ReflectionsA PUBLICATION OF THE SUNY ONEONTA ALUMNI ASSOCIATION SPRING 2020 POLETTA LOUIS ’92 Martin Luther King Jr. Day Keynote Speaker ALSO... Earth & Atmospheric Sciences and School of Economics & Business celebrate 50 Years ReflectionsVolume XLXIII Number 3 Spring 2020 FROM NETZER 301 RECENT DONATION 2 20 TO ALDEN ROOM FROM THE ALUMNI @REDDRAGONSPORTS 3 ASSOCIATION 23 COLLEGE FOUNDATION 4 ACROSS THE QUAD 25 UPDATES EARTH & ATMOSPHERIC SCIENCES 2020 ALUMNI AWARD 11 50TH ANNIVERSARY 27 WINNERS 14 MARK YOUR CALENDAR 15 ALUMNI IN BARCELONA SCHOOL OF ECONOMICS & BUSINESS BEYOND THE PILLARS 15 50TH ANNIVERSARY 30 BEHIND THE DOOR: A LOOK ALUMNI PROFILE: 18 AT EMILY PHELPS’ OFFICE 41 ROZ HEWSENIAN ’75 On the Cover: Poletta Louis ’92 connects Martin Luther King Jr.’s civil rights legacy to the continuing struggle for equality and justice in all facets of our society. Photo by Gerry Raymonda Reflections Vol. XLXIII Number 3 Spring 2020 MANAGING EDITOR Laura M. Lincoln EDITOR Adrienne Martini LEAD DESIGNER Jonah Roberts CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Adrienne Martini Geoffrey Hassard Benjamin Wendrow ’08 CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Gerry Raymonda Michael Forster Rothbart Reflections is published three times a year by the Division of College Advancement and is funded in part by the SUNY Oneonta Alumni Association through charitable gifts to the Fund for Oneonta. SUNY Oneonta Oneonta, NY 13820-4015 Postage paid at Oneonta, NY POSTMASTER Address service requested to: Reflections Office of Alumni Engagement Ravine Parkway Reconnect SUNY Oneonta Oneonta, NY 13820-4015 Follow the Alumni Association for news, events, contests, photos, and more. For links to all of our Reflections is printed social media sites, visit www.oneontaalumni.com on recylced paper. From Netzer 301 This is an edited version of President shifted online and campus closed, some Barbara Jean Morris’ message to the had to find money to buy laptops. Our SUNY Oneonta community as the Student Emergency Fund has become COVID-19 public health emergency a vital resource for students whose unfolded. college careers were about to end because of the curveball this global I hope you and your family are healthy emergency threw at us. and faring as well as possible during these uncertain times. While some of the immediate concerns are resolved, the consequences are This issue of Reflections was in the still revealing themselves. In the process of being finalized and sent to midst of everything that happened, press as the COVID-19 public health our campus united, and I was in awe emergency began to unfold. We had no of SUNY Oneonta. With tenacity and idea how much would change and how empathy, Red Dragons stayed true to quickly. our students and to the SUNY Oneonta Our situation on campus has continued community of alumni, faculty, and staff. to evolve. I struggle to find words When I first came to SUNY Oneonta, accurate enough to express how I feel almost two years ago now, the thing about what we went a through in such that struck me most was the profound a short time in March. We sent our ethic of care that was universal here — students off for spring break, wished present everywhere and on display day them safe travels, and told them we after day. It truly shone through. That When I first came to would see them back in Oneonta in a ethic of care is what binds us. It is our week. SUNY Oneonta, almost calling card. two years ago now, the Who could have possibly guessed that, For the past few months, our ethic of two weeks later, we would transition thing that struck me care has shone through — again. It to online classes, cancel long-awaited most was the profound kept us strong and allowed us to find events, postpone commencement, joy in an uncertain time. To be sure, ethic of care that was close our buildings, send most of our more challenges lie ahead as we come universal here. employees home, and watch students to a more complete understanding of pack their belongings to move off our new reality. I know we are up to campus for the rest of the semester? the challenges. There is nowhere else That’s the view from campus. However, I would rather be and no one else with all members of our Red Dragon family whom I’d rather do this work. All Red have felt an impact, including our Dragons are in this together, and we alumni. Our commitment to all of you is will get through this together. just as important. During this time, we We wish you and your family good have found new ways to connect with health and safety, now and in the weeks you and help you to connect with each to come. Thank you for being such an other. important part of