Siena News Spring 2010

SienaSIENA NEWS • A MAGAZINE FOR ALUMNI AND FRIENDS • SPRING 2010

INSIDE: Siena Serves

A Run Like No Other

INSIDE: Siena Serves

The $2 Million PENGUIn

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A small school making a big splash. This is the way I would describe Siena over the past several months, making it the perfect time to spread the good news about Siena beyond our community. I am hoping you will help me in this endeavor. This issue of Siena News is filled with stories that readers will want to share with others. It includes the announcement of Siena’s largest federal grant ever, the success of our men’s basketball team and its impact on the College as a whole and the continued dedication of serving others by our students, staff and alumni. It doesn’t matter which Siena stories you decide to emphasize. But, as a member of the Siena community, you have a responsibility to open it up to others. Just wearing your old Siena cap or sweatshirt is a great way to spark a conversation. After the conversation begins, put in a plug for our rigorous academic programs, the character of our graduating students, the College’s Catholic Franciscan tradition, or our commitment to making Siena accessible and affordable. Or tell your own Siena story. You, who have lived the Siena experience and know firsthand the value of belonging to the Siena community, are the best person to answer the question:“Why Siena?” Thank you for your continued support.

Fraternally,

Fr. Kevin Mullen ’75, O.F.M., Ph.D. President

from the president

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Message from the Editors

In an effort to enhance Siena-related news to alumni and friends of the college, we have been developing and posting videos.

With that in mind, you may notice that throughout this issue we have placed a

camera icon next to the stories that

have supporting videos. If you are looking for other ways to stay connected to Siena, join the conversation at www.facebook.com/sienacollege. Siena has more than 5,000 Facebook friends! If you are headed on a summer vacation this year, post a picture of yourself wearing a Siena College shirt, hat, etc. wherever you are having fun on Siena’s Facebook page or send to [email protected]. We hope to run these photos in an upcoming issue.

Enjoy!

Jim Eaton and Allison Maloney ’06

Withyou

camera the

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On Campus News | 13 Alumni Connection | 23Faculty News | 20 Alumni Class Notes | 28Saints Corner | 22

departments

cont

ents

Siena News - Spring 2010 Published by Siena College 515 Loudon Road, Loudonville, NY 12211-1462 E-mail: [email protected]

• Publisher: Delcy Fox • Editors: Jim Eaton, Allison Maloney ’06 • Contributing Editors: Mark Adam, Lisa Dussault ’10, Jodi Ackerman Frank, Ken Jubie ’04, Christine Maccarone ’10, Hildy Marinello ’11, Fr. Kevin Mullen ’75, O.F.M., Ph.D., Jason Rich ’97 and Lynn Ryan • Director of Art and Design: Sergio Sericolo • Alumni Class Notes Design: Jean Higgs • Alumni Class Notes Editor: Janice Goca and Victoria Abdulla ’07 • Back Page Design: Jim Knox • Photography: Athletics Office, Alumni Office, Dave Boswell ’12, Celeste Gross, Ken Jubie ’04, Billy McHugh ’13, Tony Purificato, NASDAQ, Sergio Sericolo, Virgina Sherwood/NBC and University of Tampa • Printer: The Lane Press, Burlington,Vt.

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Ronald E. Bjorklund ’85J. David BrownMichael Bucci ’73Robert F. Campbell ’66Robert M. CurleyRobert T. Cushing ’77Susan Law DakeVirginia L. Darrow ’83John J. Dawson, Esq. ’68Scott C. DonnellyHoward S. Foote ’74Shari Golub-Schillinger ’86Robert L. Guido ’68Douglas T. Hickey ’77Rev. Kenneth R. Himes ’71, O.F.M., Ph.D.Edward J. Johnson ’63Walter T. Kicinski ’62Rev. Jerome J. Massimino, O.F.M.Pamela McCarthyRobert J. McCormick ’87Rev. Dominic V. Monti, O.F.M., Ph.D.James J. Morrell ’66Very Rev. Kevin J. Mullen ’75, O.F.M., Ph.D.John F. Murray ’79John J. NigroVery Rev. John F. O’Connor, O.F.M.Walter A. Osterman ’87Joseph M. Pastore, Jr., Ph.D.Kenneth M. Raymond, Jr.Mark S. Rose ’65Rev. Peter A. Schneible, O.F.M., Ph.D.David M. Stack ’73Christine L. StandishBr. Daniel P. Sulmasy, O.F.M., M.D., Ph.D.Nimmi M. Trapasso ’98, M.D.Dennis L. Winger ’69

2009 - 2010 Board of Trustees

4 The $2 Million Dollar PENGUIn

10 Siena Serves

12 A Run Like No Other

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The $2 Million PENGUIn

In February, Congressman Paul Tonko joined Fr. Kevin Mullen,O.F.M., and Associate Dean of Science Allan Weatherwax, Ph.D., to announce the grant, which is funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. “The Recovery Act has made an unprecedented investment in research and development to help foster the innovations of the future,” said Tonko, who joined members of the news media on tours of Siena’s physics labs, and even on the roof of Roger Bacon Hall, to see how Siena students and faculty members are studying science. “Congratulations to Siena College and to the Science Department,” Tonko added. “This grant will help Siena continue its goal of creating a culture that is advancing student skills, understanding and opportunity in

By Allison Maloney ’06 and Ken Jubie ’04

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COVER STORY

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The $2 Million PENGUInSiena’s School of Science was awarded a $2 million National Science Foundation grant. It is the largest federal grant in the College’s history.

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science, technology, engineering and mathematics.” Siena will serve as the science and engineering lead on this PENGUIn (Polar Experiment Network for Geospace Upper-atmosphere Investigations) project. The team under the grant includes collaborators from Dartmouth University, Stanford University, the New Jersey Institute of Technology, the University of New Hampshire, Augsburg College of Australia and the University of California, Berkeley. Weatherwax, who is the principal investigator under the grant, his fellow scientists and Siena

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Images taken by

Weatherwax during a

recent trip to Antartica.

The research team

will collect data from

observations like

this from the

polar continent.

“This NSF grant validates that Siena is equally strong in the sciences.” - Alfredo Medina, assistant vice president for academic affairs

students will collect data from autonomous observatories in Antarctica. These observatories will provide year-round “space-weather” data from some of the Earth’s harshest environments. The data will be used in conjunction with NASA satellites to reveal information about Earth’s upper atmosphere and the sun. The research could lead to advances in astronaut and aircraft safety and developments in “green” power. “We want to go to some of the most remote places in the world that have some of the harshest climates to study what’s going on in space, just above the atmosphere in this tenuous region called the Ionosphere,” Weatherwax said. “It’s where the space shuttle flies. It’s where many of our satellites live. They could be in trouble if there is a huge solar eruption, and we want to be able to predict when these things might happen.” The grant symbolizes an important feat for Siena as a liberal arts school. “This NSF grant validates that Siena is equally strong in the sciences,” said Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs Alfredo Medina. “Building a track record of grant procurement is much like building an institution’s credit score. This grant will not only position Siena to receive additional grants from NSF, NIH (National Institutes of Health) and NASA, but it will also help to attract and recruit top-notch faculty with postdoctoral research experience and prospective students who value research and learning outside the classroom.” That is why, Mullen said, these types of grants are so valuable at a small school like Siena College.

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“I am particularly excited about the opportunities that our undergraduate students will have in working alongside renowned scientists on cutting-edge research that could improve our quality of life,” he said. Among those undergraduates is Jennifer Williams ’11, who is one of the 12 students employed by Weatherwax under various research grants. “Researching in the Science Department instills confidence in students like myself,” said Williams. Last summer, students helped to build satellites on the roof of Roger Bacon as part of a collaborative project with MIT and Cornell. These satellites, used to track global positioning systems, were made possible by a previous NSF grant. Weatherwax’s student researchers now await the exciting prospect of traveling with him to Antarctica for the PENGUIn project, as well as working with scientists from the other collaborating higher education institutions.

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To see video about this story visit www.siena.edu/news and search “Weatherwax”

Physics majors Jennifer Williams ’11 and Bobby Carroll ’11

are two of the 12 students employed by Weatherwax

under various research grants.


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Siena ServesBy Ken Jubie ’04

Lady Gaga’s smash hit “Poker Face” blared in a cluttered and busy room while students smiled and sang along. That may be the only similarity between a typical spring break and the Habitat for Humanity construction

site in Pittsboro, North Carolina, where about 20 Siena students helped to build affordable housing. “It just makes you feel good that, at the end of the day, you did some work for somebody else. Someone is eventually going to move into this house and make it their home,” said Nabil Yafai ’12 as he stood

outside the nearly finished house. Instead of soaking up the sun and sipping tropical drinks, Yafai and more than 100 members of the Siena community, including fellow students, faculty and administrators, volunteered to do everything from putting up roofs and siding to installing fixtures and painting closets. They worked at six different Habitat for Humanity sites in North and South Carolina. “It’s a good way to give back. As Siena students, we want to give back to our community. It’s a great way to help out, and we get a lot back ourselves,” said Sam Racette ’11. During spring break, students also served meals to the homeless and working poor at the St. Francis Inn in Philadelphia. They shared Racette’s sentiment about service and explained that their willingness to help others

truly reflects Siena’s Franciscan sprit. “It’s part of our mission to go and serve those who may be a bit forgotten and don’t have anybody else to turn to,” said Michelle Campbell ’13. They spent the week preparing food, serving meals and striking up conversations with people

eating at the soup kitchen. Fr. Dennis Tamburello ’75, O.F.M., noticed the impact the experience was having on the students. “They come down and they’re very connected with cell phones and texting, but as the week goes on I see them getting more and more into what’s happening,” Tamburello said.

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Who We Are The way Catholic colleges and universities integrate service and

worship with academics was the focus of an article written by Fr. Ken Paulli ’82, O.F.M., Ed.D. in the February/March issue of Momentum magazine. Chief of Staff to Siena’s President’s Cabinet and Associate Professor of Education, Paulli wrote that Catholic colleges and universities, unlike many institutions of higher education, encourage students to make connections to the larger world by helping the poor and fighting for social justice. “The difference is that we integrate the life of the mind including our rich Catholic intellectual tradition

with the life of service and the life of worship because that’s who we are, not something we do,” Paulli said.

Fr. Mathias Doyle ’55, O.F.M., director for the Franciscan Center for Service and Advocacy saw a similar transformation in the half-dozen students he brought to the St. Francis House, a day shelter for the homeless in Boston. “They’re somewhat hesitant at first. They’re very willing, but they’re not sure what they’re getting into. But once they get into it, they really are great,” Doyle said. The students themselves noticed the difference they were making as they began to embrace the people they were helping. “You can really change a person’s attitude. When you serve people and talk to them a little bit, they smile,” said Chris Hughes ’12. Those smiles and the growing sense of community involvement behind them are why students and their leaders say service trips shape the Siena experience just as much as what they are studying.

