The Magazine for Alumni and Friends of The State University of New York at Potsdam
Fall 2012 Vol. 7 | No.1
BALANCing Wellness
P E O P L E
snapshot
The return of the ring In 1999, David Callaghan ’74 lost his SUNY Potsdam class ring and it was found 13 years later. “Getting my ring back brought back my great memories of Potsdam. I have a very strong attachment to the College,” said David. “I never would have gotten where I am today if it weren’t for SUNY Potsdam. When I learned that someone had found my old class ring and it would be returned to me, I got a real kick out of it – it really made me feel good and reminded me again of the great people at SUNY Potsdam.” David plans on meeting with Doug Gorman, the person who found the ring, to personally thank him. David is pictured here wearing both his original 1974 class ring and the replacement ring he purchased when he lost the original.
Profiles
Championing the arts attitude at SUNY Potsdam.
Glen Zagorski ’87 and Jane Morale ’80
fall
Kathryn Kofoed Lougheed ’54 and Donald Lougheed
On the cover: Veronica Lavia, an international student from Italy and BFA student in visual arts finds balance in the College Labyrinth. Built by the Counseling Center staff with help from students, faculty, administration and physical plant personnel, our Labyrinth is based on the same design as was used for the ancient path in the Chartres Cathedral in France (built in the middle ages). Since it’s unveiling, our Labyrinth has been used by various professors, departments and campus organizations and students as a meditative instrument to foster release of stress, illumination and clarity of mind and spirit, and empowerment and renewal.
Ziggy and AGO Jane supporting & investing in Greek Life.
Chuck and Claudia Ayer ’75 Soaking it in from every corner of the world.
Departments News & Notes 3 Class Notes 17 In Their Own Words 27 Alumni 28 Reunion Wrap Up 29
12
Balancing Wellness
Potsdam’s student life programs tackle the challenges of balancing physical, mental, and emotional wellness through the college experience.
29
Reunion Wrap Up
Alumni return to their Potsdam home for 2012 Reunion, raising near $1 million in support for students and programs.
Potsdam People is printed using the lowest VOC inks, 100% Certified Renewable Energy and paper that is certified by the Rainforest Alliance to the FSC® standards.
w w w.potsdam.edu/people
1
Letter From
the president FA l l 2012
A
t graduation here at Potsdam, I like to close my remarks with the following wish: “Do well, and do good.” Of course, what I mean is that I want our graduates to not simply succeed, but to also do good things in the world. Wellness, in all of its many forms, has become a focal point in our culture. Just Google the word “wellness” and you will get about 476 million results. We seem to be consumed by the challenge of living well-intentioned, well-mannered, well-balanced… well, you get the point! Regardless of the media hype or the vagaries of popular culture, here at SUNY Potsdam we take student wellness seriously, as we pursue our ultimate mission: student success. But when one thinks about it, success is probably just as “well” defined and diverse as wellness. However, in higher education, there are very tangible outcomes associated with living well. Increasingly, we are assessing student learning outcomes related to academic careers in order to know how well we are doing; that is: Are we having success at imparting essential learning to our students? Academic achievement is most certainly affected by a student’s overall wellness. Optimal health, both physical and mental, is a critical ingredient to staying on course, passing classes, and getting the most out of education. Student support services offer another critical ingredient, and in this SUNY Potsdam excels, not only in the classroom and by enriching the student life experience, but also because of the alumni that make up the Potsdam family.
Vol. 7 | No. 1
Potsdam People Staff and Contributors EditorS Deborah Dudley, Director of Marketing and Communications Mona Ouimet Vroman ’85, Director of Alumni Relations WriterS Alexandra Jacobs, Communications & Government Relations Sarah Carr ‘08, Public Affairs Assistant Web Manager Mindy Thompson, Director of Web Communications Contributors David T. Britt ‘74, Director of Business Planning and Analysis Dan Bronson ‘03, Sports Information Director Christa Carroll, Director of Annual Giving
Wellness begins with welcoming the new freshmen. President John F. Schwaller assists students and parents carry the load during Move In Day.
As I think about our Potsdam family and the many ways in which it continues to give back to benefit the next generation, several extraordinary alumni and friends come to mind… One regularly gives in honor of a loved one, too soon departed, to provide student access to crisis mental health services right here on campus. One serves as a mentor to current students, providing personal encouragement as they navigate life away from home for the first time. One is a faithful supporter of the Annual Fund for Potsdam, knowing that this will allow the College to provide the handcrafted educational opportunities vital to a well-rounded academic experience. One keeps in touch with her scholarship recipient who has now since graduated, offering valuable advice as he starts a new career. It is the Potsdam family itself that is the greatest ingredient in the recipe of wellness for our students. And for that we are grateful.
Nancy Griffin (Hon. ‘08), Development Officer Emily Hutchison, Director of Development Jason Ladouceur ’94, Director of Planned Giving Ellen Nesbitt, Assistant Director of Annual Giving Donna Planty, Project Manager/Production Artist Sherry Allen Paradis ’00, Director of Donor Relations Laura Stevenson (Hon. ’07), Alumni & Donor Relations Vicki Templeton-Cornell, Vice President for College Advancement Design & Art Direction
And so, as I offer to our graduating students, I also challenge you: “Do good, and do well.” Remember, you are a member of the Potsdam family.
J. P. Manke, Graphic Designer/Production Artist PHOTOGRAPHY Kathryn Deuel, Principal Photographer
John F. Schwaller President
2
P OT S D A M P EO P L E F A L L 2 0 1 2
CAMPUS
news & notes
College Ne ws
College Ne ws
Revolutionary Scientist & Inventor Anthony Brennan ’75 Speaks to Grads
Dr. Anthony B. Brennan ’75, inventor of Sharklet™ and an endowed professor of materials science and engineering at the University of Florida, addressed graduates at the 2012 SUNY Potsdam Bachelor’s Commencement Ceremony on May 20. The research scientist and inventor of Sharklet™, a sharkskin-like material that can protect humans from harmful bacteria without requiring the use of antibacterial chemicals or drugs, was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Science degree during the celebrations. SUNY Potsdam is in discussions about becoming the first university in the world to test Sharklet™ on hightouch areas. “It doesn’t matter which road you take. What matters is the impact the journey has on you and what you do with it along the way. Pay attention to your journey,” Brennan said. Ne w Initiatives
Inaugural Festival of the Arts Inspires Campus & Community
The inaugural Lougheed Festival of the Arts, April 20 to April 28, 2012, set a high bar for collaboration and creativity on campus. The broad array of events encompassed all forms of artistic expression. Guest artists included Grant Barrett, lexicographer, journalist and a radio host of NPR’s “A Way with Words;” ceramic artist and sculptor Joe Bova; as well as the 2012 Dorothy Albrecht Gregory Guest Conductor Ann Howard Jones*. Memorable moments included a groundbreaking one-man show entitled “Our Lady,” dance improvisation masterclasses, creative writing showcases, art exhibitions and a variety of musical masterclasses, all free and open to the public. To learn more about the extraordinary Lougheed gift, see page 9.
‘Lost’ Norman Rockwell Cover from Alumni Magazine Discovered
SUNY Potsdam recently unearthed a forgotten gem hidden in the stacks of the College Archives and Special Collections at Frederick W. Crumb Memorial Library. A 93-year-old alumni magazine cover with original art by famed American illustrator Norman Rockwell was recently discovered by College Archivist Matt Francis. The July 1919 cover of “The Normal Magazine” marked the 50th anniversary, or semi-centennial, of Potsdam Normal School. Rockwell’s drawing of a beautiful young woman clutching a diploma looks to be inspired by his first wife, Irene O’Connor, a Norwood High School graduate and 1911 Normal School graduate. Rockwell and O’Connor were married in 1916. The couple spent summers in nearby Louisville, NY, and three years later, Rockwell submitted the illustration for the cover of the alumni magazine for his wife’s alma mater. Ne w Initiatives
Environmental Studies Becomes Full Department
Due to the extraordinary growth of the interdisciplinary environmental studies major, SUNY Potsdam has officially established the discipline as a department. Formerly a part of the interdisciplinary studies program, the environmental studies major now has more than 75 majors and 13 minors. w w w.potsdam.edu/people
3
CAMPUS
news & notes
FACULT Y HONORS
DE VELOPMENT & Awards
Dr. Maria Hepel is SUNY Potsdam’s First Distinguished Research Professor
Students Gain All Access Pass to Music Industry
Chemistry Professor Dr. Maria Hepel is the first faculty member at SUNY Potsdam to be named a SUNY Distinguished Research Professor by the State University of New York Board of Trustees. In addition to Dr. Hepel, SUNY Potsdam currently has eight faculty members with Distinguished Service Professorships and 11 faculty members with Distinguished Teaching Professorships. Dr. Hepel, who is chair of the College’s Department of Chemistry, is one of only 16 SUNY Distinguished Research Professors at the system’s 13 comprehensive colleges.
For the 8th year in a row, a team of 16 SUNY Potsdam students will be assisting Crane Institute of Music Business (CIMB) affiliated companies during The National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) Show in Anaheim, in January 2013. Eighteen student interns assisted at the 2012 show, providing them with unparalleled access to music industry professionals and networking opportunities. Potsdam alums of this program who are now working in the Music Products industry and are former NAMM Innovation Award winners have been invited to participate on a panel composed of young professionals as part of the NAMM Foundation’s Generation Next program.
College ne ws
SUNY Potsdam Vision Becomes Reality
In June, the long-awaited transformation of the Maxcy Hall Ice Arena began. After serving the needs of the campus community and playing host to numerous local youth and community events since 1972, a year-long renovation project will restore the rink to one of the premier recreation, skating, and hockey venues in the North Country and all of NCAA Division III. 4
P OT S D A M P EO P L E F A L L 2 0 1 2
CAMPUS
news & notes
College Ne ws
Show your pride with a
SUNY Potsdam
SUNY Potsdam faculty, staff, students and board members sign the final beam to be placed in the Performing Arts Building.
Visit www.potsdam.edu/alumni or call 1-800-853-5576 ext. 8723 to learn more.
Performing Arts Building Continues to Take Shape on Campus
Construction continues on SUNY Potsdam’s $48 million Performing Arts Building, which will house the Department of Theatre and Dance. Members of the campus community celebrated a milestone in the project during a Topping-Off Ceremony in April, marking one of the last steel beams to be placed atop the facility’s frame. Faculty, staff, students and alumni left messages and signatures on the beam and toured the growing building. DE VELOPMENT & Awards
START EARNING REWARDS TODAY!
Student spotlight
SUNY Students One Step Closer to Timbucto
Alumni Prepare Students for Real World Several members of the Business Administration Advisory Council met on campus in April to conduct mock interviews with Business students preparing for internships and employment after graduation. Council members participating in the program were (front row, from left) Joseph DeMart, retired executive director, St. Lawrence County Housing Council; Allison (Charette) LaBarge ’09, an accountant – financial reporting for General Electric, Schenectady; Joshua LaFave ’03, director, of Graduate Enrollment for the Whitman School of Management at Syracuse University, and Jarrett Felton ’04, Financial Services Representative, MetLife Securities in Rochester; (back row, from left) Michael Beacham ’79, chair of the Advisory Council and assistant vice president at Columbian Financial Group in Syracuse; Rob Zolner, co-founder and sales associate of Northern Music and Video, Potsdam; and Achille Cavatassi ’04, relationship manager for JP Morgan Chase Bank in Rochester.
In July, a group of 13 SUNY Potsdam students led by Hadley A. Kruczek-Aaron, an assistant professor of anthropology and the field school leader, conducted a month-long excavation at a possible Timbucto homestead in Lake Placid. Based on results from the previous field school’s excavations in 2009, the students thought they might be close to discovering the “success story” of Timbucto: a homestead belonging to Lyman Epps, whose family survived at Timbucto longer than any other settlers. “We know he was on the lot for almost 20 years, and that’s why we targeted it,” said Kruczek-Aaron. “A lot of other Timbucto settlers didn’t stay very long on their lots, so as a result of that it’s very difficult to find traces of what they left behind.” Timbucto was named after the legendary capital of Mali and was founded by Mr. Smith, a wealthy activist who gave free plots of land in North Elba to 200 black families from downstate cities.
w w w.potsdam.edu/people
5
CAMPUS
news & notes
Ne w Initiatives
College Ne ws
Crane to Host Groundbreaking Composer, Conductor & Music Theorist in Fall Stephanie Blythe ’92 Establishes Fall Island Vocal Arts Seminar at Alma Mater
Stephanie Blythe ’92, the mezzo-soprano with the “once-in-a-generation” voice, returned to her alma mater for the premiere season of the Fall Island Vocal Arts Seminar from May 21 to May 26, 2012 at SUNY Potsdam’s Crane School of Music. The inaugural season of the Fall Island Vocal Arts Seminar was aimed at reinvigorating individual artistry through the American art song by energizing up-and-coming young singers from across the U.S. and Canada. Blythe conceived of the seminar with Crane Opera Ensemble Director Dr. Carleen Graham and invited pianist Alan Smith to Potsdam to work with the gifted young artists, while Dr. Gary Busch led a masterclass on American song. “Coming back to Potsdam is like completing a circle for me. SUNY Potsdam and The Crane School of Music put me on a road to self-discovery as an artist and a person. This place gave me the courage to search out my dreams and succeed, and now it will be a place where I can share what I can with the next generation of musical interpreters,” Blythe said.
