60 Photos Celebrate NYIT History

A Look Back at 1955: NYIT's Inaugural Year The film debut of To Catch a Thief with Cary Grant and Grace Kelly was one of many happenings the year NYIT opened its first campus with nine students at 500 Pacific St. in Brooklyn, N.Y. Today, the once-quiet address is in the epicenter of the borough, only a block away from the Barclays Center, home of the Brooklyn Nets and a popular entertainment venue.

Engineer Reflects on His Time at NYIT George Marks (B.S. '65) fondly recalled his time as a college student from his home in San Diego, Calif. He and his wife, Bette, celebrate their 50th anniversary this year as NYIT turns 60. "Getting my degree in mechanical engineering from NYIT was a start to a wonderful life," he said. "I received a job offer from Elliott Co., a division of Carrier Corp., and that led me to Solar Turbines in New York and later to San Diego in 1970.

Throwback Thursday This photo dates to the 1970s and shows a soaring student-athlete doing the long jump. The former men's and women's track and field teams began their amazing legacy in 1974, making their way to the National Collegiate Athletic Association's Division II postseason and continuing to do so for the next 25 years.

From Teacher to Journalist: How I Made a Career Change at NYIT Erica Ayisi (B.F.A. '03, M.A. '10) recalled her graduate student days as pivotal in pursuing a new direction in her life. She currently works as a freelance journalist based in Massachusetts. "Thanks to the hands-on training I received at NYIT, I have come a long way today," she said. "NYIT was part of my major life change and I'm grateful for my education."

NYIT Professor Reflects on a Pivotal Communications Experiment English Professor Anthony DiMatteo wrote about his first semester teaching at NYIT. "When I started as an English professor at NYIT's Old Westbury campus, it was a fall semester in 1985, and I taught the course Composition and Literature," he said.

The Greatest Steps Into NYIT's Ring Not everyone gets to photograph a living legend, but that's what The Campus Slate photographer Paul Moeller (B.S. '71) did on April 20, 1971. On that Tuesday, NYIT students gathered outside the Old Westbury campus Student Activities Center (known then as the "Dairy Barn") to meet one of the greatest sports celebrities of all time: former heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali. Instead of lecturing students on current issues, the sports legend asked students what they wanted him to discuss. Topics ranged from Howard Cosell to Ali's retirement to a rematch with Joe Frazier.

Alumni Relations Director Remembers Her Student Days at NYIT Jennifer Kelly (M.S. '99) parlayed her graduate degree into a career at her alma mater. "While I was a student at NYIT, I had such a great experience interacting with professors and other people on campus," said Jennifer Kelly (M.S. '99). "I loved the campus culture and thought it would be a great place to work." Kelly would eventually follow through on her interest in working at NYIT. In 2012, she was hired as the university's director of alumni relations.

Throwback Thursday This photo dates back to 1982 and shows a student examining a robot. NYIT's research in robotics has only grown more vast and rich since then.

Whitney Players Staged Drama in 1970s The Whitney Players was a drama club active decades ago at NYIT. In 1971, the group put on an outdoor production of The Grouch, an ancient Greek play.

NYIT Orientation Spans Decades Over the years, NYIT's summer orientation program has evolved into an annual tradition for new students. In 2015, new students played tug of war as part of orientation at NYIT-Old Westbury.

Security Director Discusses Promises, Career Changes, and Coming Home to NYIT Tony Repalone (B.S. '05) dropped out of college in 1980 to pursue a career in law enforcement but promised his father that one day he would return to school and earn his degree. "My father passed away in 2001, so I decided to 'walk' in his honor with the Class of 2005 at NYIT Commencement," he said. "My mom, wife, and two kids were there, and I know my dad was looking down on me and smiling. And now in 2015, after serving 31 years as a police officer, I've come full circle and am back at NYIT and proudly serving as its security director at the Old Westbury campus. Go Bears!"

Throwback Thursday This photo dates to 1973 and was originally published in The Campus Slate student newspaper as part of a story about clubs and activities at NYIT. The photo shows members of NYIT's former Aerospace Club. In the spring 1973 semester, they engineered a glider and successfully flew it on the Old Westbury campus.

