Siena News Summer 2009

Siena SIENA NEWS • A MAGAZINE FOR ALUMNI AND FRIENDS • SUMMER 2009

READY, SET, GO! 819 students graduate at Times Union Center

INSIDE: Around the World | Reunion ‘09

from the president “I have done what is mine to do, may Christ teach you what is yours to do.” These are the words Saint Francis used to prepare the friars for life after his death, which followed not long after he said them. They are his instructions for living life: Follow your heart. Seek truth. Serve each other. Always be open to learning. When our seniors graduate, they are always saying that they don’t want to leave Siena. As I told them at this year’s Commencement ceremony: This is just the beginning! Siena’s liberal arts education will always serve as a guide for our alumni. When they share their lives with others, serve in the community advocate for the poor and marginalized, Siena’s Franciscan mission is alive and thriving. Siena and its Francsican tradition are woven through the very fabric of our alumni’s lives. When a Siena alum looks back on his or her life, he or she is able to say “I have done what is mine to do.”

Message from the Editors Thank you to everyone who sent in e-mails about the last issue of Siena News. There is nothing we love more than feedback! One alumnus told us that this was the first time he has ever read the magazine cover to cover. We were ecstatic—this was the goal when we decided to redesign Siena News last fall. We will continue to improve the magazine based on the response we receive from all of you. As always, tell us what you thought of this issue by e-mailing [email protected].

Want to stay in touch with Siena between issues? Here’s how: • Become a fan of Siena on Facebook at

facebook.com/sienacollege. • Follow us on Twitter at

twitter.com/sienacollege. • Subscribe to the campus calendar’s RSS feed at

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flickr.com/sienacollege. • Get news updates via e-mail at

www.siena.edu/pages/180.asp. Enjoy the issue, and don’t forget to nominate someone for the Ultimate Siena College Fan contest (see page 35). Jim Eaton and Allison Maloney ’06

Fraternally,

Fr. Kevin Mullen ’75, O.F.M., Ph.D.

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contents

2009 - 2010 Board of Trustees

4 Ready, Set, Go!

9 Around The World

Ronald E. Bjorklund ’85 Bradley Bodmer, Esq. ’82 J. David Brown Michael Bucci ’73 Robert F. Campbell ’66 Robert M. Curley Robert T. Cushing ’77 Susan Law Dake Virginia L. Darrow ’83 John J. Dawson, Esq. ’68 Scott C. Donnelly Howard S. Foote ’74 Robert L. Guido ’68 Douglas T. Hickey ’77 Rev. Kenneth R. Himes ’71, O.F.M., Ph.D. Edward J. Johnson ’63 Walter T. Kicinski ’62 Rev. Jerome J. Massimino, O.F.M. Pamela McCarthy Robert J. McCormick ’87 Rev. Dominic V. Monti, O.F.M., Ph.D. James J. Morrell ’66 Very Rev. Kevin J. Mullen ’75, O.F.M., Ph.D. John F. Murray ’79 John J. Nigro Very Rev. John F. O’Connor, O.F.M. Walter A. Osterman ’87 Joseph M. Pastore, Jr., Ph.D. Kenneth M. Raymond, Jr. Mark S. Rose ’65 Rev. Peter A. Schneible, O.F.M., Ph.D. David M. Stack ’73 Christine L. Standish Br. Daniel P. Sulmasy, O.F.M., M.D., Ph.D. *Nimmi M. Trapasso ’98, M.D. Dennis L. Winger ’69 *New Trustee Siena News - Summer 2009 Published by Siena College 515 Loudon Road Loudonville, NY 12211-1462 E-mail: [email protected]

21 Reunion ‘09

departments On Campus News | 11 Faculty News | 16 Saints Corner | 18

Alumni Connection | 21 Gift Planning | 26 Alumni Class Notes | 27

• Publisher: Delcy Fox • Editors: Jim Eaton, Allison Maloney ’06 • Contributing Editors: Mark Adam, Jodi Ackerman Frank, Fr. Kevin Mullen ’75, O.F.M., Ph.D., Michelle Pickering ’09, Lynn Ryan and Jack Sise ’75 • Director of Art and Design: Sergio Sericolo • Alumni Class Notes Design: Jean Higgs • Alumni Class Notes Editor: Janice Goca and Victoria Abdulla ’07 • Photography: Athletics Office, Leah Antil’ 09, Stanley Blanchard, Dave Boswell ’12, Lisa Heimerle, Paul Notar ’07, Sergio Sericolo, Syracuse Athletic Communications • Printer: The Lane Press, Burlington,Vt.

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COVER STORY

READY, SET, GO! Siena College held its 69th commencement ceremony on Sunday, May 17 at the Times Union Center in Albany. Eight hundred and ninteen graduates received bachelor’s degrees in business, liberal arts and science. It was the first time Siena’s Commencement has been celebrated in downtown Albany. Fr. Kevin Mullen ’75, O.F.M., Ph.D. welcomed the class using the words of Saint Francis, “I have done what is mine to do. May Christ teach what is yours.” If you share your life with others, serve your communities and help the less fortunate, he said, you will be able to look back on your life and say, “I have done what was mine to do.” Kelly Burke, class of 2009 president, reflected on shared memories, beginning with the summer before Siena, when she was assigned summer reading of The Kite Runner for the freshman Foundations course. Burke re-read the book during her final week at Siena, and said that its themes of love, respect and compassion are the same marks of the four years spent at Siena. She said that their time here had come full circle. Burke also reminded the class that together they had stormed the very court they were

Left: President’s Stage Party; The Honorable Victoria Graffeo, Bishop Howard Hubbard, Fr. Kevin Mullen ’75, O.F.M., Ph.D., Robert Cushing ’77 and Dr. Robert Paeglow. Center: Kelly Burke ’09 delivers her senior address. Right: Triplets Travis, Erin and Scott Montgomery.

seated on for not one, but two men’s basketball championships. Two honorary degrees were conferred to The Honorable Victoria Graffeo and Dr. Robert Paeglow. Graffeo has served New York State in all three branches of government and quoted President Abraham Lincoln, who once compared a tree to the individual and its shadow to the person’s reputation. “There is no easy way to build a solid reputation, and there are no shortcuts,” Graffeo said, “You build it a little each day in how you treat others.” Dr. Paeglow founded the Koinonia Primary Care/Mental Health Practice, which provides care to the poor in Albany’s West Hill neighborhood. He was the first in his family to graduate from college and provided the class of 2009 with his conclusions on life: “It is all about joy,” he said. Sam Ogden, senior commencement speaker,

Teaching Excellence

Charles Trainor, Ph.D., Rachel Stern-Marr, Ph.D. and Joshua Diamond, Ph.D.

The Jerome Walton Excellence in Teaching Award was given to Charles Trainor, Ph.D., professor of English. Rachel SternMarr, Ph.D., professor of biology and Joshua Diamond, Ph.D., professor of physics received the Raymond Kennedy Excellence in Scholarship Award and Fr. Matthew T. Conlin, O.F.M. Distinguished Service Award, respectively.

Javid Afzali ’09 was born in Afghanistan and emmigrated to the United States when he was five years old. His father passed away when he was in high school, and he dropped out of school to support his family. Afzali earned his GED and later completed an associate’s degree to become a mechanic. He and his wife saved money so that he could someday earn a bachelor’s degree. Afzali has received a significant scholarship to attend Albany Law School this fall. The 32 year-old is married and has four children ranging in age from 10 to 3.

impressively rhymed his entire speech and focused on the fact that being a member of the Siena community will always be the graduates’ link to one another. Closing up the ceremony was Robert Cushing ’77, chair of the board of trustees, and Very Rev. Howard Hubbard, bishop of the Albany diocese. Cushing had all the graduates stand and repeat: “We did it!” Then, he had everyone else—professors, families and staff alike—stand and say, “Thank God they did it!” “Share your gifts and talents generously with others and you will mark an indelible path for the world,” said Bishop Howard Hubbard, “Godspeed always.”

Ready, Set, Go!

Commencement Poem An Excerpt By: Sam Ogden ’09, Commencement Speaker

Speeches. Speeches everywhere. You hear them every day. So, I will try to speak to you in quite a different way. Speeches, Speeches here and there, you hear them all the time. So I have tried to put Siena College into rhyme. Now, I’m no Dr. Seuss, I never claimed to be. But within the last few months this little poem just came to me. Siena came so suddenly, and suddenly it’s gone. But there are many memories made from moving right along: The times we didn’t study hard, the times we did our best. The time we went to take our finals, but there weren’t any tests. Most of us, our first few months, just couldn’t get enough Of friends and weekends of all kinds the “all-important” stuff. Some became the victors in the field or on the court. Others tried to make a mark of a—male pageant sort. Many wanted friendships that they wouldn’t have to fake. Some have found the other person on the wedding cake. What is it that we’re taking now from everything we’ve read? And how have we reacted to the things inside our head? We’ve been angry at the world, I hope the same for all of you; For it’s in seeing all its flaws that we know what to do. We’ve been happy that we won a game or with the change of season. To grab a blanket like the rest, sunbathe for no good reason. Many have been near that place where sadness would control them, But someone special from this place would be there to console them. Siena helped a lot of us in life to find our way. And those of us still searching had a friend along the way. I didn’t know four years ago that by the very end The guy across the room from you could be your greatest friend. No matter where you go from here to do things great and small Keep in mind from time to time just where you got it all.

And if you ever find yourself in need of company, Fr. Bill is always waiting in the yearbook on page 3. Siena’s growing older, just as each of you and I. And it’s an honor… to be named among its alumni. Even when you find that you yourself are growing old. Do yourself a favor – stay in touch with green and gold. Farewell to all the homework, and to the winter snow. Farewell to all the things from here, except what we now know. At times I thought that one big speech would change the world forever. But that’s a task that I and each of you must do together. I came to school so long ago hoping not to change. And looking back it’s hard to know how I could be so strange. I wanted more than anything to make a difference here, And there were opportunities in every single year. But it took me quite a while in fact to look around and see, That what the world had needed was a certain change in me. We went to school not long ago hoping not to sway, And looking back we wouldn’t have it any other way. So thank you all for coming here, to watch us cross the stage; To see us in our caps and gowns, perhaps to act our age. Thank you to the parents, spending so much time and dime. Thank you younger siblings, we can’t wait to see you shine. Thank you to the teachers, for all that you have taught. And thank you to the friars, for acting as you ought. Thank you to the staff for keeping everything so smooth. And thank you fellow classmatesI will really miss you.

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Around the World Around the Wil ’09oarersooln tod Siena graduates Paul Notar ’07 and Leah Ant regions: become experts on two of the most important world The Middle East and Russia.

Leah Antil was selected as one of 70 students from among 30,000 applicants to study this summer at the Astrakhan State University in Russia. Notar, who has been studying Arabic since last May, has been accepted to Michigan State University, which has one of the top five Arabic programs in the United States. Antil, writing from Astrakhan, Russia, tells Siena News about her experiences in Russia so far this year. Why Russia? Russia, to me, is like one of those art nouveau modern paintings — the ones with about six different squares and only three colors. You stare at it, and you like it. You don’t know why you like it, but there is an attraction. Maybe that painting is not for everyone, but it’s for me.

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Tell us about Astrakhan. So far, Astrakhan is quite an exciting place. I studied abroad in St. Petersburg, but Astrakhan is a more diverse area. Although the language is primarily Russian, there are several ethnicities living together peacefully: Russian, Iranian and Tatar. Some parts of Astrakhan, including the Kremlin and the River Volga, are so beautiful my breath catches in my throat when I see them. These images are juxtaposed with trashstrewn streets, hot weather and dusty roads. It’s quite the contrast. What’s it like to be living in Russia, immersed in a new language and culture? I have taken a strict Russian-only pledge when I am speaking with professors, my host family and American

classmates. I attend classes Monday through Friday for six hours in Russian grammar, conversation and phonetics, so it is getting easier. After my two-months-and-10day experience, I theoretically will have advanced an entire level in the Russian language. Where and what are you headed for next? After this scholarship, I will be pursuing a master’s degree at the School of International Training World Learning Institute in Brattleboro, Vt. I am entering a two-year intercultural service, leadership and management program. I will be taking two academic semesters at the Institute and then, hopefully, I will work in Minsk, the capital of Belarus, for a year-long practicum.

