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P R O V O S T C A P S R E M A R K A B L E C A R E E R | S TA R T S P R E A D I N G T H E N E W S
A MAGAZINE FOR ALUMNI AND FRIENDS
number 23 > summer 2015
Buffalo:
BUilt by buffalo state
Buffalo State grads—including Buffalo
Mayor Byron Brown, ’83—have led the
City of Buffalo’s resurgence.
number 23
u
summer 2015
22
A mAgAzine for Alumni And friends
“
I think Spock would approve.
4
10
14
”
page 25
Provost Caps Remarkable Career
Beloved administrator and teacher
Dennis Ponton retires after nearly
40 years of service to the college.
D E PA R T M E N T S
Buffalo: Built by Buffalo State
Buffalo State grads—including Mayor
Byron Brown, ’83, and Congressman
Brian Higgins, ’85—have led the City
of Buffalo’s resurgence.
FROM THE PRESIDENT
2
CAMPUS NEWS
4
DONOR IMPACT
18
ALUMNI NEWS
26
CLASS NOTES
30
IN MEMORIAM
39
MY TURN
40
B U F FA L O S TAT E O N L I N E
Start Spreading the News
Television and film arts students find
filmmaking success in New York City
and Hollywood.
1300elmwood.buffalostate.edu
alumni.buffalostate.edu
buffalostate.edu
facebook.com/buffalostatecollege
DONOR PROFILE
twitter.com/#!/buffalostate
buffalo state welcomed more
than 2,400 graduates to its
alumni ranks at the 143rd
Commencement on may 16.
D. BRUCE JOHNSTONE AND
GAIL JOHNSTONE
PHOTOGrAPH bY bruCe FOX
CAROLYN RICCARDELLI, ’01
22
MALCOLM COLLUM, ’95
24
19
youtube.com/officialbuffalostate
ALUMNI PROFILES
COVer PHOTOGrAPH COurTesY OF
mAYOr’s OFFICe, CITY OF buFFALO
flickr.com/photos/buffalostate
from the
president
number 23
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1300elmwood.buffalostate.edu
1300 Elmwood is produced by the College relations Office
AssOCIATe VICe PresIdenT FOr COLLeGe reLATIOns
Timothy J. Walsh
Katherine S. Conway-Turner, Ph.D.
President, Buffalo State College
yourturn
summer 2015
FOUR GENERATIONS
I was so excited to attend my daughter’s commencement in May. Did you know she is a fourth-generation
Buffalo State College graduate? Thought you would enjoy some pictures of the generations.
—Kolette (Kresses) Piasecki, ’88
d I r e C T O r O F P u b L I C A T I O n s /e d I T O r
brian C. Kantz
WRITE:
1300 Elmwood Magazine
Buffalo State College
Cleveland Hall 307
1300 Elmwood Avenue
Buffalo, NY 14222
A s s O C I A T e d I r e C T O r O F P u b L I C A T I O n s /m A n A G I n G e d I T O r
nancy b. Paschke, ’87, ’05
ArT dIreCTOr
T
he continued advancement of Buffalo State
College is manifested in all aspects of our campus and the
many students, programs, projects, and communities we
touch. Visitors who have not been on campus in a few
years express their excitement about the new and renovated
spaces on campus within our spatial footprint. From the renovated
Houston Gymnasium to the construction of the Technology Building
to the continued work on the Science complex, these and other stateof-the-art improvements are met with gratitude by our current students
and awe by our visiting alumni and community members. I have also
received sincere expressions of appreciation regarding our new signage
that marks the Buffalo State campus from every direction.
Buffalo State continues to enhance our teaching and learning to
meet the needs and requirements of a twenty-first century education.
Excellence is being demonstrated in what we teach and the way we teach
today’s students. As we continue our tradition to prepare the next generation of leaders, we are including new courses and academic programs
within our curriculum, connecting our students with applied learning
and research opportunities throughout Western New York, and utilizing
technologies in ways that augment and facilitate the learning process.
In addition to the activities that occur during every academic year, this
summer we again have students engaged in undergraduate research on
campus. So beyond our normal host of summer classes and enriching
experiences, students are working in labs and applied settings to explore
critical questions under the supervision of outstanding faculty members.
Within the spaces we inhabit, under the tutelage of outstanding
faculty and staff, and utilizing effective and challenging curriculum and
programs, the Buffalo State community continues to shape, support, and
forge the next generation of leaders. We are over 100,000 alumni strong
and 60,000 strong within Western New York alone. As I meet our alumni
across the state or across the country, I am impressed with the leading
roles they hold. These alumni share with me the ways Buffalo State
provided the foundation that allowed them to build their careers. You
can find Buffalo State alumni everywhere, including in public service,
teaching, law, health care, nonprofit leadership, and every cultural arena.
Bengals are transforming their communities in significant and positive
ways. Enjoy reading some of their stories in this edition of 1300 Elmwood!
@kate_kct
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http://kateconwayturner.tumblr.com
yourturn
Lynda H. donati
GrAPHIC desIGner
E-MAIL: collrel@buffalostate.edu
Chantel Kutzbach
PHONE: (716) 878-4201
WrITers
Jerod T. dahlgren ● mary A. durlak ● Laurie A. Kaiser ● mark A. norris
FAX: (716) 878-3532
AdmInIsTrATIOn
Comments for publication may be
edited for style, length, and clarity.
Katherine s. Conway-Turner, Ph.d., President
dennis K. Ponton, Ph.d., Provost
michael F. LeVine, m.b.A., Vice President for Finance and Management
susanne P. bair, P.e.d., Vice President for Institutional Advancement
and Executive Director of the Buffalo State College Foundation
Hal d. Payne, J.d., Vice President for Student Affairs
bonita r. durand, Ph.d., Chief of Staff
Karen A. Clinton Jones, Ph.d., ’84, Chief Diversity Officer
bradley J. Fuster, d.m.A., Interim Chief Information Officer
Kevin J. railey, Ph.d., Associate Provost and Dean of the Graduate School
benjamin C. Christy, A.mus.d., Dean of the School of Arts and Humanities
Wendy A. Paterson, Ph.d., ’75, ’76, Dean of the School of Education
mark W. severson, Ph.d., Dean of the School of Natural and Social Sciences
rita m. Zientek, Ph.d., ’90, Interim Dean of the School of the Professions
scott L. Johnson, Ph.d., Dean of University College and Associate
Vice President for Undergraduate and International Education
1. Veva (Cornwell) Wilson,
b.s.ed. 1912
2. Carol (Wilson) Kresses,
b.s.ed. ’45, m.s.ed. ’56
3. Kolette (Kresses) Piasecki,
b.s. ’88
4. Paige Piasecki, b.s. ’14
BENGAL SWEETHEARTS
COLLeGe COunCIL
Linda A. dobmeier, ’71, Chair ● James brandys, ’71, ’73 ● Todd W.
brason, ’85 ● melissa brinson ● Gary m. brost ● Allen F. “Pete” Grum
● mylous A. Hairston, ’86 ● Charles J. naughton, ’85 ● robert m. Zak
● muhammed s. sumbundu, ’13, ’15, Student Representative
buFFALO sTATe COLLeGe FOundATIOn bOArd
Paul J. Lamparelli, ’82, Chair • Gerald L. Cornish, ’90, Vice Chair •
dorothy T. Ferguson, Vice Chair • ross b. Kenzie, Vice Chair • michael
bonitatibus, ’79, Treasurer • Judy L. elliott, ’82, Secretary • susanne P.
bair, Executive Director • C. Teo balbach • Timothy P. balkin • devan
brady • James J. Contino, ’76 • Katherine s. Conway-Turner • steven
b. detwiler • Peter Fleischmann • Allen F. “Pete” Grum • William H.
Gurney • John T. Hoskins sr. • Jeremy C. Hudson • robert J. Lamendola,
’72 • michael F. LeVine • rosalyn A. Lindner • Jacqueline V. Lorusso,
’62, ’64 • Christopher F. malof, ’85 • michael d. masters, ’82 • donna
m. mcClure • Thomas J. Quatroche Jr., ’94 • Holly V. Quicksey •
Gerald C. saxe • nicholas A. sinatra • mark H. Trammell • richard J.
Trigilio, ’90 • robert C. Williams, ’79 • benjamin m. Zuffranieri, ’80
ALumnI AssOCIATIOn bOArd OF dIreCTOrs
richard J. Trigilio, ’90, President • stacy e. Lewis, ’01, Vice President
• Jane e. Gilbride, ’91, Secretary • Adam d. sassone, ’00, Treasurer
• rita Argen Auerbach, ’54, ’74 • Ara H. bagdasarian, ’95 •
susanne P. bair • Kevin m. bean, ’82, ’87 • William J. benfanti •
John d. byron, ’07 • James W. duncan, ’94 • Claudine m. ewing,
’92 • Paul m. “stu” Herlan, ’85 • Claudia A. marschall, ’78 •
marvin e. maziarz, ’74, ’81 • Latrese n. myers, ’08 • Jerome e.
“Jerry” Wszalek, ’75 • david J. Zapfel, ’85 • Ashleigh Ann C.
sutherland, ’15, Student Representative
This publication is available in large print
or other accessible formats upon request.
buffalo state is an affirmative action/equal opportunity institution that subscribes to all federal, state, and
sunY legal requirements and does not discriminate against applicants, students, or employees on the basis
of race, sex, ethnicity, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, age, disability, or
marital or veteran status. Any violation of this policy should be reported to the equity and Campus diversity
Office, Cleveland Hall 415, (716) 878-6210. It is the policy of buffalo state that no otherwise qualified
person with a disability shall, solely by reason of the disability, be excluded from participation in employment
or access to programs of the college.
1415-12
Donna (Stettner) Patrick, ’60,
my wife of 54 years, and I
departed for our fourth transatlantic cruise in April, visiting
the Azores, Amsterdam, Dover,
and Copenhagen, with additional weeks in St. Petersburg,
Russia; Tallinn, Estonia;
Stockholm, Sweden; and
Krakow, Poland. Trip planning
comes naturally, as I have been
organizing basketball summer
tours to Europe for over 30
years. Education continues as
we age!
—Kenneth Patrick, B.S.Ed. ’61
My wife, Shawna (Pierce), ’99,
and I met at Buffalo State in the
late ’90s. Her claim to fame at
school was helping start the TV
station on campus; mine was
as a three-year member of the
varsity hockey team. Following
graduation, Shawna found her
calling as a paramedic and
training manager. I am an
applications developer with the
law firm Nixon Peabody LLC.
We live in Pittsford, New York,
with our 7-year-old son, Griffin,
and our 4-year-old daughter,
Peyton. The attached pic of us
is from early January supporting
the young men on the Buffalo
State hockey team as they won
an OT thriller against Nazareth!
—Anthony Rizzi, B.S. ’00
I graduated in 2011 with my
now-husband, Dayquan Mitchell.
Dayquan and I started dating
during our senior year of high
school in Brooklyn, New York.
We then decided to attend
Buffalo State College together
despite people doubting that our
relationship would work out.
Four years later, Dayquan and
I graduated together, and our
college experience was fantastic!
On graduation day, I received
the biggest surprise—Dayquan
proposed to me on campus. We
had our wedding a year and a
half later in the Bahamas and
shortly after bought our first
house here in Buffalo. We had a
precious baby boy on December
26, 2014, named Devin.
—Erika (Severino) Mitchell,
B.S. ’11
My husband, Richard, and I
both graduated from Buffalo
State College in 1991. We met
in Porter Hall (the elevator to
be exact) and fell in love. We
married in 1994 and live in
Michigan now. We have two
beautiful daughters, Daphne
(15) and Valerie (12), and a cat
named Sylvia. Richard attended
Detroit Mercy School of Law after
graduating from Buffalo State
and is an attorney with Conifer
Insurance Company. I am a DIY
home decorating blogger and
currently have thousands of
followers (redheadcandecorate.
com). Rick and I are still madly
in love and often reminisce
about our time at Buffalo State.
—Julie (Urtel) Fiato, B.S. ’91
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campusnews
campusnews
New Council Chair,
Members Appointed
Governor Andrew Cuomo has appointed
Linda A. Dobmeier, ’71, chair of the Buffalo
State College Council. Dobmeier succeeds
Howard Zemsky, who stepped aside from
his role with the council earlier this year
after he was nominated by Cuomo to
serve as president and CEO of Empire
State Development.
Dobmeier, who has been a member of
the College Council since 2012, is vice
president of Dobmeier Janitor Supply
Inc. and a past chair of the Buffalo State
College Foundation.
Cuomo also appointed Allen F. “Pete”
Grum, president and chief executive officer
of Rand Capital Corporation, to fill the seat
held by Dobmeier. Grum’s term will expire
on June 30, 2015. In addition, Charles
Naughton, ’85, an attorney with Clayton
& Bergevin, was reappointed for a term
to expire June 30, 2021.
Perreault Appointed
Provost
Melanie Perreault, associate provost at
Salisbury University in Salisbury, Maryland,
has been appointed Buffalo State’s next
provost and vice president for academic
affairs. She will assume her new role on
July 20.
Perreault succeeds Dennis Ponton, who
retires on June 30 after more than 37 years
of service to Buffalo State. She previously
served as Salisbury’s interim vice president
for academic affairs (2010–2011) and chair
of the History Department (2008–2010).
Demers Named CIO
David Demers has been appointed as Buffalo
State’s new chief information officer (CIO).
Demers, who will assume his new role at
Buffalo State on July 1, is currently the chief
operating officer of the American Women’s
College, an all-online degree program for
women managed by Bay Path University
in Massachusetts.
As CIO, he will serve as a member of
the President’s Cabinet and oversee the
areas of Computing and Technology
Services, Instructional Technology, and
E. H. Butler Library.
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p Provost dennis Ponton with Jill singer, director of the undergraduate research Office.
A Job Well Done
Ponton Caps Remarkable Career at College
Provost Dennis Ponton will retire from Buffalo State, the college he has served for nearly
40 years, at the end of the 2014–2015 academic year.
The venerable teacher and administrator joined Buffalo State in 1977 as chair and
associate professor of nutrition and food science. Over the past 37 years, he has held a
number of academic and administrative positions, including interim dean of the Faculty
of Applied Science and Education; associate vice president for budget and planning;
and interim president following the departure of Muriel A. Howard.
Ponton has provided outstanding leadership of the college’s Academic Affairs Office
and has presided over Commencement ceremonies, honors convocations, and all manners
of vital college meetings and gatherings. His unparalleled dedication to Buffalo State leaves
a meaningful legacy—students and faculty members will enjoy the results of his hard work
for years to come.
q dennis Ponton’s support of undergraduate
research led to the success of the annual
student research and Creativity Celebration.
Go to
www.buffalostate.edu
for the latest
campus news,
and follow us on
p evelyn Lieberman, ’66
This American Life
p President Conway-Turner and Lieberman.
p Lieberman meets with members of the
Public relations student society of America.
Lieberman Presents Bulger Lecture
Evelyn Lieberman, ’66, a teacher turned White House insider,
returned to her alma mater in April to present “This American
Life,” a behind-the-scenes look at her remarkable career in
government. The address, part of the Dr. Paul G. Bulger Lecture
Series, was delivered to a standing-room-only crowd in the
Burchfield Penney Art Center’s Peter and Elizabeth C. Tower
Auditorium.
Lieberman, who currently works as senior adviser and assistant
to the secretary for external relations at the Smithsonian Institution,
was the first female to serve as White House deputy chief of
staff, a post she held in the Clinton administration. She was also
an adviser to Hillary Clinton and Madeleine Albright, and press
secretary to then-Senator Joseph Biden.
In addition to delivering her lecture, Lieberman met with students in several small group sessions over the course of two days
on campus to offer career advice and inspiration.
During her presentation, Lieberman
offered several “life rules”:
• Be kind to others.
