Gifts in Action: A Donor Newsletter - November 2023

Thank you for ROARing with us! RIT’s 18th annual ROAR Day, our most philanthropic 24 hours, took place September 28 - 29, 2023. Our community turned out in droves, with 2,297 total gifts made to support our students and programs. Thank you! We’re just wild about your paw-some passion for RIT, and we’re not lion!

Watch the ROAR Day Thank You Video

Sentinel Society members Erin and Mark Minichiello are extremely proud of their son, Ethan BS ’23, MS ’24, a mechanical engineering technology student. Although not RIT alumni themselves, both Erin and Mark have become closely engaged with RIT, particularly with other parents of students.

Learn more about why the Minichiellos give to RIT

Second-year computer engineering technology student Onvida Serixay BS ’27 is the embodiment of Tiger life and leadership at RIT. While somewhat reserved during her high school years, Onvida decided that starting college would be a new beginning and the right time to participate in clubs and organizations and interact with her peers. Critical to her ambitious social and civic schedule is valuable scholarship support that helps empower her enthusiasm for helping others, and which she hopes to pay forward one day.

It didn’t take long for Onvida to get involved on campus—or off, for that matter. During her freshman year, she was awarded the Alternative Break scholarship, which funded her trip to Hungry Mother State Park in Virginia with other students. There, Onvida worked alongside other volunteers to build mountain bike trails and learn about how the trails impact the surrounding environment.

“It was a very fun experience,” comments Onvida. “I was able to meet many wonderful people. The scholarship helped me to take a step forward towards my goals.”

Engaged as a peer mentor, within the College of Engineering Technology (CET) for the Engineering Technology Exploration Program, Tri Sigma sorority sister, member of the Panhellenic Council, Women in Computing, Latin American Student Association, and the Student Alumni Alliance—just to name a few of the organizations she is associated with—it’s a wonder that Onvida also finds time for her academics. She completed the momentum leadership track, a portfolio of development programs, and is currently the momentum scholar who helps to lead the series.

“The scholarships are the reason I can do so many things at RIT and feel more confident,” Onvida reflects. “The financial help lets me push myself ahead. It’s important to me to meet people and help them get involved, too. I like building connections with students, alumni, and faculty.”

Onvida also worked at the Division of Diversity and Inclusion (DDI) Summer Experience, helping pre-freshman students prepare for their first year at college and complete academic enrichment and community-building programs. Additionally, she works on campus for the Center for Leadership and Civic Engagement as a leadership scholar.

Many of the groups that Onvida has joined are recent initiatives founded within the last few years. She says it’s an exciting time to be a student at RIT with so many new opportunities available to those who want to join in. Crediting the philanthropic community that helps fund student-centered initiatives, Onvida shares, “Having donor support, especially for scholarships and student organizations, is important. These programs help students practice leadership. Scholarships are crucial in helping students explore but don’t have the financial means to do so.”

Michael Palefsky BS ’24 grew up immersed in the Jewish faith and culture. Living in a kosher home, attending Jewish day school and synagogue, and celebrating the holidays of the Hebrew calendar, he gained a deep appreciation for his religion and community.

Michael also knew early on that when it came to college, he would need to find an institution that nourished his appetite for both education and diversity. RIT ended up being that place.

“I understood as a young person that I was in a bubble, and traveling outside that bubble of my greater local Jewish neighborhood would be very different,” Michael shares. “I realized that I would need to find my way to Judaism while in college, that it wouldn’t just come to me like I was used to. During my first visit to RIT, I knew that I had found what I was looking for—a place of creativity, innovation, diversity, and inclusion, plus a university with a robust, industry-driven engineering curriculum.”

Because the Jewish faith is very community-based, Michael quickly became involved as a student with Chabad and Hillel, eventually taking on a leadership position with the latter. He recalls recognizing the need to help the Jewish population thrive on campus. He developed events and even led Erev Shabbat (Friday night) services to help unite his fellow Jewish students.

This year, RIT added to its campus dining services a certified kosher deli, The Loaded Latke, which serves traditional Jewish food and follows the customs, quality, and cleanliness required by Jewish law. Michael shares that he feels the opening of this facility is helping to build solidarity and is strengthening a network of Judaism practitioners by accommodating and providing an important ingredient in Jewish tradition—food.

“The role of food in Jewish life is important, perhaps because food is so useful when forming connections and friendships. There’s been an immediate impact here since The Loaded Latke’s opening. It’s like waving a flag to others on campus that they are welcome and celebrated. Attendance and student involvement at Hillel and Chabad have basically doubled,” Michael remarks. “It’s not only a resource for RIT’s Jewish population but for all of campus life. I hope that we may all come together to appreciate our shared pursuit of education.”

