Posted on May 25, 2005

Union College Athletics celebrated the careers of 81 senior student-athletes at the Fifth Annual Senior Appreciation Dinner. The event was held at Glen Sanders Mansion in Scotia on May 18th.

The venue provided Jim McLaughlin '93, Union's new Director of Athletics, with a chance to speak to the outgoing seniors and give praise to retiring President Roger H. Hull, for his 15 years of service to the College. McLaughlin, both an alum and former student-athlete at Union, spoke about Union's true student-athletes, who strive to combine excellence in both the classroom and on the playing field. His remarks about the President included his care of Union athletics, and his hard work to improve Union's athletic facilities. President Hull provided his thoughts during the evening, along with the Presidential Award to the men's and women's teams with the highest grade-point average. The teams that received these awards for 2004-05 were the men's tennis team, with a 3.24 team GPA, and women's indoor track and field (3.34).

Bill Scanlon, the Associate Director of Athletics, served as Master of Ceremonies, and Head Athletic Trainer Cheryl Rockwood introduced the seniors as they were recognized during the evening. The slide show included a senior action presentation.

The evening also featured the presentation of the Directors Awards. Jim McLaughlin awarded swimmer Elliot Seguin the Student-Athlete of the Year Award, while Scott Felix, the Head Men's and Women's Swimming and Diving Coach, was selected as the Coach of the Year.

Seguin became the fourth men's swimming & diving competitor in Union College history to win an individual national championship. He won the 100 freestyle at the 2005 NCAA Division III Championships at Hope College in Hope, Michigan, in front of his family and friends from nearby East Lansing. His time of 45.32 defeated the second place competitor by .42. Seguin became the men's program's 32nd All-American. The Mechanical Engineering major also won New York State titles in the 100 freestyle and 200 freestyle, and was third in the 50 freestyle. His time of 45.17 in the 100 at the state meet shattered the Union and meet record for the event, that were both set in 1997.

Felix is in his fourth year as Aquatics Director and head coach of the men's and women's swimming and diving programs. He guided both the 2004-05 men's and women's teams to the New York State Championships in the same season, the first time in school history that the teams combined to accomplish that feat. The men's swimming & diving team won their first New York State Championship since 1997-98 season, while the women won the state title for the first time since 1993-94. Felix sent two men's competitors to the NCAA Championships, Elliot Seguin and D.J Hogenkamp, and coached the program's fourth individual NCAA men's champion in Seguin.

Union College Athletics' 2004-05 season saw the end of many stellar careers and incredible records for this senior class. The women's soccer team won 19 games in 2004, and the seniors had 67 victories and three NCAA playoff appearances during their careers. The women's basketball seniors leave the campus with 99 victories during their run, and each of their four teams reached  post-season. The men's basketball seniors took a #4 seed on the road in the Liberty League tournament, and won the title to advance to the NCAA's, where they won a first round game away from home. Men's ice hockey hosted the ECAC Hockey League playoffs and won a playoff game for the first time in 11 years. The women's lacrosse program won the Liberty League title at home and had 12 straight victories en route to an NCAA bid. Softball set a school record with 30 victories and had a #8 national ranking, the highest in program history. The softball seniors had 98 career wins, four post-season appearances, and two NCAA playoff trips.

This athletic season, Union athletes competed in the NCAA Championships in men's basketball, men's swimming, women's swimming, men's indoor track, softball and women's lacrosse, and ECAC post-season tournaments featured Union athletes in mens' soccer, women's soccer, women's basketball and women's crew (as well as the ECACHL in men's ice hockey).

Three Union seniors also wrapped up outstanding and memorable careers in garnet. Forward Brittany Cressman was named to the National Soccer Coaches Association/adidas National Team, becoming the first Dutchwoman to earn two All-American awards. Midfielder Molly Flanagan was the pre-season US Lacrosse Player of the Year and earned Liberty League Player of the Year honors. Flanagan earned All-American honors in each of her four seasons on the lacrosse team. She also is the all-time career leader in goals and points in Union women's lacrosse annals. Forward Jordan Webb wound up his ice hockey career as the program's all-time leader in goals and points in its Division I history.

The 2004-05 seniors were part of an historic time in Union athletic history, as they saw many new facilities during their careers. Frank Bailey Field featured renovations to the stands with a new press box, and Field Turf installation has begun. Achilles Center, now known as Frank Messa Rink at Achilles Center, featured updated locker rooms and expanded training facilities. Alexander Field was renovated for the softball program, while the addition of a second turf facility at College Park was installed. The Viniar Center, a hardwood court facility, opened in the fall. In fact, junior Erika Eisenhut has had the distinction of playing in three new facilities during the 2004-05 athletic year, as she played for the women's soccer, women's basketball and softball teams.

Union College congratulates the 81 senior student-athletes, and wishes them all the best in their future endeavors.

