By establishing the Schwartz Discover Grant for Undergraduate Student Research and other experiential learning funds at Rochester, this alumni couple has made a difference in thousands of lives.

Each fall, dozens of students gather for a poster session on the University of Rochester’s River Campus, sharing research they’ve spent months exploring—from engineering innovations to social science discoveries. For many, it’s the first time they’ve seen themselves as real researchers. And for most, the opportunity wouldn’t have been possible without the generosity of Richard “Dick” Schwartz ’63, ’66 (MS) and his late wife, Vicki Proschel Schwartz ’62.

“It’s an amazing experience to stand in a room full of undergraduates who are thrilled to talk about what they learned over the summer,” says Dick. “That kind of feedback is powerful.”

So powerful, in fact, that Dick and Vicki have increased their support every year for the Schwartz Discover Grant for Undergraduate Summer Research program, which began in 2022. Their goal: to help students engage in research early, giving them the confidence and experience to pursue opportunities that will enrich their lives and careers.

About 70 grant recipients each year receive up to $5,000 to help cover cost-of-living expenses during the summer. The funding allows them to fully focus on research, which often requires 40 hours of dedicated work per week.

Lilli Tamm ’25, a biochemistry major graduating this spring, says receiving the Schwartz Discover Grant for the summer after her sophomore year marked a turning point in her life. “Thinking back to the researcher I was becoming then, I could only spend a few hours each week dedicated to research during the academic year,” she explains. “Then, when I received the Schwartz Discover Grant, I could spend the summer dedicated to my research and really became a full-time scientist.”

And become one she did. That research project spanned three semesters and gradually narrowed to focus on cell membrane proteins—vital structures that influence how the body functions and responds to disease. Receiving the Schwartz Discover Grant opened the door to a competitive summer internship in pharmaceutical research following Tamm’s junior year. The experience also helped her stand out as the University’s 2024 Astronaut Scholar, a national honor recognizing the country’s top undergraduate STEM researchers. Ultimately, it culminated in her acceptance into a PhD program at Stanford University in cellular and molecular physiology.

Deep and lasting impact

Dick and Vicki Schwartz at the Schwartz Discover Grant Research Showcase, 2023

The Schwartz Discover Grant program is just one way Dick and Vicki have shaped the undergraduate experience. Over the years, they’ve established a variety of funds to support immersive learning in research, internships, the arts, and community engagement. In 2002, the couple established a student scholarship, which they later enhanced with additional funding and renamed the Proschel/Schwartz Meliora Scholarship—further amplifying support for students with demonstrated financial need

“Dick and Vicki have changed so many lives,” says Emily Rendek, director of the University’s Office of Undergraduate Research. “With all the programs they’ve supported, they’ve made experiential learning possible for thousands of students, creating pivotal opportunities that benefit our students right now. They’ve had a direct role in the future of research, scholarship, creativity, and engagement in a variety of scientific and technological areas as well as the humanities.”

For the couple, supporting experiential education has always been rooted in a shared belief that learning happens everywhere, not just through lectures and labs, but through collaboration, curiosity, and real-world application. That philosophy continues to guide their giving: help others, see the impact, and do good right now.

A legacy of learning and service

Schwartz Discover Grant Research recipients with Emily Rendek (first row, far left) and Vicki and Dick Schwartz (first row, far right), 2023

Dick says his own values of service and education were modeled by his parents, especially his father, a surgeon with the Department of Veterans Affairs. “My dad chose a medical career path with regular hours because it gave him more time to dedicate to our family and to those activities he believed in,” he says. Vicki’s parents, both teachers, also emphasized the power of education to transform lives.

As undergraduates, both Dick and Vicki were deeply involved in campus life. Dick spent his summers interning in a variety of settings, including Tropel, a Rochester-based startup founded by his professor, optics legend . For his second summer internship, he joined a friend in San Diego to assist with optics projects at the University of California. After that, Dick interned at an aerospace technology company in Boston. By the time he earned his master’s degree from the Institute of Optics, Dick had also interned with Xerox—setting the stage for a smooth transition into full-time work and a 30-year career in research and development there.

“Those internships were invaluable to me,” he says. “They gave me confidence, expanded my networks, and gave me a chance to apply what I’d been learning in a professional setting. Vicki and I always wanted others to have these kinds of vital opportunities, which is why we’ve established them.”