For the first time, the energy, enthusiasm and impact of Siena’s spring-break service trips were captured on video. Media Relations Specialist Ken Jubie ’04, Franciscan Center for Service and Advocacy Assistant Director Judy Dougherty ’06 and Siena College Television Studio Manager David Etzler piled into an SUV and traveled down the East Coast videotaping the work of students, faculty and administrators in Boston, Philadelphia, and North and South Carolina. During their 2,100 mile road trip, Jubie filed reports from each of the spring break sites. To see the clips, visit www.siena.edu/news search and type in “Siena serves.” Jubie, Dougherty and Etzler are in the process of creating a documentary that highlights the work being done at the various sites as well as all the fun the groups were having along the way.

Service Documentary

To see video about this story visit www.siena.edu/news and search “Siena Serves”

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he last three years have provided Siena basketball fans with some of the greatest moments in the program’s 70-year history. The 2009-10 Saints equaled a program record by posting 27 wins and advancing to the NCAA Tournament. As a 13 seed, they just missed upsetting another team from

the Big Ten when they lost to Purdue University, 72-64. Still, Siena became the only school in the country to win its regular-season and tournament championship each of the past three seasons. The Saints stormed through the MAAC, winning a conference record 17 games (17-1). The team also continued to receive national recognition, earning votes in both the Associated Press and ESPN/USA Today Coaches’ Poll for most of the season, while having six games televised nationally. At one point, Siena boasted the nation’s longest winning streak, which reached a program record of 15 games. Capital Region fans came out in record numbers to cheer on the Saints. More than 133,000 fans attended Siena home games this year, an average of 7,853 per game. The electrifying atmosphere at the Times Union Center helped extend the Saints’ home-court winning streak to an astounding 38 games, the second longest streak in the country. Alex Franklin ’10, Ronald Moore ’10 and Edwin Ubiles ’10 completed three of the most stellar careers in Siena basketball history. Franklin was named MAAC Player of the Year and MAAC Tournament MVP. He became the first player to record at least 1,700 career points and 900 career rebounds. Moore led the nation with 261 assists (7.7/game) and finished his career 23rd all-time in Division I with a MAAC record of 823 career assists. Ubiles was a Lou Henson All-American and a MAAC Second Team selection. He led the Saints with 18 points in the NCAA Tournament game against Purdue, raising his career total to 1,939 – the third highest point total in history of the Siena men’s basketball program. Although the Saints have big shoes to fill next season with the departures of the “Big Three” and Head Coach Fran McCaffery, there is a lot to look forward to. Rising seniors Ryan Rossiter ’12 and Clarence Jackson ’12 were All-MAAC selections this year and are set to serve as the leaders for a Saints’ squad that will look to capture its fourth straight MAAC Championship and extend the team’s most successful run.

A Run Like No Other

By Jason Rich ’97

T


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Please, Mr. President, Pick Siena! Siena’s student leaders wanted to make sure that President Barack Obama was thinking about the Saints while he was making this year’s basketball tournament picks. During the week leading up to the NCAA tournament, members of the Student Senate sent a letter to encourage Obama to choose the Siena Saints in his NCAA Tournament bracket this year. Last year, President Obama picked Ohio State to beat Siena in the opening round of the tournament. His bracket was busted when Ronald Moore drained a three pointer in double overtime to beat the Buckeyes. Along with reminding the president about Siena’s past success in the “Big Dance” and pointing out the Saints’ accomplishments this season, the letter highlighted some of the team members’ accomplishments off the court, including their community service and academic achievements. “Our pride for our basketball team reaches far beyond what it does on the court,” said Student Senate

President Stephen Archer ’11. “The Saints embody many of the things President Obama has asked the country to stand for. The team, like the rest of the Siena community, is dedicated to volunteering, helping those in need and serving as positive role models.” Congressman Paul Tonko brought the letter

to the White House.

Presidentmanythe

House.

To see video about this story visit www.siena.edu/news and search “President Obama”


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Mitch is the Man for Siena Mitch Buonaguro became the 15th head men’s basketball coach in program history on April 8, 2010. The top assistant on the Siena staff for the past five years, Buonaguro inherits a team that has won 27 games each of the past two seasons. “I’m humbled,” he said. “I understand how important this program is to a lot of people, to the administration, to the community. One thing I guarantee is that I’ll represent the college and the program in a first-class manner. And certainly we will win.” Buonaguro referred to the Siena coaching position as his “dream job.” Widely regarded as one of the most experienced and respected assistant coaches in the country, Buonaguro has helped guide the Saints to a 112-51 mark since arriving in Loudonville and has been an integral part of three straight MAAC Regular Season and Tournament Championships. Fran McCaffrey, his predecessor, was hired as the head coach for the Iowa Hawkeyes basketball team.

March Madness generated $6.1 million in publicity value for Siena College

March Madness generated $6.1 million

To see video about this story visit www.siena.edu/news and search “Jimmy Fallon”

according to eNR PR, a media tracking agency

Siena’s Latest Fan: Jimmy Fallon

On his March 17 show, NBC late-night talk-show host Jimmy Fallon made the Siena Saints his pick to go all the way

in the NCAA Basketball Tournament. “The team we’re backing this year is a favorite among bracketologists — and believe me, I’ve done a lot of bracketological research — so I’m proud to announce the 2010 Late Night with Jimmy Fallon NCAA Tournament pick: the Siena Saints,” Fallon said. (Bracketology is the process of predicting the field of the NCAA Basketball Tournament.) Fallon’s sister, Gloria, graduated from Siena in 1995. Fallon said he also applied to Siena but he was not accepted. “That doesn’t matter now — none of it matters. All that matters is the 13th-seeded Siena Saints have a very realistic chance of beating the 4th-seeded Purdue Boilermakers in the first round of the tourney on Friday,” he said. The day before Siena played its NCAA tournament game, Siena employees packed a courier truck with Siena-branded items for Fallon’s show, including 200 t-shirts, 50 foam fingers, 250 “March on Siena” and “Let’s Go, Saints” signs, a necktie and a coffee mug. The admissions office also included a spoof acceptance letter into Siena’s bracketology program.

By Jim Eaton

*

*


To see video about this story visit www.siena.edu/news and search “Jimmy Fallon”

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Ringing the NASDAQ BellSiena students, faculty, and administrators joined Trustco Bank executives to ring the opening bell at

NASDAQ in Times Square in early February. “Opening up one of the world’s largest financial markets is something that any college finance major would like to do,” said Stephen Rosamino ’10. An invitation from Trustco, which is listed on NASDAQ, set the event in motion, giving the students the thrill of a lifetime. Two top Trustco executives sit on the Siena College Board of Trustees: Robert Cushing ’77 and Robert J. McCormick ’87. Both attended the NASDAQ event. After sounding the bell, the Siena group explored the headquarters, visited the Bank of America building and toured the Merrill Lynch fixed-income trading floor. Rosamino said the experience was good for the students and the College. “Even though the opening bell is only shown on TV for about 15 seconds, it is excellent exposure for the school,” he said. “Having a five-story Siena College logo flashing in Manhattan for more than an hour isn’t bad either!”

Siena’s Latest Fan: Jimmy Fallon

ON CAMPUS NEWS


Siena’s Road Through MoroccoBy Hildy Marinello ’11

During winter break, 14 students had the opportunity to explore one of the world’s most exotic and culturally rich countries, Morocco. Deb Kelly, Ph.D., assistant professor of management, led the study tour that was offered as a one-credit Global Connections course. “The trip was a lot of fun and allowed us to explore and experience another culture and country,” said Jill Duarte ’11. The Siena group toured Casablanca, Rabat, Fez and Marrakech. In each town, the group visited medinas, or markets. The group also had the opportunity to tour two universities in Casablanca, where they met students and faculty members. A highlight of the trip was when Siena students appeared on stage during a dinner show in Fez. Students also witnessed the snowy Middle Atlas Mountains and experienced the thrill of riding a camel on the beach. “I would encourage anyone who has the opportunity to visit Morocco to do so; it is a remarkable country,” said Duarte.

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An Adventure in Costa RicaBy Hildy Marinello ’11

One of the most adventurous classes at Siena College is Tropical Biology. The fall 2009 course culminated with a research trip to Costa Rica during spring break. For two weeks, 17 students studied tropical ecology and biodiversity in one of the world’s most biologically diverse countries. They visited ecosystems in various types of forest, including a dry, a wet and a cloud forest. “Each spot offered a different forest for us to explore,” said Morgan Fryer ’11. The Siena students also experienced Costa Rican culture and lived in a range of environments. “It was fun sleeping in bunk beds draped with mosquito nets,” said Paul Sesink Clee ’10. The trip was led by Andrea Worthington, Ph.D., professor of biology; Kate Meierdiercks, Ph.D., assistant professor of environmental studies; and Chris Harbison, Ph.D., assistant professor of biology.


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Helping Haiti In the wake of the recent devastation in Haiti, the College implemented its own relief effort known as Saints for Haiti. Students collected money from fans at men’s basketball games, by donating meals in Serra Hall and by showing their talents during the annual Expoze performance. The money was given to the people of Haiti through Catholic Relief Services. “We’re very fortunate to be at this school and to even have an opportunity like this. It makes us feel like we’re coming out and doing something that’s more than watching a basketball game. We’re doing some good and doing something fun, too,” said Alyssa Herrmann ’13. The tragedy gave new meaning to a 10-year-old Siena tradition as well. Siena’s 10th annual Wine Tasting for Haiti raised more than $2,000. Organizers pushed up the event to ensure that the proceeds would help the rural village of Fondwa rebuild immediately. With Siena’s help, it had developed an orphanage, drinkable water sources and a health clinic. “This year, the support has been overwhelming. We had a full house, with well over 20 students. The mix of people were as important as the wine,” said philosophy professor and event organizer Ray Boisvert, Ph. D.

Living Dr. King’s Legacy The Sarazen Student Union was transformed into an energetic conference center when nearly 200 middle and high school students from about 20 Capital Region schools came together to talk about stopping prejudice and fighting violence. “Lots of work takes place in individual schools, but this is the one place where lots of kids from many different schools and different economic and racial backgrounds get together to talk about these issues,” said Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs Peter Ellard, Ph.D. The annual gathering is called the STOP Conference. STOP stands for Students Together Opposing Prejudice. Anti-Defamation League facilitators guided small-group discussions, giving students tools to battle bullying, discrimination and violence. “We’re just going to stand up to people who do that and tell them that this is wrong and they shouldn’t be doing this because it’s just not nice. Everybody needs to feel like they fit in,” said Hoosick Falls High School senior Cheryl Bisson. The STOP Conference is part of the Martin Luther King, Jr. and Coretta Scott King Lecture Series. “Dr. King was all about teaching peace and justice and teaching against discrimination in any form, whether it has to do with weight, sexual orientation or the color of one’s skin. I think Dr. King would be proud that we’re continuing that legacy in our own way,” Ellard said.