Paul Notar writes from Ramallah, the Palestinian city on the West Bank. How did you get involved in Middle Eastern and language studies? I’ve slowly acquired my interest in the Middle East in an unorthodox way: through traveling, asking a lot of questions and meeting people who live in the Middle East. Most of the students and scholars I’ve met when traveling acquired their interest in the Middle East through rigorous training in history and anthropology. I’ve actually never taken a class on the Middle East. But, I did begin learning Arabic with Fareed Munir, associate professor of religious studies, and studied abroad in Morocco during my Siena years. What’s it like living in the West Bank? Ramallah has become the de facto capital of a yet-to-becompleted Palestinian state. I am spending my time studying Arabic with a private tutor and learning about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Everyone in this city has an interest in creating a new country. Palestinians, though living under constant threat of military and economic suppression, are active in this endeavor.

You also went to Syria this year. Tell us about that. My time in Syria led me to take a personal interest in Syrian politics and the plight of Kurds in that country. My best friend, Kawa, a Syrian-Kurd living in Damascus, is confronted with flagrant racism that has hampered his attempts to find suitable work and live peacefully among SyrianArabs. Acts of racism have intensified because of various uprisings occurring in northern SyrianKurdish cities over the past few years as a rebuke to government policies that curtail their rights (a recently proclaimed law restricts their right to own land). What was the application process like for such a competitive field of study? Easier than it would have been — thanks to Siena. When I learned that I was one of four students invited to Princeton University to compete for one open master’s degree spot, my former professors went into action. Vera Eccarius-Kelly, associate professor of political science, and I had a long strategy session. I also received a crash course in the academic world from Jim Booker, professor of economics. I was not ultimately admitted to Princeton, but I did get full funding from the University of Michigan. What will you do with the master’s degree? My master’s degree will prepare me for doctoral programs, as well as for a variety of professional fields that require an advanced understanding of the Middle East. I am seriously considering a career in teaching, either at the secondary or university levels. I can’t imagine a more rewarding career.

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From the Front Lines to the Front Lawn Siena held its first-ever history reenactment, which spanned 230 years of U.S. history, on the College’s front lawn on April 18, 2009. Re-enactors representing the Revolutionary War and the Civil War joined current members of Siena’s ROTC program, as well as members of the U.S. National Guard for a day of demonstrations that celebrated bringing history to life. The idea for “A Day of Living History” was student-generated: The History Club, led by Tara Heffernan ’09, organized the entire event from conception to execution. The students were supported by the Center for Revolutionary Era Studies, the History Department, Academic Affairs Admissions and ROTC. “We were proud to offer this program not only for Siena students but for anyone interested from the Capital Region,” said Heffernan. “Each group brought to life their respective eras and allowed spectators to see and hear what camp life was like for our early Americans, as well as to see the improvements that have been made for modern soldiers.” Siena students and faculty also presented projects on topics including literature of the Revolutionary Era and the effect soldiers and war have on communities. Sign up for information about next year’s event and other Center for Revolutionary Era Studies programs at www.siena.edu/cres.

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Above: Tara Heffernan ’09 organized the first historical reenactmwnt which was held on the front lawn.

Hope for a Cure By Jennifer Raska ’10

Siena Fueled by Francis in GHI Workforce Team Challenge By Michelle Pickering ’09

Sixty-two determined Siena College employees and friends ran or walked through Albany as part of the GHI Workforce Team Challenge, the largest annual road race between Utica and New York City. For the second consecutive year, Siena was awarded a plaque for being the third largest educational agency to participate. Overall, 7,186 people participated and 393 teams ran alongside the Siena Saints, who were “fueled by Francis,” as was proclaimed on the back of their team t-shirts. For Siena, the event brought community members from numerous departments together at the end of the academic year to enjoy each other’s company. Members of the Strategic Communications and Integrated Marketing Office recruited this year’s team, designed and ordered the team t-shirts and organized the post-race celebration at the Recovery Room Sports Grill in Albany. This year’s squad sported hi-vis gold t-shirts, with the words “Siena” in green on the front. On the back was a custom graphic of St. Francis, upon whose values the college is based. The event was made possible thanks to the generosity of Troy’s Landscape Supply Company and Paul Stec ’79, vice president for finance and administration.

“Someone has to be the first to be cured, and it’s going to be Hannah.” These were the words spoken by the father of then four-yearold Hannah Sames of Clifton Park, N.Y. In March 2008, Hannah was diagnosed with a genetic disorder called giant axonal neuropathy (GAN). The disease slowly deteriorates and inhibits the function of the nervous system and interferes with the communicating signals sent from the brain to the body. After Hannah’s diagnosis, her family was informed that the disorder was fatal and treatment options did not exist. GAN is so rare that it is only found in one out of every 200,000 individuals. Unfortunately, hope can’t be put into treatment and therapies for those diagnosed with this neurological genetic disorder. Instead, parents are sent home to watch their children deteriorate to the point of becoming a quadriplegic, dependent on a feeding tube and ventilator. Individuals with GAN often die in their teens or early twenties. Hannah Sames’ family and friends are determined to change this. Hannah’s Hope Fund will need to raise $500,000 a year over the next four years to pay for gene therapy research and a clinical trial in hopes of saving the precious lives being destroyed by GAN. Hannah’s family is devoted to finding a cure because, as her mother has stated, “There is really little else in life that matters when your child is dying from a malicious genetic disorder, especially when the disease could be treatable someday.” This year’s co-chairpersons of Charity Week Jillian Duarte ’11 and Jennifer Raska ’10 have chosen Hannah’s Hope Fund to be the recipient of Siena’s Charity Week’s fundraising efforts. Events will take place Nov. 2 -7. All alumni, faculty, students and friends are encouraged to visit charityweek09.weebly.com, as well as the direct Website for Hannah’s Hope Fund, www.hannahshopefund.org, for more information.

Honors Topics Span from Nerds and Geeks to Wrestling with Cosmetics This year’s honors fellows have officially completed their theses. Here is a list of the fellows, along with their topics: • Paul Acosta ’09, “Going Beyond Brand Community — Brand Cult” • Catherine Cagino ’09, “Alzheimer’s Disease: Focusing Future Research” • Renee Clavette ’09, “Graduation Rates and Academic Success of Student Athletes Versus All Students: A Case Study of One Athletic Conference” • Ashley Davison ’09, “A Look at Employee Theft and Internal Control: Impacts on Small Business Considering the Implications of Evolving Technologies” • Michelle Diehl ’09, “Brand Personality and Gen Y: A Study of the Relevance of Aaker’s Five Point Brand Personality Scale to a New Generation” • Jennifer Dinnel ’09, “How Christians Should Use Hermeneutics: Moving Away from Literalism in the Context of Homosexuality and Evolution” • Kelly Donnelly ’09, “Gaining Power: The Postcolonial Adolescent Struggle in the Bluest Eye and Life of Pi” • Erin Guldenstern ’09, “Nerds and Geeks: The impact of the Portrayal of Mathematicians in Movies and Television” • Gary Gustin, Jr. ’09, “Ancient Greek Homoeroticism: Diversity and Difference” • April London ’09, “The Impact of Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivation on Job Choice in Generation Y” • Emily McHugh ’09, “Sharing a Confidence: Full Immersion with the ‘Distorted’ Outlook” • Roshni R. Naik ’09, “Attitudes of Albany Medical College (AMC) Students Toward the Willingness of Pursuing Geriatrics as Career” • Samuel J. Ogden ’09, “Beyond Church and State: Thoughts on Religious Participation in Democratic Dialogue” • Shaina Reardon ’09, “Food For Thought: 1960s Countercultures Influence on Today’s Natural Foods Movement” • Elizabeth Rees ’09, “Humanitarian Health Care: Exploring the Humanitarian Missions of the International Committee of the Red Cross and Doctors Without Borders” • Philip Sidoti ’09, “Credit Cards and College Students: Status and Implications for Marketing Strategy”

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• Brett Tracy ’09, “A Comparative Analysis of Stigma Manifestation: Obstetric Fistulas, Treacher Collins Syndrome and HIV/AIDS” • Samantha Tymchyn ’09, “Rebuilding Our Victimized Communities: Integrating Restorative Justice Principles and Practices into Community-Based Alternative Sentencing Initiatives to Bring About Change” • Kimberly Vassilatos ’09, “When Conflict Resolution Is Not Enough: Incorporating Conflict Transformation, Human Security and Restorative Justice into Peacebuilding” • Larissa Walker ’09, “Sustainability, Democracy and Problems with the U.S. Farm Bill: A Critical Analysis of Policy, Power and Paradigms” • Alexander Walthers ’09, “Exploring Attitudes Towards Counterfeit Products” • Jason Weiss ’09, “Wrestling with Cosmetics: Creator or Enhancer of Beauty?” • Kari Weiterschan ’09, “Speak and Sold: Trauma as a Contradiction in Adolecent Literature”

Academic Celebration Showcases Student Projects

Siena Hosted 22nd Annual

Siena’s annual Academic Celebration Day in May showcased 200 student projects from all three schools. These projects included independent studies, as well as class work. Many of the student projects proved timely, including those from the Globalization Issues Across the U.S. Border course taught by Jean Stern, Ph.D., professor of political science. Students studied the U.S. Border Patrol, the North American Free Trade Agreement, illegal immigration, drug cartels and more. This class also traveled to the U.S.-Mexican border in January to experience the topics first-hand. Students studying sociology research methods featured an array of topics including service learning, Siena’s recycling program, effects of cancer on loved ones and Facebook. The latter study by Kristen Henry ’10 found that Facebook is the top form of Internet communication for Siena students, followed by instant messaging and then e-mail. Text messaging was a popular topic for marketing and management research methods students, with themes ranging from texting on company time and the effects it has on GPA to college students using texting to connect with peers. From the School of Science, biology major Laura Connor ’09 investigated RNA and its implications for future treatment of heart disease. Chemistry major Lukasz Gauza ’10 compared conventional to microwave heating in the production of biodiesel from vegetable oil. Computer science major Daniel Rotondo ’11 developed an application for Apple’s iPhone platform. Service and activism also were themes that wove through this year’s event. Allyson Sweeney ’09, Amy McCarthy ’09 and Elizabeth Murphy ’09 worked to raise awareness of organ donation and transplantation, while a group of students supervised by Shannon O’Neill, Ph.D., director of the Sr. Thea Bowman Center for Women, initiated a sweatshop-free campaign.

Below: Jean Stern, Ph.D., professor of political science, with students who traveled to the U.S. – Mexican border in January to study illegal immigration at this year’s Academic Celebration. Above: Student projects this year included Facebook findings, text messaging, service and activism, Siena’s recycling program and effects of cancer on loved ones.

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ON THE MOVE Br. Linh Hoang Ordained

Siena Welcomes New Campus Chaplain Fr. Gregory Jakubowicz, O.F.M. has been selected to become the Campus Chaplain. He had been assigned by the Province of the Holy Name to work in campus ministry. He succeeds Fr. Bill Beaudin, O.F.M. who stepped down as Chaplain to pursue his Ph.D. at Boston College this fall. Fr. Gregory has served for the last two years as the Chief Operating Officer at Washington Theological Union. Prior to that, he was Vocation Director for the Holy Name Province and Assistant Professor of Business Law at St. Bonaventure University where he taught business law. From 1992-1997, he was Lawyer-Editor at the Michie Company, which is now LexisNexis. He brings to the position of Chaplain a rich blend of business, collegiate and pastoral experience. “I am humbled and excited to be joining the Siena family, especially the Campus Ministry team and the friary” said Fr. Gregory. “I look forward to continuing the work of Fr. Bill, and collaborating with the campus to enhance the College’s Franciscan and Catholic mission.” SIENA 14

Jones Promoted to Vice President for Enrollment Management Edward J. “Ned” Jones has been named Vice President for Enrollment Management after a national search. Jones joined Siena in 1987 and has progressively moved up within the Enrollment Management office holding the positions of Assistant Director of Admissions, Director of Admissions, Assistant Vice President for Admissions, Assistant Vice President for Enrollment Management and, most recently, Acting Director of Enrollment Management. “Under Ned’s leadership this past year the College was able to exceed our enrollment goals despite the troubling economy,” Fr. Kevin Mullen ’75, O.F.M., Ph.D., president said. Jones has been a member of The College Board and President of the New York Counseling Associations (NYCA) and the Capital District Counseling Association (CDCA). He was also a Delegate for the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC). In his new role, Jones will be responsible for leading the Admissions and Financial Aid departments at Siena.