In addition to funding for The Loaded Latke, Michael recognizes the impact of donor support for an inclusive landscape at RIT, including recent renovations to the Hillel House.

“It’s exciting to see more spaces on campus that facilitate student experiences. Donor support gives much-needed stability to student life and helps give us access to the programs and professional outlets in which we interact. Students are very academic-focused, so receiving funding for these opportunities means a lot.”

A fifth-year electrical engineering student, Michael has also participated in many campus performing arts groups. He plans to stay on the East Coast and look for (or start up) a Jewish community in a new city after graduation.

Entrepreneurs and young alumni Tim Reed BS ’15 and Jameel Balenton BS ’15 never envisioned working together to launch two businesses after graduation. In fact, they didn’t know each other at all upon starting at RIT. Their paths became intertwined as students through participation with RIT’s Unity House, the Multicultural Center for Academic Success (MCAS), and the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), programs that both graduates feel strongly helped them become who they are today.

“I basically lived at MCAS as a student. I found that the support was phenomenal, and it was a home away from home,” recalls Tim. “It was helpful to have other people around you who can identify with the challenges of being an African American, and I met people from all other backgrounds, too.”

A Rochester, N.Y. native, Tim came to RIT as part of the first Destler/Johnson Rochester City Scholars (RCS) program cohort. He recalls worrying about finding academic assistance at college; having earned stellar grades throughout high school and finding the coursework easy, he was concerned about the transition to a more challenging curriculum. He also had doubts about what the social scene at a tech school would be like.

“I knew that RIT was a great school for engineering, and the strength I received from RCS really sealed the deal that I would go there. However, I thought that there wouldn’t be a lot of social or leadership initiatives. I was very wrong! RIT is so diverse. I met a lot of people. Even though I’m from Rochester, I felt like I was somewhere else—in a good way. Being an NSBE member and at MCAS changed my view of the university. It was amazing to have groups dedicated to helping you and working to make you feel comfortable.”

Jameel, originally from Syracuse, N.Y., agrees. As team captain of the Men’s Basketball team and treasurer of Unity House, he found the people and the places that helped him thrive.

“RIT gave me a well-rounded experience between athletics, academics, and social life. My leadership roles and so much of what I participated in prepared me for the real world, and I also gained exposure to many different walks of life, including the Deaf and hard of hearing communities.”

As students—Tim majoring in civil engineering technology and Jameel in electrical engineering—both landed impressive co-ops that further helped them to develop their business acumen and project management skills. Their friendship from Unity House, MCAS, and NSBE strengthened over time, and since graduation, they have become business partners on multiple ventures. They recently launched Nightflyy, a nightlife promotion app and membership club. Simultaneously, Tim has opened a food truck-turned-restaurant, TacoDero, which is currently the flagship venue for Nightflyy. Each venture is quickly growing its customer base and gaining popularity in the Greater Rochester area.

According to Jameel and Tim, their success—buoyed by their hard work and determination—stems from their foundation within RIT’s programs. Both alums are staunch advocates for the academic and social offerings available to students, especially those supported largely by donor funding.

“The investment in these opportunities is really important to help students thrive while they are in school,” comments Jameel. “Everyone should have a place where they feel comfortable, whether it’s a team, club, or an organization, specifically dedicated to diversity and inclusion. I’ve noticed that giving to RIT is unlike giving to other organizations. At RIT, you can see exactly where the gift is going to—it’s going to the students.”

Tim shares, “Any and all gifts from donors help. There is a lot for students to experience at RIT, and there are many ways that RIT prepares you for the next stage in life. For me, the RCS scholarship and the leadership options I became involved in were life-changing.”

Since she was in 8^th grade, Nayely Gonzales BS ’25 was intrigued with engineering and technology. She loved anything that was hands-on and remembers helping her father, who worked in construction, with some of his home improvement side jobs. He taught her how to change a doorknob before she was seven years old.

Nayely is now a fourth-year student studying mechanical engineering technology, and she’s had a lot of occasions for experiential learning in her field. RIT corporate partner TransDigm Group Inc.'s support has significantly impacted Nayely’s education and career goals. She was part of the first cohort of the Doug Peacock Scholarship (funded by TransDigm and named for their founding CEO and Chairman of the Board) as a sophomore and completed a successful manufacturing engineering internship at Young & Franklin/Tactair, a subsidiary of TransDigm. TransDigm is a global producer, designer, and supplier of highly engineered aerospace components, systems, and subsystems that are used on nearly all commercial and military aircraft in service today.

