Claudette Sorel`s legacy comes home

January 2008—Vol 36, No. 2
Excellence celebrated during
Homecoming
Cathy (Calannio) Marion, ’79, accepts the
Outstanding Achievement Award.
Excellence was celebrated when alumni and
emeriti faculty and staff returned to SUNY
Fredonia for Homecoming weekend in
October. The popular Fredonia Jazz Ensemble reunion performed to an appreciative
audience in the Juliet J. Rosch Recital Hall,
while another crowd favorite, Friday’s pep
rally, had the theme, “Fredonia Goes Back
to the 1960s.”
The annual Alumni Awards Luncheon
was held Saturday in the Williams Center.
Cathy (Calannio) Marion, a 1979 graduate now living in Houston, Texas, received
the Outstanding Achievement Award, the
highest honor awarded by the Fredonia
Alumni Association. Ms. Marion, an alumna
of Falconer Central School, graduated from
SUNY Fredonia with a degree in Psychology
with honors and was a member of the Psi
Chi Honor Society. She has worked extensively in the fields of public relations, event
planning and corporate publications, and
has published articles devoted to health,
crime, beauty, design, lifestyle and women’s issues. She and her husband, Jesse,
founded the Marion Foundation to support worthy causes that address children’s
issues, the arts, health and animal welfare.
The program also featured the presentation
of the first Michael J. Livingston Memorial Scholarship, created in memory of
the 1989 graduate, to Samantha Meckler, a Political Science major from East
Amherst, N.Y. During his remarks, Martin
Gilano, ’89, paid tribute to Michael and to
his many classmates including Raymond
Komar, ’89, who worked to raise funds for
the scholarship, noting it creates a “living
legacy for students.” SUNY Fredonia science teaching graduates were also honored
during the luncheon.
Group reunions were also held for alumni
from the School of Business, College of
Education, Department of Biology, Department of Communication, and anniversary
graduating classes. An Octoberfest, alumni
baseball game, and a special Founders Day
Concert by members of the Rho Chi Chapter of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia music fraternity
rounded out the day’s events.
Samantha Meckler accepts the first
Michael J. Livingston Memorial Scholarship from Martin Gilano, ’89, (far right) and
Distinguished Teaching Professor James
Hurtgen.
State University of New York at Fredonia
Claudette Sorel’s legacy comes home
T
he two-day celebration in
September of the Elizabeth and Michel Sorel Charitable Organization’s financial
gift to the Fredonia College
Foundation held double the
excitement after a surprise
announcement.
During the dedication of a new
Steinway concert grand piano
in the Juliet J. Rosch Recital
Hall, Judy Cope, executive
director of the Sorel organization, reflected on the appropriateness of the organization’s
gift to the university. It made
possible the piano purchase
and a $55,000 scholarship
endowment honoring the late
concert pianist and SUNY
Fredonia Distinguished Professor Claudette Sorel. Ms.
Cope then presented a second
$55,000 check to Vice President for University Advancement David Tiffany which
will be used to enhance the
scholarship endowment.
President Dennis L. Hefner
noted, “A new Steinway grand
piano is a fitting tribute…I’m
certain she (Miss Sorel) would
be proud to see future generations of students performing
on such an impressive instrument.” Vice President Tiffany
added, “Doubling the principal
in the Claudette Sorel Memorial Piano Scholarship allows
for more scholarships and
larger awards. It will considerably strengthen the School of
Music’s piano major and grows
the legacy of Miss Sorel.”
The original gift from the Sorel
organization was facilitated by
alumni Wende Persons, ’74,
and Professor Phyllis East,
’71, both former students of
Miss Sorel, who was head of
the piano area at the Fredonia School of Music for many
years and was the first woman
Judy Cope, executive director of the Sorel Charitable Organization,
presents an additional check to Vice President for University Advancement David Tiffany for the Claudette Sorel Memorial Piano Scholarship.
Tony Caramia, ’73, performs in Rosch Recital Hall.
to be named a SUNY Distinguished Professor. Miss Sorel,
who passed away in 1999,
founded the Sorel Charitable
Organization in 1996 in honor
of her parents, with its mission
to keep music excellence alive
and to help stretch the boundaries for women in music.
Following the check presentation, a multi-media musical
tribute was also offered in
Miss Sorel’s memory by Tony
Caramia, ’73, a former student
and professor of piano, director of piano pedagogy studies
and coordinator of the class
piano program at the Eastman
School of Music. Mr. Caramia
studied with Distinguished
Professor Sorel at Fredonia
from 1968 through 1972. He
described his tribute as “about
Miss Sorel and how much she
meant to me as I became a
performer.”
At a banquet later in the day,
former students and acquain-
tances of Miss Sorel shared
memories of her dedication
to students and teaching,
including Professor East, Ms.
Persons, Ms. Cope, Esther
Lanford, Helga Hulse, Raya
Then, ’72; Douglas Martin,
’79; Mr. Caramia, and School
of Music Director Karl Boelter.
Memories ranged from lessons of stage presence, career
advice, and a fabulous French
dinner cooked by Miss Sorel
at which they were expected
to use proper etiquette and
“left feeling very grown up and
much wiser.”
The celebration concluded
with a well-received concert
by internationally-renowned
pianist Richard Goode, who
offered a master class the previous day before with School
of Music piano students
Amalia Nagel, Xio Tan, Bryan
Banach and Takako Tokuda.
Photos by Steven Yunghans
O
ver 100 musicians from throughout the
U.S. and Germany met at Fredonia for the
Sigurd Raschèr Centennial Celebration Conference. SUNY Fredonia alumni and guest musicians, many of whom were former students, performed and shared memories of the brilliance
of the late Sigurd Raschèr, who has been called
the “most important classical saxophonist in
the world.” Among the people attending was Mr.
Raschèr’s daughter, Carina.
Highlights included a concerto concert featuring saxophone soloists Wildy Zumwalt of the
School of Music, who organized the conference,
and Dr. Lawrence Gwozdz, ’75. A special treat
Photo by Robert Siedentop
Alumni celebrate Sigurd Raschèr’s
legacy in November
was a performance by the Raschèr Saxophone
Quartet including alumnus Bruce Weinberger,
’72. Other alumni participating were concert
artist Linda Bangs, Michael Hernandez of
Florida State University, Dr. Ronald Caravan
of Syracuse University, Michael Ried of Fredonia, James Houlik of Duquesne University,
and Brian Kauth, as well as Fredonia Professor
Emeritus Laurence Wyman. SUNY Fredonia’s
Reed Library is also the home of Mr. Raschèr’s
archives.
Alumnus Bruce Weinberger performs with the
Raschèr Saxophone Quartet.
New scholarships endowed and Building Toward
Endowment through the Fredonia College Foundation
program. If you would like to
contribute to this fund please call
(716) 673-3321 or mail your gift
to the Fredonia College Foundation, 272 Central Ave., Fredonia,
NY 14063, please make checks
payable to the Fredonia College
Foundation c/o the Kristen M.
Luther Memorial Fund.
- Jason Luther, ’99
Kristen M. Luther
A family endows
scholarship in tribute
D
uring our teenage years, my
sister, Kristen, and I watched
our father work 12-hour shifts,
seven days a week, at General
Motors while my mother went
to college and started a career
as a nurse. They sacrificed then
so that we could go to college
debt-free. This taught us the
importance of a quality education; our family was proud when
we both graduated from SUNY
Fredonia with teaching degrees.
We were devastated in September 2007, when Kristen (B.S. ’01,
M.S. ’02), passed away tragically
and suddenly. She had been a
dedicated speech instructor in
Buffalo, N.Y. and Tampa, Fla.,
and is now missed by the hundreds of children, families, and
colleagues that she passionately
helped. In dealing with this loss,
my parents and I, my wife, Emily,
’00, and Kristen’s fiancé, Chris,
agreed that creating a scholarship
would insure that Kristen’s passion and commitment to helping
others would continue. As alumni
and family, we know that Kristen
would have been proud to offer
assistance to students who share
her mission; therefore, the Kristen M. Luther Memorial Fund
will award an endowed scholarship each year to a dedicated
graduate student in the speech
Page 2
Sons and a father
create scholarship
endowments
T
he Charles H. Patrick Jr.
Memorial Scholarship
was established as a Building
Toward Endowment Fund by the
Michael Patrick Family. Initiated
by Michael Patrick, ’82, to honor
the memory of his father, the
scholarship is intended to help
non-traditional students enrolling
in SUNY.
Michael’s dad, Charles, a high
school dropout, served four years
in the U.S. Navy. Upon completing his commitment he spent
more than a decade working as
a technician in a factory. Convinced that education was the
vehicle to a more fulfilling career,
he enrolled in college and three
years later, while working a fulltime job and raising four children,
he graduated with honors with
a Bachelor of Science degree.
He then embarked on a long and
distinguished career as a Special
Agent for the Federal Bureau of
Investigation.
Harold graduated with a degree in
Music Education (trumpet). While
in college he was a member of
the band that won the College Big
Band Championship in Mobile,
Ala., in 1966. Also credited to him
was a Senior Honors Concerto
with the orchestra, and playing
with the Long Island Symphony,
Detroit Youth Symphony, Erie
Philharmonic, and on the road
with the CC Riders. Harold taught
for 30 years with the Sweet Home
Central School District.
A.J. Pierce (Aaron James) is a
Native American/Seneca from
Irving, N.Y. and was graduated
from SUNY Fredonia, Summa
Cum Laude, in 1995 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Communication.
The scholarship is intended to
assist Native American students
who have financial need as they
enter SUNY Fredonia as freshmen
and have an interest in pursuing
Music or Communication as a
major.
Fredonia meant a great deal to
Harold and he hopes to continue
to grow the scholarship, and
increase its impact on students in
coming years.
Dr. Robert Wurtz, a retired
counselor educator at Wayne
State University in Detroit, Mich.,
and SUNY Fredonia graduate of
the Class of 1941, has endowed
a scholarship to honor his late
father, George Lester Wurtz. The
intent of the George L. Wurtz
Memorial String Bass Scholarship is to address the financial
needs of the students in the
School of Music and provide
renewable scholarships for students who are concentrating on
string bass.
