Summer recap: Stories you may have missed
It was a busy summer for the Skidmore community. Catch up on the stories and campus activities you may have missed.
researchers
Dozens of collaborative research projects took place in person and on Skidmore’s campus this summer after going online last year.
One of the projects, an archaeological dig in Skidmore’s North Woods, drew intrigue as students and faculty worked together to unearth a Revolutionary War-era site hidden in our own backyard. Kelby Whittenberg ’23, one of the student researchers, shared his experience with us.
For another project, Associate Professor of Classics Dan Curley teamed up with a recent graduate to develop a historical adventure game for use in introductory Latin courses.
In all, 87 students and 34 professors from 14 different disciplines participated with funding from the Summer Faculty Student Research Program and external grants ranging from the National Science Foundation to Kendall Jackson Wines.
Artists, Authors, and musicians
The Skidmore Jazz Institute presented pianist, producer, and composer James Francies in partnership with Caffe Lena.
Skidmore hosted several institutes, exhibits, and concerts in collaboration with some of the top cultural leaders in the region, including Saratoga Performing Arts Center and Caffe Lena, as well as an impressive list of artists, authors, and musicians.
Highlights included welcoming over 200 students virtually through the Skidmore Jazz Institute, Summer Theater Workshop with SITI Company, and the New York State Summer Writers Institute, as well as the Stewart’s Signature Series, a lineup of premier summer concerts and events made possible through a generous grant from Stewart’s Shops and the Dake Family.
The Tang Museum also reopened this summer after being closed to the public for many months due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It welcomed new exhibits, relaunched its family programs, and hosted outdoor concerts.
Interns
Evan Little was 2020-21 Charina Endowment Fund Intern at the Tang Teaching Museum
Hundreds of students spent their summers gaining hands-on experiences around the world and exploring their career interests. Many of them were recipients of grants from Skidmore’s Summer Experience Fund.
We caught up with sociology major Sten Leinasaar ’23 on his work with the Union of Women with Disabilities of Estonia, political science major Cecilia Martinez ’22 on interning for state Rep. Roger Montoya in New Mexico, and several others.
Biology major Rachel Carrock ’22 also gave us a first-person view of a day in her life as an intern at the Utica Zoo.
New faces
We welcomed several new leaders to the College. In July, Carey Ann Zucca assumed her role as the new Collyer Vice President for Advancement and Adrian Bautista started as dean of students and vice president for student affairs in August. In addition, the College is excited to welcome several other new faculty and staff members across multiple academic and administrative departments.
Buildings
The Skidmore skyline continues to evolve as Phase 2 of the Center for Integrated Sciences makes steady progress. In June, President Marc Conner commemorated an important milestone in the raising of the project’s East Wing by lending a hand with the bricklaying.
Alumni
Kaitlin Guerin '14 shared her journey from being an exercise science and dance major to becoming a pastry chef and entrepreneur.
Several alumni reconnected with Skidmore to share some exciting updates.
Dance and exercise science double major Kaitlin Guerin ’14 launched Lagniappe Baking Co. in New Orleans, Lincoln Lin ’19 jumped into the thriving cryptocurrency field with fellow alum Melvis Langyintuo ’12, and Shelby Perkins ’95 shared her experiences running an artisan winery.
Read the stories:
ALUMNI REUNITE IN CREATIVE CRYPTOCURRENCY FIELD
Uncorking the liberal arts: Shelby Perkins '95
Skidmore Alumni Relations also shared the accolades of several other alumni. Check out the June-July and August editions of Scope Monthly for more creative success stories.
Explorers
Students of many ages joined us virtually and in person to benefit from an abundance of learning opportunities.
The Skidmore Pre-College Program welcomed a full roster of high school students in its first-ever virtual session. Hundreds of current Skidmore students caught up and got ahead on their studies by taking summer classes. And more than 1,000 local children came to campus through various summer camps to develop all kinds of skills, from outdoor exploring to swimming and soccer.
Stella Piasecki ’22, one of the summer North Woods stewards, introduced us to garlic mustard and showed us how to remove the invasive species. She and other stewards also cleaned up the trails, fixed and built stairs, and updated important surveys of the forest’s flora and fauna.
On the other side of campus, Ora Erlich ’22 was also getting hands-on experience as the summer Skidmore Community Garden manager. She kindly took us on a tour of the rows of organic vegetables.
DONORS
The College's Office of Advancement announced that during the 2020-21 giving year, more than 8,000 members of the Skidmore community made gifts to the College.
Out of a total $24.6 million raised, $7.8 million — a new record — went to the Skidmore Fund, immediately impacting students.
In a video, students and faculty shared stories about what they were able to accomplish thanks to donors.
Across generations, disciplines and departments, it was a summer to remember for many. But there's even more excitement to come as we all look forward to a robust fall semester.
