Donald D’Elia (History, Emeritus) died on July 27, 2009. He was 76. D’Elia had been a professor at the college from 1965 until his retirement in 2005. During his tenure, D’Elia received many awards and honors for his scholarship in early American and Revolutionary thought, particularly in the areas of religious, social, political, scientific and educational ideas. Most notably, The Society of Catholic Social Sciences conferred the Pope Pius XI award on D’Elia in 2003. The award, named after the Roman Pontiff and head of the Roman Catholic Church (1922 -1939), is given to scholars who have made outstanding contributions to the understanding of Catholic social doctrine. Dr. D’Elia had also taught at Penn State University, Bloomsburg State University, Marist College and as an adjunct in the Graduate School of New York University. In addition, Dr. D’Elia was cited by Governor Mario Cuomo in 1984 for his “many years of dedicated service to the humanities.” He is listed in Marquis “Who’s Who in America” (East), “Who’s Who Among Italian Americans,” “American Catholic Who’s Who” and other reference works. D’Elia was a resident of New Paltz.

Bertha McKenna (Theatre Arts) died on July 22, 2009. She was 85. McKenna worked at the college as a secretary for many departments, including the Theatre Arts Department where she worked for more than 20 years before retiring in 1992. McKenna received her undergraduate degree in English from the college in 1989 after attending classes part time for more than eight years. She also took part in many theater productions at the college and in the local community. McKenna lived in New Paltz.

Raymond Kurdt (Theatre Arts, Emeritus) died on July 27, 2009. He was 76. He was a professor in the Department of Theatre Arts at the college for more than 30 years. He was also a 1956 graduate of the college. Kurdt was a professional designer whose settings graced the stages of the college and local theater companies. Beginning in 1968, Kurdt began collecting and preserving significant design sketches by renowned theatre artists. Renamed in his honor upon his retirement from New Paltz, the collection has more than 400 works and is housed in the Samuel Dorsky Museum of Art. Kurdt retired from the college in the 1990s. In retirement, he owned and operated Front Row Center, a gift shop specializing in the performing arts located in Water Street Market in New Paltz. Kurdt lived in New Paltz.

Jan Hammond (Educational Administration) was appointed to the Professional Standards and Practices Board for Teaching by the New York State Board of Regents. Hammond’s term will end on June 30, 2010. The board serves the Regents and the Commissioner of Education on teaching issues and related professions.

Sara Pasti (Museum) received sponsorship from the Greenway Heritage Conservancy HRV Inc. for the Samuel Dorsky Museum of Art’s educational symposium, “Revisiting the Hudson: 19th Century Landscape Painting in Context.”

L.H. Roper (History) has been named a co-general editor of the new Journal of Early American History and related book series, The American Colonies, 1500-1830, both published by Brill Academic Publishers of Leiden, the Netherlands. Roper will serve with Jaap Jacobs, a Dutch independent scholar, and Bertrand Van Ruymbeke of the University of Paris-8 in St. Denis. The journal will be housed in the Department of History at New Paltz and will publish its first number in early 2010. For more information, visit www.brill.nl/jeah/.