George L. Wurtz was born in 1888
as the tenth child of immigrant
parents. He was an accomplished
pianist and played professionally in Buffalo by the age of 21.
Mr. Wurtz began to study string
bass in 1917. By the 1920s he was
playing in orchestras and became
the principal bassist with the
Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra
and remained in that position for
approximately 10 years.
New scholarships
honoring recent
retirees announced
S
everal new scholarships
honoring emeriti are Building Toward Endowment. Gifts
directed to these funds honoring
long-standing exemplary service of the retirees honored may
be sent to the Fredonia College
Foundation.
The Thomas E. Malinoski
Endowment for the Visual Arts
will benefit an incoming freshman
with demonstrated talent majoring in the visual arts.
The Dr. Thomas Morrissey
Scholarship will be directed to a
dependent of a member of CSEA
who is employed on the SUNY
Fredonia campus.
Watching his son graduate from
SUNY Fredonia was one of the
most proud moments of his life.
Knowing the importance education played in his life, his family is
honored to award this scholarship
in his memory.
The Dr. Malcolm (Mac) Nelson
Scholarship will benefit English
majors.
The A.J. Pierce Scholarship
was endowed in honor of Aaron
James (A. J.) Pierce by his
father, Harold Pierce, ’66.
George L. Wurtz
Statement January 2008—Vol 36, No. 2
A way to remember
SUNY Fredonia…
Life Insurance - A donor may revocably or irrevocably name the foundation beneficiary and/or owner of a new or pre-existing policy.
Charitable Gift Annuities - Also known as life income agreements, provide a guaranteed income for life in exchange for an irrevocable gift.
The Dallas K. Beal Legacy Society honors alumni and friends who
inform the Fredonia College Foundation of their intentions to invest in
the future of SUNY Fredonia and its students with planned or deferred
gift arrangements.
Charitable Remainder Trusts - These trusts are privately created and
administered. As an irrevocable trust, they can provide either a fixed or
variable income for life or term of years. Similar revocable trusts may
also be employed but do not provide a tax deduction.
The planned giving program encourages alumni and friends to consider
supporting the university through planned gifts in the form of bequests,
life insurance, charitable gift annuities, charitable trusts and retirement
plan gifts. It enables donors to fulfill philanthropic objectives, establish
a legacy and often receive attractive benefits at the same time.
Retirement Plan Gifts - A gift made by naming the foundation as beneficiary after death.
Bequest - The most common form of gift by will. It can be in any
amount and, if it meets the minimum requirement, may be used to create an endowed fund. It is revocable unless otherwise stipulated.
Bequest Savings Bonds - A donor may leave appreciated U.S. Savings Bonds as a charitable bequest and the foundation will receive 100
percent of the value of the bonds (and bypass the tax burden).
Fredonia College Foundation Director of Development Betty C.
Gossett, ’76, would be happy to discuss these options with interested
friends or alumni of SUNY Fredonia. Her telephone number is (716)
673-3321 and her e-mail address is betty.gossett@fredonia.edu.
Alumni connect on ourFredonia.com
A
thletes who “ran like the wind” for SUNY
Fredonia can connect with fellow teammates and learn about generations of Blue
Devil athletes who laced up their Nikes or
Adidas – you pick the shoe style and decade –
as well as pick up the latest scoop on today’s
runners through a new website.
The tagline “remember, acknowledge, look to
the future,” tops the home page. Users chart
their own course using handy drop boxes to
access a seemingly bottomless vault of information about Blue Devil track and field and
cross country teams that took their first strides
in 1968.
OurFredonia.com, promoted as the “world’s
largest online gathering of Fredonia track &
field and cross country fans,” is, well, up and
running. It’s stocked with enough information
to reach out to decades of athletes, get them
engaged and encourage them to support
today’s programs.
Found under “Cool Stuff and Small Print” is
the website’s mission statement, the Fredonia
store – offering trendy Fredonia attire for sale
– as well as a glimpse of Fredonia’s current
weather conditions for those living far from
their alma mater. There are also the standard
“contact us,” disclaimer and FAQs drop boxes.
The website – the product of the diverse
talents and steadfast dedication to “all things
Fredonia” by Dennis McGrath, ’79; Neil
Moore, ’80; and Paul Herman, ’83 -- is a
gathering place for former harriers and track
and field athletes to reconnect with each other,
to celebrate the storied histories of the programs, and serve as a generator of financial
support among alumni.
Users of the website can view school record
listings and honors achieved by past teams
and individual athletes. These run the gamut,
including track and field championships,
NYSCTC titles by all schools, track and field
top ten lists, cross country team championships, cross country All-SUNYAC, All-American selections in both sports, Athletic Hall of
Fame honorees and Steele Hall record holders.
Entire team brochures from actual results from
meets can also be viewed, along with coaching biographies and histories.
In creating ourFredonia.com, the trio are
acknowledging the gratitude they feel towards
their former coaches and their experiences
on the fields of competition, as well as bonding with former teammates and coaches as
a group, explained Mr. McGrath, a 5,000 and
10,000 meter-runner at Fredonia.
Visual Data Systems, an internet marketing,
design and consulting firm founded in 1993 by
Mr. Herman, a fleet-footed sprinter for Fredonia, donated invaluable technical assistance
and the “nuts and bolts” to create and develop
the website.
The target audience is men’s and women’s
cross country and track and field teams from
the early 1970s to the present, Mr. Herman
noted. “We are using a variety of methods to
get the word out about the website, including
word-of-mouth, e-mail campaigns and athlete
lists provided by the (Fredonia College) Foundation and the Alumni Association.”
All three ourFredonia.com founders were on
the cusp of Fredonia’s “Double Decade of
Dominance,” a phrase later coined by legendary track coach Jim Ulrich, which saw the
Blue Devils win a string of SUNYAC and N.Y.S.
championships in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s.
Coach Ulrich piloted the strong track and field
squads; Dr. Everett Phillips directed outstanding cross country teams.
Statement January 2008—Vol 36, No. 2
“This will preserve the rich history in an accessible electronic format anywhere in the world.
We have several members that are serving our
country in Iraq and they can log in from there,”
Mr. Herman said.
“We were able to get a lot of team brochures
from Jim Ulrich,” said Mr. Moore, a swift middistance and distance runner for Fredonia.
“And we had a 1998 grad e-mail us that he had
all the brochures from 1994 to 1998, so we’ll
get those scanned and up on the website.” A
photo gallery is also under construction.
Some pieces of historical information are missing, so contributions to help drive the website
to the finish line are welcome. Users can go
online to chat about Fredonia athletics.
The website also provides an overview of the
Phillips Cross Country/Track & Field Funds,
endowment and unrestricted funds established
in 1993 to honor the memory of Mary Phillips,
a longtime supporter of the programs and late
wife of Dr. Phillips. The Phillips funds allocates
money to sponsor track and field and cross
country events, purchase training equipment
for the teams, sponsor out-of-town travel to
premier events and even to fund other capital
improvements, such as the recent renovation
of the men’s locker room.
That connection between the past and present
is especially important, the website developers believe. OurFredonia.com connects recent
athletes with those from the Ulrich/Phillips era,
so they can read about the histories of the
teams, and so they can learn about the Phillips Fund and the Fred Ruterbusch Memorial
Run/Walk, a bi-annual run established in 2006
to honor the outstanding athlete from the mid
1970s who became SUNY Fredonia’s first All
American athlete and the cornerstone for all
those future great track programs. Mr. Ruterbusch remained an enthusiastic booster of the
programs until his untimely passing in 2003.
OurFredonia.com has gained strong backing from the SUNY Fredonia administration,
alumni, and today’s coaching staff.
“I am really impressed with the commitment
of Fredonia cross country and track alumni to
help build our programs. Their financial commitment provides the financial support that
allows athletes experiences that cannot be
funded within our (current) athletic budget,”
said Vice President for University Advancement David Tiffany. “Their affection and support of Fredonia cross country and track and
field is a wonderful example of alumni working
to help our current students.”
It’s also an example of ongoing alumni support that Nolan Swanson, current head coach
of cross country and track and field teams,
can show to current athletes and prospective
recruits.
More than 100 people registered with ourFredonia.com during its first two months of operation. “We have a very good core of alumni
and others reading the website regularly, and
more importantly, contributing with posts and
e-mails within the website,” Mr. McGrath said.
Users of the ourFredonia.com website must
register and the website is password protected. Contact information provided during
registration cannot be viewed or accessed by
the outside community. Website administrators
use the information to keep users informed
about projects and upcoming events of interest to track and field and cross country alumni,
supporters and even for current Fredonia athletes and the coaching staff. There is no fee
involved in signing-up.
Page 3
Alumni board seeks nominations for Homecoming awards
T
he deadline is May 1 to submit nominations for the top award
given to Fredonia alumni at this fall’s annual Homecoming celebration.
The Fredonia Alumni Association will present its Outstanding
Achievement Awards during Homecoming on Saturday, Oct. 18.
The awards go to alumni who have achieved distinction in their
professions (self-nominations are discouraged). Nominations should
include three letters of affirmation from colleagues, a testimonial
from the person making the nomination, and a resume of the
nominee.
Nominations are also sought for the Meritorious Service Award,
which is open to all campus volunteers; the Friend of Fredonia
Award, given to “goodwill ambassadors;” and the Undergraduate
Outstanding Achievement Award.
Nominations should be sent to: Alumni Awards Committee; Patricia Feraldi, Director of Alumni Affairs; Alumni House; 286 Central
Avenue, SUNY Fredonia, Fredonia, NY 14063.
Statement
class notes
1943
Luella (Muir) Nazaruk, ’43, (elem.
ed.) and her husband, Fred, of Ocala,
Fla., celebrated their sixty-first
wedding anniversary in 2007.
