The Spring 2011

The Magazine of Hartwick College

Making an Impact
Guiding Eyes for the Blind

January Term 2011: Changing Perspectives

Head Coach Dale Rothenberger:

400 Wins and a Life in Balance
 Giving
Back
At 2:30 p.m. on May 27, 1973, Carolyn (Van Eps) Brian Terbush ’11, this year’s recipient of the award (below, with childern
in Thailand)—have the means to embrace each opportunity Hartwick has
Paul graduated from Hartwick in a celebration of four to offer.
years of hard work. At 7 p.m. that same day, she and
Chuck Paul ’72 were married in Shineman Chapel Brian will graduate
by Professor of Religious Studies Dr. Robert E. this May with a
degree in Geology,
Mansbach. but his time at
Hartwick has taken
“It was a very emotional ceremony,” Chuck says, “I think for him as much as
him far beyond his
for us.”
chosen field. He
has taken courses in
The wedding marked more than a traditional transition to married life. It was
creative writing and
a celebration of the love, respect, and friendships fostered during the Pauls’
math for the pure
time at Hartwick, and a moment when a proud professor and mentor became
joy of exploring new
a lifelong friend.
subjects. He has
served as president
It was this connection with Mansbach—forged out of difficult, yet
of Habitat for
rewarding, classes and countless hours spent discussing religion, ethics,
Humanity, taking four trips across the United States to build homes. He has
philosophy, and life—that prompted Chuck and Carolyn to establish
furthered his love of music as a member of Hartwick’s a cappella group, Not
Hartwick’s Robert E. Mansbach Scholarship.
So Sharp. And because of the tuition credit awarded through the Robert
E. Mansbach Scholarship, Brian was able to take a January Term trip to
“I worked hard in [Mansbach’s] classes. He epitomizes the liberal arts
Thailand this year.
philosophy and what Hartwick is about,” Chuck says.
“I think encouraging students to embrace the liberals arts philosophy is a
Establishing the scholarship was the Pauls’ way of not only expressing
very worthwhile cause,” he says. “I believe every new experience can help
their gratitude for Mansbach’s continued friendship and guidance, but of
in the future. When you have the freedom to choose and explore different
guaranteeing his approach to teaching will endure. The Pauls’ appreciation
subjects, why not?”
for Mansbach’s influence in their lives means Hartwick students—including

Because of Chuck’s and Carolyn’s

generosity in establishing and For more information about,
continuing to support the Robert E. or to donate to or establish an endowed
scholarship at Hartwick, contact
Mansbach Scholarship, the emeritus Director of Donor Relations
professor continues to transform the Alicia Fish ’91
lives of Hartwick students today, just as at 607-431-4021 or fisha@hartwick.edu.

he did 40 years ago.

 The
Spring 2011 | Volume XLX: No. 3

EXECUTIVE EDITOR
David Conway In this issue:
EDITOR
James Jolly

FEATURE WRITER AND

Features
CONTRIBUTING EDITOR
Elizabeth Steele 3 | Leaving Our Mark 16 | Theory in Practice
MANAGING EDITOR Hartwick’s annual economic impact Students reflect on the ways in which
Jennifer Moritz on Oneonta is more than $10 million. this year’s January Term programs
GRAPHIC DESIGNER impacted their education and their
Jennifer Nichols-Stewart 8 | Breakthrough lives.
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Professor of Biology Stanley Sessions
Chris Gondek, Christopher Lott, Stanley Sessions, Mary
Vanderlaan
discusses cancer, and how Hartwick is 24 | Diving In
educating a new generation of those Four hundred wins—and a lifetime of
COPY EDITOR/MAGAZINE PRODUCTION who will treat it. impact—for Swimming & Diving Head
Kathleen Beach
Coach Dale Rothenberger.
WEB CONTENT 10 | Commentary
Stephanie Brunetta
Professor of Political Science Mary 26 | Portrait in Philanthropy
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Vanderlaan examines how Egypt’s Fran and Skip Sykes P’96 ensure
Jason Jones, Elizabeth Steele, James Jolly, Robert
youth brought about regime change. others benefit as their daughter did.
Benson, Gerry Raymonda, Ed Clough ’59, Martin Mc-
Cann P’11, Ben Wronkoski ’11, Liflander Photography,
J Term 2011 students and faculty, Elizabeth Reyes’12, 12 | Cover Story 49 | Brian Wright Honored
Cindy Allers
For 14 years, Hartwick students have Presidential medal celebrates Wright’s
EDITORIAL REVIEW BOARD been an important part of Guiding relationship with Hartwick.
Dr. Margaret L. Drugovich, President Eyes for the Blind.
Dr. Michael G. Tannenbaum, Academic Affairs
Jim Broschart, Institutional Advancement
David Conway, Enrollment Management and Marketing
Dr. Meg Nowak, Student Life
Duncan Macdonald ’78, Alumni Relations
Marketing & Communications Staff

EDITORIAL OFFICE News and Notes

Shineman Chapel House, Hartwick College,
Oneonta, NY 13820
Tel: 607-431-4038, Fax: 607-431-4025
4 | Campus News
E-mail: the_wick@hartwick.edu
Web: www.hartwick.edu 5 | Faculty News
We welcome comments on anything published in
The Wick.
6 | Athletics News
Send letters to The Wick, Hartwick College, 28 | Alumni News
PO Box 4020, Oneonta, NY 13820-4018 or
the_wick@hartwick.edu.
Letters may be edited for clarity and space. 31 | Class Notes
The Wick is published by Hartwick College, PO Box
4020, Oneonta, NY 13820-4018. Diverse views are
44 | In Memoriam
presented and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of
the editors or official policies of Hartwick College.

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 From the President

Hartwick
Education Defies
Commoditization

Photograph by Shannon DeCelle

Commodity: an economic good for which there is
demand, but which is supplied without qualitative
differentiation across a market.

Tight economic times have inspired calls for ever greater accountability in
higher education. I happen to believe this is a good thing—families should
know that their educational investment is likely to yield desired learning
outcomes (assuming purposeful effort on the part of their student). It
follows that students should only enroll in a college where their goals are
attainable. Making this “match” requires the transparency of the college, and
thoughtful deliberation by the student.
Unfortunately, the tight economy has also spawned proposals for greater
regulation, including for higher education. As is often the case, a rush to
regulatory “fixes” designed to guide errant colleges into more responsible
business practices is likely to result in additional, unnecessary, and regressive
burdens on the majority of colleges—those that act in the best interest of
their students. Increased regulatory burden brings increased cost, which
is counterproductive at a time of reduced state and federal programs that
provide direct support to students and decreases in college net revenues due
to increases in the size of college-funded aid programs.
By now, you may be wondering if I have spent too much time in Washington
in recent months. Perhaps! However, these dynamics, along with growing
educational loan debt, increasing concern about the price of education (and
a limited understanding about the cost), and the temptation to regard all
educational experiences as “the same” have resulted in an ever increasing
commoditization of education.
success and satisfaction. The impact of this experience is only fully realized
in the years after graduation, when Hartwick alumni are challenged to
be flexible in their thinking, solve novel challenges, and adapt to shifting
intellectual and practice demands.
You need only look at the educational experiences in this Wick magazine
to see that a Hartwick education defies commoditization. These are stories
of impact: Hartwick January Term experiences that change perspectives
and lives; Hartwick people like Gordie Roberts and John Johnstone, who
were changed by Hartwick and then changed the rest of us; Hartwick
supporters Fran and Skip Sykes, whose quiet support has tangibly advanced
this educational experience; record-holding coach Dale Rothenberger, who
has shaped 26 years of Hartwick swimmers, divers, and leaders; and the
ubiquitous guide dogs in training who change not only the lives of those
they go on to serve, but the lives of their Hartwick student mentors, as well.
A Hartwick College education: a commodity? Rather, the experience of a
lifetime.
Best,

Graduates of fine liberal arts colleges know their education has been
extraordinary. Preparation for a first job? Sure. But the true payoff for an
education of Hartwick’s quality is a lifetime of professional and personal

2 | The Wick | Spring 2011

Impact
A vibrant town is invaluable to a healthy college;
students, faculty, and staff are drawn to context,
as well as to campus. On balance, the College
Statement:
brings employment, investments, visitors, and
new residents to its hometown.
College and community leaders have long
Hartwick College
appreciated the interconnections. “The people
of Oneonta made a clear statement about the
and the value they placed on education when they
brought Hartwick here in 1928,” says President
City of Oneonta
Margaret L. Drugovich, citing the powerful
history between town and gown. “It was time
to update our understanding of the economic
impact of this decision.”
By Elizabeth Steele
The President initiated an economic impact
study to quantify the College’s financial impact
on greater Oneonta. Against the backdrop
of a national discussion about whether non-
profit organizations should pay tax-like fees
for services, known as PILOTS (Payments in
Lieu of Taxes), an economic impact statement
elucidates actual dollars the institution regularly
contributes to the local economy.
Recognizing the study as a perfect learning
experience for Hartwick students, Drugovich
developed a comprehensive assessment approach
with Accounting Professor Penny Wightman
and eight students in the spring of 2010.
Together, they formed an in-house research and
analysis team.
“Measuring economic impact, particularly of
not-for-profit organizations, is a very challenging
prospect; it’s not a typical undergraduate study,”
says Wightman. “These studies, by their nature,
require significant independent work. As the
study progressed it provided a peer-to-peer
exchange of ideas that allowed the students to
teach one another; I became a manager/mentor
rather than a lecturer/tester.”
Student teams developed primary data through
survey instruments assessing individuals’
spending patterns and evaluated secondary
research using college records of specific
spending and service. Hartwick’s Institutional
Review Board (IRB) approved the methodology.
“The project gave our students an opportunity
to learn invaluable research methods—
data collection, analysis, and meaningful
interpretation,” explains Drugovich. “We pursued
primary data collection rather than employing
multipliers that are often used to estimate financial
impact. The learning was richer. If we had applied
a multiplier, the impact estimate could have been at
least twice the amount we found.”
$10.3+ million
Hartwick’s annual economic impact on
Oneonta, city and town, including:
$1.85+ million
direct spending by the College, 86% to
private businesses;
$7.95+ million
personal spending on retail, restaurants,
housing, and more by employees, students,
and visitors;
$.5+ million
in non-monetary contributions through
5,662 hours of organized volunteer work
and service learning and in-kind
contributions through free access to
Hartwick library, museum, lectures, and
events. (2010 survey data and 2009 expenditure records)
Lessons learned extended well beyond the
analysis, or even the interpretation. “This study
was a rare opportunity for students to work on
an issue from the vantage point of a CEO,” says
Drugovich. “Also, our very positive relationship
with the people of Oneonta provided the context
for this exploration. On a normal day, students
and community members interact without
carefully considering the mutual benefits of this
relationship.”
The President relished this opportunity to serve
as educator, saying, “I wanted to work directly
with our students so that they could learn where
public policy and private good meet; so that
they could appreciate the power of the scholar-
practitioner approach to understanding complex
economic relationships; and so that they could
better understand how individuals impact the
community in which they live.”
The work continues; this time in evaluating the
College’s Pine Lake Environmental Campus.
Drugovich is again collaborating with Wightman
and three of the students-Cody Fiduccia ’12,
Ryan Kelly ’13, and Seth Canetto ’11-to
build on the progress made by the Pine Lake
Taskforce last year.
“The Taskforce brought us to a greater
understanding of the obstacles to fully
integrating Pine Lake into our academic
program,” says Drugovich. “The student team
is now detailing revenues and expenses, and
looking at opportunities for a more expansive use
of Pine Lake, both within the academic program
and outside of it.”
Spring 2011 | The Wick | 3
 Campus News

Distinguished Alumnus to
Deliver Commencement Address
President Drugovich and Dr. Gilbert Howlett
Smith ’59.
Dr. Gilbert Howlett Smith ’59, one of the
world’s leading cancer researchers, will address
the Class of 2011 at Commencement on
Saturday, May 28.
Smith is the head senior investigator of
mammary stem cell biology at the National
Cancer Institute in Bethesda, MD. He earned
his bachelor’s in Biology from Hartwick and an
M.Sc. and Ph.D. from Brown University. His
research develops and investigates biological
models designed to reveal the cellular, molecular,
and genetic basis for breast cancer and focuses
on using stem cells to induce cancer cells to
become normal cells.
“Dr. Smith exemplifies a life in education and
humanitarian pursuits,” President Margaret
L. Drugovich said. “A lifelong research
scientist, Dr. Smith has had a remarkable career
devoted to original research on the causes and
prevention of breast cancer. He is an exemplar of
not only the value of a Hartwick education, but
the critical impact original scholarly research can
have upon each of our lives.”
Smith joined the National Cancer Institute
in 1965. He has held numerous positions
there during his career, including research
biologist, head of ultrastructural research,
senior investigator in the laboratory of biology,
senior investigator in molecular genetics, senior
investigator in oncogenetics, and chief senior
investigator in mammary stem cell biology.
Smith has received numerous awards for his
work, including the 2005 National Institutes
of Health Merit Award, the 2003 National
Cancer Institute Mentor of Merit Award,
and the 1996 Glenn Foundation Award. He
is a two-time nominee for the E.B. Wilson
Medal, the highest award from the American
Society for Cell Biology given for “far-reaching
contributions to cell biology over a lifetime in
science.”
In 2010, Smith received Hartwick’s
Distinguished Alumnus Award.

MetroLink 2011
For one week in February, Hartwick students
traveled to Boston and New York City to gain
valuable job-shadowing experience.
MetroLink gives Hartwick students the opportunity to take a closer look at their
chosen careers through job-shadowing opportunities. Shadowing professionals
in the workplace is one of the best ways for students to learn what their future
careers are really like. Alumni and friends of the College have made MetroLink a
successful experiential learning program for more than 20 years.

This year, 27 students shadowed professionals at 65 companies and

organizations in Boston and New York, including: Citi (Brook Smith ’91);
Deutsche Bank (Richard Clarkson ’86); the Environmental Protection Agency
(Paul Wintrob ’91); KeyBank (Scott Vanderwall ’94); Leftfield Pictures
(Joel Patterson ’96); Lenox Hill Hospital (Emily Weisenbach ’03); Liberty
Mutual (Laurie Siciliano Genovese ’96); Lighthouse International (Dr.
Cynthia Stuen P ’03); Nixon Peabody LLC (Allen Lynch ’84); Supreme
Court-Bronx County (Hon. Justice Lucindo Suarez P ’03); and The Daily
Green (Dan Shapley ’99).

“MetroLink let me explore the work environment of the industries that are
appealing to me while expanding my professional business network,” said David Nursing majors Katherine Spass ’14 and Allyson Kist ’12 went behind
Esposito ’11, a Business Administration major. Esposito has since had a job the scenes in the ER and labor and delivery at Lenox Hill Hospital.
interview with one of the companies he visited during MetroLink.

4  |  The Wick  |  Spring 2011

 Faculty News

Government Funds
Faculty-Student
Environmental
Research

Abramo Honored as
Outstanding Emerging
Researcher
One of Hartwick’s newest faculty members recently was recognized for
his high-quality research in music education. Assistant Professor of Music
Joseph Abramo was named this year’s Outstanding Emerging Researcher
Two Hartwick students will join Associate Professor of Chemistry
by the Center for Music Education Research.
Richard Benner this summer at Brookhaven National Laboratories on
Long Island. The work will be funded by a highly competitive $23,000
“It is a great privilege and honor to receive this recognition,” Abramo says,
award from the U.S. Department of Energy.
“especially from an organization and people for whom I have great respect.
I teach and conduct research for the intrinsic desires and rewards that they
Biochemistry major Mackenzie Shipley ’11 and Chemistry major
provide, but with that said, it is nice and humbling to receive acknowledge-
Shannon Walsh ’13 will join Benner for 10 weeks of environmental
ment.”
science research as a Faculty and Student Team in the Atmospheric
Tracer Technology Labs. They will work to improve and modernize
As part of the award, Abramo presented his research in February at the
analytical instruments and methods to measure perflourocarbon
Suncoast Music Education Research Symposium in Tampa, FL. His work
compounds in air samples at ultra-trace levels. The group also will help
looks at how children’s gender identities influence the type of popular mu-
develop instrumental techniques for analyzing liquid PFTs and methods
sic they write in schools. He found that participants in his study “borrowed
for formulation of PFT calibration standards.
gender stereotypes from popular culture when they wrote their music.
When teachers use popular music in schools, they must be aware of how
Throughout the project, Benner, Shipley and Walsh will have the
students’ perception of gender plays a part in their musical experiences.”
opportunity to interact closely with world-class scientists. The award
The work also will be published in Music Education Research Interna-
further provides Shipley and Walsh with the experience of research in a
tional.
national laboratory, where they can begin to establish the professional
network that will support them throughout their careers.
Abramo’s dissertation at Columbia University’s Teachers College, where
he received his master of education and Ed.D. in music education, was a
“This award is a consequence of the student-centered, research-rich
qualitative multiple case study that looked at how popular music is influ-
curriculum embraced by Hartwick’s Chemistry Department, and of
enced by gender. This continues to be the focus of his research, along with
the dedication of the Chemistry faculty to mentoring students on
multiculturalism, instrumental music, and poststructural theory.”
meaningful and productive research grants,” said Provost and Vice
President for Academic Affairs Michael G. Tannenbaum.

“It is a great privilege and honor to receive this recognition,
especially from an organization and people for whom I have great
respect. I teach and conduct research for the intrinsic desires
and rewards that they provide, but with that said, it is nice and
humbling to receive acknowledgement.”
—Joseph Abramo
The group’s project emerged from Benner’s expertise in environmental
analytical chemical methods and instrumentation, and his strong
commitment to involving students as peers in the research process.
The DOE award is based on earlier research conducted in the summer
and fall of 2010, funded by a contract from Brookhaven National
Laboratories.

Spring 2011  |  The Wick  |  5

 Athletics

Men’s Basketball—Empire 8 Champs!

Hartwick won the 2011 Empire 8 Men’s Basketball Championship.
The 69-58 victory over St. John Fisher earned the Hawks an automatic
ticket to the 2011 NCAA Division III Tournament, marking the program’s
16th appearance overall and first in 15 years. The Hawks fell to SUNY
Purchase 79-69 in the tournament’s opening round, but closed out the
year with an impressive 17-11 record, the most season wins for the
program since 1996. Also along the way to the men’s basketball Empire
8 tournament championship, junior guard Mark Blazek (right) scored his
1,000th career point, ending the season with 1,060 points.
Jared Suderley (far right) was selected Eastern Collegiate Athletic
Conference Upstate Rookie of the Year after being named Empire 8
Tournament MVP, d3hoops.com All-East Region Rookie of the Year, and
Empire 8 Conference Rookie of the Year.

Water Polo Celebrates 10 Years

Hawks water polo marked its 10th anniversary on March 12 with wins over Brown
and Utica in Moyer Pool. Former players Megan Dahl-Smith ’08, Sheri Johnson ’04,
Kaitlin Leonard ’08, and Stefani Toungate ’09 helped celebrate with President Margaret
L. Drugovich and Head Coach Alan Huckins. Hartwick is the second winningest water
polo program since the origination of an NCAA-sanctioned championship in 2001.
The Hawks hold an all-time record of 282 wins and 108 losses in 10 seasons of
competition. On its road to success, the team has produced 68 Academic All-Americans
and six alumnae who play for national teams.