Hollywood Calls at NYIT's Gold Coast Mansion Telecommunications Manager Ray Carney shared a fact about the silver screen and NYIT: Some scenes in the 1981 film Arthur starring Dudley Moore and Liza Minnelli were filmed inside and nearby the NYIT de Seversky Mansion on the Old Westbury campus.

Career Spotlight Emil Leano (B.S. '13) discussed how NYIT's Internship Certificate Program was a first step to pursuing a career at Viacom, a media company that owns BET, MTV, and other cable networks.

NYIT's Omicron Sigma Upsilon Chapter: 1966 and Today NYIT's tradition of bringing together diverse students through Greek organizations goes back many decades. In 1966, a group of NYIT students founded Omicron Sigma Upsilon (OSU). The fraternity was active from 1966 to 1977 and had more than 150 members, including Student Government Association officers, newspaper and yearbook staff, and student-athletes. Fraternity members keep in touch to this day. In 2014, OSU brother Sal Bracco (B.S. '70) organized a reunion for alumni from the fraternity's heyday. He is pictured above: standing second from right in the lefthand photo and fourth from left in the righthand photo.

NYIT's Old Westbury Campus Has New York Family Ties When NYIT opened its Old Westbury campus in 1965, it did so on land acquired from Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney, scion of two notable American families. The Vanderbilts and Whitneys are synonymous with 20th century business, philanthropy, and culture, including the namesake Whitney Museum of American Art in Manhattan. They used their Long Island property as a country retreat. NYIT repurposed one of the estate's mansions into the Midge Karr Fine Arts Design Center, which now houses the departments of Fine Arts and Interior Design. Walking inside is like stepping back in time. The front entrance leads into a grand room with high ceilings, wooden staircases, and a fireplace.

Gov. George Pataki Addresses NYIT Graduates in 2002 At the 2002 NYIT Commencement, graduates heard from former New York Gov. George Pataki. He is pictured shaking hands with NYIT President Edward Guiliano, Ph.D. The commencement address was the first following the tragic events of 9/11. As reported in the first issue of NYIT Magazine published in summer 2002, Pataki alluded to New York's remarkable resilience following the attacks and urged his audience to "never give up," regardless of the challenges ahead. "The fact that you [graduates] are here today receiving degrees from one of New York's finest institutions of higher learning is a sure sign that you are not quitters," he said. Pataki also received an honorary degree from NYIT.

Lacrosse Coaches Recall NYIT's Winning Seasons From 1997 to 2008, the NYIT men's lacrosse team won the NCAA Division II championship four times.

NYIT Alumnus Recalls Landing His First Engineering Job in the '60s John Crociante (B.S. '69), now a retired cooling tower consultant, chimed in with his memories of campus life: "In 1965, I was a freshman at the Atlantic Avenue branch in Brooklyn. Then, I continued my classes at the West 70th Street branch a former Knights of Pythias temple. I remember spending time at the Central Park Zoo. New York City was unruly then, too." He noted that "the school sweatshirt for my class was purple with gold lettering that said 'NYIT CLASS of 1969.' I wish I still had it." Pictured left to right are the interior of the Knights of Pythias temple and a keepsake NYIT shirt Crociante still has at home.

NYIT Launched Its First Graduate Program in the '70s In 1972, NYIT introduced its first graduate-level program: a Master of Business Administration. Forty-three years later, NYIT has more than 50 graduate programs across campuses in Manhattan, Old Westbury, Vancouver, Nanjing, and Abu Dhabi, as well as online. The M.B.A. program reached another milestone in 2015. As part of NYIT School of Management, it earned accreditation by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International. Fewer than 5 percent of the world's universities have earned this distinction.

NYIT Helps Fight Cyberspace Invaders To fill a need for education and awareness of Internet attacks, NYIT School of Engineering & Computing Sciences hosted its first cybersecurity conference in September 2009. This photo shows Eric Cole (B.S. '93, M.S. '94) with Dean Nada Anid at the event. In a keynote address at the inaugural conference, Cole urged attendees not to wait for the signs of a cyberattack to start protecting their digital assets. "If you're not seeing them, you're not looking in the right spots," he said.

Throwback Thursday In 1971, the NYIT Women's Association hosted a fashion show on campus that featured day and evening wear styles.