1951
Thomas L. and Marilyn A. Barresi,
’51, (elem. ed.) of Fredonia, N.Y.,
celebrated their fifty-fifth wedding
anniversary in August 2007.
Phoebe (Neely) Mettler, ’51, (elem.
ed.) of Liverpool, N.Y., has enjoyed
retirement since 1990, traveling and
spending time with grandchildren,
and celebrating her sixtieth high
school reunion.
1952
Dr. Cornelius Novelli, ’52, (elem.
ed.) retired in 2005 from full-time
teaching at Le Moyne College in
Syracuse, N.Y., where he had taught
English since 1958. In 2006 he won
the Syracuse Area Live Theatre
(SALT) Award for Best New
Production for the script, “Can We
Talk?” a one-man Shakespeare show.
He continues to teach part-time, to
write theatre reviews for the Syracuse
Post-Standard, and to play tenor banjo
in klezmer and other groups.
1955
Marilyn (Matts) Bissell, ’55, (elem.
ed.) retired after 21 years as a teacher
and assistant director at Christ
Episcopal Church in Charlotte, N.C.
Catherine (Wallace) Kivisild, ’55,
(music ed.) is director of a community
non-profit nursery pre-school.
James Kivisild, ’55, (music ed.) is
retired from teaching. Both he and
Catherine (above) of Islip, N.Y.,
are very involved in community
organizations and church committees.
Page 4
Rev. William “Bill” Persia, ’56,
(music ed.) has returned to the U.S.
after 20 years of service in Peru. After
a sabbatical at the Jesuit school of
Theology at Berkeley (Calif.), he is
director of a Holy Cross retirement
home in North Dartmouth, Mass.
Sandy (Nash) Ryan, ’61, (elem. ed.)
of Miller Place, N.Y., retired in 1994
after 30 years of teaching elementary
school. She and her husband, Paul,
love grandparenting six youngsters
from 7 months to 7½ years old. Sandy
is also part of a 75-member chorus
which sang in Rome and for Pope
Benedict XIV in November 2007.
1958
1962
Shirley (Miller) Erbsmehl, ’58,
(elem.ed.) was a Distinguished
Honoree with her husband, Charles,
on National Philanthropy Day of
the Association of Fundraising
Professionals Western New York
Chapter. Shirley, a retired educator
from the Lancaster (N.Y.) Central
School District, is also a member of
the Fredonia College Council.
Larry J. Graham, ’62, (elem. ed.) of
Irvine, Calif., is retired and serving
as president of the Orange County
(Calif.) Wine Society.
1956
1959
Jerry Surra, ’59, (music ed.) see 1960.
1960
John and Marcia (Frick) McGlarry,
’60, (music ed.) report they had a
Fredonia gathering at their home in
Boston, N.Y., in July 2007, attended
by about 23 people. Jerry Surra, ’59,
(music ed.) flew in from Arizona.
1961
Eugene Gallelli, ’61, (elem. ed.)
writing under the pen name, Geno
Vicenzo, has written, “Missed Tryst,”
the first personalized detective novel
from yournovel.com. He lives in
Manteo, N.C. After many years in
education, most recently as associate
superintendent for Dare County
Schools, he still is a consultant in the
field.
Elaine (Greeley) Jennings, ’61,
(speech) of Boca Raton, Fla., retired
from teaching reading and elementary
education in 2001. She has been
substitute teaching regularly since
2002 and “loving it!!”
Frederick Renz, ’62, (music ed.) was
director of the program, “Stravaganza
Veneziana: Festive Instrumental
Canzonas, Sonatas and Dances,
1550-1650” at the Cathedral of St.
John the Divine in New York City,
and a debut holiday concert program,
“A Dutch Christmas,” after a recent
CD release of the same title produced
in association with The Metropolitan
Museum of Art for its exhibition,
“The Age of Rembrandt.”
1964
Dr. Eugene Alexander, ’64, (elem.
ed.) of Merrick, N.Y., just published
his second book since retiring in
2004, Collections! It’s My Money
Anyway, a humorous narrative about
business.
Susan (Schiff) Kaufman, ’64,
(elem. ed.) is having fun teaching a
3’s class at the Sid Jacobson Jewish
Community Center in East Hills,
Long Island.
Dr. Jacob Ludes III, ’64, ’66,
(history) received the President’s
Award at the 166th annual meeting
of the New England Association of
School Superintendents. He is the
executive director/CEO of the New
England Association of Schools and
Colleges, the first and oldest regional
accrediting agency in the U.S.
1965
Doug Carlson, ’65, (English/sec. ed.)
has completed a biography of Roger
Tory Peterson, which was released
in November 2007 by the University
of Texas Press. He also lectured in
October 2007 at the Roger Tory
Peterson Institute in Jamestown.
Carolyn (Christy) Christy-Boyden,
’65, (elem. ed.) of Conklin, N.Y.,
portrayed Ethel Thayer in “On
Golden Pond” in June 2007. She
and her husband spent two weeks
in Scotland with the family of one
of their host-sons in August. She
also played nine characters in a
performance of, “The Dining Room,”
in October 2007. Carolyn added,
“I always think of Dr. Irving Smith
when I am performing in a play. He
was one of my favorite professors at
Fredonia.”
1966
Dr. Rick Herman, ’66, (chem.)
continues his catalysis research and
teaching at Lehigh University in
Pennsylvania.
1967
Madeline (Zawicki) Fabich, ’67,
(elem. ed.) recently retired from
Loudoun County Public Libraries in
Virginia.
Roger A. Fabich, ’67, (history/sec.
ed.) is employed by SAIC. He and
Madeline (above) live in Sterling, Va.
Doris Jones, ’67, (music ed.) retired
seven years ago after teaching 33
years in the Gowanda (N.Y.) Central
School System. She is finding lots to
do as a church organist/choir director
and volunteer.
1969
Carolyn J. Miller, ’69, (English) of
Scio, N.Y., who retired in November
2007 as chief clerk of the Allegany
County Family and Surrogate’s
Statement January 2008—Vol 36, No. 2
Children of alumni are
eligible for $500 scholarship
Homecoming
Queen Kaylene
Dunning, of
Buffalo, N.Y., and
King Christopher
Reybrouck of
Palmyra, N.Y.,
share a moment
with President
Dennis L. Hefner
and the first lady
of Fredonia, Jan
Hefner.
Several $500 scholarships are available in the
fall from the Fredonia Alumni Association to
children and grandchildren of alumni. Students should have a 3.0 grade point average,
or equivalent, and be active in extra-curricular
programs. The deadline to apply for consideration is April 8. For more information,
interested persons should contact the Alumni
House at (716) 673-3553.
Courts, was honored by a unanimous
resolution of the Allegany County
Bar Association thanking her for
her years of service in the courts.
She had worked in the Allegany
County Courts since 1983, and was
instrumental in the formation of the
county’s Integrated Domestic Violence
Court.
Betty Lou (Jenning) Vrooman, ’69,
(elem. ed.) retired from teaching in
June 2006, and is now running a
resort in the 1000 Islands in Northern
New York State on the St. Lawrence
River.
1971
Robert Crabtree, ’71, (elem. ed.)
retired after 36 years of teaching in
the North Syracuse (N.Y.) Central
School District.
Dr. Greg K. Gibbs, ’71, (elem.
ed.), who serves as vice president of
the Fredonia Alumni Association
Board of Directors, presented a
paper, “A Leadership Imperative,”
at the Intellectbase International
Consortium Conference in Atlanta,
Ga. He is an assistant professor at
St. Bonaventure University in Olean,
N.Y., in its Graduate School of
Education.
(my) career.” She plans to substitute
teach, travel and spend time with her
family.
Dr. Gail (Bantle) Hartin, ’73,
(Spanish) is director of undergraduate
programs for the School of Education
and Human Development at Southern
Methodist University in Texas.
Frederick E. Johnson, ’73, (math./
sec. ed.) of Staten Island, N.Y., retired
in July 2006 from the New York
City Department of Education as a
mathematics teacher. He is now an
assistant professor of mathematics
at St. John’s University and in his
twenty-seventh year as an instructor
of computer science at the College of
Staten Island.
Dr. Michael Marletta, ’73, (chem.,
biology) returned to SUNY Fredonia
recently and presented the seminar,
“From NO Signaling to Ligand
Discrimination to a Blood Substitute
[A road less traveled by, and that made
all the difference (with apologies to
Robert Frost)].” He also participated
in the chemistry department awards
ceremony, presenting the Mary
Marletta Biochemistry Award to
freshman chemistry major Amanda
Button. The award is named in
memory of Mike’s mother.
1972
Guy Devitt, ’72, (elem. ed.) was
a recipient of the 2007 SUNY
Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in
Teaching. He teaches at Herkimer
County Community College.
Lenore (Catalano) Fiebelkorn, ’72,
(elem. ed.) retired as an elementary
teacher in Dunkirk (N.Y.) City
Schools after 33 years.
The following are items that were either accidentally omitted
or incorrectly listed in the University’s Annual Report that was
mailed to you in October 2007. If you did not receive a copy of
this publication, please contact the Fredonia College Foundation
at (716) 673-3321.
Lifetime Giving
Presidential Society ($100,000+)
Mr.* & Mrs. Roderick A. Nixon
The Gustave A. and Geraldine S. Werner Foundation
* deceased
Class of 1950
Anniversary Circle
Zoe Roberts
In Memory of Xylia Peterson
Mr. & Mrs. Tracy S. Bennett
Gifts-In-Kind
John Malcolm
Dallas K. Beal Legacy Society Members
Debbie Joy, ’76
Theresa (Calavitta) Sisson, ’71, ’87,
(math./sec. ed.) of Gastonia, N.C.,
received National Board Certification
AYA Math, and is state district
director for the North Carolina
Association of Educators.
Robert Boerst, ’72, (psych.) of
Auburn, Wash., is a Human
Resources director with De Vry
University.
Corrections to the
Fredonia College
Foundation Report 2006
Dr. Michael Marletta, ’73, with
freshman chemistry major Amanda
Button.