On May 16, Br. Linh Hoang, O.F.M., assistant professor of religious studies, was ordained to the Roman Catholic priesthood at St. Francis Church in New York City. Four days later, on May 20, Fr. Linh celebrated his first Mass on campus. Linh moved to the United States as a child from Saigon, Vietnam. He earned a bachelor’s degree in philosophy from the Catholic University of Louvain, Belgium, master’s degrees in theology and divinity from the Catholic Theological Union in Chicago, and a doctorate in theology from Fordham University in the Bronx. On the Holy Name Province Website, Linh is quoted as saying he joined the Franciscans while a graduate student at Fordham because “I was attracted to the spirit of St. Francis and the theologies of the early Franciscan scholars. I felt that the contemporary Franciscans were seriously trying to live out that tradition.”

Siena College Administrator Elected Chair of Board Maryellen Gilroy, Ed.D., vice president for student affairs, was recently elected chair of the Board of Directors for the Association for Student Affairs at Catholic Colleges and Universities. She will begin her three-year term at the association’s annual conference in July. This year’s conference is being held on Siena’s campus and marks the 10th anniversary of the founding of the Association and 800th anniversary of the birth of the Franciscan order.

Business Team Places Second in Innovative Challenge A team of three Siena School of Business students placed second in Price Chopper’s Ultimate Innovation Challenge, conducted by Golub/Price Chopper Supermarkets. Winners were selected based on innovative ideas that focus on four supermarket-related industry categories: retail operations, supply chain/distribution management, merchandising/marketing and human resources. Will Allison ’09, Beena Panicker ’09 and Stefan Putyera ’09 examined Price Chopper’s Website and created a new site to meet the consumer’s needs better. Of the 30 entries, seven teams were selected to pitch their ideas to Price Chopper senior management. Winning second place, Siena earned a $5,000 cash prize. “The judges were very impressed with our team and implemented some of the ideas to Website immediately,” said Paul Thurston, assistant professor of marketing and management. Thurston mentored the students during the fall semester as part of the Strategic Management senior capstone course, which allows students to apply what they have learned in the classroom and implement business strategies for realworld scenarios.

Siena Summer Hours Designed to Conserve Energy Siena College has moved to a summer schedule in an effort to save on energy. The College’s regular business hours during the summer months had been 8:30 a.m. - 4 p.m. on Monday – Friday. The new schedule is 8 a.m. - 4:15 p.m. on Monday - Thursday and 8 a.m. - noon on Friday. This will allow the College to shut down the cooling systems for most campus buildings at the end of the business day on Thursday until Monday morning, when employees return to work. “We expect that this change will contribute significantly to our energy savings program, and we will communicate the results at the end of the summer,” said Paul Stec ’79, vice president for administration, in an e-mail to campus. Siena already closes between Christmas Eve and New Year’s Day as part of its energy conservation program.

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Sabbatical Projects Range from Philosophy and Food to Teaching English in the Ukraine The following faculty members were on sabbatical during part of all of the 2008 – 2009 academic year. Their sabbaticals were used to engage in intensive study so they can become more effective teachers and scholars at Siena College.

Raymond Boisvert, Ph.D., professor of philosophy Philosophy and Food – study in France James Booker, Ph.D., professor of economics Economically Sustainable Resource Use and Management Eric A. Breimer, Ph.D., assistant professor of computer science Paperless Labs: Integrating Video Podcasts and Electronic Documents for Computer-based Lab Activities Pamela Clements, Ph.D., professor of English Creative Writing

Leonard M. Cutler, Ph.D., professor of political science Legal Issues and Counter-Terrorism Policy Post the Bush Administration Vera Eccarius-Kelly, Ph.D., associate professor of political science Militant Kurds: A Dual Strategy for Freedom Susan Hurley, Ph.D., professor of mathematics Golden Matrices Emelie A. Kenney, Ph.D., associate professor of mathematics The Krakow School of Mathematics and Its Role in the Clandestine University

Thomas J. Kopp, Ph. D., associate professor of finance Using Forecasts to Trigger Portfolio Rebalancing: Can Forecasts Reduce the Gaps Between Expected Returns and Actual Returns Carolyn Malloy-Madrid, Ph.D., professor of modern languages and classics Latin American Playwrights Duane A. Matcha, Ph.D., professor of sociology Fulbright Scholarship Study in Vilnius, Lithuania: National Health Systems Chingyen A. Mayer, Ph.D., associate professor of English In the Land of Hibiscus: Three Women of China Jennifer McErlean, Ph.D., professor of philosophy Michael Walzer’s Environmental Philosophy Donna McIntosh, professor of social work BSW/MSW State and National Curricular Issues

Left to Right: Raymond Boisvert, Ph.D., professor of philosophy and Daniel F. Moriarty, Ph.D., assistant professor of chemistry and biochemistry

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Daniel F. Moriarty, Ph.D., assistant professor of chemistry and biochemistry Kinetic Stability of Protein Using 2D Electrophoresis on Common Laboratory Systems

Lisa Nevarez,Ph.D., associate professor of English Contemporary Latin American Theatre Donald J. Raux, Ph.D., assistant professor of accounting Teaching an Effective Accounting Class in the 21st Century: Using Active Learning Techniques Rachel Sterne-Marr, Ph.D., professor of biology Regulation of Cell Signaling: Mechanism of GRK2 Activation Lydia C. Tarnavsky, Ph.D., professor of modern languages and classics Teaching English in the Ukraine Scott K. Taylor, Ph.D, associate professor of history Addiction in Early Modern Europe Allan T. Weatherwax, professor of physics, associate dean of science The Firefly Satellite Mission: Understanding Earth’s Most Powerful Natural Particle Accelerator Robert Yoder, associate professor of computer science Journal of Computing Sciences in Colleges

Two Students Awarded Faculty Memorial Scholarships By Michelle Pickering ’10

Professor Hosts Golf Show on Time Warner Cable Doug Lonnstrom, professor of quantitative business analysis and founder of the Siena Research Institute, is the host of Tee Time, a golf show on Time Warner Cable, channel 3. The show includes segments on the history of golf, highlights local golf courses and provides tips on improving your game. Guests of his show have included Fr. Kevin Mullen ’75, O.F.M., Ph.D, president of Siena College, Fr. Ken Paulli ’82, O.F.M., Ed.D., chief of staff, Dave Wronowski, women’s golf coach and highlights from the Saints Alive Golf Tournament . The show airs in the Albany market and can be found “on demand,” channel 1009. Lonnstrom is the author of two local golf history books and a member of the Golf Writers Association of America. He has made numerous appearances on radio and television shows as an expert on golf and has been featured in the Albany Times Union.

Bianca Pier ’10 and Kelli Huggins ’10 received Faculty Memorial Scholarships for the 2009-10 academic year in the amount of $5,625. Both Pier and Huggins are on the President’s List and hold a 3.98 GPA and 3.97 GPA respectively. “These students represent the best at Siena College and we are proud to acknowledge them,” said Jim Matthews, chair of the faculty committee. Pier, a biology major, is the president of Phi-Sigma Gamma Sigma, a national biology honor society for students who demonstrate excellence in the study of biology. She also is a member of Delta Epsilon Sigma, a national scholastic honor society for students who hold a 3.8 GPA by the end of their junior year. In addition, Pier is a member of the Ambassadors Club and Read for the Stars, a program that promotes literacy in an economically challenged area of Albany. Huggins is a history and American studies major involved in the Siena College-Wide Honors Program, History Club and Phi Alpha Theta, a national history honor society for students who demonstrate excellence in the study of history. She was one of 15 students in the nation selected as a Gilder Lehrman Scholar. As a scholar, she will travel to New York City this summer to participate in a five-week program that combines historical research, seminars with eminent historians and behind-the-scenes tours of historical archives. The scholarships were awarded in memory of Fr. Sennen San Fratello, O.F.M., a former professor in the English Department at Siena who was an active community volunteer in the Albany Veterans Medical Center and AIDS hospice.

Bianca Pier ’10

Kelli Huggins ’10

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Men’s Lacrosse Enjoys Historic Season By Mark Adam The Saints made history in 2009 with their first-ever Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) championship and earned one of 16 berths into this year’s NCAA Tournament. The success of Siena’s lacrosse program began five years ago when Brian Brecht was hired as the lacrosse team’s first full-time head coach. The campus’ brand new $2.9 million turf field, the addition of scholarships and alumni support also have contributed to the team’s turnaround. Brecht, a three-time MAAC Coach of the Year, has guided the Saints to three consecutive 10-win seasons. “There was certainly a lot of excitement when I arrived on campus about the potential this program has,” Brecht said. Brecht’s first recruiting class arrived in fall 2006. Nearly four years later, 16 of his student-athletes earned championship rings and their diplomas. Brecht’s first season in 2006 saw the team win four games before a turnaround 10-6 season in 2007 that included Siena’s first appearance in the MAAC’s postseason tournament. “Going 10-6 and getting into the postseason was a valuable experience for our team,” said Chris Viviano ’09. “We were disappointed that we lost, but we also knew the core of the team was young and we had the ability to

do some special things.” With high hopes after the program’s first winning season in 24 years, the Saints responded in 2008 with wins over Harvard University (6-5) and Loyola College (5-4). (Loyola is ranked 17th nationally.) Unfortunately, the Saints stumbled in league play with a 4-4 record and missed the MAAC Tournament. “We were a better team in 2008 than in 2007,” said Brecht. “After the 2008 campaign, we had to decide whether we would allow that to repeat itself in 2009 or learn from it and get better.” The 2009 campaign kicked off on Feb. 20, when Viviano and his classmates took the field at Johns Hopkins, ranked fourth in the country, in a nationally televised

game on ESPNU. The Saints took a 3-2 lead into the second quarter but lost 11-3. This year’s schedule included three nationally ranked opponents that left the Saints with a 2-5 record after seven games. From there they rattled off eight straight wins and finished a perfect 8-0 in the MAAC this year. The Saints continued their dominance through the MAAC Tournament, dispatching Providence 7-1 in the semifinals with some stingy defense. They caused 24 turnovers and pitched a shutout for the first 44 minutes. The Saints followed this up with a convincing 9-5 win over Manhattan in the MAAC Championship – a landmark moment for Siena lacrosse. The Saints led 5-0 until Manhattan scored thei first goal with 35 seconds remaining in the first half. Junior goalie Brent Herbst

earned Most Outstanding Player behind his 3.06 Goals Against Average and 22 saves in the tournament. Siena was rewarded with a trip to the Carrier Dome to face the defending (and eventual) national champion, Syracuse Orange. Siena stayed with Syracuse into the fourth quarter, behind a stellar play by Herbst. The All-America Honorable Mention made five saves in the first quarter and provided highlight reel stops throughout. Syracuse led 6-2, entering the fourth quarter before they pulled away for an 11-4 win. The team returned to campus as MAAC champions, yet Brecht believes this program has just scratched the surface. “We’ve gotten better every year and I think we’ll continue to improve,” he says. The 2010 campaign can’t come soon enough.

A Perfect Season

By Mark Adam Thirty years ago, the Siena men’s lacrosse team completed the program’s only undefeated season. The 1979 Siena Indians team was honored during halftime at this year’s Senior Day win over Mount St. Mary for their perfect 12-0 season. In 1979, the Indians played at the Division I level and defeated regional teams such as Albany, Union, Marist and Colgate. The 1979 Saints team has the program’s top three all-time scorers: Tony Asterino ’81 (304 points), Tom Baldwin ’81 (238) and Steve O’Shea ’79 (199). The 12 wins stand as the team’s record – matched only by the 2009 Saints. Asterino and Brent Herbst ’10 are the only two Siena lacrosse players to earn All-America honors. The 1979 team’s head coach, Russ Ferris, has the most wins in program history, with 111.

No Quit in Finneran

Sophomore defenseman Brendan Finneran has already won his toughest game — off the field. The game had much higher stakes than any other he had played. He battled bone cancer and survived the treatments, including a five-hour surgery that removed one-third of the bone in his right leg and replaced it with a titanium rod. Just two and a half years after the surgery, Finneran made his comeback to lacrosse this season. He practiced regularly with the team this past year and was in uniform for the season opener – a nationally televised game with Johns Hopkins at Homewood Field in Baltimore. Shortly thereafter, Finneran sustained a stress fracture, which ended his season. But it’s not the first time he’s dealt with adversity, and he plans on making another return to the field next season. SIENA 19

Old friends, fun and lots of memories ... reunion weekend was a blast! A record breaking 900 plus alumni, family and friends attended the reunion kickoff event, family picnic, class dinners and other events on June 5-6. Highlights included:

Annual Fund Highlights:

• Joe Varkey ‘64 traveled the farthest to attend as he came from India.

