ALUMNI UPDATES FROM ACCENTBack to EDP Alumni FALL2012 ►Shakira Mayne (‘12/Criminal Justice) is completing her graduate work at Clark Atlanta University, Atlanta, Georgia, in the Public Administration program. She emailed us 8/3 to say: “The program is rigorous but it's for my own good. I've put some of your advice to use and it's been working for me, thank you. Now, I always make sure to get a full night’s rest which means I have to get all my reading done AHEAD of time and balance work and school, school being number one like you've always said. I have finally realized that overexerting myself is not only unhealthy, but I'm much more relaxed and balanced now. Wish I would have done this in undergrad." ►Douglas Freer (‘12/Business Admin/Management) will participate in an internship with Disney in Orlando, Florida, for spring 2013. ►Lauren Williams (‘10/English) Emailed us 8/29/12 saying: “I am an educational children's book author and my first book is now available! I've created and published it through a site called Createspace, which is a company affiliated with Amazon.com. I hired an illustrator and now my book is complete. I'm sharing all those details because I found the site to be easy to use, and it is free, self-publishing. If you know of any students who are interested in becoming writers, it’s a site they can use to do it. This has been an amazing process for me, and I am happy to share it with my college family who has helped me to get to this point. Avie Changes a Dollar — https://www.createspace.com/3827004 ►Oluwabumi Ajayi (‘11/Political Science) emailed that she is doing well as an administrative coordinator at the National Psychological Association for Psychoanalysis in New York City and misses her EDP Family. She said: “I remember when I was in a rush to graduate and you told me I would miss Fredonia. I didn’t believe you then, but now I am missing it, not the classwork so much, but definitely the atmosphere and, of course, my EDP family.” ►Steven Artymowycz (‘11/Criminal Justice) stopped in to say hi and let us know that he completed the police training course at Erie Community College. ►Amanda Tobin (‘12/Social Work) is completing her graduate work at Medaille College in Buffalo. She is also the new Assistant Activities Director at Glenwell, a DePaul nursing home in Cheektowaga. She absolutely loves it and the residents are great!
SPRING 2012 Sarah Chichester ’11/Theatre Arts emailed us to say “I hope everyone in EDP is doing well and I thank you all so much for everything you have done for me! I was accepted to NYU to get my master's in Educational Theatre and st FALL 2011 Alumni are invited to check out the new Future of Fredonia website. See the plans for the five current and upcoming construction projects: the new science center, Williams Center renovation, Dods Hall fitness center renovation, Rockefeller Arts Center addition, and the townhouse village residence. Linda (Leberman) Williams (‘74/Elementary Education) retired in June 2010 as a second grade teacher at Lake Shore Central Schools. Cynthia Hall (‘79/Visual Arts) had an exhibit of paintings, drawings, prints, and sculptures at two art shows at SUNY Orange County Community College‘s Middletown campus. Dr. Mark Anthony Neal (‘87/English) was back on campus as one of the guest scholars speaking at the 7th Annual Mary Louise White Symposium November 4. The symposium‘s theme this year was dedicated to the work and legacy of gospel great Mahalia Jackson. Dr. Neal teaches African and American Studies at Duke University. Kevin Kruger (‘94/Music Education) was hired as Principal at Benjamin Franklin Middle School in the Kenmore-Town of Tonawanda, NY, Union Free School District in August 2010, after 11 1/2 years of teaching music in the West Seneca Central Schools and 4 1/2 years as an assistant principal at Kenmore West High School. Jennifer Colon (‘07/Business Admin) is now working as the Project Staff Assistant at SUNY Fredonia‘s Technology Incubator in Dunkirk, NY. Justin Bouchard (‘10/Communication Audio-Radio)—pictured to the right—was inducted November 6 into SUNY Fredonia‘s chapter of the Golden Key International Honour Society. Golden Key is the world's largest collegiate honor society. Membership into the Society is by invitation only and applies to the top 15% of college and university sophomores, juniors and seniors, as well as top-performing graduate students in all fields of study, based solely on the their academic achievements. Justin Ramsey (‘10/History) is now pursuing