Fall 2013 - University Honors College

NUMBER XXXVII | Fall 2013
HONORS TODAY
HONOR A BULL
Letter From the Editor
Karyn St. George, Ph.D.
Senior Assistant Director, Honors College
Editor, Honors Today
W
hat better way to learn about something than to do it? This issue of Honors Today embraces this
notion as our alumni, current students, and faculty share their stories of how they turned their goals,
aspirations, and academic ability into a tangible and quantifiable reality.
You will read accounts from those who have brought what they learned in traditional classrooms to
distant villages in the Dominican Republic, to the poor on the streets of Syracuse, NY, and to research
labs right here at UB. There is no substitute for the power of transformative human experiences and the
stories in the pages that follow demonstrate this perfectly.
Matthew Helm applied the knowledge and values he gained while in the Honors College to the homeless
in Syracuse, NY by starting a clinic to care for their needs. In New York City current Honors Scholar Ariel
Judson brought her theatrical training to life and got a sneak peek “behind the scenes” through several
internships. Honors Alum and UB professor Albert Titus exemplifies experiential learning through his
own cutting-edge research in biomedical engineering.
Honors Alumni and close friends Arin Dandes and Kelly Jakiel Copps reunited in Buffalo, bringing their
creative skills center stage and launching their own theater company as a tribute to those who helped
lay the groundwork for their success. Dylan Burns travelled “across the pond” to England, taking a
course that culminated in a final project challenging him to actively connect what he had learned in the
classroom to his experience abroad. And the list goes on….
Finally, our Honors College Director, Andy Stott, emphasizes “learning by doing” in his own career path,
enabling him to realize first-hand that his vision to be a standup comic wasn’t exactly as he imagined.
The stories included in the pages that follow demonstrate how experiential learning, along with hard
work and determination, can transform the path one travels through school, work, and life. I hope you
are inspired to continue your own journey of transferring what you know - to what you do.
“ T he only source of
knowledge is experience”
~ Albert Einstein
Honors On the Inside…
EDITOR:
KARYN C. ST. GEORGE, Ph.D.
kcs9@buffalo.edu
From Comedy to The Academy: Learning by Doing
Page
2
Andrew McConnell Stott
Dean of Undergraduate Education
Director of the Honors College
Professor of English
Law & Economics
Page
3
William Paul Chapman
Honors Scholar, Class of 2006
Changing Sides:
From the Editor:
Here I am holding my
“golden ticket” to see
President Barack Obama
speak on campus on
August 22, 2013. What
an amazing experience!
Former Honors Scholar Albert Titus now
excelling on other side of the desk Page 4
Patrick S. Broadwater
Sr. Copywriter/Editor, Undergraduate Admissions
Second Generation Theatre Company
Page
6
Arin Dandes
Honors Scholar, Class of 2009
Telling Stories: From Past to Present
On the Cover:
Members of the Student
Philanthropy Team,
HonoraBull: John
Billingsly (Honors
Scholar, Class of 2014),
Nigel Michki (Honors
Scholar, Class of 2016),
and Stephanie Kong
(Honors Scholar,
Class of 2016)
Photo: Meg Bragdon
Page
8
Dylan Burns
Honors Scholar, Class of 2016
GPS, VH1, and Star Wars: A Stone Crusade
Page
9
Adam Sokolow
Honors Scholar, Class of 2005
Oh, The Places You’ll Go
Page
11
Andrew Wilsey
Honors Scholar, Class of 2015
Opportunities to Serve
Page
12
Matthew Helm
Honors Scholar, Class of 2012
I am an Actor
University
Honors College
University at Buffalo
106 Capen Hall
Buffalo, New York
14260-1700
(716) 645-3020
honors.buffalo.edu
Page
13
Ariel Judson
Honors Scholar, Class of 2013
HonoraBull
Alumni Updates
Page
15
Page
14
Nigel S. Michki
Honors Scholar, Class of 2016
Member of the HonoraBull Team
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From Comedy
to The Academy
Learning by Doing
Andrew McConnell Stott
Dean of Undergraduate education
Director of the Honors College
Professor of English
Some of you may know this, but most will not: for a few years
in the 1990s, I was a stand-up comedian. It was something I’d
wanted to do since I was a child, but being more of the quiet
back-of-the-classroom type than a twirly theater kid, I never
really found the opportunity, or, more importantly, the courage,
to give it a try. It wasn’t until my mid twenties that I started, by
which time I already had a PhD in English and was teaching at a
university in London. I’d found myself at one of life’s moments
when it’s necessary to give oneself a kick up the arse and approach
things a little differently, so I signed up for a night class taught
by an ex-performer. It was as eccentric as you might expect – a
room full of misfits, malcontents, a guy who looked like he’d been
defrosted from a glacier, and, most horrific of all, lawyers who
thought they were funny. For twelve weeks, our instructor taught
us how to write material, stand on stage and hold a microphone,
and prepare for our glorious careers in show business. It was all
great fun and very affirming, but there was only one problem –
none of us had ever done a show.
It’s difficult to describe exactly what it feels like to be booed off the
stage at the Comedy Store, but I’ll give it a try. Imagine standing
frozen in a hot circle of light having endured days of crippling
anxiety and the feeling that wherever you go, you’re being hunted.
You speak, but your words are neither crisp nor recognizable.
They don’t issue from your mouth at all, but from a mournful cat
wailing somewhere over your shoulder. You try a joke – one of the
ones that killed in class – “I filled in one of those personality tests.
Apparently I’m happiest when on fire.” Not silence exactly, but
sharp glints from beer glasses and the sense of something vast and
hostile uncoiling in the darkness. Then a murmur, not dissimilar
to the ambient noise of an airline terminal or the mute, concussive
sounds of underwater. Not hating you, just ignoring you. You
speak again, the mood alters. A whistle, a catcall, and then the
swell of the mob, igniting like a tank fire, kicking the door in
and demanding what it’s owed, eviscerating you in a squall of
angry barracking. So sudden and consensual is their fury that it
would be impressive were it not so terrifying. Now slow clapping,
and jubilant chant of “Off. Off. Off. Off. Off. Off. Off. Off.” A
final weakling attempt to be heard, but you’re merely a mangled
remnant. You replace the mic and return backstage where the
other comics refuse to look at you lest you infect them with your
leprous death.
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Which leads me to the topic of experiential learning. That we
learn best by doing is a truth that goes back as far as Aristotle.
Everybody knows that, and at UB there have been experiential
learning opportunities for as long as there’s been a campus. Yet
with an increased emphasis on workforce preparedness, and the
desire of students and families to know how their studies will
intersect with the real world, the university has begun to refocus
its attention on the value of this important educational tool. Last
year, for example, over 6000 UB students engaged in some kind of
experiential learning, whether it be an internship, undergraduate
research or study abroad. As always, the Honors College takes the
lead, with students on its Freshman Honors Colloquium clocking
8000 hours of service in the city of Buffalo alone, while also
availing themselves of the generous alumni donations that allow
us to offer support for their research and creative projects, and
their studies overseas.
