CSI'S NEW RESIDENCE HALLS - CSI Today

ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIPS:THE GIFT THAT KEEPS ON GIVINGSupporters of the College of Staten Island may well provide a fullannual scholarship to students in need with a $100,000 endowed gift.Depending on market conditions, the annual return on that investmentwill come close to the cost of a full-year’s tuition.Class of 2012 graduate and valedictorian Irvin Ibarguen benefitedfrom an endowed gift, the Aramis Gonzalo Rios MemorialScholarship. Commenting on the importance of the scholarship, Irvinsaid, “I’m very grateful to CSI for making a scholarship available tome, and Mr. [Edgar] Rios, who is the person who founded thisparticular scholarship. Usually, I had to pay for my books, mytransportation, so it’s a great help for me and also my parents, whohelp support me.”There are many other deserving students like Irvin who can realizetheir goals and dreams with the help of an endowed scholarship.For more information, call Dr. Kenneth Boyden, Esq. in the Office ofCollege Advancement at 718.982.2365 or emailkenneth.boyden@csi.cuny.edu.The next generation of CSI students depends on your support.The College of Staten Island is accelerating its efforts toprotect the environment and develop sustainable andresponsible patterns of development in accordance withCUNY Chancellor Dr. Matthew Goldstein’s UniversitySustainability Council, which is committed to reducinggreenhouse gas emissions from all campus buildings by 30percent over the next decade. If you would prefer toreceive an electronic version of this publication or futureeditions via email instead of a hard copy, please contactthe Alumni Relations Office at alumni@csi.cuny.edu.

Volume 3, Number 2Fall 2012Rendering of the new residence halls looking west.COVER STORYConstruction Commences onNew Residence HallsPage 10EYE ON CSIis Onlinecsitoday.com/publicationsPlease let us know your thoughtsat alumni@csi.cuny.edu regardingEye on CSI.FEATURED ARTICLESGrads Who Are Going PlacesPage 3Faculty Focus:Dr. Christina Tortora,Professor of LinguisticsUnlocking New Insights onLanguage and LinguisticsPage 6Bringing InternationalExperience to the ClassroomPage 8Construction Commences onNew Residence HallsPage 10DEPARTMENTSFaculty FocusPage 6Around CampusPage 12Alumni NewsPage 18Scholarly AchievementsPage 20Keeping TabsPage 21EventsPage 22Club NewsPage 23Foundation NotesPage 24Sports HighlightsPage 26Featured Alumna:Leith ter Meulen ’76Page 29

EYE ON CSI GRADS WHO ARE GOING PLACES PAGE 3GRADS WHOARE GOING PLACESThe members of the College of Staten Island’s Class of 2012 have quite a bit to celebrateas they move on to graduate school and meaningful careers. In this article, you will meetsome CSI grads who made their mark at the College, while honing their skills to such anexceptional level that they will be attending graduate school at some very prestigiousinstitutions in the fall.Mark Barahman has been acceptedinto the Albert Einstein College of MedicineMD-PhD programMark Barahman, a Macaulay Honors College(MHC) graduate who received his BS inBiochemistry, has been accepted into theAlbert Einstein College of Medicine MD-PhD program. During his time at CSI andMHC, Barahman received a number ofprestigious honors, including a Barry M.Goldwater Scholarship, a first in the historyof CSI, and a Phi Beta Kappa AssociatesAward. He worked in two laboratories at theCollege—the neuroscience lab of ProfessorAbdeslem El Idrissi and the chemistry lab ofProfessor Alan Lyons, performing researchrelated to super-hydrophobic surfaces. Oneof Barahman’s most notable accomplishmentsunder Dr. Lyons was the construction andprogramming of a robotic printer that prints inthree dimensions (3D) on a microscopic scale.Barahman grew up in Israel, working as ateenager as a first responder for MDA(Magen David Adom, or Red Star ofDavid), an emergency medical organization,which is a member of the International RedCross and Red Crescent Societies. Heimmigrated to Brooklyn in August 2006.During the summer of 2010, Barahmanparticipated in NYU/Bellevue Hospital’sprestigious Project HealthCare summerprogram, in which he was able to work in theemergency room and operating room, wherehe interacted closely with patients and thehospital staff, as well as assisted with clinicalresearch projects and work on the annualBellevue health fair.Looking back on his experiences at CSI andMHC, he said, “My time with the HonorsCollege has been the most self-constructive inmy life. I have learned, experienced, traveled,presented my work to experts, won awards,and most importantly – enjoyed the companyof a terrific group of individuals. Every facetof my experience with the Macaulay HonorsCollege at CSI has helped me shape mycareer aspirations – especially my research atCSI and clinical experience at BellevueHospital. Both of these were facilitated bythe Macaulay Honors College and CSI staffdedicated to orienting students in theircareers. Other accomplishments, such aswinning the Goldwater Scholarship andgaining acceptance to one of the mostprestigious graduate programs in the country,came from the breadth of opportunitiesprovided by the amazing experienceMacaulay is responsible for and theguidance of dedicated staff and faculty.”Although he said that he can’t predict hisexact career path after Albert Einstein,Barahman noted that he is “interested inworking in the field of biomedicalengineering – especially tissue engineeringand regenerative medicine. I am hoping towork both as a scientist, making discoveriesand contributing significantly in these fields,and also practicing medicine in a capacitythat allows me to utilize my findings –effectively translating basic research into trueclinical impact.

Americans; the prestigious Jeannette K.Watson Fellowship; and the AramisGonzalo Rios Memorial Scholarship.Ibarguen maintained a 4.0 GPA and isquick to credit his CSI professors, namely,Drs. Calvin Holder and Richard Lufrano ofseminar, in which he completed a paperabout Mexican immigrants in New YorkCity, that he was able to “embrace thebeauty of [his] Mexican background.”In addition, Ibarguen underscores the valueof his Verrazano experience. “If I could makeIrvin Ibarguen is the first CSI undergraduateto be admitted into Harvard University’sprestigious PhD History program.Irvin Ibarguen, College of Staten IslandValedictorian for 2012, is the first CSIundergraduate to be admitted into HarvardUniversity’s prestigious PhD Historyprogram. He received a Bachelor’s in Historywith The Verrazano School honors program.Ibarguen has earned several scholarshipsincluding an IME Research Fellowship, afull-tuition scholarship awarded to Mexicanthe History department, for establishing“my love for reading and writing aboutHistory.” He especially recognizes hisfamily’s support throughout his scholasticlife. His parents moved here in 1990 whilehis mother was still pregnant with him.Ibarguen also credits his background formotivating him to pursue a History PhD.“The scorn directed at illegal aliens oftenfound its way down to me,” he said. It wasnot until he enrolled in an advancedan analogy, during my freshman year I feltlike I had ‘friends’ in CSI's faculty/staff, butwhen I joined The Verrazano School [as asophomore] I felt I had…a ‘family’. Moreimportantly, [it] is where I learned how to bean academic.”At Harvard, Ibarguen hopes to continue towrite about undocumented immigration andestablish himself in a tenure-track professorof American History.College of Staten Island Salutatorian DanielFeldman plans to begin studying astronomyat Boston University as a PhD student in the(C-SURP) and the NSF ResearchExperience for Undergraduate (REU)Program at Northern Arizona University.Daniel Feldman plans to beginstudying Astronomy at Boston University asa PhD student.fall. He received a BS in Physics as part of theMacaulay Honors College (MHC).During his undergraduate studies, Feldmanhas taken part in numerous research projectscovering a number of areas, such as asteroidtracking, studying youth indicators in M dwarfstars, examining objects in the Kuiper Belt,using high-resolution near-infraredspectroscopy techniques to help determine thephysical properties of brown dwarfs, and evenbuilding a radio antenna to track solar flares.He was selected to participate in the CUNYSummer Undergraduate Research ProgramCommenting on the opportunities that hisCSI education afforded him, he says, “CSIplayed an integral role in introducing me tothe field of astronomy as an undergraduate.As soon as my freshman year, I began talkingto and working with CSI Professor CharlesLiu at the American Museum of NaturalHistory (AMNH)—this initial experienceintroduced me to the field I would come tolove, and put me in a spot to secure futureresearch projects. Through CSI ProfessorIrving Robbins's mentorship, I gained researchand teaching skills (and a job as an adjunct labtech for CSI), which will be important ingraduate school and beyond. My work withCSI Professor Emily Rice, Hunter ProfessorKelle Cruz, and the entire [Brown Dwarf]research group at the AMNH taught me aboutcollaborative science and has placed me in asolid position for future success in astronomy.”After he completes his degree at BostonUniversity, Feldman has aspirations ofbecoming a professor at a research institution.