6 | The Wick | Spring 2011


4
4
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL closed out the year
10-14 overall and fifth in the Empire 8 Conference with
a 7-9 mark. At the conclusion of the season, guard Kate
Purcell ’14 was selected to the conference’s second
team by the league’s coaches. Guard Maria Foglia
’14 received honorable mention. Purcell was a three-
time conference rookie of the week who ranked in the
Top-10 in the Empire 8 in seven different statistical
categories. In mid-November, she notched 12 assists
in a Hartwick victory over Salem College. The total is
tied for the 16th-highest in Division III basketball this
season. Foglia was the Empire 8 Rookie of the Week on
February 21 and she led Hartwick in scoring, averaging
19.8 points per game and added six rebounds over the
final five games of the season. Fritzi Flores ’11 ended
her career with 722 points, 387 rebounds, 97 three-
pointers, and 175 steals. She ranks second in Hartwick
history in three-pointers and her 175 steals puts her
seventh on the all-time list.
4
SWIMMING & DIVING both had
very successful campaigns in 2010-11. The
men finished the dual meet season 11-4 and
placed third at the Empire 8 Championships
and fourth out of 13 competing teams the
state meet. The women capped the dual
meet season 9-6. The Hawks were fourth
in the Empire 8 and fifth out of 14 teams at
the state championships. The women set
three new College records. Five Hartwick
College men’s and women’s swimmers were
recognized as the Empire 8 announced
its 2011 All-Conference Teams. Michael
Phillips ’12 and Lydon Schultz ’13, Kenny
Kleso ’13, Chris Willcox ’13, and Stephanie
Ha ’12 were honored. Phillips notched
NCAA “B” cut times in his three events.
He earned first-team all-conference in
the 200 breaststroke and second-team
accolades in the 200 individual medley
and 200 freestyle. He finished the 200
free in a College record time of 1:41.32.
Schultz swam to the state championship
and first-team honors in the 100 freestyle in
an NCAA “B” cut time of :45.68. Kleso saw
4
second-team honors in two events, setting
a trio of Hartwick records and securing an
NCAA “B” cut time at the championships.
Willcox was named second team in the 200
butterfly. Ha earned second-team honors
in the 100 butterfly with a College record
and NCAA “B” cut time of :57.51. She also
set a new Hartwick benchmark in the 200
IM. Head Coach Dale Rothenberger passed
the 400-win mark since his career began
in 1985.
4
EQUESTRIAN finished third in Zone
II Region 3. The Hawks placed third in five
shows to close out the regular season,
including a season-high 38 points at ’Wick’s
home show in Otego. Four Hawks earned
their way into the regional competition.
Lauren Lamoureux ’12 and Francesca
Brattoli ’12 earned top-five finishes.
Lamoureux took third in the intermediate
flat division. She also was eighth in
intermediate fences. Brattoli secured a
fifth-place ride in walk trot canter. Rachael
Suite ’11 competed in novice fences in her
final collegiate competition, while Elizabeth
Allers ’13 competed in novice flat.
Spring 2011  |  The Wick  |  7
 Breakthrough
The
Origin and
Evolution
of Cancer
It has been called “The Emperor of All
Maladies,” and for good reason. Cancer is not
the only disease that can harm you or kill you,
but it is probably the most feared. It is also one
of the least understood, in terms of causes and
cures. This is due partly to the fact that cancer
is not one disease, but is a class of diseases that
are as variable as the diverse tissues that are
affected, and this diversity is reflected by the
array of names given to various kinds of cancer:
lymphoma, leukemia, carcinoma, adenoma,
mesothelioma, sarcoma, melanoma, and so on
and so forth. Some are named simply after the
organ they affect, such as breast cancer, prostate
cancer, brain cancer, esophageal cancer, and
pancreatic cancer, to name a few.
Cancer can hit at any age, but the probability
of contracting it increases dramatically as you
get older. For this reason, many cancers are
becoming more common as people in this
country and around the world live longer
thanks, ironically, to steadily improving health
care and medical technology. By now, cancer
is second only to heart disease as the number
one killer, and at least one in every four people
can expect to struggle with some kind of cancer
during their lifetime.
The one unifying characteristic held in common
by all cancer is uncontrolled cellular growth.
Normally, cell proliferation is controlled by
genes called “growth control genes.” But
mutations can destroy these genes and result
in cells that have completely lost their growth
8  |  The Wick  |  Spring 2011
By Professor of Biology Stanley Sessions
Stan Sessions holds a Ph.D. in zoology from the University
of California-Berkley and has taught at Hartwick
since 1989. His expertise includes evolutionary and
developmental biology.
control. These cells, like a broken record, keep
playing the same program over and over again,
proliferating as if there was no tomorrow.
As a scientist, I feel frustrated and helpless in
the face of a life-threatening disease for which
there is little hope for a cure and almost nothing
known about the cause. It is clear new insights
are needed to help us understand how cancer
works and to develop more effective means
of prevention, if not cures. In fact, a major
breakthrough in our understanding of cancer,
as well as many other areas of biomedicine,
has come from modern evolutionary theory.
Specifically, we now know that cancer cells
evolve through natural selection acting at the
cellular level within the body, and this explains
why it has been so difficult to find cures.
Natural selection is a powerful force that
depends on two things: proliferation and
genetic variation. Proliferation means making
copies, and when you make copies, you make
mistakes. In preparation for dividing, cells
copy their DNA, and mistakes are made. The
more and faster you copy, the more mistakes
are made. (This is why so many cancers begin
in adult stem cells, such as in the skin or
developing blood cells.) These mistakes in
DNA replication are called mutations, and they
can affect the way a cell functions, including
how or whether it proliferates. Here’s the
thing: Cells with mutations that allow them to
survive better and proliferate at a higher rate
will accumulate faster than other kinds of cells.

Eventually, some cells will acquire mutations
that also allow them to spread (metastasize).
Over time, this competitive process among
cancer cells can result in extremely aggressive
cells that can spread and grow as a tumor or
cancer. This explains why treatments such as
chemotherapy, radiation, and even surgery so
often fail in the long run. Such treatments do
not usually eradicate every single cancer cell,
and thanks to random mutation, some of the
remaining cells are, just by chance, resistant
to the treatment. These resistant cells then
proliferate and are more difficult to get rid of.
This is pure Darwinian evolution at work.
Another scary thing about cancer is that, unlike
diseases caused by foreign microbes such as
viruses and bacteria, cancer is not a disease
caused by an invader. It is more of a rebellion,
a revolt of some wayward cells of your body.
This is another reason cancer is so difficult
to cure, and even to treat effectively. Most
treatments involve chemotherapy or radiation or
both, which kills dividing cells, both cancerous
and normal. Thus, people undergoing such
treatment often lose their hair, have reduced
blood cell counts, and sometimes even lose their
fingernails and teeth as side effects. It is a tribute
both to the effectiveness of cancer treatment
and to the resilience of the human body that,
though they are difficult or impossible to
cure, an increasing number of cancers can be
controlled over an extended period of time,
allowing people to live with cancer for many
years. As we have already discovered with HIV
“I intend to do what I can, as a biology professor, to encourage
promising young undergraduates to aim for a career in biotechnology
and biomedical research. Recently, we were awarded a five-year
biotechnology grant from the National Science Foundation to
provide scholarships for students to do just that.”
and other diseases, a growing understanding
of how cancer cells evolve within the body via
Darwinian natural selection can lead us to more
sophisticated treatment. It has been found that
HIV can be managed by alternating treatment
drugs to inhibit the proliferation of resistant
viruses. Likewise, with cancer, an effective
approach might be to alternate chemotherapy
drugs. This would be particularly effective
with cancer since the name of the game is to
prevent tumor growth and metastasis. A better
approach to combating cancer than treatment, of
course, is prevention, but that requires a better
understanding of what causes cancer.
In order to become cancerous, a cell must
survive from one to (usually) several separate
mutations, each of which is usually lethal to the
cell. On top of this, our immune systems are
very effective at identifying and killing wayward
cells, including any cell that is in the wrong place
at the wrong time doing the wrong kinds of
things, such as a cancer cell. So why do we get
cancer? The answer to this question involves
three possibilities: chance (bad luck), genetics
(bad genes), or exposure to an environmental
toxin (mutagen or carcinogen). Cancer is a very
individualistic disease, and there are probably as
many specific causes as there are cancer patients.
The common thread is mutation that damages
the structure of genes that control cellular
growth. Thus anything that can cause genetic
mutations can cause cancer, and we now have
some very strong correlations between specific
kinds of cancer and their probable causes.
—Stan Sessions
Lung cancer, for example, is strongly correlated
with tobacco, mesothelioma with exposure to
asbestos, and leukemia with exposure to certain
environmental chemical pollutants, especially
benzene and related hydrocarbons (e.g. from
car exhaust). Cancer is also probabilistic, and
so not everyone who smokes or chews tobacco
or who is exposed to benzene gets cancer, but
such exposure can cause the kind of genetic
mutations that can dramatically increase the
probability of getting cancer. Genetics also
plays a role, and some people inherit genetic
mutations that increase their chances of getting
cancer (e.g. breast cancer). In many cases cancer
just shows up without any apparent cause, even
in people who had none of the risk factors.
We may never be able to completely eliminate
cancer as one of the many diseases that we have
to worry about, especially as our population
ages. And given the fact that cancer cells evolve
in response to treatment, it is probably unlikely
we will ever have a cure to all cancers. But
cancer research is gaining momentum, and I can
imagine a future, perhaps only 10 or 20 years
from now, when even the most dreaded forms
of cancer will not only be easily managed (if
not cured), but prevented as well. Meanwhile I
intend to do what I can, as a biology professor,
to encourage promising young undergraduates
to aim for a career in biotechnology and
biomedical research. Recently, we were
awarded a five-year biotechnology grant from
the National Science Foundation to provide
scholarships for students to do just that. n
Spring 2011  |  The Wick  |  9
 Commentary
Egypt’s Youth:
Hope in Arab Revolution
By Professor of Political Science Mary Vanderlaan
Mary Vanderlaan holds a Ph.D. from Michigan State University and has taught at Hartwick since 1979.
Her expertise includes international relations and politics and development in poor countries.
Just before the new year, 26-year-old Mohamed
Bouazizi—a college-educated Tunisian unable to
find a steady job—set himself on fire to protest
police confiscation of the fruits and vegetables
he was selling to support his family. His self-
immolation touched off massive protests that
soon led to the fall of Tunisia’s wealthy president,
Zine El-Abidine Ben Ali, who had overseen 23
years of political repression and economic misery
for the average Tunisian.
Here was an Arab country whose political and
economic profile matched those of other states in
the Middle East, including Egypt. Bouazizi’s act
of desperation resonated with young Egyptians
in similar circumstances who were similarly
deeply frustrated by a lack of opportunities
and political voice. Given the dramatic political
turn of events spurred by Bouazizi’s actions,
odds were greater than ever that Egypt’s restless
and tech-savvy youth would ask two inevitable
questions: “Why not us?” “Why not here?”
Less than a month later, Egypt erupted into
political turmoil. Soon, hundreds of thousands
were loudly, if non-violently, protesting in public
squares, demanding an end to the 30-year
regime headed by former Egyptian military hero
Hosni Mubarak.
Events from “Revolution Day” through the
next two and a half weeks, day by day, hugely
enlarged the size of the politically relevant strata
in Egypt’s largest cities. Bolstering that new
political voice, poor citizens joined the massive
10  |  The Wick  |  Spring 2011
protests in the cities. As if the deal had yet to be
sealed, thousands of workers decided to strike.
Increasingly clear to the Mubarak government,
a regime kept in power by an emergency decree
that mocked any claim of regime legitimacy or
constitutional authority, there was to be no way
this “genie” of an enlivened citizenry could be
stuffed back into the proverbial bottle.
In the wake of Bouazizi’s immolation came the
dramatic political upheaval restructuring two
Arab states in North Africa. Most dramatic
would be the effects of political changes in the
larger, geographically-strategic state of Egypt.
Yet the world’s attention was riveted initially
on events played out in Cairo’s Tahrir Square;
television viewers around the world became
voyeurs titillated by a story of how the powerful
could be called out and then toppled by a force
built of truth, human dignity, and the rejection of
violence by citizens so recently powerless.
Television images of Egypt’s crowds reflected
the wide range of individuals who had become
energized activists in response to the outcry
against a corrupt regime. But who led this revolt,
and how they did so, is a story of the population
demographics and economics of much of the
Middle East. Like those of other states in the
region, Egypt’s population is young (30% are
under the age of 30), more highly educated than
their parents or grandparents were, and left to
survive in an economy that has not generated
enough jobs to absorb majorities of high school
and university graduates. Adding pressure to
this brew, 20% of Egyptians are unemployed and
40% live under the country’s poverty line.
The 20- and 30-somethings who were the
key planners of the revolution are educated,
accustomed to sharing ideas via Facebook and
Twitter, and tuned into their world via al Jazeera
and other satellite media. They are not only
informed by social media and new technology,
they also are informed about their status relative
to the opportunities open to the college-
educated in emergent economies outside the
region.
No doubt more important to the events that
would unfold near the Nile, the April 6 Youth
Movement had been in communication with
similarly frustrated young people in Tunisia,
Morocco, Algeria, Iran, and the Gulf states for
some time, sharing aspirations for change and
tactics of non-violence that might be effective
against ruthless regimes that, in the past, used
protestors’ violence to justify brutal crackdowns.
These Facebook politicos also had heard about
the success of the Serbian youth movement,
Otpor, which led the non-violent movement
that toppled Slobodan Milosevic in 2000. But
it was events in Tunisia that became the tipping
point for these Egyptians, some of whom later
confessed to feeling ashamed that they had not
done before what the Tunisians had just shown
them was really possible.
Historical footage will show that people across age, gender, socioeconomic class, and
religious affiliation had voted with their feet and bodies to force regime change . . .
Notably, among the youthful leaders were high
numbers of Egyptian women. Similarly, women
of all ages and backgrounds mingled in Cairo’s
Tahrir Square and took over microphones to
raise their issues and those of their families.
Egyptian academic Amr Hamzawy, a negotiator
between the protestors and the government
during the 18-day revolution, noted that women
had not shied away from events in the squares.
He cited the example of 20-something Asmaa
Mafouz, who in the first days of the revolt
posted her picture with a provocative protest
sign on Facebook, identifying herself to the
secret police by so doing. Asmaa called on others
to do the same as acts of defiance against the
regime. Her Facebook message: “If we go down
and take a stance, there will be hope!” Many
were emboldened to follow her call to “defeat
fear.” Likewise, 28-year-old school counselor
Mariam Suleiman cajoled other women to join
in. “Women have to go down and participate,
demand their rights, or is it going to be the
men who fight for our rights? I am an Egyptian
woman, a regular woman, rejecting injustice and
corruption in my country!”
One jubilant 40-something at Tahrir square,
who was interviewed after Mubarak finally
resigned the presidency, shouted to a reporter,
“The neighbors’ kids did this!” But the story
was not only being written by young adults.
Television images depicted parents with children
and whole families strolling the peaceful crowds
as though on a weekend outing. Poignantly, three
young girls, maybe 15 years old, were noticed
for their obvious excitement about events in the
square. A reporter asked them about their lives
and what they wanted to be. One following the
other in turns, they responded: “I want to be a
doctor,” “I want to be a scientist,” and “I want to
be an engineer, a computer engineer!” Nearby
stood elderly protestors who may have been their
grandparents.
Historical footage will show that people across
age, gender, socioeconomic class, and religious
affiliation had voted with their feet and bodies
to force regime change and defeat fear, knowing
that the Mukhabarat secret police were mingling
there, too, and sporadically using violence
against protestors. A critical dynamic thus
arose from the collective experiences of the 18
days of revolution. Those who once had little
recourse against a regime willing to beat and jail
opponents and so were “victims” of Mubarak’s
authoritarianism, now exercised their voices and
“agency” in the streets. Exuberant protestors
accepted the risk of being agents of change.
With Mubarak gone, parliament dissolved and
the constitution suspended, newly efficacious
citizens will have the choice to again be pesky
and vocal as a transitional government steers
Egypt along a path to genuine reform. Issues are
urgent. Inevitably, debates will emerge. Building
representative institutions will take time. In sum,
developing a new civic culture around issues
and activism of “the Egyptian street” will be a
raucous affair. Divergent voices and urgent issue-
agendas demand attention from new political
leaders working under a new set of rules. All this
comes in the context of circumstances: 40% of
Egyptians live on $2 a day. Aspirations are high,
economic resources are low, and accountable
political change takes time!
Egyptian “revolutionaries” paved a way to
democracy during the revolution itself. And
therein lies hope—if it can be sustained. If the
Egyptian revolution proclaimed one thing, it
was that non-violence and civil protest can be
mightier, more effective than guns, bombs, and
violence. Now, newly empowered Egyptians
have promised regular Friday rallies to remind
governors that they will be held to the demands
of the revolution. Reverberating a protester’s
comment that Egyptians “know the way back to
Tahrir Square,” new voices promise to hold feet
to the fire.
Since the dramatic Egyptian events, similar
popular protests have emerged in Yemen, Libya,
Bahrain and Syria.
In each of those situations, authoritarian leaders
have responded with violence and further
repression. Events continue to play out.
At Hartwick, faculty and students are taking
note of history unfolding and are doing analyses
of socio-economic and political factors at work.
On the College’s J Term trip to Egypt in 2010,
students and Professor of Religious Studies
Gary Herion, witnessed firsthand the political
and economic repression many people in the
Middle East and North Africa have lived with
and now hope to overcome.
In Political Science, study of these “Arab
revolutions” sheds light upon theory and
reminds us of the critical importance of
understanding global events if we are to predict
future events. n
Spring 2011  |  The Wick  |  11
 Cover Story

Serving the Greater Good

Puppy
Love
Hartwick Students
Help Craft a Legacy
of Dignity for the Blind
By Christopher Lott
Chris Lott is the College’s Associate Writer.
His family raised guide dogs throughout his childhood.

12 | The Wick | Spring 2011

What’s in a sloppy kiss? A sideways glance? What does it mean to wake up
every hour on the hour to help someone who can’t help himself? What does it
say about each of us when we dedicate ourselves to our companion’s happiness
and education, expecting nothing in return, but receiving unadulterated,
unconditional love? For the past 14 years, Hartwick College students have
been immersed in the real meaning of love and selfless sacrifice, and they
have received as much in return.

Spring 2011  |  The Wick  |  13

 In 1997, Lisa (Baker) Baroody ’99
was the first student to volunteer to
be a puppy raiser for Guiding Eyes
for the Blind, an internationally
accredited, nonprofit guide dog
school that has provided special
dogs for more than 7,200 blind
and visually impaired people since
1954.
Pine Lake Manager of Operations Peter Blue
and his wife, Deborah Hollis ’74, had been
raising puppies for Guiding Eyes since they took
in Jake in 1993.
“Debbie’s roommate when she was a Hartwick
student was blind, and had a guide dog,” Blue
recalled. “We looked into Guiding Eyes for the
Blind and thought that it was a good way to get
a dog for a family, but it was also doing good in
the world in a very focused way.”
“I had specialty dog training in mind as a career
track,” Baroody recalled recently. “I knew about
[Guiding Eyes] because of Peter—his family
had been raising puppies for some time when
I was there— and I thought it would be pretty
neat.”
After a presentation to the Hartwick Board of
Trustees, Lisa was allowed to raise Tawney, a
yellow Labrador retriever. She was required to
live at Pine Lake with the dog, and knew she
would have to scale back on her social life and
double down on her studies. It was a decision
that would change her life.
Guiding Eyes for the Blind accepts volunteer
puppy raisers after an application and screening
process. Those who agree to accept the many
responsibilities that come with raising a working
dog are then offered a six-month-old puppy with
whom they will work for the next 18 months.
“Without our volunteer raisers, Guiding Eyes
for the Blind wouldn’t exist,” explained Joy
Hawksby, Puppy Program Regional Manager.
“We are a non-profit organization totally
dependent on donations, grants and the work of
our volunteers.
“We have raisers from every aspect of life, but
with students we know the pups will spend a lot
of time with their raiser going here and there,”
she said. “There’s probably not as much crate
time as a pup might have with a family where
people work outside the home. Also, as guides
our pups must learn to settle well. What better
place to learn that than in a class room?”
The puppies—often Labradors, but sometimes
German Shephards, golden retrievers, or
other breeds—are bred for their intelligence,
loyalty, and learning ability. Puppy raisers are
responsible for making the dog a part of their
family, for teaching good social skills and house
manners, for attending classes and assessments,
for filling out periodic reports, coordinating
healthcare, exposing the dogs to a variety of
experiences, and giving the puppies back when
they are ready for training.
“Early on it’s really difficult,” explained Kendall
Roberts ’11, who raised Shannon, and enrolled
at Hartwick in part because of its longstanding
partnership with Guiding Eyes. “We have to
deal with potty training, for instance. She’d
get me up at midnight, 2, 4, and then at 6 a.m.
she gets up for the day. A lot of students have
a hard time taking care of themselves, let alone
a dog! Having someone else to take care of is a
huge responsibility. It definitely helps with time
management.”
Raisers and their puppies also attend weekly
obedience classes and training sessions with
Guiding Eyes trainers to help reinforce concepts
and ensure dogs and humans are on the right
track.
When the dogs are six to seven months old, they
are issued blue vests that identify them as guide
dogs in training. In these outfits, the dogs may
now venture into public spaces to begin the
“I got a lot of looks at first because people
weren’t accustomed to having a dog on campus,”
Baroody recalled. “I found everybody to be very
supportive. I didn’t go into the cafeteria too
much, but if I did no one seemed to bat an eye.
I had her in the library and in class with me and
people seemed to think it was pretty neat. I did
have to teach people not to pet her or play with
her when she had her coat on. I spent a lot of
time explaining that she was working.”
“It’s really cool to work with her instead of
having her as a pet,” Roberts said. “It’s very
different. She wants to practice and learn, and
she gets really excited when we work.”
The puppies—as puppies will—revel in their
playtime too. Volunteers and trainers are sure to
allow for plenty of frolicking, as it is essential to
raising a well-adjusted dog.

Joy Hawksby, regional coordinator

for Guiding Eyes for the Blind, holds
Katie, a puppy in the Guiding Eyes
program, while speaking with
Kendall Roberts ’11.

Sierra Ruff ’12 and Katie, a puppy

in the Guiding Eyes program.