Joe Andriano (football), Dan Archibald (crew), Frank Arcuri (baseball), Briana Bailey (soccer), Joel Beal (ice hockey), Matt Blabac (ice hockey), Elizabeth Blake (crew), Scott Bresney (lacrosse), Devon Bruce (basketball), Michael Carey (soccer), Joshua Carroll (football), Adam Chadwick (baseball), Kara Chylinski (track & field), Katie Chylinski (volleyball), Ashley Clark (volleyball), Sean Clifford (men's lacrosse), Brittany Cressman (soccer), Katlyn Cunningham (basketball), Carrie Dancy (crew), Tanya Davis (lacrosse), Chris DiStefano (ice hockey), Kathy Dolezal (lacrosse), Chrstina Duff (swimming & diving), Liz Flanagan (lacrosse), Mike Flanagan (baseball, football), Molly Flanagan (lacrosse, soccer), Carolyn Gabriel (track & field), John Gallagher (baseball), Susan Gestwick (volleyball), Drew Goldstein (tennis), Brian Griffin (football), Pete Gross (lacrosse), Dan Iozzia (football), Aaron Iskowitz (soccer), Pat Jenifer (football), Brian Kerr (ice hockey), Ed Larkin (football), Jamie Laubisch (ice hockey), Jessica Lawton (softball), Steve Layton (football), Mike Lentz (football), Mandon Lovett (football, indoor track & field), Eileen Lowry (basketball), Alyssa Maloney (ice hockey), Andy Manocchio (football), Jeff Marcoux (soccer), Melissa Marra (basketball), Laura Ashley Martin (crew), Jess Meliosky (volleyball), Ashley Merz (swimming & diving), Laura Morris (crew), Laura Mullen (swimming & diving), Chris Nappi (football), Chris Neal (soccer), Liz O'Connell (crew), Kevin O'Connor (soccer), T.J. Ramey, T.J. (basketball), Drew Rand (swimming & diving), Karyn Rautenberg (softball), Courtney Riepenhoff (ice hockey), Paul Rothenburg (football), Mike Sawyer (lacrosse), Jordan Schur (basketball), Andrew Schaeffer (track & field), Emily Scott (basketball), Gregg Scott (lacrosse), Elliott (swimming & diving), Andrew Shohet (tennis), Alexander Smith (football), Jesse Smith (football), Mike Sparico (lacrosse), Andrew Sparkes (swimming & diving), Sarah Steur (swimming & diving), Will Tamm (lacrosse), Matt Vagvolgyi (ice hockey), David VanHoute (crew), Grant VanDerBeken (swimming & diving), Meg Vercillo (tennis), Ali Waibel (cross country), Jordan Webb (ice hockey), Andy West (lacrosse) and Chris Wood (football).

Posted on May 25, 2005

Union College's Mandeville Gallery will feature a student exhibition highlighting the work of six graduating visual arts majors.

Six of One runs from May 19 through June 12 at the Mandeville Gallery in Union College's Nott Memorial. The gallery hours are daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The artists' reception will be on Saturday, June 11 from 2:30 to 4 p.m. at the Nott Memorial.

Each year, the Mandeville Gallery presents five rotating exhibitions of contemporary art, science, and history. “This show provides a chance for these students to exhibit an overview of their accomplishments, and both they and their audience are able to view the work in the context of the group as a whole,” said Rachel Seligman, director and curator for the Mandeville Gallery. “We are delighted to share their achievements with the community.”

Students featured in this year's exhibit include Ashley Kaila Belfield, Christina Duff, Ryan Grant, Lesley C. Klein, Wes Shaffer and Bich Ngoc Tran.

This year the show features only 6 artists (from 15 last year) which gives each a chance to exhibit a large body of work.  Unlike their thesis shows, this exhibition features a range of work by each artist, using a variety of media.  

Posted on May 24, 2005

Kate Hedgeman has been named a Woman of Excellence in the category Emerging Professional by the Albany-Colonie Regional Chamber of Commerce. Hedgeman, a 1996 graduate of Union College, is an associate attorney with Hiscock & Barclay LLP in Albany.

Hedgeman also received the 2004 New York State Multiple Sclerosis Society Corporate Achievers award for excellence in community service and was named to the Business Review's “Forty under 40” list of area achievers. In addition, Hedgeman founded GenNEXT, a business council of the Albany Chamber for professionals ages 23-40.

The annual 'excellence' awards recognize area women's success in business as well as community service contributions. Other winners this year are:  Cheryl Richardson, Mary Kay Cosmetics (excellence in sales); Dawn Abbuhl of Kids Care Pediatric Services (excellence in professions); Kimberly Adams Russell of Frank Adams Jewelers (excellence in business); Pamela Tobin of the Downtown Albany Business Improvement District Inc. (excellence in management); Tina Tyzik of HSBC Bank USA (excellence in management, more than 75 employees); and Barbara Nagler of Capital Region BOCES (distinguished career).

Honorees will be recognized at a luncheon on June 30 at the Albany Marriott Hotel.

Posted on May 24, 2005

As of Sunday, May 22, 1,622 Americans were killed in the war in Iraq. For a group of Union students and faculty, this number is something they believed needed to be turned into a visual. As a result, they erected plywood markers – 12 inches by four inches – containing the name, age and date of those killed. The markers line the pathways in the center of campus.

Campus Action, the group that spearheaded the project, worked for hours writing on the markers and putting them in the ground.

