• Congratulations, Fall and Winter Graduates!
• Marilyn Gaddis Rose Recognized for Service
• Student Spotlight: Emily Cosnett `03
• Harpur Alumnus Heads for Hollywood
• Happy Retirement, Harpur Faculty!
• Harpur Friends & Family
• Shop Harpur Online
• Back Issues

Congratulations, Fall and Winter Graduates!

About 400 students gained the prestigious status of Harpur College alumni on Sunday, December 8, 2002 in the Anderson Center at Harpur College's Fall Recognition Ceremony. This relatively new tradition congratulates students who completed their degree requirements "off season" (August or January).

As the Sendel Quartet, comprised of cellist Ben James `04, violinists Julia Kim `04 and Tae-Ho Kwak `04, and violist Morgan Kim `04, played "Pomp and Circumstance," the honorees walked across the stage to receive personal congratulations from Harpur College Dean Jean-Pierre Mileur and Associate Dean Donald Blake.

In his welcoming address, Dean Mileur told the graduates, "For five decades, Harpur has remained true to its founding principles -- to provide a high quality, public, liberal arts education in an intellectually stimulating environment. You are now part of that proud tradition and will continue to be as you join the ranks of more than 40,000 of Harpur College's alumni."

Student speaker, Kimberly Anne Pelesz, a candidate for a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy, Politics and Law, said she compares life to paper and lessons learned to color."Don't forget the experiences that change your life," she said, "because once the moment is gone the color will fade, and that lesson will be lost forever." At the end of her speech, Pelesz gave each of her classmates at the ceremony a crayon "to represent the color that Binghamton adds." Click here for the full text of Pelesz's speech.

Faculty speaker, Marilyn Gaddis Rose, grabbed the audience's attention by comparing her forthcoming remarks, titled "On Mantras" to a Tarot card reading. Quoting James Joyce, Andre' Malraux, William Butler Yeats, and President Lois B. DeFleur, Rose explained that a mantra "recognizes limitations and wills to remove them." She bestowed upon the graduates one of her favorite mantras from Villiers de I'Isle-Adam, "Macte animo ultima oerfulget sola (You'll light up the sky)." Click here for the full text of her speech.

Earlier in the ceremony, Rose received the Eugene D. Flood Award for Outstanding Service to Harpur College. (see story below)

The Sendel Quartet rounded out the ceremony with "Quartet No. 1, op. 11" by Ilyich Tchaikovski. Students and their families enjoyed a sumptuous reception and praised the event for being so personal. "It was a beautiful thing that they recognized the January graduates," said Susan Ruchala `03, one of the honorees, "It was very intimate and elegant."

Follow this link for a list of graduates.

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Marilyn Gaddis Rose Recognized for Service

Harpur College's newest graduates weren't the only ones honored at the December 8 Recognition Ceremony. Dean Jean-Pierre Mileur presented Marilyn Gaddis Rose (pictured left), distinguished service professor of Comparative Literature, the Eugene D. Flood Award for Outstanding Service to Harpur College. The award is given only in cases of the highest service to Harpur, and not on an annual basis.

Since joining the faculty of Harpur College in 1968, Rose has served as chair and undergraduate advisor of the Comparative Literature department, as well as on numerous college, university, and SUNY-wide committees during her tenure at Harpur. To name only a few, she has been a fellow of College-in-the-Woods and Dickinson Community, a member of the graduate council, and the chair of the Harpur College Foreign Language Task Force. Early in her career, Rose was instrumental in establishing Comparative Literature as a department and major.

Rose has served as director of the Translation Research and Instruction Program (TRIP) since its inception in 1973 and as director for the Center for Research in Translation (CRIT) since 1987. She was named Distinguished Service Professor in 1991; today she is only one of three faculty to hold this rank on our campus. In 1998, Rose and her husband, Professor Stephen David Ross, established the Marilyn Gaddis Rose and Stephen David Ross University and Community Projects Fund, which supports cooperative efforts between the University and local non-profit organizations.

A former Harpur College Dean expressed his appreciation for Rose's tenure as Chair of the Comparative Literature Department as, "Never has a department been administered with more grace, tact and efficiency and dedication than characterized by your term of office."

Eugene Flood `57, after whom the award was named, said, "I am thrilled that Marilyn Gaddis Rose received this award. She and I were co-workers for 30 years and I've always admired her."

Perhaps Rose's approach to service can best be conveyed in her own words written in one of her early faculty reports, "I am willing to serve to the extent of my abilities when asked." We, as a college and a university have asked, time and time again, and she has always responded with distinguished service.

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Student Spotlight: Emily Cosnett `03

Emily Cosnett `03 (pictured left) concluded her education this December with more than final exams and term papers. She also exhibited "The Purpose of Wings," a collection of paintings, sculptures and photographs she finished over the last two years, on November 15, 2002, at the Rosefsky Gallery. The exhibit earned her a Bachelor degree in Fine Arts.

