College Alumni Programs

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Melissa Miranda

Brett Whitney ’07, center, with fellow alumni and Saunders College students at a reception following the 2011 Favatas Alumni Lecture. Whitney met with students to talk about his job and to provide tips on how to get a job. The reception took place at the Global Village Cantina & Grille.

CIAS says hello to new dean

On Aug. 1, CIAS welcomed new dean Lorraine Justice. Justice comes to RIT from The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, where she was director of the School of Design.

The end of the 2011 academic year brought the retirement of several well-known and admired professors. The School of Photographic Arts and Sciences announced the retirement of Bill DuBois, program chair for Visual Media; Mark Haven, assistant professor; and Glenn Miller, associate professor. The School of Film and Animation also announced the retirement of lecturer Naomi Orwin.

CIAS is expected to roll out a revamped website this summer with a focus on recruitment. The website, http://cias.rit.edu, will include a student gallery, contact information for faculty and staff, videos and student/alumni success stories. If you are interested in being included in the new website, send your story to Ron Goldberg at rjgrar@rit.edu.

GCCIS celebrates 10 years

The B. Thomas Golisano College of Computing and Information Sciences welcomes Andrew Sears as its new dean. Sears, who started Aug. 1, was the Constellation Professor of Information Technology and Engineering, professor and chair of information systems, and director of the Interactive Systems Research Center at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. Sears succeeds Jorge Díaz-Herrera, who became president of Keuka College in July.

The college launched its 10th anniversary festivities this spring with a reception attended by more than 200 students, faculty, staff and alumni. Guests got a sneak preview of some of the college’s Imagine RIT student exhibits.

In addition, a special “Best 10 of the Past 10” video was debuted starring well-known alumni, faculty and staff. See the video at www.rit.edu/alumni/gccis.

Business alumni make time for students

Brett Whitney MBA ’07, program manager for Notify NYC, New York’s emergency notification system, spent a half-day at E. Philip Saunders College of Business as the 2011 Favatas Alumni Lecturer. Whitney met with the Management Information Systems Student Team, discussing the technical aspects of his work, and then presented “Getting, Keeping and Excelling at the Job” to a cross-section of students.

Jerry McCue MBA ’80, first vice president—investments at Merrill Lynch, guest lectured in Hao Zhang’s intermediate investments course. McCue talked about the tools he uses to manage the investment portfolios of more than 300 households and the career options at Merrill Lynch/Bank of America.

Consider sharing your time and expertise with the Saunders College. Contact alumni@saunders.rit.edu for more information.

Gift helps fund new NTID building

RIT/NTID alumni participated in the Ellie Rosenfield Memorial—12th Annual NTID Alumni Golf Tournament and the NTID Alumni Community Picnic on June 10 and 11. Proceeds from both events supported the Sebastian and Lenore Rosica Hall Construction Fund (previously called Imagination Hall) and the Dr. Ellie Rosenfield Endowed Scholarship Fund. The William G. McGowan Charitable Fund is giving a grant of $1.75 million to help construct the new $8 million Sebastian and Lenore Rosica Hall, expected to be completed in 2013.

Lenore Rosica was the sister of William McGowan, CEO of MCI Communications Corp., who died in 1992. She served as chairperson of the McGowan Charitable Fund for many years and died in 2009. Sebastian, who died in 2006, served as a trustee of the foundation.

The Rosicas lived in Buffalo, where Sebastian worked as an audiologist for 40 years at St. Mary’s School for the Deaf. Lenore worked as a speech pathologist.

Kate Gleason College of Engineering

The Kate Gleason College of Engineering hosted a wine- and food-pairing event for retired and emeritus faculty and staff. The group learned wine-tasting tips and food-pairing ideas while hearing the latest KGCOE updates from Dean Harvey Palmer.

Brandon Comella ’97 wrapped up the 2010-2011 KGCOE Dean’s Alumni Speaker Series with a presentation about the entrepreneurial spirit. Comella talked about key things to consider when going into business for yourself and the importance of weighing the pros and cons.

Congratulations to Jay Yang, who has been appointed to a five-year term as department head of computer engineering. Andreas Savakis, who is finishing his 10th year as department head, will be taking a sabbatical this year.

With more than 70 combined years of dedication to RIT, Roy Czernikowski and Pratapa Reddy will retire from the department of computer engineering.

CAST houses engineering technology

CAST has reorganized. Along with the School of International Hospitality and Service Innovation, the college also now houses the School of Engineering Technology. The new school will be comprised of the three established engineering technology departments: electrical, computer and telecommunications engineering technology, chaired by Michael Eastman; civil engineering technology, environmental management and safety, chaired by John Morelli; and manufacturing and mechanical engineering technology/packaging science, chaired by Daniel Johnson.

“The reorganization not only serves to better support the success of our students, alumni, faculty and staff, but will sustain the college’s position as a leader in the academic community,” says Dean H. Fred Walker.

New alumni staff

By the time this magazine reaches your mailbox, the Office of Alumni Relations will have appointed three college alumni relations officers. They will create programming for the College of Liberal Arts and the Center for Multidisciplinary Studies, the College of Applied Science and Technology, and the College of Science and the new College of Health Sciences and Technology.

Alumnae volunteers for the fourth annual Women’s Career Achievement Day, left to right:  Cindee Gray ’07 (MBA); Lisa Stauch Smith ’85 (applied mathematics); Susan Smith-Hartman ’89 (sonography); Jackie Schertz SVP ’78, ’83, ’97 (social work, career and human resources); Megan Thompson ’06, ’08 (computer engineering, imaging science); Paula Yandow-Reilly ’03 (computer science); Jenny Cisney ’99 (computer graphics design); and Alison Tyler ’97, ’01 (packaging science, biotechnology).  The day culminated in a dinner with more than 500 students, faculty and administrators and keynote speaker Dr. Margaret “Canopy Meg” Lowman. Rachel Pikus

Each year, the university celebrates alumni who represent the best of each college. Distinguished Alumni awardees this year were recognized on April 8. For photos and biographies of all alumni who were honored. Alumni are from left to right: Raymond V. Malpocher ’70 (KGCOE); Mark Feder SVP ’71, ’75, ’76 (NTID); Katie A. Linendoll ’05 (GCCIS); Kevin J. Surace ’85 (CAST); Dale J. Dangremond ’81 (CLA); A. John Bartholomew ’60 (SCB); Robert Loce ’85, ’93 (COS); and Brooks H. Bower ’74 (CIAS). Ken Huth