Farmingdale State College Alumni Association | Alumni Happenings

Alumni & Friends at Changing Times, April 20, 2010

Alumni & Friends
at Changing Times

WE HAVE A WINNER!!!
The lucky winner for the Bermuda Cruise for two is:

Stefanie Scherner, from The Pilot Shop, with the ticket number 005

Congratulations Stefanie!!

Alumni Awards Dinner, March 26, 2010

Alumni Awards Dinner
Incredible Alumni and Supporters honored at our annual Dinner. This year our focus was on our successful Aviation Program.

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Alumni & Friends Brewery Tour, October 10, 2009

Alumni and Friends
Brewery Tour

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Alumni & Friends with the Long Island Ducks, September 17, 2009

Alumni & Friends Night with the LI Ducks

Alumni and Friends with
the Long Island Ducks

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Alumni & Friends Cruise to Canada, June, 7-11, 2009

Alumni & Friends who participated at the Cruise to Canada on June 7-11, 2009.

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Alumni Job Fair, MyWorkster, June, 4, 2009

Alumni Job Fair
In an effort to support our alumni seeking career assistance, we recently partnered with 24 other regional public and private colleges and MyWorkster.com to participate in a Multi-College Alumni Job Fair.

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Garden Tour Reception, May 29, 2009

Dr. Richard Iversen (center) talks to attendees at the Alumni & Garden Tour.

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50 Year Class Reunion, May 16th & 17th, 2009

Class of 1959 members at the Class Reunion Dinner accompanied by Farmingdale State College's President, Dr. W. Hubert Keen (far left).

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Alumni & Friends
Open Meeting at Art Gallery Article
April 16, 2009

(L-R) NY Islanders mascot Sparky the Dragon; Dr. Hubert Keen, Farmingdale State College President; Patrick Calabria, Vice President for Institutional Advancement; Eileen Hasson, Alumni Affairs Director; Judy McEvoy, Alumni Association President; Joe Egan, Alumni Association Board member.

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On April 16, 2009, the Alumni Association held an Open Meeting at the Hale Hall Art Gallery. The Faculty Art Exhibition was remarkable and as Hale Hall readies for extensive renovations, this event marked one of the last opportunities to see the gallery in its current location. Alumni Association Board members and various alumni were treated to a personal tour of the exhibit led by Professors Paul Gustafson and Bill Steedle, whose insights were very meaningful. The talents of our teaching staff in Visual Arts were displayed for the enjoyment of the audience. The pieces provide a legacy of the impressive works of the participating staff that inspire our students.

We look forward to the Student Exhibition which runs through May 17, and marks the final art exhibit to be held in the current gallery location. Farmingdale State College offers diverse opportunities for learning, and our comprehensive art programs are a great example of the evolution of that program over time. Traditional arts programs focused in drawing and painting, where now our current curriculum incorporates high tech graphics and design concepts that equip our graduates with the tools necessary for success in today’s diverse arts careers.

We encourage you to join us for our Open Meetings that offer great opportunities to see the advancements made in various Farmingdale State College programs. Every semester we highlight a curriculum and hold our meetings in that environment. So far, we have toured the Aviation facility, Dental Hygiene’s state of the art Dental Care Center, the IRTT and Visual Arts. Where will we visit next? Check our web page for the next Open Meeting this fall and plan to attend.

Thanks to all who attended. Enjoy the pictures taken that evening, and we thank everyone for their hospitality.

2009 Alumni Awards Dinner
March 27, 2009

(L-R) pictured are Eileen Hasson, Alumni Affairs Director; Gary Loesch, Outstanding Alumni H2M Employee; Judy McEvoy, Alumni Association President; Dr. Laura Joseph, Outstanding Alumna; Dr. Patricia Hill Williams, Outstanding Alumni Supporter; Dr. Hubert Keen, Farmingdale State College President; Oscar Martinez, Outstanding Alumnus; and Phil Schiavone, Alumnus of the Year.

Alumni & Friends
with the Islanders vs Maple Leafs, Nassau Coliseum
February 26, 2009

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Alumni Career Networking Forum "Navigating the Career Maze".

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On Wednesday, February 11, 2009, the college hosted our second Alumni Career Panel — “Navigating the Career Maze”. The Little Theater was packed with alumni, students, faculty, their classes, and the general public seeking information about how to survive in this volatile economic climate. As people arrived, they were treated to the expertise of our Director of Career Services at Farmingdale State College, Malka Edelman, who shared resume and interview tips for success. The event then opened with a welcome from Eileen Hasson, Director of Alumni Affairs who explained how the event evolved.