Vicki, whose roots were in the humanities, earned her degree in English with honors, completed a master’s in teaching at Harvard University, and then taught high school English for several years. The couple’s distinctive academic paths helped shape an approach to philanthropy that will benefit students in both STEM and the arts for years to come.

Philanthropy as a shared commitment

Giving back was always a personal decision and a shared commitment for the couple, who had two children together, Steven and Douglas, and were married 57 years at the time of Vicki’s passing in 2023. “Every year, we’d look forward to meeting students who participated in the programs we supported,” Dick says. “We loved hearing their stories, why they chose the University, and what they hoped to do in the future.”

Today, Dick continues their legacy through a donor-advised fund (DAF), which offers flexibility and transparency. It allows him to support the causes he and Vicki have cared about the most while staying actively involved in choosing when and how to give.

In addition to their philanthropic support, Dick and Vicki spent decades as volunteer leaders at their alma mater, serving on reunion committees and class councils as well as the Lifelong Learning Advisory Council and the University Libraries National Council. They have also been members of the University’s Wilson Society, which honors and celebrates those who have established life-income plans or named the University of Rochester as a beneficiary of their estate, and the George Eastman Circle, the University’s leadership annual giving society. Additionally, Dick serves on Hajim’s National Council and the Rochester Philanthropy Council and has chaired or supported many nonprofit organizations throughout the Rochester community.

Throughout all his involvement, Dick’s greatest joy comes from seeing tangible outcomes: students exploring their potential, the University offering transformative programs, and communities made stronger in the process. “It’s a win-win-win,” he adds. “Students benefit, the University benefits, and society overall benefits. Plus, I get the joy of knowing I helped make a difference.”

Gift supports faculty excellence and innovation and completes the distinguished professorship part of the Wyant Challenge.

Joanne Y. Law at the University’s 1998 Commencement ceremony

Joanne Y. Law ’98 (PhD), an inventor and optical engineer, has established a new endowed fund—the Joanne Y. Law Distinguished Professorship in Optics—at the University of Rochester’s . Her generous $800,000 gift will be amplified by an additional $1.2 million from the Wyant Challenge, a historic initiative launched in 2022 by the late optics pioneer James C. Wyant ’69 (PhD), trustee emeritus, and his wife, Tammy.

“I believe in science, research, and education, and I am deeply committed to supporting them all—especially now when the need is so great,” says Law. “Earning my PhD at the Institute of Optics shaped my career and life, and I am profoundly grateful for the education and opportunities I received because of that. This is my way to pay it forward.”

“We are thrilled that Joanne has established this gift,” says Wendi Heinzelman, dean of the Hajim School of Engineering & Applied Sciences. “She joins a distinguished group of benefactors and dedicated leaders committed to making a lasting investment in the institute—advancing education, pushing the boundaries of research, and creating a meaningful impact on society. We are grateful to Joanne for her generosity.”

Heinzelman emphasizes that the Wyant Challenge and the matching gifts made through it will empower top-tier faculty to address the leading challenges in the field and the increasing need for skilled optics graduates. These professionals will contribute to advancements in precision manufacturing, national security and aerospace, biomedical imaging and diagnostics, renewable energy, and other industries.

Established in 2022 through a $12 million gift from the late optics pioneer James C. Wyant ’69 (PhD), trustee emeritus, and his wife, Tammy, the Wyant Challenge is transforming the Institute of Optics. As the largest gift in its history, funds from the challenge and matching gifts, including Law’s contribution, will increase the number of full-time faculty at the institute from 20 to 30 over the next decade. The challenge will ultimately support 10 endowed professorships—five for distinguished faculty and five for early-career scholars—along with a visiting professorship and a staff position. This growth will support the institute as it plans for its 100th anniversary in 2029.

Law’s generosity marks the fifth and final distinguished professorship to be funded through the Wyant Challenge. Additionally, two early career professorships have already been established through it. To date, the challenge has generated an additional $5.2 million in new donor funds. When completed, matching gifts will account for $8 million, bringing the total impact of the challenge to $20 million.

“Through this challenge, I can help future scientists and engineers have the same opportunities I had to learn, grow, and contribute to this important field,” says Law. “I am excited that this professorship will attract top talent and bring a positive spirit to scientific research.”

