Empire News Fall 2008 (PDF 4326kB) - SUNY Empire State College

S T A T E UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORKEmpire State CollegeALUMNI AND STUDENT NEWS VOLUME 34 • NUMBER 1 • FALL 2008New CollegePresident TakesCenter StageTalent Uncovered:Smart People DoingCool ThingsExpanded AlumniNews Section

C o n t e n t sFEATURESUpfront . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1Thinking Out of the “Cube” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2Wicked Good. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3The Beat Goes On . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3Introducing Empire State College’s New President . . . . . . . . . . 4Twenty Questions (plus one) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7A Kodak Moment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8Life as a Melody . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10Making Beautiful Music Together . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11“Net” Prophet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12AROUND EMPIRE STATE COLLEGECollege News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16Alumni News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18Back to You . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21CorrectionIn this photo (left) from the last issue, Margaret Corbin ’72 and PatrickMcFarlane were incorrectly identified as Jack and Judy Willis ’02, ’04.In the photo on the right are Patrick, Margaret, Judy and Jack in frontof the London Underground.Empire State College Alumni and Student News is published by the Office of College Relations atEmpire State College, Two Union Avenue, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866 -4390518 587-2100 ext. 2250 • www.esc.eduEmpire State CollegeALUMNI AND STUDENT NEWSVOLUME 34 • NUMBER 1 • FALL 2008Dr. Alan DavisPresidentKirk StarczewskiDirector of College RelationsPublisherKirk.Starczewski@esc.eduMaureen WinneyDirector of Alumni and Student RelationsManaging EditorMaureen.Winney@esc.eduHope FergusonCommunity Relations AssociateEditorHope.Ferguson@esc.eduGael FischerDirector of Publications/DesignerDebra ParkSecretary, Office of College RelationsAlumni News and Copy EditorC O N T R I B U T O R SHugh HammettVice President for External AffairsEvelyn Buchanan ’99Executive Director,Empire State College FoundationDiane ThompsonDirector of Annual GivingAlta SchallehnDirector of Gift PlanningRenelle ShampenyDirector of MarketingDavid Regan White ’05Coordinator of Alumni ServicesW R I T E R SThomas DimopoulosHelen EdelmanAshley FarrellKathryn GallienMarie Morrison ‘06Carole SouthwoodP H O T O G R A P H YCover: President Alan Davis atHome Made Theater, Saratoga Springs, NY,by Gary Gold.Joan MarcusEthan Senn ’08, PragueStock StudiosSUNY System AdministrationAll other photos courtesy of our alumni,students and staffP R O D U C T I O NJerry CroninDirector of Management ServiceRon KosibaPrint Shop SupervisorJanet JonesKeyboard SpecialistCharlotte NicollMail Center SupervisorCollege Print and Mail staff

UPFRONTTalent Uncoveredby Carole SouthwoodMentor, Niagara Frontier CenterCarole SouthwoodUPFRONTRecently, I was asked what I do as a creative writing mentor to help bring out talentand creativity in my students. It was a tough question to answer, because thechallenge for me in the presence of latent creativity is more about what not to do,more about not getting in the way of the student’s creativity while remaining supportive.Latent creativity needs a lot of room to find its way to one’s surface and reveal itself.Bringing the talent out of students is, I believe, more about the nature of Empire State College thanabout what I do as a mentor. The college, as it welcomes and respects adults and their accomplishments,opens the way for self discovery as it paradoxically provides an environment of both structure andfreedom. This paradox is often the key to the liberation of creativity. For adults, whose lives are abundantwith the responsibilities of work and family, the mandate to study is often simply and wonderfullypermission to do what they love, and in loving what they do, their latent creative ability begins to emerge.That was the way it was with John Ventola ’91, who came to the college around 1988, the same year I did.John was employed by Sorrento Food Service and worked on the loading docks in Buffalo. He came toEmpire State College because he “liked to read” and thought it might be fun to take courses. That was it.He had been working on the loading docks for 20 years, and he wasn’t particularly interested in leaving.In a literature study with me, he became inspired by his reading and tried his hand at writing a poem.Another mentor, Regina Grol, and I suggested he enter his poem in a writing contest with the theme Laborin Literature. He was reluctant, but did as we both advised, and when he won, he came to me, smiling andshaking his head incredulously. “I didn’t believe you,” he said, “when you told me I had talent. I thoughtyou were just saying that, to be encouraging.”“I didn’t realize you didn’t believe me,” I told him. “I thought you were just being modest.” It was difficultfor me to understand in my early years of working with adults that a person could carry around so muchtalent and not be aware of it, but I have learned this to be true of many of our students.John went on to do several other studies with me, the next of which was creative writing. The followingyear when he entered and won the Labor in Literature contest once again, for a different poem, he waseven more surprised than he was the first time. It took him a while to believe in his own talent, but soonhe was publishing his poetry, giving readings, coordinating the Labor in Literature contest and attendinggraduate school.I have never forgotten the opening and closing lines of John’s first winning poem. It opened: “Dante,I too know something of hell.” It continued artfully and with poetic skill to describe his daily work onthe loading docks. It closed, “Hell/is having to do this for the rest of my life.”John lives now with his family in Glendale, Arizona. He is on the faculty of Glendale Community Collegewhere he teaches creative writing and literature and serves as assistant chair of the English Department.He has published his poetry over the years, and now and then kept in touch with me. “I’m having a ball,”he says.I can’t say I did anything specific to bring out the creativity in John. But this much is for sure: I continueto frequently sit in awe of the latent talent in my students as it reveals itself. Invariably, when I point itout to them, they look at me suspiciously and ask, “Are you just saying that to be encouraging?” I believetheir incredulity, so this is where I use one of my most cherished mentoring tools: I tell them the story ofJohn Ventola. mE M P I R E 1

Thinking Out of the “Cube”Rich Hickey ‘92by Helen S. EdelmanRich Hickey was a cool kid, a rock ‘n’ roller with plans to be rich andfamous on stage. He even spent three years studying composition at theprestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston. “But I didn’t get a contractto record my music, so I built my own studio, taught myself about music technologyand how to use it, and became a programmer,” he says. “I brought all that courseworkand life experience to Empire State College. If I could choose whether tofollow this course again, I would choose it.”Empire State College was an ideal milieu for exploringhis inner maverick and for revving his self-starter urges.A nontraditionalist plumbing a nontraditional learningenvironment is a perfect match, and Hickey rejoices that hecould earn the degree that would legitimize his hard work.However exhilarating, those first ambitions to be a performerhave been eclipsed by extraordinary achievements in geekchic. Hickey’s star rose as a computerconsultant and software developer doingbusiness as Sente (Japanese for “initiative”)Software, and as the author of Clojure, abarrier-breaking computer language thatis more flexible than most, and bridges thedivide between the popular Java – withits many libraries, and the venerable Lisp,which empowers the developers to extendtheir frontiers. The newly renownedHickey’s name brings up more than 4,000links on Google, a happy irony for a guywho didn’t own a computer until he wasin his 20s.Humbled by the spotlight, Hickeydismisses the suggestion that he is indemand, though savvy bloggers aroundRich Hickeythe planet dissect his insights, and he getsmore invitations to speak than he can accept and still maintainhis home life in Pleasantville (NY) with his wife and kids.Pressed, Hickey cites his upcoming meeting with Lisp originatorJohn McCarthy at the computer language’s 50 th anniversarycelebration in October as the most exciting date on his agenda.Famous or not, the driven Hickey spends 26 hours a dayat his Mac inventing computer languages he calls “tools” tosupport accomplishment in another domain. For example, he’scurrently developing a program that can “hear” for the purposeof transcribing music; another application that he deems vitalis modeling genomes to help in medical diagnosis and treatment;and he is captivated by his own role with Edison MediaResearch and Mitofsky International, the company whoseNational Election Pool (NEP) analyzes what voters think anddo to predict election results: “Looking into voting outcomes isintense around the clock, especially this year. We watch the datacome through and share it with all networks so everybody hasthe same information. This is very muchin the public interest because Edison-Mitofsky has no political agendas.We are involved in the research andits testable accuracy, and at the endof the day you know whether the polltool worked.”He thrives on projects like NEP, andscoffs at the myth that being a softwaredesigner is drudgery. “It’s satisfying andsurprising,” he says. “I describe what Ido as ‘working on a blank page.’ I buildnew programs from scratch. I createsomething from nothing.”Perennially “the back-room guy whosolves problems,” since the 2000 launchof Clojure, Hickey has been ridinga wave through cyberspace into realtime. Clojure is described by those who use it as an “elegant,powerful and practical” language for general applications.Programmers love to use Clojure because they can changeand customize its code, which expands the functionality andpromise of their programs. Clojure can be used for graphics,web development, computations and more.One of the language’s progressive hallmarks is that it canmultitask – a very big deal. Clojure is capable of modeling“parallel emergent behavior,” explains Hickey. This means(continued on page 15)2 E M P I R E

