Posted on May 26, 2005

Over the weekend of May 21, the Union College class of 2000 met for their five-year reunion on the campus of their alma mater in Schenectady, New York. Flashlight suspects that some things from that weekend in Schenectady should stay in Schenectady but the class of 2000 also did something that might be of note here in Alaska. They dedicated a memorial honoring William Seward, a Union College alumnus from the class of 1820, who served as Secretary of State to Abraham Lincoln and was responsible for negotiating the Alaska Purchase.

Union College's class of 2000 purchased a 3700-pound Alaska boulder and fitted it with two bronze plaques to honor Seward. The boulder was blasted from the mountainside near Bird Creek, when Seward's namesake highway was being straightened and widened about two years ago. One plaque lists Seward's accomplishments, including service as New York's governor and U.S. Senator, and helping Lincoln write the emancipation proclamation. The other plaque features a quote from an 1858 speech in which Seward commented on slavery, the abolitionist movement, and the conflict leading up to the Civil War: “It is an irrepressible conflict between opposing and enduring forces…”H”

Had the Seward Highway boulder stayed in Alaska, it would have had a more common and less grand fate. The rock was large enough to become “rip wrap,” what engineers call boulders used to shore up dikes, bridges, or roadsides. “You could use that on the inlet side of a road or railroad, but they wanted a big boulder to honor William Seward and we think that's great, too,” said Steve Lovs of Anchorage Sand & Gravel, the company that provided the rock.

Schenectady has a street named Seward Place, but memorial proponent Duncan Crary said Union College itself had no proper memorial for the man. Many students and locals didn't know who the street was named for, Crary said. “The man was actually instrumental in ending slavery, and all we ever hear about is 'Seward's folly' and 'Seward's ice box,'” Crary said.

Seward lived much of his life in Auburn, New York, where his former home is a museum. In Schenectady, Thomas Edison is perhaps the town's most celebrated homeboy. In 1887, Edison moved Edison Machine Works to Schenectady and five years later renamed the company General Electric. Edison, of course, was known for being a shrewd businessman who kept patent attorneys on retainer throughout his career. Edison capitalized on innovations such as electric light, sound recording and motion pictures; none of which he invented, all of which he advanced.

Crary said Seward's Union College connection was pretty much lost on the students and the people of Schenectady, so his classmates decided to rectify that when the time came to make a class gift to the campus with the monument. Five years ago, they also renamed the campus shuttle bus “Seward's Trolley” to honor Seward.

Posted on May 26, 2005

CAPE COD, MA. – Three members of the Union women's lacrosse team were named to the 2005 ECAC Division III Upstate Women's Lacrosse All-Star Team. Senior midfielder Molly Flanagan (Simsbury, CT/Loomis Chaffee) received the Player of the Year award, while senior attack Kathy Dolezal (Clearwater, FL/Williston Northampton) and senior defender Liz Flanagan (Simsbury, CT/Loomis Chaffee) also were named to the team.

Flanagan had been named to the IWLCA/US Lacrosse Association Division III All-American second team, the fourth time she had received all-american honors. The 2005 Liberty League Women's Lacrosse Player of the Year was the pre-season US Lacrosse Player of the Year. She was a three-time Liberty League Offensive Performer of the Week. The senior started all 17 games for the Dutchwomen, with 54 goals, 17 assists and 71 points. She had 128 shots, and 99 on net for a .773 shot-on-goal percentage. Flanagan also had 70 ground balls and 45 draw controls. She was 13th in NCAA Division III national rankings with 57 caused turnovers. The midfielder finished her career as the all-time Union women's lacrosse leader in career points with 288 and career goals with 217. Her 71 assists rank her second all-time.

Dolezal had 45 goals in 17 games, and also posted nine assists for 54 points. She had an 80% shot on goal percentage, and 28 ground balls. Dolezal won a Liberty League offensive performer honor earlier this season. She was second on the team in goals, points, shots, and tied for the team lead with four game-winning goals. She scored in 15 of the 17 games, and had seven goals vs. St. Lawrence as well as six points against William Smith. The captain also ranked sixth in the Liberty League in goals. Dolezal completed her career ranked 19th all-time at Union with 68 career points.

Liz Flanagan, a captain this year, had 43 ground balls and 14 draw controls as well as 11 points with five goals and six assists. She is the coordinator of the team's defense, which allowed 139 goals in 17 games for the season. The Dutchwomen held the opponent under 10 goals in six games this spring. Flanagan had 16 ground balls in her last seven games.

Union was 13-4 this season and won the Liberty League title at home on Frank Bailey Field. The Dutchwomen competed in the NCAA tournament and took a 12-game winning streak into the NCAA's before losing at Colorado College (a national semi-finalist).

Union was 52-16 in the four seasons that Dolezal and the Flanagan sisters played in the program. The Dutchwomen competed in two NCAA tournaments, won two league titles, and competed in three post-seasons during their careers.

Posted on May 26, 2005

The Meininger Trio will present the last concert of this year's Union College chamber music series on Thursday, May 26, at 8 p.m. in Memorial Chapel.

The program will include Prof. Hilary Tann's “The Gardens of Anna Maria Luisa de Medici” and works by other contemporary composers. Tann's composition is the title piece of the ensemble's latest CD, which contains four pieces by the Welsh-American composer.

The Meininger, based in Cologne, Germany, has gained a worldwide reputation over 10 years. Members are Rainer Gopp, piano; Francoise Groben, cello; and Christiane Meininger, flute.

The concert is co-sponsored by Performing Arts and the Union College chamber series.

Tickets, available at the door, are $20 ($8 for non-Union students) and free with Union College ID.

Posted on May 26, 2005

According to website Salary.com (www.salary.com), Schenectady, N.Y. is a great buy.

The city was ranked ninth on the “salary value” index of U.S. cities. The index accumulates local salaries, the cost of living (housing, food, transportation, utilities and state taxes), unemployment and job growth, all compared to the national average. 

It was also noted that living in Schenectady costs 2.7 percent less than living in Albany, which ranked 26th on the list. In all, 188 U.S. cities were ranked, with New London, CT cited as the number one city for salary value, and New York City chosen as the most expensive.

Posted on May 25, 2005

More than 200 parents and family members came to campus on May 6-8 to be a part of Spring Family Weekend. The two major parts of the weekend were Steinmetz Symposium and Prize Day. As part of the Steinmetz Symposium, 200+ students presented projects/theses ranging in nature from music to mathematics to converging technologies to the “fire and ice organ.” People could attend any sessions that they wanted and the students did a wonderful job of showing their work. Prize Day was a celebration and recognition of the efforts of over 100 students in all areas of campus and academic life. The weekend was capped off by the Mother's Day Brunch.