To see video about this story visit www.siena.edu/news and search “STOP Conference”

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Pretty in PinkBy Mark Adam

The Siena women’s basketball team raised more than $12,000 to fight breast cancer during its 10th annual “Pink Zone” game against Loyola University of Maryland. Usually a sea of green and gold, the Alumni Recreation Center was pretty in pink, as players, coaches and fans raised money for Capital Region Action Against Breast Cancer. “Our Pink Zone game was a huge success because of the generosity of our sponsors and the entire Capital District community,” said Head Coach Gina Castelli. “I am happy that Siena women’s basketball could provide the platform for CRAAB to raise the funds it needs to continue to make a difference in the community.” Siena players and coaches escorted breast cancer survivors onto the court during team introductions, recognizing them for their courageous battle against the disease. At halftime, the Patricia Brown Memorial Scholarship was awarded to three area youths who created bookmarks that describe ways to fight breast cancer. The winners were given scholarships to Siena sports camps.

Moot Court Mock Trial Advances to Nationals By Christine Maccarone ’10

For the third time in seven years, the Moot Court Mock Trial Team advanced to the opening round of the American Mock Trial Association’s national championship tournament at Pace University Law School. “This is the second time that our team has moved on to the Nationals. It is quite an honor,” said team captain Michael Ellement ’10. To succeed, the students must effectively argued both sides of a case. During the competition, students act as attorneys and witnesses. “The students train on a weekly basis on all elements of the case. They are involved in legal argumentation, deposition and affidavit examination, cross-examination, evidentiary standards and procedures provided by AMTA and our coaches, who are experienced trial litigators,” said Political Science Professor Len Cutler, Ph.D. Pre-law students said being on the team has given them a better understanding of the demands of building a strong case. “I’ve enhanced my knowledge of the law and developed a few friendships along the way. It is a sizeable commitment, but it has turned out to be well worth it,” said Michael DiSiena ’10.

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TAP and HEOP Celebrate Milestone BirthdaysBy Christine Maccarone ’10

New York State’s Tuition Assistance Program turned 35 this year while the Higher Education Opportunity Program turned 40. The Commission of Independent Colleges and Universities hosted a celebration for both programs in Albany’s Legislative Office Building. “TAP and HEOP have helped millions of people afford college. I will remember the big smiles of students who came to place a face on student aid,” said cIcu communication and advocacy assistant Michelle Pickering ’09. During the celebration, Siena College HEOP students Derrell Melton ’10 and Melissa Infante ’11 addressed the crowd and supporters wrote messages to their legislators. “I have built relationships with many people at Siena College, which will help me reach my career goals. If it was not for TAP, I would not be here,” said Infante. TAP and HEOP provide financial support to New York state residents seeking higher education. Since its inception, TAP assists high school graduates by awarding eligible students up to $5,000 in tuition assistance. Likewise, HEOP provides disadvantaged students with counseling, tutoring and money for books, transportation and other expenses.

Derrell Melton ’10, economics

major, spoke to the audience

and legislators at the

Commission on Independent

Colleges and Universities’

(cIcu) birthday celebration in

February for the TAP and HEOP

programs of New York state.

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By Christine Maccarone ’10 Move over Miss America, Mr. Siena is coming through. This year, the honor went to Alex Mazza ’12. “It means that I put on a good show for my friends and the judges, and that’s all I was out to do,” Mazza said. Six hundred people packed the Sarazen Student Union to see eight Siena heartthrobs strut their stuff to raise money for Habitat for Humanity. The contestants participated in a variety of events, including the formal wear competition, a talent contest and choreographed dances, raising $2,700 in the process. “I loved the talent portion of the contest. I never knew that these guys could move like that,” said Shawna Sammis ’10. Mr. Siena started five years ago as a fun and interactive way to help support Habitat for Humanity projects, including spring break trips to North and South Carolina. “The Habitat club goes on multiple trips throughout the year and sponsors its own Siena House here in Albany,” said Mr. Siena Chairperson Alexandra Georgieva ’12.

Crowning Mr. Siena

Good Old-Fashioned Family Fun They may not be old enough to take college classes, but as the Student Events Board’s annual Siblings Weekend proved, you’re never too young to enjoy Siena’s community spirit. More than 170 brothers and sisters of current students came to campus in mid-March for a variety of ’50s-themed festivities, including a sock hop, a Rock Around the Clock Carnival and a music trivia dinner. Mark your calendars for next year’s sibling weekend-March 25-27, 2011.

To see video about this story visit www.siena.edu/news and search “Mr. Siena”


Ricciardi Receives Kennedy Center Grant Paul Ricciardi, assistant professor of creative arts, has been awarded one of six Kennedy Center National Teaching Artist grants for 2010. The award will support his continued research in voice training for theatre. Ricciardi came to Siena in fall 2009 to teach acting, voice and movement in the theatre program. Ricciardi’s work focuses on the Linklater Technique, an internationally recognized method that connects vocal skills with the actor’s emotions. Ricciardi serves as the resident voice, speech and dialect coach for the Siena College theatre program. As an actor and award-winning solo performer, he has worked extensively throughout New York City and regionally. Recent regional theatre credits include Love Song at Chester Theatre Company, The New Play Festival at Proctor’s Theatre and Take Me Out at Boston’s Speakeasy Stage (IRNE Award, best ensemble). He is directing George Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion at Siena this spring.

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FACULTY NEWSFACULTY NEWSFACULTY NEWSFACULTY NEWS

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Bridging the GAAP The job prospects for U.S. accounting students may depend, in part, on Chester Brearey. Brearey, assistant professor of accounting, recently received $10,000 from the PricewaterhouseCoopers Charitable Foundation to investigate new ways of bringing International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) into the classroom. If he’s successful, generations of U.S. students will leave college better qualified for accounting positions around the world. Right now, college students who graduate as accountants are up against an imposing roadblock. The United States is the only nation still using Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) to maintain and audit corporate books. The rest of the world uses IFRS. By and large, U.S. colleges don’t teach IFRS yet because the flexibility and professional judgment embedded in IFRS will make fuzzy numbers a certainty and comparability an impossibility. “That makes it very difficult for their students to find accounting jobs or internships in other countries,” Brearey pointed out. “The Big four, for instance, offer very desirable internships in Europe, but you can’t get them if you don’t know IFRS.” The Big four consists of the largest networks of accounting firms in the world.

Reeves-Ellington recently published a book titled Competing Kingdoms: Women, Mission, Nation, and the American Protestant Empire, 1812-1960 (Duke University Press). The book rethinks the importance of women and religion within U.S. imperial culture from the early nineteenth century to the mid-twentieth.

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History Prof Named to National Council

Barbara Reeves-Ellington, Ph.D., associate professor of history, was named to the Phi Alpha Theta National Council, the national honor society for history at the college and university level. She was one of seven faculty advisors chosen to

serve as national councilor out of 870 candidates. Reeves-Ellington has taught United States history at Siena since 2003. Her current work examines the ways in which American Protestant missionaries exported ideas about religion, gender and race to the Ottoman Empire; as well as how Orthodox Christians in the empire negotiated and rearticulated those ideas during a period of increasing sectarianism in the Ottoman domains. She was a Fulbright fellow at the Institute of Balkan Studies, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences in 1999-2000, and a fellow at the Leslie Humanities Institute, Dartmouth College, in fall 2002.


Saints in the CommunityBy Jason Rich ’97

From soup kitchens to elementary schools, Siena’s student-athletes give of their time each year to enrich the Capital Region community through the Saints in the Community program. During the 2009-2010 academic year, student athletes spent more than 2,000 hours volunteering.

O.D. Anosike ’13, Davis Martens ’13 and Kyle Griffin ’11 from the men’s basketball team volunteered at the Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York. They sifted through bins of donated apples and packed them for needy families. The Saints’ visit coincided with a food drive during the Mount St. Mary’s game at the Times Union Center during which a record amount of food — 755 pounds — was collected. An additional $750 was raised through raffle donations.

Cate Quinlan ’10 of the women’s lacrosse team worked with her teammates on a Habitat for Humanity house on North Pearl Street in Albany. The project was part of Collegiate Challenge, a program organized by Habitat for Humanity. The Saints built a deck and tore down a dilapidated shed.

The field hockey team prepared a meal at the Ronald McDonald House in Albany. Each of the athletic teams visits the house during the academic year to prepare a meal for the families of sick children who are staying there.

Meghan Yi ’11 of the cross country team spent time with a youngster during her team’s recent visit to Colonie to meet the Shooting Stars, an organization that matches local high school and college athletic teams with youngsters with special needs who are ages 5-21 years old.

The women’s basketball team visited

the Eddy Heritage House Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Troy on New Year’s Eve. Players and coaches sang, danced and spent time with the home’s residents to raise their spirits.

The men’s lacrosse team volunteered at the 50th annual Center for Disability Services Telethon in January. It marked the fifth year the Saints have worked the phones and accepted donations on behalf

of the center. Captains Matt Leithead ’10, Kyle Vercruysse ’10 and Mike Whalen ’10 presented a check for $1,000.

ofCaptainsLeitheadVercruysseMikepresentedfor

prepare

Thebasketball

lacrosse team volunteered at

SAINTS CORNER

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Throughout the year’s momentous men’s basketball season, Siena alumni across the country gathered to cheer on their Saints at “game watches.” Alumni gathered for conference games, the Bracketbusters, MAAC

Tournament and the NCAA Tournament game. These gatherings occurred in Albuquerque; Atlanta; Baltimore; Boston; Buffalo, Kingston, Latham; Novi, Michigan; Syracuse, Troy

and Spokane. “The watch parties are a great way for our alumni to stay connected with the college, with each other, and to share our Siena pride,” said Mary Beth Finnerty ‘85, director of alumni relations. The events were organized by regional club coordinators with the assistance of Janice Goca, assistant director of alumni relations.

During the first round of the NCAA tournament, fiercely loyal fans followed the team at game watches in nine cities.

“One of the great things that Siena alumni can still enjoy is rallying behind our Saints! We had alumni of all ages sitting side-by-side, cheering on the green and

gold,” said John Palmeri ‘05.

By Lisa Dussault ’10

Bracketbusters, MAAC

PROUD TO BESAINTS!SAINTS!SAINTS!SAINTS!SAINTS!SAINTS!SAINTS!SAINTS!SAINTS!SAINTS!SAINTS!SAINTS!SAINTS!SAINTS!SAINTS!SAINTS!SAINTS!SAINTS!SAINTS!SAINTS!SAINTS!SAINTS!SAINTS!SAINTS!SAINTS!SAINTS!

