alumNews, Fall 2020

Fall 2020

alum NEWS

Reimagining...

ON THE COVER: Bebi Bissember, a Health Studies major, in an Anatomy & Physiology lab taught

by Dr. Syeda Munaim.

alumNEWS

SUNY Schenectady Board of Trustees Ann Fleming Brown, Chair Renee Bradley, Secretary Damonni Farley Raymond R. Gillen Gary E. Hughes Michael Karl Margaret (Peggy) King, Ed.D. Tina Chericoni Versaci, Esq. SUNY Schenectady President Steady H. Moono, Ed.D. SUNY Schenectady Foundation Board of Directors Lynn Manning, Chair Peter L. Gregory, Treasurer Steady H. Moono, Ed.D., College President, Secretary Kenneth Countermine ’93, Chair-Elect Jamison Flora, Immediate Past Chair Board Members Ann Fleming Brown Kevin R. Buhrmaster Karin Carreau ’98 Martin S. Finn, Esq. Margaret (Peggy) King, Ed.D. Celia Mack Jeanne M. Maloy Victor L. Mazzotti, Esq. Laura Primiano ’00 Donald Rohr, Ph.D. Michael Tobin Tina Chericoni Versaci, Esq. M.A. Waheed Reneé Walrath Barbara Bishop Ward Ryan Watroba Dr. Leslyn E. Williamson Susan M. Zongrone ’85 Board Members Emeritus Terry Phillips Yono Purnomo, CEC, CFBE

SUNY Schenectady Public Relations/Publications Specialist II Heather Meaney SUNY Schenectady Development Staff Stacy McIlduff, CFRE, Vice President of Development and External Affairs Arlene Moran Executive Secretary I Marianne Senneca, Stewardship Officer alumNews is published by the SUNY Schenectady Development Office. The Editor welcomes your comments. Please contact the Development Office at (518) 381-1324.

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Dear Alumni and Friends, As I drive to campus in the morning, I gaze up at a banner hanging on the front portico of our historic Elston Hall that reads, “We Are Stronger Together.”

It’s a phrase that is simple and yet profound and meaningful. Although we are not all physically together on campus right now, we are all bonded together as members of a community that is strong, resilient, empowered, and innovative.

We remind our students of this when we communicate with them through video messages, chats, emails, texts, phone calls, social media posts, and web site stories. We remind them of the fortitude they all possess and how their mentors and professors are here to encourage and assist them, whether virtually or on campus in our labs this fall.

We chose to call this issue of alumNews “Reimagining…” for several reasons. Since the pandemic began, we have all had to reimagine every aspect of our daily lives. We have had to reimagine ways to teach our children while working from home, how to safely interact with other members of our community, how to handle the isolation and financial hardship that many are experiencing, and for too many, how to cope with the devastating effects of losing a family member or friend to COVID-19.

For those of us in leadership at SUNY Schenectady, this has meant reimagining how we move forward to fulfill our mission of offering “…a personalized approach to education which empowers our students and engages our communities.” After pivoting to remote learning in mid-March 2020 that extended through summer, we needed to reimagine our Fall 2020 semester. To this end, we quickly assembled a “Reimagine Fall Semester Task Force” comprised of faculty, staff, and administrators who worked tirelessly to develop a comprehensive plan for the fall semester which would serve our students and keep them safe, while adhering to SUNY guidelines.

As a result, this fall we are offering a hybrid course model with all lecture style classes taking place in a virtual format and a limited number of Science and Culinary Arts labs, as well as Music performance instruction, on campus. Our students and faculty, like those at colleges and universities across the country, have adapted to this new educational environment. Our students impress me daily with the ways in which they continue to pursue their academic goals and rise up to meet the challenges of the pandemic, and our faculty remain committed to doing all they can to ensure student success.

At the same time that we feel the effects of COVID-19, which has impacted members of our black and brown communities most disproportionately, we have also witnessed nationwide events that have shown the impacts of systemic racism. Now is the time to listen to our fellow Americans who are expressing heartache, frustration, and sadness. We must listen to those who are crying out for equality and fairness. We need to collectively show our resolve and strength to shine a light on injustice, and to spread a message of unity and peace as we work together to find solutions to end injustice and needless suffering.