Cosnett decided to transfer from Buffalo State College to Binghamton University during the summer between her sophomore and junior years. "I just wanted to do something I hadn't done before," she explained. Her decision paid off; she not only found plenty of new experiences here in Binghamton, but also had the opportunity to take her studies a step further.

Cosnett joined the Binghamton Outdoor Pursuits in order to fulfill her physical education requirement, and the experience introduced her to the great wilderness of upstate New York. She received training as a life guard and acquired hands-on experience in backpacking and wilderness survival, all of which she put to good use when she directed a wilderness program at Camp Warwick this past summer.

Cosnett had been a photography major at Buffalo and continued to pursue this interest as well, taking several photography courses here at Harpur College. ("Costa Sakellariou, my instructor, has been wonderful," she added.) Again she put her studies to use when she interned at Binghamton's Press & Sun Bulletin, which she described as a "great experience."

"They really involved me, and it wasn't too long before I was shooting assignments on my own," Cosnett said. She found photojournalism an extremely versatile field. "You can shoot a high school football game, then a family, then get called into a fire in the middle of the night."

While Harpur College brought Cosnett into the wilderness and placed her behind the lens of a camera, her most unique experience here in Binghamton has been behind the wheel of a bus. Cosnett drives a bus for OCC Transport and even subbed as a driver for the Johnson City School District. She recalled, "That was an experience, let me tell you. I love that job! I really love people's reactions, going home and telling people I'm a bus driver. My parents tell people I drive a 13 ton vehicle. I like to tell people I can parallel park a 30 foot bus."

As for the student activities and clubs Cosnett has joined: "OCC transport isn't a club, but it's a student-run organization. I was a trainer last spring, and I trained the new drivers. I did the internship at the Press & Sun. I was in the outdoors club, but my job conflicted with the meeting time. I took some classes with BOP. For gym, I took a life guarding class and wilderness medicine certification class."

Has she enjoyed it here? "I absolutely love the school. It's great and there are opportunities here that you don't get at other state schools. The BOP [Binghamton Outdoor Pursuit] has been great! Taking backpacking for gym is fun. That started a whole new hobby. I ended up getting into that. Last summer I ran a wilderness camp program, which never would have happened unless I had taken the classes here."

Cosnett's experience at Harpur College also shed additional light on her career interests: "Ever since I started bus driving, I told everyone I was going to be a bus driver (laughing). I was looking into grad school for photography or animation, but I'm going to take a break from school for the moment. Animation is kind of the dream, but I haven't had a lot of experience with it. Photography is more what I do."

Adding to her interests in wilderness medicine and lifeguarding, Cosnett also plans to begin Emergency Medical Technician classes in the Spring. "I'm the type of person who likes to be skilled in a variety of fields instead of just one."

Throughout her tenure at Binghamton University, Cosnett has lived on campus, even though she is originally from Vestal. "It's been nice because I know where things are," she said. "When people complain there's nothing to do, I say, 'What are you talking about?' I never got into the whole bar scene, and that made my experience different. People would always act surprised when I told them I was from here."

For the Cosnetts, Harpur College has clearly been a family affair. Her younger brother, Matt, is a sophomore, and her older brother, Will, attended Harpur for three years before transferring elsewhere. Her mother, Darexa Cosnett `98, returned to Binghamton University to pursue a teaching degree after several years at IBM.

"I'm really sad to be graduating," Cosnett admitted. "It's weird. You wouldn't think you'd be sad about that. I was writing a paper and realized, 'This is my last one!"

Still, after painting other creatures' wings for so long, Cosnett is clearly ready to spread her own and begin her life after graduation.

Harpur Alumnus Heads for Hollywood

Have you ever dreamed of making it big in Hollywood? Seth Mates `00 has, and he’s moving there in February to try his hand at screenwriting.

"Growing up, I always wanted to work in the media," recalls Mates. He got a good start at BU, serving both PipeDream and WHRW. Mates and friend Jeremy Klaff `99 (M.A.T. `00) called the entire 1998 - 1999 season of women’s basketball. "They won the first 10 games and went to the NCAA championship," he said. "We were just kidding around and having fun, but it gave the team some positive attention."

Mates and Klaff must have been on to something, because that year they won The Director’s Award, which recognizes outstanding contributions to BU athletics.

The radio duo also worked on BTV's comedy show "On the Daily," which Mates recalls as his favorite memory of Binghamton. "It was an open forum with live airways, and totally unpredictable."

His experience with campus media landed him an internship at World Wrestling Entertainment (formerly known as the World Wrestling Federation) between his junior and senior year, which turned into a job after graduation. Mates wrote for their enormously popular website and WWE Magazine until July 2002 when he joined the creative team that develops storylines for WWE’s shows such as "Raw" and "SmackDown."

"It was unbelievable working one-on-one with wrestlers Hulk Hogan and "The Rock" (Duane Johnson)." Mates said he most enjoyed working for Vince McMahon, World Wrestling Entertainment’s founder who turned his trade into a multi-million dollar international phenomenon. "He believes in his ideas and makes them work."