President Alan Davis and his wife Denisebefore they step into the winners circleat the college’s Alumni Day at the Races.Introducing Empire State College’sNew PresidentAlan Davis’ journey to the presidencyof a nontraditional college designed toserve adults began in his youth. “It’sinteresting, because my formal education was verytraditional,” said Davis. “English grammar school,and then undergraduate and graduate degrees in atraditional discipline – chemistry.”The British Open University (BOU) started when he was aboy. “I used to sit with my dad and watch the BOU broadcastshows, which in those days were seen to be cutting edge,”explained Davis. “The BOU emerged as the solution for adultlearners while I was a teenager, and so I became familiar earlyon with the concept of open learning.”But it wasn’t until he began teaching that he discoveredthere was more than one way to teach or learn. He was onceasked to teach a basic chemistry course in the evening foradult learners preparing for college. These students had nothad a good experience in chemistry and with the way theywere taught.“I found myself able to turn people on to a subject theydidn’t expect to enjoy or understand,” Davis said. “Ever sincethen, I’ve looked for ways to open doors to higher educationfor people who are traditionally underrepresented.”He identified and took advantage of opportunities toexplore distance learning, prior learning assessment andother learning methods still perceived to be on the marginsof traditional education. “I sought opportunities to teach andwork in open institutions. I found each experience to be veryrewarding and personally satisfying.”Davis emigrated to Canada in 1972 to pursue graduatestudies in chemistry, and then taught for 12 years. His firstexperience in a nontraditional institution was with theBritish Columbia Open University. “I have no idea whythey hired me,” he said. “They must have seen somethingin me. They gave me a very interesting job, as one of the(continued)4 E M P I R E

directors of the university, with all kinds of scope, workingwith colleges, unions and businesses, taking learning outto the community, learning about distance education andgetting my first exposure to online learning.” From thatexperience, he was hired as provost at Athabasca University,in northern Alberta, which is Canada’s largest and premieropen university. “I certainly was very lucky, and then I guesssmart enough to take full advantage of my good fortune,”he concluded.Davis’ belief in the college and its mission is obviousas he leans forward to discuss the main challenge he seesthe college facing, “whether or not there is a gap betweenthe opportunity that lies ahead for us and our ability andwillingness and capacity to go after it,” he said. “It doesn’tmean rampant growth for its own sake. It means strategicgrowth with high-quality programs and services.”“There’s also a part of us that needs tocontinue to be innovative … That’s what gotEmpire State College where it is, by taking aninnovative approach.”Davis plans to meet with former presidents Joe Moore andJim Hall, to gather any advice they can offer, and then givehimself until the new year to learn about what is going onaround the college and around the state. He sees this leadingto the launch of strategic planning for 2010 - 2015, andcreating room for emerging issues and opportunities.“As we think about the future, we also must look at howthe college is organized and how it operates and sees itself as“one college.” This is hard to do when we are so localizedand, in some respects, fractured,” Davis added. “People needto work collaboratively, and we need to help them do that.What role can I play, and can the President’s Council play, tosupport this?”“There’s also a part of us that needs to continue to beinnovative,” Davis said. “That’s what got Empire StateCollege where it is, by taking an innovative approach. Peopleare working very hard, and we need to find some way tosupport them, so they can reflect on what they are doing, trysome new things out, and pilot some new initiatives.”Davis’ working style is a blend of the formal and informal;it’s no-nonsense, but humorous, and it is goal-oriented. “I’mAlan to everybody who works here,” he said with a smile.“There will be formal occasions where it is appropriate toaddress me as Dr. Davis, but those will be clear.”(continued on page 6)“We are so perfectly positioned, with all thededication and work that has been invested overthe years – the development of our systems andapproaches and attitudes towards adult learning,”he explained. “We are perfectly poised to be thesolution for so many adult learners (if I maysteal the college’s slogan), as well as for otheragencies that have adult learning needs. It’s notas if we have to scramble around looking for aunique mandate, or reinvent ourselves to adapt toa changing market. The opportunities are sittingthere waiting for us.”Davis’ immediate focus as president is to get aclear picture of where the college is in relation tothe current strategic plan. He recalled that the jobposting included a list of things expected of thepresident in the first year. “It was a long list, butsensible” said Davis. “For the first year, you musttake stock. Don’t come in with a bulldozer, comein and learn, make connections, network with thevarious communities – the college, the regions,SUNY and the state.”President Alan Davis with his dogs, Pete and Max.E M P I R E 5

Alan Davis AnswersTwenty Questions(plus one)Q1 When not in the office I can be found:Usually in the garden, or fixing somethingsomewhere around the house, or walkingwith my dogs.Q2 Last three books I read:Marcel Proust: Remembrance of Things PastAvner Offer: The Challenge of AffluenceRichard Ford: The SportswriterQ3 In the kitchen, I’m known for: Very little.I am an incompetent cook, but I am anacknowledged expert in eating.Q4 A few things I want to know about EmpireState College: How do you stay connected,socially and professionally, while being sodistributed? How can we enhance our senseof collective purpose, and have fun at thesame time?Q5 A few things Empire State College should knowabout me: You probably should know what ison my iPod, and that I still attend rock concertswith my kids. I saw Radiohead in Liberty Parkon August 9.Q6 Favorite role: The Director (Lloyd) in“Noises Off” by Michael Frayn.Q7 Most interesting onstage/offstage moment:Meeting (then) Canadian Prime Minister BrianMulroney and his wife after the opening of oneof my plays in Ottawa. His eldest son was in theplay, and has since gone on to be a big celebrityin Canada.Q8 Meet my family: I am married to Denise,who works part time at Niagara College andwith Athabasca University, and is even morethrilled than I am about this opportunity atEmpire State College.I have four children: Caitlin is 33, and is finishingher master’s degree in environmental design whilsttree planting north of Vancouver and buildingweb sites for various clients. Hilary is 31 andworks as an arts administrator in Vancouver, andhas a B.F.A. in theatre arts from the University ofBritish Columbia. Alexis is also 31 (10 minutesyounger than Hilary) and she is an occupationaltherapist and returned this August from a veryremote region of Ladakh in northern Indiaworking with disabled children. Alex is 17 andis finishing high school in Ontario. He is a goodstudent, and a guitar freak.Q9 Favorite movie/genre: Not sure if thisconstitutes a genre, but I’d watch anything byDavid Cronenberg, David Lynch, the CohenBrothers, and all kinds of indie movies, or spy/political thrillers.Q10 Drink of choice: Diet ginger ale.Q11 Favorite meal/cuisine: Chicken curry andgreek salad.Q12 I root for (favorite team/sport): TheEdmonton Oilers in hockey, the Seattle Marinersin baseball, the Buffalo Bills in football, andManchester United in soccer.Q13 Drives : A Subaru in Ontario, a VW Jetta inBC, and (I think) a hybrid Toyota Camry in NY.Q14 Favorite vacation spot: The Florida Keys.Q15 Favorite teacher/professor (or most impact):Dominique Abrioux, former president atAthabasca University.Q16 I came to Empire State College because:It is focused, it is successful, it is important, it isopen, and its future looks good.Q17 Dog person/cat person/pets: Dogs for sure.I have two great dogs – Pete and Max – bordercollie crosses. They were free, which is why Igot two.Q18 I like to relax by: Listening to music,and reading.Q19 Favorite game: Soccer.Q20 Interesting talent: My wife says I am“inventive.” I can fix things with whatever toolsand supplies are around. Not sure that is veryinteresting, but there you go.Q21 One thing you’d never guess about me:(again, I have to defer to Denise) Apparently,even though I am a curmudgeon most of the time,I also am very thoughtful. I never knew that.E M P I R E 7

Ann Turner with her husband BruceA Kodak Momentby Marie Morrison ’06Remember all those movies you’ve seen where the girl accidentlybumps into a golden opportunity – a job in the chorus line thatleads to a star turn; an emergency fill-in in the boss’s officethat turns into a promotion? Well, such things happen in real life, too,as Ann Turner ’86, of Kodak, is pleased to share with you.Hired on at Kodak in 1978 after she graduated fromMonroe Community College, Turner was placed in thesecretarial pool, but when an opening in the motion picturedepartment came up, she was transferred.“I decided I definitely wanted to stay there, so I went backto school,” she says. “Kodak at the time was very generous inpaying for advanced education, so I went to Rochester Instituteof Technology at night until Kodak asked me to move to NewYork City and be a sales rep. At that point, I found my bestopportunity was with Empire State College because they tookmany of my credits that I had earned at Monroe CommunityCollege and RIT and they gave me credit for experience. Igraduated from Empire State College in 1986 from the HudsonValley Center with a degree in marketing.” And she was offand running.During her 30-year career with Kodak, Turner has helda variety of management positions in marketing, operations,training and sales, both in the Americas and Europe, where sheattended such glamorous events as the Cannes Film Festival forsix years in a row, which she admits was “pretty cool.”When she was in New York City, she also traveled to thefilm festivals in Toronto and Telluride and to the Sundancefilm festivals (no, she didn’t meet Robert Redford). She alsoattended the sets of feature films and such well-known TVproductions as “Law and Order,” “The Sopranos” and “Sexand the City.”But Turner wasn’t visiting the sets just to meet actors. “Thecinematographers are the people who shoot our film and we(continued)8 E M P I R E