Tom Rasley, ’73, (music ed.) has
teamed up with long-time friend and
musical partner Scott B. Adams to
release a new CD of instrumental
guitar music, “Acoustic Intersection.”
The collection features fresh
arrangements of classic, familiar songs
played by two seasoned musicians.
Those interested may find more
information at www.orchardbeat.com.
Karen Frick, ’72, (elem. ed.) retired
in June 2007 after teaching for 35
years at Harvey C. Fenner Elementary
School in Falconer, N.Y., including 31
years of teaching fourth grade.
Wendy Woodbury Straight, ’73,
(elem. ed.) received the Community
Service Award from the Fredonia
(N.Y.) Chamber of Commerce for
her continued efforts in historic
preservation.
1973
1974
Patricia (Hunt) Albaugh, ’73, (elem.
ed.) retired in 2007 after teaching
sixth grade in Oneida, N.Y., for 34
years, adding, “loved every minute of
Jim Murphy, ’74, (earth science/
sec. ed.) a former member of SUNY
Fredonia’s soccer and baseball teams,
is in his thirty-fourth year of teaching
Statement January 2008—Vol 36, No. 2
In Memory of Mary C. Phillips
Mr. & Mrs. William Gallagher
Ms. Kelly Gotham-Audin, ’93
Mr. Todd P. Grady, ’93
Mr. James A. Hallgren, ’84
Mr. Jeffery Huber, ’83
Mr. & Mrs. Kevin Kirchgraber
Ms. Betty McCavitt
Ms. Jess McCavitt
Mr. Kevin M. McGrath
Mr. F. Joseph McGrath
Mr. Mark Monti, ’80
Mr. James Moore
Mr. Richard Neary, ’81
Mr. Michael R. O’Connor, ’79
Mr. Louis Paganello, ’81
Mr. Patrick J. Plunkett
Mr. Bernard A. Prabucki, ’83
Mr. James E., ’82 & Mrs. Carm Sieckmann
Ms. Linda Sieckmann-Dugan, ’80
Mr. & Mrs. William Stanton
Mr. Edward Talerico, ’84
Mr. Pierre Vavoules, ’78
Mr. Jeffrey Winden, ’94
Mr. Timothy P. Zintel, ’80
2006 Fredonia College Foundation Board of Directors
Shirley Miller Erbsmehl, ’58
(Alumni Representative)
Teacher, Lancaster Central School (Ret.)
Page 5
earth science in the Vestal, N.Y.
school district, where he has also
coached boys soccer. In November
2007, the Vestal boys soccer team
defeated Webster Thomas to win
the New York State Class AA
championship in a game played in
Oneonta at the Soccer Hall of Fame.
He later was also selected as the New
York State “Large Schools” Coach of
the Year by the N.S.C.A.A. following
a game against Half Hollow Hills
High School in overtime to advance
to the state final, again against
Webster Thomas.
B. Dolores Thompson, ’74, (philo.)
of Jamestown, N.Y., continues to be
listed in the Marquis Who’s Who: of
American Women, in America and in
the World.
1975
Ralph Anderson, ’75, (sociology) of
West Seneca, N.Y., celebrated the
birth of his first grandchild in 2007
and this year will celebrate 30 years of
ordained Christian ministry.
Dr. David Bristol, ’75, (math./
sec. ed.) returned to Fredonia to
present a guest lecture for students in
mathematics and computer science.
Community College Board of
Trustees by the Chautauqua County
Legislature.
Rosanne (Murszewski) Keegan, ’75,
(history) of Sayreville, N.J., retired
from the insurance industry and
is now a substitute teacher at local
Catholic schools.
Erika (Benson) Leopold, ’75, (elem.
ed.) teaches Spanish at Penfield (N.Y.)
High School.
J. Paul Lombardo, ’75, ’81, (elem.
ed.) of Jamestown, N.Y., is retiring
from a 32-year teaching career at the
end of this school year. He is a past
People to People Youth Leadership
facilitator.
Dr. David N. Nichols, ’75, (physics)
of Fairport, N.Y., celebrated 25 years
of marriage with his wife, Jill. He is
employed as CCD commercialization
manager at ISS, Eastman Kodak, and
has been employed there for 26 years.
Barbara (Ring) Peters, ’75, (elem.
ed.) of Jamestown, N.Y., taught for 22
years.
Mark P. Prusak, ’75, (biology) is in
his thirtieth year with the U.S. Food
and Drug Administration’s Buffalo,
N.Y. office. He continues as an FDA
supervisory investigator responsible
for FDA Import Operations at
Buffalo’s border crossings.
Births
A son, Mohan Surya, to Prakash and Dawn (Czarnecki) Seshadri,
’92, (art) of Wilmington, Del.
A son, Cole Jacob, to Nate and Kara (Fiorenzo) Bodie, ’93, (English) of Divide, Colo.
A son, Riley Reese, to Bill and Kimberly (Munn) O’Neill, ’94,
(commun.) of Atlanta, Ga.
Twins, Emma West and Molly Winter, to Susie and Christopher
Weber, ’95, (English) of Boulder, Colo.
A daughter, Alyssa Elaine, to Bill and Amanda L. (Mueller) Galley,
’96, (commun.).
A son, Isaac John, to Sam and Jessica (Thering) Monaco, ’99,
(elem. ed.) of Barker, N.Y.
A daughter, Genevieve Kate, to Brian (music ed.) and Sandra
(Boyce) McKeever, ’01, (English) of Wingdale, N.Y.
A daughter, Leyna, to Bill and Rebecca (Cottrell) Diehl, ’02,
(music ed.) of Fairfax, Va.
A daughter, Lily Grace, to Anne and Brian Miga, ’02, (physics/
coop. engineer.) of Rosemount, Minn.
Marriages
Allison Kemp, 2000, (commun.) to Dan O’Shea in New York, N.Y.
Andrea Garvey, ’01, ’03, (English, elem. ed./curr. and instr.) to Tim
Barnhart.
Tim Grant, ’05, (biochem.) to Rachel Perkins.
1976
Dr. David Bristol, ’75
Louis DiPalma, ’75, (history) of
Fredonia, N.Y., was appointed
a member of the Jamestown
Attention members
of the Class of 1978
The Career Development
Office maintains credentials files for 30 years from
the year of the first degree
from SUNY Fredonia.
Files older than 30 years
that have not been active
(new letters of reference,
sending file out, correspondence regarding file
contents) within five years
will be destroyed, unless
you contact the CDO by
Sept. 1 of the year the file
is to be destroyed. Therefore, files from 1978
grads, not active within
the past five years, will
be eliminated after Sept.
1, 2008.
If you have questions, you
may contact the CDO at
careers@fredonia.edu or
(716) 673-3327, or view
current policies at www.
fredonia.edu/cdo
Note: Credentials Files
contain letters of recommendation and should
not be confused with
academic transcripts that
list courses and grades;
these are retained permanently by the Office of the
Registrar.
Page 6
Denise Comeaux, ’76, (speech path.
and aud.) is principal of a special
education school in Charlotte, N.C.
She would love to hear from her
speech pathology colleagues through
e-mail at dmcomeaux@aol.com.
He later that day presented a lecture
open to the campus community.
the University of Florida/Institute
of Food and Agricultural Sciences
Florida Medical Entomology
Laboratory in Vero Beach.
1977
Kay Barlow, ’77, (music ed.) was
profiled in the Dunkirk Observer
about the “Music Together” program
for children she offers at her Growing
with Music education center in
Fredonia, N.Y.
Daniel Bromsted, ’77, (music ed.)
is president of the New York State
Chapter of the American Choral
Director’s Association. He teaches
general music, three elementary
choruses and the elementary musical
when planned at Silver Creek (N.Y.)
Central School.
Laurel Long, ’77, (art) illustrated
two children’s books that were
published in Fall 2007, Hans Brinker
for Penguin, and Holly Claus the
Christmas Princess, for Harper
Collins. Laurel is a tenured professor
of art at California State University
in Northridge and her work was also
exhibited at the Society of Illustrators’
annual exhibition in New York City.
Gretchen (Preve) McCallister,
’77, (elem. ed.) of Orlando, Fla., is
teaching in two private elementary
schools and community college and
“learning all the time!”
Dr. Christopher Mirabelli, ’77,
(biology) has been managing director
at HealthCare Ventures, LLC since
2000, a leading venture capital group
focused on building significant
companies in the biopharmaceutical
industry. He visited campus in
December 2007 and was featured in
the Speaker Series sponsored by the
SUNY Fredonia School of Business.
Dr. Christopher Mirabelli, ’77
Alan Siebert, ’77, (music ed.) has just
released another CD, “Stargazer.” For
more information, visit his website
at alansiebert.com. He is currently in
his eighteenth year of teaching at the
University of Cincinnati CollegeConservatory of Music.
Dr. Jonathan Day, ’78, with
Professor Emeritus Allen Benton.
Douglas Fenton, ’78, (special studies)
has been named a case manager and
outside activities director at Fredonia
Place.
Cathy (Hoffmann) Siebert, ’77,
(music ed.) is in the top 1 percent of
Maestro Producers of Kindermusik
International, reaching over 400
children/families each week. She and
Alan (above) live in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Lucky Nahum, ’78, (elem. ed.) of
Rochester, N.Y., is a clothing designer
under the brand name “Vluxe by
Lucky Nahum.” His shirts are carried
by finer men’s stores across the
country.
Kathleen Wise, ’77, (sociology) of
Loudonville, N.Y., represented SUNY
Fredonia at the inauguration of Siena
College’s tenth president, Fr. Kevin
Mullen, O.F.M., Ph.D.
Stephen O’Sullivan, ’78, (special
studies) has been appointed to the
board of directors for the Mt. San
Antonio College Foundation, the
largest of California’s community
colleges. He is executive director
of San Gabriel Valley Newspaper
Group in Pasadena, Calif., and on the
adjunct faculty of the University of La
Verne, teaching media ethics.
1978
Dr. Sheryl Westling Bushman, ’78,
(chem.) is a practicing physician in
Fort Scott, Kan., and is extremely
involved in humanitarian work in
Haiti.
