Posted on Jun 7, 2006

“I'm not one to let opportunities pass me by. I feel like I've taken every opportunity at Union seriously,” said Sarah Bills, who graduated today with a bachelor of arts in German and Music. “It's been a really great run.”

Bills, the daughter of Robert and Caryl Bills of Granby, Conn., was this year's student speaker. She was the winner of the Hollander Convocation Musician Prize and the Victor Herbert Prize for students who show the most promise of making a contribution to American music.

“Life isn't measured in standardized testing and high school rankings, but in experiences and by the people and community that surround you,” Bills told those gathered in Hull Plaza this morning. “I feel incredibly lucky to have been a part of this intelligent, witty, outgoing and fun-loving group of people who are as driven to learn and succeed as they are to enjoy themselves in the process.”

For Bills, Union's tight-knit community was a constant marker of College life, whether dealing with such changes as a new president and Minerva system to such traditions as campus crawls and naked Nott runs. 

Citing academic events, lectures, research grants and student activities, Bills said she and her classmates “were given just about every opportunity to gain knowledge through experience. As Mark Twain once said, ‘Knowledge is nothing without experience.' For me, Union was the perfect blend of both.”

Bills was director of the Garnet Minstrelles a capella group, assistant for the Union College Choir, a member of the German Honor Society, an orientation advisor and former president of Delta Delta Delta.

Once fearful of what the future might hold, she said that in her waning days as an undergraduate, “I came to realize that the skills I have gained at Union both in and outside the classroom have prepared me for whatever lies ahead. What's more, the people I have lived and learned with for the past four years make up a network that can never be replicated.”

Musing on life at Union the week before Commencement, Bills cited Music faculty, staff members and others who have been teachers, mentors and friends, including Professor Dianne McMullen, who supervised her during junior year Steinmetz research, “Philosophy and Performance: A Study of Songs by Johannes Brahms and Hugo Wolf”; Professor Hilary Tann; Administrative Program Director Kathie Herrington; and voice teacher Judy Avitabile.

Bills also had warm words for German Professor Karin Hamm-Ehsani. “I appreciate all her time and effort. I didn't speak German before I came to college, and she helped me through writing a thesis, in German, on music in the concentration camps.

“I gained so much in the classroom, in and outside, but it's the people who have really affected me the most here,” Bills said.

Following is the complete text of the student address, which focused on “UNION: An unforgettable journey”:

“The last thing I thought I would be doing at Commencement was standing in front of my peers delivering a speech.

“I had envisioned myself sitting in the bright, early sun eagerly waiting for the moment my name was called and I could triumphantly make my way across the stage. 

“Instead, I stand here today feeling a little less triumphant and a little more trepidation about tripping over the gown that is obviously too long. 

“That aside, I'm pleased to have this privilege of addressing the students, faculty and administrators who have made my time at Union so memorable. 

“It would be impossible to cram four years of classes, friends and new experiences into five minutes of narration. And, being a German major, I fear my skills in the English language have gotten a little rusty. I will be the first to say, thank God for those WAC courses.  

“But looking back, I remember freshman orientation in Memorial Chapel, when the head of Admissions told us, “This class, the Class of 2006, is the brightest group of students Union College has ever admitted.” Impressive, I thought. Well, this past fall, while I served as an orientation advisor, I heard a very similar speech – only the year 2006 was substituted with 2009.

“This isn't to be taken the wrong way. I knew the speaker was referring to “brightest” in terms of SAT scores and class rankings, and, statistically speaking, the class of 2009 may have given us a pretty good run for our money.

“Yet life isn't measured in standardized testing and high school rankings, but in experiences and by the people and community that surround you. 

“For that reason, our class truly stands apart from all others in so many different ways.

“I feel incredibly lucky to have been a part of this intelligent, witty, outgoing and fun-loving group of people who are as driven to learn and succeed as they are to enjoy themselves in the process.

“But enough compliments. When the opportunity arose to compose this speech, many of my peers strongly encouraged me. They said, “Sarah, you should definitely write a speech; you pretty much know every single person at Union.”

“I mean, I do have 362 Facebook friends, but if I were to take a closer look around, there are plenty of students I have never taken a class with or even met. However, this only strengthened my desire to speak today. 