Not only are these great experiences, but employers are
demanding them too. A 2013 survey of employers conducted
by the American Association of Colleges and Universities found
that 74% of employers want colleges to better emphasize the
applicability of knowledge and skills to real world settings through
hands-on experiences. Not only that, but a similar percentage
wanted to see a commitment to community involvement and
knowledge of global cultures. Experiential learning cements the
theory to the practice, exposes students to genuine challenges and
instills in them a confidence that cannot be imparted with in-class
instruction alone. My experiences as a stand up, for example, have
helped me in my job as an academic. Thankfully, no subsequent
work experience has come anywhere close to the mauling I
received at the Comedy Store, but having survived it, it’s helped
me deal with a lot of things. I can handle myself in front of an
audience, and unresponsive students don’t faze me at all – even
difficult but necessary conversations with parents and co-workers
are made easier by the knowledge that nothing can be as bad as
that night in London.
Experiential learning is the future, and with the right blend of
opportunities and rigorous instruction, we are certain that we will
produce exceptional graduates who are able to make an immediate
impact on their communities. And what of my comedy career?
Well, after 300+ gigs and a short and rather insane stint at drama
school, I decided that I wasn’t a natural born performer and that
I was more comfortable in academia than showbiz. I’d also found
myself at another one of life’s moments when it’s necessary to give
oneself a kick up the arse. So I moved to Buffalo…
Law&
Economics
William Paul Chapman
Honors Scholar, Class of 2006
The Honors folks asked me to share a story, so here goes. My
name is William Paul Chapman, but I go by Paul to confuse
people. I am short, “stocky,” and am typically found with a
bountiful beard. Over the past weekend I injured my knee
juking a safety in a pick-up flag football game in which no
score was kept.
I grew up in a rural area south of Rochester, spending all of
K-12 in the same school district, and graduated from Livonia
High School in 2002. I then spent four years at UB, graduating
with a B.A. in the spring of 2006. I ended up with three majors:
Economics, History, and Psychology. At different points in
time, I planned to pursue a Ph.D. in each of these fields (and
although I am now pushing 30, there is always a chance).
In fact, in the fall of 2006 I was all set to re-enroll at UB to
pursue an additional B.A. in mathematics, in preparation for
applying to Economics Ph.D. programs. But like many a future
law student, at the last minute I decided “Nah, law school
seems easier,” so instead I signed up for the LSAT. I took it that
October, and submitted applications the following month.
In December, I was admitted to Harvard Law School, and
I decided to accept and go there. But first, I deferred for a
year two separate times: an initial year to travel aimlessly
around the country; a second year because my wife briefly
considered attending law school at the same time as me only to
subsequently regain her senses.
I finally made it to Cambridge and started school in the fall of
2009. My three years of law school were enjoyable on the whole
– certainly easier than a full-time job. I was pretty sure from
early on that I did not want to practice law, but figuring out an
alternative path took a while. As luck would have it, though,
I stumbled upon an opportunity that seemed tailor-made for
me in my third year, and that is my job today.
I graduated in May 2012 and started working as a Senior
Economist at Legal Economics – still in Cambridge – that
July. Basically, my job is to manage the preparation of expert
reports, which are then submitted in support of a litigant’s
claims. The experts themselves are typically professors with
extensive histories both of published academic work and
of serving as expert witnesses. Most of the work we do is in
antitrust, where the expert reports end up being of pivotal
importance, as they are typically the key piece in proving
anticompetitive impact (or in rebutting claimed proof of
impact) and in calculating a reasonable measure of damages.
I work closely with the experts as they apply the relevant
economic theories to the facts of the case, and typically am
in charge of moving a report from an expert’s outline to
an initial draft, which is then gradually and collaboratively
fine-tuned into a final report. Part of the job also involves
exchanges with counsel at the law firm that has retained the
expert, which means that even though I am not an attorney
– and never had to take the Bar – I regularly interact with
Associates and Partners at varying levels of the law firm
hierarchy. For the most part, though, my job is to think
about complex economic issues, look into the relevant facts
underlying those issues, and to come up with prose that
correctly and convincingly conveys how theories and facts go
together. I also get to bat ideas back-and-forth with ultrasmart fellow staff members, and with the experts themselves.
There are, of course, some long days at the office. But there
are also some nice respites, and the hours I am expected
to bill are far more humane than those the great majority
of “Big Law” associates have to bear. I currently live in
Watertown, to the west of Cambridge, and am able to ride
my bike on the Charles River bike path to and from the
office most days, which does a lot to improve my quality of
life even on the long days (though not so much on the cold
and snowy days).
While at UB, I also ended up with a wife. We met in the
romantic, early-morning-seminar confines of a class called
“Comparative Fascism.” We married in 2005, right after she
finished up her degree coursework and right before I started
my senior year. We are expecting our first child in November.
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Photo courtesy of Douglas Levere
Changing
Patrick S. Broadwater
Sr. Copywriter/Editor, Undergraduate Admissions
Former Honors Scholar Albert Titus
now excelling on other side of the desk
lbert Titus doesn’t have to look very far to be reminded
how much has changed since his days as an Honors
Scholar at the University at Buffalo. All he has to do is look
outside the third-floor window of his Bonner Hall office. A series
of temporary trailers, engineering department facilities for more
than two decades, has been replaced by the majestic Davis Hall.
Directly behind Davis from his point of view, a few hundred
yards away, is Greiner Hall, the state-of-the-art residence hall for
sophomores.
could be argued that the change has been for the better.
“I was in those trailers as a student,” said Titus, who earned his
B.S. and M.S. degrees at UB in 1989 and 1991, respectively, and
returned to the university as a faculty member in 2001. “When I
was an undergrad here, the Commons didn’t exist. Natural Sciences
didn’t exist. Downstairs in Norton was a cafeteria. I used to eat
lunch there every day.”
Since returning to his alma mater, Titus has been lauded both as a
research and a teacher. He was presented with the Young Investigator
Award in 2006 and received UB’s Teaching Innovation Award in
2010. However, his research in the field of biologically inspired visual
systems gradually led him in the direction of bioinstrumentation –
using sensors or instruments to record physiological data – and the
burgeoning field of biomedical engineering.
The memories of his UB student days have faded a bit over the
years, but they were still particularly strong in his early days as a
professor. Titus did a lot of his master’s work in the Bonner labs, so
he would occasionally flash back to those days as he walked down
those same halls as a faculty member a few years later.
“But now, having been here so long in the other role, it’s more like
I have to stop and remember that I was a student here,” he said.
“More and more has changed. Fewer and fewer things are like they
were.”
The same might be said for Titus and his career, though like UB, it
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An electrical engineer by training, Titus and his wife Ann Bisantz
– they met as undergrads in the then-Honors Program in 1985
– earned their doctorates at Georgia Tech in 1997 then moved to
Batavia, the halfway point between their new jobs. Bisantz joined the
industrial and systems engineering faculty at UB, while Titus landed
a teaching job at Rochester Institute of Technology. A few years
later, Titus joined Bisantz at UB, taking a position in the electrical
engineering department.
