as the years passed, the focus of cybersecurity gradually began

to shift. While counterterrorism and national defense remain important priorities, the private sector has increasingly emerged as the terrain upon which many cybersecurity bat tles are fought in the modern era. With the monumental growth in commercial activity via the Inter net over the past two decades and an ever-greater reliance on digital technologies to support day-today operations, private businesses and non-profits have become the targets of a growing onslaught of highly sophisticated cyberattacks by shadowy criminal enterprises and non-state actors. This has prompted a dramatic increase in private sector demand for qualified cybersecurity professionals capable of meeting

Leslie Corbo and Andrew Carr have been instrumental in Utica’sdevelopingcybersecurityprogramtomeettoday’sdemands.

these threats

“Cybersecurityhead-on.isnolonger a career almost exclusively housed in gov ernment agencies and defense contractors. Every organization needs cybersecurity,” says Corbo. This is not something that can be addressed by a single employee or a handful of consultants, she says. Private enterprises now need a range of capabilities, including incident response teams, network defenders, cloud security specialists, threat analysts, and employees who can assess and manage risk in their cybersecurity “Organizationsspace.ofall sizes are investing in in-house cybersecurity

departments with their own threat hunting and forensics teams,” Carr says. “The number of open positions for private sector cybersecurity em ployees is now more than ten times that of the public sector.”

The tactics are changing as well. Now more than ever before, ran somware is becoming the weapon of choice for cyber criminals.

“Ransomware has changed the land scape of cyber threats significantly, and now every organization must be aware of and prepare for cybersecu rity incidents and the threat of data theft. Average ransoms are now in the millions of dollars,” says Carr. Ransomware attacks are not limited

to larger organizations. Targets run the gamut from small physician’s offices to Fortune 100 companies, and the number of attacks is steadi ly increasing – the average number of cyber attacks and data breaches rose more than 15% in 2021 over the previous year, according to Forbes

A New Focus

The cybersecurity program at Utica University has leaned into this change in focus, updating the curric ulum to better prepare students for an amorphous, ever-evolving battle.

“Both the undergraduate and the graduate cybersecurity programs have undergone complete overhauls

Corbo and Carr, along with Stephanie Nesbitt, Dean of Business and Justice and Associate Professor of Risk Management and Insurance, brainstorm ways to improve coursework for students.

Corbo describes a proactive process of listening to industry experts and potential employers to determine what skills and capabilities are in demand. “We’re asking the simple question, what do you want in a new employee with your organization? We’ve used supply and heat maps to determine what job openings are available, and what skillsets and knowledge these jobs require. From there, we’ve developed a top-notch program with specializations that reflect current needs,” she says.

The list of specializations now in cludes digital forensics and incident response, cybersecurity operations, and cybercrime and fraud investiga tions. In addition, the program has integrated a suite of exercises and digital badging from the indus try-leading RangeForce training platform as well as certifications from CompTIA.

Also, the program leadership and most of the faculty come from

Leslie Corbo, D.Sc. Associate Professor of Cybersecurity

long careers in both the public and private sectors. They remain active in their pre-existing professional networks and are able to keep their finger on the pulse of what’s needed in the real world.

Soft Skills

Carr says a key part of the program is developing skills that are transfer rable between jobs, industries, and sectors. Technical skills are import ant, but they vary from position to position. Employers are also looking for what he refers to as “soft skills”: perseverance, adaptability, and good communication skills.

This last item is particularly import ant in the private sector. “Much of the work involves relaying technical information to non-technical peo ple,” says Carr. “Our students need to be able to properly convey cy bersecurity risks and resolutions to these people in a way that they can understand so they can take appro priate action. You can be the best analyst in the world, but if you lack those interpersonal skills, you won’t be valuable to your organization.”

“Many times, cybersecurity practi tioners act as the conduit between

the technical and non-technical teams,” Corbo says. “We need to be able to speak both languages. Many employers tell us how much they appreciate our students’ ‘soft skills’. The students work on these skills from day one, and it shows.”

Like many programs at Utica Uni versity, the cybersecurity major and master’s program have managed to keep pace with a rapidly changing industry by focusing on new career opportunities as they emerge. More than anything else, it demonstrates the strength of Utica’s mission and the salience of its promise to pre pare students for a future beyond their “Earlyimagining.on,many of our students wanted to help save the world,” says Carr. “This was noble then and remains so today. But many now realize that there are more opportu nities for success and advancement in the private sector, at a compen sation scale that dwarfs that of the public sector, and so students are being drawn toward that path. Our job is to get students career-ready, and we will do whatever it takes to accomplish that, even if that means rewriting our entire program again and again in the years ahead.” 

“We’re asking employers the simple question, what do you want in a new employee with your organization?”

Advocate in Chief

A fluke accident as a teenager changed the course of Kimberly Hill’s life. Now, she’s using her experience to fight for others and dispel misconceptions about people with disabilities as New York State’s first-ever Chief Disability Officer.

With moments until midnight, the crowd of teenage party-goers began counting down, the room’s energy rising and culminating with frenzied jumps and cheers as the clock struck midnight.

Hill, physically caught up in the throng of friends, found herself knocked to the floor, suddenly unable to move. Improbably, she had broken her neck.

“It was the definition of a fluke,” says Hill, who recalls the months following her accident as a blur of hospitals, surgeries, and reha bilitation. She spent nearly eight months in the hospital – the first two months were spent at Upstate Medical Center in Syracuse, NY and then the final six months were at Burke Rehabilitation Center in White Plains, NY. It was during this time that doctors and physi cal therapists helped her recover, learn how to adapt to a wheel chair, and transition to her new life as a 17-year-old with a disability. She didn’t know it then, but the implausible tragedy would set Kimberly Hill on a path to be come one of the most powerful advocates for people with dis

abilities in New York State. As a student at Utica, where she enrolled barely 18 months into her recovery, Hill found a passion for state government, and honed the skills that would propel her into a decades-long career in the New York State Assembly — all while refusing to let her disability get in the “Kimway.has defied being pi geon-holed,” says Jim Murphy, Hill’s former government professor and mentor. “Both as a college student and now as a leader in Albany, she has never let her disability define her.”

A Reimagined Future Kimberly Hill had just begun to explore college options when her accident altered everything. Plans, which she had hoped would include college in New York City and a career in the merchandising industry, were put on hold indefi nitely. Like so many other parts of her life, the future Hill had carefully plotted out as an ado lescent now seemed nebulous, requiring myriad concessions and compromises due to her physical

But,limitations.inthesummer of 1989, a visit to then-Utica College of Syracuse University opened up a new possi bility. Since the accident, Hill’s par ents’ support and advocacy had been essential in helping her re cover and cope. Her mom, Barba ra, had practically made Hill’s care her full-time job. The entire family knew that finding a college nearby would allow Hill to continue to rely on her parents’ support. Still, Hill was not interested in commuting.

Getting the full college experience, she knew, meant all the trappings of college life: living on campus, eating in the dining hall, attending parties with friends, and hanging out on the quad on spring after noons. Despite all the changes she’d endured over the past sever al months, Hill wasn’t ready to give up on that vision.

