Siena

“Don’t cry because it

SIENA NEWS • A MAGAZINE FOR ALUMNI AND FRIENDS • SUMMER 2010

is over; smile because

it happened ”

INSIDE:

Senior Student-Athletes
Make a Lasting Mark

Lights, Camera, Siena!

 from the president
Message from
the Editor

Thanks to the feedback from

our readers who say “We want
more Siena!” we have continued
to strive to meet your needs. In
this issue of Siena News, you will
notice a couple of icons at the
bottom of stories that indicate
more information can be found
online. This was done to shorten
the stories in print so that we can
include even more information
about Siena College and provide
At this year’s Commencement, I spoke to our graduates
a richer experience online. The
and their families about how St. Francis and St. Clare viewed
icons will take you to photos and
education.
videos from two of the biggest
They saw education as a way to shape men’s and women’s
events we hold at Siena:
character and develop students who would make a difference.
The pursuit of knowledge was important, but only if it went
Commencement – 300 plus
hand-in-hand with the quest to live a moral life.
photos on flickr
At Siena College, this legacy endures. Within this issue of
Siena News, the examples are extensive: a senior who takes his
study of the law and uses it to lead the crusade for fair-trade
Events -- 700 plus photos on
products on campus; the student senate employing leadership
flickr and video that captures
skills developed at Siena to raise funds for charity; and envi-
a range of activities including
ronmental studies majors organizing Earth Day events for the
Reunion weekend
entire community.
While these stories have been chosen to illustrate the Siena
Enjoy,
experience, community members giving back is something
Jim Eaton
I have the privilege of witnessing on a daily basis. They are
people who go above and beyond to make a difference. That’s
P.S. - In the next year we will
what makes Siena, Siena.
offer an interactive online
Fraternally, version of this publication.
What would you like to see
added to this online version?
E-mail us with your ideas at
communications@siena.edu.

Fr. Kevin Mullen ’75, O.F.M., Ph.D., President

SIENA 2
 2010 - 2011 Board of Trustees
contents
Ronald E. Bjorklund ’85
J. David Brown
Michael Bucci ’73
4 Siena Celebrates 2010 Commencement Robert F. Campbell ’66
Judy Capano/Michaelson ’87

SAINTS Br. F. Edward Coughlin, O.F.M., Ph.D.

Robert M. Curley
Robert T. Cushing ’77
Susan Law Dake
Virginia L. Darrow ’83
20 Siena’s Scott C. Donnelly
Howard S. Foote ’74
All-American Shari Golub-Schillinger ’86
2010
HOME RUN Sr. Violet T. Grennan, M.F.I.C., D.Min.
RECORD Robert L. Guido ’68
Rev. Kenneth R. Himes ’71, O.F.M., Ph.D.
Walter T. Kicinski ’62
Pamela McCarthy
Robert J. McCormick ’87
Dan Paolin James J. Morrell ’66
i ’12 Very Rev. Kevin J. Mullen ’75, O.F.M., Ph.D.
John F. Murray
John J. Nigro
Very Rev. John F. O’Connor, O.F.M.
Walter A. Osterman ’87
Kenneth M. Raymond, Jr.
William E. Redmond ’81

24 Lights, Mark S. Rose ’65

Rev. James P. Scullion ’75, O.F.M., Ph.D.
Camera David M. Stack ’73
Siena! Christine L. Standish
Nimmi M. Trapasso ’98, M.D.
Dennis L. Winger ’69

Siena News - Summer 2010 Published by Siena College

515 Loudon Road
Loudonville, NY 12211-1462
E-mail: communications@siena.edu

• Publisher: Delcy Fox

• Editor: Jim Eaton
• Online Editor: Allison Maloney ’06
• Contributing Editors: Mark Adam, Fr. Bill Beaudin ’76, O.F.M.,

departments
Jodi Ackerman Frank, Ken Jubie ’04, Christine Maccarone ’10,
Hildy Marinello ’11, Allison Maloney ’06, Fr. Kevin Mullen ’75,
O.F.M., Ph.D., Jason Rich ’97, Lynn Ryan, Ally Tooulias ’11,
Mackenzie Watroba ’11
• Director of Art and Design: Sergio Sericolo
On Campus News | 10 Alumni Connection | 23
• Alumni Class Notes Design: Jean Higgs
Faculty News | 18 Alumni Class Notes | 28 • Alumni Class Notes Editor: Janice Goca
Saints Corner | 20 • Photography: Athletics Office, Alumni Office, Dave Boswell ’12,
Mike Hemberger, Martha Kelly ’10, Billy McHugh ’13,
Fr. Ken Paulli ’82, O.F.M., Ph.D., Tony Purificato, ROTC Office,
Sergio Sericolo
• Printer: The Lane Press, Burlington,Vt. SIENA 3
 COVER STORY

“Don’t cry because it is over;

smile because it happened ”

Siena Celebrates 2010 Commencement

By Ken Jubie ’04

Sunshine filled the sky as smiles and flashing cameras lit up the Times Union Center in downtown Albany. The
Siena College Class of 2010 crossed the stage, collected their diplomas and closed the collegiate chapter of
their lives.
“Don’t cry because it is over; smile because it happened,” said Class of 2010 President Bryan Daly as he
addressed his fellow graduates. He recounted experiences they shared, such as the 2008 ice storm and storming the
basketball court after the Saints won the MAAC Tournament Championship.

SIENA 4
 Siena awarded 738 bachelor’s degrees. In addition, for the first time in the college’s history, 19 students
graduated with Master of Science in Accounting degrees.
“I feel prepared for what is ahead,” said history major and Alpha Kappa Alpha Honor Society graduate Kelli
Huggins ’10, who plans to work for a year before entering graduate school.
Civil rights, political and business leader Ambassador Andrew Young, who delivered the 2010 Commencement
address, urged the graduates to strive for continued success in the future. Young, who has served as a congressman
from Georgia, U.S. ambassador to the United Nations and Atlanta mayor, described his experiences while encour-
aging students to take chances and try to improve the world.
“Don’t be afraid to fail, don’t be afraid to suffer … Do it with the confidence that, even if you fail, the spirit and

SIENA 5
 Right: World renowned physician, ethicist
and educator Edmund Pellegrino, M.D.,
and civil rights, political and business
leader Ambassador Andrew Young
received honorary degrees during the
commencement ceremony this year. Also
pictured are Fr. Kevin Mullen ’75, O.F.M.,
Ph.D. and Board of Trustee member
John Murray ’79.

Below: For the first time in Siena’s history,

19 students earned Master of Science in
accounting degrees during this year’s
commencement weekend.

power of God can raise you up again,” Young said. “Go in peace and share that
peace with the world.”
Young and world-renowned physician, ethicist and educator Edmund
Pellegrino, M.D., received honorary degrees. Cheryl Buff ’82, Ph.D., associate
professor of marketing and management, received the Jerome Walton Award for
Excellence in Teaching.
As she spoke, Buff reinforced for the graduates what her fellow faculty
members and their families already knew. “You are ready for the opportunities
and challenges that life will present,” Buff said. “You can and will make a
difference.”

SIENA 6
The Ruff Road to Graduation
By Ken Jubie ’04

If you looked quickly through the sea of graduates, you might have missed Colonie police officer
Chris Ruff. The 45-year-old detective sergeant was wearing academic regalia — a black cap and gown
and a green and gold hood. But he wasn’t undercover on a secret mission. Like the rest of the Class of
2010, Ruff was graduating.
It was a moment nearly three decades in the making. Ruff started
taking classes at Siena in 1983, two years before he joined the Colonie
police force. The sociology major spent 27 years pursuing his degree part-
time while advancing his career in law enforcement and raising a family
with his wife of nearly 22 years. They have a daughter who is now in
college.
“My family is my rock. They have always been there for me and I
could see in their faces how happy they were,” Ruff said.
After nearly 30 years of studying at Siena, Ruff became used to seeing
changing faces, phrases, fashions, hair styles and, of course, technologies.
“I have seen the computer go from almost unusable to totally necessary.
You used to have a handful of close friends. Today, students have
hundreds of friends at their fingertips. There were no cell phones in
school back then. Text was what one found in a book.”
Still, Ruff said the Siena students’ commitment to their careers, country, faith and families has
remained constant, which is why he is encouraged by the potential of his fellow graduates.
“I have my career. I may use my degree in the future to do something different, but it is my fellow
graduates who will be our leaders,” Ruff said. “They are the future doctors, lawyers, scientists,
politicians and, yes, police officers. Most importantly, they are future parents. They will take lessons
that they have learned from their own lives and they will raise a new generation.”

To see additional photos from commencement

weekend visit www.siena.edu/news and
search commencement.

SIENA 7
 MIKE ELLEMENT ‘10

Champion for Fair Trade

By Mackenzie Watroba ’11 and Allison Maloney ’06

Mike Ellement ’10 from Buffalo, N.Y., came to Siena four years ago not knowing what to expect, but
left with more than he could hope for.
“Siena is a caring environment where I was encouraged to get involved and meet interesting people,”
Ellement said.
After learning how the coffee industry in areas of South America and Africa forces farmers to accept
objectionably low prices and subjects them to slave labor, Ellement decided to do what he has always
been encouraged to do – get involved.
Through his dedication, along with the help of Shannon O’ Neill, Ph.D., director of the Sr. Thea
Bowman Center for Women, the Sodexo food service has purchased some fair-trade products for the
dining hall and catered events. The college also has established a consumer relationship with women in
Guatemala for handmade items. Fair trade certifies that workers received fair wages and that child labor
was not used.
Even though there is no current fair-trade national certification system for U.S. colleges, Siena has
been working closely with other institutions to begin drafting guidelines. Ellement hopes to continue
to advocate for fair-trade sales both in his hometown and at Catholic University Law School, where he
will begin graduate studies in the fall.
“The Franciscan attitude of Siena has gone a long way to molding the person I am. You don’t get
the average college experience here. You get an environment that promotes peace and justice and a
community that cares about you.”

SIENA 8

ANNA PAPPERMAN ’10
Following the Frogs
Anna Papperman ’10, environmental studies major from
Waterford, N.Y., has been interested in environmental studies
since she was in 8th grade.
At Siena, Papperman had the opportunity to work alongside
Larry Woolbright, Ph.D., professor of biology, studying
wood frogs and their habitat preferences in Saratoga National
Historic Park. She used a geographic information system (GIS)
to create a map that analyzes where wood frog populations go
after they leave their spring breeding sites. The information will
help the park to preserve habitat for the wood frogs and allow
them to remain a vital part of the ecology of the park.
“GIS is a great way of looking at real-world problems
and providing solutions to them in a whole new way. It’s an
awesome tool for learning and is becoming extremely important
in today’s world,” Papperman said.
Papperman is pursuing her master’s degree in natural
resources with a concentration in environmental education and
interpretation at the University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point.
“Siena has definitely challenged me and made me work to
my full potential. My coursework was integral to helping
me to get where I am today,” she said.
RENEE CLAVETTE ’10
All-Star Accountant
Renee Clavette ’10 from Danville, N.H., first
set foot on the Siena campus as a high school
sophomore for a field hockey tournament. Two
years later and mid-way through her college search,
she realized she was comparing all other colleges to
Siena.
“I was meant to come here,” Clavette said.
Five years later, after earning a master’s degree in
accounting and participating in two varsity sports
--field hockey and softball, Clavette said her Siena
experience surpassed her expectations.
“I received more than an education in accounting
and the principles behind it; I learned about myself.”
Nineteen students graduated from the inaugural
class of the M.S. in Accounting program this year.
Clavette said the small classes allowed students to
explore specific accounting interests. “Professors
prepared us for the professional world while
integrating students’ individual needs,” she said.
Clavette is now working at Pricewaterhouse-
Coopers in Boston and said her experience at Siena
and in the M.S. in Accounting program have shaped
the type of individual and professional she aspires to
be.
“I’ve received a great sense of community, the
ability to get involved and a realization of what
volunteerism can do in a community.”
SIENA 9
 ON CAMPUS NEWS

Academic Excellence on Display

During the Celebration of Academic Excellence, the Sarazen
Student Union’s Maloney Great Room became an interactive
showcase for students of various majors in the schools of liberal arts,
science and business to present their research and accomplishments.
“It’s a good chance to share the experience of my independent study,” said Martha
Kelly ’10. Kelly’s project, “The Plight of an Orphaned Child: Jamaica vs. America,” Above: Martha Kelly ’10 went
was the result of a service trip to Jamaica in January, during which she saw orphanages on a service trip to Jamaica. She
firsthand. turned this experience into an
Faculty members said the celebration is a valuable learning experience for students independent study project titled
“The Plight of an Orphaned Child:
because it prepares them for professional presentations. They said it also gives professors a
Jamaica vs. America.”
chance to see different sides of the students they teach.
“I encounter students of mine presenting in other departments. It’s good to learn what
they are doing in other classes,” said Chair of the Computer Science Department Bob
Yoder, Ph.D.

