A MoMeNt iN - University at Buffalo

from theUBAAPresidentWe asked Larry Zielinski, MBA ’77 & BA ’75,newly elected president of the UB AlumniAssociation, about his involvement with UBand his relatively new empty nest.Q. Why UB?Economics. I spent my first twoyears at Syracuse University, whichwas very expensive. I transferredwhen my family and I realized UBwould provide the same caliber educationbut in an affordable way.Q. Why should alumni careabout UB?So many reasons. First, it’s the bestnetwork you can possibly have.Years ago, after having been laid offfrom [now defunct] Goldome Bank,a connection from the School ofManagement set me on the path I’mon today [as a hospital president].It’s a symbiotic relationship—whenWestern New York turns around,UB is going to be at the forefront. Inturn, alumni who care about it willhave the satisfaction of being part ofthe renaissance.Q. How do you find timeto volunteer?Evolution of my family life. For thepast 25 years I’ve coached baseballand have been fully involved withmy kids. Now that my youngest isentering college, I have the time todedicate to UB and some hobbies.Q. Which person fromhistory do you most admire?Ronald Reagan. I always thought ofhim as a great example of someonewho was passionate about ideas,who was able to get people to rallyaround ideas, and who had apositive outlook on life.Q. Favorite UB sport?Basketball.Q. Favorite spoton campus?My basketball seat. I sit in the“cheap seats,” right behind theUB bench.Q. Kids?Five. Andy, BS ’02 (Stony BrookUniversity), a credit manager atHSBC in Buffalo; Laura, EdM ’08& BA ’05, just completed her firstyear of subbing and hopeful abouta permanent teaching position thisfall; Amy, BS ’06 (SUNY Geneseo),completing her third year in UB’sSchool of Medicine and BiomedicalSciences; Lisa, BS ’08, a civil engineerfor TVGA Consultants in EastAurora, NY; Kevin, a UB freshman.In addition, my wife and bestfriend for the last 32 years, Leslie,EdM ’91, teaches science at our localparochial school.Read more about Larry Zielinskiand his plans for UB on page 44.flashback1899First women receive UBlaw degreesThe first femalegraduates of theUB Law Schoolreceived theirdegrees 110years ago. Twowomen—Cecilia(sometimes shortenedto Cecil) B.Wiener (left) and Helen Z. M. Rodgers (right)—and44 men made up the Class of 1899. In the final rankings,Rodgers finished first in the class and Wienereighth.UB was among the first law schools to admitwomen, and when they enrolled in 1897, Rodgersand Wiener were following other female studentsattending UB’s professional schools. The first femalegraduate in the medical school was Mary Blair-Moody in 1876; Rosa Schorp was in the pharmacyschool’s first graduating class in 1888 and AnnetteRankin was in the dental school’s third class in1895.Wiener became the first judge of what is nowthe Erie County Family Court. Rodgers was thefirst woman to practice law in Buffalo and the firstwoman to argue a case before the New York Court ofAppeals. In 1919, she argued a case before the U.S.Supreme Court. Rodgers was associated with thefirm of Moot, Sprague, Brownell & Marcy from 1906until 1940, and was an unsuccessful congressionalcandidate in 1936.Wiener and Rodgers practiced law for 20 yearsbefore they were allowed to vote. The womenremained friends throughout their careers, and bothworked to expand the rights of women and children.Both died in 1960. Twenty years later, Rodgers’papers were found in a basement storeroom at 1141Delaware Avenue, her last residence. They now arehoused in the University Archives.—John Edens, University Archiveswww.alumni.buffalo.edu UBTODAY Fall 2009 5

shortformAcademic insights, breaking research, UB people and university newsDouglas Levere, BA ’89Breaking ResearchHeart tissue repairusing adult stem cellsResearchers at UB have demonstrated for the first time that injecting adultbone marrow stem cells into skeletal muscle can repair cardiac tissue, reversingheart failure.Using an animal model, the researchers showed that this noninvasiveprocedure increased myocytes, or heart cells, by two-fold and reduced cardiactissue injury by 60 percent. The therapy also improved function of theleft ventricle, the primary pumping chamber of the heart, by 40 percent andreduced fibrosis, the hardening of the heart lining that impairs its ability tocontract, by up to 50 percent.“This work demonstrates a novel noninvasive mesenchymal stem celltherapeutic regimen for heart failure based on an intramuscular deliveryroute,” says Techung Lee, associate professor of biochemistry and seniorauthor on the paper. Mesenchymal stem cells are found in the bone marrowand can differentiate into a variety of cell types.Clinical trials of myocardial stem cell therapy traditionally have reliedon surgery—invasive methods that can result in scar tissue, arrhythmia,calcification or small-vessel blockages. For these and other reasons, includingthe fact that patients with heart failure are not good surgical risks, Leesays “it made sense to explore a noninvasive cell-delivery approach.”UB by the numbersResearch Growth** Fiscal year ending June 30, 2008Source: Office of the Vice President forResearch6 UBTODAY Fall 2009 www.alumni.buffalo.edu[dollars in millions that set aresearch record for expenditures]65[percent of fundedresearch devoted to life[federal funding in millions]sciences]7.6118.3[combined institutionaland industrial3,000funding inmillions][jobs at UB supported by research][% increase over previous FY]348.2 157.5ub peopleScientist winsprize for ALSbiomarkerA UB dermatologist haswon a $50,000 Prize4LifeALS Biomarker ChallengeDiscovery Prize fordeveloping a promisingbiomarker that can beused to assess diseaseprogression of amyotrophiclateral sclerosis,or ALS, also known as LouGehrig’s disease.Harvey Arbesman, UBclinical assistant professorof dermatology andsocial and preventivemedicine, working withcolleagues from ColumbiaUniversity Medical Schooland the Eleanor andLou Gehrig MDA/ALSResearch Center, adapteda technology commonlyused in the cosmeticindustry, the Cutometer,to noninvasively measureskin elasticity.In a pilot study, Arbesmanand colleagues were ableto show that changes inskin elasticity correlatedwith disease progressionin ALS patients. ALS, aprogressive neurodegenerativedisease thataffectsnervecells in the Arbesmanbrain and the spinal cord,is a fatal condition thatfor decades has stymiedthose searching for atreatment or cure.“As patients got sicker,the elasticity of the skindecreased. We think theskin is reflecting insome manner what isgoing on in the nervoussystem. We think thisbiomarker has a lot ofpotential as a way tomonitor progression ofthe disease, which will behelpful in developing newmedications, and possiblyas an aid in diagnosis. Itmay also help us to betterunderstand the underlyingdisease processitself,” says Arbesman.Arbesman presented hisfindings in April at theAmerican Association ofNeurology meeting inSeattle, WA. He will usethe funds to continueresearch on the biomarkerand to compete for the$1 million ALS BiomarkerChallenge, sponsored byPrize4Life.

Go towww.buffalo.edu/newsB r e a k i n gResearchfor the latest incampus newsreports.Skills not pillsDouglas Levere, BA ’89>>Feathered Friends A pair of rareperegrine falcons took up residence this spring in the tower ofMacKay Heating Plant on the east side of the South Campus.In May, as bird lovers watched with excitement, the pair producedfour chicks. To see more, go to www.buffalo.edu/ubt.Breaking ResearchBehavior treatmentworks as well as drugsfor children with ADHDand bypasses the risk ofmedication’s side effects,a meta-analysis of 174studies on ADHD treatmentconducted at UB hasshown.The results, published inthe March 2009 issue ofClinical Psychology Review,found that teachingparents and teachers howto respond when childrendo things the right way—as well as when theydisplay harmful or aggressivebehavior—is effectiveand, in some cases, moreeffective than medicationfor ADHD.“This review showsthat behavioral treatmentswork, and ingeneral work well,”says Gregory A. Fabiano,assistant professor inthe Department ofCounseling, School andEducational Psychologyin UB’s Graduate Schoolof Education, and firstauthor on the paper.“For the past couple ofdecades, there has beenconsiderable professionalcontroversy about the roleand adequacy of behaviormodification treatments inthe care of children withADHD. The next step is tofigure out how to makethem work for individualfamilies over the long run,because we now knowthat ADHD is a lifelongcondition.”William Pelham Jr., UBDistinguished Professorof Psychology, Pediatricsand Psychiatry, is coauthoron the study.Improving crime-scene investigationSpeaking ofA shoe print etched in blood or dust can make a crucial difference in a criminalcase, but it all depends on the ability of human examiners to identify amatching shoe-print pattern from thousands in their databases. It’s a laborious,inefficient task.That’s why UB computer scientists, in research funded by the U.S. Departmentof Justice, are developing tools to make the search-and-match process morelike a Google search and less like hunting for a needle in a haystack. To do so,they are developing algorithms for searching and matching shoe prints.“We want to automate the process enough so that it works like a targetedGoogle search, where the query is the crime-scene evidence and the matchwill be the list of results that help us determine which brand of shoe is closestto the print extracted from the crime scene,” says project leader SargurSrihari, SUNY Distinguished Professor in the Department of Computer Scienceand Engineering and director of UB’s Center of Excellence for DocumentAnalysis and Recognition.The goal: a software package that could narrow down the possibilities forthe crime-scene investigator to search.“Reading is a pathwayto another world—a world withoutgeographic boundaries or classboundaries or even the steep risersof time. In my mind, in a democracy,it is more of a threat to cut librarybudgets than defense budgets.”Pulitzer Prize–winning writer Anna Quindlen, DistinguishedSpeaker Series, Center for the Arts, March 4, 2009Tony Blair and Bill Maher are among the speakers in the2009–2010 Distinguished Speakers Series. For ticket informationand lineup, go to www.specialevents.buffalo.edu.www.alumni.buffalo.edu UBTODAY Fall 2009 7

shortformthe largest cash gifts UBLaw has received in its122-year history.Cellino and Barnes,whose firm has beenlisted in Best Lawyers ofAmerica and has representedclients in 37 differentstates, are among themost successful alumniof UB Law School. TheLaw School will name itsmain conference center,located on the fifth floorof O’Brian Hall, in theirhonor.The namesake of Fay’sDrugs, Faye Panasci,has given $1 million tothe UB School of Pharmacyand PharmaceuticalSciences, where herhusband and father-in-lawbegan their quest to buildthe highly successfulDouglas Levere, BA ’89KrolikowskiUB PeopleUniversity NewsMajor gifts forlaw, pharmacyschoolsUB’s Law School andSchool of Pharmacy andPharmaceutical Sciencesboth recently received $1million gifts.The Law School receivedan unrestrictedgift of $1 millionfrom two well-knownalumni, Ross M. CellinoJr., JD ’82, and StephenE. Barnes, JD ’83 & BA’80, shareholders in theBuffalo-based personalinjurylaw firm Cellino &Barnes P. C. It is one ofchain of pharmacies thatcatered to their customers’every need.Along with her son, DavidPanasci, and daughter,Beth Leventhal, FayePanasci is continuingthe family’s tradition ofgiving back to UB begunby Henry A. Panasci Jr., BS’52 & BA ’48, and his father,Henry A. Panasci Sr.,BA ’25, by contributing $1million to fund the atriumof the new home for thepharmacy school, JohnKapoor Hall on the UBSouth Campus. In honorof the family’s generosity,UB will name the atriumthe Panasci Atrium.USA Today honors forgraduating seniorAaron Krolikowski of Glenwood, NY, whograduated in May with an outstanding recordof academic and environmental achievement,was named to the USA Today All-USA CollegeAcademic First Team, an award honoring studentsfor their outstanding accomplishments asundergraduates.Krolikowski was one of 20 students nationwidechosen for the first team, announcement ofwhich was made in the paper’s April 29 edition.Selection was based on grades, academic rigor,leadership, activities and an essay written by thenominee. Krolikowski wrote about his efforts toestablish a village irrigation program in northwestTanzania, part of a project he did for the UBHonors College.Krolikowski graduated Phi Beta Kappa witha degree in political science and interdisciplinarysocial sciences concentrated in environmentalstudies. This fall, he is attending OxfordUniversity, which has awarded him a prestigiousfour-year postgraduate Clarendon Scholarship topursue a DPhil degree in development studies,an interdisciplinary program that draws from thefields of economics, anthropology, and politicalscience and policy.Academic InsightsAmerica’s affair with‘happy pills’The spectacular increase in the use of psychiatricdrugs since the 1950s, according to UB assistanthistory professor David Herzberg, has redefined not onlywhat Americans consider “‘normal’ mental health,” but has made “happiness”an obligation of middle-class citizenship.In Happy Pills in America: From Miltown to Prozac (Johns Hopkins UniversityPress, 2008), Herzberg considers a wide range of psychiatric medicationshailed in pharmaceutical marketing as “wonder drugs” and the socialchanges they provoked. He examines how Americans have come to see“normalcy” in light of the drugs’ mood-altering capabilities, and how theycontinue to respond to the barrage of drug advertising aimed directly atconsumers.After World War II, “a vast and powerful system of commercial medicineanchored by pharmaceutical companies brought the values and practices ofthe consumer culture to psychotropic medications,” according to Herzberg.This system, he adds, “drastically changed the way we viewed normalmental health by dramatizing emotional problems to promote pharmaceuticalsolutions. As a result, the products sold well, made the drugsthemselves household names and the conditions they treated part of thepublic conversation about health.”8 UBTODAY Fall 2009 www.alumni.buffalo.edu

seenreadheardbooks, music and films by UB alumniBooksCurious? Discover theMissing Ingredient to aFulfilling LifeBy Todd Kashdan, PhD ’04 &MA ’00This book usesscience, storyand practicalexercises todemonstratehow to begincultivatingcuriosity andto develop a concrete plan forbuilding relationships, improvinghealth, identifying strengths anddiscovering meaning in life—even during times of loss andadversity. The greatest opportunitieshappen, the author says,when we are open to new experiencesand relish the unknown.(William Morrow, 2009)April & Oliver: A NovelBy Tess Callahan, EdM ’87In this debutnovel, twoinseparablechildhoodfriends, Oliverand April, arereunited followingthe suddendeath of April’s brother. Oliverattempts to “save” April from hergrief, but it becomes apparentthat he has some demons of hisown. Library Journal praised thenovel’s “sharp, savvy storytelling.”(Grand Central Publishing,2009)Go towww.buffalo.edu/ubtLiving Waters: Reading theRivers of the Lower GreatLakesBy Margaret Wooster, MUP ’88,PhD ’78 & BA ’69Living Watersrelays the storiesof the oftenendangered,sometimesresilient, rivers,creeks, pondsand springsof New York and Canada thatlargely determine the health ofthe lower Great Lakes. Woosterdiscovers ancient names andbubbly sources, while callingattention to the destructioncaused by heavy industry, persistenttoxins, land mismanagementand ignorance. (SUNYPress, 2009)The Devil Gets His Due:The Uncollected Essays ofLeslie FiedlerBy Leslie A. Fiedler; edited bySamuele F. S. Pardini, PhD ’05& MA ’01For more than50 years, LeslieA. Fiedler (1917–2003), SamuelL. ClemensProfessor ofEnglish at UB,played a pivotalrole in the development ofAmerican literary culture. Theseessays reacquaint readers withthe depth and breadth of hisachievements. They also showcaseFiedler’s pioneering of anegalitarian canon that encompassedboth “high” and popularliterature. (Counterpoint, 2008)for more titles and submission guidelines.Secret Identities:The Asian AmericanSuperhero AnthologyEdited by Jeff Yang; Parry Shen,BS ’95; Keith Chow; Jerry MaThis collectionof26 originalstories iscenteredon AsianAmericansuperheroesand blends whiz-bang action,wry satire and thoughtful commentary.The result is a groundbreakinganthology about acommunity too often overlookedby the cultural mainstream.(New Press, 2009)Is God a Delusion? A Replyto Religion’s CulturedDespisersBy Eric Reitan, PhD ’93Is God aDelusion?addresses thephilosophicalunderpinningsof the recentproliferation ofpopular booksattacking religious beliefs. Itfocuses primarily on charges leveledby recent critics that beliefin God is irrational. “Neitherpolemical nor defensive, [Reitan]writes primarily as a logician,rather than a believer,” saysPublishers Weekly. (Wiley-Blackwell, 2008)The Sociology of Sports:An IntroductionBy Tim Delaney and TimMadigan, PhD ’99, MA ’98 &BA ’85This volume emphasizes thepositive aspects of sports, andhow they affect and are affectedby the mores,values and cultureof a nation.This sociologicalexplorationmoves from violence,gender,race, religionand economics to the role ofsports in high school and collegelife. Included is a brief historyof sports from antiquity to thepresent. (McFarland, 2009)MusicWhen I Fall In LoveMark Weber, BA ’97This 2008collection ofclassic popjazzsongs isavailable fordownload onAmazon.com, itunes.com, emusic.comand other online retailers.Hear the artist performingsongs from the 1920s to 1960sat www.reverbnation.com/markweber.NiagaraTea With Warriors/John Neumann, BS ’90This 2009 CDoffers relaxinginstrumentalmusic inspiredby the NiagaraRiver and surroundingcountryside. Guitars,violin, fretless bass, birds andvarious percussion instrumentsfrom around the world combineto create a lush musical journeyfrom Lake Erie to Lake Ontario.The CD is available for purchasefrom CD Baby and iTunes.www.alumni.buffalo.edu UBTODAY Fall 2009 9