Mates also enjoyed the perks of working in entertainment, such as flying in McMahon’s private jet and traveling around the world. "I’ve been to 38 states this year, as well as Canada, Finland, Ireland and England," he said, "They sent me everywhere!"

But the glamour of limos and stars hasn’t taken Mates' eyes off his dream of writing screenplays for film and television. His last day with WWE was December 6 and he is now trying to find an agent and a part-time job in Hollywood.

Mates realizes moving to Hollywood is a gamble, but it’s one he’s willing to take. "Even if I’m going to fall flat on my face, I’m young and now’s the time to take a chance. This is something I always promised myself I’d do."

Mates relishes the openness of his plan and can't wait to make the big move. "Half the fun is going out there and not knowing what will happen."

Happy Retirement, Harpur Faculty!

Fifty-six Binghamton University employees are taking advantage of New York State's early retirement incentive, eleven of whom have touched the lives of many students over the years. We bid a fond farewell to:

• Charles Bischoff, Professor of Economics
• Peter Cocozzella, Professor of Romance Languages
• Thomas Cowing, Professor of Economics
• Melvyn Dubofsky, Distinguished Professor of History
• Robin Oggins, Associate Professor of History
• Richard Quest, Director of Undergraduate Laboratories, Chemistry
• Lawrence Roberts, Professor of Philosophy
• James Sullivan, Senior Academic Advisor, Harpur College
• Warren Wagar, Distinguished Professor of History
• Jean Wilson, Associate Professor of Art History
• Noel Yeh, Professor of Physics

We are also waving goodbye to David Anderson, Associate Vice President and Dean of Students at BU.

Harpur Friends & Family

In response to your much-appreciated feedback, the Harpur Hotline has developed a regular feature of alumni news. Please send us anything you want: publications, promotions, marriages, babies, graduations, retirements, etc. Many thanks to everyone who shared their stories. Here's what some of your fellow Harpur alumni and friends are doing:

Former Harpur College professor, Phillip Damon, died at his home in Berkeley, CA on October 22, 2002. He was considered an expert on the influence and heritage of the classics in the medieval period. After serving in World War II as an Air Force navigator in the Pacific, Damon earned a Ph.D. in English in 1942. He taught at Harpur College in the early 1960's, following a position at Cornell University, and left to return to his alma mater in 1966. He retired in 1991.

1964:Some friends from the class of 64 had a mini-reunion in New York City. Back row, left to right: Marilyn Levy Barth, Elaine Rostholder Pavda, Vicky Burrington Ulrich. Front: Paula Weinstein Weiss, Deborah Pisetzner Klein, Alice Silverman Stephens. Many thanks to Paula Weinstein Weiss for sharing this photo with the Harpur Hotline!

1972: Burt Thelander told the Harpur Hotline, "I am living in a rural area in southeastern NYS, working as Director of Nursing in a NYS Office of Mental Health psychiatric center. I am reaching a crossroads (remember Cream?) with the understanding that I can make decisions about what I want to pursue for the rest of my life. I am happily married with a wonderful14-year-old daughter. I am in regular contact with Harpur Grads/friends Irwin Garskof and Dan Johnston. Contact with any past Harpur soulmate is welcome." You can reach Burt at bthelander@hvc.rr.com.

1999: According to Seth Mates, profiled above, Jeremy Klaff is teaching history in Long Island and performs stand-up comedy in New York.

2002: Madeleine Hackett recently moved back to Binghamton from Long Island to teach art to students with ADD and ADHD.

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Shop Harpur Online
New Merchandise Available!

http://binghamton.bkstore.com

If you don't see what you want, ask for it!

Shop the campus bookstore from the comfort of your PC or Mac. Want to pick up a copy of the new Harpur history book The Cornerstone? Visit... Binghamton University Harpur College Shopping Online

For hats, shirts and other apparel, see http://binghamton.bkstore.com

Editor's note: if you have trouble locating Harpur College merchandise on the bookstore's website, please contact the bookstore at 607-777-2745.

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Back Issues of the Harpur Hotline

For other Campus News, visit: http://www.binghamton.edu

Miss an issue? Check out...

December 4, 2002
November 20, 2002
November 7, 2002
October 24, 2002
October 9, 2002
September 25, 2002
September 12, 2002
August 23, 2002
July 23, 2002
June 21, 2002
May 31, 2002
May 24, 2002
May 17, 2002
May 3, 2002
April 19, 2002
April 2, 2002
March 19, 2002
March 5, 2002
February 19, 2002
February 6, 2002
January 18, 2002

2000 & 2001 Hotlines

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The Harpur College of Arts and Sciences Development Team encourages alumni, students, faculty and friends to identify with Harpur College's past, present and future by engaging them in events and programs that connect them to the college. We facilitate ways for our constituents to enrich Harpur College through their financial contributions and personal talents and resources.

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