A MAGAZINE FOR ALUMNI AND FRIENDS OF THE COLLEGE OF STATEN ISLAND • Fall 2016

Seeing the LightAlan Lyons Explores the Future of Superhydrophobic Materials

CSI Professor Dan McCloskeyReceives Nation’s Highest Honorfor Early Career Researchers

ALUMNIPROFILE

Chairperson of the Department of Computer Science

Susan Imberman, ’89

“Being able to attend CSI and becoming aNational Grid Scholarship recipient were notonly just personal aspirations, but also greatsources of pride for a fisherman’s daughter andfirst-generation immigrant to the UnitedStates.”

The National Grid Scholarship helps to make itpossible for students pursuing majors inScience, Technology, Engineering, and Math(STEM) like RinZhi Larocque, Class of 2016, toattend the College of Staten Island and go fromlittle opportunity to every opportunity.

“If you ask me, ‘How’s your experience at theCollege of Staten Island?’ I would answer, thinkof the dolphin, our school mascot. Like

dolphins nurture their young, CSI has nurturedme by giving me opportunities to…”

improve English-speaking skills through theCUNY Language Immersion Program

conduct Bioinformatics research, analyzinggenes, under faculty mentor Dr. Jianying Gu

become a high-achieving student in The Ver-razano School Honors Program, majoring inBiology with a minor in Business and overall3.99 GPA

tutor students in math and serve as a hos-pice volunteer

prepare for and realize her dream of beingaccepted to dental school for fall 2016.

“Without your generosity and the scholarshipsthat I have received, my college experiencewould not have been as meaningful as it is.Words cannot really describe my appreciation.Because of the College of Staten Island andyour generosity, I became who I am today.”

www.csi.cuny.edu/foundation

Annual giving has a far-reaching impact onCSI students. Mostimpor tantly, i t helps the Col lege change l ives. Can you r ise to the chal lenge?

RinZhi Larocque rose to challengesby seeking opportunities

FEATURED ARTICLES

CSI’s Returns to Its Roots in St. GeorgePage 3

President Obama Awards CSIProfessor Dan McCloskey withNation’s Highest Honor forEarly Career ResearchersPage 6

FACULTY FOCUSSeeing the Light: Alan Lyons Explores the Futureof Superhydrophobic MaterialsPage 8

DEPARTMENTS

Around CampusPage 10

Scholarly AchievementsPage 14

Alumni NewsPage 16

Keeping TabsPage 18

Sports Highlights Page 19

Foundation NotesPage 21

Rising StarsPage 24

ALUMNI PROFILESusan Imberman: Looking BackPage 25

Volume 7, Number 1Fall 2016

EYE ON CSIis Online

csitoday.com/publications

Please let us know your thoughtsat alumni@csi.cuny.edu regardingEye on CSI.

Alan Lyons, Professor of Chemistry at the College of Staten Island, and his colleague QianFeng Xu have beenresearching superhydrophobic materials (materials that repel water).

COVER STORY

CSI Returns to St. George

Page 3

William J. Fritz, PhDPresident

Khatmeh Osseiran-HannaVice President for Institutional Advancement and External Affairs

Terry Mares Chief Editor and Writer

Ken BachDirector of Communications and Marketing

Jennifer LynchAssociate Director of Annual Giving

Donna GaramboneAlumni Affairs Coordinator

Francisco Collado ’09CSI Foundation Manager of Operations

Janice AwerbuchDirector of Design Services

Anita MrozinskiArt Director

Barbara LeskowiczAnn RodbergGraphic Designers

Carlo AlaimoDonna GaramboneJennifer LynchTerry Mares Sara PaulDavid PizzutoStaff Writers

Ken BachPaul CaminitiBill HigginsPhotographers Additional photos by CSI Sports Information

CSI Alumni AssociationBoard of DirectorsExecutive Committee, 2015-2017

Carole Gervasi ’02President

Jennifer Rodriguez ’06, ’12Vice President

Krystian Gargasz ’06Treasurer

Jacqueline Armani ’06Secretary

Created and produced by the Office of Design Services.

Eye on CSI is a publication of the College of Staten Island,provided to alumni and friends of the College of StatenIsland and its predecessor institutions, Staten IslandCommunity College and Richmond College.

It is the policy of The City University of New York and theconstituent colleges and units of The University to recruit,employ, retain, promote, and provide benefits to employeesand to admit and provide services for students withoutregard to race, color, creed, national origin, ethnicity,ancestry, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, genderidentity, marital status, legally registered domesticpartnership status, disability, predisposing geneticcharacteristics, alienage, citizenship, military or veteranstatus, or status as a victim of domestic violence. Sexualharassment, a form of sex discrimination, is prohibitedunder the University’s Policy Against Sexual Harassment.

If you have any comments, suggestions, or informationfor “Keeping Tabs,” please contact the Alumni RelationsOffice at 718.982.2290, alumni@csi.cuny.edu, or 2800Victory Boulevard, Building 1A, Room 110, StatenIsland, NY 10314.

Dear Friends:

In this issue of Eye on CSI, we share the exciting news of theCollege of Staten Island’s return to St. George with the openingof its newest facility, this academic year. As you might recall,CSI traces its beginnings back to St. George with the openingof Staten Island Community College (SICC) there in 1956.Richmond College, which united with SICC to form CSI, alsoresided in St. George when it opened in 1965.

The new CSI St. George location seeks to carry the College’sproud legacy into the future. Now, people in St. George andsurrounding areas will no longer have to make the long, and

often difficult, journey to CSI Willowbrook to take classes. It will bring easy access to courses in bigdata analytics, among others, to approximately 18,000 college-age residents in the area who are notenrolled at CSI. In addition, with the facility’s close proximity to the Staten Island Ferry, StatenIslanders who work in Manhattan will now have the option of taking graduate certificate andcontinuing education courses at CSI St. George in an effort to improve their marketability andcompetitive edge in the job market. These new educational opportunities will work in tandem withCSI’s participation in the 30,000 Degrees initiative, a partnership with St. John’s University andWagner College that will increase the number of college-educated Staten Islanders by 30,000 in tenyears, fully supporting and extending accessibility to a quality higher education.

Looking further into the future, CSI St. George will eventually partner with the new CSI TechnologyIncubator, which is located in St. George at 60 Bay Street, giving Borough residents the opportunityto create technology-related businesses. The two facilities, together with the outstanding expertise ofthe College’s faculty, will drive economic growth and technological advancement in St. George.

As we are celebrating our 60th anniversary of educational excellence, access, and service to thepeople of Staten Island and New York City, which make us a destination campus in the region, theopening of CSI St. George could not have come at a more appropriate time.

Best wishes,

William J. Fritz, PhDPresident

LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT

Best wishes,

William J. Fritz, PhD

EYE ON CSI CSI RETURNS TO ITS ROOTS IN ST. GEORGE PAGE 3

This academic year, the College of StatenIsland will come full circle with theestablishment of its new 16,000-sq.-ft.location in St. George at 120 StuyvesantPlace. CSI’s two predecessor institutions,Staten Island Community College andRichmond College, were also located in St.George at 50 Bay Street and 130 (and 120)Stuyvesant Place, respectively. When it

opens, CSI St. George will join with CSIWillowbrook and CSI Merrill as anotherlocation for students to take classes andimprove their marketability.

Commenting on CSI’s return to St. George,CSI President Dr. William Fritz said, “Theopening of CSI St. George underscores ourproud legacy, particularly as we celebrate

our 60th anniversary as the only publicinstitution of higher education on StatenIsland. It also represents opportunities forworkforce development to enhance ourstudents’ career potential, as well as to helprevitalize the St. George area.”

CSI St. George can be traced to an effort tobetter serve Staten Island residents who rely

TO ITS ROOTS IN ST. GEORGECSI Returns

on mass transit to come to CSI, according toDr. Michael Kress, former CSI VicePresident for Information Technology andEconomic Development, and formerExecutive Director of the CUNY High-Performance Computing Center, who wasinstrumental in the establishment of CSI St.George. “We did a demand study and foundthat there were over 18,000 college-readystudents between the ages of 18 and 25 whoare not attending any CUNY campus wholive in the corridor along Richmond Terrace,Bay Street, past the Ferry, and into SouthBeach. These students would save almost anhour a day in mass transit commuting timeto go to St. George rather than theWillowbrook campus,” Dr. Kress reported.In addition, he noted that “these studentsare in the lower-socioeconomic strata, interms of household income, and don’t haveaccess to automobiles.”

St. George seemed like the perfect location,as the area is the transit hub of Staten Island.

“Essentially, every key bus route on StatenIsland has a stop in St. George,” Dr. Kresssaid.

The Staten Island Ferry’s close proximity tothe area makes it possible for CSI St. Georgeto target two other key demographics—Staten Islanders with bachelor’s degrees whowork in Manhattan, and former CSIstudents who left the College to take jobs inManhattan’s improving job market. Bothgroups can very easily take classes in St.George, where it would be much moredifficult to come to Willowbrook to take aclass—the former being able to takeadvantage of the College’s expertise andexcellence in big data analytics to pursuemaster’s degrees and graduate certificates inorder to improve their marketability, and thelatter having an opportunity to reconnectwith CSI and earn a degree.

In addition to courses in big data analytics,Dr. Kress stated that classes in businessanalytics and high-performance computing

are under consideration. He added, “we feelthat that location will enable us to offerprograms and courses in our continuingeducation and development areas that againwill facilitate public transportation to thelocation. So, in times when credit-bearingcourses may not be scheduled at the location,we can offer continuing education coursesto help complement the activities that arecurrently going on at CSI Merrill.”

Once CSI St. George is established, Dr.Kress sees an impressive future for thelocation. “I see St. George being the centerof innovation and development intechnology, and it will provide theopportunity for the College to fullyparticipate in that economic developmentactivity. In addition to our space at 120Stuyvesant Place, the College has developedthe CSI Technology Incubator at 60 BayStreet, with funding from CouncilmemberJames Vacca and the City Council, andsupport from the Staten Island delegation,

“I see St. George being the center of innovation and development in technology, and it will providethe opportunity for the College to fully participate in that economic development activity.”