Interview of a Lifetime: the Student and the Sportscaster John Santamaria (B.F.A. '13, M.A. '14) interviewed Bob Wolff in 2011, a moment he'll never forget. "I came to NYIT to study communication arts and pursue my dream of becoming a sports broadcaster," said Santamaria. "I was able to meet many interesting people, such as Wolff, and learn things about the media that prepared me for my current position as a production assistant at Major League Baseball and CBS Sports Network. I'm also the public address announcer at the Bears' home games throughout the year."

NYIT Day Proclaimed in 1958 At NYIT's first Founders Dinner in 1958, New York City Mayor Robert Wagner Jr. proclaimed the day to trustee united york

Women's Volleyball Team Celebrates Milestones in 2015 Head Coach Gail Wasmus (M.P.S. '80) discussed her experiences at NYIT. "Being at NYIT feels like I'm with my family," says Wasmus. "Working with people for a long time has allowed me to know them on a personal level and makes our bond even stronger. There is a good sense of camaraderie in the Department of Athletics due to new administrative staff and that makes me glad to come to work every day."

NYIT Introduced Teaching Machines on Campus in the 1950s Long before personal computers were ubiquitous, NYIT used computer technologies in the classroom. In the 1950s, the university introduced "teaching machines" in its labs, the forerunners to modern-day desktop computers. Pictured is an archival photo of NYIT students using teaching machines in an automated teaching lab.

Throwback Thursday This photo dates to 1973, when an oil embargo against the United States spurred an energy crisis in the country and renewed the public's interest in electric cars. Engineering students under the direction of Professor Edward Kafrissen, Ph.D., lowered a 1965 General Motors Corvair into the machine shop inside Harry Schure Hall at the Old Westbury campus. The group later removed the engine and installed an electric motor with a rechargeable battery.

NYIT Alumnus Recalls Reporting on The Beach Boys As a student, Steve Matteo (B.F.A. '89) interviewed musician Carl Wilson for a story in The Campus Slate.

For Decades, NYIT Sculpture Barn Is Studio for Artists For many people, NYIT's Sculpture Barn seems like a secret space at the edge of the Old Westbury campus, between the baseball field and the medical school buildings. Its mystique goes back to at least the '70s. In fact, the Sculpture Barn is a large studio space with high ceilings and lots of tables and equipment. Fine arts students work with their hands to cut, shape, mold, and build art.

NYIT Magazine's First Issue Covered a Digital Revolution on Campus In summer 2002, NYIT Magazine debuted as an alumni publication. The cover story, "Bright Idea,"; focused on NYIT's new broadband connection, the fastest one on the East Coast at the time. The first issue also reported on entrepreneurial alumni and profiled NYITCOM students.

NYIT's International Programs in China In 1998, NYIT took its brand of American-style education overseas with an M.B.A. program at Jiangxi University of Finance and Economics (JUFE) in China. The NYIT-JUFE M.B.A. program now enrolls more than 100 students each year, with classes offered in Beijing, Shenzhen, and Shanghai. More international programs followed in 2007, when NYIT opened one of the first American undergraduate campuses in Nanjing, with partner Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications (pictured is the library at this campus.) In addition, NYIT has collaborated on dual-degree programs with top universities such as China University of Mining and Technology, Jinan University, and Tongji University.

Throwback Thursday Former Microsoft CEO and Chairman Bill Gates visited NYIT in October 1999 to discuss the future of education. He is pictured giving a speech on the opportunities and challenges of educating a generation of students whose experiences are defined by the Internet. Gates also received NYIT's Presidential Medal.

Designing Woman Johanna (Han) Schroder [1918-1992], the founder and intellectual force behind NYIT's interior design program, grew up in the Rietveld Schroder House (pictured) in Utrecht, the Netherlands. Her childhood home shaped her ideas about design and architecture. In 1924, when the Modernist house was built on the fringe of a grass field, it was a model for the active lifestyle desired by Schroder's mother, Truus, who collaborated on the bilevel structure with architect Gerrit Rietveld, a member of the artistic movement De Stijl (Dutch for "The Style").

Wisser Library Opened in 1990 NYIT's main library on the Old Westbury campus is one of many resources available for students, faculty, and staff members.