This event was scheduled again in response to the many requests for support and career advice we have been receiving in the Alumni Affairs office as our alumni are experiencing the devastation of job loss. We first saw the trend and addressed it with a similar event held in April of 2008. The timing of this event is even more appropriate in light of the current economic situation.

We were pleased to assemble a qualified panel of experts including Scott Passeser, host of Cablevision’s Jobline, regional economist Pearl Kamer, Newsday columnist Patricia Kitchen and alum, entrepreneur and Farmingdale State College adjunct professor, Jeff Egan. Judy McEvoy, president of the Alumni Association introduced Scott Passeser, and he led the discussion points of the panelists, who all had the opportunity to share their unique perspectives about the current climate affecting so many professionals and recent graduates in the struggle to find and retain employment and grow their careers. Scott emphasized the value of networking, Pearl echoed the bleak facts about the economy and how the “recession” would likely get worse before it improves. She did, however share that many of the degrees Farmingdale State College graduates possess are viable, especially in the health sciences, engineering, and biotech areas.

Farmingdale State College produces qualified job ready candidates and many are finding employment. Jeff shared his take on helping students and alumni be prepared for the reality of the job search process. Patricia shared the employer side and how important it is to be willing to be flexible with your career and seek out what you really want to do. We then invited Joe Egan, an alum and business owner, Doug Baruchin, from myWorkster, and Chris Connelly, a recruitment specialist to share with the audience tools they can use to stand out among their competition. Their advice was very timely and valuable. We then turned the session over to address the concerns and questions of the audience. So many individuals are frustrated and worried about their careers and future. They received feedback from all of the panelists, and from each other.

As the session drew to a close, many participants remained to continue networking and asked additional questions of our panelists. We received a lot of positive feedback and all in attendance found the session to be beneficial. Our thanks go to all of panelists, supporters and participants. Visit the Career Connections link on the alumni web page for internet resources to assist you in a successful career search. Thanks also to Elizabeth Santosus, Sylvia Navarro-Nicosia and Eva Stiller for assisting with the check-in process for the event.

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Alumni & Friends at the Alumni Association Annual meeting.

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Thank you to all who braved the cold weather to come out to the Farmingdale State College campus on Wednesday, January 21 for our Alumni Association Annual Meeting. It was wonderful to see the spirit and interest from the assembled group. And thanks to the many alumni calls we received showing interest in how they could get involved with the Association’s committees that are being formulated. The meeting was located in Lupton Hall’s IRTT conference room, and was well attended. Not only did we get to see some familiar faces, but also so many new ones as well. After I had the opportunity to explain what the Association has accomplished and the many events we currently have planned, our Association president, Judy McEvoy addressed the group and encouraged participation and everyone had the opportunity to introduce themselves. It gave us a great chance to cultivate support for our committees and events. A few attendees expressed an interest in becoming Association Board members as well. We will be announcing Board appointments at our March 27 Alumni Association Awards Dinner. Some of the committees established now include Young Alumni, Mentoring, Networking, Reunion, Events, and Alumni Publications. If you would like to become a member of any committee, please contact Alumni Affairs at 631-420-2369/2529, or at alumni@farmingdale.edu . Thank you to Dr. Shahrabi for hosting our Annual Meeting at the Lupton Hall facility. Thanks, as always, to Sylvia Navarro-Nicosia for creating the scrolling pictures that provided the backdrop for the meeting. Thanks to our board representatives who were able to join us as well. Look on the web page for our next Association Open Meeting. We look forward to seeing you at our events and meetings! Thanks for your support.

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Our December 9th Changing Times event was a great success. Alumni Affairs and the Farmingdale State College Alumni Association hosts these monthly events (on the second Tuesday of the month) which are geared towards social and career networking in an informal setting. We had caught the attention of Newsday with our slate of Alumni Career Events and outreach of career support for the many alumni who have contacted us in need of assistance in these challenging economic rimes. Reporter Karla Schuster and a photographer joined us and myWorkster rep Doug Baruchin as we greeted the alumni who came to the event armed with their resumes, ready to market and network with the crowd. How gratifying to have the opportunity to bring people together and see everyone mingling and meeting new potential contacts. Networking at its best! The result was Farmingdale being the lead in an article published on December 28 in Newsday. We are not the only college experiencing a surge in requests for career assistance for our alumni, but we have been recognized as taking the lead in anticipating the issue and addressing it in meaningful ways. By partnering with our Career Services department, we have assembled workshops, resume reviews, interviewing strategies, and the Alumni Association will again be holding our popular Career Panel on February 11.

