Gifts in Action: A Donor Newsletter - January 2023
Gifts in Action:
A Donor Newsletter
January 2023
Not all lessons can be learned inside the classroom. We believe that high-impact learning is attained by providing an emphasis on student-centered research and experiential learning—a hallmark of an RIT education.
From the lab to the field, you will find our Tigers immersed in hands-on opportunities, engaged and excited about their work. They are developing critical leadership skills, embracing collaborative teamwork, and making ground-breaking discoveries of global importance.
As a member of our philanthropic community, your support goes a long way in providing the necessary resources, tools, and facilities that make these interactive experiences possible. Your gift makes a significant impact that reaches far beyond campus. We can’t thank you enough for helping to fund this critical programming!
Your Support Helps Students Learn in the Field and On the Job
Wegmans School of Health and Nutrition Health and Well-being Management Program
After completing her bachelor’s degree in biomedical science, Dee Murray BS ’21, MS ’23 knew she wanted to attend medical school. But she didn’t feel quite ready.
“I really felt that I needed something else to help supplement what I learned as an undergraduate student,” explains Dee. “I wanted to take a more in-depth approach to my studies before taking the next big step.”
In contrast to other local schools, RIT offered the crucial tuition assistance Dee needed to embark on her master’s degree in health and well-being management. The program, launched in 2020 within RIT’s Wegmans School of Health and Nutrition, provides flexibility for students seeking a range of wellness-based careers by combining required and elective coursework with a research-focused capstone project.
The research—although malleable to the student’s area of interest—is rigorous. Many students, like Dee, utilize the entire university and external organizations as resources to formulate their theses. It can be a lot of work to unite many departments and content experts to gather data, but the outcome is invaluable. This comprehensive analysis results in a compelling, multi-disciplinary approach to investigating and solving health and wellness matters in today’s world.
Barbara Lohse, Ph.D., RD, LDN, head of RIT’s Wegmans School of Health and Nutrition, has worked closely with Dee during her time in the graduate program. She is impressed with Dee’s perseverance and ability to blaze her own trail toward her goals.
“The program is designed for students like Dee. Maybe they are taking a gap year, or perhaps they want to pursue a career in research. It’s extremely rewarding to see students channel their excitement about a specific topic into a structured project in which they can overlay their interests into something purposeful. The research is important in growth and understanding. Students begin to respond differently to everyday news and messaging, and it all starts to click,” commented Dr. Lohse.
Dee agrees. “There are many paths students can take on their academic journey. This program has been very beneficial for me, as it is a stepping stone to reaching my goals. The research aspect has helped me to become more focused all around. Learning to be more detail-oriented and meticulous in my interactions is something that I’ve adapted.”
Dee is prepared to graduate with her master’s degree in spring 2023 and move forward with medical school. She is grateful for the generous scholarship aid she received which allowed her to participate in this additional educational experience.
An advocate for research funding, Dr. Lohse added that students—no matter their field of study—should be exposed to research, starting with projects led by their faculty members. Funding for faculty research and graduate student scholarships are fundamental to ensuring students can seize these vital opportunities.
“When students see that their professors have engaged in research themselves, it seems less scary. Students can even partner with their professors in some cases. Oftentimes, the faculty learn from their students when a new topic is explored,” says Dr. Lohse. “Financial assistance to implement research programs across all disciplines is a must. We have to prepare for and contemplate the future, and RIT is where the future starts.”
Into The ROC
RIT’s Into the ROC program launched in 2017 and has enabled more than 3,500 students to explore and volunteer around the Rochester region. The program, operated by RIT’s Center for Leadership and Civic Engagement, is designed to attract students to new experiences and attractions in the area as well as help instill a sense of civic and community engagement.
Generous support and partnership from Kovalsky-Carr Electric Supply Co. has helped with costs to run and expand Into the ROC. Company officials joined the program’s steering committee, which is made up of members of the RIT and Greater Rochester communities.
Area businesses hope another outcome of the program will help encourage college students who aren’t from the Rochester area to be more likely to live here after graduation if they know more about the region.
Fred Oettinger BS ’05
The Computer Science House (CSH), one of the oldest special interest houses at RIT, is dedicated to helping students continually create and grow intellectually, socially, and professionally. Thanks to Fred Oettinger BS ’05, a staff engineer at Wayfair, CSH received a major upgrade that will provide unique learning opportunities for students within the computing and technology living environment.
Kenny Kim BS ’23
Kenny Kim BS ’23 has made himself noticeable—in a good way.
