Union College Magazine, Winter 2022

WINTE R 2022

UNIONCOLLEGE A Magazine for Alumni and Friends

BEING FIRST:

Volume 115 / Number 2

Students & alumni share their stories

ALSO INSIDE: Partnership raises $42 million for scholarships

UNION COLLEGE ON THE FRONT COVER

Ashley German Soto '24 (right) and Leslie Quijada '24 chat with Andrew Alvez, assistant director of Intercultural Affairs and director of the Bridges program in support of first-generation students.

VICE PRESIDENT FOR COMMUNICATIONS AND MARKETING

Mark Land EDITOR

Charlie Casey caseyc@union.edu ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Erin DeMuth Judd demuthje@union.edu CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Christen Gowan Tina Lincer Phillip Wajda CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

Matt Milless Shawn LaChapelle DESIGN

2k Design PRINTING

Fort Orange Press

UNION COLLEGE is published

three times a year by the Union College Office of Communications, Schenectady, N.Y. 12308. The telephone is (518) 388-6131. Non-profit flat rate postage is paid at Schenectady, N.Y., and an additional mailing office.

Postmaster: Send address changes to Office of Communications, Union College, Schenectady, N.Y. 12308-3169.

Alumni who want to inform the College about changes of address should contact the Alumni Office at (518) 388-6168 or via e-mail at alumni@union. edu. The same phone number and e-mail address should be used to correspond about ReUnion, Homecoming, alumni club events, and other activities.

IN THIS ISSUE:

14 Being first Students and alumni share their experiences as the first in their families to attend college. For many, it’s a joyous but challenging journey.

28 Partnership raises $42 million for scholarships By reaching its $20 million goal, the College will receive a $22 million match from the Schuler Education Foundation for $42 million in scholarship grant funding. These funds will allow Union to significantly increase the number of Pell-eligible students it serves.

Departments 2

President’s Message

34 Alumni Clubs

3

Around U

35

The Classes & Profiles

24 Campaign update

47

Arrivals

28 Focus

48 Unions

30 Media

53

In Memoriam

WINTER 2021 // Volume 115 // Number 2

T H E A N N U A L D U T C H M E N D I P, H E L D I N E A R LY M A R C H , R A I S E D N E A R LY $ 3 , 0 0 0 F O R THE KRISTEN SHINEBARGER M E M O R I A L S C H O L A R S H I P, WHICH BENEFITS STUDENTS WHO FACE ADVERSIT Y WITH COURAGE. KRISTEN, THE DAUGHTER OF A UNION EMPLOYEE, INSPIRED THE FIRST DUTCHMEN DIP IN 2013 B U T LO S T H E R B AT T L E W I T H CANCER IN 2018.

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PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

What we’ve learned; investing in promise

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t Founders Day recently, I observed that it was nearly two years since we faced the greatest existential threat to residential higher education.

In March 2020, we had the first COVID case on campus and announced that the last day of winter term classes were canceled and that finals would be online. Within days, nearly all faculty, staff and students left campus to begin working and studying remotely. Many would stay out through the fall, others for much longer.

Thankfully, we continued to thrive.

Today, unless a dangerous new variant arises, it’s clear that the worst days of the pandemic are behind us. The masking, testing and other protocols that have become so familiar will end.

So, what have we learned? A lot.

First, we’ve learned just how important community is, the formal connections and unplanned interactions. It’s why so many students returned to this campus in the fall of 2020, even if all of their classes were online. We recently watched women’s basketball win a playoff game in a packed and noisy Viniar Athletic Center. That was the kind of joy that we missed.

Second, we were reminded of the importance of a residential education. Ever since I’ve been a college administrator, folks have asked if this is all going to be replaced by online learning. “It’s so expensive to have residential education,” they say.

“Can’t we just do it all online?”

The last two years have answered that question with a resounding “no.” It’s clear that for most students at most times, residential is far better than online. Our commitment to the residential model is as strong as ever.

Third, we reinforced the power of expertise— the power of people who actually know something—as well as the power of breadth and depth to identify real solutions to the challenges we face. It’s one of the most significant lessons of the pandemic.

I think of our colleagues in the STEM fields that created the vaccine in record time. But this is also an important time for those in the social sciences and humanities. Those fields are critical to understanding why people don’t get vaccinated and what we can do to change that.

You need to have expertise, breadth and depth.

And that’s the core of what we do at Union College.

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This issue focuses on first-generation students, the challenges they face and the support they find at Union.

Also in this issue, we share some exciting news: with strong support from alumni and friends, we have reached our goal for the Schuler Access Initiative, a challenge that has raised $42 million for scholarship support.

Much of that support is destined for firstgeneration students.

As I wrote in a Chicago Tribune op-ed last fall, I was a first-generation student at Northwestern, where tuition nearly equaled my parents’ combined income.

Thanks to financial aid, including a federallybacked Pell grant, I was able to attend and go on to a fulfilling life and career.

More than three decades later, many promising young people aren’t so lucky. With income inequality at historic levels, creating equality of opportunity for deserving young adults has never been more vital.

At Union, Pell-eligible students graduate at a higher rate than the student body as a whole and they are well represented among our academic award winners. They are leaders who go on to success after Union. These students belong here.

We have a responsibility to expand opportunities for them.

Union is proud of its commitment to meeting the full financial need of every student who enrolls. With Schuler’s support, more outstanding students with the greatest need will get a chance at an education.

As a former Pell Grant recipient, I can’t help but think about all of the opportunities these students will have in life, all of the contributions they will make to their communities and the world around them, and how different their lives could have been if not for support from Schuler and our donors.

This is not charity. It’s an investment in the future of the College and, by extension, our country and our world.

DAVID R. HARRIS, Ph.D.

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LETTERS

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Remembering the Idol

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he article in the most recent “Union” magazine concerning the Idol brought back a lot of memories. In the fall of 1946, I was a very young, naïve freshman at Union. My room was in North College, third floor rear. We had just finished supper when a large group of sophomores gathered beneath our windows. They wanted us to join them. I was ignorant of Union’s traditions and just assumed they were up to no good. I threw a bucket of water out of the window which seemed to upset them. I was hoping it would discourage them, but no; they came up to our room and took us downstairs. They took us up to the Idol and I was hoisted up to the Idol’s head and handed a bucket of paint. So I painted!

The sophomores then marched us to downtown Schenectady. We made a lot of noise and disrupted traffic! But all in all, it was all good fun!

During the next four years, I passed the Idol on my way to Bailey Hall. I always remembered my close encounter with the Idol and smiled.

JERRY ROST

Class of 1950 Baltimore, MD

Kate White ’72 to speak at Commencement

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estselling novelist and former magazine editor Kate White ’72 will be the featured speaker at Union’s Commencement on June 12 and receive an honorary degree.

“We are delighted and honored that Kate White has accepted our invitation to join us in celebrating the Class of 2022,” said President David R. Harris.

“As one of the first women to graduate from Union, Kate has enjoyed an extraordinary career and been an inspiration for many in her fields. We look forward to her sharing her wisdom with the class.”

White spent 14 years as the editor-in-chief of Cosmopolitan magazine, which for her entire tenure was the most successful magazine in single copy sales in the U.S. She previously served as editorin-chief of Child, Working Woman, McCall’s and Redbook magazines.

In 2012, she left Cosmopolitan to concentrate on writing suspense novels. She is a New York Times bestselling author of 15 novels. Seven of those are psychological thrillers including “The Fiancée” (2021) and “Have You Seen Me?” (2020). Her eight-book Bailey Weggins mysteries series was nominated for an International Thriller Writers Award. Her next psychological thriller, “The Second Husband,” will be released in June.

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A MILESTONE MET SCHULER CHALLENGE NETS $42M FOR SCHOLARSHIPS

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r. Estelle Cooke-Sampson ‘74 considers herself fortunate she was able to attend Union College by cobbling together loans, scholarships and grants.

So when she heard about a new partnership between Union College and the Schuler Education Foundation to invest millions to enroll significantly more low-income students, she felt a strong desire to act.

“It behooves us to have a social conscience about how we use the financial resources we have at hand,” said Cooke-Sampson, one of the 100 women in Union’s first co-ed class. A radiologist, she retired last year as director of the Women’s Imaging Center at Howard University Hospital.

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“I believe in the mission of the Schuler Foundation, and I feel a tremendous sense of honor that Union was chosen as one of the institutions. I think this scholarship opportunity will help toward obtaining equity for all.”

Cooke-Sampson, a member of the Union Board of Trustees, is among nearly 200 donors who helped the College reach a milestone: hitting its $20 million fundraising goal years ahead of schedule. The figure includes 18 trustees who collectively contributed close to $14 million, according to Robert J. Parker Jr., vice president for College Relations. Union received seven gifts/ pledges of $1 million or more: Bob ’99 and Lisa Moser; Tom ’88 and Michelle Coleman; Gus ’59 and Susan Davis; Dave ’78 and

“BY MAKING THE MOST OF THIS ONCE IN A LIFETIME OPPORTUNIT Y TO PARTNER W I T H T H E S C H U L E R E D U C AT I O N F O U N D AT I O N, O U R G E N E RO U S ALUMNI AND FRIENDS ARE

Denise Breazzano; David ’75 and Joan more Pell eligible students,” said Matt E N S U R I N G T H AT U N I O N Henle; Doug ’97 and Kyle Karp; Jana Malatesta ’91, vice president for AdmisCOLLEGE WILL BECOME ALMA Karp ’99 and Stephen and Jill Karp; and sions, Financial Aid and Enrollment. “Our M AT E R T O E V E N M O R E B R I G H T Paul Ginsberg ’84 and Nicole Felton. commitment to meeting the full financial By reaching its $20 million goal, the need of our admitted students is critical.

A N D C R E AT I V E LO W-I N C O M E College will receive a $22 million match This is a huge opportunity for so many STUDENTS.” from the Schuler Foundation for $42 million great students and good for our college, – Robert J. Parker, Jr. in scholarship grant funding, which will obviously, but it is important to the allow Union to significantly increase the country, as well.” number of Pell-eligible students it serves.

The goals of the Schuler initiative align “By making the most of this once in a with a priority of the College’s Strategic lifetime opportunity to partner with the Plan to “ensure that students of all Schuler Education Foundation, our generous alumni and friends economic backgrounds can access and take full advantage of the are ensuring that Union College will become alma mater to even opportunities Union provides.” more bright and creative low-income students,” Parker said. “The Union is one of the few schools that meets the full financial ripple effect and the lasting good that will result from the Schuler need of all admitted students. The average need-based scholarAccess Initiative and the generosity we’ve experienced are both ship at Union is $40,300. More than half of Union students humbling and inspiring.” receive need-based financial scholarship assistance; more than The College originally planned to raise $20 million over five years.

25 percent receive merit scholarships.

“I’m excited that we have done it,” said President David R. The College has launched a number of initiatives to make Harris, who with his wife, Anne, made a gift to establish the Harris Union more affordable for all families.

Family Endowed Scholarship. “Not in five years. Not in one year.

In 2019, the College expanded the criteria to qualify for This community stepped up and said we care so much about scholarship assistance by launching Making U Possible Family creating opportunity, we can achieve this goal in six or seven Grants. Families making up to $250,000 per year who have an months. So thank you, Union College, for everything you have expected family contribution of $90,000 or less will qualify for at done and thank you for everything you will do for students for least $20,000 in scholarship assistance. Previously, some families years to come.” at such income levels would qualify for little or no scholarship Union is among the first five schools selected to participate in assistance. These grants will help families who are struggling to the Schuler Access Initiative, which aims to enroll more undermeet those contributions plan for their children’s futures and see served students at the nation’s top liberal arts colleges. that a Union education is attainable.

Jack Schuler, co-founder of the Schuler Education Foundation, The grants are part of Making U Possible: The Presidential will spend $500 million over the next 10 years as part of the Initiative for Scholarship and Immersive Excellence. Created in initiative. He wants to include up to 20 liberal arts schools that will 2018, the initiative ensures that talented students from all match the funds, for a potential nationwide investment of $1 billion. backgrounds not only can afford a Union education but also are “Having Union College meet its match within months of being able to take full advantage of opportunities in and out of the chosen for the Schuler Access Initiative proves that many donors, classroom. This includes providing financial assistance to trustees and alumni value offering Pell-eligible and undocumentparticipate in terms abroad, mini-terms, internships and preed students the opportunity for a strong education,” said Schuler. orientation programs.

“It is encouraging to see almost 200 new and existing donors “Pell students are good students on their own merit,” said supporting students who have historically proven that they can trustee David J. Breazzano ’78, a longtime benefactor to the be successful at a top liberal arts college—and beyond—when College, and a donor to the Schuler initiative. “The only challenge given a chance.” they have is their families are unable to pay the sticker price.

“We are so excited that our alumni have provided such We’re giving opportunities to people who otherwise wouldn’t generous support for the Schuler initiative, allowing us to enroll have those opportunities.”

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‘Who said a college couldn’t help save a city?’

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first-time visitor to Schenectady today would find a bustling downtown buoyed by the arts, fine restaurants and shops, world-class entertainment, neat streetscapes.

It wasn’t always this way.

The rebirth of Schenectady, and Union’s part in it, were the themes of Founders Day on Feb. 24, 2022, which commemorated the 227th anniversary of the granting of Union’s charter.

In his keynote address, William Patrick, author of Metrofix: The Combative Comeback of a Company Town, traced the trajectory of Schenectady starting from perhaps its lowest point in the late 1980s.

The collapse of the American Locomotive Company in 1969 and the continued downsizing of General Electric caused a population loss of 30,000 over 30 years, Patrick said. With that came urban blight: empty houses, vacant storefronts, crime, drugs and corruption.

Patrick traced Schenectady's comeback from the early 1990s, when thenUnion President Roger Hull and Neil Golub, CEO of Price Chopper Supermarkets, partnered to start Schenectady 2000, a volunteer organization aimed at beautification. Both Hull and Golub would continue to play pivotal roles in the city's revitalization.

In the late 1990s, Union purchased homes along Seward Place and the former Ramada Inn on Nott Street. Another College Park property, the former Alps Grill, became the Kenney Community Center.

Patrick asked, “Who said a college couldn’t help save a city?”

Patrick said Union’s investments helped pave the way for the construction of the Golub Corp. headquarters on lower Nott Street and, more recently, the Mohawk Harbor and Rivers Casino on the former ALCO site.

Patrick concluded, “The city wouldn’t be the same without its college. And Union College is lucky to have a revitalized and

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Author William Patrick

President David R. Harris addresses Founders Day audience

improving Schenectady. If one thrives, so does the other.”

Patrick, a Schenectady resident, is an award-winning writer whose works have been published or produced in a number of genres: creative nonfiction, fiction, screenwriting, poetry and drama.

President David R. Harris, introducing Patrick, called his book “a case study in urban revitalization that could be a blueprint for the reinvention of any post-industrial American town.”

Harris concluded, “We can be proud of the many members of the Union community who have played a part in Schenectady’s rebirth, those who continue to venture beyond our gates to find opportunities to make a difference for others and themselves. This city and this college are linked by more than history.

We have a shared interest in one another’s success.”

Also at Founders Day, Pablo Garcia, a mathematics and computer science

Union a top producer of Gilman Scholars “THE CITY WOULDN’T BE THE SAME WITHOUT ITS COLLEGE. AND UNION COLLEGE IS LUCKY TO HAVE A R E V I T A L I Z E D A N D I M P R O V I N G S C H E N E C T A D Y. IF ONE THRIVES, SO DOES THE OTHER.”

–William Patrick

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t 51 and counting, Union ranks at the top among small schools for Gilman Scholarships, which support study abroad.

The ranking comes from the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.

Established in 2001, the Gilman Scholarship provides as much as $5,000 for program costs, plus $3,000 for language study.

“Being recognized for a strong performance with the Gilman Scholarship over the last 20 years is particularly gratifying,” said Lynn Evans, director of National Fellowships and Scholarships. “It reflects Union’s ongoing commitment to bridge classroom and immersive experiences, and to ensure that students of all economic backgrounds can take full advantage of the study abroad opportunities our school provides.”

The scholarship program is named for the late congressional representative Benjamin A. Gilman of New York, a proponent of exchange programs for American students.

Union’s study abroad program includes nearly 40 full-term and mini-term programs in 25 countries. Sixty percent of students study abroad.

Mayah Teplitskiy '25 and her former teacher, Pablo Garcia, who received the Gideon Hawley Teacher Recognition Award

teacher at the Schechter School of Long Island, received the Gideon Hawley Teacher Recognition Award, which recognizes a high school teacher who has had a continuing influence on a Union College student. He was nominated by Mayah Teplitskiy ’25, an English and mathematics double major from Queens, N.Y. Dianne McMullen, college organist and John Howard Payne Professor of Music, performed a processional; “Allegro Maestoso” from “Water Music” by Georg Frideric Händel (1685-1759); and a recessional “Fanfare in Bb Major”

by Henry Purcell (1659-1695).

Chloe Metcalfe ’23, Helen Smith ’22 and Paige Kent ’23 sang “A Million Dreams” from the 2017 musical film “The Greatest Showman,” arranged and accompanied by Professor Tim Olsen.

Henry Bush ’22 presented a musical reflection, “Human nature wants peace, but indulgence and desires ... etc.” The three-minute piece is a combination of produced, recorded and processed sounds that concludes with a soundscape from Van Vranken Avenue.

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HOMECOMING returns to campus

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ore than 1,500 guests— friends, parents, alumni and students—were on campus (Oct. 28–31) for Union’s first in-person Homecoming and Family Weekend since 2019. Together, they enjoyed everything from pumpkin carving to football. Other highlights included the dedication of Union’s new indoor rowing facility; and “A Century of Sound,” a WRUC archive display; Ghost tours of the Stockade and a celebration of the late Professor James Underwood.

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A fitting tribute in honor of Jim Underwood, beloved professor, advisor and friend

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ot many people have a skyway named in their honor but James Underwood does. His skyway— the James Underwood Skyway—crowns one of the most unique buildings in the country—the Nott Memorial.

When Underwood passed away in April 2021, several young alumni banded together immediately to develop a plan to commemorate their beloved mentor. Many of these students met Underwood after he’d retired, but his energy, love of Union history and the Ramée Society of Tour Guides—which he’d founded—drew them to him.

Students who join the Ramée Society of Tour Guides From left: Matthew Dulchinos ’20, Michael Stalteri provide tours that focus on ’19, Rachel McNeil ’18, Mollie Pope ’19 and Mateo Joseph Ramée’s original Galguera ’20 visit the top of the Nott, courtesy of campus design with attention Jim Underwood, in spring 2018. to specific historical buildings and the stories behind the people who taught and lived here.

“I suggested we name the skyway for Jim,” Quisqueya Witbeck ’16 explained, “because at the end of a successful tour season, it was Jim’s tradition to lead the historic tour guides to the top of the Nott Memorial to thank us for our service.”

“This unique experience provided each student with a wonderful and different way to observe and appreciate Ramée’s architectural plan for the Union campus,” Rachel McNeil ’18 added.

The skyway was dedicated to at Homecoming and Parents Weekend 2021. A plaque honoring Underwood is also planned for the Nott Memorial.

He joined Union in 1963 and retired in 2003 as the Chauncey H. Winters Research Professor of Political Science and dean of faculty emeritus. During his career, Underwood served as dean of faculty from 1988 to 1994, chair of Political Science from 1978 to 1984, chair of the Social Sciences division, and director of the General Education program. He was the longest-serving current faculty member when he retired from full-time teaching.