Coming Soon - New Residence Hall

This fall Siena will open a new residence hall located
near the St. Francis House and Colbeth Hall. The $20
million building will house 264 beds and include a dining
hall with 250 seats, television lounge, game room, fitness
facility, mailroom and several meeting rooms. The Sr.
Thea Bowman Women’s Center will relocate there. For
more information visit www.siena.edu/newresidencehall.

SIENA 10
Honors Fellows’ Topics Range From Facebook to Plastic Surgery to Money Laundering
Of the 26 students who completed an honors thesis this year, 22 fulfilled all the requirements for the Honors Program as
honors fellows. This is the fifth year students have earned this distinction at Siena College. “I’m very proud of the work
these students produced this year, and I know they are better prepared for what their future brings having gone through
this experience,” said Lois K. Daly, Ph.D., professor of religious studies and director of the Honors Program.

Student thesis topics included:

• Sarah Beaudin ’10 — “From • Ashlyn Krawczyk ’10 — “Variations • Nathalie Peiris ’10 — “Is Love Always
Thoreau to Krakauer: An Examination in Perceptions of Plastic Surgery Patients Blind? The Varying Rates of Marriage
of Changing Attitudes in American by Age, Reason for Surgery and Physical Between Japanese, Chinese and Indians
Environmental Writing” Attractiveness” with Caucasians”

• Garrett Blair ’11 — “A
Comprehensive Climate Change
Policy Proposal: Reducing Emissions
from the United States’ Transportation
Sector”
• Carolyn Bostick ’10 — “Fated by
Their Nature and Free Will: Michael
Corleone in The Godfather Films and
Satan in Paradise Lost”
• Kathleen Anneliese Logothetis ’10 —
“Soldiers of the Softer Sex: Women on the
Battlefields of the Revolutionary War and
the Shifting Trend of Nineteenth Century
Commemoration”
• Megan Lodes ’10 — “Millennials …
Do You Trust Me? A Study of Brand
Trust, Brand Loyalty and the Millennial
Generation”
• Bianca Pier ’10 — “Restoring the Moral
Roundtable: Modifications for Just War
Theory”
• Kevin Risolo ’10, “What Makes a
Science ... Science?”
• Malorie Simons ’10 — “Green Chemistry
of Polymer Synthesis: Esterification of
Dicarboxylic Acids and Di-Alcohols”

• Jordan Carroll ’10 — “If He’s Crazy
What Does That Make You?” The
Negative Perception of the Mentally
Ill During the Twentieth Century and
the Power of the Film One Flew Over
the Cuckoo’s Nest”
• Indira Dhandapani ’10 — “Positive
Youth Development: An Analysis
of MADD CT’s Youth Leadership
Camp”
• Michael DiSiena ’10 — “Competing
Originalisms: Contextualizing
America’s Chief Executive”
• Brigitta Giulianelli ’10 — “The
Best Years of Our Lives and the Re-
Masculinization of Men”
• Thomas Lopez ’10 — “Regulation of
Cellular Signaling: Probing the Role of
Receptor and Its Modulator”
• Stacey Mace ’10 — “An Analysis of
Money Laundering Use: A Case Study
of Transnational Criminal Organization
Activities”
• Elizabeth Mastropolo ’10 — “The
Evolution of the Cinderella Fairytale: The
Truth Behind the Glass Slipper”
• Heather McDonald ’10 — “Perceptions of
Psychological Abuse within Heterosexual
Dating Relationships”
• Francis Stanton ’10 — “Rediscovery:
Lessons from Pre-Conservative Movement
Republicans”
• Courtney Stefaniak ’10 — “Who Deserves
the Right to Vote: Felon Disenfranchisement
and the Eighth Amendment”
• Stacie Sueda ’10 — “Effects of Parenting
Styles and Behaviors on Child Drug
Abstinence”
• Rachel Tatarek ’10 — “Taste the Happy:
How the Laugh Track’s Absence in Comedy
Verité Programming Demands More from
Audiences”

• Margaret Glover ’10 — “From

Nora Charles to Muriel Blandings:
The Evolution of Hollywood’s
‘Perfect Wife’ in the 1930s-1940s and
Its Misrepresentation of American
Women”

• Kelli Huggins ’10 — “The Scientific

Female Farmer: Using Science to Save
the Family Farm in the Antebellum
Northeast”

• Timothy Hurley ’10 — “What Is

Authenticity on Facebook?”

• Danielle Hyatt ’10 — “Rethinking

Addiction: Going Beyond the
Diagnostic Boundaries”

SIENA 11
 History Comes to Campus
From Front Lines to Front Lawn
By Christine Maccarone ’10
Siena College’s History Club presented the second annual
Day of Living History on the college’s front lawn on April
24. The interactive day showcased different time periods in
American history.
“This is a fun approach to history, but it is still academic
and we maintain high standards for the material presented
and discussed,” said Brittney Hunt ’10, history club
president, who helped coordinate the event.
Assisted by historical re-enactors and veteran Al
Singleman Jr., the event kicked off with a parade and a
welcome by Fr. Kevin Mullen ’75, O.F.M., Ph.D., college
president and undergraduate history major.
The day proceeded with firing demonstrations, spotlights
on historical sites and re-enactments by local historians.
“Reinforcing the importance of our history, especially
during a time of war, is so meaningful to me. By being a part
of this day, I am a part of history and that is something very
special,” said Shireen Hassanali ’10.
SIENA 12
Renowned Historian Visits Siena
During the month of April, Siena also welcomed renowned
author and historian John Ferling to campus. Ferling’s
presentation, “George Washington and John Adams: A
Look at Two Very Different Founders,” gave the 100-person
audience a sense of what each man valued.
Washington and Adams were about the same age.
Both were very ambitious. However, they had little else
in common, Ferling said. Washington was wealthy, but as
Ferling explained, he worked to acquire that wealth.
Money was not important to Adams, but recognition was.
Ferling said that when the new nation was formed and
Washington became the first president, Adams wanted to be
vice president to position himself for the presidency.
Ferling also noted that the physical appearance of
Washington and Adams were as different as their priorities.
Students Critique Philosopher’s Work
By Christine Maccarone ’10

Siena students presented their research on philosopher John

D. Caputo’s work to the philosopher himself in an interactive
forum on campus in April. The forum was part of the Siena
Symposium on Living Philosophers, a year-long seminar
program taught by Siena faculty and an external scholar in
which students focus on the work of a major contemporary
philosopher.
“I read selections from over 20 books on, or by, Caputo during the last year, so it was an honor to present my work
to him,” said Christopher Stein ’10.
Caputo enjoyed meeting the Siena students, who critiqued his thought. “It was a great deal of fun for me to meet the
students. I was very impressed by the graduate-level research being conducted at Siena College,” Caputo said.
During the symposium, the students learned how to analyze studies, read a variety of excerpts from books and draw
their own conclusions about the various texts. All individual research resulted in formal papers that were presented to
Caputo.
Caputo specializes in postmodern theory of religion. He has written many books geared toward scholars and the
general public. Caputo is the Thomas J. Watson Professor of Religion and Humanities at Syracuse University. Prior to
his current position, he taught philosophy at Villanova University in Pennsylvania for 37 years.

Siena Hosts Golf Tournament for Sarazen Scholarship Fund

This spring, Siena held a virtual golf tournament — the Media Masters — in the Sarazen Student Union to raise money
for the Gene and Mary Sarazen Scholarship Fund.
The event featured men’s basketball coach Mitch Buonaguro as well as sports reporters from local television stations.
Andrew Catalon, WNYT News Channel 13 sports anchor, won the tournament and had $500 donated in his name to the
scholarship fund.
The Media Masters was the culmination of a day-long celebration of the 75th anniversary of Gene Sarazen’s “shot heard
’round the world” — a double eagle on the 15th hole of Augusta National in Georgia. The shot propelled Sarazen to win the
1935 Masters, which completed his Grand Slam. The golf legend and creator of the sand wedge received an honorary degree
from Siena in 1978. In 2001, the student union was named in his honor. More than 100 students have graduated as recipients
of the Sarazen Scholarship.
Rounding out the eight-player field were Fox23 Sports Director Rich Becker, YNN sports reporter Marisa Jacques,
CBS6 sports reporter Kelly O’Donnell, News 10 sports reporter Jamie Seh, WVCR 88.3 General Manager Darrin Scott
Kibbey and Siena Student Events Board Chairperson Ryan Seber ’11.
SIENA 13
 Traveling the World
Blue Ridge to Blue Sea
History professor Bruce Eelman, Ph.D., and English
professor Dan Turner, Ph.D., taught “Blue Ridge to Blue
Sea: History and Literature of the American South.”
During the course, students traveled through North
Carolina and South Carolina, where they visited historic
sites and conversed with local authors.
“The purpose was to expose students to the literary
and historical diversity of the South and to try to
identify major themes in the southern experience,”
Eelman said.
A grant from the Watson-Brown Foundation in
Georgia financed the trip for the students.

Nordic Trek
Students who signed up for the “Global Women” course met
with government ministries and university research groups in
Iceland, Sweden and Norway. The class helped 12 students and
four faculty members to gain a better understanding of gender
equality in Nordic countries.
“Students were most surprised by the tradition of leaving
babies outside on the patio or in the garden to sleep outside in
all sorts of weather -- properly bundled, of course,” said Sr. Thea
Bowman Center for Women Director Shannon O’Neill, Ph.D. “The
Icelanders believe that it is good for the babies and their immune
systems to sleep in the fresh air.”
They also learned that all three countries offer generous state-supported
parental-leave policies, allowing both parents to care for newborns.