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ALUMNI CONNECTION

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Mrs. VRemembering a Life Well Lived and a Woman Well LovedMatilda Vawter, known as

“Mrs. V” to the Siena community, worked for 31 years in the College’s dining hall, where she brought smiles to thousands of students’ faces. She would greet all the students coming for meals with a generous smile. “She knew all of the students by name, which was good, or not so good if you were trying to sneak into 21 club,” said Norm Kvam, director of dining services. “She loved the students. Siena was her second life,” said her daughter, Celeste Gross. On Jan. 9, Mrs. V died at age 85. Although Mrs. V was beloved by generations of Siena students, most of them did not know what an inspiring life she led. After graduating from high school, she enlisted in the U.S. Navy and served during WWII. “She was very avant-garde for the era,” said Gross. Mrs. V met her husband, Lt. Col. Elton Lee Vawter, while in the Navy working as a teletype operator. They met on opposite sides of the teletype. After a long conversation, Mrs. V asked Elton, “Are you RON?” which meant, “Are you remaining overnight, on the ship?” He replied that

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Scholarship to Honor Mrs. V

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he was, and they continued to talk late into the night. Then they met for breakfast the next morning. They named their son Ron. He later attended Siena as a member of the class of 1971. He was an acclaimed actor until his death in 1994, appearing in Philadelphia and The Silence of the Lambs. Through her son, Mrs. V met Tom Hanks and Andie McDowell. She hosted Willem Dafoe in her home on many occasions. When stationed in San Diego, she was offered a ride in a helicopter. When she got off, she thanked the pilot and asked his name. It turned out that the pilot was Igor Sikorsky, the inventor of the first successful helicopter. She also would watch a group of young men practicing baseball, who, she said, were trying to start up a team. That team later became the San Diego Padres. Mrs. V was a world traveler. She took her family on trips to Europe, the Soviet Union (she was there when the General Secretary of the Communist Party, Konstantin Chernenko, died) and beyond. She toured Israel with a Siena group. In her late 70s, she traveled the Inside Passage of Alaska. When the Siena basketball team played at Madison Square Garden in 1994, students invited her along. “I tried calling her around dinnertime and she didn’t answer. I figured she just didn’t hear her phone. We turned on the Siena game and there she was in the middle of the student cheering section, holding up a foam finger,” said Gross. “She was always busy at Siena. She judged Halloween contests, the multicultural fashion shows. It kept her independent,” said Gross. Upon her retirement, Mrs. V was awarded the Vice President for Student Affairs Special Recognition Award for her long and faithful service to 31 classes of Siena College students. “She didn’t want to retire, but as her health deteriorated and she began using a walker, she worried that it would affect the students,” said Gross. When Mrs. V moved into her daughter’s home six years ago, they found Mrs. V’s house was filled with Siena memorabilia—including a beer mug with her photo on it!Even in the weeks and days leading up to her death, Mrs. V was Mrs. V. “You never knew what she would come out with,” said Gross. “She enjoyed life.” Mrs. V died wearing her Siena class ring.

Sodexo Food Services is partnering with the Siena community to endow a scholarship to honor Mrs.V. For every $2 donated, Sodexo will match $1 up to $10,000 toward the Matilda B. Vawter Scholarship. The scholarship will be established by Sodexo and Mrs. V’s family and friends to perpetuate the memory of her spirit and kindness. It will be awarded to a student based on need. “It’s nice that the college is honoring someone who had such an impact on Siena and its students,” said Kvam. All those wishing to make a contribution to the Matilda B. Vawter Scholarship can do so online at www.siena.edu/mrsv, or by making a check to Siena College and placing “Matilda B. VawterScholarship” on the memo line. Checks should be mailed to Siena College Development and External Affairs, 515 Loudon Road, Loudonville, NY 12211. For more information, please call the Development Office, 1-888-SIENA4U(1-888-743-6248).

Visit www.siena.edu/mrsv

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Letters from the HeartThe following are excerpts from letters written by student scholarship recipients to their donors.

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Dear Bond Family,

Being a part of the

Franciscan community

of Siena has given me

the knowledge and

passion to help serve

the community. I have

just returned from a

two-week missionary trip to Costa Rica and

Panama. Experiencing the gratitude of those

who are so underprivileged really gave me a

new perspective on life and a determination

to dedicate my professional life to provide

health care for the underprivileged.

I would like to thank you for your

generosity. Your kindhearted donation has

helped my family and me more than you

could ever know.

Sincerely, Jessica Badale ’10

Badale is a biology major and recipient of

The Bond Family Scholarship.

Dear Mr. Barrett and Mr. Murphy, This is my fourth and final year at Siena. I am both scared and excited for graduation, knowing that I can now utilize what I learned from Siena and build a path of my own. There will be many obstacles in the future, but knowing Siena has prepared me well for what is ahead gives me a boost of confidence. I am truly thankful for your financial assistance with all of my heart.

I would not have been able to do so much and not have to worry about affording college if not for your generosity. I hope this scholarship will continue to benefit future Siena students.

Sincerely, Pui Jan J. Ma ’11

Ma is an economics major and recipient of The J. Patrick Barrett ’59 and Thomas J. Murphy ’67 Scholarship.

Dear Mrs. Raub, Siena has given me a

great education, and I am

really looking forward to

my senior year. My favorite class (also the

most challenging) is Advanced Investments

with Dr. Girard. Although

it was very demanding, I came out feeling

fulfilled and wanting more. It inspired me

to go into investing after I graduate.

I greatly value the education I am getting

at Siena and am honored to receive this

scholarship in your loved one’s memory.

Sincerely, Bryan Daly ’10

Daly is a finance major and recipient of

The William R. Raub Memorial Scholarship Fund.

Scholarship.

Dear Ms. Apps, The Franciscan tradition at Siena has influenced my

life in many ways. I am able to share this tradition through

liturgical ministry and working with the admissions office, where I

have the opportunity to talk about the Franciscan experience with

prospective students. I feel Siena is a unique school; the education

and friendships I have made cannot be put into words. I love

attending Siena and your continued support makes it

affordable for me.

Sincerely, Jill Pabis ’10

Pabis is a chemistry major and recipient of The Mary

Burke Apps ’53 Scholarship.

SIENA 25SIENA 25SIENA

Dear Mr. and Mrs. Crouch, I am writing to thank you for awarding me the scholarship in memory of your son Brian. It is difficult to afford one college education, but my family has worked to send three of us here in the past six years, with one more coming next year. Your substantial contribution is truly a blessing.

This summer, I spent six weeks in El Salvador for my summer of service. I worked in a health clinic near the border of Honduras and later assisted in a wound clinic at a San Salvador hospital, where I got to experience the healing process first hand. Thank you for allowing me to have these experiences.

Sincerely, Steve Hannigan ’10

Hannigan is a biology major and recipient of The Brian M. Crouch Scholarship.

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Leaving A Legacy reating a legacy at Siena was a natural thing to do for Christine Hause ’89 and her husband, Jeff. Hause’s parents taught her at an early age to appreciate what she had and to share with others. Reflecting back, that spirit was reinforced by the education she received at Siena. “I received a quality education that made me push the limits of what I could accomplish and understand the importance of values, ethics and the spirit of giving back,” says Hause. “Dr. Martino gave me my interest in law; Dr. Santilli gave me confidence in my writing; Dr. Rossetti confirmed my passion for sales and marketing; and so many other professors instilled the thirst for knowledge and continued intellectual growth.” Endowing a scholarship at Siena College assured Hause and her husband that generations of students will receive the same Franciscan education that she received. “With the help of my parents and a financial-aid package, along with working two jobs, I was able to receive a great education that has served me well in my life,” Hause said. “Siena remains a very important part of me, and we want to be able to provide that same opportunity to future Siena students. Education opens minds and doors, two things that should never be closed.” After graduating from Siena, Hause spent 10 years in the nonprofit world prior to joining Charlotte State Bank, where she is a vice president in the Trust & Investment Management Department. “Charitable giving was a natural outgrowth of working with nonprofits. With my present work, using estate planning to accomplish our charitable goals made good sense,” she said. Living 1,300 miles away doesn’t allow Christine to return to Loudonville often, but every trip home to see her family includes a visit to campus to “see how much the College has grown and to recharge the Franciscan tradition battery.” If you would like to learn more about creating your legacy at Siena College, please contact Jack Sise ’75, director of gift planning, 518-783-2432 or [email protected] for a confidential discussion.

C

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1951John [email protected] Jeseo [email protected]

We are happy to announce that two members of the class of 1951 have stepped up to be the Class Notes coordinators for our class. The first is Charles Jeseo and the second is John Hourigan. Please e-mail them with any updates you might have. Below is an update from John.

Hey, classmates! Let’s tell the rest of the Siena community what we’ve been up to. Send me your notes, and I’ll be glad to create a column of your stories.

As for us, we keep busy running up and down the west coast, visiting children and grandchil-dren, holding a family camp every summer somewhere between San Francisco and Seattle, gardening, computing and checking out the latest movies. I’m really enjoy-ing the new, almost unbelievable technologies that stretch from my slide rule (c. 1948) to a super fast Apple computer and now, the iPad. To escape the rainy winters, we’ve been hitting Puerto Vallarta, Mexico for the past few years, and often I see old friends there who are also escaping the weather around Albany and New York.

After graduating from Siena, Lawrence Mahar went into the Army and served in the Army of Occupation in Germany, following the defeat of Germany in World War II. He authored a book titled Living with the Enemy, which details his experiences in Germany. Incidentally, a while back one of his plays was performed by the Siena theater group. He also has another published story that details how he got his Siena degree by success-fully hitchhiking from Saratoga to Siena the 3 1/2 years it took him to graduate. He wound up being a vice president of a New York City ad-

vertising agency before he retired in 1980 and started his own business. Tell me what you all have been doing, and I’ll be happy to be the class note-taker. ’Bye for now. Hope to hear from you!

1959Frank [email protected]

1962 Ken [email protected]

1965Jack Mulvey, [email protected]

1967Rick [email protected] State StreetMalone, NY 12953518-483-3566

1968Bill [email protected] The last time that I wrote these notes, it was with the sad news of John Dawson’s death. This month, unfortunately, I have to report the passing of two more classmates. Bill Keon died last October. Bill was a successful and respected businessman, active in his Coral Gables, Fla. community, and an avid outdoorsman who loved the water and the company of his entire fam-ily. We all extend our condolences to his wife, Pat, and his sons. Pete DeGaetano passed away March 4, 2010. Pete was an All-America baseball player at Siena and when he attended our last reunion, he bragged about being the oldest player at the alumni baseball game. Pete had a successful 40-year career in the cosmetic industry and was executive vice president of Verla International Ltd. We all extend our

thoughts and prayers to his wife, Mary, and his family. During Siena’s wonderful basket-ball season, many of our classmates made it to the game from out of town including Carmen Cognetta, Jerry DeFrancisco and Denny Dobbyn. Class notes only works if you send your news to me at the e-mail above. I need your help. All the best to you and yours!

1969 Joe Condon received the Capital District Keys for Kids “Gratitude” Award. Capital District Keys for Kids is a free nonprofit program designed to teach youth ages 7 to 15 how to read, play and appreciate music. Joe and his wife, Kathleen, are residents of Menands, N.Y. Joe is public affairs director for Albany Broadcasting Company, Inc.

Editors: Victoria Abdulla ’07, Development Assistant, and Janice Goca, Assistant Director of Alumni Relations. 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!

announce that class of 1951 of 1951 of

the Class for class.

vertising agency before he retired in1980 and started his own business.

Tell me what you all have beendoing, and I’ll be happy to be theclass note-taker.

’Bye for now. Hope to hearfrom you!