The challenges we face now are unlike any others that we have faced in the past. Now, more than ever, I extend my heartfelt gratitude to you for your unwavering support of SUNY Schenectady and our students.

SUNY Schenectady Is Stronger Together.

Steady H. Moono, Ed.D. President

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT Alumni Help Others Adapt, See the ‘Silver Lining’ During Pandemic Martina Swiers ’16 and Tele Rabii ’19, who both earned degrees in Chemical Dependency Counseling, have made careers out of helping individuals who are dealing with substance use disorders. Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, they have had to quickly adapt to changes in resources and develop new ways to deliver care to their clients. They share their experiences and valuable insight about the field itself.

treatment every day is important to those who are early on this path.”

You mentioned the good things you have witnessed. Can you share?

“There a lot of silver linings to this pandemic I think. We take less for granted now. The human connection that I see in the groups is very authentic and vulnerable. It used to be very rare to see that, but it’s becoming kind of the norm now and I think it’s because of the isolation that we all feel.”

What messages do you convey to those in recovery and others during this challenging time?

“There is a book by Holocaust survivor Viktor Frankl called Man’s Search for Meaning. In it he says that anything can be taken from us as human beings except for one thing – ‘the last of the human freedoms’ - which is our ability to determine our attitude in any given set of circumstances. That means, if I’m in quarantine, if I’m going through a divorce, not working, sick, under any circumstance, I can choose my attitude and I can choose my life.

That’s important for all of us to remember, that is a freedom that we have.”

Martina Swiers ’16, CASAC Clinician, New Choices Recovery Center, Schenectady

How have things changed since March?

“This is an extremely vulnerable population that relies on resources that were gone, so we mobilized quickly. Before the pandemic, overdose deaths were down for the first time in 10 years, but right after quarantine started happening, they started to increase.

We immediately went virtual and did Zoom groups in place of in-person groups. We started doing telehealth which was new to all of us. Consistent treatment and exposure to

What guides you in your daily work?

“Being a person in recovery helps me with my job. It’s about being patient, having time management skills, setting goals, and being kind and patient with yourself. I’ve taken those things I’ve learned and given them to the people I work with so that they can learn to do those things for themselves.”

How has the pandemic affected your daily work with clients?"

“We have really had to figure out how to maneuver with a lack of resources. Before the pandemic started, when issues arose and clients had challenges, we could refer them to all of resources in the community. Many of those resources aren’t operational right now.

A lot of it has been more collaboration with my own treatment teams and with my clients’ other treatment providers, and with my clients themselves, asking them, ‘How can we come up with solutions and how do we handle the stressors that come up?’ ” How has the way you interact with clients changed?

What does your work entail at New Choices?

“I work with people who have Substance Use Disorders (SUD) and family members of those who struggle with SUD. I am also the problem gambling specialist. The groups I facilitate include Family Recovery Coffee Connection, Mindfulness and Spirituality in Recovery, Addiction and Recovery Education, and Creative Recovery, an expressive arts group.”

focused on anxiety and depression and mindfulness groups. I also do individual therapy. I engage people and work with them to help them to accomplish their recovery goals. Everyone has different goals.”

“Right now we are doing hybrids with some inperson sessions and some telehealth. It’s more beneficial to meet in person, but due to a lack of resources it’s a lot harder to be able to do that. Telehealth is helpful for therapy, but it’s a challenge navigating without sometimes being able to see people. So far, it’s worked out.”

Tele Rabii ’19, Outpatient Services Coordinator, Ellis Hospital Mental Health Services Personalized Recovery Oriented Services (PROS), Day Treatment Program, Schenectady. Tele is featured in the New York Emmy-nominated documentary Reversing the Stigma.

What does your work entail at Ellis?

Have you noticed an increase in your number of clients since March?

“For our program, there is not so much an increase in those needing to be seen, but an increase in the frequency that I meet with my clients. Because there are so many things happening, they need a lot of support and a lot of guidance with some of the things that they may face.”

“I facilitate different groups for people with substance use disorders and mental health diagnoses. We have peer support groups

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STUDENT ACCESS AND SUCCESS Fall Semester Features Remote Learning and On-Campus Labs

Zomarielys Quiernan, Culinary Arts major, prepares a delicious meal for Casola Curbside.