Jewish Cemetery Restoration

Siena students transformed a Jewish cemetery in Kurenets, Belarus,
from an indistinguishable part of the landscape to a respected site of
historic significance. School of Liberal Arts Dean Ralph Blasting, Leah
Antil ’09 and Loudonville orthodontist Dr. Michael Lozman led eight
Siena students on a journey to Eastern Europe where they learned about
the devastation of World War II. The students worked alongside local
students to install a fence around the cemetery, clear trees and remove
brush from around tombstones. Senior citizens will use the felled trees for
heating fuel this winter.
SIENA 14
 The Man Behind Siena’s Hospitality
For more than 40 years, Br. Romuald Chinetsky, O.F.M., has quietly served the
Siena College community. The 80-year-old friar has dedicated his life to cultivating
what many people on campus take for granted — Siena’s hospitable atmosphere.
“He taught us how to welcome,” said Siena College President Fr. Kevin Mullen
’75, O.F.M., before he presented Br. Romuald with the College’s highest award, the
St. Bernardine of Siena Medal.
The award, like the College itself, is named after St. Bernardine of Siena,
the 15th century Franciscan friar whose popular style of preaching drew vast
crowds and later earned him
the title of “Patron Saint of
Communications Workers.”
While the normally reserved
Br. Romuald does not possess
St. Bernardine’s flair for the
dramatic, Fr. Kevin said he
exemplifies Bernardine’s
commitment to serving
neighbors in need.
Over the years, Br. Romuald
has developed a deep connection
with members of Siena’s
facilities staff. “They are all my
brothers,” he said.
Archeology Those brothers joined
other members of the Siena
Comes Alive community, including more

in Italy than 20 Franciscan friars as

well as family and friends, in
St. Mary of the Angels Chapel
Modern languages and to celebrate the Feast of St.
classics professor Linda Bernardine and to honor Br.
Medwid, Ph.D. led a group of Romuald.
24 students on a tour of Italy.
The trip was the culmination of
her course “Ancient Rome and
Jubilee Mass
Central Italy.” The class was
Five of the 10 living Holy Name Province
introduced to Greco Roman art
friars of the ordination class of 1960 gathered
and archaeology. Medwid said
in St. Mary of the Angels Chapel on May 1 for
the students were able to walk
a festive eucharist. Fr. Julian Davies, O.F.M.
the streets of Pompeii, visit
(professor of philosophy), Fr. Capistran Hanlon,
the 5th Century B.C. Greek
O.F.M. (professor emeritus of sociology), Fr.
temple known as the Temple
David Hyman, O.F.M., Fr. Hugh Hines, O.F.M.
of Poseidon and see other sites
(president emeritus) and Fr. Benedict Taylor ’79
they studied throughout the
Hon., O.F.M., concelebrated the jubilee mass with
semester.
Provincial Minister and Siena College Trustee Fr.
John O’Connor, O.F.M.
SIENA 15
 Shear Madness for a Good Cause
As Fr. Dennis Tamburello ’75 strummed his guitar and sang “Hair” from the
musical of the same name, School of Liberal Arts Dean Ralph Blasting, Ph.D., lost his
lovely brown locks.
Members of the Siena College community paid more than $2,600 to see Blasting go
bald during the Gaelic Society’s Shave Your Head for Cancer event on April 18.
“I said I’d do it if I could get $500 in pledges, and the response was over-
whelming,” Blasting said.
Some may say it was shear madness, but Blasting and other members of the Siena
College community were glad to have their heads shaved to raise money for children’s
cancer research.
“Every once in a while you have to remind yourself what is important, and hair is
not important,” Blasting said. “Children and adults struggling with cancer don’t have
a choice. Every once in a while we have to try and put ourselves in someone else’s
shoes. This was for a great cause, and I’m really glad I did it.”
Each head shaved garnered at least $50 dollars for children’s cancer research
through the St. Baldrick’s Foundation. Altogether, the event raised more than $5,800.

To view video of this event visit www.siena.edu/news keyword

search Mr. Clean.



When Life Gives You Lemons
By Hildy Marinello ’11

On April 26, Siena College students came together to participate in a little

girl’s cause. In 2000, Alex Scott was a 4-year-old cancer patient who started a
lemonade stand to raise money to help scientists research a cure for all childhood
cancer.
Her dream evolved into the Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation. In August
2004, Alex lost her battle with cancer, but her legacy lives on through her
foundation. Since her death, the foundation has raised more than $30 million.
Student Senate President Stephen Archer ’11 brought Alex’s lemonade stand
to Siena’s campus during his freshman year. “The Scotts are so passionate, and
to see what a little girl could start is so inspiring. It made sense to get Siena’s
community involved in the cause,” Archer said.
Since the first Alex’s Lemonade Stand at Siena, the community has raised
$6,000. Students typically set up three stands across campus.
“Helping organize and run the event is just a small way we can help fulfill
Alex’s dream,” said Therese Daly ’12.
Archer hopes that the event will continue to grow on Siena’s campus. “I’d like
this to become a staple of the Siena community,” he said.
To learn more about Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation visit
www.alexslemonade.org.

SIENA 16
Siena Goes Green During
Earth Week Celebration
Members of the Siena College
community marked the 40th
anniversary of Earth Day
throughout the week of April 22
with various events on campus.
The Environmental Club tie-dyed
reusable bags, planted a tree and
even put their use of personal
electronics on hold. Laptops, MP3
players and smart phones were
turned off for a day as the students
experienced life without the gadgets
they’ve grown up using.
“It’s difficult to just drop
everything, but I hope that the
events and the club’s efforts to go
‘electronics free’ for 24 hours will
increase people’s interest in creating
a more sustainable campus,” said
Environmental Club Vice President
Danielle Seeley ’11.
Students also welcomed outside
groups, including TOMS Shoes
and the New York State Energy
Research and Development
Authority, to campus. TOMS
Shoes representatives spoke
about providing footwear for the
Students Volunteer for the Cinderella Project
By Ally Tooulias ’11
poor in third world countries
and NYSERDA discussed ways On March 26, the Sarazen Student Union turned into a fashionable boutique,
to conserve energy and live a featuring more than 1,500 donated dresses. Through the leadership and
“greener” lifestyle. organization of the Sr. Thea Bowman Center for Women, Siena has taken part
The Fourth Annual Campus in the Cinderella Project for the past several years. The nonprofit organization
Cleanup Day was also held provides financially disadvantaged girls with prom dresses and accessories.
during the week. Participants One hundred volunteers helped run the event. High school-aged girls met with
came from all areas of the college. “fashion consultants,” who helped them sift through mint condition dresses to
They included Paul Stec ’79, find the perfect one. After picking out their gowns, the “shoppers” tried them on
vice president for finance and in a temporary fitting room. If alterations were necessary, a seamstress was
administration, and Fr. Ken on site to accommodate.
Paulli ’82, chief of staff, as well as The Sr. Thea Bowman Women’s Center had been collecting dresses and
athletics staff, residence life staff, accessories since January for this year’s event.
the women’s softball and soccer “The coordination and organization that this event requires is enormous,”
teams, the water polo team, the said Shannon O’Neill, Ph.D., director of the Women’s Center.
Environmental Club and members
of the Student Senate.
SIENA 17
FACULTY AND STAFF NEWS

Faculty Members and Administrators Honored

for Their Service to the College
Left to right: Award recipients at the annual year-end dinner included Leonard
Cutler, Ph.D., professor of political science (Raymond C. Kennedy Excellence in
Scholarship Award); Joseph Fitzgerald, assistant to the vice president of academic
affairs/operations (James Knust Award for Excellence in Administration); Cheryl
Buff ’82, Ph.D., associate professor of marketing and management (The Jerome
Walton Excellence in Teaching Award); Edward LaRow ’59, Ph.D., professor of
biology (Fr. Matthew T. Conlin, O.F.M. Distinguished Service Award). Fr. Kevin Medina Earns
Mullen ’75, O.F.M., Ph.D. presented the awards.
Under-Forty Honor
Alfredo Medina, Jr., assistant
vice president for academic affairs/
government and foundation
relations, has been ranked by The
Business Review as one of the “40
Under Forty.” The list highlights
40 of the area’s most successful
and talented leaders under the age
of 40.
“I’m glad that I’m still being
recognized for being young,” the
38-year-old Medina joked, adding
that he is humbled by the award,
School of Business Goes Mello which he considers a celebration of
Siena’s academic success.
Jeffrey A. Mello, Ph.D., has been named the new “This honor will help me build
School of Business dean. relationships with other honorees
“Dr. Mello’s record of scholarship and teaching, and the business community as a
coupled with his strong administrative experience, whole,” he added.
makes him a great fit with the Siena community,” Vice President for Academic
said Vice President for Academic Affairs Linda Affairs Linda Richardson, Ph.D.
Richardson, Ph.D. said that, when Medina began his
Mello previously worked at Barry University’s career as director of sponsored
Andreas School of Business in Miami Shores, Fla., research, the College’s portfolio of
where he was a professor of management. He also grant activity was a mere $500,000.
served as the associate dean and interim dean at Thanks to Medina’s efforts, grants
the university. to the School of Science alone are
Before working at Barry, Mello served as worth more than $7.5 million.
department of management chair at Towson “He’s enabled us to really
University, Md., where he received the President’s Award for Outstanding Service and reach a higher level of research
the Outstanding Scholar Award. Mello is accredited by the Association to Advance and student engagement in the
Collegiate Schools of Business. School of Science,” said Allan
Mello replaced former longtime business dean James Nolan ’75, Ph.D., who Weatherwax, Ph.D., associate dean
stepped down at the end of the academic year. Nolan will be on sabbatical next and professor of physics.
year after which he plans to return to teaching.

SIENA 18
Saints Invade Albany
By Mackenzie Watroba ’11

Eighty members of the Siena College community laced up their sneakers and ran or walked three and a half miles through
the streets of Albany during the 30th annual CDPHP Workforce Team Challenge to benefit the Boys and Girls Club of
Albany. Siena’s team had the third highest number of participants in the Education Agency division. In addition, the College’s
top four women runners (Kaitlyn Skelley, Alison Wade, Jolene Johnston ’04 and Elizabeth Conway) finished with a
cumulative time of 1:45:55, garnering them second place in the female division.

Professor Paints Revealing

Portrait of a Lady
This spring Margaret Hannay, professor of
English, published a book titled Mary Sidney,
Lady Wroth (Ashgate). Hannay has extensively
studied the life of Lady Mary Wroth, an English
poet of the Renaissance who was among the first
female British writers to achieve an enduring
reputation. The biography reveals details about
the last 30 years of Wroth’s life, including the
date of her death and new information about her two illegitimate children by her
cousin William Herbert, Earl of Pembroke. The book also features family trees
for the Sidneys (her father’s side of the family) and the Wroths; a map of Essex
that shows where Wroth lived; a chart of family alliances as well as portraits and
illustrations from her manuscripts.
 FACULTY NEWS
SAINTS CORNER

Senior Student-Athletes
Make a Lasting Mark
By Mark Adam

Siena College said goodbye to three outstanding student-athletes at

this year’s Commencement. They combined for seven NCAA Tournament
appearances across three different sports and made a lasting footprint on
Siena’s growing national reputation in athletics. Burgandy McCurty ’10 from
the volleyball team, Alex Franklin ’10 from the men’s basketball team and
Brent Herbst ’10 from the men’s lacrosse team made significant contributions
to Siena’s athletic programs. They will all leave their home of the past four
years and enter the real world that awaits them.

McCurty, a three-time MAAC Offensive Player

of the Year, ranked second in the nation in kills per set
(5.37) this past season. She rewrote the Siena volleyball
record book and was an integral part of the program’s
dynasty in the MAAC. But
McCurty, who graduated with a
3.36 GPA in accounting and will
go for her master’s degree next
year, struggled academically her
freshman year.
“It was a learning experience,”
McCurty said. “I started out
fast athletically as a freshman
and matured over my four years
and that showed academically. I
feel like I’m a better all-around
person.”
After four years of dominating
the MAAC volleyball league,
McCurty decided to walk onto
the women’s lacrosse team and
helped them earn their first MAAC
Tournament appearance since 2005
and the second in program history.

SIENA 20
 On the basketball court, Franklin has
been a superstar during the program’s
most successful run and wrapped up his
career as MAAC Player of the Year and
Tournament MVP. He won three straight
MAAC championships and, along with
classmates Edwin Ubiles ’10 and Ronald
Moore ’10, brought national recognition
to Siena as a result of the success enjoyed
in the Big Dance. Through all of the
championships and the constant media
attention, Franklin says he’ll miss the fans
the most.
“They gave us tons of support and
that’s something a lot of programs don’t
have,” he said.
Franklin’s unique blend of power,
speed and agility distinguished him from other post players around the league
and created match-up problems for major conference teams. He left his mark on the
record books at Siena finishing his career 5th in points (1,730), 3rd in rebounds (923)
and 4th in field goal percentage (.567). He hopes to continue playing the sport he loves
at the next level, either with the NBA or overseas.

