potsdam people - spring 2012

The Magazine for Alumni and Friends of the State University of New York at Potsdam

P E O P L ESpring 2012 Vol.6 | No.1

DIVE IN: MAKING THE CASE FOR THE LIBERAL ARTS AND SCIENCES

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snapshotM

AR

ESCA

SCIENCE

OLYMPIAD

Unrestricted gifts to The Fund for

Potsdam result in a variety of

programs and opportunities

for students and community alike.

The Science Olympiad is an annual

science competition that brings

area high school students to campus

to work with SUNY Potsdam

students and faculty,

have fun and explore

the sciences.


w w w . p o t s d a m . e d u / p e o p l e 2

Profiles

Jason Lang ’01From basketball to the United Nations.

Diana Nole ’84Making strides in business and healthcare technologies.

David Marcarian ’84 Living life in the fast lane.

Marion Akpata ’61 Making the world a better place through music.

DepartmentsNews & Notes 4Class Notes 19In Their Own Words 28Alumni Opportunities 29 Alumni Announcements 30 sp

ring

ReunionLove of learning

outside of the classroom.

Take a look at the schedule

of events and register today.

12

Diving InNavigating the Future:

Making the Case for the Liberal Arts and Sciences

On the cover:

The liberal arts and sciences

encourage students to im-

merse themselves in learning

in every way. Elora M. Garland

’12 (cover), a speech com-

munication and French major

with a minor in journalism and

member of the swim team

along with Brenton Johnson

’12, English writing and speech

communication major and

College Writing Center peer

tutor and Tessa Kelley ’13,

buisness administration and

visual communications design

major and member of the

CariDanco and Team NV dance

troupes braved the Maxcy pool

for the cover shoot.

15

REUNION 2012www.potsdam.edu/alumni/reunion

sign up for

Potsdam People is printed using the lowest VOC inks, 100% Certified Renewable Energy and paper that is certified by the Rainforest Alliance to the FSC® standards.

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3 P O T S D A M P E O P L E S P R I N G 2 0 1 2

SPRING 2012 Vol . 6 | No. 1

Letter FrOM the president

Colleges and universities are among the oldest institutions in Western culture. Part of their success, and some would argue their tragic flaw, is that they are slow to change.

The importance of the core curriculum in the arts and sciences is part of the legacy that has been passed down through the years. As one of the 50 oldest colleges in the United States, at SUNY Potsdam, we are also heirs of this tradition. Yet, just as the College may be slow to change, the students we educate are equipped with all of the necessary tools to be quite nimble, innovative and even revolutionary, thanks to the core curriculum in the liberal arts and sciences. To be agile in an ever-changing global environment, one must have a deep understanding and training in cross-disciplinary learning, creative and critical thinking, and an understanding of the complexities of the world. This is at the very core of our mission.

In order to provide this academic agility to our students, in order to continue to develop curricula, in order to provide the necessary professional develop-ment for our faculty and staff to stay current in their fields, we need resources. Our alumni are the greatest source of our flexibility through their generosity to The Fund for Potsdam. The Fund is the source of unrestricted gifts that support academic experiences and scholarships to enhance our ability to achieve our mis-sion. A gift to The Fund for Potsdam allows the College to determine where the gift will make the greatest impact and allows us to take advantage of opportuni-ties which we might otherwise miss. Examples include funding for students to travel to conferences to present their undergraduate research in a wide variety of disciplines, or to participate in the capstone experience in the Wilderness Educa-tion Leadership program by traversing the Bob Marshall Wilderness of Montana, or to support invaluable performance opportunities for students throughout New York State and beyond.

All of these unique educational enrichment opportunities, made possible through unrestricted giving, raise the profile of the College in ways that help us to then seek out and secure additional funding in the form of grants and other sup-port. These gifts represent a commitment to the cultivation of an interdisciplinary and experiential learning environment for future generations.

As we approach our 200th anniversary in 2016, we are thankful for the ef-forts of so many people over the last two centuries that have helped to create this unique college. While we are slow to change, we are aggressive in preparing students for an ever-changing future. I call upon everyone to join us in this task in any way you can, but especially through a gift to The Fund for Potsdam.

John F. Schwaller President

POTSDAM PEOPLE STAff AN D CONTR I buTORS

eDitOrS

Deborah Dudley, Director of Marketing and Communications

Mona Ouimet Vroman ’85, Director of Alumni Relations

Writer

Alexandra Jacobs, Communications & Government Relations

Web MANAger

Mindy Thompson, Director of Web Communications

CONtri butOrS

David britt ’74, Director of business Affairs Sarah Carr ’08, Public Affairs Assistant Christa Carroll, Director of Annual Giving Nancy Griffin, (Hon. ’08), Development Officer Emily Hutchison, Director of Development Jason Ladouceur ’94, Director of Planned Giving Ellen Nesbitt, Assistant Director of Annual Giving Donna Planty, Publications Associate Sherry Allen Paradis ’00, Director of Donor Relations Laura Stevenson, (Hon. ’07), Alumni & Donor Relations Vicki Templeton-Cornell, Vice President for College Advancement

DeSigN & Art Di reCtiON

Deborah Dudley

PHOtOgrAPHY

Kathryn Deuel, Principal Photographer

President John f. Schwaller with students during a tree planting ceremony. unrestricted funds can be used to keep Potsdam a beautiful campus as well as to invest in student learning opportunities on and off campus.

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CAMPuS news & notes

Crane to Perform Verdi in Potsdam and at Avery Fisher Hall, Lincoln CenterAs part of the inaugural Lougheed-Kofoed Festival of the Arts in April 2012, the Crane Chorus and Crane Symphony Orchestra will perform Verdi’s monumen-tal Messa da Requiem under the baton of Ann Howard Jones, the 2012 Dorothy Albrecht Gregory Visiting Conductor*. The guest soloists are Kelly Kaduce and Charles Temkey, and Crane alumna Margaret Lattimore ’91 and Dimitri Pittas ’99. The Requiem will be performed at SUNY Potsdam’s Helen M. Hosmer Concert Hall on April 28, 2012, as part of a week of masterclasses, lectures and workshops in Potsdam, which are open to the public. Highlights include:

•MasterclassesandlecturesbyconductorAnnHowardJones •LecturebyLindaFairtile,directorofAmericanInstituteforVerdiStudies,

NYU •LecturebyKenBurris,authorof“DeepRiver:TheLifeandMusicof

RobertShaw”

The Requiem will then be performed in New York City at Avery Fisher Hall, Lincoln Center, on May 1, 2012. The New York City performance is made pos-sible by the Adeline Maltzan Crane Chorus Performance Tour Fund, funded by Dr. Gary C. Jaquay ’67, with additional support from the bequest of Brock (Hon. ’84) and Janie (Hon. ’88) McElheran.

Free tickets for Potsdam performance are available by calling the CPS Box Office at (315) 267-2277. Tickets for Lincoln Center Performance can be purchased at: www.lincolncenter.org or by calling Center-Charge at (212) 721-6500. *The partnership of the Dorothy Albrecht Gregory Visiting Conductor Fund, established by Dorothy Albrecht Gregory ’61, and the Adeline Maltzan Crane Chorus Performance Tour Fund, established by Dr. Gary C. Jaquay ’67, brings distinguished conductors to The Crane School of Music for festival performances by the Crane Chorus and Crane Symphony Orchestra, and funds travel for major Crane Chorus performances to venues outside Potsdam.

Through the gen-erosity and artistic vision of Kathryn Kofoed ’54 and Donald Lougheed, the Lougheed-Ko-foed Festival of the Arts will serve as an “umbrella”forthefull range of the arts and provide financial

support for an annual campus spring festi-val, to include theatre, dance, visual arts and creative writing. It will encompass all forms of artistic expression, with an emphasis on cross-disciplinary artistic experiences.

The festival will culminate with the annual Crane Chorus and Crane Symphony Orches-tra performance. It is the Lougheeds’ hope that other named funds will be established to provide financial support for activities or events to take place during the Lougheed-Kofoed Festival of the Arts, in the way that the Dorothy Albrecht Gregory Visiting Conductor Fund will continue to support the presence of a distinguished guest conductor on campus each year.

Lougheed-Kofoed Festival of the Arts Celebrates Creativity

Alumni Return to PerformIn 2011, the College welcomed back accom-plished graduates from the past 60 years to help celebrate SUNY Potsdam’s Crane School of Music’s 125 year tradition of innovation. Visiting alumni ranged from soloists in the AlumniRecitalSeriestomusicbusinessexecutivesasSandyFeldsteinRoundtablepanelists; from leaders in music education as Symposium presenters to composers featured in the composition series to perform con-certs. Crane also hosted music educators for a summit focused on honoring history and looking toward the future—not to mention its kick-off concert with Maestro Helmuth Rillinglastyear.Foracompletelistofpastevents visit: www.potsdam.edu/academics/Crane/125years/pastevents.cfm

College News

New INItIatIves

Save the Date for 2012 Music Ed Sym-

posium “New Music and the Academy

in North America,” April 13-14, 2012.

For a complete listing of events, visit

www.potsdam.edu/Crane/125years

College News



CAMPuS news & notes


New releases

Crane Faculty Release New CDHannah Gruber ’03, assistant professor of keyboard, and Christopher Creviston, assistant professor of saxophone, released aCDentitled“SnellSessions.”TheCDincludes music by William Albright, Sigfried Karg-Elert, Gabriel Fauré, Denis Bedard,RobertMuczynskiandCranefaculty composer David Heinick. The CD isavailablethroughAlbanyRecords.

New Book on Crane Founder “MessengersofMusic:TheLegacyofJuliaE.Crane,” byDr.CaronL.CollinsofThe Crane School of Music, is now avail-able. Her research reveals the educational innovations and inspirational stories of nearly 50 music education alumni from more than 2,000 Crane graduates.

SUNY Potsdam Campus HistoryArcadia Publishing has released a Campus His-tory series book about The State University of New York at Potsdam,

which documents the College’s past in more than 200 photos. The book is au-thored by SUNY Potsdam alumnae Jane GattaSubramanian’72andVirginiaRoseCayey ’60.

Both of the above books are available at the College Bookstore: http://bookstore.potsdam.edu.

faCulty awards

Potsdam Professor Receives Second Prestigious GrantJames Allen Hall, assistant professor of English and Communications, was named a recipient of the 2011 Artist Fellowship from the New York State Council on the Arts in early July. The fellowship, which includes a $7,000 grant, came on the heels of a $25,000 grant awarded to Hall in January by the National Endowment for the Arts. One of 105 fellows selected from a pool of nearly 3,700 applicants this year, Hall received the award after submit-ting an application and sample of poetry to the council.

researCh

Politics Profes-sor Wins AAUW Research AwardThe St. Lawrence County Branch of the American Association of University Women pre-

senteditssixthannualAAUWResearchAward to Dr. Susanne Zwingel, interna-tional relations and women’s and gender studies associate professor in the Depart-ment of Politics. The AAUW advances equality for women and girls through advocacy, education and research. The award was presented at the AAUW fall membership meeting, where Dr. Zwingel discussed her recent research.

College News

President Hosts Picnic for Local Hospital Staff SUNY Potsdam President John F. Schwaller and his wife, Anne, along with Canton-Potsdam Hospital President and CEO David Acker and his wife, Linda, hosted a family picnic for CPH leadership medical staff and physicians in September. SUNY Potsdam faculty and staff took the opportunity to share information about the many wonderful programs and ser-vices at the College open to the public.

New INItIatIves

SUNY Potsdam Partners with St. Lawrence University for New Reading ProgramTheCharlesR.WoodFoundationawarded St. Lawrence University a $25,000 grant to form a partnership with SUNY Potsdam, initiating an early literacy program called Branching Out with Books. In this project, graduate and undergraduate students from the colleges are working with North Country literacy outreach programs already in place at Jefferson Elementary School in Massena and Hermon-Dekalb Central School, and established a new reading program at theAkwesasneLibraryontheSt.RegisMohawkReservation.

College News

Cassie’s Harp Dedication In September, the Potsdam community dedicated Cassie’s Harp to the memory of undergraduate students who have died since

2006 before completing their education at SUNY Potsdam. This special harp was made possible by a gift from Alan and Kathryn Davino (Hon. ’10), who were joined at the dedication by other families who have lost loved ones much too soon. Cassie’s Harp is intended to be a place of quiet remembrance, an enduring tribute to these precious lives.

develoPMeNt & awards

Aubertine Honored with Roger B. Linden Distinguished Service AwardRepresentativesfromlocal businesses joined SUNY Potsdam Presi-dent John F. and Anne

C. Schwaller for a gathering at their home in November. The President expressed his appreciation to the many business partners for their ongoing support of the College. The group honored special guest Darrel J. Aubertine, Commissioner of the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets,whoreceivedthe2011RogerB.Linden Distinguished Service Award.

studeNt sPotlIght

Potsdam Student Awarded Top Prize at SUNY-Wide Student Art Exhibition Elizabeth LaBarge was awarded top prize at the SUNY-wide Student Art Exhibition in Albany. LaBarge, a third-year art major at SUNY Potsdam, won Best of Show for her charcoal drawing basedontheideaof“Hearnoevil,seenoevil,speaknoevil.”Theawardwaspresented by SUNY Chancellor Nancy L. Zimpher.



CAMPuS news & notes

develoPMeNt & awards

Success for ScholarsAt the 23rd Annual Scholarship Golf Classic, held in September 2011 at the Potsdam Town & Country Club, SUNY Potsdam student scholars benefited from the tremendous, record-setting generosity of dozens of sponsors and more than 200 golfers. The tournament Title Sponsor was Northland Associates of Liverpool, N.Y. $93,000 was raised to support the College’s Scholarship Fund.

Pictured are Jim Tyler, President & CEO of Northland Associates with Harry Wing, Tim Tyler, Dennis baron, T. budd and Rich Capirci.

Scholarship LuncheonIn October 2011, over 300 scholarship recipients and their families attended the annual Scholarship Luncheon to say thank you to generous donors of scholar-ships. Drew Coles ’11 was the recipient of the Eugene Collins Memorial Scholar-ship for four years. He is pictured with his scholarship donors, Don ’68 and Linda Mandigo.

Emerging Leaders Hosts 3rd Potsdam Appreciation Week Emerging Leaders, a student organization dedicated to increasing their leadership skills, student philanthropy and encour-aging a love of Potsdam among their peers, raised awareness and funds for the 2011-12 student gift during Potsdam Appreciation Week (PAW) in the fall. This year’s student gift will go to The Fund for Potsdam, supporting the College’s greatest

opportunities and needs. Emerging Leaders exceeded their fundraising goal for this event.

studeNt sPotlIght

Potsdam Student Uses Pedal Power to Push MessageA team of climate activists cycled into Fitchburg, Mass. last summer to spread their message that the world needs to transition out of using fossil fuels. The team of five female college students, including SUNY Potsdam’s Sara Orvis, tackled a nine-week bicycle journey through New England as part of the New England Climate Summer Intern-ship program. The 1,000-mile journey brought awareness to communities about climate change. The internship program is part of the Better Future Project, an environmental group that opposes the use of fossil fuels.