Her visit to Utica had restored her hope. Living so close by, Hill realized she had discounted the local college, but now, after a tour and multiple assurances that adjustments could be made to the physical campus to ensure acces sibility, Hill felt she had found the perfect fit.

“[Utica] was 10 minutes from my house, had several programs I was interested in, and it just made a lot of sense,” she says. By then, her career goals had moved away from merchandising and toward journalism and public relations, two programs for which Utica was nationally known. Soon after her visit, Hill applied and was accept ed, declaring a PR and journalism major with a minor in government.

“My dad had worked in state gov ernment for a long time, so I had the idea I wanted to do something in that realm,” she recalls.

Her campus living arrangements were falling into place, too. With help from then-Director of Resi dence Life Mark Kovacs and some tweaks by facilities to make her route to campus buildings more accessible, Hill settled into an apartment on the ground floor of Alumni Hall, where she would live for the next four years.

It was the tail end of 1988. Kimberly Hill was a high-school junior in New Hartford, NY, spending the final hours of the year with friends at a New Year’s Eve party.

Just as she had hoped, Hill was enjoying life as a typical Utica student, thriving socially and Inacademically.theclassroom, she excelled in courses in communications and government. Government Profes sors Jim Murphy and Richard Em mert served as valuable mentors.

In fact, it was in one of Emmert’s classes that Hill met one friend in particular. A year her junior, fellow government student Mike Ridley ‘95 was as politically minded as Hill. They grew closer while work ing on future Congressman Mike

Arcuri’s winning bid for Oneida County District Attorney in 1993.

“We just hit it off,” Hill says. “Our interests were aligned.”

‘Talent and Temperament’

Professor Jim Murphy has no trouble remembering Kimberly Hill, despite the 30 years since she first entered his classroom in DePerno Hall.

“She sat in the front row on the right,” he recalls. “She was very soft-spoken, gracious, understat ed. And she did great work.”

In Murphy’s evening course on election campaign management, Hill’s “brains and talent” impressed him, he says. Then a junior, Hill talked with Murphy about her career aspirations, and Murphy was in the unique position to help.

At the time, Murphy himself was working in the state legislature as director of the intern program. The Assembly was always looking for talented interns to join the staff, and Murphy was happy to provide recommendations from among his students, many of them also acolytes of legendary PR Professor Ray Simon.

Hill, he knew, would thrive in a position within the Assembly’s Communication and Informa tion Services Department, which required deft writing skills and a “certain temperament under pres sure,” he explains. “To find such a mature temperament in someone that young is rare, but Kim had it.”

In January 1994, at Murphy’s rec ommendation, Hill interviewed for and was offered a job that seemed

the perfect marriage of her inter ests and education; doing writing, research and graphic design for the democratic majority.

After graduating from Utica in the spring of 1994, Hill moved to Alba ny and began work. She was soon joined by boyfriend Mike Ridley, who spent a semester commuting back and forth from Utica before graduating in December, and soon found a position of his own within the State Assembly as well.

By 1998, Hill’s career took a for tuitous turn when she was ap proached about an open position within the Assembly, as Director of the Task Force on People with TheDisabilities.TaskForce focused on peo ple with physical and sensory disabilities, and the Director, she learned, would help create and evaluate initiatives for people with disabilities living in New York. The opportunity to help others through legislation was too appealing to pass up.

“I knew I would have the ability to make changes to help people live more independently, more inclu sively in the community,” Hill says.

Hill was offered the position, and over the course of more than two decades, became one of Albany’s most vocal and most effective advocates for New Yorkers with disabilities. Most notably, she worked with Assembly members to advance legislation related to the state’s Nursing Facility Transi tion and Diversion Waiver, which allows seniors and people with physical disabilities to have more control over the services they

Pictured circa 1993 on campus, Kimberly Hill served as a student ambassador for the ad missions department during her Utica days.

receive while living in communi ty-based settings. In 2002, she championed the passage of the Most Integrated Setting Coordi nating Council, ensuring that New Yorkers with disabilities receive care and services in the most integrated settings appropriate to their needs. She served with the Assembly’s Standing Committee on People with Disabilities as their principal analyst, and helped plan more than 24 annual Legislative Disabilities Awareness Days, which brought hundreds of people with disabilities, their families, advo cates, and legislators to Albany each year.

Her decision to accept the Task Force position, it seemed, was a solid one. Hill was more than a mouthpiece for disability rights. On behalf of New Yorkers with disabilities, she was a force.

A History-Making Opportunity

By the summer of 2021, Kimber ly Hill was busier than ever. As was the case for nearly every population across the globe, the COVID-19 pandemic had created unprecedented obstacles for peo ple with disabilities in New York.

Among many others, issues relat ed to the home care industry were top of mind for Hill, as the pan demic was exasperating an already struggling home care and direct care “Whenindustry.yourely on home care to get up and be independent each day, not having that help can be devastating,” she says.

Adding to the upheaval, New York’s longtime governor, Andrew

Cuomo, had recently resigned, and state government was in flux. The incoming governor, demo crat Kathy Hochul, took office on August 24, 2021, and, according to Hill, brought with her a fresh per spective on disability rights and employment inclusion.

“I admired how Governor Hochul took office ready to rebuild and make these issues a priority,” she Partsays.ofHochul’s agenda was the creation of an entirely new office supporting people with disabili ties, which would be led by a new position: the state’s first-ever Chief Disability Officer.

When news of the job open ing crossed Hill’s desk, she first thought of her family: Mike Ridley, her partner of more than 30 years, and their children, Michaela, 19, and Alex, 14.

“I knew, immediately, that this would be a dramatic career change, and I had to weigh the work-life balance,” she says, though she couldn’t deny the job’s extraordinary appeal.

“The job description reflected everything I was doing for the Assembly, but on a statewide level within the Executive Chamber. It represented the chance to make some real change as part of an

Governor Hochul congratulates Hill at the news conference announcing her appointment in February 2022. Photo credit: Mike Groll, Office of Governor Kathy Hochul

administration deeply committed to these issues, and I felt like I needed to explore that.”

After a “fantastic” interview pro cess, Hill got the call she’d been hoping for.

“I may have screamed a little bit,” Hill says with a laugh, recalling the moment she learned she had been selected as New York’s first-ever Chief Disability Officer.

Her new boss, Governor Hochul, was excited, too. In a ceremony in February 2022, Hochul praised Hill as a “superstar” for her long history of advocacy work.

“She has the demeanor and those existing relationships that will benefit us,” said Hochul in her remarks. “The bar is very high for you, Kim, but I have no doubt that you’ll meet it.”

The Future of Disability Rights

Even with her new position’s high

profile, Hill’s work, then and now, has always focused on two fun damental goals: inclusion and independence for people with dis abilities — both of which Hill says start with employment.

“The unemployment rate in New York among people with disabil ities is staggering,” Hill explains, “And a lot of that is connected to issues surrounding employer misconceptions. Employers who are unfamiliar with people with disabilities may not understand just how valuable they can be as Inemployees.”anongoing effort to change those perceptions, Hill and her office are working with state agencies and the dozens of service providers and not-for-profits that play a role in the employment of people with disabilities.