Herbst, the lacrosse team’s starting goalie over the last four
years, has been at the forefront of the biggest turnaround in
Siena athletics history. Before he arrived, the program’s
last winning season was in 1983. He finished his career
with a 44-23 record and led the Saints to their first
MAAC championship and NCAA Tournament
appearance in 2009.
“This experience has been unbelievable,”
Herbst said. “I had the opportunity to help turn a
program around and start a winning tradition.”
Herbst is a two-time All-American Honorable
Mention, a Scholar All-American and a 2010
Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award finalist. He has
ranked in the top four in the country in both
goals-against average and save percentage in the
last three years. On June 6, Herbst became the
first Siena lacrosse player ever drafted when he was
selected 22nd overall by the Long Island Lizards in
the 2010 Major League Lacrosse Collegiate Draft.

A common theme all three Saints talk about is the Siena community.
“This is a family,” McCurty said. “It feels like home, and I’m going to miss that because it’s not
going to be like that everywhere you go.”
“I had a great experience at Siena,” Franklin said. “It was more than I could have ever expected.”
“It’s a close knit community,” Herbst said. “You have relationships with other teams and it’s very
supportive. The support of the entire school has been great.”

SIENA 21
 Siena’s All-American
By Jason Rich ’98

This year, Dan Paolini ’12 enjoyed one of the greatest

seasons ever by a Siena student-athlete. The second
baseman rocked the school’s single-season home-run
record by blasting a MAAC-record 26 round-trippers
in 53 games. He led the nation in home runs per game
and became the first Siena student-athlete named to an
All-America team in Division I, earning Second Team
All-America recognition by Collegiate Baseball.
Paolini was named MAAC Player of the Year with
a league-best .816 slugging percentage, while setting
school records with 62 runs scored and 64 RBI.
However, it was the long ball that gained him national
recognition.
Woman of Excellence: Paolini’s 26 bombs eclipsed the previous school mark
Gina Castelli by 11 (Steve Borg ’87 hit 15 in 1985), which landed him
By Mark Adam a spot in the inaugural TD AMERITRADE College
Home Run Derby at Omaha’s Rosenblatt Stadium on
Gina Castelli, head coach of the Siena women’s July 7. The event aired nationally on CBS on July 11.
basketball team, was recognized as a “woman of The Stratford, Conn., native has joined the Chatham
excellence” at the 2010 Albany-Colonie Regional Anglers in the prestigious Cape Cod League this
Chamber of Commerce’s Women’s Business summer, an opportunity that should increase his ever-
Council awards ceremony on June 17. rising major league draft stock when he becomes eligible
Castelli, honored for “excellence in the following his upcoming junior season.
professions,” just finished her 20th season as
head coach at Siena College. This past season,
she became the third MAAC women’s coach to
win 300 career games and has an overall record
of 310-263. Her teams have won seven regular
season MAAC championships and she guided the
program to its first NCAA Tournament in 2001.
SAINTS
Off the court, her teams have enjoyed success,
too. The Siena women’s basketball team posted
a 93 percent cohort graduation success rate,
compared to the national average of 83 percent
listed in the 2009 NCAA Graduation Success
Rates Report.
For the past seven years, Castelli has facilitated 2010
an active partnership between the Siena women’s
HOME RUN
basketball program and Capital Region Action
Against Breast Cancer (CRAAB!). Castelli and
RECORD
her team raised a record $15,000 as a result of this
year’s Pink Zone Game. In 2008, Castelli earned
the 11th annual BMW Hero Award for her efforts
in increasing the public’s awareness of breast
cancer.
SIENA 22 Dan Paolin
i ’12
 ALUMNI CONNECTION

New Scholarship Named for Siena Friar

The Fr. Kenneth P. Paulli ’82, O.F.M., Ed.D.,
Scholarship, in honor of his grandparents, Alfred and
Lena Albano and Paul and Josephine Paulli, was recently
established by Fr. Ken’s friends, colleagues and family
to commemorate his 25th anniversary as a friar and 20th
anniversary as a priest. He is currently serving as Chief of
Staff at Siena College.
Fr. Ken chose to honor his grandparents because it
was their commitment to education that inspired the same
value in him, although neither of them went to school
beyond the eighth grade.
“In both families, our parents stressed education,” said
Mary Lou Paulli, Fr. Ken’s mother. “They felt it was a
gateway to a better life and to becoming a better person.”
The Paullis understand the difficulty and expense of
sending children to college, and that’s why they are thrilled
about this opportunity to establish a scholarship.
“We worked hard to give our children their educations.
It was a difficult time,” said Paul Paulli. “The Fr. Kenneth
P. Paulli ’82, O.F.M., Ed.D. Scholarship will help open doors
to Siena’s Franciscan Catholic liberal arts education for
generations of students to come. It will go to students who
value a Catholic education,” said Fr. Ken. “These are the
values that my grandparents taught us and that I hope my life
is serving.”
What would his grandparents think of this scholarship?
“They’d be busting their buttons!” said Mary Lou Paulli.
For more information on the scholarship or to contribute,
visit www.siena.edu/frkpscholarship.

Connecting Scholars and Donors

Siena hosted 220 endowed scholarship recipients at
the 19th Annual Scholarship Appreciation Dinner, which
brings scholarship recipients and donors together. “The
dinner is a wonderful opportunity for students to thank
donors for their gift of endowed scholarships. Many
students who attended are the first in their family to go
to college, and they wouldn’t have been able to come to
Siena without the scholarship awards,” said Director of
Stewardship and Donor Relations Ruth Richards.

To view videos from the dinner visit

www.siena.edu/scholarshipvideos.

SIENA 23
 Lights, Camera, Siena!
More than 800 people attended this year’s Hollywood-style Reunion Weekend. “It was
a weekend full of fun and laughter, with alumni reconnecting with friends, professors and
friars, sharing stories and seeing the growth of the College,” said Mary Beth Finnerty ‘85,
director of alumni relations.

Distinguished Alumni Awards

Fr. Ben Kuhn Award for Service to the Siena Community - Ron ’85 and Cathy Casey Bjorklund ’85
and George Durney, ’85
Professor Joseph Buff Award for Career Achievement - Chris Baldwin ’85
Professor Egon Plager Award for Humanitarian Effort - Joseph Miller ’60

Other Highlights

The class of 1985 had the
largest attendance and
raised the most amount
of money ($111,886).
SIENA 24
A photo contest capturing Siena
spirit was held in advance of
Reunion Weekend. The
winners included Maddalena
Buffalino ’05, Mike Kieloch ’05,
Mary Jayne Spellman ’85 and
F. William Vozzolo ’00.
Alumni had the opportunity to
be the first to see the inside of the
learning and living spaces featured
in the new residence hall on a
“hard hat tour.”
To see additional photos and video from
alumni reunion weekend visit
www.siena.edu/news and search reunion.
 Creating a Legacy at Siena
While Leaving More to Your Family
After graduating from Siena College, Bill Redmond ’53 earned his law degree from Albany Law School. After a

two-year tour of duty with the United States Army, he embarked on a 37-year career with the state of New York.
During that time, Bill and his wife Joan resided in the Capital Region and raised four children, three of whom
graduated from Siena College. Redmond stayed active with Siena serving with the Alumni Association, as Chair of
the Board of Associate Trustees and as a member of the Board of Trustees. The Redmonds are avid basketball fans
and generous supporters of the Annual Fund as well as the creative arts at the College.
They wanted to establish a legacy gift at Siena and be able to make the gift without diminishing what would be
left to their children upon their deaths. They purchased a $50,000 charitable gift annuity that will pay them a fixed
annual return for the rest of their lives. Additionally, they received a significant charitable income tax deduction in
the year they purchased the gift annuity.
The Redmonds then purchased a $100,000 life insurance policy and funded the premium using the annual pay-
ment from the charitable gift annuity. Upon their deaths, the $100,000 is paid to their children, estate and income
tax-free.
As the Redmonds put it, “We never knew we would be able to make such a substantial gift during our lifetime to
Siena College and increase the amount our children will receive upon our deaths. That’s a ‘win-win’ gift everyone
should consider!”

If you are interested in learning more about gift strategies that allow you to support the College, please contact
Jack Sise, Esq.’75, Director of Gift Planning, for a confidential discussion at 518-783-2315 or jsise@siena.edu.