Antoine Smith, Culinary Arts major, eagerly waits outside Elston Hall for another Casola Curbside customer.

This fall, student chefs and faculty from the School of Hotel, Culinary Arts and Tourism are preparing delicious meals-togo for lunch and dinner through a new contactless curbside pickup service.

For decades, the College’s Casola Dining Room has been an extremely popular dining spot in the Capital Region. The College keeps this tradition alive this semester through “Casola Curbside,” which features three-course meals and “Van Curler To-Go,” with specialty themed menus. For both curbside services, guests pick up their meals in the parking lot in front of the Casola Dining Room.

All of the cuisine is prepared by students and faculty in Classical Cuisine, Quantitative Foods, Dining Room Management, Banquet Management, Regional American Baking and Pastry, Commercial Baking I, and Garde Manger classes with proper social distancing, safety measures, and PPE in place.

Culinary Arts majors Alec Walsh and Emily Stevens prepare meals-to-go as part of their Dining Room Management course.

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Mark Evans, Assistant Professor in the School of Music, teaches Keyboard Techniques to a group of eager pianists this fall.

This fall, the College has a hybrid model of courses as a result of the ongoing pandemic.

Despite the challenges that COVID-19 has presented since March 2020, the College has remained innovative and steadfast in its commitment to ensuring student safety and empowering students in their academic pursuits.

In mid-March 2020, SUNY Schenectady moved all classes to remote instruction. This semester the College continues to conduct all lecture style classes in a virtual format, but is also offering a limited number of Science and Culinary Arts labs, as well as Music performance instruction, on campus. Those in classrooms adhere to social distancing measures and wear face masks. Everyone coming to campus completes health assessments upon entering buildings through only four entry points, and disinfecting/cleaning regimens are in place.

“As we join educational institutions across the country in wading into uncharted waters this semester, we have designed virtual instruction and on-campus labs that provide students with the excellent academic offerings they need as part of our 59 degree and certificate programs, while maintaining student safety as our top priority,” said Dr. Steady Moono, President of SUNY Schenectady. “The resources we offer, including our new online chat feature where faculty/staff are on call to answer student questions, and services that address food insecurity and technological needs, are some of the ways in which we support our students, especially during the ongoing challenges of the pandemic.”

Dr. Syeda Munaim, Professor in the Division of Math, Science, Technology and Health, with students during an Anatomy and Physiology I Lab this fall.

STUDENT ACCESS AND SUCCESS Student Support Services Get Boost Through Generosity of Donors During this challenging time, SUNY Schenectady has sought to assist students not only with academic resources, but with support services to help them with basic needs. The SUNY Schenectady Foundation appealed to members of the College community and friends of the College for financial support to be directed toward vital student support services. Their generosity will benefit students in need through the Student Emergency Fund and the College’s Food Pantry. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to our donors.

The Student Emergency Fund grants confidential emergency financial assistance to students who face unusual and severe financial strain due to a sudden, unforeseen crisis outside of their control; usually a tragic, acute, and isolated event.

Recently, the Foundation raised $12,500 from the Capital Region Community COVID-19 Response Fund that is co-led by the Community Foundation and United Way of the Greater Capital Region, Stewart’s Shops, faculty, staff, friends, and alumni, which was matched by the SUNY Impact Foundation, for a total of $25,000 for the Student Emergency Fund.

Dr. Steady Moono, College President, noted the importance of the Student Emergency Fund for student retention and thanked donors who

continue to serve as vision supporters for students.

“We are here to offer our students opportunities to pursue their dreams and the resources necessary to help them accomplish their goals,” Dr. Moono said. “They may face obstacles that could seriously impede the journey they are on to completing their education. Thanks to our incredible supporters, we will be prepared to help when needs arise in the coming months.”

The SUNY Schenectady Food Pantry has remained in operation throughout the pandemic, providing food staples and necessary toiletries to students. Gus and Magda Mininberg recently contributed $50,000 to start an endowed fund that will help sustain the Food Pantry, taking a long view of student support. SEFCU Foundation also stepped up with a $2,500 matching challenge grant to inspire contributions from new donors, and create a pipeline of future support for the Food Pantry.

