Local businesswoman uses decades of experience to open antique store

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Julie Meyers--formerly of Xerox and Not Dot Shop--owns Florence’s Perpetual Estate Sale on Main Street. Since opening, Meyers has enjoyed establishing a connection with student and local shoppers. (Annalee Bainnson/Assoc. Photo Editor)

Geneseo businesswoman Julie Meyers opened Florence’s Perpetual Estate Sale on Main Street in December 2016. Having previously worked at Xerox and Not Dot Shop, Meyers—who earned her Masters in business administration at Dartmouth College—has diverse business experience. 

“The idea [behind Florence’s Perpetual Estate Sale] is that the store is always changing and always open,” Meyers said. “Usually, when you see an estate sale or a garage sale, it only lasts for a weekend.”

Before opening her antique shop, Meyers served as a marketing executive at Xerox, where she oversaw strategy and development for 22 years. After getting into a car crash, however, Meyers took a leave of absence for several months. When she returned to Xerox, she had a new perspective on big business—thus, she decided to leave the company. 

“I have a certification in antiques that I got from St. John Fisher College, where they offered night classes and all sorts of certification programs,” Meyers said. “I had actually gone with my mother in the 90s to get the certification.”

To begin her antiquing career, Meyers initially worked as a co-op member at the Not Dot Shop, Main Street’s other vintage and antique retailor. Following two years at the Not Dot Shop, Meyers—whose inventory had vastly expanded—executed plans to open her own store. 

“Just from organizing and some of the other things that I was doing, I kept getting more inventory and needed more space,” Meyers said. “I constantly salvage and try to bring back items that I think someone could use and would love.”

In finding and collecting inventory for Florence’s, Meyers actually hosts estate sales, which—if they have enough to display—usually occur on the homeowner’s property. Once the on-site estate sale ends, Meyers returns to the store with anything that—for whatever reason—no one in the family wanted. 

“I’ll usually go to people’s homes when someone passes away, which is why most people have estate sales,” Meyers said. “I sometimes, however, also help older couples or individuals who are downsizing or organizing—just so that their kids don’t have to do it.” 

Using her past business and marketing experience, Meyers skillfully authors the necessary business plans and contracts while orchestrating estate sales. When organizing her sales, Meyers tries to begin by determining the seller’s objectives and goals. 

Although she does much of the work, Meyers receives assistance from family and friends, who sometimes run the register or watch the store when she goes to a sale. 

“If I’m running an estate sale, then I spend Monday through Wednesday—and sometimes the weekend—organizing, sorting, pricing, cleaning and advertising,” Meyers said. “After a sale, I go through the items and decide what should be moved to the store, disposed of or donated—then I bring back the leftovers.”

Since opening the store this past winter, Meyers’ favorite memories include helping students pick out and purchase gifts. Thinking about her favorite inventory, Meyers described the base and pedal from an early 20th century dentist office drill. 

“The gentleman at the tattoo parlor farther down the street purchased the pedal and is making it into a lamp,” Meyers said. “That’s what I love to see—something old and without much use being turned into something new and really cool.” 

Within the estate sale and antique fields, inventory and business ebbs and flows as the seasons change, according to Meyers. As spring approaches, she anticipates visits from out-of-town guests coming to Geneseo for commencement and move-out day. 

With a colorful business background and a passion for antiquing, Meyers continues to provide accessible items for people of all ages, including Geneseo students.

RLK member promotes positive self-image through body art

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Together, junior Anna Tailleur and senior Carly Anzalone created a project combining body art and photography to promote a healthy self-image as a part of Royal Lady Knights’ Body Positivity week. Tailleur is the artist behind the project, while Anzalone is the photographer. (Sarah Hashmi/Staff Photographer)

Communication major junior Anna Tailleur has started a project with psychology major senior Carly Anzalone called “Grow Through What You Go Through.” The goal is to empower themselves and other people through body art and photography.

Both Tailleur and Anzalone are members of Royal Lady Knights, a service and social sorority that hosts a “RLK Positive Body Image Campaign” every year. Throughout this week, the sorority presents different events focused on encouraging people to value their bodies more.

Tailleur created this project not only for RLK’s Body Positivity week, but also to bring together her passion for body positivity and art.

“This started over break when [my friend and I] were painting flowers on our breasts,” Tailleur said. “We put them online, it wasn’t sexual at all; there were flowers on them. It was taken down, and I was livid about that. I’ve seen some really explicit things on Instagram and my flower boobs weren’t one of them.”

Tailleur started body painting with her best friend from home over break, and decided to continue this project with RLK’s body positivity week.

“I didn’t want it to be sexual,” Tailleur said. “I didn’t want to be taking photos that are explicit. Obviously your boobs are out so someone is going to think that is sexual, but it doesn’t have to be. That’s why I’ve been painting flowers, things that are meaningful to them.” 

Many of Tailleur’s fellow members of RLK have participated in her project, coming with ideas of what art they would like on their bodies. 

Different women have asked to have flowers, abstract designs and meaningful objects to be painted on them. Tailleur has received an immense amount of support from her sorority, but has also made an extra effort to include a more diverse group in her project.

“I wanted to invite people who aren’t in RLK to join in, too,” Tailleur said. “While I feel like RLK is very diverse in terms of body shape and racial backgrounds, I feel like having a positive body artwork with a bunch of sorority girls posing with their boobs out, that’s a statement, but it’s not as inclusive as I want it to be.” 

For Tailleur personally, her struggles with her body and sharing her art publicly pushed her to spearhead this project.

“I’ve just recently gotten into sharing my poetry online, which is a very interesting experience,” Tailleur said. “It’s super personal, and that’s kind of the reason why I started doing it. I’m really inspired by people who feel comfortable sharing those things with others.” 

Tailleur combines body positivity with art in an effort to bring art to Geneseo’s campus while also uplifting her friends.

“If we can put art on our body, that’s a positive thing, no matter what you look like,” Tailleur said. “People look at their bodies in a different way when there is a painting on it. This experience is about the experience of the art itself rather than the art itself.” 

In the future, Tailleur would like to continue not only with this project outside of RLK’s Body Positivity week, but also after leaving Geneseo.

“This is something that is super important to me, and I feel like I’ve gotten nothing but positive things from it,” Tailleur said.

Student demonstrates passion for fighting cancer, pledging to shave head

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Alayna Caifano has worked toward raising her goal of $2,500 for Relay for Life. To reach this goal, she has made the decision to shave her head. Caifano’s inspiration came from her sorority sister, and she credits her sorority Delta Phi Epsilon for its immense support. (Sarah Hashmi/Staff Photographer)

Psychology major senior Alayna Caifano is preparing to shave all of her hair off for Relay for Life. Caifano has spent the past three months fundraising money for the American Cancer Society and is hoping to raise $2,500 by April 8.

Caifano’s sorority, Delta Phi Epsilon, has influenced her greatly; this includes not only in her experience at Geneseo, but also in inspiring her to make the decision to shave her head.

“One of my sorority sisters two years ago at Relay for Life shaved her head and that’s what inspired me to do it,” Caifano said. “She’s been a huge help throughout this process” 

While Caifano is well established on the campus as a teaching assistant for a psychology class and a member of the executive board of Liberty in North Korea, her sorority has helped her to get out of her comfort zone.

“The reason I got into this was because of my sorority,” Caifano said. “That helped me branch out, make a lot of friends and make more connections with people” 

Caifano has a passion for helping others and for charity work, which is in addition to the service she already does with her sorority. Valuing charity is another driving factor in her decision to participate in Shave for the Brave.

“It’s something I’ve wanted to do for a while, because I’m very passionate about charity work,” Caifano said. “It’s something that genuinely feels good.”

