Sequel (Winter '09)

Sequel PAUL SMITH’S COLLEGE THE COLLEGE OF THE ADIRONDACKS WINTER 2009

Do it yourself!

Start a fire, make a bed, cook an omelet: Our experts show you how to do six everyday tasks.

[ table of contents ] Paul Smith’s College

Winter 2009

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On the cover: Brett McLeod ’03, one of the woodsmen team’s coaches and a forestry professor, doesn’t need lighter fluid to start a fire – just an axe, some wood and a match.

[ DEPARTMENTS ] To Our Readers

4

Faculty & Staff Notes 4

2

Our Adirondacks

5

Shore Lines

6

Q&A

10

Evergreens

12

Good Taste

16

Spaces

18

Alumni Life

30

Class Notes

32

Parting Shot

36

6 5 4 Warm tidings Our Timber Harvesting class helps a local family stave off the cold this winter.

Write to Sequel:

6 Shore Lines Students head to Costa Rica, Guatemala … patrols go electric … alum comes back to campus, the hard way … and more.

PSC Alumni Office PO Box 265 Paul Smiths, NY 12970-0265 Fax: (518) 327-6267 E-mail: alumni@paulsmiths.edu

10 Long in the couth Mind your manners – etiquette maven Kelly Solway ’86 is here, and she’s giving us the skinny on

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the rules of the road (and the dinner table.)

16 Puff piece Marla Joseph ’08 shares the secrets of a family tradition, her creampuffs, with us.

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PAUL SMITH’s COLLEGE THE COLLEGE OF THE ADIRONDACKS WINTER 2009

President John W. Mills, Ph.D. Managing Editor Kenneth Aaron Director of Communications kaaron@paulsmiths.edu Institutional Advancement Staff Hillarie Logan-Dechene Vice President for Institutional Advancement Stephanie M.R. Colby Director of Annual Giving Jamie Dyer Major Gifts and Grants Officer Mary L. McLean Director of Events and Conference Services Randi Rabideau Alumni Relations Coordinator Amy White Director of Advancement Services Andrea Wilcox Institutional Advancement Assistant Contributors Michael Beccaria Evan Crisafulli Pat Hendrick Marla Joseph

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Kathleen Keck Kathleen O’Rourke Les Parrish Jim Tucker

DESIGN Maria M. Stoodley Printing Kenyon Press Inc. Trustees of Paul Smith’s College Stuart H. Angert, Amherst, N.Y. Paul M. Cantwell, Jr., Malone, N.Y. Richard C. Cattani ’64, Hoboken, N.J. Paul F. Ciminelli, Eggertsville, N.Y. Michael Cropp, M.D., Amherst, N.Y. Jim Gould, Glastonbury, Conn.

James E. Himoff, Brant Lake, N.Y. Anthony L. Johnson, Buffalo, N.Y. Pieter V.C. Litchfield, Gansevoort, N.Y. Caroline D. Lussi ’60, Lake Placid, N.Y. Edward McAree, Rowayton, Conn.

Charles B. Morgan, Cazenovia, N.Y. William Murray ’79, Plattsburgh, N.Y. Lee Quaintance, Lake Placid, N.Y. E. Philip Saunders, Dansville, N.Y. James L. Sonneborn, Syracuse, N.Y. Nora Sullivan, Buffalo, N.Y. Francine D. Walker, Bedford Hills, N.Y. Joan H. Weill, New York, N.Y. Katharine H. Welling, Wilton, Conn.

George F. T. Yancey, Jr., Rochester, N.Y.

18 Spaces Aging archives are being turned into 1’s and 0’s in the Joan Weill Adirondack Library.

20 DIY at PSC Chef Jon Daly is among the Smitties giving free lessons on tackling some everyday tasks like a pro.

26 Competitive edge Phil Saunders got his first taste of success in the truckstop business years ago – and he hasn’t stopped moving since.

Trustees Emeriti

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Donald O. Benjamin ’56, Port Charlotte, Fla. John T. Dillon ’58, Greenwich, Conn.

C. Convers Goddard, Calistoga, Calif.

William B. Hale, Rochester, N.Y. Calista L. Harder, Yarmouth, Maine John W. Herold ’65, Scottsdale, Ariz.

M. Curtiss Hopkins ’48, Sodus, N.Y. Frank M. Hutchins, Rochester, N.Y. Sheila Hutt, Blue Mountain Lake, N.Y. Charles L. Ritchie, Jr., Saranac Lake, N.Y.

Honorary Trustees W. Peter Ahnert ’64, Marshalls Creek, Penn.

Thomas H. Gosnell, Webster, N.Y.

Printed on recycled paper.

Published by the Office of Institutional Advancement.

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[ to our readers ]

Bullish on us

T

hese days, the economy can make even the sunniest optimist a little gloomy. More than 20 students didn’t enroll for the spring semester for that reason alone. And when just one student leaves here because of finances, that’s about the worst news one can get at a place committed to accessibility.

But we’re still feeling pretty good about our chances for weathering the storm: after all, take a look at the community that makes this place work.

Read about the Timber Harvesting class, for example, which donated hardwood from the college’s lands to an area family that would have otherwise had trouble covering heat this winter. Or look at the story of Virginia and Michael Adler (page 13), who have donated $35,000 this year for student

scholarships and pledged the same amount next year for the new Paolozzi Center. Or read the profile on page 26 of Phil Saunders, the college trustee who is behind the renovated Saunders Sports Complex.

Those people have come through pretty spectacularly. And many more are doing their part.

Consider the people who teach and work here. This winter, faculty, staff and administrators gave near-unanimous support to cutting pay on those making more than $30,000 a year. Those with the biggest paychecks lost the biggest percentage.

It was a tough hit for a lot of people to take. But with the money that was saved, more money was able to go toward financial aid – and likely prevented more than those 20 students from transferring to a public college or simply put-

ting their educations on hold, to resume who knows when.

We know it’s tough for you, too. No industry or household is recession-proof these days.

But we could still use your help.

Maybe you can afford to pitch a little toward student aid; maybe you want to help our graduating seniors find jobs; maybe you have another way to help. Feel free to drop me a line at kaaron@paulsmiths.edu if you’ve got an idea.

This recession has felt long and it’s getting longer. But Paul Smith’s will thrive because of its community. Thanks for being a part of it.

Kenneth Aaron | Director of Communications

Correction Paul Smith’s College gratefully acknowledges W.J. Cox Associates Inc. for its generous support of the William J. Cox Memorial Scholarship. This contribution should have appeared in the 2007-2008 annual report under restricted scholarships at the $1,000$4,999 level. The college regrets this omission.

[ FACULTY & STAFF NOTES] FORESTRY, NATURAL RESOURCES AND RECREATION Andrew Egan, dean, presented “Logging in Maine: Some Questions” to the Forest Resources Association annual meeting in Maine in May; co-authored a paper, “Forest Entrepreneurs in Quebec: Current and Future Challenges,” entered into proceedings at the Council on Forest Engineering annual meeting in South Carolina in June …

Daniel Kelting, associate 4

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professor and executive director, Adirondack Watershed Institute, delivered “NSF Support for Environmental Research and Education at Paul Smith’s College,” an invited presentation, to a joint meeting of the Soil Science Society of America and the Geological Science Society of America in Houston in October … Jeffrey T. Walton, associate professor, published two papers: “Subpixel Urban Land Cover Estimation: Comparing Cubist, Random Forests, and Support Vector Regression” in

the October issue of Photogrammetric Engineering and Remote Sensing, and “Assessing Urban Forest Canopy Cover Using Airborne or Satellite Imagery” in the November issue of Arboriculture and Urban Forestry …

HOSPITALITY, RESORT AND CULINARY MANAGEMENT Susan Alexander, professor, has been named a Certified Hospitality Educator by the American Hotel and Lodging Educational Institute after successfully completing require-

ments for the designation…

Ruth Pino was designated a Registered Dietician in November by the American Dietetic Association…

SCIENCE, LIBERAL ARTS AND BUSINESS Celia Evans, associate professor, presented “Beech bark disease and forest structure in managed and preserved forest stands in the Northern Adirondacks,” a collaboration with Paul Smith’s student Jonathon Cale and others, at

[ OUR ADIRONDACKS ]

Doing good with wood

Daniel Lucier (left) and Ben Rubinfeld (right) pitch freshly cut firewood onto a truck for delivery to a local family.

G

reg Rose can’t make the Adirondack winter any shorter. But with his colleagues in the Timber Harvesting class, the second-year student from the Buffalo area helped make it a lot warmer for one area family.

This fall, the class cut, split and delivered firewood harvested from one of the college’s woodlots off Keese Mills Road to that family, which was facing a hard time paying for heat.

“It’s good that someone is going to be able to take it all,” Rose says, standing near a fivefoot-tall pile of wood he helped cut and split.

Andrew Egan, dean of the college’s Division of Forestry, Natural Resources and Recreation and professor of the course, said the effort has turned into a program called Community Outreach through Renewable Energy (CORE). He’s planning on doing it again next year.

“It’s a community service project, and a way to connect the students to something bigger,” he says, as his students were busy turning logs into firewood – some by hand, some using a portable splitter.

Egan said the idea of donating wood came to him as he was evaluating the timber on the lot, which was up for harvesting this fall. With

the Northeastern Ecosystems Research Cooperative meeting in New Hampshire; Evans was also elected to that group’s steering committee… Janet Mihuc, associate professor, presented “Entomology: Bugs, Bugs, Everywhere” at “A Day of Science Exploration,” a fifthgrade enrichment program held at Clinton Community College in June … Phillip A. Taylor, dean, has joined the executive board for the College of Business at Ohio University; also, with Gail Gibson Sheffield,

KENNETH AARON

most homes in the Northeast dependent on fuel oil for heat, and costs of oil then expected to skyrocket, Egan asked the Brighton Food Pantry to find a family that could use the wood.

Barb Marshall, who runs the pantry, was thrilled to take on the task. She visited the lot one day in late September and stacked praise upon the class. “My guardian angels,” she said after climbing out of her car and watching the class split bolts of wood.

On that 75-degree day it was hard to think of winter, but Marshall had a vision of much tougher days ahead. “The heating this winter is going to be a challenge,” Marshall says. “This is going to do a lot of good. Last year, they had too much winter at the end of their wood.”

So far, oil prices have come off their record highs, easing worries that families would have to pick between food and heat. And while the Timber Harvesting class could probably have generated a little revenue by selling that wood

director of assessment and teaching excellence, and Inger Krueger, assistant professor and public services librarian, presented “If you assess it, it will change: How student outcomes assessment is used to make improvements in an integrated general education program” at the Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis Assessment Institute, Indianapolis, in October …

OTHER FACULTY AND STAFF Pat Clelland, director of

for pulp instead of giving it away, Egan says some returns are better than cash.

“It gets the students’ heads a little out of the woods, and out of the classroom, and into the community,” Egan says. “This provides a lesson in service learning that we haven’t really had.”

Ben Rubinfeld, a senior from Vermont majoring in vegetation management and forest technology, was happy to help. “I think there should be more of it,” he says, hurling split logs into the back of a truck.