He has worked on a project related to improving x-ray detection,
developing systems to see x-ray images in high resolution in real
time, which can be used for things like inserting stents accurately
in the vascular system. And he is currently in the early stages of a
collaborative project with Jessica Castner of the School of Nursing,
investigating how asthma patients can use personal technology
devices, such as their smartphones, to monitor their condition.
“The idea here is: Can you have something that you can plug into
your smartphone, you blow into it and it records your data?” Titus
said. “It knows based on that day what’s your lung capacity, for
example, or your volume flow for that day, or for that time of day.
The data can be tracked and stored, and once you have all that
electronically, you can check to look for patterns. If you have many
people using these things in an area, you can start to pinpoint
different issues.”
The application of engineering principles and concepts to
biological and health care systems is a relatively new phenomenon.
As technology has improved, biomedical engineering departments
have sprouted up on campuses across the country, bringing
together researchers from various fields whose work intersects in
new and interesting ways, all with an eye on engineering better
solutions to improving human health.
UB had long had a presence in this area, but formed the
Department of Biomedical Engineering in 2008 to formalize its
existing collaborations. Titus helped to shepherd the program
through the New York State Department of Education approval
process, and became chair in 2012. The undergrad program was
formally approved in 2010, with master’s and Ph.D. programs
approved last year.
“In general, the ideas where the most interesting things tend to
be happening are at the intersections of two things that didn’t
used to intersect,” Titus said. “To push these two areas together
they thought were very different, then where they overlap, you’ve
got a lot of interesting stuff that can happen. That’s really where
biomedical engineering is right now.
“It follows the trend nationally, both in terms of engineering as well
as biomedical engineering being a very fast growth area.”
For Titus, focusing on the administrative aspect of his job has been
rewarding in its own way.
“I’ve been involved with it since the beginning, so it’s really been the
core of what I’ve been doing for the past four or five years,” he said.
“It’s definitely in some ways orthogonal to research because research
is fun, it’s rewarding. While this has been rewarding, you can see
what’s happened. I can look at it and point to something tangible
and say, ‘This has gotten done, and this is the impact I’ve had on it.’
It’s good in a different way.
“It’s its own headaches and its own difficulties, but certainly if you
choose to do it, you must be doing it for some reason.”
Part of his new role involves recruiting students into the department,
and on this Titus works closely with the Honors College. The
department has an interest in pursuing the most academically gifted
students and, coincidentally, those are the types of students who
typically are interested in biomedical engineering. Over lunch with
prospective students, Titus draws on his own Honors experience to
let them know how the program can enhance their education as it
did his.
Not only did Honors provide Titus with the opportunity to meet his
future wife – be careful who you meet, he teases them – but it was
also a place for him to learn and live with like-minded individuals
who were different in many ways, but shared similar interests or a
“Having been on both sides of the desk now, being a student and coming back
as a faculty member, you learn to see things differently and hope you can still
picture what it’s like and feel what it’s like to be on the other side of the desk.”
similar way of looking at the world.
“In our department now, there
are people who are doing
tissue engineering, they’re
doing nanoparticles for cancer
detection, cancer monitoring
and diagnostics, people doing
orthopedics, tissue strength and
structure. When you study those
things, it becomes how can you
use that information to predict
how diseases are either developing,
how they might develop or if they
will develop? Then knowing those
things, can you do stuff to try to
prevent things based on that?”
At the time, the Honors Program was
only a few years old and accepted
only a couple dozen students each
year. But like so many things at UB,
change was unavoidable. However
the guiding principles of the program
remain intact.
“Going into it, I was not quite sure
what to expect, but by the end or a
few years into it, it was clear that it
was very positive and it provided a
very different view of the university
and a lot of opportunities. It was a
great experience,” Titus said.
While Titus does keep his hand
in teaching and research, his
administrative role as department
chair takes up much of his time.
The department has grown
substantially in the past few
years, jumping from less than 50
in the first year to close to 220
undergraduates this fall.
“The growth has been very fast,
faster than expected,” Titus said.
“Having been on both sides of
the desk now, being a student and
coming back as a faculty member,
you learn to see things differently and
hope you can still picture what it’s
like and feel what it’s like to be on the
other side of the desk.
“Some things have obviously
changed a lot, but then again some
things really didn’t change at all.”
Photo courtesy of Douglas Levere
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Arin Dandes
Honors Scholar, Class of 2009
T
he seeds for Second Generation Theatre were planted
years ago in UB’s Department of Theatre and Dance.
Kelly Jakiel Copps (Honors Scholar ’08) and I were
music theatre majors while Kristin Bentley (UB ’07)
studied theatre performance. We spent most of our days
in the Center for the Arts taking classes or rehearsing
for various departmental productions. In what little free
time they had, Jakiel Copps and Bentley also directed a
student-run variety show that was written, rehearsed, and
then performed every semester in the Katharine Cornell
Theatre on campus. At various times in their collegiate
years they both talked about running their own theatre
company in the future.
After graduation we kept in touch despite going our
separate ways. I went to New York City soon after
graduation and immediately hit the pavement. After
several months of auditioning with hundreds of other
hopefuls, I decided to take a break. I came home to
Buffalo to regroup and figure out what I really wanted to
do with my life. I auditioned for that upcoming Buffalo
theatre season and was hooked. A few years (and many
shows) later, I am very happy to be a member of this
theatre community.
The story behind Second Generation Theatre picks
up speed in the fall of 2012. Once again, Jakiel Copps,
Bentley, and I were back in Buffalo at the same time,
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settling into our lives and artistic endeavors. Buffalo
has an impressive amount of high-quality, professional
theatre and the three of us are each employed as actors
and performers for various local theatre companies. As
actors, we often discuss shows we wish companies would
produce, or roles we would love to tackle. During one
such conversation over brunch, Bentley and I started
discussing the musical ‘Into the Woods’ by Stephen
Sondheim, which would ultimately become our first
production. We love the music, the story, the characters,
and the important lessons it teaches. While the characters
overcome great obstacles to get what they most wish for
in life, they soon find that what you want may not always
be what you need. This powerful message resonated with
us and we thought it would move others as well. A show
that could generate such passion and excitement seemed
like the perfect production to launch a new company.
A phone call to Jakiel Copps was made, and the Second
Generation Theatre Company was created. Our name,
Second Generation Theatre, reflects our respect for those
who have come before us as well as our hope to nurture
future generations of theatre artists. Some of the leaders
in the Buffalo theatre community were our professors
during our years at UB. We learned so much from their
teachings, both in the classroom and onstage, and we
want to continue the work they do in our community.
Through live theatre, they
entertain and enlighten
their audiences, improving
the quality of life for many
people season after season.
We find theatre to be
integral to our own quality
of life, and want to share
that gift with others.