Noting that the Wyant Challenge presented a compelling opportunity to make a difference in alignment with her values, Law adds, “Because the challenge offered matching funds, I was able to establish this professorship at this point in my life. It helped me meet the financial requirements to create an endowed professorship.”

“It is especially meaningful to me to see a former student invest in the institute like this,” says Tom Brown, the director of the Institute of Optics and a Mercer Brugler Distinguished Teaching Professor. “Joanne’s generosity, along with the collective support of the Wyant Challenge, allows us to invest in faculty excellence in a way that will positively impact many generations of graduate and undergraduate students.”

About Joanne Y. Law

Law attended the University of Rochester in 1994 as a Sproull Fellow, conducting research on vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers under the guidance of Professor Govind P. Agrawal. After receiving a PhD in optics from the Institute of Optics, she moved to California, where she spent 16 years in industrial research and product engineering at Therma-Wave, Agilent Technologies, and Nanometrics. Her work focused on optical design and system analysis for semiconductor metrology.

In addition to the newly established distinguished professorship, Law has supported the University’s Student Emergency Fund, which began during COVID-19. In 2021, she created the Law Optics Scholarship to further her commitment to helping others reach their full potential. She plans to continue with charitable giving to science advancement and education as a long-term goal.

Beyond science, Law spends time crafting art with a 5W diode laser at home and sharing her creations with the community. She enjoys giving back through her artwork.

How a °µÍřłÔąĎ experience shaped a career in media, cultural awareness, and mentorship

When Bhaskar Pant ’72 arrived at the °µÍřłÔąĎ in January 1968, the world he entered felt exciting and bewildering. Coming from Zambia via the UK, Pant faced the dual challenge of navigating a new country and educational system. Decades later, he reflects on how those formative years at Rochester shaped his global career and how he remains connected to the University by mentoring students through the and advocating for cultural awareness.

Finding footing in a new world

Pant’s journey to Rochester began with a culture shock. “I remember feeling a bit lost at first,” Pant recalls. “But I soon found a community through the International Students’ Union, which became a crucial part of my university experience.”

Pant overcame feelings of being overwhelmed and learned to find his footing. This made him aware of others who might feel confused by cultural differences or unfamiliar environments. His firsthand experience encouraged him to approach others with empathy and understanding—a characteristic central to Pant today.

Discovering a passion for media

While Pant enrolled as an , his interests soon expanded beyond the classroom. His involvement with WRUR, the university’s radio station, proved to be a turning point. Pant progressed from a volunteer to a newscaster and the station’s general manager, overseeing programming and operations.

WRUR opened a new world for Pant. Media production, communication, and journalism suddenly provided a creative outlet to his technical studies.

Pant’s passion for media extended to the university’s media center, where he directed videotaping of campus events, including 50th anniversary celebrations. This hands-on experience with broadcasting and production planted the seeds for a future career in media.

How an open curriculum fostered a global mission

Although Pant initially pursued engineering, his academic journey evolved to include communication and cultural studies. He took French classes and explored courses in acoustics, blending his technical background with his newfound passion for audio and broadcasting.

After graduating from Rochester, Pant earned a master’s in broadcast journalism from Indiana University. His career took him ultimately to Turner Broadcasting and CNN in India, serving as its first President for South Asia, where he gained firsthand experience in global media.

However, during his time at CNN, Pant noticed a gap—Indian IT professionals traveling to the U.S. often struggled with cultural adaptation. Remembering the culture shock he experienced as a student, Pant saw the opportunity for education and empathy. He recognized this need and transitioned into cultural awareness education, founding programs to help professionals navigate cross-cultural differences.

Today, Pant manages professional education and teaches cultural awareness at MIT. He won the coveted MIT Excellence Award in 2024 for embracing diversity and inclusion in his longstanding work at MIT.

“The flexibility of the U.S. education system allowed me to shift my focus from engineering to media and communication,” he says. “That’s something I always encourage students to embrace—keeping an open mind about their future paths.”

Giving back to the University community

Pant’s connection to Rochester remains strong. In the fall of 2024, he returned to campus to lead a cultural awareness workshop for faculty and staff, sharing his insights on navigating cross-cultural environments.

