Alumni eUpdates
February/March 2026
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We can’t wait to welcome you back to campus the first weekend of May.
| | The Office of Alumni Engagement and the Purchase College Alumni Association (PCAA) have planned a dynamic lineup of events, including a special dinner celebration honoring our first four-year graduating class. All alumni are invited to reconnect and celebrate at signature events such as the Night of Reunions, the Alumni Showcase, and the indoor picnic featuring the Alumni Awards presentation. Families are especially encouraged to join us on Saturday. | | |
As always, campus programs and receptions are free. Friday’s Night of Reunions (21+, including a buffet dinner and bar), Saturday’s All-Alumni Picnic (featuring a luncheon buffet, beer, wine, and soft beverages), and the Class of 1976 50th Anniversary Reunion Reception and Dinner are ticketed events. Children 10 and under attend Saturday’s picnic free of charge. Alumni who prefer alternative dining options on Saturday will find the Dining Hall, The Hub, and Starbucks open throughout the weekend.
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Class of '76 Memories
Do you have a story to share, a photo tucked away in an album, or some fun memorabilia? We'd love to see it (and share it) during Alumni Weekend!
Share your photos and memories here.
Image above: The first day on campus in 1972. Source: Purchase History photo archive
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LA Meet-Up 2026
A Big Success!
A great night of music and connections for West Coast Alumni
Thank you to the alumni who joined us in downtown Los Angeles on February 1 for an evening of conversation, camaraderie, and exceptional music. The night began with a cocktail reception and continued with a performance by the Los Angeles Master Chorale at Walt Disney Concert Hall, arranged by Scott Altman ’90, President and CEO of the Chorale. Purchase College President Michael E. Steiper joined alumni virtually to share greetings and appreciation. We are especially grateful to our West Coast Purchase College Alumni Association Board hosts—pictured (left) Scott Altman ’90 (Music), (center) Margaret Mendelson ’89 (Literature), and (right) Jim Benz ’85 (Visual Arts)—for helping bring the West Coast alumni community together.
View highlights from the evening and explore the full photo album.
If you attended and have photos you would like to share, please send them to alumni@purchase.edu.
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Purchase Hosts Graham Centennial Celebration | |
In 2026, the Conservatory of Dance at Purchase College will mark the 100th anniversary of the Martha Graham Dance Company with a year-long campus celebration honoring one of the most influential figures in modern dance. Purchase is the only college in the nation launching a coordinated centennial series highlighting Graham’s enduring artistic legacy. The series is coordinated by Assistant Professor of Dance and Graham Centennial Curator Martin Løfsnes.
The celebration includes cross-campus collaborations with The Performing Arts Center and the Neuberger Museum of Art, along with special programming throughout the academic year. AW26 will feature the Conservatory of Dance’s spring concert, which includes an exclusive pre-performance celebration and backstage tour of Enter the Meadow.
For full details and a schedule of events, visit the Graham100 pages on The Performing Arts Center or Conservatory of Dance websites.
| | PCAA Celebrates Black History Month | | The Purchase College Alumni Association is proudly joining campus partners in marking 100 years of honoring Black history in the United States. This year’s centennial observance recognizes the achievements, contributions, and lasting impact of Black alumni across our campus, our communities, and the nation. | |
OAPIA and SOCA Host For the Culture Awards
On February 12, PCAA Board Treasurer Scott Mason ’05, ’07 (Music) assisted in the presentation of awards during the annual Organization for African Peoples in America (OAPIA) and Students of Caribbean Ancestry (SOCA) For the Culture Awards.
“It was an honor to join Purchase students during this night of celebration and to let them know that our alumni are committed to staying connected,” said Mason. “Purchase alumni exemplify creativity, leadership, scholarship, and service. Black History Month is a great opportunity to honor the trailblazers who paved the way, uplift the voices shaping the present, and invest in the future leaders emerging from our institution.” More
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Screening and Discussion for BLKNWS: Terms & Conditions
The Purchase Global Black Studies program invited alumni back to campus for a screening and post-film discussion of the documentary BLKNWS: Terms & Conditions. Adapted from Director Kahlil Joseph’s acclaimed video art installation, this genre-bending documentary mirrors the sonic textures of a record album while weaving fiction and history to create an immersive meditation on Black consciousness. The screening is on Tuesday, March 3, beginning at 7pm in the Durst Humanities Theatre. Learn more and RSVP
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Women’s History Month Honors Trailblazers
Purchase Alumna Mitski Included in SUNY Statement
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In a joint statement marking Women’s History Month 2026, SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr. and the SUNY Board of Trustees recognized the women whose leadership, resilience, and impact continue to shape New York State and beyond.
