Sequel, Summer 2015 by Paul Smith's College

Sequel PAUL SMITHâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S COLLEGE THE COLLEGE OF THE ADIRONDACKS SUMMER 2015

INTO THE WEEDS Looking for ticks in the Adirondacks

HUNTING & CONSERVATION CLEVELAND COOKS

[ TABLE OF CONTENTS ] Paul Smith’s College

Summer 2015

ON THE COVER: Prof. Lee Ann Sporn searching for ticks with Sam Durfey on a farm in the Adirondacks. PHOTOGRAPHED BY KENNETH AARON

[ DEPARTMENTS ] To Our Readers

Faculty & Staff Notes

Shore Lines

Evergreens

Spaces

Q&A

Our Adirondacks

Alumni Life

Class Notes

Parting Shot

WRITE TO SEQUEL: PSC Alumni Office P.O. Box 265 Paul Smiths, NY 12970-0265 Fax: (518) 327-6267 E-mail: alumni@paulsmiths.edu

CONNECT WITH US:

Sequel | Summer 2015

22 6 Shore lines Two gifts, $3 million ... recognition for retention ... athletics excels ... climbing the walls ... and more.

12 46 up, 46 down Tony Charles ’04 had an idea: What if he could help individuals with developmental disabilities become 46ers? 14 Conserve and protect An important part of wildlife conservation is hunting – and Paul Smith’s serves as the launching pad for many students who go on to careers in the field. 18 Drafty in here Take a look inside the Practical Brewing course, in which experts from the Davidson Bros. Brewing Co. taught students the finer points of brewing and bottling their own beer.

20 Bumper Crop Chef Steve Schimoler started by catering a brunch at 15 and has become one of Cleveland's most recognized chefs.

Sequel PAUL SMITH’S COLLEGE THE COLLEGE OF THE ADIRONDACKS SUMMER 2015

PRESIDENT Cathy S. Dove EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Kenneth Aaron kaaron@paulsmiths.edu WRITER Bob Bennett Communications Coordinator COLLEGE ADVANCEMENT STAFF F. Raymond Agnew Vice President for College Advancement Mary L. McLean Research & Systems Manager Carol Murtagh Assistant to the Vice President Heather Tuttle Alumni Relations Coordinator Andrea Wilcox Annual Giving & Stewardship Manager

14 20

CONTRIBUTORS Nancie Battaglia Lisa Godfrey Kathleen Keck Jacob Sporn DESIGN Maria M. Stoodley PRINTING Service Press Connecticut / Scott Smith ’77 Wethersfield, Conn. TRUSTEES OF PAUL SMITH’S COLLEGE E. Philip Saunders, Chairman Francine Walker, Vice Chairman Patricia K. Dowden, Vice Chairman Paul E. Avery, Treasurer Anthony Johnson, Secretary Stuart H. Angert Paul M. Cantwell Jr. Angela NobleRobert Chur Grange Paul F. Ciminelli David O'Brien ’63 Peter P. Forrence John A. Paganelli Robert Fox Frederick G. Pierce II Mary Jo Hunt Thomas Rogers Pauline Jennett Nora Sullivan Todd Jones ’90 Daniel D. Tessoni Pieter V.C. Litchfield Elizabeth Thorndike Dwayne Mahoney

Katharine H. Welling

TRUSTEES EMERITI

22 We've Got Talent For more than 25 years, open mic nights at Paul Smith’s have showcased student creativity.

26 Bringing the (green) heat A new pellet-fuel boiler means that the college’s three main academic buildings will be heated by renewable energy.

Donald O. Benjamin ’56 Ralph Blum ’54 Richard C. Cattani ‘64 John T. Dillon ’58 William B. Hale John W. Herold ’65 Sheila Hutt Caroline D. Lussi ’60 Joan H. Weill

Published by the Office of College Advancement.

Sequel | Summer 2015

[ TO OUR READERS ]

Forward, full speed

Cathy Dove completed her first academic year as president of Paul Smith’s in May – and the momentum is growing.

ypically in this space, I share my view of what’s happening on campus. But with Cathy Dove just finishing her first academic year as president, I thought it would be a lot more interesting if she shared her perspective of Paul Smith’s. Dove started off running and hasn’t stopped, but in May she slowed down enough to look back on her first eight months.

What has been your biggest challenge? I think it’s trying to “listen and learn” and “do” at the same time. Because we’re not a place that can, or should, stand still. There’s not a lot of time for on-the-job training.

What are the college’s greatest strengths? By far, it’s the people. We have incredibly smart and dedicated faculty, staff and students. There were things I didn’t know the extent of until I got here – like the depth of experiential learning, our commitment to student success and the caliber of undergraduate research that happens here, as is demonstrated in the capstone projects. Those really reflect the learning that’s happening here, how talented our students are and how prepared they are for the next step.

Now that you have eight months under your belt, what changes should we expect? We recently launched a strategic planning process, so many of our ideas are still in the exploratory phases. But there are several initial ideas that we are actively considering. For example, we need to explore how to take experiential learning to the next level, both on and off campus. One idea I would like to see is having a number of student-run businesses on campus. Our students are remarkably entrepreneurial and could gain great experience (and maybe even earn some money!) through a small business experience. Another goal we are exploring is for every student to have a meaningful experience not on this campus. Whether that’s internationally or in the U.S., it’s an opportunity to apply what they’ve learned in an area with people different from themselves. We’re also thinking about how to make the curriculum, and our programs, more flexible. We will be looking at what it takes to operate as a yearround school and how we might implement techniques such as competency-based education that can allow students to complete their degrees once they have achieved appropriate learning objectives. And technology – we need to ensure we utilize 4

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NANCIE BATTAGLIA

distance learning as a powerful tool, and every student needs to be digitally literate when they graduate. Finally, I am committed to the college being an economic engine for the North Country. Our programs are extremely relevant to the area; everything from the work our faculty, staff and students do in the local region, to the great programming at the VIC that draws thousands of tourists, to the commitment to water quality through the Adirondack Watershed Institute, to the many alumni who choose to stay in the region after graduating. I believe it is our obligation to partner with local officials and groups to ensure that this region thrives.

The college has faced some significant financial hurdles. How are things going? Higher education is going through significant changes and disruptions. Most people agree that the cost of education is prohibitive for many students; the residential model is being challenged with the advent of technology, demographics in our geographical region are declining, and many students are looking for more flexible ways to earn a degree. So Paul Smith’s isn’t alone - we face challenges primarily around providing a great education to students who often cannot afford to pay what it costs us to teach them. We need higher enrollment, a lower discount rate (off the sticker price), and more diversified revenues. All that being said, we are doing extremely well! We have highly relevant degree programs as well [ continued on page 28 ]

[ FACULTY & STAFF NOTES] SCHOOL OF COMMERCIAL, APPLIED AND LIBERAL ARTS CALA Interim Dean Eric Holmlund and Prof. Kelly Cerialo hosted 25 administrators and staff from the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines National Park in Italy in March 2015. The group was interested in learning about Paul Smith’s and the Adirondack Park as models of sustainable communities in protected landscapes. In May, Cerialo and Sustainability Coordinator Kate Glenn led a group of 13 students in the Protected Landscapes Community course to the Apennines, where they completed a sustainable tourism marketing plan for the park there. Additionally, students in Cerialo’s Field Studies in Hospitality class worked with the Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism and the Lake Placid Business Association to research and develop a model for EAT ADK Restaurant Week. Holmlund, who is also director of the Adirondack Watershed Institute (AWI) Stewardship Program, secured a $491,091 grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and an $899,000 contract with New York State to support that work. The EPA grant will back the AWI’s aquatic invasive species response teams and watercraft inspectors

across the western Adirondack Park in 2015 and 2016, while the state contract will significantly expand the program across the Adirondack Park. Holmlund also presented at the annual conferences of the New York State Federation of Lake Associations and the International Association of Great Lakes Research in the spring. Students in Prof. Annie Rochon’s Elementary French II class translated exhibits and other materials at the North Star Underground Railroad Museum into French. In March, Profs. Karen Edwards and Becky Sutter presented on improved retention in developmental mathematics courses using the Emporium Model at the International Conference on Technology in Collegiate Mathematics. Sutter was also accepted into the sustainable watershed management certification program at Columbia University’s Earth Institute. Prof. Joe Conto will present a

paper on the shift from a researchbased capstone project to one based on business simulation and analysis at the 2015 International Council on Hotel, Restaurant and Institutional Education conference. Recreation and Intramural Coordinator Kirsten Domas and Instructor Andrew McDonald led

Prof. Joe Conto will present at the 2015 ICHRIE conference.

LISA GODFREY

12 students in the Recreation Practicum course to St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands, in March. In

Students from Prof. Annie Rochon’s Elementary French II class.

addition to planning the trip, the students studied ecotourism opportunities on the island, more than half of which is national parkland.

SCHOOL OF NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT AND ECOLOGY Profs. Celia Evans and Janet Mihuc led nine students to the

Northeastern Natural History Conference in Springfield, Mass., in April, where the group made several research presentations. Mihuc presented “Giant Silkmoth Presence in Northern New York State: Five Years of Data from Project Silkmoth,” a citizen-science project she originated. Evans presented “A Hare’s-Eye View of Habitat Use: A Fine-Grain Analysis of Using Runs or Going it Alone,” which she co-authored with several students. Additionally, Evans and two other students presented “A Fine-Scale Examination of Larix Laricina and Picea Mariana Abundances Along Gradients of Belowground Variables in an Adirondack Peatland: Implications for Species Responses to Climate Change.” Evans also published a paper in the Adirondack Journal of Environmental Studies, “Protecting Our Waters Through Integrated Milfoil Research, Education and Management at the Adirondack Watershed Institute of Paul Smith’s College,” with Dan Kelting, executive director of the AWI; Eric Holmlund, director of the Stewardship Program; and Corey Laxson, an AWI research associate. Evans also wrote two articles on snowshoe hare ecology that

were published in the Adirondack Explorer and Northern Woodlands magazines. Profs. Brett McLeod and Joe Orefice earned

doctorate degrees. Orefice, who earned a Ph.D. from the University of New Hampshire, investigated “Silvopasture in the Northeastern United States.” In January, Orefice was the keynote speaker at the Vermont Grazing Conference. He also became chair of the Society of American Foresters’ (SAF) National Agroforestry Working Group, and accompanied a group of students to Salt Lake City for the SAF’s annual meeting. McLeod completed his Ph.D. at Antioch University. His dissertation, “Neo-Homesteading in the Adirondack-North Country: Crafting a Durable Landscape,” received the Toni Murdock Award for Innovation. His book, “The Woodland Homestead: How to Make Your Land More Productive and Live More Self-Sufficiently in the Woods,” will be published in June. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation invited Prof. Jorie Favreau and other mammal experts to give their opinions on the ecology and status of mammals in New York at a day-long meeting in Albany; the information helped inform an update of the agency’s Species of Greatest Conservation Need list, which was released in December. Profs. Curt Stager, Lee Ann

[ continued on page 28 ] Sequel | Summer 2015

[ SHORE LINES] Brave words

U.S.

