Gifts in Action: A Donor Newsletter - September 2024

We’re so grateful for donor investment in the scholarships and purposeful programming that make up RIT’s Center for Leadership and Civic Engagement. Every day, our Tigers develop their leadership skills and participate in thoughtful interactions that examine new perspectives.

Keep reading to learn how your support helps empower students to become active, engaged citizens who are prepared to tackle complex societal challenges and make significant contributions to their communities and workplaces alike.

Sarah Hong BS ’25, a senior from Utica, N.Y. majoring in nutritional sciences, arrived at RIT after earning her associate’s degree in nutrition and dietetics from a community college. While her previous institution had provided a solid foundation in her field of study, she was eager for new challenges and opportunities. RIT’s renowned co-op programs and vibrant campus landscape introduced her to the next chapter. She was determined to make the most of her experience and quickly realized that being proactive and getting involved in extracurricular activities would be key to integrating into her new environment and making a meaningful impact.

“I was nervous about transferring to a new school at first, especially because RIT is so much larger than where I was before, but I was very excited about all of the student clubs and organizations that were offered here,” Sarah shares. “The community and the countless ways to get involved made the transition smoother.”

One of Sarah’s first steps was to join the Asian Culture Society. Her leadership skills were immediately apparent, and within a short period, she was elected to the e-board and became an executive assistant and, later, a member of the fundraising committee. In these roles, Sarah worked to help increase the club’s visibility and membership and supported endeavors to increase the group’s funding.

Her enthusiasm for leadership didn’t stop there. Sarah became rigorously involved in other student clubs and organizations, including her work as a research assistant, treasurer for the College of Science African American, Latin American, Asian American, and Native American (COS ALANA) Group, and STEAM coach for the STEP Program. Additionally, Sarah took her first trip with Alternative Break, offered through RIT’s Center for Leadership and Civic Engagement, in the spring of 2024. She and the other participants worked alongside community organizations and local leaders to restore hiking trails at Cloudland Canyon State Park in Georgia.

“The trip was very eye-opening. I learned a lot about the environment and about the obstacles the trail maintenance communities are faced with. I also really enjoyed bonding with the locals and my peers,” she says.

Beyond Alternative Break, volunteerism in other forms has been prominent in Sarah’s schedule over the last few years. She has served as both a student mentor and student volunteer for various programs within the Collegiate Science Technology Entry Program (CSTEP) and completed a variety of volunteer projects with local hospitals and at healthcare clinic events. She has been awarded several merit-based scholarships for her extracurricular commitments and dedication to servant leadership.

Sarah has maintained excellent academic performance as well and attributes much of her success to the skills she developed through her leadership and volunteer roles, including time management, strategic planning, problem-solving, and cultural awareness. Last academic year, Sarah was one of seven students admitted into the RIT Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program in anticipation of pursuing post-baccalaureate education, particularly a doctorate degree. Furthermore, she has eagerly completed more than 10 certifications outside of the required coursework for her major, mostly through the Saunders College of Business, Albert J. Simone Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, and the CITI Program.

“I think that business skills and leadership programs are very important for STEM majors,” she shares. “As a first-generation college student, I’m grateful to have so many opportunities to learn and get involved. I’m thankful for donor support of the programs that help me learn outside of the classroom, as well as for the scholarship support that recognizes my service to others. Thank you!”

When John Curley ’25 transferred to RIT to pursue a degree in new media design, little did he know that his path would extend far beyond the classroom walls. Armed with a passion for creativity and a drive to make a difference, John quickly found himself deeply immersed in not just his academic pursuits but also a leadership program that would shape his college experience in profound ways.

“I wasn’t happy in the graphic design program I was enrolled in at my previous university. After researching some other schools and the things I was interested in learning more about, like 3D and product design, I made the decision to transfer my sophomore year,” John says. “I knew it was the right decision and that RIT was the right place for me. It felt great to be around like-minded people who were also forward-thinkers. I felt a strong sense of community at RIT from the start. Moving here from another university gave me a lot of perspective, and I made it my goal to make the absolute most out of it.”

Upon arriving at RIT, John wasted no time in exploring opportunities beyond his coursework. He discovered the momentum program, a three-part series offered through RIT’s Center for Leadership and Civic Engagement, designed to cultivate leadership skills among students through a portfolio of development workshops, mentorship, and hands-on projects.