• A check for the Annual Fund in the amount of $1,750,852 was presented to Fr. Kevin Mullen ‘75, O.F.M., Ph.D. by Ginny Darrow ‘83, national chair of the Annual Fund.

• The Class of ‘89 was the largest class to attend Reunion, with 120, alumni returning to campus for the weekend. • The Class of ’89 reunited two student bands (Raisin’ Cain and The Throwbacks) from“back in the day” to play at the family picnic.

• The Class of ’44 had the highest participation (50%) in Annual Fund support. • The classes of ‘59, ‘69, ‘84 and ‘89 established scholarships to celebrate Reunion milestone years.

Planning committees are underway for Reunion 2010. Reunion classes ending in 0’s and 5’s will celebrate June 4 - 5, 2010. Don’t miss out on your chance to participate! Contact Margot Anderson ’82, 518-782-6868 or manderson@sienaedu to get involved. SIENA 20

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Distinguished Award Winners

During Reunion 2009, six alumni were honored for extraordinary career achievement, contributions to the college and dedication to others. Douglas Colbeth ’77 The Professor Joseph A. Buff Award for outstanding career accomplishment and achievements

As the CEO at Spyglass Inc., a leading provider of Internet software technologies, Doug Colbeth has received entrepreneurial awards including the KPMG Peat Marwick Entrepreneur of the Year and Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year, co-sponsored by USA Today and NASDAQ respectively. Colbeth served as president and CEO of Kinaxis,™ a company that provides software and other services for forecasting, planning, and performance optimization. He also was director of North Central College’s Entrepreneurship Institute in Naperville, Ill. Colbeth and his wife Margaret are pioneer philanthropists of juvenile brain disease; they founded the Colbeth Clinic in 2000 at the University of Illinois Medical Center.

David Crandell ’79 The Professor Egon Plager Award for accomplishments in advancing the welfare of other people SIENA 22

Dave Crandall created the Donna M. Crandell Foundation in honor of his wife to support patients and families affected by cystic fibrosis, an inherited chronic disease that affects the lungs and digestive system. The Foundation has raised more than $1 million with the support of friends and family. Funds are used to purchase gift baskets for a family room at Albany Medical Center. The Foundation helps with utility, mortgages, insurance premiums, transportation and other expenses that families incur during difficult times.

Virginia L. Darrow ’83 The Reverend Benjamin Kuhn, O.F.M., Award for specific contributions to improve the Siena Community

Early in her career, Ginny Darrow served as CEO

of Rooftop Mortgages, a wholly owned subsidy of Bear Stearns. She later became a member of Siena’s Board of Trustees and head of servicing for Apollo Management’s European Principal Finance Fund. Since 2006, she has served on the finance, development and investment committees for the Board of Trustees and is the national chair of the College’s Annual Fund. In May 2007, she was the guest speaker at the Honor an Awesome Woman Brunch, sponsored by Siena’s Sr. Thea Bowman Center for Women.

Donna Wilson ’01 The Franciscan Spirit Award for demonstrating a commitment to advancing the welfare of other people

Donna Wilson spearheaded a restructuring of a rehabilitation center for youth in Uganda, where she adopted her son, Derrick and daughter, Nessa. She has worked in Nicaragua to provide youth with food, clothing and medical care. Donna also has served in Northern India at a women’s outreach home, working

with impoverished families to provide them with counseling and support.

Francis Martin ’59 The Reverend Benjamin Kuhn, O.F.M., Award for special contributions to the Siena

College community

“Frank’s motto is ‘Have phone, will raise money,’ and we at Siena are thankful for his years and years of involvement with the College,” said David Smith ’79, vice president for development and external affairs. Martin, who was 2nd Lieutenant in the U.S. Army Finance Corps for two years in the 1960s, retired from IBM in 2002. Recently, he served on the Class of 1959 Reunion Weekend and Class Gift Committee. He is active in the Saratoga Alumni Club and serves on the Alumni Association’s Board of Directors. He also has served as an alumni representative on the Presidential Search Committee and as a member of the Annual Fund Phone-a-thon Committee.

$1,500,000 Amount donated to Siena College

$1,000,000 –

30

Fundraising goal for the Spirit of ’79 fund and the 50th reunion

$750,000 – Total giving this year

Years and counting!

THE CLASS OF ’79 BY THE NUMBERS

“As a class, giving has become contagious. We had a great experience at Siena and value what that has meant for our careers. We have a lot of pride in the College and want to see future generations of Siena students have similar opportunities,” said John Murray ’79, CEO Rose and Kiernan Insurance.

$600,000 –

Endowed scholarship value donated

$25,000 –

Raised to fund the James M. Walsh ’79 Scholarship Fund, in memory their classmate Jim who died in 1979

30 –

Classmates in the Presidents Circle (minimum $1,000 gift) this year

7-

Class of ’79 endowed scholarships

4–

Classmates inducted into the St. Francis Society, which supports Siena through charitable bequests, life-income gifts and trusts SIENA 23

9th Annual Siena Day at the Races Experience the Saratoga Race Course in Style Friday, August 14, 2009 Included in your pre-ordered ticket is: - Clubhouse admission - Lunch buffet - Post Parade program

Ticket prices: Individual……………………………..…. $125 Complimentary to President’s Circle donors, fiscal year 2008-2009

Corporate Sponsor table (8)…........ $1400 Corporate Sponsor table (10)…...... $1750

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For more information please contact Diane Benson at 518-782-6514 or [email protected] The At the Rail Pavilion opens at 11 a.m. and will be air conditioned. Collared shirts are required. No tee shirts, shorts or jeans.

Making A Difference Your gift to Siena has a positive impact on students, families and the community, providing access to our excellent liberal arts education, building facilities and improving programs. Whether you touch one life or thousands, Siena is strengthened by your generosity. At this year’s Scholarship Appreciation Dinner, Kim Kamilow Luker ’82 and Katie Luker ’06 announced a newly endowed scholarship and surprised their mother/grandmother, Arlene Pole Kamilow, by naming it in her honor. The nearly 300 donors, guests and scholarship recipients in attendance were treated to a presentation by Kim and Katie that provided glimpses of their lives at Siena at two different time periods. Other speakers – students and donors alike – shared their thoughts on what receiving or donating scholarships means to them.

Student speakers included: • Javid Afzali ’09, Political Science – The Louis Lombardi Scholarship; The Maureen O’Sullivan Cushing Scholarship

Left to Right: Arlene Pole Kamilow, Katie Luker ’06, Fr. Kenneth P. Paulli ’82, O.F.M., Ed.D. and Kim Kamilow Luker ’82.

On the Air and on Your Computer

• Marissa Zumbo ’09, Biology – The Dr. Louis J. and Alice Gazeley De Russo Scholarship

Donor speakers included: • R. Andrew LeBlanc, ’92 – Sarazen recipient and Sarazen donor as well as the donor of the Ronald and Suzanne LeBlanc Scholarship • Michael Hickey, ’83 – The Michael Hickey ’83 Scholarship Fr. Kevin Mullen ’75, O.F.M., Ph.D. ’75 noted: “I have the opportunity to witness the impact of a Siena education on our students. We do not know how long these difficult times will last, but we are determined to do all in our power to provide access and opportunity for our current and future students. Now more than ever, we see how scholarships change lives.” For information on endowed scholarships, please contact Ruth F. Richards, director of stewardship and donor relations, 518-783-2432 or [email protected]. See highlights of the dinner at www.youtube.com by searching “Siena scholarship dinner.”

Standing left to right: Fr. Kevin Mullen ‘79, O.F.M.; Ph.D.; Joseph A. Reilly; Anne and Robert Higgins; John F. Kelly, director of WVCR; Ralph Blasting, dean of the school of liberal arts and Dow Smith, associate professor of creative arts. Kneeling in the front left to right: Vancardi Foster ‘09 and Darrin Kibbey, general manager of WVCR.

Siena dedicated its Internet radio station, Siena Talk 216 on April 7, 2009, which was made possible through the generous gift of Anne and Robert Higgins. Siena Talk 216 builds the capacity of the Joseph A. and Carol M. Reilly Broadcast Center, which comprises WVCR 88.3 The Saint and SCTV, Siena’s television station. The Reilly Broadcast Center provides hands-on experience for students preparing for careers in broadcast news and journalism. Were you involved in the radio station? WVCR would love to hear from you. E-mail [email protected] to keep in touch.

Giving Back to Those Who Sacrificed So Much Siena College is offering a special gift annuity to help donors to recognize the sacrifice that their parents made for them. The gift annuity allows the donor to make a gift to the College and, in return, the College will pay the donor’s parents a guaranteed fixed income for the rest of their lives. Upon the last parent’s death, the balance of the gift goes to Siena to be used as designated by the donor.

The example below illustrates how this works: Robert ’75 purchases a $20,000 gift annuity, which pays a guaranteed fixed income to his parents, Joseph and Marilyn, for the rest of their lives. Based upon his parents’ age of 80, the annual payment that they will receive from the College is $1,200 (6%). For Joseph and Marilyn, retirement income is supplemented by $1,200, $900 of which is tax-free. Upon their death, the College receives the balance of the gift. In addition to knowing that he has providing a gift to both his parents and Siena College, Robert receives an income tax deduction of $8,800 in the year he purchases the gift annuity. This is a great way to recognize the sacrifice of parents with a single gift. If you would like to discuss a gift annuity,please contact Jack Sise ’75, Esq., director of gift planning, 518-783-2432 or [email protected].

SIENA 26

class notes ALUMNI

Janice Goca, assistant director of alumni relations and Victoria Abdulla ’07, development assistant Please submit all of your Class Notes information to your Class Coordinator, or if there is no coordinator listed for your class, please send all information to [email protected] for posting in the magazine. in the afternoon, we attended the Alumni Memorial Mass, after which a hard core group went to dinner at the Century House to conclude the weekend on a high note. We also discovered that our class has two “Santa Claus” representatives who bring cheer and happiness to many children. Keep up the good work, Dick Kane and Ron Lather.

1962

Ken Deitcher [email protected]

1959

Frank Martin [email protected] David M. Fahey recently retired after 46 years as a history professor, the last 40 of them spent at Miami University in Ohio. He taught British and World History. He authored or edited a half dozen books, most on temperance and drink in Britain or the United States. He has several other books under contract for his retirement years. His wife, Mary Fuller, is an associate professor of English at Miami University, and the director of the Ohio Writing Project. Their daughter, Juliana (Jay) Fuller, recently graduated summa cum laude at the University of North Carolina at Asheville and soon will begin graduate work in sociology at Ohio State. At our 50th class Reunion weekend, Francis (Fran) Martin was awarded the Reverend Benjamin Kuhn, O.F.M., Distinguished Alumni Award for specific contributions to improve the Siena community. Our class Reunion was held on Friday, June 5, 2009, and was attended by 48 of our classmates and their guests at a wonderful dinner in Siena’s newest house at 33 Fiddlers Lane. We succeeded in raising over $25,000 to establish a scholarship from our class. Several of our classmates attended the Saturday morning President’s Circle Champagne Brunch and Distinguished Alumni Awards Ceremony. Later

1965

Jack Mulvey, Jr. [email protected]

1967

Rick Spataro [email protected] 61 State Street Malone, NY 12953 518 -483-3566

1968

Bill McGoldrick [email protected]

1971

After 37 years, 33,000+ classes, over 950 women’s varsity softball and basketball games coached, and not one sick day, Rich Pepe ’71 retired from teaching English and coaching at Schalmont High School in Rotterdam, N.Y. this June. In September he will join the staff at Hamilton-Fulton-Montgomery BOCES near Johnstown N.Y., where he will put all of his experience to good use as an instructor in their “Careers in Education” program. In an interesting role reversal, his new boss will be Jay DeTraglia ’93 who was his Siena student teacher years ago, proving that networking is not just for business majors.