The Foundation continues to seek partnerships with community members and organizations with a shared vision of robust wraparound support services that can help students persist.

Please visit Network for Good to donate and for more information.

SEFCU Matching Grant Doubles the Impact of New Gifts!

THANK YOU to Corporate Champion SEFCU for their recent matching gift grant.

All first-time gifts to the Food Pantry will be matched 1:1 up to a total of $2,500.

Please visit Network for Good to make a gift.

The College’s Food Pantry has remained open to serve members of the College community.

During the Spring 2020 semester after the College went to remote learning, when visitors came to the Pantry, they saw a caring and friendly face: Jessica Beauchemin, a Nutrition major and Student Worker.

“One of the main concerns that college food pantries all over the United States consistently have is finding the resources to keep their shelves stocked. The generosity of our community partners, and specifically the creation of this endowment, lessens that worry for the SUNY Schenectady Food Pantry, and allows us to continue to alleviate the food insecurity our students face. Students tell us at virtually every visit how much the Pantry has helped them, and as a result, allows them to focus on their academic pursuits, which exactly reflects the Pantry’s mission statement.”

— Robyn King, Counselor IV, who oversees the Food Pantry

She works with Robyn King to ensure the Pantry continues to serve those who need it. “After I went shopping at three different stores and saw shelf after shelf completely barren, I decided that I had to go to work…,” Jessica shared. “If I was experiencing the lack of necessities, then others were experiencing it as well.”

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STUDENT ACCESS AND SUCCESS Transformational Generosity: Anonymous Donor Gifts $1 Million to SUNY Schenectady The Schenectady County Community College Foundation recently received a $1 million gift from a longtime friend and benefactor of the College, marking only the second time in the College’s 50-year history that a gift of this magnitude has been made to the Foundation.

The $1 million gift will allow the College to create an endowed student support fund with interest generated by the endowment used for the Food Pantry, Student Emergency Fund, the Student Mentoring Program, College in the High School Program, scholarships, and other initiatives that encourage student access and success, one of SUNY Schenectady’s strategic goals. The donor wishes to remain anonymous.

A significant portion of the gift will be invested, resulting in annual support in perpetuity, something that further contributes to its impact, said Ann Fleming Brown, Chair of the College’s Board of Trustees.

“The fact that hundreds of students now and in the years ahead will benefit from the generosity of our donor and this gift is extremely meaningful,” she noted. “It will allow us to further expand support services that assist our students in a variety of ways, and scholarships that ease the financial burden for students and their families.”

Currently, as students and their families continue to face the dramatic and devastating effects of the pandemic, resources at the College are vital for students to succeed. Stacy McIlduff, Vice President of Development and External Affairs, said that this gift and others like it help to lessen the challenges that students are facing.

“We are humbled to be the recipient of such a remarkably generous donation,” she said. “During a time when there is so much anxiety about the years ahead, the kindness of this individual is instilling hope for a brighter future for our students. It is very exciting to think about the transformational changes this gift will make for students and their families.”

New Learning Commons Nearing Completion Construction on the new Learning Commons, a complete rebuild of the interior of the Begley Building, has entered the final phase. Construction was briefly halted in Spring 2020 during New York State on PAUSE, but resumed over the summer. The new $10.1 million Learning Commons will occupy approximately 30,000 square feet of space to enhance support services and expand academic resources for students through centralized math, writing, accounting, and other academic support areas; the Center for Excellence in Teaching; study rooms; student collaborative spaces; the Educational Opportunity Program; IT support; a reading area; café; and library stacks. Funding is provided

by Schenectady County, through one of the largest single financial commitments the County has ever made, the State of New York, and the SUNY Schenectady Foundation.

