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Alumni eUpdates
February 2025
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PASSION, PURPOSE & REPRESENTATION
Wednesday, February 26 | Hybrid | Live in NYC and Livestream on Zoom
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Join the PCAA next Wednesday in NYC or online for an unforgettable Black History Month event. The livestreamed portion of the program will feature distinguished alumna Janet Rollé ’84 (Dance) in conversation with Dr. Krystal M. Perkins ’02 (Psychology), Chair of the Global Black Studies Program at Purchase College.
Rollé, a seasoned executive in the performing arts and media industries, has held leadership roles at organizations such as American Ballet Theatre, Parkwood Entertainment, CNN, BET, and HBO. As the former General Manager of Parkwood, she worked closely with Beyoncé, producing projects like Black Is King and Homecoming. She now leads Lacy Road Consulting, LLC, advising organizations on leadership, brand strategy, and creative development.
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The event begins with a light reception, followed by remarks from Dr. Perkins and a fireside chat where Rollé will share insights from her career at the intersection of business and the arts. A speed networking session will conclude the program, offering an opportunity for attendees to build professional connections.
The Summit will be held live in NYC from 5:30–8:00pm EST, with a livestream option from 6:30–7:15pm EST. Registration is free and open to all alumni, students, and friends.
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Advance registration required to allow for confirmation of catering and sending the Zoom link. | |
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🕒 Only 4,769 Minutes Left!
Get your nominations in by this Friday, February 21, at 11:59pm EST
Do you know an outstanding Purchase alum who deserves to be recognized? The Purchase College Alumni Association (PCAA) is seeking nominations for the 2025 Alumni Awards, which will be presented during Alumni Weekend and Commencement.
This is your chance to celebrate the achievements and contributions of your friends, classmates, and fellow graduates. Whether they’ve made an impact in their field, given back to their community, or exemplified the spirit of Purchase, we want to hear their story!
Submit your nomination by this Friday and help us honor the remarkable alumni who make our community proud. #ProofofPurchase #ThinkWideOpen
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It's Interview Season!
Consider donating gently used, interview-ready clothing items to the Career Development Center's Professional Closet
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As graduating seniors prepare for post-Purchase employment and current students explore summer job opportunities, the question “What should I wear to an interview?” becomes increasingly common. You can help by donating clean, gently used professional and business casual attire—including shirts, pants, blazers, dresses, skirts, and suits—to the Career Development Center's Professional Closet.
Items can be dropped off or shipped to the Career Development Center, Student Services Building - Room 214, Purchase College, SUNY, 735 Anderson Hill Road, Purchase, NY 10577.
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Did You Know?
The Career Development Center provides a wide range of job search resources, industry insights, professional networking and mentorship opportunities, and special events to support students and alumni in any job market.
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Recent Alumni (Graduated in the last two years): Gain access to career services such as resume and cover letter assistance, self-marketing strategies, career exploration, job search guidance, graduate school research, resource referrals, and mentors.
- Seasoned Alumni: Access digital career programs, job and mentorship platforms, and referrals to services that can aid in job and career transitions.
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All Alumni: Looking to give back? Consider becoming a mentor, speaking on career panels, conducting mock interviews, or promoting opportunities within your organization.
Your support—whether through donations or mentorship—helps strengthen our community. Thank you for making a difference!
Questions? career.development@purchase.edu
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Ignite Their Passion for the Visual and Performing Arts
10% Tuition Discount for Alumni
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Introduce the young people in your life to the unique experiences of Purchase College through our dynamic Summer Youth & Precollege Programs in the Arts. Whether they’re interested in acting, creative writing, filmmaking, multimedia production, journalism, songwriting, voice, performing arts, or visual arts, these one-, two-, or four-week intensive programs offer an exceptional opportunity to explore their creative interests.
Open to youth (grades 6-8) and precollege students (Grades 9 – 12), each program offers expert instruction from experienced instructors and practicing artists. Precollege students also benefit from portfolio development, audition training, and college application enhancement—perfect for those considering pursuing arts disciplines at the college level.
Share your alma mater's creative community with the next generation and enjoy a 10% tuition discount for every young person you register.
