Download - Wells College Express: Spring 2014
Wells
THE MAGAZINE OF WELLS COLLEGE ALUMNAE/I AND FRIENDS
2012–13Embracing Change
SPRING 2014 VOLUME XXIX NUMBER 1
ANNUAL REPORT OF GIVING
2013
-14
Wells
BOARD OF TRUSTEESArthur J. BellinzoniCarrie Bolton '92, Vice ChairLisa Mazzola Cania '79 Marie Chapman Carroll '75Sarah C. Chase '69, SecretaryThomas E. J. de WittFiona Morgan Fein '65Pamela Edgerton Ferguson '69Daniel J. FessendenStephen T. GoldingSarah J. Jankowski '92Stanley J. Kott, ChairAlan L. MarchisottoAmy Cerand McNaughton '86Renée Forgensi Minarik '80Betty Rodriguez Vislosky '78Brenna Toomey '13Kevin A. Wilson '12Nancy Wenner Witmer '61Stephen L. Zabriskie
HONORARY TRUSTEESAnn Harden Babcock '45John T. BaileyKatherine Gerwig Bailey '52Anne Wilson Baker '46David M. Barclay Nancy Barton Barclay '56Gordon BrummerSara Clark Brummer '56Gail Fletcher Edwards '57George D. Edwards Jr. Jane Demarest Engel '42Lueza Thirkield Gelb '52Margery Leinroth Gotshall '45Suzanne N. Grey '72Joanne Lowell Johnson '70Shirley Cox Kearns '54David M. LascellEdward E. MatthewsMarcia Goetze Nappi '56Frank P. Reiche Janet Taylor Reiche '52Elizabeth Bowman Rothermel '66Shirley Schou Bacot Shamel '58George S. SlocumPriscilla H. SlocumVirginia Grace Small '50Susan Wray Sullivan '51Henry F. Wood Jr.
ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICERS President Thomas E.J. de Witt Provost and Dean of the College Cindy Speaker Director of Communications and Marketing Ann S. Rollo Chief Operating Officer Terry Newcomb Vice President for Advancement Michael R. McGreeveyDean of Students Jennifer MichaelDirector of Admissions and Financial Aid Susan Raith Sloan '86
ASSOCIATION OF ALUMNAE AND ALUMNI BOARD President Betty Rodriguez Vislosky '78 Nominating Vice President
Fran Trubilla Kissell '78 Reunion Vice President
Mary Mitchell Goodman '70Retreat Vice President
Margaret Neenan Leahy '84 WCA Trustees
Pamela Edgerton Ferguson '69 Amy Cerand McNaughton '86 Nancy Wenner Witmer '61
National Annual Giving ChairMary Pastore Cryan '84
Award Committee ChairVirginia Meeker Munkelwitz '67
Member-at-LargeTiffany Hancock Clark '93 Sarah Messinger Gleason '88
Member-at-Large, FARGOTravis Niles ’09
Director of Alumnae and Alumni Relations
Pamela J. Sheradin '86
The Wells Express is produced by the College’s Office of Communications and Marketing. Article submissions from the extended Wells community are welcome. Send manuscripts to: Editors, the Wells Express, Office of Communications and Marketing, Aurora, N.Y. 13026. Postmaster: Send address changes to the Wells Express, Pettibone House, Aurora, N.Y. 13026. Telephone: 315.364.3200; FAX: 315.364.3362; Email: [email protected]; Website: www.wells.edu.
Editor-in-ChiefEditors
Editorial Assistants
DesignPhotography
Writers
Ann S. RolloMichael R. McGreeveyPamela Sheradin '86Hallett BurrallJessica CorterLaura E. SandersMichele VollmerCognitive Marketing Inc.Jacqueline ConderacciTim Frazier '16 Neil SjoblomWells College ArchivesSusan BurlingameDavid Foote '11Brad Murray '15
FSC FPO
On The Cover - taken at Wells’ 146th Commencement ceremonies in front of Macmillan Hall.The class of 2014, consisting of 109 graduates, crossed the stage during Commencement to complete their time as Wells College students. Our newest alumnae and alumni represent the broad range of a liberal arts education with degrees in history, visual arts, biochemistry, psychology, English, business and entrepreneurship, and many more. The morning featured two landmark events: Wells’ first student speaker, Lindsey Bush ’14, and the granting of a new award, the Wells College Medal, to alumna and Commencement speaker Pleasant Thiele Rowland ’62. Their contributions to the ceremony—and those of Wells’ staff, students, families, volunteers, and more—made for an exceptional return to Commencement’s traditional setting on campus.
SPRING 2014Contents
2 President’s Message
4 New Programs & A New Approach
6 Revitalizing Campus
8 President's Fund for New Initiatives
10 Aurora Express
15 2012-13 Annual Report of Giving
18 Giving Clubs and Societies 22 Class Giving 24 Special Funds 26 Tribute Giving 30 Legacy Circle 32 Volunteer Service
A stack of diplomas waits to be letterpress printed at the Wells College Book Arts Center.
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Warm greetings from Aurora—spring has finally arrived! I want to share good news of what I have come to think of as Wells’ renaissance —a sense of optimism and momentum driven by the many projects and new initiatives underway.
Responding to my call to embrace innovation, and specifically the need to blend
professional studies into the liberal arts and sciences that we already do so well, the Wells College faculty moved quickly to approve new academic programs reflecting emerging student interests and professional goals, and we already have nearly a dozen students pursuing them. As I shared with our faculty recently, the future for small colleges will be led by those who understand changing demographics and take the best of what they can offer today’s students.
COMMUNITY CONTRIBUTIONS
Also this fall, I challenged our campus community to propose new ideas that could have an immediate impact on student recruitment and retention. The response was spectacular! We are already moving forward with many of the initiatives and experiencing increased energy and optimism on campus. Retention into the second semester is up compared to previous years; the outlook for the coming fall’s enrollment is encouraging.
Generous contributions in honor of longtime president Lisa Marsh Ryerson ’81 upon her retirement have allowed us to bring a more modern feel to our historic campus with new campus banners and welcome signs. It also helped fund the renovation of the Macmillan steps and front entry plaza, thereby enabling us to bring Commencement back to its traditional location on campus. The bulk of the contributions are supporting the creation of “Ryerson Commons.” Located at the front entrance of the dining hall, this first
president’s message
WELLS’ RENAISSANCE
A sense of optimism and momentum(= 9
stage will include an area to host both special events and casual gatherings. The Ryerson Commons appropriately celebrates Lisa’s commitment to Wells, and especially to our students.
Perhaps the most important event in restoring Wells to financial health was the sale of the Aurora Inn, as well as several other buildings located in the village, including Taylor House and Wallcourt, to our generous alumna, Pleasant T. Rowland ’62. It allowed us to recover all of our losses in AII, thereby providing funding for critical investments in our academic programs, teaching technology, and physical facilities. At the invitation of our seniors, Pleasant delivered our Commencement address this year.
CAMPUS IMPROVEMENTS
Technology has received special attention, as we had fallen far behind our competitors. Just before the beginning of our spring recruitment season, Wi-Fi across campus came online, and Internet bandwidth was increased for both students and staff. Almost a third of our projected investments will be devoted to technology—from state-of-the-art classrooms, especially in Zabriskie, to conferencing capabilities and media arts labs.
While academic programs are at the core of what attracts and retains students, athletics and other activities also play a key role in student satisfaction. Improvements to residence hall lounges and the Sommer Center are underway; dorms are now equipped with free computer-controlled laundry facilities. We hope to attract funding to renovate the multipurpose Farenthold wing in Schwartz, converting it to a court designed specifically for basketball and volleyball, with larger, fixed bleachers as well as a cosmetic upgrade that gives it a more “college” feel. Once we move the college store into newly renovated Zabriskie Hall, the basement of the Sommer Center can be converted to a Rathskeller-type pub with space for after-hours, student-centered programming.
We are well underway with a significant renovation of our historic Zabriskie Hall, which will house the Sullivan Center for Business and Entrepreneurship and the newly established, and as-yet-unnamed, Institute for Sustainability and the Environment. Besides faculty offices, classrooms, computer labs,
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and lounges, it will also house the campus store and café, as well as a Wall Street-like trading room. With the addition of an elevator, it is destined to become a highly utilized, high-traffic campus hub—exactly what we would wish for this architectural gem. We have set an aggressive timeline for this project and anticipate completion before the fall semester opens.
LOOKING AHEAD
Even as we usher in new financial management practices and project a balanced budget, Wells has not overcome its challenges. The road ahead is fraught with peril and uncertainty: that is simply the lot of small colleges—especially those devoted primarily to the liberal arts and sciences. Yet I am confident Wells can regain the competitiveness that has served it well for almost 150 years and continue to graduate terrific students. We are grateful for and continue to rely on your support of and faith in Wells.
Thomas E.J. de WittPresident
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new at wells
The liberal arts. Literature, history, philosophy, art. Mathematics. Social and natural science. Language. Long-valued for their ability to instill in students the intellectual skills they will need to appreciate and thrive in a complex world.
Can Wells students demonstrate critical thinking skills? Can they adapt? Communicate clearly?
Yes, yes, and yes. For nearly 150 years, the liberal arts and sciences have been the heart and soul of the Wells College intellectual experience. They always will be.
Ask any employer what she or he values in an employee. The answers are consistent: creativity, communication skills (oral and written), flexibility, curiosity, well-roundedness, critical thinking skills, global outlook, cultural awareness. Increasingly, though, in today’s highly technical world, college graduates also need a set of practical skills to land a job and be of immediate value to their employers.
How, then, does Wells College remain as potent a liberal arts institution as ever—delivering leaders and confident global citizens—while also being responsive to employment trends and students’ specific career goals?
THE BEST OF BOTH
“In today’s world, it’s important for colleges to deliver graduates who possess both intellectual and practical skills,” said Cindy Speaker, Wells provost and dean. “We have found a way to do both: by integrating the liberal arts with more skill-based programs, and making programmatic decisions that consider both what the student needs and what the world needs.”
Wells College offers approximately 20 majors and 50 minors and pre-professional programs. The list includes several new career-oriented academic programs that, when infused with the power of the liberal arts, prepare students for successful and meaningful careers. Students may choose to add business, criminal justice, graphic design, sustainability, sustainable food systems, environmental science, sport management, museum studies, global and international studies, journalism, holistic health studies, health sciences, or healthcare management to their programs of study.
Any of the new programs can become part of a student’s individualized academic program, which has long been a hallmark of the Wells academic enterprise.
NEW PROGRAMS & A NEW APPROACH An Integrated Curr iculum Prepares Our Students for Today’s World of Work
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new at wells
“At Wells, students can be the architects of their own programs, their own academic journeys,” continued Speaker. “They can craft a personalized program around both the things that matter to them and their future goals. There are numerous combinations and possibilities.”
For example, students can opt to study creative writing and sport management, political science and sustainable food systems, or philosophy and criminal justice. The new programs, Speaker explained, demonstrate how Wells is proactively responding to a changing world while also reinforcing the core value and foundational tenets of a Wells education.
“These new programs embrace the notion that one does not need to throw the liberal arts away in order to focus on careers,” she said, citing as an example a graphic designer who never studied the fine arts or history for context. The more valuable graphic designer, she explained, is the one who would graduate from Wells College with an understanding of the influences of people and styles and media, as opposed to the designer who possesses only the ability to use color and shape in clever ways.
GROUNDING OUR PROGRAMS IN THE BEST OF WELLS
Of course, the new programs leverage the considerable talent of the Wells faculty, who embrace undergraduate learning, facilitate powerful discourse, and are particularly adept at challenging students to push beyond their respective comfort zone. In addition to being active scholars, many Wells faculty members have had practical experience in their disciplines—experience they can bring to their new classes.
Classes will continue to be challenging, engaging, and discussion-based, whether career-oriented or grounded in the liberal arts. Experiential learning (internships, study abroad, hands-on research, and the like), also a hallmark of a Wells education, will complement the new programs, as will the Susan Wray Sullivan ’51 and Pike H. Sullivan Center for Business and Entrepreneurship, the Wells Innovation Lab, and the College’s new Center for Sustainability and the Environment.
Wells’ co-curricular environment, which offers dozens of student-led and student-initiated clubs, has always provided ample opportunities for artistic and cultural enrichment. Similarly, our 14 NCAA Division III athletic teams offer additional out-of-the-classroom experiences where students can test and hone the skills introduced in the classroom.
While the new programs offer practical skills to help students land a first job, the liberal arts context in which they are presented will help students succeed throughout their careers, Speaker explained, adding that it is common for people not only to change jobs but also careers several times over the course of their lives.
“The liberal arts and sciences are the difference-makers,” said Speaker. “The liberal arts-related skills students develop at a place like Wells differentiates them. Wells scholars can navigate the uncertainty and ambiguity, and they can see the big picture, dig deep, and challenge assumptions to find innovative solutions. Now, their skill sets will include practical know-how in addition to the intangibles that make them effective leaders—no matter what their future holds.”
