Photo Spotlights

Sarah Reynolds is this year's recipient of the Isaac L. Jordan, Sr. Pluralism Award. Reynolds, coordinator for general reference and user services in the Wallace Library, is a founding member of RIT's Commission for Promoting Pluralism and is credited as a leading "watchdog" over the university's diversity efforts. Reynolds was presented the honor on Thursday during the annual Presidential Address to the Community.

President Albert J. Simone offered his vision for a new academic year on Thursday during a presentation to faculty and staff. During the annual Presidential Address to the Community, Simone discussed the importance of a student-focused mentality as part of the university's newly adopted strategic plan. The event took place in RIT's new Gordon Field House and Activities Center.

The Brick City Singers entertain at the Convocation for New Students and Families on Aug. 30. Brick City Singers is one of RIT's a capella groups, founded in 1999. The event also featured a keynote address by Keith Jenkins, assistant professor of communications in RIT's College of Liberal Arts.

Faculty, staff and alumni gather outside the Gordon Field House to cheer more than 2,400 first-year students and their parents. The first annual RIT Tiger Walk, sponsored by Alumni Relations, offered the newcomers a rousing welcome to campus just prior to attending the Convocation for New Students and Families. Keith Jenkins, assistant professor of communications in RIT's College of Liberal Arts, delivered the event's keynote address.

While many folks relaxed this summer, RIT's Stephen Aldersley (left) and Paul Smarsh proved that each is worthy of the title "Ironman." Both men successfully completed the Ironman triathlon, held in Lake Placid, N.Y., by swimming 2.4 miles, biking 112 miles and running 26.2 miles. Smarsh, a chef at RIT's Crossroads facility, finished with a time of 13:10:54. Aldersley, English department chair at the National Technical Institute for Deaf, completed the race in 15:57:27.

Nineteen students from Japan spent two weeks studying at RIT this summer as part of an exchange program with Kyoto Computer Gakuin (Kyoto School of Computer Science). The summer program with KCG began in 1995 and since then 200 students have visited RIT.

Forty-three high school students from the Rochester, Buffalo and Syracuse areas--including Laura Mandanas from Oswego High School--attended RIT’s first Student Workshop in Electronics Packaging, Aug. 12-13. Students performed experiments, explored RIT’s electronics manufacturing curriculum and toured the Infotonics Technology Center in Canandaigua.

Forty-five eighth- and ninth-grade students from Frederick Douglass Preparatory School and Edison Technical and Occupational Education Center in the Rochester City School District, attended a two-week summer math camp at RIT through Aug. 6. With help from RIT students as teacher assistants, they learned math concepts and applications by making and playing drums.

Members of the band Pan Loco perform on the outside patio as part of a "Hawaiian" open house celebration at the RIT Inn & Conference Center on July 29.

RIT President Albert Simone works up a sweat at the fourth annual Habitat for Humanity’s Leaders Build on July 20. Business leaders throughout the community worked on the project, put together by Flower City Habitat for Humanity, designed to raise the business community's awareness of Habitat's efforts to rebuild some of the city's most distressed neighborhoods.

Eighteen soon-to-be RIT students got a preview of college life as part of the Kate Gleason College of Engineering’s fourth annual I Built My Computer @ RIT event, July 20-23. The group of incoming female engineering majors—including Julie Coggshall and Ashley Shoum, shown here—built computers, which became theirs to keep, and spent nights in residence halls. The event was sponsored by Intel Corp., Microsoft Corp. and RIT’s student chapter of the Society of Women Engineers.

Christine Whitman (center) received the 2004 NRS Award, presented recently at the annual Nathaniel Rochester Society gala. Whitman, former chairman and CEO of CVC Inc., was recognized for outstanding and significant contributions to the advancement of RIT. Actors portraying Mr. & Mrs. Nathaniel Rochester, Frederick Douglass and Susan B. Anthony participated in the gala's festivities which were designed to commemorate RIT's 175th anniversary.