• Stand up for yourself.
• Tell the truth. (“Nothing is more
important.”)
• Work for what you want in life.
(“A dream is a wish without
action.”)
• If you don’t mind who gets the
credit, then more work can get
done.
• No crying at work. (“The focus is
more on your tears, and not the
issue at hand.”)
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campusnews
campusnews
College Earns
Carnegie
Classification
Buffalo State has received
the 2015 Community
Engagement Classification
from the Carnegie
Foundation for the
Advancement of Teaching.
Colleges and universities
with an institutional focus
on community engagement
were invited to apply for
this classification. This is the
first year Buffalo State has
applied for the prestigious
designation, which is valid
until 2025. A total of 361 U.S.
colleges and universities hold
this elective classification.
“I couldn’t be prouder to
be part of an institution that
demonstrates empathy for
others; service to community;
an appreciation of our natural, environmental, and cultural heritage; and global
thinking on a daily basis,”
said Buffalo State President
Katherine Conway-Turner.
This recognition comes on
the heels of Buffalo State’s
designation to the President’s
Higher Education Community
Service Honor Roll. The
college was honored for its
commitment to volunteering,
service learning, and civic
engagement that included
a whopping 509,278 community service hours on the
part of students, faculty,
and staff during the
2012–2013 academic year.
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Vereen Visits Campus
Buffalo State’s Flexible Theatre
was infused with Broadway
magic on January 29 when
legendary actor, singer, and
dancer Ben Vereen demonstrated his mastery of stagecraft during a master class for
theater students.
The actor was in town to
perform with the Buffalo
Philharmonic Orchestra, but
an invitation from Buffalo
State via Vereen’s agent led
him to visit the college.
The 68-year-old performer met
with college leaders, and then
spent time talking about his
career with students from Buffalo
State and the Buffalo Academy
for Visual and Performing Arts
before critiquing two scenes
from the Casting Hall play
The Brothers Size, starring
Buffalo State students Denzel
Williams, Kwame Feaster, and
Shameed Wright.
Official Buffalo State Plaid Announced
Students in the Fashion and Textile Technology (FTT) Department were challenged
this year with developing a signature plaid for Buffalo State College using the official
school colors—burnt orange, purple, and cool gray—plus black.
Thirty-seven designs were presented to a focus group of administrators and a student representative, who narrowed the choices
down to four.
A website was developed to allow all Buffalo State faculty, staff,
students, and alumni to vote for their favorite plaid over the
course of four weeks. By February 20, nearly 1,300 people had voted and a final
design was selected. The winning plaid—designed by FTT senior Kaitlyn Emminger—
was unveiled at the end of the department’s Runway fashion show in April. Her
design will be in Scotland’s official Register of Tartan and available for purchase at
the Barnes & Noble at Buffalo State Bookstore starting in fall 2015.
Go to
www.buffalostate.edu
for the latest
campus news,
and follow us on
q Kevin eichner, ’92
tt
p Vereen shares tricks of the trade.
Pomp and Circumstance
Grads, Alums Honored at 2015 Commencement
It’s the most wonderful day of the year on the
Buffalo State campus—Commencement!
Members of the Class of 2015 received their
diplomas and celebrated their accomplishments
at the college’s 143rd Commencement exercises
on May 16 in the Sports Arena.
The following awards were presented during
the undergraduate and graduate ceremonies:
president and CEO, Empire State Development
President’s Distinguished Service Award: James
Brandys, ’71, ’73, former managing director,
Merrill Lynch
Distinguished Alumnus Award: Jacqueline V.
LoRusso, ’62, ’64, owner, JVL Management
Company; and Roger J. Wood, ’85, president
and CEO, Dana Holding Corporation
Young Alumnus Achievement Award: Rodneyse
Bichotte, ’95, member, New York State Assembly
President’s Medal for Outstanding Graduate
Student: Ted J. Mallwitz
Bichotte and Brandys delivered the
Commencement address at the morning and
afternoon undergraduate ceremonies, respectively, while New York State Lieutenant Governor
Kathleen Hochul delivered the Commencement
address at the evening graduate ceremony.
Davidson, Stephanie S. Kahn, Amy E. Marciniak,
and James A. Martin
The Fine Arts Department invited student and alumni submissions for
a sculpture competition honoring Horace “Hank” Mann, the late SUNY
Distinguished Service Professor Emeritus of exceptional education and
the college’s most prolific donor, in March 2014.
Kevin Eichner, ’92, artist-in-residence and executive director of the
Moncure Museum of Art in North Carolina, submitted the winning
design (left). His ironwork honoring the beloved Buffalo State educator
will be installed in the newly dedicated Hank Mann Quad on the east
side of the Savage Theater and Communication Building this spring.
“Buffalo State is where I began my work as a sculptor, and I wanted
to give back to the community that has supported me,” Eichner said.
“I am honored and excited to bring my work back to Buffalo and the
Buffalo State campus.”
College Council Medal: Howard A. Zemsky,
President’s Medal for Outstanding Undergraduate
Student: James A. Martin
SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Student Excellence
(undergraduate): Diamond J. Briggs, Chelsea E.
Sculpture to Grace
Hank Mann Quad
Creativity MOOC Draws 43,000
Everyone is creative. That’s the mantra of the faculty of Buffalo State’s
International Center for Studies in Creativity. And this spring, they
proved it.
Beginning in February, the department offered a free six-week massive
open online course (MOOC) called “Ignite Your Everyday Creativity.”
More than 43,000 people from 185 countries enrolled in the course
that included 60 five-minute video lessons and homework assignments.
Participants who completed the course received a certificate of completion.
The course was developed by Cynthia Burnett, assistant professor,
and John Cabra, associate professor, both of the International Center
for Studies in Creativity, in collaboration with Instructional Resources
at Buffalo State. The course was made available online at no charge
thanks to a partnership between the State University of New York and
Coursera, a company that hosts MOOCs.
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campusnews
Bengal Bookshelf
Empowering Families:
Practical Ways to Involve
Parents in Boosting
Literacy, Grades Pre-K–5
Judith Bradbury, B.S. ’72
Judy Bradbury, a literacy
specialist, professional
development consultant,
and author of several
professional resources and
children’s books, offers a
practical guide to strengthening the home-school
connection. The book is
coauthored by Susan E.
Busch (Routledge, 2015).
campusnews
B O O K S B Y BU F FA L O S TAT E R S
Joey 22
Matt Gryta, B.A. ’69
Building on the success
of his first nonfiction
thriller, The Real Teflon
Don, Buffalo News crime
reporter Matt Gryta tells
the in-depth story of the
.22 Caliber Killer, who
terrorized the city of
Buffalo for four months
in 1980 (Getzville Grove
Press Ltd., 2014).
My Father’s Daughter:
From Rome to Sicily
Gilda Morina Syverson,
B.S. ’71
Novello Literary Award
finalist Gilda Morina
Syverson sets out to uncover
her family’s past in this
captivating memoir. The
trilogy tale leads readers
through ancient sites of
Rome and seaside villages
of Sicily into the heart of
the author’s past (Divine
Phoenix Books, 2014).
Return of the Sagan
America in the Thirties
Neil O’Donnell, B.S. ’93
John Olszowka, M.A. ’92
Neil O’Donnell’s science
fiction novel follows the
return of humanity to
Earth, with initial landings
in the Niagara Frontier,
where the crew of the
USS Carl Sagan find
humanity’s footprint
erased by nature and
prehistoric beasts again
dominating the landscape
(W&B Publishers Inc., 2015).
John Olszowska, along
with coauthors Marnie M.
Sullivan, Brian R. Sheridan,
and Dennis Hickey, explores
the hardships of one of the
darkest decades of the
century—but also looks
at the vibrancy of the era,
examining how workers,
African Americans, ethnic
Americans, and women
responded to challenges
of the time (Syracuse
University Press, 2014).
p The Whitworth Ferguson Planetarium reopened in march.
Bengal Club Golf Classic Slated for July 13
Cabra Completes
Fulbright Visit
to Colombia
The 32nd annual Buffalo State Bengal Club Golf Classic will be held
Monday, July 13, at Brierwood Country Club in Hamburg, promising a
great day of friends, food, and fun at one of the area’s premier country
clubs. Proceeds benefit the student-athletes of Buffalo State. To register
or for more information, please visit www.buffalostateathletics.com.
Former Buffalo State QB Lights Up PIFL
Former Buffalo State quarterback Casey Kacz, ’14, made his first start
as a member of the Columbus (Georgia) Lions of the Professional Indoor
Football League (PIFL) in April and set a team record for passing yards
in a game en route to earning the league's Offensive Player of the
Week honors. A three-year starter at Buffalo state after transferring
in as a sophomore, he was a three-time All-Conference selection.
New Press Box at Coyer Field
Dunham, Porter Capture
All-America Honors
Jazmin Dunham and Jazlyn Porter combined to collect three more
All-America certificates to help Buffalo State place eighth out of 67
scoring teams at the NCAA Division III Indoor Track and Field
Championships in March. Dunham’s eight career All-America certificates
make her the most decorated athlete in Buffalo State history. Dunham
attained her All-American certificate in the 60-meter hurdles, while
Porter earned the distinction in the 400-meter dash and the long jump.
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1300Elmwood
Coyer Field’s 30-year-old wooden press box on
the west side of the complex is being replaced by
a new structure on the east side of the field.
Construction began in late summer 2014 and is
expected to be complete by spring 2015. The
1,750-square-foot structure will accommodate
coaching staffs, guests, and members of the
media.
John Cabra, associate professor
of creativity and a Fulbright
specialist, traveled to the
Universidad Autónoma de
Bucaramanga (UNAB) in
Bucaramanga, Colombia, in
January to present a series
of creativity and innovation
workshops sponsored by the
renowned Fulbright program.
The workshops were designed
for university researchers and
the staff of UNAB’s Technology
Transfer Office as well as
business leaders from the
region. Cabra is assisting UNAB
in its bid to become the first
designated “creative campus”
in Latin America.
Out of This World
Planetarium Resumes Programming
The Whitworth Ferguson Planetarium at Buffalo State resumed public programming in
March after a two-year hiatus, thanks to the continued generosity of the Whitworth and
Dorothy Ferguson Foundation.
The planetarium temporarily closed in January 2013 to accommodate construction of
Buffalo State’s $100 million Science and Mathematics Complex. For the next four years, a
new inflatable planetarium in Buckham Hall, with a state-of-the-art projector system, will
host K–12 students and offer public programs.
A new permanent planetarium, scheduled for completion in 2019, will be a focal point of
the new Science and Mathematics Complex. The 35-foot-wide spherical facility will include
an opto-mechanical star projector and digital projector, which will extend teaching opportunities beyond astronomy to such diverse disciplines as biology, art, and music.
Go to
www.buffalostate.edu for the latest campus news, and follow us on
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3
4
5
2
by Brian C. Kantz
Buffalo is back!
Earlier this year,
the grand opening
of the 600 block
of Main Street in
Buffalo was
presided over
by Buffalo State
grads (1) Sam
Hoyt, ’92, regional
president, Empire
State Development
Corporation;
(2) Crystal Davis
Peoples-Stokes,
’74, ’02, member,
New York State
Assembly; (3)
Brian Higgins, ’85,
member, U.S. House
of Representatives;
(4) Byron Brown, ’83,
mayor of Buffalo;
(5) Darius Pridgen,
’88, president, Buffalo
Common Council.
PHOTOGrAPH COurTesY
OF mAYOr’s OFFICe,
CITY OF buFFALO
Last July, the Washington Post
announced it to the world.
“Signs of a new Buffalo became
obvious in no time: cranes all
around town and local enthusiasm
beyond typical civic pride. From
its industrial heyday in the early
1900s, Buffalo sank to downtrodden
at best. Its population is about half
what it was in the 1950s. But today,
residents are excited about the
makeover underway, and everyone
seems to know college graduates
moving back to the city, or people
coming here for jobs.”
—Melanie D. G. Kaplan,
Washington Post, July 24, 2014
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1300Elmwood
A
n article in the venerable newspaper, titled “In Buffalo, N.Y.,
a new vitality is giving the oncegritty city wings,” detailed the city’s resurgence
as both a regional economic center and a travel
destination. The piece has been posted on
Facebook and e-mailed by Buffalovers everywhere since its publication.
Of course, the city’s resurgence has not
happened overnight. For the past decade,
politicians and the private sector have joined
forces to reimagine Buffalo and strategically
plan for its growth.
While many alumni from Buffalo State
College have made major contributions to that
process, Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown, ’83, has
played a leading role.
Brown was elected mayor in November 2005
and sworn into office on December 31 of that
year. On his inauguration day, he toured the
Buffalo waterfront and vowed that the onceneglected area would become a focal point for
development.
In the 10 years since Brown’s inauguration,
the Canalside district has become a major
attraction and, as the Washington Post article
wrote, “cranes all around town” are building
the new Buffalo under the Buffalo State grad’s
watchful eye.
Recently, Mayor Brown sat down with
1300 Elmwood to discuss Buffalo’s resurgence,
his leadership philosophy, his friendship with
Congressman Brian Higgins, ’85, and his years
on campus as a Buffalo State student.
The City of Buffalo is in the midst
of a well-documented renaissance. Many
players have been involved in the city’s
growth, but you have been leading the
process and laying the groundwork since
you became mayor in 2005. How does it
feel to watch all the hard work pay off?
Everyone in Buffalo and across Western New
York is excited about this renaissance. I’m certainly proud, as mayor, to play a role in shaping
the city.
When we developed a strategic plan for the
turnaround of the city, we initially focused on
three core ideas: (1) stabilize the city’s finances,
create an environment for business investment,
and create jobs; (2) improve the quality of life,
including infrastructure, public safety, arts, culture, and public education; and (3) make gov-
ernment more efficient and establish relationships with residents. We wanted to become
partners with residents and the private sector.
When our team came in 10 years ago, the
city had high tax rates, a state-imposed fiscal
control board, and vacant properties, and it had
been bleeding population since the 1950s. We
had some major challenges to address.
To begin that process, we felt it was critically
important to go into the community and
spend time establishing the trust of residents,
and build positive relationships with City
Council, state legislature, the governor,
Congress. In terms of my involvement, that’s
where it started.
What point are we at in the “renaissance”?
And what’s the point at which we say
“we’re there” or “we’ve made it.”
We’re a number of years into the process and
we’ve seen results, but the renaissance hasn’t
fully taken hold or blossomed yet. There’s
more work to do. We can’t stop working.
That’s not my personality type. I’m not one
to rest on my laurels. We’re working full
speed every day to help business grow and to
improve the city.
What do you think the City of Buffalo will
look like in 2025? I think it will be even safer.
There will be more investment in downtown.
We’re working hard on that every day. Our
finances are stronger than they have been in a
long time, and that makes our future brighter.
And, for the first time since the 1950s, we have
census population growth. That is very exciting.
So, yes, by 2025, I think you’ll see a significantly different city. A city with a very strong
residential community, retail activity, and
mixed-use development. Downtown Buffalo
will be the hottest spot in the region between
New York City and Toronto.
And I think you may see a football stadium
downtown. The Pegulas have a strong sense of
social responsibility, and I know they are committed to Buffalo. We’re fortunate to be able to
work with them.
Young people are staying in or moving
to Buffalo—is that the ultimate sign of
success? That’s a big sign of success. We’ve
always had an “attract and retain” goal—attract
new residents and retain our own talent. In the
past, many young people left to go elsewhere.
Now, they’re coming back as the word gets out
about opportunities here.
On his inauguration day, Brown toured the Buffalo waterfront and
vowed that the once-neglected area would become a focal point
for development. In the 10 years since his inauguration,
the Canalside district has become a major attraction.