Climbing the walls

KENNETH AARON

not adjust your magazine: Dylan Randall ’15 is climbing along the ceiling of the new bouldering cave in the Buxton Annex, which was completed in November. Bouldering participants typically don’t tackle anything more than 20 feet tall, and do without harnesses or ropes. The ceilings in the bouldering room are 9 feet off the floor, which is covered with thick cushions. Joe Orefice, a professor and former coach of the college’s rock climbing team, credited several people with getting the project done, though gave special kudos to student Brandon Morey ’15 for seeing the project through. – KENNETH AARON

Drop and give me 7,218

ere’s something tough: The 7,218 pushups that the Paul Smith’s College Veterans Association completed in its Push-Ups for Gracee fundraiser. Here’s somebody even tougher: Gracee Jewtraw, an 8-year-old from the North Country who faces months of cancer treatments as she battles a brain tumor. In March, about a dozen veterans and other supporters KENNETH AARON collected pledges and did as many push-ups as they could over the course of an hour. They ultimately raised $7,897.35 for Gracee and her family. Asked what kept him cranking out pushups early on a Saturday morning, Jorge Velazquez, a senior who served in the Marines, had a simple answer: “The girl. That keeps me going.” – KA 6

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Rep. Elise Stefanik took the stage at Commencement and said that it’s OK if the crowd wondered if she was old enough to deliver the address – after all, she quipped, she hears the same thing before voting in Congress. Stefanik, 30, became the youngest woman ever elected to Congress last November. The Willsboro resident credited her rise to thinking boldly – and urged the Class of 2015 to take their own chances as they head into the world. “Luck favors the brave,” said Stefanik, a theme the Willsboro resident echoed throughout her remarks to the 230 graduates and their families, all assembled under a billowing white tent next to Lower St. Regis Lake. “Being brave is not easy. In fact, on most days, it’s really hard, and sometimes, it’s very lonely,” said Stefanik, who recalled being stranded alone on the campaign trail in Watertown during an ice storm in 2013, at a time when “barely anybody even realized I was running for Congress.” Whether through raising families, starting businesses or breaking glass ceilings, Stefanik said this Millennial generation will be responsible for carrying a lot of weight. “There are too many big issues that we face not only as a country but as a world today for you not to be brave with your ideas,” she said. The college bestowed honorary degrees upon Jack LaDuke, a veteran journalist from Saranac Lake, and Jeanne Hutchins, who endowed a $2 million scholarship fund – the largest in the college’s history – in memory of her husband, Frank Hutchins, last year. – KA

STEFANIK

Syrup Central H

ave a question about sap? Maple sap? Birch sap? Getting it out of a tree? Turning it into syrup? Doing something with it besides topping pancakes? Paul Smith’s is definitely the place for you this summer. In June, the VIC hosted the first-ever International Birch Sap & Syrup Conference, which drew guests from as far away as the Yukon Territory in Canada, Finland and Russia. While produced in the same way as maple syrup, birch syrup is more savory than sweet. And coming in August, the firstever Adirondack Maple School is focused on the science, business and culinary aspects of the growing maple syrup industry. The school is sponsored by the Adirondack Center for Working Landscapes, a partnership between the college and Cornell Cooperative Extension, and will be held in two sessions: The first, from Aug.

KENNETH AARON

1-4, is aimed at helping maple sugar producers refine their techniques to boost their profitability; the second, from Aug. 5-8, will go into the kitchen, where Chefs Kevin McCarthy and Deborah Misik will show students how to incorporate maple syrup into a range of dishes. “The Adirondack Maple School is about taking the art, science, and economics of all things maple to the next level,” said Prof. Brett McLeod, director of the Adirondack Center

Paul Smith’s College Sugarbush Manager Chuck St. John monitors the boiling process this spring.

for Working Landscapes. “Paul Smith’s has the ability to blend our expertise in forestry, entrepreneurship, and culinary arts to create an exceptional summer program that’s well suited for both the professional sugarmaker, and novices looking to enter this largely untapped North Country industry.” For more information: www.paul smiths.edu/summer/mapleschool – KA

Major gifts impact athletics, academics

hree of the college’s most generous benefactors have stepped up to the plate yet again, giving a pair of gifts worth $3 million. The gifts will support academic as well as athletic and recreation programs on campus. E. Philip Saunders, the chairman of the college’s Board of Trustees, donated $2 million to go toward athletics and recreation programs as well as renovations of the college’s athletics center. Joan and Sanford Weill have given an additional $1 million that will support program development, enrollment and other college operations. “We needed no proof of the generosity of Phil Saunders and the Weills, whose past gifts have helped the college fulfill its promise of delivering a truly life-changing educational experience for our students,” said Cathy S. Dove, president of Paul Smith’s College. “These latest gifts continue their legacies and help reinforce our commitment to students, and we are so grateful for their support.” Over half of Saunders’ $2 million gift will bolster Paul Smith’s athletics and ? SAUNDERS

recreation programs. The college will re-establish men’s and women’s basketball teams, which have been on hiatus since 2013; the teams will play at the club level in 2015, and return to intercollegiate competition in 2016. Additionally, the college will field a new golf team in the fall. Other changes in store include the development of a new training and competition space for the woodsmen’s team, improvements to the ski wax room, and more. “Our primary mission at Paul Smith’s is to give students from all backgrounds an education that opens doors to great possibilities,” Saunders said. “Sports and recreation programs complement the great academic experience provided at Paul Smith’s by providing students critical lessons such as the value of competition, leadership and perseverance. I’m pleased to help more students make this part of their Paul Smith’s experience.” The Weills’ $1 million gift will support program

development and new enrollment initiatives at the college. “Paul Smith’s College is near to our hearts,” said Joan Weill, an emeritus member of the college’s Board of Trustees and a former chairwoman. “It is an institution that embraces its students, giving each and every one who enters the chance to transform their lives. We’re very excited about the college’s future and the leadership that President Dove has shown since arriving.” Both the Weills and Saunders have made significant gifts to Paul Smith’s College in the past. The Weills gave $1 million to scholarships in 2012 and provided significant support to both the college library and student center, each of which bear Joan Weill’s name. In addition to his previous support of the athletics complex, Saunders has also supported the Endowed Chair in Environmental Science within the Adirondack Watershed Institute, student scholarships, and the creation of the John W. Mills and Meg Balassone-Mills Scholarship. Saunders, who began serving on the college’s board in 1991, has been chairman since 2010. Joan Weill served on the college’s board from 1992 to 2011 and was chairwoman from 2005 to 2010. – KA > WEILL

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Program feted An

innovative Paul Smith’s program to give struggling students the support they need to stay in college was recognized by a national publication this spring. University Business magazine named Paul Smith’s student success program a Model of Excellence. It was among 10 in the nation to receive the distinction. Using a simple, four-question online survey, the program lets faculty members raise concerns about students who are skipping class, missing assignments or having other difficulties. Almost every faculty member participated in the program this fall – turnout that gives advisers the ability to keep track of students who are running into trouble. “Student retention is a problem most colleges face, but not many know how to tackle it,” said Tim Goral, University Business’ senior editor. “Paul Smith’s College found a vendor solution that offers a holistic approach, connecting faculty observation with administrators and counselors who know what to do with this type of information.” – KA

ABOVE: Dan Alempijevic ’14 holds a falcon during a conclave session at the Paul Smith’s College VIC. BELOW: St. Lawrence University biology professor Susan Willson leads a mist netting workshop.

Conclave draws crowd T

esting out net guns, looking for wildlife using radio telemetry equipment, banding birds caught in mist nets, getting up close and personal with hawks – these are just a few of the hands-on experiences that awaited students at the Wildlife Society’s Northeast Student Conclave, hosted by Paul Smith’s in March. The annual event drew nearly 200 students from 19 colleges and universities – many of whom walked away from Paul Smith’s bowled over by the incredible resources right at our doorstep. In addition to the workshops, many of which were held at the VIC, the Conclave featured competitions (duck calling, anyone?), a quiz bowl, lectures, and other events. Prof. Jorie Favreau, faculty advisor to the student chapter, said that while Paul Smith’s students get a lot of exposure to field techniques, that’s not necessarily true for others. “I hear my students say, this is what we do in our class, and students from other schools tend to say, ‘Oh, we read about this,’” Favreau told a reporter for North Country Public Radio. “So for many students, this is the first time they’ve ever had their hands on some of this equipment.” – KA

KENNETH AARON

SPORTS ROUNDUP It

was a banner spring for the Bobcats, who brought home titles in several sports: WOODSMEN’S TEAM The men’s team took home the big trophy from the 69th annual Spring Meet, held this year at Dartmouth College in New Hampshire. The event is often called the Super Bowl of collegiate timbersports, and the Bobcats cleaned up: in addition to capturing the overall title, the two Jack-and-Jill teams fielded by Paul Smith’s finished third and fifth. It was the first overall title for the Bobcats since 2012. BOWLING TEAM In the Yankee Small College Conference championships, Paul Smith’s beat Paul Smith’s to take home the trophy. That is – the college’s #2 squad defeated our #1 squad in the title match, hosted by the University of Maine at Augusta. The Bobcats also excelled individually, capturing the first four spots, with senior Jason Duryea earning top honors. At home, one of the team’s bowlers, Ryan McGowan, set

an all-time Saranac Lake record by rolling a three-game set of 837 at Romano’s Saranac Lanes – including a perfect 300 – besting the previous local record by 11 pins. SNOWSHOE TEAM This is becoming predictable for the Striders, the Paul Smith’s snowshoe team: For the eighth consecutive year, the squad captured the International Snowshoe Championship, held in Lewiston, Maine. Paul Smith’s students took individual honors, too: Dave Kucia and Ashley Evans won Athlete of the Day recognition in the senior men’s and women’s categories, while Joe St. Cyr and Lauren Brieant received the same titles in the junior division. St. Cyr was also named overall athlete of the day. First-year student Tyler Dezago snagged a spot on the U.S. national team by placing second in the 5k junior men’s race at the U.S. National Snowshoe Championship, held in Eau Claire, Wis. Dezago finished the course in 21:39.4, the same time as the winner. Sophomore Chloe Mattilio

placed third in the women’s halfmarathon (13.1 miles) event at Nationals, finishing in 2:00:04, while St. Cyr finished eighth in the men’s race, coming in at 1:41:35.