“These new programs will make Wells College more valuable to today’s and tomorrow’s students, and they will make Wells students more valuable to today’s and tomorrow’s employers,” Speaker concluded. “As we bring our Wells’ mission to life, we will be creative in providing program options that respond to the demands of society. We seek to offer a balance between what students want, what they need, and especially, what the world needs of them.”
Business
Criminal Justice
Environmental Science
Graphic Design
Global & International Studies
Holistic Health Studies
Health Sciences
Healthcare Management
Journalism
Museum Studies
Sustainability
Sustainable Food Systems
Sport Management
New Programs @ Wells
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new at wells
ZABRISKIE HALL
In 2007, Stratton Hall opened as the new home for the sciences at Wells College. As functional as it is attractive, Stratton Hall serves students and faculty members of the sciences admirably. Since that time, however, iconic Zabriskie Hall, the College’s first home of the sciences, has been somewhat in limbo. Not completely vacant, it has served as the home base for five Wells faculty members, the Cayuga Lake Watershed Network, and assorted groups who make use of its large, quiet spaces. The opportunity to turn Zabriskie into a valuable campus asset, however, inspired a great idea: to transform the quiet, lake-view building into a vibrant center.
The $2.5 million Zabriskie renovation project will capture both the energy and mission of Wells. While the building’s façade will remain unchanged, the inside will be three floors of completely reenvisioned space, reflecting Wells’ commitment to innovative, 21st century education, and to sustainability and the environment. It will serve as a hub for technology, with a variety of computer labs and lounges, faculty offices and classrooms—even a Wall Street-like trading room.
The building’s first floor will house a café and the campus store, important places for informal student interaction. The second floor will provide a permanent home for the Susan Wray Sullivan ’51 and Pike H. Sullivan Center for Business and Entrepreneurship. Established in 2011 through a generous gift from the Sullivans, the Center prepares future business leaders by integrating the business curriculum and the liberal arts and by providing opportunities for innovation, experiential learning, and entrepreneurship. The second floor of Zabriskie will also house Wells’ new Institute for Sustainability and the Environment, where a variety of projects will be undertaken related to food production, renewable energy, ecotourism, and other topics. The third floor of Zabriskie will be devoted to state-of-the-art classrooms, including a high-tech, multipurpose social science lab for interviews, experiments, and observational work.
Renovations to Zabriskie Hall are made possible with the sale of Aurora Inn Inc. and village properties, and a gift from Adelaide and the late John L. Zabriskie.
REVITALIZING A CAMPUS ICON & HONORING A BELOVED PRESIDENT:
Two Projects Mean Great Opportunities for the Wells Community
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RYERSON COMMONS
Another exciting building project on campus honors Lisa Marsh Ryerson ’81, the recently retired and beloved former president of Wells College. Her 28-year professional career at Wells began when she returned to her alma mater in 1991 to serve as dean of students, followed by stints as executive vice president and acting president before being appointed president in 1995. The Lisa Marsh Ryerson ’81 Presidential Fund for Student Success, established to honor Ryerson’s perennial commitment to students, yielded generous contributions from alumnae/i, students, faculty, administrators, staff, trustees, and friends of the College. The fund has allowed several projects to be completed: new campus banners and welcome signs, the renovation of the Macmillan steps and front entry plaza, and the Ryerson Commons. Like the Zabriskie Building project, the Ryerson Commons project reimagines underutilized space and contributes to the vibrancy of the Wells College environment. Located at the front entrance of the dining hall, the new Commons will be a multi-season gathering space with moveable seating, an outdoor terrace, and a fire pit. A dedication ceremony will be held in Fall 2014. OUTDOOR TERRACE
RYERSON COMMONS
FIRE PIT
JANUARY 2014
0 10’ 20’
CONCRETE TERRACE
MOVABLE FURNITURE
GRANITE STAIRS
DINING HALL
MAINBUILDING
CONCRETE WALKWAY
BRIDGE
DRYLAID STONE BENCHES
(WITH LIGHTING)
COMMEMORATIVE BENCH
CONCRETE WALKW
AYCONCRETE
WALK
WAY
FUTURE SIDEWALK
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PRESIDENT’S FUND FOR NEW INITIATIVES
Sparks Innovative IdeasIt didn’t take long for new Wells College president Thomas de Witt to see
how devoted the Wells community is to quality, vibrancy, and improvement.
Shortly after his arrival in the summer of 2013, de Witt challenged the
faculty and staff to suggest new ideas and initiatives that could have
immediate impact on student recruitment and retention—ideas that could
be funded within the budget, with funds already raised or through one-time
gifts as part of the President’s Fund for New Initiatives.
He was surprised by what happened next.
“I received more than 50 thoughtful, innovative proposals,” de Witt said. “I
was overwhelmed by the tremendous response, and I quickly realized that
Wells has momentum—that it’s a place where people embrace new ideas.”
Ideas ranged from simple solutions for long-forgotten needs to completely
new programs; the ones with the most profound impact on academic
programs, campus improvements, and recruiting strength were selected.
Many have been funded, some have been completed, and others require
funding in order to be accomplished.
I am overwhelmed by the level of enthusiasm I see among members of the Wells community.
- President Thomas E. J. de Witt
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Among the projects already funded and/or completed are a new kitchenette in Leach House, an online college store, campus light pole banners, new furnishings for Dodge, and the front entryway to Macmillan. Admissions has relocated to Pettibone House—a move that will significantly improve the way Wells welcomes visitors and attracts new students—and the Admissions Office has been able to hire a counselor who will focus on recruiting transfer students. Additionally, a robust advertising campaign will be launched to enhance brand awareness and support the student recruitment effort.
ENHANCING THE CURRICULUM
Several initiatives related to enriching the educational experience were also proposed and approved, including the establishment of a institute for the study of sustainability and the environment. To be located in the newly renovated Zabriskie Hall (see story on page 6), the new institute will take advantage of the nature-rich location of Wells, and advance the College’s commitment to sustainability. Following a national search, a director was hired to spearhead the institute’s many initiatives.
Other curriculum-enhancing initiatives include a new Practitioners-In-Residence program and additional faculty/student research grants, as well as improved space for media arts and a much-needed multipurpose social science lab—both of which also are slated for Zabriskie Hall.
SHORT- AND LONG-TERM DIFFERENCE MAKERS
Other approved campus improvement proposals include projects ranging from relatively low-cost purchases such as furniture for the Sommer Center to more substantial and critically important projects. These longer-term initiatives include a facelift to the third floor of Long Library, the conversion of the Farenthold athletic wing in Schwartz Athletic Center to a dedicated basketball/volleyball court, and the creation of a Rathskeller-type pub in the recently evacuated basement of Sommer Center to foster a more student-centered social life on campus.
“I am thrilled to see such collaborative spirit and creative energy at Wells,” de Witt concluded. “There’s a real sense of optimism here, which I believe will translate, through new initiatives and academic programs, into an even better Wells College.”
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VOLUNTEERS WITH 15TH ANNUAL AIDS RIDE FOR LIFE
In September 2013, eight Wells students and Associate Professor of Sociology Dan Renfrow volunteered for the 15th Annual AIDS Ride for Life. They worked the Montezuma—Verdi Signs pit stop, serving snacks and cheering on the riders who were making the 100-mile trip around Cayuga Lake. Approximately 400 riders took part, raising over $230,000 for the Southern Tier AIDS Program. This is the second year that Wells students and Professor Renfrow have volunteered for the race.
BRUCE BENNETT CELEBRATES 40+ YEARS OF TEACHING
The Wells community joined with local residents this spring to attend the retirement reading by poet and Professor of English Bruce Bennett. An audience comprised of current and former students,
faculty, staff, professors emeriti, local writers and publishers, Aurora residents and others packed the College’s Art Exhibit Room to hear the work of the longtime teacher, and to mark the publication of his latest chapbook, Swimming in a Watering Can.
Professor Bennett has lived a dual life at Wells: in addition to 41 years of teaching courses in poetry, nonfiction writing and British and American literature, managing Wells’ popular Visiting Writers Series and serving as founding director of the Wells Book Arts Center and a director of the Wells Press, he has remained intensely attentive to his craft, authoring nine books of poetry and more than twenty-five poetry chapbooks. As an introduction to his reading, Professor Bennett discussed the interplay and interdependence between these two professional roles.
“I’ve said it before and I’d like to say it again: teaching is really one of the best jobs a writer can have,” he said, remarking on the time he has spent mentoring, advising, and guiding generations of young writers. “Teaching literature for so many years, you reread and familiarize yourself with material almost to the point where you know it by heart.”
For the evening’s reading, Bennett selected works from his catalog of writings that dealt with a variety of topics and were written in elegant poetic forms, commenting on the meanings or inspirations behind many of them: teachers who had influenced his own work, colleagues’ comments in person or by letter, events from his life, and even a dramatic scene in a driver’s education video. He also read a number of poems from Swimming in a Watering Can, which was published by FootHills Press specifically to celebrate the occasion of his retirement reading.
Though many of these recently released poems deal with death, loss, and other depressing or distressing topics, Bennett
emphasized that he himself is not planning to disappear after completing his final year as a professor. In fact, he plans to focus on publishing more of the work he has written over the years, hold more readings, keep active in the community, and of course, keep up with his habit of writing daily.
WELLS PRESENTS 4TH BUSINESS IDEA COMPETITION
The “Be Your Own Boss!” Business Idea Competition created a flurry of activity at Wells just before Spring Break as a conclusion to our Entrepreneur Week. The Susan Wray Sullivan ’51 and Pike H. Sullivan Center for Business and Entrepreneurship challenged Wells students to pitch a business idea to a panel of five entrepreneur judges. Each team submitted a written business plan and gave an oral
presentation. There were two categories in which businesses competed: For Profit and Social Impact. The scores were close, and the judges had difficult decisions to make. Yet, all participants received solid and constructive feedback from the judges, and were able to learn where their ideas may need improvement. As a result of participating in the competition, some of the participants have received orders, are looking to start their business in earnest, and have received interest from potential investors. The prize money (1st - $1,500; 2nd - $750; 3rd - $500; 4th - $300; 5th - $200) will help students bring their business ideas to fruition and provide practical learning within their career field. Congratulations to all participants and many thanks to the supporters, especially the family of Louise Bingham Hatch ’38.
Aurora ExpressAurora Express
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The prize winners in the For Profit track were:
#1 – Sky Hi Photos – Constantinos (Costa) Frangeskides ’14 and Sarah Paddock ’16
#2 – Eyes of You – Alexander (Alex) Milliken ’17
#3 – 8 Bit Events – Charles (Chazz) Noble ’17
#4 – Prep You – Dauris Little ’14, Haniyyah Bashir ’14, Jonathan (Jon) Bonds ’14, and Stephen Domfeh ’16
#5 – Parker Lane – Keegan Evans ’15
The prize winners in the Social Impact track were:
#1 (tie) – Heart of Gold – Jessica Gulvin ’16, Emily Guzman ’16, and Norma Valdez ’16
#1 (tie) – Wells College Farm – Aviv Hilbig-Bokaer ’17
#3 – Oy Ya Pots – Annalise Van Vranken ’14, Alex Cakmak ’14, Colleen Willis ’14, and Rebecca Wind ’14
ARTS AND LECTURE SERIES
The Wells College Arts and Lecture Series presented another season of impressive performances for the community. It brings a range of artists and intellectuals to campus to perform, to speak on relevant issues, and to represent the disciplines of theatre, music, and dance. A committee composed of Wells faculty, staff, and students selects groups and individuals for each season. This year’s Arts and Lecture Series events included:
Pianist and host of NPR’s From the Top, Christopher O’Riley. He has built a reputation as an extraordinary pianist by reimagining works by classical composers as well as songs by rock and alternative musicians, including Nirvana, Radiohead, Pink Floyd, and Elliott Smith. As host of From the Top, O’Riley performs with up-and-coming young musicians, demonstrating the interesting and diverse personal lives and musical abilities of the artists. O’Riley performed selections from his recent work during the concert at Wells College, announcing the songs from the stage and discussing each with the audience.
The Split Knuckle Theatre Company brought to campus a performance of their innovative production Endurance. Trapped in Antarctica with no hope of rescue, the British explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton kept
27 men alive for two years in the most inhospitable climate on earth. Endurance recreates this story 95 years later through the experiences of Hartford insurance man Walter Spivey, as he struggles to justify his recent
promotion and save his employees’ jobs in the worst economic meltdown since the Great Depression. Split Knuckle is a critically acclaimed company that creates dynamic derived theatre from simple materials, resulting in vivid characters and imaginative productions.
The imaginative, highly acrobatic Galumpha Dance Company held a dance workshop and an evening performance of its work. Galumpha has been combining truly stunning choreography with physical comedy and inventive visual effects since its founding in 2002. Its unique work is built on fast-paced, athletic movement and “experiments in human architecture;” the company has performed on The Late Show with David Letterman, MTV, Showtime, and other programs seen around the world. Their performances have earned the Edinburgh Festival Critics’ Choice Award, and Moers International Comedy Arts Prize.
