The College of Arts and Sciences

Spring / Summer 2013 News and Notes

May 23, 2013 By: Rob Enslin

2000s

Anne Marie Bettencourt ‘04, a ninth-grade English teacher at Springfield (Mass.) Central High School, has been named the Massachusetts Teacher of the Year. She plans to use the award to draw attention to urban education.


1990s

Jakob Goldman ’97 is a geographic information systems specialist with the Mid-America Regional Council, a nonprofit association of city and county governments and the metropolitan planning organization for the bi-state Kansas City region. 


1980s

Stephen Gilberg ’82 and his wife, Lory, are being honored at the Jewish Child Care Association (JCCA)’s Gala Celebration of Hope in New York City. The JCCA, of which Stephen is a trustee, is one of the country’s oldest, most respected child and family services organizations. Stephen also serves on The College’s Board of Visitors, and is owner of The Wealth Protection Organization.

Joseph Kirtland ’85 serves as professor of mathematics at Marist College in Poughkeepsie, N.Y. His expertise includes finite and infinite group theory, linear algebra, mathematics education, and mathematical computing.

Jeff Speck G’89, an award-winning city planner and urban designer, has been busy promoting Walkable City: How Downtown Can Save America, One Step at a Time (Farrar, Straus, and Giroux, 2012). The book looks at how walkability, combined with smart growth and sustained designed, can help reinvigorate American cities.


1970s

Frank McElroy ’77 has retired from ExxonMobil Research and Engineering, where, for 34 years, he held various research and management positions, the last of which was planning manager for corporate strategic research.

Charles Payne '70, H'13 was presented with an honorary degree at SU's 159th Commencement exercises. An urban schools reformer, he is the Frank P. Hixon Distinguished Service Professor in the School of Social Service Administration at the University of Chicago and a faculty affiliate in the Urban Education Institute and the Center for the Study of Race, Politics, and Culture.


1960s

Peter Abell ’62 is co-founder of Pure Water for the World, a nonprofit NGO providing hygiene education, water filters, and latrines to underserved regions of developing countries, including Haiti and Honduras. He says his most memorable course—the one that “made his life richer”—was “Arts and Ideas,” taught by William Fleming, who, literally, wrote the book on the subject.

Joyce Carol Oates ’60, H’00 is the author of The Accursed (Ecco/HarperCollins, 2013), the fifth in her critically acclaimed series of Gothic novels.

Kathrine Switzer ’68, G’72 was one of many friends and alumni impacted by the Boston Marathon bombings. The famous runner, who was working as a TV commentator near the finish line, had just entered her hotel room, when a blast went off about a hundred meters away.  

Winter 2013 News and Notes

Mar 6, 2013 By: Rob Enslin

2000s

Caitlin Moriarty '12, G'14 is the Janklow Arts Leadership Program's first student intern. This summer, she will get hands-on training in Carnegie Hall's marketing and creative services department. Caitlin is part of the Janklow Program's inaugural cohort.

1980s

George Saunders G'88, an English professor in SU's College of Arts and Sciences, is the author of the short-story collection "Tenth of December" (Random House, 2013). A New York Times best-seller, the book--and author--has been the subject of extensive media attention, while shining a light on the 50th anniversary of the creative writing program, in which he teaches.

1970s

Carlos A. Dengo '76 and C. Page Chamberlain '79 are co-chairing a campaign to support new facilities in SU's Heroy Geology Laboratory. Carlos was recently interviewed for an article about his relationship with John James Prucha, who, before his death last fall, served as SU's vice chancellor of academic affairs, dean of The College of Arts and Sciences, and professor and chair of Earth sciences.

1960s

Joyce Carol Oates '60, H'00, celebrated author and National Book Award winner, has published two books: the psychological thriller, "Daddy Love" (Mysterious Press/Grove/Atlantic, 2013), and the macabre short-story collection, "Black Dahlia and White Rose" (Ecco/Harper Collins Publishers, 2013).

Kathrine Switzer, '68, G'72, a veteran marathoner and 2011 inductee of the National Women's Hall of Fame, is featured in the new documentary "MAKERS: Women Who Make America."

1950s

Jack Cavanaugh '52, a veteran sportswriter and author, has published "Season of '42: Joe D., Teddy Ballgame, and Baseball's Fight to Survive a Turbulent First Year of War" (Skyhorse Publishing, 2012). Aimed at sports fans and war buffs alike, the book examines how World War II affected the future of "America's Pastime." Jack was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize for his 2006 book on boxer Gene Tunney.

Len Elman '52, a retired New York City attorney and charter member of The College's Board of Visitors, recently discussed his establishment of a visiting writer fund to honor the memory of his brother.

In Memoriam

May 15, 2013 By: Rob Enslin

Tamara Brooks, former senior associate dean for innovation and planning in SU's College of Visual and Performing Arts and a friend of Arts and Sciences, died May 19, 2012. A noted choral conductor, as well as the wife and musical partner of singer-actor Theodore Bikel, she helped forge a creative partnership between SU and dancer/choreographer Paul Taylor '53, H'86.

Benjamin P. Burtt Sr., professor emeritus of chemistry at SU and a longtime nature columnist for The Post-Standard, died February 23, 2012.

Anna Vasilevna Gorbatsevich, professor emeritus of Russian and an expert in Slavic languages and literatures, died September 6, 2012. 

Arnold "Arny" Honig, professor emeritus of physics at SU and an expert in solid state and low-temperature physics, died January 31, 2012.

Hilton Kramer ’50, former chief art critic at The New York Times and founding editor of The New Criterion magazine, died March 27, 2012.

John James Prucha, SU's vice chancellor of academic affairs, dean of The College of Arts and Sciences, professor emeritus and chair of the earth sciences department, died October 22, 2012. Among his many accomplishments were the construction of the Heroy Building and professorship gift, as well as the construction of the Carrier Dome.

Martin Sage, professor emeritus of chemistry at SU and a local presence in arts leadership, environmentalism, and city planning, died February 3, 2012.

Gloria Penner Synder G’55, a broadcasting pioneer at KPBS in San Diego, Calif., died October 6, 2012.

Gabriel Vahanian, professor emeritus of religion at SU and a key figure in the oft-misunderstood "God Is Dead" movement, died August 30, 2012, at his home in Strasbourg, France. He was 85.

Robert Ward, a seminal figure in American opera who composed In Praise of Science for the 2008 opening of SU’s Life Sciences Complex, died April 3, 2013. The piece was premiered by soprano Laura Enslin and the SU Brass Ensemble, conducted by James T. Spencer.

William D. West, part-professor of English at SU, former writer for The Post-Standard, and former program annotator for the Syracuse Symphony Orchestra, died April 24, 2012.

Bob Yates ‘59, a former SU offensive lineman who played for the New England Patriots in their first six seasons, died on April 18, 2013.