PHOTOGrAPH bY JOe CAsCIO/CAnALsIdebuFFALO.COm
1300Elmwood
SUMMER 2015
13
From a young age, you were recognized
You grew up in Queens. What attracted
Did you ever imagine during your college
as a leader. Ebony magazine named you
you to Buffalo and to Buffalo State
years that you’d be serving as the mayor
to its “30 Leaders of the Future” list when
College? I’ve heard your admiration
of this city or even working in public
Higher education is so
important in preparing
our leaders of the future.
In that respect, Buffalo
State College has a
very important place.
One of your partners in this renaissance,
Representative Brian Higgins, Class of
terms of preparing the next generation
1985, is a fellow Buffalo State political
of community leaders and citizens?
science major. Did you have any classes
Higher education is so important in preparing
our leaders of the future. In that respect,
Buffalo State College has a very important place.
In my own experience, Buffalo State provides
a safe, nurturing environment. The faculty is
supportive and encourages students to learn
everything they can and reach their full potential.
Buffalo State’s public mission provides an
environment that works for students at different levels—from the highest-achieving students
to those who may need some academic support.
I have no doubt that Buffalo State will
continue to produce strong graduates who can
move this city forward.
you were 30 years old and still several
for Randy Smith had something to do
office? Do you think your family ever
years away from your first run for public
with it. Yes, I played basketball in high school
imagined that? No. I was originally a biology
together back then? We were never in class
office. What makes someone a leader?
and thought, “Where could I go to college in
a city with a professional basketball team?”
I did some research and identified Buffalo State.
Randy Smith went to Buffalo State, of course,
and he was from Long Island, not too far from
where I grew up. And he had gone on to a
great college and pro career. So, I wanted to
do that, too.
It didn’t hurt that Buffalo State offered an
excellent educational environment and was
affordable to my parents.
I didn’t calculate that I did not have near
the athletic talent needed to be a star player
in college or the pros. I played one year of JV
basketball—and every now and then, the team
photo with all of us in the short basketball
shorts will surface.
I should add that I’ve had a few opportunities to speak with President Obama over the
years at various events, and I let him know
that I can play point guard in case he ever
needs me for a pickup game.
major. I had the opportunity to intern at the
Western New York Children’s Psychiatric Center
in West Seneca, and I thought for a time about
going to med school for psychology. At the same
time, though, I was developing an interest in
student government. I became president of my
fraternity and an officer in SGA and the Inter-Greek
Association. That led to a larger interest in politics.
together, but our paths have crossed in a lot of
ways over the years. He was a City Council
staffer before me. And then we were County
Legislature staffers at the same time.
Brian was then elected to the New York State
Assembly, and I followed in the State Senate.
We’ve been colleagues and friends for a long
time now, and we get together for lunch from
time to time to talk about ideas. It’s been great
to work with him, and we share the Buffalo
State pride.
And what does it take to go from having
ideas or vision to being able to implement those ideas? My personal view of a
leader is this: someone who is willing to roll up
his or her sleeves and work hard. Someone who
is consistent in his work and has a positive attitude. A good leader will listen to the thoughts
and ideas of others and be responsive to situations. There is always a need for leadership and
new leaders—and they should have the ability
to be strategic and the willingness to take
responsibility for their actions. It’s all about
doing your level best.
To what extent can leadership be taught
or learned? Is it an innate quality? Both.
Mayor Byron Brown and Deputy Mayor Ellen Grant (seated)
spoke with top Buffalo State students on April 25 as part
of the college’s “Opportunity Knocks” leadership program.
PHOTOGrAPH bY dereK Gee/BUFFALO NEWS
Many leaders are born with innate qualities;
others prepare through training and hard work.
A leader can be born or made. Experience is
very important, as is surrounding yourself with
talented people and being willing to listen to
and learn from others.
(Left) Mayor Brown and
Congressman Higgins welcome
President Barack Obama to
Buffalo in 2013. (Top right) Mayor
Brown and his wife, Michelle, with
Buffalo State President Katherine
Conway-Turner and her husband,
Dr. Alvin Turner. (Bottom right)
Mayor Brown on campus to
celebrate the inauguration of
Katherine Conway-Turner as
the college’s ninth president.
Ultimately, I majored in journalism with a
concentration in public relations. And I was
hired for my first job in public service by
George K. Arthur, who was the Common
Council president. I purchased my first house
in Buffalo and just fell in love with the city.
But, no, during college, I never imagined
that I would be mayor someday. And I don’t
think my family ever imagined that, either.
My parents were always proud of me, and
we’d talk about what I was doing and what I
had accomplished in college, but they weren’t
expecting me to be mayor.
Where does Buffalo State fit in, in
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15
Start Spreading the News
TFA Students Find Filmmaking Success in New York City
…and Hollywood
And students find that hands-on training through internships
and professional networking is one of the most effective ways
to advance their craft.
While students are prepared for diverse careers as screenwriters,
producers, directors, agents, managers, and network or studio
executives, their primary focus is to become great storytellers,
regardless of the medium, says Joe Kostiw, a TFA major who
graduated in May and just accepted a job at Nickelodeon in
New York City following a semester interning at Viacom.
“I enjoy many aspects of television and film, but I am definitely
Lights,
Camera,
Action!
Want to see what TFA students u
are working on? Check out the
TFA program’s YouTube channel.
Visit www.youtube.com and
click on “Browse Channels,”
then search “Television and
Film Arts.”
partial to writing and editing. First and foremost, I want to be
a storyteller,” said Kostiw. “The semester in New York City
internship program was extremely beneficial to me. I was able
to get an internship with Viacom during my final semester, and
it provided a lot of practical experience and the perfect transition
into the real world. TFA helped me get this internship at
TFA students host an annual u
“TFA Night at the Oscars,” a
multimedia gala on campus to
celebrate the Academy Awards.
Nickelodeon, which has now turned into a job. Having this
opportunity has really proved to me that TFA has prepared me
well for the future.”
First and foremost, I want to be a storyteller...
—Joe Kostiw, TFA Major and Alumnus
u
Alumni Connections
T
“I am currently completing an internship at Viacom Media Networks
Buffalo State has produced numerous graduates who have
and, as the old Sinatra song goes, if you can make it in
in the Media Planning Department at Nickelodeon,” said Cassandra
established highly successful careers in the entertainment
New York City, you can make it anywhere.
Crimmen, a TFA major who grew up in Buffalo and just landed
industry, including Emmy Award-winning writer Diane English,
a full-time job with Hulu, an online video content provider. “My
’70. Recent TFA alums Michael Esposito, ’14, and Kaylee Peters,
department is responsible for scheduling promotional content on
’13, work at Nickelodeon; Tony Campanella, ’09, works at
he American television and film industry is ultra-competitive,
That’s why Buffalo State’s television and film arts (TFA) program
established a “Semester in New York City” program in 2013 and
offers ongoing opportunities in Hollywood: to place students in
internships in the industry’s two most demanding—and rewarding—
linear and video-on-demand platforms for Nickelodeon. The best
part of being in New York City is the ability to gain insight into the
Disney TV Animation; and Scott Jarrett, ’09, works as a
scriptwriter on the hit CBS show NCIS.
environment where we aspire to work. This is my third internship.
Many of these alums stay in close contact with their alma
With my teachers’ encouragement, I previously found and
mater, regularly supporting the college’s programs, activities,
Since 2009, more than 50 TFA students have enjoyed internships
completed internships with NBCUniversal and CBS Broadcasting
and students. Several prominent graduates—including Tom
and full-time positions at leading film production companies and
Inc. at Showtime Networks.”
Fontana, ’73, writer and producer; Tom Calderone, ’86, president
job markets.
other entertainment outlets in New York City and Hollywood,
of VH1; Marcie Mulé, ’81, president of Marcia Mulé Productions
including 20th Century Fox, Bravo, Comedy Central, Disney,
Inc.; and Deborah Oppenheimer, executive vice president of
NBCUniversal, Nickelodeon, Showtime, Warner Bros.,
Levinson/Fontana Company, Market Road Films, Ishta
Productions, and MTV.
Unique in SUNY
Carnival Films—have served as key advisers to the TFA program
Buffalo State’s TFA program is the only one of its kind in the State
and mentors to TFA students.
University of New York (SUNY) system and combines coursework
“In the highly competitive landscape of television and film,
This spring and summer semester alone, TFA students worked in
from the Communication, English, and Theater departments, with
I am proud to say that our TFA students and graduates are
26 high-profile entertainment industry internships and jobs, making
TFA courses designed specifically for the major. The highly selective
effectively competing with students from the most prominent
this the program’s most active year ever.
program enrolls just 15 students each year.
film programs in the country,” said Jeffrey Hirschberg, associate
Kyle Bradstreet, ’02, ’04, has u
written and produced episodes
of the popular BBC America
television series Copper, which
was created by Tom Fontana,
’73. Bradstreet, who has worked
on screenplays for Borgia: Faith
and Fear, HBO’s Manhunt, and
NBC’s The Philanthropist, returns
to his alma mater on a regular
basis to speak with and encourage current TFA students.
The TFA program’s new u
overview video, “Lights,
Camera... TFA!” can be viewed
at tvfilm.buffalostate.edu.
professor and director of the TFA program.
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facultyprofile
facultyprofile
There is a predicted need for art therapists
The
Value
of
for treating children with disabilities as well
as children dealing with challenging life
circumstances such as poverty
By Laurie A. Kaiser
or domestic violence.
f you look inside any hospital, senior
center, or psychiatric facility, and even
some schools, you are likely to find an
art therapist helping individuals overcome
obstacles and achieve new levels of success.
Art therapy combines art media, the creative
with challenging life circumstances such as
time. Yet they flourish when handed a
process, and psychology to explore feelings,
poverty or domestic violence,” said Andrus.
paintbrush or are instructed on how to
reconcile emotional conflicts, improve
cognitive skills, and restore a sense of
personal well-being, according to Lucy
Andrus, professor of art education and
art therapist.
While art therapist positions require a
master’s degree, undergraduates at Buffalo
State get a taste of the discipline and can
prepare for graduate school through an art
therapy minor overseen by Andrus, who
had a private art therapy practice and has
taught for 33 years. Currently, 55 students
are enrolled in the minor.
Therapy
SUMMER 2015
1300Elmwood
create a quilt.
the combination of art and therapy can be.
“They take tremendous pride in the artwork
Twenty years ago, she developed the college’s
they are able to create,” she said.
Art Partners Program, which continues to
offer therapeutic art education to urban
students with special learning needs.
Andrus wrote a chapter on art education,
art therapy, and therapeutic teaching for
the book Reaching and Teaching Students
Every year, Buffalo State students on the
with Special Needs (National Art Education
Art Partners teaching team work with
Association, 2006). One excerpt sums up
Andrus to develop a range of art projects
what she has learned:
for students with disabilities and those
considered at risk in the Buffalo Public
Schools. Currently, a group of students
with developmental disabilities from
“Many of these students are interested in
McKinley High School in Buffalo spend
pursuing art therapy with future graduate
two hours a week on the Buffalo State
study and then a career,” said Andrus.
campus working with the team on projects
“If they are good, they will get jobs.”
that weave together a number of lessons
Andrus can speak to the benefits of art
18
She knows from experience how beneficial
following a theme.
therapy and the need for art therapists in the
According to McKinley special education
future, as well as the concept of therapeutic
teachers Dina Ziegler and Peggy Dolan,
teaching methods for children at risk.
the program is a boon to their students.
“With the move to a more inclusionary
“It’s amazing to see what concepts the
model of education, there is a predicted
students can remember from year to year,”
need for art therapists for treating children
said Dolan, noting that these same students
with disabilities as well as children dealing
often struggle with life skills such as telling
“In my experience, art teachers attest to the
fact that the art room is often the one place
children with special needs can function on
equal footing with their peers in general
education. In fact, some teachers discover
unexpectedly that a child with special needs
not only prospers in the art room, but may,
in fact, demonstrate exceptional ability.”
Lucy Andrus
is a professor of art education.
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19
donorimpact
Transforming Lives Campaign
Hits $27 Million Mark
Buffalo State’s Transforming Lives campaign has
raised more than $27 million to date, surpassing its
initial goal of $20 million.
Buffalo State College Foundation
Surpasses $50 Million in Assets
The Buffalo State College Foundation recently surpassed $50 million in total assets.
“This is a significant milestone for us,” said Susanne
Bair, vice president for institutional advancement. “It
means we can provide more scholarships for students
and additional assistance for academic programs and
Student Life initiatives.”
When Bair joined the college in 2007, the foundation’s permanently restricted funds stood at $15
million. That category has almost doubled to $27.7
million today. Between 2013 and 2014, total assets
increased more than $10 million.
donorimpact
The growth is partially due to a final gift of
$2.25 million that was presented to the college in
February from the estate of the late Horace “Hank”
Mann. Beginning in 2001, the retired exceptional
education professor, who passed away in 2010, gave
more than $7 million to Buffalo State, making him
the college’s largest individual donor. Other significant gifts within the Transforming Lives fundraising
campaign also boosted assets.
20
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D. Bruce Johnstone
and Gail Johnstone
&
n a snowy February
O
morning, d. bruce
Johnstone, former
Gala Supports Honors Program
The 18th annual Buffalo State College Foundation
Scholarship Gala, an event benefiting the Muriel A.
Howard Honors Program, was held on April 18 in
the Campbell Student Union Social Hall. Linda A.
Dobmeier, ’71, chair of the Buffalo State College
Council, served as event chair, while Desiree Wiley,
’12, from WKBW-TV and John Di Sciullo from
WBBZ-TV were the masters of ceremonies.
The gala has helped raise more than $3.5 million
in scholarship funds since it began in 1998. Larkin
Development Group, LPCiminelli Inc., M&T Bank,
and Chartwells were this year’s presenting sponsors.
Reach for the Stars, an original watercolor painting
of Rockwell Hall by celebrated artist Rita Argen
Auerbach, ’54, ’74, was the highlight of the event’s
live auction.
Inspiring a Spirit of Giving
Say Cheese! u
Colleen Young,
vice president of
the Student
Philanthropy
Council, and
Bangali Doumbia
promote the new
group in the
Campbell Student
Union.
donorprofile
The Buffalo State Student Philanthropy Council (SPC)
was founded this year as a socially minded group
striving to build awareness for the importance and
influence that philanthropy has on the campus community. The group’s primary goal is to improve student engagement and increase the number of individuals working toward a better Buffalo State.
“I have a big dream of being a little philanthropist,”
said senior SPC member Eric Gersbacher. “Effective
giving does not always come from big purses. Doing
something worthwhile does not always have to cost
a lot of money.”
The SPC stresses that every gift is valued; it is not
the amount that matters, but the collective power it
has to change lives and the future of Buffalo State.
The group has used social media sites such as
Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram to
spread its message. It also produced a video giving
thanks to the college’s donors in celebration of
National Philanthropy Day in November. That
video can be viewed on YouTube by searching
“Buffalo State Students Give Thanks to Donors.”
president of buffalo state
and former sunY chancellor,
sat in the living room of the
waterfront condominium he
shares with his wife, Gail.
The light-infused room was
filled with stunning drawings
and paintings created by
“
buffalo state visual arts
I have a special
affection for the
art conservation
”
program.
professors, both living and
deceased.
p President Katherine Conway-Turner (center) with D. Bruce Johnstone and
Gail Johnstone.
Art holds a special place
for the couple, as demon-
community, the Albright-Knox
program,” Johnstone said.
faculty and students attend
strated in Johnstone’s con-
and other art galleries.”
“Art conservators are not
conferences and also to
tributions to buffalo state
The art conservation pro-
paid high salaries. They
bring in experts to speak on
during his presidency from
gram is now considered one
can’t carry large debts.”
campus.