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A LEGACY OF LEARNING A Keystone Society Profile: Martha Szuminskyj

Keystone Society Members Benita C. Allaire Anonymous (5) Dr. Stephen K. Astmann Helen H. Begley* Vladia C. Boniewski '71, SCCC Emeritus Professor Grayce Susan Burian, SCCC Emeritus Charles W. Carl, Jr.* Karin Carreau Professor Peter Cousins, SCCC Emeritus* Professor Mary Jane Dike, SCCC Emeritus* Margaret A. Evans '81 Karen* and Walter Grattidge Al and Anita* Haugen Karen Brown Johnson* Dr. Margaret (Peggy) King, SCCC Emeritus Professor Jessica K. Malheiros, SCCC Emeritus, Founding Faculty Member*

The SUNY Schenectady County Community College Foundation is honored to celebrate the life and philanthropy of Martha Szuminskyj, dedicated educator, loyal volunteer, patron of the arts, and wife of the late Bohdan Szuminskyj. With family by her side, Martha passed away peacefully at home on March 13, 2020, after a heroic battle with cancer.

Martha’s passion for teaching was clearly illustrated by her commitment to education.

As a devoted teacher of home economics for more than 30 years, Martha instructed and advised countless middle and high school students, helping them master the life skills that would allow them to thrive inside and outside of their homes.

Martha was a well-known volunteer at local Capital Region arts venues and gave many hours of her time to senior centers in New York and Connecticut.

Martha’s dedication to education did not end with her retirement — she clearly understood she could still have an impact on students even though she was no longer in the classroom.

Through her estate, provisions were made to establish the Bohdan and Martha Szuminskyj Scholarship at SUNY Schenectady. This endowed scholarship will provide support for full-time students who might not otherwise be able to finish their degrees.

After earning her bachelor’s and master’s degrees, both in Home Economics from Hunter College, Martha enjoyed a long teaching career at several New York schools, including locally at Oneida Junior High School and Mont Pleasant High School in Schenectady from 1963-1995.

Stacy McIlduff, Vice President of Development and External Affairs, remembers fondly, Her younger sister, Anna Tufankjian, once “Martha supported and cared for students for said, “Martha’s life was an example of positivity so many years, and now, through the Bohdan and courage in spite of the difficult challenges and Martha Szuminskyj Scholarship, her of life. She loved her home with Bohdan, legacy will continue to provide much-needed her family, food, gardening, nature, her pets, scholarships for generations to come. We are theater, travel, the arts, and bargain shopping grateful for her vision and honored to steward for treasures. She never ceased to teach me her generosity through the Bohdan and good life lessons, as she did with the thousands Martha Szuminskyj Scholarship.” of students she taught during her career.”

Ellie Moore ’86 Thomas Nelson, SCCC Emeritus,

and Ann Henderson Anne and Terry Phillips Thomas L. and Barbara M. Rider Janet P. Robbins, SCCC Emeritus Gretchen and Lewis Rubenstein Donald F. Schenk '74* Dr. Joshua S. Schwartz Phyllis E. Gordon Stanton Esther Swanker* Martha Szuminskyj* Marcia E. Vinick* *In Memoriam To include the SUNY Schenectady Foundation in your will, please ask your attorney to include the following language: I give __________ (specific amount or property, percentage, or residue) to the tax-exempt SUNY Schenectady Foundation, located in Schenectady, N.Y., for the purpose of supporting its educational programs and students.

(Tax ID 23-7194187) For more information about the Keystone Society and legacy giving, please call the Foundation Office at 518-381-1324. Thank you.

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ALUMNI CONNECTIONS Class Notes 70s Gary Oakley ’71, Police Science, was General Manager and owner of the former Oakley Data Computer Services, and worked for 39 years as a Captain of Security Police and Senior Computer Security Analyst at the Bechtel Marine Propulsion Laboratory (KAPL), retiring in 2015.

He notes, “As a member of the first graduating class of Schenectady County Community College, I had the great privilege of learning from the best professionals in law enforcement and prominent members of federal and state law enforcement agencies. From the day I graduated, I knew this new college, SCCC, would be the beginning of a great educational institution that has served the students of the Capital District and beyond. This is the college that helped give me the basic skills and experience to make me successful in my career.”

00s Sarah Gold, Esq. ’01, Paralegal, the founder of Gold Law Firm in Albany, N.Y., was recently elected to the Executive Committee of the New York State Bar Association (NYSBA) for a twoyear term. She is also Past Chair of the Business Law and Young Lawyers Section, current ChairElect of the General Practice Section with the NYSBA, and has been named a Fellow of the New York State Bar Foundation.