Dr. Jonathan F. Day, ’78, (biology)
returned to campus to present a guest
seminar, “Predicting West Nile Virus
Epidemics in Florida,” and to speak
with biology majors. Jonathan is
professor of medical entomology at
Dr. Shari Yudenfreund-Sujka, ’78,
(biology) and her husband, Stan, of
Winter Park, Fla., will celebrate their
twenty-fifth wedding anniversary in
May.
1979
Michael Bobseine, ’79, (pol. sci.)
of Fredonia, N.Y., completed the
Statement January 2008—Vol 36, No. 2
ING New York City Marathon in
November 2007.
Dr. Greg Roth, ’79, ’84, (chem.)
has settled into his new position
as associate professor and director
of Medicinal Chemistry and
Pharmacology at the Burnham
Institute for Medical Research
at Lake Nona at its new facility
in Orlando, Fla. His web site
is www.burnham.org/default.
asp?contentID=498.
1981
After 19 years at General Electric
Plastics, Dr. Rick Joyce, ’81, (chem.)
joined Sun Chemical in Carlstadt,
N.J., in 2005, where he is vice
president, Technology and Growth
Initiatives.
Barbara Kilduff-O’Farrell, ’81,
(music perf.) see 1982.
Dr. Susan Schall, ’81, (math., coop.
enginner.) has been named a Fellow of
ABET at its annual awards banquet
in November 2007. The award is
presented each year to recognize
individuals who have given sustained
quality service to the ABET-related
professions and to education within
the ABET disciplines through
the activities of ABET. She is
president of SOS Consulting, LLC
of Front Royal, Va. Susan is a senior
member of the Institute of Industrial
Engineers and the American Society
for Quality.
Dr. Susan Schall, ’81
On Nov. 16, 2007, Carol (Eck)
Ward, ’81, (pol. sci.) from
Gaithersburg, Md., represented
SUNY Fredonia at George
Washington University’s inauguration
of its sixteenth president, Dr. Steven
Knapp.
1982
Michele (Coudrey) Franco,
’82, (speech and hear. hand.) is a
speech pathologist with the Erie
2-Chautauqua-Cattaraugus Board
of Cooperative Educational Services
(BOCES) and lives in Gowanda,
N.Y., with her husband, Victor; son,
Tory, and daughter, Anna.
Colin Hart, ’82, (bus. admin.) of
Fredonia, N.Y., reported that the fall
twenty-fifth anniversary gathering
of the Class of 1982 was enjoyed
by “floormates” of McGinnies Hall
including Tom Scorby (bus. admin.),
Tracy Dybowski (bus. admin.),
Chris Schena (special studies) and
Ken “Mac” McDermott, ’81 (special
studies).
Reunions
& Events
First Day of Classes
Monday, Jan. 28
Hockey Alumni Weekend
Friday – Saturday, Feb. 8-9, Campus
Contact Jeffrey.Meredith@fredonia.edu for more information.
Alumni Board Meeting
Laurie (Lasher) Tramuta, ’82, (music
ed.) see 1983.
Wednesday, Feb. 13, 6:30 p.m.
1983
Laughing Matterz Comedy Club
Thursday, Feb. 14, 6:30 p.m. Alumni Reception, 7:15 p.m. dinner,
9:00 p.m. Show
219 South Andrews Ave., Ft. Lauderdale
$40/person. For more information, visit www.fredonia.edu/alumni.
Dr. Paul Hans, ’83, (chem.) has
left General Electric Plastics and is
now product manager HP/S-ETP in
the Engineered Materials Group at
PolyOne Corp. in Avon Lake, Ohio.
Ft. Lauderdale, Fla./Fredonia Alumni Reunion
Charlotte, N.C. Financial Planning Workshop
LCDR Karyl Jennings, ’82, (psych.)
is a lieutenant commander in the U.S.
Public Health Service Commisioned
Corps. She is a mother of five and
has lived in Alaska for the past seven
years. She is also a social worker
and earned her M.S.W. from the
University of South Carolina in 1990.
Hosted by Stuart Gardner, ’79, Vice President for Investments,
H&R Block
Thursday, March 13, 6-6:45 p.m., Cans Bar and Canteen, 500 W. 5th St.
Free to all but please make reservation by contacting the Alumni
Office at alumni.office@fredonia.edu.
to be followed by . . .
Catherine (Sedota) Pratt, ’83, (elem.
ed./early child.) of Fredonia, N.Y.,
completed the ING New York City
Marathon in November 2007.
Cans Bar and Canteen
Thursday, March 13, 7 – 9 p.m., Alumni Reception
500 W. 5th St., Charlotte
$5/person. Please make advance reservations.
Contact the Alumni Office at alumni.office@fredonia.edu.
The Bethany College Choir, directed
by David J. Rudari, ’83, (music
ed.) presented Handel’s “Messiah”
in December 2007 at St. Joseph’s
Cathedral in Wheeling, W. Va., with
David and other SUNY Fredonia
alumni Laurie (Lasher) Tramuta,
’82 (music ed.); Barbara KilduffO’Farrell, ’81 (music perf.); and John
Tiranno, ’99, (music perf.) as guest
soloists, and Denis Mastromonaco,
’07, (music perf.) as conductor. This
is the second time that the Fredonia
singers have joined with Bethany
choir for a performance of “Messiah.”
Charlotte, N.C./Fredonia Alumni Reunion
SUNY Fredonia Chamber Singers Concert/Long
Island Alumni Reunion
Sunday, March 30, reception 6:30 p.m., free concert 8:00 p.m.
Location TBA
Educational Development Program’s 40th
Anniversary Celebration
People of Color Concerns Conference, Friday – Sunday, April 18-20,
Campus
Reunion Dinner and Celebration
Saturday, April 19; 5 p.m. auction; 6 p.m. dinner;
Café G, Williams Center.
1984
Blue Devil Alumni Association Golf Tournament
Lauretta J. (Skidmore) Bateman,
’84, (chem.) is a project manager
at The Psychological Corporation
looking for chemists (with at least a
master’s degree) to write chemistry
items for the Pharmacy College
Friday, May 16, 1 p.m. lunch, 2 p.m. start
Shorewood Country Club, West Lake Road, Dunkirk
For more information, contact Swanson@fredonia.edu.
Commencement
Saturday, May 17. Campus
By invitation only
Class of 1958 Reunion
Friday – Saturday, June 6-7. Campus
Alumni Board Meeting
Wednesday, Aug. 13, 6:30 p.m.
Alumni House
Buffalo Area Alumni Reunion
August Date and Location TBA
Family Weekend
Friday – Sunday, Sept. 26-28, Campus
Homecoming Weekend
Friday – Sunday, Oct. 17-19, Campus
Annual Alumni Board Meeting
Gathered for a performance of the “Messiah” were (left to right) David J.
Rudari, ’83, baritone; Laurie (Lasher) Tramuta, ’82, mezzo soprano; Denis
Mastromonaco, ’07, conductor; Barbara Kilduff-O’Farrell, ’81, soprano; and
John Tiranno, ’99, tenor.
Statement January 2008—Vol 36, No. 2
Wednesday, Nov. 12, 6:30 p.m.
Alumni House
Page 7
Admission Test. She can be contacted
at Lauretta_Bateman@harcourt.com.
Cindy (Mantai) Hennessey, ’84,
(English) has joined the advertising
agency Crowley Webb and Associates
of Buffalo as a copywriter and
proofreader. She lives in Buffalo, N.Y.,
with her two children, and would love
to hear from old friends via e-mail at
chennessey@roadrunner.com.
at the Virginia Center for the
Creative Arts in January 2007. He
was recently named a recipient of an
ASCAP Plus Award for 2007 by the
American Society of Composers,
Authors, and Publishers, and
anticipated his third CD would be
released in November 2007.
Some options:
1985
Dr. Timothy J. Brown, ’87
Susan L. Asquith, ’85, (bus. admin)
was promoted to senior vice president
at Travers Collins & Company, a
Buffalo-based integrated marketing
communications firm. She is also
a member of the firm’s executive
management team. A graduate of
Leadership Buffalo, she serves on
the board and chairs the marketing
committee for Kids Escaping Drugs,
the Community Development
Council for the Buffalo Niagara
Partnership, and the marketing
committee for the Buffalo Niagara
Enterprise.
Dr. Sheila (Robinson) Kohn, ’87,
(special studies) completed her
Ed.D. in Educational Leadership
from the University of Rochester
(N.Y.) in May 2007 and is employed
as a special education teacher
mentor in the Greece Central
School District.
1986
Help current students get first hand information about your occupation, your employer, graduate school, relocating to your area, or
internship and job opportunities. Join this network of professionals
dedicated to mentoring current students and other alumni by offering
information and advice.
You decide how you want to mentor and how often.
Ron Perison, ’84, (pol. sci., coop.
engineer.) has retired from NASA
and accepted a position at the Johns
Hopkins University Applied Physics
Lab.
Michael Carges, ’85, (chem.)
teaches physics at Greece Athena
High School in Rochester, N.Y. In
2003 he received the William D.
Ryan Inspirational Teacher Award
sponsored by the University of
Rochester’s Laboratory for Laser
Energetics. He recently completed
a second master’s degree in
administration. Mike and his wife
have three children.
Fredonia Career Connection
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Discuss your career field
Share advice about internships, job search, graduate school
Conduct a mock interview
Provide information about relocation to your area
Have a student visit your workplace
Host an intern for a semester or a summer
Be a panel member in a career seminar
Do a presentation about your organization
Post job/internship opportunities from your organization
Get started! Complete the Mentor Registration Form by clicking on
Career Connection on the Career Development Office website,
www.fredonia.edu/cdo
Join today, and help us help our students!
1988
Marlene Schmitt, ’88, (biology) of
Eek, Alaska, is in her fourth year of
teaching in a remote Eskimo village
in Alaska. She was recently honored
as the 2007 LKSD Staff Person of the
Year for the Eek School.
