Polo by Twilight breaks records
It was a festive scene as guests gathered at the Saratoga Polo Field on July 26 for Polo by Twilight, Skidmore’s 37th annual Palamountain Scholarship benefit. This year’s revenue total of some $261,000 was one of the highest ever. The 540-plus attendance also broke records, with the 75 “junior” attendees (those under the age of 40) doubling the previous year’s number.
Skidmore College President Philip A. Glotzbach
and his wife Marie Glotzbach with Polo by
Twilight co-chairs Emily Mopsik ’07
and C. Jerome Mopsik ’06
Auction items included a 3.5% ownership in a West Point thoroughbred, tickets to Hamilton on Broadway, getaway packages, jewelry, and even a lawn jockey. Also on the block was a chance to donate to Fund-a-Scholar, with no goods or services in return. With 63 bidders—led by Marylou Whitney, a founder of the event, and husband John Hendrickson—that item raised $78,000. Meanwhile, guests watched two polo teams competing for the coveted Palamountain Cup.
For the first time, the event was co-chaired by a former Palamountain Scholar. C. Jerome Mopsik ’06, who was one of over 300 Skidmore students aided by funds raised at this event over the years. He served alongside his wife, Emily Mopsik ’07.
The Joseph C. and Anne T. Palamountain Scholarship Fund was created to honor Skidmore’s fourth president and his wife for their 22 years of leadership. Joe Palamountain served from 1965 to 1985, and Anne Palamountain launched the event in 1979. She presided over and played a key role in its planning for 35 years before she died in 2015.
“Anne’s vision was to provide educational experience for those who may not otherwise have that chance,” said Claire Davenport ’08 upon receiving the Anne T. Palamountain Scholar Award to honor an exceptional young graduate who is making significant contributions to society. She told the crowd, “I certainly needed a chance, and because of you, I got one.” As a teenage mother on the doorstep of a battered-women’s shelter, she recalled, “I didn’t dare to believe that I could go to college, or attain any other life.” But with full coverage as a Palamountain Scholar, she graduated Phi Beta Kappa and summa cum laude with a degree in biology. She then went to Albany Medical College, where she recently earned a master’s in bioethics and received the Alumni Award for Excellence in Bioethics Studies.
The evening’s events were accented by a gourmet spread—from local cheeses and meats to grilled antipasto and raw bars—prepared by Skidmore’s award-winning Dining Services chefs. As usual, the food ranked as high as the company and the cause, fueling another huge success for the Palamountain Scholarship.