2015 season are also in the
works. We hope to build a
reputation for producing
high-quality work as we
learn and grow in the
next few years. Second
Generation Theatre’s long
term goals include finding
our own theatre space and
producing more musicals
and plays each season. We
have a lot of work ahead
of us, but the future looks
bright and promising. We
are grateful to have the
support of Buffalo’s vibrant
theatre community.
Our premier production,
‘Into the Woods,’ was a
resounding success for
our fledgling company.
We assembled a creative
team, cast, and crew from
Buffalo’s incredible talent
pool of actors, directors,
Second Generation Theatre founders: Kristin Bentley, Arin Dandes, and
designers, and musicians.
The time I spent as a UB
Kelly Jakiel Copps
Their heartfelt support for
Honors Scholar certainly
our new endeavor was encouraging, and our shared
helped prepare me for this next step in my theatre
love of the musical was inspiring. We marketed the
career. I always looked forward to the intellectual
Our name, Second Generation Theatre, reflects
our respect for those who have come before us as well
as our hope to nurture future generations of theatre
artists. We find theatre to be integral to our own quality
of life, and want to share that gift with others.
show on television, in print, through social media, and
using guerilla marketing tactics. The production ran for
three weekends at the New Phoenix Theatre on the Park
and elicited very positive feedback from our audience
members, some of whom had come back to enjoy the
show a second time. The support we received from local
theatre artists and media contributors was overwhelming.
Buffalo is the city of good neighbors, and we were
lucky to experience that old adage tenfold during the
production process.
We are currently busy planning and organizing our 20132014 season productions of Neil LaBute’s play ‘Some
Girl(s)’ and Stephen Sondheim’s musical ‘Assassins,’
both of which will be presented at the New Phoenix
Theatre. Plans for Second Generation Theatre’s 2014-
debates that took place in my Honors seminars, and
when students who are passionate about learning come
together, fantastic ideas emerge. We also learned to think
critically and articulate complex ideas, a skill I have
found extremely useful as a performer and as co-founder
of a theatre company. The Honors College requires its
students to go above and beyond, to think outside the
box, and to step outside their comfort zone. Starting a
company was certainly outside of my comfort zone. As I
learned in the classroom and in life, taking a risk can lead
to great rewards.
For more information on Second Generation Theatre
Company, visit www.secondgenerationtheatre.com or
follow us on Facebook.
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From Past to Present
Cliffs of Dover
Dylan Burns
Honors Scholar, Class of 2016
What is the first thing you would do in a foreign country
which you have never visited? If your response is anything
but “buy a dozen Krispy Kreme doughnuts to split with
a group of complete strangers,” you and I clearly have
different priorities.
Never having traveled abroad before (I think we can all agree
that Canada doesn’t count when you live in Buffalo), I was
still in a state of both bewilderment and awe when I exited the
Manchester airport on a cool and foggy English morning. My
program mates had been separated on multiple flights, so a rest
stop along the route to Nottingham, the city that houses our
host institution, Nottingham Trent University, was the selected
rendezvous point. Naturally, a couple jokes about needing to
travel to another continent to get the best doughnuts from a
company long-departed from Buffalo, in combination with some
sugary delight, was the best way to break the ice and usher in our
month of fun (and studying).
I was able to travel to England through the support of The
Fulbright Summer Institutes Program. This program is a special
sect of the Fulbright Commission that provides funds for and
access to a study abroad opportunity for American students
to study in the United Kingdom, and vice versa. It is aimed at
providing a structured, yet still malleable first experience in a
foreign country, and one that hopes to affect the way in which
participants think about community, interaction, our studies,
and ourselves. I was selected out of an undisclosed number of
applicants across the country, along with 61 other students,
after submitting an application and essay followed by a
telephone interview.
During the first two weeks of the program, while my
mind still slightly faltered at grasping the reality of such a
new and different environment, I greatly enjoyed the predetermined structure of the course which I was enrolled. We
toured many historic sites, such as Wollaton Hall (or Wayne
Manor if you follow the new Batman movies) and other stately
homes and museums during the first week, which focused on
museum curating and exhibition presentation. We explored
the linguistically creative sides of our minds during the second
week, in tandem with touring sites pertaining to famous authors
such as the birthplace of D.H. Lawrence and Lord Byron’s
Homestead. Our small group began to bond over wonderful
adventures, such as sharing a pint at the oldest pub in England
(which is built partially in a cave), discussing the potential reality
of the tale of Robin Hood (which centers on Nottingham), and
even waterskiing!
, Nottingham
Green’s Mill
Wallaton Hal
l, Nottingham
Bath
The last week was reserved for a final project aimed at focusing
Roman Baths,
on the intersection our studies and our interests in the first
three weeks of the program. The specifics of the project were left
intentionally vague to allow us to take the rigors of a purposely rigid program and manipulate it into as
free of a conceptual culmination as desired. The coordinators of the program, as well as my instructors,
simply said “Do something that reflects your experiences in Nottingham.” Rather than highlighting
the details of my stay in England, I wanted to explore something new with my project, so I focused on
interactions with the people and the built environment as a whole.
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I centered my project on one concept that I repeatedly returned to
as I faded into the pulse of the community each day. A city could
have the most magnificent structures and ideas in the world, but
all of it would mean nothing were it not for the people who visit it
and contribute to its distinctiveness.
As a civilization, we often pass by hundreds of strangers without
giving them a second thought; my project focused on moving past
this. I composed a series of questions aimed at prying as gently as
possible into the minds of complete strangers. But what should I
ask? My list of questions progressed through a series of trials and
adjustments, but eventually I decided on the following:
“If you knew no one would judge you, what would
you do differently?”
“What do you sometimes pretend you understand that
you really don’t?”
“Why do you matter?”
“If you could give one piece of advice to anyone,
what would it be?”
I approached anyone in the city who looked available or
potentially willing to answer these questions, while trying to get
as wide of a range of perceived demographic as possible. As my
questions became more open-ended and thought-provoking for
my new-found friends, I heard some very intriguing answers.
I made a point of getting a brief snapshot into their lives and also
asked each person if I could take a photograph of him or her.
For me, this was a truly eye-opening project. Each person has
a story to tell, good or bad, different from our own. Each life is
shaped by people and events. Similarly, every city is shaped by
the people who live in it. Everyone has something to teach and
a story to tell and my goal was to slow down and try to hear a
few of them. Sometimes you have to ask the right questions,
though, or you’ll never discover any of this.
As a rising sophomore in the School of Architecture and
Planning, I am pursuing a Bachelors of Science in Architecture
and a minor in Environmental Design. With such a forcedly
strong focus on architecture in my studies, the opportunity to
explore topics uncommon to me with a diverse range of group
mates was extremely intriguing, beneficial, and fun. I hope to
further explore the topics with which I dabbled while abroad. I
know that my experiences have had a resounding effect on my
many aspects of my studies.
I would like to heartily thank Elizabeth Colucci, Beth Tauke,
William Kresse Ph.D., and Sabrina Vircillo-Franke, for their
support and help surrounding this wonderful opportunity.