Video artist Janet Biggs presented a screening and artist talk about her varied work. Biggs’ international reputation is based on her work in video, photography, and performance. Once described in Art Forum as “potently intimate,” it often centers on depictions of skilled physicality and extreme engagements with landscape. She has featured subjects such as ballet performed by kayaks, sulfur miners inside an active volcano, Olympic synchronized swimmers, and speeding motorcycles. Biggs’ work has been presented in solo exhibitions and screenings and is included in numerous collections around the world.
CELEBRATING SCHOLARSHIP AND ENGAGEMENT SERIES
Wells College continued the Celebrating Scholarship and Engagement Series this year with scheduled events dedicated to giving members of the community a chance to share their work in internships, senior capstone projects, independent studies, and other academic projects. Over five dozen Wells students, faculty, staff, and guests contributed to the recent spring semester CSE day, resulting in a comprehensive schedule of presentations and discussions across campus.
The Celebrating Scholarship and Engagement Series was inaugurated at Wells in the spring of 2012. No classes are held during these days in order to give all students the chance to attend events and learn from their classmates’ academic experiences and achievements. The first semester contained five days of events with separate themes chosen by faculty and staff; the series currently consists of one day per semester dedicated to community events.
The recent CSE day featured a broad variety of topics such as the integration of academics and athletics; foreign language study and cultural scholarship; international political relations; volunteer and internship opportunities nearby and abroad; and senior thesis work in history, theatre and dance, sociology and anthropology. Ellen Sziede of the African Conservation Experience and Muna Ndulo, Professor
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of Law and Director of the Institute for African Development at Cornell University, were special guest speakers for the day. Presentations styles ranged from direct lectures to walk-through exhibits, poster sessions, debates, panel discussions.
RURAL HEALTH IMMERSION PROGRAM
At Wells, our students understand the value of hands-on experiential learning projects. For most, this includes internships with professional organizations, off-campus study around the world, laboratory work, or student teaching positions. Our faculty and staff think beyond these established practices to bring new innovative opportunities to our students.
That’s a part of the thinking behind a partnership that brought Wells students Nina Daniels ’16, Courtney Fesko ’15, Emily Guzman ’16, Alex Lamphear ’15, Marisa Smith ’16, and Luisa Suarez ’14 to Clifton-Fine Hospital in Star Lake, N.Y, a small rural community in the Adirondack region, for a week in mid August. The six students shadowed and observed hospital staff in a variety of departments, including
radiology, laboratory services, clinic, nursing, physical therapy, and emergency rooms; met and interviewed a number of healthcare officials and providers, including a flight nurse, the director of behavioral health, a registered dental hygienist, hospice director, and a county public health department official; and interviewed members of the local community to find out what health needs and challenges face the area.
The Rural Health Immersion Program provided immediate and long-term benefits to both sides—the Wells students
earned experience and career preparation in an established, working medical facility; and a small, rural hospital received much-needed assistance with patient interaction and surveying the needs of the local community. Through their work with Clifton-Fine Hospital, our students are experiencing first-hand the broad range of geographic and cultural situations in which health professionals work.
This experience is also personalized to both student preference and the needs of the communities in which Wells students may eventually find themselves. Due to shifts in demographics, there is a rising need for dedicated health professionals and quality medical care in rural areas. At Wells, faculty and staff members are able to work with organizations in these communities and match students with an experience suited to their skills and interests. The partnership with Clifton-Fine Hospital is an excellent example of the ways that hands-on work is an integral part of a contemporary education.
PEACHTOWN NATIVE AMERICAN FESTIVAL
Wells College again hosted the annual Peachtown Native American Festival on campus as well as a week of special educational events leading up to the celebration. The week’s schedule included presentations related to anthropology, land rights, the Two Row Wampum Renewal Campaign, local geography and biodiversity, as well as a film screening and peach tree planting on the Wells campus.
Peachtown Education Week presentations included:
• Anthropology majors Molly Heslin ’14, “Digging Up the Truth: The Archaeological Experience of Aurora, NY,” and Kristen Ryan ’14, “Negotiating Space in Cultural Representation”
• Dr. Hilary Lambert, Steward/Executive Director Cayuga Lake Watershed Network, “Pressure Points in the Cayuga Lake Watershed”
• Cayuga Nation citizens Donna Silversmith and Dan Hill, “Two Row Wampum From an Enactment Perspective”
• Associate Professor of Political Science Susan Tabrizi, “The Incident at Oglala: The Leonard Peltier Story”
• Wells alumna Meghan McCune ’03, “‘It’s a Question of Fairness’: Fee-to-Trust and Non-Native Opposition to Haudenosaunee Land Rights”
At the end of the week, the Peachtown Native American Festival gave community members the opportunity to attend and participate in a Peach Tree Planting, social dancing and singing, and a meal with Cayuga Clan Mother Birdie Hill, Norm Hill, Cam Hill, and Elan Henhawk.
Wells is pleased to host this important festival as an opportunity to build community; to honor the past and present contributions of Native American culture; and to recognize the history of Aurora, or Deawendote, the “Village of Constant Dawn.”
BRAZIL’S LANDLESS WORKER’S MOVEMENT
Wells College’s Anthropology and Sociology Department presented a discussion titled “Development, Change and Protest in Brazil: a Social Movement Perspective” with Judite Stronzake of Brazil’s Landless Worker’s Movement. Stronzake spoke about her work with a national grassroots movement in Brazil aimed at preserving local communities and their ability to sustain themselves. Founded in 1984, Brazil’s Movimento dos Trabalhadores Rurais Sem Terra, or Landless Workers’ Movement, is a mass social movement, formed by rural workers and others struggling for land reform and against injustice and social inequality in rural areas. Over nearly three decades, the movement has led more than 2,500 land occupations, with about 370,000 families—families that today settled on
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7.5 million hectares of land that they won as a result of the occupations. Through their organizing, these families continue to push for schools, credit for agricultural production and cooperatives, and access to healthcare.
Stronzake has been a member of and leader within the MST since its founding.
Stronzake is also the coordinator for “Formacao,” or political education, for Via Campesina in Latin America, and the inaugural Paulo Freire Engaged Practitioner for the Center for U.S.-Latin American Relations. The Freire Program will periodically host leaders from social and political organizations from Latin America to broaden understanding of pivotal human rights issues. These leaders will share knowledge and experience through lectures and workshops and engage with U.S. social movements and universities. The program allows students, faculty, and local organizations to engage with leading Latin American practitioners in fields such as education, sociology, international and human development, and political economy.
Stronzake has extensive experience in pedagogy and rural education and speaks Portuguese and Spanish. After eight years living in an informal encampment, Judite has lived in a formalized settlement in Copavi since 1993.
MEMORIAL BOOK ARTS LECTURE SERIES
The Wells College Book Arts Center continued the Susan Garretson Swartzburg ’60 Memorial Book Arts Lecture Series with presentations by notable guest speakers. Some recent lectures include:
Dr. Steven K. Galbraith, curator of the Melbert B. Cary, Jr. Graphic Arts Collection, gave a presentation titled “RIT’s Cary Graphic Arts Collection: Highlights from Forty-five Years,” discussing and describing the unique and fascinating works found in the collection. The Cary Collection is one of the country’s premier
libraries on graphic communication history and practices. It originally consisted of 2,300 volumes gathered in the 1920s and ’30s; the collection was donated to the Rochester Institute of Technology in 1969 and currently holds 40,000 volumes in addition to a growing number of manuscripts and correspondence collections.
Nicolas Barker, the first head of conservation at the British Library and editor of The Book Collector, presented “Printing and the Mind of Man: Fifty Years On.” Barker’s talk focused on the important and enduring role of the 1963 catalog for the printing exhibits held in London by the International Printing Machinery and Allied Trades Exhibition. Originally printed by Oxford University Press, the publication later developed into a book-length survey of printed materials and their historical role in spreading knowledge, developing Western civilization, and impacting human thought over many years.
Wells’ recent Victor Hammer Fellow, Katie Baldwin, gave a slide lecture titled “Text, Image, Place and the Narrative,” discussing a series of twelve wood block prints completed for a show at The Print
Center in Philadelphia. Baldwin has held appointments and residencies at institutions such as Moore College of Art and Design, Drexel University, and the University of Florida, teaching subjects such as lithography, etching, monotype, seriography, and letterpress. Her work is represented in the collections of universities and organizations such as the Library of Congress, Yale University, the
University of Pennsylvania, and the Seattle Arts Commission.
Working closely with Wells faculty and staff, Susan Garretson Swartzburg helped to organize the press, bindery, and other components that became Wells’ Book Arts Center. She served on the Book Arts Board and established a biannual book arts lecture series in memory of her father, developing contacts, raising funds, organizing events, and finding speakers.
“COMMUNITY READS” SERIES PROMOTES CAMPUS LITERARY EVENTS
The Wells College Student Activities office continues to oversee the annual Community Reads series. Each year, a selected piece of literature is read by incoming and current students; community events throughout the year give the community a chance to discuss and debate the themes of these books. These events have included:
A panel discussion of the book The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, was conducted by Associate Professor of Mathematics Tom Stiadle, Assistant Professor of Biology Kristina Blake-Hodek, and Associate Professor of English Linda Lohn. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, written by Rebecca Skloot, is a nonfiction book about the life and death of a woman named Henrietta Lacks and the use of her cells after her death in 1951. Those cells, known as HeLa, would go on to be instrumental in the research and creation of numerous vaccinations and cures; Wells’ panel discussed the ethics involved with taking Lacks’ cells without informing her or her family.
A video short contest based on the novel Alas, Babylon by Pat Frank, overseen by the Office of Student Activities and Leadership and the Division of Academic and Student Life, asked students “As in Alas, Babylon, if you received word that the world would likely end, what would you want to do before the world ended?” The videos, which had a five-minute
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WELLS.EDU 13
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time limit, could be submitted by anyone in the campus community in teams or as individuals. They were judged by a panel of faculty and staff, and the top ten were then screened for Wells students who voted for first, second, and third place. The grand prize was earned by the team of students including Colin Evans ’12, Andrew Judson, ’15 and Keegan Evans ’15—who have since founded Wells’ Film Production Club and continue to introduce fellow students to the art of filmmaking.
HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH
Wells also held various events on campus in honor of 2013’s National Hispanic Heritage Month, with the concerted efforts of the Spanish Club officers, Spanish faculty members Elizabeth Juarez-Cummings and Gerardo Cummings, Louis Jefferson Long Library’s Acting Director Lisa Hoff, and campus administration.
Professor Gerardo Cummings, Assistant Professor of Spanish at Wells, set up display cases in Cleveland Hall and the Louis Jefferson Long Library to celebrate entertaining or thought-provoking aspects of Hispanic culture. The displays featured toys, t-shirts, rag dolls, and wrestling masks.
“All of these objects represent, in their own way, a microcosm of the Hispanic world,” said Professor Cummings. “Visiting each of the displays allows the students, faculty, staff and the general public to examine the Hispanic soul and to realize that Hispanics have even become a commodity by toy manufacturers who cater to the powerful Hispanic buying market.”
Besides the displays, Professor Cummings screened several Hispanic films as part of the course SC 101: Hispanic Cinema and
its Contexts. The films examined themes of hope in the face of adversity, surfing in the Mexican town of Tapachula, the presence of Latin American culture and actors in American movies, and the importance of family bonds across borders.
The Wells College Spanish Club offered a special contribution for the community in their annual Tapas Night, with all sorts of Hispanic-themed delicacies to taste. The tapas night is a tradition that continues thanks to the efforts of Wells students Rebecca Rose ’14 and Pamela Badian-Pessot ’14, co-chairs of the Spanish Club.
STRING ROOM GALLERY UPDATES
The Wells College Visual Arts Department continues to present a range of works by professional visual artists in the College’s String Room Gallery. The first exhibit of the 2013—14 year was “Here, Look,” by new Assistant Professor of Studio Art Katie Waugh, whose artwork explores collective aspiration and social performance. This new exhibition, featuring work made almost exclusively during her time living in the Finger Lakes, takes inspiration from the highly visual nature of the relationship between communities and their waterfronts. The art on display included video, photography, drawing, and fiber.
Later in the fall, the exhibit “Through Line” by artist Sayward Schoonmaker centered on the use of clichéd and intimate language, taking the form of poetry installed on walls, spoken in recordings, or presented in collaboration with moving images. Careful attention to the shape, sound, and space between words resulted in emotionally potent, delicately crafted work. The exhibition “Through Line” was comprised of video, sound, installation, and poetry, and was accompanied by a performative artist talk prior to the opening reception.
The spring semester opened with the annual exhibition of student work, a wide-ranging collection of pieces produced by students enrolled in Wells’ studio and book arts classes during the fall 2013 semester. Media included ceramics, sculpture,
painting, drawing, photography, and book arts produced in introductory to advanced courses taught by Lecturer in Book Arts Michael Bixler, Lecturer in Book Arts Barbara Galli, Professor of Art Ted Lossowski, Lecturer in Book Arts Laura Rowley, and Assistant Professor of Studio Art Katie Waugh.
This exhibition was followed by “Henry Wesselwoman,” a collaboration by the artists Alli Miller + Trey Burns. Miller and Burns have an ongoing collaborative practice through which they explore liminal, hyperbolic, and humorous visions of the American commercial landscape. This latest effort features work stemming from a character they’ve designed named “Henry Wesselwoman,” a direct revisionist reference to the New Topographics generation of landscape photography. The artists’ photography and installation pieces engage with and reconsider this history.
