• 1996-1997 Division II NJCAA Preseason All-American 1st Team
• JCC Holiday Tournament, All-Tourn.Team
• NIC Most Valuable Player
• Region Ill, Division II Co-Player of the Year
• Region IlI, Division II 1st Team All-Tourn
• Paul Smith’s College Most Valuable Player
• 1996-1997 Division II NJCAA All-American
• 1997 Outstanding Athlete Award

After graduating, Ms. Eaton continued her education at Lyndon State College, earning a degree in Recreation Resource & Ski Resort Management. She was also a two-year member of their women’s basketball team, and continued to receive numerous honors including being named to the All-Conference Team both years, being named MVP both years, and team captain her senior year. She ranked 17th nationally for individual field goal percentage and 20th nationally for individual rebounding in the NAIA Division II her junior year. Jamie also ranked second in scoring and first in field goal percentage in the conference that year. During her senior year, she ranked 10th nationally for individual scoring and 11th nationally for individual rebounding in the NAIA Division II. She also ranked first in scoring and rebounding in the conference her senior year.  Jamie was also named scholar athlete in 1999. In addition to all of these accolades, Jamie scored her 2000th career point on February 13, 1999.Jamie grew up in a rural town in Pennsylvania, but after spending two years at Lyndon State College, she knew that she wanted to make the Northeast Kingdom her home and has resided here since her graduation. She currently lives in Lyndonville, VT, with her twin sister, where they pursue a life of outdoor adventures and share in their love for animals.

He served on the board of trustees for Paul Smith’s College from the beginning (October 1937) until his death, including serving as president of the board. The Longtin Cafeteria was named while he was still living.He also served as Brighton Town Supervisor from 1924 to 1933. He was very active in all community affairs. In a ​1958 Post Script article some of his major achievements were mentioned, including that he provided the funds for the building of the dam on the Saranac River that created Lake Flower, and the donation of land for the Saranac Lake Airport. Geraldine Collins, in her book the ‘Brighton Story’ stated that Mr. Longtin had been living in the Smith Hotel and escaped from the building when it burned in 1962.  He suffered a severe personal loss of historical possessions collected over the years, in addition to smoke inhalation. The combination seemed to rob him of all inclination to live. His decline was steady from then until his death on July 29, 1967.

Jim Lord graduated in 1955 with a degree in Forestry and was a member of the forestry club. He has been making signs for the Alumni Campground and signs to raise money for the Reunion auction for years.  In 2020, the Alumni Board honored him with the “Friend Award.” Jim retired in 1991 after 32 years as a NYS Forest Ranger.  He was a bobsledder who competed in the mid-1960s as the brakeman on a sled piloted by Fred Fortune of Lake Placid who won a bronze medal in the four-man event at the 1965 FIBT World Championships in St. Moritz. Jim was the ranger who led the crew up Wright Peak that found the B-47. Scott van Laer says that Jim may be the last living ranger from that crew actually. Jim wrote the licensed guiding laws that are still on the books today. 

Dave retired after a 30-year career with IBM Corporation. He has served as an active volunteer for Paul Smith’s College, including 11 years on the Alumni Board of Directors.  He served as vice president for four years prior to serving as President from 2014 to 2016. He also served on Social/Reunion, Historical, and Nominating Committees.  Dave has been as an active volunteer at regional alumni events such as the Sugarbush Breakfast, annual Alumni Clambake and Pancake Breakfast at Bob’s Trees. He was very involved in the annual reunion, helping to check every room, and leave a mint on every pillow for many years along with the 50/50 raffles to benefit the Forestry Club Cabin and the annual Silent Auction. Dave also served as a member of the Compass Club recruiting prospective students at college, career, and transfer fairs. Dave also served as a class rep for many years.

Howell, age 67, Director of the Liberal Arts Division and Head of the Chemistry Department at Paul Smith’s College, died in his home on ​February 2, 1967.  He began his work at Paul Smith’s College in 1946.  He was very civic minded and served for a variety of organizations including the Franklin County Heart Association as chairman and the County Unit of the American Cancer Society as President. He was responsible for bringing the Bloodmobiles to Paul Smith’s College and for many years he directed the college blood bank program.  He was adored by all and known as a great storyteller.  In 1968, a new classroom building was named after him “Pickett Hall”.

Paul and Pat together have had an impact on hundreds, maybe thousands of students at Paul Smith’s College. Each has played a significant role not only as a teacher but as a mentor, leader, a role model, and a friend for the many students whose lives they have touched.

