Reunion 2007: David J. Breazzano ’78 and son Jeremy Breazzano ’07 stand on the steps of the Breazzano House on Thursday, the start of ReUnion weekend.
A record 1,500-plus people converged on campus for the annual celebration of Union’s graduates which ran from Thursday through Sunday. It was a time to reminisce, reacquaint and explore the campus anew.
On Thursday, President Stephen C. Ainlay and the Board of Trustees dedicated Breazzano House, honoring David J. Breazzano ’78. In March, College officials announced that Breazzano, co-founder and principal of an investment management firm, made a $2 million gift to his alma mater. In honor of the gift, the College decided to rename Orange House, one of seven in the Minerva system, the Breazzano House.
A 35th anniversary luncheon brought together the pioneering women graduates of the Class of 1972 Friday in Upper Class Dining Room at Reamer Campus Center. Those attending included Susan (Mullaney) Maycock, Margaret “Meg” (Patterson) Green (who organized the event), Camile (Avakian) Price, Mary John Boylan and “Kin” Andrea (Flagg) Bolz. (Read more)
President Stephen C. Ainlay, left, and David Breazzano '78, cut the ribbon at the dedication of Breazzano House on May 31, 2007.
An Engineering awards reception honored outstanding individuals at Beuth House. The awards recipients are Jonathan Comeau, '97, electrical engineering, principal electrical engineer for Tyco Electronics; Richard Fateman ’66, computer science, professor of computer science at University of California at Berkeley; Lisa Freed ’86, civil engineering, a civil engineer and landscape architect for Brown & Brown; Lawrence Hollander, dean of engineering emeritus at Union College; Ivan Kaminow ’52, electrical engineering, retired scientist with Bell Labs; and Samuel Tolkoff ’96, civil engineering, director of business development for Foster-Miller, an advanced robotics and health sciences firm.
A lecture and conversation with mystery crime writer Kerrie Ticknor Droban ’87 was held at Emerson Auditorium in the Taylor Music Center as the culmination of the Alumni Writers Series. Droban also led an informal discussion about her work in Wold House.
On Saturday, the College honored four alumni and one faculty member at the Alumni Convocation. The Alumni Council presented the Alumni Gold Medal to Lee Davenport ’37, Joseph Hinchey ’47 and John Temple ’67, all former Trustees of the College. New York City Attorney Mark Zauderer ’67 received the Eliphalet Nott Medal, which recognizes the perseverance of alumni who have attained distinction in their field. Hilary Tann, the John Howard Payne Professor of Music and internationally recognized composer, received the Faculty Meritorious Service Award. (Read more)
ReUnion 2007: Susan Maycock ’72 holds a photo of Union's first cheerleadign team, formed shortly after the first year of co-education in 1970. Maycock's former roommate Kim Flagg Bolz ’72 smiles as the pair enjoyed the Women of '72 lumcheon on Friday.
Also on Saturday, Aaron Feingold ’72, a cardiologist in Edison, N.J. and collector of historical artifacts, presented two historical treasures to the College at the Terrace Council and Ramée Circle Society Reception. Feingold gave President Ainlay a first edition of Einstein’s “Theory of Relativity” and an original manuscript that was part of a four-part lecture that Charles Proteus Steinmetz, Union professor of engineering and renowned scientist, gave on Einstein’s theory. The Steinmetz manuscript, dated November 1921, corresponds with Einstein’s trip to America in 1921. Einstein visited Steinmetz in Schenectady that year, the same year he won the Nobel Prize in physics.
ReUnion 2007: Peter Levine ’67, at left, and David Kaufman ’67 walk by the Schaffer Library as they prepare for a weekend of celebration during their 30th ReUnion.
Other highlights of ReUnion included a get-together with an award-winning brewer; a chemistry symposium; a seminar on the politics of war; the dedication of Becker Library; a production of Aristophenes’ great comedy, “The Birds”; soccer and rugby games; and the traditional Minerva footrace, alumni parade and Saturday night fireworks.