The String Room Gallery’s season closed with this year’s Senior Thesis Exhibition, consisting of work by members of the class of 2014 Julia LaCourse, Rachel Munford, Jessica Stolt, and Ashlyn Loomis. The eclectic styles of these students make use of paint, mixed media, natural resources, repurposed or recycled materials, and more. Visit www.wells.edu/stringroomgallery for more information.
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14 SPRING 2014
THANKS A MILLION! Wells College is fortunate indeed to have such loyal, committed, and generous stewards. During the 2012—13 fiscal year, alumnae, alumni, parents, faculty, staff, students, friends, and partners of this wonderful College gifted over 5.1 million in support of the Wells experience.
Whether in honor of a loved one, in recognition of a meaningful relationship, in support of a specific program, or available for the College to use to meet our ongoing and most urgent needs, your gifts help to ensure that a Wells education continues to evolve to meet the needs of today’s students—and provide a more critically educated and practically skilled citizenry. Gifts this past year included $1,752,813 in unrestricted gifts to the Annual Fund—dedicated to honor President Emerita Lisa Marsh Ryerson ’81 for her two decades of extraordinary service. Donors also provided $1,118,420 in special unrestricted gifts, as well as $2,309,589 in gifts designated by donors toward areas of singular importance and interest. The spirit of philanthropy so evident among the Wells community makes the Wells experience come to life, and it assures critical funding for all that we do, including: scholarships for talented and deserving students; the full array of co-curricular programming to assure that our students have healthy, balanced experiences; improvements to our beautiful campus; and a talented faculty committed to scholarship, academic innovation and development and, as always, teaching. In so many ways, the ultimate beneficiaries of your generosity are the women and men who choose Wells for their educational journeys. As we continue to move toward more environmentally sustainable practices, we will honor all of our generous 2012—13 donors and volunteers with a tribute on our website at www.Wells.edu, and in this special issue of The Express we highlight those donors who have contributed at the Sycamore Club and higher with a special homage given to our President's Circle level of $5,000 and above donors. You will also find class giving totals and “top tens” as well as Reunion giving totals in this publication. As we look toward the next chapter in the history of Wells College, we do so from the vantage point of nearly 150 years of remarkable support from our community. We remain deeply appreciative of the confidence and generosity of those who have contributed gifts both of time and treasure, of wealth and wisdom.
Thank you for your care and support of Wells College,
Michael R. McGreevey, Vice President for Advancement
2012–13
of GivingAnnual Report
WELLS.EDU 15
Notes:
The Wells College fiscal year is July 1-June 30. Matching gifts for which donors or their partners/spouses are eligible are credited to the donor when the College is notified of the match. Contracted planned gifts are recognized in the year in which Wells is notified of the arrangement. For classes celebrating a reunion, giving society membership is based on pledged gifts payable by June 30, 2013, as well as received gifts. Gifts made by family members or friends in honor or memory of alumnae/i celebrating a reunion, as well as the Class of 2013, are counted in class gift totals. Five or more years of continuous giving is noted with a (5). Deceased donors are noted with a (d).
Giving Clubs and Societies
Henry Wells Society $25,000 and above
Aurora Society $10,000–$24,999
Tower Society $5,000–$9,999
E.B. Morgan Club $2,500–$4,999
Sycamore Club $1,000–$2,499
Cayuga Club $500–$999
Minerva Club $250–$499
Stagecoach Club up to $250
President’s Circle All gifts of $5000 and above. The President’s Circle includes the Henry Wells Society, the Aurora Society and the Tower Society.
FARGO Giving Clubs (Friends and Recent Graduates Organization includes the last 10 graduating classes)
FARGO Leaders
$150–$249
FARGO Friends $50–$149FARGO Club Up to $50
Legacy Circle
Lifetime membership upon planned giving arrangement.
DONOR RECOGNITIONAnnual gifts, planned gifts, and corporate matching gifts all qualify an individual for membership in a giving club or society. Donors are recognized in the following categories:
Source Annual Fund Capital Projects Endowment Total Gifts
Alumnae/i $2,521,270 $712,978 $1,077,712 $4,311,960
Parents & Friends $274,199 $61,680 $800 $336,679
Corporations $1,045 $1,045
Foundations $23,500 $156,500 $280,500 $460,500
Faculty & Staff $5,141 $1,159 $550 $6,300
Students $314 $314
Other $64,021 $64,021
Totals $2,889,491 $932,318 $1,359,012 $5,180,821
Please note that due to the multiple relationships a donor may have with the College, several Faculty and Staff gifts are listed instead under the Alumnae/i and Parents and Friends giving totals. Likewise, gifts from parents who are also alums appear under Alumnae/i giving.
GIFTS RECEIVED FROM ALL SOURCES JULY 1, 2012–JUNE 30, 2013
SUSTAINABLE CHANGES:In order to reduce paper use and in keeping with the College’s commitment to environmentally-responsible practices, we are not including the full lists of donors for the 2012-13 year in this magazine. We would like to specially acknowledge:
• Parents of current and former students who continue to make donations as an acknowledgement of the value a Wells education has brought to their family.
• Friends of Wells who donate as an investment in the community and world at large, often as a result of professional or personal interactions with some of our exceptional alums, faculty members, or staff.
• Faculty and staff donors who demonstrate a commitment to the College’s ideals above and beyond their work-related efforts; these gifts are especially valuable as they demonstrate the strength and interdependence of our campus community.
We are extremely grateful to all of our donors, and a full list recognizing those who contributed to Wells is available on our website at www.wells.edu/giving.
Every attempt is made for accuracy in reporting of gifts. We regret any error and ask that you please contact [email protected] or (315) 364-3200 to report any errors and we will gladly make changes to our on-line report.
annual report of giving
16 SPRING 2014
2012-13 revenues
2012-13 expensesTuition & fees
Gifts
Room & board
Other 2%
Endowment 4%
62%
20%
12%
35%
30%
Student aid
Salaries & benefits
Academic & student life
13%
22%
Operations & plant
YEAR DONORS PARTIC. TOTAL
1951 25 49% $1,286,796
1962 30 34% $592,105
1939 5 45% $438,447
1941 7 54% $301,900
1963 85 74% $278,062*
1943 9 45% $156,538*
1958 45 52% $148,494
1942 12 38% $124,185
1937 6 60% $106,512
1965 39 38% $82,320
YEAR DONORS PARTIC. TOTAL
1963 85 74% $276,061
1937 6 60% $106,511
1941 7 54% $301,900
1958 45 52% $148,494
1938 3 50% $310
1951 25 49% $1,286,796
1948 24 47% $19,274
1959 39 47% $10,765
1953 29 47% $22,835
1949 21 46% $13,275
top ten class gifts
We’re proud to share the list of Top Ten Class Gifts, a record of the collected donations of members of the classes named. This combined support strengthens Wells by providing additional funding for annual and capital needs, including scholarships, faculty salaries, and academic programs. The classes ranking in the Top Ten for their gifts to Wells committed over $4 million to the College.
top ten participation
Our alumnae/i giving participation rates are a tangible example of the support, trust, and connectedness of the Wells community over time. These figures demonstrate to current students the good will of our alumnae/i, play a role in determining college rankings, and positively affect our ability to attract grants from foundations. This year we congratulate and thank the following classes that rank in our Top Ten Participation rates:
* Includes alum pledges and/or gifts from family and friends in honor or memory of members of the class.
Aa nnua l r ep ort of g i v i ng
WELLS.EDU 17
Jeannik Méquet Littlefield ’41d
Edward E. Matthews5
J.M. McDonald Foundation, Inc.Altha Planed
Georganne Funsten Pollnow ’43d
Elizabeth Bowman Rothermel ’665
Pleasant Thiele Rowland ’625
Ryder System Charitable Foundation
Shirley Schou Bacot Shamel ’585
George S. Slocum and Priscilla H. Slocum5
Pike H. Sullivand and Susan Wray Sullivan ’515
The Starr FoundationRuth P. Thomasd
Martha Linton Whitehouse ’465d
Frederick H. Yehld
T he three societies that make up the President’s Circle—
the Henry Wells Society, Aurora Society and Tower Society—include individuals who have contributed at least $5,000 to the College. The gifts of those named are an enormous benefit not just to the College as an institution, but to the individual experiences of the students who choose to pursue their educations here in Aurora.
This significant backbone of support is vital to the strength of Wells, allowing us to build on our academic and operational infrastructures to provide new and relevant experiences to students both inside and outside of the classroom. We are exceptionally grateful for the support of those included in the President’s Circle.
HENRY WELLS SOCIETYAnonymous (2)
Salvatore Cania and Lisa Mazzola Cania ’79
Mary Lee Graefe Close ’37d
Sharon Whatmore Cowles ’585
The Fred L. Emerson Foundation5
Jane Demarest Engel ’425
Fiona Morgan Fein ’655
Margery Leinroth Gotshall ’455
Suzanne N. Grey ’725
Hagedorn Fund5
Alan J. Heuer and Jean Wahl Heuer ’635
Frank M. Hutchinsd and Jeanne Bahn Hutchins ’435
Antoinette Johnson ’395d
Anne Churchill Jones ’505
David T. Kearnsd and Shirley Cox Kearns ’545
Barbara Kimberly ’685
Stanley J. Kott5
RESIDENT’S
IRCLE
PC
18 SPRING 2014
5 = 5+ years continuous giving
d = deceased
AURORA SOCIETYAnonymous
Jean Ashby ’735
Ann Harden Babcock ’455
David M. Barclay and Nancy Barton Barclay ’565
Quaintance Bartlett ’395
S. Gordon Brummer and Sara Clark Brummer ’565
The Cayuga Foundation5
Sarah C. Chase ’695
Mary Jane Brooks Evans ’40d
Alexander Ewing and Anne Maddock Ewing ’435
James Ouchi and Barbara Faust ’715
Daniel F. Flowers Sr.5d
Barbara A. Frank ’695
Scott M. Hand and Ellen MacMillan Hand ’695
Ann Richardson Helmsderfer ’43d
The Alexander and Marjorie Hover Foundation5
Sarah J. Jankowski ’925
Jephson Educational Trusts
Involut Vogel Jessup ’545
Silas L. Keehn and Marcia Lindquist Keehn ’515
Lark Ludlow ’735
Alan L. Marchisotto and Mary Jane Spellane Marchisotto ’755
Virginia A. McGuire Foundation5
Marcia Goetze Nappi ’565
A. Lindsay and Olive B. O’Connor Foundation, Inc.
The Park Foundation, Inc.William Reinhardt and
Janet Poole Reinhardt ’515
Lisa Marsh Ryerson ’815 andGeorge E. Farenthold Jr.
Marion English Scofield ’32d
Scott and Karen Sommer5
Susan Allerton Spofford ’635
Katherine Wilson White ’42d
TOWER SOCIETYAnonymousJohn T. Bailey and
Katherine Gerwig Bailey ’525
Patricia Robinson Benson ’475
Kristina Wheaton Berg ’715
Berkshire Charitable Foundation5
Isabel Longyear Besse ’80
Karen Frankel Blum ’675
Dr. Christopher J. Williams and Carrie Ann Bolton ’925
Elizabeth Boveroux ’575
John H. Callahan and Patricia Wenzel Callahan ’795
Marie Chapman Carroll ’755
Linda Law Clark ’72G. Alan Clugston5
Linda Glick Conway ’615
Robert Corrie and Ann Cameron Corrie ’485
Ann Mueller Coughlin ’515
Robert H. Dearborn and Jane Fawcett Dearborn ’815
Barbara Shields Drenning ’63Harry V. Dutchyshyn and
Valentine Picking Dutchyshyn ’53
Elizabeth Bahn Edgerton ’425d
Pamela Edgerton Ferguson ’695
Daniel J. Fessenden5
Dan Fultz and Helen Holler Fultz ’755
Betty Fisk Giddings ’35d
Janet Couperthwait Goodyear ’535
Ethel Harkness Grace ’095d
Marjorie Mock Gregory ’37d
Ernest Henderson III5
Roberta Henderson ’805
Eleanor Marsh Hillers ’54d
Judith Cox Hollohan ’635
John B. Dubeck and SusanHotine ’705
Joan Farnham Howe ’48
Joan Sheperd Jones ’48Frederick Kaempffe and
Lisa Knapp Kaempffe ’805
John R. Kissell and Frances Trubilla Kissell ’785
David M. Lascell and Donna Hopf Lascell ’645
Frances Ford Luellen ’565
The Lyric Foundation for Traditional Poetry, Inc.5
Dorothy Carroll Massy ’425d
Scott F. McIntyre and Robin Hogan McIntyre ’815
Daniel McNaughton and Amy Cerand McNaughton ’865
Susan L. Mills5
Renée Forgensi Minarik ’805
Sally Small Merrick ’475
Elise Unhoch Mock ’56
Sarah Burton Nelson ’465
Frank P. Reiche and Janet Taylor Reiche ’525
Ann Skerratt Richardson ’495
Jane Borsch Robbins ’615
Suzanne Waldowski Roche ’88
Karlene Williams Salamon ’55
Carolyn White Sampson ’575
Dorothea Smith Sawicki ’665
Bonnie Baron Shrager ’635
Helene Shumate
Lynn Perrott Smith ’705
The John Ben Snow FoundationKenneth Stevens and
RoseMary Dugan Stevens ’815
Ann Stratton ’465d
Gail Slocum Thornton ’675
Mary Rankin Trautlein ’535
Lynn Crear Valenti ’635
Sis Van Dorn ’695
Patricia Parnie Wahlen ’665
Gail Zabriskie Wilson ’605
G. Robert Witmer Jr. and Nancy Wenner Witmer ’615
Janet Lauster Witzeman ’525
Henry F. Wood Jr.5
Martha Zalles ’295d
RESIDENT’S
IRCLE
giving clubs and societies
WELLS.EDU 19
Donors at the Sycamore and E. B. Morgan Cub levels ($1,000–$4,999) provide a critical level of support that assures the student experience at Wells is well-rounded and accessible for talented, deserving students from all walks of life and all corners of the globe. Wells students rely on the generosity and loyalty of our donors to add to the richness of their educations; they appreciate that such support lightens their loads financially, paving the way for a brighter future.
