UAlbany Honors Alumni: NY Times Art Critic and Heroic Area Doctor

ALBANY, N.Y. (Oct. 11, 2011) -- Ken Johnson, a New York Times art critic, and Robert J. Paeglow, M.D., an Albany physician who gained national prominence for providing free medical care to the underserved and underinsured, will share their career paths and accomplishments at the University at Albany’s annual “Reaching Higher, Achieving More” luncheon on October 14. Since its inception in 2006, the Reaching Higher, Achieving More alumni campaign has featured a wide array of University at Albany graduates - entrepreneurs, educators, lawyers, corporate leaders, entertainers, doctors, social workers, authors, and policymakers.  The event was designed to give students a window into the world of successful alumni, inspiring them to reach further and begin to lay the groundwork to carve out their own paths post-graduation.

The University at Albany is honoring alumni, from left: New York Times art critic Ken Johnson, and Robert J. Paeglow, M.D.

This year’s event will feature alumni:

Ken Johnson, ’78, a New York Times art critic and a leading voice in contemporary art. Johnson, who earned a master’s degree in studio art from UAlbany, is the curator of After School Special: The 2011 Alumni Show, an exhibition of the individual accomplishments of working alumni artists. The exhibit opens October 14 at the University Art Museum. Johnson recently released his latest book, Are You Experienced?: How Psychedelic Consciousness Transformed Modern Art (2011). The book explores the ways in which 1960s drug culture brought a shift in the meaning and purpose of art. He will be available to sign copies of his book after the presentation.

Robert J. Paeglow, M.D., ’76, lead physician at Koinonia Primary Care, a free medical clinic in the West Hill neighborhood of Albany. He has dedicated his medical career to serving the growing un- and/or under-insured population. Featured on Assignment America on CBS News, Paeglow gave up a lucrative medical career to devote his time and energy to caring for the underserved. He and his staff have, on occasion, provided patients with a needed winter coat, or a check to pay for medicine. Paeglow has been known to show up with a birthday cake and balloons for the child of a patient facing cancer.

Among the former alumni honored at the Reaching Higher, Achieving More event are Gregory Maguire, '76, author of Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West; Dr. Evan Zahn, '82, the Director of Cardiology at Miami Children's Hospital; human rights icon, Harvey Milk, '51; Kathryn Zox, '83, producer and host of "The Kathryn Zox Show;" and Maureen Baginski, '79, senior intelligence advisor.

For more news, subscribe to UAlbany's RSS headline feeds