Skidmore faculty and staff came together to celebrate the accomplishments of their colleagues during this year’s Retirement and Recognition Ceremony.  

The event — held indoors in Murray-Aikins Dining Hall this year due to weather — included a picnic-like buffet, where faculty, staff, and retirees were invited to share in good food and great conversation.  

The ceremony was led by President Marc C. Conner, who called the annual event one of his favorite Skidmore traditions. He applauded the hard work of employees and thanked retirees for their years of dedicated service to the College. 

“This is our opportunity to celebrate all the accomplishments our faculty and staff have made over the past year,” he said. “To our retirees who have dedicated so many years to Skidmore College — we're all the beneficiaries of their work and service. We wish them the very best in their retirement.” 

This year’s ceremony honored 17 individuals who retired during the 2024-25 academic year.  

Conner presented President’s Awards to Janet G. Casey, associate dean of the faculty and professor of English; ’Becca Johnson, professor and chair of psychology; Matt Lucas, F. William Harder Chair of Business Administration; Pushkala Prasad, professor and Zankel Chair in Management for Liberal Arts Students; and Mary Hoehn, director of sponsored research  for their contributions to the College.  

An additional 144 current employees were honored for milestones in their service to Skidmore — among them, President Conner, who celebrated five years of leadership at Skidmore.  

Executive Editor of Salmagundi Magazine Magarita Boyers and Professor of Psychology Sheldon Solomon marked an impressive 45 years with the College, while Distinguished Artist-in-Residence Joel Brown, Post Office Clerk Brian Burns, and Bursar Cindy Hurley were recognized for four decades of service.

Head of Interlibrary Loan Sandy Brown, Accompanist Patte Hadfield, Professor of Health and Human Physiological Sciences Denise Smith, Professor of Italian Shirley Smith, Plumber Lead Michael Towner, and Associate Editor and Director of Social Media for Salmagundi Magazine Marc Woodworth were among those celebrated for 35 years as Skidmore employees.

5 years

24 employees

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10 years

42 employees

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15 years

23 employees

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20 years

23 employees

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25 years

19 employees

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30 years

2 employees

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35 years

6 employees

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40 years

3 employees

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45 years

2 employees

 

Chief Human Resources Officer Julie Delay recognized recipients of Thoroughbred Thanks for outstanding work at the College.  Director of Religious and Spiritual Life Parker Diggory paid special tribute to retirees who had died in the past year, calling for the community to engage in “togetherness.”  

There's a doing to ‘together.’ There's a need to make it happen, and one of the ways we do that — especially when time and space have separated us — is by these moments of remembering those who have passed, of celebrating the fact that we are a community made up of more than just those who are present with us.

Parker Diggory

Director of Religious and Spiritual Life