In preparation for April 8, Caifano has reached out to family and friends for donations so she can reach her goal.

“People tell me that they can’t believe I’m doing this; ‘I could never do that,’ but I don’t really think it’s such a huge thing,” Caifano said. “Hair grows back. For me, it’s a small sacrifice I can make in order to raise a good amount of money for something that means a lot to so many people.”

In her own personal experience, Caifano has had family and family-friends who have passed away due to cancer and she has seen the effect it can have on others.    

While raising the money has been an incredible experience, at times Caifano found it difficult to stay organized and to reach her goal.

“I was really nervous about it for a while,” Caifano said. “I kept going back and forth on whether or not I wanted to do it because it’s such a commitment to make. You have to stay on top of fundraising; you have to commit to pretty much begging people for money.” 

Not only did Caifano raise money through her Facebook page, “Alayna’s Going Bald for Relay!” she, along with her sorority sisters, have thought of many creative ideas for fundraising.

“My sorority has been so supportive of me,” she said. “They helped me organize fundraisers, they promote my link on Facebook all the time—they’re really the ones that gave me the confidence to do this.”

To raise money, they sold food outside of the Statesmen and implemented a Venmo campaign where people can donate money, which Caifano then matches. Caifano also plans on bringing her dog, which people can pay to meet. 

“I’m offering up to the highest bidder to come up and shave part of my head,” Caifano said.

Caifano and her fellow sorority sister, psychology major sophomore Caeley Sheehan, are planning on shaving their heads together on April 8.

 “I don’t know anybody who hasn’t had somebody affected by cancer, so it’s really something that’s relatable to everyone,” Caifano said. “It’s a very emotional night, but it’s definitely one of my favorite nights of the year.”

In the future, Caifano has considered pursuing social work, teaching or counseling.

“I just want to help people,” Caifano said. “This has given me a renewed passion for fundraising and non-profits and charity work. It’s something I’d like to continue doing in the future.”

English professor spearheads Safezone training

Associate professor of English Alice Rutkowski coordinates the Safezone program and will offer a Safezone training course in the fall. She currently teaches in the English, women’s and gender studies and American studies departments. Her research interests include LGBTQ+ studies and Civil War era literature. (Keith Walters/Campus Photographer)

Associate professor of English Alice Rutkowski has an extensive and significant presence within the Geneseo community. In addition to teaching courses in the English and American studies department, she has expanded her work to the women’s and gender studies department, where she will teach a Safezone “training the trainer” course in fall 2017. 

The Safezone program attempts to “increase awareness and acceptance of sexual diversity, while providing a resource network for individuals with questions or concerns related to sexuality.” Having joined the Geneseo faculty in 2003, Rutkowski coordinates the Safezone program. 

Before her teaching career, Rutkowski earned her master’s degree in women’s studies and English. Continuing her education, she then completed a doctoral degree in English. In her dissertations, Rutkowski focused on female writers of the Civil War and reconstruction era. Since then, she has found a secondary research interest in LGBTQ+ studies. 

“My interest in LGBTQ+ and trans studies has really sparked over the last 10 years,” Rutkowski said. “During that time, I’ve been working with a lot of students on various advocacy projects.” 

Back in 2013, Rutkowski hosted the first LGBTQ+ committee at Geneseo to address the need for all-gender bathrooms and expanding the Safezone program. From these committee meetings, the Safezone program—having seen an increase in interest—developed into a three-hour workshop for “potential allies.” 

“Every semester, we offer usually four open trainings for Safezone certification,” Rutkowski said. “In addition to the two faculty and two student trainings, any group of six or more can request their own certification training.” 

Within the current Safezone program, between 35 and 50 trainers organize and execute the certification workshops, according to Rutkowski. Concerning student trainers, however, the program suffers from frequent turnover each fall, after many students graduate. 

“We used to bring in the Gay Alliance of the Genesee Valley to train the replacements for graduating student trainers,” Rutkowski said. “It seemed to me, however, that the students who were trained in the process needed and wanted more practice in facilitating difficult discussions.”

To combat the problem of student trainer turnover, Rutkowski proposed a class that would, over the course of a semester, “train the trainer.” Planning to offer this course every fall, Rutkowski believes that this solution will allow students more time to practice, read and think about the material. After completing the course, students will have the opportunity to move into leadership positions—including outreach and programming—for credit. 

“During the next year, I’m hoping that a more robust process and network will come from the class,” Rutkowski said. “After a few semesters, I hope to see the course giving the program more structure.” 

In addition to her Safezone training class, Rutkowski will be co-teaching an American Studies course with associate professor of history Justin Behrend in the fall. Like Rutkowski, Behrend shares a similar research interest in the Civil War and Reconstruction periods of American history. In their joint-American Studies class, the two will lead an examination of the legacy of slavery, primarily foregrounding black authors and artists.  

Rutkowski’s passion for LGBTQ+ studies have made a huge impact in providing a safer environment within the Geneseo community. Considering the current political climate, Rutkowski’s efforts are vital to upholding Geneseo’s standards of being a tolerant, welcoming community for future students.

Anthropology professor spreads passion, knowledge of primates

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Associate professor of anthropology Barbara Welker has traveled near and far to study eating habits of primates, specifically howler monkeys. Geneseo alumni and former student of Welker, Keenan Taylor, is pictured with the skeleton of a primate. (Courtesy of Barbara Welker)

Associate professor of anthropology Barbara Welker contributes her expertise to Geneseo in behavioral ecology—within the framework of physical anthropology—among primates. 

In her fieldwork, Welker pursues the primates of Costa Rica and Nicaragua. At Geneseo, she dominates the biological anthropology department, specifically with her popular human ecology class. 

While completing her master’s degree, Welker collected data on recess monkeys in Puerto Rico for her advisor, who studied primate relationships between mothers and infants. Using the data that she collected, Welker then examined maternal activity budgets among the monkeys. 

Upon graduating from the University at Buffalo, she completed her doctoral dissertation in Costa Rica, where she investigated feeding selectivity in howler monkeys. 

“I work with malted howler monkeys,” Welker said. “And I do behavioral ecology, specifically feeding ecology.” 

In her recent research, Welker examined the role of color vision regarding food gathering among primates. An analysis of the history of color vision reveals that the trait most likely evolved as an adaptation for eating and for distinguishing young, viable leaves, according to Welker. 

Before her color vision research, Welker focused her studies on the chemical differences between trees—a factor in feeding selectivity for monkeys. Pursuing the question, “Why would monkeys eat from some trees and not others?” Welker ultimately isolated a chemical deterrent and published her findings. 

“I’m interested in feeding selectivity specifically, which focuses on how animals choose what to eat,” Welker said. “I really feel like I’m mostly an animal behaviorologist.” 

In addition to conducting her own research, Welker has led field instruction programs, schools and student-driven projects in both Nicaragua and Costa Rica. 

Although she has had an expansive and successful career as a primatologist, Welker did not always intend to study biological anthropology. In fact, when she started in her anthropological program, Welker planned to specialize in archaeology. 

“I went back to school for anthropology to become an archaeologist, but I got side-tracked in primatology,” she said. “I imagined myself up to my elbows in dusty pots as an old lady and decided that I would really rather be a primatologist.” 

When she decided to change her course of study, Welker enrolled in physical anthropology classes; that was when she began to learn about primates. Having completed her dissertation, Welker—using her past field experience—first taught courses at UB and Buffalo State College. 

After a semester of adjunct teaching at Geneseo, Welker spent six months doing research and returned as a full-time faculty member in 1998.