SUNY Potsdam’s Crane School of Music will host a distinguished musical guest this fall. Award-winning conductor and composer Gunther Schuller will work with Crane students over the course of a week as a visiting guest artist-in-residence November 10th to 15th. Schuller has done extensive work as an educator, jazz historian, administrator, music publisher, record producer and author. During the residency, he will guest conduct the Crane Symphony Orchestra, performing Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5. He will give masterclasses and participate in a panel discussion about different genres of music, composition, contemporary music and music education. For more information, keep track of event details at www.potsdam.edu/crane. College Ne ws
The Best gift to Potsdam Gifts to the Annual Fund for Potsdam are a wonderful way to help the College’s greatest needs. They allow Potsdam flexibility to seize compelling opportunities for our students. They can be made in memory or honor of someone special. https://secure.potsdam.edu/giving
6
P OT S D A M P EO P L E F A L L 2 0 1 2
Potsdam Awards Famed Soprano Lisa Vroman ’79 Honorary Doctorate
Lisa Vroman ’79 has sung on stages across the globe, from Abu Dhabi to Broadway, not to mention the Hollywood Bowl, Kuala Lumpur, Las Vegas and Paris. But this summer, the famed soprano returned to the stage where her performing career began, at SUNY Potsdam’s Crane School of Music, to accept an Honorary Doctor of Music. In recognition of her success as a musician and in gratitude for her philanthropic efforts, both nationally and on behalf of Potsdam, Vroman was presented with the honor during Reunion Weekend at a special recital in which she performed along with Dean Michael Sitton. Vroman is well known for her starring role as Christine Daaé in “The Phantom of the Opera,” along with other Broadway and opera roles spanning the spectrum.
CAMPUS
news & notes
DE VELOPMENT & Awards
DE VELOPMENT & Awards
Whelley ’76 Endows Scholarship Eileen (Goss) Whelley ’76 has established the Eileen Goss Whelley Scholarship for Women Leaders, to provide financial support to women student leaders as they embark on internship opportunities that might not otherwise be possible. Eileen was recently appointed executive vice president and chief of human resources officer for XL Group PLC. She is also a member of the Board of Trustees for the Potsdam College Foundation, Inc. DE VELOPMENT & Awards
SUNY Potsdam Alumni Support Leads the Pack McCall Family Endows Art Scholarship
Art Major Noelle McCall ’13 is pictured with her parents Dr. David and Mrs. Bonnie McCall of Potsdam, who have established the McCall Family Scholarship for Art at SUNY Potsdam. Noelle and sister Katja, a biology major at SUNY Potsdam, are recipients of the Mount Emmons Scholarship, the most prestigious scholarship awarded by the College. Their sister Pamela graduated magna cum laude from SUNY Potsdam in 2009 with a degree in biology. The McCall Family Scholarship will be awarded to a student pursuing a degree in Art Studio, Art History, or the Bachelor of Fine Arts. DE VELOPMENT & Awards
Donald Eaton ’71 Establishes Scholarship
Donald C. Eaton ’71 has established an endowed scholarship at SUNY Potsdam, to be awarded to a new or continuing student who has financial need. Eaton, a computer science graduate, created the scholarship after returning to campus in 2011 for his 40th Reunion. Eaton worked with the U.S. Navy from 1971 to 1994, when he retired as a Data Processing Chief Petty Officer at Fleet Surveillance Support Command in Chesapeake, VA. Upon retirement, he embarked on a second career with the City of Chesapeake Public Library as a computer support technician, retiring in 2010 after 16 years of service. DE VELOPMENT & Awards
Palmatier ’75 Creates Band Fund
Colonel Thomas H. Palmatier ’75 has endowed a fund in support of The Crane School of Music’s band program. The fund’s primary use will be to host renowned guest artists in short residencies, thereby providing Crane students with inspiring experiences under the direction of accomplished band musicians. Colonel Palmatier is currently Leader and Commander of the U.S. Army Band “Pershing’s Own,” based in Washington, D.C.
According to the 2011 Voluntary Support of Education (VSE) report, SUNY Potsdam continues to excel compared to its peers. Although we are one of the smallest in our peer group of the 13 SUNY comprehensive colleges (larger only than SUNY Purchase), SUNY Potsdam ranks: • #1 in total amount given by alumni • #1 in percentage of undergraduate alumni who give • #2 in total funds raised per student • #3 in endowment per student • #3 in percentage of total alumni who give (undergrad + grad) SUNY Potsdam also ranks #15 (up from #18 in 2010) in the nation in alumni participation in giving among public master’s universities. Many thanks to our generous and engaged alumni and friends, without whom these honors—and the student support they symbolize—would not be possible. Student Spotlight
SUNY Potsdam Student Radio Station WAIH among Top 10 in Country
SUNY Potsdam’s student radio station WAIH made the top 10 in the running for the 2012 mtvU Woodie Award for the U.S.’s best college station last March. The WAIH’s format is mixed music, leaning towards alternative acts, and talk shows centered around subjects like sexuality, politics and music. The station competed against student radio stations from the University of Alaska at Fairbanks to Ohio University, DePaul University, Loyola University Maryland among others. FACULT Y HONORS
Crane Piano Professor Paints Portrait of Billy Joel for Steinway
Dr. Paul Wyse, an associate professor of piano at SUNY Potsdam’s Crane School of Music who is also a renowned painter, recently completed a full-length portrait of “piano man” Billy Joel. The artist joined the bestselling musician to unveil the painting at Steinway Hall in New York City on December 13. Joel is only the second living artist to have his portrait hung in the gallery. Dr. Wyse was commissioned by Steinway & Sons to complete the artwork. Previously, two of Dr. Wyse’s portraits of pianist and conductor Leon Fleisher have become part of the permanent collection of the National Portrait Gallery of the Smithsonian Institution.
w w w.potsdam.edu/people
7
CAMPUS
news & notes
TAYLOR
robertson
deane
Deane ’74 Selected for N.Y.S. Basketball Hall of Fame
The Basketball Coaches Association of New York announced that former SUNY Potsdam All-American basketball player Mike Deane ’74 was selected for induction into the New York State Basketball Hall of Fame. Deane was inducted with nine other members of the 2012 class on March 18. As a player, Deane was one of the finest to don a Bears uniform. His 18.1 points-pergame average over three seasons is the highest in the history of the program. Deane is also Potsdam’s career assist leader with 805, and he ranks sixth alltime in scoring with 1,447 points in 80 games. As a junior in 1973, Deane was named the first of 13 Bears’ basketball All-Americans. The Stony Point, NY native was inducted into the Bears Hall of Fame in 1984.
Robertson ’06 runs personal best at Olympic Trials Marathon, finishes 57th
Former SUNY Potsdam cross-country runner Jodie Schoppmann Robertson ’06 finished 57th out of 152 runners at the U.S. Olympic Trials Marathon and recorded a personal best time. The 2004 Bears All-American shaved 23 seconds off her previous best, completing the 26-mile course in 2:42.31. Robertson’s time was just 16 minutes and 25 seconds shy of a top-three finish, which would have qualified her for a spot on the U.S. Olympic Team. Robertson, an elementary music teacher and Long Island native, graduated from SUNY Potsdam’s Crane School of Music with a degree in music education and performance in 2006. She currently resides in Albany with her husband, Aaron ’02, another former Bears runner. Robertson was inducted into the Bears Hall of Fame in July 2011.
fayerman
Taylor Earns First Team All-Conference Honor
8
SUNY Potsdam junior swimmer Alexander Taylor was named to the 2011-12 All-State University of New York Athletic Conference Men’s Swimming and Diving first team. After earning a place on the second team last season, Taylor grabbed a spot on the first team this year with victories in the 100 and 200 breaststroke events at the SUNYAC Championships in Buffalo. Twice last season Taylor was named SUNYAC Men’s Swimmer of the week.
P OT S D A M P EO P L E F A L L 2 0 1 2
Green Named ECAC West Coach of the Year
SUNY Potsdam head women’s hockey coach Jay Green was named ECAC West Coach of the Year by the conference on February 23. Green, who has coached the Bears since the program was resumed in 2007, guided Potsdam to a program best 11-9-3 overall record and 7-8-3 ECAC West mark during the 2011-12 campaign. The Bears surged to a 9-3-2 finish over their last 14 games to clinch their second playoff berth in four seasons as an NCAA program.
Durden, Kunz, Flath Earn All-SUNYAC Recognition Three SUNY Potsdam men’s lacrosse players have earned all-conference recognition. Sophomore attackman Rob Kunz and senior defender Rashaun Durden were named to the All-SUNYAC second team, while sophomore midfielder Jared Flath received honorable mention status.
Five Bears Named to ECAC West All-Academic Team
Five members of the SUNY Potsdam women’s hockey team were named to the ECAC Women’s West AllAcademic Team for the 2011-2012 season. Senior Caitlin Manahan, juniors Nadine Cunningham and Katie Komsa and sophomores Brittany Lucky and Dawna Salvarinas each represent the Bears on the team. Manahan, Cunningham and Komsa have earned the honor two years in a row. To be named to the team, studentathletes must have completed at least one academic year, have a cumulative grade-point average of at least 3.00 on a 4.00 scale, and have competed in at least one-half of their team’s contests during the current season. A goaltender must have played at least 33 percent of her team’s minutes.
Fayerman Earns AllAmerican Recognition
SUNY Potsdam women’s hockey player Izzy Fayerman has been named a first team All-American by the Jewish Sports Review. The freshman was one of six players from all NCAA divisions to be selected as announced in the May/June edition of the publication.
www.potsdam.edu/athletics/bearpride
Nutkevitch ’12and Ware Earn All-SUNYAC Recognition
SUNY Potsdam hockey players Sy Nutkevitch and Erick Ware earned AllState University of New York Athletic Conference honors.
Three Joined Bears Hall of Fame in 2012
Three former SUNY Potsdam studentathletes were selected for induction into the Bears Hall of Fame. Kelly O’Donnell-Warren ’93, Howie Vandermast ’88 and Nate Sunday ’98 were inducted as the Hall of Fame’s Class of 2012 on July 14. Warren, a native of Hauppauge, NY, was one of the most decorated Potsdam swimmers during her career spanning 1988-1992. Currently, she resides in Gold Canyon, AZ, where she and her husband, Jerry, own and operate four Waffle House franchises. Vandermast amassed 51 goals and 72 assists for 123 points as a defenseman for the Bears’ men’s hockey team from 1984-1988. The Long Beach, NY native ranks ninth on Potsdam’s all-time scoring list. He is currently the territorial sales manager for U.S. Foods in Northern New York. Vandermast has two daughters, Makaul (14) and Larsyn (11), and resides in Massena. Sunday, from Hogansburg, NY, was another standout defenseman for the Bears’ men’s hockey team. He manned the blue line in 109 games from 1994 to 1998 and totaled 16 goals and 68 assists for 84 points. Currently, Sunday is a career development officer for the Akwesasne Area Management Board. He counsels high school students on educational and career goals as well as implements and coordinates youth programs. Sunday resides in Akwesasne, NY. SUNY Potsdam senior student-athletes Maribeth Simmons and Rashaun Durden each received Maxcy Molnar Awards for the 2011-12 season. The Maxcy Molnar award is presented to one male and one female student-athlete who best combine the qualities of sportsmanship, leadership, scholarship and athletic achievement. Only senior student-athletes who competed in at least one sport for four years or their entire undergraduate career are eligible to receive the award.
Potsdam
profile
’54
Kathryn Kofoed Lougheed
& Donald Lougheed
By Alexandra Jacobs
D
on’t you believe Kathryn Kofoed Lougheed ’54 when she shyly says that she just “dabbles” in the arts. That’s her humility talking. Once you start chatting with her, you find out that not only was she a “Cranie” and a music teacher who directed her church choir, but she also became a docent for both an art museum and an opera company. On top of that, she’s tried her hand at visual arts of all kinds. Oh yeah, and she and her husband, Donald, collect artwork and have traveled the globe, with art museums in Europe, South America and the Caribbean as their destinations. Pretty soon, you’ve figured out that Kathy and Don are full-blown champions and patrons for the arts—and their passion is infectious. “Art: I just think that’s soul food. People need it. It just makes life worth living,” Kathy said. “Art documents history. It’s so important,” Don added.