1972

Jack Callahan [email protected]

1973

Brian Valentine 202-586 -9741 [email protected] Greetings to all Siena’s community—faculty, students, alumni, family, and friends! And greetings to my fellow Siena College 1973 classmates—I hope everyone is having a wonderful summer. Did anyone have a memorable vacation? Please let me know! Among all the wonderful achievements of the Class of 1973, I am pleased to announce the retirement of one of our Siena 1973 classmates from the FBI: After almost 29 years with the FBI, former Bayonne, N.J. resident, Special Agent Peter D. Yachmetz (B.S. Finance) retired on October 31, 2008. Upon graduation from Siena, Peter was recruited by the Chase Manhattan Corporation and accepted a position with the Corporate Internal Audit Staff. Over the next three years, Peter rose to the position of senior auditor and was responsible for the periodic audit of the departments within Chase Manhattan Corporation for accounting procedures and compliance with banking regulations. Peter was appointed by the Director of the FBI as a special agent of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) on January 21, 1980. Peter held numerous special agent and supervisory positions with the FBI throughout his distinguished law enforcement career. Peter’s special expertise in counter-terrorism, hostage negotiation, and surveillance led him on numerous domestic and international assignments, including the U.S. Embassies of Kuwait, the Bahamas, and the U.K.. Peter’s expertise helped to free a U.S. kidnapping hostage in Bogotá, Colombia. Since 2002, Peter’s final assignment with the FBI was lead criminal investigator for the Kennedy Space Center, as member of a resident FBI agency in Tampa, Florida. Peter’s extraordinary and distinguished law

NEWSMAKER

Rich Pepe ’71 Joins the staff at HamiltonFulton-Montgomery BOCES enforcement career was recognized at a reception held in his honor on October 31, 2008, at the DubsDread Country Club in Orlando and was attended by family members, friends and colleagues from the Tampa Division of the FBI, FBI Headquarters, United States Attorneys Office Middle District of Florida, National Aeronautics & Space Administration (NASA), United States Secret Service, U.S. Department of State, The Florida Department of Law Enforcement, County Sheriff offices and local police departments. Peter is married to Patricia A. Yachmetz (Prusek), also formerly of Bayonne. They have two sons. So what are your plans now, Peter? Have any good retirement advice for the rest of us?

1975

Janet Gutowski Hall [email protected] Lynn Rondeau’s March 2009 brush with kidney cancer was the impetus for a few ’75ers to meet in Albany in June, and to tag along with the class of ’74 as they celebrated their 35th reunion (ours is next year, but more about that later). I joined Lynn (who’s doing fine), Julianne Martorana/Grennen, Marcia Cappuccilli and Peggy Naughton Marshall (OK, she’s actually class of ’76) for an outdoor dinner on Saturday night, where we reminisced—without censors—in SIENA 27

CLASS NOTES

Update us! Want to stay connected and well-informed about the goings-on at Siena? Make sure to update the Alumni Relations Office with your contact information! If you haven’t already, send your address, phone number, and e-mail to [email protected] today!

front of Jule’s daughter Katie (’10). Later, we went to the ’74 dinner, where we found President Kevin Mullen entertaining the gang. By the way, please keep Fr. Kevin in your prayers, as he has a hip replacement scheduled for July. This might be the beginning of his Six Jillion Dollar Man makeover— allowing for inflation. I’ll keep you posted. Thanks to Ellen Beberwyk/ Morgan’s proud sister, I have much to share about Ellen. After graduating with a B.S. in chemistry, Ellen received an M.S. in engineering management/statistics from RPI. She started her career working in data analysis/management in the pharmaceutical industry. In 1995 she became a co-founder of Synteract, a full service contract research organization in Carlsbad, Calif. As CEO and President, Ellen established the company’s business strategy, which focuses on clinical trials, data management, statistics and medical writing, as well as FDA submissions for the medical device, biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries. In addition to multiple awards in her field, Ellen received the 2008 Athena Pinnacle Award, which recognizes organizations that, through the development and promotion of skilled and talented women, have had a significant impact in the technology, life science and healthcare sectors in the San Diego area. She was a finalist for the Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award in 2006, and semi-finalist again in 2008. Ellen lives in San Clemente, Calif. with her husband, Jim Mossler, and daughter, Kara. Her son Brian is a graduate student at UC Davis. Read more about Ellen’s company at http://www.synteract.com/about/ About.aspx. Thanks to Facebook, I discovered that Greg Bell is married with two children—a 16-year-old daughter and a 14-year-old son. He has officially qualified for sainthood as a special-ed teacher in Albany for the past 30 years. He is also the owner of Guthrie/Bell Productions, a concert promotion company specializing in jam bands and roots rock concerts at nightclubs, theatres and arenas. He’s looking forward to our Reunion next year, and is already on the committee. Since he was also at the ’74 reunion, I got to hug him in person. Speaking of Facebook, you can find me under [email protected] if you’d like to say hello or send an update. Please be advised that the lag time for the Alumni News is a long one, so make sure you check SIENA 28

two issues before you give up on seeing your stuff in print. Meanwhile, enjoy your fall and keep in touch. It won’t be long before we are all together again on another spring day at our 35th Reunion.

NEWSMAKERS

1977

Linda Fitzsimmons [email protected]

1979

Sue Reilly/Hayes [email protected] 522 Chili-Riga Town Line Road Churchville, NY 14428 585-889-2072 Well, it’s hard to believe that our much-anticipated 30-year Reunion has come and gone, but many wonderful memories remain. I think I have enough updates on classmates to fill up two or three columns, but I’d like to start with a few heartfelt thank yous … to Dave Smith, who arranged for the stunning on-campus locale for our gathering (the mansion and gardens, dubbed 33 Fiddlers, also houses Dave’s office … a beautiful place to come to work every day although he insists he DOES NOT use the steam room and sunken tub in his “executive washroom”!) … to Maggie Simone (wife of Ralph Simone) who volunteered to compile all our favorite Siena-era tunes (Maggie told me she already had most of the requested music on her iPod. One of her brothers played percussion with rocker Todd Rundgren, and she’s been a huge fan of ’70s music ever since) … to Michele Williams/ Brennan, who combined photos from classmates with yearbook and Alumni Office pictures to put together a stunning PowerPoint presentation that entertained us all evening, punctuated with a few groans and laughs at hairstyles and wardrobe items! As we enjoyed each other’s company at the Reunion, promises were made to do a better job of staying in touch. One group of classmates has perfected that art. Terri Dupre/Sleasman, Jane Barnes/Casale, Mollie Austin/Bell, and Karen Beha/Wentworth, all of whom live in the Capital District area, have gone out for a Sunday night girls’ dinner every month or two for the past 30 years! They said it sometimes takes them an entire two months to coordinate family calendars and pick a free night. In addition, once or twice a year, they do a road trip to Ipswich, Massachusetts for an overnight with their close friend and 1S Hennepin

Lee “Long Ball” Borko ’79, Dan O’Connell ’80, Len Shustack ’79 and J.D. Strong ’79 Alumni Weekend Golf Tournament winners wingmate Diane Tower/Fitzgerald. Terri and Diane carry the reuniting even further … both spent a semester abroad in Denmark while at Siena. Every year since graduation they have gotten together in Chicago or northern New Jersey with the other two U.S. friends who they stayed with while in Denmark! Distance didn’t seem to stop ’79ers from getting to Alumni Weekend. Greg Garvin came from Houston, Texas where he relocated a year or two ago. He reports that he loves the heat and is very happy with his new community. Wilma Kahler/Wells traveled from another sunny locale, Phoenix, Ariz. She’s taking a deep breath, preparing for the adventure of having THREE kids in college next year. I enjoyed talking to Wilma about how musical her family is … all her kids play (and actually practiced over the years!) instruments, and Wilma herself has been known to accompany them on her clarinet at holiday concerts at church. Ed Frieberg came from New Orleans where he’s the pediatric critical care chief at Tulane University and Medical Center. When I Googled Ed post-reunion to get his title, I learned that he was named one of the top doctors in his specialty in New Orleans, and in Louisiana by regional publications. Congrats and keep up the good work, Ed! Len Shustack wasted no time finding me during the Reunion cocktail hour to report that his golf foursome (Len, Lee Borko, J.D. Strong, and Dan O’Connell ’80) succeeded in dethroning the 13-year reigning champions at the Alumni Weekend Golf Tournament at Briar Creek. The group did their ritual breakfast at the Wolf Road Diner, followed by a pre-tourney toast of bloody marys that Dan whipped up from his car trunk bar. Len comments, “I think that might have been the difference, because once we got started we were loose and hot, birdying two of our first three holes … and we just kept playing like

that.” They finished the scramble format 13 under par and won by one stroke! Len also played in the Saints Alive Mid-Hudson golf tourney, a fundraiser for Siena athletics, back in May. He was joined there by ’79ers John Stubenrauch, J.D. Strong, and Brian Zwilling. Congratulations to our classmate Dave Crandall, who was honored at Fr. Kevin Mullen’s President’s Circle/Distinguished Alumni Awards brunch on Saturday. He received the Dr. Egon Plager Award for Humanitarian Effort, for all the work he has done over the past 20+ years with the creation and sustaining of the Donna Murray/Crandall Foundation (Donna Murray/Crandall is a deceased member of our class of ’79) to help those with Cystic Fibrosis (see story in another section of this magazine). Dave, we’re inspired by how you turned your personal tragedy into an opportunity to assist many others in a meaningful way. Oops, just noticed that I’m way over the word limit for my column and I still have loads of tales left to tell. To be continued … and please, please don’t stop sending me scoops. Summer vacations, kids’ accomplishments, get-togethers with other alumni … keep ’em coming.

1980

Diane DeSilva [email protected] Greetings, Class of ’80! I am now local (Clifton Park), and willing to keep everyone aware of just how much we have all accomplished! I became a grandmother to Ella Lynn Grant on March 8, 2009. Joyce Miller and Paul McLean worked together as student assistants at the Siena library more than 30 years ago. They’re again working together at a college library: this time, at Adirondack Community College in Queensbury, N.Y.! Joyce is a professor of library science and has been ACC’s reference and instruction librarian since 1995. Paul

1982

Bob Young [email protected] As Class Coordinator, I have a long way to go to live up to the flow of information that Elvira (Class of ’83) supplies with each update. I had considered creating a fictitious update to generate some response, but decided to keep to a few simple facts, and ask all reading this to send me an update for the next issue. A few items I can offer to get the ball rolling: my oldest son, Robert, graduated from NYU this year as a recording engineer and musician, and my second oldest, Jeffrey, graduated from high school this June and will be entering the freshman class at Siena in the fall. Last weekend, I attended one of the state of Connecticut’s high school lacrosse championship games for Fairfield Prep where Brendan, second oldest of Mike and Bettianne Baldwin, scored two goals in their fourth state championship in as many years. He will be attending Holy Cross in the fall. I hope that this brief update gets some e-mails generated for the next issue, and I look forward to hearing from many!

1983

Elvira Altimari-Jaeger 60 Wyatt Rd Garden City, NY 11530 [email protected] Hi all. A major congrats goes out to Ginny Darrow. Ginny received the Reverend Benjamin Kuhn, O.F.M. Award at Reunion on June 6, 2009. The award is for “specific contributions to improve the Siena Community.” Thank you from all your classmates, Ginny, for sharing your time and treasure with our beloved alma mater. A special thank you to all of you who sent congratulations e-mails to Ginny. All of the e-mails were put together in a scrap book and presented to Ginny at the President’s Brunch. She loved the book and was touched by your thoughtfulness. I heard a shout-out Stan Pingelski, and wife Sheila Coughlin ’85, who were disappointed that they couldn’t make our 25th reunion last year. Their

eldest daughter was graduating from high school that weekend. Stan has been working at Campbell Soup Company as the director of IT Sales Systems for 24 years. His tenure included multiple stops in a variety of field sales roles before moving to corporate headquarters, and spending the last 10 years in Camden, N.J. Sheila and Stan will be married 24 years this fall and have three children: Lauren, 18, will be a sophomore at St. Bonaventure; Michael, 14; and Hannah, 13. They currently live in Medford, N.J., after stops in Binghamton, N.Y., Schenectady, N.Y., and Crofton, Md. Stan said he was nostalgic for his TeePee Rowdies days as he watched Siena in the NCAA Tourney this winter. I have a special invitation to anyone in our class who wants to be kept in the loop. An idea has been hatched by a classmate in “the Buff” (you can all guess who). The idea centers on our “50th” year with a birthday bash to celebrate a half century on earth, and a great excuse to get together before our 30th reunion in 2013. We are still in the very infant stages of planning and would like to have input. A committee is being formed, so please send an e-mail if you want to be in on the planning of this “original” event. Unfortunately I have some very sad news to report. Our friend and classmate Don Schneider passed away in March. Don will be missed. I know I will always remember his sharp wit and his infectious laugh. Shout-outs go to: Rob Karath, Maureen Mc Cormick, Anthony Vettoretti, and Virginia Smith. Where are you and what have you been up to?