One such example of their impact includes opening their hearts and their home. Pat and Paul hosted a party at their house at the end of every semester and for the Christmas and Thanksgiving holidays. It provided a sense of place to those who couldn’t travel home for the holidays, or for those who simply needed a somewhere to stay. One student stayed with them for a year, others for a semester. Every Thursday night for the last 10 years they have had between eight and 25 students for dinner and bible study.

Patricia Pillis
Pat started teaching accounting part time in the college’s first evening class in the 1980s after managing her own CPA firm during the day. In 1991, Pat was hired full-time. In 1993, at her student’s request, she started the first campus Christian Club, the Koinonia Club, which is Greek for Christian fellowship. The club still exists today but is now called the Inner Varsity Christian Fellowship. In fact, the original president and vice president of the club are married now with three children, and one is a current student here at PSC.  For 29 years, Pat taught accounting to students and each year, the students, after completing her class, would say “I still don’t like accounting, but I love Pat Pillis.”

Pat served on many committees while at Paul Smith’s, including the Awards Committee, Two Plus Two Committee, faculty promotions committee, pay equivalency, and many others. She continues to volunteer at the college whenever she is asked. Pat also received many awards throughout her time at PSC, including Club of the Year, student Advisor of the Year, Outstanding Faculty Award, Alumni Board Faculty Award, and many more.

Pat, along with Cheryl Culotta, would walk the halls of every dorm and reach out to all students whenever there was a crisis on campus or in the world. She is also proud to share that there are many students, whom she brought to their first AA meeting, are still sober today. On September 11, Pat lead the campus prayer service at Alumni Park with prayers for our country, students, friends, and family.  Pat feels that what was most important about being a part of Paul Smith’s College, was how the campus community was there for her during difficult times in her life, just like she has been there for her college family as well.

Paul Pillis, Class of 1969
Paul came to Paul Smith’s College as a student in 1967. For the past 55 years, Paul has remained involved with the college in many ways. He graduated in 1969 but he started working for the college in 1967 as a “pot scrubber” under Lionel Bibeau. From 1968 to 1972, he worked for Fred Klein in the Lands Department reestablishing Paul Smith’s College 52,000-acre boundary lines. Paul said Fred knew what was important to teach students, and on one occasion, he had all his students go to his house to watch the first man walk on the moon.

In 1968, with the building of the Forestry Club Cabin, Paul felt it was his job to take care of PSC and had a deep sense of ownership of the college. Long before the college had a security force, on a quiet Sunday, Paul would take a drive through campus to be sure everything was alright. Paul’s closest relations with students were those that worked on building the Forestry Cabin. Paul also supervised students in building the Gazebo, the Sawmill, and was instrumental in the community rebuilding of the lean-to that was damaged in a fatal snowmobile crash.

Dean Rutherford asked Paul to be a teaching assistant over the summer as he was working on his BA degree at New York State College of Forestry (Now ESF). There was an unexpected opening in the fall of 1972, and Paul started teaching full-time Forestry classes. In 1976, Dr. Buxton told Paul if he wanted to make teaching a full-time career, he would need to get a master’s degree. Paul earned his masters at the University of Idaho, and he also worked on developing a transfer from the two-year majors at Paul Smith’s College to University of Idaho four-year majors. After receiving his master’s degree, Paul continued teaching full-time at PSC, primarily Intro to Forestry and Silviculture.

Paul was the first advisor of the Society of American Foresters Club. Gould Hoyt was Paul’s mentor, and they worked together for many years.
Then in 1985, despite Paul Sorgule’s skepticism, Paul, with his forestry background, went into the restaurant industry and opened the St. Regis Inn. Then Paul Sorgule invited Paul Pillis to come speak to his classes about how to run a successful restaurant. Paul is still involved in the building industry and guest services today.

Paul has always been a part of PSC since he set foot on campus as a student. He fell in love with PSC and is committed to helping in any way he can. Anytime someone calls, Paul always says yes.  He continues to volunteer for many different jobs at PSC like as a judge of the Woodsmen’s Team, running the memorial service annually at Reunion, driving vans for different occasions like the Dillon Park Walk in The Woods, and as the Hall of Fame MC.