SIENA 26
Mentoring the Next Generation
By Ken Jubie ’04
Siena College’s Board of Associate Trustees (BOAT)
is taking a hands-on approach to turning undergraduates
into working professionals. Ten BOAT members
are volunteering their time and talent to mentor 15
sophomores and juniors in the Higher Education
Opportunity Program (HEOP).
The trustees connected with the students in January.
Since then, the groups have been meeting for meals,
spending hours at coffee shops, talking on the phone and
trading e-mails. They discuss everything from internship
opportunities and summer jobs to career goals and the
challenges of campus life.
“The relationship I have with my mentor (Jay Girvin
’78) has been a true blessing,” said aspiring attorney
Melissa Infante ’11. “What I learned the most is that you
must always have confidence.”
“It has been life changing,” said BOAT Chair Shari
Golub-Schillinger ’86, who mentors Calvin Lewis ’12 and
Diana Duque ’11. “This is the most enriching experience
I’ve had at Siena … I worry about these students. I care
about who they are.”
“It’s a great way to give back to Siena,” said associate
trustee mentor Peter Mortka ’87.
After signing up, Mortka wondered if he’d be able to
relate to the student he was supposed to guide.
“I was a little apprehensive,” Mortka said.
As his relationship with Steven O’Bryon ’12
developed, though, Mortka started learning just as much
as he was teaching.
“Working with Steven has helped me mentor my own
kid,” said Mortka, whose child is also in college.
Their discussions also helped O’Bryon chart a new
course of study.
“I have recently decided to change my major from
accounting to finance, so Peter has been a great help,”
O’Bryon said.
“The mentors have been fantastic,” said Carol Sandoval,
director of HEOP at Siena, adding that the mentoring
program provides invaluable advice to students who are the
first in their families to attend college. “The idea is to help
students understand the professional world and how to
achieve their career goals.”
“It’s important to have someone in the business
community to reach out to and connect with,” said associate
trustee Todd Drowlette ’03. He’s been mentoring English
major Christopher R. Perry ’12, a fellow Malone, N.Y.,
native.
Perry, an aspiring teacher and poet, said participating in
the program has been an excellent experience. “Todd has
shown me that there are some things in life that shouldn’t be
left to chance,” Perry said. “If you want something, fight for
it,” he said.
Drowlette expects his connection with Perry to remain
strong long after his time in the mentoring program has
ended.
“Siena is all about building long-term relationships,”
Drowlette said.
Left: Associate Trustee Shari
Golub-Schillinger ’86 with HEOP
students Calvin Lewis ’12 and Diana
Duque ’11.
Right: Associate Trustee Todd
Drowlette’03 with his mentee
Christopher Perry ’12.
SIENA 27
 class notes ALUMNI
Editors: Mary Beth Finnerty ’85, Director of Alumni Relations and Janice Goca, Assistant Director of Alumni Relations.
Please submit all of your class notes information to your class coordinator; or, if there is no coordinator listed for your class,
please send all information to classnotes@siena.edu for posting in the magazine.
For those of you who attended Reunion Weekend 2010, thank you for joining us, and we hope you had a great time.
For those alumni who will be celebrating a milestone reunion in 2011, class years ending in 1 and 6, mark your
calendars for June 3–4, 2011 and watch for details.
NEWSMAKER 1951
John Hourigan
joninca@comcast.net
Charles Jeseo
charltax@aol.com
1956
James McGuire,
former Student
Senate President and a recipient of
“Who’s Who in American Colleges
and Universities,” was recently
inducted into the Sun Cities Softball
Hall of Fame. The league has been
in operation 31 years and consists
James McGuire ’56 of two leagues, American and
was recently inducted into National, with 14 teams each. Jim is
the Sun Cities Softball completing his 13th year this spring.
Hall of Fame. He lives in Sun City West with his
wife Marilyn.
Friends and family gathered to celebrate Father Peter
Young ’53 birthday party in August 2009. Siena alumni who
attended included from L to R Reddy Griffen ’56, Vince Ciota
’53, George Bruda ’50, Tony Schmitz ’55. Middle row from
L to R Tom Potterburgh ’54, Bill Healey ’52, Father Peter Young
’53, Bill Hogan ’53 and Dick Terlingen ’53.
SIENA 28
1959
Frank Martin
ftmartin@nycap.rr.com
Well, it has been just over a
year since our 50th class reunion. I
have not heard from anyone since
then. Has anyone retired? Some
of you are still working, some are
volunteering. Please let me know
what you are doing so I can share
your activities with the whole
class. On June 10, 2010, I attended
the Retired Alumni Luncheon on
campus and joined fellow class-
mates Mel Kelsey and Ed Smith.
Fr. Kevin Mullen ’75 was the guest
speaker, and provided an interest-
ing update on campus activities
and future plans. Send me your
news!
1962
Ken Deitcher
dukaytravel@att.net
Ken Deitcher, Class of ’62
notes coordinator, has been living
in Delray Beach, Fla. for the last
five years. Delray Beach is midway
between West Palm Beach and
Ft. Lauderdale. Ken is interested
in starting an alumni club in this
area. If anyone is interested in
working with Ken and the
Alumni Office on this exciting
initiative, please contact the office
at alumni@siena.edu or contact
Ken at the above e-mail.
Attention southern Florida alumni: If you are interested in
helping to form an alumni club in your area, please refer to the class of
’62 note in this issue for details.
1965
Jack Mulvey, Jr.
jkmulvey@gmail.com
1966
William H.
Heidcamp, Ph.D., is
retiring from his position as dean of
the College of Arts and Sciences at
the American University of Sharjah
in the United Arab Emirates, as
of September 1, 2010. Bill served
as dean for four years. Bill will
celebrate his retirement and his 10th
anniversary (July 15) with his wife
Jean with a Mediterranean cruise
from July 1 to 16. In the fall, they
are planning a trip to the east coast
and New York is on their list.
1967
Rick Spataro
rspataro001@twcny.rr.com
61 State Street
Malone, NY 12953
518-483-3566
1968
Bill McGoldrick
bmcgoldrick@wash-mcg.com
I seem to be reporting sad news
with every edition of the magazine.
There’s not a person in our class
who didn’t know Harry Groom
and most of us watched him
compete intensely on the basketball
court where he was as competi-
tive as anyone who ever wore that
Siena uniform. His wife Pat sent
the news that Harry passed away
June 13, 2010. All of us send
our condolences to Pat and his
daughters.
On a happier note, Joe
Grant just can’t give up the chalk
and eraser. Although retired, he
still “subs” in the Reading, Mass.
school district where one of his
students was Brendan, great
nephew of Bill Mahoney, his old
wing buddy from 3N Ryan.
Class notes only works if you
send your news to me at the e-mail
address above. I need your help.
All the best to you and yours!
1972
Jack Callahan
Jackcallahan33@gmail.com
1973
Brian Valentine
bgvalentine@verizon.net
202-586 -9741
D. Joseph Corr has been
appointed North Colonie superin-
tendent. Joseph has spent 29 of his
37 years in education in the dis-
trict, rising from classroom teacher
to social studies coordinator to his
current post. He has received the
Neiderberger Award for outstand-
ing teaching and dedication to
social studies education in the
Capital Region and the New York
State Council for the Social Studies
Outstanding Supervisor Award.
1975
Janet Gutowski Hall
janet.hall@wku.edu
There’s nothing like a reunion
to recharge all your old feelings
about Siena. We might have been
celebrating 35 years, but the faces I
saw were the same ones I left back
in ’75. For one weekend, time trav-
el seemed possible, and a do-over
was probable. If you didn’t come,
you should have been there. If you
did, I’m going to try to mention
you in this long list. If I leave you
out, send me a note and I’ll add an
appendix in the next issue.
I missed the Friday night
celebration due to bad weather
and canceled flights. However,
my crack reporter Lynn Rondeau
tells me that Fr. Kevin Mullen,
President, was joined by Fred
Carter, Bill Balduf, Joe Bond, Bob
Tolomer and Matt Brennan. Andy
Shea partied with Ken Springer,
Frank Gabriel, Mick Chaskey ’74,
Dan Gallagher and Bill Ranagan. I
also missed seeing Tony Tomaselli,
Joe Paladino, Lori Lumpkin and
Marcia Cappucilli. The group
also included Fr. Tom Walters, Ed
Civiok, Mike Dolan ’78, Jack Sise,
Frank Green, Lori Gaun, John
Cregg and Tony Kirby. My
Facebook friends Jim Ringel,
Kathy Mikula, Eleanor Carroll,
Fr. Dennis Tamburello and Greg
Bell were also there. Supporting
us on Friday were our friends
from other years, including
Anita Rosanne ’77, Marianne
Batemen ’77, Peggy Naughton ’76,
Maureen Fairlie ’76, Bill Cain ’76,
Mike Shaw ’76, Anita Brown ’76,
Anne Gabriel ’74 and Dave
Smith ’79. On Saturday, Lynn
picked me up at the airport and we
went right to the picnic on campus.
We (and many others) had our
pictures made into photo magnets,
and mine is on the fridge as we
speak. It makes me smile to look
at it. Later, we started the evening
with the alumni Mass at the chapel,
where Fr. Dennis reminded us of
the real foundation for our com-
mon bond. Then we proceeded to
the dinner, which we shared with
the Class of ’80. Many of Friday’s
visitors were there (and believe
me, we clean up good), along
with Ralph Pepe, Pam Weaver,
Archie Evans, Din Cahill and his
wife Carol Keenan Cahill ’74,
Patty and Ralph Weeks, Tom
Donovan, Dave Buicko, Dave
Lewek, Jim Cox, Mike Skidmore,
Mike Murphy, Craig Butler, Jim
Nolan and Linda Benoit. My first
roommates—Sue Gurran and Fran
Fabiani—were there, along with
Lynn’s first one, Patty Tyrrell. We
missed two good friends, Barbara
Geiger and Julianne Martorana,
who were both under the weather.
By the way, Jules can attend the
next reunion with her daughter
Katie, who graduated from Siena
this year. I flew home to Kentucky
on Sunday, wearing my Siena alum-
ni pin proudly. Many of you told
me what you’re up to, and I’d love
to pass that info along in a future
issue. So contact me and I’ll make
it happen. I’m on Facebook and at
janet.hall@wku.edu. Meanwhile,
thanks again for the memories.
The Alumni Office received the
following note: Congratulations
to Din Cahill who celebrated his
30th anniversary with Ayco in
June. Ayco is one of the nation’s
leading providers of comprehensive
financial counseling and education
services for corporate executives
and employees as well as high-
net-worth individuals and families.
Din joined Ayco in 1980 as a staff
attorney. In 1986, he was promoted
to vice president, FRS, and in 1989,
to senior vice president, FRS. In
1988, Din was awarded the coveted
Chairman’s Award, now known
as the John Breyo Award (Siena
class of 1968), in recognition of his
outstanding professional qualities
and for continued dedication to the
goals of Ayco. In 2009, Din accept-
ed the newly-created management
position of senior vice president,
strategic alliances.
1976
Congratulations to
Sharon Casey/Duker. Sharon
was recognized as the 2010 award
recipient by Doane Stuart for her
extraordinary service and dedica-
tion to the mission of the school
and to the care of the children and
families they serve.
1977
Linda Fitzsimmons
lfitzsimmons@hvc.rr.com
Mae D’Agostino, one of the
most well-regarded attorneys
and most successful courtroom
practitioners in the Capital Region,
was recommended by U.S. Sena-
tor Chuck Schumer for a federal
judgeship. If confirmed, Mae
would be the first Albany woman
judge in the U.S. District Court
for the Northern District of New
York. Mae is a senior partner in
the Menands firm of D’Agostino,
Krackeler & Maguire.
1979
Sue Reilly/Hayes
CLIFTON522@aol.com
522 Chili-Riga Town Line Road
Churchville, NY 14428
585-889-2072
Usually once the latest issue of
Siena News hits mailboxes, I start
receiving news tidbits and scoops
galore! Maybe the great spring
weather (in the Northeast anyway)
has everyone thinking summer,
because my e-mail box has been
empty right up until deadline. No
excuses for next issue—I know
you’ll be having lots of summer fun
with family and friends, impromp-
tu and scheduled meet-ups with
Siena classmates and celebratory
NEWSMAKER
Joseph D. Corr ’73
has been appointed North
Colonie superintendent
NEWSMAKER
Mae D’Agostino ’77
was recommended by U.S.
Senator Chuck Schumer for a
federal judgeship
milestones from anniversaries to
graduations. So please, please, drop
me a line as soon as you read this so
we can keep the Class of ’79 column
vibrant—it’s usually one of the
longest ones, thanks to you.
In the meantime, I do have one
news item to pass along, concerning
a well-known and much-beloved
member of the Class of ’79. Some of
you have already heard that Kevin
McAleese was diagnosed with a
cancerous brain tumor, quite unex-
pectedly, in May. He immediately
underwent surgery which removed
much of the cancer, and will be con-
tinuing treatment with a six-week
course of chemotherapy and radia-
tion this summer. As one classmate
wrote me upon hearing the news,
“Kevin is such a good person, try-
ing to bring love and justice into all
the corners of the world he encoun-
ters.” So, gang, now it’s our turn to
cheer Kevin on and let him know
how we feel about him. I spoke to
him just this morning—he’s upbeat,
positive, planning get-togethers
with friends and family this summer
AND he very much looks forward
to receiving messages of cheer, news
updates, jokes, Siena reminiscing,
etc. at colkevinmcaleese@hotmail.
com. So start hitting the keyboard,
folks, and I’ll see you next issue.
SIENA 29
 NEWSMAKER
Thomas F. Iuorno ’85
was named vice president
and relationship manager,
Business Banking, for the
Capital Region at KeyBank
1980
Diane DeSilva
desidian@shenet.org
Diane DeSilva’s daughter, Alex-
andra, will join the Siena communi-
ty in the fall as a freshman. Diane is
the happiest mom ever to continue
the tradition of a Siena education.
1981
Congratulations to
Tom Baldwin for his
induction into the 2010 Adiron-
dack Chapter of US Lacrosse.
1982
Bob Young
RYoung60@aol.com
1983
Elvira Altimari-Jaeger
eaj6@optonline.net
60 Wyatt Rd
Garden City, NY 11530
Hey all. Hope you are enjoy-
ing your summer. I heard from
a few people since the last issue.
First a two-for—Tom Kinslow and
Mary Mullen/Kinslow have been
married 25 years. They have three
sons. Tom graduated from William
and Mary in 2009, Brian will be a
senior at University of Virginia,
and Brendan will be a sophomore
at Villanova. They currently reside
in Parsippany, N.J. Tom is vice
president of sales at Gartner, Inc.,
and Mary is a nurse at Travelers
Insurance. How is that empty
nest, guys? We hope to see you
both at the 50th birthday party.
I also got a professional update
from Kathy Heenan/McCarthy.
Kathy was recently promoted to
SIENA 30
vice president at Health Strate-
gies & Solutions, Inc., a national
health care strategy firm. Kathy
leads engagements for hospitals
and health systems and plays a key
role in the firm’s business develop-
ment activities. She is also the firm’s
practice leader for the New York/
New England region. Kathy has
been married to Bill McCarthy
for almost 25 years. Bill is a fourth
grade elementary school teacher
in the Albany area. Bill and Kathy
have three children. Kelly is 19 and
just finished her first year at SUNY
Geneseo as biology major. Will is
17 and a junior in high school and
is an avid skier and lacrosse player.
Ted is 15 and a freshman and loves
basketball. Thanks for the two-for,
you guys. By the way, Bill says
Zoom-Schwartz-Profigliano to all
his Lakeshore friends. Shout-outs,
care of Tom Kislow, go to Bill
“Cheech” Grubb and John
Busteed. Where are you guys and
what are you up to?
1984
Lisa San Fratello/McCutcheon
mcclisa@yahoo.com
305 The Parkway
Ithaca, NY 14853  Sue Cronin played golf at the
1985
Catherine and Ron Bjorklund
bjork90@comcast.net
14 Stevens Lane
Tabernacle, NJ 08088-9744
Our 25th (can you believe it??)
reunion was held June 4-6 and the
consensus was, it was the best one
ever! Thanks to our own Mary Beth
Sniffin/Finnerty for all her hard
work organizing the entire weekend,
not only for our class, but also for
the College in her role as director of
alumni relations. Brian Fenton and
Rich Dunn traveled from ­London,
England and Dublin, Ireland,
respectively, to attend the reunion
showing the ever present spirit of
our class. The class of 1985, in true
fashion had the largest attendance of
any class and also raised the highest
amount of contributions towards
the class gift. We rock!
This year the 2010 Siena Dis-
tinguished Alumni Awards were
almost a sweep for our class. The Fr.
Ben Kuhn Award for Service to the
Siena Community was awarded to
George Durney, Ron Bjorklund
and Cathy Casey/Bjorklund. The
Professor Joseph Buff Award for
Career Achievement was awarded to
Chris Baldwin.
But we thought it appropri-
ate (or not) to bestow our own
“non-official” awards from the
weekend ...
The Didn’t Think They Still
Had it in Them Award goes to
the Marriott Lobby 3:00 a.m.
crew, who said goodnight to the
younger classes who retired as we
popped the bubbly and continued
reminiscing.
The Wow, That Was a Close One
Award goes to Jenny Fountain/
MacAskill and Cathy Casey/
Bjorklund who, in true roommate
form, showed up with the same
dress (unplanned) for Saturday
night. A last minute change avoided
the disaster.
The Best Plan for Prepara-
tion Award goes to Anonymous
(you are welcome) who stated “I
have two days to lose 25 pounds;
otherwise I will just wear my $50
underwear.”
The Most Entertaining Award:
Pat Britt told Priscilla that it was
worth every penny his parents paid
for him to go to Siena, if only for
the entertainment value provided
by Mike Cuozzo.
Best Drive of the Day Award:
Anne Peguillan/Durney and
tournament with Doug Poetzch
and Dave Carlisle. Doug sliced a
drive and sent Dave diving for the
ground with Anne and Sue ducking
and covering their heads in the
golf cart.
Best Remote Inquiry Award
goes to Brian Ranagan’s wife ask-
ing (by phone—she wasn’t there)
if Brian was the oldest looking
member of our class.
The Queen is in the Court
Award goes to Priscilla Duffy/
Armsby holding court on Friday
night from her table outside the
cafe. When told she needed to get
up and mingle, she replied “NO—
people would come to me”—and
they did!
In other news, the Alumni Of-
fice received the following notes:
Congratulations to Thomas F.
Iuorno who has been named vice
president and relationship manager,
business banking, for the Capital
Region at KeyBank. He is respon-
sible for small business lending
and developing and growing small
business relationships. He is based
at Key’s Northeast Region head-
quarters. Congratulations also to
Stephan Kudyba, Ph.D., associate
professor in the School of Manage-
ment at the New Jersey Institute
of Technology on the publication
of his book Healthcare ­Informatics.  Reunion 2011, guys?
1987
Geraldine “Gerry” McAndrew
Geraldine.m.candrew@comcast.net
117 Thayer St
Abington, MA  02351
508-335-7744
1988
Paula Cacossa
pcacossa@gmail.com
Lisa Marrello recently spoke with
Dr. Leon Halpert’s interest group
politics class. Lisa, a partner at the
Albany-based law firm of Wilson
Elser Moskowitz Edelman & Dicker,
shared her more than 15 years of
experience in lobby law with Siena’s
political science students. She spoke
to the students about grass-roots ad-
vocacy, state public affairs campaigns,
and shared some of her more colorful
experiences in state government. As a
partner at Wilson Elser, Lisa services
a wide range of clients (including
healthcare providers, municipalities,
energy corporations and national and
international corporations). Lisa fo-
cuses her practice on state government
and regulatory affairs, city government
relations and federal appropriations.
1989
Mike Carbonaro
sienanews.1989@yahoo.com
3140 10th Street
Bethlehem, PA 18020
610 -737-1147
The Throwbacks (Paul Murray,
Emmet Finnerty, Brian McGuiness
and Rick Jones) made an encore
performance at Reunion Weekend
2010. After a storied history at Siena,
from band competitions at the old
Rathskellar and in the Quad to
Muddy’s, Spring Weekend and Senior
Week farewell show in 1989, the band
retired. After a 20 year hiatus, the
band reunited for Reunion Weekend
2009. They were such a hit that they
performed throughout the year and
were back on stage again at Siena
in June. Fr. Dennis Tamburello ’75
joined them for a rousing rendition
of Wild Nights. Heather Connors
Ford joined the band on vocals Friday
night, the first time she performed
with the band since 1989.
Raisin’ Cane (PJ McCarthy, Chip
Cleeve, Chris Repetto ’90 and Hamil-
ton alum, Perry Young) also added to
the Reunion festivities with their rock-
ing performance during the picnic.
This was Raisin’ Cane’s 287th show!
The band has come a long way from
their debut at the Wayward House.
1990
Janet Shotter/Swierbut
jswierbut@yahoo.com
Maureen Dugan/Rotondi and
Anthony Rotondi are proud to
­announce the birth of a baby boy,
Michael John. He was born on
June 2, 2009 and weighed 7 pounds,
11 ounces. Colleen Warren and
­Dylan Moody are happy to an-
nounce their marriage on May 16,
2009 in Oak Island, N.C. They
currently reside in Raleigh, N.C.
and were married on the beach in
Oak Island, N.C. Brenda Sullivan/
Vesey, Lynn Hennessey/Monroe,
Debbie Estes/Barthe, Denise Hall
and Maura Hickey as well as a 1960
alumnus, Colleen’s dad attended.
The best alumni performance
of Reunion Weekend 2010 goes to
Chris Repetto of Raisin’ Cane.
Many thanks to Chris and the band
for helping to make our reunion so
memorable!
1991
Kevin Clarke
Siena91@optonline.net
Happy Summer, Class of 1991! I
hope everyone is well and enjoy-
ing the warm summer months. I’m
looking for a little help this issue.
My PC crashed recently and I have
lost all the e-mails and contacts that
you have sent in over the last few
years. Would you all mind sending
me a quick note so I can rebuild the
list I had?
Let’s start this issue with Bob
Burke. Bob, I got your note but
unfortunately lost it with the other
e-mails. So, if you would be kind
enough to resend it, I will get you
in the next issue. BTW, I got a few
notes about not publishing your
nickname, but am eager to hear how
you are doing.
Save the date of June 2011.
The reunion committee for our
20th is starting to form. If you are
interested in helping out, please
let me know or contact Michael
Utzig at mutzig@siena.edu. Keep
the updates coming and for next
issue let’s hear from Tim Holloway,
­Debbie Killeen, Val Higgins and
Dan Saullo. All the best!
The Alumni Office received the
following note: Robert (Bob) Mack
was appointed vice president, busi-
ness development at Ingersoll Rand
effective July 1, 2010. In this role,
Bob will be responsible for leading
the business development efforts
for the enterprise, including the
development and execution of their
acquisition plans. He will also lead
the long range planning process
and work collaboratively with
sector and corporate leadership on
growth plans.
1992
Mary Pat McLoughlin/Holler
jmpholler@optonline.net
1993
Susan Hannon  gh@endcap.com
shannon@ryeneck.k12.ny.us
213 W 252nd Street
Riverdale, NY 10471
917-796 -2085
Ahhh, the hot and lazy days of
summer! Hope it is a good one
for everyone. As an educator, I
just LOVE having my summers
off!  For this edition, I would like
to thank Gerri Hutchings/Bock
for giving me all of the updates
for this edition. Without her help
this would have been just white
space or just all about me. So here
is what she reported (and I quote): 
Shannon Baker/Meyer lives in the
Capital Region with her husband
Steve and two children Sophie,
8, and Will, 5. She is currently
home with them full time, but was
previously employed with GE for
seven years in various positions
from bilingual customer service
representative at GE Silicones to
Oracle HR implementation leader
for GE Power Systems. Kathleen
Maher/Aguirre lives in Rhode
Island with her husband Roberto
and their children Norah, 6, and
Sean, 2. She has been employed
at the University of Rhode Island
for over a decade, and recently
took a new position in the honors
program as the assistant director
for national fellowships and
academic opportunities. Trish
Barrett/Woodham lives in Georgia
with her husband, Tony, and their
children Caitlin, 6, and Christian,
2. She is currently the CFO of
NorthPoint Trading Partners
in Alpharetta, Ga. Kellie Jones/
Smirnoff has spent almost 17
years working for General Electric
and currently Bank of America,
spending most of her time in
technology project management.
Personally, she spends her free
time training for endurance events
and is featured with her twin sister
Carrie Jones/Neveldine in a sports
documentary ATHLETE that
was released March 9, 2010. And
lastly, Cheryl Casey/Verney lives
in Connecticut with her husband
Marc and their three children
Alison, 7, Hayden, 5, and Gillian,
20 months.  Finally, Gerri would
love to challenge TH24 to contact NEWSMAKER
me with an update—she’d love to
know what they have been up to.
Now how about some updates from
the other 500 or so of you? Please
don’t make me not have anything to
write in the next issue!
1994
Glenn Hofsess
83 Kellogg Street Robert (Bob) Mack ’91
Brookfield, CT 06804 was appointed vice president,
business development at
Ingersoll Rand
1995
Neil Wilcove
nwilcove@fmglaw.com
with my son while I donated. In
Freeman Mathis & Gary, LLP
March of 2009, I found out that
100 Galleria Parkway, Suite 1600
my recipient’s name is Reece. How
Atlanta, GA 30339
crazy that my son and my recipient
770 -818 -1430
would have the same name, just
Jeremy M. Colvin, Esq. has spelled differently. On the weekend
been named a shareholder of of June 13, Reece and his family
Fowler White Burnett, P.A.  traveled from Iowa to Oneida, N.Y.
Jeremy works in the firm’s
West Palm Beach, Florida
to meet me. I am so honored that
they would travel so far just to meet
office.  He represents financial me. But I wanted to tell our story
institutions and individuals in in Siena News to encourage more
general commercial litigation people to join the registry.
matters, business disputes, and In other news Michael Mc Grath
securities litigation, arbitration and and Jennifer Georgia/Mc Grath
regulation. Jeremy also handles are proud to announce the birth of a
matters involving professional baby girl, Claire Margaret. She was
liability, foreclosures, born on April 10, 2010 and weighed
condominium/homeowners’ 6 pounds, 13 ounces
association disputes, insurance
defense related matters and other
civil litigation. 1997
Selena Dutcher
1996 selena.dutcher@regentcomm.com
bronx_bombers25@yahoo.com
Brian Murray 518 -265 -2127
murray21@hotmail.com
bmurray@betterbackschiropractic. Captain Michael S. Garrison,
com USMC, has been serving as an
614-270 -6003 officer in the Marine Corps for the
past 10 years and has recently been
This story was submitted to the
selected for promotion to the rank
Alumni Office by Barbara Kurak/
of Major. Since joining the Corps
Williams. In November of 2007,
he has deployed to Iraq three times
I joined the National Marrow
and has served during some of the
Registry. I was called in December
most significant combat operations
of 2007 as an initial match. In
of that campaign. Mike’s unit is
January of 2008, I was told that
currently rotating elements into
I was a match for a three-year-
Afghanistan and has been operating
old boy with Wiscott-Aldrich
there for the past year. He has been
Syndrome. On February 20,
married for nearly 10 years to his
2008, I donated my bone marrow.
wife, Alexandra. They have two
During all of those months, my
children, Alexa, 7, and Aidan, 4.
own son, Rhys, was having some
They live in Temecula, Calif.
major medical issues of his own
and almost died in January. I was
given the option of not donating, 1998
but really, how could I say no. I
Janine Trapp/Scotti, MBA
would want someone to do that for
sienasaints98@yahoo.com
my own son if need be. My mother
201-294-0395
traveled from Florida to help out
SIENA 31

