Photo Spotlights

The 18th Annual RITirees Picnic honored Fred Bleiler, shown here, and the late William Larsen. Larsen was an associate professor of civil engineering technology and worked on a solar-powered water disinfecting system in Haiti. Bleiler, former director of physical education, developed wellness and fitness programs and was instrumental in the design and planning of the Hale-Andrews Student Life Center.

Planting is underway in the RIT community garden. The garden began in 2009 using sustainable materials and methods. It’s divided into several individual plots and common areas. Some members of the RIT Beekeepers Club are in the upper left, checking hives.

University Gallery hosts the Print Club of Rochester with an 85th anniversary juried exhibit through August 12. An opening reception is June 10, 5-7:30 p.m.

The “RIT Alumni House: Make This House a Home” crowdfunding campaign is complete, raising $61,255 from 307 supporters. To date, more than $500,000 has been raised to create a welcoming, alumni-focused facility. The fundraising goal is $1.8 million. RIT purchased a private estate home and surrounding grounds adjacent to the campus in December 2013. The home will be renovated to include meeting space, an alumni library, an Alumni Association boardroom, business center, event space for large and small gatherings and two executive sleeping suites for alumni and visiting dignitaries traveling long distances. Renovations are slated to begin this summer with an opening scheduled for spring 2017. To learn more, go to rit.edu/alumnihouse.

Chris Spinelli ’08, ’09 (economics, MBA) and Jon Mervine ’07 (economics) co-founded Roc Brewing Co. in East End downtown Rochester five years ago. The company grew, changed and celebrated this milestone on June 4 with an all-day party.

“Forces at Work,” an exhibit featuring work from 11 RIT MFA students from the Schools of Art, American Crafts and Photographic Arts and Sciences, is on view at Gallery r through July 3.

Austin Quinlan, president of the RIT Beekeepers Club, checks three beehives recently brought to campus and placed near the RIT Community Garden. The goal is to help curb the decline of the bee population while promoting sustainability efforts. Quinlan, a fourth-year film major from Marcellus, N.Y., said colony collapse disorder is threatening the population of honeybees across the country. The club plans to eventually collect, filter and bottle honey produced by the bees.

Hossein Shahmohamad, chair of RIT’s Academic Senate, worked with an executive committee to engage faculty and give them a strong voice at RIT.

Evan Zachary, left, a fourth-year environmental sustainability, health and safety major from Pittsburgh, sorts lamps with Allison Blakeley, an environmental, health and safety management graduate student from Lancaster, N.Y., in preparation for the Goodbye, Goodbuy! sale scheduled for Aug. 16-20 in Clark Gym. The items are donated by students moving out at the end of spring semester and are sold to incoming students in the fall. The recycling and sustainability project is in its second year.

A combined 560 years of service was celebrated as 16 RIT/NTID faculty and staff members retired. Here, NTID Department of Liberal Studies faculty Pamela Kincheloe honors retirees Linda Rubel and Rose Marie Toscano.

France A. Córdova, left, director of the National Science Foundation, received an honorary degree from Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Jeremy Haefner, center, and Chair of RIT Board of Trustees Christine Whitman during RIT’s 131st Academic Convocation on May 20. Córdova delivered the commencement address.

RIT celebrated its 131st Academic Convocation on Friday in the Gordon Field House. RIT President Bill Destler conferred degrees on some 4,000 undergraduate and graduate students, including 23 doctorates. Diplomas will be distributed to graduates at separate ceremonies held by each of RIT’s nine colleges and two academic centers.