As a music education major at The Crane School of Music, Kathy was a student during transitional years at Potsdam, as the new campus was just beginning to take shape. She remembers trekking from the then-new Pierrepont Avenue dormitory back to the former Potsdam Normal School building downtown. She recalled the “snow crunching and her nose freezing” as she made the trip to the music practice rooms. “We didn’t have cars, sleds or huskies to get us there—only some Clarkson guys if we were lucky!” she said. Though she also played the clarinet, Kathy concentrated on voice and piano while at Crane. Her fondest memory as an undergraduate came from performing in Crane Chorus during the 1952 choral masterworks series concert in Carnegie Hall, where they performed Hindemith’s Apparebit Repentina Dies and Brahms’s Nanie under the baton of the great Robert Shaw. “I was in the front row of the chorus, so close to the bass tuba player I was almost afraid to breathe,” she said. “I had a throat tickle and almost passed out trying not to cough during the pianissimo!” After earning her bachelor’s degree, Kathy went on to teach elementary and junior high vocal music in Greenwich, CT, and Bryan, TX, and later worked as a private piano teacher. She also tackled the challenging role of full-time mom to her children, Scott and Alison. “I dabbled in ceramics. I made our own dishes, because we couldn’t afford what we liked,” Kathy said. “I also learned how to make enameled copper jewelry to sell. Scraping by, it used to pay for some extras.” Over the years, she also created lamps and sculptures for their home, and started to pick up oil painting and watercolors to add to her list of hobbies. Kathy also began to work alongside Don at his growing recreational vehicle dealership, Crestview RV, in Texas. She directed and sang in her church choir and picked up the piano again after a number of years. And eventually, she began to volunteer as a docent for several organizations in Austin,
TX, including the Blanton Museum of Art at the University of Texas at Austin, the Austin Lyric Opera and the Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum. At the art museum, Kathy was a lecturer on antique Japanese prints. In all of these roles, she found herself learning and teaching at the same time. “I remember thinking, gosh, I know nothing about opera. But I’d like to learn, so I can teach kids and spread the word,” Kathy said. In keeping with their bread and butter, they are proud RV owners, and drive the 2,000 miles every year from Texas to their seasonal summer home in Northville, NY, on Sacandaga Lake in the Adirondacks. The couple also made the trip even further north to visit Kathy’s alma mater for the first time in 57 years last year. “There’s a special attitude here—an arts attitude,” Kathy said. In that spirit, the Lougheeds have founded the Lougheed Festival of the Arts at SUNY Potsdam, which had its inaugural season at the College in Spring 2012. Theirs is the largest gift commitment in College history. The first-ever festival celebrated creativity with a broad array of events encompassing all forms of artistic expression. A number of guest artists traveled to Potsdam for the first festival, while student talent was in the limelight, with dance recitals, theatre showcases, poetry performances, music masterclasses and art openings. The guests included a National Public Radio host, a celebrated sculptor, a Boston actor/playwright, members of a Maine theatre company and an internationally renowned conductor. Their gift provides for honoraria to bring guest artists, artists-in-residence and presenters to Potsdam, and support for educational outreach, commissioned artworks and related student internships in music business, arts management and museum studies. “We were just amazed at how the campus just jumped on the idea and ran with it,” Don said. “It brought tears to our eyes to see what can be done. We feel very special and blessed to have this opportunity come to us. We have found something very worthwhile to do,” Kathy said. “When you think about it—painting, sculpture, drama, ballet, modern dance, poetry, music—what is it? It’s the human spirit. w w w.potsdam.edu/people
9
’80 ’87
Jane Morale & Potsdam
profile
Glen Zagorski
By Nancy Griffin and Emily Hutchison
M
any people meet their wives or husbands at college. So too did Glen and Jane—but more than 10 years after
graduation! Jane Morale, a 1980 music education graduate, describes that fateful evening during the SUNY Potsdam Reunion of 1999: “One night during Reunion, I was out at Maxfield’s with a fellow AGO sister, dancing to Double Axel. I remember looking over, and my eyes caught sight of this guy with a huge grin on his face. We were introduced moments later, and hit it off right away.” That guy turned out to be Glen Zagorski, a 1987 computer science graduate. As it turned out, the two had a lot in common— loyalty to SUNY Potsdam, a dedication to Greek Life and a love of music. As undergraduate students, Jane was a member of the Agonian Sorority (AKФ) and Glen was a member of the Psi Phi Delta Fraternity (ΨΦΔ). After graduation, they both remained active with their Greek organizations and they also continued to share their 10
P OT S D A M P EO P L E F A L L 2 0 1 2
musical talents in performing groups. Jane and Glen kept in contact via email, and a year and a half later, they tied the knot. And they remain happily married to this day. Jane, known as “AGO Jane” or “JaneCrane” to her friends, is the orchestra director and string instrument instructor at Spry Middle School in Webster, NY In 2010, she was chosen to receive the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra Musicians’ Award for Outstanding Music Educator on instrumental strings. Jane is also a member of the violin section of the Penfield Symphony Orchestra and the Greater Rochester Women’s Philharmonic, and serves as the youth choir director at her church. Glen, known as “Ziggy” to his friends, is an IT manager at Johnson & Johnson in Rochester, NY, supporting the technology needs of sales and marketing professionals. In his spare time, Glen plays in the trombone section of the Penfield Pops Concert Band, which gives concerts primarily at senior living communities around Rochester. He also plays guitar and sings in a Rochester-area rock band. Both Glen and Jane are tireless cheerleaders for SUNY Potsdam, attending Reunion each year, attending regional alumni events, encouraging fellow alumni to attend events, encouraging the youth they work with to attend their alma mater and providing support and encouragement to current undergraduates. At one point, Jane served as the house mother for her sorority, frequently making trips from her Rochester home to Potsdam
to check in on the members. Glen has been a featured presenter at the Dr. Millard and Ruth Harmon Student Leader Conference, sharing his personal experiences as a student leader and how those experiences profoundly impacted his life both personally and professionally. In addition to their shared love of music, Jane and Glen also share a strong commitment to the College’s Greek Life community. Throughout the years, the couple has remained very active as alumni volunteers. Jane served for many years as vice president of the AGO Alumnae Association, and is currently the chairperson of the AGO Alumnae Board of Directors. Glen was the president of the Psi Phi Delta Alumni Association for several years, and he was also an active member of the Psi Phi Delta Housing Board. Both are now members of the College-wide Greek Alumni Council. This shared knowledge of what a positive impact a strong Greek Life community can have on a young student’s college experience has led Jane and Glen to establish SUNY Potsdam’s first endowed fund in support of a Greek Life internship. Hosted by the Campus Life department, the Morale-Zagorski Intern works to promote a positive Greek experience for students at SUNY Potsdam. “Every day, we see students who are pushing forward and doing amazing peer-to-peer education,” said Julie Dold, the assistant director of Campus Life and coordinator of Greek Life. “To be able to reward a student for doing such incredibly important work within the Greek system is more than we could have ever hoped to do, without the generous fund established by Jane and Glen. We are thrilled that they have made this a reality.” Glen and Jane are also thrilled. “We feel a strong connection to both SUNY Potsdam and the Potsdam Greek community, and we can’t imagine one without the other,” Glen said. “By funding this internship, we can help to ensure that others get as much out of the Greek college experience as we did,” Jane added. “We’re grateful for this unique opportunity to give back.” Jane and Glen live in Penfield, NY, and have two grown sons, Zack and Justin.
Potsdam
profile
’75
Chuck & Claudia Ayer “There was a tremendous at the College radio station, where they amount of excitement about “were kinda committed to rock ‘n roll,” they being given a dedicated space learned a lot more than that. “Claudia would just for music, and it brought us take me to the Crane library and we would all together. There was lots of put on headphones and follow the score, and adrenaline,” she said. that is how I found a love of opera. We went Chuck majored in English to every student recital we could,” Chuck and pursued his certification in said. Claudia also remembers embracing and secondary enjoying science courses education. because the classes were “We have been a lot of “I was so accessible even for going to places in the world, but the non-majors. teach high “When you got up school, but North Country and Potsdam to Potsdam in Septemafter college ber, you were there. No have something special that going anywhere else on I went on ren ild h c e re nd their th r) in Cairns, to grad the weekends, no big I find compelling and still laudia, a Chuck, C , Timmy and Pete trip in 2005 school for city. Not to mention y (Kimberle uring a Christmas vocational that we were broke,” do find compelling. ” d Australia training, said Chuck. “Potsdam which helped me always had something make a living,” he said. “But it was what to do and here I am, thinking ‘you got to I learned at Potsdam that fostered my life try something new and you have to immerse long interest in literature, history and even yourself.’” By Deborah Dudley science.” Claudia continued, “We’ve lived in a lot At SUNY Potsdam, Chuck took classes in of places. We have learned that it is a great hese days, when Chuck Ayer piano, music theory and harmony, calculus big world, but wherever you go there is a ’75 is faced with a trip to and even worked up the nerve to take an very small world. Living in Paris, SingaLondon or Paris for meetings upper-division physics class. pore or Belgium is the same as discovering with colleagues at Pratt & “My first hard lesson was from Dr. Law,” Potsdam. You have to go out and find Whitney’s Division of United Technologies said Chuck. “She gave me a horrible grade what makes it unique and discover what is Corporation, he is less than enthusiastic. on the first paper I wrote for her and told required to live a rich and happy life, no After years living, working, and traveling in me, ‘Mr. Ayer, this is not college-level, and if matter where you are.” Singapore, Germany and other exotic locales you want to pass you will have to do better “We have been a lot of places in the for 35 years, as Chuck says without a hint work for me.’ I was pretty full of myself, world, but the North Country and Potsdam of sarcasm, “the only place these days I get and this forced me to take myself seriously have something special that I find compelexcited about getting in a car and driving to and expect more.” ling and still do find compelling,” said is Potsdam.” His wife, Claudia (Thomas) Claudia remembers similar commitment Chuck. “I’ve been traveling all my life and Ayer ’75 agrees. to excellence from vocal teacher Patricia am a bit tired of it, but when I know I will “Crane was the only choice for me when be driving up to Potsdam I can’t wait to get I was graduating from high school,” she says. Misslin. “I was very lucky to be at Crane and have her as a teacher,” she said. Claudia into my car and go.” Claudia, a music education major with a recalls Misslin and teachers like Mary Lou certificate in performance, was among the Hultberg and so many others. “They defirst class to transition from the old site to manded excellence and wouldn’t settle. They the new Crane Complex, which was still taught me not only how to perform, but also under construction for many of her classes. how to carry that demand for excellence into She recalls the practice room floors being my life. They helped shape my standards.” plywood and construction noises surroundTaking in all you could was the key. ing them, but to Claudia, “that was just the Although they met as freshmen working cosmetic stuff.”
T
w wwww. pwo. p t sodt as m d a. emd. u ed / pue/ o pp eo l ep l e1 1 1 1
BALANCing Wellness by Sarah Carr ’08
I
magine yourself at 18 years old. You’ve just graduated from high school and are about to embark on a journey into the unknown. Mom and Dad help unload the car and after a long, possibly tear-filled good-bye, you are on your own. For most freshmen, college is the first time they have ever spent an extended period of time away from home, the first time they have ever had to share a room and the first time they are solely responsible for their own well-being. “SUNY Potsdam has always been vigilant about its students’ well-being, but the concept of wellness has become more popular the last few years, and I have seen the College reinforce this in a big way,” said Gena Nelson, administrative director of counseling. “Professors are more willing to talk to their students when they seem to be struggling, and are more likely to call our office or elsewhere on campus for advice on how to help them. Our campus offices are constantly interacting to help students.” “Wellness” is a subjective term that can be interpreted many ways, depending upon one’s perspective. For example, a medical doctor may have a very different definition from that of a spiritual leader, just as a psychiatrist’s explanation might differ from that of a nutritionist. Optimum wellness, however, involves all facets of one’s being functioning at their peak which, in college, translates to student success.
12
P OT S D A M P EO P L E F A L L 2 0 1 2
Mind matters Common issues young adults face today include depression, anxiety, relationship concerns, trauma, mental health disorders and physical ailments. College students, however, have the unique added concerns of academic and performance anxieties, perfectionism, unrealistic expectations and a fear of failure. It is when a student is not mentally at his or her best that the SUNY Potsdam faculty and staff join forces to amend the situation. The Counseling Center staff is comprised of eight mental health professionals, including licensed mental health counselors, a full-time psychiatrist and master’s level interns. Clinical Director and Psychiatrist Dr. Patricia Pielnik joined the Counseling Center staff in August 2011. It is incredibly rare for a small school such as SUNY Potsdam to staff a full-time psychiatrist, and Dr. Pielnik brings invaluable experience and expertise to the College. She is able to provide answers for students’ best treatment options and is able to work with students who come to campus with a history of psychiatric care, medications or diagnosis. “We have very limited psychiatric care in St. Lawrence County,” said Nelson. “Before Dr. Pielnik joined our staff, we often had to send students home if they were in need of
psychiatric care. This usually meant withdrawing from school to obtain such services and get back on track emotionally. Now students in need of such services have them on campus for free.” In addition to its excellent staff, the Counseling Center offers an array of programs designed specifically to enhance and teach the importance of wellness. Free counseling, peer counselors and trained student wellness advocates are available. Several free yoga and meditation classes are offered by Julie Rapczynski, a therapist and licensed yoga instructor. The SUNY Potsdam Labyrinth, donated in 2002 and available to students, faculty and staff year round, is also used for meditative purposes. This walking path is used to help quiet the mind in times of stress or anxiety and to focus on the mind, body and soul connection. The end of the semester and the dreaded finals week are regarded by many as the most stressful time in any student’s academic career. To ensure that students get a mental break from the intensive study sessions, Jenica Rogers, director of libraries, and Keith Compeau ’77, associate director of library operations, began a program called StressBusters. It was created in 2006 in response
to students’ comments about needing mental distractions close to or within the library so they are not tempted to take a much longer break than planned or simply not return at all. To remedy this, Rogers and Compeau tried placing games and toys like jigsaw puzzles, crossword puzzles, chess, checkers, Jenga and other “childhood” activities including a sandbox, miniature golf, coloring books, beading kits and Lincoln Logs, for students to play with in Crumb Library during the last two weeks of the semester. In December 2011, StressBusters gave away 2,064 candy canes donated by staff members, and PACES Dining Services donated free snacks for three nights after the library’s Minerva’s Café closed. “The activities we provide can be done by one student or a small group. Everyone is a kid at heart. Everyone likes sugar and free things,” remarked Compeau. “We recognized that to be productive we take short mental breaks during our work day. Providing ‘distractions’ in the library allows students to take a break from their studying and refocus without the temptation to not come back. We now leave the jigsaw puzzle, a chess board and the putting green out year-round.”