AMomentin timeA leader steps forward amid crisisBy Ann Whitcher-GentzkeScott Bylewski, JD ’98, MBA ’95 & BS ’95, was“winding down” on the couch in his Clarence Center,NY, home when he heard the crash that would changehis life and alter the lives of so many others.Within minutes, the 37-year-old Clarence Townsupervisor found himself marshaling all his forces,tapping his UB law and business degrees in ways thatcan’t be communicated or foreseen in a textbook or alecture hall. During a crisis that stretched into weeks,he presided over his community of 28,700 with a firmand steady hand.Late on the evening of February 12, 2009,Continental Flight 3407 crashed in the small hamletof Clarence Center near Buffalo, killing all 49 peopleaboard and one person on the ground, Douglas C.Wielinski, BA ’69. It was the worst U.S. air disasterin more than seven years. Six other UB alumni wereamong the dead.Just as the large UB alumni presence inWestern New York figured in the death toll, so did itplay a large role in the community response, includingthat of Bylewski and many of his neighbors.photos By douglas Levere, BA ’8912 Fall 2009 UBTODAY www.alumni.buffalo.edu

in theirhonorThe following UB alumnilost their lives in thecrash of ContinentalFlight 3407 onFebruary 12, 2009:Jerome D. Krasuski,MBA ’07,of Cheektowaga, NYJennifer E. Neill,BS ’99,of Williamsville, NYGerard J. Niewood,BS ’65,of Glen Ridge, NJJean M. Srnecz,MA ’72,of Clinton, NJDarren Tolsma,BS ’85,of Lancaster, NYSusan A. Wehle,BA ’02 & BA ’74,of Amherst, NYDouglas C. Wielinski,BA ’69,of Clarence Center, NYScott Bylewski, JD ’98, MBA ’95 & BA ’95www.alumni.buffalo.edu UBTODAY Fall 2009 13

“At the time, it sounded like a hollowmetal door slamming,” Bylewski recalls. “Iwas thinking back to the Buffalo propaneexplosion in 1983 that took the lives offive Buffalo firefighters and two civilians.”Bylewski was only a child at the time, buthe vividly recalls the rumble and his family’salarm. Now, 25 years later and hearinga similar crashing sound, he opened thefront door and looked outside. “The skywas lit up in red and pink and orange. AndI could hear people speaking very loudly,but not screaming or yelling.”Bylewski’s wife, Becky, JD ’98, alsoheard the crash. Their children, Olivia, 4,and Alex, three months, were asleep.“I got on the phone and started callingour disaster coordinator, David Bissonette,as well as a few of my friends, who arealso first responders, to see what they hadheard,” he says. “Eventually, I found outthat there had been a plane crash. As thiswas going on, I got dressed and told mywife to ‘make sure you’re with the kids,and if I need to call you that you’re readyto move in case of an area evacuation forsafety.’”Almost immediately, an emergencyoperations center at Clarence Town Hallwas up and running, and filled withresponders and officials. A state of emergencywas declared at 11:05 p.m.All the while, an unflappable Bylewskiwas keeping notes—for the simple reasonthat “any time you have a disaster itbecomes very important to document, tomake sure that you know what’s going on,that you can respond with one voice. Thatwas very important, and it was part of thecommunication piece. We wanted to getthe information out there as quickly as wecould and in as many ways as we could.We definitely did not want to have toretract information.”To maintain his composure, Bylewskisays he drew on lessons learned from othertown incidents, such as the 2002 explosionof a hazardous waste facility, in addition tosnow, flooding and other weather eventsthe town has faced—though nothing onthis scale. Certainly, his standing as a JAGcaptain in the New York Guard with amilitary emergency specialist designationhelped prepare him. Primarily, though,Bylewski drew on the presumed expectationsof Clarence townspeople and what heowed them as supervisor.“You’re the elected official—you are theleader of the town,” he says. “They needyou to be there for them. They need youto have that steady hand on the wheel, thetiller, the rudder—whatever ship-of-stateanalogy you want to use—and that you canhandle the situation. The last thing youneed are a lot of people running aroundadding further panic.”For a while, Bylewski’s daughter sawher father only on his frequent televisionbriefings that were broadcast nationallyand on local airwaves, too. She had gone“You’re the elected official—you are the leader of the town.They need you to be there for them.They need you to have that steadyhand on the wheel, the tiller, the rudder.”Scott Bylewskiwith her grandmother and aunt to hismother-in-law’s home in Elmira, NY, tostay for about a week. This way, his wifecould more easily focus on the needs oftheir infant son while Bylewski was calledaway for long hours.Even in the difficult aftermath, townbusiness continued, sometimes jarringlyso. “One of the early calls we got thatMonday morning [President’s Day, whenthe town hall would normally have beenclosed] was, ‘Hey, I have brush on mystreet that the town didn’t pick up. I knowthere’s a plane crash but could somebodypick it up?’ Yeah, that was a little extraordinary,”Bylewski admits with a ruefulsmile. “But the business of the town doesgo on—you still had the day-in-and-dayoutcalls.”Today, Clarence shows few visible scarsof the crash—the site looks like that of anyrecently cleared building demolition. Thereis no debris, just gravel on a vacant lot.Yet no one can forget what happened here,or ignore the fact that two homes oncestood on the site. (The Wielinski home wasdestroyed in the crash; a second residencewas demolished because of structural damageincurred in the accident.)The experience of leading a communitygrappling with unexpected tragedy,Bylewski says, teaches profound lessonsabout human existence. “In general terms,you appreciate the people around youmore—the frailty and the fragility of life,”he says. “And in my regular work life,it has changed a lot. I still spend a considerabletime dealing with 3407 issues,although the displaced families on LongStreet are now back in their homes.”Sometimes the memory intrudes painfullyin Bylewski’s personal life. In May, hetraveled to the Long Island–New York CityEmergency Management Conference. “Mywife and I talked about 3407 and having tobe very cognizant of our daughter asking,‘Where’s Daddy?’ and my wife not beingsure if she wanted to tell her that Daddy’son a plane.”Beyond these reflections, Bylewskihas the historian’s appreciation of howthe crash has become part of the town’scollective memory. Established in 1808,Clarence is, in fact, the oldest town in ErieCounty, and was the site of key eventsduring the War of 1812, for instance. “Westill talk here about the burning of the cityof Buffalo where everybody came out toClarence, and published one of the Buffalonewspapers out of a tavern on MainStreet,” he points out.“Then you have the very famous BuffaloRiver flooding in 1893 when a freighter gotloose. It jammed up the ice and flooded alot of the city. This is a case that we studiedin law school for foreseeability.“Those are all things that become partof the region’s memory and its history—and it impacts the residents. Obviously, forthe families and friends of those who werelost on February 12, it’s there and it’s goingto be there. So you just keep showing allthe respect and compassion you can forthem.“It will forever be part of the town’sfabric, part of our community’s fabric.”Ann Whitcher-Gentzke is editor ofUB Today.14 Fall 2009 UBTODAY www.alumni.buffalo.edu

everyday herosBy charlotte hsuWhen Flight 3407 fell near Buffalo, UB alumni were amonglegions of Western New Yorkers ready to volunteerAlicia Braaten, BA ’75TPreserving historyThe flowers were wilted, the mournersmostly gone. It was March 27, about sixweeks after the plane crash. Alicia Braaten,BA ’75, was alone at a memorial set up outsidea Clarence church for victims of Flight3407. She was there to document history.That day, over the course of about eighthours, Braaten, director of the ClarenceHistorical Museum, sifted through mementosthat swarms of visitors had depositedbeneath a white canvas tent. She placedthe artifacts in archival sleeves for safekeepingand photographed the objects oneby one: a black-and-white snapshot of abride and groom kissing on their weddingday, a Buffalo Sabres cap, a 99-cent bagof plain potato chips, balloons, candles,crosses, teddy bears, and bouquets oflong-stemmed roses, yellow carnationsand pink-striped lilies in varying stages ofdecay.Interspersed among the trinkets wereletters, some in English, others in Chinese,some from friends and families of victims,others from strangers.“Dad,” one began. “I just want you toknow how much I love you. I want youin my life so much, and I’m sorry I neveralways told you how much you mean tome. I am so proud to be your daughter.You’ve taught me so much and I promiseto take care of mom. I will miss you &think of you every day. Love Amanda.”The items Braaten catalogued on March27 now sit in storage, waiting to be shownin a museum some day. She even saved theflowers, burning them and placing theirashes in containers rather than throwingthem away.“As unfortunate as it was, it’s now partwww.alumni.buffalo.edu UBTODAY Fall 2009 15

news reports pouring out ofClarence. But Talley, busyworking, had not had time towatch television.When the families came,Talley says, “It became muchmore emotional and muchmore difficult, because now,I was making more of a connectionwith the people whohad lost relatives.”He will never forget theirfaces.Doug Ratka, EdM ’03 & BA ’99Helpingstudentsmove forwardThe day after the planecrash, the boys’ basketballteams at Clarence HighSchool headed south toJamestown. The junior varsityplayers, coached by DougRatka, EdM ’03 & BA ’99,were scheduled to play intheir league championshipgame.“It was interesting because, normally,the kids are pretty talkative and prettyloud and boisterous on the bus, and it waskind of a quiet ride down,” Ratka, whoteaches 10th grade world history, 11thgrade U.S. history, and advanced placementgovernment and politics, remembers.Students who did speak up swapped storiesabout Flight 3407—what they knewabout the accident, what they had seen,what they had heard.The varsity coach, Todd Banaszak, whoplayed basketball at UB for three years inthe 1980s, gave a quick speech, letting theplayers know that if they wanted to talk tothe adults about the tragedy, they could.But for the most part, the teachers left theteenagers to converse among themselves.The idea, Ratka says, was to supportthe students, allowing those who wantedto discuss the plane crash to do so whileproviding a sense of normalcy to thosewho did not. On a day when headlinesabout Flight 3407 were blaring across thefront pages of newspapers and inundatingthe airwaves, basketball offered abrief reprieve from the blitz of bad news.Though both Clarence teams lost thatday, Ratka told his players they should bepleased with their performance.“From a basketball sense, we playedhard. We did what we were supposed todo. They showed a lot of pride in theiractions, how they played and how theycarried themselves. And obviously, theJamestown parents and players, they knewwhom they were playing against, what hadgone on in [Clarence]. We presented ourcommunity very well.”Ratka and his fellow teachers continuedto comfort and support the teenagers inthe weeks after the crash, in part by providinga sense of routine in a trying time.The accident had happened just before theClarence Central School District’s weeklongFebruary break; Ratka remembersseveral students telling him they wishedthey had not had so much time off. Uponreturning from the mid-winter recess, theywere eager to do school work, to do “thenormal stuff,” Ratka remembers.Though the district had services inplace for youth who needed counseling inthe aftermath of the tragedy, the role thatRatka and many fellow teachers playedwas far different: “For these kids, especiallybecause they had the week off of school,every second or every day was spent talkingabout that incident. I wanted to helpthem move forward.”OHectic days withthe press corpsOn the Sunday after Flight 3407crashed in Clarence Center, Judith BeyerHilburger, EdM ’73 & BA ’66, found a lonereporter from BBC working on a story inthe Clarence Public Library.The man, a local stringer for the Britishnews agency, expressed gratitude toHilburger, president of the library board oftrustees, for services her staff provided followingthe accident.The library had been closed to thepublic for a few days so that emergencyresponse officials could have a place tostage news conferences and the press corpscould have a place to use the bathroom, eatand access the Internet.“He again repeated to me how gratefulall of the reporters were,” Hilburgerrecalls. “He said the food was stupendous,the bathrooms were exceptionally wonderfulto have and the building was a wonderfulresource. He said, ‘Normally, we’restruggling to get some access, some food.’”In the preceding days, Hilburger hadbeen in close touch with the town supervisorand the library’s director and caretakerto ensure that the facility was available forwww.alumni.buffalo.edu UBTODAY Fall 2009 17