“I was so excited when I found out I was selected for the scholarship,” Nayely says. “I remember reading the email and sending a screenshot to my family. They were very proud of me. I felt beyond grateful and blessed. The gift of education is so powerful, and I hope someday I can do the same and give back to others.”

The Doug Peacock Scholarship was established in 2020 and is earmarked for women and students from underrepresented groups studying 5-year programs within the Kate Gleason College of Engineering, the College of Engineering Technology,and the Saunders College of Business. Nayely says she felt uplifted and inspired as a recipient and hopes she will positively influence other young women.

“There aren’t a whole lot of Hispanic students—let alone Hispanic women—in the STEM fields. I hope others can see me and think, ‘If she can do it, I can do it, too.”

Dr. Keith Jenkins, Vice President and Associate Provost for Diversity and Inclusion at RIT, is proud to help nurture the relationship between the university and TransDigm and speaks to all of the good the scholarship support is providing to students like Nayely.

“TransDigm is a valued partner as RIT endeavors to diversify our undergraduate student population and improve graduation rates. This most welcomed gift addresses some recipients' financial barriers while serving as a unique contributor to their collegiate experience and success.”

TransDigm recently increased its financial support of the Doug Peacock Scholarship. President and CEO Kevin Stein was previously highly engaged with RIT in both research and the Office of Career Services and Co-op and served on RIT’s President’s Roundtable from 2012-2015.

“With an increasingly global economy, the importance of a diverse workforce cannot be understated. The development of a diverse workforce leads to better innovation, decisions, and outcomes for everyone,” said Kevin. “RIT and TransDigm are aligned in our commitment to developing and promoting a talented and diverse workforce for the future. TransDigm is honored to contribute through the Doug Peacock Scholarship Program, and we are very pleased to have scholarship recipients like Nayely accepting an internship at one of our subsidiaries. We hope for that to continue moving forward.”

Dedicated to helping students also participate in on-the-job learning, TransDigm works closely with RIT to offer co-op programs. Nayely hopes to work in the aerospace industry someday and felt her internship experience at Young & Franklin during the spring and summer of 2023 was eye-opening. She worked in the design and operations departments and even created and presented a proposal for improved inspection processes to her colleagues. From start to finish, Nayely took responsibility for the project management, including completing the research, project estimation, and communications. She also enjoyed making connections and networking with people throughout the company.

She shares: “It was a really special time, and it was thrilling to be a part of something bigger than me. I liked seeing the business and projects from several different perspectives.”

Nayely also spends her time as a senior peer mentor in the College of Engineering Technology, is the academic director for the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers, a graphic designer for the ALANA (African, Latin, Asian, and Native American) Collegiate Association, a member of RIT WOCHA (Women of Honor and Ambition), and a front desk attendant at the RIT Campus Center. She has four goals for her future after RIT—pursue her passion for space exploration as a lead engineer, continue outreach to the ALANA community, mentor others, and make her parents proud.

Besides family, Bill Eckholm has two passions in life: helping children in need and supporting members of the U.S. armed forces.

He and his wife, Laurie, recently established the Eckholm Veteran Student Success Fund to renovate RIT’s Veterans Lounge and provide resources for military-affiliated students, veterans, their dependents, and active Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) students on campus. Their goal is to help aid these university community members and assist students with financial need.

Bill, a former RIT student, has an inspiring rags-to-riches story. He grew up in a lower-middle-class family—his father worked two jobs, and his mother also worked outside of the home. Bill secured his first job at the age of nine.

He hasn’t stopped working since.

“We had very little growing up. At times later in life, I could barely make the monthly rent. I understand what it’s like to be on food stamps. I decided early on that I would do whatever I needed to in order to be on a path to my goals,” recalls Bill. “I also have made it my mission to help others whenever I can and when I have the power to do so. Success doesn’t come easy—it doesn’t come without sacrifice, but it’s worth the time and effort. And, when you finally do reach success, it’s important to remember where and what you came from.”

Going into his junior year of college on a baseball scholarship and newly married, Bill’s life was uprooted when he was drafted into the U.S. Army during the height of the Vietnam War. After his service as a Specialist 5, including a challenging station in rural Germany, Bill and his family ended up in Rochester, N.Y. Bill was tasked with running a new business that supplied products to electrical engineers and contractors, and he began taking night classes at RIT to hone effective business management and strategic marketing skills.