1979 to 1988. because of
of the college’s gems, and
the college’s strength in the
its graduates have landed
Johnstones made a separate
retired, Johnstone shows no
visual arts and its location
jobs with some of the most
endowed gift to buffalo
signs of slowing down. He
in the city’s cultural corridor,
prominent art museums in
state’s school of education.
continues to share his
Johnstone believed the
the country, including the
The bruce and Gail Johnstone
expertise at international
graduate art conservation
metropolitan museum of Art,
Fund for urban education is
conferences and is a World
program, then located
the brooklyn museum, the
designed for professional
bank consultant on higher
at sunY Oneonta in
Art Institute of Chicago, the
development and to cover
education reform projects in
Cooperstown, new York,
J. Paul Getty museum, the
the cost of visiting lecturers
morocco, romania, the
belonged at buffalo state.
national Gallery of Art, and
and speakers.
united Arab emirates, Kenya,
As one of his prouder
all the smithsonian museums.
“Gail and I have a long
achievements as president,
In 2014, the Johnstones
tradition of supporting public
Johnstone led the program’s
contributed to the program
education,” he said. “And I
relocation to buffalo.
in another way. They made
had the feeling that with the
“First, I very strategically
a generous contribution to
crisis in the buffalo schools,
set out to woo the faculty,”
the fellowship fund for art
buffalo state was not being
he said with a smile. “I
conservation students.
turned to sufficiently for
brought the faculty here on
“I have a special affec-
a bus to see the buffalo art
tion for the art conservation
Additionally, the
answers.” Through the gift,
the couple wants to help
Although he has officially
and the Organization of
eastern Caribbean states.
Find out all the ways
you can make a difference.
Contact the Buffalo State
College Foundation at
(716) 878-4658 or http://
giving.buffalostate.edu
1300Elmwood
SUMMER 2015
21
donorimpact
Donor’s Gift Connects to Theater Experiences
at Buffalo State
q
A “Grande” Show
of Support. Joseph
Grande, ’53 (center),
celebrates the naming
of the Warren Enters
Theatre box office with
Carlos Jones, chair and
associate professor of
theater (left), and
Jesse Tiebor, theater
major and president
of Casting Hall.
When Joseph Grande, ’53, attended Buffalo State,
he was something of a Renaissance man.
An elementary education major, he wrote for the
Record and immersed himself in the campus theater
world. He vividly remembers performing in School
for Scandal and Devil’s Disciple and later directing a
variety show in Rockwell Hall.
Although he enjoyed a long and illustrious career
in education, he said his theater experiences remain
among his most cherished college memories. Those
memories live on in Upton Hall, where the box
office for Warren Enters Theatre was recently named
in honor of Grande and his late wife, Marguerite, to
recognize their generous planned gift for scholarships
specifically for theater students.
“I paid very little money to attend Buffalo
State,” said Grande, a Kenmore, New York, native
who worked his way through college. “Today it costs
more, and I want young people to have the opportunity to pursue theater and a college education.
My Buffalo State experience was very important to
my life. It’s where I gained self-confidence. I will
forever be grateful for that.”
Students admitted to Buffalo State’s 48-year-old
Arthur O. Eve Educational Opportunity Program
(EOP) show promise despite the odds. A majority of
EOP students come from homes with annual incomes
of less than $25,000, and typically, their high school
grade point average is below 85. Many are first-generation college students or children of immigrants.
To help them succeed, 16 EOP staff members
provide free tutoring, academic advisement, and
counseling. Even with this academic and moral
support, however, financial obstacles often arise.
Sometimes a seemingly small shortfall of $100 or
$200 to cover books or a car repair can seriously
disrupt their academic progress.
The EOP Student Financial Assistance Fund is
designated for those situations and emergencies. It is
funded through contributions to Buffalo State’s annual
Faculty and Staff Appeal. In addition, EOP students
are eligible for funding from the Jaelah Yannis Jenkins
Fund, the Kolawole (Tommy) Glover Memorial
Scholarship Fund, SEEK EOP funds, the Chi Alpha
Epsilon (XAE) National Honor Society Fund, and the
Dougherty-Witten Scholarship Fund among others.
More than 450 EOP students were recognized
for academic excellence on May 7 at the annual
Arthur O. Eve EOP Honors Convocation in
Rockwell Hall. Students who obtained a minimum
cumulative GPA of 3.0 during the semester or the
2014 calendar year were honored. Carlton Sapp,
Ph.D., Class of 1993, was presented with the
Distinguished Alumnus Award during the ceremony.
Students Receive Ford Scholarships
Join in!
To make your gift, contact the
Buffalo State College Foundation at
(716) 878-5536
bscfoundation@buffalostate.edu
http://giving.buffalostate.edu
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SUMMER 2015
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donorimpact
Funds Help EOP Students Excel
Two Buffalo State freshmen enrolled in the Muriel
A. Howard Honors Program learned that more than
70 percent of their college costs will be covered
thanks to a scholarship funded by the Western New
York Ford Dealers.
Isabelle Poslinski, an elementary education major,
and Sonya Bayba, a biology major, will receive the
Buffalo ADI Ford Dealers Cooperative Scholarship
annually during their four years at Buffalo State.
Both women penned essays earlier this year as part
of the application process for the scholarship. In her
essay, Bayba described the continual promise she made
to her grandfather, a Ukrainian immigrant who grew up
during the Great Depression, to get a college education.
“Not only do I want to study, I want to succeed,
for my grandpa and the life he built from nothing,”
she wrote.
t President’s Circle
President Katherine
Conway-Turner
welcomes members
of the President’s Circle
at a reception at the
President’s House on
May 7. President’s Circle
members support the
college with an annual
gift of $1,500 or more.
scholarshipprofile
{
International Education Fund
}
Rebecca Cannizzaro, ’16
Buffalo State
theater major
Rebecca
Cannizzaro
always knew
she wanted to
incorporate
international
travel into her
education. In
spring 2014,
during her
sophomore year, she had the chance to study on the
other side of the world. Through the college’s
International Education Office, she spent a semester
at the University of South Australia.
“I’ve always had an adventurous spirit, and I love
exploring new places and trying new things,” said
Cannizzaro, who grew up an only child in Lancaster,
New York. “Because I’m also a big animal lover, the
Australia program was appealing, with its deserts and
rainforests and just about every ecological structure
you can think of.”
She traveled alone to Adelaide, where the East Campus
is located, took a full slate of classes, landed a role
in a play, and traveled along the eastern coast of
Australia and through parts of New Zealand, where
she saw some of those ecological wonders she had
dreamed of.
But the eye-opening experience almost didn’t happen.
When she first learned of the Australia option, the
cost seemed prohibitive. She would need to pay for
the trip herself, and funds were tight; however,
Cannizzaro, who is as resourceful as she is brave,
found a campus fund that helped defray the costs—
the International Education Fund, which is funded
through Buffalo State’s annual Faculty and Staff
Appeal. She worked and saved for the remainder.
“I would be a totally different person without this
trip,” she said. “The things I learned being on my own
and being in situations where I had to make decisions
and learn about other cultures made me more
equipped for life.”
During her travels, she made a point to talk to
Aborigines, who tend to live separately from other
Australians, and noticed similarities between their
struggles and those of Native Americans.
“Everywhere there are social issues that connect us,”
she said. “It’s so important to not only be able to
make those connections but also to work toward
solutions to problems that exist everywhere. We’re
all people, after all.”
After she graduates from Buffalo State in 2016,
Cannizzaro is considering graduate school for
theater, as well as a stint with the Peace Corps. She
said her experience in Australia—along with a more
recent trip to Rwanda with the Anne Frank Project
(left)—bolstered her desire to see as much of the
world as possible.
1300Elmwood
SUMMER 2015
23
Carolyn Riccardelli, ’01
fter Carolyn Riccardelli, ’01, graduated with a bachelor’s degree in
anthropology from Tulane
University’s Newcomb College in
1991, she had only a vague idea
of the career she wanted to pursue. She
knew she loved art and being around
objects with history.
She started applying for museum
internships, landing one at the Haffenreffer
Museum of Anthropology at Brown
University. It was there she met her mentor,
Alexandra Allardt, a graduate of Buffalo
State’s art conservation program when it
was located in Cooperstown, New York.
Riccardelli took a class from Allardt,
who conveyed the significance of preserving beautiful pieces of the past. She
also worked with Allardt on a few projects
and had an epiphany—art conservation
was what she wanted to do.
“I felt like Alex was preparing me for the Buffalo State
art conservation program,”
Riccardelli said.
In the ensuing seven
years, Riccardelli took art history and
chemistry courses and completed internships at several museums in order to prepare a portfolio necessary to apply to the
esteemed art conservation program. She
was accepted in 1998, and she focused
on objects conservation.
“Objects can be made of anything;
paintings and paper are relevant to an
objects conservator,” she said. “What I
value about the Buffalo State program is
that you get hands-on experience in all of
those areas.”
Soon after graduating, Riccardelli put
her education to use in a tremendous and
much-heralded way. While working as a
contractor in the Objects Conservation
Department at the Metropolitan Museum
of Art in New York City, she was invited to
help reconstruct Adam, an iconic 15thcentury statue that was severely damaged
when the pedestal holding it collapsed.
The 6-foot-3-inch marble sculpture created
by Italian Renaissance artist Tullio Lombardo
had broken into 28 large pieces and hundreds of tiny ones.
“I knew it would be a giant project,”
she said, “but I don’t think I knew how
extensive it would be.”
Over the next 12 years, Riccardelli
and three other conservators, along with
a team of scientists and engineers,
painstakingly restored Adam to its previous
glory. The unprecedented conservation
project garnered widespread media
attention, including a front-page article in
the New York Times and stories in the Wall
Street Journal and on CBS This Morning.
An article in the Metropolitan Museum
Journal (vol. 49, pp. 49–116), of which
Riccardelli is the lead author, documents
the entire project and highlights the
unusual collaboration between conservators and allied professionals.
Now the public can see the statue in
the exhibition Tullio Lombardo’s Adam: A
Masterpiece Restored, at the Met through
July 2015.
I think what happened to Adam struck
a chord with people,” Riccardelli said.
“We’re all broken things; we’ve all made
mistakes. And this sad accident had a
happy ending.”
Story by Laurie A. Kaiser
24
SUMMER 2015
1300Elmwood
PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART
alumniprofile
1300Elmwood
SUMMER 2015
25
alumniprofile
Malcolm Collum, ’95
The Final Frontier
PHOTOGRAPH: DANE PENLAND, SMITHSONIAN NATIONAL AIR AND SPACE MUSEUM
L
26
SUMMER 2015
1300Elmwood
ike many children growing up
in the 1970s, Malcolm Collum, a
’95 graduate of Buffalo State’s
art conservation program,
eagerly awaited reruns of the
original Star Trek TV series, the cult classic
that ran from 1966 to 1969 and introduced multiple generations to the adventures of Captain Kirk (William Shatner),
Mr. Spock (Leonard Nimoy), and their
crew aboard the USS Enterprise.
What the 48-year-old Collum didn’t
know as a child was that one day he would
oversee conservation of the iconic starship
that captured so many imaginations. In his
job as chief conservator and Engen
Conservation Chair for the Smithsonian’s
National Air and Space Museum, Collum
has been charged with bringing the 11-foot
Enterprise studio model, which Paramount
Studios gave to the museum in 1974, back
to its former glory.
“I know I’ve been handed a huge
responsibility,” said Collum, who has
worked at the museum since 2008.
Previously, he served as senior conservator
at the Henry Ford in Dearborn, Michigan.
For the past 15 years, the starship has
been on a centerpiece display in the
museum’s gift shop, protected in a glass
case. Now the museum is preparing for the
Boeing Milestones of Flight exhibit that
will open in 2016. And it’s fitting that the
starship, one of several iconic artifacts
included in the exhibition, will be given new
life during the 50th anniversary of the
original Star Trek series.
First, the starship needs conservation
treatment. The Enterprise is now in a
Smithsonian lab where Collum, in concert
with curator Margaret Weitekamp, is
embarking on a yearlong project that began
with an assessment of its condition. He even
borrowed an x-ray machine from the
National Zoo to see inside.
“Disassembling any one-of-a-kind
object is fraught with uncertainty,” he said.
“The radiographs let us know where every
nail and screw is located before we
attempt to remove components. In some
cases, it provides enough information to
negate the need to remove a part. It also
illustrates some of the work that was done
during previous restorations and reveals
the internal construction. Basically, there
are no surprises once we begin work.”
On the exterior, he has found definite
evidence of the model’s age.
“The paint is starting to flake. There
are cracks and some lines where there
shouldn’t be.”
The model also suffered damage from
a move and a restoration in the early 1990s.
“They went a little heavy-handed with
the airbrush paint, and the result upset
some Star Trek fans,” he said. “We’re going
to do touch-up work and bring the entire
model back to the reference point [of the
original]. I want to make fans happy and
get it back to a more true representation
of what it was.”
Collum recently hired another Buffalo
State art conservation graduate, Ariel
O’Connor, ’09, to assist with the Enterprise
project, along with other projects in the
museum, and he plans to bring in a paint
analysis specialist to help identify the model’s
paint history, types, and sequences.
He noted that the art conservation
program prepared him well for the monumental task ahead.
“Having the scientific background and
the overall art conservation training at
Buffalo State instilled in me the confidence to decipher what causes aircrafts
to deteriorate and use logic to find the
most appropriate way to conserve them,”
Collum said, adding, “I think Spock
would approve.”
Story by Laurie A. Kaiser
1300Elmwood
SUMMER 2015
27
alumninews
alumninews
’80s Reunion Weekend
October 16–17
President
Buffalo State Alumni Association
Spring is a season of new growth and new life,
and it is in that spirit that I’m thrilled to
introduce myself as the new president of your
Buffalo State Alumni Association. I’ve served
on the board for four years, and I am excited
about this new opportunity! My sincerest thanks
to Marsha D. Jackson, Ph.D., ’81, ’85, for her
service to the board for more than 10 years,
most recently as president.
Several new dynamic alumni have joined our
board: Adam Sassone, ’00, treasurer; Ara
Bagdasarian, ’95, director-at-large; James Duncan,
’94, director-at-large; Latrese Myers, ’08, directorat-large; and David Zapfel, ’85, director-at-large.
Also, I’d like to welcome the Class of 2015 to
your Alumni Association. We are a non-duespaying organization, and all graduates are
members. We have nearly 2,500 new Buffalo
State alumni this year, and more than 100,000
alumni worldwide. You’ll be able to join the
Alumni Association at our networking and
social events, reunions, and other great activities; take advantage of member benefits; and
more. More information is available at
alumni.buffalostate.edu.
Think about your experience when you attended
Buffalo State. Perhaps you can relate to mine.
If so, then I encourage you to be a “Bengal
Ambassador.” Encourage high school students
or college students looking to transfer to
another academic institution to attend Buffalo
State. Tell them about the great education
you received here, the caring professors you
encountered, and the friends you made along
the way.
July 17–19, 2015
Friday, July 17
Welcome Home Reception
Campbell Student Union,
Residential Dining Center
1300 Elmwood Avenue
Buffalo, NY 14222
5:00–7:00 p.m.
Saturday, July 18
Class of 1955
60th Reunion Luncheon
Gigi’s Cucina Povera
981 Kenmore Avenue
Buffalo, NY 14217
11:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m.
Class of 1965
50th Reunion Reception
and Dinner
Campbell Student Union,
Social Hall
1300 Elmwood Avenue
Buffalo, NY 14222
6:00 p.m. Reception
7:00–9:00 p.m. Dinner
some of your favorite spots in Buffalo. The weekend starts off
with a Friday reception on campus and includes a Saturday
night ’80s-themed party at Mr. Goodbar on Elmwood.
Visit alumni.buffalostate.edu for registration and hotel details.
Buffalo State
Alumni Association
Upcoming Events
June
Homecoming 2015
20
Darien Lake
Picnic Day
October 2–3
Celebrate Homecoming at Buffalo State with your Alumni
Association. Join us for a tailgate party before the big game
against St. John Fisher College on Saturday, October 3.