Potsdam Geology Majors Go for Gold on InternshipThree seniors at SUNY Potsdam are giving a whole new meaning to the term

“golddigger.”Allgeologymajors,thestudents completed internships in gold mines in summer of 2011. Christopher Mack and Stephanie N. Fochtman in-terned at the Hecla Greens Creek Mining Co. near Juneau, Alaska, and received the William N. Sloan Endowed Internship Scholarship. Brian D. Butts interned at the Cortez Gold Mine in Lander and Eureka counties, Nevada.

faCulty awards

Petercsak Receives the 2011 Yamaha Educational Lifetime Achievement Award In December, Yamaha recognized SUNY Distinguished Teaching Professor James Petercsak (Hon. ’03) for his commitment to education and the growth of young musicians with the Educational Lifetime Achievement Award. The award is given to percussion and drumset artists who are highly influential on education. He is among only three recipients nationwide. Petercsak has been a Yamaha Performing Artist for 30 years and a Crane faculty member since 1968.

Omega Delta Phi Alumni Association Help Children’s LiteracyIn July 2011, the Omega Delta Phi Alumni Association kicked off its golden anniver-sary weekend by unveiling a new children’s bookcase at a special dedication ceremony held at the Potsdam Public Library. Association President Donnalyn (Eaton) Shuster ’78 presented the bookcase to Youth Services Librarian Sarah Calkins Sachs ’82.

Pictured are Omega Delta Phi alumnae Lois Little, Kristin Kincade, Margaret Saunders, current Ome-ga Delta Phi House President Kristen brunnebend, Omega Delta Phi alumnae Valerie Smith Plato, Colleen Connor Sisson ’90 and Amanda ursillo, Omega Delta Phi Alumni Association President Don-nalyn (Eaton) Shuster ’78, Carole Lauzon Raymonda ’78, Sherry Germano and Omega Anniversary Committee Chairperson Julie Temple Herrman ’98 and Sarah Calkins Sachs ’82.



CAMPuS news & notes

www.potsdam.edu/athletics/bearpride

Women’s Hockey Battle CancerThethirdannual“Drop-pin’theGlovesonCancer”women’s hockey tournament was held over Columbus Day weekend at Maxcy Hall and Cheel Arena. Five teams competed with each other while raising money for awareness and educational programs and to support initiatives for women in our area who are battling or have battled breast, cervical, uterine or ovarian cancer. The only women’s hockey tournament of its kind in the North Country raised nearly $23,000 over its three-year history.

Volleyball Earns Academic AwardThe SUNY Potsdam vol-leyball team was named a recipient of the 2010-11 American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Team Academic Award. The Bears were one of 88 NCAA Division III institutions to receive the prestigious honor and one of only four State University of New York Athletic Conference teams to earn the accolade along with Cortland, Fredonia and New Paltz.

Three Inducted into Bears Hall of FameLast summer, Kregg Bruno, Renee(Hatter)Hook’86and Jodie (Schoppmann) Robertson’06becamethe31st class inducted into the SUNY Potsdam Bears Hall of Fame since its inception in 1979. Bruno attended SUNY Potsdam from 1981 to 1984 before moving on to Clinton Community College, where he earned an associate’s degree in applied science in 1987. During his

three-year stint as a member of the Bears wrestling team, Bruno was an NCAA Divi-sion III All-American at 142 pounds in 1980-81, and an All-SUNYAC performer in 1981-82 and 1982-83. Robertson,anativeof Levittown, N.Y., graduated from SUNY Potsdam in 2006 with a bachelor’s in music. RobertsonwasanNCAAWoman of the Year semifinalist in 2006 and an NCAA post-graduate scholarship recipient, following a standout four-year career with the Bears cross country team. Hook, an Endicott, N.Y., native, gradu-ated from SUNY Potsdam in 1986 with a bachelor’s degree in mathematics. A four-year member and one-time captain of the Bears swimming and diving team, Hook qualified for the NCAA Division III Championships seven times and garnered All-American honors in 1982-83 as part of the team’s 800-meter freestyle relay.

Three Bears Earn All-SUNYAC HonorsSUNY Potsdam men’s soccer players Joe Glackin and Edu-ardo Figueroa and volleyball player Jenna Blujus have been named to All-State University of New York Athletic Confer-ence teams for their respective sports. Glackin and Figueroa were each named to the men’s soccer second teams, while Blujus earned a spot on the volleyball first team.

Durden, Ashlaw Named Preseason All-AmericansSUNY Potsdam lacrosse playersRashaunDurdenandRobbieAshlawhavebeennamed 2012 Face-Off Year-book preseason All-Americans. Durden has been named to the second team, while Ashlaw earned honorable mention recognition.

Potsdam Working with NCAA SUNY Potsdam, a Division III school, was informed by the NCAA in April 2011 that it inadvertently violated an as-sociation bylaw. The violation related to SUNY Potsdam’s International Initiative Grant, which the College gave to all international students, both athletes and non-athletes, through a blind review pro-cess. The program was found to unintentionally benefit a slightly higher proportion of student-athletes compared to the number of international students in the entire student population. Potsdam remains committed to finding a solu-tion that satisfies the NCAA while protecting the Col-lege’s rich educational and experiential opportunities and financial support available to all students regardless of their country of origin.

Show your pride with a SuNY Potsdam ViSAVisit www.potsdam.edu/alumni or call 1-800-853-

5576 ext. 8723 to learn more.

StArt eArNiNg reWArDS tODAY!

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POtSDAM profile

’01By Deborah Dudley

When you talk to Jason Lang ’01 and you hear him describe his work as an advisor for Host Country Affairs at the U.S. Mission to the United Nations, his passion for his job is palpable. His enthusiasm is contagious. His absolute respect for the interna-tional community that he serves is inspiring. However, it takes a while to fully grasp the importance of what Jason actually does for a living.

There are many obligations that the Host Country Affairs discharges to the 193 member states in New York’s U.N. offices. As Lang explains it, his day may involve anything from facilitat-ing employment authorization requests for family members to handling the arrival and departure for high-level dignitar-ies so that they receive appropriate courtesies through security checkpoints. When the President of Iran comes to speak at the United Nations, it is Lang who coordinates the passage through security.Langadded,“Thisisimportantbecausewedon’twantour U.S. dignitaries to run into any problems abroad, so we work hard to afford foreign dignitaries and their families the samecourtesyweexpectforourU.S.officials.”

“Ialsomakesurethatdiplomatscancarryouttheirfunctionat the U.N. while also following U.S. laws. It is a lot of every-thing.”Accordingtohim,itisjustgoodcustomerservice.Thismeans that Lang regularly liaisons with the Transportation Se-curity Administration, Customs and Border Protection, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, Secret Service and Diplomatic Security Service agencies, to name a few.

The way his supervisor, Minister Counselor of Host Country Affairs,RussellGrahamputsit,“Diplomatstaketheirdiplomaticimmunities very seriously. If there is a problem, I ask Jason to address that problem. If there is a problem and he has solved the problem, he has made a friend for the United States and that person is more likely to vote in favor of the resolutions the U.S. endorses and therefore advance the foreign policy of the United States.”

Grahamcontinued,“Brand-newissuescomeupallthetime,and everything I’ve ever given Jason to do, he contacts the right people, finds the answers and resolves the problem. He is my trouble-shooterforeverything,atrulyremarkableemployee.”

So basically, Lang has an impact far beyond simple travel arrangements and processing visas. Fortunately for the United States, he is exceptionally good at his job. As Graham said, “Jasonislow-key,personableandinterestedinalmosteverythingandisdoingabang-upjob.Heisdestinedforgreatness.”

You might be wondering how exactly you get a job like this. In this case, the answer is through an undergraduate internship experience while at SUNY Potsdam. Finishing up his second year while majoring in political science, speech communications and minoring in Africana studies, Lang stayed the summer for an internshipexperiencewiththeIngramLawFirm,LLC.“Thatopened my eyes to internships and getting real-world experi-ence.”LangresearchedotheropportunitiesandfoundtheU.S.State Department internship application was due in October for the following summer. Experiential Education Director Toby White and Diana Fisher, who was then director of CSTEP

helped him apply and he was soon accepted for a competitive internship with Host Country Affairs.

It wasn’t too long after getting his master’s in public admin-istration from John Jay College that Lang got a call from his former site supervisor, Graham, to rejoin them as a full-time employee.

“IdrawfrommanyofmyPotsdamexperiences,”saidLang.“ForCSTEP,weattendedsymposiaandconnectedwithstu-dents from all over the state. We had career planning, business etiquettedinnersandournetworkingskillsdeveloped.”BeingaResidentAssistantwasalsoagoodtrainingground.“Youneverknowwhatyouaregoingtoruninto,”saidLang.

So how did a kid from the Washington Heights section of Manhattan find Potsdam? He was intrigued by then-basketball coach Bill Mitchell’s recruitment pitch to play for Potsdam. Lang said,“IgotoutmyEncyclopediaBritannicaAtlasandstartedtolookforit.”

Thiswas1996,beforeGoogleMaps.“Upstatetomewasnorth of Westchester County, but I didn’t find it there. I kept going north, and when I got close to Canada I saw Watertown andthenfinallyfoundPotsdam.”WithsomedisbeliefLangtookoutarulerandthought,“Thisislikefiveinches!ItoldmymomthatIcouldn’tgo.Itmustbeafrozentundra!”CoachMitchellpersisted, and convinced Lang to just take a peek.

Lang made sure that besides touring the athletics facilities, hehadachancetomeetwithprofessorslikeDr.RichardDelGuidice.Aftermeetinghimandseeingtherestofthe“frozencampus,”Langknew“thiswasaplaceIcouldgoandfocusonmywork.”

Today, Lang mentors Wesley Francisco, a young Washington Heightsnativewho,likeLang,playsbasketballforPotsdam.“Italk to him every day and tell him ‘Seize the moment.’ People are there to help you. Go to events get out to the other colleges, andgetovertoCareerPlanningandstartplanningyourfuture.”

My final request from Lang was that he send us a photo. No problem,hesaid,“butIjustneedtomakesureIcangetadigni-taryfromSerbiawhattheyneedtogetthroughairportfirst.”

Jason Lang




By Alexandra Jacobs

No matter how you look at it, David Marcarian lives life in the fast lane.

From his fast-paced career in the medical industry to his hobby driving racecars, the Class of 1981 graduate just doesn’t seem to slow down.

A native of Dewitt, N.Y., Marcarian transferred to SUNY Potsdam after a semester at the University at Albany— and never looked back.

“Everythingaboutitwasidyllic,fromthe campus to the people to the area. Potsdam resonated with me, and that was it.Itwasperfectforme,”hesaid.

At first, the violinist auditioned for and got into The Crane School of Mu-sic, but he soon found his interests fell elsewhere—the sciences. Marcarian com-pleted his bachelor’s degree in physics, and took a job with Hewlett-Packard in the then-burgeoning Silicon Valley upon graduation in 1981. He developed an interest in ergonomics and biofeedback.

Two years later, after a chance meet-ing with a professor who recommended that he apply, Marcarian was accepted to complete graduate work at the presti-gious National Aeronautic and Space AdministrationAmesResearchCenter,where he worked on the evaluation of hand-controllers that would be used in classified military aircraft. While complet-ing his master’s degree in psychology, he also participated in studies at the visual performance lab in IBM’s Santa Theresa lab“thinktank,”studyingkeyboarddesignand the effect of display terminals on the eye.

“Theyhadequipmentlikeyoucouldn’t believe, to design cockpits, virtu-al mission goggles and voice recognition technology,”hesaid.

Inspired by the technology work he and his colleagues and mentors were completing at NASA, Marcarian started tinkering with an idea that might identify and alleviate problems that pilots were having after working in the flight simula-tor with a hand controller.

“Iwastryingtomeasurehowmuchmuscle strain this thing was requiring, so I wired together a device—and that’s how I ended up getting into surface electromy-ography,”Marcariansaid.

At the age of 27, he began to expand his idea to develop a device to measure muscle strain. After initial research, he put together a grant proposal for the National Institutes of Health—at home, over a beer, as he remembers it—and was shocked when his research was funded with a $450,000 NIH grant.

“Ithought,‘There’snowaythey’regoingtofundthis,’andtheydid,”hesaid.

Just eight years after he graduated from SUNY Potsdam, Marcarian was demonstrating his device at a convention, when a friend mentioned that it would actually work great for chiropractors. Soon, he had a business partner and they had secured $250,000 in credit toward the electronic com-ponents needed to get the product on the market.

“Irememberthinking, ‘This is crazy, I have $250,000 in credit right now and I have no money to myname,”hesaid.

His pride and joy, MyoVision, is used to diagnose soft tissue injury and has beenfeaturedasthe“toolofchoice”inthe American Medical Association’s 2010 editionof“APracticalGuidetoRangeofMotionAssessments.”

The MyoVision takes 90 seconds to scan a patient and is completely painless and non-invasive. The device simply reads the voltage that the muscles around your spine are emitting, to look at the level of voltage and the patterns of directional-ity. The device is now covered by many health insurance plans, and is used as a test in civil injury lawsuits, where Mar-carian is often sought as an expert witness to determine if people do indeed have back injuries.

Since the success of MyoVision, Marcarian was inspired to use the tech-nology to help patients of a different sort—musicians with stress injuries. He created ProformaVision after a classical pianist called him for help, and since then Marcarian has consulted with faculty members from Juilliard and the New York Philharmonic to create a product specifi-

cally designed to help them identify the source of muscle stress and improve their performance technique to prevent injury.

“TheProformaVisionscreenmeasuresthree things at once in real time. You can see the measurements of muscle activity, how much force you’re exerting as you hit the keys, and video of how your hands lookasyouplay,”Marcariansaid.“Weare able to train pianists how to relax and concentrateonlyontheirhands.”

Marcarian is now using Proforma-Vision as a form of therapy for stroke victims who have lost feeling in parts of their body, even though the muscles are still operable. They can use the tool to learn how to play piano even though

they may not be able to feel their fingers touching the keys at all. They call this process neuromuscu-lar re-education.

“Theproblemisthatthey don’t have the neural feedback to know that they are touching the piano. But since the de-

vice is measuring the muscle activity and showing it to them, they can utilize their muscles by watching on screen, instead of feelingthemintheirhead.”

Now, the Potsdam alum is bringing his knowledge back to his alma mater. He is working with Crane Dean, Dr. Michael Sitton, to donate some Proforma Vision stations to be used at the College so Crane students can benefit from the technology in their lessons.