people who needed it. While Sunday at thelibrary was calm, Friday and Saturday hadpassed in a whirlwind.As Hilburger recalls, “The sides of theroad were parked up with cars. There weremany satellite trucks with huge dishes,many wires crisscrossed in the parking lot.Every spot was taken. Cars were parked onthe grass. … There were all kinds of reportersstanding in front of the building, standingon little pieces of cardboard on thegrass, giving reports for their cameramen.”The scene inside was equally busy.With the facility serving as a makeshiftmedia center, library staff took on ahodgepodge of duties. David Fairlie, MLS’92 & BA ’80, a Clarence librarian whogrew up in Clarence and now lives in EastAmherst, helped man the phones, directingpeople looking for information aboutthe crash to town officials. Some callerswanted to know how to return books withthe library closed. On site, local businesseswere donating refreshments—coffee, sandwiches,snacks, sodas. Reporters wantedbackground on Clarence, and Fairlie didhis best to provide answers.Then, on Sunday, most of the presscorps had gone, leaving Clarence as suddenlyas they had descended on the town.Fairlie and Hilburger were left with theirthoughts.“At the library, thepeople who were here weredoing a lot,” Hilburger says.“But what they were doingwas so small compared towhat was going on.”“All of the differentagencies in Clarence, fromthe town government tothe disaster planners to thefire departments, they hadall prepared ‘what if’ scenarios,”Fairlie says. “Andeverything came togethersmoothly. That we couldplay a small part, I wasthankful that we could atleast do that.“When I was growingup in Clarence, a lot moreof it was rural. … We builtthis library in 2001 becausethere had been such anincrease in the populationof Clarence,” Fairlie says. “A lot of peopleworry that it’s changing the character ofthe town. Are we losing that sense of communitywe had when we were a smallertown? And I think something like thisreally brought everyone together andreminded us that we are still a communityand still a small town.”Judith Beyer Hilburger, EdM ’73 & BA ’66Steve Klock, BS ’93Battling the fires asreality sinks inOOnly when the wind shifted, blowingthe smoke aside and exposing the wreckedaircraft’s landing gear, did volunteerfirefighter Steve Klock, BS ’93, realizethe plane was a commercial airliner largeenough to seat dozens of people. Earlierin the night, when reports of the crash inClarence began coming over the AmherstFire Control radio, Klock had thought theplane was probably a small one, a twoseaterperhaps.“I think the word to describe the wholenight was, just, surreal,” says Klock, asecond captain with the Swormville FireCompany, whose trucks were among thefirst to arrive at the crash scene. “It waslike a movie set. You see these kinds ofthings on TV, and you never imagine it’sgoing to happen in your own backyard.”Klock says he and more than a dozenvolunteer firemen were at their EastAmherst headquarters on February 12when they were dispatched to respond tothe crash. Trucks from the Clarence CenterVolunteer Fire Company and a couplenearby agencies were on scene when theSwormville crews arrived. The sight thatgreeted the men was ominous.“The thoughts going through yourhead—this could be big; you’ve never beento this kind of call before,” says Klock,18 Fall 2009 UBTODAY www.alumni.buffalo.edu

a volunteer firefighter since1986. “When we got there, wejust saw a big ball of flame.We couldn’t even tell if it wasa house or a plane [on fire].“You could tell immediatelyby looking at it that youweren’t going to be doing alot of first aid. … If [the victims]weren’t already out, theyweren’t going to come out,”Klock recalls.For about 20 minutes,before trucks carrying fireretardantfoam arrived fromthe airport, Klock worked atthe front line, pulling a hoseclose to the wreckage and puttingwater on the fire. He worean air pack to avoid inhalingthe white smoke that chokedthe air in sheets so thick hecould only identify the fire’slocation by its red glow. Heheard crackling as pieces ofthe house the plane had hitfell away, charred.Through the haze, Klock and fellow firstresponders caught glimpses of the doomedaircraft and realized, with horror and sadness,that they were looking at a commercialairliner.After airport personnel arrived, Klockspent time on the scene dragging hosesand standing by, waiting for instructions.He was released from duty around 3 a.m.,getting to bed around 4:30 a.m. aftershowering. His alarm clock rang an hourlater, announcing the start of his workday.The controller for Niagara Transformer,Klock stayed in the office until shortly afterlunch. Then he went home and took a nap.The reality of what had happenedbegan to sink in gradually over the nextfew days as newspapers, radio and televisionreports provided details about victimsand potential causes of the accident.“Afterwards,” Klock says, “you thinkabout the plane crash and you think aboutthe loss of life. It hits home more whenyou’re right there.“You come to the realization that anythingcan happen anywhere,” he says. “Younever want to see that kind of thing happenanywhere. If it had to happen, though,I guess I’m proud I could be a part of it,that I could at least do my small part tohelp.”IFinding beauty andhope in a time oftragedyIn life, the worst adversity can bring outthe best in people. Amid the grief and ruinthat lie in the wake of every catastrophe,one can still find reason for hope.So it was in the aftermath of the planecrash.“I learned that when things happenthat we don’t expect, that there are a lot ofgifts that got placed in our midst to helpus survive at these points and also lookforward to hope,” says Steve Biegner, BA’92, a pastor at Clarence Center’s ZionLutheran Church. “This thing called faithbecomes very tangible at those points, andyou can see it, you can feel it, hug it, crywith it, laugh with it. … I saw what the bestof humanity can be.”Biegner, who lives in Clarence Center,was watching television on February 12when he heard Flight 3407 pass by lowoverhead. Seconds later, he heard thecrash, a jarring, shocking sound—like astreet plow dropping its blade directly intothe ground nearby, he recalls. His wife sawflames from the kitchen window.Biegner rushed to the accident site,arriving right behind the first fire truck onSteve Biegner, BA ’92the scene. He had recently begun servinginformally as a chaplain for the ClarenceCenter Volunteer Fire Company andbegan to pray for the firefighters battlingthe towering blaze. He spent much of theweek that followed shuttling between thecrash area and the Clarence Center firehouse,leading emergency responders inmorning devotions, and talking and prayingthroughout the day with anyone whoneeded comforting.Biegner was a witness to tragedy. Buteven surrounded by death and calamity,he observed beauty in the world. Up ataround 2 a.m. one night, he spoke to afirefighter who had chosen to forgo sleepto stand guard, to ensure that familiesand friends of victims knew someone wasalways watching over their loved ones. Thepastor admired the compassion and generosityof members of the Clarence Centerfire company’s ladies auxiliary, who fedhundreds of people each day.The Saturday after the plane crash, ababy was baptized at Biegner’s church.That child was a tangible sign of hope, areminder, Biegner says, that “in the midstof a random, horrible tragedy, God’s gracestill propels us forward.”Charlotte Hsu, formerly a reporter forthe Las Vegas Sun, is a staff writer withUniversity Communications.www.alumni.buffalo.edu UBTODAY Fall 2009 19

story By Barbara A. ByersProfessional artists bring comfort andimagination to those hospitalizedThe healingarts(Large photo) Actor/writer Joy Scime, PhD ’87, ina moment of joyful exuberance at Roswell ParkCancer Institute. Above, art educator Leah DanielsHoughtaling works with a young patient atWomen and Children’s Hospital. Right, visual artistPragna Hathi Wood, MA ’88 & BA ’85, encouragesa patient at Roswell in his drawing.20 Fall 2009 UBTODAY www.alumni.buffalo.eduphotos by nancy j. parisi

She has been in the Women and Children’s Hospital of Buffalo for nearlyseven weeks. Though she had been awakened from a nap and whisked awayin her Radio Flyer wagon for an impromptu echocardiogram only momentsbefore, 2 ½–year-old Coral, still sleepy and not especially happy, couldn’t resistthe lure of the watercolors. She musters the energy to sit at the perfectly sizedtable and chair, and begins to paint with bright colors, dabbing some on thegauze bandage that is helping to protect her IV.Coral is beloved by the artists-in-residence who have been with her throughouther treatment since she arrived 48 days before, and whose impact on her recovery hasbeen incalculable. “I don’t have the accurate words to describe it,” says Coral’s dad, Ken.“It’s been invaluable for everyone’s happiness. When we were frustrated and just trying tosoothe her, their timing couldn’t have been better.”And that is precisely why the University at Buffalo Center for the Arts began itsArts in Healthcare Initiative nearly two years ago. After a year of planning, the initiativelaunched in October 2008 to bring performing and visual arts into health-care settings atthe Women and Children’s Hospital and the Roswell Park Cancer Institute.www.alumni.buffalo.edu UBTODAY Fall 2009 21

Writer Cristina Pippa (center) with young patientfriend at Women and Children’s Hospital,accompanied by Katherine Trapanovski, MBA’00 & BS ’94, of UB’s Center for the Arts (CFA).Left: Visual artist Colleen Darby, BFA ’85, bringsthe comfort of art to a patient at Children’s.Twelve professional artists are currently workingas artists-in-residence in the CFA program.Tom Burrows, executive directorof UB’s Center for the Arts, becameinspired in 2007 after meeting Jill Sonke-Henderson, president of the Society forthe Arts in Healthcare and pioneer of sucha program at the University of Florida(UF), which began in 1990. Burrows wasso struck by the UF initiative that he fasttrackedthe concept and launched UB’sprogram within one year, with initial fundingin place, two hospital partners, and12 professional artists from Buffalo’s vastcultural community who have extensiveexperience in writing, music, dance, theaterand the visual arts. Six of the artistsare UB alumni.The arts have long played a role in healing.“It goes back to before the Greeks,”Burrows says; throughout history the artshave been thought to positively affect thehealing process. Self-expression, empowermentand transformation of the healthcareenvironment are all goals of theinitiative, he explains.“We have the luxury of timethat other staff simply don’t have,”says Susan Reedy, MFA ’81, visualartist-in-residence at Women andChildren’s. “It’s important for thekids to know that they have a voiceand an outlet for self-expression. As apatient, a lot of times they are not veryempowered and don’t have choices. Butwith us they do: We ask them, ‘What doyou want to do? What color do you wantto use?’ They’re given a choice, we followtheir lead and that creates a sense ofempowerment.”Family members arealso helpedThe benefits of the Arts in HealthcareInitiative are not exclusively for patients,but rather extend to family members,hospital staff and caregivers as well.Visual artist Barbara Murak, who worksat Roswell Park Cancer Institute, recallsa project she created for the wife of apatient. “Whenever the husband was heavilysedated and not moving, his wife wouldbecome very concerned, and she wouldstroke his face and cheeks. He seemed torecognize her touch, because he wouldcalm down and stay asleep.”The woman continued to keep vigil ather husband’s bedside, never letting go ofhis hand. “She told me she could not letgo of his hand, from the time she arrivedin the morning to the time she left in theevening.” The image of the couple resonatedwith Murak until she thought of away to help the wife alleviate her stress atbeing away from the bedside. “I wanted tocome up with a way to honor that touch,that closeness they have.” She brought infabrics and asked the wife to choose one.Murak traced the husband’s hand on thefabric and then made it into a small pillow.“She [the patient’s wife] held the pillow,and would put her hand over thetop of her husband’s handprint,” Murakexplains. “I visited again the followingweek, and the wife told me that she wassleeping much better now that she couldleave and feel like she was still with him—because she takes the pillow with her.And at night when she can’t sleep, she hasthe pillow next to her in bed and puts herhand on his hand, and she feels like she’sstill holding hands with him, and she isable to sleep through the night.”A number of factors make UB’s initiativeunique, including the caliber of theartists. “These are all professional artists,”Burrows points out, “and we told them,‘We want you because you are professional.We want you to continue with yourart.’” He is careful to make the distinctionbetween professional artists and art therapists.“We have great respect for the thera-22 Fall 2009 UBTODAY www.alumni.buffalo.edu

See more on the UBHealthcare InitiativeTo see video clips and photos from theArts in Healthcare Initiative and to readmore about the participating artists, goto www.buffalo.edu/ubt.pists; they absolutely have their place. Thisinitiative is not arts therapy, though. Thisis a way to engage creatively.”Collaboration andresearchThe collaborative nature of UB’s Arts inHealthcare Initiative is also unique andhelped to procure initial funding from theJohn R. Oishei Foundation, whose missionis to enhance the quality of life for Buffaloarearesidents by supporting education,health care, scientific research, and thecultural, social, civic and other charitableneeds of the community. “The OisheiFoundation loved the idea of the collaborationbetween the university and ourpartner hospitals,” says Burrows. “And wemade sure to bring the foundation togetherwith our consultants from the Universityof Florida.”Robert D. Gioia, BA ’76, president ofthe Oishei Foundation, comments, “Of allthe requests that we get, this really hadtwo significant points that caught our eye.Number one, it hit one of our sweet spotsin the outcomes we’re looking for, andthat’s healthier residents. Number two, it’sa model that works.”A portion of the Oishei grant moneywas also set aside for research and curriculumdevelopment through partnershipswith the UB schools of social work andnursing. Mansoor Kazi, research associateprofessor and director of the ProgramVisual artist Barbara Murak traceswith her own hand the hand of apatient on a pillow she made anddesigned. Murak created the pillowto help a patient’s wife alleviate herstress, when she couldn’t be at herhusband’s bedside at Roswell ParkCancer Institute.Evaluation Center in UB’s School of SocialWork, has done an extensive review ofthe literature while also evaluating existingdata from the Women and Children’sHospital. Kazi and his research teamanalyzed secondary data from pediatricinpatient surveys the hospital routinelyconducts: They compared the results fromsurveys taken three months before theproject began with survey results collectedafter the first three months of the project’slaunch.“Early indications are that the Arts inHealthcare Initiative has had a positiveimpact,” on not only patients, but nursingstaff and families as well, Kazi says. “Theoverall assessment went up … perceivedcheerfulness of the hospital went up … caregiven at the hospital went up. All these factorsare relevant to the initiative.” Kazi’sanalysis will continue periodically, and willbe compared to the baseline data to seehow the initiative is impacting patient andstaff satisfaction.Loralee Sessanna, DNS ’06, assistantprofessor in the UB School of Nursing andan advanced board-certified holistic nurse,is taking a completely different researchapproach to the Arts in HealthcareInitiative. “I went to the opening introductionto the Arts in Healthcare Initiativeand thought, ‘This is it, this is spiritualityat its best.’” Sessanna’s research focuseson the meaning of spirituality and the roleit plays in patient care practice. Throughher research and literature review on spirituality,her internships in the field andexperiences as a nurse, Sessanna definesspirituality as one’s “life meaning, purpose,connection to self and others, and transcendence,”which, she says, “may or maynot include religion.”Sessanna will qualitatively explorethe meaning and role spirituality plays inthe Arts in Healthcare Initiative amongpatients and health-care providers, andwhat effect the initiative may have on spiritualwell-being and healing. Currently, sheis working on developing an instrument toholistically measure spirituality based onher research findings.The Arts in Healthcare Initiative fallsperfectly within “Artistic Expression andPerforming Arts,” one of the eight strategicstrengths that comprise UB 2020, theuniversity’s far-reaching plan for growth.“I think this is a marvelous illustration ofhow new and creative ways of combiningsome of the fundamental units we have onthe campus can result in very interesting—and in this case, very responsive—initiativesfor the benefit of the community,”says UB president John B. Simpson.“The Arts in Healthcare program is avivid example of the power of the publicresearch university, working in tandemwith our partner institutions across theregion, to make a meaningful and lastingdifference in the communities we serve.”As evidence of its emergence as a leaderin the field, UB’s Center for the Arts hostedthe Society for the Arts in Healthcare’s20th annual international conference inApril, and Burrows was recently namedto the society’s board of directors as vicepresident. More than 300 students, educators,artists and health-care professionalsfrom around the world attended the conference,which highlighted best practices,innovative programs and cutting-edgeresearch, as well as the work being done inWestern New York. An intensive trainingsession for artists and health-care administratorswas held in Buffalo this summer.UB’s Arts in Healthcare Initiative hasroom to grow in Western New York, butwill likely be done gradually, Burrows says.“I think what we intend to do now is toserve these two hospital partners totallyand completely.” He hints, however, thatother partners may be sought “when weget our feet a little more firmly planted—making sure we have the funding to helpthe hospitals continue.”Barbara A. Byers is associate director foralumni communication at UB.www.alumni.buffalo.edu UBTODAY Fall 2009 23