More details will be announced soon at homecoming.
buffalostate.edu.
—Malcolm Collum, ’95
Come anytime during
park hours
to enjoy the
Darien Lake
park and
water attractions on
your own, then join our
group for a buffet-style
lunch at 12:30 p.m. in
the Picnic Pavilion.
July
30
Shakespeare in
Delaware
Park
Stay connected!
facebook.com/buffalostatealumni
Sunday, July 19
@buffstatealumni
50-Plus Club
Reception and Luncheon
Foundry Hotel & Banquet
1738 Elmwood Avenue
Buffalo, NY 14207
2:00 p.m. Reception
3:00–5:00 p.m. Luncheon
Visit
alumni.buffalostate.edu
for the latest alumni news.
p
p
It is truly a pleasure to serve on the board as a
way of giving back to my alma mater. My education at Buffalo State helped me launch my
career, and I would not be where I am today
without it. The friendships that I made as a
student and the wonderful professors I learned
from also had a profound impact on my life.
Reunion Weekend
“Having the
scientific
background
and the overall
art conservation
training at
Buffalo State
instilled in me
the confidence
to decipher
what causes
aircrafts to
deteriorate and
use logic to
find the most
appropriate way
to conserve them.
I think Spock
would approve.”
Connect with former classmates
and friends as we celebrate
Buffalo State’s graduating classes
of the 1980s. Spend the weekend
touring campus, catching up
with other alumni, and visiting
p
p
Richard J. Trigilio, ’90
@buffalostatealumni
Group Name: Buffalo State Alumni
flickr.com/photos/buffalostatealumni
Stay in Touch!
Be sure to stay in touch with us.
Please update your e-mail address
with the Alumni Association. We’ll
send you information about our
upcoming events.
http://bit.ly.updatemyinfo
Take in a
performance
of William
Shakespeare’s
Twelfth Night with
friends and fellow
Buffalo State alumni
on Shakespeare Hill
in Delaware Park
(next to Hoyt Lake).
The performance starts
at 7:30 p.m. Alumni
Association staff
members will arrive
at 6:00 p.m. for
check-in and
distribution of boxed
meals from Subway.
Visit alumni.
buffalostate.edu
for event registration.
youtube.com/officialbuffalostate
28
SUMMER 2015
1300Elmwood
1300Elmwood
SUMMER 2015
29
alumninews
alumninews
Western New
York Alumni
Event Recaps
Men’s Soccer
Alumni Day
Alumni of the men’s
soccer team reconnected
on May 2 for their
Alumni Day. Activities
included an alumni
game and post-game
mixer with the women’s
soccer team.
Event Recaps
p Communication
Department
Reunion
The department’s
alumni attended an
informal reunion on
September 19 at Coles
Restaurant in Buffalo.
More events
and details are
available at
alumni.buffalostate.edu
p Buffalo Bills vs.
Minnesota Vikings:
October 2014
Buffalo State alumni
and friends traveled by
coach bus from the
Buffalo State campus to
attend the Buffalo
Bills–Minnesota Vikings
game on October 19 at
Ralph Wilson Stadium.
Food and beverages
were provided by the
Alumni Association.
Great to see our alumni,
and also a Bills victory!
q Wine Club at
Butterwood
Sweet & Savory:
January 2015
Delicious food and
wine were enjoyed by
alumni who attended
the Wine Club event
at Butterwood Sweet
& Savory on January
13. Our friends at the
restaurant created a
hearty four-course
menu specifically
for our alumni and
their guests.
Stay connected!
30
SUMMER 2015
1300Elmwood
facebook.com/buffalostatealumni
p HESAA/SPA
Department
Alumni, Family, and
Friends Reunion
Alumni gathered for a
reunion at Resurgence
Brewing Company on
November 14.
t Siena Alumni
Network Gathering
Siena Program alumni
gathered to reconnect
and share stories at
Resurgence Brewing
Company on February 5.
Alumni were also able
to visit with Daniela
Perozzi, the much-loved
on-site director of
the Siena, Italy,
study-abroad program.
p Casting Hall
Reunion
Casting Hall alumni
returned to Buffalo
State for the group’s
2015 reunion on
March 13 and 14.
Events included a
student-alumni mixer,
roundtable discussions,
an alumni reception,
and a performance
of The Importance
of Being Earnest.
View more
event photos
on the Alumni
Association’s
Facebook fan
page.
@buffalostatealumni
Rugby Alumni
Weekend
Rugby team alumni
played in their annual
men’s and women’s
alumni games, enjoyed
brunch, and more
between May 1 and 3.
p Arizona
Alumni in the Phoenix,
Arizona, area enjoyed
a pre-game networking
event at Gordon Biersch
Brewery Restaurant
and then saw the
Buffalo Sabres defeat
the Phoenix Coyotes
at the Gila River Arena
as part of a Buffalo
State Arizona Alumni
Network event on
March 30.
Reunions
around the
Country
Siena Alumni in
New York City
Siena Program alumni
reminisced about their
time in Siena, Italy,
and networked with
fellow alumni of the
program on April 24.
Hospitality and
Tourism
Department’s
Hospitality
Ambassador Awards
Tim Herzog, ’81, was
among the honorees at
the 21st annual
Hospitality Ambassador
Awards on April 22.
Interior Design
Department Student
and Alumni Show
Alumni celebrated the
Interior Design Student
and Alumni Show at a
complimentary reception in Upton Hall’s
Czurles-Nelson Gallery
on April 30.
Women’s Soccer
Reunion
Alumni of the women’s
soccer team reunited on
May 2 for their annual
gathering, which
included an alumni
game, tour of the newly
renovated Houston
Gym, and post-game
mixer with the men’s
soccer team.
Hockey Alumni u
Weekend
Alumni from the
Buffalo State men’s
and women’s hockey
teams reunited for the
annual Hockey Alumni
Weekend on February
20 and 21. Both teams
held games, with one
of the biggest turnouts
in the event’s history.
@buffstatealumni
p WBNY Alumni
Shift-a-Thon
Nearly 20 WBNY
alumni took part in
the group’s annual
Shift-a-Thon on
April 17–19. Alumni
Association board
member Jerome “Jerry”
Wszalek, ’75, spoke
with Jack Kanack, ’83,
about the Alumni
Association during
Kanack’s program on
April 17.
Group Name: Buffalo State Alumni
Planning an
alumni gettogether?
Let us know!
We’d be happy to
provide support.
E-mail alumni@
buffalostate.edu
to get involved.
p Washington, D.C.
Bengal alumni in the
Washington, D.C., area
gathered at Roofers
Union for an alumni
networking happy hour
on October 10.
Florida
Alumni living in
Florida had the
chance to connect
with lifelong friends
and also meet
President Katherine S.
Conway-Turner at the
Alumni Association’s
annual alumni
reception events
in Naples, Sarasota,
and The Villages
on March 3–5.
p Sarasota
q The Villages
p Naples
flickr.com/photos/buffalostatealumni
youtube.com/officialbuffalostate
1300Elmwood
SUMMER 2015
31
classnotes
classnotes
morris “murry” smilkstein,
B.s. ’53, was drafted after
Got news?
Keep us informed.
Send your news to
CLASS NOTES, Alumni
Association Office,
Cleveland Hall 319,
Buffalo State,
1300 Elmwood Avenue,
Buffalo, NY 14222;
fax (716) 878-6050; e-mail
alumni@ buffalostate.edu.
Submissions for the
winter 2015 issue
must be received by
August 15, 2015.
40s
Jeanette (silbermansemenuk) nagle, B.s. ’46,
graduation and served 18
months with the Corps of
engineers in england. he
taught sixth grade in the
mohegan school District for
six years after his discharge
from the service. he then
moved to California and was
employed 28 years in the
upland unified school
District, where he taught
grades four through six.
During that time, he held all
offices in the upland
teachers association. During
the summers and in retirement, he and his wife traveled throughout the united
states, mexico, Canada,
england, and Italy. they enjoy
camping, rVing, golfing,
skiing, and playing bridge.
Joan
rosenthalshulman,
B.s.ed. ’55,
published a
book, The
Racing Car Driver, in 2014
based on a poem she wrote
for her son when he was 5
years old. she retired in 1992
from her job as the
coordinator of the reading
and study skills program at
the California state university
Dominguez hills’ learning
assistance Center. she has two
children, two grandchildren,
and one great-grandson, with
another great-grandchild due
in July.
rosenthal-shulman
celebrated her 90th birthday
last summer. she lives in Fort
myers, Florida, and is the
proud great-grandmother of
two boys, ages 4 and 2.
hoare
mary Jane Hoare, B.s. ’56,
50s
John Hailand, B.s. ’53,
retired in 1990 from the
research and development
department of Fisher-price
toys. he and his wife,
Caroline, celebrated their
62nd wedding anniversary in
april. they have traveled
extensively throughout the
united states and europe.
hailand has been active in
rowing for the last 30 years,
both as a competitor and as
a coach. he lives in the City
of tonawanda, new York,
has six children, 13 grandchildren, and two greatgrandchildren.
Harry leigh, B.s. ’53, m.A.
’59, has been awarded a
fellowship from the new
York Foundation for the
arts in crafts/sculpture.
only 2 percent of applicants
receive this award.
32
SUMMER 2015
1300Elmwood
parton
ralf Parton, B.s. ’54, writes
from Walnut Creek, California:
“I’m not dead; it was a ‘grave’
mistake in the last issue of
the alumni magazine, which
listed me under the 1954 In
memoriam list. In fact, I am
alive and well, and I play
tennis three mornings each
week here in sunny California,
and I continue to take groups
of senior citizens on art tours
around the world. this photo
is me with one of my sculptures,
which is on the California state
university-stanislaus campus,
where I retired as a professor
of sculpture in 1988.”
writes from Bridgewater,
new Jersey: “I had a wonderful cruise to alaska at the
end of July. of course, I took
along my alumni sweatshirt
since we were with my husband John’s Cornell alumni
folks. the picture was taken
in front of the beautiful
sawyer glacier.”
Jack Pangburn, B.s. ’57, and
shirley macdonald Pangburn,
B.s. ’57, of Westbury, new
York, welcomed their first
great-grandchild, holly lynn
Frey, on January 9.
mastrangelo
Al mastrangelo, B.s.ed. ’59,
is a retired principal from high
school West in smithtown,
new York. he enjoys singing
bass with the sound Burst
Barbershop harmony Quartet.
the group recently sang “the
star-spangled Banner” at silver
spurs arena in Kissimmee,
Florida. mastrangelo and his
wife, Bobbi, B.s.ed. ’59,
enjoy the active lifestyle of
the solivita Community in
poinciana, Florida.
mastrangelo
Barbara “Bobbi” mastrangelo,
B.s.ed. ’59, has “grate news”
about her manhole covers
artwork. she was recently
featured in the municipal.com
magazine article “turning
manhole Covers into art.”
mastrangelo’s sculpture relief,
City of Orlando, garnered
honorable mention in the
fourth biannual Four points
Contemporary juried art
competition, which had 300
applicants (http://bobbimastrangelo.com).
60s
Patricia (fries) lovallo, B.s.
’63, continues to works as a
K–12 substitute following her
retirement as a primary grade
teacher from the Fairport
(new York) Central school
and originally the grand Island
(new York) Central school
districts. For the past five
years, she has worked as an
assessment administrator for
the national assessment of
educational progress, also
known as the nation’s report
Card. she now enjoys her
grandchildren, cross-country
skiing, fishing, traveling, and
birding. she also volunteers as
an assistant bird bander of
migratory songbirds for the
Braddock Bay Bird observatory.
mary (sacco) Haberl, B.s.
’64, is owner and partner of
solarFour llC, a start-up
solar pV (photovoltaic) company that builds and retrofits
houses in the Washington, D.C.,
area. the company has won
16 awards for innovation and
technology, including best
new business, gold and silver
from the loudoun Chamber
of Commerce, the green
Business award for most
improved business, and Best
Business plan from the sBDC.
haberl holds an ed.D. in curriculum from the university at
Buffalo (www.solarfour.us).
donald scherer, B.s. ’64,
m.s. ’68, finished third in
70s
Kelly Remington, M.S.Ed. ’09
recently
retired after
33 years
with the
York region
FrItz
District
school Board as a teacher,
curriculum consultant, and
school principal. he is now a
faculty adviser with the
university of ontario Institute
of technology’s Faculty of
education. he has been an avid
runner for 25 years, enjoying
10Ks around ontario.
his age group (70–74) in the
1-meter springboard diving
competition and 19th in the
50-meter breaststroke at the
FIna World masters
Championships in montreal
in august. more than 5,000
athletes from 94 nations
competed in the games.
Timothy d. dennis, B.s. ’69,
teaches construction technology at hudson Valley
Community College in troy,
new York. he writes, “While
on the Buffalo state alumni
web page, I observed renderings of the planned new
alumni building, and I very
much like the shape and look
of the building.”
robert Henry, B.s. ’69, was
recently promoted to executive
director of the education
services Division of the Clark
County school District in las
Vegas, nevada, the fifth
largest school district in the
country.
County in Yorktown, new York.
We have two grown daughters,
a son-in-law, and two wonderful grandchildren. after
work careers, we are now
retired in mahopac, new
York, and enjoy spending
time together and traveling.”
James fox, B.s. ’73, was
William Bauza, B.s. ’68,
m.s. ’71, celebrated the birth
of his first grandchild, Claire,
in may 2014. he is part of the
committee planning the 50th
class reunion of Buffalo’s
Kensington high school Class
of 1965 this august and is
looking for classmates.
Kelly Remington was one of 18 people to compete in Season 30 of
Survivor: Worlds Apart, the CBS series set in Nicaragua. The 44-yearold New York State trooper, who also spent five years in the Air Force
stationed with the Niagara Falls Air Force Base 107th security forces,
was initially selected as one of six members of the Blue Collar team in
a competition divided into white-collar professionals and executives,
blue-collar workers, and no-collar free spirits. Remington was eventually voted off the show on the episode that aired April 1, after having
“survived” as one of the final 12 competitors.
larry fritz,
B.A. ’71,
KarCzeWsKI
robert A. B. Karczewski, B.s.
’71, of hyannis, massachusetts,
recently completed a government grant application to
benefit veterans in a Business
outreach Center facility. the
program would serve as an
employment and “rehab”
resource, primarily for physically
disabled soldiers and veterans.
Jackie martins, B.s.ed. ’71,
and frank martins, B.s. ’71,
met as juniors at Buffalo
state in January 1970 in the
international dorm, which
was south Wing at that time.
she writes: “I had just
returned from my semester
in siena, and my husband
was living in south Wing and
came to check out the new
girls! We married in 1972 and
have been fortunate to have
a great life in Westchester
cast in multiple roles in the
world premiere of the rock
musical “the road taken,”
written by Buffalonian
stephen Whitney shanley.
Five years in the making, the
production is a staged reading and musical loosely based
on the life of Bob Dylan.
shanley was interviewed by
WBnY-Fm 91.3, Buffalo
state’s student-run radio station. Fox and other cast
members also perform with
Buffalo’s own a Cappella
Fellas, directed by Brian
hilton, at various venues
throughout the city.
michelle Kuczma, B.s. ’73,
will celebrate 25 years as
director of library services at
the los angeles law firm of
Buchalter nemer. she received
her master of library science
from uCla in 1979 with a
legal specialization certificate.
her adopted daughter from
russia turned 15 in november
and is a freshman at mayfield
senior high school in
pasadena. her family also
includes a dog, teddy, and
cats, lucy and gracie.