Egan has already fielded requests to help with other community projects, such as providing lumber for a gazebo in one area community or shelves at the food pantry. He’s ready to help.”In academia, especially in places as isolated as this, it’s easy to get caught up thinking of ourselves,” Egan says. “But there’s a lot of good we can do all around.”

dining services, made two presentations on “Local Foods Initiatives,” events sponsored by Cornell Cooperative Extension; one, in November, was hosted on campus by Sodexo Dining Services and the college …

Cheryl Culotta, director of student development, presented “Campus and Community Coalition Initiatives: Changing the Culture Around Alcohol Use” at the Alcohol Responsibility Conference in Las Vegas in September … Roxanne McCarty, a learning specialist

– Kenneth Aaron

in accommodative services, was elected chair of the Independent Sector of the New York State Disability Services Council … Richard Nelson, provost, and Gail Gibson Sheffield presented and facilitated workshops at the Middle States Commission on Higher Education’s Self-Study Institute in Philadelphia in November, as the college’s own self-study was presented as a model; Gibson Sheffield also participated in a panel discussion about self-study reports…

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[ shore lines]

AWI’s new digs

(Re)charging ahead H ere’s the deal with the Office of Campus Safety’s new patrol car: It looks like a Yugo. But it drives like the future.

In October, campus safety rolled out a $16,000 electric car to replace a conventional gaspowered SUV that had been making the rounds (and getting under 10 miles per gallon because of all the stop-and-go driving that safety officers do). “This is a no-brainer,” says Craig Collette, director of campus safety. “It’s not only good for the environment, but it will save us on fuel costs. And it’s a very visible way of showing our

commitment to this issue.”

The car, made by Zenn Motor Co. of Canada, is equipped like a standard economy car – it has air conditioning, power windows, and plenty of other features – but there’s a set of batteries where the engine should be. It recharges by plugging into a standard wall socket, runs up to 25 miles per hour, and doesn’t give off an ounce of nasty fumes.

The Zenn will run during the spring, summer and fall; during the first few weeks it was on campus, it drew a steady stream of people gawking at it.

College President John W. Mills takes a ride in the Office of Campus Safety’s new electric patrol car.

– KENNETH AARON

KENNETH AARON

ARCHITECTEAM

B

y the time the snow melts, Paul Smith’s will begin construction on a new, energy-efficient building as the home of its Adirondack Watershed Institute (AWI). The building, to be known as the Countess Alicia Spaulding-Paolozzi Environmental Research and Education Center, will be built to LEED standards and designed to reflect the historic nature of its location.

While many on campus are excited about the new building, it’s a bittersweet anticipation: The original plans to complete an historic renovation of the existing Harriman Cottage had to be shelved as the economy – and the building itself – went south.

The cost of restoring the aging lakeside building, which was on the National Register of Historic Places, had climbed $1.5 million, or 40 percent, over initial estimates. That proved an insurmountable figure, especially considering that the college was still $500,000 short of reaching its original goal of $2.6 million to restore the cottage. The building came down in December.

“This was a very difficult decision, and we didn’t take it lightly,” says John W. Mills, president of Paul Smith’s College. “It’s not what we would have preferred to do. But the building had fallen into grave disrepair, and the economy has forced us to make tough choices on how to spend our money.”

The new building will be designed, built and operated with the college’s commitment to sustainability in mind, Mills says. “Attaining LEED certification for this building is among our highest priorities, so we can protect the environment while conserving water and reducing our carbon footprint.”

– KENNETH AARON

Wish you were here

N

early 30 Paul Smith’s students got out of town over winter break this year –

far out of town. Phillip Taylor, dean of the Division of Science, Liberal Arts and Business, led a group of 14 students from all three divisions to Costa Rica, and the ecoadventure practicum class (right), taught by Prof. Joseph Dadey, journeyed to Guatemala.

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New center builds local knowledge F

or a place that’s been as intensely scrutinized as the Adirondacks, there are still countless questions that remain unanswered. David Patrick’s new job is to tell some of them.

“You’ve got six million acres in the park, and very, very little is known about it,” says Patrick, a wildlife ecologist who has been named the executive director of the college’s new Center for Adirondack Biodiversity. The center will collaborate on research into the breadth of plant and animal life in the Adirondacks, as well as help build links among the many groups focusing on ecological and social sustainability in the park.

Patrick arrived at Paul Smith’s after completing postdoctoral research at the State University of New York College of Environmental Science & Forestry and earning a doctorate in wildlife ecology from the University of Maine in 2007.

Patrick’s research interests include conservation and population biology and communitybased approaches to conservation. Much of Patrick’s work has focused on how changes in the landscape affect plant and animal populations, and developing sustainable approaches

David Patrick stood in a two-foot snowdrift on one of the coldest days of the year to take this picture. He’s ready for the Adirondacks.

Kenneth AARON

to land use. “The center’s overarching goal is to build an understanding of biodiversity patterns in the Adirondacks, with the goal of having longterm monitoring established,” Patrick says.

That’s work that will benefit lots of researchers, including some already at the college.

The Adirondack Watershed Institute (AWI), for

example, will work closely with Patrick, says Executive Director Daniel Kelting. “The AWI focuses mainly on water, but water is only one aspect of watersheds,” he says. “I look forward to partnering with David to broaden our appreciation and understanding of watersheds.”

– Kenneth Aaron

Mills wins honor

Ending vending

aul Smith’s College President John W. Mills has been honored for his work to make college more attainable for lowincome, underprivileged students.

College for Every Student, a Vermontbased organization that works with students in urban and rural areas to prepare them for college, presented Mills with its Mario Peña Award at a conference in November. Peña was a member of the group’s board and founder of College Connect, which matches colleges with secondary schools.

Paul Smith’s frequently welcomes busloads of students from schools in New York City and elsewhere that work with CFES. When they arrive, they’re introduced to many aspects of college, such as academics, athletics and social life.

“We can’t inspire young people to attend college without others helping us to achieve this,” Mills says. “I give special thanks to Amy Tuthill, of our career center, with helping in our efforts to make a real difference in the lives of underserved students.”

s far as disappearing acts went, it was pretty spectacular: Almost every vending machine on campus vanished last summer.

Even more spectacular: The energy savings that came from those missing food and drink machines.

The college has unplugged dozens of vending machines in a bid to save electricity, and money, leaving just a pair in the Joan Weill Adirondack Library. Officials expect the move to save thousands of dollars annually, but are just as happy about the message it sends.

“This is just another small step we’re taking as we look at everything we do, every day, that has an effect on the environment,” says John W. Mills, the college’s president. Mills was among the first to sign the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment, a pact that calls for the college to first assess its environmental impact and then neutralize that footprint.

The suggestion to yank the machines came from Students for Environmental Action, a campus group. It’s not the first student recommendation to get traction – the college’s shift to purchasing wind energy came after students pushed for it, for example.

– KENNETH AARON

– KENNETH AARON

P

A

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[ shore lines] Obama takes PSC vote, too

Art Birkmeyer ‘65 stopped at campus while on a cross-country journey from Washington State to New York.

I

n one of the most historic presidential elections ever, many Paul Smith’s College students had the opportunity to vote for the very first time. But before they even got to the polls, Phillip Taylor, dean of the Division of Science, Liberal Arts and Business, asked students in his First Year Seminar to talk politics and put together their own tickets.

The 19 students in the class, Thrive: How to Succeed in a Changing World, were allowed to create any combination of candidates they wished to elect regardless of party affiliation.

They wound up close to the Electoral College results: 57 percent of the class voted for the Barack Obama-Joseph Biden ticket, while 29 percent chose John McCain and Sarah Palin. (Among the write-ins, one student thought Obama-Palin represented an interesting combination. Maybe in 2012.)

When asked what challenges President Obama is likely to face, 7 out of 12 students were concerned with an assassination attempt; alarmingly, three thought it would be successful. Beyond that, students felt Obama’s primary challenges would be the economy and wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Any surprises? Well, maybe.

While most of the students in the class backed Obama, they didn’t share the optimism of many Americans; the challenges our country faces, they worried, are too large for one president to tackle.

--Stephanie M.R. Colby

OBAMA Getty Images

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Biden

Kenneth Aaron

Two wheels, seven weeks, 3,600 miles L ots of alums pay visits to campus every year. But most don’t pedal 3,600 miles to get here.

That’s how Art Birkmeyer ‘65 arrived at Paul Smith’s this summer, though. On July 1, he hopped on his custom-made bicycle in Longview, Wash., and on August 21 he rolled through the college’s gates. It was almost the last stop on his ride, which he’d plotted after retiring from a 35-year career at Weyerhaeuser, the forest-products company. A map was fixed to his handlebars, as was his sleeping bag; a trailer behind his bike included a tent, some food, and a few other necessities for the road.

“The best part of the ride was the people,” says Birkmeyer, who has been biking for 20 years but had never rode this far because he didn’t have the time. “You’ve got to talk to people because when you’re camping, you’ve got to find a place.” He

slept in parks of all kinds – national, state, city.

Some people invited him to their homes. Occasionally he’d find a bed through a Web site devoted to linking cyclists with other friendly devotees.

In case you’re wondering, his wife signed off on the extended absence. “That’s one of the great things in my life, my wife,” he says. “She supports my adventures.”

As far as adventures go, Birkmeyer says, this is one of the safer ones he’s been on. “If something happens, you just lay down next to the road and wait for somebody to come along.” There were no emergencies necessitating roadside stops, though.

And, amazingly, in seven weeks on the road he spent just six hours in the rain. “I’m the good-weather guy,” says Birkmeyer, limbs bronzed from 80-mile days in the sun.

– KENNETH AARON

Tucker to Idaho for Games

W

hen Special Olympic snowshoers from across the planet converged in Idaho in February, Jim Tucker was there to help run the competition.

Tucker, the college’s recreation and intramural coordinator, was part of the six-person crew that covered snowshoe races at the ninth Special Olympics World Winter Games. The snowshoeing event ran from Sunday, Feb. 8, through Thursday, Feb. 12.

About 290 athletes from 50 countries competed in the competition, which was held at Ponderosa State Park in McCall, Idaho. Races were held across 10 distances.

“It’s hard for me to fathom 50some nations sending folks to Idaho to participate in snowshoeing,” says Tucker, who has participated in the sport for many years. He has

been involved with the Special Olympics since 1997, when he first helped organize a regional winter competition on campus, but this is the first international event he has taken part in.

The Special Olympics World Winter Games have been held every four years since 1977.

More than 2,500 athletes from more than 100 countries came to the 2009 edition.

– KENNETH AARON

Co-captains Wesley Butler (with ball) and Travis McNamara (right of Butler) during a rugby match against Clarkson University.

Fall sports roundup Woodsmen – The men’s team is determined to win back the Spring Meet title lost last April at Dartmouth. Both the men’s and women’s teams won the Sir Sanford Fleming Meet in Canada and the annual home meet, as well as a meet at Finger Lakes Community College. Interest in the program is stronger than ever: More than 60-plus freshmen came to the first practice in the fall, and the current roster stands over 30.

Striders – The Striders won the International Snowshoe Championships in Lewiston, Maine, where Tiffany Drake, Kyle Flagg, Adam Randall and Sara Berkstresser won individual events, and the men’s, women’s and mixed teams captured their respective 4x100-meter relay races. The crew of sixteen runners won a total of 50 medals during the competition.

Rugby – The men’s rugby team placed second in the Excelsior East Division of the New York State Collegiate Rugby Conference with a 4 – 2 record. The season ended in a loss to SUNY – Oswego.

Cross Country – The men’s squad won the Sunrise Conference championship for the third consecutive year, while the

Mohamed Shameer, inset, launches a header while playing the College of St. Joseph.

Katelin Isaacson, below, competes during a sawing event this fall on campus.

PHOTOS BY PAT HENDRICK

women’s team placed second.

Dean Rinehart finished his Paul Smith’s career as three-time conference champion. Philip Dybfest-Muha set a college first, qualifying for NAIA Nationals after placing at an intra-conference championship meet in Nashville, Tenn. Both teams qualified for that Nashville meet, where the Bobcat men were the top team from the Sunrise Conference.