Sophomore Ian Kennedy said the project is not intended to be a political statement of any sort, merely a reminder of the war's toll and a memorial to those who have died. “This brings to the forefront, in a comprehensible way, the actual number of servicemen and women who have died,” said Kennedy, who is from Woodstock, Vt. “Beyond that, people viewing the display can make their own judgments based on the reality of these numbers.”

The group downloaded the names of the dead soldiers from a Web site – www.fallenheroesmemorial.com – which in turn got the names from the Department of Defense. On the Web site, each name is followed by a short biography describing where the soldier was from and how he or she died.

On Sept. 11, 2002, the Union College community placed some 3,000 flags on the campus green in memory of those killed in the September 11 terrorist attacks.

The current display will be taken down on Thursday, May 26.

Posted on May 24, 2005

Letting go of children when they head off to college can be difficult for parents, but readjusting to having these now adult-age students home again for the summer can be equally challenging.

For many college students, living at school is the first time that they have experienced total freedom. If they decide to skip an early morning class, there is no parental wrath with which to deal. They can eat what they want when they want. Gone are the days of house mothers who did bed checks. Curfew is a foreign word, instantly archaic once a student moves in to the dorm. Today's college students do not have authority figures checking up on their whereabouts – that is, until they move back home for the summer.

ALLOWING TIME

First, parents should allow some time for their child to adjust to being home again.

“Students really do need some decompression time and tend to like to kick back a little after the frenzy of finals, and hopefully parents understand that,” said Lis Bischoff-Ormsbee, director of the Parents Program at Union College in Schenectady.

She says that parents need some time to adjust, too. “When you haven't had your student around all year, it is hard to adjust having him back full time,” she said, noting that students, too, need to get used to their parents.

Students and parents have different lifestyles, which can create the potential for conflict in some households.

“We go to bed, and that's when they go out,” said Kathy Robetor of Latham, whose daughter will be a junior at Siena College in the fall. “There's a lot of adjustments that happen.”

Siena College sophomore Ryan McIntyre of Bergenfield, N.J., admits that as the youngest of five children he had it easier than his older siblings when it came to what time he had to come home at night.

He said that the night is just getting started at 10 or 11 when he is at school. He likes to head out around 11 p.m. to get together with friends. His brothers and sisters paved the way for him. Instead of demanding that he be home at a certain time, his parents will tell him: “Don't come home too late,” but other than that, they don't give him a hard time.

“When my sister went away to school, they had a lot more rules for her,” McIntyre said.

Carol Nason of Charlton, whose daughter just finished her freshman year at Le Moyne College, did not impose curfews when her daughter was home for previous breaks during the school year. However, Nason said she doesn't like the idea of a teenager being on the road between 1 and 5 a.m., and she does anticipate having some conversations about how late she wants her daughter to be out driving.

Robetor asks her daughter to give her a “ballpark idea” of when she will be home, and she and her husband ask their daughter to come in and let them know that she is home safe.

“During a work week for us, we've got to have a certain time limit,” Robetor said, because it interrupts their sleep. They ask their daughter to be home by an agreed-upon time, or if she decides to stay at a friends' house, she needs to let her parents know by a reasonable hour so that they do not wait up for her.

“You want to know that they're home safe,” Robetor said. “The kids need to understand that and have respect for that,” she said. Many a parent of college-age kids tosses and turns waiting to hear the click of a door knob signaling a safe return home.

USING THE CAR

Another issue that plagues some families when college-age kids return home is who is going to use the family car. “We have experienced car conflicts every single break she came home. So we avoided that conflict,” said Nason, who purchased an additional vehicle.

Students are not used to anyone, other than professors, putting de- mands on their time. At college, they are used to eating when they want and making their own schedules, not having to worry about other family members.

Nason said that she decided long ago that she was not going to demand that her daughter be present for every family meal. She only asks that her daughter let the family know whether she will be there for dinner. “Periodically, if I want us to do it [eat together], I'll give her advance notice,” Nason said.

Household chores can be another potential conflict. Many parents will expect students to do the same tasks they did when they were in high school. “We have to get back into that routine where you're part of the family, and you have certain responsibilities,” Robetor said.

Nason said that her daughter does her own laundry and maintains her own room. “There is the expectation that she'll pick up after herself,” Nason said.

 Being back at home with their parents is a big adjustment for the students, too.

McIntyre prefers the school setting where all of his friends are close by. “You always have someone to hang out with,” he said.

Nason said that her daughter has a busy life and many friends at college, and leaving her friends behind for the summer has been a hard thing to do. Nason anticipates that once her daughter starts working and develops a routine, living back at home will be a little easier.

Parents do not like to have their students home just lying around, Bischoff-Ormsbee said. “Parents will encourage their students to get a job, go visit friends, get an internship or all of the above,” she said.

Both Nason and Robetor stress flexibility in dealing with college students. Robetor said that it is important to discuss potential issues up front and come to an agreement about how to deal with them.

While having college kids at home again can be a huge adjustment for both parents and kids, most parents relish it. “We love having her home,” Robetor said of her daughter. “As they grow and mature, the relationship is on a different