Throughout the weekend, four of the College's most prized possessions, plates from the "Elephant Folio" edition of The Birds of America collection of engravings by John James Audubon, were on display on the first floor of Schaffer Library.
For Class of 2007 Salutatorian Leigh Ann Holterman, the path to exceptionally high grades was clear from day one of her first year at Union.
Leigh Ann Holterman is the Class of 2007 salutatorian.
“I made sure I was on top of my work. I spent a lot of time figuring out what needed to get done, and I got it done,” Holterman said. “I also paid attention in class, and I really threw myself into the work and learning process.”
But class work is just one side of Holterman’s life at Union.
The psychology major also had a range of other interests, like starting a student-run babysitting service for College faculty and staff, booking comedians including The Daily Show’s John Oliver to perform at Memorial Chapel and working as an Admissions interviewer senior year. And as a French minor, she completed a term abroad in fall 2005 at the University of Rennes 2.
“I am grateful that I had the chance to do it all at Union," Holterman said. “I think it gave me a good, strong background in different areas, so when I go out into the real world, I will be able to pick and choose from those experiences. And also, it was a lot of fun getting to know different people.”
Holterman grew up in the Pine Hills neighborhood of nearby Albany and is a graduate of Albany High School. She was the 2007 Lisa S. Gerhan Memorial Award winner, given to a Union student who shows academic excellence, a commitment to the field of psychology and the potential for future contributions to the field.
She recently accepted a job as a research assistant at the Burlington, Vt., offices of Macro International, Inc., a research and consulting firm. Holterman plans to pursue a doctoral degree in industrial and organizational psychology in the fall of 2008.
SCHENECTADY — Union College senior Dan Tatar's idea for one last summer fling grew beyond his imagination.
Tatar told two friends he wanted to in-line skate from Florida to Maine to raise money for autism, a disorder that he has witnessed through his big brother, Ben. Three of his buddies said they'd go with him and mentioned it to some of their friends. Soon, Tatar fielded calls and e-mails from college students in Vermont, Canada and New York City asking what they could do to help.
More than 100 college students have donated their time toward Tatar's endeavor, and about 40 people have agreed to skate a leg of the 2,000 mile trip with him. Tatar hopes to raise $500,000.
"I can't tell you how quickly this has grown," Tatar said.
His volunteer crew of students has taken on fundraising and public relations duties resulting in $45,000 in donations so far, a scheduled appearance on "Good Morning America" and sponsorship from K2 Skate, which donated their inline skates, AAA, which plotted their route, and Choice Hotels International, which will lodge the skaters during their trip.
Tatar, 23, a psychology major from Queensbury, came up with the idea for the trip in August while he was daydreaming at his internship at PriceWaterhouse Coopers in Boston.
"I kind of wanted one more kick before I settled into an office job," said Tatar, who will return to the investment firm full time when the trip ends.
He also wanted to do something positive, so he turned to his 25-year-old brother Ben for inspiration.
Ben's teachers said he'd never graduate from high school. Ben is on the high-functioning end of the autism spectrum, a collection of disorders that impair people's ability to communicate and interact socially.
Ben not only finished high school, he recently graduated from Adirondack Community College. He is an accomplished bodybuilder and has written articles for weightlifting magazines.
He has overcome his autism to the point where he is known as "Mr. Personality" at Union, where he often hangs out with his younger brother.
"He's my best friend," Tatar said.
Tatar's goal is to educate college and high school students — the teachers, doctors and politicians of the future — about autism. The money raised by Rolling for Autism, a registered nonprofit, will be split between grants for educational programs and fun activities for people with autism.
Tatar's trip gathered steam. Students at the University of Vermont held a scavenger hunt to raise money; New York University put on "NYU Idol," a version of "American Idol"; McGill University in Canada hosted a barbecue; and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute held a benefit at a Mexican restaurant. Union students put on "Mr. Union," a talent show that raised money for Rolling for Autism, and a sorority sold tie-dyed shirts.
