Posted on Aug 14, 2007

See video footage of Commencement at: http://www.union.edu/N/DS/s.php?s=7278 

At Union’s 213th Commencement ABC World News anchor Charles Gibson gives 500 graduates advice on the bedrocks of an ethical life

ABC World News anchor Charles Gibson, a familiar face to millions, officially became part of the Union College community at the College’s 213th Commencement in mid June.

“Were it not for this institution, I would not be here,” Gibson told students, families and friends gathered in Hull Plaza on June 17, which was also Father’s Day. He recounted that his father, Burdett Gibson, Class of 1923, married his roommate’s sister.

Gibson outlined five ethical imperatives for students: compassion, honesty, fairness, trustworthiness and respect for others. Gibson addressed about 500 students and hundreds of friends and family gathered on the walkway in front of Schaffer Library.

“If those things are not the bedrocks of your life, you will suffer from their absence in time. And, I would wager, you won’t much like yourself,” he said. “As you leave here, you need to know what it is you stand for – because out there, the choices are not going to be easy. You will find times when you’ll be asked to choose between your values and expediency.”

He added, “You have a good solid base. And you have a Union education. It served my father well, and it will do the same for you.”

Prior to Gibson’s speech, President Stephen C. Ainlay, in his first Commencement ceremony, presented Gibson with an honorary doctor of humane letters degree. Later, citing a “remarkable act of generosity,” Ainlay announced that Gibson helped College officials establish a scholarship in memory of his father. The eponymous award will be given each year to a student in financial need. 

“We are so pleased that today you join your father and uncle (Charles D. Gibson, Class of 1920) as members of the Union family,” Ainlay said.

In appreciation, Ainlay gave Gibson a copy of the 1923 Union Yearbook and a framed copy of Burdett Gibson’s Yearbook entry. Noting that the elder Gibson was cited for “coming out of the most overwhelming situations unscathed,” Ainlay said, “I hope he passed along his secret to you.”

Gibson, 64, was introduced by his good friend, Trustee Emeritus Phil Beuth ’54. Beuth, a retired television executive, helped launch Gibson’s anchoring career by hiring him to co-host ABC’s Good Morning America in 1986.

“Our paths crossed about 21 years ago when he satisfied our need for an interesting, intelligent, curious and credible host of Good Morning America, a position that he embraced and enhanced. It was like we found the Energizer bunny and he had a Jeopardy-quick mind,” Beuth said. “He has brought ABC News a brand of credibility that carried with it a message that he continues to deliver now every night, and that message is: It’s all about the news folks, it’s not about Charlie Gibson.”

In his remarks, Ainlay underscored that members of the Class of 2007 “have walked the same pathways as did many illustrious graduates,” from Abraham Lincoln’s Secretary of State, William Seward, Class of 1820, to MacArthur “genius” and public health researcher Sue Goldie, Class of 1984. [See Ainlay’s speech in sidebar.]

Before the ceremony began, Ainlay, Gibson and another featured guest, noted classicist and scholar Richard Sorabji, arrived on campus in a 1914 Duplex Drive Brougham Detroit Electric Automobile once owned by Union Professor and Electrical Engineering wizard Charles Proteus Steinmetz.

Sorabji, professor emeritus of philosophy at King’s College London and former associate professor at Cornell University, received a Doctor of Letters. He urged students to turn to ancient philosophy for suggestions on “how to deal with problems and how to deal with life.”

Karyn Amira, a political science major and psychology minor from Newton, Mass., gave the student address. Amira, whose father, Stephen, was a member of the Class of 1971, had enthusiastic praise for the Class of 2007’s achievements, including environmental advocacy, fundraising for cancer and autism, and the launch of the Dutch Oven, which she called “perhaps the funniest publication at any college or university.”

Ainlay closed Commencement 2007 ceremonies by paraphrasing a charge to students issued by Union’s first president, John Blair Smith, more than two centuries ago: “As you leave this place, do so ready to live a useful life.”

