NEWS@NAZ November 2007- Vol. 6 No. 11
Welcome to the monthly e-newsletter for Nazareth College alumni! We want to hear from you. Drop us a line at alumni@naz.edu.
News and Updates
- Unveiling of Underground Railroad Portable Museum
- Woerner Kollmorgen Award Presented
- Reunion Weekend 2008 Reminder
Photo of the Month
- Golden Flyer Challenge
Spotlights
- Alumni: Mary Beth West '84 & Marisa Favro Geitner '92, '95G
- Faculty/Staff: Cynthia Eisen, co-author of Afternoons with Puppy
Alumni Notes
- Year End Giving
- Last Minute Holiday Gift
- Connections Class Notes
Events
- Garth Fagan Dance
- Wizard of Oz
- Holiday Tea
- Father Shannon's Birthday Celebration
Educational Opportunities
- Fall Teaching Job Fair
- Lambda Network
Athletics
- Fall Sports Wrap-up
| News and Updates |
Unveiling of Underground Railroad Portable Museum
On Tuesday, November 13, Nazareth College’s Center for Service Learning unveiled Rochester’s Historic Legacy, a display of panels that describe Rochester’s role in the Underground Railroad, in the Golisano Academic Center’s Linehan Chapel. The project is a two-fold, collaborative effort by service learning classes at Nazareth to research the history of Rochester’s involvement with the Underground Railroad and create a visual aid to assist students with learning about this pivotal event in our community's history.
The portable museum, measuring eight feet tall, consists of ten panels and is part of the Center for Service Learning’s North Star Project that has been implemented into history, art history, social work, and art education courses at Nazareth. Students from a community service class at Monroe Community College also participated in the project.
The project was broken in three phases:
• Researching Rochester’s involvement with the Underground Railroad,
• Implementing programs and activities about the Underground Railroad to relate to the youth of the community,
• Continuing to present the research to the public for educational purposes.
The North Star Project "provides opportunities for reciprocal relationship building with community partners, and it is an opportunity to reflect with the students on what they have learned,” says Dr. Marie Watkins, director of the Center for Service Learning at Nazareth. Watkins hopes to use these three phases to expand student, faculty, and community partnership within the North Star Project.
Woerner Kollmorgen Award Presented
Nazareth College’s School of Health and Human Services (SHHS) presented the first Woerner Kollmorgen Award for Public Service to Dr. T. Franklin Williams and his wife, Carter Catlett Williams, on Tuesday, November 13 in the Otto A. Shults Center Forum. This award was made possible by a generous donation from Don H. Kollmorgen and Louise Woerner, who have dedicated their lives to public and community service.
Click here to read more about Dr. and Mrs. Williams.
Reunion Weekend 2008: May 30 - June 1, 2008
If you haven’t already done so, mark your calendars for Reunion Weekend 2008. We can’t wait to show you what’s new on campus! Gather your friends and plan for your Naz weekend escape. All alumni are invited to attend. More details to follow shortly! |
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| Photo of the Month |
The Golden Flyer Challenge Takes Flight!
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Bernie Beauchamp ’73 performed with his marionette entertainment company at the Nevada Governor's Mansion on Halloween evening, entertaining thousands of costumed revelers as they made their way up the steps of the mansion to meet Governor Jim Gibbons and his wife Dawn. Here is Bernie with the First Couple, his cowboy puppet "Slim," and the ubiquitous Fearless Flyer. Visit the Golden Flyer Challenge web pages to see where else the bird has flown! |
| Spotlights |
Alumni Spotlight
Mary Beth West ’84 Appointed Chief Marketing Officer at Kraft Foods
Last month Mary Beth West ’84 returned to campus for the 2nd Annual School of Management Alumni Lecture where she described her experience at Nazareth, her 21-year career path at Kraft Foods and valuable life lessons she learned along the way. Taking those lessons to heart, Mary Beth was recently appointed executive vice president and chief marketing officer for Kraft Foods. In her new role, she will become a member of the Kraft Executive Team and is responsible for Consumer Insights & Strategy, Integrated Marketing Communications, Consumer Services, and Sustainability, and she will oversee the Tassimo hot beverage business on a global basis.
Mary Beth has an MBA in marketing from Columbia University and a B.S. in management from Nazareth. She currently serves on the board of directors for J.C. Penney Co., Inc. and is a member of the Executive Leadership Council. Kraft Foods is one of the world's largest food and beverage companies, with annual revenues of more than $34 billion.
Marisa Favro Geitner ’92, ’95G Named one of RBJ’s “Forty Under 40”
On September 24, the inaugural “Celebrate Naz Day,” Marisa Favro Geitner ’92, ’95G spoke on campus about her involvement with civic engagement and how it has led her to a successful career. She earned kudos this fall for her work and community leadership as she was included in Rochester Business Journal’s 2007 “Forty Under 40” list.