EYE ON CSI GRADS WHO ARE GOING PLACES PAGE 5SEEK student Tiffany Pham received a BAin SLS-Early Childhood Education and a BSin Mathematics. She will now pursue aMaster of Arts degree in AdolescentMathematics Education at Brooklyn College.mentor/tutor in the Strategies for Successprogram, and a secretary of Chi Alpha EpsilonNational Honor Society. In addition, shevolunteered her time to the Emerging LeadersProgram, Project Hospitality, and HOPE2012 with other faculty and students at CSI.She also had plenty of opportunities to studyabroad, commenting that “Almost everycontinent of the world where I landed hasPham thanks her family, her professors, andthe staff members of the SEEK program andthe Center for International Service forhelping her to achieve her goals.Reflecting on her time at CSI with an eye tothe future as a high school mathematicsteacher, Pham states, “All of the uniquelearning experiences while pursuing myundergraduate degree and tutoring for theTiffany Pham will pursue a Master of Artsdegree in Adolescent Mathematics Educationat Brooklyn College.During her five years at CSI, Pham not onlyworked diligently on her studies, she alsomade a huge contribution to the College andthe community. She served as a math tutor, agiven me unforgettable memories. Moreover,I not only excelled academically in my studyabroad courses, I definitely had manychances of perceiving the world in differentperspectives.” As a result of her vastinternational experience, Pham was inductedinto the Eta Lambda Chapter of the Phi BetaDelta Honor Society of InternationalScholars in May 2012.SEEK Learning Center and AcademicSupport at CSI have taught me manydifferent ways of making my teachinginteresting and enjoyable for students.Katherine Stone graduated Summa CumLaude from the Teacher Education HonorsAcademy (TEHA) with a BA in Mathematics.While at CSI, she racked up an impressive listof accomplishments, including the SherryBlackman Award for Mathematics, she was aNoyce Scholar and a Harcourt Fellow, andshe was a finalist for 2012 Valedictorian.research through her Harcourt Fellowship;and, last Winter Session, putting the teachingskills that she acquired through the TEHA tothe test in the Galapagos Islands, in a K-through-12 bilingual school.Stone also appreciates her time in theTEHA. “I could not have asked for a betterexperience here at CSI. The Teacherfully prepared to walk into a classroom andenrich the minds of young people.Currently, Stone is enrolled in the AdolescentEducation Mathematics Graduate ProgramKatherine Stone plans to enroll in theCUNY Graduate Center to pursue a PhD inMathematics, specifically Number Theory.Stone also had the chance to experience anumber of exciting educationalopportunities, such as serving as an intern insix different public schools on Staten Island,as a result of the TEHA; student teaching atthe CSI High School for InternationalStudies; performing research on electionfraud in various countries; assisting variousMathematics faculty members in theirAcademy not only allowed me toconcentrate solely on my studies, since Ihave now left the undergraduate programdebt free, but it has also provided me with allof the essential skills needed to start teachingin September. Through the internships,classes, and guidance of Dr. Jane Coffee andMrs. Marianne Orla [the Director andAdvisor to the TEHA, respectively], I feelat CSI. After she finishes the Program, sheplans to enroll in the CUNY GraduateCenter to pursue a PhD in Mathematics.

FACULTY FOCUS:Dr. Christina Tortora, Professor of LinguisticsDr. CHRISTINA TORTORA is currentlyworking on a labor-intensive project entitled,A Syntactically Annotated Corpus ofAppalachian English, which she describes as“an extremely large tool for linguists.”She has been collaborating on the projectwith Michael Montgomery, ProfessorEmeritus at the University of SouthCarolina, who has been collecting recordingsof Appalachian speech from East TennesseeState University, Appalachian StateUniversity, Alice Lloyd College, and manyother colleges in Appalachia, as well as Dr.Beatrice Santorini, Senior Fellow at theDepartment of Linguistics, University ofPennsylvania.“The goal,” said Tortora, “is to providelinguists with a tool that they can use to doresearch, which will further ourunderstanding of language variation andchange.” As Professor Montgomery collectsthe recordings, many from people who wereborn before the Civil War, Tortora has beendigitizing them; then, using a text-to-speechalignment system engineered at theUniversity of Pennsylvania, she is aligningthe digitized speech with the transcripts ofthe recordings. Using a program called“PRAAT,” which helps perfect thetranscripts, she is thus creating a perfecttextual replica of the digitized speech; thepurpose is so researchers can study thephonetics of Appalachian speech by typing asearch into a database and being able toinstantly hear what it sounds like.The database itself will be extensive, withover a million words of transcribedrecordings of Appalachian speech, whichwill also be syntactically annotated. “Theprocess of syntactic annotation–also knownas “parsing”–gives syntactic structure to thetext so that researchers can search not justfor words, but for syntactic structures of anytype. “The idea is to give researchers accessto the linguistic significance of therecordings,” said Tortora.Understanding the structure of AppalachianEnglish is “very important to ourunderstanding of the development andhistory of the English language,” saidTortora. “This understanding will then putus in a better position to develop moresophisticated theories of language structure,linguistic variation, and language change.”The project has garnered attention inprestigious places, as she was awarded aNational Endowment for the Humanities(NEH) Fellowship for the project, as well asa 3.5-year $283,215 National ScienceFoundation grant (with Dr. Santorini), anda 14-month $44,169 NEH DigitalHumanities Start-Up Grant.

EYE ON CSI UNLOCKING NEW INSIGHTS ON LANGUAGE AND LINGUISTICS PAGE 7“The goal is to provide linguists with a tool that they can use to doresearch, which will further our understanding of languagevariation and change.”DR. CHRISTINA TORTORAThe project, which Tortora describes as “anenormous undertaking,” does, as expected,present some significant challenges. “Thegreatest challenge,” Dr. Tortora notes, “liesin the fact that no one has ever done thisexact type of work, namely, create a corpusof speech…Putting the world ofphonetics/phonology together with theworld of syntax in this way is new territory,and forces you to face novel corpus-creationproblems (computational in nature) that justhave to be solved. This can be veryfrustrating, because just when you thinkyou've solved your last problem, you're facedwith a new one.”Borgomanerese, which has been accepted forpublication by Oxford University Press (duespring 2013), various article-sized projectson language and syntax, and she is crafting abook proposal for Wiley-Blackwell based onthe Modern English Grammar course (ENL423) that she has been teaching toundergraduates at CSI for about tenyears now.However, the project is also a labor of lovefor Dr. Tortora. “I love working on it,because it brings in a lot of researchassistants who are learning a lot from it,because it represents a major contribution tothe discipline, and because I'll be able to doreal research with it once it’s built.”Beyond the corpus, which Dr. Tortora hopesto complete in the next few years, she is alsobusy working on other projects to advancethe knowledge and understanding oflanguage, such as completing her bookentitled A Comparative Grammar of

Xuejun You ’95:BRINGINGINTERNATIONALEXPERIENCETO THE CLASSROOM“I think studying and living in another country isa very helpful and beneficial experience. We notonly learn to understand the different culturesand different peoples, but we can understandand learn more about ourselves from differentangles and perspectives.”XUEJUN YOU ’95

EYE ON CSI BRINGING INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE TO THE CLASSROOM PAGE 9The College of Staten Island offers a worldof knowledge to its students, as many takeadvantage of study-abroad opportunitiesevery year. The College also hosts studentsfrom other countries, who want to benefitfrom a high-caliber CSI education, whilelearning about the U.S. first hand.One example of a student in the lattercategory is English instructor Xuejun You,who came to CSI from China. She was ableto draw from her American experience toadd a new, dynamic aspect to her classesback home.Xuejun initially attended Hebei TeachersCollege in China. After graduation, sheremained at Hebei, teaching English. Thingstook a dramatic turn for her life and career in1994, when she had the opportunity toattend CSI, where she received her MA in1995. Since then, she has been teachingEnglish to non-English-major students (bothgraduates and undergraduates) at HebeiNormal University.Xuejun believes that her time at CSI and inNew York City was her “best achievement.Although I learned English and taught it forsome time, I could only teach the studentssome English words and some grammar. Iknew little about American culture. Ofcourse, I read some books about it but thatis different from the first-hand experiences.As a result, my class was always dull and thestudents were tired of learning.” So, in aneffort to gain admission to CSI, she “workeddiligently, passed the TOEFL exam, andfollowed the admissions procedure.”When she went back to China after her timeat CSI, things were much improved forXuejun’s career, thanks to what she learnedhere. “With the help of my [CSI] professors,I made progress in English. After returning Ifelt more confident in my teaching,integrating my experiences and Americanculture, customs, and habits into my classes.I told stories about the professors andclassmates I got to know. I showed movies Ibrought from the States and I told themabout the parties I went to and the food Ienjoyed.” Now, she reports that her studentsenjoy her classes.Noting that studying abroad is much easierfor students today, Xuejun does note thatthere are some ups and downs, but, in theend, it’s worth the effort. “Leaving home tostudy in another country sounds fascinating.You can explore and discover somethingnew and enjoy the feeling of freedom. Inspite of many advantages, there are manychallenges. You are going to encounterdifferent values, different beliefs, differentcustoms and habits. When the initialexcitement is gone, you feel distressed andtired and you will be homesick. Lookingback on my first days in New York, I missedhome so much that I cried many times. Ittakes a long time to adjust to the newenvironment. However, I think studying andliving in another country is a very helpfuland beneficial experience. We not only learnto understand the different cultures anddifferent peoples, but we can understandand learn more about ourselves fromdifferent angles and perspectives.”Looking ahead, although it has been manyyears since she studied at CSI, Xuejunhopes to return again some day, in an effortto experience more of life in the U.S., andaugment her classes in China with morefascinating stories.

