ALUMNI TESTIMONIALS

Your FRED Stories

Every Fredonia graduate has a story. In each edition of the Statement, we will showcase where Fredonia alumni are now and how their Fredonia experience helped them get there. Have a story you want us to consider featuring? Go to www.fredonia.edu/my-story and tell us your story.

Heather Bennett, ’90

Heather Bennett, ’90, Major: English with a concentration in Creative Writing

Where are you now? I am the Marketing Coordinator for an engineering firm in Dallas, Texas, and have self-published two novels. How did Fredonia prepare you? The English Dept. at Fredonia was phenomenal! Their support and humanity gave me the confidence to explore my passion and word play. That led directly to pursuing what I love to do — wordsmithing and being creative. ”

Charles Marshall, ’22

Charles Marshall, ’22, Major: Computer Science

Where are you now? Software Engineer at Fidelity Investments. How did Fredonia prepare you? Supportive staff members throughout the many different departments helped me prepare for my career and the campus is so friendly! My Fredonia experience was amazing, from joining clubs to meeting people from many different backgrounds! Christie Corsoro, ’02 Major: Psychology and Sociology Where are you now? I've been teaching Early Childhood Special Education for 18 years in Fairfax County, Va. After receiving my degrees from SUNY Fredonia, I earned my master’s in Education and a certificate in Applied Behavior Analysis. I'm also a Realtor in the Northern Virginia/D.C. metro area. My heart belongs to education, but I have a passion for real estate. How did Fredonia prepare you? I'm always grateful that I was able to study at SUNY Fredonia. I fondly remember working with Dr. Cheryl Drout to publish a research article, that is something I'm very proud of. I've always enjoyed writing and continue to dabble in it a bit to this day. I recall many of my psychology instructors including Dr. [Bruce] Klonsky and Dr. [John] Slaughter. I also have great memories of playing softball and traveling to Florida over spring break. ”

Emilio “Emil” Palame, ’76

Emilio “Emil” Palame, ’76, Major: Music

Where are you now? I am now based in Los Angeles working as an actor/writer/producer/director/ arranger/composer and studio musician. The award-winning feature film (Rome International Movie Awards-Best Feature Film, best director, best producers and Emilio Palame, best supporting actor) — I co-produced, co-wrote, directed, composed, arranged, orchestrated, and starred in, “Knights of Swing” — is now available on Vimeo on Demand. https://vimeo.com/ondemand/knightsofswing

How did Fredonia prepare you? The Fredonia Jazz Ensemble program allowed me to hone my Big Band arranging, and Jazz piano playing skills because of what I learned while studying in Ted Petersen’s jazz arranging class, my fellow Jazz ensemble members and my personal work preparing charts and directing the band. I was in the Fredonia Jazz ensemble from 1972 as pianist and then directed the “second band” my sophomore year and then ran the entire program my junior, senior, and first year as a graduate student/assistant, culminating by winning “Outstanding Composer Arranger” and “Outstanding Keyboardist” at the prestigious Notre Dame Jazz Festival in 1977. ”

Christie Corsoro, ’02

Christie Corsoro, ’02, Major: Psychology and Sociology

Where are you now? I've been teaching Early Childhood Special Education for 18 years in Fairfax County, Va. After receiving my degrees from SUNY Fredonia, I earned my master’s in Education and a certificate in Applied Behavior Analysis. I'm also a Realtor in the Northern Virginia/D.C. metro area. My heart belongs to education, but I have a passion for real estate.

How did Fredonia prepare you? I'm always grateful that I was able to study at SUNY Fredonia. I fondly remember working with Dr. Cheryl Drout to publish a research article, that is something I'm very proud of. I've always enjoyed writing and continue to dabble in it a bit to this day. I recall many of my psychology instructors including Dr. [Bruce] Klonsky and Dr. [John] Slaughter. I also have great memories of playing softball and traveling to Florida over spring break.