Women’s Soccer – Several injuries, and a limited roster, meant that no game was a shooin. But the team put up a fight against all competitors, thanks to their heart and love for the game.

Junior keeper Karlie Zurmuhlen had two shutouts for the Bobcats and freshman Joelle Gusti led the team in goals and assists.

Men’s Soccer – Contrary to past years, when the team had veteran goalkeepers in the net, it

started a rookie this season. But freshman Beau Marshal stepped up and proved his potential for the position. An upset win over conference leaders SUNYCanton helped boost the team to a 6-8 conference record.

Sophomore Max Krueger led the team in goals, while junior David Wilkins led in assists.

Women’s Volleyball – Several new faces joined the team this year – in fact, the roster was nearly half freshmen.

Led by Jen Jennings and Kim Plail, the team overcame a slow

start with hard work and determination. Coach Mike Navarra noted the improvement of all the players and looks forward to having almost everyone back next year. Special thanks to our seniors, Jen Jennings and Katelynn Morris.

– Les Parrish & Jim Tucker

Forestry exec gives students inside look at biz

R

oger Dziengeleski is a big fan of paper – his company is one of New York’s biggest papermakers, after all. But sometimes, foresters need to fold up their maps and get into the field, he told a group of forestry students this fall.

“You can look at a topographical map, but until you walk an area, you don’t know it,” said Dziengeleski, executive vice president and chief operating officer of Finch Paper LLC, during an October presentation. Without

on-the-ground knowledge of an area, he warned, foresters could put their company in jeopardy by misinterpreting property boundaries, potentially sparking lawsuits.

Dziengeleski was invited to campus by the student chapter of the Society of American Foresters. He gave an insider’s look at the forestry business to more than 75 faculty, staff and students, and provided an in-depth overview of the Sustainable Forest Initiative and the Forest Stewardship Council, which provide guidelines

for healthy management of forests. Paul Smith’s is certified by both organizations.

Glens Falls-based Finch Paper made news in 2007 when it sold 161,000 acres to The Nature Conservancy. As part of the deal, Finch retained logging rights to the land while guaranteeing that it would be otherwise undeveloped.

“He knew what he was talking about. He is a very smart and wise forester,” says Doug Palmer, a student and member of SAF. – Evan Crisafulli

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ong L in the

couth 10

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[Q & A]

Kelly Solway Age: 45 Now living in: Easton, Conn.

Hometown: Fairport, N.Y.

INTERVIEW By Kenneth Aaron | Director of Communications

Family: Married to David; chil-

C

dren Jack, 8; Kate, 5; Megan, 3.

an’t tell an escargot fork from cargo shorts? Know where your bread is buttered but have no idea how to butter your bread? To etiquette expert Kelly Solway ’86, high society doesn’t have to mean high anxiety. In seminars and on her Web site, oneetiquetteplace.com, Solway brings charm school into the 21st century. She recently talked to Sequel about place settings, white gloves and giving Martha Stewart a few pointers.

Etiquette seems a quaint notion in the age of Facebook and instant messaging.

I teach the importance of networking face-to-face. Technology is great and it can help out in a lot of different ways.

But I tell college kids, when we’re dealing with the kind of economy we are now, you have to just get out there. You have to send your resume, utilize your parents’ network, just be visible.

Does etiquette really pay off?

Bad etiquette could work to your disadvantage. I help the students realize that they’ve got to differentiate themselves from the competition. How do they do that? They have to jump off the page, and that’s where the etiquette comes in.

You’ve only got 60 seconds to make that first impression.

What are some of the things you teach?

When I was a corporate recruiter, no one got the introduction done properly.

Many people don’t realize whom they have to introduce first. They would always introduce the lower-level person to the upper-level person.

And the handshake – oh, my goodness. I don’t know if you’ve ever had anyone give you a limp wrist or a sweaty palm, but there are tips. People say to me, “How do you get rid of a sweaty palm?” Try using an antiperspirant, no scent. It works!

You took your first formal etiquette training as a girl, at a Sears in Rochester.

My mother signed me and my sister up right away. Self-confidence, lifetime skills: that etiquette course changed my life. It turned me into a lady.

Weekend at charm school sounds less fun than Saturday-morning cartoons.

Education: Paul Smith’s College,

A.A.S., hotel and restaurant management, 1986.

Hobbies: Yacht racing, gardening, hiking Last book read: “The Christmas Sweater,” Glenn Beck Your biggest etiquette pet peeve: Chewing gum in public!

I hated going there. My sister would put on her white gloves and I would just have this scowl. I was a tomboy. It was a six-week program and I just did not like it.

human. I have to hike up my dress getting into our truck. It’s nice for them to see that, too. I’m not this stodgy, tight, old-fashioned woman who’s just filled with etiquette. I’m a modern mom.

What are some of the most common faux pas you encounter?

When dining, the biggest mistake that I see – not only with children, but with adults – is when you’re sitting at a table. People tend to reach to the left for their glass, therefore taking their neighbor’s glass.

Here’s how to butter your bread: Take the bread from your basket. Put it on your bread plate. Put the pat of butter on your bread plate. You will break off a piece of bread and butter that piece.

These modern times have raised a host of new etiquette concerns.

People text to avoid confrontation. Just pick up the phone. Teenagers don’t talk face-to-face any more. I’m afraid that people lose communications skills.

And it’s just plain rude when you have a friend over and you’re constantly on the phone.

Says who?

Says Emily Post, Emily Vanderbilt, you name it, they say it. The French really put this etiquette concept together.

“Etiquette” means “ticket” in French.

And they would give people a ticket to an event, which was printed with certain rules.

But the world is filled with troubles.

Why should I spend time thinking about place settings?

You shouldn’t really be thinking about it, because you should already know how to do it. Say “please” and “thank you” and put your napkin on your lap.

For somebody to come back to me at age 30 and complain to me about manners – you push your peas on your fork during the interview, you’re not going to get the job.

Is there a lot of pressure to be the person with perfect manners?

People watch us. We’re in a little bubble here, in our 8,000-person town. I’m also

How can parents be sure they raise wellbehaved young men and women?

I think it’s a lost art. There’s a lack of good manners, and that’s a growing problem. I see it in my kids’ classes and the playground. But 90 percent of good etiquette is modeling. It’s how you treat other people. It starts at home. I see the parents going from school, to soccer practice, to trombone class. There’s no time to have a good meal. And you see the parents talking on the cell phones while driving.

You once appeared on Martha Stewart’s show. Isn’t telling Martha Stewart about etiquette a bit like giving divinity lessons to the pope?

It was fun being on Martha Stewart! We taught Martha where to place her soup spoon when eating soup from a bowl, as opposed to a cup. (You can leave your soup spoon in the bowl.) Martha was a great sport. She let me run the whole dining session on her show that day. She was lovely. She challenged me before we went on the air – she wanted to learn something. If she did or didn’t know, she faked it really nicely. S

PHOTO BY KATHLEEN O’ROURKE

Sequel | Winter 2009

11

[ EVERGREENS]

Dry Run ALUM JOINS PSC RACES FROM IRAQ

By Kenneth Aaron | Director of Communications

M

aj. Shawn Swanson ’89 has a job that keeps him too busy to join fun-runs at Paul Smith’s. But twice last semester, he was able to participate in those races from afar.

Very afar.

Swanson, a Marine stationed at Camp Taji in Iraq, joined the college’s Pumpkin Muffin and Spud Harvest 5-kilometer races last fall. On each occasion Swanson enlisted fellow Marines and soldiers to join him – nine for the Pumpkin Muffin, four for the Spud Harvest - and they ran in the desert, on a paved circuit lined with

Maj. Shawn Swanson ’89, flanked by two Army comrades, in front of the Jersey-barrier lined race course.

12

Sequel | Winter 2009

Jersey barriers and dun-colored buildings, while Smitties padded along here in the States.

Swanson gathered their times on a spreadsheet and e-mailed that to Jim Tucker, the college’s recreation and intramural coordinator, with whom he’s been friends since college. In exchange, the runners got T-shirts and maple syrup from the Paul Smith’s sugarbush.

“It was great to have Shawn and the others join us while they’re a world away,” Tucker says.

Iraq is a war zone. But for Swanson, for now, it is also where he lives. Those runs, he says, are a real boost for him and

his colleagues. “Participating in these satellite runs not only builds morale and unit cohesion, but also does a great deal to give those that participate the feeling that they are still tied into the active lifestyle that they enjoy when they are home,” says Swanson, who earned a forestry degree while at Paul Smith’s and became a Marine in 1992, after completing his collegiate career at Canisius College in Buffalo.

Since 9/11, Swanson has spent 38 months in the Middle East, mostly serving in Iraq. His current deployment ends in March, when he’s hoping to get reassigned elsewhere in the region. His

»

current deployment is at a camp called the Phoenix Academy, a part of Camp Taji that helps train transition teams. Those units work alongside Iraqi security forces, and team members take classes in counter-insurgency, language skills, cultural awareness, technical classes on radios and other communication systems, and other topics.

Swanson, who also takes pictures and builds Adirondack chairs with shipping pallets to while away his free time, has participated in several other satellite runs at this point; most are 5- to 10-kilometer races, but he also ran in the Army Ten-Miler, an annual race that starts and finishes at the Pentagon.

The satellite runs only bring one so close. “Not being able to be there for special events to support family and friends is tough,” he says.

Technology helps; he was able to hear his niece’s high school field hockey games this fall by dialing his sister’s cell phone. And he sends

e-mail and instant message (as well as snail mail) to stay in touch. “Over the years, our communication has improved exponentially,” he says of his family.

As important as feeling close to home is, he says it’s also important for him to keep the States connected to Iraq and mindful of the mission. For several years, he’s worked with Andrea Dewey’s fifth grade class in Circleville, near Poughkeepsie, trading letters and making appearances when possible. He sends flags flown over the base to those students and others who have sent care packages, with a certificate displaying the date the flag was flown.

“I enjoy being part of driving home the importance of the flag and what our great nation stands for to these young Americans,” Swanson says. “Andrea’s class has been supportive each and every year I am away. Her students and the others, those are my heroes.” S

Photos courtesy Maj. Shawn Swanson

Swanson runs on the Camp Taji course on one of his satellite runs. He was joined by several other soldiers each time.

Student aid gets boost

Adler gift covers scholarships

By Kenneth Aaron | Director of Communications

V

irginia Adler spent nearly three decades as a high school science teacher. Her husband, Michael, is a noted electrical engineer who spent most of his career working with power electronics at General Electric’s global research and development headquarters.

So both understand how crucial it is to encourage young minds to pursue careers in science. And Paul Smith’s, they say, understands that as well.

That’s a big reason why the Adlers have given $35,000 for [ continued on page 15 ]

S

Photo courtesy Virginia & Michael ADLER

Virginia and Michael Adler in Yosemite National Park; the Adlers have donated $35,000 this year for scholarships.

Sequel | Winter 2009

13

[ EVERGREENS]

Ellen Rogers helps students find creative voice

Art (in the) house

By Kenneth Aaron | Director of Communications

The

home video that Brandon Hopkins showed to his First Year Seminar class felt less like cinema and more like an interrogation. Hopkins was behind the camera; in front of it, another student, Adam Bechard, asked questions of various students.

Bechard, white, asked What do you think of having an African American in the White House? What do you think of the media stereotype of African Americans?

Did you know any African Americans before Paul Smith’s? Hopkins, black, was off camera for much of the taping; when he finally did appear, his presence changed the viewer’s perception of the questions.