1959

thoughts and prayers to his wife,Mary, and his family.

During Siena’s wonderful basket-ball season, many of our of our of classmatesmade it to the game from out oftown including Carmen Cognetta,Jerry DeFrancisco and DennyDobbyn.

Class notes only works if you if you if

1969Joe Condon received the Capital

District Keys for Kids “Gratitude”Award. Capital District Keys forKids is a free nonprofit programdesigned to teach youth ages 7 to15 how to read, play and appreciatemusic. Joe and his wife, Kathleen,

residents of Menands, of Menands, of

Victoria Abdulla ’07, Development Assistant, Development Assistant, Development and Janice Goca, Assistant Director Assistant Director Assistant of Director of Director Alumni of Alumni of Relations. of your of your of class your class your notes information to your class your class your coordinator; or if or if or there if there if is no coordinator listed coordinator listed coordinator for your for your for class, your class, your

please send all information to [email protected] for posting for posting for in the magazine!

class notesA L U M N I

A Life-Changing Gift

As Dan McKillop ’69 reflected on his 40th anniversary of graduating from Siena, he wanted to make a big impact. He wanted to do something that would be life-changing for generations of Siena students to come. Dan and Irene, his wife, decided to endow a scholarship for students who might be struggling to make the dream of a Siena education a reality. “It was the best way to honor my 40th reunion,” said Dan. “I never thought that I could make such a direct impact on students’ lives, but to be able to help them join the Siena community is a wonderful feeling.”

If you’re thinking about celebrating your milestone reunion by supporting Siena students, please contact Mike Utzig, associate director of the annual fund at 518-783-2914 or [email protected].

classclassclassclassclassclassclassclassclassclassclassclassclass

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class notes 1972Jack [email protected]

1973Brian [email protected]

Greetings to all of the Siena College community — alumni, stu-dents, faculty, trustees, and friends!

We have news from two of our Class of ’73 classmates. Joseph Cardillo (B.A., English), professor of English at Hudson Valley Community College and best- selling author of the nonfiction books Be Like Water and Bow to Life, recently announced the world-wide release of his latest book, CAN I HAVE YOUR ATTENTION? How To Think Fast, Find Your Focus, and Sharpen Your Concen-tration. The book combines ancient, attention-building processes with cutting-edge attention research in psychology, neurology and biology. It presents a redefinition of atten-tion deficit and reveals a variety of natural, non-medical tools that can significantly improve anyone’s attention! Cardillo’s work has also been contracted for foreign transla-tion editions in 10 languages.

John Penzer (B.A., English) was named executive director of Shelters of Saratoga (SOS). SOS offers a broad continuum of services to the homeless and at-risk homeless, including a 19-bed homeless shelter for men and women, home repair to allow qualified individuals to remain in their homes, rapid re-housing, case management, mobile outreach and transitional living.

Class of ’73— please send me news about yourselves, and your families, too! We would love to hear about you.

1975Janet Gutowski [email protected]

1977 Linda [email protected]

Chris Madden of Callanan Industries was honored by the Commission on Independent Colleges and Universities Alumni Hall of Distinction. Honorees were recognized in an awards ceremony on March 1, 2010 at the New York State Capitol. Chris is the National Division President of Old Castle Materials, Inc., a company that produces crushed stone, asphalt and ready-mix concrete products, and is one of the largest asphalt

paving contractors in the markets in which they operate. Additionally, Chris received Siena’s Distinguished Alumni Award in 2007, which recognized his specific service contributions to improve the Siena community. Chris is married to Carleen Nelson Madden, and they have three daughters: Katharine, 20, Elizabeth, 18, and Sarah, 15.

1978 Brian Baker of Bordentown, N.J. has been granted a six-month sabbatical leave from the New Jer-sey Education Association (NJEA) to investigate the core relationship between politics and the media today and where that relationship is trending. His study will focus heav-ily on the 2008 Presidential race in which the Obama campaign tapped most effectively into the power of this “new” news media and inspired a new generation of citizens to vote for the first time. It also will consider the media’s increasing dependence on “spin” and interpre-tive commentary at the expense of hard informational content in television and radio news report-ing. A lobbyist for NJEA for 10 years, Brian will produce an internal organizational report on how the Association can best make use of new technology to support public education and to shape the political agenda in New Jersey. Prior to that, he worked as editor of NJEA’s member newspaper and as a writer/reporter for various publications in Albany, N.Y. His leave began January 1, 2010. Mark Grimm was recently named Trainer of the Year at the annual conference for the Hudson-Mohawk chapter of the American Society of Training and Develop-ment. Grimm is the founder of Mark Grimm Communications, a Guilderland firm that provides public speaking training, media re-lations and message strategy. He is a former Entrepreneur of the Year for the Guilderland Chamber of Com-merce. He is a published author, the producer/host of Siena Alumni Connection on WVCR, an adjunct media professor at Siena and a Guilderland Town Board member.

1979Sue Reilly/[email protected] Chili-Riga Town Line RoadChurchville, NY 14428585-889-2072 I recently received a lovely e-mail from classmate Elizabeth Bouchard, an English major who commuted to Siena from Latham,

where she still resides. She received her master’s in library science from SUNY Albany in 1984, and works as the catalog librarian at Bethlehem Public Library in Delmar. She is also a part-time reference librarian and archivist for Maria College in Albany. She shared a heartwarming story that I’ll let her recount in her own words: “I wanted to share how Siena came through for me recently. My father, Arthur J. Bouchard, attended Siena after he came home from serving as a combat engineer in Europe during World War II. In 2005, Dad was diagnosed with esophageal cancer and I became his primary caregiver. In 2007, we learned that the cancer had returned. I brought Dad home again, and called Community Hospice. I also called the Siena Campus Ministry and spoke with Father Kevin Daly, O.F.M. (Note: Fr. Kevin was a member of Siena’s Campus Ministry team until August 2009, when he was appointed pastor of St. Joseph’s Church in East Rutherford, N.J.) Although we belong to a local parish, I wanted to bring Dad back to Siena. I told Father Kevin the circumstances, and asked if we could use the chapel for Dad’s memorial mass. He was very gracious, and welcomed us. On April 5, 2008, the night Dad died, I called Father Kevin, and he immediately offered to come to the house for prayers and to give Dad a blessing. He was there in 10 minutes, and stayed with my family and me until after the funeral director left. We were able to have Dad’s Mass the very next Saturday at Our Lady of the Angels Chapel on the Siena campus. Father Kevin also allowed my two griev-ing nephews, Alexander, 13, and Christopher, 11, to say the eulogy for their beloved Papa. After they spoke, Father Kevin remarked that they had just done a very difficult thing, and he asked the mourners to give them a round of applause. This was a wonderful demonstra-tion of compassion for two grieving children who loved their grandfa-ther so much. Their mom, Melissa Boncordo/Bouchard ’91, is also a Siena alumna. Alexander has already made the decision that he, too, will attend Siena. Again, my utmost thanks to Father Kevin and to the Siena community for being there for all of us.” The Bouchard family has additional Siena ties. Elizabeth adds, “Dad’s younger brother, Robert Bouchard ’62, and his son, Francis Bouchard ’84, both from Waterv-liet, are also Siena graduates. Fran lives in Loudonville with his wife

and five kids, and Uncle Bob and his wife Mary Alice are retired and settled in Brant Lake.” Check out the wedding photo section for a lovely shot of Peter and Kathleen Canter Ognibene, who were featured in my last column. Also pictured is Mike Johnson, O.F.M., who performed the ceremony, and Kathy’s brother-in-law Tom Bastian ’84. Congratulations to Jane Bennett who was invited back to Siena in March to give the Annual Philoso-phy Lecture on “Green Material-ism.” Jane is a professor of political science at Johns Hopkins Univer-sity in Baltimore. She works in the fields of political theory, philosophy and ecological thought. She has authored several books, and the most recent one, Vibrant Matter: A Political Ecology of Things, was published earlier this year. In January, Jim and Lisa Calvelli/Meyer headed to the Capital District from North Carolina to

NEWSMAKER

Brian Baker ’78of Bordentown, N.J. has been

granted a sabbatical leave from the New Jersey

Education Association to investigate the core

relationship between politics and the media today

NEWSMAKER

Chris Madden ’77of Callanan Industries was

honored by the Commission on Independent Colleges and Universities Alumni Hall of

Distinction

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check in with their son Paul, who is undergoing nuclear reactor training at a U.S. Navy facility in Saratoga. Other than the adjustment to winter driving, Paul was doing well and will join the naval fleet sometime in the fall, possibly in Guam. The entire Meyer family, including daughter Jessica, visited with Jim and Lisa’s old college buddies, John Corbett ’78, Jeff and Anna Famosi/Rougeau ’78, at the Log Jam Restaurant in Lake George. Lisa reported that her kids really enjoyed tales of the Swamp Boys and 3W girls. They also enjoyed hearing that their dad was actu-ally a bio major at one time, had a good vertical leap and had taken the month of October off in his junior year, along with Jeff and Corb! Lisa said that, although they had not seen each other in 20 years, it was like no time had passed, with much reminiscing about “shopping cart races in the hallways, the day Mary Cronin/Buser and I filled the ‘Jeffs’ (Rougeau and Naughton ’78) room with leaves and the wooden scaffold campfire one long week-end. Jeff and Anna are grandparents, and their oldest daughter turned 30 the day we saw them.” Lisa continued, “We visited Siena—took a short stroll around campus and walked into the chapel. There was a friar there who updated us on all the changes since we left. That was fortunate because the chapel looked nothing like it did when we were there. Jim thought maybe he partied more than he thought he had, but the friar told us the story about the fire and subsequent renovation. The campus looked great and we look forward to returning north when the weather is better and maybe having a chance on our next trip to catch up with Connie Cahill Sise and Dave Smith.”

Let this column inspire you to share your favorite Siena moments—past or present—with your classmates. Keep the info com-ing. Thanks to all!

1980Diane [email protected] After graduating from Siena, Christopher C. Robinson received his M.A. from SUNY Albany and the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and his Ph.D. from SUNY Albany. He has been a member of the Clarkson faculty since 1998 and is also co-host of North Country Public Radio’s Readers and Writ-ers on the Air. He is an assistant professor of political science at Clarkson University. Chris recently authored a book titled Wittgenstein and Political Theory: The View from Somewhere, which discusses the philosopher, Ludwig Wittgenstein, and his approach to politics.