"I think all college students want to get involved in a project like this, they just need a push," Tatar said.
Tatar and three of his closest friends plan to skate the 2,000-mile route in 54 days, starting June 28.
They will skate 40 miles a day. Already, their training schedule has them doing 20 to 30 miles a day, six days a week, on the rural roads around Clifton Park. Blisters cover their feet, and Tatar has dropped 8 pounds from his already-trim frame.
"We'll be skin and bones by the end of the trip," he said.
Joining him on the full route are three seniors who will graduate June 17: Carson Strang, 24, of Shaker Heights, Ohio, the comedian of the group; Jason Ortolano, 24, of Carteret, N.J., who hopes to be a doctor; and Sean Streich, 24, of British Colombia, Canada, who plans to become a teacher.
Tatar, Ortolano and Streich have played on Union's hockey team, and Strang skated for the U.S. Air Force Academy before transferring to Union and joining the school's baseball team.
They have scheduled stops at major cities along the route to visit schools, camps for the autistic and media interviews, but they've already made an impact.
One of Tatar's volunteers from Union just found her first job in the real world. Senior Lauren Brickman was hired by Mount Sinai Medical Center to research autism.
How to help
Donations can be made through the Web site http://www.RollingForAutism.com or by mailing a check to Rolling for Autism, P.O. Box 4748, Queensbury, NY 12804. Checks should be made payable to Rolling for Autism.
Amsterdam native Josh Beekman sat through 11 hours of the first day of the NFL draft last month with family members, friends and other supporters from the community at a local restaurant, taking up a good portion of a couch set up for him in front of a big-screen TV.
Squeezed in next to the 6-foot-1, 320-pound former Boston College offensive lineman for the full 11 hours was his second cousin, Cal Robinson.
But Robinson was there for reasons beyond providing familial support.
In fact, his presence, at Beekman's side through not only the draft's first day, when the 2002 Amsterdam High graduate went unpicked, but also the next day, when Beekman was finally selected in the fourth round by the Chicago Bears, is symbolic of their current relationship.
The 29-year old Robinson, a native of Gloversville who graduated from Union College, has been spending a lot of time at Beekman's side, and will continue to do so in the future.
Robinson, a two-sport standout in high school and a basketball player at Union, is Beekman’s agent, and he hopes he is on his way to making a living full-time representing professional athletes.
Robinson helped create and is one of two agents working for the Empire Sports Agency, a Florida based group in its first year of operation. The other agent is former Middle Tennessee football coach Richard Burnoski.
"My plan initially was to start my own company, but I met Rich, and we decided to join to try to build our own powerhouse agency," said Robinson.
"We've got a business model and a five-year plan that we'll try to follow to get this going. It's something I want to do on a full-time basis."
The group represents five NFL players, including Beekman and Gloversville native Marc Hickok, a kicker who is on the New York Giants' roster.
Robinson, who did his graduate work at Florida State's College of Law, is employed by Rosenthal & Levy, a West Palm Beach, Fla., law firm that specializes in workers' compensation, employment law and personal injury claims.
"But becoming a sports agent would combine my two loves, law and sports," he said.
"I had always been a fan and a participant in sports. When I realized I wasn't capable of becoming a pro athlete myself, I realized that I could stay close to sports by representing athletes."
While at Florida State, Robinson worked as an intern in the Seminoles' basketball program, an assistant to the program's director of operations.
"While I was there, I got to know a lot of the school's football players, and they knew I was in law school and interested in sports," said Robinson. "Some of them came to me with an interest in having me rep resent them, but at the time, I wanted to make sure I not only finished law school, but that I had enough knowledge that I'd be able to represent athletes properly."
Robinson began moving in that direction in 2005 when he applied to be certified by the NFL's Players Association, to represent football players. He is one of about 3,500 agents certified by the NFL group.
The first athletes Robinson is representing are Beekman and Hickok.
