The College welcomes hundreds of alumni back to campus this weekend for ReUnion
'99.
Besides the annual alumni parade on Saturday at 10:30 a.m., there are dozens of events
planned. Some are listed in this issue under “Calendar of Events.” A complete
list of events is available at registration at Chester Arthur Courtyard/Reamer Campus
Center, and on the Web at www.union.edu/events/reunion/
Through Saturday, May 22, and May 26 through 29, 8 p.m.
Yulman Theater.
Cabaret by Kander and Ebb, directed by Diane Sadak. Admission $7; students/seniors
$5. Call ext. 6545.
Friday, May 21, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday, May 22, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Schaffer Library, second-floor reading area.
Exhibit of Sogetsu, the Japanese art of flower arranging, by the Capital District Sogetsu
Study Group.
Friday, May 21, 12:15 p.m.
Science and Engineering, N 304
Physics colloquium with sculptor and writer Rhonda Roland Shearer on “Marcel
Duchamp's Formerly Unrecognized New Brand of Mathematics: The First Application of
Poincare's 'Chaos Theory' Revealed.”
Friday, May 21, through Monday, May 24, 8 and 10 p.m.
Reamer Auditorium.
Film committee presents You've Got Mail.
Friday, May 21, 9 p.m.
Nott Memorial.
“Upon the Crooked Bridge,” a recital of music composed in the style of
traditional Chinese music by Kim Kilby '00.
Saturday, May 22, 1 to 6:30 p.m.
Emmet and Craig Streets
Phi Iota Alpha presents Latino Festival, a block party for residents of Hamilton Hill.
Faculty, staff and students welcome.
Saturday, May 22, 1:30 p.m.
Schaffer Library Plaza.
Dedication of new Schaffer Library with presentation by Paul LeClerc, president of the New
York Public Library.
Saturday, May 22, 3 p.m.
Memorial Chapel.
Union College Choir ReUnion Concert, Prof. Diane McMullen conducting.
Monday, May 24, 7:30 p.m.
Social Sciences 016
International Film Festival presents Men with Guns, directed by John Sayles. In
Spanish, English, Nahautl, Tzotzil, Maya and Kuna with subtitles. Series sponsored by
grant from IEG.
Tuesday, May 25, 7:30 p.m.
Nott Memorial.
Janet Murray, MIT scholar on cyberfiction, on “Hamlet on the Holodeck: The Future of
Narrative in Cyberspace.”
Friday, May 28, 12:15 p.m.
Science and Engineering, N 304
Physics colloquium with Janet Van Blerkom on “The Musical Sound.”
Through May 30.
Mandeville Gallery, Nott Memorial.
Work by painter Stephen Pace on exhibit.
Through June 13.
Social Sciences Lounge.
Photographs by Michalena Skiados '99 from 1998 anthropology field study in Barbados.
“I really never had any ideas of going to Union,” says Beth
Wierzbieniec '99. “Coming from New York State, I had no intention of staying
here. I looked into Union randomly, but soon found out what a small, personal school it
is. I knew this was a place where I could become involved.”
Beyond “involved,” Wierzbieniec has been an integral part of the student
body. She was the recipient last week of the Bailey Prize, given annually to the senior
who has rendered the greatest service to the College in any field. “It was an amazing
honor,” said the Amherst, N.Y., native. “Union has meant so much to me and
it's really nice to know that I have meant a lot to Union.”
She has been a part of the Big Brothers/Big Sisters program for four years, a tour
guide for the Admissions office for four years, a tutor at Elmer Elementary School for
three years, an Orientation Advisor for two years and has served on the Multi-Cultural
Advisory Group for two years. Her senior year, she served as president of Student Forum,
an experience she says has been “a true learning experience, and at times really
frustrating. But it was a position where I felt I could work positive changes for
Union.”
Equally rewarding, she says, was her founding role and involvement in “Dialogues
on Race,” a discussion series aimed at promoting diversity awareness. The Schenectady
County Human Rights Commission recognized her for the project with the 1998 Human Rights
Youth Achievement Award. She received the 1998 Hudson Mohawk Association of Colleges and
Universities' “Creating a More Welcoming Community” award.
She was also a recipient of the Alan Lake Chidsey Citizenship Award, to the senior who
has made distinctive contributions to the advancement of responsible government in student
affairs, and a Meritorious Service Award.
After graduation, Wierzbieniec will be in Baltimore, Md., with the Teach for America
program. She has committed to a minimum of two years, and will likely teach middle school
social studies. “This is a program I wanted to be a part of because the mission of
Teach for America fits with my own convictions. I believe that every child deserves an
equal opportunity for education.” After that, she hopes to study public
administration or public law and “get involved in changing the United States'
current educational system.”
Schenectady, N.Y. – May 20,
1999 – “With much pride, they show me the red or blue ribbon they won at the
Union Big Brothers/Big Sisters Youth Olympics. This may be the only thing
hanging on their wall. What a special self-esteem builder this is!” says
Stephanie Wolos, case manager and coordinator of Big Brothers/Big Sisters
events for Union College. The children, all of which are from single-parent
homes and most of which haven't the usual opportunities for sports
participation, will be enjoying themselves at the 7th Annual Youth Olympics again this Sunday, May 23, from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. at
Union College's football field.
This year, from 100 – 150 children, ages 7–14, are expected to participate in the field day, coordinated this year by
senior, Jamie Drown. The students are well-supervised, as each student is
paired one-on-one with a student at Union College. The activities planned are
field events such as an egg walk, relay races, water games, tie dying, and a
barbecue. Each participant is given a T-shirt and everybody wins a ribbon to
take home.
The Youth Olympics was founded seven years ago by Lee Popper '94 who had the
original idea for a field day for children, and the event was such a success,
it has continued each year since.
The Big Brothers/Big Sisters program provides friendship, individual attention and
recreational activities. Typically, Union Bigs take their Littles on hikes, to
see movies, to spend time on campus playing sports, doing homework together in
the library or just relaxing in the dorm. The program is alive and well at
Union with one-third to one-half of the Big Brothers in the Schenectady program
coming from the Union student body. The children who are paired with the Union
students benefit by doing better in school, getting along better with their
families and being less likely to use alcohol and drugs.
For more information on this event, contact Jamie Drown at 388-5609. Or to find out
more about Big Brothers/Big Sisters at Union, call Stephanie Wolos at 388-6228.
Paul LeClerc, president of the New York Public Library, will be the
keynote speaker at the dedication of the renovated Schaffer Library on Saturday, May 22,
at 1:30 p.m. LeClerc is a former Union professor of modern languages. Details on the event
will follow.