If his medical career isn’t busy enough, Marcarian has found a hobby to fulfill his constant need for speed. The Seattle resi-dent (he lives four blocks from the Space Needle) took up racecar driving after he was diagnosed with cancer in 2004.

“Ihadalreadybeenallovertheworldand tried a lot of things, so I said, ‘If I’m going to die anyway, I might as well enjoymyself,”hesaid.“There’ssomethingabout being alone in that car. You have to be really calm to be a racecar driver. It’s actuallyrelaxingforme.”

His cancer is now in remission and the outlook just keeps getting better.

“Iamverymuchalive!”hesaid,laughing.

David Marcarian’81

“Potsdam resonated with me, and that was it. It was perfect for me.”

POtSDAM profile

A TRADITION OF INNOVATION

David MarcarianDavid MarcarianDavid MarcarianDavid MarcarianDavid MarcarianDavid MarcarianDavid MarcarianDavid MarcarianDavid MarcarianDavid MarcarianDavid MarcarianDavid MarcarianDavid MarcarianDavid MarcarianDavid MarcarianDavid MarcarianDavid MarcarianDavid Marcarian’81’81David Marcarian’81David MarcarianDavid Marcarian’81David MarcarianA TRADITION OF INNOVATION

David Marcarian



w w w . p o t s d a m . e d u / p e o p l e 1 0

POtSDAM profile

Nole has endowed the Diana Zinnecker Nole Internship Scholarship at SUNY Potsdam.>

Diana Z innecker Nole’87

By Deborah Dudley Today, the challenges of understanding the health care industry are something every individual, business and government faces, as medical science and technologies evolve and information systems increas-ingly morph and connect around us. Diana (Zinnecker) Nole ’87 is in the thick of it as president of the Digital Medical Solutions (DMS) business for Carestream HealthInc.,inRochester,N.Y.

Nole oversees the 3,000 employees that make up all operations for DMS, Care-stream Health’s second-largest business. Her domain includes global research and development, manufacturing, marketing, sales and service. DMS manufactures and markets analog, computed radiography and digital radiography X-ray modality equip-ment,aswellasRIS,PACSandArchivingsoftware solutions. Under her leadership, the breakthrough award-winning wireless DRX-1wasintroducedintothemarket.

As a computer science major, Nole knowsfirsthandthat“havingatechnicalbackground has helped me. I have the ability to ‘talk technology’ and can com-municate with many different technical professionals.”

However, Nole believes the most important quality to lead innovative teams is“apassionforlearningandtheunder-standingthatlearningdoesnotstop.”

“WhenIwasinmytwentiesIknewitall, and in my thirties I started losing con-fidence. Now in my forties, I know some things, but not everything and I don’t have toknoweverything.”Nolecontinued,“Butasaleaderyouhavetobeabridgefor the information so that decisions can

be made and all facets of the development canstayinformed.”

To be that bridge, Nole spends a good amount of time with customers in advi-sory boards and is informed by her years working through all facets of the industry from being a systems analyst at Kodak to logistics supervision and sales. When she was chief operations officer for Kodak Health Group’s largest sales organization the customer satisfaction improved to an all-time high of 92 percent.

Nole holds an MBA from the Univer-sityofRochester’sSimonBusinessSchool.Among other credentials and commu-nity leadership roles, Nole serves on the Potsdam College Foundation Board of Trustees.

If you ask her how she got to Potsdam, you will find it was where she was meant to be, with her former path to Iowa State just a close call with the big Midwestern college.

Nole was born in Michigan, where her father worked for the telephone company. The family was relocated to Missouri, and then to Iowa for her middle- and high-school years until her father was relocated again to Gloversville, N.Y. in her senior year. Nole was set on Iowa State Univer-sity, but their new neighbor had a daughter who attended SUNY Potsdam and started talking up the computer science program. Nole was convinced to postpone her col-lege start to take a look at the college.

“Itwasagorgeousfalldayanditwasjust beautiful to walk around campus. People were all nice and it just felt really good.”Nolefoundbeingdroppedoffatcollege in the middle of January with no roommate a bit overwhelming but was

quickly adopted into the Draime dorm “family.”

“Thingshappenforareason,andgo-ing to a small college town with great programs and great atmosphere was what I really wanted. In a way it was very Mid-western,”Nolesaid.“Justnicepeople.”

The challenges for Nole’s professional family are numerous. Competition is fierce, and the confusion surrounding healthcare reform is difficult to navigate for many of Carestream’s clientele.

“Itisaninterestingmarketspacetobe on the forefront of technology in an industrythatisslowtoadaptandadvance.”The potential is there, however, to make adifferenceinpeople’slives.“JustsimpleX-rays in the operating room before you close up a patient is one example. Our technology makes sure the surgeon can see them within six seconds, which shortens the time that the patient is open and leads tolessrisktothepatient.”

Patients are not the only ones who benefit from these technologies. Nole’s team provides imaging devices which analyze pipelines and bridges looking for fractures and cracks, identifying structural integrity in a similar way that broken bones and medical anomalies are evaluated. Again, the impact on public health and safety is there.

“IreallythoughtthatwhenIcameoutof college I knew it all, but have come to learn that keeping that passion for learn-ingwillservemewellforever.”Withthatphilosophy, Nole’s work towards healthcare technology innovation will serve many others as well.



1 1 P O T S D A M P E O P L E S P R I N G 2 0 1 2

POtSDAM profile

By Deborah Dudley

The path for a kid born and raised in New York City to a career of transforming lives through music education in Nigeria is, as MarionGordonAkpata’61putit,“alongonewithmanytwistsandturns.”

“Asahighschoolstudent,IknewIwantedtogotocollege,but I really had no career focus. I started the piano at age nine with a good, thorough and dedicated teacher. I was good at the piano and had many musical friends. One of my friends heard about Crane and I figured I may like to be a music teacher. We applied together, auditioned together and traveled to Potsdam together.”

Now, 54 years later and 5,268 miles away, Akpata is preparing to retire as director and CEO of the Musical Society of Nigeria (MUSON) School of Music after a rich career in many facets of music education.

Akpata met her husband, Solomon, at Michigan State Uni-versity, where she earned a Master of Music. They married in 1962 and continued their graduate studies in Canada before returning to Solomon’s native Nigeria in 1966 with their two-year-old daughter. The Akpatas returned to New York later that same year and Marion found a job teaching music in a public elementary school.

“WereturnedtoNigeriain1974,andIwasappointedPrincipal of Idia College (a senior secondary school for girls) in Benin City. In 1976, we moved to Lagos and I worked at Queens College (a senior secondary school for girls) until 1983, when I opened my own music studio teaching piano and theory. In 1989, we moved to Swaziland, where my husband became the U.N. representative. I taught there as well as in Ghana where we were posted. My husband’s appointment as the Chief of the Southern African division of the U.N. brought us back to New Yorkin1995.”

Upon their return to New York, Akpata found a job teaching musicinNewRochelle,whereshehaddoneherstudentteach-ing back in 1959.

“In2005,IwasapproachedtobecomethedirectoroftheMUSON School of Music and to set up a diploma program. Accepting the challenge, I used my recollections of my Potsdam curriculum and facilities for the MUSON School, which is the only school in Nigeria teaching music at the diploma level.

“MyexperiencesinPotsdamwerethemostimportantinflu-ences in my working life. I did not know at the time how the impact, training, exposure and mentoring given by our dedicated teachers would influence my outlook on life. Like Crane Chorus of my day, MUSON Choir is a compulsory activity for all students. The greatest success of the choir’s short existence was in 2010, when we were selected as the only choral group from Africa to perform at the world conference of the International Society for Music Education (ISME) in Beijing, China. Our all-African program was the rave and delight of audiences and the pride of the Nigerian Em-bassy, which gave us the opportunity to perform in China two months later to help celebrate Nigeria’s 50thindependenceanniversary.”

Akpata’scareerhasbeendiverse.“Icreditmyabilitytotackleso many projects to the inspiration given me by Dr. Hosmer, Mrs. Marion Carter, Miss Mary English, Mr. Brock McElheran, and Dr. Art Frackenpohl, just to mention a few, who planted an indeliblestamponmyyoungmindsomanyyearsago.”

AkpataremembersDr.HelenHosmervividly.“Startingasa freshman in 1957, Dr. Hosmer was an imposing figure. She taught us non-singers vocal techniques. My most vivid memory of her came in February 1961, a few days after I performed in the concerto concert. Dr. Hosmer called me to her office and told me she sent the tape of my performance to Michigan State University. A few weeks after, I was informed of my admission and a graduate assistantship, which I credited to the reference she must have given me and the fact that she was held in the highestesteemamongmusiciansnationwide.”

As Akpata prepares to retire, she reflects on the challenges aheadformusiceducation.“Musicisanessentialcomponentoflife in Nigeria. Music education, however, has taken a ‘back seat’ to other areas of education, particularly math and sciences. As in the U.S. when there are budgetary problems, music is one of the first subjects to be cut. Music teachers here, like their col-leagues everywhere, continue to manage to keep going under all circumstances.”

Like her mentors at Crane, Akpata’s legacy will be felt for manyyearsinNigeria.“Ihavemetveryhard-working,ex-tremely talented young people who overcome great obstacles to follow their musical dreams. They just need the kind of training we had at Crane to be world-class performers, composers, conductors and educators. As MUSON is set up to offer quality train-ing to talented students of limited means, now that I am months away from my final retirement, I would like to set up a foundation to assist the musically gifted to source funds to attend those musical institutions that can give them the skills to reach their goals.

“Itrulybelievethatmusiccandowhat many politicians are unable to do—to make the world a better place.”

’61Marion Gordon Akpata

“I truly believe that music

can do what many politi-

cians are unable to do

— to make the world a

better place.”


AGO 130th AnniversaryAlpha Kappa Phi wel-comes you back to Potsdam and invites AGO sisters to join us to celebrate our 130th An-niversary at the Agonian Alumnae Association meeting, Saturday, July 14 at 1:30 p.m. The soror-ity house at 11 Pierrepont Avenue will be open throughout the week-end, and more festivities are being planned. Watch for the spring alumnae newsletter, The Anchor, for updates!

AST 25th AnniversaryAlpha Sigma Tau Sorority will be celebrating its 25th Anniversary! Visit their webpage at www.wix.com/aksteran/alpha-sigma-tau-gam-ma-epsilon-chapter, or find them on Facebook for more information.

CSTEP 25th AnniversaryThe Collegiate Science & Technology Entry Program (CSTEP) will be celebrating its 25th Anniversary. During its history, CSTEP has helped more than 300 Potsdam students pursue careers in science, technol-ogy, engineering, math, health fields and licensed professions. Come back to Potsdam to celebrate this anniversary and catch up with old friends. A CSTEP open house and reception will be held on Friday, July 13 in the CSTEP Office.

Mini Reunions

Check inRaymond Hall LobbyThursday 3 p.m. - 8 p.m.Friday 9 a.m. - 7 p.m.Saturday 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.

turn the page for the

schedule of events

REUNIONweekend

2012JULY 12–15

Lisa Vroman to Receive Honorary Doctor of Music DegreeIn recognition of her success as a musician and in gratitude for her humanitarian efforts, both nationally and on behalf of her alma mater, Lisa Vroman ’79 will receive an Honorary Doctor of Music from the State University of New York. Vroman’s de-gree will be conferred on Saturday, July 14 at SUNY Potsdam as part of Reunion Weekend 2012. Reunion attendees will also be treated to a recital featuring Vroman and Dr. Michael Sitton, Dean of The Crane School of Music.

Learning Outside the Classroom

Special Celebrations

SAI 55th AnniversarySigma Alpha Iota fraternity will be celebrating its 55th chapter anniversary. Visit www.saigammadelta.com or find them on Facebook. For more information email: [email protected]

Join Us in July!“The richest heritage of an institution is its body of graduates — the expression of its ideals, the guardian of its reputation, the promoter of its development. Their failure is its defect, their success its assurance...” Thomas B. Stowell, principlal of Potsdam Normal and Training School (SUNY Potsdam)




REUNION 20124 p.m. – 6 p.m. – “Early Bird” Gathering in Becky’s Place (cash bar)

REUNION 2012Schedule of Events

Thursday, July 12

JULY 12–15, 2012

Maxcy Hall: The Rock Climbing Wall & Swimming Pool will be open periodically during Reunion Weekend. Check the Registration Table for hours of operation. The tennis and basketball courts are also available for use during the weekend along with the soccer fields.

The College Archives will be open during Reunion Weekend. Feel free to stop by Thursday 1-4 p.m., Friday & Saturday 9 a.m.– 5 p.m.

8 a.m. – Cupid Breakfast – For all Potsdam-Clarkson couples – on the SUNY Potsdam campus in Dexter’s Café.

8 a.m. – 10 a.m. – State-of-the-Art Shane T. Shaul Fitness Center

9 a.m. – 10 a.m. – Tour of President’s Gardens – Come and view the lovely presidential grounds, as our gracious hostess, Mrs. Anne Schwaller, guides you through a tour of the grounds and her renowned gardens. 9 a.m. – 11 a.m. – Campus Walking Tour, which will conclude in The Crane School of Music. A tour of Crane has been scheduled from 11 a.m. - Noon.

9 a.m. – 1 p.m. – Hike Mt. Arab, Piercefield, N.Y., led by Jeffery Wash-burn ’79, President of the Alumni Association & Mike Lahendro ’77, Alumni Board trustee.

10:15 a.m. – 11:15 a.m. – Mary E. English Commons Tour – Join fellow classmates, alumni and friends on a guided tour at the Mary E. English Commons to enjoy all the pictures and displays from our College’s history.

11 a.m. – Noon – Tour of The Crane School of Music

11 a.m. – Noon – Book Discussion on SUNY Potsdam’s New Photographic History – Nearly 200 years of SUNY Potsdam’s history are documented in photo-graphs in a new book which was released in January 2012. Au-thored by SUNY Potsdam

alumnae Jane (Gatta) Subramanian ’72 and Virginia Rose Cayey ’60, the

book boasts more than 200 vintage images and memories of days gone by. Come and join the authors at this event for a discussion of their work and a book signing.

11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. – Planetarium Show – Presented by

Professor of Geology Dr. Frank Re-vetta, Honorary Class of 2005.

Noon – 2 p.m. – Emeriti Picnic – Emeriti faculty, alumni and friends are invited to start the weekend with a picnic at the home of President John and Mrs. Anne Schwaller overlooking the scenic Raquette River. Lunch will be served until 1:30 p.m.

1 p.m. - 2 p.m. – Tour of Maxcy Hall facilities

2 p.m. – 3 p.m. – The Potsdam Seismic Network and Earthquakes in New York State Seminar – Presented by Profes-sor of Geology Dr. Frank Revetta, (Hon. ’05).