Questions: youth.pre.college@purchase.edu
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#ProofofPurchase Alumni News | |
Fred Wilson '76 (Visual Arts) was honored by the Neuberger Museum of Art and the Purchase College Global Black Studies and Media Studies programs in 2004 with the creation of the Fred Wilson Lectures in Global Black Studies. This year’s lecture, to be held on March 5, will feature Dr. Zalika U. Ibaorimi. More | |
Jon Kessler '80 (Visual Arts) is presenting Petrified, a selection of bronze and ceramic sculptures from a brand new, never-before exhibited body of work, at Magenta Plains through March 1. Jon was one of the founders of the Bozart toy company and is a Professor of Art at Columbia University where he has taught since 1994. More | |
Abigail Doan ’89 (Visual Arts) is an interdisciplinary artist, curator, and writer dedicated to cultural and environmental preservation. Her latest work, MASQUERADE, a mask exhibition spanning African, Asian, and European traditions, opened on February 8 at the ‘Museum in Progress’ in Cincu, Romania (Brașov County, Transylvania). More | |
Davnet Conway ’94 (Environmental Science), an experienced conservationist and nonprofit leader, joins Sudbury Valley Trustees on March 1 as Executive Director; she previously served as ED of the Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center in Mystic, CT. Davnet has over 30 years of expertise in environmental conservation, stewardship, and education. More | |
Sethu Laxmi Nair ’04 (Women’s Studies) is a mediator, coach, and trainer specializing in alternative dispute resolution and restorative practices. She serves as Director at the Center for Creative Conflict Resolution in NYC and consults with nonprofits and businesses on leadership, mediation, and conflict management. She has worked with various human rights organizations in New York and India. More | |
Ezra LeBank ’05 (Philosophy) teaches, choreographs, and directs internationally. Currently, he is Chair of the Department of Theatre Arts and Head of Movement at California State University, Long Beach, and Director of Bad Goat Dance. His book CLOWNS: In Conversation With Modern Masters is available from Routledge Publishing, UK. More | |
Daniel Connor Jr. ’07 (Political Science) is the new Broadcast Account Manager for Sony in the Northeast Market, specializing in Cinema and Broadcast productions. With extensive account management and retail sales experience, Dan is excited to bring innovation and excellence to the region’s entertainment industry. More | |
Geri Munnick ’07 (Liberal Studies) is a playwright, poet, and award-winning community contributor. She retired last June after 29+ years as a Special Education teaching assistant from the Carmel Central School district. In January, she rejoined the Purchase community as a new staff member at The PAC. | |
Meredith Burns ’08 (Acting) is the Executive Artistic Director of Art House Productions, bringing over 15 years of experience in cultural and nonprofit organizations. Before transitioning to arts leadership, Meredith worked as an Off-Broadway actor and regionally. More | |
Dana Piazza ’10 (Graphic Design) is a visual artist who creates abstract drawings and paintings on paper, panel, and canvas. He looks forward to featuring his artwork at Dallas Art Fair and having his first solo exhibition with TURLEY, by whom he is represented, this spring. Listen to his podcast recorded live at the Williamsburg Biannual. More | |
Lisa Eadicicco ’12 (Journalism) has been hired as CNN Business’ Technology Editor. Previously, Lisa served as a Senior Editor for CNET covering mobile devices; she has been writing about technology for a decade. At Purchase, she was Editor-in-Chief for The Phoenix and a news anchor for a PTV news program. More | |
Damani Pompey ’12 (Dance) has received a 2025 NYSCA Support for Artists Grant for his collaborative residency project at Vassar College. During his residency in March, Pompey will choreograph Empty Hand, a new work created in partnership with Battery Dance Company. More | |
Chloé Watson ’13 (Dance) premieres Sábado, inspired by her family weekends, this March with Ballet Vero Beach. After 12 seasons with American Midwest Ballet, Peninsula Ballet Theatre, and Ballet Vero Beach, she retires in April. Her final performances, April 11-12, will feature Gregory Amato’s Transfiguration, celebrating her distinguished career and cherished collaborations. | |
Joey Katz ’18 (Cinema Studies) has been named Artistic Director of Boston Jewish Film (BJFF). Joey started at BJFF as a programming associate, eventually becoming Director of Special Programming before stepping into his new leadership role in December. The 2024 BJFF took place from November 6–20. More | |
Sara Barkat ’19 (Philosophy), is an intaglio artist, writer, and editor. Illustrator of The Yellow Wall-Paper: A Graphic Novel, Sara has recently released a graphic adaptation of H.P. Lovecraft’s The Colour Out of Space. Interpreting the tale as ecofiction, she brings it to life with woodcut-inspired art (white pen on black paper) and gouache-colored pages. | |
Jaylen K. Petinaud ’20 (Music) is a musician, arranger, composer, and educator thriving on the music scene. He played drums on the Hell’s Kitchen Original Broadway Cast Recording—the 2025 GRAMMY® Award-winner for Best Musical Theater Album—and is currently touring with Herbie Hancock. More | |
Samara Joy ’21 (Jazz Studies) continues to shine, earning her fourth and fifth GRAMMY Awards®—marking her third consecutive year as a winner. This year, she won Best Jazz Performance for Twinkle Twinkle Little Me (feat. Sullivan Fortner) and Best Jazz Vocal Album for A Joyful Holiday. More | |
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In Memoriam
Carolyn Brown, dean of the Purchase College dance program from 1980 to 1982, died on January 7 at her home in Millbrook, NY. She was ninety-seven. Brown was a founding and foundational member of the Merce Cunningham Dance Company. More
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Owen Laheen as Davy and Jay O. Sanders as Sir John Falstaff. Photo by Hollis King. | |
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Jay O. Sanders ’76 (Acting) and Owen Laheen '18 (Acting) appear together in Dakin Matthews’s adaptation of Henry IV, directed by Eric Tucker, at Theatre for a New Audience’s Polonsky Shakespeare Center. Performances are underway now through March 2.
Reviewers agree that Sanders, who has been delighting audiences with his stage and screen performances since his time at Purchase, could not be better suited for his starring role as Sir John Falstaff, one of Shakespeare's greatest comic roles.