w w w.potsdam.edu/people
13
Ethically, Emotionally and Spiritually Grounded Ask most students and alumni how they would describe Potsdam, and they will often respond with the word “family.” This unity is encouraged through the Be Ethical and Responsible @ Potsdam (BEAR) campaign. “BEAR encourages students to watch out for one another,” said Coordinator of Student Conduct and Community Standards Annette Robbins. “Through peer education and commitment, we are empowering our students to take care of each other in positive and influential ways.” BEAR @ Potsdam is more than a statement of civility; it is a collection of active groups that support the community. The many programs that it supports include Academic Peer Mentors, Active Minds, Community Action Team, the Campus Rescue Squad, the Night Guide Team, Reachout, Dispute Resolution Services, the Sexual Incident Response Team and Red Band. One of the newer programs, Red Band, provides students with the knowledge, awareness and skills to prevent deaths due to toxic drinking and to promote a student culture of kindness, responsibility, compassion and mutual respect. SUNY Potsdam prides itself on its culture of acceptance and understanding. Bullying and discrimination are a challenge on every campus across the country, so Dr. Susan Stebbins, special assistant to the president for diversity, said students who experience these types of negative interactions often don’t know who to turn to or what to do about it. “They are upset and need to talk to someone who will take the incident seriously and
14
P OT S D A M P EO P L E F A L L 2 0 1 2
understand their feelings,” Dr. Stebbins said. “Having people across the campus who will listen, take the incident seriously and inform the students about the options they have is important. It ensures the student knows that something is being done about the incident, and the people who engage in harassing or discriminating behavior are put on notice that the behavior is inappropriate. If it continues, there will be further consequences.” Programs like the Black Student Alliance, Caribbean and Latin American Student Society as well as the LGBTA and other clubs and organizations have created wonderful opportunities for students of all backgrounds, preparing them both academically and for the future. “As a freshman on a college campus, I felt a sense of loneliness,” said Olakayode Olasokan ’08. “However, the Black Student Alliance here on SUNY Potsdam’s campus embraced me. As the former President of the BSA, I have enhanced my leadership, communication and social skills. These skills are vital in the profession that I am pursuing.” As a state institution, SUNY Potsdam welcomes students of all faiths and traditions and recognizes this is critical in many of their lives. Each semester, local spiritual centers are given the opportunity to provide students with information about churches, synagogues, mosques and other organizations in the area. On campus, Dr. Harvey Smith, campus minister and coordinator of spiritual programs, is available to assist with any questions or concerns regarding religion.
Let’s Get Physical According to Fitness Center Director Tanya Hewitt, the benefits of participating in physical activity are twofold. “Physically speaking, being fit lowers an individual’s risk for several major diseases, improves body composition
and bone density, lowers blood pressure and reduces risk of injury. Psychologically, regular exercise improves sleep patterns, reduces stress and leads to a general feeling of well-being,” Hewitt said. Exercising not only has a positive effect on the body, but has also proven valuable in terms of academic achievement. “Students who engage in regular physical activity have a better handle on stress and tend to make other healthy life choices,” Hewitt said. “In addition, improved sleep can directly affect concentration and the ability to successfully complete academic work.” With the national statistics on obesity skyrocketing, it is more important than ever to prepare students for healthy lifestyles. In March, the General Education Committee revised the SUNY Potsdam Physical Education Requirement. Beginning in Fall 2012, all students will be required to take at least two courses in either PE or Health and Wellness. The Committee feels this is necessary because the physical education experience develops the necessary skills, knowledge and attitudes to live a productive lifestyle leading to the successful pursuit of personal and professional goals.
Fueling Success For the body to undergo physical exercise, it must first be properly fueled. “Your body needs energy to function, and that energy comes from the food you eat,” said PACES Executive Chef Steve Maiocco. “If you have a healthy, nutritionally balanced diet, you will be more alert and focused, leading to greater success in whatever you choose to do.” According to Maiocco, students have been very receptive to the efforts PACES Dining Services has put forth to improve the variety of healthy meal choices available on campus.
“While some students are less concerned about healthy options, those that are can count on PACES to continually evaluate and improve our healthy meal choices,” he said. SUNY Potsdam’s dining services have been voted No. 1 within the entire SUNY system. PACES purchases $300,000 in local produce and goods each year, investing in the health of not only our students, but the local economy and environment as well.
Nice to Meet You While being introduced to new people and experiences, College Physician and Director of Student Health Services Dr. Richard E. Moose says college students are also being exposed to new varieties of germs and illnesses. “For many students, this is the first time they’ve been completely responsible for themselves. It takes time to develop the life experience that brings about coping skills and the ability to make good decisions,” said Dr. Moose. To help prevent or alleviate the many health issues college students face, Student Health Services (SHS) is available for guidance and counseling on all medical issues. The campus health center, the Watkins Health Clinic, delivers high-quality primary care, with its board-certified family physician, nurse practitioners and a physician’s assistant on staff. The clinic provides an array of services, including allergy and flu shots, and nicotine cessation counseling and free nicotine replacement therapy. In addition, the Self-Care Center provides over-the-counter medications, most available at no charge, and advice for treating cold symptoms without having to see a provider.
Another of Student Health Services’ many functions is health education. A full-time health educator offers sessions both in the residence halls and in the classroom to cover pertinent health issues.
According to Director of Campus Life Ruth Policella, numerous studies show that a student’s success at college is heavily dependent upon their peer group, and club or organization membership increases student retention.
“We have been able to compare data collected from the national collegiate health assessment over the last two years and see improvements in the general knowledge of those topics upon which she has focused. A knowledgeable patient is a healthier patient,” said Dr. Moose.
“Student activities play a critical role in helping students find their niche at Potsdam, and as a result, develop meaningful relationships with their peers,” said Policella. “For new students, our goal is to accelerate their transition to Potsdam by helping them find activities they are interested in participating in, as early as their first weekend on campus.”
Social Scene According to Director of Student and Family Transitions Louise Tyo ’00, first-time college students tend to have a tremendous fear of what’s to come, and a large part of this fear is wondering if they will “fit in” and be able to find their niche on campus. Student and Family Transitions (SFT) helps to calm these fears from day one at student orientation. “The relationships that are made during these early stages have been noted to last not only the years taken to complete a degree, but for a lifetime,” said Tyo. According to Tyo, approximately 90 percent of freshmen also participate in the First-Year Success Seminar, during which new students have several classes scheduled together to ensure that at least one familiar face will be present at all times. Health and wellness courses are incorporated into the seminar curriculum, covering subjects such as having and maintaining healthy relationships, sexual health, alcohol consumption, alternatives to partying, peer pressure, stress management, physical fitness and nutrition.
The Office of Student and Family Transitions also exists to help first-time students maintain healthy connections to home. Bear Hugs from Home is a program designed to aid students in adjusting to their new environment. Family members are provided with postcards at a parent information session during orientation. The families are instructed to write messages of encouragement, love and their hopes for the student. The Counseling Center staff then sends the postcards to students in October, a few weeks into the semester when students typically start feeling homesick. “This exercise brings many parents to tears and parents frequently say it is their favorite part of orientation,” said Tyo. “It’s a good way to keep students and families connected.” Now imagine yourself as a 22-year-old. Your family is watching you walk across the stage to receive your bachelor’s degree and head yet again into the unknown. If you are armed with the wellness strategies developed over your college career, you are ready to face your next challenge, and for SUNY Potsdam, you represent another member of the family prepared to embrace success.
w w w.potsdam.edu/people
15
class
notes nate to hear Renée Fleming sing with the Portland, OR Symphony in March. What a treat!”
Recent graduates from SUNY Potsdam’s music business program met in May with Provost Margaret Madden, Crane School of Music Dean Michael Sitton and Coordinator of Music Business Carol “Kickie” Britt ’69 for a social and networking event in Manhattan, the night before the Crane Chorus and Orchestra performance at Avery Fisher Hall in Lincoln Center. Past Alumni Board President, Dale Zurbrick ’68, was also in attendance. First Row: Jill Falcone Vedric ‘06, Provost Madden, Kickie Holloway Britt ‘69, Dean Sitton; Second Row: Brigid Villareale ‘09, Lauren Tesoriero ‘09, Susan Cody ‘10, Cara Dworkin, “Simon” Zhang ’11, Josh Redman ‘11, Dale Zurbrick ‘68; Third Row: Mary Ann Vervaet ‘78, Dana (Cavooris) Hilsenrath ‘06, Christen Edwards, Sergio Bonsignore ‘10, Clark Gale, Violetta Kajtazi ‘05, Carine Kowalik ‘10, Chris Brickley ‘09, Max Sholl ‘09, Mark Verity ‘10, Matt Royal ‘08.
1940s
1950s
Evelyn Dickie Riehl ’42, in honor of its 20th anniversary, revived her original “Sunday Rock: The Folk Musical,” based upon the lives of lumberjacks and communities along the Raquette River during the early 20th Century. The musical was presented from July 18 to 22, 2012 at ColtonPierrepont Central School in Colton, NY, and coincided with the first anniversary of Sunday Rock, being named to the National Register of Historic Places.
Sylvia Decker Quackenbush ’50 has ‘re-retired’ from Campton, NH, to Grantham, NH, to a smaller house in a lakeside community with a lot of amenities, a little closer to their nine children and their grandchildren. She and her husband, H. Clinton, still ski and play golf. Doc Murphy and his wife, Nancy, and Wilbur Raville and his wife, Phyllis, got
Ruth Bitz Dettbarn ’46 is still teaching private piano lessons. Beryl (Schuttler) Marshall ’48 continues to perform with the Island Symphony Orchestra, along with fellow Potsdam graduates Jane (Berlin) Rittman ’46, Reynard Burns ’68, Jamie Scotto ’10, and Karen (Singer) Miller ’64. Marshall also enjoys performing in her church choir on Long Island with fellow Crane grad Gretchen (Simonetti) Schaentzler ’97.
16
together at the home of Sue and George Cuppernull in Georgetown, SC, in January 2012. The Class of 1952 Crane alums celebrated their 60th reunion in July. John ’53 and Joan (TenEyck) LaFalce ’53 have been volunteers at the Mesa Arts Center for seven years, which hosts stars such as Yo-Yo Ma, Itzhak Perlman, Lily Tomlin, and Bill Cosby. They celebrated their 58th anniversary on April 24 and now have their first greatgrandchild. “We were fortu-
P OT S D A M P EO P L E F A L L 2 0 1 2
Peter De Luke ’55 was honored as the Founder of the Jazz Association of Greater San Diego (JAG) in April. His band, the Mellotones, continues to perform throughout southern California. Since graduating, Dorothea “Dottie” Watkins Clark ’55 has been active in many music activities, but a recent twist in her health has caused her to be less involved. She has end stage renal disease and is hoping for a kidney transplant and encourages everyone to consider organ donation. Though they were quite comfortable in their home of 40 years, Stanley ’56 and Marlene King Towne ’56 moved to Middleburgh in January. They tragically lost their home and its contents on Aug. 28, 2011, in tropical storm Irene. “We are well and moving forward.” Dorothy “Dotty” Runkel Dronkers, Bev Mikel Kneessy, Gail Roach Davi, Sue Conant Young and Mary Carey Munhall, all Class of ’58 had a girls’ getaway weekend in San Antonio, FL. They laughed, ate, shopped and reminisced about their college days. Rita Itkin Schwartz ’58, SUNY Chancellor Nancy Zimpher, President John F. Schwaller and Anne Schwaller, attended a perfor-
Infantine ’58 in attending the Crane Chorus and Symphony Orchestra’s performance of Verdi’s Requiem at Avery Fisher Hall on May 1. Gordon Hill ’59 left the North Country in 1960 with his late wife, Nazaly Dershian Hill ’59, because of their son’s asthma condition. Nazaly taught second grade for 30 years, retiring in 1990. She passed away from breast cancer in 2011. Gordon taught elementary and high school for 33 years before being ordained in the Episcopal Church. After nine years in church service, Gordon retired. They have one son and daughter-in-law and two marvelous grandchildren.
1960s Alan Adams ’61 has been named classical music reviewer for Nevada’s largest newspaper, the Las Vegas Review-Journal. He has also been elected to the Board of Trustees of the Latin Chamber of Commerce Community Foundation and will serve as chairman of its fundraising committee. Barbara Kusher Kahan ’62 is happily retired and enjoying life. She traveled to Europe in July and missed attending her 50th Reunion, but sends congratulations and greetings to all of her former classmates. Amy D’Lag Fagans ’63 has worked at Eastern Carolina University for the past six years and loves the South – no more blizzards or slush. Martha Trembley Hammill ’63 and Terry Hammill ’63 visited Carol Guarnieri
mance of “Rodelinda” at the Metropolitan Opera starring Stephanie Blythe ’92 and Renée Fleming ’81. Rita was also joined by Sylvia Amarel
Johnson ’63 at her home on St. Simons Island, GA. Carol and Martha were four-year
roommates at Potsdam, and Carol was Martha’s maid of honor in 1963. After Martha’s successful open heart surgery at the Cleveland Clinic in 2011, the visit was very therapeutic. Joe Procopio ’63 is listed in the Saxophone Encyclopedia of Music, entitled “150 Years of Music for the Saxophone” by Londeix and published by Roncorp. He also recently published two music ebooks, “Basic Music Theory” and “Making Sense with Music.” Procopio was the first to hold the Miles Clark Endowed Chair for Music at the College of the Albemarle in Elizabeth City, NC. Wilma Reynolds Willson ’64 is still working in real estate, loves to travel and spending time with her grandchildren, children and friends. Sam Cooper ’65 taught high school geography, political science and psychology for eight years; was a high school administrator at Dryden Central School for 12 years, high school principal of Morrisville-Easton for five years; district administrator at Cobleskill-Richmondville for 10 years, and founder of the school safety training group. Joseph D. Fondacaro ’65 retired from the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center in January 2010 and is an emeritus professor of pediatrics at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. He has lectured in Russia, Egypt, Brazil, Chile, Central Europe and China. He is a Trustee of the Cincinnati Foundation for Biomedical Research and Education and enjoys playing golf, fly-fishing for trout and attending his grandchildren’s activities. “To my fellow students between 1961-65, especially my Psi Phi Fraternity brothers and my baseball teammates, my very best to all of you.” Elaine (Minskey) Potoker ’65 of Maritime Academy
class
notes Bob Christianson ’72 was nominated for an Emmy Award for his music for ABC Sports and has written over 25 award-winning sports themes for CBS, ESPN and ABC. Also a successful studio synthesizer, Christianson has recorded with many talented artists, including Aretha Franklin, Chaka Khan, Diana Ross and Rupert Holmes.