1984

Lisa San Fratello/McCutcheon 305 The Parkway Ithaca, NY 14853 [email protected]

1985

Catherine and Ron Bjorklund [email protected] 14 Stevens Lane Tabernacle, NJ 08088-9744 Ram Verma is a daddy! Edwin Gayumba Johnson was born on February 10, 2009 in Morrisville, Vt. to Ram Gayumba Verma and Jenny Marie Johnson. He was 8 pounds, 9 ounces and 21.5 inches long. Congratulations Ram and Jenny! The Carrier Dome in Syracuse unknowingly played host to a mini Siena reunion in May. Alumni gathered to watch Siena men’s lacrosse play Syracuse in the first round of the NCAA tournament. It was

Siena’s first ever appearance. In attendance were 1985 alumni Paul and MaryBeth Sniffen/Finnerty, Kevin and Deb Ramski/ Coman, Mark Stiner, Sean Stack, Dom Sabatino, Pat Britt along with Bill Morgan ’84 and Matt Morgan ’08. Save the Date! Next June 4–6, 2010 is our 25th Reunion weekend. Mark your calendars now to attend this fun event. For those of you who attended the 20th, you will remember the Class of 1985 knows how to throw a party! We are starting to plan now, so if you have any ideas, send them along to [email protected] or to [email protected]. Also, once again, we would like to have a photo presentation (not sure of the format yet) so if you have any ideas or pictures, send them to [email protected]. All photos must be scanned and sent via email or on a CD/DVD (to Ron and Cathy). If you don’t know how to scan your old photos, ask your kids … they will do it for you … seriously. We only have 269 valid e-mail addresses for our class. Updates would be great! Updated contact info can be sent to Marybeth Finnerty’s attention at [email protected] or 518-782-6818. MB set up a Facebook group, so anyone on Facebook can join the “Siena Class of ’85 25th Reunion Group” to participate, and keep up to date as we plan. We are also looking for committee members. Anyone interested? Let us know!

1987

Gerry McAndrew Geraldine.m.candrew@comcast. net Donna Neary/Wang has a busy life! During the day, Donna is an RN/investigator for the NYS Department of Health. Donna continues to be active in the Army Reserves, and is Lieutenant Colonel. She was selected to serve as the Equal Opportunity Advisor for the 98th Division (Army Reserve—Rochester, N.Y.), completing the Reserve Components Equal Opportunity Advisor’s Course at the Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute in Florida; graduating on the Commandant’s List in June 2008. In her free time, Donna teaches her son Stephen how to drive. I also heard that Kevin Grace recently received the Volunteer of the Year Award from HOBY (Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership). Kevin was complimented

for being a driving force of optimism, commitment, and leadership. He works to recruit and mentor volunteers, and plans logistics at local seminars. It is no surprise that Kevin is described as a “friend and educator to all of us when we least expect it but need it the most,” and he has a unique ability to lead by bringing out the best in others. Congratulations, Kevin! If you have not joined Facebook, think about it. I joined about a year ago and found that a number of classmates are on there—it has been fun reconnecting. Don’t be shy, keep those class notes coming.

1988

Paula Cacossa [email protected] Hi Class of 1988! Phil Hoshue wrote, “It seems like yesterday I was having chicken wings at the Rathskellar or trying to get into the “21 Club” by sneaking by Mrs. V with a fake ID.” Phil married a Siena Alumna in 1996—Julia Goldin ’91. They have one daughter, Siena, 9. They live in Bradenton, Fla. where Phil has a laboratory supply and equipment company. Business is great and the water is fine. If there are any Siena alumni in the Tampa Bay area—give Phil a shout at [email protected]. Karen Weaver/Novelli is a teacher of physics, chemistry, biology and ecology. She is now living in Crotonon-Hudson in N.Y. with her two sons Johnny, 16, and Michael, 15. Rachel Sahut/Parent is happily married and living in Boise, Idaho. She works at Saint Alphonsus, a Trinity Health hospital, as an IT project manager. Her oldest daughter, Allison, is entering her junior year at University of Portland. Aaron, who just turned 18, reports to recruit training for the USMC in early July. Nicholas will enter 7th grade and Sean will be in 3rd grade in the fall. They enjoy skiing, biking, hiking, tennis and traveling. She wrote, “It has been a blessing to provide Catholic education for our children, which I believe Siena nurtured in me. We very much enjoy our spiritual life, and I am so grateful to the Franciscans and Siena’s education. It is because of Siena, and especially the Franciscans, that I have such blessings in my life—truly, the grace of God!” MaryBeth Mc Cusker is living a busy life in Southbury, Conn. She received her M.B.A. from Fordham University in 2000. She has been married since 2001 with three kids (two step daughters)—Natalie, Danielle and Madison. Her oldest daughter is going to University of Delaware in September and youngest daughter is just finishing first grade. She has been working for IBM for the past 12 years SIENA 29

CLASS NOTES

joined the administration in 2008, as the coordinator of distance learning. Their offices are next door to each other. Paul has been known to regale Joyce with classic jokes that Father Mackin used to tell. Please send me your news at diane0429@ gmail.com and I will be sure to update everyone in future issues!

after finishing her first career at Con Edision in N.Y. MaryBeth is currently the IBM territory marketing manager covering Boston. Our two classmates who got married after graduating, Gary Tallman and Jennifer Hourihan/ Tallman are now living in Woodridge, Va. with their three daughters, Catherine, Marguerite and Jane. Gary will be retiring from the U.S. Army in July 2009, after 21 years of service. He has accepted a position with the Department of the Army, Office of Public Affairs in the Pentagon. These past few months, I was able to see some old Siena friends. My Siena roommate, Laura McFall, recently visited me in Chicago while she was attending a business conference. She is living in Rochester, N.Y. with her husband and two children. Then in April, Jackie O’Grady/ Sullivan, Regina Dudek and I got together at Regina’s house in N.J. We had a great time catching up while our kids ran around playing. Class of ’88—please update your e-mail addresses on the Siena alumni website. When I sent out my e-mail notices—I got about 50 bouncebacks. Thanks! Look forward to hearing from you.

1989

Mike Carbonaro [email protected] 3140 10th Street Bethlehem, PA 18020 610 -737-1147 On a not so quiet day in May, we all woke up after a night of parties and dinners with friends and family, trying to remember what we needed to do today. Oh yeah, graduation. Some got dressed up, some were hardly dressed under their cap and gown. Thankfully, we did not know which was which. We wrote on our caps with messages of thanks to our families and friends, we lined up with our classmates, and took a long walk through campus. Some of us were under the watchful eye of the college administrators because we caused so much trouble during our years. But in the end we all walked down the aisle (the college aisle not the church aisle—although that, for some, will come soon enough) and received our diplomas. Oh no, that was 1989. Over 20 years ago. Here is how this story should have started. On a quiet weekend in June 2009, 119 alumni descended on Loudonville, N.Y. with thoughts of partying as if we were college seniors. Those who were there saw “Raisin Cane” and “The Throwbacks” put on a great show at Red Square on Friday SIENA 30

night, which was scheduled by our Reunion leadership. The Reunion schedule called for everyone to meet at Dapps to relive the good ole days, but most were at Red Square enjoying the music and company. Some did make it into Dapps, while some only made it to the parking lot—you all know who you are! Saturday’s festivities included another show by the bands on campus, with entertainment and activities for young and old. The bookstore had a banner day with everyone stocking up on the classic Siena items, although some were still looking for the Siena College Indian shirts. We had to remind them it is the Saints now. How soon old age sets in! The day wrapped up with various dinners around campus for the different classes. The combined dinner at Serra Hall included a separate room for our class due to the large number in attendance. Everyone enjoyed the company, and ate and drank until they kicked us out at midnight. We moved the party to Dapps again, and this time most made it inside. For those who did not stay very long at Dapps, the Class of ’89 (along with ’88 and ’90) got smoked in some drinking games by the Class of ’99. For a quick laugh, and to see what Saturday night deteriorated into, go to YouTube and check out “Dapp’s Beer Slide.” In all, it was a great weekend for everyone. If you missed it, plan on going in 2014 for our 25th. Thanks to everyone for making the 20th Reunion of the Class of 1989 a resounding success. A last minute note received from Greg Stewart said that the bands “Raisin Cane” and “The Throwbacks” presented a check for $650 (proceeds from the evening at Red Square) to the Alumni office to be applied toward the class gift. Many thanks to the bands. A Facebook group now exists for the Siena College Class of 1989 Alumni. Check it out! A good number of photos are now circulating from the Reunion. One last thought! Where in the world was Joe Malyk? A closing note from the Alumni Office: The Class of ’89 raised $34,347 in honor of their 20th $23,319 went to the Annual Fund, and the balance was specifically given by some members of the Class of ’89 to the Fr. Kevin Tortorelli Scholarship. This scholarship was not new this year. However, many members of the Class of ’89 are very supportive of it, and in appreciation, we counted gifts made to this scholarship this year as part of the Class of ’89 Reunion Gift.

1990

Janet Shotter/Swierbut [email protected]

1991

Kevin Clarke [email protected] Hey Class of 1991! I heard from Tom Newman last month. After 17 years of working in the banking industry at JP Morgan and RBS Greenwich Capital, he has started a recruiting firm focused on financial services. Newman Resource Group recruits top quality support personnel for a wide range of financial services firms as well as the financial divisions of a select group of corporations outside the banking sector. Their functional expertise is in operations, accounting, trading and sales support, credit, risk, client service and project management. More information is available at www.newmanresource. com. Newman is the managing partner and owner of Newman Resource Group. Tom held the title of managing director as head of derivative operations at RBS Greenwich Capital, where he worked from 2001 until founding Newman Resource Group in 2008. Prior to joining RBS, he was a vice president at JP Morgan where he worked from 1991 to 2001, holding various positions in operations management across the fixed income securities and derivative businesses. Good luck in your new endeavor, Tom! Keep sending me your notes, or just drop me a line to catch up— nothing is too small to mention. All the best!

1992

Mary Pat McLoughlin/Holler [email protected]

1993

Susan Hannon [email protected] 213 W 252nd Street Riverdale, NY 10471 917-796 -2085 Hello Class of ’93! I finally have some news to report! Let’s start with Kevin Otis. He is living in Charlotte, or “Siena of the South” based on the number of alumni who live down there. He works for MetLife and has been underwriting life insurance for 15 years! Still the athlete, he spends most of his free time running, biking or swimming. By the time you read this, he will have completed his 6th Ironman competition! Hope you did well, Kevin! Next up is Jonathan (JT) Tellstone. The man surprised us all

by settling down last year, and now he’s a proud papa. Abigail Anne Tellstone was born on February 21, 2009. During her first month, she was up all night, leaving JT and his wife, Michele, sleep deprived! Right down the road in Saratoga, Ann Malagisi had her first baby a few weeks prior to JT. So if you are interested in getting pregnant, it looks like all you have to do is drink Saratoga water! Next up is an update on Stacey Cooper/ Porter. “Coop” married Major Vince Porter (US Army) in July 1999 and has a daughter, Rylei (6 ½—born in Hawaii) and a son, Blake (3 ½— born at West Point). After Siena, she worked in Port Jervis, N.Y. and earned a master’s from the College of New Rochelle. She then lived in North Carolina, South Korea, West Point and now Georgia. After taking five years off from teaching to stay home with the kids, she is now back full time, and is currently teaching Spanish in Richmond Hill, Ga. (near Savannah). She also shared that Amy Prisco is now living in Ecuador. Finally, Lori Bubb, my former softball teammate, “popped out” her first child, Lurae Jean on June 2, 2009. I hear she is a “catch!” Here’s hoping she follows in Mom’s footsteps, and becomes a future centerfielder for the Saints in 18 years! I still would love to share news about the rest of you who I haven’t heard from! Where are you Mark Abdella? Lara Genovesi? Jay De Traglia? Pat McGinley? Holly Redman? Shoot me an e-mail, catch me on Facebook, call, whatever! Have a great end of the summer and fun filled fall!