Joining Witbeck and McNeil in the efforts to commemorate Underwood are Jaclyn “Jackie” Mandart ’12, A. Richard Harris ’14 and Samantha Epstein ’21.

To learn more about their experiences with Underwood and their plans for his plaque, please visit ualumni.union.edu/underwoodtribute.

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Remembering two Union sports heroes

BY MIKE MESEROLE ’72

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ike Doyle ’73 and Gordon Glidden ’78, who both died in 2021, were winter sports captains and campus heroes— one by achievement over three seasons and the other by accident for two months.

Doyle was the bruising power forward on Union’s Hall of Fame 1971-72 basketball team. The squad went 19-3 with three 6-foot-3 forwards up front—Doyle, Tom Bacher ’73 and Geoff Walker ‘73.

All three were co-captains the following season when Union won the first ECAC Division II/III Upstate Tournament, with a victory over Albany in the final; Mike was named tourney MVP. In his three seasons as a starter, the first two featuring the backcourt wizardry of Jim Tedisco ’72, Union won 53 of 66 games.

“Mike was a very tough and aggressive forward,” said Bob Pezzano ’72, who captained the 1971-72 team with Tedisco. “He was a warrior and a winner who played with a tremendous intensity that allowed him to outrebound much bigger opponents. Anyone who played against Mike was feeling it the next day, and that goes for practices and scrimmages as well as games.”

Glidden was co-captain of Union’s junior varsity hockey team on Dec. 23, 1977, the day Ned Harkness quit as coach of the fabulously successful varsity team, citing un-kept promises of support and undue harassment of four players who had just flunked their exams. When the whole team followed Ned out the Achilles Rink door a few days later, athletic director Dick Sakala called Glidden and the other JV co-captain, Mark Taube ’79, into his office and told them they were now captains of the varsity.

After four Division I opponents and several Canadian schools were trimmed from the remaining schedule, the Union varsity replacements, made up of JV players and walk-ons, went Gordon out and lost all 13 of their Glidden ’78 games. There has never been a with a friend longer, colder Schenectady winter than the one they went through, but they kept the hockey program alive despite Harkness’s best efforts to scuttle it.

In their first game, a 19-1 shellacking at home by visiting Queens College of Ontario, Glidden and his mates were jeered by pro10

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Mike Doyle ’73 takes a shot during a game.

Harkness season ticket holders, who sang “Good-bye hockey, we hate to see you go…” after every Queens goal. But a good portion of the crowd was made up of students who came out to support the team, and when Taube scored the final goal of the game with just eight seconds left, they went wild.

“The last goal was justice,” said Queens coach Fred O’Donnell afterwards. “Union had 20 guys with big hearts and watching them refuse to quit had me rooting for them. And how about the students’ reaction to that goal? You’d have thought Union won the game in overtime.”

Mike Doyle and company—most of them Capital District high school stars recruited by Chris Schmid and coached by a young Gary Walters just a few years out of Princeton—were royalty when basketball was king and Memorial Field House shook with crowds of 3,500 or more.

Gordon Glidden and the replacements of 1978, however, are Union’s forgotten varsity. Just open the latest hockey media guide and turn to the all-time player register in the back. Other than one former varsity player and three who made the team a year later, none of the “20 guys with big hearts” are anywhere to be found.

Gordon Glidden’s obituary appears on pg. 59. Mike Doyle was remembered in the In Memoriam section of fall 2021 magazine.

Mike Meserole covered the 1971-72 basketball team for the Concordiensis and the 1977-78 Harkness-Union hockey saga for The Berkshire Eagle in Pittsfield, Mass. He later worked at ESPN before creating and editing the best-selling Information Please Sports Almanac in the ’90s.

NCAA votes to allow Union to offer athletic scholarships for hockey programs

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he NCAA Division III membership voted in February to allow all multi-divisional institutions to apply Division I rules to their Division I programs, including financial aid. This change will allow Union to offer athletic scholarships for its Division I men’s and women’s ice hockey teams for the first time.

The long-awaited decision by the membership came during the NCAA’s annual meeting in Indianapolis. The vote was 388-18, with 39 abstentions.

The ability to offer scholarships is arguably the most pivotal moment in the history of ice hockey at Union since the decision in 1991 for the men’s team to jump from Division III to Division I. The women’s program followed in 2003.

“We are gratified that the NCAA membership approved this measure, which puts Union College and institutions in similar situations on a level playing field with their Division I colleagues,” said President David R. Harris. “For Union, being able to offer scholarships will greatly enhance our ability to compete at the highest level in men’s and women's hockey, and to build on our proud history on the ice.

“Even more importantly, it provides another powerful tool that we can use to attract exceptional people to Union who are also outstanding students and athletes.”

Union and the Rochester Institute of Technology were the only schools of the 59 competing in Division I hockey that were not allowed to offer scholarships under long-ago legislation. Both schools petitioned the NCAA for a waiver that would allow them to offer scholarships.

“FOR UNION, BEING ABLE TO OFFER SCHOLARSHIPS WILL G R E AT LY E N H A N C E O U R A B I L I T Y T O C O M P E T E AT T H E H I G H E S T LEVEL IN MEN’S AND WOMEN'S H O C K E Y, A N D T O B U I L D O N O U R PROUD HISTORY ON THE ICE.

For years, the multi-divisional schools (which play Division I men and women’s ice hockey but compete in Division III in all other sports) were able to be competitive without the benefit of scholarships.

However, the shifting dynamics in college sports has upended the competitive landscape.

One of the biggest changes came last spring, when the NCAA loosened its transfer rules, allowing all college athletes to transfer one time without having to sit out a season. The exception to transfer from one Division I school to another had been available to athletes in other college sports for years, but the change meant it now applied to football, men’s and women’s basketball, men’s ice hockey and baseball.

The policy instantly put Union at a distinct disadvantage. Union’s hockey programs pride themselves on an ability to fill their rosters with solid players who are also exceptional students during their four years. Under the new transfer rules, however, student-athletes can begin their career at Union, getting valuable game experience before entering the transfer portal and becoming eligible to play the following season for a school that offers scholarships.

The petition had the support of all NCAA Division I member conferences that sponsor men’s and women’s ice hockey, along with the American Hockey Coaches Association, Hockey Commissioners Association and Liberty League. The groups argued that the waiver protects the competitive spirit of the sport and abides by one of the association’s core tenets outlined in the NCAA’s Principle for Competitive Equity.

Supporters also pointed to the recent Supreme Court decision in Alston v.

NCAA, which unanimously ruled that the NCAA could not restrict educationalrelated benefits, including athletic scholarships and the cost of attendance.

“We are simply looking to provide the opportunities to our student-athletes and programs consistent with the Division I hockey landscape,” said Director of Athletics Jim McLaughlin ’93.

To offset the costs of the scholarships, a campaign to establish an endowment from Union’s energized base of hockey donors will provide the additional funding needed in perpetuity for the increased costs from the current need-based aid allocation available to all students.

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College named ‘green,’ again

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nion has again been named one of the country’s most environmentally responsible colleges, according to The Princeton Review’s “Guide to Green Colleges.”

Union is among 420 schools profiled in the 12th edition of the guide. The College has been included in each edition.

Schools were chosen based on data collected from 835 four-year colleges on their sustainability-related policies,

practices and programs. Only schools with a Green Rating of 80 or higher were included in the guide. The company's editors analyzed more than 25 survey data points in the process of choosing schools for the guide.

Union achieved a Green Rating of 89. The College has garnered accolades for its Presidential Green Grants program, the U-Sustain committee and other initiatives.

Menstrual equity, water conservation, maple sugaring projects awarded Presidential Green Grants Raya Petrova ’21 received a Presidential Green Grant to continue a project to offer free environmentally friendly menstrual products in several high-traffic women’s bathrooms across campus.

The biomedical engineering major began the project her sophomore year with classmate Sruti Bandlamuri ’21.

“Tampons and disposable pads are the most commonly used menstrual products,” said Petrova. “They also pose the most detrimental long-term environmental effects.”

Petrova’s project is among seven awarded a Presidential Green Grant this year. Since the initiative was launched 14 years ago, grants totaling nearly $188,000 have supported 149 projects across campus.

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O THER 20 21-22 GREEN GRAN T WIN NERS WERE : •

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• • •

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Eva Blashkevich ’22: With Brad Bruno, professor of mechanical engineering, research to design and evaluate cleaner and more efficient biomass cookstoves.

Bethany Costello ’22 and Sophia Anderson ’22: Will encourage campus apartment composting by supplying 132 composting bins in 61 residences.

Andrew Nordell ’23 and Hugh Jenkins, professor of English: To expand tapping of campus maple trees.

Ethan Oswald ’22: To update some of the growing beds in Octopus's Garden, Union's organic community garden.

Cam Ragland ’22 and Jodie Wright ’22: With John Garver, professor of geology, will use microbial source tracking to trace harmful bacteria in the Hans Groot’s Kill.

Hailey Stoltenberg ’23: To reduce energy and water consumption in Ozone House by installing a high efficiency dishwasher.

New Becker director: ‘career planning a four-year endeavor’

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oger Woolsey compares first-year students to start-ups.

They are experiencing cognitive dissonance again. They are learning how to think and how to problem-solve. They are meeting people from around the world and learning how to live on their own.

“It is important for us to help accelerate or incubate a start-up and help prepare them for what’s beyond academia,” said Woolsey.

Woolsey is the new executive director of the Becker Career Center. He takes over for Robert Soules, who retired last fall.

Career services is a core component of the student experience. According to a recent study, the majority of students cite jobs and career outcomes as the number one reason for going to college.

Demand has never been greater for services at career centers. In 2010, Becker hosted 2,038 student appointments for advising services. By 2020, that number had skyrocketed to 3,154. In addition, the center typically manages 150-200 student appointments with alumni each year.

Woolsey wants students to realize that career services is more than just a place to create or update a resume, or learn how to apply for a job. He wants career education to be a four-year endeavor, equipping students with financial literacy and other critical skills.

“We want to complement what’s going on in the classroom in meaningful ways through experiential learning and internships,” Woolsey said. “I want them to realize that we can help them connect with mentors within the alumni community be engaged with parents in certain industries that are looking to mentor or for interns to hire.”

Most importantly, Woolsey aims to establish the career center as a place of empathy.

“We want to help students realize the importance of empathy,” he said. “Students who don’t know what they want to do is a perfect example of empathy. All of us have been there in our lives. What is my next

Roger Woolsey

career move? What do I want to do when I graduate because I have no idea? Those are the students I want to come into the career center as often as they want to utilize all of our resources.”

A native Californian, Woolsey has overcome significant challenges in his life.

Born with congenital cataracts, he is legally blind. Given up for adoption at birth, he spent his first four and a half years in foster care until he was adopted by a couple in Los Angeles. At school, officials tried to teach him how to read Braille. He was offered a cane and a seeing-eye dog.

He resisted it all. Instead, he played football and lettered in wrestling.

“My parents never raised me as if I were disabled or had an eye problem,” he said.

One concession to his disability is that he does not drive. On his visit to Schenectady, the entrepreneurial spirit he encountered walking around the downtown impressed him. He wants students to feed into that spirit.

“You go to a restaurant and sit at the bar, you talk to developers, you talk to venture capitalists, and you realize the growth of this city and the entrepreneurial spirit that is here,” Woolsey said. “I want to help our students be a part of the change here in Schenectady, which would contribute to their resume and overall experience.”

Woolsey has extensive experience in higher education, having overseen career centers at both Dartmouth College (2013-19) and Colby College (2008-13).

He started a financial literacy and career readiness service in 2019, but then COVID hit, dramatically slowing business. He then spent a little over a year as the executive director of the career center at Cal State San Bernardino. He was anxious to get back east when the Union position opened.

“Union is a natural fit for me,” said Woolsey. “I’m used to the liberal arts.

That’s where I belong.”

“We are so excited to have Roger join us,” said Fran'Cee Brown-McClure, vice president for Student Affairs and Dean of Students. “He has an energetic personality and a can-do spirit. His wealth of knowledge and experience at Dartmouth and Colby will benefit our students and alumni. We are thrilled to have him be a part of the Union community.”

Woolsey started at Union in midDecember. He is following what he calls his 1066 plan (the first 10 days, the first six weeks and the first six months) before he shares specific ideas for the career center.

“I’m trying to understand the campus culture, taking in the perspectives of colleagues, faculty and staff,” he said. “I want to meet with alumni and local business leaders. I want to get to know the area.

Then I want to start building the frameworks that I think will take us to the next level.”

Outside the office, Woolsey loves to run. He is also a vociferous reader, studying trends and changes in the jobs market. He enjoys watching his 12-yearold son, Johnny, play youth hockey.

Woolsey holds a master’s degree in management and marketing communication from Emerson College and a bachelor’s degree in communication from San Diego State University.

After working at a number of college campuses, Woolsey said he has never felt more welcome than he does at Union.

“I want this to be the best version of my professional career,” he said.

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STUDENTS & ALUMNI SHARE THEIR STORIES TO BE THE FIRST IS A POWERFUL THING— A T H R I L L I N G A N D T R A N S F O R M AT I V E EXPERIENCE. BUT NEVER AN EASY ONE. Take it from first-generation college students, like Aaron Ray ’10, who have lived this dichotomy.

Ray has never regretted his decision to come to Union, but he acknowledges that he didn’t always find help when he needed it.

“To be honest, I felt most invisible by administrative leaders,” he recalled. “There were times I would reach out and never received a response. I managed without this support, but talk about feeling insignificant.”

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THE PRESSURE TO SUCCEED CAN ALSO BE INTENSE.

“I definitely think that I have to do well in college because I’m not just doing this for myself, but for my family and the progression of my family. I’m the first high school graduate of my family and soon to be the first college graduate,” said Ashley German Soto ’24, a political science major who is minoring in Spanish. “My mom sacrificed a lot coming to this country and I have to be in a position to put us in a

“I’m the first high school graduate of my family and soon to be the first college graduate.”

–Ashley German Soto ’24

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B E I NG A F I R S T- G E N E R AT I O N C O L L E G E S T U D E N T

LESLIE QUIJADA ’24

better position. It is a lot of pressure but it is motivation to keep going even when it does get tough. It’s made me the resilient person I am today.”

Leslie Quijada ’24, a psychology and economics major, agrees.

“Being a woman of color from an underserved community and coming into a prestigious college like Union was nerve-wracking, just because I felt like I had something to prove all of the time.

Prove that I am not only a good enough student, but a good enough addition to the community as well,” she said. “The pressure of wanting to be accepted into a community where there are not a lot of people like me is slowly diminishing because of the friends and mentors I have here at Union.”

GOOD FRIENDS AND GOOD MENTORS OFTEN MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE.

“The Civil Rights Mini-term, created and led by Professor Melinda Lawson, proved to be a pivotal moment in both my academic career and my life. I wouldn’t be where I am today without that trip,”

For Ray, who majored in American studies, it was a combination of programs and people.

“Having a program like AOP supporting me was incredible, and something I didn’t fully appreciate until after I graduated. The Civil Rights Mini-term, created and led by Professor Melinda Lawson, proved to be a pivotal moment in both my academic

–Aaron Ray ’10

AARON RAY ‘10

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career and my life. I wouldn’t be where I am today without that trip,” he said. “Finally, the track and field team. The relaxed nature and camaraderie was exactly what I needed, when I needed it. Great coaches, great teammates and great memories.”

Ray is now director of Opportunity Programs at Hamilton College.

MICHAEL DONADIO ’15

Michael Donadio ’15 also cites his athletics experience (tennis) as formative, and gives a nod to faculty as well.

“I was always impressed with how welcoming all the professors were. They were truly genuine and willing to provide any advice/insight they had regarding career goals,” said Donadio, who studied political science and now is associate general counsel with the United Soccer League. “Doors were always open and professors were willing to go out of their way to assist. This really created a sense of community around campus and is something that I truly believe helped me excel during my time at Union.”

Like many schools across the nation, Union is part of a growing movement to provide more first-generation students with better opportunities for connection and guidance. Two recently launched

1 in 3 =

college students in U.S. are first-generation

25%

of Union College students are first-generation

6

million college students in U.S. are first-generation

ree students About one in th milies to e first in their fa th e in the U.S. ar tional Center Na e th to cording nts to more than go to college, ac CES). That amou (N s ic ist at St % of those n io for Educat llege, roughly 25 Co n io Un At . le peop drew Alvez, 6 million young ts, estimates An en ud st n io at er -gen r serve this enrolled are first l Affairs. To bette ra tu ul rc te In of assistant director lation, colleges the student popu of t en gm se e larg ion—are try—including Un across the coun lp rams to he developing prog e. riv th first-gens

WINTER 2022 | UNION COLLEGE

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B E I NG A F I R S T- G E N E R AT I O N C O L L E G E S T U D E N T

“The Bridges Program was started in 2019 to build a support system for first-gen students. …

We created a network of professionals at Union who are committed to helping connect their mentees to opportunities and resources to ensure their success.”

–Andrew Alvez, assistant director of Intercultural Affairs

79 students

Participated in the Bridges Program, since its inception in 2019

48 mentors

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programs, for instance, help first-generation students handle one of their biggest collegiate hurdles.

“A major challenge that first-gen students face is not having someone who received a college degree or has experienced what it takes to earn a degree,” explained Andrew Alvez, assistant director of Intercultural Affairs. “Being able to call a parent or family member who has had this experience is invaluable.”

To that end, the First-Generation Experience is a pre-orientation program for incoming students that is tailored to meet their specific needs. It helps foster a sense of belonging for these students before classes begin, and gives them access to fun activities and informational sessions that help them take full advantage of all the resources Union offers.

“In the two summers this program has run, 100 percent of students who responded to surveys felt more connected on campus after participating in the First-Year Experience,” Alvez said.

“Additionally, 100 percent of respondents said they would recommend the program for the next incoming class.”

The Bridges Program, founded by Alvez, has been similarly successful. It seeks to pair first-generation first-year students with first-generation faculty or staff members across campus.

“The Bridges Program was started in 2019 to build a support system for first-gen students. At the time, first-gen students did not have any direct support from someone who has obtained a college degree,” Alvez said. “Being a first-gen college graduate myself, every bit of support helped me reach my goals.”

“So we created a network of professionals at Union who are committed to helping connect their mentees to opportunities and resources to ensure their success,” he added. “Whether it is

social guidance, referral to another member of our community or even advice on personal matters.”

Since its inception, 79 students and 48 mentors have participated in the Bridges Program. One student is German Soto.

ASHLEY GERMAN SOTO ’24

“Dru Alvez is always a phone call away when I need support in classes, advice on how to handle a personal situation, and even what to eat for lunch. LOL. He is just always there to guide me when I need it,” she said. “He was the one who taught me that it is okay to ask for help and that I don’t always have to be the strong one.”

“Without his support I definitely think that I would’ve dropped out of the first term of freshman year,” German Soto continued. “The Bridges Program gave me the opportunity to branch out and have support from many different faculty on campus as well.”

This year, Alvez and his team extended the formal mentor-mentee relationships of the Bridges Program beyond the first year and through students’ sophomore year. The hope, he said, is to grow the program enough that first-generation students will participate through the conclusion of their senior years.

NEARLY A DOZEN MEMBERS OF UNION’S BOARD OF TRUSTEES WERE THE FIRST IN THEIR FAMILIES TO EARN A FOUR-YEAR DEGREE.

T R U S T E E S W H O L E D T H E W AY As they lead the College today, they acknowledge that their time as students was incredible, but not without challenges.