Also, to the instructors, my program mates, my family, and
all of the nameless people with whom I spoke, thank you for
making this one of the greatest experiences of my life.
GPS, VH1, and Star Wars:
A Stone Crusade
Adam Sokolow
Honors Scholar, Class of 2005
hile collecting data for my bouldering guidebook, my
weekly dose of excitement was comprised of scaling rocks in
the woods while avoiding rattlesnake bites and brier stings.
Although academically trained as a physicist, my obsession
for bouldering makes me wonder at times whether my other
doctorate is in climbing. On weekends during graduate
school at Duke University, I would frequent my favorite
boulder field “Moore’s Wall” located in the Piedmont area of
North Carolina. What started as a hobby grew into a research
endeavor.
Bouldering is a form of rock climbing that is free from ropes.
In many ways, climbing is a simple sport where the available
friction is used to overcome gravity. The technique, however,
can be quite complex. “Reading the rock” and adapting one’s
body mechanics, often on the fly, allows for climbing “smart”,
not hard. Depending on its expanse, a boulder field often has
hundreds of house-sized
boulders. Although there are
often easy ways to the top
of an individual boulder,
climbers set out to find
more difficult or acrobatic
ways. Climbers obviously
have psychological issues.
These pathways to the top
of the rock, or boulder problems, are given a
grade of difficulty based on the Hueco scale. This “V-scale” is a
rating system created by John Sherman, which starts at V0 (an
“easy” climb) and continues up in numbers to more difficult
grades of V14 and above (super human). Along with the grade,
the boulder problem is also given a name. Typically these
names are humorous, intimidating, provocative, or perhaps
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for rocks and perhaps the greatest archive of North Carolina
rock climbs. With JP’s help I was able to fill in the gaps of
my knowledge of Moore’s Wall. Through him, stories about
locals and their adventures rose to the surface. These stories
are included in the guide in a manner that is reminiscent of a
VH1 Pop-up Video. While using the guide to figure out where
you are, small blurbs of information provide back-stories
pertaining to the cold rock you are staring at.
simply inappropriate. At Moore’s Wall, some of the most
classic problems pay homage to the film Star Wars - which was
new in theaters when the area was being developed in the late
70s - with names like “Oh-V1-Kenobi”, “R2V2”, and “V3PO”.
In conjunction with the history of their development, the
names, grades, and locations of boulder problems
comprise the meat of a climbing guidebook.
Witnessing first-hand attempts to rename classics
and knowing the benefits of climbing guidebooks,
I decided to create one for Moore’s Wall. Prior to
my guide, all of the boulder problems at Moore’s
were carried on by an oral tradition. A seasoned
climber would provide a newer one with the “beta”
(information). These new climbers would surface
and then later disappear and new climbs would
develop and older ones would be rediscovered. A
boulder field is ever-evolving, which presented quite
the conundrum while writing a guide. On the one
hand, there was the need to record the history of the
area and on the other was the need to preserve the
discovery aspect of climbing. By necessity then, the
guide had to omit climbs so that future generations
could experience discovering a “new” boulder off an
established trail.
Perhaps the most challenging part of writing the guidebook
was tracking down the locals that were involved in the
development of the area. There were a handful of residents
who had been in the area long enough to witness the ebb
and flow of climbers. A friend of mine, John Provetero, was
one of them. JP had an incredible super power - with a single
glance of a picture of rock, he could identify the climb and
where it was located in North Carolina. He is an encyclopedia
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While simultaneously in graduate school for physics, I would
try to squeeze in extra time for the guide. The project took
about two years to complete, including map-making, picturetaking, and writing descriptions of the climbs (not to mention
countless hours spent just wandering in the woods in search
of an unsussed - climbing lingo for untouched - boulder).
During the map-making phase I made use of my academic
training and put together a home-built GPS unit. A “West
Coast Chopper” flat-brim hat, bought on clearance from
Target, served as its mounting platform. The hat was quite
the fashion statement. Armed with a blinking LED to inform
me it was fully operational, the GPS unit triangulated my
position, and wrote the coordinates to a jump drive. Thus, by
walking around the large boulders in the boulder field I was
a pencil on a map of a much grander scale. There were easily
200 boulders total that I personally took laps around through
all seasons of the year. At times I was fortunate to have the
support and company of my wife Sarah, but most times,
left to my own devices, I was alone in the woods wearing a
ridiculous hat.
“Bouldering is a form of rock
climbing that is free from ropes.
In many ways, climbing is a simple
sport where the available friction
is used to overcome gravity.
The technique, however, can
be quite complex.”
Currently I am at the Army Research Lab as an Oak Ridge
Institute for Science and Education post-doctoral fellow doing
materials research in soft tissues under high strain-rates. This
type of work draws on the tools and insights from my entire
background and was made possible by the incredible faculty
at UB. Everyday I get to work on exciting problems that are
relevant to saving lives, that press the boundaries of our
understanding of biological tissues, and that bring up new
physics. I get to explore these issues and, on occasion, still get
to walk around the woods with a silly hat.
Oh, The Places
You'’ll Go!
“You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes.
You can steer yourself any direction you choose.
You’re on your own. And you know what you know.
And YOU are the one who’ll decide where to go...”
Andrew Wilsey
Honors Scholar, Class of 2015
his past March, I traveled to the Dominican Republic through
the Honors College Alternative Spring Break Program to
volunteer with an organization called Outreach 360. This service
trip allowed a group of UB students to travel to Monte Cristi, where
our mission was to teach English to children in both recreational
and engaging ways. At the week’s close, however, I realized how
much the children taught me! They gave me insight about life’s
simple pleasures, showed me a culture of support and compassion,
and encouraged me to embrace each and every moment!
During the week our goal was to have the students speak as much
English as possible, and to engage them in the simple act of
learning- motivating them to continue on with their education. In
the Dominican Republic, parents face extreme economic hardships
and prefer their children start working rather then going to ‘play’
at school. The choice to attend school comes from these five to
twelve year olds, who sometimes walk up to ten miles just to get an
education. I found this determination most astounding, especially
at such a young age.
My time spent in the
Dominican Republic with
fellow Honors Scholars was
one of the most amazing
experiences I have had as a
student. One of the greatest
forces of education is learning
outside of the classroom, a
concept fostered by the Honors
College. I have come to learn
that travel is one of our wisest
professors, teaching us about
our world’s different cultures,
distinctive customs, and unique
wonders. Experiencing other
cultures and lifestyles provides
an opportunity to broaden
students’ minds with more than
just graphs and equations. While
only spending seven days in the
Dominican Republic, I was still able to learn so much about our
world and myself – things not easily taught in the classroom.
As our plane touched down in JFK after our trip was over, I had
already decided I would be spending my summer volunteering! I
spent the next month researching different opportunities across
- Dr. Seuss, Oh, the Places You’ll Go!
the globe and discovered International Volunteer Headquarters- an
organization with a service-teaching program in Kenya.