At the same time, Hill is identifying all of the roadblocks and barriers

that are preventing people with disabilities from exploring employ ment options and opportunities. Hill expects that tackling this issue with a multi-pronged approach will dramatically improve the employ ment rate for people with disabil ities, and play a substantial role in achieving Governor Hochul’s goal to create 1,200 state jobs for people with disabilities.

And despite the many challeng es still facing New York’s Chief Disability Officer and the people she serves, Hill can’t help setting long-term goals for her office—and the “Mystate.realhope is that New York becomes a leader in disability policy and integrating people, so everyone feels included and valued in their communities,” she says. “That’s really what it’s all about.”

My real hope is that New York becomes a leader in disability policy and integrating people, so everyone feels included and valued in their communities. That’s really what it’s all about.” “

The Honor Roll of Donors highlights the names of those who made a gift to Utica University during the 2021-22 fiscal year beginning June 1, 2021 and ending May 31, 2022. Gifts to the University received after May 31, 2022 will be recognized in the 2022-23 Honor Roll of Donors.

Every effort has been made to ensure accuracy and completeness. In the event that an error or omission is found, we sincerely apologize and asked that you contact the Office of Advancement at 315-792-3053 or email advancement@utica. edu so we can correct our records.

For the full list of donors, please visit utica.edu/HonorRollofDonors

PIONEER SOCIETY

The Pioneer Society honors Utica University’s most generous annual donors. The Society recognizes those leadership donors whose commitment and investment in Utica University is critical to the institution’s future. Each year, gifts received from Pioneer Society donors represent more than 80 percent of the University’s total gifts.

Pioneer Society

Chair’s Summit Circle $20,000 or more

KennethAnonymousBell ‘75 and Anne Veness Bell Robert Brvenik ‘77 Larry ‘74 and Cora Bull Laura and Filippo Casamento Harold Clark Jr. ‘65, H’03 and Bernadette Clark Thomas Cole ‘92 Christopher ‘80 and Cynthia RonaldCrolius‘66 and Sheila

HarryCuccaro‘71and Wendy Cynkus Frederick ‘70 and Connie RonaldDegen‘63 and Cecelia ‘62

HartwellGouse Herring III and Paulette Herring Samuel and Nancy Hester Daniel ‘97 and Anne-Marie MichaelJones*Parnell ‘02† and Catherine Kelly ‘04, G’06 Christopher ‘61 and Virginia ElizabethKelly Meehan

Christian Meyer III ‘79 and Mary Beth Welle-Meyer ‘79 William Pfeiffer Jr. Mark ‘88 and Mary Beth Pilipczuk

Thomas ‘65 and Virginia DeannaRossiter‘62 and John GloriaSammonShaheen ‘82

Stephen Sloan ‘83 Stewart Starer ‘66 Kenneth ‘80 and Wendy JeremyTaubes‘00 and Carrie DavidThurstonWilson ‘67

David Wittner

Pioneer Society

President’s Summit Circle $10,000 - $19,999

StephenAnonymousAlcala ‘77 and Donna GeorgeBraun‘50 and Marilyn RobertBarlowBrandt Jr. and Carole JoanBrandtBrannick ‘54

Gerard Capraro ‘66 Don H’14 and Edna Carbone Randolph Collins ‘83 Thomas Cox Jr. ‘69 Steven ‘72 and Dorian Critellli Krista ‘82 and Louis VioletDiBerardino‘73and J. Christopher AllynEaganEarl ‘62

Heidi Hoeller ‘91 and Paul Serbaniewicz

John G’13 and Deborah GeorgeJohns*and Pinny Kuckel Peter ‘69 and JoAnn Lekki Donald Majka Albert ‘58 and Elinor Mazloom Wester ‘76 and Lorraine Miga Louis Natale ‘59 Jeffrey and Amanda Novotny Anthony ‘72 and Barbara LindaPaolozziRomano and Russell JamesPetralia*‘70and Sharon Samuel Vincent ‘60 and Sherry PatriciaSolomonand John Swann Charles Teuscher ‘84 DeForest ‘62 and Arlene ‘63 NancyTinklerWilliams

Pioneer Society Burrstone Circle $5,000 - $9,999

BartAnonymous‘62and Carol Basi Betsy WilliamBedientandJoan Blanchfield Anne Calabrese ‘71 John Calabrese Sr. ‘90 and Lori AlanJamesJosephCalabrese‘11andBarbaraChubbuckDuRossJr.andCynthiaDuRossEllinwood‘68

Christine ‘92 and Peter Farley* Francis Fiato ‘72 John Forte ‘73* Marianne and Peter Gaige Arthur Golder ‘50 William ‘74 and Linda

LindaMaryGrammaticasGreenGriffin‘72 and Freling

AnthonySmith Joseph Jr. ‘71 Benay Leff ‘65 Carol and Steven Mackintosh Stephen and Amanda Mandia Steven McKenna Wesley Miga ‘80 and Karen Stonebraker Miga ‘80 Frank ‘62 and Clorinda ‘62

RichardMondi‘52 and Elaine Montag George HowardPhilipScottMichaelRaymondJeffreySoladeKathleenMarianneToddChristopherNehmeNeumannPfannestielandAimeeZellersandDennisReynoldsRileyTehan‘76Rowe‘94andChidiBlyden-RoweSenft‘76‘59,H’11andElizabethSerwayandCarolSimpsonSugarman‘70andBarbara‘69TaurisanoTerrillion‘58

36† deceased *arranged for matching gift

Katie ‘98 and Richard Terry Kirsten Ullman ‘88 and Brian PaulBursa‘05 and Catherine Ward* Eric Watson and Paola Gentry Scott Weisman ‘77 and Virginia Furth Weisman Ann Wynne ‘58

Pioneer Society

Scholars Circle $2,500 - $4,999

Anthony Baird ‘91 Andrew Beakman Linda ‘89 and Les Bramblett Geoffrey Brandt ‘07

Alan Bucholtz ‘59

John Casellini ‘81 and Christine Rutigliano Michael DiGeorge ‘80 Dennis

Tanner Stewart ‘10* Lorna MichaelSweet‘66and Mary Anne ThomasValentineWilson ‘86

Pioneer Society Charter Circle $1,000 - $2,499

NicholasAnonymousand JamieLeigh KellyAccordino‘00and Michele ‘01

BrianAdamsAgnew ‘03 and Lauren

JonAgnew‘07and Amanda Ames* Andrew ‘99 and Gina Arcuri Francisco Ayala III ‘94 Eleanor Baker ‘51, H’93

Alan Balutis ‘67

Kenneth Barneys ‘87

Charlie and Jane Barthel Gordon Bashant Jr. ‘55 and Nancy Bashant Patrick ‘68 and Deborah

GregoryWilliamBastowBelden‘83and Julie HollyMarianneBenincasaBoehlertBoltz‘75and Daniel

DavidVega‘72 and Regina Bonacci Jacqueline Boulden ‘75 Douglas and Catherine Bowne Bryant Buchanan and Sharon StacyWise‘88 and Robert Buckley Janice Burke ‘70