Like most anthropologists, Welker has dedicated a considerable amount of her career to research—often, in the form of field work at remote sites. As a primatologist, Welker’s pursuits in the field entail following and observing her research subjects: the malted howler monkeys.

“One of my most interesting field experiences with my monkeys was me not giving them enough credit for being as cognitively advanced as they are,” Welker said. “They started eating a new kind of fruit one day, and they led me to the same kind of tree on the other side of the home range—like they knew where it was and were just waiting for it to flower.” 

When working in the field, Welker—who lives in the forest while researching—typically follows the monkeys for 12 hours per day. After planning her research protocol, Welker begins the process of data collection: going out and monitoring every species and documenting individual behaviors within groups. 

“Doing field work is a very regimented task,” she said, “Sort of like being in the military.”

In the past, Welker took students to pursue research on the volcanic islands in Lake Nicaragua. Currently, she is working with the study abroad office about the possibility of field courses in Northeast Peru. 

With an exciting variety of traveling experiences, Welker is far from your typical anthropology professor.

Biology students conduct significant cancer research

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Junior Nick Terrigino and senior David Nicholas are biology majors. Together, they have conducted crucial cancer research during their time in college. Both Terrigino and Nicholas wish to pursue further research in the future, as well as keeping medical school on the horizon. (Sarah Hashmi/Staff Photographer)

Biology majors junior Nick Terrigino and senior David Nicholas have spent their time in Geneseo not only involving themselves in a variety of extracurricular activities, but also performing research on cancer cells and their functions.

Before coming to Geneseo, both Terrigino and Nicholas had different hobbies; they came together, however, in their shared interest in biology. Terrigino based his decision to come to Geneseo on proximity to home. Meeting SUNY distinguished teaching professor of biology Robert O’Donnell, the professor overlooking their research, was a pull factor for Terrigino as well. 

“The fact that he was so close to all of his students, it really drew me to Geneseo,” Terrigino said. 

For Nicholas, Geneseo’s reputation and “beautiful community” drew him to attend.

While both Terrigino and Nicholas are pursuing a biology degree, they also are involved on campus with activities that enhance their studies. Nicholas plays the flute and saxophone in the jazz ensemble, works at St. Mary’s Church and works as a crew chief at Geneseo First Response. Geneseo First Response has provided an incredibly rewarding experience, according to Nicholas. 

“GFR is right up there with research with being fantastic and getting me involved,” Nicholas said.

Terrigino is a member of the medical fraternity Phi Delta Epsilon and has held leadership positions within the organization. The highlight of partaking in Phi Delta Epsilon was “being able to connect with people across grade years,” according to Terrigino.

The highlight of his time at Geneseo, however, has been his research with O’Donnell.

“Research has been the most rewarding, personally,” Terrigino said.

For both Terrigino and Nicholas, their experience as biology majors has been an exciting journey these past few years; challenging, but rewarding, according to Terrigino.

Under a directed study with O’Donnell, Terrigino and Nicholas continued their research on cancer drugs and on antigens. 

“I was doing a study with multiple cancer drugs, and David was looking at antigens,” Terrigino said. 

“What we’re looking at is if we treat certain types of cancer cells with certain drugs, do they increase the expression of the proteins (HLA) that help the immune system target the cancer cells,” Nicholas added. 

They focused on two specific drugs that carried out the task of increasing the expressions of the antigens. The two drugs—5-Azacytidine and Entinostat—are in phase two of clinical trial for breast cancer. 5-Azacytidine is also used to treat certain types of leukemia.

Throughout the research process, Terrigino and Nicholas learned more about the process of making scientific progress. 

“Underestimating the complexity of the biological systems is probably the toughest thing,” Nicholas said. 

Figuring out a new path when the original plan doesn’t work out is part of the fun of the research process—but it makes it all the more challenging, according to Nicholas.

Nicholas has spent five semesters completing this work, while Terrigino has done four semesters; they work around five-six hours a week on the research. 

“We don’t know what the result is going to be in the end,” Terrigino said. “It really feels like you’re in the thick of the science with it.”  

Both Terrigino and Nicholas have seen growth in themselves as well as within each other—especially in how to solve problems—and are more creative toward their solutions. 

Nicholas and Terrigino both hope to pursue research in the future and are thinking about taking a gap year, all the while keeping medical school on the radar. 

Nicholas wishes to pursue other research opportunities to gain more exposure to the treatments in certain fields, while also trying to help contribute to our understandings of how these drugs work.

“I can’t imagine being at Geneseo and not doing research,” Terrigino said. “It brings the textbook to real life—it’s powerful.”

Dynamic twin duo of Bar-Eat-O share special bond

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As mirror image twins, Nick and Nate Wisnowski have been together for the majority of their lives. After being separated for a brief amount of time, the twins reunited by working together at local restaurant and bar Bar-Eat-O. (Courtesy of Nick Wisnowski)

The relationship between twins is one that can be difficult to describe. Yet, the duo from Bank Street’s Bar-Eat-O Nate Wisnowski and Nick Wisnowski did their best to explain this relationship. 

“We’re mirror-image twins,” Nick Wisnowski said. “We’re reversed, so we have different dominant hands and our hair grows in opposite directions. When our egg split, one of us flipped. We’re a one-in-a-million duo.”

Just as they were together in the womb, they have been inseparable in life. The twins share everything, including school, style, work and personality. They even auditioned for a movie in their pre-teen years.

“We had just done a bit for a mattress commercial and the casting director told us about a movie audition for this story of twins,” Nick Wisnowski said. “So, with our parents’ approval, we went up to Toronto to audition for the part. We actually were the director’s second pick, which was a really incredible piece of news for us.”

As the years passed on, the brothers continued to foster their one-of-a-kind relationship.

“We actually both went into the Air Force,” Nate Wisnowski said. “We decided that it was something that suited us, so we went for it. Nick ended up making it, but my wrist’s arthritis kept me from being able to meet the physical standards. But we still kept in touch all while Nick was at the academy and during his enlistment.”

The twins reunited after Nick Wisnowski completed his four years of service in the Air Force and they soon began working in and around Buffalo.

“We DJ’d for Kiss 90.5 Buffalo for a few years,” Nate Wisnowski said. “Eventually we broke off from that and formed our own DJing company. For about six or seven years, we DJed for clubs and events all around Buffalo.”

After the DJing company ran its course, the brothers went separate ways for a brief period. Nick Wisnowski began managing for the First Niagara Sabers Center and Nate Wisnowski began to work as an EMT. They still maintained consistent contact and eventually came back to work together at Bar-Eat-O.

“Nick had been managing here at the restaurant for a couple of months, and I had decided that I would go back to school,” Nate Wisnowski said. “My bar managing job could not accommodate my school schedule, and Bar-Eat-O could. So Nick offered me a job behind the bar and I took it.”

The brothers still, however, have their differences.

“Nick is certainly more outgoing than I am,” Nate Wisnowski said. “But I make up for it by going to the gym. And while we may argue like an old married couple, we really do love each other, and I don’t know what I would be without him by my side.”

The brothers remain close companions to this day and still do everything together.

“If I’m ever doing anything—be it having dinner, going on vacation or just hanging out at home—Nate is my first call,” Nick Wisnowski said. “He is a part of me.”

“Everlasting” is how Nate Wisnowski sums up their relationship, and that is exactly how they appear: a dynamic duo who will always support one another, each one a part of the other.

Senior raises money, awareness for cancer through 4K bike trip

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As an active member of the college community, psychology and communication double major senior Sophia Garber dedicates much of her time to helping people around her. Garber has decided to top off her four years at Geneseo by biking across the country in honor of those affected by cancer. (Sarah Hashmi/Staff Photographer)

Sophia Garber’s four years at Geneseo have influenced her to dedicate more of her life toward helping people and her community. By involving herself in many activities on campus and by being an active member of the Geneseo community, she works hard to pursue her passion of helping others. 