“I've come to realize that even though some of us aren't acquainted personally, together we make up the tight-knit community that is Union College.

“Whether you are a Greek house member, a pre-med student, an athlete, artist, engineer, volunteer or all of the above, each of us has at least one thing in common.

“We have all spent the past four years together at Union College called Union. 

“We have witnessed a change of College president, changes in the fraternity system, the introduction of the Minerva system.

“We have lived though fire alarms, all-nighters and campus crawls.

“We became acquainted with G-Pets and Jamaican Beef Patties; we painted the Idol and ran unclothed around the only 16-sided building in the Western hemisphere. 

“And we pretty much agree that no matter who you are or where your interests lie, 8:20 a.m. classes are never – and I mean never – a good idea.

“The way we experienced and understand Union is unique to the class of 2006, and has shaped each of us into the people we are today. 

“I used to be petrified of what the future held for me. This time last year, I was seated at Commencement thinking, “This is it. That's going to be me up there next year, and I have absolutely no idea what I'm going to do with my life. I'm a German and Music double major, for gosh sakes.” 

“But as the year progressed, I came to realize I didn't need to be so scared; the skills I have gained at Union both in and outside the classroom have prepared me for whatever lies ahead. What's more, the people I have lived and learned with for the past four years make up a network that can never be replicated. 

“(I mean, why do you think I have so many friends in the economics department? I need someone to do my taxes later in life.)

“Regardless of our majors and concentrations, we are all graduating from a school of great academic prestige with an expansive alumni network and loyal following. This is one of the reasons that I have faith that each and every one of us is bound to do great things in the future. As commonplace as that may sound, I doubt I will be proven wrong.

“College is something we will never experience again, that can never be replicated or even imitated. 

“When else will you live in a cramped dormitory that houses people ages 18-22? 

“When else can you hear a different speaker every week or attend a concert almost every weekend? 

“And when else can you plan your schedule so your obligations are only Tuesdays and Thursdays? 

“These experiences make our Union College experience unique. 

“In our four years here, we were given just about every opportunity to gain knowledge through experience, whether through academic events, lectures, research grants or student activities. 

“As Mark Twain once said, “Knowledge is nothing without experience.”

“For me, Union was the perfect blend of both.

“With the help and support from our parents, professors and friends, we have ultimately achieved what each one of us set out to do four years ago. What we couldn't know were the countless number of irreplaceable experiences that would make our journey though college unforgettable. 

“Now, on our graduation day, we can enjoy this moment of personal and academic achievement. And in the future, we can think back to the memories that made our time together at Union College what they were – a wealth of experience to guide us, encourage us, reassure us, inspire us and last a lifetime.

“Thank you, and congratulations to us all.”

Read More

Posted on Jun 7, 2006

“I'm not one to let opportunities pass me by. I feel like I've taken every opportunity at Union seriously,” said Sarah Bills, who graduated today with a bachelor of arts in German and Music. “It's been a really great run.”

Bills, the daughter of Robert and Caryl Bills of Granby, Conn., was this year's student speaker. She was the winner of the Hollander Convocation Musician Prize and the Victor Herbert Prize for students who show the most promise of making a contribution to American music.

“Life isn't measured in standardized testing and high school rankings, but in experiences and by the people and community that surround you,” Bills told those gathered in Hull Plaza this morning. “I feel incredibly lucky to have been a part of this intelligent, witty, outgoing and fun-loving group of people who are as driven to learn and succeed as they are to enjoy themselves in the process.”

For Bills, Union's tight-knit community was a constant marker of College life, whether dealing with such changes as a new president and Minerva system to such traditions as campus crawls and naked Nott runs. 

Citing academic events, lectures, research grants and student activities, Bills said she and her classmates “were given just about every opportunity to gain knowledge through experience. As Mark Twain once said, ‘Knowledge is nothing without experience.' For me, Union was the perfect blend of both.”

Bills was director of the Garnet Minstrelles a capella group, assistant for the Union College Choir, a member of the German Honor Society, an orientation advisor and former president of Delta Delta Delta.

Once fearful of what the future might hold, she said that in her waning days as an undergraduate, “I came to realize that the skills I have gained at Union both in and outside the classroom have prepared me for whatever lies ahead. What's more, the people I have lived and learned with for the past four years make up a network that can never be replicated.”