The Man and the Mansion NYIT de Seversky Mansion is named for Alexander P. de Seversky, the late aviation designer and former longtime member of NYIT Board of Trustees. He was born in Russia in 1894, served as a naval aviator for his country during World War I, and later moved to the United States and founded his own aviation companies.

Throwback Thursday On Oct. 15, 2009, the NYIT Auditorium on Broadway held its first event.

Student Activities Flourished in the 1960s NYIT's second decade was a period of growth for student organizations and amenities at the New York campuses. For example, NYIT opened its second campus in Old Westbury in 1965 and launched WNYT (pictured), its first college radio station.

NYIT Launched Program to Educate Elementary School Teachers in 1993 On Oct. 19, 1993, New York State Board of Regents approved NYIT's Master of Science in Elementary Education at the Manhattan and Old Westbury campuses. Today, NYIT School of Education offers a variety of graduate degree and certificate programs taught in-person and online, thanks to the latest videoconferencing and distance learning technologies available to students. U.S. News & World Report ranked many of these programs among its Best Online Programs for 2015, including the M.S. in Childhood Education, which now encompasses the university's elementary education coursework.

Bears Enjoyed Outstanding Athletics Seasons in 1980s The NYIT men's basketball team kicked off 1980 by reaching the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division II championship finals. It was just the beginning of a decade when the Bears would show their prowess as top contenders in many athletics programs. The same year, the baseball team competed in the NCAA Division II playoffs.

Open House: Energy Project and Admissions Event In October 2005 and 2007, NYIT students participated in the Solar Decathlon sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy to design, build, and operate an attractive, energy-efficient, solar-powered house. Both times, the teams comprised of architecture, interior design, and engineering students impressed judges in the international competition. The 2005 NYIT entry, "Green Machine-Blue Space," placed fifth. The 2007 entry was "Open House" (pictured), which placed 12th, ahead of contenders such as MIT and Cornell. Open House is also the name of an annual autumn event, where prospective undergraduate students can learn about NYIT's schools of Engineering and Computing Sciences; Architecture and Design; and more.

Throwback Thursday As society and technology have evolved over the years, so too has the NYIT brand. This NYIT logo is from 1963.

NYITCOM Opened Its Doors in 1977 Former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger addressed students at NYITCOM's first medical convocation in 1977. The college's inaugural class included 36 medical students; at the time, it was the first and only osteopathic medical school in New York.

NYIT Established its Alumni Association in 1970 Nurturing the shared history and bonds of alumni is a long tradition at NYIT. Nearly 100,000 NYIT alumni live and work worldwide as of 2015. They are doctors, business owners, artists, teachers, architects, engineers, and nurses to name a few. Alumni show their "Bear" claws and school spirit at NYIT's All Majors Job and Internship Fair. They attend to recruit students.

Club Football Was No. 1 in Defense On Oct. 27, 1970, The Campus Slate reported on the victories of NYIT's club football team. The headline read: "Bears Bombard Connecticut to Continue Streak." The Bears had just won their fourth game in a row against the University of Connecticut at Stamford. At the same time, NYIT's team was ranked the No. 1 club football team for defensive play in the United States.

Alumnus Remembers Hurricane Sandy Relief Larry Kamguia (M.A. '13), assistant director of career services (pictured second from left), counts a difficult period as one of his proudest experiences at NYIT: when Hurricane Sandy hit the New York tri-state area in 2012. The storm made landfall on Oct. 29 and affected everyone at NYIT. "It was my first time experiencing a hurricane," said Kamguia. "Many of my classmates saw their homes destroyed by Hurricane Sandy. Our fundraiser was a way for me and other students to show our support for affected families. It's this sense of solidarity during hard times that makes me proud to be part of the NYIT community."

Throwback Thursday This photo visits the ghosts of 1990s past. It originally appeared in NYIT's Class of 1993 yearbook and shows a festive party at the Manhattan campus.

Three Days of the Condor Filmed Scenes at NYIT In the 1970s, the late American film director Sydney Pollack came to NYIT's Old Westbury campus to shoot scenes for Three Days of the Condor. The film came out in 1975 and went on to box office success, making more than $41 million in U.S. theaters.

