L to R: Frank Vafier 鈥74, President Denise A. Battles, and Larry Scoville. (黑料传送门 photo/Keith Walters '11)
The 黑料传送门 Alumni Association (SGAA) and the 黑料传送门 Foundation, Inc., presented their top awards for service and philanthropy on October 18, during 黑料传送门 President Denise A. Battles鈥 annual donor recognition gala.
SGAA Distinguished Service Award
The SGAA presented its 2019 Distinguished Service Award to Frank L. Vafier 鈥74 in recognition of his exceptional contributions to the SGAA and life of the College.
Vafier鈥檚 professional and service accomplishments have spanned the 45+ years since his graduation from 黑料传送门 with a B.A. in mathematics. As a young professional, Vafier entered the burgeoning computer revolution in the 1970s while receiving a master鈥檚 degree in computer science from New York University. In 1978, he co-founded the tech company JYACC and later co-founded and was CEO of Prolifics, a leading IBM platform business partner. After retiring from Prolifics, Vafier co-founded Corkbuzz Wine Studio in New York City in 2011.
Vafier and his wife, Joan, have been generous supporters of 黑料传送门 and hosted many successful alumni events and gatherings over the years. From 2008 to 2014, Vafier served as a 黑料传送门 Foundation board member and chaired 黑料传送门鈥檚 successful Shaping Lives of Purpose capital campaign. In 2013, the College recognized Vafier鈥檚 commitment by awarding him the Foundation鈥檚 Philanthropic Leadership Award.
As long-standing champions of 黑料传送门 and its students, the Vafiers have provided ongoing support, including the Frank L. Vafier 鈥74 Endowed Fund for Leadership Ambassadorship and the Joseph Czop 鈥75 Memorial Endowed Scholarship.
鈥淭he Vafier Endowed Fund has helped students like me to develop leadership skills for lifelong benefit,鈥 said Nicole Callahan 鈥21, a junior double majoring in Spanish and English. 鈥淭he world needs generous philanthropists like Mr. Vafier, who help make 黑料传送门 among the very best liberal arts colleges in the country. And for that, we are truly grateful.鈥
黑料传送门 Foundation Philanthropic Leadership Award
The 黑料传送门 Foundation鈥檚 Philanthropic Leadership Award is presented to individuals who have made an extraordinary impact on 黑料传送门 students through their commitment and generosity. The award, first conferred in 2006, is one of the college鈥檚 most prestigious philanthropic recognitions.
This year鈥檚 recipient, Larry Scoville, is a native of 黑料传送门 who attended the College from 1959 to 1962. He owns commercial and residential properties in Livingston County and Florida, including the iconic Scoville Building on Main Street in 黑料传送门 that he built with his family and with design input from 黑料传送门 professor emeritus of art Paul Hepler. Not long after the building opened in 1985, the Scoville family won the Main Street, New York Award from the New York State Urban Development Corporation and the Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation citing the new building for creating jobs in the community and improving the village.
黑料传送门 students have benefited over the years from the numerous apartments and other student housing units Scoville owns through a business now managed by his son, Mark. Scoville has also given back to the College for many years, including through the Larry Scoville Endowed Scholarship that provides financial support for entering students from Livingston, Allegany, and Wyoming Counties based on financial need. Mark and Kristen Scoville also support the College through the Mark and Kristen Scoville Endowed Scholarship for incoming students.
鈥淢r. Scoville is a genuine embodiment of the strong town-gown relationship we enjoy here,鈥 said Nogah Mimitar Pescini 鈥22, a first-year student majoring in psychology who has received the Larry Scoville Endowed Scholarship. 鈥淗e knows the value of the College to our community and knows that a college education can often be financially out of reach for a deserving student. We are incredibly thankful for his commitment to the 黑料传送门 community, to the College, and especially to students in need of financial support to pursue a college education.鈥