From being an orientation advisor, a Knightline dance team member, an e-board member for Orchesis and the co-chair for Relay for Life, Garber has spent her time at Geneseo immersing herself in her hobbies.

Garber’s experiences specifically working with Orientation and Relay have encouraged her personal growth.

“Orientation and Relay makes you step outside of your comfort zone,” Garber said. “It really helped me work with my interpersonal communication with people.” 

Relay for Life also grants perspective, and by organizing and planning for Relay this semester, Garber gained the full extent of this experience.

“It’s a magical experience where you get to be part of something that’s so big and so successful,” Garber said. “It’s something the Geneseo community makes happen.”

This summer, Garber will participate in a 4K bike ride for the Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults in an effort to raise $4,500 for the organization.

Because of her involvement in organizations—such as Relay—on campus, Garber’s decision to participate in the upcoming 4K was an easy one. The idea of helping other people and their struggles with cancer motivated Garber to get involved.

“It’s something that so many people are affected by—it’s something that affects almost everybody in some way,” Garber said. “I’ve seen how people come together to fight against this; I’ve seen how it builds community.” 

The 4K starts on June 3 in Baltimore, Maryland and ends on Aug. 13 in San Francisco. Four thousand miles, 70 days and 10 stop days all will be spent biking across the country to raise $4,500 for the Ulman Cancer fund for Young Adults. Since the program’s expenses—such as accommodations and food—are covered through donations, all of the money goes straight to the Ulman Cancer Fund.

During those 70 days, Garber and other young adults will spend their time biking across the country while volunteering on their stop days. The bikers will volunteer in a multitude of ways during the 10 stop days. 

“We will be volunteering at hospitals with cancer patients, delivering chemo care bags and delivering scholarships,” Garber said. 

Garber is also helping those suffering from cancer by dedicating each of the 70 days to someone going through cancer. Garber will write their name on her calf and use it as motivation throughout the day.

“I’m honoring that person and using that as motivation to get through the day,” Garber said. “This is hard, but going through cancer is harder.”

Garber’s decision to involve herself in this 4K allowed her to kick start her passion for helping others and for making a difference. Her plans in the future include applying to AmeriCorps, where she could pursue her passion of helping people and communities. Garber’s experience studying abroad in Peru is another source of inspiration for her to consider applying for jobs working for non-profits in South America.

Until graduation, you can find Garber training for the 4K and raising money to participate.

Bakery owner opens business after vibrant travels

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Ruth Ann Lewis’ upbringing emphasized baking and a constant presence in the kitchen. After obtaining a business administration degree from Gordon College, Lewis traveled around the world before opening up Sweet Arts Bakery.

Owner of Sweet Arts Bakery on Main Street Ruth Ann Lewis not only makes delicious baked goods, but she also contributes her love and dedication to her craft to the entire Geneseo community. As a small business owner, baker, mother and artist, Lewis has accomplished a diverse number of things that inspire many others to go after what they love.

Her varied life experiences include horseback riding, crafting beautiful cakes and traveling the world to help others. These events have not only broadened her perspective on life, but have also instilled a work ethic in her—one that allows her to appreciate those around her.

While growing up in Utica, Lewis initially became interested in baking through her mother’s constant presence in the kitchen. From her single mother, Lewis learned both how to cook out of necessity and how to appease her interest in the kitchen. Lewis’ mother let her children explore their curiosity.

“She always let us play in the kitchen,” Lewis said. 

When she was young, Lewis’ father passed away in a plane crash, altering her perspective of the world and life decisions. It encouraged Lewis to further pursue her passions.

“We always had this idea that life is short,” Lewis said. “No matter how difficult, take advantage of what you enjoy and live your passions—and hopefully you can pay the rent while you’re doing it.”

After spending three years pursuing a degree in business administration at Gordon College, Lewis decided to drop out in 1986 to spend a few years traveling. 

Lewis lived in Australia for a year and worked on a mercy ship for three months. While traveling, Lewis built houses in Mexico, worked in the laundry room on the mercy ship and helped street kids in Australia. There, she saw what a person could do to make a difference in somebody’s life, which she marks as the inspiration for her taking the time to travel. 

Lewis moved to the Geneseo area in 1989 to train horses, working in stables around the area until she broke her leg. Then, she decided to settle down with her husband, who she met while he completed his masters in Geneseo. 

“I couldn’t keep up with the crazy schedule and realized I had to settle down,” Lewis said. 

It was once her children started school that Lewis decided to start her baking business.

Along the way, Lewis decided to complete her degree in business administration from Gordon College. Wherever Lewis lived, she took classes with a small business focus. Finishing her degree propelled her into taking her business to the next level.

“Even though I graduated from Gordon College, I took classes at nine different colleges to finish my degree,” Lewis said. 

Living with her family in Avon, Lewis developed a small business plan for a bakery that specialized in baking cakes and in participating in farmers’ markets. Through the farmers’ market in Geneseo, Lewis found the space and soon opened Sweet Arts in Geneseo in February 2015. 

Lewis cited her daughter Annie as the inspiration for naming the bakery Sweet Arts. 

“I really wanted to take the concept of cake as an art form,” Lewis said. “Annie said, ‘What about Sweet Arts?’ which worked!” 

Throughout the bakery, Lewis displays an array of visual art, which includes her uncle’s paintings from the Uganda water project as well as the photography of campus photographer Keith Walters ‘11. This helps her to support the community of Geneseo—just as they support her.

Lewis’ journey has certainly not been ordinary, but it has shaped her into someone who took her passions and experiences to create Geneseo’s own Sweet Arts.

Criminal prosecutor turned professor discusses political views

Although he began his career as a lawyer, lecturer of business law James Quinn has always enjoyed serving as an instructor and conductor of presentations. During Quinn’s 35 years of practicing corporate law, he most enjoyed conducting training sessions for business people. Quinn remembers such experiences fondly in 2010, when he retired but still considered himself “too young not to stay active.” As a young lawyer, Quinn spent more time in court early on in his career, where he worked as a criminal prosecutor. Quinn gained an appreciation for and new insight on human nature during his time in this position.

Transitioning from the criminal to the corporate field of law, Quinn acted as a general counsel for Carestream, and later spent 20 years at Kodak in Rochester. Since beginning his career as a professor of business law, Quinn has employed real life examples from his work experience as talking points in his lectures.

On the Geneseo campus, Quinn’s reputation carries with it a widespread myth: many students have come to believe that in 1969, Quinn received a personal invitation to the inauguration of President Richard Nixon. Hanging on his bathroom wall, Quinn does have an invitation to the Nixon inauguration, but did not receive this as a personal honor—rather, Quinn’s father-in-law, a senior military officer, had kept the memento.

To dispel rumors of his association with, and even affinity for, President Nixon, Quinn joked that even if he had personally received an invitation to the 37th inauguration, he probably would have declined and steered clear of the event. Indeed, the invitation has earned its place on the bathroom wall as a joke, emphasizing his distaste for Nixon, according to Quinn.

While Quinn does not reflect on President Nixon favorably, he identifies the current president, Barack Obama, as his favorite. Quinn regularly uses The New York Times, Politico and MSNBC to stay informed on events such as those leading up to this past election.

Reflecting on his favorite topics to cover in class, Quinn distinguishes alternative dispute resolution (mediation) and employment law—which he will teach this spring—as two top contenders. To reiterate the importance of employment law, Quinn connects the worker-boss dynamic to his strong convictions about diversity and inclusion, which he believes can advance with the right kind of legislation.