CONSTRUCTION COMMENCES ONNEW RESIDENCE HALLS AT THE COLLEGEOF STATEN ISLAND, RESIDENCY FALL 2013Last March, officials from the College ofStaten Island joined with New Yorklegislators and construction team leaders,shovels in hand, to break ground on thehighly anticipated residence halls on thenorthwest corner of the College’s NorthAcademic Quadrangle near the CampusCenter.The housing project is the first majorconstruction of new facilities since 1993.The residence halls will transform CSI intoa destination for national and internationalstudents, as well as Islanders looking for aresidential college experience, according toCollege officials.“The housing project is an institutionalmilestone,” said Dr. Tomás D. Morales, thenPresident of CSI. “It is an integralcomponent of the College’s Master Plan,which was developed through a highlyinteractive and collaborative process with allmembers of our College community. Theoccupancy of these buildings will betransformational for the College, as well asour faculty, staff, and students.”In keeping with Dr. Morales’s vision and theinstitutional philosophy of protecting theenvironment and developing sustainable andresponsible patterns of development, thebuildings are designed to achieve LEEDSilver Certification.The two buildings will house 454 residentsin 133 fully furnished apartments. The fourandfive-story buildings will feature singleanddouble-occupancy units, nine ResidentAssistant units, and one Resident Director

EYE ON CSI CONSTRUCTION COMMENCES ON NEW RESIDENCE HALLS PAGE 11unit. All private and semi-private units forstudents will feature kitchens with a fourburnerrange top, oven, refrigerator, andgarbage disposal, as well as dedicatedbathrooms.The buildings are designed to pamper theirresidents with high-end amenities that fostera sense of community. Residents will enjoylounges, a cardio-focused fitness center,meeting and multipurpose spaces, privatestudy rooms, a mailroom, a business center,vending areas, and laundry facilities. A fullystaffed onsite management office will keepthings running smoothly.Revenue Bonds, 2012 Series B Bonds, tofund the construction and equip thebuildings. The General Contractor is T.G.Nickel & Associates, the same firm thatrecently developed the student housingfacility at CUNY’s Queens College, whichwas also financed by the HDC.The buildings are at the heart of a sevenacresite that will be transformed with newpathways, landscaping, and lighting.Nearby recreational areas will include twonew basketball courts and four newhandball courts.“Our new residential project is a significantcomponent of the College’s recently adoptedfive-year Strategic Plan,” said Ira S. Persky,Vice President for Finance andAdministration at CSI. “The project willenable the College to attract students from awider geographical area, provide moreeducational opportunities, and help to fosteran on-campus environment that will benefitthe entire College community.”The construction phase of the project willcreate nearly 277 construction-related jobsand will take approximately 17 months. Theunits are anticipated to be ready foroccupancy in fall 2013. Site work willcontinue for five months, building exteriorswill be completed in early 2013, and theremaining construction, including interiorsand site restoration, is anticipated to becompleted in August 2013.The buildings are designed to pamper their residents with high-endamenities that foster a sense of community. Residents will enjoylounges, a cardio-focused fitness center, meeting and multipurposespaces, private study rooms, a mailroom, a business center, vendingareas, and laundry facilities.(L-R)Borough President James Molinaro,City Councilman James Oddo,and Dr. Morales.The housing complex is a collaborationbetween Austin, TX-based AmericanCampus Communities (ACC) and CSIStudent Housing LLC with The CityUniversity of New York (CUNY). The NewYork City Housing DevelopmentCorporation (HDC) Board of Directorsapproved the $67.5 million in tax-exemptResidential Revenue Bonds, 2012 Series A,as well as the $2.5 million Residential

AROUND CAMPUSInterim Provost/Senior VPfor Academic AffairsThe Board of Trustees of TheCity University of New York(CUNY) has namedDistinguished Professor Dr.Fred Naider as InterimProvost/Senior Vice Presidentfor Academic Affairs at theCollege of Staten Island.Dr. Naider holds a BChE andan MS in Chemical Engineeringfrom Cornell University and aPhD in Polymer Chemistryfrom the Polytechnic Institute.After a two-year postdoctoralexperience at the WeizmannInstitute of Science, he began along and distinguished career atCSI when he joined the facultyof the Chemistry Department ofRichmond College in 1973.Today, Dr. Naider’s laboratorycontinues to be an active researchsite with undergraduates, PhDstudents, and postdoctoralfellows working side by side.Dr. Naider quickly establishedan international reputation in thearea of cell-cell communication,applying the tools of organicchemical synthesis, biophysicalchemistry, and molecular biologyin a highly complementary andsynergistic fashion. Hisexperiments have yieldedfundamental insight into thetransport of peptides throughcell membranes and practicalguidance in the design ofantifungal drugs for humanmedicine. During his career, Dr.Naider has interacted with bothacademic and industrial scientists.One of these interactionsresulted in a patented class ofmolecules that was used to makean antiviral agent more effective.Dr. Naider has received manygrants in support of hisresearch, and his grant from theNational Institutes of Health(NIH) has been continuallysupported for more than 35years, placing him in the top fivepercent of productiveinvestigators nationwide.During his time at CSI, he hasserved as Chair of the ChemistryDepartment, Acting Dean ofScience and Technology, and onnumerous College andUniversity committees.He is a committed teacher and wasnamed the Leonard and EstherKurtz Term Professor, awardedthe Dolphin Award for Excellencein Teaching by a Member of theFaculty, and was presented withthe President’s Medal.Dr. Naider has publishedapproximately 250 peerreviewedarticles in national andinternational journals. He has beeninvited to speak at universitiesand symposia on a national andinternational level and has giveninvited lectures throughout theUnited States and inCzechoslovakia, Spain,Switzerland, Israel, and Italy.Dr. Naider has lived on StatenIsland since 1973, and has beenmarried to the former Anita JoySerle for 44 years. Together theyare the proud parents of fourchildren and 16 grandchildren.Students and Faculty Share the Spotlight at Undergrad ConferenceStudent/faculty collaboration was the focalpoint of the 11th Annual UndergraduateConference on Research, Scholarship, andPerformance, which was held last spring inthe Center for the Arts at CSI. TheConference gives the College’s students theopportunity to present their work, whichwas guided by CSI’s world-class faculty, inthe form of research posters and papers,performance pieces, and works of visual art.This year’s Conference was the largest ever,with 121 research abstracts on display, as wellas 96 performers and 68 art students, whodemonstrated their finely honed skills. Abstractsfrom the winner of the statewide CSTEPcompetition and students who presentedtheir research at the International TaurineConference in Morocco were also included.The Conference opened at 11:00am with amusical and dance performance in a packedWilliamson Theatre. There was also apresentation of papers to the COR 100class. Another new feature was a PlenarySession, at which then President Dr. TomásD. Morales noted that “The incrediblenumber and level of achievements ondisplay here today truly embody thecornerstone of the College’s mission inadvancing student success and academicexcellence through faculty support,guidance, and mentorship.”CSI Undergraduate Research Awardssupported 16 of the research projects at theConference. The event was sponsored by theCSI Division of Academic Affairs, withfunding from the CSI Foundation, CSIStudent Government, and the CSI AlumniAssociation.

EYE ON CSI AROUND CAMPUS PAGE 13President MoralesNamed President atCSU, San BernadinoAfter almost five years as President of theCollege of Staten Island, Dr. Tomás D.Morales has accepted a position as Presidentof California State University, San Bernadino.In his announcement to the Collegecommunity last spring, Dr. Morales said,“For nearly five years, Evy and I have beenblessed with the opportunity to work witheach of you. After working at numerousuniversities across the country and visitingcountless campuses, I can honestly tell youthat we have been privileged to serve theCollege of Staten Island community andwork with an exceptional faculty, a dedicatedstaff, and a committed student body.”During his tenure as President, Dr. Moraleshas amassed a long list of accomplishments,including the formulation of a new StrategicPlan for the College, a successful visit from theMiddle States Evaluation team last semester,the groundbreaking for CSI’s new residencehalls, the initiation of the design process forthe new Interdisciplinary High-PerformanceComputing Center, an enrollment increaseof nearly 20 percent with a higher numberof students from the Island’s premiere highschools, the establishment of 20 newacademic programs, a 12-percent increase innew faculty, and a 110-percent increase instudents studying abroad, to name just a few.The College community thanks Dr.Morales for everything that he has done forour institution, and wishes him the best inhis future endeavors.Prominent Geologist Dr. William FritzNamed Interim PresidentThe City University of New York hasnamed William J. Fritz, an experienced anddedicated administrator as well as aprominent geologist, professor, and experton Yellowstone geology, as InterimPresident of the College of Staten Island.The appointment of Dr. Fritz, Provost andSenior Vice President for Academic Affairsat CSI, follows the resignation of Dr.Tomás D. Morales, who has beenappointed President of California StateUniversity, San Bernardino after headingCSI for five years through a period ofgrowth and innovation.“Provost Fritz has played an integral rolein the great successes at CSI, and willcontinue to guide the College and itsadministration in the right direction,”Chancellor Matthew Goldstein said. “Hehas extensive administrative and academicexperience, is a champion of students, andhas a deep commitment to the people ofStaten Island, where he resides and is verymuch engaged in the community.“He will serve as Interim President for aperiod of up to two years to ensurenecessary stability and continuity as theCollege of Staten Island moves to completethe important academic and administrativeinitiatives that have been commenced underthe leadership of President Morales andProvost Fritz,” Chancellor Goldstein said.As Provost and Senior Vice President forAcademic Affairs since 2008, Dr. Fritz hasserved as Chief Operating Officer and as akey administrator at CSI. Reportingdirectly to the President, his duties haveincluded direct oversight of the Division ofAcademic Affairs, with a $60 millionbudget and 60 percent of CSI’s personnelin academic programs; EnrollmentManagement (Registrar, Admissions,Financial Aid, Advisement, Testing);Institutional Research; SponsoredPrograms; the Library; the Center forInternational Service; ContinuingEducation; the Women’s Center; and theSmall Business Development Center.“As a faculty member and as anadministrator, I have always put studentsfirst and believe that students deserve aneducation that is rewarding, relevant,rigorous, and affordable,” Dr. Fritz said.“Our students increasingly come from thetop high schools on Staten Island, areparticipating in study abroad, are graduatingin record numbers, and are going on toprestigious graduate and professional schools.A focus on students is a key to top-qualityhigher education and one that I look forand support in all programs,” he added.Dr. Fritz earned his Bachelor of Science atWalla Walla (WA) University in 1975, hisMaster’s of Science in Biology at WallaWalla in 1977, and his PhD in Geology atthe University of Montana, Missoula, in1980.He is a Professor of Geology at CSI; amember of the Earth and EnvironmentalSciences Doctoral faculty at The GraduateCenter, CUNY; and Professor Emeritus ofGeology at Georgia State University.