Come the first of June, I was stationed in a tiny, remote village on
the coast of Kenya with limited electricity, houses that were made
from tin or sticks and mud, and no knowledge of the native tongue,
Swahili. Luckily, I had the experiences from my Honors College trip
to the Dominican to draw upon. Outreach 360 had several phrases
to help volunteers adjust, for example, “It’s not about you. Jump right
in. Be flexible and creative. Communicate love.” The lessons I learned
through Outreach 360 and from the other UB volunteers allowed
me to grow by completely immersing myself in an entirely new
culture.
I was the teacher for the fifth grade and explored subjects with my
group of ten students ranging from math, science, and English to
religion, government and even a little German. Working from 8am
to 5pm with these children, I quickly became attached, cheering with
them over every victory and challenging each and every one of them
to reach their fullest potential. Once
again, I focused not only on learning the
material at hand, but I encouraged my
students to care about their education,
motivating them to continue on past
primary school. My time spent at the
school flew by as my days were filled
with learning, love and laughter. One
of the most beautiful experiences
was to see my students growing right
before my eyes.
The memory of my own students
in the Dominican Republic and in
Kenya running up to meet me and
recalling the sight of their faces,
eager to learn and full of love, still
brings a wide smile to my face. Both
trips left me with the reminder
to live my life to its fullest, taking
advantage of all opportunities
offered to me. By traveling I’ve witnessed how others experience life
differently, allowing me to share with my peers another perspective
of the world in which we live. The Honors College supported me on
this journey and I look forward inspiring my fellow Honors Scholars
to also explore the vast world around them.
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Opportunities
to Serve
Matthew (fourth from the right) and his classmates travel to the Dominican
Matthew Helm
Honors Scholar, Class of 2012
While it has been just over a year since I completed my last class
at UB, I have already been able to reflect on, and gain a true
appreciation for, the many opportunities that were provided to
me by the Honors College. My advisors, mentors, and classmates
consistently stressed the importance of service throughout my
time at UB. All of them led by example. Dr. Junzhe Xu of the UB
Psychiatry Department not only served as a research mentor,
but she was also a role model to me because of the kindness
and compassion she showed towards her patients. Professor
Sheldon Berlow not only helped me become an effective
teaching assistant for his Conversations Through the Disciplines
Honors seminar, he took a personal interest in broadening my
perspectives. I had many outstanding classmates in the Honors
College who also inspired me to become a better person.
Now, as a medical student at SUNY Upstate Medical University,
when opportunities to serve arise, it seems only natural to step
up and try to help, and to emulate my teachers and classmates
from UB. Upstate Medical University classmate Stefanos
Haddad and I started to volunteer at the Syracuse Rescue
Mission to help the homeless. We came up with the idea to set
up a foot clinic to provide clients with footwear and foot care.
Fourth year medical students Jessie Sassani and Caitlyn Foote
worked with us to secure a $9,000 grant from the AOA Medical
Honor Society. The clinic has been running monthly since
February and has been a blessing for the homeless we serve, as
well as for the Upstate Medical students and other volunteers
who have a chance to get to know and help the less privileged.
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Republic.
Many of my UB friends and classmates have generously
volunteered their time to make the clinic a success. The project
has gone so well that the community is now asking us to start
a new clinic down the road to reach others who lack access
to health care. Three of my classmates here at SUNY Upstate
are also UB Honors College graduates - Tim Kuchera, Adam
George, and Alisa Anderson. The family-like environment and
connections we made in the UB Honors College have continued,
even after graduation.
Not only has the volunteer group helped in the Syracuse area,
but medical students and others from the Syracuse area had
the opportunity to go on a one week medical mission trip.
Phil Wade from UB’s chapter of the Christian Medical and
Dental Association partnered with The Chapel at Crosspoint
and SUNY Upstate students for a successful mission trip in
the Dominican Republic. We provided care to the rural poor
who often scavenged in Santo Domingo’s garbage dump.
The connections I made at UB allowed these groups to come
together for a successful trip. Dr. Gina Prescott, a faculty
member from the School of Pharmacy, and others were
instrumental in covering the many needs we encountered. I am
grateful for the opportunities I have been given and all the role
models that helped guide me towards service and helping those
in need. My UB training has given me the knowledge, ability,
and confidence to help those around me. I am thankful to UB
for providing me with so many opportunities to grow and
mature, and I hope to keep that momentum which was started
at UB.
Ariel Judson
Honors Scholar, Class of 2013
I am an
I
Actor
am an actor. I study my art all year long, both through my all over New York City, picking up and dropping off contracts
and supplies from major recording studios and Broadway
classes and performances. When deciding what I should be
theaters. One of my biggest projects was attending all
doing during my summers, I thought about the areas of the
rehearsals for the musical numbers and assisting the executive
entertainment industry that I don’t generally learn about in
producers who worked with the talent. I was amongst some
school. I am originally from Long Island, close to New York
of my personal acting heroes, working closely with them to
City, a major hub in the professional performing arts world.
make the show run as smoothly as possible. The most surreal
I knew I needed to take advantage of this close proximity to
part of the entire experience was seeing my name in the credits
learn about the business and production of the work I am so
on television when I watched the show back on my DVR! I
passionate about sharing with the world. During the spring
semester of my freshman year, I sent my resume to any source was given great advice from a teaching assistant in one of my
classes at UB that I will always remember. She said that with
that I could in New York and through hard work and a little
any job, you must make yourself invaluable and unforgettable
luck, I landed two incredible internships.
because there are hundreds of other
As an Honors Scholar, I have always
people waiting to replace you. While
been told that good grades alone are
I was working, I always had her voice
not enough to set you apart from a
in the back of my mind. Because I
group of applicants in the real world. I
listened to her advice, I was asked to
know I am not alone in trying to take
come back the following summer as
advantage of every opportunity to go
a production assistant and eventually
above and beyond and to get involved
worked with the same company
in co-curricular experiences while at
on the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day
UB. The University has so much to
Parade. That same summer, I also
offer in terms of clubs, organizations,
worked for an off-Broadway, weekly
community projects, and social events
improvisation show called Naked
that allow us to pursue our interests
in a Fishbowl, where I helped with
while gaining leadership experience.
marketing and preparing the venue
I spent the first half of the summer of
for the production. Comedy has
2011 working as a production intern
always been one of my greatest
for the 65th Annual Tony Awards. I
passions, so working with the show
never imagined working for a major
provided insight into that world
national televised event, but I’m sure
and allowed me to network with
that even if I had, my fantasies could
performers and managers who I am
not have lived up to the reality of the
still connected with today.
actual experience. Every morning I
The following summer, while I
would show up to the production
continued my work with the Tony
office located in the basement of
Ariel (right) engages the crowd at the Macy’s
Awards,
I knew I wanted to learn
the Beacon Theatre. Each day held a
Thanksgiving Day Parade!
even
more
about the industry. The
different set of tasks for me to complete.
