Leading
edge
Alumni say campus
activities provided an advantage after graduation
Education is more
than what can be learned in the classroom, library or lab.
Involvement in other areas of campus life – student government,
athletics, clubs, volunteer projects – often proves as
important as academic success.
Those commitments
require time and energy – commodities always in short
supply when also juggling the demands of a typical RIT course
load and, often, a job.
We caught up with
some former RIT student leaders who say the extra effort paid
off.
Vasilios “Bill” Salamandrakis ’96
“On one hand,
RIT is a big university,” recalls Vasilios “Bill” Salamandrakis ’96
(imaging science). “But it’s also a small community.
There are a lot of opportunities to get involved.”
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| Bill Salamandrakis ’96 |
A presidential scholarship
brought Salamandrakis to RIT – and into contact with RIT
administrators. He worked in the Student Ombuds Office (recently
renamed the Student Office for Problem Resolution) with Barry
Culhane, now executive assistant to President Albert Simone. Salamandrakis
also helped organize the Liberty Hill breakfast series, which
brings people from within and outside RIT together at President
Simone’s home for presentations on a wide variety of topics.
The guest speakers and audiences range from local civic and business
leaders to nationally prominent figures.
“You got to
meet some very interesting people,” says
Salamandrakis. “That was often a very power-packed
room.”
By graduation, Salamandrakis
had decided to become an attorney. He received a law degree
from George Washington University in 1999 and joined Bryan
Cave LLP in Washington, D.C.
“With my technology
background, my intention was to sally forth and
become a patent attorney. But life opens other doors.” Bryan
Cave is a very large, full-service firm and Salamandrakis
had the opportunity to work on a variety of assignments,
including corporate law. Especially satisfying,
he says, are his pro bono efforts on behalf of a non-profit
agency called Kidsfirst Inc. These days, most of
his work is in real estate and commercial transactions.
Just for fun, he’s
taken up motorcycles. A trip through the Italian Alps is scheduled
for this year. Already fluent in Greek (his parents were born
in Greece), he’s
taking Italian and would like to learn Russian or possibly
Arabic.
It all adds up to
a very busy lifestyle, but this is nothing new for Salamandrakis “RIT
does instill a heck of a work ethic in you.” he says. “I
enjoy it.”
Henry Freedman ’75
“I’m an
inventor, basically,” explains
Henry Freedman ’75 (printing and
photographic science).
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| Henry Freedman ’75 |
He earned that remarkable
job description in his student years at RIT when he came up with
a revolutionary single-bath process for developing lithographic
film. That innovation led to 22 credits in photographic science
and engineering with an “A” grade average from Professor
Burt Carol, an Eastman Kodak scholarship, a fellowship
from the Technical Association of Graphic Arts and a Graphic Arts
Technical Foundation scholarship at RIT.
Besides his exceptional
work in and out of the classroom on
printing and imaging projects, Freedman was deeply
involved in the student hearing board
with Fred Smith, now secretary of the
institute and assistant to the president,
and Stan McKenzie, now provost.
“I
was a defender,” notes Freedman
who handled close to 50 cases over
two years. “It was interesting
work, and worthwhile, I think.” The
board handled student offenses
that might otherwise have required
intervention by law enforcement agencies.
After
first being introduced to the Washington,
D.C., area by the National Security
Agency in 1975, the 3M Corporation
awarded Freedman a graduate research
fellowship to attend George Washington
University, where he received an MBA in government
and business and had a combined course program
with the GWU School of Law. Freedman researched
unexpected consequences of emerging communications technologies
as they related to public policy. “In
my graduate thesis, I foresaw that
printing would go electronic,” Freedman
says.
In 1977 he received
a $150,000 research grant from the National
Science Foundation for evaluating
the long-term impact of printing-on-demand
systems. He developed the first
courses in the United States on
electronic printing and taught
these at the GWU School of Engineering
and Applied Science until 1985. Freedman was
elected director of the Washington,
D.C., chapter of
The Society of Photographic
Scientists and Engineers, whose
members comprise the leading
imaging scientists at NASA, Department
of Defense, civilian agencies
and their system contractors
who run highly
advanced and complex imaging
systems for
national needs.