HOMECOMINGHomecoming Festival*Saturday, October 6, 20129:00am Great Lawn Registration for Homecoming and CSIBreast Cancer WalkathonBreakfast10:00am Great Lawn CSI Breast Cancer Walkathon beginsSports and Recreation Alumni Baseball GameNoon Great Lawn LunchAthletic FieldWomen’s Soccer Game vs. John Jay2:00pm Athletic Field Men’s Soccer Game vs. HunterHighlights of the Day Include:Music provided by Feel the Beat ProductionsCostume Parades (11:30am and 1:30pm)Geological Display with Dr. Alan Benimoff—Location to be determinedSports Clinics for Children: Softball and SoccerInflatable AttractionsMagic Mike ’83, magicianObstacle CoursePumpkin PatchFace Painting Sponsored by Con EdBackpack Decorating Sponsored by Con EdTopical Discussions Led by Experts and FacultyVendorsMany More Family ActivitiesAttention Alumni: Stop by the CSIAA tent for a free gift!*Suggested donation: $5 per person; $10 per familySee our Website for more information: http://csitoday.com/homecomingThursday, October 11Staten Island HiltonAthletic Hall of Fame DinnerFriday, October 12Sports and RecreationVolleyball Game vs. Cooper UnionHall of Fame Plaque Unveiling

EYE ON CSI HOMECOMING FESTIVAL 2012 PAGE 17FESTIVAL2 012CSI Breast CancerWalkathon 2012The first weekend of October marks a time ofcelebration and unity on campus. This year isno different. On Saturday, October 6, the CSIcampus community will host the second annualCSI Breast Cancer Walkathon.Bringing together the students, alumni, staff,friends, and families of the CSI community, aswell members of the Staten Island community,the 2012 CSI Breast Cancer Walkathon is afundraising event to raise awareness and fundsfor the Staten Island Breast Cancer ResearchInitiative (SIBCRI). Directed by Dr. Donna B.Gerstle, Professor and Director of CSI’s Centerfor Environmental Science, the SIBCRI is amultidisciplinary approach aimed at making apositive impact on breast cancer incidence andmortality on Staten Island and beyond. Sinceits inception, the Walkathon has been symbolicfor SIBCRI supporters, as it provides themwith a setting to gather with family and friends,and unite under the mission of spreadingawareness and eradicating this life-alteringdisease.Starting at 10:00am at the fountain by theCenter for the Arts, the two-kilometerWalkathon route will meander through CSI’sverdant 204-acre campus, and will highlight theSIBCRI’s “Live Green, Embrace Pink” slogan.To participate in the Walkathon, registration isrequired with a requested donation of $25.Each registered walker will receive a SIBCRIt-shirt and a reusable water bottle and tote. Allcontributions are tax deductable. For moreinformation and to register, please call718.982.2365.

New Super-Computer Building at CSIMoves into Design PhaseThe City University of NewYork (CUNY) Board ofTrustees approved a designconsultant agreement for a newInterdisciplinary High-Performance Computingbuilding at CSI last semester.The consulting firm ofHendrickson, Durham &Richardson was selected forprofessional design andconstruction-related services asrequired for the 175,000-grosssquare-foot,$210 millionacademic computationalscience research building.The Interdisciplinary High-Performance Computingbuilding, the first new academicbuilding constructed on thecampus since it opened in1993, will house the CUNYInterdisciplinary High-Performance ComputingCenter (IHPCC) and serve as aUniversity-wide resource forthe computer-based modelingand simulation that are arequisite for performingadvanced multidisciplinaryresearch and the development ofadvanced technology systems.The new building, arecommended cornerstone ofthe CSI Master Plan, wasapproved for implementation in2010 and has a significantmixed-use academic andresearch program to helpaddress the space needs at theCollege. The building willcontain spaces dedicated tostate-of-the art scientificcomputing, laboratories forvisualization, computer labswith flexible design toencourage collaborative facultyand student research, and hightechinstructional laboratories.Additionally, it will also includegeneral-purpose classrooms,dedicated student work areas,lecture halls, a café, and otherprogrammable spaces that willpromote interdisciplinarycollaboration and provide neededstudy space and student services.College officials anticipate thatthe academic departments ofMathematics, ComputerScience, and EngineeringScience and Physics will berelocated to the new building.CUNYHigh-PerformanceComputingWorkshopComes to CSIThe College of Staten Islandhosted the CUNY HPCCWorkshop on Accelerators inHigh-Performance Computinglast June, giving computerscientists the opportunity tolearn about the newest trends inhigh-performance computingarchitectures and programmingtechniques, and providingvaluable information todomain scientists in thebiosciences, computationalchemistry, finance, themathematical and physicalsciences, and multimediaapplications. Presenters at theWorkshop included Dr. StevenScott, Chief Technology Officer,Tesla-NVIDIA; RichardLethin, Directing Engineer,Reservoir Labs; and JohnMichalakes, Scientist, ScientificComputing Group, NationalRenewable Energy Laboratory.

EYE ON CSI AROUND CAMPUS PAGE 15Dr. Morales Honored at Farewell EventFormer College of Staten Island PresidentDr. Tomás D. Morales, who recently becamethe President of California State University,San Bernadino, was honored last July at agathering in the Campus Center.After remarking on Dr. Morales’s vastcontributions to the College over his nearlyfive-year tenure as President to the largecrowd of supporters who were on hand forthe event, then incoming Interim PresidentDr. William Fritz announced that theCUNY Board of Trustees approved aresolution to name the CSI BaseballComplex the President Tomás D. Morales,PhD Baseball Complex. Throughout histime at CSI, Dr. Morales has been a staunchsupporter of athletics at the College, andstudent-athletes in particular. In addition,Dr. Fritz, also unveiled a rendering of anengraved bench in the President’s honor thatwill be placed on Alumni Walk.Ronald J. Mazzucco, Chairman of the ExecutiveCommittee of the Board of Trustees ofStaten Island University Hospital, and otherHospital representatives, also presented aplaque to Dr. Morales, in recognition of hisservice on the Hospital’s Board of Trustees.Dr. Morales closed the event with words ofgratitude for the College and Staten Islandcommunities. Reiterating one of his keystrategies as President, “It’s all about thestudents,” he said that he could not havesucceeded in moving the College ahead if itwere not for the support of the College’sfaculty and staff, as well as his wife Evy, whowas also in attendance.Accomplishments Spotlighted at 36th Annual Commencementscholarships and fellowships, including theJeannette K. Watson Fellowship, an Institute ofMexicans Abroad (IME) Research Fellowship,a CSI Auxiliary Service Corporation Award,a Phi Beta Kappa Associates Award, and hewas the first recipient of the Aramis GonzaloRios Memorial Scholarship. He is a Dean’sList student and he was featured in Who’sWho Among Students in AmericanUniversities and Colleges.After days of rain and then extreme heat, abeautiful blue sky and cooler temperaturesgreeted the 2,527 graduates and their familymembers, as well as faculty and staff, at the36th Annual Commencement at CSI last May.In his remarks, then President Tomás D.Morales highlighted the many recentaccomplishments at the College. Crediting theentire College community for these achievements,he noted that enrollment is growingand the College is attracting quality students,CSI’s exemplary academic programs areconstantly improving, and the campus isundergoing a transformation with the additionof new residence halls and a new InterdisciplinaryHigh-Performance Computing Center.He also mentioned that the strides that theCollege has made have received strong positivevalidation during the recent Middle StatesCommission on Higher Education review.This year's valedictorian was Irvin Ibarguen,who graduated summa cum laude from TheVerrazano School at CSI with a Bachelor ofArts degree in History. He has beenaccepted into the prestigious HarvardUniversity Doctoral program in History.Ibarguen is a recipient of numerousHe urged the other graduates to value theiralma mater. “…I beg that today, you stop tovalue everything CSI gave you and everythingyou gave CSI; that you realize how proudyou should feel; and that you never letanyone, not even yourself, make you feel lessabout your achievements, because we, myfellow graduates, were truly privileged tostudy at the College of Staten Island.”Also in attendance were U.S. Senator CharlesSchumer, CUNY Senior Vice Chancellor forUniversity Relations and Secretary of theBoard of Trustees Jay Hershenson, andCUNY Trustee Kay Pesile, who offered thegraduates words of encouragement.