Excerpt from President Stephen C. Ainlay's Commencement speech

After today, you join the legions of those who have graduated from Union College. Hopefully you carry with you memories, friendships and commitments that will literally last your lifetime. As I’ve traveled the United States this year – visiting alumni clubs in New York, Boston, San Diego, San Francisco, Naples, Fla., Dallas, Houston, Philadelphia, Chicago and other great cities – I have been struck by the hold that four years at Union has on people. Fifty years from now, I think I can safely predict that some of your best friends still will be members of the Class of 2007. Indeed, in times of both joy and sorrow, you will likely pick up the phone (or whatever communication device exists then) and talk to one of your classmates. That is part of the legacy of Union in your lives.

Over the past four years, you have walked the same pathways as did many illustrious Union graduates: Abraham Lincoln’s Secretary of State, William Seward (Union Class of 1820); our 21st U.S. President, Chester A. Arthur (Union Class of 1848); the designer of the first New York subway system, Solomon Deyo (Union Class of 1870); the inventor of the laser, Gordon Gould (Union Class of 1941); Nobel Prize winner, Baruch Blumberg (Union Class of 1946); the head of morning and late night programming for ABC, Phil Beuth (Union Class of 1954); the winner of an Oscar for Best Picture, Robert Chartoff (Union Class of 1955); the winner of a National Book Award, Andrea Barrett (Union Class of 1974); and MacArthur “Genius” Award recipient, Sue Goldie (Union Class of 1984).

Walking the same pathways they walked, joining the same community that they joined, has been your privilege as a student at Union College. After today, this too becomes part of Union’s legacy in your life. And, it becomes your obligation.

Now it is your turn to realize your dreams; now it is your turn to invent things that will improve people’s lives; now it is your turn to lead institutions, both for profit and nonprofit; now it is your turn to mend lives and heal wounds; now it is your turn to educate; now it is your turn to take responsibility for the welfare of the communities in which you will live. Now, in short, it is your turn to make a difference.

I closed my inauguration ceremony last fall by reading a charge issued to Union students by the first president of Union College, John Blair Smith. I close today’s Commencement ceremony and send you on your way, by paraphrasing President Smith’s words, which continue to reverberate over the now two centuries since he issued his charge: “As you leave this place, do so ready to live a useful life.”

Best wishes to all of you, and Godspeed.

Snapshots from the Class of 2007: Two high-achieving gradutes talk about Union and what's next

Valedictorian Jonathan Young

As a high school senior choosing a college, Young thought the perfect fit was 3,000 miles from his southern California home.

Four years later, Young came tantalizingly close to perfection.

The 21-year-old biology and economics major got straight A’s, except for an A-minus during his term abroad in China between his sophomore and junior year. Young’s academic prowess earned him the title of valedictorian for Union College’s Class of 2007.

“I have really enjoyed my time here at Union,” said Young, who lives in Walnut, Calif., with his parents, Robert and Antonia, and younger sister, Jocelyn. “The College offers tremendous opportunities in research, as well as extra-curricular activities.”

Young is a member of several honor societies, including Phi Beta Kappa, Sigma XI (scientific research) and Omicron Delta Epsilon (economics). He presented his thesis at the National Conference on Undergraduate Research and took second place at the Inter-University Consortium for Political and Science Research.

At Union, he won the Stephen F. Leo, M.D. Prize and the Elias Peissner Prize for top pre-med student and economics student, respectively. He also received the Rosenthal Prize, given to a pre-med student by the Biology Department for excellence in academics and contribution to the College community.

He credits his two thesis advisors, Brian D. Cohen in the Biology Department and Younghwan Song in the Economics Department, for much of his success.

“They sacrificed many long hours to help me get where I am today,” he said.

Young is returning west to attend medical school at UCLA in the fall. Even so, Union won’t be far from his thoughts.