14  |  The Wick  |  Spring 2011

Hartwick students, faculty and staff have raised more than 100 puppies. These puppies have
gone on to assist blind people across the globe in all walks of life, making a significant
impact on their independence, mobility, dignity, and happiness.
The process of raising a puppy while a full-time
student is often taxing, but far and away the
most difficult moment for volunteers comes
when the process concludes. At about two years
old, the puppies return to Guiding Eyes for the
Blind to begin their intensive training and to be
matched with their blind partner.
While they’re well aware that the puppy raising
process has an end point, for volunteers the
separation is often like losing a member of the
family.
“The separation was heart wrenching—I cried
every day,” Baroody recalled. “I felt like I’d done
something good for the world, but it hurt a lot. I
missed her a great deal. I was about eight weeks
with no puppy at all, and I couldn’t stand it.”
“Once you have finished the cycle, it’s
emotionally very similar to sending your kids
off to college,” Blue said. “But once you’ve met
the person who ultimately gets the dog, then it
makes complete sense.”
About 50 percent of puppies who begin with
Guiding Eyes complete their training and
are paired with human partners. Some fail
their training tests, and some do not graduate
because their temperament is considered
unsuitable. In some cases, they are transferred to
other canine academies to become incendiary-,
Guiding Eyes graduate Island with
his owner, Arizona-native Pedro
“Pete” Trejo, who lost his eye-
sight in an accident at age 25.
drug- or bomb-sniffing specialists. Some enter
the Heeling Autism Program, or go to work
with police agencies. Others are offered back to
their raisers and become pets.
Both Shannon and Tawney returned to their
student raisers.
After Baroody and Tawney were reunited,
they remained the best of friends. They
walked together during Hartwick College
Commencement, and Tawney helped Baroody
learn that dog training wasn’t the career path
for her. Yet it was the rewarding experience of
helping others that led Baroody to the career in
social work that she enjoys today.
Tawney lived for another decade, and the apple
of her owner’s eye is fondly recalled as “the best
dog that ever lived.”
“Being a puppy raiser at Hartwick has shaped
everything I’ve done in my life,” she said.
“Volunteering as a puppy raiser helped me get
my first social work job, and I did my master’s
thesis on service dogs and discrimination. It’s
pretty good training for being a parent too!”
In 2009, Lisa and Tawney returned to Oyaron
Hill for their 10-year reunion.
“The highlight of the reunion was seeing
puppies around campus and seeing all the
current raisers,” Baroody said. “It was really
neat meeting them and hearing there’s a puppy
in every dorm. It was great to hear that Tawny
and I had left a legacy behind us, which I think is
great—for the students, for Guiding Eyes, and
for all the dogs and the blind out there working
and living together.”
Guiding Eyes has puppy raising programs at
Ithaca College, Cornell University, and The
University of Delaware, and dogs have recently
been raised at Rutgers University and ROT. Yet
it is Hartwick’s program that is the most robust,
Hawksby said.
“Hartwick has the biggest puppy raising
program with us. There can be a max of 10
puppies being raised that live on campus, and I
always have a waiting list of students who want
to raise.”
Since Lisa met Tawney in the summer of 1997,
Hartwick students, faculty and staff have raised
more than 100 puppies—about a dozen by
the Blue family. These puppies have gone on to
assist blind people across the globe in all walks
of life, making a significant impact on their
independence, mobility, dignity, and happiness.
n
Pennsylvania resident
Nino Pesce with Mel.
Spring 2011  |  The Wick  |  15
 Theory In Practice

Experiential
Learning
at its Best.
J Term—it’s a Hartwick tradition.
Students explore, investigate, think far outside the box, push to the edge
of their comfort zones, and redefine themselves all over the world.
This year faculty led courses in Arizona, the Bahamas, China, England, France,
Greece, Jamaica, Peru, Puerto Rico, Romania, Thailand, New York City, Hawaii.
Pennsylvania, and Washington, DC. The following are seven students’
first-person accounts of what they call ‘life-changing’ experiences.

16  |  The Wick  |  Spring 2011

Spring 2011  |  The Wick  |  17
 Course: PHIL 250 or POSC 250 | Dr. J. Jeremy Wisnewski (Philosophy) | Dr. Matthew Voorhees (Political Science)

Political Animals: Life and Thought in Ancient Greece

Excerpt from Journal Entry #1: Work and Days
by Stacey Lanza ’11 | Psychology and Religion double major from Worcester, VT
Today we discussed Work and Days, written by Hesiod. It was clear in the readings and discussion that the social
and cultural conditions of ancient Greece were unique. As Hesiod understood it, society is balanced by labors of
work and tributes to the gods; it was their religion that gave the ancient Greeks’ work its purpose. We still have
a memory of that history, of that religion thousands of years later, in such colorful and creative detail through
ancient myths, traditions, and art. Each generation of man, created by the gods, holds a specific significance that
contributes to the understanding of how man should act today.
Hesiod is combining what may be considered an historical account of events with mythic stories of the Greeks’
religious understandings of their origins, as well as demonstrating the rightness in how a Greek should act.
Hesiod explains the past generations of man, four previous cycles of human life with differences from our present
race that ended their existence. In each case, Hesiod is trying to communicate to the men of this generation
the importance of not repeating the mistakes of the past, but also what to strive for in the future. As the first
generation of humans was so perfect they became gods, Hesiod is demonstrating the goal that each human
should try to achieve in moral actions and discipline.
It is a cautionary tale, for no one should try to be as good as the gods, because the gods will become angered or
jealous and remind the human of their true place is in this world. Other ancient myths have demonstrated this
point, such as Oedipus and his parents who tried to manipulate the fate that the Oracle gave them, and in the
end suffered the same fate. Similarly there is the story of Icarus­­, who crafted wings so he could rise above his
own human stature and be like a god, yet such an attempt was his doom as the wax on the wings melted and
he fell to his death. These stories, and Hesiod’s account of the Golden generation, teach man why and how the
gods are greater, and what moral actions may elevate man’s own personal lives. However, to surpass one’s human
inadequacies and sneak into the heavens is a fate that no human can ever, or should ever, achieve.
P.S. I wrote this on our second full day in Greece. We were in Athens, sitting in the shade on a large marble floor
that was the entrance to the Ancient Agora Museum. This reading was a reflection of the lifestyles of ancient
Greeks. As we read we looked around at the people passing us by, and couldn’t help but notice similarities
and differences that have culminated over the thousands of years of Greece’s existence. After the discussion, I
walked inside the museum and was surrounded by ancient friezes and columns that decorated the time period of
Hesiod’s work. It was one of those moments; it was experiential learning at its best.

18  |  The Wick  |  Spring 2011

 Course: GEOL 275 | Dr. David Griffing, Dr. Eric Johnson

Geology and Natural History of Hawaii

Reflections
by Tyler Hall ’13 | Geology major from Wyckoff, NJ
I was riding passenger-side with David Griffing, one of two professors leading
the trip to Hawaii, when I asked him why we he had planned our trip to visit the
old islands followed by the newest. Surely it makes more sense to experience
the life of a volcanic island chronologically, to follow the birth of an island to its
eventual erosion. He explained in no uncertain terms that if he had gone from
new to old, the excitement and wonder of the active lava flows would overshadow
the rest of the trip.
Toward the end of our stay, when we were on the “Big Island” of Hawaii, Griff
was uncertain whether or not we’d be able to view any active lava flows. Sure, the
area had experienced some activity in the past, but would we be there at the right
time? Our wishes were granted when a University of Hawaii-Hilo scientist agreed
to take us where the general populace was not allowed: mere feet from the most
recent, glowing red flows.
We walked out onto the basalt wearing orange vests, jeans, and work gloves,
following carefully behind our guide. As we continued, students pointed out
the glow of magma from beneath sections of the rock, indicating that we were,
indeed, standing upon the very forces that created these islands. The class spent
Tyler Hall ’13 roughly an hour walking around this lava field, finding a large flow and, as we
were preparing to leave, a flow that was slowly forcing its way out of two cracks
on the surface of the basalt, inching around a large boulder and meeting on the
opposite side.
There we were, standing not 20 feet away from the freshest outbreak on the
island, witnessing the unstoppable crawl of a lava flow as it forced its way from
beneath the surface of the crust. We gazed in wonder as these two tongues
effortlessly worked their way through the terrain to merge into a vibrant,
crackling river of molten rock.
The Hawaiian Islands were constructed in the same way that I had witnessed with
my own eyes, flow by flow, layer by layer. This fills my daily thoughts with ideas
of just how much time it takes to construct a world so beautiful. I can say with
confidence that as a result of Hartwick’s J Term, I now live my life with a renewed
view on just how vast the age of the Earth is; I no longer busy myself with the
trivial worries of the smaller problems in life.
Also, there’s nothing quite like singing “Total Eclipse of the Heart” with your
professor while driving back from a long day’s work. Without Hartwick’s J Term,
I would’ve never heard Professor Griffing’s falsetto.

Spring 2011  |  The Wick  |  19

 Eryn Niblick ’13

Course: SPAN 105/205/305 | Dr. Esperanza Roncero

Peru: Social Justice, Cultural Diversity,

and Language Immersion
Final Journal Entry [submitted in Spanish, translated for The Wick]
by Eryn Niblick ’13 | Double major in Biology and Anthropology with a
minor in Spanish from Fort Wayne, IN

“Las tres cosas que uno necesita en la vida para ser feliz son: paciencia, calma, y
buen humor.” (Antonio de la comunidad de Huilloc que ayudó a Emily Becker y
yo con toda su paciencia, calma y buen humor cuando más lo necesitaba.)

“The three ingredients one needs in life in order to be happy are: patience,
calmness and a good humor.” (Antonio from the community of Huilloc, who
helped Emily Becker and me with all his patience, calmness and good sense of
humor, when we most needed it .)

Perú es un viaje para toda una vida. Yo aprendí mucho allí. Mi comunicación
oral es mejor y aprendí mucho vocabulario. Pero las mejores lecciones allí son
lecciones sobre la vida. Vimos mucho en Perú. Vimos injusticia y pobreza.
Vimos amor. Vimos personas muy fuertes. También vimos muchas formas
diferentes de vida. En Cusco encontramos una sociedad más machista.
Las mujeres hacían todo en la casa y los esposos no hacían nada. Pero en la
comunidad rural de Huilloc era diferente. Nuestro papá allí ayudaba a cocinar
y a en la casa.  Había tareas para hombres y para mujeres, pero en general, toda
la familia ayudaba. El amor dentro de la familia de Huilloc me enterneció. Es
imposible que exprese todo lo que yo he aprendido en Perú. Es una experiencia
que nunca olvidaré. Mis experiencias en Perú estarán conmigo para siempre.

Perú has been an experience of a lifetime. I really learned a lot there. My oral
communication in Spanish has improved and I learned a lot of new vocabulary.
But the best lessons have been lessons about life. I saw many things in Peru.
We saw injustice and poverty.  We saw people who were incredibly strong. We
saw love. We also experienced many different ways of life. In Cusco we found a
more male-centered society. Women did everything at home. They cooked and
cleaned for the entire family. But in the rural community of Huilloc things were
very different. Our host father helped in the kitchen and around the house. It is
true that there were tasks specifically for men or for women, but in general the
entire family participated in everything. The love we experienced in our family
in Huilloc was incredible. Their greatest happiness in life was simply having and
being around each other. Their love truly touched me. It is impossible for me
to express everything that I learned in Peru. It is an adventure that I will never
forget; my experiences will be with me always.

20  |  The Wick  |  Spring 2011

Course: THEA 205 - First Year Seminar and J Term course | Professor Ken Golden
Theatre in New York City
Review by Jessica Spitz ’14 | Music Education major from Long Island, NY
I really enjoy the theatre, all aspects from being in the audience, to the crew,
to being the actor or the director. I thought this First Year Seminar would be
a really good and interesting experience.
In the fall we prepped in class one day a week. We saw Hartwick theatre
productions together, went on a day trip to the city, discussed theatre
production ideas, and addressed First Year Seminar information like
scheduling classes and the ins and outs of college life. During J Term we met
every day for three weeks, and then for one week we lived together in the city,
went to shows together, and did everything together, so we became really
close.
The entire trip was filled with memorable experiences, but one that really
stands out is when we went to see “The Importance of Being Earnest” on
Broadway. We had studied this work in depth for two weeks prior to the trip:
breaking into pairs to perform scenes, discussing our directing choices, and
analyzing the purpose of the play as well as the writer’s intended meaning.
When we went to see the Broadway performance, we were able to compare
our choices with the ones that the director made.  After the show, we
discussed what we had seen, whether we liked the choices made, and other
ways that the work could have been done.
This was the most important part of J Term. We took what we had been
learning in class and directly applied it to what we were doing and seeing. We
weren’t just discussing a school play, we were critiquing Broadway.
In just one week we saw Off-Off-Broadway shows in theatres with fewer
than 100 seats; Off-Broadway shows; and Broadway shows in huge theatres
holding up to 2,000 seats. We saw basic and elaborate sets, costumes, and
lights. We saw musicals about music (Jersey Boys), dance musicals (Billy
Elliot), musicals with puppets (Avenue Q), satirical plays (The Importance
of Being Earnest), dramatic plays (A Small Fire), and just plain weird
plays (Pants on Fire’s Metamorphoses). That Saturday was the late, great
choreographer George Balanchine’s birthday. We went to the New York City
Ballet’s celebratory performance and saw three acts of dances, all completely
different in style, but all amazing to watch.
Spring 2011  |  The Wick  |  21
 Course: NURS 375 | Dr. Jeanne-Marie Havener

Jamaica and West Indies:

Transcultural Nursing
Experience Reflection
by Brittany Ladner ’12 | Nursing major from Farmingdale, ME
After a quick but very bumpy ride into the community of Dalvey, Jamaica, we
got off of the bus and took in our surroundings. All of the unfamiliar eyes
were on us as they tried to figure out why these two Americans were in their
community. A church, also being used as a school, stood on the corner of the
intersection. Across the road were a convenience store, a bar, and two small
tables where people were selling bananas, ackee, and breadfruit.
We quickly learned that friendliness was the key to being accepted into this
small community and soon enough there was a small crowd around us asking if
we could take their blood pressures. These friendly, smiling faces were happy to Brittany Ladner ’12
find out that they were healthy and that we were only here to help.
Soon afterward we began our trek up the rocky hill to find out which families
we would be helping. There were goats grazing on either side of the path as well
as a dog running up to follow us. In the 85 degree weather it was a struggle
to make it up the hill at a normal pace, so we took our time and observed the
houses on the way up. The houses, made of corrugated tin and wood, were
falling apart and it was hard to imagine any house surviving a hurricane, which
is a frequent occurrence. The chickens were running around the yard as the
roosters crowed. Loud music was coming from one house where the people,
tired from the morning’s work, sat outside on their steps.
At first it was extremely hard to see the people of Jamaica living in these
circumstances with next to nothing. After being there for a couple of weeks and
having relationships with different families, I now have the greatest respect for
these people. They successfully raise families and get by with anything they can
get and many of them are proud of what they do have. It has changed my life
tremendously and I will try to live more like the Jamaican people and be happy.
Being in this environment has made me appreciate all that I have at home in
America.

22  |  The Wick  |  Spring 2011

 Course: BIOL 250 | Dr. Linda Swift

Peoples and Plants of Thailand

Reminiscing
by Megan Shipman ’11 | Psychology major from Barre, VT
and Brian Terbush ’12 | Geology major from Burnt Hills, NY
Brian I love reliving our trip.
Megan I really want to go back.
Brian Definitely. It’s just a question of when.
Two cities were our base camp; everything was within 1 ½ hours.
Megan Shipman ’11 Megan Being in the cities eased us into the Thai culture before we moved into the villages. We could
sleep on a bed at night and take showers.
Brian Chiang Mai is very urban, with more European tourists and really aggressive taxi drivers.
Brian Terbush ’12
Megan Chiang Rai is different, really far north and part of the Golden Triangle.
In the beginning we did a lot of team building. Zip lining.
Brian White water rafting; riding water buffaloes.
Megan The elephant camp: washing the elephants in the river, being sprayed by them.
Brian Sitting on their trunks and being thrown. Walking down trails and realizing that elephants were
following three feet behind you and they just took down a tree. They were just like huge puppies.
I really miss the elephants.
Megan And riding ostriches-that was the most ridiculous thing! Some of us plowed fields with oxen.
We all planted banana trees as food for the elephants.
All of this brought us together as a group.
Brian It was important to get ready for close situations further in the trip.
Megan In the villages we worked together, with group work done by major. Mine was psychology; we did
interviews and made observations of gender roles and age-related roles and how they influenced
people’s access to food and nutrition.
Brian I joined the soil sampling project. We tested agricultural fields and gardens, looking for the
availability of nutrients. I dug soil samples using a machete.
Megan Other groups looked at children’s nutrition or studied straight agriculture. Some did art therapy
with the village kids or recorded and interpreted the local music through music theory. There was
also a women’s study group that talked with the village women about pregnancy. We did class
work by the river, writing group papers and presenting projects.
Brian So much was different from what we knew. Being a minority for the first time.
Megan Not speaking the language.
Brian Being stared at, even pointed at, sometimes.
Megan The marketplace and getting used to bargaining.
Brian I felt like I was cheating them.
Megan But they insisted.
Brian We had good food; good, cheap food. Yes, I ate a cockroach; it took five minutes to chew, but I
had to try it. The crickets were good, and the bamboo worms. They were all deep fried, so it was a
lot like French fries.
Megan I liked the Pad Thai, all the noodles and rice, and the chicken deep fried in bamboo leaves. The
best place to eat was this sketchy place in Chiang Mai; a real hole in the wall.
We saw temples in the cities and slept in huts on bamboo mats in the village. That was so cold! I
loved the tigers, and swimming under a waterfall.
Brian And being swarmed by kids in the villages. Everybody had so much fun!
I want to bring other people to Thailand and show them everything. I want to go with the same
people and expand on what we did. I’m going to send some of my pictures back to the villages
with Dr. Swift. The kids used my camera and took hundreds of pictures of each other. It was great. n

Spring 2011  |  The Wick  |  23

 Influential

Swimming & Diving January 18, 1986—“Away” at Kings College.

Coach Dale Rothenberger and his swimming
“There is a lot more to being successful than
being first” he explains. “I do not teach instant
Head Coach and diving team of nine athletes score the first
win of his Hartwick career.
gratification; life is not a video game.”

Dale
“Dale Rothenberger is a great motivator who
January 29, 2011—“Away” at St. Lawrence helps athletes realize their true potential,”
University. Hartwick’s 52 swimmers and observes Keith Murray ’96, head men’s

Rothenberger
By Elizabeth Steele
Elizabeth Steele is a professional writer and
partner of President Margaret L. Drugovich.
divers chalk up another triumph and their coach
reaches a milestone: his 400th career win.
Between these two great moments stand
hundreds of Hartwick athletes, three of them
the coach’s daughters (Dana ’00, Tara ’02,
Nicole ’05) and one of them a son-in-law
(Jason Faulconer ’00); thousands of meets; 39
All Americans; a two-time national champion
(Susan Torell ’92); and countless hours of
training.
“A lot of alumni have been congratulating me on
the 400 wins,” says Dale, with his characteristic
grin. “I tell them this achievement is theirs. I was
the guiding force, the leader, yes, but the results
really came from the athletes, and what they were
willing to do.
and women’s swim coach at The College of
Saint Rose. “The lessons that he taught us are
beneficial in and out of the water. I remember
things that he said and things we did at
Hartwick like it was yesterday.”
“When I first came to Hartwick, people said you
can’t build a program here, there is not enough
to work with,” Dale recalls. “That challenge was
all I needed.” He and his wife, Cathy ’88, chose
Hartwick for his career and Oneonta for their
young family.
First step – build a team. “I can lay claim to
being Dale’s first recruit,” asserts Sean Wagner
’89. “The 400 wins, although a tremendous
feat, pale in comparison to the impact Dale has
had on the lives of his swimmers and divers.