like to go and show our support because Kodak is known forquality products and the service support that goes with it. So, wego and make sure things are going well and the film is performingas the cinematographers expect it to.”Turner also has attended the Academy Awards, where she’swatched the stars go by from the other side of the red carpet.“It’s divided in half so people like me are on the other side, butyou can walk up and just see so many people because they allstop and have their pictures taken. When you get into the KodakTheatre there’s co-mingling, and she’s walked past a surprisinglytall Nicole Kidman and a surprisingly short and petite ReneeZellweger. “It’s kind of fun when you see people in person. Theycan make them look so different on film.”“We got more actively involved in filmfestivals that served the black, and gayand lesbian communities.”Kodak also is supportive of many film festivals that supportdiverse groups. “We got more actively involved in film festivalsthat served the black, and gay and lesbian communities. We knowthat our filmmakers come from all walks of life so we should besupporting festivals from all areas.”Turner won the Kodak CEO Diversity Award for that effort aswell as for finding ways to bring diverse Kodak groups togetherand to ensure all employees’ ideas are valued.“Our sales group and customer service groups were in thesame building but separate. We started having informationupdates and team meetings jointly by holding them twice andsplitting the groups in half so half could come to one and half tothe other and we mixed sales with service so people got to knoweach other better.”In 2004, she was inducted into the Monroe CommunityCollege Alumni Hall of Fame, which recognizes alumni whohave made exemplary contributions to their profession and theircommunity. She also is an associate member of the AmericanSociety of Cinematographers (ASC) and is an advisory boardmember for Film and Digital Media at Savannah College of Artand Design. In addition, she is a board member at the GeorgeEastman House and recently joined the Empire State CollegeFoundation Board of Directors.Turner is now back at Kodak in Rochester where she isresponsible for the overall marketing and communicationsfor Kodak film, photofinishing and entertainment productsworldwide.Turner and her husband, Bruce, reside in the Finger Lakesarea, with daughters Andrea (18) and Rachel (22). “It’s certainlya change from New York, she says, “but so beautiful and I’menjoying it.” mBeat Goes On (continued from page 3)He decided that if he couldn’t play, he could educate; givestudents some of the professional experience and globalperspective that he had. He enjoyed inspiring and motivatingthe next generation of musicians.“I taught for a year – and the kids keep telling me to comeback,” he says, “But I had to get certified – and that’s whatlaunched me back to school.” Nearby, on the campus ofSUNY Old Westbury, he found Empire State College. Saulterwas immediately drawn to Empire State College’s concept oflife credits, “This was the one school that was talking aboutgiving me credit for life experience. I didn’t need to startfrom scratch.”Between 1992 - 1996, Saulter earned his associate,bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Empire State College.He served as valedictorian for his bachelor’s degree ceremony.He then went to Westbury High School and worked as anewly certified music teacher. But he never really left EmpireState College behind. “I met some great educators andprofessors, some of whom I’m still in contact with today, andthey’re still mentoring me on my company 20 years later,”he said.Throughout his years as a drummer, Saulter also developeda talent for computer graphics, designing album and CDcovers for bands. It blossomed into his own company:Entertainment Arts Research (EAR), and today he serves asCEO. This Atlanta-based, 3D graphics and interactive mediapublishing company focuses on creating diverse video gamesfor the home console and casual gaming markets. Dedicatedto expanding the quantity, integrity and visibility of minoritycharacters, artwork and storylines, Saulter hopes to propelEAR into the top echelons of the gaming industry.In addition to running EAR, Saulter is a professor at theArt Institute of Atlanta, teaching audio production andgame audio. He is the co-founder of the Urban Video GameAcademy and is the president of the DeKalb Council forthe Arts, and chairman of the Diversity Advisory Board atthe International Game Developers Association. Saulter alsoserved as chairman of the Game Design and DevelopmentDepartment at American Intercontinental University, wherehe wrote the curriculum.Saulter was featured in the October 2006 issue of Ebonymagazine as “Who’s Who in the Technology Boom,” and isthe author of the book, Introduction to Game Design andDevelopment, published by McGraw-Hill.He’s excited about the future of gaming, and has assembleda team of creative artists to build an African-Americanmulticultural peer to DreamWorks and Disney. “There’sno reason why there can’t be a minority Pixar out therefor animation,” says Saulter, “We have urban kids we’reintroducing to the science behind gaming … I want to openthat door.” mE M P I R E 9

Life as a MelodyKip Lornell ’75Kip Lornell“I’m always tinkering with what I’mpresenting in the classroom,” says KipLornell ’75, “I’m always learning … so ifit’s interesting to me, it’s interesting to thestudents.” Tinkering is an apt description ofLornell’s approach to music, academia, andparticularly, his own education.Kip Lornell, Ph.D., is a George Washington University(adjunct) professor of ethnomusicology and American music,who also serves on the Africana Studies Program Committee.He has published 10 books, including Introducing AmericanFolk Music; The Life and Legend of Leadbelly (with Charles K.Wolfe); Virginia’s Blues; Country and Gospel Records: 1902-1943; and Happy in the Service of the Lord: Afro-AmericanGospel Quartets in Memphis.Over the past 35 years, Lornell has worked on musicprojects for the Smithsonian Institute; has been a consultantand contributor to many publications; and is the recipient ofnearly a score of grants and awards, perhaps most notablya 1997 Grammy.But his path to musical and academic prominence has beenas serpentine as a John Coltrane jazz riff.Growing up near Albany, New York, Lornell didn’t headdirectly to college after high school graduation in 1971.With no clear plans, he worked as an orderly at AlbanyMedical Center, while taking a few courses at The Collegeof Saint Rose.A family friend mentioned Empire State College as a goodplace to design your own curriculum. Lornell was immediatelytaken with the idea. “Having an idiosyncratic and personalizedprogram is what most people should get out of college,” hesays. “But most people don’t.”After an independent study in criminal justice at SUNYAlbany, Lornell found his focus in music. He was able toconstruct his own course of study that led him south toGuilford College in Greensboro, North Carolina, wherehe attended classes and did field work researching blackmusicians. He was the youngest person to receive a NationalEndowment for the Arts grant, which enabled him to study theblues in North Carolina and Georgia in the spring of 1973.Rather than transferring, and wrangling over credits, Lornellworked with Empire State College to construct a completelypersonalized educational plan.Lornell cites the flexibility and individual programming atEmpire State College as some of its most attractive benefits.“I didn’t have a typical G.P.A. – I had a portfolio … to getinto graduate school.” Lornell received his Bachelor of Sciencein cultural sciences from Empire State College in 1975, hisMaster of Arts in folklore from the University of NorthCarolina in 1976, and his Ph.D. in ethnomusicology from theUniversity of Memphis in 1983. With an apparent penchantfor academia, Lornell’s curvilinear career path has led him toteach at many outstanding universities such as the University ofVirginia, William and Mary, Johns Hopkins, and now, GeorgeWashington University.Lornell’s passion for music fills his Silver Spring, Marylandhome, literally. He’s the proud owner of a carefully curatedcollection of some 5,000 hand-picked 78 rpm records;everything from early country to black gospel.He is married to a high-profile wife, Kim Gandy, who ispresident of NOW, the National Organization for Women.That gives him the flexibility to pursue career, hobbies and hisprimary interest: helping to raise two daughters.“You’ve got to marry right,” he joked. “Kim can do a lot oftraveling and I can work part time. It’s allowed me to live theKip Lornell lifestyle.” m10 E M P I R E

Making BeautifulMusic TogetherCristy ’08 and Hugo Dwyer ’06Cristy and Hugo Dwyer at Cristy’s Center for Distance Learning graduation ceremonyby Tom DimopoulosIn the early 1970s, Cristy Dwyer rocked amoog synthesizer in the jazz fusion band RawMilk, founded by Don Preston of Frank Zappaand the Mothers of Invention. In the 1980s, shebecame a record company executive and studiomanager for legendary rock bands like the RollingStones. As successful as she had become, Cristy,a classically trained pianist, said she felt a void inher professional life.So she left the music industry and accepted a hospitalinternship in an inpatient substance abuse rehab unit in 1994.“I came out 12 years later as a clinical director of rehabservice,” she says.With a growing awareness of the problems in the health-caresystem, matched with her personal fondness for politics, shebegan to envision herself rocking the health-care system on thenational level as a health-care advocate.“I could either sit around and complain about things, or tryto make some changes,” she said. “If I was going to be partof the solution, I was going to need a good education. I knewwhere to get it.”Cristy’s husband, Hugo Dwyer, another music-industry typewho works as a recording engineer, had graduated with his B.S.in business from Empire State College in 2006.“Hugo’s graduation was a transforming experience for me,”says Cristy. “That’s what got me hooked.”The Dwyers, who recently celebrated their 20th weddinganniversary, were returning home after they attended Hugo’sgraduation ceremony in Saratoga Springs. During the driveback to Manhattan, Cristy had an epiphany. She decided shewould return to school.Although Hugo Dwyer literally sat at the control boardas a participant in the technological revolution in the musicbusiness, he thinks that even more momentous from a historicalperspective is the revolution that took place in higher educationduring the last half of the 20th century.“Fifty to 100 years from now, people may look back at thisperiod and say this was the golden age of education,” musesHugo, noting the birth of online classes such as those offeredby the Center for Distance Learning, from which he and Cristyare both proud graduates.Cristy enrolled in Empire State College shortly after Hugo’sgraduation, and in February 2008, earned her associatedegree. Last month, she returned to Saratoga Springs whereshe said she was honored to speak to graduates at the Centerfor Distance Learning commencement ceremony, and istargeting September, 2009 as the date when she will receiveher bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies, with aconcentration in public health policy.Hugo has continued to grow in his career as a recordingengineer. He expanded his role recently from being the masterof the control board, to musical collaborator. Of late, he hasprovided subway samples and sound design for the multimediapresentation of “Subway Moon,” a multicultural collaborationthat featured Roy Nathanson (himself a 1999 Empire StateCollege graduate) and The Jazz Passengers, and students fromAmerican and French schools. The performances were stagedin Paris in March and in New York City in May.Meanwhile, Cristy, a self-proclaimed optimist, has noproblem laying aside the moog synthesizer to fulfill her roleas an advocate for health care.“I think we’re at a point in our country where there is alot of crisis, but there also is a lot of opportunity,” she says.“We can make changes of major consequences that will begood for many people.” mE M P I R E 11