In 1989, Freedman
received a U.S. patent for
his “invention
automating interconnection
of printing requestors with printing
manufacturing facilities.” This “pioneering
patent” anticipated
the development of e-commerce
and business-to-business online
commerce – ideas that
became reality with the dot-com
revolution. Freedman’s
insight resulted in a highly
successful patent licensing
business. Hundreds of millions
of dollars of printing are
processed using Freedman’s
patented method.
That success
provided him the means to
pursue a wide variety of business
and academic interests. He
consults with major companies
in the area of imaging and printing
technologies. He edits, publishes
and has written over 400 articles
in his publication Technology
Watch, a newsletter for the graphic
arts and information industries.
He is a frequent visitor at RIT, where
he is especially interested in the
development of the public policy program
in the College of Liberal Arts, particularly
as it could pertain to scientists and
engineers.“RIT has a wonderful opportunity to leverage
this effort to all areas
of campus,” he explains. “I’d
like to see that happen.”
Regarding
his own success, Freedman
says, “There’s
a formula for luck. It’s
the intersection of opportunity
and preparedness. RIT was
a key element in that formula
for me. I feel very good
about the university and
I want the best for it.”
Danielle Lacey Lazor ’97
At RIT, Danielle Lacey Lazor ’97
(food management) helped organize the annual “Puttin’ on
the RITz” galas,
served as a student manager in catering with the food service
department, and interned with Cindee Gray, now director of community
relations and special events.
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| Bobby Lazor and Danielle Lacey Lazor ’97 |
“I remember planning
a picnic for 1,000 at President Simone’s house,” she
says. “I thought that was huge.”
Last
year, Lazor organized a gala dinner for 13,000 as part of the
Microsoft Global Convention in New Orleans – a 10-day
extravaganza that brought in $5 million for her company. As
regional director of special events for industry giant Aramark
Corp., Lazor works all over the world on projects ranging from
the Olympics to the Democratic National Convention.
“It’s
grown into something beyond my comprehension,” says
Lazor, who has worked for Aramark for six years. “The largest
conventions we have, I help plan.”
In 2002, she helped launch
Aramark’s Aventura division,
specializing in high-end events and off-premises catering.
Aventura has offices in Los Angeles, Houston, New Mexico and
Phoenix, which Lazor and her husband call home, although they’re
away much of the year. Bobby Lazor is a professional basketball
player who has built his career with teams overseas. They’ve
lived in France, Italy, and Puerto Rico. This season, he’ll
be working in South Korea.
In fact, the planning of their own
wedding in Phoenix was complicated by the fact that they were
living in Japan at the time. She worked out details and hired
a consultant. “That was a fun event,” she
recalls. The site was a basic box with a concrete floor. “That’s
really exciting to me, like starting with a blank canvas. You
can design whatever you want.”
That’s very much
like the RITz events. “I think working
on that for three years made me crazy about special events.
RIT was an environment where you can make mistakes, learn from
your mistakes and grow. You grow wings.”
Jessica Gugino ’00
Jessica Gugino ’00 (international
business) was studying in England when she heard that Sean Bratches ’84
(business administration) was visiting RIT to speak about his
career at ESPN, the television sports network.
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| Jessica Gugino ’00 |
She was disappointed
that she would miss the chance to meet him. “I knew I wanted
to do something like that, something in sports,” says Gugino,
an outstanding athlete who started at second base on RIT’s
winning women’s softball team for four years, and was captain
during her senior year.
Back at RIT, a marketing
class assignment to shadow a sales representative gave Gugino
a reason to contact Bratches. “I persistently
pursued him,” she says. She got approval to spend a day
not with Bratches, but with an ESPN rep who works in the Rochester
area.
“That day there was a huge snowstorm, so he couldn’t
get here,” she says. But the contacts led to an internship,
and then an entry-level job. Three years later, Gugino is an
account executive with ESPN’s Eastern Division, Affiliate
Advertising Sales and New Business. From ESPN headquarters in
Bristol, Conn., she travels to Virginia, the Carolinas, Georgia,
South Florida and Puerto Rico to work with sales staff in local
cable companies.
“It’s the greatest job,” she
says. “I’m
working for the greatest company, and for the greatest guy.” That’s
Sean Bratches, now executive vice president of affiliate sales
and marketing – she finally did get to meet him. “He’s
really inspirational.”
A native of Pulaski, a small town
in upstate New York, Gugino says she chose RIT “first for
academics but also to play softball.” These days, she plays
some basketball and is trying to redesign her baseball swing
to drive golf balls – a
new passion.