his master‘s degree at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia, studying Soviet History. He hopes to complete it by December 2012. Christian Torres (‘10/Social Work) is one of the coaches of the Blue Devils Diving Club. Having had a stellar college career as a diver, Christian is giving back to the local WNY area by coaching 5-18 year olds. The program is in its first year with hopes of making this area a better diving competitive area. Kurtisha Scipio (‘11/Social Work) dropped us an email saying : “Thank you for everything you have done for me. I was lucky to have you to guide me down the right path and I am glad to have met you. I now have a position as a foster care case manager with Lutheran Social Services. They're funded through Administration for Children's Services. I've been here for about a month and I love it. It's a lot of work, but it's all worth it. I've also applied to NYU Silver School for Social Work and Hunter College for my master‟s in social work.” Vincent Outerbridge (‘11/Business Admin) stopped by to express his appreciation for the EDP services he received. He is currently employed at a charter school in Massachusetts as a special education learning specialist. He is enjoying it and hopes to pass down lessons learned in EDP. He has agreed to return and address our students in the near future. Keli Cochran (‘11/Comm/PolSci/IDS) attended Diversity Day November 10-11 at the University of Minnesota. Diversity Day is a two-day program coordinated to expose students who are historically underrepresented in higher education to master‘s degree programs at the Humphrey School of Public Affairs. Nomination came through the Public Policy and International Affairs Program (PPIA) http://www.ppiaprogram.org/, which is a national program that prepares young adults for an advanced degree and ultimately for careers and influential roles serving the public good. PPIA has an outreach focus on students from groups who are underrepresented in leadership positions in government, nonprofits, international organizations and other institutional settings. SPRING 2011 Jerome Moss (‘80/Sociology) coached the Dunkirk (NY) boys‘ basketball players to an 18-0 regular season, earned the B-1 playoffs, and won the CCAA Division 1 regular-season title, the second best record in Dunkirk school history. Kelly Falzone (‘87/English) “I continue to work as a poet and teach artists. I enjoy working one-on-one with writers in an editing and coaching capacity. I think of my days at Fredonia and in EDP as some of the best in my life and carry a great deal of love for the staff who helped me grow so much. Delisa James (‘91/Political Science) ―I live in downtown Washington, D.C., just minutes from the White House. I‘ve been living in D.C. since May of 2003 and love it. I moved from NYC to work at the National Minority AIDS Council as Federal Affairs Manager. Since 2005, I‘ve been with America‘s Health Insurance Plans, the trade association that represents most of the nation‘s health insurance providers. I am on the educational and leadership development side of the organization. Lavette ―Lovey Johnson-Debrow (‘93/Speech & Hearing) ―I'm published!‖ Fabric Photo Memories by Lovey is a book of fabric photo collages of African American women from the 1700's through the early 1900's. See the art of creating fabric photo collages utilizing beautiful fabrics, lace, trims, jewelry and photos displayed beautifully throughout the pages of this book. www.magcloud.com/browse/Issue/165047. Amybeth Whissle (‘94/Theatre Arts) “I work in midtown NYC at a private equity firm in their family philanthropy/community service program. I‘m also heading back to school at the end of April – to culinary school! It‘s something I‘ve wanted to do for a long time and finally decided to just do it! I got married in October 2009 and am the lucky wife of a visual artist who also works here with me at Ziff Brothers Investments. I did read all about Gino‘s award. Very exciting! I also went to high school with him at Buffalo Academy for Visual and Performing Arts. Talk about ‗hometown boy makes good‘! Mark Putney (‘95/Education) teaches second grade at Fredonia Central and took his students on a field trip to WGRZ-TV studios in Buffalo this past February. Dinecia Pierre-Louis (‘05/French-Adolescence Education) started a new job in May in Laurel, Maryland, at Capitol College as assistant director of advising and student success. Jamel Corbett (‘06/Business Administration) is a business liaison for RJ Reynolds in Albany, NY, and a freelance writer. ―I will never forget the opportunity the EDP staff gave a kid from Long Island who is a dreamer and a fighter. Thanks for everything you have done and for always keeping in touch. Nelson Diaz (‘09/English-Adolescence Edu) is a sixth grade English teach at Nyack Middle School and is enrolled full-time as a graduate student at Columbia University‘s Teachers‘ College. ―I owe a large part of my success to EDP and I wanted you to know that. I am reminded of that transitional time in my life and how the EDP staff made it relatively easy for me to adapt. You pushed me to reach my potential and never settle for anything less. I love Fredonia because of EDP. Justin Bouchard (‘10/Communication-Audio-Radio) met Dr. Mark Evan Bonds at a lecture on campus. Dr. Bonds is a music history professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. FALL 2010 Rory Pollaro (‘88/English) is the outdoors columnist for the Chautauqua Star. The Chautauqua Star is a weekly newspaper circulated throughout Chautauqua County. He also has 15 plus years of professional writing and newspaper experience and is currently employed with Frontier Financial of Jamestown. SPRING 2010 Carmen McCray Green (’85/EN) earned her MFA in Creative Writing from Fairleigh Dickinson University in August 2009. Her 28th book, The Perfect Seduction, has been released by Harlequin Books. Jerome Moss (’81/Spec.Studies) was named the boys’ basketball coach at Dunkirk (NY) High School. Darren Martin (’82/CM) has been in Virginia nine years and is Senior Marketing Consultant with Entercom Communications. Via FaceBook he said “Some of the class of ‘82 are making plans to crash Homecoming October 1-3.” —GREAT! We hope to see other alumni during Homecoming, too. Dinecia Pierre-Louis (’05/French Adol Edu) organized an all-campus relief effort to assist victims of the earthquake that struck her homeland of Haiti earlier this year. She enlisted t FALL 2009 Keith McFayden (’77/Bus Ad) was among those honored at the 37th Annual Black Achievers in Industry Awards dinner in Buffalo. Recipients are selected by their employers or other sponsors. Keith was sponsored by Tops Friendly Market. Jermaine Kenner (’01/Econ) is the father of Jayden Elliot Kenner, who was born on August 22 at Brooks Hospital in Dunkirk. “Angela, Gracey, and I are very excited to have our new edition. Have a great year.” Dr. Carmela (DuBose) Thompson, PhD (’78/Edu) is the new director of Admissions at Buffalo State College. Timothy Lupo(’07/Bus Ad) sent an email with some updates. He received his MBA in Global Business Leadership/Marketing from Johnson & Wales University in Rhode Island. He is now in Boston, where he is the official Search Engine Marketing Specialist for a boutique web design and development firm www.freshtilledsoil.com/. “I just wanted to let EDP know the main reason why I'm writing is to thank you for all the opportunities you exposed me to when you accepted me into the EDP program at Fredonia. I remember Jessica (French ’07/ Edu Art) and I in fear that we were not going to be able to get the classes we needed/wanted, but you were there telling us everything would be ‘ok’... and it was. Being able to be a part of a program like EDP really opened the doors for me and has really allowed me to fulfill many things in my life. I'm looking forward to the many experiences life has to offer.” Two EDP alumni—Dr. Helen (Carreras) Suchanick, MD (‘89/Special Studies) and Shaun Nelms (’99/Special Studies) —were included in the summer 2009 issue of the SUNY Educational Opportunity Program Campus News “Achievement Through Access.” Dr. Sherryl Weems, PhD (’76/Edu) and Emma McFayden (’76/Edu) are members of the 2009 Fredonia Alumni Association Board of Directors. Juan Carlos Fontaneda (‘92/Art) and his wife had a son—Julen Thomas. Jason Fishner (‘03/Comm) and his wife had a daughter—Jillian Madison. In Memoriam—Edwin Burks (’75/Pol Sci) passed away at the end of June. SPRING 2009 Harrison Santiago (COMM/08) moved to Florida after May ‘08 graduation and is working at Busch Gardens. Zoeth Browne (BUAD/02) is a Human Resources Systems Associate at Roswell Park Cancer Institute in Buffalo, NY. He lives in Clarence Center with his wife and daughter. Susan (Nebrich) Arthur (Comm/84) called the EDP office in October ‘08. She said if former EDP director Dr. Carmela Thompson hadn’t talked to her at a college fair, she never would have come to college. (Proving that our actions do cause a reaction and can make a