DR. MICHAEL KRESS

EYE ON CSI CSI RETURNS TO ITS ROOTS IN ST. GEORGE PAGE 5

to provide an opportunity for StatenIslanders to be entrepreneurs and to developbusinesses related to technology. We feel thatthe opportunity to have classes at 120Stuyvesant Place as well, just up the streetfrom 60 Bay Street, will enable us to bringthe rigor and expertise of the College’sfaculty to the potential entrepreneurs at theIncubator and contribute to the growth ofthe technology industry in St. George. Thisvision is also shared and supported by ourBorough President in his sense of the futureof St. George.”

In summing up the importance of CSI St.George, Dr. Kress said, “We want to makesure that all Staten Islanders know the valueof the College of Staten Island’s educationalopportunities and we think that the presenceat St. George will help us promote ourCollege and the wonderful opportunitiesthat it offers.”

Once a cornerstone of educationalopportunity in St. George, the College’sreturn to the region will improve students’lives and bolster the Island’s economy. It isalso an appropriate way to honor CSI’s 60th Anniversary.

Inset photos: SICC and Richmond College in theearlier days of the College’s history in St. George.

President Barack Obama named College ofStaten Island Associate Professor ofPsychology Dr. Daniel McCloskey arecipient of the Presidential Early CareerAward for Scientists and Engineers, grantinghim the U.S. government’s highest award forscientists and engineers in the early stages oftheir independent research careers.

Dr. McCloskey, who is one of 105 researchersawarded this national distinction, wasselected for his research that combines“modeling, neurophysiology, and systemsbiology/network science that will transformthe field of social neuroscience by providinga comprehensive approach towardsunderstanding the role of neuropetides incomplex behavioral systems,” according tothe National Science Foundation (NSF).

“These early-career scientists are leading theway in our efforts to confront andunderstand challenges from climate changeto our health and wellness,” President

Obama said. “We congratulate theseaccomplished individuals and encouragethem to continue to serve as an example ofthe incredible promise and ingenuity of theAmerican people.” The purpose of theaward is to encourage and accelerateAmerican innovation to grow the economyand tackle the country’s greatest challenges.

“I am humbled to receive this recognition,”commented Dr. McCloskey. “It representsthe hard work, creativity, and support froma team of students and colleagues who sharemy enthusiasm. I am also proud that ourefforts have been considered ‘promising’ bythe White House, as this confidencerecognizes the progressive combination ofresources and brain power at CSI to notonly conduct cutting-edge research, but alsoto see it succeed. We look forward to deliveringon that promise, by continuing to find newapproaches to study the social brain.”

Dr. McCloskey will deliver on that promise

by studying the African Naked Mole-rat, aunique and highly social fossorial rodent,and harnessing the power of the CUNYInterdisciplinary High-PerformanceComputing Center on the College’s campus,one of the region’s most powerfulsupercomputers. The computer centerallows Dr. McCloskey to track the behaviorof each of more than 100 animals in hiscolony with high resolution as they navigatetheir way through a complex system oftubes and cages. The animals are implantedwith transponders similar to the ones usedto pay tolls on bridges. Each time an animalpasses through a tube with a sensor, theidentity, location, and time of that event arestored in a database that receives hundredsof thousands of events each day. Analysis ofthese large datasets requires the power of ahigh-performance computer to managethem and ask questions about animalbehavior. In this manner, insights into theorganized social community will help the

President Obama Awards CSI Professor Dan McCloskey with Nation’s Highest Honor for Early Career Researchers

researchers to understand how individualdifferences in social behavior are influencedby physiological and environmental factors,and understand the role of social behaviorbrain systems in health, as well as developdeeper insights into diseases such asepilepsy and autism.

The complex research being conducted“includes researchers from postdoctoralscientists to high school students, and alllevels in between,” Dr. McCloskey notedwith pride.

“The College of Staten Island has receivednumerous national accolades this year,highlighting the transformative educationalopportunities provided to our students andthe professional prospects of our alumni,”said Dr. William J. Fritz, President of CSIand Fellow of the Geological Society ofAmerica. “Dr. McCloskey’s recognition bythe National Science Foundation andPresident Obama is a testament to the high-caliber research that our students areexposed to in Dr. McCloskey’s lab, andindicative of the overall cutting-edgeresearch being conducted at CSI. I extendmy sincerest congratulations to Dr.McCloskey and his research team.”

“Dan McCloskey is a CSI faculty superstarwho is deserving of this enormous honor inevery way,” added Dr. Gary W. Reichard,

Provost and Senior Vice President forAcademic Affairs at CSI. “He not onlyconducts highly significant, cutting-edgeresearch with real-world implications, butalso serves as a mentor and role model dailyfor undergraduates and graduate studentsalike. We are proud of him, and deeplygrateful for his contributions to science andto our students.”

Dr. McCloskey is one of 21 PresidentialAward recipients whose research wasnominated by the NSF. Foundation DirectorFrance Córdova congratulated the “teacher-scholars who are developing newgenerations of outstanding scientists andengineers and ensuring this nation is aleading innovator. I applaud these recipientsfor their leadership, distinguished teaching,and commitment to public outreach.” Dr.McCloskey was awarded a five-year FacultyEarly Career Development (CAREER)grant from the NSF in 2012, one ofapproximately 500 nationwide.

The White House held a ceremony last

spring recognizing the honorees.

For more information, visit The McCloskeyLaboratory online at http://mccloskey.neuro.nyc.

For more information on naked mole-rats,visit the National GeographicWebsite.

“Dr. McCloskey’s recognition by the National Science Foundationand President Obama is a testament to the high-caliber researchthat our students are exposed to in Dr. McCloskey’s lab...”

DR. WILLIAM J. FRITZ

EYE ON CSI PRESIDENT OBAMA RECOGNIZES PROFESSOR DAN MCCLOSKEY PAGE 7

ALAN LYONS, Professor of Chemistry atthe College of Staten Island, and hiscolleague QianFeng Xu have beenresearching superhydrophobic materials(materials that repel water) and they havefound a solution to a problem that isplaguing the emerging solar energyindustry—dirty solar panels, as dirt on thepanels lets less light through, reducingelectrical output.

In order to grasp the significance of this newsolution, we need to understand the physicsof superhydrophobic materials. First of all,water reacts differently to different types ofsurfaces. If it has an attraction to the surface,the surface is called “hydrophilic.” In thiscase, water will spread out and wet thesurface. However, if it is repelled by thesurface, it will ball up to form a small drop,but will still adhere to the surface. In thecase of superhydrophobic surfaces, the ballsof water will look and act like drops ofmercury and they will roll off easily with aslight tilt. When this happens, the waterdrops take dust with them in a phenomenoncalled the “lotus effect.”

Although this sounds like something thatwould be very popular for people who wantto keep surfaces, like solar panels, clean,superhydrophobic materials aren’tomnipresent for a number of reasons. Onechallenge is that superhydrophobic surfacesneed to be very rough, somewhat akin to a

bed of nails. When someone lies on a bed ofnails, no one nail pierces the skin becausethe weight is distributed over many nails. Inthe case of water, a similar effect is observed.The surface tension of water keeps dropssuspended on top of the rough surface.When the size of these rough features is toolarge, the surface will reject light. However,if the rough features can be made muchsmaller than the wavelength of light (smallerthan 1/100th of a human hair), then thesurface will be transparent to light while stillmaintaining its superhydrophobic properties.Serendipitously, these same tiny surfacefeatures reduce reflections from the surface,

further increasing the amount of lighttransmitted to the solar cells. As a result ofthese properties, the coating maximizes theamount of electricity generated from thesunlight while making the surface self-cleaning. Dr. Lyons’s and Xu’s discoveryhas the potential of being used for solarpanels, but also for applications such asautomotive back-up cameras andarchitectural glass.

Another challenge is manufacturing. Notonly must the surface be transparent andsuperhydrophobic, it must be easy tomanufacture coated glass in large volumes.

SEEING THE LIGHT:T:TEXPLORING THE FUTURE OFSUPERHYDROPHOBIC MATATA ERIALS

Alan Lyons, Professor of Chemistry

FACULTY FOCUS

The process that these two CSI researchersdeveloped is inexpensive and can be easilyscaled to coat the large, two-square-meterplates of glass used in solar panels. They cancoat glass plates up to 8” x 8” in theirlaboratory in Building 6S and they haveproduced hundreds of test coupons for aninternational field trial with NREL(National Renewable Energy Laboratory).

The researchers have received plenty ofattention and support for their new product,including prestigious grants such as anSBIR and Technology Enhancement forCommercial Partnerships grant from theNational Science Foundation and a 2015National Innovation Award. The co-creatorsalso presented data on the material atNREL's 2016 PV Module ReliabilityWorkshop.

In addition, the company that Dr. Lyonscreated to produce this material, ARLDesigns LLC, is now part of the iHUB, aCUNY technology incubator in Manhattanthat provides opportunities for CUNYentrepreneurs to develop businesses relatedto technology.

Dr. Lyons says that he is “very appreciativeof the support from [CSI President] Dr.William Fritz, [former Vice President forInformation Technology and EconomicDevelopment] Dr. Michael Kress, [Scienceand Technology] Dean [Alfred] Levine, and

many other CSI faculty colleagues andadministrators, for their support andcommunity that they provide. I especiallyappreciate the excellent graduate studentsand undergraduates who conduct researchin my 6S laboratory.”

Looking to the future, Dr. Lyons and hiscolleagues are seeking to commercialize thistransparent self-cleaning coating, as well asother superhydrophobic materials, and arecurrently looking to connect with customerswith the goal of adapting the product tobetter meet their needs.