NYIT Women's Basketball Team Earned First National Ranking in 2013 The Bears were on a winning streak when they made the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Top 25 for the first time in program history. The January 2013 milestone coincided with the team tying NYIT's school record for most wins in a single season (16 set in 2011-2012). WBCA determines rankings via votes received in the USA Today Sports Division II Top 25 Coaches' Poll. The Bears went on to finish the 2012-13 season with a 23-6 record.

Alumni Spotlight Frank Fortino (B.S. '87) established the Fortino Family Endowed Scholarship Fund to give back to his alma mater and help others pursue a college education. "When I enrolled in NYIT School of Architecture and Design, I was working for architecture firm Emery Roth & Sons," he said. "I started as a draftsperson, and by the time I was 24, I was the head of code and zoning, coordinating all the approvals and permits for new constructions and renovations. During that time, I put myself through school and attended class at night. I had a wonderful experience at NYIT, and I earned my degree while working for a job that allowed me to shape the New York City skyline."

First NYIT Drama Production Performed in 1966 On Nov. 4, 1966, students at the Old Westbury campus staged the classic play Tea and Sympathy. The students were members of NYIT's Theater Technics Association formed the same year. They earned enough money from the play to fund their second production in spring 1967.

Throwback Thursday This #TBT photo recalls NYIT's first homecoming  in 1971. As reported by The Campus Slate, this homecoming was a week to remember. Students are pictured cheering from the first-ever bleachers installed on the Old Westbury campus near the former Dairy Barn (now the Student Activity Center). Festivities spread over the days included a pep rally, parade, and a ceremony to crown the homecoming queen.

NYIT Staff Member Recalls Two Storms, Many Kindnesses Patricia Duran, director of student accounts, described how the NYIT community mobilized for Hurricane Sandy relief efforts in November 2012. Pictured are students and staff members who volunteered their time to help those in need.

MayFest Never Gets Old at NYIT From wearing fun T-shirts to "pieing" for charity, MayFest has always brought good cheer to campus over the years.

Alumni Spotlight At an NYIT alumni event in spring 2015, Indera Rampal-Harrod (B.S. '95, M.S. '97, M.S. '00) joined her mentor and former NYIT professor Richard E. Dibble, Ph.D., onstage to receive a leadership award for her support of the School of Management and her dedication to the human resources profession. "NYIT's human resources program is different from others because the instructors have an affinity to the program and to Dr. Dibble," she said. "They come back and teach, and that makes the quality and the approach more holistic."

Interview with Hollywood Actress In 1980, Diane Lane was a teenager with a new film in U.S. theaters. She spoke to The Campus Slate about Touched by Love and coming of age in the film industry.

Men's Soccer Team Kicked Off the '80s with Playoffs Bid On Nov. 12, 1980, the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) granted a bid for the NYIT men's soccer team to compete for the first time in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) playoffs. Though the Bears lost in the playoffs, they would only get stronger as the decade progressed. By 1985, the team advanced to the NCAA Division II Final Four Tournament. Clitos Papadopoulos (B.S. '85, M.S. '89), who played on the team in the early '80s, still holds the Bears' record as all-time leading scorer and was inducted into the NYIT Athletics Hall of Fame in 2005.

Digital Noise Reducer Invented at NYIT In the 1970s, William Glenn developed an essential tool for television outlets such as CBS News.

The Shape of Things to Come NYIT's newest alumni, including Theerawat Khajornkhanphet (M.F.A. '14), shared their college memories and discussed their careers in NYIT Magazine and on The Box.

NYIT's Computer Graphics History Is Out of This World November 2015 is the 20th anniversary of Toy Story, produced by Pixar Animation Studios. The first feature-length, computer-animated film has digital roots in NYIT's Computer Graphics Lab. Formed in 1974, CGL's roster included future Pixar President Ed Catmull and co-founder Alvy Ray Smith, Walt Disney Feature Animation Chief Scientist Lance Joseph Williams, Dreamworks animator Hank Grebe, and Netscape and Silicon Graphics founder Jim Clark.

NYIT Received Provisional Charter in 1955 The charter was granted by New York State Board of Regents on Nov. 18, 1955 and enabled NYIT to open its first campus. Today, NYIT has campuses in Old Westbury, Manhattan, China, Canada, and United Arab Emirates.