“I came from a rural/central high school in the Catskills. At the time not many students went to college,” said Ellen Smith ’80, who earned a BSME. “I was on a significant student financial aid package, so it was critical to do well. I also had three jobs, which was not the norm.

Juggling jobs and engineering classes was always stressful, but thinking back, I don’t think I would have changed anything.”

Particularly not where she really found her niche on campus, or her incredible experiences abroad.

“It was when I moved to Smith House that I felt like I belonged. This was in my sophomore/junior years. Freshman year for me was very challenging. I was working and trying to understand what engineering was and studying pretty much all the time,” she said. “When I moved to Smith House, I also met a woman who turned out be a great friend. This made a tremendous difference in how I felt at Union.”

ELLEN SMITH ’80

“I was also very fortunate to do a term abroad in socialized medicine. …

Our trip went to London, Stockholm and Poland.

We did a trip to Auschwitz that was just the most sobering experience I have, to this day, ever had.” –Ellen Smith ’80

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B E I NG A F I R S T- G E N E R AT I O N C O L L E G E S T U D E N T

V I N M AT T O N E ’ 0 6

“George [Tiggle] embodied what students seek out in a Union experience—understanding how to apply all that we gain from Union into the real world. He also introduced me to this concept of giving back to Union, and is a major reason why I’m as involved as I am today.”

–Vin Mattone ’06

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T H O M A S C O N N O L LY ’ 8 9

“I was also very fortunate to do a term abroad in socialized medicine. This trip was really life-changing. (Our leader let me be an assistant so I could still get paid, even!),” continued Smith, who is now a senior managing director at FTI Consulting.

“Our trip went to London, Stockholm and Poland. We did a trip to Auschwitz that was just the most sobering experience I have, to this day, ever had. I truly feel every student should have the opportunity to do a term abroad for these reasons.”

Vin Mattone ’06, president of the Alumni Council, also prospered at Union, in part because of George Tiggle. At the time, Tiggle was assistant director of Annual Giving. He became an important mentor when he hired Mattone as an affiliate caller.

“He told me this was real-world experience as I looked to graduate into a sales role in financial services after college,” said Mattone, who is now a certified financial planner/financial advisor. “He said that if you were passionate about what you were selling, which in my case was the Union experience, people would be receptive to what I had to say.”

“I majored in economics and found some strong mentors amongst the professors there (Brad Lewis, Jim Kenney). One of the great features of a small college like Union is the ability to form close relationships with professors.” –Thomas Connolly ’89

“George always was someone who took the time to ask how things were going and provide real-world advice to someone still trying to find their way,” continued Mattone, who was an interdisciplinary economics and political science major. “George embodied what students seek out in a Union experience—understanding how to apply all that we gain from Union into the real world. He also introduced me to this concept of giving back to Union, and is a major reason why I’m as involved as I am today.”

Mentors were also a cornerstone of the Union experience for Thomas Connolly ’89.

“My mentors were initially the football coaches, and then some of the older play-

ers on the football team. I majored in economics and found some strong mentors amongst the professors there (Brad Lewis, Jim Kenney),” said Connolly, a longtime partner in the Goldman Sachs Merchant Banking Division. “One of the great features of a small college like Union is the ability to form close relationships with professors.”

“Ultimately, I really enjoyed Union,” he added. “It was a formative experience for me.”

To learn more about Smith, Connolly and Mattone, visit union.edu/magazine and read Q&A’s about their experiences as first-generation students.

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B E I NG A F I R S T- G E N E R AT I O N C O L L E G E S T U D E N T

CHECK OUT THESE LINKS FOR MORE ABOUT THEIR FELLOW TRUSTEES—ALL FIRST-GENERATION STUDENTS WHO HAVE GONE ON TO ACCOMPLISHED CAREERS AND DONE MUCH FOR UNION ALONG THE WAY.

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PHIL BEUTH ’54 Retired as president of “Good Morning America,” as part of his duties as president of an Entertainment Division of Capital Cities/ABC • union.edu/news/beuthbook • union.edu/news/beuthminervadonation

ESTELLE COOKESAMPSON ’74, M.D. Director, Women’s Imaging, Howard University Hospital • union.edu/news/schulermilestone

S TA N L E Y O ’ B R I E N ’ 7 4 Vice President, BNY Mellon Center • union.edu/news/obriencenterdedicated

D AV I D B R E A Z Z A N O ’ 7 8

K E L LY M . W I L L I A M S ’ 8 6

Head of Team, Polen Capital Credit (former President of DDJ Capital Management prior to acquisition by Polen Capital) • union.edu/news/schulerannounced • union.edu/firstgenvideo

Founding Chair, Private Equity Women Investor Network (PEWIN); CEO, The Williams Legacy Foundation • union.edu/firstgenvideo • union.edu/williamscenter • union.edu/foundersdaywilliams

WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THE FIRST-GENERATION STUDENTS AND ALUMNI INTERVIEWED? Read Q&A’s about their experiences, and those of other alumni, at union.edu/magazine. Find out what they’re up to now, what worked for them at Union and what didn’t, and how they pay it forward.

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CAMPAIGN PRIO RITIES: Ensuring Access Propelling the Liberal Arts and Engineering Developing Students Beyond the Classroom The Union Fund

T

wo years after the public launch of Powering Union: The Campaign for Multiple Tomorrows in February 2020, friends, alumni and parents are steadfastly supporting the College. Check out the stories of some of our generous donors on the pages that follow.

With their help, the campaign recently met its target for Ensuring Access. More than $83 million has been raised to make sure no student misses out on any Union opportunity.

In 2021, the Schuler Access Initiative (see pg. 4 for details) brought renewed energy to Ensuring Access with its focus on supporting the enrollment of more underserved students. We are deeply grateful to our alumni and friends for their generous support of this effort, which will ultimately unlock $22 million in matching funds from the Schuler Education Foundation.

THIS IS A HUGE TRIUMPH!

To learn more about Powering Union and how you can support teaching and learning at the College, visit www.union.edu/powering

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Creating new scholarships remains critical to Union’s financial health and competitive edge in recruiting highly qualified students, as are gifts to The Union Fund, another cornerstone of the campaign.

As we forge ahead, we invite all alumni, parents and friends to make a gift to The Union Fund. Or participate in Union’s other fundraising priorities: Developing Students Beyond the Classroom, Propelling the Liberal Arts and Engineering, and Ensuring Access.

Together we can meet our goal of raising $300 million and achieve the most ambitious fundraising feat in the College’s history. We are grateful to all donors and volunteers who have brought us this far.

Gifts are the lifeblood of the work we do.

To date, more than 20,500 donors have contributed to the Powering Union campaign. Of these individuals, close to 7,500 have been first-time donors. While the campaign has received 63 gifts of $1 million or more since its launch, 14,860 donors have contributed $500 or less. Every gift matters and makes a difference.

The investments we make today will ensure Union’s place as a leader in undergraduate education with distinctive strengths in: • The deep integration of the liberal arts and engineering.

• A challenging curriculum that responds to contemporary and emerging academic needs and opportunities.

• Out-of-classroom activities and experiences that prepare and inspire students to become thoughtful and effective local and global citizens.

TO DATE:

20,500 7,500 63 14,860 DONORS

FIRST-TIME DONORS

GIFTS OF $1 MILLION OR MORE

DONORS HAVE GIVEN $500 OR LESS

ENSURI NG ACCESS

The gift of music

M

usic has been a beacon and an inspiration for Kurt Glacy ’90, a way forward that’s steadying and freeing at the same time. To share its power with generations of Union students, he recently made three gifts to support the Department of Music.

“I set up the Kurt M. Glacy (1990) Endowed Fund for Music this winter to provide the music department with funding for instrument maintenance, restoration, purchase or leasing,” he said. “This will ensure that Union students and faculty have access to superb musical instruments that are kept in excellent working order.”

Kurt also provided the Union College Choir with funding to help cover its trip this year to perform at Carnegie Hall in New York City.

“Our choir students have been saving for up to two years from work study and outside jobs to cover their expenses,” said Shou-Ping Liu, director of the Union

College Choir. “Kurt’s gift made their dreams come true. I am so grateful to Kurt’s heart for our students and his encouragement enabling them to shine in a world-class venue.”

These two gifts follow the Hugh Allen Wilson & Hilary Tann Annual Music Fund, which Glacy set up in 2020 in recognition of the two music professors who had a significant impact on his Union experience. This fund provides four to five students per year with scholarships to cover their instrumental or voice lessons.

“I started thinking about these gifts when my wife, Tasha Vincent, died,” Glacy explained. “The transience of life came to roost, and I asked myself what places had really made a difference in my life. I was becoming more sentimental about Union because the College was really a changing point for me.”

To read more about Glacy and his three gifts, visit union.edu/campaign/ensuringaccess/the-gift-music

EVERY GIFT MAT TERS AND MAKES A DIFFERENCE. WINTER 2022 | UNION COLLEGE

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POWERING UNION

Faculty Development Institute

P RO PE L L I N G TH E L I B ERAL ARTS AND ENGIN EERIN G

After globe-trotting career, retirement allows reflection and giving back

A

fter a 35-year career that took him around the world handling satellite communications projects, Robert E. Martinson ’65 has been enjoying the quiet of retirement to read as much as he likes and to focus on a lifelong hobby—ham radio.

The quiet of retirement has also invited more engagement with Union memories, ultimately prompting Robert to make a gift of $500,000 to support the Union College Engineering and Computer Science Initiative.

The gift will create an endowed fund focused on providing support for studentfaculty projects, a speaker’s series, a new integrative learning symposium and other opportunities focused on strengthening engineering education on campus.

Born and raised in Brooklyn, N.Y., Robert applied to Union because of the College’s reputation for excellence in engineering, and he was not disappointed.

TH E U N I O N FUND

“All the professors in the electrical engineering department were top notch, very focused and attentive,” Martinson said. “I especially enjoyed courses taught

by Professor Edward Craig. He was what you would call a ‘regular’ guy, but very smart and always able to get his point across.”

Robert went on to work for telecommunications giant GTE. At the time, there was only one commercial communications satellite in orbit, but Robert would spend his career in satellite communications, working on contracts from the U.S. government and from other governments around the globe.

“He worked in 37 countries. Much of the work was confidential, but significant projects were in Algeria, the Philippines, Thailand, Morocco and Korea,” explained Terry Martinson, Robert’s younger brother.

“In fact, his work in Korea allowed the

1988 Olympic Games to be televised in the United States.”

“Robert is reserved and self-reliant but rightfully proud of the work he did during his career with GTE,” Terry Martinson added.

“He was a loyal employee, a hard worker and always 100% focused on his work.”

To learn more about Robert, his career and generous gift to Union, please visit union.edu/campaign/liberal-artsengineering/martinson

A little goes a long way: Why one alumna gives

A

ssistant Dean of Admissions Rachel McNeil ’18 has given to the Union Fund annually since she was a first-year student.

“I started to appreciate the value of what I was contributing to early on, and now that I’ve worked for the College a few years, I have seen a number of classes begin or complete their time here,” McNeil said. “It would be impossible not to perceive how enriching the Union experience continues to be for each group that comes through.

Having this bird’s eye view makes it really easy for me to donate every year. I can see firsthand who I’m supporting.”

“Everything I do for the Admissions Office is related to thinking about the value of Union. I appreciate all that has happened for me here as a student and as a professional, and it is incredibly rewarding to follow new students as they carve out their own paths through Union,” she continued. “Union offers incredible inclusivity and space for connection. We simply want every student to make the most of their Union education, and The Union Fund supports so many opportunities from unique experiential programs to close faculty mentoring. And, I know that a little goes a long way!”

To learn more, visit https://www.union.edu/campaign/the-union-fund 26

UNION COLLEGE | WINTER FALL 2021 2022

Faculty Development Institute

D E VE LO P I N G S T U D E N TS B EYOND TH E CL AS S ROOM

A gift towards a better perspective

“

T

here is no better way to gain empathy, combat xenophobia and challenge a person to think outside themselves and their historical environment than travel abroad,” according to Dan ’91 and Elise Gilbert.

“My time spent abroad while at Union fundamentally changed my perspective and provided the key foundation for the success I’ve had in life—both personally and professionally,” Dan Gilbert explained.

This is why the couple’s charitable foundation recently made a gift commitment of $1,140,000 to support study away programs for Union students with financial need.

The Gilbert Family Charitable Foundation Endowed Study Away Fellowship will target funding for five mini-term fellowships per year and also provide support for out-of-pocket expenses to another 12 to 15 students engaged in a full term away.

The grant was set up to fund the endowment over the long term, while providing annual support for students.

“My Union story really started with my father passing away when I was 15,” Dan Gilbert reflected. “My mother was working and couldn’t accompany me on my visit to Union.”

“I interviewed with Coach Jim Schafer.

My story had traction with him, especially when my brother showed up at the end of the interview having driven all the way from Hobart to support me,” he continued.

“That spoke to the way my experience at Union would evolve. Union wrapped its arms around me at the right times and helped me find a positive path in life.”

‘‘

“ My time spent abroad while at Union fundamentally changed my perspective and provided the key foundation for the success I’ve had in life—both personally and professionally.

– Dan Gilbert ’91

Dan ’91 and Elise Gilbert with their sons, Wes and Wyatt.

’’

To learn more about Dan’s experience at Union and the couple’s support of study away programs, read their full story at: union.edu/campaign/gift-towardsbetter-perspective

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FOCUS

Ever wonder what Union professors are up to when they aren’t teaching?

Just about everything, as it turns out.

Nothing is beyond their collective reach or curious minds. Here’s a glimpse of the diverse and intriguing work they do.

There’s always music in the air C H R I S T O P H E R C H A N D L E R , assistant professor of music

T

he world is one long musical composition. We just have to be present and listen.

Christopher Chandler, assistant professor of music, recalls learning this idea, promoted by Canadian musician and author R. Murray Schafer, who coined the term “soundscape.”

“I remember thinking that this was a really profound way of engaging and listening to the world,” he said.

Chandler has been paying attention to the sounds around him throughout his life.

While having a conversation in his office, he is also attentive to the whir of the fan on his computer or the buzz of the overhead lights.

“A L L T H E S E T H I N G S A R E A LWAY S G O I N G O N , ” H E S A I D .

“JUST AS IN MUSIC, THERE ARE FOREGROUND, MIDDLE GROUND AND BACKGROUND ELEMENTS. MOST OFTEN WE A R E AT T E N D I N G T O T H E F O R E G RO U N D E L E M E N T S T H AT A R E I M P O R TA N T T O U S . B U T T H E R E A R E O T H E R L AY E R S W E C A N PAY AT T E N T I O N T O . ”

The sounds of nature have inspired musical compositions throughout human history. Several of Chandler’s compositions connect to natural spaces and places both as a general source of inspiration and as direct sonic resource.

In his “Audubon Sketches,” he pairs woodwinds, brass, strings and percussion with field recordings of various soundscapes. He also asks the musicians

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to perform on conventional auxiliary instruments (melodicas, woodblocks and shakers) as well as less conventional ones (stones, pine cones and branches).

Chandler composed the work for the seven-member American Wild Ensemble, which recorded it live during the pandemic over the internet with musicians in different locations and time zones. It follows the sonic activity one might hear in a wilderness setting over the course of a day: katydids and crickets crossfade into buzzing cicadas over the course of the morning, bird calls drift along in the afternoon, and loon calls give way to an approaching rainstorm in the late evening.

Chandler hopes one day to pair a performance of “Audubon Sketches” with a viewing of the College’s edition of John James Audubon’s “Birds of America.”

To view a 2021 performance of “Audubon Sketches” go here: union.edu/ news/audubon-sketches In another of Chandler’s compositions, “The View from Here,” he draws from sounds he recorded in Shenandoah National Park: the drone of passing traffic on Skyline Drive, a ringing bell heard from afar, and the active sounds of wildlife just off a trailhead. The American Wild Ensemble recorded the piece, set to spectacular aerial video footage: union.edu/news/ view-from-here Chandler, who grew up along the Vernon River in Savannah, Ga., incorporates in his works sounds of his childhood, insects and water among them. He also has enjoyed exploring the Adirondacks, where he goes hiking and camping with his family. His wife, who hails from Maine, introduced him to the haunting cries of loons.

He holds a B.A. from the University of Richmond, M.M. from Bowling Green State University and a Ph.D. from the Eastman School of Music.

His work has been performed across the U.S., Canada, and France by leading ensembles including Eighth Blackbird, the American Wild Ensemble, the Oberlin Contemporary Music Ensemble, the Cleveland Chamber Symphony and Le Nouvel Ensemble Moderne. He is the co-founder and technical director of the Switch Ensemble, a group dedicated to the creation of new works for chamber ensemble and technology.

His recognition and awards include a BMI Student Composer Award, an ASCAP/ SEAMUS Commission, two first prizes from the Austin Peay State University Young Composer's Award, winner of the American Modern Ensemble’s Annual Composition Competition, and the Nadia Boulanger Composition Prize from the American

Conservatory in Fontainebleau, France.

Chandler advised Henry Bush ’22, a music major from Providence, R.I., who composed an environmental music piece that was presented at Founders Day. The combination of produced, recorded and processed sounds concludes with a soundscape from Van Vranken Avenue just north of campus.

This spring, Chandler is teaching a new class, “Soundscapes: The Environment, Acoustic Ecology and Music,” in which he encourages students to listen anew and make creative use of their soundscape recordings.

“If students come away from the course with a different orientation toward sound in their lives, it will be a success,” he said. “It’s a great life skill to have, an ability to be present fully, which is something that can be somewhat lacking these days.”

– Charlie Casey

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| MEDIA |

ALAN ROSNER ’65

MICHAEL WESCOTT LODER ’67

SAMUEL K. COHN JR. ’71

SAMUEL K. COHN JR. ’71

An Instructional Chapbook for Translating Horizontal to Vertical Text

Forbidden Games

Popular Protest and Ideals of Democracy in Late Renaissance Italy

Epidemics: Hate and Compassion from the Plague of Athens to AIDS

Oxford University Press

Oxford University Press

Based on contemporary chronicles and archival records, this is the first book to go beyond an episodic view of individual revolts in Italy during the 16th century. From 751 revolts and collective acts of popular protest during the “Italian Wars,” 1494 to 1559, it analyzes patterns of protest, organization, leaders, the role of women, religion, and ideology, and compares these patterns with those of the much better-explored revolts of late-medieval Italy and ones north of the Alps during the 16th century. It argues that the unstudied revolts of 16thcentury Italy and its colonies during a period of galloping growth in authoritarian regimes, could, nonetheless, advance collective practices of defiance that extended beyond the most sophisticated revolts of the late Middle Ages. It concludes that democracies do not just die. Samuel Cohn Jr. has been professor of medieval history at the University of Glasgow since 1995.

This book is the equivalent of three monographs. Its origins derived from the author’s essay, “The Black Death and the Burning of the Jews” (2007); the so-called Mexican swine flu of 2009; and preparation for a plenary address to the 80th AngloAmerican Conference in 2011.

From an Egyptian plague of c.2920 BCE to Ebola in West Africa in 2014, the book analyzes ancient literature, chronicles, histories, diaries, archival records, and hundreds of contemporary newspapers across the globe from the 18th century to 2014. It challenges a dominant hypothesis in the study of epidemics: that these catastrophes almost universally provoked hatred, blame and violence against the “other.” Instead, epidemics historically have more often united societies and inspired individuals and communities to extraordinary feats of compassion and abnegation.

Oxford University Press recently celebrated its books to have received the most “academics reads” over the past decade. Epidemics won the prize for the “History of Science.”