ALUMNI NEWS“Savor the Flavors” Provides Crucial Support for StudentsWhile Stimulating PalatesMore than 200 attendees were treated to some of Staten Island’sbest cuisine last spring at the third annual “Savor the Flavors:Celebrate Our Island’s Diverse Cuisine” in the Center for theArts. The event, presented by the CSI Alumni Association(CSIAA), with the support of Presenting Sponsor LibertyMutual, provides much-needed funding for student scholarships.In its first two years, Savor the Flavors has helped to establish 14new scholarships for CSI students.donated food and beverages for the event, judged by RobBurmeister from Food Network’s Chopped and John Sierp, winnerof the Iron Skillet Cook-Off, 2005. Winners included: First Place,Best Dish: Joe Mozz Gourmet Shop; Second Place, Best Dish:The Lake Club; Third Place, Best Dish: Canlon’s Restaurant;First Place, Dessert: Cookie Jar; Second Place, Dessert: Canlon’sRestaurant; People’s Choice: The Lake Club; and Best TableDecor: Pepperjack Grill.CSIAA President Dr. Arthur Merola ’84, ’85 commented on theimportance of the event, “Savor the Flavors is one event of theCSIAA that not only promotes interaction between thecommunity and the College, it directly helps raise awareness andfunds needed to inspire and support students to continueacademic studies.”The event was chaired by CSI Alumni Board Member andPresident of the Staten Island Restaurant and Tavern AssociationJames McBratney ’05. Michele Karpeles ’08, ’10 served as Co-Chair. Alumni Board members and students volunteered to helpwith set up, assisting restaurant staff, and photography.Those in attendance not only enjoyed the signature dishes of localeateries, and learned how they are prepared, but also witnessedthe annual competition among the restaurants that graciouslyOther eateries that participated included Afternoone’s, Alfonso’sBakery, Angelina’s Ristorante, Beso, The Beer Garden, CakeChef, Celebrate at Snug Harbor, Da Noi, Dosa Garden, JimmyMax (Westerleigh & Great Kills), Killmeyer’s Old Bavaria Inn, LaCandela Espanola, Manor Restaurant, Mother Mousse, Nucci’sSouth, Paesano’s Pizzeria, Pasticeria Bruno, Port Richmond HighSchool Culinary Arts Program, Oriental Plaza, Park Café, R.Ippolito Distributing, San Rasa Sri Lankan Cuisine, and VinoDivino.Raffles were also held, thanks to the generosity of NuWorldBeauty, Jimmy Max, and the CSI Alumni Association.Cola-Cola Bottlers of New York provided soda and water for theevent, and music was supplied by Phil Fonesca of Jimmy Max,Great Kills.

EYE ON CSI ALUMNI NEWS PAGE 19Alumni Association Holds Annual MeetingThe Annual Meeting of theCSI Alumni Association Boardof Directors was held onMonday, June 18, 2012 in theCampus Center Green DolphinLounge. The meeting providedan opportunity to welcomecurrent and former Boardmembers, members of the CSIAdministration, and old friends,and gave a glimpse into the futureas 2012 grads were also present.After CSI Alumni BoardPresident Arthur Merola, DPM’84, ’85 called the meeting toorder, he followed the traditionof highlighting the initiativesand accomplishments of thepast year and recognizing allboard members who helpedmake the year successful.Next, Dr. William Fritz, thenProvost and Senior VicePresident for Academic Affairs,gave greetings. He shared someof his experiences at CSI andexpressed to all present hishope to work with the AlumniBoard as his role changes toInterim President.Following Dr. Fritz, Acting VicePresident for InstitutionalAdvancement and ExternalAffairs Dr. Kenneth Boydengave remarks on behalf of thenCSI President Tomás D. Morales.Dr. Boyden shared highlights ofthe past academic year andthanked the Alumni Boardmembers for their dedication tothe College.Alumni Affairs CoordinatorDonna Garambone thenpresented the CSIAA StudentLeadership Award winners,Francesca Navarro ’12,Jeremiah Jurkewicz ’12, andAnnalisa Susca ’12 to theAlumni Board. This award isgiven annually to students whodemonstrate leadership qualities,have a record of service to theCollege or community, andhave a GPA of 3.0 or above.After the awards presentation,two outgoing Board members,Patricia Carroll and AudreyTesora, were thanked for theirdedication and service andpresented with gifts. Dr. Moraleswas also recognized andthanked, and Dr. Fritz acceptedthe gift on his behalf.The meeting concluded withthe election of new Boardmembers. Michele Karpeles’08, ’10, ’12; Stephen Kaufer’77; Sumi Raj ’90; and RobertShullich ’76, ’85, ’88 werereelected and Lee Covino ’74,’77; Jayme Olivari ’84; JenniferRodriguez ’06; MichaelTroncone ’83, ’86; and GeorgeVega ’10 were elected to theirfirst three-year terms.The Alumni Associationcongratulates all of the Boardmembers and is looking forwardto another successful year.MeetPhonathonCallerNoura AbdelCSI Phonathon Caller NouraAbdel is a sophomore Nursingmajor at the College. Nouraheard about the Phonathonfrom her SEEK advisorMiriam Perez and decided toparticipate because “I love totalk and love talking to others.”She adds, “The best part of thisjob was that I was able to talkto alumni who have graduatedfrom the College who havemajored in all different typesof subjects, and I was able toask about their experiences hereat the College.” Noura statesthat she really appreciated itwhen she spoke to someonewho graduated with a Nursingdegree because, “I was able torelate to them, and since wehad so much in common, Iwas able to…connect withthem. They have given me thebest advice on how to excelhere at the College.”If Noura or one of herPhonathon colleagues calls onbehalf of the Annual FundPhonathon, won’t you pick upthe phone and give asgenerously as you can?

SCHOLARLY ACHIEVEMENTSIRV ROBBINS featured in POV’s“The City Dark” on PBS, Theprogram shows that the “The advanceof electric light has sentnighttime into retreat, with astonishingeffects on humans andwildlife.”July 04, 2012CHARLES LIU appears onAOL VideoAstrophysicist Charles Liu of theAmerican Museum of Natural Historyand the College of Staten Islandexplains what the summersolstice is and why we celebratethe longest day of the year. June21, 2012RUTH SILVERBERG cited in TheWashington Post for ten waysto oppose high-stakes standardizedtests Valerie Strausswith The Washington Post haspublished a list of ten things thatpeople can do to counter thedamaging effects of high-stakesstandardized testing. June 14, 2012JASON SIMON’S exhibit reviewedin The New Yorker andby renowned critic J. HobermanCallicoon Fine Arts hosted a showby Jason Simon that audaciouslytook on the mighty Museum ofModern Art. Simon showed hisphotographs of neoclassical bankbuildings that have beenrepurposed by high-end retailcompanies, and a series of bookshe created commemorating thedemise of the much-loved FilmStills Archive department thatMOMA ran for decades. The exhibitencapsulated what NewYork’s Lower East Side was andcontinues to be: a vital alternativeto Big Art and Big Business. June08, 2012CHARLES THOMAS honored byDanceAfrica Professor CharlesThomas was honored with theChuck Davis Dancers as one ofthe members of the company thatlaunched DanceAfrica 35 yearsago at the renowned BrooklynAcademy of Music, (BAM) byDanceAfrica, during an annualfesitval held there and around theworld supported by Time Warner,Con Edison, Target, The HarknessFoundation for Dance, and TheSHS Foundation. May 23, 2012MING XIA featured on RadioFree Asia Professor Xia Ming wascited in Radio Free Asia’s recent story“Lawsuit over Canceled Statue.”The statue is named “The Goddessof Democracy.”April 26, 2012JONATHAN PETERS featured inThe Washington Post JonathanPeters, a Professor of Finance at theCollege of State Island, is quotedin The Washington Post article entitled“More States Privatizing TheirInfrastructure. Are They Making aMistake?” by Brad Plumer. April01, 2012CYNTHIA CHRIS cited in The NYTimes, presents at 92YTribecaCynthia Chris, author of WatchingWildlife (2006), studies evolvingideas about human and animalbehavior. She is cited in the March30, 2012 New York Times article“Birds Do It, Bees Do It (Fill Screens)”by Dennis Lim. March 30, 2012DAN MCCLOSKEY recentlyawarded NSF Awards CAREERGrant for Study of How MultipleBrains Work Together TheNSF CAREER grant is the Foundation’smost prestigious award insupport of junior faculty who exemplifythe role of teacher-scholarsthrough outstanding research, excellenteducation, and the integrationof education and researchwithin the context of the mission oftheir organizations. March 13, 2012Averick FamilyJudy Averick has quite a bit of experience when it comes to theCollege of Staten Island, even though she has never attendedclasses herself. However, four of her children and her daughter-inlawhave either graduated from or are still attending CSI.The lengthy list includes Judy’s daughter-in-law, Alina Dorfman-Averick, a Macaulay Honors College grad in English Literature wholater went to Touro and University of Pittsburgh; her husband andJudy’s son Saadyah, who received a BS in Biochemistry with a Biologyminor and is now attending Carnegie Mellon; Chaim Averick, aPsychology major; Amram Averick, who is majoring in Biochemistrywith minors in Biology and Music; Nechama Averick, who just startedin the Macaulay Honors College; and Aderet Averick, who is aCollege Now! student who will be attending CSI full-time next year.When asked her opinion of CSI in regard to the experiences thather children have had, Judy replies, “It gave them everyopportunity. The professors work with the students more, I think,than most other universities. If you have a bright, willing, and ablestudent, they will work with you.”Judy also adds that it is important for parents to support theCollege, first of all, because CUNY is currently coping with asignificant reduction in state funds. She also noted that providingfinancial support to CSI gives donors more of a sense of belongingand “a sense of pride” in the institution.(Above L-R:) Judy Averick andher family strike a pose atSaadyah’s wedding.(Left) Alina Dorfman Averickand Saadyah Averick with theirdaughter Miriam.

