’08/’09 Winter www.hunter.cuny.edu Infinite Light: Public art installation aglow at Hunter Page 6 10 14 16 Joel Katz and Abbe Raven Hunter Alumni Thrive in Hunter Becomes PhD- Honored at Inaugural Gala Elite Graduate Programs Granting Institution In This Issue: Hunter Launches New Playwriting MFA 3 Public Health School Rita & Burton Goldberg to Focus on Cities 4 Former ‘AIDS Czar’ Now at Hunter 5 Establish an MFA in Playwriting Neon Art Installation Lights Up Campus 6 The President’s Giving Journalism Perspective ven though her major was social Tisch School of the Arts. But Hunter’s in the theatre department have long grandchildren, the Goldbergs may yet Students an Edge 8 work, Hunter alumna Rita Gold- will be the first program they have dreamed of offering an MFA. carve themselves new careers in the berg (’46) always found herself started from scratch, and they could “After all, here we are, an eminent theatre. Inaugural Gala Held E ver since its founding in 1870 as one of the first institutions of higher learning taking electives in the theatre and lit- not be more excited. public institution smack in the middle At a recent event celebrating their at the Plaza 10 erature departments. Now, more than “NYU has been a very positive of the most vital theatre town in the donation and the dedication of a new Happenings at Hunter 12 in America dedicated to the education of women, Hunter College has been an 60 years after graduating, Goldberg experience, and we love the personal and her equally arts-smitten husband involvement,” said Mrs. Goldberg. From Hunter to the innovator. This great tradition endures as we continue to establish more “firsts.” Ivy League & Beyond 14 E are founding a program of their own: “We are both products of the city One of these firsts is the public artworkInfinite Light that was installed on September 25 the Rita and Burton Goldberg MFA in system” — Mr. Goldberg earned his BA Hunter Now Playwriting at Hunter College. and MA from Brooklyn College — “and Granting PhDs 16 on the exterior of the pedestrian bridges that connect our main buildings. Created by the Thanks to their substantial gift, we decided it was time to return and Alumni Remember New York City will gain another much- do something similar at Hunter.” French artist Laurent Grasso, the piece consists of the words day for night repeated several Favorite Professors 17 needed playwriting program. Along with lengthy and success- Class Notes 18 times and illuminated in fluorescent neon tubes. The neon’s blue tint is similar to the The Hunter program will be one ful careers in real estate and special of the most innovative of its kind in education counseling, the Goldbergs Students Realize Dreams filters filmmakers use to simulate nighttime during the day. the country, owing to a unique set have made theatregoing a lifelong With Mother’s Day of requirements including staged endeavor. Scholarships 20 Infinite Light was installed in connection with a special exhibition at the Hunter Art readings and full productions of every “We saw the first production of In Memoriam 21 Galleries, to: Night — Contemporary Representations of the Night. The exhibit was curated student’s work. Acclaimed playwright A Streetcar Named Desire,” said Mrs. Scholarship & Welfare and Hunter professor Tina Howe will Goldberg. “Brando was overwhelm- Fund Still Vibrant at 60 22 by Joachim Pissarro, Mara Hoberman and Julia Moreno. That, in turn, coincided with a widely head curriculum development. ing.” So was the original Death of a One of the few other existing pro- Salesman, said Mr. Goldberg. 10 Questions For... praised exhibit at the Museum of Modern Art, Van Gogh and the Colors of the Night, which Rupal Oza 23 grams owes much of its success to the “Theatre has a lot of poetry in it. was curated by Pissarro, Hunter’s Bershad Professor of Art History and director of the Goldbergs: Since 2003, they have been It’s the best possible way to under- Meet Foundation Board the namesakes of the dramatic writ- stand the human condition,” he said. President Jennifer J. Raab celebrates the new MFA with Rita Goldberg (l) Member Anshu Prasad 24 Hunter Galleries. ing program at New York University’s Noted playwright Howe says faculty and noted playwright Tina Howe. Yet another first came on October 23 when we held the Hunter College Foundation Board country. When Rita and Burton joined rehearsal studio in their honor, Rita This is the first issue of At Hunter of Trustees’ Inaugural Gala. Two outstanding alumni — Abbe Raven, president and CEO of A&E us in this dream, we were off and and Burton became the star attrac- in a new magazine format. running. Sustained by their faith and tions, as they performed The Bald We’ve changed from the old Television Networks, and Joel A. Katz, the nation’s foremost entertainment-industry lawyer enthusiasm, we’ll be able to offer the Soprano Comes to New York, a short large-page, double-fold format next generation of playwrights an un- play by