A new engineering buildingis set for the North Campus.UB is partnering with Kaleida Health on a new downtown clinical care and research facility.October 7-17, 2009 www.bu24 Fall 2009 UBTODAY www.alumni.buffalo.edu

Changing campus landscapeMajor construction projectsmirror UB 2020 progressUB is moving forward with more than $350 million in construction and renovationprojects in the first phase of a dramatic physical transformation on a scale not seensince the North Campus was built in Amherst during the 1970s. Funded by New YorkState during previous years’ budget cycles, with additional support from private donors,the work includes four major construction projects that are physical manifestations ofthe ongoing implementation of the UB 2020 strategic plan.Ground was broken on August 3 for a 10-story building being constructedby UB and Kaleida Health, a public-private endeavor advancingUB’s plans to expand its academic and clinical health sciences programsin downtown Buffalo. Located next to Buffalo General Hospital,the facility, opening in late 2011, will bring together Kaleida Healthphysicians and UB researchers. It will house UB’s Center for Clinicaland Translational Research and a UB Bioscience Incubator, as well asKaleida Health’s global vascular institute.Also planned for the Downtown Campus is a new home for UB’sEducational Opportunity Center (EOC), which provides educationaljob training, college preparation and related support services to economicallyand academically disadvantaged populations in Western NewYork. Groundbreaking is slated for next summer. When completed, itwill be connected by an atrium to the former M. Wile building to formGround will be broken next summer for EOC’s new home.the UB Downtown Gateway Complex at 77 Goodell St., providing theBuffalo-Niagara community with greater access to UB’s academic and community programs and resources.To be constructed on the North Campus is a state-of-the-art classroom and laboratory building for the School ofEngineering and Applied Sciences. Ground was broken in April for the new home for UB Engineering’s departmentsof Computer Science and Engineering and ElectricalEngineering. It is slated for completion in 2011.Slated to open in 2012 is Kapoor Hall on the SouthCampus, a new home for the School of Pharmacy andPharmaceutical Sciences, which will be the first UB professionalschool to relocate back to the City of Buffalo sinceconstruction of the North Campus. Named for John N.Kapoor, PhD ’72, a visionary leader in the pharmaceuticalindustry, the facility will provide state-of-the-art teachingand research facilities for programs in pharmacy practiceand pharmaceutical sciences.Kapoor Hall will open in 2012 on the South Campus.—Arthur Pageffalo.edu/truebluedayswww.alumni.buffalo.edu UBTODAY Fall 2009 25

26 Fall 2009 UBTODAY www.alumni.buffalo.eduwhitney sherman

UBresearcher’sinnovativeapproach toan intractabledisease offershope tomillions withstory By Patrick Klinck, MA ’02 & BA ’88I have suffered with IBS for most of mylife. It wasn’t until a few years ago thatI found out its name. I’ve learned thatIBS doesn’t usually generate much sympathyfrom others, as only sufferers can The pain is real.truly appreciate the havoc it wreaks The frustration ison both personal and professional life. real. The embarrassment,disrup-Yes, I may look fine to you, but I suffersilently. Who wants to discuss diarrheation to everydaylife and social isolationare all real.or constipation? Who wants to hearabout your bowel problems? Who willThe only thingbelieve that, yes, it’s really that bad.that’s unreal aboutirritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is its near totalabsence from public awareness as a major healthissue. Anywhere from 25 to 40 million Americansare affected, and perhaps as many as 10 to 15 percentof people worldwide. It is the second largestcause of employee absenteeism after the commoncold. Estimates vary widely because the problemis under-reported but, by all measures, it’s a hugeproblem.“The great majority of people who have IBS suffer with it andcarry on silently,” says Jeffrey Lackner, a behavioral scientist andassociate professor of medicine in UB’s School of Medicine andBiomedical Sciences. “It’s partly due to the unpleasantness oftheir symptoms and partly because they have so few treatmentoptions available to them. People are reluctant to ask for help andthat makes it even more difficult to get help to them.”www.alumni.buffalo.edu UBTODAY Fall 2009 27

Lackner is director of UB’s BehavioralMedicine Clinic at Erie County MedicalCenter and the principal investigator inan ongoing research project designed tobring relief to IBS sufferers. His group wasrecently awarded $8.5 million from theNational Institute of Diabetes, Digestiveand Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), one of theNational Institutes of Health (NIH), toconduct a broad-based, seven-year clinicaltrial of a self-administered, at-home cognitivebehavioral therapy program developedby Lackner and his associates. It is one ofthe few IBS treatments recommended bythe New England Journal of Medicine.The study is the largest IBS trial everawarded by NIDDK and one of the largestbehavioral clinical trials without a drugtreatment condition that NIH has everawarded.My stomach used to be a steel pit, I couldeat anything, I never worried—until mydiagnosis with IBS about 15 years ago. Iwould have constipation followed by diarrhea,and cramping that rivaled laborwith my children. When the doctor toldme I had IBS, I asked what I could doabout it and he said “nothing.” So, for acouple of years, I did nothing. I took ibuprofenfor the pain and suffered.IBS is characterized by a constellationof symptoms that vary from patient topatient, but pain is the common denominator.“Across all types of IBS, the cardinalsymptom is some type of abdominal painthat is associated with some problem inbowel function,” says Lackner. A patientmay have constipation, diarrhea, or alternatingconstipation and diarrhea, abdominalcramping, flatulence, urgency (the sudden,uncontrollable urge to have a bowelmovement), accompanied by feelings ofhelplessness and despair. Symptoms rangefrom mild to debilitating across the population.The ratio of female to male sufferersis about 2:1. According to Lackner, two outof three people will experience symptomsof IBS at some point.The problem with treating the syndromeis that there is no obvious physicalcause underlying a patient’s symptoms.“With something like inflammatory boweldisease [IBD], there is a physical pathologythat corresponds with symptoms,” explainsLackner. “The problem is not as straight-28 Fall 2009 UBTODAY www.alumni.buffalo.eduforward for people with IBS. There’s nostructural pathology that you can seeunder a microscope or through diagnostictesting that explains the problem.”For that reason, IBS is classified as afunctional disease. The dysfunction associatedwith IBS occurs somewhere along thesubtle, complex feedback loop that is thebrain-gut connection.“There are neural connections that gofrom the brain to the gut and from the gutto the brain,” says Lackner. “When youget full, messages are sent to the brain tosay ‘stop eating,’ and when you’re hungrythose signals move the other way.”The brain-gut connection is also implicatedin the body’s fight-or-flight responseto stress. The autonomic nervous systemcan either shut down or speed up thedigestive process and amplify gut sensations,in addition to quickening heartbeatand respiration, sweating, and sensitivityto environmental stimuli. Probablyeveryone has experienced butterflies inthe stomach at the prospect of a stressfulsituation, such as public speaking or takinga big exam. The problems begin when thestress response exceeds its biological value.“The fight-or-flight response isdesigned for physical threats or lifethreateningdangers,” says Lackner. “IfI’m mugged walking down Fifth Avenueor Broadway, that fight-or-flight responseis a protective, evolutionary mechanismthat makes sure I stay alive. But if I have astress response to a comparatively minorhassle—if I’m in an argument with somebodyor if I’m stuck in a traffic jam or lostmy keys—that stress response doesn’t havebiological value. It doesn’t help me tacklethe problem; in fact, it’s exactly the opposite.It’s a false alarm. Our culture evolvesmuch faster than our bodies adapt, so wenow don’t have a lot of life threats andphysical dangers, but we do have a lot ofnonphysical stressors.”It’s estimated that the fight-or-flightsystem switches on 30 or 50 times a dayfor the average modern human being,compared to just once or twice daily forour evolutionary ancestors, who were morelikely to be confronted by genuine mortalthreats.Although stress is not believed to bethe cause of IBS, it is the case that everyonereacts differently to it. People whosebowel symptoms flare up during periodsof stress are called “gut responders.”Continued exposure to stress can interferewith brain-gut communications, leadingto a heightened sensitivity to ordinarygastrointestinal (GI) activity and the perceptionof pain, which experts call “visceralsensitivity.” When visceral sensitivity leadsto worrying about one’s GI activity—andthat worry itself becomes a stressor—thepatient has entered a vicious cycle that canbe extremely difficult to escape.My life is ruled by my stomach! I am a23-year-old college nursing student whohas been suffering from IBS for the longesttime. Recently, I have been unable toleave my house due to the fear of havingan accident in my pants in the car. Everytime I get into a car now to go somewhere,my stomach starts to act up and Ihave the feeling of “I need to get to a bathroomright now!” I am trying to finish upmy nursing degree and with clinicals, Iam not sure how I am going to be able tomanage this. I just want my life back!The goal of Lackner’s cognitive behavioraltherapy (CBT) treatment is to helppatients break out of the vicious cycle thatcompounds their IBS symptoms. Patientsreferred to his clinic have long since beendiagnosed with IBS and have undergonethe battery of tests used to rule out IBDand other physical GI disorders. They haveidentified their “trigger” foods and havemade changes to dietary habits, and maybe taking medication to treat their symptoms,but still the symptoms persist.“Over time patients learn to respondto stress in a specific way that can includephysical, emotional, behavioral reactions,”says Lackner. “They are conditioned, orlearn, to respond in a specific way. Ourview is that you can also teach patients tounlearn maladaptive behaviors throughspecific skills and strategies, and replacethem with more constructive responses.”Patients learn to reduce physical tensionthrough diaphragmatic breathing andprogressive muscle relaxation skills. Theylearn to identify and recognize habitual,self-defeating patterns of thought, suchas “pain catastrophizing,” and supplantthem with more flexible problem-solvingstrategies, “strategies that not only help tosolve problems that are controllable,” saysLackner, “but to respond more effectivelyto problems that are realistically beyondtheir control.”

IBS PatientResourcesUniversity at BuffaloBehavioral Medicine ClinicDepartment of MedicineErie County Medical Center, 462 GriderStreet, Buffalo, NY 14215Jeffrey M. Lackner, Director(716) 898-5671, Fax: (716) 898-3040;lackner@buffalo.eduRebecca Firth, Research Coordinator:rsfirth@buffalo.eduFor more resources, go towww.buffalo.edu/ubtTestimonials provided in this article wereadapted from the Web site of the IrritableBowel Syndrome Self-Help and SupportGroup (www.ibsgroup.org), which haspublished a selection of posts from thegroup’s online bulletin board in the bookIBS Chat: Real Life Stories and Solutions,coauthored by Jeffrey D. Roberts, founder/president of the online self-help group, andBarbara Bradley Bolen, clinical psychologist(iUniverse Inc., 2007).Another set of skills helps patients tohandle intense worry, which is oftentimescharacteristic of patients with more severeIBS symptoms. “We teach them to processinformation differently, so they don’t thinkthe worst, jump to conclusions or blowthings out of proportion.”IBS is not an anxiety disorder, Lackneremphasizes, it’s a gastrointestinal problem.“But it can be comorbid with other types ofproblems, and some of those are physicalproblems and some are nonphysical problems,like anxiety. Part of our work is to tryto understand that relationship.”IBS is a shadow now, it is in the backof my mind rather than dominatingmy life. I function very well day to day.Sometimes I am surprised to realize Ihaven’t thought about IBS for a while,or find myself in a situation that used toput me in a panic. I think about the “whatifs” once in a while, which was a hugeproblem before, but now I am able to getrid of the thought as soon as I recognizeit. I still get a flare-up on occasion, but Ican usually figure out why … consumingalcohol and allergies will always triggeran attack. I can shrug it off easily with“It’s just my allergies, it’s not the IBSreturning.” I guess mainly I have learnedto underreact to IBS symptoms. I realizethese are CBT techniques.While CBT has been shown to alleviatesymptoms of IBS, the traditional deliverymodel, which relies on multiple office visitsto a highly trained therapist, is impracticablein light of the sheer number of patients.The system simply can’t handle it.An early clinical trial designed byLackner’s group looked at a group therapy–basedversion of CBT as a solution.“We found that the treatment did relieveIBS symptoms,” he says, “but one of thethings we also found was that it was a realpain in the neck to coordinate groups.”The search for a better way of deliveringbehavioral treatments led to the currentround of studies.“We started developing a behavioralself-management program, a selfadministeredversion of CBT that wasmore efficient but didn’t lose the efficacyof the office-based treatment,” he says.A pilot study involving 75 IBS patientsfound that patients in a “minimal-contact”CBT group, featuring four office visits forcounseling and instruction plus homebasedCBT, fared as well as or better thandid the standard, 10-session, therapistadministeredgroup. Patients in bothgroups reported clinically significant reliefof symptoms: 72 percent for the minimalcontact group and 60.9 percent for theoffice-based group, compared to 7.4 percentfor the control group. “The value ofthe study is that it shows that patients canlearn relatively simple self-care skills totake control of symptoms that are resistantto existing medical treatments,” saysLackner. The new study is designed to seeif the results hold up for a larger, morediverse population over a longer periodof time. The seven-year clinical trial willinclude 480 patients between the ages of18 and 70 with moderate to severe IBS,at three sites: UB, University at Alabama-Birmingham and Northwestern University.Participants will be assessed at five pointsduring the 12 months following interventionto determine the long-term effectivenessof the home-based treatment.Susan Krasner, clinical assistant professorof anesthesiology, is a co-investigatoron the grant and senior psychologist. Shehas been treating and studying functionaldisorders for more than a decade, and seesgreat promise for this new approach to IBS.“This particular research project isespecially important because we hope tosee and demonstrate that a more portableand easily accessible treatment option is asgood as the gold standard of one-on-onetherapy,” she says. “As a community, wecould then provide this service to far moreIBS sufferers.”Gauging the larger implications ofthe research, Lackner questions the tacitassumption that more therapist sessionsautomatically translate into better outcomes.“There may be something in brieftreatments that is inherently therapeutic,and maybe more therapeutic, than longertreatments,” he says. “The responsibilityfor getting better shifts to the patient, andthey learn how to apply these skills in theenvironment where problems occur.”Ideally, as the patient begins to takecharge of her symptoms, the vicious cycleof negativity and despair is replaced by avirtuous cycle of constructive thinking reinforcedby feelings of greater self-efficacy.“Most people who have chronic illnessesdon’t see a behavioral psychologistor health psychologist,” he says. “We havefairly sophisticated technology to teachpeople how to manage their diabetes ortheir asthma or their high-blood pressure.So I think that’s the model we should pursue,as opposed to the traditional, clinicbasedmental-health model that provides ahigh level of care but has built-in limits ondissemination.”Patrick Klinck, MA ’02 & BA ’88, is a Buffalobasedfreelancer who has also written forBuffalo Physician, published by the UB Schoolof Medicine and Biomedical Sciences.www.alumni.buffalo.edu UBTODAY Fall 2009 29