Karen o’Connor, B.A. ’73,
has been selected by the Irish
Times as one of the top 100
Irish american lawyers in
america. she is coauthor of the
best-selling textbook Essentials
of American Government, now
in its 13th edition. o’Connor
received the 2010 Distinguished
alumnus award from the
university at Buffalo’s
political science Department
(J.D., 1977; ph.D., 1979).
academy for lifelong learning
at empire state College. he also
helped organize a presentation
centered on the course War
and policy for more than 200
high school seniors. saratoga
springs will hold a major event
at the City Center on november
15 to honor veterans and family
members from the Vietnam era.
gregory J. P. “doc” miller,
B.s. ’74, is engaged to
Jennifer soucy.
dan o’neill,
B.s. ’74, has
WeaVer
mike Weaver, B.s. ’73, m.s.
’12, is the director of engineer-
ing science and technology at
Jamestown (new York)
Community College. he also
serves as an advisory board
member for Buffalo state’s
industrial engineering technology program. he completed his 18th cross-country ski
marathon in February.
Jim Hartman, B.A. ’74, m.s.
’77, of saratoga springs,
new York, received a mayoral
appointment to serve on a
national committee of the
50th Commemoration of the
Vietnam War. hartman and
five other Vietnam veterans,
officers, and enlisted personnel
gave a presentation about the
war to senior citizens at the
exhibited
and sold his
paintings for
the last few
years as a
o’neIll
member of
the Charlotte (north Carolina)
art league. his first children’s
book, The Legend of Liar
Barry, was published in fall
2014. Written and illustrated
by o’neill, it tells the tale of
a young prankster, a boy
who doesn’t like to read,
who ends up becoming the
village’s first...librarian!
Barb
(Krakoff)
lewis,
B.A. ’75,
enhanced
her biology
degree from
leWIs
Buffalo state
with an a.a.s. degree in animal
health technology from Colorado
mountain College (’79) and
became a certified veterinary
technician. she was a clinical
pathology laboratory technician
at the angell memorial animal
hospital in Boston, massachusetts,
before joining the faculty of
morehead state university’s
(msu) Veterinary technology
program. lewis completed
an m.a. in adult and higher
education at msu (’91) and
is currently an associate
professor of veterinary
technology, teaching clinical
pathology for the past 34
years. she was instrumental
in creating a nationally recognized veterinary technician
specialty, the academy of
Veterinary Clinical pathology
technicians (aVCpt), and is
now serving as its first president. she was awarded the
2012 Distinguished teacher
award from msu and named
2012 technician of the Year
by the Kentucky Veterinary
technician association. a
native new Yorker, lewis
grew up in new York City and
lived in Buffalo, glenwood
springs, Colorado, Boston,
and Ft. Collins, Colorado,
before moving to Kentucky,
where she met her husband.
she has a daughter, a stepson, and two grandchildren.
Walter lowe, m.A. ’75, writes,
“When my son began refereeing youth soccer matches
nearly 10 years ago, I recognized it as more than just a way
to make money. the next year
I also took the certification
course, even though I was
1300Elmwood
SUMMER 2015
33
classnotes
nearly 60 at the time. since
then I’ve been out ‘on the
pitch’ at least three weekends
a month, and I’ve ended up
with many of the players as
well as my ‘fellow’ referees in
my classes as well at green
river Community College near
seattle. now two more of my
children have gotten their
certifications, and sometimes
three of us make the entire crew,
but more often we work on
adjacent fields, two per field.
our photo was recently a prize
winner in a local bank’s community participation contest.”
loWe
classnotes
Alan Kruger,
B.s. ’81,
Frontier. holleran worked for
20 years as a news reporter
and sports editor at newspapers in ohio and rochester
before starting a teaching
career in 2000 in the
rochester City school District.
Keller
thing I have accomplished in
my close to 40-year career at
CBs has been based on what
I learned at Buffalo state
from two people in particular,
art schaeffer and Frank
hengerer. Yes, 39 years later,
I still think of them.”
mark Waller, B.A. ’79, has
been a nuclear medicine
technologist since 1982. he is
certified in Ct, mrI, and pet
and currently conducts pet
and Ct imaging. (pictured
with wife of 27 years, edna
griffenhagen, and twin 8year-old grandsons.)
Waller
Conlon
the Veterans administration
Western new York healthcare
system and sisters of Charity
hospital Buffalo.
michael donalty, B.s. ’80,
is the assistant director of
campus safety at genesee
Community College following
20 years as an investigator
with the Irondequoit police
Department in monroe County
and eight years as chief of
police with the lyons police
Department in Wayne County.
Barbara daniels, B.s.ed.
’77, m.s.ed. ’81, a jazz
richard “rick” randall, B.s.
’75, has been appointed Ceo
of omnilife science, in east
taunton, massachusetts.
omnilife is the leader in
robotic-assisted total knee
replacement surgery.
vocalist, will release her new
CD, Come Dance with Me, in
2015. the tribute CD to the
music of composer Jimmy Van
heusen features houston
person on sax; gene Bertoncini
on guitar; John Dimartino,
musical director, on piano; Boris
Kozlov on bass; shinnosuke
takahashi on drums; and
nanny assis on percussion.
dale
silverman,
B.s. ’77,
CherrY-mYers
Catherine Cherry-myers,
B.s. ’76, m.s. ’78, owns and
operates Chestnut hill guest
house, a bed-and-breakfast
located on a 95-acre farm
in orchard park, new York.
(chestnuthillguesthouse.com).
Jon Keller, B.A. ’76, won a
second emmy award for
direction for his coverage of
superstorm sandy. he writes,
“the foundation of every34
SUMMER 2015
1300Elmwood
recently
started a
new position
as a medical
sIlVerman
editor and
proofreader at hobart Forte,
in new York City, following
several years of working in
the marketing industry.
Jim Holleran, B.A. ’79, former
editor of the Record (1979),
has published a corporate
history of heritage Christian
services, the rochester-based
agency that provides services
to 1,800 people with developmental disabilities from the
Finger lakes to the niagara
Judy (fine) zahn, B.s. ’79,
and gary zahn, B.s. ’80,
recently celebrated their 35th
wedding anniversary. they met
in Dr. ram Desai’s political
science 101 class just before
the Blizzard of ’77. Judy enjoys
retirement, and gary owns a
wholesale building supply
company in Queens, new York.
they have two sons—Jordan,
an m.B.a. with lone star Funds,
who was married in november;
and adam, an attorney with
malaby Bradley—both in
new York City.
80s
Vince Cautero, B.s. ’80,
began a new position with the
City of Cape Coral, Florida, in
october 2013. he has lived in
southwest Florida for 20 years.
April (Harrington) Conlon,
B.A. ’80, graduated from lake
erie College of osteopathic
medicine school of pharmacy
in 2011 with a doctor of
pharmacy (pharm.D.) degree.
she is a clinical pharmacist at
accepted
a position
with the
Kruger
aerospace
Corporation as a senior member
of the technical staff. he uses
his many years of experience
in the space industry to evaluate the acceptability of
spaceX as a launch provider
for the air Force.
eBerharDt
suzanne eberhardt, B.s. ’81,
is an adjunct lecturer in the
Design Department at Buffalo
state, teaching a course in
introductory color rendering.
With more than 30 years’ experience as an interior designer,
eberhardt recently returned to
the Buffalo area, where she
continues to run her practice as
well as continued commissions
as an interior designer and
real estate stager in new York
City. she also designed the VIp
lounge for elaB’s (emerging
leaders in the arts Buffalo) City
of night 2014, a multidisciplinary arts event held at the
historic grain elevators on the
Buffalo waterfront.
BrugnonI
mary Anne Brugnoni, B.s.
’82, returned to school for
interior design after 25 years
as a graphic designer. two
years ago, she started working
as a kitchen and bath designer
for a renovation company,
and last fall, she started her
own interior design business,
Brugnoni Design (http://
brugnonidesign.com).
Alan Kimbarow, B.A. ’82, is
a senior court reporter for the
new York state supreme Court,
Queens County, Criminal term.
he serves as third vice president of the association of
supreme Court reporters
within the City of new York.
he also moonlights as a
stand-up comedian.
William e. Kilmartin, B.s.
’83, has worked for the u.s.
Department of energy (Doe)
and as a Doe support services contractor in the fields of
nuclear nonproliferation and
security for more than 30
years. In January, he was
Visit
alumni.buffalostate.edu
for the latest alumni news.
named director of the office
of materials Disposition within the national nuclear
security administration of
Doe. he is responsible for
supporting u.s. national
security objectives to achieve
permanent threat reduction
worldwide by ensuring the
disposition of surplus
weapons-grade plutonium
and highly enriched uranium
in a safe, secure, and environmentally sound manner.
From 2004 to 2012, he
served as the director of the
megaports Initiative, a bilateral partnership with 36 foreign countries equipping 47
international seaports with
passive radiation detection
equipment, communications
systems, training, and technical support to enhance their
capability to detect and deter
the illicit trafficking of special
nuclear and other radioactive
materials through the global
maritime system. Before joining the Doe, he worked for
over 12 years as a safeguards
and security program manager for science applications
International Corporation
(saIC) supporting the Doe
savannah river operations
office. he started his career
in 1985 as a special response
team member at Brookhaven
national laboratory police
group. he lives in Frederick,
maryland, and has been married for over 27 years. he has
one son who recently completed his B.a. at
susquehanna university.
Kevin
Kuchta, B.A.
’83, is the
associate
director for
marketing
and commuKuChta
nications for
the university at Buffalo’s
Campus living department,
which coordinates the oncampus housing for nearly
7,500 residential students.
James Fleming, B.S. ’14
A U.S. Navy veteran who worked at Buffalo’s famed Mansion on Delaware while
earning his college degree, James Fleming has launched a successful new
business venture. Big Picture Photo Booth merges retro and modern by allowing
patrons to take “vintage selfies” at one of Fleming’s mobile photo kiosks. Business
is booming, too. Fleming’s photo booths have been spotted at corporate functions
and weddings, and on the boardwalk at Canalside Buffalo. Big Picture Photo Booth
has also become a familiar fixture at Western New York nightclubs and restaurants.
eileen
naughton
merberg,
B.A. ’84,
m.s. ’86,
FItzgeralD
“Catcher in the rye,” an
illustration by Barry
fitzgerald, B.s. ’84, was
selected for inclusion in
lürzer’s archive 200 Best
Illustrators Worldwide. the
illustration has also been
accepted into the society of
Illustrators of new York and
was awarded a silver medal
from the society of
Illustrators of los angeles.
Joe Kirchmyer, B.A. ’84,
recently assisted world professional figure-skating
champion and former u.s.
olympian gary Visconti with
the publication of his autobiography, Falling for the Win.
Kirchmyer provided editorial
services for Visconti and also
served as his liaison with the
local publishing company no
Frills Buffalo. he provided
similar services in 2014 for
authors ralph galanti Jr. and
Joanna nervo and their first
book, City of Steel...Hearts of
Gold: My Lackawanna.
was recently
appointed
merBerg
executive
director of alpha lambda Delta
national honor society for
first-year students. Founded
in 1924, alpha lambda Delta
recognizes students in their
first year of college who have
succeeded in maintaining a
3.5 or higher gpa and are in
the top 20 percent of their
class. For the past 14 years,
merberg served Buffalo state
in various capacities, including
director of orientation and
first-year programs, retention
and leadership specialist,
adjunct lecturer in Creative
studies, and most recently,
interim director of student life.
Before Buffalo state, she was
the director of campus life at
sonoma state university, in
sonoma County, California, and
assistant dean of students at
loyola university of Chicago.
she will move the alpha lambda
national headquarters from
macon, georgia, to rochester,
new York, in June.
Cecelie
owens,
B.s. ’85,
m.s. ’99,
has been
promoted to
principal of
oWens
West hertel
academy, Buffalo public
school 94.
nina silberstein, B.A.
’85, has been promoted
to content specialist on
the marketing team at
Banfield pet hospital.
she has worked for the
organization’s corporate
offices for seven years,
starting as a medical
editor and copy writer.
Banfield’s network of
hospitals includes
approximately 900 locations across the united
states, puerto rico, and
mexico.
smoKoWsKI
frances smokowski, B.f.A.
’85, has accepted a new
position as studio arts mentor
at Individual u in new York
City. Working with students
to help them overcome executive functioning disorders and
other neurological problems,
she facilitates studio-based
lessons, portfolio building,
professional practices, and
recreational uses of art at
home. she is also a private art
tutor through Wyzant.com,
and she offers an array of art
and art therapy programs
through her studio in upper
manhattan. smokowski
earned her m.a. in art therapy
from the school of the art
Institute of Chicago in 1991
and her m.F.a. in historic
painting and drawing techniques from the new York
academy of art in manhattan
in 2010 (chrysalisstudio.com).
Theresa m. martinez, B.s.
’86, started a new position
as associate vice provost and
dean of students at Johns
hopkins university.
Van antWerp
under the pseudonym “the
urban archeologist,” greg
Van Antwerp, B.A. ’86, has
been documenting his hunts
for treasures from the past on
a blog he started in 2009.
this lifelong passion, which
began as a weekend hobby,
1300Elmwood
SUMMER 2015
35
classnotes
goes beyond that of the typical collector who visits estate
and tag sales. With over 500
posts and 50 videos, his blog
has generated regular articles
for patch.com and a lecture
series. speaking at historical
societies, libraries, and colleges,
Van antwerp shares stories
and images from some of his
most interesting finds. his
goal is to research, restore,
share, and sometimes return
these lost or forgotten items
(urbanarcheologist.net).
Thomas
Knab,
B.s.ed. ’87,
m.s.ed. ’94,
assumed the
office of
director of
KnaB
the national
art education association’s
elementary Division at the
organization’s national conference in new orleans in
march.
david ribakove, B.A. ’87,
and Tina (Webb) ribakove,
B.s. ’88, have opened a
chiropractic office, elmwood
Chiropractic, on main street
in snyder, new York. their
teenage children study jazz at
Buffalo state under the direction of mark Filsinger, assistant professor of music.
humpartzoomIan
dan Humpartzoomian, B.s.
’88, owner and art director of
the Design Department Inc.,
created two Christmas cookie
package designs for Dairy state
Foods, a Wisconsin cookie
manufacturer, that were sold in
CVs stores last holiday season.
the Design Department was
responsible for project coordination, layout development,
product photography, 3-D box
rendering, and print preparation.
36
SUMMER 2015
1300Elmwood
classnotes
material sourcing, and production and construction management—was produced in under
two months (otherwisz.com).
leona
Ketterl,
B.s. ’88,
has started
her own
firm, the
Built
Ketterl
environment
llC, following more than 25
years of practice in architecture and interior design. the
firm specializes in architecture, space planning, owner’s
representation, and design
project management and is
located in the suburbs of
Chicago (thebuiltenvironmentcompany.com).
mCDannel
neal mcdannel, B.f.A. ’88,
had a solo exhibition at
Williams-Insalaco gallery 34
at Finger lakes Community
College in Canandaigua, new
York, march 26–april 17.
david “Base” Basey, B.A.
’89, m.s. ’90, is a manager
in the market Development
resource
Center of the
accounting
firm Kpmg,
where he
has worked
since 2008.
BaseY
Basey has
held several positions at st.
Francis College, tIaa-CreF,
new York life Insurance
Company, and Buffalo state.
he lives in Forest hills, new
York, with his wife, tracy,
and his sons, marcellus and
Xzavier.
dina (reiss) Perry, B.s. ’89,
met her future husband, scott,
at Buffalo state. they married
in 1992 and have three children. she is a kindergarten
teacher in the lockport City
school District, and scott
works for armstrong pumps
in north tonawanda.