Surrounded by fellow Potsdam graduates and retired faculty at the annual Florida alumni gathering, Jerry ’68 and Carolyn Zwaga were recognized and honored for their lasting commitment to Potsdam. “We have no dependents and were looking for a meaningful way to leave a lasting impression of ourselves, a legacy.” For Jerry, “Potsdam was a maturing experience. It gave me a better understanding of the world and culture. The memories and impact have been lifelong.” In 2011, the Zwagas made it official and revised their wills to name the Potsdam College Foundation as the 100 percent beneficiary of their estate. Their gift will establish the Jerry & Carolyn Zwaga Study Abroad Endowment, which will enable faculty to take groups of students overseas as a part of their studies at Potsdam. The Zwagas make annual gifts that allow at least one student each year to have a study abroad experience. “International travel is near and dear to our hearts. We are thrilled to provide this opportunity to students and hope it broadens their horizon and changes their lives.” For more information on how to include Potsdam in your estate plans, visit the College’s free estate planning website at www.potsdam.edu/ advance/giftplan or contact Jason Ladouceur ’94, director of planned giving, at (315)267-2123 or giftplan@potsdam.edu. was selected to receive her second Fulbright Award as a senior specialist in the Fulbright Specialist Program. She is a full professor in the graduate and undergraduate programs and the director of Caribbean/Central American Outreach for Maine Maritime Academy’s Loeb-Sullivan School of International Business and Logistics. Richard Brooks ’66 was on the music faculty of Nassau Community College, where he was professor and, for 22 years, department chair. In addition, he has composed nearly 90 works for various media and ensembles. Among other notable posts, Brooks is the founder of Capstone Records and works closely with PARMA to continue the Capstone legacy and shepherd the company and its music into the digital era. Anna Ashwood Collins’ ’67 environmental mystery series is now available on Kindle. The three books, “Deadly Resolutions,”“Red Roses for a Dead Trucker,” and “Metamorphosis for Murder,” are full of action and humor. Judy Coye Comings’ ’68 husband, Harold, retired and they have moved to Florida.
Rosemary Callard-Szulgit’s ’68 seventh book, “Perfectionism and Gifted Children, second edition,” was released in August by Rowman and Littlefield Publishers. Helvi McClelland ’68
opened her own mediation practice in 1989, and after 23 years, retired in May. For many years, McClelland has been the pianist for Grasshopper Productions, a eurythmy group that has toured with the Midwest and Northeast, with plans to take on some adult piano students after her retirement. SUNY Canton Professor Emerita Faye Witherell White ’68, ’71 & ’93 received the SUNY Canton Distinguished Faculty Award in 2001 and was awarded emeritus status the same year, denoting her excellence during her 15-year career at Canton.
1970s Jay Blumenthal ’70 was appointed director of the Symphonic Services Division
and assistant treasurer for the American Federation of Musicians of the United States and Canada AFM. The AFM is the largest organization representing the interests of professional musicians in the world. Bill Merna ’70 is a member of the Ogdensburg Kiwanis Club, which held a reception for students who demonstrated great improvement in their GPA in the last marking period in Ogdensburg, NY. Toby White ’89, director of Experiential Education at SUNY Potsdam, was guest speaker. Dana Malloy Barry ’71, who is married to James F. Barry ’68, earned her second Ph.D.
The Journal of College Reading and Learning named Karen Dangelo Bromley ’71 the recipient of the 2011 Article of the Year for her article, “Picture a World Without Pens, Pencils, and Paper: The Unanticipated Future of Reading and Writing,” published in 2011. Karen is a SUNY Distinguished Teaching Professor in the Graduate School of Education at Binghamton University. Nancy Dusek ’71 retired in May 2011 after serving as a district court judge in Massachusetts for 25 years. She was crowned Ms. Senior Massachusetts in 2012, and will compete in Atlantic City in October 2012 for the national title. Her three year old grandson Sammy, the love of her life, keeps her hopping. Renowned pianist Kevin Moore ’71, who is married
with a degree in engineering, from Osaka University in Japan in 2011. In September 2011, she served as a visiting professor and keynote speaker in China. Barry won her 16th consecutive APEX Award for Publication Excellence in 2011, and in May she served as a visiting professor in Japan.
to Selma Ludwig Moore ’72, was recently appointed assistant to the president/ interim general counsel for Onondaga Community College, where he has taught as a professor of music since 1975.
Todd Hobin ’72, is leader of the Todd Hobin Band, which launched in 1974 and recorded several albums through the ’70s and early ’90s, and opened for national bands touring the East Coast. Hobin has taught a history of rock ’n roll class at Le Moyne College for the past eight years. Rich Johns ’72, after teaching in Saratoga Springs Middle School and coaching athletics for 38 years, is now traveling the country as a public speaker sharing the anti-bullying message of his nonprofit organization, Act with Respect Always. Tim Lindemuth ’72, Manhattan, KS, retired from Kansas State University in June after 37 years of service; the past 19 years as editor of the “K-Stater” alumni magazine. He opened Moore House Bed and Breakfast in August at his home. Patricia Lantry O’Reilly ’72 recently retired from a New York State agency after 36 years. She began with the state on a three-month temporary assignment and stayed 36 years! Susan Paige Scoppa ’72 is still teaching Latin full-time and loving it. She is also a member of Genesee Valley Writing Project ’07 (National Writing Project Fellow) and a board member of the Classical Association of the Empire State. Jeff Vredenburg ’72 is the conductor and former director of the Mendelssohn Club of Albany, a 70-voice male chorus formed in 1907 and
w w w.potsdam.edu/people
17
class
notes
the Capital Region’s longest continuously performing arts group. Michael Messitt ’73 retired as assistant dean in the College of Arts and Sciences at the University at Albany in May. Dorothy J. Olsson ’73 is a choreographer who teaches at the Amherst Early Music Festival where she has directed several historical theatrical productions. She was also an assistant professor of dance education at New York University for 10 years. Mary Stamos ’73 retired in June from 39 wonderful years of teaching high school math. She is adjunct for SUNY Adirondack this fall. Next year, she will be a math home tutor for Glens Falls High School students unable to attend school. She hopes to spend time on Lake George in her family’s 23-foot 1961 wood boat, a Chris Craft Seaskiff, which her husband completely restored. Anne Cavolo Tedesco ’73 performed her 18th solo piano benefit concert for St. Johns University’s Department of Fine Arts Scholarship Fund in April. Assemblyman Marc Butler ’74 was the keynote speaker at Fulton-Montgomery Community College’s 47th commencement ceremony. Butler has been a member of the state Assembly since 1995. Carol Mauriello Case ’74 is a full-time art teacher at Groton-Dunstable Region High School in Massachusetts, and opened the NOA Fine Art Gallery in 2002. She enjoys experimenting with radical pottery. Maureen Wiley Gregory’s ’74 first solo piano compositions were performed at Dance Theatre Workshop in NYC and the Mandell Theatre in Philadelphia. She trained as a dancer at Temple University and received two 18
choreographic fellowships from the Pennsylvania Council of the Arts. She also founded Riverscape Music LLC. Her latest album, “Waltzes for a Summer Night,” was released in June. Karen Ireland-Koestner ’74 has a combined family with six adult children and she now has three grandchildren. She is enjoying North Jersey, the shore and all NYC has to offer. Glenn Seymour ’74 has worked at his family’s business, Seymour Funeral Home in Potsdam, NY, since 1977. Steve ’75 and Sally (McTarnaghan) Christensen ’75 of Rochester, NY, organized a bicycling team for the American Diabetes Association Tour de Cure in June. The team honored fellow alum Dr. Gary Krolikowski ’75 of Castile, NY, who has been a diabetic for a number of years. Carole Walsh Melchior ’75 has six grandchildren. Frederic ’75 and Jana (Van Wie) Pratt ’76 are both recently retired, have sold their home on Long Island and split their time between Big Pine Key, FL, and Barnegat, NJ. Veronica Jackson Shaver ’75, choral director at Oswego High School for ten years, has been recognized as an outstanding music educator by WorldStrides Heritage Performance. She and her students have successfully participated in five of the organization’s festivals throughout the nation. Shaver has been a music educator for 34 years and has been awarded the artistteacher diploma for superior performance in choral music education. Renee E. Shirley ’75 published her first of 10 intended fiction novels entitled “What Goes Around!,” in the spring. “My spectacular Potsdam education has led to an outstanding human resources
P OT S D A M P EO P L E F A L L 2 0 1 2
career, with national and international travel. This led to my writing about how we treat one another at work!” Michael Tebbano ’75 retired as superintendent of schools for the Bethlehem Central School District in December, 2011. His wife, Sheila Ogilvie Tebbano ’75, retired from the Schenectady district in 2010. The couple lives in Florida, playing golf and keeping in touch with family and friends around the country. Debby (Copeletti) Catlin ’76 retired as a Project Manager for Pfizer Pharmaceuticals in March. She has been spending more time with her husband, Peter, traveling, teaching group fitness classes at her local gym and just enjoying her retirement. Michele M. DeLuca ’76 retired in May 2010, after 33 years at Miller Brewing Co. She is now working part-time for the Ft. Worth Convention & Visitors Bureau as a guest services and convention representative and loving it. Her son, Michael, is serving in the U.S. Coast Guard San Diego MSST Unit and is currently deployed to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Lawrence Frego ’76 retired from the U.S. Navy and Coast
Guard in March 2011. He worked mostly nights for 25 years, researching methods to cure all diseases. Frego published “An End to All Disease” and set up a non-profit foundation for his book and subsequent discoveries and articles. There are over 120 lesser-known treatments for cancer and AIDS in the book. He also published “The Da Vinci Code Revelations.” He is a member of the New York Explorers Club. Frego
Gail (Geiselmann) Browning ’70 was recognized by the Landis Arboretum in Esperance, NY, for her years of volunteerism, most notably serving as vice president and secretary of the Board of Trustees, as well as chair and co-chair of many committees and events. Gail recently won her division at Capital Region Women’s 600 Tournament with a 666 Triple (212, 210, and 244), the highest sanctioned single and triple she’s ever bowled. L to R: State Sen. James Seward, president of the Board of Trustees; Jim Paley; Assemblyman Peter Lopez, and Gail (Geiselmann) Browning. currently resides in St. Augustine, FL, and has three children who will soon be off to college. Peter Royal ’76 has been the drama director at Bronxville High School since 2003 and is marking his 30th year as a director of high school musicals. While attending Crane, he met his wife of 35 years, Elaine (Soellner) Royal ’76. Elaine is a music teacher in the Nanuet school system and directs their annual high school musicals as well. Jeffrey Terrillion ’76 retired from IBM in 2007 but returned in a part-time supplemental role in July 2010. “Working part-time leaves me plenty of time to enjoy my two grandchildren: Makayla Terrillion (10) and Hailey Lathrop (five months).” He also stays active with sports, primarily softball, basketball and golf. Monica Kantor-Churchill ’77 received the 2011 Maine Music Educator of the Year Award. Joanna (Martin) Barouch ’78 is happy to announce the marriage of her daughter Rachel Raboy to Jeffrey Cohn on June 24, 2012. Rachel is also the daughter of Nathan Raboy ’77.
Katherine Engle Barry ’78 retired after 32 years of teaching music in Waterville, Lowville and Union Springs. She is still the choir director at Auburn United Methodist Church and also plays in the bell choir there. Alvaro Blake ’78 retired from the City of New York as the director of the Office of Child Support Enforcement after 28 years of service. John J. Dixon ’78, one of the North Country’s longestsitting principals, retired in June. He had been the junior-senior high school principal at Gouverneur Central School since 1994. Donnalyn Eaton Shuster ’78 received the 2011 Youth Art Month of Merit from the Council of Art Education, as well as the Award for Outstanding Promotion during the 2012 convention of the National Art Education Association, held in New York City. Nancy (Burger) Sousa ’78 joined Wellspring Living, a non-profit organization whose mission is to confront the issue of childhood sexual abuse and exploitation through treatment, education and advocacy for girls and women.
class
notes
Daniel Stetson ’78 is the director of the Hunter Museum of American Art in Chattanooga, TN. Formerly, he served as the executive director of the Polk Museum of Art for 15 years. Jeffrey Welcher ’78 finished his first year as the director of “Windjammer,” the vocal jazz ensemble at Syracuse University’s Setnor School of Music. Karen Lerner ’79 lives in Brooklyn, NY, with her husband, Richard, daughter Katherine and two dogs, Rosie and Petey. She teaches middle, high school and IB music. Lerner also plays chamber music whenever possible.