It made you squirm. It made you think.

And it happened to be art, which thrilled Ellen Rogers, artist-in-residence for the college’s First Year Seminar program.

Rogers’ arrival is adding a dose of leftbrain activity to the college’s First Year Seminar program, which all freshmen are required to take. Each seminar has a different focus, but the goals are the same – to give students a feel for thinking critically while not just memorizing a textbook.

Rogers has been dropping by classes 14

Sequel | Winter 2009

when asked by instructors, essentially acting as the on-call art teacher. “People ask me, ‘Are you interested in doing X, Y or Z with us?’ Yes. The answer is yes.” Her work in Gail Gibson Sheffield’s class, for example, completed a multi-week project in which Bechard, Hopkins, and the other students were told to shape public opinion on any subject they liked.

For Rogers, whose work tends toward the guerrilla, the video project was a fitting demonstration of how expression doesn’t need to be done with paintbrush, clay or more traditional media.

“The students I’ve met are very earnest, and very interested in life, but they don’t know much about art or see how it applies to them,” Rogers says. “But as I talk to them and say, ‘You know, you can do this and that is art.’ And they say, ‘You mean I could write a book of poetry? I could write a song? Or do a performance? That counts?’ So it’s really fun.”

One of Rogers’ projects involved her returning postage-paid reply cards for magazines, credit cards and other offers with her own political, anti-consumerist artwork drawn in. What happened sur-

Ellen Rogers works on “Let Us Not Forget,” a drawing of the American flag made by writing the name of 4,193 fallen servicemen and women in Iraq.

prised her: “All this mail gets bulk sent out of the country and is processed in other countries where the labor is cheap. These artists in Uruguay got my stuff, and sent me some of their stuff.”

While at Paul Smith’s, Rogers has put some of her work on display at the Joan Weill Adirondack Library, and she has also created some work in public at the library.

On one occasion, she designed recycled notebooks on the campus’ Sustainability Day. For Veterans Day, Rogers created a pen-and-ink sketch of the American flag on which she wrote the names of every serviceman and woman who died during the war in Iraq to date.

That, she said, was less a political statement than one urging others to pay heed: “Wherever you stand, remember, Americans are dying every day.”

Her work has brought another dimension to the classroom, which students appreciate. “It gives you different ways to think about things,” says Bechard. “A lot of us have never really thought about things from that perspective.”

Student aid gets boost [ continued from page 13 ]

scholarships at Paul Smith’s this year, and have pledged a similar donation next year to help build the Countess Alicia Spaulding-Paolozzi Environmental Research and Education Center.

Their initial gift, part of which will create the Virginia and Michael Adler Endowed Scholarship, will be matched by a $35,000 grant from the GE Foundation. It comes at a time when our students are in sore need of such help. The struggling economy left those students and their parents scrambling to cover tuition.

Enrollment has taken a hit this spring, as some students have either opted to attend public college or simply sit out a semester. Or longer.

The scholarships will be open to students in all fields. But science and the environment are where the Adlers’ hearts lie.

“It always upset me that more people didn’t go into science, and Paul Smith’s mission – real hands-on work – gets students committed,” Virginia says. “I see a lot of students for whom Paul Smith’s would be the perfect place, but they would choose other fields, because that’s where the money was.”

“When people see where jobs are, they tend to gravitate in those directions,” Michael adds. “Some of the bloom has left the rose of the finance industry, where so many college graduates have gone to work. We have so many challenges, with climate change and energy shortage, that I’m hoping there will be a renaissance of interest in the sciences and engineering.”

Paul Smith’s emphasis on sustainability, both in campus life and across the curriculum, has positioned the college to take advantage of student demand for training in those fields. It’s not just the sciences, either: hospitality and forestry are moving toward sustainability as surely as climatology and other sciences.

Although the fields are hot, students are having an increasingly hard time paying for college. Part of the Adlers’ gift will provide

If Rogers’ work is somewhat unexpected, so is her career path. She went to art school in her 40s, after spending much of her career as a big-game wildlife veterinarian. For a while, she worked in South Africa, under the tutelage of a leading vet while being featured on an Animal Planet reality-TV documentary series, “Great African Wildlife Rescue.”

She fired tranquilizer darts at rhinos.

She chased giraffes. She spent parts of eight years working in Africa, until she tore a ligament, came home and wound up flat on her back with a viral infection she picked up in the field. She arrived in art school only after a close friend was killed

immediate help for families who are scrambling to find money to pay their bills. “We’ve stepped up the amount of loan counseling that we do,” says Mary Ellen Chamberlain, director of financial aid.

“Parents just don’t have the cash on hand to make up the difference between the grants and scholarships we award and the cost of tuition. This gift is a blessing.”

The Adlers’ pledge toward the new Paolozzi Center (page 6), the future home of the Adirondack Watershed Institute, reflects their commitment to the environment. “We feel very strongly about the effects we’re having on the environment,” Michael says.

The AWI is making a significant contribution toward understanding, or halting, those effects, whether through its innovative stewardship program to teach boaters how they can stop the spread of invasive species – a model hailed by the Adirondack Park Invasive Plant Program – or conducting water quality testing at lakes, ponds and streams.

“There is so little basic research on our waters of the Adirondacks,” Virginia says. “On our own lake, I see things happening with invasive species. We don’t have enough safeguards, either – things as simple as having boat-washing stations.”

The Adlers, who once lived full-time outside of Albany, have relocated to the Adirondacks for half the year. The area is special because of its history, and because of its still-wild feel, Michael says. But it is also home, and the Adlers want to support it. (That support isn’t just monetary, either – Michael, an avid photographer and astronomer, is interested in teaching a class on those subjects at the college.)

“I think we both feel very fortunate that we’ve had the educations that we’ve had, and we wanted to do something in our own backyard,” Michael says. S

» F or more information about how you can contribute to Paul Smith’s,

contact the Office of Institutional Advancement at (518) 327-6315.

Photos by Kenneth Aaron

The flag project, made in honor of Veterans Day, is in the Joan Weill Adirondack Library.

in a plane accident and she realized that if she didn’t chase what she really wanted to do, she might never get to do it.

So, goodbye, Africa.

“I miss some of it. I miss the beautiful landscape and animals, and the many people I worked with,” she says of her days in the field. “I don’t miss not knowing if I was going to make it through the day. A lot of the stuff was really dangerous, and I’m still amazed that I’m alive today.” (See: Cornering spooked zebras as they thrash wildly in an enclosure.)

Her new gig is safer. But adventurous, too. Her hope for her students? “That they have a new way to express themselves, and their philosophies of life,” she says.

And her goal?

“I hope to be able to do a whole bunch of art.” S Sequel | Winter 2009

15

Puff piece

These airy treats will make you a culinary heavyweight at home 16

Sequel | Winter 2009

[ good taste ] Classic Cream Puffs Makes about 25 puffs Cream Puff Pastry Ingredients: C 1 cup water C ½ cup butter (cut into cubes) C ½ teaspoon salt C 1 cup all-purpose flour (sifted) C 4 each large eggs

Procedure:

1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

2) In a medium sauce pan, combine water and butter. Bring mixture to a rolling boil.

3) Remove saucepan from heat and add flour all at one time, stirring vigorously with a wooden spoon. Return the mixture to low heat and continue to stir until the mixture forms a ball and doesn’t stick to sides or bottom of the pan.

4) Transfer mixture to a medium-size bowl and allow the mixture to cool for a few minutes. Using a hand mixer with a beating attachment, add eggs one at a time, making sure to beat thoroughly after each addition. The final mixture should be smooth, pale and stiff enough to hold a peak.

5) You may either drop the mixture by tablespoons about an inch apart onto a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet, or use a pastry bag fitted with a mediumsize star tip to pipe out a decorative mound.

6) Bake for 30 minutes or until the tops become golden brown. Remove puffs from the oven and, using a toothpick, make small holes for the steam to escape.

Reduce heat to 200 degrees Fahrenheit and return pastries to dry out, about 30 minutes.

7) Fill the pastries by cutting off the top about 1/3 of the way down. Using a spoon or a pastry bag fitted with a open hole tip, fill with almond chiboust cream (recipe follows) to desired amount and replace top. Garnish puffs with sifted confectioners sugar or melted semi-sweet chocolate.

By MARLA JOSEPH

W

hen the weather gets cold and I set out my creampuffs, lined up like soldiers, on the holiday table, it’s my family that comes marching in.

They’ve become a tradition in my house, and they’re easy enough that they could be one in yours.

I first made this recipe while a junior at my hometown BOCES program, and I kept working on it when I arrived at Paul Smith’s.

Each time I create these little delights, I learn how to do it more easily and efficiently. They might seem basic, but there are countless recipes for puffs. I’ve cherrypicked the best parts from the ones I’ve tried, resulting in this best-of compilation.

Trial and error are constant companions.

One year I followed a recipe that said to not grease the pan; that turned out to be a disaster when all my puffs lost their bottoms. Now I use parchment paper, which is easier than greasing and leaves one less pan to wash.

Another handy trick: When the puffs come out of the oven, cut off the tops with a sharp serrated knife (for a cleaner cut) and pull out all the stringy stuff in the middle.

This allows more room for the filling and prevents the puff from soaking up the moisture trapped inside. Some cookbooks say to let the puffs dry out in an oven for hours; that takes care of the moisture, but

Almond Chiboust Filling Ingredients:

Makes about 2½ cups C ¾ cup whole milk C 1/3 cup sugar C 3 large egg yolks C ½ cup all-purpose flour C 1/8 teaspoon salt C ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract C ½ teaspoon almond extract C 2 cups heavy whipping cream

Procedure: Joseph spoons the almond filling into a cream puff.

1) In a medium sauce pan, combine flour, sugar and salt. Whisk in milk until all ingredients are dissolved. Place over

Photos by kenneth aaron

Marla Joseph ’08 prepares a tray of cream puffs. Here, she has yet to cut the tops off.

my way saves a lot of time.

Cream puffs are simple, but leave much room for creativity. You can add any sort of extracts to both the puffs and the cream filling, or you can add chocolate, my favorite.

Top the puffs with melted chocolate, toasted nuts, caramel sauce or fresh fruit, or simply sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Make the recipe your own! S

» Marla Joseph is a 2008 graduate of the

Division of Hospitality, Resort and Culinary Management.

medium heat until mixture comes to a boil and thickens, about 10 minutes.

2) In a large bowl, slightly beat the egg yolks.

Add a small amount of the hot milk into the egg yolks, whisking vigorously. Add the rest of the milk gradually while continuing to whisk.

3) Return the mixture to the sauce pan and heat (do not boil), stirring constantly until the mixture thickens enough to generously coat the back of a spoon.

4) Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and almond extract. Transfer mixture to a bowl and place plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the mixture.

5) Cool completely in the refrigerator.

6) Whip the heavy cream with an electric mixture with a whisk attachment, until peaks stand up when whisk is lifted. Fold the whipped cream into the cooled pastry cream.

Sequel | Winter 2009

17

5

[ SPACES]

6

ROOM 1 10 DIGITIZING WORKSHOP JOAN WEILL ADIRONDACK LIBRARY 3

2

1 McKenney, a first-year student, is using the Minolta PS7000 book scanner to digitize archived silviculture plot books. Students in silviculture classes rely on these historic records to keep tabs on trees planted by students decades ago, and come up with their own plans to keep those plots healthy. That Minolta originally listed for more than $15,000 and makes very high-resolution open-book scans. You – or your picture, at least – may have already been seen by its eye: Work-study students have been going page-by-page through old college yearbooks all the way back to 1946, and those should go online this fall.