2 p.m. – 3 p.m. – An Update on the New Performing Arts Building – Learn more about the exciting progress on our new building, which is scheduled to open Spring 2014.

2 p.m. – 3 pm. – “Crane Chorus: Historic Performances by the Class of 1962” presented by Gary Galo ’73.

2 p.m. – 4 p.m. – Student Activities Gathering – Current students from the radio station, SGA, SES and The Racquette will be on hand in the Student Union to meet with alumni to share experiences. Dean of Students Emeritus Dan Hurley ’54 will be in at-tendance!

3 p.m. – 4 p.m. – “The History of Crane Chorus,” presented by Jane (Gatta) Subramanian ’72. Discover how and why Crane Chorus was formed, as well as significant events and person-alities related to Crane Chorus. A brief video of Helen Hosmer talking about Crane Chorus will also be seen.

3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. – Class of 1962 Informal Gathering – Please bring your memorabilia to share.

4:30 p.m. – 6 p.m. – Welcome Recep-tion for all alumni and friends

4:30 p.m. – 6 p.m. – CSTEP Open House – CSTEP alumni are invited to attend an open house and reception celebrating their 25th anniversary.

5 p.m. – Class of 1962 Dinner – Come and gather for great food, spirits and most especially great company!

6 p.m. – 8 pm. – BBQ Picnic & Ice Cream Social –

This will seem like old times…friends, beverages, food & music! BBQ will be served until 7:30 p.m.

7 p.m. – Crane Youth Music (CYM) Concert – Featuring: Jazz Band,

Jazz Ensemble, Treble Choir, Men’s Ensemble and Chamber Choir.

10 p.m. – 2 a.m. – Double Axel – Max-fields, downtown Potsdam.

indicates family activities

Special Information

Friday, July 13

www.potsdam.edu/alumni/reunion




9 a.m. – 11 a.m. – Farewell Breakfast – Dexter’s Café

9:15 a.m. – Annual Alumni Association Meeting – Annual Alumni Association business will be conducted, including approval of 2012–13 trustees and proposed amendments to the constitution and bylaws.

On The Way Home Activity2 p.m. – Tour of the Béla Bartók Cabin, Saranac Lake, N.Y. Led by Ralph Hastings ’70, president of The Crane School of Music Alumni Board. This event will require advanced reg-istration and has limited space. Béla Bartók was one of the greatest composers of the 20th century and one of the first ethnomusicologists. Join this historical tour and learn more about the Bartók story.

8 a.m. – 10 a.m. – State-of-the-Art Shane T. Shaul Fitness Center

8:30 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. – Bear Walk/Run – Start off the day by joining

friends at our annual alumni 5K walk/run and one mile run for children. This is a great event for all ages!

9 a.m. – 10 a.m. – Estate and Will Planning Seminar and Continen-tal Breakfast – Learn helpful tips for estate planning, how to best plan for the future and how to create a better will. Presented by Roger Linden Esq. ’74, College Council Chair, and Michelle (Holmes) Ladouceur Esq. ’95.

9:30 a.m. – 11 a.m. – “A Tour of Bayside Cemetery and Its Legends” – Dale Zurbrick ’68 will conduct this very popular tour and lead us down memory lane at this local historical Potsdam site.

9:45 a.m. – Class of 1992 Informal Breakfast Gathering at Becky’s Place

10 a.m. – Class of 1982 Informal Gath-ering at the Mary E. English Commons in Satterlee Hall.

10 a.m. – 11 a.m. – Planetarium Show – Presented by Professor of

Geology Dr. Frank Revetta, (Hon. ’05).

10 a.m. – Noon – Campus Walking Tour, which will conclude in The Crane School of Music. A tour of Crane has been scheduled from 11 a.m. to Noon.

10:15 a.m. – “Meet at Minnie” – The Class of 1962 will meet at Minerva Plaza for their class photo.

10:45 a.m. – 11:45 a.m. – 50-Year Club Reception – All alumni from 1962 and earlier are invited. The Class of 1962 will be officially inducted into

the 50-Year Club during a diploma ceremony led by President John F. Schwaller.

11:45 a.m. – 1:10 p.m. – 50-Year Club Luncheon – All members of the 50-Year Club are invited to a luncheon hosted by the Golden Year Class.

11 a.m. – Noon – Tour of The Crane School of Music

11 a.m. – 2 p.m. – Kayaking Family Outing at Lehman Park – Come en-

joy the great outdoors! Free kayaks, frisbees, badminton, volleyball nets, etc. will be provided for all to enjoy. Bring a blanket for your picnic and don’t forget sunblock! Shuttle service will be available throughout from Ray-mond Hall. First come, first served with kayaks. Stop at Becky’s Place first to pick up lunch to bring along with you.

11:30 a.m. – Sports Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony and Luncheon – Celebrate the careers of the 2012 Hall of Fame Class. Open to all alumni and friends.

Noon – Class of 2002 Informal Lunch – Join your classmates at Eben’s Hearth for lunch.

Noon – Class of 1977 Informal Lunch – Join your classmates at Becky’s Place for lunch.

Noon – Greek Alumni Informal Lunch – Join your fraternity brothers and so-rority sisters at Becky’s Place for lunch.

1:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. – Choral Read-ing – Conducted by Jeffrey Francom, Crane School of Music faculty mem-ber and current conductor of Crane Chorus.

1:30 p.m. – “Preparing Future Teachers in Today’s World” – A discussion led by faculty from The School of Education and Professional Studies.

4 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. – President’s Club and Benjamin F. Raymond Society Reception – (Invitation Only) The College wishes to thank members of the President’s Club and Benjamin F. Raymond Society for their generosity.

5 p.m. – Gala Reception with Alumni Award Presentations and a Silent Auction – Our biggest event of the weekend where alumni, faculty and friends of the College come together to celebrate Potsdam. 6:30 p.m. – Class Dinner - there will be one dinner this year with tables reserved for each class.

8:15 p.m. – Recital Featuring Lisa Vroman ’79 and Dr. Michael Sitton, Dean of The Crane School of Music – Don’t miss this special performance in Snell Theater celebrating Crane’s 125th year. Crane alumna Lisa Vroman will also receive an Honorary Doctor of Music from The State University of New York. (Tickets required.)

8:30 p.m. – Informal Gathering hosted by the Class of 1987 – Join us in the Barrington Student Union Dining Court as we continue mingling and visiting with friends after dinner. A cash bar will be provided.

10 p.m. – 2 a.m. – Double Axel – Maxfields, downtown Potsdam.

Saturday, July 14

Sunday, July 15


One of those serene Swahili proverbs, the kind you want to repeat like amantraorframeonyourwall,says,“Knowledgeislikeanoceanwithoutshores.”

Well, if that’s true, there are several ways to navigate the waters. A technical approach might leave you with a fancy skiff or a practiced

breaststroke to skim the surface. However, advocates for the liberal arts and sciences say they teach students how to swim deep — and flow with the changing tide.

At SUNY Potsdam, the academic leadership, faculty and staff are focused on getting students to go from dipping their toes in that ocean of knowledge to diving in. That is what they do best; it is what makes the Potsdam experience transformational.

The official academic philosophy of The State University of New York at Potsdamstatesitlikethis:“Webelievethatliberallyeducatedindividualsarebest equipped to respond to challenges and to take advantage of opportunities in all areas of life. … The curriculum at SUNY Potsdam blends the liberal and the professional to prepare the whole person for the challenges of living in a complexandchangingglobalenvironment.”

Given an uncertain economy and struggling job markets, that mission and others like it are increasingly being called into question across the country, leaving many wondering whether there are more stormy seas ahead for the liberal arts and sciences.

By Alexandra Jacobs

DivingIn Navigating the Future

Making the Case for the Liberal Arts and Sciences


Marine Biology students are caught off guard by a wave while sampling the surf zone fauna at Pensacola Beach, Florida. The class is part of an affiliate program between the Gulf Coast Research Laboratory of the University of Southern Mississippi and other colleges and universities throughout the country, including SUNY Potsdam.

Photo by Leah Mathias



TheHistoryThe liberal arts tradition stretches back millennia, to the fourth century B.C.

With its roots in the classic “Trivium,” which counted gram-mar, rhetoric and logic as the basis of all learning, the system began along with the dawn of democracy with the Greeks. It later reached conquering Rome, where the ability to study the liberales artes distinguished the freeborn from slaves.

With the addition of the “Quadrivium” (which included mathematics, geometry, music and astronomy), the liberal arts became the basis for entry into degree programs at the world’s first colleges, founded at the turn of the first millennium A.D.

Following the Renaissance and the scientific revolution, the liberal arts expanded to also encompass the physical sciences and the humanities. From those roots, the philosophy of general education swept from the hallways of Oxford and Cambridge to today’s schools and universities across the globe.

The ChallengeNow, even as the American liberal arts and sciences tradition is more accessible than ever, it is also being challenged—especially at public universities, as funding is threatened by severe eco-nomic restraints and state budget deficits.

Florida Governor Rick Scott recently declared that the state shouldn’t focus on funding students who study anthropology, rather they should be focusing on applied technology fields instead. Within SUNY, the University at Albany faced a public outcry last year when it decided to eliminate majors in several foreign languages and theater to remedy fiscal shortfalls.

The New York Times published an article at the outset of the recession in 2009 that said, “In this new era of lengthen-ing unemployment lines and shrinking university endowments, questions about the importance of the humanities in a com-plex and technologically demanding world have taken on new urgency.”

There have been many similar stories since, including a Miller-McCune magazine piece, which asked “Wither the liberal arts college?” and a Newsweek article fearing “the death of the liberal arts.” Most pointed to increased competition for applicants and declining endowments among private, residential liberal arts colleges and predicting an increased interest in pre-professional and technical majors.

As New York Times columnist David Brooks presented it, “When the going gets tough, the tough take accounting.” He later went on to defend the humanities as providing an essential background for understanding the changing times we face.

Proof of ExcellenceVictor E. Ferrall Jr., the president emeritus of Beloit College in Wisconsin, published “Liberal Arts at the Brink” in March 2011. In the book, he argues that while there may be a short-term de-

cline in demand for liberal arts degrees, there are still convincing arguments for students to follow that path anyway.

“The value of [the liberal arts] is to study something that you might not actu-ally do later,” Ferrall said. “I mean studying something you don’t have to so you are focused on the act of learn-ing instead of what you are learning it for. That’s huge. That’s the most important reason why people who have a liberal arts education do well.”

Counter to the assumption that narrow degrees produce recession-proof “employables,” there is data to show that the open-minded creative thinkers that liberal arts and sciences in-stitutions like SUNY Potsdam seek to produce are actually still in high demand in the job market once they graduate.

A 2010 Hart Research Associates study of employers’ views on college learning in the wake of the economic downturn found that the majority (59 percent) of executives surveyed be-lieve that college graduates need to develop both a broad range of skills and in-depth knowledge that applies to a specific field or profession. Those same employers, by the way, reported that when it comes to future hiring, their greatest increase in em-phasis would be on hiring graduates of four-year colleges, rather than applicants with only associate’s or high school degrees.

In addition, a recent survey conducted by the Association of American Colleges and Universities found that 69 percent of business leaders rated the skills gained through a liberal arts education as “very important.” Those employers and CEOs also overwhelmingly said (with 76 percent agreeing) that they would recommend a wide-ranging education with a concentration on one field to a young person they know.

With their foot in the door, graduates with a liberal arts background can also achieve leadership roles within organiza-tions and communities. More Fortune 500 CEOs have hadliberal arts undergraduate degrees than professional degrees, as Richard A. Greenwald reported in Inside Higher Ed in October 2010. “The same is also true of doctors and lawyers,” he wrote.

“Anyone making the case for the irrelevance of liberal arts colleges cannot explain away the oversized contribution that graduates of liberal arts colleges continue to make to commerce, science, technology, the arts and higher education,” U.S. Depart-ment of Education Undersecretary Martha J. Kanter said in June 2010. “I don’t think that liberal arts colleges are destined to be the educational antiquities of the the 21st century.”

The Potsdam ExperienceThe academic leadership at SUNY Potsdam is committed and passionate when it comes to strengthening and defending the In the book, he book, he book, argues that while there may be a short-term de- passionate when it comes to strengthening and strengthening and strengthening defending the defending the defending


“The return on equity I got for my Potsdam education was unbeliev-able. Even though I never went into those fields, my English major and my teaching certification actually got a lot of use in my career in the finance industry. The professors really did take an interest in you. Everybody felt cared for. It was a hopeful, positive environment.”—Jane Murray Wolff ’75, retired vice president for corporate affairs for Fidelity Investments; currently earning her master’s degree in environmental management from Harvard University

do well.”

degree in environmental management from Harvard UniversityHarvard University


1 7 P O T S D A M P E O P L E S P R I N G 2 0 1 21 7 P O T S D A M P E O P L E S P R I N G 2 0 1 2

liberal arts and sciences core.

Take Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Margaret E. Madden. She’ll tell you that the general education program at Potsdam is broader and deeper than most within SUNY and could go head-to-head with other public or private comprehensive programs across the country as well.

“I believe we offer a fantastic bargain compared to private liberal arts colleges. We have high-impact practices here, like undergraduate research, internships and practical experiences, learning com-munities and a broad first-year program, and our faculty/student ratio allows for one-on-one interaction,” she said. “We may not have all the perks or luxuries of private institutions, but we really do pro-vide an excellent education on par with those other colleges.”

The SUNY Potsdam experience begins with general education founda-tions, including communication (both in writing and in speaking), critical thinking and quantitative mathematics courses.

“It is the ‘holy trinity’ of liberal arts and sciences,” said Director of Admissions Tom Nesbitt. “At Potsdam, we teach you to speak, to write and to think critically.”

Every student then pursues the “modes of inquiry,” which at Potsdam cover aesthetic understand-ing, scientific inquiry, social analysis, philoso-phy, American history and world civilizations.

“We believe that the world is a complex place and in order to solve problems you have to be a strong criti-cal thinker who is able to bring different ways of understanding to the table. If you don’t have, for instance, exposure to the scientific method, it would be very hard to evaluate the science and technology that’s applied in your field. You can make the same argument about globalization and multicul-tural trends in the U.S. In order to understand your neighbors, your co-workers,

your employees, your clients, you need to know how cultural influences impact them,” Dr. Madden said.

The modes of inquiry requirement challenges students to try something new. They must take arts courses in two different disciplines, one of which must focus on critical understanding. The same goes for the sciences. You’ve got to complete work in both the physical and biology sciences, plus a lab. When it comes to history and global affairs, students take the classic U.S. history and western civiliza-tion courses as well as a cross-cultural perspective course.