Anne Burton ‘63 Mikhail Bushinski ‘17, G’18 Mary Cahalan ‘53

David and Nancy Carlon Matthew Carr ‘03 and Amie Lucia ‘05

Jerome and Mary Lou JamesCartwright‘78and Catherine NicholasCaruso‘86 and Barbara DanaJonCecereChamplinChristofferson ‘14*

Timothy Coakley ‘59 Richard Coffey Michael ‘80 and Cheryl Corasanti

Antonia Cortese ‘66

Vincent ‘66 and Nancy† Coyne Shad and Heidi Crowe Linda Culyer and Robert Culyer Jr. Ricardo ‘83 and Jacqueline SarahCumberbatch‘89andJames Dam Ann MarkDamianoandDeborah Daviau

Leila Davis ‘89 Michele Davis G’11 Benjamin De Iorio ‘62 and Donald Daniels ‘61 Nancy DePaolo Pattarini ‘77 and Stephen Pattarini Jeffrey Depoian ‘93 Stephen DeVito ‘12 William Dibble ‘65 Kyo ‘98, G’03 and Erik Dolan Jon RichardEarl ‘65 and Joan Evans William Everson Michael Evolo Jr. ‘90 and Melissa Hobika Evolo* Anthony and Katherine RichardFarringtonandBonnie Fenner Anthony Fus Jr. ‘04, G’06, G’11 Mark ‘78 and Carole Gauger Lawrence Grasso ‘77 and Cindy Moeckel

Lisa Green G’16 and Donald Green II W. James Greene ‘54 Anthony Grimm II ‘68 and Susan Grimm J.K. Hage III and Hedy HydePatriceHageand David Hallock Christopher Healy Scott ‘69 and Paula Healy Gary G’05 and Jodi Heenan Sarah Hinman ‘77 Andrew ‘84 and Mary Hislop Stephen Hoffman ‘70 and Mimi Santos-Hoffman John Hollister ‘69 Brian ‘75 and Susan Hughes Janice ‘73 and Michael ‘73 StanleyHuss ‘67 and Phyllis Ann RichardJachimowski‘67and Sally ‘68

EdwardHeatherJarvis*Johnsen‘62andHonore Jones James Kaufman

Harry ‘73 and Melissa Keel Kevin Kennedy ‘82

Richard Kennedy ‘97 Barbara Knauf and Arthur Knauf Jr.

John Kuhlmann ‘72 Walter ‘60 and Gloria Kunz David ‘76 and Martha ‘77

KimLambLambert and William

AnnWheatleyLambert Kremer ‘81 and Steven Kremer

Michael Levine ‘05, G’12

Terrence Li ‘01 and Cat Bui* Bonnie ‘79 and David Liebers

Arlene Lundquist

Janet Malone ‘86 W. Anthony Mandour and Carol Mandour

Glenn AnthonyManigaultG’04and Janice Martino

J. Kemper Matt Sr. and Angela NicholasMatt and Susan Matt Pamela Matt and Francis Matt

DominickIV Mattia Sr. ‘64 and Lauren Mattia ‘98

John and Darlene McLaughlin

Jennifer Miller ‘07 and Patrick Buchinski ‘08

Patrick and Linda Mineo Robert ‘73 and Lynn JohnMontesano‘61andLudmilla Moore

Risa JohnMorrison‘66and Patricia ‘66

FrankTimMulhallNelsonNotarianni ‘67

Adalgisa Nucci ‘67 Peter ‘90 and Colleen JohnO’Connor‘81and Kathleen ‘83

RichardO’Donnell‘79and Beth ‘79

MichaelVincentO’DonnellPalmieriPandolfo ‘78

Marlene Parron Bingaman ‘01 Rose Patterson ‘87

Lili Poon ‘99

Melvyn ‘59 and Ronnie CurtisPoplockand Joni Pulliam

Albert Pylinski Jr. ‘85

Eugene Quadraro Jr. ‘71 and Mary Theresa Quadraro

Maria and Jose Reyes Ann ‘87 and Danny Roman

Setsuko Rosen ‘87

John Rowe

Tricia Rutkowski Barry ‘70 and Patricia Ryan Donna Sabatino and John WilliamHanlon*Salmeri II ‘73 Pamela and Robert Salmon James Salsbury ‘69 Laura Salvaggio

Ashlea and Cory Schad

Kristian Schlottner ‘01 Michael Scialdone ‘99 Walter Semeniak ‘70 Anthony Shaheen ‘57 David Shanton ‘80

Robert ‘74 and Veronica NormanShermanand Ann Siegel

Terri Sitrin

John ‘95 and Renee Snyder Charles Sprock Sr. ‘61 and Gretchen Sprock Andrew Steiner ‘92

John ‘66 and MatthewDavidGaryEricAnnDavidStephenKyleVincentStephensonMadelineStrianoStrife‘08*‘98andGinaSurace‘69andLynneSuuronenMarieTeitelbaumCassella‘92Threadgill‘08‘68andMaryThurstonVanderVeenJr.‘89andCatherineVanderVeenVanWaes‘02,G’13

Kenneth ‘08 and Noel Visalli

Jeffery ‘04 and Kalia Whalley Selwyn White ‘85 Gregory ‘03, G’06 and Katharine ‘03 Williamson* Michele Woodard ‘76 John ‘68 and Patricia ‘68

RalphZalatanZegarelli ‘70 and Lucille JohnNickersonZografos ‘77 Jaime Zusman ‘65

HERITAGE SOCIETY

We gratefully acknowledge the commitment, foresight, and generosity of our community of alumni and friends who believe so fervently in our mission to educate that they have included the University when planning their philanthropy. Those listed here have either made provision in their estate and/or have taken steps to make a planned or deferred gift at some future point to benefit the faculty and students of Utica University.

Future Planned Gifts: Lawrence and Linda ‘96 RobertAaronson‘59and Elizabeth JohnBabcockBach Jr. ‘75 Pat Bamdad ‘65 Annette ProfessorBeckerJohnC. Behrens† Bernice Benson† Leo ‘54† and Joan ‘54 LarryBrannick‘74and Corky Bull Anne Calabrese ‘71 Gerard Capraro ‘66 Timothy Coakley ‘59 Thomas Cole ‘92

Harry Cynkus ‘71 Carolyn Dalton ‘74 Stuart Davis ‘58 and Constance Griffith Davis ‘58 Frederick Degen ‘70 Ron ‘61 and May ‘60† Duff Jim DuRoss Carl JoanDziekanFriedenberg ‘73

Linda Gigliotti ‘69 Robert Greene ‘67 Honorable Linda Griffin ‘72 Mary Hayes Gordon ‘82, G’13 John Hobika Jr. ‘91 Eileen Hopsicker Todd Hutton

Brian Jackson ‘85

Daniel Jones ‘97 Kevin Kasky ‘86 Harry Keel ‘73 Kim Landon ‘75 Benay Leff ‘65 Gerald Martin ‘71 Sharon White McEwan ‘64 Wester ‘76 and Lorraine Miga Tim CharlesFrederickaTheodoreAdalgisaRandallNelsonNicholsNucci‘67OrlinPaine‘63andEleda ‘65

JamesRobertsSamuel ‘70

James Sheldon ‘67 Henry Spring ‘77

William Swick ‘70

Ann Marie Teitelbaum Cassella ‘92 Howard Terrillion ‘58 Charles Teuscher ‘84

Joseph and Evelyn Tierno DeForest ‘62 and Arlene ‘63

HansTinklerand Laura Wang Tina Wiernusz ‘79 Walter Williams ‘61†

Bequests Received from the Estates of:

Sally L. Majka ‘61 Michael C. Parnell ‘02 Wilson H. Tyler ‘69 Francis A. Wilcox

ONEIDA SQUARE SOCIETY

The Oneida Square Society honors the visionary leadership of those donors whose lifetime giving to Utica University totals $100,000 or more. Their generous gifts helped build Utica University and lay the foundation for its future.