“I never had any intention of getting a degree. In fact, university administrators constantly contacted me about declaring a major and registering for required core courses,” Bill jokes. “I was a young husband and father, working full time and taking night classes to figure out how to do my new job. What I really loved about RIT was that the professors had field experience to share with their students. We weren’t just reading textbooks. They taught us how things were done in the real world.”

Bill took what he learned at RIT and the guidance from early-career mentors and opened his own business focused on fire protection equipment. After struggling financially for some time, Bill’s hard work and know-how paid off, and the operation grew exponentially. He ended up selling his company, moving with his family to Kansas City, Mo., to run a fire protection and suppression agency and take it global. He was ready to retire at the age of 40.

But retirement didn’t stick. It wasn’t long until Bill was tapped to consult on various business and military-related projects. Since the mid-1990s, Bill has project-managed business solutions across the U.S. and Canada and even holds numerous patents for developing life-saving fire suppression mechanisms for thousands of law enforcement cars and tens of thousands of military vehicles. His rigorous work was often voluntary and without financial compensation, but was driven by his desire to help others.

Currently, Bill serves on the Board of Directors for Childhelp, a national charity that works to fight child abuse, and is a staunch supporter of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. He also invests in G.I.-owned small businesses and programs and is a Leadership Board member of the Pro-State Foundation, an organization that encourages men to be aware of the importance of early detection and treatment for prostate cancer. Bill and his wife are past Arizona American Cancer Society honorees.

“When I found out that RIT was seeking funding to renovate the Veteran’s Lounge and for student military-related support, I thought, how could I say no?” explains Bill. “My wife and I wanted to give back to RIT in return for what I learned about becoming a businessman. The biggest gift we could ever ask for is seeing students succeed. There’s enormous satisfaction in finding success, and I want to help students reach for the stars.”

On Saturday, November 4, 2023, donors, alumni, and representatives from RIT’s Track and Field/Cross Country team collaborated to dedicate a new scoreboard within the recently renovated, state-of-the-art track and field facility in honor of retired coach Pete Todd. Coach Todd dedicated 32 years to working with student-athletes, and in that time, his cross country teams were 226-75, and his track teams were 150-8.

Although retired for more than 27 years, Coach Todd has continued to serve at the heart of RIT athletics and has continued to inspire others on and off the field. Alumni and donors Wayne Martin BS ’82, MBA ’90, Don McGrath BS ’86, and Hans Laudon BS ’90 spear-headed the project to name the scoreboard to ensure Coach Todd’s legacy endures.

As a former student-athlete on the cross country team, Don McGrath shares that Coach Todd remains the most influential male role model in his life. “Pete showed us what it means to reach for things far out of our grasp. He not only fostered good athletes but created an environment that was fun and full of great memories. This is the reason why so many of his former students remain in touch and care very much for him and each other.”

A celebration was held Saturday afternoon with Pete following the scoreboard dedication.

Indebted alumnus, Ondřej Frydrych MBA ’97, recently established the Peggy Tirrell Endowed Scholarship for International Students—named after Saunders College’s popular senior associate director of graduate business programs and admissions “who was the voice on the phone from the U.S. who offered me to come and study at RIT.”

Read more about Ondrej’s scholarship gift

The inaugural Harris Endowed Professorships in the College of Science were celebrated Sept. 6 at an installation ceremony. Jeffrey Harris BS ’75 and his partner, Joyce Pratt, established the professorships in 2022 with a generous gift in honor of Harris’s parents. Harris’ and Pratt’s gifts initiated the university's challenge to establish 10 endowed professorships for a permanent source of funding for each holder’s salary, scholarly activities, and research team.

Read more about the Harris Endowed Professorships

12th Annual Veteran’s Day Breakfast
Friday, November 10, 2023
8 a.m. - 10 a.m. Eastern
Gordon Field House

Join keynote speaker Maj. Gen. Timothy T. Lunderman, who retired from the Air Force in June 2022 after 32-plus years of faithful service.

Learn more and register

Day of Thanks, or National Philanthropy Day, takes place on Wednesday, November 15. Watch your inbox for a special digital grab bag of fun to celebrate all you do for RIT!

AstroDance II: Across the Universe
Conceived, Directed and Choreographed by Thomas Warfield
December 1-3, 2023
Sklarsky Glass Box Theater, SHED

Join us on campus for a multi-media, experiential dance production exploring basic concepts of astrophysics - gravitational waves and the interactions between objects in space - through a series of vignettes performed in dance, ASL and music.

Learn more and purchase tickets for AstroDance II: Across the Universe

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Visit the events calendar web page for more information