All gifts to the College provide the funding that contributes to financial and merit aid scholarships, academic and student life offerings, faculty and staff support, and the operation and maintenance of the beautiful campus our students call home. Donors to all giving clubs and societies—at all levels—will be recognized on our website at www.wells.edu/giving.
Sycamore & E. B. Morgan Clubs
E.B. MORGAN CLUBAnonymousPatricia Buell Anderluh ’565
Mary Arthur ’83 Roger S. Bagnall and Whitney
Scofield Bagnall ’675
Shelley Osmun Baranowski ’68 Mona Williams Brown ’515
Sara Petersen Buell ’715
Julie Burnet ’725
Nancy Phipps Byrne ’735
William Chester and Priscilla Penfield Chester ’485
Jean Clark ’455
Donna Cohen ’70 Edward Curtis and Claire
Gumaer Curtis ’515
Perrie apJones Drysdale ’525
Fingerlakes Community ArtsCynthia White Foster ’695
Jane Gilbert ’715
Anne-Marie Mohn Glenn ’605
Stephen and Carolyn Golding Catharine Ricketts Greenwald ’63 Mary McDowell Hopkins ’43 The Jenzabar Foundation Ralph F. Johnson Jr. and
Joanne Lowell Johnson ’705
David Marshall Deborah J. McLean ’745
Suzanne Combs Mieso ’675
Dwight Miller and Mary Francisco Miller ’63
Pamela Stephans Moench ’765
Robert Munden and Kristine Swanson Munden ’905
Lillian Vitanza Ney ’60 Mary McAllister Nijhout ’705
New York State Council on the Arts
New York State Collections Development5
Andronike Leondis Passios ’585
Gail Reid ’885
Susan Standfast-Wright ’575
Rachelle Stanko ’905
Melissa Berger Stoller ’865
Patricia Kauffman Strickland ’715
Charles SullivandDonald Swanson and Mary Ann
Emma Swanson ’785
Mary Van Bortel ’76 Ellen Fleming Yeckley ’655
Stephen L. Zabriskie and Randall Shaw Zabriskie ’745
SYCAMORE CLUBAnonymous Laurie Munroe Abkemeier ’925
Joan Horsburgh Ainsworth ’655
Kathleen Manning Allen ’86 Irene O'Dea Alley ’63 Tacie Stoker Anderson ’81 Nancy Brown Armstrong ’58 Anne Wilson Baker ’465
Jennifer Barnett ’885
Elizabeth Elkinton Barr ’735
Virginia Edgecombe Barr ’685
Jane Chamberlin Bartrum ’655
Jennifer Bater ’775
Arthur J. Bellinzoni5
Richard Bennett and Ruth Harris Bennett ’405
Mary Jane Schorr Bension ’435
Jane Carlson Bergen ’725
Raelene Lyons Bowman ’665
Diana Phillips Brashears ’46 Geoffrey Brooks and Crary
Reynolds Brooks ’87 Audrey Edwards Brown ’46 Cynthia Greene Buchwald ’595
Katherine Keller Bulette ’565
Jane Nye Burditt ’405
Charlotte Stoddar Campbell ’66 Ann Linden Wagner Carlisle ’625
James and Cordelia Carroll Charles Wentz Carter Memorial
FoundationA. Burton Closson and
Susan Mehnert Closson ’535
Constance Coles ’675
Nancy Lennox Collis ’455
Shauna Coolican ’81 David Corson Deborah Cotter ’90 Carol Lynn Courtney ’805
Mary Pastore Cryan ’845
Marian Merrick Cutting ’485
Emily Czapek ’635
H. Bradley Davidson andHolly Gosselink Davidson ’725
Carol Iskols Daynard ’685
Birgit Nielsen Deeds ’58 Joanna Crowe Dillon ’595
Kathleen Dooley ’825
Charenton Zelov Drake’76 James Duffy Cynthia Pierson Edel ’63 Sheila Edmundsd Judith Ehren ’685
Julie Evans Linda Edgett Evans ’63 Corinne Howard Farnham ’505
Florence Dowdell Fasanelli ’545
Anne Langfitt Fawcett ’54 D. Fort Flowers Jr. Karen Kennedy Gallimore ’685
Gail Gentes ’745
Lucia Albino Gilbert ’63 Inga Anderson Golay ’715
Kristine Selander Gordon ’80 Gregg Gottshall H. Fort Flowers Foundation,
Inc.5
Ann Shaver Hammer ’60 Margery Harrison Healing ’715
Lucinda McIlroy Higgins ’695
James Hill and Lisa Montgomery Hill ’885
Emily Stanley Hirsch ’425
Leonora Hollmann ’63 Susan Hemmersley
Homestead ’615
Janet Staley Howard ’495
Nancy Hubbard ’695
Margaret Royal Hudson ’58 Virginia Galloway Jacob ’46
20 SPRING 2014
IT WAS MY PRIVILEGE last spring to write to alumnae, alumni, and friends of the College on behalf of the “Thanks a Million!” effort to dedicate the Annual Fund in honor of President Emerita Lisa Marsh Ryerson ’81 and her many years of service to Wells. And it is now my pleasure to share that Wells’ many generous donors made sure that we far surpassed the million-dollar mark!
A strong Annual Fund—like strong leadership— helps assure that the College is well-positioned to address our challenges and navigate an uncertain economic environment, while we remain poised to take advantage of opportunities and
embark on new initiatives. With the support of over 2,000 donors last year, we are now realizing a sense of momentum and optimism for what is to come.
On behalf of all of our Annual Fund volunteers and the Board of Trustees, please accept my profound thanks for your support, and for joining us in honoring the dedicated, long-time service of “one of our own.” As we prepare to enter a new era of Wells’ history, we look forward to your continued support. We will continue to need your participation to ensure that Wells remains strong, vibrant, and viable well into the 21st century.
Thank you, Sarah J. Jankowski ’922012–2013 Annual Giving Chair Trustee
Alan and Jean Jankowski5
Heidi Russell Johnston ’86 Joan Shepherd Jones ’48 Mary Ella Wagner Jones ’65 Katherine Herron Jordan ’615
Ann Tacchino Kelly ’75 Barbara Kennedy ’645
Richard and Karen Kimberly Gail Kirkpatrick ’74 Jane Wadhams Kitchen ’475
Linda Gilgore Klopfenstein ’615
Virginia Goldmark Koehler ’585
Judy Korman ’585
Heather Kowalski ’905
Donna Kuhn Laidlaw ’655
Kathleen Phelps Lamb ’735
Jane Lang ’685
Duncan Lawrence ’11 Margaret Neenan Leahy ’845
Thomas Elliott Leggat and Barbara Boyle Leggat ’615
Arnold Leibowitz and Sandra Adler Leibowitz ’525
Pamela Lewis ’80 Susan Rice Lewis ’655
Jane Langfitt Lind ’575
George Loomis and Kathryn Mayo Loomis ’505
Millicent Fox Mailliard ’505
Helen Preus Mairs ’51 Denise Hoogland Malkin ’755
Judith Trencher Marshall ’615
Frances Ludwick Marx ’585
Kelsey Kastner Mason ’61 Lisa Matt ’745
Cynthia Halpin McCoy ’73
5 = 5+ years continuous givingd = deceased
Meghan McCune ’03 Candace Lee McDowell ’665
Margaret Viele Meath ’465
Ami Dudzinski Mehr ’98 Emilie Van Petten Merritt ’505
Katherine Newhall Miller ’685
Minnesota Wells Club5
Cordelia Carroll Moeller ’745
Helen Anderson Morey ’455
Rosemary Phelps Murphy ’635
Jennifer Nachbur ’835
Terry and Kathleen Newcomb Quincy Lockett Northrup ’615
Joseph Nye and Molly Harding Nye ’615
Janet Lutton Olt ’57 John and Rose Olver Patricia Richter Ondrick ’625
Shirley King Orr ’525
Martha Benjamin Parks ’635
Barbara Dawson Peek ’51 Robert and Mary Plane Trevanion Hugo-Smith Pope ’46 Barbara Post ’785
Georgia Wilkinson Prentiss ’635
Patricia Profeta ’755
Marjorie Bailey Rachlin ’43 Ann Crimmins Rafano ’575
Lee Rancier and Emily Bryant Rancier ’665
Susan Wright Reed ’635
Jean Reid ’675
Elizabeth Thomas Renn ’42 Anne Wilson Robbins ’535
Sally Hurlburt Rosemond ’525
Muriel Borg Ruhle ’425
Rachel Welch ’925
Katharine Hutchins Welling ’705
Phyllis Bellows Wender ’56 Ruth Diffenderffer
Wentworth ’44d
Judith Whittum-Hudson ’695
Mary Lyall Wight ’675
Carroll Wetzel Wilkinson ’685
Debora Britland Wong ’83 Joseph Smith and Alice Margaret Woodson Smith ’70 Harriet Husted Wooten ’44 Roberta Husted Young ’745
Roberta Hunt Salisbury ’585
Barbara Getschel Sawyer ’625
Paula Scali ’71 Genevieve Savarese
Schubert ’555
Martha Ryan Severens ’675
Jeffrey Shepard and Frances Cantwell Shepard ’745
Shirley McKee Shreiner ’495
Laura Huber Shucart ’63 Chia-Jen Siao ’96 Patricia Silverthorne Sandra Scheurle Sinclair ’615
Olivia Ray Singleton ’495
Virginia Grace Small ’505
Eugene M. Sneeringer and Susan Hengerer Sneeringer ’765
Cindy Speaker Virginia Morgan Stahlsmith ’635
John and Heather Thomas Stevens ’82
Ken Stutz and Lynn Schneider Stutz ’815
Ellen McFarland Sutton ’455
Erika Rich Sweeney ’905
Janet Grove Tietz ’595
Time Warner Cable Robert Ullrich5
Tobie Tyler van der Vorm ’705
Cornelis and Lori van Hoekelen Elizabeth Van Ranst ’675
Marcia Cox Vaughey ’655
Elizabeth Winslow Wagner ’655
Gail Funston Wasson ’685
Joelle Seiff Weiss ’495
Pamela Welch ’775
giving clubs and societies
WELLS.EDU 21
Class GivingThis chart lists the giving totals of each class. Totals of several classes celebrating a reunion, as well as the Class of 2013, include
gifts made by family members or friends in honor of or in memory of an aluma/alumnus in the celebrating class. The gift totals
of several classes celebrating a reunion also include pledged gifts to be made over the next two years. The gift totals for all
other classes represent alumnae and alumni gifts and corresponding matching gifts from the period of July 1, 2012, to June
30, 2013.
class giving
22 SPRING 2014
1909-34
1935
1936
1937
1938
1939
1940
1941
1942
1943
1944
1945
1946
1947
1948
1949
1950
1951
1952
1953
1954
1955
1956
1957
1958
1959
1960
1961
1962
1963
1964
1965
1966
1967
1968
1969
1970
1971
1972
1973
$24,383
$6,461
$550
$106,511
$310
$438,447
$13,257
$301,900
$124,185
$156,537
$3,025
$51,477
$73,031
$12,890
$19,274
$13,275
$35,741
$1,286,796
$26,387
$22,835
$78,040
$12,683
$67,083
$31,021
$148,494
$10,765
$17,733
$35,682
$592,105
$278,061
$16,715
$82,320
$52,680
$29,999
$77,873
$78,343
$30,500
$34,484
$44,052
$33,688
4 donors
2 donors
2 donors
6 donors
3 donors
5 donors
7 donors
7 donors
12 donors
9 donors
8 donors
13 donors
13 donors
12 donors
24 donors
21 donors
19 donors
25 donors
19 donors
29 donors
23 donors
21 donors
28 donors
31 donors
45 donors
39 donors
38 donors
33 donors
30 donors
85 donors
45 donors
39 donors
46 donors
49 donors
55 donors
45 donors
52 donors
44 donors
38 donors
44 donors
33%
29%
60%
50%
45%
32%
54%
38%
45%
38%
42%
36%
36%
47%
46%
41%
49%
40%
47%
43%
33%
40%
41%
52%
47%
45%
33%
34%
74%
35%
38%
38%
36%
41%
40%
33%
30%
32%
26%
Student PhonathonStudents gather in the Pettibone
conference room for eight nights
in the fall and seven nights
in the spring to call alumnae,
alumni, and parents on behalf
of the Wells College Annual
Fund. Approximatley 28 students
participated, connecting with
alums across the country.