Marisa is currently the executive vice president and chief operating officer at Heritage Christian Services Inc. She is responsible for the oversight and direction of the company’s service programs, including residential, day, community, health, and clinical support programs, as well as initiatives such as Springdale Farm, Heritage Christian Stables, A Second Thought Resale Shop, and the Pieter Family Life Center. Marisa is also an adjunct professor and member of the advisory board for Nazareth College’s School of Health and Human Services.
Faculty/Staff Spotlight
Nazareth Faculty Member Releases Book on Pet Therapy, Afternoons with Puppy
Nazareth College announces the release of Afternoons with Puppy: Inspirations from a Therapist and His Animals by Cynthia Eisen; a literature professor and freshman seminar instructor at Nazareth. The inspirational stories reveal the inspired healing power of pets. Eisen co-authored the book with Dr. Aubrey Fine, a clinical therapist and professor at California State Polytechnic University. The book includes a foreword by Marty Becker, DVM, resident veterinarian of Good Morning America.
Afternoons with Puppy (Purdue University Press) is a heartwarming account of dynamic relationships and outcomes involving a therapist, his therapy animals, and his patients. It is a narrative of Dr. Fine’s experiences and his growing respect for the power of the animal’s effect on his patients and himself. This book documents some of the magnificent discoveries that Dr. Fine has witnessed and made over the past few decades working with these animals, showing how readers can apply these observations and discoveries to their lives. The authors illustrate the deeper and more fundamental elements of life found in our bonds with animals. The book is already drawing praise from some well-known animal lovers:
“This book is a lovely read and another example of the many roles dogs take on in life." –Betty White, actress/author
The book is available online at www.afternoonswithpuppy.com.
| Alumni Notes |
Year End Giving
With the end of the year rapidly approaching, act now to make certain you have accomplished your charitable goals for 2007. Remember that time spent deciding how to best make your gifts can result in maximum tax savings, other possible financial benefits, and the satisfaction of maximizing your giving.
The new Pension Protection Act of 2006 created an exciting gift-planning opportunity from your IRA without having the amount of the gift included in your gross income during 2006 and 2007.
Gifts of appreciated assets to Nazareth College by December 31 will be deducted at the fair market value for tax purposes and you will avoid paying the capital gains tax on those assets. As you consider your final contributions for 2007, remember that only gifts postmarked or otherwise delivered by December 31, qualify for a 2007 tax deduction.
For more information, visit: the development web site, or call Peggy Martin, director of development, at (585) 389-2401.
Still Searching for that Perfect Last Minute Holiday Gift?
Skip the long lines at the mall and make a gift online at www.naz.edu/makeagift to the Nazareth Fund in honor of someone special. A personalized notification will be sent to your honored recipient informing them of your thoughtful donation (the amount not revealed) and a gift receipt will be sent to you for your records-just in time for the end of the calendar year!
Start a new holiday tradition- ask your family and friends to make a gift in your honor to Nazareth College. For more information, e-mail Melissa Head, associate director of development, at mhead9@naz.edu. Every gift is tax-deductible.
Connections Class Notes
Have you recently changed jobs, received a promotion, got married, had a baby, or celebrated a significant personal or professional milestone that you'd like to share with classmates and friends? Just send your news in to the Alumni Relations Office and we can include it in the Class Notes section of Connections magazine. Or simply update your info online right now by clicking here.
| Events |
Garth Fagan Dance Returns to Nazareth's Arts Center
Tuesday, November 27 – Sunday, December 2
One glimpse of Garth Fagan’s sublime dancers and masterful choreography and you know you’re in for an exhilarating performance. Internationally acclaimed Garth Fagan Dance returns to the Nazareth College Arts Center stage with selections from the company's distinguished repertoire.
Regular admission: $40 / $35
For group rates, contact the box office at (585) 389-2170. Prices are based on seat location. Higher priced seats are centrally located.
Photo credit to Greg Barrett
The Wizard of Oz
Dec. 8, 9, 15, & 16
2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Rochester Children's Theatre transports Nazareth College Arts Center audiences from their seats in the theater to the land of Oz where Dorothy, Toto, Scarecrow, Tin Man, and Cowardly Lion encounter Munchkins, good and bad witches, and a Wizard who is not at all what he first seems to be. This classical musical, based on The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum, with music and lyrics by Arlen and Harburg, is an age-old tale that has entertained for more than a century. Running Time: approximately 90 minutes Audience: grades K through 6
Ticket Price: $15 To order tickets, contact the box office directly at (585) 389-2170. |
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Alumni Holiday Tea with Professor Tim Kneeland, Dec. 12
2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
The Nazareth College Alumni Office invites you to celebrate with alumni and friends at this year's Holiday Tea. Enjoy flavored teas and scrumptious delicacies in the Medaille Dining Room with special guest Tim Kneeland, associate professor of history and political science at Nazareth. 
