A Message from President James Van Vorst | | | | |
As the Newsletter shows, there has been a great deal of activity at the Emeritus Center. Three emeriti faculty were provided with funds to support their scholarly activity, and the Board recognized the outstanding work of Estela Rivero by naming her an Emeritus Fellow. The inaugural semester of the Emeritus Center Albany Lifelong Learning Institute was highly successful.
For more of Jim's message go to President's Message. (Left - Photo of James Van Vorst)
| | All 2021 - 2025 Speakers Were Recorded. Videos Now Available! | | Did you miss one of our speakers in the Spring 2025 semester? Our website has a chronological listing of all the talks. There you will find links to our YouTube channel with Zoom recordings for most of our presentations dating to September 2021. | | In Memoriam - Bonita Sanchez | | (Above - Photo of Bonita Sanchez (right) receiving the NASW-NYS Lifetime Achievement Award in 2018) | | We note with great sadness that Bonita Sanchez, a longtime member of the Emeritus Center Board of Directors and former Treasurer, passed away peacefully on Sunday, May 25th, 2025. For more on her life and legacy go to Bonita Sanchez Obituary. | | Albany Lifelong Learning Institute (ALLI) Program - A Spring Semester Success and Fall Semester Offerings | | (Above - Healthy Aging Adults from Hope Trust) | | |
The results of the anonymous survey of students enrolled in our three courses offered in the Spring, 2025 semester are in, and it's clear that what one participant called the Emeritus Center’s “brave and adventurous endeavor” was a success. With 26 of 50 participants responding, the survey revealed that students were motivated to enroll because of the course topic (81%) and, hoping to “gain new knowledge” (92%) and to “meet new people” (15%). The vast majority (85%) either agreed (46%) or strongly agreed (38%) that these expectations were met. Many (81%) also agreed that ALLI’s twin goals of intellectual stimulation and social engagement were fulfilled. For more survey results go to ALLI updates.
Encouraged by the positive reviews, the Emeritus Board voted to offer a new selection of classes starting the first week of September. Working closely with the Albany Guardian Society, we have been able to double the number of offerings to six courses and to add both in-person and Zoom options. For dates, course descriptions, registration instructions, and other information about the fall courses, go to Lifelong Learning Courses.
| | The Emeritus Center is pleased to announce that Estela M. Rivero has been elected as the William L. Reese Fellow for 2025. Dr. Rivero, who retired in 2020, is the former the Director of Counseling and Psychological Services and Vice President for Student Affairs. For more information on her career and post-retirement contributions, see the article published in Today at UAlbany. | | (Above - Photo of Estela Rivera) | | Recent Three Voices Awardees | | The Emeritus offers a small grant program entitled "The Three Voices" to encourage emeriti to continue their scholarship, teaching, and service activities after retirement. Recent awardees are Iris Berger and Jose E. Cruz (below). Kim Engel also received a Three Voices award in 2025, and her project is highlighted in Emeriti in the News. | | (Above - Photo of Iris Berger) | |
Emerita Professor Iris Berger received $1,474 for her project “Seeking Equality: Early Years of the African Studies Association (ASA) Women’s Caucus.” The funds support her attendance at the 2025 Annual Meeting of the African Studies Association (ASA), where she will speak on a panel organized to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the ASA Women’s Caucus.
| | (Above - Photo of Jose E. Cruz) | O'Leary Professor Jose E. Cruz received $1,500 for his project "Con la Musica a Otra Parte". The funds support publication of a bilingual book of short stories that retell stories told in a series of popular Puerto Rican songs. The book runs through both musical and everyday life, tracing social, cultural and political complexities of Puerto Rico in the 20th century. | | For more information about the Three Voices grant program, go to our Website | | (Above - Photo of Kim Engel (left) with fellow members of NYS Dance Force) | Kim Engel, Emerita Associate Director of the Performing Arts Center, has assumed a position as Dance Residency Coordinator at Union College. She sponsors residencies, and also conducts outreach throughout the Capital Region. Her Three Voices grant will help support these activities. For more information about her work and grant, see Engel update. | |  | (Above - Photo of Bob Yagelski) | |
Robert P. Yagelski, Dorothy G. Griffen Emeritus Professor of English, travelled to the University of Auckland, New Zealand, in February to deliver a seminar on “Writing True Stories in a Post-Truth World: Narrative, Truth-Seeking, and the Experience of Writing.” For more information about his presentation, see Yagelski talk.
| | | Preview: The Schedule of Speakers for Fall 2025 | | |
The complete Fall Speakers Program is posted on our website.
We also are in the process of upgrading and improving the furniture and presentation capabilities in our home at UAB 134. We believe that, when done, the improvements will improve the Speaker Series program as well as expand our ALLI offerings.
| | How to Donate to the Emeritus Center | | Some emeriti have asked how to donate to the Emeritus Center, either to honor a deceased colleague or to help support our programs. See this link for more information. | | Thanks once again to Dan Smith for this issue's Humor Corner. All faculty can certainly identify! | | And there’s so much more to be found on our website, including a list of Board members and updated announcements. Be sure to visit our website often for updates. | | | | |