He has been very busy, utilizing resources from the Neurodiverse Hiring Initiative (NHI) within RIT’s Spectrum Support Program (SSP) to secure critical job readiness skills and prepare for a career in engineering and design. With six internship experiences already under his belt, Kenny has had the opportunity to build professional relationships, work closely with experts in the field, and spotlight his talents for potential employers upon his anticipated graduation in December 2023. His hard work is helping to identify and distinguish him as one of RIT’s best and brightest job candidates.
“Internships are critical for many reasons,” comments Kenny. “My philosophy is that school teaches you the theory, personal projects give you the breadth, and internships give you experience with the actual practices and real-world challenges that are faced on the job.”
Kenny’s participation with SSP and NHI provided him with a methodical approach to academic, social, and career-related goals. The comprehensive support programs incorporate individual coaching and customized courses to help guide students with autism spectrum disorder, among other neuro-divergent conditions, through their college journey and to better navigate their job search. Through RIT’s unique and unparalleled NHI program, Kenny gained valuable access to corporate recruiters who partner with RIT to identify top student talent.
“SSP and NHI have directly assisted in helping me find my internships, just as they have helped many students secure these critically important experiences. The internships are an invaluable part of what defines success at RIT, both as a student and on a programmatic level,” Kenny reflects. “NHI, specifically, is so effective at RIT because it very much complements the strong co-op programs here. This pairing generates opportunities that neuro-diverse students would not get at any other school.”
Since its start in 2008, enrollment in SSP has increased by 700%, and serves up to 100 students per year. In partnership with RIT’s Office of Career Services and Cooperative Education, NHI launched in 2018. The program’s purpose is to better connect neuro-diverse students with employers, as well as educate employers on how to better accommodate their diverse workforce.
“We are dedicated to ensuring that our neuro-diverse students get the same opportunities as other graduates,” says Kendra Evans, Neurodiverse Hiring Initiative Coordinator. “We’re de-stigmatizing what neurodiversity means. We’re educating employers on how to implement a universal design for everyone in the workplace. It’s not charity; it’s bridging RIT’s highly-skilled, untapped talent pool with employers and helping them to understand that simple adjustments for their workers bring about increased productivity.”
At times, standard recruiting practices can unintentionally exclude neuro-diverse candidates, contributing to the population’s historically high unemployment and underemployment rates. Misconceptions about neuro-diverse conditions are beginning to diminish, however. More companies and organizations are enlightened about the importance of diversity in the workforce, and many are actively recruiting loyal, detail-oriented workers who offer thought diversity and logical, analytical thinking.
Working directly with students to help them achieve their goals and gain confidence is paramount to both the SSP and NHI programs. Kendra and other SSP/NHI staff are enthusiastic references and advocates for their students, while increased support from across the RIT community continues to help grow these initiatives and stimulate student success.
“At the end of the day, the students need to recognize their worth,” states Kendra. “Many of them have lived in a world where they constantly feel they don’t belong. It’s time to change the environment, not the person. We want our students to find purpose, joy, and belonging in life and in the workplace.”
As for Kenny, he seems ready to move into the professional world full-time. His internship experiences have provided many enjoyable and teachable moments.
“I’ve loved working with so many great people, solving problems I never would have considered, and just learning everything I can. With each internship, I sought out people in different departments so that I could learn about engineering challenges and technologies, and get a sense of what the company culture is like. I’ve narrowed down what kinds of places I would want to work for after I graduate.”
Rachel Taylor BS ’23
RIT’s National Technical Institute for the Deaf (NTID) serves more than 1,110 deaf and hard-of-hearing students from around the world. Rachel Taylor BS ’23 is one of many industrious students who has worked with the NTID Co-op and Career Center (NCCC) to procure an exciting internship, allowing her to gain viable real-world experience toward her degree in software engineering.
Read more
Content provided by NTID
Study Away: LA
Study Away: LA gave students in RIT’s School of Film and Animation (SOFA) the opportunity to spend time in Los Angeles for a semester to learn from industry professionals. The bulk of students’ time was spent at internships, but they also participated in two courses that will complement their study-away experience.
IBM/Bob Kalka
Students take many different paths to develop the skills needed for life after college. For many, an immersive atmosphere that enriches the “learning by doing” experience is the most beneficial aspect of their education. This concept certainly rings true for RIT students studying computer science and those engaging in cybersecurity programs. Led by alum Bob Kalka BS ’89, a partnership with IBM Security has provided support for multiple initiatives in this realm, including sponsorship for the Cyber Range and Training Center and funding for the annual RIT-hosted Collegiate Pen Testing Competition (CPTC).
Bob understands the importance of a strong start. As a current Global Vice President, and with more than 30 years at IBM Security, his career success was built on a solid foundation that began at RIT and included valuable hands-on training. His passion for giving back and growing a steadfast alliance between the university and IBM Security stems from his enthusiasm to help students grow professionally in the same ways he did.