1989
Caryn (Gabel) Benton, CPA, ’89,
(account.) was named a CFO of the
Year by Business First newspaper of
Buffalo, N.Y., as one of six CFOs
honored. She has earned her CPA
license and is CFO of Pioneer Credit
Recovery, a Western New York-based
receivables management and Fortune
500 company.
Mandy (Crandall) Collins, ’86,
’87, (elem. ed./early child. ed.) was
named the 2008 Gwinnett County
(Ga.) Teacher of the Year, and was
profiled in the Atlanta Constitution.
She is a gifted education teacher at
McKendree Elementary School and
a fourth generation public school
teacher.
(vis. arts/graphic design), and that
another alumna Xueyin Chen, ’07,
(vis. arts/graphic design) also works at
the firm. Noted Director of Alumni
Affairs Patty Feraldi, “The alumni
mentoring system is beginning to
catch on!” The Career Connection is a
new initiative of the Office of Career
Development at Fredonia.
1991
Gretchen Geitter, ’91, (commun.)
executive director of community
relations for the Buffalo Bills, was
named to the 40 Under Forty Class
of 2007 by Business First newspaper
of Buffalo, N.Y., as one of Western
New York’s young leaders.
Brigid Schaffer, ’86, (account.) is
an associate professor at Western
Connecticut State Universiy and
a part-time realtor. She and her
husband, Paul, have two daughters,
Sarah and Amber.
Julie (Galler) Simms, ’86, (commun.)
is an associate vice president of
Institutional Advancement at Le
Moyne College in Syracuse, N.Y.
1987
Dr. Timothy J. Brown, ’87, (special
studies) of Denver, Colo., held a
Fellowship in Music Composition
Page 8
Stephen Shepanski, ’93, (social
studies/sec. ed.) has taught global
history for 13 years, six at CaledoniaMumford (N.Y.) and is beginning
Deaths
Renee C. (Siebel) Park,
Class of 1933
Chautauqua County District
Attorney David Foley, ’89, (social
studies/sec. ed.) was a guest speaker
in Distinguished Teaching Professor
James Hurtgen’s American Politics
class in October.
Kurt J. Litzelfelner, ’86, (econ.) is a
manager in the Business Validation
Group at Eldredge, Fox and Porretti,
LLP of Rochester, N.Y.
David Harris, ’93, (sociology) earned
his M.S.W. degree from Syracuse
University in 1997. He and his wife,
Vicky, live in Farmington, Ct., and
have two sons, Wells and Caleb.
He works at Merck & Co., Inc., as
a senior cardiovascular metabolic
specialty representative.
Alumni
Nancy (McMurray)
Emerson, Class of 1947
Caryn (Gabel) Benton, ’89
Mandy (Crandall) Collins, ’86, ’87
Citifinancial Auto and lives in Divide,
Colo. She would love to hear from
classmates at bodie741@mesanetworks.
net. See note under “Births.”
Don Horton, ’89, (human res.
mgmt.) retired from the New York
State Department of Labor in 2007
and is president of the Chautauqua
Multiuse Sports Facility Committee.
Trina (Smith) Newton, ’89, ’94,
(elem. ed., elem. ed./curr. and
instr.) is assistant superintendent
for Curriculum, Instruction and
Accountability for the Binghamton
(N.Y.) City School District.
1990
Annette Baldwin, ’90, ’94, (biology)
is a chemistry teacher at Frontier
High School in the Hamburg (N.Y.)
School System.
Rocco Piscatello, ’90, (art/graphic
design) of Northport, N.Y., owner of
Piscatello Design Center, reports that
he hired Junnosuke Hamaguchi, ’04,
Walter Highland,
Class of 1950
Gretchen Geitter, ’91
1992
Kelly Haggmark, ’92, (account.)
is controller for Renold, Inc., of
Westfield, N.Y., and a certified
management accountant and
certified internal auditor.
Brent Keefer, ’92, (account.) was
promoted to G/L accountant in
June 2007 at the Country Meadows
Retirement Communities in
Hershey, Pa.
Dawn (Czarnecki) Seshadri, ’92,
(art) see note under “Births.”
U.S. Marine Maj. Kyle Tarrant,
’92, (pol. sci.) was profiled in
November 2007 in the Dunkirk
Observer. He recently received
the Bronze Star while serving as
deputy director of intelligence for
a Special Operations Task Force in
Afghanistan.
1993
Kara (Fiorenzo) Bodie, ’93,
(English) is a credit analyst for
Charles M. Hart,
Class of 1958
Gerald L. “Jerry” Sullivan,
Class of 1970
Stephen J. Masucci Jr.,
Class of 1973
Nils Nissen,
Class of 1998
Faculty/Staff
Mary Ann Burgess, secretary, Department of
Business Administration,
1967-1992 (also alumna,
Class of 1982)
John Saulitis, associate
librarian and director, Reed
Library, 1968-1986.
Kent B. Taylor, instructor,
Department of Geosciences,
1990-2004 (also alumnus,
classes of 1978 and 1991).
Statement January 2008—Vol 36, No. 2
his seventh year at Rush-Henrietta
(N.Y.) High School where he is the
varsity girls basketball coach. The
team has won three AAA section
championships, two AA public high
school championships, and he was
named New York State Public School
AA Coach of the Year in 2006 and
New York State Coaches Association
Co-Coach of the Year in 2007.
Kathleen Stress, ’93, (art) is internal
communications director for the
Food Bank of Central New York. She
formerly worked for the Salvation
Army as director of continuous
quality improvement and director of
School Age Programs. She lives in
Syracuse, N.Y.
Sebastian Tate, ’93, (social work) is
a student success counselor at Central
Piedmont Community College/
Central Campus in Charlotte, N.C.
1994
Amanda (Burlett) Cooley, ’94,
(psych.) was promoted in June
2007 to Customer Contact Center
coordinator at DFT Communications
of Fredonia, N.Y.
Christopher Loss, ’94, (commun.) of
Scottsdale, Ariz., is director/national
promotion for Valory Music Co., a
new free-standing imprint.
Kimberly (Munn) O’Neill, ’94,
(commun.) see note under “Births.”
1995
Tara (Backhaus) Furman, ’95, (elem.
ed./math.) and her husband, Charlie,
live in Springville, N.Y., with their
three children, 1-year-old Bryce,
Mykala and Charlie. Tara is a fourth
grade teacher at Colden Elementary
School.
Christopher Keffer, ’95, (English)
represented SUNY Fredonia in
November at the inauguration of
Rochester Institute of Technology’s
ninth president, Dr. William W.
Destler.
Dakota Lawrence, ’95, (commun.,
English) returned to graduate school
to pursue a Master of Divinity
degree after 10 years of teaching
and coaching football/track in
Alabama and Florida with three state
championships. He works for A.G.
Edwards and Sons as an investment
advisor in St. Peters, Missouri, and
has begun the groundwork for a new
church and coaches football.
Ira Newberger, ’95, (commun.)
spent the summer of 2007 in
Hawaii producing a documentary,
“Coconutty,” that will run on the
Food Network in the spring.
Christopher Weber, ’95, (English)
see note under “Births.”
Hillary Zuckerberg, ’95, (commun.)
of New York, N.Y., has been happily
married for three years and recently
started a new job as vice president of
operations at Rock and Roll Fantasy
Camp.
1996
Kristen Everett, ’96, (English)
has accepted a position as a public
information officer with the Humane
Society of the United States at its
headquarters in Maryland. Part of
her job in working with the media is
specifically related to disaster response
teams which the society deploys
all over the country in the event of
disasters like Hurricane Katrina.
Amanda L. (Mueller) Galley, ’96,
(commun.) is marketing director
for Wahl Media in Rochester, N.Y.,
where she also lives with her husband,
Bill, and family. See note under
“Births.”
David O’Rourke, ’96, (English)
has been named superintendent of
schools for the Silver Creek (N.Y.)
Central School District, effective Jan.
3. He had taught high school English
in Silver Creek for five years before
becoming coordinator for Staff and
Curriculum Development at Erie-1
Board of Cooperative Educational
Services (BOCES), before returning
to Silver Creek as director of
Instruction and Technology and most
recently as interim business official.
Ken Travis, ’96, (commun.)
attended Yale School of Drama after
graduating from Fredonia, and later
moved to New York City, where he
has been designing and mixing sound
for rock, theatre, dance and opera
productions for the past 10 years.
He designed the sound for three
Broadway shows including last year’s
“The Threepenny Opera” at Studio 54
starring Alan Cumming. Currently,
Ken is working with Lee Breuer on
“Crux,” a reggae opera with its world
premiere set for the 2008 Edinburgh
International Arts Festival. He lives
in Brooklyn with his wife of three
years, Meghan Williams.
1997
Bonny Chruscicki, ’97, (art/graphic
design) has been named the new
communications designer in the
Office of Publication Services at
SUNY Fredonia. She comes to the
university from Canon Design of
Grand Island, N.Y.
Scott Pecore, ’97, (special studies/
American Studies) is director of
U.S. Corporate Accounts for Ansell
Healthcare Products, LLC of Red
Bank, N.J., providing healthcare
barrier protection technologies to the
medical, occupational, and consumer
markets.
Christopher Holland, ’97, ’99,
(English) is Dean of Students at the
College of St. Joseph in Rutland, Vt.
A group of alumni including Seth
Oyer, ’97, (commun./English);
Michael Liberature, ’98, (bus
admin.); Todd Bowlus, ’99, (history);
Jason Krause, ’97, (bus. admin.);
Jason Bohen, ’97, (elem. ed.);
Matt Corriveau, ’99, (history);
and Brendon Daley, ’98, (pol. sci.)
gathered in Las Vegas, Nev. for an
annual vacation get-together.
Laura Sotir, ’97, (commun.) lives in
Albany, N.Y., where she is a morning
show co-host for B95.5 FM (WYJB).
She also works as a freelance
copywriter and voiceover artist for
many local and statewide businesses,
adding, “And I miss my time at
Fredonia!”
1998
Brendon Daley, ’98, (pol. sci.) see
1997.
