Honorary Degree Recipients

The Honorable Mae A. D’Agostino ’77
United States District Court, Northern District of New York

Siena College is honored to have the opportunity to recognize U.S. District Judge Mae Avila D’Agostino, Siena College Class of 1977.

A native of Albany, New York, Judge D’Agostino was awarded her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, magna cum laude, from Siena College in 1977. She served as the Vice President, Student Senate; President, Political Science Society; as well as a Delegate to both the Harvard University Model United Nations organization and the New York State Mock Assembly. At graduation, Judge D’Agostino was inducted into Alpha Kappa Alpha, the Honor Society of Siena College; the National Scholastic Honor Society for Students in Catholic Colleges and Universities, Delta Epsilon Sigma; the International Social Science Honor Society, Pi Gamma Mu; and the Honor Society in History, Phi Alpha Theta, as well as honored with the Siena College Student Affairs Award. Subsequently, she attended Syracuse University College of Law, receiving her J.D. degree in May 1980, and was recognized with The International Academy of Trial Lawyers Award for her distinguished achievements as a student in the art and science of advocacy.

After graduating from Law School, Judge D’Agostino began her career as a trial attorney. She has tried numerous civil cases including medical malpractice, products liability, negligence, and civil assault. At the time of her appointment to the federal judiciary in 2011, she was a trial attorney with the law firm of D’Agostino, Krackeler, Maguire & Cardona, PC.

Judge D’Agostino has been recognized professionally for her outstanding contributions to law and the community: the 1989 recipient of the Young Lawyer Award from the New York State Bar Association’s Insurance, Negligence, and Compensation Section; the Albany – Colonie Regional Chamber of Commerce’s 1995 Woman of Excellence Award; the United States District Court Award for Voluntary Service in 2002; and The Kate Stoneman Award from Albany Law School in 2008. In 1995, she was honored by the Siena College Alumni Association with The Father Benjamin Kuhn, O.F.M. Distinguished Alumnae Award.

Judge D’Agostino is a past member of the Siena College Board of Trustees, Albany Law School Board of Trustees, and the Syracuse University College of Law Board of Visitors. She is a member of the New York State Bar Association and Albany County Bar Association, having served as County Bar Association President in 1998. Judge D’Agostino is a past Chair of the Trial Lawyers Section of the New York State Bar Association and is a member of the International Academy of Trial Lawyers and the American College of Trial Lawyers. She has served as an Adjunct Professor of Law at Albany Law School, teaching Medical Malpractice.

Walter T. Kicinski ’62

Business and Civic Leader

Siena College is honored to have the opportunity to recognize Mr. Walter T. Kicinski, Siena College Class of 1962.

A native of Albany, New York, Mr. Kicinski was awarded his Bachelor of Science in Finance, cum laude, from Siena College in 1962. At graduation, Mr. Kicinski was inducted into the National Scholastic Honor Society for Students in Catholic Colleges and Universities, Delta Epsilon Sigma, as well as honored with the Academic Excellence Award for Finance and The Student Achievement Award of The Wall Street Journal. Mr. Kicinski also completed minors in Economics and History.

Mr. Kicinski has had significant careers, in both the public and private sectors, as well as extensive not-for-profit institutional experience, focused on collaborative leadership and program change. Most recently, he retired in 2007 from UBS Investment Bank in New York City, after serving seven years as a Managing Director. Since 2009, he serves as a Board Member and currently, Acting Chair, of the New York State Public Asset Fund.

Upon graduation from Siena College, Mr. Kicinski initially pursued a Doctoral Fellowship in Political Science at the University at Albany, but left academe to work as an Economist and primary author of the monthly publication, New York City Labor Market Report, during 1963 -1964. Subsequently, during the remainder of the 1960s, Mr. Kicinski worked in the Administration of New York State Governor Nelson A. Rockefeller, as a Special Assistant to the New York State Budget Director, with particular focus on the fiscal relations between New York State and New York City. Additionally, during this period, he participated in various initiatives and activities related to the Civil Rights Movement, as well as opposition to the Vietnam War. Both of these areas of interest led him to become personally involved in the Presidential Campaign of Senator Robert F. Kennedy in 1968.

In 1970 – 1971, he completed the Mid-Career Fellowship Program of The Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton University. Mr. Kicinski then returned to public service, as Deputy Director of the Commission on the Fiscal Future of New York City, 1971 – 1972. Following the completion of the Commission’s work, Mr. Kicinski rejoined New York State government as Director, Program Analysis and Review, New York State Division of the Budget from 1973 – 1974. In 1975, Mr. Kicinski was appointed as Deputy Secretary to New York State Governor Hugh L. Carey, and was responsible for assisting in the resolution of the New York City fiscal crisis, as well as advising and implementing various policy and program initiatives, with focus on public finance, energy, and regional economic development. During this assignment, he also was responsible for the development of the Coalition of Northeastern Governors (CONEG), with Governor Carey as its first Chair, and Mr. Kicinski directing the CONEG Policy Center. Finally, Mr. Kicinski acted as Governor Carey’s Liaison to President Jimmy Carter’s Senior White House Staff, 1976 -1978, and served in Governor Carey’s 1978 reelection campaign.