“As an RIT Computer Science graduate, during which time I experienced a full year of co-op assignments as a student, I learned first-hand how experiential learning is the difference between being ‘smart’ and ‘smart and highly productive’,” Bob explains. “My experience confirmed that RIT is THE school to go to if you want to be prepared to succeed in high-tech from your first day on the job.”
With Bob’s direction, IBM Security, one of the largest cybersecurity providers in the world, has gifted more than $3.3 million to open RIT’s Cyber Range and Training Center in 2020 and serves as the premier sponsor of CPTC since its 2014 inception. CPTC has been an endeavor that means a great deal to Bob and his team at IBM Security.
“We are confident that students will take advantage of our support for CPTC in order to build more pragmatic skills through this experience and become more productive in their careers,” says Bob. “I see how the students we hire from CPTC for both co-op and full-time assignments, such as for our IBM X-Force threat management team, bring in applied skills, which is a huge benefit to both IBM and the industry overall. The most meaningful value of the CPTC for the students is getting live experience in what a career in red teaming is really like—including the intensity, combined with their learning of that technical skill. It is just one element of a successful career. Skills in collaboration and communications are just as crucial.”
RIT was the first university to license IBM Security’s trademark cyber range design. The infrastructure has been paramount in offering a wide range of training opportunities for students, corporate cohorts, and IT security professionals to experiment, learn, and facilitate research. And, like many other corporate partners, IBM Security is looking to the talent RIT offers to grow its workforce.
Bob commented, “We see our involvement at RIT as both helping the industry accelerate its skills while also giving us access to the impressive insights and talents that RIT’s faculty, students, and staff share. I’ve enjoyed watching RIT grow from being a top regional university to one of the top global universities for cybersecurity.”
On a more personal note, Bob is also excited to see the university grow its performing arts focus. “I’m a very active musician and am thrilled about the work that Dr. Munson and Dr. Haskell are driving. I am confident that RIT’s push towards being the principal university for growing tech professionals who also have a passion for the performing arts will change the landscape. RIT is in the process of entering a truly unique, global leadership position.”
Joseph Vazquez BS ’24
Joseph Vazquez BS ’24 is a third-year mechanical engineering student and is participating in the Collegiate Science and Technology Entry Program (CSTEP) at RIT. The academic research he has conducted has helped enrich his time at RIT and launch his degree path toward obtaining a Ph.D.
Read more
Content provided by RIT’s Division of Diversity and Inclusion
Beginning in the fall of 2023, RIT will offer two new Ph.D. programs—one to be housed within the Saunders College of Business and the other within the College of Liberal Arts. The priority to build doctoral programs is critical to the university’s strategic pan and helped elevate RIT’s status in 2019 to a “high research activity institution”, or “R2”, under the updated Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Learning.
The National Science Foundation has awarded RIT a three-year grant for a cohort of four postdoctoral fellows to conduct STEM discipline-based education research. Unlike research taking place within traditional academic silos, the program is designed to bring together subject matter experts across multiple fields for an interdisciplinary approach and focus.
RIT will begin offering a new Ph.D. in the fall of 2024 that is designed to prepare graduates to extend the frontiers of fundamental scientific knowledge and develop new advances in technologies at the forefronts of 21st century physics.
Researchers from RIT’s Center for Detectors received new funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to continue developing infrared detectors for the next generation of ground-based telescopes.
Eager to learn more about RIT research initiatives? Our students and faculty are on to amazing things! View all the news at www.rit.edu/research/news
RIT has the fourth-oldest and one of the largest cooperative education programs in the world, annually placing more than 4,500 students in more than 6,200 co-op assignments with more than 2,200 employing organizations.
Learn more about RIT’s various experiential learning programs, including co-op, internships, international experiences, entrepreneurship, service learning, clinical experiences, competitions, simulations, and multidisciplinary projects.
Expressions of King’s Legacy
January 31, 2023
For 41 years, Expressions of King’s Legacy programming has been dedicated to celebrating the life and impact of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The event is free and open to the public. This year’s keynote speaker is Nikole Hannah-Jones, Pulitzer Prize-winning creator of the 1619 Project and a staff writer at The New York Times Magazine.
Transforming RIT: The Campaign for Greatness
Join your Tiger family and President David C. Munson Jr. to learn more about RIT’s progress and goals, including an update on Transforming RIT: The Campaign for Greatness.
Atlanta
Wednesday, January 25, 2023
6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Register Here
Los Angeles
Tuesday, February 7, 2023
6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Register Here
View All RIT Events
Visit the events calendar web page for more information.
We are tremendously grateful for your ongoing engagement with RIT and your consistent support.
Donors like you help us meet the ever-changing needs of our campus, students, and faculty. Thank you for believing in the mission of RIT and our incredible students.