Intrigued by the prospect of harnessing his full potential while connecting with ambitious peers, John eagerly joined momentum. It proved to be a transformative experience. He acquired invaluable insights into communication, teamwork, problem-solving, social awareness, advocacy, and personal leadership identity that complemented his academic studies.

"It wasn't just learning about ‘belonging,’" John reflects. "momentum is about applying leadership concepts in real-world scenarios and seeing the impact firsthand. The courses taught me how to initiate social change and gave me the chance for self-reflection. I determined what characteristics and qualities I really appreciate in others and what attributes about myself that I would like to be recognized.”

One of the highlights of John's involvement with momentum stems from an activity in which he was asked to discern ways in which he felt both privileged and marginalized. By completing this exercise and hearing from other students, John gained an understanding of how his self-perceived advantages could help others and how he could make a difference by acting as an ally.

Beyond momentum, John participates in the New Media Club and UX Club and enjoys rock climbing at RIT’s Red Barn. He is continuing a summer co-op at MAGIC Spell Studios this fall and hopes to combine his two strongest interests—design and leadership—to pursue a career in the mitigation of textile waste after graduation.

Additionally, he dreams of taking part in the mission of bringing the human habitat to the planet Mars.

“I’m enamored with the idea of a multi-planetary species, and the fact that this is a possibility in my lifetime is just so exciting!” he exclaims. “But most of all, I want to make a positive impact on the world through design. Design is a powerful practice that I’m very committed to. I want to create products that make the lives of others better.” John's dedication to his talent and his active role as a leadership scholar has helped him find his place both at RIT and as an emerging leader poised to make a difference. As he continues to pursue his passions, one thing is certain—John's journey is just beginning, and his future holds limitless possibilities.

Chloe Sparkman BS ’25, MS ’25 really wanted a pool in her backyard when she was in middle school. At the time and at her young age, she believed the reason her friend’s family had one was that the mother was a physician assistant (PA) by profession.

The logic seemed so simple: people working as PAs could buy pools.

This theory, in the mind of a 13-year-old, sparked Chloe's early interest in a career in healthcare.

Fast-forward several years, and Chloe stepped onto the RIT campus as a freshman during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the universal uncertainty of those days, her path was clearly marked: to earn a degree in physician assistant studies—not because she wanted to go swimming, but because she realized that the program perfectly aligned with her desire to make a tangible difference in people’s lives.

“I knew that I was interested in medicine by the time I was college-age,” Chloe recalls. “Regardless of my initial ‘childish reasons’ for wanting to be a PA, I learned during a high school internship that I wanted to pursue an avenue that would allow me to advocate for patients. I’m very much a people person and feel that I can connect with individuals on a deep level.”

Chloe’s passion for helping others was evident from the start at RIT. She volunteered to help with COVID Tiger Testing on campus and joined Women of Color, Honor, and Ambition (WOCHA) in her second year. Her story took an unexpected turn when she was encouraged through WOCHA to take part in Alternative Break through RIT’s Center for Leadership and Civic Engagement. The program, designed to foster a spirit of community service and leadership, required Chloe and other student participants to travel to another city to engage with residents and perform short-term humanitarian projects.

Chloe traveled to New Orleans in her first year with Alternative Break and had a life-changing experience.

“I didn’t think I was going to enjoy it at first, but going on that trip filled me with so much joy and healing. It ignited my passion for serving people in vulnerable situations, and I recognized that I have something to give and share with others. I fell in love with the work and with getting my hands dirty.”

Helping the New Orleans community was especially meaningful for Chloe, as her family had once lived there and were victims of Hurricane Katrina in 2005. The trip was the first of many she would take over the next few years with Alternative Break and as president of the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority. These expeditions also provided new opportunities for Chloe to meet and bond with students from other degree programs. She began urging her peers, close friends, and even Tigers in the student orientation she led to become involved on campus and elsewhere.

“I’ve found that RIT students have that drive to explore new things and go outside of their comfort zones,” she explains. “For a lot of us who started college during COVID, we have found ways to ‘get the spirit back’ and make the most out of our time here. Service trips are one way in which we connect for a greater good and learn to be leaders in our own right.”

Chloe’s selfless volunteer work has been recognized with several merit-based scholarship awards. She shares that her experiences in civic leadership have broadened her vision of how to make a difference and that as a future PA, she is excited to lead with empathy and innovation to “advocate for the whole person,” not just a “sick patient.”