difference.) She is living in Williamsville, married with two children, has been working at Sister’s Hospital for 23 years in the activities department, and teaches aerobics. Her daughter is applying to colleges and she is writing her college essay about Sue getting into college via EOP. Sue said she tells her kids all the time that if Dr. Thompson hadn’t talked to her and she hadn’t come to Fredonia through EOP, they wouldn’t have all the benefits they have today. She is still best friends with Ida Boyd, COMM/85/EDP alum. Ida is still with the military and living in Arlington. Sue and Ida enjoyed a visit back to campus in fall 2008. FALL 2008 êJudy “JuJu” Thames (Special Studies/’91) was married in New Rochelle, NY, on August 16, to Jemal Potter. êEmma J. McFayden (Edu/’76) received the SUNY College at Buffalo’s President’s Award for Excellence in Academic Advisement earlier this semester and was one of the twenty Western New Yorkers honored at the 36th Annual Black Achievers in Industry banquet on October 4. Emma is the Assistant Director of Recruitment and Retention at the Arthur O. Eve Educational Opportunity Program at Buff State. Emma and her husband Keith McFayden (Bus.Ad./’77) will be celebrating 30 years of marriage on November 1. êRicky Snell (Bus.Ad./’93) is a captain in the US Army stationed in Afghanistan. êJermaine Kenner (Eco/’01) has started to work on his Ph.D. at Capella University in General Psychology. êJamel Corbett (Bus.Ad./’06) is currently working for R.J. Reynolds Co. and living in Albany, NY. After graduating from Fredonia, he attended Buffalo State College and received his Master’s degree in Multi-Disciplinary Studies/International Business. SPRING 2008 êMarc Calixte (COMM/93) is working on his second film (directorial debut). êYartish Bullock Okeke (EN/CM/01) has accomplished one of her biggest challenges. She finished her masters program in Communication Arts (Public Relations and Advertising) from New York Institute of Technology (NYIT). êIsaac Gill (BIO/05) is now living in San Antonio with his family and has been teaching 9th grade biology in an inner-city school and working on his teaching certification. êLaura Kidd (Health Services Admin/97) is completing her masters in Community Health in May from Long Island University. FALL 2007 SPRING 2007 FALL 2006 SPRING 2006 FALL 2005 SPRING 2005 FALL 2004 SPRING 2004 FALL 2003 SPRING 2008 |
arted in January. Since commencement at Fredonia, I have been working on a lot of shows out of several different theatres in NYC and plan to continue doing more while studying at NYU.” Taha Alassari ‘07/Criminal Justice (pictured to the left) earned his master’s in Special Education from Touro College in NYC. James Adesida ‘10/Psychology emailed us that “as of June 4, I will be working in Japan teaching English to children and young adolescents ages 5-15. I'm truly grateful for this opportunity and I have you to thank. The recruiters were so impressed with my letters of reference and my interview. I can't wait to start this journey. Once again, I wanted to give you a big, heartfelt thank you. I will be sure to drop you a line and pictures every now and then. Take care!” Audrey Pitts ‘82/Sociology appeared in the “Educational Opportunity Program Campus News” p
ublished by the Office of Opportunity Programs (OOP) at SUNY in Albany, Issue 2, 2011-2012. Each campus sub-mitted alumni highlights and OOP selected the best of the best for this publication. 
he support of the entire SUNY Fredonia community to raise money through a fund established with the Fredonia College Foundation. She coordinated a talent showcase held in the Williams Center and it raised over $1,000.
arc Calixte (COMM/93) gave the opening ceremony remarks at this year’s Black History Month. Yartish Bullock Okeke (EN/CM/01) has returned from a trip to Nigeria to visit with her husband’s family. Dinecia Pierre-Louis (FRENCH ADOLESCENCE EDU/05) is studying at the New School University in NYC this Spring. She is enjoying starting something new in the health services and management area. Frances Odom (LEGAL STUDIES/03) was recently named Assistant Branch Manager at CharterOne Bank in Indianapolis, Indiana.
a member of the therapeutic staff support team. Shaun Nelms (SOC.STUDIES/99) was promoted to principal of Rush Henrietta Middle School in Rochester, NY. He was formerly the assistant principal at Greece Arcadia High School. Ana Brignoni-Waliczek (SPANISH/96) is working as a court interpreter for the 8th Judicial District Office in Buffalo.