Michael Liberature, ’98, (bus
admin.) see 1997.
Statement January 2008—Vol 36, No. 2
Rachael Howard Richardson, ’98,
still works at CNN and has moved
to Los Angeles, Calif., where she is a
network video editor.
1999
Todd Bowlus, ’99, (history) see 1997.
Matt Corriveau, ’99, (history) see
1997.
Micki (Pannozzo) Meyer, ’99,
(commun.) received the 2007
Community Engagement Educator
Award for the State of Florida in the
Independent Colleges category from
the Florida Campus Compact. She
serves as director for the Office of
Community Engagement at Rollins
College. Micki and her husband,
David, live in Orlando, Fla.
Jessica (Thering) Monaco, ’99, (elem.
ed.) see note under “Births.”
John Tiranno, ’99, (music perf.) see
1983.
2000
Gentian Buzi, 2000, (comp. sci.,
physics) a Ph.D. candidate at
California Institute of Technology
(CalTech), returned to campus to
give a lecture in the Computer and
Information Sciences department in
November 2007. He is working under
the direction of Professor John Doyle
in control theory and systems biology.
Nicole “Nicky” Colomb, 2000,
(biology) of Richmond, Va., is
director of marketing for the Virginia
Biotechnology Research Park. She
wrote to Professor Philip Kumler, “I
have so many great memories – and
friends – from Fredonia. It really was
a great place! COLD, but great.”
Attending Allison (Kemp) O’Shea’s,
2000, (commun.) wedding in New
York City were fellow members of the
Class of 2000 Kelli (Bauer) Hickey
(bus. admin.), Andy (commun.) and
Alison (Tripp) Mudra (commun.),
Andrea (Greene) Pusateri (elem. ed./
English) and Julie VanDette (psych.).
See note under “Marriages.
Martin Pollizotto, 2000, (biochem.)
is a technical support analyst at
Sequent Energy Management in
Houston, Texas. He earned a graduate
degree at Baylor College of Medicine,
and prior to his current position
he was a laboratory manager at the
University of Texas at Houston and
a technical sales representative at
Improvisation, Inc.
2001
Andrea (Garvey) Barnhart, ’01, ’03,
(English, elem. ed./curr. and instr.)
is a fourth grade teacher at Micheal
M. Maroun Elementary School
in Phoenix, N.Y. See note under
“Marriages.” Ben Bonnet, ’01, (media
arts) was an attendant in the wedding
party.
Jennifer Bechdel, ’01, (vis. art/
photo.) anticipates receiving her
M.B.A. from the Terry School of
Business at the University of Georgia.
She works for RREEF Alternative
Investments, a global alternative
investment management business of
Deutsche Bank’s Asset Management
Division.
Cheryl M. Huels, ’01, ’03, (biology)
is employed by the New York State
Department of Agriculture and
Markets: Food Safety and Inspection.
Jessica (Bittner) Markus, ’01,
(sociology) is a special education
teacher at a private school in
Manhattan, N.Y. She was married to
Benjamin in 2006 and has earned a
master’s degree.
Brian McKeever, ’01, (music ed.) see
note under “Births.”
Sandra (Boyce) McKeever, ’01,
(English) has started her own
business, Offsite Administrative
Solutions, as a virtual assistant, doing
writing, editing and proofreading.
For more information, interested
persons should visit www.
offsiteadministrativesolutions.com.
She would also love to connect with
old friends via e-mail at sandra@
offsiteadministrativesolutions.com. See
note under “Births.”
Winter Zemans, ’01, (commun./
TV and digtl. film) has moved from
Van Nuys to Northridge, Calif., and
since graduating has worked in the
film/television industry. Currently,
she is production coordinator for the
television show, “Gray’s Anatomy.”
She adds: “I look back on my college
days VERY fondly. Majoring in
Video/TV Production has helped
me get to where I am today. I am
thankful for every minute of time I
spent at SUNY Fredonia!!! Thanks for
the ever lasting memories.”
2002
Rebecca (Cottrell) Diehl, ’02, (music
ed.) see notes under “Births.”
Nicholas J. Koziol, ’02, (English)
associate director of alumni affairs
at SUNY Cortland, was awarded
a 2008 Professional Development
Scholarship from the National
Educational Alumni Trust as one of
15 winners nationwide. He plans to
use the award to participate in the
2008 Council for the Advancement
and Support of Education Workshop
for Newcomers in Alumni Relations
in February.
Nicholas J. Koziol, ’02
Brian Miga, ’02, (physics/coop.
engineer.) see note under “Births.”
Jeffrey Pitts, ’02, (commun./media
mgmt.) from Derby presented a
SUNY Fredonia Career Development
Office Spotlight in October 2007. He
is president of Leakmob Records of
Hamburg, N.Y., and spoke about the
music industry, his experiences, and
internship opportunities. Jeff formerly
worked for SONY BMG and Epic
Records.
Kylene Riley, ’02, (social studies/
sec. ed.) earned her master’s degree
in International Studies from St.
John Fisher College in Rochester,
N.Y., in 2006. She has been a social
studies teacher at Fairport (N.Y.)
High School since 2002, and is also
an adjunct instructor of public affairs
for Syracuse University through its
Project Advance Program.
Page 9
2003
Dan Howell, ’03, (commun./audio
prod.) is multimedia product specialist
with the Center for Multidisciplinary
Studies at the Rochester (N.Y.)
Institute of Technology, responsible
for all print and electronic media for
the department including documents
for the center’s U.S. and overseas
school in Prishtina, Kosovo. He is
planning to return to school for a
second bachelor’s degree and master’s
degree in graphic design/photography
and business.
Amanda Petrus, ’03, (chem.) was
lead author of a recent publication,
“Vitamin B12 as a Carrier for the
Oral Delivery of Insulin,” in the
journal, ChemMedChem. She is
pursuing her Ph.D. in chemistry at
Syracuse University.
Heather Siebert, ’03, (acting) was
surprised at a New York City ticket
counter by Professor Emeritus Mac
Nelson in October 2007. Dr. Nelson
reports that Heather and he “shared
two semesters of Shakespeare” and
described her as “a delightful lady
who’s trying to make it on Broadway.”
Jessica Smith, ’03, (English) is an
English instructor at Central Maine
Community College in Auburn,
teaching a variety of writing and
literature/reading courses.
2004
Allison Head, ’04, (biology) has
moved to Sharonville, Ohio, a suburb
of Cincinnati, where she is working
for Cargill Flavor Systems.
Junnosuke Hamaguchi, ’04, (vis.
arts/graphic design) see 1990.
2005
Maria Fasciano, ’05, (music perf.)
was one of five winners of the
Metropolitan Opera National Council
Auditions Great Lakes Region-Four
City District event in December 2007
in Buffalo. She recently completed
her master’s degree at the Eastman
School of Music of the University of
Rochester (N.Y.).
Tim Grant, ’05, (biochem.) see note
under “Marriages.”
2006
M. Andy Burr, ’06, (econ.) is
attending the State University at
Buffalo in its graduate program for
economics and writes a column in
the Dunkirk Observer with SUNY
Fredonia Professor Emeritus Robert
Heichberger, “The Judiciary.”
Marianne Kotylo,’06, (econ.) joined
Lockheed Martin in Owego, N.Y., as
an engineering planner associate in
September 2007.
Eric Ferry, ’06, (bus. admin./mgmt.)
spoke on campus in November 2007
for the Career Development Office.
SUNY Fredonia alumni and EDP staff
join statewide anniversary celebration
W
ith three graduates among
the 40 honored, SUNY
Fredonia was well represented
when the State University of New
York celebrated the 40th anniversary celebration of its Educational Opportunity Program.
The gathering at the Marriot Hotel
and Conference Center in Albany
commemorated the EOP milestone and formally recognized 40
distinguished alumni from across
the state – one for each year
that the program has assisted
students from disadvantaged
backgrounds. All have gone on to
successful careers.
The three Fredonia alumni were:
Gopal Burgher, ’94, a corporate
attorney with McKee Nelson LLP,
New York City; Charles Green,
’93, a public defender for the
State of Connecticut; and Helen Suchanick, ’89,
D.O., who has a medical practice in Dunkirk and is
affiliated with Brooks Memorial Hospital.
Kathleen Bonds, director of
SUNY Fredonia’s Educational
Development Program, and
Barbara Yochym, program secretary, joined the festivities, as
did two additional SUNY Fredonia alumni, Fatima Rodriguez
Johnson, ’96, coordinator of the
Office of Multicultural Programs
and Services at SUNY Geneseo,
and Albin “A.J.” Cich, ’05, a
residence hall director at SUNY
Delhi. Dr. Suchanick was not able
to attend the gathering.
SUNY Fredonia established its
EOP in 1970, and went on to
rename it the Educational Development Program to emphasize
the development process that
students go through to become
successful.
“I was very proud of them in terms of their professional and academic achievement,” added Ms.
Bonds, who joined the staff in 1986 and became
director in 1992. “They were very complimentary to
the program in terms of our role in forging their success.”
Mr. Burgher, who earned a Juris Doctorate from New
York University School of Law in 1997, said the “sense
of family and community created by the program was
of immense value, making an otherwise completely
foreign environment seem awkwardly familiar. The
Kelly Maloney, ’07, (commun.)
from Gaithersburg, Md., is account
coordinator for Matthews Media
Group in Rockville, Md.
2007
Souad Mousawi, ’07, (econ.) is
working for a division of the Dutch
services company at Wolters Kluwer/
CT Coresearch in Manhattan, N.Y.,
Page 10
Dr. Helen Suchanick
“They are the true success stories of how students
can raise their performance as long as they have
somebody who believes in them, who is willing to help
guide them and support them. And that’s what this
program is all about - providing guidance, encouragement and expectations of excellence,” Ms. Bonds
said.
Heather Poliseno, ’06, (account)
visited campus as a greeter for
Freed Maxick Battaglia during its
on-campus interviews at Fredonia’s
Career Development Office.