Alum Marlon Joris BS ’05 is making major moves to help new generations of RIT Tigers. He has evolved from an engaged, determined undergraduate student to an accomplished advocate and expert in the field of Information Technology. A Venezuela-born, Caribbean-educated, Brooklyn, N.Y.-raised son of a single mother, Marlon draws from his own life experiences to inspire and bolster students as they go after their dreams.

As an RIT student, Marlon was a recipient of the Alfred L. and Ruby C. Davis Scholarship. He dedicated much of his personal time to helping improve student life initiatives on campus, including his involvement with Unity House and the Computer Science House, his membership and service in the Caribbean Students Association, and his committee membership in the Black Awareness Coordinating Committee, Latin American Student Association, and his board membership in RIT’s chapter of La Unidad Latina, Lambda Upsilon Lambda Fraternity, Inc.. He recalls feeling that RIT fostered an “immersive community” and “allowed for networking and engagement opportunities outside of the classroom.”

Marlon continues to champion these values as a partner to the university and by making direct connections with students. Recently, he returned to campus to speak as part of RIT’s Leader to Leader Program about his work as a managing senior director in the financial services industry at Microsoft Corporation as an IT leader.

“It’s critically important that students, who will soon be young professionals, understand their roles at RIT and the roles they will play in their careers. During my discussion with students, I wanted to emphasize the significance of representation--of all kinds—in the workplace. I also wanted to encourage them to ‘see it through’ when it comes to earning a degree. I understand firsthand the hard work and perseverance it takes to do well academically and to reach your goals,” Marlon says.

Recognizing the widespread financial barriers that have historically hindered African American, Latino American, and Native American (AALANA) students from fully engaging in their academic pursuits, Marlon decided to take his commitment to the next level by creating the Marlon Joris Endowed Scholarship. The scholarship is funded in part by matching gifts from Microsoft and is awarded by RIT’s Center for Leadership and Civic Engagement (CLCE) in conjunction with its annual Community Impact Awards

Marlon hopes the scholarship will be one more way for students to feel empowered and further supported on campus.

“I wanted to give back in a way that would make a lasting impact for generations,” he explains. “Scholarships help ease the financial burden on students in many ways—whether it helps pay for tuition, housing costs, food, or textbooks. With inflation and the ever-rising costs of living, many students today need additional aid. It’s also my way of paying forward the scholarship funding I received, which kept me afloat as a student.”

Looking ahead, Marlon envisions spending more time on campus collaborating with students, faculty members, alumni, and donors alike. He is excited to visit campus for Brick City Homecoming and Family Weekend and to meet his scholarship donors—the Davis family—to celebrate their generosity in an upcoming awards ceremony.

Mitch Koppelman BS '73 understands the impact of giving back to the institutions that shape our careers and lives. “My career in photojournalism was launched while I was a student at RIT, which led me on a path through multiple jobs with several employers, all in my chosen profession,” Mitch explains.

Mitch is passionate about the importance of scholarships for students with financial need. “I know what it’s like to put children through college. If we can help those who don’t have the resources but have the skills, the drive, and the desire to come to RIT, they could become leaders in their chosen profession by virtue of their experience at RIT.”

Through his donor-advised fund and legacy gift to the photojournalism program, Mitch hopes that support from his estate will help perpetuate the school’s photojournalism program well into the future, giving students the same opportunities he enjoyed while at RIT.

Watch Mitch’s video

RIT’s Saunders College of Business marked the start of the academic year with an “Opening Bell” ceremony and picnic on Aug. 28 to unveil the latest upgrades to Max Lowenthal Hall. The project was made possible by alumni and friends, including transformational gifts from trustee emeritus E. Philip Saunders; Chance Wright '18, MBA '19; trustee Susan R. Holliday MBA '85; Brigitte Gueldenpfennig '81; trustee Dinah Gueldenpfennig Weisberg MS '97, MBA '03; and the late Klaus Gueldenpfennig MS ’74, MBA ’77.

Keep reading about the opening ceremony

Fram Signature Lecture with AI luminary Kerrie Holley
Critical Thinking: Is AI Nothing More than Machine Learning or Existential Threat?
On campus and streamed online
Sep. 24, 2024
3:30-5:00 p.m.

Click here for more information and to register

Brick City Homecoming and Family Weekend
Oct. 18-20, 2024

Learn more about what’s taking place

Saunders on Wall – AI and its Early Generative Applications

Hyatt Centric Wall Street
75 Wall St.
New York, NY 10005
Oct. 24, 2024
6:00-8:00 p.m. Eastern

Click here for more information and to register

View all upcoming RIT events

Visit the events calendar