18

Sequel | Winter 2009

2 3 These two scanners, an H Scanmaker 1000XL, are used to s college’s digital collections. The M 11-by-17 inches. Those collections the college archives comprise thou a portion are likely to go online. Li scan in each, counting labor, stora

T

he college’s archives are a fascinating place – but the yellowing papers and photographs are stored behind locked doors. With the help of students such as Sarah McKenney (pictured), the college is digitizing some of its holdings so they can be accessible electronically at all times.

– MICHAEL BECCARIA

1

4

HP Scanjet 7400C and Microtek scan in papers and photographs for the Microtek can handle documents up to s are still in the planning phases – while usands of photos and documents, just ibrarians figure it costs $10 to $15 to age space and technological upkeep.

4 Professional photography and digital archival software are used to capture and store the scanned artifacts.

Software packages include familiar titles such as Adobe Photoshop and Acrobat, as well as industry-related software such as CONTENTdm and PastPerfect.

5 In some cases, the only thing that remains of many campus buildings lies in the archives.

These photographs are copies of an ongoing project to preserve images of local history and make them accessible to the public.

6 These metal signs probably date to the 1920s, when roads and automobiles were relatively new. The signs were meant to steer potential customers to Paul Smiths. It is uncertain whether they were actually used.

Sequel | Winter 2009

19

[cover story ]

Expert

advıce

By Kenneth Aaron | Director of Communications

W

ouldn’t it be nice, just once, to make the perfect omelet? Or start a campfire without wasting a book of matches? Take these tips

from our faculty experts, who will show you how to…

PACK FOR A HIKE The woods can be cold, dark and lonely – unless, of course, you pack like Jim Tucker, who has guided thousands of students into the Adirondacks as our director of intramurals and recreation. Here’s what he takes along, in case a walk in the woods becomes something more.

IN his arms:

In the backpack:

Guide books.

X Map and a compass – and the ability to read both. (GPS is a wonder, but not always reliable.)

X Gloves and mittens.

X First-aid supplies: athletic tape, gauze, bandages, pain relief, a cheap knife.

X A pink whistle. It makes more noise than yelling for help. Pink, in case it falls in the snow.

X An unbreakable bottle filled with water or a sports drink. If you take one of those plastic Nalgene-type bottles, bleach it out every couple of weeks. “If you don’t, you might as well be drinking out of a stream,” Tucker says.

X Food. Granola, energy bars and fruit (if it’s not too cold for it to freeze solid) are good choices.

Tucker packs 2,000 calories, enough for him and some other miserable, hungry folks who forgot their own.

X

X

20

Sequel | Winter 2009

Matches.

Extra socks. “Nothing feels better than dry socks. Nothing feels worse than wet socks,” he says.

X Skin protection. Sunscreen (SPF 30 or greater) and lip balm (SPF 15).

X Leg gaiters.

X Cell phone.

X A water bladder and tube (in the summer, when it won’t freeze).

X Weatherproof jacket, pants and gloves. Having pit zips on the jacket, and zippers on the legs that can vent from either the top or bottom, is a good idea.

X Fleece jacket.

X A second hat. In case the one on your head gets lost.

X Rolled up closed-cell foam. It’s not shown, but strap this to your pack and have a comfortable place to sit and stay dry.

X

1

. Crack the egg on a flat surface. If you crack it on the rim of the

bowl, you’re more apt to wind up with eggshell in your batter.

MAKE AN OMELET

3

Some say eggcooking prowess is the true test of a chef. Here, Chef Jon Daly shows the basics behind the classic omelet.

Ready? Get cracking.

> Here’s the finished

6 ? The omelet should slip out

of the pan, neatly folded.

It should be a little brown.

And by the way: it’s best to have a single pan you use only for omelets. Don’t wash the nonstick or cast iron omelet pan with soap, and keep it out of the dishwasher - just wipe it out with a towel and hot water.

2

. Whip a bit of milk or cream with the

product – light, fluffy and good enough to eat on its own. (We know. We wolfed down three after the shoot.)

5

eggs to make them fluffy. (Cream makes the mix fluffier.) Tilt the bowl a bit, to avoid splatter, and beat until smooth.

> Use a nonstick pan, or a cast-iron pan that’s been well seasoned. As long as you’ve used it before, there’s no need to add butter. Turn the heat to medium-high: If it’s is too hot, the eggs will stick; too cool and they won’t set up properly. (Splash some water on the pan. If it bubbles up and dissolves, you’re ready.) If you’re including onions, peppers, or other ingredients, sauté them first; later, add the batter.

4

. Let the mixture set up around the edges. Using a heat-resistant rubber spatula (beware the ultra-cheap, non-heat-resistant kind – this one runs about $7), pry up the sides of the omelet, and tilt the pan so the liquid can run underneath and continue to cook. If your omelet rips in the middle, don’t panic – pour batter into the middle and it will heal itself. After the omelet is fully set, you can sprinkle cheese on top. Then fold the top half over, and let the omelet cook for another 30 seconds.

Sequel | Winter 2009

21

1

START A FIRE Hey, Prometheus – put down the lighter fluid and learn how to start a fire the woodsman’s way. Brett McLeod ’03, one of the coaches of the woodsmen’s team and a member of our forestry faculty, demonstrates how to build a toasty fire using an axe, some wood and a match. > After splitting a bolt of wood (here, cedar), shave off some bark with your axe.

2

> Pile that tinder

on either a wooden “cookie” – a crosssection of a log – or, if there’s none available, clear the ground.

3 4

? Make feathers,

a courser kind of tinder, using your cedar bolt.

. These feathers are more substantial than the bark shavings.

7

5 > Criss-cross kindling

by building a log cabin around the tinder. You can make the kindling by taking an axe to the bolt of wood, or, if that axework is a little too precise for you, use other kindling.

6

22

Sequel | Winter 2009

> Light the tinder with a match. Once it’s lit, provide extra oxygen by blowing. If it’s windy, use Mother Nature to your advantage and blow into the wind.

? Now

that’s a fire!

Without additional wood, this might burn for 10-15 minutes; add fuel, such as the chunk of cedar in the background, to keep it going.

1

> Things to take on your next hike: A digital camera; a hand lens; guidebooks. Consider more than one book – they’re each organized differently.

(The poster was photographed by Reuter.)

2 IDENTIFY PLANTS IN THE FIELD A rose by any other word … could be Rosa palustris. Or Rosa nitida. Or one of dozens of varieties, actually. So how can you tell what kind of flower you’re looking at while you’re deep in the woods? Daun Reuter, a biology professor who is working on a comprehensive guide to Adirondack flora, gives tips for those interested in putting a name to those pretty plants. ? So, what kind

of flower is this, anyway? Using Newcomb, we start with color, and then count the number of petals – and find that we’re looking at a prairie rose, Rosa arkansana.

. Use the loupe to examine telltale features of the plant.

Here, Reuter looks at stamens with a garden variety 10x lens; $10.

Other unique characteristics include hairs, leaves and petals, and subtle changes in color.

5

? Start reading. Different

guides use different methods for identification: Here, the National Aububon Society’s wildflower guide relies on photographs, while the “Newcomb Wildflower Guide” uses drawings.

Some people prefer line drawings because distinctive characteristics or features can be emphasized, such as leaf shape and margins; regardless, use the how-to section found in each guide to understand the one you have.

4

ALEX COVINGTON

3 . Don’t pick that flower – snap a pic instead. It’s illegal to pick wildflowers on state land, and even if the specimen you’re eyeing isn’t a protected species, well, you wouldn’t know that until you identify it. Use the picture to help you ID the flower later, if necessary.

Sequel | Winter 2009

23

1 / Resume cutting on the top side of the branch, sawing downward. Making two cuts instead of one ensures the branch won’t tear away from the tree, hurting the trunk. You can use any handsaw; Groves is using a $40 model made by Fanno Saw Works of California.

2

PRUNE A TREE

. The tree doctor says: First, do no harm. You’ll make three cuts to minimize the risk of damaging your patient. The first two will leave you with a manageable stump, which you can remove with the third. Make your first cut with an upward stroke a few inches past the base of the branch. Stop about a third of the way through the bottom of the branch.

Is there a branch in your yard that whacks you in the head every time you walk by? Get rid of it like a pro with these easy pruning steps from Dan Groves ‘90, president of Olympic Tree & Land Management in Saranac Lake and an instructor at the college.

3 4

. You’re finished. No need to dress the wound, which could actually do more harm than good.

. Now that the stub is manageable, you can saw the rest away. Don’t

cut flush with the tree – that could leave a wound in the bark that takes years to heal. Instead, cut where the branch meets the collar, the raised ring on the trunk.

24

Sequel | Winter 2009

. For starters, put away your fitted sheets (the

1

kind with elastic on the bottom). Making a bed the hotel way calls for three flat sheets and a blanket.

MAKE A BED We don't do room service, but we can help you achieve one of the other great pleasures of staying in a nice hotel – a well-made bed. Karlie Zurmuhlen, a senior in the hospitality program, goes through the paces; she's guided by faculty member Joe Conto, who is off camera.

? Put the first flat sheet on top of the mattress.

Make a triangle at each corner.

Tuck in all four triangles and sides.

3

2 > Put

another flat sheet on top.

5 4

. Be sure the seams face up so you

won't see them when the edge is folded back. The edge of the sheet should run to the edge of the mattress. Place the blanket on top of that sheet. The top edge of your blanket should be about 8 inches from the end of the bed.

> Cover with a bedspread, if you like, and get ready for your guests to stay a long time!

7

> The third and final flat sheet goes on top of the blanket, seams down this time. Go to the foot of the bed; tuck the blanket in, along with the two sheets sandwiching it.

Make square corners on each side, just like with the first flat sheet.

6

. Back at the top of the bed, fold back the

edges of the two top sheets.

Sequel | Winter 2009

25

Profit

26

Sequel | Winter 2009

motivated B

ack when Phil Saunders was building a truck-stop empire, part of his job was to drive around and find places to put new restaurant-repair shop-fuel facilityhotel-convenience stores. On one of those trips in the early 1970s, Saunders and a colleague set out in Chicago to explore I-80, which was still brand-new in parts. They were like pioneers in reverse, driving east 800 miles to New York City imagining where truckers might want to pull off the road for a few hours, or a night.

Eisenhower’s interstates weren’t just a way of getting vehicles from Point A to B - they provided a huge opportunity for anybody who recognized just how much of a gamechanger those thousands of miles of asphalt could become. Saunders came into the game at a good time. He bought into his father’s Rochester-area truck stop in 1958, two years after the interstates were born, and took it over two years later. By the 70s, he’d built up the biggest independently owned truck stop network in the country, and he had developed a knack for figuring out the best places to build more.

“He knew the country like the back of his hand. He could tell you the crossroads of any part of the union and tell you what was a good spot for a truck stop,” says Van Allen, a friend and former colleague.

On the drive from Chicago, Saunders was joined by John Holahan, an exec at Ryder Systems.

Ryder had just bought Saunders’ chain, Truckstops of America.

They’d hit the road at 7 a.m. and

Serial entrepreneur Phil Saunders keeps on truckin’

By Kenneth Aaron | Director of Communications

drive until midnight. “That’s sort of the way you learn to work if you’re going to work with Phil,” says Holahan, who is still a friend and business partner of Saunders’.

Anyhow, in the middle of the night around Harrisburg, Pa., Saunders and Holahan were standing in the pouring rain, looking at a patch of land to build a new emporium, and they got stuck. Tires mired in mud. And Saunders, a fireplug of a guy, gets down, manages to get a wooden board underneath the tires, and frees them to get back to their motel. And then they set out a few hours later to do more scouting.

