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Union College’s commitment to city clear for generations

Posted on Dec 3, 2007

(published in The Daily Gazette)

In his book chronicling the first 150 years of Union College, President Dixon Ryan Fox recounts the rich history between the institution and Schenectady, proclaiming that they have worked together “in a harmony that others might envy.”

It’s interesting to note that in the course of the college’s 213-year history, 15 Union College alumni have served as mayor or city manager of Schenectady. The “unselfish and uncalculating spirit” Fox endorsed in 1945 is important to recall today as the college and the city seek new ways to strengthen a rich and positive relationship.

The college remains firm in its belief that its contributions to the city, and the region as a whole, are significant. A recent independent report by the Capital District Regional Planning Commission concluded that the college’s positive economic impact on Schenectady County alone exceeds $273 million annually.

We value our strong relationship with the city, as evidenced by the fact that Union was one of 25 colleges and universities, and the only one in New York, recognized nationally last year as a “best neighbor” for its positive economic and social benefit to their communities.

Many of the downtown businesses depend greatly on the college’s 800 employees, 2,100 students (and their parents), and thousands of visitors to spend millions at their establishments. This fall, we expanded our “Dutchmen Dollars” program to allow students to patronize dozens of merchants throughout the city by simply using their Union ID card. We are also working with businesses to promote downtown activities to students, and on ways to transport students to local businesses.

The college’s commitment to the city is also evident in the Union-Schenectady Initiative, launched in October 1998. The college invested more than $10 million to renovate an old hotel and dozens of homes, transform the streetscape and enhance the safety of the neighborhood immediately west of the campus. We also created a program to encourage home ownership in the College Park area by offering free tuition to families who move into the neighborhood, and we have been instrumental in re-energizing the neighborhood association.

This rebirth has encouraged developers to also invest in the neighborhood. We are grateful to businesses such as the Golub Corporation, which has announced plans to build a new company headquarters off Nott Street that will employ more than 850 people.

We recently transferred ownership of a house in the neighborhood to Habitat for Humanity of Schenectady County. The entire campus community will help to refurbish this property. Local Habitat offi – cials believe this is the first time that a college in the Capital Region has provided the property and the labor to Habitat.

In recent years, the college also bought a vacant tavern and transformed it into the Kenney Community Center, which features a hugely successful after-school student mentoring and homework project that has benefited hundreds of students and staff from local schools. The center is also home to our Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) site. Since 2005, this program has helped low-income families from the region file tax returns at no charge. Many of these families are unaware they are entitled to a refund, or are unable to afford a tax preparer. This year, our students assisted a record 175 families, bringing the total refunds secured since the program was launched to nearly $1 million.

Additionally, our students volunteer thousands of hours annually to other forms of community service, helping preserve historic Vale cemetery, spruce up municipal buildings, parks and other sites around the city.

Our collaborations with local companies such as SuperPower, Inc. are adding numerous highskilled jobs to the region’s economy. Along with Schenectady County Community College, we will help SuperPower design and implement quality-control systems for the manufacturing process, and produce the scientists, engineers and technicians that the high-tech company will need as it ramps up production of its superconducting cables. A similar program is being created with CardioMag Imaging, Inc.

Recent construction projects at the college exceeded $35 million. Many of these projects involved local contractors and suppliers. Also, Union College was named the 2006 Employer of the Year by the Schenectady Association for Retarded Citizens for providing jobs and training to dozens of people with disabilities.

And of course, the public continues to take advantage of the wealth of cultural opportunities offered at the college, including exhibits in the Nott Memorial, plays at the Yulman Theatre and the enormously popular chamber concert performances in Memorial Chapel, either free or at a nominal cost. Hundreds of local residents joined us on campus in the past year to share an evening with special guests such as Maya Angelou and Gen. Wesley Clark.

ON THE UPSWING

I underscore these examples of the good will shared between the college and the city at a time when Schenectady garners positive headlines about recent downtown redevelopment and revitalization. As President Fox wrote, “the college can and does have its own life to whatever degree it wants. But the fact that its members may at any time step through one of the fi ve main gates into a modern industrial city makes their days the richer.”

Union College remains eager to explore additional ways to partner with the city that would be mutually beneficial. I look forward to continuing a positive dialogue with Mayor Stratton and other city leaders as we move into our third century together.

  • by Stephen C. Ainlay
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Holidays provide opportunities for campus community to give

Posted on Dec 3, 2007

The Records Department joined with the Department of Social Services of Schenectady County for the “Adopt-a-Family” program donating gifts and food baskets which helped more than 50 individuals in 2006.