She’s also working on an MBA, and hopes to
take on more responsibility at work.
“Learning new skills,
taking classes, additional responsibilities – Professor
(Philip) Tyler called it ‘sharpening the saw,’ ” says
Gugino. “It’s important to keep challenging yourself.”
John ’91 and Kristine ’90 Simmons
After graduation,
Kristine Mamula Simmons ’90 (professional
and technical communication) went to work for the House Committee
on Government Reform and Oversight in Washington, D.C. A year
later, John Simmons ’91 (business administration, finance)
followed her to the nation’s capital, taking a job in the
office of Congressman James T. Walsh (R-Syracuse).
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| Kristine ’90 and John ’91 Simmons and their
children Caroline and Jack pay a visit to Kristine’s
former boss, President George W. Bush. |
A dozen years later,
they have carved notable careers in public service – including
Kristine’s year as a Special Assistant to President George
W. Bush for Domestic Policy.
“It
was a wonderful experience,” she says, “but
a challenge when you have little children.” She left the
White House in April 2002 to spend more time with Jack, now 4,
and Caroline, 6. She has a part-time job as vice president for
government affairs for the Partnership for Public Service, a non-profit
organization that, according to its Web site, “works to make
the government an employer of choice for talented, dedicated Americans
through educational outreach, research, legislative advocacy and
partnerships with agencies on workforce management issues.”
John
Simmons, after a decade with Congressman Walsh, joined Akin Gump
Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP as a senior advisor.
“I help
clients forge relationships on Capitol Hill,” he
says. “I help them tell their story and guide them through
the process.” He’s represents the State University
of New York, Native American interests, defense contractors,
and local communities concerned about proposed military base
closings in 2005.
Both Simmonses say RIT put them on the road
to Washington. Through his involvement in Theta Xi fraternity,
Greek Council and Student Government, John says, “I learned
how to work with the administration. I learned I enjoyed serving
the community.”
RIT gave him a particular advantage when
he applied for a job with Congressman Walsh’s office. Simmons
started as a biotechnology major before transferring to the College
of Business and had a good deal of science and technical background. “That
made me stand out,” he says. He was initially hired as “legislative
assistant and systems administrator.”
Kristine, also
active in Student Government, worked with John to help establish
the Horton Distinguished Speaker Series. They felt RIT, as
a technical institute, needed more opportunities for political
discussions. Among the early visitors was former President
Jimmy Carter.
At RIT they became deeply intrigued by government
service. They still are. John, in fact, admits that he may someday
be interested in running for public office.
“The goal is
influencing public policy to help people,” says
Kristine, “to make our country the best place it can be
for everyone. That’s what motivates us.”
Melissa “Missy” Vasilev ’01
As an undergrad,
Melissa “Missy” Vasilev ’01
accomplished a great deal: Nathaniel Rochester Society scholar,
inducted into Alpha Sigma Lambda honorary society, president
of the RIT chapter of American Marketing Association, Vice
President of Finance for Delta Phi Epsilon Sorority, active in
Lowenthal Group (the College of Business student organization).
But her work with Student Government was especially rewarding.
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| Melissa Vasilev ’01 |
“It was a really
good crash course in working with people who were older than me,”
says Vasilev, now an Account Executive at J.Brown/LMC Group, a
co-marketing agency in Stamford, Conn., where she’s worked
since graduation.
Among her many experiences
as an SG Representative-at-Large during her junior year, Vasilev
participated in a presentation to the RIT Board of Trustees,
urging additional financial backing for student activities. “We
had to understand how the system works, how to walk the walk
and, as students, present ourselves in a manner to earn respect
and make an impact in the world of senior RIT administration.”
It
was a successful time for Student Government, which brought major
speakers including Colin Powell to campus and launched a creative
advertising campaign featured on the back page of the Reporter
(the weekly student publication) for multiple weeks. Vasilev
also had the opportunity to plan the annual Student Government
banquet with a $10,000 budget – “which was a lot
for a college kid.”
Today, that amount doesn’t seem
so large. Vasilev develops and executes co-marketing programs
for many high profile clients, including Kraft Foods and the
Slim-Fast Foods Company. Her greatest efforts to date are focused
on the development of client specific programming, specifically
for Wal-Mart. “I work a lot,” Vasilev
admits, “but it’s tremendously rewarding.”
Not
so different from her days at RIT.
Kathy Lindsley