Independently published

This second Instructional Chapbook transforms the earlier version’s vertical lettering using new texts to demonstrate a functional, directly legible, semi-cursive script. Each booklet provides models of letter forms that lend themselves to efficient visual scanning when controlled according to E. Asian aesthetic principles.

The merging of these writing practices, where letter forms join together and line weights vary continuously, allows for a more pictorial and expressive script. In this chapbook, the short texts come from various times and places, illustrating how any Western language can be manipulated to facilitate objectives often associated with visual poetry. The back page, acting as a coda for the opening, middle and closing texts, is a French quote, attributed to Atget, the photographer of empty Paris streets, saying his images were just documents and nothing otherwise: “C’est du documents et rein d’autre.”

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Hemlock Lodge Press/Blurb

Sexual abuse and volleyball form the backdrop for a novel about parental greed and lies as a boy and a girl with a shared past fight for their own independence and truth.

Five years earlier, a beloved volleyball coach abused Peter Bain. When Peter reported the abuse, the coach accused him of lying, then killed himself.

A pariah in his school and a condemned liar to his parents, Peter, now an 11th grader, speaks only to those who believe him. Then he meets Marty, a friendly girl who has survived herself by lying and hiding for years. Encouraged, Peter goes out for volleyball.

His playing skills are enough to carry the team through the district playoffs. Finding Peter in turn gives Marty the courage to free herself from her own sexual abuser, setting in motion deadly events and a climax in a district justice’s courtroom.

SEENA KAREN RASMUSSEN DRAPALA ’84

Billy Flint’s Hobby Hill Self-published

Billy Flint’s Hobby Hill portrays an overview of Hobby Hill girls’ camp life, operated from 1935 to 1955, by sharing almost 100 photographs of camp girls and activities. Billy’s extraordinary life has also been captured from her early years in Erie, Pennsylvania; her ballroom dance instructor activities in Schenectady, N.Y.; and with personal accounts from class students. Hobby Hill scrapbook pictures dominate, though the book also includes her entrepreneurial endeavor “Gifts from the Heart,” stories and photos from her photographic period, as well as details of her later life. Providing a fuller view of this amazing woman, readers are also treated to stories of her legacy—the Flint House, given to the Village of Scotia.

TERESA MEADE, Florence B. Sherwood Professor of History and Culture Emerita

We Don't Become Refugees

by Choice: Mia Truskier, Survival, and Activism from Occupied Poland to California, 1920-2014 Maria Mia Truskier, who fled the Nazis as a young Polish Jew in early 1940 and once safely resettled in the United States, became an activist for other refugees fleeing war, violence and hardship. The oral history was based on extensive interviews with Truskier before she passed away as well as memorabilia from her own lifetime including coded letters, newspaper clippings and photographs. The research was supported by Union College Faculty Development grants and a grant from the HadassahBrandeis Institute. A student, Emilia Strazalkowska ’11, worked with Meade on the Polish to English translations. She used a Union student research grant to meet with Truskier in California to translate coded letters from work camps in the USSR and from Truskier’s mother, who was hiding in Warsaw. “I wanted to record Mia’s story because it is fascinating,” said Meade, “but also because she turned her own tragic past of running from the Nazi invasion of Poland to a dedication to helping all refugees.”

PETER ARONSON ’78

ROBIN G. ISSERLES ’90

Mandalay Hawk’s Dilemma: The United States of Anthropocene

The Costs of Completion: Student Success in Community College

Double M Press, Inc.

Johns Hopkins University Press

This is a middle-grade novel for our troubled and overheated times, about a young teen who, in 2030, has to save the world from global warming that is worse than scientists predicted, truly threatening the world as we know it. Adults screwed up and didn’t do nearly enough to stop it. Mandalay Hawk is a cool, calm, sometimes unhinged juvenile delinquent who’s a cross between a race car driver and a young Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. striving to overcome. Mandalay and her pals start KRAAP—Kids Revolt Against Adult Power.

They battle their parents, a principal and a government (and president) that wants to silence and stop them. They do things the old fashioned way: they study their brains out and ditch social media. There’s a march on Washington unlike any other and then there’s rapping in the Oval Office to a captive president.

To improve community college success, we need to consider the lived realities of students.

Our nation’s community colleges are facing a completion crisis. The college-going experience of too many students is interrupted, lengthening their time to completing a degree—or worse, causing many to drop out altogether. In The Costs of Completion, Robin G. Isserles contextualizes this crisis by placing blame on the neoliberal policies that have shaped public community colleges over the past 30 years. The disinvestment of state funding, she explains, has created austerity conditions, leading to an overreliance on contingent labor, excessive investments in advisement technologies, and a push to performance outcomes like retention and graduation rates for measuring student and institutional success.

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| MEDIA |

CONSIDERATION DANIEL BULLEN ’94

Daniel Shays’s Honorable Rebellion: An American Story Westholme Press

You may have heard of “Shays’ Rebellion” as the “unrest that led to the Constitution,” but this narrative history tells the story of a sustained, nonviolent and ultimately successful protest campaign in which thousands of farmers defied repressive government threats, and won reforms to unjust economic policies in Massachusetts in 1786. Far from the “drunken rabble-rousers” histories have described, these protestors were proud Revolutionary War veterans who refused to let Governor James Bowdoin’s crushing taxes push them off their farms—all to pay windfall profits to financiers. After five months of peaceful protests, they won reforms in an electoral landslide. This story rekindles an essential moment from America’s proud legacy of nonviolent protest, and illustrates the danger of powerful interests who use the media and propaganda to turn Americans against each other.

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KERRIE DROBAN ’87 (CO-AUTHOR WITH DR. LYNNE FENTON)

Aurora: The Psychiatrist Who Treated the Movie Theater Killer Tells Her Story Berkley Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC

A chilling and controversial look at evil from the psychiatrist who treated mass murderer James Holmes prior to the 2012 shooting at a movie theater in Aurora, Colo. As a national expert and speaker on mass shootings and gun violence, Dr. Lynn Fenton knew it was impossible to spot a killer. But when she embarked on treating troubled grad student James Holmes, the hair on her arms stood up. She knew she was dealing with evil. Yet she could find no legal means of locking him up. A decade ago, on July 20, 2012, Holmes struck: he entered a packed movie theater and opened fire, killing 12 people and wounding 70.

Dr. Fenton’s inability to thwart Holmes’s mass murder made her a scapegoat and put her own life in danger. Her chilling account provides an intimate look at her life before, during and after the Aurora massacre, as well as alarming insight into the sinister patient who described himself as “fear incarnate.”

Media, formerly Bookshelf, features new titles by or about alumni and other members of the Union community.

To be included, send a copy of the work (book, DVD, CD) and synopsis to: Office of Communications Union College Schenectady, NY 12308 Or send synopsis and high-resolution image to: magazine@union.edu

Parents Circle Ann and David Kurtz P’22 with son Nick Kurtz ’22

“

We invite you to join with us in supporting the educational programs and activities that will make your child’s Union experience extraordinary.

“

T

he Parents Circle is a philanthropic group that works in concert with school leaders to enhance the Union experience for students and their families by supporting faculty, staff and the broader campus community.

Members become College insiders and investors in its success, ultimately developing stronger ties to their student’s Union experience.

How often in life can we look back and know we made the right decision at a critical moment? That is how we feel about sending our son to Union in the fall of 2018.

For him, the Union experience has been everything we had hoped. He had a strong faculty of committed professors who provided him support while challenging him to grow academically. The student body was inclusive, diverse and intellectually curious, and our son has developed a network of deep friendships that we know will last a lifetime. Although our years as Union parents draw to a close we will always consider ourselves part of the Union family. We look forward to remaining connected to Union in future years.

– Ann and David Kurtz P’22

To learn more about the Parents Circle, please contact: Noelle Beach Marchaj '05 Director of Parent and Family Philanthropy Cell: 860-655-2875 marchajn@union.edu union.edu/parents-families WINTER 2022 | UNION COLLEGE

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Alumni Clubs

CAPITAL REGION Attendees enjoyed the Capital Region Alumni & Parent Holiday Social at Arthurs Café in November. Guests brought donations for Things of My Very Own, a local organization benefiting children in need.

Join Us

Save the Date:

We’re always offering great ways for alumni and their families to get together—both virtually and in-person. Check out our most up-to-date schedule of events at

and

FAMILY WEEKEND

•

•

O

C O MI ME N G

UNION COLLEGE | WINTER 2022

H

Upcoming Events Sept. 30-Oct. 2, 2022

34

Rachel Linder ’19 presented her second annual Holiday Cooking Demo via Zoom. In December, she showed guests how to prepare a world-class charcuterie board.

2022

ualumni.union.edu/events

CL ASS

Garnet Guard Alumni who have celebrated their 50th ReUnion.

GARNET GUARD CLASS CORRESPONDENT

John Honey ’61 121 Waterside Dr., Box 1175 North Falmouth, Mass. 02556 jahoney@msn.com

1949 Jerome Martin Rehr, age 96, of Miami, Fla., passed away Dec. 11, 2021. Before his death, he wrote an autobiography for this family, which included recollections of his time teaching physics at Union. He joined the faculty in 1946. An excerpt follows here: “Many of the students were older than me. They were GIs coming to college under the GI Bill of Rights and many had wives and children. The College had built ‘Dutchmen’s Village,’ a community of Quonset huts west of the main campus.

Also, in the pasture, were large Quonsets, Idlewild and another.

These were dormitories for single students. In my second year, I was appointed a proctor for the Idlewild dormitory and moved into a room there. This provided me with a free room and all my weekday meals so it was like a salary raise I never got. My duties as proctor were very minor, just to be there in case anyone needed help or advice. Many of the dorm residents were members of

Kappa Nu, one of the two Jewish fraternities on campus (this was before they acquired a house). One of the students was George Wisoff ’50, our friend and neighbor years later in Country Village. Also his brother, Hugh, who became a noted brain surgeon. I was at Union for three years. They were wonderful years and I loved what I did there and my life there. I took classes at night in physics and received an MS degree in 1949. I was elected to Sigma Xi, the national science honor society.” Jerome is further remembered on pg. 53.

1950

Jerry Rost ’50 wears his Union jacket and Union lacrosse hat “on every occasion,” according to family members.

1953 CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Hubert Plummer 21 Temple Road Setauket, N.Y. 11733 (631) 941-4076 whp@plummerlaw.com

U

N O TE S

William H. Plummer writes, “I’m sad to report the passing of one of our superstars.

Dr. Robert N. Shorter died on July 10, 2021, in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. He was professor emeritus of English at Wake Forest University, where he taught medieval history for 41 years. Bob was Class of ’53 but graduated with the Class of ’56 due to a leave of absence for service in the Korean Conflict. He received his master’s degree and PhD from Duke University and joined the faculty at Wake Forest in 1958, where he chaired the English Department for 12 years and was associate dean of the Undergraduate School of Arts and Sciences and director of the Master’s in Liberal Arts program. Bob devoted his teaching career to the work of Geoffrey Chaucer, a passion originally introduced at Union. He taught the 14th-century poet in a 20th-century environment in the original medieval English.

All who shared his enthusiasm for Chaucer shared his insight in understanding both self and other people. His surviving widow, professor emeritus Nancy Cotton, and his son, Geoffrey, agree the description of the knight in the Canterbury Tales is a suitable memorial: ‘He loved chivalrie/Trouth and honor, freedom and curteisie ...

He was a verray parfait gentil knyght.’” Robert is further remembered on p. 55.

1954 CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Avrom J. Gold 33 Madison Lane Hilton Head Island, S.C. 29926 (908) 581-1455 avromgold@gmail.com Avrom J. Gold writes, “It is with deep regret that I report the death of my brother, Chaim S. ‘Hy’ Gold ’67, of Trenton, N.J., from injuries sustained after being struck by an automobile.

Hy was 75 years old. After graduating from Union, and spending a short while as a retail entrepreneur in stereo equipment sales, Hy joined the administration of Governor Brendan T. Byrne in New Jersey, first with Medicaid services, and then as energy advisor to the Department of Human Services. In the 1970s, he went into the private practice of energy consulting, where he represented numerous owners of large multiple dwelling buildings, real estate developers, corporate entities and municipal agencies over a period of 40 years. In 1976, he received a master of public administration from the State University of New York University at Albany. He and his late wife, Elaine, were avid power boaters, often travelling down the Delaware River and through Chesapeake Bay. He was also an active member of the Masons, a licensed amateur radio operator with

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CLASS NOTES

the Delaware Valley Radio Association, and a member of the Princeton (N.J.) Senior Resource Center bridge group.”

Hy is further remembered on pg. 58.

1955 CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Ken Haefner 1346 Waverly Pl. Schenectady, N.Y. 12308 kbhaefner@gmail.com

1956 CLASS CORRESPONDENT

William Deuell 2666 Steeple Run Lane Manteca, Calif. 95336 whd2923@gmail.com

Betsy and John Honey like to enjoy cocktails on the deck of Bill Reaman, overlooking the water on Cape Cod. John writes, “This has become a very enjoyable weekly tradition as we enjoy reliving our memories of Union College during our undergraduate days. We both attended the Navy’s Officer Candidate School in Newport, RI, and then proudly served in the fleet.” Bill served in the amphibian force and John in the submarine force. They also share their many experiences in the Navy and professional life thereafter.

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Paul Mohr 140 E Duce of Clubs Ste A Show Low, Ariz. 85901 dadtired@frontiernet.net

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

David C. Horton 68 Paul Revere Road Lexington, Mass. 02421 paulrevereroad@aol.com

1959 CLASS CORRESPONDENT

William “Dal” Trader 5361 Santa Catalina Avenue Garden Grove, Calif. 92845 daltrader@earthlink.net (310) 629-8971

1960 CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Charles E. Roden kiw702@aol.com

1961 CLASS CORRESPONDENT

John Honey jahoney@msn.com

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CLASS CORRESPONDENTS

George Cushing Delanson, N.Y. pinyachta@gmail.com Ray Pike Salisbury, Mass. rnwpike@comcast.net

Members of Phi Sigma Delta Class of 1969 met for a Big Chill weekend on Long Beach Island, N.J. In attendance were Don Bentrovato, Jude Bulova, John Bulova, Glen Rappoport, Jane Dellheim, Ernie Dellheim, Debra Kurzius, Jeff Kurzius and Stacy Bentrovato.

1957

1958

1969

Betsy and John Honey ’61 enjoy cocktails on the deck of Bill Reaman ’61, overlooking the water on Cape Cod.

1966 CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Antonio F. Vianna 7152 Tanager Drive Carlsbad, Calif. 92011 simpatico1@juno.com

1967 CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Joseph Smaldino 6310 Lantern Ridge Lane Knoxville, Tenn. 37921 smaldinoj@comcast.net (815) 762-5984

1968 CLASS CORRESPONDENT

John Dresser Etna, N.H. jdressernh@gmail.com

1970

Steve Amira writes, “After looking forward to our 50th ReUnion weekend at the school, our group was naturally disappointed that we were unable to convene at Union due to COVID. Determined to be together to celebrate the occasion, we gathered at a resort in the Blue Ridge Mountains at the home of our friends Donna and Bob Neil.

Everyone was doubly vaccinated and all tested negative before arrival. In attendance with their spouses were Kent Sullivan-Wiley, Vic Lerish, Steve Amira, Ken Lang and Andy Kulesza. Unable to make the trip but joining us remotely (on the computer screen) were Gary Aitken, Mike Wilser and Ken Golden. We long ago managed to adopt Bill Holleran and Howie Goldberg, Class of ’72, into our group. It was a terrific weekend with hiking, sightseeing, great food, lots of stories and slide shows and memories shared. But we missed our school and being on campus, something that we hope will be rectified soon.

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Frank P. Donnini Newport News, Va. fpdonnini@aol.com Howard Blank writes from his retirement home in Switzerland, “There is nothing really new to report on my end. I got an ‘acceptable’ level of COVID in March 2020; a real bitch but without hospitalization.

Otherwise, we are just trying to navigate as much of a normal life as possible, given the circumstances.”

1971 CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Henry Fein, M.D. Rockville, Md. hgfein@aol.com

A group of alumni from the Class of 1971 got together (in-person and remotely) in the Blue Ridge Mountains recently.

Among those in attendance were Kent Sullivan-Wiley, Vic Lerish, Steve Amira, Ken Lang and Andy Kulesza.

Samuel Cohn Jr. has been professor of medieval history at the University of Glasgow

since 1995. He is a fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh and an honorary fellow of the Institute for Advanced Studies in the Humanities, Edinburgh, and the School of History and Archaeology at the University of Edinburgh. He has taught at the universities of Harvard, Wesleyan, Brandeis, Brown and Berkeley, and was the first Federico Chabod Visiting Professor at L’Università degli Studi, Milano (Statale) in 2017.

From the late 1990s, he has published and taught on two broad themes: popular insurrection in medieval and early modern Europe and the history of plague and other diseases from antiquity to the present. In the last decade, he has published Popular Protest in Late Medieval English Towns; Epidemics: Hate and Compassion from the Plague of Athens to AIDS; Paradoxes of Inequality in Renaissance Italy; and Popular Protest and Ideals of Democracy in Late Renaissance Italy. Two of Samuel’s recent titles are featured in the Media section on pg. 30.

Ned Van Woert writes, “My roommate for two years at Union, Jim Newton, and I held our own alternate 50th ReUnion, since our real one was put off due to the pandemic. After vaccinations, but before Delta, Jim and I signed up for a photography workshop in the Monument Valley for early November ’21.

Of course, after Delta hit, we had second thoughts but because the vaccination rates in the Navajo Nation are over 90 percent and the case rates so low, we did spend a week in Monument Valley photographing the Milky Way, sunsets and sunrises (there was not a lot of sleep to be had). Our Navajo guides were Carl and Carlos Philips of Philips Photography Tours.

They were not only terrific photo guides, but also fantastic cultural guides, explaining their native customs and legends. Amazing experience.”

Jim Newton ’71 and Ned Van Woert ’71 sitting by the campfire on the top of Hunt’s Mesa in Monument Valley with Carl and Carlos Philips of Philips Photography Tours.

1973 CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Larry Swartz Niskayuna, N.Y. larry.swartz@agriculture.ny.gov

1974 CLASS CORREPSONDENT

Cathy Stuckey Johnson San Mateo, Calif. caj1080@hotmail.com

1977 CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Leila Shames Maude LeeShamesMaude@alumni. union.edu

1978 CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Jeff Laniewski, Florence, Ariz. jlaniewski4@gmail.com Harris Halpert writes, “Recently I was persuaded that I was too young to retire by the founder and CEO of Road Runner Sports, so I am now working in the Wilmette, IL store. In

November, I was helping a young customer and when he gave me his email I realized he had gone to Union. Although I’m the Class of ’78 and Rogan Quinn is Class of ’13, many of our experiences at Union were very similar. We both loved our four years there!”

the time who have not had a colonoscopy or are way overdue. March is National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. Get screened. Regular screening tests for cancer can improve and save your life.

This is a disease that is very treatable if caught early.”

Harris Halpert ’78 and Rogan Quinn ’13

Wendy (Hampton) Carroll ’78 with her son Kevin and daughter Kathleen.

Wendy (Hampton) Carroll writes, “Hey all. Wanted to reach out to the Union College community about an important issue. I was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer in July 2020. I had been experiencing intermittent pain on my right side that would come and go and ultimately led to an appendectomy in May 2020.

My doctor saw a thickening in my cecum and wanted me to get a colonoscopy in two months after I had healed.

Colonoscopy revealed a monster polyp. I had a clean colonoscopy 7 years prior. I had no other symptoms other than the pain on my right side.