The students received 438 pledges
totaling $58,623. In the classic
Wells Odd/Even rivalry, the Odds
took the fall semester by a narrow
margin; 122 Oddline alums
pledged to support Wells with
$25,576, and 118 Evenline alums
pledged $24,378.
Our students had many great
conversations, and we are all
grateful for your financial support.
For the full list of donor names, please visit www.wells.edu.
cl a s s g i v i ng
WELLS.EDU 23
1974
1975
1976
1977
1978
1979
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
$17,608
$30,579
$13,471
$4,985
$16,375
$63,296
$35,560
$45,500
$4,935
$7,505
$5,048
$618
$13,316
$2,085
$18,546
$1,950
$9,880
$1,860
$33,650
$1,810
$400
$330
$1,550
$825
$885
$1,174
$140
$175
$485
$557
$220
$1,050
$898
$490
$2,371
$281
$395
$1,346
$696
$1,789
31 donors
22 donors
26 donors
22 donors
33 donors
28 donors
27 donors
25 donors
20 donors
31 donors
20 donors
6 donors
14 donors
8 donors
17 donors
11 donors
15 donors
9 donors
21 donors
7 donors
3 donors
4 donors
5 donors
6 donors
6 donors
9 donors
5 donors
2 donors
6 donors
7 donors
3 donors
7 donors
10 donors
9 donors
10 donors
9 donors
4 donors
15 donors
30 donors
13 donors
24%
19%
21%
19%
29%
26%
22%
26%
18%
32%
17%
6%
14%
9%
22%
15%
15%
12%
22%
9%
4%
5%
7%
6%
10%
12%
9%
2%
9%
8%
4%
9%
12%
11%
16%
8%
3%
10%
19%
17%
Ryerson FundThe Lisa Marsh Ryerson ’81 Presidential Fund for
Student Success was created in recognition of her
nearly two decades of leadership. Lisa Marsh Ryerson
has provided and endeavors to equip the College for
its next exciting chapter. In the spirit of continuing
Wells’ legacy of being a special place where students
can thrive, explore their passions, and realize their
potential, immediate investments were made to
maintain and capitalize on the College’s momentum
in the critical areas of recruitment and retention of
students. The fund aided in updates to buildings
and technology, scholarships for deserving students,
academic program enhancements, and campus
beautification.
Advancing AthleticsThe recruitment and retention of academically prepared
students remains a top priority for the College. Over one third
of the total student body at Wells is comprised of athletes
competing in fourteen intercollegiate NCAA Division III sports.
Our scholar-athletes work hard on and off the playing field,
typically have a higher GPA, and are retained at a higher level.
It is hard to believe that only ten years ago Wells had just
six athletic teams. As you can imagine, this increase has
considerably added to the spirit and vibrancy of the campus
community and provides numerous opportunities for our
students to gain leadership experience. However, the strain on
facilities —especially locker room space—is severe. This led us
to the identification of several key items or projects that we
believe will have a significant, direct impact for current and
future students.
Some of the projects began in the fall of 2012 and have
continued through this academic year. They include portable
bleachers for the upper and lower gyms, visiting team locker
rooms, building entrance renovations, Wells Express signage
and marketing, scoreboards, basketball floor repairs and
improvements, upper and lower gym resurfacing, and upper
gym protective wall padding.
Thanks to the generous gifts of loyal Wells supporters, many of
these projects are finished and others are on the horizon.
Senior Class GiftThe members of the Class of 2013 gave $289 in gifts and
pledges to the College with 100% of their dollars as
unrestricted gifts to the Wells College Annual Fund. In
addition, parents and friends of the class made gifts in honor
of the class, bringing the class gift total to $1,789. In all, 17%
of the graduating seniors contributed $20.13 to the class gift
in the spring, with additional members making a pledge to
support Wells with a gift of $20.13 the following fiscal year,
six months after graduation.
Thank you to the Seniors and all who participated in support
of Wells. Your generosity strengthens and encourages
future graduates to participate in this long standing
tradition.
Senior Class Gift Committee:
Sarah Allen, Rachel Burleigh, Rose Chamberlin, Sarah
Deschenes, Marilyn Gonnella, Brienne Goodson, Tim
Lambert, Hayley Messenger, Robyn Moody, Claire Stevens
for a complete listing, visit www.wells.edu
24 SPRING 2014
Special Funds
50TH REUNION CLASS OF 1963
CLASS PARTICIPATION: 74% TOTAL OF ALL GIFTS: $278,062
The Class of 1963 returned to campus to celebrate their 50th Reunion last June. Led by their class chairs Noni Hollmann and Cathy Ricketts Greenwald, they made Weld House their home for the weekend, enjoyed a class dinner at the Aurora Inn, and watched fireworks from the gala on top of the hill. They had a lot to celebrate! The class raised the most of any Reunion class with a total of $278,062 plus an additional $100,000 in deferred gifts. They also had 85 members make a gift to Wells, giving them one of the highest participation rates of all time. Many thanks to the Class Fund Chair Sue Allerton Spofford and her team of dedicated class agents for connecting with their classmates and encouraging each of them to give to Wells. In commemoration of their 50th Reunion, they also joined the College in supporting the refurbishment of Macmillan Hall steps and plaza.
25TH REUNION CLASS OF 1988
CLASS PARTICIPATION: 22% TOTAL OF ALL GIFTS $18,546
The Class of 1988 was all about FUN for their Reunion. They sponsored a Fun walk/run on Saturday afternoon to raise money for the athletics department at Wells, and followed up with a party in the old Ballroom of Swartz.
55TH REUNION CLASS OF 1958
CLASS PARTICIPATION: 52% TOTAL OF ALL GIFTS: $148,494
Without a doubt, good things happen when members of the Class of 1958 come together. After a record breaking 50th Reunion five years ago, the Class of 1958 fund chairs, Sharon Whatmore Cowles and Teddy Cameron Stevenson, along with social chairs Francie Ludwick Marx and Janet Brown Tucker, wrote letters and made phone calls to keep the momentum to give and to return to campus strong. Forty-five members of the class gave to Wells.
5TH REUNION CLASS OF 2008
CLASS PARTICIPATION: 16% TOTAL OF ALL GIFTS $2,371
The Class of 2008 celebrated their 5th Reunion last June. On Saturday afternoon they gathered at their favorite local hangout, the Fargo, sporting their WFAB (Wells Friends are Best) t-shirts.
WELLS.EDU 25
s p ec i a l g i v i ng
26 SPRING 2014
Tribute Giving
Whether in tribute to a dear friend, to honor exceptional service, or in memory of a loved one, many Wells donors choose to dedicate their giving to special individuals. In some circumstances these are organized
efforts to honor a classmate or an alumna/alumnus who has touched the lives of many, in others they are spontaneous outpourings of affection. No matter the impetus, the result is a wonderful tribute to someone special and a tangible benefit to today’s faculty and students at Wells.
In the lists that follow, In Honor of and In Memory of, the names of those being honored are in bold and are followed by those who made such gifts. The College joins in honoring these individuals and offers deep appreciation for such thoughtful giving.
Emily A. Gottshall ’13 Gregg and Deborah Gottshall
Beatrice H. GraceJanel Doyle ’07 and Natalie Neusch
Thomas GundersonUpstate Temperature Control, Inc.
Lisa Montgomery Hill ’88James Hill
Ellen Hillers ’83Austin L. George and Hunter Hillers
Honorary TrusteesGeorge Farenthold Jr. and Lisa Marsh Ryerson ’81
Rusty McDowell Hopkins ’43 Pamela Sheradin ’86
Patricia E. Jones ’73Philip and Alice Jones
Faye E. Justicia-Linde ’01 Patricia Adams Justicia-Linde ’70
Diane KoesterCindy Speaker
Dr. Anne KressAnita Deinhardt Manuele ’73
Ken LarsonCindy Speaker
The London Theatre ProgramG. Alan Clugston
Lark Ludlow ’73John Ludlow
Michelle Horner Macris ’95Terrance and Kathleen Horner
Anita Deinhardt Manuele ’73Anne Kress
Louise MazzolaSalvatore and Lisa Mazzola Cania ’79
Brynn McCarthyKT! Eaton ’99
Michael R. McGreeveyGeorge Farenthold Jr. and Lisa Marsh Ryerson ’81
Mary Melone McIsaac ’52Martha Post
Maria J. McLane ’10Douglas and Alfreda McLane
Hayley Jo Messenger ’13Sarah Allen ’13 Jeffrey and Lohanne Messenger
Jennifer MichaelGeorge Farenthold Jr. and Lisa Marsh Ryerson ’81
Anne & Herbert MinthornElisabeth Minthorn ’63
Terry NewcombGeorge Farenthold Jr. and Lisa Marsh Ryerson ’81
Virginia C. Payne ’80Raymond and Elizabeth Payne
Jane Marsh Dieckmann ’55Austin L. George and Hunter Hillers
Elizabeth Bahn Edgerton ’42Pamela Edgerton Ferguson ’69
Sue EdingerGeorge Farenthold Jr. and Lisa Marsh Ryerson ’81
George EdwardsDonald and Mary Ann Emma Swanson ’78
Linda Edgett Evans ’63 Julie Evans
George E. FarentholdG. Alan ClugstonLisa Marsh Ryerson ’81Meredith Cook VanDuyne ’92
Jane T. FillionJoanne Kelley ’83
Miguel GilCindy Speaker
Nancy GilDonald and Mary Ann Emma Swanson ’78
Walter L. GillespieShirley Anderson ’66
Muriel GodboutCindy Speaker
Marilyn Gonnella ’13Hayley Jo Messenger ’13
Susan Gorman ’92Charles and Frances Arthur
TRIBUTES
In Honor OfSarah Allen ’13
Kathryn AllenMarilyn Gonnella ’13
Mary Arthur ’83 Charles and Frances Arthur
Arthur J. BellinzoniGeorge Farenthold Jr. and Lisa Marsh Ryerson ’81
The Board of TrusteesGeorge Farenthold Jr. and Lisa Marsh Ryerson ’81
Margaret Arthur Caldwell ’90 Charles and Frances Arthur
The Class of 1946Trevanion Hugo-Smith Pope ’46
The Class of 1963 50th ReunionCindy Speaker
The Class of 2013Pamela Sheradin ’86Katrina La Douce Wilson ’93
Abigail Corbly ’07Laura Tennen Wiesner ’07
Terri Ryan CulverGeorge Farenthold Jr. and Lisa Marsh Ryerson ’81
Dr. Thomas de WittMaggie Thomas ’84
tr i b ut e g i v i ng
WELLS.EDU 27
Heather Phillips Read ’63 Jean Strothman Tews ’63
Clara Bulkley-Anderson ’73 Susan Nellen ’73
Velma Van BuskirkG. Alan Clugston
Eleanor Hunter Byrne ’29
Austin L. George and Hunter Hillers
Alef M. Caldiero ’32 Maria Caldiero Hanna ’59
Susan Roush Carpenter ’57 Mary Ann Roush Howard ’53
Samuel & Rose CavataioRena Cavataio Warren ’63
Lawrie Chisholm ’72 Joanne Betlem Kehr ’72
Teresa Gordman CollinsEllen Gordman Kornrumpf ’63
Mary Hamlin Combes ’41 Abbott Combes
Katharine Cornell ’68 Barbara Max Betus ’68
Anne Marie Cosentino ’95 Susan Frelier Ahner ’86
Elizabeth Fackler Herrick Cozier ’25 Patricia Silverthorne
Jeanne Springmeier Craig ’47 Thomas J. Craig
Linda Parker Daghlian ’63 Elinor Scott Abbe ’63 Barbara Shields Drenning ’63 Jean Reynolds Haddon ’63
Janet & Ralph DeFonceNancy DeFonce Lapera ’74
Sally Benton Dell ’58 Ann Snyder Allport ’58
Departed Classmates of 1952Frank P. Reiche and Janet Taylor Reiche ’52
Ruth DillonSusan Woodward Weinstein ’66
Dr. Sheila EdmundsMaura Mullaney ’78
Jean Leonard Elliott ’63 Anonymous Karen Olson O’Keeffe ’63
Sally Willinger Fox ’67 Lucinda Stewart ’67
Belle Samuels FrankRuth Samuels Drucker ’61
Meredith Cook VanDuyne ’92George Farenthold Jr. and Lisa Marsh Ryerson ’81
Mary Ward ’81Merritt Vaughan
The Wells College Advancement Staff and Volunteers
Michael and Karen McGreevey
The Wells College Faculty & StaffGeorge Farenthold Jr. and Lisa Marsh Ryerson ’81Cindy Speaker
The Wells Dining StaffGeorge Farenthold Jr. and Lisa Marsh Ryerson ’81
Sarah WetherillGeorge Farenthold Jr. and Lisa Marsh Ryerson ’81
Jody Rossman Whitehurst ’96Warren and Heather Rossman
Molly Murphy Woods ’16Sally Murphy Woods ’83
Stephen L. ZabriskieAnonymous
MEMORIALS
In Memory Of
Jacqueline Kean Aronson ’49 Lenore and Norman Asher
Sally Penchoen Attridge ’53 Sarah C. Chase ’69 Nancy Perry Siddall ’53
James Avery Jr.Thomas and Maralee Gunderson
Elizabeth Lloyd Bagg ’20 Merritt Vaughan
Katherine Willard BaldwinWilliam and Susan Baldwin
Edwin J. BaranowskiB. Bonnie Baranowski ’71
Elise BarrowDeborah Dishman ’75
Louise Baker Berkett ’34 Stephen and Lorraine Berkett
Nancy A. Bird ’71 Deborah Lee ’70 Susan Rothmann ’71
Maartje Breed-Sieburgh ’63 C.W.M. BreedRaymond and Anneke Dempsey
Linda Phillips Brown ’63 Judith Salter Lewis ’63 Janet Lord Neale ’63
Kristen PhillipsGeorge Farenthold Jr. and Lisa Marsh Ryerson ’81
President Emeritus Robert A. PlaneGeorge Farenthold Jr. and Lisa Marsh Ryerson ’81
Charles R. PugliaShirley Anderson ’66
Alex Riad ’12Suzanne Doty ’71
Rachael Wilson Ristau ’15Austin L. George and Hunter Hillers
Ann S. RolloGeorge Farenthold Jr. and Lisa Marsh Ryerson ’81
Jessica Root ’10Catherine Root
Pleasant Thiele Rowland ’62Jane Jowett Brooks ’62
Lisa Marsh Ryerson ’81Many gifts were made in honor of President Ryerson this year as part of our Thanks A Million campaign and individual expressions of tribute were shared with her.