“Net” Prophetby Helen S. Edelman“Just because you don’t know where you’regoing doesn’t mean you’re lost.” So continenthopperMarian Maczvalda can stay on trackjust by being in motion. A native of Slovakia,Maczvalda – who signs his notes ‘Mayo’ –graduated from Empire State College in June2006 with a Bachelor of Science in businessadministration. Now he lives in London wherehe is a relationship manager for BloombergLP, a Manhattan-based financial softwareservices, news and data company that holds a33-percent market share in the growing, globalmoney industry. Maczvalda crows that thebusiness was founded by New York City MayorMichael Bloomberg, who owns 92 percent ofthe company.Marian Maczvalda ’06 (left) and friend Laura NovaAt 26 and unmarried but committed,Mayo is hyper-focused on his peripateticjob: “I enjoy representing Bloombergin the Czech Republic and Slovakia,and I take pleasure in being part of themost successful financial data and newsprovider in the world,” he said en routeto the airport to launch a whirlwind twoweeks in Bratislava, Vienna and Prague.Traveling around with a portfolio ofeconomic intelligence, Maczvalda aimsto offer clients innovative productslike proprietary data and fund-trackersthat can secure their wealth. He isardent about his livelihood: Mayorecently read Bloomberg on Bloomberg– an autobiography by the multi-multimillionairewho turned the business ofbusiness news upside-down. Next onthe nightstand is a book about equityderivatives (financial instruments whosevalue is partly derived from underlyingsecurities). But despite the genuine fervorfor his boss, Maczvalda said he wouldrather have lunch with ChristopherColumbus. And, though the geniusesof both men fascinate him, neither – infact, no one – is his personal role model,and he doesn’t want to be someone else’seither: “My strength and wisdom arefrom God; without Him I wouldn’t haveaccomplishments,” Mayo said. “I knowthat for sure.”Professional roving is not new toMayo, who has chased his work fromcompass point to compass point before.In an earlier, very glamorous firstcalling, Maczvalda literally followedthe bouncing ball as a tennis coach inEurope, China and the United States.“Cool, right?” he teases, stretching hispolyglot good humor across the AtlanticOcean, a grin on one shore, a laugh onthe other.Mayo had accolades for the sport heplayed internationally. These days histri-weekly volleys are purely recreational,but there’s an unmistakable resemblancebetween Mayo the tennis whiz and Mayothe finance whiz.“On the court and off the court, I’mon my own,” Maczvalda mused. “I havelearned not to rely on one person, butto anticipate multiple scenarios andchoose the right one to pursue. I’malways ready to climb over hurdles andreach the target.”Mayo described himself as adetermined competitor in squash aswell as tennis, and reported that heexcels at bungee jumping as well –not surprising in a guy who makes aliving taking remarkable risks to fulfillremarkable ambitions.He is candid about how hisfundamental character drives hisimpulses: “I’m a rebel; when the crowdturns right, I go left. When people arecautious, I see opportunity!” he declared.12 E M P I R E

“I like adventure, not civilizedexperience. I hate to do ordinarythings. Nothing usual satisfies me.”His intensity can be hard forpeople to contend with, Mayoadmitted, and “even for me tohandle myself,” but his zest haspaid off. Maczvalda used himself asan example of a guy whose familymeans were modest, and who haschanneled his initiative and yearningfor a more cosmopolitan existenceinto “platinum” triumphs in a jumphigh,run-fast career.“Everyone can make their ownchance in this world,” he asserted.“I thought about how I could make“I’m a rebel; when thecrowd turns right, I go left.When people are cautious,I see opportunity!”my diploma most valuable. I thoughtabout how everyone around me, nomatter what their social, economicor educational background, is in thesame position at the same level.”He came to the conclusion thateducation is “an admission ticketto opportunity, but it’s always upto an individual to develop skills,passions and desires if you want toreally rock!”His own rocking ‘n’ rollingdebut was staged a long way fromSlovakia. Mayo had begun postsecondaryclasses in Prague, butmoved to the United States, wherehe has family in New Jersey, tocontinue his studies.Along the way to his starringroles as an athlete and now withBloomberg, Maczvalda’s innatesmarts catapulted the curious youngman into a wise one. “I learned tolisten to people very carefully andfilter thoughts that will help meachieve,” he said. “Nonstop thinkingand cost-benefit evaluation play animportant role in my life.” Forehandor backhand? Buy or sell?His marketplace insights workwell in his personal life too. “Theseare my core, human responsibilitiesin private and public life: reliability,punctuality and effectiveness.”In retrospect, Mayo recognizesthat the strategies he developedearly on to establish a trustingrapport with teammates on thecourt morphed into the foundationfor “mutual confidence in businessrelationships,” he explained. “It’sall about communication. You learnhow to read specifics: What does aperson need? What do they expect?And you ask yourself how you cansupport that.”He refers to many of the keypeople who have surrounded him onboth sides of the net as “players:”squadmates and students, peers,colleagues and managers.Now, it seems that the bestplayer, the winner, is Mayo, whojoked that if he saves $1 million,he would act on a “secret plan”to invest it. Not that he gave anyadvice, but the words “tax-freemunicipal bonds” did come up.Nevertheless, he wouldn’t makeany predictions about the directionof world economic trends: “Iwould be a billionaire in a weekif I knew about that. None ofeven the most sophisticated analystsreally know. Trading is just gamblingin many ways.”Mayo also demurred when itcame to talking about the race forpresident, but emphasized thatwhoever takes office in Novemberwill have “an impact – I hope apositive one – and a lot to correct.”That’s definitely not a complaintabout being a citizen of the West.Indeed, Maczvalda named “war” asthe scariest thing in the world, butcited his own “freedom of choice” asthe most enviable.Outsiders might be tempted tosay he has it all, but Mayo wouldn’tagree. He envisions a trip toAustralia, a place he’s never been,and children after marriage. Andabout that million dollars … mStudent AchievementsMarina Jaffe, English, an M.A.T. student,has won a $5,000 grant from “Funds forTeachers” to develop curriculum for herschool. She will travel to Brazil to investigatethe legacy of slavery in Brazil and will thencompare her findings to the legacy of slaveryin the U.S.Mary Courtney, an M.A.T. student workingwith the Rochester City School District(RCSD) received the 2008 First Year teacherof the Year Award for RCSD. AnotherM.A.T. student, Carol Fries, also receivedthis award previously.Amanda LaValle Genson, a graduatestudent, has been appointed as coordinator,and will head the new Department of theEnvironment for Ulster County.Current Alfred student Tim Palmiter hasbeen selected as the new recycling coordinatorfor Allegany County. He and his wife,Angiline also a student at the Alfred Unit,welcomed a baby daughter, Olivia May, inearly June.Cassandra W.Williams, a studentat the GeneseeValley Center and aresidential habilitatorcaseworker for theUrban League ofRochester, receivedthe Robert and CarolJohnson ScholarshipCassandra W. Williamsand the 2008Womens Week Scholarship. A member of theAmerican Counseling Association, she is ateam leader for Making Strides Against BreastCancer, and a volunteer with United WayDay of Caring, as well as Greece ResidentsAssisting Stray Pets (GRASP).Harold Niver ’08, Center for DistanceLearning, and Michael Doyle, a GeneseeValley Center student, presented papers at theNew York State Political Science Associationannual conference. Niver’s paper, “Marxism,the State and Morality of Communism,”sparked the majority of the discussion inthe Q and A period, which he handled well.Doyle’s paper, “Political Disorder in ChangingSocieties: The Utility of Huntington’s Modelin Understanding Postwar Iraq,” also waswell received.E M P I R E 13

Wicked (continued from page 3)With 150 performancesas standby in the Broadwayproduction, and then fulltimeownership of the plumrole this summer in Chicago,Brescia has attracted legionsof fans who revel in her everysoaring note and tout hershow-stopping rendition of“Defying Gravity” as, well,wicked good.Brescia got hooked onacting as a high-school studentin Greenfield, Wisconsin.“I loved the feeling ofcommunity that theateroffered,” she recalls. “Itfelt like everyone involvedin the show became yourclosest friends.”After high school, sheheaded to New York City,where she earned her associatedegree at the AmericanAcademy of Dramatic Arts,staying on for a year as amember of their repertorycompany. Blessed with thatstunning singing voice aswell as solid theater training,Brescia was soon a verybusy actress.She toured worldwide for five years inThe Mamas and the Papas with originalmembers John Phillips and DennyDoherty. On Broadway, she enjoyed astarring role in Twyla Tharp’s The TimesThey Are A-Changin’, a turn as MarionHalcombe in The Woman in White, andthe part of a disciple in the revival ofJesus Christ Superstar. Elsewhere sheplayed Eva Peron in Evita (GatewayPlayhouse), Cathy in The Last 5 Years(Skylight Opera Theatre), and Meg inBrigadoon (Goodspeed Opera House).She was so busy professionally thatshe kept putting off one of her personalgoals: earning a college degree. Thena few years ago, a couple of friendsrecommended she look into Empire StateCollege’s Center for Distance Learning,and she discovered she wasn’t too busyfor college after all. “I was thrilled,” shesays. “Because it’s all online, I realized ILisa Brescia as Elphaba in the Chicago company of Wickedcould continue to work in theater whilegoing to school.”Advisor Renee O’Brien helped her puttogether a program that combined 60transferable credits from her associatedegree, credit for prior learning and arich array of online courses. She studiedthe Middle East, American ethnic history,math, nutrition, Spanish languageand culture, and a particular favoritecourse – Images of Women in WesternCivilization. Fellow performers becameaccustomed to seeing Brescia at workbackstage on her laptop or being ropedinto discussions for her psychology class.All the subjects benefited her work,says Brescia, “My studies helped me tothink more critically; I can apply thoseskills to script analysis and characterdevelopment.”Brescia graduated in June 2008 andis justly proud of having completedthe work while performing in threeBroadway productions andone regional show over thetwo and a half years of herenrollment. Graduation wasa thrill celebrated in truedistance-learning fashion:on a day when she hadtwo Wicked performancesin Chicago, she tuned intothe ceremony online. “Mypartner, Craig, and I sat onthe couch together watching,just beaming.”And rightly so. Shecompleted her Empire StateCollege degree with a perfect4.0 grade point average.“Much to my surprise,” saysBrescia, “I found out that ifI worked hard, I could excelacademically.” Now she isconsidering graduate school,possibly for an M.F.A.,possibly for “something otherthan fine arts altogether.” Butthat is down the road a bit.Meanwhile, she is enjoyingnew roles on the stage and anew sense of empowermentwherever she goes.“I can participate indiscussions about subjects which usedto baffle me,” says Brescia. “The oldbeliefs I carried around about a lack ofacademic ability or intelligence have beenchanged,” she says. “Whenever thoseold inner voices start to chatter at mesaying ‘You can’t do that!’ there is anew voice which says, ‘You better believeI can.’ ” mPHOTO: JOAN MARCUSFACTOID:Did you know that our alumniweb site was awarded theBest of Category of all SUNYalumni web sites? Visit usat www.esc.edu/Alumni tosee why.14 E M P I R E