Laheen, a non-binary actor from Wicklow, Ireland, makes their TfaNA debut as Davy—also known for witty remarks and humorous nature. Laheen's other recent credits include Translations (Irish Repertory Theatre, Lucille Lortel Award Winner for Outstanding Revival), The Wolves (McCarter Theater), and Belfast Girls (Irish Repertory Theatre). More
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As the spring semester ramps up, our campus is buzzing with engaging lectures, exhibitions, athletic events, and performances. We'd love for you to experience this energy firsthand! CHECK THE CAMPUS CALENDAR to find events that spark your interest. | |
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Directed by Elmore James '76 (Acting Company 1)
March 14-20 | Times Vary | The PAC
The Senior BFA Acting Company 49 and the BFA Theatre Design/Technology program present one of Shakespeare’s most enduring comedies – adventure, shipwreck, romance, and reconciliation.
The ticket link will be available soon at The PAC.
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This virtual event intends to engage alumnae voices from anthropology to sociology, art+design to literature, and the sciences to performing arts, as we explore key debates unfolding in Washington, DC, and across the country. Through the lens of passion, purpose, and people, we’ll explore perspectives on modern feminism, economic equity, women’s health, reproductive justice, gender fluidity, and other evolving challenges in the pursuit of true equality for every she, he, and they. Join to listen or to participate in the dialogue. | |
Alumni Weekend 2025 is just around the corner and we're bringing together the past and present to celebrate creativity, connections, and community! | | |
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Show Off @ The Showcase
Saturday, May 3 | Alumni Weekend | The PAC
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Reserve a space at the first-ever Purchase College Alumni Showcase to show off your work, connect with fellow alumni, meet potential customers and members of our community as we celebrate the boundless talent that started right here at Purchase!
Whether you’re an artist, author, performer, entrepreneur, or any other kind of business or creative pro, the Alumni Showcase puts YOU in the spotlight. Exhibit your art, perform, read from your book, sell your crafts, talk about your business, or tell us another way you'd like to share your #ThinkWideOpen journey. Exhibits are free for the 2025 Showcase.
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Remembering Y2K: Video Testimonials
What was the vibe on campus at the dawn of the new millennium? What were students, faculty, and administrators doing to prepare for '00?
The AW25 planning committee is seeking 30- to 90-second videos from those who were at Purchase—especially faculty—when 1999 became 2000. Send your video testimonials to alumni@purchase.edu and we'll compile the stories to be shown during Alumni Weekend. If you're still in touch with faculty or staff from that time who have since left Purchase, please share this request and invite them to participate! We want to hear your stories!
All videos are requested by March 15, 2025.
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We 💜 all our New Year | New You speakers | |
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Thank you to all our speakers and planning committee members!
January's New Year: New You series of virtual workshops featured seven live-streamed sessions on Zoom that brought together 14 panelists and speakers to explore holistic well-being across five key areas: physical, mental, spiritual, social, and financial health. More than 100 alumni and current students registered for the workshops, with a third of the participants attending multiple sessions.
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Speakers included Scott Altman ’90 (Music); Jane Bailey ’76 (Art: Printmaking), Adjunct Yoga, Physical Education Department; Jim Benz ’85 (Visual Art); Stephanie Blum '13 (Arts Management); Prince-Michael Brooks; Eustache Clerveaux '09 (Legal Studies); Jessica Mazzia DeLong, Associate Director, Career Development Center; Scott Fisher, Lecturer, Physical Education Department; Kate Giscombe '11 (Media, Society and the Arts); Maya Jingles '19 (Sociology); Aaron Kass ’15 (Sociology) and ’17 (MA - Entrepreneurship in the Arts); Karina Krepp ’93 (Acting); Ira Lipson ’76 (Literature); Ken McGinis ’95 (Economics); Margaret Mendelson ’89 (Literature); Jeffrey Putman ’96 (Political Science); Siena Vaccara ’20 (Psychology); and Geoffrey Weiss ’15 (Theatre/Design Tech).
The Planning Committee was co-chaired by Kate Giscombe '11 (Media, Society and the Arts) and Maya Jingles '19 (Sociology) with members Stephanie Blum '13 (Arts Management); Iris Bodre '98 (Literature); Rebecca Bruckenstein '12 (Drama Studies / Journalism); Paula Cancro '79 (Urban Studies); Hernan Checchi ’19 (Economics); Tiffany Dubon-Yard ’10 (Journalism / Sociology); and Ken McGinis ’95 (Economics).
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Alumni: Pay It Forward
Support our students in a way that's right for you
Alumni support of every kind fuels the creative passions of current students, enabling their success in classrooms, studios, and labs; inspiring exhibitions in our galleries; and bringing performances to life on our stages.
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If this isn't the time for a financial gift, consider bringing with you to Alumni Weekend canned or boxed food items for donation to the Food Pantry or gently used professional clothing items for the Career Development Center's Professional Closet. Collection boxes will be available all Alumni Weekend; we'll also have information about how to make a gift to support the Purchase Fund, scholarships, or another passion area of your choice. | | | | |
