Class Notes

Name: Lavanya Ashok Swaminathan

Class Year(s): 2019

Note: Following graduation, Lavanya Ashok Swaminathan MS ’22 became part of Intel, where she has been employed for the last few years. Her experience at RIT played a crucial role in developing her career, equipping her with a robust understanding of manufacturing engineering and readying her for the ever-evolving challenges within the tech sector. As she looks back on her experiences, she feels thankful for the chances she’s had to grow and learn at both RIT and Intel. The encouragement and support from mentors, coworkers, and friends have been essential in guiding her through her career journey. She looks forward to continuing to break new ground and making significant contributions to the field.

Submitted on: July 18, 2025

Name: Fred Neveu

Class Year(s): 1968,1970

Note: Fred Neveu BS ’70 (CIAS) published a book in 2023 called, SEEING BEAUTY; A LIFETIME OF LANDSCAPE PHOTOGRAPHY.

Submitted on: July 18, 2025

Name: Liz Platt

Class Year(s): 2016

Note: In 2024, Liz Platt BS ’16 was appointed director of individual giving at New World Symphony, America’s Orchestral Academy, in Miami Beach, FL—an organization that prepares graduates of music programs for leadership roles in professional orchestras and ensembles worldwide. She previously held development positions at Pérez Art Museum Miami, Memorial Art Gallery, and the University of Rochester, where she advanced fundraising initiatives in the arts and higher education. In addition to her nonprofit work, Liz is an experienced ceramic artist with a background in exhibiting at regional art fairs and teaching community pottery classes. She lives in Miami with her husband, Geoff Platt, a practicing glass artist and professor.

Submitted on: July 16, 2025

Name: Michelle Mary Schaefer

Class Year(s): 2013

Note: Award-Winning filmmaker and actor, Michelle Mary Schaefer MS ’13, has established Annabelle Louise Productions, an Award-Winning Production Company, a grassroots company that values authentic stories where representation matters. The company is dedicated to bringing diverse and compelling narratives to audiences worldwide. https://www.forbes.com/sites/cherylrobinson/2025/02/13/the-inclusivity-conversation-needs-to-include-the-deaf-community-especially-in-hollywood/ https://www.annabellelouiseproductions.com

Submitted on: July 16, 2025

Name: Celia Mercovich

Class Year(s): 2021

Note: Celia Mercovich BS ’21 and Gabriel von Kessel BS ’21, both Physics majors, were married in January 2024 after meeting in the Honors Program.

Submitted on: July 15, 2025

Name: Omkar and Apeksha Bhalekar

Class Year(s): 2020

Note: Same course, same house, same endless deadlines, RIT was the backdrop to the best year of the lives of Omkar Bhalekar MS ’20 and Apeksha Bamniya MS ’22 . They started as friends, survived group projects and late-night study marathons, and somewhere along the way, love sneaked in. RIT molded them, not just as professionals, but as partners ready to face the world together. What began as classmates and housemates turned into a marriage built on friendship, respect, and shared dreams.

Submitted on: July 15, 2025

Name: Michael Glenn

Class Year(s): 1970

Note: Michael Glenn BS ’70 retired after 55 years of printing sales in the Capital District of NYS.

Submitted on: July 14, 2025

Name: Ronald Klimley

Class Year(s): 1983

Note: Ronald Klimley BS ’86 was named one of three vice presidents on the Board of Directors of the American Philatelic Society.

Submitted on: July 14, 2025

Name: Deb Peluso

Class Year(s): 2004

Note: Deb Peluso BFA ’04 and Karen Rhodes BS ’91 won 1st place in the 2025 National Federation of Press Women Professional Communications Contest. They won for the Communications Programs and Campaigns award for their crisis communications submission, Converse University Hurricane Helene Response.

Submitted on: July 14, 2025

Name: Maryah Glover

Class Year(s): 2019

Note: Maryah Glover BS ’19 joined the University of Minnesota’s MICaB program in 2023 and recently passed her qualifying exam to become a Ph.D. candidate in Immunology!

Submitted on: July 14, 2025