Alumni Stories

Woman with flower

Kathy Lewis ’79, ’93: Creating Community Through Gardening

Posted March 23, 2026

For Kathy Lewis ’79, ’93, the coming of spring heralds another season of Blocks in Bloom, or BiB. ... MORE

Vjosa Musliu '08: Growing Up in War:

Posted January 22, 2026

When Vjosa Musliu ’08 first started writing a book about her childhood experiences during the Kosovo War, she wanted to preserve her memories. ... MORE

Lauren Gaskins ’18, ’22: A Grandmother’s Inspiration

Posted December 2, 2025

Lauren Gaskins ’18, ’22 spent a lifetime watching her grandmother take care of the people who lived in her New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) complex in the Bronx. ... MORE

Adam Grinvalsky ’21: Honoring NY's Capital Region Veterans

Posted November 5, 2025

When Adam Grinvalsky ’21 was honorably discharged from the U.S. Navy in 2014, he was happy to put his military experience behind him. ... MORE

Mark Maio ’92: Going Against the Grain

Posted September 2, 2025

As a photographer, Mark Maio ’92 had always been drawn to the imagery of industrial cities that dotted the northern parts of the U.S. ... MORE

Tzvi Simchon ’24: Keeping History Alive on Film

Posted June 30, 2025

Decades after the Nazis invaded Poland and sent millions of Jews to concentration camps, a class of high school boys from an Orthodox Jewish high school in Brooklyn arrived in Warsaw to revisit their family history. ... MORE

David Shakes photo

David Shakes ’85: Starring as Frederick Douglass

Posted May 27, 2025

David Shakes has shared a stage with the likes of Samuel L. Jackson, Ossie Davis, and Josh Brolin. But his most constant companion on the stage has been Frederick Douglass, the celebrated Civil Rights leader of the 19th century. ... MORE

Alka Merlin ’08: Helping Others Find Their Way After Finding Her Own

Posted May 2, 2025

Twelve years after Alka Merlin ’08 first arrived in Canada and nearly two years after she became a citizen, the native Croatian received the King Charles III Coronation Medal for her contributions to her new country. ... MORE

Phylisha Villanueva ’23: A Poet With Purpose

Posted April 15, 2025

The first time Phylisha Villanueva ’23 poured her feelings into poetry, she was angry at her mom for not letting her attend a school dance. ... MORE

Paul Muccigrosso ’12: A Lifetime of Helping Veterans

Posted March 13, 2025

Veteran. Psychotherapist. Advocate. Paul Muccigrosso ’12 will bring all three roles to his new job as the military and veteran career advisor at Empire State University. ... MORE

Patty Uttaro ’95: A Lifetime Devoted to Libraries

Posted January 28, 2025

When Patty Uttaro was a child growing up in Rochester, she and her nine siblings always looked forward to their monthly walks to the neighborhood library. ... MORE

Edwin Lee Gibson ’12: Finding Fame on “The Bear”

Posted August 19, 2024

When Edwin Lee Gibson ’12 was cast as Ebraheim in “The Bear,” he was given a one-line description of his character: “A mystery who’s lived 1,000 lives.” ... MORE