EYE ON CSI KEEPING TABS PAGE 21KEEPING TABS1960sNICK ASARO ’63 BusinessManagement….retired.1970sDONALD SILVERMAN ’74 Iearned my BA in Sociology atRichmond College/CUNY. I alsotook several filmmaking classeswith John Hancock (Director,Bang the Drum Slowly, Let’sScare Jessica to Death, etc.)For the past 30+ years I’ve beena director of TV spots andmarketing films. And, I own astock footage company.LEITH TER MEULEN ’76founder and CEO of Landair Inc.(see inside back cover for fullalumni profile), organized a panelof experienced entrepreneurs topresent a discussion on April 25,2012 to the CSI StudentInnovation Society on what ittakes to be an entrepreneur.JERRY NOIA ’78 Economics…taking OPTIONS courses at CSI.Great program.1980sJOHN VIEIRA ’80 visited campusfor the first-ever Homecoming inOctober 2011. That led to aninvitation to speak to Prof. LauraNowak’s Finance class, Money andCapital Markets, last semester.Vieira earned his Bachelor’s degreein Economics and is currentlyFirst Vice President - Investments,at Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC,based in Warren, NJ.CAROL AIKENS ’83 EconomicsBS… I am nearing my retirementage, and am happy to be stillalive. Presently, I am looking foremployment.STEVEN PIZZO ’83 In late 2011,I retired from the Department ofDefense after 25 years andaccepted a position as VicePresident and Chief Engineerfor Aspen Consulting Group,Manasquan NJ.LAURIE O’BYRNE ’88 a CPA andsenior-level executive withsignificant experience in allaspects of strategy, finance,business development, andproject leadership, presented atalk to the CSI StudentAccounting Society on March29, 2012 entitled “From CSIClassroom to the ExecutiveSuite.” In her presentation,Laurie related to students herexperiences and insights from acareer that spanned publicaccounting, private industry, andconsulting. She offered manytips beneficial to launching arewarding accounting career.1990sTHOMAS D’AURIA ’90 FinanceMajor…co-founded aninvestment managementboutique in 2011 that serveshigh-net-worth individuals.ANGELA CHUPPE ’91 BusinessManagement….Recently workedpart-time in the CSI AlumniOffice. Served three years on theCSI Alumni Board. She is marriedwith a 13-year-old daughter.DR. NEVILLE MARTIN ’93Business Management/ Marketing.Dr. Martin is CITI certified toconduct research involvinghuman subjects. He authoredand co-authored severalresearch papers specializing inknowledge management,information technology, andinstitutional performance.2000sKAREN COCCHI ’03Management major… Ivolunteer, tutoring reading tofirst graders who are in jeopardyof being left back and love it somuch that I want to get myMaster’s in Education so I can beeven better at it and influencemore children to love to read.NICOLE FLANAGAN ’09Management major… stillseeking job!SAGI ALKOBI ’10 BusinessMarketing...OperationalManager for an LLC that ownsapartment complexes, managingover 140 units.MICHAEL LEVINE ’11 BusinessManagement major…stilllooking for a jobLINDA LAROCCA ’11 Businessmajor…In the last semester of myMaster’s in Education degree!ENGAGEMENTSKeith Bergin ’04 andKelly CastriottaDaniel Brennan ’01Lauren GrispoDoug Convissar ’08 andKatalina ArizaJacqueline Fortini ’07 andPatrick DeFanzoMichael Galletta ’11 andShannon CabassaRenee Goldstone ’07 andThomas Gasparino ’06Megan Massimo ’06Anthony PerriniCourtney Mitchell ’09Michael VenafroCatherine Morelli ’07Jeffrey CummingKristen Punzone ’09Joseph Benedict ’08Maryanne Randazzo ’07 andAnthony LenzaJayson Ruiz ’05 andJennilee RodriguezElaina Vivaldi ’06 andJoseph PortobelloWEDDINGSAudrey Tesora ’02, ’06 andVincent Colonna, March 2012.50TH WEDDINGANNIVERSARIESAlice Burke ’74and John BurkeKathleen Roche DeMeo ’59, ’70and Donald DeMeoJoanna Pizzolo ’77and Natale PizzoloBIRTHSVullnet Kolari, Esq. '98 and hiswife Kaltrina are proud towelcome their second child, ababy boy named Besnik AmzaKolari, to the world. Besnik,named after Vullnet's father, wasborn on Mother's Day, May 13,2012 at 8 pounds, 6 ounces, and20.5 inches tall. His older sister,Ava Medina, is very happy andwilling to offer a helping hand.IN MEMORIAMLucia Myers ’93Joseph Pisicolo ’84Karen Silva ’79Dorothy Toye ’74Adeline Walsh ’80Anne Watkins ’76

EVENTSThe EarlyYears ReunionThe annual Early Years Reuniontook place last June at the CampusCenter Green Dolphin Lounge.(L-R) Dr. Lina Merlino, Dr.William Fritz, Mrs. Rose Volpe, Dr.Ann Merlino, Dr. Bonnie Fritz,and Dr. Arthur Merola, ’84, ’85,CSIAA Board President.Boston/Harvard ClubCSI alumni recently attended a gathering in Boston. (L-R) Rosalin Acosta, Ferdinand Alvaro, Jr., Esq.’75, Monir Saji ’91, Ana Gonzalez ’01, Olga Pitel, Dianne Baroz, and Robert J. Baroz ’88.New YorkPhilharmonicBrassThe New York Philharmonic BrassEnsemble performed the annual freePhilharmonic concert on July 15, 2012in the Center for the Arts Concert Hall.The well-attended event was presentedby Didi and Oscar Schafer.Alumni CelebrateCommencementAlumni who are celebrating graduationanniversaries in increments of five years, beginningin 1962 (50 years) returned to campus tomarch in last May’s Commencement.

EYE ON CSI CLUB NEWS PAGE 23CLUB NEWSDr. William Fritz delivers remarks at the Center’s opening event.LGBTQ Resource Center OpensA new Resource Center forlesbian, gay, bisexual,transgender, and questioningstudents (LGBTQ) opened onthe CSI campus last semester.Recalling the events that led tothe Center, Director of StudentLife Carol Brower says that“over ten years ago there was aLGBT Alliance office in theCampus Center, but afterseveral years it was closed dueto lack of funding. In recentyears the Gay-Straight Alliancestudent club has grown andstrengthened. Two years ago,they requested that a LGBTCenter be created on campus.Through the efforts of the club,as well as the Vice President ofStudent Affairs, the Dean ofHumanities and SocialSciences, and the Office ofStudent Life, that requestbecame a reality. Space wasprovided in the CampusCenter, money was found tohire a part-time graduateassistant to staff the office, andthe Center was opened in May.According to Brower, “TheCenter is dedicated toimproving the educationalenvironment for LGBTQstudents, faculty, and staff byproviding a safe space forLGBTQ people and allies aswell as advancing LGBTQscholarly activities at CSI. TheCenter embraces the diversityof the CSI community andprovides resources andprograms for campus memberswho want to learn more aboutand advocate for LGBTQ issues.”Brower reports that the Center“has been received well, so far,with many students utilizing itsservices and space.”What’s Newwith You?“Keeping Tabs” is alwayshappy to hear the latest newsfrom our alumni! Do you havea new job or did you receive apromotion? Are wedding bellsin your future? Are youexpecting or have you justhad a baby? Have youreceived any recent honors?Have you moved or retired?Let us know and we’ll tell yourfellow alumni.Email your latest information toalumni@csi.cuny.edu.Student Government Tackles Two Key IssuesOver the past academic year,the CSI Student Government(SG) was busy working onissues of importance to theCollege’s students—the StudentBill of Rights and an effort torelocate the termination pointof two bus routes to a moreconvenient location.“The story behind the StudentBill of Rights,” last year’s SGPresident Kevin Storbergexplains, “begins with [then]Student Government PresidentJolanta Smulski presenting it tothe College Council of CSI inMay 2011. The bill did not pass.However, the hard work and losson the Council floor was not invain. Last year’s SG carried thebill forward and championed itacross CSI, presenting it to theCouncil another three times.Although it has still not come tofruition, it has been gainingsupport steadily and will likelybe passed by next year. Thegroundwork set by dedicatedSenators such as Jesse Rodriguez,Meagan Derbyshire, andGabriella Leone in promotingthe bill has paved the way forstudent civic engagement incoming years.”Storberg says that “these are justtwo issues that the SG so valiantlytackled last year and willcontinue to fight for until theycome to fruition. A variety ofother issues saw the SG on thefront lines representing studentinterests as well. Again, it’s hardto properly sum up the hardwork that went into addressingthese issues and so manymore...I personally thank thesededicated and inspiring studentleaders and I look forward toworking with them in my postcollegiatecareer.”HOMECOMINGFESTIVAL 2012Saturday, October 6• Breast Cancer Walkathon• Alumni Baseball Game• Women’s Soccer Game• Men’s Soccer GameHighlights of the Day Include• Costume Parades• Geological Display withDr. Alan Benimoff—• Sports Clinics for Children• Inflatable Attractions• Magic Mike ‘83, magician• Obstacle Course• Pumpkin Patch• Face PaintingSponsored by Con Ed• Backpack DecoratingSponsored by Con Ed• Topical Discussions Led byExperts and FacultyMany More Family Activitieshttp://csitoday.com/homecomingHOMECOMING FESTIVAL2 012