Surgery to remove it revealed colon cancer that had spread to my liver and lymph nodes. I want to reach out to all of you to get your colonoscopy. Had I done it at the 5-year mark, who knows? Might have been a different outcome. At any rate I am doing well. Things are stable for now. I tell my story to everyone and, believe it or not, I run into people all

1979 CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Kurt Hamblet San Luis Obispo, Calif. kurthamblet@gmail.com

1980 Union College Trustee James Loree was recently featured in the Hartford Business Journal.

The article was titled, “Loree re-engineers Stanley Black & Decker through growth, acquisitions.”

1981 CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Sue Barnhart Ferris sferris59@gmail.com

1982 Kara Thornton writes, “My husband, Jeffrey H. May, passed away Nov. 1, 2021, after a courageous battle with cholangiocarcinoma. Outside of work in employment law,

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CLASS NOTES

Jeff was an avid reader of eclectic materials ranging from history to fiction. He was known for his passion and would express his opinions vociferously. Our two precious daughters, Rose Louise and Catherine Louise, meant the world to Jeff­—he made sure they knew that they were the most important thing in his life. He rarely ended any conversation with them without telling them how much he loved them and was proud of them. His life’s goal was to ensure they could do anything their hearts desired and he succeeded in that goal.

Jeff was also humble, funny and approached life enthusiastically—he was an excellent photo bomber, nickname maker, creator of funny sayings and had a vast wealth of knowledge about everything. His daughters knew to ask Dad if they had any homework questions. Jeff continued his friendships with his Union College friends— Rob Levine, Jim Griffin and Lee Glickman. Their friendship meant the world to him and they always kept him laughing.” Jeff is further remembered on pg. 59.

Paul H. Freedman writes, “2021 was an exciting year for my wife, Kerry Meren, and I. After a few crazy months of downsizing our Baltimore residence into a row home in the walkable Canton/ Highlandtown community, we both retired by mid-summer.

This plan was partly accelerated by the challenges of working remotely for the past year and a half. We also achieved a dream of purchasing a small log cabin on a lake in the mid-coast region of Maine. In mid-August, we celebrated the wedding of our son and our lovely new daughter-in-law. We spent the rest of the year beginning to adjust to our retired life and to bounce back and forth between Maine and Maryland.

In late September/early October we celebrated our 33rd anniversary with a trip to Nova Scotia, Canada, after the border finally reopened and several negative COVID tests.

We spent a week exploring, hiking and biking the beautiful Cabot Trail and the Cape Breton Highlands National Park. Along the way, we made a biking pit stop at the Glenora Distillery, where Kerry photographed me in my Union jersey.”

leadership experience and currently serves as a trustee on the Quality and Safety Council at Hebrew Senior Life and for her Synagogue, Temple Beth Avodah in Newton.

1984 CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Paul H. Freedman ’82 at Glenora Distillery

1983 CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Cory Lewkowicz Needham, Mass. corylewkowicz@gmail.com Debra Poskanzer has been named to the board of directors at the Greater Boston Food Bank (GBFB), the largest hunger-relief organization in New England. Debra is a utilization review medical director for Commonwealth Care Alliance (CCA) in Boston.

She is a board-certified physician executive with an extensive background in providing clinical care, managing senior leadership positions within clinical organizations and health plans, and advising vendor startup and healthcare delivery organizations on program development, quality improvement, and business execution.

Debra has extensive board

Jeffrey May ’82 (second from left) passed away Nov. 1, 2021. He is pictured here with lifelong friends and fellow alumni Rob Levine (left), Jim Griffin and Lee Glickman.

Debra Poskanzer ’83

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Linda Gutin Durham, N.C. lindagutin@hotmail.com Leonard F. McAlister writes, “I am retired again for one year and now have five grandsons with another on the way this March. I am playing golf as often as I can and spending the rest of my time with my family. I am looking forward to our 40th ReUnion in 2024 and hope to get back to Union before then at least a couple of times.”

Kathy Perregaux writes, “I continue to gather with a slew of SDT sisters a couple times a year. Immediately transports us right back to our Union days. :) Met up this summer with the ladies in Lake Placid, NYC and Boston!”

Kathy Perregaux ’84 and fellow SDT sisters continue to gather a couple of times a year—this past summer in Lake Placid, NYC and Boston. In at-tendance in Lake Placid were Ellen Slipp ’86, Linda Cavannah, Ann Czerw ’84, Amy Dannin ’86, Lori Cooper’86, Michelle Kata, Jane Cavalier ’83, Wendy Richards ’87, Janice Grossman ’87 and Nia Cholakis ’84.

Bobby Cohen writes, “I’m no longer editing Financial Periodicals. I’m the administrative coordinator for the Copyright Society now. New job with a great and august institution and I’m enjoying it immensely. Glad to be back in publishing and law.”

Jill Bleifer Fergus writes, “My husband, Joe, and I just celebrated our 25th anniversary and we’ve remained in downtown NYC. I’m currently selfemployed doing seasonal, plant forward recipe development, food styling and photography.

You may find me on social media as @feedtheswimmers, where I’ve built a nice community over the last few years, and am currently working on a few new projects and concepts. Joe is at Oaktree Capital, where he raises money for various funds. COVID has kept us lying low but fortunately in the proximity of close friends. The bright spot was having the kids home again for a while! Our son graduated 2020 with a computer science/ math degree and is now doing software development. Our daughter is finishing up her senior year and we’re looking forward to seeing what her next chapter will be. We’ve recently seen Jeannine (LaPilusa) Dyner ’83 and her family and had so much fun!

I look forward to catching up with more old friends!”

Linda Gutin writes, “Who wants to join me in turning our golden years platinum?! If you’re thinking, ‘There goes Gutin, bragging again,’ then you’re right! After 12 years, I’m trading in ‘ROI Résumés’ for ‘Job Search Party: Find the right job without losing your mind.’

Because, let’s face it, not everyone knows how to brag about themselves—the right way.

What could be more fun—and

effective—than really owning your bragging rights? Here’s hoping that, instead of answering that (clearly rhetorical) question, you’ll check out www.jobsearch.party.”

Daniel W. Coffey writes, “I am still practicing law in downtown Albany. In 2021, my long-time partner, Gary Bowitch ’79, and I decided to dissolve our firm and I opened COFFEY LAW PLLC. I practice primarily in the area of insurance subrogation. I was elected to serve as a coun-cilman on the Town Board in Bethlehem, N.Y., and last year celebrated my 26th year of marriage to the former Eileen O’Connell ’85.”

1985 In September, Heidi Arthur participated in an ABC News panel discussion, “Vaccines: What’s New, What’s Next.” She is chief campaign development officer with the Ad Council.

1987 Stephen Burdman, the founder and artistic director of N.Y. Classical Theatre, was recently honored by the Shakespeare Theatre Association (STA) with the organization’s Sidney Berger Award. The award is given annually to an artistic director in recognition of her or his outstanding talent and dedication to the works of William Shakespeare. With N.Y. Classical, Stephen has been bringing free theatre to New York audiences for over 22 years, including most of Shakespeare’s canon.

1988 Jeffrey Berkowitz has been named chairman of the board of directors of Pharma Two B Ltd., a pharmaceutical

company developing innovative therapeutics based on previously approved drugs for Parkinson’s disease.

1989 Dr. Jonathan Artz writes, “I continue to read the Union College magazine every time it's released. I took several classes from Prof. Carl George and he is amazing. I graduated with a B.S. in the biological sciences and was Phi Beta Kappa. I went on to medical school with a focus on neuroscience and clinical neurology. My career has been as an adult clinical neurologist and neurophysiologist. Union's experiences and its spirit of collaboration continue to have an impact on my career, personal exploration and development. In 2021 I was admitted into the Stanford University LEAD Program in Corporate Innovation, a 1- to 2-year online program led by professors at Stanford University Graduate School of Business. The program is modeled after Stanford's traditional MBA program. I am one of five MDs in our 540 person cohort of executive level types from over 300 organizations and over 60 countries. We take many electives on customer and product design theory and implementation, finance, leadership, value creation and change management. I remain involved in clinical care as the head of cognitive health and memory disorders at a Neuroscience Institute in Reno and teach medical students at the University of Nevada-Reno School of Medicine, acting as the neurology clerkship director. I am working on a statewide project indirectly through the legislature and directly with clinicians, patient

advocates and faculty of the UNR School of Public Health on creating a network to enhance the care of Nevadans with memory/cognitive difficulties and ease the caregiver burden. We are doing this by embedding an electronic platform that improves caregiver manage-ment and monitoring patients’ cognitive status using tele-neurology and interactive computerized assessments.

1991 Tracy Fay Raleigh has joined Manatt Health in the firm’s Albany office. Raleigh comes to the firm from the New York State Department of Health’s (NYSDOH) Office of Primary Care and Health System Management, where she directed all activities of the Center for Planning, Licensure and Finance.

Alex Elkan, an attorney with the firm of Brooks Pierce, has been recognized as a “Future Star” in the 2022 edition of Benchmark Litigation.

1993 CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Jill D. Bernstein New York, N.Y. jilldbernstein@yahoo.com Jill Bernstein writes, “Thankful for this group of Union alumni and their families. Somehow we have found a way to remain connected and get together nearly every year since graduation. We had an opportunity to get together this past summer and celebrate their half-century milestone. Thanks to the Spiess’ family for hosting and looking forward to future Union ReUnions!” Alumni in attendance with their families included Greta Wilson, Betsy

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CLASS NOTES

partner in the litigation, as well as government, regulatory and internal investigation groups.

1998 CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Ryan T. Smith Jupiter, Fla. ryan.smith@thebenjamin school.org

Friends of Jill Bernstein ’93 have reconnected each year since graduation. Alumni in attendance included Greta Wilson ’93, Betsy Mitchell Wallon ’93, Shea Wallon ’93, Julie Green ’93, Matt Green ’93, Kasha Lewis Casy ’93, Mike Kimber ’93, Pete Schwab ’93 and Kevin Puppe ’94.

Mitchell Wallon, Shea Wallon, Julie Green, Matt Green, Kasha Lewis Casy, Mike Kimber, Pete Schwab and Kevin Puppe ’94.

1994 CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Randall Beach Schenectady, N.Y. rsbeach72@gmail.com

Schenectady Police Chief Eric Clifford was recently featured in an article in the Daily Gazette about local police reform efforts.

Kenneth Evans was recently featured in the Albany Business Review. The story focused on his company, ReWire Energy, and its new partnership with Tire Conversion Technologies.

1995 Eileen Barrett, MD, MPH writes, “I recently was elected to the Board of Directors of the American Medical Women’s Association as an at-large member. AMWA is a medical association founded in 1915 with a goal of advancing 40

UNION COLLEGE | WINTER 2022

Daniel Sheppard, who founded Kettle Gryp with Andy Thomas, recently appeared on “Shark Tank” to pitch his business to the millionaire sharks. Kettle Gryp makes a handy product that saves money by converting a dumbbell into a kettlebell.

women and women’s health in medicine.”

1997

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Kellie Forrestall BeeBee Lowell, Mass. forrestkj@hotmail.com

2000 Janine Abbate Silberberg writes, “I was honored to receive the 2021-22 Educational Services Professional of the Year award for my role as the college and career counselor at John P Stevens High School. In addition, I have gone back to Montclair State University, where I earned my master’s to pursue a doctoral degree in counseling. I am looking forward to all the exciting challenges this work will bring!”

2002

1996 Dr. Karen Mourtzikos was recently featured in Wayne State University School of Medicine news. In the article, she discussed her career in nuclear medicine. Karen is executive vice dean and associate professor of radiology at the school.

1999

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Elise DiBenedetto elise.dibenedetto@gmail.com Frederick A. Ulrich ’98, who studied history and was a member of the Mountebanks at Union, passed away Oct. 14, 2021. His is further remembered on pg. 60.

Daniel “Guy” Flint writes, “I have joined the Round Canopy Parachuting Team USA. I am an active paratrooper and also the team’s historian. I have just finished creating educational materials our team will be presenting to high school

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Sara Amann Garrand Ballston Lake, N.Y. sgarrand1@nycap.rr.com David Moresi was recently appointed to the MassHire Berkshire Workforce Board by Pittsfield Mayor Linda M. Tyer.

Moresi is the CEO of Moresi & Associates.

Fox Corporation has announced that Stephen Potenza has joined the company as deputy general counsel of FOX News Media.

Previously, he was at Kirkland & Ellis LLP, where he was a

Ryan ’98 and Megan Smith ’99 live in Jupiter, Fla., with their three children, Emeline (18), Maggie (16) and Ryan (13). Ryan is athletic director at The Benjamin School and Megan is a physician assistant with the Palm Beach County Firefighters Benefit Fund.

’00

of the town, and improve the town website to make it more user-friendly and accessible.

This last item is in line with her overall desire to make local government—and her actions as supervisor—more transparent.

“I WANT MY COMMUNIT Y TO TRUST ME AS AN ELECTED OFFICIAL AND I F E E L T H AT T R U S T I S E A S I E R T O

Serving at home and abroad

ACHIEVE IF PEOPLE ARE AWARE OF

JORDANNA MALLACH ’00

ARE BEING MADE AND WHO I AM

W

hen Jordanna Mallach ’00 decided to run for supervisor of Harrietstown, N.Y., she had no idea she’d be doing so from 4,600 miles away.

But as a major in the U.S. Army National Guard, the unexpected sometimes happens.

After she deployed in June 2021, she depended on her husband and a town council member to execute the campaign plans she made before she left.

“When I spoke at the caucus where I was nominated to run on the Democratic line, I explained that I realize it is a big ask of my community to vote for me when I am not there campaigning,” Mallach said.

“I asked my community to support me as well as my military service and to help carry the load that is the commitment of being a National Guard soldier.”

“I have served for 19 years and at times this service has come with significant sacrifices to me and my family,” she continued. “My request was that my community be willing to absorb a tiny bit of that inconvenience along with me. I am really grateful that the message resonated.”

Mallach, who finished her first term as a Harrietstown councilwoman in December 2021, was elected supervisor Nov. 2.

Being up for election while on assignment abroad came with some unique challenges.

W H AT I ’ M D O I N G , H O W D E C I S I O N S

MEETING WITH,” MALL ACH SAID.

“Federal law and Department of Defense directives clearly spell out what a service member can and cannot do while on active duty with regards to political activity,” Mallach said. “I had to work with the Vermont Army National Guard Judge Advocate General and my chain of command to remain in my town council position, and to run for and serve as supervisor.”

“I feel fortunate my chain of command supported my decision and I am grateful for their assistance in making it possible to do both.”

Mallach worked the first few months of her four-year term remotely from Kosovo, using Zoom to attend board meetings and carry out other duties. She returned home in March after completing her assignment as a logistics plans officer supporting NATO efforts in the region.

She’s looking forward to continuing to serve her community in person.

One of her top priorities is the Lake Clear Airport and its designation as a Superfund Site. She said she’ll work hard to ensure the town and taxpayer interests are represented throughout the roughly 10-year mitigation and clean-up process.

Mallach also intends to implement an employee recognition program to thank the individuals who work hard on behalf

“I do not expect everyone to agree with every decision I make, but I want them to understand why I decided the way I did.”

“I welcome the community to attend meetings, speak during public comment sessions or invite me to their organization or business to learn about what they do and why it’s important to them,” she added.

Mallach’s dedication to service, both at home and abroad, is deeply rooted in family. Her sister, Leora Mallach, also won an election Nov. 2—to the Framingham (Mass.) City Council.

“Growing up my parents always encouraged us (four children) to get involved in our community. I remember going to the polls with my parents, marching on Washington, D.C., with them and going to lobbying days with them,” Mallach said. “As far back as my mind can remember, I have understood that you have to participate in a democracy in order for it to be most effective.”

Mallach’s experience at Union only added to what family taught her. On campus, she studied political science and secondary education.

“My political science classes always encouraged discussion and those discussions helped me solidify my belief that government, in its best form, serves the people,” she said.

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CLASS NOTES

students in Jacksonville, Fla. I am still teaching U.S. history in Jacksonville. If you would like to learn how to jump, please reach out to me.”

“Eternal: A Tech Quest to ‘Live’ Forever.” This is the first Emmy for the Wall Street Journal, where Stern works as a technology reporter.

Shop. The business, which recently celebrated its 25th anniversary, was featured in the Poughkeepsie Journal in November.

2003

Julie (Gawronski) Tickle is executive director of DREAM Adaptive Recreation, whose mission is to provide outdoor adaptive recreation activities to help enhance the quality of life for individuals with disabilities. Julie was recently interviewed by Kirby Heyborne, a comedian, for his show, Making Good.

2009

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Katrina Tentor Lallier Shrewsbury, Mass. katrinalallier@gmail.com

2004 CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Jon Berman jonathancberman@gmail.com

2005

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Sarah T. Heitner New York, N.Y. sarah.t.heitner@gmail.com

First-year Colorado College coach and former Union goalie Kris Mayotte returned to Messa Rink in October when his team faced off against the Dutchmen for a two-game series. A story about Kris and his hockey career appeared in The Daily Gazette newspaper.

Joanna Stern received an Emmy for her documentary,

42

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Carl S. Winkler New York, N.Y. carl.s.winkler@gmail.com

2010 Deanna Cox deannac88@gmail.com

Annette C. Stock annettecstock@gmail.com

2006

Gabe Kramer Los Angeles, Calif. kramerg3@gmail.com

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Daren Shaver was promoted to partner of the law firm of Hanson Bridgett LLP. Daren joined the firm’s business section in 2019. His experience includes fund formation, tax credits, real estate, venture capital, partnerships and tax exempt entities as well as federal and state income tax matters. He earned his LL.M. from New York University School of Law and his J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania Law School.

CLASS CORRESPONDENTS

2012 CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Anna Meiring Boston, Mass. annameiring@gmail.com Cooper Braun-Enos ’06 writes, “I recently performed at the Florida storytelling festival (https://flstory.com/festival/), and it turns out another of the performers was also a Union grad. I graduated in 2006, Don Harrell graduated in 1975. And we happened to be performing on the same stage in 2022.”

Megan O’Connor was recently featured in the Boston Globe.

The story focused on her discovery of a new way to recycle lithium-ion batteries.

She leads Nth Cycle, a clean-tech startup company.

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Jackie Siedlecki Murphy Delmar, N.Y. jaclynrenemurphy@gmail.com

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Dana Cohen Bernstein New York, N.Y. dana.lynn.bernstein@gmail.com John Traver is part of the team (which includes famous names like actor Paul Rudd) that operates Samuel’s Sweet

CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Cristina Vazzana Boston, Mass. vazzanaca@gmail.com

2016 CLASS CORRESPONDENT

Lauren Woods Watervliet, N.Y. 2016@alumni.union.edu

Goldberg Segalla added William H. Hython to the firm’s commercial litigation and arbitration group in Syracuse.

He was previously with Hancock Estabrook in Syracuse. William concentrates his practice on counseling and defending a variety of clients in complex business and commercial litigation matters.

He earned his juris doctor at the University at Buffalo School of Law.

2017 Morgan Clark was recently named an outstanding graduate student at UNCChapel Hill by the Department of Energy Office of Science Graduate Student Program.

She is a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Physics and Astronomy.

2019

2007

2008

2013

Anna Meiring ’12 and Seraj Sidibe ’19 work together at Neighborhood House Charter School in Dorchester, MA.

Cyclist Emma White, who won a bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics, was recently featured in the Times Union newspaper. The article focused on her racing career, from which she recently retired, and her next chapter.