EYE ON CSI SEEING THE LIGHT: EXPLORING THE FUTURE OF SUPERHYDROPHOBIC MATERIALS PAGE 9

The researchers have received plenty of attention, and support fortheir new product, including prestigious grants such as an SBIRand Technology Enhancement for Commercial Partnerships grantfrom the National Science Foundation and a 2015 National Innova-tion Award.

AROUND CAMPUS

The Friends of CSI are celebratingtheir 40th anniversary, this year.With the group’s goal ofproviding scholarships to CSIstudents and supporting theCollege, a lot has happened overthose four decades since thenPresident Dr. Edmond Volpeextended a hand of friendship tomembers of the Staten Islandcommunity to garner theirsupport for the institution,according to Friends ActingPresident Carol Berardi.

Noting that Founding PresidentNorma D’Arigo ushered theFriends into existence, servingin that role for 15 years, Berardirecounts the progression ofleadership and events thatfollowed. “During GiovannaScano’s reign as President, a newcampus was built from the formerWillowbrook State School andin 1993 was officially dedicated.

The Friends hosted a reception.Also, at that time, the artwork ofAngelo B. Zari, (Giovanna'sfather), representing the 52 sealsof the United States of Americawas contributed to CSI, and hungin Buildings 1A and 2A. Eachmember of the Friendscontributed $250 to defray thecost of installation. In 1997, Ibecame President of the Friendsof CSI and served for four years.Mary Regan followed, and thenChristine Cea, each for fouryears. Beverly Garcia Andersonserved for one and a half years.Here I am serving as its ActingPresident until a new Presidentcan be elected.”

Recalling the impressive list offundraising events that the Friendshave held over the years, she saysthat “the Friends established theStarlight Ball [the predecessor totoday’s Celestial Ball]. We also

established the Literary Brunch,which we continue to hold eachyear at the College. We have haddinner theater events for severalyears. We hosted the annualInternational Festival at the oldcampus, which is now thePetrides School. We held musicalevents, bringing in high-caliberentertainment. We also did a tripto Sicily and Rome, Italy with theAlumni Association, which I hadplanned, since I have alwaysbeen the Program Chair for the Friends.”

Shedding some personal light onwhy the Friends volunteer theirtime, Berardi comments that “Ivolunteer my time to the Friendsbecause I feel that it is importantfor students to obtain a collegedegree and pursue a Master’sand perhaps a PhD, which areoffered at CSI. It is veryrewarding to receive letters from

students thanking the Friendswho have helped them achievetheir goals.”

She adds that the organization isalways on the lookout for newFriends. “We are always lookingfor new members to join. Theyonly need to call me at718.448.1398 or email torber05@aol.com. It would beespecially nice if some of thestudents that we have helped inthe past come forward and helpin this regard.”

Berardi concludes by stating thatthe Friends are planning anotherLiterary Brunch in celebrationof their milestone anniversaryon September 18. The event willfeature CSI Provost and SeniorVice President for AcademicAffairs Dr. Gary Reichard. Formore information and tickets,call 718.982.2365.

Friends of CSI to Celebrate 40 Years of Service

EYE ON CSI AROUND CAMPUS PAGE 11

Sunny skies and a pleasant temperature near70 degrees greeted the 2,546 January andJune graduates of the College of Staten Island,their families, friends, and supporters, as wellas members of the College community onJune 2 at the College’s 67th Commencementceremony on the Great Lawn.

After opening remarks from CSI Provostand Senior Vice President for AcademicAffairs Dr. Gary Reichard, CSI PresidentDr. William J. Fritz came to the lectern. Inhis remarks, Dr. Fritz focused on the legacyof place of the College’s Willowbrook campusand launched the College’s 60th Anniversarycelebration. He outlined the progression ofthe campus from farmland to the site ofHalloran General Hospital, a state-of-the-artmedical facility that provided treatment tomore than 162,000 wounded soldiers duringWorld War 2, to the horrors of the WillowbrookState School, to the many extraordinaryachievements of CSI’s Willowbrook campus.

Later in the ceremony, Dr. Richard Flanagan,Professor of Political Science and GlobalAffairs, offered the graduates some words ofencouragement on behalf of the faculty. Afterpointing out some of the many challengesthat members of this graduating class have

faced, such as the economic recession,Superstorm Sandy, and having to work andattend classes, he had two requests: “We hopewe have made you believers in this messy,extraordinary enterprise, public highereducation. The genius of the College of StatenIsland and The City University is its missionto challenge the most talented students whilesimultaneously providing opportunity foranyone who is willing to put in the hard work.We, the faculty, are proud of it. Please shareour pride.” He also urged the graduates to stayconnected to the College and former mentors.

This year’s student speaker was 2016valedictorian RinZhi Go Larocque. Thedaughter of a fisherman in Malaysia whohad trying encounters with pirates as heworked, she came to the U.S. to facelanguage barriers, immigration problems,and eventual homelessness. Comparing herpast life to being adrift in a leaking boat,RinZhi explained, “For me, my rescue boatturned out to be the CSI-CUNY LanguageImmersion Program.”

Now an academic success, as well as aVerrazano School student, a dedicatedvolunteer who helps others in need, and nowa graduate student at SUNY, Buffalo,

studying dentistry, RinZhi imparted herexample and encouragement to the othergraduates. “Despite my circumstances, Iheld my head high and kept sailing, laboringmightily to repair my leaking boat byassimilating into a new society. Just as thepirates did not deter my dad from fishing inthe ocean, nothing should discourage usfrom pursuing our dreams and giving our allto humanity’s underserved, globally as wellas locally. There will always be storms aheadof you in the ocean. Do not lose hope! Findsomething you believe in because all of thechallenges that you will face are in factlessons that will go on to form your legacy,based on the beautiful life that you will haveafter reaching the shore.”

During the ceremony, the College bestowedtwo honorary degrees: Dr. Khalid Iqbal,Professor and Chairman, Department ofNeurochemistry at the New York StateInstitute for Basic Research in DevelopmentalDisabilities, received a Doctor of Sciencedegree, and Shakespearian actor JohnDouglas Thompson received the degree ofDoctor of Humane Letters.

Also in attendance to celebrate the Class of2016 were U.S. Senator Charles Schumer,CUNY Trustee Dr. Jill O’Donnell-Tormey,and Brian Cohen, CUNY Vice Chancellorand University Chief Information Officer.

Near the conclusion of this year’sCommencement, Dr. Fritz recognized 88-year-old William Carey, who was graduatingwith a Bachelor of Arts degree in History.

67th Commencement Celebrates Student Achievement

President William J. Fritz presents his remarksat the 2016 Commencement ceremony.

Graduating members of the CSI Student Government

Last February, the College of Staten Islandhosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony to unveilits new food pantry for students who do nothave adequate access to food.

Food insecurity is a significant problem oncampuses across the U.S. According toFeeding America, a network of food banksacross the country, “…. nearly half (49.3%)of its clients in college must choose betweeneducational expenses (i.e., tuition, books andsupplies, rent) and food annually, and that 21percent did so for a full 12 months.” Closerto home, in a 2010 CUNY UndergraduateStudent Survey administered to 1,086 studentsvia phone and email, 39.2% of students (abouttwo in five) reported experiencing foodinsecurity in the previous 12 months. Twiceas many students reported that they worriedabout having enough money for food (45.1%).

CSI Vice President for Student andEnrollment Services Jennifer Borrero statedat the event that “CUNY is committed toproviding the necessary resources to ensurestudents remain in school and are successfulin their studies. Today is about comingtogether as a community in support of studentsand to encourage one another to become partof the solution to this growing epidemic.”

The pantry, which officially opened tocurrently enrolled CSI students on February26, will be staffed by fellow students andprovide nonperishable food items.

CSI students are no strangers tovolunteering, as they have been collaboratingwith Project Hospitality (PH) for the pastnine years in an effort to assist Staten Islandresidents who are food insecure. ProjectHospitality serves 26,000 impoverished andmarginalized individuals annually. Inaddition, between 25 to 30 CSI studentsvolunteer for the three to four foodcollections held each semester, solicitingnonperishable food items from areashoppers at the local supermarkets, collectingapproximately 300 to 400 bags of groceriesin each drive. This ongoing food collectionwill help to supplement CSI’s Food Pantry,while also assisting Staten Island residents.New York Public Interest Research Group(NYPIRG) also hosts a sandwich-makingevent each year, enlisting volunteers fromthe general student population. Sandwichesare then delivered to area shelters andindividuals in need.

Also in attendance at the ribbon-cuttingevent were CSI President Dr. William J.Fritz, his wife Dr. Bonnie Fritz, andmembers of his Cabinet; CUNY ViceChancellor for Student Affairs Frank D.Sanchez; Community Activist and DonorJean Roland; Zach Williams of the FoodBank for New York City, and members ofthe College community.

Jennifer Borrero, Vice President for Student and Enrollment Services; Jean Roland; CSI PresidentWilliam J. Fritz; Frank Sanchez, Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs; distinguished guests; and studentvolunteers cut the ribbon of the new food pantry at CSI. (Staten Island Advance/Kristin Dalton)

Frederick BinderProfessor emeritusFrederick Binderpassed away, lastJanuary. He was 84.

Prof. Binder had apositive impact onmany aspects ofCSI during his24-year tenure

with the College (from 1974 to 1998).Beyond teaching at the undergraduateand graduate levels, for which he won aDolphin Award for teaching in 1983, andchairing the History Department, hefounded the Master of Arts in LiberalStudies [MALS] program, was instrumentalin gaining approval for the MA in Historyprogram, helped to establish the GeneralEducation program, assisted in bolsteringthe number of faculty in the HistoryDepartment, and served on the CollegeCouncil and University Senate. He alsowas an Associate Dean for five years priorto the merger of Staten Island CommunityCollege and Richmond College.

Prof. Binder was co-editor of a two-volume social history called The Way WeLived: Essays and Documents in AmericanSocial History, a work that joins the fivebooks that he wrote while he taught at CSI.

