In reflecting on my daughter's career, her physics professor, Ram Chaudhari, described a balloon in a pool of water. No matter how hard life, college, or career have applied pressure, on her similar to pushing the balloon to the bottom, she always pops back up just like the balloon. This observation describes Maureen's time at SUNY Oswego as a student and also describes her outstanding success and achievements. Although I haven't understood the details of her various positions, as her father, it has been inspiring to watch her retain her focus, drive and passion for her career.
Moe started at SUNY Oswego as an early admission student, combining her senior year of high school with her freshman year of college. She enjoyed chemistry, chose it as a major, and was very active in the Chemistry Club's tutoring program. As a student she demonstrated unusual drive and energy as she balanced an arduous schedule with campus employment. She also enjoyed languages. In her junior year, when I returned from a sabbatical leave, she informed me that she had changed her major to Spanish with a concentration in Italian. It was obviously a good decision and she has certainly used her language skills in her career and travels.
Moe began her career in technical support with the Learning Company in Cambridge, Massachusetts. She received "Sales Representative of the Quarter" awards for four consecutive quarters and was promoted a number of times until she became the national catalog accounts manager, but she wanted more. She moved to Discovery Communications, Inc. in Bethesda, Maryland, where she served as the Eastern Regional Sales Manager. In this position she was involved in all sales and marketing activities for multimedia and video product lines in the eastern territory. In 1996 she was invited to speak at the Vega Honors Convocation and visited a number of our classes as an Alumna in Residence. From 1996 until this past October, Moe was vice-president of marketing and sales for LearnWare, Incorporated, a Language tutorial software start-up company in Philadelphia specializing in multimedia educational materials.
Commenting on Moe's amazing career success, Professor George Koenig has noted that she also has continued to give generously of her time and resources for the benefit of SUNY Oswego. Just one month before returning to receive the 1998 Alumni Association G.O.L.D. Award, Maureen accepted a position with Kaplan Education Centers, where she is director of software sales and marketing. This challenging new position brings her back to the "Big Apple" with an office in Manhattan.
It was especially meaningful to have Moe recognized at the same ceremony in which her first grade teacher, Dr. Barbara Shineman, received the Lifetime Award of Merit. To be sure, Mom and Dad are very proud of Maureen's flexibility, adaptability, positive approach and accomplishments.