FOUNDATION NOTES(L-R) Laura Lund, her son John, and her daughter LaraPennies from HeavenPennies from HeavenScholarship Honors LovedOnes, Provides Tuition toFuture NursesLast December, donors whowish to remain anonymousexemplified the adage that “it isbetter to give than to receive”with a year-end leadership giftto the CSI Foundation to endowa full-tuition scholarship tosupport either a full- or parttimeCSI student pursuing adegree in Nursing.Inspired by the RaisingScholarships, Transforming Livesvideo that debuted at lastDecember’s Celestial Ball, thedonors established thescholarship endowment, entitled“Pennies from Heaven,” tohonor the memories of lovedones and provide an exceptionalNursing education to a welldeservingstudent each year. Therestricted scholarship will help asingle parent with fulfilling hisor her dream of entering into thehealth care profession andbettering society.When the donor learned that itwould take a year for sufficientinterest to accrue in order toaward the inaugural scholarshipreward, another generous gift of$5,000 was offered to benefit astudent immediately.The first recipient of thescholarship was Laura Lund,who is pursuing an Associate’sdegree in Nursing and hopes tograduate this December.“Last semester, I found myselfat a crossroads,” Lund recalls.“As a single mom trying tomake ends meet, I wasstruggling to pay for classes. Itlooked like I would have to dropout of school to work full-time.What made this particularlyheartbreaking to me was that Ionly had two more semesters tocomplete until I could take myboards and become an RN.Coming so close to achieving mydream and being prevented bylack of funds was devastating tome and also to my children whorely on me for their solesupport.”Lund notes that her “desire tobecome a nurse has manycauses. I spent a lot of time inhospitals when I was a child andhad received wonderful care…My daughter also has receivedphenomenal care from manynurses. She had many seriousepileptic seizures that would puther in the hospital for manydays at a time. By becoming anurse, I can ’pay it forward’ andtake care of people in need, justas people in my past have takencare of me and the ones I love.Last semester, however,becoming a nurse seemedalmost impossible.”Fortunately, Lund had aconversation with NursingProfessor June Como, who,through the assistance of theOffice of InstitutionalAdvancement, helped torecommend her for the Penniesfrom Heaven Scholarship. As aresult, Lund reports that she“received a scholarship that Ididn’t even know existed.”Beyond the critical monetarysupport, she also says that“receiving this scholarship hasgiven me more confidence andhas reminded me that there arewonderful people who will givesomeone a helping hand. It hasrestored my faith and given methe motivation to achieve all thatI can.”Now that her academic plansare back on track, Lund hopesto go on to receive a NursingMaster’s and become a nurse.Reflecting on the scholarship,Lund states, “I wish I couldthank the donor of thescholarship in person.Unfortunately for me, thescholarship was givenanonymously and I do not knowwho they are. I can only hopethat they know the amount ofgood they have done. So, insteadof offering my inadequatethanks to the donor, in thefuture, I will help someone elseand hope that they, too, pay itforward.”

EYE ON CSI FOUNDATION NOTES PAGE 25Gabriela Bass Exemplifies Waysto Give to CSIThe College of Staten Island has many friends, but one of its staunchest supportersis Gabriela Bass, who stands as a shining example of philanthropy, and a personaldemonstration of the various ways to give to the College.Scholarship SupportsTomorrow’s HealthProfessionalsThe Staten Island Community Medical andDental Scholarship, an award started in the earlyyears of the College, is currently soliciting support.With a tax-deductible gift of $100 or more, theCollege can bring this scholarship to a 21stcenturylevel to allow CSI students, who may nototherwise be able to afford college tuition, theopportunity to pursue their aspirations as amedical, dental, or health professional.Mrs. Bass has opted to make a number of different gifts to the College to benefitthe Nursing Department, in memory of her late husband Sam, a survivor of theBattle of the Bulge and career executive with National Grid. She made an outrightgift supporting a single, full Nursing scholarship in 2011, the Sam Bass MemorialScholarship in Nursing; she contributed via a 2012 Planned Gift called a CharitableGift Annuity (CGA), wherein Mrs. Bass elected to contribute $50,000 to establishthis annuity that will annually pay out an amount that may be contributed back tothe College each year to support the single, full Sam Bass Memorial NursingScholarships; and she has arranged for a bequest, wherein she has named CSI as atestamentary beneficiary in her estate plans (her will) to support an endowmentfund to provide the Sam Bass Memorial Scholarships in Nursing far into the future.Dr. Ken Boyden, Esq. Acting Vice President for Institutional Advancement andExternal Affairs, summed up the significance of these contributions. “Mrs. Bass’sgenerous support of the College of Staten Island, in loving memory of her husband,Mr. Sam Bass, will provide for nursing scholarships in perpetuity for CSI Nursingstudents who will in turn provide future generations the very best in healthcare.”For information on how you can support students at CSI, contact Dr. Boyden at718.982.2365.The drive for support, headed by Andrew Conti,MD, ’69 and Dean (ret.) Dr. Ann Merlino, isseeking donations from alumni who hold degreesin Medicine, Dentistry, Osteopathy, Podiatry,Chiropractic, and Veterinary Science.In a joint statement to health professionals whoare alumni, Drs. Conti and Merlino stated that,“We are proud to be associated with the Collegeof Staten Island as it continues to educate a newgeneration of health professionals who willundoubtedly enhance our community. We inviteyou to join CSI’s prominent alumni who will joinus in launching professional careers from ourCollege. We believe that, with your help, we canultimately endow the futures of our mostdeserving students.”For more information, contact the Office ofInstitutional Advancement at 718.982.2365.

EYE ON CSI SPORTS HIGHLIGHTS PAGE 27CSI SET TO UNVEILHALL OF FAME INOCTOBER 2012Years in the making, the Collegeof Staten Island will be unveilingits inaugural Hall of Fame class in2012 with a rousing eventscheduled for October 11 at theStaten Island Hilton Garden Inn.CSI Associate Athletic DirectorDAVID PIZZUTO, who serves asthe Hall of Fame committeechairperson, will serve as Masterof Ceremonies of the event, whichwill take place from 7:00pm to11:00pm. Tickets to the event canbe purchased for $100 by calling718.982.3169. The ceremonyincludes a full three-course dinnerwith open bar, and will featurevideo highlights of CSI sportsprograms, and presentations andwords from the inductees anddistinguished guests.Drs. Morales and Fritz [center] were on hand to honor CSI’s scholar-athletes.with 1,764 points, good forsecond all-time, with his 792career rebounds placing sixth.A second-year star for theDolphins, T.J. Tibbs emerged forCSI a year ago and made a totalof 58 starts for the Dolphins. Thisyear, he led the squad with 183assists, the second-highest markin CSI single-season history, andhis 15.8 points per game placedthird on the squad. Adding 3.5rebounds per game, Tibbs alsoplaced second on the squad inthree-point percentage (43.6%)and free-throw percentage(80.4%). His 5.9 assists pergame rank him 13th nationally,while his 319 career helpersplace him 11th all-time in CSIcareer history.SCHOLAR-ATHLETESCELEBRATED ONANNUAL STUDENT -ATHLETE DAYSponsored by the NationalConsortium of Academics andSports, the CSI Office ofIntercollegiate Athletics held itssecond Annual Student-AthleteDay on April 5, honoring itscollection of scholar-athletes. Theshort ceremony honored 89 CSIscholar-athletes who held a 3.0GPA or higher, as of the fall 2011semester, representing nearly 44percent of the student-athletebody.The scholar-athlete citationscorrespond with CSI's AthleticDirector Honor Roll, released forthe first time in the Fall 2010semester, sponsored by the CSIStudent-Athlete AdvisoryCommittee (SAAC).National Student-Athlete Day iscelebrated nationwide,commending scholasticachievement by student-athletes.Since 1987, the NationalConsortium of Academics andSports has been on NCAAcampuses to promote theaccolades of its finest studentathletes,its scholar-athletes, whotake their headstrong disciplineand passion for what they do onthe field of play and transfer it tothe classroom.athleticsHALL OF FAMEinductionceremony