Dr. Eric Ivison, Associate Professor andChairperson of the CSI Department ofHistory, recalled Frederick Binder.“Professor Binder was a distinguishedhistorian of early American history, andwas a beloved colleague, friend, andmentor to history students and facultyalike. Even in retirement, Fred showed hisgenerosity of spirit, endowing two CSIawards for the History Department—onebeing a History faculty research award,and the other an award to support HistoryMA students. Fred is deeply missed by hiscolleagues in the History Department, and itis fitting that these two awards will perpetuatehis memory at CSI for years to come.”

New Food Pantry to Help Students

EYE ON CSI AROUND CAMPUS PAGE 13

Insight into Infant Development beyond the LabCollege of Staten Island Professor ofPsychology, Dr. Lana Karasik, and herresearch colleagues published a study lastyear in the Journal of Cross-CulturalPsychology in which they describe groupdifferences in infants’ sitting ability,opportunity to practice sitting, and mothers’support of infants’ skills in five-month-oldsfrom six cultures: Argentina, Cameroon,Italy, Kenya, South Korea, and the UnitedStates. Instead of testing babies in apsychology lab, researchers observed theinfants in their homes: A researcher local toeach of the six cultures visited mother andbaby pairs in their homes for one hour.

According to Dr. Karasik, “Infant sitting is avery important skill—it frees their hands toexplore objects and interact more easily withadults.” According to standard norms, onlyabout 25% of infants achieve independentsitting by 5.5 months; typically, infants sitindependently by seven months. However,according to Dr. Karasik’s research, these agesmay be misleading because they are derivedsolely from research on Western babies.

Although Dr. Karasik and her colleagues Dr.Karen Adolph, Dr. Catherine Tamis-LeMonda (NYU), and Dr. Marc Bornstein

(NICHD) discovered that one third of theinfants were able to sit independently, theyalso noticed significant cross-cultural variation.For example, only two U.S. infants and noneof the Italian infants displayed independentsitting, but eight Kenyan and 11 Cameroonianinfants were able to sit. Many inferences canbe made based on these early results,although no conclusions can yet be drawn.“It’s tempting to infer that the culturalparenting practices in Kenya and Cameroonmay have encouraged some of the infants inthose cultures to acquire more precocioussitting abilities,” explained Christian Jarret,writer for BPS Research Digest, “but ofcourse this was a purely observational studywith small samples, and we don’t knowwhether the infants’ abilities influenced theirparents’ behavior or vice versa.”

More broadly, findings from this study offernew insights into the remarkable range ofability, varied opportunities for practice, andcontextual physical and social factors thatinfluence the proficiency of infants’ skills.“Had we not looked beyond onset ages,ventured beyond the laboratory, and studiedsamples of infants from six cultures acrossthe globe,” Dr. Karasik said, “we would

never have known that at five months, someinfants can safely sit on high benches forextended periods without the support ofadults nearby.”

Funded by her second National ScienceFoundation (NSF) grant, Dr. Karasik andco-principal investigators Dr. Adolph andDr. Tamis-LeMonda continue their cross-cultural work. The aim of the project is toexamine effects of early experience andrestricted movement on infant and childdevelopment. The $600,000 NSF award forthe project entitled “RUI: An Investigationof Short and Long term Effects of Cradlingon Development,” runs through July 2018.The project uses longitudinal sampling toexamine concurrent effects of restrictedmovement on motor skills in infancy in 12-to 20-month-olds and long-termconsequences at three to five years of age.This work will also provide insights intocascading effects of infant motor skills ondevelopment in other domains such asinteractions with objects and people.

Dr. Karasik’s expertise includes perceptual-motor development, social-cognitivedevelopment, parenting, and cross-culturalissues around infant development.

In project meetings, undergraduate researchers discuss behavioralcoding and, under Dr. Karasik’s mentorship, score video records ofinfant assessments. On the other side of the one-way mirror is theCSI Infant Development Laboratory space.

Dr. Lana Karasik (left) is joined by undergraduate researchers working on independentprojects in her lab: (L-R) Andrew Russo, Roseana Jolly, Tamara Moseley, JulianaZaloom, and Andrew Garafalo (not pictured) have earned many accolades for their work.

SCHOLARLY ACHIEVEMENTS

MAJOR PUBLICATIONS

Deadlock and Disillusionment: AmericanPolitics since 1968 (The American HistorySeries), by Gary W. Reichard, Wiley-Blackwell, 1st edition, 2016

The Cosmopolitans, by Sarah Schulman,The Feminist Press at CUNY, 2016

A Moral Defense of Recreational Drug Use,by Rob Lovering, Palgrave Macmillan,2015

Christophe Honoré, by David Gerstnerand Julien Nahmias, Wayne State UniversityPress, 2015

PUBLICATIONS AND AWARDS

President Barack Obama named College ofStaten Island (CSI) Associate Professor ofPsychology Daniel McCloskey a recipientof the Presidential Early Career Award forScientists and Engineers, granting him theU.S. government’s highest award forscientists and engineers in the early stagesof their independent research careers.

Dr. Maria Knikou was recently awarded a$400,000 grant by the Craig H. NeilsenFoundation to develop strategies in treatingpeople who suffer from serious spinal cordinjuries, and bringing sensation and mobilityback into their lives.

FACULTY GRANTS

Barbara Montero, (PEP), “PostPhysicalism and the Mind Body Problem,”University of Cambridge, $360,512,4/13/2016

Sarah Berger (Psych), “RUI: NSF/SBE-BSF:The Role of Sleep in Infant Motor Learning,”NSF, $375,000, 3/14/2016

Michael Kress (MultiDisc), “30,000Degrees: College Readiness for a StrongerStaten Island,” Northfield Bank Foundation,$50,000, 2/9/2016

Zaghloul Ahmed and Maria Knikou(PhysTher), “Effects of Spinal CordStimulation,” NYSDOH, $337,218,1/29/2016

Tobias Schaefer (Math), “CollaborativeResearch: Computation of Instantons inComplex Nonlinear Systems,” NSF, $99,554,1/29/2016

Wilma Jones (Libr), “Library CollectionAid,” NYSE, $15,367, 1/28/2016

Zaghloul Ahmed (PhysTher), “SpinalSciatic Direct Current Stimulation NormalizesMuscle Tone in Spinal Cord Injured Animalswith Spasticity,” DHHS/NIH, $183,100,1/21/2016

Hilliard, C. Chapman and Sirin, L.Rogers (Psych), “CUNY Office of AcademicAffairs RFP - The Mental Health throughSocial Justice Community Clinic,” CUNY,$25,000, 1/13/2016

Gary Reichard and Debra Evans(Admin), “CSTEP,” NYSED, $223,500,1/11/2016

Vadim Oganesyan (EngSci/Phys), “Theoryof Metallized Superconductors,” BinationalScience Foundation, $10,116, 12/21/2015

Angelo Bongiorno (Chem),“Collaborative Proposal: Controlling theChemistry at the Nanoscale: Parallelization,Robustness, and Registration,” NSF, $52,000,12/21/2015

Donna Gerstle (EnvSci), “SIBCRI,” CUNYMisc, $5,000, 12/17/2015

Dean Balsamini (SBD), “NOAA Fisheries,”NPORG/Research Foundation/SUNY, $33,100,12/8/2015

Chris Cruz Cullari (ContEd), “Funding forPublic High School Equivalency (HSE) TestAdministration,” NYSED, $15,460, 12/7/2015

Gary Reichard (Admin), “Perkins Fundingfor Career and Technical Education,”NYSED/VTEA, $163,260, 12/1/2015

Alejandra Alonso (Biol), “AlzheimerResearch,” CUNY Misc, $5,000, 12/1/2015

Gary Reichard and Shawn Landry(Provost), “Liberty Partnerships Programs,”NYC City Council (Rose), $6,000, 11/16/2015

Dean Balsamini (SBD), “Small BusinessDevelopment,” NYC City Council (Rose),$5,000, 11/16/2015

Donna Gerstle (EnvSci), “SI Breast CancerStudy and CSI's Breast Cancer MonthActivities,” NYC City Council (Rose), $6,000,11/16/2015

Ken Gold and Gloria Garcia (SEEK),“Strategies for Success Program,” NYC CityCouncil (Rose), $3,500, 11/16/2015

Michael Kress (MultiDisc), “Evaluation ofCity Services on Staten Island,” NYC CityCouncil (SI Delegation), $20,000, 11/16/2015

Donna Gerstle (EnvSci), “SI Breast CancerProgram,” NYC City Council (SI Delegation,Ignizio, Matteo), $50,000, 11/16/2015

Donna Gerstle (EnvSci), “SI Breast CancerStudy,” NYC City Council (Matteo), $10,000,11/16/2015

Gary Reichard and Shawn Landry(Provost), “Liberty Partnerships Program,”NYSED, $360,512, 10/14/2015

Robert Freedland (Admin), “Improvementof Pre-Post Doctoral Education,”NYS/OPWDD, $120,000, 10/6/2015

Alfred Levine (EnvSci), “EnvioronmentalScience Program” IEC, $26,250, 9/30/2015

Maria Knikou (PhysTher) “TranspinalStimulation to Increase Neuroplasticity andRecovery after SCI,” Craig H. NeilsenFoundation, $150,000, 9/30/2015

Jonathan Peters (Business), “CUNY CIRGRound 22: The Impact of Data on Travel andTransportation Systems: Shared Mobility BigData Center,” CUNY, $15,000, 9/29/2015

Charles Liu (EngSci/Phys), “SDSS-IV Fast:Faculty and Student Galaxy EvolutionResearch,” Alfred P. Sloan Foundation,$44,179, 9/25/2015

Charles Liu (EngSci/Phys), “REU Site:Collaborative Research: “Earth and PlanetaryScience and Astrophysics REU at theAmerican Museum of Natural History inCollaboration with The City University ofNew York,” NSF, $26,391, 9/16/2015

Sharon Loverde (Chem), “CIRG Round22: Molecular Modeling and Design ofChemical Herders for Oil Spill Remediation,”CUNY, $15,000, 9/8/2015

EYE ON CSI AROUND CAMPUS PAGE 15

VP for Student and Enrollment Services Jennifer Borrero is the College of Staten Island’s new Vice Presidentfor Student and Enrollment Services.