NEWSMAKER
Matthew Wetsel ’03
was ordained on June 12, 2010
1999
Brendan Fitzgerald
nyfitzgerald@yahoo.com
518-258-9272
2000
Shaymus R. Schweitzer
SienaSaints2000@hotmail.com
103 Sherman Ave.
Troy, NY 12180
518-727-3392
2001
Maura Mack
sienanotes01@gmail.com
Can you believe in 2011 we’ll be
celebrating our 10 year reunion? I
hope you’ll mark your calendars for
June 3-4, to return to campus and
reconnect.
In 2001 news, Amanda Wright/
Kenny and her husband, Matt,
welcomed their third baby girl,
Allison Kate, on May 13. Alli is
happily keeping her two big sisters,
Cameron and Madeline, on their
toes. Allison Celauro/Laidlaw,
and her husband, Chris, welcomed
a baby girl, Callie Genevieve, on
March 24. Rebekah Vreeland/
Sensenig and her husband Jeff wel-
comed their first son, Luke Robert,
on April 11, 2010. Rebekah recently
completed her infectious disease fel-
lowship and is joining the infectious
disease staff at Nellis Air Force Base
in Las Vegas, Nev. MaryKate Joyce/
Kraus ­married Kevin Kraus ’03
on April 26, 2008, in Bethpage,
N.Y. The Kraus’ welcomed their
first child, Emma Joyce Kraus, on
September 9, 2009. Jen Gianico
recently received her Ph.D. in cogni-
tive psychology from UAlbany
and is engaged to Matthew Relyea.
Congrats, and best of luck with your
upcoming wedding!
Again, mark your calendars for
Reunion June 3-4, 2011 and hope to
hear from you soon.
SIENA 32
2002
Christine Cinnamond
christine.cinnamond@gmail.com
646-942-0970
Congratulations to Jessica
Marsh/Troiano and her husband
Alex Troiano! Jessica, a surgical
coordinator for Albany Eye
Associates and Alex, a product
service technician at Silhouette
Optical, welcomed their first son
on March 31, 2010. Welcome,
Tristan Alexander Troiano!
2003
Gina Gizzi
sienasaints_2003@hotmail.com
The Franciscan tradition at Siena
has influenced all of us in our paths,
and some have embraced it more
than others by following a calling
to become religious leaders. In June
2010, two members of the class of
2003 were ordained by the Catholic
Church. On June 19, 2010, Brian
Quinn was ordained by the
Diocese of Paterson, N.J. On
June 12, 2010, I had the privilege
of attending the ordination of
Matthew Wetsel. Matt has been
pursuing this goal since freshman
year at Siena and at this occasion
several of his friends from our
college years came together to
celebrate. The ordination ceremony
itself, held at the Albany cathedral,
was an historic event with five
candidates being ordained, the
most in 28 years. Throughout the
standing-room-only event, you
could spot many familiar faces
from Siena. This was followed by
a dinner in Latham, where we all
cheered “Let’s Go Saints” as our
alumni picture was photographed.
On Sunday, June 13, Matt delivered
his first mass at Christ the King
Church in Guilderland and did
an excellent job. It was a weekend
enjoyed by all and we are very
proud of you! Matt also wanted to
announce that he graduated from
St. Mary’s Seminary in Baltimore
on May 13, 2010, with a bachelor’s
degree in sacred theology and a
master’s of divinity degree. He
looks forward to priestly ministry
and thanks everyone for their
prayers and support.
In addition to this wonderful
news, here’s more: Mike Buhrman
and his wife, Elizabeth, had their
second child, Finley Elizabeth
Buhrman on February 26, 2010.
Congratulations!
2004
Jolleen Wagner
jolleen_wagner@yahoo.com
2005
Breanne Suhrland
bsuhrlan@att.net
Greetings, Class of 2005! I hope
you are all enjoying the summer
so far. I would first like to thank
all of the people who attended our
five year reunion. We had a great
turnout. It was wonderful to see
many familiar faces and catch up,
while reminiscing about old times.
For those of you who couldn’t
make it, we missed you! However,
as time does fly, our next reunion
will come upon us as quickly as
our five year did. If you would
like to check out some photos
from the reunion, you can head
to www.siena.edu and click on
Alumni, then Alumni Relations,
which brings you to photos from
Reunion Weekend 2010. So many
of you had great news to share
about what’s going on in your lives
and we would love to share it with
everyone. Please don’t forget to
take that next step and send me an
e-mail so I can share your news
with the rest of our class. I can’t
believe five years have gone by
so quickly, but I look forward to
seeing what the next five bring for
our class. Have a great summer!
2006
Chris Elsesser
Christopher.elsesser@gmail.com
Ashley Boland
Ashleym.boland@gmail.com
HELLLOOO fellow 06’ers!
We hope that this edition of Siena
News finds you in a decent state
of mind as you navigate your way
through the glorious days of sum-
mer. We are very excited to bring
you an action-packed update this
quarter, which once again, would
not have been possible without
the continued assistance of several
­fellow classmates. Grab a cold
drink and pull up a chair, so we can
“start spreading the news!”
After two years of dating,
­Natalia Kutzer became engaged to
her boyfriend John Burkart Jr., on
June 15, 2010. Natalia is still work-
ing at Union Graduate ­College
as an alumni career outreach
coordinator, while John works
for his father’s interior commer-
cial construction company, D&B
Acoustical Corp. The couple cur-
rently resides in Averill Park, N.Y.,
and is planning a September 2012
wedding. Congratulations, Natalia
and John. We look forward to an
update on your wedding plans
soon! Natalia also sent in an update
on some of the current happenings
with some of the members of her
old Ryan Hall “R4” gang.
Nicole Connelly and her
fiancé, Andrew Pickering, have just
bought their first home in Clifton
Park, N.Y., and are coming up
quickly on their wedding date of
December 31, 2010.
Nikki Grau became engaged to
her longtime boyfriend TJ while
vacationing in Hawaii earlier this
year.
Katy McKeon/Green and
her husband Brian welcomed
their beautiful daughter, Isabelle
Kathryn Green, into the world on
January 9, 2010. Izzy is an absolute
joy and the spitting image of her
father!
Kristen Kubera was recently
promoted to senior account
executive at Partners + Napier in
Rochester, N.Y. Kristen resides in
Rochester with her boyfriend
Carmen and their new puppy,
Koda. We would like to thank
Natalia for her efforts and con-
gratulate all of the “R4” members
on their wonderful news.
Katie Luker has completed her
third year of teaching at Leonia
High School in Northern New
­Jersey. Katie also concluded her
first season as the school’s track
coach, and her boys’ team reward-
ed her with the League Champion-
ship. Congrats, Coach Luker!
Katie also informed us that Kim
Witkowitch graduated from the
Bank Street College of Education
with a dual degree in museum
education and classroom teaching
in grades one through six.
Katie also reported that
­Christina Gorman, who is now
Dr. Christina Gorman, ­graduated
this past June from SUNY Optom-
etry. Christina was inducted into
the Beta Sigma Kappa International
Optometric Honor Society and
received the Mr. and Mrs. Irving
Unger Graduation Award for
Excellence in Optometry and the
Dr. William M. Eisenberg Memo-
rial Award for Excellence in Ocular
Disease. We send our best wishes
to Kim and Christina and of course
thank Katie for sending in the
updates.
Heather Chiofalo/Hansen is a
licensed realtor and is employed by
Prudential Manor Homes. Heather
just received her e-PRO® designa-
tion. The National Association of
REALTORS® (NAR) created a
comprehensive technology certifica-
tion course in 2000. The all new
e-PRO® certification course, the
only technology certification pro-
gram offered by NAR, is designed
to prepare real estate professionals
to make the most of Internet tech-
nology and to identify, evaluate and
implement new Internet business
models. The elite group of course
graduates represents only four
percent of all REALTORS® in the
country.
Ryan DiMaso and Lindsay
Finch/DiMaso welcomed a baby
girl, Chloe Rose DiMaso, into their
family at 9:16 a.m. on April 11,
2010. Chloe weighed 7 pounds 12
ounces and was 19 inches long.  She
is a terrific baby and Ryan and
Lindsay are having a great time
being new parents, as Ryan recently
celebrated his first father’s day.
Ryan and Lindsay are already
saving up to send Chloe to Siena
to be a part of the class of 2031.
Congratulations, DiMasos!
Last but not least, one of our
old marketing management and
BLSU classmates, Edwin Ferreira,
recently wrote in to inform us of his
engagement to Yalitza Negron ’08.
The couple has not yet set a wed-
ding date but is living happily in
Albany. Edwin earned his M.B.A.
in 2009 and currently works for
The College of Saint Rose as an
advancement analyst, while Yalitza
is currently the assistant director of
the AmeriCorp VISTA Program at
Siena. Congratulations, Edwin and
Yalitza! We look forward to hearing
from you again soon.
This quarter has proven that the
summer months are not necessarily
a time for relaxation and laziness,
as our classmates seem to be BUSY,
BUSY, BUSY. Additionally, we are
very excited that we have sparked
some interest from several of you
over the last two issues in helping
us fill this space through the receipt
of large chunks of news from an
entire group of friends. The inter-
est in this column continues to
grow and diversify as time goes on,
which is something that we hope
continues. Today is the perfect
time to continue this trend! If you
have recently contributed to our
space, we ask that you either send
us a new update, urge friends to
share their news for the first time,
or collect a pile of news from your
friends and send it in yourself.
Also, our five year reunion is now
less than a year away. If you would
like to help plan our gathering
by becoming a member of the
reunion committee, please e-mail
your interest to Mike Utzig
(Siena Annual Fund Office),
at ­mutzig@siena.edu. I (Chris)
recently attended reunion weekend
this past June and had a blast seeing
some of our old ’05 friends, while
being back on campus for some
good old-fashioned green and gold
fun. More information on our
reunion will follow in our next
­­edition of this column. Enjoy the
rest of your summer and we will
talk to you in the fall.
2007
Sean Robbins
SeanRobbins@att.net
PO Box 11222
Loudonville, NY 12211
Michael Utzig
mutzig@siena.edu
Hey class of 2007! One big
event that has occurred since the
last issue of Siena News is Reunion
2010. The reunion offers a fun
opportunity to get caught up with
old friends and activities going on
here at Siena. For the past three
years, the WVCR Radio-Thon
has coincided with the reunion
event. Since I work at the station,
I was afforded a unique vantage
point to observe the event—it was
fun to see the hallways filled with
Siena grads dressed in their finest,
talking with old friends and enjoy-
ing the atmosphere. Some of the
alumni took a special interest in the
goings-on at the radio station and
took advantage of the opportunity
for a tour of the facilities. It was
fun to have the opportunity to
interact with alumni from many
different class years this way;
from those who waved from the
window in our live studio to those
who took the plunge and toured
the ­inside of our studio. It was
wonderful to have the support.
I’m sure many of you have
­stories you would like to share;
please pass them along so we can
share them with the rest of the class.
A while back, Nicole ­Bourdeau
shared the news that her good
friend Meagan Webster had become
engaged. Meagan and her fiancé,
Josh, wed on June 26. Furthermore,
Meagan recently contacted me with
the exciting news that Nicole and
her long-time boyfriend Shaun St.
­Hilaire became engaged. As Meagan
described it, the proposal occurred
on May 28 at the top of Mount
Mansfield in Stowe, Vt. Nicole
and Shaun were on a camping trip
and when they arrived at the top
of Mount Mansfield (the highest
mountain in Vermont). Shaun got
down on one knee and popped the
question. Congratulations to both
Meagan and Nicole (my former
­acting class pals) and their fiancés!
While you’re out there enjoying
and making the most of the summer,
creating new memories, be sure to
also find some time to pass along
your news and share your memories
with us. Talk to you soon!
2008
Danielle Grasso
Patrick Preston
SienaCollege2008@gmail.com
We’d like to first send out con-
gratulations to the Class of 2010—
welcome to the alumni world! We
got a lot of hits with news for this
issue so we’re really glad.
Starting off, Pat was transferred
to New Jersey with his job. He is
glad to be back at the shore.
Amanda Crain wrote us that
she just received her master’s degree
in public health from Columbia
University and is moving with her
boyfriend Paul McQuade ’07 to
Berkeley, Calif. She writes, “Paul
has taken a job as regional sales
manager for Heineken USA. I have
taken a job as an electronic health
records analyst at UCSF Medical
Center. Hope all is well with the
class of 08 :)” Best of luck to both of
you and we hope you don’t miss the
New York winters too much!
We got word from Thomas
Burns that his son, our fellow
classmate, Daniel Burns, gradu-
ated from basic school in May
2009 and can now be referred to
as Marine Corps 1st Lt. Daniel F.
Burns. Daniel was “­assigned as a
0203 ground intelligence officer and
completed the following schools:
infantry officers course, scout
NEWSMAKER
1st Lt. Daniel F. Burns ’08
recently graduated from
the ground intelligence
officers course
sniper platoon ­commanders course,
and most recently graduated from
the ground intelligence officers
course. Second Lt. Burns has been
assigned to the 3rd Marine Division
based in ­Okinawa, Japan.” Dan has
been in Japan since March and is
scheduled to be there for the next
two years. We thank him for what
he’s doing for our country and wish
him much luck in Japan. Enjoy the
sushi!
In wedding news, on April 24,
Nicole Williamson and her
long-time boyfriend Christopher
­Birmingham got engaged. After-
word, Nicole was surprised again
by an engagement party thrown
by Kristen Hans and Margaret
Dailey at their home in Clifton
Park. Close friends and fellow
Siena alumni were in attendance
and a good time was had by all.
Congratulations to both on the
engagement! We look forward to
the wedding pictures.
Everyone’s favorite Irish step
dancer and my roommate, Ciara
Greene, received her official Irish
step dancing teaching certification.
After a difficult week-long test in
California, Ciara is officially a cer-
tified Irish step dancing teacher by
An Coimisiun le Rinci Gaelacha in
Dublin, Ireland. While this means
she can no longer compete, she is
looking forward to one day open-
ing her own dance school.
Another academic achieve-
ment comes from Marissa Perillo.
Marissa just graduated from the
University of Rochester’s acceler-
ated nursing program. She now has
a BSN and passed her NCLEX,
making her officially a registered
nurse now. If anyone needs medical
assistance or wants to learn how to
Irish step dance, our class now has
professionally licensed individuals
ready to help out. Congrats to both
of you! We’re all really proud of
SIENA 33

