Posted on May 5, 2005

A college, a campaign and a kickoff

Luminous fireworks (courtesy of Steve Ente '75) piercing the sky behind the Nott Memorial trumpeted Union's 2004 Homecoming and Family Weekend – and marked the official launch of the $200 million You are Union Campaign.

A cast of thousands (2,500, to be specific), including graduates, students, friends and family members, converged on campus to celebrate the College's ambitious campaign for the 21st century.

And if rousing home team sports victories, two Minerva House dedications and a full slate of receptions, dinners, tours and ceremonies weren't excitement enough, the kickoff event went national when five young alums snagged a few minutes of garnet-hued fame on NBC-TV's Today Show. (Please see later story.)

Spelling it out

On campus, the weekend's most powerful symbolic moment came during the Saturday morning gathering on Rugby Field to spell out “UNION” in human letters 200 feet long.

Nearly 1,000 people signed up, lined up and fell into place for this singular, spellbinding event. To drive home the fact that Union is, indeed, its people, participants donned garnet You are Union T-shirts, creating a sea of collegial solidarity.

They were showing their true colors. These students and alums are Union, in that they personify Union traditions and the power to meet future challenges by fulfilling the College's vision for the future.

“The campaign will allow us to continue the rich tradition of pioneering excellence that is at the heart of the Union experience,” said President Roger Hull.

You are Union energizes an aggressive program carefully developed in two years of strategic planning and research by Trustees, staff and members of the Communications and Promotions (CAP) committee. It will invest and re-invest in the College's core strengths and innovative initiatives, from dynamic people and curricula to enriching opportunities in global study, residential life, civic service, undergraduate research, Converging Technologies and more.

Leadership in giving

Three Alumni Trustees are co-chairing the You are Union Campaign: John Wold '38 of Casper, Wyo.; Frank Messa '73 of Saratoga Springs, N.Y.; and Mark Walsh '76 of Chevy Chase, Md. Under their leadership, and fueled by $80 million already given, several initiatives are in full swing, notably the dedication of the Wold and Beuth houses as part of the new Minerva House system. (Please see stories on pages 4-7.)

The campaign also is reaching out to graduates through a coordinated effort that uses personalized print and direct mail communications and a campaign Web site, www.union.edu/youareunion.

At their Oct. 1 meeting, College Trustees enthusiastically endorsed the objectives, strategic direction and specific implementation of the campaign, confirming Union's unique qualities and strengths as a distinguished institution and leader in many fields.

Citing first-rate faculty, engaged students, a stunning campus and financial discipline, the timing is perfect, they noted, to make Union the model for liberal arts colleges. They agreed the objective of all the improvements to be funded through the You are Union Campaign is to educate leaders who are at home in a rapidly changing world – “a world of other peoples and cultures, technology, undergraduate research and service to community in a unique living and learning environment.”

After uniting huge throngs on campus behind this goal, the new You are Union Campaign continues to harness this great momentum as it boldly pushes forward.

As one weekend participant enthused, “People left Union feeling a new energy about this place.”

Posted on May 4, 2005

Several features have been added or modified recently on the Union website that should be of particular interest to the alumni audience. These features include:

“Add a story about U”- Our dynamic You Are Union campaign website has a repository of interesting stories from alumni, faculty, students, etc. Now you can add your fond memories of a term abroad, the library, athletics or any general story to the site. Simply click on the button under the Union Stories link on our campaign site and let us hear from you.

“Paint the Idol”- This update on our Minerva race allows you to track the Union Fund giving within your class. Every dollar helps you paint the Idol on your page. Click on your class year here and check out how your class is doing.

“AboutU” online newsletter- Our HTML newsletter that we currently e-mail to alumni is available online. Go to this page for the latest edition.

“Online Class Notes”- Help us keep your classmates and friends up to date on what's going on in your life. Online class note submission is available here. Don't worry- only alumni can view anything you submit!

“Alumni Events Calendar”- The new and improved alumni events calendar is up and running and available at this location. Keep checking this calendar for events in your area and throughout the country.

Please keep checking back in as we continue our effort to serve you.

Posted on May 3, 2005

Several features have been added or modified recently on the Union website that should be of particular interest to the alumni audience. These features include:

“Add a story about U”- Our dynamic You Are Union campaign website has a repository of interesting stories from alumnus, faculty, students, etc. Now you can add your fond memories of a term abroad, the library, athletics or any general story to the site. Simply click on the button under the Union Stories link on our campaign site (www.union.edu/youareunion) and let us hear from you.

Paint the Idol- This update on our Minerva race allows you to track the Union Fund giving within your class. Every dollar helps you paint the Idol on your page. Click on your class year on www.union.edu/Alumni/Volunteering/AnnualFund.php and check out how your class is doing.