Saunders still doesn’t mind getting dirty. And he doesn’t get stuck in the mud much when it comes to business. At 71, he’s built enough of them that he could supply a business school with a semester’s worth of case studies: Besides the truck stops, he turned a one-horse Rochesterarea energy company, W.W. Griffith Oil Co., into a major regional player.

He built a chain of convenience stores and gas stations to complement that company. He bought a bank. Saunders has owned a rentalcar company, a food company, and was chief executive of a rock salt company.

Phil Saunders (above right) stands at his first truck stop, outside of Rochester, N.Y., in 1958. Saunders bought the area from his father two years later.

»

Photos: kenneth aaron, courtesy of phil saunders

Sequel | Winter 2009

27

He’s

Below: Senior Curt Karboski puts some miles on one of the new cycles at the Saunders Sports Complex. The bikes are connected to the Internet, so riders can keep track of their workouts and compare themselves to other riders worldwide.

given back generously, too, in time and money. At Paul Smith’s alone, where he has been a trustee since 1992, he’s spearheaded the overhaul of the athletic center, now known as the Saunders Sports Complex, and the renovation of the Phelps Administration Building.

(And if he does decide to go forward with those case studies, he’s got just the place to share them: his name adorns the E. Philip Saunders College of Business at the Rochester Institute of Technology.)

Saunders isn’t stopping to hear the accolades. A few years ago, he helped back a $90 million ethanol plant in Western New York. It’s now cranking out 55 million gallons of the corn-

based fuel every year. Every year he paddles the 90 Miler, the three-day canoe race that runs from Old Forge to Saranac Lake, and he won his category in 2007. He owns a working farm, run by one of his four children.

“I love the challenges of it,” Saunders says, explaining why he keeps coming back for more. “When I was in high school, I played a lot of sports and was a good athlete. And I think it’s just an extension of the competitive spirit that you learn as a youngster, the desire to win – that’s pretty important.”

He didn’t start out with grand plans. “The plan with the first truck stop was to have something I could clone,” Saunders says. Even that seemed a little extravagant to his father - “My dad would say, ‘How many steaks can you eat in a day?’”

Saunders recalls.

But by 1965, he’d opened his second stop, in Virginia. Others would follow.

Saunders spots opportunities. He built the truck stops; much of his future success

Photos courtesy of phil saunders

Saunders was an accomplished high school athlete; besides basketball, he played football, baseball and track.

came from finding companies that are strong but underperforming.

“Nobody brings them to him, he finds them,” says Allen, who also worked at Ryder with Saunders. “He found everything from a car rental company to a food company. He looks at the operating statements and finds that they should be making more than they are.”

He finds a lot of profit just by putting what he owns to better use. At Griffith, he figured that trucks sitting idle eight hours a day could make more if they were used for 16. At one of his early truck-stop ventures, he saw truckers sitting around, waiting for work – so started his own trucking company, even occasionally hopping in a cab himself and meeting drivers halfway between Rochester and New York to swap loads. “I only drove down to New York City once.

I was scared to death of driving in the city,” Saunders says.

Saunders wants Paul Smith’s to adopt the same strategy to help boost revenue. Campus, he says, should be used three semesters a year, not just two. Current students might fill that third semester, but he imagines that LEFT: Seth Crevison takes a rowing machine for a spin at the Saunders Sports Complex. The fitness center, which opened in August after an extensive renovation, features all new equipment.

RIGHT: Saunders helped create an annual blood drive at the nation’s travel centers that has brought in more than 50,000 pints to date.

Photos BY kenneth aaron

28

Sequel | Winter 2009

plenty of others, such as retirees, might want to head back to class for a month or two. Today, while the college hosts a summer wellness camp for high school girls, just a handful of classes meet between May and September. “It’s a big asset to be used just seven months of the year,” Saunders says.

(Richard Nelson, the college’s provost, agrees with Saunders. “Eventually, we expect our summertime population of degree-seeking students to be comparable to the other two semesters,” Nelson says. Reaching that level will take time, though, and plans are to start with only certain programs and classes taking summer courses.)

New ideas are critical to reversing years of higher-than-inflation increases in attendance costs. While tuition at Paul Smith’s has not gone up as much or as quickly as at many other colleges, the increases are still difficult for many students’ families to bear. This semester alone, at least 20 students transferred to less expensive colleges, or simply dropped out, because of economic issues.

But the weak economy, Saunders says, is also a chance for the college to get in on what’s next. “Unfortunately, this recession we’re in is really taking a lot of the jobs out of America,” he says. “We have to replace a generation of people who were factory workers.

How do we retrain them? It certainly is an opportunity for colleges.

Particularly schools like Paul Smith’s, that have a lot of hands-on type things.

We have a tremendous opportunity in the environmental sciences. We’ve got the Adirondacks, the best lab in the United States.”

Saunders is familiar with hands-on.

His first job was in fifth grade, picking potatoes for a nickel a bushel. The day went from 7 to noon, with a break for a big lunch – pot roast or some other hearty dish – and then resumed from 1 to 5. He’d bring home $7 or $8 a day.

“The more you pick, the more you make,” he says. By high school, he was sandblasting paint off oil tanks. And in the early days at the truck stops, he’d walk through the restaurant, look at the merchandise, pump gas, change oil. He got familiar enough with repairs that, when some of the workers at his farm were helping Saunders restore a vintage Mack truck, he could give advice.

“One of the hands said, ‘I need a front wheel bearing.’ I said, Well, that’s a 663. But the inner bearing, the big, old outside one, is a 560. They said, ‘How do you know that? Just remembered it. It’s got a big Luberfiner oil filter inside of it. That’s a 550 Luber-finer. You ever do a Cummings, that’s a 750 Luber-finer. I remember because I did a lot of it – it just sort of stuck in my head.”

Paying attention to details, says Holahan, is one of the reasons why Saunders stays ahead. “When you get

into a business, especially one that’s retail – the old saying is ‘Retail is detail,’ and that’s absolutely true. He’s a bit of a perfectionist. He’s not anal about it – he just likes things done right, and he’s got a nose for businesses that can be profitable.”

Saunders still pays attention to the details. One of his biggest concerns these days involves the velocity at which college graduates leave the state for other places. He notices it in his hometown newspaper. “Every weekend, they give the marriage announcements,” he says. “You just don’t read too many of them who, after college, reside in New York State.” He has ideas for fixing the brain drain, including jacking up the cost of a state-school tuition and reimbursing students if they stick around to work afterward, but working through Albany to push that through would be a Herculean task.

Achieving change at a place like Paul Smith’s, though, is a lot simpler.

“I’ve grown to like a lot of the people both on the board and at the college,” he says. “The college is small enough that if a guy wants to make a difference, he can. If I was on the board at a big school, being able to make a difference would take somebody with a hell of an imagination and probably a billion dollars – where at Paul Smith’s, it doesn’t take a lot of money, nor a lot of your time and effort, to actually see an outcome.” S

Sequel | Winter 2009

29

[ alumni life]

[

Alumni Events

]

Calendar Hospitality Symposium: “This Is Your Life” Friday, April 17 Paul Smith’s College campus PSC alumni and students work to bridge the gap between education and industry.

Sugar Bush Breakfast Saturday, April 25 Paul Smith’s College Sugar Bush

Meet the Class of 2013 Tuesday, April 28 Desmond Hotel, Albany Come share your PSC spirit with prospective students!

Paul Smith’s College Commencement Sunday, May 17 Paul Smith’s College campus

Reunion 2009 Friday-Sunday, June 5-7

LETTER FROM THE ALUMNI ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT

G

reetings to our 13,000-plus Paul Smith’s College alumni! Your Alumni Association’s board of directors wasted no time starting 2009, as we held our first meeting of the year on campus January 10-11. When we arrived it was a brisk 18 below, with an uncomfortable breeze making it feel even colder. That brought back memories – of walking to morning class as quickly as possible, our breath forming a nice coating of ice on our faces, hair and scarves. Fun times, right?

The memories are great. But we want to make it even easier to keep up with happenings at the college today. That’s why the board’s top priority this year is to build up our class representative program. Those class reps are a great way to communicate personally with all our alums, but many classes have no representative, or too few for the size of the class. You may soon hear from Holly Balzer-Harz ‘79, who is leading our class representative committee. Please consider becoming a class rep - it takes only a couple of hours a month, and it’s always fun to catch up with your classmates as you keep them updated about the college. Just contact Holly (lhollyb@verizon.net), Randi Rabideau or me if you are interested.

Randi, the college’s new alumni relations coordinator, began in October and has done a great job jumping into her new role. She’d love to hear from you – call her at (518) 327-6253 or e-mail rrabideau@paulsmiths.edu.

There are a lot of other good things happening on campus, too. If you haven’t been back lately, you owe it to yourself to see all of the improvements. The new residence halls are beautiful! It makes me jealous thinking of my days in Livermore, watching an inch of ice coat the inside of the window. You played a big part in those new halls, donating money to furnish rooms. That’s just one way the Alumni Association helps the college. We also help plan Reunion weekend, staff the alumni booth at Winter Carnival and the Sugar Bush breakfast, and raise money for the Annual Fund.

Our next board meeting will be April 25 – 26, the same time as the annual Sugar Bush breakfast. All alumni are invited to our board and committee meetings, so why not plan on making a trip that weekend to catch up with fellow classmates and visit the campus? (And don’t forget: Reunion 2009 is scheduled for June 5 – 7!)

Regards,

Paul Smith’s College campus

William P. Murray ’79

Williammurray1959@yahoo.com

All dates are tentative and subject to change.

Give credit: Award picks accepted now Contact Us » For additional information on any of these events, please contact: Randi Rabideau, Alumni Relations Coordinator Phone: (518) 327-6253 E-mail: rrabideau@paulsmiths.edu Fax: (518) 327-6267

30

Sequel | Winter 2009

T

he Paul Smith’s College Alumni Council Awards Committee is currently accepting nominations for the following awards that will be presented at the Annual Reunion Banquet on June 6.

If you know of any alumni, faculty member or employee who has provided outstanding service and deserves recognition for their efforts, please contact Randi Rabideau at rrabideau@ paulsmiths.edu or Awards Committee Chairman Tom Rosol ’74 at tomrosol@embarqmail.com.

XR alph

S. (Doc) Breakey ’48 Alumnus of the Year Award

X Faculty

of the Year Award

X Employee

of the Year Award

XD istinguished

Class Rep/ Ambassador of the Year Award

X Friend

Award

X Young

Alumnus Award

XH onorary

Alumnus Award (Citation/Service Award)

Alumni Spotlight:

Jamie Keating

Photo courtesy of the American Culinary Federation

It’s

5 a.m. in Erfurt, Germany, just two hours before the start of the hot food competition at this October’s Culinary Olympics. That’s when Jamie Keating ’90 discovers celery juice has spilled all over his team’s van. The célerie gelée, a key component to his team’s first plate, is kaput.

Knowing he needs to replace it – and fast – Keating sends two apprentices back to headquarters. They push 160 kilometers per hour on the Autobahn but are out of luck: No celery in the kitchen. The apprentices create a stand–in concoction of celery root

juice and a small amount of spinach.

It was an improv act that paid off with a gold medal for Keating and his five teammates at the Olympics, held every four years at the International Culinary Exposition. This year, the American Culinary Federation’s Team USA placed seventh among 53 teams, winning three gold medals and one silver.

