More than 85 Chemistry alumni, faculty, staff and former faculty and staff gathered on October 11 to celebrate the 50 years that chemistry has been offered as a major at Ithaca College.

Bill Schwab '68 provided a keynote presentation at the celebration banquet, which also featured remarks by President Tom Rochon, a slideshow of photos from the past five decades, and even a periodic table of cupcakes!

Other events of the day included a lively breakfast and welcome reception hosted by School of Humanities and Sciences dean Leslie Lewis, a lunch in the Tower Club lounge, a poster session spotlighting student research, and a career panel that introduced current students to the wide range of professions that chemistry majors choose to pursue.

Marjorie Chelly '94 surprised her beloved former professor, Glenn Vogel, by establishing the Dr. Glenn C. Vogel and Dr. Marjorie R. Chelly '94 Chemistry Education Fund. Once endowed, this fund will help cover transportation costs for students who present research at national conferences. A similar fund -- the Chemistry Alumni Student Research Fund -- will support student-faculty research projects. Bill Schwab has offered to match, dollar for dollar, any donations made to the fund before May 31, 2013 -- up to a total of $3,000.

For more information, please contact Jennifer Gabriel at (607) 274-1397 or jgabriel@ithaca.edu.