“AboutU online newsletter”- Our HTML newsletter that we currently e-mail to alumni is available online. Go to www.union.edu/alumninewsletter for the latest edition

Class Notes- Help us keep your classmates and friends up to date on what's going on in your life. Online class note submission is available at www.alumniconnections.com/olc/membersonly/UNN/classnotes/classnotes.cgi Don't worry- only alumni can view anything you submit!

Alumni Events Calendar- The new and improved alumni events calendar is up and running and available at www.alumniconnections.com/olc/pub/UNN/eventcal/eventcal.cgi Keep checking this calendar for events in your area and throughout the country.

Please keep checking in as we continue to update and add features.

Posted on May 3, 2005

The Union Women's Varsity 4 will compete on Saturday, May 7 at the ECAC's at Regatta Point State Park in Worcester. They will start in lane two (no, not lane THREE), at 5:20 p.m. alongside Bowdoin, Clark, Franklin Pierce, Amherst and William Smith. The top three teams in both this heat and the following heat will compete in Sunday's grand final at 4:00 p.m.

Last year, the women's varsity 4 team from Union lost a race in the ECAC's by .3 seconds. That time was on the minds of the Dutchwomen last weekend, as they clinched an automatic ECAC bid with a second place finish at the New York State Collegiate Championships. Union came in at 7:57.97, while Skidmore was first at 7:56.42. The boat was led by senior coxswain Liz O'Connell (Brooklyn, NY/Packer Collegiate), senior stroke seat Laura Morris (Bryn Mawr, PA/Brooks School), senior three seat Carrie Dancy (Concord, NH/Concord), sophomore two seat Anavelle Riley (Mt. Vernon, ME/Marancook Community) and senior bow seat Laura Ashley Martin (Gloucester, VA/East Lyme). The women's varsity 4 boat won this week's Liberty League Women's Co-Boat of the Week.

“Liz mentally prepared her team for a long challenging day of racing and her rowers responded with the strength and persistence needed to advance through the preliminary and semifinal rounds to the grand final,” commented Union assistant coach Lindsey Gish. “In the final, both Union and Skidmore took early leads on the other four crews, and it was clear early on in the race that the fight for first would be between Union and Skidmore. Although it was close, Skidmore took a slight advantage and pulled out first by two seconds.”

Although the women could be down after losing out on first place by such a narrow margin, they were still proud of the performance that sends them to the ECAC's.

“It's impossible to be disappointed with a good race,” said Martin.

“Our last race in the grand final was strong, and Skidmore pushed us all the way to the end,” said O'Connell. “It is exciting to come out in the top two at the states, but we are definitely aware that we have to focus ahead for this weekend. The ECAC race will be a tougher race, and after our boat lost by .3 at this race last year, you know we are looking for a second chance to prove ourselves.”

For the four seniors competing Saturday, it is a great way to end a career.

“While I am sad that this is the culmination of four years of rowing for Union, I am both honored and excited to have qualified to race at the ECAC's,” said Morris.

Don't think that this group's favorite movie is “The Land That Time Forgot,” a flick from the '70's, because they have not forgotten that time back in 2004. The time has come as the ship sails off into the sunset for the Dutchwomen seniors. It is time for some unfinished business for the Union Women's Varsity 4.

The Liberty League also honored other Dutchwomen this week. For women's lacrosse, Molly Flanagan (Simsbury, CT/Loomis Chaffee) won her third Liberty League Performer of the Week this season, while Caitlin Cuozzo (Norfolk, MA/King Phillip Regional) won her first Liberty League Rookie of the Week award.

Softball was honored by the Liberty League as Julie Gawronski (Dunkirk, NY/Dunkirk) was named the Performer of the Week for the second time this spring. In addition, Abby Arceneaux (Mechanicville, NY/Mechanicville) received the Pitcher of the Week award and the Rookie of the Week was Catherine Kielb (Rensselaer, NY/Columbia). Arceneaux also received the ECAC Division III Upstate Co-Pitcher of the Week honor.

Flanagan scored five goals on seven shots in Union's regular season finale win at Oneonta. Flanagan scored two free position goals on two attempts. She also collected three ground balls and caused three turnovers. After Union fell behind 2-0, she scored three goals during a 10-0 run by the Dutchwomen. Cuozzo scored two goals on three shots, including the game-winning goal, and added two assists at Oneonta. She also collected three ground balls and caused two turnovers. The women's lacrosse team, winners of 10 straight, bring an 11-3 record into this weekend's Liberty League Championships at home. Top-seed Union hosts #4 Hamilton at 11 a.m. Saturday at Bailey Field, while the other semifinal features Skidmore and St. Lawrence. The winners meet for the title and the NCAA automatic playoff bid Sunday at 12 p.m.