1982 Bob [email protected]

1983Elvira [email protected] Wyatt RdGarden City, NY 11530 Hey, all. I am submitting my column on the eve of the Big Dance, and I have my fingers crossed for the Saints to make it to the Sweet Sixteen. I have a few updates: Keith Miner received the Peter J. Mancinelli Small Office Post-master of the Year Award for the Westchester District of the United States Postal Service. Keith has been with the Postal Service since 1988 and is the Postmaster of Glenford, N.Y. Keith and his wife Lorraine Clyne/Miner ’84 are also pleased to announce that their daughter, Victoria, has been accepted as a bi-ology major into the Siena Class of 2014. Victoria joins a few other 1983 kids to join the Siena ranks. I also heard from John Walker who was also excited about the Saints’ third appearance in the NCAA Tourna-ment in as many years. John started a new position as chief medical of-ficer for Cornerstone Healthcare, a 150-doctor, multispecialty group in the Piedmont Triad region of North Carolina. John says that it is differ-ent from what he was doing, but he is using a lot of the skills he learned as a resident assistant at Siena. I would like to remind everyone about the Class of 1983 50th birth-day party to be held in NYC on

Saturday evening, October 28, 2011. More information will be available soon, but save the date, and spread the word. If you want to be kept in the loop about the 50th birthday party, and anything else going on, please e-mail me at the above address and we will add your name to the e-mail blast. To keep us in the spirit of the basketball triumphs of the current Saints, shout-outs will go to some former INDIANS: Mary Gaudreau, Tom Roginski, Katy Sturgis, Mark Dufort, Angela Fedullo, Rod Mullin and Joan Nowak. Where are you all, and what are you up to? The former TeePee Rowdies from the Class of ’83 want to know.

1984Lisa San Fratello/[email protected] 305 The ParkwayIthaca, NY 14853 Now that we have everything straightened out with my e-mail address, I hope I will be able to fill our column up with more news from our class. Our 25th reunion last June was a great success, and it was fantastic catching up with every-one. I think it was great for everyone who came because the weekend brought back such great memories of past parties at Siena. Thank you to Maureen Rossi/Morgan and Maureen Morris for sending me pictures from the reunion. Please send me anything you want shared about your time at the reunion, or where you are now. It was great seeing Bob Walsh and Mary McGuire/Walsh, Hummer Morgan and Maureen Rossi/ Morgan, Judy McGrath/Chidester, Rick O’Brien, Mary Byrne, Mary Reeves/Hayes, Lisa Apuzzi/Caldwell, Sue D’Angelo, Caroline LaVelle, Tom MacKay and Paula Daiuto/MacKay, Bob McLoughlin, Sean Doolan, Mike Fitzgerald, Dave Miller and Mike Connell (whom we haven’t forgiven for starting the Jameson’s!). On a personal note, I have my oldest daughter graduating from high school and heading off to col-lege in the fall. I know some of you have been through this but she is our first. She loved Siena but has chosen Stonehill College. At least it is close to my brother, Mary Reeves/Hayes and Sue D’Angelo. I am counting on all of you to look after her! If you know of any other classmates whom you would like to contact or anything you want to share, please write me and I’ll be sure to answer you.

1985Catherine and Ron [email protected] Stevens LaneTabernacle, NJ 08088-9744 Moving on up!Anne Gasperini/Colucci of Quorum Federal Credit Union in Purchase, N.Y., was recently pro-moted to senior vice president and chief financial officer. Anne began her career with the White Plains, N.Y. office of Ernst & Young immediately after graduation and received her CPA certification in New York soon thereafter. Anne also worked at Fishkill National Bank and Trust Company and Mahopac National Bank before joining Quorum. Anne has worked at the Credit Union for 15 years, beginning her tenure as comptroller and earning a promotion to vice president of finance and chief financial officer in 2001. She is a member of the New York State Society of CPAs (NYSSCPA), where she served as a board member in the Westchester Chapter from 2001–2006. She is also a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA). Anne lives in White Plains with her husband and two children and volunteers for numer-ous activities within the church and community. Ring, ring…Ron Bjorklund, along with a few current Siena finance students and Board of Trustees members, rang the opening bell with Trustco Bank on the NASDAQ stock exchange on February 2, 2010. Siena networking pays off!After being laid off in February 2009 in these tough economic times, Brian Ranagan searched for months for a job. It was network-ing with some of his classmates that made all the difference. Kevin Maguire ’82 had sent Brian’s resume to his brother’s friend, and Brian subsequently went on a series of interviews. Brian was hired for a company called Unified Resources in Display as an account executive. As Brian said “You should take ad-vantage of your classmates and the networking that Siena provides!” Like father, like sonMatt Pastore is following in his father Rob Pastore’s footsteps, and is playing rugby as a freshman for Siena. Countdown to reunionGathering at the men’s basketball game on January 9, 2010 to discuss upcoming reunion plans and also

NEWSMAKER

Anne Gasperini/Colucci ’85of Quorum Federal Credit Union in Purchase, N.Y., was recently promoted to senior vice president and

chief financial officer

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just to have a great time were Brian Ranagan, Tom Joyce, Susan Cronin, Ellen McCarthy/Guerin, Kathy Casscells/Hanlon, Paul and Mary Beth Finnerty, Sean Stack, Dom Sabatino, Susan O’Connor/Coyne and her husband Jim Coyne ’84, Steve Hart, Chris Rosetti along with ’84 friends Bill and Maureen Morgan and Bob and Mary Walsh. Sharing the Siena spiritTom (Bo) Kelly and four other New Jersey businessmen went on a humanitarian mission to Haiti to help build housing for orphanages. Tom was fortunate to have returned to New Jersey the day before the earthquake struck in January, but his friends were there and stranded for several days. Myles Birrittella and wife Robin made a surprise visit to the Alumni Office in February. They are busy with their six teenage children and are planning a mission trip to El Salvador with their family. Back to schoolOn March 15, Brian Jennings returned to the Siena College campus to participate in the School of Business Lecture Series. During his lecture to about 80 business students, he spoke about his position as executive vice president of marketing at the NHL (National Hockey League) and his accom-plishments since working there.

1987 Geraldine “Gerry” [email protected] Thayer StAbington, MA 02351508-335-7744

1988 Paula [email protected] Recently, I heard from Donna Geronimo/McGregor who is living in Hopewell Junction with her husband, Thomas, and twin sons Matthew and Kyle, who are 8 years old. She is keeping very busy as a mom, and in her career as president/chief executive officer of the Putnam Hospital Center in Carmel, N.Y., a position she has held since 2007. Donna really enjoys the many challenges of balancing a demanding and very rewarding career and a wonderful family! Bill Andrews and his wife Faye Corey/Andrews are living in the Albany area with their two children, Emily and Rick. While enjoying his career in law, Bill also enjoys life as a dad. He

spends hours at the hockey rink, freezing and watching youth hockey games. He has lots of fun being his son’s den leader for the Cub Scouts. Bill has also done a few things with the Siena’s Pre-Law Mentoring Society. With summer approaching, please send me info on your travels and gatherings with Siena friends.

1989Mike [email protected] 10th StreetBethlehem, PA 18020610-737-1147 I write to you with sad news regarding a member of our class from her friend, also of the Class of 1989. I received the following from Mary Johnson/Ryan, and I am including it as I received it. “It is with great sadness that I am writing to report of the passing of my Siena College roommate, Tracy Pleva/Hill. Tracy left us in body in February 2009 after a nine-year battle with breast cancer. Diag-nosed at age 32, Tracy did not back down from the disease but met it head on with strength, tenacity and even humor. She said that the disease would have to fight for every bit it took from her, and truer words were never spoken. Tracy continued to live life to the fullest, including riding a Harley Davidson motorcycle across the UK on her 40th birthday. Always a devoted, loving wife and mother, as well as a working woman, she added advocate, spokeswoman, counselor, mentor and inspiration to her resume. Tracy was an advocate for the Young Survival Coalition, an organization dedicated to young women with breast cancer. She even allowed cameras to follow her around in two documentaries which chronicled the lives, hopes, dreams and fears of women living with breast cancer. They are called “Fighting for Our Future” and “The Beautiful Eight.” She served on various boards and panels and was always willing to share herself by counseling women diagnosed with breast cancer. She also authored a blog which she used to share her personal insights, trials, joys and humor that touched, comforted and inspired countless people. This truly exemplified the Siena spirit! Tracy is no longer with us, but she lives on in the hearts of all of those fortunate enough to have been touched by her. My friend and inspiration — Tracy Pleva/Hill 1967– 2009.”

I also received information about Mrs. V. For all of us who lived on-campus and frequented Serra Hall, Mrs. V was someone whom you could not forget. She worked for Siena for over 31 years, and I am sure she had an impact on many of the students before and after the class of 1989. She passed on January 9, 2010. Our thoughts and prayers go out to her family. Please think of your fellow classmates and send your updates to [email protected]. Also, as mentioned in the last newslet-ter, a Facebook group now exists for the Siena College Class of 1989 alumni, so check it out. Starting with this article, I will post the news article when the newsletter arrives to the Facebook group.

1990Janet Shotter/[email protected] Reunion time is just around the corner! I am really excited to bring my family to campus in the hopes that one (or all) of my children will someday be Siena students. I just reconnected with Kerri Hunt/ Donovan through Facebook. She is living in Columbus, Ohio. Kerri has two children, and she says she is “living the dream.” I understand she baked a lot of Irish soda bread during St. Patrick’s week! I also just heard from Jennifer Lombardi/Nebraska who, funny enough, lives about a mile from Kerri, which they just recently discovered. Jennifer and Paul Nebraska have been married for 18 years! They have lived in Ohio for 8 1/2 years, and prior to that, lived in San Francisco. Paul has worked for Travelers (formerly Aetna) for 20 years. They have two children, Ryan, in 7th grade, and Emily, in 4th grade. Chris Repetto mentioned that Raisin Cain and The Throwbacks are booked for the Saturday picnic during reunion weekend, so be sure to watch for more details on that. Frederick Keator has just been recognized as one of the Top Financial Advisors in the Country and the State of Massachusetts. Additionally, Frederick is serving as a member of the Franciscan Vol-unteer Ministry (FVM) Associate Board. He was first introduced to the FVM through Siena in 1989 dur-ing the inception of the program. That’s all I have for now, so find me on Facebook, or send me an e-mail to update us all on what you’ve been up to. Hope to catch up with you in June.

1991Kevin [email protected] I heard from Stacey Thompson/McCuin last month. It was great to catch up and hear about her journey since Siena. After teaching Spanish in Johnstown and Mt. Kisco, N.Y. for almost 10 years, she moved to Massachusetts and became an Army wife. Her husband, Tom, has been deployed to Afghanistan twice, conveniently leaving her with month-old infants each time. They live in Alexandria, Va., with their three children: Aine (born in 2002), Sean (born in 2004) and Norah (born in 2007). Thanks for the update, Stacey, and all our prayers to Tom in his endeavors. I also got to catch up with Ron Tumsuden. He is living in New York City with his wife and new baby. Ron just started his own company integrating security systems and importing LED lighting fixtures from Italy. If you have an interest in doing business, let me know, and I’ll connect you to Ron through e-mail. He also reported a recent Bob Burke sight-ing in New York City with a group of Siena friends. John Riley responded to my shout-out in the last issue. He and his wife Sue Reh/Riley and good friends Dom and Sharmela Chandlall/Myrand recently attended a Siena basketball game where Tom Huerter was announc-ing the game. They were quickly brought back to the days of our first NCAA tournament visit and the great time that was. (As I write this, we are headed there again!). John and Sue live in New York where John is the associate dean of finance for the School of Medicine at Stony Brook University and Sue teaches pre-kindergarten.

