Proud grads get license to boast

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Alexis Blondrage ’07 (environmental science) teaches science research and biotechnology on Long Island. She got the plates to commemorate her time at RIT and to show her love for science.

Although five states away in Cary, N.C., Michael Pail ’98 (electrical engineering) and Suzanne Traynor Pail ’98 (mechanical engineering) think of RIT every time they see their car.

The Pails, who are the Raleigh-Durham, N.C., chapter leaders of the RIT Alumni Association, ordered “RIT RIT” plates about seven years ago. RIT is repeated because both are graduates. Suzanne, who played four sports at RIT, excelled in soccer and was inducted into the RIT Athletics Hall of Fame in 2005.

“Every once in a while, someone will say what a great school RIT is, or that they went there,” Michael said.

The Pails and other RIT alumni have found a creative way to show their RIT identity to others—on their license plates.

Alexis Blondrage ’07 (environmental science), who teaches science research and biotechnology on Long Island, drives a car with “RITDNA” plates.

“I decided to get the plates because I thought it would be a fun way to commemorate my time at RIT and also my love for studying DNA,” she said. “I feel like RIT has become a part of me. My experiences at RIT are what caused me to pursue a career in education after I graduated.”

Blondrage put RITDNA on custom Tiger plates, which are special plates sold in New York that include a picture of the RIT tiger logo.

Former RIT baseball outfielder Phil Ferranti ’79 (business) also drives a car with personalized Tiger plates that read “11 HOF”—he’s in the RIT Athletics Hall of Fame and 11 was his jersey number.

“I look as RIT as part of my family,” said the Rochester-area resident. “I’m proud of my alma mater. They’ve really grown.”

Paul Mosakowski ’80 (marketing) ordered an RIT Tiger plate back in 1994. He was assigned “127RIT,” which is now on his Chevy Blazer.

“What sold me on the plate was the shiny tiger,” he said. The plates got some national exposure when he drove across the country on a trip with his family. “You can’t put a price on that for marketing.”

Once when he was in Indiana attending a Notre Dame football game, a car parked next to him with “126RIT” on it.

“There were probably 10,000 cars in the parking lot,” he said, but he doesn’t know who the other driver was. “What are the odds?”

Put a Tiger on your plate

New York’s Department of Motor Vehicles began offering RIT Tiger plates in 1994. The plates are assigned a three-digit number by the state followed by “RIT.” Or they can be personalized for an extra fee.

RIT President Bill Destler’s personalized Tiger plate is “1 RIT.”

The plates cost $60 to order and $31.25 a year to renew. Personalized theme plates cost $91.25 to order and $62.50 a year to renew. The fees are in addition to the normal vehicle registration renewal fee.

To order an RIT plate visit the NYS Department of Motor Vehicles website.

Paul Mosakowski ’80 (marketing) ordered a Tiger plate in 1994 and was assigned the number 127. Tiger plates are the only ones representing a Rochester-area college.

Phil Ferranti ’79 (business) is a former baseball outfielder who is in RIT’s Sports Hall of Fame. His jersey number was 11. The license plates are a way for him to show his Tiger pride.