On top of all this, every graduate must pass both a writing-intensive and a speaking-intensive course, as well as a modern language proficiency class (be it French, Spanish or Arabic), and, of course,

physical education. Nesbitt, who speaks to hundreds of

prospective students each year, describes the Potsdam educational program this way:

“We owe it to students to teach the core competencies. Once you’ve got that, you have the general education, which includes how to look at the world around you—not only how you fit in, but how others fit in that world, so hopefully you can begin to see your career, your life, not only as a body of coursework but an on-going process of learning,” he said. “Then, you have the ability to apply your trade to other topics. Often in the process, you find out that what you thought you wanted to do isn’t what you end up do-ing, precisely because of the opportunities you get at SUNY Potsdam.”

3Schools, 3StrengthsDr. Steven Marqusee, dean of The School of Arts and Sciences, where many of the general education foundation courses are offered, said that interactions among the College’s three schools are better than ever, and that the continued growth of interdisciplinary programs on campus points to the strength of the Col-lege’s academic mission.

“I liken it to what’s really the ba-sis of evolution, which essentially says

that those organisms that are most variable have the best chance of surviving; in other words, they can adapt to changing environ-ments. In my mind, students very specifi-cally trained to a certain type of career are the ones who have prob-lems when the situation changes,” Dr. Marqusee said. “When I’ve talked to our alumni, this is something they recog-nize after they graduate. Sometimes a class can

help you think a different way than you ever would have before. So, you benefit down the line in ways you couldn’t imag-ine when you’re taking the course.”

SUNY Potsdam’s roots, of course, go all the way back to 1816, with the

“No one else that I’ve ever worked with as a scientist recalls taking theatre production or children’s litera-ture as part of their undergraduate training. I think the liberal arts exposure at Potsdam really broadens you as

a person. It’s not only the knowledge, but also an ability

to communicate and interact with a broader audience of people than you would if you just had your head down working on only one discipline. It’s amazing to find out how many of my friends from Potsdam are suc-

cessful in their careers in various disciplines all across the country.”—Paul Caracciolo ’84, president of Direct HIT (Healthcare Information Technology) and president of Mill Station Vineyards,

Russian River Valley, California

“SUNY Potsdam gave me the foundation for my career, and that foundation was my curiosity and learning to be inquisitive. I want to know from potential employees how we can differentiate and get ahead in the marketplace by being creative. Being a really good gen-eralist, I have knowledge of a lot of different things and I know how to figure things out. That’s what I look for.”—Lee Allen ’87, director of strategic planning for Lowe’s Companies, Inc.

help you think a different

—Lee Allen ’87, director of strategic —Lee Allen ’87, director of strategic planning for Lowe’s Companies, Inc.



founding of St. Lawrence Academy, the first higher education institution in the North Country. The College’s history as a teacher-training academy holds strong in its continued emphasis on quality education and professors who inspire.

A lot has changed in education in the nearly 200 years since the College’s founding. Today, teachers can specialize in a variety of fields and undergradu-ates studying at Potsdam rely just as much on the general education fields to broaden their perspective.

Dr. Peter Brouwer, dean of The School of Education and Professional Studies, which also houses the College’s business administration and community health programs, noted that teachers often act as counselors and mentors to their students, and need a background in psychology and sociology to thrive.

“We pride ourselves at Potsdam on looking at the whole education. We re-ally try to help our education students, for instance, see that bigger picture as well. The teacher is not just a person in front of the classroom; they also play a broader role in the school and in the community,” Dr. Brouwer said.

As one of the premier arts campuses within SUNY, Potsdam offers the full palette: theatre, dance, fine arts, creative writing, and, of course, music. The arts infuse everything, from the sculpture and mural displays across campus, to the volumes of student poetry and short stories that are published annually, to the hundreds of plays, operas, dance perfor-mances and concerts offered each year. Every student, no matter his or her major, is surrounded by a culture of creativity.

The Crane School of Music, which is continuing its 125th anniversary celebration in 2011-12, is in some ways critical to the College’s liberal arts and sciences environment, and a point of distinction when comparing Potsdam to its competitive set.

“It is easily and unfortunately forgotten that the medieval European university tradition, in which modern higher education is rooted, placed mu-sic among the seven liberal arts,” said The Crane School of Music Dean, Dr. Michael Sitton. “The musical presence of Crane at Potsdam, I believe, en-riches the liberal arts experience of all

Potsdam students, and Crane students are, in turn, enriched by the excel-lent grounding in the liberal arts and sciences available to them at SUNY Potsdam.”

The tradition of innovation that Crane is celebrating along with its milestone year hearkens back to the interdisciplinary work in the school’s history. Dr. Sitton noted that Helen M. Hosmer shared her deep interest in lit-erature and all the arts with the entire campus during her time in his position, as she brought all of those elements into the Spring Festival and hosted groundbreaking study abroad trips.

“When I speak to some of our most accomplished Crane alumni, whether they are successful educational lead-ers, professional performers, or leaders in music business, they deeply value not only their musical experiences at Potsdam, but also their broad arts and sciences education, which enabled them to excel in an astonishing variety of career paths,” Dr. Sitton said.

The FutureInterest in the SUNY Potsdam stu-dent experience holds strong, as large first-year classes have continued to join campus for the past three years running, and as alumni passion remains unabated for helping their alma mater succeed.

“After they graduate, SUNY Potsdam alumni are lifelong learners. They stay current with what’s happen-ing in the world. Their eyes have been opened. Making that kind of educa-tion available at an accessible cost is extremely important for democracy to function, so that a broader section of people can have those skills,” Dr. Brouwer said.

So, what does the future hold for the liberal arts and sciences at SUNY Potsdam? Gazing out at that ocean of knowledge, the College’s students, faculty and staff are holding course through choppy waters. With an eye to the stars and sails to the wind, the cam-pus is navigating a strong path—and its students are ready to drop anchor and dive in.

“We don’t live in a multiple-choice world. That’s why when our district looks to hire em-ployees, we need someone with the ability to analyze problems and integrate different view-points. I have been able to maximize my SUNY Potsdam liberal arts background not only to be an effective educa-tor, but also to be a leader in team building and responsibility. I gained a strong understand-ing of different backgrounds and historical context to understand diversity. —Dr. Mark Davey ’84, superintendent of Gates-Chili Central School District and president of the SUNY Potsdam School of Education Alumni Advisory Board




1940sBeryl Schuttler Marshall ’48 is happy to know that her class’s scholarship continues to support cur-rent students at Potsdam. She wishes to remind her classmates that they can still contribute to the Class of 1948 Scholarship and help it grow.

1950sClara Veryzer Bergen’s ’51 husband, John, has suc-cumbed to a long-standing illness.

Charles Barone’s ’51 son, Joseph, is preparing his high school band to march in the Epcot Parade in Orlando this spring.

Patricia Plumb Bretscher ’51 has sadly hung up her Argentine Tango dancing shoes but is grateful for the years of pleasure danc-ing gave her.

Adele Porth Brown ’51, her husband, Dick, and her daughter, Debbie, thor-oughly enjoyed a summer visit to both the Potsdam and Clarkson campuses.

Adele highly recommends the biography of Helen Hosmer by Dr. Nelly Case and has vivid memories of waiting on Dr. Hosmer and Robert Shaw in the College cafeteria in 1951.

Barbara Calipari ’51 spent two wonderful weeks in southern California last spring. She particularly enjoyed the Getty Center and a symphony concert at the Disney Concert Hall.

J. Ray Charette ’51 and Claire have abandoned florida to live in their Mas-sena, NY, home full-time.

Bob Courtemanche ’51 has moved from High Point, NC, to Louisville, KY.

Fay Guhring Davis ’51 conducted an ecumeni-cal choir for the annual Thanksgiving service in the ft. Herkimer historic church.

Norma Vescovi Disinger ’51 had a ball at the Class of 1951 60th reunion. She and barbara butler Herne ’51, who prepared a chorus for Endwell’s Harmony Club Christmas program, were houseguests of Millie Davey Eldridge ’51.

Jane McDevitt Eagan ’51 was delighted by a visit from Millie Armet Wied-mann ’51, who was on her way to Potsdam for the 60th class reunion.

The grandson of Bob Frank ’51 and his wife, Mary, will graduate from SuNY Potsdam in June 2012, the fourth family member to do so.

Eileen Belsito Gentilcore ’51 was recognized by Cambridge Who’s Who for demonstrating dedication, leadership and excellence in education. Her capacity to develop programs and diagnose the needs of chil-dren with disabilities has been recognized by the New York Senate, naming her Woman of Distinction in 1998.

Leslie Goff Hosley ’51 and her husband, Hank, have two musical sons. David ’79 is a professor of music at SuNY Albany, and he and his brother, Robert, have a jazz ensemble.

Joyce Merrick Howitt ’51 and Wylan were pleased to attend the 60th reunion af-ter many years away from the North Country.

Norma Jean Lamb ’51 en-joyed a busy August week at the renowned Chau-tauqua Institution. She also visited Cooperstown’s Glimmerglass Opera for two fine performances.

Polly House Lenhart ’51 is a Meals on Wheels volunteer and sings in the Masterworks Chorus of florence, SC.

Ruth Palen Lord ’51 and Sylvester weathered unadilla’s flooding by the Susquehanna River last Au-gust. This was the second flood in five years.

Dellice MacLaren McGee ’51 lost her husband, Dick, last July.

Eleanor Noble McQuade ’51 is a published author. Her book, “break the Chains,” is a devotional aid for prisoners both of circumstance and incar-ceration.

Bette Maguire May ’51 was happy to escape Arizona’s heat for Lake Placid, NY, her Adirondack hometown.

Ann Maggi Pacillio ’51 is proud of her daughter and grandson, who both ran in last year’s boston and New York Marathons.

Last year, Sr. Laura (Lillian) Palka ’51 helped organize the international convo-cation of the ukrainian Order of St. basil Major in Philadelphia for the Centennial celebration of the Order’s North American foundation.

Winnie Toelke Peer ’51, her daughter, Susan Peer Scheu ’77, and grand-daughter, Roxanne, had a wonderful trip to Greece last summer. Winnie also enjoyed being with Ago roommates Ann Maggie Pacilio ’51 and Norma Jean Lamb ’51 at “Nim’s” Lake Placid home and at the 60th class reunion.

Sue Selman ’51 delighted in last year’s visits to her florida home from north-ern family members.

Mildred Armet Wiedmann ’51 and Don enjoyed back-to-back cruises from ft. Lauderdale last year. Millie’s new hobby is reading tomb-stones in aid of a Delaware state genealogy group.

Hastings-on-Hudson, NY, honored Peter DeLuke ’55 with a benefit concert for scholarships. Performing groups, comprised of re-turning alumni from 1960 to 1985, put on classical and jazz performances. The major concert took place at boulanger Plaza in the heart of town in Septem-ber 2011.

Gina Shaw (Jean Buxton) ’55 retired from most of her musical responsibilities and is currently pursu-ing a doctorate in holistic healing. She continues to play viola in the Claremont Symphony when she is not conducting.

Vince Corozine ’57 retired from teaching music and now teaches 12 music arranging and composition classes online. He plays lead alto sax and writes for the Norm Hathaway band in NYC. They ap-peared on broadway at the Iridium Jazz Club in August, with “The Way We Were” show, and on the “Holiday Swing” show in December. Vince has arranged and produced “Jazzin’ the Nursery Rhymes” for easy piano and voice with instrumen-tal background in various jazz and classical styles. His book, “Arranging Music for the Real World,” published by Mel bay is doing well.

Patricia Calderella Samar-co ’58 has spent 53 years in the education field. She taught elementary school for 37 years, teaching all grade levels, and helped start Westmoreland Road Elementary School in Whitesboro, which opened in 1965. Since retiring, Samarco remains in education, both serving as a substitute teacher and supervising approximately 200 student teachers.

1960sDonald Coakley ’60 has been named Canadian Composer of the Year by the Canadian Music Coun-cil. He received the award in Toronto in October.

Each summer since 1990, Judith Spitzel Wieserner ’61 and several friends have met at Tanglewood (1991) and Chatauqua (1992-2011), including Carol Murphy Streator ’61, Joberta Schriver Wilson ’61,

1920s Ann “Annie” K. (Murray) Scott ’29 celebrated her 103rd birthday and credits her longevity to a life filled with hard work and staying active. Annie (seated) goes to exercise class three times a week and to church on Sundays. She also enjoys playing bingo and shopping with friends.

CLASS notes



CLASS notes

Sue Fay Geyer Allen ’61, Virginia Sykes ’61, Mary Ann Miller Valaitis-Whaley ’61, Nina fotorny DiAngelis, Gae Galza ’61 and Betty Gibson Venator ’61.

Miriam Boruchow Furst ’62 created a website, family-funontherun.com, offering fun ideas for turning fam-ily time into meaningful, memorable experiences.

Kay Petch Grossmann ’64 now has six grand-daughters. Two live in the Chicago area and four live in Raleigh, NC.

Linda (Paul) Mason ’64 and her husband, John, have an 18-month-old granddaughter, Kellyn, whom they babysit every Wednesday. “She is a red-haired, blue-eyed doll.”

Wilma Reynolds Will-son’s ’64 granddaughter, Courtney Gullage, began her freshman year in August 2011, and Wilma is “thrilled she picked my alma mater. Also, I loved attending the Omega Delta Phi 50th reunion in July along with 174 of my sisters.”

After having taught in the South Colonie Central Schools for 32-plus years, Judith Allen ’66 took a position teaching middle school math and social studies in Maadi, Cairo, Egypt, for six years. She used every opportunity during that time to travel in Africa, Asia and Europe. She is excited about her next big move from baldwinsville, NY, to the Sarasota area in florida.

Karen (Rudikoff) Athey ’66 completed her seventh post heart transplant year. She taught for 36 years, mostly in Kinder. She would love to hear from any of those who remember her from her college days.

Connie Wilbur MacMillan ’66 is semi-retired, but continues to teach piano. She is a substitute church organist and spends time with her seven grandchil-dren. Connie was a staff accompanist in the vocal division at Hartt School of Music, university of Hart-ford, as well as a freelance accompanist for NATS, recitals and concerts, and Western Connecticut State university. from 1990 to 2003 she was a music teacher, accompanist, and head of the conservatory at a private university prepa-ratory school in Canada.

Professional conductor, clinician, author and composer John Armstrong ’68 travels extensively to

teach and conduct. He was a first-prize winner at the Ithaca College Choral Composition Contest and has been the winner of the Iowa Choral Commission-ing Competition.

Glenn ’68 and Linda Kyne Murray ’68 moved to Cheyenne after 43 years in Kemmerer. Linda taught for 35 years, and Glenn taught for 40 years, coaching their boys’ basketball team to their only state champion-ship.

Although officially retired, Lorraine Farley Clarke ’69 is starting three home-based businesses for at-home pet sitting, respite care and fundraising/stewardship consulting.

Jack O. Maines ’69 and his wife are excited grand-parents. Their son, brian, and his wife, Kerry, are the proud parents of twins, Riley and Devin, born on April 16, 2011.