From 1980 – 1985, Mr. Kicinski served as Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer of the New York Power Authority (NYPA). During his tenure, he led the efforts at introducing strategic planning, capital budgeting, and policy and program innovation at NYPA, including pursuing energy alternatives for reduced oil dependence; New York State electric grid upgrade; hydropower expansion; Canadian hydropower initiatives (HydroQuebec Energy Agreement); enhancement of the Niagara Project; energy conservation; and research and development in wind and solar energy.
From 1986 until his retirement in 2007, Mr. Kicinski then worked in the private sector in municipal investment banking at UBS and Paine Webber, leading both firms’ New York Public Finance Groups. In this senior management role as an experienced Managing Director, responsible for public policy and political oversight, he was instrumental in moving both firms into the top ranks of the municipal finance industry.

Mr. Kicinski has been most active in support and leadership of various non-profit organizations throughout his career. A Trustee Emeritus of the Siena College Board of Trustees, he served for fifteen years, and as Chair for seven of those years, during a period of dynamic growth and increasing academic excellence at the College. Additionally, he had previously served as a member of the Siena College Board of Associate Trustees. Finally, Mr. Kicinski has served as a member of the Citizen’s Budget Commission (Trustee and Executive Committee); Municipal Forum of New York (Board of Governors and President); New York Transit Museum; Yonkers Public Library Board; and Class Agent, Princeton Graduate Alumni Annual Fund.

In 1979, Mr. Kicinski was honored by the Siena College Alumni Association with The Father Benjamin Kuhn, O.F.M. Distinguished Alumnus Award.

In recognition of his lifetime of exemplary achievement, leadership, and service in the public, private, and non-profit sectors of our society, Siena College awards Mr. Walter T. Kicinski, the honorary degree, Doctor of Humane Letters.

John J. Nigro

President, Nigro Companies

Siena College is honored to have the opportunity to recognize Mr. John Nigro, a leader in the business community of the Capital Region of New York State, who has contributed most significantly by his active support and leadership of numerous non-profit organizations, to improving the lives of many of our fellow citizens and enhancing our community.

Mr. John Nigro is the President of Nigro Companies, a commercial real estate development and management company based in Albany, New York. Mr. Nigro was born and brought up in the food business. His grandfather, an Italian immigrant, founded a small grocery store in downtown Albany in 1927 that eventually grew to the 15-store Albany Public Markets chain. After the supermarket chain was sold in 1967, Mr. Nigro remained as company Vice President and then took on the role of President. In 1974, he began a career in the real estate business, which was to eventually become Nigro Companies. Today, the company owns and manages many commercial properties throughout northeastern New York State and Massachusetts, specializing in shopping centers.

Nigro Companies has developed local properties including The Shoppes at Greenbush Commons in North Greenbush, Rensselaer County Plaza in East Greenbush, University Plaza in Albany, PriceRite Plaza in Queensbury, and the Hannaford Plazas in Albany, Rotterdam, and Saratoga. Mr. Nigro’s company also developed Bethlehem Town Center in Glenmont which includes a Wal-Mart Supercenter and a Lowe’s Home Improvement Store. Also, Nigro Companies acquired, expanded, and redeveloped the Shops of Malta, Gateway Plaza in Ogdensburg and Arsenal Plaza in Watertown, all anchored by a Price Chopper supermarket.

Mr. Nigro is a Board Member and past Chair of the Strategic Initiatives Committee at The Center for Economic Growth, an Albany-based business development group. He played a key role in securing the $6.2 million state grant for a two-gate addition to the Albany International Airport, which was pivotal to luring Southwest Airlines. Other focuses of the Committee have been the Rensselaer Rail Station, the Watervliet Arsenal and Nanotechnology in the Capital Region.

Mr. Nigro also currently serves as Vice Chair of the Siena College Board of Trustees, as well as a Director of the Albany Medical Center / Albany Medical College; a Trustee of the Albany Symphony Orchestra; a Director of the Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Boy Scouts of America and The Capital Region Youth Tennis Foundation. He is an Honorary Trustee of the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute; a member of the New York State Legislative Ethics Commission; and Chair of the Alexis de Tocqueville Society of the United Way of Northeastern New York.

A Capital Region Business Hall of Fame Inductee, Mr. Nigro is the recipient of the J. Spencer Standish Lifetime Achievement Award, presented by the United Way of Northeastern New York; the Boy Scouts of America Distinguished Citizen’s Award; the Hudson Mohawk Association of Colleges and Universities’ Higher Education Service Award; Equinox’s Quasar Award for Corporate Support; the YMCA’s President’s Award; and the Community Partnership Award from Wildwood Programs, Inc.

In recognition of a lifetime of achievement in business, as well as for his personal support and leadership of various academic, community, cultural, and government organizations that support the common good, Siena College awards Mr. John J. Nigro, the honorary degree, Doctor of Humane Letters.