Xueyin Chen, ’07, (vis. arts/graphic
design) see 1990.
Attending the EOP 40th anniversary celebration were (left to right) SUNY Fredonia alumni Charles Green, Gail (Frank) Green, EDP Director Kathleen Bonds,
Fatima (Rodriguez) Johnson, Gopal Burgher, EDP Secretary Barbara
Yochym, and Albin “AJ” Cich.
Denis Mastromonaco, ’07, (music
perf.) see 1983.
EOP contributed to my successful transition from a
clueless high school kid to a college student with
purpose and determination.”
Mr. Green, recipient of a Juris
Doctorate from Southern New
England School of Law in 2005, said
the tutoring, counseling and peer
mentorship provided by the program
were responsible for his achievement. The financial assistance
enabled him to clear a significant
hurdle. “I am giving my clients the
opportunity to be heard in court,
just like the Educational Opportunity
Program allowed me the opportunity
to attend and excel in college.”
Dr. Suchanick, who received her
Doctor in Osteopathy degree from
the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine in 1994, said SUNY
Fredonia’s EDP enabled her to
overcome fears of becoming a doctor that had been rooted in gender
and ethnicity. “I soon realized that all
people, despite culture and socioeconomic status, had the ability to
achieve their dreams and pursue career aspirations.”
Today, there are 146 students enrolled in SUNY Fredonia’s EDP, the most in 25 years and a far cry from
the 35 welcomed in the inaugural fall term. Freshmen
total 58, the most in 27 years. Over 1,880 students
have been admitted to SUNY Fredonia through EDP in
the last 37 years, and over 650 have earned degrees.
SUNY Fredonia will host a Reunion Dinner and Celebration of its EDP program on the weekend of the
People of Color Concerns Conference on Saturday, April 19, with a reception beginning at 5 p.m.
including a silent auction, to be followed by dinner
at 6 p.m., all in Café G in the Williams Center.
Invitations will be sent in March to alumni, staff
and friends of EDP. For questions, alumni should
contact Sherryl Weems at (716) 849-6727, Ext. 133,
or send e-mail to barbara.yochym@fredonia.edu.
as an intellectual property/trademark
researcher.
Jeff Takos, ’07, (biochem.) has been
working in a B2 lab in Rochester,
N.Y., doing bioanalytical chemistry
for LHT and is contracted to Johnson
& Johnson. His plans are to begin
medical school this month.
Emeritus News
Dr. Richard Sheil (School of Music)
has revised his book, A Singer’s Manual
of Foreign Language Dictions, and
it is featured on no fewer than 50
different web sites in the U.S. and
internationally.
Statement January 2008—Vol 36, No. 2
News
blue & white
Story and Photos by Jerry Reilly,
Sports Information Director
Soccer season to remember
T
he season started with the grand opening of University Field, a $3-million-plus
lighted outdoor facility, and ended with a trip to
the NCAA Tournament. The final game, a 3-0
loss to Hobart in the Rochester Regional, was
the second NCAA appearance in the past three
seasons and ninth overall.
Head coach P.J. Gondek was recognized as
the SUNYAC Coach of the Year for the first
time due in part to guiding the Blue Devils to
the conference championship. He surpassed
100 career coaching wins (100-46-17) late in
the season.
The Blue Devils and Plattsburgh Cardinals
played to a scoreless tie Nov. 2 after 110
minutes of action at Hall of Fame Fields in
Oneonta. The outcome would be decided on
penalty kicks.
Clockwise from
top:
Freshman Kaitlin Erdmann, senior JaHanna
Dixon, senior Becky
The first two shooters from both teams were
successful – with sophomore forward Ryan
O’Donnell and freshman forward Peter Dagel
doing the honors for the Blue Devils. The tie
was broken in Round 3 when senior goalkeeper
Scott Bergen turned aside Plattsburgh’s
shooter after senior midfielder Rob Esposito
had scored.
Scroger, senior Scott
Horsington, senior
Danielle Bleecker,
Women’s Volleyball
Coach Geoff Braun
strategizing, and Men’s
Soccer Coach P.J.
Gondek on the field.
Another senior, forward Trevor Ianni, put the
Blue Devils into a 4-2 lead, and Bergen preserved the advantage – and locked down the
win – with his second save of the PK portion.
Bergen was named tournament MVP while
Dagel, O’Donnell, and senior defender Jeff
Morsch were selected to the all-tournament
team. Regular-season All-SUNYAC selections
were Esposito, Ianni, and senior defender
Lee Wilson on the First Team; and Dagel,
O’Donnell, and Bergen on the Second Team.
It was Fredonia State’s first outright SUNYAC
title in 10 seasons and their eighth conference
title overall.
The new University Field facility, which includes
an adjacent synthetic turf field, took just over
a year to plan and complete. The women’s
lacrosse team was the first to use it when they
played their home game there in the spring of
2007.
Other fall highlights:
G
eoff Braun won his second SUNYAC
Women’s Volleyball Coach of the Year
after guiding the Blue Devils to a school-record
26 wins and a berth in the conference championship game. Led by four All-SUNYAC players,
the Blue Devils posted a 26-13 overall record
– the previous school record was 24 wins – and
a 9-1 mark in Western Division pool play. The
Blue Devils defeated New Paltz in the conference semifinals before losing a 3-2 heartbreaker to host Cortland in the title game Nov.
2. All-tournament awards were bestowed upon
senior middle blocker JaHanna Dixon and
junior outside hitter Amy Bertrando. Dixon
and junior setter Alyssa Torpy were regularseason all-conference First Team picks, Ber-
Statement January 2008—Vol 36, No. 2
trando was a Second Teamer, and freshman
Kaitlin Erdmann was named West Division
Rookie of the Year. For Dixon, it was the fourth
straight season she earned all-conference
honors. For Braun, the 2003 SUNYAC Coach of
the Year, his all-time coaching record improved
to 188-122 over nine seasons while his .60645
winning percentage would place him 66th on
the NCAA list of winningest active Division III
coaches, based on figures through the 2006
season.
Senior defender Danielle Bleecker became
Fredonia State’s first four-time All-SUNYAC
player in women’s soccer when she earned her
third straight First Team citation. She also was
named to the NCAA New York All Region team
for the third straight year, the second straight
year as a Second Team choice. Senior goalkeeper Becky Scroger was the Blue Devils’
other First Team All SUNYAC player, as well
as Third Team All Region. Sophomore forward
Lauren Heilweil was a Third Team choice.
The Blue Devils, 8-8-4 overall and 4-4-3 in the
SUNYAC, made the ECAC Upstate New York
Tournament and promptly upset the University
of Rochester before falling to Nazareth in the
semifinals. It was the program’s third straight
post-season tournament appearance and the
fifth in six years under head coach Chris Case.
In women’s cross country, sophomore Jessica Bennett placed 21st at the NCAA Atlantic
Regional meet Nov. 10 at The Bronx. Her effort
fell mere seconds short of earning her a spot
in the NCAA championship meet. The Blue
Devil women were 15th in the 37-team field
while the men were 13th, led by sophomore
Tom Williams, 36th overall. The men also won
the eight-school Nazareth Invitational, the first
meet victory in the program during the threeyear tenure of head coach Nolan Swanson.
Competing collegiately for the final time,
senior Brittany Pagano won her No. 1 singles
first-round match Oct. 15 at the SUNYAC
Women’s Tennis Championships in Manlius. The No. 3 doubles team of juniors Elise
Daigler and Sierra Summerville accounted
for the Blue Devils’ other SUNYAC win. Joe
Calarco again served as head coach.
Swimming and diving, and men’s ice hockey,
started their seasons as the fall seasons were
winding down. The hockey team is out to
defend its SUNYAC championship, while the
swimmers and divers returned two All-American divers – junior Kelly Sponholz on the
women’s side, senior Scott Horsington for
the men. A gifted student as well as one of the
top SUNYAC male divers, Horsington received
SUNYAC’s Dr. Sam Molnar Award, given annually to a male student-athlete with the best
combination of athletic and academic ability in
the conference.
Page 11
Postmaster: Send address changes to
Statement, Alumni House, 286 Central Ave.,
SUNY Fredonia, Fredonia, NY 14063.
On Jan. 6, the SUNY Fredonia Blue
Devils hockey team met the Wentworth
Institute of Technology’s Leopards for
its first-ever home hockey game at the
Jamestown (N.Y.) Savings Bank Ice
Arena. Alumni gathered to cheer on
the home team and dine with the Blue
Devils’ players following the game. Participating in the ceremonial faceoff were
(left to right) Blue Devils Captain Steve
Albert of Port Huron, Mich.; Village of
Fredonia Mayor Michael Sullivan, SUNY
Fredonia President Dennis L. Hefner,
Chautauqua County Executive Gregory
L. Edwards, and Wentworth Captain
Joey Sides. The Blue Devils were
victorious, 7-2, with a sweep of the twogame series played Jan. 5 and 6 against
Wentworth.
SUNY Fredonia Blue Devils hockey history made in Jamestown
Parents: If Statement is addressed to a graduated son or daughter who
no longer maintains a permanent address at your home, please clip the
address label and return it with the correct address to Alumni Office, 286
Central Ave., State University of New York at Fredonia, Fredonia, NY,
14063; or e-mail Alumni.Office@Fredonia.edu.
The Statement (ISSN #1097-1238) January, 2008, volume 36,
number 2. Published quarterly by the Office of Public Relations at
the State University of New York at Fredonia (272 Central Ave.)
Fredonia, NY 14063. Periodical postage paid at Fredonia, NY and
at additional mailing offices. The Statement is mailed to alumni,
parents, graduate students, faculty and staff, and friends of the
college. Articles may be reprinted without permission.
Editor: Lisa G. Eikenburg, APR
Production Manager: Paula S. Warren
Design and Layout: Lori Deemer
Contributing Writer/Photographer: Roger Coda
State University of New York at Fredonia
The Lake Shore Savings Clock Tower on a crisp winter evening.
Statement
January 2008—Vol 36, No. 2
photo by Roger Coda