Reflecting on his journey, Pant emphasizes the importance of adaptability and openness—values he attributes to his time at the University of Rochester.

“My experiences at Rochester taught me that career paths aren’t always linear,” he says. “Sometimes, the things you explore outside the classroom can shape your future in unexpected ways.”

For Bhaskar Pant, the journey from Zambia to Rochester and beyond is a testament to the transformative power of education, community, and cultural understanding. His story continues to inspire a new generation of Rochester students to think globally and act with empathy.

The gift is part of the Wyant Challenge, a fund designed to boost optics faculty by 50 percent within a decade.

Richard Zuegel and Barbara Blake (Zuegel) model the “bachelor’s gown” as featured in the May 1957 issue of Rochester Review.

Barbara Zuegel ’57 has established the Zuegel Family Professorship in Optics in honor of her late husband, Richard Zuegel ’57, and in recognition of her family’s ties to the University of Rochester. Her generous gift will be matched by the Wyant Challenge, a $12 million fund established in 2022 by the late trustee emeritus James C. Wyant ’69 (PhD) and his wife, Tammy, to create 10 new endowed professorships at theĚý within 10 years.

Barbara’s gift marks the first fully funded early-career professorship and the fifth professorship inspired by the Wyant’s matching challenge fund. The Zuegel Family Professorship is designed to support a promising new faculty member engaged in research and development related to laser science, technology, or engineering. It will help fill a vital pipeline of innovative and dedicated scholar-researchers, ensuring a lasting impact on both the institute’s future and the broader optics industry.

“We are deeply grateful to Barbara for her tremendous generosity,” says Wendi Heinzelman, dean of the Hajim School of Engineering & Applied Sciences. “An early-career professorship like this, focused on laser science within the Institute of Optics, will inspire the kind of teaching and research that can transform industries, improve lives, and address some of society’s most pressing challenges, from creating new energy solutions to driving technological breakthroughs that improve our quality of life.”

“When the opportunity arose to join the Wyant Challenge, I saw it as a chance to further important research and support the institution that has meant so much to our family,” says Barbara. “Three generations of Zuegels—starting with Rick and me—attended the University, so I have a deep appreciation for it and for education, having spent my career in it. Naming this professorship on behalf of our family underscores its importance in our lives.”

Says Tom Brown, the director of the Institute of Optics and the Mercer Brugler Distinguished Teaching Professor, “Thanks to Barbara and the Zuegel family, the Institute of Optics is in an excellent position to build a faculty that will inspire the next generation of optics students, especially future leaders in laser science and engineering. As we celebrate our centennial in 2029 and look to the next 100 years of optics at Rochester, I especially appreciate investments in early career faculty. Barbara’s gift is significant—it helps bring in faculty who will work to continue the institute’s rich legacy, and to build a community that improves our University, our country and our world.”

“My mother has dedicated her life to education and our family has always recognized the importance of helping people reach their potential,” says Jon Zuegel, ’96 (PhD), the Laser and Materials Technology division director, a distinguished scientist at the University’s , and a professor of optics. “This professorship is an extension of what both my mother and father have always done—supporting excellence and providing opportunities to advance the public good. I am proud of and inspired by her generosity, confident that it will make a real difference in the future of laser science and optics. I know that this gift would make my father very happy.”

Barbara’s gift aligns with the University’s leadership in these areas. In 2023, the National Science Foundation (NSF) awarded the University a $1 million Regional Innovation Engines Development Award grant to begin developing the next generation of lasers and laser applications. Lasers are found in medical devices, telecommunications, manufacturing, and fusion energy research. They drive advances in precision medicine, enable the backbone of global communications, revolutionize industrial processes, and hold the potential to unlock clean energy solutions.

The NSF grant brings together a variety of institutional, industrial, and business partners that will lay the groundwork for an innovation and economic hub built around the Science, Technology and Engineering of Lasers and Laser Applications Research (). The effort promises to position Rochester as a national leader in the field, addressing significant gaps in the US education system. “Few universities can play the kind of crucial role that we can in these areas,” adds Jon, who works closely on the project with Tom Brown.