1994

Glenn Hofsess [email protected] 83 Kellogg Street Brookfield, CT 06804 On May 31, I had the pleasure of attending the wedding of Mike Sgroi and Yuka Tomita at the Carneros Inn in Napa, Calif. Mike and Yuka are two of the nicest and most genuine people I know, and it was absolutely wonderful to be able to share in their special day at such a breathtaking location. Congratulations! It is always great to see old friends from Siena, and I was able to catch up with fellow alums, Kyle Howard and Steve Quirk ’95 at the wedding. I heard from Andrew Martin—he is now the senior attorney for the NY State Dept. of Education. He will be doing criminal background checks for teacher certification applicants,

1995

Neil Wilcove [email protected] Freeman Mathis & Gary, LLP 100 Galleria Parkway, Suite 1600 Atlanta, GA 30339 770-818-1430

1996

Brian Murray [email protected] bmurray@betterbackschiropractic. com 614-270-6003 Patty Hoban/Keenan and her husband, Kevin, announced the arrival of Erin Elizabeth Keenan on August 28, 2008 at 9:40 a.m. She weighed in at 8 pounds, 2 ounces, and measured 20 inches. Congratulations, Patty! Karla

Rucci/Harding welcomed daughter Katherine Shannon on March 1, 2008. She joined her brother Tyler Patrick, 7, and sister Abaigeal Victoria, 4. Dan Hornick will run for the Town of Colonie Board in November. Good luck to him, and if you are still located in the Colonie region, please toss him your vote in the fall. Kerry McDonald/ Conley and husband, Steve, had their second baby boy on June 19, 2008. His name is Michael Stephen, and his big brother James is now 2. Laurie Miller/Donnis and her husband, Greg Donnis, are thrilled to announce the birth of their son, Sawyer Gregory. Sawyer was born on May 30, 2008, and joins big sister, Ella, who is 2 and a half. Tara O’Callaghan/Babcock, and her husband, Steve Babcock, welcomed twins, Leah Maighread and Daniel Finn into their family on November 26, 2008. They join big sisters, Callaghan and Quinn. Tara Klein/Verrier finally checked in to let us know that she was married to Sean Verrier in August 2002. Their first daughter, Maggie Elizabeth, was born in October 2005. Their second daughter, Caroline Helen, was born December 2007. They are good kids, and keep them busy! Tara is working full-time in private practice as a pediatrician at West Sayville Pediatrics in Long Island. Wendy Gayson/Faley forwarded an update to let us know that she and Ryan Faley ’94 had their third daughter, Keira Elizabeth, on January 22, 2008. She was welcomed with love by her sisters Sarah, 5, and Grace, 4. Finally, Charlene Wood/Bordonaro married Joseph Bordonaro in October 2002, and now lives in Windsor, Conn. She is currently a finance manager at United Health Group in Hartford. They welcomed their second child, Alexandra Noelle, on Christmas Eve 2008. She joins big sister Alyssa Marie, who was born on March 13, 2006. Kirk Linden and Pam Nicolotti/Linden announced the birth of their daughter, Nora Simone Linden. She joined her big brother on May 28, 2009. Kenny Danielsen also checked in to let us know that he is now the proud father of Ava Rose Danielsen. She was born on March 26, 2009, and is the first child of Kenny and his wife, Diedre.

1997

Selena Dutcher [email protected] [email protected] 518 -265 -2127

So it’s summer in New York and I’m loving every minute of it! Saratoga is in full swing, and the whole area is buzzing! We are very light on the updates this time. That’s my update. Here are some that you sent in … Anne Marie Bowler couldn’t sleep, and decided to e-mail me her update at 2 a.m. She has been very busy since leaving Siena—working in a large law firm in New York City, and clerking for former Chief Judge Kaye. Three years ago she opened a law practice in New York City with a partner. Gabay-Rafiy & Bowler LLP (www.gabaybowler. com ) is thriving and Anne Marie looks forward to helping her fellow Siena alumni with any legal issues they may have. Anne Marie is also an adjunct professor in legal writing at New York Law School! Congratulations! John Dudek, and wife, Averi Vozzolo/Dudek ’98, welcomed their daughter, Hailey Rebecca into the world on August 8, 2008. She weighed in at 5 pounds, 14 ounces. Congrats, John and Averi! Our lives may not be as exciting as “Jon & Kate plus 8” or Jennifer Anniston’s, but we still want to hear what’s going on! I want to hear from you—babies, weddings, job promotions—anything. Stay connected, and keep others connected with your updates. To make a submission for the newsletter, please contact me by e-mail at selena.dutcher@ regentcomm.com or bronx_ [email protected]. You can also look me up on Facebook. If you want to touch base and chat for a while, give me a call at 518-265-2127. I look forward to hearing from you!

1998

Janine Trapp/Scotti, MBA 201-294-0395 [email protected] Hello to the class of ’98! I hope you are enjoying the beautiful summer weather, and are able to get out and enjoy it while it lasts. I have some pretty exciting news to report from Marisa Ricciardi. She was recently promoted to senior vice president at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE Euronext) and is now responsible for global marketing and branding. Way to go, Marisa! She also asked me to let you know that they’re always looking for great talent in the financial marketing space, so if you have experience in that arena, please check out www.nyx.com and apply.

Averi Vozzolo/Dudek, and husband, John Dudek ’97 welcomed their daughter, Hailey Rebecca into the world on August 8, 2008. She weighed in at 5 pounds, 14 ounces. Congrats, Averi and John! And remember, please don’t be shy about sending me your updates — we want to hear from you. Until next time!

1999

Brendan Fitzgerald [email protected] [email protected] 518-258-9272

2000

Shaymus R. Schweitzer 103 Sherman Ave. Troy, NY 12180 518-727-3392 [email protected] Hello all! Hope you are enjoying 2009 … Unbelievably, that means our 10-Year Reunion will be coming up shortly. If you are interested in helping to plan the festivities for next Reunion weekend, please contact Margot Anderson ’82 at [email protected]. A committee is forming, and any help you could offer would be very welcome. And now with the news— Jennifer Vidaic/Wilber married Edward Wilber Jr. on March 10, 2007 at the Crescent Beach Club in Bayville, Long Island, and honeymooned in New Zealand and Australia for three weeks. Jenn and Ed currently live in Wantagh, and are expecting their first child in September. Jenn works for Allergan Inc. as a senior business development manager and field sales trainer selling Botox Cosmetics, Juvederm, and Latisse. Melissa Mastriani/Barna married Peter Barna on October 28, 2006. The happy couple just welcomed their first baby on February 8, 2009. Missy and Pete had a little girl, Giada Benedetta, and are so happy; they can’t wait to have more! Jaime Connolly/Rohrbach married Billy Rohrbach ’01 on September 5, 2004. Jaime and Billy have lived in Sacramento, Calif. for the past six years. Their son, Riley James, was born on May 2, 2008. Jaime informed me that, “We actually had Riley at Siena for the 2009 graduation ceremonies in May, where Riley’s Godmother (Billy’s sister: Rebecca Rohrbach ’09) graduated.” After Siena, Jaime earned her Ph.D. in molecular and cellular pharmacology from Stony Brook University. She currently works for UC Davis/Shriners SIENA 31

CLASS NOTES

ensuring that all of the state’s school districts are in compliance with the 2001 Safe Schools Legislation, and will be conducting administrative hearings. Ryan Faley and his wife Wendy Gayson/Faley ’96 had their third daughter, Keira Elizabeth, on January 22, 2008. Kerrianne Hefele/Cunningham and Christopher Cunningham are proud to announce their new addition, Erin Marie, who was born on April 22, 2008. Erin joins big brother Sean, who is 7, and big sister Kiera who is 5. Dan Devine and his wife Cathy Saavedra/ Devine welcomed their third child on March 24. His name is Andrew Joseph Devine and he is the youngest boy of the Devine clan of three boys, which includes Bryan, 9, and Kevin, 6. Their oldest son already says he is going to go to Siena when he gets older! I hope everyone who attended our 15 year Reunion had a great time reminiscing about old times and seeing what everyone is up to. If you have any good (or particularly embarrassing) stories from Reunion, please feel free to drop me a line. Time moves so fast that it becomes difficult to even realize it when you are immersed in everyday life. Listen to the infectious laughter of a child, hug someone you love, spend a little extra time on your hurried trip to the office to smell the freshly fallen rain, enjoy a good glass of wine, or spend time appreciating an older family member. Find the beauty in everyday life because before we all know it, days turn to months, and months turn to years. The hectic pace of schedules, deadlines, and appointments happens while living life—don’t let it become life.

Hospitals for Children as a scientist/postdoctoral scholar performing stem cell research. Lindsay Gennari married Gary Thomas on June 23, 2007 in Saratoga Springs. The couple had so much fun celebrating with their friends from Siena! Lindsay and Gary live in Guilderland, N.Y. with their yellow lab. Lindsay is currently practicing anesthesiology at Albany Medical Center and enjoys taking care of fellow Siena alumni and even former professors who live in the area. She is also the very proud aunt of the newest Siena Saints fans, Owen and Alessia Lilly, children of her twin sister and fellow alumna Lara Gennari/Lilly and Michael Lilly ’99.

2001

Maura Mack [email protected] Greetings Class of 2001! I don’t have a lot of news to report this time. You all must be in summer mode, and hopefully you’ll update me on your summer news for the next issue. On a personal note, my husband Bill Hisgen ’02, and I welcomed a baby girl, Maeve Marie, on April 18, 2009. Also, classmate Lauren Ball/Mahon and her husband, Tim, welcomed a baby boy, Colin Jeffrey, on May 5, 2009. Please remember to make sure the Alumni Office has accurate contact details for you simply by e-mailing: [email protected]. Our 10th Reunion isn’t that far off— yikes! Thanks, and I hope to hear from you soon.

2002

Christine Cinnamond [email protected] 646-942-0970 Class of 2002, mark your calendars! Monday, September 14th, 2009 will be the 8th Annual Fall Classic Golf Outing benefiting the Brian M. Crouch Memorial Scholarship at Siena College. Co-sponsored by McGeary’s Restaurant and The Riverfront Barge along with the Office of Alumni Relations, the event has raised approximately $100,000. To date, the scholarship has had approximately six recipients, and we can help more students get the Siena experience. Spend time with friends, play some golf, help future Siena students, and honor a great classmate—contact the Alumni Office to attend! Congratulations to Jen Walker/Vella! Jen is co-author of Urban Guru: Pittsburgh, a SIENA 32

guidebook for young professionals looking to move to Pittsburgh. The book focuses on city life, including the coolest neighborhoods to live in, the hottest restaurants and nightlife spots, and the best places to meet people. Urban Guru: Pittsburgh is available on amazon.com, collegeprowler.com, and your local Borders Bookstore. Chrissy Cinnamond recently moved to Knoxville, Tennessee and is a brand research manager for Scripps Networks Interactive’s DIY network. Congratulations to Julie Schoenlank! Julie received her master of arts degree in teaching for physical education and sports pedagogy from Manhattanville College in May, and is teaching physical education in Westchester County, N.Y. Sports are still a big part of Julie’s life. She’s been Head Swim Coach of the Yonkers Tsunami for the last six years. The Siena swim team and water polo alumna is still competing in swimming, and medaled last year in the United States Masters Swimming National Championships in Austin, Texas in the 1,000 free. Julie competes every year at Nationals around the country. Congratulations to Rob Stout! Real Estate New Jersey magazine named Robert A. Stout Jr., Esq. one of its “30 under 30” leaders in the New Jersey commercial real estate industry, a group that was noted for their “astonishing” accomplishments in a “down year.” Rob was cited for his work on issues related to sustainable development, green building and brownfields redevelopment. Rob also chairs the American Bar Association Young Lawyers Division Real Property, Trust and Estate Committee, and serves on the Executive Committee of the New Jersey State Bar Association Young Lawyers Division. On the personal side, Rob will wed Kellie E. Scott on October 11, 2009 at the Culinary Institute of America in Napa Valley, Calif. Rob proposed to Kellie in a vineyard on Sonoma Mountain last year. Congratulations to Courtney Brown and Gregory Gelish! They were married on November 1, 2008 at the Siena College Chapel by ceremony officiate, Father Kevin Mackin. The wedding party included fellow class of 2002 alumni: Maria McKenna, Sudha Francis, Joseph Spiak, Brian Mullins, and Ryan Hoenigmann. Close to 20 guests from Siena

celebrated at the reception at Saratoga National Golf Course. The couple resides in the financial district of New York City.