ABOVE: Paul Smith’s student-athletes were recognized by the Village of Saranac Lake this winter. BELOW: A Paul Smith’s snowshoer competes in the Empire State Winter Games in February.

ACADEMIC HONORS Bobcat athletes representing 13 sports were named to the U.S. Collegiate Athletic Association’s All-Academic team during the 2014-2015 academic year. Nineteen student-athletes were recognized in the fall, and another 30 during the spring. All-Academic honors are awarded to sophomores, juniors and seniors who have earned cumulative GPAs of 3.5 or higher over the course of their academic careers. – JIM TUCKER , KENNETH AARON

PAT HENDRICK

Colorful service

For

the second consecutive Earth Day, classes on campus were canceled – but it was hardly a day of rest, as hundreds of students poured into the Tri-Lakes community to participate in the Green Apple Day of Service. Here, 51 students took part in the Color Run, a 5K race/1 mile walk that raised $540 for the Max Calderone Scholarship Fund. Calderone, a member of the soccer team and a forest biology major, died in a car crash in October. In all, more than 300 students participated in service events, including roadside cleanup, a Farm-toSchool fundraising dinner and more. – KA

Leadership team grows Two

experienced leaders filled critical positions on the college’s executive team this spring. Peter Burns was named vice president for enrollment management, and Shannon Oborne was appointed chief marketing officer. “We couldn’t have asked for a better pair of candidates to fill these positions,” said Cathy S. Dove, the college’s president. “They both have extensive experience and proven success in their fields. They will be great additions to the Paul Smith’s community.” Burns had been VP for enrollment management at Hilbert College, an 1,100-student institution south of Buffalo. While there, BURNS Burns helped elevate enrollment to its highest level ever. Oborne was most recently VP of marketing at Tribune Media Services in Glens Falls. She managed all advertising, public relations, content marketing, sponsorships and promotions for the company, and was responsible for marketing programs in North America, Europe and Latin America. While the additions bolster the college moving forward, another institution is gaining leadership from Paul Smith’s: Richard Nelson, OBORNE who has been provost since 2006, will become president of Nicolet College in Wisconsin this summer. A new provost, Nicholas Hunt-Bull of Southern New Hampshire University, will start on July 1. – KA Sequel | Summer 2015

[ EVERGREENS]

LYME FIGHTERS PROF. LEE ANN SPORN, STUDENTS SEEK TICKS BY KENNETH AARON

onventional wisdom has it that there’s neither poison ivy nor ticks in the Adirondacks. The poison ivy? That’s just an old wives’ tale. And Prof. Lee Ann Sporn is busy disproving the part about ticks, too. Since last year, Sporn and several students have collaborated with the state Department of Health and Trudeau Institute to assess the tick population and Lyme disease in the North Country, canvassing sites near campus, the Bloomingdale Bog and elsewhere. Ticks are carriers of Lyme disease, a potentially debilitating infection. While the malady is well established throughout New York State, the Adirondacks have been relatively untouched. And that provides an opportunity for public health officials to study how it spreads into new areas. Sporn, a biologist, says establishing the presence of 10

Sequel | Summer 2015

ticks and Lyme is important so residents, visitors and physicians remember to look for signs of tick bites and the disease. Lyme is on the rise. In 2002, 37 cases of Lyme disease were reported across the entire park; 10 years later, that increased to 698 – even as the total number of cases reported in the state dropped a bit. It was challenging to convince others that it was worth looking for ticks, Sporn said, because research grants are geared more toward finding treatments than simply doing this baseline work. The work was supported with grants from the Walker Foundation and a Cullman Grant, among others. At first, Sporn and the students employed the conventional method of looking for ticks – dragging a white corduroy cloth over the ground near the edges of forestland (ticks like clinging to tall grasses

and other elevated materials, attaching themselves to whatever walks by) and counting the ticks that go on the cloth. Last summer, Sporn worked with Adirondack Watershed Institute stewards to comb the ground near boat launches to do a census. On a day last June, she brought several to an area farm to conduct surveillance. That was a useful experience – “It’s good to have a better understanding of how lab work will relate to field work,” said

Sam Durfey, a Tupper Lake resident who spent last summer as a watershed steward – though that technique doesn’t yield impressive results in areas where tick populations haven’t been well established. Eventually, Sporn and her students turned to more sensitive methods of determining the presence of ticks, and Lyme, such as trapping small mammals and testing for the disease, asking North Country veterinarians for records, and simply asking hikers and others

LEFT: Sam Durfey drags for ticks in a wooded area on a farm in Saranac, N.Y. Ticks like to perch on tall grasses and leap on unsuspecting passers-by. BELOW: Prof. Lee Ann Sporn is hopeful that her study “will provide insights into the nature of the spread of disease into new areas.” BELOW LEFT: Watershed stewards from the AWI and other students helped with the work.

PHOTOS BY KENNETH AARON

whether they’ve noticed ticks. It turns out that one in five dogs in Franklin County test positive for Lyme (far fewer show symptoms.) Even in places where few ticks were detected, small mammals turned up positive for the disease. In Schroon Lake, for example, two-thirds of the animals they trapped were Lyme positive, even though they found few ticks on the ground. “When you talk to people you get a pretty good picture of what’s going on,” Sporn said. “If you put on your blinders and only sample these little grids, randomly selected, you’re probably not going to find anything. So talk to people – where have you seen ticks? I went to the Mountaineer (an outdoor store in Keene) and talked to the person who works there who sells bug repellent, and she led me to two places.” Sporn’s work has gained statewide recognition – she’s

presented at New York State Health Department conferences in Albany, and other researchers are applauding her efforts. “It’s a fantastic idea. It's exactly what we need,” disease ecologist Rick Ostfeld told the Associated Press. Ostfeld is based in Dutchess County, which has the highest rate of Lyme disease in New York.

“If you can catch ticks in the act of expanding into a new area, that’s a fantastic public health benefit.” Now that ticks, and Lyme, are known factors in the Adirondacks, Sporn is working with the Health Department to determine whether other tick-borne diseases are rising. While there’s no sign of anaplasmosis or

babesiosis, Powassan virus has already turned up. So if you’ve been blithely strolling through Adirondack fields without a care in the world, add ticks to the list. To combat the threat of disease, look for signs of bites and wear long pants in areas where ticks congregate any time the temperature rises above 40 degrees. S Sequel | Summer 2015

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LOFTY GOAL

TONY CHARLES ’04 HELPS PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES BECOME 46ERS

THE

STORY & PHOTOS BY KENNETH AARON

three of us who joined John Piestrzynski up Gray Peak and Mt. Skylight last June left the Adirondack Loj around 8 in the morning and returned about 12 hours later, 18 miles and two more of New York State’s tallest mountains under our belts. We were all muddy and worn out. And while everybody who tackles those mountains has to deal with the bugs, the scrambly bits and the sheer distance, Piestrzynski had to overcome a challenge most hikers don’t: He has an intellectual disability that made an already-difficult feat that much more impressive. Piestrzynski’s guide for this hike and dozens of others was Tony Charles ’04, an administrator at Mountain Lake Services in Port Henry who has started a pilot program to help some of the agency’s clients climb 46 of the tallest mountains in the Adirondacks, known as the High Peaks. The ones who accomplish the feat are called 46ers. Piestrzynski – 46er No. 8576 – finished his quest on Aug. 25 by summiting Whiteface, just four years after he bagged his first High Peak with a trip up Cascade Mountain. Mountain Lake is the Essex County chapter of New York State ARC, a nonprofit organization that supports individuals with disabilities. The group operates residences, provides employment and supports individuals and families who are living independently. “I just wanted to give folks we support a chance to get outdoors and see what they have in their backyards,” said Charles, who earned a degree in recreation, adventure travel and ecotourism from Paul Smith's. “In my field, there’s not typically a lot of outdoor recreation happening. It’s bowling, it’s dances. But we have all these resources.” While Charles has held jobs that involved wilderness therapy and outdoor education, his work at Mountain Lake as an internal auditor keeps him indoors. The 46er project started when he decided to start a group at

Sequel | Summer 2015

the agency so clients could go on outings. “Our name is Mountain Lake Services!” he reasoned. “We’ve got to have an outdoors club.” He started with a variety of shorter hikes and snowshoes, including a trip up Cascade and Porter, two of the easier-to-get-to High Peaks. And that made him wonder: Would it be possible to lead any clients up all of them? Charles got the go-ahead to give the pilot a try, he said, because of his extensive outdoor experience, as well as his RATE degree. “The things I learned at Paul Smith’s helped prepare me to do this,” Charles said. “The trip planning, and coordinating with staff, and the gear, and contingency planning, all that stuff – all that is because I learned that at Paul Smith’s College.” Charles started the program with three other hikers. Only Piestrzynski, though, saw it through, and Charles isn’t sure when the next Mountain Lake client will join the 46er club. “One of the important things we learned is that you can’t just pick people from the agency and say, ‘Let’s do 46ers,’” Charles said. They’ve got to have the right temperament – mentally and physically – if they’re going to succeed. Piestrzynski, Charles said, was resilient, good natured, and focused – important qualities. Piestrzynski spoke of other personal peaks he’s climbed, such as getting a fulltime job. Today, he works at a Lake Placid hotel five days a week. On our trip last June – peaks 33

Tony Charles ’04 snaps a pic of John Piestrzynski on top of Skylight. Mount Marcy is in the background.