The Zuegels have a deep connection to Rochester—the community and the institution—and a strong commitment to science, photography, and education. Barbara and Rick met at the University as undergraduate students. After graduating with his general science degree, Rick worked at Kodak for 32 years. He was an avid nature photographer and a dedicated leader in the Kodak Camera Club, serving in various roles, including president. He also held leadership positions in regional photography associations and was a founding member of the North American Nature Photography Association, where he chaired its first two internationally attended conferences. A sought-after teacher, lecturer, and photo judge, Rick also shared his passion through travelogues inspired by his and Barbara’s extensive travels.

Barbara, a history major, was a librarian for the Greece Central School District for more than 20 years. Together, they had three children: Stephen, a mechanical engineering major from the Class of 1983; and twins Jim and Jon. Jon earned his PhD from the Institute of Optics and his daughter, Hannah, continued the family tradition, graduating from Rochester in 2017 with a bachelor’s degree in studio arts and minors in chemistry and business.

Adds Barbara, “The Wyants had great vision establishing this funding challenge. They made it possible for others like me to participate and make a bigger difference, together.”

Carol Duquette believes her Rochester education set her up to succeed.

Carol Duquette ’85, ’03S (MBA)

Carol Duquette ’85, ’03S (MBA) recalls graduating from the University of Rochester with a sense that she could do anything. She found the broad education and critical thinking skills she gained from her degrees could be applied successfully in any situation.

Carol grew up in Plattsburgh, NY. In her freshman year of college, she visited a friend in Virginia and went to see the friend’s father’s workplace at Langley Air Force Base, where she had the chance to observe testing on the airfoils that were being modeled for space shuttles. Carol came away from the experience knowing that she wanted to pursue mechanical engineering, though there were few women in the field at the time.

Initially drawn to Rochester by a scholarship and her knowledge of the school’s strong reputation for excellence, Carol was certain it was the right fit after visiting the campus and immediately liking what she saw. Her conviction in the strength of a Rochester education has remained steady. “I learned so much from my peers—it was incredible,” she shares. “As students, we were super-focused, staying up till 2 a.m. doing problem sets. We never took the easy way out.”

After graduating, Carol worked as an engineer and consultant for the City of Rochester, a land development consulting firm, and architectural firms before joining Wegmans Food Markets, Inc. in 1996, where she is now vice president of design services and maintenance. Carol returned to the University of Rochester to earn an MBA at the Simon Business School and credits her professors for completely changing the way she thought about business and helping her develop invaluable leadership skills. Once again, her peers had a large impact on her education. The diversity of the class, coming from so many skillsets and industries, gave her a whole new perspective.

Carol’s family now has a long legacy of attending the University of Rochester. Carol’s son came to the University to study engineering as an undergraduate student and later earned his MBA at Simon as well. Several of Carol’s nieces and nephews have pursued their own Rochester degrees before launching successful careers in development work, engineering, marketing, and law.

Eager to stay connected to the school, Carol has served on many professional societies, such as Rochester’s Society of Women Engineers and has hosted internships for students. After having several opportunities to return to the University as a guest lecturer, Carol shares that she “was completely blown away by how insightful the students were in their questions—their intelligence and intellect, how well-rounded they are and all that they strive to accomplish.”

Now, as a member of the Wilson Society, Carol has set up a deferred charitable gift annuity, which has the advantage of providing a guaranteed income for life. The resulting endowment will provide support for underrepresented students in engineering—ensuring that students continue to benefit from Carol’s generosity well into the future.

“Attending the University of Rochester set me up to succeed in the face of any challenge that has come up in my career. I hope my support helps future students receive the same opportunities I did.”

Bob and Mabelle Pizzutiello have found joy and purpose in supporting collaborative programs at the University of Rochester.

As a musician for the Eastman Performing Arts Medicine Center (EPAM), Bob Pizzutiello ’77, ’78 (MS) plays the Chapman Stick in the lobby of Strong Memorial Hospital.

“Most human beings are not monolithic,” says Bob Pizzutiello ’77, ’78 (MS), “They enjoy different perspectives.” He and his wife Mabelle Pizzutiello ’63N, P’89 support many programs at the University of Rochester, with their interests spanning the arts, sciences, and healthcare, as well as those focused on equity, diversity, and inclusion, but the is one of the most unique.