1980s Kathleen DaBoll-Lavoie ’80 has been appointed by the NYS Board of Regents to serve as a higher education representative on the state Professional Standards and Practices Board. She is department chair of inclusive childhood education at Nazareth College and president of the New York Association of Colleges for Teacher Education. Brian Fallis ’80 and Jane Brower Fallis ’81 celebrated their 30th wedding anniversary last summer at their home in Red Hook, NY. Brian teaches middle school band in Arlington Central School District, and Jane teaches special education with Abilities First in Red Hook. Ronald Fishbeck ’80 and his wife, Teresa, have established an endowed scholarship at SUNY Potsdam in support of students pursuing an internship in computer science. In 1990, Ron and a business partner established a computer services company called Systems Made Simple, now headquartered in McLean, VA. The company has been listed on Inc. 500’s List of Fastest Growing Privately
Held Companies for the past three years running. Ron and Teresa live in Aroda, VA. They have two grown children, Jonathan and Nicole. Tedi Marsh ’80 has performed in South America,
Thailand, Costa Rica, Indonesia and India as well as at Boston’s Berklee College of Music, with the Cape Cod Symphony Orchestra and as a backup vocalist for pop singer Gloria Gaynor. Proceeds from her CD are being donated to a Cambodian orphanage that she visited in her travels to provide new, clean bathrooms. Eric Cioppa ’81 was appointed to the position of superintendent of the Maine Bureau of Insurance by Maine Gov. Paul LePage. Tamara Freeman ’81 is a nationally recognized Holocaust educator and violist.
Recently, Freeman presented a music lecture-recital at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. She teaches at Ridgewood, NJ, public schools and instructs students of all ages how to sing beautiful and poignant songs that were composed by children and teens from WWII ghettos and concentration camps. Last year, Freeman received an award from The Crane School of Music for having created and developed the nation’s first and only Holocaust music curriculum for grades K-12.
Joe Carello ’82 and Frank Grosso ’82 are both saxophone artists with the Central New York Jazz Orchestra. Carello has directed the Stan Colello All-Star Band since 2003, worked with Chuck and Gap Mangione, Harry Connick Jr., Natalie Cole, Barry Manilow and Frank Sinatra Jr. He was recently named Jazz Educator of the Year by CNY Jazz Central. Grosso has over 26 years of experience as a music educator and has appeared with many artists, including Cole, Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Bob Hope, Lena Horne, Manhattan Transfer, Johnny Mathis and the Temptations. Ann Martin Carvill ’82 has been a member of the Potsdam Central School Board of Education for over ten years. She previously taught grades 3-12 and was the drama club director for grades 3-6 for six years. Carvill lives in Potsdam, NY, and currently works as a bookkeeper for her husband’s, John Carvill ’74, dental practice. Daniel Clark ’82 recently retired from the U.S. Air Force Reserves with the rank of colonel after serving for 23 years as flight surgeon, and is currently a staff anesthesiologist at the Cleveland Clinic. He and his wife, Christine, were blessed with twins, Kailey and Ethan, five years ago.
Oswego Opera Theater. She also teaches at Syracuse University, directs the music ministry at Fairmount Community Church and coaches vocalists in her private studio. Nancy spent 17 years with Syracuse Opera, where she was chorus master, rehearsal pianist, vocal coach and performer. Bradley H. Smith ’83 was appointed director of marketing for Vintage Filings’ investor relations and compliance solutions. Jamie Luckie ’84 was selected by the NCAA to officiate during the Men’s Division I Basketball Championship this year. This was
his third consecutive Final Four and 13th straight NCAA tournament. Luckie credits former soccer coach Jim Rishe and former basketball coach Jerry Welsh (Hon. ’79) for encouraging him to become a college basketball official. Sharon A. Addison ’85 has been named the new city manager in Watertown, NY.
Sandra Fancher-Bastedo ’83 was one of five women honored by the Arts Council for Wyoming County in May, where she received the 2012 Artist of the Year and Patron of the Arts awards in the field of music. Nancy Head James ’83 is the new choral director of
She comes to the job from the U.S. National Security Agency, where she had been the sole source operations manager in charge of intelligence operations, program management and business process improvement since 2006.
Helga Bodner Bogardus ’85 is the director of music ministry at First United Methodist Church in Fuquay Varina, NC. Tom Hull ’85 was named vice president and chief information officer at Pace University in Westchester and New York City. He was previously CIO at Siena College and Virginia Commonwealth University. Darryl Green ’86 and his wife, Mary Rose GiruzziGreen ’87, have published their first children’s book, entitled “Jake and the Buggy Melee.” They plan to write a teacher’s manual to use with the book, covering art, math reading, language arts and science. Amy Braun Sadkin ’86 was appointed the new director of Newbury Town Library by the town’s library trustees. She is a member of the American Library Association, the New England Library Association and the Public Library Association. Martin N. Coppola ’87, a 1997 Master of Health Administration graduate from Baylor University, is the recipient of the 2011 Army-Baylor Distinguished Alumni Award. His textbook, “Leadership for Health Professionals: Theory, Skills and Applications,” is currently being used by over 100 U.S. degree programs. He retired from the Army as a lieutenant colonel in 2008 and is currently a program director and associate professor at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center. Margaret Johnson ’87 received her Ph.D. in policy analysis and management from Cornell University in May. She spent several years as an aide to Assemblyman Marty Luster and has worked part-time at Cornell. She and her husband, Michael Roman, have two children, Nathan, 16, and Rachael, 13.
w w w.potsdam.edu/people
19
class
notes
Christine Cavotta Lane ’87, vice president of investments for Rochester Wealth Management, has been named a VIP member of Cambridge Who’s Who. Christine Schneider ’87 was named executive director and consultant relations manager on UBS Global Asset Management’s U.S. consultant relations team. Faith Tooney Dunkleberger ’88 is pursuing a graduate degree at Bloomsburg University. She is the projectionist at the Cinema Center, a Zumba fitness instructor and a member of the Christ Episcopal Church choir. Thomas French’s ’88 “River Views: A History of the 1000 Islands in 3-D” was awarded a silver medal for best regional book in the Northeast in the 2012 Independent Publisher Book Awards. Dale Strong ’88 now teaches school full-time and owns two businesses. Sara Bigley ’89, principal of Pinehurst Elementary School, NC, has been named the Wells Fargo Regional Principal of the Year. Bigley will serve on a state advisory committee with seven principals from other regions to encourage policymakers and educators to work collaboratively to benefit students. Janet Jones Brown ’89 performed with the Syracuse Opera Company, Boston Early Music Festival, the Syracuse Symphony, the West Virginia Symphony and the Cantata Singers of Boston. She also serves as instructor of voice and academic coordinator at Syracuse University’s Setnor School of Music and is a voice adjunct at Hamilton College. Greg Kelly ’89 is a partner at K2 Global Communications LLC where he special-
20
izes in public relations, international relations, public/government affairs, corporate communications and relationship building from the local to international level. Molly Sprague Kurent ’89, after completing nine years as the director of marketing for the University of Vermont Department of Theatre, has taken the position of general manager at Vermont Stage Company in Burlington, VT.
member of the village ethics commission and schools health advisory committee.
wide, was recently named a VIP member of Worldwide Who’s Who.
“Fangtastic,” the third novel in Lucienne Diver’s ’92 “Vamped” young adult series, was released in January 2012 from Flux Books. The fourth installation, “Fangtabulous,” is scheduled for January 2013.
S. Evan Kreider ’93 published a new book, “The Philosophy of Joss Whedon,” about the famed creator of such TV shows as “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” “Angel,” and “Firefly.” Kreider’s book examines Whedon’s plots and characterizations to reveal their philosophical takes on the limits of personal freedom, sexual morality, radical evil and Daoism.
Brian J. Howard ’92 received a Certificate of Award for Outstanding
Peter J. Turner ’89 was appointed superintendent by the Carthage Central School Board of Education. He began in July.
1990s Alan Cron ’90, an administrator at Milton High School for 18 years, has taken over as principal of Rockland High School. He is currently completing his doctorate in educational leadership at the University of Massachusetts-Boston. Jonathan Babcock ’91 is an associate professor and conductor of the Texas State University Singers and Men’s Choir. In addition,
Babcock teaches graduate and undergraduate courses in choral conducting, literature and pedagogy. Jonathan will be conducting the New York All-State Women’s Choir at the 2012 NYSSMA Conference in Rochester, NY Terence P. Ward ’91 has served on the New Paltz town and village planning boards, and is currently a
P OT S D A M P EO P L E F A L L 2 0 1 2
Community Service from the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution for work done to support and promote their Oneida chapter in Central New York. Howard has been the executive director at the Oneida County Historical Society in Utica, NY, since 2007, and has taught American history as an adjunct professor at SUNYIT since 2010. Tony Leuzzi ’92 is an associate professor of English at Monroe Community College in Rochester, NY. His second book, “Radiant Losses,” was released by New Sins Press in 2010. In November 2012, BOA Editions will release “Passwords Primeval,” Leuzzi’s collection of interviews with 20 well-known American poets. Christopher Todd ’92 was appointed superintendent of Oswego County BOCES. He was formerly the superintendent of schools for the Oakfield-Alabama School District in Western New York. Melissa Bialkowski Walker ’92, vice president of Global Operations for REV World-
Laura Newman Abbett ’94 is a volunteer teacher at Webster Central School District and was previously a student teacher supervisor at St. John Fisher College. She and her husband, John, recently purchased a house in Ontario, Canada. Jennifer Benson ’94 is now teaching at Qatar Academy in Doha, Qatar, after working in Kuwait for eight years. She is an English as a second language/Literacy Specialist, as well as a certified Reiki practitioner in her spare time. Massena Central School Athletic Director Tim Hayes ’94 was honored with the 2012 Section 10 Athletic Administrator Award in March. Jason Ladouceur ’94, director of planned giving at SUNY Potsdam, received the 2012 Chancellor’s Award in Professional Service. Pastor Rocco Dapice ’95 founded People’s Church in White Plains, NY, with his wife, Jen.
Andrew Hurd ’95 received the SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching. Timothy Murphy ’95 works as a counselor at the Northwest Community Corrections Center in Bowling Green, OH. Nick F. LaFave ’96 spent the summer of 2012 in the Arctic Circle studying wolf spiders in a PolarTREC research expedition, along with 15 other scientists from across the country. He teaches environmental science at a high school just outside Charlotte, NC, and was chosen from a field of 250 applicants to join the trip. Emily Lauzon ’96 was recently promoted to general manager of the Mohawk Bingo Palace, where she has worked since 1999. Nick Mancini ’96 received a master’s degree from the Manhattan School of Music’s jazz program and has performed extensively in New York and Europe, playing vibraphone with top bands, as well as writing, recording and producing music. Peter Tambroni ’96 is the author of the music textbook, “An Introduction to Double Bass Playing.” It is currently in use at Crane, several Chicago area colleges, and by bassists around the world. Peter has been teaching and playing in the Chicago area since 2000. Jim Facteau ’97 teaches sixth grade at L.P. Quinn Elementary School and coaches the school’s football team. He and his wife own the Market Place in Tupper Lake, NY.
Deadline for class notes submission for Spring 2013 issue is:
October 31, 2012
class
notes
After nearly ten years at the consulting firm McKinsey & Company, Christine (Moore) Faulkner ’97 recently joined the transactional team at prominent law firm Wilmer Hale. She is enjoying the law environment very much and still has the flexibility to sing both as a soloist and with small groups in and around New England. Darrek (DJ) Isereau ’97 of SRC, Inc., a not-for-profit
Shannon Shoemaker ’98 works at SUNY Delhi, teaching in the business and information technology department. Jennifer Kirkby Tavares ’98 had an exhibition of her artwork at the Chenango County Council of the Arts, entitled “Earth: Spin and Fire.” Her functional stoneware designs are extremely popular with local collectors and gift givers. SUNY Potsdam Alumni Board member Amy J. Kellogg ’99 was elected partner of the
as a recipient of Clarkson University’s Influential High School Educator Award. A former student nominated him during his senior year at Clarkson. Marino also teaches as an adjunct instructor at Clinton Community College in Plattsburgh, NY.
the district’s curriculum coordinator. Myers resides in Lowville, NY, with her husband Derek and four children.
Matthew Smith ’01 migrated to California, where he founded several companies. During this time, Matthew also toured the country with several bands as a percussionist performing at Montreal Jazz Fest, Outside Lands Music Festival and Burning Man. In 2010, Matt was promoted to vice president of marketing at DeliRadio.com.
Richard Viglucci ’04 is the 2011 University of Nebraska-Lincoln Concerto Competition winner. He performed the Luigi Bassi “Fantasia di Concerto” on themes from Verdi’s “Rigoletto” with the UNL Orchestra in 2011.
Meryl Simon Brown ’02 is a board-certified music therapist and profesresearch and development company with more than 50 years of experience in defense, environment and intelligence, has been named to BizEvents’s 2011 “40 Under 40” list for his contributions in both the workplace and community. Isereau’s charitable interests include the United Way and breast cancer research. Danielle Fielding Gray ’98 is a special education teacher in the Canton Central School District. She resides in Potsdam, NY, with her husband, Patrick, and their three children. Brian Shay ’98 has been selected as a Mentor Fellow for the Math for America
San Diego Fellowship program. Now in its fourth year, MFASD is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving mathematics education in San Diego County public secondary schools.