When we started these monthly events, we were looking for a fun, informal way to re-connect with many of our local alumni. Now, we receive calls booking the events! We are happy to provide a non-threatening environment where alumni can network. If your company is hiring, or if you know of career opportunities, please let Alumni Affairs know so we can promote these positions to our alumni. Please consider coming down and joining us. Enjoy the pictures from the event. The next networking event is scheduled for Tuesday, January 13. Hope to see you!

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ALUMNI & FRIENDS WINERY AND HARVEST TOUR
Sunday, November 16, 2008

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Changing Times earned its name at this month’s Alumni and Friends networking event. Sponsored by www.myWorkster.com, we met many alumni for whom times are changing. In this volatile economy, the fear of job loss, or the reality of layoffs were evident. Alumni networking is evolving from social to career connection at these events. But, due to our partnership with myWorkser, utilizing the state of the art website can empower users to navigate career opportunities in a new forum, while connecting with fellow Farmingdale job seekers in the Farmingdale Alumni Group. Join now-it’s free and could be another resource for you. Our thanks to Mark Valesy, Veteran and Chair of the Automotive Technology Department, for being such a congenial guest bartender. We look forward to our December 9 Changing Times event when we will be back with myWorkster, and Erik Smiles, Basketball coach and great fun guy will be our guest bartender! Celebrate the holiday spirit with us- and bring your resumes!

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On Tuesday, October 14, alum Jeff Egan and Changing Times Pub hosted our Alumni and Friends Networking event for the second time. Guest bartender Dr. Lorraine Greenwald, Dean of the School of Business, was a hit as she worked the bar and entertained the crowd. These events are quickly becoming a campus community and alumni favorite, as we get to promote Farmingdale State College alumni events and encourage career networking and camaraderie in a comfortable, congenial atmosphere. We held a raffle for Islander’s tickets, and got to meet and mingle with many alumni. These events are planned for the second Tuesday of each month, so come out and join us for some fun times! Upcoming dates are November 11 and December 9, 2008 and January 13, 2009. Drink specials and half price appetizers await you. Changing Times is located directly across from the Melville Road entrance to the College.

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We had so much fun with our first Alumni and Friends at Changing Times event! Guest bartender Tom Azzara from Athletics was a great bar keep and we had the feeling he had done this before! The event had a good attendance and we thank all alumni, campus community members and friends who came out to support this new endeavor to cultivate alumni spirit. Look for these events to be held the second Tuesday of each month over at Changing Times Pub from 7pm-on. Proprietor, alumnus Jeff Egan, offers drink specials and half price appetizers to our group, and the ability to have our alumni congregate in a relaxed, fun atmosphere. The networking opportunity is significant, and the feedback we have obtained has been very positive! Join us on Tuesday, October 14, 2008 for our next gathering, when Dr. Lorraine Greenwald, Dean of Business will be serving up fun for all!

Future 2008 dates are November 11 and December 9. Contact Alumni Affairs for more information!

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(L-R) Eileen Hasson, Director of Alumni Affairs; Buddy Harrelson, co-owner LI Ducks; Dr. W. Hubert Keen, President of Farmingdale State College; Rambo, Mascot for Farmingdale State College; Kenneth Lawrence, Class 1950; Dan Sheehan, Class 1977 and Alumni Board member; and Judy McEvoy, President Farmmingdale Alumni Association.

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With over 200 Alumni and Friends in attendance, Citibank Park in Central Islip was alive with a bustling, exciting atmosphere! The Ducks were playing against York Revolution and the sun was shining brightly. We had been planning this special event for many months, and the day was finally here! Dr. Hubert Keen, the president of Farmingdale State College was scheduled to throw out the first ball, and he did a great job. Assembled on the field were President Keen, Alumni Association President Judy McEvoy, college mascot Rambo, Class of 1958 Aggie baseball player Kenneth Lawrence, Eileen Hasson, Director of Alumni Affairs and Bud Harrelson, owner of the LI Ducks. In the stands were more than 200 Alumni and Friends representing our group, wearing their Alumni Pride t-shirts, cheering President Keen on! This was exactly what we hoped for as we sold tickets for the event and envisioned our group in attendance. The Ducks won the game, of course, and everyone had a great time.

As we develop alumni programming, we like to include our constituents who have families and want to participate in alumni activities with their children. You will see more of this type of programming as we grow the Association and Event Committee. It was wonderful to see so many people be a part of growing Alumni Pride!

Special thanks to the Ducks Committee headed by Dan Sheehan, along with Joe Egan and Francesca Interrante, whose assistance in generating outreach and ticket sales was incredible. Also, our volunteers at the reception table, Sylvia Navarro Nicosia and Arnim Mondesir. We could not have done it without your hard work and support! Thanks also, to the campus community for their enthusiastic participation.

Enjoy the event photos here, and we look forward to seeing YOU at upcoming events!