“Cube” (continued from page 2)the program’s computations can mimic a traffic jam or anant colony with many players acting individually on thesame stage, collaborating, even unintentionally. While inmost languages it can be difficult to coordinate the activityof more than one player at a time, Clojure can evaluate themsimultaneously and express the complex, overlapping layers ofthe episode.Nevertheless, Hickey says Clojure’s capacity to domore than one thing at a time is limited, and that moderncomputers can do up to “maybe tens or hundreds of thingsat once.” He imagines a not-so-distant-future time whencomputers will be “somewhat more like brains, able todo tens of thousands of things at a time.” Despite thatforecast, Hickey insists that computers are not (emphasis onnot) smarter than people. “Human ideas are behind whatcomputers do,” he asserts. “They can ‘discover’ a pattern orcome to a conclusion faster than a person, but there is noFrankenstein here.”Potential for intelligence overload notwithstanding, therenever can be too much data, in Hickey’s opinion. He placescomputer languages on the continuum of information transferas telephones and telegraphs, but conventional communicationrelies on standard spoken and written languages that separatepeople from each other by cultural, geographic, physical,temporal and cognitive barriers, among other factors.Computer code, on the other hand, is based on a system ofuniversal logic – not individual words – and makes accessibleeverywhere a common inventory of wisdom, graphics, input,output and instructions. Hickey notes that recent history hasbenefited by “a quantum leap” in what is knowable, andwhich connects “people and ideas on a very large scale.”The subject of human connection through computerlanguage spurs Hickey to wax unexpectedly poetic. As adeveloper, he believes that each application of a program is aninteractive learning experience, and expects it to be continuouslyenhanced by users in an online dialectic, connectingprogrammers to him and to each other.“I took three years to write Clojure and I’ve been in tutorialmode with other people, encouraging its growth in theirhands, for nine months,” he says. “Now I’m getting feedbackon what needs to change.”Clojure is open source, which means those who installit won’t find their download is suddenly obsolete. Hickeyemphasizes, “Computer language authors love to watchideas get big. We don’t make a lot of money. I want to shareClojure as it matures. The language is not an end in itself; itneeds users and uses as a reason to exist.”Hickey’s prospering reputation in the computerlanguage-developercommunity is a daily surprise to him,and a gratifying show of peer confidence because “in theprogrammer world, success is based on a meritocracy,” heconcludes. “You can’t get ahead by marketing. You have tohave ideas. It’s refreshing not to be part of a corporate hierarchy.Working with computers requires smarts, openness toreason, membership in a learning community, and dedicationto an inherent truth.” mNew President (continued from page 6)“What I like to do is hit the iPod shuffle button, andget some amazing sequences,” Davis said. Sometimes, outof the blue, you get a sequence of pieces from all differentcategories – a Mahler symphony, followed by ModestMouse, some John Zorn and then the Beatles. “I don’t knowwhat that says about me and my working style, but I lovethose unexpected connections that occur among variousdimensions of your past and future and what’s going onnow. I think it shows how powerful music is, and I listento it a lot.”For Davis, the transition into his new role has been asmooth one. “I had a lot of material sent to me,” he said.“Joyce Elliott (the provost and interim president before hisarrival) has done outstanding work, not just holding thefort and keeping me fully apprised of events and issues,but also in advancing the cause of Empire State College asshe awaited my arrival. “The welcome we have receivedhas been warm and generous,” he said. “Like everyoneat the college, I was very saddened by the tragic loss thissummer of Dr. Bob Milton, vice president of enrollmentmanagement.”Davis recognizes the huge weight of responsibility in beinga college president. He knows expectations are very high,but he has no second thoughts. “Two things told me fromthe beginning that this was the right choice,” he explained.“First, was when I was interviewed on the phone by ChrisRounds, a mentor at the Binghamton Unit and a member ofthe search committee, during the early stages of the search.At the end of the call, I thought, ‘This feels like it might bea good fit.’” The second signal was more telling. “My wife,Denise, is more intuitive. When she joined me here duringthe second interview process, her immediate reaction was,‘This feels right. Professionally, and personally, there’s asense of family. It just feels right.’” mFACTOID:Did you know you can get career adviceand search job postings in our alumnionline community? Go to www.esc.edu/AlumniCommunity and find out how.E M P I R E 15

A R O U N D E M P I R E S T A T E C O L L E G ECollege NewsFaculty and Staff Honored with SUNY Chancellor’s AwardsTwo members of the Empire StateCollege community were honored thisyear with SUNY Chancellor’s ExcellenceAwards.Receiving the prestigious Chancellor’sAward for Excellence in Faculty Serviceis Tina Wagle, a mentor at the NiagaraFrontier Center, for her dedicatedleadership and contributions to theCollege’s Master of Arts in Teachingprogram. A full-time faculty memberof the M.A.T. program, Wagle wasone of its founders, and helped to wingrant fundingto establishthe program.She was a keymember ofthe team thatdevelopedthe college’sinnovativecurriculum thatenables adultlearners withTina Waglea bachelor’sdegree to fulfilltheir student teaching and academicobligations while working full time asa teacher. She serves as a mentor andadvisor to students, and as their rolemodel for flexibility, problem solving,leadership and generous support.Wagle helped create an electronicrepository for student work; a studenthandbook and rubric for evaluation ofthe master’s portfolio; field experienceguides; student orientation materials;and a dispositions policy for allstudents, among other accomplishments.She helped regularize admissionsprocesses, write program standards,and collaborated in the revisions of aprogram rubric for observing teachers inthe public schools.She has been instrumental in fosteringa strong relationship between the collegeand the urban schools in Buffalo, whereM.A.T. students teach. She has helpedprogram graduates find jobs, and was amember of the New Teacher MentoringInduction Team for the Buffalo PublicSchools.A respected Spanish educator whocontinues to teach as well as act inan administrative capacity, Wagle haspresented papers in South Africa andCuba, speaking on issues related toassessment, tenure and promotion, andissues of diversity. She serves on severalcollege committees, including personnelreview, mentoring, graduate studiespolicy and affirmative action.In Buffalo, Wagle has been recognizedfor her extraordinary efforts by a Fortyunder 40 award for community service,particularly to Catholic Charities, aschair of strategic planning; and for hersignificant positive influence on areapublic schools.Suzanne Hayes, manager of libraryand instructional services for the college’sCenter for Learning and Technology,is the recipient of the Chancellor’sAward for Excellence in ProfessionalService. The distinction recognizes herconsistent, exceptional work performanceand her service to the extended collegecommunity. She holds master’s degreesin library and information services, aswell as curriculum and instructionaltechnology.The Center for Learning andTechnology is a resource to the extendedcollege community, and providesinstructional design consultation,multimedia development, electroniclibrary services and technical support.Hayes was acknowledged for hercreativity, flexibility and productivityin developing accessible resources thatsupport theneeds ofindependent,mentor-guidedlearners, andfaculty. Amongher accomplishmentsareimprovementsSuzanne Hayesto interlibraryloan services and patron supportmaterials, including the library website; design and implementation of afull-text retrieval system, tutorials,and informational materials andexperiences; upgrades to searchabledatabases for online courses; andenhanced references services.She conceptualized and has distinguishedthe college’s unusual virtuallibrary to support distance learning.Hayes was cited for her leadership abilitiesas well as managerial competence,imagination and technical skill.SUNY Names Recipientsof Chancellor’s Awardfor Student ExcellenceFive Empire State College studentsreceived 2008 Chancellor’s Awards forStudent Excellence, the highest honorbestowed by the State University of NewYork on a student.The annual awards acknowledgestudents who earn a grade point averageof 3.78 or higher, and make a significantcontribution to their campus or localcommunity. This year, 275 students fromall across SUNY were recognized in aceremony in Albany.Dominique Cieri, a playwright, earneda bachelor’s degree in arts through theCenter for Distance Learning, graduating16 E M P I R E