Finding intersections between music and science comes naturally for Bob who pursued a degree in electrical engineering but also made time to study the physics of music. His education at the University of Rochester allowed him to explore the interconnection between his broad interests. When he first came to Rochester in 1973, a teenage Bob had the impression that he would be done learning at the end of college. Instead, those years launched a lifelong career of discovery.

Bob recognizes the valuable life skills that he gained at Rochester—how to think and solve problems. As a Joseph C. Wilson Scholar, Bob had the opportunity to take any course across the University, and he made the most of it. In addition to his undergraduate workload, he took classes in the School of Medicine and Dentistry, which were foundational for him and his future work.

He credits his full scholarship for not only making it possible to pursue his education, but to find a career. At the age of 23, he completed a master’s degree, and he started his first real job at the University of Rochester Medical Center.

Bob spent his career working in community hospitals as a medical physicist, while also bringing his learnings about physics and technology into the national discussion, as an advisor to the Food and Drug Administration. He founded and led Upstate Medical Physics, a regional practice, and was the senior vice president of Landauer Medical Physics, a national organization, collaborating with medical physicists to deliver services to individual health care facilities and larger integrated delivery networks. He is also a past president of the New York State Radiological Society.

Gift advances faculty excellence, honors the department’s 50th anniversary

Daniel Sabbah ’74, ’78 (MS), ’82 (PhD)

Daniel Sabbah ’74, ’78 (MS), ’82 (PhD), former chief technology officer and general manager of IBM Cloud and Next Gen Computing, has committed $2 million to establish the 50th Anniversary Distinguished Professorship in Computer Science. This endowed gift will help the Hajim School’s recognize, attract, and advance faculty excellence in teaching and research.

“We are incredibly grateful to Danny for his vision, partnership, and history of generosity,” says Wendi Heinzelman, dean of the . “This gift honors the computer science department’s 50 year legacy of excellence, creates a vital pathway to support our faculty, and aligns with the University’s . Its impact will certainly be felt for generations, building on the department’s strengths in artificial intelligence, systems, theory, and human-computer interaction.”

“My career depended on the skills and knowledge I gained at Rochester and, now, I am in a position where I can help facilitate opportunities for others, especially those who have or will build careers in computer science,” says Sabbah. “I’m honored to play a role in the development of the department and the people within it.”

This is the third endowed gift from Sabbah, a mathematics major who also earned his master’s degree and a PhD in computer science from Rochester. In 2019, he established the Sabbah Family Endowment Award, a bequest that will provide seed funding to faculty conducting the most promising research across the School of Arts & Sciences. In 2015, he created the Endowed Fund for Data Science. Additionally, he has provided vital current-use funding to support the strategic initiatives and immediate needs of the Hajim School.

Adds Michael Scott, the Arthur Gould Yates Professor of Engineering and chair of the computer science department, “Danny’s gift will significantly enhance our already strong undergraduate and graduate programs and will empower our faculty scholars and researchers. Their expertise and dedication have been the driving force behind our department’s 50 years of innovation and achievements.”

This optics major, a capella performer, and recipient of the Rick and Terri Rashid Endowed Scholarship in Engineering excels in the classroom and in the campus community

Ethan R. King ’27

What are your academic/career goals? Was there a life experience that sparked your interest in what you’re studying or have planned for a career?

I want to design/invent new products and technologies. As a kid growing up in a very rural area, I often entertained myself by going outside and building structures or contraptions in the woods like catapults and bridges. In my house (much to my mother’s dismay), I would build incredibly complex chain reaction contraptions in my room composed of KNEX, Legos, marbles, cardboard tubes, the fan on my ceiling, and any other creative ways I could transfer energy. As an adult, I knew I wanted to be on the front line of creating groundbreaking technologies, and the rapidly growing field of optics was the best choice.

What are your favorite ways to engage with UR’s campus community outside of the classroom?

I am a member of the Yellowjackets a cappella group and am frequently involved with the chess club and spike ball club. I can often be found practicing my saxophone or singing in the acoustically sealed practice rooms that are provided to us on campus. I was recently elected to be the music director for the Yellowjackets, so I will be spending extra time arranging music and organizing the group in the coming semesters.Ěý

What internship, research project, study abroad, or work opportunities have you been involved in recently? What skills are you taking away from the experience(s)?

For my first optics course (OPT 101), my group and I completed a very professional research poster to wrap up the semester. The poster was based on a lab study we completed with Professor Cotrufo, and demonstrated different light transmission properties of a material as we heated and cooled it.