With nearly 20 years of experience in higher education, Borrero hasdistinguished herself as a highly effective administrative leader providingstrategic long-term direction at both the Central Office and campuslevel. She previously served as the Dean of Recruitment and Diversityat The City University of New York and has a highly successful recordof commitment to issues of diversity, inclusion, and equity, including

spearheading the creation and implementation of the University’s Diversity Action Plan.Borrero has made many valuable leadership contributions to CUNY and has earned thereputation of an efficacious collaborator with deep knowledge of compliance and otherlegal issues that affect the academic and professional lives of all CUNY students, faculty,and staff. Her advocacy has been acknowledged through her receipt of many awards, suchas the University’s Inclusive Excellence and Diversity Award, the Award for MinorityAccess, and the Award for Facilitating Student Success.

Borrero holds a Juris Doctor from Creighton University, a Master’s in BusinessAdministration from Baruch College, and she received her undergraduate degree inPolitical Science from Hampton University.

This appointment follows the reorganization of the divisions of Enrollment Management,Student Affairs, and Academic Affairs. All academic support services previously reportingto Enrollment Management and Student Affairs have been moved to Academic Affairsincluding registrar, testing, academic advisement, and remedial support programs. Theremaining offices from Enrollment Management and Student Affairs will now report to thenew position of Vice President for Student and Enrollment Services. This reorganizationwill strengthen faculty voice in the delivery of services to students, and utilize Borrero’sexpertise in strategic planning and operational management to effectively integrateStudent and Enrollment Services with an increasingly diverse student population.

AVP for Finance and Budget Carlos A. Serrano has been appointed Assistant Vice President forFinance and Budget. Serrano has more than 24 years of budget andfinance experience, most recently as the Assistant Vice President forBudget and Finance at Hunter College. Prior to his position atHunter College, Serrano served as the Senior Vice President forLeased Housing and Director of Budget and Financial Planning for

the New York City Housing Authority, Deputy Commissioner for Administration for theNew York City Department of Juvenile Justice, and Assistant Director at the New York CityMayor’s Office of Management and Budget.

Serrano is responsible for the day-to-day operations of Accounting, Accounts Payable,Budget and Financial Planning, Fiscal Systems and Part-Time Payroll Services, Bursar,Property Management, and Purchasing. As a member of the Finance and AdministrationDivision, Serrano said he will “prioritize enhancement of customer service to the campuscommunity and leverage my years of financial and management experience to maximizeresource allocations consistent with and in support of the CSI strategic vision.”

Serrano holds a BS in Business Administration from Long Island University, Brooklyn Campus.

Susan Imberman (CompSci), “CIRGRound 22: Establishing MeasurementDimensions for Assessing Learning duringCollaborative Problem-Solving in ComputerScience at the Secondary School Level,”CUNY, $27,754, 9/8/2015

Jane Coffee, Nelly Tournaki, SusanSullivan, and Irina Lyublinskaya(Math), “Robert Noyce Teacher Academy atthe College of Staten Island,” NSF, $799,630,9/4/2015

Vadim Oganesyan (EngSci/Phys)“Quantum and Semi-Classical Dynamics ofRandom Spin Chains: Models and Methodsfor Quantum Non-Ergodic Statistical Physics,”NSF, $300,000, 9/3/2015

Qiao-Sheng Hu (Chem), “Development ofControlled Palladium(0)-Catalyzed SuzukiCross-Coupling Polymerizations,” NSF,$315,000, 9/1/2015

Chris Cruz Cullari (ContEd), “1199 HC4Program,” Hospital League/1199, $115,729,8/31/2015

Kenneth Gold (Educ), “Strategies forSuccess Program,” NYSED, $32,000,8/28/2015

David Lindo-Atichati (EngSci/Phys), “TheRole of Submesoscale Eddies from theFlorida Current System on Productivity ofKing Mackerel and Other Coastal PelagicStocks in the South Atlantic Bight,” NOAA,$98,322, 8/25/2015

Lana Karasik (Psych), “RUI: AnInvestigation of Short and Long Term Effectsof Cradling on Development,” NSF,$593,706, 8/10/2015

ALUMNI NEWS

Attendees at this year’s “Savorthe Flavors,” last April, had arare opportunity to sample someof the Island’s best food, whilehelping some of CSI’s beststudents. Commenting on theSeventh Annual event, whichwas presented by the CSIAlumni Association and held inthe College’s Center for the Arts,CSI Alumni Board PresidentCarole Gervasi, 02 said, “Savor

the Flavors is an event thatbrings together the restaurantcommunity of Staten Island,CSI alumni, current students,faculty, staff, and food lovers allover Staten Island to promoteour wonderful College andprovide needed scholarships toour students.” In fact, the eventhas netted enough money overits first six years to support 32new scholarships.

As in the past, this year’s “Savor”featured celebrity guest judgesRob Burmeister, Eddie Canlon,and John Sierp from The FoodNetwork’s Chopped, whopresented awards to the bestdish, dessert, and décor.

This year’s winners were:

BEST DISH:First Place: Ho’ Brah Taco JointSecond Place: Port RichmondHigh School Culinary ArtsProgramThird Place: Leo’s Deli

BEST DESSERT:First Place: CarameloSecond Place: Beans and Leaves

BEST TABLE DÉCOR: Pepper Jack Grill

PEOPLE’S CHOICE:Aunt Butchie’s of Brooklyn

There was also a long list ofrestaurants and other businessesthat generously donated foodand beverages to “Savor,”including Afternoone’s, Aunt

Butchie’s of Brooklyn, Bayou,Beans and Leaves, The BeerGarden, Beso, Blue, Cake Chef,Canlon’s, Caramelo, Cookie Jar,Delish Dishes, Ho’ Brah TacoJoint, J’s on the Bay, Jimmy Max,Leo’s Deli, Liberty Tavern,Mother Mousse, Oriental Plaza,Pepperjack Grill, Portobello Café,and the Port Richmond HighSchool Culinary Arts Program.

The event also featured the softlaunch of the “Where’s Danny”photo contest, where participantscan win prizes for creative photosfeaturing replicas of the CSImascot, Danny the Dolphin.

“Savor the Flavors” was sponsoredby Liberty Mutual and Kohl’s,with music provided by Feel theBeat Productions. The eventchair was James McBratney, ’05,current Alumni Advisory Boardmember and President, StatenIsland Restaurant and TavernAssociation.

“Savor the Flavors” Spotlights Island Cuisine and Helps Students

Class Reunions at the Sixty-seventh Commencement

CSI Alumni marking graduation years ending in 1 or 6 assembled to march in this year’s Commencement procession.

Judges Eddie Canlon and Rob Burmeister taste food prepared during a cook off.

EYE ON CSI ALUMNI NEWS PAGE 17

Alumni Feature:Anita Grasso ‘75Since she graduated from the College ofStaten Island with a degree in EngineeringScience in 1975, Anita Grasso’s life couldserve as an inspirational example to youngwomen who, she notes, “may not have theluxury of obtaining their education duringthe day.” In the beginning, she faced theenormous obstacles of working during the

day at the Department of Traffic on BayStreet and attending classes as anundergraduate student at night. She wasalso a working mother.

Anita’s triple existence continued as shepursued her MBA at Wagner College(which she received in 1982) while sheworked for one of the Johnson & Johnsonfamily of companies (Ortho Diagnostics)as a Process Engineer. After she receivedher MBA, she worked for a smallcompany in NYC, conducting surveys fortransportation companies, financialinstitutions, and healthcare providers.

Today, Anita is still in the healthcareindustry, working for Spectra Labs, adivision of Fresenius Healthcare (aGerman-based multinational healthcareprovider) and she has found greaterhappiness in her career. She says, “I bestappreciate this position because it givesme an opportunity to integrate marketing,sales, and the skills acquired during myyears as a manufacturing engineer.”

Looking back on her college days, Anitastates that CSI made all the difference, notonly in her life, but in those of her kids.“Attending CSI was the biggest gamechanger. I was a mother of three childrenwith a high school degree destined to most

likely get a position in a firm as (at best)an office manager. I started school whenmy youngest son started first grade.Because of the education I received, I wasable to support them—although we livedon a tight budget in the early years; I havebeen able to educate my children who areall successful in their chosen fields. I alsobelieve that they acquired a strong workethic as a result of my determination tocomplete my studies. CSI opened doorsfor me that would otherwise have beenclosed, both professionally and personally.

“I am not the only woman with childrenand meager means who dared to pursuean education,” she adds. “I’m proud to besharing this space with women likeSenator Elizabeth Warren. Also, I thinkgiving credit to the Civil RightsMovement is important. I came from anera when the only professional positionsopened to women were teaching andnursing. My point being, when the cardsare stacked against you because of genderor race – don’t give up.”

Now that Anita is close to retirement, shelooks forward to making a difference inother ways. “I’m hoping to be able toteach, to get involved in politics, to make adifference—simply to give back.”

More than 140 alumni andfriends were in attendance fora 1920s-themed night.

Angela Caliendo and Gina Caliendo-Ocasio’00 and ’04

Friday the 13thMurder Mystery Dinner

KEEPING TABS

Miriam Perez-Lai ’76 has beenemployed at the College of StatenIsland for 17 years, and shereceived her 15 year pin last year.She is thinking about possiblyretiring in 2016-2017. She says,

“It’s been a great run working forCSI and I owe it all to the SEEKProgram. I will always begrateful to the staff and students.

Ann Marie Quinones ’73, ’76is a chemistry teacher at CurtisHS and a grandmother.

Kathryn Candelario ’81worked at Goldman Sacks for21 years. She married a fewyears after she graduated andhas three daughters (twins +one). One of the twins will beattending CSI in the fall of 2016.

