SUMMER At 2007 In this Issue: Happenings 2 at Hunter From MoMA to Vita Rabinowitz 3 Named Provost Hunter Galleries nternationally renowned art expert Joachim Pissarro — a top curator Manhattan Hunter 3 at the Museum of Modern Art and the great-grandson of famed Science HS Graduation IImpressionist painter Camille Pissarro — is coming to Hunter this fall. Dr. Pissarro will hold the newly created position of Bershad Professor of Hunter Heroes 4 Art History and Director of the Hunter College Galleries. His appointment in Iraq was made possible thanks to an extraordinary gift to the Department of Art from Susan V. Bershad, MD (’75) and David J. Bershad. Remembering 4 At Hunter, in addition to his role as a professor in the Art History Erwin Fleissner and Studio Art departments, Pissarro will develop the exhibition and curatorial programs of the Hunter Galleries. A portion of the Bershad Working in 5 gift will be used to support exhibitions at the two galleries. Antarctica Pissarro, who until recently was curator at the Museum of Modern Hunter’s Weather 5 Art, in the Department of Painting and Sculpture, will retain an association with MoMA as an adjunct curator. Station The distinguished art scholar and author has done extensive 10 Questions For... 6 research over the years about his famous great-grandfather, including Peter Carey a book that took more than 20 years to complete on more than 1,500 paintings by Camille Pissarro. “I feel like I know him pretty well,” Jeff Greenfield 7 he said. “But he’s also someone who still surprises me.” Addresses Grads Over the past ten years, however, Pissarro has focused his research on the field of contemporary art and this will be the main Alumni Weekend 8 concentration of his work at Hunter. He came to New York after having held a curatorship of contemporary art at the Yale University MICHAEL BENISTY : Class Notes 10 BY Art Gallery, and he has published extensively on post World War II TO American art, namely on Jasper Johns and Robert Rauschenberg. Last In Memoriam: 11 PHO summer, he co-curated the new display of contemporary art at MoMA. Janet Sainer continued on page 12 $1M Art Gift 12 from Evelyn Kossak At Hunter Singing Soprano is published by Hunter College. Please send comments and suggestions to: at Brookdale Gala Hunter College 695 Park Avenue, Room E1301 ncle Junior slayed ’em at the annual Brookdale gala. New York, NY 10065 Actor Dominic Chianese, best known for his TV role as a or telephone U mobster on “The Sopranos,” delighted the crowd by 212.772.4070 performing with his guitar after being honored by Hunter with a or e-mail [email protected] “New Yorkers Forever” award on June 14. Other recipients of the For mailing address changes, prestigious award were Victor Gotbaum and Muriel Siebert. please call 212.772.4087 or e-mail For more on the Brookdale Center for Healthy Aging and Dominic Chianese (Uncle Junior from “The Sopranos”) performs for [email protected] Longevity’s big night at the St. Regis, please turn to Page 2. the crowd. NONPROFIT U.S. POSTAGE PAID Hunter College of The City University of New York N READING MA PERMIT NO. 121 and the Alumni Association of Hunter College 695 Park Avenue New York, NY 10065 Happenings at Hunter The President’s Perspective n this issue of At Hunter you can read about all the exciting things happening right now in the College’s Department of Art. There is the highly anticipated arrival of Joachim Pissarro from the Museum of Modern Art. Dr. Pissarro will bring his BrookdaleBrookdale HonorsHonors ThreeThree NewNew YorkersYorkers Iexpertise to the classroom as a professor here beginning this fall and also will serve as director of the revitalized Hunter Art ss ss Galleries. There is the dramatic news of two separate and extraordinary alumni gifts — from Susan and David Bershad to establish the professorship that Dr. Pissarro now holds and from Evelyn Kranes Kossak who will have the department’s Painting Program renamed in her honor. And there is news too about some of the wonderful accomplishments of faculty members such as Professor of Art History Emily Braun, who was recently named a CUNY Distinguished Professor for her outstanding work. Hunter College’s Department of Art has a long and storied past, with many prominent names involved in the program over the years. With these latest developments, we begin a dynamic new chapter in that illustrious history at Hunter. One of the best art departments in the nation just got even better. Victor Gotbaum (left), Muriel Siebert and Dominic Abbe Raven (MA '77) introduced Dominic Chianese received “New Yorkers Forever” awards. Chianese. As President and CEO of A&E Public relations executive Howard Rubenstein Television Networks, she was instrumental in Vita C. Rabinowitz (left), who introduced Muriel Siebert, shared winning broadcast