Alfred Magazine Spring 2017

M A G A Z I N E President Mark Zupan takes the wheel! SPRING · 2017 Letter to the Editor By Warren Sutton y frst “contact” with Mark Zupan was via an I realized, then, that my time at Alfred was over. I had to email in early July requesting Alfredians to vote get out of the situation. Immediately after the game, the Mfor the Alfred mascot, Li’l Alf, in a national team manager drove me home to Chester, Pennsylvania. contest for best college mascot. Alfred in was in the top ten at the time. A week or so later Alfred was in the top fve NATIONAL INCIDENT / PUBLIC RESPONSE and emails from Mr. Zupan became a daily routine: “Vote.” The story doesn’t end there. The young lady in question I was curious about who this Mark Zupan person was. and I continued to communicate with each other. In In the latest Alfred Magazine, it was announced that Mark February of 1960 we met in New York City, where she was Zupan was the newly appointed President of Alfred en route to Florida with her mother. The trip was planned University. He had just taken on the job and already to help her forget me. After her disappearance from her become the head cheerleader for the University. I was hotel room, her mother reported her as missing. The story impressed. So, of course, I started voting to show my became front page news in the New York newspapers: support. I thought “a good start on the new job.” “Negro basketball star forced to leave University because Two weeks later, I was to become personally involved of relationship with white coed.” The story went nation with Mr. Zupan. On July 21, I received a hand-written wide, being picked up by several national magazines. letter from him. Apparently, he had been reviewing some It was an embarrassment for the University; there was a of the history of Alfred. Someone had made him aware of lot of negative press directed toward my coach and the a racially-related incident involving me in the 1960s. He administration. wanted to apologize on behalf of the University for how I I received a number of letters from all over the country. was treated. To be honest I was hesitant to open them, but I did. However, out of the 15 or 20 letters, I did not receive a SOME HISTORY single negative letter. They were all supportive of us and My name is Warren Sutton, an African-American member our relationship. Keep in mind this was the early 1960s. of the Class of ’61. I was a basketball player and received On the other hand, the University and Coach Smith did All-American Honorable Mention in my frst two years at not fare as well, being harassed by reporters, who were now Alfred. In my third year, I started dating a blonde, blue- on campus looking for a story. Coach Smith was further eyed coed, who happened to be the treasurer’s daughter. victimized and harassed by certain members of the Athletic I had previously dated a few white girls on campus and it Department for “not controlling me.” Sometime later, Pete was never an issue. told me his life had become a nightmare. However, behind the scenes, the treasurer was not It became obvious that Pete’s days at Alfred were also happy. Pressure was being applied to me, indirectly numbered, even though he had done a tremendous job of through my coach, Pete Smith, and several members re-building the basketball program. A bid to Division III of the administration to end the relationship. Tension NCAA championships was not out of the question for the was building all over campus as people were becoming team at that time. aware of the situation. I was holding on for the start of Pete and his family and I have maintained a close the basketball season to relieve some of the pressure. relationship for over 50 years, until his death. His children However, in our frst exhibition game, I got involved in a refer to me as Uncle “Sut,” a nickname he used for me. fght on the court, something completely out of character Pete was instrumental in getting me back to school. His for me. Continued on page 6 Editor Design/Photography Alfred Magazine, copyright 2017, Susan Goetschius Rick McLay ’89 is mailed free of charge to alumni, [email protected] [email protected] current parents, and friends of M A G A Z I N E Alfred University. Contributing Writers Additional Photography Circulation: 14,746 Rob Price Peter Mangles 1 Saxon Drive [email protected] Brian Oglesbee Alfred, NY 14802 Rick McLay ’89 Telephone: 607·871·2103 [email protected] Email: [email protected] We reserve the right to edit all letters and articles submitted for publication in Alfred Magazine. M A G A Z I N E SPRING · 2017 Commencement took place on Saturday, May 13, 2017. What’s inside... 2 Fiat Magicae Artes! 14 Alfred News Digest President Mark Zupan, the 14th in Alfred University’s Major happenings on campus 181-year history, took offce with a conviction – that 20 Saxon Athletics Highlights he readily shares with alumni, students, faculty and staff, parents and friends – that there is “real magic” at 22 Dr. K: Alumna takes a walk on the wild Alfred University in its ability to transform lives. He’s laid side out an ambitious plan for advancing the University in 23 Transitions: Alfred University appoints the years to come. three new trustees 6 Righting a Wrong 24 Class Notes One of only six African-Americans at Alfred University at the time, Warren Sutton ’61 was forced to leave mid way through his junior year when her parents became aware he was dating their blue-eyed, blonde-haired daughter. At Commencement, Alfred University will right the wrong done to Sutton by awarding him an honorary Cover photo: Since his offcial degree. arrival on campus in the summer 9 A Lower East Side State of Mind of 2016, President Mark Zupan’s Mark Russ Federman ’66 earned a law degree after style has been one of energetic and graduating from Alfred, but found the lure of the family business, Russ and Daughters, drew him in. He spent enthusiastic engagement with the 30 years growing the business into a New York legend. entire campus community, not the 12 A Vision Fulfllled least of which are the students. Our The Alfred Ceramic Art Museum, a spectacular addition cover image shows him guiding a to the campus, opened Oct. 28, 2016, fulflling a vision group of students on the unique that began in the early 1900s when the founder of the New York State College of Ceramics, Charles Fergus seven-person bicycle that is used for Binns, began his “study collection.” A gift from Marlin campus tours. Miller Jr. ’54 gave substance to the dream. THE MAGAZINE FOR ALUMNI AND FRIENDS OF ALFRED UNIVERSITY 1 Fiat Mark Zupan celebrates the magic of Alfred University By Rob Price Mark Zupan at his October, 2016 inauguration Mark Zupan is fond of observing that a university president’s reputation is feeting. “No one remembers the 14th president of Harvard University,” he says in interviews with media, in conversations with Alfred University faculty and staff, and even in his inaugural address, as Alfred University’s fourteenth president. t’s not about any individual,” identity, embedded in the lives. When you look at all the “ President Mark Zupan explains University’s motto, “Fiat Lux” – colleges and universities that try Ilater in his offce in Carnegie Let there be light. to create that sort of environment, Hall. “It’s all about the ongoing Light is illuminating, warming, Alfred University just jumps from success of an institution.” and composed of diverse the pages. That’s what we do Settling into his frst offcial underlying hues, Zupan says. well.” year as president, Zupan has been Combine those three qualities in a It’s easy for a university immersing himself in the history single entity – a university called president to disappear into the and culture of Alfred University. Alfred University – and you have demands of the offce. But if The University’s Board of Trustees an institution that enriches the you’re walking across the Alfred named him successor to former lives of people who are privileged University campus early in the President Charles Edmondson to pass through it. morning, don’t be surprised to in February 2016. By the time he “There is no other place,” see Mark Zupan jogging along was inaugurated in October, he Zupan says now, “where you so a university road or pathway had developed a vital appreciation consistently hear from alumni that (He looks like he can run a six- of Alfred University’s unique a faculty or staff member took an minute mile; he insists he can’t). interest in them and changed their He describes himself as an early 2 magicae artes! riser who likes getting in several running AIG and Met Life. The halls of the White House, the hours of work before anyone else chief technology offcer of another Smithsonian, and the Victoria and is awake, then going for a run or a Fortune 500 company was with Albert Museum of London. We work-out. And then going back to us only one year, but he says need to keep in touch with these work. it changed his life. There are people and promote a sense of “It’s good for the health,” he more Alfred University alumni ownership.

Load more