LEFT: Piestrzynski (left) and Mountain Lake Services staffers Charles and Jessica Peters (right) rest at a stream crossing. FACING PAGE: Charles surveys the view after reaching the summit of Skylight.

and 34 for Piestrzynski – we were joined by Jessica Peters, another Mountain Lake staffer. Peters was a frequent companion whenever Piestrzynski and Charles hiked; last year, when the finish line was near, they went out nearly every week. By the time we reached Lake Tear of the Clouds, the source of the Hudson River, it was hot and buggy and we still had two summits to conquer, including the trailless Gray. And while Piestrzynski let loose the occasional curse as we clambered up the trail, muttering to himself, he always shook Charles and Peters off whenever they asked if he wanted to call it a day. “The only way John was going to become a 46er was if he put one foot in front of the other and actually did all 46 on his own,” Charles said. “If he decided he was going to turn around and quit, which he never, ever did, it wouldn’t happen.” Charles carried a satellite beacon they could activate if necessary so emergency responders could find them. They never needed to do that

though they did hit the occasional hurdle, as every prospective 46er does: They had to sprint from Algonquin to avoid a nasty hailstorm, for example. And at some point while exiting the Santanonis, Piestrzynski sprained his ankle – an injury he masked until the next day. That didn’t stop his hiking schedule, though. While Charles was ready to put the quest for 46 on ice, Piestrzynski refused to postpone the next week’s hike. “I already knew John was a tough guy,” said Charles, who got a feel for his hiking partner’s resilience on a trip up Marshall that they abandoned just a half-mile from the summit because they wouldn’t have enough time to get back before dark. “He slipped twice, he fell in the Cold Brook, he was soaked head to toe,” Charles said. “John may have moments when he gets upset, but he lets it go.” Months after it all ended, Piestrzynski and Charles looked back on their favorite parts of the experience. “Being outside. And hanging out with Tony and Jessica,” Piestrzynski said. Would he do it again? “I think once is enough,” he said. Charles, too, became a 46er last summer. Now, they’re wondering about their next feat to conquer: Perhaps they'll climb the six peaks that surround Saranac Lake and become 6ers. And the NorthvillePlacid trail, a 133-mile route through the Adirondacks, beckons. “What I learned was – there’s no limit to what people can do,” Charles said. “I don’t know if John is the first person with developmental disabilities to become a 46er. But I’ve never heard of somebody around here becoming a 46er with developmental disabilities. I think it’s important to get that story out there. Because there might be other people out there thinking it doesn’t happen, or it can’t happen, or they can’t do it themselves. And John’s testament to the fact that they can.” S Sequel | Summer 2015

[ FEATURE]

Playing

their part SMITTIES FILL KEY ROLES IN CONSERVATION

The

The best way to make a hunter is to teach a person to garden.

Or so says Ben Tabor ’97. It’s one of his favorite sayings because he believes people who garden see the connection between hunting and conservation: When wildlife populations skyrocket, more crops get eaten. “If you have a garden and deer are becoming a problem, call me and my hunting buddies,” Tabor likes to say. “We’ll be happy to take care of it for you.” He’s only half-joking. Since humans have long since done away with most of the natural predators in our environment, Tabor and other hunters like him are responsible for controlling wildlife populations. Paul Smith’s College turns out a significant number of the people who make that happen, both personally and professionally. According to records from the Paul Smith’s College Alumni Office, more than 700 alums currently work for state conservation agencies across the country

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BY BOB BENNETT – and there are at least 50 current students at any given time on campus who want to become conservation officers or game wardens, says Jorie Favreau, a fisheries and wildlife science professor at Paul Smith’s. Add to that the 200 students who check firearms for hunting into the campus armory every fall semester, and another group of students who trap, and it’s evident how much the Paul Smith’s community is part of the conservation movement. Having all these hunters, trappers and conservation officers out there in the world is an ecological necessity, Favreau says. “Take deer as an example,” she says. “If we didn’t thin the population by hunting, they would absolutely decimate our forests and other crops. Not to mention that they cause more deaths and injuries from traffic accidents than any other species in North America.” Hunting also benefits the species itself, Favreau says: “When populations get too

big, there’s more competition for food, and more and more animals starve to death. You can actually tell by looking at marrow in their skeletons if an animal has starved. It’s not rare to find them.” Tabor knows more about all this than your average hunter, too. He’s a senior fish and wildlife technician at the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and the instructor of the Sportsman Education for Wildlife Professionals course at Paul Smith’s. He and his colleagues at the DEC manage wildlife populations by assessing their impacts on agriculture and other ecology. “We strive to maintain a sustainable threshold in their populations,” Tabor says. “We look for impacts to ecosystems and agriculture, and if they’ve increased from the year before, we consider issuing more permits to hunt the animals that are causing the damage or becoming a nuisance. We also ask the public what they want. Hunters might want more deer, while farmers might want less deer. We have to

LISA J. GODFREY

Ben Tabor ’97 is an avid hunter and the instructor of Paul Smith’s Sportsman Education for Wildlife Professionals course.

[ FEATURE] RIGHT: Brian Schofield ’06 with a buck he hunted near Lake George. BELOW: Travis McNamara ’10 (far left) with five other Paul Smith’s alums as they graduate from the DEC academy in 2013.

COURTESY BRIAN SCHOFIELD ’06

LEFT: Prof. Jorie Favreau studies a portion of an animal’s jaw with a student.

balance the resource to fit the public wants and the environmental impacts.” The DEC also takes a hard look at wildlife harvests from previous years and then tries to balance what people are saying about wildlife encroachment with those findings. “Hunting and trapping always makes a resurgence when people experience overpopulation or increases in fur prices,” Tabor says. And that’s fine with him. Tabor loves to hunt for hunting’s sake. “The thing I love most about it is being a part of an ecosystem and feeling connected to my food at a deeper level,” he says. “I am a meat hunter through and through. But, hunting has also given me much more than food. I most like observing and learning about wildlife. To be a good hunter you need to really know the animals, the habitat, have good tracking ability and be in good physical and mental condition to play the game of chase. It’s my whole life, and it takes up most of my time personally and professionally. My wife wasn’t very happy with me when we were trying to plan our wedding. I didn’t want to get married during hunting season, and there’s always a season.” He recognizes that not everyone is so enthusiastic about killing animals, though. “I have friends and family that drive me crazy,” Tabor says. “They think what I do is cruel. In the meantime, though, they eat meat and watch shows like ‘The Walking Dead.’ Shows like that have gotten more and more graphic, and people clearly 16

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PAUL BUCKOWSKI

crave that. Violence is a real problem in our society, but most people really don’t know what it means to take a life. Life is very fragile, and you will firmly respect the finality of killing when you do it. You can’t get that from a TV show. I always want to do right by the animals I kill. It is very hard for me to waste any meat. More people need to experience that kind of respect for their food. Those who haven’t crack jokes more lightly.” Brian Schofield ’06 echoed Tabor’s statements. “Hikers I run into in the High Peaks region complain all the time when they see me hunting,” he says. “They don’t understand that hunting pays for the conservation of the lands they’re hiking, and they don’t understand that we’re not bloodthirsty. We’re not serial killers at heart.” Schofield is a former fisheries and wildlife science student who has been hunting his whole life, even while he attended Paul Smith’s. He started hunting with his father when he was 7 or 8 years old and began on his own when he turned 12. He went to work for the Wildlife Management Institute straight out of college. He currently works for a licensed nuisance wildlife control operator. “I eat game meat at least once a week,” he says, “everything from fish to venison, duck or goose. It’s healthier than beef. It’s

all-natural, and you get the extra added bonus of saving money on your grocery bill. And it’s nice to know that you did it yourself. I cut and package my own meat.” Schofield and his friends enjoy the camaraderie, as well, especially while hunting for waterfowl. “You can socialize while doing it,” he says. “You have to be quiet during deer season, though.” Travis McNamara ’10 is a DEC conservation officer in Long Island where he enforces fish and game laws. Like Schofield and Tabor, he hunts mainly to fill his freezer, and he’s been doing it since since he was 15. “The meat is lean and healthy, McNamara says. “When you buy a cornfed side of beef in the grocery store, you’re getting a lot more fat in your diet. Deer are a much healthier source of protein.” He also enjoys the peace and relaxation that come with getting out in the woods. “It’s nice to get away from people for awhile and connect with nature,” McNamara says. “I go as often as I can.” For all these reasons, Tabor encourages others to get out there and hunt. “Hunting is something you can’t value if you don’t do it yourself,” he says. “When you do though, there are more values than you can count. Hunting gives you off-trail hikes up and down mountains, long hours alone to think and explore the natural world, sunrises on mountains that you wouldn’t have seen otherwise. It gives you experience and knowledge, gives you peace. Force yourself to do it, find a challenge.” S

LISA J. GODFREY

Tabor, on a turkey hunt, hikes up a hill behind Donnellyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Ice Cream on Route 86 outside of Saranac Lake.

[ SPACES]

PRACTICAL BREWING W hen Paul Smith’s announced a craft beer brewing minor last year, we figured it would be popular. We were right. Students flocked to the Practical Brewing course. Here, instructors Keith Otto ’09 and Jason Kissinger, brewers from Davidson Brothers Brewing Co. in Glens Falls, led the class through the bottling process. PHOTO BY KENNETH AARON

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1 Kissinger (right) and Anastasia Nichols (left) use a hydrometer to measure the specific gravity of the English pale ale being bottled. This measures the level of alcohol and sugar in the beer.

4 The beer keg is connected to a tank of carbon dioxide, which helps pressurize the keg for easier filling. The CO2 isn’t carbonating the beer – that happens in another step.

2 Will Matthews fills a bomber, a 22-ounce bottle, from a 5-gallon keg. Homebrews take about 2-3 hours to brew and then ferment 1-2 weeks before bottling; this ale was brewed two weeks ago.

5 An iodine-based sanitizer in this bucket sterilizes the bottles.

3 Corey Loerzel holds a capper, which crimps bottle tops. It took students about 10 minutes to fill 24 bombers by hand. (The brewery can do 3,400 bombers an hour.)

6 After bottling, the beer fermented another two weeks. During this time, yeast consumed sugar and produced carbon dioxide, naturally carbonating the beer. So, how did it taste? Otto and Kissinger reported that “the flavor was balanced (as most English-styled ales tend to be) and had a good representation of English malts and hops.”

4 5

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STEVE SCHIMOLER ’80 Age: 56 Now living in: Cleveland, Ohio Hometown: Brookville, Long Island, N.Y. Family: Son, Stephen; daughter, Kirsten Education: Paul Smith’s College, HRMT Last book read: “A Long Strange Trip: The Inside History of the Grateful Dead,” Dennis McNally Steve Schimoler ’80 standing atop the roof of Crop Bistro, the Cleveland skyline behind him.