’06

D AV I D O L S O N ’ 0 6

Taking the trip out of the treatment

D

epression, PTSD, substance use disorder, Alzheimer’s. Different conditions, often affecting very different people. But these diseases have something in common.

Psychedelic drugs might help treat them all.

“Many neuropsychiatric diseases, including these, are characterized by cortical atrophy—the physical withering of neurons in a part of the brain that controls fear, motivation and reward,” said chemist and neuroscientist David Olson ’06. “Our research group found that psychedelics are particularly good at re-growing these key neurons, and I believe their ability to directly address this root cause of many neuropsychiatric diseases is why they hold so much promise for improving mental health.”

Olson conducts his research at the University of California, Davis, where he is an associate professor in the departments of Chemistry and Biochemistry & Molecular Medicine. He is also involved in this work through a start-up he co-founded called Delix Therapeutics.

“My lab studies classic psychedelics like LSD, DMT and psilocybin; entactogens like MDMA; atypical psychedelics like ibogaine and salvinorin A; dissociatives like ketamine;

and deliriants like scopolamine,” explained Olson, who is the chief innovation officer and head of the scientific advisory board at Delix. “Though many of these molecules might demonstrate efficacy for treating similar diseases, each compound has unique characteristics that make it better suited for one application over another.”

“For example, ketamine was recently approved for treatment-resistant depression, while phase 3 clinical trials have demonstrated that MDMA may be effective for treating PTSD,” he added. “Psychedelics represent a step toward actual cures for neuropsychiatric diseases instead of drugs that simply mitigate disease symptoms. As another example, a patient with depression may find their anhedonia is relieved after undergoing psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy.”

Despite this promising and exciting potential, treating people with psychedelics is very challenging. These powerful compounds come with powerful side effects, the most obvious one being hallucinations.

“The hallucinogenic effects of these drugs necessitate in-clinic administration under the supervision of a healthcare professional. And psychedelic-assisted

psychotherapy is contraindicated for people with disorders like schizophrenia,” Olson said. “As a result, I think treatment will only be available to a limited number of patients.”

Unless, that is, somebody takes the trip out of the treatment.

And that’s just what Olson is trying to do.

“My academic lab and Delix Therapeutics are developing non-hallucinogenic compounds that promote cortical neuron growth and heal damaged neural circuitry,” he said. “Our goal is to produce medicines that are safe enough that you can pick them up from your local pharmacy, take them home and store them in your medicine cabinet.”

Some structural features of psychedelic molecules enable them to promote synaptogenesis (neuron growth). Others are responsible for hallucinations. “We simply build new molecules that have features conducive to producing synaptogenesis but not hallucinations,” Olson explained.

“Finding new medicines for treating brain disorders should be deeply personal to everyone. Approximately one in five people will suffer from a brain disorder at some point in their lifetime,” Olson said.

“We all know at least five people, so chances are that you or someone you care about has been impacted by these illnesses.”

Olson majored in chemistry and minored in biology at Union before earning a Ph.D. in chemistry from Stanford University. He did postdoctoral training in neuroscience at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard University.

Olson credits his career path, in part, to Joanne Kehlbeck, professor and chair of Union’s Chemistry Department.

“My undergraduate experience at Union had an enormous impact on my career trajectory,” he said. “My mentor, Joanne Kehlbeck, really inspired me to pursue scientific questions at the interface of chemistry and biology. Without her advice and guidance, I wouldn’t be where I am today.”

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CLASS NOTES

Alumnus wins prestigious fellowship, will join U.S. Foreign Service

’19

I

n two short years, Irving Cortes-Martinez ’19 will be a U.S. diplomat.

His training begins this year with a Charles B. Rangel International Affairs Fellowship. Funded by the U.S. Department of State and administered by Howard University, it supports individuals who want to pursue a career in the Foreign Service of the U.S. Department of State.

“As a freshman, I was quickly drawn to diplomacy and international relations through Professor Angrist’s Model UN class,” said Cortes-Martinez, who majored in political science and Latin American & Caribbean studies with a minor in Africana studies. “I loved the course so much that I participated as a freshman, sophomore, and as a TA my junior year with Professor Seri.”

“My experiences abroad in Argentina, Senegal, Brazil, and D.C., also helped me develop a passion for cross-cultural exchange. With the help of Lynn Evans, I eventually applied to the Rangel Fellowship,” he continued. “Though I was not successful the first time, I persevered and applied again in 2021. I am very thankful for the resources and opportunities Union College provided me—including my experience in the AOP program—which influenced my decision to pursue a career as a diplomat.”

The fellowship will support CortesMartinez through a two-year master’s degree in an area of relevance to the Foreign Service. It will also provide extensive professional development opportunities, including internships, mentors and skills training. He will intern with a member of Congress on issues related to

44

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I R V I N G C O R T E S - M A R T I N E Z ’ 19

“A S A F R E S H M A N , I WA S Q U I C K LY D R A W N T O D I P L O M A C Y A N D I N T E R N AT I O N A L R E L AT I O N S T H R O U G H P R O F E S S O R A N G R I S T ’ S M O D E L U N C L A S S … MY EXPERIENCES ABROAD IN ARGENTINA, SENEGAL, BRAZIL, AND D.C., ALSO H E L P E D M E D E V E L O P A P A S S I O N F O R C R O S S - C U LT U R A L E X C H A N G E . ”

foreign affairs in summer 2022. In summer 2023, the U.S. Department of State will send him overseas to intern in a U.S. Embassy or Consulate to get hands-on experience in U.S. foreign policy and the work of the Foreign Service. Upon successful completion of the program, Cortes-Martinez will become a U.S. diplomat in summer 2024.

Currently in the process of applying to graduate schools and degree programs related to international development and international relations, Cortes-Martinez plans to start his master’s degree in the fall of 2022.

Previously a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant in Malaysia, he is excited about what the future holds.

“As a Mexican-American immigrant from Medford, Ore., and first-generation college student, I never thought I would be presented with this opportunity,” Cortes-Martinez said. “I hope that others, especially those from underrepresented communities, look into applying to similar programs, as representation is important to have our voices heard. I also hope, as a foreign service officer, I will be able to create positive change in the world.”

S AV E T H E DAT E

MAY 3-4

Each year, we ask the Union community to come together in support of students on #ADAY4U. This year, help us to unlock thousands of dollars in challenge money that will go directly to cultivating the potential of every student.

union.edu/ADAY4U WINTER 2022 | UNION COLLEGE

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CLASS NOTES

Presentation skills key to success for engineering alumna

I

’21

JORDAN KUHR ’21

t’s one thing to develop a solution to an engineering problem. It’s another to deliver a clear, concise explanation to an audience.

Jordan Kuhr ’21 did both, winning awards at national and international events.

Last April, she presented her project, “Analyzing the Tactile Response of a Mechanical Pipe Organ,” in the Old Guard Competition at a regional meeting of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers.

In November, her presentation earned her third place in the International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition.

Kuhr, a mechanical engineering major who now works as a data engineering consultant for Accenture, attributes her success to the skills she developed at Union.

“The way Union structures the liberal arts program, and the way the engineering department focuses so heavily on

“ T H E WAY U N I O N S T R U C T U R E S T H E L I B E R A L A R T S P R O G R A M , A N D T H E WAY T H E E N G I N E E R I N G D E P A R T M E N T F O C U S E S S O H E A V I LY O N D E V E L O P I N G I N T E R P E R S O N A L S K I L L S T H R O U G H G R O U P P R O J E C T S A N D P R E S E N TAT I O N S , H E L P S I M M E N S E LY I N T H E R E A L W O R L D . T H A T ’ S H A L F T H E B A T T L E . ”

developing interpersonal skills through group projects and presentations, helps immensely in the real world,” she said.

“That’s half the battle.”

Kuhr came upon her project at the suggestion of Prof. Joel Lefever, who heard from an organist about the challenge of playing on various instruments.

Many organists practice on electronic keyboards that have a light action.

Mechanical tracker organs on which they perform require a heavier touch. Action between instruments is highly variable too.

Kuhr's force measurement device collected data on keyboard action.

She developed a force measurement device to collect data on the effects of key depth, speed of attack and use of components on the organ. Her project is a step in developing a feedback technology that would make a keyboard replicate that of a particular instrument, whether organ, harpsichord or piano.

The project was a natural for Kuhr and her interest in music. She sang in two acapella groups—the Eliphalets and the Garnet Minstrelles—serving as president of both groups her senior year. The Northampton, Mass., native was also a tutor for math and engineering, and a member of Delta Phi Epsilon sorority.

In her current position, Kuhr is involved with data migration for large companies, which requires a broad range of skills to explain procedures and present results to clients.

“I like the technical side, but I like working with people and doing the organizational, project management work,” she said.

Kuhr’s force measurement device collected data on keyboard action.

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U ARRIVALS

Donovan Michael Morton and Ireland Rose Morton (Lansing ’83)

Wren Goldie Morrison (Morrison ’00)

Monti with big sister Helen (Eisenman ’11)

Isabelle Samia (Samia ’11)

1983

2009

Michael J. Lansing ’83 G’87 is proud to announce the birth of his first grandchildren, Donovan Michael Morton on May 26, 2020 and Ireland Rose Morton on Dec. 21, 2021.

Michael Eisenman ’09 and Libby (Monti) Eisenman welcomed their son, Monti, on May 18, 2021. He is adored by his parents and big sister, Helen. The family lives in Medfield, Mass., with their 8-year-old terrier mutt, Ellie (Eliphalet).

2000 Robyn Polansky Morrison and Dr. David Morrison write, “We would love to share the news of the birth of our daughter, Wren Goldie Morrison, on March 26, 2021. We have also recently settled in the Capital District, purchasing a home in Loudonville.”

2011

U

Support Union on

When you shop at smile.amazon.com, Amazon will donate 0.5% of eligible purchases to the organization of your choice.

Simply select “Trustees of Union College” from the list of charitable organizations to support Union students at no extra cost to you.

Elias Samia and Lily Safford (Smith) Samia had a baby girl, Isabelle Samia, on Aug. 30, 2021 in San Francisco, Calif.

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U UNIONS

’12

48

Alumni attend the wedding of Paige Valchuis ’12 and Jamey Mroz.

1976

1985

Joe Bedell writes, “I married Dee Dee Baker (who I have known since second grade) on Sept. 25, 2021. We never dated in HS but reunited coincident to our 50th reunion. Dee Dee is a 1972 graduate of Skidmore.

We have five kids and four grands and two virtual grands between us.”

On Aug. 12, 2021, Hal Mason married Wendy Traynor in Woodstock, Vt. Joining the festivities were Michael Harris, Wayne Josel, Jeff Nadler and Nancy Schuster ’84.

UNION COLLEGE | WINTER 2021

2012 Paige Valchuis married Jamey Mroz on June 5, 2021, at the Omni Parker Mount Washington in N.H. Alumni in attendance

included Jamie Therrien, Elizabeth (Pike) Santoro, Allyson Boertzel, Anna Meiring, Kathryn Egizi, Iris (Mansour) Dufault, Samantha (Guidon) Berkowitz, Amelia Abba, Kimberly (Perry) Barnes, Claire Lavelle and Dave Breazzano ’78.

Michael Ermias and Etsub Moges were married in Cambridge, Mass. Alumni in attendance included Chandler Taylor, Patricia Sanchez, Phil Peligrad, Damien Chiu ’11,

Brandon Davis-Turner ’11, Ryan Owen ’11, Zoralys Molina ’13, Gabriella DeAndrade and Vishnu Gallakota.

Matt Livingston and Stacie (Schwartz) Livingston ’13 were married Aug. 15, 2021. Alumni in attendance included Alex Yewdell, Amanda Librot ’13, Nicole (Julich) Berman ’13, Chloe Tatosian ’13, Neal Schwartz ’77, Erick Gadaleta, Chris Moore ’13, Ben Weiner ’13, Maddy Levine ’13, Katherine O'Brien ’13, Alex (Napp) Weiner

’76

Joe Bedell ’76 and Dee Dee Baker

’12

Alumni attend the wedding of Michael Ermias ’12 and Etsub Moges.

’85

Michael Harris ’85, Hal Mason ’85, Jeff Nadler ’85 and Wayne Josel ’85 at Hal’s wedding.

’12

Alumni attend the wedding of Matt Livingston ’12 and Stacie (Schwartz) Livingston ’13.

’13, Jen (Silvershein) Teplin ’13, Lizzie (Cohen) Marks ’13, Chelsea (Baptiste) Palladino ’13, Michael Owen Miller, Thomas Livingston, Gaylon Mitchell Pfeiffer, Richard Heby, Dan Bachelet, Samantha (Steenburn) Scaplen ’13, Austin Scaplen, Dan Golden ’13, Jodi Schwartz ’11, Zach Schwartz ’17 and David Chodosch ’94.

’13

Alumni attend the wedding of Kathryn Egizi ’12 and Conor Donoghue.

Kathryn Egizi married Conor Donoghue Oct. 2, 2021 in Meredith, N.H. Alumni in attendance included Elizabeth (Guyton) Johnson ’10, Darcy Randall , Stephanie (Egizi) MacNamara ’10, Danielle WINTER 2022 | UNION COLLEGE

49

UNIONS

(Ayers) Thompson, Tory (Arnold) Bois, Mital Patel, Alex Porter, Elizabeth (Pike) Santoro, Iris (Mansour) Dufault, Anna Meiring, Kimberly (Perry) Barnes, Preston Thompson, Miles Douglass ’10, Pearl Jurist-Schoen ’11, Jake Anderson ’11, Claire Lavelle, Eric Gargiulo ’10 and Pat Donoghue ’10, Paige (Valchuis) Mroz, Allyson Boertzel and Celia Condrick ’18.

50

Elizabeth Pike married Michael Santoro Aug. 1, 2020, at the American Yacht Club in Rye, N.Y., and celebrated with friends and family July 31, 2021. Alumni in attendance included Hilary (Salander) Deloria, Colleen Kennedy, Jamie (Carey) Dowling, Ryan Dowling, Andie Coopersmith, Allyson Boertzel, Anna Meiring, Alison Berg, Brianne Fennessy, Jamie Therrien, Paige (Valchuis) Mroz, Kimberly (Perry) Barnes, Hilary (Bergman) Heller, Anna (Finlay) Burke, Elizabeth Rosato, Brenny Kinnane ’11, Pete Gross ’05 and Jimmy Gross ’63.

’13

Elizabeth Pike ’12 and Michael Santoro

’15

Alumni attend the wedding of Nolan Sayre ’15 and Whitney Bickford ’15.

UNION COLLEGE | WINTER 2022

’15

Alumni celebrate the wedding of Ciara Dudeck ’15 and Anthony Vitiello ’15.

2015 Nolan Sayre and Whitney Bickford were married on Sept. 11, 2021, outside on a beautiful fall day in Saunderstown, Rhode Island.

Best friend and fellow Union alum, Joe Hinderstein, officiated the wedding with many other alumni from the Class of 2015 in attendance: Tim Sheehan, Max Novak, Joe Hinderstein, Ben Silberman, Alison Birnbaum, Brendan Holihan, Jay Ratcliffe, Alex Cavert, Stefan Basile, Jenna (Cornwall) Novak, Maura Driscoll, Davis Cutter, Kara Modliszewski, Julia Shively, Heather Sweeney, Rebecca Shait, Megan Jenkins, Meghan Creane and Jamie McNulty.

’15

Alumni attend the wedding of Max and Jenna Novak, both members of the Class of 2015, who were married Aug. 14, 2021, in Charlestown, R.I.

’15

Alumni attend the wedding of Tanner Jones ’14 and Danielle Coppola ’15.

(Photo by Tyler Norman Photography)

’17

Alumni attend the wedding of Virginia Goggins ’17 and Max Roehmholdt MD ’15.

Ciara Dudeck and Anthony Vitiello were married in a small ceremony July 25, 2020.

They enjoyed a big wedding celebration with friends, fellow alumni and family July 11, 2021.

Tanner Jones ’14 and Danielle Coppola were married New Year’s Eve at the Wyndham Grand Pittsburgh Downtown in Pittsburgh, Penn., (their hometown).

2017 Virginia Goggins married Max Roehmholdt MD ’15 on Oct. 30, 2021, at St. Ann’s Church in Lenox, Mass. Alumni in attendance included Garrett Owens ’15, Rob Catharine ’16, Max Willinger MD ’15, Dave Roberts ’16, Tim Hagan ’16, Wayne Fu MD ’15, Steve Rapfogel ’16, Claire Puleio, Lily Herout, Emily West, Erich Grome ’15 and Ben Mele ’16.

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ALUMNI COUNCIL Letter from Vin Mattone ’06, Alumni Council president

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT:

Robert (Bob) B. Saltzman ’69 ALUMN I CO UN CIL LIFE ME MB E R Robert B. Saltzman ’69 holds a B.S. degree in electrical engineering from Union and an M.S. degree in computer science from Union Graduate College.

H

omecoming and Family Weekend 2021 was a welcome return to campus for more than 1,500 alumni, parents, students and friends of Union. The Alumni Council sponsored the tailgate picnic, which has always been a great opportunity for alumni to reconnect over some refreshments at halftime or throughout the football game. We were happy to support this event, while simultaneously showcasing what the Council provides for the alumni community.

It was also nice to witness an exciting finish to this year’s game and celebrate Union’s win! Stay tuned for more events like this as we look to create opportunities for alumni interactions. For more information about the Alumni Council and how you can get involved, please visit ualumni.union.edu (under the community tab) or contact Ashley Boland, director of Alumni & Parent Engagement, at alumni@union.edu.

– Vin Mattone ’06, President, Union College Alumni Council

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What do you do?

I started my career at General Electric Global Research in Niskayuna, N.Y., where I developed the medical imaging system for GE’s computed tomography (CT) scanner.

My expertise has included email and word processing systems; computer graphics, imaging, and streaming multimedia; and network and computer security. I held management and scientific consultant positions, and have a web-based technology patent. I retired in 2014.

Any personal or professional accomplishments you would like to share?

I was a firefighter/paramedic for decades, and worked in the fireworks business for over 30 years. I have been a researcher/lecturer on the JFK assassination for over 50 years—speaking several times at Union. I have also been a lifelong licensed amateur radio operator, involved in historical cryptology, and serve on my town’s historical committee. My son works at FDNY as a paramedic, and with a major-event emergency medical services company. My daughter is a nurse, and she has a teenage daughter.

What are you involved with at Union?

I was president of my class and the Schenectady Alumni Club. I am a life member of the Alumni Council, recipient of the 2000 Special Appreciation Award, and a member of the Terrace Council and Garnet Guard. I was the announcer for men’s and women’s basketball. I’m a member of the Union College Academy for Lifelong Learning, serving on its curriculum and events committees, and as a lecturer.

What makes your Union involvement meaningful?

I loved my time at Union, especially with WRUC. I’ve enjoyed helping plan and run Homecoming and ReUnion events, as well as putting on the ReUnion fireworks displays. Working with students, serving on the Alumni Council, and with UCALL have all been very rewarding. Living nearby, I have typically been on the campus several times per week for over 50 years.

What is the best advice that you have ever received/given?

Various sayings have served me well: “The noblest motive is the public good.”

“Things are often not as they seem.” “Listen first.” “Give me truth.”

“Walk a distance in someone else’s shoes.”

