FALL 2019 THE MAGAZINE OF THE STEVENS ALUMNI ASSOCIATION GOT YOUR BACK SALUTING OUR MILITARY ALUMNI IN THIS ISSUE: ALUMNI WEEKEND | THROUGH YOUR LENS | FUNDRAISING FOR HUMANITY DEPARTMENTS 2 PRESIDENT’S LETTER 3 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR / SOCIAL MEDIA 4-7 GRIST FROM THE MILL 5 CALENDAR OF EVENTS 42 SPORTS UPDATE 43-72 ALUMNI NEWS 44 SAA PRESIDENT’S LETTER 66 VITALS FEATURES 8-31 GOT YOUR BACK Saluting our military alumni 32-35 PICTURE PERFECT A look at the work of Stevens alumni who spend time behind the camera 36-37 FACEBOOK FUNDRAISER SETS RECORD Effort led by Vivek Patel M.Eng. ’16 to help terrorism victims becomes highest grossing personal fundraiser on the social media giant 38-39 ALUMNI WEEKEND 2019 A look back at Alumni Weekend through photos 40-41 A CABINET CONVERSATION Three Stevens leaders discuss the successes and the ongoing priorities of The Power of Stevens campaign Cover design: Simone Larson Design On the cover: Stevens alumni have served the military and our nation for generations. Photo of Air Force veteran Angie Hankins ’95 by Jim Gensheimer Photo of Air Force Brigadier Gen. (retired) John Cherrey ’88 by John O’Boyle Patrick Alfonzo ’10 M.Eng. ’14, Trophy Room “This stained glass dome is located in Esso Great Hall, part of the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto, known for where the Stanley Cup is displayed. While the crowds were focused on the trophy, I was fixated on the ceiling. I’m inspired by minor details or subjects often overlooked.” For more alumni photography, see page 32. PRESIDENT’S CORNER EXTRAORDINARY PROGRESS IN THE PAST AND A BRIGHT FUTURE AHEAD PHOTO: AARON HOUSTON This past summer, July 1 marked the graduation rate now stands at 87%, which beginning of my ninth year as president is 27 points above the national average. of Stevens Institute of Technology. Dur- While much progress has been made, ing my introduction to Stevens almost ten there is still much more to do. A key years ago — and as I became more familiar priority in the coming years will be to with the university, its history, its alumni, build our endowment and continue to its strengths and challenges and its particu- improve operational efficiencies in order lar niche in the engineering, science and to make a Stevens education as acces- technology higher education ecosystem — I sible and affordable to as many talented became increasingly convinced that the uni- students as possible. We are focused, too, versity had enormous potential. Eight years on increasing the prestige of our graduate later, our progress has been nothing short of programs and recruiting students of the remarkable, and I am more confident than highest caliber from the U.S. and around ever that Stevens has a very special role to the world. And, directly related to our play in the future of higher education and graduate programs is our goal to grow in society. our research enterprise. The size of our Early in my tenure as president, the faculty has grown 36% since 2011; new entire Stevens community came together to develop an ambitious, faculty possess expertise in emerging fields from financial analyt- ten-year strategic plan. Its goal was to become “a premier, student- ics and digital innovation to artificial intelligence and machine centric, technological research university.” After seven years of learning, to brain-computer interfaces to energy storage, wearable implementation, Stevens has achieved the distinction of being one sensors, robotics, among many other technology-based fields. These of the fastest-rising universities in the nation. We have worked to faculty will be the catalysts for achieving Stevens’ preeminence in enhance the academic profile of students and increase enrollment, key research domains. as well as increase the size and prestige of the faculty, and the scope On college campuses across the country, fall is a time of renewal and impact of our research enterprise. In addition, we have made and reinvigoration. I start my ninth academic year at Castle Point significant infrastructure and technological improvements even with a profound appreciation for all who have enabled the tremen- while strengthening the financial foundations of the university. We dous progress that Stevens has experienced, and a sense of anticipa- have also made enormous strides in re-engaging alumni in Stevens’ tion for what lies ahead. mission and activities. Alumni have been pivotal to our progress Finally, as we mark Veterans Day later this fall, we will honor in nearly every area of Stevens’ ascent. One tangible symbol of re- our country’s veterans and our active duty military, among them newed alumni engagement is the success of Stevens’ most ambitious generations of Stevens alumni, some of whom you will meet in this fundraising campaign in its history, The Power of Stevens, which has issue of The