C o l l e g e N e w swith a 4.0 G.P.A. Her accomplishmentsinclude publishing essays about artseducation in The New York Times, DailyRecord, New Jersey Theatre Allianceand Teaching Artist Journal; conceivingand developing a juvenile justice artsprogram; and co-authoring From theAttic, to the Classroom, to the Stage.In the past, Cieri won a RothschildFoundation grant to implement aHolocaust Program in Florence, Italywith Florence International TheatreCompany. She received the Davie Awardfrom the Geva Theatre in Rochester (NY)for Excellence in Playwriting, and anindividual playwriting fellowship fromthe New Jersey State Council on the Artsand the Mid-Atlantic Arts Foundation.She has been recognized for her workwith at-risk youth by Playwrights Theatreof New Jersey. Cieri’s plays have beenproduced in New York, New Jersey, LosAngeles, Chicago and North Carolina.Molly deRoos was the student speakerat the graduation recognition ceremonyat the Central New York Center, whereshe received a bachelor’s degree inmanagement. She has been honored byCornell University, where she is associatedirector for career development, forCareer Fair Leadership for organizing 52employers and their 152 representativesto conduct employment interviews;and she wasinstrumentalin a majoradministrativereorganizationat Cornell.DeRooshas beenacknowledgednumerous timesat work and byEmpire StateMolly deRoos College forher successfulleadership roles. The mother of adaughter with liver disease and whoreceived a donor liver, deRoos is aproactive organ donation advocate.She has been honored by FingerLakes Donor Recovery Network forenhancing awareness of transplantation,and interviewed by Healthy You andCincinnati Children’s Hospital’s annualreport about her views on organdonation. Ethics and organ donation isone of her primary research interests. Sheis a volunteer for both Dream Factoryof Central New York and Girl Scouts ofAmerica.Sean Johnston graduated with aBachelor of Science degree in zoologyfrom the Genesee Valley Center, wherehe maintained a 4.0 grade point average(G.P.A.). Last year, he was chosen fora prestigious international endangeredspeciesinternship with the U.S. Fishand Wildlife Service and published apaper abouthis experiencein SEEDS, thepublication ofthe Friends ofBuenos AiresNational WildlifeRefuge. He haspresented apaper to EmpireState Collegefaculty exploringInternships:Sean JohnstonHow to HelpYour Students Fit Experiential Learninginto their Degree Internship Programs;was an interviewer for the college’scommunity services/human developmentmentor and associate dean; and has beena foster caretaker for young, injured,unadoptable or post-surgical animals forthe Humane Society of Rochester andMonroe County. He has been recognizedtwice for his leadership in identifyingand immediately resolving crises at theHumane Society.Frank Saladino graduated with adegree in business management from theLong Island Center. He is well-knownfor his invention of ProHandle, anergonomically designed auxiliary handlethat can be added to any stick-tool suchas a shovel, rake or mop, improving theuser’s posture, reducing strain and injuryto the lower back and joints. He donatedhundreds of ProHandles for use by bothemergency teams at the World TradeCenter after 9-11, and to the NationalGuard’sfirefighters, andreceived a Letterof Appreciationand Recognitionfrom ZepManufacturing(ProHandlesupplier) for hisgenerosity. Healso has beenthanked forFrank Saladinodonations byMerillon Athletic Association and LittleLeague for donating ProHandles to helpmaintain their fields. He owns a patentand trademark for his device. Saladinohas been recognized by the CommunityChurch of Great Neck-Chinese Schoolfor founding its PTA and raising funds toprovide healthy snacks for students. Helectures regularly at SUNY Farmingdaleto professionals, faculty and studentsinterested in the invention industry, andwas a student speaker at UniversityCollege’s 2007 graduation ceremony.Mark Tillman graduated from theGenesee Valley Center with a degreein business administration with a dualconcentration in finance and marketing.A fourth-generation food-serviceprofessional, he is owner of his family’sTillman’s Historic Village Inn (Albion,NY), and has been recognized both in theindustry and for excellence in businessby the U.S. House of Representatives andNew York State Senate. Tillman has beenemploying and mentoring adolescents,age 15 to 18, including individuals withdevelopmental disabilities, for morethan 20 years, teaching them criticallife skills through responsibility. Hewas elected to serve as an officer on theboard of the local chamber of commercein Orleans; named by former GovernorPataki to serve on the New York StateFinger Lakes Regional Council; and wasfeatured in an article in GEOTIMES, thepublication of the American GeologicalInstitute as a student who is improvingthe eco-system by “leading by example.”In the past, he served honorably and withmerit in the U.S. Marine Corps. mE M P I R E 17

A R O U N D E M P I R E S T A T E C O L L E G EAlumni NewsCenter for Distance LearningKevin Cady ’03, ’04 is the inauguralrecipient of the U.S. Coast GuardAuxiliarist of the Year Award, 2007.Congratulations to Harold Niver ’08 onhaving been accepted by the University atAlbany where he will pursue a Master ofArts degree in political science.Faxton-St. Luke’s has named Mary KateRolf ’04 executive director of the VisitingNurse Association. A licensed New Yorkstate nursing home administrator, sheholds a master’s degree in health servicemanagement from SUNY IT and is workingtoward a master’s degree in businessadministration.With 15 years of experience in thespecialty paper industry and degrees inmanufacturing technology and businessmanagement from SUNY Cortlandand Empire State College respectively,Tim Shaughnessy ’06 has taken theposition of technical composites salesmanager for Knowlton Technologies.Where in the world is Empire State College? Shaun Smithson ’06 from CDL proudlywore his Empire State College shirt when he visited the Great Wall of China.Please send any photos you have from distant locations wearing collegemerchandise or holding up a recent copy of this magazine. Let’s see wherein the world Empire State College alumni and students are found!Day Planners, Your Ultimate SuccessTool is the latest work by John (Wes)Spence ’90. He also is the author ofThe Busy Manager’s Guide to EmployeeRelations Excellence – both published byAuthor House.Center for Graduate ProgramsMaria Callegari ’90, ’94, who earned bothher undergraduate and graduate degreeat Empire State College before starting afamily, has penned “How Staying at HomeWith Your Children Uses Your CareerSkills,” based on her experience as a stayat-homemother. She is now a part-timeeditor for a book publisher.Mary Anne Donovan ’07 is chief editorof Writer Online, a professional ezinefor writers.Dorothy Jennings18 E M P I R EDorothy (Penny)Jennings ’03, ’06,founder of AdultsCaring for Teens,Inc. (ACT), has beennamed a 2008 NewYork State Womanof Distinction. Shehas taken an idea –to help at-risk teens find their way throughmentoring – and created an effective agencythat not only provides older teens withmuch-needed mentors but has Girls Circleand Boys Council programs. Jenningsbecame interested in mentoring whileearning her master’s degree. She is workingtoward a Ph.D. at Northeastern University.Center forInternational ProgramsJuraj Antal ’08 has been accepted atthe University of Warwick in the UnitedKingdom where he will work toward hismaster’s degree in international politicaleconomy. He also recently completed anintensive Spanish course in San Sebastian.Filitsa ArvanitiFilitsa Arvaniti ’05has been namedalumni coordinatorand student affairsassistant at the NewYork College Athenscampus. Both EmpireState College andLa Salle University,from which sheearned a Master of Arts in professionalcommunication and public relations(valedictorian), are affiliated with New YorkCollege’s Athens campus.Martin Pavlicek ’05 has been promotedto head of communication and officialpress officer with Cez Energy Company,the largest company of its kind in theCzech Republic. He is working towardsa master’s degree in communication andpublic relations with La Salle University’sPrague program.Central New York CenterJohanna Ashworth ’07 is planning toattend law school in Washington, D.C. Sheand her husband, Nathan, both graduatedfrom Empire State College in 2007.Bosnian native Amil Catovic ’08immigrated to the Utica area in 1996.Through his work as an employee specialistwith the Mohawk Valley Resource Centerfor Refugees, he established a relationshipwith the Oneida Indian Nation, which ledto his current position as human resourcespecialist for the Oneida Nation.