NEWSMAKER
Christopher Auffredou ’09
joined the Certified Public
Accounting Firm CMJ, LLP
your ­accomplishments.
Thanks to everyone for ­sharing
all this great news with us for
this issue. If you have something
that you would like to add,
please remember to e-mail
SienaCollege2008@gmail.com.
We always save all the information
we collect between issues so it
will be included. Hope everyone
enjoys the summer sun and we
hope to see you soon. And as
always, Let’s Go Saints!
2009
Tiffany Salonich
lovesrain87@aim.com
Hello Class of 2009! I hope you
are all enjoying the nice sunshine
and are having a great summer. It is
great to hear such wonderful news
from all over the country.
Justine Soto moved to ­Georgia
soon after graduation and is
currently working for Ryder
­Corporate as an extended war-
ranty coordinator heading their
new national warranty department.
She is building a department for
coordinating certificates for sold
units. “I’m helping to create a
business case for expansion, so we
can validate adding headcount to
the department once we expand by
region,” explained Justine.
Jason Nurmi, after graduating
last year with a bachelor’s degree in
marketing & management, started
working immediately for ADMI
(Aspen Dental Management Inc).
Most recently, he was promoted to
the sales and operations manager
position in the Kingston, N.Y.
facility. This position places him
as the senior member of manage-
ment on site with responsibility
over all daily operations and staff.
The Kingston location is one of the
newest and largest locations ADMI
SIENA 34
has built nationwide to date. His
Siena education served him well in
taking on such challenges and has
enabled quick promotions. “My
next goal is regional management
within the southern New York
region,” said Jason.
Christopher Auffredou joined
the certified public accounting
firm CMJ, LLP as associate in
accounting, assurance and advisory
services. Christopher will provide
auditing and accounting services.
Franchel Mendoza was part of
the Higher Education Opportu-
nity Program. At Siena College,
he was involved in many initia-
tives that helped him develop as
a well-rounded student. He was
part of the Big Brothers/Big Sisters
Mentoring Program, interned at
the Boys & Girls Club of Albany,
was a resident assistant and was
honored to be recognized with the
Edward “Bud” Lennon in Recog-
nition of Exceptional Leadership
Ability Award. “A Siena College
education has well prepared me for
the real world and to obtain my
goals in the future. Thanks to my
education, I am able to continue
to pursue my goals and be the best
that I can be in the future,” said
Franchel. He will be attending
Columbia University for his
master’s degree in the fall of 2010.
This Siena News issue has a
few new graduates who should be
congratulated. Amy McCarthy
and Courtney Gomez both gradu-
ated from Wheelock in Boston
with a master’s degree in social
work. Amy has recently begun
working for The Home for Little
Wanderers in Boston. Kathleen
Pesci graduated with a master’s
degree in social work from
Syracuse University; Allyson
Sweeney graduated from the
University of Vermont with a
master’s degree in social work and
Delaney Longo graduated from
Columbia with a master’s degree in
social work. Congratulations
all of you!
I wish to end on a happy,
exciting note. Clare Jednak is
engaged to Robert ­DiNuzzo ’07.
They will be married on
­October 10, 2010 in the Siena
Chapel with Fr. Ken Paulli ’82
­presiding. Clare is currently
working on her ­master’s degree
in higher education at Syracuse
University and she is a resident
director at LeMoyne College.
Please continue to e-mail or
Facebook message me with any
and all types of news, big or small.
It is always a pleasure to hear
from you! forward to hearing from you!
Congratulations to Lindsay
2010 ­Colford, who began her first job on
Kelly Peckholdt June 1 at Wilen Media in Farmingdale,
Kellypeckholdt@gmail.com N.Y.! In the fall, Steve Malvaso will
attend James Madison University for
Greetings, class of 2010! Even
a master’s in college student person-
though we graduated a short time
nel administration. Congratulations,
ago, I hope you are all settling
Steve! Congratulations to Natalie
in and finding success. I think
Cook, who will be pursuing her
it is safe to speak for all of you
master’s degree in urban planning
when I say that we are honored
from the University at Buffalo. Leah
to join the ranks of a fantastic and
Colbert landed a job with W.B.
extensive network of alumni. As
Mason in Albany as an ecommerce
a former editor-in-chief of The
sales consultant. In the meantime, she
Promethean, I am glad to be able
continues her position as assistant
to stay involved with Siena as
planner for Inspired Occasions Event
the new class of 2010 class notes
Planning in Clifton Park. She will be
coordinator. Before any class notes
working a pro bono wedding in
deadline, I will always contact
August. Congratulations, Leah! Luke
members of the class of 2010
Van Der Veer also landed his first job
through Facebook, but if you
as a registered financial representa-
want to keep the Siena community
tive at First Investors in Albany.
informed and updated on your
Congratulations, Luke!
accomplishments, please feel free
Class of 2010, we had a pretty
to contact me any time at
good turnout this time. Please keep
kellypeckholdt@gmail.com. I look
the updates coming.
Update us!
Want to stay connected and well-informed about the goings-on at
Siena? Make sure to update the Alumni Relations Office with your
contact information. If you haven’t already, send your current
address, phone number and e-mail to alumni@siena.edu today!
News and Notes Coordinators:
Alumni, we need your help! We are in need of class notes coordina-
tors for the classes of 1950, 1952-58, 61, 63, 64, 66, 70, 71, 74,
76, 81 and 86. Our coordinators play a vital role in helping keep
us in touch with what’s happening with alumni. Our goal is to have
every class represented in every issue of Siena News. The time
commitment is minimal and the Alumni Relations Office will work
with you as needed. If you are interested in volunteering, please
contact Janice Goca at jgoca@siena.edu.
Regional Alumni Clubs:
Are you interested in getting more involved in alumni events and
activities in your area? Please let us know! We are expanding club
activities and welcome your ideas and input. Contact us at
alumni@siena.edu to become more involved.
Saints Online Community:
The Saints Online Community is live! Our online community is a
great way to connect with friends, update your contact information,
create a lifetime e-mail account and send class notes and photos.
Registration information with your personal identification number
to log in has been sent out. If you need assistance with registering
or have questions please contact the Alumni Relations Office at
518-783-2430 or alumni@siena.edu. See you online!
 In Memory of:
Dean Brackley Sr. ’43
Catherine M. Grace ’45
weddings
Bernard M. Solomon ’47
Robert W. Barito ’49
Fred D. Gritmon, Jr. ’51
Leo J. McNamara ’51
Harry Lobby, Jr. ’52
Richard Cremisio ’53
Harold J. Furlan ’53
Peter D. Holohan ’54
Cyril I. Krebs ’54
Milton J. Myers ’54
Michael J. Fiorillo ’55
John J. Touhey ’55
David J. Barsalow ’56
Edward M. Petrak, Sr. ’59
Stanley J. Sufnarski ’59
Edward J. Connors, Jr. ’60
MaryKate (Joyce)
’01 and Kevin Kra
Harold Groom ’68 us ’03 were marrie
d on April 26, 20
08.
John M. Scarchilli ’77
Annette Nuness ’95
Amber A. Sloane ’98
Daniel J. Horgan, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus of Modern Languages
The Honorable James P. King, Siena College Jurist in Residence
John J. McKenna, Ph.D., Professor of Modern Languages