Annie Ryerson ’08George Farenthold Jr. and Lisa Marsh Ryerson ’81
Carol Elizabeth RyersonGeorge Farenthold Jr. and Lisa Marsh Ryerson ’81
Julie RyersonGeorge Farenthold Jr. and Lisa Marsh Ryerson ’81
Paula Storms Schoonmaker ’69 Susan Coe Adams ’69
Phyllis SiemiatkowskiCindy Speaker
Sally SieversCindy Speaker
Pat Sisti ’84Charles and Frances Arthur
Susan Raith Sloan ’86Alison Christie ’89Carol RaithGeorge Farenthold Jr. and Lisa Marsh Ryerson ’81
Cindy SpeakerGeorge Farenthold Jr. and Lisa Marsh Ryerson ’81
Claire Stevens ’13Herbert E. and Barbara O. Thomas
Grace Glass Terwilliger ’32Cynthia Phillips
Professor Crawford ThobumAnn Mueller Coughlin ’51
WELLS.EDU 27
[
tribute giving
28 SPRING 2014
Peggy Martindale Meserole ’76 Diane Arnold ’76 Patricia Connor-Greene ’76
Bertha Rich Metcalf 1905Sandra Metcalf Bertetti ’62
Mr. and Mrs. James MillsSusan L. Mills ’68
Janet Gibson Miner ’51 Jean Carr Semonite ’51
Jean Flodin Mitchell ’52 Mary Denison Scott ’52
Diane Bigelow Molloy ’72 Elizabeth Abbe ’72 Mary Graham ’71
Ann Van Vranken Neill ’45 Mitchell Behm and group from JA-50Margery Leinroth Gotshall ’45 Marriott JacksonCalvin and Shannon WellsJan Wessell
Alison Wells NeyLillian Vitanza Ney ’60
Jane Munning Noyes ’48
Linda Noyes Kneen ’73
Josephine Peterson ’50 Richard Kimberly
Anne Eldred Pond ’53 Nancy Halula
David M. PooreMargaret Poore
Margaret Norman Powell ’41 Virginia Vanneman Fisher ’41
Judith W. Preston ’74 Mary O’Hara Doubleday ’74
Ann Quackenbush ’59 Marjorie Billington ’59 Margaret Stone Helene ’59 Nancy Lee Leeming ’59 Marie Sullivan Lichtenstein ’59
Carol Britton Pellegrine ’59
Josephine ReeseG. Alan Clugston
Maura Sullivan Reynolds ’42 Anne Murray
Frances Nehrbas Rogalsky ’52 Carolyn Shults Millonig ’52 Janet Lauster Witzeman ’52
Marilyn ScasseraMary Karros Radnik ’58
Mildred Walker Schemm ’26 George and Janet Schemm
Gretchen Brownell Kesseler ’53 Priscilla Strand Berry ’53
Elizabeth Essick Kimberly ’26 Richard Kimberly
Elizabeth Drake King ’40 Anne Peters King ’65
Mildred Kestenbaum Klein ’57 Wendy Klein
Elsa Jung Kreiner ’42 Charles Kreiner
Ariel Grace Lawson ’08 Nadirah Blassingame ’08 William and Sallie Ann CataldiKaren Howard Chakraborty ’06 Class of 2008The Fargo BoardDalaceSophiea Inman ’08 Emily Mulkerne ’12 Nicole Pellegrino ’05 Kenneth and Kelley O’Keefe Zabriskie ’10
Raymond & Leah Fearing LeonardRosemary Leonard Nelson ’66
Will Liberi ’05 Karen Howard Chakraborty ’06 Nicole Pellegrino ’05
Page Johnson Lindsay ’62 Carolyn Byers Anderson ’62 Jane Jowett Brooks ’62
Thomas F. LindsleyMargarete Weisbrod Lindsley ’51
Professor Traci LocktonG. Alan Clugston
Jane Crosbie Eccles MacMillen ’44 Mary MacMillen ’72
Mary G. Hunter Marsh ’17 Austin L. George and Hunter Hillers
Dorothy Carroll Massy ’42 Barbara Sayre Ellis ’42
Lise Ulatoski Matson ’93 Diane Huajardo Green ’94
Nancy Scott McCabe ’60 Linda Boyd Ashlock ’60 Susan Becker Tier ’60
Colleen McCarthy ’99 KT! Eaton ’99 Karen Nolan ’99
Rita McDonaldLaura Huber Shucart ’63
Gretchen Gersumky Mercy ’62 Jane Jowett Brooks ’62
Betty Anne Forbes Getzendanner ’38 Max and Josephine GrossStephen and Esther HartPamela Sheradin ’86 Nancy Tillinghast ’69
Kay Butler Gill ’53 Edith Blaney Greene ’53
Faye Rheingold Giordano ’69 Gail Rheingold ’61
Barbara Dorr Greene ’35 Cynthia Greene Buchwald ’59
Robert HallwachsG. Alan Clugston
Eve Harwood ’63 Anonymous
June HeapRobert and Susan Nutt
Eleanor Marsh Hillers ’54 Florence Dowdell Fasanelli ’54 Austin L. George and Hunter HillersRobert HillersGeorge Farenthold Jr. and Lisa Marsh Ryerson ’81
Fran and Paul HuberLaura Huber Shucart ’63
Edith T. HunterJudith Whittum-Hudson ’69
William B. HunterJudith Whittum-Hudson ’69
Frank M. HutchinsGeorge Farenthold Jr. and Lisa Marsh Ryerson ’81 The Hutchins Family Foundation
Dr. Raymond JaffeMargaret Royal Hudson ’58
Karen Dolch Jochelson ’63 Virginia Weyant D’Ercole ’63 Patricia Lash Lieberman ’63
Susan M. Jones ’74 Mary O’Hara Doubleday ’74
Helen Beard Jordahl ’55 Kathleen Van Deusen ’55
Professor Olga KattanG. Alan Clugston
Ann Frankel KeenanRichard Shiffrin
Joan KelleyJulia Lerman ’83
Irene Kennedy ’35 George Farenthold Jr. and Lisa Marsh Ryerson ’81
[
Grace Terwilliger ’32Choose Wells. Give Back.
Grace Glass Terwilliger ’32 has seen plenty of change in her lifetime. When she arrived on campus in the fall of 1928, the Olympic Games that summer had allowed women to compete for the first time; Charles Lindbergh had recently received the Medal of Honor for the first transatlantic flight; and a gallon of gas cost 21 cents. However, after celebrating her 105th birthday, Grace can reflect upon one unchanging constant in her life: love of her alma mater. Wells College’s oldest living alumna has no regrets, particularly when it comes to her college choice. “If I could go to school again, I would go right to Wells. There’s no reason to go to any other place,” says Grace, who fondly remembers her 70th Reunion but regretfully missed the 80th in 2012. “I enjoyed Wells ever so much. It was my true home away from home.”
Grace has supported many aspects of the campus community and has two planned gifts that name the College as beneficiary. Her motivation? “This is my school and I want to help bring it along. It was so beautiful in my day and still is. Professors and students had many differing points of view—it was so interesting. I was exposed to so many wonderful things,” remembers the English major and Buffalo, NY native. “We put on a little Shakespeare, took music lessons, and had a band leader who was a poet that
had us all writing poetry,” she says with a smile. “I remember sneaking down with friends to a boat moored next to the dock and trying to spend the night there. Nobody had cars so that was great excitement for us!”
In addition to years of annual fund support, Grace has been a part of the Wells College pooled income fund—which pays participants quarterly dividends for life—for over two decades. Regarding her steadfast support, she states, “I was shy when I came to Wells, but I made a lot of friends and I am not shy about giving back.”
tr i b ut e g i v i ng
WELLS.EDU 29
Pike H. SullivanArthur J. Bellinzoni Foundation
Susy G. Swartzburg ’60 Anne-Marie Mohn Glenn ’60
Carol Whitney Thomason ’69 Arthur J. Perry and Patricia Lang Perry ’69
Harriette Green Ullrich ’41 Robert Ullrich
Dr. Alberto J. VaronaPatricia Adams Justicia-Linde ’70
Elizabeth Bagg Vaughan’46 Merritt Vaughan
Jane McMurray Walker ’34 Robert Walker
Joan Petersen Walworth ’46 Hallett Burrall
Jane Bloom Welsh ’67 Susan Rice Lewis ’65
Ruth Diffenderffer Wentworth ’44 Susan Rugg Wright ’70
Katherine Wilson White ’42 George Farenthold Jr. and Lisa Marsh Ryerson ’81
Martha Linton Whitehouse ’46 Arthur J. Bellinzoni FoundationHallett Burrall
William WhittumJudith Whittum-Hudson ’69
Elizabeth Ann Janke Willis ’55 Mary Jane Janke Krieger ’58
Margaret “Tatsie” Conner Wilson ’49 David Wilson
Anne McCurley Wise ’35 James Wise
Carolyn Bunn Wood ’52 Frank P. Reiche and Janet Taylor Reiche ’52Mary Denison Scott ’52
Professor Nancy WynneG. Alan Clugston
Mary Armbrister Young ’61 Elizabeth White ’61
Arcadia C. & Jorge E. ZallesMartha Zalles ’29
Jane Cole Scott ’51 Barbara Dawson Peek ’51
Lois Ann Gordon Selkirk ’47 Kim AyresShirley and Cecil BishopDana CampbellStewart and Kristin HendersonLindsay Selkirk
Kippy Worman Silverberg ’71 Margaret Lindsey ’71
Carol Jane Hudson Smith ’63 Christine Foster Meloni ’63
Janet B. Smith ’59 Debora Price
Sabra Snavely ’63 Karen Olson O’Keeffe ’63
George & Bernice SolishSharyn Solish ’74
Lisabeth Phin Steinmetz ’23 Priscilla Strand Berry ’53
Cynthia A. Stewart ’72 Katharine Rohrer Haight ’72 Tiina Ruus ’72
Carolyn Folsom Stoddard ’39 Charlotte Stoddard Campbell ’66
Margaret Hawkins Sugar ’48 Marian Merrick Cutting ’48
d = deceased
REALIZED BEQUESTS AND PLANNED GIFTS
Mary Lee Graefe Close ’37d
Mary Jane Brooks Evans ’40d
Betty Fisk Giddings ’35d
Ethel Harkness Grace ’09d
Marjorie Mock Gregory ’37d
Anna Hale ’30d
Ann Richardson Helmsderfer ’43d
Eleanor Marsh Hillers ’54d
Antoinette Johnson ’39d
Dorothy Carroll Massy ’42d
Altha Planed
Georganne Funsten Pollnow ’43d
Marion English Scofield ’32d
Ann Stratton ’46d
Charles Sullivand
Ruth Diffenderffer Wentworth ’44d
Katherine Wilson White ’42d
Martha Linton Whitehouse ’46d
Frederick Yehld
Martha Zalles ’29d
Our newest members:
TRUST OR ANNUITYAnn Mueller Coughlin ’51
WELLS IN WILLMargaret Starbuck Clark ’44Suzanne K. Smith Collins
Barbara Christy Kimberly ’68
Ami Dudzinski Mehr ’98
Susan Allerton Spofford ’63
Pamela Hoskyns Yanco ’77
for a complete listing, visit www.wells.edu
F or many in the Wells community, establishing a planned gift has been the ultimate way to demonstrate devotion and support the mission
of the College. Thoughtfully planned giving strategy tailored to the donor’s vision allows assets to be put to work for any chosen aspect of Wells—while the donor and the College share the benefits. This creative philanthropy produces win-win solutions while impacting the education of tomorrow’s leaders.