24  |  The Wick  |  Spring 2011

400 Wins | 26 Seasons
And a Three-Sided
Life in Balance
Dale is much more than a coach—he is a mentor,
a confidant and, above all, a friend.”
Nothing could please this coach more. “At
graduation each year, I’m not thinking about
wins and losses and records,” Dale says.
“I’m thinking about each senior’s personal
development and ways that I may have helped.
The pool is my classroom, the sport is my
lesson.”
“I am so proud of my dad,” says Dana
Rothenberger Faulconer ’00. “Celebrating
400 wins is also celebrating 26 years of
really hard work; 26 years of memories and
friendships for our family. My parents make a
great team.”
“Dale has a tremendous work ethic and one
that I try to emulate in my life,” says Dana’s
husband, Jason Faulconer ’00, a swimmer and
Hall of Famer. “He has always shown through
his actions as a coach and athlete that there is no
substitute for hard work and dedication.”
The coach’s commitment still impresses Femi
It comes from a life well grounded. “I live my
life as triangle,” Dale explains. “All sides are
connected. They may change length, the shape
“I live my life as a may change, but it is always a triangle.” One
length is mental activity; one is social; the
triangle … all sides are last, physical. Dale cites exam weeks when the
connected. One length mental side is long for students and the social
and physical sides are short but still present-
is mental activity; one is for balance, for perspective. At the center,
comprising the volume, is family; always family.
social; the last, physical.
The triangle works for me; “The triangle works for me; it works for my
athletes,” Dale says. “It’s simple, but effective.”
it works for my athletes.”
—­Dale Rothenberger His insights include knowing when to hang up
his towel and, thankfully, it’s not yet. “I’ve told
my athletes, when I think I know everything,
then I’m done,” he says. “I still feel that I have
a lot to offer, and that there’s a lot the students
Roecker Ford ’98, whose husband Kenny can offer me.” Including, undoubtedly, many
Ford ’94 was a Hartwick swimmer and, later, more wins for the ’Wick. n
assistant coach. “Dale leads by example,”
she says. “I remember trekking the steps to
morning practice and seeing Dale already there
training for his next triathlon. His discipline is
inspiring.”
Spring 2011  |  The Wick  |  25
 Generosity
Portrait in Philanthropy:
Fran and Skip Sykes P’96
By Elizabeth Steele
Elizabeth Steele is a professional writer and
partner of President Margaret L. Drugovich.
On campus for a meeting of the Board of
Trustees, Fran Sykes P’96 admires 19th
century coverlets from the collection of The
Yager Museum of Art & Culture.
26  |  The Wick  |  Spring 2011
Take Care of Business
You may not see their names on a building, a scholarship,
or a plaque; that’s not their style. Yet over several years the
support and influence of Fran and Skip Sykes P’96 have
pervaded Hartwick College, from academic programs to
outdoor activities to infrastructure.
They have remained interested in the Religious graduated with a degree in Religious Studies and
Studies department, for example, where their is now a Religion teacher.
daughter Tiernan Close ’96 studied with
favorite faculty such as Professor Gary Herion. “The faculty is the backbone of the College; that
was our experience;” Fran explains. “Hartwick is
“We appreciate what the teachers did for our not an institution; it’s people. Skip and I feel that
daughter,” Mr. Sykes says. “Tiernan started giving to Hartwick is personal.”
college thinking she would be a geologist, but it
wasn’t right for her. She took a required course, Much of their philanthropy is directed behind-
uncovered her talent, and developed long-lasting the-scenes, literally. The couple has championed
relationships with faculty members.” renovations and safety upgrades in the residence
halls and facilities. They most recently committed
A faculty-led J Term trip to Israel and Jordan to A Greener Hartwick, helping to fund energy-
in her senior year was a milestone for Tiernan. saving initiatives and sustainability practices
A personal highlight was meeting her future across campus.
husband, Matt Close ’97, on the trip. She
 “If your child had a good experience, contribute enough
so that someone else’s child can do the same. If it was
Pine Lake, support that. ... This kind of support allows
the College to do something else, something more.”
—Fran Sykes

“Skip and I take a back-to-basics approach to
giving,” Fran explains. “Certain things in a
college are core and must be supported. Certain
things have to be done to protect the integrity
of the facility. Curb appeal is very important;
it indicates care and pride. But it’s what’s
underneath, the infrastructure, that’s at the
source of strength.”
The couple works closely with President
Margaret L. Drugovich, whom Fran calls,
“the right person in the right place at the right
time for Hartwick. She is able to do what has to
be done. She recognizes people’s strengths and
is able to encourage leadership and sustained
long-range planning.”
The Sykeses understand the complexity of
running a not-for-profit organization: Fran is
the president of the Pascale Sykes Foundation
in New Jersey; Skip, a retired head of school and
an educational consultant, is the Foundation’s
co-treasurer.
Fran is also a member of Hartwick’s Board
of Trustees. Being appointed in 2005 was
“an honor,” she recalls, and a role that aligns
with her approach to business. “Look after the
basics-that’s what trustees do,” Fran says.
“Our primary responsibility is to preserve the
capital. Once you have done this, then you
build.”
Building informs the couple’s philanthropic
choices. “You can give to correct something,”
she says. “Or you can give to build on
something wonderful and make sure that
another student can have the experience that
your child did. I feel strongly about building on
our strengths and thinking big.”
Fran and Skip appreciate the value of Pine
Lake, calling it “an alternate experience, and
an important one.” Tiernan participated in
Awakening as a freshman and helped lead
it in subsequent years. She worked at Pine
Lake throughout her junior and senior years,
coordinated school groups, and became certified
to do challenge education. Tiernan recently
participated in President Drugovich’s Pine Lake
Task Force.
“If your child had a good experience, contribute
enough so that someone else’s child can do
the same,” Fran advises. “If it was a J Term
experience, contribute for another student to
go. If it was Pine Lake, support that. If you
appreciate the strong faculty, give to fund
their work and to build on their relationships
with students. This kind of support allows the
college to do something else, something more.”
Budget relief can feed advances in the
classrooms and around campus. “It’s exciting
to see what’s happened at Hartwick in recent
years,” Fran observes. “At a time when many
colleges are cutting back and many students
need five years to graduate because they can’t
get their courses, Hartwick is at the forefront.
Not only can all our students graduate in four
years, some may do it in three. Hartwick is
innovative in meeting the needs of students.”
Fifteen years after Tiernan graduated from
Hartwick, Fran and Skip Sykes still deeply
appreciate the opportunities and experiences
she had here. As a Trustee, Fran has insight
into college priorities and needs. Through their
informed philanthropy, these alumni parents are
helping to ensure the College’s core strengths,
sustainability, and advancements well into the
future. n

Spring 2011  |  The Wick  |  27

 Alumni News

Alumni
Alumni EVENTS IN PRINT
Events and activities are sponsored by the Office of Alumni Relations, the Alumni Association Still Dews of Quietness, by
and your regional alumni network help you stay connected to Hartwick. To get involved with any E. Jane Seeman ’49, is
of your regional alumni networks, contact Director of Alumni Relations Duncan Macdonald a collection of
’78 at macdonaldd@hartwick.edu or 607-431-4032. meditations focusing
on prayer and Christian
Presidential Receptions Alumni Events living. Xlibris Corporation
Atlanta, GA | May 18 New York City | June 2 (2009).
Hosted by Gary Bush ’77 Hartwick Hudson Cruise
Poughkeepsie, NY | June 11 The Pebble Path, by
Lakewood, NY | June 9
Janet Hasak ’74, takes
Hosted by Betsy Tanner Wright ’79 Walkway Over the Hudson
an allegorical look at
Cazenovia, NY | June 30 Albany, NY | June 23 Hasak’s cancer journey
Hosted by Tom Gerhardt ’84 Tri-City ValleyCats in a poetic, fairytale-like
setting. Outskirts Press
(2010).
GOLD Events
New York City | June 9 Gurule and Corn’s Principles
Boston, MA | June 16 of Counter Terrorism Law,
co-authored by Geoffrey
Steven Corn ’83, examines
the military and law
enforcement responses to
international terrorism.
West Law School (2011).

Class of 2006—It’s Your Turn! Bragging Rights

It’s been five years since you left Oyaron Hill, and that means it’s your turn to vote for The Office of Alumni Relations is looking to fill
this year’s recipient of the Margaret B. Bunn Award for Outstanding its bookshelves with the work of Hartwick alumni.
Teaching. If you’ve published a book and are interested in
donating a copy to our shelves, e-mail Assistant
Like the award’s namesake—a dedicated Trustee and friend of the College—the faculty member Director of Alumni Relations Liz Cook ’05 at
you choose will be honored as the most outstanding and influential professor during your time at cooke@hartwick.edu or give her a call at 607-431-
Hartwick. He or she will be recognized during Commencement 2011. So start thinking back to 4088.
your days on the hill, and keep an eye on your mail and e-mail for voting instructions.

The Wick Alumni Do you design, make, or

sell a unique product?

Holiday We’re compiling a holiday gift guide full of items made

FC Jewelry Design
Faith Critti ’05

by Hartwick alumni. If you’d like your product con-

sidered for inclusion, e-mail a quality, high-resolution

Gift Guide
photo (300 dpi) of your product, along with your name,
class year, contact information, and website address
to: moritzj@hartwick.edu, or mail a sample to: Jen
Moritz, The Wick, PO Box 4020, Oneonta, NY 13820.
Samples will be returned upon request.

Save the Date: Homecoming & Reunion 2011 | September 30-October 2

28  |  The Wick  |  Spring 2011

 2

Connecting
6

Through
Hartwick 5

Presidential Advisory Dinners Regional Alumni Events

1 | Binghamton, NY, hosted by John Jones ’84 5 | New York, hosted by Trustee Ed Droesch ’82
2 | Rochester, NY, hosted by Andy ’74 and 6 | Albany, NY
Linda Ashworth 7 | Schenectady, NY
3 | Raleigh, NC, hosted by Trustee Rory ’83 and
Mary Savoy ’84 Read
4 | San Francisco, CA, hosted by Trustee Ron 7
Lynch ’87

Class years ending in 1 and 6 will celebrate five-year reunions this year.

Spring 2011  |  The Wick  |  29

 President Calls for Nominees
The President’s Award for Liberal Arts in Practice
Hartwick College is seeking nominations for the
President’s Award for Liberal Arts in Practice. The award
recognizes outstanding alumni who extend the values
that are inherent in a Hartwick education into their life
work, to the benefit of others.
Nominees should be alumni who demonstrate their
commitment to learning by bringing theory and
practice together to generate new knowledge and new
understandings, and encourages others to do the same;
continually develop their capacity for critical thinking,
ethical action, and reflection, and fosters this development
in others; value and apply diverse approaches to building
knowledge, and encourage others to do the same; express
the significance and importance of both individual and
collective action; seek to build a deeper understanding of
similarities and differences, across time and space, and To Find Out More
encourage others to do the same; encourage others to Visit
take inspiration from the products of human ingenuity, hartwickalumni.org/
including the sciences and the fine arts, as well as the LiberalArtsinPractice.
beauty and workings of nature; have made meaningful
contributions to present and future communities, locally Or to nominate an
and/or globally; and are known to have a passion for alum for this award in
learning, nurtures creativity, and honors others. 2011, contact Director
of Alumni Relations
The award was established in 2009 to honor alumni duncan Macdonald
who demonstrate their commitment to learn by bringing ’78 at 607-431-4032
theory and practice together to generate new knowledge or macdonaldd@
and new understandings. The first President’s Award hartwick.edu.
for Liberal Arts in Practice was presented to Sharon
Davidson Dettenrieder ’65, an alumna of the Nursing
program.

Submit your photos for the 2012 Hartwick calendar

We’re looking for Hartwick-themed photos—campus, J term, study abroad, people, athletics, performances, unique experiences—
for the 2012 calendar. This one was submitted by Professor of English Robert Bensen. To be considered, photos should be approximately
8x10 inches, 300 dpi. Upload your photo to www.flickr.com/groups/hartwickcollege (be sure to tag them “2012calendar”).
You also can e-mail your photo(s) to moritzj@hartwick.edu with “2012 calendar contest” in the subject line. Winning photos will appear
in the 2012 calendar!

30 | The Wick | Spring 2011


class notes deadline | Submit your Class Note for the
next Wick by June 15, 2011. Send your news to classnotes@hartwick.edu
or the class correspondent listed under your class year.
1936  |  75th Reunion
M. Hebbard MacArthur celebrated his 96th birthday in September “and
can’t believe my 75th reunion is coming up. I’m still raising navel oranges
in Riverside, CA, much easier than milking Holsteins in Davenport by
hand at 30 below. Kids can’t believe how we had to drain the car oil at night
to keep it warm behind the wood stove and pour it back in before heading
off to school. Granddaughter Mariellen Ebie ’05 is enjoying her career in
optometry.”
Julia VanDenburgh writes: “At 95 years, maintaining my own home and
living alone, drive (at night!). I’m restricted from a broken hip at 89 years.”
1938
Lucena Kibbe reports: “I am alive and doing quite well at age 93, as I say
often here.”
1940
Donald and Lodema (Clapper) Conner recently celebrated their 65th
wedding anniversary. Their son, James Conner ’80, lives in San Diego, CA.
George Winne celebrated his 95th birthday in December.
1941  |  70th Reunion
1944
David Trachtenberg, davsel@att.net
1946  |  65th Reunion
1948
Doreathea Pistor Milne writes: “As time goes on, those college days seem to
be in a balloon, still on a string but losing altitude with time. Hartwick will
always have a place in my heart. Save a space in your heart for our college!”
1949
Wilma Skellie Dodge announces the June 2010 birth of her great-grandson,
Parker Thomas McManus.
1950
George Grice, geog@3rivers.net
Joyce Hitzelberger Driscoll writes: “In October, my six daughters ran the
LLS Marathon in San Francisco as Team Nancy, for my second-eldest
daughter, who died of lymphoma of the brain in 2009. Over 20,000
participated in the Nike- and Tiffany-sponsored event. My daughter Tamara
from Oregon was top money-raiser three times! She also was the keynote
speaker at the dinner. My son, Daniel, also joined them in San Francisco.”
Zelpha Card Hoyer writes: “My partner, Alan Champlin, and I are in
Florida January through April.”
1951  |  60th Reunion
Marie Sullivan Blackman writes: “No news. Still standing. We gave up
sailing in 1998. We spend the winter in the Florida Keys.”
Charles and Alice (Riley ’52) Keator report: “We moved to a senior
residence facility almost three years ago. Lots to do here! Trips by car this
year will include New Jersey for family get-togethers and Houston for our
Class Notes
Stanvac Indonesia Oil Co. reunion. We enjoyed a cruise in the eastern
Caribbean in January.”
Bobbe Banks Salkowitz celebrated her 80th birthday in May “with the birth
of my seventh great-grandchild! Still working and loving it.”
1953
Celin Vaernewyck Schoen reports that Frederick died October 23 (see
Page 45) after a lengthy battle with Alzheimer’s. Celin remains at home in
Hobart and keeps active with newspapers and church work.
1956  |  55th Reunion
1957
Don Michel, don36@maine.rr.com
1958
Dick Hatzenbuhler, the hatz@verizon.net
Emily Bozanic Lilly is the community resources and affairs specialist with
the city of Boca Raton, FL. In January, the local Rotary honored outstanding
people and leaders who have made the community a better place to live.
Emily was honored with this very prestigious award at an Opal Awards
banquet. More than 350 community stakeholders were in attendance. Emily
has been in her current position for the past 15 years. She retired from a 35-
year teaching career before the Boca appointment.
1959
Dalene Davis Cross, poppabob@verizon.net
1960
Nancy Brackett writes: “It would really be nice to see some news from the
Class of 1960. It was great to see everyone at our 50th reunion, especially
Phyliss, whom I hadn’t seen since graduation. We are taking a Panama Canal
cruise this spring and touring Williamsburg and Jamestown with three of
our grandchildren.”
1961  |  50th Reunion
Bob Burns had his 100th scientific career publication appear in the
November-December 2010 issue of Anatomical Sciences Foundation. He is
in his 43rd year of teaching anatomy and doing basic cancer research at the
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock.
Shirley Seaman-Tamulis has been retired for several years and widowed for
seven. “I have been busy serving on several boards. Currently, I’m a member
and secretary of Lourdes Hospital board of directors, where for 20 years I
have volunteered as hospital decorator and ‘flower lady’ for the Auxiliary’s
gift shop.”
1962
Sharon Dorff Conway, asadsac@aol.com
Dinah McClure, Dinamo32@aol.com
Emily Walter Mikulewicz writes: “The nurses of 1962, always a tight group,
historically getting together en masse yearly, and in many small groups
more often, are using electronic communication more and more to share
experiences and support each other in the challenges of life at three score and
10. What a good start Hartwick gave us. There are no better friends.”
1964
Christina Gummere Laurie was elected one of five national vice presidents
of the National League of American Pen Women Inc. She was elected by a
large majority over her opponent at the national biennial convention in Little
Rock. Christina received her master of divinity degree in gerontology and
Spring 2011  |  The Wick  |  31

