Comments:
After Northeast, I went to MIT for five years and got my bachelors in Physics and a masters in Mechanical Engineering simultaneously. During my freshman year I joined Alpha Phi Omega (APO—National Service Fraternity), and probably spent as much time majoring in APO as I spent in my course work. During my graduate year, I also cross-registered at Harvard Graduate School of Education, and took a doctorate-level course there in education and public policy. I even had an article published in The Record of Columbia University’s School of Education.
With degrees in Physics and Mechanical Engineering, I never actually worked in either field. My first five years after MIT were spent in teaching, and then I got involved in educational computer work. My work history:
1969-71 Teacher Sterling School, Craftsbury Common, VT (Physics, Physical Science, Math, dorm supervisor, advisor to Outing Club including winter climbs of Mt. Mansfield and Mt. Washington)
1971-74 Teacher Scarborough Day School, Briarcliff Manor, NY (Math & Science 7-12, APL Computer Programming, advisor to Outing Club)
1974-79 Shared Educational Computer Systems, Poughkeepsie, NY (Time-sharing non-profit educational computer consortium; a number of positions including APL programming and analyst for a bunch of medical research projects, director of time sharing, director of software development)
1979-86 Marist College Computer Center, Poughkeepsie, NY (Applications programmer, software analyst, coordinator of academic computing, adjunct math & computer science faculty)
1978-present: Partner (with my wife, Marilyn) in Rosen Associates Solutions LLC, in the area of software development and computer consulting [originally time-sharing work; since 1985 primarily PC environment]. Did design & development computer work for about a half-dozen National Cancer Institute-funded grant projects through Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center & related organizations, also consulting work for two small cancer research organizations. In 1992-97, our business was awarded a National Cancer Institute grant through the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program to develop software for follow-up and tracking of cancer screening patients. We have done a bunch of database development projects since then, including a database consolidation project for Wave Hill, a non-profit public garden, environmental education center, and cultural/arts organization in the Riverdale section of the Bronx. More recent activities have been smaller scale projects and ongoing support for non-profit organizations, small businesses, and even individuals.
Family, volunteering, and other interests:
I married Marilyn Parke in 1974, and shortly thereafter we bought a house in Poughkeepsie, NY (we’re still there!). In 1982, we adopted Alvin, then almost age 7 with a history of foster care from birth. About a year later, we adopted Bobby, then almost age 5 with a difficult past including two foster care experiences. The adoptions were interracial and multiply challenging; getting the boys through adolescence was a real challenge. About 18 years ago, Bobby’s then-girlfriend moved in with us followed shortly by her infant daughter, and about a year later they had a daughter. After some difficult times, we ended up as the legal guardians for both girls; Courtney is now 21 and is a manager at the local ChuckECheese’s; Mariah is 18 and just graduated high school, and is working as a legal aide for an injury law firm. So we’re been full-time [grand]parents of these two girls for most of their lives.
Bobby and the girls’ mother split up (never married), and Bobby met, moved in with, and has since married Kelly Heady. They now have two young daughters, Maya (4th grade, age 9) and Arianna (age 4); they live nearby and Marilyn and I baby-sit them most Mondays, Fridays, and occasionally other times. Also, our older son Alvin has a daughter, Precious, (7th grade, age 11)—so we now have a total of five granddaughters!
Volunteer: I’ve been involved heavily with the management of the Appalachian Trail (AT), from 1980-2004 as Chair of the Dutchess-Putnam Counties [NY] AT Management Committee, part of the NY-NJ Trail Conference. Since then, I’ve become the NY-NJ delegate to the AT Mid-Atlantic management group, known as the Mid-Atlantic Regional Partnership Committee (MARPC). For the last five years I have chaired the MARPC, a position I’m likely to continue for another year. I’ve also been active in the leadership of Vassar Temple (Reform Jewish congregation), including 9 years on the Board of Trustees and two years as President. From 1982-2006 I was a leader for the Boy Scouts; my last volunteer position there was chair of the high adventure committee of the Hudson Valley Council. Now, with five granddaughters, I’ve moved to leadership positions in the Girl Scouts instead, including treasurer of troops that three of my granddaughters have been involved in and for the last few years treasurer of the Girl Scout Service Unit (Community level) and I’m now the Service Unit’s delegate to the Heart of the Hudson Council and a council-level volunteer.
Interests: In addition to hiking, camping, and backpacking interests, about eighteen years ago I started roller-blading on local rail-trails and regularly skate at a local indoor rink as well. I also enjoy some light carpentry (built a 700 square foot deck onto my house).
So for now, with the babysitting for the younger granddaughters, our lives have to fit the public school academic calendar! We plan to continue our computer consulting business for a few more years, but we’re already at far less than full-time. I’m planning to stay heavily involved in the AT management—and I’m now on the steering committee for the major trail-wide gathering scheduled for the summer of 2021 at the State University of New York at New Paltz.