The holiday season provides numerous options for the campus community to pitch in by providing deserving families with food, toys and other gifts.

Athletics has organized its annual Toys for Tots fund drive for hockey fans attending the Dec. 14 and 15 games against Nebraska-Omaha. Collection boxes for toys and monetary donations will be placed throughout Messa Rink during both games, which begin at 7 p.m.

The Records Department is working again with the Department of Social Services of Schenectady County for the “Adopt-a-Family” program. Last year, more than 100 Union employees provided gifts, non-perishable food items and gift cards to 10 families.

“This [program] provides a great way to buy within your own budget and still make the holidays special for someone in need," said Kathy McCann, director of College Relations data systems, who has organized the drive for several years. “I'm hoping that this year we can make the magic happen again.”

Angel tree gifts await adoption by girls and boys.

Wrapped gifts should be tagged and dropped off at the Records Office (above Human Resources) at 17 South Lane by Friday, Dec. 14. For information on ages, sizes and needs, contact McCann at (518) 388-6093 or at mccannk@union.edu.

For the third year, the Kenney Community Center is also sponsoring a family through Family and Child Services of Schenectady. The family of 11 needs essentials such as wash cloths, towels, toothbrushes and deodorant. Restaurant gift cards and a prepaid cell phone for emergencies are also requested.

Items can be dropped off at the Kenney Center before 5 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 17.  Gifts will be delivered to the family on Dec. 18th. For more information, contact the Kenney Community Center at (518) 388-6609 or Angela Blair at blaira@union.edu.

And for the 14th year, the Dean of Students Office has teamed up with the local Salvation Army for the "Angel Tree Program.”

Each year, the campus community’s generosity has provided more than 100 toys for area children and families. Donations of new, unwrapped toys should be dropped off at the Dean of Students Office in the Reamer Campus Center, Room 306, by Tuesday, Dec. 11.

For additional information,or to request that a tag be sent to you, contact Kim Puorto at (518) 388-6061 or puortok@union.edu. To contact the Salvation Army’s Schenectady office, call (518) 346-0222.

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Alumna wins young engineer award at national conference

Posted on Dec 3, 2007

Bridget Austin 07 and Ann Anderson, mechanical engineer award, ASME

Bridget Austin ’07, a Mechanical Engineering major from Skaneateles, N.Y., garnered a first place undergraduate research award at the recent International Mechanical Engineering Conference & Exposition (IMECE) of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME).

Austin received her award in the Fluids Engineering Division Young Engineer Paper Competition for her senior project, “The Alula and its Aerodynamic Effect on Avian Flight.” The contest was open to undergraduates, recent baccalaureate engineers and beginning graduate students.

“Bridget gave a great presentation and aced all the questions,” said Ann M. Anderson, the Agnes S. Macdonald Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Austin’s co-author.

Anderson and Brad Bruno, assistant professor of Mechanical Engineering, accompanied Austin and two Union seniors, Dean Pasquerella and Joe Martel, to the Seattle meeting.

Austin’s senior research project continued the bird flight research of Jennifer Panik ’04, using the wind tunnel in Science & Engineering to test alula feathers from the wings of various duck species.

Union’s liberal arts curriculum “produces well-rounded engineers, not just technically adept graduates,” Austin said. “The small campus allows for individualized attention, and the team projects provide real-world experience in the field.”

Bridget Austin 07 in the wind tunnel

Austin, who was president of the campus chapter of the Society of Women Engineers, is now employed at Knolls Atomic Power Laboratories as part of their Nuclear Operations Program. She received funding for her research presentation from the ASME Fluid Engineering Division. As a first prize winner, she also received a certificate and a $500 cash award.

At the IMECE conference, Bruno presented a paper, “A Preliminary PIV and Analytical Investigation of Wall Shear in Micro Channel Slug Flow,” which he co-authored with Prof. Kelly Black of the Mathematics Department and Martel.

Pasquerella presented “A Comparison of Chiral Nematic and Cholesteric Thermochromic Liquid Crystals for Use in a Light Transmission Based Temperature Sensing System,” co-authored with Anderson.

Travel support for Pasquerella and Martel came from the Internal Education Fund. In addition, Pasquerella’s attendance and presentation were partially funded by the ASME Heat Transfer Division.

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Tonight’s community carol sing cancelled

Posted on Dec 2, 2007

The annual community Carol Sing, featuring the Thursday Belles, scheduled for tonight in Memorial Chapel, has been cancelled due to the weather.

The special event will not be rescheduled.

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