Welcome back to The Legacy Family Spotlight, a monthly media feature highlighting the proud tradition of attending Siena where green and gold runs through the generations. Our next family, the Gauta family, has early beginnings at Siena dating back to the 1980s, and family roots down to Florida. Read how they think Siena is just as warm and welcoming as the Sunshine State.
Sue Jensen Gauta is a graduate of the class of 1991 but grew up close to Siena. She would frequently drive past the beautiful campus, which has been named a Top 50 Most Beautiful College Campus in the Nation by Conde Nast, and instantly knew this was where she wanted to call home. Joe Gauta, who is a graduate of the class of 1990, was drawn to Siena because of the Siena/Albany Medical College Science and Humanities Program, a joint acceptance program and the first of its kind in the country. Sue, a marketing major, and Joe, a biology major crossed paths during their time at Siena but didn’t start dating until after graduation.
Fast forward to the present day, and Joe and Sue find themselves in the middle of the next chapter in their family's Siena story. Their son, Stephen, class of 2023, is following in their footsteps. Stephen is also on the Siena/Albany Medical Program track like his father in the hope of bettering the lives of those he will care for. His Siena experience mirrors that of his parents. Susan recalls the joyful memories of moving Stephen into Hines Hall (the Old Friary) his freshman year and hearing about his Siena stories with lifelong friends around the family table when he returns home on break.
Stephen is also an avid outdoorsman and New York has provided him an exciting, but challenging opportunity to perfect his craft, just like Siena is allowing him to perfect his craft in biology for the future. Susan states, “Siena was a wonderful place for Joe and me to grow and learn. We are so grateful that Stephen will have that too.” In the legacy of the Gauta family, the spirit of Siena lives on, a testament to the enduring bond between past, present, and future.
Are you a legacy family and want to share your Siena story? Email us at alumni@siena.edu. We would love to hear from you!