UB
Theatre
Department
sent
out
an
email advertising an
Of course, I did the cliché intern stuff like getting coffee and
internship
program
with
A&E
Networks
working in their
lunch for the directors and producers, but I also went on runs
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scheduling department in New York City. I thought this
would be the perfect way to understand how television shows
move from production to the screens at home. I applied for
and got the internship! My responsibilities included helping
to develop the schedule for the A&E, Bio, and Crime &
Investigation Networks. I created research documents about
our competition and sent out weekly newsletters to every
department. Another project I worked on was screening new
and old programs in order to both create marathon packages
and to decide if a new show would work for our network. It
was truly amazing to see my work have such a direct impact
on what was put on television while learning so much about
what goes on behind the scenes in the industry.
After spending two summers learning about the business of
“the business”, I finally decided
to explore the artistic side of
my craft. Through a connection
of a professor, I was put in
contact with a well-established
director in New York named
Erica Gould. She decided to
take me on as her assistant for
the summer, working with her
on staged readings, workshops,
benefits and productions of new
works. For the first time, I was
in the professional rehearsal
process from the side of the director. By helping Erica work
with fabulous actors on creating new characters I was able
to meet some really great playwrights and see plays from
inception through to live performance. I have also taken on
an internship at the People’s Improv Theater, working in the
box office as a work study in order to take classes there after I
graduate for a reduced price. This will be great for me in the
long run allowing me to continue my training as a performer
after I graduate for little to no cost, which is so rare in NYC.
During my limited spare time, I have also been able to work
on set as an actor for television shows and films. I felt that it
was time to get my foot in the door on the performance side of
the business, using the knowledge that I had gained from my
previous experiences.
My goal has always been
to make sure that I am an
informed actor who knows a
considerable amount about
what goes on behind the
scenes. I am confident that I
have accomplished this goal
through the connections I have
made and the knowledge I
have gained. I know that I will
have a successful career in the
entertainment industry.
HONOR A BULL
“To foster a sense of commitment to
the Honors College and the success
of its students through philanthropic
education and activities.”
Nigel S. Michki
Honors Scholar, Class 2016
Member of the HonoraBull Team
That is the mission of the HonoraBull team: a group of
students, overseen by the Honors College staff, whose goal is
to educate their peers on the importance of philanthropy in
a college setting. Donations are of paramount importance in
any higher-education institution’s budget, and in the case of
the Honors College, donations go directly towards scholarships
that fund current Honors Scholars’ projects; however this may
not be apparent to the student receiving such aid!
To that end, the HonoraBull team educates their peers on the
importance of philanthropic engagement and encourages
current Honors Scholars to ‘pay it forward’. The HonoraBull
team recognizes that students have a limited budget, but
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also knows that every extra penny counts and the more
students that participate, the faster those pennies will add up!
“Operation: BankaBull” encompasses that idea. The mission,
if the student chooses to accept it, is to pick up a “bull bank”
and fill it with spare change. At multiple points throughout
the year, students will have the opportunity to turn in their
collected change, celebrate their collective effort, and engage in
a dialogue about the importance of their actions.
But what happens with all that spare change? Contributions
directly support current Honors Scholars by funding their
academic projects and activities. The team is hoping to raise
enough funds to award their first grants during the coming
spring semester.
This creative and enthusiastic team has a variety of other
ideas in development; an Honors senior giving campaign,
incorporating philanthropic education into the Honors
curriculum, campaigns with alumni, and even a card-board
boat race! More information will be released as the year
progresses, so be sure to watch for new ways to be HonoraBull!
As alumni, how can you get involved? Simply log onto honors.
buffalo.edu/alumni/operation-bankabull.php, fill out the form,
and we will send you a bull bank to get started collecting your
spare change!
Alumni Updates
1988
Karen (Shute) Kraeger
Karen recently started work both as an elementary
gifted specialist and as a part-time faculty
member at Kennesaw State University.
1989
Stephanie Argentine
Stephanie was recently
promoted to Vice President
Talent Management &
Organizational Development
at Rich Products, Buffalo NY.
She joined Rich’s in 2010 as
Director Talent Management
& Organizational Development.
1990
John Neumann
John’s band Kontrol Cow released their first CD
this summer, “twenty-two” which he produced
and also played lead guitar. He and his wife Barb
are moving to Allentown, PA for John to take a
job at SPTS Technologies.
1993
John Spierre
What they’re doing now…
Karin Townson
Matthew Sweeney
Karin is a professor in the School of Physical
Therapy at her “other” alma mater, the University
of Puget Sound.
Matthew recently moved to the Rochester, NY,
area where he and his wife Jill live with their
four children: 8yrs., 6yrs., 3yrs., and 1yr.
2000
2005
Jeanine (Butzek) Qasim
Erich Devendorf
Jeanine works at Bank of America Merrill Lynch
in Derivatives Operational Risk Management.
Erich has taken a position with the Air Force
Research Laboratory specializing in cyber defense.
2001
Sujata (Sofat) Gill
Phillip Edwards
Phil recently started as the Assistant Director of
the University Center for the Advancement of
Teaching at The Ohio State University.
2002
Danielle (Wilbur) Muehlbauer
Atul Jain
Atul recently joined the faculty at the University
of Chicago as an Assistant Professor of Medicine.
Gillian Julius
Scott Sobieraj
Scott is a cardiologist at Buffalo Cardiology and
Pulmonary Associates.
1995
2003
Joseph Szustakowski
Dmitriy Akselrod
1996
Samantha Dow
Samantha recently joined the legal department of
ING U.S. as Counsel.
Renee Lansley
Renee is a visiting lecturer at Framingham State
University, where she teaches courses in Modern
American and African American History. She and
her husband Joseph (Honors ’95) celebrated
their 11th wedding anniversary this September.
They live outside of Boston with their two sons,
5yrs. and 7yrs.
1999
Dana Lukin
Dana started as Assistant Professor of
Medicine at Albert Einstein College of
Medicine in the Bronx, NY. He is also an
attending physician in the Division of
Gastroenterology at Montefiore Medical
Center.
Danielle is finishing up her final year of
orthopaedic surgery residency at George
Washington University in Washington, DC. She
will be attending Philadelphia Hand Center for a
hand surgery fellowship in 2014.
Gillian and her husband (Harold Hotchkiss,
Honors ’01) have moved to San Ramon,
California where Gillian has accepted a job as
Agile Leader for GE Software.
John is living in Florida with his family.
Joseph is head of Biomarker Development
Bioinformatics at Novartis, where he leads a
team of scientists that sequence and analyze the
genomes of human patients. He and his team
recently discovered a gene responsible for a rare,
inherited kidney disorder and published their
findings in the Journal of the American Society
of Nephrology. See http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/
pubmed/23687361 for more information.
Sujata will be graduating in June from
Georgetown University Hospital and will
complete her residency in general surgery. She
is also applying for a fellowship in Minimally
Invasive Surgery.
Join us on
Social Media!
Like us on Facebook: University at Buffalo
Honors College
Dmitriy started a new job as a radiologist. He has
two kids and one on the way!