Alpha Sigma Phi fraternity brothers who attended Hartwick in the
1960s gathered in Albany and Penn Yan in the autumn of 2010 to
reminisce and discuss medical procedures. A new fraternity tradition was
established when a waiter spilled a glass of ice water on the youngest
alumnus, Ed Collins ’71 (not pictured).
Above: In Albany, NY: Dick Rizzo ’66, Dan Scribner ’65, Dick Ghidiu ’67,
Jim Cooper ’68, Tim Collins, Bernie Isser ’67, and Joel Huntzinger ’65.
Below: In Penn Yan, NY: Carol Shevlin Rizzo ’66, Nora Ruthig, Fran Haak,
Bill Elkins ’66, Al Ruthig ’66, Dan Strauss ’65, Doug Haak ’65, Dick
Ghidiu ’67, Dick Rizzo ’66, Cathy Ghidiu, and Betsy Abbott Elkins ’68.
biblical studies from Boston University School of Theology in 1990. She is
still working on her doctorate in spirituality at Hartford Seminary.
1965
Bill Gaillard writes: “I retired from Hoosick Falls Central School in
2001. From 1942 to 2001, we had three band directors, the first of
whom was H. Bradford Cole, who died very young on the job. 2001 was
the 50th anniversary of his death, and as director of the Hoosick Falls
Community Band, we did a commemorative concert gathering the Cole
family (all musicians who directed my band as well as played). As kids,
they grew up in Ilion, NY, and their band director was Hartwick Professor
Emeritus Frederick Fay Swift, who left Ilion to become Chair of the Music
Department at Hartwick! Through the Coles, I have kept in contact with Dr.
Bob Swift ’62, son of Fay. Small musical world. My wife, Carol, is director of
the Cheney Library; since ‘retirement,’ I still am the rescue squad president,
am in the Lions Club, and drive charters and tours for Yankee Trails.”
Richard Sahr is a healing touch certified practitioner. Healing touch is an
energy therapy in which practitioners consciously use their hands in a heart-
32  |  The Wick  |  Spring 2011
centered and intentional way to support and facilitate physical, emotional,
mental, and spiritual healing. Healing touch complements conventional
healthcare. At Albany Medical Center, Richard does sessions in all
departments and also accompanies patients into pre-op, OR, and post-op.
In addition, he does sessions in the community room at Honest Weight
Food Coop in Albany and has a private practice at his house. Healing touch
was the first complementary therapy to certify its practitioners and soon
will be the first to become accredited. HT is endorsed by the American
and the Canadian Holistic Nurses Association, and is approved by the
National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Body Work. He
encourages those interested or curious about complementary therapies to
visit healingtouchforall.info.
John Valentine is happily retired and living in Leesburg, FL. He and his wife,
Rosella, enjoyed a second tour of central Italy in November.
1966  |  45th Reunion
Janet Dolan Brower retired in 2010, but enjoys substitute school nursing in
the Anchorage, AK, school district. “My current activities include a women’s
weekly hike/ski group, docent at the museum, parish nurse, garden club, and
six fun grandchildren.”
Charles Buckley writes: “Nancy and I enjoyed a wonderful river cruise—
music on the Danube. We visited the three capitols of the former Austro-
Hungarian Empire. Prague is a delightful city with old pristine buildings
undamaged by World War II.”
Bill and Betsy (Abbott ’68) Elkins love to travel. They have four
grandchildren and report that life is good! Betsy retired in July 2009 as
director of libraries at SUNY-ESF in Syracuse. Bill maintains his private
architecture practice but would prefer to paint watercolors.
Uwe Koepke writes: “Our first granddaughter, Louise Athena Marks, was
born this past December. Retirement? What’s that?”
Jacqueline Purdy retired from the NYC Department of Environmental
Protection, working in the Delaware County Watershed. “Retirement is
great!”
Janet Jackson Stanhewicz writes: “Just signed up for Social Security! Where
has the time gone? My oldest child just turned 40. I don’t feel that old.
I’m still working part-time as a school nurse. We have five grandchildren,
ages 7-1. I babysit for two of them on my two days off. It’s like having a
full-time job. My oldest daughter just started working for ING in market
research analysis in Hartford, and my son has his own executive search
firm in Connecticut. My younger daughter works in retail in Philadelphia.
Rich is retired. I finally got a Facebook account, so I’m up with the times. I
reconnected with some high school friends, which has been fun.”
Mike Watt has been appointed executive producer at American Audio
Visual Center in Scottsdale, AZ, and has moved to the sunshine after 41
years in Connecticut. He will continue to produce large corporate meetings
all over the world for clients such as Pepsi, Gillette, FEMA, and Duracell.
He is the grandfather of four, and his twin daughters live in Oakland and
Piedmont, CA. You can reach Mike at mike.watt@americanavc.com.
1967
Bruce Cameron, bpsychia@stny.rr.com
Phillip Arnold reports: “I continue to achieve my retirement goal of traveling.
Last year, I spent the month of February in Argentina and Chile, traveling
from Buenos Aires south through the Strait of Magellan, ending up in
Valparaiso, Chile, and driving overland to Santiago; the Andes are just
awesome. Rented an apartment in Paris for the month of June and ventured
out to discover Paris by walking through 15 of the 22 arrondisment, a
great way to discover Paris, and visited many of the museums; also traveled
to the countryside to Givergny to see Monet’s place; Auvers Sur Oise to
see van Gogh’s scenes he painted; Chartres to view the Gothic cathedral;
tSo champagne country to sample champagne at Moet & Mum; to Veux
Le Compte, forerunner of Versailles; to Fontain Bleu and to Chateau
Vincennes; wonderful time! In November, went off to Tahiti and Moorea
for a week to relax from retirement, ha! I was in Sydney, Australia, and New
Zealand in December and returned in January. Glad I have my health and the
means to travel.”
Rosemary Bellino-Hall writes: “I have made a step into politics. I won
election to Lawton City Council from my ward. Working on several
campaigns in the past, it was interesting to be the candidate. Lawton is a city
of about 94,000, facing some major challenges with the rapid expansion of
Fort Sill Military Post. I continue my private practice of internal medicine,
which I find continually challenging.”
Bruce Cameron reports: “After serving the past 20 years on the Town of
Windsor Planning Board, I was reappointed in January to another five-year
term.”
Sally Dudley Dionne lives in South Carolina “near the coast and as far South
as you can get without being in Georgia. Our children live in Maine (Tabitha
’95 and our son, Noah, with wife Amy ’99 at Franklin Pierce in Rindge,
NH). We get to see them once or twice a year. Tabby and I keep talking
about attending Homecoming together; maybe this year? We have a few
alumni in this area—it surely would be nice to have a get-together.”
Barbara Mittl Dodson is an associate professor in the department of
education at Indiana University South Bend. She has two granddaughters,
who live in NYC.
Joan Erickson writes: “Our daughter Christina and her husband, John,
are the proud parents of our newest grandchild, Iris, born the morning of
Christina’s Ph.D. graduation from UVM, May 23, 2010. We now have
three granddaughters.”
Carolyn Meyer is “retired after 43 years of nursing and enjoying life in
Virginia Beach.”
Valerie Hallenbeck Perrins had her second cataract surgery and is doing fine.
She hopes to retire this spring from Unity House Inc. of Troy, NY, as a case
manager for the mentally ill.
John Schorr writes: “I now split my time between Ormond Beach, FL
(January to June), and Chiang Mai, Thailand (July to December). I have
not fully retired yet and continue as senior professor of sociology at Stetson
University in DeLand, FL, during the spring semester.”
Ginny Vail writes: “In January, I retired from the Florida Fish and Wildlife
Conservation Commission after nearly 32 years as a state employee. While
working for the state of Florida in a conservation land acquisition program,
marine sanctuary management, marine artificial fishing reef construction,
and marine fisheries management was very rewarding (never a dull moment!)
over the years. I look forward to having time to travel and visit friends, work
in the yard, and pursue volunteer opportunities.”
1968
Annette McLean Gould reports: “My husband, Dave, and I are enjoying our
home in Florida during the winter and traveling in our RV in the summer.
We have a grandson and a granddaughter.”
Richard Struck has served with Orange and Rockland Utilities in Pearl
River, NY, for 27 years, mostly as director of economic development, his
current position. “We work to attract and retain business customers who
provide jobs and tax ratables in the communities we serve. My wife, Jeanne,
and I live in Pearl River.”
Bonnie Taylor Yacobucci writes: “Our first grandchild, Mauricio Alan
Yacobucci, was born June 8, 2010, so we are officially grandparents! Little
Maury, who was born in Istanbul, Turkey, where our son is assigned by the
State Department, even has his own diplomatic passport!”
1969
John Wood Goldsack, jwgoldsack@aol.com
Richard and Nancy (Baldauf ’70) Cook bought their second home in
Garden City, SC. They are grandparents to son Ethan’s two children; son
Ryan received his degree from Radford last spring. Daughter Emily is
teaching at Yale University. They all spent time last summer at the beach in
Garden City.
John and Colleen (Madden) Goldsack report: “Greetings to the Hartwick
family and alumni friends. We are very pleased with Hartwick’s journey
and excellence and news shared in The Wick. Hope you join us with this
sentiment! Our granddaughters, Grace-Ann (7) and Amelia-Hope (4),
remain our greatest joy in life—and hopes for the future.”
Laura (Crandall) and Bob ’70 Haney live in Newark Valley, NY, and work in
Ithaca in their “retirement” business with two of their five children. “Come
see us at Finger Lakes Sailing Services and Carina Construction Services.”
Donald Hanssen writes: “I’m enjoying retirement after 18 years with GE
Capital. Ann and I have two grandchildren in California, so needless to say
we travel to the West Coast quite often.”
Don Lee was installed as pastor of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Monroe,
NY, last October. He previously was the assistant pastor.
Susan (Rosenberg ’70) retired last summer after 40 years in group insurance
at Prudential and MetLife.
Kathleen Niemel Olszowka has been retired for 10 years. She and husband
Don have cruised extensively on the Great Lakes in their boat. “We have
four wonderful grandchildren.”
1970
Barbara Burhouse Kozub and her husband, Tom, opened Country Moose
Antiques and Moose Muffins Dessert Cafe in their barn last summer
in Readfield, ME, in the Belgrade Lakes region. “We’ve spent nine years
restoring our 1806 house and the barn, but it’s all been worth it! An
English teacher for many years, I now teach kids with mild to moderate
learning disabilities during the school year. Our three grown children and
their spouses are scattered across the country, so school vacations find us
making treks to visit them and our three grandchildren, aged 10 months, 11
months, and 2. If you’re in Maine this summer, please stop by the shop!”
1971  |  40th Reunion
Barbara Klapp Vartanian, birhbev@omh.state.ny.us
Steve Fine works in the Medicare field, helping seniors make their best
healthcare choices by exploring options and the different insurance carriers’
plans for part C and D Medicare.
Ann Smallbone Krauss writes: “Enjoying our four grandchildren and being
the head ‘ding-a-ling’ (handbell director) at my church. My hubby is due to
fully retire next year. Drop a line: thekrausshouse@cox.net.”
Karen Stanley writes: “After 30 years of ordained ministry, I retired
December 31. In June, my son, Josh, and his wife, Megan, will make me
a grandmother for the first time. I would love to hear from classmates at
disciplepastor@gmail.com.”
Lee Tawney writes: “My wife and I have been living in the same house
in Baltimore for 28 years. We have three children; one son works in the
investment world and our daughter and other son are students at George
Washington University. I work with a group of people establishing the
National Sailing Center & Hall of Fame in Annapolis, MD.”
1972
Scott Griswold, urfree@bellsouth.net
1973
Ronald Stair, ronalds@att.net
Spring 2011  |  The Wick  |  33

Pine Lake mini-reunion: Ted Albers ’79, Steve Boese ’79, George
Monaco ’78, John Cagnetta ’79, Paul Bolz ’79, and Giff Jamison
gathered in August.
Debbie Platz Hooper writes: “Both kids are married and working; no
grandkids yet, but lots of grand dogs, cats, and chickens! See us at joebay.
com.”
Bill Loweth retired from Dominion Millstone Power Station, but went back
to the electric boat company at General Dynamics in Groton as a principal
engineer. “I’m having a great time before I really retire!”
Dick and Marcia (Kingston ’75) Nelson report that their sons Jon and Ryan,
both Holy Cross graduates, are officers in the U.S. Navy. Jon is stationed in
California and Ryan is stationed in Florida. Dick continues with Sharp and
Marcia loves her new job as a certified professional teller at Fairfield County
Bank.
John Ellis Olszowka was honored in November for 25 years of service with
Ulster County at the Golden Hill Healthcare Center.
1974
Mike Brown, mike.g.brown@comcast.net
Michael Beson writes: “Having retired from Shenendehowa Central School
after 36 years, I have returned to sports; refereed boys’ soccer in the fall, and
am back coaching high school basketball. My niece, Clare Nelson ’14, is a
freshman at Hartwick. She is on the swim team, so more trips to Oneonta
the next few years.”
Dean and Judy (Sharp) Cowen, along with their daughter Megan, visited
Kenya and Tanzania this past October. Their two-week safari took them
to many of the game parks visited by Dean and Judy in 1974, when they
were part of a Hartwick study-abroad program. Dean stayed in Tanzania
an additional week and climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro. Anyone from that study-
abroad group who would be interested in getting together at Hartwick in
2014 for a 40-year get-together can contact Dean at dc8271@gmail.com.
James Ross writes: “Son Daniel was married in November. He is pursuing
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34  |  The Wick  |  Spring 2011
his master’s in mental health counseling. Son Mike is a nutritional
consultant with Cornell Cooperative Extension.” Jim’s wife of 31 years, Peg,
is a nurse. Jim is “happy and healthy; still an independent manufacturer’s rep
with no plans for early retirement.”
1975
Bill Child sang with the Jefferson Community Chorus during the annual
holiday concert. He writes: “Trying to find positives in these crazy times.
Got our bobsled run groomed and had strings of lights up after the big
blizzard. Had a few nights of tubing fun with the family and neighborhood
kids. Snow for us was no hassle at all.”
1976  |  35th Reunion
Elizabeth Volz has been appointed a judge in the Colorado 18th District.
1977
Tobey Scott reports that he has started a new consulting enterprise in
Portland, ME. He writes: “I started my old company (Gilchrist Scott
Limited) in 1988 in NYC and moved it to Portland in 1990, but after
23(!) years, I found that I needed a bit of renewal. So, I sold GilchristScott,
a Microsoft Partner that sells and implements Dynamics GP accounting
software systems, to my employees last summer. I have started RTScott,
Inc. to pursue new consulting ventures. Our current project is creating a
new non-profit organization that will offer ‘hosted’ information technology
resources to non-profit social service providers at a fraction of the costs
that they currently incur. My wife, Amy Woodhouse, and I are still devoted
Sugarloaf Mountain skiers, and our daughter, Elisabeth, is in Portland, OR
(just to confuse the mailman), finishing her undergrad pre-med degree.”
Rod Theobald writes: “I still teach English, coach, and am the assistant
director of college counseling at The Gunnery, a boarding school in
Connecticut. My wife, Karoline, also teaches English; our oldest daughter,
Maisie, is a sophomore in college; and our other daughter, Lindsay, is a
freshman at The Gunnery.”
Roberta Mones Warfield will be part of the string education faculty at
The Ohio State University in Columbus, OH, this summer. She will be
presenting various pedagogical practices to string teachers from the United
States. Roberta continues to teach instrumental strings at Fox Lane Middle
School in Bedford, NY. “Life is fun and I enjoy every moment! I can be
reached at fiddledd@hvc.rr.com.”
1978
Althea Lyons is an adjunct faculty member at Suffolk University Graduate
School.
Rita Hemmerich Rowand is the global relations specialist at George
Washington University, where she hosts incoming international delegations
and dignitaries. She also is co-chair of the regional DC/VA alumni chapter.
1979
Lisa Merrill-Burzak recently attained her CFRE (certified fundraising
executive) and is vice president of development for New Hampshire Catholic
Charities.
Ted Albers and Charlotte (Freihofer ’81) Albers write: “We moved to
Shelburne, VT (just south of Burlington), about five years ago after 16
years in Arlington, VA. Our daughter, Clare, is graduating from University
of Vermont this spring. Vermont is a blast. Outdoor hikes, skiing, and
skating are occasionally interrupted by my work with U.S. Citizenship and
Immigration Services (the immigration-benefit part of DHS). Charlotte has
a neat business in horticulture and garden design, and is quite the expert in
her field! ted-albers.net.”
1980
Sara Allison Phelps and David Phelps ’79 write: “We still live in Merrimack,
NH! Our daughter, Katherine, graduated from the University of New
Hampshire last May with a B.A. in psychology and a minor in family
studies and music. She lives in Dover and works as a case manager at the
Dover Children’s Home. Kallie sings professionally, as well, at St. John’s
Episcopal Cathedral in Portsmouth. Our son, Benjamin, is a junior at UNH
and is studying economics. Last summer, he was an intern at ImprovBston,
studying comedy and improvisation. He is a writer and actor in Sketched Out,
a comedy group on campus. Dave is a project manager at BAE Systems and
I am a licensed nursing assistant. We would love to hear from our Hartwick
friends!”
1981  |  30th Reunion
Larry Tetro, ldtet2004@yahoo.com
John McCluskey writes: “After what seems like a 30-year blur, I’m looking
forward to coming home to Hartwick for our 30th reunion, reconnecting
with some memorable people, and having a good laugh about some great
times in Oneonta during part of the ’80s. Thirty years foward, while never
quite the soccer player I had hoped, I’ve been blessed to have worked with
some of the top players, club teams, and national associations while working
in international soccer for great companies like ISL, Puma, Reebok, Pony,
and now my own firm that promotes international soccer exhibitions around
the USA and brokers matches and player transfers worldwide. Still, even at
age 51 and after four knee surgeries, I can still keep up with the ‘young guns’
and hold my own playing pick-up footie when I can. This year, though, I will
finally give in and will join a 40+ league! After living abroad and traveling
to 60-plus countries and all over the USA (NYC, Boston, LA, SF), Europe,
and South America, too, I’m back where I started, the most exciting city
in America—Hartford, a.k.a. Stepfordville, CT (Farmington actually).
Halfway between New York and Boston; give a shout, as I’m either way at
any given time for both business and pleasure. See you all at the reunion; I’ll
be the short, fat, bald guy!”
1982
Paul Graunas Fortuna has decided to pursue a master’s degree in nursing
and is enrolled at the MGH Institute of Health Professions Advanced
Practice Nursing program. He writes: “I’m very excited to be back in school;
things have really changed in the past 29 years!”
1983
Woody Thompson, woody.thompson@octagon.com
1984
Philip DeFronzo writes: “The mortgage business is going great! We
just won an award for one of the fastest-growing mortgage lenders in
New England. My oldest daughter, Maeve, has Andrew Kuhlberg as her
orthodontist. Her braces look great!”
1985
Rhonda Foote, rhondasfooteworks@yahoo.com
While I did not receive any individual notes, here is a review of our 25th
reunion from last fall: Homecoming & Reunion 2010 was a special one
for the Class of 1985, as we celebrated our 25th reunion. Old friends
Meg Conway Clifford ’82, Mo Ganey ’82, and Andrea Connolly Peabbles
’82 celebrated their 50th birthdays in Old Forge, NY, in September 2010.
Meg lives in New Hartford, NY; she and her husband, Jim, have three
sons (23, 21, and 15). Mo lives outside of Philadelphia with her husband
and two children. She works for herself and designs cards. Andrea is
outside of Portland, ME, with her husband, two teenagers, and pets. She
is a freelance book editor and occasionally gets to see Carolyn Lindsay
and Jere Ross ’82, also in “Vacationland.” They all greatly miss their dear
friend Melissa Reed Chudy ’82, who died of breast cancer in 2006.
reconnected, new friends were made, and new memories were made during
the exceptionally beautiful fall weekend! I was surprised at just how quickly
the years melted away. We were all young again for that short time in the
hills of Oneonta! We spent some time with President Drugovich downtown,
toured the area, paid tribute to our dear friend Linda French, and just sat and
chatted. Thank you, friends, for a special and memorable reunion!
Ron and Sue (Welch) Hampton celebrated their 23rd wedding anniversary
this past fall. Sue has been appointed to the board of directors of Pages for
Peace. She writes: “Check out this amazing project at pagesforpeace.org.”
Lori Ann Sych writes: “Had a great time at Reunion. Thanks to everyone
who worked hard to make the weekend so nice. Special thanks to Beth and
the other AOII sisters for the lovely memories.”
1986  |  25th Reunion
Rob DiCarlo, rdicarlo@brockport.edu
Laura Litynski is director of marketing and HR for Intelligent Systems
Research Inc. in Thousand Oaks, CA. Laura writes: “I have been busy
raising four children. I also served 10 years in the military as an Army/
Air Force reserve officer (captain), enlisting initially in the 25th Army
Band, then seeking a commission as a medical service corps officer. After
running a small college campus on the civilian side in Florida, I eventually
became a civil affairs officer in special operations and was deployed 10
months of 2004 in Baghdad, Iraq, serving as the U.S. Army/Embassy/
Ministry of Higher Education and Education officer in charge of education
reconstruction efforts and regional operations officer for the country of
Iraq under Centcom during that time. While there, I also had the unique
opportunity to perform with the Iraqi National Symphony. After returning
from the war in 2004, I transferred to the Air Force and became a public
affairs officer for Air Combat Command/Tyndall Air Force Base and Special
Operations. I am pursuing my doctorate in organizational psychology
(dissertation phase). My daughter Brea (14) lives with me in California;
my son Trey (23) is pursuing a commission as an officer in the Army
Spring 2011  |  The Wick  |  35