“I’m excited to go back home, closer to my family, but I loved my four years here,” Young said.

Saluatorian Leigh Ann Holterman

For Leigh Ann Holterman, the path to high grades was clear from day one of her first year at Union.

“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 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 is now working 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.   

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Posted on Aug 14, 2007

The  Washington Post did a news obituary on Ralph A. Alpher, a distinguished professor of physics and astronomy who was one of the pioneering architects of the Big Bang model for the origin of the universe.

Alpher taught at Union from 1986 to 2004 and was the director of the Dudley Observatory.

To read the complete obituary,  click here (registration may be required).

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Posted on Aug 14, 2007

Public recognition came late to Ralph Alpher for his role as one of the pioneering architects of the Big Bang theory of the creation of the universe.

Alpher, a longtime Union College professor and General Electric researcher, died early Sunday in Austin, Texas, at age 86.

Alpher co-wrote the first mathematical model of the creation of the universe as a doctoral student at George Washington University in 1948. Alpher’s son, Victor, said the work was more remarkable because his father could not devote all his time to his studies.

“This was just a really remarkable man who did something truly fantastic when going to night school at George Washington University and working in the daytime for the federal government first and then Johns Hopkins University,” Victor Alpher said.

Ralph Alpher’s work was largely unrecognized, however, until a pair of radio astronomers at Bell Laboratories in New Jersey stumbled upon cosmic background radiation that proved the theory that the universe began with a cataclysmic “big bang.” The radio astronomers earned a Nobel Prize in 1978 for their discovery.

“Most people in his field believe he should have received the Nobel Prize along with Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson in 1978,” Victor Alpher said.
 
Ralph Alpher did subsequently receive awards for his work from the American Philosophical Society, the Franklin Institute and the Belgian Academy of Sciences. He was also honored last month by President Bush, who presented him with the National Medal of Science, the nation’s highest award in science, and Victor Alpher said an interview with his father from last year will be featured in a two-hour documentary on the Big Bang theory that is scheduled to air Sept. 4 on the History Channel.
 
Ralph Alpher worked as a physicist at GE’s Corporate Research and Development Center in Niskayuna from 1955 to 1987, then as a research professor of astronomy and physics at Union from 1987 to 2004. He also served as director of the Dudley Observatory in Schenectady from 1986 to 2000.
 
“We’re very saddened to learn of professor Alpher’s death,” said Union College spokesman Phil Wajda. “He was a remarkable man and did some incredible things that benefited not only the college community but all of mankind.”

Alpher was also active in the community, his son said, especially in his role as president of the board of directors of a fledgling public television station that signed on the air in 1962.
 
“He was the president of the board of WMHT when it was nothing,” Victor Alpher said. “He worked to bring WMHT up to the point of being able to produce shows and really be a force in the community.”

Victor Alpher maintains a Web site on his father’s legacy at www.ralphalpher.com and was updating the site Monday afternoon with news of his father’s death. He said the site had received more than 2,300 hits during the day, a testament to the interest in his father and the work he did.
 
“There was nobody that I have ever met in any academic field that would freely give of their time and energy to anyone more than my father,” Victor Alpher said. “He was an extremely classy scientist and academic all of his life. He would take the time to explain what he did at a level that anybody could understand and would take the time to do it whether you were the nurse who was taking care of him or a university president.

“[He was] a great father, a great scientist. He’s just truly remarkable.”

A memorial service will take place at 1 p.m. Thursday at the Levine Memorial Chapel, 649 Washington Ave., Albany, followed by interment in Agudat Achim Cemetery in Rotterdam.

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Posted on Aug 13, 2007

Ralph Alpher, a distinguished research professor of physics and astronomy and a pioneering architect of the Big Bang model for the origin of the universe, died Sunday, Aug. 12, in Austin, Texas. He was 86.

