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Packaging science students organize Packaging Jamboree national conference
Lia Grammer and Julia Carreras found that juggling the logistics of a major student conference in the middle of a busy academic season is proving to be both exciting and challenging. The fourth-year students in RIT’s packaging science program volunteered to be co-chairs of Packaging Jamboree, the national event that will bring nearly 200 university students, faculty, and regional packaging professionals to campus. It meant coordinating site logistics, workshop presentations, and determining professional and social activities that were in line with the evolving packaging industry. Their academic year has been a mix of challenging coursework, recognition for scholarship and sports, and interesting co-ops that resulted in job offers. “It’s important for students like us to put together a conference like this to gain skills in planning huge events, because in the future you might be tasked to do that,” said Carreras, who is from Lexington, Mass. “I think Lia and I have networked tremendously with so many companies, we made great connections getting sponsors, and we are getting good at communications.” Grammer agreed: “At first, we thought we had to do all this planning ourselves, and we’ve both learned a lot about time management. To balance this on top of academics and coursework is a lot. But that’s how it will be when you are in the workplace.” An interest in technology and design brought both students to RIT, and they found the packaging science program provided a broad range of skills in areas from engineering and material science to product development and utilizing technical and design skills for multiple industries. “I feel like the packaging community is small and tight knit, so just having the chance to make connections while we are in school is important,” said Grammer, who is from Montgomery, N.Y. “With co-ops, I was able to meet other packaging students from other universities. Being able to have this opportunity for first and second-year students through this conference is key for us because we might be working with some of them as co-workers or managers.” Both have been organizing the event, managing seven committee members, and completing co-ops and projects for their last year at RIT. Outside of RIT, Grammer is an Eagle Scout (2021) and the volunteer social media coordinator of the student chapter of the Institute of Packaging Professionals (IOPP). She was recently named an Outstanding Undergraduate Scholar, an annual award given to the top one percent of RIT students for academic excellence and contributions to the community. In the fall, Grammer was awarded a PepsiCo academic scholarship and completed a co-op with the company. She will return to PepsiCo as a full time R & D associate engineer at its Valhalla, N.Y., site, supporting the packaging brand stewardship team. She begins June 30. Carreras has had similar success. She was a Liberty League All-Academic selection as a midfielder for women’s lacrosse. She sings with Encore, one of RIT’s talented a capella groups, and she received an IOPP Tejas chapter scholarship. Carreras was recently designated the packaging science department delegate for this year’s graduation ceremony, an honor given to recognize scholarship, community activities and contributions to the department and peers. “I just got an offer from Whelen Engineering,” said Carreras. The company manufactures audio and visual warning equipment for first responder vehicles and aviation. “I’m going to be the first packaging engineer in the company. I will be able to bring all my packaging knowledge to the table. I’m incredibly excited, and this really puts a bow on all I’ve worked for.” The 2025 Packaging Jamboree is taking place April 11-13 at RIT. An annual student conference, speakers and workshop topics will highlight the latest trends in the packaging industry. RIT last hosted the event in 2017.
RIT Graduate Showcase puts students in the spotlight April 10
Olivia Towne and Meghan Taylor gave back to the RIT community with their graduate research projects. The dietetics and nutrition master’s degree students focused on the nutritional needs of student athletes and challenges facing people with food allergies who eat in the dining halls. They will present their findings and recommendations at RIT’s Graduate Showcase on April 10 in the Student Alumni Union. This year, more than 120 RIT students will share their research and creative work at the premier event hosted by the RIT Graduate School. Towne and Taylor are part of the inaugural cohort of the dietetics and nutrition MS program housed in the Wegmans School of Health and Nutrition. All five students from the first class will participate in the showcase. The group will graduate in May, earning either an accelerated BS/MS degree, like Towne and Taylor, or a stand-alone MS degree. Towne, who is from Forestville, N.Y., will share her research, “Examining Food Choice Determinants in a Sample of NCAA Division III Athletes: Insights from the Athlete Food Choice Questionnaire.” As a nutrition undergraduate, Towne was a member of the RIT Cheer leadership team and participated in national competitions. She is interested in factors that influence student athletes’ eating habits. “I analyzed how performance goals, emotional influences, cultural eating patterns, and nutritional awareness impact athletes’ decisions,” Town said. “I learned that food choice behaviors vary significantly across athlete subgroups. These insights can inform more targeted nutrition education and support strategies for collegiate athletes.” Students enrolled in the dietetics and nutrition master’s degree program are required to complete 1,000 hours of work experience through three rotations in the community, in food service, and in clinical settings. Taylor, an RIT/NTID student from Webster, N.Y., took inspiration from her food-service rotation at RIT Dining Services with Marisa Donatello, a registered dietitian at RIT Dining. Taylor was drawn to helping students with food allergies proactively navigate dining services. “I talked with students during my rotation, and I wanted to help them advocate for their needs and talk