Genesee Street - $5,000,000 or more Harold T. Clark Jr. ’65 F. Eugene Romano

Plant Street - $1,000,000-$4,999,999

BobAnonymousBrvenik ‘77

Larry ‘74 & Corky Bull Community Foundation of Herkimer and Oneida Counties

John A. ‘57† & Valerie Donohue

The Hayner Hoyt Corporation Gary Thurston ‘68 & Jeremy Thurston ‘00 Lotis R. Howland Trust

Thomas J. ‘65 & Virginia Rossiter

Dr. Albert ‘49† & Gloria ‘82 Shaheen

Estate of Francis A. Wilcox

Hart Street - $500,000-$999,999

Adirondack Bank George I. Alden Trust

DonaldARAMARKG.‘71 (+) & Bernice F. ‘72†

ThomasBensonJ. Jr. ‘49† & Marion D. Cahill†

The Carbone Family Ellen Knower Clarke Charitable Trust Harry J. Cynkus ‘71 Edward W. ‘50† & Jean M. Duffy† Jim & Cynthia DuRoss Charles A. & Connie† Gaetano

Estate of Dr. Jean Halladay ‘53

Estate of Ruby Rogers di Iorio Christopher ‘61 & Virginia Kelly Albert S. Mazloom ‘58

John ‘61† & Betty Meehan John F. Millett ‘52, DDS† & Margaret A. EstateMillett†of Professor Wayne N. Palmer Gerald Starer ‘65† & Dr. Stewart H. Starer ‘66

Francis Street - $250,000-$499,999

Adirondack Financial Services

Eugene†Corporation&Connie† Corasanti

John ‘66 & Ann Costello Ronald ‘66 & Sheila Cuccaro

Fred L. Emerson Foundation

Estate of Joseph P. Furgal ‘50 Frank E. Gannett Foundation Andrew ‘84 & Mary Hislop

Estate of Peter Kucherenko & Eugenia

ChristianMeleTheodoreMac-ClarkLexisNexisGaryKucherenkoKunath‘79RestaurantsE.Martin‘61FoundationW.MeyerIII‘79 & Mary Beth Welle-Meyer ‘79

James ‘59† & Katherine Pyne John F. & Jacqueline C. ‘11, G’13 Romano Linda Romano & Russell Petralia John & Deanna ‘62 Sammon

SBU EstateSodexoBankofLt.

Col. Edna Stappenbeck ‘51

Kenneth J. ‘80 & Wendy R. Taubes

Philip ‘70 & Barbara ‘69 Taurisano

Dr. Esat Toksu

Walter W. ‘61† & Nancy Williams

Estate of Gladys W. Young

State Street - $100,000-$249,999

Albert†Anonymous&Nata M. Augustyn

Bank of Utica

BBL Charitable Foundation, Inc. Ken Bell ‘75 & Anne Veness Bell Nancy E. Blake ‘55

The Honorable Sherwood L. Boehlert

Robert‘61†

Brandt Jr. & Carole Brandt P’07

Dr. Leo J. ‘54† & Joan F. ‘54 Brannick

The Gilbert & Ildiko Butler Family JudgeFoundationRichard† & Catherine Clarke

FilippoCardamoneCasamento & Dr. Laura Casamento P’10 & P’13

John Casellini ‘81 & Christine Rutigliano Thomas J. Cole ‘92

Thomas F. Cox Jr. ‘69

Professor Virgil C.† & Martha† Crisafulli Steven M. Critelli ‘72

David F. D’Alessandro ‘72

Frederick C. Degen ‘70

Ronald H. ‘61 & May C. ‘60† Duff

Professor Allyn R. Earl ‘62

Estate of Suzanne J. Finegan ‘74

First Source Federal Credit Union Marianne & Peter Gaige

Gilroy Kernan & Gilroy Inc. Larry & Elizabeth Gilroy

Arthur J. Golder ‘50

Isaac RonaldGordon†‘63&Cecelia ‘62 Gouse

Friends of Dr. Michelle E. Haddad ‘81† Dental Seminar

The William Randolph Hearst

Dr.FoundationHartwellC. Herring III & Paulette

SamHerring&Nancy Hester

Heidi Hoeller ‘91 & Paul Serbaniewicz

Dr. Todd & Jennifer Hutton

Daniel B. ‘97 & Anne-Marie Jones

Estate of Mary S. Kramer ‘88

David Lamb ‘76 & Martha Sutton Lamb

Estate‘77 of Doris ‘52 & William Lynch

Sally ‘61† & Donald Majka

Estate of Elvira Marotta

Professor Doris W.† & Walter E.† Miga Wesley Miga ‘80 & Karen Stonebraker Miga ‘80

Wester ‘76 & Lorraine Miga

Fredericka Paine

Anthony C. ‘72 & Barbara Paolozzi

Dr. William F. Pfeiffer Jr. & Margaret M. Pfeiffer ‘89†

Mark ‘88 & Mary Beth Pilipczuk

John R. Pyle Jr. ‘50†

Dr. James H. Reagan Jr. ‘72 & Garnet

JamesReaganE.Reid ‘73, Linda P. Reid & Griffin A. Reid ‘07

The Retirement Research Foundation

Estate of Esther Reynolds

Jeffrey B. Senft

Slocum-Dickson‘76Foundation, Inc.

Charles ‘61 & Gretchen Sprock

Estate of Bernard W. Sullivan Jr. ‘61

Howard J. Terrillion ‘58

Utica National Insurance Group & Women’sDavidHansFoundation&LauraWangJ.Wilson‘67ChristianAssociation of Utica

George ‘55† & Ann ‘58 Wynne

Ronald & Helena Youngs Charitable Remainder Unitrust

Dr. Donald K.† & Doris Zellner†

After a long, two-year hiatus, Utica University’s annual Homecoming, Alumni and Family Weekend is back in a big way! If food, fun, football, and reconnecting with friends aren’t enough of a draw, we’ve compiled the top five reasons Pioneers should make their way back to Utica on September 30 –October 2, 2022.

See the full schedule and register at utica.edu/homecoming

REASON

Top Reasons to Attend FamilyAlumniHomecoming,Utica’sandWeekend

REASON

Family fun. Kids will feel right at home on campus, with plenty of family friendly activities all weekend long, in cluding the traditional Carnival Under the Stars on Friday, Sept. 30 at 7:00 p.m., and a kid zone tent with fun and games for our youngest Pioneers during Saturday’s pregame tailgate.