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Hobbies: Playing drums and all sports my body still allows. Most memorable meal you’ve ever had: The Fat Duck, Bray, England

Top chef

[Q & A]

INTERVIEW BY KENNETH AARON

THE

first floor of Steve Schimoler ’80’s Cleveland restaurant, Crop Bistro, is just that – a restaurant, though in a restored Beaux-Arts bank that resembles Grand Central Station. Downstairs? That’s the mad-scientist lair, where Schimoler’s consulting arm puts the latest kitchen gear through its paces for companies such as Vitamix, Starbucks and more. One of the Midwest’s most respected chefs, Schimoler talks about technology, business and what Eric Clapton and a star chef have in common. You’ve got ovens in your kitchen that can bake a cake in under two minutes and a water filtration system that can conjure optimal H2O to make a New York bagel. Does this technology ever get in the way? My motto is, science should enhance the experience, not be the experience. A lot of attention is paid to the molecular gastronomy movement, where the science was being applied to modify ingredients for shock factor. Spherical tomato balls and nitrogen-frozen egg whites. A lot of that is kind of smoke and mirrors. Just because it looks cool doesn’t mean it tastes good. In the restaurant business, you survive by being consistent and efficient and hopefully your product is good enough for people to want to buy more than once. You support farm-to-table and other local movements, but you’ve also teamed up with some of the biggest corporations in the business. How do you reconcile the two? The whole local-sustainability movement in restaurants is great. But it’s not a Robert Frost poem here. The notion of walking around with a wicker basket going to a farmers market, or having your own garden, is great. But sustainability doesn’t mean much unless it’s a sustainable business. We have as much local product as we can get, but there’s only two loins on the pig. So in order to have a menu that is consistent, we have to choose our battles. If you don’t operate like a corporation you’re going to be out of business. You’ve done R&D work for companies such as Cabot Cheese – where you helped develop flavored cheddar – Nestle, and NutraSweet. How does PHOTOGRAPH BY KENNETH AARON

working in a corporate environment compare to the work you and your staff do here? At Nestle, we’re sitting in a boardroom with all the vice presidents and I’m getting yelled at that I didn’t play by the rules. We had the most successful new product launches. I sat there and I said, listen, here’s the deal, guys – this whole process that you’re putting in place with us is not how it works. Neil Young doesn’t have on his schedule 3 o’clock Thursday is when I’m going to be creative. It could be 3 in the morning he wakes up and has an idea for a song. And it might be three notes of a melody. Neil Young doesn’t call the band and say, “I’ve got a song and it’s only three notes.” He works on that. He brings it to life. And until it’s ready for someone to listen to, he keeps to himself. What I learned is – don’t share your ideas too early. Don’t share your ideas before they’re mature enough to have credibility. You’re about to open three new restaurants, you have the consulting operation – do you ever think about leaving the cooking to somebody else? I’m on the line every single night. It’s very important. I’m not chopping 50-pound bags of onions, but I create all of the initial recipes. If you’re a chef-owner and your name is on that sign, it’s no different than if you’re going to pay $250 for a front row seat to see Eric Clapton and the lights come up and someone comes out and it’s not him. And they go, “Eric’s not here tonight but I’m going to play his songs for you.” They might play the songs real well, but it’s not Eric Clapton. There’s a handful of guys that can get away with that. So many of these young kids who are going to

culinary school, their aspiration is being a Food Network star. You have a better chance going into the NFL. You catered your first event when you were 15, giving you more than 40 years in this business. What keeps you going? It’s the satisfaction of making people happy. Food is our most common thread as the species. And celebrating food is the most powerful thing. After 9/11, I had a restaurant in Vermont, but I had many friends who died. So we closed the restaurant. Five days later we opened and the dining room filled with people who were by themselves. We were their shoulder to cry on. It forever changed the way I look at my customers. Because you don’t know who they really are, and in many cases, they don’t have people to share their lives with. I tell that story to staff, because we do have a responsibility, not only to nurture people and feed them, but we also have a responsibility to nurture their souls. How important was the hands-on experience you got at Paul Smith’s? Those memories, and those learning experiences, really shaped my entire career. You know, looking at the clock at midnight knowing that you’ve already been there 14 hours and knowing you still have the energy to stay another hour – that was an experience that you can’t buy. Paul Smith’s was very good at getting students to understand that this is not all glory. The romantic notions of the restaurant business, the hospitality business, it’s all about hard work. And being able to have the classroom lessons be applied in real life every day was invaluable. S

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[ FEATURE]

Live from

Paul Smiths!

BY KENNETH AARON | PHOTOS BY NANCIE BATTAGLIA

OPEN MIC NIGHT A LONGRUNNING HIT

. Jesse Smith ’15 takes a bow to his guitar for a set of experimental originals.

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It’s about 15 minutes before the first performer will take the stage at Open Mic Night, but you can still count the number of people in the audience on one hand. That’s OK – they’ll come. They always do. “This is the longest-running open mic in the North Country that I know of,” said Prof. Curt Stager, who has been organizing these sessions since 1988. “Some of these students may have parents who did Open Mic.” Twice a month during the academic year, the Hutchins Café in the Joan Weill Adirondack Library turns into a coffee house, drawing students with just about every type of musical talent imaginable. “We’ve had rap and hip-hop. We’ve had show tunes,” Stager said, while trying to think of an act that hasn’t taken the stage. “We haven’t had sitar yet.” On this Thursday in mid-April, senior Jesse Smith was about to try out some “weird, dark and experimental” originals, he warned, that involved him playing an acoustic guitar with a bow while prerecorded loops droned in the background. The originals were a change of pace for Smith, about to play his last Open Mic ever at Paul Smith’s. “I like to play some stuff that not everyone’s heard of,” he said. “Except for the fact that I usually play the same thing every night, so they’ve all heard of it now.”

Smith’s moody two-song set was warmly received. In fact, every performer got an enthusiastic welcome: the poets, the bands, the guy who sang songs from his Boy Scout days. (Especially that guy.) That’s one of the hallmarks of the night: Respectful audiences (with almost nobody texting or looking at their smartphones) that greet less polished acts as enthusiastically as more seasoned performers. And, in fact, a fair amount of talent has come through campus: In recent years, the Blind Owl Band, a bluegrass-flavored quartet that is building a following on the East Coast, played some of its earliest gigs at Open Mic night (and got its name from watching a saw-whet owl slam into one of the windows at the Hutch); tonight, some of the members of another band getting some local attention, The Fox and the Feather, are on hand to perform. Some acts are organized. Others just happen. Amanda Preston, an environmental science major from Johnsonville, Vt., took the stage on a whim and clogged for the first time in 10 years. The crowd ate it up. “This is where I hang out,” said Preston, back in the audience after performing. “It doesn’t matter what happens here.” What does she like most about Paul Smith’s? “I love it here!” Preston said. “I don’t think there’s a ‘most.’ I think it’s everything combined. I think it’s the opportunity to do whatever you want. If you want to do it, you make it happen. It’s a very unique school.” For a quick look at Preston clogging, visit http://on.fb.me/1HIFfy8 S

. Ed Hart and Rose Roggeman cover a Rod Stewart classic. “You become comfortable in the fact that you’re not going to be laughed at,” Roggeman said.

? Hannah Huber ‘14, who plays with local band The Fox and the Feather, returned to campus to play accordion.

. About 15 minutes before showtime, the Hutchins Café was still mostly empty. With finals on the horizon, a crowd wasn't guaranteed.

> A student awaits his turn on stage. Want to keep up with Open Mic on Facebook? https://www.facebook.com/ PSCopenmic

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[ FEATURE]

. There were guitars aplenty at open mic night â&#x20AC;&#x201C; as well as spokenword poetry, a mandolin, and more. Organizer Curt Stager says theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve had everything but sitar.

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> “I guess we’re President’s Corner, the wholesome music collective,” said Blake Parker (with mandolin). “This song is called ‘Sweet Talkin’.’ We’ve practiced it a few times. Hopefully we don’t screw it up.”

> About 50 people came out for this Open Mic night – not as many as some Thursdays, but not bad for the end of the semester, either.

. Aaron August plays bass, but read a poem this night. “t doesn’t matter what you do or how good you do it, everybody is still there supporting you,” he said.

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[ OUR ADIRONDACKS ]

FUEL FOR CHANGE W

hen the college flips the switch on its new state-of-the-art biomass heating system, it’s going to do away with 320 tons of fossil fuel emissions a year. The wood-pellet fueled boiler will heat all of the college’s academic buildings. But Kate Glenn, the college’s sustainability coordinator, says that’s only a start. The entire campus as well as the Paul Smith's College VIC will eventually be heated with biofuel. “This project is not just about supporting our long-standing pledge to become carbon neutral as part of the Presidents Climate Commitment – it’s also about supporting the development of a local market for a responsibly harvested, renewable energy source that comes right from the Adirondacks,” Glenn said. “As the College of the Adirondacks, we have a responsibility to design our campus infrastructure to reflect the kind of energy economy we want to see here in the North Country. This system has important implications for the future of renewable energy development in rural communities.” The VIC installation is scheduled for this summer, and that system should be online and fully operational for the next heating season. After that, the goal is to tie together a few buildings at a time and to have every building on campus running on so-called mini-district heating grids by 2029. The current boiler is one of the first uses in New York State of a high-efficiency and low-emission wood pellet boiler heating system to heat multiple buildings. The college is one of five sites in the North Country planning to install this technology. Other sites include the Olympic Regional Training Center in Lake Placid, North Country Community College's Sparks Athletic Complex in Saranac Lake, the Indian Lake School and the North Country School in Lake Placid. LEFT: Kate Glenn, sustainability coordinator at Paul Smith’s, stands next to a silo that will store wood pellets for heating the college’s academic buildings. PHOTOS BY KENNETH AARON

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LEFT: Glenn with a handful of pellets, which are made from trees harvested in the North Country.