Clare Bonafede ’84, ‘87 turned50 years old, married, and ispursuing an EdD in EducationalLeadership. She became aprincipal after being a teacher.She also joined the CSI AlumniAssociation two years ago.

David Close ’89 is currentlyworking as a psychologist at anoutpatient clinic at PilgrimPsychiatric Center, LI, NY.

Sheila Lampert ’90 is currentlyretired. She was a substituteteacher for four years thenbecame a substance (CASAC)abuse counselor (continuing ed)at CSI.

Vincent Durante ’91 is currentlyemployed as a Sergeant withthe NYC Police Department.

Ermell Abdul-Halim ’80, ‘91 iscurrently retired as of February2015, and worked at CASC forthe past six years. Ermell is now

“enjoying my great grandchildren(13) seven boys and six girls.”

Cynthia Murphy ’88, ’91 is themanager of a private beach club,QuickBooks Consultant, andfitness instructor.

Beatrice Whitehead ’81, ’86,‘91 became a first grade teacherand worked for 21 years at PS 3,which happens to be the schoolshe went to as a child.

Frank Truncali ’97 received aJuris Doctor (JD) degree fromFaulkner University in May 2015.

Jonathan S. Weissman ‘97 isan Associate Professor ofComputing Sciences and ITProgram Coordinator at FingerLakes Community College. He isalso a full-time lecturer in theComputing Security Departmentat Rochester Institute ofTechnology, and a Lecturer inthe School of Management atNazareth College. He wasawarded the 2014 RITOutstanding Teaching Award forexcellence in teaching andongoing devotion to enhancingthe classroom experience andstudent engagement. Hecoauthored two recently publishedbooks by McGraw-Hill Education.

Maria Mathieu ’00, whoreceived an AAS in Nursing, iscurrently working with disabledchildren at the HungerfordSchool – Department ofEducation as a staff RN.

Lisa Marie Basciano ‘01 is aSpecial Ed Teacher of preschoolchildren in their homes, whoteaches applied behavioranalysis and life skills.

Heather Campo ‘01 earnedtwo Master’s degrees sincegraduating, in Writing andEducation. She is a specialeducation teacher.

Peter Mazes ’01 retired fromthe Department of Education in2013. He traveled to Hawaii,Alaska, and Florida, and took acruise to Alaska and the PanamaCanal. He lived for a year inMaui, Hawaii and highlyrecommends retirement.

Jamie Depaolo ’03 has been a radiologic technologist fornine years.

Gina Caliendo-Ocasio ’00, ’04is a kindergarten teacher at PS 41and has two beautiful children—a boy, Jason, and a girl, Angelina.Her sister is a graduate of CSIand her other sister has workedfor CSI for 18 years. Her motheris also a retired CSI employee.It’s a family affair.

Dawn Bryce ’06 went on tocomplete her MSW at KeanUniversity and now runs twohousing programs for ProjectHospitality that serve individualsand families in recovery fromdrugs and/or alcohol.

Dina Tolba ’06 graduated withan International Business degreeand then worked for LehmanBrothers until 2009. After shewas laid off, she received aMaster’s in Education fromHofstra University and has beenteaching business classes in highschool for the last four years.

Suzanne Lutz '07 recentlybecame the Associate Directorof Development for Robert F.Kennedy Human Rights afterserving for four years as anExecutive Director and Major GiftsOfficer for the American Red Crossin northern New Jersey.

Dana V Miller ’07 reports,“Over the past eight years since Igot out of school, CSI hashelped me become a leader in

my community. I am a proudadvocate for people withdevelopmental disabilities.”

Linda Notaro ’07 is a fourth gradespecial education teacher in anIntegrated Co-Teaching classroomat PS 50 on Staten Island.

Peter DeCrescenzo ’08, ’09was hired, in fall 2014, by theUniversity of Maryland, CollegePark as an Advisor for RetentionInitiatives. In November 2015,he married his wife, LauraluzReyes Alvarado.

Kourtney Franzese ‘09, ’11was hired as a marketingassistant for the Center for theArts at CSI after she graduatedin 2011.

Melanie Langworthy ’12notes that since she graduatedfrom the Macaulay Honors Collegeat CSI, she has achieved herMaster of Science in Publishingdegree from Pace University andworked for two years as a ForeignRights Assistant at Janklow andNesbit Associates, a literacyagency. She is currently employedat Hachette Book Group, workingas a Subsidiary Rights Associate.

Meghan Proscia ’12 might goback to school to be a teacher.

Maria Meister ’04, ’14 is anAdjunct Teacher in the EnglishDepartment teaching English III(comp). She is now pursuing herTESOL Advanced Certificate.

Alisa A. Serio ’14 is in hersecond year of graduate schoolat The University of Scranton inThe Clinical Mental HealthCounseling Program. She isstarting practicum this fall,which means that she will becounseling students.

Men’s BasketballAlumni GameThe Sixth Annual Matty WhiteMen’s Basketball Alumni Game washeld on Saturday, January 30, priorto CSI’s basketball doubleheaderagainst Brooklyn College. More than40 alumni took part in the event,championed by alumnus Craig Sleap.The annual game serves to honor thememory of the late Matty White, whospent 17 years as an Assistant Coachwith the Dolphins’ Men’s program.

Photo credit: CSI Sports Information

Basketball Teams Collect Major AwardsAt the conclusion of the Men’s and Women’s Basketball seasons, a total of five Dolphins wereawarded post-season accolades from the CUNY Athletic Conference. The awards included the secondstraight Player of the Year honor for senior forward Will Fonseca, who finished his career as thefourth highest scorer in school history, and Rookie of the Year honors for women’s star Nicole Vierno,who finished third on the squad in points per game. All five honorees collected their awards at theconference’s annual postseason kick-off luncheon, held at The Water Club in Manhattan.

In Photo (l-r): Samantha Flecker, Christina Pasaturo, Will Fonseca, Frank Schettino, Nicole Vierno

Sweeney Basks in Honors CSI junior and Macaulay Honors Collegestudent Timothy Sweeney enjoyed a sensational2015-2016 season for the Men’s Swim team.Tim was named the CUNY Athletic Conference’sPlayer of the Year and Championship MVP, andwas named the conference’s Scholar-Athlete of theMonth for December. On top of that, Tim wasmost recently selected as a Scholar-Athlete All-America by the College Swimming CoachesAssociation of America.

SPORTS HIGHLIGHTS

Photo credit: CSI Sports Information

EYE ON CSI SPORTS HIGHLIGHTS PAGE 19

Women’s Soccer WinsCUNYAC Championshipin ThrillerAfter three-straight frustrating seasons that ended withlosses in the CUNYAC Final, the Dolphins finally got backon top in 2015, thanks to a 2-1 overtime victory over top-seeded Lehman College. Samantha Wysokowski scored thegame-winner. With the win, the Dolphins advanced to theNCAA Division III National Championship Tournamentfor the first time in program history.

Cross-Country CompletesThree-peatThe Men’s Cross Country program made history this past November, withtheir third-straight CUNYAC Championship held at Van Cortlandt Park inthe Bronx. The team followed their victory lap with an entrance in the ECACRegional Championship and then the NCAA Division III NationalChampionship Regional Finals held at SUNY-Geneseo.

Women’s Swimming TeamEarns National HonorThe College of Staten Island Women’s Swimming and Diving Teamearned an award with national distinction, last winter, when they weretabbed as an academic school of excellence by the College SwimmingCoaches Association of America, earning Scholar-Athlete All-AmericaTeam honors. This award is the first in the school’s history. Each year, thecoaches organization honors several colleges, spanning all NCAADivisions with this honor. The teams compile a 3.2 cumulative GPA orbetter while also excelling in the pool.

Macaulay Honors College student and CSI freestyler Naomi Gaggi.

Photo credit: Denid Gostev

Photo credit: Denid Gostev

EYE ON CSI FOUNDATION NOTES PAGE 21

Enthusiasm was in the air asfaculty, staff, students, alumni,and friends of the College ofStaten Island broke attendanceand contribution records, lastDecember, at the Sixth AnnualCelestial Ball. The gala, at theRichmond County Country Club,was hosted by the CSI Foundation.This year’s Ball honored with thePresident’s Medal notable citizenswho have made significantcontributions to CSI and ourcommunity. The honorees wereEdward Burke, Dr. Christine D.Cea ’88, Cesar J. Claro, and Dr.Wilma L. Jones. After he receivedhis award, Mr. Claro graciouslypresented a $250,000 check to theCollege on behalf of the RichmondCounty Savings Foundation toname the atrium in Building 2M.

As state funding for highereducation in New York Statecontinues to decrease, KhatmehOsseiran-Hanna, CSI VicePresident for InstitutionalAdvancement and ExternalAffairs, emphasized the goal ofthe evening when she began thefestivities by comparing the Ballto the new life that comes eachspring. “The Celestial Ball ismuch like that waking spring inproviding crucial renewal of

programs and scholarships forour students, dollars for facultyresearch, and funds forimprovement of our campus.”

CSI Foundation President SamFarag explained the vital rolethat the Foundation plays at theCollege and expressed hisgratitude to the Ball’s attendees.“Our mission at the CSIFoundation is to securephilanthropic support for CSI toreach its highest level of academicexcellence as one of CUNY'ssenior colleges and the institutionof public higher education in theBorough. As the success of theCSI Foundation, and the College,is rooted in the generosity of theCollege family and the StatenIsland community, I’m gratefulthat you are all here tonight.”

CSI President Dr. William Fritzhighlighted the College’s vastachievements, its growing nationalrecognition, and its increasingreach. “The College has alwaysserved its students and its com-munity, but today, that potentialis limitless, thanks to recentadvancements to our academicprograms, our extraordinaryfaculty, and our beautiful, 204-acre campus. This potentialdrives the success of our students

who are making the College ofStaten Island a destinationcampus. Our student body iscomprised not only of people fromthe Island, but from the otherboroughs of New York City, fromstates across the U.S., and fromcountries around the world.”

