A change of course
Matt Malatesta '91, Vice President for Admissions, Financial Aid and Enrollment
As a high school senior in Pittsfield, Mass., I focused my college search on some of New England’s best business schools: Bentley College, Babson College and Bryant University. It was the fall of 1986 and my oldest brother, Paul Malatesta ’87, was a senior computer science major at Union. He was having a terrific experience, so my parents asked me to include Union on my list, just in case my plans changed.
Being the good son (and brother), I scheduled a visit to Schenectady. I remember my Union interview with former Director of Admissions Dianne Crozier as my best college interview because I felt no pressure. I explained in the interview that, while I found the campus beautiful and enjoyed the community feel, business was in my plans and Union wasn’t the right fit.
Dianne took my comments as a challenge. Her ability to explain the philosophy and advantages of a liberal arts education was quite persuasive. That, coupled with my brother’s positive experience, convinced me to shift paths and head off to Schenectady.
And last spring, after several years at Hamilton College, I returned to Union. This time though, I am on the other side of the interview. It is my turn to convince prospective Union students of the value of a liberal arts education and showcase the opportunities available to them on our campus.
It is wonderful to be back at Union, though a bit surprising that my family and I live about 50 yards from the apartment where my wife, Maggie (Brush) Malatesta ’91, lived during our senior year. It is also the same apartment where I picked her up for our first date.
While I am filled with nostalgia, I am also excited to be here now. In short: It is a good time to be at Union College.
Under President Stephen C. Ainlay, the College is building on its long-standing strengths, including: a top-notch faculty; quality resources; a beautiful campus; and a great student body. Add in fresh student programs like the Minerva House System and an economic uptick in downtown Schenectady, and it is not hard to feel a swell of positive energy on campus.
So, I’d like to ask Union’s alumni and friends to help me share that message. Union is too often referred to as a “best kept secret” among top-tier liberal arts colleges. The entire Union family can help alter that perception by projecting a consistent message that reaffirms what makes the College unique: our great history of innovation; the wide degree of student participation in a range of majors; the premium placed on study-abroad, internationalism and interdisciplinary studies; and the closeness of our community, coupled with a diversity of religions, ethnicities, ideas and opportunities.
Whether it is simply by speaking positively of your Union experiences to others or recommending the College to a prospective student, alumni can have a great impact on admissions.
For alumni who wish to get more involved with our regional admissions efforts, particularly those who want to help with interviews in New Hampshire, Vermont or western New York, contact Palmer Fargnoli ’93, director of the Alumni Admissions Program. Palmer can be reached at fargnolp@union.edu.
Also, alumni can help by giving to the Union Fund. A higher rate of alumni giving to the fund is an important factor in marketing Union to prospective students.
I will do my best to lead Union’s admissions and financial aid efforts in the coming years. With your help, I know we can continue to recruit the best and the brightest students and boost Union’s public profile.