"Being from the Fulton-Montgomery area, those are guys I had established relations with," said Robinson, who graduated from Gloversville High School with Hickok's sister.
"It's difficult as a first-year agent, and it's a very cutthroat business. People tell our players that they don't want to be with a first-year agent, that we might ruin their careers. That's the stuff all the players hear.
"But it doesn't hurt to have a relationship. It comes down to trust and relationships. People who know me know that I'm knowledgeable and trustworthy, and that I won't steer them the wrong way.
"Others agents can say they've negotiated contracts before and are from the bigger agencies. But if you're not one of their first-round guys, if you're not a first-round money guy, you can get placed on the back burner.
"The guys I'm representing know I'm devoting everything to them."
Hickok said those traits made Robinson attractive when he was looking for an agent.
"I had an agent who went out of business, and I was searching for someone else," said Hickok. "Out of the blue, I got called by Cal, liked what I heard and signed with him.
"He has helped me tremendously. He's one of those go-getters, the type of guy you want working for you. I'm an underdog myself, and I wasn't hesitant about signing with a guy who's in a similar situation."
Through Robinson, Hickok's resume and highlight tapes were distributed to NFL administrators. He was invited to an open tryout camp for potential NFL Europe players, and while he was there, drew the attention of Giants coaches.
Hickok recently participated in the team's mini-camp, and is one of two kickers on the Giants' roster.
Beekman, though, became the first athlete Robinson represents that was drafted.
"It made me feel like a million dollars," said Robinson, about Beekman's selection by the Bears. "To be with him nearly every day for the last four or five months, and then see him have this great opportunity. It's very rewarding."
Robinson's prior personal relationship with Beekman, though, only went so far when it came time for the family to choose an agent.
"They had a formal process in which nine or 10 agents they were considering went to Boston to be asked questions by Josh and his family," said Robinson. "After that, they reduced the field to three or four. I sat down with them, and went through what I wanted to do with Josh.
"Their final decision was to go with us."
And then, Beekman went with Robinson.
"I brought him to Florida to train for the NFL combine and the Senior Bowl game. As his agent, I contacted his Boston College professors, and assured them he could do online classes or would fly back and forth to Boston to attend classes while working toward his Master's degree.
"I did all his travel arrangements, and also made sure he was getting the proper physical training, as well."
Robinson said the next step is to negotiate Beekman's first contract with the Bears.
"Although the draft spots are pretty much slotted [financially], there are other incentives we'll look at to potentially escalate his salary," said Robinson.
Agents who represent NFL players receive about 3 percent of a player's salary.
Robinson will also be involved in developing off-field opportunities for Beekman. Agents receive between 15 and 25 percent of the financial payout players receive for non-football activities.
"If you've got a top-10 guy at a key position, there's a lot more money available in those areas, but there's still money out there for Josh," said Robinson. "We just finalized a deal for him to endorse Reebok products. I'm sure there are upstate New York car dealerships and restaurants that might want to get involved with him.
"There are also opportunities for appearances at sports stores and things like that. Plus, he wants to do some charitable things. He wants to give back to the community. I'm sure he'll come back home, at some point, and do a football camp.
"I'm the guy who gets the ball rolling on all of those things. It lets him just focus on football."
In essence, sports agents handle all the peripheral aspects, allowing athletes to concentrate almost solely on their on-field endeavors.
"A lot of times, guys in this business tell you the job is glorified babysitting because some athletes aren't used to having that much money and success right off the bat," added Robinson.
"I'm fortunate, so far, to have guys like Josh and Marc who are just great to work with. I'm just delighted with how everything is going in my first year in the business."
But he's far from satisfied.
"When we first started out, we thought we'd call ourselves Florida Sports Management, " he said. "Then, we considered Esquire Sports. But as we talked, we realized that we're trying to build an empire, of sorts, so we took that name, the Empire Sports Agency."
And now, Robinson hopes his firm will grow from its fledgling status into one that attracts clientele and does work befitting a company by that name.