This new technology is being advanced by Renewable Heat NY, which encourages growth of the high-efficiency, low-emission biomass heating industry. The program also supports quicker development of this industry, raises consumer awareness and encourages local sustainable heating markets and sustainable forestry. So far, the project has cost $600,000. More than half of that money came from a New York State Energy Research and Development Authority grant through the Cleaner, Greener Communities Program, which encourages local

communities across the state to become more sustainable and energy efficient. NYSERDA has monitored the design and installation of the project to ensure its energy and environmental performance. The system itself is pretty simple. A silo erected behind Freer Hall is connected by augur to a boiler, which is automatically fed wooden pellets. The heat produced by the boiler flows into the existing heating system of Freer, Cantwell and Pickett Hall. It displaces 28,000 gallons of heating oil with

locally sourced wood pellets and makes use of thermal storage, a technology that increases the efficiency of the boiler. The current system heats a total of 70,000 square feet, saving the college up to $50,000 a year. The system will pay for itself in 15 years. It also supports the local forest industry. Bulk wood pellets from Curran Renewable Energy in Massena, N.Y., are sourced from local, sustainably harvested, Forest Stewardship Councilcertified woodlots. And it keeps jobs in the local economy. Heating with imported oil sends 75 percent of the money out of the state. Now, all the energy dollars will remain in the region. “Perhaps the biggest benefit for the Adirondack region is the example we’ve set with this technology,” says Steve McFarland, who as the college’s vice president for capital projects has overseen the project since its inception. “This could feasibly become the standard for renewable heating throughout the region, and we’re proud to serve as the example.” – BOB BENNETT

The grass is greener at Paul Smith’s College. Reunion 2015 • July 24-26, 2015 For more info or to register online: www.paulsmiths.edu/alumni

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[ FACULTY & STAFF NOTES]

[ TO OUR READERS ]

Forward, full speed

[ continued from page 5 ] Sporn, Melanie Johnson and

recent graduate Sean Regalado published an article, “Of PaleoGenes and Perch: What If An ‘Alien’ is Actually a Native?” in online journal PLOS ONE. The article relied on ancient strands of DNA to show that yellow perch, considered an invasive species to the Adirondacks, are, in fact, native. In March, Sporn attended the Tick-Borne Disease Research Workshop in Albany, where she presented results of recent monitoring studies. The event was sponsored by the New York State Department of Health and the state Senate Task Force of Lyme Disease. She also organized an invitational abstract art show, “Change,” which was part of the second annual Science, Arts and Music (SAM) Fest at the VIC in April. Stager, who helped organize SAM Fest, also participated in several other events: He gave a keynote presentation at the Climate Change Exchange, a conference on teaching about climate change, at Delhi Academy in the Catskills; he led a community discussion and presentation on climate change in the North Country for North Country Public Radio; and he delivered a public presentation on climate change for the Planet Ocean Lecture Series at the Center for Marine

[ continued from page 4 ]

COURTESY KIRSTEN DOMAS

Studies at the University of North Carolina, Wilmington. Prof. Bob Brhel and the Draft

Horse Club partnered with the Lake Clear Lodge & Retreat to provide horse-drawn sleigh rides to nearly 400 guests (including four couples who got engaged on the ride.) Money raised from the rides was used to support the club and horses.

OTHER FACULTY & STAFF Director of Library Services Neil Surprenant authored “Saranac Lake,” a local history that is part of Arcadia Publishing’s Images of America series. Campus Safety Dispatcher Beatrice Hathaway was certified as an EMT. Several staff members were certified as Title IX investigators, including Campus Safety Director Phil Fiacco; Assistant Director of Campus Safety Holly Parker; Campus Safety Officers Rod Bushey and Theresa Leclerc; LEFT: Prof. Dan Kelting, executive director of the Adirondack Watershed Institute, in the Paolozzi Center.

Students in the Recreation Practicum on St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands, in March.

Counseling Center Director Ellen Gooch; Dean of Student Affairs Matthew Schur; and Human Resources Generalist Brenda Garver. Parker was also certified in mental health first aid, as was Counseling Center Office Manager JoAnn Foster and Campus Safety Officers Adrian Boulias, Anthony Lamb and Theresa Leclerc.

What’s been most fun for you? Fire Safety Officer Paul Otenti was certified as an OSHA instructor and code compliance technician. He also presented on ways the college is teaching students to be fire-safe at the Campus Fire Safety, Security and Risk Management conference in Ohio in March. A paper written by adjunct instructor and TRiO-Student Support Services Director Tom Huber, “Cordwood at Cedar Eden: The Pattern That Connects,” was accepted for publication for the Fifth Continental Cordwood Conference, to be held this July in West Chazy, N.Y. Athletic Director Jim Tucker was named 2015 Volunteer of the Year by Special Olympics New York Area 27, which covers the North Country. S

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KRIS QUA

as excellent faculty and staff. In addition, our alumni are incredibly supportive and so important to our future. We just hired our first chief marketing officer as well as a new vice president for enrollment, and we’re working on a branding process. We need to tell our story really well, we need to expand the diversity of our student base, create flexibility in our programs and make sure our programs and pedagogy stay highly relevant. While we are building for the future, we are managing our expenses very tightly, while benefiting from the invaluable support of a number of wonderful donors. Bottom line is that our financials look very good this year. We’re optimistic that future years will continue to be strong.

Even though I haven’t found enough time to climb even one of the Adirondack “46”, I’m having a great time! This is such a special place. At the end of the day, what’s most gratifying is having the opportunity to work with all the people connected with Paul Smith’s, from faculty, staff and students on campus, to the great community in the Adirondacks, to the many alumni across the country (and world). I am constantly amazed at the reach of Paul Smith’s College. I have become a walking billboard for Paul Smith’s when I’m traveling, by wearing one of our T-shirts wherever I go. I was in California, and got to my hotel and decided I had a few minutes to go out for a run. I was accosted by a woman the minute I walked out the door from the hotel – an alumna. Even though we are the “College of the Adirondacks”, our impact is clearly global. How great is that! S

[ ALUMNI LIFE]

[

2015-2016

Alumni Events

]

CALENDAR JULY

Reunion 2015 Friday-Sunday, July 24-26 Campus

Alumni Board Meetings Saturday-Sunday, July 25-26 Campus

. The woodsmen’s team in action during Homecoming.

Fall Career Fair Thursday, Oct. 22

APRIL 2016

Sugar Bush Breakfast Saturday, April 16, 2016

Campus

Paul Smith’s College Sugar Bush

Homecoming Saturday, Oct. 24 Campus

Alumni Board Meetings Saturday-Sunday, April 16-17, 2016

NOVEMBER

Campus

NYC Alumni Reception Sunday, Nov. 8

MAY 2016

AUGUST

Brew at the Zoo Friday, Aug. 7 Rosamond Gifford Zoo, Syracuse

Alumni Clam Bake Sunday, Aug. 16 Bob’s Trees, Galway, N.Y. SEPTEMBER

A Walk in the Woods Sunday, Sept. 13 International Paper-John Dillon Park, Long Lake, N.Y. OCTOBER

Alumni Board Meetings Saturday-Sunday, Oct. 17-18

JACOB SPORN

Location TBA DECEMBER

Winter Celebration Sunday, Dec. 6

Commencement Saturday, May 7, 2016 Campus

Campus

JULY 2016

JANUARY 2016

Alumni Board Meetings: Albany Saturday-Sunday, Jan. 9-10, 2016

Reunion 2016 Friday-Sunday, July 22-24, 2016 Campus

Location TBA

Campus

? Students

in the hospitality and baking programs at the annual “Smitties in the City” event at the Copacabana in NYC, Nov. 2014.

CONTACT US » For additional information, please contact: Office of Alumni Relations Phone: (518) 327-6253 Email: alumni@paulsmiths.edu KATHLEEN KECK

Sequel | Summer 2015

[ ALUMNI LIFE / CLASS NOTES ] LETTER FROM THE ANNUAL GIVING AND STEWARDSHIP MANAGER

ne of the greatest assets we have at Paul Smith’s – and there are many – is our location. We’re in the middle of a 6-million-acre park. You can hike and fish and ski and don’t even have to leave college property. All that scenery is beautiful. It’s also good for the soul, something former Trustee Charlie Morgan knows well. He’s not only a repeat 46er, but he’s climbed mountains including Fuji and Kilimanjaro. And he’s a full believer that every Paul Smith’s student’s education should include time on the trail. Charlie believes that so strongly that he proposed one of the most creative fundraising projects we’ve ever seen: For every student who climbed St. Regis Mountain between Dec. 1 and Commencement, he donated $10 to the college. And for every student who became a 6er during that time – that’s the term for people who

ALUMNI ASSOCIATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS David O'Brien ’63, President B. Randy Sadlon ’80, Vice President Norman Fedder ’69, Secretary Andrea Urmston ’89, Treasurer Alyson Bennett ’81 William Burns ’49 Christopher Diedrich ’84 Charles Dyke ’61 David Eaton ’61 Kathleen Gowen ’86 L. Jimmy Hadjis ’58 James Hodock ’74 Cory Hoffman ’09 Richard Lewis ’63 John Maille ’82 F. Joseph McCranels ’54 Frederick Oberst ’63 Daniel Richards ’89 Thomas Rosol ’74 Melissa Uhlik ’76

Sequel | Summer 2015

LEFT: The view from the summit of St. Regis, one of the six mountains part of the Saranac Lake 6er challenge. BELOW: Survey marker atop St. Regis. PHOTOS COURTESY ROBERT NUBER (TOP) AND JONATHAN BLACKWELL (BOTTOM)

climb St. Regis, Ampersand, Baker, Haystack, McKenzie and Scarface – he donated $25. In all, his challenge raised more than $500. By the time it was done, more than 50 students reported climbing St. Regis, and one, Jen Maguder, became a Sixer. (She knocked all of those peaks off in one day!) We heard from

50s

Clare (Ely ’50) Hatler has

officiated 17 same-sex weddings as a chaplain in the Olympic Unitarian Universalist Fellowship since Washington became the 4th state to legalize it in December 2012. It has been an honor and privilege for her. Robert V. Kramer ’53 retired 3

years ago after working 60 years in the hardwood industry. During his career, he traveled all over Asia selling logs, lumber, and veneers. He loved his job, and now he is enjoying his retirement. Dr. Jacqueline D. St. John ’54

donated 550 political and feminist pins (1960-2010) to the Durham History Museum in Omaha, Neb. The Smithsonian and CNN selected three pins and displayed them in Grand Central Station in May 2014 for their documentary series on the ‘60s.

students who climbed other mountains across the Adirondacks during that time, too. One of the things I liked most about Charlie’s gift is that it generates returns in so many ways. It supports the college, of course – but it also inspired students to get out and explore their own backyard, and maybe build a habit that they’ll carry with them forever. Have you come back lately? You should. And take your hiking boots. Plan to come for Reunion (July 24-26) and visit our own VIC. Or come to our annual Walk in the Woods event at International Paper John Dillon Park outside of Long Lake on Sept. 13. Both are great places to walk a tenth of a mile or 10 miles. Hope to see you soon!

Andrea Wilcox Annual Giving and Stewardship Manager

Robert L. Stone Sr. ’54 writes

that he had a fantastic time at the reunion! He thought it was very well organized and he had great fun. W. Bill Secor ’55 says that all is

well at 86 years of age.

George M. DeRoth ’58 lives in

Las Vegas with his wife, Jan. He spent 26 years in the NYPD before retiring to run his awards business. They have six married children, 13 grandkids, and two great-grandkids and spend a lot of time traveling. Both he and his wife are still working – she as an administrative assistant to the library director at the College of Southern Nevada and he has an engraving business. Richard J. Milano ’58 has been working with Don Streb ’67 to

form an alumni chapter in Asheville, N.C. After looking through the new directory, they realized that there were more than 100 alumni in their area, so they will keep us posted.