the SUNY Oneonta “Disruptive” is the word used to family. describe the effects of COVID-19. Those feelings of stress, uncertainty, and sadness may have faded by now. But those disruptive days aren’t so far in the past that we’ve forgotten them. We can Barbara Jean Morris, Ph.D. still feel the emotional exhaustion. President We faced an unprecedented situation. Our students faced additional financial hardships and new expenses that they could not have foreseen. Their campus jobs disappeared. When instruction 2 Spring 2020 | Reflections Daren Rylewicz ’93 From The Alumni Association stonework for the 9/11 memorial towers like visitations from people he had adjacent to Fitzelle Hall. lost. The doe was Kathleen, who knew how special this campus was to both Five years after Kathleen died, John, of them. The eagle was his childhood a New York City firefighter, was at the friend Eric, a firefighter who lost his life World Trade Center buildings when at the World Trade Center. they were bombed in 1993. On Sept. 11, 2001, he was on his way to work at the “They have helped me to understand New York City Fire Museum in lower that they may take your physical being Manhattan. He was walking out of a away, but they may not take away your subway station when the north tower eternal spirit. Your actions, words, and was hit. After calling the fire dispatcher, deeds will exist infinitely,” he said. John went downtown to help. As he prepared the Class of 2002 for During the commencement for the life after college, he reminded them, Class of 2002, John spoke. On Sept. “Every individual has the potential to 11, he said, “Our status changed from contribute to the advancement of the rescuers to victims. Our job description human race. Go forth and do so, make John Jermyn ’81 passed away in changed from protecting the public your mark, do your best, and enjoy December 2019. He was 63 years old. from the ravages of fire to becoming yourself as you go along. Make our city, We hope all our alumni who have front-line soldiers in the war on our state, our country, and our world a died lived lives full of meaning and terrorism.” better place for us all to live in.” connection. John certainly did. His impact has been felt not only on This wasn’t how John expected his life Thank you, John, for all of your work. campus, but in the wider community, to go after he graduated from SUNY It has helped make this world—and this too. Oneonta. “I am just an average, regular campus—a better place for all. guy who is doing his job. Life can be Daren Rylewicz ’93 both funny and strange; you never John’s impact has been felt President know what tomorrow will bring,” he SUNY Oneonta Alumni Association not only on campus, but in said. the wider community, too. In his speech, John talked about an experience he’d had on campus in the John was a member of the Alumni late 1990s. He was visiting Oneonta Association Board of Directors from with his son and decided to go for a 2007 to 2015. From 2012 to 2014, he run one morning. Near the green space served as president. His sister Kathleen between Milne Library and the Chase was a Red Dragon as well. She would Gymnasium, he came face to face with have graduated in 1989 but was killed a white-tailed doe. The two locked when Pan Am Flight 103 was brought eyes before each turned to run in the down by a terrorist’s bomb over opposite direction. Lockerbie, Scotland. Kathleen was He had a similar experience with a returning from a semester studying in bald eagle while hiking near Lake London. In her honor, John donated Tahoe a few years later. The majestic more than $140,000 and endowed a bird soared overhead so close, John scholarship. In addition, he made gifts said, that it felt like he could touch it. John to fund all of the landscaping and Both moments were special; both felt Jermyn ’81 SUNY ONEONTA ALUMNI ASSOCIATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2020 PRESIDENT PRESIDENT-ELECT Carolyn Cacciato ’79 Mark Ventrone ’79 EX OFFICIO Daren Rylewicz ’93 Christine Warnquist ’71 Katie Dupuree ’07 STUDENT BOARD MEMBERS VICE PRESIDENT EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Thomas Glennon ’09 BOARD MEMBERS Paul J. Adamo ’81 Ed Aluck ’95 Laura Madelone Lincoln Alice Maggiore ’10 Odalis Galeano Umana ’20 Barbara Jean Morris, Ph.D. Erikka Misrahi ’08 SECRETARY BOARD MEMBERS Luke Sheridan ’20 Coleen Moore ‘96 Stephanie Peguillan ’15 Erica Skov Beams ’07 HONORARY Judith Stern Palais ’81 Kyle Beckley ’08 BOARD MEMBER TREASURER Bob Raymond ’74 Drew McKay ’05 C.L. “Three” Bollinger ’01 Jim Zians Spring 2020 | Reflections 3 Across THE QUAD Scott Saltzman ’86 spoke with students about the fundamentals of marketing.