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Alumni eUpdates
December 2023
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On December 6, students, faculty, and distinguished alumni gathered for the annual Purchase College Shark Tank competition where students from across campus pitched their business ideas to a panel of entrepreneurs, à la ABC’s hit show. President Milly Peña, Provost Earnest Lamb, and Director of the School of Natural and Social Sciences Rudolf Gaudio set the stage and introduced Executive Director of the Dr. E. Lawrence Deckinger Family Foundation Nancy Deckinger, whose generous support helped create this competition. James Izzo ’22 (Photography) emceed the event, which was coordinated by Economics assistant professor Iuliia Chikish and coached by Economics adjunct professor Phyllis Fein.
The panel of three judges included alumni David Settanni ’09 (Economics) and Zoé T.
Gadsden '15 (Economics and Arts Management) along with entrepreneur Nick Ohnell and business executives Alicia Grande and Nick Read. The judges awarded $5,000 in seed money for the students to take their ideas and turn them into ventures, as well as scale existing ventures. The $1,000 Audience Favorite award went to Tachynel Merveille (Acting) and Destiny Barbour (Acting) for Bev N’Tings, their already thriving on-campus catering company. The $1,500 Purchase Community Enhancement award went to Anabela Taveira (Biology) for her popular service, Fairy Sweet-Cakes On Campus, which makes and delivers special occasion cakes to her classmates. And the $2,500 Best New Business award of $2,500 went to Priya Tejpal (Communications), Diogo Diallo (Arts Management) and Steven Reyes (Undeclared) for their new online textbook company idea, iTextbook.
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Watch your e-mail in the coming days for a link to the digital edition of the completely redesigned Purchase Magazine, now called proof. Congratulations to all the alumni and staff who contributed to the development of this issue. The content sparks pride in all that our alumni community accomplishes both personally and professionally! | |
#ProofofPurchase Alumni News | |
Dr. Robert Alan Herman ’79 (Chemistry) is a psychiatrist in the Annapolis, Maryland metropolitan area. Since 2008, he has also been the bass section leader of the Baltimore Bach Choir, an amateur choir that performs Bach Cantatas and major works in churches around Baltimore. | |
L. Synn Stern '82 (Literature) is proud to be working for OnPoint NYC, the harm reduction and syringe service project running the USA's first overdose prevention centers and sanctioned safe consumption sites. She has worked for the agency since becoming an RN in 2011. | |
Nick Cascone '86 (Acting) is an orthopedic physician assistant who made headlines last month when he became a winner in Jeopardy!'s Champions Wildcard competition. A performer at heart, he has credits on television and movie projects including Star Trek: The Next Generation, Titanic, and more. | |
Rebecca P. Bruckenstein ’12 (Drama Studies/Journalism) has published her first book, Finding Poetry, Finding Me. In her writing, she explores the world around her and "the relationships we have with ourselves and each other." The poems in the collection tell the story of life, friendship, pain, and self-discovery. | |
Angelina Ruiz '15 (Photography) is one of four artists featured in an exhibition at The Governor’s Academy, an independent school near Boston, MA, from now until mid-January. Ruiz’s work focuses on nostalgia and memory, the story of the Puerto Rican diaspora, and a constant longing for home. More | |
Sebastian Pray '16 (Theatre & Performance) returns to Purchase to direct the Spring BA Theatre & Performance Main Stage presentation of Angels in America Part 1: Millennium Approaches by Tony Kushner. | |
Several Purchase alumni working at ABC News met up recently at the World Headquarters in NYC. Pictured left to right: Kyle McKenzie '13 (Journalism), ABC News Live Coordinating Producer; Eric Justin Johnson '82, World News Tonight with David Muir Jib Operator; Jane DiBartolo '16 (Theatre Design / Technology), ABC News Stage Manager. Not pictured: Jason Kuang '12 (Journalism), World News Tonight with David Muir Producer. | |
Tobias Nikl ’23 (Film), Kunga Choephel '23 (Film), Desta Mutisya '23 (Film), and Blake Albano ’23 (New Media) started a full-service film and video production company based in Queens, NY. The ARE WE THERE YET? FILMS team works in all stages of production across documentary, narrative, commercial, social media, and music video content. | |
MARK YOUR CALENDARS FOR THESE UPCOMING EVENTS | |
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4th Annual Purchase Black Alumni Network (PBAN) Summit
February 7 | 6pm
SUNY Global Center (NYC) + Online
Join PBAN members for a mixer and program in NYC. The evening will begin with a networking reception and light dinner followed by a program of Black alumni sharing stories about excelling in their fields and connecting with current Purchase students of the African Diaspora.
This is a Black History Month celebration.
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Purchase Women Leadership Network (PWLN) Mixer and Program
March 12 | 6pm
SUNY Global Center (NYC) + Online
Join PWLN members for a mixer and program in NYC. The evening will begin with a networking reception and light dinner followed by a program that advances PWLN’s mission to support women in finding ways to thrive during change.
This is a Women’s History Month celebration.
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March 16 | 8pm | The PAC
BUY TICKETS (10% alumni discount)
Experience the world premiere of To My Arms / Restore, an evening-long two-part work from Doug Varone and Dancers that embodies Varone's choreographic fascination with the interplay of the deeply emotional and the immensely physical. Varone '78 (Dance) is an award-winning choreographer, director, and member of the Purchase College faculty.
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April 6 | 8pm | The PAC
BUY TICKETS (10% alumni discount)
Led by MacArthur Genius Kyle Abraham '00 (Dance), A.I.M returns to The PAC with a repertory program that showcases Abraham's brilliance as an Artistic Director who is constantly innovating the industry. Abraham will serve his signature “postmodern gumbo”—a blend of modern dance styles ranging from ballet to hip hop, seasoned with human stories and social commentary.
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SAVE THE DATES
Alumni Weekend 2024
April 26-27 | On Campus
All alumni are welcome as we honor the 50th Anniversary of the Class of 1974 and commemorate the milestone anniversaries of the Classes of 1984, 1994, 2004, 2014 and 2019! The Night of Reunions party returns to the Neuberger Museum of Art on Friday evening followed by events on campus all day Saturday. More Info
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Bookmark the Purchase Calendar
Attend an opening or browse the exhibitions at the NEU; admission is free for alumni. Take in a performance at The PAC; alumni tickets are discounted. Or come back to campus or log in online for a free lecture, event, opening or performance!
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Give Boldly Forward >>>
As you make your final charitable gifts of 2023, please consider helping Purchase students thrive and graduate ready to make lasting marks on the world! Give to provide scholarships, enable student success, and make extraordinary programs at the College possible. Give to bring incredible artists and exhibitions to the Neuberger’s galleries and performing artists to The PAC’s stages. Or give to support any other fund of your choosing. Your gift helps us build tomorrow today!
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