RISING STARSKRISTINA LAM ’15Major: BiologyVerrazano School and STEAM student, currentlyworking with PhD candidate Allison MassFitzgerald (under Dr. William Wallace) studyingthe effects of heavy metals on the physiology ofoysters in various locations within the five boroughs.A favorite aspect of CSI: “I really feel welcomedwhenever I’m in the lab. Allison and the other Master’s studentsare always there to help me with anything, from the samples I’mprepping to how I’m doing in biology class.”Future plans: UndecidedTROY WEEKES ’15Major: Dramatic Arts with Music minorSEEK student who is a 2012 Jeannette K. WatsonFellow, and a recipient of a STEAM scholarship.A favorite aspect of CSI: “I feel honored to be astudent at CSI. I feel as if this College candefinitely make your dreams a reality if you applyyourself. In just one year, I have been able toaccomplish so much, and I am looking forward to the next fewyears of continued success and making CSI known to the world!Future plans: “I plan on getting involved with Teach for Americaor Teaching Fellows… while getting my master’s degree. Theseprograms allow for you to teach in inner city schools, much likewhere I went to school.”KAITLIN KELLY ’13Major: Biology with Psychology minorMacaulay Honors College student researching thecauses of breast cancer under Dr. Jimmy Fata,and participated in a cervical cancer study withthe Biomedical Laboratories for IntegrativeCancer Research, a joint venture between Dr.Fata’s lab at the College of Staten Island andStaten Island University Hospital.A favorite aspect of CSI: “I feel that I made the right choice comingto the Macaulay Honors College at CSI. CSI, particularly theresearch lab, has become my home away from home…Dr. Fata, hisPhD students, and the entire research lab have been great mentors.”Future plans: To pursue graduate studies toward a career in thehealth sciences.STEPHANIE PALUMBO ’13Major: BiologyTeacher Education Honors Academy studentpreparing to obtain her initial certification as ahigh school biology teacher.A favorite aspect of CSI: The faculty members areattentive and helpful in explaining materials in class,as well as during their office hours...Theadministration is also knowledgeable and makes processes suchas registration and advisement incredibly less stressful than theycan be…I know I would be lost without my advisor, Mrs. Orla,who is always available to help me decide which classes would bebest, and which scholarship opportunities I may be eligible for.Future plans:To pursue a Master's degree in Education or Counseling.IN OUR NEXT ISSUE...• Residence Hall Update• CSI’s Homecoming Festival• Alumni Profile: Thomas M. Terracino’80, ’81, Global Safety Director forMars, Inc.Reaching for the Stars!CSI Celestial Ballto support scholarships and academic programsat theCollege of Staten IslandSaturday evening, December 1, 2012Richmond County Country ClubStaten Island, NYContact Eye on CSI:COLLEGE OF STATEN ISLANDAlumni Relations Office2800 Victory BoulevardBuilding 1A, Room 111Staten Island, NY 10314Telephone: 718.982.2290Email: alumni@csi.cuny.edu

Leith ter Meulen ’76LEITH TER MEULEN, who received aBA magna cum laude in Economics with asecond major in Women’s Studies fromRichmond College in 1976, is thePresident and CEO of Landair, Inc., acompany that she founded in 1992. Shedescribes the company as providing “anarray of project development andmanagement consulting services. We helpclients make strategic decisions about theirreal estate needs, their businessaspirations, and their capacity to undergochange. Then we help them implementtheir decisions with a suite of managementtools and expert advice. Our core customerbase has historically revolved aroundclients who provide public or communityservices like non-profits and governmentagencies; however we are now expandingmore deeply into the private sector.”Landair has consulted on a number ofhigh-profile projects, and ter Meulenexplains, “One of the firm’s first projectswas the redevelopment of Times Square.As a native New Yorker, I remember howcrummy Times Square was and to walkthrough now and see what a great successstory it has become is exciting. A muchsmaller project we consulted on was therestoration of the historic Hunterfly RoadHouses of the Weeksville Heritage Centerin Brooklyn. In the 1840s, Weeksville wasone of the first free African Americancommunities in New York City. Without adoubt, the most satisfying project of all wasserving as the project administrator for theWorld Trade Memorial Design Competition.It was a very healing experience after 9/11.”When asked what she likes the most abouther job, ter Meulen replies, “We areproblem solvers, first and foremost, and Ilove problem solving. I also enjoy theinteraction with other creative, thinkingpeople, being strategic and tactical andmaking breakthrough choices, and being acatalyst for change. And yes, I love beingan entrepreneur and being my own boss.”As she looks back on her experience atSICC and Richmond College, ter Meulenrecalls that it changed her life. In regard toSICC, she says, “I was a teenager in thepre-Women’s Movement 1960s, and it wasfar from automatic, as girls, that we wouldgo to college. I also left high school beforegraduating to become a mother. At thetime it was SICC that gave me theopportunity to enter into the collegestream with a GED and a strong desire tostudy and improve my son’s and my life.I’m very proud now that my son RichardZerilli is a Lieutenant in the FDNY.”Ter Meulen waxes nostalgic when sheremembers the days prior to hergraduation from Richmond College. “Idon’t know where many of us would behad it not been for the Women’sMovement, and Richmond College at thattime was the hotbed of radical thinking inthe CUNY system. We had somewonderfully strong women professors likeDr. Mirella Affron and Louise Fishman,and guest lecturers like Jill Johnstone. Theprofessor who by far had the greatesteffect on me was Bertha Harris.In comparison to its two predecessorinstitutions, ter Meulen adds that she isvery impressed with the present-day Collegeof Staten Island. “I remember as a childliving in Rosebank and SICC was locatedin a small office building on Bay Street.Richmond College didn’t even exist yet.And to visit CSI now and see how it hastransformed into a truly special place withsuch great resources and gifted talent anda beautiful campus. Well, I think the studentsattending today are very, very lucky.”

College of Staten IslandThe City University of New York2800 Victory BoulevardStaten Island, NY 10314Non-Profit Org.U.S. POSTAGEPAIDStaten Island,NYPermit No. 77UPCOMING EVENTSHILLEL AT CSIHOMECOMINGSABBATH DINNEROctober 5, 2012, 6:30pmEveryone is welcome!$10 per personRSVP to Amy Posner, HillelDirector, at 718.982.3006 oramy.posner@csi.cuny.eduALUMNI ASSOCIATIONBOARD MEETINGSeptember 24, 2012, 7:00pmLocation TBAHOMECOMINGOctober 6, 2012, 9:00amCSI CampusALUMNI ASSOCIATIONBOARD MEETINGNovember 26, 2012, 7:00pmLocation TBAFINANCIAL PLANNINGSEMINARFall 2012TBACSI CELESTIAL BALLDecember 1, 2012Richmond County Country ClubHOLIDAY PARTYDecember 2012Location TBAALUMNI ASSOCIATIONBOARD MEETINGJanuary 28, 2013, 7:00pmLocation TBAALUMNI ASSOCIATIONBOARD MEETINGMarch 18, 2013, 7:00pmLocation TBASAVOR THE FLAVORSApril 7, 2013CFA AtriumIf you would like to receiveemail announcements ofupcoming events, pleasesend your email toalumni@csi.cuny.edu.For information on upcoming performances at the CSI Center for the Arts,go to www.cfashows.com or call 718.982.ARTS. Receive a $2 alumnidiscount off performances. Limit two discounts per performance.A CSI/CUNY CHARITABLEGIFT ANNUITY IS…Great for you! Great for the College of Staten Island!*A charitable gift annuity (CGA) is a simple contract betweenyou and the College of Staten Island that offers a tax-advantagedway to provide for income during retirement. In the future, yourgift provides support for the College’s Mission.You can begin to receive income right away, or at a predeterminedfuture date. You can also decide when the income payments beginwithin a future time frame, determined upon when you make yourgift. In any case, your income is taxed at a favorable blended rate.SINGLE LIFEAge Yearly rate60 4.4%70 5.1%80 6.8%90 9.0%TWO LIVESAgeYearly rate70/70 5.5%80/80 7.5%Ask us aboutadditional rates anddeferred annuities.You Receive Income for Lifethrough the CSI/CUNY Gift AnnuityProgram. With a charitable donation of$10,000 or more to the College of StatenIsland, you will receive high, fixedannuity payments that are unaffectedby economic downturns.Your charitable donation is eligiblefor certain tax benefits and a portion ofyour annuity payments may be tax free.In addition, you will receive a lifetimesubscription to Eye on CSI.For more information about the CSI GiftAnnuity Program, contact Ken Boyden,Esq., College of Staten Island, Office ofInstitutional Advancement, 2800 VictoryBoulevard, Staten Island, NY 10314;email kenneth.boyden@csi.cuny.edu; orfax to 718.982.2365.Keep up with the latest CSI Athletics news at www.csidolphins.com.Present your Alumni Photo ID for a membership discount at the CSISports and Recreation Center. Call 718.982.3161 for more information.*This is not legal advice. Any prospective donor should seek the advice ofa qualified estate and/or tax professional to determine the consequences ofhis/her gift.