It took him 16 years of studying part time on nights and weekends while working full time and raising a family to complete his engineering degree at UB, but Felix Smist, B.S. ’65, of North Tonawanda, N.Y., kept at it. To honor his father and help students who experience similar situations, Felix’s son James Smist, B.S. ’80, and his wife, Mary, have established the Felix Smist Scholarship at UB with their gift of $30,000.
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Contact Information:
Center For Tomorrow
Buffalo, NY 14260
Phone: 716.645.3312
Fax: 716.645.3838
"Joe, Give Me Chocolate and Cigarettes"
by Cosimo Mautone
While attending the School of Social Work, I met Professor Marvin Bloom, who "adopted this radical immigrant" and was helpful during my adjustment to the new educational system. He was extremely helpful in getting me through the two years of the program. We had a good relationship and a mutual respect for each other, which was similar to what I had with my faculty mentors when I was at the university in Italy. We learned from each other's experiences.
There was another professor in social work, Frank Hodges, who had been a "flying fortress tail gunner during WWII." He used to tell me war stories about Europe. I used to tease him and say that I remembered him when I was a little kid in Italy running around the GIs saying, "Joe, give me chocolate and cigarettes."