June 2019 News Archive

Susan Zirinsky has spent her entire adult life at CBS News. Beginning in 1972, she has been a part-time desk assistant, a researcher, an associate producer. She worked her way up the ranks to “Evening News” producer and White House producer.

As such, she has been witness to some of the biggest stories in history. Watergate. The Tiananmen Square student uprising. The Sandy Hook Elementary school shooting. The Boston Marathon bombings. The terrorist attacks in Paris.

Three members of the Class of 2019 earned the distinction of valedictorian. All three graduate with a perfect 4.0 grade point average.
  
Allegra Dawes

Hometown: Corning, N.Y.

Major: Mathematics

Minor: Political Science

Activities: Union College Activist Network; the Association of Women in Mathematics; Writing Center Fellow

Two members of the Class of 2019 earned the distinction of salutatorian, or the second highest grade point average in the class.

Lisa Gu

Hometown: Marlboro, N.J.

Major: Computer Engineering

Activities: SWE, EAN, Robotics Crew, TBP, ODK, IEEE-HKN

They will travel the globe to work in developing countries while paired up with a social entrepreneurial organization. The students will work for nine months and return to the College and live in a Minerva house for one month, where they will participate in a social entrepreneurial course and educate current students about their experiences abroad.

This year's fellows are: 

Three Union students have been awarded a Goldwater Scholarship, the premiere undergraduate award for students pursuing careers in mathematics, natural sciences and engineering.

Cameron Bechtold ’20, Jillian Guthrie ’21 and Charlotte Mineo ’21 were among the 1,223 students chosen nationwide out of a pool of 5,000 college sophomores and juniors from 443 academic institutions. Each will receive up to $7,500 to cover tuition, fees, books, and room and board.

Cameron Bechtold ‘20

Hometown: Middleburgh, N.Y.

Major: Environmental science

Activities: Campus Kitchens, Environmental Club, class vice president, Wold House Council; study away to Australia, Washington, D.C. and Louisiana

Career goal: Ph.D. in urban ecology; conduct research on ecological responses in cities and teach in higher education

Jillian Guthrie ‘21

Hometown: Templeton, Mass.

Major: Physics and mathematics

Minor: Spanish and Hispanic Studies

Activities: Society of Physics Students; Physics Help Center tutor, Wold House Council, Union College tour guide

Career goal: Ph.D. in computational physics; planning to work in higher education

Charlotte Mineo ‘21

Hometown: Canandaigua, N.Y.

Major: Biochemistry

Activities: Chemistry Club; COCOA House volunteer; Concordiensis; Louisiana mini-term

Career goal: Ph.D. in biochemistry; planning to teach in higher education and research plant biochemistry to better understand host-pathogen interactions at the molecular level.