John Currie ’95, who earned his Bachelorof Science degree in human services, is aresidential counselor with Catholic Charitiesand works in a community home for adultsrecovering from and/or coping with mentalillness. He also is a court appointed specialadvocate, holds a Family DevelopmentCredential from Cornell University, and hasreceived his NYS Mediation Certificationin custody visitation/community/elderlycaregivers/special education and agriculturalmediation. Currie is an active member ofthe American Legion and Farm Bureauand has been recognized by the AlbanyDiocese of Catholic Charities for hisvolunteer service.Joyce Dayton ’89 brings 17 years ofteaching experience to her new position,principal of Reese Road ElementarySchool. She has a certificate of advancedstudy in school administration from SUNYCortland, a master’s degree in specialeducation from SUNY New Paltz and herEmpire State College bachelor’s degree inelementary education.Kimberly Fezza ’05 has been namedcoordinator of Cornell University’s OffCampus Housing Office which was bornfrom a collaboration between Cornell’svice president for student and academicservices and Ithaca Mayor CarolynPeterson, both of whom expressed theirmutual interest in building better relationsbetween students and their neighbors. Theexperience she brings to the job includes10 years as a realtor, office manager andtenant relations specialist. On a personalnote, Fezza has formed an autism supportgroup for families with children who havebeen diagnosed with autism. At three yearsof age, her daughter, Anna Liese, wasdiagnosed with atypical autism.Tony Ingraham ’87 is the author ofA Walk Through Watkins Glen: Water’sSculpture in Stone, published by Owl GorgePublications. The book, which details thenatural and cultural history of WatkinsGlen State Park in the Finger Lakes regionof New York state, grew out of his Masterof Arts in Liberal Studies final project.Peter Maio ’92, ’96 is the individualcategory recipient of the 2007 UrsulaFlagg Award for Human ResourceExcellence. With 24 years of experienceas an industrial engineer to his credit,Maio enrolled at Empire State Collegeand received his A.A.S. He accepted aposition as employment manager witha local manufacturer and continued hisstudies, earning a Bachelor of Sciencedegree. Currently, Maio is human resourcesmanager with Bartell Machinery Systems.A l u m n i N e w sNo Bottom: In Conversation with BarryLopez by Mike Newell ’81 has beenpublished by XOXOX Press. Lopez is aprolific writer best known for Of Wolvesand Men and Arctic Dreams. Newell writes,“I have enjoyed interesting careers inteaching at-risk populations and in wildfiremanagement that were made possiblethrough my degree program with EmpireState College.” He holds a M.S.L. fromVermont Law School as well as a M.S.from the State University of New York atOneonta.Mark A. Spawn’07 is director ofresearch, developmentand training withthe New York StateAssociation of Chiefsof Police, Syracuse.His membershipsinclude the CentralNew York AssociationMark A. Spawnof Chiefs of Police,F.B.I. National Academy Associates,Child Fatality Review Team and theChild Advocacy Center Foundation.Accolades include being named one ofTen Outstanding New Yorkers in 1997,receiving the Outstanding Advocate Awardas well as a Bank Robbery TaskforceCommendation from the F.B.I.The Cayuga Community College (CCC)Alumni Association has bestowed itsalumni award upon James Vivenzio ’93,who earned a degree in electrical technologythere and now is coordinator of electronicmedia services for CCC’s Auburn andFulton campuses. He holds a master’sdegree in library science from SyracuseUniversity.Corporate College ProgramA 20-year veteran of the constructionbusiness, Mary Schmidt ’07 is owner ofDie Hard Excavation and Technologies.She sits on the advisory board of theconstruction department of Madison-Oneida BOCES and performs constructioninspections for Verizon.Genesee Valley CenterWith more than 16 years of hospitalityindustry experience to his credit, KeithBrophy ’98 has been appointede-commerce marketing manager withCrestline Hotels and Resorts. He earnedboth an M.B.A. and M.S. from theUniversity of New Orleans and is anadjunct professor of hospitality managementat Stratford University, Virginia.Glen Cline ’95 has been promoted todirector of procurement and paymentservices with Alfred State College.This past May, Myra Kovary ’76 playedher harp in the General Assembly Hallat the United Nations headquarters incelebration of the Convention on the Rightsof Persons with Disabilities.Interweaving the Generations is a onewomanplay by Doris Naundorf ’82relating stories of her grandmother’sjourney from Switzerland to America,what it was like for her mother growingup during the Great Depression, as wellas her own life experiences which includebeing the bride of a World War II soldier.Naundorf has traveled extensively overthe years, performing her play at schools,churches, nursing homes and, notably, in aboardroom at the Statue of Liberty.Kathleen Phillips ’04, who was awarded aMaster of Library Science by the Universityat Buffalo, is children’s librarian at theSeymour Library, Brockport, NY.John Robortella ’01, associate directorof marketing and communications forthe Simon Graduate School of Business,University of Rochester, has written a booktitled Frogleg George. It is the story ofJohn Preissecker who lived in Rochesterfrom 1885 until 1936 and is legendaryfor catching frogs, selling them to foodestablishments and occasionally swallowinga live one whole in exchange for a beerin a bar.Trish Ruffino ’94 is CEO of The PARXGroup, which offers staff fulfillment andstaff augmentation services, and was citedby Inc. magazine as one of the 5,000fastest-growing companies in America.She is but one of two Empire State Collegegraduates in her family – her husbandJerry Ruffino’74 being the other.Craig Snyder ’06 and his jazz group playedthe Rochester International Jazz Festival.“A Quiet Place in Her Soul” is anexhibition of watercolors by SallySteinwachs ’82 held at the Century Club inRochester. Among her other exhibit venuesare the High Falls Gallery, the Link and theIrondequoit Art Club.The Harry Van Ardsale Jr.Center for Labor StudiesThe Long Island Chapter of the AmericanSociety of Safety Engineers (ASSE)presented Howard Edelson ’79, amember since 1976, the chapters’ SafetyProfessional of the Year Award as well asthe designation of Silver CSP (CertifiedE M P I R E 19

Safety Professional)in recognition of hismore than 20 years ofservice. Edelson beganhis career at the NewYork Naval Shipyardwhere he enforcedthe U.S. Navy SafetyProgram. He thenworked with NASAHoward Edelsonas a space systemsquality assurance specialist and as vehiclecrew chief for Lunar Modules 5 (Apollo 11)and Lunar Module 10 (Apollo 15) and wasresponsible for the safety of the astronauts,the spacecrafts and the crews who workedon them.Hudson Valley CenterWith two years as second in commandunder his belt, Captain Raymond Caroli’04 is now commanding officer of the SixthPrecinct, Greenwich Village. Having appliedto the police academy at age 21, Caroli,now 43, began his service withthe 120th Precinct on Staten Island.Attaining the rank of sergeant took himto Coney Island; as a lieutenant he served inWashington Heights; and, in 2004,he became captain and moved to the10th Precinct.Carlos Fittante ’05 choreographed TheFaces of Love, performed by the BALAMDance Theatre, of which he is artisticdirector and a company dancer.Now semi-retired, Jeffrey Gerstein ’80studies with painter Angela Gage, is amember of the Baltimore and DelawareArt Center and has exhibited his art –photographs and paintings – at galleriesin Worthington and Columbus, Ohio.Scott Hesse ’05, who earned his degree injazz studies followed by a master’s degree injazz composition from DePaul University,has released “Music Speaks,” an album oforiginal songs recorded with his Chicagoquintet. Legendary guitarist and recordingartist George Benson has been quoted assaying Hesse plays “ … the freshest soundI have heard yet of all the guitarists of hisgeneration.”Sarah McAllister ’00 received her Ph.D.from Louisiana State University, where shealso had worked as a part-time instructor.Following much success in the U.S. bankingarena, Patrick Mullan ’75 wanted to returnto his native Ireland and become an author.His first novel, The Circle of Sodom,received two nominations – Best First Noveland Best Suspense Thriller – at the 2005Love Is Murder Conference. Blood Red20 E M P I R EA l u m n i N e w sSquare (LBF Books) followed and his latestthriller, The Root of All Evil, is soon to bereleased. He is a member of InternationalThriller Writers Inc. and Mystery Writersof America.In 2008, the artwork of Paula Renee ’90has garnered many awards: first placein the best in show award at the Societyfor Creative Arts, first place in the NewCanaan Society for Arts and third prize inthe Richter Association for Arts AnnualPhotography Show.Pace University has appointed KarenRobilotta ’01 vice president of humanresources. She also will chair the university’sCompensation Committee and BenefitsAdvisory Committee. She has completedmaster’s coursework at Teacher’s College,Columbia University and is co-author ofCoaching Culture: Hidden Profit (InsightPublishing).Anne Schachner ’00 has earned a master’sdegree in counseling psychology from CityUniversity, Bellevue, Washington.Maryellen Whittington-Couse ’83 ispresident of What Matters: Making TimeWork for You and a diversity specialist withOpening Doors Diversity Projects. For morethan 20 years, she has been a trainer andconsultant on time management, personaleffectiveness and diversity in the workplace.Listed in Who’s Who in American Womenas well as Who’s Who in Education,she holds a master’s in internationaladministration from the School ofInternational Training and certification indiversity management from the School ofIndustrial and Labor Relations, CornellUniversity. Memberships include theRosendale Chamber of Commerce, MidHudson Women’s Network, Anna DevinePTA and Districtwide Parents Council.Long Island CenterInternational Power Group, Ltd. has namedJohn Benvengo ’89 as their president andchief operating officer.The Long Island Center for Business andProfessional Women bestowed their 2008Achievers Award upon Grace Conti ’03,’04 at the 29th Annual Achievers AwardsGala.Patrick Hanrahan ’07 has been acceptedinto the M.F.A. program at Stony Brook/Southampton for the fall 2008 semester.Congratulations to Georgina McKee ’00on being awarded a Master of Arts witha concentration in community health andthanatology from Brooklyn College.Kathrina Proscia ’03 is executive assistantto the founder and president of StoryCorps;the largest oral history project in the U.S.,and broadcast on National Public Radio(NPR).Edwin L. Sherrill, Jr. ’74 has retired asEast Hampton Village trustee after 33 yearsof service and can count among his manyaccomplishments the acquisition of SeaSpray property and the creation of HerrickPark. Sherrill’s is an impressive past thatincludes work as a commercial fisherman;study of marine technology at SuffolkCounty Community College (SCCC);being a veteran of the 95th InfantryDivision which landed at OmahaBeach, Normandy, 1944; and teachingoceanography at SCCC.Ron Villano ’04 is author of The Zing: Theself-discovery guide to help you go fromliving life to loving the life you live; inspiredby dramatic life changes he experiencedwhen his son, Michael, lost his life in a caraccident. Villano, who has a psychotherapypractice in Bohemia, New York, also travelsthe country delivering his motivationalmessage to embrace the power of change nomatter what life brings your way.James White ’05 is the proud fatherof triplet boys who were featured onDiscovery Health Channel’s cable TVshow, “Baby Madness Multiples.” Whiteis working towards his master’s degree atMaryland State University.Metropolitan CenterRandall Barquero ’07 has been acceptedinto the M.F.A. program at the School ofVisual Arts.Kenny Barron ’78, onpiano, performed atYoshi’s in Oakland,California, this pastApril with fellow jazzartists Billy Cobham,John Williams andRandy Brecker. Aformer professor ofmusic at RutgersKenny BarronUniversity, Barronmentored many of today’s young talentsincluding David Sanchez and Regina Bell.In 1974, he recorded his first album “Sunsetto Dawn,” as a leader for the Muse label.More than 40 recordings have followed bythe man Jazz Weekly calls “The most lyricalpiano player of our time.”Richard Garet ’07 has been accepted intothe M.F.A. programs at Hunter College,Brooklyn College and Bard.continued on page 23

Have you recently published an article, paper or book?We would love to hear about it for our next issue.Please contact Maureen.Winney@esc.edu.Randall Barquero ‘07 stands with one of his submissions to theMetropolitan Center’s alumni student photographic exhibit.As part of our travel and learn programs, alumni and studentsrelived history at Civil War battlefields in Gettysburg, Manassasand Antietam.Verizon Corporate College alumni shown here celebrating thesuccess of the program.FORUM East alumni reunited with students and faculty at their annual networking mixer as a part of the spring residency.E M P I R E 21