In recognition of these heartfelt gifts, donors who have embraced Wells in their estate plans become part of our Legacy Circle. The exceptional generosity and forward thinking of Legacy Circle members confidently affirms that Wells will be shaping meaningful lives for years to come.
Creative Gift Options In addition to an Annual Fund gift, have you imagined a lasting gift to Wells, but are unsure of how to get started? Are you interested in helping the College meet its needs without compromising your future lifetime income? Do you want to be philanthropic now, but are uncomfortable with the timing?
For a confidential discussion of creative gift options, please contact:
Hal Burrall
Director of Leadership and Planned Giving
Office of Advancement, Pettibone House
Wells College170 Main StreetAurora, NY 13026
315.364.3200 phone315.364.3441 [email protected]
30 SPRING 2014
Legacy Circle
Lisa Mazzola Cania '79Creative Philanthropy
Lisa Mazzola Cania ’79 entered Wells on full scholarship in 1975. Her dad had died when she was 15, and her family lacked the financial resources to pay for college, though education was valued dearly by her parents. Giving back to Wells began immediately after graduation with her first gift to the annual fund, gifts she has made every year without fail. When she recently had the opportunity to express her appreciation to Wells faculty, staff, and alumnae, as well as to the loving parents who wanted the best for her, she chose to establish the Louise and Frank Mazzola Scholarship in honor of her mother and in memory of her father.
“Wells alumnae before me made possible the opportunity of the best education I could imagine. Wells faculty like Giorgio Renzi and staff such as Attilio Rezzonico and Rusty Hopkins inspired me. Wells friends, especially my roommate Alice Tanner, became sisters. I always hoped I could make a difference for a Wells student the way others did for me,” said Lisa. Her career in higher education (Lisa is Vice President for
Community and Employee Relations and Secretary of the Corporation at St. Lawrence University) has proven to Lisa that scholarship support is the best investment a graduate can make in her alma mater. In the spring of 2014, Lisa was named to the College’s Board of Trustees.
MATCHING GIFT ORGANIZATIONSAbbott FundThe Allstate FoundationAmeriprise Financial EmployeeAnalog Devices, Inc. Aon FoundationApache CorporationAptarGroup Charitable
FoundationAXA FoundationBank of AmericaThe Bank of New York MellonBarclays Capital, Inc.BASF CorporationBechtel FoundationThe Boeing CompanyBridgestone Firestone Trust FundBristol-Myers Squibb FoundationChevron CorporationThe Clorox Company
FoundationCoca-Cola EnterprisesCoridan Business Solutions, Inc.Display Sales CompanyEli Lilly & Company FoundationFederal Home Loan Bank of
DallasFidelity FoundationFiduciary Trust Company, BostonFirstEnergy FoundationFrontier Capital Management
CompanyGeneral Electric FoundationHSBCInternational Business Machine
Johnson & Johnson Family of CompaniesLockheed Martin CorporationMacy's, Inc.Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc.McKesson Foundation, Inc.MeadWestvaco FoundationMerck & Company, Inc.Monsanto FundThe Northern Trust CompanyNorthwestern Mutual FoundationPfizer FoundationPhillips 66 CompanyPitney Bowes, Inc.RBS Citizens Financial Group, Inc.Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc.Ryder System Charitable FoundationShell Oil Company FoundationThomson ReutersTravelers Companies, Inc.United Technologies CorporationUSB Wealth ManagementVanguard Group FoundationVerizon FoundationXL AmericaZeon Chemicals Incorporated
CORPORATE AND FOUNDATION DONORS
HENRY WELLS SOCIETY
The Fred L. Emerson Foundation5 Hagedorn Fund5 J. M. McDonald Foundation, Inc. Ryder System Charitable FoundationThe Starr Foundation
AURORA SOCIETY
AnonymousThe Cayuga Foundation The Alexander and Marjorie Hover
Foundation5 Jephson Educational Trusts Virginia A. McGuire Foundation5
A. Lindsay and Olive B. O’Connor Foundation, Inc.
Park Foundation, Inc.
TOWER SOCIETY
Anonymous Berkshire Charitable Foundation5 The Lyric Foundation for Traditional Poetry,
Inc.5
The John Ben Snow Foundation
E.B. MORGAN CLUB
Finger Lakes Community Art Program GrantsNew York State Collections Department5
New York State Council on the Arts
SYCAMORE CLUB
Anonymous H. Fort Flowers Foundation, Inc.5
The Jenzabar Foundation
CAYUGA CLUB
Cognitive Marketing Franklin Cole Foundation5 Upstate Temperature Control, Inc.
STAGECOACH CLUB
Bobby K. Entertainment Loyal Order of the Moose Lodge 823
5 = 5+ years continuous giving
WELLS.EDU 31
Volunteer Service
Wells volunteers demonstrate just how rewarding it can be
to stay connected to the College community long after graduation. Our talented and eager volunteers assist with organizing Reunion and other alumnae and alumni events across the country, coordinate special giving campaigns, gather the class communications that we publish as WellsNotes, represent Wells at college fairs, provide important internship experiences to current students, and much more.
We cannot express enough just how beneficial, dedicated, and pleasant to work with our volunteers are. Join us in thanking those listed for their ongoing service to the College.
Nancy Wenner Witmer ’61 Stephen L. Zabriskie
HONORARY TRUSTEESAnn Harden Babcock ’45John T. Bailey
Katherine Gerwig Bailey ’52
Anne Wilson Baker ’46David Barclay
Nancy Barton Barclay ’56Gordon Brummer
Sara Clark Brummer ’56
Gail Fletcher Edwards ’57George Edwards
Jane Demarest Engel ’42
Lueza Thirkield Gelb ’52
Margery Leinroth Gotshall ’45
Suzanne N. Grey ’72
Joanne Lowell Johnson ’70
Shirley Cox Kearns ’54David M. Lascell
Jeannik Méquet Littlefield ’41d
Edward E. Matthews
Marcia Goetze Nappi ’56Frank P. Reiche
Janet Taylor Reiche ’52
Elizabeth Bowman Rothermel ’66
Shirley Shou Bacot Shamel ’58Priscilla Slocum
Virginia Grace Small ’50Pike H. Sullivand
Susan Wray Sullivan ’51
Martha Linton Whitehouse ’46d
Henry F. Wood Jr.
BOARD OF TRUSTEESCHAIR
Stanley J. Kott
VICE CHAIR
Carrie Bolton ’92
SECRETARY
Sarah C. Chase ’69
Arthur J. Bellinzoni
Marie Chapman Carroll ’75
Fiona Morgan Fein ’65
Pamela Edgerton Ferguson ’69Daniel J. FessendenStephen T. Golding
Sarah J. Jankowski ’92
Duncan Lawrence ’11Alan L. Marchisotto
Amy Cerand McNaughton ’86
Renée Forgensi Minarik ’80
Lisa Marsh Ryerson ’81 George S. Slocum
Kevin A. Wilson ’12
2012—13
Each year the Wells College
Association of Alumnae and Alumni
honors those individuals who have
given outstanding service to their
alma mater, either directly or by
service and accomplishment in
the field of endeavor that reflects
distinction on Wells College. Last June
WCA Award recipient Dr. Florence
Dowdell Fasanelli ’54 joins President
Lisa Marsh Ryerson as they prepare to
ride in the College’s stagecoach for
the annual Reunion parade.
volunteer service
32 SPRING 2014
Renee Minarik ’80
“I fell in love with Wells on my first visit to campus,” says Renée Forgensi Minarik ’80. “Everyone I met was so friendly. I recall being very excited about the library—the perfect place to study!”
According to Renée, the allure of Wells’ beauty, in addition to the newly created field hockey team, was what brought her to campus her freshman year. However, she’s quick to highlight that it was her love for her professors and fellow classmates that made her stay. “It was a stellar learning environment. I spent a semester in Washington D.C., and was happy that I had the experience, but it also showed me how valuable the education I was receiving at Wells really was.”
For Renée, giving back to Wells not only keeps her connected to her “home,” it also serves as a way to ensure that the Wells education she received continues to shape the lives of others. “I give to show my appreciation for the gifts Wells gave me—turning me into a lifelong learner and critical thinker. Now, it’s all about the Wells students and hard-working faculty and staff.” A loyal President’s Circle donor, Renée continually gives to Wells because of all that she was able to gain from a Wells education. “Early on, the ability to think critically and put in the effort to learn helped me survive law school. Later in life, I realized that my education sparked curiosity. Between the curiosity I acquired and the ability to think critically that I learned at Wells, I am able to be the lawyer and judge that I am today.”
PRESIDENT’S CIRCLE COMMITTEECHAIR
Fiona Morgan Fein ’65
COMMITTEE MEMBERS
Arthur J. Bellinzoni
Carrie Bolton ’92
Sarah C. Chase ’69
Sarah J. Jankowski ’92
Lark Ludlow ’73 Mary Jane
Spellane Marchisotto ’75Robin Hogan McIntyre '81
Amy Cerand McNaughton ’86
Gail Reid ’88
WELLS COLLEGE ASSOCIATION OF ALUMNAE AND ALUMNI BOARDPRESIDENT
Renée Forgensi Minarik ’80
VICE PRESIDENTS
Mary Mitchell Goodman ’70Frances Trubilla Kissell ’78 Margaret Neenan Leahy ’84
WCA TRUSTEES
Pamm Edgerton Ferguson ’69
Amy Cerand McNaughton ’86
Nancy Wenner Witmer ’61
NATIONAL ANNUAL GIVING CHAIR
Sarah J. Jankowski ’92
AWARD COMMITTEE CHAIR
Sarah Messenger Gleason ’88
MEMBERS-AT-LARGE
Stepheny Powell McGraw ’70
Travis Niles ’09
Betty Rodriguez Vislosky ’78
ALUMNAE AND ALUMNI RELATIONS DIRECTOR
Laura Sanders
FRIENDS AND RECENT GRADUATES ORGANIZATION BOARD OFFICERSCHAIR
Angie Azevedo ’07
VICE CHAIR
Allison Dodge Gunnip ’07
SECRETARY
Sarah Woodward-Jones ’06
WCA LIAISON
Travis Niles ’09
BOOK ARTS ADVISORY BOARDEstablished in 1993, the Wells College Book Arts Center offers academic courses for Wells students, including a concentration in the Visual Arts major, as well as an annual Summer Institute. Its Board of Advisors, including members of the larger book arts world, provides guidance to the Center and serves a valuable network of connections and resources.
CHAIR
George D. Edwards Jr.
BOARD MEMBERS
Bruce BennettDavid CorsonRobert J. DohertySteven GalbraithNancy GilDavid R. GodineRon GordonBarbara KretzmannDavid MarshallFrances Ludwick Marx ’58 Stanley O'ConnorKatherine ReaganSarah RobertsCindy SpeakerDeirdre StamDonald Swanson James TylerGail Zabriskie Wilson ’60
NATIONAL PLANNED GIVING COMMITTEEThe Wells College National Planned Giving Committee is responsible for the growth and enhancement of all aspects of the planned giving program at the College. Through collaboration with the Office of Advancement, the committee seeks to engage alumnae/i and friends of the College by creating and increasing awareness of the benefits of charitable legacy giving.
CHAIR
Arthur J. Bellinzoni
COMMITTEE MEMBERS
Frank P. Reiche
Anne Wilson Baker ’46
Sally Colegrove Jones ’69
Lynn Schneider Stutz ’81
volunteer service
WELLS.EDU 33
Non ProfitUS Postage
PaidPermit #566
Utica NYNote to parents/relatives: If addressee has moved, please forward this issue and contact the Alumnae/i Office at 315.364.3200 or [email protected] so we can update our records. Visit us on our website at www.wells.edu. Thank you.
Wells College 170 Main StreetAurora, NY 13026
2013—14 has been an exciting year, and full of
change, for Wells College. Under the new leadership
of President Tom de Witt, we have developed and
launched new academic programs, undertaken wide-
ranging campus initiatives, and embraced a fresh spirit
of innovation. This spring we are seeing the completion
of Ryerson Commons—a wonderful outdoor patio and
gathering space honoring President Emerita Lisa Marsh
Ryerson ’81 and her commitment to our students—and
the extraordinary renovations to iconic Zabriskie Hall.
Final Call for 2013‒14 GivingNow is an exciting time to
be a part of Wells College— and an opportune time to
join us with a gift! All gifts received by June 30 count
toward the 2013—14 Annual Fund. Please consider
making your gift today— we want to count you in!
www.Wells.edu/giving 315.364.3476
Office of Advancement • Pettibone House170 Main Street • Aurora, New York 13026