Musing on life at Union the week before Commencement, Bills cited Music faculty, staff members and others who have been teachers, mentors and friends, including Professor Dianne McMullen, who supervised her during junior year Steinmetz research, “Philosophy and Performance: A Study of Songs by Johannes Brahms and Hugo Wolf”; Professor Hilary Tann; Administrative Program Director Kathie Herrington; and voice teacher Judy Avitabile.

Bills also had warm words for German Professor Karin Hamm-Ehsani. “I appreciate all her time and effort. I didn't speak German before I came to college, and she helped me through writing a thesis, in German, on music in the concentration camps.

            “I gained so much in the classroom, in and outside, but it's the people who have really affected me the most here,” Bills said.

Read More

Posted on Jun 7, 2006

Mark Weston was “a little surprised” to learn he'd been named valedictorian of Union College's Class of 2006.

“I've just done what I've always done – give my best effort for each and every course. I like all my courses, and I care about everything I do.”

Weston, 22, the son of James and Meg Weston of Bedford, Mass., is a Computer Science major and Classics minor who earned a bachelor of science degree.

A graduate of Bedford High, he was attracted to Union “because it has a strong, separate, engineering department in addition to all the liberal arts it offers.”

His four years here have been marked by numerous awards, including the George H. Williams Prize and the Alice P. and Donald C. Loughry Prize, both for excellence in computer science, and membership in the Phi Beta Kappa honor society.

Weston expressed appreciation for support he received from Computer Science Chair Valerie Barr, as well as Professors Brian Postow, Chris Fernandes, his advisor, and Aaron Cass, his thesis advisor.

Weston's thesis, “A Tool for Cryptography Problem Generation,” grew out of his desire to help create “good homework problems” for students in Mathematical Cryptography (Math 221), which he took spring of his junior term.

“The current system of creating problems took a lot of computational groundwork,” he said. “The idea was to offload a lot of that to the computer and have the professor guide it. Students may not realize this, but for every hour or two they work, professors spend even more time creating problems, solving them, checking to see if they work out.”

Weston's new cryptography system was put in place this past term. “It feels good to create something and to have it used and appreciated, in however small a way,” he said.

In addition to his Computer Science and Classics classes, Weston particularly enjoyed “World of the Bible,” with Peter Heinegg and “Mystics, Magic and Mysticism” with Steven Sargent.

He participated in a range of social, athletic and service activities, from soccer, broomball and the Outing Club to the Virtual Union club and work with Habitat for Humanity. He did a term abroad in Athens with Political Science Professor Richard Fox.

After Union, Weston moves to Woburn. Mass., where he'll work with as a software developer for Aptima Human-Centered Engineering, a company that designs user-centered technology and training systems geared toward making individuals and teams more effective.

In addition to the academic skills and grounding he received at Union, Weston carries with him a network of close friends he made, beginning freshman year. “This year, we have a house on Huron. It's a great experience, living with people you like so much. We'll definitely remain good friends.”

Read More

Posted on Jun 7, 2006

Class of 2006 Co-Salutatorian Fatima Mahmood, a physics and math major, is an aspiring teacher who cites the incredible closeness and camaraderie with faculty and her peers as a highlight of her four years at Union.

“I got really attached to these two departments, and I had a lot of fun in classes. I enjoyed being able to approach my professors,” Mahmood said.

“I will fondly remember all the time spent in the physics department, hanging out with some of the most awesome kids I will ever meet in my life. We've all grown up together. There's a student lounge where all of us gather, and the professors keep their doors open.”

Mahmood cites two faculty members, Michael Vineyard, the Frank and Marie Louise Bailey Professor of Physics, and Mathematics Professor Alan Taylor, for their continued support and encouragement.

“I've gotten to present so much because of Professor Vineyard,” she said, noting her involvement with the National Conference on Undergraduate Research and with the New York State Section of the American Physical Society, at which she won an award for best undergraduate paper.

Most exciting was presenting research in Maui last fall at the Joint Meeting of the Nuclear Physics Divisions of American and Japanese Physical Societies. Her poster was titled, “Comparison between Simulations and Data for Neutral Meson Photoproduction on the Proton.”

Last year, Mahmood was named a Barry M. Goldwater Scholar, a prestigious prize that provides up to $7,500 per year to undergraduates with significant research experience who are destined for doctoral study. Mahmood heads to Cornell this fall to pursue a Ph.D. in mathematics.