90s
shaVer
michael shaver, B.A. ’89,
was recently appointed
regional marketing director at
lake placid soccer Centre, a
Coerver Coaching company
that provides soccer camps for
competitive teams, elite players,
and advanced goalkeeping.
shaver is a coach and trainer
with empire City soccer
academy, where he coaches
u14 boys select players, and
adirondack FC academy,
where he assists with the u10
boys teams. he continues to
teach secondary social studies
at glens Falls high school
(lpscconnect.com).
mark Wisz, B.s. ’89, and
Jill (Appel) Wisz, B.s. ’89,
co-owners of otherWisz
Creative Corporation, designed
and developed a permanent
display for the new tim hortons
flagship store in Buffalo’s
harborCenter. surrounding an
auditorium-themed café seating area, the exhibit pays tribute to the Buffalo memorial
auditorium, a now-demolished
downtown sports and entertainment arena. Designed for
pegula sports & entertainment
and tim hortons, this conceptto-completion project—including research and copywriting,
concept and design development, historical image and
WIsz
James singletary Jr., B.s. ’90,
retired from the Buffalo public
schools as an assistant principal in november with 30
years of wonderful memories.
Melanie Morse, M.S. Ed. ’99
michael Konopski, m.s.
’92, began a new job as
The mother of three spunky boys, Melanie
Morse has always had a passion for writing
and storytelling. Now, she and Thomas
McDade have created and released The
Adventures of Seymour & Hau: Morocco,
the first book
in a series of
action-packed
capers that take
place around
the world. (Think
Quantum Leap
meets Indiana
Jones.) As part
of the wild ride,
children (recommended ages
5–10) and parents become
immersed in
exciting new cultures.
McDade and Morse live in Buffalo’s
Elmwood Village, where their production
company, Honey & Punch, specializes
in commercial storytelling. Using video,
audio, light, and technology, they produce
meaningful stories about products, people,
and brands (www.seymourandhau.com).
vice president for enrollment
management at lycoming
College in Williamsport,
pennsylvania, in July 2014.
Christian
Voigt, B.A.
’92, is an
award-winning real
estate agent
with the
VoIgt
realty usa
Williamsville office. he recently
earned his associate broker’s
license.
sheri mcguinn, m.s.ed.
’95, graduated with a master
of administration with distinction with an emphasis on
professional writing from
northern arizona university
in December 2014.
ray guagliardi, B.s. ’96,
completed his certification as
a fraud claim law specialist
from the american educational
Institute Inc. in may 2014. he
has been a claims adjuster for
merchants Insurance in Buffalo.
Jesse f.
Wendell,
B.T. ’96, is
vice president
of facilities
for Wendel,
a nationally
WenDell
recognized
design and construction firm
headquartered in amherst,
new York. With over 19 years
of experience in the architecture, engineering, and construction industry, Wendell will
provide oversight and growth
for several markets, including
education, data centers, and
alternative fueling.
Adam Castracane, B.A. ’97,
married laura lavoie in
December 2014.
Jonathan
gill, B.A.
’96, has
been
appointed
vice president for
gIll
marketing
communications at marketing
technologies of W.n.Y. llC.
(marketing tech), where he
will develop and implement
an integrated strategic communication plan to advance
marketing tech’s brand identity, while developing internal
strategies, policies, procedures, and work methods to
achieve business goals. gill
has almost two decades of
marketing experience in
“The foundation of everything I have accomplished
in my close to 40-year career at CBS has been
based on what I learned at Buffalo State.”
agency, corporate, and nonprofit organizations, with
special expertise in higher
education, health care, and
real estate. most recently, he
was the marketing manager
for teamhealth’s national
urgent care center network.
he earned an m.B.a. from
medaille College.
denise
(minto)
rosier,
B.s. ’97,
began a
ph.D. program in the
rosIer
Department
of Communication, Culture
and media studies at howard
university in Washington,
D.C., in fall 2014.
Tunisha
W. Walker,
B.A. ’98,
m.s. ’00,
WalKer
joined
Capalino+
Company, a
government
—Jon Keller, B.A. ’76
relations and consulting firm
in new York City, as a vice
president and mWBe (minority
and women-owned business
enterprises) specialist in 2014.
Walker was the first african
american woman to hold the
office of executive director of
the new York state Conference
of Black senators. she also
served as an appointed affirmative action administrator
for the new York state
Department of labor under
governor andrew Cuomo.
greg
Bauch, B.A.
’99, was
BauCh
recently
hired by
sKm group
as a copywriter.
sarah (Archibald) fatih,
B.s. 99, has published her
book Capital Punishment in
the U.S. States: Executing
Inequality (lFB scholarly
publishing, February 2015).
she holds a ph.D. in public
policy from the university of
maryland, Baltimore County.
loc mai, B.s. ’99, received
an m.s. from Cambridge
College in 2003 and started
an accounting and travel firm
in 2005. he has three children.
daniel
meyer, B.A.
’99, recently
started a
new position
as deputy
press secremeYer
tary for the
office of County executive
mark poloncarz.
sarah miller, B.s. ’99, has
been hired as a public relations
coordinator for Quinlan &
Company. her responsibilities
include writing and editing
press releases, media outreach, and social media
accounts. miller was previously
a freelance marketing coordinator and mortgage specialist
at First niagara Bank.
roderick salisbury, B.A.
’99, and his wife, Katharina
rebay-salisbury, celebrated
the birth of their second child
in 2014. salisbury has a
ph.D. in anthropology from
the university at Buffalo and is
currently an adjunct lecturer in
the Department of prehistoric
and historical archaeology at
the university of Vienna and a
researcher at the Vienna Institute
for archaeological science.
rebecca schuelke staehr, B.A.
’99, welcomed a daughter,
rosa Charlotte staehr, in
December 2014. rosa joins
her sister, greta, age 3.
schuelke staehr, a freelance
writer in new York’s Finger
lakes region, and her husband,
ed staehr, own and operate
a grain and vegetable farm.
00s
Chad Becker, B.s. ’00, is
approaching his eighth year as
a university professor. he
received advanced degrees from
purdue university (2002) and
Indiana university-Bloomington
(2007), and he currently
serves as the graduate school
dissertation chair at north
Central university.
Kossler
Kari (Kibler) Kossler, B.s. ’00,
married former Buffalo state
criminal justice student thomas
Kossler in october 2014. she
is the educational director at
huntington learning Center
in Williamsville, new York.
erik Palermo, B.A. ’00, earned
a second degree in forestry and
surveying from sunY College
of environmental science and
Forestry, and after a stint in
building golf courses, he is now
a registered cardiac nurse at
sisters of Charity hospital in
Buffalo. he is currently finishing
a B.s. in nursing at Daemen
College and is registered for a
graduate degree at uB, starting
with the summer semester.
Julia (Adams) Wilson, m.s.
’00, was appointed dean of
academic affairs for the Itt
technical Institute arlington,
texas, campus in December
2014. she has seven years’
experience as an academic
and workforce development
dean, more than 10 years’
experience in grant writing
and administration, and 23
years of leadership and supervisory experience. Wilson has
taught higher education
coursework in psychology,
sociology, college success, and
university mentorship and has
provided professional develop1300Elmwood
SUMMER 2015
37
classnotes
classnotes
Timothy delaney, B.s. ’02,
m.s.ed. ’09, has been teach-
WIlson
ment training in diversity and
inclusion and career assessment and exploration. she
served as dean of workforce
development and human services and as dean of business,
liberal arts, technology, and
workforce development at
trocaire College from 2002 to
2007. she also held various
administrator appointments at
the university at Buffalo’s Cora
p. maloney College, Dallas
County Community College’s
District-mountain View
College, Concorde Career
College, erie 2 ChautauquaCattaraugus BoCes, the
Buffalo public schools, and
Clarkson Center for human
services Inc. she plans to complete a second master’s
degree in psychology, with an
emphasis in industrial and
organization psychology, from
grand Canyon university in
2015 and complete her ph.D.
in educational leadership with
a concentration in higher education from trident university.
ing english at south park high
school for 13 years and has
been head football coach for
seven years. south park high
school is the first Buffalo
public school to qualify for
section 6 finals and play at
ralph Wilson stadium. Delaney
received the Joe Foyle award
(Coach of the Year) at the
28th annual WnY high school
Football awards Banquet in
December.
Jim
Cochran,
B.s. ’03,
has been
appointed
vice president of
CoChran
information
technology at noCo as part of
the company’s newly formed
executive management leadership group, the first such
group since noCo was founded
in 1933. In his current role,
Cochran directs the information and data integrity of the
company and all information
technology functions, including the technology vision
and planning process. Cochran
has nearly 30 years of management experience, and his
role with noCo has evolved
from field operations to
multiple positions across the
company. Before joining
noCo, he served in a general
management role at Footstar
Inc. he holds a master’s degree
in strategic leadership and an
m.B.a. from st. Bonaventure
university. a member of It
strategic alliance and Infotech
niagara, Cochran also volunteers with Friends of night
people.
michael Pawlikowski, B.s.
’03, m.s.ed. ’07, was selected
as a member of the new York
state master teacher program
last year. he received his doctorate from the university at
Buffalo in spring 2014 and
was hired as an assistant
professor of mathematics at
sunY geneseo.
loni
Blandford,
B.A. ’04, is
the executive producer
of investigations at
BlanDForD
WIsh-tV in
Indianapolis. she has worked
in the television news industry
for 10 years and in four states.
Before joining WIsh, she was
in a similar management role
at a station in las Vegas,
nevada.
Krista (Wierzbicki) Todd,
B.A. ’04, has been promoted
to senior director of external
communications at logitech,
where she oversees corporate
communications, public
relations, and social media.
logitech is headquartered in
the silicon Valley, where todd
has lived for over a decade.
Alison Pinsley, m.s.ed. ’05,
and her husband, David,
moved to Coconut Creek,
Florida, in april 2014.
sarah
(Wainwright)
Piraino,
m.s. ’05,
has been an
adviser with
the access
pIraIno
to College
excellence program at the
university at Buffalo for 10
years. she writes, “I love
working with undergraduate
students, seeing them develop
and grow and find their own
career and professional path
in life. I entered into my
master’s program at Buffalo
state College undecided and
unaware of my options and
left with a rewarding career
and the accompanying skills
and knowledge that I needed
to find my path toward my
life’s plan. I would highly
recommend Buffalo state to
anyone considering obtaining
their graduate degree.”
Cassandra st. Vil, B.s. ’05,
graduated with her second
master’s degree, an m.s.ed. in
special education from CunY
hunter College, as a teach for
america Corps member in may
2014. shortly after, she moved
to rwanda, east africa, as a
secondary school english
teacher, teacher trainer, and
education volunteer with the
peace Corps. she will complete
her service there in December
2016. she holds a ph.D. in
african studies from howard
university and an m.s.W. from
the university of michigan.
Jeremy zellner, B.A. ’05,
was reelected chairman of
the erie County Democratic
Committee for a second twoyear term. the political
organization is the largest in
upstate new York.
llC, a national art school
and gallery, to be erected in
the Buffalo area in upcoming
years. an avid racer, he has
become a race director and
has created the first Buffalo
paddle-Bike-run at silo City
(justinwdahl.com).
in Paper Art, juried by gene
mchugh, in 2013. her work
Dressing Gown for Feminine
Warrior #2 (pictured) was
included in Art in Craft Media
2013, a juried biennial
exhibition of the Burchfield
penney art Center.
Paul lubienecki, m.A. ’06,
Kevin slattery, B.s. ’08, was
presented his paper
“exceptionalism and the
‘phantom heresy’: antecedents
to a Contemporary american
Catholic Church” at the
american Catholic historical
association’s 95th annual
meeting, held in new York
City January 2–5. the paper
examines american exceptionalism in conjunction with
the americanist crisis in the
Catholic church and how
these components influenced
the direction of the american
hierarchy and laity. lubienecki
is the monroe Fordham
presidential Fellow in the
history and social studies
education Department at
Buffalo state College. he holds
a ph.D. in history from Case
Western reserve university.
hired as the research and data
coordinator for the providence
talks program in providence,
rhode Island. providence talks
was the $5 million grand prize
winner of the Bloomberg
philanthropies 2014 mayors
Challenge. the early childhood
literacy development program
proposes to intervene at a
critically early age, from birth to
age 4, to close the 30-millionword gap on a citywide scale
and ensure that every child in
providence enters a kindergarten classroom ready to
achieve.
Dahl
Justin W. dahl, B.f.A. ’06,
Darren Coon, B.S. ’99
Darren Coon is the founder of TeacherGeek, a Brockport, New York–based manufacturer
and retailer of activities and components for science, technology, engineering, and math
(STEM) teachers.
After graduation, Coon was hired as a high school teacher in Rochester, but he soon
recognized that resources were lacking for teachers.
“As a technology teacher, I found that we were constantly customizing project components for students, modifying existing products on the market to suit the particular
needs of our lessons,” he explained. “The pieces never quite fit, and having students try to reshape the
parts was dangerous and took away from the overall focus of the lab. One day I decided there must be a
better way, and TeacherGeek was born.”
Now, educators across the country are using the mechanical modeling systems that Coon developed.
38
SUMMER 2015
1300Elmwood
received his m.F.a. in painting
at radford university in 2010
and is currently teaching
Drawing 1 and 2 at Buffalo
state. he was recently
appointed vice president of
exhibitions for the Buffalo
society of artists. he teaches
classes at hyatt’s art supply
and is working on a second
master’s degree, in museum
studies, in conjunction with the
Burchfield penney art Center
and the history museum. he
recently received a grant to
work with the Buffalo maritime
school to complete a largescale mural on its campus.
In addition, he recently established Queen City Fine arts
raFFertY
Carol Ann (rice) rafferty,
B.s. ’06, moved her studio from
Clarence, new York, to st.
Johns, Florida, to live closer to
her daughter and business
partner, Kara rice rafferty.
they are excited to expand
their small business in the
Jacksonville, st. Johns, st.
augustine, and amelia Island
areas. rafferty had two works
published in the book 500
Paper Objects: New Directions
is currently focused on the
passage of the nYs gender
expression non-Discrimination
act (genDa) and the nYs
anti-reparative therapy bill,
among other lgBt civil rights
legislation. In 2012, he helped
found the Buffalo niagara
Chapter of pride at Work, the
national organization that
works to mobilize support
between organized labor and
the lgBt community.
10s
Jenelle Jones, B.s. ’10,
married thierry augustin on
september 12, 2014, after
two years of courtship.
Jones
assistant director of human
resources at the Culinary
Institute of america.
danielle
gaimari,
B.s. ’11,
Kumro
Joel s. Kumro, B.A. ’11, is the
earned
her master
of art
education
gaImarI
degree from
syracuse university and has
accepted a position as an art
teacher at Cox mill high school
in Concord, north Carolina.
emily gerlach, B.s. ’11, is
a missionary teacher and volunteer in Chiang mai, thailand,
teaching art and practicing
art therapy activities with
teenage victims of exploitation
and human trafficking.
gerlaCh
Bryan g.
Ball, B.A.
’09, received
embrace
WnY’s
Community
service
Ball
award at
the 18th annual Buffalo Brunch,
the organization’s signature
fundraiser, in april 2014.
embrace Western new York
seeks to raise awareness,
understanding, and acceptance
of the lgBt community. Ball
worked in the Western new
York regional senate office
of then-united states senator
hillary rodham Clinton until
her appointment as secretary
of state. In 2010, he was
elected to his first term as
president of the stonewall
Democrats of Western new
York (sDWnY), a position he
currently holds. throughout his
time with sDWnY, Ball has
worked on successful legislative
and electoral campaigns, most
notably passage of Buffalo’s
Domestic partnership registry,
the anti-bullying nYs Dignity
for all students act, and the
nYs marriage equality act. he
Barbara l. Campbell, m.s.
