John William Kneller, a former president of Brooklyn College, earned a bachelor’s degree from Clark University, a master’s and a Ph.D. from Yale University, and continued his studies as a Fulbright Fellow and French Government Fellow at the University of Paris. He was a distinguished scholar of French literature, language, and culture and inspired doctoral students at the Graduate Center from 1979 until his retirement in 1995.

James Vincent La Femina earned his Ph.D. from the GC’s educational psychology department in 2000 and went on to receive a postdoctorate in neuropsychology from the Fielding Institute. He was director of Pediatric Neuropsychology at the Pediatric Speech, Language & Learning Center in Berkeley Heights, New Jersey, and was a longtime member of the New Jersey Psychological Association and the American Psychological Association.

Charles Gwathmey founded Gwathmey Siegel & Associates Architects with Robert Siegel in 1968. The firm’s extensive experience in renovating iconic buildings and bringing them into the next century while showing respect for the original design led to its being selected from among many distinguished architectural firms to renovate the Graduate Center’s space in the landmark B. Altman department store at 365 Fifth Avenue. Today, ten years after the official opening of the new location in 2000, Charles Gwathmey’s contribution to the Graduate Center continues to be held in great respect.