After passing the Bar in 2007, Sarah was an associate at a Capital Region law firm, where she worked extensively in the hedge fund industry, negotiating and drafting contractual agreements with some of the largest banks in the world. Her firm, Gold Law Firm, was created in 2011 as a way to work locally with for-profit and notfor-profit businesses. She forms companies, drafts and negotiates employment contracts, and helps businesses exercise their legal rights. Sarah has been named an Upstate New York Super Lawyer for Business/Corporate Law and is Chair of the Small and Solo Committee of the Albany County Bar Association.

Sarah earned her associate’s degree in Paralegal from SUNY Schenectady in 2001. She worked as a paralegal and legal secretary before she went on to earn her Bachelor of Arts degree in American History from the University at Albany and her Juris Doctor from Albany Law School.

Sarah was admitted as an attorney in New York in 2007.

“My time at SUNY Schenectady put me on the road to a career in the law and gave me contacts and opportunities that serve me even today.

I proudly display my Paralegal degree alongside my B.A. and JD on the wall of my law office.”

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We are saddened to share that James J. Rhoads ’03 passed away suddenly on August 16, 2020, at the age of 39. James, a respected alumnus of the Culinary Arts program, was an Assistant Banquet Manager at Rivers Casino in Schenectady. Among other family members, he leaves behind his wife, Tara, and their 2-year-old daughter, Elora.

10s Since graduating with an A.S. in Performing Arts: Music, Gabriel Gordon ’12 earned a bachelor’s degree in music from the College of Saint Rose. He has served as organist at Mt. Olive Southern Missionary Baptist Church and currently serves as a musician at The House of the Lord Outreach Ministry in Albany, N.Y. Gabe has taught music to young children and adults, and has several projects posted on YouTube.

Amanda Ferguson ’16 , is currently a student at the University at Albany majoring in Sociology with a minor in Psychology.

She was featured in the Times Union section, 20 Things You Don’t Know About Me, by Kristi Gustafson Barlette.

Why did you choose SUNY Schenectady?

How did your experience shape your journey?

Share your story and tag SUNY Schenectady. #MySUNYSchenectadyStory #SUNYSchenectadyProud

To submit a Class Note, please visit our website at sunysccc.edu/Alumni-Give/Alumni.

We would love to hear from you!

Restaurateurs Get Creative to Help Community

Jose Arteche ’08 and his daughter Arabella present a check for $1,000 (money raised from the South End Rainbow Roll) to Traci Killar, Director of the South End Children's Café.

The delicious South End Rainbow Roll is shrimp tempura and mango in a chili soy crepe, topped with assorted sashimi and avocado, then finished with a duet of sauces and tobiko.

Jose Arteche ’08, Culinary Arts, co-owner of Shogun Sushi and Sake Bar in Delmar, N.Y., vividly remembers Dr. David Brough ’81, Dean of the School of Hotel, Culinary Arts and Tourism, ensuring that the Culinary Arts program went a step further by instilling in students a responsibility to give back during their academic careers and beyond.

Jose explained, “The Culinary Arts program and amazing Culinary professors emphasized the importance of supporting your community and giving back, so donating meals for first responders and food insecure families during the pandemic was not a new idea to me.”

He and his family have been personally and professionally supporting their community for years, but have stepped up their efforts during the pandemic.

Jose and his wife and co-owner, Elisa, decided not to open the Shogun dining room when New York allowed, but instead continued to focus on contact-free delivery and take-out. Jose knew this was not the time for business as usual.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, Jose, his staff, and his family have donated 60 to 80 meals each week to first responders, frontline workers at Albany Medical Center and St. Peter’s Hospital, and the South End Children’s Café, which provides healthy meals, free of charge, to children and their families in Albany’s South End. Jose estimates that his restaurant has provided 1,000 meals so far, and he has no plans to stop. In fact, he developed a new menu offering called

the South End Rainbow Roll and will continue to donate 50 percent of the proceeds during the fundraising period to the South End Children’s Café.

Jose’s daughter has joined her parents’ efforts by offering her surplus stock of Girl Scout cookies to accompany take-out meals, with 100 percent of the sales going to South End Children’s Café.