8 IN MEMORIAM

8 1940s Howard H. Brown ’44, of Martha’s Vineyard, who served in the U.S. Navy during World War II and was a graduate of NYU Law School, Nov. 21, 2021. Harding practiced commercial real estate law in New Jersey for more than 50 years. He and his wife were active members of the Edgartown Yacht Club, Edgartown Golf Club and Edgartown Reading Room. They traveled extensively and enjoyed multigenerational family gatherings during the summer on the Vineyard. He was 98.

Frank Stern ’49, of New York, N.Y., who was a retired physicist, Sept. 9, 2021. He was 92.

James A. Baar ’49, of Providence, R.I., who began his long communications career as a newspaper reporter, Oct. 3, 2021. Jim was the chief operating officer of four major public relations agencies, including Gray-Strayton; managing director of General Electric’s European communications operations; and president and managing consultant of Omegacom Communications. The author of numerous books, he was also an adjunct professor at Northeastern University. In 2019, Jim received the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achivement Award from Who’s Who. He was 92.

John E. Hillsbeck ’49, of Hyde Park, N.Y., who was a member of Sigma Chi fraternity at Union College and loved classical music, Oct. 21, 2021. John, who was office manager for N&S Supplies, was 94.

Jerome M. Rehr ’49, of Miami, Fla., who graduated from Brooklyn College and earned a master’s in physics while teaching in the Union College Physics Department, Dec. 11, 2021. He worked in real estate management and insurance sales before graduating from Brooklyn Law School, after which he practiced law in Queens

until retirement in 1987. A founding member of Shelter Rock Jewish Center (Searingtown, N.Y.), Jerry was a past master of Paragon Masonic Lodge. Also a devoted Mets fan and avid poker and bridge player, he is survived by his son, Michael Rehr ’77, and his son, Lawrence Rehr ’79. He was 96.

United Church of Copenhagen, served as tax assessor for the Town of Denmark, and was a member of Masonic Lodges in New York and Florida for 72 years. He also played tuba in the Lowville Village Band for 54 summers and was a member of Shriners International. He was 93.

1950s

Walter F. Causey Jr. ’51, of Scotia, N.Y., who served in the U.S. Navy aboard the USS Charles Ware and was an outstanding lacrosse player while at Union College, Sept. 4, 2021. Principal economist for the former NYS Commerce Department, he was a member of the Immaculate Conception Church and won many medals as a downhill ski racer. An avid fan of Union hockey, he was 92.

Robert E. Hayes ’50, of Louisville, Ky., who held a Ph.D. in food technology from the University of Illinois and served in the U.S. Air Force, Sept. 7, 2021. Bob also worked for the U.S. space program (pre-NASA), was passionate about helping children suffering from malnutrition, and conducted research with the U.S. Department of Agriculture in the Food for Peace Program. A professor for more than 30 years at Roberts Wesleyan College and Olivet Nazarene University, he received three Fulbright Research Scholar grants to Zambia. Also a 50-year member of Gideon’s International, he was 92.

Samuel Raber ’50, of Livermore, Calif., who entered World War II in the Electronic Technician Program and held an M.S. from the University of Maryland and an M.S. from the New Jersey Institute of Technology, June 21, 2021. He held high-level engineering management positions at Pyrotronics, where he patented the first battery backup residential smoke detection systems. Later, he ran his own head-hunting firm and taught community college physics and engineering. He visited more than 35 countries with his wife, enjoyed golf and was a member of the Toastmasters.

He was 94.

Morris G. Lucia Jr. ’50, of Winter Haven, Fla., who studied music education at SUNY Fredonia and enjoyed a 31-year career teaching music at Copenhagen Central School, Sept. 21, 2021. Active in his community, Spike was involved in the

Dr. Donald H. Wilsey ’51, of Gloversville, N.Y., who held a master’s in education from Columbia University and graduated from Upstate Medical University, Aug. 23, 2021.

He practiced medicine with his father in Gloversville and during 42 years delivered over 5,000 babies at Nathan Littauer Hospital. Don loved sports and being outdoors, as well as dancing, drinking Manhattans, playing piano and sharing his knowledge of grammar. A lifelong member of Foothills United Methodist Church, he was 91.

Eric H. Smith ’51, of Ipswich, Mass., who was a member of Phi Sigma Kappa and helped make soccer a varsity sport at Union, Nov. 20, 2021. He played semiprofessional soccer in Schenectady and San Jose, and spent his career in public relations at General Electric. Eric, who umpired Little League baseball and coached youth soccer, medaled in swimming, tennis and softball in the South Carolina Senior Olympics. He summered for 40 years at his lakefront home in upstate New York, and liked playing bridge and listening to Frank Sinatra. He was 92.

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IN MEMORIAM

8 ROBERT HOLLAND JR. ’62

R

obert Holland Jr. ’62, who had an impressive record of improving both the fortunes of struggling companies and opportunities for the disadvantaged, passed away Dec. 22, 2021 at his home in White Plains, N.Y. He was 81.

Holland, with a Union degree in mechanical engineering, was a pioneering African American business leader whose career spanned international consulting, auto parts and ice cream.

Born and raised in racially-segregated Albion, Michigan, he had little support to pursue his dream of becoming an engineer until he met a college professor who shared a list of colleges with engineering programs.

With only enough money for two $25 application fees, he applied to the first and last schools on the list.

His 26-hour bus ride to Union was the first time he had been out of Michigan.

“That was not the last blind journey I would take, but the first of many,” he recalled.

He helped integrate the ranks at Mobil Oil Company in the 1960s. He became the first Black partner at McKinsey & Company, the consulting firm where he was known as the “turnaround expert” for major corporations and, for a while, was the company’s top-grossing partner. In 1995, he was appointed CEO of Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream and became the first African American CEO of a majority-owned franchise company.

He secured the position at Ben & Jerry’s in their highly-publicized “Yo, I’m Your CEO” search. To apply, he wrote about his experience with

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segregated ice cream stores in his hometown.

He served on a number of corporate boards including Carver Federal Savings Bank, Advisory Board to the NCAA, Lexmark International, the Essex Lake Group, Lexmark International, Neptune Orient Lines, MONY and the African American Advisory Board of PepsiCo, Inc. He was a founding director of YUM Brands, the giant restaurant chain.

An innovative entrepreneur, he started and managed companies including Rokher-J, Inc., City Marketing, Gilreath Manufacturing and WorkPlace Integrators Franchise.

Known for his philanthropy and volunteerism, he served as chair of the board of Spelman College. He founded a high school dropout program in Detroit called Make-ADifference. He was a board member of the Harlem Junior Tennis and Education Program and chairman of the Northeast STEM Starter Academy in Mount Vernon, N.Y. As an undergraduate, he received the Josephine Daggett Prize to a senior who displayed excellent conduct and character, and the Goodrich-Duane Prize, as Union’s best debater. He was president of his Class in his sophomore, junior and senior years. He was a member of Hale Club, the Delphic Society, Phi Sigma Delta (Chaplain), Orientation Committee, Modern Jazz Society and Outing Club. A Block U member, he played football and basketball, and ran track. He was a Union cheerleader.

As an alumnus, he received an honorary doctor of laws degree from the College in 1997 and the UNITAS

Robert Holland ’62 at 1997 Commencement

Service Award in 2008. He was a member of the Alumni Council, Class President and Alumni Interviewer/ Recruiter.

In 1997, during his 35th ReUnion, he delivered the College’s Commencement address. He told graduates to make a difference where his generation had not. “It has been our generation that elected the bunch now in Washington that are acting like the gang that could not shoot straight,” he said. “In the pursuit of a balanced budget and lower taxes, they have declared war on the poor for being poor.”

Economic deprivation is a threat to economic stability everywhere, he said, and every graduate can make a difference.

“If you decide to have a positive impact on one poverty-stricken child’s life, one each year until you come back for your 35th ReUnion, you will have a meaningful impact on a body of people the size of New York City.”

His family wrote in his obituary, “Holland committed his life to ensuring that while he may have been the first in many situations, he wanted to guarantee he would not be the last.”

Survivors include his wife, Barbara; and three children, Robb, Kheri and Jackie.

Nicholas T. Saviano Jr. ’51, of Westport, Conn., who held a master’s degree from Massachusetts Institute of Technology and was a member of Sigma Xi honor society, Nov. 12, 2021. He spent most of his career as an electrical engineer at Sperry Rand/ Unisys and held a number of patents. An avid reader who enjoyed photography, reading, horseback riding, wine making, genealogy and aviation, Nick volunteered for many years at the Westport Public Library and the Sons of Italy. Also an usher at the Assumption Church, he was 91.

Alan J. Wright ’53, of Billerica, Mass., who spent 22 years in the U.S. Air Force and worked in various finance or technical assignments throughout his service, Sept. 16, 2021. He held a master’s in business administration from Wright State University and after the Air Force, was chief finance officer for the Massachusetts Horticultural Society. Active in the Tewksbury Congregational Church, he traveled extensively and volunteered teaching English to immigrants and assisting people with income tax returns. He was 89.

Mark E. Branson ’52, of Middlebury, Vt., who served in the U.S. Army and was an engineer, sculptor and outdoorsman, Aug. 25, 2021. First a surveyor in Europe, he then sold manufacturing equipment for Noble & Wood (Schenectady) before buying Plug Works (Glens Falls). He renamed it Adirondack Machine Corp. and produced prototype machinery and replica cannons for the National Park Service in Saratoga. Mark helped establish the Hickory Hill Ski Area and loved his family’s compound at Dunham’s Bay on Lake George. He was 91.

Leonard Schwartz ’53, of Spring Valley, N.Y., who attended Union and graduated from Rutgers with a business degree, Dec. 22, 2021. Lenny was controller and then president of Hudson National before becoming owner of Bencone Uniforms.

He was 89.

Col. Martin D’Arcangelo ’52, of Peachtree City, Ga., who entered the U.S. Air Force in 1951 and became an officer, and was a radar observer, master navigator and worked in data automation, Dec. 5, 2021.

During his 30-year career with USAF, he worked in various parts of the world and ended his career in 1981 with the rank of colonel. A graduate of Mont Pleasant High School in Schenectady, he was 92.

John S. Wooster ’53, of Bridgeport, Conn., who served in the U.S. Army and also attended Fairfield University, Sept. 3, 2021.

A research chemist at Chesebrough-Pond’s, Elizabeth Arden, and Pro-Strong, he retired from J.R. Chemical. Jack was a parishioner of Our Lady of Grace Church (Stratford) and a keen inventor, acquiring several patents in nail enamel compositions. He loved science, was an avid reader, and enjoyed playing the flute, spending time with his two cats, and rooting for Pittsburgh sports teams (especially the Penguins). He was 88.

Robert N. Shorter ’53, of Salemtowne, N.C., who received an MA and Ph.D. from Duke University, July 10, 2021. Bob taught medieval literature for 41 years at Wake Forest University, where he was chairman of the English Department for 12 years and associate dean of the graduate school.

He was 90.

Stephen R. Stott ’54, of Fairport, N.Y., who graduated from Union College with a degree in electrical engineering and served in the U.S. Army, Feb. 16, 2020.

Employed at Stromberg Carlson and Eastman Kodak, from which he retired, he enjoyed all sports, collecting and spending time with his daughters and grandchildren.

Chester R. Blakelock Jr. ’54, of Shrewsbury, N.J., Dec. 12, 2021. He is survived by three children, including David Blakelock ’83; seven grandchildren, including David Ian James Blakelock ’19; and three greatgrandchildren. Chet was an independent bookseller and avid Mets fan. He was 89.

David N. Gregory ’55, of Barrington, R.I., who served in the U.S. Air Force and was regional sales manager for Outokumpu American Brass for his entire career, Oct. 16, 2021. A member of Barrington Congregational Church for 60 years, he

served as an usher for 35 of those years.

David was also an active volunteer with Tap-in in Barrington during retirement.

Livingston T. Coulter ’55, of Stillwater, N.Y., who graduated from Albany Law School and was a counter intelligence investigator agent in the U.S. Army, Nov. 22, 2021.

Trevor was an attorney with McClung, Peters & Simon before becoming a founding partner of the Couch, Coulter & Howard, and the Coulter & Rossetti law firms. He later operated his own practice in Schuylerville. Trevor loved camping with his family in the Adirondacks, as well as art and museums, classical and country music, movies and reading. A loving husband and father, he was 88.

Dr. Martin D. Valentine ’56, of Pasadena, Md., who graduated from Tufts Medical School and was professor emeritus of medicine, Sept. 15, 2021. His career included appointments at Leahy Clinic and Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine before he entered private practice. A fellow of the American Academy of Asthma, Allergy and Immunology, he developed diagnosis and treatment protocols for insect allergies that remain the standard of practice. He enjoyed traveling, exploring a wide array of musical genres and collecting fine pens. He was 86.

Richard W. McChesney ’56, of Colorado Springs, Colo., who earned degrees in mathematics and music from Union College, University of Rochester and University of Michigan, Dec. 3, 2020. A computer programmer for the U.S. Air Force Civil Service and Colorado Springs School District 11, he loved classical and folk music.

He played the Irish harp and was the classical music performance critic for the Colorado Springs Sun newspaper. A longtime supporter of the Colorado College Summer Music Festival, he was 86.

Thornton Jenkins II ’57, of Naples, Fla., who attended Dartmouth College and graduated from Union College, Sept. 24, 2021. He spent his career in the lease financing of heavy equipment and

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IN MEMORIAM

computers, and loved boating, especially sailboat racing. A past member of the Eastern Yacht Club (Marblehead, Mass.), the Naples Yacht Club and the Bass Harbor Yacht Club (Mt. Desert Island, Maine), he was 88.

Ronald P. DeAngelus ’57, of Clifton Park, N.Y., a criminal defense attorney who spent more than 40 years practicing at the state and federal level, Oct. 27, 2021.

Ronald defended clients in a multitude of serious crimes, including nationally covered terrorism and murder cases. He graduated from Albany Law School and was a member of many professional organizations, including the New York State and Schenectady County bar associations, and the National Association of Criminal Defense Attorneys. He was 86.

Richard E. Winslow III ’57, of Rye, N.H., who held an M.A. from the University of New Hampshire, an MLS from the University of Maryland and a Ph.D. from Penn State University, all in history, Oct. 20, 2021.

During his career, he taught at Penn State, was a research expert in special collections at the Portsmouth (N.H.) Public Library, and was the author of five books about the history of Portsmouth. Richard, who enjoyed canoeing and rafting trips in Canada, Colorado, Maine and Scotland, was 86.

Michael D’Innocenzo ’57, of Mineola, N.Y., who was Hofstra University’s longest serving faculty member (six decades) and a professor emeritus of history, Nov. 18, 2021.

He held a master’s degree in history from Columbia University and trained with the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. Michael was the recipient of the Eugene Asher National Distinguished Teaching Award and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Association of Italian American Educators.

A founding member of the Hofstra Center for Civic Engagement and the Long Island Alliance for Peaceful Alternatives, he was also the first recipient of the Harry H. Wachtel Distinguished Professorship for the Study of Nonviolent Social Change.

He was 86.

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Erwin Fried G’58, of Rexford, N.Y., who served in the U.S. Army and was part of the Army Specialized Training Program, Oct. 29, 2021. He held a B.S. in mechanical engineering from Columbia University and an M.S. in mechanical engineering from Union College. Erwin worked with General Electric in various divisions, including the space division and the machinery apparatus operation. Active in many professional organizations, including the American Society of Mechanical Engineers and ASME International, his grandchildren and great-grandchildren were the joy of his life. He was 99.

Richard Kokosa ’58, of Skaneateles, N.Y., who held an M.S. in physics from Rutgers University and spent 24 years with General Electric, Oct. 29, 2021. The co-author of several patents for semiconductor technology, he later spent 14 years as vice president of the lighting systems division of the former Welch Allyn Inc (Hillrom). An active civic leader, he was involved in many organizations, including as a member of the Board of Education for Skaneateles Central School and as president of the Skaneateles Rotary Club. Dick, who also coached youth sports, was 84.

John L. Fauth ’59, of Cortland, N.Y., who held a doctoral degree in geology from Pennsylvania State University, Sept. 2, 2021.

From 1964 through 1999, he served the SUNY Cortland Geology Department as a professor and department chair. John established the Brauer Education Center to teach field geology classes and in 2013 to outstanding sophomore geology majors. John enjoyed coaching youth baseball, gardening, fishing and spending time with his grandchildren. He was 84.

Ernest L. Pacchiana ’59, of Stormville, N.Y. who earned a BS in civil engineering and was a member of Alpha Delta Phi fraternity, Jan. 18, 2022. He was a professional engineer, serving in the U.S. Army and then for his family’s construction company, Thalle Construction, where he managed many municipal and university projects until he embarked on his own real estate

and residential development business. He was very involved in his community, coaching Little League, and founding Briarcliff Rotary Club and a platform tennis league.

Survivors include his daughter, Jennifer Pacchiana DiCerbo ’91; son-in-law, Patrick DiCerbo ’89; and grandchildren, Johanna DiCerbo ’24 and Isabel Pacchiana ’24.

He was 84.

1960s David L. Schweizer ’60, of Schenectady, N.Y., who served in the U.S. Air Force and later joined his father at Funston of Scotia, Sept. 1, 2021. He spent 30 years at Funston, 15 of them as president, and also founded an engineered wood sales company.

Also employed at Roohan Realty, David was active in his community, including as director of First National Bank of Scotia for 41 years. He also spent 61 years as a member of the West Charlton Volunteer Fire Department. An avid gardener who raised sheep and cattle, and grew vegetables and fruit, he was 85.

Sherwood Chapman ’60, of Cortland, N.Y., who began his career as a reporter with The Cortland Standard and spent 50 years there, Oct. 22, 2021. Frequently in attendance at the Groton Rod and Gun Club, Skip loved baseball and was an engaged father who passed a love of the game on to his children. A veteran who served in the Army National Guard from 1962-68, he was 83.

Charles R. Martin ’60, of The Villages, Fla., who worked with IBM as a hardware engineer and designed some of the first tubeless (transistorized) computers, Oct. 27, 2021. A past fire policeman with Woodstock (N.Y.) Volunteer Fire Company #4, he was a longtime member of Trailsweepers Ski Club. He enjoyed skiing, lobster, golf, square dancing, real British marmalade, birdwatching, hiking, world travel, crossword puzzles, good wine and good companionship. He was 83.

Peter F. Schmidt ’60, of Kansas City, Mo., who served in the U.S. Air Force and

earned many medals and honors, including Top Gun status, Oct. 31, 2021. Later, he spent 28 years as a Delta Airlines pilot. He loved fishing on his boat, the Peter Patter, gardening, traveling the world, and playing golf and cards with friends. Active in the Veterans of Foreign Wars, American Legion, Elks Lodge, Airline Pilots Association and Delta Chi fraternity, he often volunteered for Meals on Wheels. He was 82.

engineering from University of Louisville and served in the U.S. Navy during the Korean War, Sept. 17, 2021. He held a master’s in engineering from Union and additional credentials in nuclear reactor technology from the Oak Ridge School of Reactor Technology. Dick spent 33 years at Public Service Electric and Gas Company, retiring as senior vice president of supply and engineering. He was 92.

Dr. Ronald Weinstein ’60, of Tucson, Ariz., who was a telemedicine and telepathology pioneer, and founder of Corabi Telemetrics, Dec. 3, 2021. Chairman of the pathology department at Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke’s Medical Center in Chicago, he later directed the Arizona Telemedicine Program at the University of Arizona College of Medicine for 25 years. He finished his medical education at Tufts University and he was also head of the pathology department at the University of Arizona College of Medicine. He was 83.