“The relationship between a person and the company for which he or she works is maybe the second or third biggest relationship that a person has, aside from marriages and parents,” Quinn said.

Having worked as both a lawyer and professor of law, Quinn maintains an interest in government; he shares the widespread feelings of concern and anxiety felt by many Americans following the election of President-elect Donald Trump.

Although he does not support Trump, Quinn acknowledges the logic behind TIME’s nomination of him as Person of the Year, and laments that Trump has gotten to a position where he can consider himself among the biggest and most influential global figures.

“No matter how you feel about who won and who lost [the 2016 presidential election] and no matter what Mr. Trump might try to do when he takes office, every person has the ability to decide when they wake up every morning how they want to treat other people and commit to honoring diversity and inclusion,” Quinn said. “There’s nothing the president can do to change that.”

Student dedicates time to volunteer work

Marie Henning’s short time on campus has not stopped her from making a big impact on the organizations she has joined here in Geneseo. As an economics major sophomore, her involvements vary from the ice hockey team to her sorority Delta Phi Epsilon to mission work outside of the Geneseo campus around the country. During Henning’s freshman year, she dove into a variety of activities on campus, starting with the national business fraternity Alpha Kappa Psi and the women’s ice hockey club.

“[Alpha Kappa Psi] gives me a social aspect, but also a professional aspect,” Henning said. “I’ve learned so much from that organization.”

Since Henning wanted to involve herself on campus and to meet different kinds of people, she joined the social sorority Delta Phi Epsilon to fulfill both objectives. Henning chose DPhiE because a friend from her hometown told her about it before coming to Geneseo.

“I clicked really well with the girls in Delta Phi Epsilon,” Henning said. “I knew it was the place for me.”

Although her first semester at Geneseo was rough due to the transition from high school to college, Henning eventually found her place through this plethora of activities. In addition to joining the ice hockey team and two different Greek organizations, Henning worked on the hall council in Onondaga Hall as the community service director.

Henning has always had an interest and a passion for community service. She became the community service coordinator for DPhiE, which even furthered her awareness. Henning has helped to coordinate many events, from the 5K in Geneseo to the Autumn Wingfest to even the basketball tournament with Sigma Nu Chi, a local fraternity on campus. The proceeds of the basketball game went to Toys for Tots.

“I’ve been able to make so many friends not just through Delta Phi Epsilon, but also through other Greek organizations,” Henning said.

Henning’s interest in community service goes beyond the Geneseo campus—she has been involved in mission work since her senior year of high school.

“For the past few years, I’ve done work in Arlington, Kentucky, which is one of the poorest counties in the United States,” Henning said. “This summer, I replaced a whole roof for a girl ... It was an amazing experience.”

While Henning has been doing mission work for a while, this winter she will be traveling outside the country for the first time. For two weeks, Henning will be helping the people and the country of Haiti with a national Catholic organization.

“Haiti just really stood out to me … especially after the earthquake,” Henning said. “Haiti’s in a state where they need a lot of help.”

Her involvement in community service and her choice of major have helped Henning to pinpoint her future aspirations. Volunteering, helping people and bettering their lives through community service have inspired Henning to continue in this path.

Henning is currently interested in obtaining a master’s degree in economics or business, so she can use her further knowledge to help people even more. Eventually, Henning wants to pursue a life of service.

“It’s what I want to do after graduation,” Henning said. “I want to join the Peace Corps, just do volunteer work for the rest of my life.”

Through Henning’s impressive involvement on campus and her commitment to community service, her presence on campus and in the world has helped others tremendously.

“I want to travel or live in third world countries to try to fix their economic systems because it’s something I’m so passionate about,” Henning said.

Geneseo Taskforce members impact student voter turnout

The recent work communication major junior Sarah Jane Phillips and mathematics major senior Katelyn Tzavelis completed with the Geneseo Taskforce of Voter Registration and Engagement highlights the numerous achievements in their Geneseo career. Their inspiring efforts to educate Geneseo students on their voting rights led to an 82 percent voter turnout for the presidential election. Phillips initially struggled with finding her place in Geneseo. In her freshman year, she joined the Geneseo Opportunity for Leadership Development program, which piqued her interest and kept her on the Geneseo campus. Shortly afterward, Phillips rushed her sorority Sigma Kappa.

“[Sigma Kappa has] been a life changing experience for me,” Phillips said. “It’s given me the confidence to be myself here.”

These two organizations allowed Phillips to shine on campus and to find her place over these past few years.

“I just love this college, I love this campus and I love the people here,” Phillips said. “I want to just give back and help as much as I can to make a difference.”

Tzavelis also initially had trouble getting used to small-town life in Geneseo after living in Brooklyn all her life. Her involvement on campus and her different interests have led to success that can be accredited to her dedication to the GOLD program.

Tzavelis completed every GOLD certificate in her freshman and sophomore years and became a GOLD mentor her junior year. Through the GOLD program, Tzavelis found her niche.

“I finally found my place and the people that I related most to,” Tzavelis said. “I credit the GOLD program for my happiness and time here at Geneseo.”

The GOLD program at Geneseo features workshops for eight different certificates on topics from diversity to professional development. Both Tzavelis and Phillips attribute their success in Geneseo from their beginnings in the GOLD program.

“I have really become a leader and who I am today and found my true passions because of the GOLD program,” Phillips said.

Associate Dean of Leadership and Service and Director of the GOLD Program Tom Matthews created the Taskforce in the fall of 2015, which allowed Tzavelis and Phillips to work on the voter registration project.

They both struggled to get people to help with the project in the beginning. A lot of the work started out slow, such as educating students about their rights as voters and helping them to register to vote. While they pitched a lot of ideas, many of them were also shut down.

The main idea of the Taskforce is to educate students about their voting rights and registration. The Taskforce educated Geneseo students about local candidates and even coordinated a “Meet and Greet” with the local candidates of Geneseo in the MacVittie College Union.

Through these different educational tactics, Tzavelis and Philips achieved their main goal, which Tzavelis said was to “educate and get everyone to exercise their right as a citizen and vote so their voices are heard.”

On the day of the election, Phillips and Tzavelis helped coordinate the voting booths at Kuhl Gymnasium, working from 5 a.m.-10 p.m. Through their extensive campaigning and educating students on registration and voting, they had an 82 percent voter turnout. Additionally, the voting process itself was very efficient.

“It’s a huge, huge success,” Tzavelis said. “Out of 1025 registered students, 984 voted. It solidified that our efforts and hard work wasn’t for nothing.”

While both Phillips and Tzavelis have made their mark on the Geneseo campus, their plans for the future shine just as bright as their successes here.

Tzavelis is graduating a semester early in December 2016. She will be attending graduate school in Michigan for a year to earn a degree in data analytics.

“It’s not about what your career choice is,” Tzavelis said. “You can have so many different passions in life … I can use data analytics in politics or in anything that can put everything together.”

Phillips currently works as an intern at Livingston County and takes interest in civic engagement as well as state and city government. Through working for the Taskforce, Phillips has realized the importance of giving back to your country.

“Hopefully I’ll be the first female president,” Phillips said.

Biracial, adopted student embraces his background

“Unconventional.” For business administration and psychology double major and marketing minor junior Lukais Sciandra, that is the one word that can sum him up.

“I don’t usually go by the book,” Sciandra said. “I think differently, and—from a superficial standpoint—I’m biracial, adopted, super young and my name isn’t even spelled right.”

Sciandra’s family adopted him when he was just three months old. Having three other adopted children—all of them of different ethnicities—Sciandra’s adopted family is very diverse. Sciandra’s adopted parents have always supported him and his adopted siblings through everything, from academic choices to Sciandra’s search for his birth family.