Jerome “Jerry” Shedd ’69 has written music for band, chorus, orchestra, chamber ensembles, solo instruments and voice. His “Second Symphony” was commissioned by the Metropolitan Youth Orchestra, and premiered in Avery fisher Hall, Lincoln Center in 2007. He and his wife, Lindi bortney, are ac-tive in community musical life and are members of the Vermont Symphony Orchestra Chorus. Shedd conducted “Of Thee I Sing” for White River Valley Play-ers, and “The Music Man” for Middlebury Community Players. He is also the con-ductor of the Middlebury Community Ensemble, “Middle Winds,” which premiered his “Addison Peaks” in 2005.

1970sRalph Hastings’ ’70 organ composition “fanfare and Chorale for a Wedding” has been published by Wayne Leopold Editions of Colfax, SC. His unpublished work for mixed choir, “Choral Setting of Two Texts by Longfellow,” was premiered by the Malone Central School’s franklin Academy Concert Choir at the school’s spring concert.

Teresa Hemming Lippold ’70 retired to the Texas Hill Country after a successful career in Houston, TX.

Denise A. White ’70, a writer at Hat Daze, has been recognized by Cambridge Who’s Who for demonstrating dedication, leadership and excellence in writing. She has pub-lished three poems and a novel, “The Goose and the Crone.”

Anthony LoBalbo ’71 entered his 36th full-time year of teaching at St. John’s university in New York City. He is also music director/organist at St. Patrick’s Church in bedford Village, NY, and in the fall 2011 semester, taught two sections of history of music in film at Onondaga Com-munity College. He is also entering his 13th year as a police officer in the Town of Lewisboro in Westches-ter County, NY.

Colleen Dolan Stadnick ’71 is KMTA’s theory test and scholarship chairman and is currently the webmaster and publicity chairman. She attended her 40th re-union in July. She met a lot of new sisters from Omega Delta Phi, which celebrated its 50-year anniversary. “Many, many wonderful memories of my college years came flooding back! It is great to see how much the campus has expanded, especially Crane, and how green it has become! Thanks for a wonderful Reunion Weekend!”

Matthew Breitenbach ’72 and his wife, Terry, are retired from upstate New York and enjoying living in Manhattan. He is keeping busy with photography and coordinating the volunteer program for Save Ellis Island. The couple enjoys attending lectures and shows, and loves spending time with their grandchildren.

Retired Rome free Academy Social Stud-ies teacher Gary R. Ford ’72 was honored

with the 2011 Medal of 1777 at a ceremony at the Lake Delta Inn. The medal symbolizes the uncon-quered defenders of fort Stanwix during the british Siege in the American Revolution and is awarded annually to individuals who have exhibited dedi-cation to the preservation of local history and the American heritage.

SUNY Potsdam Welcomes New Foundation Board Members

Charles William Ayer Jr. ’75, Mark B. Hassenplug ’83 and Eileen Goss Whelley ’76. The Foundation Board plays a critical role in protecting the Potsdam experience.

potsdam.edu/alumni/giving/



Patricia Lantry O’Reilly ’72 retired from the New York State Department of Labor in September.

Janice (Howe) Eplett ’73 retired from IbM after a successful career of more than 32 years in the information technology industry. She remains ac-tive as a violinist with the fort Wayne Philharmonic and Muncie Symphony Orchestra.

Peter Laspina ’73 retired from the Northport-East Northport schools in 2008, moving to brazil to take a position at an American school. He left the school in 2010 to work at Viamundi, teaching English and translating research to be published in international journals and scholarly publications. Peter obtained a brazilian permanent visa and he and his wife, Jô, bought a house in June. In 2014 he plans to see the World Cup.

Nancy Cornell Mitchell ’73, program director of the Rochester General Hospital School of Medical Technology, reports that the program is now on facebook.

Keith D. Smith ’73 retired from SuNY Cortland in December 2010 after serv-ing as EOP director from July 1992 to December 2010. Previously, he served as EOP director at SuNY Plattsburgh from 1981 to 1992 and as HEOP director at utica College of Syracuse university from 1979 to 1981. Since 2010, Keith has been living in the

“municipality” of Malalag, in the province of Davao del Sur, on the island of Mindanao,

on the southernmost island in the Philippines.

Sue Babcock ’74 was recognized by the Taiwan government in June 2011 for her outstanding teach-ing and community service contributions to Taiwan for the past 20 years.

Judith Scordino Hayes ’74 retired last year from the West Islip School District after 34 years of teaching. She had a great time guest conducting for SCMEA in March 2011 and enjoys golfing in florida during snowstorms on Long Island.

Martin Lasher ’75 was honored by the Heuvelton Alumni Association with the Distinguished Alumni Award in August.

Jeffrey Robinson ’75 re-ceived his Ph.D. and lives in Durban, South Africa, with his wife and two children.

Robert Wagner ’75 sold his company, Northeast Analytical Inc., to Pace Analytical Services Inc. in November 2010. bob will be pursuing new business ventures.

Steve Bach ’76 has per-formed, conducted and recorded the world over with many fine artists including Andy Williams, Sergio Mendez, Stanley Clarke, Kitaro, Airto Morera and flora Purim. Currently,

he is the musical direc-tor of Zarkana, a Cirque du Soleil production that played at Radio City Music Hall in New York City until October and then in Madrid and Moscow.

Helen Demong ’76 has brought music to the lives of thousands of Saranac Lake Central School’s stu-dents and families. She has served as a music educator, choral director for the SLHS Concert Choir and vocal ensembles and director of numerous SLHS musical theatre productions. She is also the voice of ADK Jazz, a black-tie, five-piece jazz ensemble, singing vocals to the group’s jazz standards from the Great American Songbook.

Connie Blevins Hayes ’76 took over as the director of special services in the Katonah-Lewisboro School District. She was previously the assistant superinten-dent of pupil personnel services in the New Paltz Central School District.

Ronald Chesbrough ’78 became St. Charles Com-munity College’s new president in October. He previously served as vice president for student af-fairs at Hastings College. Ronald lives in Nebraska with his wife, Anne, and their five daughters.

for seven years, 58-year-old Russell Clark ’78 has won the XTERRA off-road triathlon’s Northeast re-gional championship in his age group and has gone all the way to the world championship in Hawaii.

Michael P. Danis ’78 began his 32nd year as a music educator/administrator and is currently district director of fine arts for the burnt Hills-ballston Lake Central School District. Prior to this, Michael was an instrumental music teacher/band director at Arlington Schools in Poughkeepsie, NY, and the

Averill Park Central Schools in Averill Park, NY. Michael has also been an active professional musician. Michael lives in Latham, NY, with his wife, Ellen. His son Gregory is a Master of Music candidate at South-ern Methodist university in Dallas, TX, where he stud-ies saxophone with Donald Fabian ’79.

Martin Girling ’78 merged his practice with a spe-cialty doctor group and was named director of Southern florida baptist Hospitals’ Wound Care Center and Hyperbaric Medicine after completing a term as chief of staff at SfbH.

Omega Delta Phi pledge sisters Carole Lauzon Raymonda ’78 and Nancy Bohenek Jones ’78, at-tended the July banquet for Omega’s 50th Anniversary. Carole currently teaches high school chemistry in Malone, NY, after working as a researcher at Kodak in Rochester. She received her Master of Education from Roberts Wesleyan College in Rochester, NY. Nancy, who lives in North Carolina, earned a Master of Science in Environmental Science and Engineering from

the university of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and works as a consultant in air pollution to the u.S.E.P.A.

Donnalyn Eaton Shuster ’78 received the 2010 Youth Art Month Com-mendation Award at the 2011 NAEA Convention in Seattle, WA, in March 2011 for starting the official YAM recognition program in New York State endorsed by the New York State Art Teacher’s Association. Plan-ning Omega’s 50th anniver-sary, serving on the Greek Alumni Council and SuNY Alumni board keep her connections to Potsdam strong. “Meeting 175 of our alumni at the 50th was a once in a lifetime event!”

1980sRich Campbell’s ’80 choral piece, “Coney Island,” was the winner of the 2011 Composition Competition for the Kansas City-based choir, Octarium. It was performed in the Midwest in March 2012. The Man-hattan Choral Ensemble also performed the piece in May.

CLASS notes

TELL uS yOuR STORy!

do you have a funny or significant story to share about your time at Potsdam? what is it about yourPotsdam experience that made it memorable or special? E-mail us at [email protected]

Mary Pat (Enright) Fleming ’82 (left)received the Distinguished Alumni Speaker Award in November in recognition of her visit to campus to speak to students in Professor Tim Gordinier’s (right) politics classes and to present a pre-law forum. fleming is civil chief in the united States Attorney’s Office, Western District of New York.



CLASS notes

Steven Constantino ’80 became superintendent of the Williamsburg-James City County School District in february.

In 1991, Ronald S. Fishbeck ’80 co-founded Systems Made Simple Inc., a leading supplier of information technology services to the healthcare marketplace. His firm topped $70 mil-lion in revenue for 2010 and employs over 600 staff, with offices in Syracuse, NY; McLean, VA; Salt Lake City, uT; and Tampa, fL.

Jack Knight ’80, Rich Campbell ’80, Gary Lefkowitz ’79, Tony Morab-ito ’87, Steve Moskowitz ’79, Scott Goodman ’78, Joel Levy ’80, Jay Friedman ’78 and Gene Tranchino ’79 got together in Tribeca for a reunion, then dropped by to see Tom Melito ’78 and Larry Ham ’82 at their gig...fun!

Lou LaGrand (Hon. ’80) wrote a new book titled “Healing Grief, finding Peace,” which was released in the fall.

Terri (Witz) Moraca ’80 teaches band and orches-tra to 400 fourth-and fifth-grade students at three schools in the greater Washington, DC area. On the side, she teaches piano, enjoys yoga and is plan-ning to co-direct the sixth-grade North County Hon-ors Orchestra. She was also the recipient of a $1,000 award given by the retired teachers association in order to study at Villonova university “Eastern String Teachers’ Week.” She is still friends with Ron Isaacson ’83, another “Cranie” who also works in DC.

Susan Hurley-Glowa ’81 is an assistant professor of ethnomusicology and ap-plied horn at the university of Texas at brownsville. She studied horn with Roy Schaberg and Ifor James, and holds a PhD. in ethnomusicology from

brown university. before moving to Texas, she was a member of the fairbanks Symphony Orchestra, the Arctic Chamber Orches-tra and the university of Alaska fairbanks Music Department faculty.

Cathy Fuller O’Toole’s ’81 son, Connor, entered his senior year at Clarkson university and her son, Col-lin, entered his junior year at Skaneateles High.

Cindi Cole Shear ’81, Don-nalyn Eaton Shuster ’78 and Sherry Barcomb Clines ’81 reunited after 30 years at the Omega Delta Phi 50th anniversary celebra-tion held during Reunion Weekend.

Theresa (Claffey) Trimble ’81 was promoted to as-sistant director of human resources at the federal Reserve board.

Stephen Ayer ’82 owns more than 100 reptiles in-cluding geckos, snakes and Chinese Dragons, and is opening his own pet store, Jabberwock Reptiles. He enjoys tracing the lineage of each species and has been able to breed geckos with interesting patterns and eye colors.

Lisa (Hashimoto) Payne ’82 was awarded the 2010-11 SuNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Profes-sional Service for her work as a research & planning analyst at Tompkins Cort-land Community College in May 2011. Payne has been working in the Institution-al Research Department at TC3 since 2001.

Deborah (Carolus) Trusty-Prewitt ’82 is celebrating 20 years at ACI Worldwide, Inc., where she has had a

number of opportunities. Her son, frank, is a sopho-more at Colorado State university in fort Collins, CO. Deborah wishes her sisters at Omega Delta Phi Sorority a happy 50th.

Michael L. Schack ’83 started a law partnership, Plager Schack LLP, in 2008 with Mark Plager after seven years as senior VP and general counsel of a conglomerate of national real estate companies. In 2011, he moved to the Philadelphia area to be closer to his daughter and grandsons, where his firm will have an East Coast office in addition to its Northern New Jersey and Southern California offices.

Joseph Dempsey ’84 re-cently gave a presentation on YouTube Math at the 2011 AMTNYS Conference. His daughter, Jennifer, is a senior math and com-puter science major at St. bonaventure university and looking forward to graduate school. His youngest daughter, Erin, is starting her freshman year as an English and Spanish Major, also at St. bonaventure. Joseph is cur-rently busy completing his second master’s degree in educational computing at buffalo State College and would like to connect with more of his past college friends on facebook.

Haden Land ’84, vice presi-dent and chief technology officer for the Lockheed Martin Corporation, was featured in a recent edition of Hispanic Executive in a

cover story titled “Tech Gi-ants.” The article described “power players like Haden Land of Lockheed Martin are serious about trans-forming the IT field – one byte at a time.” Land has presented at a number of national conferences on IT issues, delivering the keynote address at the Complex Adaptive Systems conference in Chicago, organized by the Mis-souri university of Science and Technology. Land is a trustee of the Potsdam Col-lege foundation, Inc.

Lois Little ’84 is going back to school after 27 years to work on a master’s program in educational leadership. Lois helped her sisters in Omega Delta Phi celebrate their 50th anniversary with 175 other sisters during Reunion Weekend. “Campus looks wonderful! The trees and flowers and landscaping make it really a beauti-ful campus and I enjoyed walking around it again. It

was a wonderful, memo-rable, awesome weekend and I hope to attend more in the future.”

Sharon Tompkins Tedford ’84 and her partner, Lori, are pleased to announce the adoption of their third child. Jackson joined his older brothers on August 22, 2011, and has been with the family since he was four months old.

Mary Ginther Turo ’84 had a great time coming back to Potsdam for Reunion Weekend and Omega Delta Phi’s 50th anniversary. “It was so much fun to see so many old friends.”

Tom Hull ’85 has been named vice president and chief information officer at Pace university in West-chester and New York City. Hull was previously CIO at Siena College and Virginia Commonwealth university.

“Tech

JOiN tHe beNJAMiN F. rAYMOND SOCietY

it is the easiest gift you will ever make! it is simple to do. Just name the Potsdam College Foundation as a beneficiary in your will, trust, irA, life insurance or other asset.

For more information visit the College’s estate and gift planning website at potsdam.edu/advance/giftplan or contact Jason Ladouceur, director of gift planning directly at 315-267-2123 or [email protected]

As you plan

your future, invest

in Potsdam’s



CLASS notes

John Augustus (Gus) Brooks ’86 owns a veterinary hospital and is a member of the most successful senior hockey team with seven state and six national titles in the 18 and over elite league.

William Borland ’87 has been employed at White-face Mountain, site of the 1980 Winter Olympic Alpine events, since 2007. He was promoted to the position of business man-ager in September 2011.