rights to a moment with Morton Olshan, one. of the in which Chianese stars as Uncle Junior. city's leading real estate figures and “The Sopranos,” Named Provost husband of Carole, Class of '63 unter College’s hree prominent New Yorkers were honored them with the lyric: “If I don’t sing, I die.” Chianese of workers. He made an impassioned plea for new provost and by Hunter College for their contributions volunteers much of his free time performing for local more women in leadership positions of what he vice president T to the quality of life in the city during the senior citizen and community groups in the city. called a “male-dominated society,” saying: “This H of academic affairs Brookdale Center for Healthy Aging and Longevity His daughter, Rebecca Scarpati, is a 1990 graduate cannot go on.” is Vita C. Rabinowitz, gala at the St. Regis on June 14. of Hunter’s School of Social Work. Hunter College President Jennifer J. Raab and no one could be Victor Gotbaum, the longtime municipal Siebert, a remarkable pioneer for women in the talked about the importance of Brookdale’s work better prepared to union leader; Muriel Siebert, the first woman financial world, has also designed and underwritten as growing numbers of Americans become senior fill this prestigious to win a seat on the New York Stock Exchange; a financial management skills course for high school citizens, including such icons as Harrison Ford, academic post. and Dominic Chianese, best known for his role students that is now a standard part of the NYC Aretha Franklin, and Barbra Streisand — all of Dr. Rabinowitz has as Uncle Junior on “The Sopranos,” all received curriculum. “Age is but a number,” Siebert told whom turn 65 this year. In hailing Gotbaum, served as the acting “New Yorkers Forever” awards. the crowd, “and mine is unlisted.” Siebert and Chianese, Raab said: “These three provost for the past two Hunter College Foundation Trustee Neil Janovic (center) celebrates with MHSHS graduates (l-r) Reilley Chianese (although refusing to reveal any secrets Gotbaum spent more than 20 years as head of illustrious citizens epitomize the vision of our years, and she was the Scull, Anna Kalinowska, Valbona Ibrocevic, Orlando Olier and Justin Colon, all of whom are receiving about what really happened after that final Sopranos District Council 37, building it into the largest Brookdale Center to promote longevity and acting associate provost scholarships funded by Mr. Janovic to attend Hunter College in the fall. episode went dark) delighted the audience by playing municipal union in the country and improving healthy aging.” Dr. Vita C. Rabinowitz from 2000 to 2002. guitar and singing two songs — ending one of the standard of living for hundreds of thousands As acting provost, she led Hunter’s involvement in the Mellon Project, which is dedicated to improving under- Success Story graduate education and increasing students’ achievement, retention and graduation rates. She also conducted a Manhattan Hunter Science High School college-wide assessment of student learning and spear- headed Hunter’s 10-year review by the Middle States Graduates Its First Class Commission on Higher Education. rene Guanill smiled as she watched her daughter Jessica Nazar — in a purple graduation cap and gown While serving as acting associate provost, Rabinowitz — walk across the Hunter College Assembly Hall stage. As Nazar descended the stairs to join her helped establish the CUNY Honors College at Hunter Icheering classmates, Guanill hesitated in her seat, then rushed over and gave her daughter a warm embrace. and supported the expansion of research opportunities for “I am speechless and so very proud,” she said. faculty and students. June 22 was a milestone day that marked Manhattan Hunter Science High School’s very first graduation Rabinowitz has been a member of the Department ceremony. Four years ago, a newly established MHSHS — created through a collaboration between of Psychology faculty since 1978 and has served as chair Hunter College and the NYC Department of Education — admitted its inaugural class. of the department. She has also been a member of the doctoral faculty of the City University since 1989. “Picking Manhattan Hunter Science High School was the best choice we ever made,” said senior class representative Dennis Liew. “We have helped to shape the school into what it is today, and it has helped With Professor Virginia Valian, she won a five-year, to shape us into what we are today.” $3.75 million National Science Foundation Advance Award to establish the Gender Equity Project. One At MHSHS, a science-focused college preparatory high school, the graduates — many of whom had of the Project’s goals is to make Hunter a model of struggled academically in middle school — were introduced to the rigors of college-level work.