A memorial service for Joseph Finkelstein ’47, professor emeritus of history, economics and management, will be held Sunday, May 27, at 2 p.m. in the College Gazebo, located behind the Reamer Campus Center. (In the event of rain, the service will be moved to the Schaffer Library’s Phi Beta Kappa Room.) A reception will follow at the Finkelsteins' home in Schenectady.
Finkelstein, whose teaching career at Union spanned nearly five decades, died Nov. 6, 2006.
“Joe will be remembered by his colleagues and students for his good humor, his high standards, his deep commitment to the College, and his spirited, collegial discussion of issues large and small,” said Therese McCarty, interim dean of faculty.
A native of Troy, N.Y., Finkelstein majored in social studies at Union, and began teaching history classes a year before graduating. He went on to earn master’s and doctoral degrees from Harvard University and did post-doctoral research under a Fulbright Fellowship at the London School of Economics. He returned to Union in 1953, becoming a full professor 10 years later.
He specialized in economic history, in particular the interaction of technology and society. He was instrumental in developing the Graduate Management Institute, now Union Graduate College. He lived in Japan for two terms as professor in residence at Kansai Gadai University. Among his many service contributions at Union, he was interim editor of the Union College Alumni Review and coordinator of student activities. He retired in 1996.
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