President Davis with alumni enjoying a reception at the SaratogaAuto Museum prior to attending an orchestra performance at theSaratoga Performing Arts Center. From left to right: Dave Columb,Bonnie Columb, Diane Morency, Mike Morency ’82, Jim West,Greta West and President Davis.Alumni, students, faculty and friends enjoy their farewell dinnerat the end of the college trip to Holland and Belgium.Close to 100 CDL students met their facutly members at their annualpre-graduation mixer in Saratoga Springs.Student council volunteers gathered here for our first everalumni student event for our Athens program.Dean KingstonNyamapfene (far left)welcomed more than200 alumni and studentsto celebrate the 10thanniversary of ourprogram in Prague.Also pictured here arealumni and studentswho received serviceand recognition awards,Francesca Cichello,student services andspecial projects assistant(second from left) andEvelyn Wells, academicprogram director andEuropean regionalcoordinator (far right).22 E M P I R E

continued from page 20Deborah Gregory (right) poses withmodel Beverly Johnson at the releaseparty for Catwalk.Catwalk is the most recent book inDeborah Gregory’s ’86 popular, awardwinningCheetah Girls series, DisneyPublishing Worldwide. In 2001, theCheetah Girls series was chosen theBlackboard Children’s Book of the Yearand subsequently was developed into a 22-book series and Disney Channel TV-movieseries. Gregory also authors a column,The Diva Diaries, for Grace magazine, anational fashion and lifestyle publicationfor multicultural women, and has writtenfor Essence, VIBE, MORE, EntertainmentWeekly and US magazines.Ben Hickman ’75 is the author of TheManaged Care Revolution in which hedraws on 46 years of experience to examinethe impact of managed care on the nursingprofession. He earned a master’s degreefrom the New School and a doctorate fromCalifornia Coast University and works as ahealth care consultant.Duron Jackson ’05 has been accepted intothe M.F.A. program at Bard College.Favorite Fashion Finds of Maj Kalfus ’03were featured in the style section of RealSimple magazine, August 2008.An accomplished artist, Kalfus alsoexhibited at the Deborah Davis Fine ArtGallery in Hudson, New York.Gertrude LaForgia ’87 had an impressive32-year career with the New York PoliceDepartment (NYPD) that began bypatrolling the 24th precinct and led to herbecoming the first woman to hold the rankof two-star chief and borough commander.In 1994, as deputy chief, she transformedthe Public Morals Division into the NewVice Enforcement Division. She retired fromthe NYPD in 1998 and has since served ascommissioner of public safety in MountVernon (the community saw a 30 percentPHOTO BY ASTRID STAWIARZ, GETTY IMAGESA l u m n i N e w sdecrease in crime) and then executivevice president of Clark Security andInvestigations. Most recently she has beennamed project manager for the Flushing/Willets Point/Corona Land DevelopmentCorporation. A graduate of the F.B.I.National Academy, she is a member ofthe New York City Superior OfficersAssociation, the National Associationof Women Police and the InternationalAssociation of Chiefs of Police.Jeff McMahon ’95, a Richard PorterLeach Fellow during his studies at thecollege, is the recipient of a 2008 ArizonaCommission on the Arts Grant to supportthe creation of “Counter Indications,”a performance/installation collaborationbetween McMahon and media designerJacob Pinholster.Antonia Perez ’06 has been accepted intothe M.F.A. program at Queens College.A People’s History ofPoverty in AmericaStephen Pimpare’98, associateprofessor of politicalscience and socialwork at YeshivaUniversity, haspublished his secondbook, A People’sHistory of Povertyin America (TheNew York Press,2008).Robert Powers ’88, ’91 was appointedMalverne village historian and electedpresident of the Malverne Historical andPreservation Society, which oversees theJoseph L. Landers Memorial RestorationHouse.Niagara Frontier CenterSince joining Praxair Inc. in 1989,Chris Affuso ’93 has held positions ofincreasing responsibility – including projectmanager for plant expansion projects.Earlier this year, he was named manager ofPraxair’s U.S. engineering and constructionnetwork. As manager, Affuso will supervisethe resource planning of projects andproposals as well as provide guidance to theproject management team.Jane GonzalezJane Gonzalez ’90, ahealth educator withthe Marion CountyHealth Department,Florida, writes,“Thank you so much,Empire State College,for allowing me theprivilege to acquirethe knowledge and expertise I needed tosucceed in life.”Randall Present ’93 has been named safetyand security manager with Cassadaga JobCorps Academy. A graduate of the F.B.I.National Academy with 23 years of lawenforcement service to his credit, he retiredat the rank of captain with the JamestownPolice Department.Robert Reich ’90 has been named toCambridge Who’s Who Executive,Professional and Entrepreneur Registryfor “showing dedication, leadership andexcellence in all aspects of engineering.”Reich is project designer for MEEngineering, and has more than 35 years ofprofessional experience in engineering.Northeast CenterKathy Baumgarten ’06, a writer for theLake Champlain Weekly, has had herfirst book, Strictly a Loner, My Life andTimes With Plattsburgh’s Secret Millionaire,published.Richard Castle ’04, ’06 has been promotedto the rank of lieutenant with the SaratogaCounty Sherriff’s Office. He will overseeadministrative services including theEmergency 911 Call Center and in-houseand mobile computer services.Lisa Costello ’98, ’00 is a recruiter for theTherapeutic Foster Family Program of theNortheast Parent and Child Society. Shealso is a member of the Saratoga CountyChamber of Commerce.Sheila (Shea) Fierro ’87 was awarded firstprize in the Abstract Division in the “Artsof March” annual spring juried show heldby Cape Coral’s Art League. She is theowner of Shea’s Artistic Creations, andall proceeds from sale of her artwork goto Camphill Village, where her daughterMarian lives. Camphill Village is a residencewhere developmentally disabled people liveand work together with dedicated families.MacArthur Fellow and Cornell ProfessorAlice Fulton ’78 has published TheNightingales of Troy. Set in Troy, NewYork, this linked collection of storiesfollows a quirky and resilient familythroughout the 20th century.Greg Heroth ’06 has successfully changedhis career path to follow his passion forscience and is now a biology and earthscience teacher with the St. JohnsvilleSchool District.Tammy Jones ’05 has been promotedto assistant director of the SpringbrookHome and Community-based ServicesE M P I R E 23

A l u m n i N e w sDepartment, a service agency for childrenand adults with developmental disabilities.Sherry Mossotti ’98 is chief executiveofficer and director of Leadership GreaterSyracuse, a year-long community leadershiptraining and development organizationthat trains people to be more active, civicengagedand involved in their community.Barbara Nagler ’74, who has a wealthof experience in the education field, hasbeen elected to serve on the Tech ValleySchool Foundation. Most recently, Naglerwas district superintendent of the CapitalRegion BOCES and prior to that anearly childhood special education teacher,coordinator of handicapped and remedialeducation at Rensselaer-Columbia-Greene BOCES, elementary principalat Averill Park Central School District,and superintendent of Maplewood andBrunswick school districts. She holds amaster’s degree from the College of St.Rose and a doctor of education from theUniversity of Massachusetts Amherst.Rev. Janice McClary Rowell ’76, whoholds a Master of Divinity degree fromAndover Newton Theological School,has been pastor of the Scotia UnitedMethodist Church for the past 11 years.In July of 2008, she was named districtsuperintendent of the Troy AnnualConference of the United Methodist,the Saratoga-based conference comprises67 congregations.Harvey Tasch ’95 who is retired fromVerizon now volunteers with the AreaAgency on Aging, Palm Beach/TreasureCoast, Florida.Barbara Voerg ’01 and MyriamBouchard ’99, a graduate of the HudsonValley Center, have teamed up to createwww.Hudson-Valley-Traveler.com, aweb-based travel company that specializesin custom tours of the Hudson Valley.Maureen Simon ’84, writes that, “This period in mywork and life is particularly significant. I have taken thelast year and a half to focus on researching and writingthe book, Awakening the Essential Feminine: ClaimingYour Influential Power. The book looks at nine areasof life where feminine attributes live and describes27 specific attributes that are ‘unique to the feminine’and that are now greatly needed in our world. I’ve alsocreated a card deck that goes with the book and servesas a teaching tool to allow mothers, daughters andsisters around the world to enjoy conversation andlearning around our amazing feminine gifts. For, IMaureen Simonbelieve when these attributes are owned, expressed andintegrated into our world, our world will be an amazingplace. I have created a series of talks and am in the middle of providing a number ofinternational media interviews on this topic which will appear in print media overthe next year.”Learners First Campaign:Is Success Within our Reach?Goal: $9 million$8.7 million raised – 97 percent of goalWe have until December 31, 2008 to raise a little less than$300,000 to reach our goal of $9 million.Why give?Our alumni consistently express their appreciation for howprofoundly Empire State College has changed their lives.Your contribution is a way to give back to the institutionthat supported you through your journey.Make a credit card gift online at www.esc.edu/giving or mailyour gift (payable to Empire State College Foundation) to:Office of Annual Giving, Alumni House, Empire State College,28 Union Avenue, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866-4390For further information, please call 800 847-3000 ext. 233724 E M P I R E

YOU ARE IMPORTANT TO US!Send news of your accomplishments and activities so that we can feature them in future issues of Empire StateCollege Alumni and Student News. If possible include a recent photograph (with your name on the back).Please spell out all organization abbreviations.Name ________________________________________________________________________________________________Address _______________________________________________________________________________________________Job title _______________________________________________________________________________________________Business name/address __________________________________________________________________________________Center/unit attended ____________________________________________________________________________________Year graduated/degrees _________________________________________________________________________________Current student? ______________________________________________________ Area of study ___________________Phone number: Work _____________________________________ Home _______________________________________E-mail address _________________________________________________________________________________________Honors and other accomplishments ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Volunteer/professional organizations ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Send to: Empire State College Alumni and Student News, Office of College Relations, Empire State College, Two Union Avenue,Saratoga Springs, NY 12866-4390, or visit our web site at www.esc.edu/alumni and add your news online.Two Union AvenueSaratoga Springs, NY 12866-4390