Dr. Kneeland will review the events that have taken place thus far in the 2008 presidential election and share his thoughts on patterns to look for in the future. From his election night commentary to numerous interviews about the political arena, Kneeland is a frequent resource for Rochester's media. Enjoy a spot of tea and spout about politics!
The cost is $10 per person. Space is limited! Please RSVP by December 7.
To reserve your spot, contact the Office of Alumni Relations at (585) 389-2472 or alumni@naz.edu
Celebrate Monsignor William H. Shannon’s 90th Birthday
You are cordially invited to a Nazareth College celebration in honor of Father Bill Shannon’s 90th Birthday on Saturday, January 5, 2008. Since 1946, Fr. Shannon has been an esteemed member of the Nazareth community: a beloved professor, distinguished colleague, renowned scholar and author, and respected religious leader.
10:00 a.m. – Mass of Thanksgiving, Linehan Chapel, Golisano Academic Center
11:00 a.m. – Celebratory reception, Café Sorelle
Please RSVP by Wednesday, January 2, 2008. Contact the Office of Alumni Relations at (585) 389-2472 or alumni@naz.edu.
In honor of Fr. Shannon, Nazareth is creating the William H. Shannon Endowed Scholarship, to provide need-based financial assistance to future Nazareth undergrads in Fr. Shannon’s name. To help celebrate the accomplishments of one of the College’s most respected figures, we invite you to make a donation for this scholarship. Visit www.naz.edu/makeagift or call the Office of Alumni Relations to make your donation.
If you are unable to attend January 5 and would like to send Fr. Shannon a birthday wish, please send a card to the Office of Alumni Relations, 4245 East Avenue, Rochester, New York 14618, and we will make sure that he receives it. You may also include a gift to the endowed scholarship along with the card.
| Educational Opportunities |
Fall Teaching Job Fair, Dec. 7
3:30 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Gym, Otto A. Shults Center, Nazareth College
Still searching for that perfect job? Nazareth College’s Career Services invites you to attend the Fall Teaching Job Fair on Friday, December 7th at 3:30 p.m. in the Shults Center's Kidera Gymnasium. The fair will include school district representatives from the Rochester, Buffalo, and Syracuse areas as well as selected out of state districts. Recent graduates and students in certification programs who are interested in teaching opportunities, including probationary, long-term and per diem subbing are encouraged to attend. This is an open job fair format where candidates will approach districts of interest to them. Candidates should come dressed in interview attire and be prepared with numerous copies of their resume.
Contact Career Services at (585) 389-2878 for more information. No pre-registration is required; simply complete a short registration at the door. This event is sponsored by the Rochester Area Career Development Association.
A Network for Nazareth Lambda Group
The Nazareth Lambda Association--the support, advocacy, and discussion group for GLBT students and allies--is looking to create a network of advocates to help support its cause. This new initiative will help connect current students with alumni, strengthening Nazareth's GLBT community.
If you're interested in becoming part of Lambda's network, please contact Kerry Gotham, director of alumni relations, at: kgotham7@naz.edu.
| Athletics |
Fall Sports Wrap-up
Nazareth enjoyed a successful fall as the women’s volleyball team competed in the NCAA Tournament and the women’s soccer and field hockey teams earned post-season berths as well. The women’s volleyball team (28-12, 6-2 E8) advanced to the NCAA New York Regional Finals with wins over Montclair State and Cortland before losing to Stevens Institute of Technology in three games. The women’s soccer team (14-6-2, 6-2 E8) won the ECAC Upstate Tournament with victories over Keuka, Fredonia and Brockport, all on shutouts.
The field hockey team (14-6, 4-2 E8) experiencing its most successful season in school history, won the Empire 8 Conference Tournament and set a school record for wins in a season. Senior Kelly Miranda was named the E8 Player of the Year and sophomore Kelly Flanagan broke the school record for points (35) and goals (17) in a season.
For the first time in school history, seniors Jessica Brown, Brendan Epstein, and Nick Stenuf competed at the NCAA Division III cross country championship meet at St. Olaf's College in Northfield, Minn. The three runners qualified for the meet with top-20 finishes at the NCAA Division III Atlantic Regional earlier this month.
The winter sports have gotten underway with the men’s and women’s basketball teams competing over Thanksgiving break. First-year head coach Devin Gotham ’98 recorded his first win as Nazareth’s women’s basketball coach in a victory over Hilbert last weekend. The season has also started for the men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams.
The equestrian team is in the midst of one of its most successful seasons to date. Juniors Erica Riker and Nicki Paris have qualified for post-season regional competition, and the team’s November 18 show resulted in its second reserve championship in school history.
Check out the Nazareth athletics web site to stay up to date with all the Golden Flyers action, including live game web casts.
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Kerry Gotham |
Mimi Wright |