30 UBTODAY Fall 2009 www.alumni.buffalo.edu

alumniprofileAnimation artist accepts Hollywood’s long hours,tough critiques to pursue his dreamMichaelangelo RoccoRocco close-upUB degree BFA ’01; Favoritedowntime activity CookingItalian food, especially rare,long-forgotten recipes; Favoriteartists Salvador Dali, Alex Toth,Frank Miller, Simon Bisley, DaveMcKean, Jamie Hewlett (TankGirl and Gorillaz fame) and EgonSchiele; Cartoons that influencedhim the most The Tripletsof Belleville and Pixar’s TheWith an unforgettable first nameIncrediblespassed down from his father and greatgrandfatherand artistic talent inheritedfrom his mother’s family, MichaelangeloRocco was practically predestined for a career as an artist. Butit took more than a famous first name to get him to where he istoday.Rocco didn’t land his Hollywood gig overnight. When he firstmoved to LA he paid his dues in office jobs, eventually workingas a multimedia designer. Still not feeling satisfied, he continuedto submit his portfolio to animation companies. He got his bigbreak when he received a surprise call from Fox offering him ajob on the new show American Dad. Rocco admits that leavinghis lucrative, steady job to work for a show that could have beencanceled after a few weeks was risky. “But as with most opportunitiesin life, you only get one chance,” he says. “So I took theplunge and I never looked back.”Hired as a storyboard revisionist, Rocco was quickly promotedto a storyboard artist and he has also illustrated two print editionsof Fox’s popular Family Guy comic books series. Currently astoryboard artist on the ABC show The Goode Family, he worksdirectly with the show’s writers, directors and creators, and portionsof the script are assigned specifically to him.A lot of work goes into making the show look seamless—each 22-minute episode of an animated television series takes10 months to produce, and he works 12-hour days, six or sevendays a week, while the show is in production. Rocco says that’sthe part that people don’t understand: “If you really want to pursueyour dream it’s a sacrifice, it’s tough,” he says.A fine arts major and UB Honors Scholar while at UB, Roccocredits his professors for continually presenting creative challengesand encouraging him to become an animation artist. Thesevere critiques he received in his classes prepared him for someof the demanding Hollywood producers and directors he nowdeals with on a daily basis. Rocco says getting brutally honestfeedback from industry professionals comes with the territory.“You have to have thick skin to be able to take criticism, learnfrom it and improve,” Rocco says.Rocco points out that the curriculum at UB provided him witha solid education. “UB gave me a more diversified backgroundand more of a foundation, so when I’m on hiatus from a show Ihave other skills and interests I can pursue.”Story by Julie Wesolowski, with photo by Felipe Duponywww.alumni.buffalo.edu UBTODAY Fall 2009 31

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alumniprofileBrooks-Bertram &Nevergold close-upHometowns Baltimore, MD(Peggy) and Alexandria, LA(Barbara); Current writing projectsbook on her maternal family(Barbara); biography of DrusillaDunjee Houston (Peggy);Reflections from both on Go, TellMichelle “One of the most pleasantsurprises was the diversityof individuals who respondedto the book, from various ethnicgroups, men as well as women.”‘Uncrowned Queens’ projecttaps wellspring of goodwill forMichelle ObamaPeggy Brooks-Bertram &Barbara Seals NevergoldA week after the 2008 presidentialelection, Barbara Seals Nevergold,PhD ’86 & EdM ’74, and Peggy Brooks-Bertram, PhD ’02, used the Internet—specifically the Uncrowned Queens listserv they maintain—tosend out a call for people to express their hopes and advice forMichelle Obama through letters, poetry and recipes.Their request spread across the country and around theworld. Hundreds of letters poured in—from professors andpoets, playwrights and religious leaders, musicians, retirees,and ordinary women.Go, Tell Michelle: African American Women Write to the NewFirst Lady (SUNY Press, 2009), a book edited by Brooks-Bertramand Nevergold (pictured above from left), compiles a selectionof these letters offering messages of hope and advice for thenew First Lady. An accompanying audiobook read by the editorsis expanded and unabridged.“What is most fascinating,” says Brooks-Bertram, “is thefact that so many people from different parts of the country andfrom the African continent and the Caribbean also responded.”The project had its genesis, Nevergold explains, during thepresidential campaign as she watched Barack Obama’s journeyto the White House gather momentum and Michelle Obamacome into her own as a presidential candidate’s wife.“Throughout the election, it became apparent that AfricanAmericans were becoming emotionally invested,” she says. “Ifelt such a sisterhood with Michelle Obama and a kinship.“At the end of the election, I started to think, how can we asAfrican American women share with her our feelings about thenew role she’s going to take?”For their efforts, Nevergold and Brooks-Bertram, both senioreducational specialists and cofounders of the UncrownedQueens Institute for Research and Education on Women at UB,were interviewed by numerous news outlets, among them theAssociated Press, Philadelphia Daily News/Inquirer, ChicagoTribune and NPR’s All Things Considered. In July, they were honoredby New York governor David A. Paterson as New York StateWomen of Excellence.While the messages Nevergold and Brooks-Bertram collectedwere as diverse as the senders, the sentiments overwhelminglywere of love and the desire to let Michelle Obama knowshe is not alone in her new role.“There were so many messages that said, ‘We never thoughtwe’d live to see the day that a black man was elected president,’”recalls Nevergold. “Many letters said their ancestorswere smiling down on this event.”Story by Sue Wuetcher, with photo by Cheryl Gorski.www.alumni.buffalo.edu UBTODAY Fall 2009 33

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alumniprofileChris CooverErudite specialistat Christie’soversees recordauction of LincolnmanuscriptCoover close-upUB degree BA ’73; Instrumentplayed as a music majorat UB the lute; Favoritespot in New York BrooklynBotanic Garden; Home baseMontclair, NJ; Most impressionablefirsthand sighting of president and specialist in manuscripts atBack in 1992, Chris Coover, senior vicea rare manuscript Leonardo Christie’s in New York City, was “pokingda Vinci’s Codex Hammer around” in Volume 8 of Abraham Lincoln’s(now owned by Bill Gates) Collected Works when he stumbled onthe text of a presidential speech he hadnever before seen. Titled “Responseto a Serenade,” the speech was delivered by Lincoln onNovember 10, 1864, from the balcony of the White Houseonly two days after his unexpected reelection as president.“It was striking that this little-known speech had the samering as the famous second inaugural,” says Coover. “Theyboth contained a powerful and eloquent appeal for nationalreconciliation.”A footnote indicated that the Southworth Library in upstateNew York owned the original manuscript, so Coover wrote tothe library and offered an appraisal. “Opening the folder thatcontained the speech was an intensely exhilarating moment,”he recalls, noting that it was written in Lincoln’s large, clearhand, and that the authenticity of the manuscript was immediatelyevident. “When you’ve been doing this as long as I have,you can tell in a glance,” Coover explains. But it took morethan a decade of deliberations for the library to decide to putStory by Mara McGinnis, BA ’97, with photo by Douglas Levere, BA ’89the Lincoln manuscript up for sale. Finally, on February 12,2009—the bicentennial of Lincoln’s birth—it sold at auctionat Christie’s for $3.4 million, a world record for any Americandocument.Coincidentally, another UB alumnus, Michael Lane, BA ’72,is the secretary of the Southworth Library’s Board of Trusteesand worked closely with Coover to negotiate the consignmentto Christie’s. “When Chris first met the board, he put everyoneat ease with his impressive knowledge of Lincoln and ofthe manuscript itself,” says Lane, who noted that it was with“very heavy hearts” that the board decided to sell it to financea new addition to the library. “We put our total trust in Chrisand Christie’s, and they delivered.”While that sale was a high point of Coover’s career, healso helped bring to auction such high-profile items as JackKerouac’s original typescript scroll of “On the Road,” themanuscript of a Johann Sebastian Bach cantata, an earlyAlbert Einstein scientific manuscript and many other treasures.While the documents he’s researched in nearly 30 yearsat the world-renowned auction house have collectively soldfor hundreds of millions of dollars, he says it’s “the thrill ofdiscovery” that he enjoys most, adding that he’s had “someincredible luck along the way.”www.alumni.buffalo.edu UBTODAY Fall 2009 35 37

alumninewsfrom the UB Alumni AssociationThe Main EventUBAA launches new Web sitefter extensive researchthat included input from alumniand friends, careful testing, andsubtle tweaking, the new andimproved UB alumni Web siteis here! We hope you’ll be pleased with its muchfriendlier appearance and its focus on all thingsalumni, whether about joining the alumni asso-ciation or simply accessing programs and eventsavailable to alumni. “It sounds obvious, but it’s allabout our alumni,” says Barbara Byers, associatedirector for alumni communication. “We found thesite had lost its focus, and now we’ve brought itback to where it should be: UB alumni.”The new site (www.alumni.buffalo.edu) is asignificant contrast to the previous site, which“Our key word in thisredesign was simplify.”7Barb Byers, Associate Directorfor Alumni Communication8Visit www.alumni.buffalo.edu forall things alumni,plus a new sleekappearance.123645836 UBTODAY Fall 2009 www.alumni.buffalo.edu

was introduced in 2003. Due to its design, the oldsite—although replete with good information—made it difficult for alumni to wade through theless-than-relevant data to find the alumni-relatedinformation they were looking for. “Our key wordin this redesign was ‘simplify,’” Byers explains.In addition, the look and feel is very muchupdated with fresh colors and a sleeker appearance.It retains the UB brand but has its ownalumni feel, reflecting the uniqueness of UB’s200,000-plus alumni. Here are a few things you’llwant to check out:1 Home page main stories The largestimage on the home page always will be aboutalumni, whether events, programs, services oraccolades. It’s what we do best and what you arelooking for most.2 Did you know? Here you’ll find interestingfacts about the university, your fellow alumni or asage quote from a UB speaker past or present.3Membership Because membership in theUB Alumni Association is a really big deal, youwill always find it in a prominent spot on thehome page (you’ll also be able to join from anypage within).4University messaging We’re all part ofthe UB family, and when you want to learn aboutthe progress of UB 2020, become a UB Believer orhear what’s on President Simpson’s mind, look nofurther, we’ll take you to it.5Social networks Connecting with other UBalumni has never been easier through our socialnetworking sites. Check them out and start networking!6 Events and news Want to attend an eventor learn about UB’s latest research breakthrough?They’re only a click away.7My profile Have you moved, been promotedor changed your e-mail address? You may updateyour alumni profile online any time, 24-7. Itcouldn’t be easier!8Convenient navigation All alumni benefits,services, programs and even answers to yourquestions are contained in the site, and may befound quickly with our streamlined navigationbars, above and below.We hope you take a moment to check out the newalumni Web site, and be sure to see the back coverof this magazine for your chance to win a prize!We welcome your comments and feedback at ubalumni@buffalo.edu.classnotesupdates from grads by the decade50Ken Jasnau,MSW 1955 &CERT 1954,was namedVolunteerCaregiverof the Yearjasnau by theRosalynn Carter Institute forCaregiving. He has servedas volunteer director ofMeals-on-Wheels in BaldwinCounty, GA, for the past32 years. Jasnau lives inEatonton, GA.60* JerrySelinger,BS 1969, apartner atPatterson &Sheridan LLP,is responsiblefor theselingerfirm’s trial section at a newoffice in Dallas, TX. With33 years’ experience, heis a renowned intellectualproperty litigator and hashandled numerous high-profilepatent lawsuits. Selingerresides in Dallas.70*Peter S.Gilfillan,JD 1971,was namedone ofupstate NewYork’s topgilfillanattorneysof 2008 by Upstate NewYork SuperLawyers. Hespecializes in real estate,business and corporatelaw at Gross ShumanBrizdle and Gilfillan, andis a member of the ErieCounty, New York State andAmerican bar associations.He lives in East Amherst,NY. L. Pierce,BS 1971,*Howardis a partner andchair of the Health CareFraud and Abuse PracticeGroup at Pepe & HazardLLP. He has more than 30years’ experience in federaland insurance fraudinvestigations and litigations,and is recognizedas one of Connecticut’s“SuperLawyers.” Howardis a member of the Anti-Defamation League’s RegionCivil Rights Committee.In addition, he has beenhonored by the NationalCampaign for Tolerance. Heresides in West Hartford,CT. G. Farrell, JD1972*Mark& BA 1969, receivedthe 2008 DistinguishedService Award as the outgoingpresident of the NewYork State Magistrates. Heis recognized as the founderof the suburban Drug Courtin the United States, thefirst domestic violencecourt in Erie County andwhat is probably the onlygambling treatment courtin the world. Farrell lives inAmherst, NY.A blue asterisk denotes UBAlumni Association membersJudithKerman,MA 1972,received the2008 EarlL. WarrickExcellencekermanin ResearchAward from Saginaw ValleyState University (SVSU) inhonor of her artistic andscholarly achievements. Apoet, artist and musician,Kerman is an English professorat SVSU. She alsooperates Mayapple Press.Kerman resides in Bay City,MI. Alexander DuBrow,MBA 1973, has been addedto the Cambridge Who’sWho Registry in recognitionof his dedication, leadershipand excellence in allaspects of consulting inthe fields of automatedinformation technology,radio frequency identificationand unique item identification.He specializesin providing managerialadvice in the aerospace anddefense industries, and hasworked for various prominentcompanies for morethan 25 years. He lives inHaymarket, VA.Mark Greenbaum, *Leslie JD 1973,was named one of upstateNew York’s top attorneysof 2008 by Upstate NewYork SuperLawyers. He iswith Gross Shuman Brizdleand Gilfillan, where hisareas of practice includetrademark, copyright andintellectual property, tradesecrets, entertainment, artand sports law, Internet law,unfair competition, contractsand litigation. He is amember of the Erie Countyand New York State barassociations and resides inBuffalo, NY. Dennis Timlin,BA 1974, has been honoredby the American Society ofAgronomy (ASA) as a 2008ASA Fellow. He is a soil scientistwith the USDA-ARSCrop Systems and GlobalChange Lab at the BeltsvilleAgricultural Research Centerin Beltsville, MD. Timlin isa member of the BiologicalSystems Simulationwww.alumni.buffalo.edu UBTODAY Fall 2009 37

alumninewsUB by the numbersHelping Out19,355[Alumni donors in FY 2008]15,517,702[Total alumni gifts in dollars]564230[Alumni Mentors][UB Ambassadors]9,208[UB Believers to date]363[Alumni volunteers]And in chapternews…Many alumni and friendswere along for the ride, asthe UB Bulls football teamenjoyed its most impressivefootball season sincethe university’s return toDivision-IA in 1999. OnDecember 5, 175 UB fanswatched the Bulls defeatthe nationally ranked andundefeated Ball StateCardinals at the MACChampionship game atFord Field in Detroit.Continuing the excitement,two events inHey, that’s me!Toronto preceded theBulls’ International Bowlappearance versus theUConn Huskies. Morethan 200 squeezed intothe Harbour Sports GrilleJanuary 2, the eve ofthe International Bowl.Among the guests weremembers of the 1958Lambert Cup footballteam. On game day—January 3—1,175 UB supportersturned out for thepregame tailgate partyand the game at RogersCentre. Although theBulls lost, 38-20, theirfirst bowl appearanceTo see photos from recent chapter events,go to www.alumni.buffalo.edu/chaptersTop: Judy Steul, Chi Sham, PhD ’84 & MA ’80, and BillSteul, MBA ’68, in Boston. Left: Family members HowardReis, BS ’76, Allison Reis, BA ’05, and UB student JarydReis at New York career event.was a historic and memorableevent.The UB Bulls men’s basketballteam also had agreat season that landedthem a share of the MACEast regular season titleand a run to the MACConference Championshipgame. On February 21, 60alumni attended a partyin New York City to watchas the Bulls played theUniversity of VermontCatamounts in the ESPNUBracketBuster event.On March 14, 180 fansattended a pregame partyinside the Quicken LoansArena before the MACChampionship basketballgame in Cleveland.When the Buffalo Sabrestravel, alumni events follow.Pregame parties andSabres game events wereheld in Dallas, Detroit,38 UBTODAY Fall 2009 www.alumni.buffalo.edu

