Class Notes
Name: William Truran
Class Year(s): 1975
Note: William (Bill) Truran ’75 (GAP) writes he is grateful to be still shooting full time as a food photographer even though he is 65. Bill is grateful because he have always loved what he have done. There is nothing better than making money with a camera. All of his clients have become friends so shooting is not only fun, but the comradery is wonderful and his friends send him money in exchange for images. Thank you RIT. You helped get him where he is today. Fifteen years with studios in NYC, 15 years within Nabisco and Kraft Foods and 15+ back on his own. It has been and still is great! It was great to meet Dr. Tood S. Jokl at the Photo show RIT meet-up. Go go go photo students!
Submitted on: September 18, 2020
Name: David Price
Class Year(s): 1976
Note: Retired CIAS Professor Bob Chung MS ’76 (GAP) visited David (Dave) Price MS ’80 (GAP) in summer, 2019. Both earned M.S. degrees together from the School of Printing. They also lived near each other at Perkins Green and shared baby equipment for their firstborn.
Submitted on: September 18, 2020
Name: Craig Nairn
Class Year(s): 2010
Note: William J. Nairn was born to Craig Nairn ’10 (CLA) and Colleen Nairn on February 28th, 2019.
Submitted on: September 18, 2020
Name: David Finkelstein
Class Year(s): 1993
Note: David Finkelstein ’93 (GAP) is proud to announce that the RIT Venture Fund has made an investment in our company, BDEX! They are excited to work with RIT as they scale our proprietary consumer Data Exchange Platform business.
Submitted on: September 18, 2020
Name: Jessica Wiltey
Class Year(s): 2017
Note: Connor Michael Cassidy was born on June 3, 2019 to Jess Wiltey ’17 (CIAS) and her fiance David Cassidy.
Submitted on: September 18, 2020
Name: Enidza Arroyo
Class Year(s): 2012
Note: E. Nicole Arroyo ’12 (COS) successfully defended her Ph.D. in immunology from the University of Washington, Seattle on July 24, 2019. She then married Jeremy Fowers in Snohomish, WA on July 27, 2019. Several RIT alumni were in attendance, including Jeremy Allston ’10 (GCCIS), Brittany Ambeau ’13 (COS), Ph.D. ’17 (COS), Alexandra Atzl ’12 (CIAS), Nicholas DeFiore ’14 (KGCOE), Bryan Fitzgerald ’12 (CHST), Sarah Hannon ’12 (CAST), Josh Kramer ’13 (KGCOE), Kristen Kramer ’12 (SCB), and David Stalnaker BS/MS ’13 (GCCIS).
Submitted on: September 18, 2020
Name: Nicole Casacci
Class Year(s): 2017
Note: Nicole Casacci ’17 (KGCOE) and David Gooden ’17 (KGCOE) got married last month in Buffalo, NY.
Submitted on: September 18, 2020
Name: Harvey Duze
Class Year(s): 1972
Note: "Imagine coming to work one day and seeing on a wall in one of the buildings and unbeknownst to you, a large photograph with your mother in it taken nearly 80 years ago. Harvey Duze ’7 (GAP), a photographer and graphic designer at Walter Reed Bethesda, didn’t imagine it, but lives it nearly every day. The photograph with Duze’s mother in it hangs in the pedestrian corridor connecting the America Building to Main Street and the historic Tower at the medical center. In the photograph, Duze’s mother - then Ruth Bloom - a member of the Women’s Army Corps during World War II, appears on the far right with three other WACs on back of a fire engine. "...I think it had to have been taken around 1943 or 1944. I first noticed the photo a week after I started work at Walter Reed Bethesda (WRB) in 2015. My mother passed in 1999, so seeing her there in the hallway was both emotional and exciting, as you can imagine. It was as though her presence there was her approval of my working here... I pass the photo almost every day and always say hello to her. It always makes my day to see her there, as I still miss her... I am proud of the fact that she has found a place of honor here at Walter Reed Bethesda." Duze’s mother was part of a communications battalion based near Indianapolis. His father also served in the Army during World War II. Duze said he’s proud to work at WRB, continuing a family tradition of service to the nation. Written by Bernard Little, Walter Reed Bethesda Command Communications - (Reprinted with permission.)
Submitted on: September 18, 2020
Name: Theodore Braggins
Class Year(s): 1974, 1975
Note: Theodore Braggins ’74/MST ’75 (CIAS) retired in June from Arlington H.S. in LaGrangeville, NY after 33 years as an art teacher. While there Ted became head of the Art Department, and later the K-12 Visual Arts Coordinator. He was instrumental in beginning AP Art course offerings, and starting the Computer Graphics program which he instructed. "I always tried to use RIT as a model with strong foundations in 2D and 3D design while providing a number of advanced art electives for our students." Ted (RIT lacrosse ’71-73) was also a founding member of the Arlington lacrosse program where he coached for over 20 seasons. In addition to teaching, Ted and his wife, Melissa Katzman ’76 (CAD) have operated Pondside Press Graphics Workshop & Gallery (pondsidepress.com) in Rhinebeck, NY since 1985. They produce their own original graphic art using lithography, relief printing, and monotype. They also collaborate with other artists and have produced many print projects over the years. Recently they exhibited their work at Shahinian Fine Art in Rhinebeck, and participated in Art Studio Views (artstudioviews.com) over Labor Day weekend. They will be having a solo show "Ink and Paper and Ceramics" at the Tivoli Art Gallery, Tivoli NY October 26 - November 17, 2019 (TivoliArtistsGallery.com).
Submitted on: September 18, 2020
Name: Elizabeth Kiefer
Class Year(s): 2011
Note: Elizabeth Kiefer ’11 (CAST) and Patrick Ciambrone ’11 (KGCOE) were married on August 10, 2019 on Seneca Lake in Dundee, NY. They met on Move In Day in 2006 as members of Engineering House. Many RIT and EH alumni were in attendance to celebrate!
Submitted on: September 16, 2020