Ronald C. Galinsky ’63, of Media, Penn., who held a master’s in psychology from Springfield College and a doctorate in education from Temple University, Sept. 4, 2021. Ron taught at Saint Joseph’s University and ran a private psychology practice in Haddonfield, N.J., for many years. In retirement, he opened a sports card and memorabilia store. Ron enjoyed traveling, playing and coaching Bocce ball, and participating in community theater productions. He was 80.

Dr. Stephen J. Cuchel ’60, of Long Island, N.Y., who earned his DDS from NYU Dental School and practiced oral surgery early in his career, Dec. 14, 2021. Later, while practicing in Valley Stream, Huntington and East Harlem, he cofounded the first managed care dental company in New York, and ultimately Healthplex, which employed over 500 people. A family-centered, fun-loving and philanthropic person, he contributed to the Nassau County Museum of Art and NYU Dental School for many years. He was 83.

Philip J. Gleason Jr. ’61, of Stuart, Fla., who owned and operated Porcelain Patch & Glaze in Watertown, Mass., for many years, Oct. 8, 2021. Philip, known as Chip, also owned and managed properties in the Boston area and Florida. His greatest passion was scuba diving on the islands, especially Bonaire. He also enjoyed spending summers on Newfound Lake (N.H.). A fan of Boston sports who treasured his family, he was 83.

Richard M. Eckert G’61, of Cumming, Ga., who held a degree in mechanical

Hoobert Huhta G’63, of Syracuse, N.Y., who held a master of science in engineering from Union and served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War, Sept. 14, 2021. Hoot spent his career as an engineer with General Electric and graduated from the General Electric Advanced Engineering Program. He held several award-winning, job-related patents and retired from GE after 39 years. A devoted husband and father who enjoyed family time, camping, tinkering, woodworking and gardening, he was 93.

Glenn A. Murray ’64, of Harrisburg, Penn., who held a master’s in engineering technology from Penn State and served in the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam War, Sept. 17, 2021. Highway department head at Modjeski and Masters Engineering, he enjoyed singing in Presbyterian church choirs and playing in the Camp Hill Presbyterian Church Brass Band and Bell Choir. He also sang with the Harrisburg Choral Society and was active in the Camp Hill, Mechanicsburg and St. James Presbyterian churches as deacon, elder and treasurer. He was 80.

Harold G. DeVoe ’64 (U.S. Navy captain ret.), of Herndon, Va., who worked at General Electric while pursuing a master’s degree in mechanical engineering from Union College, Aug. 27, 2021. Hal served 30 years in the Reserve Naval Construction Forces (Seabees) and also worked with the Department of Energy, FBI, Department of Justice and International Monetary Fund. He was the recipient of numerous commendations, including the Navy Operational Award for Excellence, the National Defense Service Medal and the Presidential Award of Excellence. He loved working on his antique automobiles and spending time with his grandchildren. He was 81.

Stephen L. Miles ’64, of Vicksburg, Miss., who managed manufacturing plants around the world and retired as plant manager from Simpson Duravent, Oct. 13, 2021. Passionate about sailing and fishing, he loved animals, enjoyed horseback riding and time with his rescue dogs. He had an appreciation for art and historic preservation and was active in the Vicksburg Art Association and Historical Preservation Society for many years. He was 81.

William G. Machell G’65, of Nashua, N.H., who was a nuclear physicist, Mensa member and veteran of the U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force, Aug. 20, 2021. He held a degree in physics from UNH and continued his education in the subject at Ohio State.

He later worked at GE on a variety of engineering assignments, including the atomic power equipment department.

William held a master’s in physics from Union and also worked at Raytheon and with the federal government. An avid skier who was a lifelong learner of Russian, Spanish, opera and any type of science or math, he loved spending family time hiking and camping. He was 93.

George C. Ludwig II ’66, of Vestal, N.Y., who held a degree in economics from Franklin College and an M.S. in audiology from Ithaca College, Aug. 21, 2020. He worked for many years at Northrup Supply, General Electric and Rehabilitation

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IN MEMORIAM

Services Incorporated, and owned Audiology Associates from 2001 to 2018.

A devoted father, avid reader and learner, George was fascinated by history, the stock market and genealogy. He was 76.

Joseph C. Whitney ’66, of Frederick, Md., who made maps of the ocean floor and has a seamount named for him in the Atlantic, Oct. 15, 2021. Active in his community, Joe was a Cub Scout leader, ran the Jefferson Food Bank with his wife for more than 20 years, was engaged in PFLAG and took care of facilities issues at St. Paul Lutheran Church. He enjoyed camping, hunting, fishing, birdwatching and exploring the natural world. He was 77.

Alan Bolten ’67, of Gainesville, Fla., who was associate director of the Archie Carr Center for Sea Turtle Research and longtime Bahamas National Trust science advisor, March, 21, 2021. He and his wife, Karen Bjorndal, conducted important research on green sea turtles at Union Creek Reserve, which became the basis for conservation work to save this endangered species around the world. An authoritative and persuasive leader, he leaves a great legacy.

John J. Busuttil Sr. G’66, of Surprise, Ariz., who served in the U.S. Navy Reserve for five years and in the Army during the Korean War, Nov. 8, 2021. He graduated from Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn before receiving a master’s in engineering from Union and working for North American Aviation, where he did design work on the XB-70 Valkyrie. Later, he worked at Knolls Atomic Laboratory, spending the last 20 years of his career with DOD at the Watervliet Arsenal. John, who enjoyed upstate New York and Islamorada, Fla., was 92.

Rev. Sandra McCarroll G’68, of Boulder City, Nev., who held an A.B. from the University of Chicago and a master’s in American studies from Union, Sept. 6, 2021. Director of Christian education programs at Trinity Church (Conn.) and a volunteer director at St. Christopher’s (Boulder City), she belonged to Panhellenic and the American Association for University Women. A strong supporter of education for women, she was also co-designer and coordinator of the Survey of Youth Services for Six Towns of Greater Bridgeport. Sandra was 84.

Chaim H. Gold ’67, of Trenton, N.J., who held a master of public administration from SUNY Albany, Sept. 14, 2021. He began his career with the State of New Jersey in middle management before spending seven years in the administration of Gov. Brendan Bryne. He later had a long career as an energy consultant, advising consumers on energy and utility costs. An avid bridge player who was active in the Delaware Valley Radio Association, he was a committed Freemason. He was 75.

Michael J. Milano ’69, of Portland, Conn., who owned the Quarry Ridge Golf Course and held a Ph.D. in chemistry from Purdue University, April 20, 2021. Also vice president of marketing at Perkin Elmer during his career, he supported and played along with bluegrass musicians at the golf course through the Music at the Ridge series. Michael was 73.

Bernard P. Mulligan ’67, of Albany, N.Y., who ran several successful businesses before spending 30 years as a project manager with Bennett Contracting, Oct. 16, 2021. A devoted husband and father, he was an outstanding athlete (baseball,

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football, bowling, basketball) in his younger years and later before he became an avid golfer and fisherman. Bernie, who was a New York Yankees fan, was 76.

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1970s Allan D. MacGregor ’70, of Escondito, Calif., who served with the U.S. Army at a surgical hospital in Korea, Sept. 26, 2021.

His Army training as a biomedical technician became his lifelong career, working in Denver and then San Diego. A kind person with a memorable sense of humor

and athleticism, he retired from Scripps Memorial Hospital in 2018. He was 73.

Donald W. Seager G’70, of Dedham, Mass., who attended Boston College and served in the Marine Corps, Oct. 22, 2021. Don held master’s degree in mathematics and education from Union College and Boston State, and was principal of Dedham Middle School. He received many awards for his role as an educator, coach and mentor, including the Citizen of the Year Award from the Dedham Lyons Club. He was director of Dedham Community House in retirement and held office as a recreation commissioner. He was 86.

Frank A. Paxton G’70, of Niskayuna, N.Y., who served in the U.S. Army in the 82nd Airborne Division and graduated from MIT before continuing his education at Union, Nov. 16, 2021. A physicist, engineer and inventor at Knolls Atomic Power Lab, he and his wife traveled throughout the world, including Europe, Scandinavia, Australia and New Zealand. They also visited Russia and traversed the Panama Canal, and were members of the Siena Opera Club. Frank was 91.

Lawrence R. Moran ’70, of Schenectady, N.Y., who was a member of Phi Sigma Kappa fraternity at Union and was an internal auditor with the New York State Education Department, Nov. 26, 2021. A poet, philosopher and student of military history, he loved the Adirondacks and the family camp in Speculator. Larry was an excellent canoeist who took many camping trips with his wife. They also enjoyed traveling around the world and the United States. A sports enthusiast who liked the New York Yankees and Giants, he was 73.

Scott A. Wagar ’71, of Troy, N.Y., who served in the U.S. Air Force during the Vietnam War era and retired from the U.S. Postal Service, Aug. 25, 2021. A loving father and grandfather, he traveled extensively throughout the U.S., and visited Canada and the Bahamas. Scott played guitar, banjo and harmonica in a number of local bands and most recently

performed with a veterans’ choir through the Stratton VA Hospital. An expert at music trivia, he was 72.

Dr. William A. Busino Jr. ’71, of Scotia, N.Y., who graduated from Albany Medical College and practiced internal medicine locally for more than 40 years, Aug. 30, 2021. A president of Capital Care Medical Group and associate professor of clinical medicine at Albany Medical College, he was also an attending physician at Ellis Hospital. He was active on the boards of Camp Chingachgook/YMCA, DARE and Haven, and received a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation grant for the Chronic Disease Care Program. A lifelong Catholic and member of the Mohawk Golf Club, he was 72.

Richard J. Labrecque G’72, of Oro Valley, Ariz., who held a B.S. in electrical engineering from Tufts University and an M.S. in industrial administration from Union, June 23, 2021. Dick began his career with GE and went on to management positions at Colt Industries before running Fairbanks Morse Pumps and Quincy Compressor. He retired as executive vice president of ITT Industries and president and CEO of ITT’s Fluid Technology Corporation. Dick served as chairman and president of the board of directors of the Hydraulic Institute. He loved to entertain, played piano and told great jokes. He was 82.

Thomas DeCrosta ’73, of Schenectady, N.Y., who was a mail carrier before spending decades as an auditor at NYS Tax and Finance, Oct. 4, 2021. The third base coach at Shenendehowa High School (1993-97), Tom also coached many collegiate summer league teams. He was passionate about horses and horse racing, and helped coach the Shenendehowa baseball team to five consecutive Suburban Council Championships.

Dedicated to his family, he was 70.

Carl R. Valentino G’73, of Lagrange and previously of Hopewell Junction and Brooklyn, N.Y., who graduated from

College of the Holy Cross and held a master’s degree from the College, Nov. 9, 2021. He served in the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam War and was a physicist and senior engineer for IBM, where he won numerous awards. In retirement he was a real estate broker for Century 21. A member of the Southern Dutchess Chamber of Commerce Leadership Program, Carl flew private planes with the Lazy 8 Club. He was 81.

Ralph W. Young G ’74, of Dalton, Mass., who held a bachelor’s degree from Northeastern University, a master’s in computer science from Union and a master’s in business administration from Western New England College, Sept. 18, 2021. He served in the U.S. Army, began his career at General Electric and retired from General Dynamics after 43 years in engineering and program management.

An active member of Saint Agnes Catholic Community and the Knights of Columbus Council 411, he loved to travel to amusement parks with his family. He was 78.

Peter F. Jackson ’74, of Harpersfield, N.Y., who served in the U.S. Navy aboard the USS Saint Paul during the Vietnam War, Aug. 13, 2021. He held a private pilot license and an AAS from ACC, and worked for the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation from 1978 until retirement in 2008. Peter bred registered American quarter horses of the Peter McCue bloodline, including sire Bravo Banner. He was 77.

Richard A. Moses ’76, of Eagle Bridge, N.Y., who was a member of Sigma Chi fraternity at Union College, operated Moses Vegetable Farm from 1979 to 2013, when he became disabled with his Parkinson's disease, Dec. 20, 2021. A board member of the Town of White Creek for 24 years, he was also treasurer for the Eagle Bridge Methodist Church for many years. Rich remained close with his fraternity brothers and was the inspiration for the Sigma Chi annual golf event benefiting the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research. He was 67.

Gordon G. Glidden ’78, of Huntington Woods and Sugar Springs, Mich., who was captain of the varsity hockey team at Union and was an engineer with Turner Construction Corporation, Oct. 6, 2021.

Later, he worked with U.S. Inspect Inc. and in 2014, established his own firm, Inland Lakes Home Inspection Services Inc. A licensed drone pilot, he received several awards from the real estate industry. He was active with the Huntington Woods Planning Commission, serving as its chairman for several years, and was a longtime member of the Detroit Chapter of the Optimists Club. Gordon, whose brothers, John Glidden ’69 and Jim Glidden ’72, are also alumni, was 65.

Fannie P. Daniels G’78, of Rochester, N.Y., who held a B.S. in mathematics and biology from Upper Iowa University and an M.A. in teaching from Union, Oct. 9, 2021. An educator for more than 30 years, she retired as a math teacher from Joseph C. Wilson Magnet High School. Fannie enjoyed traveling, planting flowers and reading, and was a skilled seamstress. She was the wife of William Daniels, former professor of political science and associate dean of undergraduate studies.

She was 79.

1980s Bertram J. Pritchard Jr. G’81, of Pittsfield, Mass., who served in the U.S. Air Force, studied electronic and mechanical engineering, and graduated from SUNY Buffalo, Southern Illinois University and Union, Oct. 2, 2021. He worked for General Electric, was an active member of IEEE and enjoyed being a gate attendant at Tanglewood, a gardener at Canoe Meadows and competing as an iron man in the Josh Billings RunAground. A communicant of Sacred Heart Church, he was a lector and Eucharistic minister. Also a volunteer at the Department of Mental Health and Retardation, he was 79.

Jeffrey H. May ’82, of Dalton, Mass., who graduated from Harvard Law School and

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IN MEMORIAM

focused his career on employment law, Nov. 1, 2021. Jeff spent nearly 30 years with GE/SABIC, culminating in being SABIC director of global employment law.

An avid reader, he loved the New York Yankees, Giants and Rangers, and was an active and engaged father. A member of Beth Israel as a child and of Knesset Israel (Pittsfield) as an adult, he served on the board of directors of the Jewish Federation of the Berkshires and Congregation Knesset Israel. He was 61.

Nancy L. Walden G’83, of Niskayuna, N.Y., who held a bachelor’s from Swarthmore College and was a mathematician for General Electric, Sept. 16, 2020. She also held an MBA from Union, was box office manager at Proctors Theatre and a tax preparer at H&R Block. A member of First United Methodist Church (Schenectady), she loved gardening, learning and music.

Actively involved with Schenectady Symphony and a member of the Union College Academy of Lifelong Learning, she was 89.

William J. Flynn ’84, of Hyde Park, N.Y., who served with the U.S. Army in Vietnam and held bachelor’s and master’s degrees in computer science from Union College, Jan. 3, 2020. He worked in the information technology department at Dutchess Community College and was a wonderful husband, father and grandfather. Bill enjoyed riding motorcycles and working on cars, as well as family gatherings and genealogy. He was 72.

Peter DeMarzio ’85, of Niskayuna, N.Y., who spent 30 years with the New York State Office of General Services, Nov. 20, 2021. An amateur inventor and avid reader who loved crossword puzzles, he enjoyed following the stock market, playing poker with friends and spending time on the ocean (especially on Cape Cod). He was 58.

Michael S. Cohen ’87, of Montpelier, Vt., and formerly of Avon and Windsor, Conn., who enjoyed books, movies, classic rock, dogs and tango dancing, June 10, 2021. A graduate of the Loomis-Chaffee School,

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he was recently awarded a scholarship to Norwich University to pursue a degree in actuarial science. He was 57.

1990s Sarah M. Bennati ’96, of Sherrill, N.Y., who taught art (grades 7-12) for more than 20 years at Stockbridge Valley Central School, Sept. 22, 2021. She ran the Art Club there many years and helped developed sets for musicals and T-shirt logos. An administrator for the BOCES high school program, she held a master’s in education from Syracuse University and an administration certification from SUNY Cortland. Sarah loved Long Beach Island, traveling, walking the dogs, finding new restaurants and reading great books. She was 47.

Ben Goodhue ’98, of Beverly, Mass., who was a health and wellness teacher at Beverly High School and served as assistant high school football coach in Gloucester, Sept. 15, 2021. He held a master’s degree in teaching from Union College and previously taught physical education in Reading. He also held a second master’s degree from Springfield College and was named Physical Education Teacher of Year for Massachusetts in 2019. He was 45.

Frederick A. Ulrich ’98, of Valatie, N.Y., an Eagle Scout who worked in marketing in New York City, and for the last 15 years, at Media Logic in Albany, Oct. 14, 2021.

Active in his community, Fred was president of the Film Club board of Crandell Theatre; volunteered at the annual Family Resource Centers of Columbia County tag sale; and was involved with Friends of the Columbia Trail. He also coached his older child’s soccer team and was active in the local Scout troop, Valatie Troop #2114. Fred, who loved movies and was devoted to his wife, Emilia Teasdale ’97, and their two children, Leo and Duncan, was 45.

Friends of Union College Bruce J. Senn, a computer systems analyst with the College for 25 years, Nov. 19, 2021. He retired in 2012. A hiker with an outsized collection of hiking boots, he frequented trails in the Adirondacks and White Mountains. A competitive downhill skier for many years, he was a ski instructor who taught people with disabilities. He enjoyed racing sailboats on Galway Lake, where his family spent summers. He traveled often to Europe to visit family in Sweden or to attend soccer tournaments with his son, John, including the World Cup in 2006.

YOU’RE INVITED We invite you to join alumni, parents, staff, and friends who have provided for Union in their estate plans in the Ramée Circle Society. Through their commitment, members establish an enduring legacy at Union, and we hope you’re inspired to do the same.

Here are some smart and savvy ways to give: CHARITABLE GIFT ANNUITY In exchange for your gift of cash or other property, Union College will make regular payments to you, you and your spouse, or a loved one for life. It’s a smart gift that pays you!

Consider converting appreciated stock that isn’t paying a dividend—or another underperforming asset, such as a savings account, money market fund, or CD bearing little or no interest—into a Charitable Gift Annuity (CGA). While the income from your gift will help secure your future, once the annuity contract ends, the remainder will help secure Union’s future.

Whether you’re in retirement and looking for immediate income, or planning for retirement and a future stream of income, a CGA may be right for you. For a personalized illustration, visit rameecircle.org/cga or contact us.

QUALIFIED CHARITABLE ROLLOVER FROM YOUR IRA If you’re 70½ or older, you can turn your required minimum deduction into a gift! A gift from your IRA allows you to avoid taxes on transfers of up to $100,000, reduce your taxable income, and make a gift that is not subject to the deduction limits on charitable gifts—all in one transaction.

Not yet 70½ or not yet ready to give? You can make Union the beneficiary of your IRA—an easy way to create a meaningful legacy for the future without affecting your current assets or cash flow. Visit rameecircle.org/ira or contact us.

BLENDED OPTION If you’re hesitant to make a planned gift, consider a blended option: Establish an endowment for immediate impact, and create a planned gift that supports that endowment in the future. You can utilize a will or trust, establish an income gift, use a paid-up life insurance policy that you no longer need, or several other options. Let’s create a gift that’s right for you.

Visit rameecircle.org/give or contact us.

Visit rameecircle.org to explore your options, share your intentions or seek assistance.

Steven Jo, Director of Gift Planning | jos@union.edu | 518-388-6913

Office of Communications 807 Union Street Schenectady, NY 12308-3169

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