about their experience,” Taylor said. RIT Dining Services has good policies and online resources to help students avoid allergens in the cafeteria, she said. Dining Services offers nutrition counseling, food labels, and ingredient lists on its website so students can access the information before they head to the cafeteria. “Many students don’t know about the resources, so I recommend they improve their outreach to them,” Taylor said Likewise, students need to take greater responsibility for their health and consistently carry EpiPens, if needed, Taylor found. Towne and Taylor are completing their clinical rotation at Rochester General Hospital, where they work with dietitians who provide dietary treatment plans for in-patient acute care. RGH offered Taylor a full-time position starting in mid-June, and Towne is currently interviewing locally. “The Graduate Showcase is a good way to practice sharing research and answering questions,” Taylor said. The event is an important part of the graduate experience, said Kristie O’Connor, director of the RIT dietetics and nutrition MS program and a 2008 graduate from the nutritional sciences program, formerly known as nutrition management. “The showcase helps students develop essential skills in research and data interpretation, while also preparing them to participate at professional conferences and strengthening their ability to communicate scientific information effectively,” O’Connor said. The event also engages younger students in the program and encourages peer-to-peer learning, she said. For Towne, the Graduate Showcase is the perfect way to wrap up her RIT career. “Participating in the Graduate Showcase feels like a meaningful reflection of everything I’ve accomplished during my time at RIT,” Towne said. “It marks the culmination of my academic journey and gives me the opportunity to share my research and take pride in how far I’ve come.” RIT Graduate Showcase April 10 RIT students will present talks, posters, and a visual exhibition during the Graduate Showcase on April 10 in the Student Alumni Union. For the first time, the showcase will include an “Elevator Pitch” session, challenging students with a short-format presentation. Student presenters and Outstanding Graduate Students awardees will be recognized at a ceremony in the Sklarsky Glass Box Theater in the SHED. Alumnus Jason Blythe, UX director at Amazon Prime Video, will give the keynote talk. Blythe holds a 2002 BFA in graphic design and a 2005 MFA in computer graphics design, now known as visual communication design. The ceremony also will honor this year’s Distinguished Alumni Award recipient, Erich Hernandez-Baquero, vice president of Space Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance at Raytheon, who graduated in 2000 with a Ph.D. in imaging science. More information about the event can be found at the RIT Graduate Showcase webpage.
NTID’s Corinna Hill engages students in embracing the history of Deaf culture
Corinna Hill didn’t expect to become a college professor, let alone one honored with a prestigious teaching award. But, this year Hill, an assistant professor in NTID’s Department of Liberal Studies, has earned RIT’s Richard and Virginia Eisenhart Award for Excellence in Teaching. This award is presented to instructors with less than three years as full-time tenure-track faculty members. A historian by training with a doctoral degree from University of Rochester, Hill began her professional career planning to work in museums, curating exhibits and uncovering forgotten narratives as a specialist in 19th- and 20th-century Deaf and disability history. However, an unexpected opportunity to teach at NTID changed her trajectory. “I told myself 10 years ago, ‘I’m not living in Rochester. No, thank you,’” said the Texas native. “And yet, here I am. It’s the students and community. They’re the reason I stayed.” Hill’s expertise examines access to language, technology, medicine, and social relationships, and how these forces have shaped the lives of Deaf individuals over time. But, what seems to set her apart is how she brings history to life in the classroom—through interactive discussions, humor, and real-world relevance. “I tell my students that history isn’t just about memorizing dates and names,” she explains. “It’s about understanding people’s lived experiences, their stories, and how these stories still impact us today.” Hill’s classes are typically filled with students from a variety of majors, as well as deaf, hard-of- hearing, and hearing students. Her approach to teaching is centered around embracing the diversity of her students, their skillsets and perspectives, and expectations and accountability. At the start of every semester, she shares a list with her students: what she expects of them, and what they can expect from her. “Teaching is a two-way street. They should expect me to actively show up, to be available during office hours, to be current on research, and to challenge them. And I expect them to give me their best efforts in return.” Her classroom lectures are anything but traditional. There are “meme challenges” where students create humorous, insightful content tied to Deaf history, and interactive debates and deep dives into historical events. “Many of my students, even those who are deaf or hard of hearing, have never learned about Deaf history. I want them to understand how rich it is—and how relevant it is to them.” Hill sees her courses as an opportunity for reflection for her hearing students, as well. “I want them to realize they play a role in Deaf history, too. Their perspectives on language and power dynamics matter—and can either help or hinder progress.” As a deaf historian, Hill once hesitated to focus her research on Deaf history, not wanting to be seen as a “token” representative. But as she further explored the field, her sense of purpose grew. “There are so many untold stories, so many misinterpreted narratives. I realized that if I want to change that, I have to be part of the effort to tell them.” Looking ahead, Hill hopes to continue developing in her teaching role while providing ways to expand research opportunities for students. “I want to challenge them, inspire them—and encourage them to have lots of fun while doing it, too.”