2000s
Andrea Kachidurian Dievendorf ’00 of Delmar, NY, was promoted to assistant dean of health and wellness at Mildred Elley School in Albany, NY. She previously served as chair of the Department of Life Sciences and Mathematics. Geoffrey Mackey ’00 received his Master of Arts degree in theology, summa cum laude, from the Byzantine Catholic Seminary of SS. Cyril and Methodius in Pittsburgh, PA. In May 2009, Christopher M. Marino ’00 was honored
Kerry Davey Cirillo ’05 was promoted to a full-time faculty position in the life science and mathematics department at Mildred Elley College in Albany, NY. Brian Dougherty ’05 transitioned from an internship with Samson Technologies to a permanent sales position at the company, due to his course of study at the Crane Institute for Music Business and his NAMM Show student experience.
Harter Secrest & Emery LLP law firm in Albany, NY.
Charles M. Capone II ’00 was included in NNY Business magazine’s 2011 class of “20 Under 40,” a who’s who of young professionals working to be the best in their fields while giving of themselves to their communities. Capone has been a commercial loan officer at Watertown Savings Bank for over a decade.
Eric DiVito ’04 has released his first CD, “Breaking the Ice,” featuring nine original jazz compositions.
sional member of both the American Music Therapy Association and the Illinois Association for Music Therapy, where she currently serves as student coordinator. She works closely with infants and children in the early intervention program in the state of Illinois. Sean Dobbin ’02 teaches basic adult education at the Young Correctional Institution in Wilmington, DE. He also enjoys creating puzzles; his work has appeared in the New York Times. Jennifer S. Selvek ’02 is a national board certified teacher in the area of early childhood educationgeneralist. Jennifer L. Myers ’03 was named South Lewis Central School District’s principal. She was previously
Rebecca E. Dunckel-King ’06 was appointed principal at Beaver River Central School. She and her husband live in Lowville, NY, with their three children. Melinda Feldmann ’06 is a music teacher at J.D. George Elementary School and an organist and pianist at the First Presbyterian Church. She is active in the musical theater at VernonVerona-Sherrill and the Oneida high schools, while she continues her association with the Victoria Buda Academy of Theatrical Arts in Sherrill, NY. Shaun Irland ’06 teaches a variety of English courses, including creative writing, at Jamestown Community College in Jamestown, NY. Roger Kalia ’06 was selected as the new music director and conductor of the Young Musicians Foundation Debut Orchestra for the next three years. This
position is one of the most prestigious training positions available to young conductors. Tina Kimmis ’08 received a MBA from Clarkson University in December 2011 as part of the inaugural cohort of their online MBA program in Supply Chain Management. Richard Loveland ’08 recently published his first novella, a fantasy story with poetic, mathematical and puzzle elements, entitled “Jelec, the White Bear, or, Beware an Encounter with a Raven and His Friends.” He credits his professors, especially Maurice Kenny and Richard Henry, with teaching him to write well, and more importantly to be a critical editor of his own work. The boys under-17 team playing in the Ontario East Minor Hockey League, led by Luke Beck ’09 and his assistant coach Pat Choules ’11, are ODMHA branch champions in the major midget AAA division. Beck was an assistant coach with Yarmouth (Nova Scotia) of Maritime Junior Hockey League before joining the OHA for the 2010-11 season. Chris Hemond ’09 is now the social media and web coordinator for Cornwall and Seaway Valley Tourism. Samantha LaBarge ’09 of Rensselaer Falls, NY, was awarded the sixth annual Louise Harper Memorial Scholarship, which is given to a nontraditional student. LaBarge is pursuing an associate’s degree in nursing from SUNY Canton. Krystal Stowe’s ’09 work was featured at Pendragon Theatre in Saranac Lake, NY. Her show highlighted the flora and fauna of the Adirondacks as an exploration in preparation for the Pendragon Garden Project, which is currently in design.
w w w.potsdam.edu/people
21
class
notes
2010s Oswego, NY, native Christopher Battles ’10 is making waves in New York City as
Potsdam People
Births
Deborah (Gevens) Peltz ’94, her husband, Randall, and big brother, Zachary, welcomed Rebecca Kate into their family on June 1, 2011. Trish (Tarasiewicz) Altimonda ’95 and her husband, Michael, welcomed their second son, Bryce, on July 6, 2011.
an acoustic singer-songwriter. He is campaigning with the online fundraiser Kickstarter.com to raise funds for his first professionally recorded EP. Bridgett M. Condon ’10 graduated with a MBA in accounting from SUNY Oswego in 2011. She was hired in January, with Dannible & McKee, LLP. Lauren V. Gilmour ’10 is a museum education specialist at the Frederic Remington Art Museum in Ogdensburg, NY, where she provides children a handson experience with the arts.
Joel Perkins ’10 currently teaches elementary music in the Bedford School District and performs as a violinist and fiddler.
22
Craig ’03 and Lisa (Fiorentino) Newell ’04 shared a
Mike ’98 and JoAnne (Sperry) Starks ’00 wel-
Do you have a funny or significant story to share about your time at Potsdam? What is it about your Potsdam experience that made it memorable or special? E-mail us at alumni@potsdam.edu.
Potsdam People
Old college friends Judy Weigert Bossuat-Gallic ’75 and Warren T. Gallic ’75 were married on December 27, 2011.
recent photo of their son, Chase, enjoying a visit to the Minerva Plaza on campus, which had not been built when they were students. Erin (Kerwin) Wilson ’05 gave birth to a daughter, Casey Jane, on October 4, 2011. Rachel Sivers Johnson ’07 and Brett Johnson ’08 welcomed their third child, Emily Grace, on February 24, 2012.
comed their first son, Kaleb Michael, on March 22, 2011. They recently celebrated his first birthday.
Tell us your story!
Marriages
Erin (Peters) Lockwood ’98 and her husband, Jason, welcomed a daughter, Natalie Maria, into the world on November 5, 2011. She joined her big brothers, Brandon Dominick (5) and Alexander (16), and her sister, Taylor (15).
Julia Kate Glasgow ’98 & ’00 married Adam J. Thompson on July 30, 2011, at the home of her aunt in Higley Flow, NY. The couple took a honeymoon trip to Maine and resides in Star Lake, NY. Shawn Patrick Spriggs ’01 and Janel Lynn Smith were married June 18, 2011, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Canton, NY. The couple took a wedding trip to The Sandals Grande Antigua Resort & Spa and resides in Potsdam, NY. On August 6, 2011, Stephanie Tooke ’03 married Harry C. Baran.
Tabitha J. Towles ’03 married Randy Reynolds at Quality of Life in Ogdensburg, NY, on September 3, 2011. The couple resides in Fayetteville, NY. Katie E. Shear ’06 married Brian Varga on November 12, 2011. On July 30, 2011, Lisa M. Miemietz ’07 and Lowell T. Warner ’03 were married at
Holy Family Church in Syracuse, NY. The couple traveled to Ocean Isle Beach, NC, for their wedding trip.
Geoffrey ’00 and Erin (Goodwin) Mackey ’00
Nicholas White ’10 performed at an exhibition at the UMBX Center for the Arts and Visual Culture on the banjo with Dr. Airi Yoshioka. Amber Aksterowicz ’11 has taken a job as a receptionist at Pinckney Hugo Group, a full-service marketing communications firm.
Adaiah Barron-Cook ’01 and her husband, Joshua, welcomed a son, Noah, on January 21, 2012.
Tracy Bloom Heisler ’97 announced the birth of her daughter, Rebekka Paige Heisler, on March 7, 2012
Lisa A. Kilic ’10 entered her second year of service as a teacher in the Peace Corps in Zambia. Joseph Lyszczarz ’10 is a 2012 BMI Student Composer Award winner. He is currently pursuing a master’s degree in composition at Bowling Green State University, where he is a graduate assistant in music theory.
Christopher Marino ’00 and his wife, Megan, welcomed their third child, a son, Nicholas Dominic Anthony, into the world on December 12, 2011. His two older sisters think he is adorable.
announced the birth of their second child, Alexandra Almeda, born November 10, 2011.
P OT S D A M P EO P L E F A L L 2 0 1 2
To learn more about the easiest gift you’ll ever make, see the insert in this edition of Potsdam People or visit
www.potsdam.edu/advance/giftplan
class
notes Madaliene Morgan Lambert ’41
Antone Aquino ’50
March 13, 2012 April 25, 2012
Iris Page Collins ’42 January 18, 2012
Mary Ellen ( Robinson) Hatch ’50 April 18, 2012
Mary (Ball) O’Neil ’42 March 30, 2012
Catherine Durr Lyman ’50 February 13, 2012
Muriel Scott (Foley) Sheppard ’42 August 12, 2007
Dwight “Doc” Murphy ’52 March 29, 2012
Rosemary Flanagan Dolan ’43 March 18, 2012
Glenn E. Soellner ’52
Ruth (Donahue) Coscomb ’44
Kali Connelly ’03 and Dan Murphy were married at St. Agnes Catholic Church in Lake Placid, NY, on October 8, 2011. TJ Kenyon ’08 and Jenna Gersbacher ’08 were married in September 2011.
bought a home in Winthrop and welcomed a baby girl in May.
Jennifer L. Radley ’08 and Erik J. Hauck ’03 were wed on July 30, 2011, at St. Vincent de Paul Church. The couple resides in Watertown, NY.
Potsdam People
Mallory A. Truax ’08 and Christopher M. Olson were united in marriage on July 16, 2011, in Massena, NY, at The Grace United Methodist Church. The couple honeymooned in Aruba. On August 6, 2011, Courtney E. Belloff ’09 married Jonathon B. Barker in Adams Center, NY. The couple traveled to Jamaica in March for their wedding trip. Alaina White ’09 and TJ Goodrich were married on August 13, 2011, at the Victory Baptist Church in Winthrop, NY. The couple
Anniversaries Heather Fahey ’10 and Jason Richardson were married July 9, 2011, at their home in Lisbon, NY. John Reed ’63 and Karen Peterson Reed ’62 celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on December 30, 2011. The couple met when John needed a pianist to accompany him for his clarinet major class performance, and they have been making beautiful music ever since. They celebrated with a trip to Alaska, given as a gift from their children. Karen attended her 50th class reunion with her daughter, Elizabeth ’87, who celebrated her 25th class reunion in 2012.
Peter ’83 and Judith (Boyd) Nelson ’84 will celebrate 25 years of marriage in October 2013. Stan Walker ’83 and his wife, Angela, celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary on May 30, 2012. Potsdam People
Memoriam
December 27, 2011 David M. Spencer ’52 September 4, 2011
October 24, 2011
Arthur M. Reid ’53
Betty Lou Portz Henderson ’45 July 31, 2011
James B. Walsh ’53 September 22, 2011
Barbara (Finch) Myers ’45 April 29, 2012
Marjorie (Hayes) Haddleton ’32 April 3, 2012
Paula (Gibson) Crowe ’46 February 15, 2012
Jessica (Brown) Davidson ’34 June 20, 2008
Bernice (McCabe) Mullen ’47 May 2012
Katharine Gebo Shackley ’36 November 11, 2011
Paul R. Austin ’47 January 23, 2012
Elsa F. Grant ’39 December 16, 2011 Betty Morgan Agone ’41 June 2, 2011
Genevieve V. Major ’49 March 29, 2012
Roger Earl Sipher ’54 January 14, 2012 Americole Remo Biasini ’56 June 3, 2012 Patricia Dawson Filiatreau ’56 January 6, 2012 Stephen A. Kocsis ’57 November 12, 2011 Harry R. Mckenna ’57 September 17, 2010 Ara (Bull) Riedel ’57 February 13, 2010
w w w.potsdam.edu/people
23
class
notes Janie Martin Stokes ’72
June A. Tedesco Uhl ’57 February 28, 2011
Bradley G. Clark ’86 February 6, 2012
Elizabeth Berenice Danks March 10, 2012
David L. O’Hara ’58 October 12, 2011
Joanne (Stark) Bigwarfe ’93 May 29, 2012
Harold B. Demick December 21, 2011
Nancy Lee Gaffney Adams ’61 December 28, 2011
Ronda (Olinger) Murphy ’93 December 30, 2011
Judy A. Doe November 29, 2011
William T. Schwarz, Jr. ’61 June 15, 2011
Anthony L. Marshall ’94 April 26, 2011
Gilbert O. Dumas retired from SUNY Potsdam in 1990 after 36 years of service. March 14, 2012
former French professor. February 19, 2012
Margaret Toliver Garner, a former librarian at SUNY Potsdam. May 17, 2012
Larry W. Ramsay worked at SUNY Potsdam as a Locksmith for many years. March 21, 2012
Nettie Mae Green worked as a cleaner retiring in 1983. December 21, 2011
George F. Regan November 30, 2011
Audrey Jacobson, a friend of the Rolland Gibson Gallery. May 19, 2012
Mary L. Richards was a cook and baker for PACES Food Services for over 30 years. December 29, 2011
E. Richard Worthington ’61 February 5, 2012 Nancy (Gloning) Crowe ’62 May 7, 2011 Derold Kaine ’62 December 4, 2011
April 10, 2012 Gregory Black ’73 July 19, 2009
Barbara J. Catone ’73 January 12, 2012 Winona M. Snyder ’73 February 28, 2012
Agnes Nan (MacKesey) Hoy ’64 June 10, 2010
Glenn R. Bellinger ’74 February 18, 2011
Thomas Franklin Wendorff ’64 December 2, 2009 Ellen Frances Graham ’65 April 20, 2011 William E. Slezak ’65 December 5, 2008
William G. Soucy ’66 May 2, 2011
Mary B. (Hallenbeck) Paquette ’75 June 24, 2011 Patrick McNamara ’76 June 13, 2012 Adrienne F. Brown ’77 November 20, 2011 Mary Jane (Dinoto) Hughes ’78 December 29, 2011
Delores (Mallery) Delaney ’66 October 19, 2011 Elizabeth A. Moesel ’67 December 12, 2011 Maureen Collins Baker ’69 January 10, 2012
Douglas L. Smith ’78 April 6, 2011 Timothy D. Cook ’80 January 7, 2012
Brian J. Bates ’97 March 27, 2012 Christopher M. Rousell ’97 February 20, 2012 Steven C. Williams ’00 November 30, 2011 Nichole J. Rielly Maitland ’05 March 19, 2012 Hali M. Summers-Rosen ’07 November 26, 2011
Emeriti & Friends Edward Alfonsin, a professor in the English department from 1965 to 1996. January 7, 2012 Martin Bertman, faculty emeritus. July 1, 2012 Carmen Casolara worked in the Computing and Technology Services Department for 34 years. November 5, 2011
Gregory James Kreis ’82 October 12, 2011
Daniel Chudzinski worked in the Maintenance Department for several years. March 25, 2012
Paul S. Cruickshanks ’84 June 2, 2012
Rev. W. Russell Clark June 3, 2012
Susan Liberty Portier ’85 Louise Carol Huff ’71 October 10, 2011
Helen Cobane worked in food service. December 4, 2011
Calvin W. Denhoff ’72 February 12, 2012
Larry J. Curtis December 9, 2011
Louis G. Grieco, Jr. ’69 April 8, 2012 Ann Howlett ’69 February 11, 2012
Robert Stabile ’72 (Hokum W. Jeebs) February 16, 2011
John I. Dalland retired from SUNY Potsdam after being the chairman of psychology for many years. April 21, 2012 January 31, 2012
24
P OT S D A M P EO P L E F A L L 2 0 1 2
Annette R. Plante,
Mary M. LaPointe, former employee. December 2011
Eleanor E. Uffer, former art professor. May 5, 2012
Dorothea Madison, retired from SUNY Potsdam after a 20-year career as an administrative assistant. March 17, 2012
Bradford B. Van Diver taught geology for 24 years. April 26, 2012
Richard “Dick” Merchant (Hon. ’96) July 8, 2012
Arthur C. Yaddow worked in the Physical Plant for over 36 years, retiring in 2002. June 11, 2012
Gerald A. Pike worked at SUNY Potsdam from 1968-1988. March 15, 2012
The Annual Fund for Potsdam Did you know that your gift makes a hand-crafted college education possible for the world’s next great scholar, educator or artist? When joined with the contributions of others who give each year to The Annual Fund for Potsdam, your unrestricted gift helps support the College’s greatest priorities, meet immediate needs and respond to once-in-a-lifetime opportunities here at Potsdam. And through this, you are changing a student’s life. Thank you!