These Phi Sig sisters celebrate accomplishing their personal goals at the
More/Fitness Half Marathon in April 2010 in New York City. Kathy Miller-
Mullins ’87, Chrissy Gray Molinsek ’87, Tara Fraher Hathaway ’87, Beth
Ormsby ’87, and Nancy Beach ’87 also had the opportunity to reconnect
with Andrea Gilroy ’87 while they were in the city.
after graduating from the University of West Florida with his degree in
anthropology; Amber (21) is a junior attending the University of North
Florida as a graphic arts major; and Tyler (18), after graduating high school,
has enlisted in the Army as a scout. Please pray for my sons and all the
soldiers who sacrifice their home life and lives to serve this country.”
1987
Robin Hackett writes: “Thanks to Facebook, Jay Perrotte and I found out we
work in the same building—for NYS DEC! Small world.”
1988
Kathy Fallon, kfallon@pcgus.com
1989
Dorothy Holt, holtcrew@maine.rr.com
Thomas Tumulty sends best wishes to one and all. You can contact him at
tctumulty@hotmail.com.
1990
Leisyl Ryan Kleinberg, leisyl@kleinbergs.com
Jim Douglass writes that he has been very busy in Scouting. He is a
Cubmaster for Pack 98 in West End, NC, of which his son, Jack (10), is
a Cub. Jack’s little sister, Lindsay (8), also tags along on some of the Cub
Scout camping trips.
Shari Herschenhorn and Matthew Flanagan were married May 23, 2010, at
the Hillsboro Beach Club. They live in Boca Raton, FL.
Sarah Horton has opened a candy/gift stop in Boston (579 Tremont St.),
named Felicity Sweets. She would love to see some Hartwick friends; please
stop by if you are in the area!   this area, with the help of James Schneider ’90, Bryan Clutz ’04, and many
Robin Moskala Macri and her husband, Rocco, are happily anticipating
the completion of eldest son, Anthony’s, first year of college at SUNY
Brockport. Younger son, Joseph, a high school junior, is gearing up for
college, hopefully the Culinary Institute of America. Their youngest,
daughter Kaitlyn, is completing her freshman year of high school.
Laura Mulcahy Mayhew recently executed a career change. “After years of
slaving away as a writer, a majority of which was high-tech marketing and
corporate communications, I am now happily employed as a secondary
36  |  The Wick  |  Spring 2011
school English teacher in northern Virginia. This job combines my love of
writing, reading, and books, not to mention the kids. I teach ninth-grade
English at Dominion High School and am busily re-reading long-forgotten
books of my youth. It’s been a kick in the pants thus far!”
1991  |  20th Reunion
Rena Switzer Diem, rnmommy@yahoo.com
Greetings to all from the Class of ’91! Here’s the latest and greatest from
those who had a few minutes to share:
Life is good in sunny and warm Sunnyvale, CA, for Andrea Fori Catura,
Paul (husband), and Ben (son, 4). The three recently attended a Hartwick
alumni event in San Francisco with President Drugovich, during which
it was predicted that Ben will be a graduate of the Class of 2027! Both
Andrea and Paul continue to work for Lockheed Martin. Andrea leads a
development program for mid-career systems engineers and Paul works in
the world-renowned solar astrophysics lab, building spacecraft payloads that
monitor solar weather. They want to ensure everyone in Oneonta that spring
is on its way. “The daffodils are blooming here. Hang in there, Oneonta is
next!”
Jen Wennik Ward writes: “All is well here in Melrose, MA! My boys, Aidan
and Hooper, are in fourth and second grades, getting big, loving school
basketball and the Bruins, and looking forward to baseball season. I am
working 30 hours per week as an HR generalist in a great elder services
agency in Malden. My husband, Jon, is doing well as senior engagement
manager with the Pedowitz Group out of Atlanta, GA. Thankfully, Jon
doesn’t have to travel a lot. I’ve been trying to hook up with Hilary Duffy in
NYC! Not easy with busy lives, schedules, etc., but confident we’ll see each
other in the next few months.”
John Donovan and Kara Hamill ’90 report: “I earned tenure and am an
associate professor of mathematics education at Plymouth State University.
On the home front, our son Cole’s all-star baseball team won the NH State
U12 championship last summer. The whole family had fun traveling around
the state watching games.”
Kristen Brown writes: “The Browns are doing well back and living near
Rochester, NY. We have found a lovely village, which reminds me of our
previous home in New Hampshire, although I do miss the mountains and
valleys of New England. We spent the first two years finishing up some
projects that were left incomplete or not done as we would have done, by
the family who built and owned our house. This involved a lot of outside
projects, including a new stamped concrete patio and fence around our
pool and landscaping galore. I just took a new position, still in the NICU,
as the unit educator. Strong Memorial Hospital will be transitioning to an
electronic medical record shortly, which has made the new job challenging
with a lot of hours; all should settle down by summer. Being on more of a
regular schedule definitely agrees with me and family life! Jack loves his job at
the University of Buffalo and is active in local politics, going to the gym, and
being a dad. Lanie loves kindergarden and has many top and bottom teeth
missing. She is heavy into princesses, swimming, and Barbies. She and her
daddy do many new fun things together, including golfing and sledding this
year. Hoping to try skiing, but will see if we get to it. Hope all in the Class of
1991 continue to prosper! We are trying to rekindle the alumni activity in
others. We had a great event this summer at the Yacht Club, and are looking
forward to planning some more activities for summer and fall 2011. Find
me on Facebook; I would love to hear from some that I have lost touch with
and looking forward to the Reunion (20 years, ack!).”
Rena Switzer Diem reports: “Life changes rapidly, and when you least expect
it sometimes. Other times, it seems something you are expecting will never
arrive. Having worked part-time for a few years for two companies at the
same time, I left one for a full-time opportunity, with the other this past
March. Things seemed to be OK at first—then the layoffs began. November
found me as one of the affected. Silver linings and hidden blessings (I was
there to help my daughter with kids when she needed it, and I was off for the
holiday season, and had a month with my parents visiting from the Finger
Lakes), a severance package that helped some, and a few months later—I
now work for an LTAC near Milwaukee, WI. LifeCare Hospitals of WI is
one of 19 long-term acute-care hospitals in five states under the LifeCare
name. I am still working in the wound and hyperbaric field. I obtained my
hyperbaric RN certification in October 2010. This summer/early fall, I will
start my ostomy and continence certification classes. Yes, that all means I
play with gross things all day. Our family grew by another grandchild on
January 19. We have two grandsons (4) and a wee bitty one. Our kids are
growing so fast. I tried to make my baby (9) stay at that perfect cute size this
fall. He said something to the effect of needing to grow tall like his brother.
He is referring to the 15-year-old, who wears bigger shoes than his father
and is essentially the same height. So much for keeping them little. And their
sister is, of course, busy growing her own kids. At least she lives nearby, after
having moved back to the area this past summer. My husband remains in the
electronic test development field. Here’s to growing together with family and
staying in touch with old acquaintances and friends throughout the coming
years!”
Marcy Wrend Roy and her husband, Christopher, were married in Lenox,
MA, in September 2009. They welcomed their daughter, Avery Alison Roy,
June 24, 2010.
1992
Rory Shaffer, rorysw@gmail.com
Happy spring, everyone! The Class of 1992 has some news to report
this time from New York to Virginia. To send in an update, e-mail me at
rorysw@gmail.com, or you can find me on Facebook. Hope life is treating
you well and I hope to hear from you soon!
Laura Borg Koumas writes: “After eight years of commuting into
Manhattan, I recently got a great job closer to home at the Hilton Long
Island. I have added three more hours back into my day and now have more
time with my sons, Evan (5) and Thomas (7).”
Charles Colfax reports that life is treating him well in central Virginia. “I am
in my sixth year as a firefighter/medic for Henrico County. My wife, Annie,
and I welcomed a baby girl into our world. Caroline Ella joined big brother
Brendan June 21, 2010. We bought a new house to accommodate our
growing family. Mechanicsville, VA, will be home for the next 20 years, until
I can retire from the fire department or both kids are out of high school.”
Mary Beth Tyksinski McGarrahan and her husband live in Saratoga Springs
with their sons, Sam and Jack. “We’ve gotten in a few days of skiing so far
and hope to go some more before the snow melts. Our youngest has taken
up snowboarding this year and promises to be pretty good! Watch out
for an orange helmet with flames if you’re at Gore! I’m still managing the
non-profit event venue Universal Preservation Hall in Saratoga, and have
a couple of good concerts and shows lined up for this spring. Check out
universalpreservationhall.org for show listings and events. If you want to
drop me a line, e-mail me at bpmcgarrahan@yahoo.com, or you can find me
on Facebook.”
Richard McCoy was elected to the board of directors for the National
Association of Public Health Statistics and Information Systems. The
association represents states’ Vital Records offices and promotes national
standards for health statistics reporting.
Greta Rothermel Ruppert writes: “I am married to Matt Ruppert ’90. We
live in Paxton, MA, with our children, Alexander, Timothy, and Jacob. I am a
physical therapist assistant at a skilled nursing facility three days a week and
enjoy it. On my free days, I am either helping out the kids in the classroom
or enjoying my free time. Matt teaches German in Rutland, MA, to seventh
and eighth graders, and coaches basketball. We have lived in Paxton for 13
years.”
1993
Simon Baker is president/CEO at Baker Avenue Asset Management and
recently relocated from San Francisco to New York City.
Emily Lamb, of Boston, MA, is engaged to be married in 2011 to Ken
Kuperstein of Hingham. Wedding participants include her classmates
Jennifer Cote-Nance, of Abuquerque, NM; Maryanne Keeney Wetherald, of
Boston; and Amy Bigler Torrey, of Hingham.
Maryanne Keeney Wetherald writes: “2010 proved to be upbeat for my
public relations business. We just launched the first Pinkberry Frozen
Yogurt in New England, with more locations to come. We represent
consumer goods, footwear, and luxury clients.”
1994
Missy Foristall, foristallm@yahoo.com
Chris and Tracy (Stevens) Hejmanowski have decided to remain in
Jacksonville, FL, with their four children. Chris works as a staff physician in
a civilian emergency room, after leaving the U.S. Navy. Tracy continues to
work as a clinical psychologist, assisting OIF/DEF service members.
Marcus Miranda teaches world history, anthropology, humanities, and
sociology. He writes: “I am enjoying life with my children, Lucas, Cora, and
Raya, and my beautiful wife, Krissie. Cheers.”
1995
Louis Crocco, lbcrocco@aol.com
Ian Ritcey and Tiffany Sanders Ritcey welcomed their third son, Weston
Munroe, February 19, 2010. He joins brothers Liam (5) and Chase (4).
“We moved into a bigger home in Huntington, NY, to handle the chaos that
three boys will bring!”
Mark Stratton writes: “My wife and I welcomed Quinn Juliet Stratton to the
world September 10. I am the principal of Glens Falls High School and I
earned my doctorate this past year.”
1996  |  15th Reunion
Amy Krasker Cottle, amycottle@comcast.net
1997
Amy Maletzke Moore, maletzke@hotmail.com
1998
Jamie Sommerville O’Riordan, jamieoriordan@yahoo.com
“I started a new position at Deloitte Financial Advisory Services back in
early December. So far, I really like the job and am thrilled with all the great
resources and opportunities Deloitte offers. In others news, Eoin and I are
expecting a baby boy in late June. It should be quite interesting to see how
our two dogs handle the little one! It’s great to get news from you, so please
continue to post updates to The Wall. Alternatively, you can send updates to
my attention at jamieoriordan@yahoo.com.”
Douglas McLane received his master’s in education from the University of
Pennsylvania this past July. Douglas and his wife, Lisa, expect their first baby
in April.
Ekaterini Vlamis writes: “I became an aunt at the end of September! My
nephew, Leo, is beautiful, and my brother and his wife are showing off their
wonderful parenting skills with much joy. In work-related news, I am offering
two fantastic pre-conference workshops in April in Becket, MA, as part
of the Association for Experiential Education’s NE Regional Conference.
Workshop details can be found at edgwoodcs.com on the events page.
Teachers, counselors, and others who work with youth populations are
especially encouraged to come!”
Spring 2011  |  The Wick  |  37
 Enjoying the football game during Homecoming & Reunion are Phi Sig
sisters Sue Ketcham ’00, Brooke Sandler Coleman ’00, Alice Timmens-
Haroldson ’00, Erin McGrath ’00, Amy Witherell ’00, Nicole Crawford
Freeman ’00, Sarah Pettit ’00, Meg Thomson Bulawa ’00, Caraly Benak
’00, Rebecca Murphy Partridge ’00, Kelly Mastalong Prevost ’00, and
Taryn Chase ’00.
1999
Kristen Falk, hartwick99@yahoo.com
Carrie Parks Appler and her husband welcomed their second daughter,
Whitney Caroline, October 8, 2010.
Becky Knickerbocker Armstrong celebrated her 10th wedding
anniversary in December, complete with an icy plunge into Lake George in
full wedding garb. She writes: “Yes, the dress still fits!”
Nicole Barnhardt writes: “I can’t believe it’s been over four months since our
wedding. The ceremony and reception were at Dano’s Heuriger in Lodi,
NY, on Seneca Lake. We had a perfect wedding day; sun was shining, leaves
were changing color, and our closest friends and family were in attendance.
We have yet to take our honeymoon, but we are thinking about going
to Iceland in August.”
Amanda Aldi Bedford was married in Northampton, MA, in October to
Gordon Bedford (UMass Amherst ’01). There was a big Hartwick group
there and they couldn’t have asked for a better day, surrounded by friends
and family. Since moving back to the Boston area a few years ago, they’ve
reconnected with old friends and continue their involvement in the local
community theatre scene.
Taryn Tabacco Branca and her husband welcomed their second child,
Matthew Jack, October 26, 2010.
Michael “Ambassador” Bruny recently returned from the Entrepreneur
Magazine Growth Conference in Atlanta, where he dined with his favorite
scientist, Holly Symolon ’98; they hadn’t seen each other seen since
1998. Mike writes: “My book Move the Crowd is now in e-book format
and available at all the online book stores. I completed another e-book, I’m
Focused Man—41 Hip Hop Affirmations to Change Your Life, inspired by the
lyrics of Jay-Z. This one is free for all Hartwick folks. You can download it at
bit.ly/focusedman1. In 2011, I’m focused on pulling all my brands under the
Ambassador Bruny umbrella, so be on the lookout for Ambassadorbruny.
com (coming soon). I have to give a 1999 shout-out to my marketing guru
38  |  The Wick  |  Spring 2011
Hartwick runs in the family for the Scarano sisters! Emily ’11, Julie ’06
and Jenny ’02 each majored in Biology and played tennis for Hartwick.
All three also were nominated for the John Christopher Hartwick
scholarship, and Emily was one of last year’s six recipients of the
College’s highest student honor. After graduating from Hartwick, Julie
attended New York Chiropractic College and Jenny went on to Cornell
University to become a veterinarian. Emily wrote in to share their story:
“Every year, my sisters and I take a photo of the three of us to give to our
parents. This year, we decided to take our photo at Hartwick, since this
is the last year a Scarano will be here and the school has meant so much
to us and our parents. … The three of us have truly enjoyed our time at
Hartwick, and my sisters attribute a great deal of their success to their
Hartwick experience. … In a few months, we will all be Hartwick alums!”
consultant, Tony Brogna. He is always available to give a brother marketing
advice, and I appreciate him for it. I continue to add to my bow tie collection
(no clip-ons) and completed my first ‘how to tie a bow tie’ video on my
YouTube channel, youtube.com/ambassadorbruny. Lastly, I just created
a social media internship position, bit.ly/hiphopaffirms_intern, for my
Hip Hop Affirmations brand, which is focusing on combining traditional
inspirational quotes with hip hop lyrics that have the same meaning.”
Geno Carr recently returned from a fantastic around-the-world adventure.
“Nancy and I served on the faculty for the Fall 2010 Semester at Sea voyage,
spending 109 days circumnavigating the globe and stopping in 11 countries
and 15 ports. There were over 600 college students on the ship, and we had
a great time teaching theatre classes and seeing the world! As if that weren’t
enough, we were blessed enough to have Archbishop Desmond Tutu sail
with us—a true living legend and wonderful spirit. Overall, an amazing
opportunity—to say the least. Now we’re back in San Diego and I’m serving
as associate faculty at MiraCosta College; I teach acting, voice, and diction.
I’m also performing in the ’80s musical ‘miXtape’ with the Lamb’s Players
at the Horton Grand Theatre in downtown San Diego, set to run through
the end of April. I’m booked to perform in The Music Man and Little Shop of
Horrors here in San Diego later this year, and am looking forward to staying
on dry land for the foreseeable future!”
Despite being in Texas, even Jennifer (Victor) and Peter Conway were
affected by the winter storms sweeping the country in January! Jennifer
writes: “Makayla just turned 4 and Madison just turned 2. They keep us
busy, but are a lot of fun! We are expecting our third baby next month, and
it’s a boy! Pete is beyond thrilled! We’re busy getting things ready for him.”
Jen continues to work weekends in labor and delivery, and Pete is working for
a commercial real estate firm. 
Mikki Baloy Davis continues to do healing consultations, ceremonies, and
workshop facilitation at Pamo Healing. She also is writing a wellness and
spirituality column on Examiner.com, which she hopes everyone will check
out.
Emily Dexter became engaged over the Christmas holiday and is planning a
fall 2011 wedding in Mexico.
Jennifer Martin Dolan and her sons have been busy playing in the snow this
year. She is halfway through her first year as director of guidance at Walpole
High School. It is going very well and thankfully she has a supportive
husband who makes life at home much easier! “I am looking forward to
vacation. Laurel Belson Kronimus and I are going to meet up halfway during
the break for a play date at a children’s museum in Bristol, CT, with all the
kids. I am looking forward to seeing good friends in April at Nicole Benoit’s
wedding!”
Kristen Falk returned to the snowy northeast in January for a visit home to
help her mother rehab a recently replaced knee. While there, she attended
five contra dances and learned the finer details of what it takes to make a
knee bend after surgery. The snow was beautiful, but not enough to impede
her return to Oregon, where she spent the rest of the winter attending contra
dance camps, playing percussion in the Portland Megaband, and biking to
work in the rain.
Last spring, Adam Franssen and his wife, Catherine, bought and moved
into their first house in Richmond, VA. The move was precipitated by
Adam accepting the position of assistant professor of biology at Longwood
University. He really enjoyed his first semester, and writes: “It’s a great place
to work and doesn’t have the pressures of a big school, which allows me to
spend time with my now 20-month-old daughter.”
Amy Yager Gardner will finish her M.S. in family nursing (FNP) in May.
“It has been an eventful three-year journey trying to balance work as the
director of the Fox Adult Day Center, home life, and a master’s program. I
am looking forward to being done with formal learning for a while. I have a
contract to work for Fox Hospital as an FNP following graduation, and hope
to be able to be in a family practice office with some duties in a long-term
care facility, as well.”
Kate (Warner) and Joe Johnson spent the Christmas holiday on Galveston
Island with Kate’s parents and brother. “We had a great time and even got to
enjoy the indoor season at Schlitterbahn on Galveston Island. There is a nice
light trail at Moody Gardens, as well. The girls love being involved in Girl
Scouts and Praise Power choir at church. Aaron is 4 and wants desperately to
go to school. We hope to spend some time camping this summer and I hope
to finish my MBA before the end of 2011.”
Amanda Minker Kowalczuk and her husband welcomed their second child,
Lilah Rose, in October 2010. “She is an amazing, sweet little baby and big
brother Aidan is wonderful with her.”
Karen (Rivera) and Eddie Lagares welcomed a baby girl, Kariella, January
10. She joins brothers Emmanuel and Ethaniel. Karen writes: “We are all
very excited and blessed to have her.”
Kathleen Brennan Mills and her husband, Ryan, are expecting their first
child this spring. “We do not know if it will be a boy or a girl. We moved
to New Haven, CT, for Ryan’s job. I’m working on my dissertation and
getting ready for the baby. It has been quite the winter to move from Texas
to New England. But it is nice to be back in the Northeast and closer to
family and Hartwick friends!”
Jamie Irwin Morency finished her second season as the boys’ varsity
soccer coach at Argyle Central School. Dan Morency is the curriculum
leader for social studies at Stephen and Harriet Myers Middle School in
Albany. Their son, John (2), keeps them busy. He loves sports—especially
soccer and hockey—and books, and talks non-stop! They are expecting
Bob Inkhamfong ’01 and Alexandra Harrington were married October
9, 2009, at the Hall of Springs, Saratoga Springs, NY. Celebrating with
the newlyweds are Sydney Rowe ’04, Jason Arredondo ’01, Doshea
Gordon ’00, Victor Lewis ’00, Mike Bruny ’99, Ji-Eun Yoo ’01, and Omar
McKenzie ’00.
child number two in May. Dan made it out for the Hartwick Alumni Golf
Tournament and enjoyed seeing some familiar faces.
Laura Napoli has been focusing on her health and physical fitness, and it’s
been paying off. She writes: “I’ve lost 63 pounds, and in December I tested
and earned my third-degree black belt in tae kwon do. In January, I competed
in a local tournament and won grand champion in women’s black belt forms.
I am training to compete in the AAU National Competition in Austin, TX,
this summer.”
Tiffany Lyman Otten changed industries, from online advertising (in which
she still consults for a handful of legacy clients) to telecommunications and
IT/data/security consulting with PAETEC. She writes: “We are happily
adjusting to life as parents of a high-energy toddler, while also trying to
patent the process of bottling said-toddler’s energy, which will surely make
us multibillionaires. Unfortunately, this research is done in our spare time, so
ETA is somewhere around October of 3042. Other than that, I ran my first
5K ever in October. My only objective was to run the whole thing (I have
never been a distance runner) without walking, which I did. My husband,
Luke, won his age group easily and then came back to run some of the rest
with me to support me. Some good friends came and surprised us (in the
rain!), so in all it was a wonderful day, and done to benefit a child who spent
the first seven months of her life in the NICU, which you probably know is
dear to me since Liam spent his first month there. You’d never know it today,
though, and I’m a ridiculously proud mommy of an awesome kid. Hoping
we can make it to reunion year this year, though I’m still sad I missed our
10-year!”
Marissa Parisi and Mike Martin ’00 bought a new house with four acres
in Shelburne, next door to an organic beef farm. It is the quintessential
Vermont life. This spring, Marissa plans to start beekeeping. She has had
a great and fast-paced two years as the executive director of Hunger Free
Vermont. All Hartwick visitors are welcome if you’re ever in the Burlington
area.
Andrew Perzigian reports: “This past summer was a gem. My wife and I
bought our first house in San Francisco and gutted the whole thing, a project
Spring 2011  |  The Wick  |  39