All alumni are welcome to visit him in Maggie Valley, N.C. Vincent A. Grund ’59 went on

to graduate from West Virginia University in 1962. He then entered the Navy through OCS and was commissioned in March 1963. He completed Navy Air Navigation school in October 1963 and spent three years with the fleet. He completed 20 years’ service with the reserves and retired as an 05. After completing a Navy tour he worked at various jobs in the southeastern states working with the wood preserving industry. In 1980 he formed Raintree Services, a herbicide application company, that specialized in the industrial, forestry and aquatic markets. The company was located in Zebulon, Ga., and covered the markets in Georgia, Alabama and northern Florida. The company was sold in 2003 and he moved to Baker, Fla., in the panhandle, where he still resides. He started a small choose-and-cut Christmas tree farm

We want to hear from you! Email class notes to alumni@paulsmiths.edu, send to PSC Alumni Office, P.O. Box 265, Paul Smiths, NY 12970, or fax to (518) 327-6267. (Pics welcome!) until cancer forced a cessation of the operation. Now in remission, he is growing vegetables that are sold through various local farmers markets. Contact info: vinman889@embarqmail.com.

at it they solved not a few state and national problems. Wayne looks forward to meeting President Dove at this year’s reunion if all goes well with them.

Richard J. Olsen ’59 is currently a

Providence, Pa., in August.

real estate sales agent after retiring from 40 years at the Palisades Interstate Park Commission.

60s

H. Brenton Teillon ’60 is enjoying his

retirement from the Vermont Forests and Parks Department; he has been doing some traveling, canoeing, hunting, trapping and occasionally some forest entomology research at University of Vermont. Teillon visits the Adirondacks often and is interested in hearing from PSC graduates who attended from September 1958 to June 1960.

Donald A. Dellow ’62 is still a professor

at the University of South Florida, but is now thinking of retirement. Wayne F. Knipping ’63 met with three

other alumni from the Class of ’63 last July at Jerry Hill ’63’s place in Brant Lake. Bill Houck, John Casadonte, Hill, Knipping and their wives spent and enjoyable day reminiscing about their time at Paul Smith’s and catching up on their lives. While they were

To Trisha Wickwire and John (Johnny Danger) McLean ’02, a son, Duncan Merle, on Oct. 24, 2014.

Frederick S. Downs Jr. ’64 has retired

To Meghan and Travis Zedick ’03, a daughter, Sloane Carlin, on March 24.

from the Connecticut State Police and is presently restoring antique cars.

To Pam (Hyde ’03) and Daniel Corey ’06, a son,

Robert A. Inslerman ’65 retired from

Richard D. Babcock ’65 retired eight

visit PSC on his way home to Rhode Island, but the snowstorm in November 2014 made him avoid this area. However, he plans to visit during summer 2015 as his ParishvilleHopkinton school class will be celebrating 55 years since graduation.

To Jennifer (Kerr ’01) and Martin Lieb ’05, a son, Henry Amos, on March 28.

retired and living in Liverpool, N.Y. He can be reached by email at syrogun@ yahoo.com.

Salvatore A. Cozzolino ’61 worked

Carlton R. Johnson ’62 usually stops to

To Rebeccah and Mark Doherty ’99, a daughter, Seneca Rosemarie, on Jan. 22.

Charles J. Schunck ’64 writes that he is

ist for about 40 years and retired from The New York Times Upfront, an educational magazine, in 2008. He now lives in New York City. for the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation for 41 years and has been retired for 12 years.

BIRTHS

John M. Gillen ’64 moved to New

the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, Bureau of Wildlife, as the regional wildlife manager for Region 5 following a 35-year career. However, he did not like retirement and ultimately started his own local- and long-distance driving service called Polar Express Transportation Service, now in its seventh year of business. He and his wife also have a townhouse in Scottsdale, Ariz., that she escapes to in the winter.

Peter M. Jones ’61 worked as a journal-

Trail markers

Cayden Patrick, on April 10. To Erin and Ken Kehn ’05, son, Dean Kenneth, on Dec. 3, 2014. > To Erin (Greene ’05) and Eric Geib ’05, a son, Levi Marston, on May 26, 2014. To Katy (Widman ’05) and TJ Matthews ’05, a daughter, Elise Lorraine, on Oct. 20, 2014.

years ago as a senior agent for Allstate Insurance Company, where he worked for 36 years. He has two children.

MARRIAGES Christine (Roy ’07) and Jerrod Parker

were married on Aug. 3, 2014.

Ross S. Morgan ’65 is still working in

the woods as a forester, practicing what Mr. Hoyt, Mr. Peroni, and Mr. Rutherford taught. In September 2014 he expanded his forestry business to include his daughter Dawn Morgan, who is an ecologist, and her husband, Rick Morrill, who is a forester. Their company is now called Northern Forest Conservation Services, out of Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom and beyond. He and Ed Griffith ’66 have been marking timber together on Griffith’s land, with constant chatter about their good luck of having a Paul Smith’s education.

Brittney (Ravenscraft ’08) and David Pittman Jr. ’08 were married Sept. 20,

2014.

Kelly (Sherlock ’08) and Ryan Rambeau ’06 were married on Sept. 1, 2012.

DEATHS Benjamin F. Howatt III, retired faculty

member, on Jan. 26 in Saranac Lake.

Owen R. Griffith ’48 on Jan. 15 in

Dallas, Texas.

John H. Missert Sr. ’49 on March 19 in

William J. Brill ’66 is retired and living

on an island in the tropics, fishing, golfing, and enjoying the great outdoors. He loves to travel as well and has taken six trans-Atlantic

Marco Island, Fla.

Paul Hopewood ’50 on Dec. 24, 2014,

in Naples, Fla.

Sequel | Summer 2015

[ CLASS NOTES ]

Trail markers DEATHS William R. Volavka ’50 on Nov. 20,

2011, in Washburn, Wis.

Harold Dinberg ’50 on May 19, 2013,

in Vero Beach, Fla.

Raymond E. Leonard ’51 on Feb. 2 in

Fort Myers, Fla.

Frank J. Eiser Jr. ’52 on April 23, 2014,

in Huntsville, Ala.

> Alumni Council Board Member Norman T. Fedder ’69 visited the White Pine Camp with future Smitties in February. He brought the family up to enjoy the Arctic weather and the 2015 Winter Carnival. The Thompson kids – Brody, 6, Makenna, 11, and Logan, 5 – enjoyed the whole weekend, especially the hot dogs roasted at the fireplace.

Nola Eiser ’52 on June 28, 2014, in

Huntsville, Ala.

Richard J. Barr ’52 on March 22 in

Marcy, N.Y.

Richard L. Strassman ’53 on Nov. 17,

2014, in North Chili, N.Y.

Ronald E. Pershing ’57 on Nov. 4,

2013, in Bowling Green, Ky.

Harry Ruecker ’57 on Oct. 18, 2014,

in Lake George, N.Y.

Frederic A. Alexander ’57 on Oct. 4,

2013, in Broadalbin, N.Y.

Gerald B. Lucas ’59 on Oct. 27, 2014,

in Hartford, Conn.

Richard M. Roche Jr. ’60 on Oct. 28,

Joan A. (Karley ’66) Thompson writes

2014, in Canisteo, N.Y.

Gerald T. Szczech ’61 on Nov. 7, 2014,

in Memphis, N.Y.

Robert S. Holland ’63 on Sept. 10,

that she has moved to The Villages, Fla. No more snow or New York State taxes! Life is good! Marcus G. Phelps ’66 completed a

2009, in Hudson, Fla.

John A. Conde ’65 on Feb. 26 in

five-year “second career” as town planner for Southwick, Mass., in 2012. Now he is enjoying his return to retirement while serving on the Southwick Conservation Commission.

John M. Barney ’65 on Oct. 8, 2014,

Mark D. Pask ’67 and his wife, Jan,

Terry J. Critchley ’63 on Feb. 3 in Saco,

Maine.

Tilton, N.H.

William C. Achcet ’67 (aka Adirondack

Bill) took two deer again this year, and Reed Crisco Adams ’68 (aka The Perchmaster) got his usual take of no deer. Bill cannot believe that Adams learned how to hunt at good old PSC and still can’t take a single deer. Bruce M. Barrett ’68 retired at the

beginning of January 2015. He is looking forward to the clam bake at Bob Eaton’s this summer and meeting his classmates. Stephen H. Price ’68 had a nice talk with

James Runyan, also of the Class of ’68. He has spent the last year remodeling his kitchen and enjoying his four grandchildren. Gene A. Goundrey ’69 writes to say

2014, in Buffalo, N.Y.

have begun their 18th year of innkeeping at their B&B in Cape May, N.J. Yes, a forestry guy is in the hospitality business! The Luther Ogden Inn was named to the Green Festival Honor Roll for its commitment to sustainability and the environment. In family news, both of their sons just had baby girls, making Mark and Jan grandparents!

Brian Howard ’69 on Feb. 20 in Troy,

David J. Kelmer ’67 is a retired tree

Bruce W. Kile ’69 retired from PA DCNR

in Theresa, N.Y.

Donald J. Riesterer ’68 on Feb. 11 in

Camden, N.Y.

Mark D. Kelsey ’68 on Nov. 16, 2014,

in Fort Worth, Texas.

Judith A. Barnum ’69 on Nov. 14,

N.Y.

expert but still climbs trees for his son’s business, Custom Tree Care, on Hatteras Island in North Carolina.

Paul K. McDermott ’69 on Oct. 30,

2014, in Hollidaysburgh, Pa.

Vivian M. Dimmel ’69 on Nov. 11,

Raymond D. Masters ’67 writes that he

2014, in Liverpool, N.Y.

Harry Barkley ’70 on Aug. 17, 2012,

in Loch Sheldrake, N.Y.

cruises. If anyone goes to visit Pine Island on the southwest coast of Florida, email him and he can set up a fishing trip! Mr. Brill hopes to make it up to PSC for a visit this summer.

Sequel | Summer 2015

visited the college in September and that he was impressed with the students he spoke with and the campus grounds and buildings.

that Paul Smith’s College made it all possible – becoming a CPA that allows him to have a wonderful career. He noticed that some recent alums are curlers in Connecticut where he is a member of a curling club, and is happy to see that so many people are discovering the winter sport.

as a forester with 35 years of service in 2004. He is still working in forestry as a consultant, primarily writing forest management plans part-time.