As the project lead, I learned a great deal about the material on the poster and overcame many of the difficulties associated with working in a group. In the end, my group and I presented a poster that we are very proud of, and I finished with a 4.0 GPA in that class. I’m hoping to do more professional research in the future and am extremely grateful to have had this experience so early on in my college career.

In what ways do you feel scholarship support impacts your experience at the University?

As a student graduating from a high school in a relatively poor rural area, I am incredibly proud to be attending the University of Rochester and am thoroughly enjoying my college experience so far. I cannot possibly express how appreciative I am of the donors that help fund the scholarships that make it possible for me and other students to afford going to such an amazing school. I feel as though I am getting a versatile and beneficial education for my future, and the Rick and Terri Rashid Endowed Scholarship in Engineering allows the University to continue providing a quality education for engineering majors such as me.

Tina E. Kidger and Emery L. Moore establish distinguished professorship of optics as part of the Wyant Challenge

Tina Kidger and Emery Moore

A couple deeply connected to optics is enhancing the field’s future by endowing the Kidger-Moore Distinguished Professorship in Optics at the University of Rochester. and generous gift to the University will be matched with funds through the Wyant Challenge, established by °µÍřłÔąĎ life trustee James C. Wyant ’69 (PhD) and his wife, Tammy. This challenge aims to increase faculty at the by 50 percent.

Kidger and Moore have both been associated with optics for more than 40 years and say they feel most at home when they are with those from the optics community. When they learned about the Wyant Challenge, they saw an opportunity to support the Institute of Optics–one of the world’s premier optics programs–and ensure the optics community will continue to thrive for years to come.

“We were looking for some way to create a legacy and the University of Rochester was an obvious choice,” says Moore. “It’s one of the best educational centers in the world for optical science. To have our name associated with the University and the Institute of Optics was important to us.”

University President Sarah Mangelsdorf says the gift highlights Rochester’s leading role in optics. As one of the institution’s areas of distinction, optics is a key part of the University’s 2030 . “Thanks to Tina and Emery, and all of our generous supporters of the Wyant Challenge, we will continue to recruit top-tier faculty members as part of our long legacy in researching and developing transformational technologies in optics and related fields,” Mangelsdorf says. “We appreciate Tina and Emery’s support as we all work to advance Rochester’s leadership and distinction as a research university of global impact.”

Although Kidger and Moore are not Rochester alumni, their connection to the University dates back more than a century. Dr. Edward Mott Moore was the son of Emery Moore’s great, great uncle, Lindley M. Moore. For many years in the mid to late 19th century, Dr. Mott Moore was president of the University of Rochester’s Board of Trustees as well as president of the Rochester Parks Commission from its founding in 1888 until his death in 1902. Dubbed the founding father of Rochester’s park system, he is memorialized with a statue in Genesee Valley Park.

Tina Kidger and her late first husband Michael J. Kidger also have a connection to the University through their long-standing professional association with Imperial College London (ICL). Early in her career, Kidger met Rudolf and Hilda Kingslake—two of the Institute of Optics’ founding faculty members who came from ICL—at a Society of Photo-Optical Instrumental Engineers (SPIE) conference. SPIE is one of the premier professional societies for optics and photonics science, engineering, and technology. Tina was pleasantly surprised when a researcher as distinguished as Hilda Kingslake took an interest in the optical design software she was exhibiting. Kidger would go on to write about the Kingslakes’ lasting impact in optics through a paper: SPIE manuscript 10021-22, “The Optical Legacy of Imperial College London.”

Throughout their professional lives, the couple has been deeply involved with SPIE. Moore is a former officer and president of the society while Kidger has been involved for decades as a volunteer leader. She continues to help SPIE plan its symposia and was honored by the organization as an SPIE fellow in 2022. Through the society, they grew to know Jim Wyant, furthering their connections to Rochester.

Tina Kidger annually awards (with administrative support from SPIE) the to a student engaged in optical design including lens design, illumination design, and computational optical design. Six of the 24 Kidger Scholars to date have come from the University of Rochester.

