Program notes

Union College Leadership and Governance

The Board of Trustees of Union College

Learn more about Union College’s leadership by viewing the full list of the Board of Trustees.

Faculty Executive Committee

• Kristina Striegnitz, Chair, Associate Professor of Computer Science

• Peter Bedford, John and Jane Wold Professor of Religious Studies

• John Cramsie, Professor of History

• Kristin Fox, Florence B. Sherwood Professor of Physical Sciences

• Ali Hamed, Thomas J. Watson, Sr. and Emma Watson Day Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering

• Sudhir Khetan, Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering

Union Staff Council

• Daniel Mahar, Co-Chair, Information Security Officer, Information Technology Services

• Rachel McNeil ‘18, Moderator, Social Media Manager, Communications and Marketing

Officers of Student Forum

• Kassandra Smeltzer ‘27, President

• Ajay Goncalves ‘26, Senior Trustee

• Yaseen Bhatti ‘27, Junior Trustee

• Frederick Horowitz ‘26, Vice President of Finance

• Keshawn Mcclarence ‘26, Vice President of Administration

• Zainab Al-Abbasi ‘26, Vice President of Sustainability

• Wellington Matos ‘26, Vice President of Intercultural Affairs

• Sophia Sangha ‘28, Vice President of Academics

• Maryam Tariq ‘26, Vice President of Campus Life

Inauguration Leadership Team

Union College gratefully acknowledges the following members of the leadership team:

• Ashley Breslin, Director of Alumni & Parent Engagement and Advancement Events

• Emily Brown, Project Coordinator for Administration and Finance

• Darcy Czajka ‘00, Chief of Staff and Vice President of Human Resources

• Christen Gowan, Assistant Vice President of Content Strategy

• Molly Harbour, Associate Director of Alumni and Parent Engagement

• Michelle Fluger Reynolds, Director of Operations of College Relations

• Emily Rocha, Director of Student Activities

Inauguration Planning Committee

Union College gratefully acknowledges the following members of the planning committee:

• Drew Busny, Class of 2027

• Laurie Zabele Cawley, Gustave L. Davis '59 & Susan S. Davis Director of Dance

• Thomas Constantine, Director of Campus Safety

• Jennifer Currey, Horace E. Dodge III Associate Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering

• Carol Gagliardi, Director of Operations in Dining

• Debra Geer, Senior Director of Advancement Communications and Donor Relations

• Jennifer Matsue, Professor of Music and East Asian Studies and Chair of the Music Department

• Matt Milless, Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs

• Jennifer Mitchell ‘04, Chief Diversity Officer and Dean of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging

• Tim Olsen, Professor of Music

• Sophia Pegolo, Class of 2026

• Sarah Powell, Internal Communications and Project Intake Manager

• Patricia Quinn, Special Events Coordinator

• Stacie Raucci, Frank Bailey Professor of Classics and College Marshal

• Krisanna Scheiter, Professor of Philosophy

• Lilia Tiemann, Coordinator of Admissions Campus Events

• Elizabeth Tiffany, Senior Associate Director of Athletics

• Joshua Walsh, Manager of Learning Environments and Event Support

Celebrating Inauguration through Music and Performance

The College gratefully acknowledges the contributions of student, faculty and staff performers:

Union College and Community Brass Chamber Orchestra:

Students: Oliver D'Anna ‘26, Nathan Goldstein ‘27, Otto Hillegass ‘28, Ella Middlebrook ‘26, Evan Schieren ‘28, Kassandra Smeltzer ‘27 and Christopher Tompkins ‘27.

Community Members: Gus Birkhead, Lynn Davis, Janet Gerbino, Samuel Kennedy, Paul Nance and Harmon Tunison.

Vocal Performance:

Lauren Coletti ‘27

Akina Yura, Pianist, Adjunct Professor

Poetry Reading:

Adonis Richards, Program Coordinator, Intercultural Affairs

Dancers:

Choreography by Laurie Zabele Cawley, Gustave L. Davis '59 & Susan S. Davis Director of Dance; Costume coordination by Brittney Belz, Senior Lecturer and Chair of Theater and Dance; Costume Designer

Melanie De La Cruz ‘26, Ava DuBoff ‘27, Hailey Dunn ‘28, Paige Fox ‘27, Evelyn Jacobsen ‘27, Claire Knecht ‘26, Anthony Montas ‘26, Paisley Parmenter ‘27 and Lizzy Paykuss ‘26.

Union College Concert Choir:

Samira Ahmed ‘29, Zainab Al-Abbasi ‘26, Jared Antoine ‘26, Salma Barrera ‘28, Mollyjane Boyle ‘26, Grayson Brewer ‘29, Daniel Buletza ‘26, Avery Byron ‘28, Seona Chutaro ‘26, Strahlia Durr ‘28, Danielle Gesser Sapir ‘29, Alldyn Gotora ‘28, Caleb Hill ‘28, Otto Hillegass ‘28, Maryam Ibrahim ‘28, Adia Isaacson ‘27, Grace Kaiser ‘26, Eloise Kelen ‘28, Minkyu Kim ‘28, Polina Kozyarchuk ‘29, Maren Krasner ‘28, Anna Kubick ‘27, Eri Matsuoka ‘27, Adrianna Miles ‘28, Dennis Moraga ‘27, Sarah Morehouse ‘27, Chase Nelson ‘28, Cagla Numanoglu ‘26, Paisley Parmenter ‘27, Madeleine Pilkington ‘27, Ephraim Robinson ‘29, Liani San Pedro ‘29, Evan Schieren ‘28, Jayden Schwarz ‘29, Jaxon Sosa-Jeanty ‘28, Holden Talluto-Hiris ‘28, Sarah Unger ‘26 and Ella Whitaker ‘29.

Chimes:

Alex Overholt ‘26

Honoring Union's History and Traditions

ODE TO OLD UNION:

By Fitzhugh Ludlow, Class of 1856

Let the Grecian dream of his sacred stream

And sing of the brave adorning

That Phoebus weaves from his laurel leaves

At the golden gates of morning.

But the brook that bounds thro' old Union's grounds

Gleams bright as a Delphic water,

And a prize as fair as a god may wear

Is a dip from our Alma Mater.

Chorus

Then here's to thee, the brave and free,

Old Union smiling o'er us,

And for many a day, as thy walls grow gray,

May they ring with thy children's chorus!

HISTORY

Learn more about the history and traditions behind today’s ceremony and Union College.

PRESIDENTS OF UNION COLLEGE

Explore the history of Union College’s leadership through biographies of past presidents.

PARTNERSHIPS

Union College gratefully acknowledges the support and collaboration of our vendors and community partners, whose contributions have helped make the inauguration of President Elizabeth Kiss a memorable celebration. They include Bon Appétit, Victory Promotions, Total Events and Whalen Tents.