The statement reflected on trailblazers who broke barriers in government, public service, science, and the arts, noting that SUNY alumnae have helped move the state forward as elected officials, judges, public servants, and cultural leaders. Among those acknowledged was Purchase College alumna Mitski (Mitsuki Laycock ’13 (Music)), recognized alongside historic firsts including astronauts, global policy leaders, Olympic medalists, and state legislators.
| | | IMAGE: Raph_PH - MitskiUnionChap111023 (13 of 30), CC BY 2.0, | |
Meet Maurice D. Nelson, MEd CDE®
Purchase College’s New Chief Diversity Officer
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Maurice D. Nelson, MEd, CDE®, has joined Purchase College as Chief Diversity Officer, Title IX/VI Coordinator, and Affirmative Action Officer. Most recently, he served as Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer at Sacred Heart University. He holds degrees from Savannah State University and Georgia Southern University and is completing a Doctor of Education in Higher Education Leadership.
A native of Savannah, Georgia, Nelson identifies as Black and Mexican. He pairs strategic leadership with a strong connection to the performing arts, drawing on his background in music and dance to support equity work within creative academic communities. More
| | $25K Matching Gift Goal Reached for the
School of Natural and Social Sciences | | |
Thanks to the generosity of alumni and friends, the School of Natural and Social Sciences raised more than $26,000 this fall, unlocking a $25,000 matching gift from alumnus Peter Compo ’81 and bringing more than $51,000 in total support to students. The funds will advance senior research projects, career development opportunities, and participation in professional conferences, creating transformative academic experiences for Purchase students.
Alumni and community members are invited to see these Senior Projects in person at the James Utter Natural and Social Sciences Research Symposium on May 2 during AW26.
Image: Peter C. Compo, PhD '81 (Biology and Chemistry)
| | #ProofofPurchase Alumni News | | Bobby Score ’77 (Acting) is providing labor relations consulting for Encore Community Services in New York City. And his creative writing was recently published for the third consecutive year through the Visible Ink program at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. | | Jessica Hentoff ’77 (Sociology) has been named a World Circus Ambassador by the World Circus Federation. Hentoff is the founder of Circus Harmony where she is artistic and executive director. She was introduced to circus arts at Purchase by the late Warren Bacon, whose mentorship helped shape her career. | | Gary Golio ’81 (Visual Arts) will release a new children’s nonfiction picture book this July, Silence Sounds Simple: A Day in the Life of John Cage (Calkins Creek/ASTRA), an illustrated exploration of music and sound for readers ages 7–10 that will be available through major and independent booksellers. More | | |
Scott Altman ’90 (Music), President and CEO of the Los Angeles Master Chorale and a member of the PCAA Board, celebrated the Chorale’s 2026 Grammy win for Best Choral Performance. A nationally recognized arts leader, he brings more than two decades of executive nonprofit experience guiding major cultural institutions through transformative growth, capital campaigns, and expanded community engagement initiatives.