Her parents purchased her cookie stockpile. As a result of these ideas, they recently presented the South End Children’s Café with a check for $1,000.

Other SUNY Schenectady Culinary Arts alumni are jumping in to help those in need. Devin Ziemann ’06 and partner Kaytrin Ziemann, co-owners of Crave Burger and The Cuckoo's Nest in Albany, came up with a plan to help Schenectady High School students and teachers affected by drastic budget cuts.

“We plan on opening our third restaurant, The Nest, in Schenectady,” said Kaytrin, a Schenectady High School alumna. “We really wanted to do something positive for the community that we are moving into.”

In addition to donating 20 percent from their restaurant sales on September 17, Devin and Kaytrin collected cash donations and gift cards to help teachers purchase and disseminate school supplies to students in need. Diners and donors were also able to enter a student, ages 5 to 18, into a drawing for a new laptop.

Alumnus Creates Face Shields for Science Faculty, Students, and Healthcare Workers Over the summer while much of campus was quiet due to the pandemic, in the Center for Science and Technology, a 3-D printer was running in the Electronics Laboratory, producing face shields for healthcare workers and the College’s science faculty and students.

Alumnus Lars Petersen '14, '17, a computer programmer, equipment repairman, and former Systems Technician at General Electric, is the man behind the project.

The first 50 face shields Lars created were sent in April to a group of nurses working with elderly COVID-19 patients in New York City. The next group of 167 shields were delivered locally to Saratoga Hospital through Saratoga 3-D Print Against COVID-19, a grass-roots project started by Adam Smisloff. Lars has partnered with the organization since April and the group has distributed the other face shields to local hospitals and rehabilitation facilities in the area.

He then created them for students and faculty in biology, chemistry, and biochemistry lab this fall.

Providing them with face shields is an extra precaution for lab experiments since they also wear masks and safety glasses rather than the usual goggles which would fog up with the masks.

So far, Lars has produced about 700 complete shields since early April.

“I 100 percent love doing this.

I have a 5-year-old son and the fact that he can see his father volunteering to make these and see something good in the world - that’s all I need.”

Lars Petersen, Nanoscale Materials Technology (2014) and Alternative Energy Technology (2017), Member of the Math, Science, Technology and Health Advisory Committee

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NEWS Graduate of First CNA Class Now On Her Way to Becoming An RN

College Earns $3 Million Grant to Continue Educating Healthcare Professionals SUNY Schenectady earned another highly competitive Health Profession Opportunity Grant (HPOG 2.0) through the Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. The $3 million grant, an extension of the current HPOG 2.0 grant, will allow the Office of Workforce Development and Community Education to continue to train hundreds of eligible students for a variety of healthcare careers.

Through the Upstate Partnership for Healthcare Pathways (UPHP), SUNY Schenectady provides education and training to Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) recipients and other low-income individuals in: Behavioral Health Technician (BHT), Certified Nurse Aide (CNA), Community Health Worker (CHW), EKG Tech, Emergency Medical Technician (EMT), Home Health Aide (HHA), Medical Administrative Assistant (MAA), Personal Care Aide (PCA), and Phlebotomy Technician. Many students start at the entry level and then advance to nursing and technical education offered by colleges within the region.

SUNY Schenectady earned the first HPOG 1.0 grant in 2010 and received HPOG 2.0 in 2015.

Under the new grant, a consortium of three community colleges, SUNY Schenectady, SUNY Adirondack, and Fulton Montgomery, and two community-based organizations, Albany Community Action Partnership (ACAP) and Schenectady Community Action Program (SCAP), have achieved significant results.

Since SUNY Schenectady began offering HPOG: • 1,837 students have been enrolled in the program • 2,214 training courses have been offered • More than 800 participants have been placed in jobs

Crystal Hodge, who has always had a calling to work in healthcare, was in the first CNA class that the College offered through HPOG in 2011, and went on to earn her Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) certification through Maria College. She is now enrolled in the associate’s degree Registered Nursing (RN) program there and will continue on for her bachelor’s degree in Nursing. Crystal works as an LPN at The Glendale Home in Glenville.

“It sounds cliché, but I like helping people,” she said. “When I started in the HPOG program I had a young child and I needed financial stability.