Early on in his academic career, Sciandra found that school did not pique his intelligence enough and subsequently ended up skipping a grade. “When I was in elementary school, I was very bored,” Sciandra said. “I mentioned this to my mom, so she signed me up to take some aptitude tests. The tests said that there would be no adverse effects to me skipping third grade. As an eight-year-old that sounded like a great idea, so my parents started looking at schools around Buffalo. Eventually we found one, and I entered as an eight-year-old fourth grader.”

While this was the right decision for him, Sciandra has mixed feelings about being the youngest in his grade. “I hadn’t thought about the implications of being a year younger than everyone in my class,” Sciandra said. “I was the last person to be able to drive, the last to work and, fun fact, I will not be 21 when I graduate from college. I will just have to make up for it with a belated celebration one month later, on my birthday!”

Sciandra also met his birth parents on his 19th birthday last summer. With the support of his adopted family and the help of the adoption agency, he tracked down and met his birth family.

“I really wanted to find out about myself,” Sciandra said. “I had sort of an identity crisis growing up, living in a home with so many different races. I guess I wanted to see myself in other people, physically and mentally. I just wanted to know who I looked like and see what I had gotten from them.”

Sciandra looks back on meeting his birth family with great fondness. They have provided him with another group of people to connect with, who are equally supportive of him. His birth mother even supported him before they formally met each other.

“She was able to find me on Facebook because of how uniquely my name is spelled,” Sciandra said. “She saw that I was playing varsity soccer in high school, and she actually came to a couple of my soccer games in Buffalo—her hometown. She didn’t come to meet me, but the thought that she came to show her support was really touching.”

His college life has not been devoid of meaningful experiences, either. Sciandra sees his pledging of the Kappa Sigma fraternity as his most memorable experience thus far. “Joining Kappa Sigma transformed my college experience for the better,” Sciandra said. “I was looking for a way to connect with other people and grow as a person; being in Kappa Sigma has really been a catalyst in my ability to achieve that goal.”

After college, Sciandra plans on utilizing his degree to pursue a career in marketing. To prepare for this, he has become a brand ambassador for Coca Cola and has plans to work on a co-op with Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceuticals.

Until he graduates, though, Sciandra can be found eating his favorite food—which is pasta—working hard on his marketing ideas and doing everything in his power to remain “unconventional.”

Statesmen DJ shares passion for electronic music, dance

For international relations major and Spanish minor sophomore Luke Gorka, music offers a form of communication that enables him to connect and share with those around him. At Geneseo, he accomplishes this through his job as a DJ at the Statesmen on the weekends. Gorka’s interest in DJing stemmed from his interest in electronic music—beginning in middle school—and through his brother’s influence. By his freshman year of high school, Gorka was already saving up money to buy his own music gear.

Gorka’s musical interests led him to start exploring the electronic music culture. Through resources such as online videos, he taught himself the logistics of DJing. “There is a difference between electronic dance music and just electronic music; electronic music is a wider umbrella than electronic dance music,” Gorka said. “Electronic dance music is a mainstream type of dance music that’s a variation of house music. It’s loud and usually pretty upbeat.”

Additionally, Gorka supplemented his knowledge of music by taking music lessons and a music theory class in high school. “When you know theory as a foundation of music, you can play anything,” Gorka said.

After enrolling at Geneseo, Gorka continued to channel his passion of DJing at the Statesmen. “When I came here, I talked to the management at the Statesmen,” Gorka said. “After playing a set for the manager, I was hired and have been playing basically every weekend since.”

Gorka described the popular student weekend destination akin to a second home, where he can have a great time all while doing one of his favorite hobbies. “I see the Statesmen as a crucial institution of Geneseo,” Gorka said. “Now that the IB and Kelly’s are gone, Geneseo needs a place where people can get together on the weekends … that is available and fun, and I try to make it that.”

Gorka also revealed that he appreciates the flexibility and the freedom that comes with being a DJ. Apart from the interpersonal connections, he shared that being a DJ allows him to creatively repurpose and reshape already produced music.

In addition to music, Gorka enjoys recreational dance. For him, there is something about the energy of dance that provides him with an alternative way of making connections. “I love to dance more than anything,” Gorka said. “Something about DJing and sharing that passion–—that love for music—really got to me.”

Gorka is equally passionate about language, as he has a long family history of studying foreign languages in addition to his passions for music and dance. His grandmother is a Francophile who studied and taught French, his father was a French major and his mother works as a Spanish teacher, according to Gorka. Furthermore, both of his sisters studied Spanish in college. “Everyone is into languages in my family, so I’m kind of following in their footsteps,” Gorka said.

Gorka’s appreciation for languages goes hand in hand with his desire to travel. Gorka plans on studying abroad in Peru in the spring of 2017.

When he’s not doing something related to school or music, Gorka delights in spending time with friends, FaceTiming and occasionally playing soccer. When asked to describe himself in one word, Gorka sums the essence of his personality and his love for music with “energy.”

He describes his fondest DJing memories, however, as being Halloween of 2015 at the Statesmen and at a fundraiser for his sister’s medical school class.

“It’s the moments when everyone screams, jumps and throws their hands up that make me come back to music,” Gorka said.

Local spice seller dedicated to Geneseo community

Loren Scott is a local spice seller at farmer’s markets, a garlic farmer, former mechanical engineer and a devoted member of the Geneseo community. Loren Scott and his wife, Sue Scott, are heavily involved in Geneseo and other towns not only through the yearly Santa Claus event, but also through ensuring affordable spice products to the college students with whom he has a great connection.

From a young age, Loren Scott has worked incredibly hard. His early financial situation motivated him to be this way throughout his entire life. One of eight kids, Loren Scott was initially going to join a seminary until his father passed away. When he turned 16, he began working odd jobs at drugstores to support his family.

“I started life poor,” Loren Scott said. “I didn’t want to be that way anymore.”

While work plays a central role in Loren Scott’s life, his wife is arguably the most important thing. When Loren Scott first met his wife in church, he immediately thought “she was a knockout” and it was love at first sight.

“My wife is my number one. She is the reason I do all this stuff,” Loren Scott said. “She’s still my best friend.”

In addition to meeting the love of his life, Loren Scott began working in Rochester for Sue Scott’s father in metal work.

“Soon, I became very good friends with Sue,” Loren Scott said. “We spilled everything to each other. Then I kept proposing to her. She said, ‘Why can’t we just be friends? Why ruin a good friendship?’ So it took me a little while, but I finally convinced her. I was 24 and she was 20 when we got married.”

Loren and Sue Scott are now celebrating their 51st anniversary. They have one daughter named Bonnie.

Meanwhile, Loren Scott decided to attend Rochester Institute of Technology to pursue a mechanical engineering degree. He did this while also working a full time job in the Quality Assurance department with Xerox. Although Loren Scott did not attend high school, he was able to earn his degree in engineering at age 28.

He then quit Quality Assurance in 1969 after 10 years and started his own service station, which had always been a dream of his. Until the energy crunch, Loren Scott maintained his business. Ultimately, however, he gave the business to his employees. He returned to Genesee Metal Stampings—his father-in-law’s business—for 10 years before deciding to retire in 1979.

Despite his retirement, Loren Scott stays actively involved in the community by maintaining a firewood business, working as a garlic farmer, participating in three farmer’s markets and the Exit Nine flea market. With a variety of talents and past careers, Loren Scott has experience with metal farming, mechanical engineering, sales service and more.

“The reason I’m doing [the market] is so [students] can graduate, get a good job and keep my social security going,” Loren Scott joked.