Gustave A. Bundt ’69 remembers the

bitter cold here at Paul Smith’s College, like in February 1974 when it was 20 degrees

below for 21 days in a row. Mr. Bundt also says that it is a wonderful campus in the spring, summer, fall (with the changing leaves and maple syrup) and even in the winter. He loves that there are students from the city, all over the U.S. and even around the world! Bruce M. Hilton ’69 writes that after

almost thirty years he is retiring from Northrop Grumman in Baltimore. He formerly worked as a software license administrator within Engineering. Bruce and his wife, Jackie, will be wintering in The Villages, Fla.

70s

Peter W. Klym ’70 writes that he has

retired from the Liquor Control Board of Ontario.

David A. Bates ’70 retired from being a

pilot in 2013. His last flight was in an AH64D Longbow Attack Helicopter on March 29 of that year. He is enjoying retirement and has since toured Alaska. Kenneth F. Nephew ’70 has been retired

from Alcoa Inc. since 2004, but has spent his time as a substitute teacher in the Malone School District. In the summer he spends time at his camp on the St. Lawrence River and spends three months of the winter in Florida. Nephew is looking forward to hearing from his class’ alums and visiting with them at this year’s reunion. John J. Dora ’71 is now retired after 30+

years with the NYS Department of Taxation and Finance.

David E. Morse ’71 has been retired from

the Alabama Department of Corrections for 13 years. He is now living in Kentucky with his wife and nine cats, and hopes to get to the PSC Alumni Campground sometime this year. Morse would love to hear from anyone from the first year in New Men’s Dorm! Earl N. Fahey ’72 retired from 31 years

at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Region I (Boston).

Paul E. Wamsganz ’73 retired in 2013

and is now residing in Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom. He enjoys “working” his woodlands and finds time to hunt, fish and travel a little.

Gregory L. Migdal ’74 says hi to all old

dorm friends at Hillside Cottage Dorms #9 and #10. He invites you to stop by if you

are visiting the Buffalo area. Frank P. Barrera ’74 just published his

first book, “God’s Road Warrior: Are You Going My Way?” It is available online at Amazon and Barnes and Noble. This book is a collection of true stories about life on the road; two stories include Smitty episodes in the 70s and how they relate to our lives today. John W. Leonard III ’74 is a surveyor

and soil scientist at Yannaccone, Villa, and Aldrich LLC in Chester, N.J. W. Douglas Fitzgerald ’75 is hoping to see some ’75 Piners with Leo Kelly ’75 at

Reunion Summer 2015. They spend a week each year at White Pine Camp leading hikes in the area. James E. Murray ’77 and his wife,

Trail markers DEATHS Brian L. Martin ’71 on Jan. 29 in

Bradford, Vt.

Leo B. Spear Jr. ’72 on Dec. 16, 2014,

in Grand Isle, Vt.

James B. Thorpe ’73 on Oct. 6, 2014,

in Pocahontas, Ark.

Christopher B. Crandall ’74 on Oct. 6,

2014, in Sayre, Pa.

Allan E. Kling ’74 on Nov. 9, 2014, in

Stanfordville, N.Y.

Brook F. Hobson ’75 on Dec. 2, 2014,

in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

Gregory A. Thompson ’75 on April 11

in Hudson, Fla.

Maureen, got to visit five more national parks in southern Utah last September: Zion, Bryce, Capital Reef, Arches and Canyonlands. After their trip to Yellowstone three years ago, they realized nature’s beauty must be seen up close and personal. The beauty of these national parks cannot be overstated, especially Yellowstone. Their first grandchild is on the way.

Frederick E. Egemeier ’76 on April 10 in

Richard M. Fisher ’77 says that all is well

Douglas P. Herlan ’85 on Jan. 30,

in sunny, warm California. He is enjoying his time as a parent with his children and three grandchildren, as well as gardening, working in his woodshop, raising Labradors, milking goats and, oh yeah, working! He feels blessed. Justin H. Kennick ’78 is still working full-

time at Old Sturbridge Village, a living history open-air village of 1830s New England life, as a farmer, cooper and blacksmith, as well as in a water-powered sawmill. He is still married to the beautiful and talented Marge Bruchac!

80s

Pembroke, Va.

Bruce H. Christiansen ’77 on Feb. 2 in

Waterford, Pa.

Allan M. Alden ’79 on March 30 in

Plattsburgh, N.Y.

Michael R. Phillips ’80 on March 24 in

Washington Crossing, Pa. 2014, in Depew, N.Y.

James F. Reese ’87 on Jan. 3 in El

Dorado, Ark.

Joseph B. Sullivan Jr. ’93 on Feb. 7 in

Amherst, N.H.

Christopher T. Winkler ’99 on Jan. 21 in

West Linn, Ore.

Ethan C. Rice ’09 on Jan. 14 in

Morrisonville, N.Y.

Michael J. Lovette ’10 on March 25 in

Buffalo, N.Y.

Mark A. "Max" Calderone ’16 on

Oct. 10, 2014, in Paul Smiths.

Glenn S. Plantone ’81 is an owner/

broker for Vegas International Properties Realty Group in Las Vegas, Nev. Mark Arsenault ’81 retired from

government service after more than 32 years as a ranger in the National

> Holly (Mansur ’05) and Joel Chiodo ’03 with their children at the Pancakes at Bob’s Trees event held this March in Galway, N.Y.

Sequel | Summer 2015

[ CLASS NOTES ]

> Players in the 2014 Brian W. Smith ’95 Alumni Memorial Basketball Game. The next will be played at Homecoming, Saturday, Oct. 24.

Park System and a federal air marshal. As a ranger, he worked 20 years in eight national park sites doing law enforcement, emergency medicine, search and rescue, and firefighting. In 2002, he transferred to the newly expanded Federal Air Marshal Service where he flew more than 2,500 missions and 5 million miles to numerous domestic and international cities providing security to the aircraft, crew and passengers. Sara L. (Hall ’84) and Karl L. Maul ’84

missed the 30th reunion but their hearts were here. They are loving life in central Pennsylvania – still!

Christopher M. Voell ’85 is still in the

environmental field after 30 years. He recently joined Aria Energy, where he is developing biogas energy projects and turning manure, wastewater and landfill gas to energy. After 10 years in the EPA’s Climate Change Division, he decided to try out the private sector and is enjoying it immensely – although he’s having to brush up on his financial pro formas a bit. If any other Smitty is in a similar field, give me a shout at chris.voell@ariaenergy.com. Vincent J. (Vince) Cordi ’85 was pro-

moted to chief process operator at the Albany County Sewer District in January where he has worked for 25 years. He is looking forward to his 30th PSC reunion in summer 2015 and hopes to see many fellow alumni there. Toby Burke ’85 writes that he has been

residing on Alaska’s Kenai Peninsula for the last 10 years while employed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge. He works for the refuge’s wildlife division surveying the region’s bird life. His wife of 18 years, Laura, recently gave birth to their eleventh child. Gordon Matson ’86 recently joined the

Weston & Sampson firm as survey manager

Sequel | Summer 2015

in Rensselaer, N.Y. Robert D. MacDonald ’86 writes that after

22 years working for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as a biologist/pilot in Alaska, he is now with the U.S. Forest Service. He’s been married since 1995 and has two daughters, ages 9 and 16. The outdoor life, wildness and remoteness up here suits him perfectly. His biggest dilemma is trying to decide if he’d rather fly the Piper PA-18 Super Cub on straight floats or the de Havilland DHC-2 Beaver on amphibious floats! Dana L. Derico-Carfi ’87 works at Sysco

in metro New York as regional manager for New York City and Westchester.

O. Perry Tooker ’88 says that April 2015

will mark the two-year anniversary of Tooker Land Surveying, which is the best business decision he’s ever made. He wants to thank Paul Smith’s for giving him the old-school land surveying essentials to be ready for today's business environment.

90s

Caroline M. (McClean ’90) Burnett

is looking forward to celebrating her 25th reunion in summer 2015 and hopes to see lots of classmates and their families!

00s

Katy (Widman) ’05 and TJ Matthews ’05 write that Zeke celebrated his 3rd

birthday in March, and his sister Elise Lorraine was born on Oct. They live in Naples, N.Y., and are loving the Finger Lakes!! Christine M. (Roy ’07) Parker got mar-

ried and became Mrs. Parker. She is currently finishing up her master’s degree in the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental

Science at the University of Illinois at UrbanaChampaign. She expect to graduate either this spring or summer. That research has been focused on tick infestation in songbirds, and assessing stopover habitat quality for migrating birds. In the fall she will be staying in the same department but working with a different advisor for her PhD, which will be focused on the influence of habitat management on the habitat use of wild turkeys in Illinois. Christine (Watkins ’06) and Brian Kurta ’07 write that Brian has accepted a

new position as the assistant park manager of Rockport State Park in Utah. Christine just accepted an accounts receivable coordinator position with the Rosenberg Cooley Metcalf Orthopedic Clinic in Park City, Utah. They recently welcomed their second daughter, Abigail.

10s

Brooks R. Worden ’10 (“The Mushroom

Man”) is the assistant grower at Medicinal Mushrooms in Carson City, Nev., and is known across the West Coast as one of the leading experts in the field. He travels both nationally and internationally as the lead researcher for development of growing edible and medicinal mushrooms. Joshua L. Kush '10 moved in September

from Martinsville, Ind., where he worked for four years as assistant manager of MorganMonroe State Forest, to Shoals, Ind. His new position is forester for Martin State Forest, Indiana DNR. His time in the forest benefits his white-tailed deer hunting hobby while cycling, hockey and traditional archery are some of his other interests. Sorry Jim Tucker, just not enough snow in Indiana for snowshoeing. Emily Bertora ’14 is living in New Orleans

and working at Commander’s Palace as a pastry and line cook.

Sequel | Summer 2015

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[ PARTING SHOT ]

Hot Sara Redux A

lot of you really want to visit the old Hotel Saranac again. And you’re going to get the chance. If you been around Saranac Lake over the past year, you know that the entire community is awaiting its revival – Roedel Companies, a New Hampshire-based hotel operator, purchased the property and is in the midst of a $17 million renovation. The postcard here dates before the college got involved with the hotel, but Roedel has pledged to restore it to its original grandeur by the time it reopens in early 2016. We can’t wait to see it!

»D o you have a Paul Smith’srelated photo, artifact or other item with a story behind it? Share! Drop a line to kaaron@paulsmiths.edu.