’11, has been promoted to
director of music at our lady of
peace Church in minneapolis,
minnesota, where he conducts
the adult choir and ensemble
and supervises the children’s
choir. Kumro is a candidate for
the master of arts in liturgical
music at saint John’s university
in Collegeville, minnesota,
where he studies organ with
Kim Kasling and voice with
Carolyn Finley. he studied voice
and piano at Buffalo state and
went on to study organ privately
with margaret harper at the
eastman school of music. Before
relocating to minnesota, he
was the director of music at
our lady help of Christians
Church in Cheektowaga,
new York, where he directed
several choral ensembles and
a classical music series.
emily Babiarz, B.s. ’11,
married Jayson Kowiak at
statler City on sweetest Day.
BaBIarz
Did You Know?
Buffalo State has more than
100,000 living alumni.
57,000 alumni live and work
in Western New York.
nicole l. Bonsell, B.A. ’11,
recently accepted a position as
a school counselor at Johnson
City high school, located outside of Binghamton, new York.
Bonsell received her m.s. in
counselor education from
Canisius College in 2013.
she previously worked as a
teacher’s aide at the stanley
g. Falk school in Cheektowaga,
where she interned during
her graduate studies.
Among area colleges, Buffalo State’s alumni network is
second only to the University at Buffalo’s in terms of size.
1300Elmwood
SUMMER 2015
39
classnotes
martIal
lens martial, B.s. ’11, lives
in olean, new York, with his
wife and daughter, emma.
he holds a master’s degree
in accounting from Walden
university.
raymond mock, B.s. ’11, is
a high school math teacher in
the edenton-Chowan school
District in edenton, north
Carolina. he is also an assistant cross-country and track
and field coach and works in a
program to prepare students for
the aCt exam. Before moving
to north Carolina, mock was
a substitute teacher on long
Island and a math tutor for
sylvan learning Center.
samantha nephew, B.A. ’11,
and mark C. James ii, B.s.
’09, were married on august
23, 2013, on the steps of
Buffalo’s City hall. they met
at Buffalo state in 2009 in a
theater class in upton hall.
Anthony “Tony” Tirado,
m.s. ’11, works for
southwest airlines in Dallas,
texas. he established the
anthony tirado “mi gente”
scholarship fund at City
College of new York’s Center
for Worker education (CWe),
through which he obtained
his bachelor’s degree. CWe
provides accelerated evening
and weekend classes for students earning their bachelor’s
degrees while balancing
full-time work or family
responsibilities. the scholarship awards $500 a semester
to a deserving new York student of puerto rican descent.
the funds may be used for
tuition, supplies, transportation costs, or day care.
sara Vernon, B.A. ’11, is a
grassroots organizer for
planned parenthood of Central
40
SUMMER 2015
1300Elmwood
inmemoriam
and Western
new York
(ppCWnY),
where she
works with
volunteers,
community
Vernon
members,
students, and legislators to
advance women’s health
issues. previously, Vernon
worked for the serve new York
ameriCorps VIsta program
for three years and volunteered at ppCWnY for two.
Tina Vu, B.s.ed. ’11, m.s.
’14, is attending the m.F.a.
program at ohio university, one
of the top five ceramics graduate programs in the country.
michelle e. Apritt, B.A. ’12,
received her m.s. in mathematics from California
polytechnic state university,
san luis obispo, in 2014.
Peter Cornejo, B.s. ’12,
works events at ralph Wilson
stadium in orchard park, new
York. he plans to marry within
the next year.
Jimmy doran, B.s.ed. ’12,
is an intermediate autism
special education teacher at
Forbuss elementary in the Clark
County school District of las
Vegas, nevada. he plans to
enroll in the master of education in applied behavioral
analysis program at unlV in
June to satisfy the requirements
of his license. he also began a
paid internship as a legislative
action team (lat) intern in
January 2015; he is responsible for building voter support
and turnout for the teaching
education Initiative in the
legislative precinct.
monika
mcfoy, B.A.
’12, m.s. ’14,
is the executive director
of the Buffalo
engineering
mCFoY
awareness
for minorities (Beam) program,
a precollegiate program at the
university at Buffalo designed to
engage minorities and women
in the field of engineering.
Jessica
Przybyla,
B.s. ’12,
has been
teaching for
a year as a
special eduprzYBYla
cator in utica,
new York. she earned her
master’s degree in special
education from utica College.
she is engaged to be married
next year.
Bredny rodriguez, B.A. ’12,
was recently appointed
health and life sciences informationist and associate
librarian at the louise m.
Darling Biomedical library of
the university of California,
los angeles (uCla). he completed his master of library
science at the university at
Buffalo (2013) and a postmaster’s residency at the
university of pennsylvania.
monique sayles, B.s. ’12,
is a banquet captain at Weill
Cornell medical College.
Cara Walsemann, B.s. ’12,
is a customer service representative for Imperial textile
in Buffalo, where she is also
training to work with the logo
graphic design department.
she will marry fiancé nick
simon in september 2016.
Wilherne
Benjamin,
B.A. ’13,
recently
accepted the
position of
membership
BenJamIn
specialist for
the girl scouts of greater
new York, recruiting scouts,
training volunteers, and
assisting with programming.
Kathleen C. Callahan, B.s.
’13, earned her m.s.ed. in
James A. Campbell, B.s.
’13, graduated from the erie
County police academy in
December 2014 and is now
serving in the united states
Coast guard, currently in
Cape may, new Jersey.
steven evans, B.s. ’13
(dual degree), works in the
Investment management
industry at Boston trust &
Investment management
Company and Walden asset
management (a division of
Boston trust), in Boston,
massachusetts.
Jacqueline
schneegold,
m.s.ed.
’13, was
recently promoted to
senior parasChneegolD
legal and
marketing director for the law
firm of andreozzi Bluestein
Weber Brown llp, where she
has worked since 2004. she
assists in the practice areas
of audit representation, tax
litigation, criminal tax, and
FatCa and foreign bank
account reporting issues.
maegan Kivler, m.s. ’14, is
the transfer student adviser at
sunY Fredonia, working with
incoming and transfer students
to provide programming, evaluate transfer credit, and assist
with academic advisement.
she also manages multiple
social media outlets for
Fredonia’s transfer population,
and she founded and advises
the new transfer student
organization. she will be
married in september.
shannon
Polvino,
B.A. ’14,
is a public
relations
assistant
at Caputo
public
relations
polVIno
in east
aurora, new York. the firm’s
clients include Job Creators
network, morry taylor, and
Freedom Capital Investment
management. polvino also
performs pro bono work for
the national multiple
sclerosis society.
Beth d. slazak, m.s. ’14,
teaches Creative problem
solving 101 at genesee
Community College and
creativity tools and techniques through the Buffalo
state eop Inspire program.
Alumni
1920–1929
Angela M. (Harrity) Koch, ’28
Ada Clara (Turrell) Baes, ’29
Mary Amelia (Martiny)
Spencer, ’29
1930–1939
Grace (Martiny) Hanley, ’30
Dorothy (Spencer) Tarbox, ’30
Ruth L. (Sloss) Dyckman, ’31
Edith M. (Reiss) Yesser, ’32
Grace E. (Crane) Kerr, ’33
Emma Marie Mast, ’34
Mary (Kerr) Dudley
Guinther, ’35
Sylvia L. (Weber) Hilts, ’35
Goldyne (Carrel) Mesch, ’35
Lorraine Elizabeth (Joslin)
Ellis, ’36
1940–1949
Richard J. Coughlin, ’41
Alice (Chmura) Parks, ’41
Esther G. (Yack) Bitter, ’42
Dorothy (Thomas) Mache, ’42
Doris (Larsen) Gold, ’43
Ann (Reed) Karchmer, ’43
Helen (Yianilos) Parish, ’44
Marcia E. (McGuire)
Stefanik-Stein, ’46
Lois (Scheuerle) Krall, ’47
Ruth L. (Youngwirth)
Watson, ’47
Marion Stenger French ’48
Jane Maclean (Huntley)
Gracey, ’48
Anna (Faturos) Liaros, ’49, ’57
1950–1959
Stay connected with Buffalo
State anytime, anywhere.
Read the magazine online at
1300elmwood.buffalostate.edu
Jean M. (Landgraf) Murphy, ’50
Betty (Balduf) Powell, ’50
Jack R. Foster, ’51, ’61
Robert Francis Dopp, ’52
Marjorie H. (Madison)
Hock, ’52, ’62
Kathleen Patricia (Jones)
Willis, ’53
Elizabeth Ann (Mutka) Engl, ’54
Carmen A. Queeno, ’54
Dennis E. Allen, ’55
Sarah Ann Rooney, ’55
Harold Zabitz, ’55
Jane (Prince) Allen, ’56, ’65
Paul F. Manke, ’56
Harold Bert Van Wie, ’58
Gloria (Weisman) Vlosky, ’59
1960–1969
Herbert G. Lett Jr., ’60, ’63
James M. Napierski, ’60
Herman J. Peek, ’61
Sally Jane (Concardi) Crino, ’62
Robert W. Laskie, ’63, ’67
Alice L. (Brink) Eustace, ’64
Norman Patrick Shea, ’64
Arthur W. Johnson, ’65
Betty (Haynes) Babbitt, ’66
Susan B. (Purdey) Johnson, ’66
Lynda Lou (Baschnaagel Fischer)
Macaluso, ’66
Nancy M. Wyzykowski, ’66
Joseph Philip Latona, ’67, ’71
Chester L. Pawelczyk, ’69
Dana B. Silverstein, ’69
1970–1979
Ruth L. Watson-Cosby, ’70, ’85
Luther W. Nelson, ’73
Gregory Alan Becker, ’74
Sara Panzarella, ’75
Kenneth T. Park, ’76
Karen M. Colquhoun, ’77, ’02
Rachel D. Sutton, ’77
Colleen A. (Mac Krell)
Rath Ryan, ’78
Thomas C. Donnelly, ’79
1980–1989
Charles F. Mooney, ’82
Robert M. Schnick, ’82
Douglas R. Miller, ’83
John A. Brackett, ’88
Michael Edward Gorham, ’88
Timothy J. Sikora, ’89
1990–1999
Donald James Abate, ’90
Lisa M. Zolnowski, ’90
David A. Meatyard, ’91
Judith Ann (Wood)
Candino, ’93
Teresa (Towne) Eberhard,
’97, ’05
2000–2009
Carlton L. Franklin, ’01
Peter K. Lipinoga, ’04
Sherrie L. (Hastings)
Green, ’08
Cortney Morrison-Taylor, ’09
Angell Luper, ’10
2010–2015
Sandra L. Zientek, ’11
David Grant Weaver, ’13
Nicholas Figueroa, ’14
Robert W. “Bob” Laskie ’63, ’67
The Buffalo State Alumni Association
recognizes the passing of a true Buffalo
State legend. Robert W. “Bob” Laskie
’63, ’67, passed away on March 4 at
the age of 74. He is survived by his
wife of 46 years, Gloria Cannizzaro
Laskie, ’66, and his daughter, Kimberly
Laskie Ostrow.
Bob was a member of the Buffalo
State Alumni Association board of
directors from 2001 to 2006 and
served as the interim director of Alumni Affairs in 2010. A member
of the Peterson Society, he established the Robert and Gloria Laskie
Scholarship Fund for elementary education students. He was
instrumental in planning and organizing the college’s annual alumni
reunion events in Florida and was chair the Class of 1963’s 50th
Reunion Committee.
Thank you, Bob, for your countless and lasting contributions
to your alma mater.
Faculty, Staff,
and Emeriti
Joseph A. Fekete, Ph.D.
Abel K. Fink, Ed.D.
Irene M. Hulicka, Ph.D.
Clifford E. Link
Sebastian LoGiudice, ’85
Oliver M. Nikoloff, Ph.D.
James R. Orgren, Ed.D.
Joel S. Poetker, Ph.D.
Thomas J. Quatroche, Ph.D.
Editor’s Note
In our Fall 2014 issue,
we incorrectly included
Joan Klima Schum, ’57,
and Ralf Parton, ’54,
in the In Memoriam list.
Our sincere apologies
for the errors.
b
The Peterson
society is
buffalo state’s
honor society
for those who
have made a
gift to the college
in their wills or
through other
estate-planning
techniques.
differentiated instruction from
st. Bonaventure university
and is in her second year
with head start in Buffalo.
1300Elmwood
SUMMER 2015
41
myturn
........
........
Hanging with Vera Wang
My experience as a student at Buffalo State
has been incredible. The opportunities to get
involved and be a part of a larger experience
are endless. I am proud of working in a learning
community, being able to volunteer in the
neighborhoods surrounding the college, and
participating in local art events. I have truly
Follow what makes
you excited to get
out of bed in the
morning.
What Will You Do
With Your Unspent
Retirement Savings?
I f y o u a re l i k e m o s t p e o p l e , you will designate family members as beneficiaries of your retirement accounts. The problem with doing this is that most of your savings
will never go to your loved ones.
been able to enrich my college career and
T H E P R O B L E M W I T H G I V I N G Y O U R R E T I R E M E N T T O FA M I LY
have experiences that I’ll never forget.
Jose moscoso, ’16, a fashion
design major, recently won
the Geoffrey beene national
scholarship from the YmA
Fashion scholarship Fund.
While most people would like to care for family members after they are gone, the
I wasn’t sure what I wanted my major to be
sionals; Vera Wang even attended. This past
when I first arrived at Buffalo State, but
semester, I worked hard outside of my classes
after the first semester, I realized that I was
in order to create garments that would be
passionate about fashion. I believe that to
accepted into the college’s annual Runway
be successful, you have to follow what
fashion show. My dream came true when all
makes you excited to get out of bed in the
four of my garments were accepted.
morning, so I transferred into the Fashion
and Textile Technology Department. Once I
made that decision, I promised myself to
give 110 percent toward my studies and to
take advantage of every opportunity that
problem with giving your unspent retirement savings to your family (other than your
surviving spouse) is that the majority of your savings will be taxed.
A better solution is to give your family stock and real estate. These assets may be
received and sold by your family without paying any tax. To save on estate tax, your
retirement assets actually make a better gift to charity. This is because a charitable
I have to admit that these two things were
organization like Buffalo State College can receive the entire asset tax-free and make use
some of the hardest things I have ever had
of it to further our mission.
to do, but I finally realized that I have more
potential than I had believed. I’ve learned
BEQUEST OF RETIREMENT ASSETS
that it is important go with your instinct, and
Perhaps the easiest way to make a gift of your retirement assets through your estate is
that when it feels like you’re absolutely
This past January, I won the presti-
with a bequest. It is easy to designate Buffalo State College as a beneficiary. Contact your
exhausted and you have reached your limit,
gious Geoffrey Beene National
custodian to complete your beneficiary designation.
go a little bit further because in the end it will
Scholarship from the YMA Fashion
be absolutely worth every ounce of energy.
came along. I am very glad I did!
Scholarship Fund, valued at $5,000.
In order to win, I had to write a 10page case study, which wasn’t easy
as I also had a full class schedule. I
RETIREMENT ASSETS FOR LIFE INCOME
You can make a gift to Buffalo State College after your passing and care for your loved
ones by creating a testamentary charitable remainder unitrust funded with your
retirement assets. Contact us to learn more.
remembered my promise to myself
and decided to go for it. All the
Buffalo State College Development Office
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(716) 878-3141
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giving.buffalostate.edu
scholarship recipients met at the
Waldorf Astoria for a fabulous
dinner and to meet industry profes-
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giving.buffalostate.edu
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When the Buffalo State community has something to say, myturn gives them a place to say it.
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SUMMER 2015
1300Elmwood
nonprofit Organization
u.s. Postage
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buffalo state College
Buffalo State
College Relations Office
Cleveland Hall 307
1300 Elmwood Avenue
Buffalo, NY 14222-1095
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alumni.buffalostate.edu
UPCOMING EVENTS
Reunion Weekend
July 17–19
Golf & Tennis Scholarship Classic
August 31
Transforming Lives Campaign Celebration
September 24
Homecoming Weekend
October 2–3
’80s Reunion Weekend
October 16–17
Admissions Fall Open House
October 17