Pegeen Jensen ’87 is a first-grade teacher at Saddlewood Elementary in the South Colonie District, where she is involved with organizing the school’s Math Olympiad. Pegeen was also recently ap-pointed to the Rensselaer County Historical Society board of Trustees.

Lee Allen ’87 received the Distinguished Alumni Speaker Award in Novem-ber in recognition of his visit to campus to speak to business administration students and present a ca-reer session sponsored by the future business Lead-

ers of America (fbLA). Allen is director of strategic plan-ning at Lowe’s Companies Inc., headquartered near Charlotte, NC. Presenting the award to Allen were Director of Development Emily Hutchison and Kyle Rizzo ’12, president of SuNY Potsdam’s fbLA.

Lisa M. Sommella Mc-Coulskey ’87 received her master’s in music educa-tion and piano pedagogy from the College of St. Rose in 1995 and is currently en-rolled in the administration post-graduate program at George Washington university. She plans to complete the program in June 2012 and begin the doctoral program in educa-tion in December 2012. Currently, Lisa is teaching at Yorktown Middle School as the choral director for grades six to eight.

Jill Tolfree Smith ’87 returned from China to attend Reunion Weekend with 175 of her Omega Delta Phi sisters. “It was so worth the trip!”

Dan Van Vleck ’87 has been a special education teacher in Spencerport Central School District since 1998. This year, in addition to being a con-sultant teacher and 15:1 social studies teacher, he has become an 8:1:1 math and social studies teacher.

Thomas L. French ’88, English teacher at Massena J.W. Leary Jr. High School, has documented pieces of history of the Thousand Islands in his book “River Views: A History of the Thousand Islands in 3-D.” His book contains more than 100 stereocards from the 1870s to the 1880s, which provide a 3-D effect when viewing the cards through a 3-D foldable viewer that is included in the book. french has been collecting the stereocards for over 15 years and came across some of the Thou-sand Islands images when his mother Nellie Taylor, curator of the Thousand Islands Park Museum, received them on loan.

Darren Mott ’88 has been appointed unit chief within the fbI’s Counterintelli-gence Division at fbI Head-quarters in Washington, DC. Mott directs the fbI’s national program efforts to combat the intelligence gathering operations of cyber actors from overseas national states.

Michael Mallory ’89 was inducted into the Visual and Performing Arts Hall of fame at Paul V. Moore High School in April 2011.

1990s

Paul J. Kelly ’90, Phi Kappa Sigma member, recently became board-certified in construction law by the florida bar Association.

Jeffrey Cateon ’91 was named principal of the Mary K. Goode Elementary School in Middleboro, MA, after serving three years as assistant principal in Hali-fax, MA. His wife, Kim, has

been promoted to director of pulmonary rehab.

Lt. Col. Walter W. Jacobs ’91, a civil affairs team chief who has served in the military for 26 years, was mobilized and activated by the Army at Joint base Dix-McGuire-Lakehurst, NJ and served a deployment in support of Operation New Dawn in the Iraqi Theater of Operations. In 2002, he was awarded a bronze Star following service in Afghanistan.

Seana Coughlin Mancini’s ’91 son, Owen Henry, was born in August 2008, the summer she and her family moved back to New York after nine years in Atlanta. She had a wonderful time in July at her Omega Delta Phi 50th anniversary celebration.

Kimberly Mietus Collazo ’92 and her husband, Angelo, are getting ready to once again honor the memory of their first daughter, Alle Shea, who passed away from OI, a brittle bone disease. They have, over the past two years since Alle’s passing, raised over $26,000 for the OI foundation in her memory, and they were the recipients of the 2010 Presidential Award for Adult Volunteers, which will be presented officially in July 2012 at the national conference for OI in Wash-ington, DC.

After 16 years, Douglas Kashorek ’93 has com-pleted his book “Kin of Cain,” about doing what is expected of you, versus fol-lowing your own path. The story is a fusion of biblical stories of Genesis with the classic beowulf. He is currently working on two sequels, entitled “blood of Abel” and “Son of Seth.”

Samuel Evan Kreider ’93 was promoted to associate professor of philosophy with tenure at the univer-sity of Wisconsin-fox Valley.

Mark E. Nowakowski ’93 was promoted to coor-dinator of the Homeless Program at the Veterans Administration in Water-town, NY.

Lisa Hertzner ’94, whose stage name is Lisa Casalino, is experienc-ing tremendous success performing the national anthem at professional sports games and prepar-ing for the release of her debut self-titled album, consisting of three original songs and nine jazz and standards covers.

R. Christopher Hobaica ’95 launched HNP Growth and Preservation fund, a mutual fund. He is co-portfolio manager with E. David Kailbourne. Dave’s brother Troy Kailbourne ’94 also graduated from SuNY Potsdam.

Michelle (Normandeau) Shoemaker ’95 joined the staff at All Newton Music School in Newton, MA, as director of communica-tions in September.

Todd Thomas ’96 is very involved in commu-nity activities in both his professional capacity and through volunteerism. He is a managing attorney at Southern Tier Legal Services, which provides services to those in need who are unable to afford a private attorney.

Jeffrey Falardeau ’98 was named the assistant ath-letic director for the A&E Center at Ithaca College.

Second Lieutenant Mark Lynch ’08, a former student ambassador, is in Military Intelligence and has been in and out of Africa since his training.



CLASS notes

Timothy Murray ’99 is a newly transplanted “West-ern New Yorker” having re-cently left a ten-year career at Carnegie Hall in NYC to raise his family on an old farmstead in the bucolic village of Honeoye falls.

Kevin T. Nograsek ’99 is a senior respiratory sales representative for Merck & Co. He currently resides in Cicero, NY, with his wife of five years, Melissa.

Colleen Tvede Roby ’99 and her husband are celebrating owning and operating their own res-taurant, Terrafin Station, in Garner, NC, for one year. Colleen celebrated 50 years of sisterhood with Omega Delta Phi in July 2011.

2000sMatthew Johnson ’01 was named Teacher of the Year at Russom Elementary School, Paulding County, GA, where he has taught fourth grade since 2002. The honor is based on let-ters submitted by parents and students of the school.

David ’02 and Kara (Korkus) Klink ’00 bought a home in May, vacationed in Australia in April, and celebrated their second anniversary in October.

Jonathan Eldridge ’03 has served as a music teacher at Chenery Middle School in belmont, MA, since 2003 and is the new music teacher for the Weston Middle and High Schools.

Lowell Warner ’03 was installed as the 2011-12 president of the Rotary Club of Potsdam, NY. He is owner and president of Gulf Management LLC and Safe Lock Storage LLC and sits on the Canton-Pots-dam Hospital foundation board.

Melissa Wegner ’03 has been named associate director of the Metropoli-tan Opera National Council Auditions.

John D. Peck ’04 was elect-ed to the Jefferson County Legislature. His goal is to improve conditions for local farmers so that his son, two-year-old John L., can one day be the ninth generation of Pecks to own and operate a farm.

Marc Giosi ’05 relocated from New York City to ac-cept the position of execu-tive director for Chatham baroque, an internation-ally acclaimed early music ensemble based in Pitts-burgh, PA, where he over-sees all of their operations. formerly, he worked at Chamber Music America as their conference & events manager. Marc also contin-ues to work as a freelance pianist and teacher.

Jessica Kleppang ’06 brings her expertise in commu-nications planning and social media management to Adworkshop. She joins the growing interactive and search-marketing teams and spent her first week attending the Search Marketing Expo in New York City.

Tiffany (Conn) Soricelli ’06 and her husband, Robert ’06, moved to Troy, NY, where Robert will be teaching seventh-grade chorus at the burnt Hills-ballston Lake Middle School and Tiffany will be the assistant director for annual giving at the Sage Colleges.

Malcolm White Elemen-tary School in Woburn, MA, welcomed Eric Stark ’06 as the new principal. He previously spent five years at Downey Elemen-tary School in Westbrook teaching first, second, and third grades and was the assistant to the principal.

Robert Fields ’07 was hired as the assistant director of recreation, intramurals and fitness at Hobart and William Smith Colleges, Geneva, NY.

Nicole Peragine ’07, a teacher and orchestra director at Pinecrest High School, NC, is a profession-al musician despite having

70 percent hearing loss. She is a section viola player in the fayetteville Sym-phony Orchestra as well as the Carolina Philharmonic, which performed at Carn-egie Hall in New York City in March 2011.

Jared Brickman ’08 was hired at Pinckney Hugo Group, a full-time market-ing communications firm as an interactive account manager. Jared was previ-ously a digital specialist at Greteman Group in Wichita, KS.

(Bruce) Doug Campbell ’08 has been promoted to managing editor of the newsroom at the Eagle Newspaper in Syracuse, NY, leading a staff of seven editors, one sports editor and several freelancers. He was also the project man-ager for the consolidation of 24 plus websites across four media partners to a new content management system.

Christopher Fleury ’08 and Hannah (McAdam) Fleury ’08 of Lindenhurst have both graduated from Hofs-tra university School

of Law in Hempstead with their Juris Doctor degrees.

Andrea Long ’09, a second-year student at Albany Law School, was part of a two-person team selected as 2011 winners of the Domenick L. Gabrielli Appellate Advocacy Moot Court competition. Thirty-six teams participated in the competition. The an-nual Gabrielli Competition gives second-year students at Albany Law School the opportunity to practice written and oral advocacy skills. The final arguments are made to a distin-guished panel of federal and New York State Ap-pellate judges. The judges on the final panel also awarded Long the prize for best oral argument.

Tahirih Lopez ’09 joined Teach for America’s 2011 teaching corps. After one year in healthcare, she is now teaching high school special education at Down-town College Prep in San Jose, CA. As one of 9,300 corps members teaching in high-need public schools in 43 regions around the country, she is thrilled to be working alongside other dedicated educa-tors to give students the educational opportunities they deserve. In their faces, she sees so many future members of the college Class of 2015.

2010sAlexander Lombard ’10 and Roger Kalia ’06 started a non-profit classical music organization in Lake George, NY, called the Lake George Music festival.

Andrew Albani ’11 was welcomed by the Stewart and Stratford Schools as the new music teacher.

Joseph bernier ’11 moved to New York City and works at an ad agency. “Who knew that an anthropol-ogy degree would land me a job like this?!”

rebecca Kitchin ’11 was accepted into the spring 2012 graduate program at Adelphi university School of Social Work.

Joshua Mcgrath ’11 is film-ing a documentary about water relief in uganda, titled “uganda 23,” with friends benjamin Hull (SLu) and Micah Daby. focus-ing on the uganda Water Project, the film highlights aspects of and solutions for the water crisis.

Kristina traudt ’11 is employed by the Harriet Tubman Center for Justice and Peace as a program as-sociate in charge of writing grants and organizational planning for Auburn’s Community-Wide Dialogue to End Racism program.

Cheryl MacFadden ’02 was presented with the Region 5 Art Educator of the Year Award at the 63rd Annual New York State Art Teachers Association Conference in November. She was joined by Potsdam Alumni board member Donnalyn Eaton Shuster ’78, and Cheryl’s daughters, Madeline ’11 and Ricky Phillips ’09. Ms. Macfadden was a studio major with minors in education and psychology and teaches K-12 art in the Keene Central School District.



Mildred Fisher Elliott ’28 August 29, 2011

Mary Keefe Adams ’29 July 13, 1999

Ruth Mowitt Richmond ’31 February 14, 2011

Mildred McAndrew Fuller ’36 September 13, 2011

Alice Mayo Hankey ’36 May 21, 2010

Grace Sayer Burke ’38 September 29, 2011

Jane E. Bent Putman ’38 October 9, 2011

Catherine Lee Dillon ’39 August 16, 2011

Inez VanTassel Rose ’40 April 29, 2011

Jane Aguzzi DelMastro ’42 August 13, 2011

Jeanette Paul Greene ’47 August 8, 2011

Margaret M. Swang ’47 August 27, 2011

M. Elizabeth Gladstone Vigliotti ’48 August 2, 2011

Louis E. Whitmore Bates ’50 October 24, 2011

Robert L. Connor ’50 August 13, 2011

Doris Ferneding Ceccon ’51 June 10, 2011

Shirley Leary Chambers ’51 October 24, 2011

Jacqueline Gonseth- Jones ’51 June 23, 2011

David M. Spencer ’52 September 4, 2011

Jane Boshart Ridings ’53 August 29, 2011

James B. Walsh ’53 September 22, 2011

June Forsell Hamel ’56 October 6, 2011

Charles E. Vick ’60 August 27, 2011

Ellen M. Barrett ’61 May 12, 2011

Carolyn Dorr Doty ’61 January 24, 2011

Norma Hargrave Friedman ’61 July 14, 2011

Dorothy Mayhew Pierce ’64 March 27, 2011

Linda Carroll Ochsenreiter ’65 September 4, 2010

Cynthia Cook Talcott ’69 August 29, 2011

Carol Clements Christiansen ’72 March 16, 2011

Carla Packer Gilray ’73 October 9, 2011

Amparo Maytin ’75 July 3, 2011

Brian P. Lagana ’78 October 21, 2011

Timothy F. Duruz ’82 October 9, 2010

Glen Carlsen ’84 July 2011

Matthew Ranieri ’89 September 2, 2011

Kathleen L. Deugaw ’00 June 9, 2011

Nora A. (Amoroso) LaChance ’01 October 29, 2011

EMERITI & FRIENDS

Edwin R. Clark II, professor of art and modern languages. September 25, 2011

Dawn B. MacKinnon, a library clerk for 25 years retiring in 1997. June 29, 2011

James Sullivan, a campus custodian. September 1 2, 2011

Linda K. (Kay) Popiel October 12, 2011

Elsie Tupper July 7, 2011

Ronald Glen Woodbury, former vice president for academic affairs. August 21, 2011

Tom Fleming expected ’12, a senior at SUNY Potsdam. November 26, 2011

Mary Lou Crane Sedlak ’51 and her husband, Steve, marked their 60th wedding anniversary with a week-long family celebration in Myrtle Beach, SC. Thirty-six Sedlaks of four generations gathered.

Phyllis ’61 and Philip Dailey ’62 observed their 50th wedding anniversary on August 26, 2011. They celebrated by having a family dinner with children and grandchildren.

Jean Charlotte Haverstock ’61 and her husband, Laban Charles, celebrated their 50th wedding anniver-sary on July 30, 2011, with family and friends at the Partridge Berry Restaurant in Watertown, NY.

John Reed ’63 and Karen (Peterson) Reed ’62 cel-ebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on December 30, 2011, and took a trip to Alaska as a gift from their children. Next year is Karen’s 50th reunion, and their daughter’s, Elizabeth Reed Netherwood ’87, 25th reunion. They will attend together for some mother-daughter fun.

Ronald S. Fishbeck ’80 and his wife, Teresa, celebrated their 30th wedding anniver-sary in May 2011.