Pascal Cohen
Follow us on Twitter: UBHonors
Pascal is the Sr. Manager of Marketing & Air
Service Development for the Buffalo Niagara
International Airport and the Niagara Falls
Airport. During the past three years, he was
successful in attracting Spirit Airlines and
Allegiant Air to service the Niagara Falls airport.
He is also actively working with the air carriers
at the Buffalo Niagara International Airport to
expand flight capacity and destinations served.
Join us on LinkedIn: University at Buffalo
Honors College
2004
Kelly (Sayles)
Currie
Kelly is a Plastic and
Reconstructive Surgery
Fellow at the University of
Colorado in Denver.
Narasimhachar
(Simha) Prativadi
Simha graduated from his
radiology residency and
is doing a fellowship in
MRI at the University of
Rochester.
Kevin Kurtz
Honors Scholar, Class of 1993
Kevin Kurtz’s latest children’s book
is entitled A Day in the Deep. It is
a non-fiction book about deep sea
animals such as vampire squid and
angler fish. It’s the third illustrated
children’s book about nature Kevin
has written that has been published
by Sylvan Dell Publishing. You can
find out more about Kevin and his
published works by visiting
http://kevinkurtz.homestead.com
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Alumni Updates
2008
2012
Kenneth Heidle
Kasey Buecheler
Kenneth graduated from Lake Erie College
of Osteopathic Medicine and is currently
completing his residency in Emergency
Medicine at Saint Vincent Hospital in Erie, PA.
Kasey received a scholarship to study at Yonsei
University’s Korean Language Institute. She has a
part-time job teaching English to young children
and also tutors adults.
Tracy Stepien
Ross Cole
Tracy graduated from the University of Pittsburgh
with a PhD in Mathematics and is now a Visiting
Assistant Professor in the School of Mathematical
and Statistical Sciences at Arizona State University
- a three year postdoc position!
Ross is currently a second year medical student at
UB Medical School.
2009
Sara Frank
Sara is working as a physical therapist at Kessler
Rehabilitation Center and will be getting married
March 16, 2014 to Justin Jarmus.
Lesthia Isaacs
Catherine Nicastro
Catherine is a Latin teacher at East Aurora High
School in East Aurora, NY.
Yekaterina Merkulova
Yekaterina is entering her 5th year in the
MD/PhD program at SUNY Downstate
Medical Center in Brooklyn, NY. She is
pursuing a PhD in neuroscience with a focus
in neuroelectrophysiology. She also recently
completed a mentoring program through the
New York Academy of Sciences where she taught
science in a Brooklyn public middle school for
two semesters.
2010
Jeffrey Ackerman
Jeffrey is a mechanical engineering PhD student
and research assistant at Purdue. Last year he
received the National Defense Science and
Engineering Graduate Fellowship, which will
continue to fund his research for two more years
and he expects to graduate with his doctorate
in 2015.
Cindy Sideris
Cindy recently began working in the Development
& Alumni Relations Department at NYU’s Tisch
School of the Arts.
Lesthia completed her first year of the School
Psychology PhD Program at UB and worked at
a Summer Treatment Program for children with
ADHD.
Ryan Lazarus
Ryan works as a
Private Equity Analyst
at Bloomberg LP in
Manhattan.
Christine
Robertson
Christine works for
Upatate New York
Transplant Services
(UNYTS) as an Eye and Tissue Recovery
Technician. She harvests tissue from cadavers
for human transplant including skin, bone,
nerves, veins, and heart valves. She was recently
promoted and is now an Eye and Tissue Recovery
Team Leader so in addition to harvesting the
previously stated tissues, she also harvests corneas
and oversees and coordinates the entire recovery
process.
Julian Rothschild
Julian is a 2nd year medical student at the Albert
Einstein College of Medicine.
Josh Yankowitz
2011
Joshua Adams
Josh is attending Binghamton University’s School
of Management where he will pursue his MBA.
Joshua is in the 3rd year of his MD/PhD program
at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston.
2013
Erin Cotter
Megan Klyczek
Erin is attending the University of Texas at Austin
for a MA/PhD in English.
Laura Habberfield
Laura was promoted to a
Senior Analyst of Sales &
Operations Planning for
the Omnichannel Team at
Toys”R”Us.
16
What they’re doing now…
De Chang Daniel Lim
Daniel was accepted into the PhD Social
Psychology Program at Northeastern University.
Amanda Martin
Amanda is a Master’s student at Bowling Green
State University.
Joseph Swerdlin
Joseph is an Intern at Storefront for Art
and Architecture, a non-profit organization
committed to the advancement of innovative
positions in architecture, art and design.
Marriages
Joshua Adams (2011)
was married in July in Kenmore, NY. He and his
wife Stephanie live in Houston, TX where she
teaches 3rd grade math and science.
Sujata Sofat (2005)
was married this year
and lives in Crystal City,
VA just outside of DC
with her husband who is
a Palliative Care Fellow
in DC.
Scott Sobieraj (2002)
married Channa Kolb, MD, who he graduated
from UB Medical School with in 2006.
Births
Jeanine (Butzek)
Qasim (2000)
and her husband Naeem
welcomed their son Gabriel
on February 19, 2013!
Erich Devendorf (2005)
and his wife Caitlin
welcomed their first
child, Violette Elizabeth
on March 17, 2012.
Megan will graduate from the accelerated nursing
program in May 2014 and then will continue on
to a DNP program.
Attention UB Honors Alumni!
Derek Peloquin
To update our records please log onto honors.buffalo.edu/
alumni and complete the alumni update form.
Derek is continuing to
work towards a PhD in Nanoscale Science at the
University of North Carolina at Charlotte
*We would also like to include a photo of you (and/or
your children) with your update! Photos can be e-mailed
to Karyn St. George at kcs9@buffalo.edu.
university
at
B uffalo
Thanks to you,
I’ve helped kids get hands-on education.
Senior chemical engineering major Phillip Tucciarone has led UB students south for spring
break, not to Florida but to the Dominican Republic to teach English to schoolchildren.
Back in Buffalo, he’s part of UB’s Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering Partnership
program, helping high-schoolers get hands-on with science. Why UB? “I am passionate
about educational equality, and felt I would have more diverse interactions here.” He was
grateful to receive a scholarship from UB supported by private philanthropy because “I don’t
have financial support from parents.” Co-author of two papers in peer-reviewed journals,
the nanomaterials researcher received a prestigious Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship.
“Research has been the most important and gratifying part of my time at UB. I love being
confused, specifically for the gratification of finding answers.” The best reason to support
UB is what students like Phillip will do in the future.
The best public universities have the strongest private support.
www.giving.buffalo.edu
Non-Profit Org.
US Postage
PAID
Buffalo, NY
Permit No. 311
University Honors College
University at Buffalo
106 Capen Hall
Buffalo, New York 14260-1700
(716) 645-3020
www.honors.buffalo.edu
Alumni: RequestABull!
We want you to participate in
Operation BankaBull!* Just log onto
honors.buffalo.edu/alumni/operationbankabull.php and provide us with
your name and address, and we will
send you a bull bank to get started!
*see article on page 14
for more details