Athletic events for former athletes and fans. Whether you competed as a Pioneer or simply enjoy taking in a good game as a spectator, there are lots of options during the weekend. Utica’s swimming and diving, men’s lacrosse, water polo, tennis, volleyball, field hockey, and football teams are all hosting events and reunions.

REASON

SWAG! Among other things, Utica’s transition from a college to a university is the perfect excuse to load up on brand-new Utica University gear. Hit the bookstore in the Ralph F. Strebel Student Center, where you can update your wardrobe (and bring home some sweet souvenirs).

Brotherly Love—and Generosity

Brothers of Utica University’s Alpha Phi Alpha Frater nity, Inc., Kappa Zeta Chapter returned to campus in April as part of the University’s inaugural Greek Storm weekend. At a ceremony in the academic quad, the brothers, including Utica’s Vice President for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and Student Transitions Anthony Baird ’91, presented a $25,000 check to endow the Alpha Phi Alpha Robert D. Horton Endowed Schol arship, which will support students who exemplify a deep dedication to community service and leadership, especially those from underrepresented backgrounds.

Alumni Bookshelf

Recent titles from Utica alumni

A Bridge to Justice: The Life of Franklin H. Williams

By John Caher ‘80 and Enid Gort Fordham University Press

Set to hit bookshelves this October, Caher and Gort penned this biography of civil rights trailblazer Franklin H. Williams; a PBS documentary of the same name, co-written and produced by Caher, is nominated for a New York Emmy Award.

Her Past Can’t Wait

By Jacqueline Boulden ‘75

Pine Place Press

A woman’s struggle to cope with a devastating childhood trauma turns into a fight to protect others in this fictional thriller, author Boulden’s first. Find it online in September.

REASON

Campus upgrades. The past several years have brought major physical changes to the Utica campus. See our newest facilities up-close during guided tours and events inside Thurston Hall, the Francis A. Wilcox Intercultural and Student Organi zation Center, the Todd and Jenn Hutton Sports and Recreation Dome, and the Esports Arena in Bull Hall.

REASON

Coming Back Together! Like the Utica University experience itself, the undisputed highlight of Home coming is the opportunity to connect with friends. Celebrate a milestone reunion and catch up with classmates at Saturday’s All Reunion Party, open to all alumni—because reuniting does, in fact, feel so good.

Binge Times: Inside Hollywood’s Furious Billion-Dollar Battle to Take Down Netflix

By Dade Hayes and Dawn Chmielewski ‘83

William Morrow and Company

Published in April and co-written by longtime media and tech journalist Chmielewski, Binge Times chronicles Netflix’s rapid rise to streaming supremacy— and its many rivals’ struggle to keep up. The title was recently hailed by Fast Company as one of summer 2022’s “best tech nology books.”

Introducing Bull Hall

On May 12, 2022, the Lauren and Cora Bull Hall was officially dedicated in a ceremony, at which President Laura Casamento delivered remarks honoring the Bulls’ long history of philanthropy and engagement with the University, including their recent $2 million gift in support of the new Pioneer Track and Field Complex.

“Their philanthropy is equaled by their history of extraordinary service to the institution. As a founding member of the Utica Board of Trustees, one of the longest serving trustees, and the only two-time chairperson of the Board, Larry Bull has helped guide Utica through some of the most pivotal and monumental moments in

its maturation as an institution,” said President Casamento.

“He was extraordinarily influential in the growth of the physical plant and the expansion of innovative academic programs, both of which are symbol ized by the ECJS Building. The Bulls are also the benefactors of the Utica University medallion and the principal namesakes of the Bull Family Board Conference ConstructedRoom.”in2008, the former Economic Crime and Justice Studies building is home to Utica University’s cybersecurity, criminal justice, fraud and financial crimes programs, as well as meeting and instructional spaces, research laboratories for computer forensics, and more.

Utica University celebrated the renaming of the Economic Crime and Justice Studies building in honor of two of the University’s most generous benefactors: Larry ‘74 and Cora “Corky” Bull.

President Casamento, Larry, and Cora Bull pose in front of the Bull Hall dedication plaque.

A Family Tradition of Philanthropy

The Center for Career and Professional Development is now The Jeremy C. Thurston ’00 Center for Career Readiness, thanks to a contribution from alumnus and trustee Jeremy C. Thurston ‘00

The Thurston name is familiar to members of the Utica University community: In 2018, the University dedicated Thurston Hall, the state-of-the-art home for Utica’s Construc tion Management program and a project made possible by lead donor and 1968 alumnus Gary Thurston, Jeremy’s father.

Jeremy, a class of 2000 graduate and current president of the Hayner Hoyt Construction Group, has been an active member of the Utica alumni community and a generous donor to the University for decades, noted Provost Todd Pfannestiel at the dedication ceremony, which was attended by members of the Thurston family, including Jeremy and his wife, Carrie [1].

Most recently, he helped establish The Hayner Hoyt Corporation Construction Management Scholarship at Utica Univer sity, which will provide $5,000 annually to a Construction Management student, with preference given to female students and those from historically under-represented

“Justcommunities.likehisfather before him, Jeremy Thurston has been an integral part of Utica University’s growth and expansion for many years. A longtime champion of our Construction Management program, Jeremy has been instrumental in the program’s success and, more important, in the success of its alumni,” Pfannestiel said.

Utica Hits a Give Day Milestone [2]

For 36 hours on April 6-7, 2022, Utica students, alumni, faculty, staff and friends stepped up to demonstrate how “Utica Starts with U.”

As part of the University’s annual Give Day, more than 400 generous donors helped raise a staggering $61,135 to support

1

students through The Fund for Student SocialSuccess.media

challenges, giveaways, and a high-traffic photobooth for students in the Ralph F. Strebel Student Center helped make the fundraising event the University’s most successful Give Day yet.

“It’s always incredible to see the Utica community come together to support our students,” said Interim Vice President for Advancement Amy Lindner. “But the excitement, energy, and generosity of this year’s Give Day was unprecedented. On behalf of our students, we are beyond grateful.”

‘Check’ This Out [3]

Shortly after Utica’s name change was announced in February 2022, loyal donors and alumni Jack ‘66 and Pat Mulhall ‘66 of Sherborn, Massachusetts, proudly displayed their annual donation — and what we believe is the first-ever check written to Utica University. Thank you, Mulhalls!

Class Notes

Allen Berger ’57, Savannah, GA, is an emeritus pro fessor of reading and writing, Miami University (Ohio). His letter to the editor regarding banned books in Texas public schools was recently published in The New York Times

Anthony Garra mone ’61, Utica, NY, retired from the New York State Judiciary in December 2020 after 38 years. He continues to serve as the attorney for the Utica Common Council.

Dave Dudajek ’72, Whites boro, NY, retired as opinion page editor from the Observ er-Dispatch in May 2020 after 47 years in journalism. He’s currently spending quality time with his wife of nearly 50 years, Jan, and keeping watch over five grandchildren.

Dan Chmielewski ’83, Irvine, CA, is the owner of Madison Alexander Public Relations Inc. The company was recently named the “Most Innovative PR firm for Infosec Companies” by Cyber Defense Magazine (CDM), the indus try’s leading electronic infor mation security magazine.

