Out and About

By Christine A. Doyle, M.B.A.'04

Burton Lecture

Photo: Mark Schmidt

The Hon. Richard Ravitch, lieutenant governor of New York State, received the Burton Medallion at the annual John E. Burton Lecture and Distinguished Public Service Awards Ceremony on April 20.

Pictured, from left to right, are Mary Beth Joyce; Distinguished Public Service Award recipient Arthur Lee Butler; UAlbany President George M. Philip; Ravitch; Larry Joyce; Linda Bonesteel; and awardees Dionne Mack-Harvin, Jeremy Travis, and Mark P. Pattison. The Joyces, niece and brother of honoree Sister Maureen Joyce, RSM, and Bonesteel, her colleague, accepted the award on Joyce’s behalf.

Community Conversation

Photo: Mark Schmidt

In hundreds of ways, at home and abroad, UAlbany is partnering to improve lives and communities. Almost 200 Capital Region community leaders joined UAlbany President George M. Philip in the University Hall Atrium on April 23 for a conversation about making the most of collaborations and connections.

Left to right, Rensselaer County Regional Chamber of Commerce President Linda Hillman, First Niagara Bank Regional President Thomas Amell, and The Business Review Publisher Carolyn Jones joined the conversation.

Spring Commencement

Alumnus Joseph E. Persico ’52, author of 10 books of history and biography, gave the commencement address. Persico was also chief speechwriter for former New York State Gov. (and later U.S. Vice President) Nelson A. Rockefeller.

The Earth Tones, UAlbany’s award-winning all-male a capella group, performed the national anthem and “The Alma Mater.” It was the final performance for Ryan Walz ’10, far left. He will be missed!

Photos: Island Photography, Inc.

Over 14,000 graduates, family members and friends converged on the Entry Plaza Lawn for the Undergraduate Commencement Ceremony on May 16, 2010. The undergraduate class reflects the rich diversity and wide-ranging strengths of UAlbany:

2,260 graduates came from 24 states and 50 countries, including Japan, Israel, Ghana, Italy, Peru, Pakistan, Togo and Vietnam.
50 percent of the students were women; the class also included 20 military veterans.
Ages ranged from 19 to 61, with an average of 23.
Degrees were earned in 50 different majors.
Among the group were 53 graduates of The Honors College, the first to have completed four years in the program.

Washington, D.C., Event

Photo: Rob Bartlett

UAlbany alumni and friends gathered June 8 in Washington, D.C., to celebrate the launch of the Institute for Financial Market Regulation. The institute is a cooperative project of professionals involved in financial market regulation and supervision with the University at Albany and Albany Law School to develop interdisciplinary research and education in the field. For more information, visit the IFMR website.

Catherine Provost ’05, second from right, poses with friends.

SUNY Chancellor Nancy L. Zimpher, Congressman Paul D. Tonko and UAlbany President George M. Philip, left to right, were on hand for the event.

Sorrell Chesin, Ph.D., associate vice president for University Development at UAlbany, right, poses with Edward Demske ’58 and Elizabeth Demske ’61, ’63, who were celebrating their 50th anniversary.

Rediscover the Downtown Campus

Photo: Mark Schmidt

Alumni of all ages joined UAlbany President George M. Philip and University at Albany Foundation President George R. Hearst III in “rediscovering the downtown campus” last June 17. Following a major three-year renovation, Husted Hall reopened as a state-of-the-art facility that clusters all of the downtown campus classrooms into one space. A campus tour, led by University Archivist Geoff Williams and Associate Vice President for Physical Facilities John Giarrusso, was followed by a reception at the new Downtown Café.

Student Association Speaker Series

Photo: Mark Schmidt

UAlbany’s Student Association implemented the World Within Reach Speaker Series in late 2009 to bring bring political, social, corporate and pop-culture icons to campus. On April 8, UAlbany hosted a debate between two of the most influential political minds of our time: Karl Rove, former deputy chief of staff and senior adviser to President George W. Bush, and Howard Dean, 50th chairman of the Democratic National Committee and governor of Vermont from 1991-2003.

Moderated by Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy Dean Jeffrey Straussman, center, the debate was lively and contentious.

Student Association President Joshua Sussman ’10, far left, and Programming Director Reuben Ingbar ’10, second from right, take a break from their event-coordination duties to pose with Dean and Rove.