Indicator. For their sacrifices, the sacrifices of their raised more than $166 million toward its $200 million goal. families and for their extraordinary sense of duty to our country, we As the “inputs” of Stevens have increased — including a 190% offer our most heartfelt appreciation. growth in applications and a 140-point rise in average SAT scores Thank you for your engagement and support of Stevens. since 2011 — so have the “outputs.” The added value of a Stevens education is evident: 96% of undergraduates, year-over-year, have accepted employment (many with multiple job offers), entered Per aspera ad astra, graduate school or achieved other outcomes within six months of graduation. Preliminary employment reports from the Class of 2019 also indicate a new record average starting salary of $77,000, which is 50% above the national average. And, because Stevens Nariman Farvardin is enrolling the highest caliber of students who are pursuing a President, Stevens Institute of Technology rigorous academic program and who benefit from an outstanding [email protected] support system, Stevens’ graduation rate continues to climb. Our 201-216-5213 2 THE STEVENS INDICATOR LETTERS TO THE EDITOR BRAVO TO a publication with many “pic- With regards to your ques- FALL 2019, TODAY’S STEVENS tures of people” — yes, a world tion about the “machine” Ms. VOL. 140, NO. 3 I am delighted to see the issue of faces versus our cellphones Rossen is working on, I feel Editor (Spring/Summer 2019) dedicated and electronics. Fantastic! Just the need to comment on your Beth Kissinger [email protected] to the Stevens women graduates. a few points about the Spring/ use of words. You can do a Our world society of 7.7 billion Summer ’19 issue: the new uni- web search on the meaning of Contributors Paul Karr population needs to accept the versity center/residential towers the word “machine” and on Stevens Division of equal status of women and men. will be outstanding; “Faces for the word “instrument” and Communications & Marketing Stevens can be among those the Future” — a clear focus on realize that she is very clearly Erin Lewis Stevens Division of leading the way! To top this off, women with tremendous skills not working on a machine. Communications & Marketing our Stevens President Nariman and accomplishments; and English is a rich language Rebecca Markley Farvardin is probably one of the having a woman dean for the and many words have precise Charles O’Brien most outstanding persons of our School of Engineering and Sci- meanings. The precise mean- Stevens Athletics age — in many ways. In the short ence is incredible, and it makes ings seem like something that Alan Skontra eight-year tenure of his leader- a fantastic statement about a journalist should embrace. Stevens Office of Development ship at Stevens, it is amazing the Stevens. We need to have more Stevens Institute is primarily Young Soo Yang Stevens Division of growth and achievements that women in leadership and influ- an engineering college and, as Communications & Marketing Stevens has achieved. Stevens encing roles. —Paul Fein M.S. ’90 such, an understanding of this Art Direction/Design is outstanding in every respect. distinction should be a central www.DanFlintDesign.com There is no way to compare SELMA ROSSEN’S skill for their communications Additional Art Direction/Design Stevens of my days in the 1940s PHOTO group. — Joe Dumais M.S. ’85 Michael Hofmann to the Stevens today. The ability of Page 43 of the Spring/Sum- Simone Larson Design Stevens’ graduates today is mind mer 2019 Indicator wanted Development and Alumni boggling. —Lou Shook ’48 to know what Selma Engagement Matthew V. Gwin Rossen M.Eng. ’68 was Stevens Assistant Vice President MORE WOMEN working on in the photo. for Annual Giving and Alumni LEADERS NEEDED I believe the top unit is an Engagement and Executive Director and Executive Secretary, The Stevens Indicator is one ADT digital dialer receiver, Stevens Alumni Association of the best crafted and compre- used to receive alarm mes- Published three times a year by hensive magazines that I have sages from premises that The Stevens Alumni Association, the pleasure of reading. The ADT protects. The bottom member of the Council for Advancement and Support of quality of the articles, the pho- unit is a printer. I worked at Education. © 2019 Stevens tography and artwork and the ADT for 18 years and Alumni Association general flow are all exceptional. for Selma for a few years. Selma Rossen M.Eng. ’68 Indicator Correspondence Besides interesting content, it is — Bob Sheahan ’77 M.Eng. ’88 The Stevens Indicator 1 Castle Point Terrace Hoboken, NJ 07030 Phone: (201) 216-5161 SOCIAL MEDIA Letters to the Editor [email protected] The caps at Commencement are always a hit on social media, as students across all disciplines display their creativity … and their disdain for student loans.