Michelle Schesny ’03 and Anthony Nadler were married October 23,
2010, in Ossining, NY. Sharing the joyous occasion with the bride are
Daria Schesny Larsen ’01, Syrah Porter Nicaisse ’03, Jessica Soules
Bloom ’03, and Kathryn O’Connell Cleary ’03.
that took three months. We lived on the dusty sub-floor for a few weeks,
and I ate more takeout burritos than I want to think about.” Andrew was
scheduled to take some major exams for his Chinese medicine school in
December.
Adam and Carol (Mattice ’98) Pierce are enjoying life with their jobs and
children. Makenzie (6) loves first grade and is practicing her hula-hooping
for her school’s K-3 talent show. Andrew (2) is acting much older than he
really is, trying to keep up with his older sister! Adam’s brother Aaron Pierce
’98 and his wife, Marla, visited for Christmas (from Louisiana), which was
great fun.
Jeff Poltrino and his wife, Marilyn, are happy to announce that their
daughter, Nora Kate Poltrino, was born November 11, 2010. Everyone is
doing well. Big brother Luke is enjoying his little sister. He turns 2 in May
and keeps them very busy.
Dan Shapley married Samantha Uecker August 21 in a ceremony at
Montgomery Place, a historic site overlooking the Hudson River. Alumni
in attendance included Dave and Kate (Nelson ’00) Cordaro, Pete Hazelton
’00, Alison Paradis Palmucci, Lynn Hodgens Schaffer, Sean Randol, Julia
Suarez Hayes ’72, Mike Tomasso, and Jonathan Wood.
Meghan Katcher Shivel and her husband, Kevin, enjoyed their first
Christmas as parents. “As expected, Claire loved wrapping paper and bows!
We can’t believe how quickly she is changing and growing. She’s starting to
take steps on her own! We are still living outside of Raleigh and really love it
here, but I wish we lived closer to our Hartwick friends and were able to have
some play dates. We are hoping that we can get together soon with James
and Alicia (Koscielniak) Hackney, so Claire can finally meet her best friend,
Charley!”
Eric Shoen took a job as an executive director with CCS fundraising last
August and has been working since then as a charity fundraising consultant
in New York City. He continues to run road races and stays very involved
with church. “I had dinner with Jennifer Smith a few months ago, and
it was great to catch up with her. I’m in my last term on the Hartwick
College Alumni Board, but will still be actively involved as a volunteer. I’ve
volunteered to help raise money for repairs and renovations to Anderson
and hope that we are wildly successful. I did the Polar Plunge, and I always
enjoy that. Finally, I’m looking forward to singing with the Hartwick
College Choir in Prague this summer.”
40  |  The Wick  |  Spring 2011
Mike Tomasso continues to teach middle school English and plays in a local
band (check them out at thebenedictions.com), “But the biggest news is the
impending birth of my first child! He’s due in early May. Natalie and I are
looking forward to the new adventure in our lives.”
Jonathan Wood is doing well and is in school for a master’s in interior
design and architecture. “It’s still exciting and I am looking to make the
transition from my fundraising job at Harvard into some sort of design- or
architecture-related job. I’d love to hear from any Hartwick folks who can
help point me in the right direction (juanywood@gmail.com). Over the past
few years, I have been coordinating weddings and events for friends, and
now it’s become a bit of a side business. It’s exciting to help couples make
their vision into a reality. I am working on a great wedding that will be on
Cape Cod, complete with a raw bar fashioned out of an old rowboat, and a
fantastic bluegrass band.”
2000
Kristen Hall, hartwick2000@hotmail.com
Caraly Benak writes: “Had a great time in Oneonta for our 10-year reunion
with all of the Phi Sigs who went. I was happy to see that Oneonta hasn’t
changed much and that we were still able to enjoy the beautiful campus in the
fall, cold cheese pizza, getting derailed, and partying at 6 Myrtle Ave. Special
thanks to Taryn Chase, who kept our time capsule closed so we could all
open it together, while reminiscing and enjoying quite a few laughs while
doing it! My cheeks hurt for the entire ride home after all of the laughs we
shared together. Looking forward to seeing everyone again soon!”
Mara Areman Cerina writes: “Still living, snowboarding, and enjoying my
new career in banking in southern Vermont with my husband, Joey; our
beautiful daughter, Alivia Jane; and our dog, Delila.”
Alice Iacovelli writes: “I loved seeing the girls, however briefly, for Alumni
Weekend.”
Kristin Hall is still in Bangor, working for Eastern Maine Medical Center.
With the crazy winter, she was looking forward to spring and summer and
the opportunity to explore Acadia National Park. She writes: “I hope that
many of you will join the Hartwick Class of 2000 Facebook group, or if you
are already in it, please invite people from our class who aren’t in the group
yet!”
Trish Willard Hopper writes: “Flip and I welcomed our baby girl, Ashlin,
March 2, 2010. It’s been a great year!”
Courtney Jurbala writes: “This spring, I will celebrate 10 years of living in
Colorado. I am as happy as ever and absolutely love my life out here and my
job. I am expecting my second child in July.”
Shelley Polinsky Lynch writes: “After getting the travel bug out of my
system with trips to India and Nepal, then teaching J Term in Jamaica in
2010, Chad Lynch ’99 and I finished our master’s degrees. I received my
master’s in nursing and Chad received his MBA with a concentration in
environmental management. We welcomed our first child, Jack Andrew
Lynch, on January 28!”
Maura Mancini writes: “Chris Mancini and I are still living in Connecticut.
Our biggest news is that on May 17, 2010, we welcomed our daughter,
Lake Alexandra, into the world. We’re having so much fun watching her
grow and reach all of her little milestones.”
Bethel Huller Willingham writes: “There has been a lot going on while
many things have stayed the same. We were so excited to see so many
faces we haven’t seen in a while at our 10-year reunion. It was great seeing
everyone! There are far too many people to list, but it was really great
reconnecting with Brian and Missy Carvin ’99, Jen Ambrose, Brigitte
Fielder, Melissa Williams, Tricia Brady Montes, and Scott Desmarais. We
were blessed to be able to celebrate our daughter Sophie’s second birthday
while there. Thanks to everyone who came and had a cupcake and talked. We
still live in Maryland (with Victor still working in Alexandria, VA) and
have been able to see some alumni who also are down here. We went to the
Katie McIntosh ’07 and Caleb Root ’06 were married August 14,
2009, at Bayshore Grove in Oswego, NY. Pastor Paul Messner officiated
the wedding ceremony. Celebrating with Katie and Caleb were Fred
Karp ’05, Kristen Budich ’06, Nick Campbell ’05, Rob Langdon ’05,
Brianna Draper ’07, Kathryn Rudolph ’08, Julie Scarano ’06, Rebecca
Whynot-Vickers ’05, Amanda Simeone ’07, Melissa LaReau ’08, Sandy
Armakovitch ’09, Emily Bickford ’06, Gail Michaelson ’05, Julie Duffy
’07, Clarence Welch ’04, Donna Johnson, DJ Johnson, Raimie Utterback
’09, Cara Nichols, Emily Ernsberger, Karen Adolfson, Dawn Stever, Matt
Stever, Ben Eddington, Brian Knox ’06, Josh Valder ’05, Shannon Mack
’07, Grace Hughes ’07, Mandy Breck ’08, Nicole Winegard ’05, Loren
Winegard ’05, Kathleen Morgese ’06, Adam Frys ’06, Cody Snyder ’07,
and Katie Petosa-Snyder ’07.
Maryland Renaissance Festival in the fall and spent time with Dave Olsher
’01, Megan Raphoon, Marc Novakouski, and Kate Ahearn Loveric, while
having a ton of fun. We met with Scott Desmarais’ fiancée while they were
visiting the DC area. We are very excited about seeing them again when they
get married this spring.”
2001  |  10th Reunion
Jessica Hyde, jessicahyde@yahoo.com
Thanks to all for the updates and I hope to see everyone this fall for our big
10-year reunion!
Shawn August writes: “It’s only a few months till the wedding and we still
have so much to do. I have another 30 pounds to lose, for a total of 100
pounds, and have about four months to do it. I’m looking forward to nearly
a month vacation and a long honeymoon in Italy. After that, it’s more house
hunting! Newman finally recovered from a herniated disc and is running
around like a crazy puppy! Maybe I should get him a brother?”
Greg Balcavage writes: “In February, my wife, Julie, and I celebrated our twin
daughters, Olivia and Anna’s, first birthday. July 2011 will mark our seven-
year wedding anniversary. We live in the Albany area, where I teach fourth
grade, and Julie is a resident at Albany Medical Center. Olivia and Anna are
busy attending day care, doing arts and crafts.”
Jennifer Strekas Coombs and her husband, Josh, introduced their new
daughter, Cadence, to Kim Treacy Kaplowitz and Sarah MacDonald
on a whirlwind trip to CT/NY during Christmas break. She is excited
to announce that she is officially a nationally board-certified teacher in
secondary English education!
Beth Deisenroth Flannigan is a corporate sales manager at the Woodcliff
Hotel & Spa in Rochester, NY. She and her husband, Jeff, are expecting their
first baby in April.
Kevin Gray reports: “I am living in Cherry Valley, NY, about one hour north
of Oneonta, with my wonderful fiancée, Sarah, and more animals than you
Becky Salamone ’07 and Ryan Jones ’07 were married September 10,
2010, in Farmingon, CT. Joining in their celebration are Eric Schell ’07,
Ashley Schell ’07, Cait Kennett ’07, Mariel Gross ’07, Owen Landry ’06,
Sheileen Landrey ’07, Andrea Feller ’03, Kelly Murphy ’03, Jeremey
Manchester ’03, Paige Sears ’07, and Ian Sears ’07.
can shake a stick at. I received my MFA in visual arts from the Art Institute
of Boston at Lesley University in 2009, and have exhibited sporadically. I
work as programs coordinator at Hanford Mills Museum in East Meredith,
and I also teach photography occasionally as an adjunct at a college called—
Hartwick. Yeah. Full circle, baby.”
Jessica Hyde continues the mostly futile hunt for her first home in
Watertown, NY, while trying to remember why she even wants to settle
down there.
Bob Inkhamfong and Alexandra Harrington were married October 9,
2009, at the Hall of Springs, Saratoga Springs, NY. They honeymooned in
France.
Christopher McDougal writes: “I was a bond trader at Lehman Brothers
until we, er, uh, collapsed. I spent the following two years traveling
around the world and cross country, catching up with friends and doing
some volunteer work. In an effort to begin the process of re-joining the
professional world without actually working, I applied to graduate schools.
I am now in the middle of my first semester at the Columbia University
School of International and Public Affairs, where I’m working toward a
master’s in international affairs. I’m concentrating on international energy
management and policy, with the hope of achieving gainful employment
within the field of energy in a role dealing with finance and policy. Along the
way, I’ve caught up with alumni, including Devin Poole, who was a great host
to my friends and me in Sydney, Australia; Chris Cutler at a bar in Portland,
OR, serendipitously; and Nick Zachos, who, through days of back-breaking
manual labor in Beacon, NY, reminded me that I’m better suited for an office
job than working with my hands. I live in Morningside Heights, near school,
and can be reached at cpmcdougal@gmail.com.”
Dave Olsher writes: “I’m still employed by The Sanguine Gryphon, a fiber-
arts company that sells hand-dyed yarn and unique patterns to the knitting
and crocheting community. I am a dyer and also the company’s official
liaison with the mills that supply our raw materials. Just recently, I was
Spring 2011  |  The Wick  |  41
 Hartwick swimming and family connection—three siblings marry three alumni! Left: JoEllen Aikins ’08 and Daniel Nicole Renee Valentine ’06 and
Holmberg ’06, Hartwick swim team members, were married August 9, 2008. Middle: Katie Aikins ’06 and Ben Adam Sokolowski were married
Murphy ’06, Hartwick swim team members, were married August 1, 2009. Right: Jessica Joy ’01 and Jonathan July 10 at the All Saints Chapel
Aikins ’05 were married October 10, 2010. Jessica was an assistant swim coach at Hartwick and Jon was a in Morris, NY, with the reception
member of the Hartwick swim team. at the Colgate Inn in Hamilton.
In attendance were maid of honor
Heather Liggett ’06, bridesmaid
Lindsey Olander ’05, and Jerry
Mackey ’93 as a guest. The
newlyweds live in Oneonta.

thinking to myself, ‘You know, if you had asked me where I’d be 10 years
after college, standing over a propane stove in the middle of a snowstorm
while deliberately pouring boiling water over my own hands would not have
been on the list. Despite that, I’m really enjoying the flexibility and creativity
this job offers me, and I’m excited to see where this path will take me. I am a
stage manager for the Maryland Renaissance Festival, as well as the de facto
stage manager of the local sideshow troupe The Cheeky Monkey Sideshow.”
Noreen Verbeck Pieper writes: “My husband and I recently bought a new
house on Long Island, and are expecting our first child this spring.”
Kim Treacy writes: “I have been married for almost seven years and we have
been blessed with our daughter, Payton, and have another on the way, due in
August. I work for a third party claims administrator, Gallagher Bassett, as
an account manager. Life is hectic but great here in Connecticut. I’m looking
forward to catching up with the girls for our 10-year reunion in October!”
2002
Meredith Robbins, meredithrbbns@yahoo.com
Erin Davis Dougherty won a Metrolina Theatre Award for Excellence in
Costume Design for her work on Comedy of Errors this past summer in
Charlotte, NC. Erin and Colin are expecting their first child in June.
2003
Erin Rowe, drowe214@hotmail.com
Tanya Quarty is a family nurse practitioner with Bassett Healthcare.
2004
Bry Anderson, bryanna.anderson@uconn.edu
Sara Gorsky Lokossou and her husband, Christian, welcomed their first
child, a baby boy, December 21, 2010.  Jessica Valluzzi writes: “I live in Los Angeles, pursuing a doctorate in clinical
In 2010, Stephanie Moreau passed the board exam for behavior analysts.
She is now a board certified behavior analyst for adolescents with autism.
Megan Davis Kennedy and her husband, Patrick, welcomed their son, Braden
James Kennedy, born October 30, 2010. They are thrilled and are enjoying
being first-time parents.
Emily Reynolds Stringer lives in San Antonio, TX, with her husband,
Matt, and their beautiful daughter, Lilah Jean. Matt is a member of the U.S.
Air Force and is a first-year urology intern. They were expecting a baby
boy in March. Emily is still writing, after the publication of her first co-
authored book, Beyond Burning Bras, and has started a blog at samplinmama.
wordpress.com to expand her public voice. 
2005
Edwin Siegfried, edwin.siegfried@gmail.com
Brett Amedro is finishing his third year in University of Michigan Dental
School. His wife, Laura Nestor Amedro, is in the nurse practitioner program
at Michigan State.
Jodie Wasacz graduated with her Ph.D. in chemical education from the
University of Northern Colorado last May.
2006  |  5th Reunion
Brian Knox, brian.j.knox@gmail.com
Florence Alila, fakoth@hotmail.com
Brianne Konze-Thompson and her husband, Kyle Thompson, are the
parents of identical twin boys, Nicholas and Liam. Everyone is doing great!
Due to the double birth, Brianne is taking time off of work to be a stay-at-
home mom.
Caleb Root graduated from New England Law, Boston, in May 2010. He
passed the bar examinations in both New York and Massachusetts and has
been licensed and admitted into the Massachusetts Bar.
psychology at Pepperdine University. I can’t believe it’s been five years since
Hartwick graduation!”

42  |  The Wick  |  Spring 2011

 Starting May 1, log on to
The Wall and interact! Are you
We want you to become an even bigger part of our online community, The
Wall. Update your profile, make a gift, post a note, connect your profile to
Facebook, upload photos, or create a group. You’ll receive one point for
Hartwick’s
biggest fan?
each activity listed above, and you’ll get triple points for making a gift. At
the end of the month, we’ll tally up the points and announce our biggest
fan! If that’s you, you’ll receive an iPod Shuffle and a shout-out on our
Facebook page. You’ll also be featured in a special e-mail announcement.

2007
Sara Caldwell, caldwells@hartwick.edu
Sally Fries is back in the U.S. after working for two years in Seoul, South
Korea, as an English language teacher at a private academy.
Alison Garcia writes: “In September, I finished physician assistant school.
Since then, I’ve been working as a physician assistant in the department of
neurosurgery at Harlem Hospital Center in New York, NY. The hospital is
one of the city’s few level-one trauma centers, so we see everything! Things
are great!”
Aliria Munoz works on the medical-oncology unit in Phoenix. She is
finishing her master’s in nursing education, enjoying her new house, and
loving the Arizona winter!
Amanda Newberg graduated from Columbia University Teacher’s College
in May 2009 with a master’s degree; she teaches middle school and high
school art in Rye, NY.
Sheileen Nicholson and Owen Landrey ’05 were married this past fall. They
live in Glens Falls, NY, where Owen completed his master’s degree. Sheileen
is pursuing museum education in Ecuador this year.
Luis Pastrán writes: “New year, new start! In January, I took a better job
opportunity with Pricewaterhouse Coopers Nicaragua. This new job has
put to the test many of the skills and concepts I acquired at Hartwick. Being
a consultant in auditing for PwC is constantly giving me the opportunity
to learn the inner-management strategies of many local transnational
businesses. I’d be glad to share and hear from other alumni; feel free to
contact me at lpastran@hotmail.com. Best wishes to the Class of 2007!”
Alicia Root writes: “I am serving with Americorps, coordinating a literacy
program in a low-income school in greater Boston, MA. In October, Ian
Averia-Tapper ’90 and I got engaged! No wedding plans have been made at
this time.”
Katie McIntosh Root is an elementary music teacher in Newton Public
School District in Newton, MA. She is working toward her master of music
education degree at Hartt School of Music in Connecticut.
Ashleigh Diefendorf Soule writes: “In May 2010, I graduated with my
MPH from Boston University School of Public Health. During the summer,
I moved to Maine with my fiance, Adam. We were married August 27 in
Cooperstown, NY. This past fall, I started a new position at Maine Medical
Cancer Institute, working on a federal grant from the NCI. Life is good.”
Jason Stone earned his master’s in international relations in June 2010 from
the University of Chicago. He then spent 10 weeks in India, studying Hindi,
through the critical languages studies program.
Oneonta, when Youchaou came to speak at the church about his school.
Oudou also works in Bamako as an interpreter/translator, and translates
documents for various well-known organizations, including Save the
Children. I joined Oudou in early June 2009. Since then, we have been
living in an area called Sabalibougou, where we have many close friends
and relatives. Soon after marrying, I began working for AISB (American
International School of Bamako) as a kindergarten aide. After one year
with AISB, I got a job as a kindergarten teacher with another local school,
Bamako International Academy. In September 2010, we found out that
we were pregnant and I am back in New York to have the baby. Oudou is
coming as soon as he can secure a Visa. I am due the end of May. I recently
got together with Desrie Bryan ’10 and Kate Reilly to celebrate my 24th
birthday in Saratoga, NY. Soon we plan to visit Oneonta and catch up with
professors and friends. Oudou and I plan to return to Bamako with the baby
and start building a house of our own.”
2009
John Meade writes: “I recently was hired by AIG’s Subsidiary Chartis
Insurance as an underwriting analyst. William Hopkins ’83, who works at
Chartis, was extremely helpful throughout the process, as was Hartwick’s
VP of Institutional Advancement Jim Broschart. Jim connected me with Mr.
Hopkins after meeting at a Hartwick lacrosse alumni event on Long Island.
Let’s keep the Hartwick alumni connection strong!”
2010
Wyatt Uhlein, wuhlein@cpexre.com

2008
Oudou and Melanie (Gulyas ’09) Sanogo were married July 12, 2009, in
Sabalibougou Bamako, Mali. Melanie writes: “Since his return to Mali in
2008, Oudou has been working at Ecole Privee Youchaou for Youchaou
Traore, whom we first met at the Universalists’ Church at 12 Ford Ave. in