Howe. When an impressed because we believe it gives — received our new Bridge to Achievement Award. The funds raised by this exciting event will heard of opportunity — an affordable audience member suggested that they At Hunter an up-to-date look help hundreds of Hunter students cross their own bridges to achievement. MFA under the guidance of the most find themselves an agent, they both and is easier to handle and read. exciting artists working in the theatre shrugged, their eyes twinkling. Our size may have changed, but The Gala will become an annual event — one that celebrates Hunter’s commitment to today.” “We’ll see,” they said in unison. not our content. We’ve increased Helping young playwrights is excellence and innovation in higher education. the number of pages to give you nothing new to Mrs. Goldberg, a just as many articles about founding board member of the Lark people and events at the college, Play Development Center, which Theatre is the best just as many color photographs provides resources and support for possible way to and just as much alumni news. American and international play- We hope you like our new look. wrights. And after 60 years understand the If you’d like to comment, please of marriage, four children, and six human condition. call 212.772.4070 or e-mail us at — Burton Goldberg [email protected] The Goldbergs display their acting chops. 2 3 NuRSiNG DEAN’S NEw PuBliC HEAlTH SCHool Public Health FoCuSES oN HEAlTHiER CiTiES PRoDuCTivE At Hunter College ates “with the skills and knowledge to three most pressing public health its Cancer Center and chairman of JouRNEy FRoM THE help eliminate the serious disparities trends — the other two being the aging the Department of Oncology. in urban health care facing the poor, of the American populace and the He holds a bachelor’s degree in biol- wHiTE HouSE To HuNTER minorities and immigrants, while also growing disparities in health care. The ogy from Knoxville College, a master’s preparing future faculty and address- public health curriculum would address in genetics from the University of practice that has enough nurses,” President Reagan, and has chaired the of nursing from St. Olaf College in ing staffing shortages in the public the nexus of these three issues, he said. Michigan, and a doctorate in cell biol- she said. The challenge is not getting U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Northfield, Minn., a master’s degree health workforce that will accompany His appointment by CUNY’s Board ogy and biochemistry from Temple people interested in the field — Hunter Prevention Advisory Committee on of nursing from the University of the aging of baby boomers.” of Trustees was made at the recom- University. He did post-doctoral work is receiving record numbers of highly the Prevention of HIV Infection. California, Los Angeles, and a doctor- Students enrolled in the CUNY mendation of Chancellor Matthew and taught at Harvard Medical School, qualified applicants to its nursing pro- “Under Dr. Gebbie’s leadership, ate of public health from the Univer- r. Kenneth Olden envisions School of Public Health, which could Goldstein and Hunter College Presi- and went on to conduct research at here’s a nationwide nursing gram, she said. The challenge is to find Hunter College is positioned to gradu- sity of Michigan, Ann Arbor. the proposed CUNY School be granted accreditation as early as dent Jennifer J. Raab. the National Cancer Institute. shortage — and Hunter is ways to accommodate more faculty, ate the nursing professionals who will Gebbie said she’s been impressed Dof Public Health, to be housed 2011, can work toward a master “Under Dr. Olden’s leadership “Dr. Olden is a distinguished scien- Theeding the call to graduate specialized teaching labs and students. be the leading caregivers, administra- by the Hunter community. “The at Hunter, as an “epicenter” of urban of public health or a master of sci- CUNY and Hunter College are well tific leader and cancer researcher who more nurses to serve as health care In addition, Gebbie said she wants public health research. ence degree with a specialization in positioned to establish a world-class displays an unwavering commitment workers, administrators, teachers, to increase the number of nurses “When people think about the epidemiology, biostatistics, social School of Public Health given our to public health. He brings an impres- researchers and educators. This fall, with bachelor’s degrees who go on to leaders in public health, I want them and behavioral sciences, health care strong existing programs in the field sive combination of national and, Hunter established its School of Nurs- graduate-level health sciences studies, to think of Hunter and of the City administration and policy, or envi- and the University’s great strengths indeed, international experience and ing as an entity separate from Hunter’s and to raise awareness of the wide University of New York,” said Olden, ronmental health sciences.