“It is very important for students and graduates to have a considerable understanding of optical design,” says Kidger. “While other universities have programs specializing in optics, there is none superior to the program at the University of Rochester’s Institute of Optics.” She adds that the program at the University of Arizona’s Wyant College of Optical Sciences is of similar caliber.

, the director of the Institute of Optics and a Mercer Brugler Distinguished Teaching Professor, says the search for the first Kidger-Moore Distinguished Professor is expected to begin in late 2025. Professor Brown says he is excited to find a candidate who can do justice to Kidger and Moore’s legacy in optics.

“Tina and Emery have a deep appreciation for the historical roots of the Institute, but an equal appreciation for its present and future prospects,” says Brown. “Through Tina’s annual Michael J. Kidger Memorial Scholarship, the couple has already recognized many of the Institute’s students. The Kidger-Moore Distinguished Professorship at Rochester is a further investment toward advancing the future of the Institute and the industry. We are extremely grateful to Tina and Emery for the impact that their generosity will have on the future of the Institute of Optics, the University of Rochester, and generations of students to come.”

Cochairs Kathy Waller ’80, ’83S (MBA) and Abby Zabrodsky ’14, ’19S (MBA) lead the group to connect, support, and engage women.

Abby Zabrodsky ’14 and ’19S (MBA)

Amidst the historical significance of 2020—a year marked by Susan B. Anthony’s 200 birthday and the centennial milestone of the 19th Amend­ment to the US Constitution—the University launched its global Women’s Network. Today, Kathy Waller ’80, ’83S (MBA) and Abby Zabrodsky ’14, ’19S (MBA) lead the group, which is made up of alumni, students, parents, faculty, staff, and allies. Members develop programs to facilitate mutual support and explore shared interests among women who have similar goals, challenges, and life experiences.

“Women have made such an impact on history and in all of our lives,” says Waller, retired chief financial officer at Coca-Cola Co., a member of the Simon Advisory Council, and a University trustee. “The network provides a structure and a community to unite us, from virtual programs that serve the global community to in-person events that build relationships, to our strong presence on The Meliora Collective, the University’s online platform for personal and professional growth.”

Zabrodsky, the director of business development for the engineering and manufacturing systems firm Advanced Manufacturing Technology, Inc.; a member of the University’s Alumni Board; and a mentor within The Meliora Collective, underscores how the network also serves as a catalyst for cross-generational mentor­ship and networking. “The University has played and continues to be an important part in our lives,” she says. “We encourage and invite everyone to get involved.” She and Waller first met as cochairs of the network’s personal and professional development committee.

Kathy Waller ’80, ’83S (MBA)

Beginnings

At its official launch, Gail Lione ’71, also a trustee, initially led the network alongside Tiffany Taylor ’91 and recruited fel­low women trustees, Gwen Greene ’65, Liz Bruno ’89, Joan Beal ’84E, Betsy Ward Chicaras ’86, and Waller. A few years later, Waller became the Women’s Network’s cochair, and Zabrodsky replaced Taylor earlier this year.

Although officially launched in 2020, Kathy Murray ’74, also a trustee, planted the network’s early seeds. In 2013, she started the Metro New York Women’s Network to connect and support alumni living in and around New York City. Soon after, other regionally based women’s networks formed in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Washington DC, building momentum for the global network that was to come. Today, there are six regionally based women’s networks. Rochester and New England were added a few years ago.

“Early on, these women leaders and others saw the positive impact they could make in one another’s lives through the Women’s Network, says Karen Chance Mercurius, vice president of Alumni Relations and Constituent Engagement. “The global Women’s Network launch came at the height of the pandemic, fostering a sense of belonging by providing support, guidance, connection, and community.”

Giving back

Waller’s and Zabrodsky’s dedication to their alma mater is deeply rooted in their desire to give back. Zabrodsky says her family “instilled a strong wish to do whatever I can to improve the places that are important to me, including the University.”

Waller was a recipient of an undergraduate scholarship. That opportunity, combined with mixed experiences at the University, fuels her determination to drive change and support women and underserved students, aligning with President Mangelsdorf’s vision for a more inclusive University.

“I believe that if you want to see change, you have to help make that change,” she says. “I will continue to lend my voice and show my support to women and underserved students so that all 18-year-old Black women who come here have amazing experiences and then want to raise their hands to help the next person.”

Learn more about Kathy Waller and Abby Zabrodsky.