Jim started at Paul Smith’s College in 1987 as the Director of the Higher Education Opportunities Program (HEOP). In that role, he acted as the chief administrator for the New York State funded academic support program for disadvantaged students. Responsibilities included writing program grant proposals and reports, supervising program staff, developing program components, recruiting disadvantaged students, and acting as an advocate for program students in all aspects of college life. The first eight years of recruiting potential students who were academically and financially under-prepared for college proved to be the bedrock on which he developed his outlook on helping students. 

In 1995, Jim became the Recreation and Intramural Coordinator, a role that enabled him to bring his love for the outdoors to the larger campus community at PSC. Fittingly, from 1995-2010 he was cordially referred to as the “Dean of Fun.” In his time in that position, Jim developed and maintained indoor and outdoor recreational facilities, participated in trail route maintenance for outdoor pursuits, coordinated aquatic programs supervised undergraduate recreation, coordinated and supervised intramural athletics, coordinated a broad-range of outdoor recreation programs for the campus community and contracted public service organizations and corporations, and supervised year-around outdoor treks.   

At the behest of President Peter Linkins, Jim also jump-started the marathon canoe team at Paul Smith’s College in 1995. The team enjoys continued success to this day, based on the foundations built by Jim in the early years. He has contributed even more to the various curricular and extra-curricular programs here at PSC, including but not limited to aquatics classes, lifeguarding sessions, CPR and First Aid, First Year Seminar, Canoe Safety, The Humble Spud, and a plethora of intramurals and other recreation.  

Jim also enjoyed encouraging hundreds of students to participate in snowshoe racing. He has also volunteered his time and achieved several accolades in the sport:     

1999 through 2014:  Served as President of the Empire State Snowshoe Racing Association.  

2003:  Received the Empire State Snowshoe Racing Association’s Snowshoer of the Year award. 

2009 and 2013:  Served as Chief Field Judge (Head Referee) for Special Olympic World Winter Games Snowshoeing; McCall, Idaho, and PyeongChang, South Korea.  

2014:  Received the Snowshoe Magazine & U.S. Snowshoe Association’s Cindy Brochman Person of the Year award.  

2015:  Received the Area 27 Special Olympics New York State Volunteer of the Year award.  

In 2010, Jim was hired as the Athletics Director at the college. As AD, he oversaw an annual budget that grew to $1.4 million and led a staff of 22 full-time and part-time coaches, overseeing 27 athletic teams at PSC. Jim was pivotal in shaping the athletics department into what it is today. With generous financial help from E. Philip Saunders, the Saunders Gymnasium, ski/wax room, soccer field, and climbing wall were all updated and refurbished for modernization. Under Jim’s leadership, the college also increased its sports offerings, starting with the reintroduction of Men’s/Women’s Basketball, then including Golf, Bowling, Women’s Rugby, Trapshooting, esports, Men’s/Women’s Hockey, and various other varsity sports. During his tenure, full time coaches were hired to coach men’s and women’s soccer, the Nordic ski team, both men’s and women’s ice hockey as well as men’s and women’s basketball. 

Jim has been the cross-country running coach at Paul Smith’s College since 2009, and in that time, he has watched both the men’s and women’s teams blossom into national competitors. His dedication to Paul Smith’s College earned him numerous achievements through the years. In 2002, he was recognized by the Paul Smith’s College Alumni Association as the Faculty Member of the Year. A decade later in 2012, he was named the David H. Chamberlain Staff Member of the Year.

Shortly after graduating from Paul Smith’s College in 1972, Jim joined the Landscape Section at Eastman Kodak Company in Rochester, NY and ​Jim also married ​his college sweetheart, Judy Lynn Holliday. 

After a very successful career at Kodak​, Jim accepted the position of Grounds Supervisor at Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs NY. He ended his professional career with Orkin Pest Control specializing in wood destroying organisms. During that time​, Jim became an Associate Certified Entomologist through the Entomological Society of America. ​Throughout his career​, Jim continued his education at SUNY Empire State ​College, and through correspondence courses and workshops at Texas A&M, Purdue​, and Appalachian State in North Carolina.Jim has a long history of volunteering. While in the Rochester area he was a member of the Town of Parma Conservation Board, Monroe County Environmental Management Council, Monroe County Arbor Day Committee, and the NY State Department of Conservation Region 8 NY ReLeaf Committee. ​Jim’s involvement ​with PSC includes ​working over 15 years with the Phelps Smith Society, ​becoming one of the founding members of the Paul Smith’s Booster Club, ​serving as an active Alumni Board member​, and a member of the PSC Hall of Fame Committee. He also works with admissions to help recruit students.