More
| | Christalyn Hampton ’91 (Dance) is a producer, director, and casting director who received a 2026 Oscar nomination for the cinéma vérité short The Devil Is Busy, co-directed with Geeta Gandbhir ’92. Her recent projects include The Rebellious Life of Mrs. Rosa Parks (Peacock), which earned Peabody, Gracie, and Television Academy Honors, as well as producing work for HBO Max, Amazon Prime, Paramount+, and the NAACP. More | | Geeta Gandbhir ’92 (Women’s Studies) received rare dual Oscar nominations this year in both Best Documentary Feature (The Perfect Neighbor, Netflix) and Best Documentary Short (The Devil Is Busy), the latter co-directed with fellow alumna Christalyn Hampton ’91. Geeta was also honored with the Sundance Institute’s Vanguard Award for Nonfiction. She is a co-founder of Message Pictures. More | | Dan Romer ’04 (Music: Studio Composition) is a composer, songwriter, and music producer who created the orchestral piece I Believe, heard in the final moments of the Stranger Things series finale. He continues an award-winning career scoring major film, television, and video game projects while producing chart-topping singles. More | | |
Kristin Villanueva ’07 (Acting) is part of the cast of HBO’s hit series The Pitt, which won Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series at the 2026 Actors Awards. Villanueva stars as Princess Dela Cruz, one of the show’s beloved Filipino nurses. More
Photo: Christopher Brown from kristinvillanueva.com
| | Andrew Jack ’08 (Visual Arts: Sculpture) has opened Andrew Jack Chairs, a chairmaking workshop and gallery space in Sheffield, Massachusetts. A furniture maker and instructor, Jack specializes in handcrafted chairs that blend sculptural form with functional design. | | Dr. Yvon Jules ’08 (Chemistry) recently earned a Doctor of Education degree after six years of study at Manhattanville University and is now adapting his dissertation for academic publication. He previously earned a master’s degree in Professional Studies from Manhattanville in 2013 and became a certified special education teacher, working with students with emotional and behavioral disabilities. | | Christina Picciano ’08 (Music: Studio Production) has been named a recipient of the 2026 ArtsWestchester Advancing Equity Artist Award in recognition of her work as a musician and founder of the Hudson Valley Queer Collective. In 2025, she released three singles with her queer punk project All My Friends and coordinated more than 40 LGBTQ+ arts events. More | | Katie Scanlon ’16 (Photography) is an e-commerce photographer for Saks Fifth Avenue, where she has worked for the past seven years after beginning her career as a freelance assistant and advancing from digital technician to full-time photographer. While her professional work supports the brand’s digital campaigns, her personal photography often focuses on street subjects. More | | Nick Viagas ’18 (Psychology / Media, Society and the Arts) made his television debut performing stand-up on CBS Comics Unleashed on February 24, 2026. A regular at The Stand, Sesh Comedy, and New York Comedy Club, Nick co-hosts the monthly show Struggle Bus. He has appeared on episodes of RIP with Jordan Jensen, Subway Takes, and Stavy’s World and is on tour this spring. More | | Josiah Acheampong ’25 (Journalism) is the weekend weather reporter for the ABC affiliate in Amarillo, Texas. He recently joined fellow former interns live in the Today Show studio to celebrate Al Roker’s 30-year anniversary. Josiah interned with both NBC News and the ABC News Weather Team while at Purchase. More | | Gabriella Pizzolo ’25 (Psychology) is an actor and singer known for her Broadway performances and for portraying Suzie Bingham in Netflix’s Stranger Things; she graduated from Purchase with a BA in Psychology and a certificate in Early Childhood Education while remaining active in theatre and music. More | | | |
Samara's Sixth Grammy Win
Samara Joy ’21 (Music: Jazz Studies) earned her sixth Grammy Award for Best Jazz Vocal Album for Portrait at the 68th Annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, marking her fourth consecutive year receiving both a nomination and a win; Portrait also received the 2025 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Jazz Album. More
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In Memoriam: A. Dean Irby
September 21, 1947–February 16, 2026
Alfred Dean Irby, known to many simply as Dean, passed away on February 16, 2026, at the age of 78. A respected actor and acting coach, he performed with the Negro Ensemble Company and later served as an acting coach for The Cosby Show.
For 36 years, beginning in 1989, Dean was a devoted faculty member at Purchase College, where he mentored and inspired generations of actors with his discipline, integrity, and deep respect for the craft. In 2024, he received the Lloyd Richards Director Award at the International Black Theatre Festival, and his life and career were honored in the documentary The Artistry of A. Dean Irby.
A memorial service will be held Saturday, March 7, at Riverside Church in New York City.
Read full obituary and service details
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If you haven't already seen it ...
Read the online version of proof magazine
| | proof F/W 2025 cover featuring Lenox Avenue (2024) by Khalif Thompson ’18 | | |
Step inside the latest edition of proof, Purchase College’s alumni and campus magazine, and explore the people, ideas, and creative energy shaping Purchase today.
From an in-studio look at Khalif Thompson ’18 and a Q&A with President Michael E. Steiper, PhD, to features on student publications, the new Illustration concentration, and alumni making change across industries, this issue captures the full spectrum of the Purchase experience. You’ll also find coverage of the Photography Is… festival, Class of 2025 commencement highlights, Alumni in Action, a note from the PCAA, and a look at campus past and present. More
| | Follow @purchasealumni on social media for more alumni updates and news | | | | |