steve morsePhoenix, Chicago,Washington, DC, andAtlanta from Januarythrough April of this year.On March 5, Robert G.Shibley, director of theUrban Design Project inthe School of Architectureand Planning, spoke to45 alumni and guests inBoston about UB 2020.He also attended UB Dayat the Capitol in Albanyon February 23 with a UBdelegation to advocatelegislative support for UB2020. A reception heldthere was attended bymore than 100 UB supporters,including NewYork governor David A.Paterson.On February 11 inOrlando, where a chaptermay soon be formed,46 guests heard WardeManuel, UB director ofOozfest:25 years offun in themudOozfest, the mud volleyball tournamentsponsored by the UniversityStudent Alumni Board, celebratedits 25th anniversary on April 25. Apicture-perfect day provided an idealbackdrop for 128 teams comprising1,100 students and alumni to getdown and dirty. Congratulations,Oozfest, andhere’s mud inyour eye!athletics, update them onthe university’s athleticsprogram during a receptionat the Front RowRestaurant.The executive committeeof the Houston chapterheld a networking receptionApril 23 in HotelZaza’s trendy restaurantand lounge, the Monarch.Two Career Conversationswere held, one in NewYork City on January6 and the other inRochester on March 10.Alumni from a wide rangeof careers and academicbackgrounds advised currentstudents about theireducation and careerpaths.classnotesupdates from grads by the decadeGroup, 2009 chair for theA-3 Agroclimatology andAgronomic Modeling divisionof the ASA and pastassociate editor of theAgronomy Journal. Helives in Kensington, MD.Pamela Davis Heilman,JD*1975, partner at HodgsonRuss, received the Womanof the Year Award from theOrganization of Women inInternational Trade. Theaward recognizes her workto improve the status ofwomen in internationaltrade and business. Heilmanresides inBuffalo,NY. GailStreete,MLS 1975,MA 1973& BA 1971,streete professorand chair of the ReligiousStudies Department atRhodes College, receivedthe 2008 Jameson M. JonesAward for OutstandingFaculty Service. In additionto her faculty role, Streeteparticipates in diversitytraining and various formsof community engagement,including work in domesticviolence awareness.She lives in Memphis, TN.* RobertJ. Feldman,JD 1976,was namedone ofupstate NewYork’s topfeldman attorneysof 2008 by Upstate NewYork SuperLawyers. He iswith Gross Shuman Brizdleand Gilfillan, where he specializesin education law,business law and litigation,business bankruptcyand creditor/debtor rights.Feldman is a member anddirector of the Erie CountyBar Association and a memberof the American andNew York State bar associations.He resides in Buffalo,NY. Smith Fisher,JD 1976,*Cherylis included in the2009 edition of the BestLawyers in America, and theupstate New York edition ofSuperLawyers. She is a partnerof Magavern MagavernGrimm and lives in Buffalo,NY. Thomas J. Sheeran,EdD 1977, was appointedto a five-year term on theNew York State UnifiedCourt System’s advisorycommittee on judicial ethics.He is a Lewiston TownJustice, professor of educationat Niagara University,and a member of the seniorfaculty of New York State’sJudicial Institute, where heteaches courses on judicialethics. Sheeran resides inLewiston, NY. A.*JeffreyHuman, JD1978, wasnamed oneof upstateNew York’stop attorneysof 2008human by UpstateNew York SuperLawyers.He is with Gross ShumanBrizdle and Gilfillan, wherehe specializes in businesscounseling and corporatelaw, securities law,estates and trusts, taxationand wills. Human is amember of the Erie Countyand New York State barassociations and lives inWilliamsville, NY. ThomasM. Jung, BA 1978, was honoredby Healthcare DesignMagazine as one of 20 top“changemakers” in healthcare. He currently servesthe New York State HealthDepartment as assistantdirector of health-care facilitiesplanning and resides inAlbany, NY. Marc Shaw, MA1978, who has held key civicpositions, was appointedby New York GovernorDavid A. Paterson to asix-month term as senioradviser to the governor. Helives in Oakland Gardens,NY. James J. Tyrpak, BA1978, is the 2008-2009board president for theFoundation for FinancialService Professionals. Heis president of Desmon,Kohnstamm & Tyrpak Inc.,a wealth preservation andbusiness continuity firm inBuffalo, NY. Tyrpak is anA blue asterisk denotes UBAlumni Association membersactive community memberand resides in Williamsville,NY. James R. De Santis,EdM 1979, is the nationalexecutive director and chiefadministrative officer of theNational Italian AmericanFoundation. For more than24 years, he has been workingwith nonprofit organizations,most recentlyserving as executive directorof the Florida Councilon Economic Educationin Tampa, FL. De Santispreviously served as vicepresident of external affairsat the Florida Institute ofTechnology and as presidentof the Astronauts MemorialFoundation at the KennedySpace Center. He lives inTampa.80John C.*Moshides,BS 1980,is the2008-2009president ofthe BuffalomoshidesAssociationof Insurance and FinancialAdvisors. He resides inEast Amherst, NY. J. GaryRogers, BA 1980, has beenelected president of theboard of directors for theFlorida RedevelopmentAssociation. He has almost30 years’experiencein communityplanningand development,andcurrentlyrogers serves asdirector of the LauderdaleLakes CommunityRedevelopment Agencywww.alumni.buffalo.edu UBTODAY Fall 2009 39

alumninewsWays to make a differenceVolunteerism for UB offersvaried opportunitiesWhen given the opportunity, UB alumni have always steppedup to the plate to help their fellow graduates or current students. Youhave so much to offer, and we have a variety of activities for you tochoose from based on your expertise, location and availability. All youhave to do is let us know what you’re interested in and when you wish tobegin. Visit www.alumni.buffalo.edu/events to sign up for our volunteere-mail list, and we’ll be in touch.In the meantime, have you considered becoming an AlumniAmbassador or a mentor? Alumni Ambassadors, who assist UB withstudent recruitment, provide the opportunity for alumni to interact withprospective students through a variety of different activities, such asletter writing, making phone calls, representing UB at college fairs andinformational sessions, and hosting receptions at your workplace or inyour home. Mentors advise students and new graduates on their careers,the world of work and how to develop the networking skills they’ll needto succeed.To learn more about these programs, visit www.alumni.buffalo.edu/volunteer.Dinner for 12 Strangers brings UB alumni and current students together for camaraderie,conversation and a home-cooked meal. On January 17, Joseph Abdallah, MBA ’07 & BA’91 (center), and his wife, Izzy (arms on chair), hosted a group at their home. Also inphoto (at far left) is Marc C. Adler, MA ’83, MBA ’82 & BA ’79, and his wife, Patty, MSW’83 & BA ’81. If you live in Western New York and are interested in hosting a D12 duringthe spring 2010 semester, contact Patty Starr (seated in photo) in the alumni office.40 UBTODAY Fall 2009 www.alumni.buffalo.eduD12

*A blue asterisk denotes UBAlumni Association membersclassnotesupdates from grads by the decadeMember SpotlightRobert O. Davies, PhD ’05La Grande, OregonWhy am I a member of theUB Alumni Association?“Successful universities have viableand engaged alumni associations. Ijoined the UBAA not because of thebenefits to me as a member, butbecause of what it does for our university.The UBAA never stops promotingour university, whether to legislators,prospective students, parentsor donors—all while providing thesupport alumni need to network andcreate new opportunities. Most important,the UBAA is the catalyst thatenables the university to advance andachieve the ambitious goals set forthby UB president John B. Simpson. Mymembership is a voice of support forour university, what it has done, whatit is doing and what it will do for oursociety.”Davies close-upMember since 2003; career spent inhigher education, including associatevice president for alumni relations atUB (2000–2006). Currently president ofEastern Oregon University in La Grande,OR; also served as vice president forIndiana University of Pennsylvania; executivedirector for the BoiseState Alumni Association;director of annual givingfor the University ofNevada, Renoand chair of the BrowardCounty Housing Authority’sland development committee.He lives in Margate,FL. L. Giroux,BS*Stephen1981, served as the2007-2008 president ofthe National CommunityPharmacists Association.He is president and ownerof Moden-Giroux Inc., whichoperates numerous medicalsupply stores. He is alsopresident and coowner ofSummit Park Pharmacy Inc.,Rosenkrans Pharmacy Inc.,Oakfield Family Pharmacyand Hilton Family Pharmacy.He resides in Gasport, NY.Elizabeth J. Protas, PhD1981, MLS 1971 & BS 1968,is dean of the School ofHealth Professions at theUniversity of Texas MedicalBranch (UTMB). She beganher work at UTMB in 2002as chair of the physicaltherapy department, andhas served in leadershippositions for various scientificand professional organizations.Protas receivedthe 2007 Herbert H. DeVriesAward for OutstandingResearch in Aging from theCouncil of Aging and AdultDevelopment, AmericanAssociation for ActiveLifestyles and Fitness.Protas lives in League City,TX. Mohammad Hassan,MS 1983, is the 2008-2009presidentfor theAmericanCouncil ofEngineeringCompaniesof Illinois,hassan an organizationthat he has servedin various positions since1999. He is vice president ofURS Corporation’s Chicagooffice, where he is responsiblefor the infrastructuresector of the company’sIllinois operations. Hassanresides in Bloomingdale,IL. Vickie Mike, EdM 1983,is the 2009 New York StateTeacher of the Year. Ateacher for more than 30years, she taught Spanishat Horseheads High Schoolfor 28 years. Departmentmitted to improving studentachievement in Buffalo (NY)Public Schools. She previouslyserved as educationalservices manager for theBuffalo News. Steinmetzresides in Buffalo. MarlaineTeahan, JD 1985, has beenelected to the Council ofthe State Bar of Michigan’sprobate and estate planningsection as liaison to theState Bar Court Rules andForms Committee. She wasalso reelected to the GreaterLansing Estate PlanningCouncil as secretary. She isan attorney with Foster ZackLittle Pasteur & ManningPC and lives in GrandLedge, MI. Marc Edwards,BA 1986,CharlesLunsfordProfessorof CivilEngineeringin theedwards Collegeof Engineering at VirginiaTech (VT) and a 2007John D. and Catherine T.MacArthur Fellow, deliveredthe graduate schoolkeynote address for VT’sfall 2008 commencement.An expert in water corrosionand contaminationin urban water supplies,Edwards has won a numberof awards for his researchand professorial accomplishments.He residesin Blacksburg, VA. SherriArnold, AAS 1988, is directorof the Small BusinessDevelopment Center atCorning Community College.She is experienced in thebanking industry and haswritten educational materialsin this field. Arnoldalso owned a marketingresearch company andMembers are welcome to attendpregame partiesbefore all UB Bulls football home games.chair for languagesotherthan Englishin theHorseheadsCentralSchoolmikeDistrict, sheis actively involved in professionaldevelopment andconducting workshops foreducators. In 2007, she wasan invited delegate to theWorld Language EducatorsSymposium in China. Mikelives in Elmira, NY. Ronald L.Bornstein,BA 1984,is a partnerat HodgsonRuss LLP inthe firm’sFlorida familybornstein and maritalpractice group. He has morethan 20 years’ experienceand is a member of theFlorida Supreme Court steeringcommittee on privacy inthe courts and the FloridaBar committee on familyrules. Additionally, Bornsteinis a founding memberand vice president of theCollaborative Divorce Team.He resides in Greenacres, FL.Pamela Menard, MS 1984,was honored as a 2008 leaderin disease managementby Managed HealthcareExecutive. She currentlyserves as vice president ofhealth promotions and caremanagement at IndependentHealth and lives in Buffalo,NY. Joann Steinmetz, MBA1985 & BA1978, is asenior programmanagerfor GoodSchools forAll, an organizationsteinmetzcomwww.alumni.buffalo.eduUBTODAY Fall 2009 41

alumninewsAssociation Billboard“It is partnerships with organizations like M&T Bankthat make UB and our alumni valuablecontributors to our community.”marsha Henderson, Vice President for External AffairsSince its inception threeyears ago, the curriculumis now beingused in more than 130local schools, up from16 in the pilot program.In addition, 71 percentof schools in the eightcounties of Western NewYork now have teacherswho are trained to useMoneySKILL.“It is partnerships withorganizations like M&TBank that make UB andour alumni valuable contributorsto our community,”Henderson says. “Andwhen so many UB alumniwork for one employer, it’sa great opportunity for usto have events like this toshare information and tomake connections amongalumni.”School-based NewsUB DowntownSpeakers draw largecrowdsCosponsored by theUB Alumni Associationand the School ofManagement, UBDowntown continued tobreak attendance recordswith two sold-out eventsin the first quarter of2009.Nearly 250 attendeescame out to hear UBfootball coach Turner Gillon February 3 and NancyNielsen, MD ’76, seniorassociate dean of theSchool of Medicine andBiomedical Sciences andpresident of the AmericanMedical Association(AMA), on March 25.Both events took place atChef’s Restaurant.Gill spoke about histeam’s success this pastseason, including winningthe Mid-AmericanConference Championshipand making its first-everbowl appearance in theInternational Bowl inToronto.Nielsen held the audience’srapt attention asshe detailed her dualroles with the AMA andUB, the plight of theuninsured in the U.S., andher entry into medicalschool at the age of 29with five children under 7.The Buffalo News coveredher presentation and publisheda lengthy piece inits next-day editions.UB Downtown will continuewith two presentationsthis fall; watch www.alumni.buffalo.edu/eventsfor details.CorporateConnectionsUB-M&T Bankemployee alumnireceptionM&T Bank is one of thelargest employers of UBalumni. Approximately450 UB graduates workfor M&T in Western NewYork alone, with another250 employed throughoutthe mid-Atlantic region.To celebrate the UB-M&Tconnection, the UB AlumniAssociation hosted areception for alumni andfriends April 2 at M&T’sdowntown Buffalo headquarters.A variety of campusoffices were represented,including the Center forthe Arts, the Departmentof Athletics, and theSchool of Managementand its Career ResourceCenter. MarshaHenderson, BA ’73, UB’svice president for externalaffairs, provided anoverview of UB 2020 foralumni. She describedprogress made so far,explaining how alumnican play a pivotal role inmaking UB 2020 a reality.The event also helped tohighlight MoneySKILL,a joint program ofM&T and the Schoolof Management. Madepossible by the generoussupport of the M&TCharitable Foundation,MoneySKILL is anInternet curriculum thateducates high schoolstudents about makinginformed financialdecisions.Celebrating 75 yearsThe School of Social Workreached its milestone 75thanniversary in 2009, andcelebrations have beenhappening throughoutthe year, showcasing theschool’s impact on educatingand training social workprofessionals.Approximately 5,000students have graduated since the school’sfounding in 1934. They have gone on to work ina variety of settings, from private organizationsto public institutions, impacting countless livesthroughout Western New York, the United Statesand beyond.Two premier events are helping to shine a lighton 75 years of excellence in social work education.First, following four years of work and morethan 60 interviews with alumni, faculty andcommunity members from Buffalo to westernCanada, a short DVD has been created to documentthe school’s evolution, titled Living Proof:Reflections on 75 Years of Social Work Education.Second, the yearlong celebration culminates onOctober 23 with a gala honoring the contributionsof Cornelia Hopkins Allen, School of SocialWork professor from 1935 to 1966. Allen’s twosons, John Robin and David, will be present forthe event.Information about the gala and how to purchasecopies of the documentary can be found atwww.socialwork.buffalo.edu. Proceeds from thesale of the DVD will benefit the School of SocialWork Alumni Association Scholarship fund.42 UBTODAY Fall 2009 www.alumni.buffalo.edu