Alpher taught at Union from 1986 to 2004 and was director of the Dudley Observatory. He also spent more than 30 years at the General Electric Research and Development Center in Niskayuna.

In 1948, as a young doctoral student, he wrote the first mathematical model for the creation of the universe and predicted the discovery of cosmic background radiation that proves the Big Bang theory.

Hundreds of people showed up at George Washington University for his dissertation defense, but the work of Alpher and his colleagues went largely unrecognized. In 1965, two radio astronomers in New Jersey who were tuning their equipment stumbled on proof of Alpher’s background radiation and were eventually awarded the Nobel Prize.

In 2004, when a student at Emory University doing research for "Background", her one-act play about Alpher’s life, asked if he would have done anything differently, Alpher replied, “I would have worked harder to get the credit I deserved.”

While the Nobel Prize eluded Alpher, he collected a host of other prestigious awards and honors. Earlier this year, President Bush announced that Alpher had been awarded the National Medal of Science, which is administered by the National Science Foundation and is the highest honor for science.

Alpher had been in failing health since falling and breaking his hip in February. When a nurse told him of the honor, he managed a smile, his son Victor recalled. Victor attended a ceremony at the White House July 27 to receive his father’s medal, for which the citation reads in part:

“For his unprecedented work in the areas of nucleosynthesis, for the prediction that universe expansion leaves behind background radiation, and for providing the model for the Big Bang theory.”

 “I was very sad he couldn’t receive it himself,” said Victor, a retired clinical neuropsychologist who lives in Austin. “This was his crowning achievement of a long and distinguished career.”

 After the ceremony, Victor met several Nobel laureates who praised his father’s work, including Robert Wilson, who along with Arno Penzias, confirmed Alpher’s predictions while at Bell Telephone Labs and was awarded the Nobel Prize in physics in 1978.

A memorial service for Alpher will be 1 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 16, at Levine Memorial Chapel, 649 Washington Ave., Albany.

In addition to his son, Alpher is survived by a daughter, Harriet Lebetkin of Danbury, Conn. and two granddaughters. Alpher’s wife, Louise, died in 2004.

Memorial contributions can be made to the National Center for Science Literacy, Education, and Technology of the American Museum of Natural History (www.amnh.org), the National Science and Technology Medals Foundation (www.nationalmedals.org) or the American Institute of Physics Education Division to support science fellowships and grants at the undergraduate and graduate level (www.aip.org).

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Posted on Aug 13, 2007

A useful life

John Blair Smith, Union’s first president, issued a charge to students under his care two centuries ago: “As you leave this place, do so ready to live a useful life.” I ended this year’s Commencement ceremony in June with President Smith’s charge because it links today’s graduates with our long and storied past and because his words are as meaningful today as they were then.

It has been my good fortune to have met many sons and daughters of Union College over the course of the past year. I’ve been struck and moved by the multiple ways in which graduates of the College honor Smith’s charge and indeed live useful lives. They have reminded me that there is no one path to a useful life. In fact, they remind me that we live multi-faceted lives – public and private – and we are challenged to find ways of making our lives useful across all facets and across all phases of our lives. John Blair Smith’s charge has a timeless quality about it: It extends to each generation of Union students and it extends well beyond Commencement to the whole of our lives. Smith asks us to strive to make a difference. It is the mark of Union graduates that they hold this expectation for themselves and for their lives.

Every issue of this magazine provides stories of useful lives, stories about graduates who have made a difference. This one is no exception. Take the “Women of ’72,” Union’s first women graduates. They’ve carried Union into the world. Take Phil DiSorbo ’71 as but another example. He has dedicated his life to the hospice movement – a movement that has brought support, care and dignity to thousands. Phil now takes his efforts to Africa where the need is great and the hours are undoubtedly long. President Smith would certainly nod approvingly if we could ask him: is this what you had in mind?