Spring 2011 | The Wick | 43

 In Memoriam
The Power of One
When Gordie Roberts ’47, H’97 passed away at the age of 86,
he left behind a brilliant legacy of dedication and devotion to his
college and his community.
“My Dad stayed involved with Hartwick all his
life,” his daughter, Marcia Davis P ’02, says.
“He always said, ‘Look at how much Hartwick
has done for me; why wouldn’t I give back?’ His
life was very rewarding.”
Over the years, Gordie accepted every possible
volunteer opportunity, from 15 years on the
Board of Trustees to president of the Alumni
Association to member of the Citizen’s Board.
He raised money enthusiastically and gave it
generously.
“Gordie was so much a part of Hartwick that I
feel he is still around,” President Margaret L.
Drugovich says. “It’s not that I saw him every
day; it’s that I knew he was there. I feel sadness
that I can’t take him a cup of coffee and a donut
and sit down at his kitchen table to talk things
through.
“He will be missed in ways that will only become
tangible with time. You cannot fully appreciate
someone like Gordie in a moment of celebration
or of regret; his impact is just too great.”
Gordie entered Hartwick in 1941 at the age of
17. A self-described shy country boy, “he used
to say, ‘I grew up with Hartwick,’” Davis says.
Gordie Roberts on one of the proudest days
of his life—the Hartwick graduation of his
granddaughter, Christine Davis ’02.
44  |  The Wick  |  Spring 2011
“The College was so small then, with just one
building—Bresee—and he was so young.”
The farm boy grew up fast when he interrupted
college to enlist in the Air Force, becoming a
B-24 pilot in the China-Burma-India Theater
in World War II. His bravery earned him the
Air Medal, the Distinguished Flying Cross, the
rank of First Lieutenant, and an appreciation for
life’s gifts.
“He saw a lot of people die around him,” Davis
says. “He often told us, ‘I promised myself, and
God, that if I get through the war, I will dedicate
myself to my community.’”
He was a man of his word. Gordie returned to
Hartwick determined to keep his other promise
to himself: to enjoy each moment of every day.
He delved right back into college, was elected
president of his senior class and of Alpha Sigma
Phi, and graduated in 1947 with a degree in
Business. His career began with an offer from
Travelers Insurance to complete a summer
program and open their Oneonta office. The
Gordon B. Roberts Agency, Inc. started in
October 1947 as a one-man operation run out
of Roberts’ apartment.
Gordie Roberts welcomes President Margaret
L. Drugovich to Hartwick and Oneonta in
2008.
Gordie Roberts during World War II, when he
interrupted his Hartwick studies to serve his
country in the Air Force.
“He opened the phone book every day and
started calling people,” Davis says, “and he
wouldn’t go to bed until he had made at least
one sale.”
Such determination—combined with his
genuine interest in people—brought the results
he sought. The Gordon B. Roberts Agency, Inc.
now employs a staff of 20 and has annual sales
of more than $12 million.
“Dad attributed his success in life to Hartwick
College and the service,” Davis says. “He said
they made him the man he became.”
The man he became was “confident yet humble,”
in the words of his daughter; “passionate and
proud,” through Drugovich’s eyes. Many well-
deserved honors included Trustee Emeritus,
Outstanding Citizen of the Year (2001),
the Alumni Association Meritorious Service
Award (1997), and the Presidential Medal for
Extraordinary and Exemplary Loyalty to the
College (2009). And the one his daughter says
meant the world to him—an Honorary Doctor
of Commercial Science from Hartwick in 1997.
“If you believe that first impressions are the
most enduring, then Gordie is one of those
people you will never forget,” Drugovich says. “I
certainly never will; Hartwick never will.”
1937  |  Eugene Tellier, of South Orleans, MA, died peacefully
November 2 at his daughter’s home in Kingston. He retired as president
of the First National Bank of Cape Cod in 1980. He is survived by
Elizabeth, his wife of 71 years; five children; 10 grandchildren; and 10 great-
grandchildren.
1943  |  Robert Churchill, 89, of Glens Falls, NY, died October 10,
2010. He received his master’s in school administration from SUNY
Albany. He enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps in 1941 and saw active
duty with the 438th Troop Carrier Group, 89th Squadron, attaining the
rank of sergeant. Before moving to Glens Falls, he was a business teacher
at Jefferson Central School and Oneonta schools. From 1954 until 1970,
he was administrative assistant and clerk of the board of education at the
Glens Falls City School District. In 1970, he became an associate in school
business management for the NYS Education Department in Albany, until
his retirement in 1983. Robert was predeceased by his wife of 60 years,
Marjorie. Survivors include his daughter and grandchildren.
1946  |  Clement Hulick, 88, of Berne, NY, died January 23, 2011,
at St. Peters Hospice Inn, after a brief illness. He received his degree from
Hartwick following a three-year enlistment in the Army. He was stationed
in Alaska and was promoted to the rank of sergeant. He taught at Greenville
Central School for 15 years, until he went to work for the NYS Thruway
Authority, from which he retired in 1984. Clem was an ordained deacon
in the Trinity Episcopal Church in Rensselaerville and Christ Church
of Greenville for 48 years. He was a past commander of the American
Legion Post 291 in Greenville and a member of the Masons and the
Hiawatha Dormansville Grange. Clem and his wife, Sarah, enjoyed 36 years
together until her death in 2003. He is survived by three children, eight
grandchildren, six great-grandchildren, and a great-great-granddaughter.
Clem was predeceased by a son and grandson.
1949  |  Edna Seeman, 85, of New Philadelphia, OH, died November
13, 2010, following a period of declining health. Although legally blind,
Jane overcame her adversity and worked to obtain a degree in education
from Hartwick and later continued her education at New York University,
receiving a master’s of religious education. For a number of years, Jane
taught religious education throughout Lutheran Parishes in Flushing, NY;
Pittsfield, MA; and Cranford, NJ, before relocating to New Philadelphia in
1960. Survivors include a brother, a niece and a nephew.
1951  |  Frederick Schoen, 81, of Hobart, NY, died October 23, 2010,
at Robinson Terrace, Stamford. While a Hartwick student, Fred was active
with the Science Congress Movement, an interest he continued in his
teaching career. He taught science at Mathews High School in Mathews,
VA, before enlisting in the U.S. Army. He served in the Medical Corps
in Germany during the Korean War. He received a master’s degree in
education from Alfred University and worked toward a doctor of education
degree from Pacific Union University. Fred taught at what is now Odessa-
Montour Central School. He later taught at schools in the Buffalo area
and at Lyndonville Central School, where he became director of guidance.
He then took a similar position at South Kortright Central School, and
the family moved to Hobart. He retired in 1985 and became certified as a
licensed hypnotherapist, as well as a family counselor. He served for several
years on the Hobart Village Board and one term as mayor of the village. A
founder of Project Independence, Fred served on the boards of REACH
and the Delaware County Youth Bureau, and served a term on the Board
of Education at SKCS after his retirement. He had been active in the Boy
Scouts from his youth, assisting with a troop in Oneonta while in college,
and served as institutional representative and treasurer of Troop 39 in
Hobart for many years. He was a member and newsletter editor of the
Hobart Rotary Club and a member of the Catskill Community Players. He
is survived by his wife, Celin (Vaernewyck ’53) Schoen; two sons; and six
grandchildren.
1952  |  Marilyn Frey Ingalls, of Silver City, NM, died December 17,
2010, at the Advanced Care Hospital of Southern New Mexico in Las
Cruces, after suffering a fall in her home. In 1954, Marilyn traveled on a
freighter with her husband F. Leland Ingalls and their infant son to a three-
year assignment with the West Coast Berbice Parish of the Evangelical
Lutheran Church in British Guiana. After Leland’s death in 1958, Marilyn
remained in Philadelphia, until her move to Silver City in 2005 to be
near her two daughters. In Philadelphia, she returned to school, receiving
a master’s in early childhood education. She worked for Elder Craftsman
before forming a partnership in an arts supply store until 1996, when she
retired. In addition to her three children, she is survived three grandsons and
one great-granddaughter.
1953  |  Robert Henderson, 80, of Manlius, NY, died October 29,
2010, at St. Joseph’s Hospital, following a long illness. He worked at
Precision Die Casting, Thermold Corp. and Carpenter Mfg. Robert truly
lived by the motto “Serve others above self.” He was a member of the
Manlius Volunteer Fire Department for 20 years and served as chief from
1970 to 1978. During his tenure, he instituted the first ambulance in
Manlius, as well as EMT and paramedics programs. He was instrumental in
starting the Manlius Junior Firemen’s Explorer Post and the planning of the
Manlius firehouse. Robert was a member of the Onondaga Fire Chiefs and
NY State Fire Chiefs Association. He also served as chief of Mutton Hill
Fire Department. Robert is survived by his wife of 57 years, Loretta; three
children; seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
1956  |  Robert Dorum, of Poughkeepsie, NY, died October 7, 2010.
Bob received a master’s degree in history from Sienna College. He taught
history for most of his career. He also taught sociology, French and opera.
His teaching posts were in Maine, Florida and Wappingers Falls, where he
taught for 22 years. Bob retired in 1984. He also worked as a social worker
in New York City and as a church organist. He was the organist at St. Paul’s
Episcopal Church from 1984 to 2000. He also was a patron of opera locally
and in New York City. Bob is survived by many cousins, nieces and nephews.
1957  |  Samuel McCoubrey, of Sarasota, FL, died October 22, 2010.
Survivors include his wife, Janet; four children; nine grandchildren and three
great-grandchildren.
1970  |  Mark Hammer, 62, of West Sand Lake, NY, died January 10,
2011, after a long illness. He was married for 32 years to Challen Stowers-
Hammer ’70. Mark earned two master’s degrees, one from The College of
St. Rose and the other from Russell Sage College. Mark, for many years,
was employed as a computer programs analyst for Research Foundation of
SUNY at the Institute for Traffic Safety and the School of Public Health.
Previously, he worked at the Infectious Disease Department of the Stratton
VA Medical Center. Survivors, in addition to his wife, include one son, one
daughter and one grandson.
1970  |  Diane Allen Wood, 62, of Arcade, NY, died October 21, 2010.
Survivors include her beloved husband, Frank; two sons; one daughter; and
five grandchildren.
1973  |  Harlon Conger, 60, of Syracuse, NY, died January 8, 2011,
at University Hospital. He was an Eagle Scout (Order of the Arrow),
Spring 2011  |  The Wick  |  45
 a Coast Guard veteran and retired analyst for the NYS Department of
Environmental Conservation. Survivors include four children and two
grandchildren.
1976  |  Gary Peters, 57, of Oxford, MD, died January 9, 2011, at The
Memorial Hospital at Eaton, after a brief illness.
1977  |  Delia Ahearn Worthington, 55, of Camarillo, CA, passed away
December 5, 2010, after a courageous long-term battle with brain cancer.
Delia worked as a registered nurse at St. Johns Pleasant Valley Hospital
(extended care unit), then at the Department of Neuroscience at St. Johns
Regional Medical Center. In 2005, she accepted the position of school nurse
at Rio Mesa High School. Survivors include her loving husband, Steve; a
son; stepchildren and two grandchildren.
1978  |  Wentworth Vedder, 56, of Bala Cynwyd, PA, died suddenly
October 13, 2010, at his home. He was the husband of Carol, to whom he
was married for 20 years. He graduated from Widener Law, Wilmington,
DE, in 1988. He practiced criminal defense law with the Montgomery
County Public Defender’s office for more than 20 years. He founded the law
firm of Bryn & Vedder with his partner, Elaine Bryn, in 1991, and practiced
law with her in Philadelphia for many years. He was active in local politics as
a committeeman in Ardmore. He is survived by his wife and three children.
1982  |  Graig Woodburn, 50, of Santa Monica, CA, died December
19, 2010, after a 10-month battle with pancreatic cancer. Graig earned
his law degree from Georgetown University Law School. He spent the
majority of his legal career in Southern California, yet still practiced law
in Massachusetts. He also was an avid sportswriter who followed both the
Anaheim Ducks and Los Angeles Kings for Riverside Press Enterprise, The
Associated Press, and Sporting News for the past decade. Survivors include
his daughter.
Former Trustee  |  Richard Robertson, 90, of Staunton, VA, died
January 20, 2011. After first studying engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic
Institute, he graduated from University of Connecticut with an engineering
degree. Richard served as a Navy pilot and instructor in World War II. He
remained dedicated to the Navy through participation and leadership in the
Navy League and by maintaining his pilot’s license until he was 84. After
leaving the Navy, he joined General Motors, was plant manager for SKF
Corp. in Philadelphia, vice president of operations for Norma-Hoffman
Ball Bearing Co. and plant manager of American Safety Razor Co. He was
promoted to corporate vice president with Philip Morris and remained
with the company until his retirement in the early 1990s. During the time
he spent in New York, he volunteered with the Boy Scouts of America
and helped found an Explorer group in the inner city. He was awarded the
highest honor given by the Explorer division. He became president of the
Manhattan Council of Boy Scouts and was awarded Scouting’s highest
honor, the Silver Beaver Award. He was proud of his service as a member
and Treasurer of the Board of Trustees of Hartwick College, a capacity in
which he served for more than a decade. He remained active in various affairs
in Staunton, including as a member of the board of directors of United
Virginia Bank of Staunton, Staunton’s United Fund, and the Shenandoah
Valley Educational Television Corp. He was an active member of First
Presbyterian Church, where he served as an elder. He took a great interest
in helping organize and assist projects in Staunton and around Virginia
that provided services to children and those less fortunate. In 2000, he was
recognized as philanthropist of the year by the Shenandoah chapter of the
National Society of Fundraising Executives. He was preceded by his wife,
Roseanne. Survivors include his son, daughter and three grandchilen.
46  |  The Wick  |  Spring 2011
Trustee Emeritus
John W. Johnstone Jr. ’54, H’90,
died suddenly at his home in Palm
City, FL, on March 27. He was 78.
John earned a degree in Chemistry
and Physics from Hartwick, trained
in the Harvard Business School’s
Advanced Management Program,
and became a leader of the chemical
industry. He spent 22 years with
Hooker Chemicals and Plastics
Corporation (formerly Oldbury
Electrochemical); became president
of Airco Inc.; then moved to Olin
Corporation, a Fortune 200
company. After nearly 20 years in increasingly responsible roles, John
retired as Olin’s chairman in 1996.
He remained active in his industry well into retirement. A director
emeritus of Arch Chemicals Inc. and former chairman of the Soap and
Detergent Association and of the Chemical Manufacturers Association
(now the American Chemistry Council), John served on the boards of
The Phoenix Companies Inc., McDermott International Inc., Fortune
Brands Inc., and Research Corporation Technologies Inc.
John was named a Chemical Industry Medalist by the Society of
Chemical Industry, American Section. The award “is a testimonial to
those whose leadership, foresight and contributions to applied chemistry
have been, to a considerable degree, responsible for the growth of that
industry.” He was honored with the Winthrop-Sears Medal from The
Chemists’ Club in association with the Chemical Heritage Foundation,
an award that recognizes individuals who “by their entrepreneurial
action, have contributed to the vitality of the chemical industry and the
betterment of humanity.” And he earned The Silver Beaver Award from
the Boy Scouts of America for his “hard work, self sacrifice, dedication,
and many years of service.” John was recognized for both his professional
success and his service to community with a Hartwick College Honorary
Doctor of Science degree in 1990.
A Trustee Emeritus of Hartwick and former Chairman of the
Centennial Campaign, John had volunteered to serve as an Honorary
Chair of the College’s upcoming comprehensive campaign. He and
his wife of 54 years, Claire, have been major supporters of Hartwick
College for many years and the Johnstone Science Center is named in
their honor. (See the Fall 2010 issue of The Wick for a feature story on
the couple.)
In addition to his wife, John is survived by their three sons—James,
Robert, and Thomas—and six grandchildren. The family has asked that
memorial contributions be made to the Hartwick College Scholarship
Fund, PO Box 4020, Oneonta, NY 13820.
Former Staff  |  Lyda Crocco, 80, of Gilbertsville, passed away
October 30, 2010, at A.O. Fox Nursing Home in Oneonta. Lyda graduated
from the Berkeley Secretarial College in East Orange, NJ. She worked at
Rockefeller Center for NBC in New York City and for Drew University.
Lyda was Assistant Registrar at Hartwick College for more than 15 years
before retiring. She was an active member of the Presbyterian Church of
Gilbertsville, serving as deacon and in many other positions in the church.
She was an active board member for the Gilbertsville Library. Lyda is
survived by one son and two daughters, including L. Robin Moore ’88; four
grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

Former Staff  |  Ralph Clarkson, 90, of Rutland, VT, died January 12,
2011. He graduated from Syracuse University and received his master’s at
SUNY Albany. During World War II, he served as a navigator in the Army
Air Force. He began his career in education at Delaware Academy, teaching
art and serving as a guidance counselor. In 1959, he became the Dean of
Students at Hartwick and later Director of Admissions and Director of
Financial Aid, until he retired in 1985. Ralph was the first president of
the Delaware County Teachers Association; chairman of the Delaware
Professor Emerita  |  Norma Louise Hutman, 76, of
Oneonta, died February 26, 2011, during a fire at her home. She was
County Red Cross; past commander of the American Legion; captain of
predeceased by her parents.
the National Guard in Walton, NY; past president of the Oneonta Kiwanis
Club; and a member of the board of directors of the Oneonta Country Club.
A familiar face on the hill even after her retirement in 1996, Norma
Ralph He and his wife, Audra, retired to Fort Myers Beach, FL, where he
spent 47 years helping better the College and the community. She
became a volunteer at Ding Darling Wildlife Refuge on Sanibel Island and
came to Hartwick in 1964 to teach Spanish, but spent the greater
taught art classes to other retirees for many years. Survivors include his wife,
part of her tenure as a professor of Comparative Literature and
four children, six grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Spanish. She was the inspiration for the College’s Leslie G. Rude
Memorial Lecture Series and in 2009 established the Florence and
Friend  |  Janice “Denny” Lennox, 65, died November 24, 2010, at George Hutman Scholarship for International Study.
Bassett Medical Center in Cooperstown after a courageous battle with
cancer. She graduated from East Stroudsburg University, where she met
“Dr. Hutman was a committed educator. She challenged everyone
and fell in love with her “hero,” Jim Lennox. While living in New Jersey
to think deeply,” President Margaret L. Drugovich said during a
and Connecticut, Denny taught at various elementary schools, while
memorial service March 5 in the Shineman Chapel House. “She
furthering her education. She received a master of arts in education from
understood the importance of venturing beyond what we know, and
the University of Connecticut and later taught at Eastern Connecticut State
into the space beyond certainty. For Norma Hutman, creative thought
University. Denny and Jim moved to Oneonta in 1976. After the birth of
was our purest expression of freedom. Dr. Hutman was irrepressible
their daughter, Courtney, she spent time caring for her home and family. She
and irreplaceable.”
later worked in Bresee’s Department Store. Denny continued her teaching
career at St. Mary’s School, then taught at Greater Plains Elementary
Norma was a frequent speaker in the College’s Faculty Lecture Series
School for more than 20 years, until her retirement in 2007. She taught
and was editor of Humanitask, the newsletter of the Humanities
pre-kindergarten and kindergarten, and was a reading/math intervention
division. In 2010, she authored children’s book, A Bunny Named
specialist during her tenure at Greater Plains. She loved her family above
Cup Cake: The Complete Cup Cake Stories. She also hosted the weekly
all else. Denny was an avid supporter of Jim and Courtney’s academic and
radio program Issues Oneonta. Active in the community, Norma
athletic endeavors. She loved her home and always decorated it impeccably
was a member of St. James Episcopal Church, the Upper Catskills
for each season. She treasured getting together with her “Greater Plains
Community Council of the Arts, and Huntington Memorial Library
Gang” for Broadway shows or to go to the spa in Hershey, PA. An animal
Association. She was a vice president of the Upper Susquehanna
lover, Denny was charitable to many conservation and wildlife societies. She
Historical Association and had served as a president and a board
also enjoyed gardening, reading and her daily walks with Jim. Denny will be
member of the Greater Oneonta Historical Society. She also served
most remembered for her radiant countenance. She was a very happy person
on the advisory board of Alzheimer’s Association.
who loved life. With sparkling eyes, she was always laughing, always gentle
and loving. Rod Stewart’s “Forever Young” could have been written for
“While Norma was a talented educator, she was actually much more
her. Denny touched many lives and the world is a better place for her having
than that—she was an artist. She was a creator,” Drugovich said
graced it with her presence. She is survived by husband Jim, a longtime
during the service. “As if we were her clay, she liked to poke us and
soccer coach and tenured faculty member at Hartwick, and daughter
prod us and sometimes, in a moment of impatience, crash into us in
Courtney.
ways that would change the shape of who we are.”
Friend  |  Kurt Neunzig died December 27, 2010. Those wishing to honor Norma may do so by making a contribution
to the Florence and George Hutman Scholarship for International
Study by calling Alicia Fish at 607-431-4021 or e-mailing fisha@
hartwick.edu.

Spring 2011  |  The Wick  |  47

 Pine Lake 40th Anniversary
Celebrate With Us!
1971-2011
Celebrating 40 Years
Institute & Environmental Campus
HARTWICK COLLEGE
48 | The Wick | Spring 2011
Forty years ago, ahead of the curve, Hartwick College
did something really green and innovative. Just one
year after the country celebrated the first Earth Day
in 1970, the College committed to an environmental
learning campus that brought hands-on environmental
studies and living experiences to its students. That
year, Pine Lake became—and still is—a one-of-a-kind
living/learning laboratory.
This year, the Pine Lake Environmental Campus is
celebrating its 40th anniversary of teaching thousands
of students and community members how they can
sustain, rather than deplete, environmental resources.
“The wonderful history of Pine Lake as part of
Hartwick College is really a tribute to the foresight,
vision, and leadership of many campus and community
members,” said Dr. Brian Hagenbuch, Director of
the Pine Lake Institute for Environmental and
Sustainability Studies. “Pine Lake was purchased at
the dawn of the modern environmental movement, so
Hartwick was well-positioned to provide educational
leadership in ecological scholarship and stewardship.
Over the past 40 years, that philosophy and
ommitment has evolved to the point where Pine Lake
has become a year-round experimental laboratory
for sustainable living and learning.”
Throughout 2011, Pine Lake will host a series
of events showcasing the many activities, classes,
research opportunities, and other resources available
at the campus. It’s a chance for not just students,
but faculty, staff, alumni, friends of the College, and
community members, to celebrate Pine Lake’s unique
offerings.
The celebration will kick off May 6-8 with a contra
dance, live music on the outdoor stage, Charles
Bremer’s earth instruments, student activities, and the
annual chili and sausage cook-off.
Later in the year, alumni will have two special
opportunities to return to both Oyaron Hill and Pine
Lake. The Pine Lake Alumni Reunion Weekend will
take place July 8-10. Alumni and their families are
invited to stay at the lake for traditional Pine Lake
barbecues, live music and dancing, canoe rides,
swimming, and the dedication of Brooks Stage.
In the fall, alumni will be welcomed back for this
2011 Homecoming & Reunion Weekend September
30-October 2, featuring Pine Lake alumni classes,
tours, the dedication of the Cob House, an
Architecture of the Sacred reunion, and plenty of
chances to reconnect with former classmates.
For more about all of Pine Lake’s 40th Anniversary
events, or to reserve cabins or contribute to the
celebration, e-mail pinelake@hartwick.edu or contact
Hagenbuch at 607-431-4518.

Brian Wright with his grandson, Jasper Valdivia.
Top Photo: Alumni, friends, and family recently
gathered in Florida to help Brian Wright celebrate
receiving the 2011 Hartwick College President’s
Medal for Extraordinary and Exemplary Loyalty to
the College. Seated in the front row are: former
Chair of the Board of Trustees Bob Moyer, Josie
Wright (Brian’s wife), Brian Wright H’02, President
Margaret L. Drugovich, and Chair of the Board of
Trustees Dr. James Elting.
Hartwick Ties
Presidential Medal Celebrates
Wright’s Hartwick Relationship
The date: March 14, 2011.
The place: Turtle Creek Club, Tequesta, Florida.
The company: Hartwick alumni of many decades, current and former trustees, retired
faculty, leaders from Wilber National Bank and Community Bank, and the
family and friends of trustee Brian R. Wright.
The occasion: President Margaret L. Drugovich presents Brian Wright with a rare and
coveted recognition—the Hartwick College President’s Medal for
Extraordinary and Exemplary Loyalty to the College.
The citation reads, in part:
Brian R. Wright, today the Hartwick College community honors you for your lifelong
commitment to Hartwick and for your generosity and dedicated stewardship of
philanthropy to the College and the Oneonta community.
For over a quarter century your leadership has been an enduring force for the betterment of all who
look out from Oyaron Hill, for all of those who study under her aegis near and far, and for those
who live the transformative power of experiential learning. Your commitment to these values has
shaped countless lives.
You have dedicated your time and expertise to Hartwick College in very tangible ways, serving
loyally for 26 years as a keystone member of the Board of Trustees. By virtue of your insight and
thoughtful recommendations, you have had a lasting and profound effect on the College’s future.
You have demonstrated to all the power of participation in the shared governance process. Your
personal gifts, and your remarkable philanthropy, have changed the course of our shared destiny.
 Non-profit Org.
U.S. Postage Paid
Permit #179
Oneonta, NY 13820

Office of College Advancement

PO Box 4020
Oneonta, New York 13820 USA
www.hartwick.edu

This year’s January Term programs provided Hartwick students with experiences around the world. Here, they get a close-up
look at a lava flow during the Geology and Natural History of Hawaii course with Associate Professor of Geology and
Environmental Sciences David Griffing and Professor of Geology Eric Johnson. Read students’ J Term reflections on Page 16.