On the eve of his 93rd
birthday, Burton Delack of Niskayuna gave Union
College a gift: $250,000 to endow a
building at 309 Seward Place
that is home to eight Union College
students.
At a dedication of the building on
Thursday, Oct. 7, Union College
gave a present to the 1936 graduate: a chorus of Happy Birthday from students and staff led by President Roger Hull.
Delack is a retired executive of
General Electric who has been involved with a number of community projects.
“Burt's generous gift is a testament to his
strong belief that Union is on the right course,” said Hull.
“I am pleased that he supports the College's effort to enhance the residential
aspect of the College at the same time that we contribute to the revitalization
of Schenectady.”
Delack received his bachelor's
degree in English from the College. As a student, he was a member of Phi Beta
Kappa, Student Council, Hale Club, French Club, Garnet yearbook staff and Idol,
the campus literary quarterly.
Delack retired in 1972 after 36
years with GE, his last 15 as a consultant for the company's Corporate
Management Development program in New York City.
He joined GE's business training program after graduating from Union,
and held various assignments in Production Control. In 1952, he became an
administrator of the training program for Manufacturing Services.
Among his community activities, he
has been a member of the Schenectady County Chamber of Commerce and has
participated in fundraising drives for Ellis
Hospital, Lynn (Mass.)
Hospital, First Reformed Church, St. Clare's Hospital, YMCA and United
Way.
He has been an active alumnus of Union.
A member of the Schenectady Alumni Club, he
has participated in a number of Homecoming and ReUnion
events. He has served as associate agent for the Fund for Union
and as a Terrace Council committee member.
He and his late wife, the former
Violet Louise Kovacs, were married in Union's Memorial
Chapel in 1936. Delack has two children, John and Suzanne; four grandchildren;
and five great-grandchildren.
In 1998, Union
started the Union-Schenectady Initiative (USI) as a broad based program to
improve student housing, promote home ownership and to foster student
volunteerism in the city. This fall, Union opened the
capstone of the College Park
project, the newly renovated College Park Hall and playing fields at the former
Ramada Inn.