BlairComing UpcalendarDistinguishedSpeakers SeriesTony Blair10.07.09Alumni Arena, NorthCampusTrue Blue Days10.07–10.17.09North CampusClass of 1959 reunion10.08–10.11.09Center for Tomorrow,North CampusUB Athletics Hall ofFame inductionceremony10.09.09Alumni Arena, NorthCampusParents Weekend10.09–10.11.09Alumni Arena, NorthCampusHomecomingfootball gameUB vs. Gardner Webb10.10.09UB Stadium, NorthCampusREALM leadershipmentoring program10.14.09Student Union, NorthCampusMajors andcareers night10.22.09Student Union, NorthCampusAll dates and timessubject to change. Visitwww.alumni.buffalo.edu/events for updates.Homecoming = footballand True Blue spirit.A blue asterisk denotes UBAlumni Association membersclassnotesupdates from grads by the decadehas worked as a constructionmanager and businessconsultant for ArnoldEnterprises. She residesin Athens, PA. F.Hammond, JD*Paul1988, wasnamed one of UpstateNew York’s top attorneysof 2008 by Upstate NewYork’s SuperLawyers. Heis a partner at the BouvierPartnership and livesin Buffalo, NY. Peter C.Hafner, BA 1989, foundedHafner Financial Services,a company specializing ininvestment managementand retirement and estateplanning. He has spentmore than 15 years workingin financial services,with previous experienceas a financial consultantat A.G. Edwards and Sons.Hafner livesin Depew,NY. JamesP. Klyczek,PhD 1989,MS 1984 &BS 1979, isklyczek a memberof the board of directors ofHealth Management Group,Horizon Health Services Inc.He also serves as presidentand chair of Niagara CountyCommunity College. Klyczeklives in Clarence, NY.90KarenHardick, BS1990 & AAS1988, ischief financialofficerof SummithardickEducationalResources and has morethan 20 years’ experiencein accounting and businessmanagement. Mostrecently, she served as chieffinancial officer of LakeShore Behavioral HealthInc. Hardick resides inAmherst, NY. John Simms,BS 1990, is director of facilitiesat Syracuse ResearchCorporation. With morethan 25 years’ experiencein facilities operations,project engineering andconstruction management,Simms most recentlyworked as technical servicessite facilities/engineeringgroup leader for BristolMyers Squibb Corporation.He is a member of theInternational Society forPharmaceutical Engineeringand previously served onthe American Society ofHeating, Refrigerating, andAir-Conditioning Engineerscommittee. Simms lives inCazenovia, NY. Pamela A.Geib, BS 1991, is a managerat Dopkins and Company,certified public accountantsand consultants, where shehas worked since 1995.She resides in ClarenceCenter, NY. Mark A. Smith,MLS 1992, was chosen toserve onthe advisoryboard forNew MediaConsortium’sHorizonProject. Hesmith will helpguide the Horizon Project,which focuses on emergingtechnologies. He works atAlfred University’s ScholesLibrary of Ceramics andlives in Hornell, NY. MichaelFallacaro, DNS 1993 & MS1984, received the 2008Researcher of the YearAward from the AmericanAssociation of NurseMembers supportAnesthetistsFoundation,in recognitionofcontributionsto thepractice offallacaro anesthesiathrough clinical research.He has dedicated more thanhalf of his 27-year careerto research and educationand has contributed tonumerous medical publications.Fallacaro currentlyworks in Richmond, VA, aschair and tenured professorin the nurse anesthesiadepartment at VirginiaCommonwealth University,and as a staff nurse anesthetistat the HenricoDoctors Hospital ParhamCampus. He resides inRichmond. Richard Polvino,MArch 1994 & BPS 1988, isprincipal and studio leaderat the Boston office of theS/L/A/M Collaborativearchitectural firm, wherehe has worked since 2005,previously serving as managerof various projectsin Boston. Polvino lives inBelmont, MA. Donald J.Leo, PhD 1995 & MS 1992,is specialassistantto the vicepresidentof researchfor energyinitiativesleoat VirginiaTech’s College ofEngineering, where he alsoserves as associate dean ofresearch and graduate studies.He is an associate directorof Virginia Tech’s Centerfor Intelligent MaterialSystems and Structures. Heresides in Blacksburg, VA.chapter programs,student programs and scholarships.www.alumni.buffalo.edu UBTODAY Fall 2009 43

alumninewsThree take on new postsNew leadership for alumniZielinskiLaffertyFriedmanThe UB AlumniAssociation, a volunteer-ledorganizationthat provides oversightfor the association,and the UB Office ofAlumni Relations,which carries out theday-to-day duties ofthe association, havenew leadership.Larry Zielinski,MBA ’77 & BA ’75, ofElma, NY, has beenelected to serve a twoyearterm as presidentof the UB AlumniAssociation.Zielinski, presidentof the BuffaloGeneral Hospital andthe Visiting NursingAssociation of WesternNew York, has been anactive member of theUB Alumni Associationboard of directorssince 2000. He hasserved on the development,programs andevents, finance, audit,membership, andexecutive committees.In addition, for thepast two years he wasthe first vice president.Zielinski plans tofocus on increasingdues-paying membershipin the alumniassociation. “We’ve gotan ambitious plan formember recruitmentand retention,” he says.“With the support ofmy fellow board membersand the entirealumni community, thegoal is achievable andwill make us strongerthan ever.”Timothy P. Lafferty,BS ’86, of East Aurora,NY, was elected firstvice president andchair of the alumniassociation’s communication-marketingcommittee.Lafferty, whois slated to assume thepresidency in 2011,also is a member ofthe UBAA strategicplanning committee.Other alumni officerselected for a two-yearterm to the UB AlumniAssociation board ofdirectors are listed atwww.buffalo.edu/ubt.In addition, Jay R.Friedman, EdM ’00 &BA ’86, of Amherst,NY, has been namedassociate vice presidentfor alumni relations.Friedman servedas interim director ofthe alumni office fromJanuary through May2009. Before joiningthe alumni office, heworked for nearly 23years in campus cateringand the Office ofSpecial Events.In his new position,Friedman isresponsible for alumniprograms and activities,providing creativeleadership, and overallmanagerial direction tothe alumni office andthe alumni association.His primary role isto build relationshipsthat result in volunteer44 UBTODAY Fall 2009 www.alumni.buffalo.edu

*A blue asterisk denotes UBAlumni Association membersclassnotesupdates from grads by the decadeservice and philanthropicsupport forthe university, and toinitiate activities thatmaximize alumni outreachand engagementthrough communications,programs andservices.“I look forward toserving UB’s 200,000-plus alumni and bringingadded value totheir UB degree,” saysFriedman. “Our staffis poised to implementa brand new strategicplan, and I see a verybright future, withmore opportunities tobring alumni togetherand to provide themwith more programs,services and benefitsthan ever.”Lori Overstreet, MBA 1995,is senior vice president ofmarketing and new productdevelopment at Ameritox,a pain prescription medicationmonitoring company.She has extensive experiencein marketing to physiciansand consumers, mostrecently with PinnacleCarePrivate Health Advisory,overseeing brand development,new product development,strategic planningand launching of advertisements,marketing and salesinitiatives. Overstreet livesin Elkridge, MD. TimothyPiotrowski, ME 1996, is anassistant professor in thecivil engineering departmentof Alfred State College inthe School of Managementand Engineering Technology.He has previous experienceserving as projectmanager and director offacility planning for variousbusinesses in WesternNew York, most recently asproject architect and directorof business developmentat Habiterra Architects. Heresides in Jamestown, NY.Gergely Makara, PhD 1997,is director of chemistryfor the European operationsof Albany MolecularResearch Inc. (AMRI). Inthis role, he is responsiblefor all European chemistryproducts and services,including custom synthesis,medicinal chemistry, analyticalservices, library designand production. Makarahas more than 10 years’experience in the developmentof compound librariesand lead optimizationat various drug discoverycompanies, most recentlyworking for the Merck targetvalidation chemistrygroup and NeogenesisPharmaceuticals Inc. Helives in Monroe Township,NJ. Cindy Coleman, MS1999, is a clinical instructorin the Alfred State CollegeDepartment of Nursing.She previously served as afamily nurse practitioner atSt. James Mercy Health inHornell, NY. Coleman residesin Almond,NY. EdwardKim, MD1999, is aphysicianof internalmedicinekimat AspireHealth Center inCheektowaga, NY, wherehe is responsible for theprimary care of adults withdevelopmental disabilities.He previously workedas a physician of internalmedicine at Lifetime HealthMedical Group. Kim lives inGetzville, NY.00Timothy P. Frier, BS2000, is a certified publicsenior accountant atChiampou Travis Besaw &Kershner LLP. He residesin Cheektowaga, NY. TimCurci, MS 2003, is a networkengineer on theprofessional service teamat IPLogic Inc., a Buffalo/Rochester-based communicationstechnology solutionprovider. He has significantexperience working withthe architecture, design andinstallation of computersecurity software, and previouslyworked for CXTECfor six years. Curci lives inEast Amherst, NY. AaronStanley, MBA 2003 & BS2001, is an associate brokerat Robitaille Relocationand Real Estate. He is alsopresident of the EggertsvilleCommunity Organizationand a member of the Townof Amherst’s energy conservationcitizens advisorycommittee. He resides inBuffalo, NY. Timothy J.Altieri, BA 2004, is an associateat Cohen & LombardoPC, where he focuses oncriminal and real estatelaw. He previously servedas an elected judge on theUniversity at Buffalo’s judicialbranch of student government.Altieri is a memberof the Erie County and NewYork State bar associations;the New York State TrialLawyers Association andNew York State Defender’sAssociation; and the ErieCounty Bar Association’scriminal law, negligenceand real estate committees.He lives in Wheatfield,NY. Corine Kaufman, MD2004, has joined the medicalstaff atBuffalo Spineand SportsInstitute,where shehas beenrecognizedkaufman for her“superior clinical knowledgeand her innate patientskills.” She has received theResident Physician Awardfrom the Medical Societyof Erie County and theEvidence Based MedicineQuality Improvement Awardfrom UB. She resides inWilliamsville, NY. NicoleSchuman, MA 2006, isa content publisher forSynacor, a Buffalo-basedInternet tools and portalsbuilder. She has previousexperience as a marketingcommunications strategistwith VoIP Supply/SayersTechnology Holdings.Schuman lives in Buffalo,NY. David Zeitlin, DDS2006, is a practicing dentistat Barotz Dental in Denver,CO. He resides in Thornton,CO. Blecha, BS2008,*Jeremyis a staff accountantat Tronconi Segarraand Associates, a publicaccounting and businessconsultingfirm. He livesin Machias,NY. JenniferNicholsCastaldo,JD 2008 &castaldo BA 1999,is an associate at Hiscock& Barclay LLP, where shefocuses on commerciallitigation. She has previouslyserved as vice presidentof the University atBuffalo Law Associationfor Alternative DisputeResolution and executivebusiness editor of theBuffalo Intellectual PropertyLaw Journal. Castaldoresides in Amherst, NY.Melissa Doyle, BS 2008, isa staff accountant at Brock,Schechter and Polakoff inBuffalo. She lives in WestSeneca, NY. Kristina M.Hellman, JD 2008 & PhD2006, is an associate atSterne, Kessler, Goldstein &Fox PLLC. She has previousexperience assisting withcommercialization, licensingand patenting efforts of universitytechnologies at theUniversity at Buffalo Officeof Science, TechnologyTransfer and EconomicOutreach. Hellman residesin Arlington, VA.Find out why the asterisk matters:benefits, services, programsand events for 200,000 alumni in120 countries.UB Alumni Association membership:It’s a really big deal.www.alumni.buffalo.edu UBTODAY Fall 2009 45