NEWSMAKER

Frederick Keator ’90was just recognized as one

of the Top Financial Advisors in the Country and

the State of Massachusetts

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Keep the updates coming. And for next issue, let’s hear from Bob Burke (since you have a sighting, I can’t let you off the hook yet), Tony Di Leo and Pat Mc Kenna. All the best!

1992 Mary Pat McLoughlin/Holler [email protected]

Jill Steenburgh/Becker contact-ed me to let us know that after years of working as an executive recruiter and staying home with her children, she graduated in December with an M.S. in childhood education (grades 1-6) from Sage Graduate School. She is currently working as a sub, and promises to update us when she gets a permanent position. And now since issues and issues have passed with no updates, I, too, will join friends from years before and after us (Sue and Kevin) and give the shout-out! So Townhouse 2, 4, 9, 12 and 24, what are you up to? Please e-mail me and let me know. I really want more to report for each issue.

1993 Susan Hannon [email protected] W 252nd StreetRiverdale, NY 10471917-796-2085

Happy spring everyone! I sit here on the eve of the Saints/Purdue game in the NCAA basketball tournament. I have picked the Saints to make the Sweet Sixteen. Hope my prediction came true! Here are the updates: Gerri Hutchings/Bock wanted you all to know that her third daughter, Annabelle Elizabeth, joined their clan last April. Her big sisters Lila and Emily were thrilled to meet her, and now the house is full of toys and real Barbies and princesses. Gerri has been living in Northern California for almost four years with her husband, Laszlo, who works for Google. Since relocating, she has been a stay at home mom and keeps up with most of her townhouse mates on Facebook. According to Gerri “college was such a fun time and it seems so long ago.” It certainly was! Anyone else want to go back to those days? Some sad news was sent to me byLisa Bianco/Clarke, class of 1994. Angela Panzeca/McCarthy passed away last December. She suffered from cancer for four years, and left behind a 5-year old daughter, Jenna. Please keep her and her family inyour prayers.

Lori Bubb/Mackey has moved again. You can now find her in Crozet, Va. And finally, Karen Martino/Steinmetz filled me in on her life. Karen and her husband and two daughters (who are 5 and 7) live in Rhode Island, where she is a physician assistant, practicing cardiology. Her Siena roommate, Teresita Smith/Hamilton, who is a family practice doctor, lives just 15 minutes away with her husband and three daughters (who are 2, 4, and 6). Bet you thought that jobs and family would keep them busy enough. Not the case. Their “hobby” is competing in middle-distance triathlons! According to Karen, the husbands and five girls can be found at the finish lines with shirts that say, “Mommy swim. Mommy bike. Mommy run.” How cool is that?! Good luck in the next race, Karen and Teresita! Ok, that’s all for now. Have a great rest of the spring and enjoyable relaxing summer! This issue’s shout-outs go to: Tom Cassidy — what are you up to? How about Steve Downey? Tom Lawless? Karen Murray — what’s up with you and Steve? If you respond, it will take care of two alumni!

1994Glenn [email protected] Kellogg StreetBrookfield, CT 06804 I would like to begin with the happy news – on February 13, 2010, Kyle Howard married Stacy de Boom at the Indian Wells Country Club in Indian Wells, Calif. I had the honor of serving as best man, and enjoyed having the opportunity to share in their special day at this magnificent California desert location. Siena was well represented, even as a snowstorm threatened many flights leaving the east coast. Congratulations and all the best for a lifetime of happiness together, Kyle and Stacy! Chris Thestrup and his wife Nichole are proud to announce the birth of their second child, Nicholas Dennis, who was born on December 15, 2009. Nicholas joins big brother Ricky, who just turned 2 in April. I am quite saddened to make my final announcement and do so with a heavy heart. Our classmate Andrew Martin passed away suddenly in January. After graduating from Siena, Andrew received his law degree from Albany Law School in 1997. After law school, he accepted a position

with the Rensselaer County District Attorney’s Office, where he became bureau chief of the Drug and DWI Unit. After ten years with the District Attorney’s office, he entered private practice as an accomplished attorney, and was most recently at the NYS Education Department. I met Andrew on our first day at Siena back in 1990, and remained friends throughout our Siena days. I will always look back and smile at the many fond memories I have of spending time with Andrew and everyone from our wing during those two years living in the basement of Ryan Hall. I remember him as a truly great guy with a big heart whom you could always count on. He was always fun to be around, and could engage you in a riveting conversation about just about anything. Andrew loved Siena, and worked vigorously on behalf of his fellow classmates in the student senate. I will always keep a piece of Andrew in my heart, and be grateful for how he touched my life. We’ll miss you Andrew. You left us too soon. If you are interested in making a contribution to create a lasting memorial for Andrew at Siena, please contact me. 1995 Neil [email protected] Mathis & Gary, LLP100 Galleria Parkway, Suite 1600Atlanta, GA 30339770-818-1430 On November 28, 2009, Mark O’Brien married Katie Dugger in Tampa, Fla. In attendance at the wedding were officiant, Father Sean O’Brien (former Siena professor), and groomsmen, Mike “Rookie” Ryan and Casey Cook ’94. Congratulations to the happy couple.

1996 Brian [email protected]@betterbackschiropractic.com614-270-6003 Northwestern Mutual employee Allessandro Tronco of Cohoes has been honored with the company’s 2010 Eastern Region Top 10 Award. The honor recognizes him for an outstanding year of performance with Northwestern Mutual.

1997 Selena [email protected][email protected]

1998Janine Trapp/Scotti, [email protected] Looks like spring is just around the corner, and not a minute too soon! We have lots of little ones to announce in this issue. Kimber Lewis/Monroe and her husband, Brian, welcomed their third child, Gwen, on December 1, 2009. Gwen joins siblings Lance, 3, and Paige, 2. Milena Perna/Scalzo and her husband, Jon Scalzo, welcomed Giana Isabel on January 25, 2009. Giana joins big sister, Sofia, who is thrilled to have a new sister. Congratulations to both families! Please keep the news coming, Class of ’98!

1999Brendan [email protected] By the time you read this, I will have turned 33, and probably most of you are right there with me. We’re 11 years out of col-lege, holding down jobs, paying mortgages and daycare bills, and, in many cases, responsible now for lives other than our own. What the heck happened?! Where are the days when beers before noon were OK, and movie quotes were a second lan-guage? I bet many of you have now graduated from war stories to day dreams about explaining to your sons and daughters and nieces and nephews why it will be important to study hard and get the most out of college. And speaking of some folks who definitely have a few of those chats in their future, the Siena fam-ily grows! At least that’s the news this quarter from Bryan Treharne and Devon Couden/Treharne, who welcomed Brady Andrew Treharne on January 7, 2010. Brady joins his 4-year-old brother, James, and 2-year-old sister, Reagan, to make the Treharnes a family of five! Also, Karen Henry/Sutphin gleefully announces that she and her husband John Sutphin had a daughter, Lucy Katherine on September 11, 2009. She is their second child, joining her brother George Henry, who turned 4 in March. How about Deirdre Sheehy/Pashley and her husband, Eric? They welcomed their first child, Aidan Roberts, on July 10, 2009. Deirdre says the experi-ence of seeing the world through Aidan’s eyes has been indescribably wonderful! And Elaine DiDonato/

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Sheridan and her husband, Brian, are thrilled to announce the arrival of their daughter, Alivia Grace, who was born on February 25, 2010. Congratulations to all of you first-time parents, and you brave families having second and third additions!

2000Shaymus R. [email protected] Sherman Ave.Troy, NY 12180518-727-3392

2001 Maura [email protected]

’Tis the notes section of classmates’ birth announcements! Congratulations to Karen Musa/Izzo. She and her husband, Thaddeus, were married in Saratoga on February 10, 2007, and celebrated the birth of their daugh-ter, Grace Katherine Izzo, on February 8, 2010. Karen is working as a school counselor at Northville Central School, and the Izzos reside in Northville, N.Y.

I recently heard Janelle Murray/Lyons’ great news. She and her hus-band, Joe, welcomed a son, Tyler Joseph Lyons, on July 31, 2009!

Also, it was exciting to hear from Carrie Blasi/Ellis, that she and her husband, Alan Ellis ’00, welcomed their daughter, Christine Elizabeth, on October 1, 2009.

I was also happy to hear from Erin Quinn/Vargo. She and her husband, Tom, wanted to share their joyous news with the Siena community that they welcomed their first child, Emmet Thomas, on January 8, 2010, weighing 8 pounds, 9 ounces, and measuring 21.5 inches long.

Congratulations to classmates, Jen Quinn/DeMarco and Joe DeMarco, who recently launched their own business, Local Barre, at Maxwell Place in Hoboken, N.J. Local Barre is a studio that features a fusion of ballet fundamentals, core conditioning, yoga and stretching for a total body workout. I wish I lived closer so that I could take advantage. As if that won’t keep the DeMarcos busy enough, they also welcomed their son, Joseph William DeMarco, on February 28, 2010, weighing 8 pounds, 11 ounces.

Wishing all these new parents best wishes and sleep!

It was great to hear from so many of you this time around, and hope to hear from even more of you soon.

2002 Christine Cinnamond [email protected] 646-942-0970 In May of 2009, Kelly Anne Goodwin earned a master’s degree in applied linguistics with an ad-ditional teaching certificate in ESL (English as a Second Language) from New Jersey’s Montclair State University and is pursuing a supervisor certificate from Rutgers University. She is teaching ESL in grades K-8, and elementary Spanish in Allendale, N.J., while also choreographing summer and spring musical productions. Congratulations! And now a message from Kelly Anne that we can all agree with: “I miss my days at Siena and all of the fun times a lot. I wish all of my fellow members of the Class of 2002 health and happiness!” Congratulations to Samuel Zimmerman! He recently started a new position as financial advisor at Morgan Stanley Smith Barney in Niskayuna, N.Y. Brie Brolley/Ellwood and her husband Brian welcomed Jake Christian Ellwood on July 28, 2009. Jake joins his 4-year-old sister, Haylee. Congratulations, Brie!

2003Gina [email protected] The Class of 2003 has been a little quiet this quarter; however, we do have a few announcements. Jessica Hurlbut married Tom Tortora ’02 on November 7, 2009. Check out the picture included in this issue! Andrew Nikola was selected to receive the Forty Under 40 “Shaker Award,” courtesy of the Greater Southern Dutchess Chamber of Commerce. The goal of this program is to recognize 40 people under the age of 40, who are committed to shaping this region of New York State, making it a better place for everyone. It also recognizes those individuals who have taken on decision-making roles at an exceptionally early stage in their lives. We would love to hear more news for next time, so if you have an important event coming up, please remember to tell your fellow alumni about it!