IN their
own words
To the Crane Chorus and Orchestra These thanks in the manner of Shaw Come to you as expression of awe. You played, sang and managed To give Verdi the advantage. While Hosmer and Crane dropped their jaw! We journeyed to Potsdam in rain. The snow added more of a pain. But who cared what weather? We all worked together. In the end there was nothing but gain. In buses we rode to the city Where family and friends heard our ditty. To shouts of applause From our paws and our maws, We reveled in Verdi. What a pity! Kelly, Maggie, Dimitri and Thor Sang beautifully - all clamored for more, The donors were beaming, The leaders were scheming, To plan for the exciting encore. From all of us, thank you for caring For working so hard and for sharing. To reach high in one week To continue Crane’s streak Requires equal commitment and daring! written by
Ann Howard Jones The above limerick was written by Dr. Ann Howard Jones, the 2012 Dorothy Albrecht Gregory Visiting Conductor, to the Crane Chorus and Crane Symphony Orchestra in recognition of their work together in performing Verdi’s Requiem in the spring of 2012. Dr. Jones, who was an assistant conductor under famed conductor Robert Shaw, shared that Mr. Shaw occasionally wrote such limericks to commemorate his time spent working with a particular group of students. Dr. Jones wrote: “Could you please forward these thanks to the students who played and sang the Verdi? I thought it would be fun to try to write doggerel in the manner of Robert Shaw.” w w w.potsdam.edu/people
25
potsdam
pride
Standing Ovation for Crane’s Return to Lincoln Center More than 2,000 people gave a raucous standing ovation as students from SUNY Potsdam’s Crane School of Music performed on the stage of Avery Fisher Hall, Lincoln Center, on May 1. Worldrenowned conductor Ann Howard Jones, the 2012 Dorothy Albrecht Gregory Visiting Conductor*, led the Crane Chorus and Crane Symphony Orchestra in a performance of Verdi’s Messa da Requiem. Nearly 300 students sang and played their hearts out, alongside guest soloists Kelly Kaduce (soprano) and for-
26
P OT S D A M P EO P L E F A L L 2 0 1 2
mer Crane students Margaret Lattimore ’91 (mezzo-soprano), Dimitri Pittas ’99 (tenor) and Charles Temkey ’97 (bass). *The partnership of the Dorothy Albrecht Gregory Visiting Conductor Fund, established by Dorothy Albrecht Gregory ’61, and the Adeline Maltzan Crane Chorus Performance Tour Fund, established by Dr. Gary C. Jaquay ’67, brings distinguished conductors to The Crane School of Music for festival performances by the Crane Chorus and Crane Symphony Orchestra, and funds travel for major performances to venues outside of Potsdam.
Special Thanks to NYC Committee Volunteers Many thanks to the alumni and friends who served on the New York City Planning Committee, chaired by alumni and Potsdam College Foundation, Inc. trustee Rita Schwartz. This group helped ensure that the Verdi performance at Lincoln Center was well attended and received the media attention that it so deserved. Their efforts in reaching out to high schools in the NYC and Long Island area also resulted in an entirely new generation of potential SUNY Potsdam students experiencing firsthand the unique opportunities awaiting them at Crane. The committee members included Maria Infantine and alumni Richard Campbell ’80, David Dik ’82, Mary Helander ’83, Sean Leous ’86, Frances (Coan) Roberts ’64, Laurie Salomon ’79, Rita (Itkin) Schwartz ’58, and Dale Zurbrick ’68. w w w.potsdam.edu/people
27
alumni
opportunities
Save the Date
SUNY Potsdam invites everyone to participate in the upcoming activities, all of which are on campus unless otherwise noted. For a complete listing of all activities, including specific dates, locations, and registration/ticketing information (when applicable), visit the Campus News & Events tab on the SUNY Potsdam website at www.potsdam.edu or contact Katie Deuel, Campus Events Coordinator, at 315-267-2102 to be connected to the correct department.
FALL 2012 NYSSMA Alumni Reception (November 30, Rochester, NY) Attending the 2012 NY State School Music Association conference? Don’t forget to visit The Crane School of Music booth and join us for the alumni reception at the Hyatt Regency.
Candlelight Concert (December 2, 3 p.m. & 7:30 p.m., Hosmer Hall) One of the College’s most popular musical performances. This concert will certainly put you in the mood for the holiday season!
Winter/Spring 2013 Bear Pride Night (February 8, Maxcy Hall) Cheer on your Potsdam Bears basketball teams - women’s game at 6 pm and men’s game at 8 pm (both vs. Geneseo). If you are a Potsdam alum or a donor to the athletics program, join us for a special reception in Maxcy Room 220 (across from Jerry Welsh Gymnasium). Free admission to alumni!
Crane Symphony Orchestra Tour Long Island & Albany (February 27 – 28) Crane is on the road, performing at Herrick’s High School in Long Island (Feb. 27) and South Colonie High School in Albany (Feb. 28). This is a great way to see our talented Crane students perform around NYS. Watch for upcoming Alumni gatherings to be held in conjunction with these two concerts.
Florida Alumni Event (March 7, The Villages, location and time TBD) (March 9, Sarasota, location and time TBD)
Live in Florida? Join us for an alumni gathering, catch up with College friends, and hear about the exciting things going on at SUNY Potsdam.
expressions, including theatre, dance, music, visual arts and creative writing. There’s something for everyone, with the week culminating in an exciting Crane performance.
20th Annual Pointercounts Invitational
Crane School of Music Performance
(April 6, 7:30 p.m., Hosmer Hall) You won’t want to miss this fun-filled evening with Potsdam’s award-winning a cappella groups, including the Potsdam Pointercounts, Potsdam Pitches and A Sharp Arrangements, as well as a cappella groups from other colleges.
(May 4, 7:30 p.m., Hosmer Hall) The Crane Chorus and Crane Symphony Orchestra will perform Benjamin Britten’s monumental War Requiem, conducted by Maestro Christof Perick, the 2013 Dorothy Albrecht Gregory Visiting Conductor. The American Boychoir will perform as part of this large work, along with a chamber orchestra and three vocal soloists. Alumni & Friends Pre-Concert Reception (May 4, location and time TBD) In honor of Britten’s centennial year, join us for a preperformance alumni and friends reception, including a brief lecture on the historical significance of the Requiem.
Campus Academic Festival (April 10 – 13) As a celebration of academics on campus, this festival introduces the community, students, faculty and staff to cutting-edge research and creative activity on topics of importance to the College, region, and world. Held every three years, the 2013 Festival theme is “Making the Future: Opportunities & Challenges.”
Spring Festival (April 20 – 27) This annual festival coordinated by student groups for the benefit of both students and the community includes a week of events that culminates in a “block party.” Bring the family and enjoy the carnival of games, food, entertainment and giveaways. Earth Week (April 22 – 26) Join us for a variety of activities on and off campus in order to promote and spread the word about becoming more ecofriendly, such as community clean-up activities, lectures on green living, and nature hikes.
Lougheed Festival of the Arts (April 26 – May 4) Through a variety of performances, lectures and exhibits, this annual, week-long campus festival celebrates all artistic
Rock and Fossil Fair (May 13, 9 a.m. – noon, Timerman Hall) An annual family favorite, join us for hands-on activities with rocks, minerals and fossils, as well as face painting, crafts, games and delicious homemade foods.
Reunion Weekend (July 11-14, 2013) Wrestling Reunion 50th reunion of the first season (1963-64) 30th reunion of the SUNYAC Championship (1972-73) 55th anniversary of Phi Alpha Fraternity 45th anniversary of Theta Omega Phi Fraternity 40th anniversary of Crane Youth Music Special Orientation Leader Reunion *Celebrating 10th anniversary of Louise Tyo coordinating the program.
Potsdam Alumni Deserve A Better Rate: Now alumni can get special discounted rates on insurance from a trusted company with close to 100 years of service. Get details and a free rate quote on Car & Home Insurance. For more information visit www.libertymutual.com/lm/potsdam or call 1-800-524-9400. Discounts and savings are available where state laws and regulations allow, and may vary by state. To the extent permitted by law, applicants are individually underwritten; not all applicants may qualify.
28
P OT S D A M P EO P L E F A L L 2 0 1 2
reunion
special
Reunion Weekend Huge Success!
In July, close to 600 alumni, friends and emeriti returned to campus to catch up and share their Potsdam memories. In addition to class reunions, the following celebrations took place over the weekend: the 130th anniversary of Alpha Kappa Phi Sorority, the 125th anniversary of The Crane School of Music, the 55th anniversary of Sigma Alpha Iota Fraternity, the 25th anniversary of Alpha Sigma Tau Sorority and the 25th anniversary of the Collegiate Science and Technology Entry Program (CSTEP). From celebrating our Alumni Award recipients, the Hall of Fame inductees and honorary doctorate recipient, Lisa Vroman ’79, to honoring past and present members of student organizations, the College community was reminded of the liberal arts diversity that makes SUNY Potsdam great. A very special thank you to all of the classes, who together raised an incredible $4,398,061, to include the 50-Year Club (including all classes from 1962 and earlier). SUNY Potsdam owes its strength to its incredible alumni and the College family.
2012 Reunion Class Gifts At Reunion each year, classes celebrating significant Reunion years present Class Gifts to the College. Thank you to our 2012 Reunion committee members, who made phone calls, sent emails and letters and used social media to reach classmates and encourage them to show their support.
Class Chair(s) Total Committed $12,001 *2007 5th reunion $5,443 2002 10th reunion Vicki Lynn Brown Taylor Harper
1997 15th reunion 1992 20th reunion
$2,510 $8,158
David Crowell Frank and Stacy (Kowalski) Rozonkiewiecz Justin Sipher Andrea White $88,198 *1987 25th reunion Ronda (Lavancha) Curtis Robert Gray Glen Zagorski *1982 30th reunion $32,843 Tim Christensen Kevin Hennessey Brian McDowell *1977 35th reunion $40,911 Susan (Vroman) Cavanagh Mike Lahendro Bill Sohl
1972 40th reunion *1967 45th reunion *1962 50th reunion
$12,533 $548,532 $183,208
TOTAL
$934,337
Shirley (Wolf ) Crane Barbara (Erickson) Dannenberg Phylis (Fine) Fink John and Judy (Schorge) O’Reilly Arlene Sturm
* Exceeded Goal
Visiting campus? Check out the complete campus calendar to see what’s happening. Visit www.potsdam. edu/newsandevents to see a full listing of athletic events, concerts and more!
w w w.potsdam.edu/people
29
NONPROFIT ORG U.S. POSTAGE PAID VILLANTI MAILED FROM 05401
44 Pierrepont Avenue Potsdam, NY 13676 www.potsdam.edu/people
Mark Your Calendars Now for Reunion! Class of 1962
7.11.13 - 7.14.13 For more information visit
www.potsdam.edu/alumni