I met Ray MacConnell at my very first job after college: He worked in the advertising department and I worked in the editorial department of a local suburban weekly newspaper chain.

Ray left the newspapers to come to the University when Wilson Commons opened; the rest of us were jealous, I remember. I came by to see him after I started working here on campus myself. I walked into the office, and it was like I hadn?t seen him in 22 hours, not 22 years. Not only did he recognize and remember me, but he hadn?t changed a bit himself. He was as warm and funny and easy to talk to as ever. He even looked the same! (How do you do that, Ray?) I was able to catch up on what he was doing not only from him, but from one of the former CT editors, Steve Bradt, who was working in our PR office. That?s how I learned Ray has these great cooking talents (can I get a sample?) on top of his beautiful work with flowers (yes, he did the flowers for my wedding).

It?s great to see you again, Ray. Congratulations on the super job you?ve been doing for 25 years, and I wish you all the best for another 25!



Pick up where you left off

In anticipation of 2026’s graduation ceremony, the Campus Times conducted an interview with upcoming Commencement speaker Jeannine Shao Collins ’86. Collins, who earned a bachelor's degree in economics from URochester, currently works as the Chief Client Officer at Kargo: a multiplatform advertising and media company. Read More

Pick up where you left off

As per tradition, “The State of the Campus Times” updates readers on our affairs — the Editor-in-Chief (EIC) and Publisher write this pseudo-column at the start and end of every semester to articulate the struggles and joys found through managing your local student-run newspaper. We also introduce ourselves and our projects, what we hope to achieve during our terms, and we provide progress updates regarding past management’s pursuits. Read More

Pick up where you left off

As recently as the early 2010s, it was standard practice for surgeons to provide 30 to 40 or more opioid pills for common, minimally invasive procedures. Most of these pills, however, would remain untouched, left over in the patient’s medical cabinet or kitchen pantries for potential misuse. A team of researchers led by URMC’s Dr. Jacob Moalem set out to reduce these opioid overprescriptions. Read More