Sharun win-JonesGood-’87, Brooklyn, NY, was awarded the Power Women of Manhattan Award by the New York City Department of Probation. Goodwin currently serves as the deputy commissioner adult operations for the New

York City Department of Probation.

Dyann Nashton ’88, Oneida, NY, recently released an anthology, Main, celebrating small-town America through stories of family-owned businesses, including her own. Her tale, “Candy is Strong When the Marrow is Sweet,” is an insider’s look at how Turkey Joints candy are made and a teenager’s coming-of-age story set in Rome, NY.

Gina Pearce ’94, Utica, NY, is executive director with the CNY Conservancy. This nonprofit has been maintaining and beautifying Utica’s F.T. Proctor Park, T.R. Proctor Park, Roscoe Conklin Park, and the Memorial Parkway for 20 years.

Patrick Cooley ’95, Water town, MA, is senior director, executive and employee com munications, for Commvault, a New Jersey-based technol ogy company.

Sideya Sherman ’00, New York, NY, was appointed by the Mayor of New York as commissioner of the new Office of Equity in New York City. The Mayor’s Office of Equity is comprised of the Commission on Gender Equity, Young Men’s Initiative, Unity Project, Racial Justice Commission, Taskforce on Racial Inclusion & Equity, and Pay Equity Cabinet.

Maria Karina Ochoa ’06, Utica, NY, works for the

Department of Finance Accounting Services (DFAS). In January 2022, she received the DFAS Quarterly Award, a national honor.

Kyle Henry ’08, Brooklyn, NY, is head coach of the varsity boys’ basketball program at East New York Family Academy.

Courtney Witherspoon ’08, Amherst, NY, is serving students and families through the College Advising Corps. at the University of Connecticut.

Victoria Wilson CruzGriffith ’12, Mableton, GA, was recently promoted to account director at MC2, globally recognized brand experience solutions agency.

Christian Leogrande ’14, G’15, Whitesboro, NY, has been promoted to vice president, medical groups, for Mohawk Valley Health System.

University in Philadelphia with a master’s degree in Experimental Psychology. She is currently working at Yale University as a research assistant within the Psychiatry Department. She will be attending Southern Connecti cut State University’s Social Work Clinical MSW program in August 2022.

[1, far right] Noelle Hamilton ’20, Schenectady, NY, is a graduate student at Sacred Heart University studying Strategic Communications and Public Relations. In May 2022, she presented her research at the affectsandhowFrance;(ICA)CommunicationsInternationalAssociationConferenceinParis,herstudyexaminesbeingablackwomanasmallbusinessownerbrandingstrategies.

Alexandrya Pope ’14, Utica, SaintgraduatedNY,fromJoseph’s

2

3

Eliana Lee ’20, Boston, MA, has joined software com pany LinkSquares as a legal engineer.

Ruhi White ’20, Saratoga Springs, NY, is workingcurrentlyasadata

analyst for Field Services at New York State United Teachers (NYSUT).

Sean Kittle ’21, Sauquoit, NY, is teaching English Language Arts at Little Falls City School District.

Jason Puleri G’21, Colorado Springs, CO, is a contractor supporting U.S. Space Force programs in Colorado Springs. He is also a retired military law enforcement officer and has partnered with non-profit organization Shield 616 to

4

raise money to purchase better body armor for local law enforcement officers.

BIRTHS & ADDITIONS

[2] Athena Cappelli ’04, Henderson, NV, and husband, Jeremy Wallace, welcomed a baby girl, Olive Giavanna, Feb. 4, 2022.

Maria Karina Ochoa ’06, Utica, NY, and husband, Cory Cantales, welcomed a baby girl, Claire Genevieve, in August 2020.

[3] Craig Martel ’07, Rome, NY, and wife, Kristina, wel comed a baby boy, Conor, August 31, 2021.

[4] Matt Falso ’09, Clifton Park, NY, and wife, Katie Gardner Falso ’09, welcomed a son, Nick, in 2021.

Helping Students See Stars: Sarah Robinson ’16, G’20

By Joshua Ward ’24

Sarah Robinson ’16, G’20 is doing what she loves.

Robinson graduated from Utica University in 2016 with a bachelor’s degree in geosci ence and initial certification in adolescent education. She began teaching at Mount Markham Central School District while finishing gradu ate school, earning a master’s in leadership and instruction for inclusive classrooms.

Now, she gets to put it all into practice.

Robinson currently teaches earth science, living environ ment, and astronomy — a course that she created. The astronomy elective has developed into a student-cen tered, project-based course that is tailored to the various interests of students each year.

“There’s nothing quite like that ‘lightbulb’ moment when students grasp a concept they’ve been struggling with. I want my students to be curious about the world around them, try to expand their knowledge and ask ‘why?’” says Robinson.

To that end, in 2021, Robinson applied and won a grant from the New York State Association for Computers and Technology in Education (NYSCATE). The funds will provide a new telescope to give astronomy students an up-close look at the solar system and provide the com munity with a powerful, educational resource.

“With this telescope, students will be able to observe the solar and lunar surfaces, in addition to stars and planets. Students will be engaged in various projects throughout the course of a school year to track changes in the surfaces as well as to study the planets,” says Robinson. “We plan to create a class website showcas ing images taken of their targets, as well as an outreach program in which the students hold observation days/ nights for the school community.”

To the unfamiliar, Crystal Hayner ’19 describes her field of theatrical props design like this:

“Look around the room you are in. What do you see? I have a succulent on my windowsill, a duck stuffed animal at the foot of my bed, pictures hanging on the wall, water bottles and books on my dresser, and so on. While these are every day items in your house, these are also considered props!”

Props, explains Hayner, are items that performers use during a theatrical production, and prop design, is “helping to create the world that is set through the director and the set designer by adding the detailed items that could be seen in your own home and are used by performers.”

Hayner, who majored in communications with a concentra tion in theatre at Utica, recently graduated from Louisi ana State University with a master’s degree in theatrical props design. During summer 2022, she served as a prop apprentice at the renowned Glimmerglass Opera House in Cooperstown, New York, honing her craft — and more.

“I’ve done scenic woodworking, fine woodworking, foam carving, reupholstery, painting, and other smaller tasks,” says Hayner. “I’ve enjoyed working with the people in my department, but also meeting and making connections in other departments, as well.”

Hayner credits her Utica education, especially courses with Theatre Professor Laura Salvaggio, for helping her find her niche in the theatre world.

“Professor Salvaggio taught me so much when it came to set design, scenic painting, and props. She’s the reason I went to grad school. She taught me to always push forward and do the best I can.”

And as she continues learning in the theatre world, Hayner has her sights set on the biggest stage of all: Broadway (“that would mean I made it big!”).

But as for what show she’d choose to work on? That’s a tougher question.

“Being able to work on ANY Broadway show would make me happy, but The Phantom of the Opera was the first musical theatre show I ever saw on Broadway, and it’s the one that made me fall in love with musical theatre. Wicked is another top favorite of mine, and I would love to work on the Grimmerie, a prop book used throughout the show.”