Loren Scott and his family have lived in Geneseo since 1969—just under 50 years—and have watched the town grow. Because of his and Sue Scott’s love for the town and the children, they volunteer their time as Mr. and Mrs. Claus once a year, always with heartwarming results.

“I’ve learned a lot of things while being Santa Claus,” Loren Scott said. “Don’t take kids for granted, and you can never assume anything about a family.”

Loren Scott’s dedication to the town of Geneseo and his many different career paths all stem from his hardworking character. His deep appreciation for life and his passion for helping people have molded him into a loving and kind human. Through his experiences, losses and triumphs, Loren Scott remains positive and open toward people.

“I just love life,” Loren Scott said. “I guess that’s me.”

Entrepreneurship professor brings extensive STEM knowledge, experience

VarnArsdale chair of the School of Business Judith Albers has shared her knowledge of entrepreneurship to the students here at Geneseo since 2013. Though Albers obtained a degree in chemistry, her varied range of passions and interests allowed her to pursue many different career paths, from analyses to teaching to entrepreneurship.

Originally from Rochester, Albers moved to North Carolina in 1974 to obtain her bachelor’s degree in chemistry at Duke University. After graduating, Albers moved to Minnesota, where she worked as a product development chemist at 3M. After a year in the workforce, Albers decided to continue her education and obtained her PhD in chemistry from Brandeis University in 1979.

Following her graduation from Brandeis University, Albers was unsure whether she wanted to further pursue her education or go into the industry. During the 1980s, entrepreneurship wasn’t well known, and therefore not considered by Albers.

“Entrepreneurship wasn’t available and it really wasn’t something that was being talked about,” Albers said.

Returning once again to academics, Albers accomplished her post-doctorate in chemistry at Princeton University. Albers decided that she wanted to go into something exciting that would pique her interest afterward, but was unsure of what field she wanted to work in.

After some research, Albers decided to go to Washington D.C., where she got a job as a defense analyst working for the Navy. In this position she analyzed data along with 200 other PhDs in statistics, engineering and math.

“It was something that sounded unique and interesting,” Albers said. “I also got the chance to live in Washington D.C. As a defense analyst, you get to do exciting things and get deployed in interesting places in the world, but you get to do it as a civilian.”

Albers worked for two years on a Pentagon assignment, where she became the first woman deployed out of the country to Italy from the Center for Naval Analyses. Albers spent two years in Naples. During her free time, she traveled all over the Mediterranean and Europe.

“[It was] one of the best experiences of my life,” Albers said. “It was really just wonderful.”

Upon returning to the United States, Albers’ husband was deployed to Maine, where she worked as a chemistry professor at Bates College for one year before returning to Rochester.

While doing research and asking people how she could connect her passions with a career, Albers decided to go into technology transfer, which involves applying scientific research skills into real world environments. This led to Albers working with the Trillium Group, where she became the co-manager of the University Technology Seed Fund.

After joining Excell Partners—a state-supported seed fund—Albers founded the Pre-Seed Workshop in 2004, which was an efficient two-and-a-half-day workshop that worked with university technologies. Rochester Institute of Technology, Cornell University, Syracuse University and every other major university in New York all picked up Albers’ program.

While the Pre-Seed Workshop remained successful, by 2013 the constant traveling had become difficult, so Albers decided to apply for the entrepreneurship professor opening at Geneseo.

“I had some hesitations about undergraduates and liberal arts due to my extensive studies at larger universities,” Albers said. “But, it was just a very appealing prospect.”

Albers turned her Pre-Seed Workshop into a class at Geneseo and introduced entrepreneurship to Geneseo students. Since Albers joined Geneseo, the program has found high levels of success and popularity. Many students go on to participate in the incubator program over the summer.

In addition to being a well-known professor in Geneseo’s School of Business, Albers is a pioneer as the school’s first entrepreneurship professor. With her diverse background, Albers demonstrates that entrepreneurship is for anyone and teaches skills that can be used in any field, for any major. Her varied careers and experience solidify her standing as an incredibly educated, inspiring and kind person whose presence is immensely valued in the Geneseo community.

Business professor recounts anecdotes, life lessons to students

Adjunct lecturer of the School of Business Robert Vlosky not only teaches marketing and advertising at Geneseo, but also imparts knowledge about his life experiences to his students. From photography to working in the Navy to lessons on cooking, Vlosky’s multitude of interests allows him to be well versed in every field in which he involves himself.

Growing up in downstate New York, Vlosky developed a love for photography in high school. Vlosky attended Rochester Institute of Technology where he majored in photography—although he recounted that he participated more in “beer and partying” during his college years.

After just one year at RIT, however, Vlosky decided to join the United States Navy. Vlosky returned in 1978 to rejoin RIT, this time making the Dean’s List. After graduating in 1981, he returned to the U.S. Navy.

While in the Navy, Vlosky compiled a variety of experiences, close relationships and interesting stories. One particularly remarkable story chronicles how he almost—accidentally—started a conflict with Japan. Vlosky was a tactical aviator and bombardier-navigator in an A-6 intruder attack jet with his pilot near the coast of Japan during the Cold War. Russian fighters began shooting down fighter aircrafts, so Vlosky and his crew had to be very wary of other aircrafts.

“We were intercepted by the Japanese defense force fighters,” Vlosky said. “When the Japanese aircrafts joined on us, we didn’t know who they were, and it almost turned into something.”

Vlosky worked a total of 12 years in the U.S. Navy and Army Reserves. While he enjoyed being in the military, Vlosky left due to his obligation to his family. His last duty station was the Naval Reserve Officers’ Training Corporation unit at Savannah State College as a teacher, where he discovered his love for educating.

In 1990, Vlosky left the Navy to attend Wake Forest University to obtain his master’s degree in business administration, which helped him acquire valuable business skills and sparked his passion for business.

Once he received his MBA, Vlosky worked at a number of jobs, including Sara Lee Corporation, Planters Lifesavers Co., Now & Later, Brach Candy, Canandaigua Wine Company and—for a year in 1997—Kodak. Vlosky then started his own photonics tech company in Rochester, which he later sold.

After selling his company, he became more involved in teaching at RIT, and eventually at Nazareth College, Saint John Fisher College and Geneseo. The dean of Nazareth College was the one who referred Vlosky to Geneseo.

“Here I’m teaching marketing principles and advertising and promotion, and then I teach 14 different classes at the different colleges—all business [courses],” Vlosky said.

In addition to teaching, marketing and business, Vlosky enjoys culinary arts. He not only worked in several food service establishments in the past, but he also makes his own cheese. Vlosky spends his time making his own charcuterie and even built a pizza oven once in his backyard. His other hobbies include stamp collecting, furniture building and photography.

“Over the years, I’ve done a lot of different things and they’ve helped me grow in a lot of different ways. The one thing I like about teaching is that I bring all those experiences to the classroom.” Vlosky said. “You know, I’ve done a lot of things in different industries … and I try and use those experiences in the classroom—I can relate to real world events for the students.”

Iraq refugee finds solace in studies, security in America

Born and raised in Iraq, adjunct lecturer of Arabic Akil Aljaysh has a passion for learning, teaching and being a positive influence in people’s lives. Aljaysh experienced many hardships in life, all while still maintaining his enthusiastic outlook. Growing up in the countryside outside of Basra, Iraq, Aljaysh loved cars so much that he decided to pursue mechanical engineering. Despite Aljaysh’s dreams, though, he could not pursue this path due to the restrictive Iraqi government. Instead, he went on to receive his bachelor’s degree in education and graphic design, as well as a master’s degree in geology.