First Lieutenant Joseph J. Theinert. The 24-year old soldier died in

Afghanistan while serving our country. Joseph was a member of
the Army ROTC Mohawk Battalion here at Siena College and a
2008 UAlbany graduate.

The New York State Broadcasters Association

(NYSBA) announced that Dan DiNicola ’63,
an Emmy Award winner and long-time film
critic and entertainment reporter with the
Capital Region’s CBS-6, has been named
to NYSBA’s 2010 Hall of Fame. DiNicola,
who passed away in March at the age of 68
from a brain tumor, was inducted posthumously during the Tony
Malara Awards Dinner at NYSBA’s 48th Executive Conference
on Monday, June 28th. The dinner was held at the historic
.
Sagamore Resort Hotel in Bolton Landing. Other inductees er 10, 2009
d on Octob
non ‘04 were marrie
included Don Alhart, a longtime news anchor with WHAM-TV and Joe Gag
y ’06
in Rochester; Scott Muni, an FM radio pioneer; Jim Roselle, a Katie Murph
veteran radio broadcaster; and Percy Sutton, one of the nation’s
most prominent black political and business leaders. “Dan was
a unique talent because he was so well rounded,” said NYSBA
President Joseph A. Reilly. “He was an excellent writer, a sea-
soned journalist and was admired by viewers and colleagues When submitting wedding photos to the magazine please make
alike. He is greatly missed and we are proud to honor his sure they are 300 dpi. If you have any questions please contact
memory by inducting him into the 2010 Hall of Fame.” communications@siena.edu.

SIENA 35
 515 Loudon Road
Loudonville, NY 12211

We D i d I t ! Thank you,
generous
donors!
You helped Siena
meet the 2009 - 2010
annual fund goal of
$1.85 million. Every
dollar you contributed
makes the Siena
experience better for
our students!

To view a special thank you video log

on to www.siena.edu/annualfund.

10%

Cert no. SW-COC-002556