Scott Ozaroski ’94 and Meghan Beltmann were married on May 14, 2011. The couple honeymooned in Turkey and resides in Chicago, IL.

Amy L. Kramer ’98 married Ronald J. Garrow on July 8, 2011, in Old Orchard Beach, ME. The couple resides in Potsdam, NY.

Maria Albani-Cook ’02 married J. Taylor Cook on August 22, 2010. They spent their honeymoon in New York City.

POTSDAM PEOPLE Anniversaries

POTSDAM PEOPLE Marriages

Class notes

David Vroman ’83 and his wife, Mona Ouimet Vroman ’85, celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary on August 23, 2011. They observed this special occasion by renewing their wedding vows on Nantucket with several family and friends in attendance.

POTSDAM PEOPLE Memoriam

Plan for tomorrow today.Free to you, Potsdam’s estate and gift planning website to help you navigate your future.

potsdam.edu/advance/giftplanAs you plan your future, invest in Potsdam’s.



CLASS notes

Jessica Girard ’02 married Jason Spooner on June 25, 2011, at the Library Park Gazebo in Ogdensburg, NY. The couple honeymooned in florida and resides in Ogdensburg with their four children.

On July 22, 2011, Jen-nifer Marie Brady ’03 and Thomas Seth Joanette Jr. were married on the banks of the Oswegatchie River. The bride and groom reside in Heuvelton, NY, in their new home.

Jennifer A. Goodspeed ’04 and Jayson L. Goolden were united in marriage on July 9, 2011, at the Massena Country Club.

Amy M. Sholette ’04 & ’09 and Christopher A. Garno were united in marriage on November 6, 2010, at Notre Dame Church in Og-densburg, NY. The couple honeymooned in the baha-mas and Disney World and resides in Ogdensburg, NY.

Shawna L. Waterman ’04 wed Leonard P. babcock III in an outdoor ceremony at the Turning Stone Resort in Verona, NY, on September 4, 2011. The couple traveled to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, for their wedding trip.

Abbie L. Croft ’05 and Andrew W. O’Grady were married on June 24, 2011, with a small gathering of family and friends at their home in Sandfordville, NY. Abbie is employed at SuNY Potsdam through the Research foundation.

Jennifer L. French ’05 married Shawn J. Grant on June 4, 2011, at White Pine Camp in Paul Smiths, NY.

Sarah Hansell ’05 and Jeremy Dernison were married on June 4, 2011, in Saugerties, NY.

Matthew D. Job ’05 and Marissa J. Weinstein ’05 were married at the Queens County farm Mu-seum in floral Park, NY, on August 6, 2011.

Nicholas R. Lee ’05 married Michelle L. Roderick ’06 on August 13, 2011, in Market Square Park, NY, with the brother of the groom of-ficiating.

Colter L. Whitmore ’05 & ’09 and Julia L. Mosier were married October 9, 2011, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Clayton, NY. The couple resides in Oswego, NY.

Tiffany Conn ’06 married Robert Soricelli ’06 in May 2010.

On September 9, 2011, Krista Louise Warren ’07 married Jason Allen Kelly, witnessed by their parents, siblings and grandparents.

Sarah Narrow-LaPoint ’09 and Andrew LaPoint ’09 were married on July 9, 2011.

Krista Gene Colton ’10 was married to Robert Murray on July 15, 2011, at the Potsdam Country Club in Potsdam, NY. The couple resides in Alexandria bay, NY, with their dog, Dolly.

Ryan C. LaBarge ’10 and Allison R. Charette ’09 were married on July 22, 2011, surrounded by family and friends in Rexford, NY.

Krista Rae Larock ’10 and Matthew John Strader were married on June 11, 2011, at St. Mary’s Cathe-dral in Ogdensburg, NY. The couple honeymooned in Orlando, fL, and LaRo-mana, Dominican Republic.

Kari Anne Martin ’10 and Michael baxter were married on June 11, 2011, at Robert Moses State Park in Massena, NY. The couple honeymooned on a Carnival cruise out of New York City.

Whitney Mason ’10 mar-ried Ryan Sharlow June 18, 2011, at the Shoreline in Hannawa falls, NY.

Sara A. Sauveur ’10 and Darrick R. Zehr were married at Asbury united Methodist Church in Watertown, NY, on June 18, 2011. The couple toured Spain for two weeks.

Jessica M. Schreppel ’10 and Gregory M. Swart were united in marriage on July 16, 2011, at the Tupper Lake Country Club in Tupper Lake, NY. The couple traveled to Hawaii

at Christmas for a honey-moon.

Lindsay Armande Sloan ’10 wed blake Stuart barkley on July 23, 2011, at the Gran View in Ogdensburg, NY. An early spring 2012 honeymoon is planned.

Katlyn M. Sykes ’10 and Jon A. Hirschey were mar-ried at the Asbury united Methodist Church in Watertown, NY, on August 6, 2011. The couple honey-mooned in Las Vegas.

let us know of new address, email or name change by visiting www.potsdam.edu/alumni and click on “Information update form”

WWW.POTSDAM.EDu/ALuMNI

POTSDAM PEOPLE Births

Sarah L. Lloyd ’00 and Michael R. McAndrew ’88 were mar-ried in New Hartford, NY, in November 2010. A reception was held in utica, NY, with over 40 Potsdam alumni (pic-tured), including many sisters of Phi Kappa Pi and brothers of Delta Kappa Theta. The bride is the office manager of Ellis Chiropractic Group in utica. The groom is a principal court attorney with the NYS unified Court System in Oswego and an adjunct professor at the SuNY Oswego School of busi-ness. The couple resides in brewerton, NY.

Brad Timerson ’72 and his wife, Cindy, are happy to announce the birth of their first grandchild, Elijah (Eli) Oaks Schusler, on April 20, 2011.

Pamela Grinter Rutledge ’74 welcomed a grand-daughter, Madaline Smith, on August 12, 2010.

Kimberly Mietus Col-lazo ’92 and her husband welcomed their second daughter, Ella Joy, in No-vember 2010.

Ken Quagliarello ’92 and his wife, Kristi, are proud parents of a beautiful baby daughter, Kayla Ann, born September 22, 2011.

Steven Donk ’94 and his wife, Jean, celebrated the birth of a healthy boy, Kasey Ryan, born June 24, 2011. Kasey joins brothers Christian (08/16/2000), Kyle (08/16/2000), Cam-eron (04/02/2002) and Caleb (07/22/2009).

R. Christopher Hobaica ’95 welcomed a daughter, Lily Claire.

Scott ’99 and Marlys (Mas-saro) Cooper ’99 welcomed their first child, Sydney Marie, on february 7, 2011.

Kathleen Lucey D’Amour ’99 and Michael D’Amour ’98 welcomed their second child, Ryan, in September 2011.

Jeremy P. Hopping ’99 and wife, Leslie, welcomed their third child, William Edward, into their family on September 18, 2011.

Timothy Murray ’99, his wife, bonnie, and their 2½-year-old daughter, Zadie, welcomed a son, Cormac, who was born on March 25, 2011, in Canan-daigua, NY.

Melissa (Biesele) Smith ’00 gave birth to her and her husband, Stephen’s, first child, Penelope Mea, on July 13, 2011.

Jacqueline (Siegel) McLean ’06 and her husband, Stuart ’05, welcomed their first child, Alan Alexander, on June 18, 2011, weighing 7lb. 12 oz. and measuring 19½ in. “We feel so lucky that we were able to spend the whole summer home with him before heading back to work.”



CLASS pride

TOP 10 WAYS TO SHOW YOUR POTSDAM PRIDE1. Sign up for a lifetime email account. •�Did�you�know�that�Potsdam�alumni�can�receive�a�lifetime�

e-mail account, with a potsdam.edu email, for FREE?2. Volunteer to serve on one of our alumni chapters in your region.� •�We�are�looking�for�volunteers�for�the�Syracuse,�Rochester,�

Boston, NYC, and Albany chapters.3. Nominate deserving alumni for one of the Alumni Association

awards.4. Submit information to the “Out & About” section of our monthly

e-newsletter, Alma Matters and to the “Class Notes” section of our alumni magazine, Potsdam People.

5. Become a reunion class committee volunteer for your milestone reunion.

6. Receive insurance discounts made available to our alumni through Liberty Mutual Insurance.

7. Return to campus for Reunion Weekend in July and attend alumni regional events in your area.

8. Encourage your children and grandchildren to apply for the Alumni Association Scholarship, if they plan to attend SUNY Potsdam. (March deadline)

9. Support the College through the Phonathon “The Buzz.”10. Sign up for a SUNY Potsdam Visa card.

www.potsdam.edu/alumni

FREE LIFETIME EMAIL ACCOUNTSTo request an account, contact the Office of Alumni Relations at (315) 267-2120 or email [email protected]



iN tHeir own words

TRIPLE THREATWatertown triplets dive right into the Potsdam experience.

MATT CLEAVER

Business Major

“ Dream as if you’ll live forever, live as if you’ll die today.”

James Dean

ALLISON CLEAVER

Biology Major

“Hold fast to dreams, for if dreams die, life is a broken winged bird that�cannot�fly.” Langston Hughes

PAT CLEAVER

History Major

“I can accept fail-ure, everyone fails at something. But I can’t accept not trying.”

Michael Jordan



2 9 P O T S D A M P E O P L E S P R I N G 2 0 1 22 9 P O T S D A M P E O P L E S P R I N G 2 0 1 2

Double Axel at Dinosaur BBQ, SyracuseAlumni & friends gathered once again to dance the night away with Double Axel in September 2011. Everyone had a great time celebrating the band’s 40th Anniversary!

alumni opportunities

BearTracker Connects Potsdam Students, Past and FutureBearTracker is SUNY Potsdam’s free online database that connects current students in search of internships, jobs, volunteer op-portunities and mentoring with successful alumni. Companies and mentors can reg-ister to post opportunities, while Potsdam students sign in to the service to search for listings to apply for the openings that best fit their interests and skills.

BearTracker includes listings for full- and part-time jobs and both paid and unpaid internships, as well as summer employment and volunteer opportunities. The site also allows students to use the tool to search for other jobs and internships via major sites like CareerBuilder.com, CareerRookie.com, Internships.com and JujuJobs.com. The mentor database allows students to seek advice from alumni working in career fields they are interested in. SUNY Potsdam’s Of-fice of Career Planning also offers a résumé referral service to help students put their best foot forward as they prepare to enter the job market. Help out today! To check out BearTracker visit: potsdam.edu/alumni/services/jobs.cfm

BearTracker

Crane Emeriti LunchThe annual Crane Emeriti luncheon took place on the SUNY Potsdam campus in October 2011. Emeritus Tim Topelewski & former Crane professor Tony Maiello stopped by, as they were performing in a concert on campus the following day. They were very happy and surprised to be able to see so many familiar faces and dear friends.

DoubleBBQ,AlumnioncenightAxelEveryonecelebratingAnniversary!

Mark Your Calendars4.20.12 – 4.29.12 • Lougheed-Kofoed Festival of the Arts, Potsdam, NY4.27.12-4.28.12 • Potsdam College Foundation Board and Alumni Board Meeting, Potsdam, NY 4.28 & 5.1 • Crane Chorus and Crane Symphony

Orchestra perform the Verdi Requiem 4.28.12 Hosmer Hall, Potsdam, NY 5.1.12 Avery Fisher Hall, Lincoln Center, New York City

www.potsdam.edu/crane/125years 5.1.12 • Pre-concert Alumni Gathering4.28.12 • Women’s Soccer Alumni Game, Maxcy Turf,

Potsdam, NY5.19.12 & 5.20.12 • Commencement Weekend,

Potsdam, NY7.12.12 – 7.15.12 • Reunion Weekend, Potsdam, NY9.6.12 • Scholarship Golf Classic, Potsdam, NYFor a complete listing of alumni events and registration information visit: www.potsdam.edu/alumni


reunion announcements

Unrestricted gifts to The Fund for Potsdam

result in a variety of programs and

opportunities for students

and community alike.

The Science Olympiad is an annual

science competition that brings in

area high school students working with

SUNY Potsdam geology, biology,

chemistry and physics majors, along

with faculty, to have fun and explore the

challenges of the sciences.

REUNION COMMITTEESReunion committees are hard at

work encouraging classmates

to attend Reunion Weekend this

summer, July 12-15. Commit-

tee members want to remind

everyone that there’s still time to

contribute to your class gift.

Join your class in celebrating

your time at Potsdam and your

successes that followed. For

committee lists and fundrais-

ing progress visit potsdam.edu/

alumni.

Alumni Awards

HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES

Kelly O’Donnell Warren ’93 (women’s swimming)

Howie Vandermast ’88 (men’s hockey)

Nathan Sunday ’01 (men’s hockey)

SUNY Potsdam is proud to acknowledge the achievements, dedication and service of this year’s alumni awards recipients.

ALUMNI CAN SAVE! We’re always looking for ways to help out our alumni. So we’ve arranged for Liberty Mutual to provide our alumni with a special discounted rate on Auto and Home insurance.

For more information visit www.libertymutual.com/lm/potsdam or call 1-800-524-9400.

Discount and savings are available where state laws and regulations allow and may vary by state. To the extent permitted by law, applicants are individually underwritten. Not all applicants may qualify.

Newly Appointed Alumni Board Trustees

SUNY Potsdam welcomes the following trustees:

From left to right, Jason Lang ’01, Casey Nelson ’96,

Betsy Webb-Branzetti ’79, Vernice Ives Church ’61.

Minerva AwardMs. Lynne Boles ’74

Honorary Life MembershipCol. Michael Colburn Mr. Michael Lewis

Distinguished Service Award Dr. Gary C. Jaquay ’67

Rising Star Award Ms. Melissa Wegner ’03

St. Lawrence Academy Medal Mrs. Kathy White Finnerty ’75

Helen M. Hosmer Excellence in Music Teaching Award Mr. Scott LaVine ’71


44 Pierrepont Avenue Potsdam, NY 13676www.potsdam.edu/people

The SUNY Potsdam Class of 1961 celebrated its 50th year at the 2011 Reunion, July 14 to July 17. Members of the Class of 1961 set a new class giving record at the College, giving more than $820,000 to benefit students and programs at their alma mater. The 50-year class’s gifts included both outright donations and the estab-lishment of funds for planned and estate gifts. The Class of 1961 far exceeded its original goal of $250,000, bringing more than triple that amount in time for Reunion Weekend. Congratulations and thank you!

for information & to register:


REUNIONweekend

20127.12–7.15

Class of 1961

SAVE THE DATE

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need at least 500 pieces

USE FORStraight 1st class


USE FORNon profit


USE FOR3rd Class Canadian

need at least 1,000 Pieces Permit # 03526798Lacolle, Quebec J0J 1J0

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