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Special Bond Formed Over 40 Years Ago Lives on Through Memorial Award

After getting over the initial shock of the passing of Brian McShea ’82 in January 2022, a group of his closest Hartwick College friends sprung into action. To honor his memory, they established the Brian McShea Memorial Award and determined it would be presented to an incoming first-year student who hails from Long Island and is interested in music or art.

“We wanted someone from Long Island because that was where he and his family were from,” said Copeland Gates ’82. “We also wanted the recipient of this award to have a love for music or art since Brian was a very talented musician and artist.”

The first-ever award recipient is Morgan Einsetler ’27, an art major from West Islip, New York.

“Hartwick College has always been a special place for my family as my great grandmother, aunt, and two cousins went here. Growing up, I saw firsthand the lasting impact this special place had on my family and it is great to know that it had the same impact on Brian McShea and his friends. I am truly honored to be the inaugural recipient of this award and pursue my passion through Hartwick’s excellent art program.”

Morgan Einsetler ‘27

Art Major

McShea’s passing also prompted a reunion held last year in Oneonta. The get-together, attended by nearly 80 people, was organized by Gates ’82, Joseph “Trip” Ruvane ’83, James Warner ’83 and Benton Prentice ’81.

“If it were not for Hartwick, we would have never met,” said Prentice ’81. “Everybody liked Brian. He was a terrifically fun and funny guy, and truly entertained us all with his music and his stories. He was an outstanding brother. His passing made us realize the importance of having a reunion right away to rekindle the many special friendships we made years ago at Hartwick.”

The hope is that Einsetler ’27 is the first in a long list of award recipients.

 

Make a gift to support the Memorial Award today

December 13, 2023
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