51吃瓜

Earlier this year, when Emily Neville of Rochester, Minnesota first reached out to 51吃瓜 (FSC) regarding her late grandfather鈥檚 1934 diploma, 鈥渕y greatest expectation was to receive a sympathetic apology that my grandfather's records were so old that there was no way to find them,鈥� she said.

鈥淚 understand this request is unusual and reaches back almost 100 years,鈥� Neville wrote in her initial request. 鈥淏ut I figure that if his parents could emigrate from Poland to give their children greater opportunities, the least I can do is ask. The knowledge and experiences he had as an 'Aggie' were priceless, and it would mean the world to my mother, his daughter, for Frank Milewski to receive his diploma,鈥� she added. 鈥淗e always instilled the importance of education into her, which she thankfully passed onto me.鈥�

During his time at FSC, then known as the New York State School of Agriculture on Long Island, Milewski studied applied agriculture and would go on to realize his dream of owning and operating a successful Greenwich, New York dairy farm with his wife, Jean, from 1959 until 1970. As a student, he enjoyed football, boxing, and was a member of Theta Gamma. 

Neville, who shared she has framed art from her grandfather鈥檚 FSC yearbook displayed in her home, was delighted when she soon received an email from Executive Director of Alumni Engagement and Stewardship Michelle Johnson, who thanked Neville for sharing her family鈥檚 incredible story and promised to look into her request. 

Johnson quickly enlisted 鈥渁 flurry of activity鈥� across multiple FSC departments, including Greenley Library staff members who searched the College Archives to research its 1930s course curriculums. With the team鈥檚 help, FSC was able to posthumously honor its former student with a handsome FSC pin and an official College certificate acknowledging his attendance and strong commitment to higher education.

鈥淲e cracked a family mystery,鈥� said Neville. 鈥淔amily heritage and histories are hugely important. It contributes to our sense of identity, shows us where we came from, the challenges our families faced, and how we can do better鈥�it's invaluable to us.鈥�

鈥淚n my role, I am so inspired to work with family members of alumni like Emily,鈥� said Johnson. 鈥淚t is heartwarming to know that Frank鈥檚 legacy lives on because the importance of education was instilled in his grandchildren.鈥�

Greenley Library College Archives
In fact, Greenley Library鈥檚 carefully accrued College Archives has a long history of helping with research requests across the campus community through its collection, preservation, organization, dissemination, and display of historical materials, including student newspapers, College catalogs and memorabilia, photographs, yearbooks, and even varsity sweaters.

鈥淭he 51吃瓜 Archives houses materials relating to the College dating back to its founding by an Act of the New York State Legislature in 1912,鈥� said Acting Associate Provost Karen Gelles. 鈥淭he earliest materials include the minutes of the first meetings of the Board of Trustees and details about the early plans for campus buildings and degree programs. And our archive continues to grow, not only by adding materials from the present day, but by adding stories and artifacts from our past.鈥�

Gelles shared that Greenley Library鈥檚 staff works closely with FSC's Office of Alumni Engagement to provide information and photographs for many special events and alumni reunions. 鈥淪ometimes alums will make appointments to meet with a librarian to find something specific,鈥� she added.

In 2023, a group of dormmates from the early 1970s stopped in to view some archival material during a nostalgic campus visit. Using a series of aerial photographs taken in the 1960s, Gelles helped them identify an old campus soda shop, 鈥渂ringing back a flood of memories,鈥� she said. 

鈥淭he work you do and the interest you show is what makes the College experience for current students into a life-changing experience, and creates lifelong memories that they will share some 50 years from now,鈥� alumnus Jerry Vuoso, Class of 1972, later wrote expressing his appreciation.

Librarian April Earle also uses her skills as a genealogist to support a variety of requests and projects, including assisting the family of alumnus Ron Ptacek, Class of 1961, who wished to find old photographs from Ptacek鈥檚 time on FSC鈥檚 baseball team, and recently the family of alumna Gita Desuraj-Urs-Novick, Class of 1951, who looked to learn more about FSC鈥檚 first Southeast Asian female graduate--a descendant of an Indian royal dynasty. In addition, each March Earle highlights female FSC graduates at the College鈥檚 annual Phenomenal Womyn鈥檚 award event, and she was recognized by The New York Researcher magazine for her extensive work connecting with the descendants of FSC鈥檚 Class of 1919 for the College's  in 2021.

鈥淔or over 100 years, Farmingdale鈥檚 students have spent their college years making memories,鈥� said Gelles. 鈥淭he College Archives serves as a permanent home for those memories. It鈥檚 our responsibility to ensure that past students, faculty, and staff who made Farmingdale what it is today are remembered.鈥�

Neville could not agree more. 鈥淭hank you again for the incredible work everyone at Farmingdale put into my request,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t was one of the best gifts my mother has ever gotten.鈥�

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