2004Jolleen [email protected] Class of 2004, how are you? The Saints went a’marching at the

tourney … were YOU there? Let us know. Our very own Ken Jubie was in attendance, cheering loudly while representing not only our class, but also the entire Siena community as the Siena College media relations specialist. By way of weddings, there is some news to share from our classmates Megan Coyne, Andrea Disponzio, Michael Stabile and Kelly A. Collins. Megan Coyne married Joe Heegan in September of 2008. The two wed in the presence of 18 of our classmates at the Crescent Beach Club on Long Island and are currently living in Brooklyn. Andrea Disponzio and Michael Stabile were married this past July at Carlyle on the Green in Bethpage State Park on Long Island. Kelly A. Collins married Daniel T. Webster, an Albany police officer, on August 8, 2009. Kelly is a 4th grade teacher in the Watervliet School District. Her sister, Kathleen Collins ’12 served as maid of honor, and Erin Cassidy ’03 was a bridesmaid. Congrats and best wishes Megan and Joe, Andrea and Michael and Kelly and Daniel. May your marriages be filled with blessings and adventures. More congrats go out to Paul Oliver and his wife, Jennifer, who had their first child, Matthew Oliver, on October 8, 2009.

2005Breanne [email protected]

Hello, all! Spring has sprung and so has the season of weddings and engagements! We have a few Class of 2005 weddings to announce in this issue. This past summer, Amy Fortnam and Ryan Pine were married August 15, 2009. Marisa Nicotera and Brett Cardillo were also married last summer on July 25, 2009 in Utica, N.Y. Marisa’s roommates, Kacie Daley, Amanda Daniels and Heather Budney/Stoja were all bridesmaids.

Another class couple, Jennifer Longobardi and Bryan Cox were married on September 25, 2009. The couple met during their freshman year and dated throughout all four years at Siena. Jennifer and Bryan were married in the bride’s hometown of Highland Mills at St. Patrick’s Church, where Fr. Kevin Mackin, O.F.M. officiated and Br. Michael Harlan, O.F.M., assisted during their ceremony. Their reception followed at the Pleasantdale Chateau in West Orange, N.J. The couple lives and works in

Manhattan. Please be sure to check out all of their beautiful wedding photos at the end of this issue! One of our own, Katie Cardus received an early Christmas present this year! Katie’s new fiancé, Jonathon Spiegel, popped the question on Christmas Eve, and they are planning the wedding of their dreams for May 2011. In addition, this May Katie will have completed her Teach for America service and will have her masters of teaching in secondary mathematics. Many of Katie’s friends from Siena will be bridesmaids in the wedding. They include: Josie Orsini, Margarite Benevento, Deirdre Gilfeather and Marisa Luvera ’06. Congratulations to all! Just a reminder that our reunion is quickly approaching on June 4-5th! Please keep a lookout for information in the mail, as well as online at www.siena.edu. We hope to see as many of you there as possible, so please mark your calendars early! If you have any questions or would like to get involved, please feel free to e-mail me at the address above or Mike Utzig at [email protected]. Please keep the e-mails coming. It is great to hear from all of you! Enjoy the upcoming beautiful weather!

2006Chris [email protected] Boland [email protected] Class of 2006, HOW ARE YA?! We hope that by the time you read this, you have all thawed out from the brutal winter months (especially the N.Y. metro residents) and are enjoying some warmer weather! We have many exciting things to share with you this quarter, which would not have been possible without the awesome assistance of a couple of our classmates. We start with exciting news from our fellow pre-med classmates (and upcoming 2010 graduates from Albany Medical College). After several months of anticipation, the long awaited residency job placement list was announced on March 18, 2010. The list is as follows (Name/Department Placement/Location): Karen Patricia/Pediatrics/Baylor College, Houston, Texas; Melissa Krueger/Psychiatry/SUNY Buffalo, N.Y.; Greg Perry/Emergency Medi-cine/SUNY Buffalo, N.Y.; Dave Auringer/Ophthamology/Albany Medical Center, Albany, N.Y.; Kerry Barba/Internal Medicine/

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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 current address, phone number and e-mail to [email protected] today!

In Memory:Siena College mourns the loss of the following members of our community.

Joseph W. Kennedy ’41

William F. Leikhim ’41

John J. Noonan ’41

Edwin C. Rado ’42

Thomas F. Connell, III ’47

Arthur Acosta ’48

Otto Ciavardoni ’49

Abram Cuttler ’49

John P. Ryan ’49

John R. Allen ’50

Charles J. Nardiello ’50

Frank Lo Giudice ’51

Jeremy M. Lynch ’53

Nathan P. Wild, Jr. ’55

Dorothy Van Sleet Buff ’55

Richard J. Lukasiewic ’59

Theodore Hajos ’62

Walter LeClair ’62

Dan Di Nicola ’63

Joseph C. Forman ’63

James T. O’Brien ’64

Lawrence T. DiStefano ’65

Richard Fletcher ’66

Wallace Donnelly ’68

Pete DeGaetano ’68

William Keon ’68

Peter J. Meehan ’69

William Thompson ’70

Mark David Kramer ’81

Anthony Labruzzo ’83

Patrick D. Visker ’85

Daniel E. Bohl ’89

Tracy Pleva/Hill ’89

Angela Panzeca/ McCarthy ’93

Andrew M. Martin ’94

NEWSMAKERS

Siena Class of 2006 Albany Medical College Class of 2010 (Congratulations!)

Albany Medical Center, Albany, N.Y.; Justin DeWillers/Emer-gency Medicine/Strong Memorial Hospital, Rochester, N.Y.; Doug Fair/Pediatrics/University of Texas-Southwestern, Austin, TX; Liz Hubbard/Orthopedic Surgery/Duke University, Durham, N.C.; Alex Leahey/Internal Medicine/Portland, Oregon; Shyama Mathews/OBGYN/Lenox Hill, New York City; Joe Skowronek/Anesthesiology/Georgetown University, Washington, D.C. Congratulations, Doctors! Be sure to let us know how you make out! We would like to thank Karen Patricia for compiling this list and sending it in. Please be sure to check out the picture of our Albany Medical College grads above. In the industry of law, Carl Falotico graduated from law school and is now working in the Schenectady County District Attorney’s Office as an assistant district attorney. Shauna Farrell has passed both New York State and New Jersey State Bar examinations and is working as an assistant district attorney for Suffolk County on Long Island. Shauna was also nice enough to gather and send in this next batch of ’06 news! Thanks Shauna! Congratulations and best of luck! In wedding news, Kathleen Brennan and Christopher Karam ’05 are engaged to be wed on December 31, 2010. Kathleen recently received a promotion from the Nestlé Company, where she has worked for over three years. Bridget Tobin and Anthony Kos will be married on July 17, 2010, and they just purchased their first home in Northport, N.Y. Kimberely Burns/Orth and Eric Orth will be celebrating their one

year wedding anniversary this May. They recently purchased their first home in St. James, N.Y. Shauna also reported the following job news: Tricia Eldred was recently promoted at Price Waterhouse Coopers. She is currently living in New York City and completed the 2009 ING New York City Marathon. Jennifer Kratochvil is also living in New York City, and has been working in the Marketing Department of InStyle Magazine for three years. Amy Jordan is currently residing in Albany, N.Y. and is an accountant at the CPA firm Marvin & Co. She is also working towards getting her CPA. This quarter has proven again to be a great share of news and events from our class, which of course continues to make this column interesting and exciting to read! If you have recently contributed to our space, we ask that you either send us a new update, urge your friends to share their news for the first time, or collect a pile of news from your friends and send it in yourself! Enjoy the warm weather! We will now leave you with a quick editors’ note: There is ONE YEAR left until our 5 YEAR REUNION! BOOM!

2007Sean [email protected] Box 11222Loudonville, NY 12211Michael [email protected] Greetings, Class of 2007! With the excitement of the Saints NCAA run, the blush of spring behind us and summer ahead of us, the Siena Class of 2007 continues to make news of its own. Case in point, here’s some news that was recently shared by some of our alumni.

Amanda Benvenuto shared that she recently started a new job at the New York State Department of Tax and Finance. Way to go, Amanda! Alexandria Latina reports that she is doing well. Currently she is working as a team leader/member service manager for the member solutions center at SEFCU credit union. She further reports that she recently bought a house and that she plans to wed this September. Congratulations! Since graduation, Stephanie Richter is a member of the Community Relations team at Northeast Parent & Child Society, a large nonprofit organization based in Schenectady. This February, she was promoted to director of development and communications. She is engaged to Andrew Douglas and will be married in October of this year. Andrew, a professional bagpiper with a school in Albany, is Pipe Major of the Oran Mor Pipe Band. If you were ever up early enough on a Sunday morning and ventured down to campus from the townhouses, you might have heard the band practicing in Foy Hall. Andrew and Stephanie met through her very good friend and former Siena student, Eric MacNeill, who is lead drummer in the band. Best wishes for the summer and keep us posted with your great news for the fall!

2008Danielle GrassoPatrick [email protected] 2009Tiffany [email protected] Hello Class of 2009. Hope you all got to see Siena becoming this year’s MAAC champions. It has been one year since we graduated and it is great that we still support Siena in every way. Go Saints! Congratulations Vic Cristiano, who was recently hired by Siena to serve as assistant director of the annual fund dealing with young alumni giving. “I am excited to be back at Siena working with the annual fund. In my four years here as a student, the Siena College community gave me so much. I am happy to be giving back to a com-munity that has done so much for me,” said Vic Cristiano. I hope you all are enjoying the warm weather! Please e-mail me anytime at [email protected] to share any news with our class.

weddings

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Jennifer Longobardi ’05 and Bryan Cox ’05 were married

on September 25, 2009.

Kelly A. Collins ’04 married Daniel T. Webster

on August 8, 2009.

When submitting wedding photos to the magazine please make sure they are 300 dpi. If you have any questions please contact [email protected].

Andrea Disponzio ’04 and Michael Stabile ’04

were married this past July.

weddings

Amy Fortnam ’05 and Ryan Pine ’05 were married on August 15, 2009.

Jessica Hurlbut ’03 and Tom Tortora ’02 were married

on November 7, 2009.

Webster

Marisa Nicotera ’05 and Brett Cardillo were

married on July 25, 2009 in Utica, N.Y.

Peter Ognibene ’79 and Kathleen Canter ’79 got

married on October 10, 2009 at St. Camillus

Church in nearby Silver Spring, Maryland.

Mike Johnson, O.F.M. (class of ‘79) officiated.

Megan Coyne ’04 married Joe Heegan in September of 2008.

Mark O’Brien ’95 married his wife, Katie, on November 28, 2009 in Tampa, Fla.

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A Gift to the Annual Fund Supports Every Aspect of the Siena Experience

Even a small gift can make a big difference. Please considering giving to Siena College.

515 Loudon RoadLoudonville, NY 12211

Make a gift online: Use the secure online form to make your gift with your credit card at www.siena.edu/AnnualFund

Mail a check to: Siena College Annual Fund The Annual Fund Office 515 Loudon Road Loudonville, NY 12211

Call:1-888-SIENA4U (1-888-743-6248) to give your credit card information to the Annual Fund staff.

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Siena News Spring 2010

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Transcript of Siena News Spring 2010