2003

Gina Gizzi [email protected] P.O. Box 5133 Saratoga Springs, NY 12866 518-421-4316

2004

Jolleen Wagner [email protected] Were you “seen” at the five-year Reunion? I sure hope so! If not, know that we missed you, and hope to see you in five more! The word on the street is that quite a few of us were at the Dapp’s event, the picnic, and even the Alumni Mass. To all those who returned to the Green and Gold, great job showing up and being seen! Jen Rymaruk earned her master’s degree in health communication from Emerson College in collaboration with Tufts University School of Medicine in 2006, and is now working for Westat, a social research company in Rockville, Md. developing training materials for studies conducted by the EPA, National Cancer Institute and other federal and state agencies. Two lovely ladies of the Class of ’04 have married. Jennifer Peloquin/Banker and Brian Banker were married on May 30, 2009 in Chicopee, Mass. See photo on page 34. Alumni in attendance: Kelly Quist ’03, Jolleen Wagner, and Karen Patricia ’06. Karla Schumaker /Ravida married Sam Ravida on April 25, 2009. Congrats Mr.& Mrs. Banker, and Mr. & Mrs. Ravida! Allison Capozza/Flannigan and Captain Steve Flannigan, welcomed Owen Edward Flannigan into the world on March 18, 2009. He weighed 8 pounds, 4 ounces. The Flannigans are currently stationed at Fort Lewis, Wash. Lynn Vogele/ Heffern, husband Paul Heffern, and their daughter Kay welcomed Jack into their family at the beginning of April. Congrats on your new arrivals Allie and Lynn! M. Patrick McCormack recently got engaged to Gia Coratti ’05 on Valentine’s Day of 2009 in Boston, Mass., where they both reside. Eric J. Hungershafer shared that he was recently promoted to field director with Northwestern Mutual, and is in his fifth year with the company. Ryan Keleher is now working at Costello, Cooney, and Fearon PLLC in Syracuse as an attorney. Great job, Eric and Ryan!

Everyday we each encounter and experience reasons to celebrate! Remember to send them to jolleen_ [email protected] so that we can celebrate with you through Class News and Notes.

2005

Breanne Suhrland [email protected] Greetings, Class of 2005! I hope this column finds you relaxed and rejuvenated from the summer months. We only have a couple of exciting announcements to make in this edition so here it goes. Karry Culihan recently got a new job as an assistant county attorney, in the Albany County Attorney’s Office. Congratulations, Karry! Gia Coratti got engaged to M. Patrick McCormack ’04. They were engaged on Valentine’s Day in Boston, where they both currently reside. Best wishes to you both! I’m excited to announce that we are now forming a Reunion committee for our five-year Reunion. I can’t believe how fast the time has gone! This committee will assist in contacting/encouraging classmates to attend the five-year Reunion next year, June 4–5, 2010. The committee will also help set and achieve the goal for the Class of 2005 reunion gift to the College. If you are interested in volunteering to be part of the committee or have any questions, please contact Margot Anderson ’82 at manderson@siena. edu. We would love to see all of you at the Reunion next year, so mark your calendars now! Your news makes the column, so please feel free to e-mail me with any and all types of news, big or small. It would be great to hear from everyone.

2006

Chris Elsesser [email protected] Ashley Boland [email protected] Class of 2006 … “HOW ARE YA?!” We hope that this edition of Siena News finds you well and happy, wherever you may be, during these middle months of 2009. We are very excited to bring you this quarter’s 2006 “beat report,” as it features a variety of news from some of our friends that we have not heard from since our wacky weather day of commencement three years ago! Without further delay, “Let’s Start Spreadin’ the News!” For the past two years, Chris Siracusa has been working as a client services associate for Smith Barney on Long Island. (He proudly

from Michael Suarez and Sarah Hren, who are now known as Mr. and Mrs. Suarez! In the fall of 2008, Michael became a CPA. He is now working as a senior accountant for O’Connor, Davies, Munns and Dobbins, LLP. Michael and Sara are also happy to announce that they welcomed their second child, Michael John, into the world on January 5, 2009. Thank you for saying hello Suarez family—we hope to hear again from you soon! Finally, we have two other announcements to make in the wedding/engagement category. Kim Burns married Eric Orth on May 2, 2009. Bridget Tobin and Anthony Kos have become engaged and will be married on July 17, 2010. We would like to wish congratulations and best of luck to both couples. Ashley and I hope that you are enjoying your summer and more importantly, have enjoyed reading this quarter’s class gossip. The only way to keep the entertainment and fun coming is to add to it yourself with your own personal update. We ask that you contact us soon via e-mail or Facebook and let us know what you have been up to! After you do that, tell your roommate(s) to do the same. As always, we appreciate your readership and look forward to talking to you during the color-changing days of fall!

2007

Sean Robbins PO Box 11222 Loudonville, NY 12211 [email protected] Michael Utzig [email protected] Notes from Michael Utzig: Hello everyone! I hope this warm weather is treating everyone very well! We have a lot of news so let’s jump right into it. Ben Doody married Joanne Pearson last year at a beautiful ceremony. They are stationed in Germany and loving it. Joanne said “we travel almost every weekend and it is like a never ending honeymoon!” They sent in a wonderful wedding picture with many other Siena classmates. Please see photo on page 34. Rachel Flaherty married Rob Seymour ’04. The wedding was on September 6, 2008. Father Dan Dwyer from Siena, a friar and history professor, as well as Rob’s advisor when he was at Siena, said the wedding mass at Holy Trinity Church in Webster, N.Y. The reception was at Monroe Golf Club in Pittsford, N.Y. Rachel went on to say “Over 220 people attended our wedding, including dozens of Siena grads.

Our Siena friends and family made the night truly special.” They sent an amazing picture of the wedding. See photo on page 34. Weddings and engagements seem to be the topic of our class. Maria Marino recently got engaged over the holidays to her high school sweetheart, Kevin O’Connor. She went on to say “We got engaged on a horse and buggy in Central Park. I am very excited, and we plan to get married in June of 2010.” There is even more news on the wedding front. Angela Marciano got engaged to her long time boyfriend Eric Williams ’05. They are planning to get married this coming October. Congrats! Another special congratulations goes out to two very special people. Katie Holoduek and Jeremy Muellecker got engaged last summer and plan to get married in the summer of 2010. Amanda Brown and Andrew Knipfing ’06 recently got engaged over the winter months. You guys are great together! I am very happy for both of you! Caitlin Phillips has some exciting news to share. She just finished her first year of graduate school at Lesley University in Cambridge, Mass., studying intercultural relations with a focus on international education. She went to Tepoztlan, Mexico in January to study the language and culture of Central Mexico, and was recently asked to serve as the college teaching intern for that course next year. Some of her duties include aiding the professor in planning and preparing for next year’s course. While she takes classes full time, she is also assistant supervisor at a preschool/after-school program/summer camp in a suburb of Boston. Notes from Sean Robbins: Hope you have all been enjoying the special joys of summer, even in these economically challenging times. While you are relaxing during these lazy summer days, don’t forget to drop us a line and share some of your experiences, ideas, news or events that you’d like us to know about. A while ago, I mentioned that I produce and host a radio show on WVCR 88.3 FM titled “The J-Pop Exchange.” This program showcases the best in Japanese popular music, and it does so in a unique way. In addition to presenting great music, it also contains informative featurettes about anime and music production as well as exclusive interviews with J-Pop artists and musicians. The show has been on the air for about a year and has been gaining recognition and credibility overseas and locally. This has

allowed me to get more and more exclusive interviews with a range of J-Pop artists and music professionals, including some who are very highly respected and connected. For example, Shinji Miyazaki, who is the composer/arranger of the background music for the Pokémon series, agreed to an interview with me; the interview aired in May. Since he rarely agrees to do interviews, even in Japan, this was an extraordinary opportunity for the community-atlarge to gain insight into his creative process and more. Also, I was recently interviewed by the Japanese publication The Hiragana Times for a feature article pertaining to The J-Pop Exchange radio show.

2008

Danielle Grasso Patrick Preston [email protected]

2009

Tiffany Salonich [email protected] Hello, my name is Tiffany Salonich. You may remember I was on the Promethean staff during our years at Siena College. Send any information and updates to my e-mail above. Please save the date! Class of 2009 100 Days Party will take place on August 22, 2009 at the Saratoga Race Track. Details to follow!

In Memory of: William Phillips ’42 John W. Auer ’43 William Graham Bode ’46, D.D.S. John F. Davey ’46 Joseph P. Benson ’49 Robert H. Witthoft ’49 Joseph Charles Lisuzzo ’50 Richard P. Dalton, Jr. ’51 Robert J. Gaudette ’51 Walter F. Klee ’51 Merrill L. Laven ’51 Mario Ronsini ’51 Edward Pigan ’52 James G. Hourigan ’52 Ugo Vecchia ’53 James F. Cavanaugh ’55 Arnold C. Peer ’58 Daniel Mc Ardle ’59 Joseph Biviano ’61 Aniello Pepe ’62 Michael G. Sullivan ’62 John F. Faraci ’63 Eugene Thomas Ryan ’64 R. Lee Reickert ’70 Nicholas Colangelo ’74 Patrick C. Poolet ’79 Donald Schneider ’83 Fr. John Piccione, O.F.M. ’86 Paul J. Champagne ’86 Janet Johnson Lucier ’93

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CLASS NOTES

proclaims that one of the biggest reasons for his hire was because he interned with the company in Albany.) In his position, Chris works for two senior vice presidents of wealth management, who basically let him run their business while they close all the deals. Additionally, the recent state of the economy has required him to work like Superman. Even though his work life has been crazy and hectic, he has had plenty of time to meet up with the boys of TH 15 pretty much every weekend; whether it has been just going to dinner, happy hour or attending some Mets games. Good luck Chris! Please get back to us with another update when you get back to normal “Clark Kent” status. Hilary Brewer is currently teaching 7th and 8th grade literacy in North Philly for the School District of Philadelphia. (The school is actually located only a few blocks from the St. Francis House where Siena community members frequently volunteer.) Hilary notes that teaching in North Philly is interesting as 100% of the school’s population come from families that are at a socioeconomic disadvantage. Additionally, nearly all of her students are of Latino decent, which makes her decision to minor in Spanish at Siena seem genius. This past May, Hilary received her M.S.E.D. in literacy from the University of New England. She hasn’t seen anybody from Siena in the Philadelphia area yet and would love to hear from you if you live nearby. In the meantime, she’ll settle for frequent Siena basketball updates on ESPN. Kat Newsholme is currently working as an assistant manager for Enterprise Rent-A-Car in Scotia. Since the office is a smaller branch, she is the only manager on site and is practically in charge of all operations; which include training employees, handling accounts receivables, scheduling, and most importantly, making sure she has the right cars in stock for her clients. She is still in touch with many Siena people and recently moved into an apartment at Colonie East with her best friend, Holly Walsh. In May 2009 Nicole Funigiello completed her master’s in counseling and community psychology from Sage Graduate School. However, her best news is that she recently became engaged to one of our former freshman year RAs, Paulie Califano ’05 (Ryan Hall, 3rd floor). They are currently planning a September 2010 wedding. Congratulations, Nicole and Paulie! Recently, we received an e-mail

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SIENA 34

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Are You the Ultimate Siena College Fan? We have heard that alumni and friends of the college have painted their houses green and gold, collected every bobblehead the College has produced or have a different Siena outfit for every day of the month. Are these rumors true? The members of our editorial staff want proof! If you think you are the most fanatical Siena College fan, please send a photo of your Siena College collection with you in it. We will publish our favorite photos in the next issue of Siena News. The ultimate fan will win a $50 gift card to the bookstore, where you can add to your Siena College collection. All entries should be e-mailed to [email protected] by September 1.

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Cheer on the Saints as a Lil’ Saint By Michelle Pickering ’10

The Lil’ Saints, a fan club for children 13 and younger, is one of the official spirit groups for Siena College Athletics. This fun and exciting program gives members free admission to four Siena men’s basketball games at the Times Union Center, all Siena women’s basketball games and all other sporting events on campus. Members can earn points for each game they attend during the year and redeem their points to receive prizes that range from pom-poms to signed basketballs. During the 200809 academic year, Liam, age 5, led all Lil’ Saints this year by attending 16 Siena sporting events. Recruiting is underway for our next class of Lil’ Saints, and Bernie the mascot is looking for some more friends to join him next year at Siena’s athletic events. To sign up, visit http://sienasaints.cstv.com/lilsaints or contact Katelyn Dooley at 518-783-2551. The $20 registration fee is good for one year, and members will receive a Lil’ Saints badge and t-shirt to wear to games. Last year, as part of the program, Siena welcomed to campus actors Jasmine Richards and Alyson Stoner, who played in Disney Channel’s Camp Rock Stars movie. Stoner performed a dance routine during halftime at a woman’s basketball home game and members of Lil’ Saints met the stars afterward. The Lil’ Saints program, sponsored by MVP Health Care, is a great opportunity for kids to show their spirit and have fun, too!