Commencement 2007 was a wonderful occasion. The weather cooperated. The speakers were inspired and inspiring. Richard Sorabji reminded us of the riches that come with the life of the mind. Charlie Gibson talked about the challenges our graduates will face and impressed everyone with the generous gift he made to Union – establishing the Burdett Gibson Scholarship in memory of his father who graduated from Union in 1923. Karyn Amira ’07 captured memories of the preceding four years and asked her classmates to be excellent to one another and do something positive for society and for others.

As I looked out on the faces of the members of the Class of 2007 from the porch of Schaffer Library, I was overwhelmed by a sense of both expectation and hope. Before me were future political leaders, teachers, researchers, doctors, lawyers, managers, executives, non-profit workers, bankers, builders and inventors. Before me were future parents, citizens and volunteers. I was fortunate enough to get to know many members of the Class of 2007 and I am impressed by their curiosity, commitments, passion, and character. They will represent Union College well. They give me confidence in our collective future.

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Posted on Aug 8, 2007

Motorists have yelled at them, dogs have chased them and the heat has been less than kind. But in the end, members of Rolling for Autism said the experience is worth it.

The team of rollerbladers is on a 2,000-mile trek from Florida to Maine, picking up different skaters and sponsors along the way. They stopped in Davidsonville last week and plan to reach their destination next weekend.

The plan is to raise $500,000 in scholarship money for children with autism and to increase awareness of the disease. The money is raised through sponsorships and speaking engagements along the way.

Dan Tatar, a recent graduate of Union College in Schenectady, N.Y., founded Rolling for Autism earlier this year as a way to help thousands of autistic people, like his older brother, Ben.

A college hockey player, Mr. Tatar solicited help from his teammates. That effort spawned the multistate trip. Nearly 160 college students from throughout the country have helped.

On July 31, the group of six stopped overnight at the Davidsonville home of the Bowles family.

At several stops, they have events lined up with sponsors.

"This was an opportunity to spend the summer after graduation doing something different," Mr. Tatar said. "Part of the reason we're getting attention is we're doing something out of the ordinary. (The team) works hard every day, and that makes success that much more satisfying."

Mr. Tatar started in Jacksonville, Fla., on June 26 with Jason Ortolano, Carson Strang and Sean Streich. About a week ago, they picked up Elaine Lamerinos and Victoria Kohan in Woodbridge, Va. They'll keep picking up students until they have about 60 skaters, Mr. Tatar said.

The plan is to roll about 50 miles a day, which usually takes the skaters about five hours. A van accompanies the team, allowing some people to ride in the van while others skate, depending on how tired everyone is.

AAA, one of the sponsors, mapped out the route. They've also managed to land sponsors for hotel rooms, though they often stop at the homes of friends.

Already the trip has posed a few challenges. The terrain in Raleigh, N.C., was a bit hilly, and the occasional aggressive dog makes things interesting.

Motorists have honked their horns or yelled at the members because they're in the way. And on the way into Davidsonville from Washington, Mr. Tatar was almost hit by a car.

"We're sure we'll remember this for the rest of our lives," said Mr. Streich, 25. "(When we visit different cities) you can see all the love and support the parents have for their kids. They're looking to find the best life for their kids … and that's why we're doing what we're doing."

Liza Bowles learned about the effort through her son, Sam, who also plays hockey at Union College. She agreed to offer their home as a pit stop. The rollerbladers were greeted with barbecue and swam in the family pool.

"I think it's great, the fact that these kids are doing it themselves," Mrs. Bowles said. "There's so much effort to do it through the heat. I'd do anything I could to help out. This is a perfect learning experience."

The group has about a dozen more stops before reaching the destination of Kittery, Maine, on Aug. 19. About 700 people are expected to greet them at the finish line.

"We've been on the road for five weeks and we're just happy to see new faces," Mr. Ortolano said. "Just to see the smiles on the faces of the kids when we get to town, that gets me through the days on the road."

For more about the trip, visit www.rollingforautism.com.

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