WEDDINGS

[5] David Cooney ’20, Cam den-on-Gauley, WV, married Kendra Hayhurst on April 23, 2022.

[6] Mary Warfel ’18, Clinton, NY, married Mack Moquin on October 16, 2021.

IN MEMORIAM

Louis Anelli ’50, Melbourne, FL, February 5, 2021.

Donald B. Klein ’50, Palm Beach Gardens, FL, December 5, 2021.

Dr. Walter L. Sadowski ’51, Montgomery Village, MD, October 28, 2021.

Rita Forsyth ’53, Novato, CA, April 10, 2022.

Gordon P. Krueger ’53, Oneida, NY, April 2, 2022.

Frances M. Miller ’55, Laguna Niguel, CA, April 9, 2021.

Lyn Heywood Simon ’56, New Hartford, NY, April 26, 2022.

Mary W. Gates ’57, Webster, NY, January 29, 2022.

Guy W. Schaff ’57, Herkimer, NY, March 28, 2022.

Walter Litynsky ’58, Wyn antskill, NY, November 22, 2021.

Dr. Joel P. Amidon ’59, Blossvale, NY, June 4, 2022.

Barbara Eldridge ’60, Ster ling, VA, May 24, 2020.

Carol J. Morse ’60, Geneva, NY, January 24, 2022.

Dr. Albert Altongy ’61, Annapolis, MD, November 15, 2021.

John W. Dimbleby ’61, Whitesboro, NY, May 20, 2022.

Deforest W. Waite ’61, Rome, NY, March 22, 2022.

Marlow F. Edwards ’62, Rome, NY, May 31, 2022.

Thomas J. Hurley ’62, Troy, MO, March 6, 2022.

Howard C. Welch ’62, Utica, NY, November 25, 2021.

Colonel Joseph A. Campan aro, USA, (Ret.) ‘63, Utica, NY, May 10, 2022.

Raymond J. Murphy ’63, Oneida, NY, February 3, 2022.

Edward A. Stores ’63, Wyo ming, NY, April 28, 2022.

Francis J. Gramlich ’64, Spec ulator, NY, October 21, 2021.

Mary A. Plantz ’64, Utica, NY, November 16, 2021.

Robert A. Toro ’64, Liverpool, NY, January 23, 2022.

Major Props: Crystal Hayner ’19

William J. McLaughlin ’65, Whitesboro, NY, January 27, 2022.

Curtis F. Darling ’68, Winter Haven, FL, February 23, 2021.

Joseph A. Spero ’68, Utica, NY, January 29, 2022.

Carol J. Brooks ’69, Webster, NY, March 31, 2022.

Robert M. Carnevale ’69, Canastota, NY, November 19, 2021.

Frank E. Guilfoil Jr. ’69, Union Bridge, MD, February 17, 2022.

Barbara H. Cale ’70, Utica, NY, February 14, 2022.

Mary Wright ’70, Flagler Beach, FL, April 30, 2022.

Barbara M. Cavoly ’71, Marcy, NY, March 28, 2022.

Bonnie Walsh ’71, Whites boro, NY, May 29, 2022.

Anthony C. DeNadai ’72, Utica, NY, February 9, 2022.

Ronald L. MacMaster ’72, Clinton, NY, November 20, 2021.

Joseph L. Parry ’72, Rome, NY, April 19, 2022.

Kenneth M. Jalowiec ’73, Woodbridge, VA, December 3, 2021.

Carolyn L. Barnum ’74, Port St. Lucie, FL, December 31, 2021.

John M. Coupe ’74, Sauquoit, NY, March 3, 2022.

Walter G. Hiscox ’74, Durham ville, NY, November 11, 2021.

Richard LaNeve Sr. ’74, Clin ton, NY, March 25, 2022.

William L. Orlando ’75, New Hartford, NY, January 1, 2022.

Anthony A. Sardino ’75, Camillus, NY, December 24, 2021.

John J. Revere ’76, Minneap olis, MN, February 26, 2022.

Marylou Smerecznik ’76, Wall Township, NJ, October 22, 2021.

Raymond F. Rowland Sr. ’77, Ilion, NY, April 10, 2022.

Sherry K. Wood ’77, Estero, FL, December 17, 2021.

James E. Hopkins ’82, Mora via, NY, November 12, 2021.

Daniel G. Buck ’85, Barneveld, NY, January 21, 2022.

George M. James ’86, Gloucester, VA, November 18, 2021.

Michael G. Mandry ’88, Utica, NY, November 29, 2021.

Lorraine Rotundo ’89, Poland, NY, January 31, 2022.

John C. Gunlogson ’93, Canastota, NY, March 19, 2022.

Kevin J. Lindsey ’99, Cohoes, NY, November 26, 2021.

Joseph M. Schramp Jr. ’99, Lee Center, NY, February 18, 2022.

Michael C. Parnell ’02, New Hartford, NY, December 2, 2021.

Mary Sauer ’18, Saugerties, NY, October 30, 2021.

Alyssa C. Parrino ’22, Fort Plain, NY, December 30, 2021.

John Paul Ramel ’22, Pipers ville, PA, April 10, 2022.

In Memoriam: Lyn Heywood Simon ’56

August 28, 1934 - April 26, 2022

By Joshua Ward ’24

Lyn Heywood Simon ’56 was a role model, particularly for young women, says her friend Kim Landon ’75, emeritus professor of public relations and “Lynjournalism.wasaninspiring example

of how a woman could manage her family and her career, and live life on her own terms,” says AfterLandon.graduating from Utica

in 1956 with a bachelor’s degree in public relations, Simon went on to further her education at Northwestern University, where she earned a master’s degree in journalism.

She landed a job as a newspaper journalist at the Waterloo Daily Courier in Iowa. She followed that with a four-year stint with the United Press International’s radio news bureau, which was the first network to offer radio and tele vision networks across the country.

Returning to Utica in 1961, Simon was named the women’s editor of the Observer-Dispatch. Later that same year, she married Raymond Simon, the legendary professor of public relations at Utica University.

Simon then returned to school. In 1976, she graduated from Syracuse University College of Law. According to a feature article in the Observer-Dispatch in the 1980s, Lyn success fully juggled three jobs: journalist, mother, and lawyer.

“We all knew her as Professor Simon’s wife, who would drop off their two little girls at his office on her way to classes at Syracuse University,” said Landon. “We all admired her.”

She entered private practice, where she was named the attorney to the Utica City School District Board of Edu cation. Eventually she took a position at Oneida-Her kimer-Madison Board of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES), where she stayed until her retirement. She also served on the board of directors for Faxton St. Luke’s

UticaHospital.University’s

Simon Convergence Media Center named its broadcast studio after her in 2007. In 2013, Simon was named Outstanding Public Relations/Journalism Alumna by the Raymond Simon Institute Board (RSI).

An avid reader and sports fan, Simon kept lists of every author and book she read, along with notes about the ones she especially liked or disliked.

Married to Raymond for 56 years, Simon is survived by two daughters: Melissa (Simon) Berczuk, and Brooke (Simon) Candelaria, who serves on the RSI Advisory Board, and a grandson, Daniel Berczuk.

UticaOrganizationNon-ProfitU.S.PostagePAIDCollege

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