Keating is a veteran of international cooking competitions; he joined the national team in 2005, competing in Switzerland and Luxembourg. His post-graduate study was completed at The Culinary Institute of

Jamie Keating puts the finishing touches on one of his team’s dishes.

America-Greystone in St. Helena, Calif., and he apprenticed at a Michelin-rated three-star restaurant in Paris, where he also studied at Le Cordon Bleu School of Culinary Arts.

But it was at Paul Smith’s where Keating got his love of cooking and where he first became involved with culinary competition as a member of the school’s team. Paul Smith’s provided the type of entrepreneurial environment where students were encouraged to use improvisation, which gave Keating a foundation for every culinary accolade to follow. It’s also the place where he got a taste for competition: Chef Paul Sorgule, whom Keating credits as an inspiration, proudly displayed his own medals at his office and sparked Keating’s interest.

Keating is chef/owner of two-year-old catering firm Gourmet Events Inc. in Columbus, Ga., where he lives with his wife, Melissa, and his four children. “I am very proud of Paul Smith’s College.” Keating says. “I would love nothing more than to pass on some of my experience to individuals that have either graduated or are still attending and looking for internships or things of that nature. To have the opportunity to train and experiment in the type of environment I work in, might be a great benefit to the right individual.”

– Randi Rabideau

Greetings from 12970!

Campground gets TLC

Though I’ve been the coordinator of alumni relations only since October, it hasn’t taken long for me to understand what a special institution Paul Smith’s is. You’ve made me feel like a part of the campus family so quickly – it’s obvious that hospitality is one of the college’s strong suits!

I’ve spoken with many of you about the strong connection you feel to Paul Smith’s, and I hope I can make that relationship even stronger.

Yes, the college can offer each of you a lot – but I continue to be amazed by how much you each offer us.

Our alums are the greatest ambassadors for the College of the Adirondacks. I plan on doing everything I can to make this role as fulfilling and rewarding for you as possible.

I’m looking forward to getting to meet even more of you. I hope you’ll consider coming to an alumni event soon (you can see the calendar of upcoming events on page 30.) But even if you can’t get to one, don’t hesitate to e-mail me at rrabideau@paulsmiths.edu, or call me at (518) 327-6240, to share your own ideas of how the Alumni Association can best serve you, and the college.

Thanks to our donors, some much-needed maintenance has been made at the Alumni Recreation Area and Campground. Repairs have been made to grounds and lean-tos at the campground, which is on the shores of Lower St. Regis Lake. Our own Jim Burtis ’55 has led this ongoing effort and the Alumni Council is most appreciative of his dedication and determination toward the project.

Over the past 20 years, the Alumni Council has consistently raised money for maintaining and improving the 31.5-acre campground. Seven lean-tos and several tent sites are available free of charge to alums who want to get back to the ‘dacks. Last year, more than 436 campers used the campground, which is accessible from Keese Mills Road.

Reservations are available for this summer – call alumni relations coordinator Randi Rabideau at (518) 327-6253 for a slot.

Your Alumni Relations Coordinator, Randi Rabideau

Jim Nygren ’64 was among a dozen volunteers who came out in May 2008 to help clean up the campground.

Sequel | Winter 2009

31

[ CLASS NOTES ]

50s

Marilyn A. (Mahon ’63) Dalton Thomas

Edward L. Kimball ’51 would like to get in

touch with any classmates from 1949 or 1950 who are in the Washington or Oregon area.

You can reach Ed at (541) 420-9337.

Archer W. Wirth ’54 was able to get

together with two other Paul Smith’s College classmates this past spring in Arizona: Hugh G. Pangman ’54 and James F. O’Donnell ’54.

Jacqueline D. St John ’54 drove 1,350

miles round-trip from Omaha, Neb., to the Black Hills in South Dakota with her sister Margaret Crull ’55. They visited the Corn Palace in Mitchell, S.D., Wall Drug (great shopping), and Mt. Rushmore and the Crazy Horse Memorial. They enjoyed western vistas, sand hills and bison – a truly memorable vacation.

retired in 1999 and is now living in “horse country” near Ocala, Fla. Marilyn loves to travel, play golf and spend time with her three grandchildren.

Steve Max ‘64 has been promoted to vice

president-commercial at Hobas Pipe USA, in Houston. He will oversee the company’s commercial department, which is responsible for estimating, quotations, shipping, and customer service; the company’s legal issues also fall under this department. He lives in the Woodlands, Texas.

Robert L. Miller ’65 would like to hear from his fellow classmates. You can reach Robert by e-mail at b3furyiii@twcny.rr.com.

William P. Melious ’67 retired from

NYSEG in 2003 and is currently working as a self-employed consulting forester.

Gene A. Goundrey ’69 said the economics classes he took at Paul Smith’s College with Mr. Phelps were great. Although few kids enjoyed them, he was the opposite. He said that now, with the financial meltdown, everyone would benefit by being more mindful of economics.

70s

Arthur C. Ball ’70 would like to annouce

that his first book of poetry has been published. “Food for Thought: Poetry by Art” can be found on Amazon.com. This book is a collection of original Christian poems that Art has been writing since 2001. Part of the proceeds from the book will go to enhance church ministries.

Steve Max ’64

60s

Gordon H. (Norton) Brown ’63 is hap-

pily teaching, hiking, skiing and biking in Switzerland. He extends his warm, best wishes to all the guys who lived in the cooler dorm, “Alpha Koola Kappa,” during the glory years of 1961-63.

John K. “Jack” Babon ’72 has been an Army Reservist for 18 years as well as a facility manager for the Army on the civilian side in Missoula, Mont. He left last February with the 926th Engineer Brigade out of Montgomery, Ala., for training. Jack is currently serving as a Warrant Officer 3 in Baghdad as part of a design team trying to re-establish consistent electrical systems for cities and towns, some of which have not had electricity for years.

His wife Cindy said that he is doing a great job, works with great people and is proud of the improvements that have been made in the country. Jack is a grandfather of three: Kellen, Rylee and Jillian, all under 3. He and his wife Cindy have four daughters. The youngest was commissioned by Jack in April as a second lieutenant with the Army through the Gonzaga ROTC program in Spokane, Wash. She is currently assigned to Landstuhl, Germany, as an Army Nurse.

Ralph C. Walsh ’72 has been working at

IBM/Lexmark for 35 years. He is thinking of winding down to a 36-hour week. He is still heavily involved with horses, owning seven now, and needs to reduce. Ralph has kept in contact with Edward J. Beattie Jr. ’73; Edward T. Bringenberg ’72; Thomas J. Cady ’73; James F. Shuler ’72; Kevin W. Greenleaf ’73; James A. Martin ’74; Joseph C. Dionne ’72; Barbara K. (Golly ’72); and Stephen P. Weaver ’72.

He is currently taking a Combat Cane Defense course for his aging body. He would love to hear from Norman D. Cushman ’73 in Wyoming, and any others from his year. You can reach Ralph by e-mailing him at rwalsh@ lexmark.com.

James “Jim” L. Chapman ’73 is happily

retired from New York State and the Marine Corps Reserve. He remarried Cathy Williams in the southern Adirondacks on June 7, 2008.

Jim still enjoys tree work, heats his house with wood and maintains a small reptile business.

He would love to hear from any classmates; you can reach him at (578) 239-4223.

Christopher M. Turletes ’74 reports that he met some Paul Smith’s College staff at the AASHE Sustainability Conference in November and was inspired to reconnect.

John A. Squire ’75 would like to send out a “hello” to all of his friends. Please look John up if you are ever in Durango, Colo. He will bring you on a river trip. You can contact John by emailing him at rivtrips@frontier.net.

Randy L. Collins ’76 wanted to send out a

hello to everyone that graduated in 1976 and hopes that everyone is happy and well. He would love to hear from fellow classmates. You can e-mail Randy at scadia1@hotmail.com.

Send us your class notes.

Fax to (518) 327-6267, mail to PSC Alumni Office, P.O. Box 265, Paul Smiths, NY 12970 or e-mail alumni@paulsmiths.edu.

32

Sequel | Winter 2009

Trail markers Marriages James L. Chapman ’73 to Cathy PHOTOS BY KATHLEEN KECK

Williams on June 7, 2008, in the southern Adirondacks.

Colleen M. (Robertson ’90) to Robert

Palmertree on September 8, 2007.

Edward “Ed” P. Harvey ’90 to Jessica

on Oct. 6, 2007.

Elizabeth (Plank ’90) to Keith Lyle on

Homecoming

Sept. 29, 2007.

2008

Sarah E. (Kanauer ’00) to Sean

Conley on Oct. 6, 2007.

Rochelle (Jacques ’00) to James

Beasley ‘00 on June 7, 2008.

Adam Reynolds ’03 to Sarah LeBlanc

. Sports fans had

many options during Homecoming – the men’s and women’s soccer teams competed against University of Maine at Presque Isle; the women’s rugby team competed against a team from Burlington, Vt. and our men’s rugby team competed against SUNY-Potsdam; and our woodsmen’s team completed two demonstrations for large crowds.

Though the men’s rugby team was the only one to go home with a win, each was competitive and drew a large crowd.

on August 30, 2008.

Births To Samantha M. (Philbrick ’89) Nasr and Ahmed, daughter Alexandra

Ann on Nov. 2, 2007.

. Jessica Ogden

and Sam Davies were named Paul Smith’s College 2008 Homecoming King and Queen – congrats!

To Colleen M. (Robertson ’90) Palmertree and Robert, daughter Olivia

Hayden on April 8, 2008.

To Michele C. (Larmon ’91) DuBois

and Emerson, daughter Emery Elizabeth on Oct. 18, 2007.

To Ester E. (Howell ’95) Lee and

. The student-managed Draft Horse Club was on

David, a daughter, on June 21, 2008.

campus during Homecoming and gave free rides to many alumni, students, faculty and staff. Thankfully, the skies were blue and the temperature moderate – October in the Adirondacks can be touch and go!

– JAMIE DYER

To Amy L. (Lester ’97) Mowers and Andrew, son Cody Michael on May 31, 2008.

To Michael R. Stannard ’97, daughter Gracianna Mary on January 10, 2008.

To Ian A. Fulton ’97 and Melissa, son

James “Jim” A. Allen ’78 has been

appointed executive director of the School of Forestry at Northern Arizona University.

80s

Glenn S. Plantone ’83 moved back

to Las Vegas in 2004 and works in real estate as an investor selling foreclosures. If you’d like to contact Glenn, you can write to him at 7409 Midnight Rambler Street, Las Vegas, NV 89149; call him at (702) 396-8179; or e-mail him at gsplantone@ gmail.com.

Karen (Carsello ’88) and Randy S. Waibel ’87 have moved their family to

beautiful western North Carolina. Karen currently teaches in the City of Hickory Public School System. Randy is the corporate environmental manager for Hickory Springs

Everett Ulysses on May 10, 2008.

Manufacturing Co., which is a leading supplier of various components for the furniture and automotive industries. Karen and Randy would love to hear from their fellow classmates. They can be contacted by snailmail at 4711 Granada Hills Drive, Granite Falls, NC 28630 or e-mailed at rswaibel@ yahoo.com.

To Patrick W. Cotter ’89 and Adia,

son Torrin Wild on March 11, 2008.

To Amy (Clark ’97 & ’98) and Samuel J. Bates ’98, daughter Hannah

Abigail on Oct. 16, 2008.

To Jonathan D. Aubin’00 and Heidi,

son Jonathan on June 29, 2007.

Deaths

Timothy S. Clippinger ’87 says that there are too many stories to tell. He sends a big shout out to the class of 1987 EET’ers.