That impact of donorcontributions was exemplifiedby student speaker RinZhiLarocque who compared hermetamorphosis at CSI to theCollege’s mascot, the dolphin.“Like dolphins nurture theiryoung, CSI has nurtured me bygiving me opportunities toimprove my English through theCUNY Language Immersion

Program, and allowing me to doresearch in the biology lab, aswell as be part of the prestigiousVerrazano School honorsprogram at CSI, which hasprepared me, very successfully,to apply for dental schools.”RinZhi is now attending theDoctor of Dental Surgeryprogram at SUNY Buffalo.

This year’s Ball included a liveand a silent auction, whereattendees competed for prizessuch as a painting donated by101-year-old alumna MargaretRicciardi and a guitar signed byRichie Sambora of Bon Jovi,among many other wonderfulitems and exotic getaways.

Celestial Ball Raises Much-Needed Funds to Support CSI

FOUNDATION NOTES

SAVE THE DATE2016 Celestial BallCELEBRATING OUR 60th ANNIVERSARYDecember 3, 2016, Richmond County CC! You can support the event through a contribution or ad in the Ball’s journal. Contact the Divi-sion of Institutional Advancement and External Affairs at 718.982.2365.

The 2015 President’s Medal winners, (sitting L-R:) Cesar J. Claro, Dr.Wilma L. Jones, Dr. Christine D. Cea ’88, and Edward Burke withPresident William J. Fritz

CSI Foundation BoardAnnounces Newest Member

Richard A. Marin is the newest member of the CSIFoundation Board.

He is a 40-year finance industryexecutive who is currentlyPresident and CEO of The NewYork Wheel, LLC. He also isinvolved in managing privateequity investments, consultingon major commercial real estaterestructuring, acting as an expertwitness in securities litigations,and teaching asset managementat Cornell’s Johnson School of Management.

He was most recently Presidentand CEO of Ironwood Global,LLC., a distressed residentialmortgage investment company,and prior to that, Chairman andCEO of AFI (USA), a majorcommercial property developerwhere he negotiated $2.3B incommercial mortgagerestructurings. He is the formerChairman and CEO of BearStearns Asset Management, along-time executive andmember of the ManagementCommittee of Bankers TrustCompany, Vice Chairman ofBT Alex Brown, and Chairman,and CEO of Deutsche AssetManagement. He is a founder

and partner of Beehive Ventures,a highly successful venturecapital company.

Marin has also been a memberof the faculty of the JohnsonSchool at Cornell University fornine years, where he is a ClinicalProfessor and teaches coursesin hedge funds, securitiesfinance, and pension funds. Inconnection with this, he is theauthor of Global Pension Crisis:Unfunded Liabilities and How WeCan Fill the Gap, published byWiley & Sons in 2013.

He is Chairman of the JohnsonSchool’s Advisory Council andserves on the advisory boardsof the Cayuga MBA Fund, theParker Center for InvestmentResearch, the Big Red VentureFund, and the Cornell FinancialEngineering Center. He waselected to the Johnson SchoolHall of Honor in 2001. A 1975graduate of Cornell Universitywith a BA in Economics andGovernment, Marin received anMBA in Finance from theJohnson School in 1976.

Marin is the director of severalprivate technology companies,is on the advisory board forCRA Rogers Casey, is anadvisor to Penbridge Advisors,and has been a director ofCARE, the global relief anddevelopment agency since 2008.He is also the President andCEO of New York Wheel, LLC,which is currently constructinga 630-foot observation wheelnear the Staten Island Ferryterminal.

Marin is married to singer KimGrogg Marin.

The Richmond County Savings Foundation (RCSF) haspresented a grant of $250,000 to the College of Staten Island totransform the entrance of Building 2M with a state-of-the-artmodern atrium. RCSF President and CEO Cesar Claropresented the check at last December’s Celestial Ball.

The new Richmond County Savings Foundation Atrium will bepart of the renovation of Building 2M, providing a modern andwelcoming entrance to the 75,000-cubic-ft. building, which willserve as the new home of classrooms and lecture halls, andfaculty offices for the School of Business, and the CUNY Centerfor Big Data Analytics. The Center, funded by a CUNY 2020Challenge Grant, will capitalize on the College’s expertise andleadership in the area of big data research and analysis, as well ason New York City’s growing strength in technological innovationto establish programs in data analytics in collaboration with TheGraduate Center, CUNY and several other CUNY colleges.

Commenting on RCSF’s gift and its impact, CSI President Dr.William J. Fritz said, “We are grateful for this generous grant fromthe Richmond County Savings Foundation, which will help theCollege to construct a bright and inviting entrance to Building 2Mthat will welcome students, faculty, and business leaders who willcollaborate to address pressing economic and social concerns in ourBorough. This forward-looking space will represent the promisethat Big Data Analytics and our High-Performance ComputingCenter hold for the future of research and our community.”

RCSF, established as part of the conversion of Richmond CountySavings Bank to a public institution, is committed to supportingprojects that enhance the quality of life in the communities itserves. Since 1999, the Foundation has been a generoussupporter of the College, providing a total of $684,500 insupport, which includes this $250,000 as their largest gift to date.

RCSF Grant Set to ChangeFace of Building 2M

Staten Island Advance/ Jan Som

ma-Ham

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EYE ON CSI FOUNDATION NOTES PAGE 23

Twelve students at the College of StatenIsland received scholarships in the STEMdisciplines as part of a three-year partnershipwith National Grid to encourage more collegestudents to study science, technology,engineering, and math.

During a meeting at CSI, Frank Lombardo,Executive Advisor to the President of NationalGrid U.S. and CSI Foundation Board Member,thanked the students for their earnest anddiligent interest in STEM careers. “We are acompany with highly skilled employees, ourpartnership with CSI helps students grow,and ultimately helps to build a pool of diverseand skilled candidates for the future workforce.”

National Grid is committed to working withstudents of all ages to keep them engaged inscience and technology. The company’s goalis to attract, retain, and support a diverseand capable workforce to achieve its visionfor bringing the natural gas network into the21st century.

“Your seeds will definitely become flowers atCSI,” Hassan Fares, a CSI student fromBrooklyn of Lebanese descent, assured theteam from National Grid in acknowledgmentof their generous investment in the workforceof tomorrow.

Fares was joined by his fellow students insharing their stories, and explaining theirpassions.

Scott Shouldis, a junior with a cumulativeGPA of 3.59, said his destiny was changedin many ways with Superstorm Sandy. Heexplained that his breakthrough momentbetween whether to study electricalengineering or mechanical engineering waswhen his family needed to hook up agenerator after the storm-induced poweroutage. However, there was no adapter forthe generator to work at the house. A familymember said “No adapter. No problem,”and immediately went to work splicing thewiring and bringing the lights back on.

“I grew up in a broken family, with a brokenlife. Many of my friends died when I wasgrowing up,” commented Zain Ali, whogrew up in Pakistan. “I couldn’t fix thosethings, but I could fix gadgets, and mycousins encouraged me to study my passion.I quickly learned that the purpose of life isto give life purpose.” It was a sentiment feltthroughout the room, and echoed by NadiaElattar who said, “if you’re not challengingyourself, you’re not accomplishing much.”

“CSI has made me a stronger person,” notedRinZhi Larocque, a fisherman’s daughterwho came to the U.S. in 2011 and graduatedas CSI’s 2016 valedictorian, while AndreaGonzalez told of her arrival in the U.S. at 14years old with no understanding of English.

“It is an honor for CSI, and our departmentin particular, to have such a great partner inour pursuit of expanding STEM educationin our community and our country ingeneral,” noted Neo Antoniades, CSIProfessor and Chair of the EngineeringScience and Physics Department.Antoniades, who is faculty director of theproject, led the effort to select the scholarshiprecipients. “Thank you, National Grid, onbehalf of all of us.”

He added that the department created aMaster’s in Engineering in ElectricalEngineering (ME in EE) as the logical nextstep for graduates of a BS in EE. Theapplication, which was approved by CUNYand is pending approval from the NYSDOE, should permit for the program tobegin in fall 2017.

Gary Reichard, Provost and Senior VicePresident for Academic Affairs at CSI, notedthat the Engineering Science and PhysicsDepartment “is a model of research andopportunity,” and thanked National Grid fortheir “invaluable support that is vitallyimportant to ensuring our students’ success.”

In addition to Lombardo, other NationalGrid representatives attending the meetingwere Carol Decina, Manager, Communityand Customer Management, and MauriMyers-Solages, Manager, CorporateCitizenship New York.

“National Grid is committed to enhancingSTEM education in our communities anddeveloping the next generation of engineersand scientists,” Lombardo added. “Ourpartnership with CSI has providedscholarships to support students interested inadvancing in math- and science-related careersand supported workshops to engage highschool students in the STEM curriculum.”

“CSI has made many headlines with manynational rankings this year, and almost all ofthem recognize the value of a CSI educationby noting the College’s commitment toaccess and quality, while helping ourstudents achieve unprecedented levels ofsuccess as alumni,” noted CSI President Dr.William J. Fritz. He added that “theserankings are the result of importantpartnerships that make our students’ successpossible through the independent work ofour many departments, divisions, andSchools. I extend my deepest thanks toNational Grid for transforming the lives ofour students and making the world a betterplace for all of us.”

National Grid Partnership Engineers STEM Student Success

AUSTIN KRAUZA ’16 Major: Computer Science with an interest inbusiness and data analytics.A former Macaulay Honors College student who workedwith Dr. Natacha Gueorguieva to conduct researchin the field of Fuzzy Clustering Algorithms for DataAnalysis. He also assisted Dr. Jonathan Peters, Dr.

Michael Kress, and Nora Santiago at the CUNY High-PerformanceComputing Center and CSI’s Social Policy Simulation Center.A favorite aspect of CSI: As a Macaulay student, I’ve had theopportunity to work with some of the best professors at the College,who introduced me, and my peers into an uncharted world.Future plans: He would like to pursue his MS in either Data Analysisor Statistics, and possibly his PhD down the road.