Through the program, I gained confidence in myself and my passion for nursing has just continued to grow.

When you take pride in what you do every day, there is a big sense of satisfaction in that.”

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HPOG 2.0, administered by the Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, was created under the Social Security Act to address the challenges of healthcare employers struggling to find qualified staff with the training and technical expertise required to provide the high quality of care their patients need. This latest round of funding came from the CARES act as part of the latest stimulus package.

Lifelong Learning with the Office of Workforce Development and Community Education Find out more about upcoming online classes.

General Workforce Development and Community Education Offerings

Ed2 Go and MindEdge Offerings

STEM Programming for Kids

NEWS Commencement 2020 It may have been unlike any other Commencement that SUNY Schenectady has ever hosted, but there was just as much excitement and (socially distant) well wishes during the College’s 50th Commencement which took place on campus on Monday, June 29, 2020.

Approximately 465 graduates were invited to participate in the College’s “drive-through” Commencement. It was an innovative way to celebrate the Class of 2020 during an unprecedented time.

Ivonne Cruz, Culinary Arts, is all smiles as she drives up to campus.

College faculty and staff cheer for members of the Class of 2020.

Proud graduate Olujide Adesina, Paralegal, celebrates his achievement with Dr. Steady Moono, College President, and Ann Fleming Brown, Chair of the Board of Trustees.

Sisters Lauri DeLara, Liberal Arts: History concentration, and Lauren DeLara, Teacher Education Transfer, cross the stage in the main parking lot on campus.

As a special way to acknowledge their resilience, the names of each of this year’s graduates were inscribed on commemorative bricks placed in the College’s quad.

Ryan Stovall, Music Audio Technology, arrives with his family for the outdoor ceremony.

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FOUNDATION NEWS Foundation Welcomes Jeanne M. Maloy to Board Jeanne Maloy, newly appointed President of Marshall & Sterling Upstate, Inc., will return to serve on the Foundation Board of Directors. Jeanne previously served on the Foundation Board from 2010 to 2018, assuming the role of Chair from 2014 to 2016. In 2019, she served as Co-Chair of the Promise of Our Common Future capital campaign cabinet, leading the Foundation in raising $3.6 million.

Jeanne has served on the Capital Region Chamber Board of Directors and on the Board of Directors of the Salvation Army of Schenectady, and she is a member of the Professional Insurance Agents Advisory Committee and the Travelers Agency Council. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Accounting and Marketing with a minor in Economics from SUNY Plattsburgh.

Meet Marianne Senneca, Stewardship Officer The Foundation is pleased to introduce Marianne Senneca who recently started in the newly created position of Stewardship Officer.

Marianne comes to SUNY Schenectady from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute where she was Senior Donor Relations Officer.

Previously, Marianne worked as Development Coordinator at Girls Inc. of the Greater Capital Region.

Marianne earned a B.S. in Producing for Electronic Media from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University and credits SUNY Schenectady with allowing her to complete her degree in just three years.

“Attending SUNY Schenectady during my final semester of high school was a great academic option. It gave me a head start on my college career and relieved some of the financial burden on my family.”

Alumni Pave the Way for Future Students Paving the Way for Future Royals helps ease financial burdens that pose obstacles to a student’s academic success, graduation, and personal growth.

Contributions fund scholarships that cover the cost of books and fees, emergency loans that help alleviate temporary stresses, Food Pantry supplies, and Achieving The Dream.

Order your brick today.

“I purchased a brick because SUNY Schenectady launched both my academic pursuits and my career. The support I received at SUNY Schenectady motivated me to obtain my MBA. In addition, the brick provided me with the opportunity to honor the memory of my youngest sister.”

Donna Tessitore ’92, Accounting, pictured with Chris Henry ’92, Hotel and Restaurant Management

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FOUNDATION

29th Annual

Please Join Honorary Chairs Jamison and Sarah Flora in Celebrating and Supporting

the remarkable students of SUNY Schenectady at Food for Thought & All That Jazz

AUCTION OPEN NOVEMBER 10-17, 2020 Please visit Bidding for Good for more information on how you can enjoy the event and bid at the online auction, all from the comfort of your own home!

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