He is living in northern Vermont and working for CBP. He said it has been too long and a get-together is needed.

Matthew J. Hewes ’88 completed his MBA from Baker College of Graduate Studies in Flint, Mich. He would enjoy hearing from his classmates, particularly Tom Leader ‘88. You can contact Matthew by e-mailing him at mhewes@rochester.rr.com.

William A. Hayes Sr. ’49 on May 30,

2008, in Stamford, Conn.

Edward W. Glazier ’50 on Nov. 23,

2008, in Wilmington, Del.

William J. Richardson ’50 on Sept.

30, 2008, in Haines City, Fla.

Harry A. “Pat” Sheridan ’50 on Feb.

26, 2007, in Sunrise, Fla.

»

Samuel P. Senior III ’51 on July 30,

2008, in Portland, Ore.

»

Sequel | Winter 2009

33

[ CLASS NOTES ]

90s

Elizabeth E. (Plank ’90) Lyle was

married on September 29, 2007, in Big Moose, N.Y., to 1st Sgt. Keith Lyle. The couple purchased a home and reside in Pittsburgh, Pa. Betsy has been a sales manager at the Omni William Penn Hotel in Pittsburgh for the past five years. Her husband retired from the United States Marine Corps after 23 years of service in September 2008. You can contact Betsy at blyle@omnihotels.com.

Edward “Ed” P. Harvey ’90 is current-

ly residing in New Marlborough, Mass., with his wife Jessica. For the last 14 years he has been working at Bard College at Simon’s Rock as the assistant director of the security department. In addition to family and work, Ed is still active in the local volunteer fire and rescue and since 1999 has been taking freelance photos for fire and rescue trade magazines. His website is www.fireservicephotography.com.

Michele (Larmon ’91) DuBois married

Emerson DuBois in 2006 on the beach in Barbados. Emerson and Michele have a new addition to their family, Emery Elizabeth. Michele has been working as a travel agent for Liberty Travel in Kingston, N.Y., for six years. You can contact Michele by e-mailing her at mcalmob@hotmail.com

Richard F. Kline ’92 completed his K-9

training in June 2008 and has a new K-9 German Shepherd partner named Oran.

Jamee L. McCarthy ’93 recently gradu-

ated from nursing school with a registered nurse degree. She is currently living in the suburbs of Chicago and would love to hear from the class of 1993. You can write to Jamee at 18327 Greenbay Avenue, Lansing, IL 60438; phone her at (708) 828-1544; or e-mail her at bubba62194@sbcglobal.net.

Trail markers Deaths Donald H. Culver ’52 on April 19,

2008, in Fall City, Wash.

Frederick B. Kallmeyer ’54 on May

26, 2008, in Marietta, Ga.

Daniel W. Hanley ’57 on June 27,

2008, in Columbia, S.C.

John R. Huntley ’58 on May 25,

2008, in Columbia, N.H.

Michael J. Motell ’59 on May 19,

2008, in Batesville, Miss.

Heather A. (Bunce ’94) Seiders

wanted to let everyone know that she has been married since 2002 and has two wonderful sons, Everett and Wyatt. Heather would love to hear from her classmates, especially Karen. You can e-mail Heather at jandhseiders@roadrunner.com.

Robert E. “Bob” Nickels ’62 on April

17, 2008, in Las Vegas, Nev.

Dennis C. Fox ’64 on June 23, 2008, in

Brielle, N.J.

Richard Stephan Gollaher ’66 on

April 18, 2008, in Allegany, N.Y.

Hazel L. (Eldredge ‘67) Baker on

Esther E. (Howell ’95) Lee and her

husband David are very busy. Esther gave birth to a baby girl on June 21. She loves being a mom. Feel free to e-mail her at doe_yzk@yahoo.com.

Scott K. Burt ’95 writes that he became

a Certified Arborist in 2008.

Nov. 24, 2008, in South Chatham, Mass.

Gary M. Demeo ’67 on Nov. 17, 2008, in Rotterdam, N.Y. Douglas “Doug” F. Jefferson ’68 on

June 9, 2008, in Baltimore, Md.

Courtney “Corky” Foote ’68 on May

20, 2008, in Winnabow, N.C.

Ian A. Fulton ’97, wife Melissa, and big sister Alannah, 2, welcomed home Everett Ulysses on May 10, 2008.

»

Paul F. Godin ’68 on Aug. 13, 2008,

in Potsdam, N.Y.

Robert C. Mitchell ’68 on Sept. 30,

2007, in Buffalo, N.Y.

Lawrence M. Sexton ’69 on May 30,

2008, in Tupper Lake, N.Y.

Class Notes and Contact Updates

» Please mail to Paul Smith’s College, Alumni Relations, PO Box 265,

Paul Smiths, NY 12970 or e-mail information to alumni@paulsmiths.edu

Name Address City/State/Zip Home Phone Home E-mail Employer Address City/State/Zip Work Phone Work E-mail

Maiden Name

Andrew C. Schillinger ’72 on Sept. 8,

2008.

John W. Rawson ’73 on May 15,

2008, in Rexford, N.Y.

Edward Scott Brennison ’75 on Oct.

28, 2008, in New Gloucester, Maine.

Year/Major Title

John R. Van Deusen ’75 on May 6,

2008, in Marietta, N.Y.

Patrick J. Larney ’76 on Sept. 17, 2008, in Manchester, N.H. E. Matt Crane ’76 on June 6, 2008 in

Work Fax

What’s new?

Maine.

Timothy E. Robert ’83 on June 1,

2008, in Wilton, N.Y.

Stephen J. Olisky ’84 on Nov. 25,

2008, in New Britain, Conn.

William “Earle” Thompson ’84 on

May 31, 2008, in Hood River, Ore.

If new address, please check here Please include my contact information when this note runs in Sequel

Jeremy C. Quinn ’89 on Sept. 2,

2008, in Keene, N.Y.

Gretchen L. Miller ’93 on Nov. 21,

2008, in Pittsburgh, Pa.

34

Sequel | Winter 2009

»

Trail markers

Matthew L. Costigan ’99 on Nov. 11,

the new look of the Sequel; great job Kenneth Aaron and the whole gang up there!

Adam Reynolds ’03 married Sarah LeBlanc on August 30, 2008. He recently took a job with Walsh Brothers and is enjoying the current project at Boston University where they are building the John Hancock Student Village. He earned a B.S. in civil engineering from Wentworth Institute of Technology in August 2006. If you’d like to contact Adam, e-mail him at reynolds.adam.j@gmail.com.

Joseph G. Picone ’01 on Sept. 12,

Michael S. Balshi ’98 completed his

Steven P. Nelson ’03 designs software

Deaths Michael F. Pellegrino ’94 on Oct. 13,

2008, in Rochester, N.Y.

Teresa T. (Gregorio ’97) Blasdell on

Jan. 10 in Denville, N.J.

2008, in Bangor, Maine.

2008, in Buffalo, N.Y.

John F. Long ’02 on Oct. 27, 2008, in

Cleveland, Ohio.

Daniel F. Wright ’04 on Aug. 15,

2008, in Warren, R.I.

David E. Vinopal, faculty, on Aug. 17,

2008, in Saranac Lake, N.Y.

Eleanor Klein, retired staff, on Oct. 7,

2008, in White River Junction, Vt.

New York City Alumni Party

M

idtown Manhattan turned into Paul Smith’s South in November, as alumni and friends of the college gathered for the annual PSC in NYC party.

Dick Cattani ’64 hosted the reception at the City University of New York Graduate Center, which was attended by 75 alumni and friends. Cattani co-chaired the event along with Peter Ahnert ’64; Don Benjamin ’56; Ron Butler ’56; Hiroo Chikaraishi ’69; John Dillon ’58, Peter J. Dorn ’70, Wally Ganzi Jr. ’63; Roland Harris ’69, Allan H. Janoff ’68; Anthony J. Knapp, Jr. ’62; Jon L. Luther ’67; George McDonald ’71; and Dean Martinus ’90.

The reception was held in conjunction with the annual New York City Hotel and Restaurant Show. As in past years, a select group of hospitality students attended both events. President John Mills took the occasion to stress the importance of contributing toward scholarships and other funds, which make it possible for those students to gain an – RANDI RABIDEAU education.

Michael R. Stannard ’97 is a science teacher, teaching biology and earth science.

He is building a timber frame home for his family of five on land settled by his ancestors in 1779 in Fair Haven, Vt. Sean M. O’Donnell ’97 said that he loves

Ph.D. in biology at the University of Alaska Fairbanks in December 2007. His dissertation focused on modeling the role of wildfire on the carbon dynamics of the boreal forest.

Mike is currently working for a consulting firm in Denver, Colo., specializing in environmental, energy and defense consulting.

Amy L. (Clark ’97 & ’98) and Samuel J. Bates ’98 celebrated the birth of their daugh-

ter, Hannah Abigail, on Oct. 16, 2008, and would love to hear from their classmates. You can contact Amy and Sam by e-mailing them at bearclark2@charter.net.

00s

Rochelle (Jacques ’00) Beasley recently married James Beasley ’00. They live in West Lafayette, Ind. Jim is attending graduate school at Purdue University, studying wildlife biology, and Rochelle works as a research assistant in the biology department at Purdue.

Mark K. Spitulski ’01 writes that he is

a ISA Certified Arborist with his own side arborist business.

for the government. He had bypass surgery in June 2006. Steven bought a house in Benson, Ariz. If you’d like to contact him, you can write to him at 622 North Ironwood Drive, Benson, AZ 85602.

Bernal I. Picado ’05 would like to say hello to his fellow classmates and hopes to see them in the near future. If anyone is around Costa Rica please visit Berni in Monteverde. You can contact Berni by e-mail at bernipf@hotmail.com.

Tristan E. Hall ’05 is buying his second house and missing all his Smitty friends.

If you would like to contact him, you can reach him at 456 Shirley Avenue, Buffalo, NY 14215; (716) 908-6373; or hallt83@ hotmail.com.

Jeremy W. Wood ’06 reports that life in Seattle is grand, even though it rains a bit and the Seahawks are horrible. He reports that he and Rachel McNett ’07 are both fantastic and are both working at the Five Diamond Fairmont Olympic and miss the Adirondacks. S

> Rene

Farley ’98 and Farrah Fogarty. > Dick Cattani

’64 addresses the group. / Susan

Loughlin, David Loughlin ’63 and David O’Brien ’63.

PHOTOS BY STEPHANIE M. R. COLBY

[ PARTING SHOT ]

Spring fever M

any alumni looking at this picture will first say, “There are those frat rats again, raising hell like usual.” Looking from the outside in, I guess I can’t blame them. Really, though, there’s more to it. After a long, cold, snowy winter, we merely wanted to Harrim an Hou se (TKB celebrate the spring weather we were confronted with. It’s that ) Spring Weeken d 1973 need to get out of the room you’ve holed up in for the last four months and enjoy the sun and spring smells. Just sitting on the roof gave us time to relax and reflect.

For the history buffs, you would be pleased to know the years Harriman housed Tau Kappa Beta it was always in top-notch shape, barring a coat of paint or two. The Greek members put hundreds of hours of labor and upkeep, repair, and maintenance into Harriman house. The college graciously provided materials which allowed us to meet numerous maintenance schedules, mainly because of the size of the building.

Now only a memory, Harriman will always be part of us.

– Jamie Hodock ’74 (Past president, TKB; currently VP, Greek Alumni Chapter, and member, Alumni Council board of directors)

» Do you have a Paul Smith’s-related photo, artifact or other item with a story behind it? Tell us about it!

Drop a line to kaaron@paulsmiths.edu.

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