“They have some mathematical physicists there, so I won't be letting go of my physics totally,” she says.

Professor Taylor is, she said, “the kind of math professor I aspire to be when I grow up. He inspired me so much. When he would present a proof on the board, I would get so excited. I would think, ‘That's such a beautiful proof.' I will always remember conversations with Professor Taylor about math and life, and his elegant proofs.

“But I honestly admire all the physics and math professors under whose tutelage I have been and with whom I have become friends.”

Math comes naturally for the daughter of Sajjad & Durray Mahmood of Clifton Park, who emigrated from Pakistan in 1997 for, among other things, educational opportunities for their four children.

Now a software engineer, Mahmood's father, Sajjad, was a physics professor in Islamabad. Mahmood's mother teaches high school math. An older brother majored in math in college, and younger brother Bilal is in Union's Class of 2008 – also a physics and math major. (Only her sister has broken the math mold by studying counseling psychology.)

Mahmood shares the distinction of being salutatorian with her friend, Marisa Zarchy. Like Zarchy, she is a math and science person who enjoys art, specifically, drawing and painting.

Mahmood's sophomore project was a series of drawings that involved “putting things together from both cultures, Pakistani and American, in realistic representations.”  

Mahmood was named a William Golub Presidential Scholar in 2003-04 and won the President's Commission on the Status of Women Senior Scholarly Activity Award this year. She tutored at the Physics Help Center and coordinated Math Department student seminars. She was a member of the Society of Physics Students, Golub House and the Muslim Student Association.

She cites concerts, multicultural events, quiet times with friends and “dancing around in the sprinklers by the Nott” among her cherished College memories. 

“Most of all, I will never forget the kindness of everyone who had a part in bringing me to this point in my life. I am tremendously grateful.”

Read More

Posted on Jun 7, 2006

Biology major Marisa Zarchy has had a healthy education at Union.

The Kildeer, Illinois, native was president of the Biology Club, co-president of the Pre-Health Society and an intern at St Clare's hospital.

A Seward Fellow with a double minor in Chemistry and Art, she was also an Admissions ambassador, an orientation advisor and a chem crisis tutor.

She presented at the National Conference on Undergraduate Research and conducted summer research with Prof. Leo Fleishman. She did her senior thesis on “Classifying Temporal Properties of Cone Retinal Photoreceptors in the Lizard Anolis Sagrei Using Electroretinography.” 

She immersed herself in Spanish classes, planned activities at Wold houses, volunteered as a Big Sister. For fun, she went on long walks around Schenectady and spent a spring break in Italy.

At Union, she discovered representational drawing; her detailed black-and-white “stipple” drawings were published in the Idol. 

Through it all, she had her sight fixed on one goal: dentistry.

“Art was one of the reasons I wanted to go into dentistry, which is very detail-oriented and dexterous. Also, I excel at math and science so I found it to be the perfect

fit,” said Zarchy, the co-salutatorian, along with Fatima Mahmood, of Union's Class of 2006.

Zarchy worked as a dental assistant at 16, and she followed up in college by connecting with Schenectady dentist Barry Loffredo, with whom she traveled to Jamaica in January 2005 as part of his missionary program to set up dental clinics in ill-served regions. “I saw dentistry in the worst conditions imaginable, which really confirmed my career choice. I still loved it and I am anxious to begin,” Zarchy said.

The winner of the Samuel Feuer Prize given to the senior whose primary interest is dentistry and who has maintained the highest scholastic average over four years, Zarchy heads to Harvard School of Dental Medicine in the fall. Eventually, she'd like to specialize in orthodontics.

Among her most vivid Union memories are the close relationships she formed with faculty, including Kathleen LoGiudice of Biology and Jeanette Sargent, an adjunct Classics professor. 

“I had classes with both the first term of my freshman year, and we have continued our friendship ever since,” Zarchy said. 

The daughter of Dr. Andrew and Roberta Zarchy and twin sister of Elana, Zarchy is a graduate of Adlai E. Stevenson High School in Lincolnshire, Ill.

“It's twice the size of Union which is astounding, but that's why I chose this institution and I'm certainly glad I did,” Zarchy said.

Read More