PIERRE OVALLES ‘16Major: Childhood Education, Sequence 2, grades 1-6. A former SEEK student, he pursued his Master’sdegree and completed his 400-hour student teachingrequirement. A favorite aspect of CSI: “I consider myself veryfortunate to have been provided such a wonderful

education. I have learned and experienced a great deal, and for thatI am very grateful.” Future plans: He wants to become a public school teacher orexplore a career in technology.

RINZHI GO LAROCQUE ‘16Major: Biology with a minor in Business.A former Verrazano School student, who conductedresearch with Dr. Gu Jianying, on Vibrios genomes. Sheis a former tutor at the CSI Academic Support Centerand CUNY Service Corps researcher at the HealthyCUNY Initiative, mathematics and science instructor

for CSI Continuing Education and Professional Development, andvolunteer at the CUNY Language Immersion Program.A favorite aspect of CSI: “CSI has nurtured me by giving meopportunities to improve my English through the CUNY LanguageImmersion Program, and allowing me to do research in the biology lab,as well as be part of the prestigious Verrazano Honor School program.”Future plans: She is now attending the Doctor of Dental Surgeryprogram at SUNY Buffalo..

STEPHANIE SHEEHAN ‘16Major: Mathematics with concentration inAdolescence EducationA former Teacher Education Honors Academy andDean’s List student, her research examined the effectthat different mediums have on the retention of highschool students. She was also a Noyce Scholar and

co-authored an entry that will be presented at the InternationalConference for Mathematics Education in Hamburg, Germany. A favorite aspect of CSI: “Over the past four years I have learnedand grown as a professional. I have been offered moreopportunities than I could have ever imagined that pertain to myfield. I can confidently say I will be prepared to go into the world asan effective mathematics teacher.”Future plans: She plans to teach in a high school mathematicsclassroom and pursue a master’s in mathematics education at CSI.

RISING STARS CSI ALUMNI ASSOCIATIONMEMBERSHIP BENEFITS

4 Library privileges: Present your alumni photo ID at the CSILibrary for access and borrowing privileges.

4Use of the CSI Computer Center: Contact InformationTechnology, 718.982.3695.

4Parking Pass:Alumni can park in lot 6 only up to three timesthroughout a semester and must display a completed visitor’s passobtained from the security guard at the entrance of the campus.Any alumni parking on campus more than three times throughout asemester are required to purchase a CSI parking decal. Parking permitsand any additional information may be obtained directly from theOffice of Parking and DolphinCard Services, 718.982.2294.

4The Career Center offers assistance with résumés throughSymplicity – a Web-based career management program designed todeliver career-related services to current students and alumni. Call718.982.2300 for more information.

415% tuition discount for select courses offered by the Office ofContinuing Education and Professional Development. For courseinformation and to register, call 718.982.2182.

4Alumni Travel Program: Specialized Group Tours for alumni,family, and friends. Contact the office for information on up-coming trips.

4Barnes & Noble CSI College Bookstore 10% alumni discount:Present alumni photo ID for applicable items, excluding textbooks.

4CSI Sports and Recreation Center alumni discountmembership: Present your alumni photo ID for discount. Contactthe membership desk, 718.982.3160.

4CSI Center for the Arts Ticket Discount: Receive $2 alumnidiscount off CFA performances (limit two per ID perperformance). For more information about upcoming shows, callthe box office at 718.982.ARTS (2787).

4Auto and Homeowner Insurance Program Liberty MutualSavings Plus/American Insurance Administrators: Call800.524.9400, follow the prompts, and indicate that you are analumnus/alumna of the College of Staten Island or visitwww.libertymutual.com/lm/csi.

4Group Term Life Insurance and Health Insurance NEATrust/American Insurance Administrators: Call 800.922.1245and indicate that you are an alumnus/alumna of the College ofStaten Island. For a complete listing of programs and availability inyour state, www.alumniinsuranceprogram.com/csi.*

4New Insurance Programs:Alumni Pet Health, Alumni IDRecovery, Alumni Long-Term Care, Alumni Travel. New offers andexpanded benefits are continually added, so check out the latestbenefits. Visit us at www.csi.cuny.edu/alumni.

* Note: Short-term health insurance coverage is not available for residents of NY, NJ,MA, and VT. Major Medical insurance is not available in NY, NJ, RI, WA, and AZ.

Susan Imberman, ’89 LOOKING BACK

On her journey to becomingthe College of Staten Island’sChairperson of theDepartment of ComputerScience and a well-respectedmember of that department’sfaculty, Susan Imberman’s pathfeatured a change of direction,and the challenge of being aparent who returned to school.

At first, Dr. Imberman pursuedbiology, earning a BA in thediscipline from QueensCollege/CUNY. However, herarea of interest started to shiftand the College of StatenIsland was there to help. “As ayoung mother living on StatenIsland,” she explains, “Ibecame interested in ComputerScience and decided to get myMaster’s of Science degree inthis area. Since I hadn’t anycoursework in this field, Idecided to ‘try it out’ with acouple of courses at the localcollege, CSI. These classeswere on both the Sunnysideand St. George campuses.While I was taking thesecourses, the Computer ScienceDepartment created theMaster’s of Science inComputer Science. I was

proud to be among the first toattend and graduate from thisprogram. These classes werepredominately at the St.George campus.”

Looking back on what sheappreciated most about hertime at CSI, Dr. Imbermanfocuses on the nurturingenvironment. “As an adultstudent returning to college,the family atmosphere was thething that impressed me themost. I didn’t feel like ‘just’ astudent. I was a member ofsomething much more holistic.”The computer lab was herfavorite place for the samereason. “The camaraderieamong the students was great!!”she recalls.

In fact, that “familyatmosphere” was certainlyapparent as she recalls herfondest memory of attendingclasses at the College. “Onetime, my babysitter couldn’ttake care of my then, two-year-old. The instructor wasgracious enough to let himcome to class. During lecture,the instructor was doing a mathexample. My son recognizedthis as a cool version of SesameStreet and proceeded to countalong with the professor.”

Dr. Imberman fondlyremembers the impact of otherprofessors, like Dr. BernardDomanski, whom sheremembers as “funny and veryknowledgeable.” She adds thatmany of her instructorsbecame “close friends.”

Stating that she would donothing differently if she hadher CSI education in front of

her, Dr. Imberman says thather graduate assistantship andthe teaching experience thatshe gained as a result whereinvaluable “both academicallyand as an instructor.” After shecompleted her PhD at TheGraduate Center, CUNY, shejoined the Computer Sciencefaculty full time and she hasbeen making a significantdifference ever since.

Dr. Imberman’s areas ofconcentration are in low-platform intelligent robots andartificial intelligence, and datamining, particularly withmedical applications. She isalso committed to her students,bringing her energeticenthusiasm to the classroomand encouraging her studentsto participate in extracurricularactivities in computer sciencesuch as the Computer ScienceClub, where she serves as thefaculty advisor.

The most important aspect ofDr. Imberman’s career is passingon what she gained at CSI.“The best part of my job,” shenotes, “is mentoring our currentComputer Science students sothat they can enjoy the samefabulous experience that I hadwhen I attended class.”

The College of Staten Islandis accelerating its efforts toprotect the environment anddevelop sustainable andresponsible patterns ofdevelopment in accordancewith CUNY’s UniversitySustainability Council, whichis committed to reducinggreenhouse gas emissionsfrom all campus buildings by30 percent over the nextdecade. If you would preferto receive an electronicversion of this publication orfuture editions via emailinstead of a hard copy,please contact the AlumniRelations Office atalumni@csi.cuny.edu.

Contact Eye on CSI:COLLEGE OF STATEN ISLANDAlumni Relations Office2800 Victory BoulevardBuilding 1A, Room 110Staten Island, NY 10314

Telephone: 718.982.2290Email: alumni@csi.cuny.edu

UPCOMING EVENTS

2800 Victory BoulevardStaten Island, NY 10314

Non-ProfitOrganizationU.S. Postage

PAIDStaten Island, NY

Permit No. 77

For information on upcoming performancesat the CSI Center for the Arts, go towww.cfashows.com or call718.982.ARTS. Receive a $2 alumnidiscount off performances. Limit twodiscounts per performance.

Keep up with the latest CSI Athletics newsat www.csidolphins.com.

Present your Alumni Photo ID for amembership discount at the CSI Sportsand Recreation Center. Call 718.982.3161for more information.

NURSING REUNIONOctober 19, 2016The Staaten

ATHLETICS HALL OF FAMEOctober 27, 2016, 6:00pm The Vanderbilt at South BeachCall 718.982.3169 for more info

MURDER MYSTERY DINNERNovember 11, 2016, 7:00pm The Old Bermuda Inn

CELESTIAL BALLDecember 3, 2016, 6:30pmRichmond County Country Club

SAVOR THE FLAVORSApril 2, 20172:00pmCenter for the Arts Atrium

COMMENCEMENT CLASS REUNIONSTBAHonoring alumni class yearsending in 2s and 7s (1962, 1967, 1972, 1977,1982, 1987, 1992, 1997,2002, 2006, 2012)

ALUMNI ASSOCIATIONANNUAL MEETINGJune 19, 2017, 7:00p

If you would like to receiveemail announcements ofupcoming events, please send your email toalumni@csi.cuny.edu.

2016

• 2017 SEASO

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Make a differenceand contribute tothe greater good.For more information on the importance of Alumni Support, see the ad on the inside of the front cover.

RinZhi Larocque ’16

The College of Staten Island’s 60thAnniversary logo was designed byRobert Weber ’16, the winner of thecontest that encouraged participantsto create a logo for this historicalmilestone in the College’s history.

The Friends of the College of Staten Island

For tickets and information call 718.982.2365

LiteraryBrunch

Sunday, September 18, 201611:00am –2:00pm

FeaturingGary W. Reichard, PhDProvost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairsand author ofDeadlock and Disillusionment: American Politics since 1968