Gawronski has an eight-game hitting streak after hitting safely in each of the four games last week. She was 3 for 3 with 3 RBIs in the first win vs. Rensselaer, and also had two hits in the second game win vs. Hamilton. On the week, Gawronski was 7 for 13 (.538) with four RBIs and five runs scored. She entered last week 13th nationally in RBIs and 33rd in hitting, and now has 39 RBIs and a .471 batting average. Arceneaux improved to 13-2 with a pair of victories last week. She allowed one earned run and struck out 25 in 13 innings. Arceneaux struck out a career-high 16 and allowed one earned and seven hits in a 3-2 victory over regionally-ranked Liberty League rival Rensselaer on Monday, then struck out nine with a three-hit, no-earned run triumph over Hamilton, 10-1. Kielb had a walk-off homer in one of the two games last week. Tuesday, she hit a three-run HR that provided the eight-run + margin in a 10-1 win over Hamilton. She had three RBIs in game one vs. Rensselaer, and had two hits in each of the four games. Kielb was 8 for 13 (.615) with nine RBIs, four runs scored and the homer in the four-game week. On the season, Kielb is hitting .438.

In other Union sports action this week, baseball is scheduled to play at Hamilton Tuesday and at Clarkson Friday then host Hartwick Saturday and Utica Sunday. A doubleheader to make up vs. Rochester also figures into the mix, so check the front web page for the latest schedule updates. Men's and women's track & field competes at the New York State Championships Friday and Saturday at the University of Rochester.

Posted on May 3, 2005

Union College's Commencement Committee has chosen outgoing President Roger H. Hull as this year's commencement speaker and recipient of an honorary degree at the ceremony on June 12. Hull has led the College for 15 years.

“President Hull has made an immensely positive impact on Union — raising academic standards, renovating and upgrading numerous buildings, and raising funds to maintain the College's standing as one of the best liberal arts institutions in the nation,” said senior Erin Williams, who is a member of the Board of Trustees and served on the Commencement Committee. “He was a clear choice as the committee reviewed his accomplishments over the years,” Williams added.

Student Forum President Gillian McCabe, a senior who also served on the committee, agreed. “It is a common tradition for departing college presidents to serve as honorary graduation speakers, and President Hull is one of the longest-serving college presidents in the country,” she said.

Since coming to Union in 1990 as the College's 17th president, Hull has focused on five key areas:

·        Integrating the liberal arts and technology;

·        Enhancing academic, social and residential life;

·        Increasing international education;

·        Expanding undergraduate research; and

·        Encouraging community service 

Within this framework, the College launched a major initiative called Converging Technologies to better integrate the liberal arts and technology. In addition, Hull was instrumental in spearheading Union's Minerva Houses, which offer a new approach to academic, social, and residential life that combines a house system with traditional residence halls, theme houses, and fraternities and sororities.

Long interested in international education, Hull has expanded terms abroad and exchanges to two dozen countries. Today, more than 65 percent of Union's students study abroad at some point, a figure that ranks Union among the top dozen international programs at American colleges. Opportunities for student independent study and research have expanded significantly as well, and Union regularly sends one of the largest student contingents to the annual National Conference on Undergraduate Research.

Committed to cooperative efforts between college and community, Hull was co-founder of Schenectady 2000, an extensive revitalization project for the city of Schenectady, and created the Union-Schenectady Initiative, a plan to revitalize the neighborhood to the immediate west of campus. The College has invested more than $26 million in projects, including the renovation of the former Ramada Inn into College Park Hall, a residence for 230 upper-class students. Through the College's Kenney Community Center, more than 60 percent of Union's students perform volunteer service in the local community and schools.

Cliff Brown, chair of the Faculty Executive Committee and Robert Porter Patterson Professor of Government, said:  “History will remember President Hull for all of these accomplishments and more. He conducted matters with integrity, with equity, with decency, and with a constant regard for the well being of everybody at this College.”

A native of New York City, Hull earned his B.A. degree from Dartmouth College, his law degree from Yale Law School, and his master's degree in law and his Doctor of Juridical Science degree from the University of Virginia. From 1967 to 1971, he was an attorney with White & Case in New York City. In 1971, he became special counsel to Gov. Linwood Holton of Virginia, responsible for the administration's legislative program. Three years later, he joined the National Security Council's Interagency Task Force on the Law of the Sea as a special assistant to the chairman and deputy staff director.

In 1976, Hull joined Syracuse University, where he served as vice president for development and planning and as adjunct professor of international law. He served as president of Beloit College for nine years and was inaugurated as the 17th president of Union College in the fall of 1990.

About 500 students are to receive their degrees at Union College's Commencement. The ceremony is June 12 at 10 a.m. in Library Plaza. For a schedule of events, see www.union.edu/commencement.