Valentage wins Eisenhart Award during final year at RIT
Anyone familiar with Nancy Valentage knows that when professional kudos come her way—such as a coveted RIT teaching award and a heartfelt retirement farewell—she will humbly accept the attention with gratitude and redirect the spotlight. Valentage, associate director and professor in RIT’s physician assistant program has won an Eisenhart Award for Outstanding Teaching for her commitment to student success. The recognition is bittersweet for Valentage, who is retiring after 31 years at RIT. “I love teaching,” Valentage said. “PA students are such a passionate group. They know this is going to be their life’s work and they are very serious. It’s been a gift to interact with them.” From behind the scenes, Valentage has played a pivotal role in the development and continued success of RIT’s physician assistant BS/MS program. She joined RIT in 1994 to create the program with colleague Heidi Miller. Their first class graduated in 1996 with 17 students. Since then, Valentage has seen more than 860 PA students graduate. As professional requirements of the field changed, Valentage and Miller added graduate curriculum and, in 2014, welcomed the first cohort of BS/MS students. The colleagues also introduced the symbolic white coat ceremony in which the PA faculty welcome graduating students into the profession. A career in academia presented itself to Valentage, and she has been grateful for the opportunity to learn from her students and grow professionally. RIT recruited Valentage from the former Genesee Hospital. Her supervising physician had trained her to teach dental and medical residents how to collect patients’ medical histories and conduct physical exams. She continued to practice her profession for many years into her new role. During her tenure at RIT, Valentage earned her MS in health systems management (formerly known as health systems administration) in 1998 and completed a critical care fellowship at Unity Hospital in 2007. Both experiences broadened her knowledge of the healthcare industry and gave her new clinical skills to share with her students. “I was able to talk to students about the business of healthcare and bring back new technical skills and procedures to the classroom,” she said. The opportunity to design the PA teaching lab and classroom in the Clinical Health Sciences building is another proud achievement for Valentage. “I carefully researched what would be upcoming and new, and our facility is still state of the art,” she said. “We have individual bays for teaching, and the ability for students to record their practice sessions. And we have a simulation lab.” Valentage lobbied for the digital anatomy table that the College of Health Sciences and Technology purchased this fall because “technological tools give our students a competitive edge.” Another advantage, she said, is RIT’s five-year BS/MS program. “RIT is only a handful of schools across the country that take students directly from high school.” Valentage is proud of the PA education RIT offers students and the network of clinical partners she and Miller have cultivated during the last three decades. She enjoys the opportunity to pair alumni working in the region with students gaining clinical experience during their fifth year. It strengthens the professional community among RIT’s physician assistant alumni. Becoming a physician assistant can be a great career for people who want to be change-makers, Valentage said. During retirement, she looks forward to volunteering, traveling, spending time with family friends, and practicing her new hobby—fly-fishing. Valentage’s father taught her to fish, but this method poses a new challenge for her to explore. “I started fly fishing about two years ago, and I consider myself a novice,” she said. “I simply love the serenity of being out in nature, even if I don’t catch as many fish as I do with the other methods. Fly-fishing is an art for sure.” Locally, Valentage fishes in Oatka Creek and in the Ausable River when she is in the Adirondacks. Her retirement plans include fly-fishing in Montana and surf fishing in the Florida Keys.

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