Helping Handshakes

By IC Staff, May 6, 2025

Scholarship recipients thank members of the IC community whose gifts helped empower their futures.

Gage Redinger ’25 and Gelu Sulugiuc ’98

(Photo by Chris Kitchen)

Finding Rhythm

Music education major Gage Redinger ’25 wasn’t sure what to expect when he received the invitation to meet Gelu Sulugiuc ’98, an icon on the international financial news scene. Sulugiuc’s résumé is intimidating: Born in Romania and now based in Copenhagen, he received a journalism degree at IC that set him on a path as business reporter and later editor for Reuters and Bloomberg in New York and Copenhagen. He founded PLX, an AI-powered financial news service that was acquired by Reuters in 2022. Sulugiuc now serves as CEO of Denmark-based Financial News Systems. He arrived at the Celebration of Scholarships wearing a Nine Inch Nails T-shirt, much to the relief of Redinger.

“I thought that was very cool,” said the percussionist and first-generation college student, who emphasizes the importance of financial assistance, especially as he nears graduation. “I do not come from a lot of money…and now I’m approaching that period where I’m almost graduating. I’m like, ‘Oh, I need to look at those loan details again; those numbers are real. Those aren’t just numbers on a computer.’”

Sulugiuc, himself a scholarship recipient, knows that scholarship contributions can prove life changing. “I was lucky to receive a scholarship from Ithaca College, so I could attend the Park School of Communications,” he said.

As a musician, Redinger is quick to point out that some academic pathways come with associated costs that pose additional challenges to students. “I know every degree has its purchasing demands,” he said, “but there’s a lot with music. We have to go out and buy equipment. I need to buy new mallets. This takes the pressure off, and I can make even better music.”

Meeting Milestones

Aslan Sharipov ’27 and Hormoz Movassaghi. (Photo by Chris Kitchen)

Aslan Sharipov ’27, a business administration major, didn’t need to be introduced to Hormoz Movassaghi, chair of the department of finance and international business at IC’s School of Business. Sharipov said the scholarship made possible by Movassaghi provided a stabilizing force as he navigated rigorous studies and profound personal milestones. “This scholarship has been a tremendous support during my time at Ithaca College,” Sharipov said. Over the course of the past year, he got married, moved off campus, and purchased a car. “Balancing academics with these life changes was challenging, but this scholarship alleviated a major financial burden, ensuring I could continue pursuing my education without constant stress. It gave me the flexibility to excel in my coursework and stay committed to my future goals.”

For Movassaghi, the intersecting financial demands of the personal and professional often spell difficulty for students. A contributor to both the Patricia Nally Memorial Scholarship and the Abraham Mulugetta Professor Emeritus Endowed Scholarship, Movassaghi says these funds “recognize the legacy of deep and genuine concern for our students’ well-being and success that these two colleagues embodied. While as staff and faculty, respectively, they had different levels and types of interactions with students, they shared the common bond of trying, in their own ways, to help all students pursue their education, unlock their potential, and achieve their dreams, personally and professionally.”

“I am incredibly grateful for this assistance,” said Sharipov, “as it played a crucial role in helping me navigate both my academic and personal journey successfully.”

Honor and Affirmation

Bryson Sauer ’27 and David Leiman ’74. (Photo by Chris Kitchen)

For music education major and saxophonist Bryson Sauer ’27, receiving the David Leiman Scholarship was both an honor and an affirmation of his artistic talent. The scholarship, established by David Leiman ’74, a senior financial advisor at Merrill Lynch, supports students who demonstrate exceptional promise in music.

Sauer’s meeting with his benefactor proved a moment of appreciation and connection. “It was truly an honor to receive the scholarship this past year,” said Sauer. “I had the amazing opportunity to meet Mr. Leiman and thank him for his generous support of me and my education.”

Sauer appreciated that the event helped him put a face to the generosity that impacted his future: “I am extremely grateful to all of the generous donors like David who make it possible for students like me to attend.”