Aljaysh’s passion for learning and teaching drove him to study at multiple institutions throughout his life. Due to the stifling environment and dangerous circumstances, however, he had to leave Iraq in order to ensure the wellbeing of himself and his family, which was an incredibly difficult transition.

Before leaving, Aljaysh’s father encouraged him to leave for his safety. “If you love me, don’t ever come back while Sadam Hussein is here,” Aljaysh recounted his father’s words. “And don’t ever think that Iraq is the only country you have.”

Nevertheless, the Iraqi government jailed Aljaysh for a year for making jokes against Hussein before forcing him to leave the country with just a temporary passport. Aljaysh went on to live in Syria, Jordan and Lebanon. While Aljaysh felt comfortable in Lebanon, he didn’t feel safe returning to Iraq. Aljaysh applied to and received a job with the United Nations, which offered him his only way out of the Middle East. With this job, Aljaysh moved to America where he finally felt at home.

“[Lebanon] was a base country for me; I felt really comfortable there,” Aljaysh said. “When I came [to America] after a year, I was like, this is my country. That’s it, I can’t go anywhere else.”

After moving from country to country and finally settling down in America, Aljaysh went on to receive his education at Rochester Institute of Technology, Monroe Community College and Pennsylvania State University for a curriculum design certificate before coming to Geneseo.

After working at Geneseo for the past eight years, Aljaysh has become a favorite professor of many students. Despite all the hardships in his life, humor became his coping mechanism, a quality that his students love about him.

“I’ve become very, very sensitive,” Aljaysh said. “To be honest with you, the most difficult thing for me to see are people crying. I try my best to make people laugh, and have a happy moment for the time I’m with them.”

As a refugee from Iraq, Aljaysh understands the struggles of coming to a new country with next to nothing. Furthermore, Aljaysh has used his firsthand experience starting over to work with refugees.

“Refugees can do a lot if they have the opportunity,” Aljaysh said. “I believe in people who are coming from the outside.”

Aljaysh’s optimism and humor pushes him through every difficulty he faces.

“When life squeezes you to the limit … there are two outcomes of that. Either you start hating everybody, or you become really sensitive to people, and you just want to see people happy,” he said. “Because [of] what you’ve been through, you don’t wish it on anybody … I’ve been put in jail, I’ve been tortured, so I’ve become very, very sensitive.”

Local bartender drops out of Geneseo, pursues passion for breweries

Born and raised in Letchworth State Park, Steve Parker is the bartender and manager at the infamous Idle Hour bar on Center St. in Geneseo. He is going on his fourth year of employment at the establishment and has since moved from Letchworth to reside in the Geneseo Village. A former chemistry and education major at Geneseo, Parker originally intended to become a high school chemistry teacher before realizing his true passion for breweries. He subsequently dropped out of Geneseo as a sophomore and—after the Idle Hour owner saw him picking up kegs—was offered a position at the bar.

Parker accepted, and has since become a familiar face to all bar goers in town.

“When I was doing my student teaching here at Geneseo, I realized that teaching wasn’t for me,” Parker said. “Working at a bar for the past four years has made me realize my passion for breweries and beer.”

Parker started at the Idle carrying kegs, later becoming a bouncer, bartender and eventually, manager. Parker’s passion for breweries is very apparent—one of his favorite hobbies is trying different types of beer. He estimates that over the course of his life he has tasted a thousand types of beer. In addition, he uses an app called “Untapped,” which is, in Parker’s words, “Facebook for beer.”

When Parker is not bartending, he also enjoys playing rugby. During his time at Geneseo, Parker was a member of Geneseo men’s rugby team and now works as their head coach.

“I’ve been a coach for three years,” Parker said in a phone interview. “I started off as an assistant coach, which I did for two years, and this year I became the head coach of the team.”

As a bartender, Parker has witnessed numerous crazy instances during his time at the Idle. He recounted one incident where a man in a wheelchair stood up and started asking if he could pick people up over his shoulder.

When asked about fake ID’s—an inevitable problem in a college town—Steve laughed and told a particularly interesting story. He recounted that as a bouncer, one must hold ID’s under a hologram light to verify authenticity. When examined under the light, one particular ID read, “This is a fake.” Parker found this humorous and handed it back to the student, questioning how much he paid for the ID. The student replied, “$100.”

Around closing time at work, Parker enjoys playing metal—his favorite genre of music, while friends and regular customers stop in to visit. He mentioned playing Tiny Tim’s “Tiptoe Through the Tulips” for fun, although now it probably signals closing time to customers.

With plenty of interesting stories to share, Parker made it clear that the Idle remains a great place to go—legally, of course.

Correction: September 23, 2016

The original headline for this article read that Steve Parker dropped out of college. Parker graduated from Genesee Community College in 2015 with associate's degrees in chemistry and education transfer. 

Japanese exchange student hitchhikes to Yellowstone

Originally hailing from the countryside of Shiga, Japan, communication major junior Kenta Ogaki pursues the new semester at Geneseo with a plan: to help as many people as he can reach. While this aspiration resonates with many college students, Ogaki’s motivation originates from a unique personal journey. At 19 years old, Ogaki—having just finished his first semester exams—saw a photo of Yellowstone National Park and devised a plan to hitchhike across the country from his residence in Yonkers, NY.

“Most people don’t think Montana and Wyoming have many things, at least compared to New York and California,” Ogaki said. “But if you open your eyes to the culture, you’ll see really great things.”

Borrowing the idea to hitchhike from a similar trip that his father took through South America, Ogaki began his expedition in Vancouver, British Columbia. There he witnessed the extraordinary colors of the Northern Lights, all before heading toward his ultimate destination: Yellowstone National Park. Without a travel companion or his parent’s knowledge, Ogaki embarked on his journey with a 40-pound backpack containing four shirts, one coat, a pair of jeans, snow-boots, a hat and no more than $500.

“I couldn’t say, ‘Could you give me a ride?’ so I would get in the car and just say, ‘East,’” Ogaki said.

For food and drink, he stopped at gas stations to buy his typical meal—a Hershey’s chocolate bar—and relied on the goodwill of strangers during the Christmas season. Lacking enough money to stay in a motel every night, Ogaki often found himself sleeping on the streets. Here, he befriended the homeless, who advised him on survival techniques and even gave him cardboard to use as makeshift protection until the morning.

“If you travel and don’t have money, you get the chance to connect with the people around you,” Ogaki said.

After reaching Yellowstone, Ogaki planned to sleep in the park despite the frigid winter temperatures. He quickly had to devise a new plan, however, when a police officer informed him of the necessary camping fee before promptly escorting him to the gates.

Over his month-long travels, Ogaki estimated that he encountered more than 100 strangers, who, moved by kindness, offered him food, shelter and new cultural perspectives. Having grown up in Japan, Ogaki had not seen a gun before accepting an invitation into the home of a Montana man.

Reflecting on his experience, Ogaki revealed that of his five weeks spent traveling, his fondest memory manifested from what at first felt like the worst Christmas ever. With no stores open on Christmas, Ogaki hitchhiked 90 miles to the nearest McDonald’s, where he met a random woman standing outside. Insisting that even the next town over was too far away on Christmas, this Good Samaritan invited him into her home to partake in a traditional family party and he ultimately spent the night. To this day, Ogaki remains in contact with this woman, whom he credits with saving his life.

Before leaving for this trip, Ogaki hardly spoke English—he picked up his conversational and colloquial knowledge of the language from interacting with the strangers who reached out to him along the way.

Contemplating the personal transformation that he experienced during his expedition, Ogaki advises anyone with a similar sense of wanderlust to follow their impulses during the summer—a time when a person can sleep outside more comfortably—and to approach foreign cultures with an open mind and vulnerable perspective.