Ithaca College

Submitted on behalf of Nancy Pringle, vice president and general counsel.

It is with a great deal of sadness that I must inform the Ithaca College community of the death of longtime employee Deb Emnett, who passed away on the evening of Monday, June 15, after a long and courageous battle with cancer.

Deb was an inspiring coworker with incredible competence in so many areas. She began her Ithaca College career in 1981 as a secretary in systems and data processing. She subsequently served in the Office of the President and Office of the Dean of the School of Humanities and Sciences, and in 1989 she became the executive secretary in the Office of the Vice President and College Counsel. During her time there she worked closely with the Ithaca College Board of Trustees and was invaluable in providing support for two presidential searches. In 2005 she became the legal assistant/office manager for the Division of Legal Affairs.

Deb's organizational skills, attention to detail, and ability to get multiple tasks completed simultaneously were appreciated by all who worked with her. While balancing the many responsibilities of her job she also worked toward her bachelor's degree, earning a JJ Staff Scholar Award on the way to earning her B.A. in psychology with a minor in gerontology in 2001. She also found the time to provide leadership and support to the IC Toastmasters group and Phi Kappa Phi and was an active and enthusiastic participant in IC Voices.

I know the entire campus community joins me as we mourn the loss of our friend and colleague. We extend our deepest sympathy and prayers to Deb's husband, Ed, and their children, Tim and Beth '08, M.S. '09. Details on funeral services will be provided as they become available.