alumninewsi n m e m o r y o f U B a l u m n i30sDolores W. Hafner, BA ’31, ofSun City West, AZ 11.29.08Adelbert Fleischmann, BA’34, of Buffalo, NY 12.24.08John W. Wrench, MA ’34 &BA ’33, of Frederick, MD02.27.09Bernard L. Stack, CERT ’35,of North Tonawanda, NY01.17.09Estelle R. Rutstein, BA ’36,of Buffalo, NY 12.29.08Ruth M. Pierce, BA ’38, ofTucson, AZ 11.01.08Harold A. Mercer, BS ’39, ofAsheville, NC 02.13.0940sMarion W. Nelson, BA ’40, ofBuffalo, NY 08.27.08Nelson W. Thorp, BS ’40, ofWaco, TX 12.31.08Ruth S. Beiswanger, EdM ’41& BA ’39, of Dingmans Ferry,PA 12.29.08Norma T. Foster, MA ’41, ofWilliamsville, NY 11.25.08Benjamin H. Kaplan, BS ’41,of Rochester, NY 12.18.08Montgomery G. Pooley, LLB’41, of Buffalo, NY 01.28.09Tillie G. Astor-Goldman,BA ’42, of Rochester, NY01.17.09Loraine J. Bryant, CERT ’43& AAS ’43, of Pearl River, NY09.05.08Richard E. Down, BS ’43, ofBella Vista, AZ 10.09.08Ralph J. Radwan, JD ’44, ofSan Antonio, TX 03.10.09Charles E. Schifley, DDS ’44,of Hamburg, NY 01.07.09Mario J. Violante, DDS ’44,of Lewiston, NY 04.06.09Ruth Y. Kranitz, EdB ’46, ofAlpharetta, GA 04.07.08Daniel E. Curtin, MD ’47, ofOrchard Park, NY 01.15.09Betty M. East, BA ’47, ofMonterey, CA 10.10.08Frank J. Gawronski, BS ’47& CERT ’41, of Roswell, GA12.18.08Alma E. Bachman, BS ’48, ofCabot, PA 06.11.08Robert I. Miller, BA ’48, ofDuarte, CA 03.27.09Hans E. Haage, BS ’49, ofWindsor, CO 02.20.09Oliver C. Hamister, BS’49, of Orchard Park, NY02.15.09Martin M. Kentner, EdB ’49,of Tucson, AZ 01.31.09Merton J. Lay, BA ’49, ofFairport, NY 12.09.08Robert A. Mendelsohn, BS’49, of White Plains, NY12.28.08Lawrence J. Muresan, BA’49, of Lincoln Park, MI12.15.08John F. Pudvin, PhD ’49 &BA ’41, of Deerfield Beach,FL 08.10.08Gloria C. Stulberg, MSW ’49& CERT ’47, of Buffalo, NY03.03.0950sJames J. Brandl, MD ’50, ofGetzville, NY 01.16.09Robert C. Henning, BS’50, of Orchard Park, NY01.09.09Paul J. Kruder, BS ’50, ofAkron, OH 01.02.09Cyrus A. Mount, BS ’50, ofSacramento, CA 12.03.08Henry L. Pech, MD ’50, ofSarasota, FL 11.15.08Harry J. Stewart, EdB ’50, ofBuffalo, NY 12.29.08David C. Brunner, BS ’51, ofColden, NY 02.07.09Abraham Cutcher, EdM’51, of East Amherst, NY01.24.09Robert B. Boyle, BS ’52, ofLake Wales, FL 10.17.08John W. Bray, BS ’52, ofAttica, NY 12.25.08Daniel Burgess, EdM ’52& EdB ’50, of Kanab, UT04.14.09Gregor L. Calender, MSW’52, of Rochester, NY03.13.09James Drasgow, PhD ’52,MA ’50 & BA ’48, of EastAurora, NY 02.28.09Walter C. Ervin, DDS’ 52, ofElmira, NY 01.13.09Otto S. Guli, BA ’52, of LasVegas, NV 10.19.08Bertram W. Shulimson, BS’52, of Chicago, IL 12.18.08Norma L. Wittman, EdM ’52& CERT ’49, of Hamburg, NY12.24.08John E. Workley, BS ’52, ofJackson, GA 12.27.08Richard M. English, LLB ’53,of Palm Desert, CA 02.23.09James L. Kane, LLB ’53, ofEast Amherst, NY 01.15.09Edwin G. Mena, BS ’53, ofPlantation, FL 01.09.09Ernest C. Passaretti, DDS’53, of Albany, NY 12.02.08Fred R. Schroth, BA ’53, ofKenmore, NY 02.18.08Aaron Goldfarb, JD ’54 &BA ’50, of Orchard Park, NY02.22.09Lawrence S. Greene, MD ’54,of Columbus, OH 09.24.08Ronald M. LaRocque, EdB’54, of Buffalo, NY 01.24.09Nicholas A. Nicosia, DDS ’54& BA ’50, of Rochester, NY04.12.09Gerald E. Fies, EdM ’55 & BA’54, of Buffalo, NY 09.30.08Lyle H. Hemink, EdD ’55 &EdM ’48, of Port Orange, FL12.25.08Raymond G. Hunt, BS ’55, ofFredonia, NY 04.07.09Irma K. Lauffer, BS ’55 &CERT ’52, of Buffalo, NY01.17.08Marcia M. Geckler, BA ’56,of Lockport, NY 03.17.09Robert R. Mueller, DDS ’56& BA ’52, of Rochester, NY01.29.09Henry F. Staffi, AS ’56, ofTonawanda, NY 12.30.08Steve N. Yelich, MSW ’56& CERT ’55, of Delmar, NY12.30.08Dorothy M. Musico,MSW ’57 & BA ’54, ofPhoenixville, PA 03.20.08Alan R. Smith, CERT ’58, ofCollierville, TN 02.27.09Emil Marone, BS ’59, of St.Petersburg, FL 05.20.08Joseph A. Vollmar, BS ’59, ofTonawanda, NY 02.21.09Sabah E. Zara, MD ’59, ofRiverview, MI 02.27.0960sClarence E. Adams, EdM’60, of Clifton Springs, NY02.18.09William M. Viscardo, DDS’60, of Snyder, NY 11.23.08Randolph S. Wells, BS ’60,of Elma, NY 01.01.08Robert G. Meyers, BA ’61, ofEast Setauket, NY 01.10.09Norman J. Wolf, JD ’62 &BS ’59, of Lancaster, NY12.25.08Harry O. Fuller, JD ’63, ofNewfane, NY 08.22.0846 UBTODAY Fall 2009 www.alumni.buffalo.edu

David V. Short, BA ’63,of North Tonawanda, NY01.08.09John L. Christensen, BA’64, of Lake Hiawatha, NJ04.01.08Lois G. Leonard, MA ’64, ofOrchard Park, NY 12.20.08Anthony A. Yanatsis, EdM’64, of Venice, FL 02.01.09Carolyn B. Thomas, BA ’65,of Buffalo, NY 02.07.09Marcia A. Grzedzicki, BA ’66,of Elma, NY 01.31.09Raymond C. Howick, MBA’66, BS ’49 & BA ’49, ofEvanston, IL 03.14.09Hemchandra M. Pandit, PhD’67, of Fairport, NY 12.06.08Ronald A. Silver, BA ’67, ofNew York, NY 03.15.09Arnold A. Wosilait, MS ’67,of Grand Island, NY 01.14.09Richard J. Darwin, MA ’68& BA ’60, of Columbus, OH12.16.08Carole D. Hall, EdM ’68, ofLady Lake, FL 10.30.08Richard J. Ouimette, BS ’68,of Syracuse, NY 07.01.08Elynor T. Hagen, EdM ’69, ofEast Aurora, NY 09.10.08Samuel L. Hoff, MBA ’69, ofTonawanda, NY 03.14.09James F. Hurley, EdM ’69& BS ’67, of Estero, FL07.27.08Russell F. Kappenman,PhD ’69, of Redmond, WA03.18.09Cheryl C. Rosenblatt, MD’69, of Washington, DC01.09.08Robert G. Wetherell, BS ’69,of Piedmont, SC 01.16.0970sMichael R. Bogulski, BA ’70,of Hamburg, NY 02.04.09Marie Dellas, PhD ’70 &MS ’67, of Lyndhurst, OH03.01.09Frederick W. Downie, DDS’70, of East Syracuse, NY01.09.09Robert W. Knupp, BS ’70, ofHouston, TX 03.08.09John D. Popielasz, BA ’70, ofHull, MA 02.05.09Ruth E. Heintz, EdD ’71, MA’61 & BA ’41, of Buffalo, NY04.23.08Susan J. Higginbotham, EdB’71, of Baldwinsville, NY11.29.08John T. Puchalski, BS ’71 &BA ’66, of North Tonawanda,NY 01.16.09Arthur J. Williams, BS ’71, ofBuffalo, NY 10.22.08Connie E. Costantino, MLS’72 & BS ’71, of Oceanside,CA 01.01.09John C. Ort, MS ’72 & BS’68, of Little Compton, RI09.14.08Richard F. Passino, BS ’72,of North Tonawanda, NY04.03.09Edward R. Belmore, MS ’73,of Albany, NY 10.09.08Edward L. Hubert, BS ’73, ofMassena, NY 12.10.08Russell Macaluso, EdD’73, of East Amherst, NY03.10.09Edward J. Orlando, JD ’73, ofRochester, NY 12.20.08John V. Penn, MSW ’73, ofGoderich, ON 09.14.08Steven T. Pugh, MD ’73 &BA ’69, of Englewood, CO02.28.08Sydney C. Klein, BA ’74, ofBuffalo, NY 02.04.09Jimmie Robinson, BS ’74, ofBuffalo, NY 09.14.08Karl R. Scherer, BS ’74, ofTonawanda, NY 01.26.09William I. Cohen, MD ’75, ofPittsburgh, PA 02.06.09Lawrence A. Gaylord, BA’75, of North Collins, NY12.15.08William B. Kindred, MA ’75& BA ’68, of Buffalo, NY01.02.09Gary L. Wright, MBA ’75& MS ’70, of Harvest, AL02.24.09Alan D. Fenster, EdM ’76, ofKenmore, NY 01.06.09Geraldine F. Karny, MS ’76& BA ’52, of Kenmore, NY02.21.09Jeffrey L. Aaron, BA ’77, ofWestbury, NY 03.17.08Kathy M. Howlett-Depree,BA ’77, of Sharon, MA01.01.09Lisa M. Lake, MSW ’77 & BS’74, of Clarence, NY 12.01.08Enyi Okereke, BS ’77, ofBuffalo, NY 11.25.08Robert A. Cunningham, PhD’78 & BA ’68, of Hamburg,NY 03.30.08Paul J. Mehling, BA ’78, ofSlingerlands, NY 01.30.0980sShari L. Hirt, BA ’84, ofBuffalo, NY 12.17.08Paul F. Nowakowski, MBA’85 & BS ’73, of Henderson,NV 03.29.09Ashley L. Braswell, BA ’86,of Atlanta, GA 01.31.09Alicia S. Fink, BA ’86, ofLiverpool, NY 12.04.08Aaron M. Smith, BA ’86, ofPhiladelphia, PA 02.16.08Rovell P. Solomon, PhD ’87,of Mississauga, ON 10.04.08Mary Ellen Drew, BA ’88, ofNew Albany, OH 01.02.09Chet V. Daeschler, BA’89, BS ’88 & AAS ’86, ofLockport, NY 01.25.0990sJames O. Bates, MS ’90& BA ’88, of Buffalo, NY12.22.08Toni Delmonte, JD ’91, ofWarsaw, NY 02.16.09Joel F. Beeby, BA ’92, ofLyndonville, NY 12.20.08John H. Dieckman, BS ’92, ofTonawanda, NY 12.13.08Anthony M. Petti, EdM ’92& BA ’82, of Barker, NY02.04.09James P. Higgins, PhD ’94& BA ’75, of Buffalo, NY01.20.09Joseph Lo Galbo, MS ’94,MA ’94 & BA ’89, of Angola,NY 01.19.09Eugene C. Maciejewski, BS’94, of Buffalo, NY 08.16.08Amy E. Rine, MBA ’94, ofJamestown, NY 12.22.08Christopher W. Schmitt,BA ’96, of Circleville, OH02.08.08Janet I. Facklam, MS ’97 &BA ’95, of North Tonawanda,NY 11.15.0800sDeborah C. Betler, BA ’00, ofAngola, NY 05.26.08Ryan M. Perkis, BS ’02, ofRochester, NY 03.12.08Thomas M. Lechner, PhD’03 & BA ’66, of Depew, NY07.11.08Heather M. Weeks, BA’05, of West New York, NJ11.14.08www.alumni.buffalo.edu UBTODAY Fall 2009 47

opinionAlumni share their thoughtsinmyIf you could create anothernational holiday,what would you call it?*John Harder, BS ’87Albany, NYWe should create a national holiday inAugust and call it Peace Day to commemoratethe fact that nuclear weaponswere used by the U.S. on another country(atomic bombings of Hiroshimaand Nagasaki, August 6 and 9, 1945), inthe hopes that they will never be usedagain.Lori Klamner-Wood, BA ’81New York, NYNational Unplug Day. People wouldturn off all phones, computers, electronicgames, TomToms, etc. Get backto what is going on right around you.Irene Burns, MD ’78Batavia, NY9/11 should be commemoratedas National Remembrance andCommunity Volunteer Day. It wouldbe a day for nationwide volunteerismto honor the victims and the firstresponders.Sarah Ruchalski, BA ’06Lancaster, NYMy holiday would be called “X-Day.”This holiday would be used as a day tomend a relationship, have lunch with anex, reconnect with an old friend or whateversomeone decides “X” stands for.Bob Deneen, CEL ’92Amherst, NYPatriot’s Day—to honor all citizensthroughout America’s history who havelived ethically and honorably.Jennifer Wood, BS ’00 & BA ’98Toronto, ONHere in Ontario there is a holiday inFebruary called “Family Day”—it fallson the third Monday of the month.I would recreate this day in the U.S.It’s all about having a long weekendto spend with the kids, enjoying eachother.Jane Wittman-Roll, BA ’92Cape Coral, FLI would designate a National VolunteerDay to honor the efforts of everyonewho volunteers and to encourage othersto give of themselves. The U.S. has awonderful culture of volunteerism thatis not seen anywhere else in the world.Sam Prince, BA ’78Plano, TXEqual Access to Justice Day! We mustall ensure that access to a lawyer toguide you through the complexities ofthe legal system is not just for thosewho can afford to pay. One national holidaywould serve to remind everyone—lawyers and non-lawyers alike—of thissacred, truly American, principle.Michael Donato, BS ’03Fair Lawn, NJRepeal Day–December 5. Celebrates therepeal of the Eighteenth Amendment onthat date in 1933, and our freedom tobrew and drink alcohol.Judith Weiland, MA ’02 & BA ’98Amherst, NYInternational Women’s Day is annuallyobserved on March 8. It is a major dayof global celebration for the economic,political and social achievements ofwomen. The only other day celebratingwomen [in the U.S.] is Mother’s Day,which is not a national holiday.Thomas Capo, PhD ’97Silver Spring, MDI’d extend to a national level a decadesoldtradition they have in Cincinnati. I’dmake the first day of the new baseballseason a national holiday. We could justcall it “Opening Day.”Wayne Elsaesser, BS ’01Holland, NYE Pluribus Unum Day: A celebrationof the melting pot of America, how immigrantsfrom all over the world havecome together to build and shape thiscountry. It would honor diversity andmulticulturalism, while recognizing thevalues and diversity of the various regionsof the country.David Rose, DDS ’67Roseville, CATaxpayer Day. It is the taxpayer whopays for all of the other “special” days!*Question posed in “In My Opinion,” a feature of the monthly electronicnewsletter @UB, a portion of which also appears regularly in UB Today.To subscribe, go to the Stay Informed tab at www.alumni.buffalo.edu.48 UBTODAY Fall 2009 www.alumni.buffalo.edu

UBtodayUniversity at Buffalo103 Center for TomorrowBuffalo, NY 14260-7400Non-Profit Org.U.S. PostagePAIDBuffalo, N.Y.Permit No, 311Change service requestedIf UB Today is addressed to your son or daughter who no longer maintains a permanent addressat your home, please clip the address label and return it with the correct address to the AlumniOffice, University at Buffalo, 103 Center for Tomorrow, Buffalo, NY 14260–7400A publication of the University at buffalo alumni associationGet comfy,and check out the UB Alumni Association’s new Web site!Find all the information you need about membership and benefits, services, programs andvolunteer opportunities online without even getting out of your jammies.www.alumni.buffalo.eduFive lucky winners will be selected at random by answering the following questions:Name two benefits that dues-paying members of the UB Alumni Association receive.What symbol is used to indicate UB Alumni Association membership?Under which tab on the alumni Web site can you learn about becoming a mentor?How many regional chapters does the UB Alumni Association have in the U.S.?And, the prize is:SanDisk Sansa Connect 4GB MP3 Player with 2.2"LCD DisplayPlay music, view videos, stream Internet radio or chat with friends using one device.Stores up to 1,000 MP3 songs (64 hours of music)All submissions with correct answers received by 5 p.m. on Friday, October 9, 2009 will be entered into a random drawing. E-mail your answers toub-alumni@buffalo.edu (put "Contest" in subject line), or snail mail to Barb Byers, UB Office of Alumni Relations, 103 Center for Tomorrow, Buffalo, NY 14260(Sorry, UB faculty and staff are ineligible to play.)